Banking on the Stimulus Bill

The highway component of the proposed federal stimulus legislation could create more than 14,000 jobs in West Virginia, according to estimates presented to lawmakers and reported by The Associated Press.

The figure "includes 3,840 jobs that would come directly from hiring for road and bridge projects," and is based on a formula of "16 direct jobs for every $1 million received," the article said. The state's share of highway funding has been estimated at $240 million, out of an overall stimulus slice of $1.1 billion.

The $240 million would cover just a fraction of the $970 million worth of road and bridge projects that Gov. Joe Manchin identified last month. But state highway officials said any of the 139 projects on the list could launch within 180 days of receiving stimulus funds, with most ready to roll within 90 days.

The Register-Herald of Beckley also reports on the jobs estimate, while MetroNews has an item on the funding (and audio).

The Intelligencer of Wheeling, meanwhile, focuses on a different slice of the stimulus pie.

"The West Virginia School Building Authority will deny about two-thirds of the funding requests it received this year unless federal economic stimulus dollars make their way to the agency's coffers," that article said.

Topics Piling Up For 2009 Session

The final monthly legislative interim meetings that precede the 60-day regular session are usually marked by a raft of draft bills endorsed by the study committees.

One would change West Virginia's "certificate of need process, by which the state regulates health care operations ranging from surgical procedures to capital expenditure," The Associated Press reports. "The draft would make it easier for state hospitals to open operations in neighboring states and exempt some smaller clinics from the process if they meet certain criteria."

AP also reports on a draft bill that would hike insurance premium surcharges paid by most West Virginians a fraction of a percent, "to help fund a pension-type benefit for volunteer firefighters." The Register-Herald has an item as well.

The Beckley paper separately notes the stalled status of a bill sought by landowners approached by oil and gas companies for what lies beneath. "One major provision would not only mandate a 15-day notice to a landowner but also require a 30-day waiting period before any land is disturbed for a drilling operation," that article said. "Drillers who own the mineral rights would be required to explain in full detail the scope of their planned operations and post a $5,000 bond per well to cover the costs of damages."

MetroNews reports on a measure that would "require fast food companies to display the calorie intake for food items on their menus." The item also has audio of Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha and a physician, explaining the proposed bill.

The Journal of Martinsburg reports on a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon for Eastern Panhandle lawmakers. "Most of it focused on legislators' concerns about the state's increasingly ailing economy and what can be done to help get it back on track," the newspaper reports.

And the Charleston Daily Mail sets the stage for Gov. Joe Manchin's fifth State of the State address, slated for Wednesday after the 79th Legislature gavels in for its regular session.

Gambling in West Virginia: Video Raffles

The Legislature may be called upon to revisit state gambling laws, in the wake of a Tax Department crackdown on "charitable raffle ticket dispenser machines," The Associated Press reports.

Harrison County's prosecutor targeted 144 of the devices in a raid on a Clarksburg bingo hall. Tax officials have since fined the Elks lodge responsible for the machines $100,000 and moved to revoke their charitable gaming licenses.

Officials have also gone after the licenses of a Berkeley County group that's had 100 machines, fining it $50,000. But the prosecutor there believes the state's relevant laws and regulations are confusing and outdated.

"Video poker parlors have become big business," the AP article said, and "the $189.6 million netted in the budget year ending June 30, 2008 reflects an 8.3 percent increase over the prior year."

Raffle and bingo games, West Virginia's dominant gambling venues until the lottery began in 1986, has seen a notable drop in revenues since the arrival of "limited" video lottery. But Tax Department figures suggest they still gross more than $100 million annually statewide.

Quote of the Day

“This country wasn’t built on handouts. We didn’t become leader of the free world by waiting on someone to give us a handout.”

-- Gov. Joe Manchin, responding to a question about the federal stimulus bill during Thursday's Legislative Lookahead forum held by The Associated Press.

Looking Ahead to the Legislative Session

Reporters and editors from around the state got a hint at some of the issues on tap for the upcoming 60-day session, at a Thursday forum held by The Associated Press:

• Gov. Joe Manchin hinted at both tax relief and possible premium increases for the unemployment compensation fund, AP reports.;

• But after Manchin re-issued his pledge against raising taxes, at least for general revenue, a pair of legislative leaders touted a hefty cigarette tax hike as a way to further health care coverage, AP also reports;

• AP reports as well on the expected roles coal and natural gas will play in the state's revenue picture for the short-term, with Thursday's discussion also turning to the environmental concerns from each.

Others reporting from the Legislative Lookahead include The Charleston Gazette and the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington (additional article here).

West Virginia's Incredible Shrinking Budget Surplus

The recession and bad timing for collections (the month ended on a Saturday, delaying receipts) marred West Virginia's general revenue for January, The Associated Press reports.

The poor showing -- $46 million below estimate -- reduced the year-to-day budget surplus by about two-thirds, to $28 million. But tax officials still expect to end the year June 30 in the black -- unlike at least 43 other states.

"But January's figures show more evidence that the two factors that have kept West Virginia fiscally healthier than most other states — coal and the lottery — are starting to fade," the AP aricle said.

Bernie Madoff's West Virginia Victims: 1

A search of the 13,000+ names of the victims of Bernard Madoff's $50 billion ponzi (a 162-page list, found here among other places) appears to reveal just one Mountain State resident among the Wall Street figures clients.

The listing is for a limited partnership set up by a Summers County man in September 2007. No indication of its losses from the list.

Update: The Charleston Daily Mail has a story on Hinton's Larry Levine, while The Associated Press reports on the overall victim/client list.

Massey Gains Allies in U.S. Supreme Court Fight

Massey Energy has attracted its own share of public officials in support of its position in the pending U.S. Supreme Court appeal brought by Harman Mining, The Associated Press reports.

A group of 10 current and former justices, the attorney general's offices of seven states, a pair of law professors and the James Madison Center for Free Speech have filed "friend of the court" briefs on Massey's behalf.

Harman and its president argue that state Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Benjamin should have recused himself before twice voting to overturn the $50 million verdict they had won against Massey. The petitioners cite the more than $3 million that Massey CEO Don Blankenship spent to help Benjamin get elected.

Wednesday's amici briefs argue otherwise. The American Bar Association and the Brennan Center of Justice each offer links to those briefs. The Charleston Gazette also has an item.

Harman's side attracted 10 briefs from 47 different entities (including the ABA, the Brennan Center, and a group of 27 former justices) supporting its argument, while Benjamin's peers on the Conference of Chief Justices raised a question about his presence on the Massey case without taking sides. The above sites offer those earlier briefs as well.

Century Closing

After a concerted effort from Gov. Joe Manchin, West Virginia's congressional delegation and other officials to keep it going, "Century Aluminum of West Virginia's Ravenswood smelter is closed and a majority of its 651 remaining employees will be laid off by Feb. 20," The Associated Press reports, citing the company's parent.

Others with coverage include The News and Sentinel of Parkersburg, The Charleston Gazette and Charleston Daily Mail, MetroNews (with audio), and Public Broadcasting (also with audio). Several note the attempts by government officials to stave off closure, with some also observing possible aid to Century's workers from the pending federal stimulus package.

WV GOP Touts Fundraising

The Associated Press focuses on efforts by West Virginia's Republican Party to step up fundraising in the wake of disappointing back-to-back election cycles.

GOP officials say "the party raised nearly $19,000 last month, including about $7,500 from a new direct mail effort," after attracting just $717 the previous month. The party boasts it entered February with a $26,000 cash balance.

But the Republicans also have additional expenses following the 2008 election season, with the (re-)hiring of Gary Abernathy as executive director.

The party's December report shows that he was paid a $1,500 "executive director consulting fee" that month.

The Democrats reported raising $2,572 in December and ending that month with $67,700 on hand.

With a voter advantage of nearly 2-to-1, West Virginia's Democrats dominated the GOP in fundraising last year. They raised nearly twice as much from contributors, but also fielded 13 times as much in transfers from national party organizations and members of Congress. This edge allowed the state party to outspend its Republican counterpart by more than 4-to-1, while maintaining a cash balance each month that averaged $83,022 more than the GOP's.

January's reports from both parties to the Federal Election Commission aren't due until later this month.

Quote of the Day

"Let's get this straight: These guys are going to Vegas to roll the dice on the taxpayer dime? They're tone deaf. It's outrageous."

-- U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, when told by The Associated Press that "Wells Fargo & Co., which received $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money, is planning a series of corporate junkets to Las Vegas casinos this month."

(Update: Wells Fargo has "abruptly canceled" the trip after initially defending them, AP reports.)

Caring for West Virginians, Young and Old

A pair of recent reports highlight actual or potential shortcomings in the care provided to those starting out and winding down in the Mountain State.

The Associated Press was among those who picked up on a new review that shows that only 8 percent of the state's child care centers are accredited "and the state lacks a system to measure whether the 64,000 children in the centers are receiving quality care."

The Charleston Gazette, meanwhile, analyzed a new federal rating system to report that while 12 of 130 West Virginia nursing home programs "got five-star ratings ('much above average')," 34 received just one star and a "well below average" rating.

That article explains the rating, fields reaction and links to the federal data and rating system.

Sizing Up W.Va.'s Share of the Federal Stimulus

With the Senate debating a federal stimulus package, and the House having passed its own version of the bill, West Virginians have begun eyeing their potential share of the funding.

As The Associated Press reported earlier, West Virginia the House version included an estimated $1.4 billion for the Mountain State. Both The Charleston Gazette and the Charleston Daily Mail consider the funding possible for the state's education needs.

Public Broadcasting, meanwhile, notes the power Gov. Joe Manchin holds for parceling out some of the federal funds. "Some of the proposed stimulus money leaves no room for discussion, such as funding for Medicaid," that article said. "It will be Governor Manchin who decides which infrastructure projects receive funding." (Audio here.)

The Gazette also reports that Charleston city officials are seeking stimulus dollars.

Update: Public Broadcasting spoke to U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, about her "no" vote against the House version.

"According to the U.S. Votes database on the Washington Post Web site, Capito actually has been more likely to vote with her fellow Republicans than average," that article said. "Since she won election in 2000, Capito has voted about 92 percent of the time with Republicans, compared to an average of 89 percent."

Audio here. The article notes that Public Broadcasting next plans to interview Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., about the stimulus legislation.

Benjamin Off Massey Cases

West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Benjamin has recused himself from all Massey Energy-related matters, pending a high-profile appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court, The Associated Press reports.

With a hearing set for March, that pending case has attracted 11 "friend of the court" briefs" from 48 different entities questioning Benjamin's presence in a $50 million coal contract dispute involving Massey.

"Benjamin says in a memo Saturday that it would be personally and judicially disrespectful to participate in cases involving Massey until the high court finishes its review," AP reports.

AP had earlier reported that Benjamin had intended to hear a Massey-related case scheduled for last week. That case has since been postponed until April. (A court spokeswoman initially told AP that Benjamin would not disqualify himself, but later said he was awaiting any requests for his recusal before deciding whether to remain.)

Massey recently filed its brief in the pending U.S. Supreme Court appeal, The Charleston Gazette reported. Massey expects "friend of the court" briefs supporting its position by Thursday.

Others with reports of Benjamin's recusal include MetroNews and WOWK-TV.
Update: The Charleston Gazette also has a report.

Ex-Manchin Aide Heading to Lobbying Firm

Gov. Joe Manchin's just-departed deputy chief of staff is joining a new lobbying firm headed by the state Democratic Party chairman, The Associated Press reports.

Joe Martin, who left the administration Friday, is the first hire for LGCR Government Solutions LLC, an offshoot of the Lewis, Glasser, Casey & Rollins law firm.

Firm partner Nick Casey, the Manchin-appointed state party chairman, is LGCR's manager according to the paperwork filed Friday setting it up.

Martin recently asked the state Ethics Commission "for a 'revolving door' exemption that would allow him to look for a new job," The Charleston Gazette reported last month.

"Under state ethics law, public officials may not seek employment with any businesses or individuals that they had regulatory or policy making authority over for 12 months after leaving government service," that article explains.

LGCR "provides government relations solutions at the state, federal and local levels," and works with associations, grassroots groups and political action committees, it said in a release.

DCCC Targeting Capito Over Stimulus Vote

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee lists U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, among 28 House GOP members it plans to attack with radio ads and a "grassroots initiative" after their caucus opposed last week's stimulus bill en masse.

Politico has an item on the DCCC announcement. That in turn cites an earlier Politico report that House Republicans assembled at Virginia's posh Homestead resort last week "rose in a standing ovation" when shown C-SPAN video of the stimulus vote.

The Toll on the W.Va. Turnpike

The Associated Press offers an overview of the West Virginia Turnpike's funding situation and road conditions, in advance of its parent agency's expected push for a toll hike.

AP took part in last week's media tour of the 88-mile highway, which focused on the effects wrought by Mother Nature and deferred maintenance. Others on the two-day review included The Charleston Gazette, the Charleston Daily Mail, The Register-Herald of Beckley, MetroNews (with photos and audio) , WOWK-TV and the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.

Update: Public Broadcasting also has an item, and audio.

McKinney: I was with Steele All the Way

West Virginia GOP Chairman Doug McKinney notes in a press release that he supported the eventual winner of Friday's battle to lead the Republican National Committee "from the first ballot."

Michael Steele became the Republican's first black national party chairman in history. The the former lieutenant governor of neighboring Maryland prevailed on the sixth ballot, The Associated Press reports.

McKinney says he personally pledged his vote when Steele visited him "and national committee members Jim Reed and Donna Gosney in Charleston several weeks ago."

MetroNews' Talkline interviewed McKinney before Friday's vote, though only the audio indicates whom he planned to support.

Mollohan Still under the Microscope

Roll Call has devoted more than 3,300 words to an wide-ranging overview of the campaign contributions, federal earmarks and nonprofit organizations linked to U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and to the past coverage of such.

Here's the intro:

On March 22, 2004, Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) collected just over $300,000 for his re-election campaign, more than half the total that he spent for the two-year election cycle.

Of the donations he collected that day, at least $100,000 came from individuals tied to companies that have addresses in the office park built around the Alan B. Mollohan Innovation Center and operated by the West Virginia High Technology Cooperative, a foundation that Mollohan helped create.

The list of tenants in the office park reads like a who’s who of Mollohan campaign donors. But the connections between Mollohan and the building named after him don’t end there.

The office park is at the center of a web of relationships among a dozen or so individuals and companies that support Mollohan’s campaigns, his local booster organizations and the Robert H. Mollohan Family Charitable Foundation Inc.

Mollohan has provided many of these same companies with millions of dollars of federal earmarks, and announced millions more in grants to these companies from government agencies and larger federal contractors.

And the individuals who lead these companies also have deeply intertwined business relationships — many have overlapping memberships on the boards of organizations in the office park and of private for-profit companies.

Update: Mollohan responded to the latest article on MetroNews' Talkline.

Capito Subject of White House Charm Offensive

The Hill counts U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, among 11 House GOP members asked over to the White House by Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel the evening before Wednesday's vote on the $819 billion stimulus bill.

"The invitation was part of a full-court press the new president and his staff employed as they tried to get at least some bipartisan support for the bill," the newspaper reports. "House Republicans had high praise for Obama’s willingness to visit them, but were not swayed by the personal appeal."

The Hill also reports that U.S. Sen Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., was on the guest list for the bipartisan White House cocktail reception that followed Wednesday's vote.

They Voted for You: SCHIP

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., helped pass legislation Thursday "extending government-sponsored health insurance coverage to about 4 million uninsured children," The Associated Press reports.

Approved 66-32, the measure "authorizes an additional $32.8 billion over the next 4 1/2 years for the State Children's Health Insurance Program," the article said. "The House plans to take up the same measure next week."

"The bill pays for expanding SCHIP by increasing the federal excise tax on cigarettes from 39 cents to $1 a pack," AP reported. "The Democratic majority turned back Republican amendments to limit expansion of the program."

More Turnover for Team Manchin

Three senior aides plan to depart the administration of Gov. Joe Manchin, The Associated Press reports.

Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Martin is retiring at the end of the month, while General Counsel Carte Goodwin is expected to depart before the Feb. 11 start of the legislative session.

Lara Ramsburg, recently promoted to public policy director from communications director, says she will stay through the 60-day session but will leave before the June 30 end of the fiscal year.

Turnover has been limited since Manchin won his second term in November.

The Charleston Gazette also has an item.

Scarbro Promoted to W.Va. Dem Post

Derek Scarbro will succeed Tom Vogel as executive director of the state Democratic Party, its chairman announced in a press release.

Vogel earlier announced plans to step down March 31. Scarbro, his deputy, has held other posts within the party. The 28-year-old old was also president of the state's Young Democrats, the release said.

Analysis: Up to 77,000 West Virginians Out of Work by 2010

"The Mountain State’s unemployment rate will soar to between 8.7 percent and 9.5 percent by the final three months of 2009," The Associated Press reports, citing an analysis by Moody’s Economy.com.

Such rates have not been seen in West Virginia since the early1990s, and would be double what the state saw during that time period last year, AP reports.

West Virginia counted 39,000 unemployed residents last month, and a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.9 percent.

"The forecast released this week predicts possible double-digit unemployment for 10 states, including neighboring Ohio and Kentucky," the article said. "It also sees the national rate nearing 9 percent, or nearly 5 million people, by the end of 2010. The U.S. rate hit 7.2 percent in December."

West Virginia: Blue, But with an Asterisk

Gallup Poll Daily surveyed more than 350,000 U.S. adults last year, including at least 1,000 West Virginians, while seeking to measure partisanship in the states.

It found that those who identified themselves as at least leaning Democratic in the Mountain State held a 19 percentage point margin over those identified as leaning Republican.

Voter registration shows a gap of 26.5 percent between Democrats and Republicans. The poll notes that "this measure adds partisan-leaning independents to the percentage who identify with either of the parties."

The results for West Virginia put it among 29 states and Washington, D.C., that "had Democratic party affiliation advantages of 10 points or greater last year... In contrast, only five states had solid or leaning Republican orientations in 2008, with Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Alaska in the former group, and Nebraska in the latter."

But the poll found nine states and DC with larger Democratic margins than West Virginia, and three others at 19 percent. It also noted that West Virginia led a pack of four "solid" Democratic states that went for Republican John McCain in November.

The main implication of the poll results, according to Gallup: "As recently as 2002, a majority of states were Republican in orientation," but "the political landscape of the United States has clearly shifted in the Democratic direction.

"With Democratic support at the national level the highest in more than two decades and growing each of the last five years, Republican prospects for significant gains in power in the near term do not appear great," Gallup concludes. "But the recent data do show that party support can change rather dramatically in a relatively short period of time."

They Voted For You: Digital Delay

U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, helped defeat a Senate-passed bill that aimed to "delay the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting to June 12," The Associated Press reports.

Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for the motion to suspend rules and take up the measure, but the 258-168 margin was not enough.

Republicans opposed to the bill argued that "postponing the transition from the current Feb. 17 deadline would confuse consumers," the AP article said. "The defeat is a setback for President Barack Obama and Democrats on Capitol Hill, who maintain that the Bush administration bungled efforts to ensure that all consumers -- particularly poor, rural and low-income Americans -- will be ready for next month's analog shut-off."

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., author of the bill, said "a delay is the only way to ensure that millions of Americans don't see their television screens go dark next month," the article continues. "The Nielsen Co. estimates more than 6.5 million U.S. households that rely on analog television sets to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals still are not prepared for the transition."

'09 Session To End Without Live Coverage

West Virginia Public Broadcasting plans to end its tradition of covering live the final hours of the 60-day session of the Legislature.

The news outfit cited the recent trend in which "legislators have engineered a drama-free ending to the session." Noting the cost of that live coverage, including renting a satellite truck and hiring additional staff members, Public Broadcasting instead plans to spend the money to "strengthen day-to-day legislative coverage."

The announcement notes that its session mainstay, The Legislature Today, "will broadcast weekdays at 6:30 and 11:30 p.m. on West Virginia PBS. And for the first time, The Legislature Today will be available anytime on You Tube."

They Voted For You: Federal Stimulus

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, helped pass "a historically huge $819 billion stimulus bill Wednesday night, filled with new spending and tax cuts at the core of the young adminstration's revival plan for the desperately ailing economy," The Associated Press reports.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, voted against the legislation, as did all of her GOP colleagues who took part in the 244-188 roll call.

"The vote sent the bill to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin as early as this week on a companion measure already taking shape," the article said. "Democratic leaders have pledged to have legislation ready for Obama's signature by mid-February."

As for the partisan divide, AP reported that "With unemployment at its highest level in a quarter-century, the banking industry wobbling despite the infusion of staggering sums of bailout money and states struggling with budget crises, Democrats said the legislation was desperately needed."

Republicans "said the bill was short on tax cuts and contained too much spending, much of it wasteful and unlikely to help laid-off Americans," the article continued.

Update: West Virginia's congressional delegation shared their voting plans with MetroNews (audio here) beforehand. The Charleston Daily Mail reported on Capito's "qualms" with the bill.

W.Va. Dem Executive Director Stepping Down

West Virginia's Democratic Party is looking for a new executive director, after Tom Vogel announced he plans to step down March 31.

Vogel did double-duty in 2008, as director of the Obama campaign's West Virginia efforts.

Those with the news include WSAZ-TV, the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, and the Charleston Daily Mail.

Quote of the Day

"Had he not been nominated for treasury secretary, it's doubtful that he would have ever paid these taxes."

-- U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., explaining his vote against confirming Timothy Geithner for the cabinet post, as quoted by The Associated Press.

They Voted For You: Digital Delay

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., joined the rest of their colleagues in a unanimous vote "to postpone the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting by four months to June 12," The Associated Press reports.

Democrats "have been pushing for a delay amid growing concerns that too many Americans won't be ready for the currently scheduled Feb. 17 changeover," the article said, while also quoting Rockefeller as the Senate's Commerce chairman.

"Delaying the upcoming DTV switch is the right thing to do," said Rockefeller, the author of the bill to push back the deadline. "I firmly believe that our nation is not yet ready to make this transition at this time."

Public Broadcasting (with audio) reported earlier on disagreement within the state's delegation on the issue.

Byrd Votes Against Geithner

U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., voted Monday to oppose the confirmation of Timothy Geithner as President Obama's Treasury secretary, The Associated Press reports.

The 60-34 vote reflects concerns over how Geithner "did not pay all of taxes until he had been tapped to the president's Cabinet," the articlel said. "Geithner called it an unintentional oversight and settled his $34,000 overdue tax bill."

W.Va. Looking at $1.4b slice of federal stimulus

The Associated Press reports that West Virginia could get $1.4 billion from the federal stimulus legislation now under debate in Congress.

The estimated share "includes $253 million to boost Medicaid funding over the next two years," the article said. "There's also $243 million for roads, $101 million for school construction and $4.3 million for dislocated workers. Other education-related funding in the proposed package tops $188 million."

The Manchin administration had presented $2.2 billion worth of projects it deemed eligible for the stimulus funds. AP notes that "the proposed bill would give West Virginia the 12th-highest amount when the funding is compared to state populations."

The Charleston Daily Mail details Manchin's roster of projects. MetroNews talks to one of the state's three U.S. House members in advance of the expected vote on the stimulus bill. The Charleston Gazette examines efforts by the coal industry, with help from the state's Capitol Hill delegation, to get in on the funding.

Update: Public Broadcasting also checks in with West Virginia's congressional delegation regarding the stimulus proposal. With audio.

Mental Health Care in W.Va.

The Associated Press offers an update on mental health care services West Virginia, and the attempts to bring them up to par with an overall system that is often found lacking.

"The treatment of people with mental illness is at the heart of a court case pitting the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources against Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom," AP's Tom Breen explains. "Based on a 1981 court order that required the state to establish a mental-health-care delivery plan, Bloom wants to look at how the state is providing services for people with traumatic brain injury, and also at persistent problems with overcrowding at the Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington."

Trimming West Virginia's Budget

The Manchin administration says it remains on track to reduce spending by at least $318 million over five years with the help of the national consulting firm Public Works LLC, The Associated Press reports.

Two years into the effort, the firm's proposals have "cut state spending or otherwise saved West Virginia $201.7 million," administration officials tell AP.

Steps taken range from cracking down on Medicaid fraud to calibrating salt spreaders on the state's fleet of snow plows, the article said.

While some of the steps reflect one-time savings, others "could pare down annual spending by an estimated $92 million in each of the next few years," AP reports. "Such breathing space comes at a crucial time," given the national recession and the threat of future budget deficits.

Raid Targets "Illegal" W.Va. Casino

A weekend raid on a Clarksburg conference center yielded 144 video gambling machines that state tax officials deem illegal, The Charleston Gazette reports.

The conference center, Village Square, "calls these machines 'Video Raffle Ticket Dispensers,'" the article explains. "According to Village Square's lawyers, these are not video lottery machines and therefore don't need to be approved or regulated by the state Lottery Commission."

State tax officials disagree, as does Harrison County's prosecutor, who's "investigating Village Square and its owners," the article said. IRS agents assisted in the raid, along with county sheriff's deputies.

"Village Square's president is David Gross, a Clarksburg businessman, according to incorporation papers and previous newspaper articles," The Gazette reports. No one was arrested during Saturday's raids, which also hit a Clarksburg residence.

MetroNews also reported on the raids. They coincide with a simmering debate across the state over the video lottery parlors that dot the landscape, and the future of such community-based gambling.

W.Va. Firm Wins Award for '08 Political Ad

Campaigns & Elections' Politics Magazine has bestowed one of its 2009 Reed Awards on West Virginia's Rainmaker Media Group.

In the running in several categories, the firm won for "Toughest Direct Mail Piece" for last year's "Forrest Gump" mailing.

Update: The mailing targeted (now-former) Putnam County Circuit Judge Ed Eagloski, as part of Democrat Phillip M. Stowers' successful bid to unseat the Republican incumbent.

FactCheck Examines "Clean Coal" Debate

FactCheck.org has analyzed the dueling ads and claims over whether "clean coal" is possible.

"Our answer: Probably, though it would come with a big price tag," the nonpartisan organization concludes.

They Voted For You: Lilly Ledbetter

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., voted for the "Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009."

The legislation, which prevailed 61 to 36, "reverses a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that narrowly defines the time period during which a worker can file a claim of wage discrimination, even if the worker is unaware for months or years that he or she is getting less than colleagues doing the same job," The Associated Press explains.

"The House is expected to act quickly to again approve the measure, sending it to Obama for his signature," AP reports. "The House passed a nearly identical version two weeks ago but then combined it with another bill that the Senate didn't consider."

As they had in the House, Republicans in the Senate argue the measure would "subject companies to more lawsuits and be a bonanza for trial lawyers," the article said.

Update: Byrd and Rockefeller co-sponsored the Senate version, along with 52 of their colleagues.

Study Finds Charleston Missing out on Cleaner Air

Cleaner air has allegedly extended U.S. lifespans -- but not around West Virginia's capital, The Charleston Gazette reports.

The newspaper cites a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers "found that, between 1978 and 2001, Americans' average life span increased almost three years to 77," the article said. "As much as 15 percent of that - or 4.8 months - could be attributed to cleaner air, study concluded."

"But in the Charleston area, particulate pollution levels dropped by only 4.3 microns per cubic meter, compared to the national average of 6.52 microns," the article continues. "The Charleston-area life expectancy increased by 1.9 years, compared to the national average of 2.72 years."

The article notes further that last month, "the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed the Charleston area on its list of areas that are not meeting a new EPA limit for very small particulate pollution."

Lawsuit from Ballot Petitioners Proceeds against W.Va. DNR

The Associated Press reports that "a federal judge has refused to dismiss a First Amendment lawsuit a political party filed after the Division of Natural Resources said the party couldn't distribute literature and collect signatures for a candidate petition drive at a state park."

The Constitution Party of West Virginia had brought their petition drive to National Hunting and Fishing Day at Stonewall Jackson State Park, while trying to put their candidates on the state's Nov. 4 ballot.

DNR officials cited park and agency rules and policies in halting the group. The pending lawsuit alleges the party's "civil and constitutional rights were violated. The Rutherford Institute, a Charlottesville, Va.-based civil rights group, filed the suit on their behalf."

The party's presidential candidate, Charles Baldwin, did end up on the West Virginia ballot. He attracted 2,465 votes or 0.35 percent, according to the secretary of state.

A Coming W.Va. Battle in the Culture Wars

West Virginia's Supreme Court recently agreed to hear the appeal of a same-sex couple fighting to regain custody of a child they've raised since birth, and a pair of conservative Christian groups have weighed in against them.

The Family Policy Council of West Virginia, aided by the national Alliance Defense Fund, has filed a "friend of the court" brief arguing that "it is in the best interests of all children to be brought up, as natural children are, in a home with a married mother and father."

The state group has also been recruiting pastors and others to press the Legislature and Gov. Joe Manchin "to pass a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage," The Associated Press reported last year.

The Charleston Daily Mail earlier previewed the pending custody case, which arises from a Fayette County circuit judge's ruling against the couple.

MetroNews reported on this week's amicus brief, and also has audio.

Update: On a related note, The Charleston Gazette reports that a state senator plans to push this session for a West Virginia specialty license plate reading "In God We Trust."

Gambling in West Virginia: Video Poker

The Associated Press looks at the panel formed by Gov. Joe Manchin to review "the state's 8-year-old system for licensing the video poker and slot machines that formerly proliferated without regulation or taxation."

"There are 9,000 under the statute," State Lottery Director John Musgrave, a member of the panel, told AP's Tom Breen. "The governor has indicated he'd like to see fewer machines, and we'll have to see how that plays out."

With the licenses up for renewal in 2011, "limited video lottery machines grossed $411 million in fiscal year 2008, or 27 percent of the $1.5 billion total gross from all gambling enterprises, including the four racetracks and lottery numbers games," the article said.

But more than a few communities have chafed under their volume of poker parlors, while experts continue to raise concerns over this form of gambling.

Gearing up for the Legislative Session

"Gov. Joe Manchin’s pledge to continue emphasizing West Virginia coal as a good energy source" prompted The Associated Press to seek out specifics from the administration and the industry.

"Manchin wasn’t referring to any specific plans for coal," a spokesman told AP Business Writer Tim Huber, but his comments instead "reflect the importance coal has played in building the country and its future."

But the governor "is likely to have a specific agenda on renewable energy, which will come out in his state of the state speech Feb. 11," Jeff Herholdt, director of West Virginia’s Division of Energy, told AP.

Industry forces, meanwhile, "expect more than historical nods from Manchin’s second term," Huber writes.

West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney hinted at a measure addressing surface mine reclamation "designed to help develop the state’s economy." Other possible topics include "carbon dioxide sequestration and coal-to-liquids," AP reports.

Business groups, meanwhile, have already begun to lobby lawmakers at local forums on their pet issues. The Journal of Martinsburg previews a forum that the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce has set for early February to discuss " health care, education, transportation, tax and tort reform and water quality."

The News and Sentinel of Parkersburg report that limits on lawsuits and damage awards tops the agenda of the West Virginia Business and Industry Council, which hosted area legislators Wednesday.

Lawmakers were also told not to tinker with the state's unemployment compensation program, amid questions about its future funding levels, that newspaper reports.

West Virginia and the Obama Inauguration

Plenty of West Virginians took time to watch Barack Obama take the oath and deliver his inaugural speech as the 44th president of the United States.

The Associated Press talked to several of them. So did The Charleston Gazette, the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, The Register-Herald of Beckley (here and here as well), the News and Sentinel of Parkersburg and the Charleston Daily Mail (also here).

Public Broadcasting offers a wide-ranging report, with reaction from Huntington, Charleston, a Beckley VA center, Concord University in Mercer County and elsewhere (with audio for each).

MetroNews also has several items and audio from the day.

Those interviewing West Virginians who trekked to Washington for the event include the Daily Mail, The Register-Herald, The Intelligencer of Wheeling and Public Broadcasting (with audio).

The Journal of Martinsburg was among those who sought comment from Gov. Joe Manchin after he attended Obama's inauguration.

Manchin Inaugural Rakes in $800k

More than 220 donors contributed around $800,000 for Gov. Joe Manchin's second inauguration, The Charleston Gazette reports.

"Predominant among the list of sponsors are coal, natural gas and other energy companies; health care and pharmaceutical companies and physicians; lawyers and law firms; labor unions and gaming companies - large and small," the article said.

Byrd False Alarm

When Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., suffered a seizure at a post-inauguration luncheon for President Barack Obama, some reported that Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., also had to be taken from the event.

But The Associated Press later explained that Byrd left the luncheon on his own, concerned for Kennedy after having witnessed his friend's collapse.

Kennedy, diagnosed last May with a particularly aggressive type of brain tumor, "was hospitalized Tuesday but quickly reported feeling well," AP reports.

West Virginia Inauguration Recap

jMonday's inauguration ceremony and Gov. Joe Manchin's speech enjoyed statewide coverage, from The Associated Press on down.

AP also has text of Manchin's speech, and reports on the other inaugural festivities. Others with coverage include:

• The Register-Herald of Beckley, which also reports on reactions from Manchin's fellow Democrats in the Legislature, the minority Republicans and predecessor Gaston Caperton;
• The Charleston Daily Mail, which reports separately on the "hundreds of onlookers huddled around the north courtyard of the state Capitol" for the governor's speech, and on the inaugural ball;
• The Charleston Gazette, which also has photos;
• The Times-West Virginian of Fairmont;
• The Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, which also has an item on the inaugural parade;
• MetroNews, which also offers audio, photos and interviews both with lawmakers and lobbyists (also with audio) and those in the crowd;
• Public Broadcasting, which has audio as well as video and an item on weather's effect on turnout (with audio).

The News and Sentinel of Parkersburg, meanwhile, is among those reporting that after his swearing-in, Manchin headed to Washington for Tuesday's inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

AP also has an item on the sole new member of West Virginia's executive branch sworn in Monday: Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, who completes the Democrats' sweep of the state Board of Public Works.

W.Va. on TV

Several West Virginia towns that figure in the history of the 20th Century coal boom appear in a new documentary airing on BBC America, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports.

“The American Future: A History by Simon Schama is a four part documentary that was filmed during the presidential election of 2008," the article said. "Areas such as the Town of Bramwell, Green Valley near the City of Princeton and the Town of Pocahontas, Va. were filmed along with the community of Thurmond and the New River Gorge when Schama and his crew visited the region."

The installment featuring West Virginia, "Part 3: American Fervor," airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. "Schama explores how faith has shaped American political life," a blurb on the channel's Web site said. "For the first time in a generation it’s the Democrats who are claiming to be the party of God. In the recent Presidential election it was Barack Obama, and not John McCain, who spoke of his faith."

The Food Network, meanwhile, continues to air the episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives that profiles Cabell-Wayne's Hillbilly Hot Dogs and includes a cameo by U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd.

Watching the Manchin Inauguration

Gov. Joe Manchin will be sworn in along with the other five members of West Virginia's Board of Public Works at an outdoor Monday ceremony that begins at 1 p.m. on the Capitol's north steps.

Those offering live online coverage include:

Public Broadcasting

WCHS-TV

WSAZ-TV

WTAP-TV

The Manchin Record

As West Virginia waits for Gov. Joe Manchin to take the public oath for his second term, The Associated Press is among those weighing the changes wrought during his first four years in that office.

"During his first trip to the Capitol's south steps, for his 2005 inauguration, Manchin told West Virginians 'we must pursue a new and different course,'" the article notes. "Referring to the dome overhead, then undergoing repairs, the 61-year-old vowed also to 're-engineer our government, repair our schools, and revamp our economy.'"

AP has also compiled a list of measures that compare West Virginia then to now (or, by citing the latest available data):


JOBS
Then: 747,500 (Workforce West Virginia, December 2004)
Now: 761,000 (Workforce West Virginia, December 2008)

UNEMPLOYMENT (Seasonally adjusted)
Then: 5.0 percent (Workforce West Virginia, December 2004)
Now: 4.9 percent (Workforce West Virginia, December 2008)

BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS WITH EMPLOYEES (private sector)
Then: 44,219 (Workforce West Virginia, 2004)
Now: 44,840 (Workforce West Virginia, 2007)

FAMILIES IN POVERTY
Then: 14.1 percent (American Community Survey, U.S. Census, 2004)
Now: 13.0 percent (American Community Survey, U.S. Census, 2007)

PER-CAPITA INCOME
Then: $18,025 (American Community Survey, U.S. Census, 2004)
Now: $20,419 (American Community Survey, U.S. Census, 2007)

COAL MINE DEATHS
Then: 12 (U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration, 2004)
Now: 8 (U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration, 2008)

UNINSURED WEST VIRGINIANS
Then: 289,000 (U.S. Census estimate, 2004)
Now: 254,000 (U.S. Census estimate, 2007)

COLLEGE-GOING RATE (high school seniors)
Then: 59.3 percent (Higher Education Policy Commission, 2004)
Now: 57.5 percent (Higher Education Policy Commission, 2007)

STATE EMPLOYEES (full-time equivalent)
Then: 37,215 (2004 U.S. Census of Government Employment)
Now: 38,060 (2007 U.S. Census of Government Employment)

GENERAL REVENUE SPENDING
Then: $3.01 billion (State Budget Office, fiscal year 2004)
Now: $3.90 billion (State Budget Office, fiscal year 2009)

AP observes that "a booming energy market has undoubtedly aided Manchin's efforts, as had solid investment returns until last year's meltdown," and that "income levels remain lower than that of most other states, but did grow at a larger rate than the national average."

The Charleston Daily Mail has a partial list of AP's benchmarks. MetroNews also looks back on Manchin's first inauguration, and the pledges he made then. With audio.

Manchin Begins 2nd Term

The Associated Press sets the stage for Monday's launch of Gov. Joe Manchin's second term.

AP's Tom Breen, meanwhile, was on hand for Sunday's ecumenical Mass meant to kick off the occasion. Manchin is the state's first Catholic governor, though the governor "made a point of noting the presence of Protestant, Jewish and Muslim leaders among the invited guests."

"Bishop Michael Bransfield, the spiritual leader of the state's Roman Catholics, reminded Gov. Joe Manchin and the hundreds of others in attendance what was happening outside the church: foreclosures, layoffs and uncertainty about the future," Breen reports.

WSAZ-TV also covered the special Mass, and has video. Those highlighting Monday's inaugural parade and swearing-in ceremony include AP, MetroNews, The Register-Herald of Beckley, and WOWK-TV. The Charleston Daily Mail focuses on the inaugural ball.

WCHS-TV will offer live streaming video of the 1 p.m. inauguration ceremony.

In advance of the inaugural events, Manchin set down with several state media to discuss his first term and his plans for the next four years. The Times-West Virginian of Fairmont and the Daily Mail (with an earlier installment here) are among those with such coverage.

Alabama AG Rallying to Massey, Benjamin

"Alabama Attorney General Troy King wants attorneys general around the country to join him in supporting West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Benjamin and Massey Energy in a case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court," The Charleston Gazette reports.

After a wide-ranging array of 48 different parties raised questions about Benjamin's refusal to recuse himself from the case, Massey has until Feb. 4 for "friend of the court" briefs supporting its position to be filed.

The Gazette explains that "Dan Schweitzer, a lawyer for the National Association of Attorneys General, e-mailed a memorandum on Friday morning outlining Troy's position to other attorneys general across the country."

The article quotes from the e-mail: "The amicus brief will argue that once a state has chosen its preferred method of selecting judges - whatever that method is - states should have the ability to police judicial participation through carefully constructed state recusal policies."

"In other words," the e-mail continues, "making recusal a federal issue by 'constitutionalizing' it is unnecessary and, as a practical matter, unwise."

Massey, however, has been seeking to make recusal a federal issue by "constitutionalizing" it since 2006, when it sued West Virginia's Supreme Court over its recusal rule. The federal lawsuit is pending, and sits on the U.S. District Court's inactive docket to await the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court appeal.

Keeping Tabs on Lobbyists

The Charleston Gazette pours over the latest batch of lobbyist spending disclosures, with the latest tally including more than $25,800 spent to fete lawmakers during their September interim meetings in Harrison County.

W.Va. Teachers Still Plan to Press for Raises

The signs of tightening financial times won't deter West Virginia's teacher groups from "an aggressive push on lawmakers this session for better pay and more reasonable health care costs," the Charleston Daily Mail reports.

The West Virginia Education Association "wants a multi-year pay increase of between 4 percent and 5 percent a year until the state's average education pay is competitive with other states," the article said.

The American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia " would like to see a $5,000 across-the-board pay increase next year, followed by $2,500 increases the next two years."

Each also wants a change in the breakdown of premiums divided between teachers and their school system employers, the article adds.

"Lawmakers last year approved a 3 percent raise for teachers and education workers," the article notes. "Last year also was the last of a four-year incremental pay raise schedule for educators, so some teachers saw a little more money there."

They Voted for You: Wilderness

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., helped pass the "Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009."

The 73-21 vote advances legislation "to set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as protected wilderness and allow Alaska to build an airport access road through a wildlife refuge," The Associated Press reports.

The Charleston Gazette reported earlier that the huge package of public land protections in the bill include "a broad expansion of wilderness areas in the Monongahela National Forest."

One Republican opponent called the measure "a land-grab that would lock up acreage that could be used for future development such as oil and gas drilling," the AP article said.

W.Va. Hospitals Brace for Recession

The Associated Press highlights how hospitals in West Virginia and elsewhere are not immune to the grim economic times that are zapping jobs and employers from an array of other industries.

"Hospitals from California to Maine find themselves forced to cut costs as they confront tight credit, investment losses and higher costs coupled with more charity care, more unpaid hospital bills and more people deferring all but the most essential treatments," AP reports. "And they're doubly challenged to make the cuts without jeopardizing patient care."

W.Va. Tackles Prison Problem

In the wake of repeated projections of a booming prison population, Gov. Joe Manchin has appointed a special commission to supply him with answers by July 1, The Associated Press reports.

"Division of Corrections estimates show the state inmate population will grow to 8,530 by 2012," the article said. "Manchin's executive order directs the commission to identify resources that can be spent on prison diversion programs such as community-based corrections or alternative sentencing. The commission also is to determine if additional prisons are needed."

But the article also notes that "the state Supreme Court created a seven-member panel last month to determine if the court needs to reinsert itself into the correctional system debate." The court has picked a former jail official recently fired by the Manchin administration to head its effort.

Remembering Marland

Former West Virginia Gov. William Casey Marland (1953-1957) made history several different ways, as Public Broadcasting notes: "a severance tax on natural resources, his stance on school integration," and "his reputation as an alcoholic" that led to the now-infamous 1965 discovery that after his term that he had ended up "driving a Chicago cab as part of a self-made rehabilitation program."

Public Broadcasting brings that and more back to the forefront with a new documentary, "Reconstructing Bill," that will air on its Outlook program tonight at 9 p.m. and again 6 p.m. Sunday.

Public Broadcasting also offers the above five-minute preview on YouTube.

They Voted for You: Children's Health Insurance

All three of West Virginia's U.S. House members helped pass legislation Wednesday "to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program."

Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st; Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd; and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for the "Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009" in a 289-139 roll call.

The Associated Press reports that the bill would "expand government-sponsored insurance to 4 million more children in working families with income too high to qualify for Medicaid."

But "between 300,000 and 600,000 of the new enrollees could be non-citizen children of legal immigrants who have been in the country less than five years," AP observes, calling that a "sticking point for some Senate Republicans who also will consider a similar bill."

"Congress passed similar legislation in 2007 but it was vetoed both times by departing President George W. Bush," the article said, while Barack Obama said "he hoped the Senate acts with the 'same sense of urgency so that it can be one of the first measures I sign into law when I am president.'"

79th Legislature Swears In, Elects Leaders, Recesses

Earl Ray Tomblin will continue his streak as the longest-serving Senate president in state history, and House Speaker Rick Thompson was also re-elected as the Legislature convened and voted on its top leaders Wednesday.

The House and Senate also jointly certified November's balloting returns before recessing until Feb. 11, when their 60-day session begins.

As The Associated Press reports, lawmakers are "already preparing for tight financial times," mindful of the national recession and the budget woes facing most other states.

Wednesday's smooth proceedings -- Tomblin was re-elected by acclamation, while Thompson enjoyed the backing of all House Democrats present -- contrasts what befell the Tennessee House (in a dispatch written by a former denizen of AP's Charleston statehouse bureau).

W.Va. Lawmakers Briefed on 4-Day Gov't Workweek

Legislators has received an overview of Utah's ongoing pilot project, "which last August mandated that 17,000 of its 24,000 state employees switch to four-day workweeks," The Charleston Gazette reports.

"Utah officials estimate that the reduced amount of commuting to and from work will save state employees $6 million," the article said. "The state itself expects to save $3 million from reduced utility costs for offices that are closed three days each week."

The article also said that "members of the Government Organization and Government Operations committees weren't completely convinced Tuesday that a four-day workweek would be a good idea in West Virginia."

79th Legislature Readies For Session

West Virginia's 79th Legislature plans to meet briefly Wednesday to elect leaders, and then recess until Feb. 11 and Gov. Joe Manchin's fifth State of the State address.

The Associated Press sets the stage. Both House Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, have been nominated to retain those top posts. Tomblin is already the longest-serving Senate president in state history, while Thompson is headed toward a second, two-year term atop the House.

Changing the PROMISE

A new report recommends that West Virginia cap its merit-based, PROMISE college scholarship awards to $4,500 a year to arrest explosive growth in the program, The Associated Press reports.

The advisory committee assigned to assess PROMISE found evidence that its was meeting its goals, albeit modestly, of increasing the state's college-going rate and its share of degree holders.

But the report also links prior efforts to control costs, by upping academic requirements, to a drop in the percentage of lower income students reaching college.

"An unintended consequence is that lower-income recipients become ineligible at a higher rate than their middle- or upper-income counterparts," the report said.

The committee also "found more harm than good with converting the scholarships into loans for recipients who then leave the state," AP reports. "Gov. Joe Manchin had proposed that change last year, then withdrew it to await the study's results when lawmakers balked."

The report further recommends a community service component for recipients. The Charleston Gazette had earlier outlined what had been expected from the committee's report, released Tuesday to legislators. MetroNews also has an item, with audio from Higher Education Policy Commission Chairman Brian Noland.

Homelessness in West Virginia

West Virginia may have one of the lower rates of homelessness in the country, but has the highest rate of those within that population who are chronically so, a new report estimates.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness found that 48% of the state's homeless in 2007 were chronic, or "individuals with a disability who have been homeless for long periods or who experience repeated episodes of homelessness."

The report also notes the problems in collecting reliable data to estimate chronic portions of that population. West Virginia's overall homeless rate was 13 out of every 10,000 residents. Nevada had the worst per-capita rate, of 49, and Mississippi the lowest at 5 per 10,000.

MetroNews reported on the findings. "Also notable from the report is that West Virginia experienced a 58-percent increase in its homeless population during the two years of that study," its item said. "The state began the study in 2005 with only 1,522 people who qualified as homeless. Two years later that jumped to 2,409 people living in either a shelter or on the street."

W.Va. Pushed to Expand Medicaid

A national health care advocacy group believes West Virginia could boost its economy by expanding its Medicaid program to cover more working parent, The Associated Press reports.

"Washington, D.C.-based Families USA released a report Monday that says expanding parents' eligibility from $6,160 in annual income for a family of three to $17,600 could generate $73 million in new federal money," the article said. "That money, in turn, could generate 1,351 new jobs, $46 million more in wages and $132 million in increased business activity as doctors, nurses and others buy goods and services."

The Charleston Gazette also covers Monday's report, noting that Manchin administration officials are reviewing it but believe it "underestimates the number of West Virginia adults who would become eligible for Medicaid under the higher income limit."

One officials suggested the move would increase annual Medicaid spending by more than $53 million, while adding 67,000 adults to its rolls.

"West Virginia children qualify for Medicaid coverage, provided their parents make $44,000 or less as part of a family of three," that article said. "But working adults across the state aren't eligible for Medicaid unless they make less than $6,160 - the seventh-lowest income threshold in the nation. The restrictive requirement hasn't been changed in more than a decade."

Fed Stimulus Could Help, Hinder W.Va. Road Fund

"The far-reaching federal stimulus plan expected from President-elect Barack Obama will likely delay any serious overhaul of West Virginia's State Road Fund," The Associated Press reports. "Lawmakers discussing state highway funding on Monday said they should wait to see just what the estimated $775 billion package might provide for Mountain State road projects."

The Manchin administration expects to ask for $2.2 billion, the price tag for "projects that would qualify for funds under the proposed terms of the stimulus," AP reports. "About $970 million of the state's total reflects road- and bridge-related projects, with $224 million of that coming from the West Virginia Turnpike."

But legislators were also reminded that they must still address the chronic funding problems of the State Road Fund, the principal source of state revenues for West Virginia's highway needs.

Others with coverage include The Charleston Gazette, MetroNews and The Register-Herald of Beckley. The latter two also quote Senate Finance Chairman Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas, criticizing the state's decision (proposed by Gov. Joe Manchin, approved by the Legislature) to freeze a scheduled 2009 increase of state gas taxes. MetroNews has audio.

W.Va. Hospital Among Madoff Casualties

The $50 billion Ponzi scheme allegedly orchestrated by Bernard Madoff included West Virginia in its scope, The Charleston Gazette reports.

Charleston Area Medical Center lost $200,000 in the apparent scheme while its foundation is out another $800,000, the newspaper reports.

"It's an actual loss we're recording," Larry Hudson, CAMC's chief financial officer, is quoted as saying. "It's an operational loss we'll have to work with."

"A growing number of prestigious charitable foundations, international banks and individuals have acknowledged falling victim to what is alleged to be the largest financial fraud in history," the article said. "CAMC officials plan to discuss the $1 million loss when the hospital's Board of Trustees meets Jan. 28"

W.Va. Rainy Day Fund Takes a $133m Hit

The Wall Street meltdown has weakened West Virginia's emergency reserves by $133 million, spurring a debate over whether or how the state should invest such funds, The Associated Press reports.

"The so-called rainy day fund had equaled about 15 percent of the state's general revenue budget in June, for one of the best savings rates in the country," AP reports. "It now contains about $448 million, or 11.5 percent of general revenue," though "that's still better than the 10 percent level advocated by bond rating agencies."

While "Senate Finance Chairman Walt Helmick said the state should never have started investing its rainy day fund," Revenue Secretary Virgil Helton "advised against immediately yanking the fund's investments, as Helmick seemed to suggest."

"That would be the easy thing to do, and the dumb thing to do," the article quotes Helton as saying. "Helton said that while the values of its holdings have dropped, it could eventually regain all but about $50 million that had been invested with such global crisis casualties as Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual."

The Charleston Gazette also has coverage.

W.Va. Supreme Court Starts New Term Tuesday

The Associated Press previews the state Supreme Court in advance of Tuesday's start of its Spring 2009 term.

"West Virginia's legal community does not seem to expect major changes to the state Supreme Court from its two newest justices," the article said, casting Margaret Workman and Menis Ketchum as moderates likely to calm a perceived rancor at the state's top court.

"Workman and Ketchum join a five-member court that issued unanimous rulings in 77 percent of its opinions published last year. About 60 percent of those decisions were unsigned, meaning they broke no new legal ground," the article said. "But the pair also arrive amid continuing ethics allegations that have drawn national headlines since last year."

A New Prison for West Virginia?

State corrections officials tell legislators that the rising inmate population makes the need nearly unavoidable, The Register-Herald of Beckley reports.

Expecting 8,530 people sentenced to prison by 2012, "West Virginia has space for only 5,300 prisoners, and currently, the 10-unit regional jail system is housing 1,200 convicts since there is no room for them," the article said. "A new prison would cost in the neighborhood of $200 million."

The Charleston Gazette also covered that legislative interim meeting. It notes that lawmakers were told that " changes in sentencing appear to be one factor."

"Since 2000, the number of inmates sentenced on drug charges has jumped 9.7 percent, while those convicted of property crimes has increased 5.7 percent," that article said. Five years ago, "62 percent of inmates in state prisons were violent offenders. Now, a majority of inmates are serving time for non-violent offenses."

Coal-ash Dams in W.Va.

West Virginia has at least 16 of the sort of dam that unleashed more than 1 billion gallons of wet coal ash in Tennessee when it failed last month, but they "haven't been examined by a state dam safety inspector for at least five years," The Charleston Gazette reports.

"Some of the facilities have gone more than 20 years without a government inspection," the article said, citing data released by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The article features an online interactive map. The Gazette also follows up by reporting that "federal investigators have identified serious deficiencies in West Virginia's effort to ensure coal slurry impoundments do not break into nearby underground mines."

They Voted For You: Wage Discrimination

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, helped the House pass "two bills to help workers, particularly women, who are victims of pay discrimination," The Associated Press reports.

"The Lilly Ledbetter Act would reverse a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that a worker must file claims of wage discrimination within 180 days of the first decision to pay that worker less, even if the person was unaware of the pay disparity," AP explains. "The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes that have enabled employers to evade the 1963 law requiring equal pay for equal work."

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, joined most of her fellow GOP House members in opposing both bills. The first passed 247-171, the second by 256-163.

"Republican opponents of the two measures argued that they would foster lawsuits against businesses and mainly benefit trial lawyers," AP reports. "The Ledbetter bill could reach the Senate floor as early as next week."

Manchin Losing DMV Commissioner (Updated)

As Gov. Joe Manchin nears his second term with little turnover among his administration's top officials, Division of Motor Vehicles Chairman Joe Cicchirillo plans to resign at the end of the month "to pursue other interests," The Associated Press reports.

The Charleston Daily Mail also cites Friday's statement from the Department of Transportation. "Cicchirillo was appointed by Gov. Joe Manchin in 2005 to head the DMV," that article said. "Prior to that, he was ombudsman for the former West Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission and city manager for the Northern Panhandle cities of Follansbee and Weirton from 1997 to 2003."

The Charleston Gazette reported earlier that while he's announced no plans to leave, Manchin Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Martin "has asked the state Ethics Commission for a 'revolving door' exemption that would allow him to look for a new job."

Manchin Picks Ross for Proudfoot Seat

Former state Sen. Mike Ross will return to the West Virginia Legislature after Gov. Joe Manchin on Friday appointed the Randolph County Democrat to succeed the late Delegate Bill Proudfoot.

The governor said in a statement that his decision was "based upon his experience and prior service to the State of West Virginia, his ability to step into the legislative process quickly," and "his long-time friendship and knowledge of Del. Bill Proudfoot and his work."

(Update) Ross, 70, was in the state Senate until Republican Clark Barnes unseated him in 2004. Barnes won their rematch in November after Ross reported spending more than $444,000 -- more than any other 2008 legislative candidate -- on his unsuccessful comeback bid.

Proudfoot was killed in an auto accident two days before Christmas. Manchin's release said he spoke to Proudfoot's widow about Friday's appointment.

Update II: The Associated Press has an item, as does the Charleston Daily Mail and MetroNews.

W.Va. GOP Chairman Seeks End to Abernathy Dispute

West Virginia's state GOP chairman has issued a press release addressing the party members who disagree with the re-hiring of Gary Abernathy as executive director.

Dr. Doug McKinney responded after Republicans, including "roughly 10 members of the State Executive Committee," met in Salem Thursday night "to discuss the state party."

“I’m disappointed that I was not invited to join them and directly answer many of their questions,” McKinney is quoted as saying in the release. “But nevertheless, I want to invite them to join me and other Republicans across the state to turn our focus toward challenging the Democrats and winning elections in 2010 and beyond.”

Attendee Bob Adams, one of Abernathy's unsuccessful candidates during the 2008 elections, told MetroNews Talkline that the underlying effort to oust McKinney over the hire was " a Judas move, against a loyal hardworking Republican."

Adams specifically referred to a letter circulated by some party members calling for McKinney's resignation. "Adams says he was told the letter will not be released unless 30% of the state Republican Executive Committee members sign it," MetroNews reports.

While against opposing that push, Adams also said that "McKinney alone is not to blame for the state of the state Republican Party:"

There's not one person, whether it's a Congresswoman, whether it's an Executive Director, whether it's a state Chairman, who's going to make the difference in this Republican Party. It takes the Party as a whole and, frankly, the Party wasn't there for its candidates in 2008.

At least one blog has been created to air the ongoing debate, while another posted about Thursday's meeting (though it appears to refer to at least one non-party member who apparently participated).

McKinney's statement appears to have been released late Thursday, perhaps some time after the meeting ended.