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Visit Wheeling: West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle

Activities , Magazine Features

Explore the charming town of Wheeling, in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, and all the arts, culture and history it has to offer

Located in the panhandle of northern West Virginia, Wheeling is a friendly, charming town packed with plenty of activities sure to appeal a range of interests. And just 60 miles from Pittsburgh, Wheeling is easily accessible from a major city and can be a great hub for your regional tour.

Past Meets Present

Begin your introduction to downtown Wheeling with a visit to Centre Market , West Virginia’s oldest continuously operating market. Dating back more than 150 years, it’s the place to experience that old-time friendliness at small local businesses that offer an eclectic choice of collectibles, antiques, crafts and quality dining. Make sure to check out ArtWorks Around Town.

With a little morning shopping behind you, it’s time for a visit to West Virginia Independence Hall Civil War Historic Site & Museum , just down Market Street from Centre Market. Built six years before Lincoln signed the proclamation declaring West Virginia a state, it served as the capitol for the Restored Government of Virginia, which was aligned with the Union from 1861-1863. An audio tour and film are available.

For those with a love of architecture, a glimpse into Wheeling’s grand Victorian homes is a must. In a community with one of the largest per capita collections of homes from the middle to late 19th century, the largest assemblage is found in Victorian Old Town on North Main Street. Guided tours are available at many of the homes from May through December. With reservations the 1892 restored Eckhart House offers tea. Allow time for a stop at its gift shop.

Oglebay Resort & Conference Center has a special place in Wheeling’s history. Wealthy Cleveland industrialist Earl W. Oglebay spared little expense on his summer estate just outside Wheeling. Upon his death in 1925 he willed his property to the people of Wheeling. Today the Wheeling Park Commission operates the 1,700-acre public resort. A $15-million renovation to the Wilson Lodge included guest rooms and suites and The West Spa. In addition to extensive meeting and conference facilities, Oglebay offers numerous tours. The behind-the-scenes Bissonnette Gardens Tour and Oglebay Institute Glass Museum are very popular.

Since 1985 guests have traveled to Oglebay Resort & Conference Center for the holiday-season Festival of Lights from early November through early January. Begin the experience with a tour of the mansion decked out each year with a new theme and enjoy a holiday dinner show. Visit Oglebay’s Good Zoo for Winter Fantasy’s animated music and LED light show. Complete your day with a Festival of Lights guided tour.

Wheeling Arts & Entertainment

The Ohio River city also offers a wealth of cultural opportunities. Peruse the downtown Wheeling Artisan Center Shop for West Virginia glass and pottery, plus other items from local and regional artists. Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center & School of Dance presents programs and art exhibitions throughout the year. The kid in all of us emerges with a visit to Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum . And the museums at the Oglebay Resort & Conference Center are not to be missed.

Capitol Theatre, Wheeling

After full days of educational visits, it’s time for Wheeling’s entertainment offerings to shine. Entertaining the Ohio Valley for more than a decade, the Capitol Theatre (previously the Capitol Music Hall) includes everything from concerts and Broadway productions to dance and comedy.

The Wheeling Jamboree has equally “long legs” with the beginning of the weekly radio show in 1933. The Jamboree now broadcasts regularly from the 550-seat showroom at the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. The Victoria Theater in downtown Wheeling hosts the Victoria Jamboree the first Friday of every month, with classic music from the 1940s and ’50s. On Market Street, Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre & Cinema  offers dozens of plays each season in this church turned theater.

If gaming is your choice, look no further than Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack . One of America’s top greyhound tracks, the casino features more than 2,000 slots, table games, a 151-room hotel and three restaurants plus a food court.

Exploring the Northern Panhandle

Although a great destination for an extended stay, Wheeling is also the perfect place for day trips to explore West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle region. Here are a few to get you started:

A trip on U.S. Route 40 , a Historic National Highway, is a return to simpler times. This was the first federally funded highway in U.S. history. Although only 16 miles from Wheeling to the Pennsylvania state line, it’s filled with landmarks. From the crown of Wheeling Hill a bronze Mingo Indian statue has watched over Wheeling for almost 100 years. One site tells the story of Major Samuel McColloch’s terrifying leap to save residents of Ft. Henry from approaching Indians.

