radioNOVO News WV News Roundup for August 13, 2026

Good morning, here is your West Virginia State Roundup.State lawmakers are demanding answers from the Department of Human Services following major disruptions to West Virginia's school clothing voucher program. Secretary Carl Ayers testified before the Legislative Oversight Commission after the application window was abruptly shut down after just one week over fears of exceeding an $11.4 million budget cap. Ayers acknowledged that because funds were issued via electronic benefit cards, officials currently cannot verify how many recipients used the money or confirm whether funds were withdrawn as cash at ATMs rather than spent on back-to-school clothing.Meanwhile, Governor Patrick Morrisey and legislative leaders have unveiled a 20-year strategic framework for data center development across the state. Under the plan, incoming tech developers must generate or procure their own power, with half of the generated tax revenues dedicated toward reducing and eventually eliminating the state's personal income tax. However, ratepayer advocacy groups continue to voice concern over potential impacts on electric bills and local water supplies.In utility news, Appalachian Power has suspended its bid to acquire Black Diamond Power. The company notified the Public Service Commission of the freeze after discovering Black Diamond—which serves roughly 5,000 customers in Raleigh, Boone, and Clay counties—is negotiating with another prospective buyer.On the roadways, transportation officials are reviewing the first year of a winter road maintenance pilot program in Monongalia and Preston counties. State data shows private contractors cleared fewer miles at a cost of roughly $46,000 per mile, compared to about $5,000 per mile for state road crews. Officials say increased bidding could lower costs for year two.And in Kanawha County, a piece of state history is on the move. The historic 225-year-old Ruffner Cabin is being carefully dismantled log-by-log at Daniel Boone Park in Charleston and relocated to a historic village in Malden by TV host and contractor Mark Bowe.For more statewide news, download the radioNOVO app. I’m Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News, a service of Seven Mountains Media.