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Once again, the Friends of Coal will sponsor the awards for all high school championship athletic events.  The first round of athletic competition is already in full swing, with golf, cross country, soccer, volleyball and football all moving toward statewide championship events.
As always, we have been encouraged to actively participate in these events through the presentation of awards, medals and trophies.  Anyone who is interested in these events, please call Dan Miller at 342-4153 and we will get you scheduled.

The first event will be golf, scheduled for October 3 at Oglebay Park in Wheeling.  On October 27 will be the Cross Country championship, to be held at Cabell Midland HS.

The annual soccer championships will again be at the YMCA Sports Complex in Beckley, on November 3. 

On November 10, the volleyball championship will come to the Charleston Civic Center.

The first half of the sports year will conclude with the Super Six football championships in Wheeling on Nov.30-Dec 1, and the cheerleading championships on December 8 at the Charleston Civic Center.
 

The Kanawha Valley Mining Institute will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, October 4, 2007, beginning at 6:30 PM at the Holiday Inn – Charleston House.  The Sponsor of this monthly meeting will be DBT Belt Systems Division with Greg Girardey and Tim Walker chairing the program entitled “Update in Belt Systems Technology”.

For more information and to register for the meeting go to:  http://www.kvmi.org/contact.html

Mr. Robert Cornett (Bob) has been selected for the position of District Manager, Coal Mine Safety and Health, District 3, Morgantown, West Virginia.  This will become effective on October 28, 2007.  Bob started his MSHA career as a Coal Mine Inspector in District 7 and continued to advance his career through the years including positions as Health Specialist, Field Office Supervisor, Education and Training Supervisor, Roof Control Supervisor, Health Group Supervisor, and including his current position as the Assistant District Manager for Inspections in District 9.

Mr. Robert Phillips (Bob) has been selected for the position of District Manager, Coal Mine Safety and Health, District 8, Vincennes, Indiana.  This will become effective on November 11, 2007.  Bob started his MSHA career as an Electrical Inspector in District 2 and continued to advance his career through the years including positions such as Electrical Inspector in D8, Electrical Supervisor in D4, Ventilation Supervisor and Conference Litigation Representative in District 10, including his current position as a Mine Safety and Health Specialist in the Coal Headquarters Division of Safety.

Please join us in congratulating Bob Cornett and Bob Phillips in their new positions.

Congratulations are in order for two Arch Coal subsidiaries that received national reclamation awards for their operations in West Virginia. 

Coal Mac’s Holden 22 Surface Mine in Logan County was honored for “innovative reclamation techniques and completed reclamation efforts resulting in outstanding on-ground performance” in its national award presented by Office of Surface Mining Director Brent Wahlquist at a recent ceremony in Washington, DC. OSM also recognized Arch Coal’s Mingo Logan Coal Company’s Mountain Laurel Complex in Logan County with a national Good Neighbor Award.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Michigan, is proposing a $50.00/ton tax on CO2 emissions from coal. Below is an article which describes this proposal.  This tax would be in addition to the Cap and Trade tax on CO2 emissions which is also being pursued.  Such a tax would make the burning of coal for electrical generation much more expensive, and would serve to discourage efforts to rely on our country's domestically produced coal for energy security.

He states that he is looking for comments to this proposal.  I am attaching the following link to his website where you can fill out the comment page for this proposal.  I encourage you to do so and to encourage your friends to do likewise.  http://www.house.gov/dingell/carbonTaxComment.shtml

Three Marshall University freshmen from southern West Virginia have been awarded the Friends of Coal scholarships for 2007.

The recipients, all high school honor graduates, are Jeremy E. Lloyd,  a 2007 graduate of Princeton Senior High School in Mercer County; Odessa C. Compton, a 2007 graduate of Chapmanville High School in Logan County; and Krista B. Ratliff, a 2007 graduate of Matewan High School in Mingo County.

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Climate expert S. Fred Singer will speak at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater at 7:00 on Tuesday, September 25.  Singer’s topic will be “The Politics of Climate Change:  A Threat to West Virginia.”  His appearance in Charleston is sponsored by Henry Payne of Payne Engineering, the First Presbyterian Church, Blackbird Technology and BB&T Bank.  There is no admission charge.  Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.

Singer is president of the Science & Environmental Policy Project and a Distinguished Research Professor at George Mason University, as well as Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science at the University of Virginia.  He is also the author of “Hot Talk, Cold Science: Global Warming’s Unfinished Debate,” and co-author of “Unstoppable Global Warming:  Every 1,500 years.”
Singer’s basic message is that human activity has had little effect of global warming, but the perception that the burning of fossil fuels is responsible could have extremely negative effects on the U.S. and specifically West Virginia.  This should be an extremely interesting evening for those who are routinely subjected to the anti-coal climate change point of view.  Let’s make sure Dr. Singer gets a full house and a globally warm reception in Charleston next Tuesday.

