Excerpt
Amid the uncertain fate of the statewide, five-days-and-counting teacher and school service personnel strike, the House of Delegates passed a bill Wednesday that would raise salaries of both groups by 5 percent.
Gov. Jim Justice unveiled the plan Tuesday evening after negotiating with union leaders throughout the day as a means to end the strike, before leaving to coach a high school girls basketball game.
Despite the news, all 55 counties reported by 10:40 p.m. Wednesday that their schools would be closed on Thursday. And, all day Wednesday, a large swath of teachers continued to fill the halls of the Capitol, largely due to the proposal not addressing a long-term fix to the Public Employees Insurance Agency.
