Breaking News
Life

Year in Review 2022

34 min read

The following are The Inter-Mountain's top 10 local news stories of 2022:

No. 1

Corridor H progress

Feb. 23, 2022

By Edgar Kelley

Staff Writer

PARSONS -- Leaders from local, state and national levels gathered in a remote field in Tucker County on Tuesday to announce that the construction of another section of Corridor H will soon be underway.

Gov. Jim Justice, Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Congressman David McKinley, R-Second District, were joined at the location by state Department of Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston and Robbie Morris, Corridor H Highway Authority chairman and Randolph County Development Authority executive director.

The aforementioned five, who have all been instrumental in pushing for the completion of the Corridor H highway, took part in the ceremony to announce an approved bid award for the construction of the Corridor H Cheat River Bridge.

"This project is unbelievable and now we are ready to get it built," Justice said. "I love it from the standpoint that we got a lot of stuff done and we are continuing to do more and more. We have 23 miles that we still have to go and we are making real progress. I'm going to keep pumping all the money I can pump into moving the projects faster and faster."

The winning bid for the project was from Triton Construction of St. Albans for $147,839,550. The bridge will be 3,300 feet across, and will be among the longest bridges in the state once it's complete.

"The most important project period is Corridor H," Justice said. "There are some other projects down in the southern part of the state I would like to see complete, but without any question this is No. 1, and it has to be."

The four-lane bridge will connect the 15-mile stretch of Corridor H between Kerens and Parsons with the section between Parsons and Davis. Capito said $195 million has been included in the new infrastructure package for this project.

Editor's Note: In June, Justice announced the approval of bid award for construction of an approximately 3-mile section of Corridor H in Tucker County. A.L.L. Construction Inc. was the lowest of five bidders for the project, with a bid of $49,488,494.

In July, an online petition asking that the path of the Corridor H highway through Tucker County be changed to an alternative "northern route" had been signed by more than 1,700 individuals. By Dec. 29, the online petition had been signed by 3,897 people.

The alternative route was also being supported by a total of 27 businesses in Davis and 24 in Thomas, a "substantial majority," according to a press release from a "Business Coalition for a Better Route for Corridor H."

No. 2

Buckhannon couple charged in

infant's death

Dec. 13, 2022

By Anthony Gaynor

For The Inter-Mountain

BUCKHANNON -- Two Buckhannon residents are facing felony charges after a 2-year-old child died and another child was injured due to "shaken baby syndrome," according to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office.

Thomas W. Cunningham, 27, of Buckhannon, is being charged with child abuse resulting in the death of a child and child abuse resulting in injury, both felonies, after the children were allegedly seriously injured after being left in Cunningham's care. He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a cash-only $100,000 bond.

Ciera N. Gillespie, 25, of Buckhannon, has been charged with child neglect resulting in the death of a child and child neglect resulting in serious bodily injury, also felonies. She is being held in the Central Regional Jail on a cash-only $200,000 bond.

According to the criminal complaint, filed by Upshur County Sheriff's Deputy Rodney Rolenson on behalf of the Mountain Lakes Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the alleged incident occurred Monday, Nov. 28.

According to the complaint, Rolenson was contacted by Chief Deputy Michael Coffman about an infant's drug overdose at a Valley Green Drive residence. Deputies Chidester and Bender were on scene with Gillespie. The mother gave an audio recorded statement to officers saying that she had gone to the store at 6 p.m. and left the children, a 1-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, in the care of her boyfriend, Cunningham.

Gillespie told officers she received a call from Cunningham as she was pulling into the residence saying something was wrong with the the 2-year-old. According to the complaint, she told officers that as she went into the apartment, Cunningham handed her the 2-year-old child and "his body was limp and blood was coming from his mouth and nose." Cunningham called 911 and the ambulance responded and Gillespie stated that as she was leaving with the ambulance, Cunningham came running out of the residence with the 1-year-old child stating there was something wrong with the child.

