WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 -- The Appalachian Regional Commission issued the following news release on Aug. 29, 2024: * * * READY Community Foundations will provide 30 community foundations serving the Appalachian Region with no-cost training and access to funding to expand local philanthropic impact. * * * Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced the 30 community foundations, serving communities in 10 Appalachian states, selected to participate in READY Community Foundations. One  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Education issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced today more than $80 million in grant awards to 26 grantees to improve access to postsecondary education for students from low-income backgrounds. The grants are being provided under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program, which aims to significantly increase the number of students from lo  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: CHARLESTON, W.Va. Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced grants from various federal agencies for projects she helped secure funds for, including healthcare, education, research, environmental cleanup, infrastructure, economic development, and drug use prevention projects. More information on each project can be found belo  more

ELON, North Carolina, Aug. 30 -- Elon University issued the following news release: * * * Proceeds from Watson's gift will strengthen the renowned college access and success program that has transformed the lives of thousands of local high school students with high financial need, including those with no family history of attending college. * * * Calling the Elon Academy the "neatest thing on God's green earth," alumna Nancy Turner Watson '66 made a generous estate gift in 2017 to support th  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the following statement on Aug. 29, 2024, by Commissioner Mark C. Christie on a decision (Docket No. EL24-103-000) involving PSEG Renewable Transmission LLC: * * * I dissent in part from today's order, specifically from the grant of the Abandoned Plant and the Hypothetical Capital Structure Incentives for a PSEG Renewable Transmission LLC (PSEG RT) transmission project that was approved as part o  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 29 -- Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tennessee, issued the following news on Aug. 28, 2024: Today, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced recipients of the Governor's Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) grant program, which prioritizes learning opportunities in rural counties and enhances career and technical education statewide. Tennessee has made notable progress in rural workforce development which has resulted in securing over 41,500 new jobs and nearly $19 billion in capital   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- Rep. Ann Kuster, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: Gorham, N.H. This week, Congresswoman Annie Kuster was recognized by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) for her longstanding commitment to supporting New Hampshire's outdoor recreation and tourism industries and conservation work. During the event, Kuster heard from AMC staff members and discussed the group's work researching and monitoring the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, as we  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Aug. 27 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: Free time? What free time? It's a scarce commodity, for sure, especially in those fiercely hectic first weeks of a new semester. Yet carving out time for pastimes we love can boost mental and physical health. It can energize and calm us, spark aha moments, and cleanse our intellectual palates. Our spare-time pursuits give us a life beyond work, reminding us of who we really are at our cores. They make us us. That's why  more

HUNTINGTON, West Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Marshall University issued the following news release: Marshall University's Tijah Bumgarner, a professor of video production and filmmaker, initiated production this month on her latest feature film, "Of the Cloth." The film delves into the societal role of churches in communities ravaged by the opioid epidemic and was shot over 10 days on location in Huntington. The production team included Patrick Ward-Perkins, local actors, a crew of local professional  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service issued the following news release: WARTBURG, Tennessee: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the winners of the 2024 Obed Wild and Scenic River photo contest. Photographers were invited to submit striking digital images highlighting the spectacular views, dark night skies, recreational opportunities, and diversity of life in the park. Entries to the contest were judged by members of the Southern Appalachian   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- Outdoor Recreation Roundtable issued the following news: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) is proud to award five rural communities - from New England and the mid-Atlantic to Appalachia and Alaska - with implementation grants to help grow their local economies and make them more resilient through outdoor recreation. The 2024 awardees are: Beverly, Ohio; Claremont, New Hampshire; Giles County, Virginia; Haines, Alaska; and Poultney, Vermont. Each recipient participated   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2024: Today, Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) announced the approval of a grant in the amount of $213,177 for the Wyoming County Healthcare Center. This federal grant is funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalach  more

WHITESBURG, Kentucky, Aug. 31 -- Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers and the Letcher County Planning Commission hosted Colette Peters, Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), at a regional meeting in Whitesburg on Wednesday to discuss ongoing economic development and plans for a proposed federal prison in Letcher County. Congressman Rogers, who chairs the congressional committee that funds the Department of Justice, invited Directo  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Aug. 27 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: Beneath the Central Appalachian Forest canopy lies a rich, biodiverse world of native plants helping to fill North America's medicinal herb cabinet. Yet, the benefits and beauty of this rich ecosystem are often overshadowed by a lingering cloud of coal. "This region is often referred to as the coalfields, but I've found through my research that people living in these communities usually talk about their attachment to   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is investing $15 million to connect underserved and small-acreage forest landowners with emerging climate markets. This funding is thanks to forest landowner support provisions in President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. In total, nine proposals across 14 states were selected to receive funding. The announcement comes in addition to  more