West Virginia contractors have publicly rebuked Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's high-profile plan to build a highway to develop a former Boone County surface…
West Virginia contractors have publicly rebuked Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s high-profile plan to build a highway to develop a former Boone County surface mine.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the Contractor’s Association said in a statement that it could not support spending $99.8 million to build a highway to the reclaimed Hobet surface mine when so much money is needed just to maintain the existing highway system.
Mike Clowser, the group’s executive director, says the State Road Fund, which is used to repair roads and bridges throughout the state, is “already distressed” from declining revenue. The fund’s revenue fell nearly 7 percent this fiscal year from $743 million in 2015.
Tomblin announced the plan to create a business development park on the mine during his 2016 State of the State address.
The leader of the federal Food and Drug Administration is headed to Charleston for a round-table discussion with top West Virginia officials about the…
The leader of the federal Food and Drug Administration is headed to Charleston for a round-table discussion with top West Virginia officials about the state’s opioid epidemic.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Monday that FDA Commissioner Robert Califf will attend the Tuesday event at the Department of Health and Human Resources.
Tomblin, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin and other officials are also slated to attend.
The state is making millions of dollars in minigrants available for small businesses damaged by deadly floods last month.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Monday that grants up to $10,000 will be awarded to small businesses through the RISE West Virginia public-private partnership.
Tomblin set a minimum goal of $2 million through private donations and state money.
Tomblin plans to use some of the $4.5 million in state money usually earmarked for casinos.
Brad Smith, CEO of software company Intuit, is donating $500,000 and offering free software for affected small businesses.
Prospective donors can contact the West Virginia Development Office. Small businesses can apply for grants through the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
The June 23 floods killed 23 people and ravaged homes, businesses and infrastructure.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has extended the state of emergency declared in 12 West Virginia counties impacted by last month’s flooding. Clay, Fayette,…
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has extended the state of emergency declared in 12 West Virginia counties impacted by last month’s flooding.
Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster counties will remain under a state of emergency until August 22.
Extending the proclamation allows state resources for cleanup and recovery to continue to be focused on those affected areas.
Thousands of homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed after high waters reached historic levels in some communities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has awarded more than $30 million in federal aid to West Virginians so far.
More federal aid is on the way to help West Virginia governments pay for extensive damage done by floods that killed 23 people.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced in a news release Thursday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved public assistance for agencies in 11 counties.
The counties include Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster.
The aid supports governments in debris removal, emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation and the repair, replacement or restoration of flood-damaged, publicly-owned facilities.
Certain nonprofits may qualify.
FEMA already has approved more than $18 million in individual assistance to help people with medical and housing support and other immediate needs.
Individual aid is available in Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, Webster and Lincoln counties.
By his estimate, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said thousands of homes have either been destroyed or damaged beyond repair after severe storms rolled through much…
By his estimate, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said thousands of homes have either been destroyed or damaged beyond repair after severe storms rolled through much of southeastern West Virginia Thursday, leaving in its wake some of the worst flooding the state has seen in years.
“No one’s seen anything like this before,” House Speaker Tim Armstead said Monday as he waited outside Clendenin Advent Christian Church for Tomblin.
After a press conference, Tomblin toured the church as Pastor Mike Todorovich pointed out the devastation.
Credit Ashton Marra / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
/
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The decades old baby grand piano that sits in the worship hall is one of the only items to survive the flood that filled Clendenin Advent Christian Church with water.
“We slept up on the balcony water got up as far as the stoop over there,” Todorvich told the governor as they stood in the worship hall that took on several inches, if not feet of water.
“When the water crested in the church, it went up about an inch on the window sill at that point before it started going back down.”
Todorvich showed Tomblin the mud, debris and three to four inches of water left behind in the churches basement. When he pointed to the decades old piano in the worship hall, the only thing that survived, he broke down.
“You know, when you see devastation like you have here in Clendenin, it’s going to take some time for people to get their homes, their lives back in order,” Tomlin said during his press conference. Earlier in the day, he had visited the town of Rainelle in Greenbrier County, one of the hardest hit by the storm.
FEMA- the Federal Emergency Management Agency- sent crews to the state Saturday to begin assessing the overall damage from the high water. Monday, more FEMA personnel began documenting and assessing the damage to personal property in the three counties named federal disaster areas.
Credit Ashton Marra / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
/
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin during a press conference in front of Clendenin Advent Christian Church
FEMA coordinating officer Albie Lewis says people should begin to clean up, but while they’re doing it, should take pictures and carefully document the damage to everything from dry wall to personal belongings. And they should register with FEMA so an assessor can help them get federal aid.
Todorovich has started the cleanup process in his church’s community hall next door where volunteers from Circleville, Ohio, are tearing down damaged dry wall so it can be replaced.
Armstead said, in Clendenin, it will likely take months to clean up and rebuild- every business in town is closed due to storm damage and the infamous old school Dairy Queen collapsed when moving water swept through the town, but he believes the town will come back.
“This is a wonderful little town and I think most of the people here want to stay and they’ve lived here, I mean, most of us who live in the Elk River area have lived here, generations of our family have lived here and people don’t want to leave. So, we’re hoping that we can put it back together and work hard to keep everybody here.”
