Making Connections News

Feb. 26, 2023 was the 51rst anniversary of the Buffalo Creek Flood, a coal mining disaster that killed 125 people and left 4000 homeless in this Logan County, WV community. This episode features audio from "Buffalo Creek Revisited," a 1985 documentary film produced by Mimi Pickering that looks at the impact of the disaster ten years after the flood, a story that is particularly relevant as many are questioning how, or if, Eastern Kentucky will recover after the devastating floods of July 2022. That is followed by a powerful remembrance of the disaster by survivor Billy Jack Dickerson from the 50th anniversary event held at Man High School on Feb 26, 2022.

In September 2022, the Bureau of Prisons announced that it was reviving a plan to build and operate a federal correctional institution and prison camp in Letcher County, KY. This episode shares the comments, both pro and con, that members of the public delivered to Bureau of Prisons representatives regarding bringing a prison to the county. Plans for a prison originated in 2006 when Congress authorized a study for a high security facility which was eventually approved for a site in Roxanna in 2018. However, in 2019 that plan was withdrawn. Now the Bureau of Prisons is proposing a medium security prison and work camp and began the process of creating a Draft Environmental Impact Statement with a public meeting on November 17 at Letcher County Central High School. 150 people signed in and another 54 were attending by way of the internet. Comments have been lightly edited. It should be noted that all speakers received applause from the audience but that has been edited out for time's sake.

November is National Diabetes Month and our Making Connections News show at 6 pm tonight is sharing stories of eastern Kentuckians who are making lifestyle changes to prevent or slow down type 2 diabetes. Many are participating in Diabetes Prevention Programs that are supporting their efforts, even during COVID! One in seven Kentuckians have been diagnosed with diabetes. It is estimated that 1 in 3 have elevated blood sugar levels that could lead to diabetes and may not know it! Listen up and find more stories and information at www.preventdiabeteseky.org, a project of Appalshop CMI and the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

This episode is looking to the future with interviews with Diane Wilson about her book “The Seed Keeper,” and Brian Anderson, the leader of the Biden Administration effort to make sure coal communities are not left behind in the transition to cleaner energy. Thanks to Everywhere Radio from the Rural Assembly and AppalachAmerica for sharing these interviews. Diane Wilson (Dakota) sat down with Rural Assembly Program Associate Tyler Owens during Rural Women Everywhere to talk about Wilson's most recent book "The Seed Keeper," which follows a Dakota family's struggle to preserve their way of life, and their sacrifices to protect what matters most. During this conversation Wilson and Owens explore where Wilson finds her inspiration, the importance of continuing a tradition of storytelling, and the importance of connection to the earth. Diane Wilson is a writer, speaker, and editor, who has published two award-winning books, as well as essays in numerous publications. Next AppalachAmerica host Jeff Young asks what Appalachia without coal might become and talks with two individuals who are leading efforts to support a transition to cleaner energy that also rebuilds the region's green economy. These interviews took place in the spring of 2021 not long after the Biden Administration took office. Brian Anderson comes from a family that has a generations-long connection to West Virginia coal and fossil fuel development. Jeff Young talks with Anderson about the multi-agency federal working group he's leading to support a sustainable transition to clean energy, and about his role as director of the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory. Also, what might a Green New Deal look like in Appalachia? Jeff talks with design professor Billy Fleming about a project to give form to Appalachian people's ideas about a more sustainable future.

A potpourri of topics on this episode, beginning with a look at the federal government's Affordable Connectivity Program which has the potential to increase broadband access for millions of Americans. From there environmental reporter James Brugger talks with Tom Martin, from WEKU's Eastern Standard, about his research on lagging strip mine reclamation, and Diabetes Prevention Educator Mary Beth Castle shares her own journey towards better health. The program ends with an interview with Kentucky musician Naomi Judd originally broadcast on KET.

