Reaching rural America with Broadband Internet Service
To wire, or not to wire? That is the question many are asking when figuring out how to get broadband to the farthest reaches of the country. All across the U.S., rural communities’ residents are being left out of modern society and the 21st century economy. I’ve traveled to Kansas, […]
My Hometown Is Built On Stolen Land; it’s Time We Acknowledge That
It was the sort of white flight that could never have identified itself as such: My family was pulled as much as pushed from Gwinnett County to Forsyth. Only a little farther from Atlanta, the schools shrank by an order of magnitude. It was less than an hour away, but […]
Trump’s Infrastructure Proposal Makes Big Promises for Rural America
President Trump unveiled Monday a long-awaited proposal for the $1.5 trillion Infrastructure Bill. The release of the plan aligned with the President’s annual budget request to the Congress.The Infrastructure Bill places significant focus on the rural areas of America. A Senior Administration Official explained to reporters at Saturday’s briefing that […]
Analysis: The Pharmaceutical Colonization of Appalachia
To fight the opioid epidemic, first we need to identify the enemy. Research on the theory of historical trauma – affecting entire populations and regions – could point us toward more effective treatment. I am a West Virginian and have worked in the substance abuse field for around 30 years. […]
Four Trailblazing Women in Appalachia Who Helped Pave the Way
This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear stories of women whose grit and determination changed their own lives – and changed other people’s lives, too. We’ll hear from women who overcame a lot of challenges to succeed as students, musicians, entrepreneurs and educators. This week, we’ll hear from: Mrs. Eunice […]
Community Colleges Are Changing the Way We Develop Our Workforce
In his State of the State Address, Governor Jim Justice made clear his intention to make West Virginia’s community and technical colleges free for in-state students. A bill to accomplish that was introduced shortly after this year’s state Legislative session began. The main goal of the bill is to cultivate […]
Swiss Village + West Virginia + Mardi Gras Feast = Fasnacht
On a Saturday evening in 2015, I found myself in a white-out blizzard, driving up steep and curvy West Virginia back roads. Normally, I would have admitted defeat and turned back. But I kept going, propelled up the mountain by thoughts of the unique Mardi Gras foods and festivities that […]
Trump Takes Enforcement Approach To Opioid Crisis
President Donald Trump addressed the opioid crisis affecting the Ohio Valley region in his first State of the Union address Tuesday night. “We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge,” he said. “My administration is committed to fighting […]
New Wave of Lavender Farmers Hope to Revive Barren Stripmines into Fields of Purple
When you picture the Appalachian Coalfields, you might think of those scenic photographs of mist rising from the mountains. But there are the less picturesque landscapes too — views of mountaintops that have been stripped away from coal mining. Imagine if these barren landscapes were covered with purple fields of lavender. […]
Change of Mined: Study Highlights Appalachia’s Tough Task Ahead
At a recent conference in Lexington, Kentucky, economists and community leaders gathered to talk about the state’s current budget crunch and possible economic future. Peter Hille, president of Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, said Kentucky and other Appalachian states need to do more to build a new economy and move […]