WorkForce West Virginia now offers online filing of quarterly unemployment compensation wage and contributions reports and payment of contributions via electronic check.

This user-friendly web application will save time and simplify the reporting process. The main features of the system are:

• Employees are saved from report to report! You must only add/delete if necessary and update wages;
• Contribution due can be paid easily with a bank account;
• Safe and secure handling is provided for employee and payment information;
• If inactive, request account activation online;
• Submit changes to account information online; and
• Filing online means no forms to print or mail, no checks to write, and no stamps to buy!

NOTE: For filings that result in a contribution due, a $5.00 processing fee will be assessed. The fee is collected by West Virginia Interactive, in partnership with WV.gov, the state’s official web portal, and used to create, maintain, and expand eGovernment services in West Virginia.

You can find more information and a brief video on the service on our web site: http:// HYPERLINK "https://ch1prd0610.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=meSpM3dRV06yWvRRR0l3-7IdBysI7c4IM6vpTD__UB_VPTsyd3Z9M0sO0KXQ-IbMTaRLuJrQpYo.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workforcewv.org"www.workforcewv.org.

Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. announced earlier this week the appointment of Paul Vining to the position of president, adding to his current role as chief commercial officer of the company. In this new role, Vining will continue to have responsibility for sales and marketing, and will add responsibility for Alpha's mining operations, assuming all the duties of current Alpha president Kurt Kost.

Kost is leaving the company following 31 years of service. He plans to retire in the Bristol area, but will remain with Alpha until the end of May 2012, serving in an advisory capacity.

The Federation for American Coal Energy and Security (FACES of Coal) announced they will be holding a Virginia Coal Rally at the Washington County Fairgrounds on June 2nd from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Rally is being billed as a celebration of Appalachian and Virginia Coal Jobs and will feature live entertainment as well as an open forum to highlight the importance of coal to Virginia and the country.

Confirmed participants include Virginia Senate candidate George Allen, Virginia Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey. Invited speakers include Presidential Candidates Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Virginia Senate candidate Tim Kaine, Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb. The rally is being coordinated with the Eastern Coal Council and includes participation from several Virginia and Appalachian based businesses.

United States Energy Association Executive Director Barry Worthington had some good news for what is likely a large portion of West Virginia: Coal has a bright future.

"I think we're going to continue to use coal," Worthington told a small crowd in the University of Charleston's Riggleman Hall this past Thursday. "I believe sanity will prevail."

Worthington was the "clean-up batter" for the university's five-part speaker series on energy. He followed Nick Akins, CEO of American Electric Power; Eban Goodstein, director of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy; David Porges, CEO of the EQT Corporation; and Kevin Crutchfield, CEO of Alpha Natural Resources.

Worthington said that one of the biggest challenges the coal industry faces in West Virginia is overly stringent regulations from the U.S. EPA. Recent rules, he said, threaten to dissuade coal companies from building new plants.

The Friends of Coal is once again joining with the West Virginia Radio Corporation and MetroNews to sponsor the WV Scholars Program. Friends of Coal will be the title sponsor of the scholarship program. The program is a full, four-year scholarship covering the cost of tuition, fees, room and board at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Valued at $125,000, the scholarship will be awarded to one lucky student from West Virginia who is currently a member of the junior class in high school.

You can apply for the scholarship by going to www.wvmetronews.com and click on the “Apply Now” button for the complete program details.