More than forty people are under arrest and are facing drug and violent crime charges. It was part of a multi-agency operation this week that started with executing five narcotics search warrants around the Huntington area. A second phase of the operation included a city-wide warrant sweep, which resulted in the following 37 arrests.
The state Department of Environmental Protection is investigating a blowout at the former T-and-T Mine Complex in Preston County that is dumping acidic water in the confluence of Muddy Creek and the Cheat River. The leak peaked at 62-hundred gallons per minute, and has slowed down to the 35-hundred gallons. The acidic water is ten times higher than normal concentrations. The Office of Special Reclamation is on site to implement a repair plan.
West Virginia is entering Phase 2-A of the COVID-19 vaccination plan. Anyone fifty-years-old or older is eligible for the vaccine, in addition to people who have high risk or chronic conditions and anyone with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The state has about 60,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine ready to go.
The federal government is nearing a settlement with seven families whose loved ones were killed at the Clarksburg VA. The nursing assistant who admitted to killing the patients is still waiting to be sentenced.
Federal investigators say the December explosion at the Optima facility in Belle happened in an industrial dryer unit. The plant was trying to remove water from chlorinated dry bleach. Dark spots were observed in the powder before the explosion in which one person died and another person was hurt.
Governor Justice is rolling out his plan to cut personal income tax. The plan would cut state income tax by sixty-percent starting next year, and a full phase out within three years. Sales tax would increase one-point-nine-percent, in addition to creating a luxury tax and implementing a sin tax on soda, alcohol, and cigarettes.
Lisa Johnston is the new acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern Distract of West Virginia. She replaces Mike Stuart who resigned last week. She will remain in the role until President Biden nominates a permanent replacement.
Fire destroyed a home on Center Street in the Pratt area. Firefighters had difficulty getting water because of problems with the city’s water source. No one was hurt. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A Preston County man is dead after falling into an industrial machine at a mulching facility near Hazelton. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.
Governor Justice will ask President Biden to declare the February ice storms a federal disaster. The February storms, and the recent heavy rain and flooding will have their own separate declarations because they happened too far apart.