Written by Contributing Writers
Contributing Writers
Research on Larry Gibson dedicated to the West Virginia & Regional History Center
Marybeth Lorbiecki compiled 1,283 pages of research to produce a biography on Larry Gibson that was officially transferred in March to the West Virginia & Regional History Center at West Virginia University. Her research chronicles Gibson’s rise from an unknown working-class man into the international star he’d become for environmental activists.
Virginia Tech’s solar projects power campus toward carbon neutrality goal
As part of its commitment to sustainability, Virginia Tech has taken a significant step toward reducing its carbon footprint by completing four 1.2-megawatt solar arrays on building rooftops across its Blacksburg campus in fall 2024.
Swipe to Support: How two college students are tackling hunger in Appalachia
In October 2024, alongside a few friends, Osmani founded a grassroots organization, Swipe to Support, designed to redistribute their unused swipes to fight food insecurity in Appalachia.
How a skate park became a long-term disaster relief hub
What started as a simple act of checking in with each other after Hurricane Helene quickly turned into State Line Resource Station, a grassroots relief effort that has since provided thousands of people with food, supplies and long-term recovery assistance, operating out of Zionville Ramp Co., an indoor skate park in Trade, Tennessee.
Endangered species listing could help save Eastern hellbenders in Appalachian streams
On Dec. 12, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposal to classify the Eastern hellbender, the largest aquatic salamander in North America, as endangered.
Community-based Indigenous organization acquires property on proposed federal prison site as part of grassroots effort to create a different future for Eastern Kentucky
The Appalachian Rekindling Project held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate its recent purchase of a 63-acre plot of land within the currently designated boundaries of a federal prison proposed for construction in Letcher County, Kentucky.
Animal shelter finds the purr-fect solar solution to cutting costs
Funding for a rural Kentucky animal shelter was limited, but a cluster of federal grants made the installation of a solar array a real possibility. The project will reduce utility costs and serve as a clean energy example in a community that has long relied on the coal industry.
Community efforts to repair private roads and bridges underway in NC, hopeful for FEMA funding
Hurricane Helene washed out or damaged thousands of private roads, driveways and bridges in late September across multiple states, but many families are still waiting for help to rebuild access to their homes.
In “Valley so Low,” an environmental disaster creates a crisis for cleanup workers – and restitution proves elusive
“Valley So Low” explores 15 years of harm to the workers who cleaned up the Kingston Coal Ash Spill and their pursuit of justice.
‘We are deserving of a voice:’ How Native American culture and connection fuel Venus Evans’ advocacy
Venus Evans’ desire for community among other Appalachian Native Americans has grown into advocating for tribes across Kentucky to be seen, recognized and supported.
