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W.Va. foster care lawsuit still alive

CHARLESTON - A federal class action lawsuit filed during the administration of former governor Jim Justice challenging the condition of West Virginia's foster care system is alive again following a ruling Thursday. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a 2025 judgment issued by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin dismissing a class-action lawsuit brought in 2019 on behalf of thousands of foster children in West Virginia. "Because federal courts not only have the authority, but also a duty, to remedy systemic constitutional rights violations, we ...

Community Service Day

ELKINS - Third-grade students at Midland Elementary School and members of the Emma Scott Garden Club recently joined forces for a hands-on community service day.      The two groups, which included Mallorie Judy's third graders, spent the day weeding and mulching the two ...

Man charged for drugs and conspiracy to flee

MILL CREEK — A Randolph County man faces felony charges after police allegedly found fentanyl in his vehicle in 2025 and after he allegedly conspired to flee from police in May. Robert Michael Sparks, 45, of Huttonsville, is charged with one count of driving revoked DUI third offense, one ...

Local pastor facing felony charge

ELKINS — A local pastor is facing felony charges after allegedly selling vehicles to customers that were under bank liens. Curlie Eugene Ray Jr., 55, of Beverly, is being charged with a felony county of fraudulent schemes. Ray currently serves as the senior pastor of Tygart Valley Ministries, Beverly Community Church. According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court by West Virginia State Police, A.P. Petrella, Ray allegedly sold three vehicles from Curlie Ray's Auto Sales in Beverly, that were already under bank liens . On June 3, Petrella was assigned an ...

Trump administration to invest W.Va. coal-fired power

CHARLESTON - Gov. Patrick Morrisey and other West Virginia leaders praised President Donald Trump Thursday for approximately $700 million in federal investment in coal-fired power generation, including in West Virginia. Trump held a ceremony at the White House Thursday afternoon, attended by Morrisey and 2nd District Congressman Riley Moore, to announce he was using the Defense Production Act to repurpose up to $700 million in environmental funds for investments in energy infrastructure, improvements to existing coal-fired power plants, and new coal-fired power plant ...

Snyder selected as Maid Silvia for the 88th Mountain State Forest Festival

ELKINS – Hambleton resident Miss Emma Grace Snyder has been selected as Maid Silvia for the 88th Mountain State Forest Festival by Director General Nathaniel Bonnell. The selection of Maid Silvia has been kept confidential for months. “Selecting Maid Silvia is one of the most important responsibilities of the director general, and Emma stood out from the very beginning,” Bonnell said. “She is accomplished, thoughtful, and has a genuine appreciation for the traditions and values the Mountain State Forest Festival represents. As we celebrate the 88th Festival with the theme ...