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WVU Extension Service partnership provides oil and gas job training for high school seniors

By WVU Today Four hundred West Virginia high school seniors can enter a pipeline of future workers in the oil and gas industry through an industry-specific training program initiated by West Virginia University Extension Service Safety and Health Extension. The SafeLandUSA orientation program will offer job readiness training, an online and hands-on ATV safety course and medical response training in high schools and vocational and technical schools across the state. “Most high school graduates entering college or going directly into the workforce have little, if any, ...

Second case of hepatitis A in area leads to hospitalization

A second area resident was diagnosed with hepatitis A and then hospitalized for it, and Monongalia County Health Department encourages community members to consider getting vaccinated to prevent this illness. “Hepatitis A is a viral infection for which there is a very effective vaccine,” said Dr. Lee B. Smith, MCHD executive director and county health officer. Smith said this second case does not involve anyone connected with the food industry, as the one announced last week did. However, “Hepatitis A is present in our environment,” Smith said. “And it’s a ...

Charges dropped against man injured during his arrest

Charges against a man whose jaw was broken and multiple teeth knocked out during an arrest were dropped. The city of Westover dropped all charges against 54-year-old Andre Howton. He was charged with battery on an officer, disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer and disturbing the peace. In the motion to dismiss, Westover’s municipal prosecutor, Matt Thorn, stated probable cause for the charges existed, but after further investigation the city would dismiss all charges stemming from Howton’s alleged actions on Jan. 1. Thorn declined to comment when asked to elaborate on the ...

WVU professor: Murray bankruptcy heralds coal industry decline

Last month’s bankruptcy of coal giant Murray Energy Corp. is yet another sign that West Virginia’s coal industry will continue to shrink as power plants make the necessary transition to less costly fuel options such as natural gas, according to a WVU energy expert. “Electric utilities are accelerating the retirements of their existing coal plants, as their long-term plans show that it is cheaper for ratepayers to build new, efficient natural gas-fired generating plants or renewable facilities, either wind or solar, than to continue to run existing coal plants,” James Van ...

Man pleads guilty to strangulation

KINGWOOD — A man whose first criminal conviction was at the age of 15, when he was tried and sentenced as an adult, will not face recidivist sentencing on his latest conviction. Devin Sean Sullivan, 32, of Kingwood, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Preston Circuit Court to strangulation, a felony. As part of the plea agreement, Preston Assistant Prosecutor Savannah Wilkins said, the state will not seek to have Sullivan sentenced under the recidivist statute, which calls for life in prison. Under questioning from Circuit Judge Steve Shaffer, Sullivan said his first felony conviction was ...

UMWA releases statement on Murray Energy’s Chapter 11 filing

TRIANGLE, Va. — United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts has issued a statement regarding the recent announcement of Murray Emergy’s Chapter 11 filing. Murray Energy made the announcement alongside publicly naming Roger Moore as the new president and CEO of Murray NewCo., a newly formed entity. In the statement, Roberts says, “Today’s filing by Murray Energy for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization comes as no surprise. This day has been coming for some time. “Coal production in this country continues to decline, due to the glut of ...