COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 1 -- The Ohio Environmental Council issued the following news release: Local groups are appealing the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission's approval of nominations to lease Ohio's largest state park and two wildlife areas for oil and gas development. On September 15, 2023, the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission approved nominations to lease Salt Fork State Park, Valley Run Wildlife Area, and Zepernick Wildlife Area. Advocates are claiming the nomination ap  more

MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Nov. 30 -- The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs issued the following news release: A project to aid the expansion of a Cullman industry, which will result in new jobs, picked up some additional financial support with a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, Gov. Kay Ivey announced. The ARC funding along with a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant, awarded earlier by Gov. Ivey, will enable improvements along a section of Cullman C  more

BOONE, North Carolina, Dec. 1 (TNSres) -- Appalachian State University issued the following news: Following 12 years of care and anticipation, Appalachian State University's rare corpse flower graced observers with a long-awaited bloom on Friday, Nov. 24. Officially classified as titan arum, and scientifically known as Amorphophallus titanum, the corpse flower's bloom was its first since arriving at the Department of Biology Greenhouse in 2011. Greenhouse staff first noticed the outer coverin  more

POUND, Virginia, Nov. 28 -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release: The Town of Pound is partnering with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and Appalachian Voices with assistance from the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center to participate in a new revitalization program that will inventory sites and buildings and identify dilapidated and abandoned buildings. The inventory will then be used to develop a redevelopment plan for the community. This program, which  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Nov. 30 (TNSres) -- The Coalition for Community Solar Access issued the following news on Nov. 29, 2023: A new analysis confirms that utilities have overestimated the costs and underestimated the benefits that Virginia's Shared Solar program brings to the grid. The report from Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, commissioned by the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), is the first of its kind to take a comprehensive look at the full range of shared solar benefits, incl  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee issued the following news release: During the recent state work period, voters in key Senate battlegrounds were reading and watching a wave of coverage highlighting how Senate Democrats are fighting to address working families' most pressing priorities - like lowering costs, supporting veterans, and expanding access to health care. See for yourself: * * * MT - NBC Montana: VA halts foreclosures for 6 months to ensure vetera  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Nov. 29 -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news: Better Workplaces Tennessee, an innovative, data-driven initiative designed to transform workplace culture, announced its official launch, marking a historic collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Health and the Strong BRAIN Institute at East Tennessee State University. Supported by the Appalachian Promise Alliance, internationally recognized author and speaker Becky Haas and the ETSU Res  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Nov. 29 -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news on Nov. 28, 2023: Drs. Lee Bidgood, Nick Hagemeier and Gary Henson will be featured in the second installment of East Tennessee State University's Great Lecture Series. The new lecture series, which began in October, celebrates and showcases the work of faculty who have recently been promoted to full professor at ETSU. Faculty play an integral role in the mission of ETSU through their teaching, resear  more

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, Dec. 1 -- The University of Virginia issued the following news release: On the door, over the mantle, in the foyer, on the dining room table - where you choose to greet the holidays is totally up to you. How you choose to greet them - with dachshunds leaping through the snow, festive femurs or even a hedgehog holiday - depends upon how much you care to bid on any one or more of the 113 holiday-themed wreaths up for auction and currently hanging on the walls of the UV  more

FRANKFORT, Kentucky, Nov. 28 -- The Kentucky Public Service Commission issued the following order (Case No. 2023-00159) on Nov. 27, 2023: * * * In the Matter of: Electronic Application Of Kentucky Power Company For (1) A General Adjustment Of Its Rates For Electric Service; (2) Approval Of Tariffs And Riders; (3) Approval Of Accounting Practices To Establish Regulatory Assets And Liabilities; (4) A Securitization Financing Order; And (5) All Other Required Approvals And Relief ORDER On Novem  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $155,970 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for three West Virginia projects. The funding will support community outreach programs, including technical assistance efforts, environmental advocacy, and grant funding opportunities for at-risk middle and high school students. "I'm pl  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Nov. 28 -- The Defenders of Wildlife issued the following news: * * * "North Carolina's funding to support wildlife safe passage across roads will help provide habitat connectivity essential for the persistence of healthy wildlife populations, especially in the face of environmental changes that are increasingly transforming and fragmenting the landscape." -Ben Prater, Southeast Program Director for Defenders of Wildlife * * * In honor of Road Safety Week, the Safe P  more

