Podcasts about appalachian kentucky

The Pack Horse Library Project was part of the WPA's attempt to relieve rural poverty in Kentucky.  Since many people in Appalachian Kentucky didn't have access to books, the "book ladies" of the Pack Horse library brought books to them in remote areas via packhorses.  The librarians would haul hundreds of books into the back country via horseback, serving rural communities and promoting literacy and education in communities that didn't have any books.  Women would ride routes that covered over 100 miles as then rotated through communities, sharing books and homemade "instructive literature". At the end of the WPA funding in 1943 the communities were again cut off from library access until the advent of the bookmobile in the 1950s.

On the latest episode of Now, Appalachia, Eliot interviews author Wes Browne about his new novel THEY ALL FALL THE SAME. Wes has lived and practiced law as a criminal defense attorney, prosecutor, and public defender in Appalachian Kentucky for over twenty-four years. He also helps run his family's pizza shops.

When we talk about pathways to success for young people in rural and Indigenous communities, what does that look like? Dreama Gentry of Partners for Rural Impact shares that it can look many different ways. Dreama grew up in Appalachian Kentucky and has had a long career working with young people. Today, her organization works to empower and uplift young people across several regions of the US.

WES BROWNE chats to Scott Blackburn & Paul Burke about his noir THEY ALL FALL THE SAME, (US Amazon link) why it wasn't called Spoon, the Appalachians, North Carolina, pizza and community.They All Fall the Same: Cannabis kingpin Burl Spoon has reigned over the Jackson County area for three decades, building a powerful backwoods empire. But behind a well-run organization, his personal life is crumbling - his daughter can't stay clean; his son has hated him since coming out; and after enduring years of infidelity, his wife is straying too. The only person not on his payroll who still adores him is his six-year-old granddaughter, Chelsea. When his daughter overdoses on heroin laced with fentanyl and one of his employees is murdered, Burl's retaliation against Clovis Begley, the patriarch of the heroin-dealing family involved in both deaths, is inevitable. As Burl's plan spirals into a firestorm of vengeance that threatens the safety of his granddaughter, his drive for revenge conflicts with his longing for redemption. On the brink of losing everything, Burl must find a path between retribution and protecting what's left of his family.Wes Browne has lived and practiced law as a criminal defense attorney, prosecutor, and public defender in Appalachian Kentucky for over twenty-four years. He also helps run his family's pizza shops.Mentions and recommends: Mark Westmoreland, Henry Wise, SA Cosby, Silas House, Wiley Cash, David Joy, Tom Franklin, Ron Rash, Robert Gipe, Barbara Kingsolver, Chris Offutt, Leah Hampton, Annette Clapsaddle, Eryk Pruitt, Kelly J Ford, Steve Weddell, Benjamin Percy, James DF Hannah, Ted Flanagan, Dom Nolan, Donald Ray Pollock, Elmore Leonard. Breonna Taylor RIPScott Blackburn's Scott Blackburn is an English instructor and a 2017 graduate of the Mountainview MFA program. His debut novel, It Dies with You, released in 2022 and in Germany in 2024. Scott has contributed to Crime Reads, Criminal Element, Mystery Tribune, and Shotgun Honey. He has been a featured speaker at conferences, universities writer camps.Paul Burke writes for Crime Time, Crime Fiction Lover and the European Literature Network, Punk Noir Magazine (fiction contribution). He is also a CWA Historical Dagger Judge 2024. His first book An Encyclopedia of  Spy Fiction will be out in late 2025.Produced by Junkyard DogCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023 & 2025CrimeFest 2023CWA Daggers 2023 & 2024 & National Crime Reading Month& Newcastle Noir 2023 and 20242024 Slaughterfest,

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. Take the survey at wbur.org/survey. Author and sociologist Arlie Hochschild shares stories of people facing poverty, the loss of jobs and the rise of the opioid epidemic in Appalachian Kentucky. And she explores what led to their allegiance to former President Donald Trump. And, "Inside Out 2" is out on digital, DVD and Blu-ray, and drops on Disney + on Sept. 25. Kensington Tallman plays Riley in both "Inside Out" and "Inside Out 2" and joins us to talk about the movie. Then, why do people have so many superstitions around Friday the 13th? Phil Stevens, the author of "Anthropology of Magic and Witchcraft: Inherently Human," joins us to answer that question.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. Take the survey here or at wbur.org/survey. Long COVID and chronic Lyme disease share similar symptoms and are often misunderstood. STAT's Isabella Cueto discusses how scientists are studying both conditions in the hopes of discovering new treatments. Then, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a big decision to make: whether or not to sign the country's only major regulations on artificial intelligence. Axios' Ina Fried talks about the bill. And, Appalachian Kentucky has long been at the center of America's addiction crisis. Pike County resident James Browning tells his story of addiction and recovery.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Justice Department is investigating an alleged Russian disinformation campaign targeting the 2024 election. Bloomberg Business's Jeff Stone talks with us about that and other attempts at election interference. And, Republicans enjoy overwhelming support in rural, white America. But it wasn't always that way. Eastern Kentucky was once a solid Democratic stronghold. Host Scott Tong reports from Appalachian Kentucky about how that happened and what role coal mining played. Then, Jesse Dufton is an avid climber. He's also blind and relies on a headset and his wife Molly's guidance to climb. Jesse and Molly Dufton join us to talk about Jesse's career and his hopes for the 2028 Paralympics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Host: Dr. Jennifer Hunter, Assistant Director for Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky  Guests: Dr. Nathan Vanderford, Director, Appalachian Career Training in Oncology Program, Markey Cancer Center, Holly Burke, ACTION Program Coordinator, Abby Knoy and Caylee Caudill, ACTION Program student participants Cancer Conversations Episode 52 Kentucky has the greatest cancer burden in the country with the highest rates of new cases and deaths occurring in Appalachian Kentucky. The high rates of cancer are caused by health behaviors, such as tobacco use, and economic and social conditions, including poverty and insufficient healthcare infrastructure and access. Behind every cancer case lies individual stories of devastation. Cancer in Appalachia: A Collection of Youth-Told Stories is an anthology of fictional stories -- short stories and a few poems -- about cancer in Appalachian Kentucky. The stories were written by a group of high school and undergraduate students from Appalachian Kentucky. Achin' by Abby Knoy Back to Reality by Caylee Caudill   For more information about : Appalachian Career Training in Oncology Program   Connect with the UK Markey Center Online Markey Cancer Center On Facebook @UKMarkey On Twitter @UKMarkey  

