News

Former Employees Testified Radiation Hazards Near former Huntington Nuclear Weapons Plant

Huntington News has obtained a court transcript alleging that at least one building that had been used for Atomic Energy Commission nuclear weapon production allegedly did not undergo decontamination. The so-called “compressor” building remained on the site where the five story Reduction Pilot Plant (Huntington Pilot Plant) had been leveled in 1978-1979 by Cleveland Construction.

At least one employee alleged in a court transcript that he worked in the compressor site after the then determined contaminated/classified portions of the RPP/HPP had been buried in a classified land fill in Piketon, Ohio. Read more

Huntington’s Council Charter Committee Adds Recommendation to Lengthen Executive Search Time from 60 to 120 Days

Cleaning up  City Charter language has gained a favorable recommendation to the full council following a meeting of council’s charter review committee. Read more

CSB Investigation Finds No Record of Inspections on Freedom Industries Chemical Storage Tanks

Charleston, West Virginia — In an update on the investigation into the chemical storage tank leak that contaminated the drinking water of up to 300,000 residents of nine West Virginia Counties, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) reported  it has thus far found no record of a formal, industry approved inspection performed on any of the chemical storage tanks at Freedom Industries prior to the massive leak which occurred on January 9, 2014.  Informal inspections may have occurred, preliminary findings indicate, but investigators have found a lack of appropriate engineering inspections with prescribed frequency and rigor of inspections. Read more

Huntington Art Walk Compliments Pullman Concert Series

The Huntington Art Walk will compliment the Pullman Concert Series , Thursday, July 17. The Art Walk begins at 5 p.m. and the free Pullman Concert starts at 7 p.m. Both events are free. The Oakwood Road Band will entertain from 7-10 p.m. sponsored by The Dawg, Dutch Miller and Heiner's Bakery. Concessions will be available and the Pullman shops and cinema will be open as usual.

Art Walk participants for July include: Rhonda Arthur: Jewelry by Proxy at Empire Books & News... Todd Frazer: Scribbles and Splotches by Todd at NY Bagel... Glen Berry: Glenvision Photography at Uno's Bar & Grill... Various artists (TBA): at Dave Coster's Uniquely Huntington... In House artist (TBA): at Ricky-Bobby's Art Deli.

CENSUS BUREAU: South, West Have Fastest-Growing Cities; Three of Top 10 are in Texas Capital Area

Austin has been the capital of Texas since 1839, and in 2013 the area became the nation's capital for population growth, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released on Thursday, May 22, 2014. San Marcos, Cedar Park and Georgetown — each near Austin — ranked among the 10 fastest-growing cities with populations of 50,000 or more during the year ending July 1, 2013. San Marcos was number one in percent growth for the second consecutive year, with Austin itself gaining more people (nearly 21,000) than any city with fewer than 1 million residents.

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WV Health Organizations Unite to Prevent Cancer in WV

More than a dozen healthcare organizations in West Virginia are issuing a call-to-action to prevent cancers caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV), such as cervical and head and neck cancers. The announcement will be held at the Saint John XXIII Pastoral Center, 100 Hodges Road in Charleston, at noon on July 24, 2014. Read more

Mayor Williams Reads at Energy Express

Mayor Steve Williams read to children during the Energy Express program at Guyandotte Elementary School on Wednesday morning.

Energy Express is an award-winning summer reading and nutrition program for children living in West Virginia’s rural and low-income communities. Read more

Sen. Manchin, Gov. Tomblin announce additional scientific testing and monitoring of chemicals spilled in Kanawha Valley

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin today announced the coordination between federal and state agencies to conduct additional scientific testing of the chemicals spilled from the Freedom Industries plant on January 9, 2014. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Toxicology Program, and NIH's National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences will work with state officials to design and conduct the testing, including bringing a team of experts to West Virginia. Senator Manchin hosted a meeting in his Washington, D.C. office with all contributing federal, state and local agencies. Read more

Brian Bracey named associate vice president for development at MU

HUNTINGTON, WV – Brian Bracey, who enjoyed a successful career in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, has been named an associate vice president for development with the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., Dr. Ron Area, the foundation’s CEO, announced today.