Near the end of the Historic National Highway (or just off I-70 at Exit 10) is The Highlands shopping complex. Anchored by an outpost of Cabela’s, the ultimate outfitters mecca, the shopping and entertainment complex has more than 60 stores.

Moundsville, a 15-minute drive down the Ohio River from Wheeling, is well worth a visit, boasting attractions like Fostoria Glass Museum , which houses a variety of Fostoria Glass Company’s product. Grave Creek Mound , constructed between 250-150 B.C., is the largest known of its type. One of the more unusual experiences in the Northern Panhandle region might be a tour of the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville. Opened in 1876 and closed in 1995, this imposing structure with its Gothic castle look has seen riots, executions and fires.

Just south of Moundsville is Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold: America’s Taj Mahal . Begun in 1973 as a simple home for the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, the structure continued to rise from the hills of West Virginia and exceed all expectations.

There is so much to see and do in Wheeling and the Northern Panhandle, and we have not even begun to explore all the outdoor activities . To get started planning your adventure visit the Wheeling CVB .

For more group travel planning advice and inspiration, be sure to Subscribe for FREE to Leisure Group Travel.

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‘Almost heaven’? Here’s why West Virginia is the place to go

From white-water rafting to bluegrass concerts, here are 10 wild and wondrous ways to experience the Mountain State.

West Virginia’s Blue Ridge peaks, dramatic gorges, and rushing rivers put it on the map for hikers, rafters, and rock climbers. But the Mountain State isn’t just an adventure destination—it’s also home to historic Civil War sites, old-time music venues, and some of the best stargazing in the United States . We consulted local artists, chefs, and Nat Geo staffers from the region to plot your course in the place that the classic country song calls “ almost heaven .”

Catch the wild waters in New River Gorge

At the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve , hikers explore 100 miles of paths, anglers hook smallmouth bass, and rock climbers scale sandstone cliffs on 70,000 wooded, mountainous acres. But the most heart-pumping way to see America’s newest national park? Hop a guided white-water rafting trip (one of National Geographic’s top 20 Best of the World travel adventures for 2024 ). “Running the Lower Gorge with Class III to V rapids was a blast, and made for a challenging day,” says Anne Farrar, a National Geographic photo editor who grew up near the West Virginia-Ohio border. “Learning to dump a raft, flip it, and climb back in safely was pretty cool. I can’t wait to go back and spend more time on the epic river.”

Dive into Civil War history in Harpers Ferry

Travelers step back in time at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park ,   a riverside settlement with ties to the Civil War. “The   whole town is a walkable museum with furnished 19th-century buildings—a dry goods shop, a tavern—you can peer into,” says Ryleigh Nucilli, a native West Virginian and National Geographic’s director of digital content. You can also visit John Brown’s Fort , the 1848 armory where Brown and his followers staged their famous, doomed anti-slavery rebellion. The park, located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, also has 22 miles of Blue Ridge hiking trails, many with dazzling mountain and water views.

Go cross-country skiing in a “snow bowl”

Thanks to its elevation (3,200-5,000 feet) and basin-shaped geography, the Canaan Valley region of eastern West Virginia averages about 150 inches of snow a year—a boon for winter recreation. Paper artist Nevada Tribble , who lives in Elkins, recommends renting cross-country skis and gliding off from the White Grass Ski Touring Center , with its 31 miles of groomed paths and a cozy café for après-ski soup, microbrews, and brownies. “The trails take you on lovely journeys through the woods,” says Tribble. “There are wind shelters along the trail where you can scoop up birdseed and try to entice the winter songbirds to land on you.”

Travelers can also rent snowshoes to troop around White Grass, Canaan Valley Resort State Park , or the wintery wilds of the Monongahela National Forest ’s Dolly Sods and Cranberry Wilderness areas.

See the stars—and a mammoth telescope

In the remote Potomac Highlands of eastern West Virginia, mountainous Pocahontas County gives travelers stellar stargazing ops at three state parks with International Dark Sky Association designation: Calvin Price State Forest , Droop Mountain Battlefield , and Watoga State Park .   The last, the state’s largest state park, has cabins, campsites, and an observation tower.

The county also holds the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope at the Green Bank Observatory , a 485-foot-high, 17-million-pound behemoth used for atmospheric studies, satellite tracking, and spacecraft monitoring. Visitors can walk or bike on paved trails around the scope or join guided tours inside the observatory. Each July the Green Bank Star Quest has rocket launches for kids and astronomy programs.  

