WV House: Candidates advance in hopes of succeeding longtime delegates

WV House: Candidates advance in hopes of succeeding longtime delegates

By: Phil Kabler, Statehouse Reporter | Posted: May 8, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

Among contested House of Delegate primaries of local interest Tuesday, Dean Jeffries and David “Woody” Holmes won nominations for seats held by two long-serving delegates in the House.

Jeffries, an Elkview insurance agent prevailed in a three-person race for the Republican nomination for the 40th District seat held by House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, for nearly 20 years. Armstead opted not to seek re-election.

Jeffries, who billed himself as a Christian conservative Republican, and had endorsements from Armstead and the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee, had 894 votes (53 percent), defeating lawyer Kenneth Tawney, who had 542 votes (32 percent). Ron Shamblin, a longtime union crane operator, who broke with the GOP over recent votes to repeal the state’s prevailing wage law and to enact right-to-work, finished third with 267 votes.

Jeffries faces Melissa Riggs Huffman, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, in November’s general election.

In the 39th District, a Republican stronghold seat held for years by Delegate Ron Walters, R-Kanawha, until his sudden, forced resignation in March, David “Woody” Holmes prevailed in the Democrat primary, in what he hopes will be the first step in an effort to “flip” the longtime GOP seat.

Holmes, a union pipefitter and son of the late longtime state senator and Senate clerk Darrell Holmes, defeated Alex Urban, a West Virginia University law student, by a 641-578 margin.

He will face Delegate Sharon Malcolm, R-Kanawha, in the general election. Malcolm, who was appointed to the House on March 23 to replace Walters, is a retired state employee who was the first woman to serve as assistant doorkeeper in the House and assistant sergeant-at-arms in the Senate. She was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Meanwhile, in two multi-candidate House district races in Kanawha County — the 35th Republican and the 36th Democrat — the last-place finishers in their respective primaries were the proverbial odd men out.

In the 35th Republican primary, Delegates Moore Capito, Eric Nelson, and Charlotte Lane won nominations, along with Ed Burgess, while Bill Johnston finished fifth in the four-member district.

In the 36th Democratic primary, Delegates Larry Rowe and Andrew Robinson were nominated, along with Amanda Estep-Burton, while Clint Casto and James Elam were eliminated.

Reach Phil Kabler at philk@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1220 or follow @PhilKabler on Twitter.

May 8, 2018 in Local News, NEWS, Politics

Highmark, W.Va. Power team up to fund Elk River Backpack Blessings

Posted: May 7, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

Debi O’Dell

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia announced recently that, as part of its fifth annual Ks for Kids program, the company will donate $5 to Elk River Backpack Blessings for every strikeout thrown by a West Virginia Power pitcher this season at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston.

The Elk River Backpack Blessings program provides food to elementary school students in the area who face a food shortage by providing them with a backpack of nutritious, child-friendly food at the end of each week. Since 2012, Elk River Backpack Blessings has grown to serve 500 children in seven schools in the Elk River community. The program is designed to help ease the hunger of children in need so that they can attend school regularly, have better health and are more successful in their classwork and overall daily lives.

“Through our annual Ks for Kids program, Highmark West Virginia and the West Virginia Power have the opportunity to spotlight an outstanding program in our community that is making a difference in the lives of our children,” said Highmark West Virginia President Jim Fawcett. “We all have a stake in creating healthier communities, and our support of Elk River Backpack Blessings is just one of the ways we can help give back.”

“Elk River Backpack Blessings appreciates the support of Highmark West Virginia and the West Virginia Power baseball team to help provide healthy, nutritious, child-friendly foods to put in weekend backpacks,” Elk River Backpack Blessings Director Debi O’Dell said. “It takes the whole community to keep our kids healthy and happy.”

Since 2014, $10,000 has been awarded through Ks for Kids to four different organizations.

