They Voted for You: Cash for Caulkers

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for legislation that would create a "Home Star Retrofit Rebate" program.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, opposed the bill along with all but a dozen of the other House GOP members present for the 246-161 roll call.

The two-year, $5.7 billion program would offer homeowners "rebates for renovating their homes with better insulation and energy-saving windows and doors," The Associated Press reports.

"Supporters estimate that 3 million households would make use of the new program, saving $9.2 billion in energy costs over a 10-year period. They said it would create 168,000 jobs, mainly in the recession-hit construction industry," the article said. "Republicans were more skeptical, saying the cost was too high amid rising federal debts."

GOP Slugfest Continues in 1st Congressional District

The gloves came off several weeks ago as the six Republicans seeking to challenge U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, sought to distinguish themselves in the minds of their primary voters.

Residents of the district have witnessed the TV, radio and other ads that several of the GOP hopefuls have launched against each other.

The rancor has spilled over into candidate forums, The Hill reports. "Republicans Mac Warner and David McKinley got into a fierce exchange during a GOP candidates debate in Wheeling Wednesday night," the article said. "Warner accused McKinley of 'feigning concern' for his son who was injured serving in Afghanistan, then calling his opponent 'unfit to serve' in Congress in a mailer the next day."

The Intelligencer of Wheeling covered the forum, but that report does not appear to include the exchange.

Warner later told the News and Sentinel of Parkersburg that "he can support any winner except Dave McKinley in November."

McKinley said he would support the party's nominee "although I am concerned about our chances if one or more of the other candidates were to become the nominee," the article said.

The McKinley campaign has also taken heart in a CQ Politics article that opines that "Democrats would prefer to face Warner, whom they think has baggage from his business dealings that Warner’s GOP detractors also are trying to exploit, than either McKinley or (Sarah) Minear."

Candidate Cries Foul in Lincoln County

A contested primary for state Senate has revived the specter of voter fraud in Lincoln County.

The Lincoln Journal reported that the clerk's office there had already received applications for 825 absentee ballots, while just 265 had been cast in the 2008 primary. That led "a state senator seeking re-election this cycle" to express concern to that newspaper, the article said.

"I have heard tape recorded depositions from several Lincoln County voters who have reported that unnamed persons have visited their homes with envelopes containing absentee ballots that were already marked with my opponents name," the lawmaker, Sen. Ron Stollings, D-Boone, told the Boone Examiner.

Stollings is facing a primary challenge from Delegate Jeff Eldridge, D-Lincoln, in the Senate district that covers both their counties as well as Logan and part of Wayne.

Stollings also shared his concerns with the Lincoln newspaper as well as The Charleston Gazette, Charleston Daily Mail and MetroNews (audio here) , advising them that he's hired a lawyer and plans to file a complaint.

U.S. Attorney Chuck Miller has since told the Daily Mail and MetroNews (with audio) that his office will review the absentee ballot requests.

The Lincoln Journal also reports on Eldridge's response to the situation.

Legislature Headed for Special Session

The Associated Press reports on details from the special session that Gov. Joe Manchin plans to call starting May 13, with education expected to dominate the agenda.

The bulk of lawmakers' time will likely be spent on proposals meant to improve West Virginia schools while also boosting its shot at federal Race to the Top grant funding. State education officials, responding to a challenge from Manchin, drafted the proposals last month.

The state Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety has recommended that "Manchin include a measure setting up special inspection teams that would focus on dangerous coal mines," the article said. AP reported separately on that proposal.

AP had also reported earlier that the session would feature legislation allowing for the sort of temporary, high-risk health insurance pool envisioned by the new federal health care law. The governor had cited the planned measure in a letter last week to U.S. Health and Human Services Director Kathleen Sebelius.

Lawmakers may also revisit bills vetoed from this year's regular session because of technical flaws. Administration officials tell The Register-Herald of Beckley that "off the table for now" is the nixed bill that would have given extra coal severance tax revenues to the state's 30 mining counties.

Quote of the Day

"In education, we blame educators for everything. You name an educator that's had to take a business course, that's had to take a management course, had to take a financial course. They don't have that. ... None of them have any expertise in those areas and we wonder why we're not successful.''

-- Gov. Joe Manchin, quoted by The Associated Press at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce round-table discussion on education in Washington, D.C.

Election 2010: Upper Big Branch

The Associated Press observes signs of the April 5 underground mine disaster at Upper Big Branch becoming "fodder in the state's ongoing election races."

The re-election bid of state Sen. Erik Wells, D-Kanawha, is the most conspicuous example. A union-funded television ad invokes the mine tragedy while attacking Wells over his committee vote against a 2008 bill that proposed "providing whistle-blower protection for reporting unsafe mine conditions."

Wells and his his supporters have denounced the ad as "shameful," and he launched his own spot in response. One union leader said the sponsors stand behind the ad, plan to continue to air it and may follow up with a new one.

AP reported during the 2008 session "that committee members debated whether the bill would improve the state's existing whistleblower provisions, which Wells also refers to in responding to the attack," the article said. "A divided committee ultimately rejected the bill."

The Charleston Gazette and Charleston Daily Mail have also reported on the attack ad.

The AP article also reports that "the political spending of Massey Energy Chief Executive Don Blankenship has also come under renewed scrutiny," since the disaster, along with the company's handling of the mine and its safety record.

John Cummings, the former Cabell Circuit judge challenging state Sen. Evan Jenkins in next week's primary, cites a prior Blankenship contribution to his Democratic opponent in a TV ad.

Blankenship is also hovering over the tight primary contest between Senate Majority Leader Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, and county Commissioner Greg "Hootie" Smith, and the 3rd congressional district bid of Democrat-turned-Republican Elliott "Spike" Maynard, the article said.

Manchin to Stump in Race for Murtha Seat

Gov. Joe Manchin is slated to appear in Washington, Pa., to campaign for Mark Critz as the fellow Democrat seeks the seat left vacant by the death of Rep. John Murtha, The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown reports.

CQ Politics also has an item on Manchin stumping for the former Murtha aide, who is running in the May 18 special election against Republican Tim Burns.

"Several public polls show the race to succeed the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) as too close to call, even though Democrats have a more than a 2-1 voter registration advantage in the southwestern Pennsylvania House district," the latter reports, adding that "it's the bragging rights for winning the seat that could be most valuable for either party."

Update: The Associated Press has an item.

Election 2010: 1st U.S. House - Republicans (Updated)

Republicans running to challenge U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan have been courting Tea Party groups in the state's 1st District, where the movement may have its best shot at influencing an election this year in West Virginia, The Associated Press reports.

