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Pushback continues over rising electricity costs – WV MetroNews

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Pushback continues over rising electricity costs – WV MetroNews


CHARELSTON, W.Va. — Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power customers continue to display their opposition against a $265 million rate increase.

Four organizations, West Virginians for Energy Freedom, WV Citizens Action Group, People’s Action Institute and 350 Network Council came together for a ‘Bills Too High Rally’ in front of the AEP Office in Charleston Thursday afternoon to address the increasing power bills.

However, the event was not only a way to address their concerns of the rising energy costs, but advocate for locally-owned and renewable energy solutions. 

Emmett Pepper is an attorney who has been representing various organizations going before the state Public Service Commission on the matter. He said the company’s aim to raise customers rates by 15.4% is very concerning.

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“Of course I’m wearing the city council hat too, I’m concerned about the constituents as well, a lot of low-income folks are going to be affected by this,” Pepper said.

Another spokesperson of the event, Tyler Blake last week started an online petition called ‘AEP Stop the Hike’ after he felt something needed to be done. He said the petition has now reached nearly 500 signatures.

Blake said the petition reflects a resounding sense of anger from all who are living pay check to pay check and on a fixed income as it is.

“People in West Virginia who are current rate-payers of AEP or Appalachian Power are aggravated, they’re upset and they cannot afford these rate hikes,” Blake said.

He said he also took the petition door-to-door around different communities from Princeton to Huntington.

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The power company filed the request for the increase with the PSC a couple of weeks ago and Thursday’s rally marked a series of several pushback events that have been held in West Virginia since then. If approved, it would increase the average residential bill by approximately $28.72 a month.

Blake said he doesn’t understand how the utility company has the audacity to raise the bill by such an extreme amount considering many are relying on disability checks and social security.

“When I went to the public hearing on Monday at the PSC in Charleston, I was sitting there and I was listening to the stories that people were giving and I mean, they’re absolute tear jerkers, you had people there, mothers there who were crying and begging and pleading to the PSC and to AEP not to allow this rate increase,” he said.

At the same time, AEP is also in the middle of another rate hike and fuel cost case where they are seeking a rate increase of $20.4 million under what’s called the Expanded Net Energy Cost. They held a hearing on Monday for that as well.

Pepper said what’s not being publicized much about that particular case is the fact that it will significantly increase rates for small businesses, churches, and schools by 25 to 30%.

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In addition, he said there’s also another concern where the company is not letting those trying to be more energy efficient off the hook either.

“The other thing that may have not been as well publicized that’s concerning is that if an individual looks at a big rate increase like that coming and says ‘well, gosh maybe I should just buy some solar panels so I can cut some of my cost,’ according to the proposal, they actually are making it harder for people to even go solar, slashing the amount of a credit that you get if you have solar panels,” Pepper said.

According to the organizations that were host to Thursday’s rally, West Virginia has some of the highest growing electricity rates in the country due to the state’s dependency on privately owned power companies that prioritize profits over affordable energy solutions.

However, it’s part of a movement across 17 states to secure more affordable energy as well accountability from for-profit utilities. There are currently over two dozen similar events taking place across the country this week.

Blake said people can still sign the petition by going to his ‘AEP Stop the Hike’ Facebook page as well as get up-to-date on the movement.

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He encourages everyone to sign it to help remind the power company that they don’t accept the hikes.

“Your voice needs to be heard, you deserve to be heard, you’re the one paying the bill,” Blake said. “We want your voice to be heard, AEP needs to know that you can’t afford these rate increases.”

He said you can also test him at (304)908-0089 and it will automatically send you a link to the petition to sign online.



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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Daily 3 on Jan. 9, 2026

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Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.

Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25. 

Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.

Here’s a look at Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 results for each game:

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Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

12-30-36-42-47, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

5-4-4

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

3-0-4-6

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Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from Jan. 9 drawing

01-05-06-07-12-13

Check Cash 25 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.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

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You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

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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West Virginia set to welcome No. 22 Kansas – WV MetroNews

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West Virginia set to welcome No. 22 Kansas – WV MetroNews


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A half hour or so had passed since West Virginia men’s basketball coach Ross Hodge recorded his first Big 12 win with the Mountaineers holding off Cincinnati 62-60 on Tuesday night.

Hodge expressed feeling fortunate that his team was able to overcome a late lapse where saw a six-point lead became a five-point deficit, and WVU (10-5, 1-1) avoided falling victim to a poor finish that was problematic in narrow neutral-site setbacks to Clemson and Ohio State.

Yet as is generally the case in the Big 12, there was little time to savor the result, and it was time to turn the attention to No. 22 Kansas, Saturday’s opponent for a noon tip inside Hope Coliseum. 

The matchup against KU and its two-time National Champion head coach Bill Self airs on FOX.

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“I have a ton of respect for coach Self and Kansas. Thankful, honestly. That would be the emotion. Thankful to be in this league,” Hodge said. “This is the third best basketball league on the planet. It’s the NBA, the Euro League and the Big 12. With that comes really good catches and really good players. More than anything, an appreciation and thankfulness. Once the ball gets tipped, it really is like your team is trying to out-execute his team and you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about any of that other than how can I help our guys execute better in these stretches and play better defense. That’s where your mind is.”

Jan 6, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge celebrates after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images

For at least one night, Hodge was able to breathe a sigh of relief after late three-pointers from both Honor Huff and Treysen Eaglestaff, the latter of which came with the shot clock winding down in a well-defended attempt out of desperation that was instrumental in helping the Mountaineers prevail past the Bearcats.

Later Tuesday night, KU (11-4, 1-1) overcame a 15-point deficit with inside 5 minutes remaining, staging one of its infamous improbable rallies at Allen Fieldhouse to defeat TCU in overtime, 104-100.

“We didn’t guard. We didn’t rebound,” Self said. “Our body language stunk for a good portion of the game. We played with different energy levels individually throughout the game. We were spectators and didn’t create activity. There were a lot of things we didn’t do the other night, but at the end of the day, we should show ourselves that we can do it, because we did it under the most intense, pressure-packed situations. 

“That’s why the last 4 minutes of a game are the most important 4 minutes, because if you make a mistake, you can’t recover. Even though we made a couple mistakes in the last 4 minutes, it was still about as well-played as any stretch that we’d had during the game and when it counted the most.”

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Self has been displeased with the Jayhawks’ defense over two Big 12 games, with KU allowing 181 points, including 168 through regulation. 

“We just haven’t been connected on the defensive end like we were prior to Christmas,” he said.

WVU presents a quality chance for KU to rectify its defensive issues as the Mountaineers are 15th among 16 Big 12 teams in overall scoring (74.1 points per game) and scoring within Big 12 games (60.5). At 45.4 percent, WVU ranks 14th in the league in field goal percentage.

But Self knows his team must be aware at all times of Mountaineer guard Honor Huff, who leads the conference with 60 three-pointers and made 6 of 10 against UC after going 1 for 8 the previous outing at Iowa State. 

Huff has at least four made threes in eight games this season as well as another in which he shot 3 of 4 from distance. Additionally, Eaglestaff is 14 for 34 from long range over the last five contests.

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“They let their shooters shoot it and they have three guys that can, but two of them really can and will shoot a lot of them,” Self said. “We have to do a great job of defending the arc.”

The Mountaineers continue to be solid defensively and rank second to Houston in scoring defense among Big 12 teams at 61.5 points. WVU held Cincinnati to 22 for 62 shooting and 10 two-point field goals.

“You have to be able to play long stretches of quality basketball to win games. We were fortunate to win if I’m being really honest,” Hodge said. “Our first shot defense was good. Holding a team to [35] percent from the floor is good enough to win. [WVU’s] nine assists to 15 turnovers is not going to win you games a lot of nights. We did out-rebound them [37-33]. We got to the free-throw line. We didn’t necessarily make them at the rate we need to [7 for 13], but we made the big ones late.”

Jan 6, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) shoots as TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) defends during the second half of the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Mountaineers will be tasked with trying to limit one of college basketball’s most feared offensive players and top pro prospects in 6-foot-6 KU freshman Darryn Peterson.

Peterson has played in only six games due to a hamstring injury and scored a career-high 32 points against the Horned Frogs, but sat out the extra session with cramping.

He is averaging 22.5 points on 50 percent shooting and has made multiple treys in all six games, while shooting better than 43 percent beyond the arc.

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“He feels good. He’s full speed,” Self said.

Tre White, a 6-7 swingman, is the team’s second-leading scorer at 15 points, followed by 6-10 forward Flory Bidunga (14.3 points, 9.1 rebounds) and guard Melvin Council Jr. (13.7 ppg).

WVU, which has yet to record a Quad 1 or Quad 2 victory, is 10-0 at home this season and 7-5 against the Jayhawks in Morgantown.

“In this league, you better take care of home,” Hodge said. “It’s the Big 12. Every game is going to be challenging in its own way.”

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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Daily 3, Daily 4 on Jan. 8, 2026

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Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.

Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25. 

Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.

Here’s a look at Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 results for each game:

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Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

8-1-9

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

9-6-6-7

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

02-05-06-11-12-17

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Check Cash 25 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.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

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Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

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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