Author: Jared Jorden

The incomparable culture of West Virginia

By: Jared Jorden

West Virginia has the Appalachian culture, which originated during the American Civil War. This is seen mostly through its old folk music, brought by the Irish and Scottish settlers. Blues is also an important part of West Virginia’s culture, as is bluegrass and old-time country music. For more than 20 years Elkins WV, has hosted the annual Augusta Heritage Festival, which celebrates the Appalachian culture in West Virginia.

Scene, Wild West, Usa, America, West

Roughly 98% of our population speaks English only however, if you’re not from here, you’ll have to pay a bit of extra attention to the dialect. West Virginians have an unmistakable Appalachian accent, which comes from the Scotch-Irish who settled here in the 18th century. It’s a twangy accent that will include phrases you’ve never heard of. 

Here are some easy tips from Appalachian native Rick Wilson about how to speak the dialect. First, use redundant pronouns. “Those people, they’re all crazy.” It’s for emphasis. Proudly say the plural “y’all”. Appalachian speech even has the double plural you – “all y’all” – as in “All y’all better get off my lawn right now.” Also, make sure you pronounce “pin” and “pen” the same.  

Another common theme to come across is the simplicity of life in The Mountain State. For the most part, no one here is rushing, and you won’t find any bragging attitudes among fellow West Virginians. It’s all just one big, happy, laid-back community. And the large number of small towns here help contribute to that friendly feeling, too.

Woman, Meditating, Buddhism, Zen

Since we’re nestled right inside the Appalachian Mountain range, there’s definitely no shortage of nature-lovers. People love West Virginia to take full advantage of the scenery and mountain air. Some of the favorite pastimes include: fly fishing, whitewater rafting, skiing, golfing, camping, and mountain biking.

And all the West Virginians love their state and will defend it to the end. Locals have described their Mountain State neighbors have a “strong sense of community,” and that they are “unpretentious” and “humble.” Others even said West Virginians are pretty much the “nicest people on the planet,” and even though their state pride runs deep, they’re very welcoming to outsiders.

The decrease in West Virginia’s population could be a significant problem

By: Jared Jorden

The long-term view says our state has lost 48,000 people since the 2010 census, and unless something changes, the population will only get lower.

A loss of 48,000 isn’t too significant out of the 1.8 million population. But compared to the nation’s population growing by 26 million, it’s a big drawback. This means that West Virginia struggles to attract and retain people. The most recent population estimates in the state are from July 2018. The actual 2020 numbers that come out will be more important and accurate, but the estimates give us an idea where we’re heading.

The direction we’re heading is not good. West Virginia has two problems that stick out to me. The first problem is that more people are moving out of the state than moving in. This is an issue that isn’t unique to West Virginia, at least 15 other states have had the same problem. The poor job market is often cited for a reason why people leave the state.

The other problem is West Virginians are dying faster than they are reproducing. 18% of our population is over 65 years old, which is the third highest in the nation. We’re also one of two states that has seen more deaths than births in the past 10 years. The other state is Maine, but they have significantly more migration than West Virginia, so it’s not a problem for them. West Virginia has lost roughly 30,000 to migration and it has about 20,000 more deaths than births.

out

The population number in West Virginia could be looked at as an asset or a liability. The state isn’t taking on too many people to support, but our economy isn’t strong enough to support people financially.

The biggest impact in my opinion will be on the state’s national representation. If we continue this declining population, West Virginia will lose one of its three seats in the House of Representatives in the 2022 election. Which in turn means we will have one fewer electoral vote for the 2024 presidential election.

In the 1930s and 40s West Virginia had six seats in the house while Florida only had five. Florida now has 27 and will probably gain more after the 2020 census. Florida had gained more people through migration (2.2 million) in the past 10 years than West Virginia has in population (1.8 million).

The politics of it is worrisome for our state, but the economy is the most important thing we should focus on to strive for a prosperous future.

Where is the money for West Virginia?

By: Jared Jorden

Air Pollution, Backlit, Coal, Dawn, Dusk

Under the 2017 deal between the United States and China, China’s largest energy company would spend nearly $84 billion in West Virginia over the next 20 years to build facilities that extract natural gas to generate power.

It sounds too good to be true. The potential value of the China Energy deal is greater than everything the state of West Virginia produces in a year. In the previous years our state budget was only $4 billion.

In celebrating the announcement, West Virginia officials promised that these projects would be underway within a year. “This time next year, you will see construction activity taking place,” the state’s former Commerce secretary, Woody Thrasher, told reporters on Nov. 13, 2017. A month later, Gov. Jim Justice confirmed that timeline. “It would not surprise me, within my 10-month window of today, to see shovels in the ground,” Justice told a town hall on WSAZ television.

