What it takes to reenergize Southwest Virginia

Economic development in Southwest Virginia could get a long overdue jumpstart with the suggestions Virginia Energy outlined in its Reenergize Southwest Final Report. The report, which was released in December 2021, makes recommendations for the General Assembly to support the economic transition in the coalfields after eliminating the state’s coal tax credits in 2021.

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New Economy Network looking to 2021 at November meeting

CONTACT: Austin Counts, New Economy Field Coordinator, austin@appvoices.org, (276) 219-2751 Southwest Virginia — The New Economy Network will host a virtual meeting on November 18th, from 6 – 8 p.m., to discuss the network’s goals for 2021. All are invited to join the discussion of ideas and insights for supporting a transitioning economy in Southwest…

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Coal community leaders release historic platform for national economic transition

Built on community-driven solutions by local, tribal and labor leaders, NET Platform pushes for bold investments in national transition program for those hit hardest by changing coal economy CONTACT: Trey Pollard, Just Transition Fund tpollard@justtransitionfund.org 202-904-9187 Cat McCue, Appalachian Voices cat@appvoices.org 434-293-6373 Listen to the 1-hour press tele-conference here. NATIONWIDE – Today, 80 local, regional,…

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Community discussion to focus on ecotourism in Southwest Virginia

CONTACTS: Tyler Hughes New Economy Program Manager, Appalachian Voices 276-207-8686, tyler@appvoices.org The New Economy Network of Southwest Virginia and Appalachian Voices are hosting a community discussion on ecotourism in Pennington Gap on Tuesday, August 27. The meeting is free and refreshments will be served. The community discussion will feature a panel of local residents who…

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RECLAIM Act back in Congress

The bill to expedite spending of $1 billion in coal-impacted communities to repurpose old mine sites for new economic projects has been reintroduced into Congress with bipartisan support.

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“After Coal,” Beyond the Big Screen

By Samantha Eubanks Appalachia has long been misrepresented in media. As a result, many filmmakers working in the region have made a push to ensure accurate portrayals of community members. One way the filmmakers are doing this is by including the input and feedback of documentary participants. In “Hollow,” a 2013 Peabody award winning interactive…

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Stars Twinkle in Calhoun County

In West Virginia’s rural Calhoun County, which boasts some of the darkest skies across the eastern United States, a proposed starpark will allow professional and amateur astronomers to study the night sky with minimal light pollution.

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“Hollow” Documentary Wins Award

By Kelsey Boyajian Throughout “Hollow,” an interactive online documentary, the lush hills of Appalachia are juxtaposed beside stripped mountaintops. Through the stories of 30 individuals living in rural McDowell County, W.Va., director and producer Elaine McMillion uses a combination of web and film to spotlight the history and aspirations of the county’s 21,000 residents, and…

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Knoxville: “The Sustainable City”

By Nolen Nychay Knoxville, Tenn. ranks second in the nation for growth in green jobs and is one of only a handful of American cities to have fully bounced back from the economic recession, according to a recent Brookings Institute report. Since 2006, the city has reduced carbon emissions by 17 percent, and under Mayor…

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