Free Republic

What I am about to share has little political relevance. It is simply a candid expression of my gratitude and a testimony to how anything can happen in this glorious experiment called America. Last Christmas, because I was selected by my congressman to decorate an ornament for the White House Christmas tree, my wife Mary and I were invited by Laura Bush to a reception at the White House. The White House sent me a six by six inch silver plastic ball with specific instructions. The theme of my design must reflect my state (Florida) in a red, white and...

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A little girl who relied on donations for Christmas was left with no presents under the tree after a thief broke into her home. Parents of the 11-year-old child, whose name is Mariah, say someone came into their empty home and stole several items, including all the presents under the Christmas tree. The stolen presents had been donated by a church. The theft has left the family scrambling not only to figure out who did it, but how to replace gifts they couldn't afford anyway.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Greyhound Bus Lines is offering free travel vouchers to passengers who were stranded for about three hours in West Virginia on a bus with no heat. A bus driver abandoned 45 passengers in Charleston around 8 p.m. Monday after telling them another driver would arrive within the hour to drive them on to Columbus, Ohio, and Detroit. Greyhound spokesman Timothy Stokes says the bus wasn't scheduled to arrive in Charleston from Charlotte, N.C., until 11 p.m. That's the time the bus station reopened and the new driver arrived. Greyhound plans to conduct an internal investigation into...

Update 9:09AM: As of very recently, NBC Washington has taken DOWN this post in response. Thank you NBC for this first step. We anxiously await your written response as well. Thanks to everyone for your action. As a DC area resident and WV native, I am outraged at the recent insulting and downright offensive “news” article from NBC Washington titled “West Virginia Discovers the Internet“. In this not even remotely humorous piece, Chris Needham mocks WV in over-the-top obnoxious terms for putting all of their vital public records online. In fact, WV is actually one of very few states in...

It was the slap heard 'round the coalfields: Cordelia Ruth Tucker, wearing the fluorescent-striped shirt of a miner, strode past West Virginia state troopers and into a stream of marchers protesting mountaintop removal mining to deliver an audible smack. (snip) There have been nearly 100 arrests in 20 protests, most involving trespassing. Led by a new group called Climate Ground Zero, the activists have chained themselves to giant dump trucks, scaled 80-foot trees to stop blasting and paddled into a 9 million-gallon sludge pond. They've blocked roads, hung banners and staged sit-ins. Virginia-based Massey Energy claims a single 3 1/2-hour...

Interstate 64 is shut down until further notice. CHARLESTON W.Va.-- Officials say that both Northbound and Southbound lanes of Interstate 64 between Charleston and Beckley are shut down until further notice. Road crews and the National Guard are working to clear the roadways and help stranded motorists along the Interstate and across the state. Keep clicking wowktv.com for further updates.

With a mere investment of $780,000 Soros and his allies were able to suborn free elections in the states of Montana, West Virginia, Missouri, Oregon, in 2008, and in Minnesota, Ohio, New Mexico, Nevada and Iowa, in 2006. How did he achieve so much with so little? He founded a 527 group which funded candidates in one kind of race in which the victor has the most influence over election integrity, and in which there is so little political competition: the Secretaries of State. In each State the SoS job is entrusted with overseeing the protection of free and fair...

Regulations: The Clean Water Act is being rewritten to give a government bureaucracy the power to regulate every body of water from the Mississippi River to a rain-flooded field. The first casualty may be American coal. With all the concern for the harm that cap-and-trade and regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant might do to the American economy and free markets, the Environmental Protection Agency is doing quite enough damage with an existing law on the books — the Clean Water Act. Congress plans to revise it to make it an even more powerful bludgeon against industry, energy producers and...

Work on a West Virginia wind power project has been halted by a federal judge who sided with environmentalists' claim that the project would harm an endangered bat. U.S. District Judge Roger Titus issued the order Tuesday, citing potential harm to the federally endangered Indiana bat. John Stroud, co-chairman of one of the environmental groups that filed the lawsuit, Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy, said group members were "really delighted with the ruling." "We've been working on this for a while and the judge saw things our way, and we're really pleased," said Stroud, a rare book dealer who owns...

