Mason Adams

Reporter Discusses Allegations Of Mistreatment, Poor Conditions At Virginia Prison

In parts of Appalachia, coal mines have given way to a newer industry. Southwestern Virginia has two high-security, supermax prisons: Wallens Ridge State Prison, near Big Stone Gap, and Red Onion, not far from the town of Pound. Prisoners at Red Onion say they live in poor conditions and are often placed in solitary confinement for long stretches of time. Reporter Charlotte Rene Woods has been covering the story.

Continue Reading Take Me to More News

Red Onion Prison, NIOSH And The Mountain Laurel Festival, Inside Appalachia

This week, officials are scrutinizing a supermax prison in Wise County, Virginia, after inmate complaints and a visit by a state lawmaker. Also, laid-off federal worker warns the Trump administration’s mass firings could make a big difference for coal miners. And, every year, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival stages a formal dance. Organizers rely on a manual that’s been passed down for generations.

Continue Reading Take Me to More News

Journalist Calls On Congress To Be Better Friends Of Coal Miners

Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams talks with Leann Ray, editor-in-chief of West Virginia Watch, a nonprofit outlet that covers news in the state. She recently published an op-ed that wraps in several of President Trump's federal actions regarding coal. 

Continue Reading Take Me to More News

Coal And Coal Miners, Inside Appalachia

This week, some politicians and coal companies call themselves friends of coal, but one journalist says they don’t seem to be friends of coal miners. Also, what not to do if you get poison ivy. And, pepperoni rolls were a staple in the coal mines. But public schools might be why they caught on.

Continue Reading Take Me to More News
Load More Articles

More West Virginia News