West Virginia
West Virginia middle school student dies after sustaining injury during football practice
Cohen Craddock, 14, died on Saturday after he sustained injuries during a Friday football practice in Madison, West Virginia. An outpouring of support has been seen as news spread through the area.
A West Virginia community is mourning the loss of a middle school athlete who died Saturday, one day after he was injured in football practice.
Cohen Craddock, an eighth-grade student at Madison Middle School in Madison, West Virginia, died on Saturday after sustaining injuries during a Friday football practice. Madison is located about 30 miles outside of Charleston, the state capital.
Joseph Smith, executive director of the Boone County Ambulance Authority, told local news station WSAZ that medics responded Friday to Madison Middle School to treat a football player who sustained a head injury.
Cohen was then taken to a hospital for further treatment; a day later, on Saturday, he succumbed to his injuries. The Boone County Ambulance Authority, who responded to his injuries posted a memorial for Cohen on their Facebook page.
“Today we’re all Redhawks and our hearts are heavy with the unimaginable loss of a bright young athlete in our community,” the post said.
The Boone County Schools Superintendent Matthew Riggs released a statement of behalf of the schools.
“The entire Boone County Schools’ community is beginning to mourn the loss of Cohen Craddock, an 8th-grade student at Madison Middle School. As a Redhawk, Cohen was loved by his classmates, his teachers, his administrators, and the entire Madison Middle School staff,” the statement said.
An outpouring of support came following the news from nearby communities with Roane County High School posting a memorial on their Facebook page.
Schools around the US mourn fallen athletes
Cohen’s death in West Virginia is the most recent in a handful of cases that have generated headlines around the country as football season is getting underway, including some with unique circumstances.
In Alabama, Caden Tellier, the quarterback for Morgan Academy in Selma suffered a brain injury during the team’s home opener on Friday and died the following day. Tellier’s death followed that of New Brockton 14-year-old Semaj Wilkins, who suffered a medical emergency during an afternoon football practice on Aug. 13 and passed away.
In Kansas, 15-year-old Ovet Gomez-Regalado died two days after suffering a medical emergency in an Aug. 14 practice at his high school outside of Kansas City.
And in Hopewell, Virginia, Javion Taylor, 15, died after doing about 40 minutes of light drills on Aug. 5.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
West Virginia
West Virginia Racing Heritage Festival showcases state’s dirt track racing history at Pennsboro Speedway
PENNSBORO, W.Va (WDTV) – Racing enthusiasts around the state had the chance to see vintage race cars and motorcycles at the annual West Virginia Racing Heritage Festival Saturday.
The festival teaches attendants about West Virginia’s history in dirt track racing with both cars and motorcycles.
The festival was held at Pennsboro Speedway, which opened in 1887 and hosted some of the nation’s top racing talent on its tracks.
“We’ve got so many national champions here,” WV Racing Heritage Festival President Ashley Ness said. “This racetrack has seen all these national champions. We’ve had the best in the United States, including Australia and New Zealand, come here and race at Pennsboro Speedway. It’s time to get them all back again.”
Racing legends who come from the Mountain State attended the festival to speak about their experience on the tracks.
One panel included six women who competed in flat-track motorcycle racing at a time when it was mostly dominated by men.
“We have six of the lady flat-track racers that were pioneers in the 60s and 70s,” Ness said. “It’s so important to get this documented, and that’s what the Heritage Festival is all about, documenting the history of dirt track racing, whether it be motorcycles or race cars.”
Vintage cars and motorcycles also got back in action with a parade lap on the tracks of Pennsboro Speedway.
The festival began in 2015 and will continue next year on June 5.
Editor’s note: The video for this story will be added once it airs. Please check back for the updated video.
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
YSS offers West Virginia’s first transitional living recovery programs for young adults
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
WTRF is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
WTRF is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling is home to West Virginia’s first recovery program designed specifically for young adults, offering a new track aimed at people ages 18 to 24 who are working to overcome substance use disorders.
Youth Services System announced it will offer the recovery track at the McCrary Center in Wheeling for young adults dealing with opioid or stimulant use disorders. The program is designed to provide recovery-focused housing and support services, giving participants a safe, structured environment as they work toward long-term recovery and stability.
“Our transitional living program has been licensed by the Department of Human Services, as well as the Office of Health Facility Licensure. We also achieved the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residence certification so there will be a lot of oversight in this program. And we look forward to our continued work with them,” YSS CEO Jill Eddy said.
Youth Services System received a one-time grant through the West Virginia Bureau of Behavioral Health to help expand services and launch the new track in Wheeling.
“Research shows that the longer a person is provided a safe space while in recovery, the chances of their success in recovery and remaining sober is definitely increased,” Eddy said.
Services will include substance-free and MAT-friendly housing, peer recovery support, therapy, recovery planning, and overdose prevention education. The program also supports individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions and prioritizes high-risk and underserved populations.
More information about Youth Services System is available here.
-
Mississippi4 minutes agoMississippi Miss Hospitality announces record scholarships for 2026 competition
-
Missouri11 minutes agoMissouri Walk of Neurofibromatosis brings awareness to Columbia
-
Montana14 minutes agoICE sued over “inhumane” conditions at Camp East Montana
-
Nebraska19 minutes agoWhat channel is Nebraska softball vs Alabama on today? WCWS game time, TV schedule
-
Nevada26 minutes agoTraffic incident causes delays along I-15 near Nevada-California border
-
New Hampshire29 minutes agoHigh winds, heavy rains lead to scattered NH outages
-
New Jersey34 minutes agoDueling protests face off at New Jersey ICE detention center over detainee conditions
-
New Mexico41 minutes agoSunny and warm weekend ahead for New Mexico
