Credit Cards Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Turnpike’s Beckley, Bluestone Plazas To Reopen In December

Both service plazas closed in 2022 for demolition and reconstruction. They will reopen by year’s end with more amenities at a cost of $122 million.

The head of the West Virginia Parkways Authority told lawmakers that two big turnpike projects should be finished by the end of the year.

Parkways Authority Executive Director Jeff Miller said Tuesday that the Beckley and Bluestone travel plazas on the West Virginia Turnpike will be open to the public by Dec. 15.

Both service plazas closed in 2022 for demolition and reconstruction. They will reopen by year’s end with more amenities at a cost of $122 million.

Miller told lawmakers that most of the work will be complete for the holiday travel season.

“I think a majority of it will be done, and the buildings will be completed and we’ll be able to get those open back up to the traveling public,” he said.

Miller also said that the toll plazas will begin to accept credit card payments by the end of the year. They will continue to accept cash and EZ-Pass.

Ex-Youth Choir Exec in West Virginia Admits to Embezzlement

A West Virginia woman has admitted to stealing about $98,000 from a youth choir organization.

News outlets report 51-year-old Jacqueline Holly Portillo of Hurricane pleaded guilty Monday to four felony embezzlement counts.

Kanawha County prosecutors say Portillo stole from the Appalachian Children’s Chorus from March 2010 through August 2017 through the use of business credit cards and bank accounts and concealed it by submitting false bank statements to accountants. Portillo is the nonprofit group’s former executive director.

Prosecutors say Portillo used the funds for personal travel and purchases for herself and family members, and for veterinary treatment and training for her dogs.

Portillo faces up to 10 years in prison. Sentencing has been set for July 30.

West Virginia Attorney General Urges Credit Card Protections

West Virginia’s attorney general issued guidelines for gas stations and convenience stores across aimed at preventing skimming credit and debit card information.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who queried the outlets about potential problems in May.

Skimmers are devices that can be attached to gas pumps and automated teller machines to intercept information from cards’ magnetic strips and later used to run up purchases.

Morrisey says the guidelines, backed by state and national trade associations, include replacing factory locks with unique locks on gas pumps, ensuring all pumps are well lit and monitored by security cameras, use tamper-evident security labels on each gas dispenser and have staff check pumps daily.