| Opening Note
The Well is where conversations happen at the Capitol — where legislators, lobbyists, and staff compare notes, test the mood, and figure out what matters. This briefing is built the same way: a fast, disciplined read on what is moving in West Virginia government before the day begins.
STATE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Pritt withdraws from ballot; Republicans cannot name a replacement
Former Del. Elliott Pritt voluntarily withdrew as the Republican nominee for House District 50. Under a 2024 election law that took effect Jan. 1, 2025, a party cannot replace a candidate whose ballot vacancy results from a voluntary withdrawal. The State Election Commission consequently will not consider Pritt’s possible disqualification Friday, leaving the party without a nominee for the November election.
The separate process for filling the remainder of Pritt’s legislative term continues. The Fayette County Republican Executive Committee submitted William Jennings Vest, Brent Alan Hudnall and Eric Walton to Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who is expected to select an interim delegate from the three nominees within five days. The appointment would last only through the end of the current term.
FEDERAL AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
FEMA opens individual disaster-assistance applications in Lewis and Upshur counties
Residents affected by the July 21-22 flooding may now seek FEMA grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans for uninsured property losses and other recovery assistance. Applicants are advised to file insurance claims first and then apply through DisasterAssistance.gov, the FEMA mobile application or 1-800-621-3362.
The expedited declaration initially makes at least $4.5 million available to eligible homeowners and renters. Five additional counties remain under review as federal, state and local officials continue documenting damage. Mark K. O’Hanlon has been appointed federal coordinating officer for the recovery. The potential expansion of the declaration is the next material development.
BUDGET AND HUMAN SERVICES
School-clothing dispute broadens from funding to benefit controls
Morrisey raised concerns that cash withdrawn from school-clothing benefit cards could be spent on alcohol or tobacco, although he offered no specific evidence of fraud. House Finance Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood, responded that direct card purchases of those products are already blocked. Human Services Secretary Carl Ayers said withdrawals from standard ATMs could nevertheless be used for unrestricted purchases.
The administration expects to spend about $11 million on the program this year and says the broader Temporary Assistance for Needy Families reserve has fallen to $41 million. It plans to seek approximately $15 million in supplemental legislative funding to maintain programs through the fiscal year. Criss said the shortened application period left an estimated 5,000 otherwise eligible children without assistance and called the administration’s depiction of the TANF finances an “artificial crisis.” The next substantive step will be the supplemental appropriation proposal and any accompanying benefit-control changes.
TANF dispute expands from program funding to controls on cash benefits
Gov. Patrick Morrisey said concerns about possible misuse of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits contributed to the early closure of West Virginia’s school clothing allowance program. Morrisey specifically questioned whether money withdrawn from benefit cards as cash could be spent on alcohol, tobacco or other items unrelated to children’s clothing.
Lawmakers countered that direct purchases of restricted products with benefit cards are already prohibited and that the Legislature approved the TANF funding requested by the administration. Their disagreement is part of a broader dispute over whether the program faces an immediate crisis or a longer-term structural imbalance. West Virginia receives approximately $98.8 million annually in federal TANF funding but has recently spent about $137 million a year by drawing down accumulated reserves. The Legislature appropriated $177.1 million for TANF programs in the current state budget.
The school clothing program provides $200 per eligible child and normally assists more than 80,000 children. Applications opened later than usual on July 20 and were scheduled to remain available until Aug. 15 or until the allocated money was exhausted.
The two linked TANF reports should be treated as one story. The next material developments will be any supplemental appropriation request, proposed restrictions on cash withdrawals and a detailed accounting of TANF obligations, annual revenue and remaining reserves.
INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY AND REGULATION
Morrisey begins southern West Virginia water-infrastructure tour
Morrisey opened a two-day listening tour in Huntington, with planned stops in Wayne, Mingo, Wyoming and McDowell counties. He said the administration has used more than $174 million in state money to support approximately $550 million in overall water-infrastructure investment and wants state agencies to coordinate their reviews of local projects more closely.
The tour itself does not constitute a new funding award. Its material outcome will be whether the administration identifies specific projects, financing commitments or permitting changes after meeting with local officials and residents.
