Latest news with #Wooton
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2 local schools receive awards for creating alcohol PSAs
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — Awards events were held at Morgantown High School and Robert L. Bland Middle School on Thursday to recognize the efforts students put in to prevent irresponsible alcohol use. The 'No School Spirits PSA Contest' is hosted each year by the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (WVABCA) WVABCA Commissioner Fred Wooton told 12 News that this is the 12th year that this competition has been held across the state. 'It drives a great message across about the dangers of underage drinking, drinking and driving, distracted driving there,' he added. Students at Morgantown placed 4th in the contest and students at Robert L Bland landed in 5th place; both took home $750. This year, the WVABCA received 51 video entries from middle and high school students throughout West Virginia. Wooton said that approximately 400 students were involved across 29 different schools in the state. Wooton told 12 News that he has a team at his office in Charleston that evaluates the submissions, adding points for positives in each video, and subtracting points for perceived negative things. He added that this is the second time that the WVABCA has come to Morgantown High School, as they also placed in the statewide competition a few years ago. 'The videos that these students produce are just outstanding messages,' said Wooton. 'The message resonates much louder, I think when students hear it from their peers—peer-to-peer as opposed to me basically preaching the message.' Gold Star Mothers honored at Marion County Veterans Memorial Park According to Wooton, the purpose of this competition is to encourage students across the state to make good decisions. He stated that the decisions young people make now as students can affect them for the rest of their lives. 'So really, we wanna highlight the fact that the students [are] making good decisions here,' Wooton added. 'We think our message is really timed perfectly with the upcoming prom and graduation seasons.' 12th Grade Student Anika Fleming stated that Morgantown High School's video submission was made in their sports journalism class. She told 12 News that the video focused on losing a friend to impaired driving, adding that it deals with 'how it feels to like lose a friend and just have to like keep going obviously 'cause like the world doesn't stop if somebody's not there anymore.' 'It was a really, really cool experience,' said Fleming. 'I mean, I've always liked like editing stuff like that and I mean that's kind of how I joined this club. […] We make videos and stuff like that.' Fleming said that she's always enjoyed making videos, but this time it was more serious because they were competing for prize money. She stated that her team worked very hard on this project—creating a storyboard and directing it, while she handled most of the editing. According to Fleming, she's always taken drunk driving really seriously because she's seen people in her family struggle with alcoholism. 'I've seen how alcohol can affect people and so like, I've always taken stuff like that really seriously and like making this video, I was just […] really proud to make the video and like show people what it can do to people,' she added. Fleming told 12 News that it felt very cool to place in the statewide contest, although she's used to 'Mohigan greatness' from her time attending Morgantown High School. 'After I realized we placed, […] it was just really surreal to like place in the entire state,' said Fleming. Fleming has aspirations of attending college to pursue a degree in communications, with the long-term goal of becoming a photographer. Fleming is actively involved in the yearbook club, and takes a lot of photos for the school's yearbook. 'I wanna be a sports photographer,' she added. 'I wanna work with like a professional sports team and like tell the stories of like, you know–like championships, that there's always like a storyline going on.' Wooton told 12 News that this contest would not be possible without the support of its sponsors, which include State Farm Insurance, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, and the West Virginia Governor's Highway Safety Program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Forest Lake ‘career offender' gets 12½-year prison term for swindling businesses, homeowners
A Forest Lake man with an extensive criminal history has been sentenced to 12½ years in prison for duping a dozen local businesses out of more than $232,000 in motorsports and construction equipment and swindling nearly $850,000 from homeowners for remodeling projects that he either did not start or finish. Richard Patrick Wooton, 55, pleaded guilty in February in Hennepin County District Court to two counts of theft by swindle in connection with two cases. A third theft by swindle case out of Stearns County was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Wooton's sentence, handed down Friday, was an upward departure from state sentencing guidelines based on him being defined as a 'career offender' under state law. He had amassed 37 prior theft-related criminal convictions in Minnesota dating back to 1989, according to court records. The judge ordered Wooton to pay $228,008.52 in restitution, which was left open for 30 days. He was given credit for 426 days already served in custody. Wooton has been incarcerated since November 2023 after receiving a nearly two-year prison sentence on a theft by swindle conviction in Wright County for conning a Clearwater man into giving him $10,000 in 2019 for the purchase of a motorhome that didn't exist. According to a June 2022 criminal complaint, Wooton conducted business on behalf of