WV MetroNews, Author at WV GATE

May 2025 Drought Outlook shows Eastern Panhandle drought conditions persist

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Drought conditions are hanging on in the Eastern Panhandle.
This week, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released its latest monthly drought outlook for May 2025, showing where drought is expected to improve, worsen, or remain the same over the next month.
The Eastern Panhandle, including Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties persist in the D2 designation for “Severe Drought” conditions.
The drought is affecting 265,400 residents in West Virginia, according to the US

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Fired City Manager Pat Ford files lawsuit against City of Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Fired City Manager Pat Ford has filed a lawsuit against the City of Bridgeport after being terminated in early April less than six months into his tenure.
The lawsuit was officially in Harrison County Circuit Court on Friday, which alleges that Ford was terminated in an attempt by the city to “hide acts of wrongdoing and waste from public disclosure.”
According to the lawsuit, Ford alleges that several members of Bridgeport City Council, including Mayor Andy Lang and

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Morrisey’s vaccination exemption executive order will continue to be used

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order that has his administration reviewing and allowing religious exemptions to the state’s mandatory school entry vaccination requirements will continue to be used for the foreseeable future.
Michele Blatt
State School Superintendent Michele Blatt notified county school superintendents Friday evening, “The Governor’s office has informed me that the West Virginia Department of Health will continue to review and grant religious exemptions to

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Former Marshall football player charged with first-degree robbery

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A New York City teenager, a former member of the Marshall football team, has charged with committing a robbery as part of a double shooting in Huntington last weekend.
Tayvon Nelson (WVRJA)
Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins said Tayvon Nelson, 19, of Staten Island, New York, and Messiah Peddie, 19, of Washington, D.C., have been charged in connection with last Sunday’s incident at a residence on Collis Avenue.
Huntington police said the two were there to get drugs and

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Pair of big innings lead Williamstown to the LKC title, 10-2 at South Harrison

LOST CREEK, W.Va. — A six-run, six-hit sixth inning propelled Williamstown to a successful defense of their Little Kanawha Conference Tournament title with a 10-2 win at South Harrison.
After defeating Ravenswood, 10-0 in Tuesday’s semifinal, the Yellowjackets broke open a close game late against the Hawks.
“Hands down, in my opinion, this is one of the best conferences in the state,” said Williamstown head coach Levi Maxwell. “The competition that comes out of here year in and year out, you’ve

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Ravenswood defeats Gilmer 8-2 to take third place in the LKC

LOST CREEK, W.Va. — Highlights from Ravenswood’s 8-2 win over Gilmer County in the third place game in the Little Kanawha Conference Baseball Tournament.
The post Ravenswood defeats Gilmer 8-2 to take third place in the LKC appeared first on WV MetroNews.

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Dueling Directives Friday Evening on Vaccines

Friday brought clarity from West Virginia State School Superintendent Michele Blatt regarding vaccine exemptions. In a concise, one-page memo, Blatt informed all county superintendents that state law leaves no ambiguity on vaccination requirements for school enrollment.
Blatt accurately noted that the legislature did not pass a law allowing religious exemptions during its recent session. She underscored that current West Virginia law clearly mandates vaccinations as a prerequisite for enrollment

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Logan County Commission votes no to sell PSDs to WV American Water

LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. –Logan County Commission voting unanimously Friday during a special meeting to not sell two of their struggling Public Service Districts to West Virginia American Water.
“I believe this course of action best serves the interest of the community, and with that being said I just want to say Logan County is not for sale,” commissioner Eric Porter said before they voted against the sell.
Director of Business Development for WVAWC Jake Glance said the company offered $81 million

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Two more in custody in connection with stabbing incident in Barboursville

BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. –Two more arrests have been made in connection with a stabbing that happened Wednesday in Barboursville.
Shawn Spradling and Steven Woodard were identified as suspects by Barboursville Police. Spradling and Woodard are both charged with being an accessory before and after the fact. Spraadling is also charged with harboring a fugitive.
The incident happened around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at a garage apartment in the 1100 block of Rear Main Street which is located near McConkey

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State Attorney General announces distribution of funds from lawsuit settlement with Pfizer and Ranbaxy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. –State Attorney General J.B McCuskey announcing Friday that they have distributed nearly $3.5 million dollars to counties and cities in West Virginia as part of a recently settled antitrust lawsuit with Pfizer and Ranbaxy.
J.B. McCuskey
The lawsuit, which began in 2013 under Governor Patrick Morrisey who was the attorney general at the time, alleged that both companies delayed the release of the Ranbaxy’s generic version of the cholesterol drug Lipitor for 20 months.
According

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