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Reed School of Media and Communications

Stories That Shape The Mountain State

Ty McClung |

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. - High school sports are back in action across West Virginia, and referees are once again taking the field to enforce the rules of the game. But while athletes and fans are gearing up for the season, officials say they’re preparing for something else too: hostility and abuse.

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Samantha Smith |

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Jenna Maguire, former Student Government Association president at West Liberty University, was elected by her peers in 2023 to represent them on the WLU Board of Governors. She said serving in that role and having a direct vote on issues affecting the university community was both a privilege and a responsibility.

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Regan Duceman |

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – This fall, students across West Virginia are heading back to class under a significant new rule: no more phones during instructional time.

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Hannah Heiskell |

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lawrence Barrio moved his family from Florida to West Virginia earlier this year. In Florida, he obtained a religious exemption for school vaccinations for his children with little difficulty.

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Claudia Di Lima |

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A new law banning certain food dyes and preservatives in West Virginia is drawing mixed reactions from families and health experts.

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Lilly Reisenweber |

WHEELING, W.Va. - After suffering a concussion last season, Wheeling Central Catholic High School junior linebacker Dustin Sanner no longer steps onto the field without added protection. He now wears a Guardian Cap — an extra layer of soft-shell padding placed over his helmet designed to reduce the impact of head collisions.

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Rebecca Hempleman |

RANDOLPH COUNTY, W.Va. – Despite missing its initial rollout deadline, a new communications platform has launched in Randolph County to streamline communication between all parties involved in a child welfare case so that the care of the child can be better prioritized. Some potential users of the new system are skeptical about how effective the tool will be once fully implemented, though.

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Johnathan Edwards |

Lauren Cole’s parents, Michael and Cherie, attend a West Virginia Senate session that included SB 196 in April 2025. Credit: West Virginia Legislature

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Faith Abdullah |

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Child abuse experts are warning parents about the dangers that AI-generated sexual abuse material poses to their children in the wake of a recent West Virginia law that addresses the legal landscape of the problem. 

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Faithlyn Graham and Ayden Norcross |

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – “My life has already been threatened,” Quinn Reid, a non-binary photography student at West Virginia University, said.

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