Mountain State Morning

Special announcement: The Mountain State Morning podcast is going on hiatus as we put all of our time and energy into covering the coronavirus and its effects on our community. You can read all that coverage for free at wvgazettemail.com/coronavirus.  Now more than ever, please consider subscribing to the Charleston Gazette-Mail. This is the best way you can show your support that allows us to keep bringing West Virginians the news they need. Find out more at wvgazettemail.com/subscriptions. Thank you, stay safe, wash your hands and if you can, stay home for now. We look forward to bringing you more episodes of Mountain State Morning in the near future.

For Stephanie and Neil Legg, traditional church services are becoming something of the past. Neil is pastor at Covenant Christian Fellowship, in Charleston. Stephanie is a therapist and yoga instructor. The couple is liquidating everything from the church their congregation has practiced in for nearly 40 years to renovate an old school bus into a mobile wellness clinic. They’ll offer rotating church services in different places while Stephanie will use the bus to provide therapy and counseling to those in need. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Tax reforms, greyhounds, Bibles in schools and the foster care system. Those are just some of the hundreds of issues that West Virginia's legislators have debated over the last 50 days. But now, there are less than 10 days left to pass bills and get them to the governor’s desk. On this week’s episode, Phil Kabler talks to us about the importance of Crossover Day, and how this session compares to the others he’s seen during his three decades as a statehouse reporter. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Earlier this legislative session, as they debated the need for a Fairness Act, lawmakers questioned whether members of the LGBTQ community in West Virginia are discriminated against for their sexual orientations or gender identity. The answer? A resounding yes. A group of advocates from Morgantown, armed with a documentary film crew and several members of the community willing to share their stories, set out to show legislators what that discrimination looks like. This week, we talk more about that effort and the politics behind the proposed West Virginia Fairness Act. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Gunnoe Farms has operated in Charleston for more than 70 years, first as a sausage company, and now making salads. That’s about to end though. Owner Joy Gunnoe announced earlier this month it was the end for the salad business. The choice came after years of unfortunate circumstances -- a derecho, loan debt, the water crisis, to name a few. Today, we hear from Joy on what the last few years have entailed, and the uncertainty of the future. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

In less than one year, 26 people in Charleston have had their lives saved by Naloxone kits carried by area businesses. Leaders with the program want to get more businesses on board to save more lives in 2020. This week, we join them as they work to recruit businesses on Charleston’s West Side. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Students in Herbert Hoover High School’s next three graduating classes will finish their high school careers without ever having a high school of their own. They learn in portable trailers, as they have since floods destroyed the school in 2016. Students will do the same for the next two years, until a new school opens. It’s not quite a traditional high school experience. This week, we talk to students about what’s different. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

So you wake up in the morning and your newspaper is sitting on your porch. But how did it get there? This week, former Mountain State Morning producer Kate Mishkin takes us on a ride around Kanawha and Putnam Counties, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the newspaper delivery process and the people who make it possible. Also in this episode: The House of Delegates passed a criminal justice reform bill, and the Secretary of State's purge of voter rolls took out more Democrats than Republicans. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

More than 300,000 West Virginians rely on food pantries each month to eat. Many of those pantries have little on their shelves, which are supplied by wavering donations and organized by a handful of aging volunteers. The state’s largest food bank, however, is sometimes overflowing with food. Today we look at why that food doesn’t make it to some of the smaller pantries that residents rely on, and what could be done to alleviate some of the hunger in West Virginia.  Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit 

West Virginia’s legislature is officially back in session. State senators and delegates will be in Charleston for the next 60 days passing and debating bills that will affect many West Virginians. Last night, Governor Jim Justice gave his annual State of the State address. We’ll break down what he discussed, and what we can expect to see from other state lawmakers as the session proceeds. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Since 1972, Larry Groce has been helping shape West Virginia into a cultural haven. He helped found annual arts events like FestivALL, but he’s best known as the host of Mountain Stage, which is recorded in West Virginia and airs on NPR stations across the country. Today we look at Groce’s career before and after the Texas native found his home in West Virginia, and how those accomplishments make him the 2019 Gazette-Mail West Virginian of the Year. It’s not a coincidence that the new year is 2020 and perfect eyesight is 20/20. That’s a sign that this year should be a year of clear vision. Now is the time to get a real handle your business technology needs with our FREE tech evaluation. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Each year, the Charleston Gazette-Mail’s sports staff names a West Virginia native as Sportsperson of the Year. This year, the staff is honoring Mike Hamrick, athletic director at Marshall University.  Don’t ever mistake cloud computing with the weather. The weather might give you a white Christmas, but cloud computing might make your Christmas a little greener by saving you money. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

