West Virginia
Babydog and Cass Gilbert – WV MetroNews
Babydog is now permanently enshrined in West Virginia’s history and architecture.
The image of Governor Jim Justice’s beloved English Bulldog appears, surprisingly, in one of the murals recently unveiled in the upper rotunda of the West Virginia State Capitol. Babydog is seated among individuals depicting dance, music and art with Seneca Rocks in the background.
It appears to have been a decision by State Department of Arts, Culture and History Secretary Randall Reid-Smith to include the dog’s image in one of the panels. Governor Justice told a reporter Monday he was not aware of it until he saw the mural for the first time last week.
I’m still trying to sort out what to make of this.
From a purist standpoint, Babydog does not belong there. Reid-Smith said during last week’s dedication of the murals that the intention of Capitol building architect Cass Gilbert was for the murals “to be historical and allegorical.”
Babydog is neither. She is a beloved pet, but also a political prop that Justice has used successfully to enhance his own popularity. The State Capitol does not belong to Justice or any other politician; it is the people’s house, and it will be as long as there is a government.
The temporary occupants of the building have an obligation to maintain its structural and aesthetic integrity for future generations. That includes keeping any changes in line with Gilbert’s original design.
When I first saw a picture of the mural with Babydog, I cringed. No, it was not as bad as Justice’s 2022 State of the State address when he flashed the dog’s rear to the camera, and more specifically to Bette Midler who had made a disparaging remark about the state. But it felt inappropriate.
However, now when I look at the mural my first reaction is to laugh. Babydog seems like she belongs there, perfectly comfortable with all that is going on around her, much like her behavior when she is sitting beside the Governor at public events.
That is typical of the breed. The American Kennel Club describes English Bulldogs as, “Kind but courageous, friendly, but dignified.” That loose skin on the head, pushed in nose and hanging jowls make the animal look like either they are smiling or sad. Either way, we are inclined to anthropomorphize them.
Babydog, like all good pets, makes us happy. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Studies show that dogs can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and improve your all around health.”
Babydog and Justice may not check the box on exercise, but she clearly brings joy to those around her. And in West Virginia, we can always use a little more joy.
I imagine future tours of our popular Capitol Building where the guide tells visitors about how the Governor’s dog became a beloved pet of the state, and even a symbol of the massive vaccine effort during the pandemic—Do It for Babydog!
“Now,” the guide will ask the tourists, can you find Babydog in one of the murals?” That would be a memorable part of the tour.
However, we also must try to imagine what Cass Gilbert would think. He was one of our country’s great architects, and it is a deep source of pride that he built our Capitol. A profile of Gilbert in Architectural Digest described him as “formal, stuffy, ambitious, loyal, conservative in the extreme and more than a little prissy.”
Something tells me Mr. Gilbert would not approve, but then again, he was not exposed to the charms of Babydog.
WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — Starting next year, work requirements will be part of Medicaid qualifications for more than 100,000 recipients in West Virginia.
It’s a move Gov. Patrick Morrisey has applauded, noting that the state has the lowest workforce participation rate in the country at around 54.3%, just below the national average of 62%.
“There will be more people under work requirements soon,” Morrisey said in a press conference Monday. “That’s good. Work is good. Work is noble. We want people to have purpose in their lives. That’s what we’re getting toward.”
The rule was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and it requires people who are ages 19-64 that are part of Medicaid expansion to meet an 80 hours per month work requirement. This can be done through employment, education, work programs or community service.
“These stricter requirements are going to make it more difficult for people to qualify for medical frailty,” West Virginia Citizen Action Group organizing manager Mindy Holcomb said. “We could have people who have serious conditions that should prevent them from working and being forced to go out into the work forced to work. That’s dangerous.”
With only seven months until this takes effect, people pushing back said the ruling is not clear and it overlooks a large majority of recipients.
“Are these people taking care of loved ones who are sick or ill? We have an aging population and we have a sick population and I don’t think any of that has been taken into account and to the fact that we also have grandparents who are caring for grandchildren,” Holcomb said.
Holcomb said this is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist and with the tight deadline, she said many recipients may lose their coverage without even knowing.
“I’m going to be very frank with you – it could be deadly,” she said. “If you make one mistake on that form you can lose your healthcare and that’s a done deal. It is a false narrative that this is going to solve any Medicaid issues.”
Holcomb added that she wants to see lawmakers put more work and time into this rule to ensure nobody slips through the cracks.
“People aren’t sitting at home collecting checks,” she said. “Nobody gets a check from Medicaid. This is all reimbursement to providers. This is healthcare.”
West Virginia
CTC Council approves presidential appointments at BridgeValley, Pierpont, and West Virginia Northern – WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A lengthy state Community and Technical College Council meeting Thursday included the approval of three new school presidents across the state.
The council unanimously approved Dr. Chris Treadway as the fourth president of BridgeValley Community and Technical College. Treadway had been serving as vice chancellor with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
Treadway, a Kanawha County native, was chosen by the BridgeValley Board of Governors last week following an interview process that included eleven remote candidate interviews, and three finalists visiting campus for in-person interviews.
Treadway was appointed to be BridgeValley president on a one-year contract. He’ll begin in the role July 1 and serve through June 30, 2027. His base salary was set for $192,500 annually, in addition to some benefits.
BridgeValley Community and Technical College is based in South Charleston that has a second location in Montgomery.
The council approved Dr. Michael Waide as the full-time president of Pierpont Community and Technical College as well. A former provost at the school, Waide had been serving as interim president since March 2025 following the resignation of Dr. Milan Howard. Pierpont elected to remove the interim tag from Waide’s title this March.
Waide was given a two-year contract, with options to extend for three additional years. Waide’s base salary will be $185,000 per year. Pierpont’s main campus location is in Fairmont.
West Virginia Northern Community College also received council approval for its new president, Andrew Lengehr. Lengehr’s base salary was set for $215,000 annually with an $8,000 deferred compensation at the conclusion of each fiscal year. Lengehr comes to WVNCC from St. Louis Community College in Missouri after 25 years there.
Lengehr is set to begin on August 17 and serve an approximately two-year term through June 30, 2028.
WVNCC has three locations: Wheeling, Weirton, and New Martinsville.
There was an added wrinkle to the WVNCC presidential appointment. The council approved an extension to outgoing president Dr. Daniel Mosser’s contract, allowing him to continue serving in the role for the time being. The move was made to smooth out the transition period until Lengehr assumes the position.
The CTC council also rubber-stamped presidential compensation contracts at four other institutions:
– Blue Ridge Community and Technical College President Dr. Peter Checkovich’s new term from July 1 of this year through June 30, 2031.
– Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College President Dr. Thomas Striplin’s six-percent contract increase, around $10,000 per year.
– Mountwest Community and Technical College President Dr. Joshua Baker’s three-year contract from July 1 of this year through June 30, 2029.
– New River Community and Technical College President Dr. Bonny Copenhaver’s five-year contract, with evaluations and renewal after each year, starting July 1, 2026.
The council approved individual school budgets for the next fiscal year during their three-and-a-half hour meeting.
West Virginia
West Virginia High School Football: Huntington-Spring Valley to clash at Marshall university stadium.
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