Local News

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Incumbent Buckhannon City Councilor David McCauley is scheduled for his initial hearing in a federal child pornography investigation on Monday. Also next week, a special meeting is expected to be called to consider the impeachment and removal of McCauley from Council. In a statement, Mayor Robbie Skinner said the investigation into McCauley…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Commissioners in Monongalia County will meet soon with representatives from the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and another election for the Region 4 representative to the West Virginia First Foundation will be held later this month. UMWA District 31 Vice President Mike Payton told commissioners during their regular meeting the vote…

MOUNT CLARE, W.Va. — The motorcycle rider killed in an early Saturday morning crash in Harrison County has been identified. Deputies from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department said Robert Starkey, 30, of Mount Clare, was found dead at the scene on Mount Clare Road at 2:28 a.m. Investigators believe there was no other vehicle involved…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown voters will not get an opportunity to vote on whether or not to change the date of the city’s elections. The charter change, which would’ve placed a proposal to eliminate the city’s standalone election to be aligned with the county, was voted down in a 3-4 vote with Morgantown Mayor M.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVRC Media and Titan Roofing have launched a supply collection event this week to benefit the hurricane Helene ravaged areas of North Carolina. On Thursday, October 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the truck will be parked at the Suncrest Towne Center across from Five Guys, collecting supplies geared toward clean…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — One person was killed in an accident on Hartman Run Road Tuesday morning in Monongalia County. Deputies from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department said at 7:18 a.m. a passenger vehicle traveling in the southbound lane crossed the centwer line and hit a Ford F-450 Super Duty Box Truck. The driver of…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. One has been arrested in Clarksburg after an argument and stabbing involving a sword. Saturday, the Clarksburg Police Department were dispatched to Clay Street on a stabbing and located video surveillance. The video evidence showed Ryan Davisson, 50, in a verbal argument with a group of subjects in the street. The video shows…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —  A Morgantown custom home builder is facing numerous federal charges after using fake employment information for illegal immigrants he was smuggling from central America to work at his business. On MetroNews “Talkline,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia Bill Ihlenfeld said Hetzon (Hector) Marroquin Reyes, 40, operated A &…

WHITE HALL, W.Va. — Officers from the White Hall Police Department removed more than four ounces of cocaine from the street. Friday, officers conducted a search at a local hotel occupied by Benjamin Coffin, 50, and Brittney Jones, 32, and located $5,436 in U.S currency, 4.4 ounces of cocaine, and several sets of scales. Coffin…

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced a $3.2 million grant through the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the Benedum Airport Authority (North Central West Virginia Airport) for parking infrastructure improvements as part of the new terminal construction and expansion of the AeroTech Industrial Park. The improvements include four new parking…

MORGANTOWN, W,Va. — A Morgantown business owner has been arrested and charged with harboring and concealing illegal immigrants who are not permitted to work in the United States. The owner of A & M Homes, LLC, Hetzon (Hector) Marroquin Reyes, 40, used the social security numbers of others to create tax documents for people who…

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — A combined effort between Harrison and Marion counties is collecting relief supplies for Helene storm victims in North Carolina, with plans to leave for the Asheville, North Carolina, area Wednesday morning. Director of the Office of Emergency Management in the city of Bridgeport, Tim Curry, said they are collecting items to provide…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Republican Delegate in the 78th House of Delegates District Geno Chiarelli is running for another term to continue his work that he believes is improving the quality of life. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Chiarelli said he is eager to continue the work he started by passing bills to make changes…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Hindu Religious and Cultural Center (HRCC) wants area residents to join them to celebrate the life of Mahatma Gandhi. The 18th Annual Gandhi Day Walkathon will take place on Saturday, September 28, starting at 3 p.m., where the HRCC will host an afternoon of celebration of Indian and Hindu culture…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A Pennsylvania woman faces up to 20-years in federal prison after her conviction by a jury for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Members of the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force watched Jalisa Lashae Hawkins, 35, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, at a Clarksburg residence that was under surveillance due to complaints…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) reports the employees of the Monongalia County Assessor’s Office have voted to unionize. UMWA officials said the employees have won a significant victory by achieving the collective power and voice they’ve been seeking. “We are proud to welcome the employees of the Monongalia County…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Former Monongah Police Chief Nathan Lanham was in from the Law Enforcement Professional Standards (LEPS) Subcommittee Wednesday. LEPS Subcommittee members include members of law enforcement, municipal leaders, and the West Virginia Human Rights Commission who are asked to hear matters when a police officer’s certification could be in jeopardy. Lanham stopped Beth…

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Representatives from the City of Bridgeport Office of Emergency Management want to advise residents to disregard a recent notice regarding the safety of the city water supply. After reports were received from residents related to the safety of water at Bridgeport and in Clarksburg, officials confirmed that the water supply for both…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  The latest Clery Act report from WVU for the Morgantown campus has been released and shows declines in important categories and increases in categories that most would expect. University Police Department Chief Sherry St. Clair said the school makes it a top priority to educate students about safety, provide resources to promote safety,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County commissioners approved a request through the Orphan Road Grant Program and the county park system received a statewide award Wednesday. The commission created the Orphan Road Program in 2021 to address areas in the county with roads built decades ago that are failing now with no funding mechanism to fund…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two members of Morgantown City Council could soon be from the same ward. The Ward and Boundary Commission has recommended a plan to distribute the number of registered voters in each ward more equally. The proposal places 3rd Ward Councilwoman Weeize Michael’s home address in the 4th Ward, which Deputy Mayor Jenny…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A social worker with more than 30 years of experience, primarily in addiction treatment, Diane Market-Gaston is the Democrat candidate for the House of Delegates seat in the 78th District. Market-Gaston is running against incumbent Republican Geno Chiarelli and on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” believes she can better represent the district.…

FAIRMONT, W,Va. — A Fairmont man has been sentenced in connection with a drive-by shooting on Maple Avenue in April 2023 afterpleading no contest. Kenyatta Ephraim, 30, wassentenced to 3 to 15 years for first degree attempted murder and 6 additional years for the presentation of a firearm in the commission of a felony consecutively.…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — The state Department of Highways (DOH) plans to close U.S. 119 for core drilling Tuesday through Friday. From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. 119 will be closed at milepost 11.90 and at the intersection of US/County Route 73 (Smithtown Road) from Tuesday, September 24,…

PLEASANT VALLEY, W.Va. — The Pleasant Valley Elementary School is one of 356 schools nationwide to be named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The national award highlights schools that show significant gains or make notable progress in improvements for different student groups. Pleasant Valley was nominated from the Exemplary…

RIVESVILLE, W.Va. — State police have arrested a Rivesville man in connection with multiple sexual abuse allegations involving a female under the age of 16. Police said between 2020 and October 2023, William Bancic, 34, abused the teen at least 10 times near Marion, Monongalia County line. A witness told detectives that at one point…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — State police arrested a fugitive from Ohio on Thursday. On Sept. 19, troopers observed Justin Hess, 30, in the Stoneybrook Road Sheetz parking lot and recognized him as a subject wanted for a parole violation in Ohio. Troopers said Hess was briefly detained while the extradition order was confirmed. During that time…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — School safety technology is advancing in the state as Rank One Computing continues to deploy their ROC Watch system throughout the state. The Colorado-based company established an East Coast headquarters in Morgantown in 2022 to be closer to their facial recognition clients in the defense industry centered around Washington D.C. West Virginian,…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. A local resident has developed an idea to highlight local facilities and raise money for local non-profits while celebrating the holiday season. Jamie Summerlin approached commissioners in Monongalia County with an event similar to the Charleston “Light the Nights” and reported similar events are held in 100’s of ballparks across the country,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The city of Morgantown will open bids for a unique trail project centered around the Flegal Dam and Reservoir on October 9 at 2 p.m. The Flegal Dam and Reservoir is operated by the Morgantown Utility Board and was completed last year as an alternate water supply. The 370-million-gallon reservoir that can…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– The Morgantown Police Department is ready to welcome new officers to the force as they continue to address an over twenty officer shortage. Deputy Chief Chris Ruehmer announced that one officer will be ready to begin field training within the next few months, with two more officers currently approved to attend training…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Board of Governors got an update on student retention rates and the presidential search. Preliminary fall 2024 enrollment figures are very close to projections, and the freshman retention rate is the highest it has ever been. “We just learned last week that our preliminary freshmen retention rate is…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Police Department (UPD) has issued a Community Notice advising bicycle and electric scooter owners to take extra steps to secure and monitor their property. Since Aug. 25, UPD has received five reports of bicycle or electric scooter thefts from on-campus locations, including Reynolds Hall, Summit Hall and Boreman…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — I-79 southbound remains closed in southern Monongalia County due to a tractor-trailer accident Wednesday afternoon involving a corrosive spill. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Assistant Director of MECCA 911 Brad Wilson said the truck lost control and rolled around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, and the clean-up has continued. “The truck was…

FAIRMONT, W.Va.  One of the first academic or job training bridges for children aging out of foster care will officially open at Fairmont State University (FSU) Friday. Middle College is an FSU joint venture with KVC-West Virginia, a behavioral health organization dedicated to the welfare of children. KVC West Virginia can offer educational support, adoption,…