On this episode Whitney Kimball Coe from the Rural Assembly shares a conversation with Anthony Flaccavento, a farmer in southwestern VA, as well as an author, political candidate, and most recently co-founder of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative. This interview comes from the Everywhere Radio podcast produced by the Rural Assembly. Following that are remembrances from three folks who spoke at a memorial for bell hooks held at Berea College on April 14th. bell, who was born Gloria Jean Watkins in Hopkinsville KY, died dec 15, 2021. She came back to Kentucky to serve as Distinguished Professor in Residence in Appalachian Studies at Berea College in 2004 and from that point on made her home there. The international outpouring of grief and love for bell hooks that came with her passing may have surprised many in this region and state who were unaware that such a renowned figure lived amongst us. Linda Strong Leek who was Berea College Provost before becoming provost at Haverford College in Philadelphia, introduces Paige Melman, and Beverly Guy Sheftall, and then concludes the program.

Kentucky has the 4th highest death rate from diabetes in the US. In recognition of March 22nd's Diabetes Alert Day, stories from eastern Kentuckians who have reduced their risk of diabetes through participation in National Diabetes Prevention Programs or through lifestyle changes made on their own are shared. One in 7 Kentuckians has diabetes, that's over 13% of adults, and 17% in Appalachian Kentucky. Another 11% of Kentuckians have prediabetes, a condition that is often unrecognized but which can be prevented or slowed with diet and exercise. These stories come from Prevent Diabetes EKY, an online source of information and resources to assist in preventing or slowing down diabetes.

Feb. 26, 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the Buffalo Creek Flood in Logan County, WV. 125 people were killed and left 4000 homeless when a poorly constructed coal waste dam collapsed at the head of Buffalo Creek. This program features the soundtrack of Mimi Pickering's film about what happened and why, and a follow up focusing on the efforts to rebuild the communities after the disaster. Both films, The Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act of Man and Buffalo Creek Revisited, are available for rent or purchase from Appalshop.

The Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund has lost $22,400,000 since the excise fee supporting the fund was slashed at the end of 2021. At a January 14 press conference, leaders from the National Black Lung Association, Appalachian Voices and the Appalachian Citizens Law Center call on Congress to take immediate action to restore the fee supporting  the Fund. The Fund provides benefits and life-prolonging health care coverage for miners disabled by this deadly disease. The excise fee supporting the Fund was cut by more than half when the Build Back Better bill failed to pass at the end of 2021. At the press conference regional representatives presented a letter signed by over 65 organizations calling on Congress to take action to restore the excise fee. On January 20th, Rep Bobby Scott (VA) and Rep. Alma Adams (NC) introduced the Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund Solvency Act of 2022 to extend the Coal Excise Tax for 10 years. They were joined by original cosponsors Rep. John Yarmuth (KY) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA). However the bill has not moved in Congress and the Fund is quickly moving towards insolvency.

In this episode, Daily Yonder producer Xandr Brown celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the disruptor that he was; Appalachian advocates call for Congress to quickly restore the excise fee supporting the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund and miners' health care; speakers at a ReImagine Appalachia Summit see potential for job creation, sustainable economic growth, and clean energy with an influx of federal funding targeted towards the region.

This episode begins with a first-hand account of the economic challenges facing towns and counties in Central Appalachia, but then celebrates the positive impact the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is going to have on the region. Also included is a report on Build Back Better, a bill, that if passed by Congress, would invest in our human infrastructure – that is children, students, families, health care, community wellbeing and more. Featured are Marley Green from Appalshop, Dustin Pugel who is Senior Policy Analyst with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, and Rebecca Shelton, Research Director at Appalachian Citizens Law Center.

Three amazing Appalachians talk about their efforts to make their communities – be they local, regional or statewide – better places to live and thrive. Attorney John Rosenberg, who just turned 90, is the founding director of the Kentucky office of Appalachian Research & Defense Fund – AppalRed – and a founder of the Appalachian Citizens' Law Center. He spoke with Tom Martin of WEKU's Eastern Standard as part of AppalRed's 50th anniversary. Jerry Fultz is the mayor of Wayland, KY. Fultz and other community leaders are doing big things to keep this small town going. Lou Wallace describes her community improvement efforts as a concerned citizen and then local official in Virginia's Wise and Russell Counties. Hard work, persistence, and cooperative spirit has resulted in many projects that are successfully revitalizing St. Paul and neighboring communities along the Clinch River in southwestern Virginia.

