Gov. Justice held a ceremony Tuesday to announce that a scenic loop of US Route 219 and WV Route 92 – newly named the Seneca Skyway – has officially been designated as the first route of the West Virginia Mountain Rides program.
Seneca Skyway starts in Lewisburg, spanning through the Potomac Highlands as far north as Tucker County before returning to Lewisburg, making for a smooth and easy loop for riders. The entire route traverses nearly 300 miles of winding country roads and can be completed within a little over a six-hour round trip drive.
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Gov. Justice announced Wednesday that West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 3.6% for April 2022, breaking the all-time record for the lowest unemployment rate recorded in state history for the 7th consecutive month.
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Gov. Justice announced Friday that West Virginia will receive up to $72.1 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury under a new round of the State Small Business Credit Initiative to increase access to capital and promote entrepreneurship, especially in traditionally underserved communities as they emerge from the pandemic.
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Gov. Justice hosted a celebration Tuesday at Lindside Senior Center, presenting a $100,000 check to Monroe County seniors as grand prize winners in the Senior Center Edition of the Do it for Babydog vaccination sweepstakes. Monroe County boosted the second-most seniors per capita of any county in West Virginia during the promotion.
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On Monday, Gov. Justice and Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh announced that the state’s free, online COVID-19 Vaccine Due Date Calculator has added new functionality. The Calculator has been updated to share not only the date that the user becomes due for a COVID-19 shot, but also what type of COVID-19 vaccine they are recommended to receive.
Additionally, users will now find a “Medical Info” button for healthcare providers to assist medical providers in their clinical recommendations for vaccination patients, as well as links to various helpful resources for clinical considerations and vaccine administration and more.
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On Monday, Gov. Justice announced that West Virginia has received its second tranche of American Rescue Plan funds, in the amount of $677 million. The Governor committed to working with the West Virginia Legislature to determine how best to use the funding to benefit the state for generations to come.
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On Thursday, Gov. Justice announced that, earlier in the week, the United States FDA authorized the use of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 who are at least five months removed from the completion of their primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. As a result of this authorization, the FDA is now encouraging booster doses for all Americans over ages 5 and older.
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On Thursday, Gov. Justice took time out of his remarks on COVID-19 to announce that he has issued a proclamation formally declaring May 2022 as Foster Care Month in West Virginia. The month acknowledges the foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections.
During his briefing, the Governor welcomed Aaron Wagoner and his father Toby onto the broadcast. Toby is a pastor in Ravenswood and Aaron is a senior at Ripley Christian Academy. Aaron was in the state’s foster care system at a very young age and is now graduating high school. He will be joining the U.S. Air Force after graduation.
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On Monday, First Lady Cathy Justice presented her latest Rhododendron Award to Amber Miller-Belcher, Logan City Clerk and a driving force for positivity in her community. Miller-Belcher has been Logan City Clerk for 14 years and is also the city’s Special Events Coordinator. She is also the Chaplain on the Board of Directors for the West Virginia Municipal League and was recently appointed to the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals Board of Directors.
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First Lady Justice announced the winners of the First Lady Student Artist Series Sword Smithing Design Contest in a ceremony Monday at the West Virginia Culture Center. The winning sword will now be used to knight the winners of all future Golden Horseshoe recipients, starting with the next ceremony on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
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First Lady Justice announced Tuesday that her office will be hosting a West Virginia Birthday Cake Contest in honor of the state’s 159th birthday. West Virginia residents are invited to create and submit an original cake recipe. One recipe will be chosen and designated the “official” West Virginia birthday cake, served every year on June 20th to celebrate our statehood.
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The West Virginia Division of Highways celebrated the continued success of Gov. Jim Justice's Roads to Prosperity highway and bridge construction and maintenance program on Friday as contractors lifted the main span of the new Donald M. Legg Memorial Bridge into position in Nitro. The main span, five beams wide and 417 feet long, was pre-assembled and lifted into place Friday from a barge in the middle of the Kanawha River.
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An approximately $32 million project to build a new interchange on Interstate 64 near Culloden is among 20 projects included in a bid letting conducted by the West Virginia Division of Highways on Tuesday, May 17.
The WVDOH is reviewing the bids and hopes to award contracts for these projects soon.
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On Thursday, Gov. Justice announced that he has approved 15% salary increases for direct services employees of the West Virginia DHHR’s Bureau for Social Services. The increases are anticipated to be effective on June 18.
The Governor went on to say that plans are also in the works to publish a child welfare dashboard on June 1, showing information on CPS placements, referrals, and workloads, as well as other important information.
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