This week, Shannon Moody sits down with Barry Allen, President & Treasurer of the Gheens Foundation, and Kristin Walker Collins, the Chief Operating Officer of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, to discuss the importance of community listening and best practices in implementing. Alicia Whatley then shares takeaways from Sowing Resilience: A Bloom Kentucky Listening Tour, including what communities shared as challenges in housing, mental health, substance use, and more. Thank you to Aetna Better Health of Kentucky for supporting the Making Kids Count podcast. Visit AetnaMedicaidKY.com/choose to learn more about their health care benefits and programs designed with your family's wellbeing in mind.

On April 12th, the UW-Platteville School of Education hosted the Rurally Responsive Conference, which was sponsored by the Tommy G. Thompson Center for Public Leadership. The conference included a presentation by Dr. Sky Marietta, an assistant professor at the University of the Cumberlands and author of the book “Rural Education in America: What works for our students, teachers, and Communities.” Sky grew up in Appalachian Kentucky, the fifth of her parents' seven children. She went to college at Yale, became a teacher on the Navajo Nation, and then received her doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in child development with a focus on language and literacy. Today's interview is just a short snip-it of what she shared on campus. Be sure to check our show notes at https://proudruralteacherpodcast.com/ for a link to her full presentation at UW Platteville from the 12th.

Ochion Jewell (Music MFA 07) is a jazz saxophonist and composer from Appalachian Kentucky. He studied classical music as an undergraduate at the University of Louisville and studied jazz, free improvisation, and composition at CalArts.Ochion's debut album "First Suite for Quartet'' was released by Mythology Records in 2010 to positive acclaim. The album was heralded by the New York City Jazz Record as "an ambitious, beautifully rendered album...exhilarating in every facet." His followup, with the Ochion Jewell Quartet, “Volk,” was released in 2015. Ochion lives in Brooklyn and  teaches at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. He is also the co-host of the Brooklyn Living Room Sessions video podcast, which was partially funded by a CalArts Alumnx Seed Grant. Our original theme music was composed and performed by 2020 Music alumnx, Socks Whitmore. You can learn more about Socks at sockswhitmore.com. 

This week is a hybrid episode as we slowly creep back into a recording schedule after a nice long summer break. We've got Appalachia and Eastern Kentucky on our minds because of the recent catastrophic flooding in parts of the state so we decided that we'd rebroadcast part of an earlier episode with Kendra Winchester, founder of Read Appalachia on Instagram, who champions Appalachian writers on her feed. But we also had the opportunity to speak this week with Bobi Conn, an Appalachian author and friend of the show who we interviewed in June of 2020 about her debut memoir In the Shadow of the Valley, a raw and unflinching look at growing up in Eastern Kentucky and her dysfunctional family. Bobi has a new novel coming out at the end of August call A Woman In Time that incorporates more family stories she heard about her great grandpa, a moonshiner, and her great grandmother, who held the family together. Did you know that helping flood victims can be as easy as buying a book? This Saturday, August 6, Carmichaels Bookstore in Louisville KY will donate all profits from book sales from all 3 stores and their website to Eastern Kentucky flood relief funds organized by Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and the Hindman Settlement School. Their website is www.carmichaelsbookstore.com. We will be back next week with the true start of Season 7 and an all new episode. Happy Reading! You can find Bobi Conn on social media @BobiConn and her website www.bobiconn.com. You can find Kendra Winchester @readappalachia and @Kdwinchester You can find shownotes for any episode at our website www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a BookLover Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- A Woman in Time by Bobi Conn 2- In the Shadow of the Valley by Bobi Conn 3- Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff 4- Embers on the Wind by Lisa Williamson Rosenberg 5- Finna by Nino Cipri 6- Defekt by Nino Cipri 7- Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan 8- Sabriel by Garth Nix 9- Books by Tamora Pierce 10- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 11- Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray 12- Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 13- The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw 14- The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson 15- Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker 16- Southernmost by Silas House 17- Black Bone: 25 Years of Affrilachian Poets edited by Bianca Lynne Spriggs and Jeremy Paden 18- Water Street by Crystal Wilkinson 19- Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 20- Even As We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Cladsaddle 21- Step Into the Circle: Writers in Modern Appalachia edited by Amy Greene and Trent Thomson

