FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, September 16, 2023
CONTACT: Jordan Damron, [email protected]
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West Virginia Week in Review
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Gov. Justice issues statement on death of West Virginia National Guard member
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Specialist (Spc.) Corey A. Moore, 25, a Soldier assigned to the West Virginia National Guard 821st Engineer Construction Company, passed away following a motor vehicle accident on the afternoon of September 10, 2023.
"Cathy and I are incredibly heartbroken at the loss of this brave young man,” Gov. Jim Justice said. “We share our deepest sympathies and our heartfelt prayers to all of Spc. Moore's loved ones because this is a true tragedy beyond belief, especially to lose someone so young. Our National Guard members protect our state and our country, and put their lives on the line to keep us all safe. I ask all West Virginians to join Cathy and I in keeping Spc. Moore and his loved ones in their prayers."
Corey joined the West Virginia Army National Guard in 2018 and served as a utilities equipment repairer with the 821st Engineer Construction Company, headquartered in Summersville, West Virginia, throughout the entirety of his career. He was a native of Beckley, West Virginia and is survived by his mother, father and three siblings.
Gov. Justice expressed his condolences during this week's briefing.
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DHHR approves lift of 'do not consume' notice for customers of Paden City Water Works
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The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health approved a request to lift the "do not consume" notice for customers of Paden City Water Works.
The notice was issued on August 16, 2023, as recommended by DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health based on three consecutive samples tested by a certified lab that showed negative detectable levels of tetrachloroethylene (also known as PCE) in the local water supply.
Paden City Water Works will continue to flush as needed while also collecting weekly samples until the Bureau for Public Health is confident that levels of PCE remain below the maximum contaminant level.
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Gov. Justice announces new anti-human trafficking initiative
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Gov. Justice and the West Virginia Fusion Center (WVFC) announced the launch of the new “YOU CAN” initiative aimed at stopping human trafficking in West Virginia.
“We are going to attack this problem together and work to stop these bad actors and this immoral behavior in our state,” Gov. Justice said. “It’s time for all West Virginians, all our agencies, and all our communities to watch out, report and support law enforcement so we can stop this disgusting behavior in our great state.”
The “YOU CAN” initiative aims to bring awareness to human trafficking in the State of West Virginia. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against their will.
Although Law Enforcement Officers are tasked with investigating human trafficking cases, West Virginia citizens are asked to help by reporting suspicious behavior.
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Gov. Justice announces record $7 billion annual tourism impact for 2022
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Gov. Justice joined more than 300 tourism-industry members to announce West Virginia’s best tourism year ever, with the industry’s economic impact exceeding $7 billion in 2022.
That number represents a 17% increase in visitor spending compared to pre-pandemic levels, far higher than the United States’ overall 1% post-pandemic tourism recovery.
West Virginia’s tourism industry has seen dramatic growth since Gov. Justice took office in 2017. Visitor spending has grown more than 30%—or more than $1 billion a year—since 2016, despite a global pandemic.
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West Virginia saw more visitors last year, and those visitors spent more money than they had in previous years. Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company that measures tourism spending and economic impact, found that visitors to the state had direct spending of $5.3 billion last year, an all-time high.
Tourism Economics provides impact studies for 30 destinations and is the official research provider of U.S. Travel, which promotes American tourism around the world.
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Gov. Justice appoints Jeff Campbell to 46th District seat in House of Delegates
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Gov. Justice announced that he has appointed Jeff Campbell, of Lewisburg, to the West Virginia House of Delegates 46th District which covers part of Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties.
Campbell fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Mike Honaker who resigned to take a position with the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security. Campbell will serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
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Gov. Justice declares September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
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