In Brief - 11/11

H1N1 vaccine clinics in Mineral County

KEYSER, W.Va. — The Mineral County Health Department will provide H1N1 vaccine clinics in area schools on the following days. All clinics are scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

• Thursday, Fort Ashby Primary

• Friday, Burlington Elementary, including prekindergarten

• Nov. 19, New Creek Elementary prekindergarten and kindergarten, 12:30 to 2 p.m.

• Nov. 20, New Creek Elementary grades one through five

• Nov. 30, Fountain Primary

A clinic will be offered by appointment only Nov. 23 for people from 25 to 64 years old who have a chronic illness.

All dates are subject to change based on vaccine availability.

For more information, call (304) 788-1321.



North/South road topic of meeting

ROCKY GAP — Members of The Greater Cumberland Committee will hear an update on the North/South Highway project when they meet Thursday at noon at Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort.

Tim Troxell, Washington County Economic Development executive director, and Art Callaham, executive director of the Greater Hagerstown Committee, will speak about advancements made due to the Interstate 81 and I-70 corridors.

Somerset County, Pa., Commissioner John Vatavuk and G. Henry Cook, CEO of Somerset Trust Bank, will speak about efforts being taken on U.S. Route 219 North for construction from Somerset to Meyersdale.

For more information, log on to www.greatercc.org or call Colleen Peterson, executive director, at (301) 722-0090. To reserve space at the meeting, call and ask for Juli McCoy.



Child care classes in Mineral County

SHORT GAP, W.Va. — The final classes for the fall series of child care education workshops, REAL Colors: Understanding Personality Differences, will be held Thursday at Frankfort High School and Monday at the Mineral County Tech Center in Keyser, both from 7 to 9 p.m.

Participants will learn ways to solve misunderstandings and about the strengths they bring to a successful child care program or team.

Classes are free to child care center providers, family home providers and parents. They are offered by the Mineral County Family Resources Network Child Care Education Committee.

Child care providers will receive credit.

Refreshments are provided and no child care is available.



Teacher collecting kids’ books

LAVALE — Allegany County Teacher of the Year Mary Lough is asking the community for support with the Harvest a Book literacy project. She is collecting children’s books that will be given to the state of Maryland Correctional Education Assocication program with the goal of increasing levels of literacy among inmates and connecting them with their children.

Lough learned about the Reading Unites Families project at a breakfast forum held for the 24 Maryland Teachers of the Year. The state reading program, focused on family literacy, has been adapted for use in prisons and jails across the state. Inmates are trained to be peer tutors and teach other inmates how to read, write and communicate effectively.

Inmates read and discuss books with their children during family visiting day, which occurs once a month. The children are permitted to take the books home with them at the end of the day.

Lough, who is a third-grade teacher at Parkside Elementary, is collecting new or gently used books for children between the ages of 3 and 15.

The Harvest a Book drive will begin Monday and will conclude Dec. 3. Books may be dropped off at Parkside Elementary between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Schools will be closed Nov. 26 through 30 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

For more information, contact Lough at Parkside Elementary School at (301) 729-0085.



State leaders take pro-coal stance

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — An array of West Virginia’s top political leaders are vowing to form a united front against federal mining regulators.

Gov. Joe Manchin arranged Tuesday’s summit of elected officials, coal company executives and industry supporters. Those attending included U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and U.S. Reps. Shelley Moore Capito and Nick Rahall.

Coalfield county commissioners requested the get-together. They say the Obama administration has rattled their key employers with its handling of mining permits.

The closed-door session lasted nearly two hours. The governor and several other attendees later briefed reporters.

Their next goal is securing a White House meeting. Environmental activists say they were wrongly excluded from Tuesday’s event.



New report details Potomac pollutants

SILVER SPRING — Pollution in the Potomac River and its possible links to intersex fish is the subject of a new report.

The Potomac Conservancy plans to release its third annual State of the Nation’s River report on Wednesday. The report details pollutants found in the Potomac that can disrupt the endocrine system, the system that produces hormones which control growth and development.

A 2008 study found as many as three-quarters of male smallmouth bass in the Potomac’s South Branch had started to produce eggs, with the highest percentage near population and farming centers. Many scientists suspect pollutants including some household detergents and drugs like birth-control pills may be to blame.



Defendant in Pagans case cuts plea deal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Virginia man charged in a racketeering case against the Pagans Motorcycle Club has pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate.

Forty-three-year-old James Hoback entered the plea Tuesday to charges of illegally transporting plastic explosives and two hand grenades in Charleston.

Separately, U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston scheduled a guilty plea hearing for 34-year-old Vincent “Vin Dog” Talotta of Philadelphia for Dec. 10. Talotta is charged with traveling to West Virginia to distribute proceeds of an illegal raffle to national club leaders.

Talotta and Hoback are among 55 Pagans members and associates from West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Florida charged in the case.

Hoback is the latest defendant to cut a plea deal.



Jury seated in trial of Baltimore mayor

BALTIMORE — A jury of nine women and three men will decide the guilt or innocence of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon.

The jurors were seated Tuesday afternoon after a lengthy selection process. Six alternates were also seated.

Dixon’s lead attorney, Arnold Weiner, says he’s “satisfied with the jury” and looks forward to a fair trial. State Prosecutor Robert Rohrbaugh declined to comment.

Dixon is accused of stealing gift cards donated for needy families. Attorneys will deliver their opening statements Thursday after a day off for Veterans Day.