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A representative of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department appeared before the Grant County Commission last week to request funding for the purchase of a drone that would be used in law enforcement work. “We believe this drone would really assist us in our law enforcement work throughout the county as well as assist other law enforcement agencies in the area,” said GCSD captain Kirk Thorne. Thorne explained that the drone they were requesting funding for features a speaker, infrared camera, a spotlight, and a 500 times zoom feature.

Lou Pelliccioni Jr. visited Union Educational Complex last week to give a presentation on success and how to be a productive citizen to the students in grades 7-12. Pelliccioni is a former WVU athlete, successful businessman, longtime coach and author.

Lou Pelliccioni Jr., a former West Virginia University athlete, successful real estate developer, business owner and longtime coach visited Union Educational Complex last week to speak to students in Grades 7-12. During his visit, Pelliccioni used three sessions to speak to each group about the importance of reading, setting goals and being focused each and every day among a few topics.

The Grant County Commission received a letter last week from the governor’s office confirming that the county would be receiving a $25,000 grant from the Local Economic Development Assistance Grant to resurface the tennis and basketball courts at the Petersburg City Park. Commission president Kevin Hagerty explained that the grant came from a special request submitted by Delegate John Paul Hott II. “It was very nice to come in and receive this,” Hagerty said.

The Grant County School System has announced the official approval and launch of a Unified Sports program across its middle and high schools, marking a significant step toward fostering teamwork, respect, and collaboration among students of all abilities. Unified Sports, a Special Olympics initiative, brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same team. The program is designed to promote social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences, helping to break down stereotypes and build lasting friendships.

By: David Rogers

The Petersburg Vikings football team traveled to Parsons Friday night for a matchup with the Tucker County Mountain Lions. Petersburg entered the contest looking to get back in the win column after dropping three straight games to Doddridge County, Philip Barbour, and Frankfort. The three opponents have a combined record of 25-2 and are each ranked inside the top six of the latest WVSSAC Class AA rankings.

The game was scoreless at the half. Petersburg scored 23 second-half points to claim a 23-0 victory. The shutout marked the Vikings first since a 39-0 win over Buffalo on September 3, 2023. Payton Metheny would put the Vikings up 3-0 with a 32-yard field goal at the 7:43 mark of the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, the Mountain Lions fumbled and Petersburg recovered. Moments later, Alex Halterman hauled in a Metheny pass for a 12- yard touchdown. The extra point was good, extending the Vikings’ lead to 10-0 with 7:03 remaining in the quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter Metheny found an open Lukas Wolford for 70-yard touchdown. The PAT failed, but Petersburg extended their lead to 16-0 with 11:50 to play. Wolford later capped the scoring with a 30-yard touchdown run with 3:06 remaining. Metheny’s kick made it 23-0 and sealed the win. Metheny completed 9 of 17 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Kaleb Kuhn also connected on a 25-yard pass.

On the ground, Wolford paced the Vikings with 85 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown, while Evan Tawney added six rushes for 12 yards. Wolford doubled as the team’s top receiver, hauling in two catches for 81 yards and a score. Kuhn caught four passes for 42 yards, M e t h e n y added one r e c e p t i o n for 25 yards, Colson Bobo contributed one grab for 15 yards, and Halterman fi nished with one catch for 12 yards and a touchdown. Wolford led the way on defense with 12 tackles, including one for loss, and recovered a fumble. Garrett Dolly posted four tackles, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. Kuhn capped off his night with an interception.

With the win Petersburg improves to 6-3, Tucker County falls to 5-4. The win over the Mountain Lions was the fi rst since 2021. The Vikings have put themselves in position for a postseason appearance, which would be their third in the last four years. Petersburg hosts East Hardy this Friday on Senior Night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Viking Memorial Field.

Petersburg High School senior Madelyn Johnson has been spending her senior year behind the lens, capturing the emotion and grit that defi ne Viking athletics as the school’s student media specialist. Her dedication and talent have earned her a spot at West Virginia University, where she’s been accepted into the Sports and Adventure Media program — a perfect next step for the young photographer who’s made an art out of freezing split-second moments in time.

“Growing up around sports, I always wanted photos of myself to share with family, post online, and honestly, show off a little,” Madelyn said. “After receiving a camera for Christmas, I realized I could do that for others, too. Once I started photographing sports, I instantly fell in love with capturing the action and emotion that make every game so powerful.” Madelyn’s journey as a student photographer began with initiative. “I actually reached out myself,” she said. “I emailed the school asking for the opportunity to photograph for Petersburg High and to travel with the teams as the official student photographer.