BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Residents and officials are continuing to assess the damage created by an estimated 2.25 inches of rain in 25 minutes Monday.
Tim Curry
On WAJRs’ “Talk of the Town,” Bridgeport Director of Emergency Management Tim Curry said the heavy, repeated rain events have swept across the region thanks to the El Niño weather phenomenon.
“What I have read says it slows those storms down as they move east and they all stack up together,” Curry said. “So, we get more rain over a shorter

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A fired Kanawha County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted by a federal grand jury over alleged sexual misconduct against an inmate.
Cass Close (WVRJA)
Cass Close, 56, of Charleston, was indicted Wednesday on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Close reportedly sexually assaulted a female inmate at the Kanawha County Judicial Building in July 2025. He was working as a court bailiff at the time.
Close initially faced state charges, but those were dropped

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin is urging residents to fill out damage surveys in connection with the flood that occurred Sunday night.
Amy Shuler Goodwin
Goodwin said those surveys are needed to get both flood victims and the city the help it needs.
“It is a way that we can start building a case. You are helping, not only yourself with your own insurance, but helping us for federal funds, state funds and the continuation of assistance,” Goodwin said Wednesday.
Charleston received

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.—The debate over Flock cameras continued at Wednesday’s Monongalia County Commission meeting.
Tom Bloom
Former Mountain State Justice attorney and downtown Morgantown business owner Lindsey Jacobs refused to follow established public comment rules for all members of the public requiring a name and address.
Jacobs declared the rule unconstitutional and told commissioners they would have to remove her from the meeting. After several requests to comply with the rule, Jacobs told

The West Virginia Lottery Commission will likely make a decision about The Greenbrier Hotel’s casino license at its next meeting, but discussion will be in a closed session.
The Greenbrier is seeking to get approval of the gaming license following a financial transaction resulting in a change of majority ownership, control and associated board appointments.
The lottery commission next meets August 26. Board members had a conference call today to outline their agenda.
“There probably will be

LANSING, W.Va. — The recent rainfall and flooding has not spared the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Some rafting companies have lost business or had to reschedule because of this week’s weather. Some of the key roads within the park remain closed.
“We’ve had so much rain over the last few weeks, the soil was so saturated with that last rain event we had it really caused a lot of slides. Probably the hardest hit road we’ve had is the road down to Cunard,” said Eve West Public

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Appalachian Power reports service has been restored to everyone affected by the most recent batch of storms.
Debby Pannell
Company spokesperson Debby Pannell told MetroNews that it took a lot of work. Those repairs wrapped up Tuesday night. ApCo has restored service to around 50,000 customers since Sunday. The majority of the power outages happened in West Virginia, with some in Virginia as well.
“We are in really good shape,” Pannell said. “They have restored all of the

ROMNEY, W.Va. — The body of a missing swimmer has been recovered in Hampshire County.
The Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the woman’s body was located shortly before noon on Wednesday in the water near the Wapacoma Campground. The woman disappeared while swimming in the waters of the South Branch of the Potomac River back on Monday afternoon with her children. The children were able to make it to shore and notified authorities their mother was missing.
A search operation had been