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

Office of Minority Affairs takes listening tour to Barbour, Preston, Taylor and Tucker counties

HHOMA Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs (HHOMA) continues its statewide listening tour in October with stops in Barbour, Preston, Taylor, and Tucker counties.

The tour was launched in August to hear what communities need and how the state’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) allocation can help. HHOMA will continue to conduct the tour through December 2022.

Congress passed the ARPA to stimulate the nation’s recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. West Virginia has been allocated $1.6 billion of ARPA funding.

“We all have a story of how the COVID pandemic has affected us. We have ideas on how we can recover together as a state. This listening tour is your chance to be heard,” said Jill Upson, executive director of HHOMA. “We want to identify what are the communities’ needs and where investments should be allocated. Governor Jim Justice has called for transparency, sustainability, and sound fiscal management that strengthens equity and includes unserved and underserved populations in our state.”

The scheduled stops are:

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 6:30 p.m. – Preston County
Craig Civic Center
313 Tunnelton St, Kingwood, WV 26537

Thursday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. – Taylor County
Church of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church
3025 Lucas Dairy Rd, Grafton, WV 26354

Monday, Oct. 18, 6:30 p.m. – Tucker County
Parsons Community Center
96 Parkwood Ln, Parsons, WV 26287

Wednesday, Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m. – Barbour County
Lil’ Moe’s Taj Moe Hal
31 N. Main St, Philippi, WV 26416

At each stop, the HHOMA team will meet with local community leaders, followed by public forums where all community members will be invited to receive information and share their ideas.

Topics of discussion will include the following:
• Pandemic-related challenges
• Targeting greatest needs
• Making an impact
• Sustainability
• Pooling resources

Upcoming event dates and locations will be announced throughout the listening tour and can be found online at minorityaffairs.wv.gov/ARPAtour. Details will also be shared on HHOMA’s social media pages.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Basketball ‘Cats have no answers for UC’s offense in 100-58 setback

Charleston rolled to a 100–58 Mountain East Conference win over West Virginia Wesleyan, led by Matthew Shelton’s 20 points and strong depth as the Bobcats fell to 0–14.

Wesleyan women drop game at the buzzer to Charleston, 53-51

West Virginia Wesleyan fell 53-51 to Charleston after a final-second layup, despite Sydney Baird’s 14 points and Kilah Dandridge’s 12 points and five assists in a tightly contested Mountain East Conference game.

Tucker and Pingley record double-doubles as B-U secures first win of the year with a 58-43 victory over Robert C. Byrd

Madelyn Tucker and Emma Pingley each posted double-doubles as Buckhannon-Upshur earned its first win, defeating Robert C. Byrd 58-43 behind Tucker’s 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Election Update: The latest local candidate filings as of January 14

Candidate filings are underway for the May 12, 2026, Primary Election, with early entries for county commission, school board and city recorder. The filing deadline is Jan. 31, 2026.

Winter weather advisory issued for Upshur County as snow moves in

A winter weather advisory is in effect for Upshur County from 4 p.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. Thursday as a fast-moving system could bring 2–4 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 35 mph.

Mountain CAP to host free tax assistance, financial services event January 30

The Mountain CAP Family Support Center and the North Central EITC Coalition/VITA will host a free Earned Income Tax Credit event on Jan. 30 from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at 30 E. Main St. in Buckhannon. Tap the story for details.

St. Joseph’s Hospital launches Senior Life Solutions program to help older adults manage anxiety and depression

St. Joseph’s Hospital is bringing the Senior Life Solutions program to Buckhannon to support seniors facing depression, anxiety and major life changes. The program offers group sessions, individual and family therapy, and medication management—no referral required.

Charles James Poundstone Jr.

Charles James Poundstone Jr., 68, of Buckhannon, WV, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, storyteller and outdoorsman, passed away January 12, 2026, and will be remembered for his warmth, generosity and love of family.

Wesleyan swim teams fall to Davis & Elkins

Davis & Elkins swept West Virginia Wesleyan, winning the women’s meet 125–26 and the men’s meet 112–35 despite season-best performances from Wesleyan swimmers including Bre Waldron and Aaron Dworsky.