We keep our menu simple and let the dough and other high-quality ingredients speak for themselves Fourth-grade students at Williamstown Elementary School participated in our Junior Marketers Create an Ad series. click for more The Select Board on Monday saw regulations that will govern a fence-free "dog park" that the town plans to establish at the Spruces Park. click for more The sustainable aspects of the new $175 million Williams College Museum of Art will influence the next generation of arts leaders. click for more While three seats on the Select Board will be on the ballot at the May 13 annual town election, just one seat is contested. click for more © 2025 Boxcar Media LLC - All rights reserved The Blue Arrow Cafe opened recently in Williamstown on the Black Horse Pike with the “Mom & Pop” café offering a delicious and affordable breakfast and lunch menu Opened by Williamstown residents Steven and Amy the family is so much in love with their hometown and their kids are fully immersed in local sports the name of the café is a nod to Williamstown High School’s “Braves” mascot I stopped in earlier this week timing my visit after the breakfast and lunch rushes to have time to chat with Steven and Amy and enjoy a late lunch at the comfortable cafe The couple opened the Blue Arrow Cafe in the Williamstown Pavilions Shopping Center on the Black Horse Pike which is about 1/2 mile South of Alicia’s/Rack’s restaurant Within the center they are on the far left side taking over a unit which previously was a Thai restaurant.  That being said the couple and family made significant changes to the design and décor carrying the Williamstown blue and white colors into the panted stripes of the wall décor They also did a fun thing painting the front wall with a black chalkboard paint which locals and customers have been signing see if you can find the 42Freeway signature In the front dining area they offer 4 tables for dining in The Blue Arrow Cafe features an all-day breakfast menu as well as a delicious selection of lunch classics Breakfast sandwiches are served on a Kaiser roll or toast or pork roll they are priced at a reasonable $5.99 They also offer options with bagels or croissants french toast and the big platter combo which offers a taste of everything… and of course there’s a variety of delicious omelet platters For my 2:00 PM visit i hadn’t eaten all day and i was completely focused on the lunch portion of the menu Blue Arrow Cafe carries all the classics (and more) that you want from a hometown cafe including a variety of hoagies and sandwiches; roast beef Triple Decker clubs have 5 different varieties and I’m hearing great things about tasty fresh chicken wings Steve and Amy say their cheesesteaks are really going over well with the customers and are already a top seller Factor in that the cheesesteak is only priced at $11.99 I was very tempted. but with social media filled with cheesesteak commentary I went a different direction Well let me add that the couple has a lifetime of experience in the restaurant industry and they actually met while they both worked at a restaurant several years ago… so they’ve definitely brought that experience into the Blue Arrow Cafe For example Steven tells me he only wants to use the freshest ingredients and when I heard that the burgers use only fresh beef that Steve and the team form into patties themselves well that immediately jumped to the top of my list I was served a large burger patty on a deliciously fresh roll… all of the toppings tasted like they were picked from the farm just yesterday I said I was hungry so I paired that cheeseburger up with a Tarantini Panzarotti mostly because I’m a huge fan of the delicious “pockets of pizza” but also because I felt like there weren’t many options for them in the Williamstown area and I wanted to highlight them The panzerotti was cooked perfectly with a crispy golden crust which is a clear clue that their restaurant experience has Steve and Amy focused on the details… like keeping the fryer oil fresh The Blue Arrow Cafe is open five days a week 6am-4pm closed Sundays and Mondays.  Steven and Amy say that having a balance of work community and their kids is very important to them so it’s a big part of why the cafe does not serve dinner and also why they are closed on Sundays… Family time Blue Arrow Cafe 1809 N Black Horse PikeWilliamstown Categories News Demolition Starts at Woodbury’s Former Inspira Hospital Parkersburg South's Macie Forshey competes in the shot put during Friday's Erickson Invitational held at Parkersburg's Stadium Field PARKERSBURG — Here Friday night at the Erickson Invitational which was contested at Parkersburg’s Stadium Field host Parkersburg South received golds from Jordan Foster in the 300 hurdles and Kymani Prince in the long jump 7.5 inches topped the runner-up effort of Parkersburg’s TC Allen Foster also bested a Big Red as his clocking of 40.66 was just enough to nip Jay Bowling’s 41.06 The Big Red boys posted a winning team score of 161 as Williamstown (131) Ritchie County (59.5) and Wahama (49.5) rounded out the top five Landen Deuley crossed the finish line in the 400 with a record-breaking effort of 49.57 which just eclipsed the 2001 effort of 49.62 by Parkersburg South’s Chris Spencer who ran a 51.26 to finish runner-up to Deuley eclipsed 2 minutes for the first time in his career in the 800 The Rebels’ 1:58.62 erased the old record of 1:58.73 set back in 2015 by Big Red Nic Cheuvront left town with high-point honors after amassing 29.25 Parkersburg's Alex Greer takes in the view after clearing 11 feet in the pole vault during Friday's Erickson Invitational held at Parkersburg's Stadium Field Deuley ran the anchor leg to close the meet on the 4×4 with fellow Big Reds AJ Payne The quartet’s clocking of 3:27.94 was a meet record as Warren’s 2019 time of 3:28.19 by Isaiah Kitts Ethan Yost and Justin Lough were erased from the books The only other meet record came in the shuttles where 59.05 had stood since 2018 thanks to the South quartet of Corey Beverage Reece Hunt and Isaac Creel clocked in at 58.28 Williamstown received a pair of golds from Cassie Sites (1600 12:13.81) as well as first-place efforts from Shelby Smith (100 111-5) en route to a 188-149 victory versus the Big Reds Parkersburg South (66) and North Marion (42) rounded out the top five team scores but Ravenswood’s Riley Sotomayor returned to Jackson County with high-point honors (23) on the strengths of wins in the 400 (1:00.16) and 800 (2:26.19) The Silver Knight girls also had first-place efforts in the 100 hurdles from Lily Dillaman (16.36) and in the high jump from Katie Grimm who cleared 4-10 to top runners-up Mya Baruwa of PHS and Point Pleasant’s Evan Barton (4-8) Williamstown’s Christian Hoosier competes in the discus throw during Friday’s Erickson Invitational held at Parkersburg’s Stadium Field Williamstown’s boys had individual 10-point scoring efforts from Carson Brundige in the 200 (23.38) Frank Conner in the 3200 (9:40.44) and in the shot put from Lynken Joy whose second best throw topped teammate Christian Lockhart’s as they had finished with a top respective effort of 50 feet Wahama’s Connor Lambert ran 11 seconds flat to win the 100 while White Falcon teammate Reezin Stitt (19-7.5) was a half inch better than Big Red runner-up Ethan Dela Cruz in the long jump Also topping the field for the boys were Tyler Consolidated’s Amos Kimble (1600 4:31.51) as well as Big Blacks Grant Barton (110H 165-5) while the other girls to taste victory were Big Red Nevaeh Ross in the 300 hurdles (49.1) and South Charleston’s Jateayah Davis in the 200 (28.24) Williamstown’s girls won the 4×1 (Audrey Lefebure 4:24.04) while PHS claimed the 4×8 (Katie Rutheford 10:14.07) and the Silver Knights ran a 1:10.14 with Bridget Doak Addison Blosser and Dillaman to win the shuttles The other winning relays for the boys were Williamstown’s 4×1 (Jakson Kerr 45.00) and the Big Reds’ 4×2 (Payne Williamstown's Cassie Sites closes in on Parkersburg's Morgan Metz as they begin the final lap of the 3200 during Friday's Erickson Invitational at Parkersburg's Stadium Field The Yellowjacket passed the Big Red on the final lap to earn the victory Area boys who also had top-five efforts were Yellowjackets Brundige (2nd 24.17) as well as Ravenswood’s Braydan Rymer (5th 10:24.61); Wirt County’s Kaedon Sees (5th 10:28.39) along with Silver Knight Travis Moore (2nd Local top-five showings for the girls included South’s Prince (2nd 8-0) as well as Yellowjackets Lefebure (4th 97-0) along with White Falcon Destiney Barnette (4th Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com Ritchie County's Jenner Keen competes in the high jump during Friday's Erickson Invitational held at Parkersburg's Stadium Field Williamstown’s Reagan Corbett competes in the shot put during Friday’s Erickson Invitational held at Parkersburg’s Stadium Field Parkersburg South freshman teammates Ashley Cross and Sydney Hatcher look on awaiting a throw as they help out at the shot put during Friday's Erickson Invitational held at Parkersburg's Stadium Field | https://www.newsandsentinel.com | 519 Juliana St. the Williamstown City Council voted unanimously to remove Mayor