radioNOVO News for Parkersburg, WV 07-09-2026

Good morning.Emergency officials state that the massive warehouse fire at the Peoples Cartage facility off Camden Avenue is now approximately ninety-five percent extinguished. While large plumes of toxic black smoke have completely dissipated, incident commanders continue to utilize heavy excavators to stir and douse remaining hot spots. A local shelter-in-place order has been officially lifted after comprehensive county air monitoring systems showed particulate matter dropping safely below minimum safety thresholds.Meanwhile, Wood County agricultural extension agents are advising residents within a two-mile radius of the warehouse to take strict safety precautions with their homegrown garden produce. Due to airborne soot and plastic particles settling across the region, experts state families should triple-rinse all surface vegetables using a custom mixture of nine cups of water to one cup of vinegar, and completely peel crops like cucumbers.And educational leaders representing all fifty-five county school systems gathered at Herbert Hoover High School to launch the official "I Love West Virginia Public Schools" campaign. State Superintendent Michele Blatt announced the public relations initiative is specifically designed to combat negative narratives, boost institutional transparency, and celebrate widespread growth in student achievement.For more news, download the radioNOVO app. I’m Codi Gaboff, radioNOVO News.