With a multi-million dollar state run program under heavy scrutiny, one local group has been stepping up since day one, helping families affected by the 2016 flood rebuild. (WCHS/WVAH)
By: Jessi Starkey | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WCHSTV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — As the two-year anniversary of the deadly West Virginia flood approaches, many flood victims are still in need of assistance, and fingers are being pointed at the state capitol over who is responsible. (more…)
A disabled man in Fayette County said he has received no help from a multi-million dollar state run program that’s left him living in his storm damaged, flooded out mobile home nearly two years after deadly floods devastated West Virginia. (WCHS/WVAH)
By: Bob Aaron | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WCHSTV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — A disabled man in Fayette County said he has received no help from a multi-million dollar state run program that’s left him living in his storm damaged, flooded out mobile home nearly two years after deadly floods devastated West Virginia.
“There ain’t a thing we can do. When you’re waiting on the government, it’s hurry up and wait,” disabled Meadow Bridge resident Randy Ayers said.
Ayers said he’s still waiting for help from the RISE West Virginia program after storms and flooding left his trailer with black mold issues, a floor that’s falling apart, a damaged roof, and electrical system.
He said RISE has told him they’re waiting to do an environmental inspection to determine if he should fix or replace the 55-year-old mobile home.
After an Eyewitness News report on the frustrations of 2016 flood victims, leaders of the West Virginia House and Senate are asking a legislative committee to review RISE, a program created to help flood victims obtain housing assistance.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) agrees there should be an investigation into the program.
“You know when you have money sitting there to the tune of 100s of millions of dollars, why is that money not getting to those folks. That is very frustrating,” Capito said.
Ayers said he asked for help after the June 2016 floods and again after another flood in June 2017. He’s still waiting for that help.
“They got control of the money but it ain’t going to the people that needs it,” Ayers said.
The program is administered by the West Virginia Development Office within the West Virginia Department of Commerce. RISE and related state officials have not responded to requests for an interview.
West Virginia State Police said Joshua E. Robertson has been taken into custody in Birmingham, Ala. (West Virginia State Police)
By: Jarrod Clay | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WCHSTV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — A man who was wanted as a person of interest in a Clay County death investigation has been taken into police custody in Alabama.
Troopers say he was taken into custody in Birmingham, Alabama. More coming up in just a few minutes on @wchs8fox11.
— Jessi Starkey (@JessiWCHS) May 25, 2018
West Virginia State Police said Joshua E. Robertson was taken into custody in Birmingham, Ala Thursday night.
Robertson is considered a person of interest in the death of his father, Milton Robertson III, 67, who was discovered in his home in Wallback on May 9.
State Police believe the body had been at the residence for some time and had been shot and stabbed multiple times.
The flood mud could be measured in feet in parts of Clendenin. Shauna Johnson/WVMetroNews.com
By: Brad McElhinny | Posted: May 24, 2018 at 5:07 p.m. | Source: WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was caught by surprise when the Justice administration halted a contract with a company meant to manage federal flood relief dollars.
“What I can tell you is we were a bit surprised when we learned – and not from the state but through other parties – that the state had suspended the program at least temporarily,” HUD spokesman Brian Sullivan said Thursday afternoon.
HUD is also concerned about the slow pace at which West Virginia is spending the money meant to promote long-term recovery after the devastating floods of June 2016.
The federal agency, which has allocated almost $150 million to help West Virginia with long-term flood recovery, sent a letter expressing concern March 28 to state Commerce Secretary Woody Thrasher.
The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to an invitation to comment on this story. The Justice administration also did not elaborate further on the situation today.
MORE: Read the letter from Housing and Urban Development.
State officials suspended a contract with Horne LLP this past winter because of apparent concerns over whether purchasing procedures were violated.
The contract’s suspension became public just this week. The Justice administration has discussed its decision with WSAZ, The Charleston Gazette-Mail and the West Virginia Press Association but has not provided a public explanation beyond a statement from Gov. Jim Justice.
Governor Jim Justice
“There’s a new sheriff in town and people need to realize that Jim Justice will see to it that West Virginia is not going to be on the short end of the stick,” Justice stated.
“We found things that could save West Virginia millions in federal funding. Our flood victims are going to continue to be served. Those people that weren’t doing their jobs have been held accountable.”
The administration, earlier this week in the press association article, alluded to the possibility of reinstituting the contract with Horne.
A variety of state lawmakers have said they feel left in the dark.
HOPPY KERCHEVAL: Millions in flood relief money stuck in the government pipeline
The contract was worth up to $17 million over its course, although Horne had been paid only about $700,000 over the past two fiscal years.
The Department of Commerce manages the RISE West Virginia disaster recovery program through the West Virginia Development Office and West Virginia Community Advancement and Development Office.
The federal money has been allocated through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery program.
In the letter signed by Stanley Gimont, deputy assistant director for grants programs, HUD wants assurances West Virginia intends to move ahead with long-term recovery and housing restoration.
HUD describes potential uncertainty surrounding the state agency, questions regarding HUD’s prior certification of state capacity and whether West Virginia will implement the grant in a manner consistent with the requirements spelled out in federal register notices.
“To address these concerns, the state must provide HUD with an update on the overall recovery of the State and outline any potential changes that will impact the overall management of the state’s $149.8 million CDBG-DR program,” Gimont wrote.
Horne was to help West Virginia with an action plan to handle the money. A later contract for Horne was to help the state with an implementation phase.
Early this year, the Justice administration started looking at whether that second contract was in line with state purchasing laws.
The administration says it halted work related to the contract during its examination.
Suspending the contract is not the way to make progress, said Sullivan, the spokesman for HUD, said in a telephone interview with MetroNews.
“People in the state of West Virginia are desperate to get their homes back,” he said. “Suspending a program when so many people need housing recovery is a problem.”
And even if the contract deserved scrutiny, HUD needed to be looped in, Sullivan said.
“I get it; you want to do things properly. But if you want to suspend the program you’ve got to tell us,” he said. “The people in West Virginia need to know this.”
Brian Abraham
Justice administration chief counsel Brian Abraham, speaking in the press association story, described an April trip to Washington that included himself, senior adviser Bray Cary and Gen. James Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard. That would have been after HUD sent its letter.
The group met with the assistant secretary and staff members of HUD, Abraham told the press association.
“We explained to them what our investigation had revealed and discussed the remedies we see as a way forward, to get West Virginia back on track,” Abraham said.
“I think they were shocked that we came in to report ourselves, because I don’t think that happens often. But that’s the Governor’s position. We don’t hide things and hope they go away. That’s not how we do business.”
West Virginia was already in HUD’s spotlight for the pace at which it was processing the federal money.
The Mountain State is listed as a “slow spender” in the most recent grant financial report by the federal agency.
That designation means spending less than 10 percent of monthly pace required to fully use the grant by target closeout date.
Of the $149,875,000 West Virginia has available, the state still has $148,736,333 left on hand.
The average of the last three months of spending is $129,961.
“It is not uncommon for large-scale disaster relief efforts to get off to a slow start. However, if it strikes us as being slow we’ll say so. And in this case we have,” Sullivan said. “You don’t pick up the pace of expenditures by suspending the program either.”
Sullivan suggested West Virginia’s state government keep its focus on the continued needs of flood-struck citizens.
“Nobody is not aware of this. But that’s where our head is – is the tremendous unmet housing needs that continue to persist in West Virginia.
“There’s always going to be a tension between doing things quickly and doing things properly. All of this comes in the backdrop of so many people in West Virginia still needing help.”
Tim Armstead
House Speaker Tim Armstead and Senate President Mitch Carmichael formally requested and authorized the Joint Legislative Committee on Flooding to begin examining the RISE West Virginia program.
Armstead, speaking on MetroNews’ “Talkline” said his concern is with the overall sluggish pace of recovery.
“Any time there was a delay in getting this money out, that was a problem,” Armstead said on Thursday. “But if there were questions about the legality of these contracts that might have placed us in a situation where the state was going to have to pay this money back, I don’t fault someone for taking a look at that.”
“I think we’re at the point now where we feel confident that if this money is distributed now and used to get people back in their homes that will be done properly.”
Armstead said the examination of the contract seems to be only one part of the overall holdup.
“I don’t think the freeze, so to speak, took place until early this year. There were already issues with the money getting out to where it needed to be before then,” Armstead said.
