Remembering James Weekley, mountaintop removal activist

Many thanks to Ken Ward, Jr. for such a moving tribute. A MUST READ.

The Charleston Gazette
RIP, Mr. James Weekley
August 26, 2014
by Ken Ward Jr.

The news started spreading this weekend, and was confirmed by a short obituary notice in this morning’s paper:

James “Jimmy” Weekley, 74, of Blair, died Aug. 22, 2014.

For those who weren’t aren’t or don’t remember, Mr. Weekley was one of the lead plantiffs in the first major court case to challenge mountaintop removal. He was one of a few very brave citizens who put a lot on the line to try to take a stand for their home. Ironically, his death came just as many others who were involved in that fight were celebrating the release of the film “Moving Mountains,” which focuses on another early mountaintop removal activist, Patricia Bragg, and brings to the screen the story the great reporter Penny Loeb starting telling in a magazine article and then later explained more fully in her book.

One of my most memorable experiences covering the mountaintop removal story over the last 17 years was the day back in July 1998, when Arch Coal lawyer Blair Gardner paid a visit to Mr. Weekley’s home in Pigeonroost Branch, near Blair in Logan County. I’m not sure the story really did the scene justice, but among other things I wrote:

Arch Coal Inc. lawyer Blair Gardner sipped ice water on James Weekley’s front porch swing Monday afternoon. Gardner walked up Pigeonroost Branch and listened to Weekley reminisce about hunting squirrels on the mountainside and fishing with his grandchildren in the stream....


MORE at http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2014/08/26/rip-mr-james-weekley/