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In the News

In Pennsylvania coal country, voters not thrilled with their choices

This part of Pennsylvania is a political and economic battleground, a transitional place loaded with history, with memories of prosperity but also of vicious poverty.

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A Chevron gas well derrick can be seen to the right of a farm tractor, extracting natural gas from the Marcellus Shale, in Phillips, Pa. The natural gas business is one of the industries boosting the area's economy.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Three generations of the Coneway family, Stacy Coneway, 33, Emma Porter, 9 months, Josh Shumar, 14, Stacy Stimmell, 11, Jessie Coneway, 11, and Sally Stimmell, 10, share a small plastic baby pool at their home in Uniontown, Pa. The Coneway family receives benefits from federal assistance.

Three generations of the Coneway family, Stacy Coneway, 33, Emma Porter, 9 months, Josh Shumar, 14, Stacy Stimmell, 11, Jessie Coneway, 11, and Sally Stimmell, 10, share a small plastic baby pool at their home in Uniontown, Pa. The Coneway family receives benefits from federal assistance.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

From left, Sharyn Lewis, Howard Henshaw, Buck Bookhardt and Tom Barry sit and debate at the 102-year-old Fiddle's Confectionary in Brownsville, Pa., about Fayette County's nickname, 'Fayettenam.'

From left, Sharyn Lewis, Howard Henshaw, Buck Bookhardt and Tom Barry sit and debate at the 102-year-old Fiddle's Confectionary in Brownsville, Pa., about Fayette County's nickname, "Fayettenam."

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

While having his hair trimmed at Harry Fee's Barber Shop, Leonard Baron talks about his life working in mines for 18 years before retiring.

While having his hair trimmed at Harry Fee's Barber Shop, Leonard Baron talks about his life working in mines for 18 years before retiring.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

From left, Da'Shun Davis, Marquis Thomas, Roy Johnson, La-Kija Bynum, Ro Wilkeson and Lance Campbell hang out on a steamy Saturday afternoon at Pershing Court in Uniontown, Pa.

From left, Da'Shun Davis, Marquis Thomas, Roy Johnson, La-Kija Bynum, Ro Wilkeson and Lance Campbell hang out on a steamy Saturday afternoon at Pershing Court in Uniontown, Pa.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Teenagers wait to see the film 'The Avengers' at the Uniontown Drive-In Movie Theater.

Teenagers wait to see the film "The Avengers" at the Uniontown Drive-In Movie Theater.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

With a looming mural of George Marshall, the city's native son and creator of the Marshall Plan, downtown Uniontown has been revitalized but still displays its early 20th-century architecture.

With a looming mural of George Marshall, the city's native son and creator of the Marshall Plan, downtown Uniontown has been revitalized but still displays its early 20th-century architecture.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Brownsville, Pa., is still rooted in the old coal and river town history, when the Monongahela River once carried barges overflowing with piles of coal. Now it is primarily host to leisure boats and weekend paddlers.

Brownsville, Pa., is still rooted in the old coal and river town history, when the Monongahela River once carried barges overflowing with piles of coal. Now it is primarily host to leisure boats and weekend paddlers.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Vickie Rach, right, a coal miner widow and former nurse, now disabled, collects essential food items at the Daughters of Charity Food Bank in Brownsville, Pa.

Vickie Rach, right, a coal miner widow and former nurse, now disabled, collects essential food items at the Daughters of Charity Food Bank in Brownsville, Pa.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

At the Annual Geranium Festival, Marla Myers, left, holds her granddaughter Mila Gratchic, 6 months, as her other granddaughter, Jocelyn Gratchic, 7, tries to find the rest of the family, in Connellsville, Pa.

At the Annual Geranium Festival, Marla Myers, left, holds her granddaughter Mila Gratchic, 6 months, as her other granddaughter, Jocelyn Gratchic, 7, tries to find the rest of the family, in Connellsville, Pa.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Madison Gratchic, 5, participates in the Princess Parade at the Annual Geranium Festival in Connellsville, Pa. Madison's father, Daniel Gratchic, works in the health-care industry south of Pittsburgh, one of the industries boosting the area's economy.

Madison Gratchic, 5, participates in the Princess Parade at the Annual Geranium Festival in Connellsville, Pa. Madison's father, Daniel Gratchic, works in the health-care industry south of Pittsburgh, one of the industries boosting the area's economy.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

On the weekend trip for their wedding anniversary, Heather and Bryan Sohocki are served drinks along the infinity pool at the Falling Rock boutique hotel in the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. The resort, a nine-mile drive into the mountains from Uniontown, Pa., is owned by millionaire Joe Hardy, the funder of the downtown revitalization in Uniontown.

