The courtroom stayed quiet Monday after a judge announced that Miguel Quinones had been found not guilty of first-degree murder.

"I think everyone was just in shock," said Linda Hunter. Her son, Kareem Hunter, 28, died after being beaten in a Marmet apartment.

Quinones, 37, remained calm after hearing he had been acquitted of Hunter's murder, said his lawyer, Robert Dunlap.

"In private, he was so moved. He couldn't even articulate," Dunlap said.

Quinones, who has always maintained his innocence, had spent the last 2 1/2 years behind bars awaiting trial for Hunter's murder. By 4:30 p.m. Monday, he had been released from South Central Regional Jail.

Police believed Quinones was the main force behind Hunter's killing. Prosecutors never offered him a deal, as they did his two co-defendants, Deveron Patterson and Kelsey Legg.

During Quinones' trial, his lawyer told jurors that Patterson and Legg had placed the blame on his client so that they would receive lighter sentences. Patterson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in exchange for a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole; Legg received six to eight years in prison for being an accessory to murder.

Last Friday, jurors deliberated for about three hours before being sent home for the weekend. After returning to the courthouse at about 9 a.m. Monday, jurors spent about two hours deliberating before telling Kanawha Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit that they could not come to an agreement.

Tabit gave jurors an "Allen Charge," an instruction meant to encourage a deadlocked jury to continue deliberating by re-examining their views of the case.

It was just before 2 p.m. Monday, when jurors announced they had reached a verdict.

Linda Hunter didn't want to talk much Monday afternoon. She said she was not OK.

During the six-day trial, jurors viewed more than 100 exhibits and heard four days worth of testimony.

Prosecutors spent a considerable amount of time trying to convince jurors that cell phone records tied Quinones to the slaying.

Police testified about evidence that showed Quinones' cell phone was in Marmet at the scene of the bloody beating. Cell phone towers then traced Quinones' phone to Beckley and to Old Turnpike Road on the day that Hunter died. Hunter's body was later found on that road.

Dunlap believes jurors realized that once police focused in on Quinones as the killer, they didn't consider any other suspects.

"They had the cellphones of other suspects and they admitted they never checked those logs," said Dunlap. "Had they checked those logs, it may have taken their investigation in a whole other direction."

Prosecutors told jurors that Quinones -- jealous that his girlfriend might still be romantically involved with Hunter and nervous that Hunter might have been planning to rob him -- attacked Hunter with a rubber mallet inside Legg's apartment in Marmet.

Dunlap, though, argued his client wasn't there when Hunter was killed, and only helped clean up Legg's bloody Marmet apartment in the days after the slaying.

Matthew Legg, Kelsey's brother, testified that he saw Quinones at his sister's apartment the night Hunter was killed. Another man who took the stand during the trial that had seen Patterson and another man in Raleigh County, near where Hunter's body was found, said he couldn't be sure that Quinones was the man Patterson was with.

Duct tape was tied around Hunter's mouth, hands and feet and he was stuffed into the trunk of a car, driven to Raleigh County and buried in a shallow grave.

Patterson testified that he had helped Quinones kill Hunter. Prosecutors revealed during the trial that it was Patterson who told police where to find Hunter's body -- which wasn't found until more than a month after his death.

Legg was originally charged with murder before Hunter's body was found.She was never called to testify during the trial, as she had agreed to do as part of her plea deal.

Kanawha first assistant prosecutor Don Morris wouldn't say during the trial why prosecutors decided not to call Legg to the stand, and he couldn't be reached for comment Monday afternoon. Assistant prosecutor Jennifer Gordon didn't want to comment after the verdict on Monday.

Quinones was arrested on a parole violation before being charged in Hunter's death. Quinones was convicted 16 years ago of second-degree murder in Fayette County. In 2000, a jury found him guilty of killing Christopher Reardon, a Beckley bar owner. He was released from prison over that incident in 2011, but remained on probation.

After Hunter's death, Quinones was found in 2014 by police hiding in his girlfriend's attic.

Quinones' case was delayed a number of times since he was indicted on the murder charge in early 2014, mainly because of his requests for new attorneys.

Dunlap and an attorney who works with him, Amy Osgood, who also represented Quinones at trial, marked the ninth and 10th attorneys Quinones was appointed.

The week before his trial began, Quinones tried again to change lawyers. A frustrated Tabit gave Quinones an ultimatum: He would either remain with Dunlap and Osgood or represent himself at trial.

