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Audit finds contract nursing in WV state facilities costs $284M, hiring process typically 688 days • West Virginia Watch

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Audit finds contract nursing in WV state facilities costs 4M, hiring process typically 688 days • West Virginia Watch


State-run hospitals, struggling to fill full-time nursing positions, are heavily reliant on contract positions to fill gaps. It cost the state $284 million since 2015 since contract positions pay more than the state’s own full-time nursing jobs.

The Department of Health Facilities’ lengthy hiring process and questionable budgeting practices combined with a national nurse shortage have led to a reliance on contract labor, according to an audit presented to lawmakers on Tuesday. Meanwhile, contract labor’s price tag has risen. 

“From fiscal year 2015 to 2023, the total annual expenditure for contract clinical staff increased 955%,” said Mike Jones, audit manager with the Post Audit Division.

House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay

The audit, conducted by the Legislature’s Post Audit Division, reviewed the Department of Health Facilities hiring process prior to it becoming its own agency this year. It found that, on average, it took 688 days to post jobs and hire full-time nurses. 

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“That’s among the most ridiculous things I’ve heard in a long time,” House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said in response. “Can anyone respond to that? Anyone?”

Aaron Snodgrass, health facilities finance officer, said he couldn’t provide clarity but noted that the agency was posting jobs much more quickly at this time.

With the likely continued rising cost of contract nursing, the legislative auditor recommended that lawmakers “consider if the continued operation of health facilities by the state is in the best long-term interests of the state and address the issues as it sees fit. “

DHF leaders have said they’re already considering selling four of the state-run hospitals to private providers largely due to operation costs. Snodgrass told lawmakers that the audit was fair and he was not surprised by the findings.

“We are working with a broker to find investors who want to invest in these facilities. I can’t really provide any additional information on that because it’s not my project,” he said.

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In DHF’s official response to the audit, it said the department contracted with Lument Securities earlier this year to look for outside buyers. West Virginia Watch on Sept. 23 filed a Freedom of Information Act request for a copy of DHF’s contract with Lument; an attorney with DHF recently delayed possibly sharing the contract until Dec. 20.

DHF operates four long-term care facilities: Hopemont Hospital in Terra Alta; Jackie Withrow Hospital in Beckley; John Manchin Health Care Center in Fairmont; and Lakin Hospital in West Columbia. The department also operates two psychiatric facilities — William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital in Weston and Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington — along with Welch Community Hospital.

Contract nurses involved in crimes, patient death at hospitals

Lawmakers requested the audit due to concerns about “ambiguous information around expenditures,” cost concerns with state-run hospitals and more.

There was not a line item dedicated to contract nursing, according to the audit.

Kayla Young, D-Kanawha

There are 846 allocated positions in the seven hospitals for full-time clinical nurses. Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, noted that the audit failed to say how many positions were being filled by contract nurses.

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the state’s reliance on contract nursing, and from 2019 to 2020, the cost jumped from $20 million to more than $40 million.

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“These staffing issues are not new or unique to hospitals in West Virginia. They existed before COVID, which only worsened the issue … No single policy has addressed the issue,” Jones said.

The millions of dollars spent on contract nursing were paid out to 33 vendors over the last nine years; 28 of those were out-of-state vendors. Sharpe Hospital, where multiple contract employees have been charged with crimes, spent $30 million on contract staffing last year. 

The state spent $3.8 million on contract nursing in Hopemont Hospital in 2023. Three contract employees were fired there this year who were involved in a gruesome death of an elderly patient in a boiling whirlpool.

The audit noted that West Virginia was not immune to issues sparked by the national nursing shortage. Lawmakers and educators have attempted to bolster the state’s nursing programs, including the creation of a West Virginia Nursing Academy that starts for kids in ninth grade. The Legislature provided $20 million in surplus funding for continued education initiatives started in the Governor’s Nursing Workforce Program in 2024.

“Are any of the programs that we have done in the past few years to bolster the nursing programs working?” Young asked.

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Snodgrass said that it will take years to graduate more nurses in the state.

“We are seeing positive results within the department,” he said. “When we come back in budget meetings in the spring, if trends continue that we’re seeing, we’ll have good positive results to report for contract nursing.”

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West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Daily 3, Daily 4 on Dec. 25, 2025

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Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.

Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25. 

Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.

Here’s a look at Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 results for each game:

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Winning Daily 3 numbers from Dec. 25 drawing

1-3-4

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Dec. 25 drawing

3-5-8-8

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from Dec. 25 drawing

01-02-03-14-15-23

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Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
  • Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

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Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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At holidays, makeshift tribute at site of tragedy honors Beckstrom and Wolfe – WV MetroNews

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At holidays, makeshift tribute at site of tragedy honors Beckstrom and Wolfe – WV MetroNews


This holy season, West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe have not been forgotten in Washington, D.C.

The location where they were shot while on duty by the busy Farragut West public transportation stop now has a makeshift tribute with American flags, flowers, memorabilia, notes and signs to honor the Guard members.

“We mourn alongside you. Your pain is our pain. Your loss diminishes us all,” one sign reads.

Another sign reads, “Guardians of America, we honor you.”

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Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were shot Nov. 26 while on duty in Washington, D.C.

