Podcasts about west virginians

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Saturday, May 17, 2025  Start your journey to better health and fitness with a Mountaineer Mile hike at West Virginia's stunning state parks…discover small town charm paired with big outdoor experiences in Elkins…and grow your business with the University of Charleston's Business Accelerator Program…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV STATE PARKS – There is no better place to get outside and get moving than West Virginia's stunning state parks.  Governor Patrick Morrisey has launched the Mountaineer Mile to encourage West Virginians to walk at least one mile daily and has designated an official Mountaineer Mile trail in 32 state parks.  From the gentle loop circling the lake at Little Beaver to the winding trail to Elakala Falls at Blackwater Falls, West Virginia's state parks offer a variety of treks for hikers of all fitness levels. Visit wvstateparks.com to view the list of Mountaineer Mile trails and get started on your journey to fitness and health! Read more: https://wvstateparks.com/take-on-a-mountaineer-mile-trail-in-west-virginia-state-parks/   #2 – From NORTHERN VIRGINIA MAGAZINE – If you're looking for a place that blends small-town charm with big outdoor experiences, look no further than Elkins, West Virginia. Set in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains, Elkins is a welcoming hub for hikers, bikers, road trippers, and anyone who loves a town with character, creativity, and easy access to nature. Discover a downtown that's full of character, with great options for food and drink. Hop aboard a scenic train ride. Explore the area's rich history. Plan an outdoor adventure and bask in the beauty of Almost Heaven--all from the charming mountain town of Elkins.  Read more: https://northernvirginiamag.com/sponsored/2025/04/29/explore-elkins-randolph-county-west-virginia-your-basecamp-for-mountain-adventure/   #3 – From UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON – At the UC Downtown Innovation Hub, we know you strive to be a sophisticated business owner. To do that, you need a systematic way to grow your business.  After working with dozens of growth companies from startups to multi-million-dollar enterprises, the University of Charleston has developed a systems approach that brings clarity to business management, enabling you to scale up and grow your business. Learn more about the Business Accelerator Program. Read more: https://www.ucwv.edu/innovation/dih/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Thursday, May 1, 2025  Commercial Metals says #YesWV, building a state-of-the-art steel mill in Berkeley County…WV Economic Development authority financing helps iconic potato chip maker Mister Bee triple their capacity…and a West Virginia couple looks to the WV Small Business Center for assistance in launching their kayak loading company…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WVDED – Commercial Metals Company is making a significant investment in West Virginia by constructing a state-of-the-art micro mill in Berkeley County. This $450 million facility will produce 500,000 tons of straight-length and spooled rebar annually. CMC chose West Virginia for its strategic location, offering efficient access to major metropolitan markets in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwest regions. Additionally, the state's welcoming business climate and skilled, available labor force make it an ideal location for CMC's expansion. The new micro mill will be one of the most environmentally friendly steelmaking operations globally, utilizing 100% recycled steel as raw material and electric energy for production. Read more: https://westvirginia.gov/cmc-says-yes-to-west-virginia-building-a-state-of-the-art-steel-mill-in-the-mountain-state/   #2 – From WVEDA – Mister Bee is the only potato chip made in West Virginia. New owner Mary Anne Ketelsen was determined to make sure the brand would be around for generations to come. When she took over in 2018, the operation needed to be completely rehauled. With West Virginia Economic Development Authority financing, Mister Bee was able to triple their capacity, make new products, and hire more people. Watch the video: https://eda.wv.gov/iconic-potato-chip-manufacturer-is-thriving-with-wveda-support/   #3 – From WVSBDC – Like many West Virginians, Jeff and Vicki Wilson shared a passion for the outdoors. But the couple struggled to load and unload their heavy fishing kayaks -- a tiring and time-consuming task that left them frustrated. The challenge they faced sparked an idea, and with support from the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, they were able to make their dream into a reality. The partnership resulted in the launch of Kayak Loading Solutions, a West Virginia-made quality product that also helps boost the economic health of the community and state.  Read more: https://wvsbdc.com/how-wv-sbdc-helped-kayak-loading-solutions-turn-an-idea-into-a-reality/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

We're back for another edition of the Hurricane Hundred K Runner Profile and Education Series with West Virginian, Anne Tisdell. We sat down with Anne — ultrarunner, coach, and fresh off her WIN at the Arizona Monster 300 — to talk all things endurance, mindset, and the wild journey of running 300+ miles through the desert

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Monday, April 28, 2025  Commercial Metals says #YesWV with the construction of a $450 million state-of-the-art micro mill in Berkeley County…newly designated Mountaineer Mile trails at West Virginia state parks encourage West Virginians to get active while enjoying nature…and applications are open for a new grant program for small businesses in Kanawha County…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV NEWS – Commercial Metals Company is bringing a major economic boost to West Virginia with the construction of a cutting-edge micro mill in Berkeley County. The $450 million investment marks a significant expansion for the company and reinforces West Virginia's appeal as a hub for advanced manufacturing. The new facility is designed to produce approximately 500,000 tons of straight-length and spooled rebar each year. This state-of-the-art micro mill will support demand for steel in infrastructure, construction, and industrial sectors across key regions including the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwest. CMC selected West Virginia for its strategic geographic location, which provides streamlined access to several major metropolitan markets. The company cited the state's pro-business policies, skilled labor pool and strong infrastructure also as central to the decision Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/commercial-metals-company-to-build-450-million-micro-mill-in-berkeley-county-west-virginia/article_0e633cec-220e-4331-aeb4-42c996cb85ed.html   #2 – From WVVA-TV – West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey has announced a new initiative that encourages West Virginians to walk at least a mile a day. The governor joined other state officials recently at Little Beaver State Park to unveil the first Mountaineer Mile trail around the lakefront. As part of the initiative, 32 state parks in West Virginia will have a Mountaineer Mile Trail.  Morrisey says he hopes the trails will encourage people to be healthier as well as visit the state's scenic state parks.  “Because West Virginia has the most beautiful state parks in the country, there's no better place to partake in the Mountaineer Mile challenge,” he said. “If the Mountaineer Mile can take off across the state, it will lead to incredible health outcomes for our residents.” Read more: https://www.wvva.com/2025/04/16/gov-morrisey-unveils-first-mountaineer-mile-trail/   #3 – From SMALL BIZ TRENDS –  Optimum Business and the Charleston Area Alliance have announced the opening of applications for the Lifting Up Small Businesses Grants, a new initiative aimed at bolstering small business growth in Kanawha County.  As part of the program, 25 small businesses will each receive a $5,000 grant, totaling $125,000 in funding to support long-term economic prosperity in the region. The grant program, introduced on April 14, is designed to directly support local entrepreneurs and strengthen the community's economic infrastructure. The initiative includes recognition events hosted by Optimum Business, where local officials and community partners will celebrate the awarded businesses. Learn more about the grant program's rules and eligibility here. Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/optimum-kanawha-small-business-grants/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Mairah Clay who is the Southern WV Coordinator and Autumn Crowe who is the Deputy Director of WV Rivers.Many West Virginians are taking a stand against the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Communities across the state are voicing their opposition to a project they say threatens fragile ecosystems, endangers clean water sources, and disregards Indigenous and rural land rights. With the rugged beauty of Appalachia at stake, West Virginians are fighting back—demanding a transition to cleaner energy and a future that protects both people and the land they call home.A report from West Virginia Rivers Coalition and Downstream Strategies highlighted that 88% of the 139 stream crossings and 89% of the 61 wetland crossings by the MVP in West Virginia were negatively impacted, with 14 stream crossings showing severe decreases in channel stability .​In March 2025, a federal court invalidated a key water permit for the MVP, emphasizing the project's detrimental effects on West Virginia's rivers and streams. This decision was celebrated by environmental groups as a significant step in protecting the state's water resources from further harm.Contact and connect with Mariah and Autumn: mclay@wvrivers.org and acrowe@wvrivers.org WV Rivers: https://wvrivers.org/ MVP Story Map & Petition: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/05ae21f465af43509d576338119b29adMVP Audit Report: https://wvrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MVP-November-2024-Audit-Report.pdf

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, April 23, 2025  A New Martinsville windows and doors manufacturer boosts their growth with help from the WV DED…the WV Office of Energy is hosting an online session to teach the public how they can benefit from the Home Energy Rebate Program…and Charleston's Elk City district is seeing an influx of new businesses…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV DED – Sprouse Windows and Doors has deep roots in West Virginia's manufacturing landscape. Founded in Paden City in 1972, the family-owned company took a big step forward when it relocated its corporate operations to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in New Martinsville. What sets Sprouse apart is their dedication to crafting energy-efficient vinyl windows that meet the highest standards. Over the years, their commitment to innovation and excellence has propelled them to serve not just lumberyard dealers but also distributors across more than 10 states. They credit their success to the people and the business-friendly environment of West Virginia. They also highlight the ease of working with the West Virginia Department of Economic Development, which has been instrumental in their growth journey.  Read more: https://westvirginia.gov/sprouse-windows-and-doors-a-legacy-of-quality-and-innovation/   #2 – From WV ENERGY – The West Virginia Office of Energy is hosting an online public information session on Wednesday, April 30 detailing plans for the upcoming Home Energy Rebate Program. This program will provide West Virginians with financial incentives for energy efficient upgrades that can make homes more comfortable and help reduce energy bills, and also provides workforce training opportunities for current or aspiring home and energy contractors in our state.  Register now: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/1ec35e0b-cfff-4470-9a8d-cec4c08d7798@4ee48f43-e15d-4f4a-ad55-d0990aac660e   #3 – From WCHS-TV – Small Business Liaison for the City of Charleston Audrey Conn says the city's local small business climate continues to be on the rise. She's been busy following up with all of the small business opportunities that keep pouring into the city, including Wine Down, the new wine bar that opened recently on the West Side. This is particularly exciting as the city is also about to roll out their Sip-N-Stroll in that area, implementing a Private Outdoor Designated Area for outside alcohol consumption. The Elk City district has seen a lot of growth, particularly in the restaurant industry. Sergios and Albuquerque Southwest Bar and Grill have been just a couple of local restaurants to recently open in that area. Conn said developing small businesses may not know just how many resources are available to them in the city, such as the West Virginia Small Business Development Center. She cited a number of additional resources available to small businesses.  “You're talking Charleston Area Alliance that has a business incubator, you're talking Workforce West Virginia that actually has a free version of Indeed, so they help job seekers and employers, you have Base Innovations, which helps veterans and their families who are trying to open businesses.” Read more: https://wchsnetwork.com/2025/04/14/city-of-charleston-helps-work-with-small-businesses-looking-to-move-in/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Mary Anne Buchanan from West Virginians for Life on the 27th Rose Dinner April 25 in MorgantownMorgantown Mayor Joe Abu Ghannam on the new city manager and other city issues 

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, April 16, 2025  The WV DEP is seeking volunteers for its annual Adopt-A-Highway Statewide Spring Cleanup on April 26…Runners, mark your calendar for the brand-new UC Marathon coming to Charleston next April…and do you want to make a difference in your community? Sign up for the WV Hub's Kickstart Communities Coaching for Transformation Fellowship…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV NEWS – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is accepting registrations for the 2025 Adopt-A-Highway Spring Statewide Cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, April 26.  Organized through the WVDEP's Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan and co-sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Highways, the Adopt-A-Highway program aims to reduce roadside litter while encouraging civic engagement. Volunteers from all walks of life—including individuals, families, schools, local organizations, and businesses—are encouraged to participate. Participants can sign up to clean nearly any state-maintained road, including back roads and major routes. Volunteers receive free cleanup supplies, including garbage bags, gloves, and safety vests, while WVDEP handles the proper disposal of the collected litter. To register, call 1-800-322-5530 or email dep.aah@wv.gov with your name, group name, phone number, cleanup date, number of participants, and the county where your adopted road is located. Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/wvdep-opens-registration-for-2025-adopt-a-highway-spring-cleanup-in-west-virginia/article_9e17513f-8fa0-439f-acc3-9a66b19ee947.html   #2 – From WCHS-TV – Charleston is partnering with University of Charleston to host its longest-distance run yet. The UC Marathon will be the first marathon the Capitol City has held in nearly 30 years. The race, debuting in April of next year, will feature a fast and flat 26.2 mile course through the city's most popular locations, including the downtown area, the historic Elk City district, Kanawha City, and UC's scenic riverfront campus. UC Honors College students will be in charge of planning, promoting, and executing next April's marathon. The race. All proceeds are expected to go directly to the support of the Honors College and help fund future scholar and leadership opportunities for them. Read more: https://wchsnetwork.com/2025/04/07/full-marathon-to-return-to-capitol-city-after-nearly-30-years/   #3 – From WV HUB – Applications are open for the 2025 Kickstart Communities Coaching for Transformation Fellowship. The fellowship, sponsored by the WV Hub, is for West Virginians who are looking to advance their skills needed to engage in and lead impactful community development initiatives.  This six-month program includes an orientation session, nine full-day events (2 virtual, 7 in-person), monthly coaching sessions, peer-to-peer mentorship, and project development. Anyone who wants to make a difference in West Virginia communities is welcome to apply. Read more: https://wvhub.org/kickstartfellowships/applyforcoaching/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Looking to film in Almost Heaven? The West Virginia Film Office can help you secure your perfect location, find skilled workforce and navigate permitting…Generation WV helps employers connect with qualified talent around the state…and Jobcase has the scoop on film industry jobs in #YesWV…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV FILM OFFICE – Whether you're looking for the perfect location for your next film project, or you're a crew member ready to undertake your next project, the West Virginia Film Office is here for you. The Film Office team can help you secure your perfect location, find skilled workforce and navigate film permitting. West Virginia is ready to help with an experienced crew, an established statewide network of governmental agencies, nation-leading fiscal incentives, local business leaders and community representatives that are unmatched in hospitality.  Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/wvfilm/   #2 – From JOBCASE – The Generation West Virginia Career Connector program offers two ways for employers to connect with more qualified talent around the state: through its job board and Generational Talent Search recruitment services. The career connector job board is a free service for any West Virginia company looking to expand their team or fill open roles. To post a job, companies can reach out to the career connector team by providing a copy of the job description, salary range, and high quality logo. The Generational Talent Search program is a talent recruitment service that helps West Virginia employers connect with top talent through a streamlined and efficient approach.  Ready to partner with Generation West Virginia on your hiring needs? Let's connect! Learn more: https://www.jobcase.com/articles/wv-career-connector-hiring   #3 – From JOBCASE –  Since the earliest days of silent film, West Virginia has played a role in the film industry. A long list of West Virginians played pivotal roles in film and TV history, from late, great stars like Don Knotts to modern-day stars like Jennifer Garner. #YesWV has long sent talent to Hollywood to make their way -- like Lawrence Kasdan, a Morgantown native who wrote “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and  “The Empire Strikes Back” -- the state is now working to reel in film, TV and creative productions to the Mountain State.  Now, people here -- whether they are producers, caterers, set carpenters, stunt coordinators, hair and makeup, drone operators or electricians -- can plug into the wide range of creative and blue-collar jobs in the film and TV industry. Check out Jobcase to see who's hiring! Read more: https://www.jobcase.com/articles/film-is-back-in-wv   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, April 1, 2025. West Liberty University debuts its new aviation program--an offshoot of Marshall's Bill Noe Flight School…West Virginia supports a thriving aerospace industry…and the leaders of  MHIRJ Aviation Global share how their Bridgeport maintenance facility contributes to the US transportation infrastructure…on today's daily304. #1 – From THE WHEELING INTELLIGENCER – It seems that the new aviation program at West Liberty University is taking flight. The bachelor of science program is affiliated with the Bill Noe Flight School at Marshall University and those who graduate from the aviation program at WLU will hold credentials from both schools. The flight instruction at WLU started last fall and presently has about 13 students, with 25 already enrolled for the fall 2025 semester, according to James B. Smith, director of aviation maintenance technology education at Marshall University. WLU offers classes to those interested in being a commercial airline pilot, corporate pilot, cargo pilot, flight instructor or aerospace operations manager. In the coming years, Marshall will be bringing their entire suite of aviation classes to the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport, according to Kevin Price, chief development officer for aviation at the airport. Read more: https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2025/03/aviation-program-taking-off-at-west-liberty-university/   #2 – From WVDED  – The aerospace industry is a dynamic, emerging economic sector in West Virginia. From up-and-coming high-tech innovators to established titans of the industry, the state's growing cluster of aerospace companies is fueled by an array of advantages. West Virginia is within a day's drive of 34% of the top domestic purchasing sectors of aerospace products and national defense contractors, corporations and federal agencies. Additionally, the state is in close proximity to original equipment manufacturers based in the South, including Boeing, AirBus, Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream. To learn more about the diverse opportunities you can discover through the West Virginia advantage, connect with West Virginia Economic Development online. Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/industries/aerospace/   #3 – From DAILY304 – In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we speak with Ross Mitchell, Vice-President of MHIRJ Aviation Global, and Michael Genin, Director of Operations for MHIRJ Aviation in Bridgeport, West Virginia. MHIRJ is the leader in aviation maintenance for the CRJ Series, the world's most successful regional jet. With more than 550 employees in West Virginia and state-of-the-art hangars in Bridgeport, this growing company supports the top three airlines in the US and top regional airlines in the world. Innovators and Entrepreneurs is a bi-weekly segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Subscribe to the daily304's YouTube channel so you don't miss out! Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs0uSJ5IgIA   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Saturday, March 29, 2025. A West Virginia couple's love for fishing and kayaking sparks an idea that turns into a business…WorkForce WV launches a texting campaign to connect unemployed and underemployed residents with resources…and hit up four amazing state parks in one wild and wonderful road trip…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV SBDC –  Like many West Virginians, Jeff and Vicki Wilson shared a passion for the outdoors. But the couple struggled to load and unload their heavy fishing kayaks.  The challenge they faced sparked an idea, and with support from the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, they were able to make their dream into a reality. They connected with a business coach who helped them launch Kayak Loading Solutions. Now the couple is producing West Virginia-made quality products that also help boost the economic health of the community and state.  Read more https://wvsbdc.com/how-wv-sbdc-helped-kayak-loading-solutions-turn-an-idea-into-a-reality/   #2 – From WORKFORCE WV – WorkForce West Virginia has announced a new texting campaign in conjunction with the agency's Unemployment Insurance Program initiative to further connect unemployed and underemployed West Virginians with resources.  The UI program serves as a vital financial support system for individuals and their families during periods of unemployment or underemployment, providing a safety net until full-time employment is secured.  Text messages from WorkForce West Virginia will come from 1-800-252-5627 and will never request sensitive information. If you prefer not to receive text updates, you can opt out at any time. For more information or to file a claim, visit WorkForceWV.org or contact your nearest WorkForce West Virginia local office. Read more: https://workforcewv.org/workforce-west-virginia-announces-new-texting-campaign-for-unemployment-insurance-ui-program/   #3 – From WV STATE PARKS – Have you had West Virginia state park on your list to check out for a while now? Not sure which ones to start with? These four state parks and forests are the perfect road trip through the Potomac Highlands. Begin your adventure at Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, a historic site that transports you back to the Civil War era. Just a short drive away is Beartown State Park, renowned for its ancient, 300-million-year-old rock formations. The third stop, Calvin Price State Forest, offers more opportunities for exploration via the Allegheny Trail and the Greenbrier River Trail  End your road trip (and book a cabin or camping spot) at Watoga State Park. With over 40 miles of trails, the park offers endless opportunities to hike, bike, boat, fish and more.  Visit wvstateparks.com or wvtourism.com for more road trip itineraries in Almost Heaven! Learn more: https://wvstateparks.com/road-trip-through-these-4-west-virginia-state-parks/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Today on MetroNews This Morning--WVU basketball is shut out of the Big Dance--Major wind storm damage in parts of West Virginia--House Speaker Roger Hanshaw isn't a fan of proposed changes to vaccine laws--In Sports: Although the Mountaineer men are out of the NCAA tourney, the women are in and several West Virginians will be playing in the college basketball post season

