Brian Maka, public affairs officer at the Corps of Engineers, said the dam will maintain a small staff to ensure the safety of the dam. However, he says there will be some things the Corps will not be able to do.
A federal government shutdown is expected to begin on Oct. 1 and would have an impact on West Virginia’s dams.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for running the operations at nine of West Virginia’s dams. Since it is a federally run and funded agency, it would be a part of a federal government shutdown.
Brian Maka, public affairs officer at the Corps of Engineers, said the dam will maintain a small staff to ensure the safety of the dam. However, he says there will be some things the Corps will not be able to do.
“Over time, that means that other things are not being done,” Maka said. “If you’re just focused on the operations, that’s all we will be manned to do. Routine things that the staff would normally do would not be done.”
He says he is still waiting to hear what the plan is if there is a government shutdown and that it’s hard to say this early what his agency will or won’t be able to do during a shutdown.
“But it’s certainly not the full complement of your workforce,” Maka said.
Recreational releases will continue at Summersville Dam for the Gauley whitewater schedule.
“It’s an authorized purpose of the dam to support the whitewater operations. So those releases will be done as scheduled, unless ordered otherwise,” Maka said.
The Corps says it is still working out the details of what a shutdown could mean.
Gov. Jim Justice is warning that he may mandate masks be worn in public beginning next week. That warning comes as West Virginia reported its highest daily number of new coronavirus cases since mid-May.
In a virtual news briefing held Thursday, Justice said he is considering an order that would mandate residents wear masks in buildings outside of their homes.
“I want to give you notice that, right now, I am terribly concerned about what’s coming,” he said.
Justice said he will revisit the issue and make a decision next week, possibly as soon as Monday.
“The way you stop this is masks — wearing your mask,” Justice said. “I want everyone to know that I am very, very seriously considering that, at the beginning of next week. We may very well have to go to mandatory masks in buildings, you know, other than your homes.”
For weeks, Justice has urged residents to wear masks but has been reluctant to make them mandatory. At times, he has called the issue “divisive,” although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that masks be worn in public to prevent the spread of the virus.
“This recommendation is based on what we know about the role respiratory droplets play in the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, paired with emerging evidence from clinical and laboratory studies that shows cloth face coverings reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth,” according to the CDC’s website.
While mask-wearing has become a partisan debate in recent months, prominent national Republicans such as Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have both recently become vocal on the issue by asking Americans to wear masks in public.
Earlier this week, West Virginia Republican Party chairwoman Melody Potter wrote on Facebook that she wants people to be “considerate” of her decision not to wear a mask.
Potter, who cited West Virginia state code that makes masks illegal — with a few exceptions, including emergencies — also quoted one of America’s Founding Fathers, Patrick Henry, and wrote, “Give me liberty or give me death.”
Asked to respond to the leader of his party, Justice said he thinks highly of Potter, but he pushed back on the idea of not wearing masks.
“I would ask her — if we go through a mandatory masking and everything to go in our buildings and everything if we cannot social distance — I would ask Melody not to go into buildings,” Justice said.
Justice went on to say that he and his advisers will review testing data over the weekend. He added that the decision on whether to mandate masks would not be influenced by politics.
“We’re going to gather a whole bunch more information — and we’re gonna make the best decision we can make — but I’m going to make the decision. That is the best decision Jim Justice can make,” Justice said. “Not the decision that is the best political decision. Not a decision that is a party decision. It is going to be the decision as to what I think is the very best for all West Virginians.”
At least a dozen states have mandated the use of masks in public spaces in hopes of quelling the spread of the virus. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, issued an order on the matter Wednesday.
The change of tone comes as West Virginia has seen an uptick in cases of the coronavirus in recent weeks. On Thursday, state health officials reported the highest number of new cases since May 23.
As of Thursday morning, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported 93 deaths from COVID-19. The agency reported more than 3,000 cases of the coronavirus.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has announced additional reopening plans, but state public health officials are urging residents to remain cautious of more potential coronavirus outbreaks.
The latest round of reopenings come as the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced Monday that 67 residents have died as a result of COVID-19. To date, the DHHR has reported 1,491 positive cases of the virus that causes the disease.
