100 Days Hiring Reporter to Cover Democracy and Politics
100 Days in Appalachia is seeking a knowledgeable and motivated contract reporter to cover democracy, voting access and impacts of voter manipulation ahead of the 2024 election. The ideal candidate is someone experienced in reporting on matters relating to state and local elections in the Appalachian region who can address […]
W. Va. Bill Poses Legal Challenges for Faith-based Immigrant Services
Religious leaders say that a bill passed by the West Virginia House of Delegates this week could criminalize faith-based groups that provide assistance to undocumented immigrants. HB 5031 changes the definition of “human smuggling” in state code to transporting or harboring individuals who are known to be in the country […]
Welcome to Front Porch Politics!
It was on the muddy banks of the Scioto River that Hillary Clinton’s electoral ship began sinking in 2016. At a CNN townhall in Columbus, Ohio, Clinton – then in a heated primary battle against Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont – infamously said, “We’re going to put a lot of […]
2023’s Biggest Hits: Our Staff’s Favorite Stories This Year
As we prepare to close the book on 2023, the staff here at 100 Days is thinking back on some of the writing that resonated with them this past year. With topics ranging from religion to community, check out some of their favorites below. ‘Harm Reduction Saves Lives’: Meet the […]
Pain and Possibility: Reckoning with Historic Inequity on the West Side
Derek Hudson has lived on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia, his entire life. He grew up on Bigley Avenue, a major road that runs parallel to the Elk River and defines the eastern boundary of the neighborhood. After attending local public schools – first Taft Elementary, then what […]
In One Community, Faith-based Services Fill the Gaps When Government Can’t – or Won’t
On a Friday afternoon, the washers and dryers run nonstop at Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church, in Charleston, West Virginia. Three bright-white tiled shower rooms line one wall. MREs – Meals Ready-to-Eat – sit on shelves behind a small wooden reception desk. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the church serves lunch […]
Gentrification or Revitalization? Investment on the West Side a ‘Litmus Test’ for Inclusive Economic Development
Depending on who you ask, the development of the Elk City district on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia, is either “gentrification” or “revitalization” – though some will say both. Karen Williams, a lifelong Charleston resident who grew up on the West Side, says the transition from homes and […]
Federal COVID Money Could Help Solve One Largely Black Community’s Complex Problems. W.Va. Leaders Invested it Elsewhere.
Karen Williams’ father, Charles Price, was the first Black graduate of West Virginia University’s College of Law, one of two land grant institutions in the state. His office once sat on Court Street, in Charleston, West Virginia’s Triangle District. As a child during the civil rights struggles of the 1950s […]
Meet the Filmmakers of ‘O, Pioneer!’, A Documentary Exploring Life in Appalachia During the Pandemic
We primeval forests felling,We the rivers stemming, vexing we, and piercing deep the mines within;We the surface broad surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving, Pioneers! O pioneers! – Stanza 7 from Pioneers! O Pioneers by Walt Whitman When we hear the word “pioneer” – especially in the Appalachian context – […]
Ready for a Road Trip? A Guide to the Sights & Bites of Central, Southern Appalachia
This summer, our Pittsburgh family took a long-awaited bucket list road trip through Appalachia. We had recently spent 18 months driving the Pan American highway, and while it was an epic journey, the need to deeply explore our roots kept calling to us. We wanted our three children to experience […]