Two Stabbed During Fight in Huntington

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Two people have been taken to the hospital after a reported stabbing in Huntington.

The incident happened outside of an apartment building in the 900-block of 5th Avenue about 1:30 Monday afternoon.

Huntington Police are not releasing much information at this time, but witnesses say a man and woman were walking down 5th Avenue with open containers of alcohol.

Witnesses say that a man outside the apartment complex told to the two that they needed to move on, and weren't allowed to have open containers outside of the complex. Witnesses say that's when the two started beating up the man and got him down on the ground.

During the fight, police say the man pulled out a knife, stabbing the man in the side and the woman in the hand.

Both were taken to the hospital.

Yeager Airport losing daily NYC flight

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — American Airlines will begin offering daily flights from Yeager Airport on June 12 but that same day will discontinue its daily flights from Charleston to New York City.

Yeager’s director of marketing, Brian Belcher, said the Charleston-to-LaGuardia flight has been more popular for passengers interested in going to New York and back and less so for those needing connections to other locations.

Belcher said less than 40 percent of all passengers from Charleston to New York are using American.  

“There’s another 60-62 percent that’s flying on other carriers and they are either connecting through Washington-Dulles, Reagan National, or I even hear of people going through Charlotte to get to New York,” Belcher said.

American officials believe the Charleston-to-Dallas flight will be popular for connections.

“They have a whole range of international and connecting flights to the southwest, to the west coast, you can just about go anywhere from DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth),” Belcher said. “In their view it was better to serve Charleston from their Dallas hub.”

Yeager is having talks with other airlines about offering direct flights to the New York area. “We’re hopeful and we truly believe another carrier will pick that route up,” Belcher said.

American’s current New York flight leaves Charleston at 6:15 a.m. and returns at 8:15 p.m. Belcher said that’s been great for those making up-and-back trips to the Big Apple but less attractive for those trying to get connecting flights.

Wyoming County man in custody after mother’s death

A Wyoming County man is in custody after allegedly murdering his mother.

Wyoming County Sheriff Randall Aliff said deputies have charged Josh May, 30, of Saulsville, in the Monday morning death of 63-year-old Sandra May, also of Saulsville.

Her body was found inside the house the two shared. Aliff said the death happened around 9 a.m. during an argument.

“It may have started just prior to us getting the call,” Aliff said.

Another brother who lives there first contacted police.

The sheriff said deputies have been to the house before because of domestic problems.

“It’s been several, several months ago, so it’s not an ongoing thing that we were there all the time,” the sheriff said Monday afternoon.

Josh May initially locked himself in the house and refused to open the door for deputies, who subsequently kicked the door down, Aliff said. May was then taken into custody without incident.

The evidence recovered at the scene is being sent to the State Police Crime Lab. Aliff wouldn’t discuss the type of evidence, and investigators are not releasing how Sandra May was killed.

The house is on Bowers Ridge Road near Saulsville about seven miles from Pineville.

Josh May was in the Southern Regional Jail without bail.

Capito and McConnell challenge EPA

Second District Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito teamed up with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky Monday to introduce proposed legislation that could force the Environmental Protection Agency to back off what the lawmakers called overzealous coal restrictions.

Capito and McConnell are sponsoring the Coal Jobs Protection Act. They made the announcement in McConnell’s home state Monday afternoon in Hazard, considered Kentucky “coal country.”

Capito said working with the Obama EPA and its ever-changing policies against coal has been exhausting. She said not only has the agency shot down reasonable requirements, they’ve also “slow walked” permits through the system in hopes investors would lose interest and give up on funding them.

“I’ve been very frustrated with the administration and the slow war on coal that we see,” Capito said. “It’s harming our jobs and our economy and our energy economy.”

She said the proposed legislation puts the EPA in its place.

“It would reign in some of the out of control decisions that the EPA has made and it will give the responsibility, some of it, back to the state’s where legally it is supposed to be.”

Capito cited the recent ruling by a federal appeals court to pull the water permit from the Spruce No. 1 surface mine in Logan County. She called it a perfect example of why there needs to be some set rules and guidelines the EPA must follow.

“[The proposed bill] says if you grant a permit, the Corp of Engineers grants a permit, and works on it for four years, you can’t just arbitrarily rescind that,” Capito said.

She criticized the EPA for changing rules midstream and called for a defined timeline that everyone, including the EPA, must follow. She says the Coal Jobs Protection Act would do that.

“It says, if you’re going to make decisions based on regulations, they have to go through the regulatory procedure because the EPA is evading that requirement,” Capito said.

The House has passed similar legislation to the Coal Jobs Protection Act in the past. Capito vowed to make sure this bill gets the necessary support.