Mark Christopher from office over alleged misconduct The allegations involving Christopher center on three charges the council sought to remove him on: overall misconduct The attorney representing the city council claims Christopher acted with willful neglect when he failed to provide the city council with information about the city's financial obligations WATCH: See the arguments play out during a hearing that led to the ousting of Williamstown Mayor Mark Christopher testimony shows the City of Williamstown overdrafted its bank account regularly "I feel as if there are people that are spreading false information about A what I say and what I'm trying to do for the city just intentionally trying to make me look bad," Christopher said Another issue involving city finances brought up during the evidentiary hearing was the approval of extensive overtime pay for a city employee who was ineligible to receive such payments Christopher claims he never authorized those payments and he blamed a former city clerk for authorizing them but Morgan said it was Christopher's responsibility as mayor to ensure executive offices carried out their duties correctly Morgan also partly blamed Christopher for not posting the city council meeting minutes promptly the City of Williamstown has held eight public meetings and hasn't posted meeting minutes for any of them "That was brought up to the mayor — brought up as recently as last week I think at a council meeting — and he willfully neglected that duty," Morgan said Christopher claims it was not his responsibility to post minutes "The law clearly states that a city clerk is the only person able to record minutes," Christopher said the city council voted unanimously to oust Christopher leaving the mayoral office vacant in the city The council has 30 days to appoint a new mayor Christopher's attorneys said the now former mayor will appeal the decision in the Grant County Circuit Court The screen stars will co-star in Dustin Wills' new staging of Tennessee Williams' Camino Real More casting has been revealed for Williamstown Theatre Festival's upcoming season, including a starry cast for director Dustin Wills' revival of Tennessee Williams' Camino Real. Running July 19-August 3 on the MainStage, the production will feature Pamela Anderson (Chicago, The Last Showgirl) as Marguerite Emmy winner Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Kilroy Starring in Williams' Not About Nightingales (running July 17-August 3 on the NikosStage) will be Brian Geraghty as Butch, William Jackson Harper, Sydney Lemmon (Job) as Eva, and Chris Messina as Warden Whalen Also newly announced are the dates for the Festival's world premiere of Jeremy O. Harris' Spirit of the People in a staging directed by the newly announced Katina Medina Mora. The work "confronts uncomfortable truths about land and what it means to destroy it." Schlather will helm a new adaptation of Samuel Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti's Vanessa July 17-August 3 at The Annex a production of Heartbeat Opera; and Untitled on Ice July 18-August 2 at the Peter W will feature choreography by two-time Olympic medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani Additional casting and creative team members are to be announced The upcoming season is being led by Creative Collective Creative Director Harris part of a new leadership structure for the Festival created to ensure boundary-breaking and diverse programming That collective also includes Kaia Gerber and Alyssa Reeder of Library Science and a playwright who enjoys a nice dinner and a better martini I thought what better theme to unify a season at the historic Williamstown Theatre Festival than Williams Tennessee," said Harris in an earlier statement I invite you to wander through multi-genre theatrical experiences: culinary operatic… in search of the Williams that exists within them as is the case in our mainstage show Camino Real the connection to Williams will be literal In other offerings the relation might be further afield yet the sense that each is asking questions about our canon and what’s been birthed from it should permeate throughout the only thing I knew to be true of a theatre festival is that it is a site for experimentation and a site to question who tells our stories and why they tell them the way they do.” Further programming for the season is to be announced Tickets are at WTFestival.org Gail Kriegel's new play follows a family affected by mental illness The Tony-winning Best Musical continues at the Walter Kerr Theatre Noah Himmelstein will direct Matthew Puckett's original musical Neumann is the Tony nominated choreographer behind Hadestown and Swept Away one Tony winner is playing the trumpet while the other is channeling Madame Rose Due to the expansive nature of Off-Broadway Thank You!You have now been added to the list Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLANSING a soldier who died a prisoner of war during World War II will be interred on May 3 at Summit Cemetery in Williamstown Township Herrmann Funeral Home in Fowlerville will perform graveside services preceding the interment Swartz was a member of the 17th Pursuit Squadron when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941 and Filipino service members who were captured subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March He was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on August 2 after his remains were exhumed in April 2019 from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial for laboratory analysis and identification under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division at the U.S plays a key role in the process of locating Family members of missing Soldiers from WWII The process begins with locating the family member most closely related to the missing soldier Once a soldier has been identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner the PCRB notifies and briefs the family about the results of historical including burial with full military honors Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Wawa has launched a new store in Williamstown with free coffee The convenience store and fueling station opened at 8 a.m It replaced a vintage Wawa that stood for years on the other side of the intersection Monroe's planning board approved the roughly 5,000-square-foot store in 2019 The business was built on the site of two vacant homes The store's first customers were offered free samples of Wawa's new Dill Pickle Ranch sauce and Crispy Pickle toppings The pickle products are intended for use on hoagies Collingswood closing: Wawa shuts down longtime legacy store The opening ceremony also was to feature a parade of store employees to promote the pickle products and a campaign offering $2 The “Cravings Made Easy” campaign is underway at the chain’s approximately 1,100 stores through May 11 Wawa offered commemorative t-shirts to the store's first customers and free coffee throughout the day (This story was updated to add information.) Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal North Adams Regional Hospital is North Berkshire's choice for healthcare services - Your Hospital Williamstown High School senior Ava Lightfritz told the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night that their decision to place Principal Jason Ward on paid suspension was a mistake and that Ward has had a positive impact on the lives of the students PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Board of Education voted Tuesday night to place Williamstown Middle/High School Principal Jason Ward on paid suspension beginning Feb 18 pending the outcome of an investigation Board President Justin Raber explained the board has no knowledge as to why Ward is being recommended for suspension “there have not been any charges against (the) employee that warrants an unpaid suspension.” “When it comes to an employee wishing to request a hearing on an unpaid suspension and/or termination that is the time that we as a board are permitted to hear the evidence and make a decision We can’t receive that information prior to the hearing that the employee is present at,” Raber said Board member Ron Tice asked if the motion was made to pay the employee until the investigation has been concluded Raber said that was the recommendation of the superintendent Raber explained that during a paid suspension an employee’s due process rights are not at risk He said if there was a recommendation for an unpaid suspension that is when evidence would be presented to the board to make a decision Williamstown High School senior Alexis Wynn talks to the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night about their decision to place Principal Jason Ward on paid suspension being a mistake Wynn said the school was not only losing a principal but a leader that puts the well-being of his students above his own Two Williamstown High School seniors – Alexis Wynn and Ava Lightfritz – voiced their concerns about Ward’s suspension we’re losing a leader,” Wynn said “Who puts (the student’s) well-being above his own Above his convenience and the easy way out.” Lightfritz said Ward has consistently been supportive of all students “there is not a negative thing that can be said about Mr Ward and everything he has done for the community of Williamstown “Removing him from the school would be the wrong move on the part of the Board of Education He has never put himself over any of the students or staff (and) always ensures the right thing is done,” Lightfritz said “And (he) has taught us to fight for what we believe in The board also received a presentation from Pickering Associates President and CEO Ryan Taylor about the North Parkersburg Elementary School and the new Vienna Elementary He described the property located on the former campus of Ohio Valley University as a “nice piece of property” that is suitable for the new school which involves a 10-acre lot currently used for school buildings Pickering Associates President and CEO Ryan Taylor and Assistant Superintendent of Operations Kaleb Lawrence talk to the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday night about the new Vienna and North End elementary projects Taylor said the target completion date for the North End project is mid-June 2027 “My recommendation tonight for the school (district) is you’ve got a good piece of property and it’s adequate to build an elementary school,” Taylor said An overview of the information presented to the board can be found below: * $500,000 commitment from City of Vienna for roadway director of the Wood County Technical Center and the Caperton Center for Applied Technology gave the Wood County Board of Education an update Tuesday night saying the inclusion of personal finance as a CTE course as well as dual credit and AP English courses has helped increase participation in tech programs * Additional funding from state and other entity * Recommendation to study bussing and transportation Utility Connections and Water Tower Concerns * Vienna tapped out on sanitary and water services * Options to tie into existing sewer system or new dedicated line * Concerns about water tower pressure and volume Property Acquisition and Infrastructure Plans * Property described as suitable for new elementary school * Recommendations include legal agreements * City of Vienna encouraged to maintain new roadway * Concerns about 12th Street condition and traffic * New roadway to be 30-foot with amenities * Efforts to minimize impact on neighboring residents mass excavation and dirt replacement required * Demolition of Lincoln and Vandevender buildings planned after tours for the public are completed * Understand bussing and transportation needs * North End property deemed adequate for new school which he said would be a “very tight” timeline that will require good weather gave the board an update and said the inclusion of personal finance as a CTE course will count as a participant level CTE course So when you think about every student taking that but so is dual credit or AP English 11 and 12 because they’ve wrapped those courses into a CTE pathway,” Hughes said He also talked about interest from middle schools in expanding CTE offerings saying this includes exploring the possibility of offering high school-level CTE courses at Williamstown Middle School “We have middle schools that are very much interested in expanding what they’re doing,” Hughes said Hughes requested the addition of a guidance counselor position “I have the money in my CTE funds for that position in hopes that as things get better in the next few years it can be a sustained county position,” Hughes said The board approved his request during the consent agenda The next Wood County Board of Education meeting is scheduled for March 25 at 6 p.m and will be held in the Jefferson Elementary Center auditorium The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed online Douglass Huxly can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com (Police Reports - Photo Illustration/MetroCreative) PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Sheriff’s Office has released new details regarding a fatal shooting incident Tuesday in Williamstown including the identities of those involved deputies were dispatched to 158 Maple Drive was found dead of apparent gunshot wounds on the scene located in the rear of his residence When deputies entered the dwelling to check for further victims or suspects they discovered a female identified as Barbra Leanne Cupp Deputies immediately extracted Cupp from the residence taking her to an ambulance staged near the scene Upon concluding the search of the residence no other persons were found Cupp was taken to WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center by Camden Clark Ambulance medics She was injured by a gunshot wound to the upper shoulder and was unresponsive at the time Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPARKERSBURG (WTAP) - More information has been released in regards to a shooting that happened in Williamstown on Tuesday On March 18, deputies with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to 158 Maple Drive for a shooting that left one dead and one injured deputies said a male identified as Matthew Allen Bills was found dead of apparent gunshot wounds on the scene He was located in the rear of his residence Deputies said they also located a female identified as Barbra Leanne Cupp Deputies immediately extracted Cupp from the residence taking her to an ambulance staged near the scene PREVIOUS STORY: 1 dead, 1 injured after shooting in Williamstown Cupp was taken to CCMC by Camden Clark Ambulance medics Cupp remains in stable condition at WVU Medicine See an error in our reporting? Send us an email by clicking here! Williamstown's Lynken Joy competes in discus at Cline Stansberry Invitational WEST UNION – The concept “nobody left behind” resonates with Doddridge County boys track coach Bobby Burnside After accepting the championship trophy for Friday’s 43rd annual Cline Stansberry Invitational Burnside couldn’t narrow down the list as major contributors to the winning cause It was truly a team effort as DCHS won nine events set or tied four meet records while finishing with 157.5 points compared to 87 for runner-up Williamstown “I almost want to mention everybody,” Burnside said “We are just trying to go week to week Tonight we had a couple of guys back that we had set out recently In a couple of meets we were just trying to be cautious and staying healthy is a big thing for this last month of the season.” Williamstown was nearly the mirror image of the DCHS boys after winning eight events setting one meet record and finishing with 146 points compared to 85 for the runner-up Bulldogs Gilmer County's Kadessa Stitt attempts to clear the bar at 5 feet during the girls high jump during Friday's Cline Stansberry Invitational at Doddridge County High School The Yellowjackets’ highlight of the event didn’t even occur in a final heat Senior Shelby Smith erased the school record during the prelims of the 200 with a time of 25.30 seconds The former mark of 25.61 set by Andrea Deem in 2014 was the standard Smith set out to chase since she arrived at Williamstown “(Andrea) was actually a coach of mine before she went off to become head coach at Marshall,” Smith said “She has been a very big inspiration for me She is just a great coach and a great role model This is a big honor and I think she would be very proud of me “This has been a goal of mine since I came to Williamstown I’m just so excited I finally got the record.” In the finals of the 200 and rain showers now in play Smith won in convincing fashion with a time of 25.34 “I’ve changed my mindset the past few weeks,” Smith said “Instead of going out there and having a lot of things on my mind while I am running – just trusting the Lord’s plan and knowing He has the best interest in me and for me Williamstown's Kyndra Johnson won the girls shot put event during Friday's Cline Stansberry Invitational at Doddridge County High School Williamstown received first-place finishes in two relays Grace Boone in the pole vault and from throwers Kyndra Johnson (shot put) and Reagan Corbett (discus) Johnson and Corbett placed 1-2 in the shot put Senior Alexis Wynn nearly made it nine champions for Williamstown Wynn trailed Grafton’s Addison Sole throughout the 3200 Sole maintained a 20-yard gap when Wynn began her kick over the final 150 meters Wynn made up ground in a hurry and fell just shy at the finish line – placing second by a mere 63-hundredths of a second “I think I probably should have started my kick around 250 meters but I’m really happy with my finish,” Wynn said “I’ve had a really up and down season trying to get my PR I gave it everything I had and actually took 10 seconds off my PR so to finally get out of it and understand the racing strategy that gets me to it just feels great.” Doddridge County's A'Kaia Williams competes in shot put at Cline Stansberry Invitational The field at the Cline Stansberry Invite featured a total of 19 schools Rounding out the area winners on the girls side Doddridge County won two relays and received a first-place effort from Payton Trent in the long jump A second meet record was set in the girls division by Elkins’ Marissa Branwalt who won her heat in the 100 in a time of 15.30 seconds everything DCHS freshman Tommy