West Virginia

West Virginia mudslide strands thousands on highway for more than 8 hours

Published

6 months ago

June 28, 2025

West Virginia mudslide strands thousands on highway for more than 8 hours

June 28, 2025 / 5:49 PM EDT
/ CBS/AP

Thousands of motorists were stranded for more than eight hours along a section of rural interstate highway in southern West Virginia early Friday after a mudslide caused by heavy rains blocked a storm drain the previous night, flooding and completely shutting down the northbound lanes.

Traffic backed up for 12 miles along the West Virginia Turnpike about 20 miles south of Charleston, the state capital. Traffic was not rerouted, and many motorists along the mountainous route had no choice but to remain in their vehicles overnight.

In this image provided by Nicky Walters, traffic is shown at a standstill Friday, June 27, 2025, along the West Virginia Turnpike south of Sharon, West Virginia.

Nicky Walters via AP

One lane eventually opened in the early morning of Friday but traffic remained a standstill afterwards for hours, according to a statement provided to CBS News by West Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Jennifer Dooley.

“Traffic should have been detoured to allow drivers an alternate route around the mudslide,” Executive Director of the Parkways Authority Chuck Smith said in the statement. “The Parkways Authority takes full responsibility for the failure to reroute traffic, and would like to assure the public that this will never happen again.

No injuries were reported, Smith said, adding that the Parkways Authority is “examining and revising its policies on Turnpike closures and detours as a result of this incident.”

Motorists posted on social media that they had no information on why the standstill occurred, that they had nothing to drink in their vehicles or that their children needed to use the bathroom.

Nicky Walters said in a telephone interview that she felt fortunate while she was stuck because she is healthy, did not not need medicine and had nobody she was responsible for caring for.

“But I felt desperate because I knew that other people needed help,” said Walters, who became stranded while returning to Charleston from a pro wrestling event in Mount Hope. “People needed, at minimum, water bottles passed out and some snacks, much less information. They needed any lifeline to the outside world, and there was none.”

By the time Brittany Lemon and her family finally got home to Parkersburg, 24 hours had passed since they began returning from their vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

In a video posted to Facebook, Lemon said she had no water and her children needed to use the bathroom. They were able to get an hour’s sleep while stuck on the highway.

“Definitely next year when I go back, I’ll be prepared for an emergency in the vehicle,” she said.

Mitch Carmichael, a former cabinet secretary of the Department of Economic Development, said on Facebook that he was on the turnpike “for hours with no relevant or timely info as to when issue will be cleared.”

He called it “incredibly unprofessional” for the public to be left in the dark and said it gives West Virginia “a terrible image.”

Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a statement that the shutdown “was completely unacceptable. I have directed the Parkways Authority to immediately conduct an investigation and revise its procedures as necessary as a result of this incident.”

The turnpike shutdown came as much of the Eastern U.S. suffered through days of dangerous heat this week before the latest storms battered West Virginia. The state’s Emergency Management Division on Thursday posted a photo of a measuring tape in floodwaters with the caption, “From ‘dry as a bone to 5 inches’ in 45 minutes this evening in the Elm Grove area.”

On June 14, nine people, including a 3-year-old, died when as much as 4 inches of rain fell in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County within 40 minutes.

In February, West Virginia was hit with heavy rains and dangerous flooding that left at least three people dead and caused millions of dollars in damage.

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West Virginia

Preliminary injunction halts enforcement of West Virginia food dye ban

Published

10 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Preliminary injunction halts enforcement of West Virginia food dye ban

WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction order halting the enforcement of certain areas of recent West Virginia legislation that banned certain food colors and ingredients.

The International Association of Color Manufacturers originally filed a lawsuit over the state of West Virginia in October over the matter, saying that the legislation violates West Virginia and United States Constitutions.

The order was issued by United States District Judge Irene Berger. In the order, Berger said the law regarding dyes to be “poisonous and injurious” is likely written to be unconstitutionally arbitrary and vague.

Berger stated the following in her ruling:

Without any clear standards, it is not clear how the WVDOH will determine if a color additive beyond those listed, is “poisonous and injurious,” meaning the WVDOH is free to arbitrarily designate additional color additives as such. What facts or data, if any, must the WVDOH rely on before determining that additional color additives are “poisonous and injurious”? Is it sufficient for the WVDOH to rely on any study when making its determination or none at all? If a parent notifies WVDOH that they believe their child is sensitive to a color additive, is that a sufficient basis for a color additive to be deemed “poisonous and injurious,” or must the WVDOH conduct a further investigation? It is far from clear. As such, because Section 16-7-2(b)(7) leaves such ad hoc and subjective decision-making to the WVDOH, it leaves the door open for arbitrary enforcement, and thus, is unconstitutionally vague.

IACM said that West Virginia law unlawfully took over the power of the United States Food and Drug Administration to make food safety decisions. IACM also said the law interfered with interstate commerce and caused economic harm to IACM member companies and their customers without providing any “substantial or rational basis” for deeming products unsafe.

The legislation, known as House Bill 2354, was signed by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey in March, banning the use of certain food dyes, including Red No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3 in school meals beginning in August.

However, according to court documents, the preliminary injunction does not extend into school nutrition programs.

The preliminary injunction bars the West Virginia Department of Health from enforcing the ban – although the ban was not set to be fully enforced until 2028.

Morrisey disagreed with the ruling on social media, saying the decision is “both premature and wrongly decided.”

“West Virginia will continue to defend its authority to protect the health and well-being of our citizens, especially children,” Morrisey said. “We are reviewing our legal options but will continue to press forward with our efforts to get harmful crap out of our food supply.”

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West Virginia

West Virginia DoHS reports decrease in children waiting for Wraparound services

Published

22 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

West Virginia DoHS reports decrease in children waiting for Wraparound services

WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — The West Virginia Department of Human Services said it saw a significant drop in the number of children waiting on Wraparound services in 2025, reflecting progress its made in strengthening support for children in the Mountain State.

The average weekly Wraparound waitlist declined from 137 children in January 2025 to 14 by November, representing nearly a 90% reduction, according to a news release from the DoHS. Wraparound refers to intensive and individualized support in all areas of their life that aims to prevent children from being placed in out-of-home care.

The agency said the steady downward trend is the result of targeted efforts to expand provider capacity, improve timely access and better align services with family needs statewide.

“Reducing wait times for Wraparound services means children and families receive the right support sooner, when it matters most,” Alex Mayer, Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia DoHS, said in the news release. “Every child deserves the opportunity to heal, grow, and stay connected to family and community. This progress reflects deliberate efforts to strengthen the workforce, expand provider capacity, and remove barriers that delay care.”

The DoHS said it also expanded service capacity and strengthened coordination across the behavioral health system, including onboarding five new providers and expanding service areas with existing providers.

The Bureau for Behavioral Health further reduced waitlist pressure by providing Intro to Wraparound training to alternative service providers outside of the wraparound network, helping families connect with appropriate supports and further reducing waitlist pressure, the news release said.

To further address ongoing challenges, the DoHS said it is focusing on implementing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide, boosting provider recruitment and outreach, authorizing telehealth where capacity is limited and expanding the Safe at Home program in high-need counties.

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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on Dec. 22, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

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 Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

01-09-18-19-44, Star Ball: 02, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

0-1-4

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

2-9-0-4

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

05-06-13-16-18-20

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.

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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