, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

McKinley hoping for stronger collaboration on shutdown negotiations

First District Congressman David McKinley says he’s wanting better communication with members of the Senate, on how to end the government shutdown that’s…

First District Congressman David McKinley says he’s wanting better communication with members of the Senate, on how to end the government shutdown that’s left close to one million federal workers unable to work. McKinley says the issues behind negotiations deal with health care and the economy.

McKinley is frustrated that more negotiations haven’t occurred with members of the House and Senate to this point. McKinley says he’s also concerned the mess won’t be fixed by the time the debt limit could be increased, which is also fast approaching. He says the Senate needs to have a conference with the House.

“Our endgame is to have negotiations. We want to sit in a room, we’re ready to try to do that. This is not about the budget; this is about our economy. The economy is still too soft,” he said.

McKinley says finger pointing has to stop, and when asked by reporters who he felt was responsible for a shutdown, refused to say. He says the priority has to be figuring out a solution to immediately get government open again, which he hopes will include some way to get to a balanced budget.

McKinley says he’s also not going to support the so-called “clean resolution,” which would fund the government, but has no added language about the Affordable Care Act.

West Virginia Morning – October 3, 2013

On this West Virginia Morning, Ashton Marra reports on Mingo Co. Judge Michael Thornsbury pleading guilty to corruption charges and agreeing to resign,…

On this West Virginia Morning, Ashton Marra reports on Mingo Co. Judge Michael Thornsbury pleading guilty to corruption charges and agreeing to resign, Cecelia Mason on a marathon that might be affected by the federal government shutdown, and Clark Davis and Ben Adducchio give a preview on Marshall and WVU men’s basketball. That and more.

Can Marshall Basketball rebound after tough 2012-2013 season?

Marshall Men's basketball began practice this week for the 2013-2014 season. After finishing last season with a 13-19 record, there were not many…

Marshall Men’s basketball began practice this week for the 2013-2014 season.

After finishing last season with a 13-19 record, there were not many positives to look forward to this season for Marshall Basketball. But the Herd is a team of newcomers mixed with just a few returnees. Counting graduations and departures Marshall only returns six players from last season and mixes them with nine newcomers. Marshall Head Coach Tom Herrion said he likes the mix of guys he has.

“I know how far we have to go, we’ve got a lot of areas that we have to become really good at and that’s going to happen over time, but I can assure you the one thing I’m confident about as I sit here is the fabric of our group. They’ve really displayed great attitude, pride and willingness,” Herrion said.

One thing that will help the Herd with its inexperience is a new NCAA rule that allows teams to start practice earlier. Marshall officially began practice last Friday, almost two weeks earlier than past seasons. The new NCAA legislation permits 30 days of practice in a 42-day period before the first game. The Herd’s first game is November 8^th against South Carolina State.

“With this new start date it’s been good for me as a coach because it’s really forces you have to a little bit better management of your practice situations. With the move up of the time you get 30 practices in roughly a 42-day window and I think it’s good because we’re really not going to go no more than three days at a time, at least for the first three or four weeks without a day off,” Herrion said.

It’s not just starting practice earlier that has the Herd encouraged though, a late summer trip to Canada to play in NCAA exempted games against Canadian Schools has given the Herd needed experience in game situations. Herrion said these added experiences and a line-up of guys with more versatility will allow them do some different things offensively and defensively.

“I think what you’ll see most is our level of extended aggressiveness, we’ve been more of a team that’s played you purely in the half-court defensively. I think you’ll see both in makes and misses defensively our ball pressure point of pick-up will be much higher,” Herrion said.

What that all means is guys like freshman point guard Kareem Canty will be applying full-court pressure to the man with the basketball. Canty sat out last year when he didn’t qualify academically. Canty said he’s looking forward to an aggressive playing style.

“We get to run and jump, we get to run and go, if we can get a stop easy, we can get easy dunks and layups, easy baskets will help us offensively,” Canty said.

Senior forward Elijah Pittman is the leading returning scorer for the Herd at 16 points a game. He echoed coach Herrion’s sentiment, saying versatility will be the key for the Herd.

“There is going to be certain games where we need four guards on the floor, there’s going to be certain games where we need three bigs on the floor and some people are going to have to play positions there not use to, but there is a lot of people on this team that can do that,” Pittman said.

