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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.
Lawmakers Discuss Bill Allowing Teachers In W.Va. To Carry Firearms In Classrooms
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On this episode of The Legislature Today, in the midst of school shootings like Park View, Sandy Hook and Uvalde, school safety continues to be a pressing issue across the country.
In West Virginia, small and rural schools find it difficult to staff school resource officers and other security personnel, but a bill now making its way through the House of Delegates would allow teachers and other school staff to carry a firearm or other weapon on school grounds. Chris Schulz spoke with Del. Elliot Pritt, R-Fayette, and Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, for their perspective.
In the House, along with 13 bills on third reading, several resolutions were passed, and tributes were read honoring fallen West Virginia combat veterans.
In the Senate, the chamber addressed keeping West Virginia safer online. The chamber approved bills addressing ways that AI (artificial intelligence) could be used to sexually exploit children on the internet and protect the personal information of people online. Briana Heaney has more.
Also, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Monday afternoon considered an idea as old as the nation’s founding: Creating a currency backed by gold and silver. Curtis Tate has that story.
The House and Senate Education committees started the week off by considering changes to homeschooling requirements, as well as sports outside the school. Chris Schulz has more.
Finally, West Virginia’s senior citizens took center stage this Tuesday for AARP Day at the Capitol. There is a core group of statewide AARP leaders who lobby for certain legislation just about every day of every regular session – and 2024 is no different.
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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.