“The concrete ramp was damaged and it was difficult to launch boats,” Preston said. “A new ramp was installed in the same place and is now open to anglers and boaters.”

Jefferson County owns the boat ramp and park and entered into a cooperative agreement with the WVDNR for the repairs and maintaining the site for continued public access. The repair work is made possible through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration funds and matching fishing license revenue through the WVDNR. Anglers and boaters support projects like this through the purchase of fishing licenses and through a federal excise tax on fishing tackle and motor boat fuel taxes.

The Moulton Park boat ramp is located just downstream from the Route 9 bridge east of Charles Town on Bloomery Road. A gravel parking lot provides adequate vehicle parking for boat trailers and space to maneuver trailers for easy launching.

The driver was Sherry M Kirby age 36 from 2897 Cannon Hill Road Hedgesville WV.  Kirby was found to be intoxicated and charged with DUI and various charges related to the pursuit she refused to submit to this arrest and was Tazed as result of her actions.   Assisting in this pursuit were members of the BC Sheriffs Office and West Virginia State Police.

The number of counties may rise as workers with WVDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) continue to collect the sticky purple prism traps that have been seen hanging in trees along many West Virginia roads.

West Virginia is currently under a federal EAB quarantine, which means that ash logs or products must be inspected and certified as EAB-free before they can be moved to any uninfested state.

“We continue to find EAB in more and more locations throughout the state,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “It is extremely difficult to combat invasive species, but one thing people can do to help is avoid moving firewood long distances, such as when they go camping.”

WVDA found EAB in Fayette County in 2007, in Morgan and Roane Counties in 2009, and in Raleigh, Calhoun and Nicholas Counties in 2010. There are now 17 counties positive for the insect. Counties where EAB has been found in 2011 include Brooke, Berkeley, Clay, Greenbrier, Gilmer, Hancock, Kanawha, Mingo, Summers, Webster and Wirt.

Plant Industries Division Director Sherrie Hutchinson said, “No one wanted to find more EAB in the state, but the survey definitely enforces the fact that this invasive beetle has spread through artificial movement because we are finding it in widely spread areas of the state, rather than in neighboring counties. Every time you move infested ash firewood or logs you help move the beetle. They are under the bark where you don’t see them, so please don’t move firewood.”

EAB attacks only ash trees. It is believed to have been introduced into the Detroit, Mich., area 15-20 years ago on wood packing material from Asia. Since then, the destructive insect has been found in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec.

Anyone with questions about EAB can contact the WVDA’s Plant Industries Division at 304-558-2212, or visit www.emeraldashborer.info.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’8” weighing about 170lbs.  He was wearing a blue wind breaker with black trim, a black toboggan, black pants and tan boots.  The suspect was also wearing a large watch on his left wrist.

At approximately 0435 Berkeley County Central Dispatch received a call that the 7-Eleven at the intersection of Williamsport Pike and Berkeley Station Road had just been robbed by a black male wearing a blue and black jacket.  That subject also jumped the counter and punched the clerk after buying a pack of cigarettes, grabbed money from the register and fled the store.  The subject got into a burgundy Chrysler Sebring convertible and was stopped by Deputy Welcome of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department a short time later.

The driver was identified as Tirrell Andre Morton and the passenger was identified as Sonia Yancey.  The driver matched the description of the suspect and was wearing black pants, tan boots and a large watch on his left wrist.  Mr. Morton and Ms. Yancey were arrested by the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department for the robbery of the Berkeley Station 7-Eleven.

Information and evidence has been obtained in the robbery of the Queen Street 7-Eleven and warrants charging Tirrell Morton with the crime are pending.

Bed bugs are easily transported from place to place, and can be very difficult to eradicate from buildings and homes once they are established.

“The Department does not conduct residential treatments, but we do license the companies in the state that handle pesticides commercially,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “We want to distribute the following tips from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to help consumers make good decisions when it comes to hiring a contractor to deal with bed bug infestations.”