For many decades, whenever anyone at a Flood gathering was celebrating a birthday, the guys turned to David Peyton to lead them in a rousing rendition of … no, oh, hell no, not THAT song… (Does this bunch really look like “Happy Birthday to You” people?) No, Br'er Peyton suggested a much more appropriate nativity-observing song for the Flood flock. Not only that, Dave enhanced the tune with his own special touch, the addition of a juicy reference to a sex scandal that was rocking West Virginia politics. More on that little tidbit in a moment.For now, you can hear Dave's birthday tune — a sassy 1930s hokum number — by scrolling back to the top of this article and click the Play button on the video that Flood Manager Pamela Bowen shot 14 years ago this week. The occasion for Pamela's footage was a housewarming at the clubhouse at the Wyngate retirement village where devoted Flood fans Norman and Shirley Davis had just moved. For the fun evening, about 30 of the Davises' new neighbors were in the audience. Among them were guitarist Jacob Scarr's grandparents who were also new residents. The senior Scarrs had been regulars at Flood gigs ever since their grandson's joined the band several years earlier.The SongA highlight of the evening was Peyton's performance of the birthday song; The Flood's version of “You Can't Get That Stuff No More” with Charlie Bowen and Michelle Hoge's harmonies and solos by Dave, Jacob, Joe Dobbs and Doug Chaffin.Back in 2003, when a take on the tune was included on the I'd Rather Be Flooded album, the band described it as a 1932 Tampa Red/Georgia Tom song. That was correct as far as it went, but a little deeper research would have taught the guys that the song actually was written and recorded a year or two earlier by a remarkable young singer/actor/comedian named Sam Theard.Performing well into the 1970s under assorted stage names — including Lovin' Sam and Spo-Dee-O-Dee — Theard was born in New Orleans in 1904. Before he was 20, he was performing with a circus, then working in theaters and nightclubs.Meeting up with Flood heroes Tampa Red and Cow Cow Davenport, Theard recorded one of his best known songs — "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You” — for Brunswick in 1929. Over the years that song was covered by everyone from Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and The Mills Brothers to Fats Domino, Dr. John and Taj Mahal.In the 1930s and '40s, using the name Spo-Dee-O-Dee, Theard was a regular as a comedian at New York's Apollo Theater.It was during this period that he co-wrote his next famous song, “Let the Good Times Roll,” with Louis Jordan, who recorded it with his Tympany Five in 1946. In 1961 at the 3rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, Ray Charles won a Grammy for his version of that tune.In the 1950s, Theard wrote for a number of jazz greats, including Hot Lips Page, Count Basie, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Roy Eldridge.Then in the last decade of his life, Theard was discovered by television, appearing in episodes of a variety of shows, including “Sanford and Son” and “Little House of Prairie.”The Ickie Frye InfusionBut you're still thinking about that political sex scandal, aren't you? The one that Peyton worked into The Flood's version of “You Can't Get That Stuff No More”? Okay, here's that story:The original song, as recorded in 1932 by Tampa Red and Georgia Tom, included this verse: There goes Joe with a great big knife Somebody been messin' round with his wife.However, when The Flood recorded it in a marathon studio session in Charleston in November 2003, Dave sang the verse as: There's Ickie Frye with a great long knife. Somebody been a-messin' round with his wife…Uh, Ickie who? Sure, that's not a well-known name today, but if you were a news-reading West Virginian in 2003, you certainly would have known about Phillip “Ickie” Frye, a bass-playing TV/computer repairman who had just blown up Gov. Bob Wise's political career. Newspapers across the state trumpeted the news of how Frye revealed that his wife — state employee Angela Mascia, in charge of European projects for the state development office — was having an extramarital affair with the governor.Red-faced, Wise admitted his infidelity. “I apologize deeply,” Wise said, “to the people of our state for my actions. In my private life, I have let many people down." The following year, Frye even filed to run for governor to "dog Wise," he said, over the affair, but he dropped out when Wise himself announced he would not seek re-election. Soon after The Flood's album was released, Ickie Frye emailed Peyton to thank him for the shout-out on the tune. The ex-governor had no comment. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 1937flood.substack.com

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Thursday, March 6, 2025. A new program from WorkForce West Virginia connects unemployed residents with helpful resources…WVU-Parkersburg president says the sweeping renovations taking place on campus are all about vision…and Mister Bee Potato Chips launches a new chip flavor that pays tribute to Mothman…on today's daily304. #1 – From WORKFORCE WV – WorkForce West Virginia has announced a new initiative to increase access to and understanding of the Unemployment Insurance program. The primary goal of this outreach effort is to ensure that more West Virginians understand if they are eligible for the program, know how to apply and have the necessary information to complete their applications.  The UI program serves as a vital financial support system for individuals and their families during periods of unemployment or underemployment, providing a safety net until full-time employment is secured.  Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to file their UI claims online at uc.workforcewv.org. For those who may have limited access to computers or the internet, WorkForce West Virginia local offices are equipped with necessary resources including computers for filing UI claims.  Read more: https://workforcewv.org/workforce-west-virginias-unemployment-insurance-program-initiative-connects-unemployed-and-underemployed-west-virginians-with-resources/   #2 – From NEWS & SENTINEL – Renovation work is continuing on the Stott Administration Building on the former campus of Ohio Valley University to turn it into the new Innovation and Technology Center at West Virginia University at Parkersburg.  WVUP President Torie Jackson says it's all about vision when it comes to helping the area grow with new educational opportunities. The IT Center is expected to open for classes in the fall.  A second phase, occurring simultaneously, will be setting up the new daycare facility in the former OVU Library space. Jackson said OVU's chapel space will be left intact as a meeting space and to be rented out for weddings. The old OVU kitchen could be updated at some point into a commercial kitchen facility and they are looking for someone who might be able to convert the former cafeteria into a restaurant. “What we are doing here has the potential to change Vienna for generations, because it is a project that allows for a housing development over time, allows for schools to be located and it allows for many businesses to have opportunities here in Vienna,” she said. Read more: https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/business/2025/02/mid-ohio-valley-foundations-education-west-virginia-university-at-parkersburg-works-on-new-innovation-and-technology-center/   #3 – From WV NEWS – Mister Bee Potato Chips has unveiled a “Mothman Style Mysterious Spice Blend Chip” in honor of the legend of the Mothman and popular festival in Point Pleasant. The chips are rolling out on local store shelves now and will be available statewide soon. Co-owner Mary Anne Ketelsen said she and the leadership team at Mister Bee – the only manufacturer of potato chips in the state – are continuing to showcase the best of West Virginia with special chip bags and exciting new flavors. The Mothman chips are the latest in a line of special edition flavors produced by Mister Bee, including pepperoni roll chips to honor the coal miners who introduced the treat to our state; and a sausage and biscuit flavored chip in partnership with Tudor's Biscuit World, to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation in West Virginia. Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/mister-bee-teases-mothman-inspired-snack-for-west-virginia/article_3fb728f8-f542-11ef-9739-37494a7348de.html   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

The Trump administration's efforts to cut federal spending is targeting a broad range of departments and agencies including the low-income health care program Medicaid. Republican lawmakers want work requirements in place for eligibility. But the scope of Medicaid programs goes beyond direct health care. Many people rely on Medicaid for treatment of substance use disorder and drug addiction. West Virginia has the nation's highest overdose numbers and the rate for African American people exceeds any other group. In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay learns how Medicaid money supports the organizations that work in recovery and what that work looks like.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025  Jackson County's new metals plant hosts a progress tour…artist Kelson Thorne's murals brighten communities across the state…and West Virginia's own Jennifer Garner makes Variety's list of best TV performances of the 21st century…on today's daily304. #1 – From WOWK-TV – The future of metalmaking is slowly taking shape in Jackson County. TIMET, also known as Titanium Metals Corporation, is one step closer to building a plant where furnaces will be used to melt and process titanium. The plant hosted a tour earlier this month to show their progress since last year's groundbreaking. They are expected to start melting metal in the fall. Leaders said the facility will be the “first of its kind.” The plant will use renewable solar energy through a partnership with BHE Renewables. When operations are officially up and running, it will create two hundred jobs for the local economy. Read more: https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/jackson-county-wv/titanium-manufacturing-plant-hosts-progress-tour-congresswoman-miller-among-guests/   #2 – From WV LIVING – Artist and muralist Kelson Thorne finds inspiration in West Virginia and communities across the state. A Petersburg resident and WVU graduate, he strives to use his art to make his community a better place. One way he does that is through the Folk Around Appalachian Arts and Music Festival, something he has hosted twice via his art company, Art Junkie. He's already working on the third event, planned for this coming June. Thorne says the festival will be combined with a Petersburg Art Week, taking it from a one-day event to two days. The goal is to celebrate the community with an emphasis on Appalachian arts—which includes musical acts and those specializing in fine arts. Thorne's first mural was for a resident of Westover, across the river from Morgantown. He had never done a large-scale project but, to get the job, he says, he told the client he'd figure it out. Figure it out he did: Murals have since become a big focus for him. Many of his murals can be found spread throughout Petersburg, with others found in Keyser and Marlinton. Read more: https://wvliving.com/the-art-on-the-wall/   #3 – From WOWK-TV – Despite being born in Houston, Jennifer Garner has embraced West Virginia as her home ever since moving here when she was three years old, and one of her first major roles has recently garnered some recognition from Variety. Garner's performance as Sydney Bristow on “Alias” was number 54 on Variety's list of “The 100 Greatest TV Performances of the 21st Century.” The list only features scripted shows that started on or after Jan. 1, 2000. Since “Alias,” Garner has become Hollywood royalty with performances in films like “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Juno” and “13 Going on 30.” In 2018, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, making her the fifth West Virginian to have one. Read more: https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/west-virginia-actress-featured-on-list-of-best-tv-performances-of-21st-century/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Lakota, Jr < and stacey explore wrestling as a hole . Tell some WV facts and things only West Virginians know . But wrestling is the main thing on the agenda . AEW, TNA a, and WWE all under one roof ...

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. Volunteer West Virginia offers grants for AmeriCorps programs…West Virginia Northern Community College receives funding to boost manufacturing and production skills…and West Virginia's “snow bowl” offers the ultimate winter sport experience…on today's daily304. #1 – From VOLUNTEER WV – ​Volunteer West Virginia announces a funding opportunity through AmeriCorps State Formula grants for eligible applicants. Potential applicants will apply to operate an AmeriCorps program solely in West Virginia utilizing at least five AmeriCorps members beginning in fall 2025 or spring 2026. Volunteer West Virginia, the state's commission for national and community service, challenges West Virginians to strengthen their communities through service and volunteerism. The commission administers West Virginia's AmeriCorps service programs in cooperation with local and state grantees.  To apply, visit volunteerwv.gov. Learn more: https://volunteer.wv.gov/Grants/Pages/AmeriCorps-Formula-Funding.aspx   #2 – From WTOV9-TV – West Virginia Northern Community College has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor as part of the Strengthening Community Colleges Initiative. The funding aims to create more job opportunities for students by developing pathway programs that lead to living-wage careers. The college's initiative, known as M.A.P.S. 2.0, will focus on manufacturing and production skills. Students entering the advanced manufacturing career and technical education program from high school will develop skills in advanced manufacturing while earning dual credit. The grant is focused on redesigning programs to ensure the production of workers needed by employers like Form Energy. As unique economic opportunities unfold in the Ohio Valley, the hope is that students will be able to stay local, enter the industry, and earn competitive salaries. Read more: https://wtov9.com/news/local/west-virginia-northern-community-college-secures-15m-grant-to-boost-job-opportunities   #3 – From WV EXPLORER – High in the Allegheny Mountains in eastern West Virginia lies a scenic valley with a Canadian-like climate in which it can snow 10 months out of the year. Though only two hours from the Washington beltway, the Canaan Valley receives more snow than the snowiest reporting station in Maine and a shorter growing season than Fairbanks, Alaska. Scientists have determined that elevation, position, and orientation are all contributing elements that notably support the valley's three ski areas. More specifically, the cold temperatures, increased precipitation, and the valley's similarity to a “huge bathtub” conspire to create its remarkably wintry conditions.  Want to experience this phenomenon for yourself? Plan a ski getaway to Canaan Valley Resort State Park, Timberline Mountain or White Grass Ski Touring Center. Check out wvtourism.com or wvstateparks.com for more information on snow sports in Almost Heaven.  Read more: https://wvexplorer.com/2025/01/03/strange-phenomena-canaan-valley-wv-west-virginia/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. Ariana Shives of the WV Digital Identity Hub shares her knowledge about securing our future…Sprouse Windows and Doors continues to serve #YesWV with top-notch products…and discover Elkins, an eclectic gem that calls to travelers seeking outdoor adventures…on today's daily304. #1 – From THE DAILY304 – In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Ariana Shives with the West Virginia Digital Identity Tech Hub about how her organization is leading the charge with protecting your personal information. “We're extremely lucky. We have some really incredible technology that exists in and around digital identity, biosecurity, authentication – all around West Virginia,” she says. Innovators and Entrepreneurs is a bi-weekly segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you won't miss out! Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ccE99k6M9CKuwSnR&v=EbUTdfj4K3w&feature=youtu.be   #2 – From WVDED – To get to where you're going, you have to know where you've been. For Sprouse Windows and Doors, that journey began in 1991 in the quiet town of Paden City, West Virginia.  Initially focused on fabricating vinyl windows for their other ventures, Sprouse Windows and Doors quickly recognized a broader market need. They saw an opportunity to deliver high-quality, competitively priced windows consistently and promptly.  The company took a big step forward when it relocated its corporate operations to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in New Martinsville. This move underscores their commitment to growth, efficiency, and continuing to serve their customers with top-notch products. Read more: https://westvirginia.gov/sprouse-windows-and-doors-a-legacy-of-quality-and-innovation/   #3 – From ISLANDS.COM – Between West Virginia's oldest town and the Snowshoe Mountain ski resort, an unassuming eclectic gem calls to travelers seeking outdoorsy adventures. Home to fewer than 7,000 residents, this charming and quiet town is known as Elkins. Surrounded by mountains and located near the Tygart Valley River and Monongahela National Forest, Elkins is the perfect base camp for active travelers who want to kayak, hike, climb, or camp. Elkins also offers unique and cozy lodging options for visitors who want to explore outdoors during the day but rest under a roof at night. Once you've recharged, jump head first into Elkins' other fascinating attractions. Nearby points of interest like a scenic railroad, historical sites, museums, markets, and more promise sightseers hours of fun. Read more: https://www.islands.com/1734906/elkins-west-virginia-town-hidden-mountains-quiet-eclectic-cozy-lodging-outdoor-thrills/?zsource=msnsyndicated   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2024. Discover how Constellium aluminum's innovative solutions impact multiple industries…Learn about the famous people, places and events that shaped West Virginia…and hear about how the WV Small Satellite Center aims to solve real-world problems using state-of-the-art technology…on today's daily304. #1 – From WVDED – Meet Constellium, a world-leading manufacturer and recycler of aluminum products and solutions. Let's delve into the remarkable contributions of Constellium in #YesWV and how their innovative solutions are significantly impacting multiple industries. Check out the video to learn how this Ravenswood manufacturer is empowering a sustainable future, advancing the automotive industry and revolutionizing aerospace technology. Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/exploring-the-power-of-constelliums-innovative-solutions-in-yeswv/   #2 – From THE DAILY304 – Perfectly centered among the Eastern states, West Virginia is where the thresholds of the North, South and Midwest all converge with the Appalachian Mountains, to tell the history of our nation in microcosm.  Major events like the Revolutionary and Civil wars, and famous people ranging from Daniel Boone to Katherine Johnson, mix with the rich heritage of Native Americans and men and women of all colors who reshaped the world and serve as guides through the American story. Tune in to “The History Project” to learn about the famous people, places and events that shaped West Virginia. Watch now: https://daily304.wv.gov/programs/the-history-project/ #3 – From THE DAILY304 – In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to David Martinelli, Director of the West Virginia Small Satellite Center and Scott Zemerick, Chief Scientist at TMC Technologies. Together they're spearheading the West Virginia Small Satellite Center, an innovative program that aims to solve real-world problems using state-of-the-art satellite technology.  Tune in for conversations and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=xyDI-ZzsAJhfNGyB&v=6FQc896qpPI&feature=youtu.be   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Start the New Year off right with a First Day Hike at WV state parks…Ravenswood officials are excited about a water development grant that is expected to boost recreational opportunities in the city…and Charleston's Chef Paul Smith is 2024's West Virginian of the Year…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WBOY-TV – Celebrate the new year with a refreshing stroll in the great outdoors! On Jan. 1, several West Virginia state parks are offering First Day Hikes. All of the hikes are free, guided and perfect for families and people more comfortable hiking in groups. All ages are welcome and everyone who participates in one of the hikes will receive a First Day Hike patch. Parks offering the hikes include Blackwater Falls, North Bend, Tygart Lake, Cacapon Resort, Kanawha State Forest, Pipestem Resort, Twin Falls Resort, Watoga and Cedar Creek. For details, visit wvstateparks.com and click on Events. Read more: https://www.wboy.com/wv-outdoors/list-first-day-hikes-to-kick-off-the-new-year-in-west-virginia/   #2 – From WSAZ-TV – The city of Ravenswood has been awarded a $36 million grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority for water enhancement projects. With the money, the city plans to build a new wastewater treatment plant, create the Sand Creek Pedestrian Bridge, and create a welcome center/commercial building. They also will build two 14-spot boat slips and a boat access ramp at Sand Creek Marina. Lastly, the city is going to create a Sports Complex where the current lagoons sit. Mayor Josh Miller says this helps push Ravenswood to become a true river town. “I mean, you got to have a reason for people to come to your town,” Miller said. “This world now, it's about experience, and when they come to Ravenswood, I want them to have a positive experience.” Read more: https://www.wsaz.com/2024/12/12/grant-helping-revitalize-ravenswood-true-river-town/   #3 – From WV LIVING – This past June, during a star-studded gala in Chicago, Paul Smith made history by becoming the first chef in West Virginia to ever win the prestigious James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Southeast.” “I wasn't there just for my restaurant or even my city,” he says. “I looked at it as having the whole state behind me, because that's what we do here in West Virginia. We celebrate our own.” For that reason and so many others, WV Living honors him as its 2024 West Virginian of the Year.  Months after that monumental achievement, “Chef Paul” chatted with the magazine staff at his Charleston restaurant,1010 Bridge, to talk about what this achievement has meant to him and what the future may hold. Read more: https://wvliving.com/paul-smith-is-savoring-success-on-the-national-stage/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1fJDcmUtHS5SFeTDG-dhY7ABZufYn_KG72ppj9WnRjkXB--v-aA7Tr4l0_aem_vslI6LuhqMBXzErW1EymRQ   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Bob Huggins, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the 3rd-winningest coach ever in Men's D1 College Basketball and who led two different programs (Cincinnati and West Virginia) to Final Fours, talks with Says Who Sports to share his perspectives on a variety of topics, including his thoughts on a possible return to coaching, his continued philanthropic efforts on behalf of his fellow West Virginians (especially youngsters), the powerful influence of his father and legendary coach, Charlie, including the valuable experience he gained working the renowned Eastern Ohio basketball camps started decades ago by his dad and Pennsylvania coaching legend Ed McCluskey, the factors that separate a great coach from a good coach, the impact on him of close friend and mentor Charlie Spoonhour, his longtime friendships with Jerry West, Jerry Tarkanian and John Calipari, what it was like coaching great players such as Kenyon Martin, Nick Van Exel, and Da'Sean Butler, learning from mistakes including those in the spring of '23 that led to him leaving his job as head coach at West Virginia and how he has become a better person thru that learning, his thoughts about the state of college basketball including the NCAA and (some) university presidents, his days as an assistant coach for Eldon Miller at Ohio State and conversations with Woody Hayes, his plans for Christmas, a prevailing gratitude for family and his life journey including the many gifts the game of basketball and those around it have given him, and more! 

