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On Friday, Gov. Jim Justice announced that more than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered statewide. To date, 645,541 West Virginians have received at least one dose of vaccine, while 433,823 West Virginians have been fully vaccinated.
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On Monday, Gov. Justice called upon younger West Virginians, urging them to sign up to be vaccinated as soon as possible, with COVID-19 numbers slowly creeping back up across certain areas of the state.
People between the ages of 10-19 now make up most new cases in West Virginia, followed by those between the ages of 20-29.
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And on Wednesday, Gov. Justice called upon all West Virginians age 65 and older who have not yet been vaccinated to schedule an appointment to get the vaccine as soon as possible. The Governor’s urging comes amid a recent “uptick” in the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths being seen in West Virginia and across the nation.
Any West Virginians age 65 and older are urged to pre-register for an appointment by visiting vaccinate.wv.gov or calling the West Virginia Vaccine Info Line: 1-833-734-0965. The info line is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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On Friday, Gov. Justice reported that West Virginia has detected its first case of the South African variant of COVID-19 in Berkeley County.
“This is just more and more testimony that it’s not time to let our guard down,” Gov. Justice continued. “We need you to continue to step up: wear your mark, wash your hands, stay apart, and get your vaccine.”
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"Earlier this week, West Virginians witnessed something almost unheard of across this country: Leaders from both parties coming together for a constructive conversation about the future of this great state at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher."
Read the entire op-ed here.
On Monday, Gov. Justice hosted a summit with state legislators on the plan to repeal the state income tax. On Friday, the Governor answered questions from the press concerning his repeal plan and passage by the state Senate.
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On Friday, Gov. Justice hosted a ceremonial event inside the Governor’s Reception Room in Charleston, where he signed into law four bills designed to improve West Virginians’ lives in various ways. The bills included:
- SB 275, creating an Intermediate Court of Appeals in West Virginia.
- HB 2024, expanding health care practitioners eligible to provide telehealth and permitting health care providers in other states to practice telehealth in West Virginia, provided they register with the appropriate board and comply with state laws and standards.
- HB 2499, providing tax credits for firearm and ammunition manufacturers while also removing the sales tax on these items as well.
- HB 2793, permitting individuals who live out-of-state to obtain a concealed carry permit in West Virginia.
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From a construction zone overlooking the I-64 Nitro/St. Albans Bridge at the point where it crosses over the Kanawha River, Gov. Justice joined United States Senator Shelley Moore Capito and West Virginia Department of Transportation officials Wednesday afternoon for a ceremony to celebrate the start of work on a major project in the area to enhance the existing bridge and add a second bridge to better serve motorists traveling the high-traffic section of interstate. The $224.4 million project is part of Gov. Justice’s Roads To Prosperity program.
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Anglers looking for an exciting fishing adventure in West Virginia will have opportunities to catch tiger trout this spring. On Wednesday, Gov. Justice announced that the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will stock this unique sport fish in lakes and streams around the state for the first time in decades.
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On Monday, Gov. Justice took time to commemorate the 11-year anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. On April 5, 2010, an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia, resulted in the deaths of 29 miners.
“It’s hard to believe that it was 11 years ago. It seems like it just happened,” Gov. Justice said. “It was a crying shame."
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On Monday, Gov. Justice announced the passing of West Virginia Human Rights Commission Executive Director Ronald Lee Jones Jr. Jones’ death was not COVID-19-related.
“This was a gentleman who gave so, so much,” Gov. Justice said. “In addition to his role with the Human Rights Commission, he was a football coach at Chapmanville Middle School and coached at Chapmanville High School. He was well-known for all the incredible things that he did in his community, so this is an incredible loss for that community and the state.”
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DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier would like to remind customers about the upcoming federal enforcement of REAL ID, and about the differences between the two types of valid driver’s licenses and identification cards that DMV currently issues. Federal enforcement of the REAL ID Act is set to begin on October 1, 2021.
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On Thursday, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health, Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease announced five communities as recipients of the Healthy People Healthy Places designation, recognizing their commitment to supporting healthy choices. This year’s gold-level awardees are the City of Beckley and Berkeley County. The silver-level awardee is the City of Fayetteville. Bronze-level awardees are the City of Morgantown and Putnam County.
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After a three-month long project to repair and restore the Lincoln Plaza hardscape on the capitol campus, the plaza has reopened to the public ahead of schedule. Two flower beds adorned with tulips, pansies, and other vibrant flowers now frame the common area, showcasing the campus’s natural and historic beauty just in time for warmer weather. An additional 16 flower beds can be found around the campus.
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