Echoes of Appalachia
“Stories, culture, and memories from the heart of Appalachia.”
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Category: Appalachian Mountains
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In a sweeping victory driven by determined grassroots organizing, residents of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, have successfully blocked Balico LLC’s proposal to build what would have been Virginia’s largest natural gas power plant at 3,500 megawatts alongside a hyperscale data center campus spanning 750 to 2,200 acres. Their resistance highlights deep concerns over air pollution, health…
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When it comes to the majestic Appalachian Mountains, those ancient ridges that define the landscape and heritage of East Tennessee, residents expect their elected officials to protect the land that feeds their identity, economy, and culture. Yet, for years, Senator Marsha Blackburn has offered little more than political lip service. While the Appalachian region faces…
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Appalachia at Risk: Trump Era Green Light Lets Bankrupt Coal Firm Invade Monongahela National Forest
The Monongahela National Forest remains one of the few untouched stretches of the central hardwood region, home to black bears, endangered bat species, and some of the cleanest headwaters in the eastern United States. But in the final days of Donald Trump’s presidency, a controversial permit was granted to a bankrupt coal company to expand…
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Since September, Appalachia has been overwhelmed by a string of natural disasters that have pushed the region into a state of constant recovery. Towns tucked into the valleys of the Appalachian Mountains, once known for their scenic beauty and tight-knit communities, are now struggling against a surge of what meteorologists have called 1,000-year floods. The…
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Foreign investors are steadily acquiring farmland across the Appalachian region, raising questions among locals, lawmakers, and watchdogs about who’s behind these purchases, what they plan to do with the land, and what it means for the future of the region’s rural communities. While the full picture is often hidden behind layers of LLCs and incomplete…
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Ten months have passed since Hurricane Helene devastated the Appalachian region in September 2024, but signs of recovery remain uneven at best. Entire communities are still struggling to pick up the pieces, and for many, life has not returned to anything resembling normal. The storm was one of the most catastrophic weather events in the…
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Across the backroads and small towns of rural Appalachia, opportunity is hard to come by, and families are doing their best just to get by. And now, thanks to Tennessee’s school voucher program, they’re being told they have “choice” but it’s a cruel joke. Because for much of rural Appalachia, there is no choice at…
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The opioid crisis remains one of the most devastating public health emergencies in modern American history. With roots dating back to the late 1990s, this epidemic has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands and disrupted entire communities. At the heart of the crisis lies the role of pharmaceutical companies, particularly Purdue Pharma, whose aggressive…
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In a stunning move that has gone largely unnoticed in mainstream coverage, President Donald Trump’s proposed discretionary budget includes a jaw-dropping 93 percent cut to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). This reduction would slash the agency’s funding from $200 million to just $14 million, effectively crippling one of the most important support systems for one…
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In the hills and hollers of Appalachia, there is a season that never appears on any calendar. It is marked not by the weather but by the clink of Mason jars, the hiss of pressure cookers, and the scent of boiling vegetables drifting from every open window. Folks around here call it canning time, and…
Echoes of Appalachia 