While neither group has endorsed a GOP candidate, leaders of the Parkersburg and North Central tea parties say a number of their members appear to favor Andrew "Mac" Warner. Tom Stark also enjoys support among the latter group, as does Sarah Minear and Dave McKinley, co-founder Ryan Kennedy said.

"Kennedy added that his group has endorsed state Sen. Mike Oliverio, Mollohan's challenger in the May 11 Democratic primary," the article said.

"He said a lot of things that probably would be very welcome at a Tea Party rally," Kennedy told AP, citing a recent Oliverio radio appearance.

Update: The Hill reports that " internal GOP polling shows Warner has surpassed former state Sen. Sarah Minear in polling and is running first in the key Clarksburg and Parkersburg media markets."

The North Central tea party is based around Clarksburg. The bulk of The Hill report focuses on $24,000 worth of tax liens filed against the Warner brothers beleaguered rental housing business. The article notes AP's earlier report on the Warners' financial and legal woes.

McKinley seized on those liens when responding to AP regarding criticisms of his candidacy from members of the Parkersburg tea party, and the support of its members of Warner's campaign.

As AP had, The Hill cites McKinley's national GOP backing while reporting that "the underfunded Warner is threatening to play spoiler." It concludes the business and financial situation "hasn't kept Warner from running an increasingly successful campaign for Congress."

Don Caruth, 1950 - 2010

Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, R-Mercer, who quickly ascended to the ranks of leadership after entering the Legislature, has died, The Associated Press reports.

The 59-year-old lawyer "had been battling a recurrence of a form of brain cancer," the article said. "Last month, state lawmakers paid tribute to Caruth, who had been absent for much of the 2010 session. Gov. Joe Manchin honored him with the Distinguished West Virginian award, singling out Caruth's dedication and attention to detail during his legislative service."

Mine Safety on Capitol Hill

A U.S. Senate committee fielded testimony about mine safety rules and industry compliance in the aftermath of the Upper Big Branch disaster, The Associated Press and others report.

The Obama administration's mine safety chief said his agency "will start going directly to federal court to shut down mines that make a habit of ignoring safety," the article said. Joe Main of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration "also called for a slew of other legal and regulatory reforms to beef up safety enforcement."

But a National Mining Association official said "there is no need for new regulations because MSHA already has the enforcement tools it needs," and instead "called for a new, cooperative emphasis on safety programs," AP reported.

And one day after a Massey Energy board member denounced such allegations as a "big lie," the article said that committee Chairman Tom Harkin described the April 5 disaster as a "tragic example" of what happens when companies "prioritize profits over safety and knowingly and repeatedly violate the law."

"The mine, owned by Massey Energy Co., was repeatedly cited for problems with its methane ventilation system and other issues in the months leading up to the accident," AP noted. "One category of serious violations was nearly 19 times higher than average."

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions has posted video of the entire hearing, along with the prepared statements of 10 witnesses.

Update: Massey responded to some of MSHA's testimony and allegations.

Massey Speaks

The Associated Press was among those covering the news conference held by Massey Energy to address several issues related to the nation's worst coal mining disaster in 40 years.

Chairman and Chief Executive Don Blankenship spoke to reporters and fielded questions along with three Massey board members. Among other topics, the officials detailed conditions at Upper Big Branch before the explosion, responded to regulatory actions that preceded the blast and criticisms leveled since, outlined compensation packages to the killed miners' families and continued to relay condolences to them.

More specifically:

• Massey has yet to identify what caused the explosion, and its internal investigation continues.
• Safety checks and gas readings taken "tens of minutes" before the blast offered no signs of the impending disaster, and instead indicated "everything was OK."
• Massey disagreed with a push by federal regulators to change the mine's ventilation plan, and said it made that system more complicated and reduced air flow.
• Regulators respond that "adverse mining conditions" preceded Massey's decision to adopt the changes, replacing a system that "could not be effectively maintained by the operator to ventilate the mine," one official told AP.
  
• Director Bobby Inman labeled as a "big lie" the allegation that Massey put profits ahead of safety.
• Union officials blamed by Inman for such allegations rejected his comments as spin. "The big truth is, 52 people have been killed on Massey property since 2000. No other coal company has had even half that," a union spokesman told AP.
• The board repeated its support for Blankenship, and credit him for much of the company's success as well as safety innovations they believe make Massey a trend-setter within the industry. They attribute calls for his firing to a slight minority of company shareholders.
• The compensation includes life insurance payouts, health coverage and four years' worth of in-state college or vocational schooling for dependent children.
• A lawyer for the first family to sue Massey alleging wrongful death called the offer "grotesque," and said at least some of it is not generosity but rather proceeds from policies paid for by the killed miners. Other families told AP "they wanted more details or a chance to speak with attorneys" before commenting on that offer.
• "I feel like they owe us more than that. I really do," the adult daughter of a killed miner told AP. "I hope Don Blankenship loses everything he has."

The company has also posted video from the news conference, the speakers' prepared remarks and a statement outlining the compensation packages and other topics from the hour-long session.

Race to the Top and The Big Picture

The 28 proposed changes to West Virginia education policy sent to Gov. Joe Manchin should do more than improve the state's shot at federal Race to the Top funding, The Associated Press reports.

"State educators have also shaped their recommendations to reflect their belief that Race to the Top is setting the stage for major changes to key federal education policies," the article said.

State schools Superintendent Steve Paine told AP that ""we've been told clearly that the Race to the Top program is the forerunner to what will be contained in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act."

Election 2010: 1st U.S. House - Democrats

The Associated Press offers an overview of the primary battle between U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and challenger Mike Oliverio, a state senator from Monongalia County.

"Mollohan hopes voters in the May 11 primary will look at what he's done for them during his 28 years in Congress and ignore a 'smear campaign' he says began four years ago with Republicans," writes AP's Vicki Smith.

Oliverio wants them to "look at lingering questions about Mollohan's ethics and personal finances," the article said, adding that Oliverio also said he decided to oppose the incumbent "after seeing Mollohan support health care reform and take too long to publicly oppose proposed cap-and-trade legislation."

The New York Times, meanwhile, is the latest national media outlet to cast the race for Mollohan's seat as a toss-up. It included the district in a graphic of several seats deemed vulnerable, though slighting half the GOP field in the process.

Remembering the Miners of Upper Big Branch

President Barack Obama delivered a eulogy and Vice President Joe Biden spoke as well during Sunday afternoon's memorial for the 29 miners killed at Upper Big Branch, The Associated Press and others report.

C-SPAN offers video of the ceremony, while the White House has posted Obama's remarks and photos.

