Every public school in West Virginia was closed Thursday and Friday as thousands of school employees flooded the state Capitol, asking for larger pay increases and a fix for the state employees health insurance system.
The Legislature has already passed a 2 percent pay raise for all state employees and promised to freeze insurance premiums for 17 months – but many teachers and school employees say it’s not enough.
On this week’s Front Porch podcast, we discuss how we can come to an agreement on this. And we debate how much a low-income state can and should pay teachers and school employees.
Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.
Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; economist Jessi Troyan of the free-market Cardinal Institute; and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee.
An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.
Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org
The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/
The rise of entrepreneurship in West Virginia is one of the top 5 trends shaping our state in 2018.
Coalfield Development Corporation is helping young West Virginians get ready for the new economy. The social enterprise is teaching entrepreneurship, and it is entrepreneurial itself – using a combination of grants and earned income to support itself.
It’s been a big year for West Virginia – what trends started in 2017 that will shape our lives in 2018?
The Front Porch podcast crew sees five big trends – listen or read below and let us know what you think!
1. Inequality grows, leading toward more oligarchy (Rick Wilson)
“The new tax bill will increase inequality,” Wilson said. “I think we’re heading toward dynasties.”
Wilson pointed out that, “Our entire delegation except for Sen. Manchin voted for this tax bill.” He believes it is a Trojan Horse that will lead to cuts in Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security that would b particularly damaging to West Virginia.
2. White nationalism continues to rise (Rick Wilson)
“This is the moment in the sun for white supremacy,” Wilson said. “Fascist-type movements feel validated by the political events of the last year,” including rallies last summer in Charlottesville, not far from our state.
West Virginians have some of the most anti-immigration attitudes in America, while having the lowest percentage of foreign-born people living here.
Wilson said there is an uneasy alliance between white nationalists and some wealthy folks, but it may not last.
“Sooner or later, the white nationalists are going to get screwed,” he said.
Credit Governor Jim Justice/Twitter
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The famous bull crap press conference.
3. One-party rule continues (Scott Finn)
Nationally, there’s fierce competition between the parties. But in West Virginia, we quickly went from a state dominated by Democrats to one controlled almost exclusively by Republicans.
This year, a former Republican-turned-Democrat became Governor, and then switched back to the GOP during a rally with President Donald Trump this summer.
“There must be something in the water that makes people in West Virginia desire a one-party state,” said Scott Finn, CEO of WVPB and host of “The Front Porch” podcast.
Jessi Troyan of the free-market Cardinal Institute says the trend toward one-party rule shows the outsized role government plays in West Virginians’ lives.
“That strikes me as indicative of the amount of power the government is able to wield in everyday life, that the stakes are so high,” she said. Someone has to be part of the “winning” party to receive jobs, contracts and other benefits.
4. Entrepreneurship grows (Jessi Troyan)
Troyan sees hope in the West Side of Charleston, which has seen a small boom in small business, focused on services, the arts, and restaurants.
She says West Virginians need to move past looking for solutions from big government and big business.
Finn pointed out that a handful of young business leaders took a risk on the working-class West Side, with help from a state tax credit for historic renovation and the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority.
“Even in a struggling economy, if you have vision and are willing to be entrepreneurial, good things can happen,” Finn said.
5. Education (finally) becomes an issue (Jessi Troyan)
After years of receiving relatively little attention from state leaders, Troyan thinks education will become a major issue in 2018.
In the past few years, West Virginia has fallen near the bottom of rankings of teacher pay. Graduation rates are up, but an increasing number of students (31 percent) need remedial courses in college.
“There is something we can do. Granted, it involves some serious courage by policymakers,” Troyan said. “West Virginia is one of only a handful of state without school choice programs.”
Even without state-funded school choice, competition from homeschooling and private schools improves public schools in West Virginia, according to a WVU study cited by Troyan.
BONUS TREND – Using colorful props at news conferences (Rick Wilson)
“What we have is nothing more than a bunch of political bull you-know-what,” Gov. Justice said in a Spring press conference, while pulling the cloche off a plate of authentic bull manure.
“This could be the year of scatology, not to mention eschatology, the end of the world as we know it,” Wilson said. “Poop and apocalypse, basically.”
Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.
Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee. Guest host this week is economist Jessi Troyan of the free-market Cardinal Institute.
An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.
Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org
The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/
Congress has passed the GOP tax bill – will it help the people of West Virginia?
That’s the debate we’re having on The Front Porch podcast this week, with liberal columnist Rick Wilson with the American Friends Service Committee, and guest host Jessi Troyan, Ph.D. economist with the free-market Cardinal Institute in Charleston.
Shockingly, they have starkly different takes on the tax bill. Wilson says its another step toward turning America into an oligarchy, and a trojan horse designed to force cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.
Troyan says she’s like to see fewer loopholes in the bill, but overall anything that gives more money back to workers and job creators is a step in the right direction.
Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.
Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; liberal columnist Rick Wilson with the American Friends Service Committee, and guest host Jessi Troyan, Ph.D. economist with the free-market Cardinal Institute in Charleston.
An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.
Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org
The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/
About one in three West Virginia high school grads needs to take remedial classes when they go to college – and that number is growing. Why are so many new college students so unprepared?
Also on this week’s podcast, we’ll break down the results of the Alabama Senate race. If a Democrat can win there, what does that mean for West Virginia’s congressional races?
There’s a new report out showing that almost one in three West Virginia high school grads must take remedial classes when they arrive at our state’s colleges.
In some places, it’s much worse – 61 percent of all Logan County high school grads who go to college have to take remedial classes.
There’s some good news. The West Virginia Higher Education Commission, which completed this report, has been setting up this co-requisite model.
Before, remedial classes didn’t count toward your degree – which made it a lot harder and more expensive for these students to graduate. Now, these students are able to take remedial classes that are integrated into entry-level classes – so they get credit. And in general, college retention rates are improving.
Also, West Virginia has a relatively good high school graduate
ionrate – about 89 or 90 percent. But is that part of the problem?
Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.
Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; liberal columnist Rick Wilson with the American Friends Service Committee, and guest host Jessi Troyan, Ph.D. economist with the free-market Cardinal Institute in Charleston.
An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.
Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org
The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/
Allegations about sexual harassment and assault are rocking the political and media worlds at the national level (including public media) – but what about West Virginia?
On this week’s Front Porch podcast, we discuss when that shoe might drop in West Virginia.
We also debate whether low-income, working-class victims will be any safer, or just high-profile workers.
We also discuss the proposed $83.7 billion China Energy investment in West Virginia – how excited should we be?
Join special guest host Jessi Troyan of The Cardinal Institute, a free market think tank based in Charleston, and progressive Rick Wilson of the American Friends Service Committee.
Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.
Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; a conservative guest host; and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee.
An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.
Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org
The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/
It’s Thanksgiving week! Let’s take a break from politics and talk pop culture.
In “Game of Thrones,” siblings Cersei and Jamie Lannister enjoy a loving and suportive relationship. But Front Porch host Laurie Lin can’t get past the “ick” factor.
Host Rick Wilson is rooting for the zombies in “The Walking Dead” – why?
And, what is the perfect coal Haiku?
Find out these answers, and what “Hillbilly Nerd Talk” is! In this Front Porch podcast.
Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch. Subscribe via iTunes
Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; conservative lawyer, columnist and rabid “Sherlock” fan Laurie Lin; and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee.
An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.
Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org
The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/
