The Bus Rocks | radioNOVO News WV News Roundup for May 20, 2026

Good morning, We begin at the state capitol in Charleston, where lawmakers are continuing to hash out regulations following a heavy debate over transparency requirements for data center developers. Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates spent more than an hour on the House floor Monday debating concerns that a recent state law strips away local municipal control and reduces the incentive for major tech companies to engage with the communities they move into. Opposing lawmakers argued they received direct assurances from data center executives at a recent summit that community outreach remains a top industry priority. State planners met again at the capitol yesterday afternoon to finalize local infrastructure guidelines.Meanwhile, a high-stakes trial in southern West Virginia has concluded with a sweeping conviction. A circuit court jury has found suspect Timothy Kennedy guilty on all charges—including first-degree murder—in the fatal shooting of West Virginia State Police Sergeant Cory Maynard. Following the swift verdict, the panel also determined that Kennedy will receive no mercy, officially stripping away any possibility of future parole. Sergeant Maynard was killed in the line of duty while responding to a shooting incident in Mingo County.In Wayne County, a separate jury has returned a guilty verdict in a devastating double-homicide and arson case. Joshua Morrow was convicted of first-degree murder for the deaths of Britney Brown and her mother, Erma Brown. Investigators state that the victims' bodies were discovered inside a heavily burned home in December of 2024. While the intense fire left the victims unrecognizable, forensic teams confirmed the fire failed to conceal evidence of fatal stab wounds. That same jury remains at the courthouse this week deliberating whether Morrow will be granted mercy and eligibility for parole.Turning to Kanawha County, a grim missing persons case has officially shifted into a major homicide probe. Human remains discovered at a property in the Big Chimney area have been positively identified as sixteen-year-old Shayln Harvey, who was first reported missing earlier this year. Kanawha County Sheriff’s deputies state that evidence quickly led detectives to secure a property search warrant. An autopsy was completed early this week, though authorities are withholding the exact cause of death to protect the integrity of the active investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Detective Bureau.And finally, county leaders from across the Mountain State are issuing an urgent warning to lawmakers regarding skyrocketing educational costs. A coalition of school districts reported that the localized cost of providing mandatory special education resources is dramatically outpacing current state financial support. Superintendents warn that without a swift adjustment to the state's funding formula in the upcoming legislative session, local districts will face severe budgetary strain to maintain compliance.For more statewide updates, download the radioNOVO app. I’m Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News, a service of Seven Mountains Media.