According to the complaint, the 2-year-old child was pronounced dead at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. According to the complaint, Rolenson spoke to WVU medical staffer Dr. Melvin Wright. Wright said the manner of death for the child was consistent to "shaken baby syndrome" and the "retinal injuries were the worst he had seen in 20 years." The doctor also said the injuries to the 1-year-old child were significant and also a result of "shaken baby syndrome."

According to the complaint, Gillespie provided officers a second statement on Dec. 1 and said she believed Cunningham was under the influence of a controlled substance when she left the children in his care. Cunningham also provided a statement to officers on Dec. 1 and stated he had "used a Percocet to get high while he was left in the care and custody of the two infant children."

Editor's Note: The next day, officials said additional charges are expected to be filed against two Buckhannon residents after a second child died from injuries related to "shaken baby syndrome."

No. 3

Pool/splash pad

bid approved

June 23, 2022

By Edgar Kelley

Staff Writer

ELKINS -- After listening to nine public comment speakers, the Randolph County Commission quickly and unanimously voted to approve the bid for the pool/splash pad project at the Elks Lodge during a special meeting Wednesday morning.

During the June 14 commission meeting, Commissioners Chris See and Cris Siler voted to table the bid, while Kesling, participating via the phone, voted against tabling. The special Wednesday meeting was called so that all three commissioners could get together in person to vote on the matter.

The meeting began with the public comment period, featuring speakers on both sides of the issue. After the public comment period, Commissioner David Kesling made a motion to approve the bid, from Danhill Construction for the amount of $2,163,372. Both See and Siler voted to approve the motion.

Mill Creek resident Harvey Taylor was first to speak to the commission during the public comment period and was in favor of the bid being approved.

"I didn't think I'd have to come back down here for this," Taylor said. "This commission passed and voted 3-0 at the last meeting I was here and spoke at. Why are we here again today? This was a passed deal and I remember meeting Mr. Kesling at Bob Evans when he was running for office, and the deal was that this was going to be a pool for the public."

Taylor went on to say he had worked hard over the years to make the Tygarts Valley Little League facility what it is today, adding that if you wanted something you had to work for it. Taylor's comments on that topic were directed toward the Elkins Otters Swim Team coach Jared Varner, who has been pleading with the commission to put the project on hold in order to gather more funds to make the pool competition-size so it can be used by local swim teams for practice and meets.

Taylor said he was unhappy with the way Varner has communicated with people who are in favor of the project, saying "We worked with the county, we worked with the public and we raised over $700,000. If you want something you work for it, you don't go call people pigs, you don't call kids pigs. It's sad that an organization that is great as the Otters are, let a coach do that. When I was president of Tygarts Valley Little League and if one of my coaches would have said that, he'd hit the bricks."

Varner had posted a Facebook message which referred to "splash pad pigs." The post, which dates from more than a year ago, states: "Summer leagues use outdoor community pools to practice and hold meets and it takes nothing away from the sunbathers and splash pad pigs."

Taylor then praised the commissioners for their work on the project before turning his attention back to the Otters and Varner.

"If you all pass to do this pool and splash pad, it should stay as is," he said. "Why are we griping about this? Why are we putting stuff on Facebook about this? You guys (the commissioners) are taking a beating right now and it's a shame. It's a shame the Otters have to do this, it really is. And I am asking you as a taxpayer of Randolph County, until that coach is gone you should pull the donation that you give them every year. For what he said about the people of Randolph County, it's a shame that you have to stoop so low for a pool when you could be working at getting donations to build you a pool."

Taylor ended by saying he was going home. On Taylor's way out the door, Varner asked if he was not going to stay to hear what he had to say. Taylor responded by asking him why. Kesling directed the two to be calm or both would be asked to leave, and Sheriff Rob Elbon echoed the thought. Taylor simply left without saying another word.

