Aug 28 Democracy & Civic Life “False Hope” or Four More Years? Ohio Valley Stakeholders Reflect On Trump Energy Policy In 2016, then-candidate Donald Trump was all-in on the fossil fuel industry. In a 2016 rally in Charleston, West Virginia, the candidate proudly accepted an endorsement from that state’s coal association, donning a hardhat while he mimed digging coal. To thundering applause, he promised to bring back coal jobs to the struggling Appalachian coalfields. Four […] By Sydney Boles Aug 28 Democracy & Civic Life “False Hope” or Four More Years? Ohio Valley Stakeholders Reflect On Trump Energy Policy Sydney Boles
Jan 3 Uncategorized Regional Reaction To Iran: Ohio Valley Lawmakers Split On U.S. Killing Of Iranian Commander Congressional members around the Ohio Valley offered mixed reactions to the U.S. airstrike that killed one of Iran’s top military officers and pushed the two countries closer to war. Most statements from regional lawmakers pointed to Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani’s record of orchestrating violent attacks on U.S. personnel, and many Republicans praised President Donald Trump […] By Jeff Young Jan 3 Uncategorized Regional Reaction To Iran: Ohio Valley Lawmakers Split On U.S. Killing Of Iranian Commander Jeff Young
Dec 5 Agriculture New SNAP Rule Could Hit Ohio Valley Hardest The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates almost 700,000 people across the country will lose food stamps in a new Trump Administration rule announced Wednesday. Regional anti-hunger advocates and policy analysts say the Ohio Valley — and Appalachia in particular — could be disproportionately affected by this rule. In general, the rule will make it harder […] By Liam Niemeyer Dec 5 Agriculture New SNAP Rule Could Hit Ohio Valley Hardest Liam Niemeyer
Oct 29 Economy Ohio-Based Coal Giant Murray Energy Declares Bankruptcy Murray Energy Corp., the largest underground coal mining company in America with a substantial footprint across the Ohio Valley, has filed for bankruptcy protection. “Although a bankruptcy filing is not an easy decision, it became necessary to access liquidity and best position Murray Energy and its affiliates for the future of our employees and customers […] By Brittany Patterson Oct 29 Economy Ohio-Based Coal Giant Murray Energy Declares Bankruptcy Brittany Patterson
Aug 13 Energy & Environment Trump Visits Shell Plastics Facility, Touts Petrochemical Future For Ohio Valley President Donald Trump Tuesday toured Shell Chemical’s soon-to-be completed ethane cracker complex in Monaca, Pennsylvania, to tout his administration’s commitment to expanding energy production. The facility is part of what industry boosters hope will be a new plastics and chemical manufacturing base in the upper Ohio Valley, but many residents here worry about the heat-trapping […] By Brittany Patterson Aug 13 Energy & Environment Trump Visits Shell Plastics Facility, Touts Petrochemical Future For Ohio Valley Brittany Patterson
Jul 5 Agriculture Watershed Moment: “Ephemeral” Streams Debate Could Reshape Ohio Valley Waterways West Liberty University Professor Zachary Loughman has dedicated his professional life to crustaceans – specifically freshwater crayfish. He dips his hand into one of the water tanks at his laboratory near Wheeling, West Virginia, to pick up a teal crayfish the size of a dollar bill. “See the little guy dropping down? We caught mom […] By Liam Niemeyer Jul 5 Agriculture Watershed Moment: “Ephemeral” Streams Debate Could Reshape Ohio Valley Waterways Liam Niemeyer
May 23 Health Investigation Finds Ohio Valley Hit Hard By Fentanyl As Locals Asked For More Federal Help A Washington Post investigation finds the Ohio Valley is suffering the most from the surge in overdose deaths due to synthetic opioids, even as deaths from other substances are falling. The Post analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and found the region has the nation’s highest rates of death due to fentanyl. Kentucky, […] By Aaron Payne May 23 Health Investigation Finds Ohio Valley Hit Hard By Fentanyl As Locals Asked For More Federal Help Aaron Payne
May 10 Economy From Russia, With Loot: KY Aluminum Company’s New Russian Partner Raises Concerns A large whiteboard in an Ashland, Kentucky, unemployment office is covered with a list of companies that are currently hiring. Senior career counselor Melissa Sloas said that just a few years ago, that board was a lot emptier. This corner of eastern Kentucky has long struggled to make up for losses in mining and manufacturing. […] By Sydney Boles May 10 Economy From Russia, With Loot: KY Aluminum Company’s New Russian Partner Raises Concerns Sydney Boles
Mar 18 Economy Trump Budget Proposal Cuts Funds for Hal Rogers’ Prison Project The Trump Administration released on Monday details of a 2020 federal budget proposal that includes cutting funds allotted for a new federal prison in eastern Kentucky. The funds would be redirected to other law-enforcement or natural security priorities, potentially including a wall at the southern U.S. border. The proposed cut rebukes arguments made by Congressman […] By Sydney Boles Mar 18 Economy Trump Budget Proposal Cuts Funds for Hal Rogers’ Prison Project Sydney Boles
Mar 15 Agriculture Ohio Valley Farmers, Electric Cooperatives Push Back On Trump’s Budget Cut Proposals West Kentucky Soybean Farmer Jed Clark, like many Ohio Valley farmers, is in a tighter financial situation because tariffs from the trade war and market forces have depressed crop prices. “We’ve had a collapse in our grain markets,” Clark said. “We’re seeing some of the lowest commodity prices for wheat we’ve seen in a long […] By Liam Niemeyer Mar 15 Agriculture Ohio Valley Farmers, Electric Cooperatives Push Back On Trump’s Budget Cut Proposals Liam Niemeyer