Following the American Civil War, a group of freed people fled violence and bought land in Western North Carolina. In the summer of 1873, these people formed a Black communal society they named “The Kingdom of the Happy Land.” A new novel tells a story set in the kingdom, both in the past and in the present day. It’s titled, “Happy Land.” Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
Home » W. Va. Company to Sell Mine Equipment to China
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W. Va. Company to Sell Mine Equipment to China
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W. Va. Secretary of Commerce Keith Burdette greets Shanxi Provincial Education Department Director-General Zhang Wendong
A delegation from China was in West Virginia today to sign agreements with representatives from the state’s business, educational and government agencies.
Zhang Wendong, the Educational Department Director-General of the Shanxi province in China was one of the dignitaries signing memorandums of understanding to promote educational exchanges and business collaborations.
At a ceremony this morning at the Culture Center in Charleston, West Virginia Secretary of Commerce Keith Burdette says with the export of 550 million dollars in various West Virginia products, China is the state’s second largest international market in 2014.
“And from those from West Virginia let me say today is an excellent example of why our global outreach is so important to our economy.”
Shanxi is one of China’s top coal producing provinces and representatives of the Datong Mining Group and the Petitto Mine EquipmentCompany of Morgantown signed a purchase agreement. Petitto will sell it’s specialized coal equipment to the Chinese. It’s a move Burdette says that’s good for the state.
“The last documents signed today mean jobs for West Virginians.”
Burdette says West Virginia has a long standing relationship of student exchange with China.
Sam Petsonk grew up around southern West Virginia's mining communities, visiting patients with his father, one of the country's first doctors to specialize in Black Lung Disease.
The rule was aimed at reducing miner inhalation of silica dust, which has been shown to worsen cases of black lung disease and cause an earlier onset of the disease in younger miners.
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.
In written testimony submitted earlier this month, West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton said the fees would have a detrimental impact on West Virginia coal production.