“I’m chair of the Coal Caucus. We have over 70 members. I’m sure we’ll have a lot of our members, if not all of them, on board with us on this one,” the congresswoman said.

The challenge may be getting enough Senate support. However, Capito expresssed confidence McConnell has the connections to help make this proposal law.

Suspicious white substance to undergo testing

A suspicious white substance found in a package at a warehouse in Nitro Monday is being tested by the FBI.

The white substance was discovered by workers at the McJunkin Redman Corporation warehouse near the Kanawha-Putnam county line at 11:30 Monday morning.

Nitro firefighters and other emergency responders undergo decontamination after contact with suspicious substance Monday.

Kanawha County Deputy Emergency Manager C.W. Sigman said two workers opened up a package shipped from Mexico and found the mysterious white powder inside a pipe fitting. He said that’s when authorities were called in to investigate.

According to paramedics, the two workers immediately started having respiratory issues such as a burning throat and burning eyes. Sigman said the workers are doing fine now.

“The people have so far refused medical treatment,” said Sigman. “They said once they got outside in the fresh air, they were fine.”

As a precaution, the road near the facility was closed and the Kanawha County bomb squad and a Nitro Fire Department Hazmat team were called in. A crew from the state Department of Environmental Protection was also called in to investigate the substance.

Sigman said the crews were unable to determine the composition of the material with the equipment available on scene.

The FBI has taken the entire package to a lab and is currently running tests to determine exactly what the substance is.

The FBI, DEP, State Police, Nitro Police Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office are all working together in the investigation.

Casey to announce Congress campaign

Charleston attorney Nick Casey is planning to run for Congress.

The former West Virginia Democratic Party chairman, Casey is set to announce his campaign intentions during a news conference Tuesday at the State Capitol.

Casey will run to fill the 2nd District seat being vacated by Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito.

The announcement is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Governor’s Press Conference Room located next to the Secretary of State’s offices inside the State Capitol in Charleston. 

W.Va. motorcycle rally to include benefit ride honoring slain Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum

A motorcycle rally in Mingo County will take on a special meaning this year.

The Rally in the Valley set for May 3-5 in downtown Williamson will hold a motorcycle ride to honor the late Sheriff Eugene Crum.

The Sheriff Eugene Crum Memorial Poker Run will be held starting at 12:30 p.m. on May 5.

Organizer Paul Price of the Sidney, Ky.-based club Appalachian Brotherhood says the route is still being worked out. He expects at least 200 motorcyclists will participate.

Price says the cost is $15 per motorcycle. Proceeds will benefit the sheriff's department.

Crum was fatally shot on April 3. His widow, Rosie, was appointed interim sheriff the next day.

The Rally in the Valley debuted last year as a one-day event.

EPA methane report further divides fracking camps

A new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has dramatically lowered estimates of how much of a potent greenhouse gas is being leaked by the natural gas industry despite rapid growth in production.

The EPA now estimates that from 1990 to 2010, the U.S. natural gas industry released about 20 percent less methane into the atmosphere than previously thought, even though production increased by about 38 percent during that period.

Last year, the EPA had estimated that the methane emissions were rising sharply, not declining. EPA says it revised the data after new information showed that the industry makes more widespread use of emissions controls.

Some environmental groups and scientists claim that methane leaks have been seriously underestimated.

Armed Suspects Rob Gas Station Store

RALEIGH COUNTY, W.Va. -- Police are searching for two armed robbers who are on the loose.

Troopers in Raleigh County say the two suspects walked into a gas station, pulled out a gun and demanded cash.

It happened just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sunoco station on Appalachian Heights Road in Bradley, according to police.

Police say the men got away with cash and also stole items from the store.

Troopers are investigating in hopes of making arrests.

Child Found Inside Home with Meth

Cabin Creek, W.Va. -- Troopers say a meth cook was happening at a home in Cabin Creek with a child inside.

West Virginia State Police say it happened in the 4800 block of Cabin Creek Road.

Troopers say they were responding to a fight call early Sunday Morning.

Kimberly Alderman told troopers her boyfriend Charles Rumburg had attacked her.

When troopers arrived they say they smelled strong chemicals.

A search of the house found meth items and a child inside.

The pair was charged with operating a meth lab, exposing children to meth and conspiracy.

Runberg was also charged with domestic battery. Troopers say they also found out he was a fugitive from Texas.

Both were taken to the South Central Regional Jail.

Troopers say the child is now staying with a relative.

Man Arrested, Accused of Dealing Drugs at Hotel

LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. -- Deputies in Logan County say a hotel was the center of operation for pill pushing and drug dealing.

Michael Ray Fortuna is now jail after deputies uncovered marijuana and a slew of prescription pills.

The Logan County Sheriff's Department was contacted by the Chapmanville Police Department about possible drug activity happening at the Best Western in Chapmanville.