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CFPB, FTC, States Announce Sweep Against Foreclosure Relief Scammers; CFPB Files Suits for Operations that Used Deception and False Promises to Collect More than $25 Million in Illegal Fees from Distressed Homeowners

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and 15 states announced a sweep against foreclosure relief scammers that used deceptive marketing tactics to rip off distressed homeowners across the country. The Bureau is filing three lawsuits against companies and individuals that collected more than $25 million in illegal advance fees for services that falsely promised to prevent foreclosures or renegotiate troubled mortgages. The CFPB is seeking compensation for victims, civil fines, and injunctions against the scammers. Separately, the FTC is filing 6 lawsuits, and the states are taking 32 actions.

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Executive Session Follows Thursday Council Work Session

Pursuant to Article Three, Section 3.7 of the City Charter, the following Special Meeting of Council will be held in City Council Chambers on the following date at the specified time for the purpose outlined below:

 

Date: Thursday, July 24, 2014 Read more

Huntington in Bloom Looks for Business Photos

The next photo contest sponsored by Huntington in Bloom is Best Bloomin’ Business, which runs through Aug. 6.

This category highlights the landscaping and beautification efforts at businesses in Huntington.... The winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to a local restaurant or shop. Read more

MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: Defense Dept. Contracts for July 22, 2014

NAVY

Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded $69,659,650 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 0073 against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-12-G-0006) in support of the V-22 aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. Read more

REALTORS: Existing-Home Sales Up 2.6% in June; Unsold Inventory Shows Continued Progress; Weak Construction Pace Leading to Pressure on Home Prices

Existing-home sales increased in June and reached an annual pace of 5 million sales for the first time since October 2013, while rising inventory continues to push overall supply towards a more balanced market, according to a report issued Tuesday, July 22, 2014 by the National Association of Reators (NAR).

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MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: Defense Dept. Contracts for July 21, 2014

AIR FORCE

Aleut Facilities Support Services, LLC,* Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $95,986,770 firm-fixed-price contract for civil engineering support services. Read more

Marshall medical students provide treatment to more than a thousand Hondurans during international mission

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A team of Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine students, faculty physicians, a medical resident and other health care workers from the tri-state community traveled to Honduras earlier this month for an international mission that resulted in medical care for nearly 1,060 patients. Read more

Donna Underwood creates two scholarships to honor her late husband

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Donna Underwood has two main goals in life. They are to provide students with opportunities that she didn't have after graduating from high school, while - at the same time - honoring her late husband, John.
 
Underwood recently met both of those objectives by funding a pair of scholarships at Marshall University. The new scholarships, established by the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., are an endowment called the John and Donna Underwood Endowment for the Yeager Scholars Program, and an expendable scholarship called the John and Donna Underwood Scholarship for the School of Pharmacy. Read more

BREAKING... Charter Revision Proposal Would Extend "Interim" Position Period to 120 Days

BREAKING: The Huntington Charter Review Committee has agreed to recommend altering the time frame to fill executive positions from 60 to 120 days. Mayor Steve Williams indicated there have been periods of management inconsistency due to the 60 day time mandate. Council chairman Mark Bates indicated the 60 day time frame has resulted caused issues both in the filling of the resignation of Chief Fuller during the Wolfe administration and now Police Chief Holbrook . The committee also debated alterations of the still unfilled Director of Administration and Finance. Read more

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Begins Accepting Consumer Complaints on Prepaid Cards, Additional Nonbank Products; Nonbank Products Include Debt Settlement and Credit Repair Services, Pawn and Title Loans

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is now accepting complaints from consumers encountering problems with prepaid cards, such as gift cards, benefit cards, and general purpose reloadable cards. Consumers can also now submit complaints about additional nonbank products, including debt settlement services, credit repair services, and pawn and title loans.

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FNC Index: Home Prices Pick Up Momentum

Home sales nationwide picked up momentum entering the summer months, according to the latest FNC Residential Price Index (RPI) released on Monday, July 21, 2014 by Oxford, MS-based FNC. The latest numbers—as of May—indicate U.S. home prices are rising at a faster pace. Constructed to gauge the price movement among normal home sales by excluding distressed properties, the index rose 1.0% from April to May. On a year-over-year basis, the rate of home price appreciation across the nation slowed by 1.0-2.0% when compared to the first quarter.

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Council Committee Asks Does Huntington need Motor Pool, Director of Finance & Administratiion or a Public Works Director with Engineering Degree

Huntington City Council's Charter Review Committee met Thursday afternoon with Mark Bates, Scott Caserta, Sandra Clemons, David Ball and Rebecca Thacker present from council. Mayor Steve Williams, the assistant city attorney and the city clerk surrounded the semi-circle. Two reporters sat on the first row.