WV's Battle of Blair Mountain happened 100 years ago, but what's it's significance for working people today? That's the topic explored in this Making Connections News episode by historians, authors, artists, activists who make the case that understanding what the miners and their families were fighting for will help us all understand the challenges that working people are facing today. This Aug. 19 webinar was presented by the Battle of Homestead Foundation as part of the Battle of Blair Mountain Centennial. #Blair100

This month Making Connections News features an August 13th webinar, Black Lung: People, Power and Policy. At this virtual event, Gary Hairston, President of the National Black Lung Assoc., says the disease is diminishing his life while Debbie Wills, who helps miners at one of West Virginia's Black Lung Clinics, describes the long and difficult process for applying for and receiving benefits. Rebecca Shelton from Appalachian Citizens' Law Center describes the shocking increase in the disease, especially among younger miners, and calls on the government to enact regulations that would reduce dust and silica in the mines, and thus Black Lung disease. Willie Dodson with Appalachia Voices encourages listeners to join current grassroots efforts to ensure Congress adequately funds the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. As more and more coal companies declare bankruptcy, sick miners are dependent on this fund for life extending health care, but without an increase in the excise tax that supports it, the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund could be severely cut back. For more information on the problem and how you can help, go to www.BlackLungKills.com.

This episode focuses on the June 18th launch of the Black Appalachian Coalition in partnership with the NAACP. The launch featured a discussion of black invisibility in the Appalachian region and an urgent call to include African Americans and their communities in regional redevelopment efforts being considered by President Biden and congress. Frank X Walker, Kentucky writer, educator and co-founder of the Affrilachian poets, speaks about the many contributions African American writers, artists and activists have made to the history and culture of Appalachia. Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali describes his family's deep roots in West Virginia and the need to bring forward Black people in the region as leaders, credible messengers, and experts. The Coalition believes their very presence in public conversations can begin to shift fundamental narratives about Appalachia. Central Appalachia includes some of the poorest communities in the nation. Although the region has long provided raw materials to fuel American prosperity elsewhere, it has suffered economically and, in many places, working people have experienced downward mobility since the early 1980s. Absentee corporations and extractive industries have left the land scarred and the people in the region sick. Among those hit hardest by the losses are Black Appalachians. Not only have Black residents of the region suffered tremendous economic and cultural losses in the past decades, but they are often simply ignored, despite the rich cultural history of Black Appalachians and their many contributions to the region. This is why the organizers of the Black Appalachian Coalition (BLAC) believe this new effort is critical for our region.

This episode looks at the future for coal miners, former mine lands and efforts to rebuild coalfield communities. UMWA President Cecil Roberts speaks about the future he believes his members deserve. At the Reclaim Act Town Hall, Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Cartwright describes the importance of two bills he has introduced that are crucial to the cleanup of abandoned mine lands and economic transition across the country. Mary Cromer, Deputy Director of Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, details the dangers unreclaimed mine lands pose. And Tom Martin from WEKU's Eastern Standard interviews Clifford Smith and Chris Barton on current efforts in Kentucky to make former mine lands productive.

On Wednesday, April 14, the Ohio River Valley Institute and ReImagine Appalachia held a press conference and released a timely set of reports titled "Repairing the Damage from Orphan Wells and Abandoned Mine Lands." The reports describe an extraordinary opportunity to develop pathways to address the environmental and public health issues of abandoned mine lands and orphan wells, creating over 30,000 well-paying, local jobs in the process. The reports show that solving the climate crisis can be a reemployment plan for the Ohio River Valley and an investment in the region's future. The public investments we make today to stem climate change can protect our communities and ensure the health of future generations to come.