AP reported separately on remarks by Gov. Joe Manchin and others at the memorial, and also spoke to a miner's family member, a survivor, a rescue team member and others who attended.

After Upper Big Branch (Updated)

The West Virginia Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety is expected to propose several regulatory changes in the wake of the nation's worst coal mining disaster in 40 years, The Associated Press reports.

"Panel members say they hope to release proposed changes for mine rescue and ventilation of coal conveyer belts for public comment Wednesday," the article said. "They're also considering requiring mines to do more to control explosive levels of coal dust and to maintain methane detectors more often."

Update: The board sent out several proposed rules for public comment, including one that would require barometers at mine sites and another calling for regular checks of methane gas monitors. AP has details.

Racing to the Top

The state Board of Education has responded to Gov. Joe Manchin's challenge to improve West Virginia's shot at federal Race to the Top funding.

But Manchin is seeking more details about the board's proposals before he decides what to include in the upcoming special session on the topic, The Associated Press reports.

"He's pleased with what he's hearing," spokesman Matt Turner told AP. "But he wants more on what they're prepared to move forward with. What came out this morning didn't offer enough in the way of details."

Superintendent Steve Paine noted that four of the board's five high-priority proposals were considered in some form by lawmakers during the recent regular session, but did not pass.

"Paine said the board's overall goal is to bolster the state's second bid at the federal funding, while also advancing its recently launched Global 21 learning plan," the article said. "Paine also noted that the proposals came after focus groups, online surveys and interviews with every group involved in West Virginia schools: from students, teachers and principals to parents, legislators and the business community."

The Charleston Gazette reported earlier on the proposals, as did the Charleston Daily Mail.

Obama, Biden Coming to West Virginia

The Associated Press reports that President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden plan to attend Sunday's memorial for the coal miners killed in April 5's explosion at Upper Big Branch.

Gov. Joe Manchin had earlier announced the Beckley event, and said both he and first lady Gayle Manchin would be at the afternoon public ceremony.

"President Obama will deliver a eulogy honoring the lives of those who perished and offering his deepest condolences to the loved ones they left behind," the White House said in a release.

Election 2010: U.S. House 01 - Democrats

U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, ended April with $280,800 while his Democratic challenger, state Sen. Mike Oliverio, had $138,000 as their May 11 showdown approaches, The Associated Press reports.

Oliverio, D-Monongalia, had raised nearly as much from individual contributors as Mollohan, attracting about half his amount from Morgantown, the article said. But the incumbent, seeking a 15th term, gathered another $150,000 from political action committees, AP reported.

The Rothenberg Political Report, meanwhile, has elevated its rating of the race for Mollohan's seat from "Lean Democratic" to "Toss-Up/Tilt Democratic."

And ABC News is among those reporting that the Tea Party Express PAC has included Mollohan among nine House members it is targeting for defeat this year.

Tax Day Tea Parties in West Virginia

Tea Party activists marked April 15 by gathering in several West Virginia communities to denounce "taxes, the lack of term limits on congressmen and government programs they consider socialism," The Associated Press reports.

AP offers an overview, while also focusing on the event in Morgantown.

The Intelligencer reports that the rally in Wheeling appeared to exceed last year's turnout of 1,200 people. "Among those attending were Republican candidates for West Virginia's 1st District congressional seat, who worked the crowd," that article said. "We The People-Ohio Valley organizers have stressed the organization is non-partisan, containing members of all political parties."

The Journal covered events both in Martinsburg and nearby Jefferson County.

The News and Sentinel reported on rallies in Parkersburg and Marietta, Ohio.

MetroNews has an item from one of the final events of the day, held outside the state Capitol.

AP also reports separately on the rally held in Washington, D.C., as well as on a reaction from President Barack Obama.

Manchin Orders Mine Inspection Blitz

Gov. Joe Manchin has ordered the immediate inspection of all underground coal mines, with those sporting a history of "combustion risk" issues getting priority within the next two weeks, The Associated Press reports.

Manchin has also ordered a day of mourning for those killed in the Upper Big Branch disaster for Friday. He's asked the state's underground industry and its miners not to produce coal that day, but instead focus on the safety of their workplaces.

Quote of the Day

"Right now, we need to make sure that the rules are being complied with. I can't sit back and assume anymore."

-- Gov. Joe Manchin to The Associated Press as he ponders responses to last week's coal mine disaster that killed 29 West Virginians and injured another two.

(Manchin also told AP, "If there's any comfort at all with this horrific explosion, it was that the rescuers told me that not one miner suffered. It was so instantaneous... If that's the only comfort you can get out of something, that's pretty pathetic.")

Manchin Picks McAteer to Investigate Mine Explosion

Gov. Joe Manchin tells The Associated Press that he has enlisted J. Davitt McAteer to conduct an independent investigation into last week's explosion that killed 29 men at the Upper Big Branch mine.

McAteer's review would parallel probes by federal and state mine safety officials, and he would also serve as a special adviser to the governor, Manchin told AP.

(Update) McAteer "headed the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration during the Clinton administration," AP explains. Now an official at Wheeling Jesuit University, he "also conducted similar independent probes of the Sago Mine disaster that left 12 dead as well as the Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine fire that killed two miners," AP reports.

The governor "also called for more scrutiny of mines with a history of safety violations," the article said. "Manchin said he wanted state regulators to target problems involving methane gas and coal dust levels, poor ventilation and electrical issues," and " wanted to review state law to make sure West Virginia officials are able to shut down unsafe mines and order immediate fixes without any delays."

Bill Clinton Coming to West Virginia

Former President Bill Clinton will address one of the commencements that West Virginia University plans to hold May 16, The Associated Press reports.

Clinton will speak to graduates of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, and will also receive an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters, the article said.

"Clinton will be the first sitting or former president to speak at a WVU commencement," AP reports. "WVU is holding 14 this year."

Remembering the Fallen

One week has passed since the explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine, but not without a brief ceremony marking the hour of the blast that killed 29 miners and injured two more, The Associated Press and others report.

AP also described the memorial while reporting on the arrival of federal investigators "to begin piecing together what caused the worst U.S. coal mining disaster since 1970." Several hundred people held hands, prayed and offered a moment of silence as they thronged around a statue honoring West Virginia's coal miners outside the state Capitol.

"Four black-ribboned wreaths were placed at the memorial, as more than a dozen family members of those killed looked on," that article said. "A bell rang 29 times for each of the fallen miners. During a moment of silence that followed, sobs could be heard both from the family and the crowd."

Joining the family in mourning were Gov. Joe Manchin; U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis; U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.; U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd; and a number of state legislators and Manchin administration officials.

Earlier in the day, Manchin told AP that "West Virginia can respond to last week's deadly mine explosion by targeting other mines that may harbor similar dangers." Manchin singled out violations involving methane, coal dust, ventilation and rock dusting as deserving greater scrutiny.

"But Manchin said he also wants the state to target the most serious violations without hitting delays caused by legal proceedings," that article said. "The governor said his administration is reviewing what additional measures may be needed to ensure that."

AP also reports that New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, "trustee of a retirement fund holding more than 300,000 shares of Massey stock worth $14 million, on Monday called for CEO Don Blankenship to resign immediately." That call was echoed by "William Patterson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based CtW Investment Group, which works with union pension funds," AP reported. "Blankenship didn't immediately return a call seeking comment."

Worst Fears Realized

Rescue workers have found the bodies of the four miners missing since Monday's underground blast after days of hoping to find them alive, The Associated Press reports.

With 29 killed, "it is the worst coal mine disaster in the U.S. since 1970 when 38 were killed at Finley Coal Co. in Hyden, Ky.," the article said.

Once More Unto the Breach

Officials estimate that rescue crew have re-entered the Upper Big Branch mine after pumping in five truckloads of nitrogen to flush out toxic gas and starve any fire of oxygen in the section where they hope to find four missing miners, The Associated Press reports.

(Headline corrected. Sorry, Shakespeare fans.)

Quote of the Day

"I just knew that Josh in his heart knew that something was going to happen."

-- Pam Napper, the mother of one of at least 25 miners killed in Monday's explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine. She told The Associated Press that he left a conditional farewell note with family over the weekend, and expressed concerns about the mine's ventilation.

A Long, Difficult Night (2nd Update)

Rescuers are down to one refuge chamber in their search for the missing miners, but signs of fire have forced them yet again to withdraw to the surface, The Associated Press reports.

Gov. Joe Manchin said crews continue to drill a hole near that final chamber, with plans to lower in a camera to check it out. Rescuers have also poured nitrogen into the mine to combat the toxic gas levels there.

Update: AP is covering the ongoing story on several additional fronts:

• Manchin tells AP that six of the dead were found on a second mantrip vehicle, deeper inside the mine from where rescuers recovered six dead and three injured in another mantrip. One of those injured died soon afterward.

• Funeral services have begun for those miners whose bodies have been recovered.

• The disaster crosses paths with the politics of coal in southern West Virginia.

• Mine owner Massey Energy Co. will conduct extensive reviews of the disaster.

Update: One family tells AP that miner killed left farewell note, fears about mine's ventilation.

Quote of the Day

"The miners that they found, it doesn't look like anyone was alarmed or warned that something as this horrific was going to happen... When you find people just sitting in the mantrip, as if they're just waiting to go out and they're still there? That tells me there was no panic."

-- Gov. Joe Manchin to The Associated Press, on early indications from the deadly mine explosion in Raleigh County.

Another Setback (Updated)

The Associated Press reports that poisonous gas and the threat of another explosion has again forced back rescue teams seeking to find four missing men in the Upper Big Branch mine.

One officials said "he hoped crews would be able to get back in within a few hours after a bigger hole was drilled to allow fresh air into the mine," the article said. "They were leaving their equipment behind so they did not have to lug it back in with them when they returned."

Update: A company official provides details from the frustrating turn, but also offered a silver lining, AP reports.

J. Christopher Adkins, chief operating officer of Massey Energy Co., said the teams spotted an alternate pathway for the next attempt as they withdrew.

"When they came out, they found a route where we think we can take a permissable ride, which is basically like a small four-wheeler," Adkins said. "We think we found a route that can get us up there quicker."

Rescuers Re-Enter the Mine

Gov. Joe Manchin told reporters this morning that four rescue teams totaling 32 men re-entered the Upper Big Branch Mine at 4:55 a.m. to resume the search for hoped-for survivors, The Associated Press reports.

"They are advancing," Manchin said. "They'll move as rapidly as they possibly can."

Rescue Efforts Continue (Updated)

The Associated Press updates on efforts to vent toxic gas from the Raleigh County coal mine where four men remain missing following Monday's explosion.

AP also talked to a miner who was working in a separate section of the Upper Big Branch Mine and so escaped the blast. His brother is among the dead, but a nephew survived.

Update: The miners' families get an in-person morale boost from WVU men's basketball coach Bobby Huggins, AP reports.

Keeping Hope Alive

Rescue crews have drilled the first of four holes meant to gauge the air in Upper Big Branch Mine and pump out the toxic gas that has kept them out since late Monday, The Associated Press reports.

While rescuers got no response to signals sent down that initial bore shaft, Gov. Joe Manchin noted that the nearest rescue chamber is about a football field's length away from where the drill punched through the mine section.

Manchin said they hope to assess the air quality between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Once rescuers can re-enter the mine, it is expected to take several hours to reach where survivors may have sought refuge.

AP also reports separately on the track record of the mine and its owner, Massey Energy Co.

Tragedy at Montcoal (Updated)

Federal mine safety officials say that 12 miners were killed, two were injured and 10 remain missing following a 3 p.m. explosion at a Massey Energy subsidiary mine in Raleigh County, The Associated Press and others report.

(Headline corrected)

Update: The death toll has risen to 25. With two still listed as injured, four miners remain missing. Toxic gas and the threat of another explosion has forced the rescue teams to evacuate the mine for now. Rescuers will attempt to ventilate that section with bore holes so they can resume their efforts. AP has details.

Changes Afoot for Manchin Press Shop

Marshall University will soon have a new chief of staff, but at the expense of Gov. Joe Manchin's press team, The Associated Press reports.

Matt Turner is taking the higher education post, leaving as the governor's communications director April 30.

His successor is Sara Payne Scarbo, an administration veteran who also managed Manchin's 2008 re-election campaign.

Manchin's office has issued a release on the changes.

Manchin Vetoes Gun-Related Bills

Gov. Joe Manchin has vetoed the bill that gave him "pure heartburn," a measure offering an annual holiday from the state sales tax for gun buyers, The Associated Press reports.

Manchin also vetoed a second bill related to gun sales, this one targeting attempted undercover stings that test background checks by dealers.

While that bill fell victim to a technical flaw, Manchin cited the loss of revenue and a multi-state sales tax agreement when he axed the sales tax holiday.

Long endorsed by the National Rifle Association, Manchin said in a statement that he told the group's leaders in advance of his veto.

“I appreciate the NRA’s understanding of our concerns and I am confident we will continue to have a strong relationship with this organization that represents so many of our residents and their interests in the shooting sports," the statement said.

