West Virginia
Aerospace Facility May Be on Way to West Virginia
CHARLESTON – The state Senate and Home of Delegates rapidly wrapped up a brand new particular session Monday, together with passing a invoice that would end in a significant solar-powered aerospace manufacturing facility in Jackson County.
The Senate and Home gaveled in Monday afternoon after Gov. Jim Justice issued a proclamation Saturday evening calling the Legislature into its fourth particular session because the starting of the yr.
Lawmakers had two payments on their plate Monday: a invoice transferring $150 million in surplus tax income {dollars} to the Division of Highways for secondary highway upkeep tasks; and an financial improvement invoice meant to seal the deal for a brand new firm contemplating West Virginia.
Senate Invoice 4001 would create a Licensed Industrial Enterprise Enlargement Improvement Program managed by the Division of Financial Improvement. The invoice handed the Senate 28-1 and the Home 86-2. State Sen. Rupie Phillips, R-Logan, was the lone nay vote within the Senate, whereas delegates Marty Geartheart, R-Mercer, and Bryan Ward, R-Hardy, have been the lone nay votes within the Home.
The invoice would permit for 2 2,250-acre high-impact industrial enterprise improvement districts within the state. The districts are geared toward encouraging the placement and building of large-scale industrial and manufacturing crops when the amenities require entry to renewable sources of electrical energy.
photograph by: File Photograph
With a purpose to qualify for this system, an industrial/manufacturing enterprise would wish to display a constructive financial improvement impression to the state and have the potential to draw at the very least two downstream companies to the districts. In flip, any renewable vitality supply positioned within the district to service the crops could be exempt from the jurisdiction of the Public Service Fee and have the ability to promote any extra energy on the wholesale vitality market.
“There are firms on the market immediately which might be on a 100% stable inexperienced quest,” Justice mentioned Monday morning throughout a digital briefing with reporters from the State Capitol Constructing. “We’ve performed a carve out. We wish to embrace our different energies as nicely. We absolutely don’t wish to make simply West Virginia a spot the place not everyone seems to be welcome. We would like West Virginia to be an all-welcoming state … and never miss the chance to convey increasingly more nice jobs to West Virginia.
“We got here up with a mechanism to have the ability to try this and try this in a method that also doesn’t flip our again in any method on our coal miners, our gasoline employees, and all of those that are concerned,” Justice continued. “I really feel we should always all the time embrace know-how. We must always all the time embrace alternate options completely with none query. However we shouldn’t overlook who brung us to the dance.”
Sources who declined to be recognized mentioned the invoice is aimed particularly at a big producer that wishes to find in West Virginia. One of many two 2,250-acre districts could be positioned close to Ravenswood in Jackson County on the positioning of the previous Century Aluminum plant.
“There’s a large announcement that’s proper on our doorstep,” Justice mentioned. “We hope we will try this (immediately) and make you all actually proud and actually excited as nicely.”
Mitch Carmichael, cupboard secretary of the Division of Financial Improvement, informed members of the Home Judiciary Committee that the proposed mission could be powered by photo voltaic vitality. The second part of the proposed mission would require hiring at the very least 200 employees not counting building employees, with as much as 1,000 employees being employed when accomplished.
“It is a nice alternative for West Virginia,” Carmichael mentioned. “It makes use of renewable sources and creates jobs and alternatives.”
The Century Aluminum plant is positioned between Millwood and Ravenswood alongside W.Va. 2 alongside the Ohio River. The plant was first established in 1954 and closed in 2009. Utilized Companions of New Jersey bought the plant’s belongings in 2017, however the property was deeded again to the state in 2020. The worth of the property in query is greater than $25 million.
“My father labored at that plant that was positioned there … it was shut down in 2009 and it devastated that neighborhood,” Carmichael mentioned. “Now to see the resurgence of it and a brand new world-class manufacturing facility in an aerospace business, what it’s going to do for that neighborhood, the area, and the world is simply immeasurable.”
The Legislature additionally handed Senate Payments 4002 and 4003, utilizing $150 million of the greater than $550 million in surplus tax income from the fiscal yr that led to June for secondary highway upkeep tasks. Earlier Monday, Justice defined that that $150 million could be divided, with $125 million going in the direction of resurfacing tasks, $25 million for gear for all 55 counties.
“We’re going to have a minimal of two tasks for each county,” Justice mentioned. “The highway upkeep, the highway repairs, all of the various things which might be occurring in Highways with reference to roads … now we have resurfaced all throughout this state in each method. We’ve pulled ditches and stuck slips and completely on and on and on. We’re going to remain at it till completely now we have the most effective roads of anywhere within the nation.”
As for a particular session that was paused July 29 as a consequence of disagreements between Home and Senate Republicans over a invoice to create a brand new ban on abortion with restricted exceptions, the Home will gavel in at midday immediately to nominate members to a convention committee. The Senate had not agreed to do the identical as of press time.
West Virginia
Progress continues on West Virginia’s first stargazing cabins
BRUCETON MILLS, WV (WVNS) — Progress continues to be made on the first stargazing cabins in the Mountain State.
The stargazing cabins will be located at Coopers Rock State Forest and are estimated to open in fall 2024. Reservations for the cabins will begin to be accepted on August 1, 2024. Governor Justice visited Coopers Rock State Forest on Monday, June 24, 2024 to check on the progress on the cabins.
This is another exciting day for West Virginia with the addition of these incredible cabins. Coopers Rock State Forest is a gem within our state park system, and as we continue to draw visitors from around the world, it’s important that we maintain and enhance its amazing condition and reputation. This stunning park is among our most frequently visited, and the projects we’re working on here will further put this forest on the map.
Governor Jim Justice
The stargazing cabins are part of more than $200 million in improvements made to the West Virginia parks system under the leadership of Governor Justice.
There will be five A-frame stargazing cabins that will be found by the main ridge between Raven Rock and the main overlook, and there are plans to add seven more cabins in spring 2025.
The cabins will be set up to give guests a chance for unique stargazing opportunities using the telescopes in the cabins to look at some of the darkest skies on the East Coast.
It’s amazing to see these improvements coming to fruition at Coopers Rock State Forest. Gov. Justice has brought the West Virginia State Parks system to much higher levels with his vision and guidance. I’m looking forward to all of the new and returning visitors who will come to stay in the newly constructed cabins and at the campground once they’re ready.
Brett McMillion | Division of Natural Resources Director
Investments were made at 36 parks, nine forests and three rail trails throughout the Mountain State. Cacapon Resort State Park’s new lodge, creating two new state parks, new recreational facilities, hundreds of new campsites built or upgraded, systemwide infrastructure upgrades, and renovations at every lodge and cabin in the system will be included in the projects.
Since the investments were made, revenue grew significantly and visitation increased, which will allow for reinvestment in public lands in West Virginia.
We continue to see folks interested in unique lodging, and I’m thrilled to see our state’s first stargazing cabins nearing completion. The more than $200 million in improvements at our state parks system are paying dividends. A visit to any of our parks will show the incredible quality of our facilities and the popularity of our public lands. Our state parks system is a true gem, and we are forever grateful to the Governor for his continued commitment to ensuring our facilities the very best.
Chelsea Ruby | West Virginia Tourism Secretary of Tourism
More than $15 million in investments were made at Coopers Rock State Forest. Some of the improvements include the stargazing cabins, major water and wastewater treatment improvements, a new laundry and firewood facility, and a modern 25-site RV campground.
The contracts in the investments were awarded to companies and firms in West Virginia. The first five stargazing cabins and new campground to Wolfes Excavating in Clarksburg, the next seven cabins will be built by Zetti Contracting LLC in Morgantown, ZMM did the architectural work, and CEC completed the engineering.
West Virginia
WVSP release tattoo images in death investigation
LINCOLN COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – West Virginia State Police have released images of tattoos on a woman’s body found earlier this week in Lincoln County — all in hope of someone being able to identify her.
On Monday, troopers found the woman’s body in a wooded area off of Taunton Drive in the Harts community of Lincoln County.
WVSP say the woman died from a single gunshot wound.
The tattoos were on the woman’s left and right calves. If you recognize the tattoos and might know who they belong to, you’re asked to contact state police or your local 911 agency.
Death investigation underway after body found in wooded area
Copyright 2024 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
Pair of Texas men charged in shooting death of West Virginia woman – WV MetroNews
Photo from Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Polk County, TX – Two men have been charged in connection to the shooting death of a West Virginia woman.
46-year-old Christopher Crum and 65-year-old Robin Crum of Livingston, Texas, were both charged with murder on Friday for the June 15th murder of 38-year-old Jillian Rasnick.
Rasnick was found dead of a gunshot wound in Polk County, Texas, according to a Polk County Sheriff’s office release.
Officers believe there was a verbal altercation between the Crums and Rasnick which led to the shooting.
The investigation is still ongoing.
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