West Virginia is a state of the United States in the region of Appalachia, generally known as The Mountain State. West Virginia broke away from the Commonwealth of Virginia during the American Civil War and was admitted to the Union as a separate state on June 20, 1863 (an anniversary now celebrated as West Virginia Day in the state). It is the only state formed as a direct result of the American Civil War.

The Census Bureau considers West Virginia part of the South because of its location below the Mason-Dixon Line, even though the USGS designates it as a Mid-Atlantic state. Many in the state's Northern Panhandle, and North-Central region feel an affinity for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while those in the Eastern Panhandle feel a connection with the Washington, D.C. suburbs in western Maryland and Virginia and southern West Virginians often consider themselves Southerners. The state is noted for its timber and coal mining heritage and labor union organizing mine wars in particular.

Geography

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WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS: Share the Spirit of Christmas!
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FACEOFF: Do you support the use of video surveillance cameras to deter crime and aid in police investigations?
Charlie Meyer and Stephen Smoot The first closed-circuit video surveillance camera was developed by German scientists in 1942 for monitoring the launch of V2 rockets. In September 1968, Olean, New York was the first city in the United States to install video cameras along its main business street in an effort to fight crime. Soon, banks and stores began employing such cameras to discourage theft. In recent decades, especially with general crime fears growing in the 1990s and following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, use of surveillance cameras in public areas has increased greatly, especially in the United Kingdom. In that country, a 1994 government report, "Closed Circuit Television: Looking Out For You," paved the way for expanded use of surveillance cameras. The exact number of such cameras in the UK is not known, however, a 2002 study estimated the number of surveillance cameras in private premises in London is around 500,000, and the total number of cameras in the UK is around 4,200,000. According to that estimate, the UK has one camera for every 14 people. The investigation of several notable murder cases have been aided by the use of video surveillance, including London-area bomb blasts. Video surveillance has been less extensive in the U.S., however, use of such systems has increased greatly since 9-11. The city of Keyser employs several surveillance cameras downtown and at some of its facilities, and Mineral County Commissioner Wayne Spiggle sees the cameras as central to a proposed countywide Neighborhood Watch program. Do you support the use of video surveillance cameras to deter crime and aid in police investigations? FACEOFF: Do you support the use of video surveillance cameras to deter crime and aid in police investigations?(survey)
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