Investigators are Looking into How Grant Money Was Spent

Investigators are looking into how a Fayette County substance abuse rehabilitation facility that has never opened, spent the state’s grant money. The Register-Herald reports that Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced a $501,100 grant for Mount Hope-based Open Minds Recovery Services in February as part of a $1.5 million grant package for substance abuse treatment services. Open Minds was expected to open in August. That date was pushed back to October, but it still hasn’t opened. Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Assistant Secretary Lawrence Messina says the department has ended its relationship with Open Minds. To fulfill the grant, Messina says the organization had to demonstrate that the money was being properly spent.