The Charleston Gazette - Putnam County

Storm wallops Teays Valley area

(Lydia Nuzum) — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:05:09 -0400

TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. -- Katie Fuller stood beside the stump where, 24 hours earlier, her 100-foot-tall oak tree had stood, and snapped her fingers. "I was sitting at my computer looking out the window and then, all of the sudden -- it was that quick,...

Putnam health board withdraws funding request

(Kate White) — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:51:17 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Putnam County Board of Health has withdrawn its application for emergency funding from the state, a board member and county commissioner said Wednesday. The state asked the Putnam County Health Department to submit more informati...

Putnam school board resolves federal leave lawsuit

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:03:54 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- The Putnam County Board of Education has resolved allegations that it violated the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.The U.S. Department of Labor made the allegations in a lawsuit filed against the school board over its termination of...

Putnam wants dangerous crossing corrected

rustymarks@wvgazette.com (Rusty Marks) — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:09:37 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Members of the Putnam County Transportation Committee and residents who have to drive U.S. 35 want state highways Commissioner Paul Mattox and other state leaders to explain when they plan to fix a dangerous intersection that was recen...

Putnam school board approves $112.5 million budget

(Kate White) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:52:20 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Members of the Putnam County Board of Education approved a $112.5 million budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year on Monday night. The budget is about $2 million more than last year, according to treasurer Chris Campbell, and puts an emphasi...

Putnam County Health Department still offering vaccines

(Kate White) — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:28:52 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Despite the financial problems the Putnam County Health Department is facing, clinical services are still being offered, said the departments medical director.Last Thursday, Dr. Rahul Gupta, executive director of the Kanawha County Hea...

No injuries after single-vehicle accident on I-64

(Staff reports) — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:30:53 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- No injuries were reported after a car was left dangling over the concrete barrier of Interstate 64 on Sunday, said Kanawha County Metro 911 dispatchers. The single-vehicle accident happened as the driver was heading toward the Eugene A...

Woman seeks help to clean up Putnam cemetery

(Kate White) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:35:48 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- At first, Christy Ray said, she was irate after seeing the overgrown grass on Mothers Day at the cemetery where her grandmother is buried in Winfield. After doing some research, she realized the owner of the pet cemetery and Teays Va...

U.S. 35 meeting is Monday in Winfield

(Staff reports) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:51:28 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A transportation meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the County Commission chambers of the Putnam County Courthouse to discuss a dangerous intersection on U.S. 35. A representative from the West Virginia Division of Highways w...

WVU names Foundation Scholars

(Staff reports) — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:39:44 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia University has announced its five 2013 Foundation Scholars, including Putnam County student Julie Peng. Peng, a senior at Hurricane High School, and the others will receive a value of $80,000 as recipients of WVUs most ...

Airgas plant still closed following explosion

(Staff reports) — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:47:05 -0400

BLACK BETSY, W.Va. -- Investigators are still looking into what caused an explosion that injured two men at the Airgas plant in Putnam County on Monday. Doug Sherman, vice president of communications for Airgas Mid America, said Tuesday the plant on W.Va....

Two injured in explosion at Putnam County plant

(Kate White) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:43:42 -0400

BLACK BETSY, W.Va. -- Two men were injured Monday afternoon in a blast at the Airgas plant in Putnam County.The men were taken to Cabell Huntington Hospital with first- and second-degree burns, according to officials on the scene. One man received burn...

Public meeting scheduled on I-64 widening in Putnam

(Staff reports) — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:06:28 -0400

NITRO, W.Va. -- A plan to widen a 3.79-mile stretch of Interstate 64 in Putnam County is the topic of a May 20 public meeting in Nitro, according to the state Division of Highways. The plan calls for adding two lanes to the four-lane section of I-64 b...

State wants more information from Putnam health board on emergency funding request

(Kate White) — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:12:55 -0400

SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. -- The state wants more information from the Putnam County Board of Health before it would consider the boards application for emergency funding. Joel McKinney, the administrator for the Putnam health department, told board members Tues...

Legal fees helped create Putnam health departments debt

(Kate White) — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:04:03 -0400

SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. -- The Putnam County Health Department has spent more than $100,000 on legal fees in a losing employee grievance fight. Officials cite that expense as the main culprit in the looming financial crisis, which has forced the departments b...

Bark for Life of Putnam County event Saturday

(Staff reports) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:04:29 -0400

HURRICANE, W.Va. -- Bark For Life of Putnam County, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Hurricane Valley Park Dog Park and Trails. The day begins with registration from 9 to 10 a.m., with an opening ...