“The West Virginia Power baseball team is excited to be partnering with two great organizations – Highmark West Virginia and Elk River Backpack Blessings – for the Ks for Kids program all season long at Appalachian Power Park,” said Tim Mueller, general manager of the West Virginia Power, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. “It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness about child hunger in our community.”

The 2018 West Virginia Power baseball season got underway on April 5 with the squad’s first home game against the Greenville Drive. This year marks the 14th season for the West Virginia Power.

According to the Elk River Backpack Blessings website, a vendor sale to benefit the food program is scheduled for 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 2. The sale will be held at Mount Tabor United Methodist Church at 401 Church Road in Pinch.

Vendor registration is $20 per table plus at least one item from the vendor wares to be offered as a raffle prize. Only one vendor per company is permitted. To register or learn more, contact Jennifer O’Dell at 304-389-0393.

Hot dogs and barbecues will be available for purchase at the sale.

More information regarding the Elk River Backpack Blessings program — including how and where to make donations to the effort — is posted at www.elkriverblessings.org

Information is also available by sending email correspondence to erbpblessings@gmail.com, visiting the Elk River Backpack Blessing Facebook page or calling 304-767-0699.

May 7, 2018 in Education News, Local News, NEWS, Students

Kanawha Valley prep softball standings, leaders — May 7

By: Ryan Pritt, Prep Sports Reporter | Posted: May 7, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail Prep Sports

TEAM RECORDS

Team W L Pct.
 Herbert Hoover 26 0 1.00
 Hurricane 19 2 .905
 George Washington 18 5 .783
 Nitro 22 7 .759
 Poca 21 8 .724
 Cross Lanes Christian 17 8 .680
 Buffalo 21 11 .656
 St. Albans 16 9 .640
 Riverside 14 8 .636
 Winfield 13 16 .448
 Sissonville 11 19 .367
 Charleston Catholic 7 15 .318
 South Charleston 6 18 .250
 Capital 4 21 .160

BATTING AVERAGE

(Minimum of two plate appearances per team game)

Player, team AB H Avg.
 Kirsten Belcher, Hoover 67 37 .552
 Caiti Mathes, Hurr. 60 32 .533
 Jenna Thomas, Siss. 90 48 .533
 Gracie Donato, Riv. 57 30 .526
 Madison Ramirez, Riv. 62 32 .516
 Olivia Corbett, Catholic 51 25 .490
 Katlyn Rasnake, Buffalo 88 43 .489
 Rebekah Woody, Hoover 84 41 .488
 Lydia Sweat, Nitro 75 36 .480
 Jillian Holley, SA 70 33 .471
 Jasmine Symns, Riv. 66 31 .470
 Sara Stepp, CLC 75 35 .467
 Emma Groe, GW 58 27 .466
 Haley Stepp, CLC 56 26 .464
 Charity Stepp, CLC 69 32 .464
 Hannah McDermitt, Riv. 61 28 .459
 Kiersten Landers, Hurr. 68 31 .456
 Kiersten Witters, CLC 60 27 .450
 Hannah Pullen, Riv. 60 27 ,450
 Megan Seafler, Hoover 85 38 .447
 Kinsey Hudson, SA 79 35 .443
 Morgan Larch, SC 67 29 .433
 Cortney Fizer, Hoover 58 25 .431
 Presley McGee, Hoover 65 28 .431
 Taylor Bonnett, Poca 79 34 .430
 Lauren Pauley, Riv. 78 33 .423
 Jaelyn Beane, Siss. 78 33 .423
 Emily Taylor, Siss. 88 37 .420
 Lindsey Russell, Buff. 91 38 .418
 Kalissa Lacy, GW 55 23 .418
 Elyssa Medley, Winfield 77 32 .416
 Jayme Bailey, Hurr. 46 19 .413
 Taylor McCray, Hurr. 63 26 .413
 Hailey Harr, Nitro 73 30 .411
 Sydney Houck, Winfield 88 36 .409
 Grace Smith, GW 71 29 .408
 Taylor Long, Siss. 86 35 .407
 Jess Canterbury, Hoover 62 25 .403
 Brianna McCown, GW 65 26 .400
 Kelly Kreitzer, Catholic 51 20 .393
 Bella Savilla, Nitro 84 33 .393
 Kelsie Lanham, Riv. 46 18 .391
 Gracie Payne, SA 72 28 .389
 Brooke Persinger, Buffalo 80 31 .388
 Taylor Glancy, SA 44 17 .386
 Alexis Bailey, Siss. 83 32 .386
 Zoey Dunlap, Hurr. 60 23 .383
 Mallori Chapman, Hoover 71 27 .380
 Kenzie Hale, Winfield 92 35 .380
 K.K. Short, Winfield 72 27 .375
 Morgan Jennings, Siss. 89 33 .371
 Delani Buckner, Hoover 57 21 .368
 Kennedy Buckley, Riv. 57 21 .368
 Lauren Price, GW 63 23 .365
 Katy Darnell, GW 66 24 .364
 Elizabeth Witzke, CLC 70 25 .357
 Lindsey Phares, Hurr. 59 32 .356
 Tori Gibeaut, Poca 87 31 .356
 Rachel Walton, SC 45 16 .356
 Maggie Bird, Buffalo 79 28 .354
 Mercedes Bush, Poca 85 30 .353