Take the waters in Berkeley Springs  

In the Eastern Panhandle of Western Virginia, warm mineral water has been luring soakers to Berkeley Springs since as far back as the colonial era. The centerpiece of the spa town, Berkeley Springs State Park has hot tubs, sauna sessions, and massages in structures including the historic 1812 Old Roman Bath House. Find antiques stores, indie shops, and a handful of wellness boutiques in the town’s walkable 19th-century downtown.

Try the farm-to-table food  

“We are hunters and gatherers in Appalachia,” says Paul Smith , the James Beard Award-nominated chef of Charleston’s 1010 Bridge restaurant. “We cook what’s in season—the beans, the tomatoes, the peppers—and then, pickle, cure, or ferment them, so we can use them all year.” At his restaurant in the West Virginia capital, that might mean johnny cakes with local apple slaw or trout over kimchee made from foraged ramps (wild leeks).

At Lost Creek Farm ,   popular suppers held May through September star dishes such as spicy cold peach soup and wild mushroom “bologna,” which are “rooted in Appalachian heritage but also avant-garde,” says Nucilli.  

Descend into the state’s mining history  

Mountainous West Virginia has a long history of coal mining. Learn more at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine , where visitors ride “mantrip” cars 1,500 feet into a shaft, guided by headlamp-wearing former miners. “When you go into the mine and hear the click and clack, you think of those countless men and women who have gone deep down in the Earth,” says T. Ramon Stuart, president of West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley.

Explore the crafts scene

From quilt making to wood carving and weaving, mountain crafts have a long history in West Virginia. Shop for both traditional and contemporary wares by 500 local artisans and makers at the Tamarack Marketplace , a cultural center in Beckley. The spot hosts crafts demos and a food court serving local dishes such as pepperoni rolls—an Italian American snack popular with miners.

Or head to Thomas, a former coal town-turned-art haven in Tucker County. On East Avenue,   Those Who Bloom   sells affordable prints by Appalachian creatives in a rehabbed 19th-century storefront, and Nellie Rose Textiles   offers colorful, hand-dyed women’s clothing and accessories.

Hike or climb a dramatic rock formation

Like a mouth of snaggled stone teeth, Seneca Rocks juts out of the mountainside in the Eastern Panhandle above the North Fork River. The imposing quartzite formation—one of West Virginia’s most distinctive natural landmarks—can be explored via a steep, short hike or on a guided horseback ride . Experienced rock climbers also gravitate to the area to scale Seneca Rocks and neighboring Champe Rocks.

Hear some mountain music

The wail of fiddle, the steely twang of a banjo— bluegrass and old-time music have their roots in Appalachia and West Virginia. Catch these and other distinctive sounds at frequent live recordings of NPR’s legendary Mountain Stage show at the Culture Center in Charleston or take in an outdoor jam at the Appalachian String Band Festival each summer in Clifftop.

“The sawtooth, jagged nature of the music and the local landscapes is an intriguing combination,” says Trent Wagler, a banjo player and singer. His Americana band The Steel Wheels often takes the stage at The Purple Fiddle in Thomas, a vintage general store-turned-concert venue and pub. “It’s the kind of place a jam session would likely unfurl on its own even if there wasn’t a band booked.”

Other live music venues include 123 Pleasant Street in Morgantown (“It’s got a cool stage and vibe in a college town,” says Wagler), and the circa-1902 Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, where The Legends of WV Bluegrass frequently perform.

For more tips on what to do in West Virginia, see our Explorer’s Guide .

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Things to Do in Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, WV

1. PNC Park

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2. Carnegie Museum of Natural History

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4. Avenue Eats

"What a great place! We stopped in and grabbed drinks (which were tasty and strong). I..." more

5. National Aviary

"TL:DR - 100% worth a visit! Birds and baby animals! Add it to your list. We finally..." more

6. Senator John Heinz History Center

"The Senator John Heinz History Center is a must visit if you like history as this mus..." more

7. Rachel's on 16th

"I loved this restaurant because I am from Ohio and I was coming here for something fa..." more

8. Schlepp's

"By far the BEST breakfast in the valley. 5 star staff and an amazing kitchen. You won..." more

