Keystone News

DANZE, Rose, 100, of Weirton, W.Va., went to be with the Lord on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2009.

Some residents of southern West Virginia have lived in poverty for decades -- the result of environment, lack of opportunity, unemployment and a sense of hopelessness.

The blood supplies are dwindling in the waning days of summer. "We have four blood types at less than a two day blood supply," says Cheryl Gergely with the Greater Alleghenies Region of the American Red Cross which serves 100 counties in much of West Virginia along with parts of Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylania, Virginia and Ohio.

Firefighters from the Keystone and Northfork volunteer fire departments battled an early morning blaze that destroyed five coal trucks that were in a parking lot behind the former Keystone Hardware building.

Three firefighters were injured, four big coal trucks were destroyed and a fifth truck sustained minor damage in a fire of "suspicious" origin that occurred early Sunday morning in a parking lot behind the former Keystone Hardware, a state official said.

A fire that destroyed four coal trucks and injured three firefighters at Keystone was arson, the Office of the State Fire Marshal declared.

The West Virginia Fire Marshal's Office is investigating a blaze that destroyed four coal trucks and damaged a fifth truck in McDowell County.

The fire marshal is called in to investigate several vehicle fires in McDowell County overnight.

Firefighters from the Keystone and Northfork volunteer fire departments battled an early morning blaze that destroyed five coal trucks that were in a parking lot behind the former Keystone Hardware building.

The Department of Health and Human Resources has issued boil-water advisories for two water systems in McDowell County.