HOME RUNS

16: Thomas, Sissonville

13: Mathes, Hurricane

7: Payne, SA

6: Belcher, Hoover; Donato, Riverside; Holley, SA

5: Bailey, Hurricane; Pullen, Riverside; Ramirez, Riverside

4: Russell, Buffalo; Bonnett, Poca; Medley, Winfield; Hale, Winfield

3: C. Stepp, CLC; McCown, GW; Woody, Hoover; Buckley, Riverside; Aly Soblit, Sissonville

2: Corbett, Catholic; Groe, GW; Smith, GW; Darnell, GW; Jordan Bell, GW; McGee, Hoover; Fizer, Hoover; Savilla, Nitro; Gibeaut, Poca; McDermitt, Riverside; Gracie Carnes, SA; Bailey, Sissonville; Honesty Bragg, Sissonville; Houck, Winfield; Grace Denison, Winfield

RBI

56: Thomas, Sissonville

46: Mathes, Hurricane

44: Belcher, Hoover

36: C. Stepp, CLC; Payne, SA

35: Sweat, Nitro

34: McCown, GW

32: Woody, Hoover; Holley, SA

31: Corbett, Catholic

30: Medley, Winfield

29: Russell, Buffalo; Witzke, CLC; Donato, Riverside

27: Fizer, Hoover

26: Savilla, Nitro; Ramirez, Riverside

25: Persinger, Buffalo; Groe, GW; Bonnett, Poca

TRIPLES

6: H. Stepp, CLC

5: Russell, Buffalo; C. Stepp, CLC

4: Darnell, GW

3: Chapman, Hoover; McDermitt, Riverside; Anna Falbo, SC; Taylor, Sissonville; Gaylor, Winfield

2: Smith, GW; Fizer, Hoover; Dunlap, Hurricane; Kerigan Moore, Nitro; Pauley, Riverside; Symns, Riverside; Buckley, Riverside; Hudson, SA; Julia VanCamp, SA; Medley, Winfield

DOUBLES

16: Thomas, Sissonville

14: Medley, Winfield

13: Sweat, Nitro

12: Persinger, Buffalo; McCray, Hurricane

11: Bonnett, Poca

10: Groe, GW; Price, GW; Hudson, SA

9: Russell, Buffalo; Chapman, Hoover; Savilla, Nitro

8: S. Stepp, CLC; Smith, GW; Fizer, Hoover; Belcher, Hoover; Harlie Vannatter, Hurricane; Harr, Nitro; Donato, Riverside

7: Corbett, Catholic; Jaelin Overton, GW; Bell, GW; Phares, Hurricane; Payne, SA; Aly Grover, SC; Walton, SC