This week is a hybrid episode as we slowly creep back into a recording schedule after a nice long summer break. We've got Appalachia and Eastern Kentucky on our minds because of the recent catastrophic flooding in parts of the state so we decided that we'd rebroadcast part of an earlier episode with Kendra Winchester, founder of Read Appalachia on Instagram, who champions Appalachian writers on her feed. But we also had the opportunity to speak this week with Bobi Conn, an Appalachian author and friend of the show who we interviewed in June of 2020 about her debut memoir "In the Shadow of the Valley", a raw and unflinching look at growing up in Eastern Kentucky and her dysfunctional family. Bobi has a new novel coming out at the end of August that incorporates more family stories she heard about her great grandpa, a moonshiner, and her great grandmother, who held the family together. Did you know that helping flood victims can be as easy as buying a book? This Saturday, August 6, Carmichaels Bookstore in Louisville KY will donate all profits from book sales from all 3 stores and their website to Eastern Kentucky flood relief funds organized by Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and the Hindman Settlement School. Their website is www.carmichaelsbookstore.com. We will be back next week with the true start of Season 7 and an all new episode. Happy Reading! You can find Bobi Conn on social media @BobiConn and her website bobiconn.com. You can find Kendra Winchester @readappalachia and @Kdwinchester You can find shownotes for any episode at our website www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a BookLover Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- A Woman in Time by Bobi Conn 2- In the Shadow of the Valley by Bobi Conn 3- Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff 4- Embers on the Wind by Lisa Williamson Rosenberg 5- Finna by Nino Cipri 6- Defekt by Nino Cipri 7- Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan 8- Sabriel by Garth Nix 9- Books by Tamora Pierce 10- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 11- Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray 12- Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 13- The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw 14- The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson 15- Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker 16- Southernmost by Silas House 17- Black Bone: 25 Years of Affrilachian Poets edited by Bianca Lynne Spriggs and Jeremy Paden 18- Water Street by Crystal Wilkinson 19- Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 20- 3Even As We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Cladsaddle 21- Step Into the Circle: Writers in Modern Appalachia edited by Amy Greene and Trent Thomson

This episode of Doomer Optimism sees Jason Snyder (@cognazor) hanging out with two native children of Appalachian, returning guest/host Dr. Josh Kearns (@HillbillyNarnia) and SaraDay Evans (@esaraday). What naturally starts as an interesting dissection of the tragi-magic quality to Appalachian living turns inevitably to SaraDay's amazing work with Accelerating Appalachia, a nature-based business accelerator that connects innovative businesses, investors and mentors who aligned with people, place and prosperity. Oh, and SaraDay is Wendell Berry's niece-in-law! About SaraDay Evans Sara Day Evans is the Founding Director for Accelerating Appalachia and Co-Founder of Prosperity Collective. She's a sixth generation Kentuckian, and has worked with communities and small businesses across the southeast for over 20 years. She's served over 300 communities and small businesses in economic development, entrepreneurship and environmental protection and leveraged over $250M in funding in service to the southeast and Appalachian region. She was awarded a presidential commendation from Bill Clinton for her work in the health and livelihood of women living in Appalachian Kentucky through her clean water efforts. With degrees in Geology/Hydrogeology and a background in water law, she was instrumental in developing Kentucky's groundwater protection programs and later developed Kentucky's first ongoing solid waste management fund, resulting in an 85% reduction in illegal dumping and a 25% increase in recycling. She served western North Carolina's hardest hit counties by developing sustainable economy plans that fit with the people and place of the region and created North Carolina's Green Economy Resources Directory. She's particularly proud of the program she developed and implemented to install clean energy systems on farms in western NC's high-unemployment counties while also training high school and community college students in clean energy installation. In 2011, Sara Day co-founded the social enterprise Prosperity Collective and inspired by the textile, farming, forest products skills of Appalachians, the expanding world of social entrepreneurs and investing for good, she launched Accelerating Appalachia in 2012 to serve nature-based businesses in Appalachia and beyond. About Dr. Josh Kearns Josh is a born-n-bred Appalachian and a native of West-By-God-Virginia and damn proud of it. He studied chemistry and environmental engineering at Clemson (BS), biogeochemistry at Berkeley (MS), and environmental engineering at CU-Boulder (PhD). He's spent years bumming around rural and remote communities in Thailand, Burma/Myanmar, India, Nepal, Ladakh, Sri Lanka, and Mexico, and generally tried to make himself useful while doing so. He's the Director of Science for Aqueous Solutions, and the Chief Technical Advisor for Caminos de Agua, grassroots water and health development organizations in Thailand and Mexico, respectively. He taught environmental engineering courses at NC State University for a couple of years before returning to his roots as a freelance renegade scientist and exponent of ecological transition engineering. He lives with his wife Rachael and all their critters on a small mountaintop homestead in southern Appalachia. About Jason Snyder Metamodern localist | homesteading, permaculture, bioregional regeneration | meditation, self inquiry, embodied cognition | PhD from Michigan State University, faculty Appalachian State University.