Best Restaurants in Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, WV

Fig & Ash Wood Fire Kitchen

"My meatloaf ended up being moist and rich with the short rib and pork belly being a flavorful combination." See all Fig & Ash Wood Fire Kitchen reviews

Bae Bae's Kitchen

"I chose the KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) + stir-fried glass noodles with veggies + seaweed salad side." See all Bae Bae's Kitchen reviews

"This is a Mount Washington speakeasy that should be a part of your Grandview observation deck voyage." See all The Summit reviews

Pusadee's Garden

"The 27 ingredient salad and the two types of pork belly were some of the best food I've had in a long time." See all Pusadee's Garden reviews

Gaucho Parrilla Argentina

"We settled on the seared shrimp ("camarones") to share and I got the Carne sandwich , one of their staples." See all Gaucho Parrilla Argentina reviews

"I highly recommend putting your name on the long reservation list to experience the delight of going to Gi-Jin ." See all Gi-Jin reviews

Eighth & Hays

"The Peachy Piggy is the best pizza and their Wednesday night wine & pizza special is a steal!" See all Eighth & Hays reviews

Dish Osteria and Bar

"I had the Mushroom Soup and Rigatoni alla Scamorza , and I was really impressed with the quality and taste." See all Dish Osteria and Bar reviews

Eddie V's Prime Seafood

"For dessert I ordered the berries and the creme brûlée , and my fiancé ordered the Godiva cake and ice cream." See all Eddie V's Prime Seafood reviews

Poulet Bleu

"Their soufflé is so fun and dramatic, but I do also love the chocolate mousse, an unsung hero of the dessert menu." See all Poulet Bleu reviews

Muddy Waters Oyster Bar

"The couple that came with us split the fried Alligator and the hush puppies, both of which were delicious." See all Muddy Waters Oyster Bar reviews

"We shared the oxtail montadito , cod croquetas, chorizo with dates and cheese, and the queso and it was amazing." See all Morcilla reviews

DiAnoia's Eatery

"For dinner we ordered the Gnocchi with Meatballs, Cacio e Pepe , Cinghiale e Funghi, and Pasta al Lepre." See all DiAnoia's Eatery reviews

Totopo Cocina & Cantina

"The spicy marg, chorizo queso , fajitas, and drowned burrito are my favorite." See all Totopo Cocina & Cantina reviews

Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room

"We had the shrimp/pancetta app and the bacon candy, the shrimp was yummy and the bacon candy was unreal." See all Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room reviews

Off The Hook

"It is one of the few places in Pittsburgh where the oyster selection and quality can compete with New England." See all Off The Hook reviews

Nightlife in Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, WV

Siempre Algo

"An underrated gem on East Ohio Street on the North Side, Siempre Algo always delights with its impeccable cocktails, delicious food, and classy vibe." See all Siempre Algo reviews

40 North Restaurant & Bar

"We started off with the Khachapuri and then I had the fish as my entree which was delicious." See all 40 North Restaurant & Bar reviews

" Killer tofu was also very good, but I thought it needed something to cut the strong flavor, like white rice." See all Soju reviews

Hartwood Restaurant & Whispers Pub

"The entire meal was finished in a half-hour, as the Caesar salad, Hartwood Burger, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Pecan Ball , and Mulled Wines were all devoured." See all Hartwood Restaurant & Whispers Pub reviews

Butcher and the Rye

"The dirty pasta I didn't think I was going to like and honestly was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had." See all Butcher and the Rye reviews

"What we ordered: burrata, Cavatelli & Sausage, Gnocchi, Meatball, and flourless chocolate cake..." See all LeoGreta reviews

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Why WV's Northern Panhandle Is A Tourist Destination

Rachel keeney, top of west virginia convention and visitors bureau.

Two counties at the top of West Virginia's northern panhandle beckons travelers to experience all it has to offer. Rachel Keeney, Executive Director of the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau tells host Tate Blanchard why tourists should make WV’s Brooke and Hancock counties their destination to experience history, nature, culture, entertainment, food, and more. topofwv.com

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Around the panhandle magazine is recognized throughout the eastern panhandle of west virginia and the northern shenandoah valley of virginia for bringing readers the stories they want to read. each issue is packed with a diverse selection of articles that inform the community about the things to do, the places to go, and the people to know in our area..

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Northern panhandle, related entries.

