DaughterGate Update

• The Associated Press reports on two of the most recent developments: the planned departure of WVU Chief of Staff Craig Walker, and the imminent appointment of former Massachusetts Institute of Technology president Charles M. Vest to WVU's Board of Governors;

• The Charleston Gazette has separate items on Walker's announced resignation and Gov. Joe Manchin's pick of Vest;

• MetroNews reports on Walker, on the departure of Charleston lawyer Steve Farmer from WVU's board, and on the selection Vest to that panel;

• The Charleston Daily Mail offers a run-down of the opening seats on WVU's board, and potential appointees. MetroNews Talkline Host Hoppy Kercheval opines on the latter;

• AP also reports on a move by some legislators toward a legislative interim study of the policies that contributed to the "West Virginia University's granting of an unearned degree to the governor's daughter."

• Those lawmakers tell AP they do not foresee the sort of investigation called for in an early June letter from a group of other legislators. The Register-Herald of Beckley and MetroNews highlight that effort.
  

• AP earlier reported on steps planned by WVU's Faculty Senate to ensure they have a role in finding a successor to outgoing President Mike Garrison.
  

Special Session Update

The 19 bills that form Gov. Joe Manchin's special session agenda (House and Senate versions of each) advanced from their assigned committees in at least one of the chambers late Tuesday.

The Associated Press offers an overview of the agenda and Tuesday's progress.

The Register-Herald focuses on that part of Manchin's gas tax relief proposal that would offset any loss of State Road Fund revenues with $40 million worth of surplus. The Beckley newspapers also reports separately on the bill that aims to "make it tougher for thieves to fence stolen catalytic converters."

The Charleston Gazette also highlights the gas tax measure. It draws attention as well to the item facing the steepest climb: "a bill to update state law on election advocacy advertising."

With a partisan-line battle shaping up over that bill, MetroNews quotes state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney blasts the measure and impugns the motives of its chief supporters. In something of an about-face from earlier this year, McKinney also attacks the 2005 law that the pending bill attempts to tweak in the wake of a federal judge's ruling.

Manchin, Lawmakers To Tackle Fuel Costs

Relief at the pumps could come to West Virginia motorists in 2009, in the form of a freeze on a scheduled increase to the state's gas tax.

As The Associated Press reports, Gov. Joe Manchin plans to ask lawmakers in special session to suspend a rate hike to the per-gallon tax slated to kick in Jan. 1, and estimated a 6 cents.

"The state would offset the resulting loss of revenue to the State Road Fund with $40 million in general revenue and excess lottery surplus," AP reports.

The Charleston Gazette, MetroNews (with audio) and The Register-Herald of Beckley also have details from Manchin's gas tax proposal and other elements of the special session.

The Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, meanwhile, reports on current gas prices and finds that "the state's average of $4.08 ranks 14th nationally in comparison to other states and the District of Columbia."

And The Intelligencer of Wheeling asks local motorists about the gas price crunch and the dueling proposals on the topics from Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain in the race for president.

Prison Overcrowding in W.Va.

Already overcrowded with 6,124 inmates, West Virginia's prison system doesn't have the space for 1,200 convicted felons sent there as punishment, leaving them in the state's regional jails instead.

As The Charleston Gazette reports, the effects of this situation include an annual jail fee bill of $22 million while the Division of Corrections seeks other options.

Corrections Commissioner Jim Rubenstein told lawmakers Monday while "the state is meeting federal requirements for prison space," the jails "are not being operated as prisons and do not offer the same programs for early release for good behavior," the newspaper reported.

The Register-Herald also reported on Rubenstein's presentation during the ongoing interim meetings.

Both The Gazette's article and a separate piece by the Beckley newspaper also touch on indications that "snafus in getting proper home plans before a parole board have left an unknown number of convicts behind bars, unnecessarily jacking up costs to the state."

Rahall Delivers Dem Radio Address

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, tackled the topic of high gas prices and drilling for the most recent weekly radio address from the national Democratic Party (audio here or here), which followed President Bush's weekly radio address on the same topic (audio here).

Rahall has been vocal on the issue in recent days.

Special Session Call Coming

Gov. Joe Manchin is expected to call the Legislature into a special session at 5 p.m. Tuesday, once lawmakers finishes their monthly series of interim meetings that began Sunday.

The Associated Press reports that Manchin has "has discussed addressing fuel costs" with legislative leaders, beyond the $5 million proposed to help county schools with gas and diesel bills.

The session is also likely to revive six to eight bills vetoed during the regulars session, propose several supplemental funding measures and dedicate $20 million to $25 million for the successful teacher pension transfer plan.

Election 2008: Abortion

West Virginia is reporting a 22 percent rise in the number of abortions performed in the state in 2006, the latest year for available figures.

"The rise still leaves West Virginia with one of the lowest abortion rates in the country, " The Associated Press reports, and "also represents a slight blip in what has been a marked decline in abortions performed in the state since the late 1990s."

But the increase has helped bring the issue to the race for governor. Republican challenger Russ Weeks alleges the incumbent Democrat, Gov. Joe Manchin, has been paying "lip service" to anti-abortion forces since taking office in 2005. "Manchin says his record opposing abortion speaks for itself," AP's article said.

Latest Byrd Book To Debut

The latest book from U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd is slated to hit store shelves Tuesday.

In Letter to a New President: Commonsense Lessons for Our Next Leader, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history taps his experience as well as the U.S. Constitution, the Bible and other sources.

Clocking in at 208-pages, the book "is a plea to the next occupant of the White House, and to all of us, to care more about the future of our country, world and future generations," The Charleston Gazette said in its review.

The review suggests Byrd remains dismissive of president Bush, describing him at one point as the "most divisive, most nakedly partisan president in my lifetime." But he also has harsh words for Ronald Reagan, and opines that Bill Clinton "was also quite arrogant during his tenure in the White House," the review said.

Manchin Joins Obama For Energy Event

Gov. Joe Manchin and 15 of his Democratic counterparts attended a meeting in Chicago last week where their party's nominee for president, Barack Obama, held forth on energy issues.

Among other stances, Obama " said he would invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to create green jobs, particularly in the automotive industry and to improve the electricity grid so people can drive plug-in hybrid vehicles," The Associated Press reported.

He also promised the governors "a plan to spend billions in taxpayer dollars to build roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects that could create jobs and improve transportation routes," the AP article said.

When Obama said the latter proposal could start creating jobs within three months, Manchin was quoted as responding that "I think we could put a lot of people back to work in one month. We're ready."

The Republican National Committee quoted state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney to criticize Manchin for his attendance, while also identifying the governor as "Jim." The Washington Post's "The Trail" blog also flubbed his name.

They Voted For You: FISA

U.S. Reps. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, helped the House pass the "Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) Amendments Act of 2008."

Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, was among 128 Democrats and one Republican to oppose the measure in the 293-129 vote.

The Associated Press describes the compromise bill as "an attempt to balance privacy rights with the government's responsibility to protect the country against attack, taking into account changes in telecommunications technologies."

But these new rules would also "effectively shield telecommunications companies from lawsuits arising from the government's terrorism-era warrantless eavesdropping on phone and computer lines in this country," AP reports.

The bill has President Bush's blessing, and "the Senate was expected to pass the bill with a large margin" perhaps this week, AP reported.

West Virginia Turns 145

Those with coverage of the state's birthday include:

• The Register-Herald of Beckley;

• the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington;

• The Journal of Martinsburg;

• The Intelligencer of Wheeling; and

• MetroNews, which also hosts a column from Gov. Joe Manchin.

Public Broadcasting reports that some West Virginia bloggers are marking the occasion with posts that aim "to communicate a vision for a new stereotype of West Virginia and help define it from the inside-out."

With audio. WOWK-TV has coverage as well.

Jason Keeling of a Better West Virginia got the ball rolling. Other participating blogs include:

• Backroads;
• Brian Peterson's West Virginia Legal Weblog;
• The Candid Christian;
• Carpe You Some Diem;
• Charlestonian Blog;
• Create West Virginia;
• DonutBuzz;
• Empowering Perspectives;
• The Folded Leaf;
• Fork You;
• 4Haks;
• Health Care Law Blog;
• Laurel's Observations;
• Oncee;
• On Location With Rick Lee;
• PopCult;
• The Putnam Scoop;
• A Sour Apple Tree;
• This is Not My Blog;
• Wabi-Sabi;
• West Virginia Blue;
• The West Virginia Hot Dog Blog; and
• The West Virginia Optimist.

W.Va. and Gambling

"West Virginia now ranks second only to Nevada in the share of its state budget that comes from gambling revenues," The Associated Press reports.

AP cites figures from the Rockefeller Institute of Government, which "said gambling revenues equaled nearly 9 percent of the state's 2006 general revenue budget."

The institute's report also found that "West Virginia's budget reliance on gambling dollars grew by 6.4 percent between 1998 and 2006, the most of any state," the AP article said.

"Pegging West Virginia's gambling revenue at $639 million for the last fiscal year, the report also ranked the state first for such funding as a percentage of personal income, and second only to Nevada in such revenues per resident," AP reported.

Steele to Headline State GOP Convention

West Virginia's Republican Party plans to gather Saturday in Flatwoods for its annual summer convention, MetroNews reports.

The party touts the GOP's Michael Steele, former Maryland lieutenant governor and 2006 Senate candidate, as the event's keynote speaker. "A representative of the McCain campaign will meet with the state GOP's statewide candidates Saturday afternoon," MetroNews reported.

"The convention will choose 27 alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention later this summer," MetroNews explains. "The state GOP chose its at-large delegates at its Super Tuesday presidential meeting back in February and a total of nine delegates during the May Primary Election."

They Voted For You: Iraq & GI Bill

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, helped pass the "Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act."

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted against the measure, which reflected Senate changes to an earlier House version.

"Republican allies of President Bush provided the winning margin in a 268-155 vote to provide $162 billion to fund U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan well into next year," The Associated Press reported.

"Democrats opposed to the war, however, succeeded in using the Iraq funding bill as an engine to drive past White House resistance a sweeping revision to GI Bill college benefits and a 13-week extension of unemployment checks for those whose benefits have run out," AP''s article said.

The domestic provisions passed 416-12, with Rahall joining the majority for that vote.

"The White House issued a statement supporting the legislation," which now goes to the Senate, AP reported.

The Drilling Debate - Updated

The Charleston Gazette follows up on the recent pronouncements made by some from West Virginia's congressional delegation regarding offshore drilling.

"Offshore drilling accounts for 27 percent of domestic oil production," the article said, citing government data which also shows that "the vast majority of offshore U.S. reserves are already open to leasing by the industry."

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, "favors legislation he sponsored last week to revoke leases for oil companies that are not diligently developing on those leases," the article said.

U.S. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, meanwhile joined President Bush in saying that "For years, Congress has blocked efforts to expand our nation's domestic production of energy offshore and in Alaska, and now we're paying the price at the pump... It's well past time to see that policy reversed."

Update: MetroNews' Talkline hosted by Rahall and Capito (audio links) for a segment on the drilling issue.

Also... The latest assessment estimates the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska would yield as much as 330 million barrels of oil annually during a 13-year (2018-2030) production period. That report also offers a "low resource" projection of 146 million barrels and a mean scenario of 200 million barrels.

When compared to current U.S. import levels, each scenario would rank ANWR somewhere between Nigeria (367 million barrel average) and Algeria (176m ave) as a source of oil, according to 2002-2007 figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Those figures show annual imports from Saudi Arabia averaged 570 million barrels during that time. That country's 2007 figure was 543 million barrels .

State Rebuffs Grievance from Fired History Director

Former longtime Archives and History Director Fred Armstrong plans to appeal to Kanawha Circuit Court after a hearing panel refused to review his November firing, The Charleston Gazette reports.

Armstrong's ouster made national news, given his reputation among historians, researchers, librarians and the like.

But having been an "at-will" employee, Armstrong "failed to show he was fired because he was attempting to uphold state law and 'substantial public policy,'" The Gazette quoted a grievance official as concluding.

Underwood Out of the Hospital

Charleston Area Medical Center tells WSAZ-TV that former Gov. Cecil Underwood is home resting after a nearly three-week stay in the hospital.

The Associated Press also has an item on the 85-year-old, who had been admitted "on May 31 because of weakness."

"Underwood was the state's youngest governor when he was elected in 1956 at the age of 34," AP explains. "He became the state's oldest governor 40 years later when he won another term in 1996 at the age of 74."

Rahall Weighs in on Drilling

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, is pushing legislation that would require oil companies to "start producing oil on their 68 million acres of inactive land or risk federal restrictions on future lease requests," the Charleston Daily Mail reports.

Citing a report from Rahall's Committee on Natural Resources, the article said "oil and gas companies hold leases to 68 million acres of federal land and waters, spread out all across the country, that are not producing anything. An additional 4.8 million barrels of oil could be produced daily if the land was utilized."

Rahall talked to The Register-Herald of Beckley about his bill late last week. He told that paper "It would trim the oil imports by more than one-third, lessening the nation’s reliance on foreign oil," and "reasoned other companies might have an opportunity to explore and possibly find new sources of oil and gas if existing leases were surrendered by non-producing firms."

Rahall's Republican opponent in the fall election, Marty Gearheart, has responded by contrasting the proposed legislation with Rahall's opposition to opening Alaska and coastal areas for drilling.

The Daily Mail said the committee report "acknowledges that increased domestic drilling could affect gas prices, yet there is no justification to open additional federal lands because oil and gas companies aren't making use of what they have leased."

Update: The Charleston Gazette actually reported on the committee's findings last week. "The vast majority of oil and gas resources on federal lands are already open for drilling," that article said. "A little more than one-third of oil resources and 16 percent of natural gas reserves on public lands are off-limits to industry... Those are closed to drilling largely because they are underneath national parks or wilderness areas."

Lawmakers Respond to Pay Raise Challenge

The Charleston Gazette reports that House and Senate leaders believe a citizen panel's recommendations of pay and per diem increases for lawmakers allow the resulting legislation to trump legal challenges raised by a pending lawsuit.

The Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission, "which is required to meet at least once every four years to recommend rates of compensation for the Legislature, proposed the increases in a resolution adopted on Jan. 9, 2007," The Gazette reports, citing the lawmakers' filed response. "That resolution gave the Legislature permission to make any or all of the pay increases effective immediately upon passage of the legislation, the response noted."

The article quotes the response as arguing that "The Legislature provided for increases of their compensation and expenses in a manner that does not exceed the recommendations of the commission, and did so by properly following the constitutional provisions."

Former state Sen. Russ Weeks, R-Raleigh and his party's nominee for governor this year, filed the Supreme Court petition.

Update: Manchin has also a responded to the lawsuit, The Gazette reports. A co-defendant, the governor asks to be dismissed from the case.

Icky Hearts McCain

John McCain did not leave out West Virginia when he compiled a list of "prominent Democratic and unaffiliated leaders and activists" supporting his GOP presidential campaign.

Issued over the weekend, the list includes "former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Frye" as its sole Mountain State representative.

Frye's brush with political fame came in 2003, when he alleged that his wife was having an affair with then-Gov. Bob Wise. Frye and his wife, a staffer in the state's Development Office, later divorced. Wise admitted to being unfaithful to his own wife, but never commented on whether he had been involved with Frye's.

Frye vowed to challenge Wise in the Democrats' 2004 gubernatorial primary, then stayed in the race when Wise decided not to seek re-election. Sporting his nickname - "Icky" - on the ballot, Frye finished next-to-last in a field of eight candidates.

Thanks to West Virginia Blue for the find.

Update: The Charleston Gazette has a story.

W.Va. Dems Turn Down MTR Measure

At its annual state convention this past weekend, "West Virginia's Democratic Party "narrowly voted down a resolution Saturday that supported a freeze on new permits for mountaintop removal sites," The Charleston Gazette reports.

"The resolution supported deep mining other methods of strip mining, enforcement of current environmental regulations, increased investment in sources of renewable energy, and called for all Democratic legislators to work to protect safety standards and 'bring good-paying green jobs' to West Virginia," The Gazette reported.

The convention instead approved a platform that says the party "supports energy independence that uses clean-coal technology, reclaiming mined areas, enforcement of the Clean Water Act, and a 'return to' the Kyoto Protocol," the article said. "Despite persistent rumors saying the abortion issue may come up, Democrats did not remove the platform plank supporting abortion rights."

Public Broadcasting also reports on the proposed resolution, with audio. "Opponents said they were afraid Republicans would use it against them in the fall election," that report said.

Election 2008: Legislature

The Associated Press delves through the latest batch of campaign finance reports to calculate that legislative candidates spent more than $2.5 million on the May 13 primary.

The most expensive Senate race: "Braxton County business owner Doug Facemire outspent fellow Democrat Doug Stalnaker 2-to-1 in his bid to succeed Sen. Bill Sharpe, D-Lewis," AP reported. "Facemire poured more than $130,400 into his effort before beating Stalnaker, a multi-term delegate."

As for the priciest House contest, "House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster spent more than $73,780 before narrowly staving off a challenge from Meshea Poore," the article said. "Poore, a Charleston lawyer, spent around $15,660 and came within 117 votes of toppling Webster in the 31st District."

The analysis also shows that the prevailing candidates reported campaign balances totaling $1.28 million, but that Democrats hold about 80 percent of that cash.

"The money edge partly stems from the lack of GOP contenders," the article said. "Democrats already hold a majority in the Senate and House of Delegates - and they're unopposed for 38 of 100 House seats and three of 17 Senate seats up this year."

Both Facemire and Webster, for instance, are assured November victories for want of GOP challengers.

Manchin Deluged as Super Delegate

WSAZ-TV requested and obtained more than 400 e-mails and letters received by Gov. Joe Manchin since early January weighing in on his status as a super delegate to the Democrats' presidential nominating convention.

"52% of the emails and letters came from other states," the station reported. "Clinton supporters wrote the governor from 27 different states, while supporters from 26 states wrote on behalf of Obama."

Manchin replied to many of the e-mails and "indicated the governor would endorse the candidate who won the popular vote in West Virginia's primary."

Manchin endorsed Obama on June 6. While Clinton had won the state's May 13 primary decisively, "Manchin told WSAZ.com he made his decision only after getting a blessing from Clinton," the report said.

But even while he remained on the fence, Manchin was accused by supporters for each candidate of having endorsed the opponent, the station found.

"Some even perpetuated the myth that Obama is Muslim," the report said. And one letter writer from Florida misaddressed Manchin as Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee.

West Virginia Plays Bit Roll in Impeachment Bid

West Virginia gets a mention in the resolution rolled out by U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, seeking the impeachment of President Bush.

In "Tampering with Free and Fair Elections, Corruption of the Administration of Justice," the 26th of the resolution's 35 articles, Kucinich alleges Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney had directed the nation's U.S. attorneys to "launch and announce investigations of certain leaders, candidates and elected officials affiliated with the Democratic Party," and "terminate or scale back existing investigations of certain Republican Party leaders, candidates and elected officials."

He includes Kasey Warner, former U.S. attorney for West Virginia's southern federal court district, in a list of 11 ex-federal prosecutors allegedly threatened with firing by the president because each had "refused to comply with such directives and purposes."

It has been about a year since Warner's name popped up amid scrutiny of a string of firings by the administration of Bush-appointed U.S. attorneys. Some Democrats in Congress continue to question the motives behind some of the sackings. Background info here, here and here.

Rasmussen: McCain 45%, Obama 37% in W.Va.

The survey of 500 likely voters conducted earlier this month also found 13% choosing other candidates and 5% undecided. The margin of error was +/- 4.5 percentage points.

Other highlights:

• McCain had only a 48% favorable rating and Obama, 40%;

• Obama had a slightly higher "very favorable" (18% to 16%), but a much larger "very unfavorable" (35% to 26%);

• 59% said they would rather see the U.S. "get the troops home from Iraq within four years," than "win the war" (32%);

• 48% believed Obama would have virtually all combat troops home within his first term, while only 22% thought that would happen under McCain;
  

• Economy ranked atop important issues at 46%, followed by Iraq at 19%;

• 58% rated President Bush's job performance as "poor" (total unfavorable rating was 72%);

• 76% said the federal government does not "represent the will of the people."

Update: MetroNews Talkline asks Scott Rasmussen about his poll numbers (with audio), and hears that "neither Presidential candidate will be focusing all that much on West Virginia ahead of the November General Election."

The Intelligencer of Wheeling also focuses on the numbers. It reports that "National political experts are looking at West Virginia and again seeing 'red' this presidential election year," but that "state Democratic leaders believe if presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama brings himself to the Mountain State, voters will come his way."

They Voted for You: Unemployment

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st; Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd; and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, all helped pass the "Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008" on Thursday.

By 274-137, the House "approved an extra three months of jobless benefits for all unemployed Americans, knowing the plan's chances are slight in the Senate and almost nonexistent at the White House," The Associated Press reports.

"The White House already has threatened to veto the bill, and Senate Democrats have said they won't try and force their Republican colleagues to consider the House legislation," the article said. "The White House and Republicans said a bill targeting unemployment benefits only to states that have high unemployment would be more palatable to them."

Supporters attracted just enough votes to override a threatened presidential veto.

"The Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits last week increased by 25,000 from the week before," the article explains. "The unemployment rate in May jumped to 5.5 percent, up from 5 percent in April. It was the biggest one-month gain in 22 years."

The Register-Herald of Beckley has an article focusing on Rahall's vote.

Election 2008 Roundup

• Republican Supreme Court candidate Beth Walker has opened a campaign headquarters, the Charleston Daily Mail reports;

• Russ Weeks, the GOP's nominee for governor, is offering his first campaign ad on his web site and YouTube, The Register-Herald reports;

• The Beckley newspaper also reports that the state Supreme Court has scheduled a June 25 hearing for Week's legal challenge of the recent legislative pay raise bill.
  

Race and West Virginia

Folks continue to sift through the results of West Virginia's May 13 primary, questioning what role race played in the lopsided victory of Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama.

The Guardian, a British newspaper, sent a reporter to Williamson (among other spots) to tackle the topic. The resulting article quotes such local residents as Johnny Telvor, who says the election of Obama as president means "We'll end up slaves. We'll be made slaves just like they was once slaves."

The article hits several other aspects of the debate, and essentially reaches this conclusion:

The difficult truth is that Appalachia is unusual mostly because many people here are willing to openly talk about what some of their fellow citizens are secretly thinking. In exit polls of the recent primaries in Kentucky and West Virginia, one in five Democrats confessed to pollsters that race was a factor in their voting choice.

To help make that point, it quotes Professor Andra Gillespie, a political scientist at Emory University and "expert on racial politics."

"'West Virginia and Kentucky were just more honest than other parts of the country. A lot of other people know it's not socially acceptable to mention that sort of thing," she told the newspaper.

The article is discussed on The Rural Blog, based in Kentucky. The author notes his recent column in the Louisville newspaper, in which he argued that "if Obama asked one of the black mayors of overwhelmingly white towns in Kentucky, 'They might tell him that when folks know you, they're willing to vote for you. When you're a silhouette or a cartoon, they're not even listening.'"

Quote of the Day

“I predict that the next governor of this state — and it’s not going to be too far down the road — is going to be one of you all.”

-- Gov. Joe Manchin to the annual meeting of Rhododendron Girls State on Wednesday, as reported by The Intelligencer of Wheeling.

Groups Flunk West Virginia's New Approach to Medicaid

"Labor unions, church groups and health care activists" have concluded that "West Virginia's vaunted redesigned Medicaid plan is not working as intended," The Associated Press reports.

AP health care writer Tom Breen explains that "West Virginia was one of the first states to take advantage of a 2006 federal law that allows states to mix and match Medicaid benefits."

The result, dubbed Mountain Health Choices, "makes some benefits contingent upon signing contracts that pledge recipients to, among other things, regularly visit their doctor and take their medication as directed," Breen writes. "If recipients don't sign those contracts, they are enrolled in a health plan with benefits that are scaled back from what they had received under traditional Medicaid."

Among other findings, this coalition argues that "in the three trial counties where the program was first rolled out in February 2007, relatively small numbers of eligible Medicaid recipients are taking part," the article said.

But the Department of Health and Human Resources views "traditional" Medicaid as a failure, and a costly one according to a recent review of state spending.

"We still have some of the worst health statistics in the nation," DHHR Secretary Martha Walker said. "We must make a change if West Virginia is ever to achieve the economic growth we so badly need."

The Charleston Gazette also reported on the coalition's findings, noting its call to suspend the redesign. It notes as well that "Walker's office released 'talking points,' alleging that coalition members 'were satisfied with the status quo,' and 'maintaining the status quo is their job security.'"

They Voted For You: Amtrak

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st; Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd; and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, all helped the House pass the "Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act."

The 311-104 vote reflects a veto-proof margin for the "nearly $15 billion Amtrak bill," The Associated Press reports.

The bill "would authorize funding for the national passenger railroad over the next five years," the article said. "Some of the money would go to a program of matching grants to help states set up or expand rail service."

AP also reports that "The White House has threatened a veto, saying the bill doesn't hold Amtrak accountable for its spending. But similar legislation has passed the Senate, also with enough support to override a veto."

The article notes further that "Unlike the Senate version, the House bill includes a requirement for the Department of Transportation to seek proposals from private companies to create a high-speed service that would take travelers from Washington to New York in two hours or less."

Child Gun Deaths in W.Va.

A recent report from the Children's Defense Fund culls federal CDC data to mark a rise in deaths of West Virginia children from gunshot wounds, The Associated Press reports.

Citing the latest available data, the report counted 19 such deaths in 2005, up from a dozen the previous year. In that more recent year, one death was undetermined and the rest were divided between homicides and suicides.

The report also shows:

• Total West Virginia deaths declined slightly in 2004 when compared to 2003, when there were 14;

• Just one accidental death during the three-year period, in 2003;

• Homicides dipped between 2003 and 2004, while suicides increased (by one or two a year) during the time period.

The report does not appear to consider each state's population. Comparing the figures to 2000 Census numbers for the under-20 population, the age group covered by the report, shows that West Virginia ranked 32nd in 2003 for total deaths per 100,000 such residents. That ranking fell to 38th in 2004, but rose to 18th in 2005.

W.Va. Medicaid Spending Doubles in Decade

West Virginia's share of funding its Medicaid program increased from $335 million in 1996 to $651 million last year, The Associated Press and others report.

The numbers come from a new study by The Center on Budget and Policy, whose backers include labor unions and religious groups.

The study found that while state funding nearly doubled, "Medicaid recipients went from about 350,000 to roughly 390,000," AP reports. "But Medicaid spending has actually dropped as a percentage of overall state spending, accounting for about 10 percent last year, compared with 10.5 percent in 1997."

Center Executive Director Ted Boettner told The Charleston Gazette that "People think Medicaid spending is out of control, and that's not the case."

The Gazette offers other details from the report and the state's Medicaid program:

• When combined with federal funding, which accounts for 75 percent of total Medicaid dollars, more than $2.2 billion was spent on the health-insurance program in 2007;

• About two-thirds of West Virginia's total Medicaid budget goes to provide services to the elderly and disabled, according to the study. The remaining money helps children, low-income parents and pregnant women;

• Medicaid pays for about half of all births in West Virginia;

• West Virginia also spends more per Medicaid recipient - $6,285 - than any bordering state. By contrast, Kentucky spends $4,964 per enrollee, and Maryland and Ohio spend about $5,800 per Medicaid recipient;

• Medicaid isn't just a health insurance program. It also pays for long-term care at nursing homes and at beneficiaries' private residences.

"Boettner said West Virginia spends more than surrounding states because it has the highest percentage of Medicaid recipients with disabilities," the newspaper reported. " West Virginia also has the highest percentage of its overall population enrolled in Medicaid among the neighboring states."

