West Virginia

WVSSAC: Helmet Safety Enforcement A Local Issue

Published

2 years ago

September 4, 2024

WVSSAC: Helmet Safety Enforcement A Local Issue

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission tells WSAZ that helmet certification is a responsibility of the individual school, adding that it has no mechanism in place to ensure that schools follow manufacturer standards.

SSAC leadership revealed that information in response to a WSAZ investigation, prompted by last month’s death of Madison Middle School football player Cohen Craddock.

Last week, the SSAC confirm Cohen’s helmet, a 2017 model that was recondition in April 2024, had a sticker showing it had been certified and met national standards.

Yet, WSAZ wanted to know what system is in place to make sure all helmets are being put through that process.

The station asked general questions that affect every family with a student playing football in West Virginia.

“How often does WVSSAC require helmets be recertified,” and “How does the WVSSAC keep track of which schools are in compliance with the regulation?”

WSAZ sent those questions multiple times since last Thursday to the executive director, David Price. He responded late afternoon Tuesday.

“Manufacturers recommend that varsity (high school) helmets be reconditioned every year and middle school every two years,” Price said in a written statement. “It’s up to the school to follow manufacturers guidance.”

So how does the WVSSAC make sure that schools follow the rules? Simply put, they don’t.

“Principals make up the WVSSAC,” Price added in his written response. “They are the local level of the WVSSAC and it up to them to ensure rules and guidelines are followed.”

The WVSSAC does not require schools to submit any data showing they are in compliance. So that means no one is tracking it at a state level, meaning helmet safety is on an honors system.

WSAZ asked both Price, the executive director, and Wayne Ryan, the associate executive director, for an on-camera interview about the issue, but neither have granted the station’s requests.

WSAZ also reached out to SSAC Board of Directors President Trent Sherman of Martinsburg High School, however, he also did not calls or emails for comment.

So, WSAZ’s Curtis Johnson took the issue to Gov. Jim Justice, a high school girls basketball coach, for his thoughts.

“Given the WVSSAC regulates so many aspects of the competitions that it sanctions, do you believe it should play a larger role in making sure every helmet is certified?” Johnson asked. “Shouldn’t there be some type of check and balance to make sure the emphasis on game rules is also put student-athlete safety?”

“Curtis, I don’t know how we remove local control and bring it into a Parkersburg control or a Charleston control,” he answered. “I don’t know how we make that. I mean, I don’t know how that makes things better.

“Now should they have oversight and should they investigate, I would be absolutely all for that, but we’ve absolutely have got to change rules or whatever it may be to put all of that in place because today it may be in place in a different way, but we need to be able to trust the folks at the schools.”

Last week, Justice was among those supporting a call for independent investigation when sports fatalities occur.

As for Cohen’s death, the WVSSAC says it does not have that authority, but says it is keeping tabs on an investigation ongoing at the local level.

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West Virginia

Four Wheeling residents sentenced for selling fentanyl, heroin and meth in West Virginia

Published

53 minutes ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Four Wheeling residents sentenced for selling fentanyl, heroin and meth in West Virginia

WHEELING, W.Va. — Four Wheeling residents were sentenced in federal court today for selling fentanyl and other drugs in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle.

Tyshaun Johnson, 30, was sentenced to 115 months in prison. Johnson sold fentanyl near Jensen Playground in Wheeling, and investigators also determined he was selling cocaine base in the area. Johnson has prior convictions for fraud, assault, domestic battery, malicious assault and theft.

Harold Wayne Nice, 42, was sentenced to 60 months in prison today. Nice was responsible for selling more than 30 grams of methamphetamine, along with nearly 2 grams of fentanyl and one gram of cocaine base. Nice has previously been convicted for domestic battery, destruction of property, assault, breaking and entering and drug crimes.

Cephus Andrews, 33, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring with others to sell fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in Ohio County. Andrews, one of nine defendants in a drug conspiracy, allowed his residence to serve as a stash house for the drugs. Investigators seized 7.5 grams of a fentanyl/heroin mixture and 3.35 grams of cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia and $1,095. The other eight defendants are awaiting trial currently scheduled to occur in April 2026.

Alyssa Marie Abrigg, 34, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Abrigg sold nearly a gram of fentanyl and half a gram of methamphetamine in the Warwood section of Wheeling. She has prior drug convictions.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Wheeling Police Department.

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West Virginia

Kentucky takes down West Virginia, will face Texas in Sweet 16

Published

13 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky takes down West Virginia, will face Texas in Sweet 16

West Virginia is a team that Kentucky was designed to beat, but that doesn’t always happen.

The Mountaineers are small, ferocious, and force turnovers at an elite rate. Kentucky needed to counter that with the size West Virginia just doesn’t have.

Early on, they did just that.

1st half showcases the size difference

West Virginia’s average height is 5’9, and they love to press. Kentucky should be able to just find Strack or Key and allow runners to come off them. The Cats opened up handling the pressure pretty well. Amelia Hassett hit two first-quarter 3’s, and Clara Strack had 4 and 4. But West Virginia was also handling the Cats’ size pretty well.

6’1 Kierra Wheeler had 4 points and 4 rebounds herself as she battled down low in the opening frame. Teonni Key was a monster in the opening half. The senior had 11 points and 5 rebounds, but as the half wore on, the pressure started to get to Kentucky.

