Intelligencer decides that you don't need to know about the cost of cleaning up mine pollution
(with important 3 PM update)
This morning's Intelligencer has a page 5 story about more layoffs in the coal industry. "Patriot Coal Expects to Lay Off 2,000 Workers" details the likely job losses in West Virginia. The AP article also discusses some of Patriot's asset sales as well as the problems associated with its bankruptcy proceedings. Here's . . .
"Information Access Critical"
It's too bad we don't get any from our local "newspapers"
According to the morning editorial, "Information Action Critical," the Intelligencer is fighting the good fight over access to information:
Many newspaper journalists will have no trouble believing allegations Murray Energy Corp. is making in a lawsuit against the federal government. Much the same thing - and worse - . . .
More PR posing as real news
Updated - October 7
Yesterday's PR release from Murray Energy that landed on the News-Register's front page (see below) was moved to today's Intelligencer's front page of the 2nd section. Casey Junkins added his byline and rewrote parts of the story. The Intelligencer then replaced the front page Murray Energy story with another PR release - this . . .
Posted in: wheeling intelligencerwvu
Coal news
Patriot Coal's Bankruptcy
Propublica and a number of other sources are covering the Patriot Coal bankruptcy and what it is doing to the coal-mining retirees who were promised continued health benefits:
When the plan was filed in U.S. bankruptcy court in Richmond last week, however, one group didn’t come out so well: . . .
Posted in: murray coalpatriot coalwheeling newspapers
Quick takes
Manchin will not re-introduce his gun bill
According to the Washington Post:
West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin, the co-sponsor of failed legislation to expand background checks for gun purchases, doesn’t have any plans to revive the measure in the wake of the Oregon shooting.
“We don’t have any statement on the . . .
Posted in: gun controljoe manchinwv teachers
Morrisey Watch 11
Investigating Planned Parenthood
You had to figure that this was inevitable -- from Metro News about our needs-to-be-in-the-spotlight attorney general:
State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is throwing his public support behind legislative efforts to investigate Planned Parenthood in West Virginia in the wake of questions about the organization’s alleged . . .
Don Blankenship leaves his mark on WV politics
Gazette-Mail investigative piece explains how this happened
This past Sunday the Gazette-Mail ran a very detailed front-page investigation by David Gutman into the influence that Don Blankenship's aides have had on recent state politics:
There is no record of Blankenship making any political donations in West Virginia in 2014, and Republicans made unprecedented gains — winning the . . .
Posted in: don blankenshipwv politics
