WV MetroNews
The Voice of West Virginia
A pair of Marshall players had dreams realized on the third and final day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Running back Rasheen Ali was chosen in the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens and defensive back Micah Abraham came off the board a round later when he was picked by the Indianapolis Colts.
Ali was selected 165th overall and No. 30 in the fifth round. A native of Cleveland, Ali was with the Thundering Herd for four years and came on to the scene in a big way in 2021 when he rushed for career highs of 1,401 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Ali was limited to three games the next season, but concluded his college career with a strong junior campaign, rushing for 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns over 12 games in 2023.
For his Herd career, Ali finished with 2,831 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns on 5.5 yards per attempt. He also caught 75 passes for 557 yards and three TDs, scoring once on a reception each of his last three seasons.
Ali was also a special teams weapon and averaged 34.6 yards on 34 career kickoff returns, one of which he returned 97 yards for a score.
Abraham was chosen 201st overall as the 25th pick of the sixth round. The cornerback played in 62 of a possible 62 games throughout five seasons at Marshall.
He recorded 12 career interceptions, including six in 2022 and four in his final season with the Herd. As a true freshman, Abraham had one interception, which he returned 75 yards for a TD.
Abraham had 36 tackles each of the last two seasons and 150 for his career. He forced and recovered one fumble and was in on 55 passes defended.
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia head coach Neal Brown has noted his appreciation for straying from the norm in a spring football game.
On Saturday, the Mountaineers did just that during their annual Gold-Blue Game at Milan Puskar Stadium, which the Gold Team won, 34-24.
It wasn’t a quirky point system, multiple players in guardian caps throughout the scrimmage or a lack of live tackling that was abnormal as those have become custom in spring games.
Rather, it was a pair of players from the Golden Era of WVU football returning to help coach in the contest. Former quarterback Pat White worked with the Blue Team, while ex-Mountaineer punter/kicker Pat McAfee coached Gold. White and McAfee played at West Virginia from 2005-08 and the Mountaineers won 42 of 51 games over that time, including 4-0 in bowl games and a 22-6 mark in the Big East Conference.
Both were 2009 selections in the NFL Draft, and White has coached in college and the NFL since his brief professional career ended, while McAfee played for the Indianapolis Colts through 2016 and now hosts one of the more well-known sports talk shows nationally, The Pat McAfee Show.
“We have an open door for guys to come back. The thing that happens is life,” Brown said. “Pat White has four kids. There’s a lot going on, and for him to come, meant a lot. It shows what West Virginia means to him. Pat McAfee was just at the draft yesterday and then comes here.”
A dual-threat throughout three-plus seasons as a starting quarterback at WVU, White is on the short list of the program’s all-time greats and considered by some to be the Mountaineers’ most accomplished player. McAfee handled punting, kicking and kickoff duties during his college career and is among the top specialists to ever play at West Virginia.
Both White and McAfee played their final season at West Virginia under then-head coach Bill Stewart, the father of current WVU tight ends coach Blaine Stewart.
“I’m very thankful for Pate White and Pat McAfee for coming back. Blaine definitely played a role in getting them back,” Brown said. “Wanted to do something where they could be around our players. Pat White’s been coaching and tied up so he hasn’t had an opportunity to get back. It was neat to get him back here and kind of reintroduce him to our players and getting them to understand what a special talent he was. And then Pat McAfee is probably the most recognizable face today from West Virginia. I’m very appreciative of them and it added something.”
As for the game itself, wideout Hudson Clement produced the first of two touchdowns on a 7-yard pass from Nicco Marchiol for the Blue Team. Marchiol’s two-point pass intended for Rodney Gallagher III was then intercepted by true freshman Zae Jennings.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Josiah Trotter intercepted starting quarterback Garrett Greene late in the first half to help position the Blue Team at the Gold 10-yard line, but three plays later on third-and-goal from the 11, Marchiol was picked off by cornerback Ayden Garnes, a recent addition to the program after transferring from Duquesne.
Marchiol was otherwise solid and finished 10-for-19 for 82 yards.
“He’d like to have that throw back. Those are great teaching moments,” Brown said. “You have six seconds and want to make sure you throw it in the end zone or kill the clock and have a chance at three points. He didn’t see him. That’s a teachable moment. He’s very much-improved and one of our most improved players on our entire team.”
