The U.S. Department of Agriculture has told states that they must not issue full benefits to people under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Instead, USDA said in the latest guidance, states must continue to process and load partial benefits.
States that were issuing full benefits were directed to reverse that, with the USDA pointing toward corrective action for state governments that don’t comply.
The federal agency wrote that “failure to comply with this memorandum may result in

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The filing period for the 2026 Primary Election in West Virginia begins Jan. 12 but there are already of number of candidates who have filed pre-candidacy papers.
Seventeen of the 34 seats in the state Senate are on the ballot along with all 100 members of the House of Delegates.
Kris Warner
There will also be judicial races in 2026.
Secretary of State Kris Warner said his office has already had its statewide meetings with county clerks and their election staffs.
“We’re

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Over 400 military students at the University of Charleston have withdrawn for the semester because of the government shutdown.
UC hosts mostly seven-week terms for its online military-related courses, and President Marty Roth says students had barely started when problems arose.
Marty Roth
“All of our students started that term, and about a week into it, a number of them were notified that their tuition assistance benefit from their military branch was being frozen or was

CHERRY GROVE, W.Va. — Some moderate rainfall and extensive work from fire crews have helped contain a large forest fire in the Monongahela National Forest.
The fire, which originated in the Cherry Grove community of Pendleton County on Wednesday, now spans 365 acres, but is 60 percent contained. Crews had only contained about 30 percent of the fire into the weekend.
According to a release from the United States Department of Agriculture, crews have been building hand lines and dozer lines along

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The state Public Service Commission will make a final ruling on the Hope Gas rate in December after all sides reached a settlement last week.
Morgan O’Brien
Hope Gas President and CEO Morgan O’Brien said the settlement was reached because all parties at the table were looking for a positive outcome that would benefit all sides.
“Hope feels like it was treated fairly, the consumer group who represent residential customers felt they were treated fairly, and the producers, to

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Anyone planning to build a single family home in Martinsburg now has to show proof they’ve paid an impact fee to the county first.
The fee, which went into effect Nov. 1, tacks on $5,500 on each new single family home developed in the county, with smaller amounts assessed to new multi-family or mobile home units.
Martinsburg City Manager Andy Blake said it was a public policy decision by the Berkeley County Commission that the city is required to follow.
“Pursuant to their