Crossroads Remodeling LLC, soliciting remodeling contracts from homeowners in Hennepin, Sherburne and Wright counties. His bio on Crossroads' Facebook page stated that '(h)e brings his Christian values into his work' and that he was the owner of the business. In 2017, the actual owners of Crossroads Remodeling were granted a contractor's license by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry under the condition that Wooton, who was already in the crosshairs of the agency because of his criminal history, did not hold a 'position of fiduciary, managerial, ownership or supervisory responsibility' with the business, the complaint says. Wooton often induced homeowners to pay most of the contracts before any work was done by giving them a 5% or 10% discount. He told some homeowners he was a veteran and was donating part of the money to a veterans' cause, which he did not do. The complaint says Wooton stole $849,734 from 35 homeowners who paid him upfront for remodeling projects — everything from decks to full-blown additions — that either were not started or completed between July 2017 and July 2018. The investigation also revealed he had failed to pay $481,203.62 owed to subcontractors and businesses that supplied materials to him. When Wooton's victims would reach him, he often lied, according to prosecutors. His lies included that he was in a fire and suffered burns; his aunt was stricken with cancer; his stepson died; a subcontractor's brother died; other customers were dying of cancer; and one of the company's owners stole all the money. A January 2024 complaint says Wooton carried out another swindling spree from May 25, 2023 through Oct. 11 of that year. A police investigation showed he was behind 13 fraudulent purchases of motor sports and construction equipment — totaling $232,204.19 — in Anoka, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Kandiyohi, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties. Wooton paid for all the goods with checks from three Bank of America accounts, two that were in his name and the other in his girlfriend's name. 'At no time did (Wooton) have sufficient funds to cover these checks,' the complaint says. According to a complaint, the thefts included: • $48,500 on May 25 from Tri-State Bobcat in Burnsville for a skid steer and a trailer, which Wooton then sold the same day to a business in Faribault. • $5,429 on June 30 from Ecofun Motorsports in Columbus for three Escape scooters, which were later recovered during the execution of a search warrant at Wooton's residence in Balsam Lake, Wis. • $22,133 on Aug. 8 from Tousley Motorsports in Vadnais Heights for two Honda dirt bikes and $13,352 four days later for a Seadoo boat. • $5,435 on Sept. 15 from Forest Lake Trailer for a trailer, which was recovered in Wisconsin. • $8,830 on Sept. 20 from Frankies Live Bait and Marine in Chisago City for an ATV. • $18,250 on Oct. 3 from Hugo Equipment Company in Hugo for a Toro Zero Turn lawn mower. In nearly all the cases, the businesses reached Wooton after the checks bounced and he told them he'd either send another check or come in and pay with a credit card. He didn't do either. Investigators learned Wooton sold some of the goods on Facebook Marketplace. Other items were recovered at Wisconsin properties connected to his girlfriend and her family, the complaint says. Barbara McQuade: Nationwide injunctions are a problem. Ending them isn't the answer 'Your daughter's life is more than any jail time,' judge tells St. Paul woman whose 1-year-old died after ingesting fentanyl St. Paul man sentenced for killing girlfriend's dog after it took 4-year-old son's hot dog Final gunman sentenced in 2022 gang slaying of man on St. Paul's West Side Charges: Drunken driver fatally struck woman, 72, in White Bear Township
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia conducts arguments before Marion County high schoolers
FAIRMONT, (WBOY) — The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia came to the Marion County Courthouse Wednesday to hear arguments in front of nearly 200 local high school students who are involved in the Legal Advancement for West Virginia Students (LAWS) civics education program. During the fall and spring semesters each year, the WV Supreme Court of Appeals travels across the state to participate in this program. 'I think informed citizenry is a bedrock of our democracy,' said Chief Justice William R. Wooton. 'This is an ideal opportunity for students to learn how the appellate portion of our judicial system works and I think from the feedback we got, the students appreciate the opportunity.' Wooton said that for this event, the circuit court of Marion County 'went out of their way' to provide the state's Supreme Court with an ideal forum to hold court. 'Most of these LAWS events take place at schools in an auditorium but because of the unique nature of this courtroom, we wanted to do it here and they made that happen,' he added. The high schools involved in these LAWS events typically reach out to local attorneys with the assistance of local judges to help prepare. Wooton stated that these attorneys then come into the schools to meet with students in advance, educating them on what to expect and the issues that will be discussed. The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia was tasked with picking cases for this event that they felt would be a good fit, which Wooton described to be challenging. He added that in the past, they've learned the hard way that certain cases, especially those dealing with minute points of law like worker's compensation, don't seem to interest high school students. Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia comes to WVU College of Law Wooton said that the cases they chose for Wednesday's event specifically focused on criminal law, which he feels is something the teenagers could relate to. 