PORTLAND, Maine, Dec. 1 -- The Open Space Institute issued the following news: The Open Space Institute (OSI) and the Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) are pleased to announce the permanent conservation of critical forested watershed property in the town of Naples, Maine. The 362-acre Sebago Cove Forest project will be protected through a conservation easement, which was secured from the landowner, Oani-SC LLC and will be held by LELT. The easement was partially secured with funding from OSI's Appal  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade and Export Promotion issued the following testimony by the Made By Mountains Partnership Director Amy Allison involving a hearing on Nov. 7, 2023, entitled "Sustainable Tourism for a Thriving Economy": * * * The Made By Mountains Partnership is a grant funded organization based in Western North Carolina, supporting 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary. The Partnership works to expand the outdoo  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, issued the following opening remarks at a hearing on Nov. 9, 2023, entitled "To Examine the Implementation of Federal Coal Mine Land Reclamation and Abandoned Coal Mine Land Economic Revitalization Programs": * * * The Committee will come to order. For generations, coal communities across our nation have made the sacrifices and done the heaving lifting to turn our country i  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee issued the following testimony by Glenda H. Owens, deputy director in the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement at the U.S. Department of the Interior, involving a hearing on Nov. 9, 2023, entitled "To Examine the Implementation of Federal Coal Mine Land Reclamation and Abandoned Coal Mine Land Economic Revitalization Programs": * * * Introduction and Background Chairman Manchin, Ranking Member Barrasso, a  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee issued the following written testimony by Rob Rice, deputy cabinet secretary of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and director of the Division of Land Restoration, involving a hearing on Nov. 9, 2023, entitled "To Examine the Implementation of Federal Coal Mine Land Reclamation and Abandoned Coal Mine Land Economic Revitalization Programs": * * * Good morning Chairman Manchin, Ranking Member Barrass  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee issued the following testimony by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable President Jessica Wahl Turner involving a hearing on Nov. 1, 2023, entitled "The Great Outdoors: Small Business and America's Outdoor Recreation Economy": * * * Chair Shaheen, Ranking Member Ernst, and members of the Committee, Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on small businesses in the outdoor recreation economy. It is an honor to b  more

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama, Dec. 1 -- The University of Alabama issued the following news: University of Alabama seniors Anika Cho, of Beaverton, Oregon, and Owen Emerson, of Huntsville, are two of 12 college students from around the nation to receive the U.S.-Ireland Alliance's George J. Mitchell Scholarship. The Mitchell Scholarship, named to honor former U.S. Senator George Mitchell's contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, is designed to introduce and connect generations of future Am  more

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Nov. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky issued the following news release: Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. ("ARH"), a hospital system based in eastern Kentucky, and one of its cardiologists have agreed to collectively pay the United States $3,033,861.92 to settle civil allegations that they submitted, or caused the submission of, improper claims to Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for non-covered services. The case arises from di  more

SANTA CRUZ, California, Nov. 29 -- The University of California Santa Cruz campus issued the following news: By Haneen Zain The Alumni Association at UCSC is proud to present this year's honorees of the UCSC Alumni Awards. These awards recognize and honor alumni who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements, made distinct contributions to society, provided impactful contributions to UC Santa Cruz, and who have embodied the values and spirit of the university. Seven alumni were  more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, Will Thompson, issued the following news release on Nov. 30, 2023: Tonja Oakes, 58, of Cross Lanes, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including eight months on home detention, and ordered to pay $21,943.80 in restitution for wire fraud. Oakes admitted to defrauding the American Red Cross (ARC) while employed at its Cross Lanes office. According to court documents and statem  more