When deputies arrived, a canine indicated there were drug in room 201.

While inside the room, officers found one clear plastic bag with 2 grams of marijuana and another bag containing Lortabs, Hydrocodone, Valuims, and Roxicodone pills.

Almost $2,000 worth of cash was also uncovered.

Fortuna was charged with possession with the intent to deliver.

Still no Medicaid expansion decision from West Virginia

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin may make a decision about the possible expansion of Medicaid in West Virginia some time this summer.

Officials with the Tomblin Administration say a new work plan is now in place for the company that is conducting a comprehensive study of the effects of that expansion on the Mountain State.

The report could be completed next month.

“The national figures that were out there tended to be inconsistent.  They weren’t the kind of data that I would have felt comfortable with the Governor making a decision on,” West Virginians for Affordable Health Care Executive Director Perry Bryant said of the need for the ongoing actuarial analysis.

“It’s taking a little longer than I would like but, still, the process was very thoughtful and deliberative.”  Bryant’s group supports the expansion which would take Medicaid eligibility from the current 130% of the poverty level to 138% of the poverty level.

The change could potentially add 120,000 low income West Virginians to the 415,000 who currently qualify for Medicaid coverage.  With the expansion, individuals making up to $15,000 a year would qualify.

Critics of the possible expansion of Medicaid say the state cannot afford it.  At the current coverage levels, West Virginia’s share of Medicaid, which is now at $870 million annually, will grow to $900 million next year and even more in the coming years.

As proposed, the federal government would pay for 100% of the added costs of Medicaid expansion through 2017, but reduce that contribution to 90% by 2020.  There are concerns the federal subsidy of the expansion would decrease even more in subsequent years.

A report from Avalere Health, a health care public policy company, shows West Virginia is the only state that has not indicated its plans for Medicaid at this point.

As of earlier this week, 20 states and Washington, D.C. had decided to expand.

There is no formal deadline for a decision, but applications could start being accepted from new Medicaid recipients on October 1st of this year with coverage beginning on January 1st.

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled states are allowed to decide, on their own, whether to expand Medicaid programs under provisions in the federal Affordable Care Act.

Patriot bankruptcy hearing starts Monday

Court proceedings for Patriot Coal’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case are scheduled to begin today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in St. Louis. The company first filed for bankruptcy last July.

Among other things, the Patriot reorganization plan includes cuts to healthcare benefits for current workers and retirees.

The United Mine Workers of America has staged a series of rallies in recent months at the St. Louis headquarter locations for Patriot Coal, Arch Coal and Peabody Coal to raise awareness about the potential reductions.

UMWA President Cecil Roberts said members of his organization and their supporters will be back in St. Louis on Monday morning for what could be the largest such rally yet. As many as 3,000 people may attend.

“When the bankruptcy court begins hearings on Monday about Patriot’s demands for drastic, unnecessary cuts in the standard of living for active and retired miners, they’re going to hear from us,” Roberts said in a statement.

The union members claim Patriot was formed in 2007 so both Arch Coal and Peabody Coal could shrug off benefit liabilities for current workers and retirees.

But company officials say that is not the case.  They say Patriot was initially profitable and has only recently faced financial hardships because of a declining demand for coal and rising costs in recent years.

Tomblin favors oversight in higher education

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin still has a bill on his desk that will give some additional authority to the boards of governors at WVU and Marshall but not as much as the two universities originally wanted.

The bill, which passed on the final night of the legislative session more than two weeks ago, would allow the BOGs to spend more money without the approval of the state Higher Education Policy Commission. But the governor says the HEPC still should provide oversight.

“We have given autonomy to a great extent to WVU and Marshall, they are the two largest universities, but I think the policy commission still has a role to play,” Tomblin said. “If we’re going to spend taxpayer dollars or even private sources in partnership with our institutions, that needs to come before the policy commission.”

HEPC Chairman Dave Hendrickson spoke out against the original bill maintaining the policy commission plays a key role in higher education and should not have its authority continually stripped away. It seems to have an ally in the governor.

“Oversight is good so that people know where their money is being spent,” Tomblin said.

Capito and McConnell take on EPA

Second District Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito will join U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in his home state today for a major announcement about coal.

The pair will introduce the Coal Jobs Protection Act. The bill is aimed at pushing back the Environmental Protection Agency’s stricter environmental standards that are making it more difficult for the coal industry to operate. Both West Virginia and Kentucky have felt the impact of the EPA’s stricter regulations.

The event will take place Monday afternoon at the Hazard/Perry County Chamber of Commerce in Hazard, KY.

The purpose of the bill, according to McConnell, is to roll back the EPA’s “burdensome regulations that negatively impact…coal miners.”

