The last few years have seen a new wave of indie rock music emerging from the Mountain South. It’s distinguished by a Southern rock sound, and lyrics drawn from observations about living in the region. We’re talking about acts like Wednesday and MJ Lenderman — and Fust, a group that’s based in Durham, North Carolina with deep Appalachian roots. Fust has a new album. It’s called “Big Ugly.” Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams recently spoke with Fust singer and songwriter Aaron Dowdy.
Sanctions Loom Over Justice Companies In 2 Federal Courts
Carter Bank, shown here in Floyd, Virginia, is one of Gov. Jim Justice's biggest creditors.Curtis Tate / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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A company owned by Gov. Jim Justice faces possible contempt in federal court over failure to pay for mine safety violations. Another federal court has found the governor’s son in contempt for failing to appear at a hearing last week.
Southern Coal agreed to pay $5 million in MSHA fines in 2020, and has paid roughly $4 million.
However, the Justice-owned company has said it has no assets and cannot pay the balance. Southern Coal did make a payment of $10,000 on July 12, according to court documents.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh responded this week that Southern Coal has offered no evidence of an inability to pay and that the company has not sought bankruptcy protection.
Southern Coal has said its assets are collateral for nearly $300 million owed to Virginia-based Carter Bank. In June, the Justice family reached a settlement with the bank, one of its biggest creditors.
A federal judge in Alabama, meanwhile, has held the governor’s son, Jay Justice, in contempt.
Chief U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor of the Northern District of Alabama last week declared Jay Justice and Bluestone Coke, a company the family owns, in contempt for violating three previous orders.
Among other missteps, Justice and Bluestone failed to appear in person for an Aug. 21 hearing.
Proctor had earlier directed the parties into mediation.
A federal judge in Alabama has held the governor’s son, Jay Justice, in contempt.
Proctor gave Justice and Bluestone until Sept. 11 to comply with the court’s orders, including paying plaintiffs’ fees, responding to discovery requests and submitting dates for mediation.
Failure to cooperate or participate could result in penalties, an order of default, or “other appropriate sanctions,” Proctor ordered.
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday that would allow data centers to establish microgrids — self-contained sites that generate their own power. The bill is one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s legislative priorities. It is also of interest to Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. Our Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate speaks with Hamilton about issues the coal industry is facing at home and abroad.
UMWA President Cecil Roberts said Trump’s proposed fees on international shipping and cuts to safety and health agencies threaten the competitiveness of coal and the health and safety of mine workers.
Nuclear could come to the state as a result of the legislature’s repeal of a longtime nuclear power moratorium in 2022 and the passage of the Advance Act in Congress last year.