"He had a large number of attorneys because he felt like, whoever represents him had to believe in his innocence or it wasn't going to work. He just wanted to make sure his trial was fair and that he had a chance," Dunlap said Monday.

Reach Kate White at kate.white@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @KateLWhite on Twitter.

A Kanawha County judge on Monday postponed the sentencing hearing of Steven Craig Coleman, who allegedly gave a woman a dose of heroin that killed her last year.

Coleman's hearing is now scheduled for July 18 at 11 a.m. in the courtroom of Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.

Prosecutors had originally charged Coleman with murder for the death of Melody Ann Oxley on Feb. 14, 2015.

Coleman pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge and a involuntary manslaughter misdemeanor in April. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors dropped the murder charge against him.

Coleman faces a maximum one-year sentence for the manslaughter charge and a one- to three-year sentence for an attempt to deliver a controlled substance.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top is coming to Charleston in November.

A classic rock staple, the band will perform Nov. 9 at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences. The show was announced as part of the Texas Blues rock band's fall tour schedule.

Details for the show, including ticket prices and on sale dates are not yet available, awaiting the Clay Center's fall season announcement.

The band is a regular on classic rock radio, but is best known for numerous hits including "Tush," "Sharp Dressed Man," "Got Me Under Pressure," and "La Grange."

State Department of Transportation officials will officially recommend this fall that the state end a $3.4 million a year contract with a Beckley-based nonprofit group to operate the state Courtesy Patrol, legislators were told Monday.

John McBreyer, DOT deputy secretary, told the legislative Post Audits Committee that it would be less expensive and more efficient for the Division of Highways to operate the Courtesy Patrol in-house.

"I think we would save quite a bit of money," he said. "We think that's the best way to go."

The department renewed its $3.4 million contract with the Citizens Conservation Corps of West Virginia for one year in May, McBreyer said, although the state can end any contract on 30 days notice.

He said the department will officially recommend ending the contract this fall, operating the Courtesy Patrol in-house, using Highways employees. He said the arrangement would be more efficient, since Highways employees would be able to perform other duties while on-call to assist stranded motorists.

"Our thought is Courtesy Patrol is not a duty that would keep these people busy. They would do multiple duties," McBreyer said.

Revived in 1998 by then-Gov. Cecil Underwood as a welfare-to-work program, the Courtesy Patrol initially operated 24 hours a day, patrolling interstates and four-lane corridor highways. It currently operates 16 hours a day providing overnight patrols.

Private operation of the Courtesy Patrol has been controversial in recent years, particularly with reports of high salaries paid to executives of the nonprofit.

According to the Citizens Conservation Corps most recent IRS 990 filing, chief executive officer Robert Martin received a salary of $280,313, and chief operating officer Jennifer Douglas had a salary of $121,250.

"We want to give the citizens of the state the best services, and the best bang for the buck," McBreyer said of bringing the Courtesy Patrol in-house.

Also during interim meetings Monday:

n Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox defended plans to build a $100 million access road to the economic development site at the former Hobet surface mine in Boone County, noting, "Gov. Tomblin's vision is, if we're going to bring any economic activity to southern West Virginia, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Mattox told a joint committee on Transportation Accountability that the highway will be a design-build contract, with payments spread out to the winning bidder over 10 years to minimize the impact on the state's already limited road funds.

Sen. Robert Plymale, D-Wayne, questioned how the Hobet project suddenly became a priority over many long-delayed projects, such as the four-lane access road to the Pritchard intermodal facility in Wayne County.

"Now, all of a sudden, it magically appears on your (six-year) plan, and I find it a stretch to believe it's part of the federal highway system," he said of the Hobet access highway.

n Asked about possibilities for turning any state highways into toll roads, Mattox said the only possibility under federal regulations would be Interstate 64 between Charleston and Huntington.

He said lane expansion and a new bridge on I-64 at Nitro is the only current construction that federal transportation officials would allow to be tolled.

"That is a road we could possibly do with tolls as part of a federal plan," Mattox said.

Reach Phil Kabler at philk@wvgazettemail.com, 304 348-1220, or follow @PhilKabler on Twitter.

Despite an increase in prescriptions, the number of tightly controlled drugs being dispensed in West Virginia is on pace to drop to its lowest amount in five years, according to a report presented to state lawmakers Monday.

