By Bruce Justice 05/07/2021 Mingo County continues this week to mourn the death of a well-known area businessman described by one official as being as a “visionary,” an “innovator,” and a “friend.” James B. Simpkins, 72, of Delbarton, died last Wednesday, April 28, after a coal silo that his company—S & S Recycling — was razing in Boone County collapsed and covered both him and the piece of equipment he was operating under the rubble. Boone County authorities said Simpkins’ c

By Bruce Justice 04/19/2021 One of the reasons West Virginia Congresswoman Carol Miller came to Mingo County last week was simply to visit the Appalachian Regional Airport at Varney for the first time. However, the main reason Miller said she came was to sit down with local officials and discuss ways the ARA can foster increased business and travel to the region and, ideally, shore up a local economy that of late has taken a hard hit by a faltering coal industry. Among those

By Bruce Justice 03/26/2021 The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority Board of Directors gave the go-ahead for a master plan/feasibility study for the Appalachian Regional Airport during the MCRA’s regular meeting last week. Prior to the agreement, MCRA Executive Director Leasha Johnson explained the purpose of the study and its long-term benefits, as well as its cost, during her report to the board. Johnson said she and Deputy Executive Director Greta Curry conducted a meetin

By Bruce Justice 06/05/2020 The contracted developer/promoter of the Twin Branch Motor Sports Complex at Myrtle says the more than two-year delay in getting the bond release for the access road leading up to the racing facility has prevented him from generating an income. This was the motivation behind Pete Scalzo joining the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority's teleconference last week and the reason he presented a couple of new proposals for the board of directors to con

By Bruce Justice 04/24/2020 Plans for the wood products plant at the James H. "Buck" Harless Industrial Park that officials said had been progressing relatively well have for the time being been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That bit of discouraging news was conveyed to the Mingo County Redevelopment Board of Directors by Executive Director Leasha Johnson during last week's MCRA meeting, which also due to the stay-at-home and social distancing mandates had to be h

By Bruce Justice 02/28/2020 The James H. Harless Wood Products Industrial Park received a name modification recently and going forward will be known simply as the James H. Harless Industrial Park. And while discussions remain in the early stages, the park could also be getting one or possibly two new companies to locate there that officials say, together, could potentially bring as many as 600 new jobs to the region. During her regular update on the park at last week’s Mingo