West Virginia
WSAZ Investigates | W.Va. Gov. Justice calls for Action after our investigation into Faulty Hydrants
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/55TGGECUVZGCJKXWNLEVDDYTQU.jpg "WSAZ Investigates | W.Va. Gov. Justice calls for Action after our investigation into Faulty Hydrants")
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) — Two days after our WSAZ Investigation, “False Security,” West Virginia’s governor spoke out Wednesday and called for action.
“This is ridiculous,” West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice told WSAZ NewsChannel 3′s Curtis Johnson. “That’s all there is to it. I am right dead with ya. I mean there’s no question whatsoever that the Legislature, the Public Service Commission ought to look into this and everything in any way, because you’re dead on the money.”
The investigation focused on two fires with the same story — firefighters met by hydrants without enough water to put out the flames.
The most recent fire destroyed a Charleston home on May 5.
Fifteen months earlier, a Pizza Hut burned Feb. 18, 2022, in Danville, West Virginia, and the town’s fire chief took WSAZ on a tour the station’s investigation revealed even more problems.
One hydrant produced so little water that Danville Volunteer Fire Chief Justin Chafin said his firefighters would be unable to save a nursing home. It is located next to a West Virginia State Police barracks and the Boone County Health Department.
“I don’t even want to think about what would happen if there was really a big fire at that place,” he said. “There’s no way that we would be able to help them. We’re just trying to help to get them out as fast as we can before the fire takes over that building.”
Chafin also showed WSAZ a hydrant that wouldn’t be able to save a home sitting just 50 feet away.
Just two days after WSAZ’s investigation, that homeowner and a nearby relative spotted a West Virginia American Water crew testing the hydrant Wednesday.
In fact, the company owns hydrants in Charleston and Danville.
West Virginia American is the largest water provider in the state with approximately 11,000 hydrants and nearly 600,000 customers.
Its monthly water rates have doubled since 2005, and that includes a surcharge the company added in 2017. Company press releases state the surcharge partly to pays for water mains and fire hydrants.
So WSAZ NewsChannel 3 Reporter Curtis Johnson went to the president of West Virginia American Water, Rob Burton.
“Generally speaking, how is that money used?” Johnson asked.
“It’s a combination of potentially tying a hydrant to a new main, potentially replacing a hydrant,” Burton replied. “Sometimes it’s putting one in when there isn’t one there.”
“Specifically, how many hydrants have been done on that?” Johnson asked. “Do you guys have that information? Do you guys have an idea of that?”
“I don’t have that information right now,” he replied. “No.”
Burton says his company inspects every hydrant each year, so Johnson asked what information the company gets from those inspections.
“Do you guys have real-time information on which hydrants are working and which ones are not?” Johnson asked.
“So, we do have GPS locations of where our hydrants are, but we don’t have some real-time system that monitors the hydrant on an ongoing basis, no sir,” Burton replied.
Johnson also asked about the company’s aging infrastructure.
For instance, the water main feeding the hydrant firefighters used at Pizza Hut is approximately 100 years old, according to a document submitted to state regulators by West Virginia American Water.
The cast iron pipe is so old, it was grandfathered in when state law changed in 1994. That change required new hydrants to be installed on a 6-inch main to provide enough water to fight fires.
“Do you know which hydrants are on what size mains?” Johnson asked Burton.
“We have pretty good information on that we’re doing some validation,” he replied.
“Rough estimate what percentage of these 11,000 hydrants are on a main that’s less than six inches,” Johnson asked.
“So I actually don’t have that information for you right now,” Burton replied. “That would be something that we might, could follow up with you.
Since that interview, Johnson sent the company six emails asking for that information and followed up again Tuesday, but a spokesperson declined to answer questions.
The company only pointed WSAZ to an infrastructure map and to documents it has filed with state regulators. Johnson searched both and nowhere could he find a list of hydrants that your money has purchased.
So, Johnson turned to the Governor’s Office. He sent staff a link to his investigation Tuesday and raised the issue during Wednesday’s press briefing.
“What’s your thoughts on having a hydrant so close to a home or workplace, only to hear firefighters say it won’t produce enough water to help them put out a fire, and should greater transparency be required from water utilities, such as which hydrants are working and which ones remain on small water mains?” Johnson asked.
Justice replied a call for action, telling Johnson it is “ridiculous” for taxpayers to have to question if a hydrant will work.
“That’s all there is to it,” Justice told Johnson. “I am right dead with ya. I mean there’s no question whatsoever that the Legislature, the Public Service Commission ought to look into this and everything in any way, because you’re dead on the money.
“I mean we have very, very, very high water rates in West Virginia.
“It is preposterous. I mean this is something like a — I hate to say this because it’s just sounds terrible — but this is something you’d see in a comedy, where great firemen would run to, you know, a fire hydrant and everything and it wouldn’t work.
“I mean these great people, our great firemen, that are willing to run right into the fire and do anything and everything to save property, and I think in one of these situations we didn’t lose life, but we lost a family pet, a family dog and everything.
“Well, for crying out loud, I just think it’s just terrible.
