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West Virginia senator wants NCAA to make clear ‘a women’s locker room is for women only'

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West Virginia senator wants NCAA to make clear ‘a women’s locker room is for women only'


EXCLUSIVE: West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice and more than half a dozen GOP senators are seeking clarification from the NCAA on its policy allowing biological males in women’s locker rooms, telling Fox News Digital that the organization needs to make clear that “a women’s locker room is for women only.” 

Justice, R-W.Va., penned a letter to National Collegiate Athletic Association President Charlie Baker Monday, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital. 

FEMALE ATHLETES CALL OUT NCAA OVER NEW TRANS-INCLUSION POLICY: ‘WE DEMAND FAIR SPORTS’

Justice, who is a women’s basketball coach at Greenbrier East High School in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and has coached both boys and girls basketball since he was governor of West Virginia, explained to Fox News Digital that he will “always” work to ensure female athletes are protected. 

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“I’m a coach, and I know the last thing any athlete needs is to be distracted or concerned with their own safety or privacy while in a locker room,” Justice told Fox News Digital. “I really believe the NCAA has made the right move following President Trump’s order, but let’s be clear across the board that a women’s locker room is for women only.” 

West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice is a women’s basketball coach at Greenbrier East High School and has coached both boys and girls basketball since he was governor of West Virginia.  (Sen. Jim Justice)

Justice added: “I’ll always work to make sure women athletes, like those I coach back in West Virginia, feel safe while changing in locker rooms and competing in athletic events.” 

The letter Justice sent Monday also was signed by Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jim Banks, R-Ind., James Risch, R-Idaho, Mike Lee, R-Utah, and James Lankford, R-Okla. 

West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice and more than half a dozen GOP senators are seeking clarification from the NCAA on its policy allowing biological males in women’s locker rooms.

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“On February 5, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order–Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports to strengthen Title IX and protect opportunities for biological female athletes to compete in safe and fair sports.’ After the Biden-Harris administration’s assault on Title IX in its efforts to allow biologically male athletes who identify as female to compete in women’s sports, this order came as a sigh of relief to millions of female athletes across the country who desire equal opportunity to engage in competitive athletic,” Justice wrote. 

Justice said that the NCAA responded to Trump’s order by updating its student-athlete participation policy to block biological male students from participating in women’s sports — a move he and his Senate colleagues “commend,” but is further encouraging the organization to “take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.” 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

“The NCAA’s new policy makes clear that biological male student-athletes may not compete on a women’s team. We could not be more supportive of this essential policy change,” Justice said. “The NCAA’s policy guarantees that biological male athletes who practice with female athletes will ‘receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes who are otherwise eligible for practice.’” 

Fox News Digital reached out to the NCAA for comment and did not immediately receive a response. 

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Justice said the NCAA has “an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes- -such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces which the President’s order made clear should be protected.”

Justice is asking that the NCAA “consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports.”

NCAA’S NEW TRANS-PARTICIPATION POLICY IS ‘AS CLEAR AS MUD,’ RILEY GAINES SAYS

Justice, though, applauded the NCAA’s policy defining “*sex assigned at birth” as the male or female designation that doctors assign to infants at birth, which is marked on birth records. 

“Publicly, the NCAA has affirmed that biological male athletes may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or by other documentary means,” Justice wrote. “The NCAA’s public stance on this issue is commendable, and its policy could go a step further and explicitly state that amended birth certificates are prohibited.” 

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“We stand in support of President Trump’s unparallel actions to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes across the country,” the letter states. “The NCAA’s efforts are likewise respectable, and we look forward to working with you to ensure women and girls have equal opportunity in athletics.” 



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West Virginia

West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted

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West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted


A West Virginia man accused of threatening to attack President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers was federally indicted this week.

Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg was indicted on two counts of threats to murder the president, one count of influencing and retaliating against federal officials by threat of murder and one count of influencing a federal official by threat of murder, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Smith is accused of making a series of public posts on Instagram encouraging and threatening the murder of Trump, those who support him, Israelis and “all government officials,” the news release said.

The indictment also alleges that Smith sent a direct message via Instagram to Donald J. Trump, Jr., stating he would kill his father by cutting his “jugular.”

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In a phone call with the ICE tip line, Smith also threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg and employees staffing the tip line.

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Smith faces up to 5 years for each of the presidential threat charges and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts.



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West Virginia falls flat in 65-63 loss to Kansas State – WV MetroNews

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West Virginia falls flat in 65-63 loss to Kansas State – WV MetroNews


West Virginia has said the right things about the need to capitalize on opportunities.

The Mountaineers aren’t following through when they come about.

The latest example came Tuesday night at Kansas State, which scored 21 unanswered points in the second half before holding off a furious West Virginia charge for a 65-53 victory at Bramlage Coliseum.

“The level of urgency and desire to win a game with so much on it wasn’t where it needed to be,” West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge said on postgame radio.

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The Wildcats (12-18, 3-14) played without leading scorer PJ Haggerty, a surprise scratch with an undisclosed injury.

Although WVU (17-13, 8-9) defeated Kansas State 59-54 with Haggerty in the lineup during a January matchup in Morgantown, the Mountaineers were unable to capitalize on his absence in the rematch and fell to 1-4 in their last five games.

Both teams were dismal offensively in the opening half, which ended with West Virginia leading, 26-23.

The Mountaineers got 10 points apiece from reserve forwards Chance Moore and DJ Thomas, helping the visitors to at least somewhat overcome a starting lineup that scored six points on 3-for-15 shooting over the first 20 minutes.

“When you’re playing a team that is a little down and out, you can’t give them life and can’t give them hope,” Hodge said. “We had so many opportunities in the first half and at the beginning of the game to make some plays and entice a team that’s been struggling to maybe keep struggling.”

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After a scoreless first half, WVU guard Honor Huff made his 100th three-pointer this season with 18:33 to play, allowing the Mountaineers to lead 31-27.

West Virginia went the next 8-plus minutes without a point, and Wildcats took control during that stretch.

Khamari McGriff scored the Wildcats’ first four points of the extended 21-0 spurt and accounted for four buckets and eight of the first 15 points during that time.

A jumper from CJ Jones with 10:53 remaining left the home team with a 48-31 advantage, before Thomas scored from close range to end his team’s extended drought at the 10:27 mark.

“I’m aware of our shortcomings and I understand when you’re deficient in some areas, your margin for error to win is razor thin,” Hodge said. “I’m disappointed with what was at stake, we got beat to loose balls. Would it have been nice to make more layups and threes? Of course. But when those things aren’t happening, you better do those other things.”

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KSU had separate 19-point leads, the latter of which came at 57-38 when McGriff made two free throws with 7:29 to play.

WVU then increased its aggressiveness offensively and reeled off the next 11 points, while the Wildcats began to play tentative while in possession.

A three-pointer from K-State’s Nate Johnson left the Wildcats with a 60-49 lead with 3:48 left, but the Mountaineers continued to battle and trailed by six when Chance Moore scored in the paint at the 1:24 mark.

Moore’s next basket made it a five-point game, and after a Johnson turnover, Huff made two free throws to bring WVU to within 61-58 with 48 seconds left.

Another KSU turnover gave the visitors the ball back, but after Moore missed a shot that the Mountaineers rebounded, Huff committed a costly turnover. 

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Johnson made two free throws with 17 seconds left, and McGriff added two more with 7 seconds remaining before Huff made a trey at the buzzer.

Moore led WVU with 18 points and made 6-of-7 shots, but again struggled on free throws, finishing 5 for 9. WVU hurts its cause at the charity stripe and made only 9-of-16 attempts.

Brenen Lorient was the Mountaineers’ second-leading scorer with 14 second-half points, while Thomas followed with 12 and Huff added 11 on 3-for-11 shooting.

Treysen Eaglestaff led all players with 11 rebounds in defeat, but made only 3-of-12 shots in a six-point showing.

McGriff led KSU with 18 points and added seven rebounds.

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Johnson finished with 16 points and nine boards.

WVU had nine of its 13 turnovers in the second half. 

“Nine turnovers in the second half creates more busted floors, more cross match opportunities and through that, it makes you vulnerable for paint touch opportunities,” Hodge said. 

K-State played under the guidance of interim head coach Matthew Driscoll. Driscoll replaced Jerome Tang, who was fired in between the team’s first and second matchups with West Virginia this season.

“Sometimes in life you get what you deserve,” Hodge said, “and we deserved to lose tonight.”

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Nitro completes utility deal with West Virginia American Water – WV MetroNews

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Nitro completes utility deal with West Virginia American Water – WV MetroNews


NITRO, W.Va. — It’s a done deal.

Nitro Mayor Dave Casebolt signed an agreement Tuesday with West Virginia American Water Company President Scott Wyman completing the sale of the Nitro Regional Wastewater Utility including the sewer plant for $20 million.

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The water utility will now own and operate the city’s water and wastewater systems. The state Public Service Commission recently approved the deal.

Casebolt said it’s good to get the long-talked-about agreement signed. He said the city can’t afford to make the improvements required at the sewer plant.

“We’re looking at needing between 40 and 50 million dollars of upgrades to our system and expecting our four-thousand customer base to try to offset those costs is not even practical,” Casebolt said.

Casebolt said sewer bills are going to go up but he said they were going to go up regardless. He said the city was facing increasing rates by as much as 50 percent.

West Virgina American is planning $42 million in upgrades to the sewer system over the next five years, Casebolt said.

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“It’s a much-need investment and actually allow the system to handle rainwater much better where it’s not backing up into people’s homes,” Casebolt said.



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