Eula Hall, health care leader and self described “hillbilly activist,” spent a lifetime assisting her Eastern Kentucky neighbors and encouraging poor people to fight for their rights. After passing away on May 8 at age 93, she was lauded in her native Floyd County, by a Kentucky Congressman and Senator, and in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.  Longtime friends Steve Brooks and Maxine Kenny recall experiences with Eula that began when they came to Eastern Kentucky in the late 1960s and early 70s and worked with her to get the Mud Creek Clinic started, and to address other injustices that poor people were facing at that time. That's followed by a 2013 interview with Eula at an Appalshop book signing event for "Mud Creek Clinic: The Life of Eula Hall and the Fight for Appalachia" by Kiran Bhatraju. Also featured is an interview with labor historian Chuck Keeney, the author of a new history on West Virginia’s Battle of Blair Mountain, now in its centennial year. This story comes to us from Appalach-America, a new podcast produced by the Ohio Valley ReSource and Louisville Public Media.

While local health professionals encourage all eastern Kentuckians to get vaccinated against COVID-19, it's even more important for those with underlying health issues including those with diabetes and prediabetes. Reporting for our WMMT series "Prevent Diabetes EKY," Parker Hobson speaks to several eastern Kentucky folks who have diabetes, some in health care and some not, on why they think it made sense to get the shot. If you have type 2 diabetes, and you’re looking to get your a1c under control, health departments and clinics across the region offer Diabetes Self-Management Support and Education classes. And if you think you might be at risk for type 2, there are also Diabetes Prevention Program classes that support stopping diabetes before it starts. You can find out more about these programs—and hear local stories about preventing and dealing with type 2—at preventdiabeteseky.org.

In this edition of Making Connections News, eastern Kentuckians dealing with diabetes and prediabetes describe the benefits of getting the COVID 19 vaccine, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy talks about President Biden’s plans for investment in coal-dependent communities, and two newly-released studies show the positive environmental impact and job growth associated with capping orphan gas wells and cleaning up abandoned mine lands. And finally, a story from Letcher County, KY where some residents are fearful of increased landslides and flooding from mine damaged lands.

This show features Rep. Matt Cartwright and Rep. Glenn Thompson, both from Pennsylvania coal mining districts, introducing the RECLAIM Act and legislation to reauthorize the Abandoned Mine Lands Fund at a March 10 Press Conference. Sponsors describe these bills as bipartisan, and state they could create 13,000 jobs immediately, while helping to ensure coal country is a part of the economic recovery. Following that, members of the RECLAIM Working Group describe the dire need for this legislation and the impact it could have in the Appalachian coalfields, including stories of reclamation projects that are already putting people to work and creating new businesses.

Speakers at the January 12th ReImagine Appalachia Strategy Summit describe their policy blueprint for creating a New Deal - a green economy with good paying jobs in Appalachia, followed by comments from the mayors of Pittsburgh and Huntington who support a "Marshall Plan for Middle America" to redevelop the Ohio River Valley region. Several of the proposals in these plans have now been included or proposed in new federal legislation, an exciting sign of hoped for investment in Appalachia.

This Black History Month episode focuses on current black lives and why they matter for all of us. First, an interview with KY State Rep. Attica Scott who talks about Breonna's Law, legislation she has filed in response to the police killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville last March, as well as her hopes for building a movement of Kentuckians across the state who are working for racial justice and policies that build thriving communities everywhere. Then an interview from the archive with Affrilachian author and educator Crystal Wilkinson recorded just as Wilkinson’s novel "The Birds of Opulence" was coming out. Finally Pastor Edward Palmer calls on us to overcome racism through policy actions, a presentation from the January Kentucky Policy virtual conference.

Pastor Edward L. Palmer addresses the issue of racism, which he describes as a policy failure, equity, and the differing impact that Kentucky state policies often have on African Americans and other People of Color. He also identifies proposed legislation that would improve the juvenile justice system in Kentucky. Palmer pastors The Sign of the Dove Church International, is a certified diversity trainer, state juvenile justice advisory board member, Radcliffe City councilman, and currently National Chair of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice. His presentation was delivered January 15 at the annual conference of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.

