Coal Mining Deaths Spiked in Late 2018

On this West Virginia Morning, three workplace deaths in late December 2018 provided a grim end of the year for the coal mining industry. As the Ohio Valley ReSource’s Jeff Young reports, 12 people died in the nation’s coal mines even as mining employment dropped to a record low.

Also on today’s show, many Appalachian communities struggling with the opioid epidemic have been slow to get needle exchange programs started. But officials in the southwest corner of Virginia acted quickly– working out of fear for what could happen in their community if users continued to share dirty needles. 

Mallory Noe-Payne, from Radio IQ and Virginia Public Radio, visited Wise County, Va., where people have already seen a positive impact.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.