BLACKSBURG, Virginia, June 13 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: In its effort to promote the research and development of data science methods in support of scientific research, the Academy of Data Science Discovery Fund has granted an all-time high six awards for the 2024-25 academic year. Previously, no more than three awards had been given in a single funding cycle. The projects supported in this year's awards focus on the use of data science methods in the fields of chemistry, co  more

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release: Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has allowed the Mountain Valley Pipeline to go in-service. This announcement arrives after a decade of community-led resistance to the pipeline project. MVP has doubled in cost and delayed completion for six years due to failures to comply with environmental protections and resulting legal challenges. Representatives from many of the groups fighting the pipeline issued t  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, June 12 -- Ballad Health, a community health improvement organization, issued the following news release: Following through on its commitment to enhance access to high-quality childcare across the Appalachian Highlands, Ballad Health has unveiled plans for a new Center for Early Learning on the campus of Indian Path Community Hospital in Kingsport. The Ballad Health Center for Early Learning in Kingsport, expected to open in early 2025, will transform an existing build  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, June 15 -- Ballad Health, a community health improvement organization, issued the following news release: The continued close collaboration between Ballad Health and East Tennessee State University (ETSU) will now bolster sports medicine services across the region, with the introduction of Highlands Sports Medicine. A member of Ballad Health Medical Associates and powered by ETSU Health, Highlands Sports Medicine will bring ETSU Health's current BucSports Medicine clin  more

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: Casey secured tax credits in Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy investments made in "energy communities," places with economies dependent on coal, oil, or natural gas Casey pushes Administration to fix loophole could exclude many former fossil fuel sites from clean energy development bonus tax credit Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) urged U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Y  more

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina, June 13 -- College of the Albemarle issued the following news release: College of The Albemarle (COA) is proud to announce new Instructional Service Agreements (ISAs) with Beaufort County Community College (BCCC), opening exciting educational and career pathways for students in both areas. ISAs allow students to take general education course requirements at their "home" college and then easily transfer to the partner college to complete program-specific courses.   more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy issued the following news on June 12, 2024: * * * Participants From Municipalities, Tribes, and Community-Based Organizations Will Convene for Six Months To Learn From Each Other and Experts About Agrivoltaics, Residential Energy Efficiency Programs, and Electrifying Municipal Fleets * * * The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a new round of leaders from 45 entities that will  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, June 12 -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news: East Tennessee State University's Center for Rural Health Research is leading an effort to address health care workforce challenges, foster economic development and promote regional prosperity in Central Appalachia. Dubbed the Regional Public Colleges and Universities (RPCU) Central Appalachia Health Consortium, this ground-breaking initiative is part of the Appalachia Regional Commission's Appalach  more

MONTGOMERY, Alabama, June 11 -- The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs posted the following news release: Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a $500,000 grant to renovate space at Bevill State Community College in Walker County for a new weatherization training center. The funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be used to create the Energy Infrastructure Center at the college, which will provide training on making homes more energy efficient. Bevill State has partnered w  more

FRANKFORT, Kentucky, June 13 -- The Kentucky Public Service Commission issued the following order (Case No. 2024-00115) on June 12, 2024: * * * In the Matter of: Electronic Application Of Kentucky Power Company For: (1) Approval To Expand Its Targeted Energy Efficiency Program; (2) Approval Of A Home Energy Improvement Program And A Commercial Energy Solutions Program; (3) Authority To Recover Costs And Net Lost Revenues, And To Receive Incentives Associated With The Implementation Of Its Dema  more

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, June 12 -- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources issued the following news: Just past the stone ruins of an old hotel, Maryland Park Service Ranger Cliff Puffenberger came to a clearing. The edge of an outcrop revealed green mountains that filled the horizon and birds of prey that swept over rocky cliff faces. The expansive view, which stretched from Pennsylvania to West Virginia, overlooked the nearby city of Cumberland and the roads and rail lines that made it a h  more

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 14 -- Nationwide Children's Hospital issued the following news release: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded Nationwide Children's Hospital a $4.7 million grant for the implementation of the Healthy Start Initiative, striving to improve the health of moms and babies in three Appalachian Ohio counties. "Organizations in these counties offer many programs for families, and parents and caregivers need to know they have a supportive community loo  more

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, June 15 -- Samford University issued the following news release on June 13, 2024: For a second-straight year, Samford University was announced as the winner of the Commissioner's Cup, which goes to the top all-around men's athletics program in the Southern Conference, the Germann Cup, for the SoCon's top overall women's athletics program and the Graduation Rate Award when the awards were released by the league at its spring meetings Thursday. "This is a testament to the ha  more

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio, June 11 -- Shawnee State University issued the following news: Shawnee State University's School of Nursing has introduced its first graduate program - an online Master of Science in Nursing - for nurses wanting to advance their profession within their region's healthcare system. SSU has a long history of preparing future nurses and advancing the healthcare profession in the region. Accepting the first class of nursing students in 1969 when the university was still a branch   more

BOONE, North Carolina, June 11 -- Appalachian Voices issued the following statement on June 10, 2024: * * * Today, Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, sent a letter [active link not provided by source] to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asking commissioners to grant pipeline operators permission by tomorrow to start running high-pressure methane gas through the Mountain Valley Pipeline on the basis that the pipeline is "mechanically complete." In the letter, MVP developers claim they have  more