Mayor Steve Williams, enjoying an opinion expressing slot in the semi-circle, advanced an idea previously considered --- Does Huntington need a position titled "Director of Administration and Finance?" Councilman David Ball had previously researched pay grades and pay scales of about 30 cities near Huntington. None had the position. Instead, they titled the position with those duties, "city manager." Read more

West Virginia NAACP to Release Report on Reducing Pollution and Creating Jobs in West Virginia‏

On Thursday, July 17, 2014, the NAACP West Virginia State Conference will host a press conference to discuss the release of their new report, “Just Energy Policies: Reducing Pollution and Creating Jobs – West Virginia Report”, which assesses energy policy in the State of West Virginia through a civil rights lens. The report provides analysis of West Virginia’s energy sector policies based on environmental, human health, and economic impacts and lays a path for preserving the wellbeing of the community while creating economic enterprise opportunities. Read more

Marshall Speech and Hearing Center holds 'Tiny Talkers' programs for children with speech disorders

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Four-year-old Harry Shivel was born with hyperlexia, which gave him the ability to read words far above what would be expected of a child his age. But although he can read the words, he experiences difficulty with understanding what the words mean.

According to researchers, children with hyperlexia have a significantly higher word decoding ability than their reading comprehension levels and some have trouble understanding speech. Read more

Marshall University Forensic Science Graduate Program again ranks number one in the nation on national assessment test scores

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University Forensic Science Graduate Program once again ranked number one in the country for its students receiving the highest overall test scores on the Forensic Science Assessment Test, a qualifying test offered each year by the American Board of Criminalistics. This is the fifth time the program achieved the number one ranking in eight years since its students began taking the test in 2007. Read more

Railroad Themed Art will Raise Funds for Children's Hospital

Public art that highlights an integral part of Huntington's history will serve as a fundraiser for the Hoops Family Children's Hospital in 2015.

Mayor Steve Williams joined representatives of Cabell Huntington Hospital on Friday at CSX Transportation to announce the Artisans Express. Read more

MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: Defense Dept. Contracts for July 18, 2014

AIR FORCE

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a not to exceed $564,700,000 modification (P00273) to FA8625-11-C-6597 to fund six India foreign military sales C-130J-30s, field service representatives and three years of post-delivery support after the first aircraft delivery. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $2,067,370,707. Read more

RECALLS THIS WEEK: Mountain Bikes, USB Car Chargers, and Other Product Recalls

Cycling Sports Group is recalling GT downhill mountain bicycles sold nationwide and in Canada from February 2014 to June 2014. The wheel hubs can break and cause the brake system to fail, posing crash and injury hazards.

This recall involves all 2014 GT Fury Expert and 2014 GT Fury Team downhill mountain bicycles. The recalled Fury Expert model is blue with red and white accents. The recalled Fury Team model is black with lime green and blue accents. Read more

B&W Awards Scholarship to Outstanding Local Student

(CHARLOTTE, N.C. – July 17, 2014) – The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) (NYSE:BWC) announced today that it has awarded a college scholarship to James Austin Keyser, a graduate of Spring Valley High School in Huntington.

Mr. Keyser, the son of James Keyser, a field service engineer with Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc., will receive $1,500 per year of college-level study, up to $6,000 over four years. B&W chose scholarship recipients based on a combination of factors, including academic excellence and financial need. Read more

A.D. Lewis Community Center offering free activities for children

HUNTINGTON – The school year is just around the corner, but the summertime activities continue at the A.D. Lewis Community Center.

The community center, located at 1450 A.D. Lewis Ave., will offer free swimming lessons and a free basketball camp next week.

The swimming lessons begin Monday, July 21, and will be held at 11 a.m. every Monday, Thursday and Friday for the next two weeks. Each lesson will last 45 minutes and is for children between the ages of 5 and 13. The lessons will be split into age groups after the first class. Read more

Dalton named Marshall University Director of Athletic Bands

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Beginning this fall, Dr. Adam Dalton will assume the lead role in the Marching Thunder.

Formerly a high school and elementary school band teacher in Atlanta, Georgia, the new Director of Athletic Bands said he is excited and anxious to be teaching at the university level. Read more

Census Bureau News: Profile America Facts for Features -- Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act: July 26

On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Read more

U.S.: Housing Production Down 9.3% in June

 U.S. housing production fell 9.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 893,000 units in June, according to figures released Thursday, July 17, 2014 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The drop was due primarily to a nearly 30 percent decline in the South. All other regions posted monthly gains.

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