S. Allen Chambers Jr., " Northern Panhandle ", [, West Virginia ], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/essays/WV-01-0006 . Last accessed: April 27, 2024.

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A sixty-four-mile-long finger pointing due north, the Northern Panhandle is only sixteen miles wide at its broadest point. Though small in geographic terms, it looms large in West Virginia's history and contains some of the state's most significant architectural resources. It is also West Virginia's most intensely industrialized area and is dominated by Wheeling, the first capital and for many years the state's largest city.

The fact that this sliver of land is in West Virginia stems from William Penn's 1681 grant of Pennsylvania. After establishing the point of beginning for the boundary between Penn's colony and Maryland, the grant decreed that the line extend “from the Delaware River five degrees west.” Five degrees of longitude took the line far beyond Maryland's western border, beyond which Virginia claimed jurisdiction. Five degrees west also brought the line to an abrupt halt some sixteen miles east of the Ohio River, which would have formed a logical natural western boundary for Penn's colony. Instead, after a great deal of dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania, the western boundary of Pennsylvania was surveyed due north from the point decreed in 1681. The resulting sliver of land between Pennsylvania's western boundary and the Ohio River then went unequivocally to Virginia.

Prehistoric settlement in the panhandle predated any colonial concerns over land boundaries. The Grave Creek Mound ( MH1 ), the late Adena Period tumulus that is the nation's largest burial mound, proves that people inhabited the area centuries earlier.

Although both French and English explorers knew the area early in the colonial period, permanent settlement began only toward the end of the eighteenth century. Joseph Tomlinson, who settled near the mound c. 1770, and the Zane brothers, who contemporaneously settled upstream near the mouth of Wheeling Creek, were among the first to stay. Fort Fincastle, later named Fort Henry, protected settlers who joined the Zanes, and the town of Wheeling grew around it.

Wheeling and Wellsburg, both with excellent wharfage on the Ohio River, rivaled each other during the first years of the nineteenth century for the lucrative trade associated with the western waters. Wheeling's ascendancy was assured in 1818 when it became the western terminus of the National Road. North of Wheeling and Wellsburg, Weirton, home to the gargantuan Weirton Steel Corporation, achieved renown as the nation's largest company town before it was incorporated in 1947.

In recent decades, the Northern Panhandle has suffered declines in its industrybased economy and consequently in its population. From 1990 to 2000, the four counties that form the panhandle lost an average 5 percent of their population. Towns and cities that were once centers of manufacturing now have the look of the “rust belt.”

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SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. But the Society of Architectural Historians, which created SAH Archipedia with University of Virginia Press, needs your support to maintain the high-caliber research, writing, photography, cartography, editing, design, and programming that make SAH Archipedia a trusted online resource available to all who value the history of place, heritage tourism, and learning.

Take A Weekend To Wine, Dine, And Explore The Eastern Panhandle Of West Virginia

If she isn't writing, hiking, teaching, or gardening, Cristy is probably busy enjoying a good book and a big bowl of ice cream.

More by this Author

What better way to spend a weekend than wining and dining in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia? We can’t think of one! This region is a treasure trove of shops, restaurants, museums, natural attractions, and more just waiting to be explored. So pack a bag, hop in the car, and let’s go!

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What a whirlwind of a weekend! For a map of this exploratory journey, head to Google Maps here . Of course, you could always make a week out of the trip instead. Who knew there was so much to do just in the Eastern Panhandle? No wonder it’s growing so quickly!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Five People Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking in the Eastern Panhandle

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Five people have been sentenced for their crimes involving fentanyl distribution across the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

• Christopher Arthur Jones, also known as “Smooth,” of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 300 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release for racketeering enterprise (RICO) conspiracy and fentanyl distribution charges. Jones, age 39, was the leader of the organization, directing members of the enterprise to sell drugs, commit acts of violence, launder money, and commit fraud in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The business was based in Philadelphia, but Jones had drug houses in Martinsburg, West Virginia and elsewhere.
• Noah Izreel Neverdon, age 21, of Parkville, Maryland, was sentenced to 70 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Neverdon sold fentanyl as a part of a drug operation from Baltimore to West Virginia.
• Dylan Moyers, age 24, of Romney, West Virginia, was sentenced to 41 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for his role in a drug conspiracy, selling heroin and fentanyl in Hampshire and Mineral Counties. According to court documents, Moyers’ home was used as a heroin and fentanyl sales hub for the operation.
• Michael Nicholas Calder, also known as “Ice,” age 37, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 85 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine base. According to statements made in court, a traffic stop of Calder’s vehicle yielded fentanyl pills, cocaine, and eutylone.
• Russell Guy Fitzgerald, age 61, of Rawlings, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Fitzgerald, also known as “Rusty,” was selling fentanyl from his Maryland home and a home in Mineral County, West Virginia. Searches of both locations resulted in the seizure of fentanyl capsules, methamphetamine, cocaine, and 20 firearms.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.

The agencies involved in the various investigations include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard.

The Jones matter is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

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Federal Grand Jury Indicts 12 in Northern Panhandle Drug Cases

photo by: Joselyn King

U.S. ATTORNEY WILLIAM IHLENFELD

WHEELING — A dozen people — 10 from northern Ohio and two from the Northern Panhandle — have been indicted on federal drug charges, accused of distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout the area.

The cases were investigated by multi-jurisdictional drug task forces based in Weirton, Wheeling and Moundsville which are made up of local, state, and federal agents. The 12 people indicted were a part of five different federal cases — three involving Wheeling Island and two involving Marshall County.

The individuals charged and the allegations each face are as follows:

– Deangelo Smith, 45, Cleveland (cocaine distribution in Ohio County);

– Derrick Leflore, 35, Cleveland (cocaine distribution in Ohio County);

– Dontrell Ivery, 46, Cleveland (cocaine distribution in Ohio County);

– Alexander Davis, 43, Cleveland (methamphetamine distribution in Ohio County);

– Tiajuana Sharnna Greer, 29, Cleveland (cocaine distribution in Ohio County);

– Ahmere Williams, 20, of Akron (methamphetamine distribution in Marshall County);

– Demarcus R. Brown, 21, Akron (methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution in Marshall County);

– Michael J. Lloyd Jr., 21, Akron (methamphetamine/fentanyl distribution in Marshall County);

– Sirvonte R. Suggs, 18, Akron (methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution in Marshall County);

– Stephan G. Ward, 32, Akron (methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution in Marshall County);

– Carol Hope Lucscious, 36, Wheeling, WV (cocaine distribution in Ohio County); and

– David Bushovisky, 47, Moundsville, WV (methamphetamine distribution in Marshall County)

William Ihlenfeld, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, said Thursday that there has been a surge of drug trafficking coming from northern Ohio into West Virginia.

“Part of the reason why that occurs is because there’s more competition and larger metropolitan areas like Akron and Canton and Cleveland,” Ihlenfeld said.

“And they’ve identified communities in West Virginia as a place where they can perhaps come down and have less competition selling drugs. They’re able to perhaps sell the drugs for a little bit more here than they could there because there’s less of a supply and we have a demand here.

“So that’s typically why we see individuals from other states coming here,” he continued. “It’s just recently we’ve seen more people from Akron and Cleveland coming here than we have over the past several years.”

While the region from which the drugs are coming may be newer, the drugs themselves are familiar ones to the region, Ihlenfeld said. Crack cocaine has long been an issue in the Northern Panhandle, but more people are seeking powder cocaine these days, Ihlenfeld said. And while authorities don’t seize as much fentanyl as other drugs, Ihlenfeld said the volume doesn’t need to be as great due to fentanyl’s potency.

The methamphetamine sold in the region is now being found in a purer form, Ihlenfeld added. It is being manufactured in Mexico and transported to the area.

Ihlenfeld asks those who see things out of the ordinary in their neighborhoods to provide that information to authorities. It could be a photograph, an image or video from a doorbell camera or even just a license plate number. Citizen cooperation, he said, goes a long way to starting and completing investigations.

“We have a lot of cases that involve information that’s been provided to us by the public,” he said. “It doesn’t make up the entire case, but it’s a part. It’s an important part of the case.

“Sometimes those tips are what actually get the case started,” Ihlenfeld continued. “Something we didn’t know about at all. People shouldn’t assume that we know about a problem in a particular neighborhood. So they need to get that information to us either anonymously or however they’re comfortable doing it and then we can take it and begin to look into it.”

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This post was last updated on April 26, 2024