West Virginia Week In Review - December 10, 2022

West Virginia Week In Review

​ Share Tweet Forward Gov. Justice and Commercial Metals Company (CMC) announce new Micro Mill in Berkeley County On Thursday, Gov. Jim Justice and Commercial Metals Company (CMC) announced that Berkeley County will be the home of the company's fourth micro mill. The facility, projected to cost approximately $450 million, will produce rebar and is projected to begin operations in late 2025. CMC turns scrap into new, sustainable steel products by recycling more than 19 billion pounds of metal each year. The new facility in the Eastern Panhandle is expected to have the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of straight-length rebar and premium spooled rebar. Read More Photo Album YouTube Gov. Justice partners with Comcast to connect 2,100+ unserved West Virginia homes and businesses Gov. Justice announced Tuesday he officially signed West Virginia’s Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) program grants for Comcast to begin construction activities to connect more than 2,100 unserved homes and businesses across the state. Comcast next month will begin to execute the buildout plan for two projects totaling more than $10 million, enabled in part by a $7.5 million state grant to provide more residents in Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Morgan, Ohio, and Putnam counties access to Comcast’s smart, fast and reliable fiber network. Read More Gov. Justice announces contract award for Hal Greer Boulevard renovations in Huntington On Friday, Gov. Justice announced a construction contract for a massive renovation project on Hal Greer Boulevard from Washington Avenue to 3rd Avenue in Huntington. The Hal Greer Boulevard Rehabilitation Program contract has been awarded to Triton Construction Inc., with a low bid of $13,551,000. The goal of the renovation is to make the area more user-friendly for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists, and to make the corridor more attractive. Read More Photo Album YouTube Twitter Facebook Flickr YouTube First Lady Cathy Justice announces winners of the 2022 First Lady Student Ornament Competition and Best Bow Christmas Contest This year’s winners of the First Lady Student Ornament Competition and the inaugural Best Bow Christmas Contest were announced last weekend at the annual Joyful Night Celebration at the Capitol Complex. The First Lady Student Ornament Competition is a holiday tradition that encourages students across the state to submit ornaments around a special theme. The competition had over 280 entries, the most entries ever received. The Best Bow Christmas Contest winners can also be seen on a special Christmas tree in the Great Hall of the Culture Center. Read More First Lady Justice introduces newest Friends With Paws therapy dog during Pup Rally at Wayne Elementary School First Lady Cathy Justice visited Wayne Elementary School for a “Pup Rally'' Friday to celebrate the arrival of the state’s next therapy dog through the Friends With Paws Communities In Schools program. The dog introduced at today’s event is named Winnie. She is an Apricot and White Labradoodle. Read More Photo Album Gov. Justice appoints James Bailey as Secretary of Commerce Gov. Jim Justice announced Wednesday that he has appointed James Bailey as Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Commerce. Bailey has served as Acting Secretary of the Department of Commerce since July 2022, following the retirement of Ed Gaunch. Prior to that appointment, Bailey was the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce since August 2021. Read More Twitter Facebook WVDNR announces increased 2022 fall turkey harvest West Virginia’s 2022 fall turkey harvest increased by almost 46 percent over last year’s harvest, according to preliminary results released by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Fall turkey hunters harvested 1,012 birds this past season compared to 694 birds last year. The fall 2022 harvest was just 0.24 percent below the five-year average and 9.6 percent below the 10-year average. Read More Twitter Facebook Twitter Facebook WVDEP sends out additional online survey in preparation for expanding dilapidated properties program Due to the continued interest in the pilot phase of its newly established Dilapidated Properties Program, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection distributed a second online survey to county and municipal leaders across the state Friday to gather information and seek input as it works to expand the program. Gov. Justice announced $9.2 million in grant funding for the 21 communities participating in the program's pilot phase in September. Read More Also this week: Nicholas Stuchell Named Interim Commissioner of DHHR’s Bureau for Behavioral Health Jessica Hudson Named Chief Operating Officer of DHHR WVDOT Division of Multimodal Transportation Facilities provides matching grants to West Virginia International Yeager Airport WV Dept. of Homeland Security responding to multiple false threats of violence to WV schools WV State Parks extends deadline on holiday deal on gift cards ###