I am troubled by the response from some of our legislative leaders and others who seem to passively accept that coal is an industry in decline and further espouse a defeatist attitude and contempt toward one of the state’s leading industries and the thousands of men and woman who comprise it.

This was the message delivered in an Associated Press story that made the rounds recently, entitled, “Legislative leaders say coal rhetoric not helping.”

A Fall Gathering will be held in Morgantown on October 31 – November 1 at the Waterfront Hotel, which will serve as a regional membership meeting. November 1^st will be Energy Industry Appreciation Day at the WVU v. TCU football game with special pricing for all those who work in the energy industries. Registration information was sent out a couple weeks ago and again yesterday, if you did not receive please contact Sandi at sdavison@wvcoal.com.

On October 1, 1969, country music legend and Kentucky native Loretta Lynn recorded “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in Nashville.

Coal is about 31 times cheaper than gasoline per unit of energy.

In the last 30 years, China moved an estimated 680 million people out of poverty by giving them access to modern energy, mostly powered by coal.

OBITUARY:  Carol Raulston, 66, passed away September 16 after a lengthy illness. She was senior vice president communications at NMA from 2002 to 2013. A memorial service is scheduled for October 4 at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newman Funeral Home, 200 South Harrison St., Easton, Md. 21601.

Harry Childress is the new president of Virginia Coal & Energy Alliance. He can be reached at 276-889-2257 or by e-mail address at harry@virginiacoalenergy.com.