The lone Gold touchdown came in the fourth quarter when reserve quarterback Jackson Crist found wideout Preston Fox for an 11-yard scoring strike, with Fox making a high-level catch in the back corner of the end zone while working against cornerback Montre Miller.
Other natural scoring plays included a 44-yard field goal from Michael Hayes for Gold and a 54-yard field goal from RJ Kocan for Gold.
“Going later, we didn’t tackle much, and I wanted to put pressure on our specialists and where they had to perform with all eyes on them,” Brown said. “It’s kind of that first tee mentality. Michael came out and piped one, and RJ made one from 54. He’s had a great spring and that was impressive. [Punter/long snapper] Leighton Bechdel is a phenomenal holder and he hit some big balls in front of Pat McAfee, so that was cool.”
The event, which had an attendance of 18,540, featured a competition kickoff challenge, 1-on-1 competition in route-running and coverage from the 15-yard line, a punt and punt catch competition and a field goal challenge.
Greene finished 8-of-13 for 79 yards, and Gold’s Traylon Ray, a sophomore wideout, was the game’s leading receiver with four receptions for 55 yards.
“I had a good pulse on the team and how they were, but this spring showed me is a good group that just loves ball,” Greene said. “We could tee it up again in 30 minutes or tomorrow and guys would be fired up.”
Linebacker Obinna Onwuka and defensive lineman Elijah Kinsler, both of Blue, were credited with one sack apiece for the only sacks in a game that did not allow contact to the quarterbacks.
“It’s hard to evaluate on defense, just because you’re not bringing guys all the way down to the ground,” Brown said. “It’s a little harder on offense, because you’re not giving guys the opportunity to break tackles. It is what it is. Health is the No. 1 thing. It’s not that tackling gets you hurt — it’s all the bodies on the ground and guys rolled up. This late, I wanted to stay away from it.”
Defensive back Aden Tagaloa-Nelson of Gold intercepted quarterback Scott Kean on the game’s final play.
— — — — —
During halftime, West Virginia named its 2024 Nickolich Award winner in safety Avery Wilcox.
The award is presented to a walk-on team member to distinguish himself through attitude and work ethic.
Wilcox, a native of Fort Mill, S.C., joins his father Ray Wilcox in winning the Nickolich Award. Ray Wilcox was one of two players to garner the distinction in 1992 — the second year of its existence.
“Knowing my dad went through a similar struggle, it was easier to confide in him and talk to him,” Wilcox said. “He offered me advice throughout the process and other walk-ons, too.”
Wilcox played 120 snaps across all 13 games last season, with all but 23 of those snaps coming on special teams. He also had an interception in a win over Duquesne.
“He really struggled here year 1 from a football playing perspective. Unbelievable work and he’s made himself into a really good special teams player,” Brown said. “He stayed with it. He’s a great teammate and highly intelligent.”
Other active members of the WVU team to have previously won the Nickolich Award include Graeson Malashevich, Nick Malone and C.J. Cole.
— — — — —
Also during halftime, West Virginia named its 2024 Iron Mountaineer Award winners as Austin Brinkman, Preston Fox, Greene, Sean Martin and Wyatt Milum.
Winners are chosen based on the best testing after winter conditioning measuring the broad jump, vertical jump, bench, squad, power clean lift, 225-pound bench, 40-yard sprint, pro shuttle, three cone, 60-yard shuttle and the 10/20-yard sprint. Winners come from three groups: Offensive line/defensive line, quarterback/running back/wide receiver/defensive back and fullback/tight end/linebacker and specialist. The top performers in each category are selected by teammates.
Eighty-two players have been named an Iron Mountaineer winner since 1996, including 18 recipients of the award more than once.
— — — — —
West Virginia unveiled new jerseys to be worn during the 2024 season.
The Mountaineers will once again have blue, gold and white jerseys and pants in their regular weekly uniform repertoire. West Virginia becomes the latest team to sport Nike’s Vapor F.U.S.E. uniform chassis, which focuses on zoned breathability, lightweight stretch fabric, shaped collars and mobility sleeves for comfort and range of motion along with thermal regulation for moisture wicking.
