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2023-11-29 20:49:17

CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice today announced a partnership between The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the Black Diamond Council of the Girls Scouts of America to allow scouts to utilize state parks for activities while contributing to conservation service projects.

Gov. Justice signed the MOU at his regularly scheduled Administration Update Briefing today.

Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, scouts from the Black Diamond Council will be able to camp for free at various parks as long as the requested facility is available for use on the requested date and its use will not interfere with other groups or scheduled activities at the park. Recreational activities may also be provided at a reduced or negotiated rate, depending on volume, availability, operational hours and the time of year.

“I’m thrilled to continue to create partnerships with incredible organizations like the Girls Scouts of America and encourage the youth of our state to enjoy and conserve West Virginia’s natural resources,” Gov. Justice said. “This agreement will not only provide scouts with access to our beautiful state parks, but help foster a sense of responsibility towards our natural environment while offering enriching experiences.”

Before starting a service project, scouting units will be required to complete volunteer agreements and obtain project approval from the WVDNR’s West Virginia State Parks section. State Parks personnel may also provide educational programming, such as merit badge classes and counseling, to visiting scouts subject to the availability of parks personnel, scheduled events, operations and availability of facilities or activities.

“We are excited to partner with the Black Diamond Council and help develop the outdoor skills and leadership potential of these truly incredible kids,” WVDNR Director Brett McMillion said. “We hope the time they spend in our incredible state parks will translate into a lifelong love for West Virginia and an ongoing positive impact on the scouts, our state parks and the community as a whole.”

The Girl Scouts of America’s Black Diamond Council is headquartered in Charleston and serves more than 5,000 girls, helping them develop their academic skills, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills and citizenship skills through outdoor activities.

This new agreement is one of several public-private partnerships forged during the Justice Administration to promote environmental stewardship, outdoor education and community engagement. In July, the WVDNR signed a similar agreement with the Buckskin Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Other partnerships include hunting trips, trout stocking and stream improvement projects with the Mountaineer Challenge Academy.

To learn more regarding the Black Diamond Council and scouting opportunities in West Virginia, visit bdgsc.org. For more information regarding West Virginia’s State Parks, visit WVstateparks.com.

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#Gov #Justice #signs #MOU #WVDNR #Girl #Scouts #promote #education #conservation

2023-11-29 18:59:00

The allies have three years to implement it

The current stage of integration between Russia and Belarus is extremely important

Photo: Vladimir Andreev © URA.RU

The heads of government of Russia and Belarus Mikhail Mishustin and Roman Golovchenko approved new guidelines as part of the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on the Union State for the period 2024-2026. Their implementation will allow both countries to achieve technical and economic independence, which is necessary to combat Western sanctions. This is how experts interviewed by URA.RU interpret the results of the 53rd meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Opening the meeting, Mishustin emphasized the importance of the current stage of integration interaction between Russia and Belarus. “The work on the Main Directions for Implementing the provisions of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State and 28 sectoral union programs is nearing completion. We also have to determine new guidelines for the 2024-2026 period,” Mishustin said.

The Prime Minister noted that 90% of more than 990 agreed upon measures have already been completed, and 140 out of 200 prepared regulations have been adopted. This work laid the foundation for the implementation of a unified macroeconomic, industrial and agricultural policy, the formation of a common transport market, competition rules, legal space for business and citizens of both countries, and ensuring equal opportunities for consumers.

Against the backdrop of the sanctions regime, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation, Mishustin said

Photo: Vladimir Andreev © URA.RU

Mishustin called the concrete results of integration in the Union State the strengthening of economic partnership and ensuring the technical independence of the two countries, which is especially important once morest the backdrop of sanctions imposed by Western countries once morest Russia and Belarus. According to the prime minister, joint investment projects are in demand in industry, energy, transport, logging, microelectronics, aircraft manufacturing and information technology.

Mishustin also spoke regarding the development of joint training with Belarus in the field of innovation. “Today we are with Roman Alexandrovich [Головченко] At a personal meeting, we discussed in detail possible programs in this area.

This is a prerequisite for strengthening our technological sovereignty and providing our economies with highly qualified personnel,” the head of government emphasized.

The Belarusian Prime Minister noted that the most difficult stages have been passed and now it is necessary to take systematic measures to increase technological independence – to create our own technologies that would be superior to foreign ones. “In conjunction with this, it is necessary to solve a set of tasks to create a unified IT landscape of the Union State, prioritize the use of our own scientific and technical developments and promote domestic software,” Golovchenko said.

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The key to successfully overcoming external pressure for Russia and Belarus, Professor of the Institute of Public Administration and Administration of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration Vadim Evseev sees strengthening interaction in the field of science and education. “The education system is the cornerstone of the victory of any state. There is now an active exchange of youth, which is a positive indicator of further integration. Because youth are the future,” the agency’s interlocutor emphasized.

Pavel Seleznev, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, connected strengthening cooperation in the field of science and education with protection from external threats.

“Cooperation in the field of science and education meets issues of national security and protection of national sovereignty,” the expert said.

To maintain the intensity of integration processes, it is necessary to work on strengthening common values ​​through the education system, pointed out Alexey Yaroshenko

Photo: Sergey Rusanov © URA.RU

Sanctions pressure on both states only contributes to strengthening the integration processes between Russia and Belarus, Seleznev continues. “External challenges push us even more into each other’s arms. In conditions when these challenges are the same for Russia and Belarus, it is clear that one head is good, two are better,” Seleznev said.

Sanctions contributed to the rapprochement between Russia and Belarus, says Pavel Seleznev

Photo: Georgy Bergal © URA.RU

The head of the Center for Geopolitical Research, Dmitry Rodionov, agrees with this. “Our countries find themselves in a situation where there is simply no alternative to strengthening integration. And this concerns not only the union state, this concerns, in principle, the entire EAEU,” Rodionov concluded.

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#Russia #Belarus #unite #fight #sanctions

2023-11-29 20:44:16

CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice today announced the winners of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ second annual Monster Trout Contest.

“I want to congratulate our Monster Trout Contest winners for reeling in the catch of a lifetime and extend a special thank you to all of the anglers who went fishing this fall,” Gov. Justice said. “As a lifelong angler, I am so excited to see West Virginians, especially kids, get excited regarding the outdoors and enjoy our state’s incredible streams and exciting fishing opportunities.”

The seven lucky anglers each caught a tagged monster trout, which were stocked during the WVDNR’s two weeks of fall stockings in October. Those stockings included more than 35,000 pounds of trophy-size trout weighing 1–2 pounds and 6,500 pounds of monster trout weighing 3–6 pounds.

Anglers who caught a tagged monster trout had until November 17 to submit a photo of their catch with the tag number to win a weekend cabin stay at a West Virginia state Park or Cabela’s prize package.

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#Gov #Justice #announces #Monster #Trout #Contest #winners