Q&A: Delegate Brown on Rockwool, 2018 Election

On this West Virginia Morning, Rockwool has become a household name in the Eastern Panhandle, and it sparks a flurry of discussion and debate. The European-based stone wool manufacturing plant is under construction in Ranson, Jefferson County. That, despite pushback from residents on the grounds of environmental concerns and the plant’s proximity to an elementary school.

Jefferson County delegates John Doyle and Sammi Brown, both Democrats, beat their Republican incumbents during the 2018 election, right in the middle of rising tension around the plant.

As we approach one year since public outcry began, Liz McCormick sat down with Delegate Brown, whose district includes those directly impacted by Rockwool. In an excerpt from the interview, they discuss the magnitude the plant played in last year’s election and explore what the fight for those opposed looks like going forward.

Also on today’s show, we start an occasional series where we showcase some of our young writers. Today we want to introduce you to a 2^nd grader who lives here in West Virginia. Dorsey Cutwright won first place among second graders in West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s 2019 writers contest. Dorsey came into our studios to record his story.

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