| The Greenbrier Resort, one of the nation's premier hotels at White Sulphur Springs, is furloughing nearly half its 1,350 employees as it struggles with the crashing economy.
Resort spokeswoman Lynn Swann says only about 100 of the resort's 720 rooms are occupied.
Yesterday's announcement comes a week after resort owner CSX Corp. announced it had hired Goldman, Sachs & Co. to determine what to do with the luxury resort.
The resort lost $35 million last year due to cancellations and a nearly year-long labor dispute.
OHIO VALLEY PLANT REDUCING JOBS
The state of the economy is forcing a regional plant that employees WV workers to reduce its workforce.
Eramet in Marietta announced employee layoffs Thursday by 110 employees.
It's a solution to a problem that can't be avoided, said Joy Frank-Collins, Eramet spokesperson.
"The unfortunate reality of how bad this economic situation is that if we did not make these workforce reductions now, we might not be able to survive this downturn in the economy," Frank-Collins said.
"We'll offer employees tips on job searches, assistance in looking for jobs, creating new resumes, exploring new career opportunities," Frank-Collins said, but opportunities in today's economy may be few and far between.
WV STEEL PLANT REDUCING EMPLOYEES
Severstal North America Inc. officials said Thursday that layoffs will occur at its Wheeling operations.
They declined to comment on how many workers will be affected.
The Russian company announced it will cut jobs at plants in three other states - Dearborn, Mich., Sparrows Point, Md., and Warren, Ohio - as a result of declining steel orders.
Severstal is one of few steel operations left in West Virginia following globalization. It was originally known as Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel.
WV Steel producers once hired the largest number of West Virginia residents. Now it's WalMart.
PATRIOT COAL CLOSING BOONE CO. MINE
Patriot Coal plans to close what they call "a high-cost West Virginia mining operation."
Underground coal operations continue to shift to mountaintop removal, which requires few employees.
Patriot says about 100 workers at its Jupiter Complex in Boone County will be laid off.
Patriot is blaming high operating costs and soft market conditions for closing the complex. Jupiter produces steam coal for sale to electric utilities.
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