However, there was skepticism from Senator Manchin about the deal that surfaced almost immediately, and for good reason. Officials talked about the general areas where China Energy would invest but didn’t provide a detailed list of projects or an accompanying timeline. The details of the plan have never been make public.

Lawyers have gotten involved to see if this money will actually turn up. Appalachian Mountain Advocates filed a brief with the state Supreme Court in June, requesting a Freedom of Information Act request aimed at finding out more about the deal.

It’s now two years later and the $84 billion seems to have been an empty promise for West Virginia.

Black Vultures are Invading WV

As we’re coming out of the Halloween season, one eerie thought to keep in the back of your head is black vultures are invading West Virginia. A federal biologist in Buckhannon, WV says these birds first started appearing here 15 years ago, and now they’re all over the state.

Black Vulture, Bird, Wildlife, Nature

These birds were originally from Central and South America about 45 years ago. Since then, there has been a casual trend to the north for them. They have also multiplied in the last 10 to 20 years, making their presence in North America more of a problem. They usually eat dead animals, but increased numbers in the area have made flocks more desperate for food – even if it’s alive. The vultures are predatory creatures, which means they eat meat to keep surviving.

As far as the effect on West Virginia, the accumulations of feces, as well as vulture roosting and soaring behaviors, create health and safety concerns for the residents in the community. Additionally, concentrated vulture populations can be hazardous to aircraft, especially when close to airport flight paths, because of the birds’ significant size characteristic soaring behavior. This increases their chances of being struck by low-flying aircraft.

In-flight, black vultures flap their wings more and then hold them in a horizontal position. They measure 23 to 27 inches tall, with a wingspread upward of 5 feet and weigh around 3.5 to 5 pounds, according to the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry. Being super lightweight makes the birds quick. Imagine a 5-foot wingspan zipping through your neighborhood; it’s absolutely terrifying.

Nature, Bird, Animal World, Grass, Wing, Vulture

Large groups of vultures have been known to cause damage to property, as well. They like to rip apart anything they get ahold of. These beats have destroyed vent seals, roof shingles, and pool covers. They can damage vehicles by scratching paint, removing wipers, and ripping vinyl seat covers from boats and tractors. Vultures have also attacked the living. In southern Indiana, a farmer has constant trouble with vultures eating his baby calves alive. He claims that there will be hundreds just waiting on the farm for their meal. In the U.K., there’s been cases of human babies being attacked by vultures as well. 

The biggest concern for West Virginia residents is that they can’t do anything to stop these menaces. Vultures are migratory birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, State laws, and regulations. They are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and State wildlife agencies. The birds, their nests, and eggs cannot be killed or destroyed without a Migratory Bird Depredation Permit. So, even if these vultures were causing problems for a small farmer in W.V., the farmer couldn’t do anything about it.

The benefits of living in a low-cost state

    Housing is by far the most significant cut in the American budget representing roughly one-third of household spending. You can get a lot of property for a small investment if you decide that living in West Virginia is right for you. 

Money, Profit, Finance, Business, Return

The median home value in the state is currently less than $100,000. The average home for sale is below $150,000 compared to the $200,000 average home cost in the United States. The price makes it a lot easier for someone to establish residency. It is 14% cheaper to live here than average in the United States.

Renting is relatively affordable, as well. It might cost over $1,100 per month to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Charleston, but that’s the most expensive region you will find. If you decide to live in Morgantown, Beckley, or Martinsburg, you’ll pay about 50% less than that. An obvious cost reducer would be to purchase or rent a cheaper place, but if you’re able to change locations, you can accelerate how much you save.  

An example would be a man’s haircut. The haircut I get usually costs around $25 at various shops in West Virginia. However, when I’ve spent time in Washington, D.C., or other big cities, the haircut cost can be double that. Housing prices affect the rest of the economy. When housing rates are high, everything else will be more expensive as a result. 

This is a chart showing the most expensive and cheapest places to live in the United States. As you can see, large coastal cities tend to be more costly than smaller towns in the center of the country. You’ll get more bang for your buck by buying a home in Oklahoma City or Sioux Falls than by living in San Francisco or Washington, D.C. It’s not just coastal cities, though. There are expensive pockets throughout the U.S. from Flagstaff, Arizona, to Hot Springs, Arkansas. And some coastal cities like Boston, Houston, Seattle, and Tampa are relatively inexpensive.   

Obviously, there’s more to picking a place to live than pure price. When you choose a city to call home, you do so because of the climate, the opportunities, and the people. People want to live close to friends and family, they want an excellent school district, and they want people who think and act the same as them. For those reasons, San Francisco might not be the right place for them, and West Virginia would be a smarter choice.

West Virginia is not the cheapest place to live in, but it’s pretty close. The overall cost of living index puts West Virginia at 83, while the rest of the United States is at 100. The cost of living can wreak havoc on your pursuit of financial freedom. Or it can help you achieve your goals sooner than you thought possible.