Latest from Dominion Post
Dominion Post
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Dominion Post
Against the current: DNR Swift Water Rescue units vital during weekend flooding
MORGANTOWN — As flooding surged across parts of West Virginia this past weekend, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources deployed one of its crucial and highly trained emergency tools, the Swift Water Rescue units. Sergeant Dennis Feazell, the DNR's statewide Swift Water Rescue coordinator, said DNR officers conducted 18 rescues on Saturday night in Ohio County, pulling residents from homes and vehicles as water blasted through the Valley Grove and Triadelphia areas. 'Some people were trapped in cars, others were stuck inside their homes,' Feazell said. 'Our local officers responded immediately and did what they had to do to get people out safely.' The rescues were just the start of it. By Monday and Tuesday, floodwaters began to recede, which prompted Feazell and five other highly trained Swift Water instructors to switch from rescue mode to vehicle recovery and damage assessment. They worked alongside local tow operators and cleared 24 flooded vehicles from the waterways — helping to prevent debris from causing additional hazardous conditions for future storms. 'The swift response is the result of years of planning', Feazell said. After the deadly 2016 Greenbrier County floods — which claimed 23 lives — the DNR began to develop a formal statewide swift water rescue program. About two years ago, the agency launched a structured program to ensure every field officer received the appropriate tools and training. Currently, more than 100 DNR officers are trained to respond in all 55 counties. 'What we learned in 2016 is that we needed a more organized, prepared response to flooding,' Feazell said. 'Now, every officer gets annual training, and we have a team of 10 instructors, with advanced training and equipment, who can mobilize quickly to assist in major events.' Feazell noted that roughly 50 percent of flood-related deaths involve vehicles, so the DNR's focus this year is shifting to improve training that involves rescues from submerged or trapped cars. Earlier this year, the department sent instructors to a facility in North Carolina where they trained in rescuing people from submerged vehicles in simulated flood currents. 'That training came into play immediately,' he said. 'We were out there clearing vehicles and checking for victims within hours of arriving.' In addition to rescue operations, DNR officers have also been walking stream banks to search for missing persons and using larger boats on the Ohio River to assist in victim recovery. Feazell emphasized that while DNR officers have always responded to floods, the training program has made a noteworthy difference in both safety and efficiency. 'Our guys have always stepped up in these situations,' he said. 'What this training gives them is a safer, more-effective way to do the job.' With additional rainfall forecasted for parts of the state, DNR teams remain prepared by staying up with the current damage. 'This has been a busy year already,' Feazell said. 'But we are ready — and we will keep showing up when people need us.'
Dominion Post
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Dominion Post
Fairmont State hosts housing fair for those displaced by Sunday's flooding
FAIRMONT – Bella, a demure border collie mix, is a proper lady. The polite pup always lets people know when she needs to go outside. That's why Teresa Snyder was surprised when she saw the water on the floor. 'Bella, that's not like you, girl,' Snyder remembered saying. Then she saw the actual source — water was coming in under her door. When she looked in the hallway, she saw it pouring down the walls, which she was trying to process, just as her ceiling began giving way at the same time. 'We had to get out of there,' said Snyder, who lived on the ground floor of Fairmont Village Apartments. 'The whole place was coming down all around us.' Water on the flat roof of the apartment was pooling so fast – it rained about three inches in 30 minutes – that the resulting pressure from the build-up caused a back wall to blow out. The sloped parking lot wasn't much better. Call it a fish bowl laced with white-water rapids, said Snyder's friend, Van Clark. 'I know it was at five feet,' Clark said. 'Yeah, and I don't swim,' Snyder added with a shiver. Clark made sure an agitated Bella was secure on her leash as he hoisted Snyder to a window. She suffered bruises and cuts to her feet that required a tetanus shot for good measure. 'Well, we were lucky and we know it was worse for a lot of other people,' she said. 'I feel bad for them. It's a tragedy.' Snyder was referring to Ohio County in the Northern Panhandle, which was hit harder than Fairmont and Marion County. The storm that raged Saturday night to the north unspooled in north-central West Virginia the next day. To date, eight people have died in the Ohio County floods. Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency for both counties earlier this week, saying disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on its way. Hopefully, the governor said. Which was why, in part, that Snyder, Clark and Bella, too, were waiting at the Fairmont State University Falcon Center student union on Thursday afternoon. The university was hosting a housing fair for displaced Fairmont Village residents. Representatives of the state Housing Development Fund and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development were there, along with the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness. Tygart Valley United Way had a table and a computer terminal, as did the American Red Cross and the Marion County Emergency Operations Center. The idea, said Brian Selmeski, Fairmont State's chief of staff, is to get people back under a permanent roof, while launching the paperwork so that can eventually happen. A Fairmont State social worker was also there to help those residents who were roiled emotionally by the deluge. In the hours after Sunday's storm, the university opened part of the Falcon Center for emergency lodging. That shelter will remain open for as long as needed, Selmeski said. 'We're here for our community,' the chief of staff said. 'This is what we're supposed to be doing.' As people were still queuing up, more heavy rain could be witnessed on the other side of the large glass windows of the complex Thursday. Rain lashed and trees were bent by the brief storm that blew through campus. 'Yeah, I hope that doesn't get too interesting,' one man said.
