radioNOVO News WV News Roundup for June 23, 2026

Good morning. We begin with a breaking weather alert. The National Weather Service has issued an urgent flood watch for a large portion of the state through this morning, following a series of severe thunderstorms. The alert follows a dramatic radar-indicated tornado warning that forced residents into shelters across southeastern Marion and Monongalia counties last night. Emergency officials are urging morning commuters to watch for pooling water on area roadways.In legal news, a major judicial resolution has come down in a prominent Kanawha County homicide case. Defendant Gavin Smith has officially pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder, successfully bypassing what would have been a highly publicized second quadruple-murder trial.Turning to state politics, a bipartisan coalition of West Virginia lawmakers has issued a formal letter to U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, demanding their support for a national ban on greyhound racing. If approved by the Senate, the federal Greyhound Protection Act amendment would completely outlaw the practice nationwide. The decision heavily impacts the Mountain State, which currently houses the nation’s last two remaining active dog racing tracks in Wheeling and Nitro.On the state budget front, the Department of Transportation is launching an aggressive restructuring plan to capture over fifty-million-dollars in annual savings. Following an outside efficiency audit, Transportation Secretary Stephen Todd Rumbaugh announced the agency will enforce strict new permitting rules on contractors to curb bidding waste.In education news, a high-stakes battle over public charter schools is heading to the state Supreme Court. Justices will decide if a state-appointed board has the constitutional authority to approve new charter schools without a direct vote of local county residents.And finally, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that legendary country music group Alabama will headline the state’s massive America250 Capital City Celebration on July third.For more news, download the radioNOVO app. radioNOVO News is a service of Seven Mountains Media.