West Virginia State News

Logan County parents voice concerns on Verdunville Elementary consolidation

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 03:19:42 +0000

LOGAN COUNTY, WV (WOWK) -- More than a dozen parents showed up to talk at the Logan County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night to talk about an un-expected school consolidation.

During the last board meeting, it was announced that Verdunville Elementary School students would be attending Omar Elementary School due to an ongoing hill slip issue.

This move has sparked some concerns with safety, including hectic bus schedules and Omar Elementary School's phone system.

"I think that the school is in, in, better shape than Omar ever thought about being.. Omar looks like the one that needs to be shut down. I mean, in my opinion. You can't get a hold of no one. There's no phone line up there right now," Verdunville Elementary School parent Shane Spaulding says.

Only one parent had the chance to speak at the podium during the meeting, because they arrived 15 minutes early to sign-up, per the school board's policy.

This caused many parents to be upset because they were unable to arrive early due to traffic issues near Omar Elementary. Even though they weren't speaking at the podium, many spoke out during the meeting which was met with response from board members who say they agree that their voices should be heard.

However, Superintendent George Aulenbacher says he was not made aware of the traffic issues and had he known before the meeting started, accommodations could have been made.

One of the main concerns parents spoke on during the meeting had to do with uncertainty regarding the future of Verdunville Elementary.

"We need a plan ahead, because before, we only had two weeks. Now there's a whole year. Give us information, so we can prepare in that time," Verdunville Elementary parent Leah Reeves says.

Aulenbacher says in response that they cannot comment on any future plans for the school but that "they were doing evaluation of the building to bring it up the code to where it needs to be. That price offset where we needed to be in because of safety, we did not put the students back in Verdunville."

Parents tell 13 News that they will continue to attend school board meetings until their questions are answered.

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Tim Armstead dies

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 03:14:17 +0000

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) - Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Justice Tim Armstead has died, according to a spokesperson for the court. He was 60 years old.

The spokesperson says Armstead passed away shortly before noon Tuesday after a brief hospitalization at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. He is survived by his wife Anna, their daughter Katie and her husband Aaron, and a grandson and granddaughter.

His fellow justices shared statements remembering their colleague, both on the bench and in his community.

“His public service accomplishments pale in comparison in other areas of his life,” Chief Justice Bill Wooton said. “He was a natural leader who always led by example. Tim was thoughtful, highly intelligent, an extremely hard worker, and in every decision was guided by Christian principles. Without his ever saying anything, each of his Supreme Court colleagues looked to Tim’s example on thorny ethical issues. Likewise, his knowledge of state finances has been an invaluable resource to the West Virginia judicial system."

“Tim lived a life marked by integrity, servant leadership, and unwavering faith, and his service on the Court reflected those values,” said Justice C. Haley Bunn. “He was appointed at a pivotal moment in the Court’s history and dedicated himself to restoring the public’s confidence in the judiciary and treating every person with dignity and grace. He viewed his role as a justice, not as a position of power, but as a sacred responsibility to serve others. His legacy of faithful public service will endure for generations. We grieve this profound loss of our colleague and friend, but we also give thanks for a life so well-lived.”

Armstead was appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeals of WV, beginning his tenure on Sept. 25, 2018, to fill a vacant seat. He was then elected to the seat that same November to finish out a term ending on Dec. 31, 2020, according to his biography. He was re-elected in June 2020 to a 12-year term that began on Jan. 1, 2021.

Justice Tim Armstead (Photo Courtesy: Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia)

Armstead, of Elkview, was a graduate of the University of Charleston and of West Virginia University's College of Law. He was also a member of the Judicial Conference of the Fourth Circuit.

“With profound sadness, we mourn the loss of Tim Armstead,” said Justice Charles S. Trump IV. “He leaves a legacy of dedicated and selfless service to the citizens of West Virginia. As Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates and as Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals, Tim Armstead’s work reflected his great integrity and love for West Virginia and her people. His leadership will be sorely missed here at the Court. Our condolences and prayers remain with his family.”

“As a recent addition to the Court, I was looking forward to working with Justice Armstead,” said Justice-appointee Tom Ewing. “In my limited interactions with him, I found him to be kind and a true gentleman. He was a man of faith, conviction, and integrity and the embodiment of public service. He will be greatly missed on the Court. I offer my prayers and condolences to his wife and family.”