During his public comment speaking time, Varner said, "I guess Harvey (Taylor) isn't here for me to address my comments on Facebook. That really has nothing to do with this project, but since it was brought up I will address it. That was said in July of 2021 and I apologize for the bad terminology used. I was not calling any kids or anyone involved in Otters that. It was for the trash I was told that had been at the splash pads in Weston and Parsons.

"I have coached kids for many, many years and I would never do that. The same kids that go to the splash pads are the same kids that will eventually swim with the Otters."

Varner told the commissioners that the Davis & Elkins College pool has been used for all the local swim competitions for years, but there was no guarantee of how long D&E will continue to allow outside entities to use their facility.

"I currently coach the Otters and we have anywhere from 60 to 70 kids on the team each year," Varner said. "I hated when the Elks pool closed, I think it's a decent location for a community pool and I'd like to see the pool and splash pad be successful.

"I have a petition with me that has 399 signatures on it now that we got in-person over the last five days. We could have gotten way more, I assume, if the meeting wouldn't have gotten moved up by two weeks. The petition represents the citizens of Randolph County and surrounding counties that would like you guys to consider just looking into (expanding the pool).

"We were told verbally last August that you guys looked into it but nothing has been on paper," he said. "Currently approving the $2.1 million bid is nearsighted to not wait and see if inflation prices may fall between now and next summer.

"Amend the pool to be competition-size and you can see what the additional costs may be. Nobody wants the pool our way, I'm not trying to run the show. We just want the pool to be able to be utilized by all."

Ellen Shepherd, who has two children in the Otters program, said during public comment that she feels that without the Otters being a part of the pool/splash pad project that it may not survive financially. She pleaded with the commission to give her something in writing that showed they actually looked into expanding the pool.

"When I look at the pools around us, they are competition-size," Shepherd said. "We are trying to keep the Elks open. I don't know what has changed from when it was shut down, but when it was shut down it wasn't being used enough. There were too many bad weather days and the financial means to keep it open wasn't there."

John Schmidt told the commission he was great at raising funds and would be willing to help in any way possible. Schmidt helped establish the Elkins Otters Swim Team in 2000 and is now the coach of the Rays Swim Team, which is part of the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA.

"When I was the coach of the Otters I used to raise $2,000 to $3,000 per year just in advertisement banners," Schmidt said. "I would like to see this pool be considered to be made a little bit bigger so that we can serve every kid in our community, not most of the kids."

Judy Ritchie, who was there to urge the commission to accept the proposed bid and move forward, was last to speak during the public comment section of the meeting.

"I've heard talks about money raising, but I'm assuming that the Otters have not come along and said here's 'X' amount of money that we have set aside from all this fundraising to put toward that goal," Ritchie said. "I feel you have to take responsibility to start your own project if you want to ask these gentlemen to jump on board."

The county commission began looking into a pool/splash pad project in 2019. E.L. Robinson Engineering was awarded the engineering bid for the project in November 2020.

Editor's Note: Ground was broken for the pool/splash pad project on July 9. In December commissioners said work on the construction project had been halted until next spring due to weather conditions.

No. 4

WVU Medicine's

partnership with DHS is ending

Aug. 3, 2022

By Edgar Kelley

For The Inter-Mountain

ELKINS -- Davis Health System Foundation executive director Mike Bell announced Tuesday DHS is ending its partnership with WVU Hospitals.

Bell made the announcement during an Elkins-Randolph County Chamber function at Halliehurst Mansion on the campus of Davis & Elkins College.

"One of the questions going around the community right now is our relationship with WVU Medicine," Bell said. "About three to four years ago we entered a partnership with WVU. For numerous reasons it is ending this week, with Aug. 8 being the last day of that relationship."

Davis Health System launched its clinical affiliation with WVU Hospitals in May 2019. The partnership was launched to help advance specialty care, including neurology, pulmonology and urology at the hospital. The clinical affiliation was put in place to strengthen DHS's telemedicine network and provide immediate access to WVU Medicine specialists through cutting-edge video technology.