Frustrated Mingo County residents describe persistent water failures during Morrisey water tour
Residents attending Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s clean-water listening tour in Mingo County described recurring outages, low pressure, boil-water advisories and concerns about discolored water. Their testimony shifted the tour from a general discussion of infrastructure needs to specific questions about whether state assistance will produce reliable service in communities that have endured repeated system failures.
The Mingo County Public Service District has been under Public Service Commission investigation following treatment problems, sediment-basin failures and outages affecting thousands of customers. The regulatory record has cited aging or failed equipment, staffing and safety concerns and the need for a corrective-action plan. Separately, residents around Pigeon Creek raised concerns this spring after the water turned bright orange; state officials attributed that incident primarily to iron-bearing material disturbed near an abandoned mine area and railroad property.
The material follow-up will be whether the tour produces project-specific funding, treatment or distribution upgrades, enforceable corrective measures or changes in state oversight of financially distressed water systems.
Appalachian Power says large customers will support Longview acquisition costs
Appalachian Power President and Chief Operating Officer Brian Abraham said heavy industrial users and technology ventures — rather than existing ratepayers — are expected to support American Electric Power’s acquisition of the 710-megawatt Longview Power plant. The statement is a material follow-up to the purchase announcement and addresses a central concern surrounding data-center-driven generation growth.
AEP has told investors that its approved West Virginia large-load tariff uses extended contracts and take-or-pay commitments of as much as 90% of contracted demand to reduce the risk that infrastructure costs shift to existing customers. The transaction’s financing, customer commitments and treatment in future regulatory filings will determine whether that protection operates as described.
Appalachian Power advances new Putnam County substation
Appalachian Power is moving forward with plans for a new substation in the Hurricane area as part of its broader Bancroft-Milton transmission project. The utility says the work is needed to improve reliability and accommodate increasing electricity demand in rapidly growing parts of Putnam and Cabell counties. The larger project would rebuild about 20 miles of transmission line between Winfield and Milton, replace aging wooden poles with steel structures and avoid the Meeks Mountain trail system.
Appalachian Power expects to seek approval from the West Virginia Public Service Commission later in 2026. If approved, construction is projected to begin in summer 2028 and conclude in spring 2031. The regulatory filing, estimated project cost and proposed treatment of those costs in customer rates will be the next material developments.
EDUCATION AND HEALTH
Wayne County joins middle-school reform initiative
Wayne County Schools announced a partnership with Marshall University and the Empowerment Collaborative to introduce a new approach to middle-school education. The collaborative model focuses on stronger school-community relationships, project- and work-based learning and measuring whether schools are prepared to implement the program effectively.
The local launch comes as the West Virginia Department of Education separately advances its statewide “Bridging the Future” initiative, which targets middle-school achievement gaps through professional development and research-based instructional strategies. Implementation results — including participating schools, student measures and employer involvement — will determine whether the Wayne County model is suitable for broader adoption.
Marshall approves more than $3 million for campus infrastructure
Marshall University’s Board of Governors approved more than $3 million for campus infrastructure projects during its Aug. 3-4 meeting. The investments advance the university’s long-term facilities strategy, which identifies classroom renovations, flood mitigation and improvements to major academic buildings among its priorities. Marshall’s master plan requires separate board approval for individual projects costing more than $1 million.
The approvals represent a capital commitment rather than a new academic program or operating-budget expansion. Construction schedules, funding sources and the extent to which the projects reduce Marshall’s deferred-maintenance obligations will determine their longer-term significance.
Marshall researcher helps develop international GLP-1 pregnancy guidance
Dr. Shahrad Taheri of the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine was the only U.S.-based contributor to international clinical guidance on the use of GLP-1 and related medications before, during and after pregnancy. Researchers from 23 institutions reviewed 34 studies involving fertility, pregnancy outcomes, breastfeeding and postpartum health.
The review found no identified increase in major congenital abnormalities after unintended early-pregnancy exposure, but concluded that available evidence remains insufficient to support using the medications during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It emphasizes contraception and preconception counseling and reports that nearly half of the principal clinical questions remain unanswered, underscoring the need for prospective studies and long-term monitoring. |
