HartmanCosco Government Relations

Offsetting Funeral Costs During the Pandemic – A Program WV Should Consider

Brian Skinner October 16, 2020 COVID-19, Government & Policy

By Brian Skinner, Esq. Many West Virginia families face difficult choices due to the health and economic pressures created by the pandemic. The isolation, loss of employment and impact to everyday activities has been overwhelming for many, and for families who have suffered the death of a family member during this pandemic, the impact is even greater. …Read More

Weed stocks surge as Kamala Harris vows to decriminalize pot in debate

Brian Skinner Elections, Marijuana policy

Reuters — By Shariq Khan — October 8, 2020 U.S.-listed shares of major cannabis producers surged on Thursday after Democratic vice president nominee Kamala Harris said marijuana would be decriminalized at a federal level in the United States under a Biden administration. During Wednesday night’s debate with Vice President Mike Pence, Harris said she and Democratic presidential …Read More

Cannabis companies, betting on a Biden win, ready IPOs

Brian Skinner Elections, Marijuana policy

Reuters — By Shariq Khan, David Randall – October 15, 2020 NEW YORK (Reuters) – A year ago, Flora Growth Chief Executive Damian Lopez had just spent a chunk of his company’s seed capital buying a Colombian cannabis producer, and was fighting his way through the legal and financial hurdles that have made development of the …Read More

Monongalia County leaders concerned about local marijuana dispensary rules

Brian Skinner Local Government, Medical Cannabis

WV Metro News — By Mike Nolting — October 15, 2020 MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Local and state lawmakers from Monongalia County are concerned about changes to medical marijuana dispensary requirements, with officials arguing the chances could delay or prevent some applicants from receiving approval. State regulations require dispensaries to be at least 1,000 feet from a …Read More

Glenville State College students take part in W.Va. Division of Forestry timber felling and chainsaw safety workshop

Brian Skinner October 15, 2020 Higher Education

GLENVILLE, W.Va. – Students within the Glenville State College (GSC) Department of Land Resources’ timber harvesting course had the opportunity to take part in the West Virginia Division of Forestry’s (WVDOF) Timber Felling and Chainsaw Safety Workshop on the College Farm recently. The workshop, organized by WVDOF Service Forester, Jesse King, was led by …Read More

Six months after receiving CARES relief, Justice says West Virginia isn’t a slow spender

Brian Skinner State Fiscal & Economic Policy, State Government

WV Metro News — By Brad McElhinny — October 14, 2020 Gov. Jim Justice continues to push back on criticism that the state isn’t expediting the rollout of federal CARES Act relief. “At the end of the day, we’re going to some way, some how, disburse every last dollar of this CARES money before December the …Read More

West Virginia’s child obesity rate nearly 20 percent in latest report

Brian Skinner Public Health

WV Metro News — By MetroNews Staff — October 14, 2020 CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nearly one-fifth of West Virginia children are obese, as experts link obesity to increased risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) latest report released Wednesday, State of Childhood Obesity: Prioritizing Children’s Health During the Pandemic, 19.6% of children …Read More

New agreement brings together state government and Google Workspace

Brian Skinner State Government

WV Metro News — By MetroNews Staff — October 15, 2020 CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Thousands of state employees in West Virginia will soon be using Google Workspace under a new, multi-year agreement with Google Cloud designed to make remote work in the coronavirus pandemic and beyond more efficient and secure. In all, 22,000 state employees in the …Read More

A State Project to Map Overdoses in Real Time

Brian Skinner Government & Policy, Opioid Drug Crisis

Route Fifty — By Kate Elizabeth Queram – October 14, 2020 A statewide project in Connecticut takes reports of suspected opioid overdoses from first responders and maps them in real time, helping community partners better direct their services to high-risk areas. Read more . . .

Big Sun Expected to Overtake Big Coal by 2025

Brian Skinner October 14, 2020 Energy & enviroment

By Brian Skinner, Esq. In 2025, solar power is expected to overtake coal as the largest means of energy production, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) annual World Energy Outlook report. Solar output is expected to lead a surge in renewable power supply in the next decade, with renewables seen accounting for 80% of growth in …Read More