Walters-Hickman touched turned to gold Walters-Hickman set both the meet and school records in the 100 (10.91) and 200 (22.17) and competed on the 4×200 relay which followed suit who competed with a cast on his arm earlier this season also ran on the 4×100 relay which tied a meet record “Tommy started the first six weeks of the track season wearing a cast – he just got it off last week,” Burnside said He works hard and he has bought in the training with the intention of peaking at the end of the season.” Jerod Trent in the 400 and Tristan Swiger in the pole vault rounded out the list of champions for DCHS Williamstown’s Lynken Joy was another individual double winner in the boys division after taking first place in both the shot put and discus Doddridge County's Brooke Burnside competes in shot put at Cline Stansberry Invitational Ritchie County’s Dylan Malolepszy used his win in the 800 to parlay high point individual honors in the boys division at 27 points Grafton’s Hadley Horne took high point honors with 32 points The list is endless as to what events Malolepszy excels If the decathlon was offered at the high school level “It’s been a while since Dylan hasn’t been high point at a meet – he is a unique athlete because he is a really good half-miler a really good high jumper,” Haught said “I like how he is coming along in the half-mile “He is a talent and a guy who can lead others He is that type of athlete who could do the decathlon He is freakishly good at a lot of things.” Ripley's Tiffany Fisher placed third in the girls high jump during Friday's Cline Stansberry Invitational at Doddridge County High School Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com and teammate Reagan Corbett finished 1-2 in the shot put during Friday's Cline Stansberry Invitational at Doddridge County High School BELPRE — Federal Hocking’s Annamarie Montle nearly established three meet records here Friday night at the .. Staff errors at a South Jersey long-term care facility put residents "at an immediate and serious risk of harm," according to the New Jersey Department of Health Juniper Village at Williamstown must hire a "consultant director of nursing" to ensure it meets state licensing standards according to a directive from the department It noted "multiple state violations' were found at the facility along Black Horse Pike during a complaint investigation and re-licensure survey Nov Another error was identified during a revisit Jan The initial review found employees did not to ensure that medicine was administered properly and in a timely manner "resulting in a mis-recorded insulin level," the agency said all residents in the facility were at an immediate and serious risk of harm," the order said Nursing facility closes: Residents leave Sterling Manor in Maple Shade 8 occurred when an employee handed medication to the wrong patient That error occurred even though the staffer had participated in training ordered by the health department after the earlier review A Juniper Village representative could not be reached for comment which offers assisted living and memory care services The health department issued its directed plan of correction Feb on-site registered nurse to "identify areas of noncomplicance (with licensing standards" and to develop who's not to have ties to the facility's ownership or management The agency said it will receive weekly reports from Juniper Village and that its corrective plan "shall remain in place until otherwise noted." Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post Parkersburg’s Alex Marshall goes after a ball during Friday’s match against Williamstown PARKERSBURG — On the warmest day of the spring here Friday afternoon at City Park host Parkersburg and Williamstown split their tennis match as the Big Red boys secured a 5-2 triumph while the Yellowjacket girls held on for a 4-3 victory The final singles match of the day came at No 1 for the girls where ‘Jacket Gabi Holl and Liya Tewodros were knotted at five before the Big Red secured the final three points for the victory Parkersburg’s only other victories came at No 1 doubles with Tewodros and Emma Stanley doubling up Holl and Ashtyn McIntyre and at three doubles with Camille Tatterson and Braylee White handing Lauren Deem and Hailey Barnes an 8-5 setback Big Red Ella Grace Haddox lost 8-2 at three singles to McIntyre while Peyton Woodburn topped Emmalee Pritchett “We originally had the match scheduled for earlier and not realizing that I worked all day on Good Friday because the kids were off That was a little mixup so we pushed it back,” said WHS head coach Diana Leo who watched the Woodburns win 8-4 at two doubles versus Haddox and Pritchett Williamstown’s Gabi Holl hits the ball during Friday’s match against Parkersburg coming in here and we were hoping for good matches It was worth every part of it for the experience and them learning a beautiful day and everybody got games and points 2 singles player Gavin Hill had to leave town early and he played his match against Christian Marshall starting at noon and came up short 2 doubles for an 8-0 triumph versus Hill and Brady Anderson who fell 8-3 at four singles to Truman Roberts 3 singles against Williamstown’s Isaac Harris who partnered with Woodard at one doubles to take care of Tewodros and Roberts “It was a good turnout for the boys today Williamstown is always a very good team and anytime we have the chance to play them we’re going to take that opportunity because they are a good program,” said PHS head man Eric Stanley 3 doubles tandem of Cale Stutler and Isaac Stephens blank AJ Kitchen and Noah Mourat “The girls for Williamstown did a very good job today “Just came up a little short and the heat today ended up being a contributing factor The girls are right in the middle of the pack in the region so they are still in good standing They unfortunately lost today to a good ‘Jackets squad They’ve got a tough opponent tomorrow with Morgantown (9:30 a.m which is top five in the state and then next week is MSACs It’ll be Monday or Tuesday depending on the rain.” Parkersburg’s Truman Roberts serves the ball during Friday’s match against Williamstown Williamstown has the weekend off before returning to action on Monday when Lewis County is set to invade “Our expectation and goal is to win both regionals and we have another regional match on Monday,” added coach Leo “They have a good team so we’re looking forward to the match Playing PHS helps us so much going into that match and going into regionals and I appreciate them always playing against us and helping us get better because it helps both of us “We’re different divisions and it’s good All these kids know each other and many of them play together in privates and in clinics It was just good all-around tennis and it was a good day and everybody was positive Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com Williamstown’s Brady Woodard serves the ball during Friday’s match against Parkersburg Parkersburg’s Liya Tewodros hits the ball during Friday’s match against Williamstown Williamstown’s Addi Woodburn backhands the ball during Friday’s match against Parkersburg Parkersburg’s Emma Stanley hits the ball during Friday’s match against Williamstown Williamstown’s Ashtyn McIntyre backhands the ball during Friday’s match against Parkersburg Parkersburg’s Ella Grace Haddox hits the ball during Friday’s match against Williamstown The Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley was recognized as an Outstanding Supporter of Wood County Schools by the Board of Education Tuesday night The group has raised more than $362,000 in scholarships for 125 local students over the past decade They will be holding their annual scholarship dinner April 3 at the Grand Pointe Conference Center Pictured from left: Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley President Laurie Martin staff member Mary Hendershot and Superintendent Christie Willis PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Board of Education voted Tuesday night to place Williamstown Middle/High School Principal Jason Ward on paid suspension pending the outcome of an investigation The board declined to comment on the circumstances leading to the suspension “Because there’s a pending investigation there have not been any charges against (the) employee that warrants an unpaid suspension,” Board President Justin Raber said Students from Williamstown High School voiced their concerns about the suspension during the meeting “Removing him from the school would be the wrong move on the part of the Board of Education,” senior Ava Lightfritz said “He has never put himself over any of the students or staff (and) always ensures the right thing is done.” A motion to accept the proposed boundary lines for Hamilton and Jackson Middle Schools died due to a lack of a second The board will revisit the motion at their next meeting scheduled for March 25 Read more from the meeting in the Thursday edition of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com Northbound lanes of Interstate 77 are closed from the Williamstown exit to the Marietta Ohio exit following a bridge strike.A piece of equipment on the back of a truck hit the bridge just after 8 a.m Inspectors and bridge engineers from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) are on site evaluating damage to the bridge.Northbound lanes are expected to be closed several hours.