Ransom
Politics
Hannah regains county commission seat
In what was anticipated to be a closely contested race for the lone Mingo County Commission seat up for reelection, incumbent Diann Hannah of Delbarton emerged with a margin of 231 votes. The final results of the commission race are as follows:. • Diann Hannah (R), of Delbarton: 1,501 votes;
Bucci named interim mayor
Ward One City Council member Joseph Bucci was appointed interim mayor of Williamson during the latest Williamson City Council meeting held on May 9. Bucci's appointment came after Alma Smith, the newly appointed city clerk of Williamson, stepped into the role of defacto mayor following former mayor Charlie Hatfield's resignation amid a federal investigation.
Twin Branch debt absolved by state
State officials announced May 8 that they have absolved the county of a $1 million debt obligation on the Twin Branch Drag Strip property. Originally pledged to the county as a grant by former Gov. Bob Wise, but that was later changed to a loan by then-Gov. Joe Manchin, the loan was ultimately assumed by the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority and used to get the necessary infrastructure to the property.
Ambulance service owner convicted of tax crimes
The owner of an ambulance service that operates in Mingo County has been convicted in federal court of tax crimes. According to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia Will Thompson, after four days of trial on May 2, a jury in Beckley convicted Christopher Jason Smyth, 48, of Pineville, for for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated – Stat EMS — and for obstructing the IRS.
State superintendent appoints interim BOE member
The state superintendent of schools late last week appointed Kermit resident and former Mingo County delegate Steve Kominar to fill a board member vacancy on the Mingo County Board of Education. The appointment, which is effective immediately, comes after the MCBE failed to name a replacement within a required timeline...
Hatfield resigns, city clerk named mayor
Williamson Mayor Charles Hatfield formally resigned his position during a special meeting meeting of the Williamson City Council on May 3. His resignation, which became effective immediately, comes on the heels of a lengthy federal investigation into allegations that, while serving as CEO and managing partner for the former Williamson Memorial Hospital between May 2019 and October 2019, he "intentionally misapplied approximately $38,000" of the hospital's funds and "converted them without authority to his own use and the use of his company, Mid Mountain Properties," according to court documents filed April 29.
🚧 Road Maintenance Underway in Mingo, Logan, and Grant Counties
The time displayed is local to the original X account in Charleston, West Virginia. The West Virginia Department of Highways (WVDOH) road crews are actively engaged in a comprehensive road maintenance campaign aimed at milling and filling potholes across the state. Maintenance operations have been photographed on WV 80 within the regions of both Mingo and Logan counties. Concurrently, crews are also working on S. Mill Creek Rd. in Grant County. These maintenance activities are essential for ensuring safer driving conditions for motorists. To stay informed about the specific locations where the road crews are deployed today and how this might affect your travel plans, you can access further details by visiting the provided link: https://t.co/UKNIaT3Svp.
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