This article originally provided by WV Metro News

August 4, 2006

Grandpa Keeps Walking

MetroNews Talkline
Clay County

A 49-year old grandfather from Raleigh County was crossing the Clay County line on Friday morning.

It was Day Three of his walk to Washington, D.C. as he calls for a new school for students at Marsh Fork Elementary School in Raleigh County.

"My issue is these children. These children shouldn't be in harms way and they are," Ed Wiley told Hoppy Kercheval on Friday's MetroNews Talkline. "You've got a lot of serious problems down there at the school. It's not just with the silo and the coal dust. You have the impoundment which has numerous violations on it."

Wiley's goal is to make it to the Nation's Capitol by September 12th. Wiley says he hopes his 455-mile walk will bring national attention to a local issue.

He and others have formed Pennies of Promise campaign in hopes of raising nearly $5 million for a new school.

The school building is 225-feet from a coal silo on the property of a Massey Energy subsidiary. Massey has also asked the State Department of Environmental Protection for permission to construct a second silo.