McConnell to visit Pike Co., talk loss of coal jobs

PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Senator Mitch McConnell will visit Pike and Perry Counties next week in order to bring awareness to the loss of coal mining jobs in Kentucky.

McConnell will introduce the Coal Jobs Protection Act, which is aimed at what he called the Environmental Protection Agency’s burdensome regulations.

The legislation, sponsored by Ohio Rep. Bill Johnson, will protect American jobs and support U.S. energy production by prohibiting the Secretary of the Interior from issuing new rules or regulations that will adversely impact mining jobs and the economy in Appalachia.

The proposed legislation, officially called the Coal Miner Employment and Domestic Energy Infrastructure Protection Act, would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing regulations under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act that would adversely impact U.S. coal industry.

On Monday, Sen. McConnell will be joined by representatives from the coal industry to speak at Whayne Supply in Pikeville at 10:15. He will address the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce at the Hampton Inn in Pikeville at 11:30.

At 3:45, Sen. McConnell will be joined by West Virginia Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito to address the Hazard/Perry County Chamber of Commerce at Whayne Supply in Hazard.

March MSHA Inspections Found Fewest Violations Yet

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal regulators say they issued fewer violations in March than in any other month since they began special impact inspections at problem U.S. mines.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration said Thursday it issued 155 citations and two orders at eight coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines last month.

The impact inspections began after the Upper Big Branch mine explosion killed 29 men in West Virginia. That was three years ago this month.

MSHA director Joe Main says the results reflect a positive trend in overall mine safety. He says there are fewer chronic violators today, and death and injury rates are at all-time lows.

But Main says there are still plenty of operators who don't take responsibility for the safety and health of the miners they employ.

Heroin Bust in Ravenswood, W.Va.

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. -- A man is under arrest after police discovered a large amount of heroin with him.

Ravenswood Police say they got a tip from the Syracuse Police Department in Ohio that Josh Caruthers, 22, was traveling toward Ravenswood with a large amount of drugs.

Ravenswood Police stopped the car just after 8 p.m. in an apartment complex, and called for the K-9 unit, which officers say confirmed their suspicions.

Police searched the car and say a teenager tried to hide the drugs on her. Officers later uncovered a bag with 42 grams worth of heroin. On the street that's $8,400, according to police. Officers say the also found marijuana, pills, and needles.

Caruthers was arrested and charged with possession with intent to deliver. Police say federal charges are pending.

Ravenswood Police, Syracuse Police, and Racine Police all helped in the bust.

Arrests Being Made in Mingo County Drug Roundup

MINGO COUNTY, W.Va.– It was a busy day for officers in Mingo County as they rounded up those accused of using and/or selling drugs.

A dozen people were arrested yesterday and are now facing drug charges. Overall, police are working to arrest 17 people.

The sheriff's office and several police departments went to their homes or wherever they were Thursday morning -- and brought them back in handcuffs.

Police say this is all part of operation zero tolerance -- started by the late sheriff, Eugene Crum.

Crum was shot and killed three weeks ago.

So far, 12 people have been arrested.

They include:

Faron James Cline
James Crabtree
Amanda Dempsey
Jimmy Diamond
Lawrence Ellis
Bradley Lawson
Daniel Martin
Donald West
Chad Nicholas Alley
Janet Berry
Bruce Bevins
Lawrence Wilkerson Sr.

They will be arraigned today at 1 p.m.

Online sales tax bill waiting on vote from U.S. Senate

The President of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce says online retailers should have to collect the same sales taxes that brick and mortar stores are required to charge.

“Somebody selling a product who’s in your backyard pays.  Somebody selling a product who’s not in your backyard doesn’t necessarily pay,” Steve Roberts said.

The U.S. Senate is expected to take a final vote before the end of the week on legislation that would give states the authority to force online retailers to collect sales taxes for Internet purchases.  Businesses with less than $1 million a year in online sales would be exempt.

The measure does have Republican support in the Senate.  However, it is expected to run into opposition in the U.S. House of Representatives where opponents say the bill could set a precedent for further expansions of state level tax collection authority.

Roberts says House members should listen to the business owners they represent.

“The brick and mortar folks recognize that they are a visible part of the community.  They’re employing people.  Not only are they paying sales tax, they’re paying all the other taxes and fees that are required to located either in a city or a county,” Roberts said.

“They’d like to have the field leveled up a little bit.”

According to numbers from the U.S. Commerce Department, U.S. Internet sales totaled $226 billion last year.

In the same time, the National Conference of State Legislatures says states lost $23 billion in uncollected sales taxes for those purchases.

Mingo drug round-up

Investigations started by slain Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum resulted in the arrests of 17 residents Thursday.

All of the suspected drug dealers were indicted this week by a Mingo County grand jury.