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. A Morgan County furniture company maintains its high quality through an apprentice program…from skiing and sledding to seasonal train rides, discover the holiday getaway of your dreams at WV State Parks…and the WV Hub is seeking Champions for Change…on today's daily304. #1 – From MFG.MARSHALL – Gat Creek is an American manufacturing success story. The furniture maker produces high-end contemporary furniture from its factory in the historic Morgan County town of Berkeley Springs using sustainably sourced Appalachian wood, most from West Virginia. Owner and CEO Gat Caperton said he is immensely proud of the work his 150-plus employees do day in and day out, work that underpins the success of his company. “It's nice to have some wins coming out of small-town America. It builds confidence,” he said.  To assist the company with honing in on the internal quality, Gat Creek turned to the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center's Apprenticeship Works. Because the program is funded entirely by the U.S. Department of Labor, there's no cost to the employer for MAMC's services. To learn more about Apprenticeship Works, visit www.mfg.marshall.edu/apprenticeships. Read more: https://www.mfg.marshall.edu/quality-runs-deep-at-berkeley-springs-furniture-manufacturer-gat-creek/   #2 – From WV TOURISM – Almost Heaven is full of epic adventures all year round, especially during the holiday season. What better way to enjoy the holiday season than sledding down the rolling hills or hopping on a snowy train ride? This winter, reconnect with your long-distance family and add a West Virginia adventure to your itinerary. You'll find something for everyone -- from sledding at Blackwater Falls to tubing to offroading through the hills of southern West Virginia.  Visit wvtourism.com or wvstateparks.com to learn more! Read more: https://wvtourism.com/visiting-family-this-holiday-season-add-one-of-these-west-virginia-adventures-to-your-itinerary/   #3 – From WVHUB – Be the change you wish to see in the world! The Kickstart Communities Champions for Change Fellowship builds leadership skills for West Virginians who want to make a difference. Offered over the course of 10 weeks with two in-person and three virtual sessions, this program will support you in creating the foundation needed for making lasting change in your own community.  Applications for the 2025 cohort are now open! Learn more: https://wvhub.org/applyforchampions/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. Find a rewarding career within West Virginia's growing broadband industry…West Virginia businesses, learn how to start the new year with a clear, proactive export plan…and…we may have curvy mountain roads here in Almost Heaven, but a recent study shows that West Virginians are some of the best drivers in the country…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV COMMERCE –  Big investments in broadband infrastructure are occurring throughout West Virginia. West Virginia workers have an opportunity to be part of one of the largest federally funded infrastructure investments in state history. Visit the West Virginia Department of Economic Development to learn more about broadband career opportunities. Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM_7mMHnA9Q   #2 – From WV DED – The West Virginia Department of Economic Development wants to help West Virginia businesses maximize their international growth opportunities by starting the new year with a clear, proactive export plan. This approach includes strategic budgeting, targeted travel, and effective utilization of state and federal export resources.  Learn how companies can prepare to achieve sustainable, global success with support from the West Virginia Export Promotion Program and the U.S. Commercial Service. Check out the Trade Talk blog to learn more about how to budget with exports in mind, plan travel to key markets and leverage state and federal resources. Read more: https://westvirginia.gov/trade-talk-planning-for-success-in-2025/   #3 – From WBOY-TV – West Virginians might complain about the roads, but new data says that they're some of the best when it comes to driving on them. According to insurance data compiled by LendingTree, West Virginians are the seventh-best drivers in the U.S., sitting just below its neighbor Kentucky, which ranked at #4. To determine these rankings, LendingTree took a look at the number of insurance inquiries generated through its child company QuoteWizard between Nov. 5, 2023, and Nov. 4, 2024. These numbers were then used to determine the amount of driving incidents per 1,000 drivers in every state. The data showed that in the past year, West Virginia only had 18.4 driving incidents per 1,000 people. Read more: https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/data-west-virginians-are-some-of-the-best-drivers-in-the-us/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024  Spend Christmas at Blackwater Falls as the longest sled run on the East Coast opens for the season…treat that special someone to an elegant night out at one of West Virginia's most romantic restaurants…and the verdict is in: West Virginians prefer to decorate their homes with real Christmas trees--find out where you can choose and cut your own…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WBOY-TV – The longest sled run on the East Coast is scheduled to open for the year just in time for Christmas. The sled run at Blackwater Falls State Park is a quarter-mile long—one of the longest in the country, but the big draw is that a “wonder carpet” or small conveyer, takes sledders to the top of the hill so they don't have to walk up it. The first day the sled run will operate this season is on Saturday, Dec. 21. By that time, multiple ski slopes in the Davis area will also be open, giving adventure seeking options for winter recreation activities in Tucker County. Visit wvstateparks.com to purchase sled run tickets or reserve lodging at Blackwater Falls. Read more: https://www.wboy.com/news/tucker/east-coasts-longest-sled-run-in-west-virginia-opens-christmas-week/   #2 – From ONLY IN YOUR STATE – Heading to a warmly lit, cozy restaurant with that special someone is an amazing treat. The ambiance of a meal at an upscale restaurant just can't be beaten, and it's a wonderful way to put the spark back into a relationship.  Don't fall into the trap of saving a fancy dinner out for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries: every day is worth celebrating with your significant other. If you're looking for the best romantic restaurants in West Virginia, check out this list of some of our favorite spots in Charleston, Huntington, Wheeling and Lost River. Bon appetit! Read more: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/food/west-virginia/candlelit-restaurants-wv-cozy-night-out   #3 – From WBOY-TV – According to a recent survey by Online Casinos, West Virginia is one of the 32 states that prefers a real (live) Christmas tree, compared to only 18 that favor fake trees.  The lean toward the real thing is no surprise for West Virginia, considering its long history of timbering and number of Christmas tree farms. In fact, West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest supplied the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree last year, and West Virginians can cut their own tree from the Mon Forest for only $5. If you don't live near the Mon Forest, there are plenty of tree farms throughout West Virginia where you can select and cut your own tree. Check out the West Virginia Division of Forestry's 2024 guide to Choose and Cut Christmas Trees and get ready for a truly memorable holiday. Read more: https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/do-west-virginians-prefer-real-or-fake-christmas-trees/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Friday, Dec. 13, 2024  A new land acquisition will help preserve wetlands as well as create more recreational trails in Tucker County…South Charleston officials reveal plans to replace its community center with a new wellness center and coliseum…and complete your holiday shopping with help from a list of WV-based gift ideas…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WBOY-TV – The Nature Conservancy has acquired 1,393 acres in Tucker County that will help preserve one of the largest wetlands in Central Appalachia as well as create 80 miles of connecting recreational trails in the area. The Dobbins Slashing Preserve will allow the conservancy to preserve the largest intact peatland wetland in Dolly Sods and the headwaters of the Red Creek. It will also help the organization continue its goal of slowing climate change and biodiversity loss. Because the preserve is located between the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area and the Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge, the purchase will also allow for expanded recreation in the area. The conservancy plans to add additional trails that connect existing ones in Dolly Sods and Canaan Valley. Read more: https://www.wboy.com/news/tucker/land-between-canaan-valley-and-dolly-sods-turned-into-new-preserve/   #2 – From WCHS-TV – City officials are working to replace the South Charleston Community Center with a new wellness center and coliseum. South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens said both facilities will be built in the same place but that location has yet to be decided. The city is looking at multiple sites between 14 to 16 acres for the project and will partner with ZMM Architects and Engineers. Officials estimate planning will take 12 to 18 months. Read more: https://wchstv.com/news/local/south-charleston-city-officials-planning-new-wellness-center-and-coliseum#   #3 – From WBOY-TV –  Some people just don't need another physical gift, but that doesn't mean you can't get them something that they can enjoy. The folks at WBOY-TV Clarksburg have put together a few gift ideas for West Virginians or West Virginia-lovers who seem like they already have everything. There's something for everyone on this list, which includes locally grown produce and products, West Virginia Parks experiences, one-of-a-kind adventures and even a lifetime of recreation. Check it out! Read more: https://www.wboy.com/only-on-wboy-com/wboy-com-lists-and-rankings/what-to-get-the-west-virginian-in-your-life-who-has-everything/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Anderson Cooper, AGT Winner, The View, CNN, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Fox, The Talk.Happy Thanksgiving!!!I Talk with Landau about his Succesful His Career & What He is Grateful For! His is a true rags to riches story; car wash rags. When Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. showed up to audition for America's Got Talent, he was singing to pass the time while grinding out a living washing cars. The only “nice” clothes he owned were the ones on his back: a pair of jeans, a modest button down striped shirt, and jacket. Fortunately, you don't need a large wardrobe to win America's heart.He's performed all over the world, from China to New York City, Los Angeles to Europe where he had the honor to perform for U.S. servicemen and their families stationed there. He's sung the national anthem prior to games by the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, New York Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Nationals, and his beloved West Virginia University Mountaineers during a nationally televised homecoming game.You need talent, and Landau has truckloads of that. Since wowing the judges with his interpretations of classics by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and walking away with the million dollar grand prize in front of 14 million weekly viewers on AGT, Landau has released his Columbia Records debut “That's Life” (the CD hit #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart and was produced by Grammy winner Steve Tyrell, who also helmed Rod Stewart's Great American Songbook album). Landau has performed all over the country, from the California State Fair to New York's famous Apollo Theatre, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to the Marina Civic Center in Florida and all points in between. Along the way, he has appeared on The Today Show, The View, CNN, Fox and Friends, The Wendy Williams Show, The Talk, Anderson Cooper, Tom Joyner, Sirius XM, NPR, and dozens of other outlets. Landau was named “West Virginian of the Year” by his home state where he has performed a series of sold out concerts helping raise over a half million dollars for state charities. He's played a special command performance at the Governors Inauguration, won Reality TV Personality of the Year in Hollywood, and was honored to perform with his band for U.S. Troops in Germany. He is currently on tour with Glenn Leonard,formally of The Temptations; Joe Blunt,formally of The Drifters and Joe Coleman, formally of The Platters. But all that success hasn't made Landau forget his roots. He was born in the Mountain State of West Virginia and continues to live there rather than move to entertainment industry hubs like Los Angeles or New York. “West Virginia will always be my home,” says Landau, “and home and family are the most important thing in the world to me. I can always fly out to LA or New York for work, but being here helps keep me humble and grounded. I'm just very fortunate to be living my dream.”Recently, Landau and award winning co-author Rick Robinson have written America's Got Talent Winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.: From Washing Cars to Hollywood Star, a book chronicling Landau's All-American success story. He's also completed an album full of holiday favorites, Christmas Made For Two. His touring schedule stays booked with shows all over the country including numerous CD and book signing appearances. He and the incredibly talented “Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Big Band” are currently beginning his Classic Christmas Crooners Tour with a full slate of concerts at home and abroad. All Rights Reserved© 2024 Building Abundant Success!! 2024 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBAS 

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. West Virginia boasts its fair share of talent, and that includes musicians--check out some talented artists that hail from the Mountain State…Breeze Airways launches a nonstop flight from Charleston to New York City…and in Native America history, did you know the Kanawha Valley once had the highest concentration of burial mounds in North America?…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV TOURISM – Nothing soothes the soul quite like mountain music, and in West Virginia, there is plenty of just that. Whether you're into traditional country music or looking for unique covers with tons of Appalachian energy, you are sure to find a catchy tune from a West Virginia musician. Renowned country music star Brad Paisley doesn't hesitate to pour his Mountain State heritage into his music. Paisley grew up in Glen Dale in the Northern Panhandle.  Contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith grew up in the small Wayne County town of Kenova.  Head over to wvtourism.com to learn more about West Virginia's talented musicians. Read more: https://wvtourism.com/these-music-stars-are-local-legends-in-west-virginia/   #2 – From WV PRESS – Traveling to the Big Apple just got easier for West Virginians in the Charleston area. Breeze Airways has launched nonstop service from West Virginia's Capital City to New York-Newark, New Jersey, with fares starting from $49* one way.  This marks the newest destination served by West Virginia International Yeager Airport, along with Myrtle Beach, SC, and Tampa and Orlando, FL. Yeager CEO and Airport Director Dominique Ranieri said the NYC route fosters new opportunities for tourism and business growth in the region. Learn more about Breeze's flight offerings via its website or app. Read more: https://wvpress.org/wvpa-sharing/west-virginia-celebrates-inaugural-breeze-airways-new-york-newark-flight/   #3 – From WV EXPLORER – The Kanawha Valley in western West Virginia once had the highest concentration of burial mounds in North America, though most were destroyed. According to archaeologist Darla Spencer, author of Woodland Mounds of West Virginia, more than 400 mounds have been recorded in West Virginia, and their presence was once so extensive that explorers couldn't believe they were of Native American origin. Scholars long ago proved that indigenous peoples had raised the mounds. Today you can still find ancient mounds in South Charleston and Dunbar in the Kanawha Valley.   A professor of Native American studies at West Virginia University, Spencer examined the Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, and 16 other mounds and mound groups of mounds in West Virginia in her book. Read more: https://wvexplorer.com/2024/11/14/kanawha-valley-once-had-highest-concentration-of-burial-mounds/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGi9CNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfDGw_xp08mLrhWOclC5_rarOBI34yH9qTqYJd-OWmrAAuiViVI0XH9n-Q_aem_WYR1n8ZVOmTfFeNKCWL3_g   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. Employers can find qualified talent through Generation WV's Career Connector program--and it's free!...West Virginians are invited to submit photos for holiday trees at the Capitol honoring members of the military and first responders…and Ascend WV remote workers sing praises of their new home in Elkins…on today's daily304. #1 – From GENERATION WV –  The Generation West Virginia Career Connector program offers two ways for employers to connect with more qualified talent around the state: through its job board and Generational Talent Search recruitment services. The career connector job board is a free service for any West Virginia company looking to expand their team or fill open roles. The job board features jobs from all counties across the state and from any industry. The Generational Talent Search program is a talent recruitment service that helps West Virginia employers connect with top talent through a streamlined and efficient approach. Through GTS, you can expand your reach, get tailored quality candidates, reduce your recruiting costs and decrease time to hire.  Learn more: https://www.jobcase.com/articles/wv-career-connector-hiring   #2 – From THE REAL WV –  Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice invite all West Virginians to honor members of the United States military and first responders by submitting photos to be showcased on two recognition trees that will be displayed during this year's holiday season. This year's recognition trees will be located in the west rotunda of the main Capitol building, along with a third tree decorated by Gold Star mothers and families to honor their loved ones whose lives were sacrificed while serving our country. All photos, along with the submission form and tag, must be received no later than Monday, November 25, 2024. Read more: https://therealwv.com/2024/11/11/west-virginians-invited-to-submit-photos-for-2024-military-and-first-responder-recognition-trees/   #3 – From WV LIVING – Matt Condra, a software engineer from Louisville, Kentucky, moved to Elkins a year ago this past August. He and his wife, Allyson, were tired of the stresses of urban life, so they researched incentives for remote workers.  The Ascend West Virginia program—and the city of Elkins—checked all the boxes for the Condras and their three young children. They love the outdoor activities, the conveniences of city life, and a welcoming and supportive community.  Remote workers also have access to a Common Door right downtown—a “shared workspace community” that combines the productivity that an office allows with the flexibility and collaboration remote jobs require. Lisa Wood, executive director of the Elkins/Randolph Chamber of Commerce, says Elkins has the “trifecta” for vibrant, growing small cities—a hospital, a college, and a riverfront. The city also boasts a lively and eclectic food scene, plenty of arts and culture, and it's the gateway to the Monongahela National Forest and all its recreational opportunities. Read more: https://wvliving.com/enchanting-elkins/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