STOLEN BASES

41: Rasnake, Buffalo

36: Moore, Nitro

28: Morgan Burdette, Nitro

25: Symns, Riverside

24: Landers, Hurricane

18: Bush, Poca

17: S. Stepp, CLC; Gibeaut, Poca

14: Kreitzer, Catholic; Bailey, Hurricane

13: C. Stepp, CLC; Seafler, Hoover

12: Jennings, Sissonville

10: H. Stepp, CLC; Woody, Hoover

PITCHING WINS

22-7: Savilla, Nitro

17-4: Bonnett, Poca

15-2: Vannatter, Hurricane

14-0: Buckner, Hoover

14-7: Hudson, SA

13-8: Russell, Buffalo

12-0: McGee, Hoover

12-3: McCown, GW

11-3: Pauley, Riverside

8-2: C. Stepp, CLC

8-3: Bird, Buffalo

8-5: Witzke, CLC

7-15: Corbett, Catholic

6-2: Smith, GW

6-8: Grover, SC

5-10: Gaylor, Winfield

ERA

0.33: Buckner, Hoover

0.98: McCown, GW

1.01: McGee, Hoover

1.24: Vannatter, Hurricane

1.45: Bonnett, Poca

1.93: Witzke, CLC

2.47: Savilla, Nitro

2.93: C. Stepp, CLC

2.95: Hudson, SA

2.96: Pauley, Riverside

3.27: Smith, GW

4.52: Medley, Winfield

4.69: Gaylor, WInfield

STRIKEOUTS

185: Savilla, Nitro

176: Buckner, Hoover

162: Bonnett, Poca

146: Hudson, SA

137: Russell, Buffalo

135: Corbett, Catholic

132: McCown, GW

131: Vannatter, Hurricane

117: Witzke, CLC

91: McGee, Hoover

82: Bailey, Sissonville

59: Bird, Buffalo

58: Pauley, Riverside

57: C. Stepp, CLC

50: Gaylor, Winfield

Reach Ryan Pritt at 304-348-7948, ryan.pritt@wvgazettemail.com or follow him @RPritt on Twitter

May 7, 2018 in Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Thousands cast ballots early in primary election

Gazette-Mail file photo

Posted: May 6, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

According to unofficial totals from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office, more than 68,000 people voted early for Tuesday’s primary election.

Of the 68,391 early and absentee ballots reported to the office, 34,996 were submitted by Democrats; 22,679 by Republicans; 35 by members of the Mountain Party; 206 by members of other political parties; and 10,475 by voters who aren’t members of any political party.

Some counties use methods other than the State Voter Registration System handled by the Secretary of State’s office, so the final early voting totals may be higher. For example, Monroe County only had 36 early votes recorded in the unofficial tally, while Upshur County had 39.

Kanawha County had the most early votes recorded. The Secretary of State’s office put the number at 6,809, but Kanawha County officials said in a news release Sunday afternoon that the total was 6,569.

Of those, Kanawha officials said, more than 2,000 cast their ballots at the five satellite early voting locations throughout the county. That included 689 at the Cross Lanes sheriff’s detachment, 506 at the Elkview sheriff’s detachment, 392 at the Sissonville Public Library, 352 at the Belle Town Hall and 207 at the Marmet Town Hall.

The Kanawha news release called the early voting turnout a success and said the numbers exceeded expectations.

“I want to thank County Clerk Vera McCormick, her dedicated staff, and our excellent poll workers,” Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said in the release. “Early Community Voting required a tremendous amount of effort and would not have been possible without the hard work of so many.”

Early voting began April 25 and ended Saturday. The primary election is Tuesday; polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

May 6, 2018 in Local News, NEWS, Politics

WV’s 2018 hunting season will extend into 2019

Many of the changes made to the state’s hunting-season structure focus on enticing hunters to kill more antlerless deer — some of them during the traditional fall seasons, and some during a pair of newly created January seasons. John McCoy | Gazette-Mail

By: John McCoy, Outdoors Reporter | Posted: May 5, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

West Virginians will soon have more days devoted to deer hunting.

