The Cabell-Huntington Health Department’s syringe exchange program ends next month. Officials say the reason is lack of funding. The effort started as a way to decrease the number of infectious diseases caused by the use of illegal drugs and dirty needles.The program is more than 10 years old and over the years hundreds of thousands of syringes were exchanged. “I went weekly,” said a former participant of the Syringe Exchange Program who did not want to be identified. He added “I’m grateful today that I didn’t contract HIV, and if not for the program there is a good chance I would have because using an old needle was not going to stop me from using.

A pharmacy chain that has served the region for decades has announced it is selling its practices. Fruth Pharmacy announced this week that it will sell its pharmacies to Walgreens during the month of December, according to a statement from president Lynne Fruth. While she did not explicitly state a reason for the sale, Fruth pointed at pharmacy benefit managers as a reason for the closure of pharmacies across the country. “By reimbursing pharmacies less money than a medication costs, PBMs have caused the closure of thousands of pharmacies across America,” she said. “The continued closings of pharmacies must be a wake up call for lawmakers to hold PBMs accountable before all pharmacies disappear.”

A Putnam County elementary school just ranked among the top five in the state for academic performance. West Teays Elementary earned the honor on the state’s Balanced Scorecard, which measures school growth and achievement each year. Principal Lisa Ashworth said. “My first reaction was shock, just because I didn’t know what the announcement would be,” adding she knew the test scores of the students and was honored by the recognition West Teays Elementary School received a certificate and a plaque that teachers believe will further motivate students to higher achievement.

The investigation continues into a crash on Route 73 this week that left a Saranac Lake woman dead. It happened on Route 73 when a big rig jacknifed and collided with an SUV driven by 57 year old Tracy Mauler. The impact left Mauler dead at the scene. A passenger in her vehilce, 84 year old Beverly Pickereign is listed in critical condition

Trooper report a Braxton County pastor has been charged after allegations of “inappropriate physical contact” during a marital counseling meeting Jason Allen, 52, of Flatwoods, was charged Monday with one count of battery following an alleged incident at his church in Sutton, according to a news release from West Virginia State Police. Troopers said a church member reported that Allen made physical contact that was “sexually motivated” during a marital counseling meeting at the church. Allen was arraigned on a $5,000 bond which he has since posted, the news release said.The investigation is ongoing,

State officials announced Thursday that more than $16 million in federal funding will go toward supporting West Virginia crime victims,. West Virginia Victims of Crimes Act grants will be divvied up to support dozens of projects, including counseling, advocacy and transportation to victims who have endured violence and abuse, according to a news release from Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s Office.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has approved amendments to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan, which were recommended by the Adirondack Park Agency board, to improve the protection and management of public land. According to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, the SLMP guides how state land within the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve can be used by the public and maintained and modified by the state through establishing different classes of protection.

Assemblyman Robert Smullen, R-Meco, is running for Congress in New York’s 21st Congressional District. The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports Smullen is now the first official GOP candidate seeking the nomination for NY-21; other potential candidates have either declined to run entirely, or backed out after starting the ‘listening process’ that many undergo before declaring a formal campaign, saying he was considering a run as it appeared more and more likely that incumbent Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, was going to run for governor of New York.

A prisoner who walked away from work release in September was arrested in an Atlantic City casino Wednesday.
According to BreakingAC.com, 30 year old Jeremy Ott is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility awaiting extradition after he was tracked down inside Harrah’s Atlantic City. Ott was sentenced in June 6, after pleading guilty in connection with a police pursuit last year. He was on work release, when he left the site in Warrington, Pa., on Sept. 27. He was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Service and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.

A Delaware man entered a guilty plea earlier this month in connection to a theft scheme against an Easton couple.
The Star Democrat reports 81 year old Allen Andres of Hartly, Delaware, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4 to conspiracy to commit financial exploitation of an adult over 68 in the amount of $25,000 to $100,000. Twenty-seven other charges against Andres, including theft, forgery and impersonating a police officer, were dropped by prosecutors. Talbot County Circuit Court Judge Phil Cronan handed down a fully suspended 18-month sentence.
Andres was ordered to pay two victims, both Easton residents, a total of $29,000. He also was issued a no-contact order with the victims.