As the author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order, the Cambridge University historian Gary Gerstle was one of first people to recognize the collapse of neoliberalism. But today, the real question is not about the death of neoliberalism, but what comes after it. And, of course, when I sat down with Gerstle, I began by asking him what the Trump victory tells us about what comes after neoliberalism.Gary Gerstle is Paul Mellon Professor of American History Emeritus at the University of Cambridge. Gerstle received his BA from Brown University and his MA and PhD from Harvard University. He is the author, editor, and coeditor of more than ten books.  He is currently the Joy Foundation Fellow at the Harvard-Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, where he is working on a new book, Politics in Our Time: Authoritarian Peril and Democratic Hope in the Twenty-First Century.  He resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts.Named as one of the "100 most pivoted men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's most pivotal broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the pivotal author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two cats, both called Pivot.Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. TRANSCRIPT“It's important to recognize that the neoliberal triumph carried within it not just the triumph of capitalism, but the triumph of freedom. And I think the that image of the wall coming down captures both. It's people wanting to claim their freedom, but it also paves the way for an unregulated form of capitalism to spread to every corner of the world.” -Gary GerstleAK: Hello everybody. As we try to make sense of the aftermath of the US election this week, there was an interesting headline today in the Financial Times. Donald Trump apparently has asked, and I'm quoting the F.T. here, the arch-protectionist Robert Lighthizer, to run U.S. trade policy. You never know with Trump, he may change his mind tomorrow. But nonetheless, it suggests, and it's not a great surprise, that protectionism will define the Trump, presidency or certainly the second Trump presidency. And it speaks of the structural shift in the nature of politics and economics in the United States, particularly given this Trump victory. One man who got this, I think before anyone else, is the Cambridge historian Gary Gerstle. He's been on the show a couple of times before. He's the author of a wonderful book, The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era. It's a profound book. It's had an enormous impact on everybody. And I'm thrilled and honored that Gary is back on the show. This is the third time he's been on the show. Gary, is that important news? Have we formally come to the end now of the neoliberal order? GARY GERSTLE: I think we have, although there's an element of neoliberalism which may revive in the Trump administration. But if we think of a political order as ordering political life so that all participants in that order have to accept its ideological principles, we have moved out of that order. I think we've been out of it for some time. The critical election in this case was 2016, and the critical move that both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders made in 2016, the two most dynamic presidential candidates in that year, was to break with the orthodoxy of free markets, the orthodoxy of globalization, the orthodoxy of a world without borders where everything was free to move and the market was supreme. And the only role of government in the state was to ensure as full access to markets as was possible in the belief that if governments got out of the way of a private capitalist economy, this would spur the greatest growth for the greatest number of people everywhere in the world. This was governing orthodoxy, really from the time of Reagan until 2016. Trump broke it. Sanders broke it. Very significant in this regard that when Biden came into office, he moderated some of the Trump tariffs but kept the tariffs on China substantially in place. So there's been continuity for some time, and now we're going to see an intensification of the protectionist regime. Protectionism used to be a dirty word in American politics. If you uttered that word, you were excluded from serious political discourse. There will be other terms that are used, fair trade, not just because protectionism has a negative connotation to it, but we are living in an era where governments assert the right to shape markets as they wish to in the interests of their nation. So, yes, we are living in a different era, although it must be said, and we may get into a discussion of this at some point, there are sectors of the Trump coalition that want to intensify deregulation in the domestic market, that want to rollback government. And so I expect in the new Trump administration, there is going to be tussles between the protectionists on the one hand and those who want to, at least domestically, restore free trade. And by that I mean the free operation of private capital without government regulation. That's an issue that bears watching.AK: Is that a contradiction though, Gary? Can one, in this post-neoliberal order, can governments be hostile to regulation, a la Elon Musk and his association with Trump, and also be in favor of tariffs? I mean, do the two—can the to go together, and is that the outline of this foggy new order coming into place in the second quarter of the 21st century?GARY GERSTLE: They can go together in the sense that they have historically in the past gone together in the United States. In the late 19th century, the US had very high tariffs against foreign goods. And domestically, it was trying to create as free a domestic market as possible. What was known as the period of laissez-faire domestically went along with a commitment to high tariffs and protection of American laissez-faire against what we might call global laissez-faire. So it has been tried. It did work at that time. But I think the Republican party and the constituencies behind Donald Trump are divided on this question. As you noted, Elon Musk represents one pole of this. He certainly wants protection against Chinese imports of electric cars and is probably going to get that because of all the assistance he gave Trump in this election. But domestically, he wants no government interfering with his right to conduct his capitalist enterprises as he sees fit. So that's going to be one wing. But there's another wing of the Republican Party under Trump that is much more serious about industrial policy that says we cannot leave the market to its own devices. It produces too many human casualties. It produces too many regions of America left behind, and that we must use the government to help those people left behind. We must structure free enterprise industry in a way that helps the ordinary working-class man. And I use the word “man” deliberately in this context. Interestingly, JD Vance, the vice president, embodies both these tendencies, sees, on the one hand, a creature of venture capital, Silicon Valley, close to the Musks and Peter Thiels of the world. On the other hand, he has talked explicitly, as in his vice-presidential acceptance speech, about putting Main Street over Wall Street. And if he's serious about putting Main Street over Wall Street, that's going to involve a lot of government intervention to displace the privileged position that finance and venture capital now has in the American economy.AK: Gary, you're a historian, one of the best around, you're deeply versed in the past, you bring up Vance. He presents himself as being original, even has a beard. But I wonder whether his—I don't know what you would call it—a Catholic or Christian socialism, or at least a concern with the working class. Is it in any way new, for you, historically? I mean, it certainly exists in Europe, and there must be analogies also in American history with him.GARY GERSTLE: Well, if he is a convert to Catholicism, I don't know how well-versed he is in the papal doctrines of years past. Or decades. Or even centuries passed. But there was a serious movement within the Catholic Church in the late 19th and early 20th century to humanize capitalism, to declare that free market capitalism produced too many human casualties. Too many ordinary Catholic workers and workers who are not Catholic were hurt by unemployment, poverty, being thrown out of work in the troughs of business cycles, having no social welfare to fall back on, as a result of injury or misfortune in life. And so there was a profound movement within Catholic churches, in the United States, and in Europe and other parts of the world as well, to humanize capitalism. Whether this very once important Catholic tradition is an active influence on Vance, I don't know, because he's a recent convert to Catholicism, and I don't know how deeply has imbibed its history or its doctrine. But there is a rich tradition there. And it's possible that this is one of the sources that he is drawing on to shape his contemporary politics.AK: We were talking before we ran live, Gary, I said to you, and I think you agreed, that this use of the word "fascism" to describe Trump isn't always particularly helpful. It reflects a general hysteria amongst progressives. But I wonder in this context, given the way in which European Catholicism flirted, sometimes quite openly, with fascism, whether the F-word actually makes a little more sense. Because after all, fascism, after the First World War, was a movement in the name of the people, which was very critical of the capitalism of that age and of the international market. So, when we use the word fascism now, could it have some value in that context as a kind of a socioeconomic critique of capitalism?GARY GERSTLE: You mean fascism offering a socioeconomic critique of U.S. capitalism?AK: Yes. For better or worse.GARY GERSTLE: I'm reluctant to deploy the term fascism, since I think most people who enter the conversation or who hear that word in the United States don't really know what it means, and that's partly the consequence of historians debating its meaning as long as they have, and also suggesting that fascism takes different forms at different times and in different places. I prefer the term authoritarianism. I think that tendency is clearly there and one can connect that to certain traditions within the church. The United States once had a intense anti-Catholic political tradition. It was unimaginable in the 19th century. AK: Yeah, it drove the KKK. I mean, that was the Klan hated the Catholics probably more than they hated the Jews.GARY GERSTLE: It drove the Klan. And the notion in the 19th century—I'm not remembering now whether there are 5 or 6 Catholics who sit on the Supreme Court—but the notion in the 19th century that 5 or 6 Catholics would be the chief custodians and interpreters of America's most sacred doctrine and document the Constitution was simply unthinkable. It could never have happened. There was a Catholic seat. As for a long time, there was a Jewish seat on the Supreme Court, but understood that this would be carefully cordoned off and limited and that, when push came to shove, Protestants had to be in charge of interpreting America's most sacred doctrine. And the charge against Catholics was that they were not democratic, that they vested ultimate power in God and through an honest messenger on Earth, who was the pope. John F. Kennedy, in 1960, became the first Catholic president of the United States. Biden is only the second. Vance is the first Catholic vice president. Before in the campaign that Kennedy was running in 1960, he had to go in front of thousands of Protestant ministers who had gathered in Houston so he could persuade them that if he became president, he would not be handing America over to the pope, who was seen as an authoritarian figure. So for a long time, Catholicism was seen as a carrier of authoritarianism, of a kind of executive power that should not be limited by a human or secular force. And this promoted, in the United States, intense anti-Catholic feeling, which took the country probably 200 years to conquer. Conquered it was, so the issue of so many Catholics on the Supreme Court is not an issue. Biden's Catholicism is not an issue. Vance's Catholicism is not an issue. But Vance himself has said, talking about his conversion, that of his granny—I forget the term he uses to describe his granny—were alive today, she would not be able to accept his conversion because she was so deeply Protestant, so evangelical, so—AK: A classic West Virginian evangelical. So for me, the other contradiction here is that Vance is unashamedly nationalist, unashamedly critical of globalization. And yet, by embracing Catholicism, which is the most international of face, I don't quite understand what that suggests about him, or Catholicism, or even history, that that these odd things happen.GARY GERSTLE: Well, one thing one can say in history is that odd things happen and odd couples get together. I don't know myself how fully Vance understands his Catholicism. I believe Peter Thiel led him to this. Vance is still a young man and has gone through a lot of conversions for a young man. He was—AK: Well, he's a conversion expert. That's the narrative of his life, isn't it?GARY GERSTLE: Yes. Yes. And he began as being a severe anti-Trumper, almost a Never-Trumper. Then he converted to Trumpism. Then he converted from Protestant to Catholicism. So a lot of major changes in his life. So, the question you just posed is a fascinating one. Does he understand that the church is a catholic church, meaning small c catholic in this case, that it's open to everyone in the world? Does he really understand that? But I would extend my puzzle about religion beyond Catholicism to ask, for all the evangelical supporters of Trump: where is Jesus's message of peace and love? Where did that go? So there are puzzles about the shape of Christian religion in America. And there's no doubt that for its most devout supporters in the United States that has taken a very hard nationalist turn. And this is true among Protestants, and it is true among many Catholics. And so, I think the question that you posed may be one that no one has really confronted Vance with.“What we have to think about in regard to Trump is, will they take on projects that will threaten the constitutional foundation of the United States in order to achieve their aims? What does Musk represent, and what does part of Trump represent? It represents unbounded executive power, unconstrained by Congress, to promote conditions of maximum freedom. And the freedom they have in mind is not necessarily your personal freedom or mine.” -Gary GerstleAK: And I would extend that, Gary. I think that the most persistent and credible critics of Trump also come from the religious community. Peter Wehner, for example, former—I don't know if you're familiar with his work. He writes a lot for the Times and The Atlantic. Very religious man, is horrified—worked in the Bush and the Reagan administrations. Let's go back to—I was looking at the cover of the book, and obviously authors don't pick the covers of their books—GARY GERSTLE: I did. I picked this.AK: Okay. Well, when you look at the—GARY GERSTLE: This is this is not the original cover.AK: Right, so, the book I'm looking at, and for people just listening, I'm going to describe. The dominant picture is of the Berlin Wall being knocked down in the evening of November 1989. It's odd, Gary, isn't it, that...for the rise and fall of the neoliberal order, which is an economic order in a free market era, you should have chosen the image of a political event, which, of course, Fukuyama so famously described as the end of history. And I guess, for you as an economic historian who is also deeply interested and aware of politics, is the challenge and opportunity to always try to disentangle the economics and politics of all this? Or are they so entangled that they're actually impossible to disentangle, to separate?GARY GERSTLE: Well, I think sometimes you need to disentangle them, sometimes they move in different directions, and sometimes they move in the same direction. I think to understand the triumph of the neoliberal order, we have to see that politics and economics move in tandem with each other. What makes possible the neoliberal triumph of the 90s is the fall of communism between 1989 and 1991. And no picture embodies that better than the taking down of the Berlin Wall. And that connotes a message of freedom and escape from Soviet and communist tyranny. But the other message there is that tearing down of those walls opens the world to capitalist penetration to a degree that had not been available to the capitalist world since prior to World War One, prior to the war, and most importantly, to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. And where communists came to power everywhere, they either completely excluded or sharply curtailed the ability of capitalist business to operate within their borders. Their message was expropriate private property, which meant expropriate all corporate property. Give it over to the state, let the state manage it in the interest of the proletariat. This was an extraordinary dream that turned into an awful tyrannical outcome. But it animated the world, as few other ideas did in the 20th century, and proposed a very, very serious challenge to capitalist prerogative, to capitalist industry, to free markets. And so the collapse of communism, which is both the collapse of a state—a communist state, the Soviet Union—but perhaps more importantly, the collapse of the belief that any governments could structure the private economy in ways that would be beneficial to humankind. It's what opened the way in the 1990s to the neoliberal triumph. And it's important to recognize that the neoliberal triumph carried within it not just the triumph of capitalism, but the triumph of freedom. And I think the that image of the wall coming down captures both. It's people wanting to claim their freedom, but it also paves the way for an unregulated form of capitalism to spread to every corner of the world. And in the long term—we're in the mid-term—that was going to create inequalities, vulnerabilities to the global financial and economic systems, that were going to bring the global economy down and set off a radically different form of politics than the world had seen for some time. And we're still living through that radically different form of politics set off by the financial crash of 2008/2009, which, in my way of thinking, was a product of untrammeled capitalism conquering the world in the aftermath of the Soviet Union's and communism's collapse.AK: Yeah, and that's the other thing, isn't it, Garry? I mean, it goes without saying that the bringing down of the war fundamentally changed the old Soviet economy, the East European economies, Poland, Hungary, eastern part of Germany. But what no one—I think very, very few people imagined in '89 was that perhaps the biggest consequence of this capitalist penetration wasn't in Warsaw or Moscow or the eastern part of Berlin, but back in West Virginia with guys like JD Vance. How did the bringing down of the wall change America, or at least the American economy? I've never really quite understood that.GARY GERSTLE: Through the mass exporting of manufacturing to other countries that—AK: Wasn't that before? Wasn't that also taking place before '89, or did it happen particularly in the '90s?GARY GERSTLE: It began before 1989. It began during the Great Recession of the 1970s, where the first districts of manufacturing in the U.S., places like Buffalo, New York steelmaking center, began to get hollowed out. But it dramatically intensified in the 1990s, and this had to do with China permitting itself to be a part of this global free market. And China was opened to capitalist penetration from the United States and Europe. And what you saw in that decade was a massive shift of manufacturing to China, a shift that even intensified in the first decade of the 21st century with the admission of China in 2001 to the World Trade Organization. So China was a big factor. Also, the passage of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which rendered the northern half of the Western Hemisphere one common market, like the European Common Market. So, enormous flight of jobs to places like Mexico. And the labor costs in places like China and Mexico, and then East Asia already leaving Japan for Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, parts of the South Asian subcontinent. The flight of jobs there became so massive, and the labor costs there were so cheap, that American industry couldn't compete. And what you begin to see is the hollowing out of American industry, American manufacturing, and whole districts of America just beginning to rot. And no new industries or no new economies taking the place of the industries and the jobs that had left. And this America was being ignored, largely in the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century, in part because the ideology of neoliberalism said, we understand that this global free market is going to increase inequality in the world, it's going to increase the distance between rich and poor, but the distance between rich and poor is okay because all boats will rise. All people will benefit. This is not just an American story, this is also the story of other parts of the North Atlantic economy. Britain certainly, Germany was a partial exception, France, other places, and this was the ideology...growth would benefit everyone, and this was not the case. It was a fallacy. But the ideology was so strong that it held together until the financial crash of 2008/2009. After that crash, it became impossible to make the point that all boats were rising under the neoliberal regime. And this is when the forgotten Americans and the forgotten Brits of the northern part of the of Great Britain. This is when they began to make their voices heard. This is when they began to strike a very different note in politics. And this is where Donald Trump had his beginnings with these forgotten, angry people who felt ignored, left behind, and were suffering greatly, because by the early decades of the 21st century, it wasn't just jobs that were gone, but it was healthy marital life, divorce rates rising, rampant drug use. Two Cambridge economists wrote a book called Depths of Despair.AK: Yeah, that book comes up in almost every conversation. I once went down to Princeton to interview Angus Deaton. Like your book, it's become a classic. So let's fast forward, Gary, to the last election. I know you're writing a book now about politics in our time of authoritarianism, and you're scratching your head and asking whether the election last week was a normal or an apocryphal one, one that's just different or historical. And I wonder, in that sense, correct me if I'm wrong, there seems to have been two elections simultaneously. On the one hand, it was very normal, from the Democrats' point of view, who treated America as if it was normal. Harris behaves as if she was just another Democratic candidate. And, of course, Trump, who didn't. My interpretation, maybe it's a bit unfair, is that it's the progressives. It's certainly the coastal elites who have become, implicitly at least, the defenders of the old neoliberal order. For them, it kind of works. It's not ideal, but it works and they can't imagine anything else. And it's the conservatives who have attacked it, the so-called conservatives. Is there any truth to that in the last election?GARY GERSTLE: Well, I think the Democrats are certainly seen by vast sectors of the population as being the defenders of an old order, of established institutions controlling the media, although I think that's less and less true because the legacy media has less and less influence and shows like yours, podcasting and rogue Fox Television and all kinds of other outlets, are increasingly influential. But yes, the Democrats are seen as a party of the establishment. They are seen as the party of the educated elite. And one of the factors that determines who votes for who now is now deeply educational in the sense of, what is your level of educational achievement? If you are college educated, you're much more likely to vote Democratic, regardless of your income. And if you're high school educated or less, you're much more likely to vote Republican. I don't think it's fair to say that the Democrats are the last protectors of the neoliberal order, because Biden broke with the neoliberal order in major, consequential ways. If the defining characteristic of the neoliberal order is to free the market from constraints and to use the state only to free up market forces—this was true, to a large extent, of Obama and of Clinton—Biden broke with that, and he did it in alliance with Bernie Sanders, set of task forces they set up in 2020 to design a new administration. And his major pieces of legislation, reshoring CHIPS manufacture, the biggest investment in clean energy in the country's history. $1 trillion infrastructure bill, the biggest infrastructure project since the interstate highway system of the '50s, and arguably since Roosevelt's fabled New Deal. These are all about industrial policy. These are all about the government using its power and resources to direct industry in a certain way so that it will increase general happiness, general welfare, general employment. So this represents a profound change from what had come before. And in that way, the Biden administration can't be seen as the last defenders.