Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How a Charleston court’s move could reshape school vaccine rules statewide
Coming up: Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas The Musical on the Charleston Patch calendar
What's up Charleston! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How a Charleston court’s move could reshape school vaccine rules statewide
- Have you seen this missing Cross Lanes teenager today?
- How a Charleston-backed program is reshaping food access across West Virginia
Also on today's calendar: WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS at Holistic Inc and 5 more events.
Find out what's happening in Charlestonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Today's riddle: Jimmy, did you crash on your bike again? You’ve lost a tooth! 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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Find out what's happening in Charlestonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Sunday: Cloudy and quite cold, with a high of 22 and low of 7 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
- Monday: Partly sunny and cold, temps: high: 33, low: 20.
- Tuesday: Partly sunny and not as cold, with a high of 45 and low of 34 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. W.Va. Supreme Court grants motion for direct review of appeal in vaccine exemption case (wchstv.com) — Charleston readers should know the W.Va. Supreme Court, based in the capital, has taken direct review of the appeal in the state’s school vaccine religious exemption case. The justices previously paused a lower court’s injunction that favored religious exemptions, and their ultimate ruling will shape vaccination requirements for roughly 600 students and school systems across West Virginia. 
2. Deputies ask for help finding teenager reported missing in Kanawha County (wchstv.com) — Kanawha County deputies are asking Charleston-area residents to help find 15-year-old Charnayjia Peterkin, who was last seen Saturday in the Cross Lanes area while under state care. She was wearing cream-colored sweats and may be in an older blue, boxy sedan. Anyone with information is urged to call the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office or speak directly with a detective.
3. Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund expands Healthy Neighborhood program (newsandsentinel.com) — A Charleston-based health fund is putting $1 million into expanding its Healthy Neighborhood program, which helps West Virginians buy nutritious food with pre-loaded benefits cards. The initiative, now reaching 45 counties, builds on a three-year pilot that supported over 2,000 food-insecure residents and will now place more emphasis on managing diabetes and hypertension through better nutrition.
4. Report: Overall student enrollment at four-year schools tops 57K, up slightly from last year (wvmetronews.com) — Charleston-based higher education officials report that enrollment at West Virginia’s 12 four-year colleges has ticked up to just over 57,000 students this fall, a modest gain from last year. Marshall University saw the largest growth, while WVU and WVU Tech continued to lose students. First-time freshmen numbers are up across the system, and community colleges also posted slight gains.
5. 70,000 West Virginians face healthcare crisis as Senate rejects ACA tax credit extension (wchstv.com) — From Charleston, state advocates warn that about 70,000 West Virginians could face steep health insurance cost hikes on Jan. 1 after the U.S. Senate rejected extending ACA tax credits. Local delegate Mike Pushkin says some constituents’ premiums may jump from around $400 to over $2,000 a month, potentially forcing thousands to drop coverage and straining rural hospitals.
📸 Around Charleston
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Charleston
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas The Musical
Clay Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston
7:00 pm
Friday December 19
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Cookies With Santa
Ruffner Elementary School Charleston, WV 25311
7:30 am - Winter Performance
Ruffner Elementary School Charleston, WV 25311
6:00 pm - WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS at Holistic Inc
4815 MacCorkle Ave SE , Charleston
9:00 am - Santa's Candy Gift Drop
South Charleston Farmers Market , 4006 Maccorkle Avenue S.W. , South Charleston
11:00 am - Holiday Movie Night
Community Center , 601 Jefferson Rd , South Charleston
2:00 pm - North Pole On Ice with Santa
Memorial Ice Arena , 20 RHL Boulevard , South Charleston
4:00 am - Christmas Eve
Capitol Market , 800 Smith St , Charleston
10:00 am
Monday December 15
Tuesday December 16
Wednesday December 17
Thursday December 18
Saturday December 20
Wednesday December 24
📣 Charleston Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- 8 Bit Brunch
The Empty Glass , 410 Elizabeth St , Charleston
12:00 pm - Hymns, Harmonies, and Hops — FOOTMAD
Sam's Uptown Café , 28 Capitol St , Charleston
4:00 pm - Freestyle Session
South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena , 20 RHL Blvd , South Charleston
6:00 pm - APAWV Annual Board/Membership Meeting and Luncheon
Holiday Inn & Suites Charleston West by IHG , 400 2nd Ave , Charleston
10:30 am
Sunday December 14
Tuesday December 16
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Found this male chihuahua running at corner of observatory road and Oakwood.
He’s very scared and just wants to go home. If you can tell us the color of his collar I’ll tell you where u can pick him up. (Nextdoor Colonial Way - Mt. Vernon) - OWNERS HAVE BEEN FOUND!!
Two dogs were found in Eagle View. Both are very skinny with no collars, but very sweet. Managed to get them inside since it’s going to be freezing… (Nextdoor Eagle View)
- The Page Program form is updated and live. The Page Program gives students, grades 6 thru 12, from West Virginia’s public and nonpublic schools an... (X: wvlegislature)
- Winter Storm Warning issued December 13 at 9:30PM EST until December 14 at 1:00PM EST by NWS Pittsburgh PA * expected. Total snow... (X: WVEMD)
- MyJobsCorner posted a job opening for Janitor Jobs: Hiring Immediately! Full Time / Part Time - $18-$47/Hr in Charleston. Apply here.
- CBRE Group, Inc. posted a job opening for Lease Admin Supervisor (Eastern Region) in Charleston. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Charleston here.
Ok Charleston! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I didn’t lose a tooth, Mom. It’s right here in my pocket.
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