CLARKSBURG, W,Va. — The Harrison County Board of Education was already in the process of rolling out a series of security changes and upgrades as more than 170 school threats paralyzed school districts statewide. Harrison County Board of Education Director of Safety and Discipline Jason Snider said they are continuing Active Shooter Preparedness Training (ALICE)…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Commissioners in Monongalia County are working with Assessor Mark Music on an oil and gas assessment error relating to a little more than 8,000 tax tickets. County Administrator Rennetta McClure said the error was discovered by a taxpayer who brought it to their attention. The tickets were issued with zero taxes owed,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Morgantown City Council approved the second reading of bonding ordinances for a $50 million Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) upgrade to the Cheat Lake Waste Water Treatment Plant. General Manager Mike McNulty said the $39.6 million project scope includes upgrades to the Cheat Lake Waste Water Treatment Plant and improvements to the Whites Run…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. The Hope Gas, Inc., acquisition of the Consumers Gas Utility Co. has been approved by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia. Morgantown-based Hope Gas, Inc. and Consumers, based in Huntington, filed a joint request with the PSC in May, and in September, both parties filed an agreement that would complete the deal.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Local elected leaders question another five percent cut to the personal income tax, but for different reasons. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Senator Mike Oliverio, R. Monongalia, 13, said he needs to see state revenue and expense projections for a five-year span in order to have enough information to make an…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A Clarksburg resident has admitted to his role in a drug conspiracy and could serve up to 20 years in federal prison. Randy Joe Jones, 41, admitted to working with others to sell methamphetamine in Harrison County and entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Morgantown woman faces up to 40 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to her role in a drug conspiracy. Police searched the vehicle of Stephanie Ann Allen, 33, of Morgantown, after observing suspicious activity in a parking lot in the city. During the search, police found 73 grams of methamphetamine…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has put out a call for help in their search for Aaleah Park, 17, of Morgantown. Park was last seen in the Morgantown area on July 19, 2024, but few details are available about where she was or what she may have been…

LEWIS COUNTY, W.Va. — Two students were flown from the scene of a school bus crash in Lewis County Monday. School officials said the bus went off U.S. Route 19 Monday and drove into a ditch Monday injuring the driver and “several” students. Officials said some of the injuries are serious, but none are considered…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —  Classes in Monongalia County Schools are underway after a week of threats and cancelled activities. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Superintendent Eddie Campbell said they will never take a chance with the safety of students, so every threat is handled very seriously. Campbell said when a threat is detected, all normal…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Plans to improve the Morgantown Ice Arena and construction on the Marilla Park Aquatic Complex continue to move forward. As part of an update on BOPARC capital improvement projects, BOAPRC Division Director of Marketing and Communications Bree Starsick announced that the plans to improve the Morgantown Ice Arena are moving forward with…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Republican candidate for governor and current Attorney General, Patrick Morrisey, plans to support state and federal efforts in school threat investigations. A juvenile in Preston County and another in Logan County are the only charges so far in connection with dozens of threats to school systems nationwide. On WAJR’s “Talk of the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Due to threats over the last several days, Morgantown High School has cancelled all extracurricular activities for tonight, including their road football game with South Charleston. Monongalia County Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell said also postponed is the Clay Battelle trip to Wetzel County to play the Valley High School football team. Campbell…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Detectives in Morgantown have made an arrest in the burglary of a school annex and the power plant on Beechurst Avenue. Police have arrested and charged Dustin Vernon Gomes, of Morgantown, with two counts of breaking and entering and one count of grand larceny. August 31, 2024, police believe Gomes broke into…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — A fotrmer substitute teach with Monongalia County Schools has been arrested and charged with two counts of sexual abuse by a person of trust to a child. Brian Kain, 50, of Brick, New Jersey, turned himself in at theMonongalia County Sheriff’s Department, has been arraingned and is free on a $25,000…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University Police have issued a campus warning for a domestic violence incident that occurred in the University Place parking garage located on University Avenue on September 10. The incident did not involve university employees or students. On Tuesday, officers arrived within minutes of the call and found the victim and…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As the Dominion Post transitions into a new era of ownership, the top priority will remain to provide quality local news coverage in the Morgantown Community. Wheeling-based Ogden Newspapers announced plans on Wednesday to purchase the Dominion Post from the Raese family and West Virginia Newspaper Publishing Company. John McCabe, Ogden Newspapers…

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — In Kingwood, Preston High School and Preston County Schools Central are on “hold” due to a social media threat. Superintendent Brad Martin said they are working with law enforcement to investigate the matter. On “hold” means all doors locked with students and personnel inside and no outdoor activities. Martin said the “hold”…

ROCK CAVE, W.Va. — Deputies from the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department took an intoxicated woman into for driving with two small children and explosives in the car. Ashley Galloway, 32, was stopped on Gaines Road in Rock Cave with children ages 3 and 5 in the car. During the stop deputies said Galloway was making…

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. An Upshur County couple has been sentenced in connection with two shaken baby deaths in 2022. Thomas Cunnigham, 29, and Ciera Gillespie, 27, had a one-year-old and a two-year-old that died at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital about six weeks apart in 2022 from what doctors said was shaken baby syndrome. Cunningham was given…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  Officials are prepared to turn the page on Southern Airways Express as the Essential Air Service (EAS) carrier and move to the first jet air service ever based at the Morgantown Municipal Airport. EAS is a federal program that subsidizes carriers to offset the actual cost of rural airport operations and ensure smaller…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Board of Education (BOE) continues to make efforts to reassure parents of students about the general safety of schools. In response to calls from concerned parents after the school shootings in Georgia and Maryland that occurred last week, Monongalia County Schools Director of Safe Schools Adam Henkins presented a…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) heard a presentation from Strand Associates, Inc., about system-wide capitol improvement needs and received updates on several important projects. The combined total of all the capitol improvement proposal is about $64.1 million. An engineer from Strand Scott Stearns said an evaluation determined the system will reach capacity,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– Morgantown City Councilor from the Fifth Ward Danielle Trumble is providing insight into why she does not supprt the recently passed camping ban. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Trumble said the measure was approved with no workshop and was moved through the process with very little compromise leading up to the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets will hold a 24-hour vigil to remember the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States of America. Recruiting Operations Officer John Dowling said the idea came from the cadet class of 2001 and has become an annual event…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — West Virginia State Police have made an additional arrest in 2022 in Harrison County. Investigators from the state police said in May 2022 Candi Blake, 39, assisted Brock Corel Pearson after he alledegly murdered Juan Kas Trechsel-Valerio. Police said Blake helped Pearson avoid authorities and helped set fire to a shed that…

PLEASANT VALLEY, W.Va. — The deputy chief of the Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Dave Shields has passed away unexpectedly. Shields started working with the department in 1985 and was a nationally certified paramedic and had been so for the last 30 years. He was widely known in the fire fighting, motorcycle riding community as well.…

BELINGTON, W.Va. — A 28-year-old Belington woman has been charged with child abuse and child neglect after hitting one child and failing to report injuries to another. Deputies with the Barbour County Sheriff’s Department responded Sunday to the home of Jenny Peters on River Avenue and learned she had been in a verbal argument with…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  Presidential search listening sessions for West Virginia University begin this week across the state and run through Friday. Sessions for faculty, staff, and students are planned in Morgantown, Beckley, and Keyser, along with an online link for the public at large to answer the three questions in the survey developed with executive search…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Police in Morgantown are preparing to enforce the new camping ban in urban areas on Oct. 4. The ordinance, “1157 Camping on Public Property,” will only allow camping in designated areas that have access to water, sewer, and garbage collection. Violations of the ordinance start with a warning and can be as…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  Mylan Park officially opened six new pickleball courts with the help of financial support from the governor’s office, donations, and fundraising efforts of the Mylan Park Pickleball Club. Sarah Gnegy is the local pickleball pro, and she and her brother won the gold medal in the 2018 Pickleball U.S. Open in Naples, Florida.…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The Fairmont State University’s Board of Governors (BOG) held their first meeting with new leadership. Jennifer Kinty will serve as Chair of the BOG, Vice Chair is Jason Pizatella, and Kevin Rogers is secretary. Two new executives have also joined the management team George Wolf will serve as the Vice President of…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A federal judge added 25-years to the prison sentence of a former Mafia hitman in connection with the prison beating death of notorious mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger in 2018. Federal prisoner Fotios “Freddy” Geas was sentenced Friday in federal court in Clarksburg after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation, the organization established to distribute nearly $1 billion in opioid settlement money, has opened the first round of applications. Applications are open to certified non-profit organizations that address the stated priorities in the first round. The deadline for non-profits to submit questions is Sept. 13, the deadline…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two new members were welcomed to the West Virginia University Board of Governors Thursday. Robert R.”Rusty” Hutson Jr. was installed to replace Taunja Willis-Miller and Steven R. Ruby will succeed Tom Jones. Hutson began his work life as a banker, founded Diversifies Energy, named the 2019 West Virginia Oil and Gas Man…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A Morgantown man has been sentenced to nearly seven years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. James Mansfield Davis, 67, was arrested after cyber tips about child pornography led investigators to his electronic equipment. During a search of devices belonging to Davis, police recovered 67 videos and 460 explicit images…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Local officials are exploring the possibility of small structures on the grounds of Hazel’s House of Hope to meet the housing needs of the community. The proposal is timely with the recent passage of the city of Morgantown camping ban in urban areas that will go into effect Oct. 4. Hazel’s House…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University has announced the reorganization of the University Relations department in order to focus on the critical priorities of enrollment and communications strategy. The renamed, Strategic Communications and Marketing unit will be comprised of Marketing, Creative, Communications, Outreach, Enrollment Management, Alumni Relations and operations for the WVU Purpose Center in…

FAIRMONT, W,Va. — A Fairmont woman has been sentenced for her role in the beating death and robbery of a Michigan man. Shekea Fox has been sentenced to 71 to 75 years for first degree robbery, assault during commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit a felony. Fox and Naquan Warren conspired to rob…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A suspect from Pittsburgh has been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of an Uber rental car last weekend. On Friday, deputies with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a car jacking on Airport Boulevard. Deputies arrived and made contact with the victim, who quickly pointed to…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. –– The four suspects charged in the February 2024 shooting of a Clarksburg have been indicted by a grand jury. Deputies from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department found Dallion Lewis, 37, of Clarksburg, on Jack Run Road dead of gunshot wounds on Feb 21. Dennis High, 37 of Salem, was initially charged with…

GRAFTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Medical Examiner was called to the scene of a crash into a structure Wednesday. At 10 a.m., West Virginia State Police and deputies from the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department were called to the home on Parkview Road. A deceased male was found in the pickup truck when first responders…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — By a vote of 4 to 3 after more than four hours discussion, Morgantown City Council passed a citywide camping ban. Councilors Bill Kawecki, Dave Harshbarger, Lousie “Weezie” Michael, and Deputy Mayor Jenny Selin voted for the measure. Councilors Brian Butcher, Danielle Trumble, and Mayor Joe Abu-Ghannam voted against it. The vote…

