The state Senate passed a budget bill and an accompanying tax cut bill unusually early, on the 38th day of the annual 60-day session.
Yet there is still a long way to go toward resolving differences with the House of Delegates, getting the governor’s sign off and easing concerns among senators who found reason to disagree with the budget in its current form.
Ben Queen
“What’s unique is we’re passing the budget out early. Also what’s unique is our members have rallied around our budget almost

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The National Weather Service has four separate advisories, watches and warnings posted for the Mountain State heading into the weekend.
NWS graphic
Heavy rain Thursday night and early Friday morning has Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Raleigh and Wayne counties under a flood warning until late Friday afternoon.
Meteorologists have posted a wind advisory for the Potomac Highlands until 10 p.m. Friday with wind gusts up to 50 mph expected.
The majority of the rest of the state is

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A Berkeley County deputy is credited with saving the life of an individual he was pursuing in the Falling Waters community.
In a press release, Berkeley County Sheriff’ Rob Blair explained Deputy Merson initiated a traffic stop on I-81 when he noticed a vehicle a travelling in a reckless manner. The truck took off and Merson pursued the driver off I-81 onto Route 9 and then into a private neighborhood. The chase continued on Route 11 northbound toward Maryland. Authorities

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A bill to increase pay for judicial personnel is moving rapidly at the Capitol, with the House Judiciary Committee voting to advance House Bill 5471 to the floor once it is referred to the Finance Committee.
That bill would increase salaries for state Supreme Court justices, circuit court judges, family court judges, judges on the state Intermediate Court of Appeals, and magistrates. It also aims to clarify required contributions to the Judges’ Retirement Fund.
Supreme Court

SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — Police say the discovery of three bodies in a Nicholas County home looks to have been a double-murder suicide.
According to Summersville Police Chief Brad Reed the victims are Douglas and Dawn Morrow and Dawn’s mother Nancy Lindwedel.  All three lived at the home in Tara Estates in the city of Summersville.
“Preliminary investigation shows Douglas Morrow shot both his wife and mother-in-law in the front part of the house and then went to his bedroom and put the bullet to