​ Williamstown Middle School fifth-grader Luc Thurman talks about the TREK program to Wood County Board of Education members Debbie Hendershot and Ron Tice Thursday night at Williamstown Middle/High School as the board held the first of three LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase events scheduled in April WILLIAMSTOWN — The Wood County Board of Education held the first of three LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase events Thursday night at Williamstown Middle/High School Board President Justin Raber said the LSIC includes business partners staff and professional employees with the common interest of making their schools better “We’ve been doing these fairs for a number of years to maintain contact with local schools,” Raber said He said the fair featured presentations from various school departments spanning elementary through high school levels Raber emphasized the importance of direct school engagement saying that these events are where “the rubber meets the road” in understanding the impact of educational governance “It’s always about the interactions with employees and students,” Raber said “That’s what makes our LSIC fair so special.” Williamstown Middle School fifth-graders Mara Evans and Rylee Sweat talked to visitors about Greek Mythology Thursday at Williamstown Middle/High School as the Wood County Board of Education held the first of three LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase events planned in April He said the fair represents a unique opportunity for community members to see firsthand the innovative programs and dedicated work happening in local schools One of those programs at Williamstown Middle School is the TREK program “TREK stands for trekking forward,” fifth-grader Luc Thurman said self-motivated and self-governed program that allows students to learn on their own He said the teacher will give students limited instructions and “might as well leave the class.” There are no rules or regulations on how we do things,” Thurman said “We learn each other’s skills and strengths and assign duties based on that.” Williamstown Strings Elementary Director Amaris Fleming help Lorelei Erwin tune her violin Thursday at Williamstown Middle/High School before the Wood County Board of Education held the first of three LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase events being held in April A recent project he said the group participated in was helping elementary students build bridges out of popsicle sticks “I don’t usually take on leadership roles but I was the head architect for that project,” Thurman said talked about their mythology and restaurant projects to those in attendance “I was so excited when we heard we were going to get to study Greek Mythology,” Evans said “It’s one of my favorite subjects.” Sweat talked to people about her Japanese restaurant project where she created a design for the building and even created her own menu Williamstown High School band members Jillian Carr and Caydence Bland prepare to talk to the Wood County Board of Education Thursday night about all the achievements the school’s band and choir have obtained so far this school year The board was visiting the high school for the first of three LSIC (Local School Improvement Council) Showcase events being held in April “I really want to cook these meals one day,” Sweat said “But I don’t want to open my own restaurant Evans said she hopes to open an interior design firm with another friend after they graduate The board will visit Parkersburg South High School April 24 at 6 p.m where staff and students from the high school and their middle and elementary school feeders will get a chance to show the board what they have been working on this school year The final fair will be April 29 at Parkersburg High School at the same time Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInUPDATE: 1:50 p.m. WILLIAMSTOWN, W.Va (WTAP) - One person is dead and another injured after a shooting in Williamstown According to Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard The first officers arrived on the scene at 11:03 a.m officers found a deceased male gunshot victim by the back patio door area they found a female with a gunshot wound to the shoulder WVU Medicine Camden Clark transported the female victim to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Other units arrived on scene and no one else was found inside the home The Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau is obtaining a search warrant at this time to recover any crime-related evidence the preliminary investigation shows it was a domestic-related incident between a male and a female The Sheriff’s Office is waiting for the coroner to arrive for the male subject and they are notifying the family at this time They said no further information will be available until the investigation is complete (WTAP) - Two people were shot in a shooting in Williamstown Tuesday afternoon The Wood County Sheriff’s Office confirmed there were two gunshot victims on Maple Drive The Sherriff’s Office says the scene is secure at this time and no present danger is believed to exist for residents in the area Williamstown Volunteer Fire Department and Camden Clark Ambulance are all on scene (WTAP) - There is a possible shooting in Williamstown a call came in for an alleged shooting at 158 Maple Drive in Williamstown Dispatch says there are currently two patients and one is being transported The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is currently on scene Dispatch says West Virginia State Police have been called in to assist See an error in our reporting? Send us an email by clicking here! One of dozens of men charged in what authorities described as a high-end brothel network operating in the Boston area is a Williamstown resident and business owner.  WILLIAMSTOWN — A Williamstown man is among dozens charged in connection with what authorities describe as a high-end prostitution network that operated in the Boston area a misdemeanor. A clerk magistrate in Cambridge District Court found probable cause to charge him on March 14. His arraignment is scheduled for May 16.  The Boston-area case came to light in 2023 when federal prosecutors announced the arrest of Han Lee Han Lee was the manager responsible for operating an interstate prostitution network that attracted sex-buyers through websites She pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to prostitution and money laundering and was sentenced last month to four years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $5.4 million and pay restitution Lee and her co-defendants rented and maintained luxury apartments in the Boston area and in Virginia as brothels targeting primarily Asian women to travel for sex work At the time of Han Lee's arrest, federal authorities said some of the sex-buyers included prominent people. Several Boston-area media outlets successfully pressed for the men's names and the results of closed-door court hearings during which a clerk magistrate determined if they should be criminally charged. The men charged included a Cambridge city councilor and an oncologist agree to pay or offer to pay" for commercial sex multiple times between April and November 2023 The report says a man fitting MacGillivray's description is on surveillance video at a Cambridge apartment building on Oct The report includes text messages between MacGillivray’s phone and the brothel’s number that investigators say show his request to meet with "Zia" and a response that included pricing for sexual services Authorities have said the brothel network's bookkeeping practices allowed investigators to identify clients, according to the Boston Globe Not all of the suspected patrons were charged; investigators focused on those who had at least 400 text exchanges with the brothel phone number He is one of 34 men charged of purchasing sex from a network of "sophisticated high-end brothels" operating out of apartments in greater Boston who had initial court appearances this month MacGillivray did not respond to a phone call seeking comment The charge he's facing doesn't typically result in jail time upon a conviction.  