WV MetroNews, Author at WV GATE

‘The only choice is to get better, so we will do that’: WVU tries to move forward during challenging stretch

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A rigorous three-game stretch for West Virginia’s women’s basketball team began Wednesday with the team suffering its third loss this season as the Mountaineers fell apart offensively down the stretch and made only 3-of-19 fourth-quarter field-goal attempts in a 71-66 setback to 17th-ranked Texas Tech.
The result snapped a seven-game win streak for WVU (13-3, 3-1) and prevented the Mountaineers from having sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference as they and

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Guard shooter named in 9-count indictment

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The man who shot two West Virginia National Guard members on the streets of Washington, D.C. the day before Thanksgiving now faces additional charges.The indictment against Rahmanullah Lakanwal was unsealed Friday.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal
Lakanwal, an Afghan national, faces a murder charge for the death of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom. assault with intent to kill in the injuring of Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and now two additional counts of assault with intent to kill the two Guard

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Huntington woman sentenced for COVID fraud

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A Huntington woman will spend time in prison after she stole COVID relief money from the government.
Tanisha Wooding, 46, was sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
According to a U.S. Attorney release, Wooding fraudulently obtained $91,664 in COVID-19 loans for her personal use.
From around July 26, 2020, through June 10, 2021, Wooding knowingly defrauded money from the federal Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster

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One injured in train collision with vehicle

TUENNELTON, W.Va. — One person is being treated for injuries after a car was struck by a train late Friday night Preston County.
It happened along Racoon Valley Road near Tunnelton.
Authorities said the airbags did deploy in the vehicle. The extent of the injuries was not immediately known.
CSX is investigating.
The post One injured in train collision with vehicle appeared first on WV MetroNews.

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Marshall seeks regular season sweep against Georgia State

— By Bill Cornwell
After opening Sun Belt Conference play in mid-December with a loss at Troy, the Marshall men’s basketball team has been on a roll.
The Herd (11-5, 3-1) looks for a fifth straight victory and regular season sweep Saturday in Atlanta against Georgia State (5-12, 2-3).
The 4 p.m. matchup can be seen on ESPN+.
On New Year’s Eve, Marshall secured an 84-80 victory over the Panthers in Huntington.
Marshall is coming off of a 64-62 win at James Madison on Wednesday night in which the

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Life in prison for Texas man convicted in brutal Morgantown murder

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Texas man convicted in the murder of Learfield/MSN employee Jacob Lough will spend the rest of his life in a West Virginia state prison.
Jonathan Ramirez (WVRJA)
Jonathan Ramirez, 25, was sentenced Friday in Monongalia County Circuit Court to life in prison with no chance for parole for the January 2024 stabbing death of Jacob Lough.
A 12-member jury convicted Ramirez on charges of murder, burglary and larceny last August. It took the panel less than 30 minutes to reach

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Wheeling Central cruises in state championship rematch, 90-49 over Williamstown

WHEELING, W.Va. — Defending state champion Wheeling Central Catholic extended their winning streak to twenty games by knocking off Williamstown, 90-49 in a rematch of last year’s Class AA state championship game.
The Maroon Knights (8-0) scored at least 20 points in each of the first three quarters, including a 36-point outburst in the third quarter.
“We tell them all the time that we are never going to play that perfect game,” said Wheeling Central Catholic head coach Mel Stephens. “There’s

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Bryant to lead Foster Care Ombudsman Division

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Office of Inspector General has announced that Jessica Bryant will be the new director of the Foster Care Ombudsman division.
Jessica Bryant
The Ombudsman division serves as a neutral third party that investigates complaints related to the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
In her career, Foster has worked with Child Protective Services where she managed investigations, court involved cases and permanency planning. She later moved on to oversight

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West Virginia set to welcome No. 22 Kansas

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A half hour or so had passed since West Virginia men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge recorded his first Big 12 win with the Mountaineers holding off Cincinnati 62-60 on Tuesday night.
Hodge expressed feeling fortunate that his team was able to overcome a late lapse where saw a six-point lead became a five-point deficit, and WVU (10-5, 1-1) avoided falling victim to a poor finish that was problematic in narrow neutral-site setbacks to Clemson and Ohio State.
Yet as is generally

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