Dominion Post
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Former WVU hoops standout Deuce McBride authors children's book
MORGANTOWN — Move over Dr. Seuss, it's time to make room for Dr. Deuce. Former WVU standout and New York Knicks guard Deuce McBride is now an author. On Wednesday, McBride announced on social media the release of his children's book 'Deuce: The Champion of Friendship.' The book can be found on and sells in paperback for $17. The project is a part of McBride seeking to 'build my legacy off the court,' he said on a social media post. The news comes just days after McBride, 24, and his girlfriend, Ana Zortea, welcomed their first child, a girl named Ace. According to the description on Amazon, the 40-page book is, 'powerful themes of empathy, inclusion, and teamwork. Deuce reminds readers that real champions aren't just the ones who win games — they're the ones who lift others up. 'Based on the real-life values of NBA player Miles 'Deuce' McBride, this story is perfect for readers ages 7–11, young athletes, and any child who's ever felt like an outsider.' The message of the book revolves around characters Deuce and Lily, who play basketball at their local court every weekend. Everything changes when they meet Ravi, a shy new kid who's never felt like he belonged. With a basketball tournament approaching, Deuce must decide if he wants to play on the team with the best players or stand alongside Ravi on a different team. In two seasons at WVU, McBride played in 60 games and averaged 15.9 points per game as a sophomore. He opted to enter the 2021 NBA Draft after his sophomore season and was taken by the Knicks in the second round. He just completed his fourth season in New York, helping the Knicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals. He played in all six games against the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals, averaging 18.2 minutes of action and 5.5 points per game. McBride had his best season as a pro in 2024-25, averaging 9.5 points and 2.5 assists per game. He started 10 of the 64 games he played. McBride has one season remaining on his three-year deal signed in 2023 that pays him $13 million.