“I don’t know that (halting the contract) was the reason the money wasn’t getting out there, because it wasn’t getting out there even before then.”
House of Delegates Speaker Tim Armstead wants a review of the RISE WV program, which was set up to help get relief funds to victims of 2016 floods. Staff photo by Rusty Marks
By: Rusty Marks | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WV News
CHARLESTON — Officials in Kanawha County are joining state lawmakers in asking for an investigation and audit of RISE WV, an organization set up to help funnel relief to people affected by June 2016 floods. (more…)
Samantha Richards (right), Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Patient Care Services, Berkeley and Jefferson Medical Centers speaking with a nurse at Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg. JOHN HALE / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
By: Liz McCormick | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WV Public Broadcasting
Seventeen health science graduate students from across West Virginia are getting money to help pay for their education. (more…)
Herbert Hoover’s Kirsten Belcher (13) slides in safely as Chapmanville third baseman Jenna Barker stumbles backward after a collision at the bag. Craig Hudson | Gazette-Mail
By: Ryan Pritt, Prep Sports Reporter | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
VIENNA — For weeks, the zero in Herbert Hoover’s loss column gained mounting attention from everyone surrounding the Huskies program, but players and coaches were mum on the subject.
After Delani Buckner’s strikeout of Chapmanville’s Kara Browning to end an 11-1 five-inning conquest of the Tigers in the Class AA prep softball state title game on Thursday afternoon, the tears and the words came pouring out.
“I can talk about it now,” Huskies coach Missy Smith said. “The thing about undefeated seasons, you really can’t celebrate them ‘til they’re over. I spent the whole year waiting for the ball to drop and Cinderella to wake up or whatever you want to call it, and the girls just didn’t let it happen. They came out focused every game and there were different games and different situations — it didn’t matter. They got it done every day.”
And they certainly did on Thursday as the Huskies roared back from an early 1-0 deficit to put an emphatic punctuation mark on a 33-0 season and a second straight state title.
Both teams had to endure a crazy Wednesday schedule that saw the teams finish a winners-bracket game past midnight into the wee hours of Thursday morning, with Hoover eventually prevailing 1-0.
That forced Chapmanville to come back to Jackson Memorial Park for an early-morning elimination game against Petersburg, one in which the Tigers (22-5) prevailed for an 11-1 win.
But between an extremely long day on Wednesday and the early tussle with the Vikings on Thursday, Chapmanville looked gassed, and played like it after staking claim to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Hoover answered with three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by an RBI double by Presley McGee, and the Huskies never looked back.
“If we don’t answer there, it’s a totally different game,” Smith said. “If we don’t answer and score it could’ve been a 1-0 game again.”
Instead, the Huskies chased Chapmanville ace Kenzie McCann in the second inning, plating six runs in the frame, and Buckner did what she did nearly the whole tournament — hang zeroes. In 19 innings in the state tournament, the sophomore hurler gave up just two runs, struck out 29 and walked one. In two of those games, including Thursday afternoon’s finale, Buckner said she didn’t have her best stuff.
“My ball wasn’t spinning as much as I’d like it to,” Buckner said. “But can you really complain about having the best defense ever having your back and the best offense pounding the guts out of the ball?”
Buckner was a big part of the offense, lacing a pair of RBI singles in three at-bats. McGee was 3 for 3 with two RBIs as well.
The two sophomores dominated things in the circle all season, and though McGee wasn’t used as a pitcher in three games in Vienna, her bat was an integral part of the Huskies’ run.
“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be on such a great team,” McGee said.
The Huskies have emerged as the new team to beat in Class AA, and this season nobody got the job done, not even once. Hoover won its first state title in 2014, but will now return six starters next year, including its top two pitchers.
“I thought we had the chance to do this when we were fortunate enough to win it last year,” Smith said. “I’ve been blessed with good pitchers. You always want to go undefeated, but you don’t ever plan to. It’s super special.”
Still, several players toed the company line when talking about an undefeated season after the game. McGee did. So did Buckner … at first.
“We never really talk about it to each other, but it crosses our radar, obviously,” Buckner said. “It’s just awesome we pulled it off. It’s just all our hard work paying off. To be able to say that is very, very special.”