W.Va. Budget Revenues Sink into Red

West Virginia saw the first signs of a projected $120 million general revenue deficit in March, when tax collections came in $58 million below estimate, The Associated Press reports.

The poor results more than eclipsed a $24 million excess balance, leaving general tax revenues $33 million in the red with just three months left in the budget year.

"State government's two key general revenue sources — personal income and sales and use taxes — reflect the weakened economy," the article said. "Accounting for nearly three-fourths of those revenues, each is down nearly $36 million for the year."

Manchin officials also note that "one bright spot remains severance taxes on extracted natural resources, mostly from coal. They were $6 million above estimate for March and up $85 million for the year."

Manchin Relents on In-Home Care Veto

Gov. Joe Manchin has agreed to replace the $5.5 million he recently vetoed out of the new state budget for an in-home care program, The Associated Press reports.

The governor plans to request a supplemental funding measure in that amount during the expected upcoming special legislative session on education.

"Lawmakers and Manchin have repeatedly sparred over this program," AP reports. "It offers eligible seniors and the disabled an alternative to nursing homes."

Manchin has also posted a release. The Charleston Gazette has coverage as well.

Racing to the Top

Federal officials have released scores, reviewers' comments and other information from the first round of the $4.35 billion Race to the Top education grant program.

West Virginia placed 36th, after applying alongside 40 states and Washington, D.C. The Associated Press scrutinizes the Mountain State's score.

Winning 292 out of 500 possible points, the state was penalized most heavily because it "lacks charter schools and has struggled to turn around its worst schools," the article said. "West Virginia also lost points for the way it evaluates teachers and principals, an unclear reform agenda and a lack of progress raising student achievement. It won near-perfect marks for setting standards and assessing performance, and also earned credit for devoting funds to education and setting up a statewide data system."

The Charleston Daily Mail reports on the state preparing to apply for the second round of funding. MetroNews hears from the head of one of West Virginia's teachers unions on the topic.

Quote of the Day

"Just to show that I'm not biased, I actually think that West Virginia's got a great chance. I did not win that state, but they've got a really good team."

-- President Barack Obama, when asked by Today host Matt Lauer about his pick among the Final Four from the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Politics and the Road to the Final Four (Updated)

West Virginia University's 73-66 win over Kentucky in Saturday's NCAA men's tournament game earned Gov. Joe Manchin a Louisville Slugger from his Bluegrass State counterpart, the result of a friendly wager, The Register-Herald reports.

"As part of the bet, Manchin put up a product of the renown Blenko Glass Co.," the Beckley newspaper noted. "'I might give him the glass anyway,' Manchin said. 'That way, they’ll always remember our win.'"

MetroNews is among those carrying Manchin's statement praising the Mountaineers for their conduct on and off the court.

The Charleston Daily Mail observes that those rooting for WVU in its April 3 Final Four appearance will include U.S. Reps. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, both alumni of opponent Duke.

"Meanwhile, Rahall said his wife, Melinda, a native of Ashland who graduated from the University of Kentucky, still isn't speaking to him after WVU's upset win over the Wildcats," that article said.

(Rahall threw in a "Go Mountaineers" line during a brief interview last week with The Associated Press. But AP also reports that Las Vegas oddsmakers made Duke "a 2.5-point favorite to beat West Virginia in the semifinals" and "a 7-5 favorite to win the title." The gambling consultants added that "either Duke or West Virginia would likely be favored over Butler or Michigan State in the finals," putting the Mountaineers' odds "at 2-1.")

Update: President Barack Obama touted WVU's chances during an appearance on NBC's Today (about 4 minutes into the interview segment). He quickly qualified his pick by predicting that the winner of the WVU-Duke matchup would prevail in the finals:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Host Matt Lauer had noted that of the four states with teams left in the tournament, Obama had carried all but West Virginia in 2008.

Election Changes Coming to West Virginia

The Associated Press reports that separate legislation passed this session addressing elections in West Virginia could each attract legal scrutiny.

The Center for Competitive Politics tells AP that it is considering taking the state to court over the measure signed by Gov. Joe Manchin last week. Part of his session agenda, the new law sets up a public financing pilot project for 2012's state Supreme Court races.

The other election-related bill, awaiting the governor's review, "revisits efforts to regulate third-party election advertising." AP reports that the previous attempts spurred federal lawsuits, a trend likely to continue if Manchin signs that bill.

Wielding Line-Item Vetoes, Manchin Signs Budget

Gov. Joe Manchin has approved a new, $11.6 billion spending plan for West Virginia state government after cutting out $17.2 million, The Associated Press reports.

Armed with a line-item veto, Manchin raised 55 objections to the budget bill passed last weekend by the Legislature.

While several of these objections reduced or even zeroed out funding items within programs and agencies, several others "erased language earmarking spending lines for specific purposes," the article said. "Lawmakers had, for instance, spelled out amounts for 361 different fair- or festival-type events."

A number of the vetoes "returned agency or program spending to current levels and then reduced them by 5 percent," AP also reports. "Manchin had proposed cuts of that amount in the budget plan he presented in January, citing the recession-weakened economy."

Lawmakers blasted several of Manchin's line-items, particularly one cutting funding for a senior in-home care program and another removing a legislative directive involving substance abuse funding.

They Voted for You: Health Care Fix-Its

U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., helped pass a slightly altered Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 back to the U.S. House.

The 56-43 vote had all Republicans present and three Democrats opposing the measure. Reporting on this stage of the bill's fortunes, The Associated Press said it "would change the new health care law by making drug benefits for Medicare recipients more generous by gradually closing a gap in coverage, increasing tax subsidies to help low-income people afford health care, and boosting federal Medicaid payments to states."

The House later gave final approval to the measure, 220-207. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for the final bill. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, joined all of her fellow Republicans present and 32 Democrats to vote against it.

AP reports separately on that final step.

Quote of the Day

"All of us are going to have to look at that ... What we've got to do is make (insurance companies) compete — and a public option is probably the only way."

-- Gov. Joe Manchin to Time magazine on how states might operate the insurance exchanges allowed under the new federal health care law.

The article said that Oregon is "already studying the feasibility of including a public option as part of its state exchange." Time also quotes Manchin suggesting that West Virginia may join with neighboring states to operate a regional exchange.

Election 2010: Congress

• Former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP presidential running mate Sarah Palin has included U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, W.Va.-1st, and Nick Rahall, W.Va.-3rd, among 20 House Democrats she has vowed to target for defeat through her political action committee, The Charleston Gazette reports.

• The Charleston Daily Mail also has an item on the SarahPAC hit list, spurred by passage of federal health care legislation.

• The Daily Mail reports separately that West Virginians for Life has ruled out endorsing either Democratic incumbent this year, because of their votes for what the group's leader calls "the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade." (Politifact.com has analyzed several abortion-related claims regarding the bill, recently rating as "True" the statement that "there will be no public funding for abortion in this legislation.")

• The six Republicans seeking to challenge Mollohan in November each would have voted against the health care bill, The Intelligencer reports. His primary challenger, state Sen. Mike Oliverio, D-Monongalia, told the Wheeling newspaper "he isn't certain what his vote would have been," as "he doesn't yet know the intricacies negotiated in the bill or how it might affect West Virginia."

They Voted for You: Infrastructure & Tax Cuts

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for the "Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act."

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, joined all but four of the House's GOP members in opposing the measure, which passed 246-178.

The Associated Press reports that the bill "combines $13.2 billion in interest subsidies for local construction bonds with $3.6 billion in tax cuts for small businesses and $2.5 billion in aid to states to pay for expanded welfare programs through September 2011."

The bonds are meant to help local governments fund projects. "Republicans said the bills were evidence that last year’s massive economic recovery package was ineffective," and that the tax cuts "were too small to make a significant dent in joblessness," the article said.

The House also passed a separate measure by 239-175 that the AP report said "would provide $5.1 billion to fund local disaster relief projects, including some that date back to Hurricane Katrina, and $600 million for summer jobs programs."

Mollohan and Rahall voted for that bill, while Capito and all but five Republicans present opposed it.

Post-Session Roundup (Updated)

Gov. Joe Manchin has so far signed 61 bills from the just-completed regular session.

The Journal of Martinburg notes his approval of a House-sponsored Caregivers Consent Act. "As a result of serious drug and alcohol issues that some parents may have, the lack of consent medical centers are given to treat children had become a major problem," one health official told the newspaper.

The Charleston Gazette reports that some Lottery Commission members want Manchin "to veto a bill that would change the way that 10-year limited video lottery licenses will be re-bid next year." The measure's sole sponsor defends it to MetroNews (with audio).

The News and Sentinel of Parkersburg hears from area educators about the school-related measures that did and did not emerge from the session.

The Associated Press noted earlier that before adjourning over the weekend, the Legislature had passed corrected versions of all five bills that Manchin had vetoed because of technical flaws.

Update: Manchin has vetoed a sixth bill, which aimed to add 120 or so troopers to the State Police by mid-2016. The governor objected to the time frame and to the bill's overall approach to increasing their ranks. The Gazette has details.

Health Care and West Virginia (Updated)

The Charleston Gazette and Public Broadcasting are among those reporting on what the recently passed federal health care legislation will mean for the Mountain State.

The Associated Press covered President Barack Obama's signing of the "massive, nearly $1 trillion health care overhaul," meant to "for the first time cement insurance coverage as the right of every U.S. citizen and begin to reshape the way virtually all Americans receive and pay for treatment."

Among other relevant provisions, The Gazette says the bill will provide funding for "medical school residencies in rural areas," and to expand both "low-cost community health center care," and "the number of doctors who can work off their student loans by practicing in underserved rural areas." It also provides "free wellness screenings for West Virginia's 372,000 Medicare recipients" and allows more poor adults to seek coverage through Medicaid.

Public Broadcasting (audio here) cites the increased Medicaid eligibility as well as "tax credits for people who are buying insurance on the open market" and "a provision to require all restaurants with more than twenty locations to post calorie counts on their menus."

The legislation also included language proposed by U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., regarding black lung benefits. Both The Gazette and the Charleston Daily Mail report on that provision, with the latter relaying criticism from the state Chamber of Commerce and BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Co.

AP also fact-checks some of the more prominent allegations, pro and con, surrounding the new law. FactCheck.org does the same, while Politifact chronicles the Top 5 Lies about the legislation and the Top 10 Facts to know now that it has passed.

AP also sets the stage for Senate action on the House-passed "fix-it bill" to the new law, while reporting separately on the prospects for the federal lawsuit filed by 13 state attorneys general seeking to overturn it.

MetroNews reports on the statement from Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., on the legislation.

Update: The president of Mountain State Blue Cross-Blue Shield, West Virginia's most prominent private insurer, assesses the signed bill for MetroNews. With audio.

They Voted For You: Health Care

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, voted for what The Associated Press describes as "a transformative health care bill" that would "extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, reduce deficits and ban insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions."

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, opposed the measure along with the House's other Republican members and 34 Democrats in the 219-212 roll call. "GOP lawmakers attacked the legislation as everything from a government takeover to the beginning of totalitarianism," the article said.

AP also offers a glance of the bill's highlights, and reports separately on Mollohan and Rahall's votes. Others with coverage include The Register-Herald of Beckley, The Intelligencer of Wheeling, and the Charleston Daily Mail. MetroNews has separate items for Mollohan and Rahall.

West Virginia's delegation voted the same way in a 220-211 roll call for a "companion package making a series of changes sought by House Democrats to the larger bill," AP reports. "The fix-it bill will now go to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin as early as Tuesday."

Open Government in West Virginia

A number of "press, state universities and nonprofit groups" have banded together "to help residents and public officials better understand laws that allow access to public documents, information and government meetings," The Associated Press reports.

The new West Virginia Open Government Coalition is aided by "a $15,000 grant from the National Freedom of Information Coalition," writes AP's Tom Breen. "The money will fund an office at Marshall University," the article said, while "members of the group also have plans for educational seminars for public officials and to provide answers to urgent questions by phone."

West Virginia "may be the last state in the country to get such a group," Corley Dennison, dean of Marshall's School of Journalism and Mass Communications, told AP.

Death by Committee

The Associated Press examined the work of the 14 Senate and 14 House committees that took up bills during the just-completed legislative session. Among the findings:

• Just under one-third of the 2,080 bills introduced during the session earned a review from at least one committee during the 60 days.

• About one in 10 bills made it through two committees in the chamber where it started.

• A triple-reference proved too great a hurdle: none of the 20 House and Senate bills each assigned to three separate committees for review survived the session.

• Of the 320 bills that crossed over between the Senate and House, more than 70 percent cleared at least one committee in the other chamber.

• House committees got off to a quicker start, advancing bills almost immediately.

• The House Judiciary Committee proved the busiest overall, considering nearly 200 bills.

The analysis also noted the dearth of bills voted down in committee. "Committee chairs say they tended to limit their meeting agendas to bills they deemed likely to advance," the article said.

