Almost Heaven: Stories From West Virginia

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice closes all state park campgrounds as West Virginia suffers its first death from COVID-19. State officials praise residents as the data continues to look good.

West Virginia suffered its first coronavirus-related death this week. The 88-year-old Marion County woman died in a Clarksburg hospital on Sunday. Justice officially announced her passing in his March 30 press briefing.

At the same briefing, Justice also announced the closure of the Blackwater Falls and Coopers Rock overlook areas, along with all state park campgrounds. He said these measures were specifically to prevent people from crossing into West Virginia from other states and congregating there during the state of emergency.

Additionally, Justice issued an executive order that anyone coming into the state from hotspot areas — Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and China were all specifically mentioned — must remain in quarantine for 14 days.

West Virginia currently has 124 confirmed positive cases out of about 3,000 tests. This leaves the state’s positive test rate at 4%.

All health officials on Justice’s ad hoc Coronavirus committee see this as a positive indicator that West Virginia will be able to gather a significant quantity of supplies before hospitals are overwhelmed. Nevertheless, all are encouraging residents to stay the course and not give up on social distancing.

Governor Justice names a “coronavirus czar”, stolen medical supplies make for a challenge in Charleston, and infection data begins to show encouraging signs. The latest updates on COVID-19 in West Virginia.

Governor Jim Justice announced the closure of all non-essential businesses and issued a stay-home order during a press conference Monday. The move was prompted by a positive test from the Sundale Nursing Home in Morgantown.

The state has also seen its first case of “community transmission”. Until now, all cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia could be traced back to an identifiable source. “Community transmissions” refer to people who contracted COVID-19 from an unknown carrier.

Governor Justice was quick to point out that a stay-at-home order is not martial law. Some businesses will be considered essential, including Human care and health services, grocery stores, pharmacies and food production are all included, among others.

Listen to the latest episode of Almost Heaven: Stories from West Virginia for more details, and read the executive order in its entirety on WV MetroNews.

West Virginia goes into lock-down as the first two cases of COVID-19 are discovered within the state’s borders. But tests are now available to the public, and grocery supply chains are still strong. Here’s all the latest data and updates you need to know in the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.

West Virginia cities are fighting to take marijuana law into their own hands. Confusion erupts over Morgantown’s new marijuana ordinance, while a federal court case from the tiny town of Salem opens up penalty–free marijuana to most of the state.

In 2011, West Virginia morning DJ Eric McGuire vanished from the airwaves. Soon afterward, rumors of his death began to swirl.

For decades, McGuire was the best–known morning radio host in West Virginia. From his early work in Elkins, McGuire wove himself into the fabric of West Virginia media and culture, building a nine-station network throughout the state. Over the course of his career, McGuire created an entire cast of fictional characters for his shows, discovering many real–life West Virginia characters along the way.

On this episode of Almost Heaven, we revisit McGuire’s career to see how a farmer from Barbour County became the funniest – and possibly the meanest – man on WV radio. (And is he alive or what?)

It’s been a full month since Morgantown resident Shane Stevens claimed to lose a 15–foot–long python along the side of the road in Sabraton. New interviews with people directly involved in the search suggest that the snake may have attacked Mr. Stevens in his vehicle, causing him to pull over and call 911 as the snake slithered away.