MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– State and local leaders broke ground for a $11 million KOA campground and officially opened the new turf fields and pickleball courts on Wednesday. Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism Chelsea Ruby celebrated the day as a win for local residents and a win for the growing state tourism industry. Tourism in West Virginia generates $7 billion and supports at least 50 jobs. “Today is an incredible accomplishment for this community, which has worked really hard not only to develop a community asset but also one that people from across the country are traveling t ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University Athletics has entered into a deal with the North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) that designate the facility as the “The Official Airport of WVU Athletics.” The agreement will last through 2027. “We are pleased to welcome the North Central West Virginia Airport to our team as the Official Airport of WVU Athletics,” West Virginia University Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “The airport has a proven commitment to providing safe and reliable air travel, and with the future completion of its new terminal, the services provid ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. During a special meeting on Tuesday, Morgantown City Council made decisions on the replacement of Jonathan Board as Region 4 Representative to the West Virginia First Foundation and added public safety to their list of federal grant requests. The West Virginia First Foundation, tasked with distributing hundreds of millions in opioid settlement money, has an 11-member board. The Region 4 seat was vacated with the promotion of Jonathan Board from region director to executive director of the foundation. Now, all 13 counties and 63 municipalities in the region will have the oppor ..read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Morgantown High School Team 1 won the Academic Showdown championship Tuesday and Bluefield High School was the runner-up at the West Virginia Culture Center. Students received questions in the areas of math, science, history, fine arts, general knowledge, pop culture and more through intense, fast-paced rounds of questions. Teams consisted of students in grades 9-12. “Celebrating the Showdown like we celebrate sports brings more awareness to academics and encourages other students to join academic events,” said Morgantown High School Team 1 Captain Sawyer Rudy. “Of course ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Police Department has issued a Community Notice following the sighting of a black bear at the Core Arboretum Tuesday afternoon. Officers immediately responded and searched the area but could not find the bear. Police ask anyone who sees the bear to call 911. Experts from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources have said black bears are rarely aggressive and attacks are very rare. If you see a bear before it notices you: stand still and don’t approach. Then move away quietly in the opposite direction. If you encounter a bear that’s aware ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Morgantown native and veteran attorney Natalie Sal is one of three candidates for Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge in Division 1. Natalie Sal is a Morgantown native and WVU College of Law graduate. Her law firm, Sal, Sellaro, and Culpepper Legal, won the West Virginia Legal Aid 2021 Pro Bono Law Firm Award. She lives in Morgantown with her husband and two children. On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” she said her experience includes service on the West Virginia Court Improvement Program Oversight Board, which is focused on child welfare law, and as Monongalia County Bar Presid ..read more

HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va. — A Harrison County man is facing charges after an investigation into a domestic incident. West Virginia State Police responded to the home on Monday with a report that David Buckhannon, 51, was trying to kill the victim and had hit her so hard that one of her teeth had been dislodged. When troopers arrived, they observed Buckhannon standing near a rifle while speaking to the victim, who told them this was not the first time this had happened. The victim told troopers Buckhannon hit her with an upper cut in the bathroom, causing damage to her teeth. Trooper said the visi ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Mountain State Justice has filed a lawsuit against the city of Morgantown on behalf of a homeless resident that has been arrested several times for panhandling. The lawsuit accuses the city of “ramping up efforts to criminalize panhandling” that have resulted in the arrest of her client seven times since June of 2023 by the Morgantown Police Department. Mountain State Justice attorneys said their client is the primary caretaker for his disabled partner. A press release said the pair are completely reliant on soliciting for their survival. Monongalia County Commissioner Tom ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University (WVU) and Fairmont State University are finalizing rules and working toward the implementation of the Campus Self Defense Act on July 1, 2024. During a meeting of the WVU Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Dean of Students Corey Farris said the University Police Department is offering training and the administration is answering questions. For the next few weeks, they’ll continue to answer those questions and direct the campus community to available training sessions. “Make sure people are aware of their training sessions,” Farris said. “They’ve al ..read more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Morgantown police made one arrest following an investigation into a knife-point robbery over the weekend. On Saturday, officers were asked to file a report against a subject known as “bald-headed Vinny” about a robbery that allegedly occurred on Spruce Street at an apartment. The victim told police he and another were at the apartment when another resident, Vicent Spiker, 33, of Morgantown, kicked the door to the bathroom in while holding a kitchen knife. Spiker then turned to other residents and threatened to stab them if they did not give him money and drugs. When one of ..read more