The operation is called “Operation Zero Tolerance.”

Sheriff Crum was shot and killed in Williamson on April 3. Some county officials originally thought the murder had to do with Crum’s aggressive fight against the drug trade but county Prosecutor Michael Sparks later said there was no evidence to support the theory.

The man charged in Crum’s death, Tennis Maynard, remains hospitalized.

17 Indicted on Drug Charges; Mingo Drug Roundup Underway

MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. -- Deputies are out trying to round up 17 people that have been indicted on drug charges.

This morning’s drug roundup is the second of its kind in recent months -- a promise officials made after Sheriff Crum was murdered.

The Mingo County Sheriff's Department hit the road early this morning tracking down 17 people that were recently indicted by a Mingo County Grand Jury.

By Noon, five people of the 17 had already been arrested.

Deputies say that Lawrence Wilkerson Sr., Chad Alley, Jimmy Diaond, Donald West and Bruce Bevins are in custody and will be arraigned on the charges against them.

Sheriff Crum played a role in making sure that these 17 people were indicted on drug charges.

2013 Mingo County Fire and Rescue School scheduled

The 6th Annual Mingo County Fire and Rescue School is scheduled to be held from May 10th through May 12th, and members of the MCFCA have been meeting regularly to put the finishing touches on this year’s event.

According to Williamson Fire Chief Jerry Mounts, the intended purpose of the weekend training event is to provide emergency responders with the best learning experience available on this particular weekend and this promises to live up to the billing.

This year, the WVU Fire Extension Service is conducting 2 live-fire burn classes at the local fire school. The first will take place on Saturday the 10th, using the Kidde ML-1000 two-story Mobile Fire Training Unit (MFTU).

The school will be held on the campus of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, which affords excellent classroom facilities as well as more than adequate grounds for all the practical hands-on training evolutions in the field.

The Fire and Rescue School is a production of the Mingo County Fire Chief’s Association in conjunction with WVU Fire Service Extension Service, RESA 3, West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office, Mingo County Commission, Mingo County Emergency Services, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College and the City of Williamson.

Lessons on Internet safety, drug dangers, crime, bullying prevention part of W.Va. kids event

Lessons on Internet safety, illegal drugs, and crime and bullying prevention will be part of an outdoor gathering for West Virginia school children in Charleston.

More than 1,000 students are expected to attend the Operation Reach Out Community Fair on Thursday at the state Capitol's North Plaza.

The event is part of National Crime Victims' Rights Week and is being sponsored by federal, state and local agencies.

Free child identification fingerprint kits will be provided and there will be demonstrations of police dog units. Students also will participate in games and other activities.

US regulators reporting 11 mining deaths in first quarter of 2013; nearly half in W.Va.

Federal regulators say mining deaths during the first quarter of this year totaled 11, with West Virginia claiming nearly half of those fatalities.

The report issued Wednesday by the Mine Safety and Health Administration showed that eight fatalities occurred in coal mines, with the remainder reported in metal and nonmetal mines.

Six coal miners died in less than one month, with four of those in West Virginia. That prompted a safety alert and an enhanced presence in the state by regulatory officials.

West Virginia coal mine deaths have totaled five in 2013, with the latest occurring in March.

Prior to that death, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin urged a statewide time-out for safety talks.

The mining deaths have involved machinery, roof falls and explosions.

Lawsuit Expected Soon in T-Shirt Controversy at Logan School

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- The lawyer for the teenager who wore an NRA shirt to school says a lawsuit against the teacher who asked him to remove the shirt is imminent.

Ben White, who represents Jared Marcum, said his client’s First Amendment rights were violated.

Marcum was suspended and arrested after he was asked to remove the shirt. However, an attorney with Logan County Schools says the T-shirt did not violate the school’s rules.

He went on to say that Marcum was not suspended for his t-shirt, but confidentially prohibited him from saying anything more.

Marcum, along with several other students, wore the T-shirt in question to school on Monday.

The attorney said the Logan County Board of Education is investigating the incident. The superintendent will take a closer look at all the facts and determine if any disciplinary action will be taken.

Although Marcum was arrested, charges against him have not been filed. The juvenile prosecutor in Logan County is still looking at the case to see if they will move forward with obstructing an officer and disrupting the educational process.

White said he will go to the school board tonight and ask that the suspension be wiped from Marcum's record.

DUI Reality Check for Sissonville High Students

SISSONVILLE, W.Va. -- Just days away from the glitz and glamour of this year’s junior and senior prom, Sissonville High School students received a very serious prom message.

Wednesday, the Charleston Police Department presented the Broken Promise event.

The event simulated a fatal DUI accident.

The event, in its 11th year, aims to show students in graphic detail the deadly way many prom nights end.