"Here in our area, nobody’s alone with diabetes. Any street corner you turn down, every grocery store aisle, every church pew— you know, you’ve probably got somebody sitting right there with you who is battling it, or a close family member who is," says Tiffany Scott. But, she adds, the Appalachians in Control (AIC) diabetes research and outreach project she coordinates in Letcher County, KY has demonstrated that people can delay, or even prevent type 2 diabetes, simply with diet and exercise plans. Listen to Tiffany's story to find out more.

As 2020 was coming to an end, Kentuckians were experiencing unemployment, food insecurity, and housing evictions due to the coronavirus, and frightened about the looming cut off of many aid programs that were passed as part of the CARES Act last spring. At this Dec. 3 press conference they shared their stories. The show concludes with an interview with Jessica Wilkerson and Tom Martin of WEKU’s “Eastern Standard” about her book "To Live Here You Have To Fight: How Women Led Appalachian Movements for Social Justice." Photo: Martha Soukup / Flickr, CC

One in seven Kentuckians have been diagnosed with diabetes, and it is estimated that 1 in 3 have elevated blood sugar levels that could lead to diabetes. Prevent Diabetes EKY shares stories of folks in our region who are showing a way forward by making lifestyle changes to improve their health and the National Diabetes Prevention Programs that are supporting their efforts. On this show we are bringing together stories produced over the past year and a half and celebrating the launch of a new website, www.preventdiabeteseky.org, where stories and resources can be found. Prevent Diabetes EKY is a project of Appalshop, WMMT and the KY Department for Public Health, with support from the Centers for Disease Control.

Brandon Denison on Successful Worker Training by Making Connections News

The population of Appalachia, like most of rural America, is more diverse than many people realize. And the recent support for racial justice has been larger than many expected. When Joseph Palumbo signed on to help organize a Black Lives Matter march in his Eastern Kentucky hometown of Hazard, he figured 50 people would show up. The peaceful event drew about 10 times that amount. The unexpectedly strong response to this and similar events across Appalachia is changing attitudes, including Palumbo's, about what’s possible in small towns across rural America. Tim Marema from The Daily Yonder interviewed Palumbo, who is 33 years old, about the march in June and civic activities that are growing out of it.

Whitney Kimball Coe provides a preview of the Rural Assembly Everywhere, the first time the gathering will be online beginning Monday October 26 and wrapping up Friday October 30. The Rural Assembly is a nationwide movement of people and organizations building a smarter, greener, more inclusive rural America. Coe is the Director of National Programs at the Center for Rural Strategies, the home base of the Rural Assembly. For more information or to register (it's free!) go to www.ruralassembly.org.

Avoiding type 2 diabetes is always a good thing for your health. But health professionals say that diabetes is one of several underlying conditions that could make the symptoms of COVID-19 more severe and potentially deadly. In this story we meet Marilyn Morgan, of Johnson County, and Connie Godsey Duvall, of Cumberland County, two eastern Kentuckians who, despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic, are meeting the challenge of preventing type 2 diabetes head-on. Both have been participating in their local version of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), and both say the program has helped them not just lose weight, but also keep it off. Also featured is Mary Beth Castle, DPP Lifestyle Coach at the Johnson Co. Health Department, who speaks about her efforts to guide participants through the DPP process amidst the unique circumstances of a worldwide pandemic.

On June 29th, the National Economic Transition, or NET, platform was released to the public. Built on community driven solutions, over 80 local, regional and national leaders worked together for several years to develop a framework for large scale investments to assist communities hardest hit by the changing coal economy. Heidi Binko, executive director of the Just Transition Fund, kicks off this press conference which includes comments from the directors of MACED and Coalfield Development Corporation in Appalachia, Tribal leaders from out West, and representatives from the Utility Workers Union. The NET Platform is available to view or download at https://nationaleconomictransition.org/

Members of ReImagine Appalachia, a coalition of policy organizations, grassroots groups, individuals and activists from West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, offer ideas at a March convening for building a 21rst century sustainable regional economy. That is followed by a July 21rst press conference announcing the Reimagine Appalachia policy blueprint and calling for large scale federal investment in the region. The blueprint outlines a vision for vibrant Appalachian communities where everyone is paid enough to support themselves and their family, future generations can put down roots, and everyone has clean air to breathe and water to drink.

