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Thursday, February 2, 2012.

Note: Because breaking news happens fast, you may find typographic errors within news scripts. Odd punctuation, visual cues, anchor and producer notes may also appear with the scripts since these are the actual files that the news anchors present to you on Eyewitness News.
Tonight on
Eyewitness News at 6 PM
Eyewitness News at 6 PM
Reporting Today: Rick Lord
and Deborah Linz
Jim Barach is in the Weather Center
and Mark Martin has Sports
Produced by: Martin Hicks
Directed by: Laura Coombs


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  • WELCOME
      COMING UP ON EYEWITNESS NEWS.......

      BATTLING OVER BUDGETS.

      WHY A FEDERAL JUDGE IS GOING TO HAVE TO EXTINGUISH A LABOR DISPUTE BETWEEN CHARLESTON AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

      THEN....

      DIGGING DEEPER... WHAT EYEWITNESS HAS FOUND IN ITS OWN INVESTIGATION INTO LINCOLN COUNTY ELECTION FRAUD.

      PLUS....

      22:01:32 the little boy said he tripped and some papers went in a heater.

      THEN THE HOUSE WENT UP IN FLAMES! AND NOT EVERYONE SURVIVED... WHAT DEPUTIES DID TO TRY TO SAVE THE PEOPLE INSIDE.

      JIM AD LIB ON TAPE

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    TEASE VIDEO-MAKE IT BRIEF
      THE FEDERAL COURTS ARE GETTING INVOLVED IN CHARLESTON'S FIRE PROTECTION.

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    WELCOME
      GOOD EVENING, I'M DEBORAH LINZ...

      AND I'M RICK LORD...

      THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS.

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    I FIREFIGHTER LAWSUIT
      THE CITY OF CHARLESTON TAKES THE ONGOING PROTEST OF FIREFIGHTER WAGES TO FEDERAL COURT.

      EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER LESLIE RUBIN IS LIVE AT CITY HALL WITH THE DETAILS...

      RICK...THIS IS A BATTLE THAT HAS BEEN BREWING BETWEEN THE CITY OF CHARLESTON AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARLESTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SINCE LATE LAST YEAR....AFTER THE CITY DETERMINED THEY WERE OVERPAYING FIREFIGHTERS FOR OVERTIME...ALL BASED ON A FAULTY FORMULA.

      CONTROVERSY HAS BEEN BREWING EVER SINCE THEN OVER WHAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO CALCULATE HOURLY, OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY WAGES. NOW THE CITY HAS FILED A FEDERAL REQUEST ASKING A JUDGE TO LOOK AT THE CASE AND DETERMINE WHAT FORMULA AND METHOD IS CORRECT FOR PAYING THE CHARLESTON FIREFIGHTERS. IS IT THE WAY THEY HAD BEEN DOING IT SINCE 1993...OR THE NEW METHOD JUST ENFORCED IN NOVEMBER THE CORRECT WAY? THE CITY SAYS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS THEY UNNCESSARILY PAID IN EXCESS OF 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS IN OVERTIME. SINCE THE NEW FORMULA WENT INTO EFFECT IN NOVEMBER, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED LETTERS FROM MORE THAN 70 OF IT'S FIREFIGHTERS CHALLENGING THE WAY THEY ARE NOW BEING PAID. MAYOR DANNY JONES SAYS IT COMES DOWN TO ONE THING..PENSIONS...AND IF THEY CONTINUED PAYING ON THE FAULTY FORMULA, THE CITY WOULD GO BROKE...

      CHARLESTON FIRE CHIEF CHUCKOVERSTREET TELLS ME HE THINKS ITS A GOOD THING THE MATTER WILL BE LOOKED AT IN FEDERAL COURT...MYRON BOGGESS, PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL 317 PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS WILL NOT COMMENT AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THEIR LAWYER, PAT MARONEY...

      MEANWHILE, ANOTHER DRASTIC CUT BACK WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY MAYOR DANNY JONES. 10 UNFILLED CHARLESTON POLICE POSITIONS WILL BE CUT ..

