United, We Blog for a Better West Virginia

Date Written by Jason Keeling on June 20, 2008

West Virginia Map

Today is important for several reasons. First off, it’s West Virginia Day. But even more important is the movement of state bloggers that have contributed in an effort to reflect a more accurate view of our beloved state. To celebrate our successes, people, places, and culture.

Residents, expatriates, and general observers should enjoy the below collection. These works represent the best of West Virginia, reflecting the state’s true diversity and character. Don’t get me wrong, we have our challenges, and there will be a time to talk in detail about those issues. For now, we’ll focus mostly on the good.

Those who don’t normally comment on blogs, perhaps you’ll be compelled to share thoughts with your fellow West Virginians, who have put their blood, sweat, and passion into this effort. A sincere thanks to each of the below contributors.

Category Posted in Business, Culture, Economy, Education, Government, Media, Tourism, West Virginia

25 Responses to “United, We Blog for a Better West Virginia”

  1. Todd Beane said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    Outstanding work! I can’t wait to pour over each entry of the dedicated WV Bloggers to change WV’s stereotype from the inside out to the rest of the world!

    Let’s all make abetterwestvirginia together!

  2. Rebeccah Cantley said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 2:45 pm

    I’m the editor in charge of local news for the Tallahassee Democrat, the daily newspaper in Florida’s capital city. More importantly, I’m a native West Virginian. I’ve blogged about West Virginia several times on our company’s Web site, Tallahassee.com. My blog is listed under “staff blogs.” Anytime I write about West Virginia, I get comments from former West Virginians living here in Florida who are happy to see someone giving positive attention to home. I think the state’s image can be improved by people blogging and doing whatever else they can to communicate the positive aspects of our state.

  3. Jeff said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    Today you’ve done a great service to your state Jason. Wonderful job uniting our voices around these topic. I hope it’s the tipping point for a new narrative that sticks in the minds of Americans about what West Virginia is all about.

  4. Chris Hyde said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    Good job! And congrats on the news interview!!!

  5. Bill Gardner (oncee) said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

    Great posts from everyone. Today is a great day day to be a West Virginian. (I would have said mountaineer, but I went to Marshall.)

  6. Andrew Beckner said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 3:43 pm

    Well done, all. Thanks for including me. Congrats.

  7. Christine O'Brien Stenger said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 4:13 pm

    In 1850 my grandfather arrived from Ireland penniless and settled in Wheeling, West Virginia. Colonel Thomas O’Brien began working in a local bank and rose to become the Treasurer of West Virginia. His family now includes musicians, teachers, doctors, attorneys, and people who want to be of service to their community.

    West Virginia offered my son the opportunity to attend Harvard Law School and my daughter the opportunity to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Wheeling’s public school system offered them a fine education; residency in West Virginia and diversity helped them pay their own way and opened doors not otherwise open.

    West Virginia has been my home for over fifty years and I relish the quality of life it affords, as I learn more and more to breathe in the serene picturescapes and breathe out peace.

    West Virginia does face a crisis, however, a crisis that many know nothing about. It is cruel, indifferent, greedy, and proud. Like too many other wrongs, this one is systemic. It exists in all states. But it is most devastating to West Virginians: our health is one of the poorest in this nation and we rank second in the number of people with depression. This does not have to be.

    I have strong hope for West Virginia. My experience is that once a West Virginian understands that someone is pulling the wool out from under him, he will confront that person with intensity, perseverance and, if necessary, anger. I hope you will join me and we West Virginians will lead the rest of the USA to make a difference in quality of life.

    Carelink Healh Plans, Inc. of West Virginia needs to take a reality check. They are portraying themselves in newsletters and press releases as providing excellent service when they have been judged by the West Virginia Insurance Commission in latter 2006 to be offering questionable service. Until they were forced by the state, they denied me medically necessary surgery knowing full well that I could have a stroke or heart attack at any time. I received that authorization short of two years after it was requested. And Carelink fought all the way.

    Former Careink CEO Patrick Dowd, I believe in an attempt to terminate me, sent me a letter falsely accusing me of fraud. I filed a civil lawsuit against Carelink and Dowd in October 2007. And there is case after case that I have documented that proves Carelink defied important rules of governance.

    Any attempt to portray oneself in a favorable light when fact is otherwise, is especially abominable when people will trust them with their health. Just check out what employees of the parent company seem to be saying about this “evil” company. A link to Indeed.com is identified on my blog, Unitedforjustice.blogspot.com.

    Unfortunately, this is not new. What is different, however, Carelink and Coventry are targeting people they assume do not have the time, interest, or intelligence to fight back. All I can say is Colonel Thomas provides my family with inspiration, to fight to win against sizeable odds. In Carelink’s eyes I may be penniless, but blogging has incredible power to balance the playing fields and change our small corner of the world.

  8. Justin Seibert said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    @Jason - Huge, massive kudos on your work here. And big ups (does anyone say that anymore?) to everyone that joined in today. I firmly believe that the grass roots level (with some proper strategy) is by far and away the best way to effect change while keeping that unique West Virginia-ness that we all hold so dear.

