From The Well

At the center of the West Virginia state capitol is an area known as “The Well.” It is the informal gathering place for lobbyists, reporters, constituents and lawmakers. Centrally located between the chambers of the House of Delegates and Senate, The Well is often where information is shared, alliances are formed and deals are made.

From The Well

Are Poll Watchers Permitted in West Virginia?

Brian Skinner Elections

By Brian Skinner, Esq. During last Tuesday night’s presidential debate, President Trump urged his supporters, as he has done before, “to go into the polls and watch very carefully.” The president’s remarks have caused growing concern over potential confrontations at polling places due to deep partisan divides and baseless claims by President Trump that Democrats …Read More

865,000 women leave the workforce last month.

Brian Skinner COVID-19, Economy

The Lilly — Soo Youn — October 7, 2020 Jenai A. Rossow was working full time at a county clinic near Ithaca, N.Y., when shelter-in-place orders forced the first overhaul of her work life. The mother of two and social worker was able to use paid emergency leave as schools and day cares shut down. …Read More

Virgin Hyperloop to build Hyperloop Certification Center in West Virginia

Brian Skinner Economy, Technology

By Brian Skinner, Esq. Today, Virgin Hyperloop announced it will locate a certification facility on nearly 800 acres of land spanning Tucker and Grant counties, where it will leverage intellectual capital and resources from Marshall University, West Virginia University and from across the state. The announcement comes after years of testing and developing hyperloop technology at …Read More

Marion Co., West Virginia, Commission proclaims October Domestic Abuse Awareness Month

Brian Skinner Domestic Violence

The Fairmont News — By John Mark Shaver — October 8, 2020 FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WV News) — The Marion County Commission officially proclaimed October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month during its Wednesday meeting, hoping to spread awareness for action that those in abusive relationships can take. The proclamation is made by the commission every October, …Read More

US Supreme Court declines to weigh in on cannabis overtime pay case

Brian Skinner Marijuana policy, U.S. Supreme court

Marijuana Business Daily — October 6, 2020 How federal labor laws affect state-legal marijuana businesses could remain murky after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear an overtime pay case in the cannabis sector. A petition by Helix TCS, a Colorado cannabis security firm, for the Supreme Court to review the case was denied, Law360.com reported. Employee Robert Kenney …Read More

West Virginia Supreme Court hears arguments in horizontal drilling taxation case involving Antero

Brian Skinner Courts, Gas and Oil, Tax Policy

WV News — By Matt Harvey — October 6, 2020 CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WV News) — West Virginia’s Supreme Court justices heard arguments Tuesday on whether oil and gas companies owe tax on items like sleeping quarters, rented portable toilets and industrial-size trash containers at horizontal drilling sites. At issue is a consumer sales tax assessment …Read More

Director hire made for West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy

Brian Skinner State Fiscal & Economic Policy

WV MetroNews – – By Shauna Johnson — October 6, 2020 CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A divergence in economic recovery during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is what the new executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy said analysts with her organization have been tracking in recent weeks. “Higher income folks have almost completely recovered jobs in West …Read More