Tag: Ohio County

Ohio County Ready to Establish Needle Exchange

The Wheeling-Ohio County Board of Health has voted unanimously to establish a county-operated needle exchange program.

Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department Director Howard Gamble tells local media that the program, conducted in partnership with Northwood Health System, could open as early as Friday, thanks to the Tuesday vote.

The new health regulation establishes a one-for-one exchange, in which a person could turn in one used needle and receive one sterile syringe at no cost from a health department employee. Northwood Health System’s Eoff Street facility will be used as the exchange site one day a week.

An increase in drug use in the community and in needles being discarded improperly prompted officials to consider a safe exchange program.

Cabell County launched the state’s first needle exchange program earlier this month.

Wheeling and Ohio County Water Conservation Order Lifted

Residents and businesses in Ohio County and Wheeling can resume normal water usage following the dissipation of algae in the Ohio River.Authorities on…

Residents and businesses in Ohio County and Wheeling can resume normal water usage following the dissipation of algae in the Ohio River.

Authorities on Sunday lifted a water conservation order issued last week.

The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register reports that the order was prompted by high levels of blue-green algae near the Wheeling water system’s river intakes. The city closed the intakes and used water from wells until the algae dissipated.

Water department superintendent David Nickerson tells the newspaper that no algae have been detected in river water coming through the intakes. But he says local officials will continue monitoring for the presence of algae in the water.

Residents are advised to use caution when swimming or engaging in other recreational activities in the river.

Mistrial Declared After 6 Jurors Don't Show up

An Ohio County judge declared a mistrial in an attempted murder case after six prospective jurors didn't show up for jury selection.Circuit Judge David…

An Ohio County judge declared a mistrial in an attempted murder case after six prospective jurors didn’t show up for jury selection.

Circuit Judge David Sims declared the mistrial on Tuesday because the jury pool didn’t have enough people to hear the case.

Sims said he will summons the six no-shows into court to explain their absences. They could be fined up to $1,000 each and ordered to pay the $40-per-day cost of prospective jurors who were sent home.

The judge said the no-shows’ names will be put back into the jury pool for future service.

A new trial date hasn’t been for 26-year-old Kevin Alexander O’Brien of Wheeling. O’Brien is accused of breaking his girlfriend’s neck.

Police: Man Says He Had Grown Marijuana for 40 Years

Police say an Ohio County man has admitted to having grown marijuana on his property for about 40 years.The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register…

Police say an Ohio County man has admitted to having grown marijuana on his property for about 40 years.

The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register reports that 66-year-old Ronald H. Tominack of Triadelphia was arrested Monday and charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

According to a criminal complaint, authorities say a state police airplane spotted what appeared to be marijuana plants growing on Tominack’s property while Tominack was sitting in a hot tub behind his residence.

After the plane landed, investigators say they found nine marijuana plants growing near the property.

Police say Tominack told them that he was well-versed in growing the plant and had been doing so for approximately 40 years.

It was not immediately clear if Tominack has hired an attorney.

Ohio County Judge Criticizes Prosecution Grand Jury Tactics

An Ohio County judge isn't happy with tactics used by the county prosecutor's office to obtain criminal indictments.Circuit Judge David Sims says the…

An Ohio County judge isn’t happy with tactics used by the county prosecutor’s office to obtain criminal indictments.

Circuit Judge David Sims says the office’s tactics are legal but they undermine the grand jury process.

The Intelligencer and Wheeling-News Register reports that Sims’ criticism came in a recent criminal case. A Wheeling police detective who wasn’t among the case’s initial investigators testified before the grand jury.

Sims denied a defense request to dismiss the case. But the newspaper says he added a note to the order saying the state could pull a random person off the street and have them read a police report to the grand jury.

Ohio County prosecutor Scott Smith says his office complies with the law.

Natural Gas Production Soars in W.Va.'s Northern Panhandle

  Natural gas production in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle has soared as drilling has increased in the Marcellus and Utica shales.

The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register reports that state data show natural gas production in Ohio County jumped from 84,000 cubic feet in 2011 to 22.6 billion cubic feet in 2013.

Wetzel County’s production jumped from 9.6 billion cubic feet in 2009 to 114.7 billion cubic feet in 2013.

Natural gas production in Brooke County rose from 1.4 million cubic feet in 2012 to 8 billion cubic feet in 2013. There was no natural gas production in the county from 2009 to 2011.

Statewide production increased from 265.3 billion cubic feet in 2009 to 742.4 billion cubic feet in 2013.

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