West Virginia

Senate approves Child Care Tax Credit, House squashes Justices’ other child care bill • West Virginia Watch

Published

1 year ago

October 9, 2024

Senate approves Child Care Tax Credit, House squashes Justices’ other child care bill • West Virginia Watch

Lawmakers came into the special session aware of the state’s child care crisis. West Virginia needs more than 20,000 child care spots. Meanwhile, hundreds of providers have closed down this year — despite waitlists for families — due to financial strain and uncertain state funding.

Gov. Jim Justice put two child care focused bills on his special session call. He focused on affordability, and lawmakers approved his plan for a state level Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.

Eligible West Virginia families, who already claim the federal child care tax credit, would on average receive around $250 through the state level credit, according to lawmakers. Most families are paying $600 to $700 a month for day care.

The House of Delegates opted to punt on Justice’s other child care bill, which would have given $5 million in funds for a pilot program with an outside company to open five new day care centers and help connect providers with children who could fill spots.

On Wednesday, after the special session concluded, Justice told reporters that the state should have put more money into child care. Justice said he included bills that he thought would be approved.

“When we decide that child care is a real problem and it warrants absolute consideration and concern, then we’ll do something about it and we’ll do something about it in a profound way,” he said. “We didn’t do as much as I wanted to in regards to child care, but we did something.”

House Bill 229, which allocated surplus money for Justice’s pilot program idea, didn’t include the details on how it would be used. Lawmakers said the money would likely go to Wonderschool, a California-based company focused on child care.

“Instead of pouring millions into an out-of-state program, let’s focus on tweaking these programs in West Virginia,” said Del. Wayne Clark, R-Jefferson.

Several lawmakers noted that child care providers had already told lawmakers what they needed, including increased subsidies for day care centers that serve more than 15,000 low-income children in the state.

Del. Joey Garcia, D-Marion

“Honestly, I don’t know who worked for this other than maybe a lobbyist,” said Del. Joey Garcia, D-Marion. “We have heard from the people on the ground that are running these businesses that there are certain things they need. I don’t see [how] giving $5 million to some recruitment agency or some app … how is that not money that’s just going down the drain?”

At Garcia’s suggestion, the House voted 47-40 to table the bill indefinitely. The House and Senate adjourned sine die late Tuesday evening, concluding the special session.

Justice said he had tried to put $20 million into child care but it got whittled down to a $5 million ask for his pilot program.

“Lobbyists were up there going crazy, trying to grab the cheese. The Legislature got tired of it, and said we’re done, we’re not going to do that,” he said.

The Senate signed off on the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit on Tuesday, sending the bill to the governor’s desk on the final day of the special session. It would allow eligible families to claim a credit equal to 50% of the allowable federal child and dependent care credit.

It will cost $4.2 million to implement, according to the bill’s fiscal note.

“The first-ever for working families in West Virginia,” Justice said. “It’s a good start. We’ve got to do more.”

Lawmakers and the state Chamber of Commerce urged Justice to add other child care bills to the special session call. Bills during the regular session, which failed to get up for a vote, had included ideas like helping child care workers pay for daycare and giving businesses an increased tax credit for providing child care.

“We worked hand-in-hand with the leadership and agreed on what’s got a shot and what’s not,” Justice said.

Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, said that she was glad that the special session resulted in some relief for families. “We know every little bit helps,” she said.

Young, who has led child care legislation efforts in the House, continued, “I was disappointed but not surprised to see the governor not follow through on this promise to allocate $20 million to child care providers. I look forward to meaningful work in the regular session. Solving child care means bringing providers, parents, employers, tech solutions and our state agencies to the table.”

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West Virginia

Scouting report, keys for Cincinnati Bearcats on Big 12 road at WVU

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5 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Scouting report, keys for Cincinnati Bearcats on Big 12 road at WVU

The Cincinnati Bearcats and West Virginia Mountaineers both seek their first Big 12 win of the season.
West Virginia swept Cincinnati last season, winning both matchups between the two teams.
Both teams are coming off losses to top-10 opponents to start their conference schedules.

Two teams that started the Big 12 campaign against Top 10 opponents clash in Morgantown Tuesday, Jan. 6, when the Cincinnati Bearcats face the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The Mountaineers, now coached by Ross Hodge, who came from North Texas, got whirled by the No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones on Jan. 2, 80-59. A day later, UC had plenty of chances against No. 8 Houston, but the Cougars closed in the final minutes to win 67-60.

“We’ve got to learn how to finish, but we’re right there,” UC coach Wes Miller said. “The guys in the locker room know it. We’ve got to block out the noise and get ready to play.”

Neither team will want to start 0-2 in the treacherous league and UC has not yet won in Morgantown since being part of the Big 12. UC’s last road win in West Virginia goes back to Mick Cronin’s second Bearcat team (13-19) that pulled off a 62-39 upset of the Mountaineers in 2008. Diehard fans may remember the game for a mustard-colored suit Bob Huggins wore for the contest.

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Cincinnati Bearcats were swept by West Virginia last season

Last Feb. 2, West Virginia beat UC handily 63-50. Current Bearcat Sencire Harris didn’t score for WVU in the game but had four steals. Eighteen days later in Morgantown, the Mountaineers prevailed again 62-59 with Harris scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds against his future team. UC was led by Day Day Thomas in both games with 10 and 13 points, respectively.

Cincinnati Bearcats could be without Kerr Kriisa

Kriisa, a starter for 12 of the 14 games, got hit hard by Houston after a basket and left the game holding his shoulder. He came back to hit his lone 3-pointer, then had to leave again with pain.

