West Virginia
Upshur County Development Authority director named to Leadership West Virginia Class of 2025
An economic development official from Upshur County has been named to the Leadership West Virginia Class of 2025. Upshur County Development Authority Director Brandon Tenney is one of 56 leaders chosen from a competitive pool of applicants across the state.
Pam Farris, executive director of Leadership West Virginia (LWV), emphasized the high quality of this year’s group.
She said, “The selection process is competitive since most applicants are qualified, but the individuals chosen this year have already made significant contributions in their careers and communities. We believe they stand ready to take their leadership to the next level and find effective solutions to shape a brighter future for West Virginia.”
Farris also highlighted LWV’s statewide mission.
“Leadership West Virginia equips participants with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our state and fosters collaboration and innovation to find viable solutions,” she said.
Chad Prather, chair of the LWV Board of Directors, underscored the importance of connections.
“Connection is the largest benefit of this program. It’s not just about individual growth but about establishing relationships that cultivate and motivate change. By bringing together talent, knowledge, resources and passion, we’re creating a statewide community of leaders that we can all count to bring success to the Mountain State.”
Now in its 34th year, the Leadership West Virginia program spans seven months and covers topics such as healthcare, education, energy, government and tourism. Participants explore different regions of the state, develop leadership and communication skills and join more than 1,600 LWV alumni.
LWV is a statewide education and leadership development not-for-profit program affiliated with the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Its goal is to cultivate visionary individuals who use their talents to inspire others and drive West Virginia’s progress. More information is available at www.leadershipwv.org.
The Class of 2025 includes:
- Omar Ahmad, Pullin Fowler Flanagan Brown & Poe PLLC (Huntington)
- Jon Alexander, WV Air National Guard (Inwood)
- Jeff Altizer, Skaff Engineering Company (Chapmanville)
- Brittany Anderson, Bluefield State University (Bluefield)
- Meridith Balas, West Virginia University (Morgantown)
- Emily Kendra Bechtle, Walls & Associates PLLC (Southside)
- Crystal Cook, West Virginia University Foundation (Madison)
- Kerri Cooper, United Way of Central West Virginia (Alum Creek)
- Brooks Crislip, West Virginia American Water (Charleston)
- Kimberly Davis, Roane County Economic Development Authority (Spencer)
- Tommy Dutton, Charles Ryan Associates (Charleston)
- Michael Epperley, WesBanco Bank (Morgantown)
- Katie Farmer, West Virginia University (Morgantown)
- Leah Glover, The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (Charleston)
- Mark Graves, ROCKWOOL (Shepherdstown)
- Shanna Gray, West Virginia CASA Association Inc. (Oak Hill)
- Ray Harrell, Boone Memorial Health (Charleston)
- Bradley Harris, Bradley Harris & Associates (Charleston)
- Matthew Harvey, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (Shepherdstown)
- John Hebert, Dow (South Charleston)
- Cheryl Henry, West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling (St. Albans)
- Krista Hoffman, Jefferson County Development Authority (Inwood)
- Jonathan Huffman, Encova (Elkview)
- Mark Imbrogno, Jackson Kelly PLLC (Morgantown)
- Jessica Iquinto, Hope Gas (Bridgeport)
- Katie Hinerman Klug, Catholic Charities West Virginia (Wheeling)
- Joey Kutz, Silling Architects (Saint Albans)
- Bradley Lane, Appalachian Eye Care (Princeton)
- Drew Laskowski, FamilyCare Health Centers (Scott Depot)
- Jimmy Lemon, Bullseye Total Media (Huntington)
- Robert Love, Love Chiropractic & Holistic Living PLLC (New River Gorge)
- Evan Lynch, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia (Charleston)
- Jennifer Marrs, Pioneer Appalachia FCU (South Charleston)
- Jennifer Mason, Dinsmore & Shohl (Lewisburg)
- Christy McIntyre, City National Bank (Saint Albans)
- Alissa Meeks, City of Charles Town (Charles Town)
- Amber Nichols, Monongalia County Schools (Morgantown)
- Lori Ogden, West Virginia University (Morgantown)
- Meghan Parsons, The Jackson County Development Authority (Ripley)
- Lacey Parsons, Highmark WV (Mineral Wells)
- Myranda Pike, Vandalia Health (Charleston)
- Abbey Reifsnyder, Digital Relativity (Charleston)
- Kristan Rogers, Mon Health System, Vandalia Health (Bruceton Mills)
- Andrew Sealy, Cardinal Creative (Morgantown)
- James Shamblin, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (Charleston)
- Andrew Sheppard, GAI Consultants (South Charleston)
- Ariana Shives, TechConnect West Virginia (Kenova)
- Joshua Spence, Alpha Innovations (Hurricane)
- Erikka Storch, Appalachian Power (Wheeling)
- Deborah Swiger, Citizens Bank of West Virginia (Elkins)
- Brandon Tenney, Upshur County Development Authority (Buckhannon)
- Cassie Thomas, WVU Medicine WVU School of Medicine (Morgantown)
- Jamie Tridico, Advanced Physical Therapy (Charleston)
- Allison Williams, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC (Bridgeport)
- Paige Withrow, West Virginia International Yeager Airport (Charleston)
- Kelly Woodyard, Huntington National Bank (Charleston)
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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