      JONES SAYS THERE ARE CURRENTLY 163 OFFICERS ON THE PAYROLL...WITH 11 UNFILLED SPOTS....10 OF THOSE WILL NOT BE FILLED AND TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET. POLICE CHIEF BRENT WEBSTER TELLS ME YOU CAN ALWAYS DO MORE WITH MORE, BUT HE WANTS TO STRESS THAT THIS IS NO WAY WILL AFFECT CHARLESTON'S SAFETY, AND NO OFFICERS WILL BE LOSING THEIR JOBS OR TAKEN OFF THE STREETS...ONCE AGAIN, JONES SAYS IT COMES DOWN TO ONE THING...PENSIONS...PENSIONS THE CITY IS GOING BROKE PAYING, HE SAYS...

      REPORTING LIVE IN CHARLESTON, LESLIE RUBIN, EYEWITNESS NEWS.

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    LINCOLN CORRUPTION
      QUESTIONS CONTINUE TO SURFACE SURROUNDING ACCUSATIONS OF ELECTION FRAUD IN LINCOLN COUNTY.

      THE COUNTY CLERK AND SHERIFF HAVE ADMITTED THEIR ROLES IN TRYING TO STUFF THE BALLOT BOX IN THE 2010 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

      NOW, EYEWITNESS NEWS HAS LEARNED AN ACCOMPLICE IS LINCOLN COUNTY COMMISSIONER THOMAS RAMEY.

      SOURCES TELL EYEWITNESS NEWS THAT RAMEY IS THE QUOTE, "KNOWN PERSON" COUNTY CLERK DONALD WHITTEN PROVIDED ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO.

      THE KNOWN PERSON... RAMEY... THEN ALLEGEDLY HAND-DELIVERED THOSE BALLOTS TO VOTERS.

      RAMEY IS SCHEDULED TO PRESIDE TONIGHT ALONG WITH HIS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IN A MEETING GOING ON RIGHT NOW AT THE LINCOLN COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

      ONCE WHITTEN AND SHERIFF JERRY BOWMAN TENDER THEIR RESIGNATIONS, RAMEY AND HIS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NAMING THEIR REPLACEMENTS.

      IN A 2010 INTERVIEW WITH EYEWITNESS NEWS DURING A CANVASS OF THE LINCOLN COUNTY VOTE, RAMEY TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WENT AFTER ABSENTEE BALLOTS.

      COMMISSIONER THOMAS RAMEY HAS NOT RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW.

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    VANCE VO
      EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER KENNIE BASS SAT DOWN WITH LINCOLN COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHARLES VANCE TODAY.

      VANCE SAYS RESIDENTS DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR VOTES COUNTED FAIRLY.

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    VANCE SOT
      COURT DATES FOR LINCOLN COUNTY CLERK DONALD WHITTEN AND SHERIFF JERRY BOWMAN HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MARCH SEVENTH AT THE BYRD FEDERAL COURTHOUSE.

      THEIR PLEA AGREEMENTS WITH THE U-S ATTORNEY STATE THEY MUST RESIGN FROM OFFICE BEFORE OFFICIALLY PLEADING GUILTY.

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    RICHWOOD MAYOR
      THE MAYOR OF RICHWOOD HAS BEEN ARRESTED.

      JOHN MCCLUNG WAS BUSTED FOR FRAUDULENT SCHEMES AND OBTAINING BY FALSE PRETENSES... THE CASE INVOLVES THE ALLEGED IMPROPER USE OF TOWN MONEY.

      THE CHARGES ARE FELONIES.

      MCLUNG POSTED A 5-THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND AND IS NOW OUT OF JAIL.

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    SPENCER FATAL FIRE
      A WOMAN DIES THIS MORNING IN A HOUSE FIRE IN SPENCER.

      AND A MAN WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THAT BLAZE.

      A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WHO MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO PULL THE WOMAN FROM THE BURNING HOME ON CIRCLE AVENUE REFUSED TREATMENT AFTER BEING DRIVEN BACK INTO THE STREET BY SMOKE AND HEAT. IT TOOK FIREFIGHTERS TWO ATTEMPTS TO REACH HER BODY ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE BURNING HOUSE.