After the Cats stretched the lead to double figures, West Virginia would force a 10-second violation as Kentucky struggled to find Clara Strack in the middle of the press. When they did a couple of possessions later, it was a double dribble, and those are the simple kind of unforced turnovers that Kentucky can not have in a game like this.

A 13-2 run from West Virginia sent the two teams to halftime tied at 36. Kentucky shot 48% percent from the floor but had 7 turnovers, 3 from Key and 1 from Strack. West Virginia was led by 13 from Gia Cooke and 10 from Wheeler.

If Kentucky was going to get to its first Sweet 16 in a decade, it would come from Strack and Key.

2nd half started with a Kentucky streak

The Cats started the 3rd with a big flurry, a 13-2 run saw Kentucky extend back to an 11-point lead. It was kind of identical to how the 2nd quarter played out, with Kentucky handling the pressure and using its height to convert easy baskets.

West Virginia really struggled down low against Kentucky’s size. They converted just 13-of-32 from 2-point range.

Kentucky would have a 12-point lead heading to the 4th, just 10 minutes away from a first Sweet 16 appearance since 2015-16.

It started with a bang as West Virginia would throw a haymaker. The Mountaineers would go on a 12-2 run to start the 4th, and Kentucky did look rattled. But to their credit, they slowed it back down and went down low to Key and Strack. The two stars on the day for Kentucky would answer and get back up 8 behind a beautiful post move from Strack.

Gia Cooke, as she did all day, answered. She hit a huge 3 to stem the Cats’ momentum and bring West Virginia back to within 5. The guard would finish with 23.

Tonie Morgan would rise up with 2 minutes to go; she missed the jumper, but a huge hustle play from Clara Strack would give Kentucky another chance to build on its 4-point lead.

Strack would then convert, but like she did all afternoon, Sydney Shaw hit a clutch 3 from the corner, her 6th, to bring West Virginia to within 3 with just 90 seconds to play.

Clara Strack’s turnover issues would play big as she tried to back down, and Jordan Harrison would swipe her 4th steal of the night. Two free throws later, and it was just a 1-point game.

Tonie Morgan hadn’t hit a lot of shots, just 2-for-8. But the point guard hit a massive free-throw line jumper to get Kentucky back up 3 with 55 seconds to go.

West Virginia would hit 2 more clutch free throws, and with 8 seconds to go, Hassett had a wide-open 3. It clanged off the rim, and the Mountaineers would have the last shot.

The Mountaineers had not led since early in the 4th quarter. Gia Cooke shook Teonni Key and had an open jumper that rimmed out. Key would secure the rebound, and Kentucky called a timeout.

On the inbound play, the ball would be hit off Morgan’s shoe. West Virginia would get a chance for a tip-in with .2 left.

West Virginia couldn’t get a shot off, and the Cats will be heading to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016. And they did it on the road.

Up next is (1) Texas, which the Cats lost to by 11 earlier this year. That game was a lot closer than the final score, as the Cats were actually within 1 with just over 5 to go.

The game will be in Fort Worth, so it will be another road game. But we should all enjoy this Sweet victory.

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West Virginia

WVFF Begins Opioid Needs Assessment – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

WVFF Begins Opioid Needs Assessment – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) was created by the state Legislature in 2023 to distribute nearly $1 billion in opioid settlement monies over the next 17 years.

The organization has chosen the Health Affairs Institute (HAI), in partnership with the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs and Data Driven WV, to perform a statewide needs assessment.

“This is a critical investment in carrying out what WVFF was created to do, as our founding documents specifically call for statewide coordination that helps connect resources, information and systems of care across West Virginia,” said Jonathan Board, WVFF executive director. “As WVFF continues to scale its impact, having a shared, data-driven understanding of where needs are greatest, where resources already exist, and where gaps remain will help inform future decisions. The WVU team brings both the technical expertise and statewide perspective needed to support that effort.”

The study itself is expected to cost $1.5 million and take 18 months to complete. A statement from the First Foundation said the study is designed to provide a clearer understanding of needs, gaps and opportunities.

A year ago, the First Foundation asked for proposals. They said they received more than 20 proposals from organizations nationwide.

Key objectives include

Establishing a common metric to measure burden of addiction at local and state levels.

Mapping current funding and service availability to ensure equitable distribution.

Identifying critical gaps in prevention and treatment services.

Creating a user-friendly, public dashboard for transparency and data accessibility.

Defining a standardized Health Return on Investment (HROI) for addiction-related services.

Participating in the development of a statewide interoperable network.

“This partnership reflects HAI’s commitment to applied research that directly improves the health and well-being of West Virginians,” said Rebecca Gillam, senior research scientist and portfolio director at WVU Health Affairs Institute. “By combining robust data analysis with community-informed insight, this assessment will provide practical tools to support smarter investments and stronger outcomes in addressing the burden of substance use disorder across the state.”

Since May 2023, the First Foundation said it has distributed nearly $40 million in settlement money. This includes initiatives focused on care such as prevention, treatment, recovery and workforce development.

The organization handles 72.5% of the state’s settlement money. Cities and counties get 24.5% directly, and the state Attorney General’s office gets 3% for legal representation.

Results of the Needs Assessment, including the public dashboard, will be released once completed and is expected to inform future funding decisions and statewide planning efforts.

To learn more, visit the First Foundation website.

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