All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Assistant U.S. attorneys honored

Attorney Awards
Pictured left to right are: Adam Cohen, Director of OCEDFT; Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, award recipient; Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins, award recipient; U.S. Attorney Bill Powell, the Northern District of West Virginia.


MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – United States Attorney Bill Powell is proud to announce that three Assistant United States Attorneys in the Northern District of West Virginia are being recognized in Baltimore for their work to combat the opioid epidemic.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, along with former NDWV Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski, now with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Hampshire, were recognized at the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Awards for their exemplary work on cases involving opioid reduction in the Northern District of West Virginia.

“Our honored Assistant United States Attorneys and law enforcement agents are extraordinarily hard working and professional,” said Powell.  “They come to work every day with one mission: to protect the people of this district.  They do so with great enthusiasm, a just mind and without any concern for recognition. 

“But, when recognition comes we should embrace it for it reminds us how fortunate we are to have them helping to protect each of us.   I am proud to be associated with them, and congratulate them all on this well-deserved recognition.”

Along with Adkins, Omps-Botteicher, and Krasinski, several other Northern District of West Virginia law enforcement professionals will be recognized at the ceremony.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program was established in 1982 to coordinate a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers.

Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, money-laundering networks, and related criminal enterprises.

OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of federal law enforcement agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations.

The OCDETF program includes the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USCIS), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the Criminal and Tax Divisions of the U.S. Department of Justice, and numerous State and local agencies.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Engineers say building new Buckhannon water plant more cost-effective than continued upgrades

Engineers say Buckhannon’s 1960s water plant is past its prime. A feasibility study concluded that building a new facility near the current site will be cheaper in the long run than repeated retrofits.

Upshur County Sports Calendar

This week’s Upshur County sports schedule lists local high school and college football, soccer, volleyball, cross country, swimming and tennis events at Buckhannon-Upshur and West Virginia Wesleyan from Oct. 20–26.

Soccer Lady ‘Cats get blanked at home by Frostburg State, 2-0

West Virginia Wesleyan fell 2-0 at home to Frostburg State as Mary Greco and substitute Rayiah Davis scored, while Wesleyan pressed late but couldn’t convert against goalkeeper Kayla Doty.

Soccer ‘Cats suffer rough 5-0 road loss to Concord

ATHENS — The West Virginia Wesleyan men’s soccer team faced a tough test on the road Saturday afternoon, falling 5–0…

WVWC Tennis

Wesleyan women’s tennis knocks off East Stroudsburg, 6-1

West Virginia Wesleyan’s women’s tennis team beat East Stroudsburg 6-1, with singles wins from five players and doubles victories by Jansen van Vuuren/Pozzobon and Sakurai/Sundaraneedi.
WVWC Volleyball

Wesleyan volleyball stumbles in 3-0 loss to West Liberty

West Virginia Wesleyan fell in straight sets to West Liberty, 25–12, 25–16, 29–27, dropping to 13–6 (5–2 MEC) despite strong efforts from Bhrooke Axe and Emily Denison.
WVWC Football Feature Image

Football ‘Cats drop 35-11 decision to West Liberty

West Virginia Wesleyan fell 35–11 to West Liberty as Hunter Patterson rushed for 247 yards and three TDs while the Bobcats’ late rally, keyed by freshman Logan Landers, fell short.

WVWC Exemplary Teaching Award presented to Dr. Tamara Bailey

Dr. Tamara Denmark Bailey, an assistant professor of history known for high academic standards and leadership of the Wesleyan Abroad program, received West Virginia Wesleyan College’s 2025 Exemplary Teaching Award at Founders Day.

Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board Agenda: October 23, 2025

The City of Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board will meet October 23, 2025, and this article lists the meeting agenda.