JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Dec. 20 (TNSper) -- Ballad Health, a community health improvement organization, issued the following news release: Ballad Health has named two experienced and proven nursing professionals for leadership roles at two of the health system's tertiary hospitals. Alison Johnson, MSN, and Britney Edmiston, FNP, were named as vice presidents and chief nursing officers at Johnson City Medical Center and Bristol Regional Medical Center, respectively. Both have established stron  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the U.S. Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded $1.5 million to the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) for the Appalachian Underground Railroad Heritage Tourism Initiative. Funding will be used to develop a tri-state tourism initiative between Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. "Rural communities have been overlooked for too long. If we wan  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 22, 2022: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, today voted to prevent a government shutdown and fully fund the government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. The omnibus appropriations package passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 29, advancing it to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration ahead of the Friday, December 23 deadlin  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $2,195,601 from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Program for 19 projects across West Virginia. The funding will support purchasing telecommunications technology for schools, helping agricultural producers and rural small businesses make energy   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 22, 2022: U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $4,795,300 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a livestock systems management project through West Virginia University (WVU). The project will provide financial and technical assistance to Appalachian farmers and agricu  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $97,600 to boost broadband services and support educational programming at the Evergreen Heritage Center (EHC) Foundation in Frostburg. The combined funding, with $48,800 made available through Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and $48,800 from the State of Maryland and Allegany County, will be used to cre  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is announcing $69 million for the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway (CSVT) from the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Rural Surface Transportation grant program, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding, which Casey advocated for, will go towards the construction of approximately 6.1 miles of new four-lane limited access   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced the Senate passage of the federal spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023. In addition to government funding, the spending bill includes funds going directly to community projects across the Commonwealth. Senator Casey secured more than $111.5 million for 92 projects across Pennsylvania. The funding bill also includes a number of critical pieces of legislation, inc  more

BOONE, North Carolina, Dec. 20 (TNSgov) -- Appalachian Voices posted the following news release: Congressional appropriations leaders are preparing to release omnibus spending legislation for FY2023 today, and community advocates from across coal country are urging them to ensure several long-standing priority investments are included. Advocates argue that the omnibus legislation is an important opportunity to get three key provisions over the finish line: The Safeguarding Treatment for the Re  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (TNSgov) -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release: In a victory for coal mining communities and clean water advocates across the country, Congress passed the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines (STREAM) Act as part of the fiscal 2023 omnibus spending bill, ensuring communities can use billions of dollars in new money for abandoned coal mine cleanup to address the ongoing acid mine drainage crisis, as well as mine fires an  more

BOONE, North Carolina, Dec. 24 (TNSgov) -- Appalachian Voices posted the following news release: Congress finally passed FY2023 appropriations legislation and secured two major victories for coal-impacted communities. The omnibus appropriations legislation passed today included the STREAM Act and an unprecedented $135 million investment in the AMLER program -- but, the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act was left out despite the urging of advocates from across coal country. Community leaders re  more

NEW YORK, Dec. 20 -- The Ford Foundation issued the following news on Dec. 19, 2022: Today the Ford Foundation announced its overall funding for independent documentary film in 2022. One of the largest documentary funds in the world and a part of the foundation's Creativity and Free Expression (CFE) program, JustFilms provided over $4 million to support 68 innovative film projects in the United States and around the world that are centered on social justice issues. From this allocation, the 68  more

GREENVILLE, North Carolina, Dec. 20 (TNSper) -- East Carolina University issued the following news release: After a competitive national search, a North Carolina native with more than 22 years of experience working with university students has been named Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at East Carolina University by Chancellor Philip G. Rogers. Dr. Brandon A. Frye, who currently serves as vice president for student affairs at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) in Texas, will join ECU  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 -- Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, issued the following news release on Dec. 23, 2022: Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) - Chair of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the bipartisan House Great Lakes Task Force - released the following statement after the House and Senate passed omnibus appropriations legislation that includes her bill to create the Great Lakes Authority. The legislation will now be sent to the President to be signed into l  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2022: U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $2,195,601 from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Program for 18 projects across West Virginia. The funding will support purchasing telecommunications technology for schools, helping agricultural producers and rural small businesses make energ  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced funding up to $4,795,300 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a livestock systems management project through West Virginia University (WVU). The project will provide financial and technical assistance to Appalachian farmers and agricultural producers to support adopti  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, issued the following news release on Dec. 22, 2022: U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today this year's Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill contains significant resources to support important Kentucky institutions and programs. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell advocated on behalf of the Commonwealth in this year's government funding process. On  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (TNSgov) -- The Wilderness Society posted the following news release: On December 22nd, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a draft of a revised supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) that sets the stage for handing developers of the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) the permits for the project to proceed across Jefferson National Forest. This draft SEIS proposes allowing MVP to cross the forest despite tremend  more

