Local reporter Ian Hicks covered with sufficient detail and evidence the ramifications of the recent local coal layoffs. The article brought together a number of related stories including the recent WVU study. I especially liked that he looked at additional sources beyond simply relying on Murray Coal - especially for the number of outside jobs that coal mining creates.

There is a question about the shutdown that I still have not seen answered (nor have I found the answer on-line): given some of Murray's previous anti-union statements and actions, were the jobs that were cut union or non-union?