/tags/west-virginia West Virginia en-US Copyright KUNC/Community Radio for Northern Colorado 2020 Fri, 18 Mar 2016 09:47:00 GMT /2016-03-18/if-you-dont-fight-for-yourself-aint-nobody-else-gonna-do-it-for-you That's the lesson Tanya James' mother taught her. And she says it was invaluable in the West Virginia coal mines, where she worked for decades. Now, she's passing that lesson down to her daughters. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 09:47:00 GMT /2016-03-18/if-you-dont-fight-for-yourself-aint-nobody-else-gonna-do-it-for-you NPR Staff /npr-news/2014-10-16/w-va-pottery-company-keeps-popular-fiesta-line-thriving Homer Laughlin China Co. has been making the brightly colored Fiesta dishes for decades at its factory on the banks of the Ohio River. And it's still going strong. Thu, 16 Oct 2014 07:32:00 GMT /npr-news/2014-10-16/w-va-pottery-company-keeps-popular-fiesta-line-thriving Linda Wertheimer /2014-06-26/in-mystery-seriess-w-va-river-town-theres-no-escape-from-terror Writer Julia Keller, who grew up in the state, says she surprised herself when she set her novels there. But riverbanks, convenience stores and abandoned coal mines make for perfect crime scenes. Thu, 26 Jun 2014 07:15:00 GMT /2014-06-26/in-mystery-seriess-w-va-river-town-theres-no-escape-from-terror Noah Adams /2014-01-24/drinking-water-not-tested-for-tens-of-thousands-of-chemicals The fact that a second contaminant in West Virginia's drinking water eluded detection for nearly two weeks — despite intense testing of the water — reveals an important truth about how companies test drinking water: In most cases, they only find the contaminants they're looking for. Fri, 24 Jan 2014 10:00:00 GMT /2014-01-24/drinking-water-not-tested-for-tens-of-thousands-of-chemicals Elizabeth Shogren /npr-news/2013-09-24/jailed-massey-mine-boss-claims-he-was-companys-sacrificial-lamb Gary May claims his attorney colluded with attorneys for the mining company to avoid testimony implicating Massey in his crimes. Tue, 24 Sep 2013 21:00:00 GMT /npr-news/2013-09-24/jailed-massey-mine-boss-claims-he-was-companys-sacrificial-lamb Howard Berkes /2013-07-22/fish-return-to-a-mining-county-river The Cheat River runs through historic mining country in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. Coal has been an economic boost to the area, but often at a cost to the environment. The Cheat was one such casualty. Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:00:00 GMT /2013-07-22/fish-return-to-a-mining-county-river Emily Corio /npr-news/2013-06-23/west-virginias-birthday-recalls-a-state-born-of-civil-war As West Virginia celebrates its 150th birthday this week, the state's chief historian tells the story of how western Virginians created a secession within a secession. Sun, 23 Jun 2013 11:35:00 GMT /npr-news/2013-06-23/west-virginias-birthday-recalls-a-state-born-of-civil-war NPR Staff /npr-news/2013-06-10/sandwich-monday-the-politician For this week's Sandwich Monday, a very quick look at a new sandwich from the West Virginia chain Tudor's Biscuit World. Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:43:00 GMT /npr-news/2013-06-10/sandwich-monday-the-politician Ian Chillag /npr-news/2013-05-17/doctors-confirm-black-lung-in-victims-of-mine-blast A study of mine blast victims finds further evidence that there's a resurgence of black lung among coal miners. The relatively young ages of some of the miners and their limited tenure underground suggests significant exposure to coal dust. Fri, 17 May 2013 16:47:00 GMT /npr-news/2013-05-17/doctors-confirm-black-lung-in-victims-of-mine-blast Howard Berkes /npr-news/2013-05-10/in-the-land-of-wild-ramps-its-festival-time Springtime in Appalachia means ramp festival season. But as ramp festivals and urban ramp vendors attract record numbers of people, scientists warn that the wild populations of the seasonal greens are being forced into decline. Fri, 10 May 2013 14:18:00 GMT /npr-news/2013-05-10/in-the-land-of-wild-ramps-its-festival-time Jess Schreibstein