Inspiring Appalachians

Three amazing Appalachians talk about their efforts to make their communities – be they local, regional or statewide – better places to live and thrive. Attorney John Rosenberg, who just turned 90, is the founding director of the Kentucky office of Appalachian Research & Defense Fund – AppalRed – and a founder of the Appalachian […]

Create Your State

This episode of Making Connections News is a recording from the Create Your State Tour, a musical, multimedia performance that inspires and empowers creative community revitalization and development. The presentation tells the inspiring story of arts-driven community transformation in Princeton, West Virginia, through the eyes of artists and cultural entrepreneurs Lori McKinney and Robert Blankenship, […]

Portal 31 Opens Economic Prospects

A former Harlan County, KY, coal mine that had produced more than 120 million tons of coal before closing in 1962 was reopened several years ago and now serves as a heritage tourism site drawing over 5,000 visitors a year, according to this report from the Ohio Valley ReSource. In 2018, the attraction was awarded […]

Woodbooger Legend Boosts Norton, VA Tourism

Tourists attracted to verdant mountain views, an abundance of nature and outdoor recreation opportunities, and a local legend are what city managers and others in Norton, VA are hoping will usher in the next chapter in the economic history of this region that has depended on coal mining for the past 100 years. Tourism in […]