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Gov. Justice announced Wednesday that, with the CDC now recommending Pfizer-BioNTech’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for use by children ages 5-11, West Virginia’s Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) has already begun distributing and administering doses of the vaccine to children across the state.
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Gov. Justice was joined virtually by Dr. Jessica McColley with Cabin Creek Health Systems and her 7-year-old son, Jacob. Championing the safety and effectiveness of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. McColley administered the vaccine to her son live on-air.
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On Friday, Gov. Justice announced that West Virginia grandfamilies with grandchildren ages 5-11 are now eligible to receive a $150 school voucher for getting vaccinated against COVID-19 through the Healthy Grandfamilies vaccination incentive program. The Healthy Grandfamilies vaccination incentive program offers a $150 voucher for school supplies to all vaccinated grandfamilies in West Virginia – families where grandparents are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
To qualify, all vaccine-eligible members of the grandfamily, including grandparents and grandchildren ages 5 and older, must have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The family must also be enrolled in West Virginia State University’s Healthy Grandfamilies program. Enroll at healthygrandfamilies.com.
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On Monday, Gov. Justice yet again encouraged all West Virginians to determine if they qualify for a booster dose and then immediately get one if they are eligible. There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States.
If you are eligible for the booster shot, you can go to any location offering COVID-19 vaccines with your vaccination card to receive the booster. If your card has been lost, you can request a new one from the DHHR.
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On Friday, Gov. Justice announced that medical experts at West Virginia University and Marshall University will use federal grant funding to study variants of COVID-19 in West Virginia. Both universities jointly received a grant worth $678,030 from the National Institutes of Health for the purpose of assisting researchers at WVU and Marshall with studying and identifying COVID-19 variants.
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Gov. Justice announced Monday that West Virginia’s General Revenue collections for October 2021 came in at $38.7 million above estimates. October collections were 7.3% ahead of prior year receipts. Year-to-date collections are $181.4 million above estimates four months into Fiscal Year 2022.
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Gov. Justice held four ceremonies Tuesday to announce over $65.8 million in federal grant funding for several hazard mitigation projects to help protect communities across West Virginia from future disasters.
He first stopped in Oak Hill to award two grants, one to the Oak Hill-Minden project and another to the City of Hinton.
At the second stop, in Craigsville, Gov. Justice handed out nine grants for projects such as wastewater collection improvement and evaluating flood control barriers.
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Later in the day, Gov. Justice made a stop in Marlinton for an $8.6 million grant and then a stop in Alderson to present six additional grants.
The funds are being made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program (CDBG-MIT). The program helps communities impacted by recent natural disasters carry out strategic and high-impact activities to mitigate disaster risks and reduce future losses.
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On Saturday, Gov. Justice visited Philip Barbour High School to present the Governor’s Cup Marching Band Trophy. Cabell Midland High School was the grand champion, with the Hurricane High School being named runners-up and Greenbrier East High School being named second runners-up.
Also on Saturday, the Governor presented Cabell Midland High School Director of Bands Tim James with a Distinguished West Virginian Award. James is retiring after 40 years in education and after winning 151 Grand Championships.
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As a show of appreciation to veterans and active duty military personnel, Gov. Justice announced Tuesday that several discounts for all United States veterans are available. Veterans who stay at a West Virginia state park lodge throughout the month of November are eligible for a 50% discount on lodge room stays.
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Gov. Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice issued a statement Friday evening after learning of the passing of former West Virginia Speaker of the House and Secretary of the Department of Revenue Bob Kiss.
“Cathy and I send our deepest condolences to Speaker Kiss’s family and friends during this difficult time and ask all West Virginians to join us in prayer for them...I personally knew Speaker Kiss as Bob and considered him a friend. He will be deeply missed by many. Next week, I will be issuing a proclamation to lower our flags to half-staff in honor of this great West Virginian.”
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Gov. Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice issued a statement Monday evening after learning of the death of a coal miner in Logan County. Brian D. Wallen, 49, was fatally injured late Monday afternoon at the Mingo Logan Coal Company’s Mountaineer II Mine in Sharples. Brian was an Assistant Chief Electrician with 25 years of mining experience.
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On Wednesday, Gov. Justice appointed Stacy Lynn Nowicki-Eldridge, of Alum Creek, to the Twenty-Fifth Judicial Circuit, which serves Lincoln and Boone counties. Nowicki-Eldridge is set to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of the Honorable William S. Thompson.
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On Monday, the West Virginia Department of Education announced West Virginia’s finalists for the 2021-2022 U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Six finalists were chosen from an extensive application pool of juniors and seniors competing to be one of two USSYP delegates to represent the state. Now in its 60th year, the program is merit-based and highly competitive. Each delegate will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship along with a week-long, intensive education and leadership virtual program known as Washington Week, which will be held March 5-10, 2022.
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West Virginia is among the top 10 states nationwide to offer foundational computer science courses to public school students. This is according to the annual State of Computer Science Education: Accelerating Action through Advocacy report released Wednesday by Code.org, the Computer Science Teachers Association and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance. According to the report, 76% of public high schools in West Virginia offered foundational computer science courses last year, a significant increase over the past three years when only 46% of schools provided these courses in the 2018 - 2019 school year.
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Vibrant fall color continues throughout much of the state as the West Virginia Department of Tourism releases its fifth fall foliage report to help travelers enjoy peak leaf season. This report marks the fifth in a series of weekly updates, prepared in partnership with the West Virginia Division of Forestry, to help travelers plan autumn road trips and adventures based on peak foliage across the state. Color has been slower to peak in West Virginia this year, resulting in some beautiful fall foliage remaining through early November.
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The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) is hosting nine free tire collection events in November. Individuals may dispose of up to 10 tires per person. The tires must be off the rims and only car and light truck tires will be accepted.
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