In Around West Virginia: the water crisis revisited, a compromise on the Sunday state Senate session, a smartphone application to explore the history of your surroundings, and more.
n In the wake of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, The Center for Investigative Journalism reached out to reporters in other communities that have been affected by water contamination. The Charleston Gazette-Mail's Ken Ward Jr. noted that while state lawmakers passed legislation to more strictly regulate aboveground storage tanks, the bill was significantly weakened after industry lobbying.
n Senator John Unger, D- Berkeley, announced Thursday he is dropping a lawsuit he had filed Wednesday to prevent the West Virginia Senate from meeting on Sunday, according to The Journal. Unger, an ordained minister and pastor, had said he wouldn't be able to serve his three churches and make it safely back to Charleston. Unger said he is satisfied with Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael's promise to accept committee reports on Sunday, but not to hold floor votes.
n A Marshall University history professor created a website and smartphone application that educates users on the historical significance of their surroundings, according to The Herald-Dispatch. Users can learn more about museums, art galleries, monuments, sculptures and other historical sites in their area. More than 100 organizations and universities are using Clio to map the history of their local communities. David Trowbridge, associate professor of history, came up with the idea while visiting Indianapolis.
"It was my first time ever being there, and I was looking at all these monuments, but there wasn't much information, then it was time for me to eat," he said. "I pulled up my Yelp app and my phone's telling me all the restaurants that are near me, all kinds of information about these places, and I thought there needs to be something like this for history."
n ICYMI: The Washington Post explores why West Virginia, the birthplace of the American labor movement, made a move to hurt its unions by passing a "right-to-work" law in West Virginia. Numerous supporters said they felt the state has nothing else to lose.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.