"The number of prescriptions aren't dropping off like the number of pills are," said Mike Goff, who administers West Virginia's Controlled Substances Monitoring Database. "They're writing more prescriptions, but it's for shorter duration. So it's less pills in the medicine cabinet and into the hands of patients who could potentially do something wrong with it."

In 2011, West Virginia pharmacies dispensed 295 million doses of drugs classified as controlled substances - medications like opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and amphetamines. By the end of this year, that number is expected to decline to 268 million pills, a 9 percent drop over five years.

"It's declining rapidly," Goff said.

Hydrocodone - sold under brand names such as Lortab and Vicodin - saw a 40 percent drop over those years. In October 2014, the federal government reclassified highly addictive hydrocodone products from schedule III narcotics to schedule II, which comes with more restrictions. The change aimed to curb prescription opioid abuse.

West Virginia's decline in hydrocodone prescribing mirrors a national trend. A federal study released in late January found that the Drug Enforcement Administration's decision to reschedule the painkiller led to 1.1 billion fewer hydrocodone pills being dispensed in the U.S.

During the past five years, the number of oxycodone pills has remained unchanged, while the painkiller tramadol increased by 30 percent in West Virginia, from less than $1 million pills in 2011 to a projected 38 million tablets by the end of this year.

The number of prescriptions written in West Virginia is expected to top 5 million by the end of the year. That number is the highest it's been since 2013.

"Instead of a 30-day prescription for 180 or 240 opioid pills, they're writing a 15-day supply and cutting it in half," Goff said.

West Virginia regulators started cracking down on rogue pain clinics two years ago. The state has shut down or denied licenses to a dozen clinics. State lawmakers recently passed legislation that aims to close loopholes that clinic operators were using to skirt state inspections.

The state pharmacy board also now tracks physician prescribing practices and overdose deaths.

A review panel has sent nearly 8,600 letters to doctors and other medical professionals about patients who see multiple doctors for prescription opioids - a practice known as "doctor shopping."

The panel also has reviewed 1,500 drug overdose deaths and sent 125 notices to doctors about their patients dying because of an overdose, Goff said.

The pharmacy board next plans to notify doctors about overdose survivors by including that information in a statewide database, which physicians are expected to review before writing a prescription for painkillers.

"That may be a talking point with the patient at the very least," Goff said.

Goff presented the report to a joint House-Senate health committee Monday during legislative interim meetings.

Reach Eric Eyre at ericeyre@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4869 or follow @ericeyre on Twitter.

The right southbound lane on the W.Va. 34 overpass spanning Interstate 64 at Teays Valley, closed since late April when a westbound truck pulling an oversized load on I-64 struck the bridge, damaging a support beam, is expected to reopen by the end of August, the state Division of Highways announced on Monday.

The lane nearest the site of impact was closed "out of an abundance of caution" until the damaged beam is repaired, according to the DOH. A repair project is scheduled to be put out for bid on June 22 and be completed by Aug. 31.

Meanwhile, the DOH is seeking compensation for the damaged beam from the trucking company that was carrying the oversized load, for which a valid permit had allegedly not been obtained.

Drema Warden, 51, of St. Albans, passed away Saturday, June 11, 2016 at Hubbard Hospice House, Charleston.

She was born April 12, 1965 in South Charleston to Pete and Ella Russell Loveless.

She was a co-owner of BND Services LLC. Drema was a graduate of St. Albans High School, class of 1983.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her loving husband of 29 years, Butch Warden; daughter, Morgan Warden; son and daughter-in-law, Blake and Tori Warden; the love of her life was her granddaughter, Aubrey Warden; sisters, Donna Hensley, Laura Knuckles and Jennifer "Jay" Atkins; and brothers, Mark Loveless and Bruce Loveless. She is also survived by her loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and a host cousins and friends.

Funeral service will be held at noon Tuesday, June 14, at Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, St. Albans, with the Rev. Charles Shelton officiating. Burial will be in Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans.

Friends may call one hour prior to the funeral service at the funeral home.

You may share memories or condolences with the family at www.chapmanfuneralhomes.com.

Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, family-owned and located at 409 Sixth Ave., St. Albans, is honored to serve the Warden family.

Peggy Aileen Pennington, born June 13, 1932, passed away June 10, 2016 at Hubbard Hospice House.

Peggy was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Thomas (Dudley) Pennington, and son, Thomas Lee Pennington. Peggy resided with her beloved nephew, Scott Warner, in Advent, W.Va.

