Local News

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The largest and most complex international live-fire cyber defense exercise in the world has wrapped up in the West University Coliseum. Locked Shields 24 involves 40 countries, 3,000 participants, 193 in West Virginia and is presented by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence.

Vice President for Economic Innovation at West Virginia University Jim Hoyer spoke on behalf of President Gordon Gee during the final press call of the event. Hoyer told the group of international participants this exercise is especially important to the WVU Land Grant Mission of solving problems and improving quality of life.

“Thanks to Cyber Com and JFHQ DODIN (Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Network),” Hoyer said. “You have given us the opportunity to be a part of serving the national mission, solving national problems and we greatly appreciate that opportunity.”

Chief of Staff for United States Cyber Command Joint Force Headquarters DODIN, Mr. Bill Walker said it is very rare to participate in an international live-fire exercise and the lessons learned are significant. In many cases lessons learned in Locked Shields are quickly moved into the operational realm following the event.

“Working with our allies and partners bolsters our ability to shape the operational cyber environment to more effectively and decisively conduct integrated deterrence, engage in active competition and to build an enduring advantage,” Walker said.

Toney Stroud, Marshall University Chief Legal Officer, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Relations said the 75,000 Cyber Security Center for Excellence is in the design phase right now. The building will have up to 13 labs, an academic space, and technology needed to facilitate and teach cyber security. Groundbreaking for the building is set for May 17 and will be attended by WVU President Gordon Gee, Marshall University President Brad Smith, Lt. Gen. Robert J. Skinner, Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Commander of the Joint Force Headquarters- Department of Defense Information Network and Brig. Gen. Heather Blackwell, Director of Cyberspace and Information Dominance, and Chief Information Officer, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

“There will also have a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility), so very excited about this,” Stroud said. “This is going to be a transformative building for the state of West Virginia and we’re really appreciate how Governor Justice and the State Legislature has leaned in and invested $45 million.”

Walker said once facilities in Morgantown at WVU, in Huntington at Marshall University they will have the same cyber security tools used by the federal government. Students entering the program will have access to the most sophisticated cyber defense tools, equipment, and input from federal professionals as they learn the skill.

“Students will also be able to use hands-on, real world technologies and facilities that look, smell, and act like the ones at the Department of Defense,” Walker said.

Walker said the decision was made to establish the Cyber Security Center for Excellence after a series of meetings with General Hoyer and West Virginia National Guard Adjutant General Bill Crane. Those meetings resulted in the introduction to WVU President Gordon Gee and Marshall University President Brad Smith who showed them the resources and tolls available to them and negotiations began.

“They opened the doors fully,” Walker said. ” They are willing to create curriculum for our workforce, they are willing to provide different venues to display that curriculum, and work with us on research and engineering projects.”

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – On Thursday, detectives from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department arrested Rick Allen Cordes, 49, of Morgantown for first-degree murder in connection with the shooting on Fallen Water Lane on Friday, April 19.

Detectives said the victim, Jennifer Hribar, 39, of Morgantown, died of an apparent gunshot wound to the back of the head.

The investigation determined that Cordes and Hribar went to two establishments in the Cheat Lake area on the night of the shooting. Surveillance footage at each location shows the two were involved in a verbal disagreement that got the attention of the staff at both locations. Staff members told detectives they had staff members monitor Cordes because they feared the verbal altercation could become physical.

Hribar was found at the scene with a gunshot wound to the back of the head, and detectives recovered a pistol they believed to have been used in the shooting. Cordes told detectives he had contact with the grip of the pistol, and the trigger could have been pulled by both he and Hribar.

Detectives noted that during initial conversations with MECCA 911 dispatchers, first responders, and detectives, the description of events Cordes provided changed several times.

Magistrate Nabors has arrested Cordes, and no bond has been set.

Detectives said the investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Monongalia Sheriff’s Department at 304-291-7260.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– State and local leaders broke ground for a $11 million KOA campground and officially opened the new turf fields and pickleball courts on Wednesday.

Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism Chelsea Ruby celebrated the day as a win for local residents and a win for the growing state tourism industry. Tourism in West Virginia generates $7 billion and supports at least 50 jobs.

“Today is an incredible accomplishment for this community, which has worked really hard not only to develop a community asset but also one that people from across the country are traveling to,” Ruby said.

General Manager of the Mylan Park KOA Campground, Frank Witt, said the campground will be on 35 acres of reclaimed mine land on the south side of the park. The park will consist of a lodge, 148 spaces for recreational vehicles, four cabins, and four tent spaces. Campers will have access to water, electricity, WiFi, and all activities offered at the park while they are in operation.

“The lodge is where people come to register, do group activities, and congregate,” Witt said. “We’ll have a cornhole, bocce ball, and a kids play area, so it’s a center of attention.”

The Mylan Park facility will join the KOA statewide network that includes the Flatwoods KOA Journey, Harppers Ferry/Civil War Battlefields KOA Holiday, and the Huntington/Fox Fire Holiday.

“If you look at the accommodation sector of the tourism economy, RV camping is one of the fastest-growing things,” Ruby said. “This is something where we don’t have enough capacity in West Virginia; we have more campers than we have spots.”

As the ground-breaking was being held, participants and spectators were arriving for the Black Diamond Cluster Dog Show. The parking lot in the center of the facility was filling up with RVs that would have likely been going to the Mylan Park KOA Campground rather than the middle of a parking lot.

The turf fields were funded through local efforts and a $3.5 million grant from the West Virginia Development Authority. This includes a returf of the multi-purpose field located at the lower portion of the baseball and softball complex and the addition of a grass soccer field, making seven field upgrades in total. Also, six outdoor pickleball courts were officially opened.

“People right now are in the parking lot, and they’re here for different events in December, January, and February, and now with the turf fields that will get more year-round play, you’ll see more of that focus,” Witt said.

Mylan Park started with 30 acres donated by Milan Puskar in 1999. 25 years later, the park is more than 1,000 acres, with a variety of facilities added over the years based on community needs.

“What it does for our county, our region, and our area for people of all ages and all sectors of life, as well as our economic growth in our community, is just fantastic,” Mark Nessleroad, one of the park’s founders and board members, said.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University Athletics has entered into a deal with the North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) that designate the facility as the “The Official Airport of WVU Athletics.” The agreement will last through 2027.

“We are pleased to welcome the North Central West Virginia Airport to our team as the Official Airport of WVU Athletics,” West Virginia University Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “The airport has a proven commitment to providing safe and reliable air travel, and with the future completion of its new terminal, the services provided will become even more important for our state. Our department looks forward to continuing the great relationship we have built with the staff there.”

CKB is served by two commercial air carriers- Allegiant Air and Contour Airlines and is a vital hub for business and personal travel.

“The North Central West Virginia Airport is pleased to embark on this partnership with West Virginia University Athletics,” expressed Airport Director Rick Rock. “WVU Athletics serves as a significant cultural and economic driver in our region. We are eager to contribute to the fan experience by ensuring seamless travel for Mountaineer enthusiasts from across the country. With our new CKB terminal opening this Fall, the timing is perfect to intertwine these two great entities together.”

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN) are holding Locked Shields 24 at the West Virginia University Coliseum.

Locked Shields 24 is considered the most complex live-fire cyber exercise and includes 40 nations and 3,000 people from around the world participating in real time.

In Morgantown, 190 cyber experts, including professionals from the Department of Defense and federal and state agencies, along with participants from WVU and Marshal University, reacted to a large-scale cyber incident. The realistic scenario provides an opportunity for participants to respond to the threat in a controlled training environment.

WVU and Marshal University are partners with JFHQ-DODIN and U.S. Cyber Command to establish the National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure in the Mountain State, which is set to break ground later this year in Huntington.

