CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to force West Virginia to spend $330 million to improve prison and jail conditions statewide and fill worker vacancies.

U.S. District Judge Irene Berger ruled Tuesday in Beckley in favor of motions by Gov. Jim Justice and state Homeland Security Secretary Mark Sorsaia to dismiss the suit.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2023 by inmates at the maximum-security Mount Olive Correctional Complex in Fayette County and the Southwestern Regional Jail in Logan County and on behalf of a juvenile at a detention facility in Boone County.

Berger found the plaintiffs had no standing to pursue the lawsuit, ruling there was no direct connection between the conduct of Justice and Sorsaia and the allegations in the lawsuit that overcrowding was ignored and that regular funding wasn’t provided for facility upkeep.

While the plaintiffs sought the spending of state budget surplus funds to address corrections staffing and deferred maintenance of prison and jail facilities, “Secretary Sorsaia’s budget authority extends only so far” because it requires legislative approval, Berger wrote.

Berger also said she could not order the Republican governor to use his discretionary power to commute sentences and pardon inmates to address overcrowding.

In May, Justice ended a nearly two-year state of emergency over staffing in the state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The state National Guard was used to help stop worker attrition at jails and prisons. Last summer, the vacancy rate was more than 30%. Just over 730 National Guard members worked in 17 correctional facilities while the state of emergency was in place.

Gen. William E. Crane, the state National Guard’s adjutant general, had said nearly 240 people have graduated from the state’s corrections academy since January, while 38 National Guard members assigned to work in the jails and prisons decided to stay on permanently.

Last summer, state lawmakers meeting in a special session approved over $21 million for correctional officer pay increases, along with two one-time bonuses of $2,294 for other jail staff who are not correctional officers, such as kitchen staff.

Last year, the state agreed to pay $4 million to settle a separate class-action lawsuit filed by inmates over conditions at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver.

Pittsburgh (Pa.) Aliquippa 2026 linebacker Daiveon Taylor has been committed to West Virginia since April but has continued to build strong bonds with the coaching staff.

And the Rivals.com three-star prospect made multiple trips to Morgantown in June to further solidify that.

Taylor, 6-foot-2, 213-pounds, made the trek down for a one-day camp as well as the Mountaineers first 7-on-7 tournament in June and was able to showcase his improvement in front of the coaches.

“They like everything I’m doing. My hips got better, and I move better,” he said. “They were just giving me some pointers on playing linebacker.”

Inside linebackers coach Jeff Koonz, along with area recruiter tight ends coach Blaine Stewart have been the primary points of contact for Taylor but he also had plenty of time to talk with head coach Neal Brown.

“I feel like the relationship has gone great and it’s only getting better,” he said.

The Rivals.com three-star prospect has been no stranger to Morgantown over the course of his recruitment and a big reason for that has been his ties with the West Virginia coaches. That has made him feel welcomed.

“I love it, they make me feel at home,” he said.

Taylor had been the lone member of the 2026 class until Kingston (Ga.) Cass 2026 quarterback Brodie McWhorter jumped into the boat and the two have already built a strong bond. The pair plan to both be active when it comes to recruiting other key targets into the class moving forward.

“Me and Brodie are very close, and we are recruiting others,” he said.

Taylor next plans to return to West Virginia July 25 for the cookout on campus in order to spend even more time with the coaches and put his recruiting cap on to potentially add more to the group.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – With the success of their online RN nursing program, West Virginia Junior College is starting a new program that they say will give students the best of both worlds.

“Hospitals seem to really need practical nurses, so we started the idea around West Virginia with West Virginia Junior College creating an online practical nursing program,” said Kelly Pauley, Director of the Practical Nursing Program.

The college says the new program will allow students to get in-person, hands-on experience with labs and clinicals – while still being able to take their classes virtually from the comfort of their own home – or on the go.

“You know some of our students go to baseball games, park in the lot, you know, and get to watch their baseball game of their child while also studying for their tests,” Pauley said.

The college says the program takes 12 months and students will earn a diploma in practical nursing – and be prepared for their licensing exam. Whether its the online or in-person program, Pauley says their goal is to teach their students to be great nurses.

“That’s our main goal here is to really make sure that we are bringing out people who will be able to take care of me someday and you and our community,” Pauley said.

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