Us & Them: Stay or Go — Part 1: The Stayers

While Americans disagree about many things when it comes to politics, elections and domestic and global affairs, most agree that a robust economy is essential for a strong nation. In recent months, nearly all U.S. states have shown economic growth, except West Virginia, and it’s not just losing jobs, it’s losing young people. In this first of two Us & Them episodes, host Trey Kay talks with a number of young adults from the Mountain State about whether they will stay put or find their future elsewhere. This episode focuses on those who want to stay in West Virginia, or are leaning toward building their lives here, even as they wrestle with whether the state can offer the opportunities they need. In a state where the death rate exceeds the birth rate and the workforce participation rate is the nation’s lowest, there are efforts to retain population. But some say the state needs to do something else to become more competitive.