Governor Morrisey Announces DOT Reforms; Separately Appoints Two Legislators

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey took two separate state government actions reported in these accounts. On July 21, 2026, Morrisey announced reforms to the state Department of Transportation, and on January 28, 2026, he appointed two individuals to fill vacancies in the West Virginia Legislature. These are distinct, unrelated events occurring roughly six months apart. Regarding the Department of Transportation reforms, Morrisey outlined changes aimed at reducing administrative and new-construction costs while redirecting focus toward maintenance of existing roads and highways, according to a single source (West Virginia Legislature). Senate President Randy Smith reportedly praised the plan for reducing bureaucracy. This claim is supported by only one publisher in the provided materials, so it cannot be independently corroborated at this time. Regarding the legislative appointments, Morrisey named Trenton Barnhart to represent the 3rd District in the West Virginia Senate, filling the seat vacated by Sen. Donna Boley, who retired after 41 years of service. Morrisey also appointed Guy Ward to the 74th District of the House of Delegates. This information comes from a single source (WCHS-TV) as well. Because each event is documented by only one publisher in the supplied metadata, neither set of facts meets the two-independent-source threshold for full verification, and both should be treated as single-source reporting pending additional corroboration.