With large specialty retailers allowed to resume business on Thursday, Justice announced indoor malls will also be allowed to reopen this week.
“From the standpoint of our specialty retail opening back up and our big box stores opening back up, naturally, our malls ought to be open,” Justice said. “And so, from all that, we’ve asked for additional guidelines and everything. We’ve got them. We feel very comfortable with them now and everything.”
The governor also said that state parks and cabins will become open to in-state residents on Tuesday, May 26. Additionally, indoor and outdoor bars (operating at half capacity), museums, visitor centers and zoos will be allowed to reopen on that date.
Limited video lottery retailers will be allowed to open back up on Saturday, May 30, as will spas and massage parlors. Justice’s plan also allows casinos to resume operations on Friday, June 5.
Justice touted numbers released by state health officials including a cumulative positive growth rate under 2 percent. But he did acknowledge that the reopening plan is subject to change, should communities see an uptick in the number of reported cases.
“We’re monitoring all the time,” Justice said. And we will probably and very well could have to change — hopefully we won’t and everything. The numbers, right now, are continuing to be just fantastic.”
Asked whether the targeted testing of those with symptoms, as well as those in nursing homes, African Americans and other vulnerable populations is affecting a seven-day rolling average, Justice said he believes the cumulative rate is higher than if the general population were to be tested.
“We’re testing lots and lots and lots of people, but we’re testing people that are feeling bad or have issues or whatever,” Justice said. “Now, the people with problems thus far — on the number of positives versus the number of tests taken — are at 1.96 percent.”
Dr. Clay Marsh, a physician from West Virginia University who is serving as the state’s coronavirus czar, offered cautious optimism Monday as the state moved forward on reopening plans. He said he based that optimism on how residents responded in earlier stages of the pandemic.
“Certainly, we could have many more problems and more deaths if we don’t really pay attention to this next step,” Marsh said of planned reopenings. “And, given how well everyone in West Virginia did on the first step, we’re confident in the next one.”
Justice again Monday said he hopes West Virginia could attract businesses and boost its population based on the data
“We are the opportunity. We are the diamond in the rough,” Justice said.
However, he did ask residents to remain cautious — even going as far as predicting that reopening would not be without issue.
“We got to really be on our game [and be] really careful,” Justice said. “And our experts are going to lead the way — with myself and all those that are working right right hand in hand — and we’re going to stay on top of it and we’re going to run to the fire if there’s a problem. And trust me, West Virginia, there will be a problem. There’s going to be problems. This disease is here. We have got to be careful.”
Police in Washington have arrested a West Virginia man accused of selling $2,000 in fake World Series tickets.
Metropolitan D.C. police said Sunday they charged 54-year-old Ondre Nelson of Huntington, West Virginia, with first-degree fraud. The Washington Post reports Nelson sold five counterfeit tickets for $400 each to a man near the ballpark just before Friday’s third game between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros.
An arrest affidavit obtained by the paper says police found the victim after he caught up with Nelson and another man. The second man paid back $1,300 and left, but Nelson and the victim were arguing when police arrived.
Court records show Nelson pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court and was released pending a November hearing.
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has dismissed cases seeking to challenge appointments to — and a special election campaign for — the high court. Arguments were heard Monday and an order was issued hours later in matters involving Congressman Evan Jenkins and former House Speaker Tim Armstead.
Two separate lawsuits sought to prevent the appointments of Jenkins and Armstead to the state Supreme Court. One of those suits also sought to prevent Jenkins from running in a November special election and argued that his lapsed law practice made his bid unconstitutional.
Acting Chief Justice Paul Farrell and four other temporarily appointed justices ruled “there is no clear right to the relief sought by the petitioners.”
In a statement following the decision, Jenkins called the suits “bogus.”
Chief Justice Margaret Workman and Justice Beth Walker were disqualified from the case, as they await impeachment trials.
Gov. Jim Justice appointed Jenkins and Armstead to the court last month, following the retirements of Justices Menis Ketchum Robin Davis. Those appointments are only temporary, as the remainder of the terms — with the seat Jenkins will hold through 2024 and Armstead’s through 2020 — will be filled through a November special election.