“The question is, will they be able to get further than past generations of Republicans have by their willingness to break things? And will they go so far as to break the Constitution in the pursuit of these aims?”AK: And let me jump in here, Gary, there's another really important question. There was a very interesting piece, I'm sure you saw it, by Nicholas Lemann in the New Yorker about Bidenomics and its achievements. You talked about the New Deal, the massive amount of investments—it was post COVID, they took advantage of the historical crisis. Trillions of dollars have been invested in new technologies. Is Bidenomics new in any way? Or is it basically just a return to the economics, or the political economy, of FDR?GARY GERSTLE: Well, it certainly draws inspiration from FDR, because at the core of the New Deal was the conviction that you could use government to direct industry to positive uses that would benefit not just the corporations, but the population as a whole. But there was nothing like the Green Energy Project in the New Deal. The New Deal, except for hydroelectric projects, was primarily about prospering on a cheap fossil fuel economy. The New Deal also was very comfortable with accepting prevailing gender and race conceptions of the proper place of women and African Americans in American life in a way that is unacceptable to Bidenomics. So there are redirections under Bidenomics in ways that modify the New Deal inspiration. But at its core, Bidenomics is modeled on the New Deal conviction that you need a strong federal government to point industry in the right direction. And so in that sense, there's a fundamental similarity in those two progressive projects. And I think people in the Biden administration have been quite conscious about that. Now, the particular challenges are different. The world economy is different. The climate crisis is upon us. So, it is going to take different forms, have different outcomes. But the inspiration clearly comes from Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal.AK: Well, let's go over to the other side and Trump. You scratching your head and figuring out whether this is unusual. And of course, it's the second time he's won an election. This time around, he seems to be overtly hostile to the state. He's associated with Musk, who's promised to essentially decimate the state. In historical terms, Gary, is there anything unusual about this? I mean, certainly the opponents of FDR were also very hostile to this emergent American state. As a historian, do you see this as something new, the pleasure in essentially blowing the state up, or at least the promise of blowing the state up?GARY GERSTLE: That impulse is not new. There have been members of the Republican party who have been talking this language since the New Deal arrived in America in the 1930s and '40s during the '50s and '60s and early '70s, they were marginal in American politics. And then with the neoliberal order coming into being in the '70s and with Reagan as president, their voice has gained enormous traction. One of Reagan's key advisors in the 1980s and 1990s, one of his favorite lines was, “I want to shrink the size of the federal government until we can drown it in the bathtub.” It's a wonderful image and metaphor, and captures the intensity with which conservative Republicans have wanted to eliminate the strong centralized state. But they have not been able to do it to a degree that makes that have satisfied them. It turns out that Americans, for all their possible ideological opposition to big government like big parts of it, like Social Security, like Medicare, like a strong military establishment that's gonna protect the country, like clean air, clean water. So it's proved much more difficult for this edifice to be taken down than the Reaganites had imagined it would be. So, the advocates have become more radical because of decades of frustration. And what we have to think about in regard to Trump is, will they take on projects that will threaten the constitutional foundation of the United States in order to achieve their aims? What does Musk represent, and what does part of Trump represent? It represents unbounded executive power, unconstrained by Congress, to promote conditions of maximum freedom. And the freedom they have in mind is not necessarily your personal freedom or mine, as the abortion issue signifies. What they have in mind is corporate freedom. The freedom of Elon Musk's companies to do whatever they want to do. The freedom of the social media companies to do whatever they want to do. The question is, will they be able to get further than past generations of Republicans have by their willingness to break things? And will they go so far as to break the Constitution in the pursuit of these aims? Peter Thiel has said, very forthrightly, that democracy no longer works as a system, and that America has to consider other systems in order to have the kind of prosperity and freedom it wants. And one thing that bears watching with this new Trump administration is how many supporters the Peter Thiel's and the Elon Musk's are going to have to be free to tear down the edifice and the institutions of the federal government and pursuit of a goal of a reconfigured, and what I would call rogue, laissez-faire. This is something to watch.AK: But Gary, I take your point. I mean, Thiel's been, on the West Coast, always been a convenient punchbag for the left for years now, I punched him many times myself. I wanted to. But all this seems to be just the wet dream of neoliberals. So you have Musk and Thiel doing away with government. Huge corporations, no laws. This is the neoliberal wet dream, isn't it?GARY GERSTLE: Well, partly it is. But neoliberalism always depended on a structure of law enforced by government that was necessary to allow free markets to operate in a truly free and transparent manner. In other words, you needed elements of a strong government to perfect markets, that markets were not perfect if they were left to their own devices. And one of the dangers of the Elon Musk phase of the Trump administration is that this edifice of law on which corporations and capitalism thrives will be damaged in the pursuit of a radical libertarianism. Now, there may very well be a sense that cooler heads prevail in the Trump administration, and that this scenario will not come to fruition. But one certainly has to be aware that this is one of the possible outcomes of a Trump administration. I should also say that there's another very important constituency in the Republican party that wants to continue, not dismantle, what Biden has done with industrial policies. This is the other half of JD Vance's brain. This is Tom Cotton. This is Marco Rubio, this is Josh Hawley, senator from Missouri. And they want to actively use the government to regulate industry in the public interest. And there's a very interesting intellectual convergence going on between left of center and right of center intellectuals and policymakers who are converging on the importance of having an industrial policy, because if Elon Musk is given his way, how is the abandoned heartland going to come back?AK: It's cheering me up, Gary, because what you're suggesting is that this is a fairly normal moment. You've got different wings of the Republican Party. You've got the Cottons and the Rubios, who were certainly not revolutionary. Why should we believe that this is a special moment then?GARY GERSTLE: January 6th, 2021. That's the reason. Trump remains the only president in American history to authorize an attack on the very seat of American democracy. That being: Congress sitting in the Capitol. And once he authorized the attack, he waited for three hours hoping that his attackers and his mob would conquer this building and compel the legislators inside to do—AK: And I take your perspective. I'm the last person to defend that. But we're talking about 2024 and not 2021. He won the election fairly. No one's debating that. So, why is 2024 a special election?GARY GERSTLE: Well, here's the key. Well, maybe it's a special election in two ways. It may signify the reconfiguration of a genuinely populist Republican party around the needs of ordinary working-class Americans. And we should say, in this regard, that Trump has brought into his coalition significant numbers of Latinos, young blacks. It has the beginning of a look of a multiracial coalition that the Democrats once had, but now appear to be losing. So it may be an epochal moment in that regard. The other way in which it may be an epochal moment is: what if Trump does not get his way in his term in office for something he really wants? Will he accept that he is bound by the Constitution, that he is bound by the courts? Or will he once again say, when he really wants something, no constitution, no law, will stand in my way? That's how January 6th, 2021, still matters. I'm not saying he's going to do that, but I think we have to understand that that is a possibility, especially since he has shown no remorse for the outcome of the last election. If I read into your comments, I hear you saying: he won this time. He doesn't have to worry about losing. But Trump is always worried about losing. And he is a man who doesn't really know the Constitution, and the parts that he knows and understands he doesn't especially like, because his dream, along with Elon Musk's dream, and this is one reason why I think they are melding so tightly, at the apex of American government should be unbounded executive power. This is not how the country was set up. And as Congress and as the courts begin to push back, will he accept those limits, that there must be bounds on executive power? Or will he try and break through them? I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it's something that we have to be concerned about.AK: I wonder, again, wearing your historical cap you're always doing, the more you talk, the more Trump and Trump's Republican party is Nixonian. This obsession with not being responsible for the law. The broadening of the Republican party. Certainly the Republican party under Nixon was less singularly white than it became later. Isn't, in some ways, Trump just a return to Nixon? And secondly, you're talking about the law and Trump ransacking the law. But on the other hand, everything he always does is always backed up by the law. So, he has a love hate relationship with the law himself. He could never have accomplished anything he's done without hiring all these expensive lawyers. I don't know if you saw the movie this year, The Apprentice, which is built on his relationship with what's with Roy Cohn, of course, who schooled him in American politics, who was McCarthy's lawyer. So, again, I'm not trying to defend Trump, but my point is: what's different here?GARY GERSTLE: Well, a key difference from Nixon is that when push came to shove, Nixon submitted to the rule of law, and Trump did not. Nixon did not unleash his people on Congress when a group of senators came to him and said you're going to be impeached if you stay in office, you should resign. He resigned. So the '70s was a moment of enormous assertion of the power of Congress, and assertion of the power and authority of the Constitution. That is not the story of Donald Trump. The story of Donald Trump is the story of the Constitution being pushed to the side. If you ask, is there anything new about Americans and politicians trying to manipulate the law in their favor? There's nothing new about that. And Trump, having made his fortune in New York real estate, knows there's no such thing as perfect markets, knows that judges can be bought and corrupted. And so, he has very little regard for the authority of courts. Everything's a transaction. Everything can be bought and sold. So, he understands that, and he has used the law to his advantage when he can. But let me bring you back to his first inauguration speech. There was no mention of the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution in what he had to say that day. I think we'd be hard pressed to find another inaugural speech that makes no reference to the sacred documents having to do with the founding of the American Republic. And so I think in that way, he is something new and represents, potentially, a different kind of threat. I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it's certainly possible. And let me add one other element that we have to consider, because I'm suggesting that he has a fondness for forms of authoritarian rule, and we have to recognize that hard rights are on the march everywhere in the world right now. The social democratic government of Germany has just fallen. Britain may soon be alone in terms of having a left-center party in control and upholding the values of liberal democracy. The world is in a grip of an authoritarian surge. That is not an American phenomenon. It is an international phenomenon. It is not a phenomenon I understand well enough, but if we're to understand the kind of strongman tendencies that Trump is exhibiting, the appeal of the strongman tendencies to so many Americans, we have to understand the international context in which this is occurring. And these movements in these different countries are fully aware of each other. They draw strength from each other's victories, and they get despairing from each other's defeats. So this is an international movement and an international project, and it's important, in that regard, to set Trump in that historical context.AK: Final question, Gary, there's so much here, we'll have to get you back on the show again in the new year. There's certainly, as you suggested, a great deal of vitality to conservatives, to the Cottons, the JD Vances, the Steve Bannons of the world. But what about on the left? We talked earlier, you sort of pushed back a little bit on the idea that the progressive elites aren't defenders of the neoliberal order, but you kind of acknowledged there may be a little bit of truth in that. In response to this new conservatism, which, as you suggested, is in some ways quite old, what can and should progressives do, rather than just falling back on Bidenomics and reliance on a new deal—which isn't going to happen now given that they had the opportunity in the COVID crisis to spend lots of money, which didn't have any impact on this election, for better or worse. Is there a need to re-architect the progressive politics in our new age, the age of AI, a high-tech age? Or do we simply allow the Bernie Sanders of the world to fall back on 20th-century progressive ideas?GARY GERSTLE: Well, I'm not sure where AI is taking us. AI may be taking us out of democracy altogether. I think one of—AK: You're not giving it any chance, if that's the case.“What if Trump does not get his way in his term in office for something he really wants? Will he accept that he is bound by the Constitution, that he is bound by the courts? Or will he once again say, when he really wants something, no constitution, no law, will stand in my way?”GARY GERSTLE: Well, there are different versions of AI that will be coming. But the state of the world right now suggests that democracy is on the defensive, and authoritarianism is is on the march. Those who predict the death of democracy have been wrong in the past. So I'm not predicting it here, but we have to understand that there are elements of life, technology, power in in private hands today, that make democracy much harder to do effectively. And so, this is a period of reflection that groups who care about democracy at all points on the political spectrum have to be thinking very seriously about. As for the here and now, and politicians don't think in terms of 10 or 20 years—or you have to be a leader in China, where you can think in terms of 10 or 20-year projects, because you never have to face any election and being tossed out of office—but in the here and now, I think what Democrats have to be very aware of, that the party that they thought they were is the party that the Republican Party has become, or is becoming: a multiracial, working-class party. And if the Democrats are to flourish—and in that regard, it's very significant—AK: It's astonishing, really.GARY GERSTLE: It is astonishing. And it's important to to note that Trump is the first Republican nominee for president since George W. Bush in 2004 to get a majority of votes. And the only person to do it before him in the last 30 years was his father, George H.W. Bush, in 1988. Kamala Harris came within 200,000 votes of becoming president of the United States. That's not well enough understood yet. But if 200,000 votes had changed in three states, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, she would be the president elect of the United States. However, she would have been the president elect while losing the popular vote. And one has to go very far back in history to find the Democrats being the beneficiaries of the Electoral College while losing the popular vote. And I think the fact that they lost the popular vote for only the third time in the last 50 years, maybe? I mean, when they elected someone...has to suggest that they have to do some serious thinking about how to reclaim this. Now, Bernie Sanders is coming out and saying, they should have gotten me on the public stage rather than Liz Cheney, that going after suburban Republican women was the wrong route. You should have stuck with me. We had a left/center alliance that worked in 2020. We could have done it again. But that's not my reading of the situation. My reading of the situation is that Bernie-style politics is distinctly less popular in 2024 than it was in 2020. The Democrats have to figure that out, and they have to figure out what they have to do in order to reclaim majorities in American life. And in order to do that, I think their economic programs are actually on the right track, in that respect, under the Biden administration. I think they probably have to rethink some of their cultural policies. There were three issues in this election. The economy was number one. The immigration issue was number two. And then, the trans issue was number three. The Republicans ran an estimated 30,000 ads declaring that the Democratic party was going to take your children away by turning them from boys to girls or girls to boys. The Democratic party has to do some hard thinking about how to have a progressive policy on immigration and how to have a progressive policy on issues of trans matters without losing a majority of the American people, who clearly are, at this moment, not with them on those important issues.AK: It's an astonishing moment, Gary. And I'm not sure whether it's a revolutionary moment or just surreal.GARY GERSTLE: Well, you've been pressing me, on a number of occasions, as to whether this is just the normal course of American politics, and if we look in that direction, the place to look for normality is...incumbents always do badly in high-inflationary times. And Ford and Carter lost in the 1970s. Every incumbent during COVID and during the inflationary period in Europe seems to have lost a recent election. The most normal course of politics is to say, this is an exceptional moment having to do with the enormity of COVID and what was required to shut down the economy, saved people, and then getting started up again, and we will see something more normal, the Democrats will be back to what they normally do, in 2028. That's a possibility. I think the more plausible possibility is that we are in the midst of some pretty profound electoral realignment that is giving rise to a different kind of political order. And the Democrats have to figure out if that political order is going to be under their direction, what they have to do to pull that off. AK: And maybe rather than the neoliberal order, we're talking about, what, a neo-authoritarian order? Is that—GARY GERSTLE: Well, the Trump forces are maybe neo-authoritarian, but we don't have a name for it. Pete Buttigieg—AK: Well, that's why we got you on the show, Gary. Don't you have a name for it?GARY GERSTLE: No. You know—AK: We're relying on you. I hope it's going to be in your next book.GARY GERSTLE: Well, I have till January 20th, 2025, to come up with the name. Pete Buttigieg called it the Big Deal rather than the New Deal. I don't think that cuts it. And there's some other pundits who are arguing about building from the middle out. That doesn't cut it.AK: That sounds terrible. That sounds like—GARY GERSTLE: This is part of Biden's—AK: Designing political parties by committee. It's like an American car.GARY GERSTLE: This is part of Biden's problem. You can't name, effectively, in a positive way, what he's done. One thing that's going to happen—and this may be a sign that things will continue from Biden to Trump, in terms of industrial policy. Do you have any doubt that Trump is going to plaster his name on every computer chips plant, every battery factory? Trump brought this to you, he's got to be there for every opening. He's not going to miss a beat. He'll see this as a grand publicity tour. I think there's a good chance he will take credit for what Biden has started, and that's going to upset a lot of us. But it may also signify that he may be loath to abandon many of these industrial policies that Biden has put in place, especially since the Biden administration was very clever in putting most of these plants, and chip plants, and battery plants, in deep red Republican districts.AK: Well, Gary, I know you're not particularly cheerful. I don't suppose most of our audience are, but you actually cheered me up. I think things are a little bit more normal than some people think. But we will get you back on the show after January—what did you say—January 25th, when you'll have a word to describe the New World Order?GARY GERSTLE: Well, I said after January 20th, 2025, you can expect me to have a name. I probably should—AK: Gary, now, we'll have you back on the show. If you don't have a name, I'm going to report you to Trump.GARY GERSTLE: You'll have to bury me.AK: Yeah. Okay. Well, we're not burying you. We need you, Gary Gerstle, author of Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order, a man who makes sense of our present with historical perspective. Gary, as always, a pleasure. Keep well and keep safe. And we'll talk again in the not-too-distant future. Thank you so much.GERSTLE: Thank you. A pleasure talking with you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Motorcycle riders flock to The Talon, a scenic, winding motorsports route that winds through the New River Gorge…the High Technology Foundation has been awarded a grant to fund operational expenses for a statewide collaborative entrepreneurial assistance program…and get the scoop on great things developing in Almost Heaven with Innovators and Entrepreneurs…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV EXPLORER – The global attention that one of America's newest national parks has garnered is boosting interest in The Talon, an exceptional new motorsports route in southern West Virginia. The 18-mile stretch of two-lane US-60 that skirts the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is growing fast as a favorite route for motorcyclists and other adventure motorists. According to cyclist Jeff Lanham, founder of “Backroads of West Virginia,” the Talon explores some of the most scenic mountain lands in the U.S. and provides a variety of highway conditions, both relatively straight and exceptionally curving. The four other routes the organization is promoting include The Ridge—21 miles, following an upland range of hills north of Charleston; The Seneca Trail—213 miles, following the old Seneca warpath (US-219) through the Allegheny Mountains; The Trail of Dragons—244 miles, following WV-16 from Saint Marys to Tazewell, Va.; and The Shenandoah Sidewinder—65 miles, following US-33 from Seneca Rocks to Harrisonburg, Va. Read more: https://wvexplorer.com/2024/11/04/new-national-park-boosts-talon-motorsports-route/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGWES1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVPvFh-OeRwcAkohDf0DI_Y15T7VWoB8jwzCUUgGkiBpxWcIKh9ZRuV-xQ_aem_9TDDbuAulLCTdjQRfq33GA   #2 – From TECH CONNECT – The High Technology Foundation has been awarded $848,800 by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to fund operational expenses for a statewide collaborative entrepreneurial assistance program.  The initiative is part of the EDA's commitment to foster economic development in regions impacted by the decline in coal industries. The project will be matched with $212,200 in local funds, bringing the total investment to over $1 million. The program will provide critical support to entrepreneurs and small businesses in the technology sector across West Virginia, according to Jim Estep, president and CEO of the High Technology Foundation. Read more: https://techconnectwv.org/high-technology-foundation-receives-848800-from-u-s-department-of-commerce-to-support-small-business-and-entrepreneurial-growth-in-west-virginia/   #3 – From INNOVATORS & ENTREPRENEURS – Get the scoop on all the good stuff happening in #YesWV. Check out “Innovators and Entrepreneurs,” a segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Subscribe to the daily304 YouTube channel so you don't miss an episode! Read more: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbTIXU2Zp-Km1gNK2YeXfnsVd91rSHh0b   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the Main Thing Podcast, where every episode brings you a concise, high-impact wisdom lesson from one of the wisest people I know. Studying their wisdom and learning together, we all get a little better at this thing called life.   Courage & Community-Building are Par for the Course with Alison Stepping onto a golf course is a serene escape for some, but for Allison Ibarra, it was the beginning of a journey that led her from competitive golf to transforming a near-derelict bowling alley into Pinhead's Family Fun Center—a community gem in Oak Hill, West Virginia. Join me as I chat with Allison, a driven entrepreneur and resilient military spouse, who shares how she turned personal challenges into opportunities for community growth and family happiness. Her story is a testament to the power of determination and adaptability. Through Allison's stories and wisdom lessons, we explore the essence of friendship, community service, and the unique resilience required in the face of life's challenges.   In today's conversation with this courageous, servant leader, you will discover Alison's Main Thing and also learn: How an incredibly productive entrepreneur manages it all; How a military spouse and her husband coped with long deployments and many months apart; and How the strongest leaders gain tremendous respect by being peace makers, rather than conflict initiators. More About Our Guest Alison is a native West Virginian, born and raised in Oak Hill. She's a former golfer, who played competitively and worked as a PGA teaching professional.   As a military spouse, married to a counter intelligence agent, Alison Ibarra has lived in many places across America. After many years away from the Mountain State, Alison and her family returned to her home region.   Today, she owns and operates a bowling alley, as Chief Pinhead at Pinheads Family Fun Center of the New River Gorge. Alison also serves as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Oak Hill. This respected community leader is also the mother of two teenage daughters.   Alison and I spoke at her home in Fayetteville, West Virginia.   Resources Pinheads Bowling Alley & Fun Center website Connect with Alison on LinkedIn Movie “Shallow Hal” on IMDB   Credits Editor + Technical Advisor Bob Hotchkiss Brand + Strategy Advisor Andy Malinoski PR + Partnerships Advisor Rachel Bell Marketing, Social Media and Graphic Design Chloe Lineberg   Stay Connected with Us on Social YouTube @themainthingpod Twitter @themainthingpod Instagram @themainthingpod Facebook  @TheMainThingPod LinkedIn   Help Support and Sustain This Podcast Become a subscriber. Share the podcast with one or two friends. Follow us on social media @TheMainThingPod Buy some Main Thing Merch from our Merchandise Store. Buy a book from our curated wisdom collection on bookshop.org. Become a patron and support us on Patreon with funding.   Episode Chapters   [0:03:25] - Golf and bowling; the vision and strategy behind Pinheads [0:06:00] - How Skip and Alison are connected - Holly Fussell [0:06:55] - Life as a military spouse; setting a precedent; flexible domestic roles [0:11:15] - Time management; avoiding feeling overwhelmed; out-sourcing [0:12:45] - Alison shares her Main Thing wisdom nugget; inspiration from “Shallow Hal” [0:15:11] - Wisdom for the golf course [0:17:16] - Priorities and choices [0:18:56] - Thoughts on peacemakers; how we react under stress [0:20:24] - Alison shares views on servant leadership and building community   Keywords Wisdom, Leadership, Military Spouse, Entrepreneurship, Service, Community, Golf, Bowling, Legacy, West Virginia, Adaptability, Resilience, Life Balance, Personal Growth, Timeless Activities, Inclusivity, Role Changes, Parenting, Family Unity, Prioritizing, Strengths, Weaknesses, Decision-making, Women

