Tag: Wetzel County

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Hundred Closing Friday

The last Disaster Recovery Center serving communities in northern West Virginia after devastating flash floods this summer will close this week.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Recovery Center in Wetzel County will close at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening, September 29.

The center, located at Hundred High School, opened after flooding in July devastated several communities in northern West Virginia.

Although the center is closing, flood victims can still register with FEMA by phone or online until October 17th.

Just over 800 people have registered for aid so far, and nearly $2.5 million has been granted to individuals throughout the region.

More information:

Survivors can register by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service can call the same helpline. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, should call 800-462-7585. Survivors with general questions or questions about their applications are encouraged to call the helpline or visit: www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

The number for the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center is 800-659-2955. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339. For disaster program information visit SBA.gov/disaster.

Address and hours of operations until closing:

Wetzel County

Hundred High School Library

Hundred High School, 3490 Hornet Highway, Hundred, WV 26575

Monday through Friday (the last day) 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Justice Asks Trump to Declare Federal Disaster in W.Va.

Gov. Jim Justice is seeking a federal disaster declaration for a dozen counties in northern West Virginia hit by flooding in late July.

Justice sent a letter to the White House on August 10 requesting the disaster declaration, according to a news release from the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety.

Justice outlined a preliminary flood-damage assessment in the letter. 161 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage in four of the twelve counties. Another 557 homes received minor damage.

Justice is requesting both individual and public assistance for Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Ohio, and Wetzel Counties, and public assistance for Doddridge, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker and Tyler Counties.

The letter specifically asks for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Household Program, crisis counseling, disaster legal services and unemployment assistance, and programs from other agencies like the Small Business Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.

The late-July storm also closed or damaged more than 20 roads in the northern part of the state after at least 3 inches of rain triggered flash floods and mudslides.

West Virginia’s federal congressional delegation also wrote a letter to the president in support of Justice’s request.

July Flooding Brings $10 Million in Damages

Last weekend’s flash flooding in northern and north-central West Virginia has caused over $10 million dollars in damages.

Eleven counties are facing damage costs totaling $10,604,778, according to the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

Doddridge County has the lowest damage cost at $60,000, while Marshall County has the highest at $3 million.

Additional counties impacted by flooding were Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, Ohio, Wetzel, Randolph, and Tucker counties.

The Division of Highways says personnel have been sent out to continually review the roads and damage costs could rise.

Rain began late Friday, July 28 resulting in high, rushing water. Eight counties were declared a state of emergency by Governor Jim Justice. Members of the National Guard were sent to aid affected communities.

West Virginia State Police Closing 3 Detachments at Year End

West Virginia State Police detachments in three locations are closing at the end of the year. The agency said Tuesday Grantsville, Elizabeth and Hundred will close.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the Grantsville detachment in Calhoun County will be covered by the Clay and Glenville detachments. The Elizabeth detachment in Wirt County will be covered by the Parkersburg detachment. The Hundred detachment in Wetzel County will be covered by the Paden City detachment.

Superintendent Col. Jay Smithers said it’s not economically feasible to keep a detachment in each community. But he said the state police will continue providing professional law enforcement.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin last week ordered state agencies to cut spending by 2 percent in order to save $59.8 million and help make up for the general revenue fund falling behind by $87 million as of July.

Wetzel County Landfill Sues Waste Authority Head

The operating company of a landfill in Wetzel County is suing a member of the county’s solid waste authority for slowing its ability to accept horizontal drilling waste. 

Bill Hughes, chairman of the Wetzel County Solid Waste Authority, is being sued by the company that operates the Wetzel County landfill because of a petition filed with the Public Service Commission. The petition is interrupting the landfill’s application to dedicate portions of the landfill to Marcellus Shale drilling waste.

The complaint says Hughes acted on behalf of the authority without the express permission of the authority. It accuses Hughes of acting on his own to advance his own political agenda, as Hughes is an outspoken opponent of gas drilling practices. Hughes’ attourney said in a public meeting last night that they intend to file a motion to dismiss the case.

Lackawanna Transport Company is the legal owner of the Wetzel County Landfill, which is near New Martinsville. The company offers no comment on the pending federal suit. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on February 22nd. 

Wetzel County Car Dealer Pleads Guilty to Financial Fraud

A New Martinsville car dealer faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to federal financial fraud charges.

Clarence Joseph Jackson pleaded guilty on Friday to structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements. The 48-year-old New Martinsville resident owned and operated Jackson’s Used Cars LLC.

U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II said Monday in a news release that Jackson attempted to circumvent federal banking laws by dividing a large amount of cash into multiple deposits, which he made into a business account at Union Bank.

Federal law requires banks to report all cash transactions higher than $10,000. Banks must treat multiple transactions made by or on behalf of the same person as a single transaction if the total exceeds $10,000 during any business day.

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