W.Va. airports get nearly $1.6M in federal grants

Six West Virginia airports are getting federal grants totaling nearly $1.6 million for runway projects and other improvements.

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller and Rep. Nick Rahall announced the grants Thursday.

Yeager Airport in Charleston will receive the largest grant, $644,811, to extend a runway. The smallest grant, $38,760, went to Upshur County Regional Airport to build two hangars.

Other grants include $258,394 awarded to both Tri-State Airport near Huntington and Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg for terminal improvements; $230,573 for construction of a runway, taxiway and apron at Mingo County Airport and $136,446 to remove an obstruction at Marshall County Airport.

Greenbrier man admits to sexually explicit photos

BECKLEY - A Greenbrier County man admitted in federal court Tuesday that he possessed sexually explicit Polaroid pictures of two underage boys, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Charles Edward Wiseman, 35, of Rupert, also stipulated that he had produced the photographs, the news release states.

A Nicholas County sheriff's deputy found the photos during a traffic stop in April 2007, according to the release.

U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston scheduled Wiseman's sentencing for Jan. 12. Wiseman faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

Beckley hosting mine rescue contest Aug. 25-28

BECKLEY - More than 40 mine-rescue teams from West Virginia and other states will compete Aug. 25-28 at the National Mine Safety and Health Academy in Beckley.

The event is sponsored by the Southern West Virginia Mine Rescue Association and the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training.

The contests help miners sharpen their skills and learn more efficient ways to work as a team. They also help teams fulfill annual training requirements.

Each team must evaluate an emergency, rescue survivors, repair breathing devices and apply first aid.

Six West Virginia airports are getting federal grants totaling nearly $1.6 million for runway projects and other improvements.

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller and Rep. Nick Rahall announced the grants Thursday.

Yeager Airport in Charleston will receive the largest grant, $644,811, to extend a runway. The smallest grant, $38,760, went to Upshur County Regional Airport to build two hangars.

Other grants include $258,394 awarded to both Tri-State Airport near Huntington and Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg for terminal improvements; $230,573 for construction of a runway, taxiway and apron at Mingo County Airport and $136,446 to remove an obstruction at Marshall County Airport.

Greenbrier man admits to sexually explicit photos

BECKLEY - A Greenbrier County man admitted in federal court Tuesday that he possessed sexually explicit Polaroid pictures of two underage boys, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Charles Edward Wiseman, 35, of Rupert, also stipulated that he had produced the photographs, the news release states.

A Nicholas County sheriff's deputy found the photos during a traffic stop in April 2007, according to the release.

U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston scheduled Wiseman's sentencing for Jan. 12. Wiseman faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

Beckley hosting mine rescue contest Aug. 25-28

BECKLEY - More than 40 mine-rescue teams from West Virginia and other states will compete Aug. 25-28 at the National Mine Safety and Health Academy in Beckley.

The event is sponsored by the Southern West Virginia Mine Rescue Association and the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training.

The contests help miners sharpen their skills and learn more efficient ways to work as a team. They also help teams fulfill annual training requirements.

Each team must evaluate an emergency, rescue survivors, repair breathing devices and apply first aid.

West Virginia law requires mine rescue teams to train at least 96 hours annually, including four hours of training each month and sessions underground at least once every six months.

2 companies to increase natural gas shipments

West Virginia's Northern Panhandle is expected to play a key role in the transmission of natural gas to market.

Columbia Gas Transmission and MarkWest want to use existing collection lines and a new processing plant in Marshall County to meet future demands for natural gas shipments.

The two companies say increased drilling and production from the Marcelus Shale field could increase capacity at the processing plant by 100 million cubic feet per day by next year and 200 million by 2010.

Columbia operates several collection pipelines in Marshall and Wetzel counties as well as Washington and Greene counties in Pennsylvania.

U.S. 60 fatal crash victims identified

State Police have released the names of two men killed in a single-vehicle accident on U.S. 60 near Hurricane Monday night.

Charles Bird, 34 and Michael Searls, 31, were killed after the car they were in wrecked about two miles east of the intersection of U.S. 60 and W.Va. 34, according to a West Virginia State Police dispatcher.

The accident happened about 8:30 p.m. Monday and the road was closed about two hours.

Man accused in murders sent to mental hospital

CLARKSBURG - A man accused of killing two fast-food restaurant workers has been found not responsible by reason of mental illness.

William Boggs, 50, of Clarksburg is being sent to a mental hospital and is to remain under court jurisdiction for two consecutive life terms.

The defense attorney and prosecutor both agreed to the sentence, which was approved Monday by Harrison Circuit Judge Thomas Bedell.