• * Always deal with a qualified and licensed pest management company.
• * Look for companies with experience dealing with this challenging pest.
• * If a sizable amount of money is involved, get bids from several companies before signing a contract. Don’t allow yourself to be rushed into making a decision.
• * Be sure you understand the nature of work to be performed, extent of the infestation and what is covered by the service agreement before signing a contract.
• * Check to see if the pest control company has liability insurance to cover any damages to your house and furnishings.
• * If a guarantee is included, know what it covers, how long it is in force, what kind of continuing control, prevention and management will be necessary.
• * Shop for the best value, not necessarily the lowest price. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate. Controlling them may require multiple treatments and/or a variety of methods

If you have any questions about pest management companies, information is available by calling Grant Bishop with WVDA’s Pesticide Regulatory Programs Unit at 304-558-2209.

Read full story via Winchester Va News.

“This unfair, regressive tax hurts every West Virginian but no one feels the impact more than those families who are struggling to pay their everyday bills and put food on the table,” Gov. Tomblin said. “Our state can take this fiscally responsible step and reduce the food tax by one percent.”

During the State of the State Address, the governor proposed legislative action to reduce the food tax to two percent from the current three percent, effective January 1, 2012. If passed by the Legislature, and signed into law by the governor, the reduction will save West Virginians an estimated $26 million dollars a year.

“The current tax hurts our grocery businesses located along our borders as they must compete with neighboring states’ lower food tax,” Gov. Tomblin said. “If we can reduce the tax, not only will it keep West Virginians shopping here at home, but it will enable shoppers to have a bit more money to put back into their pockets.”

Under the leadership of then-Governor Manchin, what was once a six percent tax was gradually reduced to three percent in 2008, and provided a savings of at least $75 million to all West Virginians.

It is important to note the governor’s proposed reduced rate does not apply to all food sales. Prepared food, soft drinks, food sold through vending machines, food sold in a heated state, or food sold with eating utensils provided by the seller will continue to be taxed at 6%.

Kevin Cyr is currently incarcerated in Florida following a bank robbery that he and his accomplice, Sarah Gauvin, committed in Stuart Florida on December 16, 2010. During the robbery in Stuart Florida, Cyr and Gauvin passed a note to a teller at a local bank, received currency and fled in a grey Ford Mustang bearing Massachusetts registration. A short time later, local authorities located the vehicle and pursued until stop sticks were utilized to stop the vehicle. During the course of the pursuit, Cyr pointed a firearm at police on several occasions. Once stopped, officers used deadly force to subdue the pair, which resulted in Cyr being wounded and Gauvin to be fatally wounded. Cyr was then taken to a local hospital to receive medical care for his injuries. The pair was found to be in possession of a bb pistol.

Read full story via Winchester Va News.

Dominion Transmission, Dominion’s natural gas pipeline and storage subsidiary, plans to process natural gas and separate natural gas liquids at the 56-acre site as part of its previously announced Marcellus 404 Project. Engineering design and project planning for the plant are under way. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The facility is designed to phase in service for processing up to 300,000 Mcf/d (thousand cubic feet per day) of natural gas. Fractionation capacity for up to 38,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids would be available.

The Natrium site, in Marshall County about 9 miles north of New Martinsville, W.Va., is close to Dominion’s TL-404 pipeline, an existing transmission line in Ohio and West Virginia that Dominion plans to convert into a wet gas service line. The Natrium site also is close to railroad, pipeline and barging services for marketing natural gas liquids.

Both West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and Congressman David B. McKinley, who represents the district where the new facility will be located, welcomed the project to West Virginia.

“I am pleased to see business expanding in West Virginia because of the Marcellus Shale,” West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said. “This resource holds great potential for our economy while meeting the growing energy needs of our state and our nation.”

“I want to thank Dominion for making this investment in West Virginia,” said U.S. Representative David B. McKinley. “It’s a reflection of their confidence in our state’s great potential. This project will create new jobs and opportunity for West Virginia. In addition, the new facility is an important piece of the puzzle in achieving energy independence for America. It’s good for our state and good for our country.”

“Further development of the Marcellus shale demands additional processing and fractionation capacity,” said Paul Ruppert, senior vice president of Dominion Transmission. “PPG’s Natrium site is strategically located close to our existing facilities, near high-BTU natural gas development, and it allows for transport of the fractionated liquids by numerous options. The project will help further develop West Virginia’s north central region.”