'Young people watch television and go to movies, and criminal cases, there are all sort of TV shows about that. So they have some background in it,' he added. During these events, Wooton shared that he and the other Justices are typically impressed by the attentiveness of the students' questions during the Q&A portion. He stated that this is a reflection of all the preparation that is put in beforehand, between the students, teachers and volunteer attorneys that meet with them. However, what's most unique is that this is the first-ever LAWS event to be held inside of a courtroom in the nearly 20 years that it's been occurring, according to Wooton. 'This particular courthouse is historic and the courtroom […] is clearly one of the most beautiful and definitely the largest courtroom in the state.' North Marion Sophomore Riley Parker said that following all of the cases on Wednesday, the attorneys involved sat in the courtroom and broke down everything that was previously presented to provide a better understanding to the students. 'There's so much stuff going on, it can be kind of confusing on what's happening,' she added. 'So, it helps a lot like them re-breaking it down, just understanding,' said Parker. 'So it's really making me realize like how big of a deal like this stuff is, and how [many] different people all have to go into it and what all can happen.' Parker told 12 News that attending this LAWS event made her rethink possibly becoming an attorney or getting involved in the legal field. 'They've [shown] how much like just goes into it, it's not just you come up here and you just answer questions. They really break it down, and they've [shown] us like more depth into what they do,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
West Virginia University law students receive first hand knowledge from appellate court visit
MORGANTOWN — Out of the three cases argued before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, one case struck full circle for the judges holding court in Morgantown. 'Last case argued, the young man indicated that two years ago, as a law student, he sat here and watched this,' Chief Justice William R. Wooton said. 'Two years later, he's graduated and argued a case. I think it will demonstrate to all the students that what they're doing here pays off. That what you're learning as a student you'll put to use very quickly.' The Court heard cases at West Virginia University's College of Law on Tuesday morning. Law students watched lawyers argue real cases in front of the panel of justices, giving them first hand exposure to how an appeals hearing works. The court heard three cases, one related to a self defense case, one where thousands of West Virginians allegedly purchased thousands of worthless mammograms from Valley Health Systems, and one related to two protective orders issued by a judge in a pair of juvenile delinquency cases. The Court of Appeals travels to Morgantown once a year. Chief Justice William R. Wooton said it's important for law students to watch how every level of court works. He recalled having the opportunity to watch a case argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as one of the biggest memories of his time in law school. 'What they do in class, standing up and answering a question from a professor is very similar to a lawyer arguing an appellate case, and responding to a question from a justice,' Wooton said. 'It grounds their knowledge of what they're learning as to how it's going to be applied.' While the public might have more familiarity with trial courts due to news and entertainment media, appellate courts are less familiar. Wooton said trial courts are courts of record, everything said is recorded and taken down. Appellate courts, however, do not record new information. The arguments at appellate court focus on reviewing the record of what happened at trial. One example Wooton gave related to the first case the court heard. There was a question of whether or not the man in question in the case had been arrested, but since there wasn't anything in the record answering that question, the justices couldn't make a decision on anything related to it. 'We can only make a decision as to whether or not this was correctly or not done correctly,' he said. 'If there's no indication as to what was done at all, we cannot make any judgment.' First-year law student Blanee-jo Fabean, 23, found insight in how oral arguments functioned and how both sides go against each other. She said students don't get that experience their first year, which made the appellate court's trip to Morgantown worthwhile for her. 'I think I'm heading into an area of the law which doesn't get as much courtroom experience, especially for young lawyers as they once did,' Fabean said. 'Being able to attend something like this really gives me that experience and allows me to see how it's done and be able to put that toward how I would do it myself.' Fabean expressed interest toward a career in criminal or civil defense. She enjoys the research and reason that goes into putting together a good case for a client. Jennifer Bundy, public information officer for the Court, said the appellate court travels once a year to the law school, and twice a year to different high schools across the state. It's a project the court has been doing for decades, well before the time of any of the sitting justices or Bundy herself. On Wednesday, the court travels to Marion County, where students from Fairmont Senior High will have the privilege of listening to three different cases in front of the justices. The high schoolers require a little more preparation. Bundy said the students have to be briefed on what they're going to be hearing ahead of time so that when the attorneys make their cases, the students know what's going on. Bundy said the program is important because it teaches civics firsthand. 