West Virginia holds the second highest rate of people living with diabetes nationally. That’s more than 15 percent of the people here relying on insulin every day to keep them alive. But as insulin prices rise, many struggle to afford their medication — no matter their health insurance coverage. Earlier this month, a group of residents met and Morgantown and traveled to Canada, where some purchased insulin for a tenth of the price it costs them here. Our reporter Jake Zuckerman joined them on the trip. The Advantage Technology telecommunications team follows the high standards of BICSI for cabling installation. It’s no wonder they don’t want to string Christmas lights when they get home at night! Learn more about us at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Last week, a photo emerged of a class of roughly 30 correctional officers from Glenville’s training academy performing a Nazi salute. State officials, including the governor, were quick to condemn the training class’ actions, but many questions remain unanswered, even with an investigation underway. Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. In this week’s tech minute, Advantage Technology discusses how cybercriminals see every morning as Christmas morning. Learn more about us at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Hunting is a favored pastime in West Virginia, but even a skilled hunter would struggle to out-shoot the students on the West Virginia University rifle team. This week, we learn how demanding the sport of rifle shooting really is. Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. In this week’s tech minute, Advantage Technology will discuss the twinkling lights of the holiday season. Learn more about us at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Since 2015, West Virginia State Police have spent $3.5 million in taxpayer money settling lawsuits alleging wrongful action by state troopers. There are allegations of of sexual assault, excessive force and wrongful deaths. There are rarely any repercussions for wrongdoings. At Advantage Technology, we are thankful for our employees, our customers and you, the listeners of Mountain State Morning. Learn more about us at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

In West Virginia, the tourism industry could be a potential economic boom. As climate change worsens, though, all of that — and some of the things that make the state special — could be at risk. Reporter Kate Mishkin travels to West Virginia's Mid-Allegheny Highlands, where she spoke with biologists and business owners to learn more about how climate change is already affecting the Mountain State and those who live there, and what we can expect in the years to come. If you have challenges with Cloud Computing, Advantage Technology can help. Because we have over 80 technicians, we can specialize in emerging areas and have dedicated resources to specific disciplines, rather than merely being computer generalists. To learn more about Cloud Computing you can visit advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Coming next Wednesday: West Virginia has long depended on coal to fuel its economy. But as mining declines, the global warming it leaves behind is sabotaging the state’s potential future as a tourism hub.

