This week, before emancipation, Appalachia provided pathways to freedom for enslaved people trying to escape bondage. A new project identifies more than two dozen previously unknown underground railroad sites. Also, the Fly Around Music & Arts Festival in North Carolina was inspired by the hard work that followed Hurricane Helene. And, a ballad about floods recorded a generation ago still provides solace for people today.
Putnam County Judge Selected To Fill US Magistrate Vacancy
Joseph Reeder of Hurricane was selected as magistrate judge for Huntington on Monday.Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock
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Joseph Reeder, a judge for West Virginia’s 29th Judicial Circuit Court in Putnam County, has been selected as the new United States magistrate judge for Huntington, West Virginia.
Reeder is originally from Parkersburg and received both his undergraduate and law education at West Virginia University. He practiced law in Kanawha County following law school, and in 2003 relocated to his current city of Hurricane in Putnam County.
In Hurricane, Reeder founded a law firm in 2003, and operated it until he was elected to the circuit court in 2012. He was reelected to the circuit court in 2016 and 2024.
During his time on the circuit court bench, Reeder has largely focused on issues surrounding substance use. He established the Putnam County Adult Drug Court and the Putnam County Family Treatment Court — both of which offer alternatives to incarceration for individuals with substance use disorder who are convicted of nonviolent crimes.
Reeder’s appointment follows the retirement of Judge Cheryl Eifert from the magistrate bench. He is slated to serve an eight-year term in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, pending a federal background check required for the role.
Joseph Reeder was first elected to Putnam County’s circuit court bench in 2012, winning reelection in 2016 and 2024. Photo Credit: West Virginia Judiciary
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