Hancock County School Superintendent Dan Enich said today (Jan 9) that he and other school officials will meet with the State Board of Education on Tuesday via Zoom. Enich had sent a letter to the State School Superintendent Michele Blatt that Hancock County schools had not received $478,000.00 draw down expected to assist the school…

With the possibility looming that Hancock County Schools will be unable to meet payroll for the second pay in January, Superintendent Dan Enich has made a formal request to State Superintendent Michelle Blatt for State Aid. In a letter sent to Blatt January 6, Enich wrote: “As per our projections as of January 5, 2026…

WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center is proud to announce that Dakota Collins, Patient Navigator, has successfully passed her certification exam to become the hospital’s first Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C). This important milestone strengthens the hospital’s commitment to providing comprehensive, high-quality care to perinatal patients and their families. Her specialized education and training enhance…

Applications for the 2026-2027Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Grants Open Wednesday, January 7, 2026What are Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Grants?Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in Mid Atlantic Arts’ region. Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, PR, USVI,…

Del. Pat McGeehan (R-1st) spoke to WV Metro News yesterday (Jan. 6) in regards to the financial crisis facing Hancock County Schools. McGeehan was quoted as saying he’s been told that the school district will not be able to make payroll after Feb. 1, 2026. Reports say the school system could run out of money…

Hancock County Schools is facing a financial crisis that did not occur suddenly, nor was it unavoidable. Information revealed in recent public meetings points to years of poor financial management, insufficient oversight, and a troubling lack of transparency. These failures have placed the district, its employees, and its students in an increasingly unstable position. At…

Prior to 1995, there was no legalized gaming in West Virginia aside from purchasing a lottery ticket or betting on a horse or dog race. That all changed in 1995, when two Hancock County Delegates, the late Sam Love (D-1st) and Tamara Pettit (D-1st) sponsored and passed legislation to allow a constitutional amendment on Limited…

We are excited to introduce baby girl Amaria, the first baby born at WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center in 2026. Amaria arrived this morning (1/2/26) at 12:56 a.m. She is the daughter of Kaylee Yeater and Bryan Barr of Follansbee Just half an hour later, Eli Whitney was born. He is the son of Jeremy and Madison Whitney of…

……I’m celebrating my ability to handle all the trappings of Christmas on my very own and that includes taking all those trappings down and putting them away. Some women tell me once they are alone they scale down decorations, some not even putting up a Christmas tree. …….Not me.  Nope this girl gives no credence…

CHARLESTON – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia ordered Weirton Area Water Board on Wednesday to implement action plans and other proposals the board submitted on October 22 to address water problems in the Northern Panhandle city. The city was told by the Commission to submit action plans on how to replace cast iron…

Michele Burchett to Janice Hanna, $200,000.00 Grant District Michael Flinn to Shayne Murphy, Hayley Miller $299,900.00. Clay District Weirton Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Jerry Rash, trustee, Jacob Glenn, trustee to Bridget Winnie, Jerad Winnie Butler District Ronald Souchak to Delores Darlene Souchak quit cl dee Mark Cooper, Jr., Theresa Cooper to Mark…

by Mark Patterson Something of a scoundrel-albeit a charming one-my dad played the ponies throughout most of his adult life. Please consider that this was long before legalized sports-betting slapped a veneer of legitimacy on the sort of “financial speculation” that sometimes results in dining on Kraft Mac & Cheese (the kind in blue boxes…

Can it be time for another election cycle? Filing for the 2026 Election is slated to begin January 12 and end January 31. The Primary Election is May 12, 2026 and the General Election is November 3. Often known as the “off-term election”, the election cycle includes Federal, State and Local candidates. The Butler District…

There are a lot of challenges ahead for Hancock County in 2026.  At this point the most pressing challenge  is rectifying  the financial crisis in the Hancock County School system. …….Despite the meetings I’ve attended and the research I have done, I’m still baffled by many pieces of this puzzle..  The school system finds itself in…

WEST VIRGINIA (December 23, 2025) – The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) is excited to announce the recipients of the Momentum Initiative Grant (MIG), nearly $18 million to support high-impact initiatives addressing substance use disorder, prevention, recovery, and workforce and system capacity across West Virginia.Approved by the WVFF Board of Directors earlier this month, MIG…

by Mark Patterson  We embarked with nervous excitement. A somewhat familiar 40-minute drive would take us 5 miles north to route 30, at which point a hard right would head through Clinton, with just several more minutes to our destination, the Pittsburgh International Airport. All roads though, after a lonely Autumn-long wait for him to…

The former CFO of Hancock County Schools, Joe Campinelli, has filed a grievance against the Hancock County Board of Education for his termination. Campinelli asks to be immediately reinstated; receive all back pay due him plus interest at the statutory rate; receive insurance related losses or costs and receive personnel benefits, seniority and all appropriate…

From our Hometown News family to your family we wish you a blessed Christmas. The communities and their residents have endured tough times and are facing challenging times to come. Employees of the Hancock County School District went home for the holiday break with no news yet of their future. We know that Hancock must…