Hoodoo, history, haints

Here's the Halloween edition of the Front Porch podcast. Our special guest is folklorist Gerald Milnes and the subject is appropriately spooky. If you listen, you will hear about my theory as to why WV is so witchy.

It's not all bad, continued

In these dark days, I try to remind myself as frequently as possible that it's not all bad all the time here. So here's the latest example: there are very, very, very few uninsured kids in WV. This took a lot of hard work by a lot of people from former Senator Jay Rockefeller on down to some very good friends of mine from the late 1990s down to today.

Congratulations, all. Victory lap!

Just saying

On more than one occasion, I have suggested here that WV change it's outdated state motto from "Mountaineers are always free" to "You can't make this **** up." If more evidence was needed for this, check out this story.

More on coal

Say what you want about WV Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, but he clearly isn't afraid to play the role of adult when needed. Meanwhile, the head of Appalachian Power had some interesting things to say about the future of coal.

I have a modest proposal to add to the coal debate. First, if state politicians want to oppose the Clean Power Plan, let them knock themselves out. But whatever happens or whoever gets blamed for the troubles in the coalfields, how about we take full advantage of federal proposals to help communities there.

Kind words

It's been kind of hard for me lately to say a whole lot of shiny happy things about the current state of West Virginia, so it was very nice to learn that noted "Affrilachian" (that would be African American and Appalachian) poet and professor Nikki Giovanni had some.