Before becoming a Supreme Court of Appeals of WV Justice, Armstead had served in the West Virginia House of Delegates since 1998. He was named House Minority Leader in 2006 and served that role until becoming Speaker of the House of Delegates in 2015, according to his biography.

According to the Court, Armstead worked to strengthen transparency and ethical practices across government during his career as a public servant. This includes sponsoring a series of reforms to the state's Ethics Act during his time in the legislature, and just last year, while serving as chief justice, appointing an eight-person advisory committee to propose revisions to the Code of Judicial Conduct. Those recommendations are set to be brought before the Supreme Court of Appeals of WV later this year.

Armstead's life of public service goes back even farther. His biography says he started as a press intern for then-Governor Arch Moore before becoming the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff under Cecil Underwood's administration. According to his biography, he also served on the Cabinet on Children and Families during Underwood's time as governor.

His biography states he also worked as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge David A. Faber. In his community, Armstead had served on the Board of the Elk River Community Council and was a Knight of the Golden Horseshoe. According to the Court, he was also a Judith A. Herdon Fellowship intern with the West Virginia Legislature.

According to the Court, as Speaker of the House, Armstead sponsored the creation of the West Virginia Legislature's Joint Legislative Committee on Flooding, an effort to help investigate and propose reforms to mitigate flood damage and improve disaster response, following the devastating 2016 flooding.

Mike Pushkin, Chair for the West Virginia Democratic Party, issued the following statement on Armstead's passing.

“West Virginia has lost a dedicated public servant with the passing of Justice Tim Armstead. Justice Armstead previously served our state as a member of the House of Delegates, where he made history as the first Republican Speaker of the House in 83 years.
I had the honor of serving under Speaker Armstead in the minority party. He was a man of deep faith, strong convictions, and quiet dignity. As Speaker, he worked hard to foster an environment of collegiality and respect. He viewed public service as a high honor, and his example reflected that commitment.
Justice Armstead admired President Theodore Roosevelt, who once said, ‘The best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.’ That sentiment captures how Tim Armstead approached his service to the people of West Virginia.
On behalf of the West Virginia Democratic Party, I extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. His contributions to our state will be remembered with gratitude and respect."

Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates Roger Hanshaw also released a statement mourning Armstead and honoring his public service.

West Virginia lost a very special person today, and I lost another wonderful friend. Justice Tim Armstead was the very embodiment of the word gentleman. He was kind, thoughtful, smart, encouraging and deeply committed to his family, his faith and his state. He accomplished more than one lifetime’s worth in his short time here. He was a legislator, Speaker of the House and a Supreme Court Justice, but much more than that, he was a loving husband, father and grandfather. Tim Armstead was my friend, my mentor and a trusted confidante. I will miss him deeply.
Tim was a man of infectious optimism. He saw the good in everything and everybody – good that was too often hard for others, including me, to see. I always admired his near-total ability to forgive and forget, even when others – again, including me – didn’t want him to. Tim Armstead set an example of servant leadership that should inspire not just every public official, but every person.
Tim was a man of deep faith and conviction, not the kind that often appears for political theater, but the kind that shapes the life and true trajectory of honest believers. Over the years, I often thought about the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:22, which command us to abstain from the very appearance of evil. In my lifetime, I have encountered no person who embodied that virtue more than Tim Armstead. Tim was a man so deeply committed to doing right at all times and in all circumstances that he no doubt disadvantaged himself and his family throughout his career in service of his mission to uphold ethics, integrity and his true belief in what was right.
I will miss Tim Armstead. I will miss the wise counsel he often gave me in times of tough decisions. I will miss the lighthearted jokes he told me when I visited his chambers after a long day on the House floor, and I will miss that no matter whatever else I encountered in my career, I could always take comfort knowing there was a man at the highest levels of service to our society who was guided by nothing more than a sincere desire to do the right thing. Most of all, I will miss my friend. My prayers are with Anna and Tim’s family.

West Virginia Senate President Randy E. Smith also offered condolences to the family.

“I was so saddened today to hear of the passing of my friend, Justice Tim Armstead. When I was first elected to the House of Delegates, he set an example of honesty, integrity, faith and service that was second to none. He was an example of leadership with grace, a man who had a deep faith in God, and loved his family with all of his heart. All who were blessed to call him a friend and colleague are better people because of him. My heart is with his family during their time of grief, and I pray they find comfort in our Lord’s arms.”

West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack released a statement as well, calling Armstead "a true family man who loved the Lord."