But critics of that approach, and the current committee process, include the House's longest-serving sitting member.

They Will Vote For You: Health Care (Updated)

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, appeared at a Capitol Hill news conference that unveiled an "agreement with the White House and party leaders to make sure health care legislation does not permit the use of federal funds for elective abortions," The Associated Press reports.

The two were among six anti-abortion Democrats who joined Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who said the deal "means he can now support a health care bill headed for a vote on the House floor later Sunday."

C-SPAN carried live video of the announcement, with Mollohan standing just off Stupak's left shoulder. Mollohan also spoke to Politico.

The White House has posted the release that includes the executive order issued as part of the agreement.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, opposes the pending bill and has posted a video in which she outlines her position.

Update: A former staffer of Mollohan tells The Wall Street Journal that "she and her organization will work to defeat Rep. Mollohan in this year’s election if he votes for the health-care legislation."

Legislature Passes $11.6 Billion State Budget (Updated)

An $11.6 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 is headed to Gov. Joe Manchin, after the Legislature passed a compromise spending plan.

The Senate voted 29-0, and the House 84-12. Both roll calls involved pairings with absent lawmakers.

The Associated Press (updated) has details. AP had earlier set the stage for Saturday's vote.

Dueling Quotes of the Day

"I think responsible individuals would want me to undertake my responsibilities as a member of Congress to discern what it is I'm voting on... It's like a judge using integrity. You can't base it on drinking Kool-Aid on the French Riviera."

-- U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, responding to an attack by Elliott "Spike" Maynard, the Democrat-turned-Republican and former state Supreme Court justice seeking the GOP nomination to challenge him in November, as quoted by the Charleston Daily Mail.

"I'm surprised that Rahall would go that low... And the public isn't interested in issues like that or whether Rahall had lunch with a guy like Yasser Arafat or went to Baghdad to try to meet with Saddam Hussein, or whether he constantly had lunch with Arab oil sheikhs."

-- Maynard's rebuttal, as quoted by same.

Campaign Finance in West Virginia

West Virginia's proposed stab at publicly financed state Supreme Court elections continues to garner national attention.

The New York Times devoted a Friday editorial to the just-passed bill. It invokes the "scandal" stemming from the 2004 campaign that played a role in a recent U.S Supreme Court ruling. It offers the legislation as contrast, opining that West Virginia " is setting a good example at a time when judicial neutrality and the appearance of neutrality is under severe threat across the country from escalating special-interest spending on judicial campaigns."

The Wall Street Journal's Law Blog followed up with a post on the editorial and the underlying legislation. "Interesting," it says, but adds that "we’re initially skeptical for a couple reasons:"

For starters, states are struggling badly. With unemployment hovering around or above 10 percent in many states, we can’t imagine freeing up funds for judicial elections is necessarily going to be at the top of many voters’ lists.

Furthermore, we’ve yet to fully see the impact of the Citizens United decision, which banned certain types of election spending by corporations and unions. Stay tuned.

Team Manchin Seeks Cure for March Madness

Manchin administration officials have blocked streaming video from sports Web sites on their computer network for the duration of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, the Charleston Daily Mail reports.

Executive branch agencies heeded the advice from the state Office of Technology, which issued a warning on the topic this week, the article said.

"Last year, the March Madness WVU game caused the largest spike ever seen on the state's computing network," the memo is quoted as saying. "This was seen in spite of the fact that some larger agencies do block sports and were therefore not contributing to the traffic."

The Mountaineers play the Bears of Morgan State at 12:15 p.m.

Health Care in West Virginia

A new set of rankings suggests that a health divide separates West Virginia, The Associated Press reports.

"Counties in southern West Virginia, led by McDowell County, suffer from poorer health and shorter life expectancy than their northern counterparts," writes AP's Tom Breen. "These counties have higher-than-average rates of smoking and obesity and see more premature deaths than the rest of the state."

Such findings are contrasted by those further north. "Monongalia County, on the Pennsylvania border, ranks first in health behaviors, with Pendleton County getting the laurels for health outcomes," the article said. "Joining them are northern counties like Jefferson, Grant and Ohio."

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation compiled the data with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

They Voted for You: Terrapins

U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, voted for a resolution "congratulating the 2009-2010 University of Maryland Men’s Basketball Team."

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, and one other Democrat joined all but 42 of the other Republicans present in opposing the measure, which prevailed 279-132. Six more Democrats voted "present."

The Washington Post noted the "unusual" outcome for "such a routine symbolic bill."

"Perhaps they're Duke fans," the item quipped of the resolution's Democratic opponents.

Legislature 2010: Budget

With the Legislature in extended session, a House-Senate committee "is shaping the finer details for a new, $11.6 billion spending plan for West Virginia state government," The Associated Press reports.

Each chamber passed a version of the budget bill before the regular session ended Saturday. Their totals differ by less than $2.4 million. Among some of the details reported by AP:

• Delegates voted to apply an additional $18.7 million toward the massive funding shortfall that has long plagued the state’s teacher pension fund. Senators chose to fund that through general revenue budgeted for state school aid.

• The House has also added $22.2 million for a pair of waiver programs that provide in-home care to seniors and the disabled.

• The two chambers are in sync over $2.7 million for 417 fairs, festivals and other causes back home.

• The House and Senate also differ by less than $145,000 in the roughly $23 million for the state Development Office. That section supplies scores of “community participation projects” requested by constituents in member districts.

"Federal stimulus dollars and lottery surplus have largely offset proposed cuts scattered throughout the new budget," the article said. "As a result, West Virginia has been spared the agony ongoing in other states facing budget deficits that totaled $21.9 billion as of December, according to a National Conference of State Legislatures report."

Quote of the Day

“Were we really asked to be involved in this process? Did they really ask to find out what did and did not work for Kennedy-care? What did and did not work for Massachusetts? What did and did not work for Vermont? ... Did they really ask? Did they bring us in?”

-- Gov. Joe Manchin to Politico, as one of several participants of a National Governors Association summit on health care expressing frustration over the current stage of the legislative debate.

Manchin Wobbly on Reviving Ethics Bill

Before wrapping up last week, senators killed the first bill they had received from the House during the 60-day session, a unanimously passed measure that aimed to strengthen reporting requirements for public servants.

But amid calls to revive that bill during any upcoming special sessions, Gov. Joe Manchin says he sympathizes with Senate concerns over its provision to require officials "to disclose their spouses' employers and financial interests," The Associated Press reports.

"They have their own lives, they have their own careers. They didn't put their names on the ballot," Manchin is quoted as saying.

