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“Anti-swatting” bill could make 911 pranks a felony in West Virginia

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“Anti-swatting” bill could make 911 pranks a felony in West Virginia


BLUEFIELD, W. Va. (WVVA) -Lawmakers in West Virginia are setting their sights on tackling a phone prank that can put people’s lives in jeopardy, including innocent victims and the police. It’s called swatting. They hope to strike down the prank by boosting it’s severity in the criminal code. The bill has been introduced so knowingly making false reports of an emergency to law enforcement, or swatting, could soon be a felony.

The mountains in West Virginia do not serve as a barrier that keeps out the hoax known as swatting. It’s even been reported here in the Two Virginias. The Mercer County 911 Center reports receiving multiple swatting calls.

“They are calling in fake calls for the purpose of getting armed officers to respond to addresses. And when they call, they’re actually stating that a crime is being committed at that time and a lot of it is a horrific crimes like murder or bombings or domestic violence and hostage situations,” says Julie Lockhart, training coordinator for the Center.

Online gamers or streamers are often the victim of these calls, with swatters use an IP address to find your location, then create a scenario with a 911 call that would trigger a swat response. Lockhart describes swatting as a “cyber-prank,” but there’s nothing funny about it. In some cases, responding SWAT teams have mistakenly killed the swatting victim. But it creates harm even in the instances when no one is hurt. The psychological trauma is undeniable for both victims and officers.

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“… Somebody you’re playing online, and all of a sudden, you have armed officers at your door, thinking something is going on…” says Lockhart, “…It’s very terrifying, not just for the victim of this swatting, but also for the officers and the first responders, so it can be, not only physically terrorizing, it can be psychologically terrorizing as well.”

Lockhart says dispatchers take every phone call seriously, but many of these calls can appear to be legitimate thanks to swatters using phony phone numbers to seem like a local caller, even if they’re somewhere else entirely. However, she says Mercer County officers are trained to approach every situation with caution.



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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on March 11, 2026

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The results are in for the West Virginia Lottery’s draw games on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 11.

Winning Powerball numbers from March 11 drawing

03-06-55-58-63, Powerball: 12, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from March 11 drawing

01-03-22-28-40, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 11 drawing

1-3-4

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 11 drawing

1-1-2-0

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Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
  • Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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WV faith leaders urge state senators to reject camping ban bill

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WV faith leaders urge state senators to reject camping ban bill


BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – Several West Virginia faith leaders are calling on state senators to reject a bill that would criminalize camping on public property, saying the legislation runs counter to Christian teachings on caring for the poor.

The West Virginia Council of Churches released an open letter signed by faith leaders and congregations from across the state, urging senators not to advance House Bill 5319. The bill, sponsored by Delegates Chiarelli and Browning, passed the House of Delegates on March 2 and is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Under HB 5319, it would be unlawful for any person to camp or store personal property — including tents, sleeping bags, tarps, blankets, and similar items — on any public street, park, trail, or other public property in West Virginia.

Penalties would escalate with each violation:

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  • First violation: A written warning, along with information about resources and alternative shelter locations
  • Second violation: A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200
  • Third violation (within 12 months of the first): A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both

The bill specifies that each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. Exceptions include people camping in designated campgrounds, those camping lawfully under state outdoor recreation law, and people sleeping overnight in a registered and insured motor vehicle parked legally.

The open letter, organized by the West Virginia Council of Churches, is signed by member denominations representing millions of Christians statewide — including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, the United Methodist Church’s West Virginia Conference, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Salvation Army, and more than a dozen other Christian communions.

The letter calls on senators to reject the bill, arguing that criminalizing homelessness conflicts with the Christian call to serve those in need.

“As followers of Christ, we believe in a God who created all beings and loves all creation. And in this nation full of plenty, Christians ask God to open our hearts so that when we see a person in need of a place to sleep, rather than wanting them to be disappeared into a jail cell, we look at them the way God would and ask, ‘How can I help?’”

The letter warns that HB 5319 “will create a revolving door between homelessness and jail, prevent people from getting on a path to stable housing, and make it harder for service providers and law enforcement to focus on solutions that center human dignity.”

It also argues that fines are an ineffective tool: “We cannot disappear human beings, nor expect that people experiencing homelessness have the money to pay any fine.”

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Instead, the letter asks legislators to consider “that the practice of the Christian faith calls us to minister to the homeless and others in economic distress through a variety of ministries including feeding, clothing, and housing programs.”

The letter concludes by calling HB 5319 “antithetical to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ” and asking senators to “roundly reject” the bill.

Read the full open letter here.

The statewide camping ban debate has been building for more than a year. In January 2026, two nearly identical bills — Senate Bill 175 and Senate Bill 184 — were introduced in the legislature, both proposing to make camping on public property a criminal offense. Those bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

HB 5319 represents the version that advanced further, clearing the House of Delegates on March 2.

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The issue has deep roots at the local level. Both Morgantown and Clarksburg passed camping ordinances in late 2024. In April 2025, Morgantown voters chose to keep their camping ban in place after a referendum. But advocates have continued to raise concerns about the lack of shelter capacity — Morgantown alone had nearly 150 homeless residents but only around 50 shelter beds, with roughly 80 people still without a place to sleep even during the winter months.

Prior Coverage:

  • 2 newly-introduced bills could criminalize homelessness in W.Va. with a statewide camping ban



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W.Va. lawmakers push through multiple bills as Saturday deadline nears

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W.Va. lawmakers push through multiple bills as Saturday deadline nears


BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – West Virginia lawmakers continued working as the Saturday midnight deadline approaches.

Senate Action

The Senate passed 12 bills, including one requiring adult content websites to use age verification to block minors. Senators also passed a bill creating a Cold Case Task Force.

House Bill 49-90, targeting gift card crimes, and House Bill 54-37, the Vape Safety Act, also passed unanimously. All four bills now go to the House for concurrence.

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Delegates passed Alyssa’s Law, allowing teachers to wear mobile alert buttons that notify 9-1-1 and trigger a school lockdown in emergencies. The bill is named after a victim of the 2018 Parkland shooting.

Bill 4005, which clarifies jobs prohibited for workers under 16 — including bar work and logging — also passed. Both bills now head to Governor Patrick Morrisey’s desk.

Senate Bill 4 would require bystanders to stay at least 30 feet from first responders.

Senate Bill 75 would allow West Virginia law enforcement to cooperate with officers in bordering states. A bill from the Education Committee would allow teachers with at least 15 years of experience to become certified as school principals.

For more legislative coverage, go to our website at wdtv.com.

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