Recent News
- Details
The Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary “Giving Hearts” program continues to be a major success. In its third year, the program reaches out to the community to offer assistance to those in need. "We raised enough funding this year to provide Christmas for 63 families -- more than 300 individuals," said Regina Fairchild of the Auxiliary. "The majority of these needy families were deployed military. We reached out across West Virginia as far as Wheeling and Camp Dawson, literally doubling our number of families from 2010. We are all so very blessed and it truly was an overwhelming experience. Each child receives three gifts of their choice, clothing, each parent receives a gift. Enough food is provided for each family for at least two weeks. Imagine all the turkeys and hams, cases of water, juice, potatoes alone."
- Details
On December 13, the State Senate confirmed, without a dissenting vote, the appointment of Dr. Charles Somerville from Huntington to the Environmental Quality Board for a term ending June 30, 2014 and Bascombe Blake, Jr. from Morgantown for a term ending June 30, 2013.
David M. Flannery, a member of the Jackson Kelly PLLC Environmental Practice Group, was recently nominated and appointed as a member of the National Coal Council (NCC). He will serve a 2-year term from 2011-2013.
- Details
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Clinic Innovations, the group charged with commercializing medical inventions by the Clinic’s doctors, has received its largest-ever gift, $11 million.
The vast majority of the donation, $10 million, comes from West Virginia billionaire James Justice II, a coal and farming company executive who ranked No. 375 on Forbes’ list of the 400 wealthiest Americans, The Plain Dealer reported.
The remaining $1 million was from Dr. Thomas Graham, chairman of the Innovations group and a premier hand surgeon who often operates on professional athletes. Graham and Justice struck a friendship at the historic Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, which Justice bought in 2009.
- Details
The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A coalition that includes Fortune 500 companies, labor unions and nonprofit foundations plans to spend the next five years focused on rescuing a West Virginia school district, one of the country's most downtrodden, state education officials learned Thursday.
McDowell County is the target of a public-private sector campaign that its organizers consider the first of its kind. They aim to turn around the county's underperforming schools by also tackling such related problems as poverty, substance abuse and outdated infrastructure.
- Details
The Associated Press
For more than 90 years, the coal-fired power plant in Glen Lyn, Va., has been churning out electricity and contributing to local prosperity. Of late, it has generated nearly a quarter of the revenue for the $1 million budget of the town.
Yet when the plant ultimately shuts down to comply with new federal air pollution regulations by the end of 2014, says Town Manager Howard Spencer, so too might the community of 200.
"If the town lost all of that revenue," he says, "we would struggle to even continue to be incorporated."
Join Friends of Coal
Be part of West Virginia's coal industry future. Together, we can continue building a stronger, more prosperous Mountain State by supporting our miners and communities.
West Virginia Coal Association
The West Virginia Coal Association has been the voice of the coal industry for over 100 years, advocating for safe, responsible mining practices and supporting the communities that depend on coal.
Join the FOC
Become a Friend of Coal and download our app to stay connected and support the industry.
Recent Press
