A-1 CFP Front
Sports |Page 7 |Lawson carries Spartans past Bears. Homespun |Page 9|
Raelyn Paytes wins poster contest.
F R I D AY
the
December 16, 2016 Vol. 105 • No. 101 14 Pages
A Progressive Newspaper Serving OurOur Mountain Area A Progressive Newspaper Serving Mountain AreaSince Since1911 1911
NORTON, VA 24273
PROGRESS
USPS 120-120 $1.00
Bonuses, not raises?
Love Loud project
Budget promises get no state funds KATIE DUNN STAFF WRITER Local school divisions are weighing what to do now that employee raises they planned in the current fiscal year will get no support from the state. The Wise County school board agreed Tuesday to hold a budget workshop at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, to discuss continuing a raise the board gave employees at the beginning of the school year. District 3 member Donnese Kern requested the workshop at the board’s Dec. 13 meeting. The division decided to give all employees a raise after the state agreed to provide similar compensation for teachers and other state employees. This was con-
JENAY TATE PHOTOS
Volunteer Elaine Bates gets a huge smile from a little student hanging on tightly to her big new backpack.
Students receive backpacks JENAY TATE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER NORTON — Love Loud. That’s the name of the mission project and you could hear it Wednesday at Norton Elementary and Middle School. It echoed in the gleeful voices of the youngest ones, gathered in the school gym for the special event. Church volunteer Elaine Bates was warming them up. She had taught school for years, Bates told them, and she just kneeeeeew the teachers were moooooooore excited about Christmas
LOVE, PAGE 2
Church volunteers stand ready to give out to students backpacks that were packed according to age and gender.
Gov. McAuliffe wants to give state employees and teachers a 1.5 percent one-time bonus in December 2017. tingent upon Virginia meeting its revenue projections for the current year. When state revenues fell far below forecasted amounts — roughly $1.5 billion — the state raise that was initially set to take effect Dec. 1 was put on hold. Gov. Terry McAuliffe
BONUSES, PAGE 3
Police vehicle need grows more urgent JEFF LESTER NEWS EDITOR
There have been times when an officer on duty didn’t have a vehicle to drive, according to Chief Scott Brooks.
COEBURN — The police department badly needs two new vehicles, but town council wants more information before deciding on a plan to get them. The department currently runs three vehicles, a 2013 Taurus cruiser and two Explorers, according to Chief Scott Brooks. But there have been times when an officer showed up for a work shift and could not leave the station because there wasn’t a vehicle to drive, he told council Monday night. Brooks wants to replace the Taurus because it’s approaching 90,000 miles and maintenance costs are rising, he explained. He wants a second new vehicle to replace another 2013 Taurus that was wrecked; the town has received $11,000 from its insurance carrier for accident damages that can be applied to buying a vehicle. Brooks is interested in getting a 2017 Explorer priced at $28,000-plus along with a 2017 Dodge Charger priced at nearly $25,500, based on local dealers’ quotes. Along with the $11,000 of insurance funds, Town
VEHICLES, PAGE 3
Mine pollution plan okayed GLENN GANNAWAY S U B S C R I B E R I N F O R M AT I O N H E R E
POST NEWS EDITOR A federal judge Monday entered a consent decree that will require Southern Coal and 26 affiliated mining companies including local subsidiary A&G Coal to make comprehensive upgrades to prevent discharges of polluted wastewater. The U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency and Southern Coal announced the settlement on Sept. 30, and Judge Glen E. Conrad of the U.S. district court for the Western District of Virginia entered the unopposed consent decree Monday. The estimated cost of the upgrades is $5 million, according to the Department of Justice. The settlement also requires a $4.5 million letter of credit and payment of a $900,00 civil penalty, which is to be divided between the federal government and four state co-plaintiffs, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Roanoke-based Southern Coal is
Nine Virginia companies are affected. owned by Jim Justice, who was elected governor of West Virginia on Nov. 8. According to the Department of Justice, the settlement resolves alleged violations of state-issued Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The suit alleged that the companies illegally discharged various pollutants at mining and processing operations in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. West Virginia was not a plaintiff to the suit. It also alleged violations of the companies’ legal responsibilities to sample the quality of their discharges to rivers and streams. The estimated annual pollutant reductions through implementation of the settlement is approximately 5 million pounds. “Discharging pollution from coal mining into waterways is a
serious threat to clean water, and that’s why EPA stepped in on behalf of communities across Appalachia,” Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said when the settlement was announced. “Companywide compliance programs like the one Southern Coal Corp. will establish are critical to protecting our lakes, rivers and streams and the people who depend on them.” The government alleged that, over the last five years, Southern Coal mining and processing operations violated discharge limits for iron, total suspended solids, aluminum, pH and manganese in their state-issued permits. The government also alleged that Southern failed to submit complete and timely discharge monitoring reports, made unauthorized discharges and failed to respond to EPA requests for information. According to the government’s
PLAN, PAGE 3
INSIDE • Town workers to get bonuses. • Special needs park funds. • Tennis complex named. • Student published in law review.
