Gov. Tomblin's Brother Faces Drug Charge

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s brother is facing a federal drug distribution charge.
 
A federal information charges 50-year-old Carl Tomblin of Chapmanville with illegally distributing oxymorphone, a prescription painkiller, on Dec. 6, 2013, at or near Chapmanville.
 
The governor said Wednesday in a statement that he’s saddened and disappointed but he loves his brother. He says his brother needs help and must be held accountable for his actions.
 
A telephone number for Carl Tomblin rang unanswered Wednesday.
 
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin says in a news release that the charge stems from an investigation by the U.S. 119 Task Force and the West Virginia State Police.
 

   

Meet a W.Va. Water Hero

Water donations from across the country have poured into Wyoming County since our original report.  The folks in Bud and Alpoca were dealing with unpotable water, running a dark brown at times, months before the chemical spill in Charleston. Another donation arrived at Herndon Consolidated School Tuesday, but this time it from another elementary school in northern W.Va.

January 9 a chemical spill contaminated the water source for more than 300,000 customers in West Virginia’s capitol city and the surrounding area. A state of emergency was declared, the National Guard was called in to assist with water distribution, and donations arrived from groups across the country.

Around that same time, Sarah Haymond was teaching a lesson to her 3rd grade class at Blackshere Elementary in Marion County. Haymond decided the best way to teach about community service, was to coordinate a water drive for the folks affected by the chemical spill.

The state of emergency is still in effect for nine counties but Haymond didn’t feel the need was as great. So she began looking for other places in W.Va. with a water need and that’s when she found the town of Bud.

About 500 people have been on a boil water advisory since September and it’s not a state of emergency. The Alpoca Water Works system is dated and without an operator. The owner is working to turn the utility over to the Eastern Wyoming County PSD but it’s not a simple sale.

While it’s worked out, residents seem to be caught in the middle; purchasing water for things like drinking, laundry, and cooking for about six months.

“I showed the students in my class the pictures that I found on the internet from the sinks and the waters and they couldn’t believe it,” she said. “For little kids it’s just something they don’t think about not having water.”

The third graders collected about 65 to 70 gallons of water. The shipment arrived at Herndon Consolidated School on Tuesday. The school has served as central drop off place for donations and residents to find relief.  

MacKenci Fluharty is one of several Blackshere Elementary third grade students that contributed to the Bud water drive.  Listen below as she shares what she learned from the project.

FluhartyWaterHero.MP3
Listen to Mackenzie Fluharty, a W.Va. third grader, read her lessons from the water drive.
Mackenzie Fluharty (right in blue shirt) along with her class was excited to help with the water drive.

W.Va. Senate Approves Bill to Boost Student Activity

The West Virginia Senate has passed legislation requiring physical activity for students.
 
Under the Move to Improve Act, elementary school students must participate in 30 minutes of physical education three days a week.

The bill requires middle-school students to attend at least one full period of physical education per day with 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.
 
High school students would need one full course credit of physical education for graduation and would have the opportunity to enroll in an elective lifetime physical education course.
 
The bill aims to address the high health care costs of obesity-related illnesses. The bill notes that an economic study in West Virginia found the direct medical cost of obesity in 2009 was $8.9 million.
 
The bill has been sent to the House.
 

Federal Health Officials Now Calling W.Va. Water 'Safe'

A federal health official says it's safe to use water contaminated by a chemical spill in West Virginia last month. The Centers for Disease Control and…

A federal health official says it’s safe to use water contaminated by a chemical spill in West Virginia last month.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously labeled the water “appropriate for use” by everybody, but not “safe.”
 
Agency spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds said the word choice doesn’t change guidance. Reynolds said Monday the agency wanted to recognize the desire of some to use the less scientific term ‘safe’ when discussing chemical levels in the water.
 
The Jan. 9 spill in Charleston tainted 300,000 people’s water for up to 10 days.
 
Last month, the CDC advised pregnant women to consider a different water source days after many people were told to drink the water. The CDC has since said everyone could have used the water when the ban was lifted.
 

Second W.Va. House Panel OKs Late Abortion Ban Bill

A proposal to ban abortions in West Virginia after 20 weeks of pregnancy has passed a second legislative panel with no discussion.

The House of Delegates Judiciary Committee cleared the bill on a split vote Friday, potentially setting up a contentious debate on the House floor. Committee chairman Tim Manchin didn’t allow debate on the bill.

The late-term abortions would be outlawed unless a woman has complications that are life-threatening or could cause permanent damage. Psychological or mental conditions wouldn’t be considered.
 
The bill would compel physicians who perform 20-week abortions try to give the unborn child the best opportunity to live.

Under the bill, all abortions would be reported to the Division of Health and anyone who performs an abortion in violation of the bill would face felony charges.
 

WV TAP Researchers Say Initial Sample Collection Complete, Need Additional Funds

The two scientists leading the West Virginia Testing Assessment Project, or WV TAP, following the Jan. 9 chemical spill into the Elk River near Charleston provided an update on the project Friday. The briefing was held in a Department of Health and Human Resources conference room in downtown Charleston.

Dr. Andrew Whelton and Jeffrey Rosen spoke to reporters and said they have completed gathering samples of 10 homes across the area affected. Samples from both hot and cold water were taken.

The researchers said they have collected 900 samples, with 600 to be tested. The additional 300 will be stored in case of breakage during transport.

The samples being used will be tested in labs in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and California, Whelton said.

Governor Tomblin initially budgeted $650,000 for the project, but researchers requested an additional $112,000 to cover unanticipated costs. A spokesperson for Gov. Tomblin confirmed the request for additional funds has been approved.

The independent project is seeking to determine the odor threshold, as well as review the safety level of MCHM that was determined by state officials after the spill.

The odor threshold study is being conducted by Dr. Michael J. McGuire and Dr. Mel Suffet. Expert and consumer panels will be conducted, said Rosen.

A panel of experts to study the risks of exposure to MCHM is still being formed.

Whelton said the project will remain independent of the government and results of the study will not be handed over to state officials. He said the cooperation of the state is mainly limited to use of state facilities for news conferences, such as Friday’s.

A larger sample of homes is expected to be tested in the future, also as part of the WV TAP program. 

Researchers said results from the pilot study of 10 homes are expected in one to three weeks and will be posted online at: wvtapprogram.com.

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