Lauren Oyler's “Revenge Plot”, a literary diary of her trip to this year's Republican convention in Milwaukee, is the cover story of this month's Harper's. So when I talked today with the Berlin based writer, we discussed both the revengefulness of the Republican party and what she calls the “risk aversion” of the Democrats. While Oyler cares a lot about the outcome of today's election, she is wary of what she calls the “constant catastrophizing” both on the left and right of American politics. While this probably won't be the final election in the history of American democracy, she suggests, it might be the first 21st century Presidential contest not dramatically shaped by the internet. LAUREN OYLER's essays on books and culture appear regularly in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, London Review of Books, Harper's Magazine, Bookforum, and other publications. Born and raised in West Virginia, she now divides her time between New York and Berlin.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.TRANSCRIPTAndrew Keen: Hello, everybody. The day has come, it's Tuesday, November the 5th. Election Day. We don't know who's won, but many people are going to the polls. One person who won't be going to the polls is my guest today, Lauren Oyler. She's a distinguished American writer, bestselling writer, essayist, critic. But she happens to be, as I joked before, we went live in exile in Berlin. She lives there in Germany, but she's also the author of an excellent piece, it's the cover story of Harper's this week: "Reunion or Revenge: The GOP Identity Crisis." According to Lauren, they're on the brink. I'm not sure of what. Lauren is joining us from Berlin in Germany. Lauren, what's the view from there? Americans looking as crazy as ever?Lauren Oyler: We're looking for a bar to go to. To be honest, we've been we've been we've been caucusing, trying to figure out where we can watch the the results. And we just found there's one place. But, you know, it doesn't the results aren't really start coming in until midnight here. So the debate is about whether we will stay up--or, people have some bad memories of doing that in 2016. I personally have a bad memory of doing that in 2016 as well. So the view is we're looking at our phones.Keen: So I assume the bad memory was not that you drank too much or ate too much.Oyler: No, I did. I certainly did. I'm just I was with my boyfriend at the time and we had gotten in a fight earlier that day about Hillary Clinton. And I, I just remember being like, I just don't care. I just don't care. And then we went to the bar with our friends and got quite drunk. And and then we were walking home and I didn't live here at the time, so I didn't have we didn't have cell phone service. So we walked home at like three in the morning. We were really drunk and we were like, Well, we won't know anything. And then we got home and we like, laid in bed in the dark and and looked at our phones and we were like, no, this is terrible. So and then just laid in bed again, really drunk looking at our phones.Keen: It's something that could have occurred in one of your books or maybe in a in a DeLillo book. So are the Germans shocked? I mean, they they they've made a culture out of being a shock to other people that they particularly shocked this time around?Oyler: No, I don't think so. I remember right before I went to report this story, I was in a restaurant down the street from my house and I listened to--I was overhearing a conversation with this German guy, was talking to these people and he was like, he was he was like, Yeah, have you heard they have the plague in Colorado now? He's like, Yeah, this is crazy. Imagine if we had the plague in Berlin. Like, it was really like, I don't really think they sort of like, Yeah, this is crazy, but it's, you know, it's not it's not the first time. And I think to and in Europe, it used to be that you were reviled as an American. Certainly when I first moved here in 2012, there was still that kind of anti-American sentiment. But now far right populism has spread across the West and everybody is sort of commiserating with with you and just kind of like, you know, it could happen. It could happen to us at any time. It basically is the idea.Keen: The plague has come home to Germany from Colorado. So let's get to the piece, Lauren, you went to Milwaukee to cover the GOP's identity crisis. And it's a long essay. Very...to use the word Oyler-ish in the sense that it's it's a very creative piece of work, creative nonfiction, although some people might say there's a fictional element there. What was your overall take on this odd convention and why was it that it's almost five months ago now?Oyler: Yeah. Well, I think the big the the big concern that I had going into it was that, you know, you're right, it would be coming out it came out in the middle of October, and I would be reporting on something that had happened in July, which, of course, in the past would have been perfectly normal for this kind of piece of this kind of like literary new journalism type thing. Many, many great pieces about political conventions that I'm sure your listeners, listeners will be familiar with, things like Norman Mailer, they come out late. But, you know, now--Keen: It's timeless as well in their own way. I mean--Oyler: It's supposed to be timeless, but now everybody's sort of attitude towards the news is like, I need to hear it right now. And then it the cycle, the cycle, the cycle and it goes away. So you sort of forget about it. So I kind of was grateful for the assignment because the assignment was basically like write something of lasting literary value about about the circus and spectacle, which was very interesting. And, you know, it was sort of you're following the news as it's happening and you're like, well, I can't really like you just have to be aware of the general narrative as time has gone on, you can't really be too obsessed with anyone's story because as I learned when former President Trump was almost assassinated while I was on the plane there, like something can just completely derail the whole plan. But I had never been to a political convention before. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed doing that kind of reporting. And I was surprised at how at the dissonance between what was being reported by these live up to the minute coverage, like blogs or social media or things like this. The difference between the analysis that those those journalists would generally produce and what I was interested in or even like what I thought the mood was, frankly, as, as the title of the piece and the sort of the tag line suggests, like it was a bit fraught, I think, for the Republicans. I think I think the liberal media generally tends to want to keep to the storyline that they are evil masterminds of the chaos that they saw. But I what I saw there at least, was kind of a fracturing basically.Keen: Right? I mean, I think that the more I watch or listen to liberal media or mainstream media, they behave as if they're the grownups and. And perhaps some of these photos actually underline the fact that it's the Republicans who were the children. For better or worse, they're out of control. They need to be sent to their room and perhaps spanked, although I'm guessing most liberal media people don't believe in spanking anymore. I'm curious, Lauren. I had lunch with Rick MacArthur, the publisher of Harper's few months ago in New York. And like all publishers of traditional magazines, he claims poverty, not enough money to go around. Couldn't you find someone a bit closer? I mean, I assume he paid for you to fly from Berlin to Milwaukee. That's quite a long way. Why didn't he find a local person, or do you think he chose you, or they chose you, the editor chose you because you bring a slightly foreign perspective?Oyler: Do you don't think I'm such a good writer that it's worth flying me over there?Keen: Did they pay for first class?Oyler: No, it was was economy, which was good, actually, because I got I had some interesting conversations with my senior and they did say, you know, we won't pay for paper business, but I did buy the expensive internet in the end. But and I think I was staying in a Hampton Inn. Do you know how do you know how the--Keen: My God. So they put you up in a Hampton Inn?Oyler: Do you know how it works? So when you go to a convention, there's like the convention as the press, the press corps or the convention, if you like, a place to stay. And so many of the delegates were staying like in Madison, Wisconsin, or in Illinois, and I was in the same hotel as the USA Today people. So that speaks to me being like the, you know, the national and the the government's like belief in the value of Harper's magazine in comparison to other other places. So it was maybe like 20 minute drive away anyway. Non sequitur. So why do you think they asked me to go? Maybe because I do have a little bit of foreign perspective, I think to it is not you know, it is nice to have a literary writer juice politics coverage. You know, there's a long history of this. Norman Mailer is a wonderful introduction to this book that I have about ranting about journalists and reporters and why it's important to bring a novelistic eye to things. Joan Didion, obviously famously, and all sorts of other examples. George Saunders did a did a Trump rally in 2016. I think Patricia Lockwood did one as well. So I think there's that kind of tradition that that Harper's is a part of and wants to sort of continue in the face of maybe people saying that literary writing has no place in society anymore. But also, I assume that my being from Appalachia has something to do with it because, yes, as you say, I live in Berlin, but I was born and grew up in West Virginia, and although we did not know J.D. Vance was going to be selected as the VP when they assigned me this piece, it wasn't always a strong possibility. And I think the region sort of exerts a pull on the national media at least every four years. So I would assume that that also has something to do with it.Keen: That's interesting that, you know, the the other side of the Appalachian coin from J.D. Vance. You mentioned earlier, Lauren, that the the media reported on this differently from bloggers and some of the online crowd. What are the differences? Can you generalize about how the USA Today crowd covered it verses bloggers who perhaps weren't there or watching online?Oyler: Yeah, well, I think there is a certain kind of convention story that is just like we're here, there's someone on TV, they're doing a stand up. They have someone shooting them and they're just like, I'm here live at the convention. Like, here's how crazy it is. But the thing that I talk about in the piece especially is this Ezra Klein sort of blog about the convention. And I believe the headline that he wrote was for his podcast about it was I watched the Republican National Convention. Here's whatever, and that kind of dramatic headline style that that has been honed on the Internet--Keen: And this was a New York Times piece--Oyler: Well, the New York Times Piece...I watched the Republican National Convention on television. Why does that...anyone can watch the Republican National Convention on television. And they want it to be like a dramatic sort of...a little bit dangerous feeling that it did have at points. But but the thing that was surprising to me was how unenthusiastic many of the people there were or who were just there because, you know, they go every been ten times or whatever.Keen: I mean, you have some great photos in the piece of people looking pretty miserable, which of course probably makes most of us feel better about it. And I mean this one in particular for people watching a couple of white middle class people with cheese hats, one with a "Make America Great Again" sign, the other, "bring back common sense." They look most uncommon and most miserable.Oyler: And it's not to say that there wasn't, there were many sort of disturbing moments of enthusiasm, I think. But they weren't always the people on stage that you would--the biggest applause that I remember was not for Trump or for J.D. Vance. Of course, those went on forever. But this sort of passion, like the sort of scary passion that the media wants to find it in the Republicans. I noticed it most with Peter Navarro, who had just gotten out of prison that day and offering to give a trial, which was so bizarre and people were just screaming their heads off for him.Keen: And he's a China hater.Oyler: Yes, I can never remember what the sort of White House department of something that they invented that he was the head of. It was some kind of trade council.Keen: Like Go to War with China Department.Oyler: Yes. Yes. And he had just been let out of prison and he was missing a tooth. Which was really bizarre. And then Tucker Carlson, everybody was going crazy for it because he's like a celebrity. But there was not this kind of excitement for, say, Kid Rock or something like this. Or even Hulk Hogan.Keen: Yeah. So here's the question for you. Lauren, I think you're as well-positioned in every sense to to answer this question, which is the question I struggle with and I've talked to I've talked about endlessly on this show and I haven't resolved I'm sure I've bored most of my viewers and listeners. You mentioned Hulk Hogan, of course, the ultimate wrestler. In fact, I had Peter Osnos on the show last week. It was the original editor of Art of the Deal, and he said when he was editing out of the deal, he went with Trump to a wrestling contest, and Trump was enormously popular there back then, 30 or 40 years ago. To what extent is this whole--and I use this word carefully--spectacle, just wrestling. To what extent is it just another version of reality television and everyone understands in an odd kind of way that they're participating in this weird narrative. You've done a lot of thinking and writing on this in terms of the Internet, although some of the people participating in this are pre-Internet people. I mean, Trump is Mr. Reality television. So this goes back before the Internet. But to what extent is this, I don't know, reality, hyper reality, beyond reality, and how does it connect with--there is a reality of America on November the 5th, 2024. I hope that's a--I'm not sure it's a particularly clear question, but gives you an opportunity to talk about how you perceive this whole spectacle or circus.Oyler: Well, I think it's I think that the Republican Party and I think the American society in general, certainly American media, has been in a kind of transitional phase since 2020. Don't quote me on that, but like generally, like since Trump's term was a very crystal clear political moment in the country, I think. And it did make a lot of people sort of immediately think back and say what, what did I miss about the last ten, 15 years that led to this? Like, why didn't I see this coming? Why didn't I expect Donald Trump to be elected president in 2016? And that led to all this kind of--the things that you're referencing, which are, you know, reality, the effects of reality television and the effects of social media, you know, the sort of the the sense that--the desire for kind of like a more immediate relationship to our media that develops--all these things kind of developed in tandem, which is to say that, you know, someone who's watching the Hills on MTV, which is sort of my demographic, is not going to be the same kind of person who's watching wrestling per say. But there are many things that those two kinds of programing have in common, right? And it is kind of the ironic presentation of reality and scare quotes, right? And I think that Donald Trump, obviously a reality television host himself and and and certainly involved in professional wrestling can like sort of tap into could tap into that. But I don't think we're in that period anymore. I don't you know nobody is we aren't I hope we don't have graduate students writing dissertations on the on the Kardashians anymore which is what, you know that was such a prominent force in the media and in the sort of 2010s during Obama's administration. And I don't know exactly like what is next, right? The conversations we're having now are all about AI. They're all about Elon Musk. But it's certainly not this like pro-wrestling spectacle thing anymore. And I think you can see that because it's not as if that was that was not new, part of part of the spectacle that was created by the by the Hulk Hogan stuff was like that it was so surprising. But you can't keep bringing Hulk Hogan out every for, you know, you can't have them every four years. I'm sorry.Keen: An immortal Hulk Hogan or for that matter, Trump.Oyler: Yeah, yeah. And I do think that--picking J.D. Vance as the vice presidential nominee does indicate that they are trying to sort of move forward and kind of set the path for Trumpism after Trump. As many...that's not my phrase. It's a phrase everybody everybody uses, because also Trumpism is the most successful kind of Republican movement in a long time. You might remember the Tea Party didn't arrive. But there's a lot of dissent about that, I think. I think a lot of older people in the party that I talked to when I was at the convention were dissatisfied with Trump. And they would say, you know, I actually never liked him. I didn't vote for him in the primary in 2016. I would prefer he not do this. I overheard a man giving an interview to some some wire service and he, he really sounded like he was having an identity crisis. Like he was like, I don't know. This is not the party I grew up with. This is not the party I joined. What am I going to do? So there are lots of these older guys who feel that way. And then on the other side, there are lots of these young guys who I talked to who are kind of young Republicans in their early 20s, and they also don't really care. It's not like they're excited about Donald Trump. They're like excited by the kind of meme-ified free market capitalism opportunities that the Republicans sort of scoop up, right? Like they like crypto. They like, you know, they're like they have some really confused ideas about tariffs, which if you if you press them on it a little bit, you would say maybe you actually should vote for a Democrat because Trump is just putting more tariffs on things, just all sorts of things.Keen: By the way, it's the first time in this conversation, Lauren, I've heard the the West Virginian twang when you when you said tariffs. Say it again.Oyler: Tariffs? I mean, I can do it all day if you want. I was anticipating you asking me to perform the accent. Maybe when we talk about a little bit more about J.D. Vance.Keen: Yeah.Oyler: But but, yeah--Keen: Tariffs, and what about China? Could you do China?Oyler: Well, you know, I lived in Beijing for about two months.Keen: I mean, JD, is he the fool here or is he the one who's being made to look like a fool, do you think?Oyler: I think he's allowing himself to be made to look like a fool. I don't think that...Keen: Does he know what he's doing here?Oyler: Yeah. I mean, does he know what he's doing entirely? No. Does he know what he's doing? More than, like, Donald Trump's kids? Yes.Keen: It isn't hard, especially the boys. The girls disappeared, right? I think our girls have disappeared.Oyler: And yeah, good for them. I think I saw on Twitter that it's Ivanka's 43rd birthday today.Keen: Maybe a happy birthday, Ivanka, if you're well, I'm sure you've got better things to do. Although, she does seem to be participating. I'm sure she's severely embarrassed now by the whole thing.Oyler: Yeah, I think that that's a big issue for, you know, they're just they're struggling to have like a base for Trump anymore. And there is like a base for Republican, like a Republican Party base. But it doesn't seem like there's that many.Keen: Yeah, and your essay is entitled "The GOP's Identity Crisis." Maybe it should be "The Trump Family's Identity Crisis."Oyler: Yeah. I mean, he's he's not going to be around for that much longer.Keen: Yeah. I mean, what you said was interesting about talking to a lot of older people who suggested they don't like Trump. I mean, if he loses today, who knows what's going to happen? But if he does indeed lose and relatively decisively in the sense that it's clear that he lost. Do you think the knives are going to be out in your experience in Milwaukee? Yeah, there are enough people in the Republican Party will say enough is enough. This guy's a loser and we need to move on.Oyler: I mean, I think you can't lose two times in a row. You know, I mean, I think that there is enough...It's it's hard to say, well, what are the billionaires going to do? Like, what's Elon Musk going to do? What? Like, where's the money going to go? I don't know. I think they are trying to set up...to me at the convention, it seemed to me that, like J.D. Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy are the are the people that are sort of creating the most enthusiasm. But at the same time, you do have this kind of thing which the Democrats start with in 2016 and in 2020, which is that the younger members of the party have sort of radically different kind of Internet inflected ideas about what they want from the party. And the older guard is sort of scandalized a little bit by that. And it's kind of like a power struggle that will be interesting to watch if if Trump loses. And even if he wins, frankly.Keen: The narrative, the traditional narrative in mainstream media over the last few days has been mostly about men. Men, male and female voters, black and white voters, which is always a feature. And young and old voters. What wisdom did you derive on those fronts from from Milwaukee? Were there any young people there or any black people there? Were there any women there?Oyler: Were there any young people, black people or women there? Yes, there were there. It does skew older. It's very white. And, you know, the women who are there generally wives, even if they're also delegates, like they're not the main event. They don't have a Sarah Palin at this point right? There was...many of the women who spoke on stage were given a pink backdrop. They're very welcoming to women and minorities and young people. The rhetoric is all very much, we're not racist. America is not racist country. This is not a racist party. Over and over again, Tim Scott gave a big speech about how the Republicans aren't racist. Amber Rose Kanye West's ex-girlfriend, gave a big speech about how Republicans aren't racist. There was all this kind of state saying how not racist they were. And, you know, on the ground, obviously most people are white, most people are old, and most people are men. So, it was not super convincing, but it is kind of interesting to watch them say that because, of course, even ten years ago, they would have never cared about any of that, any of those kinds of points.Keen: Early on in the piece, you mentioned DeLillo. To what extent did he, especially in White Noise, did he predict all this? I mean, not just him, but that school of American writing.Oyler: But do you think they're predicting it or they're just observing their own time, and actually, it hasn't changed?Keen: I guess, yeah. I remember a review, I think it was Andrew Hagan's review in the New York Review of Books after 9/11, in which they were reviewing one of one of DeLillo's books about terrorism. I know Hagan wrote about DeLillo in the sense that reality kind of overtaking, maybe, his prediction or his his kind of work. It must be, again, to use a word, surreal here to to see this world that DeLillo already imagined in practice.Oyler: Well, I think he's probably talking about Underworld. But I think it's maybe our idea of of history being kind of flawed rather than DeLillo's being overtaken. I do think DeLillo has some struggles writing about the Internet, but that's fine. But I think, too, because I was reading so much of these convention pieces from the 60s and 70s, the conversation is the same. And that's nonfiction, right? And so I actually think this kind of like apocalyptic rhetoric and and ever greater spectacle, it does sort of get ever greater, but it has always been getting ever greater. And so I don't know that DeLillo has been like overtaken, because also people can read. People read, you know, Libra now, which is all about in the wake of the failed assassination attempt on Trump. Everybody was talking about Libra, which is about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the kind of, let's say, deep state apparatus surrounding that event. And also, you know, White Noise is a satirical novel. But but I think there was sort of some airborne toxic events in the United States.Keen: Yeah. I mean, he actually did write that in the book. I think about that. In a small town.Oyler: Exactly. But I believe White Noise is based on also a real incident. And DeLillo tends to work with actual news stories. Underworld is also sort of heavily researched and based on on on real, real events. So I think actually, maybe we we have to sort of admit that like as as as writers, as pundits, as journalists, as as whatever, it's in our best interest to say now is totally different. Right now, more than ever, everything's totally different. We're in a new paradigm. We're in a new era. This is especially bad. You know, you keep hearing this is the most important election of our lives. And we've been hearing that for every single election. And it's always been that kind of story. I can't really remember what your question was, but my my feeling about DeLillo is, like, amazing author. One of the best we have.Keen: Yeah, I know. I agree. And this idea of it being the most important election and of course, until the next one. This idea of an identity crisis. Lauren, what is an identity crisis? You noted that America is in a transitional stage. I mean, countries are always in transitional stages. They're always changing. Gramsci I think wrote that these kind of periods are a time for monsters. So we imagine the worst. What, to you, is an identity crisis, and why is the GOP going through it and not the Democrats? Might one argue that it's actually much healthier to face up to this crisis than to basically ignore it as the as the Democrats seem to be doing?Oyler: Yeah. Well, I think the Democrats, for all their faults, sort of dealt with this in the last two elections. And actually, you could say too the election of Barack Obama in 2008 was also a kind of identity crisis moment for them because the party didn't really want him, right? And Hillary's people, I believe, in 2008 were really critical of anyone who would go work for Obama, and it was it was actually like quite a big conflict. So you could say that basically the Democrats have been going through it as well. And now they've kind of they lost so humiliatingly in 2016 that they kind of had to do something about it, and they basically strong armed the left wing of the party in 2020, which for people of my generation, it was quite upsetting or like, galvanizing in some way, but you just don't really see so much...for someone who was really paying attention in 2020, the dissent against Kamala Harris is so much less than the dissent against Joe Biden in 2020. Does that sound right to you?Keen: Yeah, but I'm not sure you...I mean, if America is indeed in what you call this transitional stage where things the nature of the country, perhaps what we might think of as its kind of operating system is changing so dramatically. The Republicans are trying to face up to it and perhaps making fools of themselves, but at least they're addressing it. Why? Why the Republicans? Why the Democrats? So maybe America really isn't...I mean, this idea of a transitional stage is always true. So it's no more transitional in 2024 than it was in 2020 or 1920.Oyler: Yeah. Well, I think the Democrats have proven themselves to be quite denialists, right? Like they're very centrist. So the radical wing of the Republican Party. You could argue that J.D. Vance is part of part of the radical wing of the Republican Party. So I just think that the the Democrats are risk averse. They're very risk averse. And the things that they want are a return to normalcy when Republicans want like a radical reshaping of the government and society. They want...I went to some Moms for Liberty event where, you know, they weren't talking about this on the convention floor, but the Republicans give hearing to people who want to abolish the Department of Education. I can't remember what Trump's specific view on that is, but that's an incredibly radical proposal.Keen: I mean, Michael Lewis wrote a whole book on that: The Fifth Risk.Oyler: Yeah. But, it's not inconceivable that they would do that.Keen: Well, they did it. I mean, they did it in in 2016. I don't know if you're with the Department of Education, but some of these departments, they essentially shut down or appointed people with so hostile to the bureaucratic state that they by definition were going to ruin it.Oyler: Yeah. And then there was the the acronym R.A.G.E, Retire All Government Employees, and this kind of stuff. So but my point is that they you know, they see themselves as a revolution--the Republicans see themselves as a revolutionary party, and the Democrats are emphatically not. They're defining themselves against Republicans. So they're like, of course we're not America is not in an identity crisis. We just need to, like, get back to normal. But to go back to the phrase identity crisis, I think, too, is a reference also to J.D. Vance, whose whole career is, I argue, based on a sort of perversion of liberal identity politics, or an appeal to a kind of liberal identity politics. And the Republican Party's use of him or his use of them, is also based on this kind of Appalachian identity he has has created for himself in the media.Keen: Lauren, whatever happens today, the country's still profoundly divided. One side's going to win, one side is going to lose, but not by much. Lots of people have written about America in a process of divorce. You've presented the Democrats as denialists and the Republicans as so aggressively trying to figure themselves out in a slightly absurd way. Is this like a kind of traditional divorce where one partner denies there's any problems and the other exaggerates them? I don't know what the outcome of that kind of divorce usually is.Oyler: I don't know. Are you divorced?Keen: Yeah, but I'm not a denialist.Oyler: So you're so you're like--Keen: I mean, I was divorced.Oyler: What?Keen: I mean, I was. So...I've married and divorced.Oyler: Okay. But you have been through that. You've experienced--Keen: Yeah, I've done a divorce. Have you?Oyler: No. Never been married.Keen: But you've written about maybe not marriage, but you've written about...split ups, shall we say? I mean, you book Fake Accounts, which was a big hit, is about individuals and how they relate to one another. Is this like, maybe not a divorce, but a breakup in a in a weird kind of way, which, you know, you can't really breakup because you can't split the country in two?Oyler: Well, I don't think so, because I think it's probably...the thing about a romantic relationship is generally you are choosing in some way at least, to be in it and you're sort of declaring your your desire to be in it at some point in time. So if you're breaking it up, you're kind of it's seen as a failure, right? Whereas if you're an American citizen and you were just born in the country, you can't really control where you were born and you can't really, you know, there are only so many things you can do about that, and about your stake in the American political system and whether it breaks out. But are you asking for going is if this sort of south is going to secede or something like that--Keen: No, I'm saying, does this all tie into perhaps our therapeutic culture? I mean, is it coincidental that the kind of language that's being used both by the participants and observers like yourself is the same kind of language used by therapists, people addressing marriage breakups, relationship breakups, denialism, risk aversity, revenge plots, all this sort of thing?Oyler: Well, I think all the political parties are just made up of individual people, and as an individual person, the metaphors that we have at hand are our personal interpersonal metaphors. But I believe I'm a little rusty on this, but I believe Civilization and Its Discontents by Freud makes a similar kind of argument, right? Which is that there's a interpersonal metaphor that can be expanded to encompass the society. And you can read society psychoanalytically. I'm not a Freudian or even pro psychoanalysis per say, but it's not like it's actually not a new tendency that we we want to speak in these terms, especially in politics, which is different from government, right? Like in politics, all of the rhetoric, all of the language that politicians use and that they construct in order to make their case is incredibly personal and incredibly designed to incite emotion. That may remind you of things that happen in in private life, say. But I mean, are we getting a divorce? Like, we can't get a divorce. The Democrats or Republicans can't get a divorce. Maybe they need to grow up rather rather than split up.Keen: Finally, Lauren, I think your latest collection of essays is, No Judgment, I'm being critical...one of your strengths as a writer, thinker, or broadcaster, is your distance. I saw you had two interviews recently, one with GQ that says you don't take your work too seriously and then one with Vanity Fair, which suggests you care a lot. I wonder, and that's probably true of most of us, that we both hopefully don't take ourselves too seriously, but we also, in our own way, care a lot. Is this something that we should care about? I mean, so much hysteria. You noted earlier, every election is the most important election in American history. 2028 will no doubt be the same. You write without judgment, I think, that the piece also is written, in a sense, without judgment. But are you concerned with America? I mean, is this something to really worry about, or is it just one more scene and in the surreal history of the United States of America?Oyler: Well, I think, of course, it's something to care about. The idea I don't really care about things is obviously not totally true. But I think you can't care about the horse race aspect of of politics and you can't...the constant catastrophizing in the media hasn't worked. It's not accurate and it doesn't work. But of course it would be...I would prefer Donald Trump not win. Like, that will have many effects on even the country where I live, which is Germany. But to that point, I don't live in the United States and I don't live in the United States kind of for political reasons. And, of course, it shouldn't be a horrible catastrophe there the way that it is. Should care about it? Yeah. I think that if people don't care about it, or especially if young people don't care about it, it is a sense of that nothing that you do really matters, and like throwing stuff at the wall to see if it sticks politically. And that moment where everyone thought that they could do sort of political activism on social media has thankfully gone away. But there's been nothing to replace it to produce the kind of political subject for young people. So, I don't you know, I don't know what to do.Keen: Yeah,  it's interesting. I mean, I want to end this now because you've been very generous with your time. But I think your point, which hasn't really been made before...2024 is the first post-Internet election. Before, everyone was always obsessed with the Internet, always talking about how important it is. And now, you just don't read much about it. It's either it's the electric system, so it's just sort of ingrained into the system, or we've gone beyond the Internet, God knows where. But the Internet doesn't really feature in the discussion anymore.Oyler: No, I think that that's true. And I think that that's good because people are sort of accepting that it's a part of life now. I think the reason we focused on it so much in the previous two decades was because it felt like things were really radically changing. And maybe this sense that I have that we're transitioning into a new era and we don't really know what is the important thing to focus on is because it was so clear, I think, for many people that things were changing in a particular way with social media and social media was having these kind of drastic facts. And some people were in denial about that, and they would say, social media does matter. It's not real. Now, you can't really say that. But I think I noticed just before we got on the call that there was a New Yorker news, a breaking news story that The New Yorker published that that Russia was sort of inserting like kind of really bizarre election interference propaganda that was so bad. And it's not even going to be a big news story, right? Whereas that was such a huge news story in 2016 and 2020. And now we just sort of accept, yes, the foreign governments are going to attempt to use the Internet to interfere in our elections and we will almost certainly do the same. So, to relate this back to your question, should we all care? I think it's good to be realistic about these things, but it's hard to know where to put the emphasis at this point.Keen: Well, Lauren, Lauren Oyler, the author of Revenge--Revenge Plot, Not Revenge Post.Oyler: I thought you were going to say "romantic movie," which is cool.Keen: You've given me the title of this piece. 2024 is the first post-Internet election. I think that's very profound of you. Thank you so much, Lauren. And I hope I hope you're happy, because I think you and I probably agree on the kind of outcome of the election. But it's not the end of the plot, the revenge plot, whatever other kind of plot you want. We have to get you back on the show, Lauren, once the fog has cleared and we have a better idea of America post-2024. Thank you so much. And keep well and safe in Berlin. Really, I really appreciate it.Oyler: Thanks. Have a good night. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Nancy Santomero and Vicki Durian hitchhiked from Arizona to West Virginia in the summer of 1980. They planned to attend the Rainbow Gathering, an annual event where like-minded, free spirits could peacefully gather and celebrate. Just before they arrived, someone killed them. The murder remains unsolved, and the question remains: Were the women killed by West Virginian locals, as law enforcement believed? Or were they victims of serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin? Keep up with us on Instagram @serialkillerspodcast! Have a story to share? Email us at serialkillerstories@spotify.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. The Professional Women's Network in Charleston hosts a luncheon honoring women in the military…Form Energy transforms Weirton into a robust manufacturing center…and, get some sage advice from some of WV's top innovators and entrepreneurs…on today's daily304. #1 – From CAA – Join the Charleston Area Alliance's Elevations Professional Women's Network Luncheon at Embassy Suites on Nov. 13 as they kick off the “Her Service, Her Story: Women Shaping the Military” panel discussion. Speakers include Brigadier General Michaelle Munger, Major Caroline Muriama, Lee Ann Haley (Former Army Captain) and Mara Boggs (Former Army Major). Register now! Learn more: https://business.charlestonareaalliance.org/events/details/elevations-luncheon-featuring-women-in-military-panel-november-2024-5737   #2 – From FAST COMPANY – Last April, when a tin mill closed in Weirton, it was the last remaining part of what was once a sprawling steel works. Over the last five decades, as the American steel industry declined, the town lost thousands of jobs. But in July, a new factory -- Form Energy -- opened on the same site and started to bring hundreds of jobs back. Instead of turning iron into steel, it uses the metal to make a new type of battery. This new battery is designed to store energy for around for days--something the standard lithium-ion batteries can't do economically. The project has helped begin to transform the town of Weirton, which spent more than a century centered on the steel works. Form Energy's factory has more than 300 employees now, and plans to have at least 750 by 2028.  Read more: https://www.fastcompany.com/91215982/in-west-virginia-a-former-steel-mill-is-now-home-to-a-cutting-edge-battery-plant   #3 – From INNOVATORS & ENTREPRENEURS – Don't miss our guests' wisdom, advice, and hard-learned lessons in Season 1 of Innovators and Entrepreneurs!  Innovators and Entrepreneurs is a bi-weekly segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Subscribe to the daily304 YouTube channel so you don't miss an episode, and don't forget to give us a like! Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckgNpkh-Ag4   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Conn-Weld.com WE CALL THIS HOMECommitted to building our community. Innovating better designs for the real world.Facebook InstagramLinkedInOUR PEOPLEWe stand strong together.We proudly call southern West Virginia our home. For nearly 50 years we've forged a reliable workforce composed of local talent from our home state while welcoming employees from across the United States and around the world.With confidence, we put our faith in our community and find purpose in providing careers that are both challenging and rewarding.We're also dedicated to supporting the next generation of West Virginians, and offer student programs to introduce young people to opportunities in manufacturing, where internships develop into robust careers.We invite you to join us in our mission and find your home here at Conn-Weld. Together we can stand shoulder to shoulder to manufacture products of the highest quality and to provide exceptional customer service. THE CONN-WELDDIFFERENCE Better designs from a solid workforce. Modern technology, powered by real people.SEE THE DIFFERENCE OUR MISSIONRemain committed to the same philosophy as we were founded on, to serve the customer by offering a quality product, produced in a timely fashion backed by dependable service.OUR VISIONPersistence and commitment to be the industry's global leader by continually optimizing equipment performance and developing products that serve our customers.OUR VALUESWe align our equipment with your project and build partnerships based on respect and integrity. 

