Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and providers of victims' services have descended on the state capitol today for Operation Reach Out. Operation Reach Out is an informational fair designed to raise awareness for National Crime Victims Rights Week. Every April, law enforcement agencies come to the state capitol to set up informational booths displaying the various crime victim resources that are available.

The fair kicked off this year with an outstanding performance by the Lee's Studio Dance Team. Today, approximately 700 students from Duval, Madison and Hayes middle schools will be participating in educational workshops such as Gang Prevention and Bullying as well as Internet Safety and Drug and Alcohol Prevention. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a K-9 demonstration and the always popular Charleston Fire Safety House. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation will set up a Child I.D. tent.

One of the more interesting events is the Choice Bus. The Choice bus, from Alabama, is designed to teach students the importance of staying in school. Half of the bus is outfitted to represent a prison bus and the other half is outfitted to represent a school bus.

The fair, organized by representatives of the Crime Victims Compensation Fund, is located at the courtyard of the capitol complex and will be there until 2 p.m.

The Joint Committee on Government and Finance convened today at 2 p.m. to receive reports from required state agencies.

Presentations included monthly and quarterly reports from Medicaid, the Department of Health and Human Resources and Workers' Compensation. All reports showed positive changes since the last fiscal year.

The 2010 Interim Study Assignments were made and approved by members of the leadership committee.

The following interim dates have been set:
May 24 - 26, 2010
June 7 - 9, 2010
July 19 - 21, 2010
August 9 - 11, 2010
September 13 - 15, 2010
October 11 - 13, 2010
November 15 - 17, 2010
December 13 - 15, 2010
January 9 - 11, 2011

A listing of all dates, assignments and studies are available online at: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/committees/interims/interims.cfm

State residents were asked to observe a moment of silence at 3:30 p.m. today to honor the miners killed at the Upper Big Branch Mine last week. State dignitaries and elected officials took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the miner statute on the grounds of the state Capitol here in Charleston. Twenty-nine miners were killed and two were injured as a result of the mine explosion in Montcoal, WV last Monday.