The 2011 Class of the West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame will be announced at the joint meeting of the West Virginia Coal Association and the West Virginia Coal Mining Institute. The meeting will be held May 5 – 7^th at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, with the Hall of Fame banquet on the evening of May 6^th.

Those being inducted are:  Robert “Bob Raines; Johnson C. McKinley; Parnel “Judge” McWhorter and J. Robert Fletcher.

Meeting registration may be obtained through the WV Coal Mining Institute by e-mail to wjspaw@mail.wvu.edu.

The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority (MCRA) will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the TransGas Development Systems, coal-to-liquids (CTL) facility Monday, May 9 at 11 a.m. More details will follow as the plans are finalized. The ceremony will be conducted on the project site at Gilbert Creek near Wharncliffe.

According to Mike Whitt, director of the MCRA, the project will employ more than 2,000 construction workers during the three to four year development phase, with approximately 300 direct jobs at the facility once construction is complete.

“These will be very skilled, good-paying jobs and this project is projected to triple the tax base of Mingo County,” Whitt said.  “It is exactly what our land use master plan calls for – diversification, good jobs and good taxes. This will be the first one in the nation and to think it is happening in Mingo county is unimaginable. It is a Godsend for a region that needs it. We are so grateful to the owner, Adam Victor, for his commitment to this project, to Mingo County and to our state.”

The Tug Valley Mining Institute’s May meeting is set for May 26, 2011 at the Mountaineer Hotel, Williamson, WV with Guest Speaker Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp.

The 8th Annual Friends of Coal Auto Fair will be held July 15-17 at the YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex in Beckley, West Virginia. This fun, family-oriented event will include a car show, carnival rides and games, great food, interactive sponsor displays, special guest appearances, mine safety competitions and more!  Plus, for the first time ever, there will be not one but two nights of live entertainment!

Appearing live Friday, July 15th will be country up and comer Chris Janson; Clarksburg, West Virginia’s The Davisson Brothers Band; southern country rock band The BlackWater Outlaws; and North Central West Virginia’s the George Shingleton Band.  Then on July 16th, enjoy performances by country music superstars Josh Turner and Little Big Town!  Tickets for both shows are on sale now at www.friendsofcoalautofair.com.