Dominion Post
a day ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
MHS baseball trio, Preston's McNew named first-team all-state
Weston Smith placed himself on the list of all-time greats at Hurricane High School, not verbally but with his effort. The senior right-handed pitcher/centerfielder starred for the Redskins and led them to a 28-7 record and the Class AAAA state championship this season. His dominance led to Smith being named captain of the all-state team in the large-school division. The squad was selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. Smith, who signed with West Virginia University, went 10-0 with a 1.17 earned run average and 88 strikeouts in 59 innings. Opponents batted .097. He also hit three home runs, drove in 35 runs, and batted .350. Smith hurled a complete game in a 6-1 victory over Morgantown in the state finals. 'He's done it on the field and in the classroom,' Hurricane coach Brian Sutphin said. 'He's gotten it done every year. It's been a lot of fun to watch him grow, not only as a player but as a person.' Smith was part of Hurricane's 2022 state champion. He said his maturity level has improved since then. That showed at the state tournament while he signed baseballs for kids outside the Redskins dugout after a 5-3 semifinal triumph over Hedgesville. One little boy was left holding a baseball, but someone had walked off with the pen Smith was using. Rather than disappoint the youngster, Smith asked assistant coach Eric Brookes if he had another pen. Brookes did. Smith signed the kid's baseball and sent him off smiling to show his friends the newly acquired treasure. 'One of the biggest things is honestly maturing as a player,' Smith said. 'There are some things that, as a freshman or sophomore, that I probably didn't take as much into account as I did this year. But I've used that to get better.' Fans hoped to see a pitching showdown featuring Smith and fellow first-team all-state utility player Garrett Wagoner of Spring Valley. It never happened, as Smith hurled Hurricane to a 9-3 victory in the first game of the Region IV championship series and Wagoner pitched the Timberwolves to a 5-0 triumph in game two. Wagoner, too, is a star pitcher/centerfielder. The West Virginia State signee hit six home runs, knocked in 40 runs, and batted .423. He is Spring Valley's all-time hit leader with more than 130. On the mound, he went 4-1 with an 0.71 ERA. The first-team pitching staff has George Washington's Slade Barton, who is headed to WVU, Jefferson's Jett Gross and Morgantown's Maddox Boggs. Barton went 8-0 with a 1.96 ERA, Gross 8-0 with a 1.30 ERA and Boggs 9-2 with a 1.35 ERA. The catchers are senior Corbin Dixon of George Washington and sophomore Bryson McNew of Preston. Dixon hit five homers and knocked in 28 while batting .438. McNew homered eight times and drove in 27 runs. Vinny Aloi of Morgantown, Brody Spencer of Spring Valley, Bryson Shirkey of Hurricane, Owen Grose of Oak Hill, and Jon Fala of George Washington comprise the infield. Aloi hit .309 with two homers and 31 RBIs. Spencer homered once, knocked in 30 runs and hit .408. Shirkey batted .389 with a pair of home runs and 43 RBIs. Grose batted .488 with two homers and 35 RBIs. Fala swatted four home runs, knocked in 30 runners, and hit .487. Patrolling the first-team outfield is Maddex Sims from Woodrow Wilson, Carter McLain from Parkersburg South (Sr.), Landon Nida from Cabell Midland and Mason Bowers from Morgantown. Sims batted .438 and knocked home 22 runs. McLain sported a .506 average with 10 RBIs and scored 42 runs from the top of the batting order. Nida, who signed with West Virginia State, hit .308 and was known for stellar defense. Bowers hit .386 with 32 runs scored and 12 RBIs. The second team, too, is talented in all phases. Pitchers are Mason McGill of Hedgesville, Bryce Eggleton of St. Albans, and Ty Nettles of George Washington. Catching them are Hurricane's Griffin Dempsey and Jefferson's Cole Smith, Jefferson. On the infield is Nate Simon of Wheeling Park, Tyler Baxter of Hurricane, WVU signee Weston Mazey of Morgantown, Brogan Samms of St. Albans, and Braedon Oviedo of Jefferson. In the outfield are Christian Youngblood from Capital, Brance McCune from University, J.P. Sweeney from Spring Mills, and Eli Smith from George Washington. The utility players, guys who displayed tremendous versatility, are Braxton Burke of South Charleston and Tyler Wilhite, a freshman from Woodrow Wilson. Burke captained