April 24 (UPI) — West Virginia plans to appeal a recent ruling against the state’s transgender athlete ban to the U.S. Supreme Court, the state attorney general announced Wednesday.
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is running for governor of West Virginia, told reporters Wednesday at the state Capitol in Charleston that he will ask the high court to consider BPJ vs. West Virginia State Board of Education after it declined to take the case last year.
“We will be filing, over the next month, and we’re going to make sure we time our filing to maximize the chance this case is going to be heard, and most importantly, that we will win,” Morrisey said.
“This is a significant case to bring to the Supreme Court, and it will potentially set precedent for the entire country.”
Last week, the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked West Virginia’s 2021 ban on transgender students participating on sports teams that match their gender identity, because it violates federal law.
Appeals Judge Toby Heytens said the ban violated Title IX, after the American Civil Liberties Union brought the suit on behalf of eighth-grade trans teen Becky Pepper-Jackson.
“West Virginia’s transgender sports ban’s sole purpose — and its sole effect — is to prevent transgender girls from playing on girls teams,” Heytens wrote in his opinion on April 16. “Offering BPJ a ‘choice’ between not participating in sports and participating only on boys teams is no real choice at all.”
“Somehow, defying logic, the 4th Circuit majority still concluded that this law was targeted at transgender students. They are wrong,” Morrisey responded.
West Virginia became the seventh state in 2021 to pass a law, banning transgender women and girls from competing on female sports teams under the Save Women’s Sports Act. It requires public schools and colleges to base sports participation on biological sex rather than gender identity. There are currently 24 states that have similar laws in place.
Fairness West Virginia said Wednesday that Morrisey’s statements about transgender youth create a hostile environment, allowing for more bullying and discrimination.
“Transgender women are women, period,” said Jack Jarvis, communications director for Fairness in West Virginia. “If you want to support women, you need to support all women.”
The Inter-Mountain photo by Joe Blankenship
Clans march during the fourth annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games at 4-H Camp Pioneer Saturday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Joe Blankenship
A bald eagle was on display during the fourth annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games at 4-H Camp Pioneer Saturday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Joe Blankenship
A mythical creature turned up for the fourth annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games at 4-H Camp Pioneer Saturday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Joe Blankenship
A bull was among the livestock on display during the fourth annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games at 4-H Camp Pioneer Saturday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Joe Blankenship
Clans march during the fourth annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games at 4-H Camp Pioneer Saturday.
Community Bulletin
Fred W. Eberle Technical Center in Buckhannon is enrolling students in its commercial driver’s license (CDL) training program, an accelerated course that can be completed in five to seven weeks. Both daytime and limited evening sessions are available. Read more →
This story brought to you paywall-free, courtesy of the My Buckhannon team and our community partners
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced that it is accepting applications for a controlled waterfowl hunt, scheduled to take place October 3-11 at McClintic Wildlife Management Area near Point Pleasant in Mason County.
Waterfowl hunters who wish to participate must submit their application by 11:59 p.m. August 14 at WVhunt.com. Successful applicants will be notified by mail by the second week of September.
“Controlled hunts like this are an important part of our mission to manage wildlife resources responsibly, while also giving hunters access to high-quality hunting experiences,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion.
The event allows hunters to hunt from a shooting station in a controlled waterfowl hunting zone at McClintic WMA during the October split of the waterfowl season. Hunters who are successful in the lottery draw are assigned an area free of charge and are permitted to bring one guest. A shooting station is also available for hunters who have a disability.
Hunters successful in the draw will be randomly assigned a day to hunt. They must report to the McClintic WMA office prior to 6 a.m. that day. Applicants not selected may come to the McClintic office on the morning of each day’s hunt to sign up for an opportunity to hunt shooting stations not filled by selected hunters.
For more information, consult the West Virginia Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations, which will be available online at WVdnr.gov and at WVDNR offices by the end of August.
ST. ALBANS, W.Va – Kanawha Valley residents and visitors from around the state get the chance to pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War when The Moving Wall arrives in St. Albans this week.
The Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, DC, and it has been touring the United States for over 40 years to give Americans that may not be able to visit the memorial a chance to recognize those who lost their lives.
“The Moving Wall was put together in 1984 for the purpose of providing a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It’s about 250 feet long, about ten foot at the high point, and then slopesx down along both wings of the wall,” VFW Post 6418 Commander Jerry Mollohan said Tuesday on 580 Live with Dave Allen.
VFW Post 6418 is hosting The Moving Wall in St. Albans with public viewing beginning at noon on Thursday and continuing through Sunday. A ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, at the wall’s location at 1481 MacCorkle Avenue.
“It’s coming to us from a VFW post in North Carolina, and they’ll be in town tomorrow night, and they’ll bring the wall to the St. Albans Shopping Center,” Mollohan said.
West Virginia suffered the highest casualty rate per capita of any state during the Vietnam War and was among the states with the highest rate of volunteers for service. Mollohan said this is a chance for people with ties to those that served to reconnect with their history.
“There’s 388 West Virginians on the wall, and, of course, there’s over 58,000 total names on the wall. There’s just a lot of family and friends that are connected to those servicepeople that are on the wall,” he said.
Mollohan takes pride in VFW Post 6418 bringing The Moving Wall to West Virginia for the first time in recent memory. He wants residents to come out and learn more about the lives lost in service of the United States.
“The sacrifices that the country has made in all wars is high priority for our obligation to recognize the price of freedom,” he said.
VFW Post 6418 has more information about The Moving Wall at vfw6418.org.
Governor’s celebrates 67 years with cheap lobster rolls at all 6 Maine locations
Candidates nominated with under 40% of the vote in Maryland and New York primary elections – FairVote
Body of 13-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Michigan waters recovered by Indiana officials
Arlington Nonprofit Receives Statewide Grant Funding
Buses to replace Metro Transit Blue Line, parts of Green Line for maintenance this summer
Political speeches happening at Neshoba County Fair. Here’s the schedule – SuperTalk Mississippi
Missouri ice cream shop named best in the state. Here’s why.
Social media star Montana Tucker to host Maccabiah Games delegation parade | The Jerusalem Post