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.

This week on the podcast we're talking with Delaney Stephens, founding director of Prosper Appalachia, and Tina Wei Smith, Prosper Appalachia's director of operations. Prosper Appalachia exists as a consortium of core stakeholders and place-based partners working to empower the next generation to create wealth and prosperity in Eastern Kentucky. Prosper Appalachia serves youth aged 16-24 in 10 Appalachian Kentucky counties: Bell, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knott, Knox, Leslie, Letcher, Perry, and Whitley.Learn more about Prosper Appalachia online at prosperappalchia.org.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, visit https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and Kentucky is home to the highest rates of cancer incidence and mortality in the country. The problem is significantly concentrated in the Appalachian region of the state, an area widely known for its culture and history of tobacco growth and use. This week Dr. Greg talks to Nathan Vanderford, director of the Markey Cancer Center's Appalachian Career Training in Oncology or ACTION program.

Who watches over the seafood-rich waters of South Alabama? Meet Colonel Scott Bannon, the man who polices the seas - though at EATYALL Chef Camp, the nickname “Andy Griffith” caught on for good reason: Scott knows and cares about the people who fish under his protection. In part 2 of our 4-episode seafood series from EATYALL Chef Camp, Scott offers his unique perspective on the seafood industry: the hard work of his Marine Resources Division, the gear and grit behind fishing and shrimping, and his unforgettable first taste of seafood in the Coast Guard. Tune in and give kudos to Scott and Andy: they pulled off this episode while surrounded by freshly cooked seafood!  Protecting The Water And Wildlife of South Alabama Colonel, Director, Seafoodie. Having served with Alabama's Marine Resources Division since the 1990's, Scott is in charge of every vessel across 1,300 square miles - but the community is just as important to him as his duties. Listen as he breaks down his daily tasks, and praises the enforcement officers and scientists who monitor and protect the local seafood industry.  Fishing And Shrimping 101. Scott asserts that no one works harder than the seafood industry, and it's tough to argue. From million dollar boats and gear to spending a month or more at sea, Scott highlights the commercial fishermen who toil to process and deliver fresh seafood to your local market. A Career At Sea. Growing up in Appalachian Kentucky, Scott had never tried seafood until he joined the Coast Guard - but after his first fish taco, he's been hooked ever since. Hear Scott muse about his favorite seafood experiences, from enjoying oyster po boys washed down with sweet tea, to looking after the South Alabama waters and the people there who catch, eat, sell, and cook seafood. Andy joked that he made it through a whole interview with a law enforcement officer without being cuffed! But despite his title, Scott sees his role as a calling, not a job. Soak up more of his humble outlook in today's podcast, and watch for upcoming episodes from EATYALL Chef Camp for more of what Scott calls the greatness of South Alabama. Today's Guest  Scott Bannon, Marine Resources Division Director - https://www.outdooralabama.com/about-us/marine-resources-division Since his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, Scott Bannon has served as a policeman and conservation enforcement officer, before joining the Coast Guard and achieving the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. Since 2017, Scott has served as Director of Alabama's Marine Resources Division - managing the professionals and resources that sustain South Alabama's seafood industry.   Show Sponsors:  Alabama Gulf Seafood https://eatalabamaseafood.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alseafood Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaSeafood   Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism https://www.gulfshores.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/VisitALBeaches Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeachTourism   Connect With Our Guest Scott Bannon Marine Resources Division - Alabama Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alabamamarineresources Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaMarineResourcesDivision   Connect With EATYALL: https://eatyall.com Instagram - https://instagram.com/letseatyall Facebook - https://facebook.com/letseatyall Twitter - https://twitter.com/letseatyall LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall YouTube - https://youtube.com/letseatyall   Show Credits: Hosts are Andy & Marianna Chapman Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman Production provided by Bryan Murphy Copywriting by Sean Sousa   The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.

The conclusion of a two-part segment of Wraiths of the Appalachian in which Eddie and the wolfdog Snarly Yow collect more questions than answers as they endure a night of terror and confusion at the hands of devilish creatures in Hopkinsville, Kentucky that seem bent on destruction and mayhem.

In this episode, Jessi talks with Lora Smith from Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. Lora is an expert in philanthropy and believes in the power of community. Find out about her approach to philanthropy and how foundations have shifted and evolved throughout her career.New episode every Monday. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Radio.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to hear candid interviews with women in leadership across Appalachia and beyond. Visit pursuingfearless.com for show notes, resources, and to sign up for the newsletter. Follow on, Instagram @pursuingfearlesspodcast

In this episode, Will and Neil sit down with Brook Smith, a businessman, philanthropist and founder of the Appalachian Impact Fund that is housed in the Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky.  Listen as they discuss the innovative qualities of the fund and the impact it's having on the region.  In addition, Neil has a "layer" and Brook gives a shout out to the "Root Beer Stand!"    Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky: www.appalachianky.org Appalachian Impact Fund: www.appalachianimpactfund.org  

Renee Shaw and guests discuss childcare challenges. Guests: State Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, day care owner; Kristin Walker Collins, chief operating officer of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky; Benjamin Gies, director of early childhood policy and practice at the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence; and Kevin Fields, president/CEO at Louisville Central Community Centers, Inc.

