Economic transition adv...

Gwenda Johnson has some advice for modern-day eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia about how we move our economy forward, and she talked about it recently with Making Connections News. From MCN: Johnson grew up on a family farm in Elliot County, and has worked as a county extension...

SOAR still important, b...

One week ago today, the Shaping Our Appalachian Region Initiative hosted it’s second summit in Pikeville, Ky. If readers will recall, SOAR started with much fanfare, excitement and anticipation two years ago. Since it’s inception, SOAR has been funneling millions of dollars...

Appalachian Regional Co...

The Appalachian Regional Commission has stated its next five-year strategic plan will increase emphasis on economic and community development efforts. In order to fully implement the best course of action to move Appalachia forward, the ARC will be seeking input from a variety of...

POWER Initiative to foc...

The Obama Administration announced today the implementation of a key part of its POWER Plus Plan to assist transition efforts in Central Appalachia: the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. The POWER Initiative will establish...
First official Trail Town in eastern Kentucky wants to develop economy around designation

First official Trail To...

By: Ivy Brashear Livingston, Ky., is a small place. At last count in 2010, the total population was 226 people. Main Street isn’t long enough for a single stoplight. Even when the L&N Railroad first came through town in 1870, Livingston stayed small. But the town’s size hasn’t kept...
MACED helps create possible new economic model for rural communities

MACED helps create poss...

By: Ivy Brashear The City of Berea in Madison County, Ky., hopes the Berea Artist Accelerator, an innovative new program born of a unique set of partnerships, will help plug the leak of Berea College graduates fleeing town after graduation, and in the process, become a model example for...
Transition Stories: Whitesburg businesses build something together

Transition Stories: Whi...

One thing Amelia Kirby and David Fisher both knew when they opened businesses in downtown Whitesburg was that they wouldn’t get rich. They knew it was about something larger. I. Summit City When Kirby and her partner, Joel Beverly, opened Summit City Lounge in 2007, they had a feeling...
Re-emphasizing Appalachia’s Importance

Re-emphasizing Appalach...

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said at this month’s Rural Futures Conference that now is the time “to re-emphasize, re-educate and remind America of the importance of rural America” because “rural America is ready to capitalize on economic and societal changes.” (AP...