Tracy Fath, vice president of marketing and development at Davis Health System, told The Inter-Mountain Tuesday that WVU Medicine decided on the split, not Davis Health System. She said circumstances having to do with the hospital's medical record system was the reasoning behind WVU's decision.

"Our current electronic medical record system is due to be updated and we decided that we were going to go with a different vendor this time," Fath said. "These EMR platforms are extremely expensive and we were looking at two of the bigger systems on the market. One is called Epic and the other is Cerner, and as far as their capabilities are concerned, they are very similar. But there ended up being a big difference in the price."

Fath said the difference in price between the two systems was in the millions.

"It was clearly based on the cost difference that we decided to go with the one we did," she said. "We just could not afford the Epic system so we signed on to go with Cerner. Then shortly after we did, we got a letter from WVU Health Systems saying that they were ending the clinical affiliation based on the grounds of not having an integrated medical records system.

"It was a substantial difference of millions of dollars and our administration and board looked at the two systems and felt there was only one way to go," she noted. "It's not that big of a difference to big hospitals because they have more resources, but for us, that was a huge difference.

"So we made the decision to go with Cerner, which will still speak to doctors at WVU or anywhere else in the state, it may just take an extra click. When we made that decision, WVU was frustrated that we did not go with their system that they had offered to us."

WVU Medicine currently uses Epic as its EMR and was going to allow DHS to tap into and share the system, Fath said.

"WVU has Epic and we talked to WVU about us just tagging on to their Epic system," she said. "We got the two quotes back and Cerner gave us their quote and WVU Medicine gave us the Epic quote because they were going to let us tap into their system. It all came down to the big difference in costs."

Fath said DHS spoke to WVU Medicine about helping pay for, or reducing the costs of the Epic system, but said they were not willing to lend a hand toward the purchase.

"They weren't interested, we went back to them and asked if they would like to make another proposal to help us out with the price and they were not interested," Fath said. "We went back to them and told them we would consider canceling our contract with Cerner if they could give us a new price that was more acceptable to our administration and the board -- they said no."

Angela Jones, WVU Medicine's corporate director of media relations and public affairs, told The Inter-Mountain by email Tuesday that officials had no comment on the ending of the partnership with DHS.

Fath said that, after acknowledging the split was going to happen, DHS began recruiting heavily for its hospitalists program and its emergency medicine program, because those are the two programs that WVU helped staff at the hospital.

"We were able to secure the hospitalists pretty quickly and then we also tried to keep some of the emergency department physicians here at DMC," she said. "A handful of them decided to go and stay with WVU versus staying here with us. But we have some emergency department physicians coming, so we are going to be fine in that department."

Fath said Dr. Jesus Lemus, who has been a locum doctor at Davis Medical Center, has been named director of the Emergency Department. He worked at developing the emergency department at the Cleveland Clinic and other hospitals across the country and internationally, she said. A locum doctor temporarily fulfills the duties of another doctor.

"Dr. Lemus said he welcomed the challenge and has been working very hard to get a number of new physicians signed on to work in the emergency department," Fath said. "Our concern was that we didn't want any lapse in care and with the physicians he has been able to recruit, we are in good shape. He has brought in doctors who will be a good fit for this community and ones who want to be here."

The same team of hospitalists that have been with DMC throughout the clinical affiliation with WVU Medicine will remain intact, Fath said. Those include Garrett Butler, MD, Phil Chua, DO, Dave Davis, MD, James Gainer, MD, Joel Hummer, MD, and Rebecca Wilkins, FNP-C.

The Cancer Care Center in Elkins will not be affected by the split, although WVU requested that DHS buy out the contract for the center, particular its linear accelerator, which is used for radiation treatment, Fath said. The Cancer Center was owned by Davis Medical Center before the partnership with WVU began in 2019.