      NEIGHBORS SAY THE COUPLE WAS MARRIED WITH THREE CHILDREN. THEY ALSO SAY THEIR EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SON ACCIDENTLY STARTED THE FIRE WHEN HE DROPPED SOME PAPERS ON A HEATER. THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS NOT CONFIRMED THAT OR RELEASED THE NAMES OF VICTIM. THE CHILD WAS APPARENTLY NOT HURT.

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    CO LOTTERY BUILDING
      A FEW TENSE MOMENTS AT THE LOTTERY BUILDING ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE IN CHARLESTON THIS MORNING.

      IT ALL STARTED WHEN A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE GOT DIZZY.

      AN AMBULANCE AND FIRE CREWS WERE CALLED TO CHECK HIM OUT.

      THEY DID SOME BLOODWORK AND FOUND HE HAD AN ELEVATED LEVEL OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN HIS SYSTEM.

      THEY FOUND NO TRACE OF C-O IN THE LOTTERY BUILDING BUT FIREFIGHTERS WERE ASKED TO CHECK OUT HIS HOME.

      THE WORKER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, NO WORD YET ON HIS CONDITION.

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    HOTEL UPDATE
      AND, WE HAVE AN EYEWITNESS NEWS UPDATE ON THE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AT A LOCAL HOTEL THAT KILLED A RHODE ISLAND MAN.

      THE HOTEL HAS RELEASED A STATEMENT.

      THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED TUESDAY AFTER A SWIMMING POOL HEATER LEAKED THE POISONOUS GAS AT HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AT CORRIDOR -G-.

      44 YEAR OLD WILLIAM MORAN WAS KILLED AND HIS CO WORKER BAIN EDMUNDSON WAS HOSPITALIZED.

      EDMUNDSON REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

      17 OTHERS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL...TREATED AND RELEASED.

      THE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS'S CORPORATE OFFICE ISSUED THIS STATEMENT SAYING QUOTE....OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE GUEST'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS DURING THIS TIME. THE HOTEL WILL CONTINUE TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THEIR INVESTIGATION."

      A WOMAN WHO WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED AND DECAPITATED IS REMEMBERED TODAY.

      DOZENS OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY HONORED 53 YEAR OLD CAROL RHIM OF CHARLESTON WITH A MEMORIAL SERVICE TODAY. THEY WORE THE COLOR PURPLE IN SUPPORT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS. LAST MONTH, CHARLESTON POLICE SAY HER BOYFRIEND NATHANIEL LAWTON KILLED RHIM AND DISMEMBERED HER BODY BEFORE KILLING HIMSELF.

      RHIM LEAVES BEHIND FOUR CHILDREN, FOUR BROTHERS AND A SISTER ALONG WITH SEVERAL GRANDCHILDREN.

      FAMILY MEMBERS SAY THEY HOPE PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER RHIM FOR THE LIFE SHE LIVED AND NOT THE WAY SHE DIED.

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    B CAROL RHIM MEMORIAL
      "Remember the smile.. That's how I find my closure"

      "It's a shame that two families are hurt by this, not just our family but the other guy's family as well. All you have to do is talk it out. If you can't compromise them walk away."

      POLICE RECOVERED RHIMS' HEAD AND HANDS BUT HER TORSO HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND.

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    JACOB'S VIGIL
      A COMMUNITY GATHERS TO MOURN THE LOSS OF A LIFE CUT SHORT.

      16 YEAR OLD JACOB BALL WAS HIT AND KILLED BY A PASSING TRAIN ON TEAYS VALLEY ROAD TWO DAYS AGO...

      PRELIMINARILY REPORTS SAY THE TEEN MAY HAVE BEEN WEARING HEADPHONES AND IT'S POSSIBLE HE DIDN'T HEAR THE TRAIN APPROACHING.

      TONIGHT, FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE GATHERING AT HURRICANE HIGH SCHOOL.

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    PIZZA FOR JACOB
      MEANWHILE, GIOVANNI'S IN HURRICANE WILL BE HOLDING A FUNDRAISER FOR JACOB NEXT WEDNESDAY.

      CALLED "PIZZA FOR JACOB."... IT WILL DONATE A PORTION OF ALL SALES TO JACOB'S FAMILY.

      THE WORKERS SAY THE COMMUNITY STICKS TOGETHER IN TIMES LIKE THIS, AND THEY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW IT'S FOR THE FAMILY.