David Herod's Improvidence is an 'overnight novel', a brisk novella combining adventure, a dash of weird fiction, and some truly beautiful descriptions of a post-collapse West Virginian and Ohioan landscape. We talked about Improvidence, didactic fiction, fictional relationships and more.Improvidence: https://www.amazon.com/Improvidence-David-Herod/dp/B0CWCF7J13Tooky's Mag: https://substack.com/@tookysTooky's Sidebar Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@tookysmagDavid's RecommendationsMixtape Hyperborea - Adem Luz Rienspects - https://www.amazon.com/Mixtape-Hyperborea-Adem-Luz-Rienspects/dp/B0BW32CX2GIncel - ARX Han - https://www.amazon.com/INCEL-Novel-ARX-Han/dp/B0C9SNQK9CNutcrankr - Dan Baltic - https://www.amazon.com/NUTCRANKR-Dan-Baltic/dp/195189779XUnreal Press - https://unrealpress.substack.com/Shagduk - JB Jackson - https://www.amazon.com/Shagduk-re-dordica-Book-One/dp/1956453067 My Confession - Samuel Chamberlain - https://www.amazon.com/My-Confession-Recollections-Samuel-Chamberlain/dp/0876111568VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel called Tower!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetThe first nine chapters of Tower are available for free here: jackbc.substack.comOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024  Just in time for Halloween, Fairmont launches its inaugural Frank-N-Stein Festival featuring craft beer and hot dogs…a local firm establishes a scholarship at Marshall for aspiring architects and engineers…and the WV Hub offers free online training to help folks make improvements to their communities…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV NEWS –  Make plans for the inaugural Frank-N-Stein Festival, a Halloween beer and hot dog festival coming to downtown Fairmont next week. The event, set for Oct. 26, will welcome craft breweries from across the state, as well as local hot dog shops, to downtown Fairmont. Paying attendees will receive a souvenir mug with which to walk around and sample the many drinks on tap. Main Street Fairmont Executive Director Alex Petry said the event will not only function as a fundraiser for the two organizations, but stand as a new fall event for the Marion County community, one he hopes will grow over the coming years. Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/fairmontnews/news/marion-co-west-virginia-chamber-main-street-fairmont-to-hold-inaugural-frank-n-stein-festival/article_f42660c2-8569-11ef-a227-0f09182d89f9.html   #2 – From THE HERALD-DISPATCH –  ZMM Architects and Engineers has established an endowed scholarship fund with a contribution of $120,000 to the Marshall University Foundation, aimed at supporting engineering students from West Virginia. Marshall University President Brad D. Smith says this is part of the “Marshall for All” initiative, which aims to alleviate financial burdens for aspiring engineers in West Virginia.  Founded in 1959, ZMM is an award-winning architecture and engineering firm in the region, employing more than 65 professionals across West Virginia, Virginia and Ohio. Read more: https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/zmm-architects-establishes-endowed-scholarship-fund-at-marshall/article_baa9299e-873d-11ef-8341-d7fc9fe87452.html   #3 – From WV HUB – Are you ready to make a difference in your community? The West Virginia Community Development Hub supports West Virginians with the tools and training they need to lead and spark positive change in their hometowns and across our state.  The Hub offers free online courses on how to get started and form a team, how to strengthen and grow your team and how to strategically build community relationships. Get started today and help build up your community! Read more: https://wvhub.org/onlinelearning/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024  A Huntington graphic designer and musician shares his vision and artistic path…the USDA's state director talks about creating prosperity through rural development…and big investments in broadband mean more job opportunities for West Virginians…on today's daily304. #1 – From SHINE ON, WV – Heath Holley is a graphic designer and musician from Huntington, West Virginia. He has successfully done what many dream of doing: combined both of his artistic passions into one exciting freelance career. Whether he's writing music or designing his next album cover, Heath is never lacking in creativity!  Watch the interview on YouTube and subscribe to the Shine On, WV channel for more great features on West Virginia artists. Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRwjAFpXCS0   #2 – From INNOVATORS & ENTREPRENEURS – Ryan Thorn, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's state director for West Virginia, is creating prosperity through rural development and providing critical leadership to develop and support a productive, diverse and inclusive state workforce. “At Rural Development, I always say we are advocates for, investors in, and partners to rural communities in the people, businesses, and organizations within those communities. In the last fiscal year alone, rural development and our lending partners – we invested more than $390 million in West Virginia through grants, loans, and loan guarantees,” Thorn says. Check out the interview on Innovators and Entrepreneurs, a bi-weekly segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCq0LtCY0gU   #3 – From JOBCASE – Big investments in broadband infrastructure are occurring throughout West Virginia and workers have an opportunity to be part of one of the largest federally funded infrastructure investments in state history. The West Virginia Department of Economic Development, Office of Broadband, is tasked with deploying local and federal broadband funds, including $1.2 billion in federal funding for broadband development in West Virginia. This historic investment in broadband infrastructure will support West Virginia's vision to achieve universal broadband access. Investment, however, can do little without the hard work of individuals. Now, there are new opportunities for workers to access broadband industry-specific training to secure a great job and contribute to connecting West Virginia.  Learn more: https://www.jobcase.com/articles/broadband-workforce-programs-wv   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

