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Gov. Jim
Justice met with hospital administrators, doctors, other staff
members, and additional community leaders at Fairmont Regional
Medical Center in Marion County on Thursday, to evaluate options
after ownership recently announced plans to close the facility
within the next 60 days. During the meeting, the Governor and
hospital officials discussed the financial challenges facing FRMC
and what may be able to be done to help in any way possible. [Watch
Video]
Earlier in the week, Gov. Justice met with Marion County Senator
Roman Prezioso to discuss the announced closure to
further evaluate options and determine the best way forward. [Read More]
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On
Saturday, Gov. Justice joined Herbert Henderson Office of Minority
Affairs Executive Director Jill Upson for a ceremony in
Martinsburg, to present nearly a quarter of a million dollars in
grant funding to 13 organizations across Berkeley and Jefferson counties
as part of a new pilot program – called Building Resources In
Diverse Geographic Environments (BRIDGE) – that aims to
improve health and economic development in underserved communities
across the state. BRIDGE is a comprehensive community revitalization
effort with a mission of addressing poverty, improving
community-wide health, stimulating labor force participation and
supporting economic development. The program, which is active in Kanawha County
as well, also aims to combat substance abuse, improve crime rates,
and includes neighborhood revitalization. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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On
Saturday, Gov. Jim Justice attended an open house event in
Martinsburg, hosted by The Clorox Company, to discuss the company’s
proposed plan to build a state-of-the-art cat litter manufacturing
facility in Berkeley County. Clorox recently submitted a
sketch plan to the Berkeley County Planning Commission for review.
Company officials say their proposed location for the manufacturing
plant would be just off of Interstate 81 at Tabler Station, just a
few miles south of Martinsburg. If approved, the site would bring about
$192 million in economic development and create approximately 100
full-time jobs. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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With Paden
City breaking ground on a long-term solution to its public water
system issues, the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and
Emergency Management is pledging any needed personnel and resources
to the Ohio River community. The Bureau for Public Health at
the W.Va. Department of Health and Human Resources is also
assisting Paden City. It asked the federal Agency for Toxic
Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR), to evaluate the drinking
for non-ingestion household use. ATSDR advised that the results
show the water can safely be used for showering, washing dishes and
other household uses without adverse health effects. Gov. Jim
Justice declared a State of Emergency for
Paden City on Feb. 4, facilitating DHSEM’s support. Officials
stress that this proclamation was issued so the state can assist
this local response and does not indicate an escalation of the
water system’s issues. [Read More]
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On
Thursday, the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and
History hosted the 24th West Virginia History Day to celebrate the
state’s rich history during the regular session of the West
Virginia Legislature. Dozens of state and local historical groups
set up displays in the upper rotunda of the State Capitol with
exhibits of photographs, historical documents, and artifacts. The
annual “History Heroes” awards ceremony was also held at the
Culture Center, where awards were presented to 30 people who have
made significant contributions to the preservation of local or
regional history or have provided years of dedicated service to
these organizations. [Watch
Video]
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First Lady
Cathy Justice announced the winners of her Create a Quarter for
West Virginia contest last Friday during a Valentine’s Day
reception at the Culture Center in Charleston. The contest, in
honor of Presidents’ Day, is the sixth installment of the First
Lady’s Student Artist Series, an initiative that promotes the
importance of arts within schools throughout West Virginia by
hosting art competitions for students of varying age levels during
special holidays. For this contest, all 11th-grade students attending
public and private schools in West Virginia were invited to
participate. Students were asked to study the history of
Presidents’ Day and then re-create the reverse side of our West
Virginia state quarter in an artistic way. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Last
Friday, First Lady Cathy Justice attended a meeting at the State
Capitol to discuss the Communities In Schools program with
statewide leaders and legislators. Megan Wolfe, a senior at
Huntington High School, spoke to the group about how students can overcome
extreme hardships and excel using the CIS program. [More Photos] [Read More]
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Last
Friday, the West Virginia Department of Transportation spotlighted
the work starting in Glenville on a roundabout project at College
Street and Mineral Road. District 7 Construction Engineer Jason
Tharp says the roundabout will allow for an increase in traffic
flow without using a signalized intersection. It also reduces the
number of accidents. The roundabout will be located near Glenville
State College and is expected to be completed by Spring 2021. [Watch Video]
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Tourism Office highlights top winter
activities in the Mountain State
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This week,
the West Virginia Tourism Office highlighted top wintertime
activities for families to check out across West Virginia. You can
kick your cabin fever by going on an unforgettable ATV excursion this
winter with three trails along the hilly terrain of the Hatfield
McCoy Trail System that are taken up a notch when a fresh layer of
snow blankets the trails. The suggested trails include Bearwallow,
Pinnacle Creek, and Rockhouse. The Tourism Office also suggests three winter activities in Huntington,
including visiting Heritage Farm Museum and Village, taking a trip
to the Huntington Museum of Art, and visiting Blenko Glass to watch
their master glassblowers create stunning works of art.
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On Monday,
the West Virginia Army National Guard (WVARNG) observed the 285th
anniversary of the establishment of the first militia company in
what is now West Virginia. On Feb. 17, 1735, Morgan Morgan was
commissioned to the rank of captain to lead a new company of
riflemen, known as the First Virginia Regiment, in what is now
present-day Berkeley County. This company is better known today as
the 1st Battalion, 201st Field Artillery Regiment, whose lineage
led to the founding of the present-day West Virginia Army National
Guard. It is recognized as the oldest active National Guard unit
and the longest continuously serving unit in all of the U.S. Army. [Watch Video] [Read More]
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On Monday,
Kanawha County fifth-grade students explored issues such as
pollution in our oceans and the differences between tap and bottled
water during the inaugural Wild and Wonderful Water Science Fair.
The fair was organized by the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection’s Project WET (Water Education for
Teachers) Program and the City of Charleston’s Stormwater Program.
A panel of four judges evaluated 15 water science projects and
selected 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-place winners. Students from Lakewood
and Malden elementary schools were the big winners and will be
honored at their respective schools during ceremonies on Feb. 24. [Watch
Video]
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