Jury selection got underway last week in Mingo County for the second trial of a man accused of killing West Virginia state trooper Sgt. Cory Maynard in June 2023.
Timothy Kennedy Jr., 32, of Matewan, appeared in court, where they began the process ahead of a new trial scheduled to begin May 4.
Kennedy faces charges of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, disarming a law enforcement officer, and two counts of attempted first-degree murder.
… It is pothole season in this region. There are many potholes in the area (some are more like moon craters) that are dangerous and can cause damage to rims and tires.
It seems as though highway departments have been slow to patch the potholes.
There are many places where the road needs to be completely milled and repaved. But I would not hold my breath.
Our taxpayer money should be used to fund these road repairs. We all need to complain to our local highway departments and elected officials.
It is an election year.
… Mingo County citizens driving by or looking into Pigeon Creek could see a very bright orange color in the waterway last Tuesday. People reported seeing the color in Ragland and Elk Creek near Delbarton.
Mingo County Emergency Management officials posted on social media that the discoloration comes after Norfolk Southern was working near a rail line. Pictures of the orange substance in the water appeared on Facebook and in television news reports.
“The material is primarily iron-related deposits likely mobilized by routine maintenance on railroad tracks, ditches and culverts, causing it to enter the stream,” said a West Virginia DEP spokesman the day after the discoloration of the creek.
Pigeon Creek eventually runs into the Tug River at Naugatuck.
This could be a concern for water departments downstream from the tributary in Mingo County.
… Tug Valley head basketball coach Garland “Rabbit” Thompson has been chosen as head coach of the South All-Stars for the annual North-South All-Star game, which is played in June in South Charleston.
Thompson has led the Panthers to three straight Class A state championships and five in his career with Tug Valley.
Rosters are being completed and will be released soon.
Look for Tug Valley All-State point guard Braydun Ferris to play for his high school coach one more time.
The annual all-star game is slated for Friday, June 19.
Meanwhile, TVHS softball coach Rocky Hall has been selected as one of the coaches for the South squad for the North-South All-Star game.
Look for his daughter, senior All-Stater Bailee Hall, to be a member of the South squad. Hall has some of the best offensive stats in the state.
… Where does the time go? The baseball and softball regular seasons are winding down in both West Virginia and Kentucky.
The postseason tournaments are right around the corner. I predict that at least one team from our area will make it to the state tourney.
… The NCAA has initiated the final steps to expand the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams.
The expansion has been discussed for well over a year.
Let us face it, this is all about more money for the NCAA. There will still be schools complaining that they should have made the field, no matter how many teams that play in March Madness.
The main reason for more at-large bids in power conferences is to get more mediocre teams into the tourney. This still will not help those mid-major college programs get into the tournament.
Until next time.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)