WILLIAMSTOWN, W.Va. (WTAP) – Jean Ford was the first female Mayor of Williamstown, West Virginia. She served the community for 23 years and many will say she was very passionate about the town and people.
After serving as mayor, she focused on her and her late husbands jewelry shop, Mel’s Diamond House until early 2023.
“She was passionate about her hometown. She was passionate about Williamstown and that passion, you can tell it when you were in her presence when she would go to meetings or out in the community giving speeches. She wanted the best for that community and the people in that community.” said George Cosenza, local Attorney.
Senator Joe Manchin was a friend of Jean and sent his deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. “Gayle and I are heartbroken by the death of our dear friend, former Mayor Jean Ford. Jean was an incredibly dedicated public servant who served the city of Williamstown for more than two decades and was the first female mayor of Williamstown. Her impact on Williamstown and the entire state will last for generations. She has been a lifelong friend and I had the honor of speaking with her hours before she passed. We extend our deepest condolences to Jean’s family and all of her loved ones as they mourn this tremendous loss.”
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The Mayor of Vienna, Randy Rapp expressed how much she meant to him and how honest she was. “Jean Ford was one of the best people who lived in the Mid-Ohio Valley and she never met a stranger. Everyone loved her because she was honest. She was a mentor to me and if the definition for Class needed wrote, Class was Jean Ford. She made the Mid-Ohio Valley and Williamstown the best it could look. She did it right all the time, it was always perfect. They do not make people like her anymore”.
Ford was involved in many different things in the community such as the Williamstown Kiwanis, Wood County Development Authority, 17 years at the First Bank, 8 years on Williamstown City Council, served on Board of Ohio Regional Council, Employed Savings Company, graduate of Williamstown High School, Owner-operator of Mel’s Diamond House, and Serves WV Woman’s Commission by appointment of WV Governor.
When Ford was first elected she donated part of her paycheck to the Williamstown Fire Department, which was $400.
“Jean Ford was a total respectful person. She treated people with that same respect, she had a lot of friends and for a city like Williamstown population she had a lot of friends in Charleston too. The Governor’s were always at her beckon and she basically, it might be hard to say this, but people do not understand how hard it is to get a stop light, but Jean could call the Governor and get something like that” said James Colombo, Wood County Commissioner.
George Cosenza described her as an icon.
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“Because of the legacy that she left in the community, that she left in this community, the legacy that she left as a business woman, but I think even more importantly the legacy that she left for the people that knew her and loved her and what she did and as Mayor of Williamstown, she’s an icon. If we had a Mount Rushmore, her face would be on it” said Cosenza.
Cosenza and Colombo share their favorite memories with Jean Ford.
“Going to New York City with Mel and Jean and my lovely wife Lori and having dinner at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center and listening to the orchestra and dancing on that fabulous dance floor. That’s one of the greatest memories I have being with Jean. We laughed and we just had a wonderful, wonderful time.” said Cosenza.
“At one time, I was interested in bringing West Virginia water and just give us an example of what other people are doing and she actually was, for a small lady she just went into my face and said you better not do that and I said why jean and she said basically what people believe this is our water, we should be able to control our own water. She was just a great person. She always had the ability to be direct one way or another, positive or negative, but her negatives were always positive, so that’s a good thing.” said Colombo.
Arrangement for the services are still being determined at this time.
Join the Main Street Morgantown family-friendly holiday shopping event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 13) in Downtown Morgantown.
The event will feature a district-wide scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes and the opportunity to explore holiday pop-up markets by Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op and Apothecary Ale House.
While exploring downtown shops, participants who spot DASH the Dog can collect stamps. Each stamp brings participants closer to the chance of winning prizes from downtown merchants such as gift cards and goods. To qualify for prizes, completed Downtown Dash Guides with five or more stamps must be turned into Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op, Apothecary Ale House or at Breezeline’s play-to-win tent on Courthouse Square.
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As a break from shopping, parents and their little ones can visit Kids Craft, Cookies & Cocoa Central at the WARD Building to enjoy a complimentary hot cocoa and cookie bar and children’s crafts provided by Hotel Morgan sponsored by Main Street Morgantown and Breezeline.
