Joe Manchin

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin was in Jefferson County on Monday to hand out PROMISE scholarships to 61 Jefferson High School seniors. Funded primarily through state lottery money, PROMISE scholarships are awarded to high school students who meet requirements such as maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average and scoring at a certain level on college entrance exams. PROMISE scholarships pay a student's tuition at an in-state school as long as students maintain a required grade point average and credit requirements, said Jefferson High counselor Carla Hunter.

Eastern Panhandle lawmakers who hoped to enact "locality pay" provisions to keep other states from hiring critical employees, including teachers, are running into some resistance. It's time to level with citizens about the cost of ensuring West Virginia's children get the best education possible. Locality pay would be added to employees' salaries to help them cope with the higher cost of living in an area where some workers say they can make thousands more just by crossing the state line.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - A meeting with Gov. Joe Manchin did little to sway the opinions of two Morgan County Commission members on having the county-owned War Memorial Hospital join forces with WVU Hospitals-East, Commissioner Bob Ford said Thursday. Manchin met with Morgan County Commissioners at Eastern W.Va. Regional Airport in Martinsburg, W.Va., on Wednesday to discuss the future of War Memorial Hospital. Ford said Manchin requested the meeting to talk with Commission President Glen Stotler and Commissioner Tommy Swaim, who are against War Memorial becoming part of WVU Hospitals-East, a matter which was discussed earlier this month at a commission meeting.

The West Virginia Legislature on Tuesday concluded a special session in which Gov. Joe Manchin saw most of his agenda passed, including a 1 percent reduction in the food tax. But the passage of the food tax cut was accomplished with a tactic that might be legal, but which seems to unfairly curtail the debate that can lead to better legislation. In drawing up the agenda for the special session, Manchin said that the only food-tax cut that would be considered would be a drop in that levy from 6 percent to 5 percent.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - More than 150 people came out in the rain to witness the ceremonial signing of "Danny's Bill" by Gov. Joe Manchin on Thursday. Senate Bill 473 became law last month and is named after Daniel Lee Kneisly Sr., 43, who was killed in September 2004 when his motorcycle was hit by a pickup truck. The driver received a citation for failure to yield the right of way and was fined $20. Danny's Bill was lobbied for two years in a row by his wife Jeannie Kneisly and ABATE (American Bikers Advocating Training & Education)

When is a veto not a veto? When West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin says it isn't, apparently. But the governor would do well to take notice of what the legislature did with his recommendations. After the state budget was passed, Manchin deleted certain recommendations the legislature had added on how the money should be spent. The legislature in turn restored that language when it passed the annual budget digest, a curious post-session device that often has rendered irrelevant what was done during the session.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin is scheduled today to present two state Division of Highway (DOH) grants, including one for $300,000 to the City of Martinsburg to help with downtown revitalization efforts, officials said. The award for the city is designated for the Martinsburg Town Square Plaza project, Mayor George Karos confirmed. Karos said the city likely would apply for more money for the pedestrian-minded project, describing the money as "foundation-starting" for the work to be done.

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - As Republican gubernatorial candidate Russ Weeks tours West Virginia, he is seeking to share his positive plans if elected. But Weeks said nearly everyone he meets wants to talk about the controversy surrounding Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter and the master's degree from West Virginia University that she supposedly didn't earn. "I believe that issue is going to have an impact on voters, but I'm not sure to what degree," Weeks said. Attending the Berkeley County Republican Club's annual picnic Saturday at Poor House Farm Park, Weeks tried to focus attention on several key issues instead.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- As Republican gubernatorial candidate Russ Weeks tours West Virginia, he is seeking to share his positive plans if elected. But Weeks said nearly everyone he meets wants to talk about the controversy surrounding Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter and the master's degree from West Virginia University that she supposedly didn't earn. "I believe that issue is going to have an impact on voters, but I'm not sure to what degree," Weeks said. Attending the Berkeley County Republican Club's annual picnic Saturday at Poor House Farm Park, Weeks tried to focus attention on several key issues instead.

BOSTON (AP) -- West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said Friday that he'll make a decision next week on whether to run for the late Robert C. Byrd's Senate seat. "It's highly likely I will," he told The Associated Press at the National Governors Association meeting. His comment came a day after West Virginia's top lawyer cleared the way for the governor to declare a special election this fall to fill what remains of Byrd's term. The opinion prompted the governor's chief legal counsel to advise Friday that Manchin call a special legislative session to clarify state election law. Manchin sought the legal opinion after joining a growing push to hold a vote earlier than 2012, when Byrd would have faced re-election.