Charleston Gazette

Blast Ruled Accident: ; Ignition Cause May Never Be Known, State Official Says

Investigators have determined that a deadly propane explosion at a Raleigh County convenience store was an accident, but the ignition source may never be known, a state official said. The investigation of Tuesday's explosion at the Flat Top Little General Store in Ghent ended Thursday, said state Homeland Security Director Jimmy Gianato.

Tragedies Strain Fire Marshal Staff

Understaffed and underpaid, state fire marshals say they are struggling to keep pace with 29 fire-related deaths that have occurred in West Virginia since Dec. 9. From propane explosions to apartment fires, the State Fire Marshal's Office is tasked with finding the causes of deadly fires, in addition to myriad other fire safety and inspection tasks.

Speakers Back Table Gambling at Hearing: ; Outnumbering Critics, Supporters Cite Economic and Tourism Potential

philk@wvgazette.com Unlike past public hearings on legislation to legalize racetrack games, which were split evenly, Thursday's hearing on the latest version of the bill was a one-sided affair.

Ems, Fire Death Benefits Proposed: ; 'Ghent Bill' Would Provide Families of Fallen $50,000

tomsearls@wvgazette.com Raleigh County delegates are pushing for a state-paid death benefit for the families of firefighters and emergency medical service personnel killed in the line of duty, and one delegate hopes it can help firefighters killed in a propane explosion in Ghent Tuesday.

Nation's Saving Rate Lowest Since Depression: ; Baby Boomers Could Be Facing Tough Retirement

WASHINGTON - People are saving at the lowest level since the Great Depression, and that could be a problem for the millions of baby boomers getting ready to retire. In fact, the Commerce Department reported Thursday that the nation's personal savings rate for all of 2006 was a negative 1 percent, the worst showing in 73 years.

Senate Oks Minimum Wage Raise: ; Small-Business Tax Cuts Attached

WASHINGTON - The Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to boost the federal minimum wage by $2.10 to $7.25 an hour over two years, but packaged the increase with controversial tax cuts for small businesses and higher taxes for many $1 million-plus executives. The increase in the minimum, the first in a decade, was approved by a 94-3 vote, capping a nine-day debate over how to balance the wage hike with the needs of businesses that employ low-wage workers.

National Briefs

Smaller surge possible, Iraq commander says WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in Iraq told a Senate panel Thursday that improving security in Baghdad would take fewer than half as many extra troops as President Bush has chosen to commit.

Campaign Funding Effort Takes Shape

Legislation that would allow candidates to use public money to run for office has been coming up since 2002. But advocates say this year might be the last chance for West Virginia to join the three states that have enacted similar laws in a bid to end the "money arms race" of electoral politics. The proposal has been gaining momentum, according to Kanawha County Sen. Vic Sprouse, one of the Senate bill's Republican sponsors. If it doesn't happen this year, he said, he can't imagine it happeni...

Lawmakers Free Up Library Funding: ; the Capitol Report; 2007 Legislature

Schedule Senate 9 a.m.: Economic Development Committee 10 a.m.: Military, Transportation committees 11 a.m.: Floor session House 9 a.m.: Finance and Education committees 9:30 a.m.: Judiciary Committee 11 a.m.: Floor session 1 p.m.: Finance Committee

Kanawha Gets Financial-Literacy Grant

The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and Triana Energy Holdings LLC have given Kanawha County schools a $14,000 grant to train teachers in financial literacy. The foundation and Triana let students in the University of Charleston's Students in Free Enterprise program, a campus group formed to promote business education, select the grant's recipient.

Red Cross From Madrid, London, Nyc Share Ideas

NEW YORK - Red Cross experts from three cities that faced terrorist attacks in recent years - New York, Madrid and London - met Thursday to develop common strategies for future responses. "The common threat that brought us together is terrorism. That was our springboard," said Jonathan Edmondson, operations manager of the British Red Cross.

Acting Chief Chosen for New River Gorge

GLEN JEAN - Debbie Darden has been named acting superintendent of New River Gorge National River for four months beginning Sunday. She will serve until the National Park Service selects a permanent replacement for Cal Hite, who is retiring at the end of January.

Cheat Canyon Lawsuit to Be Settled: ; Logger Cedes to Environmentalists, Says It Will Protect Endangered Bats, Snails

A company planning to cut timber in sensitive parts of the scenic Cheat River Canyon has agreed to protect habitat for two federally endangered species and settle a 2005 lawsuit filed by three West Virginia environmental groups. Documents filed in the state's Northern District of U.S. District Court indicate that Allegheny Wood Products and the environmentalists want to settle the lawsuit, which argued that logging poses a hazard to the Indiana bat and the Cheat three- toothed snail, a specie...

Obituaries: ; Obit

Sandra G. Abshire Sandra G. Abshire, 54, of Ashford went to be with the Lord Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007.

Pedestrian Hit by Car in Cross Lanes

A girl was seriously injured Thursday night when she was struck by a vehicle in Cross Lanes, dispatchers said. The girl, who speaks Mandarin Chinese, was apparently walking and talking on a cell phone about 10 p.m. when she was struck, a Kanawha County Sheriff's Department dispatcher said. She was transported to CAMC General Hospital.

Maytag Recalls Dishwashers

NEWTON, Iowa - Maytag is voluntarily recalling 2.3 million Maytag and Jenn-Air brand dishwashers because of faulty wiring, the company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement released Thursday. The recalled appliances are blamed for causing 135 fires and four injuries.

Sc Council Officials Trade Allegations

South Charleston City Council's discussion of whether to permit city employees to work on private property prompted officials to trade allegations of lying and political grandstanding during Thursday night's meeting. Councilman Paul Neal accused several council members and the mayor of having selective memories about a project the public works department was purportedly working on at a privately owned pool.

Spoleto Founder, Composer Menotti Dies

ROME - Gian Carlo Menotti, who composed a pair of Pulitzer Prize- winning operas and founded the Spoleto arts festivals in Italy and the United States, died Thursday at a hospital in Monaco. He was 95. "He died pretty peacefully and without any pain. He died in my arms," said his adopted son, Francis Menotti, by telephone from Monte Carlo.

School Numbers

Here is a list of contacts for problems or questions concerning student transportation in Kanawha County schools. Nancy Bowen-Kerr, Charleston and Elkview terminal supervisor, 965- 3801.

Lottery: ; Lotteries

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 West Virginia: