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A team of first-year robotics team members are ready to take on the World Championship.
CEDAR GROVE, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The Cedar Grove Elementary School Robotics Team is just weeks away from the World Championship in Dallas, Texas.
This is the third time the school’s team has been to the World Championship in the four years the program’s been at the school.
The group’s “B” team earned an Excellence in Design award at the state championship at Fairmont University in March, which catapulted them to the world championship.
Kasen Garten, a fifth-grader on the team, said it took time to build the design.
“We were practicing and stuff doing driving, programming and then we started building our robot,” he said.
The program is made up entirely of students who are in their first year in robotics.
Assistant Coach Leo Moss said the school only allowed fifth-graders on the team during the 2020-2021 school year due to COVID-19 protocols.
He called this year’s team “amazing” for their perseverance in dealing with the challenges of the past few years.
“The way they have toughed it out through all the COVID guidelines and worked through all that stuff,” he said.
In the process, the students have built bonds with their teammates, better known as the “Bot Squad”.
“It’s pretty fun once you get the hang of robotics and stuff but then you start to become friends anymore and you get to work together as a team,” Garten said.
“That’s the big thing they’ve learned through this is sportsmanship and teamwork,” added Moss.
Many members of the team expressed interest in career fields associated with science, technology, engineering and math.
School leaders believe the program teaches the kids larger life lessons.
“It helps these kids work together for a specific goal and they love it,” Principal Debbie Mougaes said. “This is an opportunity for our students that they’d probably never have.”
According to Mougaes, this is the first time many of the team members will travel on an airplane and get outside of the area.
“Our students come from a different population of about 96% poverty on the eastern end of Kanawha County, West Virginia,” she said. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and they get to see kids from countries from all over the world.”
Garten said the lessons he’s learned goes beyond the world championship.
“It’s really interesting and entertaining even when you’re watching it,” he said. | 2022-04-30T00:06:51Z | www.wsaz.com | Cedar Grove Elementary prepares for Robotics World Championship | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/29/cedar-grove-elementary-prepares-robotics-world-championship/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/29/cedar-grove-elementary-prepares-robotics-world-championship/ |
Ohio (WSAZ) - Candidates on the ballot in Ohio are making their final push toward election day. The state’s primary election will take place Tuesday, May 3. The gubernatorial race is one that the entire state will have their eyes on. Two Democratic candidates are on the ballot in May and hope to dethrone Republican incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine at the ballot box in November.
Those two Democratic candidates are John Cranley, who is the former mayor of Cincinnati, and Nan Whaley, who is the former mayor of Dayton. Cranley tells WSAZ that he has noticed a lack of high-speed internet and quality cell phone service in southeast Ohio.
“Within four years, I will have cell phone coverage throughout the entire state and high speed WiFi for the whole state. These jobs will pay $60,000 and will help build that infrastructure. I’m going to pay for those jobs by legalizing marijuana, taxing it, and putting the taxes towards paying for those jobs,” Cranley said.
Whaley shared the same concerns about the lack of high-speed internet and quality cell phone service.
“You also have to make sure it is affordable, right? The cost is prohibitive and if we allow big companies and multi-national corporations to do it, it will never happen. We have to make sure the local governments and non-profits run these systems and we need to fund them. I think there’s tons of money through the infrastructure bill,” Whaley said.
Both Cranley and Whaley also say they are prioritizing health care for Ohio’s veterans.
“We’re going to save the VA. We are going to make sure that every county in Ohio has at least one federally qualified health center that provides dental care, primary care, addiction care, suboxone -- all of the things that are needed for mental health,” Cranley said.
“In our plan, we talk about putting 15 VA homes all across the state so we can have it for smaller communities and not have people taking huge trips to get the services that their veterans need,” Whaley said. | 2022-04-30T00:06:57Z | www.wsaz.com | Democratic gubernatorial candidates discuss primary election in Ohio | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/29/democratic-gubernatorial-candidates-discuss-primary-election-ohio/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/29/democratic-gubernatorial-candidates-discuss-primary-election-ohio/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Since April 27, we have been emailing back and forth with Frontier Communications, trying to find out what’s going on with two customers who said they hadn’t been able to find out why their phone service wasn’t working.
After numerous emails, Frontier said American Electric Power cut two of their large cables, resulting in the outage.
For about two weeks, Marylee Crawford said she has been having problems with her phone for around two weeks and since April 21, she says it hasn’t worked at all.
“I miss my phone, she said. “When my girls were to go to the store, they can’t even call back and see how I’m doing.”
Crawford lives just a couple minutes from Ritter Park in Huntington.
With her landline not working, her daughter Ann Hamlin got Marylee her first cell phone, but it’s not something she’s ever used.
“I’m 100 years old, so your hands and things, it’s not like they used to when you were young so sometimes the phone slips out, but with my regular phone I can hold on to it better,” Crawford said.
Hamlin said those struggles prompted her to start calling Frontier repeatedly to get her issues resolved.
She said someone was supposed to come to their house on April 24, but no one ever showed up.
“I haven’t gotten the text or anything about what’s going on like an update,” Hamlin said. “Nothing whatsoever.”
Crawford isn’t the only one struggling. About 20 minutes away in Wayne County, the Thompsons are dealing with similar issues.
”Never had I ever had a phone problem like this. For the last two, three weeks, it just comes and goes. It may not work for three days, and they may get on and work an hour to go away again.”
Danny and Phyllis Thompson live in Lavalette. They say they have serious health problems and while Phyllis does have a cell phone for emergencies, Danny says he doesn’t know how to use it.
“Without the phone, I can’t get ahold of emergency services, and that worries me real bad,” he said. If something were to happen and the phone’s not working, we’re just hung out to dry.”
They too have reached out to Frontier multiple times and say they have not been able to get any answers.
WSAZ started reaching out to Frontier to see if we could get their phones working and some answers.
After asking for an interview and sending several questions, Frontier ignored our request for an interview but sent an email saying:
“The outages are not a result of Frontier service. There are outside issues that are impacting service for some in this area, including stolen cables in Huntington, and accidental large cable cuts that happened because of work being done by other companies in the area.”
And in a follow-up email when we asked more questions, we were told both Marylee and the Thompsons were affected by AEP accidentally cutting their cables.
We reached out to AEP to find out more information. Their spokesperson told us by phone that a contractor struck a cable, causing the outage on April 20.
Since we started working on this story, the Thompson’s phone was restored around noon Thursday.
However, Crawford is still waiting.
Frontier has not told us how many people are dealing with this outage. | 2022-04-30T00:07:28Z | www.wsaz.com | WSAZ Investigates | Cut lines leave Frontier customers struggling for answers on service | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/29/wsaz-investigates-cut-lines-leave-frontier-customers-struggling-answers-service/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/29/wsaz-investigates-cut-lines-leave-frontier-customers-struggling-answers-service/ |
By Taylor Eaton
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - In a day and age when most teenage boys would be at home playing video games in their spare time, that’s not the case for Hunter Workman.
The 14-year-old uses his free time to give back. In 2021, Workman and his mom were in the car when he spotted a woman, struggling to mow her grass. While a simple task for so many, for others it’s not an easy chore to keep up with.
That’s the moment you could say got the blades turning and Workman began mowing others’ lawns with nothing in return.
“I feel really good knowing that I have been able to help people,” Workman said. He’s enlisted the help of his parents. Hunter works the push mower, mom helps him to schedule his work and dad always pitches in to take care of the weed-eating.
“I feel like I’ve raised a good kid,” said Zach Workman, Hunter’s dad. “He’s like any typical child but he has a special place in his heart for the elderly, those that are disabled and veterans.” In 2021, he mowed around a dozen different lawns. He’s done seven so far this year and has a lofty goal. “I think the goal is 50 this year,” Workman said.
Shelbie Dillon works with the Lawrence County Developmental Disabilities. Workman has mowed the grass for several of the people who utilize their services.
“We need more Hunters in the world,” Dillon said. “He isn’t greedy with his time or money. That’s a hero, just someone who comes in and helps people no matter what.” His family has traveled to areas like Greenup, Ashland and Ironton, and Hunter pays for the gas and maintenance of the equipment with allowance money and donations he receives.
He’s even faced a few setbacks along the way. At one point in his endeavors, some of his equipment was taken. His dad says it was a big disappointment to him.
“Just because he couldn’t help out anymore, well as much as he was anyways,” said his dad. “So, his mom and I went and got him a new weed-eater, and now we are back at it.”
His dad says they are starting to take on some bigger yards now, so at some point, they are hoping to invest in a riding mower. Hunter even has a social media page, called ‘Hunter’s giving back challenge,’ where his mom posts about the work he has done. That’s also where you can contact him if you need help mowing your lawn.
To find out more, tap here. | 2022-04-30T01:38:03Z | www.wsaz.com | Hometown Hero | Hunter Workman | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/hometown-hero-hunter-workman/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/hometown-hero-hunter-workman/ |
Kentucky takes on No. 11 Georgia(Southeastern Conference)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - It took until the 43rd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to hear the words “from the University of Kentucky” as wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson was selected by the New York Giants. Not too much longer, his teammate Josh Paschal was picked by the Detroit Lions as a defensive end in the 46th pick.
Stay tuned to WSAZ.com for more NFL draft updates. | 2022-04-30T01:38:16Z | www.wsaz.com | A pair of Cats go in NFL second round | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/pair-cats-go-nfl-second-round/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/pair-cats-go-nfl-second-round/ |
CHELYAN, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The West Virginia State Fire Marshal is searching for who set a mobile home office on fire at the Paul White Chevrolet dealership Wednesday morning.
Rodney Hudson lives up the street and says the building was nearly gutted.
“Someone said that it was set and that it caught on fire and burnt most of it,” Hudson said. “ It is people that just have a rough time, and I don’t know if they just don’t have anyone to love them or what.”
The main dealership is across the road, and fire investigators say the fire was intentionally set.
Deputies got a call Wednesday that a person was seen on the front porch of the office just before it started.
Hudson said he wished he had a solution for the people who live in his community.
“It is not just this town, every town just seems like it is getting more and more, it seems like,” Hudson said. ”I wish there was something to be done, but I don’t know the answer.”
A sign hangs on the porch of the burnt office building, offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to whoever started the fire.
A local business that has always depended on the people in the Chelyan community hopes they can help find answers.
This is an ongoing investigation by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal.
For previous coverage of the fire click here. | 2022-04-30T04:40:39Z | www.wsaz.com | Fire marshal searches for leads in car dealership arson | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/fire-marshal-searches-leads-car-dealership-arson/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/fire-marshal-searches-leads-car-dealership-arson/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - After a dry end to the work week, showers are back in the picture this weekend. Fortunately, the weekend does not look to be a washout with enough breaks in the showers to provide decent dry time. On Saturday, rain is confined mainly to the morning and early afternoon hours. For Sunday, showers will be scattered in nature, but a few thunderstorms will also be added to the mix, some which could be strong with heavy rain, gusty winds, and small hail. A break in precipitation arrives on Monday before another system brings renewed rain chances for the middle of next week.
Saturday morning starts cloudy and damp with showers across the region. Temperatures are in the low to mid 50s.
By the afternoon, showers begin to scatter out and move off to the northeast. The drying will be accompanied by a brightening sky as temperatures rise to the low to mid 70s. Across southeastern Kentucky, high temperatures around 80 degrees are likely.
Saturday evening stays dry with passing clouds. Much of the overnight hours look dry as well, but a couple isolated showers may pass towards dawn. Nighttime low temperatures fall to the upper 50s.
On Sunday, expect a partly cloudy sky with scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. During the afternoon, some of these storms may be strong, producing heavy rain, gusty winds, and small hail. High temperatures rise to the mid to upper 70s.
Some light showers linger into Wednesday morning, followed by drier but still mostly cloudy conditions for the afternoon. Cooler temperatures are in store as well, as highs only reach the mid 60s.
Thursday and Friday will be partly cloudy with a couple showers possible. High temperatures rise to near 70 degrees both days. | 2022-04-30T13:05:02Z | www.wsaz.com | First Warning Forecast | Periods of showers expected this weekend | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/first-warning-forecast-periods-showers-expected-this-weekend/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/first-warning-forecast-periods-showers-expected-this-weekend/ |
A Franklin Furnace woman was arrested for child endangerment and felonious assault Friday.(WSAZ)
SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio. (WSAZ) - A Franklin Furnace woman was arrested for child endangerment and felonious assault Friday.
According to the Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman, deputies were contacted on February 28 by Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. The hospital shared that they had a 16-month-old child who was brought to the hospital with injuries consistent with possible child abuse.
A deputy was assigned to the investigation and went to the hospital to gather evidence and speak with witnesses which included hospital staff and the mother of the child.
Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel worked with the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit and the Scioto County Children Service to submit a case to the grand jury on April 22. As a result, an indictment warrant was issued for the mother of the child.
Heather Mollett, 33 of Franklin Furnace, is being charged with 5 counts if endangering children, one count of endangering children and two counts of felonious assault.
Mollett is currently being held in the Scioto County Jail without bond and will appear in Scioto County Common Pleas Court on a later date. | 2022-04-30T20:54:52Z | www.wsaz.com | Woman arrested for child endangerment | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/woman-arrested-child-endangerment/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/04/30/woman-arrested-child-endangerment/ |
Route 60 is closed both ways after a person was hit by a vehicle.(MGN ONLINE)
CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Route 60 is closed both ways near the 29th Street exit after a pedestrian was struck by a car Saturday evening.
According to 911 dispatchers, crews are on scene and a person was hit by a vehicle.
There is no word on any injuries at this time. | 2022-05-01T02:03:28Z | www.wsaz.com | Road closed after pedestrian struck | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/road-closed-after-pedestrian-struck/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/road-closed-after-pedestrian-struck/ |
Folks got an opportunity to take a ride on "Newton's Attic" at 2022's Mountain E-Day.(WYMT)
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - Remake Learning Days came to a close on Saturday in Pike County with “Mountain E-Day”, an event focused on STEM fields, particularly engineering.
Families came out to enjoy several activities for all ages as well as an opportunity to learn that engineering is just as important in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky as it is in a large metropolitan city.
“Our intention today was to show them that engineering is right here in the mountains,” said Associate Director with Partners for Learning at Berea College, Linda Stone. “These are jobs that our students can do, and you can do what you love and stay where you love, so that’s really our focus of all this today.”
The events were hosted by three different locations, including the University of Pikeville, which hosted 50 different physics activities, Bit Source, which hosted Zoom meetings with NASA and Toyota engineers, and the Appalachian Wireless Arena.
The arena hosted several robotics activities; solar, electric, and combustion vehicles from the University of Kentucky; spintron machines; Newton’s attic; the Floyd County School District’s STEM Bus and more.
Stone said she hopes Mountain E-Day will become a yearly event with Remake Learning Days and grow into something bigger and better each year. | 2022-05-01T03:43:22Z | www.wsaz.com | ‘Mountain E-Day’ brings wonders of engineering to Pike County | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/mountain-e-day-brings-wonders-engineering-pike-county/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/mountain-e-day-brings-wonders-engineering-pike-county/ |
Market 606 has folks from out-of-town and here in the mountains out in bunches and browsing small, local businesses.(WYMT)
PAINTSVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - Market 606 kicked off in downtown Paintsville on Saturday and folks came in bunches to browse small businesses.
“Small business is big business in our communities and that’s no different here in Johnson County,” said Johnson County Judge-Executive Mark McKenzie. “We are a very pro-business organization as a government.”
The event was focused on giving small, local shops, brick-and-mortar or otherwise, a chance to get out and boost their business. This also allowed new businesses such as Lavender Springs Alpaca, an alpaca farm in Johnson County, an opportunity to meet new people.
“We’ve been looking for an event to kind of get our foot in the door in town and my husband saw this on Facebook, so he decided to sign me up,” said Lavender Springs Alpaca owner Ashlee Osoway. “We’ve met a lot of people, a lot of people are curious about our farm and didn’t really know where- that we were out there so this is a kind of eye-opening for them about what alpacas are and why we would have them.”
This also boosted the economy of the region as a whole as folks came into town to enjoy the weekend full of events such as Market 606 as well as the Johnson County Trail Day.
“It’s a total economic impact on the whole community when you have events like this to give people a reason to come to your community and that’s what we want to continue to do,” said Judge-Executive McKenzie.
Along with small businesses, Market 606 featured several food trucks, non-profit organizations, an ATV parade, live music, and giveaways. | 2022-05-01T03:43:29Z | www.wsaz.com | ‘Small business is big business’: Market 606 helps boost small businesses in Johnson County | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/small-business-is-big-business-market-606-helps-boost-small-businesses-johnson-county/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/small-business-is-big-business-market-606-helps-boost-small-businesses-johnson-county/ |
ONA, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Students at Cabell Midland High School gave a free concert for the public Friday night.
The Collegium Musicum presented their 12th annual experience in the school auditorium where they performed their routine of renaissance music. The experience gives the students a chance to showcase their work over the school year.
There were also solos and small group performances that ranged from Adele to student-composed pieces.
Kate Sullivan Collegium Musicum member shared how this last performance brought a lot of emotion, “It’s gonna be a very emotional night because us two we are four year collegium members, and we’re seniors, and at the end we sing Old Irish Blessing which is our last song together.”
RJ Blankenship Collegium Musicum member said that this is the perfect way to end the year, “It’s just a great way to end our year because this is our last performance as a group for the whole entire year.”
The director says the event began back in 2009 and has become a valued tradition for the students and community. | 2022-05-01T19:09:25Z | www.wsaz.com | Collegium Musicum at Cabell Midland | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/collegium-musicum-cabell-midland/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/collegium-musicum-cabell-midland/ |
BRAXTON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A car accident into the Elk River has resulted in several fatalities.
According to the Braxton County Emergency Management Director, the crash happened around 2:30 p.m. Sunday along I-79 near exit 62 across from the senior center. Two people in the car died, one adult and one child.
One firefighter died who was attempting a rescue operation.
West Virginia State Police is handling the investigation. Crews wrapped up the rescue operation around 4:55p.m. | 2022-05-01T23:43:30Z | www.wsaz.com | Multiple fatalities reported in car accident | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/multiple-fatalities-reported-car-accident/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/01/multiple-fatalities-reported-car-accident/ |
One person taken to hospital after a reported shooting.(wsaz)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Dispatchers confirm one person has been transported to the hospital after a reported shooting along the 2200 block of Madison Avenue.
The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time but an officer on-scene said they don’t believe the injuries were life-threatening.
The reported shooting was called in around 9:30 p.m.
Another person refused transport from the scene.
Huntington Police are on-scene investigating the incident. | 2022-05-02T04:17:15Z | www.wsaz.com | Police investigate reported shooting | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/police-investigate-reported-shooting/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/police-investigate-reported-shooting/ |
For more than two years, the world has been surrounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along the way, Tony Cavalier has made it his mission to describe the math behind COVID. Now it’s time for Tony to take his corona Calculus segments on the road.
Tony’s first stop was a visit with 5th graders at the Bible Center School in Charleston. | 2022-05-02T19:30:26Z | www.wsaz.com | Corona Calculus hits the classroom | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/corona-calculus-hits-classroom/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/corona-calculus-hits-classroom/ |
Captain Scarbro with Braxton County Sheriff confirms Latonya Bell, 42, of Cleveland, Ohio and her daughter Havana Pipkins, 8 died as well as a firefighter John Forbush, 24, of Gassaway, West Virginia.
The volunteer firefighter died while attempting a rescue operation.
According to a release, a deputy and state trooper managed to rescue another individual who was attempting to locate victims but began to go under. That individual is expected to be okay. | 2022-05-02T19:31:22Z | www.wsaz.com | Mother, daughter, firefighter dead after car goes into Elk River in murder-suicide | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/mother-daughter-firefighter-dead-after-car-goes-into-elk-river/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/mother-daughter-firefighter-dead-after-car-goes-into-elk-river/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Charleston Police are still looking for a suspect who stole a car with a child still inside Saturday afternoon.
A 2014 red Kia Optima that was left running was taken from the gas station at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store on Spring Street. It happened just before 3 p.m.
Surveillance video from the gas station shows a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black and gray flannel pants, and either black or white tennis shoes walking through the parking lot.
Lt. Tony Hazelett with the Charleston Police Department said the suspect was looking for a crime of opportunity.
“A few minutes prior to the incident, you see him walking around the Piggly Wiggly lot around the gas pumps. He actually approaches one other person,” he recounted.
“Obviously, their car wasn’t running at the time then when the [Kia] pulled into the gas station he saw the male walking in and the vehicle running and he took it, it was a matter of seconds.”
Once in the car, the suspect realized the victim’s 6-year-old daughter was in the backseat of the car, screaming and kicking the suspect in the front seat.
Police said the girl was let out about a block later near Giovanni’s Pizza.
Piggly Wiggly customer Taisha Hayhurst said she is uneasy, especially as a mother.
“It’s scary because it was broad daylight,” she said.
“We always talked about stranger danger and things like that, but I never said ‘if someone were to get something in the car with you’ because it’s not something I’d think would happen.”
Hazelett said the girl’s father was in the gas station’s mini-mart for less than a minute before the incident unfolded.
“The victim didn’t get in the door for probably two seconds and the clerk said ‘your vehicle’s leaving’ and he took off running after it,” he said.
He added the incident serves as a reminder for people to be aware of their surroundings and to keep an eye on their cargo.
“If you pull into a gas pump and your child’s in the car and you’re pumping gas, please take the key with you,” he urged.
“Either turn it off or lock it and pump gas because [the victim] literally turned his back and the guy was in the vehicle.”
Hazelett said more police are patrolling the area but kids can also take part in protecting themselves.
“If you’re out of the vehicle, don’t be talking to strangers or anything like that,” he warned. “If someone approaches you go to an adult, a clerk, a parent, if you’re in the store don’t wander away from your parents and things like that, just be vigilant”
Hayhurst said she’ll keep up her guard.
“It can happen anywhere, it doesn’t matter if it’s a nice neighborhood,” she said.
“People are just getting more violent and things are happening more than normal.”
The missing car is described as a 2014 Kia Optima with West Virginia registration 33T733.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 304-348-6480 or Metro Communications at 304-348-8111.
Officer recovering after shooting; suspect in custody | 2022-05-02T22:33:13Z | www.wsaz.com | Suspect in weekend car theft remains at large | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/suspect-weekend-car-theft-remains-large/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/02/suspect-weekend-car-theft-remains-large/ |
This is a generic photo of a pit bull for the story. This is not a photograph from the incident.(MGN)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Three people were seriously injured Monday, one critically, in an attack by a pit bull, animal control officers in Huntington said.
They say the incident happened at a home in the city. It was reported just before 5 a.m. Monday.
Animal control officers say a woman was bitten in the stomach, shoulder, and back by the 70- to 80-pound pit bull.
One person is in critical condition, and the other two are said to have severe, but non-life-threatening injuries. | 2022-05-03T03:06:53Z | www.wsaz.com | 3 seriously hurt in dog attack | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/3-seriously-hurt-dog-attack/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/3-seriously-hurt-dog-attack/ |
A community is dedicated to carrying on her legacy nearly 20 years after the Marshall student's disappearance.
WEST HAMLIN, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Every spring since 2005, a softball tournament is held in West Hamlin on a field named in Samantha Burns’ honor.
Courtney Scarberry graduated from Guyan Valley High School with Burns in 2001 and was her softball teammate.
“Sometimes it feels like it was yesterday,” she said of her friend’s disappearance. “Sometimes it feels like it’s been forever.”
Burns was 19 when she was last seen in November of 2002.
Brandon Basham and Chad Fulks are on death row in Indiana for her murder, but her body has never been found.
Scarberry says it’s important to continue showing Burns’ family how much she meant to the community.
“We like to do this for her family to let everybody see what kind of person she was, what a great leader she was, and how much we all love and miss her,” Scarberry said.
When the tournament was created in 2005, it was a high school softball tournament, and it became a middle school tournament after consolidation and the creation of Lincoln County High School.
The middle schoolers now playing weren’t born yet when Burns went missing, but they know her name well.
“We tell them little things about her,” Scarberry said. “We like to tell them how she hustled. If she got on base, she was going to score.”
“I’m just grateful, thankful, and appreciative for keeping Samantha’s name alive,” Tammy Adkins, Burns’ aunt, said.
Adkins says two decades later, they’re still hopeful they’ll get the answer that’s eluded them all these years.
“We haven’t found her body, so she’s still out there somewhere,” she said. “Those two gentlemen are still alive and still on death row. As long as they’re alive, we’ll always have hope one of them will come forward, or anybody will come forward that knows anything about her disappearance and where she may be.”
Following a game between Guyan Valley and Duval Monday night, girls from those teams, along with players from Wayne Middle, stood on the field and released balloons, and Burns’ grandfather said a prayer. | 2022-05-03T04:38:25Z | www.wsaz.com | Honoring Samantha Burns’ legacy 20 years later | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/honoring-samantha-burns-legacy-20-years-later/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/honoring-samantha-burns-legacy-20-years-later/ |
Body found outside of hospital
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The Huntington Police Department and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office are on the the scene of a body found outside of a hospital.
Sheriff Chuck Zerkle tells WSAZ the body was found inside of a car outside of St. Mary’s Hospital.
Sheriff Zerkle said that two people drove this person to the hospital around 6:30 this morning.
The body is in the car outside the front entrance of the hospital.
The name of the person hasn’t been released.
The street in front of the hospital is closed as officers and deputies investigate the scene.
Sheriff Zerkle says the front entrance to the hospital is open.
Investigators are waiting on the medical examiner to remove the body. | 2022-05-03T13:46:07Z | www.wsaz.com | Body found outside of hospital | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/body-found-outside-hospital/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/body-found-outside-hospital/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The city of Charleston is making its largest investment to improve roads in more than 20 years.
A $6 million project was approved by City Council on Monday night. It will pave asphalt and concrete streets and replace sidewalk ramps across much of the city.
“The roads around Charleston have been pretty bad,” Joseph Belcher said. “Bumps and lumps, and especially on the back roads and everywhere.”
Belcher said he’s blown out tires driving on Bigley Avenue and was thrilled to hear the uneven road surface is set to be replaced in the coming months.
The city isn’t just focusing on the main roads as part of this investment. One of the largest areas being paved is Sugar Creek Drive, which is currently covered in potholes and patches.
“That’s all I hear up here is people talking about how bad the roads are,” Marshall Williams said. “Most people try to twist around and miss the holes.”
The patches that have been used to temporarily repair the road surface have even started crumbling into the creek, Williams said. He doesn’t like driving down his road with all of the bumps, but is hopeful this project will permanently fix the potholes.
CLICK HERE to see a list of the paving projects that will completed across Charleston as part of this investment.
Additionally, concrete street paving will be completed on Beacon Hill, East Donnally Road, Emerald Road, Glenridge Road, Lindy Road, Lower Donnally Road and Woodbridge Drive.
“A paved road? I won’t know how to act and this car won’t either,” Belcher said. “It’s going to be so much better.” | 2022-05-03T22:54:11Z | www.wsaz.com | Community excited for road improvement projects | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/community-excited-road-improvement-projects/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/community-excited-road-improvement-projects/ |
After a year and a half in the making, Thomas Memorial Hospital’s entirely automated lab is in use.
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - After a year and a half in the making, Thomas Memorial Hospital’s entirely automated lab is in use.
Director of Laboratory Service Tony Aluise has never seen anything like it in his 40-plus year health care career.
“This is the future of lab testing,” he said when describing the lab.
“Anytime there’s less time spent on the testing and the results are back in the physician’s hands, the patients can be treated quicker and more accurately.”
The motivation to complete the lab came during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Having COVID has created a situation where we have less technical people available to test patients and samples,” he said. “We went out and looked for to find the best automated system we could find so we didn’t have to have so many techs in the laboratory.”
Hundreds of lab tests can now be performed in about 15 minutes, including tests for high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.
Aluise said the lab’s design lessens the possibility of mistakes.
“Every sample will be tested exactly the same, there will be no tech interference or testing by the tech and therefore less possibility of human error,” he explained.
“The employees like this because it’s less technical work for them and they can rely on the testing procedure.”
He said the speed of results is the main benefit of the lab, benefiting everyone from employees to the patients themselves.
“Time is always of the essence, especially when you’re talking about patients going through the emergency room, the critical care areas,” he said. “Trying to get those results out faster is the name of the game.”
He said being able to put all types of patients towards recovery fits in with the hospital’s mission.
“Almost all patients have blood work done when they come to the hospital so every single patient will benefit from this, the testing we’re doing,” he said. “It requires less technical, it’s quicker, it uses less sample this is the best of anything.” | 2022-05-03T22:54:43Z | www.wsaz.com | ‘This is the future of lab testing’: Thomas Memorial Hospital opens automated lab | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/this-is-future-lab-testing-thomas-memorial-hospital-opens-automated-lab/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/this-is-future-lab-testing-thomas-memorial-hospital-opens-automated-lab/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - News that the U.S. Supreme Court may be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade spurred protests in Washington D.C., and served as a call to mobilize for pro-choice and pro-life forces alike in West Virginia.
The Supreme Court case centers on a Mississippi law that would ban abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy, but a leaked opinion Monday night shows a majority of the court may be ready to go much further by overturning Roe v. Wade, the ruling that legalized abortion.
The West Virginia House of Delegates advanced a similar bill this winter, but the measure ultimately died in the Senate.
“We didn’t expect it until summer, but here it is and we are gearing up to mobilize people to make sure that abortion does not become illegal,” said Margaret Chapman Pomponio, executive director of WV Free.
The leaked draft takes on special meaning in West Virginia -- where a law remains on the book that criminalizes abortion.
That means West Virginia is one of 22 states where a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could have immediate impact.
West Virginians For Life President Wanda Franz was part of the 1970s movement that helped keep that law on the books.
“Our position was that if there was ever an opportunity for us to go back to that law that it should stay there and be available,” she said. “So, indeed it has been and almost 50 years later we may see that it will spring back.”
Pomponio called the law draconian in that it was adopted from Virginia and pre-dates West Virginia’s founding.
The state’s only abortion provider -- Women’s Health Center of West Virginia -- said Tuesday that Roe v. Wade was only thing protecting access to abortion in West Virginia.
Pomponio believes there is an openness among lawmakers, even some Republicans, to at minimum decriminalize abortion should the leaked opinion become final.
“Just because this decision is in the pipeline, doesn’t mean that we can’t stop it from becoming the worst it can possibly be,” she said.
That’s why she called upon pro-choice advocates to call their representatives.
But Franz has the same message pro-life supporters, and it is the debate that she’s been longing for believing that Roe v. Wade took the question of abortion away from lawmakers.
“That isn’t the role of the judiciary,” Franz said. “I think we’re back on good constitutional footing here, and we’re able to begin to address that process, if in fact this is what the future brings.”
It remains unclear if Monday’s leak will expedite the court’s final opinion -- initially expected next month.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey issued a press release Tuesday saying it is premature to discuss potential implications.
“As West Virginians know, I’m strongly pro-life and have called for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade,” he wrote. “When the Supreme Court’s final opinion is published, we will weigh in more formally and work closely with the legislature to protect life in all stages as much as we legally can under the law.”
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the leak “an attack on the independence of the Supreme Court,” and “yet another escalation in the radical left’s ongoing campaign to bully and intimidate federal judges.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issued a statement saying in part, “If that leaked decision is ultimately the decision of the United States Supreme Court, it will result in a total ban in Kentucky.” | 2022-05-03T22:54:56Z | www.wsaz.com | W.Va. advocates weigh impact of abortion ruling | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/wva-advocates-weigh-impact-abortion-ruling/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/wva-advocates-weigh-impact-abortion-ruling/ |
By Sarah Sager
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – In January, we first reported about a man with dementia who went missing from Cabell Huntington Hospital.
In late February, Charles “Chuck” Carroll, 70, was found dead in an outbuilding just blocks away. Police say he was still wearing his hospital bracelet.
Since then, we’ve been looking into what could have been done to prevent Carroll’s disappearance and death -- and keep others who suffer from dementia and memory issues safe during hospital visits.
The hospital is testing a new procedure that might spare others the heartache Carroll’s family experienced after he walked out of Cabell Huntington Hospital on Dec. 30.
A brother, a friend and a decorated football player, Carroll was loved by many. In late March, more than 100 people -- many from the 1969 class of Ravenswood High -- celebrated his life and legacy.
“You know we all cried ... watched this on the news... And hoped he would be found,” a funeral attendee said.
Carroll was taken to Cabell Huntington Hospital by EMS from an assisted living facility. More than six weeks after he went missing, Carroll was found dead just blocks from where he was last seen -- still wearing his hospital bracelet.
“He was there alone -- in the cold -- and he was sick,” said Carroll’s niece Jacqui and his sister Brenda Lee.
Since Carroll was reported missing, WSAZ’s Sarah Sager has been calling and emailing police and the hospital, trying to get surveillance video police say showed him walking out of Cabell Huntington -- in hopes someone might have seen him.
Over the course of a month, we asked for the video nearly a dozen times but were told by police there was an encryption problem, then there was a passcode on the video, then further problems preventing the video from being sent.
So, we filed a Freedom of Information Act requesting the video.
But it wasn’t until the day after his body was found that WSAZ received the video. The 10 clips show about four hours of Carroll’s time in and around Cabell Huntington Hospital.
In all, seven of those video clips show Carroll coming into contact with someone at the hospital. But given many of those likely did not know his condition, he was able to eventually walk down Hal Greer Boulevard away from the hospital and out of frame. That’s the last known time Carroll was seen alive.
“I’m trying not to be angry,” said Brenda Lee, Carroll’s sister. “I feel like there’s so much injustice that’s been done to him. I feel helpless. I don’t know where to turn. I don’t know what I can do to make sure nobody has to go through this again.”
Since Carroll’s death, WSAZ has been looking into how the hospital and the state are working to prevent any other family from experiencing the pain his family has felt.
We asked the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources if the Office of Health Facilities and Licensures (OHFLAC) had staff at Cabell Huntington Hospital and if it was regarding patient safety after this incident.
WVDHHR officials told us they conducted a survey at the hospital, but the process can take several months.
As for Cabell Huntington Hospital, WSAZ obtained an internal newsletter from April 18 to Cabell Huntington Hospital workers, informing them of a new trial -- purple patient gowns to be worn by patients who are confused or at a high risk of elopement.
The newsletter states “if you see a patient in a purple gown wandering in the hallway, please assist them back to their room or contact security.”
So, we asked a spokesperson with the hospital to verify this information and for an interview about the new procedure.
They declined our request for an interview but responded in part saying, “We are trialing the gowns that we learned of from other hospitals around the country, as an additional measure to the procedures we follow.”
When we asked if the gowns were in response to Carroll’s disappearance, the spokesperson replied, “the trialing of gowns is in response to our ongoing performance improvement efforts.”
