Mitchell Blahut
Reporter/Multimedia Journalist
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Hello, my name is Mitchell Blahut. I have been working at WTAP since January of 2020. I
was born in San Francisco, CA and got my education from the Perley Isaac Reed College
of Media at West (by God) Virginia University. I am a big cinephile and collect vinyl
records. I am currently enjoying my time in Parkersburg and enjoy covering anything that
sparks my interest.
Education
Updated: May. 25, 2023 at 9:48 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
With the six-month mark of Gretchen Fleming’s disappearance coming up, the Parkersburg community is still joining together to show their support for Gretchen’s family.
Updated: May. 24, 2023 at 8:17 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
A Parkersburg neighborhood is calm this evening after a tense standoff between a woman and law enforcement today.
Updated: May. 23, 2023 at 7:56 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Gretchen’s family will have a press conference scheduled at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday on the front steps of Parkersburg H.S.
Updated: May. 23, 2023 at 5:25 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Two Wood County School employees are facing disciplinary actions following two separate investigations.
Updated: May. 22, 2023 at 8:10 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
A video circulating online is showing a car illegally passing a school bus that is stopped and loading children onto the bus.
Updated: May. 12, 2023 at 7:15 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
With it being five months since Gretchen Fleming’s missing person’s report was filed, WTAP speaks with the detective leading the investigation to find her.
Updated: May. 12, 2023 at 6:36 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
The Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Greater Pennsylvania-West Virginia chapter celebrated its 40th birthday last Friday.
Updated: May. 9, 2023 at 6:47 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
WVU Medicine at Camden Clark is celebrating a significant milestone.
Updated: May. 5, 2023 at 5:33 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Mental health agencies are seeing more people using available services that are offered to help those in need.
Updated: Apr. 27, 2023 at 5:39 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Gretchen Fleming’s family is continuing to do everything they can to keep her name alive.
Updated: Apr. 26, 2023 at 7:58 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
WTAP speaks with Riley Knotts and Jackson Co. Schools superintendent Will Hosaflook after the decision made on Tuesday.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2023 at 5:25 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
For the sake of safety and being mindful of the investigation, the community searches will be more private.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2023 at 5:31 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
The Mid-Ohio Valley community is coming together in honor of Natalea Mumaw.
Updated: Apr. 18, 2023 at 3:39 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
With April being Child Abuse Awareness Month, child advocacy centers are looking to help spread awareness on the issue of child abuse.
Updated: Apr. 18, 2023 at 10:25 AM EDT
|By WDTV News Staff, Mitchell Blahut and Laura Bowen
The head-on crash happened Sunday evening.
Updated: Apr. 17, 2023 at 6:22 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Parkersburg police have arrested the man responsible for the fire at Ray’s Barber Shop.
Updated: Apr. 13, 2023 at 7:56 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
The Parkersburg Police Dept. has a brand new member at the station that is the first of their kind.
Updated: Apr. 10, 2023 at 6:19 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
West Virginia University president will serve as the featured speaker at the Buckskin Council Boy Scout Community Leadership dinner.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2023 at 6:07 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Morrisey is looking to take aim at another pharmaceutical channel.
Updated: Apr. 3, 2023 at 6:10 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Contact Detective Zimmerman by dialing 304-424-1072 or 304-424-8444 for after hours.
Updated: Mar. 29, 2023 at 8:10 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Vietnam veterans were given the opportunity to receive the celebration that weren’t given from war.
Updated: Mar. 22, 2023 at 8:51 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
The W.Va. governor is signing a bill into law that would look to take on the opioid epidemic.
Updated: Mar. 20, 2023 at 6:47 PM EDT
|By Mitchell Blahut
Nothing was found at the community ground search to assist with the Gretchen Fleming case.
Updated: Mar. 2, 2023 at 9:04 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
A W.Va. bill described by supporters as a tool to protect religious freedom is headed to the desk of republican Gov. Jim Justice.
