In Around West Virginia today: a dog rescued, 30,000 pairs of shoes donated, thousands of dollars worth of synthetic marijuana seized, and more.
n Firefighters saved a dog that fell through ice in a pond in Preston County, WDTV reports. The firefighters used ropes and a kayak to slide onto the ice, then used a dog snare pole to hook the dog and pull him out of the water.
n The House of Delegates passed a bill Wednesday requiring all official state business to be conducted in English, The Journal reports. Delegate Stephen Skinner, D-Jefferson, was one of four who voted against the bill.
"It isn't needed," Skinner said. "We shouldn't be wasting our time on political bills when we need to focus on funding PEIA and creating new jobs."
n A 31-year-old man is appealing his case to the state Supreme Court after he was sentenced to life without possibility of parole for a murder he claims he witnessed but didn't assist in, according to the State Journal. Timothy Shafer, his girlfriend Megan Hughes, and Jessica Wilson, robbed 66-year-old Nancy Lynch in her St. Albans home on Jan. 4, 2014. Lynch was stabbed 19 times and died as a result of her injuries.
Shafer pleaded guilty to conspiracy, nighttime burglary, grand larceny and daytime burglary. Because he cooperated, the county prosecutor agreed to recommend mercy. Prosecutors say that Shafer understood the judge didn't have to accept that recommendation.
n On Valentine's Day, two 11-year-olds who have collected nearly 30,000 pairs of shoes since September of 2015 loaded up those shoes to be delivered to the nonprofit Soles4Souls, according to the Jackson Herald. Gage Cobb and Ashlyn Donohew told the Gazette-Mail in December that they were hosting lots of pizza parties, where they would rubberband and bag the shoes. Soles4Souls distributes the shoes to impoverished communities or recycles them.
n The Mingo County Sheriff's Department confiscated $20,000 worth of synthetic marijuana in Williamson last week, according to the Mingo Messenger. Police executed a search warrant at the home of 27-year-old Frankie Fields on Feb. 8.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.