Inside West Virginia Politics

Gayle Manchin becomes first West Virginian to co-chair Appalachian Regional CommissionIn Segment 1, Gayle Manchin, new co-chair of Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) thirteenth federal co-chair, talks with hosts Mark Curtis about what ARC is about and how it began after former President John F. Kennedy visited West Virginia. Manchin was the former First-Lady of West Virginia, former President of the Board of Education, and is currently the first ARC federal co-chair from West Virginia.How Corridor H may lead to more tourism in West VirginiaIn Segment 2, Gayle Manchin discusses how the Appalachian Regional Commission is assisting with the construction of Route 48, commonly known as Corridor H, and the significance of the route.Corridor H would extend from Interstate 79 (I-79) in Weston, West Virginia, eastward across the crest of the Allegheny Mountains to I-81 in Strasburg, Virginia. Doing so would shorten the trip to Washington D.C. by an estimated one hour and allow tourism to flourish in West Virginia