We asked at what point the patient receives the gown; they say that happens when the person is admitted.
So, we called Carroll’s sister to talk with her about this new measure.
“Alright, well that shows me that they’ve had some sort of a track record on things like that with other states that lets them know it works,” Brenda Lee said. “Had Chuck been wearing one of those gowns on the night he disappeared, this security guard passing Chuck just before he walked out of the hospital at 6:06 might have noticed and alerted someone. Or if Chuck was wearing the purple gown here at 8:17, this staff member who spoke with him in the atrium of the hospital might have recognized the potential for cognitive issues and walked him back to the ER. Or even when he’s walking through the parking lot or down the sidewalk, a passerby might have noticed Chuck and called 911 or security.”
Sarah Sager: Do you think the hospital would have taken this step on their own?
Brenda Lee: “I don’t think they would have. I think there was enough questions and people, including myself, investigating some of the things that went wrong. I can’t imagine if they hadn’t had people like yourself and our good friend Debbie. I’m not sure anybody would have gone the extra mile to even come up with the idea of the purple gowns.”
While Carroll’s sister believes the gowns are a start, she said more needs to be done to protect those who need it most.
“He should have never been alone at any point in time without the person who was in charge of him, regardless of who it might be, whether it be an EMT or someone from the facility he was staying in -- just someone,” Lee said.
We asked the American Hospital Association if they are aware of any other hospitals using a certain colored gown for patients who may be confused or at risk for wandering away. They say they have not heard of this practice, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening elsewhere. A spokesperson with the WVDHHR says the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services is not ready to release the report from the survey conducted at Cabell Huntington Hospital.
Sager also asked if any changes are being considered at the state level to protect patients at any hospital across the state, but we’re still waiting for a response.
For our previous coverage, see the stories below:
WSAZ Investigates | Seeking answers in case of man missing for weeks
WSAZ Investigates | Family of missing man whose body was found speaks out
WSAZ Investigates | Looking into timeline of man’s disappearance | 2022-05-04T00:25:58Z | www.wsaz.com | WSAZ Investigates | Hospital tests purple gowns | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/wsaz-investigates-hospital-tests-purple-gowns/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/03/wsaz-investigates-hospital-tests-purple-gowns/ |
OHIO (WSAZ) – Samantha Meadows on Tuesday night won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Congress District 2 in the Ohio primary, according to the Associated Press.
Meadows is from Portsmouth and went to Shawnee State University. She has been an EMT and worked with AmeriCorps.
Also running on the Democratic side was Alan Darnowski from Clermont County. He worked in information technology for Citibank and just got involved in politics after he retired. He has never held public office. | 2022-05-04T04:55:39Z | www.wsaz.com | Meadows wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House District 2 | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/meadows-wins-democratic-nomination-us-house-district-2/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/meadows-wins-democratic-nomination-us-house-district-2/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man from Huntington is charged with embezzling more than $20,500 cash from a restaurant where he worked, Cabell County Court records show.
George M. West, 51, of Huntington was employed from January to March of this year at the restaurant, located in Huntington.
The owner told investigators that West was responsible for making cash deposits for the business. The owner said West embezzled large amounts of cash from daily sales before making the deposits.
West in not a current inmate in the West Virginia Regional Jail system, according to its website. | 2022-05-04T21:45:43Z | www.wsaz.com | Restaurant employee accused of embezzling more than $20,500 | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/restaurant-employee-accused-embezzling-more-than-20500/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/restaurant-employee-accused-embezzling-more-than-20500/ |
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) - On Tuesday, voters in Portsmouth passed a tax levy that will generate revenue to repair city streets. It is a 1.5 mill increase for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. It amounts to 15 cents for each $100 of tax valuation annually.
City engineer Nathan Prosch conducted a study of all city streets. He has scored each street according to its current condition.
“Green is good condition, then it does down to yellow which is fair, orange is poor and the dark red is very poor,” Prosch said. “There are cracks, longitudinal and transverse cracks, potholes and patching.”
After the levy passed with 56% of the vote, the city will generate more than $350,000 per year for the next five years. All of that money will be allocating to projects to repair roadways. Prosch says they will prioritize preventative maintenance before repairing roads in very poor condition. He says the high cost of milling and filling is something they want to avoid, and if they can prevent decent roads from falling into worse shape, it will save money long term.
“We can’t keep up with that. So we’re going to do some more preventative maintenance to keep the more decent roads good,” Prosch said.
Before the levy passed, Prosch estimated that it would take 37 years to fix all city streets with the previous budget. The tax increase will cut that time in half, but he knows there is a lot of work ahead.
“Really, any concrete road we have is in pretty bad shape just because that concrete is 60 to 70 years old,” Prosch said. “They spoke up, and they are tired of bad roads.” | 2022-05-05T00:51:31Z | www.wsaz.com | Portsmouth voters pass tax levy for road repairs | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/portsmouth-voters-pass-tax-levy-road-repairs/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/portsmouth-voters-pass-tax-levy-road-repairs/ |
GALLIA COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - As neighbors in the Greenfield Township area of Gallia County pick up the pieces of a beloved church that burned down, concern sparks as they have learned nearly a dozen fires happened in and around this area during the last few weeks, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Investigators say a majority are a result of arson.
“I just can’t understand why someone would set fires, I just don’t understand that, Jackie Lewis said.
As investigators work to figure out who is responsible for all these fires, they’re asking for your help.
According to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, up to $5,000 is on the table for anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for any of the fires connected to a cabin fire, which investigators determined to be arson.
Investigators say the cabin caught fire on April 23. It sits along Dry Ridge Road in Patriot, Ohio.
The Blue Ribbon Arson Committee is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for any fire connected to this cabin fire. Anyone with information can call the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office at 800-589-2728. | 2022-05-05T00:51:43Z | www.wsaz.com | Reward offered in Gallia County arson investigation | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/reward-offered-gallia-county-arson-investigation/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/04/reward-offered-gallia-county-arson-investigation/ |
SISSONVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A Sissonville man said he has spent years trying to get the West Virginia Division of Highways to work on Derricks Creek Road.
Despite this effort, Michael King said nothing is getting done and described it as a broken jigsaw puzzle.
“It’s very treacherous,” King said. “You drive in one lane to miss the potholes, and there’s a dip and slip in the other lane, and then you got to dodge traffic. So either way you look at it, it’s kind of dangerous.”
King said he’s done just about everything he can think of to try and get somebody to fix the road and has made countless phone calls.
“Probably 50 to 100 times, I would say,” King said.
After nearly four years of reaching out to the Division of Highways, King said he’s had just about enough and is really frustrated that work hasn’t been done on the road. This even comes after they left him a voicemail saying that people would be out Wednesday to work on the road.
“Division of Highways calling for Mr. King,” the voicemail said. “I had a message I think from yesterday, wondering when work be done on Derricks Creek. And we stated on the daily road report that crews should be out there today.”
King said crews didn’t make it out.
So we tried reaching out to see if we could find out if and when Derricks Creek Road will be worked on. So far, we haven’t heard back. | 2022-05-05T03:54:09Z | www.wsaz.com | Man frustrated with state of crumbling road | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/man-frustrated-with-state-crumbling-road/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/man-frustrated-with-state-crumbling-road/ |
Man accused of shooting officer arraigned on outstanding child pornography charges
FLATWOODS, Ky. (WSAZ) - A man accused of shooting a Flatwoods Police officer was arraigned on outstanding warrants Thursday.
Jonathan Smithers, 42, of Catlettsburg pleaded not guilty to possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and promotion of sex performance by a minor under 16 years of age.
Officials say those outstanding warrants were from the Ashland Police Department.
A pretrial date was set for June 16.
Smithers is in the Boyd County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond.
“We went ahead and lodged him in the Boyd County Jail, so that gives us more time for thorough investigation, and we can get more warrants on him for an attempted murder on a police officer,” KSP Trooper Shane Goodall said. “It’s also for his safety to put it in Boyd County, where he injured a Greenup County officer, we put him in a Greenup County Jail. Some of the inmates there may put him at risk of getting injured.”
Greenup County Attorney Mike Wilson says more charges are likely to come in connection to the shooting that injured Flatwoods officer Tommy Robinson
Wednesday, Kentucky State Police, along with other assisting agencies, combed Flatwoods in search of evidence in connection to the shooting of Officer Robinson.
Police search for evidence after officer was shot in the neck
Agencies tell WSAZ.com some evidence was recovered.
Officer Robinson was shot Monday morning around 2:30 in the 100 block of East Street in Flatwoods.
Kentucky State Police say the Flatwoods Police Department officer was responding to a 911 call of a suspicious person at the time of the shooting.
A few hours after the shooting, Smithers was arrested after he was spotted by a Kentucky State Trooper near a Dollar General store.
Trooper Shane Goodall with Kentucky State Police tells WSAZ.com that officer Robinson had a second surgery to clean the wound but is listed as stable. He also says officer Robinson has been taken off the ventilator.
For more previous coverage of this investigation >>> CLICK HERE. | 2022-05-05T16:05:16Z | www.wsaz.com | Man accused of shooting officer arraigned on outstanding child pornography charges | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/man-accused-shooting-officer-arraigned-outstanding-child-pornography-charges/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/man-accused-shooting-officer-arraigned-outstanding-child-pornography-charges/ |
The Nitro-St. Albans Bridge is closed Thursday afternoon, officials say.(WV 511)
NITRO, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The Nitro-St. Albans Bridge is shut down in both direction Thursday.
According to Joe Stevens with the City of Nitro, all lanes of I-64 have been closed by law enforcement at this time.
Further details have not been released at this time. | 2022-05-05T17:36:18Z | www.wsaz.com | Nitro-St. Albans Bridge shut down in both directions | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/nitro-st-albans-bridge-shut-down-both-directions/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/nitro-st-albans-bridge-shut-down-both-directions/ |
Mission West Virginia is leading a statewide effort to promote positive futures for all kids in West Virginia. They provide support for those interested in foster care or kinship care to understand the system, find a placement agency, and prepare to make a meaningful difference in the life of a child.
The ‘Walk With Me’ event is Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m. at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston. | 2022-05-05T19:07:37Z | www.wsaz.com | National Foster Care Month | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/national-foster-care-month/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/national-foster-care-month/ |
A person was hit and killed by a train near U.S. 60 in Barboursville.(WSAZ/Andrew Colegrove)
BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A person was hit and killed Thursday afternoon by a train near U.S. 60, Cabell County dispatchers said.
The incident happened around 2 p.m. in the vicinity of Taco Bell.
Among agencies at the scene is the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
Other details are unavailable, but we have a crew at the scene. | 2022-05-05T20:39:52Z | www.wsaz.com | Person hit and killed by train | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/person-hit-killed-by-train/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/person-hit-killed-by-train/ |
DUNLOW, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The COVID-19 pandemic saw a rise in people facing first-time hunger, and with many people heading back to work, many are getting their needs met.
However, in Wayne County, data from Facing Hunger Foodbank shows 17% of residents are facing food insecurity.
Cars lined the streets near the Dunlow Community Center Thursday, in hopes to fill their homes with fresh food and basic needs.
The organization supplied fresh fruit, meat and milk, while the Cabwaylingo Food Pantry supplied small appliances, diapers and other services.
“It’s been very hard to try to keep up with the costs of the gas and simple household needs like laundry detergent and everything,” said Bernice Cassady, who showed up for the distribution.
“Milk and eggs, Lord it’s even hard to afford that anymore.”
Cassady’s husband lost his job during the pandemic and is still looking for work.
Inflation has shown more problems for the couple and their five children.
“It’s really hard in this area to find a job even at a simple restaurant at McDonald’s or anything because there are so many people needing jobs,” she said.
“If you want a decent job you have to go an hour away just for a normal job.”
Cassady’s story is not unique to those who help at the distribution.
“The need is huge,” said Bill Likens of First Presbyterian Church.
“There are so many people still hurting. People talk all the time about their electric bills going up; this is just something to help supplement,” Likens said.
Likens, who grew up nearby, said he also experienced hunger as a kid.
“It’s real humbling.”
Lee Young, who has been a truck driver with Facing Hunger for four years, says the need is not anything new to the organization.
“It really shouldn’t have to be this way and it is, unfortunately, and Facing Hunger and our team just try to make it easier to let these people eat something,” he said. “In the rural area of West Virginia, jobs are really hard to come by and not everyone will be lucky to get a job and the ones unable to find a job will come here for assistance and it makes it easier for them to not worry about today.”
A relief Cassady said makes all the difference.
“It’s a little bit of gas money for me, but it’s definitely worth it most of the time because it helps with simple necessities most of the time.”
The next distribution is May 26.
Those interested in volunteering for Facing Hunger can call 304-523-6029. | 2022-05-05T23:41:27Z | www.wsaz.com | Dunlow food distribution feeds hundreds | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/dunlow-food-distribution-feeds-hundreds/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/dunlow-food-distribution-feeds-hundreds/ |
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) - A proposal in Portsmouth has sparked a citywide discussion about addiction treatment and recovery facilities. It was first introduced by Mayor Sean Dunne in April, and aims at establishing a mandatory standard of care for residents of those facilities.
In April, administrators at The Counseling Center expressed their support for the proposal. However, not all facilities are in favor of it.
“Our position is that we want to be a good neighbor to the city of Portsmouth,” said Jay Hash.
Hash is the CEO of Hopesource in Portsmouth. His organization provides mental health and addiction treatment services at multiple facilities around the city. After reading through the proposal, Hash was not a fan.
“This is going to create a department in the government and levy fees against facilities that are already doing a great job,” said Hash.
The proposal requires organizations like Hopesource to register with the city annually, charging $10,000 per facility and $250 per bed. Hopesource operates six facilities and Hash says that will be a huge chunk of change that he would rather spent on resources for his clients.
“That’s going to harm us, harm our position, and harm our ability to help the citizens of Portsmouth and Scioto County, which is our main priority,” Hash said.
Mayor Dunne hosted a public hearing in regards to the proposal on April 30th. Dunne says he is open to all opinions and welcomes input from the community.
In a statement sent to WSAZ on Thursday, Dunne says:
“As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I’d be happy to adjust the fee to be a percentage of gross income. In the current situation, city government should establish standards of care due to the inaction of state government and to protect a vulnerable population.”
However, Hash does not believe it is the city government’s place to decide what kind of care is adequate and acceptable.
“There are other places where it absolutely is there job to do that, such as the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the local Alcohol Drug and Mental Health Services Board, the Department of Medicaid, Council of Social Worker and Marriage Therapy Board, and the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board,” Hash said. | 2022-05-05T23:41:39Z | www.wsaz.com | Hopesource CEO discusses proposal for standard of addiction recovery care | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/hopesource-ceo-discusses-proposal-standard-care/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/hopesource-ceo-discusses-proposal-standard-care/ |
RUSH, Ky. (WSAZ) - A small, typically quiet town in eastern Kentucky is now anything but, according to those who live in the area.
“They think this whole area is just their playground, and it’s not. We live here,” said Shawna McCown who lives in Rush, Kentucky.
McCown has lived in Rush her whole life and says for years it was always peaceful.
“You could sit out on the front porch and have conversations with your loved ones, and you could drive down the roads without having to worry about things being in your way, and you could sleep at night,” she said.
McCown says the peace ended when Rush Off-Road opened near her property.
For 10 years, Rush Off-Road, an ATV park with more than 7,000 acres and more than 100 miles of trails, located in Boyd and Carter counties has drawn large crowds and brings tourism dollars into the county. Community members say the problems it brings, can outweigh the good.
“As it grew, and popularity grew as word got around about how fun it was out here, but now it’s out of control,” McCown said.
While the hours on Rush Off-Road’s website states the trails close at 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 12:01 a.m. on the weekends, McCown says the riding never stops.
The sounds can be heard on her property all through the night, so she started taking videos with her cell phone and gave WSAZ those videos.
She showed us videos, where you can hear ATVs and their revving engines from midnight until past 4 a.m.
“I’m literally bolted up in the middle of the night by them revving their engines, and my heart feels like it’s going to pop out of my chest,” McCown said. “I think are we getting bombed or what? It’s ruining lives to put it blankly. It is literally ruining our way of life out here.”
After speaking with McCown, WSAZ started digging and found Boyd County has a noise ordinance on the books. It states that noise should cease Monday through Thursday from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. and Friday through Monday from 12:01 a.m. until 6 a.m.
WSAZ went to Boyd County Sheriff Bobby Jack Woods to see what could be done.
The sheriff says complaints related to the ATV park are nothing new. In years past, he says they would receive calls about traffic control and ATVs driving on the main roads, which according to Kentucky law is illegal.
In recent weeks, Sheriff Woods says the calls have shifted to primarily noise complaints.
Ahead of Rush Off-Road’s anniversary bash weekend, which draws thousands of riders, the sheriff says he met with Rush Off-Road owner E.B. Lowman about the concerns.
“People have to follow the rules, and people can’t come in here and get on an ATV and ride at 4 o’clock in the morning. It’s just not going to happen. We’re going to stop it,” said Sheriff Woods.
The problems, however, did not stop. So WSAZ sat down with the sheriff after the anniversary weekend. He said in a matter of four nights, the department received about 50 complaint calls for noise and ATVs driving on the roads. He says this is the most calls related to the park his department has received in that timeframe.
“I was just shocked how many people called me personally with complaints. People I’ve known my whole life that had never called the sheriff’s department about anything, but they called me and wanted me to know there’s just utter chaos going on out here,” said Sheriff Woods.
