Appalachia’s Political Landscape

The Battle is Over — Has the “War” Just Begun? By Brian Sewell Less than a month after the Nov. 6 elections, Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia announced that in 2014 she would seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller. Although Rockefeller has not yet announced if…

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In Bankruptcy, Patriot Coal Creates its Legacy | Sacrificing a Historic Landmark to Coal

In Bankruptcy, Patriot Coal Creates its Legacy By Brian Sewell Concerns over how Patriot Coal will meet its commitments to generations of retirees have rippled throughout Appalachia. When the St. Louis-based spin-off of Peabody Coal filed for bankruptcy in July, it cited “substantial and unsustainable legacy costs” owed to retirees and beneficiaries as factors. Now,…

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