FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, December 7, 2024
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West Virginia Week in Review
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Gov. Justice, First Lady Cathy Justice host Joyful Night Celebration at Capitol Complex
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Celebration included lighting of State Christmas Tree, live performances, holiday readings, and fireworks
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Gov. Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice hosted the annual Joyful Night Celebration on the South Steps of the West Virginia State Capitol, which included the lighting of the West Virginia State Christmas Tree, several holiday performances and readings, and fireworks.
“It’s hard to put into words how much it means to Cathy and I to celebrate our final Joyful Night as your Governor and First Lady,” Gov. Justice said. “For the past eight years, this celebration has been how we kick off the holidays, and every year, it’s been filled with love, friendship, and the kind of community spirit that makes West Virginia so special. Lighting the State Christmas tree with Cathy one last time is something we’ll hold in our hearts forever. And those surprise fireworks—what a way to cap it all off. Serving as your Governor has been the greatest honor of my life. I’ll hold that near to my heart, not just this holiday season but for the rest of my life. Thank you, West Virginia, for spending another Joyful Night with Cathy, Babydog, and me. ”
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Gov. Justice announces nearly $20 million surplus after November revenue collections
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Gov. Justice announced that West Virginia’s revenue collections surpassed $400.4 million in November, the fifth month of Fiscal Year 2025, exceeding estimates by $18.8 million.
‘We are watching West Virginia continue to grow, and we are excited about the future," Gov. Justice said. "We've cut over a billion dollars in taxes. That's not just for one year. That's forever. Even with these tax cuts, West Virginia continues to perform well and succeed. My term is almost over. We should certainly celebrate some of these big wins. But I would urge you to support our current and future leaders. Push us to keep making things better and better. It was really tough digging ourselves out of the massive hole. But we've done it. We are producing surplus after surplus, and today is more proof of that. There's no reason for us to slow down.”
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First Lady Cathy Justice announces winners of the 2024 Student Ornament Competition
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The winners of the First Lady Student Ornament Competition were announced during the Joyful Night celebration.
The competition is a holiday tradition encouraging students across the state to submit ornaments around a particular theme. This year, the First Lady asked students to help “Deck the Halls with Santa Claus” by creating a Christmas ornament that honors the spirit of Santa Claus during the holiday season.
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“I’m absolutely delighted with the incredible creativity we’ve seen in this year’s Student Ornament Competition,” First Lady Justice said. “Our theme, Santa Claus, brought out so much talent and imagination from students all across West Virginia. Congratulations to our four winning classrooms, and a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who participated. It’s always such a joy to see the effort and artistry our students put into their work. These ornaments will add a special touch to the Culture Center this holiday season.”
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