He says deputies wrote about 35 citations during the weekend, but one of those deputies was hurt in the process.
The sheriff says the deputy was dragged by an ATV after stopping the driver on the road.
“He starts to drive off, and he grabs the guy and of course the guy is seat belted in and when he does he kind of gets caught up in the bar and the guy drags him 100 150 feet,” said Sheriff Woods. “Tore his pants off from the knees down, drug his pants off, drug his shoes off, drug his gun belt off, and there is no excuse for that and I am not going to tolerate that.”
The deputy was OK, but they have not been able to track down the man responsible.
WSAZ spoke with Rush Off-Road owner E.B. Lowman at the beginning of the anniversary weekend event and discussed some of the noise concerns with him.
“We are proactive and try to address it the best we can. We don’t race during the night hours. It’s all during the day,” he said.
After a deputy ended up injured and all the complaint calls, WSAZ went back to speak with Lowman about the issues neighbors say are only getting worse.
We played him a video that was sent to us of riders, riding at 2:42 a.m. and asked him how he would feel hearing the noise that early in the morning.
“I would want somebody to help me address it which is what we intend to do,” Lowman said.
WSAZ asked Lowman if he feels responsible for everything that is happening, including the citations for DUIs and disorderly conduct.
“I don’t know does anyone in our park condone driving under the influence and nor will we ever,” Lowman said. “To answer your question, no I do not feel responsible, because that is not indicative of our riders. I think it’s outliers and if someone is driving under the influence they should be dealt with appropriately.”
WSAZ asked if he feels he has gotten over his head for the amount of people that come to the park.
“I think they were a lot of calls this weekend, which was new to us and we will address accordingly,” Lowman said. “Overall, this weekend was very positive. We had people from all over the continental United States, we had people from Mexico this weekend, and I think when people are coming to our area to enjoy themselves for vacation it’s a win for all of us.”
We asked Lowman what his message would be to people who are frustrated with the noise.
“We are writing a plan with the sheriff and the county, and we have every intention of addressing them and hope to right the ship,” Lowman said.
McCown says she does not have any problems with an ATV park being in her area, but she just wants the rules and regulations followed.
“I would be happy to hear those noises if I knew it was going to stop at a reasonable hour and I didn’t have to hear it all night long,” she said. “Instead I hear it, and I’m like here’s another sleepless night that’s coming. I understand why people love it. I get it, and I want people to be able to enjoy it, but you can’t keep going like this and acting like we’re not here. We matter too.”
Both the Boyd County Sheriff and Judge Executive Eric Chaney say the plan Lowman was referring to includes being more aggressive with enforcing the noise ordinance on his end and the county stepping up its enforcement, as well.
Lowman told WSAZ that in the past when community members complained, he moved trails away from other people’s property and put up fences.
Sheriff Woods also says Lowman is aware if the problems are not addressed, the county could pursue legal action against him.
Part of the park is in Carter County, which does not have a noise ordinance. WSAZ spoke with the Carter County Judge Executive Mike Malone, who says he has not heard of any noise complaints coming to his office.
He says if he received reoccurring complaints, he’d have the county attorney look into it, but does not want to put any ordinances into effect beyond what is necessary. | 2022-05-05T23:42:11Z | www.wsaz.com | WSAZ Investigates | All Terrain at all Hours | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/wsaz-investigates-all-terrain-all-hours/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/05/wsaz-investigates-all-terrain-all-hours/ |
SISSONVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) - As many have experienced, driving through high water can be incredibly dangerous.
The Sissonville Volunteer Fire Department told us high water has been an issue across the area all day and stress that people should not drive through it because, worst case scenario, your car could get stuck like Cohen Powell’s.
“I was driving through all the water and I was trying to brake,” he said. “And my car wouldn’t stop. And there was a ditch that it was in the water and I’d gotten stuck. Car was flooding and everything turned off.”
Powell said he drove across Sissonville Drive earlier in the day without any problems. So, he didn’t expect the water to be so deep.
Luckily for Powell, a man following behind him in a large silver truck with a metal chain was able to help him out.
“If he wasn’t there, it would have been a lot more stressful,” Powell said. “I would have had to get other people I don’t know ... I’m so thankful that he was there.”
While the car’s front bumper is banged up and there’s some water on the inside, the vehicle started back up after a few attempts.
Powell said he’s not planning on driving through anything like that again. | 2022-05-07T00:02:58Z | www.wsaz.com | Car stuck in high water pulled out by good Samaritan | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/06/car-stuck-high-water-pulled-out-by-good-samaritan/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/06/car-stuck-high-water-pulled-out-by-good-samaritan/ |
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Kanawha County saw less serious flooding during Friday’s severe weather than much of the region, but that did not lessen the risks for residents.
County Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman said he expected the Sissonville area to see some of the worst flooding in the immediate area.
Emergency crews performed several rescue operations in Sissonville.
Water on Sissonville Road rose to about 2 feet high, leaving WSAZ crews stuck between two high water points.
Sigman said that is the type of situation to not risk crossing the water.
“The potential is there, we need to take it seriously, not drive through high waters. We need to be prepared in case we have flooding around us,” he said. “In case we need to take hiding for several hours and we need to pay attention in the event of severe storms in case we need to take immediate action.”
Sigman said the same measures should be taken throughout the weekend.
“The best thing people to do is pay attention to the weather.”
He suggested having an emergency preparedness kit.
“Be sure to be able to sustain yourself for at least three days,” Sigman said. “We have an emergency generator and really recommend that for power outages. If you do have a portable generator, make sure it’s gassed out but leave it away from your house, not close to any doors or windows open. That way, you don’t get carbon monoxide poisoning inside.” | 2022-05-07T00:03:14Z | www.wsaz.com | Kanawha Co. Emergency Management emphasizes not driving through floodwaters | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/06/kanawha-co-emergency-management-emphasizes-not-driving-through-floodwaters/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/06/kanawha-co-emergency-management-emphasizes-not-driving-through-floodwaters/ |
Jocelyn Smith says flash floods took over her house along Fountain Place in the Enslow Park area of Huntington on Friday morning.(Jim Backus/WSAZ)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Flood cleanup efforts are underway after flash floods swept up neighborhoods all over Cabell County.
One of the areas devastated by the flooding is Enslow Park due to waters from Four Pole Creek rushing into people’s homes.
Jocelyn Smith says flash floods took over her house along Fountain Place in the Enslow Park area of Huntington on Friday morning.
“Within 15 minutes, the whole house was flooded,” Smith said.
She’s a single mom trying to make ends meet, working in an early-intervention program for children.
She says she first noticed the water coming up through the vent in her 10-year old daughter’s room.
“I was just trying to grab anything I could,” Smith said. “Throw stuff up as high as I could and just grab clothes to figure out how I was going to get out.”
She called 911and they told her to seek higher ground to her attic and await crews who were making their rounds on boats.
The waters from Four Pole Creek overtook the fences in her backyard and most of her home.
Now, she’s left to spend the rest of the weekend cleaning up the mess left behind.
Smith has been renting this place for about a year, but doesn’t have renter’s insurance.
<Jocelyn Smith/Impacted by Floods>
“I’m just going to try to salvage what we can and I don’t even know my next steps,” Smith told WSAZ “I’m just trying to get through cleaning everything up and seeing what we can do and going from there.”
The City of Huntington says they are strongly encouraging residents who have been affected by the flooding to document the damage with pictures, videos, and to save all receipts from any flood-recovery purchases.
They say you should also try to get serial numbers from damaged items if possible as that information will be important in the days to come. | 2022-05-07T18:10:35Z | www.wsaz.com | Single mom loses everything in flood | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/single-mom-loses-everything-flood/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/single-mom-loses-everything-flood/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Gov. Jim Justice has declared a State of Emergency for Cabell, Putnam, and Roane counties due to heavy rainfall Friday that caused significant local flooding.
A severe rainstorm caused flooding, power outages, and road blockages across all three counties.
Further severe rainstorms are expected in the coming days.
The Governor authorized the West Virginia Division of Emergency Management to support local counties and to use all State resources necessary.
The State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating with officials in the declaration area to determine their needs.
The State of Emergency will remain in effect for thirty days unless terminated by subsequent Proclamation.
The Governor’s State of Preparedness for all 55 counties, which he declared Friday, remains in effect.
Recovering from a disaster is usually a gradual process. Safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. If assistance is available, knowing how to access it makes the process faster and less stressful.
Make sure to document all your damages – before you clean up, take photos and make a list.
Save all your receipts for post-damage repair and clean up.
If you have insurance and damages, you must file a claim with your insurance company.
Here is a link to some information for those recovering from a disaster.
This is a link to the West Virginia Emergency Management Division preliminary damage information. | 2022-05-07T21:21:45Z | www.wsaz.com | Governor Justice declares State of Emergency for three counties impacted by flooding | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/governor-justice-declares-state-emergency-three-counties-impacted-by-flooding/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/governor-justice-declares-state-emergency-three-counties-impacted-by-flooding/ |
Game two with Pirates starts at 6:40
CINCINNATI -- — Pittsburgh emergency catcher Josh VanMeter had a rough time in his first try behind the plate since he was a teenager, and the Cincinnati Reds took advantage to end a nine-game losing streak, beating the Pirates 9-2 Saturday in the opener of a doubleheader.
Stephenson followed by hitting a line drive down the right field line that eluded a diving Ben Gamel and rolled to the wall for two runs. It was Stephenson’s third hit of the day and gave him a career-high four RBI. | 2022-05-07T22:36:04Z | www.wsaz.com | Reds win finally | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/reds-win-finally/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/reds-win-finally/ |
Horse with longest odds wins the 2022 Kentucky Derby
((AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WSAZ) - When the horses took to the gate just after 7 p.m. Saturday night, the horse with the longest odds was Rich Strike. Just over two minutes later, the same horse crossed the line first to win the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike was an 80-1 favorite to win the first race of the Triple Crown. Pre-race favorite Epicenter finished second while Zandon was third.
The next race of the Triple Crown is two weeks from today at the Preakness and you can see the race on WSAZ. This story will be updated. | 2022-05-08T00:24:51Z | www.wsaz.com | Shocker in Louisville | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/shocker-louisville/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/07/shocker-louisville/ |
Troopers located the victim inside the Lodge, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.(wsaz)
LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - One man has been arrested and charged in the shooting of another Sunday in Chapmanville.
According to West Virginia State Police just before 1:45 a.m. Trooper R.L. Morgan and Trooper E.H. Bennett responded to a shooting at the Chief Logan Lodge.
Troopers located the victim inside the lodge, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The victim, 21 year old Tyler Topping, of Jefferson City, Tennessee was transported to Logan Regional Medical Center and then to CMAC for treatment.
The suspect, 19 year old Christopher Mullins of Chapmanville, WV was identified and located at the scene of a single vehicle accident at a separate location.
Christopher Mullins was transported to Logan Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained in the vehicle crash, and subsequently arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding, Wanton Endangerment and Use of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.
Christopher Mullins was then transported and housed at Southwestern Regional Jail. This investigation is active and ongoing. | 2022-05-09T00:58:57Z | www.wsaz.com | Man arrested in early morning shooting | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/man-arrested-shooting/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/man-arrested-shooting/ |
CHALRESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – After nearly two years of renovation, the new and improved Kanawha-Charleston Public Library has opened.
The upgraded building offers 20,000 square feet of new space, an Idea Lab, a Tool Library, a Café, a Sky Bridge, public meeting spaces, and much more.
The Main Library has been closed since the start of the Reimagine Your Library renovation project in March 2020.
However, Library Director Erika Connelly said the remodel is a 25-year labor of love.
Through their idea lab, everyone will have the chance to use things like augmented reality machines, button makers, an audio-video recording booth, 3D printers, sewing machines and more.
It’s also the home of the only tool library in West Virginia.
“There are just tons of tools in there that you may not need more than one or two times for home improvement projects,” Connelly said. “So, we hope that you would come in and just sort of borrow those.”
The library also has a café inside and a drive-thru to drop off and pick things up.
The renovation cost $32 million.
EXCLUSIVE | A look inside the Kanawha-Charleston Public Library | 2022-05-09T14:58:30Z | www.wsaz.com | Grand opening of renovated Kanawha-Charleston Public Library | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/grand-opening-renovated-kanawha-charleston-public-library/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/grand-opening-renovated-kanawha-charleston-public-library/ |
BRAXTON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - West Virginia State Police are investigating the death of a teenager after a body was found on a road.
The body was found on Wednesday May 4, 2022.
Police say Braxton County 911 received a call about a body on Salt Lick Road in Braxton County.
When police got the scene they found the body of a male that was not initially identified.
The body was later identified as 18-year-old Isaac Kevin James Canterbury from the St. Albans, West Virginia area.
Police say the Sutton detachment has developed a person of interest. State police are also working to collect and process evidence left at the scene and other locations.
The investigation is on-going. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sutton Detachment of the West Virginia State Police at (304) 765-2101. | 2022-05-09T16:29:59Z | www.wsaz.com | State police investigate teen death | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/state-police-investigate-teen-death/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/state-police-investigate-teen-death/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Appalachian Power recently submitted a petition to the Public Service Commission for a Vegetation Management Program (VMP) surcharge.
The Company is requesting a VMP surcharge of $69.7 million, a 19 percent or $16.3 million decrease from the current VMP rate.
For the average residential customer using 1,000 kilowatts, the VMP reduction would result in a savings of about $2 a month over current bills.
The VMP surcharge request comes just a few days after Appalachian Power requested a $297 million increase in rates as part of the Expanded Net Energy Cost (ENEC) Surcharge. The ENEC increase, if approved, will add $18.41 to an average residential customer’s bill per month beginning September 1, 2022.
Kanawha County Commission President W. Kent Carper stated, “This is just another bait and switch by the Power Company. They announce a grand plan to save customers $2 a month, but at the same time, they are seeking a mind-boggling $297 million surcharge that will increase bills $20 a month or more.” Commission President Kent Carper continued, “What will we get for the $2 a month in savings? We will have more power outages and less reliable service. With this request, Appalachian Power has reached a new low.”
Commissioner Ben Salango added, “Bottom line – Appalachian Power’s bills are unaffordable for thousands of West Virginians. It is past time for the Public Service Commission to take decisive action and finally put a stop to the Company’s skyrocketing rates.”
Commissioner Lance Wheeler commented, “Recurring power outages are a serious problem for several residents in Kanawha County. Instead of letting the Company cut back on its tree-trimming program, the Public Service Commission should reject the Appalachian Power’s request for a $297 million fuel surcharge.”
Man wanted in connection with Charleston shooting turns himself in | 2022-05-09T21:04:00Z | www.wsaz.com | Kanawha County Commission objects to Appalachian Power’s $69.7 million surcharge | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/kanawha-county-commission-objects-appalachian-powers-697-million-surcharge/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/kanawha-county-commission-objects-appalachian-powers-697-million-surcharge/ |
This is a generic photo of a set of train tracks. (Source: Pexels/stock image)((Source: Pexels/stock image))
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man who was struck Sunday by a train in Huntington is recovering in the hospital, Huntington Police said.
The incident happened Sunday afternoon near the First Street underpass and involved a 39-year-old man whose condition was listed as stable Monday.
Police say the victim was attempting to pick up personal belonging that fell on the train tracks and ignored the horn of the approaching train, as well as a witness’s warnings. Officers say the incident was reported around 2:50 p.m.
The train was headed east at the time. | 2022-05-09T22:18:01Z | www.wsaz.com | Man hospitalized after being hit by train | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/man-hospitalized-after-being-hit-by-train/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/man-hospitalized-after-being-hit-by-train/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Floodwaters are still coming in Enslow Park Presbyterian Church after Friday’s flood, which left nine adults and 20 children stranded inside the building.
“The church was basically an island. You couldn’t get to it other than with a boat of some sort,” said Pastor John Yeager.
The basement of the church is no stranger to water, which is why the church has a drainage system in place with nine sump pumps. It was installed after a big flood in the 1990s.
“Under a normal situation, this system works well but we think this was about a 100-year flood event so the system wasn’t designed for that,” Yeager said.
The basement quickly filled with several inches of water, and three days later, water is still covering the floors of the newly renovated basement.
“It came in above the windows, so the water height outside was higher than those windows, and it came down along the walls,” Yeager said. “It’s been quite a dynamic situation from minute to minute.”
The water is still coming in at the bottom of one wall, as they try to rework the system to pump more water out.
“As I’m talking, I can see finally it’s looking like things are going to be OK and back to normal pretty soon,” Yeager said.
Office Manager Jeannie Evans was at the church Friday as the waters rose.
“This was a once in a lifetime, I think, event -- just something that you can’t anticipate,” she said.
She was trapped with eight teachers from the preschool and 20 children.
“The water was close enough to the office that we had ducks swimming outside the office window, which the preschool children seemed to enjoy,” Evans said.
She watched, along with the other teachers, as water filled the parking lot.
“We were standing at the back watching all of our cars fill up with water,” she said.
Nine cars were totaled, with mud and water coming up onto the seats of the cars.
“He said there’s probably 1,000 pounds of water and mud still in here. It’s heavy because you could see how low the car was sitting to the ground,” Evans said.
Evans says no one was hurt, and it’s all just material things lost that can be replaced.