At no point, Low says, did he sign an agreement to sell or give the tablet to the historical society. He always considered it a loan. "I never intended for them to keep it," he said. "I told them it's not for sale." Low said the artifact has great sentimental value for him, not only because he found it as a child, but also because he has American Indian ancestors who could be related to the ancient Adena people who made the carving. Two years ago, Low decided he wanted to get the tablet back so he could donate it...

n a room filled with hundreds of supporters and local leaders, the Boy Scouts of America today unveiled its plans for a world-class, national center of scouting excellence in the New River Gorge region of West Virginia. The site will serve as a premier Scouting destination, offering a new high-adventure base and national leadership programs and will become the permanent home of the National Scout Jamboree. The BSA's selection of the 10,600-acre site near Beckley was chosen after an extensive, nationwide process that lasted more than 18 months aimed at finding the perfect location for realizing the vision of a...

So the word was that Democratic leaders worried about the health of Democratic Senate President Pro Tempore Robert C. Byrd, whom they needed as a 60th vote to end any Republican filibuster. On Wednesday, Byrd voted against cloture — meaning he sided with the Republican filibuster. (snip) Byrd could be an ally in stopping Obamacare. He killed Hillarycare 16 years ago. He just may have an inclination to do it again.

Almost 20% of West Virginians eligible to vote are either dead or have moved. Five States with the Most Dead People Eligible to Vote: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming. FUN TIME IN ACORN TOWN: DEAD PEOPLE RULE! Are you lonely when you go to the polling place? Want some company? Perhaps, you'd like to take along a dead "friend" to vote with you. That's a scenario that's becoming more possible across the United States. A combination of old voter registration lists that still contain the names of dead voters and voters who have moved, new "Motor Voter" legislation,...

Conflict of Interest Resolved by: Brittany Fortier, October 07, 2009 Would you know bias when you see it? A majority of Supreme Court justices don’t seem to, particularly when it concerns their own judicial profession. Brad Smith, Professor of Law at Capital University Law School and former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), discussed the case of Caperton v. Massey Coal at the Cato Institute’s Supreme Court Review on September 17, 2009. The case involved Massey Coal’s decision not to purchase Caperton’s mine located in Buchanan County, VA, after an extended period of negotiations. Caperton, alleging fraud and...

I was at the Milton Flea Market on Sunday talking politics with the locals when I spoke with a local mother who said she was keeping her children from school today because of Obama's speech. She told me that the Cabell County Board of Education has already given her trouble over it. She was told that her children would not be given an excused absence over it and that it was their duty to "obey their commander in chief". The BOE would not give kids the option to "opt out" and they would be forced to watch Obama's speech no...

A crowd of more than 75,000 gathered in Holden, West Virginia today to celebrate Labor Day and show their support for American workers. The rally, hosted by Friends of America and sponsored by roughly 100 businesses and organizations, was emceed by Ted Nugent and featured live performances by country music stars Hank Williams Jr., John Rich and Fox News personality, Sean Hannity among others. The focus of today's rally was the threat overreaching government, environmental extremists and corrupt corporate interest pose to American labor. Thousands of cars began lining up outside the Harless Industrial Park before dawn and attendees traveled...

What if the federal government could temporarily suspend Internet activity during national cyber attacks, much in the same way it can ground planes during national emergencies? That's basically the question surrounding S.773, the forthcoming brainchild of Sen. Jay Rockefeller's (D-W.V.) office. According to an excerpt of the bill, obtained by CBS News' Declan McCullagh, the president would have the power to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" and, "if the President finds it necessary for the national defense and security,… direct the national response to the cyber threat." But the proposal, which addresses a host of additional cybersecurity holes, has already worried...

Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Sanatarians made several visits to the bar throughout the night. CHARLESTON W.Va.-- One year later -- and still going strong -- allowing smokers to light up inside the Blackhawk Saloon. Wednesday, the Blackhawk Saloon held it's second annual smoker's night inside the bar. The establishment has been allowing smoking inside since the county wide clean indoor air regualtion went into effect last year. Owner Kerry Ellison says taking away smoking means taking away his business. "I'm in the beer selling business," he said. "If you come in and you want to smoke a cigarette while you drink...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Troy Berman has been appointed as executive director of the West Virginia Republican Party. State GOP Chairman Doug McKinney said Monday that Berman's appointment is effective Sept. 1. Berman replaces Gary Abernathy, who resigned at the end of the June. Abernathy had said he wanted to spend more time with his family in Ohio. McKinney says Berman has worked for GOP campaigns and committees in Ohio, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.

