A former West Virginia State University football player is facing prison time after prosecutors say he raped an Ohio University student. Andres Sebastian Sagastume, 23, of Chantilly, Virginia, was found guilty of rape following a four-day trial, according to the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors said Sagastume sexually assaulted an Ohio University student he had … Read more
Authorities have made an arrest in a fraud investigation involving the Whittakers, a rural Raleigh County family that gained widespread attention on social media. John “Patrick” Roark, 47, was arrested Friday after an investigation that began in September into the alleged exploitation of members of the Whittaker family, according to a news release from the … Read more
A West Virginia man is facing felony charges after deputies say he secretly recorded children changing clothes and used artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit videos. Caleb Daniel Bourgeois, 36, of Cottageville, has been charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to a social media post from the Jackson County Sheriff’s … Read more
The Portsmouth Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a woman who has been reported missing. According to a post from the department, 39-year-old Tosha Marie Elmore was last seen Sunday in the 1700 block of 6th Street in Portsmouth. Police described Elmore as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing approximately 100 … Read more
West Virginia State Police and federal immigration officers detained eight men following a traffic stop and a subsequent investigation at a residence in Hurricane, according to State Police. In a news release, State Police said troopers and ICE officers conducted a traffic stop involving a red 2024 Ford F-250 around 12:30 p.m. Friday near Sleepy … Read more
A classroom teacher in Jackson County, West Virginia, has been terminated following what school officials described as a recent arrest and serious allegations. Jail records show that 38-year-old Emily Joy Wise has been charged with sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16. Jackson County Schools confirmed Wise’s termination and released a statement … Read more
A portion of Interstate 79 South reopened Thursday afternoon after multiple crashes shut down traffic in Kanawha County for several hours, emergency dispatchers said. According to a Metro 911 alert, problems were reported shortly after 1 p.m. near mile marker 7.5 in Elkview. Emergency personnel confirmed the roadway reopened around 4 p.m. Dispatchers said several … Read more
West Virginia is placing foster children not only in hotels when no other beds are available, but also in short-term rental properties such as Airbnbs, according to state officials and recent legislative testimony. The practice highlights a child welfare system strained by bed shortages, growing mental health needs, and an overwhelmed court system. The issue … Read more
Workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) who received layoff notices will be reinstated, officials announced Wednesday. “I’m just gonna have to tell you, I had tears running down my face,” said retired NIOSH employee Anita Wolfe. Wolfe, who retired from the NIOSH facility in Morgantown, said she was overwhelmed with … Read more
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed five bills aimed at reducing property taxes, but local leaders say challenges with school funding remain. In every county across Ohio, more than half of property taxes go toward supporting schools. Gov. DeWine stated the new legislation will help stabilize school levies, provide inflation adjustments, and smooth out sharp … Read more