West Virginia
Morgantown on course to ban homeless encampments – WV MetroNews
Morgantown is about to become the next West Virginia city to adopt a broad camping ban in an attempt to clean up homeless encampments. The city council advanced the ordinance through first reading last week on a narrow 4-3 vote.
The vote came after a contentious debate over several hours. Supporters believe the prohibition is necessary to protect public spaces, as well as the interests of businesses and citizens. Opponents argue the ban is cruel and ignores the deeper issues impacting homelessness.
Erin Shelton, board chair of Project Rainbow which provides housing services for the LGBTQ+ community, was among those who spoke at the council meeting against the ordinance. “I’m asking you now not to be the people who add more barriers and make access to housing even harder,” Shelton said. “And when you do it anyway, know it’s an act of cruelty and not an act of compassion.”
The community is not short on compassion. The city and county provide a range of services for the unhoused, for individuals with substance abuse issues and for anyone looking for a meal or health care. Advocates for the homeless argue there must be more services, but how much is enough?
City council hears continually from citizens and downtown business owners frustrated with issues associated with homelessness—open drug use, petty crime, litter and unsanitary conditions. The four council members who voted for the ordinance are not ignoring the problems of the homeless, but they are responding to the legitimate complaints of their constituents.
Earlier this summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 overturning a Ninth Circuit decision and affirmed an ordinance in Grants Pass, Oregon that prevents sleeping in public spaces. The majority found that such ordinances do not violate the 8th Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
Since then, communities across the country and even some states have passed public camping bans. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order following the court’s decision authorizing state agencies to clear homeless encampments on state property. Newsom himself even pitched in to help clear an encampment in Los Angeles County.
Neither Morgantown nor any of these communities prohibiting camping on public property are criminalizing homelessness as advocates often like to argue. Most of these communities are still searching for remedies to the homeless issue, but they do not feel compelled to allow the homeless to take over public spaces or private property with encampments.
Allowing these encampments does nothing to address the issues associated with homelessness. It only generates resentment in those communities.
Losing to Kansas State wiped away all hope for West Virginia to make the NCAA Tournament. That seems to be the clear consensus in the Mountain State, but is there actually still a chance? Well, I guess so.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi still has West Virginia listed as a team to consider, the second team outside of the “next four out” grouping.
Lunardi’s current NCAA Tournament bubble
Last Four Byes: Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, Ohio State
Last Four In: SMU, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Indiana
First Four Out: VCU, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati
Next Four Out: San Diego State, USC, California, Seton Hall
Next: Stanford, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona State
How is this even possible?
Short answer? I don’t really know.
My best guess as to why? Two things: the respect for the Big 12 and the opportunities left on the table, and two, an incredibly weak bubble.
Should West Virginia beat UCF on Friday, it will give the Mountaineers a 9-9 record in Big 12 play. That’s not as much of a guarantee to make the dance as having a winning record, but still, it’s an impressive mark, especially when, in this instance, they would have wins over Kansas, BYU, and sweeps over Cincinnati and UCF.
If you ask me, they still have too many bad losses for it to matter. I mean, even if they got red-hot out of nowhere and made it to the Big 12 championship game next week, is that enough? Potentially, but that’s a big IF.
The one thing WVU does have on its side is the number of Quad 1 wins, which they have five of. Virtually every other team in college basketball that has a minimum of five Quad 1 victories is expected to make the tournament. In that previously mentioned scenario, they would add at least one more Quad 1 win in the conference tournament, giving the committee something to think about.
The bubble is just incredibly weak, though. Like, how in the world is Auburn, who is 16-14 currently, the second team out of the field? Cincinnati, which WVU swept and has the same record as, is the fourth team in the “first four out” grouping.
At this point, the only path I see is for the Mountaineers to cut down the nets in Kansas City — good luck with that. We could be having a very different conversation if they didn’t lallygag their way through the first 30 minutes of the games against Utah and Kansas State.
Buckle up, Upshur County. Starting Friday, March 6, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will step up seatbelt enforcement as part of a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign running through March 23.
The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) announced the high-visibility mobilization as a warm-up to the national seatbelt campaign in May. The goal is to ensure every occupant — front seat or back, driver or passenger — is buckled on every trip.
“During this mobilization, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will be out in full force. They will be strictly ticketing drivers who are unbuckled or who are transporting children not properly restrained in car seats,” said Jack McNeely, Director of the GHSP.
The numbers behind the campaign are sobering. In 2023, 40% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in West Virginia crashes were unrestrained. The state’s seatbelt usage rate has also slipped — from 91.9% in 2024 to 91.6% in 2025.
Rural drivers face elevated risk despite a common assumption that country roads are safer. In 2023, 65% of the state’s traffic fatalities occurred in rural areas, compared to 35% in urban centers.
Under West Virginia law, wearing a seatbelt is required. A citation carries a $25 fine, though McNeely says the real point isn’t the penalty.
“Click It or Ticket isn’t about the citations; it’s about saving lives,” he said. “A ticket is a wake-up call. It is far less expensive than the alternative — paying with your life or the lives of your family and friends.”
For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit highwaysafety.wv.gov or call 304-926-2509.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WCHS) — 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.”
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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