NITRO -- If it's ultimately up to the city of Nitro smoking is now allowed inside Tri State Racetrack and Gaming Center. Nitro City Council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to pass an ordinance allowing smoking inside certain parts of the facility. While it's still unclear if the city's ordinance can overrule a county wide regulation prohibiting smoking, Dan Adkins with the track says they're willing to be the first to try. "You know, I kind of look at this as this might be very important because if the legislature does choose to address this issue we've got other facilities like...

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The FBI says it continues to get tips and follow leads in the unsolved Kanawha County gas station sniper-style shootings that left three dead six years ago Friday. John Hambrick, spokesperson for the FBI in Charleston, says the investigation continues to be a collaborative effort with all of the agencies initially involved in the "sniper task force." That team, made up of local, state, and federal agencies, used to have a common working office in downtown Charleston, but the space has since been vacated. The case is still considered "very active." VIDEO ARCHIVES 5 Years...

The price of coal and efforts to control its emissions keep energy costs spiraling higher. American Electric Power, parent of Appalachian Power Co., reports that it is "the largest purchaser of coal in the Western Hemisphere." For Appalachian, coal-fired power plants generate about 98 percent of the electricity it delivers to customers in a territory that includes portions of Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee. For AEP companywide, coal fuels about 70 percent of power generation. And all that coal, an increasingly controversial fuel, helps explain the upward spiral of Appalachian's costs for complying with environmental regulations. Appalachian and AEP report...

One of West Virginia's U.S. senators is opposed to the landmark global warming bill that passed the House Friday, while the other has "serious concerns" about the measure.

A Logan County judge ruled last week that the state Department of Environmental Protection should grant Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. the permits it needs to develop gas wells in the 3,300-acre Chief Logan State Park. Story by Dan Page Email | Bio | Other Stories by A Logan County judge ruled last week that the state Department of Environmental Protection should grant Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. the permits it needs to develop gas wells in the 3,300-acre Chief Logan State Park. Let's give a rousing cheer for Logan County Circuit Judge Roger L. Perry, whose opinion protects the...

A group of eco terrorists last week invaded a coal mining operation in our county and caused a load of trouble.

The upside to Gerald Walpin’s firing as inspector general for the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps is that he could appear in one of those “Organizing for America” ads that highlight Americans who have lost their jobs along with their health care. It’s just a thought. Walpin became the center of some media attention last week for suspending Barack Obama supporter Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star and now mayor of Sacramento, for irregularities in his use of federal money when he ran a charity. Walpin was asked by the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service to...

Democrats in West Virginia are gravely concerned about the health of their senior U.S. senator, 91-year-old Robert Byrd, who has been hospitalized since May with a series of infections. "We are just praying for him to get back to the Senate real soon," said Nick Casey, West Virginia Democratic Party chairman. Byrd's absence has caused distress among supporters and speculation about who would fill his seat if he is unable to return to work. As the Senate president pro tempore, Byrd is third in the presidential succession line, behind Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He is...

ALDERSON, W.Va. - Although it was occupied off and on for only about 10 years by Revolutionary War-era soldiers and settlers who left few traces of their presence behind, Arbuckle's Fort continues to shed light on the lives of those it protected. During an excavation last weekend involving Concord University and Marshall University Graduate College students, new evidence surfaced about a likely black presence at the fort during the struggle for independence from Britain. The frontier fortress was built on a bluff overlooking the confluence of Muddy and Mill creeks during the peak of tensions between Virginia settlers who developed...

It's been said that conservatism has different meanings for different people. It may not be textbook, but without a whole lot of navel gazing, here's what it means to me and what Free Republic is all about: In a word, Freedom! In two words, Preserving Freedom. In a handful of words as stated by our Founding Fathers, to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity! America was founded on the proposition that all men are created equal by God and that our unalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness are granted directly by God...

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Two FBI workers are accused of using surveillance equipment to spy on teenage girls as they undressed and tried on prom gowns at a charity event at a West Virginia mall. The FBI employees have been charged with conspiracy and committing criminal invasion of privacy. They were working in an FBI satellite control room at the mall when they positioned a camera on temporary changing rooms and zoomed in for at least 90 minutes on girls dressing for the Cinderella Project fashion show, Marion County Prosecutor Pat Wilson said Monday. Gary Sutton Jr., 40, of New Milton...

