Top Stories
Three Years after Lockdown, What COVID-19 Taught Us about Grief Traditions in Appalachia
Three years ago, the world shut down. What had been a remote news story about a strange virus in a faraway country swept across the globe and came crashing onto our own shores seemingly…
For years, Roberta Lee Levine has baked noodle kugel – a traditional Jewish egg noodle casserole made with apples, cinnamon, cream…
Swiftly and violently did the rivers, creeks and streams swell. As the raging water rose in the middle of a night, bursts of lightning…
Richard Rothermund was healthy and generally happy before he was confined to Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington in 2020,…
In SE Ohio, Community Reflects on Black History Preservation, Its Importance to Democracy
Driving on Route 329, near Athens in the spring is a welcome respite after another long COVID winter. The grass on southeast Ohio’s rolling hills is turning that bright-almost-neon shade of green. I’m on my way to visit Ada Woodson Adams, a…
Remembering the Legacy of the ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ Who Rewrote the Appalachian Narrative
I don’t remember the first time I heard “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” The song has been a familiar hymn from infancy, a lullaby my grandmother would sing along with “You Are My Sunshine” and “Rock-a-Bye Baby.” You see, like Loretta Lynn…
The Federal Website That’s Supposed to Help ‘Find Treatment’ Needs Work, Experts Say
Recovery from addiction is possible. For help, please call the free and confidential treatment referral hotline (1-800-662-HELP) or visit findtreatment.gov. Last year more than 100,000 people in the U.S. died from an overdose – the highest…
After the Deluge: Remembering the Stories the Flood Could Not Wash Away
The Buffalo Creek Flood killed 125 and scoured away the homes of more than 4,000. The 50th anniversary offers a chance for those who were affected — directly and indirectly — to mourn the loss and celebrate what endures. “… And Father God, we…
Why the Religion Beat? Reporting on Faith Can Protect Our Democracy
I’ve been asked the same question for a few months now. It goes something like this: “Why the religion beat?” That’s usually followed by: “I’ve never heard of religion as a journalism beat.” This question came up a lot earlier this…
A Little Daytona In Ona, West Virginia
Ona, West Virginia, is a town with two stoplights, but it’s also a place where legends are made. Greg Sigler has been racing at Ona Speedway for nearly two decades. But today, he’s coaching his 15-year-old son, Cole, from the sidelines,…
‘A Life-defining Year’: We’re Marking One Year of Publishing the Stories of Appalachian Youth
For the past week, I’ve plopped down to write about the one-year mark of a project we thought would last roughly eight weeks. Last October, we launched the Appalachian Youth Creators vertical, because we wanted to give young people space to…
