Recent News Articles

Big Chimney man accused of killing wife pleads not guilty

By: Lacie Pierson, Staff Writer | Posted: April 4, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

A Big Chimney man accused of killing his wife and claiming she died by suicide entered a plea of not guilty in court Wednesday afternoon.

Randall Todd Chapman, 48, of Big Chimney, entered his plea before Senior Status Judge Thomas Evans III, who is presiding over cases in Kanawha Circuit Judge James Stucky’s courtroom.

Chapman is charged with one count of first-degree murder, and Evans scheduled Chapman’s trial to begin on Aug. 27.

Chapman has been incarcerated at South Central Regional Jail since Kanawha County sheriff’s deputies arrested him in September. No bail was set in his case.

Chapman wore an orange jail-issued jumpsuit in court, and he only spoke to answer Evans’ questions about his case.

Chapman is accused of shooting his wife, Shirlene, in their home along Kennedy Drive, in Big Chimney, on Sept. 16, 2017, Kanawha Sheriff’s Cpl. A.R. Crawford said in the criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.

Deputies responded to the Chapmans’ home after Randall Chapman reported that his wife shot herself, but he said he waited between 10 and 15 minutes to call 911 and didn’t perform CPR on her during that time, Crawford said.

Chapman told deputies he was asleep in the couple’s bedroom, but something woke him up, Crawford said. Chapman said he went to the living room, where he found his wife lying, bleeding and dead, on the living room floor, Crawford said.

However, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Shirlene Chapman said she was shot in the back, Crawford said.

Deputies found two spent shell casings in the Chapmans’ living room, Crawford said.

Deputies found one of the fired bullets lodged in a living room wall, and the second bullet was located in Shirlene Chapman’s body, Crawford said.

During a preliminary hearing in September, Crawford said the Chapmans had about $600,000 in savings and that Chapman told him the couple had a “tiff” during the early morning hours of the day Shirlene Chapman died.

Reach Lacie Pierson at lacie.pierson@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @laciepierson on Twitter.

April 4, 2018 in Crime, Local News, NEWS

Boil-water advisories: April 4, 2018

Posted: April 4, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

West Virginia American Water has issued a boil-water advisory for approximately 72 customers on the following streets in Elkview: Elk Street, Walker Addition, Second Avenue, Third Avenue and Walker Street. The advisory follows a water main break.

Customers in these areas should boil their water for at least one full minute prior to use until further notice.

April 4, 2018 in Local News, NEWS

2018 Gold-Blue Radio/TV Game Information

By: Mike Montoro | Posted: April 3, 2018 at 3:48 p.m. | Source: WVU Sports

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University is hosting its annual Gold-Blue Spring Football Game on Saturday, April 7, at 1 p.m., at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Below please find the 2018 Gold-Blue radio and television game Information.

The veteran radio announcing crew of Tony Caridi (play-by-play), Dwight Wallace (analysis) and Jed Drenning (sideline) will call the game action to the listening audience.

The radio broadcast will also be streamed online via leanstream at WVUsports.com and via TuneIn and the WVU Gameday apps.

The Gold-Blue Spring Football Game also will be televised across the state of West Virginia once again as part of West Virginia University’s partnership with IMG College.

The television broadcast will kickoff with a special Mountaineer GameDay Gold-Blue pregame show at noon, followed by the game broadcast at 1 p.m.

Nick Farrell will handle the play-by-play duties, and Dale Wolfley will provide analysis. Amanda Mazey will serve as the sideline reporter, and Anjelica Trinone will be an on-site reporter.

The following West Virginia Nexstar Media stations will carry a pregame special and the game.
WBOY-DT2 (ABC) (Clarksburg)
WOWK (Charleston/Huntington)
WTRF (Wheeling/Steubenville)
WVNS Fox 59 (Beckley/Bluefield)
The game will be streamed live online at WVUsports.com.

Tickets are available in advance for $10 each and can be purchased online at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800-WVU GAME. WVU students will be admitted free with a valid ID.

A portion of the proceeds from the Gold-Blue Game once again will benefit WVU Children’s Hospital. The Mountaineers have donated more than $740,000 to WVU Medicine Children’s during the past 33 years.