State Eyeing Hefty Price for Office Space

West Virginia state government is poised to buy a Charleston office building for more than eight times its appraised value, the Charleston Daily Mail reports.

Kanawha County has valued that Greenbrooke Building at $1.6 million, "based on an income and expense statement supplied earlier this year by Al Summers, the building's owner," the article said. "H. Kim Painter, senior appraiser in the state Department of Administration's Real Estate Division, has appraised the Greenbrooke property at $14.5 million."

The proposed sales price is $13.9 million. Summers has said a private appraised valued the Greenbrooke at $17 million, but county officials say "Laidley Tower (among the tallest buldings in West Virginia) sold for $18.5 million in 2002 and Laidley is 'Class A' office space, while he and Duffield consider the Greenbrooke Building to be 'Class C' space," the newspaper reported.

Update: The Charleston Gazette reported on the proposed purchase earlier, noting that the state's "Economic Development Authority authorized a bond sale worth up to $18 million on May 15" to fund the deal.

A Possible Wrinkle in Teacher Pension Transfer

The Associated Press reports that "A player in West Virginia's 401(k)-style retirement plan for educators may levy an estimated $11 million "surrender charge'' against the state when thousands of plan members transfer into another state-run pension program next month."

"State officials contend the threat comes as VALIC seeks leverage amid allegations blaming its annuities and sales agents for the poor performance of the Teachers' Defined Contribution plan," the article said. "Formerly known as the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Co., VALIC believes its contracts with TDC enrollees allow it to assess penalties if they move too much of their assets out of VALIC-provided annuities."

More than 15,000 TDC accounts will be transferred into the Teachers' Retirement System after July 1. VALIC annuities make up around 30 percent of all TDC accounts, which had a combined market value of $908 million at the end of the last fiscal year.

"I think VALIC sees their ability to level the transfer charges as a bargaining chip going forward,'' Carte Goodwin, general counsel to Gov. Joe Manchin, told AP. "We already know of private lawsuits, but the auditor's office is also looking into possible securities violations dating from the 1990s.''

Semi-Soft Landing for Election Fraud Figure

"Unable to get his state retirement because he was convicted in federal court of conspiring to buy votes, a former Lincoln County assessor has been hired to work as an employee in his old office," The Charleston Gazette reports.

Jerry Allen Weaver "was hired last week to work as a mapper and property assessor for Lincoln County Assessor Tracy Dempsey," the article said. "Lincoln County commissioners unanimously approved the hiring, but one said this week he felt he was misled and did not realize he voted for the convicted felon."

Weaver was among several Lincoln and Logan county residents and officials who conspired to buy votes in Democratic primaries dating back more than a decade. " Weaver pleaded guilty in federal court in 2005 and was sentenced to spend one year in federal prison," the article said.

Update: MetroNews' Talkline spoke to Lincoln County Commissioner Charles Vance, who "says he'll ask the Commission to reconsider the approval given to the hiring." With audio.

Manchin Mixed on Gas Tax Freeze

While he's watching the variable rate to West Virginia's fuel taxes that is adjusted annually, Gov. Joe Manchin appears unlikely to propose or support freezing the main portion of the per-gallon levy, The Register-Herald of Beckley reports.

“The gas tax is not what’s causing this (price) to be over $4,” Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg told the newspaper. “It’s a national issue that needs to be addressed on the national level, and we keep imploring for that."

The article said that "Republican lawmakers are trying to convince Manchin to lessen the tax bite taken by state government in an anticipated special legislative session this month."

It also explains that "Motorists shell out 32.2 cents in state taxes per gallon, of which 20.5 cents is in the flat rate and the remaining 11.7 cents is based on the 5 percent of the average wholesale fuel prices. "

Update: MetroNews' Talkline hosted oil analyst Peter Beutel, who says "reducing demand for gasoline by between 5% and 10% would have an impact on the price of gasoline." Beutel also said government subsidies are insulating consumers in other parts of the world from the rising prices. With audio.

Election 2008: President

Gov. Joe Manchin was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to promote Barack Obama's candidacy as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., flanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at the Democratic National Committee as she "dismissed concerns that disappointed Hillary Clinton supporters might turn to John McCain, whose campaign has stepped up efforts to woo them," CNN reported.

The New York Times also noted Manchin's presence at the press event, while The Hill reported that he said "that the 28 Democratic governors have already talked of providing Obama with a blueprint for how he can win in their states."

The Hill also reported:

Manchin told a few reporters after the press conference that a majority of the governors will meet with Obama sometime this month.

He said he expects 20 governors to be in attendance — those who don’t have special legislative sessions in their states — and there are tentative plans to meet “somewhere in the Midwest.”

Manchin said that the 28 states represented by Democratic governors equate to 294 electoral votes, and that eight of the 10 “so-called swing states” have Democratic governors.

(DNC Chairman Howard) Dean and other Democrats present declined to specify which states they’re viewing as swing states this year.

The Associated Press, meanwhile, updates on Obama's search for a running mate but offers no potential names.

They (He) Voted For You: Fuel Prices

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., voted for an unsuccessful attempt to end a filibuster over the "Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008."

The motion failed 51-43, as it required at least 60 votes to prevail. U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., was among six members who did not vote on the motion.

"The Democratic energy package would have imposed a tax on any 'unreasonable' profits of the five largest U.S. oil companies and given the federal government more power to address oil market speculation that the bill's supporters argue has added to the crude oil price surge," The Associated Press reports.

"Republicans argued the Democratic proposal focusing on new oil industry taxes is not the answer to the country's energy problems," the article said. "A GOP energy plan, rejected by the Senate last month, calls for opening a coastal strip of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil development and to allow states to opt out of the national moratorium that has been in effect for a quarter century against oil and gas drilling in more than 80 percent of the country's coastal waters."

Update: Rockefeller reacts to the GOP block to The Register-Herald of Beckley.

West Virginia and Inbreeding

The recent joking remark told at West Virginia's expense by Vice President Dick Cheney prompted the Charleston Daily Mail to explore the Mountain State's "supposed penchant for inbreeding."

"Despite the ingrained stereotype, the inbreeding rate in West Virginia is no higher than other parts of the country, according to academic researchers and Appalachian culture experts," the article found.

One researcher "traces the stereotype to the 1920s and 1930s, an era of moonshining, vicious struggles over coal industry unionization and large-scale migration from the region," and that "the concept of family kinship appeared more prevalent in rural pockets of the country than in urban areas," the newspaper said.

Another tidbit: "From a legal standpoint, West Virginia actually has strict anti-incest laws. First cousins cannot marry here, yet they can in states such as Vermont, New York and California."

The article further observes that "even though the landmark film 'Deliverance' - which features toothless rapists and a mentally challenged albino banjo player - took place in Georgia, many folks associate it with West Virginia."

A worthy research project would be to figure out when and how this false connection took root in the nation's cultural conscience. After all, both the movie and the novel upon which it is based take place in the Georgia, the latter was written by a Georgian, and the former was filmed in Georgia (and the Carolinas). Nary a West Virginia link in sight.

Teacher Pension Update

Lawmakers expect to apply final tweaks to the recently approved transfer of more than 14,700 members of the state's 401(k)-style retirement plan for educators, The Associated Press reports.

Legislators say Gov. Joe Manchin is inclined to propose a measure that would add to this exodus a relative handful of Teachers' Defined Contribution plan members who missed last month's deadline "through no fault of their own," AP reports.

"Those members include Marion County educators whose as-yet-unidentified principal failed to submit them on time as required, said Executive Director Anne Lambright of the Consolidated Public Retirement Board," the article said.

The session could also include a funding measure meant to subsidize payments required if transfers want full benefits under their new plan. One lawmaker "estimates the needed amount at $11 million, though state officials say they're still calculating the final figure," AP reports. "Earlier estimates had ranged between $18 million and $25 million."

The Charleston Gazette also touches on that needed appropriation, while predicting that the final figure "would not be available in time for a proposed special legislative session later this month."

MetroNews, meanwhile, reports on the potential class-action lawsuit that would pit TDC members against the providers of one of their investment options.

The lawyers who filed the suit believe enrollees "were duped into signing up with life insurance company VALIC," MetroNews reports.

MetroNews also has audio of one of the lawyers, former House of Delegates member Rusty Webb.

Checking for Cancer in Wood County (Updated)

The Associated Press reports that "DuPont is planning a detailed study looking at why workers at a West Virginia plant appear to be getting a rare form of cancer at a higher rate than normal."

The study will focus on incidents of tumors among employees at its Washington Works facility near Parkersburg.

"DuPont first began looking into the situation in 2006 after two workers at the plant were diagnosed with carcinoid tumors," AP reports. "DuPont has since found 18 more instances of employees with carcinoid tumors across the country, including five more at Washington Works. The cancer cases date back to the 1980s and include current and retired employees."

A local health official tells MetroNews "he'll contact the Centers for Disease Control this week with recently released cancer statistics from the DuPont Plant near Parkersburg."

Dick Wittberg, director of the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, "wants to find out from the CDC if the numbers represent a cluster and if the rate is higher or significantly higher than random occurrences," MetroNews reports.

The Parkersburg News reports that DuPont has been relaying signs of "elevated cancer rates" at the Washington Works plant to the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection.

The tumors are "rare, slow-growing tumors that usually appear both in the gastro intestinal system and in the lungs," Morel Symons, supervisor of the DuPont epidemiology program, told the newspaper. “They also are one of the few tumors that affect the appendix.”

Update: The Charleston Gazette got the ball rolling on Sunday, when it cited government records to report that "DuPont Co. officials have discovered evidence of a possible 'cancer cluster' among workers."

"The company has told federal regulators there may be a fivefold increase in certain cancers among Washington Works employees, compared to other DuPont plants," the article said.

Justices Question Need for Another Court

Four of West Virginia's five Supreme Court justices expressed questions or concerns when asked by The Associated Press whether the state needs a midlevel appeals court.

Several have championed the concept after the high court unanimously "refused to hear two cases involving a combined $664 million in damages," AP reports.

A majority of the justices also said that such a course should not be pursued purely in reaction to those May refusals. ""Legislation strictly initiated by the most recent jarring headlines rarely results in good law," Justice Robin Davis told AP.

Election 2008: President

The New York Times casts West Virginia as solidly red as it maps out potential battleground states in the presidential race. But three of its neighbors -- Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- are considered to be in play.

The Mountain State also does not make the list of 15 where The Associated Press sees a competitive race between John McCain and Barack Obama.

Gov. Joe Manchin and Nick Casey, chair of the state's Democratic Party, both came out for Obama on the eve of Hillary Clinton's announcement that she was ending her campaign.

As AP reported, "Manchin asked West Virginians on Friday to follow Hillary Clinton's lead in supporting Democratic rival Barack Obama for the party's presidential nomination."

The Charleston Gazette and Charleston Daily Mail also had coverage of Manchin's call.

The Bell Tolls for WVU's Garrison

The Associated Press was on hand for West Virginia University President Mike Garrison's announcement to the school's board of governors.

Others with coverage include:

• MetroNews, which also has a photo gallery and audio;

• The Charleston Daily Mail, which also offers Garrison's statement and that of the board;

• Public Broadcasting;

• The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Gov. Joe Manchin has also posted a statement online.

DaughterGate

The Associated Press' Vicki Smith sets the stage for today's meeting of West Virginia University's Board of Governors.

"On the eve of what could be a key meeting about his future, pressure mounted on embattled West Virginia University President Mike Garrison, with his law professor colleagues and others demanding that he resign or be fired over a master's degree scandal involving the governor's daughter," Smith writes.

"A total of 124 donors with past gifts ranging from $1,000 to $450,000 have told the WVU Foundation Inc. they will withhold future donations "until such time as there is a leadership change," director R. Wayne King told Smith. "That number has tripled in the past month."

"From a full-page ad in the local paper, The Dominion Post of Morgantown, to op-ed pieces in the state's largest, The Charleston Gazette, critics insisted Thursday that the university cannot recover from the scandal that has compromised its national reputation as long as Garrison has the helm," the article continues.

MetroNews also previews today's board meeting. The Charleston Daily Mail and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette each highlight Thursday's written call for resignation from "a majority of the tenured faculty of West Virginia University's law school."

Public Broadcasting has coverage as well (with audio and the law professors' letter), as does the State Journal.

Byrd Out of Hospital

"West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd was released from the hospital Thursday after being treated for a mild infection," The Associated Press reports.

"Senator Byrd will complete the course of his antibiotic treatment as prescribed by his doctors at his home and is expected to return to his official Senate duties upon his doctors' approval,'' Byrd spokesman Jesse Jacobs said in a statement.

More W.Va. Rankings

West Virginia is staying ahead of the national average in the number of its students graduating from high school, and improved slightly over the prior year, according to the latest Diplomas County survey in Education Week.

The Charleston Gazette and Herald-Dispatch of Huntington are among those with coverage, drawn from The Associated Press' report.

The Journal of Martinsburg, meanwhile, reports that "West Virginia is one of the highest-rated states in the country for domestic violence homicides against women."

The West Virginia Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team counts "39 deaths from 2003 were reviewed and determined to be related to domestic violence," the article said. "Of the deaths, 26 were homicides while 13 were suicides."

Election 2008 Shorts

• Gov. Joe Manchin tells MetroNews' Talkline that he's sticking with his plan to "wait until Friday to announce which Democratic Presidential Candidate he'll support as one of West Virginia's ten superdelegates." With audio.

• The Charleston Daily Mail reports on efforts by Ralph Nader supporters to offer their candidate to Mountain State voters. "Staff and volunteers for the independent candidate have collected more than half of the signatures required in the state to put Nader on the general election ballot," the newspaper reports.

• The Parkersburg Register revisits one of the more unusual outcomes from the May 13 state primary. "The Democratic Primary for the West Virginia House of Delegates 10^th District became a statistical oddity with the third-place tie between Iris McCrady and Tim Fittro; an oddity that Wood County Clerk Jaime Six would like to see studied," that newspaper reports.

• (Update) The Associated Press offers separate highlights of post-primary campaign finance disclosures by the Supreme Court candidates and those in other major statewide races.
  

Manchin Joins National Call for Dem Unity

As chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, Gov. Joe Manchin issued a statement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean after their party ended their primary season Tuesday.

"Democrats must now turn our full attention to the general election. To that end, we are urging all remaining uncommitted super delegates to make their decisions known by Friday of this week," the statement said.

The Los Angeles Times has an item on the statement.

Manchin is among those uncommitted super delegates, as earlier reported. He also headlined a Tuesday rally in Parkersburg "to promote unity of the Democratic party" there, The Parkersburg News reports.

Update: The Parkersburg Register also covered the unity rally, where Manchin " announced plans to call for all superdelegates nationwide to make their presidential nomination selections by this weekend."

Underwood Hospitalized

Former Gov. Cecil Underwood is in fair condition at Charleston Area Medical Center's Memorial Division after being admitted to the hospital "several days ago," a family friend and a nursing supervisor tell MetroNews.

The 85-year-old Republican "has the distinction of being both the youngest and oldest person to serve as the state’s Governor," MetroNews notes. "His first term was from 1957 to 1961. He served his second term from 1997 to 2001."

Another West Virginia elder statesman also remains hospitalized. "A spokesman for U.S. Senator Robert Byrd says the senator is going to stay in the hospital for "several more days," MetroNews also reports. " Communications Director Jesse Jacobs says the 90-year-old Byrd is being treated for a mild infection."

DaughterGate Update

• "Five members of West Virginia University's Academy of Distinguished Alumni have told the school's governing board that they deplore the decision to award an unearned degree to Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter, and say WVU President Mike Garrison must resign or be removed from office," The Charleston Gazette reports. MetroNews also has the alumni's "scathing letter."

• (Update) The Charleston Daily Mail reports that two of the alumni "expressed strong displeasure several months ago over the way the school treated ex-coach Rich Rodriguez," while another "was a candidate for the WVU presidency last year before Garrison got the job and continues to criticize the way the WVU Board of Governors conducted the presidential search." It also posts the aforementioned letter.

• WVU Assistant Vice President for Graduate Education Jonathan Cumming tells MetroNews (audio here) that "claims that as many as 70 eMBA degrees may be in question have not been fully reviewed," and that "discrepancies were found as part of an interim review but the nature of those specific issues with those degrees has not been completely investigated."

• (Update) The Associated Press also spoke to Cumming, and reports that "problems with record deficiencies, grading practices and inconsistent policies in West Virginia University's master's programs are not limited to the College of Business & Economics."

• AP reports as well that "pay cuts aren't in the picture for two West Virginia University administrators who were reassigned or relieved of some responsibilities after a master's degree scandal involving the governor's daughter."

• Public Broadcasting reports that Garrison recent presentation to the Board of Governors "mischaracterizes" remarks made to him by "WVU Professor Roy Nutter, the chairman of the independent panel that found Bresch did not earn the MBA degree retroactively awarded to her."

The Fuel Cost Crunch in W.Va.

Some 50,000 West Virginia truckers can avoid paying their $1,132.75 annual registration fee for most trucks for two months, in a bid to help them manage rising fuel costs, The Associated Press reports.

Gov. Joe Manchin and the state Division of Motor Vehicles agreed to push back the deadline for those fees from July 1 to Sept. 1, AP reports.

"According to AAA, diesel averages $4.85 a gallon in West Virginia, compared with $4.78 nationally," the article noted.

MetroNews reports that "the idea of the two-month reprieve came from talks the governor had with truckers who drove to the state capitol as part of a protest earlier this year. The governor spoke with the truckers by phone that day and later met with some of them."

MetroNews also reports that "West Virginia has seen its third straight month of motor fuel tax collections below estimates," with one state official commenting that "people are consuming less gasoline and are a little cautious of their driving habits."

The move comes after Vice President Dick Cheney called the proposed suspension of the federal gasoline tax "a false notion," as AP and others reported, during his otherwise notable appearance Monday at the National Press Club.

Teacher Pension Transfer Approved

More than 78 percent of Teachers' Defined Contribution plan members have elected to move to the Teachers' Retirement System and its traditional pension benefit.

The Associated Press has details.

With 14,871 TDC enrollees approved for the exodus, the rate more than exceeds the 65 percent threshold set by lawmakers. It also triggers the state subsidy provision, as it cleared 75 percent of eligible members.

Lawmakers had previously proposed providing $24.5 million to ensure the transfers can receive full benefits under the other plan. They had otherwise faced paying sizable actuarial estimates, as they've been paying less from their wages than their soon-to-be TRS brethren have been toward their retirement.

Teacher Pension Transfer Results Due

West Virginia's Consolidated Public Retirement Board expects to get the final tally today from the bid by Teachers' Defined Contribution plan members to transfer into another pension program.

"Transfers will be allowed if the number equals at least 65 percent of TDC members," The Associated Press explains. "That means at least 12,343 teachers, school service personnel and other enrollees must approve the transfer."

The state has promised to subsidize payments required to ensure full benefits under the other program, the Teachers' Retirement System, but only if 75 percent or more move.

The Charleston Gazette also sets the stage for Tuesday's meeting.

"One likely issue will be what to do about teachers at a Marion County high school, where the principal submitted transfer forms after the May 13 deadline," The Gazette reported. "At present, the CPRB cannot accept those transfers."

An official said "that was the only instance where a supervisor failed to submit collected transfer forms before the deadline."

The West Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, both supportive of a transfer, have each been mulling over a Plan B if the tally falls short.

Same-Sex Marriage in W.Va.

The West Virginia Family Foundation wants a special session, or an item added to the one expected later this month, for "a resolution to let voters decide if a ban on same-sex marriage should become part of West Virginia's Constitution," The Associated Press reports.

The group says "rulings in California and New York threaten West Virginia's law," which "bans same-sex marriage and says the state won't recognize such marriages performed in another state," the article said.

"Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg says the governor believes the group's proposal is better suited for a regular session, rather than a special session," the article continued.

Manchin Figures in SuperDelegate Mix as Dems End Primary Season

Gov. Joe Manchin remains one of three West Virginia "super" or unelected delegates uncommitted to either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, The Associated Press reports.

He's also chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and so is poised to play a role in the Democrats' efforts to solidify their support after today's primaries in South Dakota and Montana, AP also reports.

"Officials said that if Obama failed to gain 2,118 delegates by tonight, one possibility under discussion was to have key leaders to issue a statement Wednesday urging superdelegates to state their preferences as soon as possible," that article said. "The leaders suggested were Sen. Harry Reid, the majority leader; Speaker Nancy Pelosi;" and Manchin.

AP's count found that "Obama was 41.5 delegates shy of the 2,118, needed to clinch the nomination at the party's convention in Denver," while Clinton had 1917.5.

AP also has a separate report on the task that awaits Manchin and other DGA members: "Eleven of the nation's governors will have to perform some political sleight of hand if Barack Obama clinches the Democratic nomination for president. After months of supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton, they will have to convince voters they're just as happy with her rival."

Obama has been endorsed by another 11 Democratic governors, while Manchin is among six uncommitteds, that article notes.

Byrd Hospitalized

Quoting a spokesman, The Associated Press reported late Monday that Sen. Robert C. Byrd "has been hospitalized at his doctor's urging after suffering from lethargy and sluggishness at his home."

"He was found to have a fever, and at his doctor's request he was taken to a nearby hospital," the report said. "Press secretary Jesse L. Jacobs says the West Virginia Democrat will be there overnight for observation."

The 90-year-old's health has been a recurring topic on Capitol Hill. The longest-serving senator in U.S. history "was hospitalized March 5 for tests after a reaction to antibiotics," AP noted. "A week earlier he was hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after a fall at home."

The Charleston Gazette also has a report.

Quote of the Octennium

"So, I had Cheneys on both sides of the family, and we don't even live in West Virginia. You can say those things when you're not running for re-election."

-- Vice President Dick Cheney, to a National Press Club audience Monday.

Cheney Makes West Virginia A Punchline

Vice President Dick Cheney was wrapping up his Monday appearance at a National Press Club event when the final question from the audience addressed his apparent blood ties to Barack Obama.

Cheney went on to explain that research into his family tree revealed Cheneys on his mother's side of the family.

"So, I had Cheneys on both sides of the family, and we don't even live in West Virginia," the vice president quipped.

The remark drew laughter, and perhaps some groans, from the Washington, D.C. audience.

"You can say those things when you're not running for re-election," Cheney continued, to additional laughter and slight applause.

West Virginia officials were less than thrilled, as The Associated Press and others report.

"I truly cannot believe that any vice president of the United States, regardless of their political affiliation, would make such a derogatory statement about my state or any state for that matter," said Gov. Joe Manchin. The Democrat issued a statement requesting an apology.

U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, has benefited from Cheney headlining her fundraising events. "This is exactly the type of stereotyping that we don't need from our elected officials," she said in a statement. "It's disrespectful, and it's certainly not funny. ... As a proud state, I can say we are disappointed."

Noting that the Bush-Cheney ticket carried the Mountain State twice, U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., said that "now that he or the administration he represents no longer needs their vote, Mr. Cheney apparently feels that he is now free to mock and belittle the people of West Virginia."

As The Charleston Gazette reports, Cheney later apologized through a spokeswoman.

"The vice president's offhand comment was not meant to hurt anyone,'' Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said. "On reflection, he concluded that it was an inappropriate attempt at humor that he should not have made. The vice president apologizes to the people of West Virginia for the inappropriate remark.''

C-SPAN carried the afternoon event, and has video. Cheney responds to the question about 57 minutes into the event.

WSAZ-TV also has raw video and coverage.

Update: Others with coverage include The Washington Post and its blog The Sleuth; The Chicago Tribune's Beltway blog The Swamp, which also hosts video from MSNBC; the New York Daily News; and The New York Times, in an article titled "Cheney Discloses His Lighter Side."

MetroNews has an item and audio.

Special Legislative Session Expected for June

The governor's office tells The Associated Press that supplemental budget measures and possible funding for the proposed teacher pension transfer are on the table for a special session expected to coincide with June's interim legislative meetings.

Supco Appeal Refusals, Revisited

The Associated Press explores the implications from the state Supreme Court's unanimous decisions last month rejecting appeals requests. One stemmed from a high profile coal-contract dispute involving Massey Energy, the other from a fight over natural gas royalties that resulted in a record-high jury award.

"Parties on both sides of those debates question whether either case fits neatly into the narrative that casts the Mountain State as hostile to business and prone to award 'jackpot' jury awards," AP reports. "So does the author of an upcoming West Virginia Law Review article that examines the continuing push to label the state a 'judicial hellhole.'"

But AP also relays views that "what the court's decisions may instead reveal is a potential gap in the state's judicial system, created by the absence of an intermediate appeals court and the absolute discretion wielded by its Supreme Court when considering which cases to hear."

Update: An official from Chesapeake Energy, hit by the record verdict, echoes calls for a mid-level appeals court to MetroNews. With audio.

W.Va. Groans Under Gas Prices

The Associated Press' Tom Breen highlights efforts by one industry group, West Virginians for Better Transportation, to aid the state's main roadbuilding and repair fund amid rising fuel costs.

"West Virginia drivers can now log onto http://www.keepwvmoving.org to calculate their daily, weekly, monthly and yearly state gasoline tax bill," Breen writes. "The group worries that high prices are keeping people off the road, which means lower tax revenues. The problem is that the state Road Fund, which pays for maintenance, paving and repairs on state roads and bridges, relies on gas taxes for about 60 percent of its revenue."

AP reported earlier that "county school systems need an extra $5 million to keep their 3,000 buses rolling in the wake of record diesel prices, and Gov. Joe Manchin might ask lawmakers for the money this summer during a special session."

And the Charleston Daily Mail noted previously that "overall fuel tax revenues for West Virginia have been growing at a steady pace since the early 1970s, but so has the tax rate. That trend could change if the cost of fuel remains as high as it's been in recent months."

The Williamson Daily News, meanwhile, cites sources in reporting that Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, "is expected to present a letter to Gov. Joe Manchin Monday asking to help the trucking industry." The newspaper expects Chafin to request a freeze on at least some fuel taxes.

DaughterGate Update

Forces remain arrayed against West Virginia University President Mike Garrison, in the wake of Friday's Board of Governors meeting.

The main opposition group, "Mountaineers for Integrity and Responsibility," has collected signatures from "576 alumni, 263 faculty members, 186 students, 50 staff members and 165 others" for a petition seeking Garrison's ouster, The Associated Press reports.

AP also follows up with faculty who have twice voted no confidence in Garrison. Update: so does the Charleston Daily Mail.

AP's Vicki Smith was among those was among those reporting Friday that the board "believes President Mike Garrison did nothing to influence the improper awarding of a master’s degree to the governor’s daughter last fall."

MIR has planned a 1 p.m. Monday rally at WVU's Mountainlair. "Students, faculty members, local leaders, WVU Administrators and University President Mike Garrison have all been invited to be part of the rally," MetroNews reports.

Update: AP reports that the rally drew "about 100 students and faculty members," but that WVU's Faculty Senate also demanded that Garrison's administration "provide details on alleged irregularities in some 70 degrees awarded through its executive master's of business administration program."

MetroNews, The Charleston Gazette, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Public Broadcasting are among those with coverage of the "action plan" presented by Garrison at Friday's meeting.

The board has posted Garrison's interim reports in two parts, here and here.

The Charleston and Pittsburgh newspapers delve into allegations by WVU officials that "many other students in the College of Business and Economics had similar problems" to that of Heather Bresch, daughter of Gov. Joe Manchin.

Update: Public Broadcasting examines what it calls a "key discrepancy" between Garrison's action plan and the independent report it responds to. With audio.

MetroNews highlights the personnel changes made "in connection with his response to the Heather Bresch degree controversy." It also offers an interview with Garrison and audio.

Public Broadcasting and MetroNews also offer audio from Friday's board meeting, and the latter has additional multimedia links as well.