Visitors can also visit the beautiful 25-foot-tall holiday tree on display at Courthouse Square, a collaboration between the City of Morgantown, Monongalia County and Main Street Morgantown.
Sponsored by Breezeline, the Downtown Dash celebrates the holiday season, promotes walking and shopping throughout the downtown district, and supports local businesses by driving foot traffic directly to storefronts.
WHEELING, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation visited the Wheeling Police Department to commend its efforts in addressing the area’s mental health and opioid crisis.
Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger presented to the WVFF board, highlighting the department’s progress.
Schwertfeger attributed a 14% decrease in Group A crimes from 2024 to 2025 to the department’s crisis intervention program.
“Just another great partnership,” he said. “More collaboration in this area that we are very proud of and we want to keep the momentum going,.”
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WVFF Executive Director Jonathan Board praised the program’s success.
“This in particular, the CIT program, that isn’t just in the ether, but is showing success – actual scientific success about de-escalation, about bringing together services providers and to boots on the ground and first responders, this is vitally important to not only this region but the entire state,” Board said.
The visit was part of WVFF’s ‘Hold the Line’ tour across the state.
Now that you know about West Virginia’s2026 recruiting class, I figured it’d be a good time to give a little insight into those who were once committed to the Mountaineers and landed elsewhere.
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What happened, and where did they go?
QB Brodie McWhorter (Mississippi State)
McWhorter committed to Neal Brown and his coaching staff, but reopened his recruitment when the coaching change was made. Rich Rodriguez did recruit him at the beginning, holding several conversations with him before backing off and pursuing Jyron Hughley and Legend Bey. Hughley committed, Bey committed to Ohio State (signed with Tennessee), while WVU added two more quarterbacks in Wyatt Brown and John Johnson III.
RB Jett Walker (Texas)
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Walker fit the bill for what Rodriguez wanted in the backfield. A big, physical presence who could absorb contact and hammer it in between the tackles. With multiple backs committed and feeling good about a few others, WVU didn’t feel pressed to hold onto him. Walker flipped to Minnesota and then flipped to Texas just three weeks later
WR Jeffar Jean-Noel (Georgia Tech)
Jean-Noel was the second recruit to commit to Rodriguez in the 2026 class, but reopened his recruitment in mid-April. He then considered Purdue, Pitt, Kentucky, UCF, and Florida State before landing at Georgia Tech.
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OL Justyn Lyles (Marshall)
The Mountaineers had a number of offensive line commits, and with the late additions of Kevin Brown and Aidan Woods, and their chances of securing Jonas Muya, Lyles took a visit to Marshall and flipped his commitment.
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LB Caleb Gordon (North Carolina)
Gordon’s commitment to WVU was very brief. As a matter of fact, it was the shortest of the bunch, announcing his pledge on November 24th and then flipping to NC State on the first day of the early signing period (December 3rd).
LB Daiveon Taylor (Kent State)
Taylor was the first commit in the class; however, it was so early that he was committed to Neal Brown’s staff, announcing his decision in April of 2024. He backed off that pledge the very day Brown was fired (December 1st) and eventually signed with Kent State.
CB Emari Peterson (unsigned)
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Peterson decommitted from WVU just days before signing day, likely due to the Mountaineers zeroing in on a pair of JUCO corners in Rayshawn Reynolds and Da’Mun Allen. He will sign in February and currently has offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, FIU, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kentucky, Liberty, LSU, South Florida, Southern Miss, Texas A&M, Toledo, Wake Forest, and a few others.
S Aaron Edwards (committed to Tulsa)
West Virginia chose to part ways with Edwards and ultimately replaced his spot with fellow JUCO safety Da’Mare Williams.
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S Jaylon Jones (undecided)
Jones decommitted in late October and did not sign during the early signing period. He will likely choose between Central Michigan, Hawai’i, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Texas State.
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S Taj Powell (Louisville)
Taj is the brother of former Mountaineer basketball guard Jonathan Powell, who is now at North Carolina. He decommitted the day after West Virginia lost to Ohio and flipped to Louisville that same day.
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Former West Virginia Coordinator Fired After Just One Season at Texas
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