WESTOVER, W.Va. — Westover City Council approved bids for improvements to the Holland Avenue sewer line and replacement of the Dunkard Avenue lift station. Council voted unanimously to accept the bid from Blue Gold Development, LLC, of $2,963,637 for the Holland Avenue sewer line work and a bid of $2,958,025 for replacement of the Dunkard…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A contract bid for Phase 4 of the Morgantown Municipal Airport Runway Extension Project has been given the green light. The Morgantown City Council unanimously approved the bid contract of approximately $6.5 million to Pennsylvania based firm Cast and Baker Corporation as part of their regular meeting Tuesday night. The bid was…

FAIRMONT, W.Va The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released a preliminary report after a Friday crash at the Fairmont-Marion County Airport. The report said the Mooney M20k attempted a “go around” and crashed off the end of the runway. The pilot and passenger were on board, one was transported to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital for…

CORE, W.Va. — A Core resident has been charged with animal cruelty after admitting to police he strangled his dog with a zip tie. Daniel Wichhart, 62, told deputies from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department he had to put the dog down because he was chasing chickens and roosters and had gotten away from him.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown police are investigating a car/motorcycle crash that was reported at 1:24 p.m. at the intersection of Monongahela Boulevard and Evansdale Drive. Police said the accident involved a car and motorcycle, both were towed from the scene. No information has been released regarding the extent of injuries. The accident remains under investigation.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. The suspect in a Labor Day pursuit in a stolen vehicle through Marion and Monongalia Counties has been identified as a Volga resident who was a suspect in a burglary. On Labor Day, West Virginia State Police from the Monongalia County detachment received word of an active pursuit with Fairmont police on U.S.…

WESTON, W.Va. Police in Lewis County confiscated a large quantity of suspected fentanyl following a Labor Day weekend traffic stop. Deputies from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department stopped a car driven by Ramon Sims, 27, of Pittsburgh, for running a stop sign on West Second Street in Weston. Deputies conducted an initial search for weapons…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Municipal Airport will host “Balloons Over Morgantown” presented by Mercedes of Morgantown Oct. 3 through 6 this year. “We’re so excited to welcome the balloons back to Morgantown! Our pilots love to fly here and enjoy the challenge of the hills and valleys. Our core group of organizers have been…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A traffic violation in Clarksburg led police to a large quantity of dangerous drugs over the weekend. Deputies from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department stopped a car driven by Jennifer Garland, 33, for traveling in the wrong direction on a one-way street in the area of West Main Street and 6th Street…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A Fairmont man is facing charges afterpolice allege he exposed himself tomotorists from the downtown bridge. Last week, police said Michael Hebner, Jr., 40, was standing in the area of Cleveland Avenue and Adams Street exposing himself and making inappropriate gestures as citizens were passing by and stopped at the red light.…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — One person was flown from the scene of a motorcycle-car crash in the Westchester area of Fairmont Labor Day. The accident was reported at 2:20 p.m. on Locust Avenue near the Fairmont Field Club. Crews reported the motorcycle and car collided seriously injuring one person. The victim was flown from the scene…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — City councilors in Morgantown are likely to pass the proposed camping ban during their regular meeting Tuesday. The new Article 1157 to the city code entitled “Camping on Public Property” passed on a 4 to 3 vote on August 20 after first being proposed on July 2. The article makes it illegal…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — One is behind bars following a pursuit that began in Marion County and ended in Granville Labor Day. The chase began in Fairmont at 12:25 p.m. on Pennsylvania Avenue, then to Rivesville and by the Paw Paw Fairgrounds in Monongalia County. Police pursued the suspect into the Granville area where the suspect…

MANNINGTON, W.Va. — Two people were hurt in a side-by-side crash in Mannington Sunday night. Deputies from the Marion County heriff’s Department responded at 10 p.m. and found the side-by-side had hit a utility pole on Whetstone Road. No information about the extent of injuries is known. Volunteer firefighters from Mannington, Farmington, and the Marion…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Board of Education has granted a green light to move forward on a roof replacement at Suncrest Middle School. After a temporary relocation for a portion of the school’s students and staff due to a roof leak, the BOE approved school officials to move forward on final negotiations with…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Hope Gas is celebrating 24-months since their inception with an add campaign keying in on the phrase “Bringing Hope Back.” The campaign seeks to highlight one of the first decisions made by President and CEO Morgan O’Brien following the acquisition—bringing back the original name from 1898, Hope Gas. On MetroNews “Talkline,” Vice…

MORGANTOWN, W.V. A jury in Monongalia County has convicted a former chief of the Bunners Ridge Volunteer Fire Department in a sexual assault case from the 1990’s. Court documents said Roger Channell had sexual contact with a female juvenile during the time she was between 9 and 11 years old. At the time, Channell was…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — St, Albans-based Triton Construction is the apparent low bidder for the new bridge over Monongahela River. The new bridge will be additional access for the Morgantown Industrial Park (MIP) as an interim option while the proposed Harmony Grove interchange off I-79 moves through the approval process. The state Department of Highways (DOH)…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Thousands are descending on the Morgantown area for one, or all of the many events planned for the Mountaineer opening weekend with Penn State. The live airing of the “Pat McAfee Show,” Big Noon Kickoff, and of course the noon kickoff of the WVU/Penn State game. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,”…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A series of national media events are supercharging the city of Morgantown for the Mountaineer home opener with Penn State on Saturday. The Friday highlight is the live airing of the Pat McAfee Show from the Life Sciences Building at noon. The Pat McAfee Show is a top-rated three-hour sports talk show…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University student body is ready to make their presence felt ahead of the highly anticipated season opener against Penn State. Ahead of the nationally televised matchup, which includes appearances by former WVU punter and media personality Pat McAfee, along with the separate national broadcast of the Big Noon Kickoff…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A New Jersey man and three Morgantown residents are awaiting sentencing in an operation to illegally purchase fireamrs and transport them to east coast gangs. Kadir Reeves, 40, of Hackensack, New Jersey, was convicted by a jury of two counts of aiding and abetting the false statement in connection with the acquisition…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — High temperatures, heavy traffic, and an opportunity to gain instructional time are factors in the decision to cancel classes for Monongalia County Schools students. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Superintendent Eddie Campbell said the uncertainty of how heavy the traffic will be combined with very high temperatures created a potentially dangerous…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A New Jersey man and three Morgantown residents are awaiting sentencing in an operation to illegally purchase firearms and transport them to east coast gangs. Kadir Reeves, 40, of Hackensack, New Jersey, was convicted by a jury of two counts of aiding and abetting the false statement in connection with the acquisition…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown and the downtown West Virginia University will be at ground zero for the opening of the 2024 NCAA college football season. Sabrina Cave, Executive Director in the WVU Office of Student Enrichment, said the day includes the on-air staff of the Fox Sports “Big Noon Kickoff” show, “The Pat McAfee Show,”…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County Schools will be closed Friday, August 30 due to anticipated traffic and Monday, September 2 for the Labor Day holiday. In a social media post, officials said the decision was made after close consultation with MECCA 911 and local law enforcement. The concerns center around anticipated traffic congestion and potential…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown City Council has advanced the process to approve capital improvements at the Cheat Lake Waste Water Treatment Plant. Council agreed to consider a project ordinance and a bond ordinance for first reading at its regular meeting next week. Bonds would be issued in two series. The Series A bonds would not…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County School system is projected to have a steady number of students enrolled for the 2024-25 school year, despite a population trend. After the close of the first week of classes for the school year, early numbers presented to the Monongalia County Board of Education showed that 11,222 students are…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The city of Morgantown is sounding the alarm about a scam aiming at residents associated with pending development applications or zoning map amendment requests. The scammers are targeting banking and personal information by requesting payment for invoices related to the requests. The Department of Development Services and the Morgantown Planning Commission did…

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Pa. –– A Guatemalan wanted in connection with a 2022 sexual assault on the Caperton Rail Trail in Star City has been captured by U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania. Acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of West Virginia Terry Moore said Antonio Gabriel Mendez, aka Emilio Pascual Guzman, 32, was arrested without incident…