  9. Steve Morris said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 8:38 pm

    Came on your website after a news story in the Charleston Daily Mail. Good luck on your aid to improve WV’s image.

    I have had some West Virginian’s say who cares what others think about us. Let them think what they want. They are ignorant. If they stay out of the state we will have it to ourselves.

    I have been promoting WV as a great play to ride your motorcycle in. WV supposedly has the highest per capital of roads of any state in the Union and has the highest average elevation of any state East of the Mississippi. Those two facts (?) mean that there are plenty of roads with little traffic in hilly country. That makes for great motorcycle riding. It used to be that riding the twisty mountain roads were troublesome but when riding a motorcycle they are great fun. Riding around the state I see riders from all over sampling the great roads here. I have met and exchanged emails with various riders from out of state that know more about our roads than a lot of local riders do.

    The Hatfield and McCoy Trails are known nationally if not internationally for being an outstanding place to ride their ATVs and dirt bikes. I was riding through the Welch/War area recently and was talking to a local about the ATV riders I saw filling up at the pumps. The local told me folks come from out of state for weeks at a time to enjoy the trails. I spoke to the riders and they were from Michigan. I don’t have an ATV but hope to get one soon and begin enjoying the trails. I think there are 400 miles of trails and plans to expand to 500 miles.

    With our rugged landscape we have plenty of opportunity to enjoy nature. Many West Virginian’s are hunters and fishermen. Duh! Lot’s of places to hunt and fish in WV.

    Check out another enjoyable activity in WV, photography. We have so much outstanding scenery in WV we take it for advantage. The above link will help you better appreciate and enjoy our surroundings.

    WV is a popular stop for Mountain biking. One of the most attractive/popular states in the Union for that sport.

    White Water rafting/kayaking is great in this state. Folks come from all over the country to enjoy our white water opportunities.

    The theme here is that WV is “Wild and Wonderful”.

    I grew up here and there all over the country. My dad retired when I was 13 and we finally moved back to WV for good. My parents grew up in Ritchie county. We always considered WV our home and loved to come back home. As soon as we passed over the state line we considered ourselves home. Lived in WV while finishing school/high school/junior college and then went in the Navy for 4 years. Came back went to WVU and then worked for the state for 5 years before going back to the Navy. I lived in Pittsburgh for 18 years. Pittsburgh is nice but it’s not WV. As soon as I had the opportunity to come back HOME after my retirement I did.

    I am proud of WV and love being part of the WV community. I am defensive about what people say about WV but I am beginning to see that Outsiders can be pretty ignorant about what West Virginia’s are like. I have had folks from Pittsburgh say some of the most ignorant things about WV. They actually believe the stereotypes about incest, no shoes, being dirty, uneducated, etc. I had a guy from Pittsburgh riding in the state say something to the effect that the women are even uglier down here. (The women aren’t any better looking in Pittsburgh). I had guys worried about being recognized as being from PA because they figured the police would be more likely to stop them and give them a ticket; I told them I wasn’t worried because I was from WV. Dummies. I have had folks from Pittsburgh afraid to talk to locals because I guess they were afraid they couldn’t understand each other. Like I said IGNORANT.

    So maybe like some of my friends say; screw ‘em. Let them (outsiders) be ignorant. The jokes on them.

  10. Emily Bennington said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    Congratulations to everyone on a truly remarkable job. May the conversations we’ve started today - I have to say it - “change West Virginia from the inside out.” Well done. Happy 1st anniversary!

  11. Rachelle Beckner said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    Looks like I’m late to say congrats. But I have to “ditto” everyone’s responses. This is outstanding work. What a wonderful project. Thanks for including the YWCA of Charleston. I love the different angles that everyone took on this project and how this website served as a central location for all these perspectives. This platform has empowered all of us! Thanks and happy anniversary!

  12. Jean Ann Franke said:

    June 20th, 2008 at 11:06 pm

    As a follower of A Better West Virginia from it’s initial launch, I congratulate this first anniversary. You have initiated and sustained an important dialogue that serves West Virginia well!

  13. Annette said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 1:23 am

    AWESOME job!!! It’s incredible to read about what my heart has told me all my life. Hopefully today is just a beginning to the great work we as residents & expats need to do regarding the place we hold so dear. As always, “Almost Heaven, West Virginia!”

  14. Steve Morris said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 8:36 am

    There’s a lot of ignorance in other states about our state. I lived in Pittsburgh for 18 years. Folks in Pittsburgh think of us as other kinds of people. I had one person from Pittsburgh seemingly afraid to talk to a local because he thought he wouldn’t be able to understand the local. I had one guy from Pittsburgh say the women are uglier down here (btw, they aren’t any better looking in Pittsburgh). Another Pittsburgher thought the police were more likely to stop them because they were out of state; I told them I don’t worry about it because I am from WV. I had a guy tell me he was going to Moundsville from Pittsburgh and needed directions. He said something derogratory about the trip and I told him I was from WV. He then said I should know the answer to a question he had; He asked if a couple divorced in WV do they go back to being brother and sister. I then told him I had cousins in Moundsville that would be there to “Greet him”. He thought I was telling the truth. Ignorant.

