America Today Staff

Woman arrested after allegedly stabbing her husband, troopers say

by
Woman arrested in Milwaukee in connection with Oak Brook Terrace murder

Troopers said a woman was arrested after her husband reported that she stabbed him. Amanda Brown, 38, of Orlando has been charged with malicious wounding, according to a press release from West Virginia State Police. Troopers said they responded to a reported stabbing in the Orlando area of Lewis County around 2 p.m. Tuesday. After … Read more

West Virginia man accused of threatening to kill ICE agents, court records show

by
West Virginia man accused of threatening to kill ICE agents, court records show

Court records say a West Virginia man is accused of making threats to attack or kill U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg has been charged with making threats of terroristic acts after an investigation conducted in January, according to a criminal complaint filed in Harrison County Magistrate Court. The … Read more

House Bill 4413 seeks to ban syringe programs, with fines up to $2,500 per day

by
House Bill 4413 seeks to ban syringe programs, with fines up to $2,500 per day

House Bill 4413 would outlaw syringe programs and allow a 120-day transition period for existing programs to shut down, though no syringe services would be permitted during that time. Any violations could result in fines of up to $2,500 per day. “It’s something I’ve been talking about for the last couple of years,” Del. Geno … Read more

Former Charleston pizza restaurant employee accused in drive-thru shooting appears in court

by
Former Charleston pizza restaurant employee accused in drive-thru shooting appears in court

A former employee of a Charleston pizza restaurant accused of shooting a man through a drive-thru window appeared in court on Wednesday. Jahtique Farmer, 21, entered a not guilty plea to charges including two counts of malicious wounding, wanton endangerment, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and attempted murder. Farmer was … Read more

Man accused of exploiting children with hidden camera and AI released on bond

by
Man accused of exploiting children with hidden camera and AI released on bond

County officials said a West Virginia man accused of using a hidden camera to record children changing clothes and creating sexually explicit videos with artificial intelligence has been released on bond. Deputies said 36-year-old Caleb Daniel Bourgeois of Cottageville is charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Investigators allege Bourgeois, a member … Read more

Lawmakers consider domestic violence reforms after Kanawha County killing

by
Lawmakers consider domestic violence reforms after Kanawha County killing

According to available data. shows that as many as 62% of women in West Virginia are expected to experience domestic violence at some point in their lives. Joanna Phillips, a Kanawha County resident, was one of them. In October 2025, Phillips’ husband, Jason Phillips, was charged with domestic battery. According to court records, Kanawha County … Read more

House bill proposes new West Virginia State Police unit for child abuse and neglect cases

by
Improving West Virginia’s child welfare system has been a major focus during the 2026 legislative session, and House Bill 4601 plays a role in that effort. (WCHS) WEST VIRGINIA (WCHS) — Strengthening West Virginia’s child welfare system has been a key discussion point throughout the 2026 legislative session, and House Bill 4601 is part of those conversations. The proposed bill would establish a West Virginia State Police unit dedicated to investigating child abuse and neglect cases. The unit would include at least 21 retired members, with each of the state’s 21 districts contributing a minimum of one retired officer. "What I would like to see is us to be able to hire troopers to do that, not retired members, but troopers, because we hire them, we'll have them for years to come and be able to invest in them and watch them and show it," West Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Jim Mitchell said. "Then as other troopers are already seasoned, we can put those then into units like that to offer more investigative services. I think it's better as a whole for the department to hire troopers for that." Funding concerns for the proposed unit were raised during a House Judiciary meeting on Tuesday morning. Lonnie Faircloth, president of the West Virginia Troopers Association, told lawmakers he supports the bill but said the State Police would not be able to afford it. He explained that current funding levels are already strained and uncertainty remains about what funding will look like in 2027. When lawmakers asked whether there would be enough troopers to continue operating statewide, Faircloth said no. He noted the agency is currently in a testing phase and may, for the first time in years, have to turn applicants away. "From my understanding, the governor was taking funding for 30 positions last year for this, this Fiscal Year 2026," Faircloth said. WCHS-TV reached out to Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office for comment but did not receive a response. Despite the concerns, Mitchell remains hopeful, saying the department continues to add troopers and secure the equipment needed. "So far we've done well. We've been able to buy weapons, cars, been able to still hire people, still hiring people, troopers. So we're doing quite well with all of that," he said.

Strengthening West Virginia’s child welfare system has been a key discussion point throughout the 2026 legislative session, and House Bill 4601 is part of those conversations. The proposed bill would establish a West Virginia State Police unit dedicated to investigating child abuse and neglect cases. The unit would include at least 21 retired members, with … Read more