Do not believe the nattering nabobs of negativity. The Nationwide Tax Day TEA Party/Tax Revolt was a huge success!! What we need now is MORE and LOUDER!! Obama has no clue. Being confronted by millions of fed-up citizens is new to him. He never expected the otherwise docile American people to rise up against his wannabe Marxist/fascist totalitarian regime. He's now lashing out at us through the Dept of Homeland Security as if We the People are his enemy. Well, we are! And he now knows it. And he's scared witless!! And the media has been reduced to the speechless,...

Congratulations FReepers and Patriots! According to Henchster's ongoing tallies, we've surpassed 750,000 participants in our nationwide Tax Day TEA Party/Tax Revolt! Woo hoo!! All 50 states fully engaged! Over 600 cities represented and reports still coming in! Huge turnout, huge SUCCESS!! Elected officials take note: DO NOT TREAD ON ME!! Tyranny, usurpation, corruption, overreaching, big spending, high taxing will no longer be tolerated! We the people are FED-UP and we're not going to take it anymore! Ignore us at your own peril! All Congressional seats, all elected offices throughout the land at risk! Revolution is in the air!!

If the Obama administration has taken flak for suggesting that conservative groups might be home to domestic terrorists, it looks like some House Democrat leaders are willing to go even further: But in an interview on Fox TV in San Francisco, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) chalked up the GOP grass-roots effort as “AstroTurf.” “This initiative is funded by the high end; we call it AstroTurf, it's not really a grass-roots movement. It's AstroTurf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class,” Pelosi said....

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Hundreds of people gathered at the state Capitol to express their frustration with the Obama administration, and particularly its spending plans. Despite the rain and cold Wednesday, the crowd waving American flags came out for the local version of a national day of protests that cite the Boston Tea Party as inspiration.

After the 2010 census has been held, the number of seats held by each state in the U.S. House of Representatives will change. The National Conference of State Legislatures recently estimated what the 2010 reapportionment will mean for each state. Eight states are expected to lose one seat each, in the U.S. House and in the Electoral College. They are Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. States that will gain will be Texas (3 seats), and one each for Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Utah. If the bill now pending in Congress to expand the...

We cheer the reddest. We corn the hardest. And, apparently, we grin the widest. Because Nebraska is the happiest state in the U.S., a new study says. The survey — conducted by personal finance Web site MainStreet.com — ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from fiscally happiest to saddest based on a few factors of economic well-being. These included foreclosure numbers, unemployment rates and the ratio of average debt to average annual income. “It reflects the attitude of this state,” said Gov. Dave Heineman. “We are a positive people with a can-do attitude who are focused on...

Gee, you folks who thought Obama was the be-all and end-all to "solve" violations of The Constitution under President Bush: A pair of bills introduced in the U.S. Senate would grant the White House sweeping new powers to access private online data, regulate the cybersecurity industry and even shut down Internet traffic during a declared "cyber emergency." Senate bills No. 773 and 778, introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V., are both part of what's being called the Cybersecurity Act of 2009, which would create a new Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor, reportable directly to the president and charged with...

The mother of a 22-year-old Logan County woman reported the incident to the FBI. Logan County, W.Va. -- FBI agents are investigating the alleged rape of a 22-year-old woman by three law enforcement officers. The victim's mother reported the incident to the FBI and said the deputies had been harassing her daughter and following her through town back in January. According to published reports, three Logan County Sheriff Deputies and one former Chapmanville police officer were allegedly involved in the rape of the Logan County woman. The victim alleges that three officers raped her and another was present but was...

Are you ready for a FReepathon!!? Well, it's a new quarter and a new president and he's everything we knew he would be. In less than 90 days he's managed to take an economic downturn and turn it into an unmitigated disaster for good old American capitalism. Never let a good crisis go to waste! The government is now printing money as fast as they can run the presses. Our federal budget is doubling and tripling and the Fed is running with no controls or oversight whatsoever from the congress, pumping trillions more into the "economy." The government now spends...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Kanawha County Superintendent Ron Duerring will not discuss the disciplinary action taken against the John Adams Middle School teachers who allegedly left three students alone at a Braxton County rest stop. Duerring calls it a "personnel matter." Pete Thaw, a member of the Kanawha County School Board, tells WSAZ.com that he's heard there was action taken against the teachers, but the school board has not been informed on how the superintendent handled it. Thaw also says he doesn't know why the superintendent will not release the information. He says he believes the public deserves to know....

