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By WW Editorial Staff

Coal Is To Morgantown As Logging Is To...

In the fallacy-ridden introduction to his story

“Who Took Our Jobs?” [WW, Oct. 14, 2009]

, Aaron Mesh writes that "Our unemployment rate more than doubles that of coal-mining Morgantown, W.V." A modicum of research (OK, a simple Google search) would show that unemployment in several West Virginia coal-mining counties, such as McDowell, exceeds 14 percent. But that's not the problem. Morgantown is not a coal-mining town; it's home to the largest university in the state, which includes a law school and a medical school. To refer to Morgantown as a coal-mining town is akin to calling Eugene a logging town.

Jonathan Morrow
Portland

Aaron Mesh responds: Mr. Morrow makes a valid point. Morgantown is home to the University of West Virginia, and there is no coal mining within the city proper. The Monongahela River, however, remains a hub for the transport of coal mined in the state. It would have been more accurate to call Morgantown a coal-shipping city with a school.

Correction: In the story "Love and a 45" (Issue 44, Sept. 9, 2009), WW incorrectly stated that Pat Kearns produced the Welcome Home Walker single "Watch Your Step." Though Kearns has worked with the band in the past, the 7-inch was actually produced by Stan Wright and the band at Wright's Buzz or Howl Studios in Southeast Portland. WW regrets the error.

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