Black Lung Disease At Its Highest In 50 Years, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, federal health researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have a new report about black lung disease among the most experienced coal miners in Appalachia. They are suffering from the incurable disease at the highest rates in nearly half a century. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Justin Hicks reports.

Also, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has launched an investigation into whether funds from the school voucher clothing program were actually used to purchase things other than clothes for kids.

And, coal volumes for two of the nation’s biggest railroads are up from last year. Domestic coal shipments declined amid a flurry of favorable Trump administration policies.

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 Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

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