West Virginia Week in Review - June 7, 2019

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

Gov. Justice announces advertising program to wrap trucks with Almost Heaven ads
On Tuesday, Gov. Jim Justice announced a new pilot program and partnership between the West Virginia Tourism Office and the West Virginia Trucking Association to wrap Almost Heaven ads on large box and semi-trucks across the state and country. The announcement event included the official unveiling of the first truck wrapped in ads, provided by Matheny Motors, a fourth-generation West Virginia company. [Watch Video]

The first truck in the pilot program will travel a continuous daily loop across West Virginia – from Parkersburg to Beckley to Huntington and back – targeting local commuters for in-state travel as well as drivers passing through the state for return visits. The images on the truck include ATVs, whitewater rafting and hunting.

Gov. Justice announces May 2019 Revenue Collections come in at another historic surplus
On Monday, Gov. Justice reported that May Revenue Collections resulted in a $46.4 million surplus, which was 15.8% above prior year receipts. Over the past two months, revenue collections have come in at a combined $100 million above estimate.​ This also marks the 14th month out of the past 16 in which West Virginia’s monthly revenue collections came in above estimate. [Read More]

Gov. Justice speaks at Monongalia County event announcing new jobs and business development coming to West Virginia
Gov. Jim Justice spoke at an event in Monongalia County on Wednesday, at the site of the new WestRidge Business + Retail Park, just west of Morgantown, commending county and business leaders on their announcement that several new businesses moving into the park will create hundreds of jobs for West Virginia. [Watch Video]

The event was held at the construction site of a new campus being built for Morgantown technology company Leidos. Development leaders also announced that Menards, the nation’s third-largest home improvement chain, will be building a brand new 173,000-square-foot store at WestRidge, with a goal of opening by spring 2021.

Gov. Justice announces WVDOT and Monongalia County Commission teaming up to fix road to booming Mylan Park
On Wednesday. Gov. Justice announced today that expedited efforts to fix Chaplin Hill Road – the main road into the rapidly-expanding Mylan Park near Morgantown – are now underway, thanks to the continued partnership between the Department of Transportation and the Monongalia County Commission. With tens of millions of dollars-worth of construction at the park nearly complete, and with a major influx of visitors expected to follow, the commission is contributing $200,000 to the WVDOT to help finish the project faster than would be possible by relying on regular funding sources. [Watch Video]

Over the coming months, Division of Highways crews will begin patching potholes and paving this 1.2-mile section of roadway. Crews will also evaluate the road to determine whether certain sections need widened, straightened, or whether additional guardrails would need to be installed.

Gov. Justice approves award of Corridor H Roads to Prosperity project
Last Friday, Gov. Justice and leaders from the Department of Transportation announced that the contract for additional work upgrading Corridor H, through the governor’s Roads to Prosperity program, has been awarded to Kokosing Construction Company. The scope of work for this project includes designing, grading, and draining approximately 4.13 miles, which will eventually become a new, partially controlled access roadway from Kerens to Parsons in eastern West Virginia. [Read More]

This project also includes the construction of three large sets of bridges crossing Goodwin Road, Smokey Hollow and WV Route 72. Additionally, the scope of work includes the building of a pedestrian bridge to accommodate Shingle Tree Trail within Monongahela National Forest.

Gov. Justice again amends special session call to include additional technical veto bill
Last Friday, Gov. Justice announced that he would be adding another bill to the proclamation calling for the West Virginia Legislature to convene in special session to focus on education betterment. The bill relates to the West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program and was vetoed for technical reasons after the 2019 Legislative Session. [Read More]

Gov. Justice hosts Big Otter students recognized in national fitness competition
On Sunday, Gov. Justice met with a group of students from Big Otter Elementary School in Clay County at the Governor's Mansion and congratulated them for participating in a national fitness competition in California. The team finished as the first runners-up in the country. [More Photos]

Gov. Justice honors all who sacrificed on 75th anniversary of D-Day
On Thursday, Gov. Justice issued a message in honor of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice on D-Day, June 6, 1944. [Social Post]

Gov. Justice orders US and WV state flags be displayed at half-staff
On Saturday, Gov. Justice issued a proclamation in accordance with the Presidential proclamation ordering that all United States and West Virginia State flags on all State-owned facilities throughout the state be displayed at half-staff until sunset on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in honor of the victims of the tragedy that took place in Virginia Beach last week. [Read More]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Paving work ramping up on roadways across West Virginia
This week, leaders with the Department of Transportation announced that in just the past seven weeks – the amount of time since asphalt plants re-opened for the spring – crews have been hard at work paving more than 600 miles across the state. Fixing secondary roads has been the top priority, with several routes like Kites Run Road in Wood County being paved recently. [Watch Video]

Crews also completed paving work on interstates, including on I-79 near the Frametown area. [Watch Video]

WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD

National Guard promotes first African-American Army female colonel
Last Friday, the West Virginia Army National Guard promoted its first African-American female colonel, Col. Kim McGhee, during a formal ceremony held at the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Virginia. West Virginia Adjutant General Maj. Gen. James Hoyer presided over the event. [More Photos]

McGhee is a 24-year veteran of the West Virginia Army National Guard and a West Virginia native who currently serves as the National Guard Bureau Division Chief for command, control, communications and computers and cyber.

Patriot Guardens to host aquaponics workshops
On Thursday, the West Virginia Military Authority’s Patriot Guardens program, a component of the Adjutant General's department, announced it will be hosting a three-part aquaponics training starting on June 19, 2019, at 11 a.m. with the Build Your Own Aquaponics System workshop. Aquaponics is a system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. [Read More]

DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

WVDNR stocking catfish ahead of Free Fishing Days this weekend
Teams with the Division of Natural Resources spent all week stocking 40 lakes and streams across West Virginia full of catfish ahead of this weekend's Free Fishing Days. The annual event is a weekend during which West Virginians are allowed to fish in any public waters, with no license necessary.  [Watch Video]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Superintendent speaks at WVSSAC event announcing collaborative effort to fight state's opioid epidemic
On Tuesday, West Virginia Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Steven Paine, spoke at a collaborative event between the WVDE, West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission, WVU, Marshall University, and MVB Bank called the Opioid Awareness Summit. This event was an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss possible ways to combat the opioid crisis in the state. [Watch Video]

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC SAFETY

DMAPS revamps key public safety agency
Legislation that became law Wednesday has officially reorganized the Division of Justice and Community Services. Still part of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, the DJCS is now a section within DMAPS's recently created Division of Administrative Services. This new Justice and Community Services section will perform an array of critical public safety duties, including training Prevention Resource Officers to keep students across the state safe, overseeing the certification and training of law enforcement officers, implementing the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative alongside the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory, managing millions in federal grants to support domestic violence shelters and much more. [Read More]

This restructuring furthers the consolidation reflected in last year’s formation of Administrative Services and the unified Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Under Secretary Jeff Sandy, with the support of Gov. Justice, DMAPS has merged four agencies to improve efficiencies and effectiveness.

Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation offering recruits guaranteed pay raises
On Thursday, the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety's Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation held a final hiring event for correctional officers in Elkins. Would-be correctional officers and staff can score a $2,370 pay boost, in addition to locked-in raises both this year and next, if they join the state payroll by June 30. [Read More]

DEPARTMENT OF ARTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY

Department of Arts, Culture and History unveils Miss West Virginia 75th Anniversary Exhibition
This week, the Department of Arts, Culture and History and the West Virginia State Museum announced they will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Miss West Virginia pageant with the opening of a new exhibit titled "Pageantry with a Purpose: Celebrating 75 Years of the Miss West Virginia America Pageant" on Saturday, June 8 at 3 p.m. at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. A reception will follow the ceremony. The program is free and open to the public. [Read More]

The exhibition will feature gowns, shoes, swimsuits and other artifacts worn by those crowned Miss West Virginia, including items from 1963 Miss West Virginia, Karen Childers, to current Miss West Virginia, Madeline Collins. The exhibit will be located in the balcony gallery of the Norman L. Fagan State Theater.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS ASSISTANCE

Veterans Assistance earns more than $4,000 as result of memorial bike ride
On Thursday, Secretary Davis with the Department of Veterans Assistance was presented with a $4,055 check from the Blue Knights. The money, which was donated to support the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery, was raised during the 6th Annual Veterans Memorial Bike Ride on Sunday. [Read More]

DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

DHSEM, first responders hold multiple training sessions
Throughout the week, officials with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management held multiple training events, including an all-staff DHSEM training on Thursday. Additionally, four state and local first responders from West Virginia recently completed training, giving them the skills needed to instruct the Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Program Outreach Officers course. This course gives participants the ability to conduct outreach to industries and businesses, increasing public and private sector awareness of homemade explosive precursor chemicals and improvised explosive device components. [Read More]

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Wyoming County East High School recycling program wins national award
Students from Wyoming County East High School's recycling organization – the Friends of the Earth Club – were recently recognized as winners of the Presidential Youth Environmental Award by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, for their recycling efforts this year. The group of students collected more than 300,000 items of trash and recyclables, which totaled more than 10,000 pounds. The students and faculty who are part of the club have been invited to Washington, D.C. later this summer to be formally recognized for their accomplishment. [Watch Video]

The Friends of the Earth Club, which was created just two years ago, also finished 13th in another national recycling competition, earning $4,000 for their efforts. Additionally, one of the teachers helping to run the club has recently been honored as the Presidential Innovator for Environmental Education for the Mid-Atlantic Region this year.

###