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We were remiss last week in not mentioning the passing of our good friend, Dink Shackleford, on Wednesday September 5th in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  Dink had been the Executive Director of the Virginia Mining Association for 18 years and was a real innovative leader and spokesman for our industry in that part of the world as well as across the country.  A great article from the Kingsport Times-News regarding Dink and his widespread popularity can be found at the following link http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9002874.
Our deepest sympathies and prayers go to Dink’s family and loved ones.

The recent edition (Bluefield Coal Show Issue) of Coal People Magazine has several great articles featuring Association Chairman and Pritchard Mining President Andrew Jordon, Kanawha Eagle Vice President of Operations Bob Ellis and PinnOak Resources Fireboss Clinton Collins.  It also contains an article about Claude Morgan, CNX Gas’s Vice President who is familiar to many in the coal industry.  If you’ve not received your copy, please make an effort to obtain one to read about the very positive side of our industry, our leader and some of our great people.  Thanks to Al Skinner of Coal People Magazine.  Coal People Magazine can be accessed at www.coalpeople.com.
 

When the 340 miners, prep plant employees and loading dock workers at Kanawha Eagle Coal want to talk to management, they go to Bob Ellis.

His official title is vice president of operations, but the fact is, he's management personified. Following the 44-year-old around is like following Billy in the cartoon, "Family Circus," because he's everywhere: in and out of the company's offices, bath houses and mines, greeting employees, asking about their kids, quizzing them about production and cracking jokes.

Ellis asked if anyone had heard people talk about their "carbon footprint." Several miners nodded that indeed, they'd heard the phrase. Ellis said the thermostat at his house is set at 67 and all of the windows are fogged. He reminded everyone that he drove up Winifrede Hollow in a Chevrolet Tahoe that gets 12 miles per gallon -- his way

The second annual Friends of Coal Bowl is making its mark on Huntington.
 
The Huntington Post Office is paying tribute to Saturday’s match-up between Marshall University and West Virginia University with a cachet depicting both teams’ football helmets surrounded by the Friends of Coal Bowl logo. In the study of postage stamps, a cachet is a printed decoration on an envelope that highlights a special event.
 
Because the game is in Huntington this year, all cachets will be stamped with the We Are … Marshall logo, according to Huntington Postmaster John Prokity.
 
“It’s a great way to honor two great West Virginia universities, two great traditions and a great game,” Prokity said. “We expect this to be a very popular item, so I encourage anyone who wants one not to delay placing an order.”
 
Marshall President Stephen Kopp said fans from both sides should take a look at this piece of artwork.
 
“We appreciate the United States Postal Service for their creativity and hard work on making such a unique collectible for fans of the Friends of Coal Bowl,” he said.
 
The $2 cachet goes on sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on game day, Sept. 8, at the Marshall Station post office located across from the Joan C. Edwards Football Stadium at 2016 3rd Avenue. Each one will be postmarked Sept. 8 and also will be available at all Huntington post office locations the following Monday as well as by mail from Coal Bowl Cachet, c/o Postmaster, 1000 Virginia Ave. W., Huntington, WV 25704.
 

Good afternoon.  Thank you Bill for that kind introduction and thank you for the invitation to address the Bluefield Coal Show.  It’s a pleasure to be here among so many friends and colleagues.  On behalf of the WV Coal Association and our members, we appreciate the job you do and look forward to this annual event.

I’m filling in for Bill Raney today who couldn’t be here due to an injury he sustained at the Coal Bowl over the weekend.  That first half was brutal for Bill, Coach Nehlen and all the faithful gold and blue.  Actually, Bill slipped Friday afternoon and banged up his leg.  He really wanted to be here, sends his regards & like all of us at the Association – he acknowledges the “Bluefield Coal Show” as the premier mining show in the country.

Marshall and West Virginia will meet again this weekend on the friendly field of competition, this time on the Charleston Civic Center volleyball court.
It’s the Annual Blue Green Volleyball Classic, sponsored by the Friends of Coal.  MU and WVU will clash Friday evening in Charleston, then both will face other opponents on Saturday.

Also tied to the event is a series of high school matches next week.

Chris Hamilton appeared Wednesday at the Bluefield Coal Show, part of a panel of
speakers on the first day of the bi-annual event. Mel Hancock was also there, signing up new
members for Friends of Coal, as was spokesman Bob Pruett.

The Friends of Coal racing team, featuring driver Derek Kizer of Sissonville, continues to move forward.  The team has secured Dixon Hughes as a sponsor and took advantage
of the media attention to Friends of Coal Bowl week to bring further attention to their efforts. The team held a press event in Morgantown on Tuesday to announce the new sponsorship.

On Friday, they parked the car in downtown Charleston, which drew quite a crowd andresulted in nearly 100 memberships for the Friends of Coal.

The team was also present at the Friends of Coal tailgate function in Huntington Saturday.