The two justices stepped down from the bench amidst a nearly year-long scandal involving costly spending by the court and accusations of other administrative malfeasance.
A day after President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, most of West Virginia’s congressional delegation has weighed in on what many critics saw as a lost opportunity to condemn the foreign leader for his country’s role in interfering with the United States’ 2016 election.
President Trump drew criticism from many senators and congressional representatives of both parties following remarks at a joint press conference Monday, July 16 with Putin. When asked who was to blame for the interference, Trump said he holds “both countries responsible.”
The U.S. President also said that Putin denied any involvement in the operations of the election interference.
Trump and Putin’s meeting in Helsinki came just days after an indictment from U.S. Department of Justice special counsel Robert Mueller charges 12 Russian agents of interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
In a written statement issued Tuesday, Sen. Joe Manchin — a Democrat — acknowledged Russian meddling in the election and argued it is not a partisan matter up for debate.
“Let me be perfectly clear, the Russian government is not our friend. They interfered in our 2016 election and their cyberattacks continue to this day. The brave men and women in our intelligence community have concluded this through a fact-based investigation,” Manchin said. “As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I have seen the clear evidence of what the Russians have done and continue to do to meddle in our elections. This is an issue that both Democrats and Republicans are united on.”
Manchin also quoted a statement from Republican Sen. John McCain, who issued a scathing criticism of President Trump on Monday. However, Manchin also pointed to comments from Republican sens. Lindsay Graham, of South Carolina, and Bob Corker, of Tennessee.
Graham said “meddling & collusion are NOT the same thing,” while Corker said Russia “definitely interfered in our election. That’s not debatable.”
“These are not political, partisan words – these are words of concerned elected officials united in the defense of our country, our intelligence community, and in agreement with the facts. It’s incumbent on any President to stand up to our adversaries and confront them when they attack our country,” Manchin said.
“We fought and won the Cold War by never giving ground to the Soviet Union, and we need the same strength today. I stand by the analysis of our country’s intelligence community, my Republican and Democratic colleagues and the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. This is not political, it’s simply patriotic,” he added.
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From left to right: Sen. Joe Manchin, Rep. David McKinley, Re[. Alex Mooney, Rep. Evan Jenkins, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. Requests for comment from Reps. Mooney and Jenkins on Monday’s meeting between Trump and Putin went unanswered.
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito noted support of funding for election security, which was passed as part of the March 2018 omnibus spending bill. Capito chairs the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, which secured $380 million for that project — of which West Virginia was granted $3.6 million from the appropriation to improve election security.
“I trust our intelligence community in their assessment of Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 election,” Senator Capito said. “Preserving the integrity of our electoral system is critical to our democracy. That is why I led efforts as chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee to include funds to improve U.S. election security in the government funding legislation that became law in March. Russia is an adversary of the United States, and we must continue efforts to hold them accountable.”
Federal officials have confirmed that Russian-backed hackers probed election-related systems in at least 21 states in the 2016 election, although West Virginia was not one of them.
Rep. David McKinley, a Republican who represents West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, pointed to actions taken by the Trump Administration in which the U.S. has attempted to combat Russian interference.
“The House Intelligence Committee and several American intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections, just as they have done in many other countries. I disagree with the President’s statement,” McKinley said. “However, we should also weigh these poorly chosen words at a press conference against actions the Administration has taken against Russia, including imposing tough sanctions, expelling diplomats, and providing weapons to Ukraine.”
One such measure was the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, for which McKinley — and the rest of the state’s delegation — voted in favor.
Last year, Trump signed CAATSA but called the measure “seriously flawed” because it limited his ability to implement sanctions without congressional approval. Trump also failed to hit a congressionally mandated deadline in January to act on the bill — which would have allowed him to impose new sanctions on Russia for meddling in the 2016 election.
Reps. Alex Mooney and Evan Jenkins — of the state’s 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts, respectively — did not return requests for comment.
None of the state’s five-member delegation acknowledged requests for interviews on the matter.
