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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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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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

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.

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

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.

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)

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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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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Lady Huskies Continue to Rise in National Poll by MaxPreps

By: Tom Mauldin | Posted: June 5, 2018 | Source: MaxPreps

East Carter (Grayson, Ky.) is getting another stellar season from seven-year varsity pitcher Montana Fouts and moves to the No. 1 spot in this week’s MaxPreps Xcellent Top 25 national high school softball rankings.
Fouts, a 6-foot-2 senior who has signed with Alabama, continues to make a loud statement to be MaxPreps National Player of the Year. For the season, she is 33-0 with an 0.07 ERA and 417 strikeouts in 196 innings. She has pitched 27 shutouts, a dozen being no-hitters and eight perfect games. She also is batting .604 with12 home runs, 66 RBIs and 18 doubles.

As a result, East Carter is 37-0 going into the Kentucky State Softball Tournament beginning Thursday.

Fouts first pitched for the Raiders’ varsity before she was a teen as a sixth-grader. Since her debut in 2012, Fouts has won 144 games with 1,900 strikeouts in 993 innings. She has lost 14 games during that span, but four have come during the last two state tournaments.

Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), which won the Mississippi 5A title three weeks ago, concluded its season at 34-0, but has been relegated to the sidelines watching scores from the No. 2 spot in the Top 25.

Unbeaten Madison (Vienna, Va.) jumped four spots to No. 3, while Californians San Marcos and Norco are fourth and fifth, respectively.

St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) not only crashed the Top 25, but vaulted all the way to No. 8 after ending Donovan Catholic’s perfect season to win the state’s Non Public championship. St. John Vianney is 27-0.

The Top 10 also includes unbeatens Tualatin (Ore.) and Hoover (Clendenin, W.Va.) recently ended their perfect seasons with state titles.

There’s nothing like the postseason to shake up the Top 25 as eight teams fell from the rankings. It’s the highest number of teams to fall from the Top 25 during a single poll in the last seven years.
Canyon (New Braunsfels, Texas), which was ranked No. 1 for five weeks, dropped to No. 25 this week after losing the state 6A title to Atascocita and finished 29-2. Atascocita takes over at No. 24.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national high school softball rankings
1. (Last week 2) East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), 37-0
The Raiders are owning the early rounds of the postseason with five straight lopsided wins, including four by shutout. They open state tournament play on Thursday against 26-5 Butler, a team they beat earlier this season 6-5. The five runs by Butler are the most scored against East Carter this season.

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

3. (7) Madison (Vienna, Va.), 27-0

The Redhawks blanked Battlefield and McLean for their 12th and 13th shutout wins of the season. They take on 19-6 South County (Lorton) in the state large school quarterfinals on Tuesday.

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

5. (6) 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.

6. (8) Tualatin (Ore.), 30-0
The Timberwolves rallied from a two-run deficit to complete the perfect season, getting a 4-3 walk-off victory over Clackamas. Tualatin became the first big-school program to go undefeated in Oregon since Churchill went 23-0 in 1992. Season over.

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

8. (NR) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 27-0
Behind the pitching of sophomore Julia Parker, St. John Vianney knocked off previously unbeaten and highly ranked Donovan Catholic, 2-0, then edged Mount St. Dominic, 2-1, to win the state non-public state title. Season over.

9. (11) New Palestine (Ind.), 29-1
The Dragons have won 19 in a row and play Saturday against 25-5 South Bend for the state 3A title.

10. (14) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 34-0
Marlie McNulty’s RBI triple in the 12th inning gave Keystone a 3-2 victory over Beloit West Branch (27-4) in the state D2 championship game. Season over.

11. (16) Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.), 25-1

The Timberwolves won the state 4A title. Season over.

12. (NR) Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.), 27-2
Senior Kenndy Sullivan is averaging better than two strikeouts per inning and has a 0.20 ERA. She also leads the Cardinals with 13 homers and 50 RBIs. The Cards have won 10 in a row as they open state tournament play on Thursday.

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

14. (22) Champion (Warren, Ohio), 31-0
The Golden Flashes have won 39 over two seasons and repeated as state D3 champions with a 9-4 win over Cardington Lincoln. Season over.

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

16. (NR) Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh, Kan.), 25-0
The T-Birds completed their second straight perfect season to run their win streak to 50 over two seasons. As a result, Shawnee Heights has won back to back state 5A championships. Season over.

17. (NR) Barrington (Ill.), 33-3
The Fillies won sixth straight and move into the state 4A super sectionals on Monday against 28-5 Palestine.

