A Bancroft man shot and killed his roommate in October after they argued over bills, police said.

Jacob Smailes allegedly shot Troy Cobb at their trailer at the Old Ferry Street Park off First Avenue in Bancroft. Smailes was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury on first-degree murder charges.

Smailes was one of 49 people indicted by a Putnam County grand jury on Wednesday.

In total, the grand jury indicted people for 96 felonies and 13 misdemeanors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. It just means a grand jury believes there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.

The following people are scheduled to appear before Putnam County Circuit Judge Phillip Stowers at 9 a.m. on July 23:

Shantell Armstrong, of Hurricane, drug charges; Bradley Atkins, of Culloden, malicious assault; Lonnie Bailes, of Buffalo, drug charges and conspiracy; Samantha Bailes, of Buffalo, drug charges and conspiracy; Neil Bauman, of Hurricane, daytime burglary and grand larceny; Charles Bias, of West Hamlin, third offense driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license for DUI, third-offense driving a motor vehicle without proper equipment; Oliver Boston, of Eleanor, breaking and entering and petit larceny; Christopher Bradley, of Hurricane, grand larceny; Cayden Briscoe, of Nitro, first-degree robbery, nighttime burglary, wanton endangerment, conspiracy, drug charges and carrying a deadly weapon without a license; Chirstopher Campbell, currently incarcerated, first-degree robbery and conspiracy; Keisha Canterbury, of Scott Depot, drug charges; Anthony Carson, of Cynthiana, Kentucky, first-degree robbery and conspiracy; Bobby Cowan, of Winfield, breaking and entering, destruction of property and grand larceny; Jesse Doyle, of Akron, Ohio, fleeing in a vehicle from a law-enforcement officer in reckless indifference to the safety of others; James Dunn, of Poca, entering without breaking and conspiracy; Jessica Fields, of St. Albans, child neglect resulting in death; Samuel Glenn, of St. Albans, third-degree arson and destruction of property; David Goff, of Hurricane, drug charges; Michael Hartwell, of Poca, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI; Nicole Hood, of Hurricane, fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device and petit larceny; Michael Irwin, of Poca, entering without breaking and conspiracy; Gary Jackson, of Scott Depot, drug charges within a thousand feet of a school; Bridgette Jividen, of Scott Depot, daytime burglary; Rodney Kelley, of Hurricane, drug charges; Dorrian Kelly, of Detroit, Michigan, drug charges; Jeremy Kiser, of Charleston, forgery and uttering; Jonie Lambert, of Alderson, grand larceny; Duane Letlow, of Hurricane, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI; Michael McDonald, of Hurricane, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI; Jonathan Means, of Hurricane, breaking and entering and grand larceny; Andy Morton, of Hurricane, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident; William Oaks, of Poca, fleeing in a vehicle from police while under the influence of alcohol; Travis Parker, of Detroit, Michigan, drug charges; Paul Parog, of Hurricane, child abuse resulting in injury and domestic battery; Sherry Peters, of Culloden, third-offense driving under the influence of alcohol; Hunter Price, of Milton, drug charges; Tiffany Priestley, of Hurricane, drug charges; Michael Quentrill, of Hurricane, malicious wounding and domestic battery; Ricky Reynolds, of Scott Depot, attempting to commit unlawful wounding, attempting to commit malicious assault of a government representative and fleeing in a vehicle from a police while under the influence of alcohol; Anthony Riffel, of Hurricane, drug charges; Joseph Riffel, of Hurricane, drug charges; Larry Robinson, of Red House, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI.

Lewis Sayre, of Henderson, third-offense domestic battery, third-offense domestic assault and second offense battery of a police officer; Marshall Slater, of Albany, Ohio, drug charges; Amy Smith, of Charleston, daytime burglary and petit larceny; Alondra Wilcoxen, of Milton, drug charges; Brian Wilson, of Poca, first-degree robbery, nighttime burglary and conspiracy.

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

WINFIELD - The Putnam County Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved spending $60,017 to supplement the grant funding the county receives for Buffalo High School's New Tech Network program.

The program encourages teachers at the school to engage in project-based learning, and allows each student at the school to work on a laptop.

"Kids seem to like it. It's going very well," said Putnam County Superintendent Chuck Hatfield. "We went down there and met with students and staff several times and they feel really good about it."

Despite these feelings, Hatfield said it's going to be difficult to know statistically how effective New Tech Network's program has been for the school.

The school, entering its third and perhaps final year with the program, relies on statewide test scores to measure the program's efficiency.

During the first year of the grant, the school used WESTEST2, and this year it used the Smarter Balanced Assessment.

Putnam School administrators will try and compare results from both exams to get a better understanding of the programs' efficiency.

The grant the school received was originally for three years, according to Hatfield, and the amount the school board has to contribute to sustain the program decreases each year.

Hatfield said he isn't sure if the school or the county will apply for more grant funding after this year.

"That's not to say we won't continue it," Hatfield said after the meeting. "We had a three-year grant to cover the implementation and we are in the last year."

In May of next year, the school board will have to decide if the school should continue on in the program. Hatfield wouldn't say if other schools in the county are exploring a possible partnership with New Tech Network.

"It takes a little while to get the full implementation to have some data results and so forth," Hatfield said. "It's something we're continuing to monitor."

Besides Buffalo High School, the only other two schools in West Virginia to participate in New Tech Network programs are Philippi Middle School and Philip Barbour High School.

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

Marriages

The following people applied for marriage licenses in Kanawha County between July 17 and 24:

Stephen Gregory Jewell, 26, and Tamera Michelle Shank, 29, both of St. Albans.

Adam Ian Richards, 33, of Charleston and Amy Michelle Martin, 33, of Dunbar.

Scott Franklin Meadows, 53, and Richard Lee Craddock, 55, both of Charleston.

Summer Leann Atkinson, 20, and Gloria Ann Church, 20, both of East Bank.

Randall Mark Fridley, 31, of Leon and Jordan Elizabeth Clark, 21, of St. Albans.

Michael Hugh Rucker II, 33, of St. Albans, and Rola Michelle Gharib, 35, of Morgantown.

Kelly Russell Robinson, 43,, and Laura Ann Ward, 42, both of Charleston.

Matthew Lee Comer, 46, and Sandra Nguyen, 31, both of Charleston.

Timothy Manyale Courts, 41, of Rand and Michele Ja'net Roach, 37, of South Charleston.

Denis Javier Enriquez Trejo,25, and Sharon Elizabeth Hendershot, 28, both of Charleston.

Ronald Walter Hill, 28, and Jessica Fay Pettry, 27, both of Clendenin.

Treavor Stewart Dubiel,24, and Kristen Noel Justice, 24, both of Dunbar.

Charles Edward Ramsey, 31, of East Bank and Alishia Sue Layton, 30, of Walton.

Luther Lester Thornton III, 31, and Jessica Amber Rozsos, 23, both of Elkview.

Jesse Lee Hastings, 24, and Kara Michelle Trail, 24, both of Cross Lanes.

Christopher James Eastridge, 27, and Jessica Leian Ewers,26, both of Charleston.

Allen Wayne Rose, 35, and Lisa Ann Tuttle, 34, both of Charleston.

Larry James Sizemore Jr., 35, and Michele Katelin Keener, 23, both of Marmet.

Nathaniel Paul Crowder, 25, of Dunbar and Cassandra Ann Molchanoff, 22, of Oak Hill.

Trevor Ray Campbell, 25, and Ashley Morgan Rhodes,s 19, both of Clendenin.

James Earl Cavender II, 31, of Charleston and Meghan Suzanne Workman, 29, of Lost Creek.

William Virgil Long, 38, and Brooke Elaine Adkins, 27, both of Charleston.

Robin Michelle James, 45, and Stacey Michele Tully, 43, both of Dunbar.

The following people applied for marriage licenses in Putnam County from May 12 to July 21, 2015:

Andrew J. Reed IV, 21, and Roxanna D. Powers, 22, both of Red House

Tyler A. Romberger, 23, and Charlotte S. Bunner, 23, both of Hurricane

Tyler K. May, 25, and Megan J. McClelland, 24, both of Red House

Mitchell T. Finch, 27, and Alison A. Johnson, 28, both of Scott Depot

Dusty W. Albecht, 32, and Candace E. Hale, 28, both of Buffalo

Philip M. Owens, 28, and Kelly D. Vass, 28, both of Hurricane

Gilbert R. Loy, 22, and Tiffany R. Forbes, 23, both of Hurricane

Nicholas J. Wagner, 23, and Taylor R. Siders, 19, both of Hurricane

Dustin G. Schirtzinger, 31, of Scott Depot, and Kristin N. Childers, 25, of Hurricane

Carl E.M. Crouch, 37, and Heather N. Walker, 38, both of Hurricane

Chadwick E. Akers, 38, of Pliny, and Jennifer D. Noble, 38, of Leon

Steve M. Freeman, 39, of Chapmanville, and Alison L. Likens, 32, of Hurricane

Shannon S. Jividen, 33, of Eleanor, and Jennifer L. Cash, 31, of Culloden

Alfred P. Smith, 78, of Culloden, and Rose A. Caldwell, 67, of Hurricane

Lucas D. Caldwell, 19, and Tonya A. Ronson, 28, both of Bancroft

Charles A. Rucker IV, 37, of Hurricane, and Chasity N. Spurlock, 22, of Barboursville

Michael R. Justice, 46, and Nancy A. Proper, 40, both of Winfield

Rachel L. Sheriff, 28, of Winfield, and Kevin D. Gladis, 33, of Scott Depot

Jimmy R. Barton, 55, of Scott Depot, and Mary E. Hensley, 48, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