“All we could say is only by the grace of God we’re safe,” Evans said. | 2022-05-09T23:49:21Z | www.wsaz.com | Enslow Park Presbyterian Church cleaning up flood damage; 9 cars totaled in parking lot | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/enslow-park-presbyterian-church-cleaning-up-flood-damage-9-cars-totaled-parking-lot/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/enslow-park-presbyterian-church-cleaning-up-flood-damage-9-cars-totaled-parking-lot/ |
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - The dust has settled after an intense day of primary elections in Ohio. In Lawrence County, Ohio, citizens had their eyes on the county commission race. Mike Finley came out on top, taking home 33% of the vote.
“Definitely humbling to find out that there are so many people who are your constituents that you really didn’t know that were,” said Finley.
A few days after taking home the victory to become the Republican nominee, he celebrated with some of his supporters at breakfast.
“It was also very surreal to find that you’ve got a new job to do,” said Finley with a chuckle.
It is a job that Finley believes he is fit for and is of the utmost importance. He already has a few things on his mind that he’d like to accomplish.
“The jail is one of our many things that needs to be done. We also have water issues in the county that need to be addressed. There are actually people in Lawrence County that don’t have running water.”
He also has his eyes on the EMS stations in Lawrence County.
“I’d like to see them all fully staffed and make sure we can operate them within our budget. The budget is a concern,” Finley said.
Without a Democratic nominee on the November ballot, Finley will be running unopposed. His election to the Lawrence County commission is inevitable, and he looks forward to being sworn in. Finley says he wants to accessible to his constituents and hopes they will be forthcoming with their concerns.
“If you need to talk to somebody, you can call me,” Finley said. “I’m going to have certain hours that I’m going to be at the courthouse. I plan to be there, so if you want to come in and talk, just come in and say ‘Hey I have this problem.’ Hopefully we can all work together and make Lawrence County a better place.” | 2022-05-09T23:49:22Z | www.wsaz.com | Finley to run unopposed in general election; in line to be next Lawrence County commissioner | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/finley-run-unopposed-general-election-line-be-next-lawrence-county-commissioner/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/finley-run-unopposed-general-election-line-be-next-lawrence-county-commissioner/ |
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Camp Lejeune honored four Marines Monday morning who died in a helicopter crash during a training exercise back in March.
Captain Matthew Tomkiewicz, Captain Ross Reynolds, Gunnery Sergeant James Speedy, and Corporal Jacob Moore were all stationed at New River.
The memorial ceremony started at 10:00 am at the Camp Lejeune Theater.
Officers WITN spoke with leading up to the ceremony said it would be a very sensitive and somber occasion because of the loss, and also because of tight bonds among members of the squadron.
Lt. Col. Travis Stephenson, the squadron’s commanding officer, reflected on the service and spoke about how much the squadron has grown together through the shared grief of the losses.
“It was a bittersweet time for us here today to share in each other’s grief and sorrow alongside one another... [to] come together like never before, like the family that we are,” Stephenson said. “But the conditions in Norway, the people that we support there, there’s just no replacement for working hand-in-hand with the folks we did over there.”
Stephenson explained the intensity of the training the Marines were involved in when the accident occurred.
“We take every flight that we do seriously, whether it’s on a training mission, deployment exercise, we train like we fight, and we do it the same way no matter where we happen to be.”
Lt. Col. Travis Stephenson, VMM-261 commanding officer
Another member of the squadron said the brotherly bond between him and Tomkiewicz was so strong he made a trip all the way to Indiana to be present at his funeral.
Rifles were mounted with flag stands on stage at the ceremony along with helmets and boots, designed to show honor and respect to the fallen. | 2022-05-10T01:20:41Z | www.wsaz.com | ‘It was a bittersweet time’: Fallen Marines honored at Camp Lejeune | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/it-was-bittersweet-time-fallen-marines-honored-camp-lejeune/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/09/it-was-bittersweet-time-fallen-marines-honored-camp-lejeune/ |
It leaves commissioners heading back to the drawing table after what they say was the closest the county has ever been to getting a new jail.(WSAZ/Andrew Colegrove)
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- It’s been a week since the Ohio primary.
One of the biggest defeats in Lawrence County was a sales tax increase proposal that would have funded a new jail facility.
The county had received a $16.8 million grant from the state to build the jail, and officials say the sales tax increase would have funded the jail’s operations and paid the salaries of the employees.
But with voters in Lawrence County voting down the sales tax increase, the future of a new jail, which the county desperately needs, now hangs in the balance.
It leaves commissioners heading back to the drawing table after what they say was the closest the county has ever been to getting a new jail.
Officials say the increase would have brought around $3 million every year to fund operations.
Commissioners say the majority of their funding comes from sales tax, and they felt that a half-a-percent sales tax increase, which amounts to half a penny for every dollar spent in the county, was the fairest way to secure the funding to run the jail.
“This is a sales tax issue which allows everyone to share in that responsibility,” said Lawrence County Commissioner DeAnna Holliday. “For me, the best part of it was the fact that our neighbors across the bridges were able to contribute to this as well.”
The future of a 200-bed jail facility is now up in the air, leaving the commission taking a hard look at what’s next.
They could put the issue back on the ballot in November, and while that’s not out of the question, they also recognize how the issue failed by an overwhelming majority.
WSAZ’s Shannon Litton asked Commissioner Holliday if the commission would be saying ‘no’ to the money coming from Gov. Mike DeWine’s office.
“We cannot accept money that doesn’t get us across the finish line. So accepting the $16.8 million would not allow us to build the jail and operate it,” Holliday said. “So, no, we will not be able to accept the funding. It’s not a definite decision that has been made.”
While there isn’t an expiration date set on those funds, Holliday says there’s an urgency for counties that are given these grants to accept them.
“We’re not the only county that’s facing jail overcrowding and a jail crisis as we call it,” Holliday told WSAZ. “Having the opportunity to house our prisoners in other counties is becoming harder as well.
WSAZ’s Shannon Litton also asked Commissioner Holliday if she thought switching the location of the jail build so close to Election Day after residents spoke out about it at commission meetings affected the outcome?
“I would’ve thought it would have affected it in a positive way if it did affect it,” Holliday said. “I don’t know if we’re going to make 100 percent of the population happy regardless of the location that we choose. We want this build to be the least invasive location as possible.”
Commissioners say the sales tax increase proposal would not have applied to any groceries, gas, or any sales-tax free weekends.
Holliday says the commissioners will be meeting with the jail committee in the coming weeks. | 2022-05-10T18:10:43Z | www.wsaz.com | Future of new jail hangs in balance | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/10/future-new-jail-hangs-balance/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/10/future-new-jail-hangs-balance/ |
Many people have a doorbell camera or a smart thermostat these days, but those devices just scratch the surface when it comes to what makes a home ‘smart.’
A true smart home is one that consists of multiple devices properly located and installed that all communicate with each other to make the home secure, more energy efficient, and easier for you to manage from the inside out. And -- it’s much more affordable than you think. | 2022-05-10T18:11:25Z | www.wsaz.com | New tech making homes smarter and safer | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/10/new-tech-making-homes-smarter-safer/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/10/new-tech-making-homes-smarter-safer/ |
WELLSTON, Ohio (WSAZ) - The McNally-Pittsburg in Wellston has been a staple in the city for more than 100 years. However, the companies that once called the facility home have left area and it is now used as a city garage.
Mayor Charlie Hudson says they’ve been trying to sell the building for years.
“It’s really hard to sell something that doesn’t have a clean bill of health from the EPA,” Hudson said.
The mayor says the 120,000 square foot facility is structurally sound. The problem lies within a few spots where chemicals have seeped into the ground. With the help of the Jackson County Economic Development Partnership and a $705,000 grant from the state of Ohio, crews will be able to clean up those problem spots.
“By cleaning it up, what they do is they remove all of the tainted soil until they get to a point where it’s not tainted anymore. Then they bring in clean backfill soil and fill it up,” said Mayor Hudson.
Once that is complete, Hudson hopes a company may be interested in buying it. He believes it is the perfect home for any manufacturing company.
“It would mean something, not only for the city, but for the county and region. Appalachia has migrated from a coal community to really just service industry. We do have some light manufacturing, but we have people with a strong work ethic and no place to work. The more people that we can get great jobs in the city and county, the better off our region will be,” Hudson said. | 2022-05-11T00:46:39Z | www.wsaz.com | Grant funding will help remediate former Wellston manufacturing facility | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/grant-funding-will-help-remediate-former-wellston-manufacturing-facility/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/grant-funding-will-help-remediate-former-wellston-manufacturing-facility/ |
A shooting Tuesday night in West Huntington sent a man to the hospital, Huntington Police said.(WSAZ/Raegan Williams)
The incident was reported around 9 p.m. in the 800 block of West 12th Street.
Officers said the man was walking and talking when police arrived at the scene – just before he was taken to the hospital. The extent of his injuries is unknown.
A witness reported hearing three shots. | 2022-05-11T02:22:44Z | www.wsaz.com | Shooting sends man to the hospital | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/shooting-sends-man-hospital/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/shooting-sends-man-hospital/ |
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The Kanawha County Ambulance Bus and Emergency Services levy passed Tuesday night, according to unofficial results.
It passed by a 16,404 to 4,415 vote.
The levy will contribute 13% of levy funds to a special fund to aid the sheriff’s office, city police departments, and other law enforcement agencies in Kanawha County.
The levy will run through 2028. | 2022-05-11T03:57:55Z | www.wsaz.com | Ambulance, bus and Emergency Services levy passes | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/ambulance-bus-emergency-services-levy-passes/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/ambulance-bus-emergency-services-levy-passes/ |
CHALRESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The incumbent has won the West Virginia Democratic nomination in the 2022 primary race for mayor of Charleston, West Virginia.
Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin was elected to the position in 2018.
Goodwin was elected as the first female mayor of Charleston, West Virginia.
She defeats Martec D. Washington. She will face Republican Lance Wolfe in the general.
For more W.Va. Primary Results >>> TAP HERE. | 2022-05-11T03:58:01Z | www.wsaz.com | Incumbent wins Democratic nomination in Charleston mayor primary | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/incumbent-wins-democratic-nomination-charleston-mayor/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/incumbent-wins-democratic-nomination-charleston-mayor/ |
SISSONVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Even before the first pitch of the high school baseball sectionals, the top-seed Sissonville Indians faced an issue when it came to home-field advantage.
The Indians took on Point Pleasant Tuesday night in the first round of sectionals.
Tuesday also marked the Indians’ first game since a vandal did some damage to their home.
“I was aggravated when I first found out about it,” said Dr. Gene Smith, principal of Sissonville High School.
“Disappointed someone in the community or would allow that to happen.”
“[The team was] upset, of course,” said Assistant Coach K.W. Harper.
“We told them we’d take care of it whatever they had to do.”
The community showed out. Kanawha County Schools, good Samaritans and neighboring areas all helped the team get new nets in time for the game.
“I’ve spent my whole life here.,” said Dr. Smith, who is also an alumnus of the school.
“I know what they’re capable of, especially in a bind. We don’t back down from a challenge; we love the competition.”
Harper said the team’s ability to play on after the incident is a testament to their character as athletes.
“It definitely motivated them to do more, a lot more,” he said. “They just work together a whole lot harder, they’re just easy going working out well with each other.”
Smith has one message for the vandals.
“I’m disappointed that you felt that you had to lash out at something that already belongs to you and belongs to other members of the community,” he said.
“I would suggest that you spend your energy doing things to uplift the community and not bring us down.”
He adds the school will persevere.
“It’s unfortunate that this kind of event happened but it’s fortunate that I live in a community that will rally behind us and really pushes to get us where we need to be,” Smith said.
Harper said the incident will not stop the team.
“We just go one day to the next. That’s what I tell them, start over again,” he said.
Sissonville won Tuesday’s game 9-2 over Point Pleasant.
The Indians will play at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday night at home.
Anyone with information about who vandalized the field is asked to call the school at 304-348-1954. | 2022-05-11T03:58:33Z | www.wsaz.com | Sissonville Indians win first round of sectionals after field vandalized | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/sissonville-indians-win-first-round-sectionals-after-field-vandalized/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/sissonville-indians-win-first-round-sectionals-after-field-vandalized/ |
The incident was reported around 9 p.m. near West 12th Street and Madison Avenue.
When officers with the Huntington Police Department arrived, they say they found a man, 31, with a gunshot wound to the stomach.
Detectives have determined that the victim was shot while walking in the 1200 block of Madison Avenue.
HPD reports the victim was approached by an unidentified person who shot him once and then took off.
The victim was taken to the hospital. He is listed in stable condition, according to HPD.
Officers do not consider his injuries life-threatening at this time. | 2022-05-11T16:09:39Z | www.wsaz.com | Huntington Police searching for shooter after man shot in stomach | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/huntington-police-searching-shooter-after-man-shot-stomach/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/huntington-police-searching-shooter-after-man-shot-stomach/ |
Women face unique factors throughout their lifetimes such as pregnancy, preeclampsia, and menopause that impact their lifetime risk for stroke, that’s according to the American Stroke Association.
Dr. Jennifer Mieres joined Susan on Studio 3 to share more about the unprecedented levels of chronic stress being experienced by women today and the potential long-term impact on their over health. | 2022-05-11T17:41:55Z | www.wsaz.com | Women, stress and stroke | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/women-stress-stroke/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/women-stress-stroke/ |
Baby formula shortages continue impacting the region and the country.(WBRC)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Baby formula shortages continue impacting the region and the country.
We told you two weeks ago grocery stores are only getting about 66 percent of the baby food orders they’re placing.
And the problem isn’t going away any time soon.
It’s forced many stores to put a limit on the number of cans customers can buy.
Dr. Margaret Ng-Caldaon, a pediatrician who works at Coal Grove Pediatrics, says new moms who at first chose not to breast feed may still be able to take that approach.
“If you’re talking about the first one to two months of life, it is not too late because you can still re-stimulate the breasts and do that,” Dr. Ng said.
Dr. Ng says another option for moms who may no longer be able to breastfeed is to research online sites that sell breast milk, but she says to be very diligent in your research if you want to go that route.
Parents have preferred brands when it comes to baby formula, but Dr. Ng says it’s not a bad idea to try out a generic formula as they can be just as good.
“I think this is kind of like an eye opener for people to branch out to see the goodness in other products,” Dr. Ng told WSAZ.
Many are also considering using goat milk as a substitute, but she doesn’t recommend this at all.
“Goat milk can cause a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia,” Dr. Ng said. “It’s very severe, so just make sure the viewers do not trade in for goat milk.”
She says you should avoid trying to dilute the baby formula as you can run the risk of your baby suffering from dehydration.
But if your baby is around the 4 to 6 month old mark, she says you can introduce some rice cereal to the baby formula to make it last longer.
“We can add it to the milk to thicken it, so instead of diluting the milk improperly, we add rice cereal on top of the meal separately or with the bottle and that will make it last a little longer,” Dr. Ng suggested. “The babies get fuller, they’re happier, they sleep longer, the parents are happier, so that’s kind of a win-win for that.”
Dr. Ng says if you’re worried about the baby food shortage, you can also make your own by throwing some fresh fruits and vegetables into the blender, adding a little bit of baby milk and/or water, and blending it so you can feed your child.
It’s also a way to start teaching them how to eat with a spoon; but that’s only for babies who are more than six months old. | 2022-05-11T19:12:52Z | www.wsaz.com | Pediatrician gives tips as parents deal with baby formula shortage | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/pediatrician-gives-tips-parents-deal-with-baby-formula-shortage/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/pediatrician-gives-tips-parents-deal-with-baby-formula-shortage/ |
NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - After just over a month on the job, Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Lawson was already showing great potential.
“Very humble, kind, kid,” described Sheriff William Nunley. “Just a staple for someone you’d see would be honest serving as a pillar in the community and loved his country.”
The 22-year-old died in an off-duty motorcycle crash Tuesday just more than a month after he first joined the force.
“Department’s struggling a little bit, it really hasn’t sunk in with a lot of our officers,” Nunley said.
“It’s a tragedy, and it’s really devastating.”
In his 22 years of life, Lawson served many roles in the community including serving as a volunteer firefighter in Nettie and running his own barbershop. Serving in law enforcement, though, became his ultimate dream.
“He was he was hands-on, just a go-getter,” Nunley said. “He wanted to be involved, he wanted to learn, he wanted to do this job, he wanted to help people.”
According to Sheriff Nunley, Lawson overcame several challenges to reach his goal.
He earned the Perseverance Award at the West Virginia State Police Academy at his graduation in April.
“At one point he had a stroke, and it was really unclear if he was going to be able to recover from that,” the sheriff said. “He recovered almost completely fully from that. That took a good deal of time and a lot of strength. Most people probably would have quit with all the medical things he had to face.”
Nunley hopes Lawson’s legacy will serve as a model for all deputies.
“Be a good partner, community member and a good person,” he said. “I think that’s exactly what Travis was.” | 2022-05-11T23:46:31Z | www.wsaz.com | ‘He wanted to help people’: Nicholas Co. Deputy remembered after crash | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/he-wanted-help-people-nicholas-co-deputy-remembered-after-crash/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/he-wanted-help-people-nicholas-co-deputy-remembered-after-crash/ |
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) - Residents who live in the neighborhoods surrounding Mound Park tend to stick together. Many are part of the Mound Park Neighborhood Watch group and share a common goal of holding criminals accountable.
“If we see something happening, we report it,” said Karen Hill, who founded the group.
Early Wednesday morning, a video started circulating throughout members of the group. The video was captured by a home security camera and shows a man on a bicycle in an alley between Hutchins and Franklin Avenues around 4 a.m. He has a set of golf clubs over his shoulders and rides away on his bicycle. Portsmouth Police say the man stole the golf clubs out of a car earlier that morning.
