The Charleston Gazette - News

Ft. Hood suspect reportedly shouted Allahu Akbar

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:11:40 -0500

Suspect, an Army psychiatrist, is wounded in rampageFORT HOOD, Texas -- Soldiers who witnessed the shooting rampage at ...

Wyoming County school worker convicted of sex abuse

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:38:04 -0500

PINEVILLE, W.Va. -- A former Wyoming County school bus driver has been convicted of sexually abusing a 16-year-old female student.Robert Junior Thomas of Wyoming faces 10 to 20 years in prison. A sentencing date hasnt been set.The 46-year-old Thomas was co...

W.Va. Road Fund tax collections down

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:36:57 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginias Road Fund is collecting less revenue than expected and some maintenance projects may be postponed until the next fiscal year. Transportation officials say revenue collections from vehicle registrations, the gasoline...

Marshall provost, professor to appear before grand jury

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:26:50 -0500

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Marshall Universitys chief academic officer and a professor will appear before a federal grand jury following a grade-change controversy involving state Treasurer John Perdues daughter. Marshall said in a statement that Provost Ga...

Can-do attitude: Kids express creativity

kathryng@wvgazette.com (Kathryn Gregory) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- "I am wonderful. My art is amazing. We are great. I deserve all good things in life."Those four simple sentences are the positive mantra that local lawyer and artist Deborah McHenry has turned into figurative rules at her loc...

Church activities: Nov. 7, 2009

( ) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:45:00 -0500

Anniversaries/homecomings Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church is celebrating its 123rd anniversary Sunday. The Rev. Andrew McDavid of St. Paul Baptist Church will conduct the 11 a.m. service and at 3 p.m. the Rev. Shelley B...

No Grinch on the Turnpike this Christmas

( ) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:47 -0500

By Mannix PorterfieldThe Register-Herald, BeckleyNo, Virginia, the Grinch hasnt stolen Christmas from the West Virginia Turnpike, even in these money-tight times.What it boils down to is that some decorations simply aged s...

FLIPSIDE: Cabell Midland footballer brings girl power

(Bishop Nash) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Cabell Midland Knights have got something a little extra special about their team. On the field, its just another kicker drilling ...

Lawsuit filed in fatal police shooting

( ) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:22:53 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The mother of the man killed during a September police chase filed a lawsuit against the city of Charleston on Friday, claiming that police should have stopped their chase and not fired their weapons the night Brian Good and Charleston...

Abuse victims story changes again

gharki@wvgazette.com (Gary A. Harki) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:32:43 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Megan Williams is changing her story of abuse -- again. She now says that she was raped and tortured. Less than a month ago, a lawyer representing Williams held a press conference saying Williams was recanting her original claims.State...

Six W.Va. communities honored for clean-up efforts

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:41:41 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Six West Virginia communities are being honored for their efforts to beautify and clean up their corporate limits. Beech Bottom, Bluefield, Dunbar, Fayetteville, Ranson and West Union were named Friday as the winners of the 20...

Army specialist from Marshall County killed in Afghanistan

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:51:15 -0500

BENWOOD, W.Va. -- An Army specialist from Marshall County has died in Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Air Force, Julian Berisfords body was expected to be arrive Friday at Dover Air Force base in Delaware. Berisfords cousin, Randi Jo Chavanak, tol...

WVU to conduct national search for med school dean

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:53:47 -0500

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia Universitys School of Medicine will conduct a national search for its new dean. Health Science Chancellor Christopher Colenda did not give a timeline for when the search would begin, other than to say it would begin ...

Shops celebrate holiday shopping season (news photo)

( ) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:58:54 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Bridge Road Shops kicked off the holiday season Friday evening with their annual open house. ...

$36 million contract awarded for W.Va. dam project

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:11:59 -0500

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- A Pennsylvania company has received a $36 million contract to repair Bluestone Dam. The construction is part of a project to stabilize and strengthen the dam, which went into operation in 1949. Brayman Construction Co. of Saxonbu...

Kanawha Players president has tough crowd

lynch@wvgazette.com (Bill Lynch) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:20:51 -0500

CHARLESTOn, W.Va. -- Kanawha Players President John Halstead knows about the rumors swirling around him. People are talking about him, the groups finances, the lawsuit and the building. "I had a past president ask me if I was keeping guns in the build...

Manchin challenges juvenile inmates to game of basketball

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:22:23 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin says he will make good on a promise to challenge residents at a Tucker County juvenile detention center to a game of basketball. Manchin made the pledge while attending Septembers opening of the Kenneth Honey Rube...

W.Va. Turnpike toll hikes boost revenue 30 percent

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:27:40 -0500

BECKLEY, W.Va. -- Rate increases have boosted toll collections on the West Virginia Turnpike by more than 30 percent. Figures released Thursday show the turnpike collected $19 million in tolls from July to September, compared to $14.6 million during t...

Greenbrier resort wins AAAs top rating again

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:38:34 -0500

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- The Greenbrier has won AAAs top rating for hotels for the 34th consecutive year. The historic West Virginia resort is one of three hotels to win the travel groups Five Diamond Award each year since the rating system...

Online college reports higher 3rd-quarter gain

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:46:26 -0500

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- Online university company American Public Education says its third-quarter profit rose more than 31 percent on higher course registrations. American Public says it earned $5 million, or 27 cents per share, in the period. The Cha...

MTR braces for more gambling competition from Ohio

(The Associated Press) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:49:00 -0500

CHESTER, W.Va. -- MTR Gaming says its bracing for more revenue-sapping competition now that Ohio voters have approved a measure allowing construction of four casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. The threat to MTR should begin about f...

Two men sentenced to prison in child pornography cases

( ) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:07:15 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two men were sentenced in federal court Thursday to prison in separate child pornography cases, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced. Telford Cruikshank Jr., 42, who pleaded guilty in May to possessing child pornography, was sentenced b...

Nine-year-old thwarts carjacking, police say

rustymarks@wvgazette.com (Rusty Marks) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:17:46 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Sissonville man was in jail Friday after a 9-year-old boy allegedly foiled his attempt to steal the family car -- with the boy and his three brothers inside. According to a criminal complaint on file in Kanawha Magistrate Court, Step...

Extra volunteers move up swine flu clinics

kathryng@wvgazette.com (Kathryn Gregory) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:36:52 -0500

A full schedule of swine flu clinics is at the end of this story. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Some local middle and high schools will be holding swine flu vaccine clinics as early as Nov. 16.Originally the Kanawha-Charleston Health Depa...

Toyota workers in Buffalo talking union

pjnyden@wvgazette.com (Paul J. Nyden) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Some workers at the Toyota manufacturing plant in Buffalo are talking to their fellow employees about getting union representation at the plant that makes engines and transmissions. Local plant managers reportedly told employees t...

Senate confirms Pa. regulator to head OSM unit

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:48:34 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed a Pennsylvania state regulator as the Obama administrations director for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Joseph Pizarchik was confirmed by unanimous consent, apparently...

State GOP launching intern program

alisonk@wvgazette.com (Alison Knezevich) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:07:37 -0500

CHARLESTOn, W.Va. -- The West Virginia GOP is launching an internship program to help Republican lawmakers during the legislative session, saying Democrats have an unfair advantage because they have more staffers.A group of "Cecil Underwood fellows&qu...