The debate over coal’s environmental impact and future, between Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was most significant due to the relatively civil manner in which it occurred. Last night’s forum, hosted at The University of Charleston, was mostly devoid of the disrespect and intimidation that arose during public [...]

Posted in Culture, Economy, Education, Government, West Virginia 9 Comments »

Once again, the Mountain State has been smeared by commentary distributed via a major media conglomerate. NBC Washington columnist Chris Needham featured an account of the public records database developed by the state Division of Culture and History, a system that had previously received praise as “fantastic” in comparison to similar efforts across the country.
In [...]

Posted in Culture, Education, Media, West Virginia 9 Comments »

Organizers of the 2009 Create WV Conference are asking the public to jump start the conversations that will take place there by using Twitter, Facebook and blogs to answer this open-ended phrase: “WV, I WILL CREATE…”
Because conferences can tend to offer too many ideas and not enough results, people are being asked to not only [...]

Posted in Business, Culture, Economy, Education, West Virginia 9 Comments »

Today the Generation West Virginia Young Leadership Conference kicks off in Morgantown, an assembly designed to promote the cultivation of young talent throughout the state. Organizers invite readers to participate by spreading word and offering feedback via social media sites like Facebook, Twitter.com, LinkedIn, and the aBetterWestVirginia blog.
Generation West Virginia serves as the figurehead for [...]

Posted in Business, Culture, Economy, Education, Government, Media, Tourism, West Virginia 5 Comments »

We’re taught from a young age the importance of history. By dissecting the past, we discover a greater understanding of where society has been and where society is going. Every country, state and community chooses to remember events, people, and circumstances that have influenced its identity. 
In West Virginia, the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain represents [...]

Posted in Culture, Economy, West Virginia 12 Comments »

Today Newsweek featured an article highlighting the state Department of Commerce’s “Come Home to West Virginia” campaign, an effort to lure former residents back to the state. For years, leaders across the state have been searching for “the answer” to counter our image problem.
Sterotypes have plagued Appalachia since the 19th Century, and it seems that more [...]

Posted in Culture, West Virginia 21 Comments »

On this Super Bowl Sunday, as fans await the nation’s biggest game, consider how many West Virginians love football at all levels. While there have been several athletes from the state who ascended into the ranks of the National Football League, one of the most noteworthy is Randy Moss.
Football Finesse  
In his first season, he scored [...]

Posted in Culture, Education, West Virginia 7 Comments »