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

19. (24) Stevens Point (Wis.), 22-0
The Panthers have opened the postseason with 14-0, 17-2 and 6-1 wins.

20. (NR) Hurricane (W. Va.), 25-3
The Redskins won their fourth-straight state 3A title. Season over.

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

22. (NR) Ouachita Parish (Monroe, La.), 33-4

The Lions won the state title five weeks ago and won their final 17 games. Season over.

23. (NR) Severna Park (Md.), 27-2
The Falcons won the state 4A title by outscoring its opponents 41-1 in four state tournament games. Season over.

24. (NR) Atascocita (Humble, Texas), 35-7
Seven losses is a lot for a Top 25 team, but winning the state 6A title is impressive. The Eagles knocked off previously ranked No. 1 Canyon (New Braunsfels) 5-3 for the title. Atascocita senior outfielder Lauren Bazan was the game’s Most Valuable Player. Freshman Katie Cismuz finished the season with 11 homers, 16 doubles and 48 RBIs.

25. (1) Canyon (New Braunfels, Texas), 29-2
The Cougars, who were ranked No. 1 often this season, lost 5-3 to No. 24 Atascocita in the state 6A finals. Their other loss was 1-0.

Dropped out: Freedom (Oakley, Calif.), Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), Maple Lake (Minn.), Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.), Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.), Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), Chino Hills (Calif.) and South Caldwell (NC).

Pastor accused of sending sexually-oriented texts to teen

By: WSAZ Staff | Posted: June 4, 2018 at 6:45 p.m. | Source: WSAZ

JACKSON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) — UPDATE 6/4/18 @ 5:12 p.m. 
The former pastor of the Living Waters Church in Ripley, West Virginia, has turned himself in to State Police. Troopers say Douglas Harper was wanted, accused of sending sexual text messages to a 15-year-old boy.

West Virginia State Police told WSAZ on Saturday they were looking for Douglas Harper because he was wanted after an investigation into sexual in nature text messages. Harper turned himself in, appearing in court in Jackson County Monday morning and WSAZ was there as he walked out.

Harper quickly walked away from our camera.

Court documents show the victim, a 15-year-old boy, had gotten into an argument on a church field trip in March. Harper resolved the disagreement because he was on the trip, too.

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Governor Justice revamps RISE WV and puts General James Hoyer in charge

Major General James Hoyer, center, of the West Virginia National Guard, talks about issues with West Virginia’s long-term flood relief effort during Monday’s press conference addressing management and performance of the RISE West Virginia program. Gov. Jim Justice, left, puts Hoyer in charge of the program moving forward. Senior adviser Bray Cary, at right, joined Justice and Hoyer, along with Jenny Gannaway of West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, Habibi Mamone of the charitable Neighbors Loving Neighbors, Jimmy Gianato of WV Homeland Security and Chief of Staff Mike Hall Monday at the news conference. (West Virginia Press Association Photo/Dalton Walker)

By: Kennie Bass | Posted: June 4, 2018 | Source: WCHSTV

We were the first to tell you about problems with the RISE WV flood recovery program and we have been sharing the stories of people still dealing with the aftermath of the 2016 flood who are in need of help. Some are still living in flood-damaged homes. Others who were hit by the high water have been turned down for assistance.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice conducted a news conference Monday, surrounded by the new team he has put in place to get the RISE West Virginia flood recovery moving.

Justice overhauled the relief effort in charge of nearly $150 million in federal money designed to fix single-family homes and rental units damaged or destroyed in the June 2016 flood.

Justice said a restructuring of the Commerce Department, including terminations, is underway.

Saying the state’s Commerce Department has dropped the ball, Governor Jim Justice said…

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AG’s office secures $257K elder abuse settlement, shuts down meat wholesaler

By: Chris Dickerson | Posted: June 4, 2018 | Source: WV Record

CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office has secured a $257,500 settlement against a door-to-door meat wholesaler, along with a court order that permanently prohibits it and its owner from engaging in similar business activities.

Members of the Attorney General’s elder abuse litigation and prevention unit alleged Thaxton Wholesale Meats LLC and its owner, Steven A. Thaxton, exploited elderly and vulnerable West Virginians. Both stood accused of coercing elderly consumers to purchase meat they could not afford and in quantities they could not possibly consume.

“No one should be pressured into buying goods they do not need at unreasonable prices,” Morrisey said in a statement. “This settlement exemplifies our office’s diligent work to protect the elderly, and all West Virginia consumers, from fraud or financial exploitation.”

The settlement requires Thaxton Wholesale Meats to…

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