George T. Bird, 43, and Phyllis M. Bays, 53, both of Leon

Matthew W. Thaxton, 40, and Melissa A. Snyder, 46, both of Hurricane

John M. Shaffer, 72, and Linda S. Sovine, 58, both of Scott Depot

Zachary A. Moses, 22, and Whitney F. McMillion, 19, both of Winfield

Mary J. Landers, 40, of Hurricane, and Justin D. Potter, 35, of Charleston

Michael T. McCallister, 45, and Rebecca M. Counts, 46, both of Hurricane

Jay Cobb, 47 and Amanda V. Cochran, 23, both of Poca

Brandon G. Asbury, 23, of Poca, and Ashley N. Cater, 20, of Scott Depot

Andrew S. Eagle, 29, and Jessica S. Napier, 38, both of Poca

Clark L. Riffle, 53, and Terry L. Angle, 51, both of Eleanor

Derek A. Odell, 29, of Hurricane, and Rhoda E. Kidd, 36, of Charleston

Joshua A. Cottle, 27, and Haven E. Campbell, 25, both of Hurricane

Dale D. Parsons, 51, and Peggy A. Shirkey, 56, both of Scott Depot

Adam J. Carson, 27, of Poca, and Miranda L. Clark, 24, of Nitro

Justin M. Bird, 26, and Amber D. Handley, 22, both of Hurricane

Sean P. Harter, 49, and Nancy L. Massey, 44, both of Scott Depot

Rebecca A. Frampton, 44, of Nitro, and John S. Bailey, 71, of Poca

John C. Atkins, 40, and Melissa A. Linn, 36, both of Hurricane

Douglas W. Odell, 65, and Cynthia I. Boggs, 62, both of Hurricane

Thomas S. Schoolcraft, 19, and Jordan N. Wilson, 18, both of Poca

Ethan M. Young, 24, of Liberty, and Alyssa L. Sthay, 22, of Hometown

Anthony E. Smith, 26, of Hurricane, and Alisha M. Estep, 28, of Scott Depot

David H. Marion, 43, of Milton, and Paula N. Lawson, 39, of Scott Depot

Joshua J. Landers, 33, and Kara B. Edwards, 25, both of Hurricane

Kerry A. Coleman, 38, and Holly M. Ramsey, 28, of Red House

Adam T. Hudson, 26, and Heather M. Moroney, 25, both of Punta Gorda, Florida

Robert E. Hatfield, 66, of Scott Depot, and Angela G. Harris, 56, of Milton

Charles A. Stotts, 35, of Cross Lanes, and Morgan E. Woods, 19, of Hurricane

Patrick T. Fernandez, 27, and Amanda N. Lucas, 23, both of Hurricane

Donald A. Thomas, 27, and Lindsey D. Yost, 28, both of Winfield

Evan A. Oyler, 21, of Hurricane, and Ashley D. Bellomy, 23, of Culloden

John E. Hayton Jr., 35, and Amy J. Blevins, 34, both of Hurricane

Adonis R. Thompson, 36, and Madah K. Meadows, 26, both of Poca

David L. Moore, 22, and Kaitlyn S. Nester, 22, both of Hurricane

Brandon L. Flora, 28, and Megan D. Sheets, 25, both of Hurricane

Christopher R. Hayes, 41, and Amanda L. King, 34, both of Hurricane

Joshua G. Pack, 29, and Ashley D. Dye, 30, both of Hurricane

Mark D. Lockard, 49, and Jeanne D. Putnam, 57, both of Pliny

Aaron M. Billups, 33, and Sochill Brens, 24, both of Culloden

Jason A. Stotlar, 43, and Leaann Caplinger, 36, both of Scott Depot

Gregory N. Mallory, 35, and Amanda N. Ruholt, 29, both of Hurricane

Franklin D. Bannister II, 47, of Winfield, and Wendy D. Porter, 41, of Ona

Joshua B. Ferrell, 22, and Meredith B. Nicholas, 20, both of Hurricane

Brandon M. Barnefix, 29, and Jessica D. Hammond, 30, both of Scott Depot

Edward L. Landis Jr., 41, of Hometown, and Lisa M. Harrison, 37, of Winfield

Richard W. Smith, 37, of St. Albans, and Adrienne E. Browning, 33, of Hurricane

Eric M. Collins, 23, and Tiffany N. Pauley, 27, both of Hurricane

Daniel S. Bailey, 40, of Huntington, and Lori A. Myers, 45, of Hurricane

Shawn M. Creeks, 22, of War, and Katie K. Straus, of Hurricane

Roger A. Turner, 50, and Lucas A. Allen, 24, both of Hurricane

Christopher E. Peak, 30, and Tiffany B. Bradley, 30, both of Hurricane

Jesse L. Baldwin, 33, of Hurricane, and Laura B. Pettry, 34, of Milton

Nathaniel L. Bias, 26, and Ashley D. Adams, 26, both of Culloden

William H. Kincaid Jr., 51, and Lisa A. Iezzi, 43, both of Bancroft

Justin J. Bowe, 25, of Hurricane, and Lynsey M. Caudill, 25, of Huntington

James E. Singleton II, 43, and Jamie D. Persinger, 40, both of Scott Depot

Kristopher K. Musick, 39, and Mindy M. Jacobs, 34, both of Hurricane

Shawn N. Crawford, 24, of Highland Heights, Kentucky, and Staci D. Proudfoot, 22, of Hurricane

Stephen L. Shumaker, 59, and Carolyn S. Hatfield, 64, both of Scott Depot

William E. Holmes, 45, and Amber C. Flowers, 32, both of Poca

Matthew T. Wiseman, 34, of Ashland, Kentucky, and Lindsey G. Hunt, 28, of Scott Depot

Jim E. Shafer-Cooper, 33, and Patricia A. Hill, 36, both of Fraziers Bottom

Thomas W. Wright, 26, and Lisa M. Elswick, 22, both of Buffalo

Thomas A. Mounts, 43, and Shawna M. Fife, 40, both of Hurricane

Demian A. Baldwin, 41, and Misti D. Stone, 38, both of Poca

Michael W. Jordan, 42, and Bobbie J. Cooper, 42, both of Eleanor

Andrew M. Kidd, 22, and Katherine J. Szepelak, 22, both of Hurricane

Corey A. Good, 24, and Kayla L. Thompson, 24, both of Poca

Edward K. Rice, 48, and Mischelle A. Donnelly, 53, both of Hurricane

Marty O. Gibson, 33, and Jill Kristen, 35, both of Hurricane

Richard L. Foster, 47, and Terri L. Cullifer, 37, both of Poca

Derek R. Ragle, 30, and Brittany L. Adkins, 29, both of Scott Depot

Ryan H. Larck, 39, and Erin J. Goheen, 36, both of Hurricane

Jeffrey D. Smalley, 46, and Kimberly S. Phillips, 40, both of Red House

Stacy A. Baria, 47, and Jessica A. Briscoe, 24, both of Hurricane

Ida M. Burke, 44, and Kristin A. Rosenhagen, 48, both of Scott Depot

Cameron L. Koehler, 26, and Allison E. Cremeans, 26, both of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Cameron T. Collins, 26, and Ashley N. Sowers, 24, both of Hurricane

Johnathan S. Brewster, 27, and Brenda J. Nester, 26, both of Winfield

Jeffrey D. Bukovinsky, 34, and Marquita D. Duke, 37, both of Hurricane

Joseph T. Riggins, 26, of Scott Depot, and Tiffany R. Blankenship, 26, of Man

Shayne A. Smith, 30, and Megan E. Pelfrey, 25, both of Culloden

Charles A. Craigo, 26, of Bancroft, and Kayla R. Triplett, 20, of Liberty

Joachim Delpara Jr., 34, and Destini D. Freeman, 27, both of Hurricane

Donnie A. Ennis, 40, and Crystal A. Hooker, 35, both of Poca

Robert W. Blankenship, 28, and Kelcie L. Jones, 26, both of Scott Depot

Christopher S. Wooten, 35, of Hurricane, and Kaylon M. Trimble, 19, of Tornado

Allen R. Wyant, 47, and Leella M. Hedrick, 58, both of Poca

William O. Seanze Jr., 38, of Winfield, and Christina D. Hicks, 36, of Hurricane

Christopher J. Lees, 28, and Melissa M. Howell, 29, both of Hurricane

Logan S. Givner, 34, and Brian D. Lauerman, 40, both of Hurricane

Frank Z. Robinette, 24, of Hurricane, and Brittany N. Thomas, 21, of Morgantown

Sawyer S. Smith, 21, of Hurricane, and Emily T. Stiltner, 23, of Culloden

Joshua D. Cain, 23, and Brennan M. Hoover, 21, both of Winfield

Jeffrey D. Campbell, 31, and Nicole A. Hall, 27, both of Hurricane

Stephen R. Bias, 41, of Scott Depot, and Sarah B. Skeenes, 42, of Portsmouth, Ohio

Arno Schuechen, 53, and Thomas J. Kiddie Jr., 60, both of Scott Depot

David T. Brookes, 29, of Prince Frederick, Maryland, and Emily G. Hanning, 26, of Lexington Park, Maryland

Forrest R. Woodard, 61, and Leatta G. Buffett, 53, both of Leon

Heather A. Bryan, 38, and Paula A. Smith, 29, both of Culloden

Evan M. Beller, 21, and Keree L. Moles, 20, both of Poca

Benjamin L. Scott Jr., 47, and Terrie G. Randolph, 39, both of Poca

Nathanael H. Rhodes, 24, of Hurricane, and Kayla M. Farmer, 21, of Scott Depot

Cole E. Bowers, 24, and Lauren A. Bickerton, 24, both of Winfield

Seth E. Hodges, 29, and Allison E. George, 28, both of Scott Depot

Mark D. Wilson, 30, and Megan N. Adkins, 24, both of Hurricane

Jason B. Nease, 20, and Ashley N. Fincham, 18, both of Winfield

Kevin L. Hooker, 26, and Kelli L. Farley, 34, both of Fraziers Bottom

Richard W. Recco, 37, of Marmet, and Ashley R. Holt, 27, of Winfield

Jason T. Sodaro, 29, and Sherry L. Wilfong, 36, both of Scott Depot

Darrel E. Warner II, 42, and Billie D. Payne, 45, both of Leon

Casey C. Arthur, 28, of Scott Depot, and Brittany E. Massie, 25, of Prichard

Javan K. Andrews, 21, of Hurricane, and Jessyka M. McCormick, 22, of St. Albans

Shane A. Jividen, 27, and Brittaney N. Charles, 29, both of Buffalo

Andrew R. Wade, 23, of Norman, Texas, and Heather D. Mourey, 22, of Scott Depot

Divorces

The following people filed for divorce in Kanawha County between July 16 and 23:

Michael Garrett Wilson and Theresa Mae Wilson

Lisa M. Merrill from Robert M. Merrill

Amanda Lemaster from John Lovejoy

Kacey Westfall from Aaron Westfall

Kayla Medina from Joshua Fraley

Tracy R. Pennington from Kenneth F. Pennington II

Christopher M. Williams from Tiffany Y. Williams

Karen Woodrum from James Woodrum

Tracy H. Cecil from John H. Cecil

Beth Leeann Graley from Austin Allen Lacy

Denver Ray Evans from Tiffany Nicole Evans

Jason Lee Haddox from Amanda Louise David

Sarah Mae Sazonov from Mikhail Vladiminovich Sazonov

Lee Anne Davis from David Davis

Barbara Jean Bailey from Vernon Bryant

Dewey Ray Wickline from Sandra Marie Wickline

Andrew Morgan Smith from Ashley Marie Smith

Tammy Lynn Collins from Lyle Dayton Collins Jr.

Terry L. Scipio from Michael Scipio

Laura Gillispie from Joseph Gillispie

Michael Charles Willis from Peggy Lee Willis

Jamison Wilkinson from Jamie Wilkinson

The following people filed for divorce in Putnam County from May 12 to July 21, 2015:

Jennifer P. Terry from Montie E. Terry Jr.

Charles E. Craft from Kerrie L. Craft

Beverly A. Hensley from Luther M. Hensley

Shanna R. Perry from Justin D. Perry

Tina M. Godfish from Eric L. Godfish

Tia L. Carr from Richard Carr

Kathleen Pate from James R. Pate

Tina L. Lewis from Roger L. Lewis

William M. Hamon from Ruby L. Lewis

April D. Robinette from Gregory K. Robinette

Stefanie L. Thomas from Timothy M. Thomas

Elva M. Carrasco from Fernando Carrasco

Misty Q. McMinn from Richard S. McMinn

Corey L. Ford from Tara D. Ford

Erika L. Pauley from James D. Pauley

Tonya D. Nutter from Jason A. Nutter

Della R. Young from William D. Young

Josh T. Woods from Noelle R. Chafin

Sherry H. Smith from George P. Smith

Richard Henning from Julie J. Henning

Kendra N. Kelley from Stacy A. Kelley

Paula D. Wandling from Barry S. Wandling

April Mink from Jason Mink

Thresa D. Scherback from Michael D. Scherback

Sara R. Sergent from Brandon L. Sergent

Amber L. Allen from Basil E. Allen

Audra L. Kessler from James J. Kessler

Paul Falkner from Erika Kaiser

Karen L. Skeen from Philip A. Skeen

Tiffany J. Snyder from Richard C. Snyder

Sharon M. DiCristofaro from Sean C. DiCristofaro

Brandy E. Niday from Charles D. Niday II

Melissa A. Parson from Mark Parsons

Ronald G. King from Bridgette A. King

Linda D.L. Oldham from Kevin W. Oldham

Lutrecia N. Moomaw from Arnett F. Moomaw Jr. IV

Brittany J. Schuler from Nickolas B. Schuler

James R. Stewart from Melody L. Stewart

Sarah M. Moore from Travis W. Moore

John N. Spaulding from Rosario Spaulding

April D. Moses from Jeffrey A. Moses

Sherra M. Dailey from Joseph C. Bailey II

Julia R. Tucker from Thomas C. Tucker

Erica L. Halstead from Joshua M. Halstead

Rachel M. Shannon from Jason P. Shannon

Mary R. Quijano from Paul Y. Quijano

Gary R. Sims Jr. from Janet L. Sims

Rozalinda G. Blake from Brian T. Blake

Tommie F. Ashley from Misty M. Gaucher

Shannon Gibson from Steven Gibson

Daniel Noble from Misty D. Noble

Christy L. Bellville from Neil D. Bellville

Kimberly L. Underwood from Timothy H. Underwood

David L. Harris from Pamela R. Harris

Kelly L. Tucker from Timmy R. Tucker

Lillian E. Long from John B. Long

Gloria L. Linville from Chris D. Linville

Lara R. Ferrell from Herbert A. Ferrell

Lori Spaulding from Douglas C. Spaulding

Kristin D. Beach from Adam D. Beach

Hope R. Postle from John M. Postle

Heather S. Brown from Thomas W. Brown

Amanda L. Lewis from Oscar M. Lopes-Vazquez

Brandon M. Redd from Sarah L. Maynard

Joseph Lambert from Leann R. Lambert

April D Jordan-Haas from Cecil E. Haas

Property transfers

The following property transfers of $50,000 or more were recorded in Kanawha County between July 17 and 24:

William and Nikita C. Delgadillo to Thomas A. Harper Jr. and Sara E. Reed. Lot, Nitro, $89,500.

James C. Layne, Danny A. Young, Terry Michael Young, Jeffrey F. Young, Timothy S. Young, Cheryl Layne Lewis and Jeffrey A. Layne to Johnathan R. McCormick. Tract, Union District, $271,000.

Shane D. and Tonya Pugh to Judith B. Pugh. Parcels, Poca District, $120,000.