“It’s just heartbreaking that people think they can just go out and steal things from people who earn money and want to have nice things,” Hill said.
A report was filed with Portsmouth Police who are working to try and identify the man in the video.
“We’re hoping that the person gets apprehended and possibly get the items back,” Hill said. “We do our best to help them, give them phone calls consistently.”
If you have any information that could help investigators identify the man, you are encouraged to call the Portsmouth Police Department. | 2022-05-11T23:46:50Z | www.wsaz.com | Portsmouth Police investigating theft in Mound Park neighborhood | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/portsmouth-police-investigating-theft-mound-park-neighborhood/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/11/portsmouth-police-investigating-theft-mound-park-neighborhood/ |
On Wednesday, Google unveiled a slew of new hardware products at its first in-person developer conference in three years.
The expanded lineup includes three new smartphones and the company’s first in-house smart-watch, as well as plans to release a new tablet next year.
The new Pixel 7 and 7pro smartphones are expected to be released this fall.
The Pixel 6A smartphone, a more affordable version of the Pixel 6, is available July 21 and will cost $449.
Google’s Pixel watch will be available in the fall, and its new Pixel tablet is slated for release next year.
The company also teased the new version of its blue tooth Pixel buds pro, out on July 21 with a 199 dollar price tag.
Wednesday’s unveiling is the latest sign that Google is committed to moving beyond its core advertising business and challenging the likes of Apple.
The search giant also announced updates to several of its most popular tools including maps, Google translate, and its core search product. | 2022-05-12T19:35:11Z | www.wsaz.com | Google unveils newest tech | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/12/google-unveils-newest-tech/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/12/google-unveils-newest-tech/ |
Huntington flood victims race to clean up
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Victims of last week’s flood are racing against the clock to prevent the spread of mold in their homes.
One of those residents is Joe Browning, who has been working 10 hours a day since last Friday to clean out his home.
“The first floor was totally destroyed and mud everywhere,” he described.
“I had sewer water all through my first floor.”
He described the process as exhausting.
“The last few days I’ve been knocking the bottom of the drywall loose and taken the baseboards up so the walls could dry,” he said. “The hardware floors in the house were completely destroyed.”
He said the flood cost him precious memories.
“My grandma’s china closet, it’s about 80 years old and handed down to me,” he said. “Looks like I’m going to lose my baby blanket we brought my youngest child from the hospital in.”
Browning said his family’s been able to stay in a camper as he cleans out the house for their safety.
“Things can be replaced, lives cannot,” he said.
“My oldest asked to come home yesterday. ‘Daddy, when are we going home?’ like, ‘Buddy we got a lot of cleaning to do before we can go home.’ ”
The Cabell-Huntington Health Department CEO and Health Officer Dr. Michael Kilkenny suggests masking up to prevent inhaling mold and other bacteria.
Flood victims can also use fans to circulate the air.
“If the mold is not removed, it’s going to release spores into the air, which is going to cause a health problem,” he said.
“When you have larger concentrations of mold you can have allergic, respiratory problems, especially if you’re immunocompromised you may get a serious mold infection as a result.”
Kilkenny said among the most at risk for mold infection are those who have had a long exposure to mold and those who are immunocompromised.
Browning said he’s motivated to keep cleaning to get his family back home to safety.
“It’s unfortunate for everyone. It’s a really, really bad situation, and you have to stay positive the best we can,” he said. “We have great neighbors, but we’ll get through it, for sure.”
Kilkenny reminds flood victims to not mix bleach with other cleaning supplies. | 2022-05-13T00:09:16Z | www.wsaz.com | Huntington flood victims fighting to prevent mold spread | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/12/huntington-flood-victims-fighting-prevent-mold-spread/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/12/huntington-flood-victims-fighting-prevent-mold-spread/ |
JACKSON, Ohio (WSAZ) - An ordinance regarding Fairmount Cemetery has passed its second reading at Jackson City Council. City leaders will meet again at the end of May with the opportunity to pass the proposed legislation for a third and final time.
A portion of the ordinance that has drawn some attention from Jackson residents is the enforcement of restrictions placed on decorations.
“Things like borders that extend out from the headstone, rocks, mulch, and other decorative items that could get in the way of the mowing area,” Mayor Randy Evans said.
Many of these restrictions are not new, but the mayor says they have not always been enforced. His crews will be tasked with enforcing them if the legislation passes. Some residents in the city are not in favor of the legislation.
“This is an emotional thing for us,” said Brian Eggers.
Eggers mows the grass around his son’s headstone on a weekly basis. He even mows the surrounding area, including other headstones. However, his son’s headstone has a bed of mulch around its base and a border separating the mulch bed from the grass. This would put his son’s headstone in non-compliance under the newly proposed ordinance.
“Put yourself in our shoes. If someone was coming and telling you that you can’t do something to honor your own child, why does that have to be?” Eggers said.
Evans says his crews will be empathetic to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one and will treat the enforcement of these restrictions on a case-by-case basis.
“Those are really difficult ones because they’re out here every day taking care of their plot. So why do we want to interfere with that? Yet, they’re out of compliance with the rules that everyone else has to follow,” Evans said. “The goal is to keep the place looking nice, but have the same rules apply for everyone.”
Eggers and his family have voiced their concerns at previous City Council meetings and he questions why his son’s monument and others like it would be a problem if he continues to maintain it himself.
“If we can help take a burden off you, we feel like that would be more than OK. But to have somebody fight you for saying, ‘we can help you’, it’s just a crazy idea to me,” Eggers said.
City Council meets again on May 23, and the ordinance will come up for a third reading. | 2022-05-13T00:09:22Z | www.wsaz.com | Jackson City Council to make decision on cemetery ordinance | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/12/jackson-city-council-make-decision-cemetery-ordinance/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/12/jackson-city-council-make-decision-cemetery-ordinance/ |
Brandon Lamar McCauley, 30, of Detroit, faces drug charges after a traffic stop in downtown Huntington.(Huntington Police Department)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man from Detroit faces drug charges after a traffic stop in downtown Huntington, according to the Huntington Police Department.
It happened Thursday in the 600 block of Fifth Avenue. Officers seized more than 70 grams of suspected fentanyl and heroin worth an estimated $8,500 on the streets.
Brandon Lamar McCauley, 30, also was found in possession of a firearm, police say.
According to an HPD news release, “McCauley also is on parole in West Virginia for a voluntary manslaughter conviction stemming from a February 2016 shooting in Marcum Terrace. He was formerly featured as one of Detroit’s most wanted fugitives by the U.S. Marshals Service.”
Members of the Huntington Violent Crime/Drug Task Force made the arrest. | 2022-05-13T01:40:45Z | www.wsaz.com | Detroit man arrested on drug charges during traffic stop | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/detroit-man-arrested-drug-charges-during-traffic-stop/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/detroit-man-arrested-drug-charges-during-traffic-stop/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Crumbling and buckling -- that’s how neighbors like Robbie Hendricks describe Blaine Boulevard.
It’s a road in North Charleston he’s lived on for more than 30 years.
“It just keeps getting worse and worse and worse,” Hendricks said.
“I’m really scared,” Ronnie Gurnee said.
We introduced you to Hendricks and his neighbor Ronnie Gurnee earlier this week.
Hendricks says he’s tried to reach out to the city numerous times to see when a permanent fix is going to be made. However, he says he hasn’t gotten clarity.
“We’ve contacted the city time after time after time and they just never do anything to it. They put more blacktop on it and patch the holes and as more weight and more pressure, it just keeps on going,” Hendricks said.
However, after listening and asking questions to city, state, and federal representatives about Blaine Boulevard, neighbors say they feel heard.
“They knew that we needed help and they saw all the people in our community. For them to get on board and for them to have a meeting for Monday … I really appreciate it,” Gurnee said.
As the city works to apply for funds to help cover the project, during the meeting it was announced that around $400,000 awaits a vote at Monday’s City Council meeting. That money would go toward a survey for the road.
“I never thought we were gonna have this type of an ending and all the people that came to show up for Blaine Boulevard -- it feels good, it feels really good,” Charleston City Councilman Pat Jones said.
The city tried working with the Army Corps of Engineers. However, due to the project costing more money than what the federal cap allows for, they’ve had to find other options.
At Thursday’s meeting, it was announced that Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., secured a provision that would increase the allowable federal investment to $10 million from its current cap of $5 million to allow more critical, emergency projects to move forward. This still has to move through Congress. | 2022-05-13T04:43:45Z | www.wsaz.com | Public meeting held about crumbling road | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/public-meeting-held-about-crumbling-road/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/public-meeting-held-about-crumbling-road/ |
Flatwoods Officer, Tom Robinson, has been released from the hospital and is now in a rehabilitation center.(Flatwoods Police Department)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - An officer shot while responding to a 911 call has been released from the hospital and is now in a rehabilitation center to further his recovery.
Flatwoods Officer Tom Robinson was shot in the 100 block of East Street in Flatwoods while responding to a 911 call of a suspicious person.
“He is progressing very well, but it will still be a long road,” said Chief David Smith of the Flatwoods Police Department.
A few hours after the shooting, Jonathan Smithers, 41, of Catlettsburg was arrested after he was spotted by a Kentucky State Trooper near a Dollar General store.
Officer Robinson underwent several surgeries and was on a ventilator at one point of his hospital stay.
Smithers is facing attempted murder of a police officer, two counts of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, second-degree assault (domestic violence), and 10 counts of possession of matter portraying sexual performance by a minor under age 12.
A pre-trial date has been set for June 16. Smithers is in the Boyd County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond. | 2022-05-13T17:56:14Z | www.wsaz.com | Officer shot released from hospital, taken to rehabilitation center | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/officer-shot-released-hospital-taken-rehabilitation-center/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/officer-shot-released-hospital-taken-rehabilitation-center/ |
Herd Stadium Center is now planned to open a few months later between late summer and early fall.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - While plans were originally scheduled for Herd Stadium Center to open in spring of 2022 in the 2000 block of Fifth Avenue, setbacks have pushed back that date.
Smoothie King has just been added into the mix of Starbucks, Papa John’s, and Qdoba.
Brent Roswall, co-owner of interstate development, says Herd Stadium Center is now planned to open a few months later between late summer and early fall.
“We had a delay in our steel, delay in our HVC-- which we still don’t have, but we’ll have it very soon. It’s just been one thing after the other,” Roswall said.
As for an update on Tanyard Station, construction is underway for stores including Academy, which is a sporting goods store, PetSmart and Sketchers. Those are planned to open in the fall.
Plans are also in the works for construction to start on a hotel at Tanyard Station sometime in the fall, with the goal of finishing up in 2023. | 2022-05-13T23:00:37Z | www.wsaz.com | Herd Stadium Center to open by Fall | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/herd-stadium-center-open-by-fall/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/herd-stadium-center-open-by-fall/ |
GASSAWAY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - When two people drove into the Elk River, Firefighter John Forbush didn’t hesitate to try and save them. He tragically lost his life.
Gassaway Fire Department Deputy Chief Shane Dellinger said no one is more deserving of WSAZ’s Hometown Hero award than Forbush, a four-year veteran of the department.
“I think it’s not only changed us, but it’s actually even changed the public the view on what volunteer firefighters, EMS providers and cops actually do,” Dillenger said.
Forbush’s fiancé Amber Frame describes him as a passionate, opinionated, hard-working man, and there’s no doubt in her mind that he’s a hero.
“If someone told him he would be in the same situation, he would do it over again,” she said.
Together they have a 14-month-year-old daughter. And Frame is planning to tell her all sorts of stories about her dad.
“I’ll tell her how much he loved her and how hard he worked to provide for her and give us everything that we needed, Frame said.”
Forbush’s funeral was held on May 10. | 2022-05-13T23:00:43Z | www.wsaz.com | Hometown Hero | John Forbush | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/hometown-hero-john-forbush/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/hometown-hero-john-forbush/ |
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) - The Portsmouth Fire Chief is asking for a new ladder truck. Currently, the fire department only has one ladder truck in service after its backup ladder truck experienced a catastrophic failure.
The 37-year-old truck, called Platform One, has been taken off the streets for good, leaving Ladder One to serve as the city’s only aerial firefighting device.
“As administrators, we have big wish lists and there are a lot of things I’d like to have that I could give them a list of. This is not one of those, this is a life safety issue,” said Chief Christopher Lowery.
Even Ladder One has problems of its own and will eventually have to be repaired. That is why Chief Lowery says the city must purchase a new truck as soon as possible. He has his eyes on a new, state-of-the-art pumper with a ladder on top and he has already spoke with the company that is building it.
“It’s on the factory floor now. It has our name on it with no obligations to us,” said Chief Lowery.
He has requested that City Council approve of an emergency purchase of the truck for about $1.3 million. If City Council were to approve of the purchase this summer, the truck could be in-service by as early as August.
“Eventually, Ladder One is going to become the same issue and we can’t leave the citizens of Portsmouth without an aerial device for four months,” said Chief Lowery.
He said he has spoken with all council members and senses that they understand how important this request is for the safety of the citizens. The request officially hits council’s agenda at the next meeting on May 23, where they will have the opportunity to take action on it.
“They know the need. We’ve got to do this for the citizens. This is a safety issue. This isn’t the chief wanting a new boat for the river or a new brush truck. This is a must-have,” said Chief Lowery. | 2022-05-13T23:01:08Z | www.wsaz.com | Portsmouth Fire Chief asks City Council for new ladder truck | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/portsmouth-fire-chief-asks-city-council-new-ladder-truck/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/portsmouth-fire-chief-asks-city-council-new-ladder-truck/ |
UPIKE announces new sports complex(WSAZ)
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WSAZ) - The University of Pikeville announced the agreement to purchase 220 acres of land, to one day house all its outdoor athletic facilities.
“You can’t really define the opportunity it’s going to have for us. In recruiting, just word of mouth people calling and the interest of people saying. ‘This is really exciting’ and we’re really excited about our university in general, but this adds another layer of excitement of where we’re headed and the trajectory of our campus,” said Kelly Wells, UPIKE’s athletic director.
The property, now known as Bear Mountain, will be home to football, soccer, tennis, cross country, track and field, archery, softball and baseball, in addition to the UPIKE athletic programs.
The property is on top of a hilltop off Cedar Creek Road in Pikeville, less than 2 miles away from campus.
“To have all of that there in one site will really be transformational in terms of the amount of coverage we can get. The amount of help that will be in one place will just be off the charts for us,” Wells said.
Through the years, the university has had partnerships with the city, using facilities throughout town, such as the football team sharing a field with Pikeville High School.
“Bear Mountain will give us an opportunity to change the whole dynamic of what football and baseball and softball, tennis, soccer and all of those look like for us,” Wells said.
Wells says this project is a big selling point for recruitment, and he is already seeing students and coaches excited for what this will bring.
“It will be a nice change from sharing a field with Pikeville High School,” said incoming freshman football player Parker Preece. “I wanted to be a part of it playing on a nice brand new field.”
Preece is excited to see the university investing in improving athletics.
“I think it is really going to bring a new wave to the University of Pikeville, and hopefully we’ll have guys coming from everywhere, and we’ll hopefully win a couple of championships,” he said.
Well says this is not just going to be a spot for student athletes and their families, he’s hoping it will draw the community, as well as plans that include room for tailgating, playgrounds and walking and biking trails.
“We want that to be the place that people went to go to. We’re very proud of the traditions that we have here. This will be a new tradition,” Wells said. “We want people to get used to traveling through there riding their bikes through there. That might even be the cruising place, who knows? It’s just great opportunity for us to give back to a community that always gives to us.”
As of now, the university has not announced a timeline of when the complex will open. | 2022-05-13T23:01:27Z | www.wsaz.com | UPIKE announces new sports complex | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/upike-announces-new-sports-complex/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/upike-announces-new-sports-complex/ |
A home burned in the Pinch area of Kanawha County, and neighbors told investigators a man was running around the area with a gun.(WSAZ/Andrew Colegrove)
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Crews responded Friday afternoon to a house fire and reports of a man running around with a gun in the Pinch area, investigators say.
Justin Teel, the assistant chief with the Pinch Volunteer Fire Department, says no one was hurt, and nobody was in the home along Quick Road when crews arrived.
He says when the call came in at 1:54 pm, it was reported a man was seen in the area running around with a gun.
Teel says State Police searched the area, but no one was found, and law enforcement have since cleared the scene.
He says fire crews were not permitted to get to the burning house until law enforcement cleared the area and deemed it safe.
Teel says the house is a rental property, and he was told someone was living there but wasn’t home when the fire started. He says it appears the fire started at the top of the house.
The cause is unknown.
Teel says there is not believed to be a danger to the public. Fire crews from Pinch and Clendenin responded to the scene. Quick Road by the driveway was shut down for a couple hours but is back open.
A neighbor says he heard gunshots in the area before he saw the house was burning.
According to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, after an extensive search of the area, the man has not been located. Neighbors told law enforcement officers the man had the gun holstered on his hip, and his behavior made them nervous.
One neighbor said the man asked to use their phone and he was overheard telling his father the house was on fire. | 2022-05-14T00:40:32Z | www.wsaz.com | Crews respond to house fire, reports of man running around with a gun | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/crews-respond-house-fire-reports-man-running-around-with-gun/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/13/crews-respond-house-fire-reports-man-running-around-with-gun/ |
Police investigate a shots fired incident in the 2900 block of 7th Avenue in Huntington.(WSAZ/Raegan Williams)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Huntington police investigated Friday night after they say shots were fired in the city’s East End.
The incident happened just before 8 p.m. in the 2900 block of 7th Avenue.
