By Leann Ray | Editor-in-chief
“The intent (of the rule) is to be able to run at those higher capacity utilizations, but also the intent in the legislation was to protect the ratepayer, and that appears to be in this latest version of the rule.” — Del. Bob Fehrenbacher, R-Wood
John E. Amos Power Plant, seen in June 2013, is a coal-fired plant owned and operated by Appalachian Power, a subsidiary of American Electric Power in Winfield, West Virginia. (Getty Images)
By Henry Culvyhouse
Just in time for the winter, West Virginia regulators have tweaked a rule tucked away in the state’s controversial data center law, possibly avoiding hikes in electricity bills.
Early voting starts today in West Virginia. An early voting sign is shown on May 8, 2026 in Charleston, West Virginia. (Photo by Leann Ray/West Virginia Watch)
By Lori Kersey
West Virginia voters can now vote in the 2026 general election at courthouses and community locations across the state.
NATIONAL
Burkhart Ridge in Howell Township, Mich., is the kind of manufactured home community that some experts say can be expanded with a new federal law that allows such homes to be built without a chassis. Some 30 states may need to update their laws, though, and mobile home park operators say the industry still faces major zoning and financial speed bumps. (Photo by Jon King/Michigan Advance)
By Robbie Sequeira
For decades, manufactured home builders have been working to shed the old image of boxy trailer homes reserved for the outskirts of cities and suburbia. Now, a small change in federal regulations could open the door for architecture welcomed in more neighborhoods.
By Jonathan Shorman
Dan Osborn is one of four independent candidates for U.S. Senate this year who are the main opponents of incumbent Republican senators. All hail from states — Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota — where Trump won easily and Democrats struggle in statewide elections.
By Jonathan Shorman
The U.S. Department of Justice is intensifying its campaign against voter fraud with a spree of arrests in the final weeks before Election Day, an effort that voting rights advocates warn risks instilling fear among voters.
COMMENTARY
Bickle Knob is part of the Monongahela National Forest in Eklins, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy of the Forest Service)
By Robert B. Miller
I want my ashes scattered at Bickle Knob.
That may seem an unusual place to begin discussing forest policy. But it explains why the Monongahela Forest matters to me.
ICYMI
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