Charleston Gazette

Mayor Conflicted On Residency Ruling: ; Making Firefighters, Police Live in Town Limits Pool, Jones Says

Although the state Supreme Court on Tuesday said Huntington could require city police and firefighters to live in the city, Charleston Mayor Danny Jones says such a law might not work well here. "If we enacted a [residency] rule, I don't think we could go retroactively," Jones said Tuesday. The rule could apply only to newly hired police and firefighters, not those already working for the city, he said.

Willie Nelson Concert

State Psychiatric Hospital Accreditation in Jeopardy: ; Surprise Inspection Finds Deficiencies Needing Correction

A national regulatory group has given the state-run Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital 45 days to correct a host of deficiencies in the wake of a surprise inspection at the psychiatric facility. The Joint Commission, an independent organization that accredits most of the nation's hospitals, sent a team of investigators to Bateman last month in response to a complaint.

Nitro Levy Might Not Have Passes: ; Incorrectly Recorded Votes Discovered

The future of Nitro's excess levy is in doubt after election officials discovered some incorrectly recorded votes from Saturday's levy election. "It needed 60 percent to pass," Mayor Rusty Casto said Tuesday. "Right now, it's looking like it failed by about six votes."

Three Blenko Leaders Leave: ; Different Family Members Take Reins of Glass Firm

Three top officials at Milton-based Blenko Glass, including the founder's great-grandson, have left the company. President Richard Blenko, Chief Executive Officer Gene Weekley and Brent Aikman, sales and marketing director of the company's antique and architectural division, are no longer with the company, according to a company news release Tuesday.

In Focus L Outside the Box

In Local L 'Walking Encyclopedia'

Mccain's Brother to Speak in State

Water Advisory

The Read: ; Mccain's Odds Worse in Second Term

WASHINGTON - If John McCain is elected and goes on to win a second term, there's as much as a one-in-four chance America could see its first female president - Sarah Palin. It's actuarial math.

State Briefs

Yeager opens rental vehicle parking garage 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.

Web Posters Blast Kanawha Schools' Drug-Testing Proposal

Only one of about 50 people who spoke up supports a more stringent employee drug testing policy in Kanawha County schools, according to comments on the county's Web site. The proposed policy, which would randomly test teachers, coaches, principals, school aides, counselors and top county administrators, is posted online on the Board of Education's Web site. Board members will vote on the policy on Oct. 15.

W.Va. Court Race Remains State's Most Expensive

The race for two seats on West Virginia's Supreme Court may end up as the most expensive state-level election contests this year. The candidates, two Democrats and one Republican, spent more than a half-million dollars together in the four months since the May primary. The $253,397 spent per seat is slightly more than the $222,000 spent in the same time period in the contest for governor.

Scary Creek Residents Concerned About Junk

WINFIELD - Junk in a neighbor's yard is deprecating the value of property for Scary Creek residents, one would-be resident complained to Putnam County Commissioners Tuesday. Pamela Smith, a resident of Kanawha County, said she is interested in moving to the Scary Creek area, but a neighbor has made his property into a junkyard and has started to accumulate run down vehicles on new property he inherited.

Sanfran Health Care Plan Upheld

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's landmark universal health care program can continue to operate, after an appeals court ruled Tuesday that it does not violate federal law. The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court decision that the program, dubbed Healthy San Francisco, had placed an undue financial burden on struggling businesses.

Obituaries: ; Obit

Geoffrey L. Aikens Geoffrey L. Aikens, 54, of Prosperity died Sept. 30, 2008. Private memorial service will be 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Little Valley Baptist Church, South Sand Branch. There will be no visitation. Rose & Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley, is in charge of arrangements.

2009 Troop Deployment Announced

WASHINGTON - Six Army brigades, a National Guard unit and three military headquarters have been ordered to Iraq next summer in a move that would allow the U.S. to keep the number of troops largely steady there through much of next year. The planned deployments involve about 26,000 troops and would maintain 14 combat brigades in Iraq from about February to early fall. But the decisions do not rule out potential changes as military leaders assess the security there and eye more troop withdrawals.

Miner Checking Oil When Injured, Probe Finds

Government investigators say a critically injured coal mine mechanic was checking the oil level on a piece of equipment when a protective shield was lowered onto his head accidentally. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration says 29-year- old Adam Perdue suffered massive facial fractures, lesions and bleeding in a preliminary report issued Tuesday. West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training spokeswoman Jama Jarrett says Perdue remains in critical condition.

Gasoline Lines Begin to Ease in Largest City Hit by Shortage

ATLANTA - Lines eased somewhat Tuesday in Atlanta, the largest city hit by a hurricane-induced gas shortage in the southeast, as Georgia's governor waited for a White House answer to his request to release more crude oil. Gov. Sonny Perdue sent a letter to President Bush on Monday requesting that a "signficant amount" of crude oil be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help ease the shortage.

Washington Robber Rolling in Dough On the River

MONROE, Wash. - A man sprayed an armored car driver with pepper spray, grabbed a bag of money and escaped via inner tube down a river in Washington state. Police spokeswoman Debbie Willis says the driver was robbed late Tuesday morning while leaving a Bank of America branch in Monroe.