Webster Echo - HD Media

05/27/2026

https://www.wvecho.com/news/wchs-highlander-of-the-year-to-be-revealed-at-graduation/article_69a9ccdb-21c8-4e5b-beed-3a79df631bba.html

UPPERGLADE – One Webster County High School student will soon receive the title of Highlander of the Year, but the recipient will remain a secret until graduation night on May 29.

05/21/2026

https://www.wvecho.com/news/tacos-tie-dye-event-rewards-students-with-perfect-attendance/article_dc177b29-0832-4510-8bb2-2c474ab2d98f.html

WEBSTER SPRINGS – Students with perfect attendance for the month of April were treated to an afternoon of tacos and tie-dye during “Tacos, Tie-Dye and Teens,” an incentive event sponsored by the Webster County Family Support Center.

05/19/2026

HD Media LLC., has sold its two Virginia-based newspapers — the Virginia Mountaineer and the Lebanon News — to regional publishing company Virginia Media Inc.

Virginia Media is led by publisher Michael Showell, who also operates Mountain Media in West Virginia. Mountain Media’s roster of publications includes The Pocahontas Times, the Clay County Free Press and The Pendleton Times, among others, in West Virginia. The company also operates eight newspapers in Virginia.

“We are excited for the opportunity to work with the Lebanon News and Virginia Mountaineer newspapers,” Showell said. “It is our privilege to continue expanding local journalism coverage across Southern Virginia. Our mission to support Appalachian communities through objective local news now reaches 18 counties throughout Virginia and West Virginia.

“As a family-owned community newspaper organization, we understand the important role local newspapers play in keeping communities informed, connected and engaged. We are committed to preserving strong local journalism while continuing to invest in both print and digital coverage that serves readers, businesses, and community organizations throughout the region.”

HD Media acquired the Lebanon News and Virginia Mountaineer in September 2022 from Mountaineer Publishing.

While under HD Media control, the publications continued their proud tradition of producing important local journalism focused on issues affecting Russell and Buchanan counties.

HD Media also advanced the newspapers’ online presence with the creation of dedicated websites and a shift toward a digital-first approach to delivering the news.

“We are grateful for the Russell and Buchanan county community support the last four years,” HD Media Managing Partner Doug Reynolds said. “While we are not shy about stepping up to preserve community journalism, we are equally willing to pass the torch to someone with a history of being deeply focused on southwest Virginia community publishing.”

Virginia Media will take control of the Virginia Mountaineer and Lebanon News effective June 1. Following the transfer of ownership, HD Media’s portfolio will include 11 publications across West Virginia and Ohio, highlighted by the Charleston Gazette-Mail and The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington.

“Our focus remains the same as we continually search for community newspapers that fit into our template and profile,” HD Media President Phil Perry said. “We want the Virginia Mountaineer and the Lebanon News to continue to find success in serving their readership and we feel that Virginia Media is best positioned to facilitate that path.”

05/13/2026

Low turnout marks Webster County primary election

05/13/2026

Unofficial Primary results for 12 of 12 precincts reporting Webster County:
Repub for Senate: Bill Hamilton 210, Robert Karnes 143
Repub for House of Delegates: Greg Watt 327, Mackenzie Holdren 125
Repub for County Commission: Larry Leslie 175, Sam Hall 291;
Dem for Senate: Kevin Carpenter 326
Dem for House of Delegates: Jourdan Dietz 306
Dem for County Commissioner: Robin Cutlip 332
BOE: Joyce Markle 439, Jimmy Hamrick 555, Susan Chericalo 229, Chrissy Willams 719

05/04/2026

https://heralddispatch.newzware.com/ss70v2/huntin02/custom/customstart.jsp?site=huntin02&rateid=4106&promoCode=FB

04/28/2026

https://www.wvecho.com/news/landfill-concerns-draw-crowd-to-solid-waste-meeting/article_b6f8bbea-6a69-4dce-ab3c-2c904e2dee9c.html

WEBSTER SPRINGS — Concerns surrounding the proposed Highland Midden/Bragg Run landfill drew an unusually large crowd to the most recent Webster County Solid Waste Authority meeting, prompting the board to relocate the gathering to the social room of the Methodist church after a key to the regular ...

04/21/2026

Webster Springs man facing multiple gun-related felony charges 🔽

04/16/2026

We'd like to congratulate Delbert Stickler from West Hamlin, WV, on winning the autographed Marshall basketball!

04/16/2026

As questions circulated over the past several weeks about a proposed landfill project, two members of the Webster County Commission moved early in the Wednesday, April 15, meeting to rescind their signatures from a previously issued certificate of need connected to the project.