"One of the biggest challenges has to do with the doctors at the Cancer Center," Fath said. "In fact, WVU tried, while we had the joint venture going, to recruit doctors to replace our doctors at the Cancer Center when they were ready to retire. But they didn't have any success in recruiting. So that remains a challenge, although we have had some really good interviews for new doctors and we have site visits scheduled."

Fath said that DMC can tap into the doctors who have spent time at the hospital as locum doctors to help at the Cancer Center until the new doctors are hired.

Fath also stated that the hospital's relationship with the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute in Elkins will remain the same, and will not be affected by the end of the clinical affiliation.

"Their office is located within Davis Medical Center and that office will stay there," Fath said. "Dr. (Abbas) Ali has been such a benefit to the local population and that relationship will stay intact.

"Davis Medical Center is a community hospital and we understand the role we have," Fath said. "Even though we are larger than some of the other community hospitals in the state, we are still community driven and we will continue to provide the best care to our patients."

No. 5

Water damage

temporarily closes

Elkins-Randolph Public Library

Jan. 5, 2022

By Edgar Kelley

Staff Writer

ELKINS -- The Elkins-Randolph County Public Library will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to water damage caused by problems with the facility's roof.

Roof repairs to the library were scheduled to be done during Christmas break, while employees were out of the building. Upon their return to the facility, they discovered that the roof had leaked, causing extensive damage to the building.

"We were closed down for the holidays and during that time we were having our roof repaired," ERCPL Director Jared Howell told The Inter-Mountain Tuesday.

"When we came back on Dec. 27, we found that the roof had leaked. So we've been dealing with damages from that ever since."

Howell said a crew from Perfection Plus has been working on some of the cleanup and repairs, and that he will meet with other professionals to finish the remainder of the work.

"We're meeting with contractors this week about the repairs," Howell said. "We are ahead of the curve because we were lucky enough that Perfection Plus was in town when it happened and they were able to respond really quick. It's been over a week since the damage occurred, so it's been a little hectic."

Howell noted he currently has no timetable for when all the work will be done and the library will reopen. However, he said he should be able to provide an update by the end of the month.

"I think we are making good progress and hopefully we can open back up as soon as possible," he said. "We have the new Beverly branch that is hopefully going to open up within a couple weeks. We are just waiting on the internet up there and once we get that rolling we are going to have that location open to facilitate services from there -- whether to pick up a book or anything else someone may need."

It's too early to tell how much damage was done to the books in the library, Howell said. He said officials are waiting for the books to dry out in order to see what can be saved. He confirmed the water damage affected other areas of the building, as well.

"We are looking at some significant repairs," he added. "The flooring downstairs will have to be replaced and we will probably have to replace some carpet and floors upstairs as well. And all the wood paneling will have to be removed due to the water. But we are going to utilize this time to get the library looking nice again."

In 2020 the library was closed for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time the facility endured damages to the building brought on by some flooding, a small fire and several electrical issues within the lighting system.

The library reopened early in 2021 after repairs were made, which included a complete overhaul of the entire bottom floor, and rewiring every light in the facility.

Editor's Note: In September, officials told The Inter-Mountain renovation work at the library, which remains closed, may take more than a year.

No. 6

Upshur deputy shot

1-79 gunman dead;

officer expected

to recover

Aug. 3, 2022

By Edgar Kelley

Staff Writer

WESTON -- An Upshur County Sheriff's deputy who was shot during an incident involving a gunman on Interstate 79 Thursday morning is expected to make a full recovery, officials said.

Chief Deputy Mike Coffman was shot in the thigh after being one of the first to respond to the scene, where a man used his vehicle to block both northbound lanes of his traffic and began shooting with a rifle and a pistol, Upshur County Sheriff Virgil Miller told media outlets.

Coffman was shot as he attempted to stop traffic on the highway, Miller said.

The shooter, who was witnessed taking shots randomly with a scoped rifle, was reportedly shot dead by law enforcement at the scene, approximately 15 minutes after Coffman was shot, Miller told reporters.

