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The war in Lebanon is touching home. A West Virginia family had their tickets in hand and were ready to board their plane to return home from Lebanon Thursday when the airport in Beirut was bombed.

A report just came out on the Sago mine disaster. The report says that if the shaft seals had worked, disaster likely would have been avoided.

“All that is needed now is the will to accelerate the momentum for change that began building in the dark hours after the outcome of the Sago disaster, when the governor of West Virginia pledged that the miners lost in that disaster would not be forgotten in the way that so many thousands of miners lost in the past have been forgotten,” the report concluded.

MSHA moved yesterday to boost the strength of the shaft seals. Its a good step. We’ll be remembering those promises, and hope to see things continue to move in the right direction. I don’t think anybody believes that basic safety precautions for miners are too much to ask. USA Today even weighs in.

A great piece on counting the real costs of coal-fired power plants.

The heatwave gripping the US also had a chokehold on Europe.

Who says strip mines are safer? In Knott County Kentucky, a strip mine claimed another life. This time it was drill operater Jason Mosley. It was 35th coal related death this year, already exceeding last years total halfway through the year. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and co-workers of Mr. Mosley. This is becoming far too common.

Wolfe said the mine had been inspected twice by the state since it began operations in October 2005. It was cited for faulty equipment in December and June, and for lack of emergency medical supplies in December.

The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration has cited the mine 10 times, most recently in June for equipment violations and for allowing loose, hazardous material to accumulate on top of pits and highwalls.

About JW Randolph

Raised on the banks of the Tennessee River, JW's work to create progress in his home state and throughout Appalachia has been featured on the Rachel Maddow Show, The Daily Kos and Grist. He served first as Appalachian Voices’ Legislative Associate and then Tennessee director until leaving to pursue a career in medicine in 2012.