West Virginia Could Lose Millions in Internet Funding

West Virginia could lose more than $2.5 million in federal funding that it received to expand high-speed Internet service statewide.

The money is leftover from a $126.3 million stimulus grant awarded to the state in 2010. Any excess funds that aren't spent by Dec. 31 must be returned to the federal government.

The state wants to award the funding to Citynet for a broadband project. Citynet proposes establishing nine facilities to connect to the national Internet "backbone" in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration declined last month to approve the project. In a letter to the state, the agency cited several problems, including the state's failure to provide information about its plans to return unused routers to Cisco Systems.

Married Couple Arrested for Burglary

A married couple is behind bars after police say the wife burglarized an acquaintance’s home Saturday night.

According to court documents, Meghan Sheppard stole two flat screen televisions, a tablet and several smaller items from a home on the 600 block of Hampshire Drive in Saint Albans.

The criminal complaint states the victim told police Sheppard text her to ask if she was home. 

The victim told Sheppard she was not and when she returned home realized she had been burglarized.

Sheppard is charged with felony burglary. Her husband Robert Sheppard is charged with misdemeanor receiving and transferring stolen goods.

Court records claim Robert knew a television hidden in his closet was stolen. He’s also suspected of helping Meghan pawn some of the other stolen items.

Deputies say Meghan admitted to the crime claiming she used bodily force to break open the home and that she has a drug problem. 

Fake mine foreman to be sentenced

A Mercer County man could be sentenced to up to five years in prison Monday in U.S. District Court for falsifying mandatory mine safety reports while working at several West Virginia mining operations.

In July, Craig Belcher, 36, of Bluefield, plead guilty to providing a false statement, representation and certification in a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) document by acting as an underground mine foreman when he was not properly certified to be one.

Federal prosecutors said Belcher worked as a foreman at four mines between January 2009 and 2010.

Those mines were Spartan Mining Company’s Road Fork No. 51 mine located in Wyoming County, Frasure Creek’s Mine No. 15 located in Fayette County, Pay Car’s Mine No. 58 in McDowell County and Double Bonus’ Mine No. 65 in Wyoming County.

During that time, Belcher would sign reports indicating mine sections had been properly inspected.

In addition to prison time, Belcher could also be forced to pay a $250,000 fine.

Former Mingo magistrate to plead guilty to voter fraud

A former Mingo County magistrate is scheduled to be in U.S. District Court in Charleston Monday to plead guilty to a federal voter fraud charge.

Dallas Toler allegedly knowingly registered a convicted to vote last year.

Toler will be the fourth former Mingo County elected official to plead guilty to a federal charge as part of a larger investigation focused on corruption in Mingo County.

He resigned from his position in October around the time he was named in a federal information filing.

Former Mingo County Circuit Judge Michael Thornsbury and former Mingo County Commissioner David Baisden will be sentenced in January on separate charges.

Last month, former Mingo County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Sparks plead guilty to violating a man’s Constitutional rights and will be sentenced in February.  Sparks participated in a conspiracy, with Thornsbury and Baisden, to protect last Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum.

Toler’s plea hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.

Temporary 911 Outage for Some in Lincoln County, W.Va.

Dispatchers in Lincoln County, W.Va. say some customers of Armstrong Telephone Services are unable to dial 911 due to an unknown problem.

They say the problem is primarily affecting people with 778 and 855 exchanges in the southern portion of the county. If you need fire, police or EMS and you live in Lincoln County and can't get through, you are asked to call their business line number: (304) 778-7927.

Dispatchers say that Armstrong is aware of the problem and working to fix it, though there is no timetable on when it's expected to be repaired.

Conference USA Title Game between Rice and Marshall to be played in Texas

Marshall will travel to Rice in Houston, Texas on Saturday, Dec 7, 2013 to take on the Owls in the Conference USA title game, per a press released from the conference.

Rice, the West Division champions, are 9-3 and 7-1 in conference.

Report Finds More Of State's Veterans Homeless

Federal data puts the number of homeless people in West Virginia at 2,240, with veterans accounting for 329 of that total.

The data is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The overall number of homeless in the state is down from 2011 and 2012 levels, but the number of veterans without permanent housing in West Virginia is up over those two years.

Amanda Sisson is assistant director of the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness. She said veterans are more likely to be homeless than people who didn't serve in the armed forces

Sisson said there's no one reason that someone becomes homeless. Some people don't have a good support network, suffer from mental or medical issues or can't overcome addiction.

For veterans, that's amplified.