Alpha Natural Resources opens ‘Running Right Leadership Academy’

JULIAN – Alpha Natural Resources officially opened a new mine safety facility in Julian on Thursday that is the first of its kind to offer extensive mining curriculum, along with hands-on training with the most modern and latest state-of-the-art technologies. The “Running Right Leadership Academy” is a comprehensive education and training facility for mine safety and operations. “The success of our company and industry starts with safety,” said Kevin Crutchfield, chairman and CEO of Alpha Natural Resources. “The Running Right Leadership Academy is the culmination of years of planning and hard work, and we are proud to have brought this concept to reality. The scale and scope of the facility is the first of its kind in the industry, demonstrating our leadership and commitment to the well-being of our employees.”

Hospital Constructing and Expanding ICU

TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. (WSAZ) — A major expansion is underway at a hospital that was at one time just a tiny medical center. CAMC Teays Valley Hospital is spending $3.7 million to add a brand new, state-of-the-art intensive care unit. Hospital President and CEO Randy Hodges tells WSAZ.com there will be eight private rooms for patients, up to 10 new beds and even expanded office space.

NGK plans expansion at Kanawha County factory

NGK Sparkplugs in Sissonville is set to expand for a fifth time. The Japanese company will soon begin construction on an 11,000-square foot facility that will house the manufacturing of high-tech oxygen sensors. “As our vehicles move toward higher fuel efficiency as mandated by the government, this kind of technology becomes very important,” said Bob Pepper, senior vice president of manufacturing and operations at NGK.

Teays Valley Construction Company to Build Edgewood Elementary

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) –A Teays Valley construction company will build Edgewood Elementary. Thursday the Kanawha County Board of Education awarded the construction contract bid to G&G Builders. The bid is just over six point eight million dollars. The new elementary school is being called “the school for the future”. The entire project will cost 21 million dollars. Construction will take about a year and a half. The project is expected to be finished winter of 2014.

Construction continues on new Winfield Middle School

WINFIELD, W.Va. — Students at Winfield Middle School won’t have to endure another winter in portable classrooms. Of course, that depends on construction of the new school building staying on schedule. “Any time you’re building on the same site and trying to have school at the same time, there’s got to be a lot of flexibility,” Putnam County Schools Superintendent Chuck Hatfield said. The new school building is going up in front of the existing building, which will eventually be demolished, so construction has to be carefully orchestrated in phases.