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Man charged with attempted murder; three others arrested after shooting
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NORTH MATEWAN, W.Va. — Deputies arrested four men late Friday night in connection with an attempted murder investigation on Rutherford Hollow near Matewan. Bruce Blankenship, 42, of Nolan Street, Williamson, faces charges of attempted murder, wanton endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, drug conspiracy, child neglect creating a risk of
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Williamson salvage yard searched in telecom wire theft probe
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Authorities executed a search warrant Thursday at a Williamson salvage yard following what officials described as a months-long investigation into the theft of telecommunications wire across Mingo County. Deputies with the Mingo County Sheriff’s Department, working alongside the West Virginia State Police, searched Big Frank’s Salvage Yard on Feb.
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Man behind bars after parole check uncovers sex offender registry violations
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — A Mingo County man already on the state’s sex offender registry was taken into custody Feb. 19 after authorities said he violated both registry requirements and the terms of his supervised release. Jonathan Michael Aliff, 42, of West Fifth Avenue in Williamson, was arrested by West Virginia
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Delbarton man charged with malicious wounding in Mingo County shooting
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT DELBARTON, W.Va. — A 68-year-old Delbarton man faces felony charges following a shooting Sunday, Feb. 15, in Mingo County. According to the West Virginia State Police Williamson detachment, a trooper responded to Logan Regional Medical Center after receiving a report of a man being treated for a gunshot wound. Investigators allege that
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Mingo County PSD falters after Lenore water main rupture
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LENORE, W.Va. — Flooding, a ruptured water main and limited treatment capacity combined to disrupt water service across much of Mingo County this week, placing most customers under a boil water advisory and forcing emergency rerouting efforts to maintain supply. The trouble began around midnight Feb. 20 when rapidly rising
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Patriot EMS announces station closures and workforce reduction
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT Patriot Emergency Medical Services announced that it will consolidate operations, close multiple stations and reduce its workforce by approximately 50%, citing what the company described as mounting financial pressures tied to inadequate reimbursement rates and delayed insurance payments. The announcement comes amid growing concern across the region about ambulance availability, including in
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Mingo County officials react to Patriot EMS abrupt exit
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN BELO, W.Va. — Patriot EMS abruptly ended operations in Mingo County, removing its trucks and equipment without notice Feb. 6 and leaving county officials searching for answers in one of Appalachia’s most remote regions. When the Ohio-based Patriot EMS abandoned its station along Route 65 in Belo, county officials said
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Good news for coal industry
The coal industry received some fantastic news this past week. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced Feb. 11 that three West Virginia coal-fired power plants would be among six modernized to provide energy to military installations. Locally, the coal industry has long driven the economies of Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. The domino
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Several running for Mingo County BOE seats
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN The filing period for the 2026 Primary Election concluded Jan. 31, with several persons vying for seats on the Mingo County Board of Education. There will be four available non-partisan seats up for grabs. No more than two members shall be elected from the same magisterial district. Current member Deanna