Raelyn Paytes wins poster contest.
F R I D AY
the
December 16, 2016 Vol. 105 • No. 101 14 Pages
A Progressive Newspaper Serving OurOur Mountain Area A Progressive Newspaper Serving Mountain AreaSince Since1911 1911
NORTON, VA 24273
PROGRESS
USPS 120-120 $1.00
Bonuses, not raises?
Love Loud project
Budget promises get no state funds KATIE DUNN STAFF WRITER Local school divisions are weighing what to do now that employee raises they planned in the current fiscal year will get no support from the state. The Wise County school board agreed Tuesday to hold a budget workshop at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, to discuss continuing a raise the board gave employees at the beginning of the school year. District 3 member Donnese Kern requested the workshop at the board’s Dec. 13 meeting. The division decided to give all employees a raise after the state agreed to provide similar compensation for teachers and other state employees. This was con-
JENAY TATE PHOTOS
Volunteer Elaine Bates gets a huge smile from a little student hanging on tightly to her big new backpack.
Students receive backpacks JENAY TATE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER NORTON — Love Loud. That’s the name of the mission project and you could hear it Wednesday at Norton Elementary and Middle School. It echoed in the gleeful voices of the youngest ones, gathered in the school gym for the special event. Church volunteer Elaine Bates was warming them up. She had taught school for years, Bates told them, and she just kneeeeeew the teachers were moooooooore excited about Christmas
LOVE, PAGE 2
Church volunteers stand ready to give out to students backpacks that were packed according to age and gender.
Gov. McAuliffe wants to give state employees and teachers a 1.5 percent one-time bonus in December 2017. tingent upon Virginia meeting its revenue projections for the current year. When state revenues fell far below forecasted amounts — roughly $1.5 billion — the state raise that was initially set to take effect Dec. 1 was put on hold. Gov. Terry McAuliffe
BONUSES, PAGE 3
Police vehicle need grows more urgent JEFF LESTER NEWS EDITOR
There have been times when an officer on duty didn’t have a vehicle to drive, according to Chief Scott Brooks.
COEBURN — The police department badly needs two new vehicles, but town council wants more information before deciding on a plan to get them. The department currently runs three vehicles, a 2013 Taurus cruiser and two Explorers, according to Chief Scott Brooks. But there have been times when an officer showed up for a work shift and could not leave the station because there wasn’t a vehicle to drive, he told council Monday night. Brooks wants to replace the Taurus because it’s approaching 90,000 miles and maintenance costs are rising, he explained. He wants a second new vehicle to replace another 2013 Taurus that was wrecked; the town has received $11,000 from its insurance carrier for accident damages that can be applied to buying a vehicle. Brooks is interested in getting a 2017 Explorer priced at $28,000-plus along with a 2017 Dodge Charger priced at nearly $25,500, based on local dealers’ quotes. Along with the $11,000 of insurance funds, Town
VEHICLES, PAGE 3
Mine pollution plan okayed GLENN GANNAWAY S U B S C R I B E R I N F O R M AT I O N H E R E
POST NEWS EDITOR A federal judge Monday entered a consent decree that will require Southern Coal and 26 affiliated mining companies including local subsidiary A&G Coal to make comprehensive upgrades to prevent discharges of polluted wastewater. The U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency and Southern Coal announced the settlement on Sept. 30, and Judge Glen E. Conrad of the U.S. district court for the Western District of Virginia entered the unopposed consent decree Monday. The estimated cost of the upgrades is $5 million, according to the Department of Justice. The settlement also requires a $4.5 million letter of credit and payment of a $900,00 civil penalty, which is to be divided between the federal government and four state co-plaintiffs, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Roanoke-based Southern Coal is
Nine Virginia companies are affected. owned by Jim Justice, who was elected governor of West Virginia on Nov. 8. According to the Department of Justice, the settlement resolves alleged violations of state-issued Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The suit alleged that the companies illegally discharged various pollutants at mining and processing operations in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. West Virginia was not a plaintiff to the suit. It also alleged violations of the companies’ legal responsibilities to sample the quality of their discharges to rivers and streams. The estimated annual pollutant reductions through implementation of the settlement is approximately 5 million pounds. “Discharging pollution from coal mining into waterways is a
serious threat to clean water, and that’s why EPA stepped in on behalf of communities across Appalachia,” Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said when the settlement was announced. “Companywide compliance programs like the one Southern Coal Corp. will establish are critical to protecting our lakes, rivers and streams and the people who depend on them.” The government alleged that, over the last five years, Southern Coal mining and processing operations violated discharge limits for iron, total suspended solids, aluminum, pH and manganese in their state-issued permits. The government also alleged that Southern failed to submit complete and timely discharge monitoring reports, made unauthorized discharges and failed to respond to EPA requests for information. According to the government’s
PLAN, PAGE 3
INSIDE • Town workers to get bonuses. • Special needs park funds. • Tennis complex named. • Student published in law review.