A companion operation is under development at WVU.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. During a special meeting on Tuesday, Morgantown City Council made decisions on the replacement of Jonathan Board as Region 4 Representative to the West Virginia First Foundation and added public safety to their list of federal grant requests.

The West Virginia First Foundation, tasked with distributing hundreds of millions in opioid settlement money, has an 11-member board. The Region 4 seat was vacated with the promotion of Jonathan Board from region director to executive director of the foundation.

Now, all 13 counties and 63 municipalities in the region will have the opportunity to nominate and vote for the next representative at a meeting on May 9 in the Monongalia County Commission Chambers.

Morgantown City Council voted to nominate Jon Dower and send Deputy Mayor Joe Abu Ghannam to the meeting to deliver it.

Dower is a Morgantown native and a WVU graduate with a master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling. He is also a certified alcohol and drug counselor, intervention professional, substance abuse professional, and clinical supervisor. He is currently the Executive Director for West Virginia Sober Living and the Director of Recovery Services for Ascension Recovery Services. He is also an adjunct professor at WVU in the College of Applied Human Sciences.

“This is likely my legacy,” Dower said. “I grew up in Morgantown, had substance abuse disorder in Morgantown, and turned my life around in Morgantown,” Dower said. “I’ve done a lot of work in our region of the state and statewide.”

The last selection process that produced the board consisted of six nominees from 28 of the 76 municipal organizations. Dower finished second to the Board in that process.

If elected to represent Region 4, Dower said input from elected leaders, law enforcement, education leaders, and especially parents will be important.

“Every place in West Virginia is unique and different,” Dower said. “What might work in Morgantown may not work in Elkins or some other place that has different needs when it comes to resources.”

Councilors also agreed to start the grant-writing process for more police cruisers this year. The plans are to pursue a Congressionally Directed Spending Grant through the office of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R, for $1.5 million to purchase 20 cars for the police department.

After being asked by Fifth Ward Councilor Danielle Trumble about supply chain issues, City Manager Kim Haws provided his best forecast after moving from a lease agreement to one with national affiliates that have contacts that can fill the order.

“This would not be through the lease/purchase program, so you all know what the supply and demand for new vehicles are; it’s kind of a crap shoot at this point,” Haws said.

The city had previously authorized the grant process for $45.5 million. That list includes $30 million for the Morgantown Municipal Airport Runway Extension, $4 million for the new Morgantown Fire Department Station 1, $4 million for a pedestrian bridge connecting White Park and the riverfront, and other requests for streetscapes, trail projects, and two emergency generators.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University Police Department has issued a Community Notice following the sighting of a black bear at the Core Arboretum Tuesday afternoon. Officers immediately responded and searched the area but could not find the bear.

Police ask anyone who sees the bear to call 911.

Experts from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources have said black bears are rarely aggressive and attacks are very rare.

If you see a bear before it notices you: stand still and don’t approach. Then move away quietly in the opposite direction. If you encounter a bear that’s aware of you: don’t risk triggering the bear by running, back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave. Always keep dogs on a leash, letting a dog chase a bear can lead to a dangerous confrontation. For cyclists and joggers, avoid using ear buds and remember you can easily surprise bears, be aware of your surroundings and make noise periodically.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Morgantown High School Team 1 won the Academic Showdown championship Tuesday and Bluefield High School was the runner-up at the West Virginia Culture Center.

Students received questions in the areas of math, science, history, fine arts, general knowledge, pop culture and more through intense, fast-paced rounds of questions. Teams consisted of students in grades 9-12.

“Celebrating the Showdown like we celebrate sports brings more awareness to academics and encourages other students to join academic events,” said Morgantown High School Team 1 Captain Sawyer Rudy.

“Of course, with the competition being very new, we were very excited to be able to compete and hopefully do well. It’s a great opportunity for us to meet new people, have fun answer trivia and potentially win some prizes or get recognized for our academic ability,” said Bluefield High School Team Captain Nathan Yost.