From the deadly accident scene to the inevitable arrest, students watched in horror.

Parents say they hope students hear the message.

Attorney General gives his office B-plus after 100 days

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey says his office has lived up to the 17 goals he set for his first 100 days in office and he has a 279-page report to prove it.

“We’ve worked very hard to accomplish all our goals but also keep the trains running on time,” Morrisey said. “You have to meet day-to-day client demands.”

Tuesday marked day 100. Wednesday Morrisey held a news conference at the state capitol to update the public on what has been accomplished.

“We’ve worked some really long hours so we could live up to our promises,” according to the attorney general.

Morrisey introduced the goals back on November 8. They include: sending settlement monies back to the state Legislature and the taxpayers, establishing a competitive bidding process for hiring outside counsel to reduce political influence and collaborate with the Legislature to enact ethics reforms.

Morrisey says he knew it would be a very ambitious plan but was determined to make sure all 17 points were addressed by the April 23 deadline. He says that’s been accomplished but there’s a lot of work in order to mark them off the list.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. The state’s business climate is not going to be changed overnight. The prescription drug abuse epidemic is not going to be eradicated overnight,” admitted Morrisey. “But if we continue to focus on these promises and some additional matters, I think we’re going to make huge progress in the future.”

Morrisey has made no bones about the fact he started work on an uneven playing field. He claims former Attorney General Darrell McGraw left the office with very little transitional assistance, an antiquated computer/telephone system and case files that were jumbled together.

“We spent a lot of time digging out during the first 30-days,” according to Morrisey. “I think that’s why, perhaps, we weren’t able to accomplish even more.”

Nevertheless, Morrisey is giving his office high marks for those first 100-days in office.

“If you were to ask me, I’d say that we’d probably get a grade of a B-plus. That means we’ve worked really hard. We’ve made a good faith effort to live up to our promises,” says Morrisey.

“Have we been able to get everything that we want done? No. But fortunately there are another 194 weeks left in my term.”

Morrisey is confident, by the end of his term in 2016, his office will rate an “A.” He describes that as “distinct excellence.”

Burwell confirmed as White House budget director

Hinton native Sylvia Matthews Burwell will head the U.S. Office of Management and Budget after being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday.

The 96-0 vote followed the nomination of Burwell earlier this year by President Barack Obama.

During her confirmation hearing earlier this month, Burwell pledged to build relationships with the other committees connected with OMB in order to strengthen the nation’s economy and attack the federal deficit.

“To use both the ‘M’ and the ‘B’ of OMB to make sure that we are doing our best to deliver for the American people an economy that’s healthy in both the short and the long-term,” Burwell said.

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller said Wednesday Burwell will have a prominent seat at the table as the country works toward a strong economic future.

“I have been privileged to know Sylvia and her family as personal friends for many years and have always proudly supported her career in public service—from Hinton, West Virginia all the way to the White House as a top staff member of the Clinton Administration. Sylvia’s abundant knowledge and budget experience make her the right person to take on our country’s fiscal challenges,” Rockefeller said.

The senator also noted Burwell’s strong bipartisan support in Wednesday’s vote.

Airport on board to help Air National Guard

The Yeager Airport Board voted Wednesday to “actively participate” in the plans to finance a bridge for Coonskin Park near Charleston in hopes of helping the West Virginia National Guard.

Former state Adjutant General Allen Tackett has been urging several governmental bodies and groups to get behind the $9 million project. Tackett believes the bridge is needed so the current entrance to Coonskin can be cut-off to improve security at National Guard headquarters.

“We are going to actively participate with the West Virginia Air National Guard, the state and county and other local leaders to craft a plan to finance that bridge project,” Yeager Airport Manager Rick Atkinson said.

Tackett and others believe the security issue needs to be dealt with to help keep the West Virginia Air National Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing off the Dept. of Defense’s BRAC list next year.

Atkinson also believes a bridge for a new entrance will help Coonskin Park.

The National Guard is looking at a possible bond to finance the bridge, which has already been designed and some property purchased.

“We’re on record on being able to do our part as an airport to come up with and participate in the financial plan to have the bridge constructed,” Atkinson said.

If a bond is floated it may require annual payments for many years by a number of groups. Atkinson says the Air Guard is key for Yeager. It provides fire service and now even more.

“We just entered into a more robust memorandum of understanding on security forces and we’re actively working with the West Virginia National Guard on other development opportunities,” Atkinson said.

The security issue is the only issue that hasn’t been addressed since the 130th was put on the BRAC list a several years ago. It was eventually removed from that list.

West Virginia to swear in 8 probation officers to work exclusively with sex offenders

Eight probation officers who deal exclusively with sex offenders are being sworn in this week in West Virginia.

