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Gov. Justice announced Wednesday that, 11 months through Fiscal Year 2022, year-to-date collections of more than $5.225 billion are a record $1.107 billion above the YTD estimate and 16.3% ahead of last year, breaking the all-time state record for total collections through the month of May. This marks the first time in state history that cumulative collections have ever exceeded $5 billion at any point on the calendar, with another month still remaining in this fiscal year. West Virginia’s General Revenue collections for May 2022 came in at $113.8 million over estimate.
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On Wednesday, Gov. Justice announced that, after receiving the results of his bloodwork, his doctors have confirmed a diagnosis of Lyme disease. He will remain on antibiotics for several weeks to continue fighting the infection.
“I’m feeling better every day,” Gov. Justice said. “I always want to first thank God above for all of our blessings. Additionally, I thank my doctors for all they’ve done, and I appreciate all the West Virginians who have expressed their wishes for my speedy recovery."
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health urges residents to take preventive measures against tickborne diseases. Tickborne diseases are spread through the bite of an infected tick and many of these diseases can also infect pets. Lyme disease is the most common tickborne disease reported in West Virginia. Preliminary numbers indicate in 2021, there were 1,542 Lyme disease cases across the state with others still being investigated.
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On Tuesday, Gov. Justice reported that, according to Johns Hopkins, the seven-day average for COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are more than six times what they were a year ago. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center showed a seven-day average of 119,725 cases as of Saturday. That figure held at 17,887 cases on May 28 of last year.
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Gov. Justice announced during his briefing on Thursday that, thanks to the access to and the convenience of at-home COVID-19 test kits, there is now less of a need for public community testing efforts. As a result, the state will be scaling back its community testing events. West Virginia has provided free community testing for all citizens since the beginning of the pandemic.
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On Thursday, Gov. Justice took time out from his remarks about COVID-19 to welcome Mark Nestlen, a spokesperson for GreenPower Motor Company Inc. The Governor has directed West Virginia Department of Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael to work alongside GreenPower to develop a pilot project to familiarize school districts in the state with electric school buses. The pilot project will be designed to help school districts take advantage of the federal money that is currently available for the near 100% purchase of electric buses.
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On Thursday, First Lady Cathy Justice visited Lewis County High School for a “Pup Rally” to celebrate the arrival of the state’s newest therapy dog through the Friends With Paws program. The dog introduced at today’s event is named Jasper. She is a Yellow Lab.
First announced in March, the Friends With Paws program places certified therapy dogs in several schools across the state, providing companionship and comfort for students in need of a boost.
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The I-64 Culloden interchange project, a $32 million project made possible by Governor Justice's Roads to Prosperity program, was awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways on Tuesday, May 31. Triton Construction Inc. was the winning bidder, with a bid of $32,346,000. The new interchange will connect US 60 in Culloden with I-64 between Hurricane and Milton, opening up economic development in the area, improving safety and eliminating a lengthy commute to I-64 for area residents.
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Gov. Justice has appointed Kelly Gilmore Codispoti to the Seventh Judicial Circuit, which serves Logan County. Gilmore Codispoti is set to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of the Honorable Eric H. O’Briant. She will be the first female Circuit Court Judge in Logan County.
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In an effort to make information more readily available, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has added a child welfare dashboard to show child placements and referrals, details on workforce, as well as other important public information. The child welfare dashboard is located at dhhr.wv.gov. It will be updated on a monthly basis.
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During the week leading up to Memorial Day, more than 884,000 vehicles passed through toll booths on the West Virginia Turnpike. The Turnpike experienced heavier than expected traffic on Tuesday, May 24, and Wednesday, May 25. From Monday, May 23, through Monday, May 30, 884,104 vehicles went through the toll booths.
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