Updated: Mar. 1, 2023 at 6:01 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
With the search for Gretchen Fleming continuing, Parkersburg police are still working on this investigation.
Updated: Feb. 28, 2023 at 6:07 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
We got a chance to talk with Gretchen Fleming’s parents about the ongoing support from law enforcement and the community.
Updated: Feb. 27, 2023 at 5:12 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
A billboard is keeping the search for Gretchen Fleming alive as the three-month mark of her disappearance approaches.
Updated: Feb. 10, 2023 at 4:58 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
As the search for Gretchen Fleming continues, there is no new update as of yet.
Updated: Feb. 6, 2023 at 7:12 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Discovery World on Market is receiving lactation pods for its museum.
Updated: Feb. 6, 2023 at 6:47 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
On a day with so much community attention on the Gretchen Fleming search in Mountwood Park, members of the community wanted to help out and bring whatever they could to the search.
Updated: Feb. 3, 2023 at 7:22 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Morrisey is looking to see some more people be held accountable for the fentanyl crisis.
Updated: Feb. 2, 2023 at 7:04 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
The Parkersburg Police Dept. is asking people to come out and help search for Gretchen Fleming. Fleming has been missing since early December. Police will be conducting a searching for her this Saturday here in Wood County. Gretchen’s family is hoping to find her this weekend and are speaking out to let people know who she is.
Updated: Feb. 1, 2023 at 12:11 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Parkersburg police is holding a search party on Feb. 4 with the help of volunteers to search for Gretchen Fleming.
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023 at 5:33 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
With numbers in kids going into foster care going up, officials with foster care are saying a lot of this is linked to the drug epidemic.
Updated: Jan. 26, 2023 at 4:34 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
With no new public information being released, Parkersburg police is looking for people to provide any information they believe can help this case.
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023 at 5:23 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
The W.Va. Senate is introducing a bill that would change the way high school transfers impact the eligibility for first-time transferring students in sports.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2023 at 5:14 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
As the search for Gretchen Fleming continues, many of Gretchen’s friends and family continue to remember the person Gretchen is.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2023 at 7:55 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
With the search for Gretchen Fleming still ongoing, we spoke with one of Gretchen’s friends, Jake Grim. Who says that he wants to see less speculation and more support for the Fleming family.
Updated: Jan. 5, 2023 at 7:18 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Two former employees of one of the bars Gretchen Fleming was last seen in talk about Gretchen.
Updated: Jan. 4, 2023 at 6:55 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
With Parkersburg police looking into a person of interest's residence involved in the Gretchen Fleming case, her father -- David is wanting the community to continue to help the police department.
Updated: Jan. 3, 2023 at 9:29 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
WTAP spoke with Gretchen Fleming's father, David to comment on the search for Gretchen.
Updated: Jan. 2, 2023 at 6:40 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
An officer was seriously injured after making an arrest this past weekend.
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022 at 5:28 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
One of the people involved in the murder of Terrance Mills Jr. was sentenced after pleading guilty.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2022 at 12:07 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
A St. Marys magistrate was arraigned and released after driving under the influence.
Updated: Nov. 23, 2022 at 4:44 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Prices for Christmas trees are going up due to inflation.
Updated: Nov. 17, 2022 at 5:35 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
This holiday season will be met with significant inflation, so financial counselors are coming to help those in need of help with their budget.
Updated: Nov. 17, 2022 at 5:18 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
A new development is taking place in the Ohio Valley University transcripts situation.
Updated: Nov. 16, 2022 at 5:32 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Red Cross officials want to avoid another crisis level for blood supply with the slowdown from the wintertime.
Updated: Nov. 16, 2022 at 5:22 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
With many cryptocurrency-based companies falling under, financial advisors say that investing in crypto can be a serious risk.
Updated: Nov. 10, 2022 at 5:14 PM EST
|By Mitchell Blahut
Highmark W.Va. is working with Mountaineer Food Bank to provide hygiene kits to veterans.