Groups sue over water pollution from W.Va. mine

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Three environmental groups are suing Fola Coal Co. over runoff from a surface mine in Nicholas and Clay counties that they say has damaged streams.

The Sierra Club, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition filed the complaint Thursday in federal court in Huntington.

They say sulfate and dissolved solids are harming aquatic life.

In both cases, the groups argue the pollution violates West Virginia’s “narrative” water-quality standards, or those that set general criteria rather than numerical limits for specific pollutants.

The lawsuit says more than 60 percent of the land area in the Leatherwood Creek watershed has been permitted for coal mining.

Fola has yet to file a response.

 

Chesapeake UMC announces menus for children’s meals

CHESAPEAKE — The Chesapeake United Methodist Church continues to offer free lunches to all area children and youth.

All youth and children from age one to age 18 are welcome, along with young adults with disability up to age 21.

Serving time is from 12 to 12:30 p.m. The meals are provided in partnership from the Scioto County Community Action Agency and are prepared at local school cafeterias.

The menus for the week of July 1 include: Chicken sandwich, spaghetti with breadstick, cheeseburger on a bun and pizza. No lunch will be served on Thursday, July 4.

In addition, each day’s meal includes a vegetable, fruit and choice of milk. Menus are subject to change.

The church is located at the corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street in Chesapeake.

Lunches will be available daily through Aug.2, except for Independence Day.

Questions are welcome at 740-867-3848 or chesapeakeumc@gmail.com.

 

Family Fun Days kicks off Monday

COAL GROVE — Coal Grove Family Fun Days starts Monday at 4 p.m. with opening ceremonies by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and remarks by Mayor Larry McDaniel.

The three-day event will end July 3 with a fireworks display.

Schedule of events:

July 1

4 p.m. — Opening ceremonies with singing of the National Anthem by Chris

Laber

4:15 to 5:30 p.m. — Truth and Nails

5:30 to 7 p.m. — The Four of Us with Stanley & Marge Stamper and Stanley & Clara Mae Stark

7 p.m. — Jerry Fields tribute

7 to 10 p.m. — Southern Thunder

July 2

4 to 6 p.m. — Four Mile

6 to 8 p.m. — Southern Ground

8 to 10 p.m. — Pay Dirt

July 3

4 to 6 p.m. — Tyler Waller

6 to 7 p.m. — Cake and Pie Auction with auctioneer Bob Sells

7 to 10 p.m. — The Fugitives

10 p.m. — Fireworks

 

Chief: We might never know why Ohio boy killed

JACKSON (AP) — There might never be an explanation for why a 12-year-old boy shot his 9-year-old half brother and then himself, a police chief said Friday.

Each boy had a single, fatal gunshot wound to the head, and Jackson Chief Carl Eisnaugle said it’s not clear whether the first shooting was intentional.

“Whether or not it’s an accident would be extremely hard to determine,” Eisnaugle told the The Associated Press.

“I don’t know if we’ll ever know,” he said.

Police say the boys, 12-year-old Austin Wiseman and 9-year-old Blake Campbell, lived at their grandparents’ home, where the shootings occurred Wednesday in an upstairs bedroom.

Authorities say the grandparents were away at the time, and that they don’t believe anyone else was involved in the shootings. A .44-caliber handgun was recovered at the scene.

Coroner Dr. Gregory Hawker said full investigation results might not be known for six weeks or more. The Franklin County coroner’s office conducted an autopsy and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is analyzing evidence from the scene.

Authorities said the grandparents had left the home to take care of some personal business but talked to the boys by phone at about 10 a.m. It’s believed the shootings happened at about 11 a.m.

A man at the home who identified himself as an uncle said he no comment Thursday afternoon.

Shirley Causey, who said her grandson was a cousin and frequent playmate of the older boy, said Austin was polite and protective of his younger half brother. She also described the grandparents as very loving.

Jackson is a city of about 7,000 people in mostly rural Appalachian Ohio, 65 miles south of Columbus.