WQBE News

West Virginians unemployment rate is skyrocketing. More than 90-thousand people filed unemployment claims statewide in March. Unemployment claims in a normal month are around five-thousand.

West Virginia’s latest revenue numbers are strong. Collections topped estimates by over twelve-million-dollars, with March revenue collections of over 360-million-dollars. Governor Justice says he’s hopeful that the federal stimulus package will offset a sharp decline in tax collections in the coming months. He didn’t rule out tapping into the state’s rainy day fund.

A group of coal mines owned by the Justice family reached a settlement over unpaid penalties for mine safety violations. The company agreed to pay five-million-dollars for over two-thousand violations.

Governor Justice is delaying primary election day to June 9th. Absentee voting will continue, and applications are being mailed out. Justice is also extending school closures until April 30th.

Charleston police are looking for a man who broke into the Boost Mobile store on Charleston’s West Side. He stuffed a duffle bag full of cell phones and took off.

The West Virginia National Guard is packing boxes of masks, gloves, gowns, and respirators for health departments in all 55 counties in the state. They are sending out as many as twenty trucks a day.

The Jackson County Health Department is reporting West Virginia’s second coronavirus death. The patient had several underlying health issues and died in a hospital. There are forty positive cases of COVID-19 in Kanawha County, and 29 new cases statewide, bringing the total to 191.

Charleston police are investigating a breaking and entering case on Charleston’s West Side and they’re asking for the public’s help. It happened last Saturday at Boost Mobile at 107 Hills Plaza. Charleston Police shared surveillance video on its Facebook page and asked anyone with information on the suspect to contact them.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources said 29 more novel coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the state, bringing the current total to 191. As of April 1, 4,575 residents have been tested for COVID-19 with 4,384 negative results and one death. Kanawha County has the most positve cases in the state, … Read more

The deadline for West Virginia historic preservation development grant applications has been extended to April 14. The grants are awarded through the State Historic Preservation Office of the Department of Arts, Culture and History. Projects that are eligible include the restoration, rehabilitation or archaeological development of historic sites listed in the National Register of Historic … Read more