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Appalachians have always made use of the region’s wide variety of plants. A new book, called Appalachian Plants: In the Garden, In the Yard, and In the Wild, explores some of the history and lore of regional staples. It’s written by Linda Hager Pack and illustrated by Pat Banks. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with them.
Capito Wins U.S. Senate, Helps Tip Federal Balance to GOP
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A mere seconds after the polls closed across the state, national media outlets began calling the U.S. Senate race in favor of Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito.
The seat is being vacated by long-time Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller who announced his retirement last year.
Credit Ashton Marra / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Secretary of State Natalie Tennant campaigned up until the last minute in downtown Charleston for her bid for U.S. Senate.
For weeks, Democratic Secretary of State Natalie Tennant trailed Capito in the polls by double digits in some cases, but she remained confident Tuesday evening as she waved to potential voters on Washington Street in downtown Charleston surrounded by volunteers. That confidence, however, wasn’t enough to pull off a win.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday evening, Capito took the stage to accept her newly won seat.
“I want to be the first to share with you how optimistic I am about the future,” she said. “Around the state today West Virginia came together and made their voices heard to tell Washington that we can do better.”
Capito spoke to a packed room of supporters, saying it’s been nearly 60 years since the state sent a Republican to the Senate.
Just a few blocks away, Tennant conceded the race just after 8:30 p.m., thanking her family, staff and supporters.
“Tonight is not an end, it’s only a beginning,” Tennant said, “and I have said that West Virginia’s story all along is my story. I am proud and I look forward to writing the next chapter as your Secretary of State.”
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In 2020, the U.S. Navy commissioned a new aircraft carrier, CVN-81, and chose to name it after Doris "Dorie" Miller, but stories have surfaced recently of discussions about renaming it after President Donald Trump.
Many West Virginians may not remember the name Doris “Dorie” Miller, but he served on the USS West Virginia when it was attacked at Pearl Harbor. While Miller was never trained to fight, he raced to the deck on the day of the attack and fought back - shooting down at least one enemy plane. In 2020, a new aircraft was commissioned by the U.S. Navy and named for Miller. But recent stories have surfaced with talk of renaming it after President Donald Trump. We speak with Scott Womack, the commander of American Legion Post 100 in Monroe, West Virginia, to discuss the group’s recent resolution that the Navy should retain Miller’s name on the ship.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control found that black lung rates are the highest they’ve been since the 1970s. The disease can be debilitating, even for young miners. Justin Hicks reported for the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom on the new CDC report. Longtime investigative reporter Howard Berkes assisted, continuing his years of reporting on black lung, as previously featured on Inside Appalachia. Following the story’s release, Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams reached out to dig deeper.
On this West Virginia Week, the state signs a memorandum of understanding about nuclear energy, the Public Service Commission disputes need for a transmission line, and 9/11 is remembered.