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Cops and Courts

Commission discusses concerns about courthouse

KINGWOOD — The Preston County courthouse was once again a point of discussion during a Tuesday meeting of the Preston County Commission. Water was found on the ground floor, which was causing damage to the building. Commissioner Hunter Thomas suggested consulting with the county’s architects from the Mills Group. He said he believed it was important that the external repair to the foundation take place as soon as possible. Commission President Don Smith agreed, saying that repairing the outside of the building was most important. “Repairing the outside will increase ...

Albright man charged in murder of wife

A Preston County man faces first-degree murder charges after a deadly shooting in Albright on Tuesday, Feb. 20.  Preston County sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Woolen Mill Road after reports that a shooting had occurred. Woolen Mill Road is off W.Va. 26. On ...

Senate sends two AI child porn bills to House

MORGANTOWN — The Senate advanced two bills to the House on Tuesday, both aimed at combating AI-era child pornography. SB 740 criminalizes altering a photograph, image, video clip, movie, or recording containing sexually explicit conduct by inserting the image of an actual minor so it ...

Bids taken for opioid settlement duties

The West Virginia First Foundation, which is responsible for guiding how the state uses money from opioid litigation settlements, has awarded some of the contracts to support the work. Following a discussion in closed session, members of the foundation board awarded the work for accounting services to Smith Cochran and Hicks of Charleston. Banking services were awarded to West Virginia-headquartered United Bank and investment services were split equally between two banks, WesBanco as the lead and United Bank in support. Each had responded to a request for proposal, representing ...

Jury returns conviction in child sexual abuse case

Wednesday evening in Monongalia County Circuit Court, Steven Ray Desantis, 41, was found guilty of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian, or person in position of trust to a child and sexual abuse in the first-degree during a trial at the Monongalia County Justice Center on High ...

Preston BOE votes to opt back in opioid settlement

KINGWOOD — Members of the Preston County Board of Education voted to opt back into the McKinsey & Company LLC opioid settlement. The decision was made after receiving a memorandum from attorney Ben Bailey of Bailey Glasser LLP, concerning school boards and the opioid litigation updates. Bailey previously said school boards that opt out may be able to negotiate with McKinsey for more funds from the settlement. The Preston BOE voted to opt out and see if that happened. The funds would be used in a trust that would be available to West Virginia counties to apply for as ...