Tag: East Palestine

How Labor Shortages Affect Housing And Us & Them Takes Us To East Palestine, This West Virginia Morning   

On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginians have struggled to find affordable housing for years. The pandemic made things worse as demand increased. A lack of available housing inventory – or land on which to build – is exacerbated by a shortage of laborers and skilled tradesmen to build the houses.

On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginians have struggled to find affordable housing for years. The pandemic made things worse as demand increased. A lack of available housing inventory – or land on which to build – is exacerbated by a shortage of laborers and skilled tradesmen to build the houses.

Caroline MacGregor continues our radio series “Help Wanted: Understanding West Virginia’s Labor Force” with a look at how a shortage of workers is affecting the housing industry.

Also, in this show, workers continue to excavate contaminated material from the site of a train derailment earlier this year in East Palestine, Ohio. The accident just across the state border, sent toxic chemicals into the air, soil and water. Several government agencies are on the scene to coordinate the response.

In a new episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay hears from residents who say they don’t know who to trust. Some worry about delays and misinformation while others think things are going as well as they can. We listen to an excerpt.

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 Concord University and Shepherd University.

Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Trust: East Palestinians Not On The Same Track

In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay hears from residents who face daunting challenges. Some say government agencies are doing their best at ongoing cleanup, while others say delays and inconsistent information leave them uncertain about their safety and unclear about whether they can go home. 

In the aftermath of a disaster, people search for assistance and answers. 

Since a rural Ohio train derailment sent toxic material into the air, soil and water earlier this year, people in East Palestine have needed help. Some look to the government for that support, while others aren’t sure who to trust. 

In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay hears from residents who face daunting challenges. Some say government agencies are doing their best at ongoing cleanup, while others say delays and inconsistent information leave them uncertain about their safety and unclear about whether they can go home. 

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council and CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

An East Palestine, Ohio resident watches a black plume rise over his town, in February 2023, after a controlled detonation of derailed Norfolk Southern tank cars filled with vinyl chloride.

Credit: NPR
Until the Norfolk Southern derailment, Jami Wallace was an East Palestine resident. She lived just over a mile from the accident site. Now, she’s moved with her family to East Liverpool — about 30 minutes away. She has a law degree and a background in Political Science and Public Administration. Now, as president of a response group for her community — the Unity Council — she finds herself a de facto spokesperson for a town still in crisis.

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
A yard sign near the center of East Palestine.

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Macklain Hersman works in IT and says he lives within the official disaster area. He has history in East Palestine. In fact, his house has been in the family for three generations.

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Mark Durno, an EPA response coordinator, takes questions from concerned East Palestine residents.

Courtesy Stephanie Elverd
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Diane Russell discusses the air monitoring data that the EPA has collected for the East Palestine area.

Courtesy Stephanie Elverd
“East Palestine is quite a conservative area, but what I saw whenever things happened was I saw people who were on the right, who were on the left, who were somewhere in the middle, and some people who didn’t care at all, come together to demand answers and demand justice. Personally, I was proud of that, and that’s part of the reason why I’m here…that beauty in coming together, that solidarity, is what everyone should have all the time.” — Timothea Deeter, East Palestine resident

Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Months After East Palestine Derailment, Rail Safety Bill On Track For Vote

On Thursday, Capito said changes are being made to the bill, and she expects the full Senate will vote on it by the end of the year.

It’s been seven months since the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito says a rail safety bill is still in the works.

Capito voted no on the Railway Safety Act when it passed the Senate Commerce Committee in May.

On Thursday, Capito said changes are being made to the bill, and she expects the full Senate will vote on it by the end of the year.

“Those issues are being negotiated right now,” she said. “I do believe there’s been commitments by, probably, Leader Schumer and others to put that bill up on to the floor.” 

No one was killed or seriously injured in the February derailment in East Palestine. But the incident raised a variety of public health and safety issues the legislation could address.

Those include notification of hazardous rail shipments to first responders, improved train defect inspection and detection, and more robust tank cars for transporting flammable liquids.

Testimony On East Palestine Train Crash And PEIA Sees New Director, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, we have a new story from The Allegheny Front – a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region. This latest story explores the East Palestine train crash and recent testimony questioning the need to burn the train cars.

On this West Virginia Morning, we have a new story from The Allegheny Front – a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region. This latest story explores the East Palestine train crash and recent testimony questioning the need to burn the train cars.

Also, in this show, in an administrative briefing Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice announced the new director of the state’s Public Employee Insurance Agency (PEIA). Emily Rice has the story.

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 Concord University and Shepherd University.

Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and produced this episode.

Teresa Wills is our host.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

New Ohio County Delegate Talks Goals On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, Diana Winzenreid from Ohio County was selected to serve out the remainder of Del. Erikka Storch’s term. Reporter Chris Schulz sat down with the state’s newest delegate to discuss her new position and plans.

On this West Virginia Morning, Del. Erikka Storch last month stepped down as representative for the 4th House District to become external affairs manager at Appalachian Electric Power. Diana Winzenreid was selected to serve out the remainder of Storch’s term, and reporter Chris Schulz sat down with the state’s newest delegate to discuss her new position and plans.

Also, in this show, the Allegheny Front, based in Pittsburgh, is a public radio program that reports on environmental issues in the region. We listen to their latest story about soil testing and farm safety after the East Palestine train derailment.

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 Concord University and Shepherd University.

Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode.

Teresa Wills is our host.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

A Discussion About The Pleasants Power Station This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, energy and environment reporter Curtis Tate speaks with Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative Karan May about the West Virginia Public Service Commission’s recent agreement to allow a plan to keep the Pleasants Power Station from shutting down at the end of May. Consumer and environmental groups, large industrial users and even the PSC’s Consumer Advocate testified against it.

On this West Virginia Morning, energy and environment reporter Curtis Tate speaks with Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative Karan May about the West Virginia Public Service Commission’s recent agreement to allow a plan to keep the Pleasants Power Station from shutting down at the end of May. Consumer and environmental groups, large industrial users and even the PSC’s Consumer Advocate testified against it.

We also hear from The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh, about a recent public meeting with the EPA. After the train derailment in East Palestine in early February, the agency tested the soil for chemicals, but some people came with their own results – saying they’re still being exposed to toxins.

Also, millions of federal dollars will help early childhood education and development in the Mountain State, and West Virginia experts say efforts to improve child mental health are showing positive results.

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 Concord University, and Shepherd University. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

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