The article notes that "more than half the states require such spousal disclosures, according to the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity, which flunked West Virginia for its ethics laws."

AP explains that "the group's 2009 survey found information mandated about a spouse's employment in 37 states, investments by 33 states and real estate by 28 states."

Health Care Crescendo

Members of West Virginia's congressional delegation are getting it from all sides as the U.S. House and Senate consider a final health care bill.

As The Associated Press reports, the House is seeing much of the vote-counting and arm-twisting as Democrats seek 216 votes there to pass a bill.

Health Care for America Now, which favors the legislation, is targeting Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and 10 other House members with television ads urging support of a final bill.

The Washington Post, meanwhile, reports that the National Republican Congressional Committee put Mollohan in the crosshairs in a sample spot offered as a "warning that members will be subject to a barrage of ads tying them to a 'corrupt' piece of legislation."

The NRCC's chair also "acknowledged that the ad isn't running anywhere yet, and declined to say when it would," the piece noted.

AP reports separately on the increasing pressure on House members from the dueling camps. Politico also has an item on the last-minute ad blitz, and includes Mollohan's among a dozen Democrat-held House district where " activists on both sides of the reform debate are making their case" over the airwaves.

Most online vote-counts have listed Mollohan and Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, as undecided. But several are speculating that Rahall is leaning toward supporting the bill after announcing the awarding of "$1.8 million in federal funds to help citizens of Raleigh, Fayette and Wyoming counties continue to receive quality accessible health care at affordable costs," as The Register-Herald of Beckley reports.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, "remains opposed to the health care bill before Congress," The Intelligencer notes, in an article reporting that Mollohan's Wheeling office has been besieged by phone calls on the issue.

A TV ad is also the platform for supporters of the "public option" seeking to have the Senate restore that provision to its bill, NPR reports. But while that spot depicts Sen. Jay Rockefeller as a "potential yes vote," the West Virginia Democrat told NPR that "They're on the mark in saying that I'm for it, but they miss the larger point, which is that it would take down the passage of health care." (Audio here; Rockfeller appears around 3:05 into the report.)

The nation's governors are in the mix as well. Gov. Joe Manchin was among those commenting in a recent Politico piece that state officials have been left out of the health care debate as its focus narrows to the House vote count.

"Now, if you think they’re going to sit in Washington and make the judgments themselves ... and work this out without us being at the table. ... This is a frustration that we have,” Manchin is quoted as saying.

Legislature 2010: Roads

The Associated Press takes a closer look at successful legislation that "could change the way road work is paid for in West Virginia, with new tolls and local bonds part of a mix aimed at replacing faltering gas tax revenues."

"West Virginia's State Road Fund pays for highway building, maintenance and repair," writes AP's Tom Breen. "Its main revenue sources - taxes on fuel, vehicle sales and related registrations - have stagnated this decade because of improved fuel efficiency, occasional gas price spikes, the economic downturn and other factors. But the cost of key materials, asphalt and concrete, have risen."

Quote of the Day

"I can't look at children in the eye, and struggling families in the eye, and all these people in the eye and say, 'I'm sorry we couldn't help you, but, by God, if you want to buy a gun, we can really take care of you.'"

-- Gov. Joe Manchin, while questioning successful legislation proposing an annual sales tax holiday for firearms, as quoted by The Associated Press.

Gun Sales Tax Holiday Bill Gives Gov "Heartburn"

Gov. Joe Manchin is less than thrilled with an NRA-backed bill passed over the weekend that would create an annual sales tax holiday for guns in West Virginia, The Associated Press reports.

While stressing that he has yet to assess the legislation, Manchin would also not rule out a veto and "expressed concern about any measure that reduces the state's already-weak revenues," the article said.

"That gives me heartburn. That's pure heartburn," the governor told reporters during a post-session press conference Tuesday.

Update: AP had reported on the bill's passage Saturday. The Charleston Daily Mail followed up on the measure's success, while also noting the NRA dynamic.

Manchin "Determined" to Call Special Session

Now calling an upcoming special session a certainty, Gov. Joe Manchin is also keeping up the pressure on the state Department of Education to shape its agenda, The Associated Press reports.

Envisioning a session that focuses "on the larger goal of improving schools and student achievement," Manchin also continues to challenge state school officials over West Virginia's "failure earlier this month to become a finalist" for Race to the Top federal education grants," the article said.

"If a team has a losing season, people want better results," Manchin told AP, adding later that, "I'm not blaming. I'm just saying that if you're in charge and it's not happening, you'd better change."

Manchin had not been as definite recently about the chances for a special session, as AP and The Register-Herald of Beckley reported.

"A May special session appears likely," AP reports in its update. "Facing a June 1 deadline to apply for the second round of grants, West Virginia officials expect to learn early next month why the first attempt missed the mark."

That article also reports that "Manchin also said Monday that the special session's agenda should include the state's massive funding shortfall involving future retiree health care costs. He noted that teachers and school workers have been promised much of these other-post employment benefits, or OPEB."

Manchin also addressed comments he made last week about the state Board of Education, which had prompted coverage by the Charleston Daily Mail (and a follow-up here).

The Session(s) to Come

The Legislature may have some heavy lifting ahead, The Associated Press reports, as education-related issues and the funding shortfall from retiree health benefits remain unresolved.

"The state's teachers are at the center of both issues," the article said. "The groups representing them are bracing for a tough fight ahead. They also appear ready to compromise with Manchin and lawmakers on some key areas."

But the article also observes that these groups "others involved in these two looming tasks differ on whether the Legislature should target both during the same special session."

Regular Session Wrap-Ups

Legislative officials report that 217 bills cleared the Senate and House of Delegates during the 60-day session that concluded Saturday.

The Associated Press provides an overview of the session's end. Successful bills of note include "measures offering ultrasound images to women seeking abortions and public funds to state Supreme Court candidates in 2012," as well as a "multi-prong approach to curbing the school dropout rate" and another that "expands the range of practice for optometrists but does not include laser eye surgery."

Casualties included Gov. Joe Manchin's "proposal to ease business taxes through a constitutional amendment," as well as the first bill to have passed the House (and unanimously), "toughening ethics rules," the article said.

Others with session-finale coverage include The Register-Herald of Beckley, The Charleston Gazette, the Charleston Daily Mail and (updated) the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington.

" The Senate and House of Delegates will spend another week completing a state spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1," AP reports. "Versions of the budget bill they exchanged in advance of the extended session outlined $11.6 billion in spending backed by general tax revenues, lottery proceeds and federal funds, among other sources. Aided by stimulus dollars and a lottery surplus, lawmakers expect to balance the final budget with limited cuts."