Beckstrom, who graduated high school in 2023, died on Thanksgiving Day. “My baby girl has passed to glory,” her father, Gary Beckstrom, wrote in a social media post at 6:10 p.m. that day.

Wolfe continues to recover from serious injuries. “Andy is continuing to heal physically and neurologically. Tomorrow marks 4 weeks since this nightmare turned blessing occurred,” his mother, Melody Wolfe, wrote on social media this week.

They were among more than 300 members of the West Virginia National Guard originally deployed to Washington, D.C. in August for “Operation Safe and Beautiful.”

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They joined about 2,750 Guard members from several states who participated in walking or standing patrols in heavily traveled areas like national parks or Metro stops.

In November, West Virginia officials decided to make the mission volunteer-only, and so Beckstrom and Wolfe were among about 160 who remained in Washington, D.C., as volunteers.

State Adjutant General Jim Seward

In a Christmas message, Maj. Gen. James Seward of the West Virginia National Guard wrote that the year “brought a sobering reminder of the risks we accept when we are in uniform. The shooting of Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, while on duty in Washington, D.C., was a tragic moment for our entire Guard family.

“We mourn with their families, teammates, and units, and we honor their courage and selfless service. Their sacrifice reinforces the seriousness of our mission and the reality that service can place us in harm’s way. It also sharpens our responsibility as leaders and teammates to remain vigilant, to look out for one another, and to take care of our people—always.”

When tragedy struck at 2:13 p.m. Nov. 26, Beckstrom and Wolfe were among the National Guard members on patrol near the Farragut West transportation stop, named for Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, a Civil War-era naval officer known for his heroics and commanding “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

That’s a bustling downtown commercial district surrounded by big hotels, businesses and restaurants. It is within walking distance of many key landmarks. The location is about two blocks from the White House.

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The suspect charged with murder and additional felonies, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had driven from his home in the State of Washington.

Video from a location near the crime scene shows the suspect standing on the sidewalk of I Street outside the Metro station for about a minute, looking west toward the intersection with 17th Street, according to an affidavit. The suspect then began running in the direction of the intersection.

At that moment, according to the affidavit, Beckstrom and Wolfe were engaged in conversation with two majors in the National Guard who were supervising the patrol in the area.

Shots rang out as the suspect rounded the corner and fired. One of the majors told investigators he heard the shots, saw Beckstrom and Wolfe fall to the ground and witnessed the suspect, who was dressed in a knee-length, dark-colored jacket and armed with a revolver, fire additional shots.

That major pulled out his service weapon and fired at the suspect, who fell to the ground and was detained by the second major.

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A tribute to West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe has taken shape near the Farragut West transportation stop in Washington, D.C. (Brad McElhinny/MetroNews)

Now, that site outside the Metro stop honors Beckstrom and Wolfe. It’s a busy corner with people walking by, some pausing to look at the display or read the signs. One afternoon this past week, a woman stopped and said a quiet prayer.

Photos released by the National Guard show that U.S. Senator Jim Banks of Indiana recently paused by the site while visiting National Guard members from his own state.

A handwritten message posted on a concrete wall thanks Beckstrom “for the ultimate sacrifice you made for our country and our freedoms. We will never forget.”

More signs welcome people to a prayer vigil or express support for Beckstrom’s grieving family.

One sign invites people to use paper and pens provided in a mailbox to write a note. One note from a child to Beckstrom’s family expresses empathy for the loss of a loved one.

“I pray that you will be OK soon. She was so very pretty,” the child wrote in the note. “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. God bless.”

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West Virginia lawmakers eye aviation industry as key to economic development in the state

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West Virginia lawmakers eye aviation industry as key to economic development in the state


Leadership in West Virginia’s House of Delegates say boosting economic development through aviation is a priority in the upcoming legislative session.

Some of the ideas expected include creating a new aviation technician training program, supporting regional airports and a program for helping finance hangar development.

The idea is to expand the maintenance, repair and overhaul – or MRO – work that’s been successful in Clarksburg to other airports and expand aircraft painting.

“West Virginia has a strong aviation industry – for decades. You have companies like Pratt Whitney, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, MHIRJ, the old Bombardier, that have been here for decades and really have invested in West Virginia, and I think what you’ve seen is we delivered for them,” Del Clay Riley, R-Harrison, said.

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Lawmakers believe the Mountain State is still positioned to be a center of aviation work.

“We can compete both nationally and internationally with other airport environments to domicile major investments here in our state from companies looking for more hospitable places to do aviation work,” House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said. “That includes like maintenance, repair and overhaul of jet engines and things like painting of major airplanes.”

Riley said development would favor airports with longer runways when it comes to maintenance, repair and overhaul because larger airplanes could land there.

“We have three runways with property that’s runway adjacent that are larger than LaGuardia Airport and larger than Reagan National,” he said. “Those are Clarksburg, Martinsburg and Parkersburg.”

The aviation industry is apparently looking for low traffic, long runways and adjacent property.

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Riley said lawmakers could elect to cut red tape for permitting, finance hangars and expand training.

Meanwhile, West Virginia’s aviation industry just received a C- grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers, but noted it already contributes $1.6 billion annually to the state’s economy.



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