It’s nice to read a positive coal article



I very much enjoyed your article detailing the research being done at WVU Tech on removing mercury and selenium from coal wastewater.

It is very encouraging to read positive press about some of the good efforts that are undertaken to allow us to use coal in an environmentally friendly way.

Renewable “green” energy is a wonderful thing, but the reality is coal will be needed in a large way for the foreseeable future to satisfy our energy demands.

I commend you for your wonderful coverage of the research being done at one of our local schools that could lead to a solution to this problem that hinders the mining and using of our nation’s most abundant form of energy, coal.

I do, however, have to be critical of one part of the article, and that is the mention of the Buffalo Creek disaster. The Buffalo Creek disaster was a horrible event that should never be forgotten, but it is totally unrelated to the research being done at Tech, the pollution problems associated with mercury and selenium and your article.

I would liken the mentioning of the Buffalo Creek disaster in your article to seeing a used refrigerator for sale in the automobile ad section.

No relation between the two whatsoever.

But again, with that one criticism, I thank you for a very enlightening article and positive story on the encouraging work being done at WVU Tech.

Please continue to cover and write about these types of efforts that may one day allow our country not to be dependent on foreign energy.



Eddie Workman

Charleston



Organizers need to get ducks in a row



I would like to take a moment to address the Big Atlantic Classic that I attended on Jan. 31.

When I inquired about purchasing tickets to this event, I was told that Tim Tebow would be signing autographs until the last one was signed. Based on that I purchased three tickets at $30 each.

This seemed reasonable based on the meal, speaker and autograph session.

After everyone was finished with the meal, it was time for Tim to speak. Tim gave a wonderful speech, and my respect for Tim has increased dramatically. However, after the speech we were informed that Tim would not be doing any autograph signings but would pose for pictures as long as time permitted. It seemed that Tim had another engagement in Nashville that evening.

This was 100 percent unacceptable. When these athletes are booked for these kinds of events, I’m sure that their schedule is made known.

If I was told that he would be signing autographs, then I expect that to be honored.

Otherwise, I would not have spent $90 for three people to eat lunch and listen to a speech.

This is the second year in a row that this sort of thing has happened.

The organizers of this event need to get their ducks in a row if this event is going to be successful in the future.

I can say this is the last event I will attend. I drove nine hours for this? What a huge letdown it was.



Fred Woods

Gray, Ga.



Fayette must prepare for magnitude of scout event



The Boy Scouts purchasing the acreage in Fayette County is a tremendous opportunity for West Virginia to shine. My concern is Fayette and the surrounding areas are not prepared in respect to the infrastructure and services available to the scouts and their families.

Being a former resident of Fredericksburg, Va., which was approximately 40 miles from Fort A.P. Hill where the Jamborees were held, I saw the influx of scouts on the city. It increased traffic, hotels were packed, and services such as Laundromats were jammed. This is not a bad thing at all for a region in need of income-producing events.

My question is, are the local officials and entrepreneurs planning for the magnitude of this event?



Bonita Thompson

Mount Hope



Obama should claim more responsibility for deficit



President Obama says he inherited a $1 trillion budget deficit from the Bush administration. That is a lie.

First, it was President Obama who asked for and got a $787 billion stimulus bill from the Democrat-controlled Congress. It was President Obama who signed a $410 billion omnibus bill, soon followed by a $33 billion SCHIP bill. Let’s not forget that then-Sen. Obama supported the Bush administration’s recovery package of $750 billion. In fact, $350 billion of that bill had not been spent when Obama became president. If he was so concerned about deficits, why didn’t he refuse to spend that money? Why didn’t he return that money to the Treasury?

Secondly, no president can print a single dollar, lone dime or spend one penny without the approval of Congress. It is Congress that establishes the federal budget and the last three budgets have come from the Democrats who have controlled Congress during that time. In three years the Democrats have increased annual federal spending by $900 billion. Then-Sen. Obama voted for every Democratic budget put in front of him.

The last president to end his tenure with a budget surplus was Bill Clinton and that was only because he was lucky enough to have a Republican-controlled Congress who made it a point to balance the federal budget.



Jo Roach

Hinton