At the end of last week, the state Supreme Court of Appeals ruled, in a 3-1 decision, that a Republican should be appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated recently by Republican Senator Daniel Hall. The Court stated that a legislator, who switched parties after being elected, should be replaced by someone from the same party as the resigned legislator when he quit the Senate. This is in accordance to the letter of the law on the subject. The Court's remark was that "the statute is clear and unambiguous." Hall was elected in 2012 as a Democrat but changed his registration to Republican in 2014. The Court's decision means the Senate will once again have an 18-16 Republican majority.

Marriott Hotel, Charleston, WV

7:30 a.m. - Legislative-Update Breakfast - HOSTED BY WALKER CAT
- Sen. Robert Karnes, Chair Natural Resources Committee
- Del. Kelli Sobonya, Co-Chair Joint Committee on Rules - invited

9:00 a.m to Noon - Symposium Agenda:
* Loggers Workers Comp Premium-Reduction
- Terry Duke, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

* Loggers Workers Comp
- Brady Campbell, MS, CLCS, Commercial Insurance

* 2016 Tax Legislation
- Mike Caryl, Bowles Rice

* WV Road Weights
- Rebecca McPhail, WV Manufacturers Association

* WV & The Endangered Species Act
- Laura Marie Goldfarb, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Noon - Luncheon

Attached is a press release from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration on yet another logging citation, in addition to the one reported here, Dec. 15.

Attached is an outreach flyer regarding the cerulean warbler that you may be able to use.

By Dave Tenny, National Alliance of Forest Owners, President and CEO

Jan. 20 - "Last week the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service took a constructive step forward by recognizing the positive benefits of private working forests to the long-term conservation of the Northern Long-eared Bat.

"In a final rule outlining the conservation plan for the threatened bat, the Service recognized that the landscape conservation benefits of forest management outweigh any need to differentiate marginal impacts of site-specific management practices. In doing so, the Service excluded forest management from the prohibition on activities considered harmful to bats or bat habitat.

Please pass this on to people who may be interested:

Forestry Technician (TSA) GS-0462-07/08/09 (VA #16-0921-197482DP-SG)

A Demo vacancy announcement is open for a Forestry Technician (Timber Sale Administration) GS-0462-07/08/09 position on the Monongahela National Forest. The open period for the Demo announcement is Thursday, January 21, 2016, through Wednesday, January 27, 2016.

There is one position being filled through this announcement. The duty station is Richwood, WV, or Marlinton, WV. Final determination of duty station will be made by the selecting official at the time of job offer.

The Demo vacancy announcement number is 16-0921-197482DP-SG and can be found at the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/427146100