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SUITS FILED BEFORE LAW CHANGES - Medical malpractice lawsuits have flooded
courthouses in Charleston, Morgantown and Parkersburg. Lawyers scrambled to file
their cases before new damage caps went into effect July 1.
In Charleston attorneys filed 13 suits on Monday. There were 23 medical
malpractice suits filed in Kanawha Circuit Court between January 1 and June 21.
KANAWHA SMOKERS HAVE NEW RULES - Kanawha County's new smoking rules go
into effect today. The Clean Indoor Regulation prohibits smoking in most public
places -- including restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, enclosed shopping
malls and schools. They do not include bars, tobacco stores or gaming
establishments.
NEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE - There is a new community college in the state. New
River Community and Technical College officially becomes the state's newest
community college today. It has campuses in Bluefield, Beckley, Summersville and
Lewisburg. The college was created by the Legislature to serve an area that
includes Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Nicholas, Pocahontas,
Raleigh, Summers and Webster counties.
TEENS MOUNT BIKES AND SKATEBOARDS AND CATCH THIEF - Several Parkersburg teenagers are heroes
after helping police nab an alleged purse snatcher. The purse was taken from a 72-year-old woman while she was grocery
shopping. The 16-year-old suspect ran toward a nearby car dealership and was spotted by a group of teens practicing their
skateboarding moves. The skateboarders and some bag boys chased the thief, spotting him for the police.
LAYOFFS IN BLUEFIELD - Like many West Virginia towns, about 20 Bluefield city workers could lose their jobs as
officials struggle to balance the budget. The city is having trouble collecting unpaid taxes and fees. The city manager is
blaming the layoffs on lost revenues from a lack of business, rising insurance, pension costs and workers' compensation
concerns.
NO MONEY, NO BOOKS - West Virginia residents need to bring some money along with their library cards if they plan
to use West Virginia University's libraries. WVU is now charging state residents $50 dollars a year to check books out of the
school's library. Previously, the library was free to the public.
COAL HAUL ROADS ANNOUNCED - State Transportation Secretary Fred VanKirk was to have announced a coal
haul system for 15 southern West Virginia counties yesterday at a news conference. The new law calls for VanKirk to
determine which roads can handle coal trucks carrying loads up to 120,000 pounds. VanKirk says there are very few
bridges on those roads which can handle the extra weight.
STATE POLICE FOLLOWED RULES - State Police officials say troopers followed the
department's policy on high-speed chases during their weekend pursuit of a fugitive
on the West Virginia Turnpike that ended in a wreck in which a 10-year-old girl died.
A stolen 1995 Oldsmobile crossed into the southbound lanes near the Beckley tolls
and struck her family's vehicle after it went over road spikes and deflated tires.
Turnpike police recently chased a man after he ran a toll booth. A State Policeman
shot the man several times after his vehicle stopped near an exit ramp. The
policeman said he was attacked by the driver.
NATURAL GAS PRICES COSTING COMPANIES - High natural gas prices are costing chemical companies in the
Kanawha Valley millions of dollars and making them less competitive with operations elsewhere in the world where gas is
cheaper, according to company officials. The Dow Chemical Co.'s West Virginia Operations, said the increased cost for
Dow here is approaching $7 million this year.
ARCH MOORE KEPT "LOTS OF CASH" - Arch A. Moore Jr., a former WV governor and convicted felon, was marked
by questionable transactions and a fondness for dealing in large amounts of cash, according to briefs filed with the state
Supreme Court. The brief said Moore used thousands of dollars for political campaigns, family trips to Europe and purchases
of personal items such as clothing, according to the filings by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
Moore is trying to regain his license to practice law. He pleaded guilty in 1990 to a five-count federal felony indictment,
including charges of mail fraud, filing false tax returns, extortion and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to serve 27
months in federal prison.
Numerous other charges brought against the former governor were dropped in a plea arrangement. Moore told federal
agents that $100,000 in cash was used "to support an underground effort of maintaining integrity in the (1984) election
process in as many as 11 counties in Southern West Virginia, and that was a cash campaign."
Moore is still greeted at Republican meetings with a standing ovation.
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