West Virginia
WV faith leaders urge state senators to reject camping ban bill
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – Several West Virginia faith leaders are calling on state senators to reject a bill that would criminalize camping on public property, saying the legislation runs counter to Christian teachings on caring for the poor.
The West Virginia Council of Churches released an open letter signed by faith leaders and congregations from across the state, urging senators not to advance House Bill 5319. The bill, sponsored by Delegates Chiarelli and Browning, passed the House of Delegates on March 2 and is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Under HB 5319, it would be unlawful for any person to camp or store personal property — including tents, sleeping bags, tarps, blankets, and similar items — on any public street, park, trail, or other public property in West Virginia.
Penalties would escalate with each violation:
- First violation: A written warning, along with information about resources and alternative shelter locations
- Second violation: A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200
- Third violation (within 12 months of the first): A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both
The bill specifies that each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. Exceptions include people camping in designated campgrounds, those camping lawfully under state outdoor recreation law, and people sleeping overnight in a registered and insured motor vehicle parked legally.
The open letter, organized by the West Virginia Council of Churches, is signed by member denominations representing millions of Christians statewide — including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, the United Methodist Church’s West Virginia Conference, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Salvation Army, and more than a dozen other Christian communions.
The letter calls on senators to reject the bill, arguing that criminalizing homelessness conflicts with the Christian call to serve those in need.
“As followers of Christ, we believe in a God who created all beings and loves all creation. And in this nation full of plenty, Christians ask God to open our hearts so that when we see a person in need of a place to sleep, rather than wanting them to be disappeared into a jail cell, we look at them the way God would and ask, ‘How can I help?’”
The letter warns that HB 5319 “will create a revolving door between homelessness and jail, prevent people from getting on a path to stable housing, and make it harder for service providers and law enforcement to focus on solutions that center human dignity.”
It also argues that fines are an ineffective tool: “We cannot disappear human beings, nor expect that people experiencing homelessness have the money to pay any fine.”
Instead, the letter asks legislators to consider “that the practice of the Christian faith calls us to minister to the homeless and others in economic distress through a variety of ministries including feeding, clothing, and housing programs.”
The letter concludes by calling HB 5319 “antithetical to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ” and asking senators to “roundly reject” the bill.
Read the full open letter here.
The statewide camping ban debate has been building for more than a year. In January 2026, two nearly identical bills — Senate Bill 175 and Senate Bill 184 — were introduced in the legislature, both proposing to make camping on public property a criminal offense. Those bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
HB 5319 represents the version that advanced further, clearing the House of Delegates on March 2.
The issue has deep roots at the local level. Both Morgantown and Clarksburg passed camping ordinances in late 2024. In April 2025, Morgantown voters chose to keep their camping ban in place after a referendum. But advocates have continued to raise concerns about the lack of shelter capacity — Morgantown alone had nearly 150 homeless residents but only around 50 shelter beds, with roughly 80 people still without a place to sleep even during the winter months.
Prior Coverage:
- 2 newly-introduced bills could criminalize homelessness in W.Va. with a statewide camping ban
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BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program will conduct its annual “Click It or Ticket” high-visibility enforcement campaign during the Memorial Day travel period.
National enforcement runs from May 18 through May 31. West Virginia’s state-specific enforcement begins May 11 and ends May 25.
Travelers will see increased patrols by state and local law enforcement during this time. Officers will ensure every driver and passenger is buckled up correctly.
This year’s campaign focuses on nighttime enforcement. Data shows that a higher number of unrestrained fatalities occur during nighttime hours.
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As scammers become more sophisticated, the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles is warning the public about new and continuing scams circulating around the country.
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Scams play on fear and request immediate action.
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Scams rely on something you didn’t know you owed, because you don’t.
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Scams rely on confusion. Some common themes of recent scams are unpaid parking violations or turnpike tolls. DMV does not collect these.
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Recent scams pretending to be DMV have arrived by text, but scams can be delivered on paper or by email. A recent scam claiming to be from Kanawha County Municipal Court even used the state seal.
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As scams become more sophisticated, they can look like real communications, so if you are unsure you can call DMV at (800) 642-9066 to verify if you receive something suspicious claiming to be DMV.
Continued focus on making the public aware of scams is necessary as scams continue to evolve. Please share the word with family, co-workers and friends who may not be on social media or watching the news.
DMV’s website is dmv.wv.gov, and its toll-free phone number is (800) 642-9066. DMV will always take the time to answer guests’ questions.
York PA installation about Articles of Confederation completed
The long-awaited Hard Bargains installation explaining and exploring the Articles of Confederation has been completed near York County History Center.
The Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General filed charges in York County against a West Virginia man and woman, who allegedly got thousands of dollars in COVID-era rent assistance funds under false pretenses.
Chester Joseph Little, 41, and Dawn Lea Caltrider, 43, of Orma, West Virginia face felony theft and forgery charges filed Monday, May 4, in York County in connection with getting funds through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) through filing fraudulent applications.
According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2023, the assistant director of the York County Department of Human Services contacted the Office of the State Inspector General about suspicious ERAP applications and suspected that Little and Caltrider received funds under false pretenses.
On Sept. 24, 2021, court records indicate that Caltrider applied for ERAP funds for rental assistance for a residence in the 1500 block of Route 116 in Spring Grove, which Little claimed was his property and was paid $1,500 a month in rent and had not been paid between February 2021 to October 2021. Little asked York County Community Progress Council (CPC) to pay him for the months Caltrider was behind in rent plus rent for October 2021 through January 2022 and $18,400 was deposited in Little’s bank account.
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It was later found that the owner of the property on Route 116 was Caltrider’s sister. Caltrider and Little had lived there for a period before they moved out. Little had allegedly presented a fake lease and mortgage agreement as part of the ERAP application, and Caltrider falsely claimed she lived at the address.
Court documents also indicated that Little signed an application for ERAP benefits Oct. 6, 2021 for a home in the 400 block of Rear Pleasant Street in Hanover and reported Caltrider as his landlord. Caltrider allegedly filled out the landlord portion of the application and said that she was paid $2,000 a month and Little had not paid rent from February 2021 to October 2021. She applied to the York County Community Progress Council (CPC) to pay her what was in arrears plus rent from November 2021 through January 2022 and requested funds, totaling $24,000, be deposited into her bank account.
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A 2023 investigation uncovered that the property in the 400 block of Rear Pleasant Street was a self-storage business and was not owned by Caltrider, who allegedly presented a fake lease and homeowner insurance policy as part of the ERAP application.
More charges were filed against Caltrider after she allegedly provided another false application on Oct. 22, 2021. According to court documents, Caltrider applied for rental assistance for an address in the first block of Abbie Road in Spring Garden Township posing as her daughter and claimed to be the landlord of the address and received $17,200 in ERAP funds. Investigators found that the daughter had never lived at the address after questioning her. Authorities say Caltrider presented a fake lease and homeowner insurance policy and presented an altered Pennsylvania birth certificate in that case.
Caltrider alone faces five counts of felony forgery and one felony count each for identity theft, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception in this particular case.
As of Wednesday, May 6, neither Little nor Caltrider had seen a judge regarding the charges.
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