Thank you Rory.  I hope a lot more people will call.  Jesse is being locked out of the process and the voters are given no choice, since Manchin and Weeks are almost equally bad.
I have seen nothing in the Gazette on this endorsement, despite it being released statewide.  I sent it personally to Ken Ward and Jim Haught.  I also sent it to WV New Service.  They usually do radio pieces and I feel sure they will do something but I was hoping for news coverage statewide.  Any ideas, anyone???
 
Regina


Rory McIlmoil wrote:

Just to let everyone know, I called the WV Broadcasters Assn on Wednesday, expressing my concern about them leaving Jesse out of the debate, and about how that undermines the democratic principles that the state and the country are supposed to be based upon, and their response was to tell me that they were a private corporation, and their board had made the decision and that there had been little public outcry about it (so people need to be making more calls!!).  I then mentioned to the woman who answered the phone that the Assn was then essentially privatizing our democratic institution, and she had no reply to that.  Sounds more like an oligarchy to me.


On Fri, Oct 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM, Regina Hendrix <regina1936@verizon.net <mailto:regina1936@verizon.net>> wrote:

   Pasted in below is the text of a press release just issued by
   Sierra Club concerning our endorsement of Jesse Johnson for WV
   Governor. This information was released this morning by Sierra
   Club National Press Office in Wash. D.C. Oliver Bernstein
   suggested anyone with press contacts send it around around also.
   If you have contacts and would like a copy with the logo and
   header on it, please contact me or Jim Sconyers at the phone
   numbers listed on the release. I pasted it in because the FOM
   listing will not accept attachments. (I have already forwarded it
   to Ken Ward.)

   Another action that Jesse has asked that we take is to contact Jim
   Haught at Chas. Gazette (Haught@wvgazette.com
   <mailto:Haught@wvgazette.com>) and ask him to run the op-eds by
   Mike Gravel and Charlotte Pritt in the hard copy Gazette. (or
   contact Haught by phone on 304-348-5199) They have been running
   the op-eds only in the online version. Also, check out the online
   versions and make comments, since Gazette keeps track of the hits.

   Bill Price asks that Sierra Club members contact him on
   304-389-8822, if they are able to donate some time to a Sister
   Chapter Adoption Program sponsored by SC. Bill is serving in Ohio
   right now to help Barack out in that battleground state and they
   need more volunteers. Bill has info on the details, such as where
   do you stay, etc.

   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 3, 2008

   CONTACTS: Regina Hendrix 304-343-5211 or
   Jim Sconyers 603-969-6712

   SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES JESSE JOHNSON

   FOR WV GOVERNOR

   Conservation Group Highlights Opposition to Mountaintop Removal,
   Praises Work to Protect West Virginia's Environment

   "We are very pleased to announce today that the Sierra Club WV
   Chapter endorses Jesse Johnson for West Virginia Governor," said
   Political Chair Regina Hendrix. "As the only gubernatorial
   candidate working for a statewide ban on mountaintop removal, we
   believe his candidacy will give West Virginians a chance to vote
   for a governor who is dedicated to helping West Virginia's workers
   by promoting renewable energy and keeping our state clean."

   "Johnson showed how seriously he takes this issue by speaking to
   tens of thousands of people nationwide during the last year about
   the harsh realities of mountaintop removal. His plan for the
   economy proposes tax breaks and incentives for businesses using
   renewable energy technology and he has urged that citizens be
   given a dividend from taxes generated from non-renewables such as
   coal and natural gas. Unfortunately, Governor Manchin's support of
   mountaintop removal has kept West Virginia from moving towards a
   clean energy future that would benefit the economy and the
   environment."

   Mountaintop removal mining is a destructive form of coal mining
   that has already buried more than 1,200 miles of streams and
   threatens to destroy 1.4 million acres of land by 2020. The mining
   poisons drinking water, lays waste to wildlife habitat, increases
   the risk of flooding and wipes out entire communities.

   "Johnson shares many of the conservation principles that the WV
   Sierra Club stands for," said WV Conservation Chair Jim Sconyers.
   "He understands the energy crisis, the need to transition from
   coal to renewable energy, and the looming threat of global - and
   local - climate change. And he is dead set against taking away
   West Virginia citizens' land for the sake of building huge power
   lines that do not benefit West Virginia in any way."

   "The Sierra Club also praises Johnson's opposition to proposed new
   electric transmission lines," said Jim Kotcon, Chair of the WV
   Sierra Club's Energy Committee. "These lines would allow private,
   out-of-state electric companies to take private property from West
   Virginia citizens primarily so those companies can make exorbitant
   profits by gouging local electric ratepayers. Unfortunately
   Governor Manchin supports this bad deal for West Virginia. Is that
   what Manchin means by "Open For Business"? Instead of supporting
   environmental destruction and higher taxes, Johnson says he will
   work to derail these lines. That is what West Virginia needs."

   Along with the endorsement, the Sierra Club will lend its
   volunteer strength to Johnson's campaign. We look forward to a
   victory party for the environment on election night and to many
   years of Jesse Johnson fighting for the environment as Governor of
   West Virginia."

   # # #

   Regina Hendrix





--
Kind Regards,

Rory McIlmoil

Coal River Mountain Wind Project
(w): (304) 854-2182
(h): (304) 854-1937
www.coalriverwind.org <http://www.coalriverwind.org>
www.crmw.net <http://www.crmw.net>