Letcher Co. protestors don’t want federal prison
PIKEVILLE, KY (WYMT)- Protesters came to the Soar Innovation Summit in Pikeville Monday to show resistance to the proposed federal prison in Letcher County.
In a release, Letcher County Governance Project members said they campaign and protest to demonstrate many people from the area oppose the prison, contrary to the statements of local officials, US Representative Hal Rogers (R) and officials with the Bureau of Prisons.
Rogers has said the facility will “provide hundreds of good paying, full-time jobs” to an area that is struggling to rebound from the downturn of the coal industry.
Protesters started the #our444million social media campaign to “demonstrate better economic solutions for the region than prisons.”
Nearly $450 million in federal funding will be invested in the prison.