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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…
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Mingo County arrest report
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Three Kentucky women face computer fraud and conspiracy charges following an alleged theft case that began in Pike County and ended in Mingo County. Sherry Adams, of Phelps, was arrested Feb. 11 by Mingo County Sheriff’s Lt. R.G. Messer. Criminal complaints filed by the Mingo County Sheriff’s Department state…
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Kermit water tank replacement funded in $9.5 million AMLER grant announcement
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced $9.5 million Friday in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) grant funding for five water and sewer infrastructure projects in Mingo and McDowell counties, including $1.26 million to replace the Town of Kermit’s failing water storage tank. Kermit’s 110,000-gallon tank developed multiple perforations and was flagged…
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Mingo Sheriff to test job applicants ahead of expected retirements
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The Mingo County Sheriff’s Department will begin testing applicants next month as it prepares for several anticipated retirements and future openings, Sheriff Joe Smith announced. Physical ability exams will take place March 7 and March 11 at the Southern West Virginia Community College Armory Building, followed by…
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Mingo County arrest report week of Feb. 1
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The Mingo County Magistrate Court Clerk’s office released these criminal complaints from recent arrests in the county during the first week of February 2026. Brittney Wilkerson, 36, of Williamson, was charged with delivery of a controlled substance (selling heroin). The arrest was made at the 7-11 in downtown Williamson…
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Mingo grand jury returns 47 indictments; former teacher charged in child sex abuse case
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The Mingo County grand jury returned 47 indictments during its first session of 2026, including charges against a former Mingo Central High School teacher and coach accused of sexual contact with an underage student. The indictments span a wide range of alleged offenses, from drug trafficking and…
