West Virginia
WV Department of Agriculture suspends poultry exhibitions and sales events – WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –As the ongoing threat of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or the bird flu rises, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture has suspended all poultry exhibitions and sales events.
West Virginia has been watching the ongoing threat since 2022 and has been working with poultry industry stakeholders and interagency partners to prepare for, if and when there was an outbreak in the state.
As of right now, the suspension, which effects exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and the sale of poultry at flea markets or auction markets, is in effect until early April. When April comes around, they will review the situation based off of the weather, temperature, and the movement of birds.
WV Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt says that they know that the outbreak is linked mostly to waterfowl and March is the biggest migration North for those birds.
There have been confirmed cases in commercial poultry operations in surrounding states and in a backyard flock in Pocahontas County, and Leonhardt said this is what led to the suspension.
“Well, it’s a continuation of the growths and it’s also that it’s earlier this year than we normally see, and we’re also seeing it in our surrounding states,” he said.
While they’ve been keeping an eye on the outbreak for three years, he says they will continue those efforts to monitor the situation
“We’re just going to keep evaluating things as we go along, and our primary goal is to protect the poultry industry, whether it be private, commercial, or backyard flocks,” Leonhardt said.
While the virus has been detected locally, federal and state wildlife agencies have confirmed that they have detected some cases in wild bird populations because of their continuous surveillance efforts.
For poultry, Leonhardt says that when the virus does infect a bird, it will most likely kill the animal. And when they finally detect that it was in fact, the bird flu, they have to make sure that the virus doesn’t spread to the rest of the flock.
“And so, what we do is depopulate the flock to prevent it from spreading outside that flock to other birds,” Leonhardt said.
While the virus mainly is transmitted from birds to birds it can transmit to people through the bird’s saliva, nasal secretions or their feces.
The Department of Agriculture has put out a list on how to prevent the spread of disease:
– Limit, monitor, and record any movement of people, vehicles, or animals on or off the farm.
-Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm.
-Avoid visiting other poultry farms or unnecessary travel off the farm.
-Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other items in contact with flocks.
-Change clothes before entering poultry areas and before exiting the property.
-Keep flocks away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.
-Isolate any ill animals and contact your veterinarian immediately.
The department encourages poultry owners to report unusual deaths in their flock, a drop in egg production, or any sick domestic birds to WVDA’s Animal Health Division at 304-558-2214.
For more information regarding the virus, you can go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website here.
West Virginia
Commentary: As Mountaineers ready for elimination game, harping on errors does no good – WV MetroNews
OMAHA, Neb. — There’s no denying the impact a pair of West Virginia errors in the seventh inning played in the outcome of what amounted to a 5-2 loss to North Carolina on Sunday night at Charles Schwab Field.
There’s no reason to harp on them either.
Tyrus Hall and Brodie Kresser would like nothing more than to have made fairly routine plays, particularly Kresser’s miscue that prevented a potential inning-ending double play.
Instead, Gavin Gallaher followed with a two-run triple to break a 2-all tie and UNC scored three unearned runs in the inning. Neither team would score again.
“Over the course of 62 games, that stuff happens,” second-year WVU coach Steve Sabins said. “I think we have the best fielding percentage in our league. Tyrus is one of the best defenders in the nation. So we’ve had really good success. And that’s kind of part of it. You don’t want it at that time. But I feel very confident that any mistakes that are made are made because mistakes happen in baseball, not necessarily the moment or the situation. I feel like our guys have played really free and aggressive this entire time.”
The Tar Heels are now within one victory of a spot in the Men’s College World Series Finals, while the Mountaineers (46-16) suffered their fourth loss in 22 games since May, and now have to defeat Troy on Tuesday to get another crack at the No. 5 national seed.
WVU never led Sunday and scored one of its two runs on a double play that Matt Ineich hit into in the fourth inning.
The next time Ineich stepped into the batter’s box in the sixth, the Mountaineers were in their best position of the game to lead with runners at first and second, before the shortstop hit into his second 4-6-3 twin killing in as many at bats.
Consider that among its single-season program record 46 victories this season, only two for West Virginia have come scoring two or fewer runs and four have with three or fewer runs. On both occasions that the Mountaineers won with two runs, they prevented the opposition (Liberty and TCU) from scoring.