STAR CITY, W.Va. A doctor with medical practices in different locations across the state has been arrested after a sexual abuse in Star City. Star City police responded Aug. 2 to a report of an assault at Star City Nutrition, in the same building as the medical practice of Dr. Virgil McMillion, 49, of Morgantown…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — LG Nova officially opened its first office in Morgantown on the West Virginia University campus in the Vantage Ventures office on University Avenue. This is the next step in the launch of the NOVA North American Innovation Center project in West Virginia, which is expected to bring advancements to many aspects of…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Pennsylvania man has reportedly drowned in Cheat Lake and his body was recovered near the Morgan Run Road Dock area. Jeffrey Gerhardt, 61, of Smock, Pennsylvania, was with his wife and dog Sunday at 12:30 p.m. when he jumped into the water to retrieve a dog toy. Gerhardt went under the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A 30-year old Morgantown man has been charged after police allege he tried to steal money from a doorman at a local night spot. Michael Mayle has been charged with attempted robbery after trying to take money from an employee who was at the door collecting the cover charge from patrons Friday.…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Students at the Victory Elementary School in Clarksburg were evacuated as a precautionary measure after officials reported the smell of natural gas. Monday around 8:30 a.m. school officials smelled the odor and made the decision out of an abundance of caution. Students were out of classrooms for about 20 minutes, according the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A plan to lower the level of Cheat Lake by three feet could be getting a second look following the efforts of Republican candidate for the House of Delegates seat in the 82nd District, David McCormick. Lake Lynn Generation submitted the request due to decreasing oxygen levels in the hydroelectric project tailrace caused…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. A doctor listed as an emergency medical provider in Monongalia and Preston Counties has been admitted to filing a false tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). David M. Anderson, 63, of Morgantown, filed false tax returns that understated his taxable income, leading to a $143,599 loss to the federal government.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Commission is reflecting on the life of the longest-serving public official in the Mountain State. Former Monongalia County Circuit Clerk Dorothy “Jean” Friend passed away at the age of 95, leaving an over-six-decade legacy of public service. Friend served as circuit clerk from 1962 to 2022, where she is…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Health Department has issued an advisory for impending rabies vaccine baits that are scheduled to be dropped over the county. Residents were issued an advisory on Thursday that states that the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will begin to drop the oral rabies…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Instead of the typical golden shovels that are synonymous with groundbreaking ceremonies, officials in Morgantown swung golden sledgehammers to mark the start of demolition on a project to revitalize a section of town near the West Virginia University campus. Officials from Morgantown, Monongalia County, Monongalia County Development Authority and West Virginia University…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Funding has been formally approved by two local government entities to support the Richwood Redevelopment Project. The Monongalia County Commission and Morgantown City Council each separately approved resolutions that would fund $500,000 towards the refinancing of the project with parameters to increase further economic development once the project is complete. Monongalia County…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County School System appears to have made progress on filling job vacancies for the 2024–25 school year. As students begin their first week of classes, School Superintendent Eddie Campbell announced that seven secondary teaching positions are expected to be filled by the end of the week as part of a…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The proposed ordinance that would expand on a camping ban in the City of Morgantown has passed first reading. The ordinance, which explicitly prohibits camping on any street, park, trail, or public property within Morgantown city limits, was passed on a 4-3 vote by Morgantown City Council as part of a heavily…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — New student move-in and Welcome Week activities get underway at Fairmont State University on Thursday. Associate Director of Student Engagement Justin Rader said the Welcome Week activities help students feel at home, make friends, and get excited about fall classes. “Building those peer-to-peer relationships that are a crucial part of their success,”…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — An ordinance that would enforce camping restrictions within the City of Morgantown will be discussed by Morgantown City Council on Tuesday. The first reading of the proposed ordinance is on the agenda for the council’s regular meeting, which is expected to bring dozens of Morgantown residents and unsheltered individual advocates to voice…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County School System is ready to welcome back students for the first day of the 2024-25 school year. School buses will be out in full force on Tuesday as thousands of students across the county reunite with classmates, prepare to meet new teachers and get acquainted with new surroundings and…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Fair, themed Buckles, Bikes, and Bulls this year, will be at the Fairgrounds at Mylan Park from August 20 through 24. Fair week gets underway Monday, August 19, at 7 p.m. with the Mon County Fair Parade featuring Grand Marshal Steve Harper from Biker Bros. and Bo. Biker Bros.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office asks for the public to keep an eye out for a 55-year-old man who’s been reported missing. Andrew Mark Bell, of Yost Road, was last seen between Thursday evening and Friday morning, according to a post on the MCSO’s Facebook page. According to the post, Bell was…

MONONGAH, W.Va. The former Monongah Chief of Police caught in a viral video of a seemingly violent traffic stop will go before the West Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee later this month. Delloma was stopped on August 1 for an expired registration sticker by Lanham, who was not in a typical uniform or a…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The suspect in the July 11 shooting of Rashad Alton on Mountain Valley Drive in Monongalia has waived his preliminary hearing. Arnold Johnson, III, 19, of Montgomery Village, Md., is being held in the North Central Regional charged with first-degree murder. It’s believed Johnson fled to the Washington, D.C. area following the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Monongalia County jury has found Terry Lynn Ford, Sr., guilty of malicious assault, domestic battery, and burglary. In 2022, Ford attacked the home of his ex-girlfriend in the Second Ward. Testimony in the case showed Morgantown police quickly arrived and found Ford hiding in the basement, interrupting his assault. In April…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — After three days of testimony, a jury in Marion County has found Naquan Warren guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, burglary, assault during the commission of a felony, and conspiracy. Warren was accused of conspiring with Shekea Fox, 33, of Fairmont, to steal drugs and money from Sean Gardiner, of Detroit, Michigan,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Three major Morgantown Utility Board projects will go out for bid and likely start this year. The Cheat Lake Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), Chaplin Hill Water and Sewer Extension and drainage upgrades in Popenoe Run are all on track to get underway. The final approval for the Cheat Lake WWTP has…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University is ready to welcome back current Mountaineers and incoming freshman as part of Student Move-In Weekend. The first part of Welcome Week will kick off on Thursday, August 15, where residence halls campus wide will be opened for students and their families. That will continue through Saturday, August 17,…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The search of a Clarksburg home by the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force resulted in one arrest ant the seizure of a stole pistol, drugs, and cash. On Wednesday, officers served the warrant at the homeon Hart Street and made contact with Anthony Coles, 37, in a bedroom. During a search…

VALLEY HEAD, W.Va. — Deputies in Randolph County are searching for the driver of a utility truck they believe fled the scene of a rollover accident on U.S. Route 219. On Tuesday, an aerial lift truck was northbound and traveled across the centerline, hitting the guardrail on the southbound side. The truck then hit a…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The city of Wheeling, like many other West Virginia communities, is working through issues related to increased homelessness and drug addiction. In Wheeling, when a ban on public camping was passed, city councilors added a provision that gave the city manager authority to establish an exempted area within the city that could…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Commissioners in Monongalia County have voted to move dilapidated properties into the complaint phase and honored the accomplishments of the mayor of a local municipality. Monongalia County Litter Control Officer Alex Hall described the complaint process for dilapidated properties and encouraged property owners to respond to notifications from the county. Once a…

LEWIS COUNTY, W.Va. — The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a woman who was last seen about one month ago in Gassaway. Jillian Ruth Cain is described as a 32-year old white female, 5-feet 2-inches, 160 pounds, green eyes with a bat tattoo on her ribs and a dreamcatcher on her shoulder blade.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County School System will move forward with guidelines that would limit the amount of time students would be able to use their phones during a regular school day. The new guidelines were announced as part of the Monongalia County Board of Education’s (BOE) regular meeting Tuesday and will require students…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Sixth graders from the Suncrest Middle School Annex will have a new home to start the year due to roof problems that have recently been uncovered. An investigation into the ten-year-old roof determined a leak developed some time ago that was concealed by the water being absorbed into foam insulation. When the…

WEST MILFORD, W.Va. — Fire destroyed a home and garage in West Milford early Monday. Volunteers from West Milford, Lost Creek, Mount Clare, and Nutter Fort responded at 2 a.m. to thehome on Vesta Drive and found the fire started in the garage and spread to the residence. No injuries were reported. The cause remains…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A former resident of the South Park neighborhood has been sentenced for multiple instances of sexual abuse. Austin Rempel, 34, of Morgantown, was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 1 to 5 years in prison for separate instances of first-degree sexual abuse and a year with time served for sexually motivated battery.…

COMMENTARY  Conversation on the best way to deal with homelessness and the problems associated with it has reached a fever pitch in Morgantown. City Council is considering an ordinance that would ban encampments throughout the city. Petty crime, open drug use, property damage, and a general perception that downtown is unsafe are all frustrations that…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Medicine Center for Nursing Education (CNE) is ready to kick off the application process for its new nursing diploma program. Online applications for the 21-month program will begin to be accepted on Thursday, August 15 at 9 a.m. as part of an effort to offer a quality, hospital-based,…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. Two area charter schools will receive sub-grants through the Professional Charter Schools Board (PCSB). The PCSB was awarded $12.2 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Education through the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools program. The applications are reviewed by a peer panel of three, and approval is based on…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia has announced the sentencing of eleven inmates for smuggling or attempting to smuggle drugs into various correctional institutions statewide. The facilities included in the investigation are Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Hazelton, Secure Female Facility (SFF) Hazelton, and Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Gilmer. The…

MORGANTOWN – The proposed citywide camping ban has the attention of the Morgantown Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board which will decide how it wants to address the issue in the coming weeks. The board agreed to form a three-member panel to examine the issue and bring information back for consideration at the Sept. 12 meeting.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 16 for a teenager charged with murder in Monongalia County. Arnold Johnson, III, 19, of Montgomery Village, Md. surrendered to detectives Wednesday evening. He is charged with first-degree murder, accused of shooting Rashad Alton, 21 at the Moutain Valley Apartments on July 11. Witnesses told…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board is moving forward with focus group data collection to work toward establishing a baseline for community perceptions of the police department. Board member Megan Gandy said the initial process has included three groups and will expand as the year progresses. “We’ve been able to…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Metal detectors will greet fans for the first time at Milan Puskar Stadium when the Mountaineers take on Penn State Saturday. The devices produced by CEIA OPENGATE are part of the Campus Self Defense Act that into effect July 1 this year and will become a fixture at home games this season.…

WEST UNION, W.Va. — Police in West Union are offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for they from the Blockhouse Cemetery Mausoleum. Police Chief Chris Garner said the theft of a set of iron doors and and asmall window likely occurred within the past week. “It…

(Written by Joe Nelson)  DAYBROOK, W.Va. — The towns of Daybrook and Fariview are ready to celebrate the conclusion of the summer with the annual Clay District Fair. The festivities will begin on Wednesday, August 7 in the southern side of Daybrook and will continue at the Clay District Fairgrounds in Fairview until Saturday, August…

ELKINS, W.Va. — A worksite fight in Randolph County has left one worker recovering at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital with a brain bleed and several broken bones in his face. On Aug. 2, deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department were called to the Davis Medical Center on a report that a victim of a…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Commissioners in Monongalia County have approved a request from the town of Granville to place a charter change on the November ballot to align their elections with the state. The measure will appear on the November ballot, and if approved, the final independent election will be held in June 2025 for one-year…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Members of Teamsters Local 175 employed at River Oaks in Clarksburg have voted by a 93-percent margin to reject the latest offer from the company and authorize a strike. The approximately 45 Teamsters on staff are Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and workers in housekeeping and dietary. Union officials said many employees are…

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. A Bridgeport police officer has been arrested and charged with two counts of stalking and one count of obtaining confidential public information after a series of incidents with his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend. Between July 2023 and April 2024, William Townsend, who during that time was employed as a police officer in the…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Clarksburg police have identified the man killed in the Monday motorcycle accident on Emily Drive as Daniel Critchfield, 37. The investigation showed that the SUV was turning left onto Emily Drive and striking Critchfield, who was driving north. Critchfield was transported to the United Hospital Center, where he later died. The accident…

