West Virginia
West Virginia Is Buzzing About 'Babydog'
The English bulldog had never featured prominently in West Virginia history. It has now. Gov. Jim Justice’s 4-year-old pure breed Babydog joined the ranks of Abraham Lincoln, Civil War soldiers, and odes to Appalachian folk music in new murals under the golden dome of the state Capitol last week, alongside other state cultural symbols. Tucked into a mural about artistic traditions, the AP reports the dog sits placidly between a banjo player and an artist painting the Seneca Rocks, one of the state’s best-known natural landmarks, in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest.
Babydog made another memorable appearance at the Capitol in 2022, when the governor hoisted her up during his State of the State address and pointed her rear end at the camera. Days earlier, singer and actress Bette Midler, on what was then Twitter, had called West Virginians “poor, illiterate and strung out” after West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin refused to support a bill promoted by President Biden and Democrats in Congress. “Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there: Kiss her heinie,” Justice said to a standing ovation.
Justice, a Republican now running to succeed Manchin, has made Babydog a minor celebrity in West Virginia during his two terms as governor. The star of the governor’s “Do it for Babydog” COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the dog was a gift from Justice’s children in 2019. Referring to her lovingly as a “60-pound brown watermelon,” Justice has taken the dog on gubernatorial trips across the state ever since. So far, Justice has been playing innocent about Babydog’s appearance in the murals, which were commissioned as part of an effort to finish work inside the Capitol that stopped during the Great Depression. “I was just as surprised, in my ways, as anyone,” he said Wednesday.
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Justice said a committee led by Randall Reid-Smith, secretary of the Department of Arts, Culture and History, made the call. The tiny image of the dog was not included in initial designs shared with the public, nor was it mentioned at the dedication, which Babydog did attend. It was not until afterward that people started noticing the bulldog in shots of the murals shared on social media. And there was not much debate about whose dog it was. Reid-Smith said at a news briefing this past week that he had been working for years to get a governor to invest in completing the nearly 100-year-old vision and that Justice was the one who finally made it happen. So far almost $350,000 in state money has been paid to Connecticut-based installers John Canning & Co. for the first four murals, with four more scheduled to be installed this fall. (Read more on the dog here.)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WTAP) – Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Friday that the state has requested that the Purple Heart be awarded to the two National Guard members shot in Washington, D.C.
The Governor requested the Purple Heart to be awarded posthumously to U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed in the incident, and be awarded to Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who was critically injured.
“Their actions on that tragic day meet the highest and clearest standards for the Purple Heart, a decoration that recognizes those wounded or killed in action against an enemy or during a hostile or terrorist act,” Morrisey said. “I could not think of two servicemembers more deserving of this award.”
Gov. Morrisey also reviewed broader work by the West Virginia National Guard and the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance during 2025.
The National Guard carried out overseas missions, including deployments to the Middle East and Europe, and operations along the U.S. Southwest border. The Guard also responded to two major flooding events in the state. In February 2025, more than 350 service members were mobilized across 14 counties, conducting swift-water rescues, distributing nearly 340,000 bottles of water and clearing more than 17,000 tons of debris.
A separate response to flash flooding in Ohio and Marion counties in June 2025 involved nearly 200 Guard members who cleared an additional 12,000 tons of debris.
When the federal government shut down in October, the National Guard helped ensure families had access to meals. One hundred sixty-four service members distributed more than 1 million pounds of food to over 400 food pantries.
The governor highlighted work by the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance. Services officers secured $5.4 billion in federal benefits for West Virginia veterans in 2025, an increase of $500 million from 2024.
The department also advanced facility modernization projects. The Veterans Home in Barboursville received upgrades to the kitchen, infirmary and HVAC systems.
Major renovations are underway at the Veterans Nursing Facility in Clarksburg, including construction of a new kitchen and installation of a modern nurse call system.
“Taking care of the common, everyday issues can make a huge difference in our everyday lives, and that’s just what Veterans Assistance is doing with these upgrades. Our veterans are fantastic people who don’t ask for much, and it’s great to see this great work being done on their behalf,” Gov. Morrisey said.
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Copyright 2025 WTAP. All rights reserved.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — A large portion of the Mountain State saw storms with gusty winds last night, which has resulted in several trees coming down across roads, thousands of power outages and schools being delayed and closed.
As of Friday morning, the WV 511 website displays multiple warnings of fallen trees and debris in roadways, including several in north-central West Virginia. Both Harrison and Marion County 911 logs show crews responding to several reports of trees down.
The First Energy website also shows that a total of 36,688 of its customers are currently without power, with many still waiting for an estimated restoration time.
Due to these power outages, multiple schools throughout West Virginia have been delayed or closed for the day, including those in Barbour, Gilmer, Lewis, Marion, Ritchie, Taylor, and Upshur counties.
Regular trees weren’t the only ones forced down due to the winds. Christmas decorations, including the Bridgeport Christmas tree, were knocked over as well.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A miner died Thursday after an incident at a coal mine in Wyoming County, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said.
The governor said it happened at the Lower War Eagle mine.
Morrisey released the following statement on Thursday evening:
“Denise and I were deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a coal miner today at the Lower War Eagle mine in Wyoming County. Our hearts go out to his family, loved ones, and coworkers during this sorrowful time.
“The West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training responded immediately and is conducting a full investigation.
“Each day, West Virginia miners perform difficult and demanding tasks. They do this to provide for their families, to build the communities, and to forge a better future for the next generation of West Virginians. It is that work, their strength, and their dedication that defines our state and our nation.
“I ask that all West Virginians lift this miner’s family, friends, and community up in your prayers and keep them in your thoughts through the difficult days ahead.”
The victim’s name has not been released.
Copyright 2025 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
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