In this episode, Jessi talks with Gerry Roll, CEO of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. The two discuss the need and desire to find a community, what is a community foundation and what does it truly mean to be local. Other topics of discussion include losses and relishing the wins, keeping your egos in check, and not being afraid.New episode every Monday. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Radio.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to hear candid interviews with women in leadership across Appalachia and beyond. Visit pursuingfearless.com for show notes, resources, and to sign up for the newsletter. Follow on, Instagram @pursuingfearlesspodcast

Crystal Wilkinson is an associate professor of English at the University of Kentucky and an award-winning author. Her novel, "The Birds of Opulence," was the winner of the 2016 Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. She is also the author of "Water Street" and "Blackberries, Blackberries." She also has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and her short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including most recently in Oxford American and Southern Cultures. Most recently, she was named the state's poet laureate for 2021-2022, the first time a Black woman has been appointed to the prestigious post. In this episode of "Behind the Blue," Wilkinson discusses growing up in Appalachian Kentucky, her love of writing and teaching, and what she is focused on now in her creative work. "Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university. For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of "Behind the Blue" can be downloaded from the show's blog page.

Ann H. Gabhart has had a long and successful novel writing career. Her 35th book, Along a Storied Trail, releases June 1. This novel features a packhorse librarian during the Great Depression. The Packhorse Library Program was a program introduced by Eleanor Roosevelt and the Works Progress Administration to provide jobs for women and books for the people of rural Appalachian Kentucky. In this episode of Historical Fiction: Unpacked, Ann and I discussed her new book, the characters she loved writing, and her research and writing process.  Purchase Along a Storied Trail from Amazon (affiliate). Purchase Along a Storied Trail from Bookshop (affiliate). Check out Ann on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and be sure to visit her website too! Join my community and help support the show on Patreon! Join the Historical Fiction: Unpacked Podcast Group on Facebook! Be sure to visit my Instagram, Facebook, and website. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, you help support my work without paying any more for the product. Thank you for your support!

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 3, 2021) – Crystal Wilkinson is an associate professor of English at the University of Kentucky and an award-winning author. Her novel, The Birds of Opulence was the winner of the 2016 Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. She is also the author of Water Street and Blackberries, Blackberries. She also has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and her short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including most recently in the Oxford American and Southern Cultures.  Most recently, she was named the state's poet laureate for 2021-2022, the first time a black woman has been appointed to the prestigious post. In this episode of Behind the Blue, Wilkinson discusses growing up in Appalachian Kentucky, her love of writing and teaching and what she is focused on now in her creative work. "Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university. For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show's blog page. To discover what's wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

This week on Dr. Greg Davis on Medicine we dip into the archives for a previously unaired interview with College of Nursing professor and Director of the UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) Ellen Hahn. UK-CARES, Kentucky Homeplace and the USA Drone Port have joined forces to explore the use of drones to deliver Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to people in Appalachian Kentucky.

(Credit: Vivian Stockman and Southwings) A brief history of the deforestation of Appalachia and efforts now underway to return abandoned mine lands to something approximating their original state. Surface mining in Appalachia has replaced approximately one million acres of eastern deciduous forest, one of the most diverse and valuable forests in the world, with primarily non-native grasses and shrubs. We get the details of legislation now before Congress to renew the Abandoned Mine Lands trust fund to continue financing reforestation. And, there was a time when Kentucky Spring Lamb was sought nationwide. Now, a vision to revive this once thriving mountain industry in concert with the return of forests.   Interviews in order of appearance. Click on name to listen:   Kathryn Newfont - We asked the near-impossible of Dr. Newfont, a professor of Appalachian and Environmental History at the University of Kentucky: begin the hour by giving us the history of the deforestation of Appalachian Kentucky in no more than 12-minutes. She did it!   Rebecca Shelton - Director of Policy & Organizing at Appalachian Citizens Law Center in Whitesburg, Ky. discusses the bi-partisan legislation before Congress that would renew the Abandoned Mine Lands trust fund, and the associated RECLAIM Act.   Michael French - Director of Operations, Green Forests Work, a non-profit establish to reforest Appalachia. More than 187 million trees have been planted on about 275,000 acres of former mines, an area more than six times the size of the District of Columbia.   Patrick Angel - Retired from a lengthy career as a soil scientist in the Interior Department’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Dr. Angel now leads the South East Kentucky Sheep Producers Association. He discusses a vision of reviving a once-thriving sheep industry in Eastern Kentucky.   Kathryn Newfont and Patrick Angel figure prominently in a February 13, 2020 Washington Post article by Lexington native Gabriel Popkin about the deforestation and efforts to reforest the surface mine sites in Eastern Kentucky. Popkin made an appearance on Eastern Standard soon after the article was published.

