The man accused of shooting two members of the West Virginia National Guard while they were on duty in Washington, D.C., pleaded not guilty today to newly filed charges that could result in the death penalty.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, is accused of killing Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and wounding Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe the day before Thanksgiving last year as they were on patrol near a Metro transit stop.
Federal prosecutors today filed a superseding indictment that includes

KENOVA, W.Va. — HealthNet cut the ribbon on the 5th of five new aircraft added to the West Virginia helicopter fleet. All five of the new aircraft have been put into service in the Mountain State in the past seven months. It means 50 percent of HealthNet’s fleet in West Virginia is less than seven months old.
“It is a milestone in our 40-year history,” said HealthNet CEO Clinton Burley.
Burley said there are very few places in the country where this kind of infrastructure investment can be seen.

Rylan Johnson
BIRCH RIVER, W.Va. — A shooting in Braxton County left one man wounded and another facing charges.
State Police were called to the Go-Mart in Birch River in Nicholas County where a man was found suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was Samuel Kelly, 52, of Birch River.
Investigators learned Kelly had been shot at a home in the community of Little Birch which is in Braxton County. They also learned the alleged shooter was Rylan Johnson, 38, of Little Birch.
Johnson was

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s excitement across the board for the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships in the Capital City.
The championships began Tuesday with time trials down the Kanawha Boulevard course, featuring three different categories of competitors: Junior 17-18, Under-23, and Elite athletes.
The Kanawha Boulevard course (Photo/Jack Carlson)
USA Cycling Director of Marketing Katherine Santos said she lives three-and-a-half hours away, and she looks forward to returning to

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A man was pulled from the Kanawha River after he tried to escape police Tuesday morning.
Ricky Aaron Bailey is accused of trying to damage vehicles at the state Capitol Complex. Bailey allegedly fled from police and tried to swim across the river.
Metro 911 was notified of a water rescue needed a few minutes after 10 a.m.
Charleston Police joined Capitol Police in the pursuit. A Charleston Fire Department rescue boat was deployed onto the water to chase Bailey.
Bailey was

CHARLESTON, W.Va – Wheels are spinning around downtown Charleston with the kickoff of USA Cycling’s Pro Road Nationals on Tuesday as competitors from across the country compete in the Capital City.
The event returns to Charleston for the third time and continues through Sunday. After two years getting the hang of hosting, city officials think this year will be the best one yet.
“The focus, I think, is mainly on we can pull off the event but having these watch parties and having these areas where

Today on MetroNews This Morning:
–Economic Development leader tells lawmakers West Virginia continues to be attractive to businesses
–A murder is under investigation in Kanawha County
–Lawmakers continue to examine the school aid formula
–In Sports: WVU’s season is on the line today when they play Troy in the CWS
Listen to “MetroNews This Morning 6-16-26” on Spreaker.

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