Police say while a few rounds were fired off, no one was hurt. One person was in custody at the scene, but it’s unclear if they face charges. | 2022-05-14T03:52:23Z | www.wsaz.com | Police investigate shots-fired incident | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/14/police-investigate-shots-fired-incident/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/14/police-investigate-shots-fired-incident/ |
The robbery happened at the Marathon gas station on County Road 450 in South Point.(MGN)
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless says deputies responded to calls for a robbery at a gas station just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
The robbery happened at the Marathon gas station on County Road 450 in South Point.
According to the employees at the gas station, two men came into the store and went behind the counter.
Store employees say the men told them they had a weapon, threatened them with bodily harm, and demanded cash from the register.
Once the register was opened, deputies say the men grabbed cash from it and started grabbing cartons of cigarettes and lottery tickets before leaving the gas station.
That about the time deputies got to the scene, and witnessed two men taking off from the gas station and dropping cigarettes and lottery tickets.
Deputies then began a foot pursuit that went into the wooded area behind the store.
While they lost sight of one of the suspects, deputies say they were able to get the second suspect, Tyler Jeffrey Allen Workman, 25, of Huntington, W. Va.
He was caught near the intersection of County Road 1 and County Road 450.
An extensive search of the area was conducted by the Sheriff’s Office and multiple agencies to try and apprehend the other suspect.
K9 officers were also deployed, but authorities were not able to locate him.
Workman is currently being held in the Lawrence County Jail for robbery, an F-2 offense.
He’s due to be arraigned in court Monday. | 2022-05-16T14:06:47Z | www.wsaz.com | One in custody, one on the run in gas station robbery | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/one-charged-gas-station-robbery-one-suspect-still-loose/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/one-charged-gas-station-robbery-one-suspect-still-loose/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Country music star Carrie Underwood is coming to Charleston.
Underwood is set to perform at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on Valentines Day (February 14, 2023).
She will also have stops at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on October 20, Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on March 2, and Nationwide Arena on March 4.
You can find more information by tapping here. | 2022-05-16T14:32:49Z | www.wsaz.com | Carrie Underwood announces concert dates | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/carrie-underwood-announces-concert-dates/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/carrie-underwood-announces-concert-dates/ |
35-year-old Carl Dustin Pistole pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and robbery.(WSAZ)
SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- A man from Lucasville has pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and robbery in connection with a woman who was found dead lying on the side of the road back in January.
The Scioto County Prosecutor’s office says Carl Dustin Pistole, 35, was sentenced to a definite sentence of 16 years in prison and an additional 5-year indefinite term for a total sentence of 16-21 years.
Police say Misty Sue Montgomery was found lying on the side of Robert Lucas Road just east of U.S. 23 in Lucasville Ohio on Dec. 30, 2020.
Passing motorists noticed Montgomery in the road, stopped to render aid, and called 911.
Montgomery died at the scene.
Investigators say it was determined Montgomery died as a result of blunt force trauma of unknown origin.
The investigation, officials say, revealed Pistole had been seen with Montgomery in the days and hours leading up to her death.
Pistole is said to have evaded authorities for several days, but was captured about a week after Montgomery died.
Police say their investigation concluded Pistole was responsible for Montgomery’s injuries. | 2022-05-16T17:31:54Z | www.wsaz.com | Man sentenced in manslaughter case | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/man-sentenced-manslaughter-case/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/man-sentenced-manslaughter-case/ |
Anastasia Jones-Burdick, a local candidate for the title of Miss West Virginia, is promoting the Miss America Organization, which is a year-round program for women to earn scholarships, grow their networks, learn valuable skills, and make a difference in their communities.
As she prepares for the Miss West Virginia competition on June 25th in Martinsburg, West Virginia, she serves the organization as an ambassador for the program’s benefits and serves her community through her initiative, Hungry for Change, which channels advocacy towards alleviating food insecurity in Appalachia and across the United States.
If you are interested in participating or supporting the Miss West Virginia Scholarship Organization, more information can be found through the following media platforms: @missdiscoverytrail_mao on Instagram, Miss West Virginia Organization on Facebook, and https://www.missamerica.org. | 2022-05-16T19:07:40Z | www.wsaz.com | Miss Discovery Trail on Studio 3 | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/miss-discovery-trail-studio-3/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/miss-discovery-trail-studio-3/ |
WHEELERSBURG, Ohio (WSAZ) - The people of Wheelersburg are mourning the loss of legendary football coach Ed Miller. He passed away peacefully on May 14, 2022, at 86 years old.
Football fans know Wheelersburg as a perennial power and a model of success. Current head coach Rob Woodward say it wasn’t built overnight.
“It was a spark that was ignited years ago and it has continued to enrage into an inferno that we use today,” Woodward said.
He said it was Ed Miller who built the program. Before becoming the head coach at Wheelersburg in 1972, he coached at nearby Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth. During his tenure at Notre Dame, he accumulated 77 wins, 12 losses and two ties. He then coached at Wheelersburg from 1972 to 1991 where he won 173 games, lost 29, and tied twice. His 1989 team captured the OHSAA State Championship for the first time in program history.
“I didn’t get the hard-nosed, legendary football coach on Fridays that a lot of other folks had,” said Eddie Miller III.
Eddie is Coach Miller’s grandson and recalled countless memories of his grandfather who he called “Pap.”
“I was fortunate enough to get a slightly more compassionate and heartfelt grandfather,” Eddie said.
In his lifetime, Coach Miller was a larger than life figure in the community. Eddie realized that from a young age and loved the respect that the community showed his grandfather.
“A lot of folks don’t associate failure with Ed Miller. He taught me that failure was something very important and that failure taught you things that success could not,” Eddie said.
When Coach Miller hung up the whistle in the early 1990s, his final record stood at 250-41-4 with 20 S.O.C Championships, one State Championship, three Mythical State Championships and many individual accolades. Today, Coach Woodward holds his team to that same standard of excellence. He always appreciated when Coach Miller would pop into the locker room after a big win.
“I’d reach down to help him up, and as he was getting older in his year’s he’d say, “Let me set up here!’ He’d always make sure he stood up and gave me a hug, embraced me, shook our coaching staff’s hands and that is always going to remain in my heart as a major moment,” said Coach Woodward.
Woodward roams the sidelines every fall in a stadium named after the old legend. “Ed Miller Stadium” is where young boys in Wheelersburg dream of one day suiting up for the Pirates. You can describe his career in many ways, but to describe the man, Eddie says his grandfather can be summed up in three simple words: faith, family, and football.
“His passion was football, but his love was left in his family. He was a grandfather to me, He was a coach to many others. But to all of us, he was a legend and he will be remembered as that,” said Eddie. | 2022-05-16T23:42:10Z | www.wsaz.com | Remembering the life and legacy of Coach Ed Miller | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/remembering-life-legacy-coach-ed-miller/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/remembering-life-legacy-coach-ed-miller/ |
Stock photo(Stock photo)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man from Huntington was sentenced Monday to 26 years in prison for federal child pornography charges, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Nicholas Wilds, 38, also must register as a sex offender and have 15 years of supervised release after his prison sentence.
Investigators say Wilds admitted to distributing child pornography using online chat rooms.
According to the release, Wilds used an online messaging app and talked with another person about sexually abusing young children.
A search warrant turned up evidence of several hundred images of child pornography on his personal cell phone, the release states. | 2022-05-17T02:44:19Z | www.wsaz.com | Man sentenced to 26 years for child pornography charges | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/man-sentenced-26-years-child-pornography-charges/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/man-sentenced-26-years-child-pornography-charges/ |
Volunteers with the Southern Baptist Convention have been helping flood victims in Huntington since Wednesday.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - More than a week after the May 6 flood in Huntington, the effort to clean up and get back to normal is far from over.
Volunteers from all over Kentucky with the Southern Baptist Convention have been helping with cleanup since Wednesday.
“We’re just serving the Lord,” team leader Roger Whitehead said. “We’re trying to be his hands and feet.”
They’ve been helping those affected anyway they can, using elbow grease and prayer.
“In some houses, we rip out sheetrock so we can get into the walls and make sure mold doesn’t grow,” Whitehead said. “We remove appliances. We pump water out of basements. We can’t come and fix their house back to the way it was, but we can get it started to the point where they’re ready to go back with it.”
Monday they helped clear debris out of Janet Garten’s house.
“I don’t think there are words that you could put into place to express my gratitude,” Garten said.
Those workers are among the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
That organization and the West Virginia Emergency Management Division are evaluating the damage.
The executive director of VOAD says their volunteers are gathering information for the state and FEMA to help determine if the level of damage crosses the threshold for federal assistance.
Anyone in need of flood relief assistance can call the VOAD office at 304-553-0927. A worker has been assigned fulltime to monitor calls made to that number. They say a case worker will immediately start addressing callers’ needs. | 2022-05-17T04:15:42Z | www.wsaz.com | Volunteers helping with flood cleanup | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/volunteers-helping-with-flood-cleanup/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/volunteers-helping-with-flood-cleanup/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - An investigation last week looked into a road crumbling into the Kanawha River.
Monday night, Charleston City Council approved more than $400,000 of city funding to begin a survey of Blaine Boulevard. The vote was a first step for residents who live along the road and hope to get it fixed.
The funds will go toward a survey done by the Army Corps of Engineers. City Council member, Pat Jones of Ward One where the road is located, said a federal grant will also help cover the cost of the survey -- an estimated $1 million.
Jones said the survey will determine how much it will cost to repair the broken road.
“I think it finally got some attention,” Jones said. “A lot of people heard me talk, but to see it and see the 14 houses and the church that you may lose, I think it opened some eyes.”
People like Robbie Hendricks, who lives along Blaine Boulevard, showed up to the City Council meeting, expressing their concern for the road they travel everyday.
“Just get a deadline date on it, get started on it. When that happens, I’ll be happy. I want to see the shovel in the dirt and get going,” Hendricks said.
He said getting the approval is a good first step.
It is unclear how much it will cost to reconstruct the area along Blaine Boulevard, although Jones said a $10 million grant would help. He said the survey conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers will also help with getting state and federal grants.
There is no timeline yet on when the survey will be conducted.
The vote comes after a WSAZ investigation last week in which WSAZ reporter Marlee Pinchok spoke with people about the issues they see along their road.
A letter from Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., outlined the issues with the road, as well as the concern for the community who may lose their homes if the area is not fixed. | 2022-05-17T05:47:13Z | www.wsaz.com | City Council approves funds to survey crumbling road | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/city-council-approves-funds-survey-crumbling-road/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/city-council-approves-funds-survey-crumbling-road/ |
The incident happened in November of 2017 in Cabell County.(WSAZ)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A Huntington man accused in the death of a 4-month-old baby has taken a Kennedy plea, court officials say.
The incident happened in November of 2017 in Cabell County.
According to the indictment, Zackary Gene Sparks was the parent, guardian, or custodian of the infant.
Sparks took a Kennedy plea to a second degree murder charge and a child abuse causing serious bodily injury charge in a Cabell County courtroom on Tuesday morning.
Court officials say in a Kennedy plea, the defendant is considered guilty for sentencing purposes, but they do not admit guilt.
The prosecution, however, still gets to present the evidence they have against the defendant.
Sparks is due to be sentenced in June. | 2022-05-17T16:28:02Z | www.wsaz.com | Plea deal reached in baby murder case | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/plea-deal-reached-baby-murder-case/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/plea-deal-reached-baby-murder-case/ |
BENTON, Ky. (WKYT/KFVS) - Kentucky State Police is investigating a shooting involving a Calloway County sheriff’s deputy in Marshall County.
KSP said a person was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
They also said a Calloway County Sheriff’s Office deputy was shot on the scene. He has been identified as Chief Deputy Jody Cash. Cash was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The #FBI sends our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Chief Deputy Jody Cash. He served the Calloway County Sheriff's Office and was also a retired Kentucky State Police sergeant. Chief Deputy Cash's dedication to our community will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/6Q2V9EREkZ
— FBI Louisville (@FBILouisville) May 17, 2022
Police have not released any other details about the shooting and are still investigating.
Isaac Holland, who was working at the time of the shooting, said he did not see the shooting but heard the gunshots. He shared his reaction to the deadly incident.
“Nobody here expected that today because I sure didn’t. Why would somebody just go over there and start doing that? Especially right in front of police officers. He must have had a reason, I don’t know the reason, I don’t want to know the reason,” said Holland.
Ivan Zaragoza, another worker nearby the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, calls the incident scary.
“Being a small town, you never would think anything like that would ever happen. Its literally across the road, even a bullet could have easily gone through these windows and hurt someone, a customer, or us. It’s just crazy, not knowing even in a small town what could happen,” Zaragoza said.
Governor Andy Beshear posted a statement on Facebook on Monday about what happened.
Copyright 2022 WKYT/KFVS. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-17T17:06:30Z | www.wsaz.com | KSP: Two dead, including Calloway Co. deputy, in Marshall Co. shooting | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/ksp-two-dead-including-calloway-co-deputy-marshall-co-shooting/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/16/ksp-two-dead-including-calloway-co-deputy-marshall-co-shooting/ |
“We’ve had a lot of visitors here from all over the world,” said Jackie Hatfield Jr.
Hatfield Jr. opened up a new museum at the last Hatfield homeplace in early 2022. He has gathered photos and artifacts, with the goal of bringing back as much history as he can. The Hatfield homeplace serves as the headquarters of the Hatfield & McCoy Foundation, a non-profit with both families involved. They’ve planned the Hatfield & McCoy Homecoming Festival for Oct. 6-8 in Williamson, West Virginia. The festival will bring the families together and bring the community together for a weekend of fun.
It will also serve as the foundation’s main fundraiser, enabling it to bring home additional pieces of the feud’s history that have been lost in time.
“The family lands were divided up, things were sold out of the homes before they were burned,” said Hatfield Jr.
Obtaining those items often comes at a cost. But Hatfield believes educating the public about the feuding families will spark folks who posses artifacts to come forward.
“We would love to revive the graveyard and take care of it the way it should be, as well as the Hatfield homeplace here,” said Hatfield Jr. “We’re hoping that we can bring in enough sponsors so that we don’t have to charge an entry fee or anything like that for the festival. But that will all depend on how much sponsorship we can get.” | 2022-05-17T22:33:23Z | www.wsaz.com | Hatfield & McCoy Homecoming Festival will help preserve history | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/hatfield-mccoy-homecoming-festival-will-help-preserve-history/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/hatfield-mccoy-homecoming-festival-will-help-preserve-history/ |
MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - NUCOR Corporation announced plans in mid-January to build a state-of-the-art facility in the Apple Grove area of Mason County.
Last week, the company filed plans with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking applications and permits for work on the site.
According to the filing, the construction is estimated to occupy 664 of the 691 acres of the site.
The county spent years trying to market the plot of land along the Ohio River off Route 2 for commercial space.
John Musgrave, director of the Mason County Development Authority came out of retirement to help bring the project to the area.
“My understanding from Nucor is they’ve ordered their equipment and about a billion and a half dollars worth they’ve ordered,” he said.
Environmental agencies will spend May and June conducting site surveys to see if there is a presence or absence of the endangered Indiana Bat or certain mussel species. The company is also considering clearing about 90 acres worth of trees.
Musgrave says they’re also looking at ways to prepare for a large workforce.
“We need housing, we need apartments, we need some trailer spaces that are temporary in nature,” he said. “We’re putting all that together, we’re collecting that information online through our website and creating a list.”
Including partnering with Marshall, Mountwest Community and Technical College, The Byrd Institute and Mason County Schools to help educate future employees.
“We’re looking at developing curriculum that will be training people not only in high school but will train those who are looking for jobs and opportunities in the steel industry,” he said.
Something else up for discussion is potential changes to Route 2. With a facility of that size, the highway will be tested with an increase in traffic and commuters.
Another element listed in the plans include the need for docks to support barges along the Ohio River serving the plant.
The report indicated, The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) was consulted and determined there are no properties currently listed on the NRHP that would be indirectly or directly affected by the proposed work. | 2022-05-17T22:33:41Z | www.wsaz.com | Nucor files more plans for steel mill in Mason County | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/nucor-files-more-plans-steel-mill-mason-county/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/nucor-files-more-plans-steel-mill-mason-county/ |
Saint Mary’s Medical Center Gala returns after 2 year hiatus
St. Mary's Medical Center Gala Returns
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Saint Mary’s Medical Center had to halt their annual gala for two years due to the pandemic. Now, it’s back and better than ever.
Bradley Burck and Dr. Daniel Snavely stopped by First Look at Four to talk about their big plans for this year.
Tickets for the gala are sold out, but you can buy raffle tickets here. | 2022-05-17T22:34:00Z | www.wsaz.com | Saint Mary’s Medical Center Gala returns after 2 year hiatus | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/saint-marys-medical-center-gala-returns-after-2-year-hiatus/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/saint-marys-medical-center-gala-returns-after-2-year-hiatus/ |
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The June 2016 flooding that destroyed homes across West Virginia is still a fresh memory for many people almost six years later.
That tragic day is something Clifford White thinks of every day while dealing with problems at his house that was rebuilt as part of the RISE flood recovery program. After searching for answers, White said he reached out to WSAZ, hoping that we could make a difference to find a solution.
For 52 years, White and his family have lived on property along Abbott Road in the Clendenin area. In 2016, their home was one of many destroyed by historic flooding.
RISE West Virginia is the program the state created to help rebuild those flooded homes, including the Whites’. But now White is not sure if that new home is still his because he has not been to get a title.
