PHILIPPI, W.Va. — The Barbour County Chamber of Commerce has an information meeting set for Monday in regards to the recent closure of the Leer South Mine in Philippi. Core Natural Resources announced that it would temporarily seal the longwall of the mine due to an underground mine fire in mid-January. Original reports said the mine…
FAIRMONT, W.Va. –– The Marion County school system will increase school safety measures with several new technology updates. One update includes adding facial recognition technology entrances to nearly half of the schools in the county, according to Superintendent Donna Heston. Donna Heston “[We received] a grant from the school building authority for 2.7 million dollars…
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A second suspect has been charged in the November 2023 killing Richard Hall in Morgantown. Damir Smith (WVRJA) Damir Swann, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, has also been charged with conspiracy and first degree murder in the case. Melvin Garth, 28, also of Detroit, was arrested earlier this week and also charged with conspiracy…
PRINCETON, W.Va. — Two West Virginia school coaches no longer have jobs after criminal investigations. Travis Francisco (WVRJA photo) The Mercer County Board of Education fired Princeton High School Wrestling Coach Travis Francisco Tuesday after he was named in seven criminal counts–alleging he had sex with a student. State police started the investigation after receiving a…
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Authorities have identified the human remains unearthed on a piece of property in Harrison County last week. Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny said Tuesday the remains are those of Christa Merrill of Fairmont. Merrill, 34, was reported missing last August. The sheriff’s department, working the FBI, excavated the property in the Owings area…
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A Morgantown man accused of attempting to buy a child in Mexico will serve 10 years in federal prison for failing to update his sex offender registry before traveling internationally. Scott David Bixler, 43, was arrested in Mexico, where investigators believed he attempted to purchase a 7-year-old girl. Court documents said Bixler…
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Officials from Hope Gas report activities associated with the Sunday explosion in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood have been completed. The blast claimed the homeowner’s life. According to an update from the company, Hope Gas crews have been working around the clock since the incident to get displaced families back into their and…
FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. — It’s official, West Virginia’s famous groundhog is predicting an early spring. A slew of people, 607 in total, gathered Sunday morning for an annual Groundhog Day ceremony at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek in Upshur County to watch French Creek Freddie make his prediction. Many claps and cheers came…
SHINNSTON, W.Va. — Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny said human remains found Wednesday following a planned excavation near Shinnston will be sent to the state Medical Examiner’s Office. Sheriff Robert Matheny II Matheny said the remains were discovered during a joint operation with the FBI. The dig occurred after a warrant was obtained to search…
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The man injured in a house explosion in Clarksburg has died. The victim was being treated for life-threatening injuries at United Hospital Center. The explosion occurred Sunday afternoon at around 3:30 at a house on Kramer Street in the Chestnut Hills neighborhood. The area was evacuated with a temporary warming shelter set up…