Tag: Marshall County

W.Va. 911 Centers File Complaint Against Frontier Communications

The agency tasked with operating West Virginia’s 911 centers has filed a complaint against Frontier West Virginia Inc.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission was asked Wednesday to investigate a complaint against Frontier Communications that 10 emergency call centers were unable to field 911 calls for up to 10 hours during a three day period last month.

According to the complaint the WVE911 Council, the umbrella agency that operates 911 centers in the state, alleges that within the past 24 months, several Public-Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) within the state have experienced lengthy outages of 911 service.

The most recent outage was from Nov. 28 through Nov. 30 where Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Tyler, Doddridge, Ritchie, Harrison, Taylor and Mingo County residents were unable to call 911 for up to 10 hours.

Dean Meadows, executive director for the council, filed the complaint and said the telephone provider has inadequate backup to ensure telephone service to many centers when telephone lines are subject to vandalism or bad weather.

Meadows’ complaint asked the Commission to ensure that Frontier provides proper backup services so “no resident will ever lose the ability to call 911 for emergency assistance.”

“We’re really at our wit’s end about what ought to be done,” Meadows said in a press release.

W.Va. Transportation Department Hiring Trainees, Inspectors

The openings are for entry-level transportation engineering technician trainees and bridge inspectors, the department said in a news release.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation is taking applications for workers in Marshall County through Oct. 8.

The openings are for entry-level transportation engineering technician trainees and bridge inspectors, the department said in a news release.

Marshall County will host a hiring event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at Marshall County headquarters in Moundsville.

The engineering technician trainee program combines online training courses and field experience and offers academic credit while working full time.

Bridge safety inspectors visit and inspect the state’s bridges to plan maintenance, repairs and other work.

Applicants should apply online at the WVDOT Careers page. That will be followed by an email test, and applicants who pass the test should bring the email notification to the hiring event.

Application Period Open For W.Va. Judicial Vacancies

The West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is taking applications for two Family Court vacancies. The Second Family Court Circuit serves Marshall, Tyler and Wetzel counties. The Ninth Family Court Circuit serves Logan County.

The West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is taking applications for two Family Court vacancies.

The Second Family Court Circuit serves Marshall, Tyler and Wetzel counties. The Ninth Family Court Circuit serves Logan County.

The deadline for completed applications and letters of recommendation is July 13. They should be submitted by email to JVAC@wv.gov or by mail to the commission, c/o Office of the General Counsel to the Governor, Office of the Governor, State Capitol, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E, Charleston, WV 25305. More information is available by calling (304) 558-2000.

The application forms are available online for the Ninth Circuit and the Second Circuit.

Interviews will be held July 27 in Charleston.

Coal Miner Dies In Fall In West Virginia

A West Virginia coal miner died Friday in a fall in the state’s Northern Panhandle, Gov. Jim Justice said.

The death of 44-year-old Jeffrey A. Phillips is at least the third in the U.S. coal mining industry already this year. Other deaths have occurred this month in Indiana and Kentucky, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Phillips worked for contractor NextGen Industrial Services. The governor’s office said in a statement that Phillips fell while working above a beltline in the prep plant of an Ohio County Coal Co. mine in the Marshall County community of Benwood.

Benwood Police Chief Frank Longwell said the worker was not wearing a body harness and fell about 30 feet, The Wheeling Intelligencer and News-Register reported. The mine was down for maintenance and was not operating at the time.

The mine is operated by American Consolidated Natural Resources Holdings Inc. of St. Clairsville, Ohio. The company is the largest privately owned U.S. coal operator. It emerged from federal bankruptcy protection in 2020 and was formerly known as Murray Energy Holdings.

“Any time we lose one of our brave and important West Virginia coal miners, it’s a terrible thing,” said Justice in a news release. “Cathy and I are heartbroken for his loved ones and fellow miners. We ask that all West Virginians join us in keeping this man and his family in your prayers during this difficult time. We’d also ask you to remember and appreciate everyone who does this important work. We should never take for granted the strength and selflessness that it takes to go underground to keep the lights on for the people across our state and our nation.”

Four W.Va. Counties Receive Federal Dollars To Boost School Safety Measures

 

More than $800,000 has been awarded to four county school boards in West Virginia to help with school safety needs. 

Grant, Pocahontas, Upshur and Marshall County Boards of Education will see a portion of an $824,774 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

West Virginia U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito made the announcement in a joint press release this week.

The funding can be used for training opportunities for local law enforcement, such as preventing student violence, or for purchasing metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures at schools. 

The funding may also be used for enhanced technology to more quickly contact police during an emergency.

“Our students deserve to be safe, especially while they’re in their classrooms and on the playground,” Manchin said. “And as our students face the challenges of attending school during the COVID-19 pandemic, we should work to provide as much safety as possible.”

“It is great to see this funding from such a competitive program awarded to our law enforcement community and schools in West Virginia,” said Capito. “Ensuring the safety of our kids and the peace of mind for our parents is critical.”

Grant County will see $390,069 of the grant; Pocahontas County will see $167,915; Upshur County will see $146,230, and Marshall County will see $120,560.

June 5, 1853: St. Joseph Settlement Founded

The earliest record of the St. Joseph Settlement, a community of German Catholic immigrants, dates to June 5, 1853. The settlers originally came from the southern German states of Bavaria and Hesse—areas that opposed Frederick William IV’s absolute monarchy.

They emigrated to the United States and settled St. Joseph on the hills above the Ohio River on the Marshall-Wetzel county border.

The first school was built of hewn logs in 1854 and served as both a school and chapel until 1856, when the first church was built. The church and schoolhouse—along with a rectory, community building, and cemetery—are still the heart of the St. Joseph community.

St. Joseph reached its heyday during the Ohio River Valley oil and gas boom of the late 19th century. Small stores popped up throughout the area, and the settlement expanded to nearly 50 square miles.

Students at St. Joseph were taught both German and English well into the 20th century, and some German words and phrases are still in use. St. Joseph’s old church is still in use, and its schoolhouse is a public library and parish museum.

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