Kanawha County | featured news

By Carlee Lammers

Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A. will be investing $100 million into expanding its manufacturing and assembly operations in West Virginia.
In a news conference streamed online Wednesday evening, Hino Motors Manufacturing president Takashi Ono announced the company would be moving all operations from its current site in Williamstown to the former Coldwater Creek facility in Mineral Wells by 2019.

By Ryan Quinn

No Capital High rooms remain closed due to mold, carbon dioxide or air quality issues as of Wednesday, according to the Kanawha County public school system's communications director.
Briana Warner said Capital Principal Larry Bailey told her Wednesday that only the school's library and small auditorium, called the LGI, remain closed, but only due to planned facility improvements. She said the library will be painted and the small auditorium will have flooring replaced.
"Both are being improved to make surfaces more easy to clean," Warner said.

By Jake Jarvis

Industrial energy costs have steadily risen in recent years in West Virginia, a trend which potentially threatens the state's efforts to rebrand itself as a business-friendly state.

By Ken Ward Jr.

West Virginia American Water Co. has reached a deal with one of its insurance carriers, a move that provides the water company an additional $22 million to cover the payments it has agreed to make to Kanawha Valley residents, businesses and workers in a class-action settlement over the January 2014 water crisis, court records and corporate disclosures show.

West Virginia American Water has issued a boil-water advisory for customers on Pinnacle Drive from Box 11 to Box 50. Timberline Place, Pinnacle Woods Drive and Valley View Drive in Charleston. The advisory follows a water main break.
Customers in these areas are urged to boil their water for at least one full minute prior to use until further notice.

By Lacie Pierson

A Charleston man who allegedly broke into an airplane at Yeager Airport "just to see" how it felt isn't competent to stand trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Daylen Wayne Brightwell, 21, will be sent to William R. Sharpe Hospital in Weston for treatment, per the ruling of Kanawha Circuit Judge Tod Kaufman.
Kaufman's ruling said Brightwell was likely to regain competency with medical treatment, and the judge scheduled another hearing for Dec. 15.
Brightwell's attorney, John Danford, had asked for a competency evaluation for his client.

By Staff report

Flags around the state Capitol and in Preston and Tucker counties will fly at half-staff Thursday from dawn to dusk in remembrance of the late Delegate Tony Lewis.
Lewis, 59, died Sunday following a battle with lymphoma.
After serving for 26 years with the West Virginia National Guard and deploying for Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom, Lewis won a seat in the House of Delegates in 2016.
In a statement released after his death, House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, paid tribute to his colleague.

By Erin Beck

A Tennessee-based company has bought Highland Hospital and plans to increase drug treatment services.
Meridian Behavioral Health Systems, a Brentwood, Tennessee-based for-profit company, completed the purchase of Highland Hospital, Highland Health Center, and Process Strategies, on Wednesday morning.
Meridian officials said Wednesday they planned to increase services. They plan to open 20 new treatment beds. Highland CEO Cynthia Persily has also said they were considering expanding eating disorder treatment services.

By Ken Ward Jr.

West Virginia American Water Co. has reached a deal with one of its insurance carriers, a move that provides the water company an additional $22 million to cover the payments it has agreed to make to Kanawha Valley residents, businesses and workers in a class-action settlement over the January 2014 water crisis, court records and corporate disclosures show.

By Staff reports

Charleston police have located the vehicle of a woman who was found dead in the Kanawha River last week.