Murray Energy, West Virginia's largest coal producer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October. The United Mine Workers union said it was a long time coming. We talk to Taylor Kuykendall of S&P Global Market Intelligence about the impacts of the Murray bankruptcy. Advantage Technology has been awarded a U.S. GSA Schedule 70 contract. This means we’ve worked through the stringent GSA proposal process to demonstrate our past and current performance, pricing and financial stability, as well as our outstanding customer satisfaction. To find out what we can do for your business, visit advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Years ago, the water in a Fayette County town was so clean people wanted to bottle it. Now, the water runs red and pink. It has high levels of iron, manganese and aluminum. What happened? It’s important that everyone in your organization has a good understanding of cybersecurity and follows best practices for staying safe online. To make it easier on you, Advantage Technology has created a free eBook on everything you need to know about cybersecurity. Get the eBook at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Many rural hospitals are struggling to stay open. But Roane County General Hospital, once on the verge of bankruptcy, just launched a $22 million expansion. Most software over 10 years old, like Windows XP, has reached its End-of-Life. Hardware can reach End-Of-Life in as little as 3 years. Windows 7 and Server 2008 will even be reaching End-Of-Life in 2020. Advantage Technology can create a completely customized plan to upgrade your technology with our free IT Discovery, a high-level scan of your network with an assessment and site survey. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Gov. Jim Justice’s own farming businesses received the maximum amount possible farming subsidies through a program meant to help American farmers through the U.S. trade war with China. Most software over 10 years old, like Windows XP, has reached its End-of-Life. Hardware can reach End-Of-Life in as little as 3 years. Windows 7 and Server 2008 will even be reaching End-Of-Life in 2020. Advantage Technology can create a completely customized plan to upgrade your technology with our free IT Discovery, a high-level scan of your network with an assessment and site survey. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Federal authorities arrested two Ukrainian men on charges of trying to funnel foreign money into political campaigns to influence elections in the United States. This includes a campaign in West Virginia. Producer Kate Mishkin talks to political reporter Jake Zuckerman about how the indictments trace back to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s bid for Senate. Most software over 10 years old, like Windows XP, has reached its End-of-Life. Hardware can reach End-Of-Life in as little as 3 years. Windows 7 and Server 2008 will even be reaching End-Of-Life in 2020. Advantage Technology can create a completely customized plan to upgrade your technology with our free IT Discovery, a high-level scan of your network with an assessment and site survey. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

A Poca High School student wrote about how his marching band needed money to replace their 14-year-old uniforms. Now, the marching band has raised about $6,000. But they’re not the only high school in West Virginia struggling to get funding for the arts. To donate to the Poca High School Marching band, go to gofundme.com/f/poca-marching-band-uniforms. Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. Most software over 10 years old, like Windows XP, has reached its End-of-Life. Hardware can reach End-Of-Life in as little as 3 years. Windows 7 and Server 2008 will even be reaching End-Of-Life in 2020. Advantage Technology can create a completely customized plan to upgrade your technology with our free IT Discovery, a high-level scan of your network with an assessment and site survey. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

A conversation with Denise Kiernan, one of the headlining speakers at the West Virginia Book Festival. Also: Why West Virginians love West Virginia. Your technology should add value to your business, not devour precious resources like your time, money and sanity. Advantage Managed Services are proactive IT services curated by our experts to keep your network running at peak performance and to protect your data from disaster. Learn more at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

A report that’s out this week says many of West Virginia’s counties had some of the most health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act in the country. Also: Climate change could have an impact on mental health. We’ll explain how. Even though Advantage Technology is West Virginia’s largest full service IT company, we recommend you don’t sit at your computer all day. Take a break and move around a little bit. And join us Saturday, Sept. 28, for the Charleston Heart Walk. Learn more about the Heart Walk by visiting advantage.tech/heartwalk. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

In Clay County, a food pantry is feeding more than half of the people in the small communities nearby. Also: The discussion on climate change begins to shift in West Virginia. Click here to watch the livestream of the Climate Change and Public Health Conference from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. SharePoint Online provides the solution to the document attachment mania with collaboration tools and automatic version control. It is included in Office 365 and you can learn more about it and other IT solutions provided by Advantage Technology by visiting advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

What’s it like when the state’s top politicians and business leaders come to play at America’s Resort? Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. Advantage Technology is a Gold Certified Microsoft Partner with specific competencies in Microsoft’s Cloud services like Office 365. Included in Office 365 is Microsoft Teams, a social media platform that’s exclusive to your business. Learn how Advantage Technology can purchase, install and manage your Office 365 deployment at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

After months of speculation, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin finally announced Tuesday he wouldn’t run for governor of West Virginia. Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. Advantage Technology is partnering with the American Heart Association to promote health and fitness by sponsoring the Charleston Heart Walk. Learn how you can get involved at advantage.tech/heartwalk. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

A conversation with Ken Ward Jr., who wrote an investigation of Gov. Jim Justice’s conflicts of interest in the Gazette-Mail and ProPublica. Also: A glimpse at a day in the life of women in West Virginia who face sexism doing jobs traditionally held by men. Mountain State Morning is powered by Advantage Technology. Learn more about their IT solutions at advantage.tech/podcast. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