  15. Bob Coffield said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 8:45 am

    Yesterday’s effort by bloggers from around West Virginia has had an immediate impact. Search for the terms: “West Virginia” stereotype.

    Yesterday I ran this search and most of the initial results were negative. Today, the majority are positive and they go on for pages. Thanks to all the bloggers who participated.

    For those interested a couple other searches. a search in the Google Blog Search and Google News.

    Great job Jason and thank you for including me in the effort.

  16. Robin A. Holstein said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 8:51 am

    Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to participate in this great project! It has been great reading!!

  17. Buzzardbilly said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    Thanks for allowing me to participate. It looks like the day was a screaming success. Happy Blogoversary as well.

  18. Slugger said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    Fantastic site! I really enjoyed the stories for WV Day. Keep up the great work!

  19. Chris James said:

    June 21st, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    Thanks for putting this together.

    It was fun.

  20. Sarah said:

    June 22nd, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    I LOVE WEST VIRGINIA! I am proud to be a native, and to live in my hometown. I am proud to serve my fellow West Virginians in continually helping to make this a wonderful place to live.

  21. Kevin DiGregorio said:

    June 23rd, 2008 at 8:01 am

    Great blogs on WV Day and great idea. I recruited for Union Carbide for many years. We had to sell PhD engineers and scientists from around the country … around the globe really … on Charleston and WV. Getting them here for a site visit was sometimes difficult (but not always and not as hard as you might think), but once we got them here it wasn’t that difficult to get them to “yes.” The big selling point was the small-town atmosphere (easy commute, low crime rate, whitewater rafting and such in our backyard) with a bigger-city feel (decent movies and restaurants, good live music, symphony and theater groups, etc.). To be honest, it didn’t hurt that the Union Carbide Tech Center was arguably the top R&D center in the chemical industry.

    I’ve often said that I’m not sure I want our secret to become whatever the opposite of secret is. Yes, we want growth and young people to stay and move in and all that, and I would favor that if given the button to make a choice, but I’m not sure I really want LOADS of people moving into our space and ruining our great thing.

    Again, great idea … great execution … great teamwork. Keep up the good work for WV. And thanks for doing it.

  22. WV Native said:

    June 24th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    I moved to Illinois for graduate school and was shocked by the general lack of knowledge of West Virginia. During one conversation with a bank teller, I showed her my WV driver’s license. She said “West Virginia, I don’t see many people from VIRGINIA.” I then replies “I’m from WEST VIRGINIA.” She then said “Oh, is there a big rivalry between the states??” I said “No, they are completely different states….like Illinois and Indiana!” I also had MANY people ask me how far I lived from the beach!

    My partner is from Iowa. Whenever he meets new people and they ask where he is from, he typically doesn’t get much of a reaction. I, on the otherhand, usually get something like “Oh, it’s a pretty state, but it is so economically depressed.” At one point in time, I almost felt embarrassed to tell new people. Then I decided that the only way to break the stereotype was to show that it doesn’t always exist. I certainly couldn’t do that if I remained silent.

    Even though I’ve been gone for 14 years, West Virginia is still in my heart. It will always be my home (I also still have family there). Bravo for creating this wonderful site to show the world that West Virginians do not fit Hollywood’s stereotype!!! I am very proud to be a West Virginian and to see that the people of WV are taking charge of their own image. : )

  23. Earthmother said:

    July 1st, 2008 at 10:48 am

    I too have a local West Virginia Blog site. But I get ignored alot. Too radical? Maybe. Google won’t list me on their Google alerts. But not one untrue thing will you find there. And there have been actual CHANGES taking place in Calhoun County, which I don’t think would have been quite so quick in coming if it were not for someone (or two) who weren’t afraid to print the truth…

    And I even wrote a blog for West Virginia Day.

  24. Sarah S. said:

    July 14th, 2008 at 11:05 am

    In the past (I admit to it, though my excuse relates to being a teenager), I have been embarrassed to be a “West Virginian”. When chatting on the internet, I would tell others that I was from “Western Virginia”, and I told everyone that I would move out of the state as soon as I was “old enough”.

    Now that I am FEW years older, I have grown to be proud of WV, and to be a native. I proudly listen to Country Roads (even though I know the singer was NOT a native), and I even grow teary-eyed when I think of those who return to our home (whom have been deployed).

    At this point, I (at least, hope) I will ALWAYS be proud of our state, and the beauty from within. I am excited to see how we can grow and prosper, creating ways to keep our natives, and bring more people to our home.

  25. Sagacious Hillbilly said:

    July 24th, 2008 at 8:16 am

    I’m sooo disappointed that I missed the roll with my “Hillbilly Review Board” series.
    What? Not rosey enough?

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