Gold-Blue Spring Game Radio Affiliates
Beckley                       WVBD         FM        100.7
Bluefield                      WHIS          AM        1440
Charleston                  WMXE        FM        100.9
Cumberland, MD        WCBC         AM        1270     WCBC         FM        107.1
Fisher                          WELD         FM        101.7
Hinton                          WMTD        FM        102.3
Huntington                   WWQB        FM        102.3
Kingwood                    WKMM       FM        96.7
Lewisburg                   WRON        FM        103.1
Logan                          WVOW        AM        1290     WVOW        FM        101.9
Morgantown                WZST         FM        100.9     WRLF         FM        94.3
Fairmont                      WMMN       FM        95.7     WMMN       AM        920
Martinsburg                WRNR        AM        740     W293 AM   FM        106.5
Mullens                       WKQR        FM        92.7
New Martinsville         WETZ         AM        1330     WYMJ         FM        99.5
Parkersburg                WADC         AM        1050
Ripley                          WCEF         FM        98.3
St. Mary’s                   WJAW         AM        630
Spencer                      WVRC         AM        1400     WVRC         FM        104.7
Sutton – Summersville WDBS         FM        97.1
Summersville              W255BM     FM        98.9
Weirton                        WEIR          AM        1430
Wheeling                     WBBD         AM        1400

April 3, 2018 in Local Collegiate Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Gaming on the go

Sixteen people at a time can play games inside and eight can play outside Craig Petry’s mobile video-gaming trailer. Petry set up his WV Mobile Gaming trailer in a parking lot in Clendenin on Monday, in association with the Kanawha County Library system, for kids who are off from school for spring break. The trailer features four 50-inch TVs inside and two outside, with gaming systems including Xbox One, Wii U and Playstation 4. The trailer will be at the Sissonville Library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today, St. Albans from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Elk Valley from 2 to 4 p.m. and Riverside from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Cross Lanes from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday and the downtown Charleston Library from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Chris Dorst, Gazette-Mail

Posted: April 2, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

In association with the Kanawha County Public Library, WV Mobile Gaming is bringing its video-game trailer to area library branches.

Up to 16 people can play games inside Craig Petry’s climate-controlled trailer, and eight more can play outside.

The trailer features four 50-inch TVs inside and two more outside, with gaming systems including Xbox One, Wii U and Playstation 4.

The gaming trailer will be at the Sissonville library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today, the St. Albans library from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Elk Valley from 2 to 4 p.m. and Riverside from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Cross Lanes from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday and downtown Charleston from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Justin Paxton helps Craig Petry set up his mobile video gaming trailer Monday in a Clendenin parking lot. Petry, in association with the Kanawha County Library system, is setting up his trailer at library branches for children off from school on Spring Break. Chris Dorst, Gazette-Mail

Justin Paxton helps Craig Petry set up his mobile video gaming trailer Monday in a Clendenin parking lot. Petry, in association with the Kanawha County Library system, is setting up his trailer at library branches for children off from school on Spring Break. Chris Dorst, Gazette-Mail

April 2, 2018 in Local News, NEWS

MSU softball picks up OVC wins

Ellen Barrett was a perfect 5-for-5 from the plate during the MSU double sweep of Tennessee State.

Posted: April 2, 2018 | Source: The Morehead News

Morehead State (18-8, 2-2 OVC) softball senior infielder Ellen Barrett went a perfect 5-for-5 from the plate during a 6-0 and 2-1 doubleheader sweep of Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee State (3-31, 0-6) Saturday afternoon at University Field. (more…)

April 2, 2018 in Local Collegiate Athletics, NEWS, Sports News

Accident In Clay County Claims The Life Of 1

By: Jeff Mitchell | Posted: April 1, 2018 at 9:44 p.m. | Source: WOWKTV

CLAY COUNTY, WV-(WOWK) – West Virginia State Troopers responded to an accident in the 8000 Block of Route 4 in Ivydale in Clay County, early Sunday morning.

Trooper First Class Bass responded to the call, and when he arrived on scene he made contact with EMS personnel who advised the victim of the crash had not survived.