“In developing our new uniforms, it was important for us to incorporate our rich history and tradition with modern technology. We also wanted people instantly to recognize that the West Virginia Mountaineers were playing,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “I believe our design team and equipment staff along with our partners at Nike did a great job with these uniforms.”
WVU’s new uniform sets will continue to showcase the number and lettering font designed by Nike for the school’s rebranding effort in 2019. Not including the helmets, all jerseys and pants were designed so that they can be matched and worn together, giving West Virginia nine different pant/jersey combinations. The Mountaineers will retain their classic and fan-favorite blue helmet with a gold Flying WV along with a white and gold helmet choice, giving the team endless combinations for game days when you account for the helmet colors.
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SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — A North Carolina man has admitted to trying to create and pass counterfeit U.S. currency in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Xavier Sanders, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced Friday to three years of probation. He’s already served five months in jail for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
Court documents state that Sanders and co-defendants Jamarcus Harris and Crystal Wilks traveled from North Carolina to West Virginia on October 12, 2022. Wilks admitted to passing counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville.
Later that evening, Sanders and the others rented a room at a hotel in Summersville where they attempted to create new counterfeit U.S. currency. The process involved bleaching $1 bills, scanning a genuine $100 bill, and printing the scanned image on the bleached bills.
On October 13, 2023, Harris, 33, and Wilks, 24, of Lenoir, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. On February 2, 2024, Harris was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison. That time will be followed by three years of supervised release. Harris must also pay $800 in restitution.
Wilks awaits sentencing.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence for Sanders.
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Twenty-five years ago, the Mylan Park vision began with 30 acres of abandoned mine land, and today the park spans about 400 acres with the most diverse mix of activities in the state.
Mylan Park Foundation Board President Ron Justice said the park has grown with the community. As the community has grown, the park has added a variety of amenities for any age group.
“There has been $141 million of either private investment, non-profit investment, or Mylan Par investment since its inception,” Justice said.
The latest projects have been the addition of turf fields, outdoor pickleball courts, and an $11 million KOA campground. The campground will start with more than 140 recreational vehicle spaces with utility hookups, four cabins, and four tent camping spaces. The project includes a lodge, and the cabin and tent areas can be expanded in the future. The estimated economic impact of the campground is $20 million annually once complete.
“These folks are going to buy gasoline, propane, and all those kinds of things here in this community and spend the night when they come to play in these tournaments—buying groceries and eating at restaurants,” Justice said.
From four baseball fields 25 years ago to a facility that has adapted with the interests of the community to add just about every sport to include workout facilities. The Mylan Park of today has hosted USA diving national events, Big 12 sanctioned events, and a variety of local, state, and regional tournaments and has been in consideration for the Olympic diving trials.
“We cover so many things that there is nothing like this in the state of West Virginia,” Justice said. “You can have a volleyball tournament, a lacrosse tournament, a basketball tournament, swimming, diving, and track.”
The park vision is managed by a board of more than 30 people that come from the local school system, business, Visit Mountaineer Country CVB, and the Monongalia County Commission. Justice said the large and diverse board provides a deep well for future growth and expansion.
“It really gives you some synergy to go out and seek opportunities like we have,” Justice said. “The “why not” becomes “it is,” and it is one of the best complexes on the eastern seaboard.”
The future depends on the needs of the community, and currently some items on the horizon are more baseball fields, competition, hockey, and the possibility of an all-weather BMX facility.
“Potentially an additional field; we’ve even talked about future ice activities, and we’ve talked to BOPARC and stakeholders, so we’re working toward those,” Justice said. “Those would be my predictions for the future.”
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The American Lung Association has released the 25th annual State of the Air report.
While on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association Aimee Van Cleave said the Clean Air Act is to thank for the level of clean air in our area.
“The Clean Act, which was passed about 25 years ago, has done a whole lot to improve our air quality over time,” Van Cleave said. “Because we have stricter standards on what we’re letting out into the air we’re all breathing in.”
The report gives West Virginia a decent grade in most areas. Van Cleave said the Charleston area ranks as one of the cleanest in the country in terms of air. Kanawha County recorded zero action days for ozone or particle pollution issues.
“We know the Charleston metro area is ranked among the nation’s cleanest cities for ozone pollution, and it received an “A” grade,” Van Cleave said.
