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Living History Museum Honors the Past, for the Future
By Keith Deel By the sweat of their brows and the strength of their backs, settlers built a life in Appalachia. Few reminders of their struggles remain, but one is the Matthews Living History Museum, located outside of Galax, VA. It gives a glimpse into the lives of the citizens of Grayson County from 1880…
Read MoreVirginia religious leaders oppose Dominion coal plant
Labeling coal fired electric power “immoral and destructive,” sixty religious leaders called on Virginia governor Tim Kaine to drop any support for a proposed power plant in Wise County. The religious leaders included Jewish, Protestant and Catholic leaders from all around Virginia. Among them were Bishop Charlene Kammerer of the Virginia Conference of the United…
Read MoreMountain justice students protest coal power plant
Protests against coal fired power plants continue around the region. In early March, students from around the country attending Mountain Justice Spring Break marched to the regional offices of the Virginia state environmental agency in Abingdon, VA to oppose the coal plant proposed for St. Paul, VA by Dominion. They were greeted with supportive horn…
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Moral compass points South again
WORLD’S MORAL COMPASS POINTS TO THE SOUTH AGAIN American Southerners are independent folk — independent enough to stand for the truth, even if it means standing alone. A few weeks ago, Al Gore joined five other Southerners who have also been awarded the world’s most distinguished honor, the Nobel Peace Prize. We conservatives and liberals…
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Grammy Award Winning Artist Sees Mountaintop removal First Hand By Sandra Diaz Kathy Mattea’s journey started when she saw Al Gore give his presentation about global warming in January of 2006; the slideshow that is the basis of An Inconvenient Truth. His presentation struck her so profoundly that she decided take action. She signed up…
Read MoreLetters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am the wife of a recently disabled coal miner, and offer my opinion on the (Clean Coal) campaign. Coal is filthy, and in more ways than one. I was insulted when (West Virginia) allowed the workers’ compensation laws to be changed so coal companies don’t have to pay when a miner is…
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Twelve arrested in protest over Marsh Fork elementary school State police arrested 12 demonstrators at the West Virginia state capitol during a peaceful protest over conditions at Marsh Fork elementary school on March 16. Holding signs asking “What would Jesus do?” and “Build a New School,” demonstrators demanded that WV Gov. Joe Manchin build the…
Read MoreAcross Appalachia
Wind Power Questions Still Remain Wind energy has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions and pollutants as it displaces other forms of electrical production, a National Academy of Sciences report said in May. But the report said there was practically no guidance or coordination of wind power policies on the federal, state or local levels.…
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New Chief Dooms Roadless Areas In June, newly appointed Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth announced that commercial logging and road construction can resume on National Forest roadless areas with his permission. Bosworth also announced his intention to make roadless area protection subject to the forest planning process. Under existing forest plans, 50% of all roadless…
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