Pictured from left to right:  Ray Scites, TVMI Treasurer; Courtney Blackburn, Belfry; Aimee Williamson, Belfry; Sara Mullins, Belfry;  Alexandria Workman, Belfry; Amber Hopkins, Tug Valley; Dr. Stephen J. Kopp, Marshall University President; and Andy Ashurst, TVMI President (not pictured, Logan Bartley, Pike Central High)

At the May 26, 2011, Tug Valley Mining Institute (TVMI) dinner meeting, the six 2011 scholarship recipients were named.  The two top $6,000 scholarship awards went to Aimee Williamson, Belfry High School and Alexandria Workman, Belfry High School.  Four $750 scholarship awards went to Logan Bartley, Pike Central High School; Courtney Blackburn, Belfry High School; Amber Hopkins, Tug Valley High School; and Sara Mullins, Belfry High School.

The guest speaker was Dr. Stephen J. Kopp, President of Marshall University, and he provided an inspirational speech directed toward the scholars regarding the educational journey they are starting.  He encouraged the scholars to invest in themselves now with education so that they could be the leaders and decision makers of tomorrow.  Hi-Tech Construction sponsored the meeting and has been a long time supporter of the scholarship program.

Over the last fifteen years, TVMI has awarded 90 (ninety) students $198,250 in scholarship monies.  The TVMI scholarship is open to students from Mingo, Logan, Wayne, Pike, and Martin counties.  The applications are available in November of each year and may be obtained from Marsha Williams at the First National Bank of Williamson or from the TVMI website (www.tugvalleymi.org).

by The Associated Press 
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Shareholders overwhelmingly approved coal producer Alpha Natural Resources' $7.1 billion takeover of struggling rival Massey Energy Co. on Wednesday, the companies said.
Alpha immediately began absorbing Massey, replacing the company's sign on its West Virginia headquarters and filing at least 18 documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission cancelling Massey shares after the deal closed.

"Our goal is to run the combined company in the same manner that we've operated Alpha," Chief Executive Kevin Crutchfield told The Associated Press. "We'll see improved safety performance, improved levels of environmental stewardship."

By Carra Higgins - Staff Writer , The Inter-Mountain

Facility would create approximately 250 jobs

A new Metinvest mining operation planned for the Ellamore area of Randolph County received the Randolph County Development Authority's stamp of approval Wednesday.

RCDA board members learned that the Roaring Creek deep-mining facility will create approximately 250 direct jobs, which will have average wages of $18 to $30 an hour. For each of the 250 people employed at the mine, approximately five other jobs will be created.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to make rulings and pass regulations that will stifle the mining industry and ultimately have adverse impacts on not only the coal mining region, but indeed the entire country.

Henry Payne/ The Michigan View.com

Despite voter rejection of Democrats' radical cap and trade legislation at the polls last November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hungrily eyeing the U.S. coal industry with backdoor carbon regulation. 

And Michigan is first on the menu. 

Wolverine Power, which serves northern Michigan, wants to build a new coal-fired power plant to satisfy Michigan's future energy needs with more efficient technology. But in addition to running the usual gauntlet of federal regulations, Wolverine faces a formidable new hurdle: It must now satisfy carbon dioxide regulations stealthily drafted at the beginning of this year. 

"We are venturing into uncharted territory," says Wolverine Director of Community and Government Affairs Ken Bradstreet of the vague rule with no precedent for how to meet it.