Baseball is a game predicated on handling failure, not dwelling on it. Succeeding three times every 10 trips to the plate leaves you in position to be enshrined in Cooperstown at the highest level.
Let it not be forgotten that Kresser’s single to start the bottom of the 10th inning led to him scoring the winning run in the Mountaineers’ 6-5 victory over Kentucky to win the Morgantown Regional. He’s been a mainstay in the Mountaineer lineup each of the last three seasons — two that have ended in Super Regional appearances and this year, which will at some point end in Omaha.
“It is what it is. Have to flush it,” Kresser said. “Can’t let the moment get too big.”
Hall has hit exceptionally well throughout the NCAA Tournament and broke a 5-all tie last Friday against Troy with a two-run single in the eighth. He’s also made numerous high-level defensive plays throughout the 2026 campaign, including a few in the MCWS.
Sabins has described Hall as the best defensive third baseman he’s been around and numerous teammates have offered similar praise.
“I just missed it. It happens,” Hall said.
A big part of what’s made West Virginia’s 2026 season so successful is the team’s ability to stay present.
The Mountaineers haven’t dwelled on losses or harped on wins. They didn’t get too low after a 23-1 midweek loss to rival Pitt or an 11-9 postseason loss to Kentucky, and didn’t get too high after fending off elimination twice in one day, including an 11-9 win over the Wildcats that featured five ninth-inning runs.
Staying present and not living in the past has never been more important than now as WVU seeks a second win over the Trojans to prolong its stay on college baseball’s premier stage.
“We’re one of the best defensive teams in the country and sometimes things happen,” said Mountaineer relief pitcher Reese Bassinger. “You’re playing on a really good surface. Sometimes the ball takes a really weird bounce. I don’t really know what happened there, but it happens. We move forward.
“Kresser and Tyrus are some of the best defenders we have and I know without a doubt I would throw that same pitch over and over and I guarantee Kresser fields it for a double play every other time. That guy has been the rock. He’s been a captain for us. He’s a guy that everyone loves. Nobody cares about that. We move on, keep pitching, keep hitting and just go on the next game.”
A body found in a burning vehicle in West Virginia has prompted a homicide investigation.
In a press conference on Monday, Sean Snuffer, the chief deputy of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, said first responders were called to a rural section of Cabin Creek Road on Sunday around 9:50 a.m. for reports of a “suspicious vehicle.” A 911 caller said the vehicle’s doors were open and items were scattered around the vehicle, Snuffer said.
About 13 minutes later, a 911 caller said the vehicle was on fire, officials said. After crews arrived and extinguished the vehicle fire, a body was found. The remains were taken to the medical examiner’s office, and an autopsy on Monday determined the death was a homicide, Snuffer said. Officials are not releasing the manner of death at this time.
The victim’s identity has not been released as of Monday night, though Snuffer said the body appears to be an adult male. Snuffer said the investigation is “active and ongoing.” It was not immediately known if there were any suspects.
“We can’t answer a whole lot of questions,” he added. “I know people are going to want to know exactly what happened, but we can’t release that information.”
The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the vehicle blaze. Anyone with information on the case can contact detectives with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office at 304-357-0556 or leave a tip on the sheriff’s website.
KENOVA, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man is facing multiple felony charges after a two-day investigation, according to West Virginia State Police.
On Friday, troopers say they responded to a brandishing complaint in Kenova.
During the investigation, troopers located the suspect, Skylar M. Larcart, 27, of Kenova, and found a firearm.
Troopers say they were then granted permission to search Larcart’s residence and vehicle. Their search resulted in the finding of a rifle, approximately 25 grams of marijuana and digital scales.
On Saturday, troopers say they also obtained a search warrant at Larcart’s residence.
During this search, investigators found multiple firearms, controlled substances and U.S. currency.
As a result of the investigation, Larcart was charged with 17 counts of persons prohibited from possessing firearms and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Troopers say over the course of the two-day investigation, Larcart accumulated a total of 21 felony charges and three misdemeanor charges.
Larcart is currently being held in the Western Regional Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
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