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Eastern Kentucky towns fight to recover from opioid epidemic, with help from newcomers and recovering addicts, national author reports
BY SAM QUINONES REPUBLISHED BY KHN FROM THE FREE PRESS In early 2020, Mandi Fugate Sheffel, 42, opened a tiny bookstore in her hometown of Hazard. Everyone thought she was crazy. Downtown Hazard was a forbidding place to start any business, much less a bookstore. Most coal mines that once supported the area had closed.…
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What it means to have Appalachian roots
There is a certain bond between people born and raised in Appalachia and where they grew up. Most of us spent our childhoods in small towns or up a holler (hollow for you city slickers) and we have a special attachment to those communities and the people who live there. The place where we were…
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‘Coal Miner’s Son’
People occasionally will ask about my upbringing, family life and Appalachian roots. So, here is my song that I wrote and recorded titled “Coal Miner’s Son.” Maybe you can relate to some parts of the following lyrics.Daddy slept all day, worked all nightGot home early by dawn’s daylight.Mommy made gravy, biscuits and eggsFried apples, we…
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Autumn is a special time of year
Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year. I am sure many of you feel the same way. The temperatures are nearly perfect. The days are still warm enough to get outside, but the nights start getting cooler. Perfect sleeping weather, according to many. There is a certain “feel” when those summer evenings…
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Growing up country was special
There was something special about growing up in rural Appalachia. It might be hard for those who lived and grew up in larger urban areas to understand this. It is even harder for those younger folks who are growing up today with the internet, computers, cell phones and other electronics to understand. Getting to know…
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Appalachian linguistics and terms some may not understand
BY KYLE LOVERN In Appalachia we have a certain language – or linguistics and a way we say certain words that those city slickers may not completely understand. It’s a long tradition passed down through the years. I’m afraid we’re starting to lose these quaint terms or phrases with our younger generation. But we need…
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Central Appalachia could be safe haven for climate-change migrants
BY JANIE EKERE FOR THE DAILY YONDER A new report from Invest Appalachia, a self-described social investment fund, looks at ways to bring economic development to Central Appalachia as climate change increasingly determines where Americans live. The report released in May analyzed emerging climate data from Appalachia. According to its findings, Central Appalachian states like…
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A step forward but a long road ahead for water
The plight of Martin County’s water system is a grave reminder of the critical condition of infrastructure in the region and Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District. The recent request by U.S. Representative Harold “Hal” Rogers for $5 million in funding for Martin County, part of an $85.85 million Community Project Funding package, is a step in…
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Be proud to live in Appalachia
BY KYLE LOVERN I was talking to an old-timer a few years back, interviewing an elderly person for a story. She lived deep in at the top of a mountaintop above what we call a “holler.” As you might imagine, the view of the mountains was just fantastic. As we sat there and gazed over…
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BSCTC offers Appalachian Studies Certificate Program
PRESTONSBURG — Big Sandy Community and Technical College announced the launch of its Appalachian Studies Certificate. This exciting offering reflects a dedication to fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Appalachian region’s rich heritage and distinctive cultural traditions. The Appalachian Studies Certificate is designed to provide students with a better understanding of the Appalachian…
Tag: Appalachia
