West Virginia Week in Review - September 27, 2019

9/27/2019

West Virginia and nation of Hungary sign formal agreement to enhance economic relationship

 

 

 

On Tuesday, Gov. Jim Justice and other West Virginia officials hosted cabinet dignitaries from the nation of Hungary for a ceremony at the State Capitol, where leaders of both governments signed a formal agreement to work alongside each other to achieve economic success long into the future. [Watch Video]

 

 

Gov. Justice celebrates increased travel to West Virginia at state tourism conference

 

 

 

On Wednesday, Gov. Justice congratulated hundreds of West Virginia tourism industry professionals on their recent efforts, stimulating additional travel into the state, during a keynote address made as part of this year’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. [Watch Video]

 

 

Gov. Justice celebrates West Virginia’s historic low unemployment in national interview

 

 

 

Last Friday, Gov. Justice made a national television news appearance on the Fox News show, Fox & Friends, to discuss West Virginia recently recording its best unemployment rate in 11 years – dropping to 4.6 percent in the month of August. This figure surpassed the previous state record for this decade and stands as the best seasonally adjusted unemployment rate seen in West Virginia since October 2008. [Watch Video]

 

 

 

Gov. Justice also took part in another national interview on the Fox Business show, Trish Regan Primetime, on Monday. [Watch Video]

 

 

West Virginia awarded $1 million to provide assistance to laid off coal miners

 

 

 

Gov. Jim Justice announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded West Virginia $1.056 million in National Dislocated Worker Grant funds to assist continuing employment and training services for workers impacted by coal industry layoffs. [Read More]

 

 

Three West Virginia Elementary Schools Recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools

 

 

 

On Thursday, Gov. Justice and West Virginia Department of Education officials celebrated the recognition of three West Virginia schools, by the U.S. Department of Education, as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2019. Greenmont Elementary in Wood County, Hollywood Elementary in Raleigh County, and West Teays Elementary in Putnam County all received the distinction based on overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. [Read More]

 

 

Statewide outdoor burning ban remains in place; Gov. Justice adds exception to ban

 

 

 

At the request of officials with the state Division of Forestry and the Division of Natural Resources on Monday, Gov. Justice amended the recent statewide outdoor burning ban to allow burning in federal and state recreation areas, provided that certain conditions are met. The ban, itself, remains in effect at this time and will stay in effect until conditions improve and the Governor rescinds the order by further proclamation. [Read More]

 

 

Outdoor enthusiasts take part in National Hunting and Fishing Days celebration

 

 

 

This past weekend, a bevy of hunters, anglers, and general lovers of the outdoors gathered at Stonewall Resort State Park for the annual National Hunting and Fishing Days celebration. This year's event included big buck displays, trophy fish displays, hunting and fishing vendors, and many family activities – such as an outdoor youth challenge. The event also featured live bluegrass performances.

 

 

Bridge deck replacement project underway on WV Turnpike in eastern Kanawha County

 

 

 

Crews with the Division of Highways have recently begun a project to replace the decking on an overpass bridge along the West Virginia Turnpike, near the town of Marmet. The project is utilizing a new method – called Accelerated Bridge Construction – to complete the deck replacement significantly faster than what used to be possible. [Watch Video]

 

 

Major work on I-64/Danner Road overpass bridge in Charleston to begin October 5

 

 

 

On Wednesday, the Division of Highways announced that a major project to replace the decks on the I-64 Danner Road overpass bridge, between the Oakwood Road (exit 58A) and Montrose Drive (exit 56) exits, has been officilly scheduled to begin Saturday, Oct. 5 at 12:01 a.m. Motorists should expect delays throughout the project, which is expected to last 60 days. [Read More]

 

 

Wheeling Suspension Bridge closed to vehicular traffic after public disregard of safety signs

 

 

 