The suspect's name has not yet been released. Coffman was the only person shot in the incident, Miller said.

Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon told The Inter-Mountain that Coffman underwent surgery at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital.

"Sheriff Miller contacted me and told me that Mike was out of surgery and in recovery," Elbon said. "He said it looked like that there was no permanent damage to where he was going to have any issues. From what I understand it looks like he will have a full recovery."

Elbon said he and Coffman have been friends for many years, dating back to when they attended magistrate school together.

"We both got elected as magistrates and spent some time doing that," he said. "Then when I was elected sheriff he took the chief deputy spot over there (Upshur County). But we've been buddies for years."

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the incident that shut down all lanes of traffic on both sides of I-79 for some time Thursday. At one point, Elbon said he had deputies from the Randolph County Sheriff's Office en route to the scene.

"We were sending deputies to Weston and activating our S.W.A.T guys when we were told the suspect was down," Elbon said. "I called the scene and asked if they still needed us and they told us that they thought they were good. I told them if they needed us, to call us back, and turned my guys around."

Police are investigating the incident, that began at approximately 10:40 a.m. when the director of Upshur County Emergency Management called in to officials after witnessing the man firing randomly on I-79, according to reports.

Coffman served 12 years as an Upshur County magistrate before being appointed the Upshur Sheriff's Department's chief deputy in 2021.

He previously served as a deputy sheriff in Lewis County from 1997 to 2005. He was elected as a magistrate four times.

No. 7

RCDA receives

$5.4M grant for event center

Aug. 10, 2022

By Brad Johnson

Executive Editor

ELKINS -- The Randolph County Development Authority will receive more than $5 million in federal funding to put toward its event center project.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department's Economic Development Administration is awarding a $5.4 million grant to the Randolph County Development Authority in Elkins to support construction of a 16,000-square foot building to serve as a conference and events center and workforce development facility.

This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

"The Randolph County Development Authority is very excited about the award of this grant. We appreciate the investment by the Department of Commerce in this project," RCDA Executive Director Robbie Morris told The Inter-Mountain Tuesday afternoon. "We think this will have a great impact on the local ecomony, and have a domino effect by boosting many businesses in the area

"We look forward to getting the design completed this fall and begin construction in 2023," Morris said.

This grant will create a multi-purpose facility featuring a theater environment for various performances along with more flexible, open space, designed to host workforce development sessions, trade shows, and business conferences. This EDA grant will be matched with $1.3 million in state funds and is expected to create or retain 100 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

"West Virginia continues to see the benefits of critical American Rescue Plan investments that drive economic development and create good-paying, long-term jobs," said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. "I'm pleased the EDA is supporting this new multipurpose facility in Elkins to strengthen the local economy and boost the entertainment and tourism industries across the region. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this funding for years to come, and I will continue working with the EDA to support economic growth across the Mountain State."

"I am pleased to see that Randolph Country has received this EDA grant to construct a multi-purpose facility as a hub for business conferences and events," said Congressman Alex X. Mooney, R-W.Va. "This funding will help boost local business establishments in Elkins by providing vital economic opportunities and jobs."

Earlier this year, the RCDA put out a request for proposals for the construction of a commercial building as well as an event center/conference center in downtown Elkins.

"President Biden's American Rescue Plan offers direct relief to American communities as they work to build a better America for the future," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. "This EDA investment will generate local entertainment revenue while also facilitating hands-on training in a modern, innovative space, creating new economic opportunity and jobs in the region."

"The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting local economic development strategies designed to boost regional economic growth and resiliency," said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. "This project is part of EDA's Coal Communities Commitment and will bring new business and entrepreneurial opportunities to the region."

This project is funded under EDA's American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance Program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance grants available to American communities. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA's most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs.

Effective May 26, EDA has officially closed all of its American Rescue Plan programs for applications. The $3 billion program funding will be awarded on a rolling basis through Sept. 30.

