Author Archives: moundsville11

We picked up a cool endorsement this week, from the West Virginia Council of Teachers of English, an “organization dedicated to serving the students and teachers of WV through language arts and literacy.” The WVCTE’s co-director, Jessica Salfia, wrote a blog post recommending the film (available for $2.99 here) to the state’s teachers. She callsContinue reading “‘Moundsville’ Recommended as ‘Refreshing Change’ from ‘Hillbilly Elegy’, by West Virginia Council of Teachers of English Co-Director — ‘Put on Watch List’”

Rose Hart is worried about catching Covid-19. But when a flood hit Ohio County in the northern part of the state a couple weeks ago, the retired West Virginia United States Post Service mail carrier got in her Ford pick-up truck and drove to help her neighbors. Wearing a mask, she joined the Red CrossContinue reading “Small-Town USA During Covid-19: Rose Hart, Wearing Mask, Delivers Aid in Ford Pick-Up Truck — In Resilient West Virginia, ‘Neighbor Helping Neighbor’ — ‘You Don’t Give Up’”

When we were shooting Moundsville, our favorite places to eat were the New Great Chinese Buffet and Acapulco Mexican Restaurant, both on Lafayette Ave, and Bob’s Diner, where we shot some scenes, on 3rd street. (The other options were fast food joints like Burger King and McDonald’s.) Dave loved the Reuben at Bob’s, and IContinue reading ““These Are Slow, Weird Days” — In Covid-19 Crisis, Restaurants in Moundsville, WV Cope With Layoffs, Takeout, Bandanas Instead of Masks — Chinese Buffet Closed — Shortage of To-Go Containers”

Carrie Conners was born in Moundsville, WV in 1979, and is now a professional poet who teaches at La Guardia Community College-City University of New York. This week, her collection Luscious Struggle (which you can buy here or here or here) was selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2020 Paterson Poetry Prize. Growing up onContinue reading “How Moundsville, WV Made A Poet — Interview with Paterson Prize Finalist Carrie Conners — Even in Hard Times, “Joy and Humor and Life Keep Happening””

Q: First, most importantly, you earned some fame by proposing to your fiancée Lindsey Baker a few weeks ago, before the last WVU basketball game of the year, against Baylor. How long had you been planning that? And is it true you’ve been dating since 8th grade? I had the idea my freshman year ofContinue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Moundsville WVU Hoops Hero Chase Harler on Covid-19, Coach Huggins And Proposing to Fiancée He’d Dated Since 8th Grade — “Coach Huggins always talks about how tough West Virginia people are. It may take toughness to stay inside.””

This is a hard time for everybody. If you’re stuck at home, you need books to read, and movies to watch. To help out the people of the Moundsville/Glen Dale area, we’re offering a free copy of ‘Moundsville’, which will be on PBS starting in April. To obtain your free copy, send me an emailContinue reading “Special Offer for Residents of Moundsville/Glen Dale: Get Free Copy of ‘Moundsville’ (On PBS Soon) To Watch At Home”

I’m worried about my friends in Moundsville. We spent a whole year working together to tell the story of their town in a documentary headed for PBS this spring, and I think of those we worked with as extended family. Like thousands of American towns left behind by globalization, Moundsville (pop. 8,000), and surrounding MarshallContinue reading “Bracing for Covid-19 in Moundsville — U.S. Rust Belt Towns Face Big Risks With Aging Populations, Hospital Bed Shortages — ‘I Know I’m Vulnerable’”

  Coronavirus quarantine means we’re all prisoners. If you haven’t seen Moundsville yet, or want to show your support for independent filmmakers during a difficult time, we’re making the film available to rent ($2.99) or buy ($5.99) at a reduced price. Just click on this link. We hope you enjoy the movie, the biography ofContinue reading “STAY-AT-HOME SALE: Rent ‘Moundsville’ Documentary for $2.99, Buy for $5.99”

What to do in America when the America you know vanishes? That’s the question posed by Moundsville (still available here), and by The Last American Hammer, a 2018 opera that made its Pittsburgh debut Saturday night. I checked out the show and chatted afterwards with librettist Matt Boresi about its origins. Boresi, who describes himselfContinue reading “‘We Don’t Even Make Baseballs’ Anymore — New Political Opera ‘The Last American Hammer’ Nails Working-Class America’s Pain”

‘America Factory’, the 2019 documentary about a glassmaking plant in Dayton, Ohio, won the best feature documentary award at last night’s Oscars. The film by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, produced by the Obamas’ Higher Ground company and available on Netflix, is a masterpiece in observational journalism. It’s the second year in a row thatContinue reading “‘American Factory’ Wins Oscar for Best Documentary – The Rust Belt Doc’s Essential Lessons About America, China, Unions, and Global Capitalism – Why We Need To Keep Telling These Stories”