During her 83 years, Peggy enjoyed spending time with her family, painting, baking and nurturing her rose garden. Peggy often spent her days sitting in her porch swing reading and appreciating the beauty of her flowers. Peggy was a direct descendant of Devil Anse Hatfield's wife. Carrying the tradition with her, Peggy often loved educating others about her historic family history.

All who knew Peggy enjoyed her bright smile and warm heart. She spent her life dedicated to spreading her contagious smile and laughter.

Peggy leaves behind her daughters, Patti Shaffer and husband, Gary Shaffer, and Robin Booher and husband, Greg Booher; sister, Jean Warner of South Charleston; brother, Robert Richmond of Akron, Ohio; grandchildren, Nicki Nolte, Travis Shaffer and Jessica Booher; and great-grandchildren, Bryson and Gracelynn Shaffer, Ainsley, Keller and Everleigh Nolte.

Peggy's family would like to give special thanks to Hubbard Hospice House for their kind services.

Burial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, at Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans.

Memories and condolences may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary icon.

Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.

Arnetta H. Painter, 83, of Scott Depot, died June 10, 2016. Service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at Long & Fisher Funeral Home, Sissonville. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the funeral home.

Norma Jean Griffith, 81, of McCorkle, went home to the Lord on Saturday, June 11, 2016. Service will be 2 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at McCorkle Freewill Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

Marilyn Joyce Farris died peacefully at her home in Charleston on June 11 at the age of 79.

Joyce was born Oct. 19, 1936 in Charleston. She graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1954. She worked for the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles until her retirement in 2002. She was an avid reader and animal lover. She was always seen with either a book in her hand or a dog on her lap.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Arvyl and Minnie Ellis.

Joyce is survived by her husband, Louis of Charleston; daughter and son-in-law, Hilary and Paul Smith of Red House; grandsons, Hayden and Wyatt Smith; and brothers, Clark Ellis of Lumberport and Thomas Ellis of Orlando, Fla.

At Joyce's request, her body will be cremated.

A celebration of Joyce's life will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at Keller Funeral Home. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to your local animal shelter or library.

Arrangements are in the care of Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar.

Joseph "Joe Eddie"  Cowley, 80, of Elkview, courageously passed away June 3, 2016, at Lower Cape Fear Hospice Care Center in Wilmington, N.C., after a long illness.

He was born on July 24, 1935, to Fenton and Verna Cowley. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jerry Lee Cowley; and sister, Lou Ann Cowley. Joe Eddie graduated from Charleston High School in 1952 and attended Hargrave Military Academy, Salem College and graduated from Morris Harvey College.

Joe Eddie had a passion for sports, especially football, golf and hunting with his dogs. He played college football and went on to pursue his career serving as a football coach at Nitro High School and head football coach at Herbert Hoover High School. While coaching at Herbert Hoover, Coach Cowley was named Kanawha Valley's 3rd All Time Winningest Football Coach, where he began coaching in 1969, retiring in 1999. In 2010, the Herbert Hoover Huskies playing field was proclaimed the "Joe Eddie Cowley Field" and Coach Cowley was inducted into the Herbert Hoover Football Hall Of Fame. He spoke often of his players, students and outstanding coaching staffs. Joe Eddie also enjoyed spending time with his many friends. He was a member of The Clendenin Masonic Lodge #126.

Joe Eddie is survived by his wife, Phyllis Cowley; daughter, Susan (Matthew) Wingender; brother, Fedo (Jacque) Cowley; sister-in-law, Natalie Cowley; stepchildren, Sharon Lester Matthews, Jeff (Toni) Lester and Kelley Lester; grandchildren, Leah (Todd) Yates, Rachel (Brian) Goldstein, Sarah (Adam) Emanuels, Erica (Scott) Reynolds and Jake Lester; three great-grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

To fulfill Joe Eddie's wishes a funeral service will not be held. A celebration of life service will be held 2 p.m. Sat. June 25, in the Herbert Hoover High School Auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to Herbert Hoover High School, 5856 Elk River Rd. North, Clendenin, WV 25045 or The National Parkinson's Foundation.

Nancy Collins, 64, of Wallback, entered into rest Friday, June 10, 2016. Wilson-Shamblin-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Wayne A. Clay, 58, of Chapmanville, died June 8, 2016. Service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at Freeman Funeral Home, Chapmanville. Visitation will be 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, June 13, at the funeral home.

