Students at the CTC at Tech will have the opportunity to participate in various activities that incorporate the spirit of Earth Day. An Earth Day “kick-off” presentation will be held in the lobby of Davis Hall at 9:15 a.m. on April 22. All day Wednesday, and possibly Thursday, students, faculty, staff, and the administration will be participating in various activities that give back to the college and the community. Areas will be cleaned and flowers will be planted. Adopt-A-Spot areas along Rt. 61 will also be attended to by some student organizations. For more information on Earth Day activities at the CTC at Tech, please contact Melissa Thompson, at 304-442-3300, melissa.thompson@mail.wvu.edu.

Additionally, the Mine Safety Technology Consortium (MSTC) at the CTC at Tech will be sponsoring an Earth Day Celebration presentation by Scott Eggerud, Program Development Forester with the WV Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Eggerud will be presenting an overview of the WVDEP Division of Mining and Reclamation’s regulatory role that will focus on post mine land uses, reforestation, the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) and the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI).  The presentation will be held in the main auditorium of Davis Hall at the Community and Technical College at WVU Tech on Wednesday April 22, 2009 @ 1:00 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public. Please contact: Dennis Jarvis, II, at 304.981.6220 for additional information on this presentation.

The Community and Technical College at WVU Tech is committed to becoming a sustainable institution of higher education. The College is not only committed to being sustainable in its interaction with the environment, but also by offering programs that will be sustainable and have a lasting impact. The CTC at Tech will begin offering a skill set in Sustainable Technology in the Fall of 2009, with more degree options forthcoming. For more information on any of the programs offered at the Community and Technical College at WVU Tech, please call 304-442-3000.

Contact:
Melissa Thompson, P.E., Assistant Professor
Phone: 304-442-3300, email: melissa.thompson@mail.wvu.edu
The Community and Technical College at WVU Tech
Montgomery, WV

In Room E 10 of the Emra Byrd Higher Education Center on Airport Rd Beckley, WV

Monday, February 23rd, Immigrants to the Coalfields by Dr. Fred Barkey

Monday, April 6th, Environmental Concerns of Coal Mining by Dr. Dave Matchen

Monday, April 20th, Music and Cultural Arts of the Coalfields

Monday, May 4th, Oral History Presentations

Presented by Concord University and The Coal Heritage Highway Authority

For more information contact the Beckley Center of Concord University at 304-256-0270

 8:30 am – 5:00pm at Tamarack in Beckley, WV

Free and open to the public.  Anyone interested in Coalfield Baseball history is welcome to attend this one-day celebration that will feature:

* Old-time coalfield ball players reminiscing about West Virginia baseball

* Historians leading panel discussion about the coalfields

* Authors of books about West Virginia baseball

* Exhibits and presentations

* Coalfield Baseball Registry–an opportunity to place the name of your family member who played baseball in a free, commemorative listing.

For more information call the Coal Heritage Highway Authority: 304-256-6941

March 5, April 2, May 7, September 3, October 1, 2009

5:30pm to 6:30 pm
405 Capitol St
Charleston, WV 
4th floor conference room
304-347-5220 or 304-347-5463
Registration; www.wvscore.org

The first class will be held at the Upper Kanawha Valley Technology Community Building 326 Third Avenue in Montgomery.  The mine safety classes will be taught by Randy Massey; Program Coordinator/Trainer for MSTC he has eleven years experience in the mining industry working in several different capacities at Cannelton Industries and is MSHA Certified as a Surface and Underground instructor. Mr. Massey is a 1985 graduate of the West Virginia Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Management. 

The 40-hour class will begin on Monday February 9. The class will meet from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for one week. The 80-hour class will begin on Monday February 16 running through March 12. Tuition for the 40-hour class is $200.00; tuition for the 80-hour class is $300.00 Contact Melanie Whittington @ 304.981.6220 or email melanie.whittington@mail.wvu.edu

The Mine Safety Technology Consortium is a public private partnership involving business owners, industry, government leaders, and educational professionals. MSTC is a principal component of a parent project currently under way at Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical, and Applied Sciences and is supported by a $2 million grant for the federal Economic Development Administration and the assistance of Congressman Nick J Rahall, II. MSTC was created to support three main objectives: address mine safety and health, economic development and job creation in West Virginia. The MSTC steering committee is chaired jointly by Dr. Beverly Jo Harris, president, the CTC @ WVU Tech, and Dr. Tony Szwilski, director of CEGAS.  Other members of the consortium include: Department of Mining Engineers at West Virginia University; Arch Coal; West Virginia Coal.

The focus of the series is to offer low-cost high-quality training and skill development to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small businesses.  The classes will be offered in conjunction with the Community and Technical College at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology and upon successful completion of 15 hours of course work, participants are eligible to apply for credit hours towards an Entrepreneurship Certificate at the Community and Technical College.

“The focus of our program is to create and foster the entrepreneurial spirit in the region of the Upper Kanawha Valley.”  Commented Dennis Jarvis, II Director of MSTC.  “Our hope is to provide existing and new businesses start-up assistance in achieving optimal success in their future endeavors.”

MSTC and the WBTC began offering the training program last fall and provided assistance for over forty-five (45) participants in Montgomery, WV. 

Training will begin Tuesday February 17, 2009 at the Upper Kanawha Valley Community Technology Building located at 326 Third Avenue in Montgomery, West Virginia.  The first in a series of classes being offered: The ABC’s of Starting a Business beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 7:30 p.m. 

Upper Kanawha Valley SCORE, the Upper Valley Kanawha Chamber of Commerce, the Upper Kanawha Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Mine Safety Technology Consortium  have teamed up to offer the local and regional business community a free business review and planning session. The volunteer experts at SCORE have experience in a wide range of business areas, including: strategic planning; cash flow management; financial assessments; sales forecasting; sales pipeline planning; and business mentoring.  

SCORE CEO Ken Yancey says, “Small businesses feel the credit crunch first. We have seen difficulty accessing capital and collecting payments from customers.” Yancey adds, “Don’t wait. Now is the time to meet with a SCORE mentor to make plans to tighten credit policies, cut expenses and look at holding cash in your accounts. Experienced SCORE mentors are here to help you plan actions to survive the recession and grow when the economy turns around.”

Small Business Survival Tips

1. Don’t panic. Be calm and realistic as you review your business. Focus on the fundamentals and what you can control about your business. Look for new ways of doing business. Your competitors may be struggling too. Take steps to make sure your business survives.
2. Consult your mentors. Get feedback from informal advisors you trust. Ask SCORE for advice and meet to review the health of your business. Plan for a profitable year in 2009, even with potentially little or no growth.
3. Look for local funding. Contact your city, county or state governments when you seek capital. Sometimes there are programs with grants or loans in specific industries. Many economic development offices have programs for qualified small firms. Community banks also may be a source for a line of credit. A solid business plan can help you make your case.
4. Find ways to cut costs. Monitor cash flow weekly. Cut overhead and hold the line on price increases. Make sure you have good collection policies and diligently seek timely payment. Keep good records of your inventory and be careful not to overstock your shelves. 
5. Continue your marketing. This is the time you need marketing the most. It reassures your customers that you are still there to serve them, and it can help you reach new markets to sustain your business. Visit your existing clients to find out how their needs may have changed. Adjust your product and service mix to meet changing demand.

The Miner EMT Training schedule will be as follows: 

Monday January 26^th 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Wednesday January 28^th 8:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.

Friday January 30^th 8:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.

Wednesday February 4^th 8:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.

Monday February 9th 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Wednesday February 11^th 8:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. 

Friday February 13^th 8:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. 

Registration for the EMT Class is $230.00 with checks being made to RESA-1. For class registration and additional information please contact Melanie Whittington @ 304.981.6220 or email melanie.whittington@mail.wvu.edu