EDA's Coal Communities Commitment allocates $300 million of EDA's $3 billion American Rescue Plan appropriation to support coal communities as they recover from the pandemic and to help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector. Specifically, EDA has dedicated $100 million of its Build Back Better Regional Challenge funds and $200 million of its Economic Adjustment Assistance funds to directly support coal communities.

No. 8

PBHS students'

illness

investigated

Nov. 19, 2022

By Brad Johnson

Executive Editor

PHILIPPI -- Officials are investigating why three Philip Barbour High School students were taken by ambulance to Broaddus Hospital Friday.

Barbour County Superintendent of Schools Jeff Woofter sent out the following voice message to PBHS parents at about 1:30 p.m. Friday:

"This is a message for all parents. Today we have three students at Philip Barbour High School that have been transported to the hospital after becoming ill, due from what we believe are unknown contents from vaping.

"We are working with law enforcement to get to the bottom of this incident. We are asking all parents to speak to their children about adjusting things using vapes, or any other method.

"Although the incident today happened at the high school, it could happen at any school. The vapes are so small and very easily concealed.

"Again, please speak with your children. Don't underestimate the dangers of vaping."

Woofter has said that both the Barbour County Sheriff's Office and Barbour County Schools are investigating the incident.

On Friday evening, the Barbour County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying the students were "having very serious and adverse reactions to something. We don't know what that substance was and respectfully request the public not to assume what that substance was. We need to focus on the health of the students involved.

"We believe it to be some substance used with a vape but this is not confirmed at this time as the investigation is ongoing. We are confident that it was NOT fentanyl as the symptoms do not fit what a fentanyl overdose resembles. Also, Narcan did not have to be administered.

"We will continue to work towards completing the investigation and seek disciplinary action to those involved with disciplinary action to those involved with distributing any foreign/illegal substance into the school."

In a second call to parents Friday evening, Woofter said all three students transported to the hospital had been treated and released.

No. 9

Volunteer:

Funding cuts a

'slap in the face'

March 23, 2022

By Brad Johnson

Executive Editor

ELKINS -- A community volunteer told Elkins City Council Tuesday that the proposed funding cuts to local agencies were "a slap in the face."

Laura Ward, executive director of the Randolph County Senior Center, was the first to speak during the public comment section of Tuesday's special call meeting of Elkins City Council. She expressed disappointment with council members for the proposed funding cut to Country Roads Transit.

"I'm here today to advocate for the citizens of Elkins who depend on public transit," Ward said. "They are your constituents and you have done them a great disservice by proposing a 64% in funding for the public transportation system, Country Roads Transit, for the upcoming fiscal year."

"That is fiscally shortsighted on your part, with all due respect, not to mention callously disrespectful of the citizens who utilize that service," Ward said.

Barry Band, the president of the Randolph County Senior Center Board of Directors, spoke next on Tuesday, also about the proposed cut to Country Roads Transit funding.

"I wanted to stop and say thank you," Band said to city council. "Thank you for the slap in the face. The other organizations and Country Roads Transit really appreciate it."

Katie McClain then spoke on behalf of the town's public gardening volunteers, saying, "Money doesn't concern us so much, we do everything for free, including getting all of our plants, everything is all done for free.

"The Master Gardeners, the Emma Scott Garden Club, and others, we garden at places that can't afford fancy landscaping, like the Arts Center, the Public Library ... the Tree Board, the Friends of Trees, the Kump Center. When those institutions aren't supported, it kind of takes the wind out of our sails, as volunteers. If our community doesn't care to support the nonprofits, why should volunteers help? And if public gardens go to pot, it just shows your community is going downhill."

Robbie Morris, the executive director of the Randolph County Development Authority, spoke during the public comment section of Thursday's Elkins City Council meeting.