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. The newest small-format hospital from Health/Vandalia Health Care in Harrison County could be operational by 2026, according to Vandalia Executive Vice President David Goldberg. The facility will be located in the community of Charles Pointe in Bridgeport, along I-79. Final approvals from the state have been received, March-Weston has been selected as the…

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — A pair of DOH projects are expected to cause traffic delays in Preston County. Beginning Wednesday, August 7, delays are expected on Brown Avenue, from the intersection of South Price Street, to the intersection of Tunnelton St, and on South Price Street, from the intersection of Brown Avenue, to just past the…

ARTHURDALE, W.Va. — A Masontown resident is facing multiple charges after an Arthurdale woman told police he put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her. On July 20 just before midnight, James Albright, 47, grabbed the woman and held a knife to her throat and attempted to drag her away near front…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Morgantown City Council will consider a new proposal to limit camping or the use of camping equipment within the city at a future date. Proposed Article 1157 states,” It is the purpose of this article to prevent harm to the health and safety of the public and to promote the public health, safety,…

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va.  Construction of the new $25 million terminal building at the North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) is on budget and on time, according to Director Rick Rock. Pittsburgh-based Mascaro Construction, Co., LP, is the general contractor for the $25 million project that has been decades in the making. “We hope it will be…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown native Chelsea Elliott is one of the recipients of the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad. The eight students, along with six others selected earlier this year, earned the scholarship funded by the U.S. Department of State in a national competition. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Elliott, a senior landscape architecture…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Morgantown woman is facing charges after violating a circuit court order to turn her children over to Child Protective Services. On July 3, Megan Grimm, 34, was ordered to turn the five children over to CPS due to an “imminent threat to their wellbeing.” The order went on to say officials…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A federal inmate who served as lookout while inmate Whitey Bulger was beaten to death at FCI Hazelton in 2018 has been sentenced to four additional years in federal prison. Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero, 50, could have been sentenced to 10 additional years, but lawyers successfully argued he was only a…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A Morgantown man has admitted to failing to update his sex offender registry after being arrested in Mexico attempting to purchase a 7-year old girl. When Scott David Bixler, 43, was arrested in Mexico last August authorities said he had two tranquilizer air guns, methamphetamine, a cell phone jammer, and $5,000 in…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) will hold the annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, August 3, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. MUB Communications Director Chris Dale said there will be flaggers on Greenbag Road to direct residents into the commercial MUB entrance to drop off their items. “Last year,…

(Written by Joe Nelson)  FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State University is ready to host youth robotics teams from across the country as part of the bi-annual West Virginia Robotics Extreme (WVROX) endurance competition. The 2024 iteration of the event will be hosted at the Falcon Center from Friday, August 2, through Saturday, August 3, where…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. Three people involved in a Morgantown methamphetamine distribution have entered guilty pleas. The most recent guilty plea came from Shakur Jones, 25, of Detroit, Michigan, who admitted to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Previously, Nolan Eickleberry, 27, of Morgantown, and…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. Between the combined efforts of state and local officials, some improvements are being made to first responder communications to the western end of the county. Problems developed in the western end of the county in late 2020 when the original 480-foot Catherines Knob tower was replaced by a slightly smaller 340-foot tower.…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. A horse and a woman were injured when a trailer disconnected from a truck driving westbound at mile marker 13 near the Preston County line. The driver told investigators the trailer became disconnected and traveled about 1/2 mile down the highway before crashing. The driver sustained minor injuries, and the passenger was…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Members of the Morgantown Church of Christ shared their recent interactions with the homeless community and presented a proposal for non-congregate shelters. Youth Minister Brandon Brammer said about six months ago he began an outreach into the Morgantown homeless community and said he was saddened by what he found. On Sundays, Brammer…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Educators across the state are in Morgantown for the annual Communities in Schools (CIS) conference. The educators heard comments from founder Bill Milliken, Governor Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice. Communities in Schools is designed to prevent students from dropping out of school. Data from the program shows it is operational in…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The homeless issues across the state are serious and solutions are slightly different in every community. On MetroNews “Talkline,” Executive Director of the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, Zach Brown, said effective programs are managed with clear goals, regular contact with advocate agencies, and a “team approach” to identifying the most…

(Written by Savannah Jones) MORGANTOWN W.Va – Less than a month before West Virginia University students return to campus, conversations surrounding campus safety are swirling among city and university officials. University President E. Gordon Gee and University Police Chief Sherry St. Clair sent a letter to the Morgantown City Council on July 11, listing off-campus…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The WVU Board of Governors Ad Hoc Governance Committee met for nearly two hours in an executive session Monday. “The committee engaged in dialogue on various topics but there were no actions taken as results of today’s executive session discussions,” Committee Chair Dr. Patrice Harris said. The agenda heading into the meeting…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The second defendant in the drug-related murder of Matthew Moore in Morgantown, Arlo Romano, was sentenced to the maximum of 40 years for second-degree murder. Co-defendant Cleotis “Ghost” Eppes was sentenced earlier this month to two consecutive life terms in state prison for his role in the crime. “I do not know…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — One person was killed in a side-by-side accident in Monongalia County this weekend. Deputies with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched at 8:11 p.m. Saturday to River Road near the area of the dam for a single vehicle accident. Deputies arrived to find a Polaris 1000 that had rolled on…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The City of Morgantown has officially introduced leaders for two city departments. John Furgison has been named the Director of Finance and Brad Riffie has been named the Director of Communications. John Furgison was formally introduced in front of Morgantown City Council on Tuesday as part of a presentation of an approximately…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. Through August 7, about 650 junior divers are competing at the Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park to advance to the world championship event in Rio de Janeiro in October. President and CEO of Visit Mountaineer Country CVB, Susan Riddle, said it’s vital for our community to support the event by…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A 29-year-old Morgantown man is behind bars accused of driving recklessly while legally drunk with a 7-year-old girl in the car. On Friday, West Virginia State Police said a car driven by Alexander Kerns was stopped near Airport Boulevard after allegedly passing multiple vehicles on Route 705. Troopers determined Kerns had a…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a 15-year-old male reported missing over the weekend. Jacob Thomas Miavitz was last seen Monday morning at 2:30 a.m. at his residence on Bennett Drive in Brookhaven. Miavitz is described as a 15-year-old white male, 5-feet 7-inches tall, and 145 pounds. Miavitz was last…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. The top junior divers in the country are coming to the Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park for the 2024 USA Diving Junior National Championship. The competition runs from Monday, July 29 through Wednesday, August 7, according to USA Diving Event Coordinator Owen Weymouth. “This is one of the largest diving…

(Written by Savannah Jones) CHEAT LAKE W.Va – Locals gathered at beloved family-owned restaurant Ruby and Ketchy’s Friday to celebrate its last day of service after a 66-year run in Cheat Lake. The restaurant, which opened in 1958 across from the Morgantown speedway, announced it would close its doors and reside under new management last…

ELKINS, W.Va. Deputies in Randolph County arrested a 31-year-old man after making false crime reports Thursday at the Walmart off Beverly Five Lane. Deputies from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of an attack on a male juvenile in the bathroom that was made by Stephen Mason, 31. At the scene. Mason…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– A contractor working for the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) will completely close Van Voorhis Road from Sunday, July 28 at 5 a.m. through Monday, July 29 at 5 a.m. As part of the state Department of Highways project to widen Van Voorhis Road, crews with the contractor will be replacing 60-feet of…

CAMP DAWSON, W.Va. The West Virginia National Guard and the Irregular Warfare Center are conducting a major exercise with two training goals. On MetroNews “Talkline,” West Virginia National Guard Adjutant General Bill Crane said Ridge Runner trains soldiers on how to conduct operations in potentially contested areas, and Ridge Healer trains soldiers on how to…

PRESTON COUNTY, W.Va. Members of the Preston County Sheriff’s Department were able to diffuse a mental health episode on Wednesday on the I-68 overpass at exit 29 in Hazelton. Deputies responded after several 911 calls describing a male, possibly in mental distress, getting ready to jump from the bridge. Deputies arrived to find the man…

AURORA, W.Va. Deputies in Preston County have arrested a 39-year-old man after he allegedly fired a weapon near his home while a family was inside. On Wednesday, deputies responded to a residence on Brookside Road in Aurora for a shots fired call and observed Donald Nair, 39, of Aurora, with a loaded firearm in his…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia State Police have arrested a 48-year-old Morgantown man after they allege he threatened and yelled racial slurs at a family on Majestic Drive on Sunday, July 14. The family told troopers; they were driving down the street when James Hamlin yelled at them that they did not belong there while…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County Schools are looking to fill several teacher openings as the 2024–25 school year approaches. The numbers change frequently, but at press time there were nine elementary school, three high school, and two pre-K/Headstart teaching positions available. Superintendent Eddie Campbell said the district has an engaged board of education and a…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Paving operations in Morgantown on Brockway Avenue are expected to be done in the eveing hours from the intersection of Sruce Street to Hartman Run Road to ease traffic congestion during the day. Beginning Wednesday, July 24 from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., crews for the state Department of Highways (DOH) will…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —  The 2023 Community Report from Monongalia EMS details accomplishments and challenges over the period and shows the importance of support from the community and elected officials. Executive Director Forest Weyen said the agency responded to 21,440 calls for service and was only able to bill for about 75 percent of the total.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Advanced Placement program at Monongalia County Schools allows high school-level students to take entry-level college courses and earn college credit. Director of Assessment, Accountability, and School Counseling, Courtney Crawford, said in 2024, 718 students took more than 1,400 tests. The program includes seven subject areas with 38 course opportunities to earn…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The NIOSH black lung screening mobile unit is at Mylan Park through Thursday to provide free and confidential screenings for the disease. The unit will be at Mylan Park Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Public health analyst with the NIOSH Respiratory Health Division and field coordinator for the Health Surveillance…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The state Department of Highways (DOH) has announced a four week closure of West Run Road for widening. The closure begins Wednesday, July 24 and will be on West Run Road from the intersection of U.S. 119 and the West Run Apartments and Canvass Townhomes. During this closure crews will be excavating…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In Monongalia County, K–12 students return to the classroom on August 20, and pre-K students return the following day for the 2024–25 school year. Families have about three weeks left to enjoy the summer break, and two Monongalia County Schools employees have ideas to keep your children engaged. On WAJR’s “Ask the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Morgantown couple have been charged with child abuse after a juvenile in their care said they used a belt as a form of discipline. Investigators learned the information May 28 during an interview at the Morgantown Child Advocacy Center. The adult who filed the complaint told West Virginia State Police that…