Two taken to CAMC General after wreck in Poca

(Staff reports) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:15:59 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two people were transported to a hospital after a crash in Poca Monday evening.

Putnam County 911 dispatchers said paramedics had to cut two people from a car after ...

Hurricane man found not guilty of sex abuse charges

(Staff reports) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:12:12 -0400

HURRICANE, W.Va. -- Prosecutors say a jury found a Hurricane man not guilty of first-degree sexual abuse Wednesday in Putnam County Circuit Court.

The jury deliberated for more than five hours and also found Roger G. Doneff II,...

Putnam asks W.Va. to help fund Health Department

(Kate White) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:04:53 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County commissioners wrote a letter Tuesday supporting the county Health Departments request for emergency funding from the state. Joel McKinney, who took over as administrator of the Health Department around the end of Februar...

Trial continues for Putnam man accused of sexual abuse

(Staff reports) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:48:22 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- The trial of a Hurricane man charged with first-degree sexual abuse continued Tuesday in front of Putnam Circuit Judge Phillip Stowers. Roger G. Doneff II, 37, also faces charges of sexual abuse by a guardian, custodian or person i...

Trial again delayed in 2001 slaying of Montgomery woman

(Staff reports) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:18:16 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- The trial of a man accused of a decade-old slaying has been delayed again. David Matthew Little, 35, of Nitro, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2001 death of Montgomery resident Yvonne Suzette Thomas, 41. Putnam County Circ...

IRS yanks Nitro CVBs nonprofit status over snafu

(Kate White) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:26:24 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Internal Revenue Service yanked Nitros Convention and Visitors Bureau nonprofit status earlier this month after the organization failed to file proper returns. However, John Young, treasurer of the Nitro CVB, called the...

Valley Park in Putnam is still growing

(Kate White) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:45:00 -0400

HURRICANE, W.Va. -- Kevin Counts goes to Valley Park about twice a week to walk the paved trails. His kids spent their childhood playing soccer there. "Weve grown with the park," he said. And the park is still growing. By the en...

Water company offers hydrant reward

(Staff reports) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --- West Virginia American Water is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of whoever tampered with fire hydrants last weekend near Hurricane. Around 3 a.m. Sunday, along W.Va. 34 near Turkey Cree...

Putnam health department seeks emergency funds

(Kate White) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:45:00 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County Board of Health members have asked the health departments new director to look into filing for emergency financial help. The board has also requested the state perform an audit of the departments finances -- separa...

Students to return to renovated Poca Elementary

(Staff reports) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:51:49 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Renovations to Poca Elementary School have been completed and students returning from spring break Tuesday will start classes at the school.

Putnam County Superintende...

Poca High students to sponsor 5K run/walk

(Staff reports) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:22:00 -0400

POCA, W.Va. -- Poca High School DECA members and sports marketing students will sponsor a 5K run/walk at 9 a.m. April 13. Race participants will begin at Poca Methodist Church on Silver Street and follow a course that will lead them to Poca River Ro...

Two acres of land burn in Putnam County

(Staff reports) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:15:15 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- About two acres of land burned in a field off of Red House Hill on Tuesday, according to Putnam County 911 dispatchers.

At about 2:30 p.m., volunteer fire department...

Putnam website publisher arrested

(Kate White) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:43:49 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Police arrested the publisher of a Putnam County website on Tuesday and charged him with willful disruption of governmental process.

Mark Va...

Development authority director sees future for Nitro wasteland

(Kate White) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:56:01 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gary Walton regularly visits the property along the Kanawha River in Nitro which once housed the old Monsanto plant and later Flexsys but is now a wasteland. During his 15 years as president of the Putnam County Development Authority, ...

Missing Putnam girl found, police say

(Staff reports) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:53:25 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A 16-year-old Winfield High School student who had been missing for five days was found Wednesday night, according to the Winfield police chief. Police began searching for Megan Leanne Holbert last Friday after she didnt return home f...

Putnam judge suspended for remainder of term

(Kate White) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:24:36 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Putnam County Family Court judge has been suspended without pay until the end of his term in 2016, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. Judge William Watkins faced seven charges from the state Judicial Investigation Commission t...

Putnam commissioners OK $19 million budget

(Kate White) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:34:32 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County commissioners approved a $19 million budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year on Tuesday that slightly lowers the county levy rate. The total budget is only about $600,000 more than commissioners budgeted this time last yea...

