CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Because the legislative session dealing with redistricting continues, the first two listening tour stops by the House of Delegates Coal Communities Workgroup have been postponed.
The Coal Communities Workgroup, announced by Republican House Speaker Roger Hanshaw and Democrat Minority Leader Doug Skaff in early June, was created for lawmakers from both parties and throughout the state with a goal of working together to develop policy recommendations to help revitalize West Virginia’s coal communities.
Listening tours stops postponed include one scheduled for today (Tuesday) in Marshall County and one for tomorrow in Pursglove.
At this point, the stop scheduled for Monday, October 25, in Logan remains on the schedule.
The Logan stop is set from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Word of Life Church gymnasium at Route 5 Cottage Road in Logan.
Another is scheduled for 6 p.m. next Wednesday in the Woodrow Wilson High School cafeteria at 400 Stanaford Road in Beckley.
Members of the work group already have hosted initial virtual meetings with the federal Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization, as well as local economic development representatives, Ret. Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, Appalachian Regional Commission Co-Chair Gayle Manchin and representatives from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and West Virginia’s Congressional representatives.
The work group’s goal is to go into communities and talk with local residents as well as local community and business leaders, to determine what coal communities specifically need to succeed and what tools are already available.
Mingo County Republican Delegate Nathan Brown heads the group. Other members include: Logan Republican Jordan Bridges, McDowell Democrat Ed Evans, Ohio Delegate Shawn Fluharty, Monongalia Delegate Evan Hansen, Fayette Republican Austin Haynes, Boone Republican Josh Holstein, Logan Republican Margitta Mazzocchi, Wyoming Republican Tony Paynter, Marshall Republican Charlie Reynolds, Kanawha Democrat Larry Rowe, Raleigh Republican Christopher Toney, Kanawha Democrat Doug Skaff and Marshall Democrat Lisa Zukoff.