Pittman said with schools like perennial Conference USA power Memphis leaving the conference, it’s time for the Herd to step up.

“When someone leaves the kings chair or the throne they have to pass it down to somebody and I feel like we need to be the team that they pass it down too, we need to be that big time school,” Pittman said.

Pittman and the Herd tip off exhibition play October 28^th at home against Concord at 7 p.m.

West Virginia Morning – October 2, 2013

On this WV Morning, Ben Adducchio reports on what West Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. House is thinking as the government shutdown continues into day…

On this WV Morning, Ben Adducchio reports on what West Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. House is thinking as the government shutdown continues into day two, and Cecelia Mason reports the director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies at Shepherd University is appalled at the way Congress is handling the appropriations process. That and more.

Couples file lawsuit in federal court in Huntington for same-sex marriage rights

The fight for same-sex marriage has come to West Virginia with a lawsuit filed yesterday in federal court in Huntington. Currently the state defines…

The fight for same-sex marriage has come to West Virginia with a lawsuit filed yesterday in federal court in Huntington. Currently the state defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

Three same-sex couples filed suit yesterday morning in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The lawsuit seeks the freedom to marry for three couples all from the surrounding Huntington area. One of those couples is Justin Murdock and William Glavaris. Murdock said they are glad to see things start to happen.

“We feel hopeful and obviously this is a big step and I am happy that this step has come to West Virginia and I think it’s about time. With the legal challenges I’ll be the first one to tell you that I don’t understand all of them, but I trust our lawyers and I know they’ve come here for a reason and their confidence makes me confident,” Murdock said.

The three couples are represented by Lambda Legal, a national organization seeking equality and pro bono by co-counsels from the Tinney Law Firm and Jenner and Block. Their reasoning is simple they said, to get the same rights afforded to marriages that include a man and a woman in the state.

Casey Willits is the Executive Director of Fairness West Virginia and says it’s a big day in the state.

“The effort to win freedom to marry has really come home to the Mountain State, it is now an issue in federal court here in West Virginia and that provides the way forward for LGBT West Virginian’s, particularly for same-sex couples who want to get married to protect their family and protect their relationship, but it really brings home the effort right here to the Mountain State,” Willits said.

Willits said he sees no better time than right now to file this type of suit in the state.

“I think the state is ready to acknowledge that in the federal constitution that there are these equal liberties and these protections. I think they’re ready to hear that truly it is only fair to provide the freedom to marry to all West Virginia couples,” Willits said.

Beth Littrell is an attorney for Lambda Legal in its Southern Regional Office. She said they have fought successful cases in Iowa and California, but have also had cases that didn’t go their direction. She says they are confident that the environment is right for their case to be successful in West Virginia.

“We think that West Virginia is a place in which the values of fairness and liberty and especially freedom will ring in the courtrooms and we feel confident. We would not have brought this case if we didn’t think it was likely that we would win,” Littrell said.

The other two couples named in the lawsuit are Nancy Michael and Jane Fenton along with their six-year old son Drew and Casie McGee and Sarah Adkins.

Littrell said same-sex couples in the state deserve certain rights they do not currently receive. West Virginia law does not recognize same sex marriage. Additionally, the state legislature has never passed an anti-discrimination bill to protect gays and lesbians in the workplace and housing.

“This is a federal constitutional challenge and the United States Constitution guarantees certain protections and promises and West Virginians deserve those protections and promises, so we think the state in this lawsuit will be successful,” Littrell said.

Casie McGee said it as simple as wanting to be able to help those that have become family to them.

“As family you want to take care of each other and we just keep running into these road blocks,” McGee said.

Celebrating Irene McKinney, Sept. 15, 2013

Irene McKinney was West Virginia’s Poet Laureate until her death in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDK8phzLiQg

This is an edited documentation of a multi-media celebration of the life and works of West Virginia poet Irene McKinney (1939-2012). The event was hosted by Marc Harshman, the new poet laureate of West Virginia. Insights and readings are shared by Maggie Anderson, Jeff Mann, Devon McNamara, Jessie van Eerden, and Barbara Weaner. West Virginia Public Broadcasting and John Nakashima provided montages of radio and video clips from some of Irene’s most memorable interviews and readings. And Kate Long sang “Goodnight, Irene.” Recorded at the Culture Center in Charleston, WV.