West Virginia

AG announces executive director of West Virginia First Foundation

Published

2 years ago

March 14, 2024

AG announces executive director of West Virginia First Foundation

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WTAP) – After a long search, the West Virginia First Foundation has found an executive director.

During a news conference today, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that Johnathon Board has been selected as executive director for the foundation that controls over 70 percent of the state’s opioid settlement funds. Board had previously been elected to the foundation’s board of directors as a representative for the state’s fourth region.

During the news conference, Board emphasized how the foundation can have a generational impact in the state. “It’s easy to do things for our children,” Board said. “At least, it should be. It’s a lot harder to do things for people we will never meet, but we have no less an obligation to protect. And that’s what the West Virginia First Foundation’s going to do. It will be here for years and generations from now, because that’s our job. That’s our duty as West Virginians.”

As executive director, Board will play a major role in guiding how the state invests money from opioid settlements into addressing the drug epidemic.

A previous person was offered the position in December, but turned it down.

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West Virginia

Sentencing for man convicted of murdering West Virginia State Trooper; other top stories

Published

10 hours ago

July 7, 2026

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Sentencing for man convicted of murdering West Virginia State Trooper; other top stories

MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Sentencing is underway for Timothy Kennedy, the man convicted of murdering West Virginia State Police Trooper Cory Maynard.

Trooper Maynard was shot to death in June 2023.

The jury found Kennedy guilty on all counts: first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree disarming a law enforcement officer, and two counts of first-degree attempted murder.

Shannon Litton has has that, plus your other top stories for Tuesday, July 7th.

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West Virginia

11 Marshall student athletes suing NCAA over new rule – WV MetroNews

Published

20 hours ago

July 7, 2026

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11 Marshall student athletes suing NCAA over new rule – WV MetroNews

Peyton Ilderton and Meredith Maier with the WNIT trophy (Photo from Bill Cornwell)

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Eleven players in various Marshall University sports are suing the NCAA over its new eligibility rule.

The student athletes are seeking an injunction in Cabell County Circuit Court over the new five years to play five seasons rule approved last month.

The lawsuit was first reported by the West Virginia Record.

The players say the new rule cuts them off because they graduated high school in 2022 and played four seasons and are now being denied a fifth season.

The lawsuit alleges the rule violated West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act and the covenant of fair dealing.

The players want to play again in the 2026–27 sports year.

The players include Meredith Maier, Peyton Ilderton, Dewain “Boogie” Trotter, Bryce Blevins, Cam Harthan, Bailey Fisher, Johanna Strom, Blessing King, Paige Simpson, Ryan Holmes, Momo Diop and Hannah Wyler.

The student athletes are represented by Beckley attorney Steve New.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states. The NCAA has said making another change would create chaos.

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West Virginia

DEP Report: Parkersburg plant had prior fire containment issues

Published

1 day ago

July 6, 2026

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DEP Report: Parkersburg plant had prior fire containment issues

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WCHS) — Records show containment issues predated a massive warehouse fire in Wood County, West Virginia.

The facility, formerly REO Processing West Virginia, is now Peoples Cartage. The company states it acquired the operation in September 2024, although the regulatory responsible-party name was not updated until May 2025.

County commissioners say they’ve learned to deal with disasters like this, including the Ames plant fire in 2017.

“They can shed light on what, to answer that to other people too,” said Jimmy Colombo, a county commissioner and former mayor in Parkersburg. “We are very interested in the health and well-being of our community just as you are and it’s a major concern for us that we do follow through what we’re supposed to be doing too.”

According to documents from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the company, the buildings and others under their umbrella have had several issues over the last half-decade plus.

In June of 2025, the state spill hotline got a call about a fire at the facility that involved the combustion of calcium hypochlorite hazardous waste, which is often called Cal Hypo for short.

That’s a powerful and unstable solid chlorine that’s commonly used to sanitize swimming pools and clear bacteria.

This underlying issue led to the West Virginia DEP inspecting the facility. They found an accumulation of Cal Hypo in floor sweepings.

The agency said the company failed to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste or waste constituents to the environment.

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Last September, Peoples Cartage submitted a plan of corrective action that outlined how and when they would become compliant with all the issues.

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