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On
Wednesday, Gov. Justice announced that he plans to put as much
as $2 million to work to help jump-start construction of a new
community swimming and recreation facility called the Greenbrier
Valley Aquatic Center (GVAC). Plans to build the GVAC have been in
the works for nearly half-a-decade, when the concept was created by
a group of Greenbrier East High School students. Thousands of
individuals, businesses, and foundations have invested to try to
make this project a reality, raising over $4 million to-date.
However, the additional $2 million provided by Gov. Justice would
represent the final portion of funding needed to get development
off the ground. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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A century
and a quarter after the bill establishing Bluefield State College
was written, Gov. Justice became the first governor to sign the
legislation during an event at the State Capitol last
Friday. Penned in 1895, Senate Bill 122 – establishing what was
originally known as Bluefield Colored Institute – was passed by the
West Virginia Legislature 125 years ago. However, the bill was not
signed by then-governor William A. MacCorkle, becoming law without
his signature. In celebration of Bluefield State College’s 125th
anniversary, Gov. Justice did the long-overdue service of
ceremonially signing the bill Friday in honor of the institution’s
great contributions to West Virginia and in honor of the countless
alumni who have made an impact on West Virginia and the world. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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On
Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Resources announced
that its Bureau for Public Health is proactively preparing for the
potential community spread of novel coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC). Currently, West Virginia has no cases of
COVID-19 and no patients have been tested or are otherwise under
investigation for the illness in the state. Most West Virginians
are unlikely to be exposed to COVID-19 at this time, and the
immediate health risk is low. However, according to CDC, due to the
rapidly changing nature of the spread of COVID-19 around the world,
it is important for families and business to prepare now for
potential community spread. [Read More]
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Last
Friday, Gov. Justice announced that President Donald J. Trump
approved his request for a federal cost-share increase for June
2016 flood recovery projects from 75 percent to 90 percent. The
decision will allow FEMA to reimburse West Virginia 90 percent of
eligible costs of emergency expenses, debris removal and
infrastructure repair, allowing the State more flexibility to
contribute to the recovery in other ways. [Read More]
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After
legislators announced early versions of various budget bills this
week, Gov. Justice announced that he will refuse to support a
budget that does not include a full elimination of the waitlist for
the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Waiver (IDDW)
program. Elimination of the waitlist will allow 1,060 additional
West Virginians, including more than 600 children, to receive
critical services through this waiver program. [Read More]
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On
Tuesday, Gov. Justice addressed artists from across the state
at the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History’s 4th
annual Arts in Our Communities Conference at the Culture Center in
Charleston. The two-day event serves as an opportunity for training
and information sharing for both arts organizations and individual
artists throughout West Virginia. During his address, Gov.
Justice also announced that, in recognition of the value of the
arts and their positive influences on all West Virginians, he has
signed a proclamation officially designating Thursday, Feb. 27,
2020, as West Virginia Arts Day. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Last
Friday, Gov. Justice issued a statement of congratulations
after the West Virginia Board of Education voted unanimously to
appoint W. Clayton Burch as the West Virginia Superintendent of
Schools, following the resignation of Dr. Steven L. Paine. Burch
previously served in two different roles as a member of the
Governor's cabinet, including as Acting Secretary for the
Department of Education and the Arts and as the Interim Secretary
of Commerce. [Read More]
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Each year,
the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs Advisory Board
selects recipients for the Annual Trailblazer Awards. These
recipients are honored during a ceremonial event held at the end of
Black History Month. This year's ceremony was held on Thursday,
with awards going to Thaddeus Breckenridge (Groundbreaker Award),
Marvey Davis (Pioneer Award), Keisha Saunders (Trendsetter Award),
and Jotwyla Moore (Trailblazer Award). [Watch
Video]
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Last
Saturday, the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs hosted a
lecture series titled "Black History and Medicine" at the
Culture Center in Charleston. Holistic nutritionist and health
coach Ruby Lathon, Ph.D. was the speaker for the event and discussed
the history and progress of minority healthcare providers and
patients. [Watch
Video]
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Last
Friday, Deputy Chief of Staff Ann Urling presented a
proclamation, signed by Gov. Justice, declaring Feb. 21, 2020 as
West Virginia State University Day. Students, faculty, and staff
members attended the proclamation reading in the Governor’s Reception
Room at the State Capitol. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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On
Thursday, the Division of Natural Resources highlighted the hunting
education classes they offer. The class is open to anyone who wants
to learn more about hunting, but hunters must complete the course
and be certified in hunter education before they can purchase a
base license. The two day, 10-hour course is taught by DNR law
enforcement officers. The class is free and covers firearm safety,
hunting ethics, first aid, and conservation. [Watch Video] [More Photos] [Read More]
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Last
Friday, the Division of Natural Resources spotlighted the work
being done by officials to improve habitat at popular fishing
locations around West Virginia using old Christmas
trees. Following the Christmas season, DNR staff collect real,
full-size Christmas trees and place them in lakes around the state.
The program has environmental benefits beyond improving fish
habitat by finding a new use for trees that would otherwise end up
in a landfill. [Watch Video] [More Photos] [Read More]
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Lakes and
streams at West Virginia’s parks and forests are some of the best places
to catch a fish, but they’ll be even better thanks to the return of
announced trout stockings on Fridays and Saturdays in March, April,
and May. They start on March 13 and run through May 22. [Read More]
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With
spring just around the corner, the West Virginia Tourism Office is
highlighting ways that travelers can enjoy the blooming flowers,
misty mountain mornings, and vibrant evening skies that the season
brings. [Read More]
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This week
on WVDOT in
Motion, the agency spotlighted their recent efforts to
hire new personnel ahead of the 2020 construction season and to
streamline the hiring process altogether, to allow for prospective
new employees to be hired faster than ever before. [Watch
Video]
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On
Thursday, the West Virginia Department of Education's 2020 Teacher
of the Year, Jennifer Schehl Schwertfeger, was honored on the
Senate floor with a resolution commending her for her achievements.
[More
Photos]
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Senior
Enlisted Leaders and soldiers of the West Virginia Army National
Guard recently participated in a weeklong State Partnership Program
engagement in Lima, Peru, working alongside the Peruvian Armed
Forces to build professional military competencies within their enlisted
ranks as part of a Non-Commissioned Officer Professional
Development Program. [More
Photos]
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