Latest Virginia Headlines
All the headlines from our Virginia Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ex-Gynecologist in Virginia Gets 59 Years on Fraud Conviction
May 20 2021 // A former gynecologist in Virginia who was convicted on fraud charges for performing unnecessary surgeries and procedures was sentenced Tuesday to 59 years in prison. Dr. Javaid Perwaiz also was ordered to pay $18.5 million...
Environmental Groups Sue Feds Over W. Virginia Mine Reclamation Program
May 20 2021 // Environmental groups are seeking to force the federal government to address an underfunded program in West Virginia whose purpose is to help cover the costs of coal mine reclamation. The lawsuit said the U.S. Office of...
Data Expert: Distributors Increased Drug Potency in West Virginia
May 14 2021 // A data expert testifying at a landmark opioid trial in West Virginia said Tuesday that the potency of prescription drugs sent to local communities increased over time, but the three large drug distributors being sued tried...
Insurer Sues West Virginia Gov.’s Company for Failure to Pay Deductibles
May 10 2021 // An insurance company alleges in a federal lawsuit that a company run by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and his adult children owes $166,000 for workers’ compensation and employers’ liability coverage...
West Virginia’s Billion-Dollar Trial Against Opioid Distributors Gets Underway
May 3 2021 // The three largest U.S. drug distributors, who are accused of helping fuel the opioid crisis that has resulted in nearly 500,000 overdose deaths in the United States, will defend themselves in a trial that kicks off on...
W. Virginia Supreme Court Sides with State Police in Civil Suit Alleging Excessive Force
Apr 28 2021 // A circuit judge should have dismissed civil claims against West Virginia State Police by a teenager who alleged excessive force when he was beaten during a traffic stop while handcuffed, the state Supreme Court ruled last...
Report: 2020 A Record Year for Overdose Deaths in West Virginia
Apr 26 2021 // The number of fatal drug overdoses in West Virginia hit a record last year, according to preliminary state data showing at least 1,275 residents died. The increase comes after two years of declining numbers in a state...
West Virginia Firefighters Claim Retaliation in Pay Dispute
Apr 21 2021 // Firefighters in West Virginia’s Morgantown say the city manager lowered their pay in retaliation for their refusal to accept a settlement in a separate dispute, although the city says it is just making the...
Former Employee at W. Virginia Nonprofit Charged with Stealing $4.7M
Apr 13 2021 // A former employee of a West Virginia nonprofit organization has been accused of embezzling more than $4.7 million in federal funds, according to court documents. Ruth Marie Phillips, 68, of Chesapeake, Ohio, was charged...
Virginia Becomes First Southern State to Legalize Marijuana
Apr 9 2021 // Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana Wednesday, as lawmakers voted to approve Governor Ralph Northam’s proposed changes to a bill that will allow adults to possess and cultivate small...
Virginia Health Workers With COVID Get Workers’ Comp Unless They Refuse Vaccine
Apr 5 2021 // Virginia has passed a law making it easier for some healthcare workers who become ill with COVID-19 to collect medical expenses or lost wages. But there’s a catch: the law excludes healthcare workers who are offered...
Report: Drug Addiction Cost West Virginia an Estimated $11B in 2019
Apr 5 2021 // Treating and addressing drug addiction cost West Virginia an estimated $11.3 billion in one year, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy. The report, written by economist Jill Kriesky, says the...
W. Virginia Enacts COVID Liability Protections for Employers, Health Care Providers
Mar 25 2021 // West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has signed a bill that protects employers, health care providers and others from being sued due to the coronavirus pandemic. The bill offers protection from COVID-19 lawsuits even if public...
Environmental Officials Investigate Mine Discharge into W. Virginia Waterways
Mar 9 2021 // West Virginia environmental authorities said Friday that they are investigating the cause of highly acidic water flowing from a former mine complex to waterways in northern Preston County. Sediment and discharge 10 times...
West Virginia Loosens Virus Restrictions on Bars, Most Businesses
Mar 8 2021 // West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice ordered to loosen pandemic restrictions on Friday at restaurants, bars and most businesses to allow full capacity at those establishments where social distancing is possible. The...
Damage to West Virginia Power Grids from Winter Storm Delays Power Restoration
Feb 26 2021 // Some West Virginia residents are waiting longer than anticipated for their power to come back on after utility crews found new damage from ice storms earlier this month. Drone and helicopter surveillance found the new...
Family of West Virginia Gov to Pay $270K in Suit Over Mine Discharges
Feb 26 2021 // A coal company controlled by the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice must pay $270,000 to a nonprofit land protection group and comply with selenium discharge limits under a settlement approved by a federal...
Virginia Lawmakers Advance Consumer Data Protection Act
Feb 26 2021 // The Virginia General Assembly is advancing legislation that allows Virginia consumers more protection with their online data, though opponents say the measure does not include the ability for people to file private...
Appeal Over Dictionary Use Denied in University of Virginia Lacrosse Slaying
Feb 25 2021 // A federal judge has rejected an appeal from a former University of Virginia lacrosse player that his 2012 murder conviction should be tossed out because of a claim the jury improperly consulted a dictionary. George Huguely...
Bills That Help First Responders Hit by COVID-19 Advance in Virginia
Feb 22 2021 // Virginia lawmakers have passed bills that allow certain first responders to file workers’ compensation benefits for being disabled from COVID-19, but still need to reach agreement on some differences. The measures...
