West Virginia

Pushback continues over rising electricity costs – WV MetroNews

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2024

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.

“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.

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%.

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.

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 DMV warns public about increasingly sophisticated scams

Published

2 hours ago

May 7, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia DMV warns public about increasingly sophisticated scams

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As scammers become more sophisticated, the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles is warning the public about new and continuing scams circulating around the country.

Scams play on fear and request immediate action.
Scams rely on something you didn’t know you owed, because you don’t.
Scams rely on confusion. Some common themes of recent scams are unpaid parking violations or turnpike tolls. DMV does not collect these.
Recent scams pretending to be DMV have arrived by text, but scams can be delivered on paper or by email. A recent scam claiming to be from Kanawha County Municipal Court even used the state seal.
As scams become more sophisticated, they can look like real communications, so if you are unsure you can call DMV at (800) 642-9066 to verify if you receive something suspicious claiming to be DMV.

Continued focus on making the public aware of scams is necessary as scams continue to evolve. Please share the word with family, co-workers and friends who may not be on social media or watching the news.

DMV’s website is dmv.wv.gov, and its toll-free phone number is (800) 642-9066. DMV will always take the time to answer guests’ questions.

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West Virginia

West Virginia couple charged in York County COVID-era rent fraud cases

Published

14 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia couple charged in York County COVID-era rent fraud cases

The Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General filed charges in York County against a West Virginia man and woman, who allegedly got thousands of dollars in COVID-era rent assistance funds under false pretenses.

Chester Joseph Little, 41, and Dawn Lea Caltrider, 43, of Orma, West Virginia face felony theft and forgery charges filed Monday, May 4, in York County in connection with getting funds through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) through filing fraudulent applications.

According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2023, the assistant director of the York County Department of Human Services contacted the Office of the State Inspector General about suspicious ERAP applications and suspected that Little and Caltrider received funds under false pretenses.

On Sept. 24, 2021, court records indicate that Caltrider applied for ERAP funds for rental assistance for a residence in the 1500 block of Route 116 in Spring Grove, which Little claimed was his property and was paid $1,500 a month in rent and had not been paid between February 2021 to October 2021. Little asked York County Community Progress Council (CPC) to pay him for the months Caltrider was behind in rent plus rent for October 2021 through January 2022 and $18,400 was deposited in Little’s bank account.

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It was later found that the owner of the property on Route 116 was Caltrider’s sister. Caltrider and Little had lived there for a period before they moved out. Little had allegedly presented a fake lease and mortgage agreement as part of the ERAP application, and Caltrider falsely claimed she lived at the address.

Court documents also indicated that Little signed an application for ERAP benefits Oct. 6, 2021 for a home in the 400 block of Rear Pleasant Street in Hanover and reported Caltrider as his landlord. Caltrider allegedly filled out the landlord portion of the application and said that she was paid $2,000 a month and Little had not paid rent from February 2021 to October 2021. She applied to the York County Community Progress Council (CPC) to pay her what was in arrears plus rent from November 2021 through January 2022 and requested funds, totaling $24,000, be deposited into her bank account.

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A 2023 investigation uncovered that the property in the 400 block of Rear Pleasant Street was a self-storage business and was not owned by Caltrider, who allegedly presented a fake lease and homeowner insurance policy as part of the ERAP application.

More charges were filed against Caltrider after she allegedly provided another false application on Oct. 22, 2021. According to court documents, Caltrider applied for rental assistance for an address in the first block of Abbie Road in Spring Garden Township posing as her daughter and claimed to be the landlord of the address and received $17,200 in ERAP funds. Investigators found that the daughter had never lived at the address after questioning her. Authorities say Caltrider presented a fake lease and homeowner insurance policy and presented an altered Pennsylvania birth certificate in that case.

Caltrider alone faces five counts of felony forgery and one felony count each for identity theft, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception in this particular case.

As of Wednesday, May 6, neither Little nor Caltrider had seen a judge regarding the charges.

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West Virginia

West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Daily 3 on May 5, 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 6, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the West Virginia Lottery’s draw games on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on May 5.

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 5 drawing

12-22-50-51-55, Mega Ball: 10

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 3 numbers from May 5 drawing

7-1-6

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from May 5 drawing

2-1-0-0

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 25 numbers from May 5 drawing

03-04-05-09-10-14

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.

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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