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Kanawha Valley native made his second appearance on a popular prime-time network television show, and a middle school student took home top honors in a state writing competition. Here’s the 411 from communities around the region, including South Charleston, Dunbar and Charleston.
Jeopardy Appearance: A South Charleston native had a second appearance on a popular network game show this past week. Matt Massie, an attorney originally from South Charleston, returned for “Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions” on Friday. Massie, a 2013 graduate of South Charleston High School, first appeared on the popular television show in June 2025. His three-day run sent him home with $82,000 in winnings at that time. On Friday, Massie returned for Game 5 of the Tournament of Champions quarterfinals. He correctly answered the Final Jeopardy question, coming in second place for the evening.
State Champ: A Dunbar Middle School student took top honors in an essay contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Gianna Desper earned the state championship in the VFW’s Patriots’ Pen Essay Contest. “The contest gives middle school students a chance to share their thoughts on a patriotic theme through writing, and Gianna’s essay really stood out,” school officials said in a statement announcing the award. The theme of this year’s essay contest was, "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?" You can read Desper’s essay at this link.
Heating Tips: Local officials are reminding citizens to take care in heating their homes during cold days. Representatives with the City of Charleston shared winter heating safety tips in a recent social media post. Among them: keep space heaters at least three feet from walls and anything flammable, never use ovens or stovetops to heat your home, and ensure your carbon monoxide detectors are functioning properly. More winter heating safety tips can be found at this link.