“We don’t want to have something and not have a title to it,” White said. “And pay taxes and stuff and then somebody come in and take it.”
Construction of White’s new home wrapped up in August 2018. As part of that contract, he said he was not allowed to change or sell the home for three years.
But since those three years passed, in September 2021, White went to finally take full ownership and get the title. However, he was shocked to learn there was a major roadblock in his way in the form of a lien.
“We didn’t get no loan,” White said when asked his reaction to learning about the lien. “I mean, usually you have to get a loan or borrow money to have a lien on your home. How does that work?”
White said he could not get any answers from RISE about what the lien was for or how much money it was. When he tried to get an explanation, he said he was only told is there is an issue with paperwork. White says it’s a situation that has frustrated him.
“We don’t matter,” he said. “Our opinion does not matter. That’s the way it makes me feel.”
White said he hasn’t had any issues with his house beyond getting the title from RISE – a holdup he says was caused by the lien.
During the past few months, White has made multiple phone calls to RISE and the state Division of Motor Vehicles, attempting to get that title. But he’s still not able to get this issue resolved.
So, WSAZ started looking for answers to solve this problem for White by looking for things that could have created a lien. One of those is not paying his taxes. However, we found the Kanawha County Sheriff’s tax office says the White family has never been late on paying their taxes.
WSAZ then went to the County Clerk’s records room where any liens would be filed. When he looked up their property, all he could find was the deed and RISE contract. Once again, no lien that would prevent white from getting a title.
“Getting a title, it’s like a crime,” White said.
We then reached out to RISE, requesting an interview and looking for a solution to this problem. After multiple emails and phone calls, a RISE spokesperson told us the issue was between the company that constructed White’s house, Thompson Construction, and the DMV.
Finally on Thursday afternoon, the RISE spokesperson told us in an email, “The Whites have been notified they will receive their paperwork by overnight mail tomorrow.”
The spokesperson went on to say, “thank you for bringing this situation to our attention so we were able to resolve it.”
We were there as the title the Whites have been waiting months for arrived on Friday. Clifford said it was a day he didn’t think would come, but he’s thrilled to be able to move forward.
“I am very pleased it’s over with,” he said. “I don’t want to talk with them, don’t want them bothering us. As far as I am concerned, it’s finished.”
White went on to say he doesn’t think a solution would have come if we didn’t start digging for answers.
“After we got you all, you see how quickly we got a title,” he said.
We asked RISE for clarification on what caused this issue and how it can be prevented in the future. A spokesperson said it’s a long process to get a title that’s susceptible to administrative delays.
In addition, RISE said it is working with the builders and state agencies to address these issues. It went on to say this is not a common problem but could happen to other homeowners when they’re trying to get a title for their house.
Any other homeowner in a similar situation would need to contact their case manager for the program. | 2022-05-17T22:34:25Z | www.wsaz.com | WSAZ Investigates | Title Trouble | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/wsaz-investigates-title-trouble/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/17/wsaz-investigates-title-trouble/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Monday, the doors of the Marshall University Thrift Store will be opened for Huntington flood victims and everything inside will have no price tag.
The University says the store will be open from 5 to 8 p.m., May 23 to anyone affected by the damaging flooding event on May 6.
Everything will be free.
After the most recent Green Move Out on campus, the store received 60 bins of donated items that need to be sorted.
Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to prep the store, which is located at 331 Hal Greer Boulevard in Huntington. Lunch will be provided.
The University says more volunteers will be needed from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. to help with the flood relief event. | 2022-05-18T16:54:47Z | www.wsaz.com | Marshall University Thrift Store to open for flood victims | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/18/marshall-university-thrift-store-open-flood-victims/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/18/marshall-university-thrift-store-open-flood-victims/ |
CULLODEN, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Progress is underway for a road project some drivers believe has been needed for a long time.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) said the Division of Highways has bidding open for 20 projects including a $32 million project for an interchange near Interstate 64 in Culloden.
The project will connect U.S. 60 in Culloden with Interstate 64 between Hurricane and Milton.
Timothy Loudermilk has lived in Cabell County near Culloden for 13 years. He said the project would improve his life.
“We’ve always wondered why it was such a great distance between Milton and Hurricane and before they could have an interchange because, you know, that’s, that’s another way to go and then you have to come all the way back,” he said.
“It’s, you know, just extra mileage extra gas and I’m glad they’re gonna finally do something about it.”
Some in the area are worried, like Derek Spangler, the President of the Great Teays Soccer Club. He has been worried an interchange could effect the club’s fields given its location near the interstate.
“It’ll make it tougher to have practices throughout the week, we’ll have to adjust between because we have from youth leagues, four-year-old teams, all the way up through 18-year-olds some seasons,” he explained.
“We have some seasons up to 400 kids and 30 some teams so trying to fit everybody on what we have [on our other field] all that work will be pretty tough logistically.”
Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards said there will need to be some sacrifices for the interchange to be complete, but it will result in a little bit of prosperity for everyone.
“We believe we can have some more control growth during this whole process,” he said.
“Hurricane, Teays Valley, and now Culloden will grow even more, it’s it’s actually coming at the best time ever.”
He said safety in the area will also improve.
“With the backup of traffic on the interstate, sometimes it backs up out in their state at rush hour times,” he said.
“If the Culloden Interchange can help alleviate that, then that’s another good thing.”
“I’m used to the construction, so that’s not a big deal,” Loudermilk said.
“It’s going to make it a whole lot easier to just get if I’m going to Huntington and come back.”
“We understand that area needs this standard change, it really able to help with traffic in Hurricane,” Spangler said.
“It’ll help with business in everything here, but it just we’re just the byproduct of progress, I guess, we have to just work through it.”
The interchange will be funded through Gov. Jim Justice’s Roads to Prosperity Program.
Nineteen other projects across the state have also opened for bid letting. | 2022-05-18T23:00:10Z | www.wsaz.com | Culloden Interchange plans to relieve I-64 traffic in Hurricane and Milton | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/18/culloden-interchange-plans-relieve-i-64-traffic-hurricane-milton/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/18/culloden-interchange-plans-relieve-i-64-traffic-hurricane-milton/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Gas prices in West Virginia are now sitting at an average of $4.38, according to Lynda Lambert, a spokesperson for AAA.
And she said nationwide the average is $4.56.
“Crude oil has been consistently over $100 a barrel,” Lambert said. “When the market closed today it was at $109 a barrel. That is due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and all the volatility and uncertainty in the market because of that conflict.”
When Hunter Castleberry pulled up to the gas station in front of the Piggly Wiggly on Spring Street in Charleston, he said he wasn’t looking forward to the chunk of change coming out of his pocket.
“It hurts every time I see it. Like, I mean, it’s awful. it just keeps going up. Seems like there’s no end in sight.”
Castleberry isn’t the only one unhappy with the prices. When Lisa Westfall pulled up to the pump, she said prices have gotten out of hand.
“OMG, no way this is ridiculous,” Westfall said.
AAA said it’s hard to predict what could happen with gas prices but are encouraging everyone to consolidate their trips and try to drive a car with the best mileage available to them. | 2022-05-19T03:34:35Z | www.wsaz.com | Drivers frustrated by high gas prices | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/19/drivers-frustrated-by-high-gas-prices/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/19/drivers-frustrated-by-high-gas-prices/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - It didn’t take long for the Winfield Generals track and field team to start racking up state titles Wednesday night in Charleston. Ian Simmons won the pole vault just before 6:30 pm with a successful jump of 13 feet 6 inches. Point Pleasants’ Cael McCutcheon finished second in the event after clearing the 13 foot mark. About an hour later, Winfield won three of the next four track finals as Rachael Withrow and Matthew Scheneberg won the 3200M races. In the girls 400M race, Allie Germann was named the winner after Oak Glen’s Kamela Ward was ruled to have run out of her lane.
From the boys 400M race, Point Pleasant’s Jonathan Griffin won it with a time of 49.95. After 5 events scored, Winfield leads the Class AA meet with 38 points, Point Pleasant is second with 29 and Poca is third with 24.
Here are the highlights from night one as seen on WSAZ Sports. | 2022-05-19T03:34:41Z | www.wsaz.com | Night one of WV state meet belongs to Winfield | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/19/night-one-wv-state-meet-belongs-winfield/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/19/night-one-wv-state-meet-belongs-winfield/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - More life is coming to Quarrier Street.
The Charleston YWCA recently sold its former building to Pison Development with the intention to make it senior housing.
YWCA CEO Debby Weinstein believes the building’s future is a fitting alignment with its storied past.
“It just warms my heart that they are turning the building into this type of housing,” she said.
“That building was built to house young women who were coming into Charleston, who were looking for work and there was the equivalent at that time in the YWCA, job coaches, mentors, et cetera and that was 100 years ago, so we’ve come full circle. It will be housing again, and we are just over the moon with what is happening.”
Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango said the building’s transformation is made possible by a payment, in lieu of taxes pilot program.
“It’s a way for us to freeze the property taxes on a certain piece of real estate or building, and that generates investment,” Salango said. “We freeze their tax level at the current rate, and then we don’t tax them on the addition that they add to their property.”
Salango said the building’s estimated value is about $1.2 million, and the taxes will stay at that level.
He went on to say when Pison invests more money into the building, the company will not need to pay taxes for another 10 years.
Salango said the building’s new goal is coming for the right group of people at the right time.
“Housing, in general, is tough right now and Kanawha County, it’s tough for people to find housing, senior housing, and particularly because, we’ve got an aging population, and those folks need more housing,” he said.
“This is certainly a welcome, welcome project.”
Weinstein hopes the building’s future residents will appreciate its past.
“I think they’re going to be so proud this community has a lot of love for that building,” she said. “For it to become affordable housing and it being a historic, beautiful building, I think people are going to feel so warm and engaged in wanting to keep it beautiful because it is beautiful.”
Salango said it could take about a year before construction for the senior housing is underway for the sale to be finalized. | 2022-05-19T23:22:38Z | www.wsaz.com | Former YWCA Charleston building to become senior housing | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/19/former-ywca-charleston-building-become-senior-housing/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/19/former-ywca-charleston-building-become-senior-housing/ |
High water is creating traffic problems in parts of Portsmouth.(Shannon Litton/WSAZ)
UPDATE: 05/20/2022 @ 8:57 A.M.
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) -- Crews have reopened U.S. 52 near OSCO after it was closed Friday morning due to flooding.
City crews have pumped out water from the area.
Officials say crews are looking into a possible flood gate or pump malfunction that lead to the flooding in the first place.
Keep checking the WSAZ App for the latest updates.
ORIGINAL STORY: 05/20/2022 @ 8:16 A.M.
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) -- High water is creating traffic problems in parts of Portsmouth.
Officials say U.S. 52 is closed until further notice at the East Bound Scioto River Bridge, 11th Street and Chillicothe Street, and Chillicothe Street and Washington Street.
The closure comes after rains Thursday night into Friday morning.
Drivers are asked to take either the 2nd Street Bridge or the Carl Perkins Bridge as a detour.
Crews are working to clear the road now. | 2022-05-20T13:05:16Z | www.wsaz.com | UPDATE | Crews reopen flooded road | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/road-closed-due-high-water/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/road-closed-due-high-water/ |
The West Virginia state track and field championships are continuing Friday and Saturday despite the extreme heat.(WSAZ)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Near record-breaking heat is hitting our region to kick off the weekend with temperatures reaching the mid-90s.
Kanawha County Emergency Management Director CW Sigman said this is the hottest it has been in nearly two years, and people need to stay out of the sun and hydrate.
“We’re also concerned with all the activities,” Sigman said about weekend sports games and events. “There might be kids left in cars, dogs or some kind of pet left in a car. The heat is going to get pretty bad in the car. It will get extreme temperatures, so we want everyone to take precautions.”
Despite the boiling hot temperatures, the state track and field championships are continuing in Charleston. Athletes from across West Virginia are competing throughout the day on Friday and Saturday, but WVSSAC Executive Director Bernie Dolan said they have scheduled events to avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.
“They’re only out there for a short period of time, so they will just go back in the shade whenever they are out,” Dolan said. “It’s really the people in the stand that really have to pay attention because they’re sitting there for long periods of time.”
Jugs and cases of water are spread across Laidley Field for people to remain hydrated. There are also shaded spots and ice tubs for athletes, like Winnie Bird, to use before and after their races.
“It’s hot. It’s harder to stay cool and get warmed up without getting too hot because you don’t want to be sweating and gross before the race,” Bird said. “We have easier practices when it’s hot and when we are preparing for a big meet like this just to keep our bodies ready and not too tired.”
Many spectators brought umbrellas and pop-up tents to provide some shade in the stands. Other people relied on ice slushies and popsicles to go along with the bucket hats, cool towels and sunscreen.
“It’s not so bad,” George Grantham said about his tent. “There has been a breeze blowing most of the day, so we haven’t even had to turn on our fans here.”
“We’re just staying hydrated. That’s the thing to do,” Cathryn Osborn said. “I’ve got a spray bottle, so if I get too hot I will spray myself down.” | 2022-05-20T22:13:44Z | www.wsaz.com | Athletes compete as extreme heat hits the region | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/athletes-compete-extreme-heat-hits-region/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/athletes-compete-extreme-heat-hits-region/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - For 31 years, Selina Midkiff has dedicated countless hours to the Appalachian Children’s Chorus. She founded it back in 1990, and it has blossomed into a transformational organization that has benefited thousands of young lives.
“This has just been a heck of a ride. We’ve gone to amazing places and done some amazing things because of these children,” Midkiff said. “We help make better grown ups and better human beings.”
Since establishing the chorus, Midkiff has been directly involved every step of the way. The children in her program have entertained audiences all over the world. Those same children attribute their growth as human beings to the lessons taught by Midkiff.
“I would not be the same person I am today without her,” said Jennifer Hicks.
“I don’t think I would be this happy without Mrs. Midkiff and without this community,” Olivia Hayes said.
Those who come through Midkiff’s program leave standing a little taller and holding their heads a little higher. It’s all because Midkiff pours her soul into their growth everyday. After all these years, Midkiff has decided it’s time to retire.
“I have never stepped in front of these children and not given them 100%,” Midkiff said.
At the end of the summer, she will say goodbye to the Appalachian Children’s Chorus, leaving it in the hands of her good friend Chris Brown. But she will still support the children from afar, and the relationships she has built will last forever.
“Her impact on the children that she touches will never go away. So many of us are who we are because of what Mrs. Midkiff has taught us and what she has done for us,” said Ally Jeffery.
There are many who share those same sentiments, but even if there was only one, Midkiff would be OK with that.
“If this choir has been but for you, all of these years, it was worth it. Just one and there have been more than one,” said Midkiff. | 2022-05-20T22:13:50Z | www.wsaz.com | Hometown Hero | Selina Midkiff | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/hometown-hero-selina-midkiff/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/hometown-hero-selina-midkiff/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Hands-on learning was halted around the world during the pandemic. Now, two years later, Remake Learning Days is helping to bring it back.
Donna Peduto, Executive Director of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, stopped by First Look at Four to talk about how you can get involved.
You can learn more at their website and Facebook page. | 2022-05-20T22:14:17Z | www.wsaz.com | Remake Learning Days brings back hands-on learning for local kids | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/remake-learning-days-brings-back-hands-on-learning-local-kids/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/20/remake-learning-days-brings-back-hands-on-learning-local-kids/ |
South Charleston Armed Forces Day Parade pays tribute to veterans(WSAZ)
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The annual South Charleston Armed Forces Parade wound its way through town Saturday.
This is the 62nd year for the Herbert J. Thomas Memorial Armed Forces Day Parade.
The parade’s marshal was U.S. Army Vietnam veteran Ernest “Bud” Samples.
“Anything to protect the constitution,” said Samples. “Walking in dust two feet deep, mortar and rockets, I’d go back right now if they’d let me.”
Event director Vicki Vaughan says the parade is among the longest running military parades in America.
Armed Forces Day was created by President Harry S. Truman in 1949 and is celebrated on the third Saturday in May every year. | 2022-05-22T00:07:51Z | www.wsaz.com | South Charleston Armed Forces Day Parade pays tribute to veterans | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/21/south-charleston-armed-forces-day-parade-pays-tribute-veterans/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/21/south-charleston-armed-forces-day-parade-pays-tribute-veterans/ |
Driver crashes into Dairy Queen(WSAZ)
SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A car crashed into the Scott Depot Dairy Queen Saturday evening just after 7 p.m.
According to dispatchers, the driver of the car was trapped and had to be extricated by first responders.
The driver was transported to the hospital but the extend of their injuries are unknown.
Crews shut off the gas to the building to stabilize it due to the damage. | 2022-05-22T01:38:49Z | www.wsaz.com | Driver crashes into Dairy Queen | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/22/driver-crashes-into-dairy-queen/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/22/driver-crashes-into-dairy-queen/ |
Fire destroys home(WSAZ)
JEFFERSON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, fire departments were dispatched a house fire on MacCorkle Ave behind the Mitsubishi dealership.
Jefferson Fire arrived on scene to find a single story house engulfed in flames.
Crews were able to quickly control the fire but stayed on scene for about two hours.
Firefighters say several vehicles were impacted by the flames.
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.
It is unknown if anyone was home during the fire.
West Side Fire Department as well as Institute Fire Department and Tornado Fire Department all assisted in putting out the fire.
WSAZ. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-22T18:45:51Z | www.wsaz.com | Fire destroys Jefferson home | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/22/fire-destroys-jefferson-home/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/22/fire-destroys-jefferson-home/ |
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