The Kentucky Labor Day Town Hall was held virtually on September 7 because of COVID 19, the virus that has now infected 58,000 Kentuckians and killed more than 1,000 of our friends and neighbors. COVID 19 is also devastating our economy. Nearly 40% of KY workers have applied for unemployment, the highest rate in the country. Meanwhile The US Senate has failed to act on additional relief, instead letting emergency unemployment payments and other COVID relief benefits expire. At the Town Hall we hear from Kentucky workers, union leaders, experts and policy makers who call on Congress to provide the federal aid that workers, their families and their communities need during this crisis. McKenzie Cantrell, KY State Representative from Louisville is the host of the Labor Day Town Hall. We end this show with Elaine Purkey singing her song "America, Our Union" from the Appalshop film "Justice in the Coalfields, which covered the Pittston coal strike. Elaine, a singer, songwriter, and community organizer from Logan County, WV died on Sept. 2 at the age of 71 from COVID 19. #FederalAid4KY #Savethe600

Young people sometimes think that prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are health issues that younger people don't really need to worry about. But Taylor Pratt found out in high school that she was in danger of developing the disease, despite the fact that it did not run in her family. On a visit to her eye doctor, Pratt, of Letcher County, KY, got the surprising news that her right optic nerve was swollen. An A1C test (a measure of how much glucose, or sugar, is in your bloodstream) came back just shy of being officially in the prediabetes range, but still high enough that Taylor would need to make some lifestyle changes before it got worse, or even turned into full-blown type 2. "It was kind of like a shock," Taylor said. In this story, Taylor discusses her diagnosis; her eating habits, old and new; how much better she began to feel after she started to eat differently and exercise more; and how she wishes that more young people were taught about diabetes in school, so that maybe she could've stopped her own issue before it ever started.

Anna Baumann, Deputy Director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, talks about the impact federal stimulus funding has had to date and the urgent need for more. According to census data, half of Kentucky adults say they or someone in their household have lost employment income since the COVID-19 crisis began. The sources they’re relying on to make ends meet include enhanced unemployment insurance, stimulus payments and more personal debt, At the same time that COIVD 19 cases are rising and further threatening our health and our economy, these sources of financial support are either limited or running out this week. The House has passed several bills but the Senate, led by Kentucky's Mitch McConnell, has yet to put forth any proposals to support individuals, businesses, or state and local governments.

Despite roadblocks presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Census count is continuing. Michelle Elison, Portfolio Manager at the National Partnership Program of the US Census Bureau, provides an update on response rates in Kentucky and the Census Bureau plans for the next phase of data collection. She also reminds us of how important getting a complete count is for our political representation and securing funding for vital community services like health care, education, and emergency response. Although most households have been contacted, eastern Kentucky response rates are low. However you can still get counted at 2020census.gov or by calling 844-330-2020.

Dr. Brandon Crum from United Medical Group and Rebecca Shelton from Appalachian Citizens' Law Center describe the efforts underway in eastern Kentucky to help protect miners with black lung and other respiratory diseases who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Speaking at the June 10th meeting of the WV Association of Black Lung Clinics, Dr. Crum and Ms. Shelton hoped that conference participants, including health care providers and staff at black lung clinics, would be able to use activities they described to support patients in their clinics. They ended their presentation expressing concerns about the continuing spread of COVID 19 in the coalfields, especially as things open up.

