The 2026 print edition of The Appalachian Voice will be available on newsstands beginning this month! 🗞️ 🎉 Please sign up to get copies for yourself and to share with others. Use this form to order free copies of the newspaper for yourself or others: https://appvoices.org/voice/distribution-2026/

“If this President or any politician truly wants to talk about the coal industry, they need to start by protecting the people who make it possible: the miners.” #BlackLungKills kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/01/p...

If you were around the KY/VA border  on HWY 23 last Friday, you might have heard the sounds of an Appalachian shindig in downtown Pound. Pound, usually known for having almost lost its charter because of widespread corruption, is now showing up as a leader in true community-led revitalization. 1/5

If you were around the KY/VA border  on HWY 23 last Friday, you might have heard the sounds of an Appalachian shindig in downtown Pound. Pound, usually known for having almost lost its charter because of widespread corruption, is now showing up as a leader in true community-led revitalization. 1/5

vrha.org/work-for-vrha/ If anyone is interested in furthering a career in medical education in rural areas!

Yesterday, MSHA's silica dust rule was supposed to go into effect for all metal and non-metal mines. A year ago, it should have gone into effect for coal mines. Neither has occurred. MSHA is negotiating with industry to weaken the rule and blaming self-imposed constraints to delay action.

Today the President released his FY27 Budget Proposal. It contains harmful cuts to programs important to Eastern Kentucky. Read our Statement: aclc.org/2026/04/03/a...

The ProPublica union has voted to authorize a strike. Around 150 journalists, videographers, copy editors and more voted to authorize, with 92% of the union voting yes. ProPublica allegedly rejected restrictions on replacing jobs with AI, and hasn't met other union concerns.

Another AI-generated grant landed in my inbox today so let’s chat about why, exactly, folks shouldn’t use AI for project applications. It can be really appealing, esp. in rural areas like SWVA where there are often few/no paid town employees and leaders play multiple roles within their community.1/9

#SouthwestVirginia has faced repeated floods in recent years, and there is a great need for better preparation for climate related disasters. That's why we're working with local residents to plan resilience projects and ensure that local voices lead the way. #SWVA Read more: https://loom.ly/7fgt9oo

Another AI-generated grant landed in my inbox today so let’s chat about why, exactly, folks shouldn’t use AI for project applications. It can be really appealing, esp. in rural areas like SWVA where there are often few/no paid town employees and leaders play multiple roles within their community.1/9

The Interior Department has rescinded more than 80% of its prior rules under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA, one of the country’s foundational environmental laws, requires federal agencies to conduct detailed reviews of how proposed projects could impact surrounding communities,

It’s time for my confession

It’s time for my confession

The coalfields of SWVA are covered in snow and ice so it seemed like a good time to bust out a cozy cookbook and try this lemon cake, make with vanilla tea-infused butter and a cream cheese icing.

The coalfields of SWVA are covered in snow and ice so it seemed like a good time to bust out a cozy cookbook and try this lemon cake, make with vanilla tea-infused butter and a cream cheese icing.

“Everyone deserves a safe community, clean air and water, safety on the job, and the basic constitutional protections at the foundation of our democracy. We urge our country’s leaders to work together to ensure that all of these rights are protected.”

Did #bison live in #Appalachia? 🦬 Indigenous and archaeological records indicate that bison were found in nearly every state. In Letcher County, KY, an Indigenous organization is seeking to reintroduce bison on 63 acres of a reclaimed mountaintop removal coal mine. https://loom.ly/4wf2D3o

If anyone wants to yell to the VA state legislators about clean energy, data centers, and community resilience, join us starting this Friday! appvoices.org/swva-hollers/

i would compare these people to comic book villains but that's unfair, thanos only wanted to kill half of us

If anyone wants to yell to the VA state legislators about clean energy, data centers, and community resilience, join us starting this Friday! appvoices.org/swva-hollers/

www.npca.org/articles/112... So glad Carol and her movement down here in EKY is getting some love!

More than 17 years have passed since a massive rupture at a Tennessee Valley Authority plant spilled more than 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash into Harriman, Tenn., but the event is still raw for families of those who cleaned up the toxic sludge. From @wildlystrollingben.bsky.social.

“The U.S. is ‘going to run the country,” Trump said of Venezuela at a news conference today, following the U.S. capture of his South American counterpart. “We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transitions,’ he said.” Per NBC

“The U.S. is ‘going to run the country,” Trump said of Venezuela at a news conference today, following the U.S. capture of his South American counterpart. “We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transitions,’ he said.” Per NBC

If you’re feeling the holiday spirit, consider throwing a few dollars to Lonesome Pine Mutual Aid! After getting more than $20k directly into the hands of folks in need, our coffers could use a boost. CashApp is $carecollectiveofswva and Venmo @carecollectiveofswva. Just label the donation “LPMA”!

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has finally received full federal recognition, which it has sought since 1888. Tribal leaders were moved to tears after President Trump signed the measure. n.pr/3L95mJU

If you’re feeling the holiday spirit, consider throwing a few dollars to Lonesome Pine Mutual Aid! After getting more than $20k directly into the hands of folks in need, our coffers could use a boost. CashApp is $carecollectiveofswva and Venmo @carecollectiveofswva. Just label the donation “LPMA”!

"Lee Beaman is an unacceptable candidate for the TVA Board of Directors, and we’re hopeful that his removal from the agenda today is a sign that the committee is taking a closer look and will ultimately halt his confirmation process," said Appalachian Voices in a statement.

"Lost nationwide: $1.6 billion for building emergency shelters, treating drinking water and adapting to a changing climate." loom.ly/ti52Pxg #DisasterResilience #Appalachia #FloodMitigation

Hell yeah let’s goooooo

“It was a once-in-a-generation cash injection designed to prioritize extraction-based communities as part of the energy transition, which for the first time in almost a century made Appalachia very competitive. So to have it all taken away is deeply damaging and demoralizing.”

@moreperfectunion.bsky.social produced this story in partnership with @appalachia100.bsky.social on Mingo County, West Virginia. Such an important watch: "...the communities that are being presented with this, they're not going to take it quietly, and they haven't been."

💡 Cut your building’s energy costs! Building UP may help cover up to $15,000 in upgrades to boost efficiency and savings for qualifying buildings in Southwest Virginia! To learn more and apply: https://www.solarfinancefund.org/swva-building-upgrade/

If any of my mountain peeps in the SEKY/SWVA area wants to share this around, we are trying to fill some bellies and get some toys to kids in need.

Yesterday, over 25 folks gathered in the public library in Middlesboro, KY, to watch a documentary screening about the movement they’ve created showing support for Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and its rangers while the new admin. tries to rip it apart. 🧵 1/4

Yesterday, over 25 folks gathered in the public library in Middlesboro, KY, to watch a documentary screening about the movement they’ve created showing support for Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and its rangers while the new admin. tries to rip it apart. 🧵 1/4

JD Vance claims that diversity weakens unions, as people end up distrusting each other and not organizing. Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵

The president has still not signed the governors disaster declaration request for Alaska. This is directly keeping funding out of the hands of disaster survivors who need it.

Before catastrophic floods swept through the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk on Sunday, the EPA canceled a $20 million grant intended to protect the community from extreme flooding. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/c...

Tomorrow, 10/14, #CoalMiners and their families and supporters are rallying in front of the Dept. of Labor to demand that the administration stop delaying a rule meant to protect miners from #BlackLung disease. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/climate/coal-miners-black-lung-protest-trump.html

NEW: ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the Trump administration’s cuts to an aid program.

The conservation world lost one of its guiding lights on Wednesday when renowned primatologist Jane Goodall passed away at 91. Over 65 years studying chimpanzees in the wild, Goodall proved that primates are a lot like people. But her impact goes far beyond chimps. 🧵

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

Have spent a couple cloudy, drizzly days bouncing around NC/SC practicing photography with my dad. One year post Helene, it still hurts to see remaining damage and compare with SWVA