October 1, 2008
State briefs: Man sentenced in death of 4-year-old girl
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Yeager opens rental vehicle parking garage

CHARLESTON -- Yeager Airport's new two-story, $5 million rental car parking garage officially opened for business on Tuesday, following a dedication ceremony at the Charleston airport.

The new concrete structure, built by BBL Carlton of Charleston, is adjacent to the airport's baggage claim area and has space for 240 rental cars. It replaces a rental car pickup and drop-off system that made use of several clusters of numbered outdoor parking spaces in lots along the perimeter of the terminal.

The new building gives rental car customers easy, weather-sheltered access to vehicles supplied by the airport's concessionaires: Avis, Hertz, National and Enterprise.

Funding for the new building comes from a $3-per-day user fee on each rental car picked up from the airport's concessionaires.

Man sentenced in death of 4-year-old girl

WHEELING - An Ohio County man who admitted killing his girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter has been sentenced to 43 to 55 years in prison.

Jedediah Velas, 21, of Dallas Pike pleaded guilty earlier this month to three counts: murder of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian; child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury; and child abuse creating risk of injury.

Ohio Circuit Judge James Mazzone sentenced Velas on Monday. Mazzone said the terms were the maximum he could impose under state law.

Prosecutors said the child suffered fatal head injuries when her head was banged against a kitchen floor in May 2007.

Patriot Coal idles mine in Boone County

CHARLESTON -- Patriot Coal is idling a Boone County mine because of high costs. St. Louis-based Patriot said Monday the closure of a companion surface mine slashed productivity and forced up costs at the remaining underground mine in its Jupiter Complex in Boone County. Patriot's also blaming a shortage of skilled miners, increased federal safety inspections and difficult geology. The underground mine produced steam coal for sale to electric utilities.

Patriot says it plans to offer Jupiter miners jobs at mines it owns nearby. CEO Rick Whiting says that should help ease recent labor shortages.

Patriot operates mines in West Virginia and Kentucky. It was spun off by St. Louis-based Peabody Energy last November.

Group appeals, seeks stay in election ad challenge

A federal judge has been asked to suspend his ruling that would allow West Virginia to enforce a new political advertising disclosure law.

The Virginia-based Center for Individual Freedom is seeking that stay as it appeals Monday's decision by U.S. District Judge David Faber.

Faber had earlier ruled in the center's favor, in its challenge of state regulations on independent political ads.

That April order blocked the state from requiring spending reports for third-party nonbroadcast ads that run around election time.

But Faber withdrew that earlier ruling on Monday. He found it could not apply to recent legislation that creates a new set of reporting requirements.

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