On June 12, Cecil Roberts, President of the United Mine Workers of America, was the final speaker at the 2020 West Virginia Association of Black Lung Clinics annual conference. Roberts began his remarks with a video clip of former miners testifying before the House Education and Labor Committee in June 2019 about contracting black lung at an early age and the urgent need for Congress to pass silica dust standards. His comments addressed concerns about COVID-19 and the well being of working miners and those with black lung, hailed the miners' ten year fight that won pension and health care benefits for retired miners last December, and encouraged everyone to continue to put the pressure on Congress to pass silica dust standards to lower the kinds of cases of serious lung disease now seen with many miners. The participants at this online event included health care providers and staff at black lung clinics, public health officials, researchers , lawyers and others calling in from the coalfields and beyond. On Tuesday, June 16, the UMWA filed a petition in federal appeals court asking the court to force the Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, to issue an emergency standard to protect vulnerable coal miners from the infectious COVID 19 disease.

On this Making Connections News episode, we are covering COVID-19 and the continuing health danger it poses for coal miners and those with black lung, about precautions to take to prevent exposure, and efforts to pass a silica dust standard to lower rates of black lung disease. We hear from Dr. James Brandon Crum from Pikeville and Rebecca Shelton from the Appalachian Citizens Law Center; Dr. Connie White, Deputy Director of the Kentucky Department for Public Health; a report from the Ohio Valley ReSource's Sydney Boles on the health challenges miners working underground are facing; and Cecil Roberts, President of the United Mine Workers of America.

2020 Census count is underway and the data will determine how much money and power comes to each community. Yet eastern Kentuckians have been slow to respond. Rachelle Seger from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, KY State Rep. Angie Hatton, and the US Census Bureau's Michelle Elison talk about why it is so important to fill out those forms and be counted, especially those of us living in Central Appalachia. The data collected through the census determines funding for things like school lunches, educational programs, and improvements to roads and bridges. Census data is used to determine federal disaster relief, hospital funding, Medicare, Medicaid, and support for medical clinics like Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation in eastern Kentucky. It is used for planning and preparation for natural disasters and epidemics such as COVID-19. The Census Bureau has delayed in-person outreach efforts making it more important than ever to self report. The 2020 census can be completed online at my2020census.gov, or by calling 844-330-2020. For Spanish call 844-468-2020. And of course you can fill out the paper form and return it post paid in the mail. It is not too late to be counted.

A story from our archive on the importance of the US Postal Service to rural people and their communities. Dateline: 12/15/2011: As the U.S. Postal Service faces financial crisis, Central Appalachia and much of rural America may be hard hit by pending closures of post offices and mail processing centers.  To avoid bankruptcy, the Postal Service had announced plans to make reductions amounting to approximately $3 billion.  Such drastic cuts would result in slower first class delivery and close hundreds of mail facilities nationwide.  After public and Congressional outcry, USPS announced a moratorium on closures until May 15, 2012. In this expanded WMMT report customers at the Burdine and Premium post offices, two of the nine in Letcher County, KY on the closure list, describe what the service means to their communities while officials from the USPS and the American Postal Workers Union offer differing solutions to the Postal Service financial crisis.

Dr. Connie White describes the coronavirus, its symptoms, and the precautions we need to take, including testing and staying at home, to prevent its spread. She notes that eastern Kentucky residents are very vulnerable due to high rates of lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses. Dr. White is an MD and Deputy Director for Clinical Affairs at the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Another story in our series, Preventing Diabetes in EKY, this report focuses on an innovative health improvement program happening in connection with the Letcher County Farmers’ Market. We hear from participants, some diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, who walk one mile on Whitesburg's public walking track every week and, in return, get a free $10 voucher to use on fresh fruits & vegetables at the market. The program has shown demonstrable results, including lowering participants’ average A1C levels and reducing waist circumference & BMI. It could serve as a model for other communities in the region struggling with increases in diabetes among residents.