Microsoft® provided prize money for the top three teams, the tournament most valuable player (MVP) and the all-tournament team (comprised of the five best-performing players). The WVDE also provided grants to each participating school to support their Showdown program.

The awards were:
Morgantown High School Team 1, Monongalia County: each team member received $2,000.
Bluefield High School, Mercer County: each team member received $1,000.
Wheeling Park High School, Ohio County: each team member received $750.
Team Alternates are awarded half of the amount according to their team’s final standing.
Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP): $1,000. (Sawyer Rudy)
All-Tournament Team: each team member received $325.

All-tournament team members were:
Simeon Schray, Huntington High School
Steven Tian, Morgantown High School Team 2
Preston Hetrick, Morgantown High School Team 1
Nathan Yost and Quinn Brown, Bluefield High School

“The Academic Showdown has been a game changer over the past three years,” said State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. “The excitement continues to grow along with the participation among our schools. Some of the scholars have participated every year because this program challenges them with rigorous competition. It has been a thrill to watch.”

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Morgantown native and veteran attorney Natalie Sal is one of three candidates for Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge in Division 1.

Natalie Sal is a Morgantown native and WVU College of Law graduate. Her law firm, Sal, Sellaro, and Culpepper Legal, won the West Virginia Legal Aid 2021 Pro Bono Law Firm Award. She lives in Morgantown with her husband and two children.

On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” she said her experience includes service on the West Virginia Court Improvement Program Oversight Board, which is focused on child welfare law, and as Monongalia County Bar President. In many cases, she has served as a guardian, protecting the rights of children in child welfare cases. Currently, she serves as a Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney for the Federal Northern District of West Virginia and has 26 years of experience handling federal felony cases.

“My practice has been very heavy in cases that help families and children in crisis,” Sal said. “Those are the cases that circuit courts have heavily on their docket; those are the cases I’ve been doing for 29 years.”

If elected, she pledges to understand not just the details of the case but also details about the victims and the person accused to make sure all the important facts in the case are considered before a decision is rendered.

“They’re going to have an absolutely fair forum,” Sal said. “They’re going to have a forum that is fair no matter what walk of life they’re from, no matter what their circumstances are—they can expect me to listen to their stories.”

Sal wants to make sure families, children, or anyone in crisis has access to some of the resources available locally. Before advocating for new spending on programs, she wants to completely exhaust available agencies and professionals.

“One of the things I would like to do is try and continue to make resources available to families in crisis and child welfare situations,” Sal said.

“We need to have enough people available and enough programs available so families can maintain connections as they work through the healing process,” Sal said.

Understanding cases and their impact on victims is as vital as knowing details about the people in her courtroom. Taking the time to understand the people behind the circumstances can result in justice for the community and the best possible outcome for the defendant.

“They have different levels of motivation and acceptance of treatment, so it’s hard to say where you strike a balance with any given person,” Sal said. “You get to know who that person is, and there are ways within the court system to make that happen.”

HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va. — A Harrison County man is facing charges after an investigation into a domestic incident.

West Virginia State Police responded to the home on Monday with a report that David Buckhannon, 51, was trying to kill the victim and had hit her so hard that one of her teeth had been dislodged.

When troopers arrived, they observed Buckhannon standing near a rifle while speaking to the victim, who told them this was not the first time this had happened.

The victim told troopers Buckhannon hit her with an upper cut in the bathroom, causing damage to her teeth.

Trooper said the visible injuries on the victim were consistent with her description of events.

The victim told troopers that during the argument, Buckhannon got a rifle and loaded it.

While troopers interviewed the victim, Buckhannon made several statements and accused her of being intoxicated. Reports indicate the victim showed no signs of impairment.

Buckhannon also told troopers that an arrest would only make the situation with the victim worse.

Buckhannon has a previous conviction for domestic assault in Harrison County, making him ineligible to own a firearm.

David Buckhannon has been charged with malicious wounding and the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Buckhannon is being held in the North Central Regional Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.