Local News

State school board approves policy change for diploma equivalency

Members of the state Board of Education met Wednesday in Charleston and approved a policy change. Courtesy of the state Department of Education.

By: Jake Jarvis | Posted: June 13, 2018 | Source: WV News

CHARLESTON — After a slight change to the proposal, members of the state Board of Education approved a policy revision Wednesday that will change how high school equivalency programs are administered.

To ensure students in the program receive employable skills by the time they graduate, the policy revision requires that programs be “a state-approved Career Technical Education Program of Study.” Previously, programs were supposed to be locally developed and personalized.

“The procedures are clarified for what it takes to get an option pathway in order to get a high school equivalency diploma,” said Kathy D’Antoni, an assistant state superintendent. “We got seven or eight comments back on the policy, and because of those comments, we did take off a section…

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June 13, 2018 in Education News, Local News, NEWS, Students

WVSSAC to recognize archery as a sanctioned sport

MetroNews/Chris Lawrence
A young lady at the Archery in Schools state tourney takes aim. Soon, students may be competing for WVSSAC trophies.
By: Chris Lawrence | Posted: June 13, 2018 at 8:07 a.m. | Source: WV MetroNews

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — The extreme popularity of archery among West Virginia youngsters has attracted the attention of the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission. Executive Director Bernie Dolan tells MetroNews the SSAC is ready to sanction archery as a school sport in West Virginia.

“We’re going to be working on it to roll it out in the next year or two,” said Dolan. “We want to see how quickly it can become a fully sanctioned sport.”

The framework for the sport is already in place through the Archery in Schools program run by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The A-I-S has teams in almost all West Virginia schools, including elementary and middle schools and the popularity is what drew the attention of Dolan and the SSAC.

“All of our sports come about because of interest in schools,” he said. “We don’t drive the interest. If there’s enough schools doing a particular activity, often they will submit a letter to us to be recognized as a sport and that’s the case here with archery.”

Dolan said Elkview Middle School Coach Eddie Gray has been…

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June 13, 2018 in Community News, Elkview Middle School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Lady Huskies Jumps to No. 5 in Nation by MaxPreps

By: Tom Mauldin | Posted: June 12, 2018 | Source: MaxPreps

With last week’s No. 1 team falling, all but two teams moved up a notch in this week’s MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National High School Softball Rankings. One that didn’t was last week’s No. 2 Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), the state’s unbeaten 5A state champion.
That means Madison (Vienna, Va.) jumps to No. 1 —  the third straight week with a new top team and only one ranking left in the 2018 season.
Does that mean Madison is the MaxPreps National Champion? Or will there be a new No. 1 for the fourth straight week? Perhaps, but it’s safe to say it’s a two-team race between Madison and Neshoba.
Madison wrapped up its 28-0 season Saturday winning the Virginia 6A title (the state’s largest classification), riding the hitting and pitching of senior Alex Echazarreta (Purdue signee).

Neshoba, led by MaxPreps All-American Aspen Wesley (Mississippi State pledge), won the Mississippi 5A (the state’s second largest classification) title four weeks ago. Neshoba finished 34-0.

Madison scored 283 runs, averaging 10 runs per game, while allowing 26. Neshoba scored 274 for a 8.1 average and allowed just 31. Madison won 16 games by 10 or more runs and played a single one-run game. Neshoba took 10 games by 10 or more runs and had a pair of one-run wins.

Each defeated two teams which also won state titles in other classifications. Neshoba finished the season ranked 33 in MaxPreps Computer Rankings. Madison is ranked No. 9 in the computer poll.

The difference might fall to the fact that Madison, which has en enrollment of 2,000 students, defeated teams from four states. Neshoba, with just under 1,000 enrollment, played in-state games only.

But for this week — and perhaps only this week — Madison is No. 1.

East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), last week’s No. 1, went 4-2 at the Kentucky state Championships to finish the season 41-2, but fell from the Top 25.

Next week’s rankings will include the 2018 Top 50, including the National Champion. MaxPreps will also unveil later in June its National Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and a variety of All-American teams.
Let the debate continue.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National High School Softball Rankings
1. (Last week 3) Madison (Vienna, Va.), 27-0
The Warhawks got a no-hitter from senior Alex Echazarreta (Purdue signee) to defeat Manchester and win the state 6A championship and finish the season unbeaten.

2. (2) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 34-0
The Rockets won their sixth straight state 5A title. Season over.

3. (4) San Marcos (Calif.), 28-2 
The Knights won the San Diego Section Open Division title. Season over.

4. (5) Norco (Calif.), 29-3
The Cougars finished the season with 10 straight, including 8-2 over Gahr to win the California Southern Section Open Division title. Paige Smith hit a grand slam. Season over.

5. (7) Hoover (Clendenin, W. Va.), 33-0 
The Huskies repeated as state AA champions. Season over.

6. (6) Tualatin (Ore.), 30-0
The Timberwolves won the state 6A title. Season over.