MacGillivray owns Provisions Williamstown on Water Street and he built a career in events production focused in the automotive industry Property records in Williamstown and corporate filings with the Massachusetts secretary of state list a second address for MacGillivray in Boston Amanda Burke can be reached at aburke@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6296 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device WILLIAMSTOWN — The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal shooting near Williamstown Tuesday afternoon Sheriff Rick Woodyard confirmed the death of a male subject at 2:40 p.m The sheriff’s office posted on its Facebook page around 12:22 p.m Tuesday that deputies were on the scene of a shooting involving two victims on Maple Drive in the Mullenix Subdivision near Williamstown “The scene is now secure at this time and it is believed that no present danger (exists) for (residents) in the area,” the post stated at the time Woodyard also said they have no reason to believe a third person was involved in the incident said a preliminary investigation indicates that only two people were involved in the shooting which is believed to be domestic in nature Detectives were executing a search warrant for the residence adding names of those involved will be released upon notification of family members Emergency radio calls from the scene shortly after first-responders arrived had a number of deputies from the Wood County Sheriff’s Office on scene The ambulance crew alerted the WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center to have trauma and respiratory personnel ready to receive the patient when they arrived at the hospital It is not clear which patient crews were referring to There is no word on the condition of the other victim as of press time Woodyard believed additional updates on the situation would be made sometime today — The roof of International Wire in Williamstown collapsed early Tuesday morning President & CEO of International Wire Gregory Smith said third-shift employees heard the ceiling cracking just before 5:30 a.m another 30,000 square feet of the roof collapsed The building is around 180,000 square feet in total "We actively clear the rooftop for snow but because of the ice last weekend we did not have people up there," said Smith He noted that electricity and gas were shut down and the situation is being assessed He said that they are in the process of relocating workers to other factories noting that there are 12 in Central New York "This is going to be down indefinitely," he said " We will continue in the coming days to further assess what is salvageable and we are working with our customers to accommodate their needs." Around 80 employees work at the Williamstown facility on three shifts Ripley shortstop Addi Howery squeezes a pop up during the Vikings' 16-10 victory Satruday afternoon at Williamstown WILLIAMSTOWN — Ripley second-year skipper Franklin Howerton got a quality start from Haleigh Parsons and the Vikings worked around six errors here Saturday afternoon in a 16-10 win versus Williamstown The 7-15 Yellowjackets of boss Ron Stanley who celebrated his birthday along with WHS trainer Jamie Dearien finally pushed a run across in the fourth when Elli Hanlon singled and scored on Kyla Myer’s hit to center Losing pitcher Kiersten Kerby opened the frame with a walk and was replaced by courtesy runner Sophia Adkins who was thrown out at the plate after Hanlon’s single when Nevaeh Moore delivered a single only to be robbed of an RBI when center fielder Bristol Smith fired a one-hopper to catcher Aleigha Dunn Although Parsons issued a two-out walk to No she got Lakyn Harshbarger to ground out to third baseman Camdyn Staats tilt up next on Monday versus Herbert Hoover was unable to mercy the ‘Jackets as leadoff hitter Shayle Montgomery singled stole second and scored on Moore’s two-out single Williamstown’s Kiersten Kerby delivers a pitch during Saturday’s game against Ripley Ripley added seven runs with five in the ninth while the ‘Jackets got eight runs off relief pitcher Moriah Hatcher (two earned) that featured a five-run sixth Kerby was victimized by the first of five errors as Ripley took the lead for good with two unearned runs in the first when Smith and Lakyn Haile scored on an error who had a fielder’s choice RBI in the third tripled to open the second and it was 3-0 after Parsons helped herself with a run-scoring double to center The Vikings scored thrice in the third and fourth while managing just a single in each inning and having an infield fly in both frames where one ball was dropped and the other landed behind a drawn-in infield Ripley pushed ahead 11-2 after tacking on a pair of runs in the sixth Mia Howerton and Lexi Donohew opened the inning with consecutive walks before Kerby fanned Click and got Cara Spears to line out to left fielder Taytum Oates Pinch-hitter Kassidy Wilson coaxed a free pass to load the bases for Smith Ripley’s Haleigh Parsons delivers a pitch during Saturday’s game against Williamstown sent nine batters to the plate and was aided by three errors Oates started the last of the sixth with a single and a stolen base After Buck reached on an error following her strikeout Harshbarger had an RBI fielder’s choice Montgomery came through with a two-run triple via on opposite-field shot to right and crossed when Gracie Rush reached via error The ‘Jackets closed it to 11-7 after Kerby followed with a double to right Addison Howery got the Viking seventh going with a walk as the Jackson County squad sent nine batters to the plate with Smith and Click delivering run-scoring singles and Donohew a two-run single The hosts scored all three of their runs in the seventh with two outs Harshbarger singled and advanced to third on Montgomery’s two-bagger and it was 16-8 after Rush got on via an error Kerby and Hanlon kept the rally going with RBI single Smith and Staats had three-hit afternoons while Howerton scored four times after reaching on an error Williamstown's Kyla Myer makes contact during the Yellowjackets' 16-10 setback to Ripley on Saturday afternoon Ripley's Kalli Click strokes a triple to right-center during the second inning of the Vikings' 16-10 win Saturday afternoon at Williamstown Williamstown's Taytum Oates attempts a sacrifice bunt during the Yellowjackets' 16-10 setback to Ripley on Saturday afternoon Onset Deputy Fire Chief Jeffrey Dias will take over in May for retiring Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini speaks last September during an official groundbreaking ceremony for the new fire station who is currently deputy chief of the Onset Fire Department will take the helm in Williamstown next month After 23 years as Williamstown's fire chief and will be in charge of seeing through the transition to a new fire station the Williamstown Fire Department is getting a new leader The Williamstown Fire District Prudential Committee has named Jeffrey Dias as the town's new fire chief. He will begin his tenure next month a 26-year veteran of the Onset Fire Department, will succeed Craig Pedercini who joined the department as a volunteer in 1988 and has served as chief for the past 23 years “I have very large shoes to fill,” Dias says Prudential Committee Vice Chair Lindsay Neathawk said the committee weeded through roughly 25 applications and several rounds of interviews before choosing Dias “His resume and all the certifications that he comes with are stellar,” Neathawk said “He has a wealth of knowledge and training We felt his personality would be the best fit with our department and moving into the next era with a new station.” Professionals across the country which led to virtual interviews and then a final round of in-person interviews with the three finalists Dias will start off with a three-year contract and a salary of $125,000 as well as 3 percent cost of living increases to his salary in Years 2 and 3 What first attracted him to the job was the community and “the quaintness of downtown,” Dias said “And as I learned more about the fire department I realized it could be a very good fit for us.” Dias’ top short-term priority is to integrate himself with his soon-to-be team and I have to earn their respect,” he said He will oversee a transition into a new, 22,000-square-foot, $22.5 million fire station Construction is set to be complete in December which Pedercini has been lobbying for since 2006 “The advent of a new facility opens up a lot of opportunities for the organization,” he said “giving them a safe space to work in that’s designed specifically for the mission of the fire department and allows them to complete their mission easier than in the small footprint of the 75-year-old building they have now.” Dias acknowledged it was difficult to depart from Onset where he’d been in varying capacities for almost 27 years starting as a volunteer firefighter in 1998 and rising up the ranks to become deputy chief and has served as a lieutenant and captain before his role as deputy chief for the past three-plus years Dias is coming from a combination volunteer and full-time department whereas Williamstown is almost entirely volunteer apart from top brass he started at Onset when there were only four full-time personnel “It was a predominantly on-call department when I started,” Dias said While Dias has yet to familiarize himself with granular information on response times and staffing he has already been visiting and will continue to visit the station as his start date nears Pedercini plans to help Dias along in a consulting role Dias already knows Williamstown’s geography poses complications that’s a lot of area to cover from one station that’s somewhat centrally located,” Dias said “Forty-seven miles is a significant challenge but we’ll develop systems and processes to deal with things and I’m confident the people of Williamstown will be content with their level of fire protection.” Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access Subscribe now for 99¢ Subscriber Sign In | Return Home Sten Spinella can be reached at sspinella@berkshireeagle.com or 860-853-0085 Two brick Victorian mansions that were condemned in 2017 now belong to the city Sadie Jean Sworzen is not your average toddler Two new billboards from local nonprofit Hoosic River Revival seek public input on the flood chute modification effort and HRR announces it has brought on an outside engineering firm to help parse the U.S Savoy has postponed its annual town meeting from May 8 until sometime in June as the town's finances are not yet in order The annual town election will still be held on May 14 the state Department of Conservation and Recreation could soon expand its Savoy Mountain State Forest reach into Adams Seeking his sixth term on the Select Board incumbent Joe Nowak is being challenged by Jay Meczywor and Jerome Socolof Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWILLIAMSTOWN (WCAX) - A barn collapse killed at least half a dozen cows in Williamstown Monday morning Shards of a metal roof rattled in the wind Tuesday -- all that was left of the Graham Farms’ 100-foot-long barn that collapsed “Right now it still feels like a punch in the gut to us and the family,” said William Graham a co-owner of the farm as well as the town’s fire chief He says several of the 20 cows that use the barn were freed by first responders and others got out on their own “There’s still quite a few that are still iffy as to whether they’ll still make it -- with infection and whatnot -- but the vet did a great job wrapping the wounds up so it’s just kind of a waiting game,” Graham said He says a combination of heavy snow and strong winds likely forced the roof to cave in “It was unfortunate to see it happen to this But definitely don’t take for granted the snow load and try to figure a way to get it off on something like this,” Graham said Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts says it’s the third weather-related structure collapse he’s heard about this year and that now is the time to think about snow removal if you think your building could be at risk “it’s important that everyone have a plan.” “We will rebuild -- to a smaller scale -- but we will get through this The Vermont Agency of Agriculture has tips on its website for safely clearing snow from barns by Emma Quinn MA (WRGB) — The Williamstown Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest police believe was involved in an incident at Amy’s Cottage in Williamstown If anyone knows this person please contact the Williamstown Police Department at (413)-458-5733 Williamstown catcher Shayle Montgomery tags out Oak Glen's Mikalyn Balch as teammates Alyssa Clare (20) and Nevaeh Moore (7) look on during the host Yellowjackets' 8-0 five-inning game two setback to the Golden Bears 5 Class AA Oak Glen rolled into town Saturday afternoon and left with a twinbill sweep of Williamstown by scores of 12-1 and 8-0 The 14-6 Golden Bears of head coach Sherrie Garner batted around in the top of the first in game one pushed across nine runs and never looked back junior right-hander Dani Holden fired a one-hit shutout with seven strikeouts as the Golden Bears invoked the mercy rule playing as the home team when leadoff hitter Marleah Lough reached on an infield single and eventually scored the final run of the afternoon via a wild pitch “That’s the reason why they are on our schedule and we want to get a taste of it We also wanted to get our young girls to see what a good team looks like,” admitted WHS boss Ron Stanley of the now 6-10 ‘Jackets getting to know new regional foes “It was hard for us to get the ball out of the infield there in the second game so that kind of hurt us and they weren’t going to make many errors.” Williamstown pitcher Alyssa Clare delivers a pitch during a high school softball game against Oak Glen Saturday who made a diving web gem toward home plate where she scuffed her knee after making a fully-extended grab on a popped bunt by Gracie Rush for the second out of the fourth struck out the first four and fanned seven the first time through the order “We play three doubleheaders and a single We took a group before in 2019 and it was nice,” coach Garner said of going to the beach “It gives them an opportunity to play and have some fun and have some family time Seeing a new section and stuff and having the opportunity to come here and see regional opponents was our plan just to see what the competition is like and give us new experiences “We’re competing with the OVAC as well Moving down to double-A we certainly have some competition ahead of us win regionals and take this group to state.” The first base runner for the Yellowjackets came via a one-out walk in the second by Kiersten Kerby The only other ‘Jacket to reach base against Holden was third baseman Nevaeh Moore who had an infield single with one out in the fifth but was erased when she was caught stealing by Alex Watkins Oak Glen two-hole hitter Mikalyn Balch reached on a one-out error in the bottom of the first stole second and went to third on a passed ball but was tagged out by catcher Shayle Montgomery after she tried to score on a wild pitch Williamstown catcher Shayle Montgomery throws to first base during a high school softball game against Oak Glen Saturday coach Garner’s program got the only run they ended up needing when Mattie Carney walked and scored on Holden’s RBI double to left Losing pitcher Alyssa Clare got out of a second and third situation in the second when Lough hit a shot into center field but Kyla Myer came up firing for an inning-ending 8-2 double play Balch walked to open the third and although Clare got the next two outs her command left and five walks followed before Lough’s two-run single to center made it 6-0 Balch tried to keep the inning going after batting around with runners on second and third Carney doubled and scored in the fourth on a wild pitch to get the Golden Bears within a run of the mercy rule “We basically have the same core as we did last year,” added coach Stanley “We lost Ava Johnson who was the only senior so we have a freshman starting now at shortstop in Gracie Rush Williamstown second baseman Kiersten Kerby throws to first base during a high school softball game against Oak Glen Saturday “We have grown a lot since last year There’s only so much growing you can do with our limited practices We have six wins so far and last year we only had two all season She was plunked in the first and drew a pair of free passes Courtesy runner Riley Bruce scored once and stole a pair of bags Williamstown returns to action with a 6 p.m NKyTribune Williamstown Mayor Mark Christopher lost his job as mayor on Monday day-long hearing was held at the Grant County Courthouse with Judge Steven Bates presiding to present charges against Christopher brought by council members — Jayson Payne The charges were mismanagement of city funds including failing to follow up on some financial investments and not properly keeping track of multiple checking accounts resulting in overdraft fees and negative balances Council also believes the mayor made late monthly loan payments and failed to pay the city’s accounts payable items in a timely manner Council members also stated that Christopher misused credit cards saying he purchased Marigold Festival tee shirts and plaques without proper bids and charged excessive meal purchases They were angry that Christopher provided a month’s worth of utility bill payments as a prize for those who cleaned Webb Park He is also charged with sending texts to a city clerk which created a hostile work environment Council stated that the mayor didn’t advertise approved ordinances in the local newspaper even though he signed an ordinance that he would do so Christopher alleges that the financial problems were not of his making who he says kept assuring him that she was taking care of the problems He objected to the misuse of funds accusations stating tee shirts were purchased by grant money Christopher said he depended on his staff to be efficient and do their jobs and when Vivian Link served as his city clerk Christopher moved Alex Cummins into the city clerk position he said Cummins told him he was reading the results wrong and everything was fine Cummins and former Fire Chief Joshua Willoughby allegedly had an affair Cummins was able to approve a great deal of overtime for the fire chief who shouldn’t have been eligible for overtime Christopher said Cummins came to him about a three dollar raise for herself and the city was accruing overdraft fees which placed the city in bad shape financially Cummins claimed to have talked to councilmembers about the situation Christopher realized things were bad around the first of this year he put both Cummins and Willoughby on paid leave for two weeks before asking for their resignations He also stopped the overdrafts and authorized payments again Council has been upset with the mayor for many months due to this financial situation and they have felt that the mayor has not communicated with them Christopher said he has given them reports of 25 pages and more Christopher was defended by Attorney Jeff Otis with Attorney Greg Voss on hand for advice The accusations were boiled down into two charges in