“That’s all there is to it, and we should absolutely investigate. With all in me, I’m going to recommend exactly just that, and I think you’re right on the money. I really appreciate you bringing this to our attention, and we need to get to the bottom of it. You’re dead right. I mean there’s no, no, ifs, ans or buts about it. Absolutely, without any question, your splitting the bull’s-eye.”
There’s no word yet on the timing of that investigation mentioned by the governor.
WSAZ still waits for answers from West Virginia American Water, including how many hydrants remain on those smaller water mains, how many are working and how much of your money has been used to replace them.
For previous coverage:
WSAZ Investigates | False Security
Copyright 2023 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
Utah football: Previewing the 2025 schedule with a look at West Virginia, Arizona State
Editor’s note: Read the schedule preview of UCLA and Cal Poly in Part 1 here, and Wyoming and Texas Tech in Part 2 here.
SALT LAKE CITY — Is Utah good or is Utah bad?
By Week 5 of the season, the Utes will have been tested on the road and at home, with no room for error in what the team hopes to be a bounce-back season. A week after a tough battle with Texas Tech, Utah will return on the road to Morgantown to take on an intriguing West Virginia team before a dance with the (Sun) Devil at home.
If things have gone wrong for Utah up to this point in the season, these next two games won’t be any easier (They won’t be easy even if the season has gone well).
A win at West Virginia is likely but far from predictable; and a battle with the perceived favorite of the Big 12 and reigning conference champion at home will be another battle at Rice-Eccles Stadium that Utah can’t miss on to compete for a title.
As a reminder, ESPN’s Bill Connelly, who recently updated his SP+ rankings after spring, sees Utah as the 31st best team in the country with the 55th hardest schedule.
Anything less than 4-2 after this stretch will feel like a disappointment for Utah, but 3-3 is more than a reasonable prediction. Anything better than 4-2 is gravy, and Utah is well on its way to contending for a Big 12 title.
West Virginia Mountaineers
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27 (TBA)
Location: Mountaineer Field; Morgantown, WV
2024 record: 6-7 (5-4 Big 12)
Final AP ranking: N/A
Last meeting: Dec. 26, 2017, Dallas, TX (Heart of Dallas Bowl); Utah won 30-14
Preseason win projection: 5.5 wins
West Virginia is quite possibly the biggest unknown factor on Utah’s schedule (or in all the Big 12) this season. No team in the country went through a roster turnover the way the Mountaineers did, but the rebuilt squad could be good enough to disrupt.
Newly-hired head coach Rich Rodriguez returns to West Virginia in an effort to turn the program around after middling seasons under former head coach Neal Brown. And though Rodriguez has had success in Morgantown before (and stops elsewhere), it’s tough to predict a major jump in his first season back, especially with the turnover.
In total, West Virginia had 51 players enter the transfer portal, while welcoming 52 new faces to the program in return — including nine wide receivers, 10 offensive linemen and 13 defensive backs, in addition to several other position groups.
The Mountaineers no longer have proven quarterback Garrett Greene under center and will be tasked with identifying a new starter this fall, though former backup Nicco Marchiol is the favorite to win the job. Pushing him, though, will be Texas A&M transfer Jaylen Henderson and Charlotte transfer Max Brown.
A strong quarterback will certainly go a long way in helping the Mountaineers, but Rodriguez — who will also be offensive coordinator — returns leading rusher Jahiem White, who rushed last season for 844 yards and seven touchdowns.
With Rodriguez’s penchant for running the ball and using a no-huddle approach to speed up the offense, White will no doubt see more production this season.
He’ll be joined by Northern Iowa transfer Tye Edwards, who led his team in rushing with 1,012 yards and six touchdowns, with an average of 6.4 yards per carry; and SMU transfer Jaylan Knighton.
Rodney Gallagher III returns in the slot looking to have a bigger role this season, but he’ll be joined by Jacksonville State transfer Cam Vaughn, who led his team with 803 yards and five touchdowns as a deep-threat weapon.
Eastern Michigan transfer Oran Singleton and North Carolina transfer Christian Hamilton join the program as veteran receivers to add to the room.
Though Rodriguez seemingly has enough talent to compete, he’ll be doing it with a major unknown up front in the trenches. The offensive line will be completely rebuilt and will take time to gel as a unit. History says that’s a tall task in one season, but the projected starters are veteran players who could surprise — the margin is thin, though.
On the defensive end, Rodriguez has one holdover from last season in veteran defensive tackle Edward Vesterinen, and his presence should help a defensive unit that will need to gel quickly to have an impact this season.
West Virginia brought in several talented defenders — many of which were at the top of their former school’s defenses — but new defensive coordinator Zac Alley will have a lot of new bodies to work with. Alley, though, is known for his aggressive style and will work to put pressure on opposing offenses.
Alley most recently comes from Oklahoma, where he had the 19th best defense in the country with a smothering defense. It’s doubtful he’ll be able to have that same success in Year 1 at West Virginia, but the team could see improvement from the year prior after ranking 126th in passing defense and 111th in total defense.
West Virginia will welcome Utah to town after a heated rivalry game against Pittsburgh and a road game against Kansas — not an easy one-two punch before Utah.
