WVCBP in the News

November 9, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Coal Eager for Trump Regulatory Rollbacks, but Industry Rebound Unlikely

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Leaders of West Virginia's coal industry were rejoicing Wednesday over the election of Republican Donald Trump as the nation's 45th president — and the possible regulatory rollbacks that may come with it — but industry and economic experts remained skeptical that Trump can really bring back a significant number of mining jobs…

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November 8, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Candidates for 14th Senate Seat Offer Different Visions for State’s Future

Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram - Deep in Mountaineer Country, the two major party candidates for the highly competitive 14th State Senatorial District, largely in Preston County, are battling over the question of how to move West Virginia forward at a time when coal seems to be dying. Read While incumbent Democrat Bob Williams is calling for a…

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November 5, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
Majority of WV Public College Grads Leave State for Work

Charleston Gazette-Mail - The majority of students who graduated from West Virginia's public colleges between 2003 and 2013 didn't go on to work in the state, a new report from West Virginia University finds. Read About two-thirds of the students who are from West Virginia wound up working in the state, and only about 10…

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November 2, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
Jim Justice, W.Va. Candidate for Governor, Backs More Coal

Bloomberg BNA - As coal king Jim Justice seeks the governorship of West Virginia, environmental advocates are warning that his pro-coal agenda would threaten the state's water, air and economy. Read In an e-mail to Bloomberg BNA, Justice said that, as governor, he would address the environmental problems of coal mining by pushing for more…

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October 30, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Two Vie for Senate 6 District Seat

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - Republican Chandler Swope and Democrat Rockwell "Rocky" Seay are vying Nov. 8 for the Senate District 6 seat in southern West Virginia. Read Both men met last week with members of the Daily Telegraph's editorial board, and presented largely opposing views on issues ranging from Right to Work, the repeal of…

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October 28, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Logan, a Symbol of Despair and Anger America

Logan County, south of West Virginia, is a mountainous region essentially rural and mining villages that once thrived thanks to coal mining. Read In the heyday in the early 50s, the Logan County had nearly 80,000 residents. It remains now only half. Logan, with its 1700 inhabitants, is one of the cities in the United…

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October 28, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia: Coal At The Crossroads

Investor's Business Daily - An Oct. 17 court ruling was just the latest boost given coal producers in their long, slow battle against regulators and economic change. Read A U.S. District Court judge ruled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had failed to assess the effect on coal mining jobs caused by the agency's tightened power…

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October 25, 2016 by Ted Boettner
W.Va. Budget Crisis Anything but Boring

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - Concord University students were asked Monday if they had ever been in a flood, used a public library, visited a state park, visited a hospital, called law enforcement or a fire department, or traveled West Virginia's roads. When most of these and other questions were answered in the affirmative, the state's…

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October 18, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Center on Budget and Policy Explains W. Va.’s Budget Crisis

Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram - West Virginia's state budget is facing some serious problems that require immediate action, according to the West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy's executive director. Read The West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy is a nonpartisan organization that examines West Virginia's state budget and advocates for various programs to help improve…

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October 17, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
New Overtime Rules Coming, but Not Silently

Beckley Register-Herald - Upwards of 60,000 West Virginians could benefit when new overtime rules go into effect Dec. 1, but businesses predicted employment casualties if a lawsuit halting the implementation isn't successful. Read The changes would extend overtime pay to full-time, salaried employees netting less than $913 a week, or $47,476 yearly. Additionally, the rules…

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