Nicholas Mudd is a country singer based out of Echo Park, California. In this episode, we talk about his musical roots, some of the best bars and venues, the greatest festival lineup of modern times, and he even plays us a new song, titled "Livin' and Dying". You can support Nicholas by heading to his website and purchasing his merch, but he requests that anyone listening along should head over to the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and give a donation to support those affected by the historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky. https://www.appalachianky.org/flood https://www.instagram.com/nicholasmuddband/ https://www.nicholasmuddband.com/ MUSIC FEATURED WITH PERMISSION: Nicholas Mudd - "Heartache Express" - "Livin' and Dying" (live) - "High Lonesome" Find Us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok: @UnrealCountry Please leave a review/rating, subscribe, and share with your friends. https://www.instagram.com/unrealcountry/ https://linktr.ee/Unrealcountry

The Last Hillbilly (2020) follows a self-proclaimed hillbilly Brian Richie through Appalachian Kentucky, a vanishing part of America. The post The Last Hillbilly of Rural Appalachia appeared first on Factual America.

In this special final episode of Woven Roots, Appalachian Transition Fellow, Sam Hamlin, joins Candace Mullins and Micah Wiles for their first Fiber Day on Cedar Creek Farm in Somerset Kentucky. Nestled in the hills of Pulaski County, Cedar Creek Farm is operated by Micah Wiles and his family. It is home to a multitude of agricultural endeavors, including: raising heritage breed Dexter cattle for grass-fed beef, operating a vineyard and winery, and caring for vegetable gardens and fruit and nut trees, and tanning a variety of hides using sustainable practices. In addition, Candace Mullins grows a small plot of flax on the farm each year and is experimenting with small-scale linen production. For more information on the Wiles family’s diversified farm, see Sister Kathy Curtis’ Breaking Bean Piece, Cedar Creek Farm: A Model for Sustainability. In late October, Candace and Micah hosted their first Fiber Day at the farm, with the goal of bringing together farmers, artisans, and all those interested in working with natural fiber to build relationships and to learn from one another. After eating a delicious, home-made lunch, participants took the opportunity to explore different modes of fiber production including natural dyeing, spinning, and hide tanning. Participants also had the opportunity to hand-process flax fiber, using a break and hackles, a method of processing bast fibers that has been used for centuries. To begin this episode of Woven Roots, Sam Hamlin talks with Candace Mullins to learn more about her work growing, processing, and spinning flax for linen. Candace shares about her experience discovering the power of weaving and Appalachian fiber arts at Berea College, her vision for collaborative fiber production in Kentucky, and finally, on the power of fiber to tell stories. Next, Sam Hamlin talks with Micah Wiles about hide tanning on the farm. Micah is committed to ethical and sustainable tanning practices. Unlike many contemporary large-scale tanneries that use toxic heavy metals, Micah uses natural tanning methods that are friendly to the environment to create quality, durable hides. In addition, he sources from local materials. He shares about the tanning process, as well as his visions for creating high quality, natural fiber products. To close the episode, Sam sits down with Phillip Willet, master spinner and weaver in Berea, Kentucky. In addition to creating beautiful yarns, hand-dyed with natural dyes such as indigo and marigold, Phil is looked up to by many aspiring weavers as a teacher and mentor. Phil talks about his journey into the world of fiber arts and about the pleasure of working with natural fibers. For information on Cedar Creek Farm, including their tannery, visit their website at: http://www.cedarcreekfarmky.com/ Check out Sam Hamlin’s Woven in Kentucky: An Assessment of the Natural Fiber Textile Sector in Appalachian Kentucky to learn more about Community Farm Alliance’s work with natural fiber.

Graphic by Shutterstock On this week's program: Segment One: WEKU's Samantha Morrill talks with Kentucky Contact Tracing czar Mark Carter about the need for tracing, how it's done and concerns about privacy. And, a conversation about a statewide survey to gauge Kentuckians' thoughts and habits during a pandemic. With Marc Kivimiemi, professor and chair of the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the University of Kentucky. LISTEN Segment Two: What about the future? A futurist's reading of trends and indicators for what a post-pandemic world. | What's in those archives? Appalshop celebrates 50 years of documenting life in Appalachian Kentucky. A conversation with Appalshop archivist Caroline Rubens and Brett Ratliff of the organization's community radio station, WMMT. LISTEN   Contact: Tom Martin at es@eku.edu or leave voicemail at 859-622-9358  People like you value experienced, knowledgeable and award-winning journalism that covers meaningful stories in Central and Eastern Kentucky. To support more stories and interviews like those featured in this edition of Eastern Standard, please consider making a contribution.

Graphic by Shutterstock On this week's program: Segment One: WEKU's Samantha Morrill talks with Kentucky Contact Tracing czar Mark Carter about the need for tracing, how it's done and concerns about privacy. And, a conversation about a statewide survey to gauge Kentuckians' thoughts and habits during a pandemic. With Marc Kivimiemi, professor and chair of the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the University of Kentucky. LISTEN Segment Two: What about the future? A futurist's reading of trends and indicators for what a post-pandemic world. | What's in those archives? Appalshop celebrates 50 years of documenting life in Appalachian Kentucky. A conversation with Appalshop archivist Caroline Rubens and Brett Ratliff of the organization's community radio station, WMMT. LISTEN   Contact: Tom Martin at es@eku.edu or leave voicemail at 859-622-9358  People like you value experienced, knowledgeable and award-winning journalism that covers meaningful stories in Central and Eastern Kentucky. To support more stories and interviews like those featured in this edition of Eastern Standard, please consider making a contribution.