      ONCE AGAIN THAT FUNDRAISER WILL BE ALL DAY ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH... FROM 11 TO 10.

      IF TODAY WAS ANY INDICATION, WEST VIRGINIA'S OWN WEATHER CRITTER COULD BE RIGHT ON THE MONEY TODAY.

      FRENCH CREEK FREDDIE DID NOT SEE HIS SHADOW WHEN HE EMERGED FROM HIS UPSHUR COUNTY DEN.

      ABOUT 100 PEOPLE SANG TO THE WOODCHUCK AND CHEERED HIS PREDICTION FROM AT THE WILDLIFE CENTER IN UPSHUR COUNTY. UNLIKE HIS FAMOUS COUSIN PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL WHO CALLED FOR SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER TODAY, FREDDIE'S LACK OF A SHADOW SIGNALED SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. FANS ARE CONFIDENT FREDDIE'S MORE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MEANS HIS FORECAST IS ACCURATE.

      FREDDIE ONLY CLAIMS HIS FORECAST IS ACCURATE FOR CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA., BUT WE'LL TAKE IT.

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    MARDI GRAS MAVERICK
      MEANWHILE MAVERICK THE GREYHOUND SAYS SPRING IS ON IT'S WAY TOO!

      MAVERICK DIDN'T SEE HIS SHADOW THIS MORNING AT THE MARDI GRAS RESORT IN CROSS LANES...AND

      THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR MAVERICK PREDICTED THE END OF WINTER. AND FOR THE RECORD -- HE WAS RIGHT LAST YEAR.

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    FULL WEATHER
      ANCHORS TOSS TO JIM FOR WEATHER

      JIM PITCHES TO WEATHER GRAPHICS

      Join Jim Barach and the entire Storm Team at the Weather Center Online for the only regional web site that provides live, local updates, 24 hours a day!
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    EYEWITNESS WEB
      YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND EYEWITNESS NEWS ON THE WEB AT WCHSTV.COM ON FACEBOOK AND ON TWITTER.

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    IWITNESS NEWS
      IF YOU SEE NEWS HAPPENING, CLICK AWAY, AND SEND US THE PICTURES AT urlIWITNESS@WCHSTV.COM.../url.

      IF IT'S A GOOD PICTURE OF A GOOD STORY... WE'LL USE IT ON THE AIR!

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    ALBERT'S CHAPEL
      WELCOME BACK TO EYEWITNESS NEWS AT SIX.

      NESTLED ON TOP OF SOME SCENIC WEST VIRGINIA HILLS LIES "A LITTLE ROUND CHURCH," THAT WILL SURELY CATCH YOUR EYE.

      PHOTOJOURNALIST BRAD RICE TAKES US TO CALHOUN COUNTY FOR A LOOK AT THE UNIQUE DESIGN OF ALBERT'S CHAPEL IN TONIGHT'S TRAVELING WEST VIRGINIA.

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    GALBERT'S CHAPEL
      YOU CAN VISIT ALBERT'S CHAPEL ON STATE ROUTE 119 AT SAND RIDGE IN CALHOUN COUNTY.

      IF YOU GO ON SUNDAY, CHURCH STARTS AT 11:00 IN THE MORNING... EVERYONE'S WELCOME.

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    SPORTS
      WELCOME BACK TO EYEWITNESS NEWS AT SIX.

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    WVU FOOTBALL
      HE BROKE DAN DAKICH'S RECORD, BUT NOT BY MUCH...WVU IS LOSING A DEFENSIVE FOOTBALL COACH NOT LONG AFTER HE SIGNED ON...WVU ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT MIKE SMITH IS LEAVING THE MOUNTAINEER PROGRAM TO RETURN TO THE NEW YORK JETS...SMITH HAD BEEN THE JETS LINEBACKER AND WAS RECENTLY HIRED TO FILL ONE OF THREE VACACNIES ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL IN MORGANTOWN...WITH HIS QUICK DEPARTURE, DANA HOLGORSEN HAS TWO POSITIONS TO FILL BEFORE SPRING BALL BEGINS...

