A prominent republican
in Kentucky’s state government believes Congressman
Elect Andy Barr (pictured) can make inroads in Washington to help preserve the
coal industry. Barr’s advertising during his campaign against incumbent
Ben Chandler focused heavily on coal as Kentucky’s ‘ace in the
hole.’ Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jamie Comer says farmers can
related to those in the coal business. Comer feels Andy Barr can carry a
pro-coal message to Capitol Hill and hopefully convinced fellow lawmakers to
re-think an energy policy.
Thirty-four states and
the District of Columbia allow no-excuse early
voting, but Kentucky isn't one of
them. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (pictured) says early voting has its
advantages. Right now, Kentucky only allows absentee
voting with a valid excuse such as age, disability, military service, or a
work-related excuse. The commonwealth is surrounded by states that offer
no-excuse early voting, and Secretary Grimes supports having the General
Assembly consider changing state law. Opponents fear the impact early voting
could have on the integrity of elections.
It sounds like a science
fiction movie about a diabolical villain bent on the destruction of mankind
with a small drop of a substance he’s cooked up in his evil laboratory. Troubling thing is, it’s not science fiction. Prize winning research scientists are worried
about this very scenario. Bioterrorism was the focus of a lecture at Marshall University
(pictured) this week.
In 2008, the all-girls Catholic school Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy (pictured) closed its doors after 160 years of educating young women in West Virginia. Purchased by the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the historic five-story building, built just after the Civil War in 1868, was gutted and demolished in 2011. Now, the school is to be remembered, thanks to a friendship that stretches back more than 400 years.
The Frank And Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center in Fairmont is dedicated to preserving the history of West Virginia folk culture. The center has been open for a full year. It’s a beautiful two story building on the campus of Fairmont State University, built on what used to be a dairy farm. The center includes artifacts, art and music. Ben Adducchio recently went on a tour of the facility and has this report.
When a celebrated piece of sacred music is performed next Friday inside the Singletary Center at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, there’s a lot of room for conflict. The composer of the Five Mystical Songs was Ralph Vaughn Williams, who was an agnostic. But, Vaughn Williams used poetry written in the 1600s by an Anglican priest. This performance also includes the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, student-choruses from five colleges and universities, and baritone Noel Bouley (pictured). With so many players, Bouley admits there’s a risk for conflict, but it’s a necessary risk.
A small and micro-business
summit in Beckley, West Virginia this week targeted the artisan, agribusiness, tourism, and service
industries. Suzanne Higgins reports organizers of the conference at Tamarack (pictured) believe new larger
attractions in southern West Virginia
have the potential of spurring many new small businesses.