UPDATE: In light of new and heightened recommendations from state and national health experts discouraging large gatherings in wake of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, the first-ever Appalachia Cyber Summit, this subject of this podcast episode, has been POSTPONED. A new date will be announced soon. Check www.thereisafuture.org/cybersummit for updates. A lot of thought and effort is being put into the development of a tech sector in Appalachian Kentucky, and that includes a focus on cybersecurity. EKCEP is partnering with Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), Eastern Telephone & Technologies, Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and Four 18 Intelligence to bring the first-ever Appalachia Cyber Summit to Eastern Kentucky.Sponsored by Amazon Web Services, the Summit will focus on the threat of cyber crimes to local and regional businesses and government entities, and also the solutions that are in place to help keep these businesses and organizations safe. Joining us this week on the podcast is Joshua Ball, associate executive director of SOAR; Darrell Maynard, CEO of Eastern Telephone & Technologies; and Michael Cornett, EKCEP's director of agency expansion and Teleworks USA. They're discussing the summit, its benefit for area organizations, and the potential for digital economy job opportunities related to cybersecurity.This episode of the East Kentucky Works podcast was recorded at SOAR's offices in downtown Pikeville, Ky. Learn more about SOAR at their website: https://www.soar-ky.org/Learn more about Eastern Telephone & Technologies online: http://www.ettky.com/To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.orgIntro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Michelle chats with Dreama Gentry, who for the last two decades has led Berea College’s educational outreach into Appalachian Kentucky as the executive director of Partners for Education, which has an annual budget of more than $40 million. Gentry designs and implements projects that build on four core strategies: engaging families; lifting educational aspirations (including an upcoming Rural College Access and Success Summit; building academic skills; and connecting college and career. By leveraging funding from federal programs, such as GEAR UP and Promise Neighborhoods, Partners for Education provides opportunities and support to more than 50,000 rural Kentucky youth. Gentry discusses the importance of access, early education, and committing to a place-based approach in the rural sector. And she talks about a “cradle to career” approach toward education and the importance of establishing a national dialogue on creating healthy rural communities. This episode was sponsored by the Foundation for Rural Services, frs.org; Feonix, feonixmobilityrising.org; and Berea College’s Partners for Education, whose annual Rural College Access and Success Summit brings together approximately 400 teachers, principals, superintendents, college access professionals, and other rural leaders to share ideas and strategies for ensuring rural youth have the opportunity to successfully transition from high school to college and career,  For more information visit www.berea.edu/pfe.

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

Natalie Barker was a little shocked when she first learned that Kentucky ranks first in the country for cancer incidence and mortality. However, the Elliott County teen says she had a quick realization – the problem of cancer hits very close to home. “The more I thought about it, the more I realized I don’t know a person in our community who hasn’t been affected by cancer,” she said. Barker is one of 20 students from Appalachian Kentucky to be selected for the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center’s Appalachian Career Training in Oncology (ACTION) program for high schoolers, a two-year program that just launched in March. While ACTION has existed for UK undergrads for three years, this was the first year that the program offered Kentucky high school students the opportunity to gain cancer research, clinical, outreach and educational experiences in an effort to enrich their interest in a cancer-focused career.

One of the biggest challenges to rebuilding the economy of Appalachian Kentucky is the state's inability to properly invest in the people and the place. The state's political leaders have repeatedly failed to raise adequate tax revenue, instead giving away corporate tax breaks and continually cutting the budget for education, public health, infrastructure and other critical services. In this episode, Jason Bailey and Dustin Pugel from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy comment on these state tax and budget issues, as well as proposed changes to health and safety net programs that impact low- and moderate-income families.

Listen to the full length program Listen by segment: One: Do undocumented immigrants = increased crime rates? This analysis says no. A conversation with Anna Flagg, Senior Data Reporter for The Marshall Project. LISTEN Two: Does quality public education = positive economic development? These educators say yes. Jeff Hawkins, Director of the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative, and Magoffin County Schools Superintendent Scott Helton on a new strategy for public education and economic development in Appalachian Kentucky. LISTEN Three: Can rural Kentucky benefit from ideas hatched in other parts of the world? This Eastern Kentucky leader says it can. An interview with Hindman Settlement School Director and newly minted Obama Foundation Fellow Brent Hutchinson. Might you kick yourself for forgetting this  before heading out for a hike in the back country? Wilderness survival expert Chris Begley says, probably. And, can an artist bring the Great Lakes to Kentucky? Yes. Well, so to speak. An UnderMain interview. LISTEN  

Listen to the full length program Listen by segment: One: Do undocumented immigrants = increased crime rates? This analysis says no. A conversation with Anna Flagg, Senior Data Reporter for The Marshall Project. LISTEN Two: Does quality public education = positive economic development? These educators say yes. Jeff Hawkins, Director of the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative, and Magoffin County Schools Superintendent Scott Helton on a new strategy for public education and economic development in Appalachian Kentucky. LISTEN Three: Can rural Kentucky benefit from ideas hatched in other parts of the world? This Eastern Kentucky leader says it can. An interview with Hindman Settlement School Director and newly minted Obama Foundation Fellow Brent Hutchinson. Might you kick yourself for forgetting this  before heading out for a hike in the back country? Wilderness survival expert Chris Begley says, probably. And, can an artist bring the Great Lakes to Kentucky? Yes. Well, so to speak. An UnderMain interview. LISTEN  