McCann, who helped Chapmanville win a state championship as a sophomore and took the Tigers to back-to-back title-game losses to Hoover the past two seasons, was completely worn out and looked on from the dugout as the final few innings dwindled away. In the top of the second inning, down 3-1, McCann hit a fly ball into left field that was dropped by Hoover’s Ava Young, which would’ve given the Tigers runners on first and second with two outs.
But McCann and the Tigers’ first base coach both claimed an umpire called her out, so by the time the ball came back to the infield, McCann was already back to Chapmanville’s dugout. Hoover threw the ball to first base, where she was ruled out. It was a microcosm of what was a long day and a long tournament for Chapmanville.
“What can you say?” Tigers coach Ronnie Ooten said. “Some of our kids were hurt or tired — they’re all tired, we’re all tired — you’re out here at 1 o’clock in the morning last night and got to come back today and try to play two games, three if we’d beat them. This thing was all out of whack this year.”
Kara Browning doubled for Chapmanville and Jade Freeman finished 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI.
In the aftermath, every member of Hoover’s enormous crowd was invited onto the infield for a group picture. A community ravaged by massive flooding two summers ago was brought together by the Huskies’ magic run to a state championship last year. The success may have continued and even escalated this year, but judging from the turnout over two days in Vienna, the feeling is still pretty magical along the Elk River.
Even Smith, the consummate coach who was awarded a plaque for winning the 2017 state softball coach of the year before the game, allowed her emotions to show through for a moment.
“The biggest compliment my girls pay to me,” Smith started, taking a moment to compose herself, “… is that they trust me and believe in me and when we tell them things they believe. My assistant coach Jamanda [Rollyson] has had them in the cage for five days and working their hitting and their bats were alive in the tournament — I’m just so proud of them for that.”
Reach Ryan Pritt at 304-348-7948, ryan.pritt@wvgazettemail.com or follow him @RPritt on Twitter.
The Herbert Hoover basketball gym sustained major damage in the July 23 flood. Chris Lawrence/WVMetroNews.com
By: Jeff Jenkins | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — House of Delegates Speaker Tim Armstead doesn’t like the timelines the state School Building Authority has produced for the construction of two new schools to replace flood-destroyed schools in Kanawha County.
As MetroNews reported earlier this week, the SBA, working the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is projecting the new Bridge/Clendenin Elementary
Tim Armstead
School will open in time for the beginning of the 2020 school year and the new Herbert Hoover High School by the start of the 2021 school year, five years after the June 2016 flood.
MORE Read Armstead letter here
Armstead sent a letter to several officials Thursday including FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney, state School Superintendent Steve Paine and state SBA Executive Director David Roach.
Armstead wrote, “I along with the parents of the students affected are concerned by the length of time indicated…..As you are aware, students in this area have been through a tremendous ordeal and it is essential that we provide them access to the completed classrooms as quickly as possible.”
Armstead wants the various agencies to “identify the areas where the process can be expedited.”
Lawmakers learned of the timelines during interim committee meetings earlier this week including information about a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bat Survey on the proposed property for the new Hoover school that is one of the reasons for the projected Fall 2021 opening.
“What is of the upmost importance to us, if that is the case (bats on the property), that we timber between this November, November of 2018 and March of 2019,” Hoover Principal Mike Kelley told lawmakers.
FEMA is paying most of the cost for the new schools so there are several federal requirements that have to be met.
The Bridge-Clendenin School is estimated to cost $34 million and the new Hoover school $58 million.
Herbert Hoover pitcher Delani Buckner allowed just one hit against Petersburg, a solo home run by Carly Cooper in the fourth inning of the Huskies’ 5-1 win at the state tournament. Craig Hudson | Gazette-Mail
By: Ryan Pritt, Sports Writer | Posted: May 24, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
VIENNA — At 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Herbert Hoover kicked off the 2018 state softball tournament against Petersburg in a game it would win 5-1.
Dana Godbey stands outside of the camper in Procious where he’s lived since the June 2016 flood. Kenny Kemp | Gazette-Mail
By: Lori Kersey, Staff Writer | Posted: May 23, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
PROCIOUS — Some survivors of the June 2016 flood say a program meant to help them repair and rebuild their homes has been a “nightmare” to deal with and has not provided the help it promised.