'For many students, unfortunately the only interaction they have with the Court system is if their parents are getting divorced or if they had been charged with a juvenile crime or are a victim of abuse and neglect,' she said. 'None of those are happy experiences for kids. The program for the high schoolers is to show them that the Court system can help people. It's how you resolve disputes peacefully.' Bundy said the court system is the only branch of government that's completely open to the public. Teaching students civics is important because it helps people understand how their government works and how the courts can impact personal life, she said. The justices find some personal satisfaction in revisiting what is for some of them, old stomping grounds. 'Apart from what it does for the law school, it kind of re-energizes us,' Chief Justice William R. Wooton said. 'We all have great memories of being in this place, it's a homecoming if you will.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia comes to WVU College of Law
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia stopped by the WVU College of Law Tuesday morning, hearing appellate arguments and giving students a chance to see how a Supreme Court works up close. Chief Justice William R. Wooton told 12 News that he attended the WVU College of Law to obtain his law degree, along with many of his colleagues. He added that when he attended the college, there was nothing like this that existed for students. 'The Supreme Court was just a mystery,' Wooton stated. 'I think this gives students a firsthand experience without having to leave the school. It also provides an excellent teaching opportunity for the faculty.' Wooton said that the Supreme Court Justices took some care in selecting the cases that were argued on Tuesday, adding that each of these cases provides an excellent opportunity for teaching points. Three cases were argued during this event: two dealing with Rule 20 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure, and another dealing with Rule 19 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. 'Apart from what it does for the law school, it kind of re-energizes all of us,' said Wooton. 'We love coming back, it's a homecoming if you will and we all have great memories of being in this place, and it's just a lot of fun.' After the Supreme Court listened to all three arguments, the Justices sat down to eat lunch alongside the students and answer questions. 'I think it's a great experience for students to interact with the Supreme Court Justices. Most of us in my time, you never saw a Supreme Court Justice unless you were in court,' Wooton added. How you can get traditional Colombian coffee in Gilmer County According to Wooton, the Supreme Court of Appeals has numerous tasks across the state of West Virginia. The state supreme court is the administrative head of the court, under a 'unified court system,' where the responsibility is exercised among five court Justices. 'An enormous part of our responsibility is administrative,' said Wooton. 'We enter into leases regarding family courts, […] provide the technological support for all the circuit courts and family courts and magistrates, and the computer systems and all that.' Wooton said that the Supreme Court of Appeals is the 'court of last resort' in West Virginia, adding that any cases can ultimately be appealed to their court. He said that one of Tuesday's cases dealt with a 'certified question' from the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, which is the appellate court in the federal system that is one level below the United States Supreme Court. 'If they have a question about what West Virginia law means, and in this case it was 'what does this particular West Virginia statute mean?' Well the federal courts don't take a guess at that,' said Wooton. 'Instead, they refer to the West Virginia Supreme Court to say 'what exactly does this law mean?'' Wooton first joined the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia in 2021 and said that they had been holding this event for many years prior. However, he stated that he attended the WVU College of Law a long time ago when the law school wasn't even in the same building, adding that they didn't have a courtroom or any facilities. He said that during his time in law school, the court was constitutionally different and they didn't have a unified court system. 'That changed with the constitutional amendment where we gained the administrative responsibility for every judge,' Wooton added. 'I think it's important for a law student to watch how every level of court works,' said Wooton. 'They don't often get a chance to see a trial court work, but I think the law school now tries to make that happen.' Wooton stated that he feels it's important for students to see that standing up and answering questions from a professor is similar to a lawyer arguing an appellate case and answering a question from a Justice. 'It kind of grounds their knowledge of what they're learning as to how it's gonna be applied.' According to Wooton, trial courts are courts of record, so they function a little bit differently than appellate courts. 'Everything that's said is recorded, taken down and appellate courts are not courts of record. You can't introduce any evidence here, […] all we can do is review the record of what happened below,' he said. Wooton added that the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is only able to make a decision as to whether something was done correctly or not. He stated that if there's no indication as to what was done at all, the court is unable to make a judgment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
