……Transparency is a word I never thought much of before until …. transparency was blocked as it has been in the West Virginia Board of Education’s takeover of Hancock County Schools. But, in all my years as a reporter or a legislator, I’ve never seen access denied in such a cavalier way. Make no mistake,…

Democrats vying for local, state and federal positions were on hand for a meet your candidate at the Milsop Community Center in Weirton Saturday, Apr. 19. The event was sponsored by the Hancock and Brooke Democratic Women. Mike Pushkin, chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party, was on hand to welcome those in attendance and…

Oak Glen High School proudly hosted the 62nd annual induction ceremony of the Regina Wehner Chapter of the National Honor Society on Sunday, March 22, in the school’s Little Theater. Forty-six exceptional students were welcomed as new members of the prestigious chapter, marking a significant achievement in their academic journeys. The ceremony also highlighted the…

Appointed Superintendent of Hancock County Schools when the State took over the District, Walt Saunders assured the school community and public all dealings would be transparent. As the Board of Education President Chris Gillette, struggled to get information and have false information corrected, he and others learned….nothing could be further from the truth. Gillette filed…

West Virginia has never had the luxury of excess when it comes to public education resources. Every classroom, every bus route, every staff position is the result of careful budgeting and often difficult tradeoffs. That’s why West Virginia House Bill 4818 raises serious concerns—not just about policy direction, but about fairness, local control, and fiscal…

I would like to remind you that the Public Service Commission of West Virginia has added an important new milestone to our website, which is found at www.psc.state.wv.us.This is a list of agencies and places a utility customer may go if they need help with paying utility bills. This listing is called the “utility assistance…

WEST VIRGINIA (April 15, 2026) – The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) is reminding local governments that annual expenditure reports detailing the use of opioid settlement funds are due by April 30, 2026, in accordance with the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).The MOU established a statewide framework for the distribution and reporting of…

Ms. Kelli Talbot, Esq. WV Board of Education April 15, 2026 Dear Ms. Talbot: I write to protest the State Board of Education’s 2nd delay on Hometown News FOIA.. request.     While FOIA are supposed to be delivered 5  business days after the request, I agreed to a delivery date of April 9 in the…

WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center is proud to announce the opening of its expanded Intensive Care Unit (ICU), delivering a higher level of care to patients across the region.The ICU allows the hospital to care for even the most critically ill patients locally, ensuring they can remain close to their families, support systems, and homes…

HANCOCK COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETINGJohn D. Rockefeller IV Career Center – IMC Room80 Rockefeller Circle, New Cumberland WV 26047Thursday, April 16, 2026, 8:00 a.m.Dial in by phone+1 304-553-7794,,510949388# United States, CharlestonPhone conference ID: 510 949 388#Special Employee HearingsPursuant to W. Va. Code §18-2E-5, the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) voted unanimously at…

Hancock County, WV – Steven E. Dragisich, Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney, announces that the April 2026 Term of the Hancock County Grand Jury met this week and returned the following indictments. Roe Degenhardt Baker -1/7/1954, 1313 Arner Road, Chester WV : (a)Attempted Murder and (b)Wanton Endangerment Involving a Firearm (4 counts); Christian Louis McDonald 7/11/1989;…

It is the winter of 1973. Spurning Mr. Edwards’ social studies class (that’s what they called history then), I fake an early dismissal slip (actually, my wisdom tooth was fine, thank you) from that bastion of higher learning known as Oak Glen. Braving harsh elements, I thumb a ride to Waterford Park. Nearly frostbitten from…

Honor Rolls – 3rd Nine Weeks Grading Period 5th Grade Straight A Honor Roll:   Blake Allison, Laila Behanna, Finn Bellville, Ashley Brown, Amadeo Camacho-Lazo, Brinley Chaffin, Lyla Cole, Adalynn Corbin, Londyn Crummitt, Chelsea Davis, Adalyn Dawson, Raegan Dodd, Harper Dugan, Aubrey Duke, Vance Gregory, Bowen Hardy, Charlene Hurst, Krew Karpinski, Luna Lynch, Koi Martsolf, Destiny…

CHARLESTON – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia on Friday received an application from Monongahela Power Company and The Potomac Edison Company seeking approval to construct and operate a 1,200-MW combined cycle natural gas plant and three 70-MW solar generation facilities. The proposed $2.84 billion gas facility would be built at the existing Fort…

Hancock County Commissioners agreed to participate in an opioid settlement case against Associated Pharmacies, Inc., J.M. Smith Corporation, Louisiana Wholesale Drug Company, Morris and Dickinson Co., North Carolina Mutual Wholesale Drug Company and United Natural Foods, Inc. at Thursday’s meeting. They failed to come to an agreement with Family Care Excellence on a Memorandum of…

3/2 Mitchell C. Nixon, Newell Obstructing 3/4 Stephanie E. Buckley, Chester Domestic Battery x2/possession 3/6 Randall J. Myers, Jr., Newell Trespassing 3/8 James E. Carnes, Newell Domestic Battery 3/9 Lydia N. Misenhelder, Weirton DUI/Drugs/No Insurance 3/15 Joshua W. Elliott, Weirton Domestic Assault x2/Brandishing x3/Gross Neglect of a child 3/16 Shawn N. Kernen, Mingo Junction Domestic…

….I’ll admit to being focused on the State’s takeover of Hancock County’s school district.  To me, it was like a mystery.  The State knowing that Joe Campinelli wasn’t submitting reports using the state-mandated WVEIS system, not responding to e-mails about financial reports and not communicating to Hancock County officials raised a red flag.  …….As I…