Ben Schwartz
Evening anchor
Ben Schwartz joined the WVVA news team December 2021 as an MMJ. He was promoted to an Evening Anchor in July of 2023.
Ben grew up in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb just north of Chicago. Before college, Ben worked at his high school, Glenbrook South's radio station as a DJ and traffic manager.
Ben attended Ohio University, Scripps College of Communication, where he was a Journalism News and Information major. He worked with WOUB for four years while in school in Athens, OH. He reported, anchored and produced newscasts for them on local news.
Ben spent all of 2020 living in Columbus, OH. There, he worked for WCPO-TV in Cincinnati as a fellow through the Scripps Howard Foundation Fellowship as a statehouse reporter, covering legislative issues and stories relating back to Cincinnati. Ben also wrote a daily web piece titled "Ben Asks a Question," where he would cover Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's daily COVID-19 press briefings, asking questions sent in by WCPO viewers daily.
If you have any story ideas or just want to say hello, you can send Ben an email at bschwartz@wvva.com.
Scarbro is the owner and director of Bright Futures Learning Services and Macoy Academy in Putnam county.
One person is dead and two others injured following two separate accident scenes in Mercer County Saturday morning.
As of around 9:00 p.m. Saturday, the investigation remains ongoing. WVVA will continue to follow this story, and bring you the details as we learn more.
Police on Tuesday released the name of their suspect in a string of vandalism acts, involving U.S. Government property in the Two Virginias.
The annual even kicked off at 4 p.m., offering carnival games, hot chocolate, live entertainment and much more.
Unofficial results for Tazewell County’s 2023 elections are in.
Little information is available at this time, and dispatch was unable to report a description of the suspect.
Numerous Bluefield, Va. Police officers and cruisers were stationed outside a home off College Drive Saturday evening, with crime scene tape blocking off the residence’s driveway.
Deputies report they arrived to find 58 year-old Fredrick Carter of Mount Carbon barricaded inside the residence, which was not his.
Travis Fernatt is described as a black male, 5′9″ tall and weighing approximately 175 pounds, and is considered armed and dangerous. He should not be approached.
Anyone who knows of Meyers’ whereabouts is urged to contact Virginia State Police, or your local law enforcement agency.
In the absence of an elected Speaker of the House, the U.S. Senate wasted no time in condemning the Hamas attacks targeting Israel. Senators have been stepping up and pledging U.S. support, as rockets rained down on Israel.
An early-evening fire call ended with first responders in-need of help Tuesday, following an accident involving a fire engine out of Richlands, Va.
The dealership has been in-town since March 2022, but General Manager Chase Barton said the facility has been redesigned inside and outside with new signage and everything now meets Mitsubishi standards.
For the first time in more than three years, the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk returned to Bluefield City Park on Saturday.
Brionnah Noe has been coaching hundreds of the youngest cheerleaders in Mercer County since she was 19 years-old.
Both sides of the state line geared-up for the annual Beaver-Graham game on Thursday.
UPDATE: Ryan Bayne-Durgan, 39, of Beckley, is wanted by detectives following a shooting that took place Thursday night at a residence in the 100 block of Grant Street.
Ultra Home Health Care has sponsored a $10,000 prize for a hole-in-one as well, for hole three.
UPDATE: According to the East River Volunteer Fire Department, they along with Oakvale Volunteer Fire Department and the West Virginia Division of Forestry responded to a dump truck on fire at 2:20 p.m.
WVVA spoke with accused murderer Aredith Thompson on Monday for an exclusive interview.
WVVA has reached out to Appalachian Power for comment, but have not heard back as of yet. We will work to provide more updates as they become available.
Calendar sales benefit the AAST Foundation, which provides educational scholarships to dependents of AAST member State Troopers nationwide.
Members voted in-favor of a motion to add an $8,000 pay raise for city police officers to council’s upcoming August 8th agenda.
WVVA has not yet been able to confirm if any injuries were involved. Mercer County Dispatch however reported the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office responded along with ERVFD, and dispatch had no record of EMS response to the scene.
Anyone with information on Brenda Lambert’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office at 304-487-8364.
West Virginia State Police, the Anthony Creek Fire Department, along with White Sulphur and Fairlea EMS all responded to the scene.
In the meantime, Grant’s will continue to sponsor adoption fees until next Saturday.
From Church benefits to a Gun Raffle and more -- it’s clear those who know bowling best are determined to help him.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline company said as well, that unless the order to stop construction is reversed quickly, it could jeopardize plans for completion by the end of this year.
East River Volunteer Fire Department remained on-scene for three hours.
Council voted 4-3 against the resolution on Tuesday.
“With regard to those increases, now, I think they may be unsustainable for our area,” said Del. Marty Gearheart (R - Majority Whip.)
The Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
Legend has it, John Henry died after defeating a steam-powered drilling machine in a duel to “drive” the most steel back in the 1800s.
Those set to benefit from the program said they’re already seeing positive results.
The Sherriff’s Office asks residents to keep Trigger, and his handler Lt. R. R. White and his family in their thoughts and prayers.
17-year-old Harley was last seen in St. Albans Saturday night.
Beginning July 1st., West Virginians will have the chance to see $200 to put toward clothing for the upcoming school year.
Students from across the Mountain State gathered at Concord on Thursday.
The pipeline is set to stretch four miles, and cost $6 million.
On Tuesday, the commission approved more than $500,000 to go toward re-vamping Matoaka’s wastewater system.
The power has been restored at Mercer Mall according to the mall.
According to dispatch, the incident was reported at 1:50 p.m. Sunday, and there was no word yet regarding the condition of the person injured.
The Sheriff’s Office is conducting interviews, and processing evidence in an on-going investigation.
Eilert has worked with WVU Basketball for 16 seasons, and was named Assistant Head Coach in 2022.
Around a dozen residents showed out to Town Hall Thursday night.
Victoria Yeager spoke to a large crowd of cadets Thursday.