7. (12) Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.), 33-2
The Cards closed the season with 15 wins in a row and the Kentucky state championship. In a 2-1 win over Warren East, senior Kennedy Sullivan pitched a one-hit, 19-strikeout, 13-inning win.

8. (9) New Palestine (Ind.), 30-1
The Dragons finished the season with 20 wins in a row and on Saturday won the state 3A title. Season over.

9. (10) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 34-0
Keystone won the state D2 championship game. Season over.

10. (13) Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), 30-2
The Panthers won the state 6A title. Season over.

11. (12) Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.), 25-1 
The Timberwolves won the state 4A title. Season over.

12. (14) Champion (Warren, Ohio), 31-0
The Golden Flashes won the state D3 championship and have won 39 straight. Season over.

13. (15) Clovis (Calif.), 31-2 
Clovis won the California Central Section D1 title. Season over.

14. (16) Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh, Kan.), 25-0 
The T-Birds won the state 5A title and have won 50 in a row. Season over.

15. (NR) Sun Prairie (Wis.), 29-0
Maddie Gardner scattered seven hits and drove in two runs to lead the Cardinals to a 7-1 win over Burlington on Saturday for the state large school championship. Gardner, who came into the state tournament with a 0.41 ERA, allowed one earned run in six postseason games. Season over.

16. (18) White Knoll (Lexington, S.C.), 32-2
The Timberwolves won the state 5A championship. Season over.

17. (NR) Prince George (Va.), 23-1
Behind the pitching of Laura Thompson, Prince George captured the state 5A title. Season over.

18. (20) Hurricane (W. Va.), 25-3
Won its fourth-straight state 3A title. Season over.

19. (21) Bentonville (Ark.), 31-3 
Bentonville captured the state 7A championship. Season over.

20. (22) Ouachita Parish (Monroe, La.), 33-4
The Lions won the state 5A title. Season over.

21. (23) Severna Park (Md.), 27-2
The Falcons won the state 4A title. Season over.

22. (24) Atascocita (Humble, Texas), 35-7
The Eagles won the state 6A title. Season over.

23. (NR) Masuk (Monroe, Conn.), 27-0 
Junior Sam Schiebe pitched a two-hit shutout while striking out 14, in leading Masuk to the state L title. She walked one and allowed just two balls to be hit past the infield. Season over.

24. (NR) Pinnacle (Phoenix), 31-6
Won state 6A title and 18 of its last 20 games. Season over.

25. (25) Canyon (New Braunfels, Texas), 29-2
The Cougars finished second in the state 6A tournament. Season over.

Dropped out: Stevens Point (Wis.), Barrington (Ill.), St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), East Carter (Grayson, Ky.).

June 12, 2018 in Community News, Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Herbert Hoover’s Buckner state’s Gatorade softball player of the year

Garrett Cullen, WVMetroNews.com
Delani Buckner of Herbert Hoover was named the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year in West Virginia.
By: MetroNews Staff | Posted: June 11, 2018 at 4:01 p.m. | Source: WV MetroNews

CLENDENIN, W.Va. — Herbert Hoover sophomore standout Delani Buckner this past week was named the Gatorade High School Softball Player of the Year in West Virginia.

Buckner went 21-0 this past season with a 0.39 ERA, also contributing at the plate with a .351 batting average and 19 RBIs. She finished the year striking out 239 batters in 125 an one-third innings.

Herbert Hoover last month won its second straight Class AA softball state championship, completing a perfect 33-0 season.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes…

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June 11, 2018 in Community News, Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Flood victims complained to Governor’s Office about red tape for months

Shauna Johnson/WVMetroNews.com
Heavy rain led to more than six feet of river water on this street in Clendenin in 2016.

By: Brad McElhinny | Posted: June 10, 2018 at 9:08 p.m. | Source: WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice says there was no way to know until recently that West Virginia’s pace of administering long-term relief funding was far slower than people’s expectations.

“If I would have known that the guy in Clendenin was going to the bathroom in the port-a-potty every day and there really wasn’t anybody there to help him, but if I would have been sitting on the top of the dome 24-7, I wouldn’t have known about the guy in Clendenin,” the governor said at a news conference last Wednesday.

“Because to be just as honest as I know how to be, from the standpoint of even the Guard, from the standpoint of all the king’s horses and all the king’s men in my office, from the standpoint of other legislators, there was no antennas up anywhere. Nobody, nobody was screaming from the mountaintops that there was a problem anywhere.”

But victims of West Virginia’s devastating 2016 floods have been…

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June 10, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Community News, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Politics

As flood anniversary approaches, volunteers clean up Elk River in Clendenin

More than 100 volunteers cleaned up tires and other debris from the river bank.

By: Lauren Talotta | Posted: June 9, 2017 | Source: WCHSTV

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — Two years after historic flooding ravaged parts of West Virginia, the town of Clendenin continues to rebuild. Saturday was dedicated to cleaning up the Elk River, as community members want to restore the river’s beauty to what it once was.