Due to the traveling public's continued disregard of weight limit and safety signs on the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, officials with the Department of Transportation closed the bridge to vehicular traffic on Tuesday. The closure will continue on for the foreseeable future. Earlier this year, the bridge had to be closed for six weeks after a tour bus – which far exceeded the posted two-ton weight limit – attempted to cross the bridge, only to get stuck under a barrier. And, in the time since, operators of additional vehicles over the weight limit have continued to ignore restrictions, and have repeatedly driven on the bridge. [Read More]

 

 

Polish cosmetics manufacturer opens first U.S. commercial office in West Virginia

 

 

 

Last Friday, a company that has made skincare products in Poland for more than 30 years opened its first branch in the United States in West Virginia. BANDI Laboratories celebrated the ribbon-cutting of its initial sales and distribution center in Martinsburg. The sales and distribution operation will be in The Hub, a business center and community space in downtown Martinsburg. BANDI plans to establish a U.S. manufacturing facility within the next five years.

 

 

Gov. Justice issues proclamation declaring Agenda for America's Youth Day in WV

 

 

 

On Wednesday, Gov. Justice issued a proclamation, officially designating Sept. 25, 2019 as Agenda for America's Youth Day in West Virginia, which aims to encourage citizens and groups to search for solutions to some of the top problems faced by young people today. The proclamation was presented by the Governor's Chief of Staff, Mike Hall. [More Photos]

 

 

Department of Arts, Culture and History hosts STEAM Power WV Showcase

 

 

 

On Thursday, the Department of Arts, Culture and History, in partnership with the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, hosted the 2019 STEAM Power WV Showcase at the Culture Center in Charleston. The showcase allowed statewide recipients of the 2018-19 STEAM Power WV grant to show their innovative, educational projects integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. [Watch Video]

 

 

West Virginia National Guard spotlights force-on-force training at Camp Dawson

 

 

 

This week, the West Virginia National Guard released footage highlighting the work of the 119th Sapper Company, which recently conducted a force-on-force training session at Camp Dawson. [Watch Video]

 

 

West Virginia small business hosts dinner in celebration of the fall season

 

 

 

Last week, J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works, a client of the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, hosted a dinner celebrating the upcoming fall season. The event featured Chef Matt Welsch of Vagabond Kitchen and was in partnership with 11 local farms and producers in West Virginia. [Watch Video]

 

 

West Virginia Board of Education to host Listening Tour

 

 

 

Last Friday, the West Virginia Board of Education announced it will soon be hosting six meetings at locations around the state as a part of a 2019 listening tour. The purpose of the tour is to provide an opportunity for members of the public to inform the work, processes and policies of the WVBE that support high-quality learning. [Read More]

 

 

Dynamite discovered, removed from abandoned mine site

 

 

 

This week, the Department of Environmental Protection highlighted recent efforts to remove explosives from an abandoned mine in McDowell County after the Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation discovered dynamite at the site. [Watch Video]

 

 

Annual Adopt-A-Highway fall statewide cleanup scheduled

 

 

 

The Department of Environmental Protection announced this week that the Adopt-A-Highway fall statewide cleanup is set for this Saturday, Sept. 28. Co-sponsored by the WVDEP and the state Division of Highways, the AAH program aims to improve the quality of the environment by encouraging public involvement in the elimination of highway litter. Since the program’s inception in 1988, state citizens have cleaned up close to 70,000 miles of state highways and roads during annual spring and fall AAH events. [Read More]

 

 

Local responders graduate from WV's first Emergency Management Basic Academy

 

 

 

Last Friday, 38 staff members from West Virginia’s state and county emergency management agencies graduated from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s national Emergency Management Basic Academy. The academy, the first of its kind to ever be hosted in West Virginia, was held in Flatwoods and was sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Consisting of 152 classroom hours and six prerequisite independent study courses, the Basic Academy provides a training experience combining knowledge of all systems, concepts, and practices of cutting-edge emergency management. [Read More]

 

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Contact Information

Jordan Damron, jordan.l.damron@wv.gov

Contact

Office of the Governor
State Capitol, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston, WV 25305

Office Phone:
304.558.2000 or 1.888.438.2731

Governor's Mansion:
304.558.3588

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