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    DENNIS TINNON-ATO
      AFTER A GOOD BIT OF TIME OFF THE COURT, DENNIS TINNON HAS FOUND HIS TOUCH ONCE AGAIN...A.J. GOOD PROFILES THE MARSHALL JUNIOR AS HE MAKES A COMEBACK "AGAINST THE ODDS"......

      A.J. GOOD: JUST THREE YEARS AGO, DENNIS TINNON WAS WORKING AT A MEAT PROSESSING PLANT WITH HIS DREAMS OF BASKETBALL GLORY ALL BUT FORGOTTEN. NOW IN 2012, AS A STARTER FOR MARSHALL, TINNON'S QUEST FROM SLICER TO REBOUNDER IS ONE OF DETERMINATION AND FAITH.

      Dennis Tinnon:

      A.J. GOOD: TINNON'S JOURNEY BEGAN IN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE WAS A STAR AT GREEN BAY EAST HIGH IN WISCONSIN, BUT ITS WHAT OFF THE COURT THAT LED HIM TO WHERE HIS IS TODAY. A INCIDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND A VIOLATION OF HIS PROBATION DURING HIS FIRST STINT IN JUCO LED HIM TO SPEND OVER FOUR MONTHS IN JAIL. CAUSING HIM TO HIT ROCK BOTTOM, WHERE HE BEGAN TO START OVER.

      Dennis Tinnon:

      A.J. GOOD: AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM JAIL, TINNON BEGAN TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND, BUT IT WAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A FRIEND THAT LED HIM TO KANSAS CITY KANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND AFTER A GREAT COUPLE OF SEASONS, TINNON CAUGHT THE EYE OF MARSHALL HEAD COACH TOM HERRION, WHICH STARTED TINNON'S RISE TO THE TOP THAT HE NEVER SAW COMING JUST FEW YEARS AGO.

      Dennis Tinnon:

      A.J. GOOD: NOW AS ONE OF THE TOP REBOUNDERS IN THE COUNTRY, TINNON HAS ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A FAN FAVORITE, AND LOVE BETWEEN THE FANS AND THE PLAYER IS MUTUAL.

      Dennis Tinnon:

      A.J. GOOD: TINNON'S FOUNDATION IN LIFE IS WITH IS WIFE ROBIN AND THEIR DAUGHTER DENYAH, WHO HAVE SUPPORTED HIM THROUGH THICK AND THIN.

      Dennis Tinnon:

      A.J. GOOD: DENNIS'S FOCUS NOW IS ON HELPING THE HERD GET BACK ON TRACK, AND HELP TO BUILD ON THE PROMISE THAT EVERYONE FELT IN THE PRE-SEASON.

      Dennis Tinnon:

      AJ GOOD: TINNONS NEXT BATTLE IS WITH THE NCAA AS HE FIGHTS FOR HIS FINAL YEAR OF ELIGIBILTY......BUT IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN....HIS CHANCES AT THE NEXT LEVEL ARE VERY HIGH.......FOR AGAINST THE ODDS....A.J. GOOD EYEWITNESS SPORTS....

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    DAN HOSE
      THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA HAS LOST ONE OF ITS SPORTING GEMS...DAN HOSE, WHO WAS THE STATE'S LONGEST-SERVING SPORTS EDITOR FOR A STATE WIRE SERVICE, DIED EARLIER THIS WEEK FOLLOWING A 16-YEAR BATTLE WITH LUKEMIA...HOSE STARTED HIS CAREER WITH UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL IN 1966...

      HOSE HAD SERVED AS SPORTS EDITOR OF THE PARKERSBURG NEWS AND MARIETTA TIMES IN THE EARLY 50S...FOLLOWING THE SERVICE, HE WENT TO WORK FOR THE CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL IN 1957 AND WAS THERE UNTIL JOINING UPI...HOSE WAS STILL VERY VISIBLE FOLLOWING RETIREMENT IN 1990, HELPING OUT WITH THE ANNUAL STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AND THE WV SPORTSWRITERS ASSOCIATION VICTORY AWARDS DINNER...HE WAS THE WINNER OF THE SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR IN 1981...HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, A SON, AND THREE DAUGHTERS...ONE OF THE NICEST GUYS ONE COULD EVER MEET, DAN HOSE WAS 78...

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