In the northern part of the state, Ohio County scored a “B” based on ozone pollution but scored an “A” in the particulate category. In Monongalia County, the grade is an “A” across the board, with zero action days in any category. The city of Wheeling was also scored well.
“The Wheeling area got their best ever level for year-round particle pollution, earning a passing grade with a “B,” Van Cleave said.
The report ranks some of the cleanest places to live as Bangor, Maine; Bristol, Tennessee; and Lincoln, Nebraska. On the other end of the scale, the report said the top five most polluted places are in California.
Van Cleave also described some of the issues causing air quality issues and areas that could be more problematic than others.
“Burning something that ought not to be in the air—that’s something we’re all breathing in, so if my neighbors are burning their trash, that will impact us,” Van Cleave said. “If we live near a warehouse that has a lot of deliveries going out, that’s going to impact us too.”
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice is calling on fellow West Virginians to be a hero for children.
Members of the community were invited to a “Light up the Capitol” event Friday night at the steps of the West Virginia Capitol Building to show their support for child abuse victims. With glow sticks in hand, dozens of supporters were able to light up the capital city.
Misty Atkins, director of the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice at the West Virginia State Police, put on the event. The biggest program within the Center for Children’s Justice is “Handle with Care,” a defending childhood initiative, tailored to reflect the needs and issues affecting West Virginia children. It is a statewide trauma informed response to child maltreatment.
Atkins said she wanted to “light up the capitol” to show kids that they are not alone and there are plenty of people who want to support them.
“It lets children know that their cries are not going unheard,” Atkins said. “We are all stronger if we stand together.”
April is also Child Abuse Prevention Month. West Virginia ranks third in the country for child abuse cases, according to Atkins. One in every 10 children in West Virginia may experience sexual abuse. More than 600 allegations of child abuse were made in 2023.
“We are showing current child abuse victims and past child abuse victims that we care and we’re here for them,” said Atkins.
Cabinet Secretary for the WV Department of Human Services Cynthia Persily and U.S Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia Will Thompson were both in attendance.
There have been recent cases of child abuse and neglect in West Virginia. Neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment in West Virginia, making up over 82% of child abuse cases.
“Together, let’s be the voice that speaks for the voiceless,” said Persily.
Persily said her staff is making sure they meet every report of child abuse and neglect with diligence. She encourages anyone who suspects or knows about child abuse or neglect to speak up and report it to their abuse and neglect hotline.
“If you see something, say something,” said Thompson.
For many years, U.S. Attorney Thompson has seen countless child abuse cases. He’s been working on them for much of his career. He applauded those in attendance Friday night for showing up and being a supporter, but also challenged those at the steps of the State Capitol Building to take the next step and make a difference in a young person’s life.
“Do something that would be positive in a child’s life,” he said. “This is something that we should be focused on 365 days a year.”
There is also an ongoing situation of children in the foster care system. There were more than 2,700 kids waiting to be adopted in 2020, according to Atkins. Of the 7,200 children in the foster care system now, 85% of those cases include drug usage.
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CHAPMANVILLE, W.Va. — A lot of West Virginia deer hunters spend the down months of January, February, and some of the month of March wandering through the state’s hills and hollows hoping to spot shed antlers from the big buck they pursued last fall or plan to pursue for the coming season. Almost like a grown up Easter egg hunt, shed hunting has become almost as big a deal to many deer across the country as the hunt for the actual deer itself.
But there is another group of individuals who have taken the shed hunting exercise to another level. The United Kennel Club sanctions a series of competitions among what are considered shed tracking dogs.
“We travel all across the east and Midwest doing these events, but they stretch all across the country,” said Craig Boggs, President of Coal Country Shed Dogs in Chapmanville, W.Va.
There are three classifications of shed tracking dogs. The Champion Class are the most seasoned and experienced dogs. The Working Class is made up of beginner dogs in the shed hunting game. The Youth Class is for those handlers under 18 who are learning the ropes of the sport along with their animals.
The rules of competition are aimed at recreating the scenario shed hunters may find during the months whitetail deer drop their headgear. Since it’s likely a deer could drop them anywhere at any time, the course setups vary widely from competition to competition.
