At least one beacon of hope may be emerging from the tragedy at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. After visiting the area of the mine, where 29 miners were killed in an explosion, Charles Annenberg Weingarten, director of the Annenberg Foundation, has decided to donate $2.5 million toward the relocation of Marsh Fork Elementary, Kris Maher of The Wall Street Journal reports. In October local officials announced they planned to move the school, which sits in the shadows of a huge Massey Energy slurry impoundment and tipple. The school's cafeteria served as host to national and local media during the aftermath of the mine explosion.
Last month we reported Massey had reversed its previous position and decided to provide $1 million to assist in the relocation. "The total cost of relocating the school has been estimated at roughly $8.5 million," Maher writes. The West Virginia State School Building Authority has pledged $2.6 million, Raleigh County school officials have pledged $1 million and a local environmental group said it would give $10,000 to assist in the move. On its website, the Annenberg Foundation describes says its goal is to "to advance the public well-being through improved communication." (Read more)
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