“My heart goes out to Tim's wife Anna and his daughter Katie. Tim was a true family man who loved the Lord, who loved the unlovable, and who was a down-the-line conservative who fought for West Virginia values. Tim was an honest and fair man respected by all who knew him. I was blessed to call Tim a true friend.
For decades, he was one of the driving forces behind the conservative movement in West Virginia. Regardless of what hat he wore, he always had the Mountain State's best interests at heart. He will be dearly missed, but his impact on West Virginia will live on. Lisa and I will pray for Tim and his family.”

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey issued a statement calling Armstead a friend and a trailblazer.

“We grieve today for the passing of our friend, Tim Armstead. A Supreme Court Justice, Speaker of the House of Delegates, an attorney, but most of all a husband, a father, and a family man, Tim leaves our world far too early.
I’ve known Tim for a long time and know how much he loved our state. He was a good and decent man who always tried to set the right ethical tone in all of his actions. His dedication to the rule of law and our state’s heritage was felt in all of his opinions and decisions, and his legacy will be remembered for a long time. May God grant him eternal peace. Today, Denise and I pray for Tim’s wife, Anna, his daughter, Katie, and the rest of his friends and family as all of West Virginia mourns this incredible trailblazer.”

Former Senate President Craig P. Blair is also remembering Justice Armstead and the time they spent serving the West Virginia Legislature together.

I have deep sorrow and a heavy heart upon hearing the news of the passing of Justice Tim Armstead.
I had the honor of serving alongside Tim beginning in 2003, when we were both members of the minority in the House of Delegates. Over the past two decades, he has been not only a trusted colleague but also a part of my political and personal family. His friendship was one of steadfast encouragement, quiet strength, and genuine faith.
Tim Armstead was one of the most godly and selfless men I have ever met in my life. In a profession often marked by ambition and division, he stood out as a true servant leader. His humility, integrity, and dedication to the people of West Virginia were unwavering. It is rare to find such a spirit in politics, and Tim lived it daily with kindness, wisdom, and grace.
To his beloved family, my family and I extend our deepest condolences. We pray that God’s comfort will surround you in this time of grief and that His peace will carry you through the difficult days ahead.
West Virginia has lost a remarkable leader, but more than that, we have lost a dear friend whose legacy of faith and service will live on in all who had the privilege of knowing him.

The West Virginia Republican Party is also mourning Armstead's death as they reflect on his career in public service.

Today, we join all West Virginians in mourning the passing of Supreme Court Justice Tim Armstead and in honoring the extraordinary life of public service he led.
Justice Armstead devoted his life to the people of West Virginia. From his early career as an attorney, as a West Virginia state legislator and Speaker of the House, to his tenure on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, Justice Armstead exemplified integrity, fairness, and an unwavering loyalty to our state.
As the first Republican Speaker of the House of Delegates in more than 80 years, Justice Armstead helped lead West Virginia through a time of historic change with steady leadership and respect for the institutions he served. Under his leadership, West Virginia began its transformation towards a truly conservative state. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018, Armstead was later elected by the people to serve a full term. He twice held the role of Chief Justice, guiding the Court through times of both challenge and progress.
Justice Armstead will be remembered not only for his accomplishments but also for his character. He was a man of humility and compassion.
We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Anna, his daughter, his grandchildren, and all who loved him. West Virginia has lost a dedicated public servant, a man of principle, and a true son of West Virginia. His legacy will endure throughout history.

The Kanawha County Commissioners have also shared their condolences and their own memories of working with Armstead.

"I've known Justice Tim Armstead for many years. He was a wonderful person and an exceptional public servant. Tera and I are praying for his family during this incredibly difficult time," Commission President Ben Salango said.

Justice Tim Armstead represented the people of Kanawha County and the State of West Virginia with integrity, honesty and an unwavering dedication to public service. I was fortunate to call him a friend and a mentor. My wife Jessica and I are keeping his family in our thoughts and prayers. Justice Armstead's leadership, kindness and commitment will be deeply missed," said Commissioner Lance Wheeler.

"I had the opportunity to work with Justice Armstead in the past, and I have the highest respect for the way he conducted himself. I send my condolences and prayers to his wife, daughter and grandchildren," Commissioner Natalie Tennant said.

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Tim Armstead dies

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 03:13:50 +0000

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) - Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Justice Tim Armstead has died, according to a spokesperson for the court. He was 60 years old.

His fellow justices shared statements remembering their colleague, both on the bench and in his community.

Justice Tim Armstead (Photo Courtesy: Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia)