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Class of 2024 to be spotlighted weekend in West Virginia – WV MetroNews

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Class of 2024 to be spotlighted weekend in West Virginia – WV MetroNews


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Several of the state’s colleges and universities will hold commencement ceremonies this weekend.

Shauna Johnson

West Virginia University has nine separate ceremonies scheduled beginning Friday. All of the ceremonies will be held at the WVU Coliseum, according to WVU Director of News Communications Shauna Johnson.

“The ceremonies are spaced out, they’ll be about two and a half to three hours, depending  on which ceremony,” said Johnson. “9 o’clock Friday, you have the WVU College of Law, noon Friday is School of Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Public Health, 4 o’clock on Friday is School of Medicine, then on Saturday you do 9 (a.m.), 12:30 (p.m.) and 4 (p.m.),” she said.

The 2024 Spring Commencement ceremonies also mark the first time the ceremonies have been held in one location at WVU sine the Covid-19 pandemic which, according to Johnson, was aimed at addressing traffic woes. This will also allow for parking spaces by the Canaday Creative Arts Center to be opened that were formerly occupied by graduates who had ceremonies at that location.

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“This change is designed to streamline things a little bit, because if you’ve ever seen a bunch of people try to leave the Coliseum at the same time they’re trying to get into the Creative Arts Center, it created some issues,” Johnson said. “So by bringing everybody into the Coliseum, we’re hoping to eliminate some of the traffic backups.”

There are no ticket requirements for anyone wishing to attend the commencement ceremonies, and graduates are allowed to have as many guests as they want to watch them walk the podium. The WVU Clear Bag Policy will be in place, with notifications placed outside of the Coliseum entrances.

WVU student Rachel Johnson will officially get her Master’s Degree as part of the Reed College of Media’s ceremony scheduled for Saturday. With family ties to WVU that go back generations, Johnson is ready to receive her degree and enjoy the moment.

“My parents went to WVU, so did my grandparents, I have a sister who’s actually graduating this weekend from the School of Medicine so it was pretty clear choice for me where I was going to get my first and second degrees,” she said.

Johnson will join the Monongalia County tourism firm Visit Mountaineer Country CVB as their new marketing director.

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Capito to speak twice

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito will do double-duty this commencement weekend. Capito will address graduates of the WVU School of Medicine on Friday and deliver the commencement address at Bethany College in Ohio County on Saturday.

Capito said during her Thursday media briefing that her commencement addresses carry similar themes including celebrating the accomplishment but also giving back to the state.

Shelley Moore Capito

“I’ll tell them and implore to them how much we need them, we need their young minds and energy for the future of our state,” she said.

Her speeches will also encourage communication, Capito said.

“To look up from their devices and have conversations rather than just rely on your phone, your text messages, Facebook or whatever,” Capito said.

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She added she’ll throw in some words about mothers at both ceremonies because they fall on Mother’s Day weekend.

Other ceremonies this weekend

–Fairmont State University will have three ceremonies Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

–West Virginia State University’s main ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Saturday on the campus at Institute.

–BridgeValley Community and Technical College will honor graduates at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.

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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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