William R. Durkin and Melissa J. May to Charles W. Cooper and Kristi D. Rule. Parcel, Elk District, $208,700.

Katrina J. Rawlings to Darian Gary and Deborah Antionette Elmore. Lot, Loudon District, $120,000.

Scott Andrew and Amanda L. Fox to Richard A. and Katrina J. Rawlings. Parcels, Loudon District, $216,000.

Laura Katherine Richo to Katherine E. and Charles D. Ball. Lot, South Charleston, $129,973.

Clayton C. and Kristin K. Wile to John K. and Jamie K. Snodgrass. Lot, Washington District, $300,000.

David S. and Jama L. Jarrett to Matthew D. and Cari L. Stover. Lot, Washington District, $462,500.

Peggy Sue Basham, Samuel D. Stone, Tiauna Slack and Charles Simms to Keith A. Williams. Lot, Malden District, $123,000.

Steven W. Britton to A&M Properties and Investments LLC, and Montani Properties LLC. Lot, Charleston, $160,000.

Joseph A. and Jennifer T. Ceravone to Steven J. and Mary Ann King. Lot, Charleston, $265,000.

Catherine A. Ritchey to Joshua and Erin Mullins. Lot, Elk District, $175,000.

Stephen Hopkins Kay to Christopher A. Lewis. Lot, Charleston, $138,000.

Kathleen W. Trippany to Carol A. Thomas and Karen L. Sigman. Lot, Malden District, $99,000.

Ethan E. Cole to David Anthony Jr. and Tina M. Nary. Lot, Elk District, $193,000.

Hereford & Riccardi PLLC to Milestone LLC. Parcel, Jefferson District, $78,570.

Clara Etta Edwards to Charles C. Jr. and Peggy L. Edwards. Lots, St. Albans, $89,000.

James W. Jr. and Jessica M. Lane to Ganim G. Howard and Athena Christodoulou. Lots, Charleston, $395,000.

Mary Cox Hawkins, James Ayward Cox II, Celia Jane ox Adair, Webster Moore and Katharine Moore Walker to Nancy J. Lovell. Lot, Loudon District, $400,000.

William D. and Cindy L. Poston to Justin Kiel Medlin and Amanda Garner Medlin. Lot, Union District, $230,000.

David W. Jarrell to Michael T. Cook. Condominium, Charleston, $58,000.

Michael E. Stump to Michael A. Myers and Amber N. Beckner. Lot, South Charleston, $70,000.

Norma J. Thomas and Kevin L. Curfman to Brian E. French. Parcel, Union District, $118,500.

Philip Pfister to Jonathan D. Meadows. Lot, Charleston, $170,000.

Jean Anne Luikart to Michael Edwards. Lots, Cabin Creek District, $51,000.

S. Greg and Shari A. Heywood to Donald and Charlotte Nay. Lot, Jefferson District, $400,000.

Hugh T. Jr. and Margaret A. Bissett to Tracy L. Zachwieja. Lots, Charleston, $278,500.

6540 MacCorkle (WV) LLC to Chandler's Frame & Body LLC. Lot, Jefferson District, $1,100,000.

Michael and Sandra L. Liptak to Greg Chandler's Frame & Body Lot, Jefferson District, $100,000.

Brittney A. Sproles to Jefferson Accree. Parcel, South Charleston District, $56,000.

Deborah C. Golden to Christine Marie Williams and Joseph Phillips Santucci Sr. Lot, Charleston, $250,000.

Bernard Bailey to Ray Saulino Contracting Inc. Lot, St. Albans, $85,000.

AB Contracting Inc. to Donna Sue Peros and Kristen Helmick. Lot, Washington District, $290,600.

John W. and Valery Michelle Burkholder to Mark H. and Kimberly Barker. Lot, Dunbar, $175,000.

John G. Marshall to Rhiannon Turley. Condominium, Charleston, $148,700.

Jeffrey J. Posten and Donald Lee Clark to Mark E. and Andrea C. Thompson. Lot, Charleston, $203,900.

Antionette Rutledge to John G. Marshall. Lot, Charlestond, $127,000.

John D. and Regina I. Cummings to Travis L. Wysocki. Lot, Jefferson District, $113,000.

Tony Dang and Amanda Thi Nguyen to Jimm Orellana. Lot, Union District, $255,000.

Dana Ashley Grogg to Kelsey E. Harrah, Robert S. Kimball and Margaret L. Kimball. Lot, Charleston, $177,500.

Charles and Joy Scruggs to Thomas E. Jr. and Melinda Kuhn. Tract, Union District, $205,000.

James A. and Sandra S. Martin to Matthew R. and Delea B. Thomas. Lot, Union District, $132,500.

Jason C. and April D. Fields to Michael A. and Kathleen N. Carr. Lot, Elk Tax District, $165,000.

Richard E. Jr. and Jennifer L. Price to Ronald G. and Tammy L. Hare. Lot, Charleston, $120,000.

Golden & Amos PLLC to Federal National Mortgage Association. Lot, St. Albans, $72,000.

The following property transfers of $75,000 or more were recorded in Putnam County from May 12 to May 31, 2015:

William L. Gilber to Sochill Brens. Kingswood, $124,8500.

Jeremy S. Band Kara G. Brown to William D. and Nikita S. Snyder. Teays Valley, $256,500.

Anthony L, Noble D. Linda S. and Pamela K. Maddox to Joseph T. Riggins. Scott, $211,400.

John. W. and Jennifer R. Tinnel to Jason M. and Kimberly Thompson. Scott, $310,500.

Michelle L. Carson and Michelle L. Fiegel to Joseph and Susan Spence. Eleanor, $251,000.

Thomas S. and Dawn M. Hong to Charles E. II and Danielle D. Irwin. Hurricane, $224,500.

George C. Finley and Joan F. Halstea, to Larry and Kathryn Westfall. Piedmont, $185,000.

Lucinda A. Ciszewski, Lucinda A. and James H. Burdette Jr. to Michael and Ashley Siper. Scott, $185,000.

Ryan H. and Kristin M. Hoyer to Michael A. and Amanda K. Lewis. Scott, $284,900.

James H. Hill to Benjamin B. and Sasha N. Oldaker. Union District, $81,000.

Phyllis S. Wilmoth to Steven M. Bane. Scott, $218,000.

Hobba Enterprises LLC to Johnnie L. and Donna J. Young. Scott, $520,000.

Anne K, David B, and Ellen M. Shapiro to Dana K. Smith. Scott, $195,000.

Arin J. Farquhar and Arin J. Standley to William S. Arnold. Scott, $144,000.

Sandra Estes to Dustin G. Schirtzinger. Scott, $164,000.

Bonnie J. and Howard E. Hill Jr. to Bradley and Joy McDaniel. Scott, $275,000.

Eric Cline to Jennifer L and Philip W. Beller. Buffalo, $125,000.

Derek J. Hurt, Jessica N. Hurt and Jessica N. Sundberg to Matthew T. Layne. Poca, $170,000.

Amanda D. Berg to Eric S. and Mary A. Cline. Eleanor, $175,000.

TKC CLXXXI LLC to Carpenter Family Properties LLC. Winfield, $1,571,600.

Chris and Melanie Meadows to Joshua L and Elizabeth A. Blake. Scott, $270,000.

Debra D. Brown, Jay C. Cochran, Kimberlee Cunningham and Cindy L. Harder to Jerry S. and Kara G. Brown. Scott Depot, $263,000.

Roy T. Burns Sr. to Charles L. Warner. Curry, $127,500.

GibsonBuilders, Inc., to Alan W. and Jamie E. Sypolt. Eleanor, $316,000.

Paul A. and Robin Whitt to Larry Sutphin, Carol Sutphin and Donna Simmons. Hurricane, $265,000.

Kelly S. Sparks, Jean E. Hughes and Kay A. Smith to Darest and Brenda K. Smith. Hurricane, $176,000.

Johnathan D. and Shana R. Hensley to Todd M. and Sara Goebbel. Hurricane, $329,000.

John P. and Betty L. McHale to Andrea M. Lauffer. Hurricane, $352,000.

Melissa C. Parsons and Gail M. Schuman to Jason W. and Ashley R. Spurlock. Union District, $181,5000.

FMW RRI LLC to BW RRI IV LLC. Scott, $2,312,069

Design Development Inc., to Gladys E. Bowen. Scott, $219,9000.

Dynamic Construction LLC to Ginger L. McAllister. Hurricane, $133,000.

David W. and Sandra J Eastwood to Matthey T. and Melissa A. Stephens. Teays Valley, $145,000.

Joan K. Runion to William J Sieber Jr. Buffalo, $85,500.

Kenneth R. and Melissa A. Massey to Violet J. Cohenour. Buffalo, $158,000.

Alan W. and Jamie E. Sypolt to Jeffrey A. and Kristina K. Knight. Scott, $208,000.

Randy W. Carpenter to Jason H. Hill. Teays Valley, $159,500.

Gibson Builders, Inc., to Melissa C. and Gail M. Shuman. Eleanor, $259,000.

Exclusive Home Designs Ltd. to Robern and Holli Duncan. Teays Valley, $85,000.

Michael and Angela Allawat to Benjamin S. and Gabirelle R. Sims. Teays Valley, $278.000.

Elijah P. Williams to Patrick S. and Diana C. Chamberlin. Union District, $118,000.

Debra L. and Jerry L. Walls to James C. and Sherry L. Easter. Nitro, $98,000.

Christopher E. and Sharon R. Guild to James E. and Teresa M. Moore. Scott, $189,500.

Chad and Sara Skeends to Javan K. Andrews and Jessyka M. McCormick. Hurricane, $120,000.

Clyde T. and Patricia L. Legg to Christopher and Melanie R. Meadows. Scott, $190,000.

Richard L. Grim to Michael Thomas. Scott, $249,900.

Chad E. and Jessica Walker to Steven T. Huffman. Hurricane, $93,000.

Cornerstone Customs, Inc., to Kenneth D. and Krysta Y. Oxley. Scott, $217,374.

Adrianna J. Moore to Janmark LLC. Winfield, $160,000.

Susan T. and Donovan Farley Jr., to Donovan T. Farley. Scott, $250,000.

Joshua Land Elizabeth A. Blake to Joel M. and Rachel D. McKinney. Teays Valley, $204,000.

Andrea M. Lauffer and Caleb Huff to Chad S. and Sara Skeens. Hurricane, $269,000.

Members Choice WV FCU to John S. and Christina N. Mann. Curry, $86,000.

Karen M. Rutledge to Gabriel S. and Whitney R. Conley. Scott, $159,000.

Joshua C. and Ashlee B. Shelton to Christina and Gavin McCormack. Scott Village, $161,000.

Gabriel S. and Whitney R. Conley to Joshua and Amy Potter. Poca, $144,500.

Belinda K. Miles and Lovell A. Grant to Jeffrey Gillespie. Winfield, $134,900.

Paul A. and Nancee L. Johnson to Fredrick and Ida L. Walkover. Hurricane, $377,000.

Rachel J. Felker to Michael P. and Alesia L. Hoffman. Scott Depot, $389,000.

David M. and Vickie A. Wilson to Brian J. McLean. East Eleanor, $233,000.

Megan E. Parsons to Craig A. and Wendi D. O'Dell. Scott Depot, $250,000

Bankruptcies

The bankruptcies listed below are limited to those filed by residents or companies in the Gazette's circulation area. Chapter 7 designates the liquidation of non-exempt property; Chapter 11 calls for business reorganization; Chapter 13 establishes a schedule of payments to creditors. The following bankruptcies were filed between July 17 and 24:

Charles James Blankenship, Williamson, Chapter 7. Assets: $16,675, Liabilities: $30,964.

Scotty Ray Clark, St. Albans, Chapter 7. Assets: $104,170, Liabilities: $101,014.

Kevin Wayne and Shannon Alene McKnight, Cedar Grove. Chapter 7. $113,732, Liabilities: $82,239.

Eugene and Angela Jane Pritchard, Hamlin, Chapter 7. Assets: $173,700, Liabilities: $226,017.

Eric Ethan Davis, Racine, Chapter 7. Assets: $222,461, Liabilities: $184,916.

Michael Scott Grubb, Dunbar, Chapter 7. Assets: $90,752, Liabilities: $109,000.

Colton Joseph White, Foster, Chapter 7. Assets: $241,513, Liabilities: $226,470.

Dennis Earl Salmons Jr., Hamlin, Chapter 7. Assets: $11,300, Liabilities: $221,438.

Sara Elizabeth Clendenin, Charleston, Chapter 7. Assets: $19,005, Liabilities: $36,032.

Kathy Ann Herb, Charleston, Chapter 7. Assets: $61,950, Liabilities: $235,725.

James Kenna and Billie Jo Williams, Ravenswood, Chapter 7. Assets: $94,553, Liabilities: $107,358.

David Shane and Kimberly Jo Adkins, Crab Orchard, Chapter 7. Assets: $1,450, Liabilities: $21,005.

Joshua Wayne and Chrystal Dawn Estes, Beaver, Chapter 7. Assets: $7,600, Liabilities: $29,826.

Robert Forrest Baker, Ronceverte, Chapter 7. Assets: $35,475, Liabilities: $47,852.

Jason DeRay Harris, Charleston, Chapter 13. Assets: Unknown, Liabilities: Unknown.

Jimmy Ray Jr. and Pamela Sue Spinks, White Sulphur Springs, Chapter 13. Assets: $45,453, Liabilities: $23,805.

Asa Arnold and Cathy Ann Bolen, Beckley, Chapter 13. Assets: $99,084, Liabilities: $161,830.

Restaurant scores

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department issues non-critical and critical violations. Critical violations are given to incidences that relate directly to the protection of the public from food-borne illness. The incidences are not negotiable and must be corrected immediately. Repetitions of critical violations may lead to enforcement actions or permit suspension. The following restaurants were rated, and the number of critical violations issued are included:

Rio Grande Inc., 160 Court St.: 11 critical violations. Inspector's comments: The Person in Charge (PIC) is unable to demonstrate knowledge; employee observed not washing after touching raw chicken and before touching clean equipment; employee observed not washing hands after touching dirty dishes and before touching clean dishes; drinking cup without cover was observed in food preparation area; refried beans 92-degrees after six hours, thrown away; chicken 69-degrees F, thrown away; slicer is visibly soiled; ice machine is visibly soiled; food prep area counter dirty; utensils in lo-temperature dish machine are not exposed to the sanitization cycle for the required length of time; working containers of degreaser and other cleaning chemicals not labeled with contents. Upon a follow-up inspection, the restaurant received no critical violations.

Taste of Asia, 236 7th Ave., South Charleston: 11 critical violations. Inspector's comments: Employee observed not washing hands before returning to cook food; milk in Pepsi cooler being cold held at 51-degrees F. Thrown out; eggs in prep cooler held at 53-degrees F, thrown out; raw meat on prep cooper held at 53-degrees F, thrown out; prepared mixtures in cooler are improperly date marked; food stored in original tin containers, thrown out; ice machine is visibly soiled; soda dispensers are visibly soiled; evidence of pests in food prep area; cleaning chemicals are stored on same shelf as single service items; employee medicine stored in [equipment] is not properly protected. Upon re-inspection, the restaurant received no critical violations.

Tudor's Biscuit World of Charleston East, 1506 Washington St.: 9 critical violations. Inspector's comments: Person in Charge (PIC) is unable to demonstrate knowledge; half eaten employee food in cooler (bag of M&M's); drinking cup without cover was observed in food preparation area; empty shell eggs placed back in egg carton; food in left line cooler 49-degrees F, thrown away; food slicer is visibly soiled; can opener blade is visibly soiled; evidence of pests as demonstrated by [live roach] was observed; pesticide used in food establishment is not being used in accordance with federal regulations. Home use pest poison on premises, thrown away.

Westmoreland Go-Mart, 1626 Bigley Ave.: 1

Suppers To Go, 1915 Bigley Ave.: 1

Bo-Daddy's, 318 7th Ave., South Charleston: 1

Mojo's, 312 7th Ave., South Charleston: 3

City of Nitro Pool, 1650 Park Ave., Nitro: 1

Embassy Suites, 300 Court St.: 4

Taco Bell, Charleston Town Center: 2

Sbarro's, 3009 Charleston Town Center: 4

Tidewater Grill, Charleston Town Center: 4

Huskey's Dairy Bar, 2422 7th Ave.: 1

Speedway, 10 South Ave., Clendenin: 1

Long John Silver's, 4630 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 3

Lakewood Swim Club, 2088 Lakewood Drive, St. Albans: 4

Wok & Roll, 200-B Patrick St.: 1

Jimmy's Concessions and Catering Mobile, 36 Meadowdale Lane, Elkview: 2

Wingate Inn, 402 Second Ave., South Charleston: 4

The Chop House, Charleston Town Center: 1

Outback Steak House, Charleston Town Center: 2

Sarku Japan, Charleston Town Center: 6

Dunbar Senior Center, 2601 Fairlawn Ave., Dunbar: 1

Graziano's Pizza BS Italian Eatery, 925 Dunbar Ave., Dunbar: 2

Wee Care Daycare, 1236 Ohio Ave., Dunbar: 1

Glasgow Pool Concession Stand, 121 Tompkins Ave., Glasgow: 1

Save-A-Lot, U.S. 60, Cedar Grove: 2

Hotel-Restaurant/Kitchen, #1 Greyhound Drive, Cross Lanes: 1

CAMC General Division Cafeteria, 501 Morris St.: 3

Soho's, 800 Smith St.: 3

Brick Salt, 200 Lee St.: 4

WV Baseball Main, 601 Morris St.: 1

Bobbie Jo's, 3324 Piedmont Road: 1

VFW Post Home #5269, 2301 E DuPont Ave., Belle: 1

Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill Mobile, 426 Virginia St.: 2

Island Teriyaki Mobile, 100 Ferry Landing Road, Red House: 1

Gino's Better Pizza, 305 D St., South Charleston: 2

Kroger, Riverwalk Mall, South Charleston: 5

Graziano's Pizza, 243 Capitol St.: 3

Chum's Hot Dogs, 8315 MacCorkle Ave., Marmet: 1

Harambee Child Development Center, 131 Perkins Ave., Dunbar: 4

The Bowling Alley, 1212 Ohio Ave., Dunbar: 1

Lifestart ICF, 124 Academy Drive, Dunbar: 1

Airport Foods, 100 Airport Way: 6

Taylor Books, 226 Capitol St.: 2

Adelphia Sports Bar & Grille 218 Capitol St.: 3

Cato Park Snack Bar, 200 Baker Lane: 1

Kid City Child Enrichment Center, 111 Dutch Road: 3

Yogurt Mountain, 212 RHL Blvd.: 1

Taco Bell, 4200 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 1

The Elite Gentlemen's Club, 116 Capitol St.: 1

Big Joes, 10 Capitol St.: 3

Ms Groovy LLC, 709 Washington St.: 1

The Heart & Seoul Bar & Grill, 1634 6th Ave.: 1

7-Eleven, 502 Rock Lake Drive, South Charleston: 1

Wendy's, 4007 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 2

Husson's Pizza, 4010 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 3

Discovery Kingdom, 1400 Quarrier St.: 1

Long John Silver's, 9109 MacCorkle Ave., Marmet: 4

Horace Mann Middle School, 4320 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

Bear's Den, 405 Capitol St.: 1

East End Family Resource Center, 502 Ruffner Ave.: 1

Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill, 426 Virginia St.: 2

Subway, 1413 Washington St.: 2

Panther's Cage, 1000 Curtis Price Way: 1

Charleston Job Corps Center Café, 1000 Kennawa Drive: 1

Tudor's Biscuit World of Marmet, 10501 MacCorkle Ave., Marmet: 1

Gino's Pizza of Marmet, 10501 MacCorkle Ave., Marmet: 3

Rollin Smoke BBQ II, 4008 Crede Drive, Clendenin: 2

Bar 101/Ichiban, 101 Capitol St.: 4

Prestera Center, 1001 Smith St.: 5

One Stop, 15039 MacCorkle Ave., Cabin Creek: 2

Riverside Anchor, 3315 Kanawha Blvd.: 5

Edible Arrangements, 11 Riverwalk Mall, South Charleston: 2

Clay Center/Cafe Kitchen, One Clay Square: 1

D's Tasty Freeze, 542 Campbells Creek Drive: 3

Elk's Club Lounge, 1706 Greenbrier St.: 4

JoLee's Snack Bar, 24 Meadowbrook Drive: 1

Fusion Teriyaki Grille, 4002 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

Kentucky Fried Chicken, 4018 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 3

HMS Host Starbuck's Coffee, Mile Marker 72, Oak Hill: 1

Canteen Vending of WV, 1100 River East Drive, Belle: 1

Panera Bread, 2830 Mountaineer Blvd.: 1

Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Charleston Town Center: 1

Recovery Sports Grill, 600 Virginia St. E.: 2

Dem 2 Brothers and A Grill II, 9941 East Dupont Ave., London: 2

Family Dollar, 1313 Plaza East Shopping Center: 2

Family Dollar Store, 727 Virginia St.: 2

Dollar General Store, 302 7th Ave., South Charleston: 1

Casa Garcia Mexican Restaurant, Riverwalk Plaza, South Charleston: 2

Kanawha River Deli & Café, 1 125th St.: 1

Little Caesar's/K-Mart #3484, 201 Crossings Mall, Elkview: 2

Roni's, 109 Credes Landing, Elkview: 4

Oak Ridge Center, 1000 Association Drive: 1

Maggie Moo's of West Virginia, 310 Southridge Blvd., South Charleston: 5

Miss Kitty's Place, 169 Campbells Creek Drive: 1

Mountain Vending Inc., 600 Winfield Road, St. Albans: 1

Rite Aid, 6401 Sissonville Drive: 1

Family Dollar, 6287 Sissonville Drive: 1

Dollar General, 5211 Doc Bailey Road, Cross Lanes: 1

Little General, 4097 Indian Creek Road, Elkview: 2

Hunts Brothers Pizza, 4097 Indian Creek Road, Elkview: 3

Wellington's Cafe & Catering, 2153 Greenbrier St.: 5

Dollar Tree, Nitro Marketplace, Nitro: 1

Rite Aid, 1101 Myers Ave., Dunbar: 1

Southridge Grand Prix, 500 Southridge Blvd.: 1

Marquee Cinemas, 331 Southridge Blvd., South Charleston: 4

Dollar General, 106 Maywood Ave., Clendenin: 1

One Stop, 1639 Washington St. E.: 6

Pizza Hut, Crossings Mall, Elkview: 3

7-Eleven, 2517 Spencer Road, Clendenin: 2

Sacred Heart Early Learning Center, 204 Leon Sullivan Way: 2

Dollar General, 302 7th Ave., South Charleston: 1

Kwick Stop, 3024 E DuPont Ave., Shrewsbury: 1

Captain D's, 114 Kanawha Blvd.: 2

Subway, Charleston Town Center: 1

Husson's Pizza, 5004 Indian Creek Road, Elkview: 1

Husson's Pizza, Kanawha Terrace, St. Albans: 1

Club El Dorado, Grant Ave., St. Albans: 4

Go-Mart, 2410 7th Ave.: 1

Subway, Riverwalk Plaza, South Charleston: 2

7-Eleven, 4901 Kanawha Turnpike, South Charleston: 1

Wendy's, 121 Virginia St. E.: 2

Four Points by Sheraton, 600 Kanawha Blvd. E.: 4

Honey Baked Ham, 2834 Mountaineer Blvd.: 2

Food Ave. Express/Target Store T1261 Restaurant, 30 RHL Blvd., South Charleston: 2

One Stop, 512 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 2

Kentucky Fried Chicken, 23A MacCorkle Ave., St. Albans: 1

Panera Bread, Charleston Town Center : 1

Pizza Hut, 603 3rd St., St. Albans: 1

Dollar General, 77 Quincy Hollow Road, Belle: 1

Family Dollar, 612 E DuPont Ave., Belle: 1

Fruth Pharmacy, 864 Oakwood Road: 1

Rite Aid, 3801 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

CVS Pharmacy, 4205 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

Fruth Pharmacy, 701 Lee St.: 1

Dollar Tree, 5707 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

St Albans Dairy Queen, 723 6th Ave., St. Albans: 1

7-Eleven, 5114 Elk River Road, Elkview: 1

Dairy Queen, 921 Main St., Elkview: 5

Family Dollar, 731 Bigley Ave.: 1

Family Dollar, 5064 Elk River, Elkview: 1

Dollar General, 4823 Indian Creek Road, Elkview: 1

CVS Pharmacy, 219 The Crossing Mall, Elkview: 1

Charleston Surgical Hospital, 1306 Kanawha Blvd.: 3

McDonald's, 2700 E DuPont Ave., Belle: 3

Chili's, Charleston Town Center: 2

Quarrier Diner, 1022 Quarrier St.: 3

Chick-Fil-A, Charleston Town Center: 4

Husson's Pizza, 822 Cross Lanes Drive, Cross Lanes: 1

Golden Corral, 412 New Goff Mountain Road, Cross Lanes: 1

Atmosphere Ultra Lounge, 706 Lee St.: 2

Subway, 300 Hillcrest Drive: 1

Penn Station East Coast Subs, 4004 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

Little Caesars Pizza, 5632 MacCorkle Ave.: 2

Cracker Barrel, 5720 MacCorkle Ave.: 2

Artie's Kick Back Lounge, 935 Central Ave.: 2

Central Ave. Group Home, 1046 Central Ave.: 1

Go-Mart, 722 Bigley Ave.: 2

Smith's Foodfair, 8599 Elk River Road, Clendenin: 3

Burger King, 1203 Frame Road, Elkview: 4

Big Lots, 7200 MacCorkle Ave.: 1

Zion Child Development Center, 1720 5th Ave.: 1

Family Dollar, 1536 Washington St. W.: 1

Greenbrier Pool, 5103 Chesterfield Ave.: 1

Kroger, Crossings Mall, Elkview: 2

Holiday Inn Express, 410 New Goff Mountain Road, Cross Lanes: 1

Cato Park Pool Snack Bar, 200 Baker Lane: 3

Big Lots, Hills Plaza: 2

Edgewood Country Club Pool, 1600 Edgewood Drive: 2

Cafe New Orleans, 1 Greyhound Drive, Cross Lanes: 1

First Turn Restaurant, 1 Greyhound Drive, Cross Lanes: 1

Come Grow With Me Child Care Center, 4928 Elk River Road, Elkview: 1

Momma's Country Kitchen, 110 Blue Creek Road, Elkview: 4

The Outer Limits Reloaded, 4043 Pennsylvania Ave.: 1

Dollar General, 6400 MacCorkle Ave., St. Albans: 1

7-Eleven, 1300 Bigley Ave.: 1

Mario's Pizza, 125 West Dupont Ave., Belle: 1

Main Kwong, 1407 Washington St.: 5

Shuckers, 70 Olde Main St., St. Albans: 3

Mayberry's Inc., 1481 MacCorkle Ave., St. Albans: 3

Dollar Tree, 112 Patrick St.: 2

Bourbon St. Bar, 1 Greyhound Drive, Cross Lanes: 1

Sabatino's, 26 Capitol St.: 2

Subway, 6313 MacCorkle Ave.: 3

La Roca, Nitro Marketplace, Nitro: 1

Sassy's South Charleston, 4414 MacCorkle Ave., South Charleston: 1

Clark's Pump-N-Shop, 100 A Alex Lane: 1

Dollar General, 302 B St., St. Albans: 1

Subway, 3516 MacCorkle Ave.: 4

Pita Pit, 4222 MacCorkle Ave.: 3

Los Amigos, 2911 7th Ave.: 1

When 40 percent of the tax statements sent out to people in the Liberty area of Putnam County were returned because they couldn't be delivered to the address listed, county officials knew something was wrong.

"I don't know this for a fact, but I'm assuming it's because of the address changes [Putnam County] 911 made last year," Chief Tax Deputy Rob Fewell.

Tax statements not making it to the right front door is just the latest in a series of kinks in the county's plan to update its addresses to comply with state and national standards.

In 2013, when Putnam County 911 changed a series of addresses, residents learned of the change from a letter they got in the mail.

Many residents expressed frustration with their new addresses and asked officials to change it back. But they weren't changed.

The next step in the plan, officials say, is updating everyone's government documents to reflect their new addresses. County Clerk Brian Wood thinks this process could take years to complete.

"We never received anything from the 911 center that said anyone's address had changed," Fewell said.

Fewell said the number of tax statements being returned to his office this year isn't an unusually high number. But it is unusual that most of them came from the same geographic clusters.

"It's not a terrible load," Fewell said, "but it's a lot that has came back at one time."

He estimated Thursday as he sent out the remaining 10 percent of the tax statements that more than 200 statements had already been returned to his office. He expected more to trickle in during the coming days.

Fewell suspects the reason so many are bouncing back to his office this year is because people have forgotten to contact his office to let him know their address changed.

Even if they haven't actually moved from their home, about 80 percent of unincorporated areas of Putnam County received new addresses.

People of Putnam County who don't receive their tax statements in the mail by July 31 are advised to call the tax office at 304-586-0204.

And while they're at it, County Clerk Brian Wood hopes they'll call his office, too.

Every two years, the Secretary of State's office gives his office a list of people who have an address listed on their voter registration card that's different than the one listed on their driver's license.

This list is a part of the National Change of Address and is distributed to county clerks in fall.

"There's no easy way of importing those addresses in," Wood said. He wishes there was a "magic thumb drive" that he could use to fix everyone's documents, but he can't.

Instead, Wood said people risk the chance of losing their voter registration card if they don't update their information and if a series of checks in the system don't catch it next year.

First, people who show up on the list given to Wood will have their voter registration card put on inactive status, he said. This doesn't mean they can't vote, but they'll be asked to update their address the next time they do.

If they don't vote in the next two federal elections, the primary in May 2016 and the general election just six months later, people will be taken off the rolls of people who can vote.

"We'll have voters that will get voter registration card just to have ID to get driver's license with no intention of going and voting ever," Wood said.

Wood recently asked the County Commission to combine several election precincts, which, in one instance, would result in a magisterial district change.

If this were approved by the County Commission, Wood said everyone in those precincts would have to be notified of the change and he could probably check to see if their addresses need updated during that process.

Mailing out a postcard to the entire county or to everyone whose address was changed by Putnam County 911 would be too expensive. Instead, he said officials will wait for people to manually update their documents, even if they know someone lives in an area that experienced address changes.

In 2013, there were about 16,000 people included on the NCOA list given to Wood by the Secretary of State. Before that, in 2011, the number was significantly less at about 1,300.

"I hope it's less than 16,000 this year," he said laughing. "We do it with smiles on our faces, but it's just one of those necessary things."

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

The city of Winfield's plans to construct a new sewer plant have been temporarily stalled as officials wait for the West Virginia Division of Culture to complete its review of the site.

Some officials, like Mayor Randy Barrett, are worried they're running out of time.

"We need to start as soon as possible, but we can't start until the design is done," Barrett said.

The new sewer plant will replace the one that currently sits along the Kanawha River and has come under scrutiny from the Department of Environmental Protections since 2001 for releasing too much ammonia nitrogen into the water.

The plant most recently received a violation on June 30 for having an average monthly concentration of 17.9 milligrams per liter of ammonia nitrogen in the water, according to Yogesh Patel, assistant director at the state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water and Wastewater Management.

Patel said the maximum monthly average is 15 milligrams per liter and couldn't say how serious of a violation that was.

The plant serves about 1,100 customers.

When it was built in the mid-'80s, it was designed to be able to treat 300,000 gallons of water a day and serve about 3,000 customers, according to the city's comprehensive plan from 2011.

For now, Barrett and other officials working on the project are waiting for a report to come back from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.

The division was asked to review the site on July 6 to make sure the project wouldn't disturb any artifacts found along the river, according to spokeswoman Caryn Gresham. The division has since received a report from the contractors who were on the site and a decision should be reached whether to approve or deny the site by Aug. 6.

"There have been some artifact findings in Putnam County," Gresham said. "The [Kanawha River] that runs through there was an area that many Native Americans and prehistoric Native Americans were, so we have found sites along the area."

Even if the proposed site isn't approved, Barrett said there are about five acres of land next to it that the new sewer plant could be easily moved to.

If the division OKs the site, Barrett's worries still aren't over.

"The DEP approved our project, and that was in May of last year," Barrett said. "We are having the design made right now and you can't apply for a loan until the design is finished."

With each passing week, Barrett worries the money won't be available for the roughly $7.5 million loan the city requested.

While city officials wait to move forward with design plans, the city is in the process of annexing an additional 223 acres into the city's limits. Barrett said the businesses and residents in the area rely on the sewer system. Barrett wants people in that area to pay their fair share.

"We just raised every body's bill," Barrett said. "They should pay at least what they pay in the city, but there's a utility tax they don't pay."

Starting April 25, sewer rates in Winfield increased by 50 percent for all residential, commercial and public authority costumers, according to a public notice from the Public Service Commission. This translates to an additional $180 more per year that residential customers will have to pay.

The increase will add nearly $300,000 in additional revenue, the notice estimates.

But sewer rates are scheduled to increase again by an additional 21 percent after "substantial completion of the project." This will create an additional $190,000 in revenue each year.

The people of Winfield were given 30 days to petition the increases, but none did. One man submitted an online petition after the 30 days were up, according to Susan Small, spokeswoman for the PSC.

"We didn't get one complaint. I had one guy question something in the process, he put a petition out and no one signed it," Barrett said. "No one complains until their bill goes up."

Reach Jake Jarvis at

jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com,

304-348-7905 or follow

@NewsroomJake on Twitter.

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Putnam County commissioners passed an ordinance concerning social hosting during their Tuesday meeting, making Putnam County the first i nthe state to enact a decree prohibiting social hosting where underage drinking or substance abuse may occur.

The ordinance, effective immediately, was introduced in the form of a petition started by Bill O'Dell, director of the Putnam Wellness Coalition. The petition received 500 signatures before being reviewed by attorneys.

Social hosting, as defined by the ordinance, includes providing personal property and space, money, credit, supervision, drinks, alibi, illegal substances, needles, drug paraphernalia to a gathering of two or more persons.

The ordinance, which initially involved criminal penalties, was updated before its passage, discarding jail time from the enacted version.

"There [used to be] a first and second offense, and I think they watered down the criminal part, but not the civil part. Any time you have a new law or ordinance, that happens," O'Dell said. "I'm just extremely pleased that they adopted it."

The consumption of alcoholic beverages and illegal substances pose a threat to general public health, safety and welfare in regards to abuse by underage persons, physical altercations, crimes, injuries and disorderly conduct, according to the ordinance.

Illegal substances include prescription drugs that do not belong to the individual or counterfeit drugs.

O'Dell said the allowance of underage drinking contributed to the underage individual's desire to consume alcohol at a heavier rate when they were outside of parental supervision.

"The earlier someone starts consuming alcohol or substances, the more problems they're going to have later," he said.

"As a Putnam County resident, a parent and coalition director, it's a great day for us," O'Dell said. "July 28, 2015 is a possible start for a statewide effort in the near future."

O'Dell said his years of experience working with the Putnam Wellness Task Team contributed to his desire to prevent social hosting from occurring. He was hired to take on the initiative last November.

"The Social Host Ordinance, like the seatbelt law and speed limit signs, are reminders for people to obey the law," he said.

The ordinance is effective in all of Putnam County, including both incorporated and unincorporated territories, and will be handled by Putnam Magistrate Court. Putnam Circuit Court will have concurrent jurisdiction under the ordinance.

Unlawful actions include intentionally contributing to a social event where not all persons are related by blood or marriage or permitting illegal substances to underage persons.

The ordinance also instructs persons 21 years or older to verbally demand the underage individual to cease and contact parents or law enforcement agencies and report the situation.

Penalties for violating persons include a $100 fine for first offense, a fine of $100 to $300 for a second offense and a $300 to $1,000 fine for a third or subsequent offense.

Standard protocol for underage drinking includes a citation, fine and a penalty determined by the appropriate magistrate court.

Putnam sheriff's Cpl. W.P. Jordan said while county residents already acted as the eyes and ears of the department, their value would be amplified by the ordinance's enactment.

"If you have a party in a subdivision, we may not know about it, but the neighbors can call and report it," he said. "Anything we can do to prevent underage drinking in our county is a plus. We're just tired of seeing our young people make that wrong turn and the adults should know it won't be tolerated."

The commission also reviewed the voting precinct consolidation and magisterial district changes and updated according to Brian Wood, county clerk.

Wood said after taking residential feedback into consideration, precincts 14 and 21 would not merge.

Precincts 24 and 29, however, still are anticipating a merge.

The decision for consolidation will be on the agenda for the next meeting at 9 a.m. on Aug. 4.

"It'll be published at that time and then voter registration cards will be distributed," Wood said.

Contact Lexi Browning at 304-348-7917 or lexi.browning@dailymailwv.com. Follow her at www.twitter.com/_galexi.

The Putnam County Commission will hold a public hearing Thursday night concerning the town of Winfield's application to annex 223 acres into the town's limits by a minor boundary adjustment.

Mayor Randy Barrett said if business and residents in that area want to continue reaping benefits of a growing town, they need to start paying their fair share of taxes.

Local business owners say it isn't that simple. The town is debating how much businesses and residents in the area should be contributing to Winfield for the benefit of living next to it.

"Business is hard," said Lynne Fruth, president of Fruth Pharmacy and chairman of its board. "If you look in Putnam County, the lion's share of the growth has taken place in unincorporated areas because those business are not subject to a B&O tax."

The Winfield Fruth Pharmacy sits right next to the town's limits - a "stone's throw away," as the mayor calls it.

You can tell you've reached the edge of the town when you see a big welcome sign with bold lettering declaring Winfield the "TOWN OF CHAMPIONS."

But the town's actual limits aren't quite as easy to define. Before you reach this sign, Sgt. Kevin Young of the Winfield Police Department said, depending on which side of W.Va. 817 you're on, some areas are already included in the town's limits.

What happens if there's an emergency outside the limits? Young said Winfield police are usually the first to respond.

"If we were to get a call in a situation like that, we'd respond," Young said, "but if it's an arrest that needs to be made, we would hold and detain the suspect until the sheriff's department comes."

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department is located inside the town, next to the county courthouse.

"They said, 'We don't need police, we don't need this and we don't need that,' " Barrett said of those opposing the annexation. "The city has done a lot to grow in the past four years, and I think we're bringing in more people to the city. The more people that come in, the more that shop at those businesses."

Beyond paying B&O taxes, Barrett said, the annexation will help the sewer system, which was recently scrutinized by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection for releasing too much ammonia nitrogen into the Kanawha River. Right now, people in the area Winfield hopes to annex pay less than customers who live in Winfield, even though they still rely on it for its service, according to Barrett.

"If anything, you should pay more for sewer living out of the town than living inside," Barrett said.

Fruth said she's fine with the sewer rate increase.

"I'm willing to pay my share," she said.

The B&O tax is where she draws the line.

Approximately 85 percent of the revenue for the Winfield Fruth Pharmacy comes from filling prescriptions for healthcare plans that is later reimbursed through insurance programs, Medicare or Medicaid.

"I don't have the ability to raise prices," Fruth said. "Those prices are set by the government, and they don't really care that I'm subject to B&O taxes."

When business owners in the area complain to Barrett about the tax, he tries to correct them: "Businesses don't really pay the B&O tax. They pass it on to their customers."

B&O taxes are based on a business's total revenue and don't take into account if the business is actually making a profit.

Fruth thinks her business has already contributed enough to the town of Winfield and said it adds a different type of value to its citizens. She points to last year, when Fruth Pharmacy gave at least $3,000 worth of scholarships to students in Winfield.

"For a business that operates on a small margin - pharmacies, grocery stores - to take something off the top like that is hard," Fruth said. "It's a substantial tax, relative to the type of business we do."

If Winfield's B&O tax had a provision that gave pharmacies and healthcare businesses a break, she might be more open to the annexation.

Besides taxes, Jennifer Karr, Putnam County's attorney, has questioned why Winfield decided to apply for an annexation by minor boundary adjustment.

There are three ways to annex an area: with an election, without an election and by minor boundary adjustment.

When Winfield first applied to extend its limits, it wanted to annex more than 600 acres by a minor boundary adjustment. At the time, Commissioner Joe Haynes wondered how "minor" that much land could be considered. The town subsequently reduced the amount of area it wants to annex.

The public hearing begins at 6 p.m. Thursday in the county courthouse.

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

WINFIELD - The Putnam County Commission unanimously voted Thursday night to deny the city of Winfield's request to annex two tracts of land that sit adjacent to the current city limits.

Winfield sought to annex 223 acres by minor boundary adjustment.

"With all respect to the mayor and the city of Winfield, I don't think we should even be here tonight," said Commissioner Joe Haynes. "I don't think anyone could possibly see this as a minor boundary adjustment."

The other commissioners, Stephen Andes and Andy Skidmore, also questioned whether 223 acres would be considered minor. Andes looked up the definition of minor in Webster's Dictionary.

Timothy LaFon, an attorney for the city of Winfield, pointed to a previous instance as a precedent for large annexations by minor boundary adjustment.

The city of Morgantown annexed approximately 643 acres through a minor boundary adjustment, LaFon said.

But Morgantown already owned 639 of those acres on which it operated and maintained a municipal airport, according to documents provided to the Commission by County Attorney Jennifer Scragg Karr.

None of Winfield's representatives, including LaFon or Mayor Randy Barrett, could tell the Commission how large Winfield is currently.

The commission was required by state law to consider several different factors before making its decision. One of those factors was whether the annexation would benefit the county as a whole.

"Overall, it's not really in the best interest of the county," Commissioner Andes said during deliberation. "Most of the people outside the city of Winfield are opposed to it. The services that they receive are already being provided and are already being paid for."

Residents say they already pay for those services. One of them is the city's sewer system which customers inside city limits and outside pay for equally.

The recently scrutinized sewer system increased its rate by 50 percent for all customers and plans to increase rates again by 21 percent after most of a new sewer plant is constructed.

This rate was increased not to fully finance the new sewer plant's construction, Barrett said, but to finance an engineer to draft the plans for it.

"We've done some terrible things to some old people who just can't afford it," Barrett said. "We're sure not going to do it again. We just can't."

If the Commission approved the annexation, customers would have to pay an additional 2 percent utility tax, according to Barrett.

"That 2 percent utility tax goes back into the general fund of the city," Barrett said. "You know, we're processing bills, reading meters, up there getting the bills out... Those funds go to pay for clerical stuff," not the sewer system.

Despite this, LaFon questioned a civil engineer who previously worked for the city and Putnam County about the damage storm water run off has on the city's sewer system.

Which, as LaFaon pointed out, is in part due to people outside the city's limits.

When the sewer plant was originally licensed to operate in the mid '80s, it could only treat 150,000 gallons of water a day, officials said. After significant growth in Winfield, the Department of Environmental Protection allowed it to treat 300,000 gallons of water a day without requiring an increase in the size of the facility.

Barrett likened this to a bucket not changing sizes but being forced to hold more water.

He said if he had been around when the city opted to extend sewer lines down into the area, he would have allowed it only if that area agreed to come into city limits.

"If we hadn't have put them on the system," Barrett said, "our bucket wouldn't be as full as it is now."

If the sewer system continues to leak ammonia nitrogen into the Kanawha River, the DEP could issue fines up to $25,000 a day to the city. Barrett said the city has entered into negotiations with the DEP to avoid these fines.

"We're going to meet again in August," Barrett said. "But I think in about September, we're going to have to start paying fines. I don't see how we can avoid it."

Business in the area under consideration would also have to pay a B&O tax. Retail businesses would pay 0.25 percent while service businesses would pay 1 percent.

None of the revenue generated from the B&O tax would go to support construction of the new sewer plant, Barrett said.

Winfield representatives also suggested that people outside city limits should help to support the Winfield Volunteer Fire Department. But they already pay a $35 a year fire user fee charge, just like city residents, Barrett said.

Barrett wasn't surprised by the decision. He wasn't immediately sure after the meeting if the city would consider appealing the decision in circuit court.

"The city still has other options," Barrett said after the meeting. He wouldn't elaborate on those options but said the city could appeal the decision or consider shrinking the area it seeks to annex.

"Those people, those businesses are thriving because we're spending money in our town to make it cleaner and a safer place to live," Barrett said. "They're getting everything for free."

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

WINFIELD - The Putnam County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to approve the creation of a new itinerant school nurse position.

"What's happening is we're getting more and more kids with these severe peanut allergies," Superintendent Chuck Hatfield told the board. "Unfortunately, some of our nurses are spending as much time on the road because we have them covering three or four schools."

There's also been a rise in diabetes among students, Hatfield said, which in some cases requires care from nurses multiple times a day.

The itinerant position will account for the time nurses travel and will help alleviate some of other nurses' stress.

"It's a growing problem," Hatfield said.

Also Monday, the board unanimously voted to:

n Approve 32 Putnam County businesses that will be covered through the state Board of Risk and Insurance Management as sites for unpaid, work-based learning where students in grades nine through 12 will participate in off-school learning experiences.

n Approve more than 50 fundraisers for the 2015 to 2016 fiscal year.

Employees of the Putnam County Circuit Clerk's office filed a grievance Monday claiming they're paid less per hour than other county employees in similar jobs and that the county has neglected to give them raises. The employees asked Circuit Clerk Ronnie Matthews for raises.

Shawn Bayliss, a lawyer representing the group, said County Manager Brian Donat tried to use scare tactics to stop the employees from filing the grievance.

"On July 31, the Circuit Clerk was informed by Brian Donat that if we wanted a raise, the commission could do away with our insurance and possibly our one hour paid lunch," the grievance reads.

Matthews denied the employees' request in a letter Wednesday, writing that, while he "wholeheartedly" agrees that the employees deserve a raise, he doesn't have the authority to approve it.

The 11 employees of the office are now appealing Matthew's decision with the County Commission. But those employees are now afraid of losing their jobs or the benefits that come with it.

Donat was out of the office Friday on vacation and was not available for comment, according to someone who answered the phone in the County Commission's office. He did not answer a message sent to his cellphone.

Jeremy Young, assistant county manager, also would not comment on the grievance or its appeal.

"I'm not really aware of the details of that," Young said. "I don't know the details of that and our county manager is on vacation."

Employees in the Circuit Clerk's office recently noticed that during the County Commission's July 14 meeting, commissioners unanimously approved hiring a new employee to the County Clerk's office at a starting hourly rate higher than most of the employees in the Circuit Clerk's office with more years experience.

That new employee, Natalie Taylor, is a full-time office assistant with the County Clerk. Her starting wage was $11.19 an hour effective July 20.

"With regards to my budget, that's for me to decide for what I decide I pay my employees," said County Clerk Brian Wood. "The elected official has to determine what's best for their office and how they serve the public."

Most of the employees in the Circuit Clerk's office make between $9 to $10 per hour regardless of how many years of experience they have, Bayliss said.

Of the 11 employees in the Circuit Clerk's office, eight of them, including three supervisors, make less per hour than Taylor, according to Matthews.

"I would add that my other [two] supervisors are also making less than the County Clerk's supervisor," Matthews' letter reads.

The County Commission also unanimously approved wage increases for 10 other employees in the County Clerk's office.

Other office assistants in County Clerk's department now make upward of $13 an hour as a result of the wage increases.

The County Clerk's senior deputy/election registration position makes $20.61 an hour. Matthews said that pay exceeds the Circuit Clerk's chief deputy/office manager/office bookkeeper position who has more than 35 years experience with the office.

"I want you to know that every year at my budget meeting with the County Commission, I requested that my staff be given a raise, which every year is received to no avail," Matthews' letter reads.

The grievance states that one of the reason's the County Clerk's office could afford pay raises was because it had money left in its budget, "but this office did as well that was relinquished to the county."

Bayliss said women who've worked in the Circuit Clerk's office for more than three years still make as little as $9 an hour.

"These women can't support themselves and their families on the small amount of pay they get," Bayliss said. Circuit Clerk employees knew the wages when they took the job, he said, but they expected reasonable raises over a period of time.

Bayliss spoke with several of the women in the office. One takes home about $400 every two weeks after taxes, he said.

"All of the activity in that courthouse comes to a standstill without the help of the folks in the Circuit Clerk's office," Bayliss said.

The appeal was delivered to the County Commission Thursday. Plans to address the appeal were not listed Friday on the County Commission's agenda for its next meeting.

The following employees signed the grievance and the appeal: Jean Young, Elissa Shell, Jill Hodges-Stepp, Stephanie McDade, Cathy Gawthrop, Michelle Garrison, Lisa DeBord, Muriah Powell, Paige Stone, Darlene Smith and Connie Raynes.

"We do not fault the other employees for the money they received," the grievance reads. "However, we feel that we are just as entitled to fair wages, as well."

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

WINFIELD - Scott Williamson felt like he was stuck in a boat with only one paddle. It didn't matter how hard or how fast he paddled, he just drifted around in circles.

Now, for a little under $100,000, the executive director of Putnam County Parks and Recreation feels like he finally got that second paddle.

More than a year ago, the Putnam parks system began developing a comprehensive plan for every park the county owns and a master plan for Hurricane's Valley Park, the "crown jewel" of the park system.

"I've been here for nine years," Williamson said. "For nine years, I've wanted a strategic master plan to give me and the board some direction on where we need to go and what we need to do to best serve the people."

Instead of just working on smaller projects without a vision for the future, Williamson thinks he'll now be able to look at this plan and take small steps with his staff to a larger goal.

At a parks board meeting last week, Charleston-based GAI Consultants Inc. unveiled the plan after working on it for more than 14 months.

Tuesday morning, Putnam County commissioners praised the plan for its ability to serve the public and generate revenue.

"Everyone's really pleased with the master plan," said County Commissioner Joe Haynes, who also serves on the parks board. "A lot of us may never see it completed, but we're happy for the direction of it."

Depending on financing, the plan could take 10 to 15 years to complete. Dave Gilmore, director of landscape architecture at GAI Consulting, said the final report will breakdown the plan into a series of manageable phases.

How much will updating Valley Park cost? Gilmore said it could be tens of millions of dollars, but that's just a ballpark estimate.

