Tag: Senate President Jeff Kessler

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.

W.Va. Senate President's Son Faces Drug Charges

  A federal prosecutor says a 25-year-old son of West Virginia Senate President Jeff Kessler has been indicted in a drug trafficking case.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld said Wednesday that a grand jury in Wheeling indicted Jacob Kessler of Glen Dale on nine counts related to oxycodone distribution.

Ihlenfeld says some of the alleged trafficking occurred in Bellaire, Ohio, and near West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling.

In a statement, Jeff Kessler says he’s “heartbroken and disappointed” over his son’s arrest and asks for privacy during a difficult time for his family.

Third W.Va. Coalfields Senate Panel Meeting Next Week

  A state Senate panel seeking to revitalize the struggling southern coalfields will meet next week in Princeton.

The group’s third listening tour stop is set for Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Fred Gilbert Activity Center in Mercer County.

The 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.

Democratic Senate President Jeff Kessler’s 13-member task force will look at various ways to boost the coalfields.

Some include increasing tourism advertising, education and workforce development and retraining, redevelopment projects, agribusiness and rural development, better broadband Internet, expanded intermodal transportation, development of coalbed methane, and clean coal research and development.

Democrats will yield control of both legislative chambers to Republicans in January.

Senate President: W.Va. Senate Coalfields Initiative Will Continue

  Democratic Senate President Jeff Kessler says an initiative to revitalize the struggling southern coalfields will continue.

In a news release Wednesday, Kessler said a second listening tour stop is set for the evening of Nov. 18 in Oak Hill.

The 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.

Early ideas range from workforce retraining to coal bed methane development.

A day earlier, Democratic Sen. Mike Green had said the initiative was on hold until Republicans decided its fate. Republicans won Senate control after last week’s election and one Democratic defection to the GOP.

Green is SCORE’s co-chairman.

Republicans also won the House of Delegates majority. Democrats won’t relinquish majorities until January.

W.Va. Coalfields Senate Panel Sets First Meeting

A state Senate panel studying how to revitalize West Virginia’s struggling southern coalfields has scheduled its first meeting.

The Southern Coalfields Organizing and Revitalizing the Economy initiative, or SCORE, group will meet Wednesday evening. The meeting will take place at the Raleigh County Commission on Aging in Beckley.

It’s the first in a series of regional listening sessions. The group will then present recommendations for consideration in the 60-day legislative session starting in January.

Senate President Jeff Kessler’s 13-member task force will look at a variety of ways to boost the coalfields.

Some include increasing tourism advertising, education and workforce development and retraining, redevelopment projects, agribusiness and rural development, better broadband Internet, expanded intermodal transportation, development of coalbed methane, and clean coal research and development.

Senate Task Force to Aid Southern W.Va. Coalfields

  Senate President Jeff Kessler is setting up a task force as part of a push to help West Virginia’s struggling southern coalfields.

On Thursday, the Marshall County Democrat announced the Southern Coalfields Organizing and Revitalizing the Economy initiative, or SCORE.

The program is based off the Shaping our Appalachian Region program, which has similar goals for eastern Kentucky’s hurting coalfields.

Kessler’s 13-member Senate task force will look at a variety of ways to revitalize the coalfields.

Some include increasing tourism advertising, education and workforce development and retraining, redevelopment projects, agribusiness and rural development, better broadband Internet, expanded intermodal transportation, development of coalbed methane, and clean coal research and development.

The panel will hold regional listening sessions. It will present recommendations for consideration in the 60-day legislative session starting in January.

 

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