GRANVILLE, W.Va. — A Morgantown man has been charged with third degree sexual assault after an incident with a juvenile Saturday. Police were called to a residence in Granville on Madden Road on a report that Jaysiah Dawson, 21, had been involved sexually with a juvenile despite know the childwas underage. The person who filed…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In Morgantown, downtown property owner Tricia DiCenso is providing first-hand accounts of damage she has suffered and dangers encountered by property owners and visitors. DiCenso, with Red Brick Properties is one of several downtown business owners who have documented damages and have called for action from the city council for at least…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A couple from Pennsylvania faces child neglect charges following an accident investigation on I-79 on Saturday. Troopers from the West Virginia State Police made contact with the driver, identified as Christin Bernhisel, 42, of Waynesborough, Pennsylvania, at the 139-mile marker, who police said showed signs of impairment. She failed field sobriety tests,…

MOATSVILLE, W.Va. A suspect from Moatsville is behind bars after police say he assaulted a woman and fled from police over the weekend. Deputies from the Barbour County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene in the Arden area Saturday and witnessed Christopher Wagner, 33, slamming a woman to the ground by the throat. When deputies…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —  University High School in Morgantown will host the Mathematics Revised Standards Rollout at INVEST (Infuse, Network, Value, Engage, Support, Target) Conference Monday, July 22 through Wednesday, July 24. Academic Support Coordinator Tim Flatley said about 150 teachers from across the state will have two days to review updated standards and get familiar…

SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — The body of a 44-year old Morgantown man missing near Summersville Lake has been recovered. Troopers from the West Virginia State Police confirmed the body Scott David Saylor, of Morgantown, was recovered from the lake around 8:20 a.m. Friday in the Battle Run Beach area. Saylor was last seen in the area…

WORTHINGTON, W.Va. Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department are looking for help from the public to solve a hit-and-run involving an 81-year-old victim. Detectives believe the man was walking along Route 218 near Worthington on Tuesday evening or early Wednesday when he was struck. The impact threw the man into nearby Helens Run Creek,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department detectives have identified the victim and suspect in the July 11 deadly shooting on Mountain Valley Drive. Deputies said Rashad Malik Alton, 21, of Morgantown, was shot by Arnold Johnson, 19, of Montgomery Village, Maryland. Alton died at Ruby Memorial Hospital. Police are looking for Johnson, who is…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. The suspect in the July 16 stabbing at the Fairmont Bowling Center has been arrested. Richard Moore, 39, of Fairmont, faces a charge of malicious assault and is being held in the North Central Regional Jail. Tuesday, around 9:30 p.m. Moore allegedly got into an argument with another male. The dispute moved outside…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Mon Power is warning customers about a telephone scam recently reported to them. Spokesman Will Boye said scammers are telling customers they have a past-due balance and their electricity will be shut off if they do not make an immediate payment. Boye said it is not, and it has never been their…

(Written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Metropolitan Theater, in partnership with Morgantown Magazine and Visit Mountaineer Country CVB, wants residents to celebrate the life and career of a local entertainment icon. In commemoration of the 100th birthday of Don Knotts, the annual Don Knotts Festival will be hosted from Saturday, July 20…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Service League of Morgantown will hold the PaperPie Book Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Old Stone House Gift Shop. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” member Gayle Truman said the sale will be at their gift shop at 313 Chestnut Street in downtown Morgantown. The building…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown city council has set aside about $213,000 for the operation of the triage and warming shelter for the 2024-25 winter and transportation. The funds are part of the allocation of $1.3 million in carry over funds. Council approved the transfer of $150,000 for the operation of the triage shelter. That will…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A pedestrian was hit in the parking lot of the Sheetz on Milford Street in Clarksburg Thursday afternoon. First responders were dispatched at 2:45 p.m. and transported the victim to United Hospital Center in Bridgeport. The Clarksburg Police Department is investigating, no arrests have been made. No information on the extent of…

ANMOORE, W.Va. — An Anmoore man is facing a single count of child neglect after police there said he kicked a juvenile out of his house. Police observed a male juvenile on a bike near Joyce Street on a bicycle when they were informed the boy had been reported missing for about three hours. Anmoore…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Morgantown businessman, Todd Stainbrook, is weighing in on the homeless situation in Morgantown. The issue has been at the forefront for business owners for several years, and debate is ramping back up following a proposal to expand the organization that governs camping in the city. Third Ward Councilor Louise Michael requested…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The Fairmont Police Department is searching for a suspect involved in a stabbing at a Fairmont bowling alley. Fairmont police officers responded to the call reported at 1 Kirkway Drive at around 10:45 p.m. where responding officers found one male, 29, with a single stab wound to the right of his chest.…

(Written by Joe Nelson)  MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Members of the Morgantown community have voiced their views on a potential camping ban focused on the downtown area. Representatives from Main Street Morgantown, West Virginia University, as well as Morgantown area unsheltered homeless advocates and many others, each expressed a combination of approval and disapproval of the…

SHINNSTON, W.Va. — One person was flown from the scene of motorcycle-car crash in Shinnston Tuesday night. The accident was reported at 9:39 p.m. at the intersection of East Avenue and Harp Lane. Officials have not specified if the motorcycle or driver of the car were flown from the scene. The cause remains under investigation.…

(Written by Joe Nelson) FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State University will receive $6.89 million in federally directed spending to go towards three improvement projects. The offices of United States Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced that the university will receive Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) funds to support upgrades to the nursing program facilities,…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A former Detroit resident will serve 10 years in federal prison for selling dangerous drugs in Monongalia and Taylor Counties. A jury found Kalen Daevon Lee, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, guilty of using a motel room in Morgantown to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Court documents said Lee went by…

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — A Bruceton Mills resident is facing multiple charges related to sexual misconduct with juveniles after an investigation that started in West Virginia and ended in California with the arrest. Stephen David Seeger, 45, has been indicted for coercion and enticement of a minor for sex and child pornography. Seeger allegedly communicated with…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. –– A Clarksburg resident has been sentenced to nearly 30-years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl. Four others have also been sentenced for their roles in the crimes. A jury convicted William Glover in March 2024 of seven counts of drug trafficking and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. The…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Four have been indicted for violating federal firearms laws in northern West Virginia. Todd M. Houston, 35, of Morgantown, and Kayla N. Taylor, 33, of Montrose, have been charged with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms in Monongalia County. Court documents said Taylor falsified documents to purchase firearms for Houston, who is prohibited…

(Written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Work continues to move forward on the West Virginia Department of Highways efforts to include private contractors to address Monongalia County roads. State Senator Mike Oliverio updated the Monongalia County Commission on an agreement reached with the DOH and local contractor Anderson Excavating LLC. to address state run…

HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va. — Officials in Harrison County expect I-79 southbound to be closed for an extended period due to a recreational vehicle fire. The fire was reported mid-afternoon at mile marker 126, but as of 4:15 p.m. traffic backups were reported by motorists all the way back to the Pleasant Valley area. Three people…

(Written by Savannah Jones)  MORGANTOWN W.Va – Nonprofit legal services firm Mountain State Justice expressed their opposition to a proposed camping ban downtown in a letter to the Morgantown City Council on July 5. Third Ward Councilor Louise Michael proposed expanding the camping ban mentioned in Sec. 941.05(c) of the Morgantown City Code from just…

(Written by Savannah Jones)  MORGANTOWN W.Va – A public ice rink is set to open in late 2025 at Mylan Park, according to Mylan Park Foundation President Ron Justice. The arena’s exact design is still in the early stages, but Justice said the rink will most likely include one sheet of ice with locker rooms…

WORTHINGTON, W.Va. A Worthington resident has been following a series of forensic interviews with juveniles about sexual abuse. Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department were told by the victim that Tyler Swiger, 33, had performed sexual acts when they were 6 or 7 years old but did not remember the exact date. In one…

FAIRMONT, W. Va. — A Fairmont woman has been charged after state police said she failed to get help for a juvenile female who she knew was being sexually abused. Chelsea Nice, 34, has been charged with child neglect resulting in injury and is being held in North Central Regional Jail on a $200,012 bond.…

MASONTOWN, W.Va. — A Masontown man has been charged after police say he hit a dog on the snout with a shovel and caused a serious injury. On July 12, deputies from the Preston County Sheriff’s Department were called to investigate a report of an injured dog at Plum Hill Terrace. Deputies were shown picture…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Marion County Prosecutor Jeffery Freeman will hold a press conference Tuesday to release information relating to the shooting death of Charles “Duddy” Echols in 2023. The press event comes about one week after the family held a protest at the Marion County Courthouse because no arrests have been made nearly a year…

(Written by Savannah Jones) MONONGALIA COUNTY W.Va – Diane Market Gaston, a first-time Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates seat in District 78, said she wants to take care of West Virginians that often get overlooked if she is elected. “We have all kinds of folks that fall through the cracks, and those are…

(Written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Mountaineer Area Council of Scouting America wants Morgantown area residents to help them celebrate the 70th anniversary of the opening of Camp Mountaineer. Former camp staff, leaders, and attendees are expected to take part in the festivities that are scheduled to begin on Sunday, July 14, starting…

SALEM, W.Va. — Troopers from the West Virginia State Police confiscated a large quantity of methamphetamine and made three arrests in Salem Thursday. Troopers executed the search warrant at an apartment on Main Street and made contact with Clarence Rheinhardt, Jonie Mayle and Raymond Thompson and found a large amount of methamphetamine, about $200 in…

