Connect with us

West Virginia

West Virginia set to receive approximately $55 million from Sackler, Purdue Pharma settlement – WV MetroNews

Published

on

West Virginia set to receive approximately  million from Sackler, Purdue Pharma settlement – WV MetroNews


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia looks to receive as much as $55 million from the announced $74 billion dollar settlement between 13 states and the Sackler Family that ran the drug company Purdue Pharma that produced Oxycontin.

J.B. McCuskey

West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey said while the lives of West Virginians were being destroyed by the opioid addiction the Sackler Family and its company were cashing in.

“The destruction they caused not only our state, but our nation, is an evil that is hard to put into words,” McCuskey said.

The money West Virginia receives will flow through the West Virginia First Foundation.

Advertisement

In announcing the settlement Thursday, New York state Attorney General Letitia James said those responsible are finally going to pay up.

“The Sackler family and their company Purdue who helped spark the opioid crisis decades ago have for years avoided accountability for the immense cause that they have caused all of the victims all of the loved ones who have died all of those who are in the throes of addiction right now,” James said.

The Sacklers will personally pay up to $6.5 billion and an additional $900 million will come from Purdue the company that they started.

“This will help communities heal from the devastating losses brought by addiction,” James said. “And this will support treatment and recovery programs across New York and the nation.”

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the original settlement amount.

Advertisement
New York Attorney General Letitia James

West Virginia originally sued Purdue Pharma in 2019 when current Gov. Patrick Morrisey was attorney general. McCuskey said the fight continues.

“West Virginia has suffered enough from the opioid epidemic, and we will continue to fight for the communities that have been shattered by this scourge,” Attorney General McCuskey said. “We have held those responsible accountable; our fight now is to see to it that that future generations will have the tools they need to prevent this crisis from ever happening again.”

The West Virginia First Foundation has begun to distribute approximately $1 billion in opioid settlement money.



Source link

Advertisement

West Virginia

Critically wounded West Virginia National Guard member being moved to in-patient rehabilitation

Published

on

Critically wounded West Virginia National Guard member being moved to in-patient rehabilitation






Source link

Continue Reading

West Virginia

E-News | Downtown Dash planned Dec. 13

Published

on

E-News | Downtown Dash planned Dec. 13


Join the Main Street Morgantown family-friendly holiday shopping event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 13) in Downtown Morgantown. 

The event will feature a district-wide scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes and the opportunity to explore holiday pop-up markets by Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op and Apothecary Ale House.

While exploring downtown shops, participants who spot DASH the Dog can collect stamps. Each stamp brings participants closer to the chance of winning prizes from downtown merchants such as gift cards and goods. To qualify for prizes, completed Downtown Dash Guides with five or more stamps must be turned into Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op, Apothecary Ale House or at Breezeline’s play-to-win tent on Courthouse Square.

Advertisement

As a break from shopping, parents and their little ones can visit Kids Craft, Cookies & Cocoa Central at the WARD Building to enjoy a complimentary hot cocoa and cookie bar and children’s crafts provided by Hotel Morgan sponsored by Main Street Morgantown and Breezeline.

Visitors can also visit the beautiful 25-foot-tall holiday tree on display at Courthouse Square, a collaboration between the City of Morgantown, Monongalia County and Main Street Morgantown.   

Sponsored by Breezeline, the Downtown Dash celebrates the holiday season, promotes walking and shopping throughout the downtown district, and supports local businesses by driving foot traffic directly to storefronts.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

West Virginia

West Virginia First Foundation lauds Wheeling police for crisis intervention success

Published

on

West Virginia First Foundation lauds Wheeling police for crisis intervention success


The West Virginia First Foundation visited the Wheeling Police Department to commend its efforts in addressing the area’s mental health and opioid crisis.

Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger presented to the WVFF board, highlighting the department’s progress.

Schwertfeger attributed a 14% decrease in Group A crimes from 2024 to 2025 to the department’s crisis intervention program.

“Just another great partnership,” he said. “More collaboration in this area that we are very proud of and we want to keep the momentum going,.”

Advertisement

WVFF Executive Director Jonathan Board praised the program’s success.

“This in particular, the CIT program, that isn’t just in the ether, but is showing success – actual scientific success about de-escalation, about bringing together services providers and to boots on the ground and first responders, this is vitally important to not only this region but the entire state,” Board said.

The visit was part of WVFF’s ‘Hold the Line’ tour across the state.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending