Author: Associated Press

Water Panel Makes Suggestions on New Law

A West Virginia panel is suggesting a new tax credit, $12.2 million in extra funding and other tweaks to a law that responded to a January chemical…

A West Virginia panel is suggesting a new tax credit, $12.2 million in extra funding and other tweaks to a law that responded to a January chemical spill.

The Public Water Supply System Study Commission suggested changes in a 47-page report submitted Monday.

The $12.2 million in recommended funding over three years would help utilities complete more intensive source water protection plans.

The proposed state income tax credit would reward landowners who use land for water protection.

In March, lawmakers cleared reforms responding to the January spill that tainted 300,000 people’s water for days. A tank leaked chemicals into the Elk River, which West Virginia American Water uses for the region’s water supply.

The group has to produce reports on the law’s effectiveness by Dec. 15 annually.

Coonskin Park's Name to Change?

The head of the Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking to change the name of Coonskin Park in Charleston.

Retired state Adj. Gen. Allen Tackett wants to change the park’s name because some people are offended by it.

The Charleston Gazette reports that the name is generally associated with a type of fur cap made from a raccoon skin but Tackett notes the term could be offensive to others.

The commission is set to discuss the name change at a Thursday meeting.

Tackett says now is the time to discuss it since new signs already will have to be made for a new entrance for the park. He’s suggesting the park be named for Kanawha County Commissioner Hoppy Shores, who was just elected to his seventh term.

Buck Kills During W.Va. Deer Season Down

Hunters killed nearly 37,280 bucks during West Virginia’s two-week firearm season. That’s down 34 percent from the 56,523 bucks killed in the 2013 season.

Division of Natural Resources Director Frank Jezioro said Friday that bad weather and an excellent acorn crop this fall contributed to lower hunter success.

Preston County led the state with 1,531 bucks killed. Greenbrier County was second with 1,384, followed by Randolph County with 1,254, Lewis County with 1,159 and Ritchie County with 1,157.

Jezioro says the number of bucks killed decreased on all regions. The largest percentage decreases were in the state’s western counties.

The buck firearms season ran from Nov. 24 to Dec. 6.

W.Va. Coalfields Panel Grants $20k for Trail Project

A state Senate panel seeking to revitalize the struggling southern coalfields has awarded a $20,000 grant to a trail project.

At a Thursday meeting in Princeton, Senate President Jeff Kessler and task force members gave the grant to the Piney Creek Trail Committee.

The money will help build a hiking and biking trail starting from Beckley’s YMCA soccer complex, heading to the Raleigh County Airport, then down Piney Creek to the New River Gorge National River.

The panel’s funding went toward matching a $250,000 federal grant.

The Piney Creek Trail Committee is part of the Raleigh County Transportation Authority.

The state Senate’s Southern Coalfields Organizing and Revitalizing the Economy initiative, or SCORE, aims to diversify southern West Virginia. The panel plans to make recommendations before the January legislative session.

Report: W.Va. Lax on Tobacco Prevention Funding

A group of public health organizations say West Virginia isn’t spending enough money on programs to prevent tobacco use.

According to a report, states this year will collect $25.6 billion from the national tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes. But they’ll spend less than 2 percent of it on tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

The report was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Cancer Society and several other groups.

It says West Virginia is spending $4.9 million on tobacco prevention funding in the current fiscal year. That’s only about 18 percent of the $27.4 million recommended to be spent by federal officials.

The groups say states are shortchanging programs that prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, as well as save lives and health care costs.

W.Va. Girls Scouts Promoting STEM Education

The Girls Scouts council in West Virginia is implementing a program to promote science, technology, engineering and math fields.The Girl Scouts of Black…

The Girls Scouts council in West Virginia is implementing a program to promote science, technology, engineering and math fields.

The Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council says the program called “Imagine Your STEM Future” will work to inspire more girls to pursue education and careers in those fields.

Officials say the program is being implemented with the help of a $625,000 national contribution from AT&T.

Under the program, 100 girls in West Virginia will participate in after-school STEM and mentoring activities. About 75 percent of the 800 girls participating nationwide are at-risk of dropping out of high school.

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