Among other things, the plan found that Putnam County should add three full baseball fields, five youth baseball or softball fields, two basketball courts, two recreation centers, 10 small-size soccer or lacrosse fields and six tennis courts to match what other counties of the same size already have.

Some of those fields would be added to Valley Park, while the rest might be built at different parks.

The Valley Park plan, developers said, would increase connectivity throughout the park, create a centralized area and could eventually be a source of revenue for the county.

Depending on funding and interest from the park board, though, the future of Valley Park might end up different from the plans. For now, the pool area will be updated and might include a "lazy river" water ride.

Williamson and Haynes' favorite part? The community center.

"This park was designed and put into place nearly 30 years ago," Williamson said. "Things change. Our population has absolutely skyrocketed in that amount of time."

Right now, a parking lot sits at the center of Valley Park. A new community center would have unlimited potential, Gilmore said, and would be nicer to look at than an asphalt lot. It could hold banquets, house new American With Disabilities Act-compliant locker rooms, sell concessions and host homecoming and prom celebrations for local schools.

Parks board members asked how large the center would be, but Gilmore said at last week's meeting that the size hadn't been determined and an architect would have to be hired to draft additional plans.

"It can be as big or as small as you want it to be," he said. If the parks board wants a bigger center, it could sacrifice some of the surrounding green space. The center would sit next to Waves of Fun and the existing baseball fields.

Right now, Williamson said, the plan is just a reference document. He said he expects the board to vote to adopt the plan at its next meeting and then, he can start working toward the goals.

A large part of the 14-month process, Gilmore said, was trying to figure out what the public wants from the county parks. In addition to in-person community meetings, GAI Consulting conducted online surveys, which received more than 600 responses. The goal was simple: Find out what the public wants from its county parks.

Nearly 90 percent of survey respondents said they live within a 30-minute drive of a county park and 60 percent of respondents said providing more facilities in the parks is the most or second-most important priority for the county.

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

POCA - Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., welcomed India's deputy ambassador to the United States to West Virginia on Wednesday in hopes of strengthening the relationship between the Mountain State and the world's second most populous country.

Capito and Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the deputy chief of mission from the Indian Embassy, spent the afternoon touring Poca-based Kanawha Scales and Systems, a company that specializes in the weighing and automation industry.

The two walked together while asking representatives of the company questions about their equipment and their exports.

James Freeman, Kanawha Scales and Systems' chief financial officer, told Capito and Sandhu how the company began as one that was largely focused on the weighing industry in coal and chemicals, specifically in the United States.

But over time, Freeman said, with the coal industry struggling in recent years, the company has had to diversify its portfolio and begin working on new forms of technology and expanding its presence around the world.

"The international market is a very important part of our growth," he said.

The stop at the local company was one of many Sandhu made Wednesday. He also met with the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the state development office, state health officer Rahul Gupta and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

India's growth offers an opportunity to enhance a partnership that already has been rewarding for the West Virginia, its businesses and the quickly expanding South Asian country, Capito said.

Building the relationship between India and West Virginia is important in finding ways to diversify the state's economy, she said, while acknowledging the Mountain State's abundance of energy, in coal and natural gas.

"India is our third largest trading partner," she said. "India is the third largest importer of West Virginia goods. There's a good, solid relationship there."

With a population of 1.2 billion, India is looking to states like West Virginia for new technologies, as well as investment opportunities.

Sandhu said he would take what he learned Wednesday back to Indian companies that might be interested in building a presence in West Virginia.

As a small state, West Virginia offers flexibility that other states don't have, Capito said.

"The further we push it and develop relationships, it's going to be good for West Virginia businesses," she said.

"There are broad areas where there is future collaboration between us," Sandhu said.

Capito said one thing that would be beneficial to both India and West Virginia would be to pass legislation that would allow for a more expeditious process to export liquefied natural gas.

While thanking Capito for her hospitality, Sandhu, who was on his first trip to West Virginia, invited the freshman senator on a similar trip to India.

"I think that would be great," Capito said.

Reach Joel Ebert at joel.ebert@dailymailwv.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @joelebert29 on Twitter.

WINFIELD, W.Va. - Robert Jeremy Smith struggled through tears, his knees shaking, as he asked a judge Friday to show him mercy before he was sentenced in the killing of his infant son last year. But Putnam Circuit Judge Joseph Reeder was unmoved.

"Where was the mercy that you showed to that child?" the judge asked Smith. "This was a 5-week-old, eight-pound baby that couldn't beg for mercy. He couldn't even ask for mercy."

Reeder then sentenced Smith, 34, to spend the rest of his life in jail with no chance of parole, even though prosecutors had recommended the judge offer mercy as part of the plea deal Smith agreed to in June.

Smith's 5-week-old son, Madden, was found dead in the back of a Toyota Corolla in Kanawha City in May 2014. When police arrived on the scene, Robert Smith was there with his throat cut, and police said he had tried to kill himself.

When the child was first found, Smith first told police he had dropped his son, but later said he had shaken the infant. He did not seek medical attention for his son until more than 24 hours after Madden Smith died.

"The injuries were not consistent with that story," assistant Putnam County prosecutor Kris Raynes said. "There were [bruises] all over the baby's body, multiple different bruisings and bleedings on the head."

Smith's lawyers told the judge that the child's death was a result of inaction from the father, not a "malicious, dark-hearted" action.

But Reeder took issue with the cause of death in the medical examiner's report and questioned the child's cause of death.

Although the autopsy couldn't technically show how old each bruise was, Raynes said a medical examiner told her that some bruises might be older than others. He knew this by the way blood pooled in certain area's of the child's body.

About 14 milliliters of blood were pooled in the child's skull, Raynes said, "and that's a lot of blood."

Smith, represented by Shawn Bayliss and Greg Courtright, told the judge that the day his son died was the worst day of his life, and if he could, he'd give his life to have his son back.

A volunteer chaplain from Western Regional Jail testified on Smith's behalf, telling the court that he's prayed with Smith on numerous occasions and he believes Smith is sorry for what he's done.

Smith, who had pleaded guilty to "murder of a child by a parent for refusal or failure to supply necessities," told Reeder that he hoped one day that he might receive parole and return to his family and other children. If the judge had granted mercy, Smith could have been eligible for parole in 15 years.

"I believe God shows us mercy whether we deserve it or we don't," Reeder said. "But that's a different kind of mercy than what we deal with in the court of law."

Reach Jake Jarvis at jake.jarvis@wvgazette.com, 304-348-7905 or follow @NewsroomJake on Twitter.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Putnam County magistrate challenged a Hurricane man to a fight during a court proceeding this week after the man insulted him in court filings, according to a recording of the hearing posted online.

Troy Sexton uploaded a recording of a portion of his appearance before Magistrate Scot Lawrence on Wednesday for traffic citations. Lawrence appears agitated from the beginning of the hearing and notes his disdain for motions Sexton filed that use derogatory language toward him. He also notes that he's aware of Sexton's criminal history.

"You know I know who he is," the magistrate tells someone in his courtroom, according to the recording. "I know what he does, OK? I'll take care of this."

Sexton served time in jail for domestic battery against his two 6-year-old sons at football practice and was charged with DUI last year. Also last year, Sexton was jailed in Cincinnati after being accused of trespassing and making threats at the Cincinnati Reds' Great American Ball Park, from which he was banned seven years ago.

Sexton, 41, appeared before Lawrence because he had been charged with not wearing his seat belt and having illegally tinted windows. He admitted to both in court, according to his recording.

Lawrence, a former State Police trooper, can be heard in the recording telling Sexton the motions he filed contain "fighting words."

"Let's discuss a few other things since you're up here. Where I come from ... to me those are fighting words. Do you want to fight me? Is that what you want?" the magistrate can be heard saying.

"I've done nothing but try to be fair to you. ... Why haven't you been to my house like you did the other people? Why didn't you come? I was waiting on you.

"Why didn't you come? Were you afraid? Come by anytime, Mr. Sexton. Come by anytime you want to. You knock on my door, whatever you want to do, for anything you want to and see what happens," Lawrence states.

Lawrence, of Hurricane, was elected magistrate in 2011. He previously served as a state trooper for 25 years.

In one of the several motions Sexton filed requesting that the charges against him be dismissed, he asked that Lawrence be taken off the case and the case be transferred to a circuit judge.

"Scot Lawrence is incapable of making correct, righteous judgments involving those who are considered 'controversial' which I certainly am," Sexton wrote. He also called the magistrate a "fat sweaty slob" in a motion on file in the Putnam Magistrate Court Clerk's Office.

Lawrence was not at work Friday. His secretary said he wasn't scheduled to work again until Monday. No one answered a call to his home Friday.

The magistrate imposed maximum fines on Sexton for the charges. Lawrence also said Sexton was in contempt of court and ordered him to pay $100 for that.

Reach Kate White at kate.white@wvgazette.com, 304-348-1723 or @KateLWhite on Twitter.

WINFIELD - A man is being treated for burns after a ruptured natural gas pipeline burst into flame south of Winfield Monday afternoon.

An excavator driven by an unidentified party struck and ruptured the four-inch plastic pipeline, said Joey Tolley, of Tolley Contracting, LLC. The individual driving the excavator isn't affiliated with Tolley's company.

Tolley's company contracts work from Union Oil and Gas, the company that operates the ruptured line. Primarily, he said, his company responds to breaks and fixes them.

This rupture occurred on the property of Gary D. Young, according to numerous "No Trespassing" signs posted to the fence surrounding the open field where emergency crews contained the ruptured pipe. Workers told Tolley the gas coming out of the pipe made enough noise to necessitate ear protection.

"I didn't get here 'til well after the incident," Tolley said. "When (the workers) showed up, gas was blowing ... In the process of shutting it down, it somehow ignited."

One of Tolley's workers was caught in the fire and suffered burns. The unidentified man was taken to a burn unit in Cabell County.

"We've been in business for 35 years around here and this is the first time this has happened," said Joe Tolley, the company's owner and Joey's father. "And, we didn't do it."

The ruptured line fortunately caught fire in a sparsely populated area south of Winfield near the corner of Rocky Step Road and Harmon Branch Road. The Winfield Fire Department and Eleanor Fire Department quelled the fire and contained the rupture.

Tolley said the next step is likely an investigation into the rupture and subsequent blaze.

"I believe they brought in pipeline safety, so I'm sure they'll do an investigation," he said.

Contact writer Tyler Bell at 304-348-4850 or tyler.bell@dailymailwv.com or folllow @Tyler_Bell87 on Twitter.

SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. - More than 1,000 miners and supporters gathered in front of Patriot Coal's headquarters in Putnam County on Monday afternoon to protest the company's continuing efforts to cancel union contracts and avoid paying pensions and health benefits to retired miners.

"We are here for one reason - to make the company hear our voice," said Joe Carter, vice president of United Mine Workers of America District 17, based in Charleston.

On Aug. 3, the UMW filed an objection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia, opposing Patriot's efforts to cancel union contracts and to avoid paying benefits to retired coal miners.

Patriot has been working to sell some of its most valuable assets to Blackhawk Mining, based in Lexington, Kentucky. Patriot supports a deal with Blackhawk Mining that would allow union contacts and retiree benefits to be dismissed. Blackhawk could then rehire employees laid off by Patriot, according to its bankruptcy filing.

The UMW believes rejecting union contracts is not necessary for Blackhawk to restructure Patriot's mining operations.

Dan Kane, secretary treasurer of UMW District 17, said current federal "bankruptcy laws need to get tossed out and rewritten. The CEOs, investors and lawyers all get paid. But the workers get sent away with cents on the dollar (owed to them) or nothing. We need legislation to change the bankruptcy laws so that working people are paid."

In a statement Monday afternoon, Patriot Coal said that the company expected most employees at their mining operations would have "job opportunities" either with Blackhawk or the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund, which proposed a deal Monday to buy and clean up some of the Patriot mine sites with the worst problems, including the Federal No. 2 Mine in north-central West Virginia and the Hobet mining complex on the Boone-Lincoln county lines.

"In particular, the VCLF transaction just announced today is expected to provide future job opportunities for UMWA-affiliated employees at our Federal and Hobet mines," Patriot said in the statement. "We believe that our efforts in securing both the VCLF and Blackhawk transactions represent the best possible outcome for our employees and other stakeholders. Patriot expects to emerge from Chapter 11 as expeditiously as possible and, as always, we are committed to operating safely and serving our customers throughout the sale process."

On Monday, Patriot revealed to the bankruptcy court that it has reached a sales agreement with ERP Compliant Fuels, a company affiliated with VCLF. That agreement would cover "substantially all of Patriot's assets and liabilities not included in the previously announced sale agreement with Blackhawk."

