West Virginia

Plans coming to fruition for Charleston Connector Project – WV MetroNews

Published

2 years ago

August 16, 2024

Plans coming to fruition for Charleston Connector Project – WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — On Thursday, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin and GAI Consultants held a media briefing at the Kanawha County Library to unveil a first look at a draft concept of the Capital Connector Project.

The Capital Connector is a project that aims to connect Charleston’s East End and West Side by enhancing the area by the Kanawha River, specifically the Kanawha Boulevard Walk and Bikeway.

The project will begin at Magic Island on Charleston’s West Side and will go for over three miles to the base of the 35th Street Bridge. Upgrades will also come to parts of Greenbrier Street connecting the East End and the West Virginia State Capitol Complex.

Mayor Goodwin says plans are coming to fruition and just now becoming available for the public, but the work to get this project started goes back to the beginning of her time in office.

“Five and a half years ago when I first became mayor, we started on this,” Goodwin said Thursday. “We started going after the funding to do this type of planning. This is something that, for five and a half years, we’ve been working on, but honestly, the city has been asking for this for decades.”

Charleston received a $25 million RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in late June after receiving over $1 million in 2023 to do an initial study.

Kanawha County resident Heidi Talmage says she was surprised at how much funding is going towards the project.

“I was stunned at how much funding is going to be available for this project,” Talmage said. “It sounds like they are really expecting to be able to do something very meaningful and not just a little band-aid on a long-term problem.”

Talmage also says she thinks this project bringing in more people to the city.

“I think this is going to be a big benefit to the town and to make it more attractive to a bigger variety of people,” Talmage said.

One of the ways the Capital Connector Project may attract more people to the city is the vision to enhance commuter trails along the Kanawha Boulevard. To make the Kanawha Boulevard Walk and Bikeway better, the City of Charleston and GAI Consultants want to reduce four to five 12-foot traffic lanes, allowing for expansion of the pedestrian pathway. In addition, the concept has intersection signal modifications, lighting upgrades, and better stormwater management.

James Yost, Landscape Architect manager for GAI Consultants, says this project means a lot to him and is worth the long days and late nights.

“I’ve lived in Charleston my entire life,” Yost said. “At 36 years old, I’m able to do my most important project that I’ve ever had to do to date. I’m very excited every day I get to work on this. We’ve had many late nights, and it doesn’t matter because I’m enjoying every minute of this.”

Yost was the main presenter at the hearing Thursday night, and he answered questions from community members about the plans.

Community members were able to write in public comments Thursday evening to help expand the vision and can do so until September 14.

Goodwin says it’s the citizens that need to make their voices heard so the project can be catered to them.

“We can come up with what we think would be really great for the city, but it’s you,” Goodwin said. “It’s the public telling us, ‘Hey, I saw this when I was traveling to this city,’ so obviously there’s great inspiration you’re going to see from different cities, but it’s coming from our public.”

Goodwin says there are so many ideas for the project, that some may be put on the backburner to fit the budget.

“The construction grant is $25 million, that’s the funding that we have,” Goodwin said. “We also have to look at what we actually can do within those budget restraints.”

Yost says GAI and the city are keeping their eye on future projects that might not be within the budget.

“We are also looking at even future projects as well,” Yost said. “We’ve highlighted a few areas along the trail that might not be within this first round of money that we get, but it’s something else that we can add on to because the $25 million is going to go so far and then there’s always the future as they continue to add on to the space and then expand into the communities as well.”

There will be another meeting regarding the Capital Connector Project in the coming months that will focus on design development.

A summer 2025 groundbreaking is the goal for the Capital Connector.

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West Virginia

Justice firm’s delinquent DEP fines rise past $1.6M amid DOJ criminal liability relief

Published

9 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Press Room

Justice firm’s delinquent DEP fines rise past .6M amid DOJ criminal liability relief

One of the most prominent coal companies in the teetering business empire of United States Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., owes the state of West Virginia over $1.6 million in delinquent fines. Justice’s Bluestone Coal Corp. owes the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection roughly $1.61 million in delinquent fines issued for 214 violations across 44 DEP-issued mining permits spanning Sept. 2019 to March 2026, according to records the Gazette-Mail obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. Bluestone Coal’s delinquent fine debt has grown 32.5% from the roughly $1.21 million it totaled in January 2026, according to records from a previous Gazette-Mail request, an indication that the long-running debt at the expense of Justice’s own constituents may not be going away anytime soon. But the companies’ long history of environmental failures was an issue that prompted a federal criminal investigation scuttled earlier in 2026 by Trump administration officials, according to a report published June 8 by ProPublica and Mountain State Spotlight.

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West Virginia

West Virginia First Foundation advances key initiatives at second quarterly board meeting

Published

19 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia First Foundation advances key initiatives at second quarterly board meeting

Community Bulletin

A longtime State Farm agent on Buckhannon’s Main Street, Kelley Tierney offers home, auto, life and renters insurance — plus State Farm financial services — under the company’s “Here For What Matters” approach. Read more →

This story brought to you paywall-free, courtesy of the My Buckhannon team and our community partners

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) convened its second quarterly board meeting of 2026 at Ascend West Virginia in Charleston, continuing its work to advance prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across West Virginia through responsible stewardship of opioid settlement funds.

The meeting provided board members with updates on several key initiatives and strategic priorities currently underway.

Expert panel appointments

A significant focus of the meeting was the appointment of several volunteer Expert Panel members following the conclusion of certain panel terms. Expert panelists serve in advisory roles and provide regional knowledge, professional expertise and community perspective to help inform WVFF’s work and funding priorities. To allow time for all appointees to complete the necessary confirmation and onboarding process, names will not be publicly released until all appointments have been finalized.

“Expert Panelists play an important role in helping us understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities facing our local communities,” said Jonathan Board, Executive Director of WVFF. “We are grateful for the individuals who volunteer their time and expertise to support this work and help guide thoughtful, informed decision-making.”

Local government reporting and best practices

Board members reviewed progress on the 2026 Local Government Expenditure Report, which compiles annual spending data submitted by local governments receiving opioid settlement funds. Staff reported that more than 65% of eligible local governments have submitted expenditure reports to date, with the statewide report expected to be released in mid-July.

The board also received an update on new resources being developed to help local governments identify promising practices and learn from successful approaches being implemented across West Virginia. While WVFF does not direct how local governments spend their allocated settlement funds, the Foundation remains committed to providing educational resources that highlight allowable uses, share examples from around the state and support informed local decision-making.

[CHAMBER] [2026-06-23] Hiring Executive Director

In the coming months, WVFF plans to host regional learning sessions that will bring local government representatives together to share experiences, discuss challenges and explore opportunities to maximize the impact of opioid settlement investments within their communities.

Strategic priorities

The board received updates on the Community Catalyst Grant (CCG) program, which opened for applications on June 1 and remains open through June 30. Designed as a three-year, outcomes-driven investment, the program will support projects focused on public safety response, day report centers and generational prevention efforts.

Board members also received updates on the West Virginia Wayfinder, the statewide needs assessment project led by the West Virginia University Health Affairs Institute, in partnership with the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs, and Data Driven WV. Meetings and engagement activities are underway with WVFF staff, expert panelists and community stakeholders across the state, with data, insights and priority areas currently being gathered and analyzed to help identify needs, gaps and opportunities related to substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery services in West Virginia.

“Our Board remains focused on ensuring these funds are invested responsibly and strategically for the benefit of West Virginia communities,” said Greg Duckworth, Chairman of the WVFF Board of Directors. “Each meeting provides an opportunity to review progress, strengthen accountability, and continue building on the work being done across the state.”

Direct funding request approved

The board also voted to approve a $4 million direct funding request submitted by the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) at West Virginia University. The project is focused on expanding access to innovative addiction treatment and recovery support tools while building the technology and infrastructure needed to support implementation across West Virginia.

Consistent with WVFF’s commitment to transparency and accountability, additional details regarding the project and funding agreement will be released in the coming weeks following the completion of final documentation. WVFF and RNI plan to issue a joint announcement once the agreement process has been finalized.

Hold the Line Tour stop at Rea of Hope

After the board meeting, WVFF board members and staff will visit Rea of Hope, an Initial Opportunity Grant awardee, as part of the Foundation’s Hold the Line Tour, which highlights organizations and programs working to make a difference in communities across West Virginia. The visit will provide an opportunity to hear directly from leadership about the impact of recovery-focused services and community support.

The next regular meeting of the Foundation’s board of directors is scheduled for September 17, 2026 (subject to change). Visit wvfirst.org to learn more.

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