west virginia

April 22, 2016 - A new analysis of state voting laws by the Brennan Center for Justice found that bills to expand access to the ballot box have outpaced those restricting voting for the fourth year in a row.

February 5, 2016 - Organized labor has made surprising gains in a region where unions face some of their toughest obstacles, new federal data shows. But defending workers' advances in the South's hostile political climate will require a long-term organizing commitment.

December 10, 2015 - The UAW wins in Tennessee. A West Virginia coal boss is found guilty. A populist Democrat wins the governor's race in Louisiana. And firefighters organize in Mississippi.

November 5, 2015 - A new study finds that candidates running for office nationwide are less diverse in terms of race and gender than the broader U.S. population. In the South, the situation is particularly dire for representation among women.

October 28, 2015 - Peabody Energy, the nation's largest coal company, is seeking release from a pledge to pay into a health insurance fund. Will taxpayers have to pick up the tab?

October 23, 2015 - An initiative to help states affected by the coal industry's decline has announced its first round of grants valued at $14.5 million. The bulk of the money is going to Kentucky and West Virginia, which have been most severely affected, and will support programs that provide digital media training, boost agricultural production, promote tourism and more.

September 25, 2015 - September marks National Voter Registration Month, created to draw attention to the importance of voter registration. The registration process is currently hindered by outdated technology, particularly in the South, but modernization efforts are making headway.