Daniel Lee Blossfield, 69, of Hernshaw, passed away Wednesday June 8, 2016 at home. A memorial graveside service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at Massey Cemetery, Winifrede. Cooke Funeral Home, Cedar Grove, is assisting the Blossfield family.

Bannister, Donald — 11 a.m., Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar.

Barker, Ronald III — 5 p.m., Gatens

Cunningham, Webster — 11 a.m., Casto Funeral Home, Evans.

Dunn, Paul — 1 p.m., Highlawn Baptist Church, St. Albans.

Gibson, Thelma — 1 p.m., Ben Creek Free Pentecostal Holiness Church, Ben Creek.

Greenlee, Stephen — 2 p.m., Deal Funeral Home, Point Pleasant.

Mollohan, Corrine — 7 p.m., Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek.

Noel, Adrian — 5 p.m., Neighbert Memorial Methodist Church, Logan.

Porta, Rose — 2 p.m., Pennington Funeral Home, Gauley Bridge.

Rabel, Annie — 1 p.m., Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek.

Reynolds, Charles O. — 6 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, Point Pleasant.

Tackett, Thurman — 2 p.m., Evans Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Chapmanville.

Taylor, Leeann — 11 a.m., Chapman Funeral Home, Hurricane.

Teen cuisine

WVU Extension Office and Kanawha County Public Library will sponsor a Teen Cuisine multi-week class designed to teach teens how to prepare their own healthy meals and snacks. The class will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Main Library, 123 Capitol St. The class is also offered at noon Thursday at the Sissonville Branch Library.

Run for Your Life!

The CAMC Foundation will sponsor its annual Run for Your Life! 5-mile run and 2.5 walk at 8 a.m. Saturday, beginning and ending at Haddad Riverfront Park. Proceeds will support colorectal cancer screening and awareness in the community. Pre-registered participants can pick up their packets from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday in the parking lot of the CAMC Cancer Center, 3414 McCorkle Ave., S.E. Registration is available on race day between 7 and 8 a.m. at Haddad Riverfront Park.

Reunion group

The Magazine/Garrison Avenue Area Reunion Group will meet for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Shoney's, Kanawha Boulevard. For information, contact Norma Levy at 304-342-1095.

Museum open

The historic Morgan's Kitchen Museum in St Albans is open from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at its location on MacCorkle Avenue, across from Parkway Flea Market.

Naloxone training

Kanawha-Charleston Health Department and Putnam County Health Department will hold free naloxone training at 7 p.m. June 21 at the Hurricane Church of Christ, 600 Midland Trail in Hurricane. Officials from Putnam County EMS will provide the training, which is highly recommended for those involved in the narcotic drug problem who might be the first to witness an opiate-related overdose. Education will be provided on administering the medication and how the person receiving the medication may react. Free EVZIO naloxone auto-injectors will be given to those completing the training. Call 304-348-6493 for more information.

Items for Bulletin Board may be submitted by mail to the Charleston Gazette-Mail, 1001 Virginia St. E., Charleston, WV 25301; faxed to 304-348-1233; or emailed to gazette@wvgazettemail.com. Notices will be run one time free. Please include a contact person's name and a daytime phone number.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Thousands of retired coal miners rallied Tuesday in Kentucky to call on Congress to protect their benefits as the industry struggles and operators seek bankruptcy protection from debts.

United Mine Workers president Cecil Roberts told the gathering in Lexington of about 4,000 members from seven states that miners spent their lives working in dangerous places to provide the nation's electricity and steel. The miners, some of whom arrived in wheelchairs, don't deserve having their benefits put in jeopardy, Roberts said.

"What do they want these people to do, get out of their wheelchairs and go back to the mines?" Roberts remarked after the rally.

Roberts, who is popular among the union membership for his fiery oratorical style, told the crowd, "America owes us, and we will collect on that debt."

He added, "You want to know what the problem is? Millionaires and billionaires cannot stand the thought that a coal miner has health care as good as they have."

The union said about 22,000 retired union miners would lose health care benefits if federal legislation they are touting isn't enacted this year. Those miners' benefits are at risk because they worked for companies, including Patriot Coal and Arch Coal, that declared bankruptcy in recent years.

The bankruptcies and a depressed U.S. coal market have decreased contributions to the pension fund by two-thirds from last year's levels, according to the union. The union is also reeling, especially in Kentucky, which no longer has any mines that employ members of the United Mine Workers.