In the 1970s, before abortion clinics opened in West Virginia, a pastor was helping women in the Eastern Panhandle get to New York, where abortion was legal. He helped found the Women's Health Center in Charleston. Now, in 2019, the center is under siege. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Marshall County Sen. Mike Maroney says he isn’t involved in an investigation into a prostitution ring in his hometown. Plus, audio postcards from the State Fair of West Virginia and Perseid meteor shower, which continue this month. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

A man whose wife jumped from the New River Gorge Bridge filed a wrongful death lawsuit, saying his wife was bullied. We’ll talk to reporter Lacie Pierson about the lawsuit. The Charleston Gazette-Mail won quite a few awards over the weekend. We’ll give you a quick run-down. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Mountain State Morning is one year old. These are the sounds of the last 12 months. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

This week on Mountain State Morning: Homeless students account for nearly 4 percent of all students enrolled this past school year in grades K-12 in public schools. Also: A federal judge’s ruling last week paved the way for the release of more, previously confidential information on opioid shipments to every state, county, town and pharmacy in the U.S. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

This week on Mountain State Morning: The most recent legislative session, lawmakers passed a resolution that condemned people who challenged the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. It was written by a lobbyist whose company is building the pipeline. Also: How residents are affected when Clay County's only major grocery store closes. Click here to watch “Powerless”: a documentary from ProPublica and CBSN. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: The state’s plan to get quail back. Also: The obstacles slowing the rollout of pharmacist-prescribed birth control in West Virginia. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

This week on Mountain State Morning: Three years after the June 2016 floods, a Nicholas County family is still waiting on help. Also: The U.S. Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships continue in our own backyard. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This month, the West Virginia Supreme Court issued two very different rulings in two natural gas cases. Today: The story behind those cases. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn more about you! Fill out our short survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OUtbg6F4l7IfCjqRl8ad_cpPiGPoblubBGcYlhT0ayw/edit

Tomorrow is West Virginia Day — the anniversary of West Virginia’s birth as a state in 1863. Today, we tell you the story of West Virginia’s journey to statehood. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: In August 1980, Timothy McWilliams shot three teenagers, killing one. This year, he pleaded guilty to killing his father, Leo McWilliams, in 2018. Next month, a judge will decide whether he’ll accept or reject that plea. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning, we’ll take you into a classroom at Huntington High School, where last week everyone was getting ready for the summer. Then, we’ll stop by the statehouse in Charleston, where teachers returned over the weekend to show lawmakers they’re still paying attention. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: The story of a Fayette County native who posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award. Also: A weekend at the Vandalia Gathering. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: The Division of Natural Resources is working on a $4 million wildlife education center. Also: The story behind the new Gazette-Mail opinion page. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: Elizabeth Warren made a stop in Mingo County Friday. Did she change any voters’ minds? Also: We take you to one of the biggest yard sales east of the Mississippi. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: University of Charleston football star John Cominsky is going to the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the NFL in the fourth round. Also: 49 people from around the world became U.S. citizens at a Naturalization Ceremony Monday, and a mother seeks justice in court. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: Is U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin running to be governor of West Virginia? Also: A scene at the West Virginia State Social Studies Fair. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

We asked for your stories about education in West Virginia. Here’s what you had to say. If you’d like to join the discussion, send us a voice memo at educationwva@gmail.com. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

Before a special session on education, lawmakers and Department of Education officials have been crisscrossing the state asking for input on education in West Virginia. Are they listening? Teachers, parents, public school employees: We want to hear your story. Email us a note or send a voice memo at educationwva@gmail.com Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

It’s spring in West Virginia. This week, the West Virginia Power has its first home game, and the gobbler season begins. We look ahead at both. Read Mike Whiteford's stories of Dick Hoblitzell and other famous Major League players from West Virginia here, and his story about the history of baseball in the Mountain State here. Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.

This week on Mountain State Morning: FEMA gave the City of Richwood $500,000 to fix its water system after the 2016 floods. The city spent about $400 to install a PVC pipe. Where did the rest of the money go? Listeners: We’d love your feedback and to learn a bit about you! Fill out our short survey by clicking here.