The victim of the crash was identified as Dallas Floyd Nicholas, age 53, of Elkridge, Maryland.

It was determined Nicholas was the only occupant when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line of Route 4 and drove off the left roadway edge striking a tree,

Upon investigation, it was also determined Nicholas was not wearing his seatbelt when he struck the tree, causing severe head trauma.

We will update with any new information if it becomes available.

April 1, 2018 in Local News, NEWS

Elkview teen’s first muskie captures club’s big-fish trophy

When she landed her first muskie in October 2017, Kristin Tanner had no idea it might win her the West Virginia Husky Musky Club’s trophy for the largest Elk River fish taken that year. Tanner became the first female in the club’s 49-year history to capture the award. Courtesy Photo

By: John  McCoy, Staff Writer | Posted: Mar. 30, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

In the West Virginia Husky Musky Club’s 49 years of existence, its big-fish trophy had always gone to a man.

Kristin Tanner changed that.

Tanner, 17, of Elkview, recently became the first female to earn the award given to the member who landed the year’s largest Elk River muskie. Her fish, caught and released last fall near Blue Creek, measured 44½ inches in length.

When she accepted the trophy, Tanner had been fishing for muskies just three years. The fish that brought her the prize was the first one she ever landed.

“I caught it on Oct. 16, 10 days after my 17th birthday,” she recalled. “I’d gotten a new muskie rod and reel for my birthday, and I was trying it out.”

In the true spirit of starting at the top, Elkview teen Kristin Tanner's first muskie measured 44 1/2 inches and captured the West Virginia Husky Musky Club's traveling trophy for largest fish caught from the Elk in 2017. Courtesy Photo

In the true spirit of starting at the top, Elkview teen Kristin Tanner’s first muskie measured 44 1/2 inches and captured the West Virginia Husky Musky Club’s traveling trophy for largest fish caught from the Elk in 2017. Courtesy Photo

She gave the rod its first workout the day before, but luck wasn’t on her side.

“We were fishing up around Frametown, and I had a 40-incher come up and look at the lure. I did the figure-8, but the fish wouldn’t strike.”

Her fishing partner and mentor, Mac Myers, called her later to see if she’d be interested in giving it another try the next day. She eagerly accepted his offer.

“He’s the one that got me started muskie fishing,” Tanner said. “He heard that I liked to fish, and he offered to take me. On our first trip, we saw 11 muskies. I don’t know if I was his good-luck charm or if he was mine.”

Seeing muskies and catching them are two entirely different things. Even if one shows interest in a lure, there’s no guarantee it will bite.

When Tanner finally experienced that first bite, she got a close-up view of how suddenly it can happen.

“We hadn’t been on the water long,” she said. “I was throwing a Double Cowgirl spinner. I’d only made a couple of casts when I saw a fish come up behind the lure. I thought it was going to go under the boat, but it latched on just as I was starting to figure-eight.”

Tanner described the ensuing fight as “interesting.”

“I only had a few inches of line out,” she said. “It took and went under the boat. All I could get out was, ‘Mac, get the net!’”

Her brand-new muskie rig was up to the task. The medium-heavy 8-foot rod allowed her to lever the hard-fighting fish back out into the open, and the 80-pound-test line easily countered its weight. After a brief but intense close-quarters battle, Myers netted the fish.

That would have been the end if it except for a chance encounter with Jeff Hansbarger, a Division of Natural Resources fisheries biologist.

“I didn’t even know the Husky Musky Club existed,” Tanner said. “Jeff told me about it and I signed up. Then later, I got a notice to come to the banquet. That’s where I got the trophy.”

The trophy features a large wooden pedestal topped by the silver figure of a leaping muskie. Small brass plaques bear the names of previous recipients. Tanner’s plaque stands out; to commemorate the award’s first female recipient, club members had her name engraved on a red one.

The trophy will remain in her possession for a year — unless, of course, she’s fortunate enough to land this year’s largest muskie.

If she doesn’t, it won’t be for lack of trying. She said she can’t wait for the weather to break and for the Elk River’s water levels to come down a bit so she can go fishing again.

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

March 31, 2018 in Local News, NEWS, Outdoors & Recreation