Called intensive supervision officers, they provide more stringent oversight to those convicted of sexual offenses. They work out of their vehicles instead of offices and are available holidays, nights and weekends.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent D. Benjamin will deliver the oath of office to the eight new officers on Wednesday in Charleston. The new officers will replace officers who have resigned or are needed to meet an increase in the number of sex offenders being released from prison.

The newly sworn in officers will be assigned at various locations around the state.

Gas prices jump 6 cents in W.Va., average $3.64 per gallon

West Virginia motorists are seeing higher prices at the gas pump.

AAA East Central says the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline rose 6 cents in the past week and now average $3.64 per gallon in the state. That's 22 cents cheaper than the same week a year ago.

State prices range from $3.57 in Weirton and Wheeling to $3.69 in Bridgeport, Huntington and Parkersburg.

West Virginia's average price ranks 12th highest in the country. Wyoming has the lowest price at $3.33 per gallon, and Hawaii's is the highest at 4.37.

Nationally, gas prices average $3.52.

US attorney to address 'Operation Scam Jam' event in W.Va.'s capital city

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin is headlining an event in Charleston intended to educate elders on financial fraud aimed at older West Virginians.

Goodwin will deliver the keynote address Wednesday at the financial educational seminar organized by the AARP of West Virginia and other partners.

Organizers say Scam Jam is an effort to reduce the incidence of fraud victimizing older consumers by teaching tactics often used by scam artists. The event will offer simple steps consumers can take to reduce their risk and safeguard personal finances.

Pair arrested in Pound robbery

POUND, Va. -- Two people are behind bars following a robbery at a Wise County, Virginia store.

Officials with the sheriff's department say Joshua Harris and Lydia Phillips went into the Get-It-Gone Novelty Shop in Pound earlier this week.

Police tell us the pair overpowered the store's owner, blindfolded him, and took off with thousands of dollars of merchandise and money.

Both are facing multiple charges.

Huntington Fire Dept. Looking at 20th Street Site for New Station

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Huntington is helping pave the way for a new fire station on the city's Southside.

Huntington City Council has approved an ordinance, allowing the city to remove gas tanks from the property of the old "All-in-One" store, formerly the Sunoco Station, at the corner of 20th Street and 9th Avenue.

The cost of the project is estimated at roughly $2 million and could take at least two years to become a reality.

The old gas station was torn down in December of 2012. It was labeled a magnet for violence, drugs and crime. Police responded to nearly 600 calls there since 2008.

Fire Destroys Garage, Damages Homes

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. -- What started as a car fire in a garage damaged two homes.

It happened a little before 1:30 this morning in the 100 block of Baer St. in Huntington.

A neighbor reported hearing an explosion and seeing a car on fire. He woke up the homeowner, who attempted to douse the flames with a garden hose.

The fire destroyed the garage and spread to the home, causing some damage. There was also heat damage to the home on the other side of the garage.

The homeowner suffered a minor burn on the hand, but there were no serious injuries.

Neighbors say the car that caught fire was a hybrid. The fire marshal is investigating.

Attorney defends Logan County teen in t-shirt controversy

The attorney for the Logan County middle school student who was suspended from school after refusing to change the t-shirt he wore to school last week says the teenager was within his rights at the time.

The shirt had an NRA logo on it with the slogan, “Protect your right,” and a picture of an AR-15 rifle.

Jared Marcum, 15, challenged the teacher who asked that he remove the shirt, claiming there is no policy in the school dress code that prohibits wearing an image of a gun on clothing.

Attorney Ben White says his client was right because the shirt is considered protected political speech.  “Ultimately, I don’t think a child, when given an illegal command to do something that’s not right, should follow through with it,” he said.  “I mean, where do you draw that line?”

The t-shirt confrontation drew attention and cheers in the cafeteria at Logan Middle School last Thursday before Marcum was taken to the school office.  Students were reportedly yelling for him and Logan law enforcement officers were called to the school to help restore order.

Marcum was suspended because of the disruption and could face criminal charges based on allegations that he interrupted the school process by not complying and allegedly being belligerent with officers.

White says he does not think criminal charges are warranted in this case.

“It was an over reaction by some educator that believed that it was against the school policy and, I think, just went down the wrong road.”  White says he wants to know what the Logan County Board of Education has to say about the teacher’s actions in confronting Marcum about his t-shirt.

White says a lawsuit may filed against that teacher or the Board for alleged violations of Marcum’s First Amendment rights.

Change coming at governor’s office

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s Chief of Staff will leave that role in June.

Rob Alsop announced Tuesday he will be leaving state government for the private sector later this year after helping lead the Tomblin Administration since November 2010.

Alsop, 36, is a native of Webster Springs and graduate of West Virginia University’s College of Law.  He says the career change will allow him more time to spend with his wife, Jessica, and three daughters.  He says he wants to “see them grow up.”