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Families are continuing to put pressure on the West Virginia Legislature to require insurance companies in the state to cover autism treatment and therapy. Do you think insurance companies in West Virginia should cover autism treatment and therapy? Yes No Right now, many families have to pay for the health care costs with no help from their insurance companies. Do you think insurance companies in West Virginia should cover autism treatment and therapy? We would like to hear from you in our WSAZ Charleston poll. You can also give us your ideas by filling out the...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A normal trip to the store ended up changing the lives of two families forever. Vincent West, a convicted sex offender, is in court again. He's accused of molesting a 12-year-old girl at a Charleston Kmart in 2007. As the case is coming to a close, emotions continue to run high. The alleged victim said she was in the Kmart along Patrick Street when she said a man rubbed her chest and tried to pull her pants down. Surveillance tape captured West and the girl in the store at the same time, but cameras did not...

CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A woman who was living in a small metal storage building with her husband was injured in a fire Tuesday. Marsha Day is listed in good condition at Cabell Huntington Hospital, according to hospital spokesperson Charles Shumaker. Ms. Day's son, Lawrence Blankenship, tells WSAZ.com his mother was injured after she fell trying to extinguish the fire in the building. "My mom actually did not get burned. The way she got hurt was she ran back in and fell," Lawrence Blankenship said. "She was trying to put the fire out." One neighbor, Ethel Armstrong, said to...

Pattie Carson is being held at the Southern Regional Jail. PRINCETON W.Va.-- A woman is behind bars after attempting to steal thousands of dollars from a 91-year-old St. Albans woman. Pattie Carson is charged with misappropriation of funds and assets of the elderly. State Police said she tried to steal a $25,000 cashier's check from Sophia Nelson of St. Albans. Police say Carson left Nelson in the tub for several hours at the Princeton Comfort Inn. The room flooded and hotel workers called an ambulance for Nelson. When Carson came back to the room police saw her trying to pack...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia lawmakers hope to help The Greenbrier resort make the most of its recently won authority to open a casino and enhance its appeal to potential buyers. Legislation introduced Friday would parallel the rules for any video lottery machines or table games at the world-famous resort with that of the state's racetracks. The bill slightly reduces the gross receipts tax set when the resort was first eyed for a casino in 2000. It also allows The Greenbrier to recoup some proceeds for employee benefit costs. Greenbrier County voters approved gambling at the resort in November...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A divided state Senate has passed a bill that would ban discrimination in employment and housing because of sexual orientation. Kanawha County Sen. Brooks McCabe, one of the bill's sponsors, says it's essentially an economic development bill that will help the state attract high-tech companies that currently operate in states where similar laws exist. Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, though, argues the bill is too broadly worded, since it includes heterosexuals along with gays and lesbians in its protections. The Mercer County Republican says that makes virtually everyone in the state members of a protected class....

Milton, W.Va. Every week, Joyce Meadows says the Milton Flea Market has gotten calls from someone wondering when the local landmark would reopen. Now, there's hope for a grand opening on April 17, 2009. The local landmark, which draws thousands of customers to eastern Cabell County, is being rebuilt. Ronnie Robertson showed up to the offices on Thursday afternoon looking to find a place for his furniture business. Mr. Robertson says he's ready to get back to work but he's a little worried about the economy. Mr. Robertson says, " I'm sure it's going to hurt some, I'm sure it...

HARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Barbie could get an unwelcome present for her 50th birthday: outlawed in West Virginia. Do you think Barbie and other dolls like it should be banned? Yes No A state lawmaker proposed a bill Tuesday to ban sales of the iconic Mattel doll and others like her. The proposal from Democratic Delegate Jeff Eldridge says such toys influence girls to place too much importance on physical beauty, at the expense of their intellectual and emotional development. A Mattel spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The Barbie doll officially turns 50 on...

Jameelah Josiah racked up more than $4 thousand from credit cards. CHARLESTON W.Va.-- A temporary office worker is indicted on federal charges for allegedly stealing people's identities at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. Jameelah Josiah faces charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, access device fraud, and identity theft. Josiah reportedly obtained credit cards using stolen information and racked up more than $4-thousand in charges. She worked for the Health Department on a temporary basis during November and December.

LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- An investigation is underway in Logan County after someone found some indecent pictures on a school computer. West Virginia State Police tell WSAZ.com that the file was found on a computer at Chapmanville High School. Investigators say the file contained provocative photos of students, some of them contained nudity and partial nudity. Right now, no one knows who took the pictures or where they came from. The Logan County Superintendent tells WSAZ.com the pictures were found by a technician when he was cleaning the county's computers. State police were contacted immediately to investigate the incident....