"In the strategic plan for the City of Elkins, item 5C calls on annexation and revenue goals for the city of Elkins," Morris said. "It specifically lists three organizations to assist the city with achieving those goals: Elkins Main Street, the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce and the Randolph County Development Authority. All three of those organizations are proposed to be cut for fiscal year 2023."

"During a Finance Committee meeting, it was mentioned that the City of Buckhannon gives zero dollars toward outside organizations," Morris said. "While it may be true they do not fund as many as Elkins, part of the reason for that is that they don't classify certain organizations as outside entities. They consider them strategic partners to the city that provide services to help them accomplish their goals, cheaper than what the city itself could do it.

"For example, they give money to Create Buckhannon, which is very similar to our Elkins Main Street. They give $25,000 to the Strawberry Festival and they give $45,000 to the Upshur County Development Authority.

"I'm not here this evening to ask for $45,000 from the city of Elkins for the Randolph County Development Authority," Morris said. "The $13,500 that we've been appropriated the last couple of years is greatly appreciated and goes a long way."

Madalyn Higgins, the director of Elkins Main Street, told council on Thursday that, "We serve as ambassadors to the city and proudly take the role as a member of the sales team to increase revenue for the city. I am asking that our partnership is supported tonight and you reconsider the proposed budget."

Scott Goddard, the Board President of Elkins Main Street and Board Vice-President of The Arts Center, also spoke Thursday, asking council to think of restoring the funding cuts as "an investment in a vibrant and welcoming community. One that will attract a solid workforce in all industries, especially in education and health care."

Jared Howell, executive director of the Elkins-Randolph County Public Library, speaking before council Thursday, said, "I ask that you collectively and thoroughly review the impacts of the financial decision to be made, not only to the individual entities, but on the community as a whole."

Dr. Heather Biola, of the Kump Education Center, said, "The Kump Center is unique because it's not an outside agency, it's owned by the city. I've worked as a volunteer for 14 years with no pay, and I think that the city should help us with the expenses that we have regularly. We've raised over $50,000 every year, and we've renovated the building a long way from where it was ... we have only charged the city for what we need for utilities, and I think that's a fair charge."

At the conclusion of Tuesday's special call meeting, Elkins City Council voted to restore the outside agencies' funding in the upcoming 2023 budget to the funding levels in the 2022 budget.

No. 10

Dynamite

Discovered

Block shut down around Tygart Hotel

June 30, 2022

By Edgar Kelley

Staff Writer

ELKINS -- An entire city block in downtown Elkins was evacuated Wednesday afternoon when workers at the historic Tygart Hotel discovered explosives inside the building.

Contractors found old dynamite while working at the building and alerted authorities. The Elkins Police Department and Elkins Fire Department investigated and ordered an evacuation of nearby buildings, which led to the area between Second and Third streets being shut down, City of Elkins spokesperson Sutton Stokes told The Inter-Mountain.

The portion of downtown that was evacuated by law enforcement officers ran from the vacant storefront across from Davis Trust Bank, all the way down Davis Avenue to Pioneer Insurance Agency. The "Do Not Cross" tape then circled around each corner and around the Seneca Mall.

A statement from the City of Elkins at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday requested that all residents avoid the area until further notice.

At approximately 4 p.m., the State Fire Marshal was seen entering the building. Soon after Stokes told The Inter-Mountain that responders were waiting on the West Virginia State Police Explosives Response Team to arrive at the location.

The team "arrived just before 5 p.m., a City of Elkins press release states. "Following a situation briefing by city public safety officials, ERT officers entered the building. They safely recovered and disposed of the dynamite."

"Investigators believe there is no ongoing threat to the public," the press release states.

Woodlands Development Group paid $700,000 for the hotel building in 2017, and work to redevelop the historic hotel has been going on since then. The proposed redesign of the six-story building will attempt to capture the beauty and character of the old structure and the Elkins region today.

The Tygart Hotel was constructed in 1906 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is now considered an anchor for Elkins' Downtown Historic District.

Starting at /week.