WITNESS! Folk Reporters is Black By God THE WEST VIRGINAIN's developing community-led journalism project seeking to fortify our civic media infrastructure.
A guide to being a #folkreporter with @BlackByGodWV - a 🧵:
Good ole fashion #folkreporting is done by YOU the citizen. Witnessing is one of the most important things we as citizens can do to keep our elected officials and community accountable. 1/
Y’all, it is so crazy having hometown reporters I’ve listened to and read since high school now read/share my stories and subscribe to my editorial. Much love to all the established folks who are supporting this little honky-tonk project
BREAKING NEWS:
A proposal to ban urban camping WILL come before the Wheeling city council Tuesday, October 17, for a first reading.
The ordinance is a copy-and-paste version of the Parkersburg ban.
This is not okay. We need solutions, not bans.
"Where do they want us to go?" People Experiencing Homelessness React to Looming October 13 Eviction. Click the read the story.
https://t.co/z4QpEQ0mQt
'Hurt, Confused, Upset' - Residents of East Wheeling Camp Respond to Looming Eviction
Hear from residents who are due to be evicted on October 13. They want to know why the city is doing this, and where they are supposed to go.
#folkreporter
https://t.co/vZyrdpLst0
I wrote a piece in this month’s issue of @inthesetimesmag !! The story is about proposed development in WV’s Cacapon Resort State Park — and larger questions surrounding increased privatization of public lands. It feels awesome to publish a WV story in a national outlet!
Scheduling interviews with folks impacted by upcoming eviction of east wheeling camp/potential urban camping ban. It’s now day 5 since the public was made aware of the eviction and still NO electeds have spoke in defense or against this. Democracy dies in darkness.
At tonight's @CityofWheeling Council meeting saw dozens of community advocates attend in defense of people experiencing homelessness. Despite there being nothing on the agenda regarding the issue, a camp eviction notice and potential urban camping ban spawned a firestorm.
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This feels crummy. We tried (and lost) 3 amendments to try and protect the long-standing media writing table. We lost the final vote too.
>We lost the floor media table.
>Now public (and the media) cannot cross into Council seating area 10 min before/after session starts/ends.
After a long hiatus from reporting, tonight I am back with a look at Wheeling’s City Council meeting amidst recent talks of banning urban camping. I spoke with Councilor Rosemary Ketchum and local advocate Kate Marshall for their perspective. Stay tuned.
Administrators are not taking pay cuts because it would “devastate morale,” while the morale of students, faculty and staff is becoming glaringly low.
Strong statement from the @DailyAthenaeum. Their reporters have done great work. https://t.co/g8o2NzLTaI
Why on earth is Secretary of State Mac Warner using his public office to distribute an op-ed inserting himself into an issue over a local high school's sports mascot name?
Tensions run high at Wheeling City Council meeting as Councilor Palmer made accusations of discrimination against “race and certain age groups.” This comes after four re-appointments to GWSEA were blocked last meeting when Palmer added them to agenda without informing colleagues.
Yesterday, the Sheriff of Monroe Co was arrested in relation to a child pornography investigation. On Thurs, a suspended Nicholas Co sheriff’s deputy appeared in U.S. Magistrate Court after being charged in a child pornography investigation.
https://t.co/gblBmZ5buV
Great article, fittingly from a talented journalist who challenged another #WV institution and was unceremoniously pushed out.
When will we ever learn to value/cultivate/respect young talent in this state?