“The competition is based off of time and it’s a 50 by 100 yard area, the size of a football field. It’s in open fields, in the woods, in cut cornfields, or any type of environment a deer would be in,” said Boggs.
The boundaries of the 50 by 100 yard area are marked, but within that area and unmarked are six separate zones. Five of those zones have antlers strategically hidden. The sixth zone has no antler, but competitors don’t know which one is empty. Dogs are required to search out and retrieve five antlers in the competition. They have 15 minutes to find them and bring them to the handler. The fastest time is the winner.
“There is a scent applied to each horn. It’s called “Bone Clone” and it’s reapplied every third dog in a competition,” said Boggs. “Out of the five horns, three of them can be at least halfway covered and the other two can just be laying there.”
The competition tests the skill of the dog’s nose, speed, and training because the timer doesn’t stop until the antler is actually retrieved and placed into the hand of the handler by the dog. Most of the dogs in the competition are retrievers. Boggs has a chocolate lab and a black lab, but added it’s not unusual to have a variety of dogs engaged in the competition.
West Virginia boasts three shed dog clubs. Boggs is President of Coal Country Shed Dogs in Chapmanville. The other two clubs are Elk River Shed Dogs based in Glenville and Scout An Antler Shed Dogs in Philippi. At the recent National Championship event, Travis Meadows of Elk River Shed Dogs earned the national title in the working dog class.
A competition event is being held this weekend in Dawson, W.Va. in Greenbrier County and another event is set for the first weekend in May in Barbour County.
“These dogs absolutely love this stuff and it’s fun. It’s just you and your dog and how your dog is trained and how you train your dog to retrieve. I’s just a fun family event,” said Boggs.
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s 2024 Adopt-A-Highway Spring Statewide Cleanup is Saturday.
WVDEP and the state Division of Highways are co-sponsors of the event. The Adopt-A-Highway program is administered by the WVDEP’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) and has a goal of improving the state’s environment by cleaning up litter on highways with the help of the public. REAP, whose motto is ‘Keeping WV Clean and Green,’ was created in 2005.
Just about any individual or group including families, businesses, churches, schools, civic organizations, government agencies and communities can register to pick up trash on almost any state-maintained roadway. Private roads and interstate highways are not included.
Nearly 3,000 people volunteered for the 2023 spring cleanup. More than 300 groups removed over 85,000 pounds of litter from over 600 miles of roadway.
Program officials provide garbage bags, work gloves and safety vests to volunteers and will take care of disposing of the collected trash. Supplies can also be picked up at your local DOH Garage.
To register, call 1-800-322-5530 or send an email to [email protected]. If you reach the REAP voicemail, please leave your name, phone number, group name, date of cleanup, number of participants, and the county where your adopted road is located.
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GRANVILLE, W.Va. — West Virginia had not played this week before Friday’s series opener against Baylor, and the Mountaineers lost their three most recent contests last weekend at Texas Tech.
So when the Bears got a leadoff home run from the game’s first batter, Enzo Apodaca, as part of a two-run first inning, an already strong sense of urgency became even greater for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia responded early in the form of each of its first four batters producing a hit, and the Mountaineers went on to score four runs in their first trip to the plate as part of a season-high run total in an 18-5 victory before a crowd of 3,712 at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
“Not just crucial to get four, but get four because they got two. That team can really hit,” WVU head coach Randy Mazey said. “If we don’t score four there and they play with a lead throughout that game and start bringing some guys out of the pen to hold a lead, that’s a whole different game. Four in the first off a guy who’s been pitching really well for them was really important.”
West Virginia (24-16, 12-7) elected to start pitcher Hayden Cooper in a Friday night spot that had previously belonged to Aidan Major.
“We prepared him as a reliever and he’s done so well as a starter, but the 100 pitch games and 120 pitch games early on, it’s hard for a reliever to do that without needing a rest at some point,” Mazey said of Major. “We’ve been waiting all season to give him an opportunity to rest a little bit and from Friday to Sunday would be nine days, which is exactly what he needed. He’ll start on Sunday.”
Cooper was shaky early, allowing the Apodaca home run to right field and a second run on a single from Daniel Altman — the game’s fourth batter.
It hardly mattered.