Listen by segment: One: Energy and Environmental reporter James Bruggers on efforts to weaken anti-pollution regulations along the Ohio River LISTEN Two: Gerry Roll of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and Lora Smith of the Appalachian Impact Fund on working toward economic rebirth in the aftermath of coal's decline LISTEN Three: Annie Rouse on Kentucky's booming new hemp industry and how the CBD industry is moving to police itself LISTEN  

Listen by segment: One: Energy and Environmental reporter James Bruggers on efforts to weaken anti-pollution regulations along the Ohio River LISTEN Two: Gerry Roll of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and Lora Smith of the Appalachian Impact Fund on working toward economic rebirth in the aftermath of coal's decline LISTEN Three: Annie Rouse on Kentucky's booming new hemp industry and how the CBD industry is moving to police itself LISTEN  

Listen by segment: One: Reniqua Allen's byline has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, Quartz, Buzzfeed, Teen-Vogue, and Glamour. And she has produced a range of films, video, and radio for PBS, MSNBC, WNYC and HBO. A recent visitor to the EKU campus for the university's Chautauqua Lecture Series, Reniqua stopped by WEKU to discuss her book, It Was All A Dream: How A New Generation is Navigating the Broken Promise of America. LISTEN Two: A new state program offers student loan forgiveness for education majors. The aim is to reverse as decline in the next wave of future teachers in Kentucky schools. Tom Martin visits with Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis and Dr. Sherry Powers, Dean of the EKU College of Education. LISTEN Three: The latest in our series, "Humans of Central Appalachia." Kateena Haynes of Cumberland, KY, CEO of the Harlan Boys & Girls Club and among those yearning to change the story about life in Eastern Kentucky. Also, Crystal Kinser, organizer of TEDx-Corbin. Coming in March, the event is the first TEDx in Appalachian Kentucky and the aim is to share ideas for the region's future. LISTEN

Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative Executive Director Jeff Hawkins and staff members Dessie Bowling and Bernadette Carpenter describe proposals put forth by KVEC school districts to better serve disadvantaged rural students and improve the economy in Appalachian Kentucky. Recommendations come from "A Region's Way Forward," a call to action for achieving learner equity and school centered community reinvention in economically distressed eastern Kentucky. Mimi Pickering host, and along the way, you'll hear some stories from the Ohio Valley ReSource about innovative KVEC initiatives over the past couple years.

Listen by segment: One: Reniqua Allen's byline has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, Quartz, Buzzfeed, Teen-Vogue, and Glamour. And she has produced a range of films, video, and radio for PBS, MSNBC, WNYC and HBO. A recent visitor to the EKU campus for the university's Chautauqua Lecture Series, Reniqua stopped by WEKU to discuss her book, It Was All A Dream: How A New Generation is Navigating the Broken Promise of America. LISTEN Two: A new state program offers student loan forgiveness for education majors. The aim is to reverse as decline in the next wave of future teachers in Kentucky schools. Tom Martin visits with Kentucky Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis and Dr. Sherry Powers, Dean of the EKU College of Education. LISTEN Three: The latest in our series, "Humans of Central Appalachia." Kateena Haynes of Cumberland, KY, CEO of the Harlan Boys & Girls Club and among those yearning to change the story about life in Eastern Kentucky. Also, Crystal Kinser, organizer of TEDx-Corbin. Coming in March, the event is the first TEDx in Appalachian Kentucky and the aim is to share ideas for the region's future. LISTEN

Abby Kerins was a poster presenter at the Lexington Farmer's Market on September 17th, 2011. Inspired by Alessandro Portelli, author of They Say in Harlan County, Kerins' research involved listening to (and reading transcripts of) oral histories from the coal-rich region of Appalachian Kentucky. Kerins focused on the role of women during coal miners' strikes in the 20th century. Kerins was mentored by Sociology professor Joanna Badagliacco. This podcast was produced by Cheyenne Hohman.

On July 25, 2013, Brian D. McKnight delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Contested Borderland: The Civil War in Appalachian Kentucky and Virginia." During the four years of the Civil War, the border between eastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia was highly contested territory, alternately occupied by both the Confederacy and the Union. In Contested Borderland, Brian McKnight examines the features of the region's geography and the influence of the attacks on borderlands caught in the crossfire of opposing forces. He reveals how the dual occupation of the Union and Confederate armies divided the borderland population, creating hostilities within the region that would persist long after the war's conclusion. Professor McKnight teaches history at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

On July 25, Brian D. McKnight delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Contested Borderland: The Civil War in Appalachian Kentucky and Virginia." During the four years of the Civil War, the border between eastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia was highly contested territory, alternately occupied by both the Confederacy and the Union. In Contested Borderland, Brian McKnight examines the features of the region's geography and the influence of the attacks on borderlands caught in the crossfire of opposing forces. He reveals how the dual occupation of the Union and Confederate armies divided the borderland population, creating hostilities within the region that would persist long after the war's conclusion. Professor McKnight teaches history at the University of Virginia's College at Wise.