In the past, Alsop has worked as Chief of Staff for Interim U.S. Senator Carte Goodwin, Deputy General Counsel for Gov. Joe Manchin, General Counsel for the state Department of Revenue and Secretary of Revenue.

Current state Tax and Revenue Secretary Charlie Lorenson will take over as Tomblin’s Chief of Staff.

WV drug courts working

West Virginia’s Drug Court program is making a difference.

“Not only does drug court work better than incarceration alone, it also works better than treatment alone…The whole concept behind drug courts is accountability along with treatment,” stressed Robert McKinney, with the state Division of Probation Services.

The annual Drug Court Conference is underway this week in Charleston at the Embassy Suites. Dozens of judges, probation officers and treatment professionals from across West Virginia will spend three days in training sessions to learn how to better operate and administer their programs.

The state currently has 31 counties participating in the adult drug court program. Thirteen counties have juvenile drug courts. Seven more are in the works.

According to the WV Legislature, initial numbers, over a two-year period, show graduates from the adult drug court have a 91-percent success rate. That means they’re staying off drugs and staying out of trouble after they successfully complete the program.

McKinney is a bit cautious.

“We’re very proud of the results, but they’re early results,” he said.

The drug court system is administered by the West Virginia Supreme Court. It’s operated on local, county and regional levels, all with different success rates. But organizers believe they’ve hit on something that works and can rehabilitate drug offenders, young and old.

The prison overcrowding bill passed by state lawmakers requires all 55 counties to have drug courts by the end of 2016. But McKinney says that won’t be easy.

“It requires a lot of work. It requires a lot of commitment from the professionals involved. But that is certainly a goal,” McKinney said.

The three-day conference opened with the keynote address by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Benjamin and features workshops on dealing with everything from families to referrals, sanctions to incentives.

Organizers says it’s a great chance for those attending to network and share success stories, what’s worked in their area and how it could be adapted to another.

The conference wraps up Thursday afternoon.

EPA veto upheld on Spruce mine project

A Washington, D.C. federal appeals court says the federal EPA has the power to veto a Clean Water Act permit after it’s been awarded.

The decision came down Tuesday in the longstanding case involving Arch Coal and its Spruce No. 1 mountaintop removal mining project in Logan County.

The project, originally proposed in 1998, was eventually permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2007 but has faced a long legal battle before and since. The EPA announced its post-permit veto Jan. 2011. The company fought the move and won in U.S. District Court last year.

The operation was originally supposed to create hundreds of jobs but has been scaled back during the process. At issue is the proposed burying of miles of streams during the mountaintop removal/valley fill process.

The controversy has been at the heart of the ongoing mountaintop removal argument and the power of the EPA.

Arch Coal spokeswoman Kim Link said Tuesday:

“We’re disappointed in the decision, which was related to the procedural aspects of the proceeding. The case will now go back to the district court for a decision on the merits.”

West Virginia Second District Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito criticized the ruling in a prepared statement:

“Today’s federal appeals court ruling further highlights what Congress is up against in President Obama’s war on coal.  Unfortunately, the decision was the wrong one and will deeply affect hardworking West Virginians.

Capito went on to say the ruling will cost hundreds of jobs.

Logan pill mill doctor pleads guilty

A doctor who operated a pill mill in Logan County pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court.

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin says Dr. Fernando Gonzales-Ramos, 47, admitted he wrote prescriptions without a medical reason.

Authorities broke up the weekend pill mill during a March 2 raid.

“Dr. Gonzales-Ramos wasn’t operating a doctor’s office, he was running a drug den,” said U.S. Attorney Goodwin in a news release. “His so-called office had no exam table, no running water, and not even so much as a stethoscope. For thousands of dollars in cash, he was pumping out prescriptions for thousands of units of powerful narcotics.”

Gonzales-Ramos would travel from El Paso, Texas to Logan every three months. He ran the cash-only business for about a year and a half.

Gonzales-Ramos could be sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. Sentencing is set for Aug. 14.

Logan Teen Arrested in T-shirt Controversy Back in Class

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A West Virginia teenager who was arrested and suspended from school after he refused to remove an NRA T-shirt is back in class.

Fourteen-year-old Jared Marcum, of Logan, returned to Logan Middle School on Monday after serving a one-day suspension.

His lawyer, Ben White, says school administrators maintain that Marcum disrupted the educational process. The lawyer says Marcum was exercising his right to free speech and wasn't disruptive.

Logan Police arrested Marcum at the school last Thursday after he refused a teacher's order to remove the shirt. White says prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether to file charges.

Marcum wore the same shirt to school Monday. The shirt displays the NRA logo and a hunting rifle.