CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will be the featured speaker Thursday at the West Virginia Press Association’s annual Legislative Breakfast at the Marriott Town Center.
Gov. Tomblin, who will make the final remarks of the breakfast, with join with Senate President Bill Cole, Speaker of the House Tim Armstead and minority leaders Sen. Jeff Kessler and Delegate Tim Miley in giving media representatives from around the state an update on the current legislative session, proposed programs and statewide governmental efforts.
More than 40 media outlets are expected to attend the breakfast, which also includes a panel of business, labor and industry experts discussing proposed legislation. Members of the business, labor and industry panel include Chris Hamilton, chairman of the West Virginia Business & Industry Council; Steve White, director of West Virginia State Building & Construction Trades Council; Corky DeMarco, chairman of West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association; Gaylene Miller, state director of AARP WV .
WVPA Executive Director Don Smith said the WVPA greatly appreciates the opportunity the Governor, legislative leaders and state business and industry leaders give the state’s newspapers and media representatives.
“Residents of West Virginia count on their hometown newspapers and statewide publications to provide them with news and insight into the Legislative session and state government. This breakfast, with the presentations from legislative and business leaders, not only provides our media representatives with news and insight but also improves communications and networking as we move further into the session. It gets very difficult to stay on top of all the legislation as the sessions nears its end.”
Smith said the WVPA invites guests — including all members of the legislature and state officers — and provides reports and photos of the event to make the breakfast as informative as possible for government officials, members of the media and members of the public who will see coverage of the event in newspapers and on websites around the state. Those not attending can follow comments from the breakfast on twitter at #wvpa. Coverage will be posted on wvpress.org and facebook.