WVCBP in the News

September 11, 2014 by WVCBP
Children and Families Take Over the West Virginia Capitol

The State Journal - Lisa Radford, of Tucker County, said without her local family resource center, she would not have been able to stop the nightmares her 4-year-old great nephew was having. Read He was in an abusive family situation, so her family of six grew one more, she said. "We have a very busy…

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September 11, 2014 by Sean O'Leary
Hope for the Best in a Troubled Coal Industry

The State Journal - With declining coal markets, mine closures and efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions making daily headlines, it's no secret the once-soaring Appalachian coal industry has hit turbulence. ReadAs Appalachian coal production has declined, thousands of Mountain State residents, who once made well-above-average incomes in the mines, are now left with few options…

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September 8, 2014 by WVCBP
Advocates to Prepare Policy Agendas

Charleston Daily Mail - After Tuesday, a coalition of individuals, groups and churches seeking an end to poverty in West Virginia will be one step closer to finalizing its 2015 legislative agenda. Read Our Children, Our Future, comprised of dozens of groups and many individuals from across the state, will host a two-day policy symposium…

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September 8, 2014 by Ted Boettner
On ACA, Senate Candidates Embrace Popular Parts of Unpopular Law

Charleston Gazette - In West Virginia, as in every other state, health insurance companies cannot deny coverage, or charge more for it, because of pre-existing medical conditions. ReadThe Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is responsible for that change. Along with expanding coverage, banning discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, was the primary goal…

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September 5, 2014 by Ted Boettner
“100 Years of Poor Health” Kicks Off W.Va. Public Health Dialogue

West Virginia Public Broadcasting -West Virginia University's School of Public Health is kicking off a series of monthly Public Health Dialogues this week. The first in the series is titled "Black Lung and Chemical Spills: 100 years of Poor Health in West Virginia." ReadAward-winning journalist Chris Hamby, policy think-tank director Ted Boettner, and public health…

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September 4, 2014 by WVCBP
CVS Tobacco Ban Could Help Dissuade West Virginia Smokers

Charleston Gazette - The move by the nation's second-largest pharmacy chain to remove tobacco products from its stores can only be good news for the state with the second-highest rate of smokers in the nation, according to West Virginia health professionals. ReadOn Wednesday, CVS Health, formerly CVS Caremark, announced that it had pulled tobacco products…

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September 4, 2014 by Sean O'Leary
National Protests Again Target Minimum Wage

West Virginia Metro News -Fast food workers across the United States took to the streets on Thursday to again call–en masse–for an increase to the federal minimum wage. ReadSean O'Leary, fiscal policy analyst for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, said the protests were all people who simply want livable wages."The real question…

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September 1, 2014 by Ted Boettner
Labor Leaders See Signs of Hope

Charleston Gazette - Last year, union membership for all wage and salary workers held steady at 11.3 percent. Labor leaders hope that's one sign that a decades-long decline in union membership may be slowing or stopping. Read"The national labor movement is holding its own right now. We haven't seen significant dropoffs in membership over the…

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August 29, 2014 by Sean O'Leary
Social Security Means $6 Billion-Plus a Year for West Virginians

West Virginia Public News Service - At the ripe old age of 79, Social Security is helping West Virginia residents and the economy. ReadWhile pensions have changed, jobs have been lost and homes have lost equity, a quarter of folks in the state rely on Social Security benefits. As the program celebrates another birthday, federal…

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August 27, 2014 by Ted Boettner
Abundant Coal May Have ‘Cursed’ the Appalachian Economy

Washington Post - As Chico Harlan writes, the economy of the central Appalachian region has been tied to the highs and lows of the coal industry for decades. ReadHarlan's piece raises the question of whether West Virginia miners are better off moving away from the troubled local coal mining industry — and certainly some are…

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