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Gov. Jim
Justice joined officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
Milton Mayor Thomas Canterbury on Monday, signing an agreement to
work together on a project to build an 8,300-foot long levee
between the City of Milton and the Lower Mud River that will
significantly reduce the risk of future flooding in the
area. As part of the agreement, Gov. Justice pledged $43
million to the project. The funding will be allocated by the West
Virginia Legislature over the course of several years. The Governor
worked alongside legislative leadership to ensure the State would
be able to afford its contribution to the effort – which will
trigger a federal match, estimated to reach nearly $90 million
in additional funding to make the levee a reality. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Gov.
Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice joined West Virginia Senate
President Mitch Carmichael at a ceremony last Friday, where the
Governor awarded a check in the amount of $60,000 to jumpstart
much-needed upgrades to the Mason County 4-H Youth Camp’s kitchen
and dining facility. Gov. Justice presented the ceremonial check to
Mason County Commissioners Tracy Doolittle, Rick Handley, and Sam
Nibert during the event at the campsite. The grant represents the
final portion of the funding needed to start renovation
work. Mason County 4-H is a youth development camp that
provides a fun and safe environment for children to learn
leadership, citizenship, and life skills by participating in
various projects and services in areas like science, health,
agriculture, civic engagement, and more. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Gov.
Justice joined West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and
History Curator Randall Reid-Smith on Wednesday for a ceremony to
announce the winners of this year’s Almost Heaven Governor’s Art
Exhibition at the State Capitol Complex in Charleston. Awards
were given out to Best of Show and 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in three
categories: elementary school, middle school and high school.
Winners received Utrecht Art Supplies gift cards in the amounts of
$100, $50 and $25. All West Virginia students in grades K-12 were
invited to participate in the show. Designed to showcase student
creativity and the arts, this year’s exhibition called for
one-of-a-kind postcard designs that features a favorite seasonal
scene in West Virginia. Selected postcard artwork will be used by
the West Virginia Tourism Office to personally invite travelers to
Almost Heaven. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Gov.
Justice made a national television news appearance Wednesday on the
Fox News show, Fox
& Friends, welcoming all people and businesses from
across the country to come to West Virginia. Just last week,
Gov. Justice announced that 2019 came in as West Virginia’s best
year for job numbers in more than a decade. The Governor also
promoted West Virginia Tuesday, during a joint press conference
alongside Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. at Blue
Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Gov.
Justice visited Charleston Catholic High School Wednesday, speaking
to students as part of Catholic Schools Week in West
Virginia. As part of national efforts to recognize the vital
contributions of the thousands of Catholic schools across the
country, Gov. Justice also issued a proclamation, officially
declaring Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2020, as Catholic Schools Week in
West Virginia. West Virginia has more than 4,600 students
enrolled in Catholic elementary or secondary schools. The
graduation rate for West Virginia Catholic high school students is
over 99 percent, with nearly 98% of the graduates going on to
pursue higher levels of education. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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On
Tuesday, First Lady Cathy Justice visited with students at Our Lady
of Fatima Parish School in Huntington. There she met with several
grade levels and read a story to some of the students. [More
Photos]
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Gov.
Justice told members of the County Commissioners Association of
West Virginia (CCAWV) on Monday that he supports a bill moving in
the Legislature that gives citizens the right to vote if their
property is being considered for annexation. The Governor also told
the county commissioners that his office and other state agencies
are available and ready to assist them in times of emergency and in
other situations and issues that might arise. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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On Monday,
Gov. Justice addressed members of the West Virginia Society of
Certified Public Accountants, speaking at the organization’s 2020
Legislative Seminar in Charleston. The annual WVSCPA Legislative
Seminar provides accounting professionals in West Virginia an
opportunity to discuss ideas and challenges in the field, as well
as the chance to hear from government and business leaders from
across the state. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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Cadets
from the Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy (MCA) were at the West
Virginia State Capitol on Wednesday, meeting Delegates and Senators
and sharing with them their thanks for the continued support of the
MCA. Since 1993, more than 4,660 cadets from all 55 counties have
completed the MCA program, located at Camp Dawson, Kingwood, W.Va.
The 22-week residential program utilizes a quasi-military environment
to train and mentor at-risk youth to become contributing members of
society. A second MCA campus is planned to be operational by the
fall of 2020, located in Montgomery. [More
Photos]
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The West
Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is seeking partnerships
with organizations across the state to help feed children and
provide supervised activities during the summer months. When school
is out during the summer months, community programs and
organizations are vital to ensuring children in West Virginia are
still receiving the nutrition they need, especially in low-income
areas. County boards of education, local government agencies
and other nonprofit organizations can participate in the Summer
Food Service Program (SFSP), which ensures children (ages 18 and
under) in lower-income areas continue to receive free, nutritious
meals during the summer when they do not have access to the
programs that are available to them during the school year, like
the School Breakfast Program or National School Lunch Program.
Feeding sites often include schools, churches, community centers,
pools, parks, libraries, housing complexes, and summer camps. [Read More]
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Last
Friday, First Lady Cathy Justice visited the Culture Center to
speak at a luncheon for Women's and Girls' Day at the Legislature.
The West Virginia Women's Commission hosts the annual day at the
legislature where women and young girls are invited to meet with
lawmakers and tour the Capitol. [Watch Video] [More Photos]
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On
Tuesday, the WV Department of Environmental Protection hosted its
annual DEP Day at the Legislature. Citizens, environmental groups,
and lawmakers had the chance to learn more about the divisions
within the WVDEP, like the Office of Oil & Gas,
Environmental Enforcement, Division of Air Quality, Youth
Environmental Program, Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan,
and more. A member of the Fourpole Creek Watershed Association even
brought a mobile "Build Your Own Watershed" display. [More
Photos]
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Last
Friday, the West Virginia Department of Education hosted Simulated
Workplace student-led companies from three high schools for the
2020 JourneyUp Challenge. Two Simulated Workplace
companies from each participating school worked over the past
semester to develop plans to repurpose the Coca-Cola Bottling
Plant in Huntington, West Virginia. That facility, once an
important economic driver in the region, now sits empty as the jobs
and production have left the area. University High School in
Monongalia County took top honors in the challenge, with Harrison
County School District's United Technical Center and Bridgeport
High School took 2nd and 3rd, respectively. [Read More]
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First Lady
Cathy Justice attended a training session on Wednesday for new
Communities In Schools teachers. The session, held at the WV
Department of Education offices, was also to welcome new program
leaders from Lewis, Braxton, and Taylor counties. Communities In
Schools aims to forge community partnerships and bring
resources into schools to help remove barriers to student learning
with the goal of keeping all students in school and ultimately
graduating. The CIS program is now in 15 West Virginia counties. [More
Photos]
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On
Saturday, the West Virginia Division of Highways had to close both
northbound lanes of I-79 at mile marker 99 near the West exit due
to significant damage to the interstate. Crews were on scene
all-day working to repair pavement damage, which left a hole in the
construction zone. The interstate was re-opened later that day. [Watch
Video]
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Following
last week’s emergency closure of two eastbound lanes of the Eugene
A. Carter Memorial Bridge carrying I-64 over the Kanawha River in
Charleston, the West Virginia Division of Highways started
permanent repairs to the bridge deck on Wednesday. Crews worked in
the eastbound slow lane from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Wednesday to
Friday. They will shift to work in the fast and center lanes from
10 p.m. Friday through noon on Sunday. Motorists are encouraged to
enter the work zone prepared and alert as they are likely to
experience congestion and traffic backups. [Read More]
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On
Thursday, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
spotlighted an event planned for February 2 at the WV Wildlife
Center. This Sunday, French Creek Freddie, the groundhog, will come
out of hibernation to give his prediction on the forecast. Admission
is free. The main gate opens at 9 a.m., the celebration begins at
9:30 in the amphitheater and Freddie will come out of his burrow at
10. [Watch
Video]
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West
Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary
Jeff Sandy honored more than a dozen Division of Corrections and
Rehabilitation officers, administrators and staff, on Friday as
part of Corrections Day at the Legislature. Sandy and Corrections
Commissioner Betsy Jividen presented the third annual Freedom
Awards for Distinguished Service at a Capitol awards ceremony that
followed recognition of Corrections Day by both the state Senate
and House of Delegates. The secretary’s Freedom Award recognizes
employees for performances that exceed the normal expectations
involved in their duties and responsibilities. [Read More]
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In order
to attain the rank of a noncommissioned officer, Soldiers must
attend the Basic Leader’s Course, where they learn the fundamentals
of leadership, readiness, and training. U.S. Soldiers in the 30th
Armored Brigade Combat Team have been able to attend the Basic
Leaders Course while deployed in the Middle East, thanks to U.S.
Army Central that hosts a class nearly every month. At a graduation
ceremony of BLC on Friday, 26 Old Hickory Soldiers completed the
course, with seven Soldiers achieving the commandant’s list,
including the distinguished honor graduate and commandant’s writing
award winner. The 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team is
comprised of National Guard Soldiers from North Carolina, South
Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia and Washington, deployed for
Operation Spartan Shield. [Read More]
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