Amelia Ferrell Knisely

Amelia Ferrell Knisely

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Amelia Ferrell Knisely is an investigative reporter at West Virginia Watch. Originally from Rand, she started her career in television news in her home state before moving to Nashville and reporting for The Tennessean. Amelia returned to West Virginia in 2019 through Report for America to write about poverty for the Charleston Gazette-Mail, where she documented the state’s 10,000 homeless students and growing child hunger problem. She went on to work at Mountain State Spotlight and West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Amelia’s work, which regularly focuses on child welfare, people with disabilities and social services, has won several national awards. She and her husband, Sean, have three daughters.

Some lawmakers frustrated by Morrisey’s hidden details of federal TANF spending
West Virginia

Some lawmakers frustrated by Morrisey’s hidden details of federal TANF spending

Aug 21, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Gov. Patrick Morrisey has tied a delay in issuing school clothing allowance vouchers to a looming shortfall in the federal funding that pays for the program. School has started around West Virginia while the state continues to approve families’ applications...
WV Bureau for Social Services commissioner out, limited details from Morrisey administration
West Virginia

WV Bureau for Social Services commissioner out, limited details from Morrisey administration

Aug 20, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Lorie Bragg is no longer the commissioner of the state’s Bureau for Social Services, a position tasked with overseeing the troubled foster care system. Bragg officially stepped into the role in May of last year within Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s administration...
Federal jury indicts Pritt on 3 felony counts, including alleged sexual exploitation of a child
West Virginia

Federal jury indicts Pritt on 3 felony counts, including alleged sexual exploitation of a child

Aug 19, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
A federal grand jury indicted Elliott Pritt, a former West Virginia lawmaker and public school teacher, on three felony counts, including the alleged sexual exploitation of a child. U.S. Attorney Moore Capito announced Pritt’s indictment on Wednesday. Pritt was arrested...
‘We have no evidence’ — WV lawmakers question Morrisey administration on school clothing program
West Virginia

‘We have no evidence’: WV lawmakers question Morrisey administration on school clothing program

Aug 12, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
New Human Services Secretary Carl Ayers appeared before lawmakers for the first time Tuesday to field questions about the Morrisey administration’s handling of the school clothing allowance program for low-income children. Some families are still waiting for the $200 assistance...
Half of WV homeless students suspended during school year, state data shows
West Virginia

Half of WV homeless students suspended during school year, state data shows

Aug 12, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Half of West Virginia’s homeless students were suspended as a result of behavior last school year, according to new data from the state education department. There were 4,962 students identified homeless under federal reporting requirements, which includes students living in...
‘3 bullet points’ — Lawmakers clearly dissatisfied with ordered DoHS report on WV child deaths
West Virginia

‘3 bullet points’: Lawmakers clearly dissatisfied with ordered DoHS report on WV child deaths

Aug 11, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Lawmakers were clearly displeased with the first state Department of Human Services’ report on West Virginia child deaths, saying the short document was light on details as elected officials try to get a handle on the ongoing child welfare crisis...
Republican Del. Criss files as write-in candidate after being targeted by Morrisey in May primary
West Virginia

Republican Del. Criss files as write-in candidate after being targeted by Morrisey in May primary

Aug 10, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, has filed to run as a write-in candidate in the upcoming November election to hold onto his House of Delegates seat. Criss, the House Finance chair, lost his reelection bid in May to Charles Hartzog, a...
After Morrisey touts agency audits to purge waste, lawmakers learn saving money is likely years away
West Virginia

After Morrisey touts agency audits to purge waste, lawmakers learn saving money is likely years away

Aug 10, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
In May, Gov. Patrick Morrisey stood behind a sign that said, “Protecting Taxpayer Dollars,” while announcing that an outside company’s audit of three state agencies revealed a potential $168 million in savings. The governor, focused on weeding out wasteful spending...
WV Department of Human Services using $8M in TANF money to pay for broken online database
West Virginia

WV Department of Human Services using $8M in TANF money to pay for broken online database

Aug 10, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
West Virginia is using nearly $8 million in federal anti-poverty dollars to pay for its long-troubled and broken online database system. It’s the same pot of federal funding — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families money — that Gov. Patrick Morrisey...
Morrisey: WV public school funding formula needs work, spending may not be the answer
West Virginia

Morrisey: WV public school funding formula needs work, spending may not be the answer

Aug 09, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s team laid out his office’s ideas for revamping West Virginia’s school funding formula, a decades-old equation that has been linked to public schools’ dire financial situation. Debate over the funding formula is expected to be a leading...
WV Department of Human Services hasn’t implemented lawmakers’ key childcare bill by deadline
West Virginia

WV Department of Human Services hasn’t implemented lawmakers’ key childcare bill by deadline

Aug 07, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Senate Majority Whip Ben Queen, father of a young child, stood on the Senate floor in March to celebrate the Legislature’s first-ever hallmark childcare bill . “If we want people to go to work in this state, then we have...
Morrisey shifts from financial issues to fraud while defending WV school clothing program closure
West Virginia

Morrisey shifts from financial issues to fraud while defending WV school clothing program closure

Aug 06, 2026
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
PRINCETON, W.Va. — Gov. Patrick Morrisey, facing scrutiny for the state’s handling of the school clothing allowance program, has shifted his focus this week from financial instability to fraud. Weeks into questions, the governor announced late Tuesday that about 50%...