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WORKING TOGETHER - On Jan. 30, the Bayard Volunteer Fire Company responded with a crew of three to a mutual aid call in Preston County. The call came in at 1 p.m. and was for a working structure fi re. photo courtesy of bvfc facebook

Approximately 200 people are soon to be out of a job following an announcement last Thursday that Mettikki Coal will be permanently closing their Mountain View Mine in Tucker County. However, while the mine entrance is located in Tucker County, the closure will also greatly impact Grant County, where multiple coal reserves are located. The day following the announcement, Grant County Commissioner Tyson Rigglemen took to social media to address community questions about the closure. “I have been asked several times today how this closure will affect Grant County’s fi nances,” Riggleman said. “Our county assessor advised me this morning that the shutdown is expected to reduce Grant County revenues by as much as $400,000 in coal severance funds.

The local school, hospital and nursing home were temporarily locked down out of an abundance of caution after an armed robber pulled a pistol in a Petersburg business and then fl ed the scene. The incident occurred on Friday evening, when Grant County 911 received a call regarding an armed robbery in town, during which a suspect displayed a pistol, pointed it at the clerk, took cash and fl ed the scene on foot.

The fi ling period has now offi cially closed for the May 2026 primary elections. While this election will have multiple seats, including for a position on the Grant County Commission and the Grant County Board of Education, the most hotly contested positions appear to be on the county’s Republican Executive Committee. A county executive committee is a political organization that helps promote their party in the community and occasionally hosts events and debates aimed at helping voters learn more about partisan candidates.

In Grant County their role is often unique from other areas due to the overwhelmingly Republican voter base and very limited presence of Democratic candidates and voters.

On Sunday, January 11, TFC A.M. Kerns of the West Virginia State Police was dispatched to investigate a past domestic altercation at the Kinsinger residence, located off George Washington Highway in Mount Storm. Romney Communications advised the call originated with Grant County 911 and that the female victim was at Garrett County Medical Center in Oakland, Maryland, receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the incident.

By: Clay Fritz

The weather this past week would not stop the Viking SMASH. No matter the weather, we wrestle! That was the message to the community and teams this week. The mats were rolled out, the work was done, and it was time for the show in Petersburg. Teams making the trip this year included: Elkins, Keyser, Pendleton, East Hardy, Moorefield, Hedgesville, Philip Barbour, Frankfort, and Hampshire.