Local business owner George Smith remembers the 2016 flood like it was yesterday.

“The water receded, and the entire back of the store was gone,” said Smith.

That Family Dollar has reopened, along with much of the town, but just behind it lies the Elk River, still in shambles. Smith and more than 100 volunteers were looking to change that.

“The people who are here – they have it in their hearts – they want to clean this up,” said Chief Rod Johnson of the Pratt Volunteer Fire Department, who came out to volunteer. “This is just a tiny, tiny bit of what I can give back to the community.”

Kayakers rounded up leftover debris, and larger boats hoisted tires. Contractors like Smith operated heavy machinery, which they donated themselves.

“They’re actually dropping chains over and picking up the debris piles off of the bridges. Anything that can be brought in, we’re trying to bring it in,” said Smith.

For Johnson, Saturday was all about paying it forward after an outpouring of support for two of his firefighters killed earlier this year.

“You had people who were killed and injured. These people are still recovering,” said Johnson.

“We see a lot of resilience in the town of Clendenin – making this a place where people want to come again,” said Smith.

In addition to the dozens of volunteers, this effort was made possible by Kanawha County EMS and the DEP.

The second anniversary of the flood is next weekend.

June 9, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Community News, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Outdoors & Recreation

Elkview family says RISE West Virginia program and contractors are not on the same page

The Strickland’s new trailer home sits empty while they wait on the RISE program and the contractor to finish up the work. (WCHS/WVAH)

By: Ashley Bishop | Posted: June 6, 2018 | Source: WCHSTV

Charleston, W.Va. — Frustration is growing with flood victims in the RISE West Virginia Flood Recovery Program.

One man said he and his wife are just staring at their new home and must live in a 20-foot camper nearly after the June 2016 floods.

Eyewitness News found out what is holding up this man from moving in and where RISE realignment progress stands.

“The keys are in a lock box in the back with a combination thing on it,” Steve Strickland of Elkview said.

Strickland and his wife, Patty, stood in their driveway looking at their new trailer home Wednesday, which they got as part of the RISE program. The Strickland’s were victims during the 2016 flood.

Strickland said they started the process to get their new home back in February. His old trailer was torn down on March 19, and the new one was delivered in mid-May.

“He said once we get started on your trailer we won’t stop until it’s finished, this was 14 days ago,” Strickland said.

Strickland said he is eager to move in but said he can’t. He said he keeps getting mixed messages from the RISE program and the contractors.

“When we signed the contract on it, it was supposed to be a 30-day turnover,” Strickland said.

The trailer has no electricity, water, sewage or porches. Strickland said he is frustrated and worried. The couple has been living in a small camper, yards away from their new home. Patty is sick and on oxygen, and growing upset over what she calls lack of communication and professionalism between RISE and the contractor

“They don’t care. Neither one of them are fond of each other and they don’t know what they are doing,” Patty Strickland said.

While the West Virginia National Guard has taken over the RISE program, a spokesperson said they’re working “fervently to identify those families and individuals who are in need of assistance and determining how to get things moving forward where there were stopgaps.”

But for the Stricklands, they are left waiting for the contractor.

“He told me he was going to Lowe’s and be here first thing this morning, nobody showed up,” Strickland said.

Gov. Jim Justice has called another news conference on the RISE program for Thursday, which you can watch online here.

June 6, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Community News, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Politics

Clay County family worries RISE West Virginia help is still far from reach

By: Kalea Gunderson | Posted: June 5, 2018 | Source: WVAH

In Clay County, two next-door neighbors, a father and daughter, have two very different stories of recovering from the June 2016 flood. (WCHS/WVAH)

CLAY COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — The Eyewitness News iTeam continues to follow the progress of the RISE West Virginia flood recovery program.

In Clay County, two next-door neighbors, a father and daughter, have two very different stories of recovering from the June 2016 flood.

Four months of waiting to unpack boxes and sit down for a family meal finally is finally coming to an end for Bobby Schoolcraft.

“It’s going to be a lot of pressure off our minds and everything now that we’ve really got a place we can really lay down and sleep really good,” Schoolcraft said.

Schoolcraft and his wife finally…

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June 5, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Community News, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Politics

General Hoyer says he’s up to task of getting flood recovery moving

Steve Rotsch/Governor’s Office
Adjutant General James Hoyer makes a point after being introduced by Gov. Jim Justice as the point person for long-term flood relief in West Virginia.

By: Brad McElhinny | Posted: June 5, 2018 | Source: WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gen. James Hoyer knows he has a big job ahead.

The adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard has taken on the task of making sure long-term relief for flooded West Virginia communities succeeds.

“Number one priority the governor has is to make sure those who were flooded from 2016 who need and deserve housing get taken care of,” Hoyer said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”

Hoyer was among those at the table on Monday as Gov. Jim Justice promised a speedier, more accountable response to long-term relief from the devastating 2016 floods.

Justice described placing his faith in Hoyer to…

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June 5, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Community News, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Politics