Kitty hops on trailer -- whereabouts unknown

( ) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:00:00 -0400

SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. -- Employees at the Teays Valley Hardware Store think theyve put 1,000 miles on their trucks this month searching for their mascot. Stanley, a 22-pound gray and white cat who made the store his home about 7 years ago when he...

Lavigne appeals conviction to U.S. Supreme Court

(Staff reports) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:06:36 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Joseph Lavigne Jr., who was sent back to prison last year to finish his 22- to 60-year sentence after being convicted of the brutal rape of his daughter, has appealed his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Greg Ayers, Lavignes attorney...

American Indian artifacts found at Putnam Business Park

(Kate White) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:00:00 -0400

HURRICANE, W.Va. -- Gary Walton, director of the Putnam County Development Authority, knew when he sold the area of land next to the river at the Putnam Business Park there would be some Native American artifacts on it. But he didnt realize the s...

Putnam hires deputys daughter

(Kate White) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:10:27 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County commissioners made an exception to the countys anti-nepotism policy Tuesday, to allow the daughter of a sheriffs deputy to be hired as a deputy. Sheriff Steve Deweese told commissioners that Heather Valiquette was at the t...

Re-enactments highlight Civil War Weekend

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va.-- A re-enactment of the Skirmish at Hurricane Bridge, fought 150 years ago this month at the Putnam County town of Hurricane, will be among the activities taking place during Putnam Countys Civil War Weekend, which starts Thursday in ...

General clashed with Yankees in Putnam

rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com (Rick Steelhammer) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va.-- When Brig. Gen. Albert G. Jenkins and about 400 members of the 8th Virginia Cavalry neared the Putnam County town of Hurricane Bridge on a late March morning 150 years ago, fond memories of a previous visit to the community must have da...

Putnam school board suspends teacher, fires aide

(Kate White) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:47:24 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County Board of Education members met in closed session for more than two hours Monday night before suspending a Winfield Elementary School teacher and terminating a teachers aide at Winfield High School. Denise Edwards, ...

For 1st time, paid Teays Valley firefighters staff station 24/7

(Kate White) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:01:11 -0400

TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. -- As soon as the alert sounded Wednesday, firefighters Jarrod Summers and Joey Puterbaugh grabbed their gear, which was spread out on the front of a fire truck. Moments later, the call was confirmed as a false alarm, but the importan...

Students collecting shoeboxes of items for elementary children

(Staff reports) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:36:56 -0400

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Student council members at Winfield High School are again trying to collect shoeboxes filled with items for elementary students in McDowell County. Last year, the students missed their goal and were only able to provide two out of four e...

Putnam development director takes new job

(Kate White) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:22:36 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. The executive director of the Putnam County Development Authority said Tuesday that he would resign after nearly 15 years on the job and become president and CEO of the Huntington Area Development Council. Gary Walt...

Former Hurricane councilman accused of soliciting minor among Putnam County indictments

(Staff reports) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 19:36:22 -0500

HURRICANE, W.Va. -- A former Hurricane city councilman was indicted on charges of soliciting a minor in one of 64 indictments returned by a Putnam County grand jury this week.Scott A. Cunningham, 31, of Hurricane, was arrested last June and charged with tw...

For library levies, supermajority vote hard to get

(Kate White) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:06:56 -0500

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- If it were just a matter of more people wanting a library levy to pass than fail, the director of the Putnam County Library believes one already would have passed. The levy needs 60 percent of voters to pass, though, and the cou...

Police arrest third man in connection with Winfield break-ins

(Staff reports) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:08:22 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Police arrested a third man Tuesday night in connection with a string of break-ins in Winfield. Dennis Michael Lottig, 18, of Jefferson, is charged with conspiracy, breaking and entering and petit larceny, according to a criminal com...

Two arrested in Winfield car break-ins

(Staff reports) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:10:37 -0500

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Two men police believe are responsible for a string of car break-ins in Winfield were arrested Tuesday and a warrant was issued for another suspect. David Dewayne Fields, 25, of Charleston, and Eric Dalton Parsons, 18, of St. Albans, we...

Putnam sheriff wants money for more employees, new vehicles

(Kate White) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:12:35 -0500

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County Sheriff Steve Deweese told county commissioners Tuesday that he needs around $264,000 more than last year in order to hire new deputies and buy vehicles, among other things. Steve Deweese, who took office in January, told ...

Putnam juvenile drug court saves state $2 million, report says

(Staff reports) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:15:06 -0500

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam Countys juvenile drug court has saved the state nearly $2 million on inpatient drug treatment costs, according to the judge handling the program. The drug court program will mark its two-year anniversary on Thursday, according to...