Recent portrayals on screen of state an accurate picture

It’s easy to get the idea we don’t have anything good to say about our state.
If it’s not the Division of Highways, it’s the Legislature.
If not them, it’s those who would plunder rather than preserve our environment. And then there’s always the corruption.
So, if you’re looking for someone to solely shine a positive spotlight on our state, you’ll have to look to the national media and Hollywood.
Huh? You’re probably wondering what we’re talking about, but in recent weeks we have made a fair showing on the silver screen.
Fair, as in, it was not always pretty, but by and large, it was accurate and gave viewers nationwide a true slice of life here and a view of who we are.
First, just last week, Fox News staged a primary debate for the Republicans’ leading U.S. Senate candidates here.
True, the candidates were tripping over themselves trying to prove who was the most conservative and were forced to address their perceived weaknesses.
Yet, the debate succeeded in giving voters a good idea of who these candidates are and what to expect leading up to the midterm election.
Second, when we heard CNN’s “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” was going to focus on West Virginia, and McDowell County in particular, last weekend, we feared the worst.
However, after watching that episode, our fears were unfounded — with maybe an exception or two — and perhaps gave the most distressed county in the state a lift.
No stone was left unturned in its perspective as family and kinship showed through, while the vast wealth exported from our mountains in the past was recalled.
Third, though “Heroin(e)” did not win the Oscar for which it was nominated in early March, just being nominated speaks for itself.
The 40-minute documentary portrays three women’s different approaches to fighting the opioid epidemic in Huntington.
The WVU graduate who directed the film (and who hails from southern West Virginia) ensured everyone got the message: No one’s giving up.
As an aside, it was recently reported the number of overdoses in Cabell County declined in seven of the past eight months, from a record high of 195 overdose reports in August 2017 to 62 in April.
Positive portrayals and positive news about our state are not what most of us have come to expect.
But contrary to popular opinion, this media outlet, for one, welcomes it and, matter of fact, prefers it.
Despite claims of fake news — which translates into bad news for a certain someone — almost all media are intent on being accurate and fair.
It’s not hard to get the idea there’s a lot of good that’s newsworthy in West Virginia.