On the weekend trip for their wedding anniversary, Heather and Bryan Sohocki are served drinks along the infinity pool at the Falling Rock boutique hotel in the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. The resort, a nine-mile drive into the mountains from Uniontown, Pa., is owned by millionaire Joe Hardy, the funder of the downtown revitalization in Uniontown.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Guarded by their dog, Hanna, chairman of Fayette County Republican Party Russell Rhodes, center, has wine and cheese with his wife, Debra Rhodes, and his daughters Katryna, 14, and Carene, 19, on the front porch of their former coal baron home in Uniontown, Pa.

Guarded by their dog, Hanna, chairman of Fayette County Republican Party Russell Rhodes, center, has wine and cheese with his wife, Debra Rhodes, and his daughters Katryna, 14, and Carene, 19, on the front porch of their former coal baron home in Uniontown, Pa.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

From left, part of the Rhodes family, Rhys, Keith Hampshire and Carene Rhodes play in the front yard of their former coal baron mansion on the west end of Fayette County. Uniontown is split into two economic neighborhoods; the west end is wealthier and the east end is a poorer area.

From left, part of the Rhodes family, Rhys, Keith Hampshire and Carene Rhodes play in the front yard of their former coal baron mansion on the west end of Fayette County. Uniontown is split into two economic neighborhoods; the west end is wealthier and the east end is a poorer area.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

Image made from video of tornado touching down near Oklahoma City. (KWTV/KOTV/AP)

Tornado near Oklahoma City causes more damage

Rescue workers are searching for survivors after a twister carved a long path of destruction in a suburb of Oklahoma City. It was part of the...

BALTIMORE, MD May 18: Mike Califano (L) and Anthony Forgione horse around in the infield during the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 18, 2013 in Baltimore, MD (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)

Photos of the day

Preakness Stakes, deadly tornadoes, Whit Monday, Gothic festival, World Dog Show and more.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - MAY 20: The Herndon Monument Climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the United States Naval Academy. The plebes climb to the top of the lard-covered 21 foot high monument and remove the 'dixie cup' hat at the top replacing it with an upperclassman's hat. After completing this, the freshmen are called 'fourth class midshipmen.' This class completed the task in 1 hour 32 minutes and 43 seconds. The hat was placed by Patrick Lien from Orlando. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

The Herndon Climb

The Herndon Monument climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the U.S. Naval Academy.

A man walks on sulphur and mineral salt formations near Dallol in the Danakil Depression, northern Ethiopia April 22, 2013. The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and harshest environments on earth, with an average annual temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.4 Celsius). For centuries, merchants have travelled there with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted and shaped into slabs, then loaded onto the animals before being transported back across the desert so that it can be sold around the country. Picture taken April 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola (ETHIOPIA - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 2 OF 30 FOR PACKAGE 'ETHIOPIA'S ANCIENT SALT TRAIL'
SEARCH 'DANAKIL DEPRESSION' FOR ALL

Ethiopia’s salt trail

For centuries, merchants have traveled to Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted...

FILE - In this undated publicity file photo, members of the Doors, from left, John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison, pose for a portrait. Manzarek, the keyboardist who was a founding member of The Doors, has died at 74. Publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says in a news release that Manzarek died Monday, May 20, 2013, at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family. (AP Photo, File)

Ray Manzarek, founding member of the Doors, dies at 74

Manzarek co-founded the Doors after meeting then-poet Jim Morrison in California. The band went on to become one of the most successful rock-and-roll...

MANASSAS, VA - MAY 07: Daniel Tabarez, 1, top, helps his daughter, Maxx Tabarez, 1, walks as Milenka St. Clair, top right, a family support worker with Northern Virginia Family Service visits the family's home on Tuesday May 07, 2013 in Manassas, VA. Daniel and his family are part of the Healthy Families program. (Photo by Matt McClain/ The Washington Post)

At-home visits may be the new pre-preschool

In an effort to close the achievement gap, new programs get to kids early. Here are some of the people Milenka St. Clair, a family support worker...

LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 19: Singer Taylor Swift accepts the award for 'Top Billboard 200 Album' onstage during the 2013 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 19, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards red carpet and ceremony

Stars float down the red carpet in Las Vegas to make their way into a performance-filled awards ceremony featuring artists such as Prince, Justin...

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Joanna Lumley poses during a photocall at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 20, 2013 in London, England. The Chelsea Flower Show run by the RHS celebrates its 100th birthday this year. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Joanna Lumley, Madonna, Prince, Tracy Morgan, Nicole Kidman, Justin Timberlake, Gene Simmons and more.

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