Sunday, March 06, 2011
EKB Capsule News...West Virginia...3-7-'11
- Joseph Gibson of Charleston and Shane Peck of Sissonville are both charged with armed robbery, assault during the commission of a felony, burglary and kidnapping. Police say, last Thursday, they invaded a home on Kirkwood Drive in Big Chimney in Kanawha County, tied up and severely beat 79 year old Geraldine Gibson and stole an undisclosed amount of cash and prescription medications before fleeing on foot. Gibson suffered several fractures and had been receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit at Charleston Area Medical Center's General Hospital until Saturday.
- Fire ripped through the Logan Motor Lodge late Friday night. The motel, five miles south of Logan, is considered a total loss. A body was found at the location. While West Virginia State Fire Marshals were investigating the fire Saturday morning, they made an unrelated arson arrest. Assistant Fire Marshal Jason Baltic says Billy Ellis was picked up near the scene after he was recognized as being wanted for a first degree arson charge in Cabell County. Marshals say that, unless new evidence presents itself, Ellis is not a suspect in the cause of the Logan Motor Lodge fire.
- West Virginia will not add sexual orientation to its anti-discrimination laws this year after lawmakers failed to act in time on a pair of bills (SB226, HB2045) meant to protect West Virginians from discrimination based on their sexual orientation before the session ended Saturday. Existing civil rights laws, which include characteristics such as race, religion and disability, are supposed to prevent discrimination in the workplace, in obtaining housing and at public places such as restaurants and hotels. Previous legislation to add sexual orientation to the law cleared the Senate in 2009 and 2008, but the House has never passed such proposals. This year, the Senate didn't take action on the issue because members didn't think the House would pass it.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:10 PM 
