CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A woman who worked in a county clerk's office in West Virginia has been charged with taking funds paid to the office for back taxes. Elizabeth Marie Sampson, 44, of Elkview, worked in the Kanawha County Clerk's Office, where she is accused of taking more than $21,000 and using it for herself, news outlets reported, citing court records. Sampson is charged with embezzlement, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. It...

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The number of teenagers living in Appalachia who identify as transgender, nonbinary or other diverse gender identities may be higher than previously thought, according to a survey conducted by West Virginia University researchers. More than 7% of young people who participated in the survey said they had a gender identity that didn't fully align with the sex they were assigned at birth, a research letter published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found. A 2017 study...

PETERSBURG, W.Va.,– The Laneville bridge over Red Creek on Forest Road 19 is closed until further notice. Safety concerns identified Tuesday during a routine inspection required an immediate closure of the bridge. The Forest Service is working to install a temporary bridge in place of the existing bridge. The timeline for removing the existing bridge and installing the temporary bridge is unknown but will be implemented as soon as possible. “We know this unexpected development is a hardship for local...

By Jennifer Britt The Parsons Advocate Interim City Administrator, Agnes Arnold, presented to the council a request of sponsorship from the Highland Trails Foundation on behalf of the Blackwater Canyon Half Marathon for the upcoming race on September 10. There are four levels of sponsorship ranging from $250 for Supporting Sponsor to $1500 for Title Sponsor. The council elected to do as they did last year with the $250 Supporting Sponsor level that includes one complimentary race entry, the city’s...

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. — Newly elected conservation district supervisors joined with more veteran supervisors at a three-day meeting of the West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts in Mineral Wells to conduct the business of the association and to learn more about being an effective leader and supervisor. In addition to learning more about their fiduciary responsibilities and current conservation topics in West Virginia, the supervisors elected new officers to the Association’s leadership team during the meeting, held July 18-20.  Association...

By: Deby Chapman The dictionary defines appreciation as the recognition, respect, and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something. Feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up and makes them feel better and shows the value of their generosity. Bob Gainer gave his time, talents, and generosity without the expectation of being recognized. Therefore, on July 30, Holly Meadows Golf Administration and its Members showed their appreciation and gratitude for all the improvements made at the golf course that were...