Articles by John Raby

West Virginia Lawmakers Ban Smoking in Cars with Kids Present

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia, which has the highest rate of adult cigarette use in the nation, became the 12th state to ban smoking in vehicles with children present under a bill signed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice on …

Panel Asks W.Va. Supreme Court if Opioid Distribution Can Cause a Public Nuisance

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court asked West Virginia’s highest court Monday whether opioid distributions can cause a public nuisance as it reviews a landmark lawsuit against three major U.S. drug distributors accused of causing a health crisis …

West Virginia Bill Stokes Fears About Pesticide-Producing Logging Facility

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia bill approved by the House of Delegates on Tuesday that limits counties from regulating agricultural operations is stoking fears that a logging company could resurrect plans to build a toxic-spewing fumigation facility in …

Bank Plans to Auction Off Greenbriar Lots Owned by West Virginia Governor

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Virginia bank that is seeking to recover more than $300 million in longstanding unpaid business loans to the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is planning to auction off land at a sporting club …

West Virginia Lawsuit Over Opioids Reaches Closing Arguments

Three major U.S. drug distributors should be held responsible for sending a “tsunami” of prescription pain pills that caused a health crisis in one corner of West Virginia, an attorney for local governments said in closing arguments Tuesday in a …

1 Worker Killed, 3 Injured by West Virginia Chemical Plant Blast

An explosion and fire at a West Virginia chemical plant that shook surrounding homes killed a plant worker and injured three other people. It happened after 10 p.m. Tuesday at Optima Chemicals Co., a tenant on the Chemours property site …

West Virginia Hospital Settles Whistleblower Suit for $50M

A financially strapped West Virginia hospital has agreed to pay the federal government $50 million to resolve claims that it improperly issued payments and kickbacks to physicians under the direction of management, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday. The Justice …

West Virginia Halts Nursing Home Visits as Virus Cases, Deaths Surge

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday halted nursing home visits as both confirmed cases and deaths from the new coronavirus continue to surge. Justice said at a news conference that there are virus outbreaks currently at 28 nursing homes …

West Virginia Sued Over Non-Compliance of Coal Reclamation Fund

Environmental groups have sued the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection over what they say is the agency’s failure to adhere to federal reporting requirements for a coal mine reclamation fund. The lawsuit filed Thursday by the West Virginia Highlands …

Appeals Court Rejects Qualified Immunity for West Virginia Police in Excessive Force Suit

A federal appeals court has vacated part of a finding that cleared five West Virginia police officers on qualified immunity grounds in an excessive force lawsuit, which was filed by the estate of a homeless black man shot 22 times. …