WASHINGTON, June 10 -- The Appalachian Regional Commission issued the following news release: The Appalachian Regional Commission released The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey (https://www.arc.gov/research/researchreportdetails.asp?REPORT_ID=163), also known as "The Chartbook." Drawing from the American Community Survey and comparable Census Population Estimates available as of 2018, the data predates the COVID-19 crisis. The report contains over   more

BEREA, Kentucky, June 10 -- Berea College issued the following news release on June 8: Student loan debt in the United States is no joke. The total amount of debt has tripled since 2005 with college graduates and former students owing a jaw-dropping $1.6 trillion. Student loan debt is only surpassed by mortgage debt in the U.S. The debt burden today's college grads are carrying is actually changing the way millennials live their lives when compared to previous generations. Some have delayed ma  more

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Kentucky, June 11 -- Campbellsville University issued the following news: Marc Whitt, former vice president for communications at Campbellsville University who was named an honorary alumnus of Campbellsville University in 2003, has published his first book titled "PR Lessons Learned Along the Way -- Strategies, Tips & Advice for the Higher Ed and Nonprofit Public Relations Professional." Whitt's book achieved the "#1 New Release in Public Relations" spot at Amazon Books June 1-  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division issued the following news release on June 10: Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division announced his departure from the department today, effective as of July 3, 2020. "Brian has served the Department with distinction," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "This was his sixth senior leadership role at Justice, and the entire Department benefitted from his managerial  more

ASHLAND, Kentucky, June 10 -- Kentucky Power, a unit of American Electric Power, issued the following news release: Kentucky Power recently completed emergency inspections on electrical equipment that provides power to more than 44 critical facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. Company leaders took the precautionary step out of an abundance of caution to ensure grid reliability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams inspected 46 circuits throughout Kentucky Power's 20-county service ter  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: The Appalachian Regional Commission approved two grants for projects in the Virginia coalfields totaling $500,000. The Southwest Regional Recreation Authority of Virginia received $300,000 for the Catalyst for Growth in Developing the Tourism Economy of the Coalfields project. The Town of St. Paul received $200,000 for Phase 2 of the historic Lyric Theater renovation. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)   more

HAGERSTOWN, Maryland, June 11 -- Rep. David Trone, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: Congressman David Trone (MD-06) and Kevin Simmers, Founder of Brooke's House women's sober living facility in Hagerstown, secured $60,000 in funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission to support Brooke's House's business operations and assist residents in accessing employment opportunities and higher education. Since opening in early 2019, Brooke's House has changed the lives of dozens o  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Rep. David Trone, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative David Trone and Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (all D-Md.) announced the award of $200,000 for the Western Maryland Works (WMW) Allegany County Makerspace from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In September, Van Hollen, Cardin, and Trone announced the initial $395,000 award to create the WMW Allegany County Makerspace. These new funds will allow the Board of Commission  more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, issued the following news release on June 9: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined his colleagues in raising questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Brown is particularly concerned that the flawed selection process for this program is bypassing hungry Ohio families and individuals, as well as numerous Ohio  more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release on June 10: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $289,000 in federal funding allocated through the Appalachian Regional Commission. This funding will be used to increase healthy and fresh foods accessibility for residents in the Northside of Binghamton and to strengthen Friendship Central School District's STEM program, providing STEM and Skilled   more

WASHINGTON, June 11 -- Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release on June 10: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $289,000 in federal funding allocated through the Appalachian Regional Commission. This funding will be used to increase healthy and fresh foods accessibility for residents in the Northside of Binghamton and to strengthen Friendship Central School District's STEM program, providing STEM and Skilled   more

WASHINGTON, June 10 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and U.S. Representative David Trone (all D-Md.) announced the award of $200,000 for the Western Maryland Works (WMW) Allegany County Makerspace from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In September, Van Hollen, Cardin, and Trone announced the initial $395,000 award to create the WMW Allegany County Makerspace. These new funds will allow the Board of   more

NEW YORK, June 12 -- The Vera Institute of Justice issued the following news release: The Vera Institute of Justice's In Our Backyards initiative announced the second round of grant funding to community-based and statewide organizations committed to reducing incarceration rates, resisting jail expansion, and eliminating racial and gender disparities in incarceration in small and rural communities. In a moment of societal reckoning with the crisis that is the American justice system - between d  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, June 6 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: Gov. Ralph Northam appointed two new members to the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors on Friday and reappointed two existing members to the board. Former Ambassador Carmen Lomellin and Tonya A. Parris-Wilkins, D.D.S., dental director at the Bland Ministry Center, will join the board on July 1. In addition, current board members Keith T. Parker, the board's rector, and H. Benson Dendy III,  more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, June 11 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, Mike Stuart, issued the following news release: Edward Stephen entered a guilty plea for federal health care fraud, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Stephen, 61, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, faces up to 10 years of incarceration, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release when he is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2020. He also will be subject to an order of restit  more