Group warns of dangers while driving with hangover

December 30, 2018

MORGANTOWN — As people prepare to ring in the New Year, many will visit with friends and families for New Year’s Eve parties and many will choose to drink. In addition to reminding people of the dangers of driving under the influence this New Year’s Eve, AAA East Central also reminds partygoers of the dangers of driving with a hangover. “Driving hungover can be just as dangerous as driving after having a few drinks,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs for AAA East Central. “After a night of drinking, many people will wake up with alcohol still in their ...

Tragedy, vandalism, murder and civil suit settlements mark 2018 for cops and crime

December 30, 2018

An act of mass vandalism, tragic deaths and a large award by a jury in a wrongful death suit all involving vehicles — a key component of many of 2018’s biggest stories on the cops and courts beat. Monongalia County also had its first murder since 2016 in 2018. Tragic collisions Leah Berhanu, a 21-year-old WVU engineering student, was struck and killed by then WVU student Michelle Gelada, 21, of New York, while crossing the intersection of Morrill Way and Patteson Drive about 6:30 p.m. Feb. 1. Gelada was arrested and charged by the Morgantown Police Department with negligent ...

Researcher hopes study of mental illness in student athletes will reduce stigma, raise awareness

December 30, 2018

It’s bowl season for college football, and Robert Hilliard wants to remind you of something while you’re regarding the slog to that sport’s national championship. Maybe you peaked in the Pop Warner League. Maybe you never got past touch-football in the backyard. No matter, the WVU researcher said. He wants to remind you that  football players in the rarified air of Division I ... aren’t all that different from you. Yes, really. Even if they can knock you flat in the backfield and beat you by two or three lengths in the 40-yard dash. Nine years ago, Hilliard, now a ...

Hotels, Airbnb see growth as rental service complements state’s hospitality industry

December 30, 2018

West Virginia  experienced growth in the hotel industry this year, Airbnb, which offers residents a chance to rent out their own properties for extra income,  also noticed a bump. Airbnb recently announced  its West Virginia participants earned a total of $10 million in supplemental income in 2018. Those hosts also welcomed about 90,000 guests to the Mountain State this year. Monongalia County was the sixth most popular destination in the state, welcoming 4,800 guests for a total of $479,000 in host income. Preston came in 11th with 2,300 guests and $239,000 in total host ...

David Sills, Jabril Robinson, David Long filled with emotion after loss to Syracuse

December 29, 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. — It is the finite nature of college football that accounts for its heightened emotion. For each individual player, the window is always set at four years. Sometimes less. There is always a definitive ending from which there is no return. On Friday night, several ...

WVU Medicine, Mon Health continue history of cooperation, competition

December 29, 2018

MORGANTOWN — WVU Medicine continued to make advances in 2018. Meanwhile, WVU Medicine and Mon Health continued their history of cooperation and competition — shaking hands over an ambulance agreement while trading lawsuits over doctors who switched teams. The ambulance agreement is covered in our Monongalia County wrap-up. The university saw a historic gathering of seven presidents in one room and saw five fraternities break away to form their own Interfraternity Council. Dates are publication dates of the stories. Trading doctors Jan. 20: Mon Health recently added four new ...