Jul. 27—FAIRMONT — After the untimely passing of Fairmont Municipal Judge Anthony Julian last week, city council was under a deadline to fill the position.

After an hour-long interview process of four candidates Tuesday night, the council agreed to appoint long-time Marion County lawyer Sean Murphy to the position with all yeas and one abstention from Councilmember David Kennedy. Councilmember Josh Rice was absent.

"This has been something I've wanted to do for a long time, I've always wanted to be a judge," Murphy said. "I've always admired Anthony Julian greatly and when I heard about his untimely passing I thought this would be an opportunity."

Murphy has practiced law in Marion County since 1994 and has had a general practice from he has tried criminal and civil cases.

"Practically any type of case that can be tied to a jury I have tried in Marion County," Murphy said.

The position of municipal judge is usually a lifetime appointment. The term is 3 years, but there are no limits on term renewals. Judge Julian was reappointed at each term expiration and held the position for 39 years.

Several of the councilmembers gave their condolences to Julian's family and spoke about his long service to the city.

"I was very said to hear about Anthony Julian's passing," Mayor Tom Mainella said. "I've known him for a lot of years and he was a very compassionate judge... he'll be sorely missed."

Tuesday night the council also passed an ordinance to approve accessory dwelling units in specific zones around the city. The dwellings must meet strict specifications.

Accessory dwelling units are smaller, independent, unattached residential dwelling units located within the same lot as a single-family stand-alone lot.

The units can be built in any residential or commercial district where housing is already permitted, with the exception of general housing zones and mobile home park districts.

The council also passed an ordinance laying down the use standards of accessory dwelling units.

"Our staff has reviewed this thoroughly along with the planning commission and in all honesty I think we've provided one of the most robust accessory dwelling unit ordinances in West Virginia," Director of Planning Shae Strait said. "We tried to take into account as many possibilities as we could."

Both ordinances passed with Councilmember Anne Bolyard being the sole no vote against.

* The council presented a proclamation to Fairmont Police Chief Steve Shine commending him for his work setting up the upcoming National Night Out, which will be a night of family-friendly fun at Veterans' Square Aug. 2 from 6-8 p.m.

* The council approved the first amendment to the city's general fund budget.

* The council approved a resolution certifying its approval of the continued work at Scott Place Homeless Shelter.

The next council meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. at the public safety building.

Reach David Kirk at 304-367-2522 or by email

A British holidaymaker had never flown in a helicopter before he was fatally injured by a rotor blade in Greece, his sister has claimed as she hit back at claims he was an “obnoxious wealthy kid”.

"You're using their grief to make bank," an Alex Jones InfoWars producer snapped at an attorney for the parents of a 6-year-old Sandy Hook victim.

A police officer in Cincinnati who also appeared on a 2011 TLC reality show has been pulled off the Ohio […] The post Cincinnati police officer caught on video using n-word after cars at school didn’t respond to siren appeared first on TheGrio.

“Aw, hell, 50 points,” a man can be heard saying as a car speeds down a road filled with Black children riding their bikes.

As Brittney Griner returned to court in Russia, the WNBA star delivered a message to her wife Cherelle Griner in the United States.

The sheriff said a woman “wildly fired” the gun during the road rage incident.

The accidents each occurred in the vast Glacier National Park of Montana's Rocky Mountains, according to the National Park Service.

“We’ve seen a vibrant teen boy fall into the deepest pits of despair,” the teenager’s mother said.

Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, along with Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Beobert, were among those opposing the anti-sex-trafficking measure.

According to investigators, an officer patrolling the area of 10th Street and Interstate 75 in Midtown on Saturday. The officer spotted a teen in the roadway trying to sell water to drivers.

J Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were convicted in February of violating George Floyd's civil rights.

If the Legislature were really pro-life, it would strengthen its support for poor women and their children. | Opinion

Very soon all will no longer be welcome at the St. Thomas More Newman Center, Sabrina Evans-Renkar writes.

Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward and attorney Jack Wilenchik are noted in latest reports on the coup attempt to keep Donald Trump in office.

“She didn’t want to leave her daddy ... she was trying her best to stay there with him,” a woman told news outlets.

The Emerging Housing Markets Index from the Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com analyzes the 300 largest metropolitan areas

The two-day lobster miniseason starts Wednesday.

Police say the same two men robbed a Dollar General earlier in the night.

She was riding with her feet in the water, deputies say.

Two teens have been charged with arson, accused of setting a massive fire that destroyed much of the vacant Pheasant Run Resort in west suburban St. Charles in May.