Dec 21 Environment Judge Denies Former CEO’s Move to Liquidate Blackjewel Coal A federal bankruptcy judge has denied a petition from former Blackjewel coal executive Jeff Hoops to liquidate the company. The decision means the reorganization of the company will continue under Chapter 11 bankruptcy as former employees, creditors and state agencies seek to recover millions owed by the company. Hoops cited “permanent negative cash flow” at […] By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Dec 21 Environment Judge Denies Former CEO’s Move to Liquidate Blackjewel Coal Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource
Dec 14 Economy Blackjewel Coal Alleges ‘Intentional, Willful’ Self-Dealing By Former CEO The filing instigates a civil lawsuit against Hoops, a major escalation in a protracted case with broad implications for the coal industry. By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Dec 14 Economy Blackjewel Coal Alleges ‘Intentional, Willful’ Self-Dealing By Former CEO Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource
Dec 3 Economy Blackjewel Coal Moves To Liquidate, Leaving Millions Unpaid To Workers And Regulators The convoluted bankruptcy of coal company Blackjewel has hit another turn of events as the company’s former CEO moved to liquidate the company. A federal judge is considering a motion submitted last week to convert the bankruptcy from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7. That would mean that instead of exiting bankruptcy as a new company […] By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Dec 3 Economy Blackjewel Coal Moves To Liquidate, Leaving Millions Unpaid To Workers And Regulators Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource
Nov 20 Election 2020 Ohio Valley Divide: Vote Analysis Shows Bluer Cities, Deeper Red Rural Places President-elect Joe Biden received a bigger turnout in the Ohio Valley in 2020 than Hillary Clinton did in 2016. So did his opponent Donald Trump. In an election that saw historic levels of voting nationwide, Democrat Biden added 3.2% to Clinton’s 2016 vote share in the Ohio Valley while Republican Trump improved 2.4% on his […] By Suhail Bhat Nov 20 Election 2020 Ohio Valley Divide: Vote Analysis Shows Bluer Cities, Deeper Red Rural Places Suhail Bhat
Nov 16 Environment Federal Watchdog Finds Coal Safety Regulator Not Protecting Miners From Silica Dust The Mine Safety and Health Administration is not doing enough to protect coal miners from deadly silica dust, according to a new report from the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General. The IG found that MSHA’s standards for exposure to deadly silica dust were out of date, and MSHA lacked the ability to […] By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Nov 16 Environment Federal Watchdog Finds Coal Safety Regulator Not Protecting Miners From Silica Dust Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource
Nov 5 Election 2020 Presidential Run By Ex-Massey Energy CEO A Factor In Competitive States Former coal executive Don Blankenship, who went to prison for his role in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in West Virginia, drew about 55,000 votes Tuesday as a third-party candidate for president, including thousands of votes in closely contested states. While not a significant amount in comparison to the more than 140 million Americans […] By Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource Nov 5 Election 2020 Presidential Run By Ex-Massey Energy CEO A Factor In Competitive States Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource
Oct 25 Environment Ohio Valley Coal Mine Executive Bob Murray Dead at 80 Robert E. Murray, the founder and former president and CEO of Murray Energy Corp., formerly the largest privately-held underground coal company in the country, has died. He was 80 years old. Murray’s death was reported Sunday evening by television stations WTOV9 in Steubenville, Ohio, and WOWK in Huntington, West Virginia. According to the news outlets, […] By Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource Oct 25 Environment Ohio Valley Coal Executive Bob Murray Dead at 80 Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource
Oct 25 Environment From Appalachia To Wyoming: Youth From Coal Country Discuss The Future After Coal On a recent Saturday, over Zoom, a group of seven high schoolers from Wyoming, eastern Kentucky and West Virginia gazed at an image of a gleaming, pale blue, coal-fired power plant. “OK, so this one really interested us,” said Sarah Belcher, a senior from eastern Kentucky. “So we noticed your all’s coal facilities, they’re really […] By Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource Oct 25 Environment From Appalachia To Wyoming: Youth From Coal Country Discuss The Future After Coal Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource
Oct 19 Local News Bob Murray Announces Retirement From Coal Company He Founded After applying for black lung benefits, Robert Murray, founder and former president of the now-bankrupt coal company Murray Energy Corp., announced Monday he was leaving the business after more than 60 years in the industry. Murray Energy emerged from bankruptcy protection last month as American Consolidated Natural Resources (ACNR). The 80-year-old Murray was named chairman […] By Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource Oct 19 Local News Bob Murray Announces Retirement From Coal Company He Founded Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource
Oct 16 Environment Environmental Risks Remain As Blackjewel Bankruptcy Nears Its End Environmental advocates worry a coal company liquidation plan will leave dozens of coal permits in eastern Kentucky unreclaimed, according to filings in the bankruptcy proceedings of Blackjewel L.L.C. The bankruptcy case has dragged on since last July, when the once-mighty coal company’s Chapter 11 filing left hundreds of Appalachian coal miners suddenly without work, and […] By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Oct 16 Environment Environmental Risks Remain As Blackjewel Bankruptcy Nears Its End Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource
Sep 30 Environment Bob Murray, Who Fought Black Lung Regulations As A Coal Operator, Has Filed For Black Lung Benefits Robert E. Murray, the former CEO and president of the now-bankrupt Murray Energy, has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Labor for black lung benefits. For years, Murray and his company fought against federal mine safety regulations aimed at reducing the debilitating disease. “I founded the company and created 8,000 jobs there until […] By Dave Mistich, West Virginia Public Broadcasting and Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource Sep 30 Environment Bob Murray, Who Fought Black Lung Regulations As A Coal Operator, Has Filed For Black Lung Benefits Dave Mistich, West Virginia Public Broadcasting and Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource
Sep 13 Health Remembering A Miner Who Personified Coal’s Contributions And Costs Charles Wayne Stanley ran underground mining machines for some 20 years, cutting coal from beneath the hills where Virginia meets Kentucky along the Cumberland ridge. He spent another decade as a roof bolter, work that kept the rock above from falling in on his fellow miners. Stanley was 53 when the Ohio Valley ReSource and […] By Jeff Young Sep 13 Health Remembering A Miner Who Personified Coal’s Contributions And Costs Jeff Young
Aug 28 Environment ‘False Hope’ Or Four More Years? Ohio Valley Stakeholders Reflect On Trump Energy Policy Many in Ohio Valley coal regions are reading the tea leaves on what another four years of a Trump administration might look like. By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Aug 28 Environment Ohio Valley Stakeholders Reflect On Trump Energy Policy Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource
Aug 24 Environment ‘The Proof Is In The Pudding:’ Coal Country Responds To Democrats’ Clean Energy Transition As the 2020 election season heats up, groups are urging politicians to deliver on party promises as the energy transition accelerates. By Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource Aug 24 Environment Coal Country Responds To Democrats' Clean Energy Transition Brittany Patterson, Ohio Valley ReSource
Jul 28 Environment ‘No Pay, We Stay.’ A Look Back At Miners’ Protest That Rocked Appalachia One year ago, Cumberland, Ky. played host to a two-month long protest of a kind that hadn’t been seen in coal country for decades. By Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource Jul 28 Environment 'No Pay, We Stay.' A Look Back At Miners’ Protest That Rocked Appalachia Sydney Boles, Ohio Valley ReSource