In a previous bankruptcy filing, Patriot stated that "Blackhawk has been clear from the beginning that under no circumstances would it agree to make contributions to the UMW 1974 Pension Plan, a multi-employer plan that provides defined benefits to a majority of the hourly coal production workers represented by the UMW."

Patriot has been working to sell several companies it previously bought from other coal companies like Arch Coal and Peabody. Those companies include Heritage Coal, Eastern Associated Coal, Apogee Coal, Hobet Mining, Colony Bay Coal, Mountain View Coal, Rivers Edge Coal, Highland Mining, Pine Ridge Coal and Gateway Eagle Coal.

No cars were in the parking lot at Patriot's headquarters, which borders Interstate 64, on Monday. A guard who came to the front door said he didn't know of executives or managers at the headquarters Monday.

A security truck also blocked the entrance to Patriot's parking lot, apparently to prevent anyone else from parking there.

UMW President Cecil Roberts told the crowd Monday, "Our message to you is that these are our jobs. This is our health care and our pensions. You think this crowd is big. Try to mine one lump of coal without us and we will stand in front of your mines."

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjnyden@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.

A judge has thrown out a former Winfield Planning Commission member's lawsuit against the city and its mayor, who the commissioner said wrongfully removed him from the board and slandered him at a public meeting.

Putnam Circuit Judge Joseph Reeder signed an order Thursday denying a request from George Armstrong's attorney that Reeder ask the state Supreme Court to clarify whether Mayor Randy Barrett and the city were immune from the lawsuit. Reeder stated the law already was clear in giving Barrett and Winfield "absolute immunity for any alleged harm resulting from the removal of Planning Commission members," and granted the defendants' request that he dismiss the case.

"As a member of the Planning Commission, Plaintiff was unpaid and was not a formal employee of Winfield," the judge ruled. "Rather, as a member of a quasi-legislative body, he could be freely removed from his position at any time and for any reason. As Mayor of Winfield, Mr. Barrett was engaged in a traditional executive function, namely the hiring and removal of executive and quasi-legislative officials, when he notified the Plaintiff that he was terminated from the Planning Commission due to a 'conflict.'"

Due to this immunity, Reeder stated that he didn't need to consider "whether the actions of the Mayor were malicious or violated any clearly established right."

When contacted Monday, Armstrong said he didn't know the case had been dismissed and plans to seek advice on whether to appeal.

Armstrong previously lodged a complaint with the city requesting compensation for alleged encroachment on his property related to drainage from sidewalk projects. His now-dismissed lawsuit, filed in September 2014 by Winfield-based attorney David O. Moye, stated he met with Barrett on the issue Aug. 6, 2013.

Moye wrote that Barrett became angry about Armstrong's request for payment. According to documents the Charleston Gazette received through an open records request, the mayor sent him a letter later that August stating that his appointment to the commission expired Dec. 31, 2013, and "due to conflict of interest, this appointment will not be renewed."

City Attorney Tim LaFon said the potential for Armstrong to launch a separate lawsuit against the city and the sidewalk engineers created a conflict of interest, but Armstrong argued his encroachment issue could've been reasonably accommodated so that he could continue serving on the commission.

When Armstrong attended the next commission meeting on Sept. 9, 2013 - after receiving the letter - Barrett allegedly admonished him in front of the board and audience, said he no longer had his seat and "stood in front of the commission and crowd and asked if Plaintiff had received his letter of termination." When Armstrong noted that the letter stated he wouldn't be removed until the end of 2013, the mayor allegedly said that was a typo and it was supposed to say he was removed in 2012.

In their response to the lawsuit, the city and Barrett denied the mayor made those statements at the commission meeting. Barrett said there was an interaction between he and Armstrong before the meeting began. Armstrong also said the mayor made his alleged statements before the meeting began.

Moye argued Barrett removed Armstrong without just cause or due process. Armstrong had requested reinstatement on the commission, a public apology, attorney costs and damages - including for humiliation, embarrassment and loss of personal dignity.

Armstrong's separate lawsuit against the city over its sidewalk installation - filed under the name of his rental property holding company, CV Management, the same month he sued Winfield and Barrett in the now-dismissed case - is still ongoing. Winfield has asked the court to dismiss that lawsuit as well, and has brought the Pennsylvania-based contractor that installed the sidewalks, Michael Baker Jr. Inc., into the case, saying it was the contractor's job to ensure "said sidewalks were being installed within appropriately obtained rights-of-way."

The city argues that if CV Management's allegations are accurate, Michael Baker Jr. Inc. breached its contract with the city and is liable for any damages. CV Management, which controls the property for the Winfield Mobile Home Village and Country Roads Veterinary Hospital, wants payment for the fair market value of the property at the time the city allegedly took it, the amount of money the company had to spend to move a sign, legal fees and other damages.

Reach Ryan Quinn at ryan.quinn@wvgazette.com, 304-348-1254 or follow @RyanEQuinn on Twitter.

The Putnam County Board of Health has moved to pay the last of its nearly $400,000 in outstanding debts, two years after the financially ailing department first contracted with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department in a bid to right itself.

On Tuesday, the board voted to use roughly $73,000 of the $100,000 given to the agency yearly by the Putnam County Commission to pay its remaining debts, including a $65,000 loan from the commission itself.

"We're exciting to be able to really focus on health going forward," said Putnam County commissioner and health board member Andy Skidmore. "It's a huge relief. Especially dealing with it in both capacities, as both a commissioner and board member, but we're just tickled to death with where we've gotten back to."

Mounting financial problems drove the Putnam health department to give over its clinical operations - and part of its state funding - to the KCHD in June of 2013, and lay off its entire staff. Part of its debt stemmed from more than $60,000 in pack pay owed to a former sanitarian who was fired by former administrators twice, in 2010 and 2011, and successfully filing two wrongful termination grievances, and from more than $130,000 owed to Gary Young, the PCHD's former landlord.

According to Skidmore, the Putnam health board recently renewed its yearly contract with the KCHD, and he did not foresee his agency breaking from the Kanawha health department in the near future. The Putnam agency is still the object of a federal investigation, as well, and Skidmore said he was not aware of progress made to wrap up that investigation.

Dr. Michael Brumage, the new director and health officer for the KCHD, told the board Tuesday that the Kanawha health department is more actively exploring launching its own harm reduction program for Kanawha and Putnam counties, similar to the one currently being implemented in Cabell County. In July, the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and the city of Huntington launched the state's first syringe-exchange program, a facet of a larger harm reduction program that encompasses education, referrals.

Needle-exchange programs offer free sterile syringes and collect used syringes from injection-drug users, to reduce the spread of blood-borne pathogens, including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Multiple studies have documented that they reduce the risk of HIV infection among injection-drug users and their partners, Dr. Rahul Gupta, commissioner for the Bureau for Public Health and state health officer, told the Gazette in July. The pilot program is estimated to be fully operational by September, and Brumage said the KCHD is likely to follow suit soon after.

"It's not just about syringe exchange - there's a whole package of services that go along with it," Brumage said. "We know from the evidence in the literature already - 160 programs across the country have shown great success with reducing the number of those addicted and getting people into recovery, as well as in reducing the diseases that go along with IV drug abuse, so we're not going to wait any longer than we have to to implement this."

Reach Lydia Nuzum at lydia.nuzum@wvgazette.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @lydianuzum on Twitter.

The owners of three area funeral homes have been accused of bilking an insurance company out of more than $900,000 after selling and cashing in on pre-need funeral arrangements to more than 100 people who weren't actually dead, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.

Last week, Iowa-based Homesteaders Life Co. filed a complaint in the Southern District of West Virginia against Chad and Billie Harding, of Poca, and their business, Gatens-Harding Funeral Home.

In the 45-page complaint, the insurance company says the Hardings sold and cashed in on pre-need funeral contracts to 111 people from 2005 to 2013 as part of a group life insurance plan.

The problem, however, was that the individuals the funeral home said were dead were still alive, according to the complaint.

Only about 12 percent of the 111 people who signed a pre-need funeral arrangement contract with Gatens-Harding were actually dead as of last week's filing.

Fourteen people died after the funeral home initially said they did. One customer, who died in May, was reported deceased by the funeral home in November 2012.

For the sale of all the pre-need contracts, agents and employees of Gatens-Harding Funeral Home received $136,719 in commissions, with Chad Harding receiving $7,242, from Homesteaders Life.

Pre-need funeral arrangements are sold by funeral homes as part of group life insurance plans, which are designed to fund the funeral services for those enrolled. In the event of the consumers' death, the insurance company distributes money to the funeral home to cover the costs of services and arrangements.

"Prearranged contracts can guarantee the family will not have any costs beyond the what they paid for [in the contract]," said Gerry Kraus, vice president and compliance officer at Homesteaders Life.

The company is one of about a dozen around the country that offer pre-need contracts, he said.

Prearranged plans are generally viewed by consumers as beneficial because they free families from financial and other burdens that arise upon the passing of a loved one.

For a funeral home to receive payment, it is required to submit a death claim to the insurance company for the amount of death benefits available on a consumer's policy.

Once a claim is submitted, the funeral home certifies the date of death and that the funeral services have been provided. Once the insurance company receives the funeral home's certification, it can release the funds.

Beginning in September 2012 - and up until as recently as March of this year - Gatens-Harding submitted claims to Homesteaders Life, saying that a member of the insurance plan had died and the funeral home had rendered services.

For each submitted death claim, Gatens-Harding received payments ranging from $1,448 to $14,565.

The average funeral with a casket and visitation costs about $7,000, Kraus said, noting that the majority of people entering pre-need contracts pay for their entire plan with one payment.

In total, Gatens-Harding reportedly received about $919,000 from the insurance company for all 111 people it had claimed were deceased who actually weren't.

According to the complaint, Chad Harding signed his name on every one of the claims.

While not able to discuss the particulars of the lawsuit, Kraus said the insurance company is working with state and local regulatory officials to ensure that the policies of consumers are secure. Anyone who has questions about their policy, he said, is encouraged to contact Homesteaders Life's customer service department.

Homesteader's Life, which is being represented by attorneys from Charleston law firm Spilman Thomas & Battle, alleges that the funeral home violated federal racketeering laws and is seeking at least $900,000 in damages and a jury trial.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers.

In 2004, Chad Harding and his wife, Billie, became the sole owners of Gatens Funeral Home, which was started by Joseph Gatens Sr. and his wife, Norma Lee Gatens, in 1940, according to the company's website.

Today, the Hardings have expanded their presence to three locations - one each in Charleston, Poca and Red House.

Neither one of the Hardings responded to multiple requests for comment from the Gazette-Mail.

The Hardings' funeral homes haven't had any complaints in front of the West Virginia Board of Funeral Service Examiners filed against them, said Constance Sloan, the office manager for the board. "If we had anything, it had to be before I came," said Sloan, who joined the board in 2005.

A violation of pre-need contracts would fall under the state attorney general's Consumer Protection Division.

On Monday, Jared Hunt, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said he could neither confirm nor deny an investigation into the matter.

In 2014, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed a complaint against a Monroe County funeral home and its owner for allegedly violating the state's Pre-need Act and Consumer Protection Act.

Joel L. McGuire and his company, Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home, faced several allegations, including making at least eight fraudulent death claims, totaling $60,512, for funeral services rendered for people before their actual deaths.

The case was settled in June when Morrisey sought a summary judgment, which resulted in McGuire and his funeral home paying $17,261 in restitution to consumers and $160,000 in civil penalties. McGuire also was permanently prohibited from selling and providing pre-need funeral services in West Virginia.

Reach Joel Ebert at joel.ebert@dailymailwv.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @joelebert29 on Twitter.

A Putnam County man pleaded guilty Monday in Charleston to five federal drug charges.

Christian Garrett Thornton, 29, of Bancroft, admitted to distributing oxymorphone pills, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin's office. He also pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute.

Between Feb. 24 and March 23, Thornton sold Opana pills in Kanawha and Putnam counties to a person cooperating with police, the release states. He also admitted to possessing additional pills on March 25, which he intended to distribute.

Thornton faces up to 20 years in prison when he's sentenced Jan. 13.

In a separate case in federal court in Huntington on Monday, Karson Williams, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of oxymorphone.

Williams admitted that on Jan. 14, 2014, he sold a confidential informant a 40-milligram Opana pill for $80. He admitted to aiding and abetting Bridgette Kelly in the sale.

Kelly previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxymorphone and is set to be sentenced Sept. 14. Williams is set to be sentenced Dec. 7. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Jennifer Russell, who leased the residence on Bailes Drive in Nitro where the drug transaction took place, also pleaded guilty Monday to "knowingly maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing oxymorphone," a release states. She faces up to 20 years in prison when she's sentenced Dec. 7.