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.
Which West Virginia Counties Have Seen The Most Population Loss In Recent Years?
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Overall, West Virginia continues to see a decline in population since 2012. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that, while the state’s population grew from 2010 (1,854,176) to 2012 (1,856,313) the state has seen a drop-off in consecutive years since–with the last estimate from July 1, 2014 putting West Virginia’s population at 1,850,326.
Last week, The Charleston Gazette reported that West Virginia is losing population faster than any other state, with about 3,300 total residents lost from July 1, 2013 to July 1, 2014. That translates to about 0.2 percent total population loss in just the one year. Those numbers are ahead of the only other states that saw population loss, based on 2013 to 2014 records: Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, New Mexico and Vermont.
From 2010 to 2014, 39 of the state’s counties lost residents, while 16 showed an increase. Southern West Virginia continues to see sharp population decline, while the Eastern Panhandle and Monongalia County have seen a boom in recent years. However, the increase of natural gas production in the north central and Northern Panhandle regions hasn’t kept some of those counties from seeing a decline in population in recent years.
From aviation administration to worker safety, federal cuts implemented by the Trump administration have touched every aspect of life. That includes the USDA's Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which provided funds for schools to purchase fresh, local food for students.
Money from the lawsuit against opioid distributors AmeriSource Bergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson Corporation is already being distributed to cities and counties around the state by the West Virginia First Foundation.
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This is an evolving story and may be updated.
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