Kriisa was recruited to West Virginia by Bob Huggins and played in 2023-24 for the Mountaineers, averaging 11 points and shooting over 42% on 3-pointers.

“Nobody’s dealt with more injury crap than Cincinnati,” Miller said. “We’re getting resilient and we’re getting tough because of that. We’re just going to keep coming. Injuries are tough. We’ve had more than damn anybody in the last four years in all of college basketball. This team’s had its fair share and we’re still right there.”

Miller was worried about Kriisa’s injury and he couldn’t lift his left shoulder after draining his only shot.

3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to win at West Virginia Mountaineers

1. Bring Houston intensity to West Virginia

UC had its best crowd experience at Fifth Third Arena against No. 8 Houston with a halftime lead and a 10-point cushion early in the second half. For just the second time this season, they lost a game when they had a halftime lead.

That’s now two games where they had a Top 10 team on the ropes and couldn’t finish (No. 6 Louisville at Heritage Bank Center and No. 8 Houston). They looked like a tournament team in parts of those games, but then lost to teams who showed why they are perennial tournament players.

2. Locate Huff, Floyd

It sounds like someone looking for a law firm, but Honor Huff and Jasper Floyd are both 40% marksmen from three-point range. Huff led the country in triples last season at Chattanooga and Floyd comes from Coach Hodge’s system at North Texas. The Mountaineers average over eight made 3s per game, which is how many Houston made vs. UC Jan. 3.

The Bearcats made only six of their 3-pointers against the Cougars, after making 11 in their previous game with Lipscomb Dec. 29. UC is 5-1 when making 10 or more treys, with the one loss being Xavier. Xavier also beat West Virginia 78-68 in November, shooting a torrid 16-for-25 from the arc.

3. Keep Mountaineers below 70

West Virginia has been held to less than 70 points in four of their five losses. The exception is the 89-88 double-overtime defeat at Ohio State. UC held Houston below their average at 67 and is in that ballpark for the season. The difficult thing is all of West Virginia’s wins have been at home and Hope Coliseum could have a crowd because, well, it’s Tuesday night in Morgantown.

Tip: Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at Hope Coliseum (14,000)

TV/Radio: ESPN2/700WLW

Series: WVU leads 13-12 (Mountaineers won at Fifth Third Arena Feb. 19, 2025, 62-59)

West Virginia Mountaineers scouting report

Record: 9-5

Coach: Ross Hodge, first season 9-5 (55-29 overall)

Offense: 74.9 ppg

Defense: 61.6 ppg

Projected starting lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Treysen Eaglestaff (G, 6’6″, 9.1 ppg)

Honor Huff (G, 5’10”, 16.6 ppg)

Harlan Obioha (C, 7′, 6.3 ppg)

Chance Moore (G, 6’6″, 12.9 ppg)

Jasper Floyd (G, 6’3″, 7.9 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 8-6

Coach: Wes Miller (90-65, fifth season; 275-200 overall)

Offense: 74.6 ppg

Defense: 65.6 ppg

Projected starting lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Day Day Thomas (G, 6’1″, 13 ppg)

Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 11.5 ppg)

Sencire Harris (G, 6’4″, 6.9 ppg)

Baba Miller (F, 6’11”, 13.4 ppg)

Moustapha Thiam (C, 7’2″, 11 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats, West Virginia Mountaineers to watch

Guard Honor Huff helped Chattanooga win the NIT and nailed a record 131 trifectas last season for the Moccasins, shooting 41.6%. Now he’s West Virginia’s top scorer and is shooting at a similar rate from beyond the arc.

In their second games as starters for this season, UC’s “Buck” Harris and Jizzle James were off against Houston, shooting a combined 2-for-14. James had just four points and Harris two.

James played 36 minutes, and it’s doubtful he can be held down for that long again. Harris was a Mountaineer last season and should have some comfort in the arena.

Rankings

KenPom.com: Cincinnati is No. 66, West Virginia No. 72

NCAA NET: West Virginia is No. 93, Cincinnati No. 95

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West Virginia

West Virginia residents face rising utility costs, highest water bills in US

Published

17 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia residents face rising utility costs, highest water bills in US

West Virginia residents may continue to see a rise in utility costs, according to a recent report by Move.org. The report ranks West Virginia as the state with the highest average utility bill, at $734 per month in 2025, surpassing the national average. Missouri and Alaska follow with $679 and $658, respectively. West Virginians are paying about $42 more per month compared to last year.

Delaney Eddy, state coordinator for West Virginia 211, a United Way helpline, noted the increased demand for utility assistance. “I can definitely tell you that the calls for utility assistance have definitely been high, that is one of our top needs that individuals call in for,” Eddy said. “We are seeing that individuals are needing assistance with that and have heard some individuals that have voiced that they have had an increase in their bills in the last couple of months for those utilities.”

The report also highlights that West Virginia residents face the highest water bill in the country, at $121 per month, well above the national average of $49. This increase may be due to a distribution improvement charge aimed at upgrading water quality.

Eddy encourages residents facing utility bill issues to reach out for help. “If people have questions about their utility bills and they have that termination notice, I would simply encourage them to dial 211 or they can text the zip code to 898211, speak with a call specialist and see what resources might be available to you,” Eddy said. “Also see if you might qualify for the dollar energy fund and we can provide that information to them and go from there to see about getting assistance on those bills.”

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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on Jan. 3, 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2026

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 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

03-04-05-25-42, Star Ball: 03, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

1-3-9

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

6-5-7-4

Check Daily 4 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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