radioNOVO News WV News Roundup for August 12, 2026

Good morning, here is your West Virginia State Roundup.In public health news, state officials report that West Virginia is making significant strides in the fight against drug addiction. West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy Director Doctor Stephen Loyd told state lawmakers that overdose deaths across the Mountain State have dropped nearly forty-two percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. Doctor Loyd also highlighted a forty-four percent reduction in babies born dependent on drugs, attributing the progress to stricter opioid prescribing guidelines and the statewide distribution of more than one-hundred-thirty-six thousand naloxone kits. While acknowledging the improvement, state health leaders emphasized that West Virginia’s overdose rate remains more than double the national average, requiring continued investment in treatment and recovery resources.In education news, major school districts across West Virginia are taking steps to roll back classroom technology ahead of the new school year. Both Jefferson and Kanawha County school districts have announced plans to reduce screen time and scale back reliance on online learning platforms. Jefferson County is instituting "tech-free" days every Monday and Friday, while Kanawha County is phasing out heavy use of online management systems to re-emphasize direct, face-to-face instruction between teachers and students.To state infrastructure, rail crews in South Charleston are finalizing repairs along a primary CSX line following a major train derailment last week. Seventeen cars on a grain train derailed along First Avenue on Thursday morning. CSX officials report that one track reopened Friday and work is wrapping up to fully restore the main rail line.And in healthcare news, WVU Medicine is expanding patient access in the Northern Panhandle with a new outpatient medical facility at The Highlands. Set to open early next year, the new center will offer specialized services including urology, primary care, and orthopedic sports medicine.For more news, download the radioNOVO app. I’m Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News, a service of Seven Mountains Media.