(Written by Savannah Jones)  MORGANTOWN W.Va– The West Virginia Wellness Festival is set for Saturday, July 13, at the Mylan Park Community Center, offering services for mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. The event, hosted by nonprofit organization Forgiven Warrior, will feature 90 exhibitors from all across North Central West Virginia, ranging from medical professionals…

(Written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Local organizations that aim to increase affordable housing options in Monongalia County have received endorsements to apply for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh Affordable Housing Program. The Monongalia County Commission approved resolutions to endorse three organizations that aim to use facilities around the Morgantown area to…

(Written by Savannah Jones) PRESTON COUNTY W.Va – The Arthurdale Heritage New Deal Festival is occurring Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., marking the 90th anniversary of the homestead community. Arthurdale Heritage was the first of 100 homestead communities established by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt during the New Deal era in 1934,…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A 58-year old Morgantown man is facing charges after a reported sexual assault on July 4. Police the victim alleges Richard Braham Jr. assaulted her throughout the night and into the morning. Police said Braham also sent inappropriate messages and in some of the messages acknowledged the sexual conduct. Braham was charged…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — An investigation is ongoing into the cause of a tractor trailer accident that caused parts of Grafton Road outside of Morgantown to be closed Friday afternoon. The accident was reported by Monongalia County Emergency Management at around 1:00 p.m. on Friday, when the tractor trailer crashed just short of the on and…

(Written by Savannah Jones) MORGANTOWN W.Va – Several parties have voiced opposition to the proposal of an expanded camping ban downtown by a Morgantown City Councilor. The proposed ban is an addition to Sec. 941.05(c) of the Morgantown City Code, which prohibits camping in the park without the consent of the city manager. Third Ward…

(Written by Joe Nelson) TERRA ALTA, W.Va. — Members of the Preston County farming community are ready to host the 6th Annual Preston County Farm Crawl. The crawl will kick off on Saturday, July 13 at 10 a.m., when eight locally owned farms will open their doors and show off what is being grown and…

(Written by Savannah Jones) MONONGALIA COUNTY W.Va – Delegate Geno Chiarelli R. Monongalia said his main goal pending his re-election is to improve the quality of life in Morgantown. Chiarelli said he feels Morgantown has taken a steep quality decline since he arrived in 2013 to attend West Virginia University, and he hopes to improve…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Fire Marshal’s Office has begun to investigate the cause of a house fire that occurred on Pennsylvania Avenue early Thursday morning. The fire was reported at around midnight on Thursday, when Morgantown firefighters arrived to find the house engulfed in smoke on both the first and second floors. According to…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department is on the hunt for a suspect involved in a deadly shooting that occurred early Thursday morning outside of Morgantown. Deputies responded to a call for a shooting on Mountain Valley Drive at around 1:40 Thursday morning, where a man was found with a gunshot wound as…

(Written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The hiring of a social worker for the Morgantown Police Department has resulted in the discovery of new aspects to help law enforcement. Kelly Rice, who has served as the Morgantown PD social worker for the past year, has begun to reflect on her experiences with the department…

(Written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County State Senator Mike Oliverio made an appearance in front of the county commission Wednesday to offer updates on state efforts to help fund the triage shelter formerly operated by Bartlett Housing Solutions. Oliverio addressed the commission at the end of their regular meeting on Wednesday, where…

HUTTONSVILLE, W.Va. — An investigation into the pedestrian death in the parking lot of the Huttonsville ParMar shows the incident was an accident and the driver will not be charged. Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon said around 1:52 a.m. Debbie Bennett, 41, was walking near Route 250 wearing headphones, using her phone and facing away…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The U.S. Marshals Service is searching for a potentially violent subject and are looking for help from the public. Carl Leon Nicholson, 60, is wanted for failure to update sex offender registry, sexual assault, and domestic violence in Gilmer County. Nicholson ia a white male, 5-feet 9-inches, 150 pounds, with brown hair…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) is moving forward with upgrades to the Cheat Lake Waste Water Treatment Plant. The upgrades would come with the first rate increase since 2014 for Cheat Lake area customers, which could be as much as 90 percent. General Manager Mike McNulty said the project scope includes upgrades…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. The suspect in the Route 7 hit-and-run that killed one person has waived his preliminary hearing. David Blaine Emerson, 28, of Morgantown, is accused of speeding and wearing no seatbelts when state troopers attempted to stop the car. Emerson crossed the centerline with police pursuing and hit an amublance traveling in the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A shoplifting investigation in Morgantown resulted in the arrest of a Bruceton Mills woman for drug possession. On July 5, Morgantown police were dispatched to the Walmart and observed surveillance footage showing Jessica Bodkin, 28, concealing unpaid items in a bag. After placing Bodkin under arrest, police said they found more than 16…

(Savannah Jones is the author of this story) HAZELTON W.Va – A hiring process change at Hazelton Federal Prison in Preston County is chipping away at the longstanding staffing shortage and looking to improve working conditions for officers. American Federation of Government Employees Local 420 President Justin Tarovisky said the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ recent…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. An Independence Day traffic stop resulted in drug charges for two. Morgantown police stopped a car driven by Robert Kilngensmith, 32, of Morgantown, for a malfunctioning brake light. When police made contact with Klingensmith and passenger Jennifer Downey, 41, of Charleston, each offered false identification. Downey ultimately gave the police her real name…

(Joe Nelson is the author of this story) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Foundation now has three new members on its board of directors. Christine Hayhurst Davis, Erika Cramer, and Dave Gruver were all named to the board after they were formally approved by the WVU Foundation board in July. Each of the…

MORGANTOWN, W, Va. — The effort to reopen the triage shelter in Morgantown is moving forward on several fronts and appears to be gaining traction. On WAJRS ‘Talk of the Town,” Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom said he had just learned that $167,500 that was pulled from Bartlett Housing Solutions earlier this year could be…

THORNTON W.Va – After representing West Virginia for a year, Taylor County native Grace Austin-Trboyevich was named Mrs. Agriculture USA 2024. Miss Agriculture USA, a national nonprofit organization, runs through all 50 states, inviting all ages from two years old and beyond. Austin-Trboyevich started her journey with the organization by applying to be West Virginia’s…

MASONTOWN, W.Va. A fire at the old Masontown School did little damage Wednesday afternoon, but the availability of water to fight the blaze was a concern. In a post on social media, members of the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department said the water system was down for maintenance at the time of the fire, so tanker…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The City of Morgantown is ready to welcome area residents to come celebrate Independence Day. A day of family-friendly activities, live music, and 4th of July fireworks will kick off at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Park Amphitheater. City of Morgantown Arts and Culture Director Vincent Kitch encourages residents…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — An agreement to help improve wi-fi services at Mylan Park will officially move forward. The Monongalia County Commission approved a request from the Mylan Park Aquatic and Track Center to allocate approximately $7,750 towards installing an “advanced firewall” to help upgrade wireless internet capabilities around Mylan Park facilities. This follows the announcement…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Firefighters in Morgantown are concerned as new policies are enacted by the city to comply with Senate Bill 557. The bill, sponsored by Mike Oliverio, R, Monongalia, 13, requires municipalities to pay firefighters during holidays for their entire shift, even if it spans two calendar days or equal time off. Morgantown firefighters…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Fire Department responded to a fire that killed the family dog on Brockway Avenue Tuesday morning. Firefighters were dispatched to 545 Brockway Avenue at 9:58 a.m. and found the family had escaped unharmed. Firefighters did locate a dog that died in the blaze. Investigators believe the fire started in the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Morgantown city council members elected leadership for the coming year and called for action on homeless issues and support for the police department. First Ward Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam was elected mayor after dual nominations. Abu-Ghannam, Jenny Selin, Dave Harshbarger, and Bill Kawecki voted for Joe Abu-Ghannam. Fifth Ward Councilor Danielle Trumble received votes…

(This story was written by Joe Nelson) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Catholic Charities of West Virginia has offered the City of Morgantown their services to host a year-long emergency triage shelter within city limits. President and CEO of the Catholic Charities of West Virginia, Mark Phillips, presented a request for proposal during Morgantown City Council’s regular…

LUMBERPORT, W.Va. — One person was flown from the scene of a motorcycle accident on Wallace Pike yesterday afternoon. Deputies from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene at 4:37 p.m., about seven miles outside Lumberport. The investigation determined a single motorcycle crashed, injuring the rider, who was flown from the scene. Firefighters…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The University Police Department is looking for help from the public to find the suspects involved in a fraternity house burglary Tuesday morning. A cleaning crew arrived at 633 Spruce Street around 9 a.m. and found three suspicious people in the building owned by West Virginia University that houses a fraternity. A…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — West Virginia State Police (WVSP) are investigating a crash at the Pennsylvania state line on southbound I-79 reported around 5 p.m. Tuesday. WVSP said the slow lane southbound side of the interstate reopened at 6:57 p.m. No information has been released.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A Detroit man who was found guilty of a Monongalia County murder will serve consecutive life sentences. Cleotis Eppes was sentenced in Monongalia County Circuit Court Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy in the May 2022 drug debt death of Matthew Moore. The ruling from Judge Paul Gwaltney comes less…

MORGANTOWN, W,Va. –– The ambitious multi-year Richwood Avenue redevelopment project is about to make a major advancement. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” President and CEO of the Morgantown Area Partnership (MAP) Russ Rogerson said the bid date for structure demolition will be July 18, just about three weeks away. “The tearing down of about…

By Savannah Jones BLACKSVILLE, W.Va. — After 23 years of service at Clay-Battelle High School, David Cottrell retired as the school’s principal at the end of the year to take up the role of president of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference. Cottrell came to Clay-Battelle High School as the assistant principal in 2001, moving into…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —  A record number of Americans will take to the road for the Independence Day holiday this year, according to a report from the Mid-Atlantic Division of Triple A. Spokesperson Tiffany Stanley said this holiday falls toward the end of the of the week, encouraging people to take the week before or after…