“We continue to support projects that will provide investment and jobs in Marshall County,” said Michael H. McGarry, PPG senior vice president, commodity chemicals. “We are pleased to welcome Dominion to Natrium, and we look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Located on the Ohio River near New Martinsville, W.Va., PPG’s Natrium plant produces chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, muriatic acid and caustic soda, which are used in many applications that improve the quality of life, including purifying drinking water and in the production of most pharmaceuticals. The plant employs about 530 people and has been in continuous operation since 1943.

Osborne previously served as Director of Communications for the West Virginia Department of Revenue where she oversaw the communications efforts of the Cabinet Secretary’s office and the Department’s ten agencies. During her tenure, Osborne spearheaded a number of projects including the establishment of emergency communications plans and the implementation of the executive branch’s privacy program.

Prior to serving as Director of Communications, Osborne had a decade-long television broadcasting career that started in New York City. She later came to West Virginia working in broadcast news where she excelled at three local television stations as an anchor and reporter. In 2000 she was honored with the Best Investigative Reporting Award by the West Virginia Associated Press.

“Ms. Osborne’s knowledge and experience will bring even greater strength to the Governor’s Press Office,” Gov. Tomblin said. “I am delighted that Kimberly is joining our team.”

Osborne graduated from West Virginia University with a Master of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications in 2006 and earned her undergraduate degree in Communications from the State University of New York at Cortland College in 1997.

Osborne and her husband Brad currently reside in Dunbar with their daughter.

Read full story via Unlawful Wounding Near Porter Avenue

This investigation is ongoing and is a joint investigation with members of Winchester PD, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, FBI, Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office, and Fairfax County PD. At this time the agencies involved are still investigating the possible connection with the other recent Bank Robberies in Winchester, Loudoun County and Fairfax. Anyone with further information reference this incident is asked to contact the Winchester Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 540-545-4704 or Crime Solvers at 540-665-TIPS 8477

via Area Police Look for Links with Robbery Suspect Arrested in WV – Loudoun News.

Construction on the 1.3 million-square-foot facility is expected to begin in spring 2011, with operations beginning in April 2012 and order shipments beginning in summer 2012. Two sites in Berkeley County are under consideration for the final location. When fully operational, the Martinsburg fulfillment center is expected to employ approximately 1,200 full- and part-time associates year-round. In addition, another approximately 700 temporary seasonal associates are expected to be hired each year to handle a significantly higher level of online orders from customers during the holiday shopping season.

“Our Internet sales continue to grow rapidly as part of the omnichannel strategy at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s – allowing customers to shop seamlessly in stores, online and via mobile devices in a manner that meets their needs and preferences. In the first 10 months of fiscal 2010, our online sales were up by about 29 percent compared with the same period last year. This is on top of growth of about 20 percent in 2009,” said Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. “The new Martinsburg fulfillment center will represent a significant expansion of our online capacity, and will be used in particular to prepare and ship orders to macys.com customers in Northeast and Middle Atlantic states. This center will include the very latest material handling equipment and warehouse management systems so we can fill orders quickly and efficiently.

Read full story via Martinsburg WV Selected by Macy’s for Fulfillment Center – Winchester Va News.

Individuals who are in possession of ginseng roots have until March 31, 2011, to either sell them to a registered dealer or obtain a weight-receipt. A weight-receipt allows the person to hold those roots over until the next ginseng season and sell them to a registered dealer.

For a list of registered dealers or more information about ginseng, contact Robin Black at 304.558.2788 or visit the Division of Forestry’s website at www.wvforestry.com.

“My daddy is coming home!” exclaimed one very excited 3-year-old boy as he scurried around outside the air base’s building which is home to the Security Forces Squadron. Inside a reception would be hosted by the Wing’s Family Readiness Group to celebrate the Airmen’s return.

While some held homemade signs reading “We’ve Missed You” and “Welcome Home,” one young lady clutched a red carnation which she was eager to give to her brother when he got off the bus which brought the Airmen back to base.

Staff Sgt Edward Rollyson is greeted by his son Dalton upon his arrival to the 167th Airlift Wing on November 10, 2010. Staff Sgt Rollyson was one of twenty four airmen assigned to the 167th Security Forces Squadron returning home from a six month deployment to Saudi Arabia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt Emily Beightol-Deyerle)

Arriving earlier than expected, the bus rolled up to the sound of cheers and waving of small American flags.