Currently about 89,000 union members or widows are receiving a pension, according to the union.

One of them, 63-year-old George Massey, worked in underground mines in Harlan County, Kentucky, for 24 years before retiring due to leg injuries. He called the benefits problem a "crisis."

"Coal miners have always fought, this here is nothing new for us. We've always had to fight for everything we got," Massey said.

Retired members from Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia and Ohio arrived by bus or drove into central Kentucky for the two-hour rally at the Lexington Convention Center.

The Senate legislation, SB 1714, would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to increase the amount that can be taken from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund to cover health benefits. The bill is sponsored by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and is supported by several Democrats.

A statement from Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell's office on Tuesday said the Senate majority leader "remains committed to helping ensure the retirement security of our nation's retirees, including coal miners." The statement says McConnell believes the issue "deserves open, transparent debate through the regular order committee process."

Roberts asked the crowd of thousands to each bring five friends to a rally for the union in Washington later this year.

Trails linking the Tucker County town of Thomas to a network of trails on adjacent Monongahela National Forest land overlooking Blackwater Canyon and extending southward to the Olson Fire Tower will be restored and improved, thanks to a small army of volunteers and a $15,000 grant to Friends of Blackwater from the Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources.

"We call it the Friends of Blackwater's Trail Extravaganza," said Judy Rodd, director of the conservation group receiving the grant. "We will be working in partnership with the Monongahela National Forest to do trail work they no longer have the funding or staff to do on their own."

The grant was announced by Rodd and Dominion Resources' state policy director, Bob Orndorff, at Charleston's Yeager Airport on Tuesday.

Work scheduled to take place this year through the Dominion Foundation grant, plus a grant made last month to Friends of Blackwater by the American Hiking Society, will focus on the Limerock and Canyon Rim trails, which total about 10.5 miles, parallel a section of Blackwater Canyon, and connect to the Olson Fire Tower by traversing a section of Forest Road 80, also targeted for repairs. About 15 miles of trail will be involved in this summer's work, thanks to the Dominion Foundation grant.

"There are 433 miles of trails on the Monongahela and only two people to take care of them," said Brandae Mullens of the Friends of Blackwater. "With the grant, we will be able to buy repair materials and manage volunteers."

The Franklin-based Mountain Institute's Summer Stewards program for high school students is focusing on the Limerock and Canyon Rim trails this summer, and has already begun clearing work on Limerock, Mullens said. Other work to be done under the grant includes repairing or replacing footbridges, repairing washed-out or hazardous trail tread and improving drainage. New trail signs that include both directional and historical information, may also become a part of the project.

Limerock and Canyon Rim trails can be reached by hiking or biking the Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail from the town of Thomas.

In addition to the trail work, "we hope to eventually restore the Olson Fire Tower," Rodd said. The 100-foot tower, topped with an observer's "cab," was built in 1963 atop a 3,736-foot-high knob on Backbone Mountain. It replaced the state's first fire tower, built in 1922 at the same site. The Monongahela National Forest allows visitors to climb the 133 steel steps to the platform supporting the observer's cab to take in a panoramic view.

The Friends of Blackwater grant is one of 64 grants totaling $1 million awarded to 64 organizations in 10 states by the Dominion Foundation this year, Orndorff said, covering projects ranging from "building a handicap-accessible kayak ramp in Elkins to adding some additional trails to the Blackwater Canyon area."

This year's Dominion Foundation grants also included money to help the Preston County Parks and Recreation Commission develop an arboretum and interpretive trails, to recognize outstanding volunteers in the West Virginia Watershed Network, and to help the Rails to Trails Conservancy complete rail trails in West Virginia and four neighboring states. Since 2003, the foundation has donated $26.7 million to a wide variety of environmental projects.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy. Its West Virginia holdings and projects include the Mount Storm Power Station in Grant County, Dominion Hope natural gas and development of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169, or follow @rsteelhammer on Twitter.

The first-ever report on maple syrup production in West Virginia shows the state produced more than 6,000 gallons in February and March.

Data released Monday is the first ever collected for West Virginia, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The agency eventually will collect data on the average price per gallon for West Virginia maple syrup and the value of production in the state.

"Survey estimates can really help see what the producers are doing in the state," said state statistician Charmaine Wilson. "We're excited to have worked with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture on this and are looking forward to how future results will show the growth of the maple syrup industry in West Virginia."