Just as West Virginia earned its nickname, the Mountain State, from its rolling hills and forest-covered mountains, the Mountain Lakes region is also named after its natural beauty. The lakes in this area—Stonewall Jackson, Stonecoal, Summersville, Sutton and Burnsville—are the main attractions for both locals and visitors, but they are not all the communities have to offer.
Growing up in the small coal mining community of Mingo County, WV, Chris Williamson, assistant secretary of labor for the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), is a tried-and-true Mountaineer. Even after moving to the Washington, D.C., area, he continues to be mindful of his rich Appalachian roots and proud of his extensive coal mining lineage.
West Virginia is poised to enhance its reputation as an energy powerhouse. Empowered with changes in both federal and state laws, innovative thinkers and political leaders are preparing to welcome nuclear energy as part of the state’s energy portfolio, a move that can bring sustainable jobs with life-changing wages and possibilities.
Everyone knows with the holiday season comes a multitude of dazzling Christmas lights, brightly lit decorations and a need for warmth as the cold, wintry weather sets in. In December 2022, an extreme, unprecedented drop in temperature forced excessive use of indoor heat by consumers and strained the regional transmission organization (RTO) that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states, including West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
War, conflict, economic sanctions, extreme weather and global pandemics can all affect international trade. However, the overall impact on international sales can take time to determine.
The year is 2000. Texas’ republican Governor George W. Bush was just elected president by a narrow margin defeating democrat incumbent Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee. Republican Cecil Underwood is nearing the end of his term as governor in West Virginia where the democrats hold a 28-6 super majority in the Senate and a 75-25 super majority in the House.