State wildlife officials have voted to extend the 2018 whitetail hunt into 2019 by creating an entirely new season and by extending an existing season.

The new season, dubbed “Mountaineer Heritage Season,” will be open to hunters willing to use primitive weapons — longbows or recurve bows, or muzzle-loading flintlock or sidelock percussion rifles.

The four-day hunt, scheduled for Jan. 10, 2019 through Jan. 13, 2019, will not be open to hunters who use compound bows, crossbows, in-line muzzleloaders or modern firearms. In four counties — Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming, where firearm hunting for deer is prohibited — hunters will be restricted to longbows or recurve bows.

Division of Natural Resources officials proposed the new season at the Natural Resources Commission’s February meeting, and the commission approved it at its meeting in late April.

Commissioners also approved the DNR’s proposal to split the state’s existing archery-and-crossbow season for urban deer into two segments, and to hold one of those segments in mid-to-late January.

The first segment of the season will end as usual on Dec. 31, and the second segment will run from Jan. 14 through Jan. 31. DNR officials originally asked for the second segment to end on Jan. 20, but commissioners voted instead to extend it through the end of the month.

Another regulation change split the state’s wild boar hunting season into two segments, and moved one of those segments to early February.

The first segments will follow the usual format — an archery-and-crossbow season from Sept. 29 through Dec. 31, and a firearm season from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3. The second segment, a three-day hunt open to both firearm and archery/crossbow enthusiasts, will take place Feb. 1-3, 2019.

Commissioners also approved the DNR’s recommendations for changes to the state’s antlerless-deer and traditional muzzleloader seasons.

One minor change to the antlerless-deer season involved the addition of one more day to the October segment and one more day to the December segment. The major change will force hunters in counties with high whitetail populations to kill an antlerless deer before killing a second buck.

In the past, the regulation had been interpreted as discipline-specific; an archer who killed a buck with a bow would have to kill a doe with a bow before killing a second buck with a bow. If that hunter wanted to switch to a gun before killing an antlerless deer, he or she was able to kill a buck right off the bat.

Now, if an archer kills a buck with a bow, he or she now will have to kill an antlerless deer, either with a gun or a bow, before killing a buck with a gun.

At the same time they imposed that requirement, however, DNR officials dramatically reduced the number of “earn-a-second-buck” counties. Last year, 23 counties fell into that category. This year, that total will drop to 12.

Overall, the DNR’s antlerless-deer regulations for the 2018-19 season will be slightly more conservative than those for 2017-18.

Twenty-one counties, or parts thereof, will have more restrictive bag limits this year than in 2016. Only five will have more liberal limits. Twenty-eight will remain unchanged.

Those with more restrictive limits will include Braxton, Brooke, Gilmer, Harrison, Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Mason, Mercer, Morgan, Pleasants, Putnam, Roane, Summers, Taylor, Upshur, northern Wayne, Webster, Wetzel and Wirt.

Those with more liberal limits will include Clay, eastern Fayette, Nicholas, Pendleton and Preston.

At the same time the commissioners voted to split several seasons, they voted to consolidate the state’s archery-and-crossbow season for black bears. In the past, bowhunters were prohibited from hunting bears during the firearm season for buck deer. Now they’ll be able to. The consolidated season will begin on Sept. 29, 2018, and end on Dec. 31.

Commissioners also approved two other bear-related changes, doubling the length of one early-fall season and creating another from whole cloth.

The early-September firearm season for bears in Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties will expand to 16 days instead of the traditional eight. The season will open on Sept. 1 and end on Sept. 16.

A brand-new firearm season will take place Oct. 25-28 during the state’s early firearm season for antlerless deer. Bear hunting will take place only in counties where a two-bear limit is in effect, and hunters will not be allowed to use dogs.

Reach John McCoy at johnmccoy@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1231 or follow @GazMailOutdoors on Twitter.

May 5, 2018 in Local News, NEWS, Outdoors & Recreation