This episode of Making Connections News is a recording from the Create Your State Tour, a musical, multimedia performance that inspires and empowers creative community revitalization and development. The presentation tells the inspiring story of arts-driven community transformation in Princeton, West Virginia, through the eyes of artists and cultural entrepreneurs Lori McKinney and Robert Blankenship, and features the original music of Option 22. Over the past several years support from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation enabled towns across West Virginia to bring the Create Your State performance and workshop to their communities to kick off conversations about how the arts, creativity and an out-of-the-box approach can establish a creative scene that redefines and reinvigorates a community. This presentation was recorded in Philippi, WV on May 5, 2019.

Willa Johnson, a single mom from McRoberts, KY, has long struggled with health problems but didn't realize she was prediabetic until she found out her glucose levels were rising. She spoke with reporter Parker Hobson about her efforts to change her diet to one based on healthy foods, some of the obstacles she faces living in a rural area, and the rewards that come from persistence and picking yourself back up when you fall. As we think about ways to diversify our economy and improve our quality of life, our health is an essential part of the picture. This story is part of Prevent Diabetes EKY, a new series sharing eastern Kentuckians’ experiences living with diabetes and prediabetes, while showcasing current efforts to slow down or prevent Type 2 Diabetes in the region. This series is supported by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

As the nation grapples with climate change, the need for a fair transition for workers and communities that have depended upon coal jobs and revenue has also gained traction. Even in West Virginia such discussions are starting to get attention despite strong political support for the coal industry. Ohio Valley ReSource reporter Brittany Patterson covers a recent conference in Charleston where speakers facilitated a conversation about what constitutes a “just transition” as well as how West Virginia and other regions that depend on coal could actually get there.

Just Transition Challenges by Making Connections News

Most folks working to revive our region's economy agree that it is increasingly difficult to do if the state of Kentucky is not providing the basic investments we need in education, health, human services and infrastructure. So in this episode we are doing a deep dive into Kentucky’s budget and revenue options as the governor and General Assembly plan for 2021-2022. Our reporting comes from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy’s annual conference, titled "What does Kentucky Value?," which was held Jan 31, 2020 in Lexington, KY. KCEP Executive DIrector Jason Bailey kicked off the event with the notion that the Kentucky state budget is the primary policy document of the Commonwealth and thus should reflect our priorities and shared values. He is followed by Ashley Spaulding and Pam Thomas from the KCEP staff who describe recent budget cuts and revenue sources. We end with comments from the keynote address by Dr. Jared Bernstein, Economist and Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Letcher County's Patsy Adams grew up surrounded by family members who suffered from diabetes, but she didn't realize she had it until it was almost too late. In this profile, she talks about the hard road she has traveled since and encourages listeners to get their A1C levels checked so they can take action to prevent or slow down the disease. As we think about ways to diversify our economy and improve our quality of life, our health is an essential part of the picture. Disease and mortality rates are considerably higher in central Appalachia than in the rest of the nation and in many ways limit our potential to work and live happily. Prevent Diabetes EKY is a new series produced by Making Connections News to share eastern Kentuckians’ experiences living with diabetes and prediabetes, while showcasing current efforts to slow down or prevent Type 2 Diabetes in the region. This series is supported by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

If you live in Appalachian Kentucky, the odds are that you know somebody--maybe even a family member--that has type 2 diabetes: eastern Kentucky suffers from higher rates of Type 2 Diabetes than the rest of the state, and the rest of the country.  But something you might not know is that, in many cases, Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented, even if it runs in your family. This report focuses in on a lifestyle change program that’s being offered all across the region, the Diabetes Prevention Program, that is trying to help people do just that. Because the symptoms are often hidden, it's possible to have Prediabetes--or sometimes even Type 2 Diabetes--without even knowing it.  For a short quiz to see if you might be at risk, check out doihaveprediabetes.org.  The Diabetes Prevention Program is currently offered at the Kentucky River District Health Departments, Juniper Health, the Johnson County Health Department, the Clay County Health Department, and the Clover Fork Clinic in Harlan County. You can contact any of those organizations for more information or to sign up. Pictured here are the Diabetes Prevention Program Facilitators and Participants at Juniper Health in Breathitt County, Ky. L-R: Bridget Turner, Rebecca Smith, Karen Kerr, Kathy Gay