MEDIA, Pennsylvania, Dec. 22 (TNSgov) -- The Open Space Institute issued the following news: An iconic part of Luzerne County's car racing heritage has been permanently protected, thanks to grant support by the Open Space Institute (OSI). The land, which is now owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, will create new opportunities for public recreation and hunting, while its forests continue to remove harmful carbon from the air and filter clean water within the greater Delaware River Watersh  more

SHEPHERDSTOWN, West Virginia, Dec. 21 (TNSpro) -- Shepherd University issued the following news: With the help of a $136,250 Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation grant, the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education and Shepherd University are launching a new initiative to enrich the civics and social studies education of West Virginia students. People Powered: Civic Action, Community Engagement, and American Representative Democracy will utilize the rich resources of the Ro  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 22 -- The Virginia State Corporation Commission issued the following news release: The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has concluded a revised triennial review of the base rates for Appalachian Power Company that reduces the annual rate increase that has been in effect on an interim basis since October 1, 2022. For a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, the new rates result in a monthly charge of approximately $6.00 compared to the  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee on food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics and Research issued the following testimony by Community Farm Alliance Executive Director Martin Richards involving a hearing on Dec. 13, 2022, entitled "Food as Medicine: Current Efforts and Potential Opportunities": * * * Good Morning and thank you, Chairman Booker and Ranking Member Braun for this opportunity to talk about the opportunities that Food as Medicin  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (TNSgov) -- The Sierra Club issued the following news release on Dec. 21, 2022: The U.S. Senate confirmed Beth Geer, Michelle Moore, Robert Klein, William Renick, Adam Wade White, and Joe Ritch today as new members of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors. They come on board as the federal utility initiates its final decision-making process over the retirement and replacement of the massive Cumberland coal plant with new methane gas infrastructure. At the s  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, issued the following news release: The Senate passed a funding package that provides funding for essential priorities for American families. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was able to secure key wins for Ohio to lower costs and invest in healthcare, the environment, science and research, agriculture, public safety, local projects and other priorities for Ohioans. Brown's bipartisan African American Burial Grounds Preservation Act, legislatio  more

IRVING, Texas, Dec. 21 -- The Big 12 Conference, a college athletic conference, issued the following news: Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has announced the addition of seven new employees to the Conference staff. Katie Ristow, Senior Director - Brand, Keena Lynch, Senior Director - Content, Lea Banks, Assistant Director, Brand & Creative and Madison Scholl, Coordinator - Digital Content round out the team in Marketing & Branding. Ben Anderson will serve as Assistant Director - Technology & V  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Alabama, issued the following news release on Dec. 22, 2022: U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its subcommittee on defense, today voted 68-29 to pass a comprehensive appropriations package containing all 12 Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) spending bills. In addition to the annual funding bills, the legislation includes $47 billion in emergency funding to support Ukraine's valiant efforts to rep  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 -- Rep. David Trone, D-Maryland, issued the following news release on Dec. 21, 2022: U.S. Congressman David Trone and U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (all D-Md.) announced $97,600 to boost broadband services and support educational programming at the Evergreen Heritage Center (EHC) Foundation in Frostburg. The combined funding, with $48,800 made available through Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and $48,800 from the State of Maryland and Allegany County, w  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (all D-Md.) and U.S. Congressman David Trone announced $97,600 to boost broadband services and support educational programming at the Evergreen Heritage Center (EHC) Foundation in Frostburg. The combined funding, with $48,800 made available through Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and $48,800 from the State of Maryland and Allegany County, will be used   more

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, Dec. 20 (TNSgov) -- The Southern Environmental Law Center posted the following news release: Last week the State Corporation Commission approved a settlement, accepting a replacement for the performance standard that was part of the its final order approving Dominion Energy's application for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project. The performance standard is now replaced with five elements addressing construction and carrying cost sharing and operating performanc  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 21, 2022: U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that they successfully secured over $200 million in federal funding for Virginia in the newly released text of the government funding bills for Fiscal Year 2023. The bills are expected to be passed by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and then signed by President Joe Biden. "This bill funds critical national priorities, i  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that they successfully secured over $200 million in federal funding for Virginia in the newly released text of the government funding bills for Fiscal Year 2023. The bills are expected to be passed by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and then signed by President Joe Biden. "This bill funds critical national priorities, including health   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that they successfully secured over $200 million in federal funding for Virginia in the Senate-passed government funding bills for Fiscal Year 2023. The bills are expected to be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives shortly before being signed by President Joe Biden. "This bill funds critical national priorities, including health care, education, scie  more