West Virginia
Hancock County Schools latest to fall under W.Va. Board of Education control amid concerns
HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. — Hancock County has become the most recent West Virginia school district to be placed under the control of the West Virginia Board of Education, joining Mingo, Upshur, Logan, Tyler, Nicholas and Boone counties.
“What we do have is that there’s been some problems in terms of accountability,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said. “When you have that many schools systems that are being taken over, that’s not a good sign. You have to be very proactive to get the word out, make sure those dowers are being used effectively.”
Last week, Morrisey named James Paul as the newest state school board member, his first appointee as governor. Morrisey has recently been critical of the state school board on a range of issues, including oversight of county board finances.
“I named a new state school board member, that was my first pick and I’ve asked him to try to get to the bottom of a lot of these issues because West Virginia doesn’t have a spending problem statewide- we’re actually the middle of the pack, between 25 and 27 in terms of spending per pupil,” Morrisey said.
A major question surrounding the situation at Hancock County Schools involves audits. The county had been operating more than 100 positions over state staffing formulas, and the state school financial operations officer told lawmakers in a committee meeting last month that the county failed to appropriately report through the West Virginia Education Information System. An investigation is still ongoing.
“It raises a question of exactly how these audits have been conducted and what else needs to be done to make sure money can’t fly out the door like that or that these districts are going to be run in a fiscally responsible manner,” Morrisey said.
Meanwhile, House Bill 4574 and House Bill 4575 have been held up in committees since Jan. 20. The bills would allow the state board to administer supplemental funds beyond the school funding formula and would appropriate $8 million to fund the shortfall supplement fund.
Asked whether the bills could move before the end of the legislative session in March, Morrisey said, “I’ve had some discussions with some people in the Senate and the House and I know that there is an interest in getting something done. We’ll keep talking about that and I do expect that there will be something that happens in the next few weeks before the session ends.”
West Virginia
Justice firm’s delinquent DEP fines rise past $1.6M amid DOJ criminal liability relief
West Virginia
West Virginia First Foundation advances key initiatives at second quarterly board meeting
Community Bulletin
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) convened its second quarterly board meeting of 2026 at Ascend West Virginia in Charleston, continuing its work to advance prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across West Virginia through responsible stewardship of opioid settlement funds.
The meeting provided board members with updates on several key initiatives and strategic priorities currently underway.
Expert panel appointments
A significant focus of the meeting was the appointment of several volunteer Expert Panel members following the conclusion of certain panel terms. Expert panelists serve in advisory roles and provide regional knowledge, professional expertise and community perspective to help inform WVFF’s work and funding priorities. To allow time for all appointees to complete the necessary confirmation and onboarding process, names will not be publicly released until all appointments have been finalized.
“Expert Panelists play an important role in helping us understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities facing our local communities,” said Jonathan Board, Executive Director of WVFF. “We are grateful for the individuals who volunteer their time and expertise to support this work and help guide thoughtful, informed decision-making.”
Local government reporting and best practices
Board members reviewed progress on the 2026 Local Government Expenditure Report, which compiles annual spending data submitted by local governments receiving opioid settlement funds. Staff reported that more than 65% of eligible local governments have submitted expenditure reports to date, with the statewide report expected to be released in mid-July.
The board also received an update on new resources being developed to help local governments identify promising practices and learn from successful approaches being implemented across West Virginia. While WVFF does not direct how local governments spend their allocated settlement funds, the Foundation remains committed to providing educational resources that highlight allowable uses, share examples from around the state and support informed local decision-making.
![[CHAMBER] [2026-06-23] Hiring Executive Director](https://res.cloudinary.com/mytown/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,c_limit,w_1080/spotlights/jqvoqa1wl63oqmzrnmeg)
In the coming months, WVFF plans to host regional learning sessions that will bring local government representatives together to share experiences, discuss challenges and explore opportunities to maximize the impact of opioid settlement investments within their communities.
Strategic priorities
The board received updates on the Community Catalyst Grant (CCG) program, which opened for applications on June 1 and remains open through June 30. Designed as a three-year, outcomes-driven investment, the program will support projects focused on public safety response, day report centers and generational prevention efforts.
Board members also received updates on the West Virginia Wayfinder, the statewide needs assessment project led by the West Virginia University Health Affairs Institute, in partnership with the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs, and Data Driven WV. Meetings and engagement activities are underway with WVFF staff, expert panelists and community stakeholders across the state, with data, insights and priority areas currently being gathered and analyzed to help identify needs, gaps and opportunities related to substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery services in West Virginia.
![[DHS] [2025-05-23] Pain Free Living](https://res.cloudinary.com/mytown/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,c_limit,w_1080/spotlights/xswzc9oud10whhzr94hg)
“Our Board remains focused on ensuring these funds are invested responsibly and strategically for the benefit of West Virginia communities,” said Greg Duckworth, Chairman of the WVFF Board of Directors. “Each meeting provides an opportunity to review progress, strengthen accountability, and continue building on the work being done across the state.”
Direct funding request approved
The board also voted to approve a $4 million direct funding request submitted by the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) at West Virginia University. The project is focused on expanding access to innovative addiction treatment and recovery support tools while building the technology and infrastructure needed to support implementation across West Virginia.
Consistent with WVFF’s commitment to transparency and accountability, additional details regarding the project and funding agreement will be released in the coming weeks following the completion of final documentation. WVFF and RNI plan to issue a joint announcement once the agreement process has been finalized.
![[TWIN] [2025-08-08] Meadowlands](https://res.cloudinary.com/mytown/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,c_limit,w_1080/spotlights/sueaeb3swu4g4qwmu3x2)
Hold the Line Tour stop at Rea of Hope
After the board meeting, WVFF board members and staff will visit Rea of Hope, an Initial Opportunity Grant awardee, as part of the Foundation’s Hold the Line Tour, which highlights organizations and programs working to make a difference in communities across West Virginia. The visit will provide an opportunity to hear directly from leadership about the impact of recovery-focused services and community support.
The next regular meeting of the Foundation’s board of directors is scheduled for September 17, 2026 (subject to change). Visit wvfirst.org to learn more.
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