News on West Virginia

US rig count increases by 23

2010-03-05T11:32:43Z

<div id="subtitle">US rig count increases by 23 to 1,396</div><div><p>The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 23 this week to 1,396.</p><p>Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 926 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 456 for oil. Fourteen were listed as miscellaneous. A year ag...

Indian conglomerate buys W.Va. coal company

2010-03-05T09:51:46Z

<div id="subtitle">Indian conglomerate Essar buys W.Va. coal company</div><div><p>A subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Essar Group has agreed to buy West Virginia-based Trinity Coal.</p><p>Trinity's owner, Boston-based Denham Capital, announced the $600 million deal with Essar Minerals on Friday. Trinity ope...

Patriot Coal resumes operations at W. Va. mine

2010-03-04T09:46:00Z

<div id="subtitle">Patriot Coal resumes operations at West Virginia mine threatened by dangerous gas levels</div><div><p>Patriot Coal Corp. resumed operations at a West Virginia mine evacuated last month due to dangerous air in a sealed area.</p><p>The coal producer, based in St....

Pa. firm recalls thousands of coal mine air packs

2010-02-26T13:52:28Z

<div id="subtitle">Feds investigating as Pa. producer recalls thousands of air packs used in nation's coal mines</div><div><p>A belt-worn breathing device that coal miners count on to save their lives during fires, explosions and entrapments was voluntarily recalled Friday because of a problem with the oxygen starter.</p><p>CSE Corp. of Monroeville, Pa., also said it had suspended production of the SR-100, ...

WV Democrats Block Gay Marriage Ban Effort

2010-02-25T07:16:06Z

<div id="subtitle">West Virginia House Democrats blocked an anti-gay marriage measure from reaching the floor for a vote Tuesday</div><div><p> <p>Democrats in West Virginia have blocked a measure that would limit marriage to a heterosexual union in the state's constitution from reaching the House floor, the 'Charleston Gazette' reported.</p> <p>...

Senate roll vote on tax breaks for new hires

2010-02-24T09:30:11Z

<div id="subtitle">Roll Vote: Senate approves tax breaks for businesses that hire the unemployed</div><div><p>The 70-28 roll call Wednesday by which the Senate passed a jobs bill offering tax breaks to companies that hire unemployed workers.</p><p>A "yes" vote is a vote to pass the bill.</p><p>Voting yes were 55 Democrats, 13 Patriot Coal shares drop as company temporarily suspends operations at W. Va. mine</div><div><p>Shares of Patriot Coal Corp. fell Tuesday after the coal producer said it temporarily suspended operations at a West Virginia mine due to dangerous air in a sealed area.</p><p>Patriot fell or $1.68, or 9.5 perce...

US rig count drops by 1

2010-02-22T08:08:03Z

&lt;div id="subtitle"&gt;US rig count drops by 1 to 1,345&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. dropped by one this week to 1,345.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 893 rigs were e...

Md. lawmaker: Ban first-cousin marriages as unsafe

2010-02-22T08:45:46Z

<div id="subtitle">Md. lawmaker wants to ban first-cousin marriages like 'enlightened' West Virginia, Arkansas</div><div><p>A Maryland state legislator says it's time to ban marriages between first cousins and stop playing what he calls "genetic roulette" with their offspring.</p><p>Henry Heller, a Democratic...

Manchin argues against coal ash regulation

2010-02-22T09:03:33Z

<div id="subtitle">Manchin argues against EPA regulation of coal ash as hazardous waste</div><div><p>West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to drop plans to regulate coal ash from power plants as hazardous waste.</p><p&...

Rutgers WVirginia Basketball

2010-02-16T19:02:48Z

West Virginia's Sarah Miles reacts after a West Virginia basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers in Morgantown, W.Va. on...

Rig count rises by 11

2010-02-22T09:49:28Z

<div id="subtitle">Rig count up by 11 to 1,346 this week</div><div><p>The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by 11 this week to 1,346.</p><p>Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 891 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 443 for oil. Twelv...

WV House Lawmakers Push For Gay Marriage Ban

2010-02-22T10:06:44Z

<div id="subtitle">House lawmakers in West Virginia have introduced two bills that would ban gay marriage</div><div><p> <p>House lawmakers in West Virginia have introduced two bills that would limit marriage to a heterosexual union in the West Virginia Constitution.</p> <p>Both bills appear to have stalled in committee, but several lawmakers...

Coal industry balks at proposal for higher taxes

2010-02-22T11:14:15Z

<div id="subtitle">Coal industry balks at Obama administration plan that could raise taxes to pay for regulation</div><div><p>Coal companies are objecting to an Obama administration proposal that could raise their state taxes to cover the cost of regulating surface mining.</p><p>The federal

Rig count rises by 18

2010-02-22T11:14:36Z

<div id="subtitle">Rig count up by 18 to 1,335 this week</div><div><p>The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by 18 this week to 1,335.</p><p>Baker Hughes Inc., based in Houston, said Friday ...

Post office closings upset rural communities

2010-02-22T11:15:47Z

<div id="subtitle">Post office closings upset rural communities; 87-year-old woman puts pen to paper to protest</div><div><p>A letter from an 87-year-old West Virginia woman has the watchdog panel for the U.S. Postal Service looking into whether the agency wrongly closed nearly 100 rural post offices.</p&...

Senate roll vote on Fed chief Ben Bernanke

2010-02-22T13:45:48Z

<div id="subtitle">Roll Vote: How the Senate voted on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's nomination</div><div><p>The 70-30 roll call Thursday by which the Senate confirmed Ben Bernanke for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.</p><p>A "yes" vote is a vote to confirm the ...

Md. wind farm developer to forgo 24 turbines

2010-02-22T14:12:33Z

<div id="subtitle">Md. wind farm developer, wildlife group settle suit, scale back W.Va. project to protect bat</div><div><p>A Maryland developer has agreed not to build 24 turbines and will abandon 31 proposed sites at a West Virginia wind farm, settling a lawsuit by environmental groups worried about potential harm to the endangered <...

W.Va. gov slams federal 'cap and trade' bill

2010-02-22T14:36:11Z

<div id="subtitle">Manchin wants W.Va. lawmakers to express opposition to 'cap and trade' bill in Congress</div><div><p>A day after meeting with environmentalists concerned about surface mining, Gov. Joe Manchin asked the Legislature to approve a symbolic resolution affirming that coal is still king in West Virginia.</p><p>Resolutions sought by Manchin were in...

Weight led to W.Va. plane crash that killed 6

2010-02-22T15:05:32Z

<div id="subtitle">NTSB faults weight in W.Va. plane crash that killed 6 a year ago</div><div><p>The National Transportation Safety Board says a small, private plane was overloaded when it crashed and killed all six passengers in West Virginia a year ago.</p&gt...