the form of a resolution The charges were brought by the council members and the jury was comprised of the council members The judge was there to make sure procedure was followed He was not there to pronounce judgement — this was the council’s show and assistant city clerk Lisa Clifton both bore witness to questions they were asked about the mayor they took over two hours to talk over the charges and Christopher’s side of the story with all six members checking the ‘yes’ box on both charges signifying that they thought Christopher was guilty as charged council members had to decide on someone to temporarily take the job of mayor that person would be permitted to take the job of mayor until the end of Christopher’s term Christopher can appeal the decision and could be reinstated should the decision be found in his favor Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" GLENVILLE — For the third straight year Williamstown reigns supreme in the Little Kanawha Conference At the conclusion of Saturday’s LKC Night of Champs at Glenville State’s Waco Center “Really excited about it,” said Williamstown head coach Scott Sauro “It’s one of our goals at the beginning of the year We’ve been blessed to be able to do that three years in a row with this great senior class that we have and the rest of these kids the Bulldogs pushed Williamstown for most of the game and was within two late in the third “We’re not out for moral victories,” said Doddridge head coach Paul Burnisde “We wanted to get the victory tonight I thought our guys played with great effort but my guys battled for four quarters and didn’t stop even though the score kind of got away there at the end and I’m proud of them for that.” Four Williamstown players scored in double figures Parker Schramm tallied 12 and Lynken Joy finished with 11 The Yellowjackets led 17-6 after a quarter but Doddridge made it a dogfight in the second outsourcing WHS 15-8 to cut the deficit to four “We could’ve folded when we were down 17-6 at the end of one,” Burnside said “Credit to my guys for battling back and making a game of it Even into the fourth quarter we cut it back to single digits there and had our chances Hats off to them for making the plays when it counted.” A pair of baskets by Josh Dehaven tied the game at 25-all early in the third and Jerod Trent’s jumper gave the Bulldogs their first lead since 2-0 tied it up with a basket before Bryant’s first of four 3-pointers gave the ‘Jackets the lead for good with Trent’s left-handed layup cutting it to 35-33 but Bryant answered back-to-back treys at the 1:05 mark to make it 41-33 Isaly added a stepback 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it an 11-point game going into the fourth Doddridge (18-3) got within nine three times over the final eight minutes but Williamstown withstood each rally attempt and led by as many as 20 down the stretch “I thought we kept our composure when it was tight,” said Sauro who got a team-high eight rebounds from Bryant “and I thought that was the biggest difference.” Jaden Solomon was a workhorse for the Bulldogs “He’s a big kid and a tough player,” Sauro praised He does a really good job of catching the ball high and keeping it high but I thought our senior experience really kind of shined through there in the second half.” Heston Hayes added 10 points while Trent chipped in eight Doddridge shot 40.3% (23 for 57) in the game but was just 1 for 10 from downtown Williamstown finished 22 for 49 (44.9%) from the floor and 9 for 23 from beyond the arc GLENVILLE — Isaac Hodges was unstoppable in his effort to lift Ritchie County past Braxton County 60-34 in Saturday’s LKC third place game at the Waco Center The Ritchie County standout scored 24 points en route to helping the Rebels improve to 13-6 Garrett Flesher netted nine and Jenner Keen chipped in eight for RCHS which missed all six of its 3-point attempts Ritchie held the Eagles to 27% (12 for 45) from the floor BCHS (13-6) got 15 points from Logan Baldwin Steven Boggs added six points and grabbed a team-best eight boards Ritchie led 11-10 after one and 21-18 at halftime but dominated the third quarter 18-6 to go up 39-24 headed into the fourth HUNTINGTON – Here Saturday night inside Marshall Health Network Arena the only area Mid-Ohio Valley Class AA/A wrestler to have his arm raised at the 78th annual state tournament was Williamstown High School freshman Dutch Sandy In and out of the lineup all season due to injury Sandy was able to cap what turned out to be an historic 34-1 campaign with the 120-pound title after he rolled to an 18-3 tech fall against Herbert Hoover junior Hunter Hughart which bumped up to double-A for head coach Tyler George managed to crack the top five in fourth with 122 points The ‘Jackets finished just ahead of fifth-place Ripley (115) as Point Pleasant (164.5) Herbert Hoover (142) and Oak Glen (125) led the way in the team standings Sandy registered a trio of takedowns in the opening period and never looked back “Dutch is an extremely talented individual who is backed by tons of hard work,” admitted WHS assistant coach Dalton George who had been the only freshman in school history to win a state crown “We are all very proud of him and trust me when I say this this is just the beginning of Dutch Sandy’s accomplishments.” Sandy’s title represented the 48th all-time in ‘Jacket history Williamstown hadn’t reached the top of the podium in more than a decade The last Yellowjacket to have his hand raised during the final match in Huntington was 195-pounder David Hastings back in 2014 which also happened to be the same year Dalton George won his third career crown and was honored with the Robert Dutton Award Sandy’s only defeat this season came to Ripley’s Kendrick Durst Mistakes get made,” Sandy admitted of his only hiccup this winter The freshman wasn’t able to compete at the Bob Zide Rumble among other tournaments I dislocated my shoulder twice within three weeks,” Sandy explained “You just got to recover and take care of your body When asked if he was nervous making his first state final he stressed “no I just went out there and did what I needed to do “I’ve always been injury prone but I started taking a lot better care of my body so I was healthy and ready to compete I mean just doing it for all my family and all my friends and coaches representing the school of Williamstown and putting us back on the map like we deserve to be Williamstown was aided to its top-five finish by a trio of consolation finals triumphs thanks to Aiden Meeks (113) ‘Jacket 215-pounder Thad Trent finished fourth Ripley head man Matt Smith’s squad had finalists with 157-pounder Ethan Kay and 190-pounder Cooper Durst who won the triple-A crown at 190 last winter was facing top-ranked Independence junior Jesse Adams who captured his third career crown via a 9-1 major decision allowed an edge of the mat takedown in the first and suffered a 10-4 setback in his only finals appearance to Cameron sophomore Eli Tedrow who was the 157-pound state runner-up in 2024 for Wheeling Central The Vikings were aided to their fifth-place team finish with the help of Carter Neal (3rd who was the first Little Kanawha Conference champion in school history for head coach Denny Hardman The Titan fell behind 3-0 to Greenbrier West sophomore Matthew Kesterson with 28 ticks left in the first and the scoreboard read 9-1 in favor of the Cav entering the third refused to quit and continued to fight as he closed the deficit all the way to the final score of 12-10 Goodrich was honored as the Class A Most Outstanding Wrestler Also trying for state titles on Saturday night in Class AA/A from the Mid-Ohio Valley were Braxton County 150-pound junior Paxton Smith as well as Roane County 215-pound senior Lane Watson who was the 190-pound state champ a year ago who faced defending 215-pound victor Isaac Martin of Wheeling Central was unable to muster any offense as head coach Rick Welker watched his Maroon Knight take the lead for good with a takedown at 0:39 of the first en route to securing a 5-2 victory who trailed 6-0 entering the third and recorded the only other point of the match via an escape with 65 seconds remaining which saw veteran boss Sterling Beane honored with the Class A Mike Stump Coaching Award finished runner-up to Cameron (126-72.5) as Greenbrier West (42) placed third with Tyler Consolidated and East Hardy tying for fifth with 38 points apiece Also finding their way to the podium for coach Beane were Luke Kelly (4th 175-pound finisher Wyatt Nichols while the Silver Knights were led by Branson Winfrey (4th Five other area wrestlers found their way to the podium in South Harrison’s Maddox Lewis (3rd Doddridge County’s Trey McDonough (5th Ritchie County’s Zayden Cordeiro (5th 120) along with Ravenswood teammates Linkin Andrick (6th Silver Knight junior Eliana Winfrey capped a 32-1 campaign by jumping ahead of Buckhannon-Upshur freshman Lylah Ketterman 6-1 before earning the mat slapper in 5:29 Tyler Consolidated also had a podium finish from Chloe Dutton (6th A half dozen other girls managed a top-six effort – Calhoun County’s Kyleigh Morris (5th Wirt County’s Anaston Carouthers (6th 145) as well as Ripley teammates Lanie Knopp (6th