In Week 5, there won’t be many surprises about who this year’s version of West Virginia will be, but a road game in a hostile environment will be a tall task for the Utes, especially coming off what will be an expected tough game against Texas Tech the week prior.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Date: Saturday, Oct. 11 (TBA)
Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium; Salt Lake City, UT
2024 record: 11-3 (8-2 Big 12)
Final AP ranking: No. 7
Last meeting: Oct. 11, 2024, Tempe, AZ; ASU won 27-19
Preseason win projection: 8.5 wins
Take a deep breath after the first five games of the season.
Utah will get its first bye of the season the week after West Virginia, which should help before a battle against the reigning Big 12 champs. The bad news is Arizona State is also getting a bye the week before this matchup, too.
Starting with the Arizona State game, Utah will not leave the state for the next six weeks, which could prove beneficial, especially if the team is in contention for a Big 12 title. But the Sun Devils aren’t going to be an easy out, even at home.
Fortunately for the Utes, a broken Cam Rising will not be under center for this game. But it remains to be seen how good Utah’s offense will be up to this point in the season.
For all the success Arizona State had last season, they weren’t an overly elite team. That may sound crazy considering the season record, a Big 12 title and a close loss to Texas in the College Football Playoff. But running back Cam Skattebo was a big reason for the team’s success.
By all means, he wasn’t the only factor in the Sun Devils winning, but he was a big component to the team’s overall success.
With that being said, Arizona State welcomes back essentially its entire starting roster, while adding key pieces from the transfer portal to help fill some gaps and add to an already talented starting roster.
This roster is more than capable of competing for another Big 12 title, but they must do it as the hunted and not the hunters. This is no longer a team being supremely doubted, and it’s much tougher to get everyone’s best.
The Sun Devils will have a fighting chance with returning starter Sam Leavitt under center. The underclassman was a star in his own right, throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns on 61.7% passing, while adding an additional 443 yards and five touchdowns rushing.
With a full season under his belt, Leavitt will only get better, especially as his chemistry with the team continues to improve. Add to that his primary target of veteran wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and the Sun Devils can do some serious damage.
Tyson finished the season with 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, making him one of the best returning receivers in the Big 12 this season. He’s a bonafide weapon that will demand serious respect from opposing defenses.
Joining him is Fresno State transfer Jalen Moss, who was the Bulldogs’ second-leading receiver with 563 yards and four touchdowns, and Alabama transfer Jaren Hamilton.
In the backfield is a trio of backs that should add to Arizona State’s offensive attack. Backup Kyson Brown returns after 351 yards and two touchdowns last season, and he’ll be joined by Raleek Brown — he played in only two games after suffering an injury — and Army transfer Kanye Udoh, who rushed for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
Add to that a veteran offensive line that returns four of its starters and there’s real potential to compete for a title. The offensive line has room for improvement — the unit got a 78.0 grade in PFF in pass blocking and a 58.4 grade in run blocking — but there’s reasons to believe in growth in the second year.
Defensively, the team’s run defense finished 21st in the country last season (112.9 yards per game) and will look to improve upon that with another solid unit. Though the team had success stopping the run, Arizona State finished 98th in opponent third down conversions (43%).
The unit returns veteran leaders at every level of the defense, including defensive end Clayton Smith, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and star safety Xavion Alford, who led the team in defensive grades in PFF.
There’s not a lot to hate about this returning Arizona State team, but moving on from Skattebo will be a challenge. The roster can more than make up for his loss, though.
Welcome to being the hunted, Sun Devils.
Westerville (Oh.) North 2026 offensive lineman D’Nilyeon Taylor returned to West Virginia for his official visit and left campus with strong feelings about the football program.
Taylor, 6-foot-5, 295-pounds, has held an offer from West Virginia since April 12 and the official visit gave him the chance to tour more of Morgantown and the facilities on campus.
Needless to say, the experience impressed him.
“I loved the official visit,” he said.
Taylor was able to speak with all of the coaches on staff at least once but spent the majority of his time with offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, assistant offensive line coach Derek Dressler, senior offensive assistant Travis Trickett and head coach Rich Rodriguez.
The offensive tackle also was able to spend time speaking with the players as well and it gave him some perspective on the program and how he could fit into it.
“I got a better grasp on how the players felt about the direction the program is headed in and I had the opportunity to connect with coaches on a higher level,” he said.
The visit definitely helped West Virginia’s chances in the recruitment of Taylor as it gave him a better idea about the program and all of the ins and outs.
“I got a better idea of where WVU is at on my list,” he said.
The plan now is to make a college decision after he wraps up his official visit schedule sometime toward the end of June, but the Mountaineers definitely made a good impression.
“WVU is a great place, and I know the coaching staff has high hopes for me so I know if I decided to commit there I would be in good hands,” he said.
West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on June 7, 2025
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 Saturday, June 7, 2025 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 7 drawing
31-36-43-48-62, Powerball: 25, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 7 drawing
01-17-19-36-43, Star Ball: 03, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 3 numbers from June 7 drawing
5-0-0
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from June 7 drawing
2-3-9-3
Check Daily 4 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.
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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