Each of the Mountaineers’ first four batters — JJ Wetherholt, Logan Sauve, Sam White and Reed Chumley — accounted for a single, with White driving in the first run and Chumley the next two to put WVU on top for good. Grant Hussey’s sacrifice fly brought in Chumley for the fourth run of the opening frame as the Mountaineers got to Baylor starting pitcher Mason Marriott early.
After Cooper worked a scoreless second, the Mountaineers garnered complete control of the game.
Benjamin Lumsden drew a base-on-balls to start the home half of the second, and after Skylar King was hit by a pitch, Wetherholt belted a three-run home run to center field. It was Wetherholt’s third home run in what marked his 16th game.
“That was his best game of the year from a swing standpoint,” Mazey said. “Solid contact both sides of the field — middle of the field, pull side. His rhythm was good and his timing was good. Maybe since he’s playing short he feels like a complete player now. Who knows, but that was really good to see him back. He and Sauve their first two times up were 4-for-4 between the two of them. That’s what the top of the lineup is supposed to do.”
Leading 7-2, West Virginia continued to take it to the Bears (19-21, 9-10) and added an additional three runs that inning on Kyle West’s RBI single and a Grant Hussey triple, with Hussey coming around to score on that play courtesy of one of four Baylor errors.
Marriott recorded only five outs and allowed nine runs, eight of which were earned, on seven hits and a walk. He was removed in favor of Mason Green, and the Bears got to within six when Zach Mazoch laced a two-out, two-run single in the third. After Cole Posey drew a walk, Cooper, who lasted 2 2/3 innings, was replaced at pitcher by Tyler Switalski.
WVU came to bat in the third leading 10-4 and matched Baylor’s two runs that inning courtesy of Wetherholt and Sauve each accounting for a sacrifice fly. The Bears again hurt their cause that inning with an error.
West, a University of Charleston transfer in his first season at WVU, blasted his 10th home run this season with one out in the fourth to make it 13-4.
“We hve confidence no matter who’s at the plate now. Anyone can do damage at any given second,” West said. “No matter who’s at the dish, confident they’re going to get the job done, and at this rate, exponentially.“
Chumley’s bases clearing triple in the seventh highlighted a five-run frame and marked the final scoring play of the night.
Apodaca and Altman had two hits apiece to combine for half of the Bears’ hit total. Marriott fell to 3-4 with the loss.
West Virginia made the most of its 12 hits and stranded only three baserunners.
Chumley led all players with five RBI, while Wetherholt drove in four runs and scored twice while finishing 2-for-3.
“You can tell when he’s locked into the middle of the field. That’s the result you get,” Mazey said of Wetherholt. “When he gets a little pull happy, he starts pulling off balls and you see some ground balls on the right side. But when he’s locked in on the middle of the field is when he’s at his best.”
Switalski was credited with the win and improved to 2-2 after allowing one run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and issued one walk.
“You just have to make sure you keep your mindset right, stay aggressive and stay within yourself,” Switalski said. “Don’t let the moment get too big. Go out there and throw strikes and let your stuff play. You work on it every single day.”
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BECKLEY, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin spoke Friday to members of the American Postal Workers Union at their annual convention in Beckley.
Manchin fielded a number of questions about the U.S. Postal Service and he also talked about the recent decision by the USPS to change the operations at the processing and distribution facility in Charleston at Southridge to a local processing center.
Manchin said he’s still waiting for the agency to answer his request for an audit of how the decision was made.
“There’s no need for them to delay this audit because they had to make a decision. Just show us how you made this decision and we’ll tell you if the audit is going to be acceptable or not,” Manchin said.
A review of the Charleston operation began last November. A decision was announced April 2 that some operations will be heading to Pittsburgh, PA and Pennwood, PA.
Manchin wants to know why.
“Tell us why you did what you did–why you changed everything,” he said.
Manchin said he can’t be convinced that moving some of the operations to Pittsburgh will be more efficient.
“Most of Charleston (Processing & Distribution Center) serves the rural area, when you look at West Virginia as we know it and you look over in Kentucky and down into Virginia and those are all rural areas. And you tell me that Pittsburgh will be able to serve them? I don’t think so but we’ll see,” Manchin said.
Initial results from the postal service projected the loss of 26 positions at the Charleston facility with the move. Union officials have said they believe the number will be higher.
WJLS Radio Reporter Keith Thompson contributed to this story.
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