Charleston Gazette

Water Company Appeals Denial of Rate Increase

chriswetterich@wvgazette.com An official at the Public Service Commission predicted Tuesday that the state Supreme Court won't reverse the PSC's denial of a multimillion-dollar rate increase for the state's largest water company.

Discovery of Poisonous Powder Slows Down U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON - A jittery Senate faced its second attack with a deadly toxin in 28 months on Tuesday, this time in the form of ricin powder sent to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Another letter containing ricin and bound for the White House had been intercepted in November, a law enforcement official disclosed. No illnesses were reported in either case, but dozens of Senate workers were being monitored and work in the Senate slowed to a crawl.

Inside

West Side crime wave Charleston's mayor and police chief told more than 200 West Side residents Tuesday night that they hope a new special unit would help restore a sense of safety to the area after several high-profile violent crimes in January.

Lawmakers Agree On 0.08 for Dui Bill: ; the Capitol Report; 2004 Legislature

tomsearls@wvgazette.com Legislative negotiators agreed to a compromise bill Tuesday that will lower the threshold for proving a driver is legally intoxicated.

Kerry Wins 5 Primaries On Big Day: ; Clark Takes Okla., Edwards Wins S.C., Lieberman Quits

Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry rolled up big victories and a pile of delegates in five states Tuesday night, while rivals John Edwards and Wesley Clark kept their candidacies alive with single triumphs in a dramatic cross-country contest. Edwards easily won his native South Carolina, and Clark, a retired Army general from Arkansas, eked out victory in neighboring Oklahoma. Howard Dean earned no wins and a handful of delegates, his candidacy in peril. Joe Lieberman was shut ou...

Woman, 33, Posed As Boy, Kansas Says

GALENA, Kan. - Authorities in this southeast Kansas community are investigating a case in which a 33-year-old woman posing as a 13- year-old boy sought help from a church and tried to enroll in a middle school. Jim Jones, pastor of the Galena Assembly of God, said the person he now knows to be a woman showed up at his church in October, claiming to be Chris Gomez, a 13-year-old boy who had been the victim of child abuse.

Cameras Reported Lost at Big Sandy Arena Show

HUNTINGTON - Police and management at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena have been flooded with calls from concertgoers who said they lost cameras and other items left at a security barricade during a Kid Rock show. Stephanie Easter of St. Albans, who said she lost a digital camera at Friday's concert, said she was told that the staff wasn't responsible for lost items.

Man Who Shot Trooper Gets Life

MARTINSBURG - A Berkeley County man convicted of shooting a State Police trooper in the head has been sentenced to life in prison with mercy. David Eugene Munday, 38, of Hedgesville was convicted Oct. 30 on 21 counts related to the shooting of Trooper R.J. Elswick, an eight- year State Police veteran.

130th Aw Personnel Headed for Middle East

About 60 members of the West Virginia National Guard's 130th Airlift Wing were scheduled to leave Friday for deployment in the Middle East. Gov. Bob Wise and military officials planned to meet with the troops before they depart at 8 a.m. Friday, said National Guard spokesman Major Mike Cadle.

Birch River Raid Nabs 21 for Alleged Cockfighting

BIRCH RIVER - A raid of an illegal cockfight along W.Va. 82 near Birch River ended in citations for 21 alleged participants and the seizure of 17 fighting roosters. Several dead roosters and assortment of cockfighting equipment, including one set of fighting spurs, also turned up in the raid, conducted on Sunday by Division of Natural Resources conservation officers and Nicholas County Sheriff's deputies.

Ex-Glenville Officer Convicted of Chase Charges

WEBSTER SPRINGS - A former Glenville police officer has been convicted of burglary and brandishing a weapon, but jurors acquitted him of two other charges stemming from a police chase. The Webster County jury deliberated about two hours Monday before returning its verdict against former Sgt. Michael Kendall, Gilmer County Prosecutor Gerald Hough said Tuesday.

Toll in Kurdish Bombings Passes 100

Putnam to Hire Nitro Lawyer for Guidance On Annexation

cbroadwater@wvgazette.com WINFIELD - Putnam County commissioners have agreed to hire Nitro lawyer Harvey Peyton to advise them on the city of Hurricane's annexation of 376 acres of land.

Mine Cleanup Bill Lets States Ignore Priority List

kward@wvgazette.com On Monday, top Bush administration officials said their proposal to rework a federal abandoned mine cleanup plan would "refocus the program" and direct "funding to the highest priority sites."

Little Opposition in Fayette County Primary

susanwilliams@wvgazette.com FAYETTEVILLE - Fayette County voters will recognize almost all the names on their primary ballot. Only three offices in the primary have opposition.

Consumers Warned About Scams

jginsberg@wvgazette.com Unsolicited mail or e-mails raise a red flag for Woody Craft of Charleston.

House Bill Targets Street Fires

Lawmakers want to put a damper on the sort of outdoor furniture blazes that have made Morgantown infamous. A bill (HB4269) introduced Tuesday would deem the intentional burning of personal property on a street or other right of way a fifth-degree arson.

Voting Receipts Urged

The state should mandate that electronic voting systems in West Virginia create voter receipts that could be used in recounts and ensure that a voter's wishes are properly recorded, a Kanawha County senator said Tuesday. Sen. Larry Rowe said receipts are needed because current election laws leave electronic voting systems vulnerable to hackers who can alter ballots.

Senate Bill Limits Property Purchases: ; Any Agreements Worth More Than $1 Million Would Face Legislative Review; the Capitol Report; 2004 Legislature

Senate 9 a.m.: Labor Committee

Higher-Ed Chiefs Press 'Unity' with Legislature

Higher education wants to do better than the 2.5 percent budget cut proposed by Gov. Bob Wise, and used Tuesday's Higher Education Day at the Legislature to lobby lawmakers to restore their funding. The presidents of the state's public colleges and universities met with Wise and legislators as they and their private institution counterparts touted higher education in West Virginia.