COVID-19 UPDATE: Gov. Justice visits new regional food distribution center; provides additional updates on response efforts

View the latest COVID-19 data at Coronavirus.wv.gov

“I went down there to see all the good work they’re doing,” Gov. Justice said. “It is truly amazing. I wish everyone could see the great work that’s going on, because these people are knocking it out of the park.”

The distribution center provides a full range of food supplies to local agencies, including dry goods as well as refrigerated and frozen foods.

Once fully operational, the Rock Branch center will support about eight new jobs and add 1 million pounds of food stocks to the Greater Kanawha Valley each year.

“It is, really, a fabulous facility,” Gov. Justice said. “If you could stand there with these young people and you could see their commitment, their professionalism, and how they attack their mission, it’s easy to see how in-command we’ve been through this whole process.”

Soldiers with the West Virginia National Guard provided a tour for the Governor as well, highlighting other operations they are undertaking in response to the pandemic.

“They’re revolutionizing ways they can make gowns or make masks and they showed me the mobile testing unit that they have there,” Gov. Justice said. “You see smart people, you see people that are craftsmen, you see people who are organized, and you see them knocking it out of the park.”

“We have got to go back to work. We know that” Gov. Justice continued. “But, at the same time, what I’m trying to do is balance this so, when we go back, we’re protecting you in every way we possibly can.”

“This stuff is just sad, that’s all there is to it,” Gov. Justice continued. “His situation, you know, a man with so much life in front of him, and for his family and all of his loved ones, I just hate it. Any life that we lose is a life gone too quickly. But, I’ll tell you, we lost a good, good guy in Barry.

“Cathy and I are just pleading with everyone to keep that family in your thoughts and your prayers.”

West Virginia Secretary of Commerce also offered his condolences Tuesday.

“Barry was a committed, dedicated employee who embraced the mission to protect and preserve our forests and all the value they bring to our state,” Sec. Gaunch said. “He will be missed by his family, the employees of the Division of Forestry and all who knew him. Please respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

“We’re monitoring that and our health experts are on top of that, watching it like crazy,” Gov. Justice said. “We have plenty of time between now and June 8th. I’m trying to give everybody a heads up that if things keep trending the right way, on June 8th I’d love to be sitting at a Little League baseball game and watching those little rascals out there playing.

“But if, in fact, we get more and more information that this thing is taking a twist and a turn that could affect our children, the last of the last people that we’re going to expose in any way are our children.”

“Stop the politics,” Gov. Justice continued. “We can’t send $600 million over here and another $600 million over there, unless you want to just do it and be bankrupt tomorrow. Just stop the politics. We’re going to do the smart thing.”

Be counted in minutes: 2020census.gov.