I'm still curious about exactly how much Rich Rodriguez will actually have to pay out of his own pocket in his $4 million dollar settlement with WVU.
We know he's specifically responsible for $1.5 million, while Michigan will pick up the other $2.5 million. But if the $2.5 million is viewed as a benefit or form of compensation for Rodriguez, then Rodriguez may have to pay taxes on that amount.
A tax preparer I consulted said that may depend on how the coach's deal with Michigan is structured.
The news released by WVU announcing Mike Garrison's departure from the university at the end of August is written in a way that, if you had just landed here from Mars, you would think Garrison was the greatest president in the university's long history.
Here's the whole paragraph:
"Concluding a year highlighted by a successful legislative session that resulted in increased state funding for WVU, including research dollars for the Bucks for Brains initiative; the initiation of a child care center on campus; and the largest pay raise for faculty and staff in recent history, including full funding of the salary schedule, West Virginia University President Mike Garrison and the Board of Governors agreed today that the President would complete his service at the University Sept. 1."
It's evident that Garrison is stubbornly clinging to the pointless argument that he is "completing his service" rather than resigning as a result of pressure because of the Heather Bresch grade scandal.
Compliments to the West Virginia Crime Victim's Compensation Fund. The staff at the fund worked to help make sure that Charleston murder victim Na'lisha Gravely had a decent burial.
The fund has been around since 1981, but I don't think a lot of West Virginians who could benefit from it know about it. The fund provides compensation to innocent victims of crime who have suffered out-of-pocket expenses.
Also, hats off to the Charleston YWCA for setting up a special account to take donations to help with expenses beyond what the fund will pay for.
Gravely, 19, was shot to death on the July 4th weekend. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Desmond Clark, is charged with the murder.
I'm still curious about exactly how much Rich Rodriguez will actually have to pay out of his own pocket in his $4 million dollar settlement with WVU.
We know he's specifically responsible for $1.5 million, while Michigan will pick up the other $2.5 million. But if the $2.5 million is viewed as a benefit or form of compensation for Rodriguez, then Rodriguez may have to pay taxes on that amount.
A tax preparer I consulted said that may depend on how the coach's deal with Michigan is structured.
The news released by WVU announcing Mike Garrison's departure from the university at the end of August is written in a way that, if you had just landed here from Mars, you would think Garrison was the greatest president in the university's long history.
Here's the whole paragraph:
"Concluding a year highlighted by a successful legislative session that resulted in increased state funding for WVU, including research dollars for the Bucks for Brains initiative; the initiation of a child care center on campus; and the largest pay raise for faculty and staff in recent history, including full funding of the salary schedule, West Virginia University President Mike Garrison and the Board of Governors agreed today that the President would complete his service at the University Sept. 1."
It's evident that Garrison is stubbornly clinging to the pointless argument that he is "completing his service" rather than resigning as a result of pressure because of the Heather Bresch grade scandal.
Compliments to the West Virginia Crime Victim's Compensation Fund. The staff at the fund worked to help make sure that Charleston murder victim Na'lisha Gravely had a decent burial.
The fund has been around since 1981, but I don't think a lot of West Virginians who could benefit from it know about it. The fund provides compensation to innocent victims of crime who have suffered out-of-pocket expenses.
Also, hats off to the Charleston YWCA for setting up a special account to take donations to help with expenses beyond what the fund will pay for.
Gravely, 19, was shot to death on the July 4th weekend. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Desmond Clark, is charged with the murder.
The Politico Web site reports that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "has reserved nearly $35 million on television advertisements in 31 House districts for the fall campaign, offering a sneak preview of the central campaign battlegrounds and the party's most vulnerable incumbents."
A supporter of West Virginia Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito drew my attention to the fact that the Capito-Anne Barth race is NOT on the list.
A spokesman for the Barth campaign downplays the significance of the information and points out that the Cook Political Report has updated its rating of the Second District Race from "likely" Republican to "lean" Republican indicating that Capito and Barth will be competitive.
Dr. Fred Butcher, interim vice president for WVU Health Sciences, is looking to hire another consultant to review the operations of the massive health complex.
Butcher and other members of the Joint Planning Group at Health Sciences put out an internal memo last week saying, among other things, that "we will engage in external consulting expertise with national experience assisting academic medical centers to navigate through processes of change."
Last month, Butcher abruptly fired R&V Associates after butting heads with the Pittsburgh consulting firm.
Meanwhile, WVU Hospital has taken steps to relieve its shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons. Butcher tells me two additional CT surgeons will be on board Aug. 1 and talks are underway to hire a third.
WVU was down to one heart surgeon and that led to delays and transfers of heart patients. WVU brought in a heart surgeon on a temporary basis to help with the load until the additional hires could be made.
West Virginia native and UMWA President Cecil Roberts speaks in a calm, measured voice in one-on-one conversations, but give the union leader a mike and a crowd and Roberts can rant and rave with the best of them.
That was evident last Thursday when Roberts spoke to a rally in Charleston. Roberts launched an excoriating attack on John McCain, but notably never mentioned Barack Obama's name.
Kercheval is host of TalkLine, broadcast by the MetroNews Statewide Radio Network from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The show can be heard locally on WCHS 580 AM.