When we were kids, we thought Mothman was scary. Now that we're adults, we know he's scary. For Halloween month the Deep Lore Boys lose sleep over West Virginian folklore, the Black Knight satellite conspiracy, and the Tom Brady of sleep paralysis demons: the Hat Man. Bring an extra change of pants for this one... DEEP LORE DISCORD: https://discord.com/invite/V7hqXWDg9p INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/deep_lore_boys_podcast/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@deeploreboys/featured Intro: City Lights — Babasmas [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: https://youtu.be/W9IQfypOkkYFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/city-lights Music: Jazz In Paris - Media Right Productions https://youtu.be/mNLJMTRvyj8

Ever wondered what happens when a horror film flips the script and turns into a comedy of errors? Join us as we unpack "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil," a movie that hilariously twists slasher tropes into a bloody comedy goldmine. You'll learn why two seemingly typical hillbillies, Tucker and Dale, have become the unlikely heroes of a cult classic through a series of misunderstood mishaps. From Eli Craig's clever direction to the film's unique charm, we promise you'll never look at horror the same way again.Expect plenty of laughs as we recount our initial misconceptions about this movie and how it caught us off guard with its mix of cringe-worthy yet lovable moments. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine shine as the titular characters, bringing a fresh and light-hearted twist to horror that's right up there with "Zombieland" and "Shaun of the Dead." We dive into how the film handles themes of prejudice and misunderstanding, and why it stands out in a genre full of jump scares and gore.Our discussion takes a turn towards the greater horror landscape, exploring where horror-comedy fits in alongside genre staples like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Scream." We wrap up with our personal ratings for "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil," assessing its parody prowess and its place within our series of reviews. Letterbox'd Synopsis: Two hillbillies are suspected of being killers by a group of paranoid college kids camping near the duo's West Virginian cabin. As the body count climbs, so does the fear and confusion as the college kids try to seek revenge against the pair.

Jack and Nikki judge your grudges, reveal where West Virginians rank among the lazy and help you figure out if YOU are the problem employee at your job.

Today on MetroNews This Morning:--A state of Emergency in Mercer County and West Virginians are moving into action to assist those impacted by Helene in other states--Governor Jim Justice remains optimistic his push to cut the state income tax another five percent will win the day--The candidates for Governor agree to a debate just before election day in West Virginia on MetroNews--In Sports: the MLB wildcard series are now underway.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024  West Virginia's film roots go decades back, and the state continues to support the film industry…learn how the WV SBDC can help you grow or start your own business…and discover the famous people, places and event that shaped WV history…on today's daily304. #1 – From JOBCASE –  Since the earliest days of silent film, West Virginia has played a role in the film industry. A long list of West Virginians played pivotal roles in film and TV history, from late, great stars to modern-day stars such as Jennifer Garner, Steve Harvey, and more. Thanks to the July 1, 2022 launch of one of the best film tax incentives in the country (up to 31 percent with no cap) - the Mountain State is poised to expand its role in creating film industry jobs and steady work here. The Mountain State has rekindled its West Virginia Film Office . Embedded within the West Virginia Department of Economic Development, the Film Office helps foster more productions and build out the state's film industry workforce and opportunities. Learn more: https://www.jobcase.com/articles/film-is-back-in-wv   #2 – From WVSBDC – Thinking of starting your own business? Or perhaps you want to grow your own business. It's all possible here in #YesWV! Meet one-on-one with WV SBDC business coaches to receive confidential, no-cost technical assistance to help start and grow your business in West Virginia.SBDC coaches can help you identify your goals, develop valuable skills and acquire the necessary resources to make your business a success. Read more: https://wvsbdc.com/ #3 – From THE HISTORY PROJECT – Perfectly centered among the Eastern states, West Virginia is where the thresholds of the North, South and Midwest all converge with the Appalachian Mountains, to tell the history of our nation in microcosm.  With The History Project, major events like the Revolutionary and Civil wars, and famous people ranging from Daniel Boone to Katherine Johnson, mix with the rich heritage of Native Americans and men and women of all colors who reshaped the world and serve as guides through the American story. Turn in to learn more about the famous people, places and events that shaped West Virginia history! Learn more: https://daily304.wv.gov/programs/the-history-project/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Amendment 1 focuses on medically assisted suicide. Related Resources WWYS - Assisted Suicide is Compassionate  __________ Register for the 2025 Colson Center National Conference May 30- June 1 in Louisville, KY at colsonconference.org. 

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. Lewisburg's Hawk Knob Hard Cider is dedicated to sharing our Appalachian culture…a West Virginia artist brings tiny worlds to life through watercolors…and tourism numbers are breaking records in #YesWV…on today's daily304. #1 – From DAILY304 – Tune in to Innovators and Entrepreneurs to hear from Jason Nerenberg, sales director and account executive at Hawk Knob Appalachian Hard Cider. He and his team are dedicated to sharing our Appalachian culture through the cider they make in Lewisburg. “We're still doing things the old-fashioned Appalachian way here at Hawk Knob, and it's part of our goal to share some of that lifestyle with folks who come to visit us here,” Nerenberg says. “We're using all West Virginia grown apples, and we're really just trying to shine a spotlight on the products and, as best we can, stay out of the way.” Innovators and Entrepreneurs is a bi-weekly segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. Subscribe to the daily304 YouTube channel so you don't miss an episode! Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_9He_r3KWo   #2 – From PITTSBURGH CITYCAST – Nature combines with stunning watercolor art in the new book, “Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains” by West Virginia artist Rosalie Haizlett.  The 200 page book reveals the exquisite wildflowers, unique butterflies, colorful slime, coveted mushrooms and more tucked within forested ridges and waterways. The book is filled with maps and illustrations of species, field notes, ecological facts and interviews with experts -- all recorded on a six-month journey through the mountains. The book is available for purchase through Lost Appalachia Trading Co. in Fayetteville as well as online retailers.  Read more: https://pittsburgh.citycast.fm/urban-almanac/watercolors-tiny-worlds-flora-fauna-appalachia?fbclid=IwY2xjawFP2PZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfzkFgSsHfZ1dX1bfIKm2CB8A9BdimaPcfsTPjZ0MSpwpmgyHiVhJV0pyQ_aem_duq2skpKSzBgN9RByh2WWA   #3 – From METRO NEWS – Latest data is showing that the Mountain State's tourism performance for last year is reaching record breaking numbers, with the industry's total economic impact approaching $9 billion. Tourism officials say that visitor volume for 2023 reached 75 million. Visitors spent approximately $6.3 billion in the state last year, which was 5.6% more than in 2022. These numbers were presented at the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism that was held last week at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. “This is the highest in the state's history and this is a number that we're really, really proud of,” Secretary of Tourism Chelsea Ruby said. Read more: https://wvmetronews.com/2024/09/15/latest-data-shows-states-tourism-industry-is-breaking-records/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. A new program prepares West Virginians for careers in the fine dining industry…a Beckley rapper shares how he balanced earning an engineering degree with his music career…and you'll soon be able to meet cats in purrson while you sip a latte at Charleston's first cat cafe…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV HEALTH RIGHT – Gov. Jim Justice has announced the launch of “Prepped To Serve Appalachia,” an accelerated fine dining worker certification program. The initiative is led by West Virginia Health Right in partnership with Chef Paul Smith, the state's only James Beard Award-winning chef. The program is funded through a $250,000 grant award from WorkForce West Virginia. The program will prepare 40 West Virginians annually for careers in the fine dining industry. Participants in the three-month program will train with Chef Paul in the classroom as well as experience on-the-job training at local fine dining establishments. The training sessions will be held at West Virginia Health Right locations in Charleston, with the first session starting in October. Learn more: https://wvhealthright.org/prepped-to-serve-appalachia/   #2 – From SHINE ON, WV – Shelem is a West Virginia musician that has been dedicated to his craft throughout his whole life.  Watch to learn the story behind what it took to find hip hop success in the state, how he balanced earning his engineering degree with his music career, and what he's up to in the present in and around Appalachia. And don't forget to subscribe to the Shine On, WV channel for more features on West Virginia artists! Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gct6xqDMczM   #3 – From WOWK-TV – Coffee, cats and community – that's the motto for a new café coming to West Virginia's Capital City. The Cups and Cats Café is gearing up for its grand opening on Summers Street in downtown Charleston. The new business will be a place where cat lovers and coffee drinkers can come together under one roof, and folks who love both are in the right place. The shop will be split into two sections. One area will be for drink making and the other will be for adoptable cats to hang out.  The cafe is expected to open by the end of the year, so stay tuned! Check out Cups and Cats Café on Facebook for updates.  Read more: https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/kanawha-county-wv/soon-to-open-cafe-in-charleston-unites-cat-lovers-and-coffee-drinkers/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. Learn how you can save money on your energy bills--sign up for the Office of Energy seminar…a West Virginia couple finds love and a lifelong partnership in the theater…and a new connector trail links a popular ATV route with Chief Logan Lodge…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV ENERGY – The public is invited to learn about the West Virginia Office of Energy's initial plans for the upcoming Home Energy Rebate Program. The event takes place Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the State Capitol. For those not in the area, a virtual seminar is available.  This program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will provide West Virginians with financial incentives for energy efficient upgrades that can make homes more comfortable and help reduce energy bills.  Whether you're a homeowner, a contractor, or an entity serving West Virginia residents, the Office of Energy wants to hear from you! Register now: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e31a0d75-eaf5-4309-8b2a-1c4f5c0c3ea5@4ee48f43-e15d-4f4a-ad55-d0990aac660e   #2 – From SHINE ON, WV – When Sarah and Jason Young's paths crossed, not only did they find love, but they found a lifelong partnership in the theater.Together, the power couple run (and perform with) the Rustic Mechanicals, West Virginia's only professional Shakespeare troupe.  Check out the video to see how they keep the art of storytelling alive in Appalachia, with Appalachians. And be sure to subscribe to the channel for more features on West Virginia's artists! Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCrKQ17NLBE   #3 – From METRO NEWS –  Gov. Jim Justice joined leaders with the West Virginia State Parks and the Hatfield McCoy Trail System in Logan County recently to celebrate completion of a key connecting trail.  The 4 ½ mile long trail was built by the Hatfield McCoy Trail staff at a cost of around $100,000. The connector links the lodge to the trail behind the Fountain Place Mall.  The trail will link the Bear Wallow Trail System to the Chief Logan State Park Lodge. It will be a huge boost for the trail since one of the most needed components is lodging for out-of-state riders. To book lodging at Chief Logan, visit wvstateparks.com. Read more: https://wvmetronews.com/2024/09/05/connector-dedicated-to-link-hatfield-mccoy-trail-system-with-chief-logan-lodge/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

A brutal stabbing - one swift strike for every year of the woman's life. This was the untimely demise of 52 year old Irene Wilson. In this episode - Harper and Julia delve into Calhoun County - 1963. In the small town of Broomstick, the grisly murder is discovered by two teen girls - while Irene's husband is on a night watch miles away. How does a murder like this affect a rural West Virginian town?

West Virginians take a lot of pride in their state. As well they should—it's one of the most stunningly gorgeous destinations in the United States, albeit one that can be hard to get to, thanks to the same mountainous spectacle that draws people there in the first place.  Matt Kwasniewski is a West Virginia native, as well as the owner and head brewer of Big Timber Brewing in Elkins, West Virginia. It's the largest craft brewery in the state, with an annual output of around 6,000 barrels last year, positioning them solidly in the “microbrewery” category. He says that West Virginia's rural location, small population, and generally blue collar workforce makes it an unlikely place for craft beer to thrive. But the state is much more than how it's defined by outsiders. Kwasniewski has seen the craft beer industry grow from 10 to around 32 breweries in the past 10 years, and for residents, that's a lot.  In this episode, Kwasniewski walks us through the state of West Virginia, both as a local and as a brewer, and what he wishes more people knew about the relatively undiscovered Mountain State. For instance, they have some of the purest water anywhere in the country—ideal for brewing Big Timber beers like lagers, IPAs, and their award-winning porter that took gold at the 2024 World Beer Cup. He's not interested in expanding much further than his home state, and why should he? He wants to be the beer of West Virginia, and you can hear him explain why and how he plans to do that.