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — An Albright woman has been charged after an altercation reported at the Circle K on West Main Street in Kingwood. On Friday, police made contact with the victim who had blood in and around her mouth and holding an ice pack on the right side of her head. The victim told police…

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — A Bruceton Mills woman has been charged after troopers from the West Virginia State Police allege she crashed while intoxicated causing injuries to a 4-year old child. On June 22, troopers responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash in the area of Compressor Station Road in Bruceton Mills involving a driver…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Changes proposed to firefighter pay in Morgantown are in step with compliance for the implementation of Senate Bill 557, sponsored by Mike Oliverio, R. Monongalia, 12. The law, which took effect 90 days after passage, dictates that municipalities must compensate firefighters who are required to work holidays for their entire shift, even…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The ongoing dispute between the City of Morgantown and its firefighters over holiday pay is headed in a different direction. According to a memo from City Manager Kim Haws, beginning Monday, a firefighter will be eligible for holiday pay equal to the length of his or her shift. The policy also creates a…

BRUCETON MILLS, W.Va. Officials with the Bureau of Prisons have announced a significant change to the hiring process that is expected to help relieve staffing shortages at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Hazelton. Reports indicate FCI Hazelton has up to 90 open positions for prison guards. The change comes more than a year after protests and…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. –– The first case of rabies in 2024 has been confirmed on property at the Preston-Monongalia County line. The owner of the property off Gladesville Road in Independence found a racoon fighting with a barn cat. The owner euthenized the racoon and tests at the Office of Laboratory Services in South Charleston…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A Detroit area resident will face multiple drug charges after police said he was caught bringing bulk quantities to Marion County. On Thursday, members of the Three Rivers Drug Task Force raided a home on Morgantown Avenue that Tristan Thomas, 47, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, was staying at and found a large…

CARMICHAELS, Pa. The first annual Officer Zane Breakiron Memorial Ride, presented by Carmichaels Riders and Zane’s parents, Garret and Mindy, will be held on Saturday, June 29. Officer Zane Breakiron died in an off-duty vehicle crash in the early morning hours of June 3 last year near the Pennsylvania state line, three days before he…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —  The family of a boy who suffered a medical emergency at the Krepps Park Pool earlier this month is thankful for his recovery and the work by lifeguards and first responders that made it possible. Jason Pauley’s son, Jackson, suffered a medical emergency, and the lifeguards and staff at the pool quickly…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Detroit resident is behind bars after Morgantown said they found 80 grams of fentanyl in the car he was driving. Police saw Deante Hurt, 27, driving a vehicle that was implicated in a hit-and-run from the previous day on High Street. Hurt was standing near the vehicle, but when he saw…

Monongalia County Board of Education President Ron Lytle and longtime member Nancy Walker have officially ended their over decade long runs as part of the BOE. The two longest-tenured members of the BOE were commemorated as part of their final meeting in June, where they were recognized for their roles in helping the county school…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A Michigan man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for selling methamphetamine in Harrison County. Bacarre Curtis, 23, of Eastpointe, Michigan, was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, but federal officials believe Curtis, also known as “TJ” was responsible for transporting and…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown city councilors heard encouraging news about the potential reopening of the triage shelter at Hazel’s House of Hope and the beginnings of talks for transportation for the less fortunate. Fifth Ward Councilor Danielle Trumble announced the triage shelter at Hazels House of Hope could be reopened as a joint venture between…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A Morgantown mother is facing child neglect charges after a 1-year-old fell and hit her head early Monday. Morgantown police were called to the emergency room at 2 a.m. Monday on a report of a child who had hit her head and made contact with Ashley Bennett, 36. Bennett told police her…

WESTOVER, W.Va. — A Fayetteville woman is facing charges after police allege she rolled her car on I-79 with child in tt while intoxicated. Westover police said Vickie Gay, 52, flipped the vehicle its side on I-79 at the Westover exit and flipped on its side. Gay and the juvenile were briefly trapped inside. During…

This was written by Savannah Jones  MORGANTOWN W.Va. – Governor Jim Justice awarded $1.3 million to fund a SteppingStones inclusive playground for disabled children and adults at Mylan Park Monday, closing the fundraising gap on the project. SteppingStones is a nonprofit organization that offers several recreational activities for children and adults with disabilities, such as…

ELKINS, W.Va The Randolph County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a high-speed pursuit Saturday night. Deputies were called to Huttonsville Par Mar for reckless driving on Saturday at 11 p.m. The 15-year-old driver fled from deputies on Route 219 into Mill Creek, almost hitting a pedestrian. The pursuit ended when the…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A suspected member of the Pagan Motorcycle Club found guilty in a Marion County murder has been sentenced to life with no mercy. John Wolfe was convicted in April of this year in the Sept. 2022 killing of Henry Silver at an apartment complex in Carolina. The investigation showed Wolfe ordered other…

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny has hired the first female deputy in agency history. Kaleigh Wetzel comesfrom Lewis County and is already a certified police officer and can start upon completion of the Field Training Program. Matheny also announced the hiring certified police officer from the city of Dunbar, Roger King. Both…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Governor Jim Justice came to Morgantown Monday to recognize the two newest Distinguished West Virginians. West Virginia University Professors Maura McLaughlin and Duncan Lorimer were co-recipients of the Shaw Prize last year for their work in the discovery of fast radio bursts (FRBs). The two join the list of recipients that includes…

By: Savannah Jones MORGANTOWN W.Va. – The Monongalia County Commission was highly honored by the County Commission Association of West Virginia, earning County of the Year and Administrator of the Year awards. Monongalia County Commissioner Sean Sikora said the county’s awards are a testament to the efficiency of the commission, noting that the county has…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $6.4 million to West Virginia University for renovations to the PRT stations and guideway. The funding was secured through a Congressionally Directed Spending request by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito during the current fiscal year that ends this month. “Since I came to the Senate,…

  STAR CITY, W.Va. — PACE Enterprises plans to break ground for the one-of-a-kind independent housing facility June 26 at 10 a.m. The 12-unit affordable, independent housing facility for individuals with disabilities will be located at 420 Pleasant Hill Rd. in Star City, the original location of Pace Enterprises. In January of this year Pace…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Great Race, an event featuring pre-World War II automobiles running from Owensboro, Kentucky, to Seal Cove, Maine, will stop in Morgantown on June 24. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Morgantown First Ward Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam was able to secure Morgantown as a stop with the help of local car enthusiast…

GOOD HOPE, W.Va. Deputies from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a stabbing that seriously injured a person a person on Friday night. Police began the investigation near Puckett’s Processing on Good Hope Pike around 7:26 p.m. Friday. The victim was flown from the scene for treatment. No information about the extent of the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Board of Governors approved a tuition and fee increase and received updates on the presidential search and academic transformation, and selected a new set of officers for the coming year. The BOG approved a $228 per semester tuition increase (4.7%) for resident undergraduate students and $624 (4.5%) per…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Police in Morgantown have arrested a local after he allegedly pointed a gun at a co-workers head Tuesday. Police said the female victim was working at the Burger King on Patteson Drive when the sound of a gun cocking was heard. When the victim turned around she said Daniel Garcia, 23, was…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Great Race, an event featuring pre-World War II automobiles running from Owensboro, Kentucky, to Seal Cove, Maine, will stop in Morgantown on June 24. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Morgantown First Ward Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam was able to secure Morgantown as a stop with the help of local car enthusiast…

This story was written by Joe Nelson  MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A graduate of University High School has pledged to donate up to $1 million towards the funding of a new baseball and softball complex. Nancy Pride Raley, the sister of UHS Athletic Hall of Famer Ronald “Duke” Pride, has agreed to donate $750,000 towards the…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In recognition of West Virginia Day, Mountain Line Transit Authority (MLTA) is offering rides on all local routes on Thursday, June 20. Officials said this is an opportunity for former riders to rediscover MLTA or for new riders to try new routes the system provides. Click here for more information about bus…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown City Council approved partial funding to continue subsidizing the Mountainline Transit Authority (MLTA) route to and from Hazels House of Hope and announced efforts to secure a contractor to operate an Extreme Weather Warming Center next year. Free rides started at Hazel’s House of Hope in September 2021 for the less…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department offered a young county resident with muscular dystrophy a chance to see the ins and outs of how a sheriff’s office operates. Young David Burnworth and his mother were shopping at Retail Circle when he saw Monongalia County Court Security Officer David McDougal and struck up conversation.…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Beginning in late July or early August, the Mountain Line Transit Authority will test propane-powered buses. General Manager Maria Smith said the many benefits of propane price stability were very attractive. Gasoline and diesel prices are subject to wild swings due to weather conditions, world tensions, and supply and demand influences, none…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –Commissioners in Monongalia County approved a one-time payment to ensure the Bartlett House can meet payroll obligations through the month of June. Commissioners and the city of Morgantown will each allocate a one-time payment of $17,500 as a stop-gap while officials work on negotiations to bring a new operator to the facility. “This…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown City Council has formally passed an increase in compensation for council members as efforts to fund city streetscapes continue. The second reading of an ordinance that would increase per-meeting pay from $250 to $350 for council members and from $350 to $450 for the mayor was passed in a 6-1 vote…

MONONGALIA COUNTY, WV – The state Department of Highways (DOH) is warning motorists about potential delays on West Run Road from the intersection of Stewartstown Road to the intersection of Point Marion Road beginning Wednesday, June 19. Crews will be relocating underground utilities and traffic will one lane through the area controlled by flaggers. Motorists…

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Police in Morgantown have arrested a Detroit man who they said had three different types of narcotics in his possession. Members of the Mon Metro Drug and Violent Crime Task Force arrested Zaeonne Patrick, 19, as he left a home on Kingwood Street in Morgantown. Inside the home, agents seized 100 grams…

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The parents of a 9-week-old in Fairmont have been arrested after a welfare check determined the child was starving despite there being ample food in the home. On June 13, Fairmont police conducted a welfare check at the home of Wendie Elicky, 21, and Michael Newlin, 27, and brought CPS workers back…