In Around West Virginia: coal exports decline and other exports increase, lawmakers reflect on the 2016 legislative session, a Wood County man is found guilty to making a terroristic threat, and more.
n While West Virginia isn't exporting nearly as much coal as we used to, other industries are growing, according to The Register-Herald. Coal exports dropped from $7.4 billion in 2012 to $1.7 billion in 2015. But the newspaper reports that companies have begun producing more aluminum, aerospace components and chemicals to help fill in the gap. West Virginia exports in 2015 totaled $5.7 billion.
n As was to be expected, Republicans and Democrats have vastly different opinions on the 2016 legislative session. Republican leaders told the State Journal they were proud of their work during the session, while Democrats said it was a failure.
House Minority Leader Tim Miley, D-Harrison, said the session was the worst he could remember in his 12-year legislative career.
"We spent hours debating an Article V Constitutional convention request for a federal amendment to balance its budget," he said. "We spent more time on that than balancing our own budget."
n A Wood County jury found a man who had threatened to seize control of the state capitol guilty of making a terroristic threat, MetroNews reports. Thomas David Deegan, 39, of Mineral Wells, represented himself. He faces one to three years in prison and a $5,000 to $25,000 fine.
n In an email to legislative staff, the director of WVU's Bureau of Business and Economic Research, who conducted a right-to-work study for the Legislature, stated that he doesn't believe a drop in union membership is a bad thing. The Dominion Post reported on the contents of several emails between John Deskins, director of the BBER, and Richie Heath, chief counsel for Senate President Bill Cole.
Deskins said, "When this is released, it will be funny how it will be spun: Some will say a drop in union membership is bad, but I say that this shows that about a quarter of those who belong to unions don't really want to belong, and when they have the freedom to leave, they do so!"
The emails were released as a result of a lawsuit against WVU by the Teamsters Union.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.