This post discusses the Cambria County Commissioners 287g agreement with the bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE and the upcoming Appalachian Studies Association Conference in Huntington, West Virginia.
Cambria County and ICE
Last Thursday I went to the Cambria County Commissioners meeting. A group of local activists came to speak out against the county’s collaboration with the ICE. Madeline Burrows, Will Dill, Reed Ludwig and Nick Brisini spoke about their concerns about the 287g agreement with the Cambria County Prison. Commissioner Scott Hunt responded to their concerns. He timidly stated that the agreement with ICE was made long before Trump became President.
In addition to the normal fiscal decisions, other issues were discussed at the meeting. Etta Albright voiced her concerns about the ending of the foster grandparent program. Proclamations to honor local Olympian Dan Barefoot and to honor Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, Child Abuse Awareness Month, Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month and Pennsylvania 4H week passed.
Appalachian Studies Association
Also, this week Allegheny Independent Media will be tabling at the 49th annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference in Huntington, WV. It is a hodgepodge of everything related to Appalachia. There will be hundreds of academics, writers, musicians, activists and artists presenting there from all over Appalachia. It is a very rich environment. ICE and the Appalachian Studies Association may seem like unrelated topics but they are both part of the fabric that defines our area.
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