No Rest for West Virginia's Dead

Small family and community graveyards pepper hilltops and ridges throughout West Virginia. But as The Associated Press reports, such plots tend not to stay put.

"Family cemeteries and unmarked graves get in the way of mining, timbering and development interests," AP reports. "The graves get lost sometimes when families have trouble gaining access to burial grounds because of nearby mining activity. Sometimes, companies don't give proper public notice before removing or disturbing the graves."

The situation could change this legislative session. "Currently the law says it isn't meant to 'interfere' with normal activities by landowners, whether they are farmers, developers or coal operators," the article said. "Advocates are asking state lawmakers this year to enact regulations that would require better tracking of the graves and protect families who believed that their loved ones wouldn't be disturbed."