Tech Sgt. Jon C. Lamp, on his first deployment with the Wing’s Security Forces Squadron, was quick to reply what he missed most about his excursion from home.

“I missed the green grass, clean air and mountains,” Lamp said matter-of-factly.

Read full story via  Winchester Va News.

Many Hunter Education courses are being offered throughout West Virginia now and will continue through the Sunday before the deer buck season, which begins Nov. 22. However, during the Blitz Weekend, some counties will have as many as three courses running at the same time. There is no charge to take the Hunter Education course, but you should register in advance to make sure you can get into a class.

“Classes held between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 are generally small, while classes held September through November could be as large as 200 if we had the available space and instructors,” said Lt. Tim Coleman of the DNR Law Enforcement Section. Coleman is state coordinator of the DNR Hunter Education Program. “So don’t miss out on these extra opportunities available during the Blitz Weekend. You will have only yourself to blame if you cannot hunt this year because you did not take the Hunter Education course.”

As an alternative, classes are continuously offered online at www.wvdnr.gov for a fee, and the required practical exam that must be taken in person will be offered in various locations across the state during Blitz Weekend.

For information about class locations, go to www.wvdnr.gov, scroll to “Law Enforcement” and click on “Hunter Education,” and then “Class Search,” or call the DNR District Office in your area:

• Farmington 304-825-6787
• Romney 304-822-3551
• Elkins 304-637-0245
• Beckley 304-256-6945
• Nitro 304-759-0703
• Parkersburg 304-420-4550
• Charleston 304-558-2784

Conditions were clear at the time of the accident. Police continue to investigate the accident.

via Credit Union Robbed in Martinsburg – WInchester Va News.

“C.A. Phillips is recognized throughout the mining community as a strong leader and a man who cares deeply about mine safety,” said Gov. Manchin.  “His leadership and experience will make this a smooth transition for the agency, its employees and the mining industry.”

Phillips is a McDowell County native and a life-long resident of West Virginia who began working in the mining industry in 1969.  Throughout his 41-year career, Phillips has worked with private companies, including Olga Coal Company where he started his mining career.  He served in several positions with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), including international representative for the UMWA Occupational Health and Safety Department; international executive board member for District 29 and District 17; and as an international representative assigned to health and safety with the UMWA.

For the past 10 years, Phillips has served as the deputy director of MHST, and participated in numerous mine disaster investigations, including Sago and Aracoma.

“I truly believe that the most precious resource in the mining industry is the miner,” Phillips said.  “I appreciate the confidence Governor Manchin has shown in me with this appointment.”

Manchin praised the outgoing director’s efforts saying, “I appreciate Ron Wooten’s service during the past four years.  His leadership and knowledge of the industry has given us insight and has helped us through trying times.  I wish Ron the best in his future endeavors.”

Phillips holds certifications as a West Virginia fire boss, West Virginia mine foreman-fire boss and is an MSHA 40- and 80- hour instructor.  Phillips is married with three children and one grandson.

During the holiday, which wraps up Nov. 30, West Virginians do not pay sales and use tax on qualified ENERGY STAR® products valued at $5,000 or less. Tangible personal property for use in a trade or business is not subject to this Sales Tax Holiday.

“I am so pleased that we’ve been able to offer this sales tax holiday for three years now,” Gov. Manchin said. “I encourage all West Virginians to take stock of what their home may need. From a small item to a large home improvement need, do your research and see what ENERGY STAR® option may be available and take advantage of it before the end of the month.”

In addition to the ENERGY STAR® Sales Tax Holiday, the West Virginia Appliance Rebate Program still has rebates available for dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerators. Consumers in the market for these appliances not only will benefit from the tax holiday, but from the rebate program as well.

All West Virginia retailers of ENERGY STAR® qualified products are participating in the three month long Sales Tax Holiday. West Virginia retailers, who sell ENERGY STAR® qualified products, have been asked to display a sign in the store’s windows, on the door, or in the aisles, noting their participation.

Purchases qualify for the sales and use tax holiday if the purchase is for a product that:

* Has earned the ENERGY STAR® label.

* Costs $5,000 or less.

* Is for noncommercial home or personal use.

Learn more about the holiday and the qualified products at the www.wvtax.gov. Learn more about the West Virginia Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program at www.wvappliancerebate.com.