the second unit after going 4-2 with a 4.11 ERA and hitting .400 with 19 RBIs. Wooden plaques in the shape of West Virginia that include the player's name, school, licensed WVSWA logo, year of the honoree are available to all-state first-team, second-team, and honorable mentions, and can be purchased from the Bear Wood Company through or — Story by Tim Stephens CLASS AAAA First Team P – Jett Gross, Jefferson (Jr.) P – Slade Barton, George Washington (Jr.) P – Maddox Boggs, Morgantown (Soph.) C – Corbin Dixon, George Washington (Sr.) C – Bryson McNew, Preston (Soph.) IF -Vinny Aloi, Morgantown (Sr.) IF – Brody Spencer, Spring Valley (Jr.) IF- Bryson Shirkey, Hurricane (Sr.) IF- Owen Grose, Oak Hill (Jr.) IF – Jon Fala, George Washington (Soph.) OF – Maddex Sims, Woodrow Wilson (Sr.) OF – Carter McLain, Parkersburg South (Sr.) OF – Landon Nida, Cabell Midland (Sr.) OF – Mason Bowers, Morgantown (Jr.) Util – Weston Smith, Hurricane (Sr.) (CAPT) Util – Garrett Wagoner, Spring Valley (Sr.) Second team P – Mason McGill, Hedgesville (Soph.) P – Bryce Eggleton, St. Albans (Sr.) P – Ty Nettles, George Washington (Jr.) C – Griffin Dempsey, Hurricane (Sr.) C – Cole Smith, Jefferson (Sr.) IF – Nate Simon, Wheeling Park (Sr.) IF – Tyler Baxter, Hurricane (Sr.) IF – Weston Mazey, Morgantown (Sr.) IF – Brogan Samms, St. Albans (Soph.) IF – Braedon Oviedo, Jefferson (Sr.) OF – Christian Youngblood, Capital (Sr.) OF – Brance McCune, University (Sr.) OF – J.P. Sweeney, Spring Mills (Jr.) OF – Eli Smith, George Washington (Jr.) Util – Braxton Burke, South Charleston (Jr.) (CAPT) Util – Tyler Wilhite, Woodrow Wilson (Fr.) HONORABLE MENTION: Christian Altar, Martinsburg; Grant Barclay, Capital; Teryn Boyles, Musselman; Jemere Brown, Martinsburg; Cooper Cancade, Parkersburg; Tommy Clegg, John Marshall; Gavin Comer, St. Albans; Ty Davis, Parkersburg South; Cole Ferguson, Spring Valley, Drew Gallaher, Woodrow Wilson; Serf Guerra, Jefferson; Luke Gordon, George Washington; Ethan Hatcher, Cabell Midland; Sam Hefner, Jefferson; Grant Henderson, Martinsburg; Dylan Holliday, Parkersburg South; Hayden Hughes, John Marshall; Landon Marple, Buckhannon-Upshur; Owen Maynard, Cabell Midland; Wil McGraw, Oak Hill; Tommy Montague, University; Landon Pence, Hedgesville; Tanner Thomas, Preston; Jaxson Updegraff, Wheeling Park; Parker Vannoy, Parkersburg South; Kolton Whitmire, Wheeling Park; Parker Woods, Parkersburg.
Dominion Post
a day ago
- Business
- Dominion Post
Waynesburg airport stop relocating to Walmart
WAYNESBURG — The Mountain Line Transit board approved a change to the Waynesburg stop, adding approximately six minutes to the route. The decision came after the announcement of plans to sell the airport property, where the longstanding Waynesburg stop will relocate to the nearby Walmart. This has prompted Mountain Line officials to find a new location for passengers. 'Most of the comments we received were positive,' Mountain Line CEO Marie Smith said. 'One rider mentioned the new location would be harder to walk to, but we are reaching out to make sure he will still be able to access the stop safely.' The nearby Sheetz, which is closer to the original stop, was initially considered before the business declined the request due to concerns of loitering. Walmart then agreed to host the stop and will be offering amenities such as a bench for waiting. 'I think having it at Walmart may actually be more convenient for people,' stated board member Stephanie Hunt. 'They can take care of their grocery shopping on the way home. It could be a win-win.' Officials estimated that the new stop will roughly be a quarter-mile away from the original location. While the walk will be uphill and lighting concerns exist, there were no other alternative locations to be considered without drastically changing travel times. Along with the relocation, Grey Line's schedule will be updated in reflection to the timing change. Most times will shift slightly earlier to accommodate the changes. These changes will have monitoring to ensure passengers are not left behind. Mountain Line plans to update their schedules at all affected stops. The website and social media will also share prior to the changes. Those concerned about the changes can attend the next board meeting scheduled for Aug. 20. 'This was a necessary adjustment, and we have tried to make it as smooth as possible for everyone,' Smith said. 'We will continue to be in touch with riders to make sure it is working as planned.'
