WV Legislature's Joint Marcellus Committee streams live Sunday morning

Release Date: 11/08/2011
Contact: Stacey Ruckle, (304) 340-3365
Joint Select Committee on Marcellus Shale

Legislature’s Marcellus Committee to Meet Sunday

CHARLESTON – The Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Marcellus Shale will meet Sunday morning to continue work on amendments to proposed legislation intended to encourage efficient development of the resource while addressing local and environmental concerns.

The meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, in the Senate Judiciary Room.

Committee members have received input from all perspectives, using as a starting point Senate legislation that was under consideration in the House at the end of the regular session. Links to that legislation, summaries prepared by a committee attorney, previously adopted amendments and pending amendments are available on the Legislature’s main web page at www.legis.state.wv.us.

There is also a link to the Legislature’s Live Page ( http://www.legis.state.wv.us/live.cfm ), which will stream audio of the meeting.

Call in for free advice to avoid investment fraud 11/10/11

Protecting Americans from Financial Abuse - Toll Free Nationwide Call-In Service on November 10th

Kiplinger, along with several national organizations, is holding a toll free, nationwide call-in service on Tuesday, November 10th from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm ET. The service, entitled Protecting Americans from Financial Abuse, will provide free advice and guidance on how to protect yourself and your loved ones against investment swindles and financial abuse. Members of the Financial Planning Association, National Adult Protective Services Association and health care professionals will answer your questions.

Use the following phone numbers for questions on specific topics:
General Finance Questions: 888-227-1776
Medical Questions: 888-303-0430
Financial Abuse Questions: 888-303-3297

For more information about the event, visit the Investor Protection Trust' s website http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=JvDFdgIXZxzTwbOzwsWySX0oclWCFHtD and a 2 page pdf of a flyer about the event here www.investorprotection.org/downloads/pdf/learn/Prevent_Elder_Fraud_Call-In_Flyer.pdf

How to create a Volunteer Guardianship Monitoring program

At the West Virginia Access to Justice Commission public forum held at the law school in Morgantown on November 1 several citizens spoke about problems with adult guardianship in West Virginia. The issues identified included lack of relevant disability training required (or even offered) for attorneys appointed to defend against guardianship, failure of judges to tailor guardianship orders to the specific needs and capacities of the individual protected person, lack of oversight to keep guardians and conservators from abusing their authority, and lack of adequate resources in Adult Protective Services and the Sheriff's offices who are the guardians and conservators of last resort.

The American Bar Association (ABA) has developed a model project that might address some of these concerns. "Guardianship monitoring helps courts to manage risks, prevent abuse, and increase public confidence in the judicial system. Using trained and supervised volunteers extends the monitoring capacity of the court."

Materials including a program coordinator's handbook, a trainer's handbook, and volunteer handbook, and a multitude of forms and recruitment materials are available for free download at www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/resources/guardianship_law_practice/court_volunteer_guardianshipmonitoring.html