“Ninety-Nine and Half Won’t Do” Broadband for All

On October 12 people gathered at the Appalshop in Whitesburg, Kentucky to talk about the importance of broadband Internet access in our rural communities. With it, we can connect to anyone in the world, send and receive information, take classes, start businesses, compete with the world. Without it, we are condemned to fall further and further behind. This […]

Mountain Talk – The Rural Broadband Hearing

On October 12 a group gathered at Appalshop to talk about the importance of accessible, affordable high-speed Internet in Appalachian communities. Residents from across the region came to share their concerns and ideas with special guests Jonathan Adelstein, administrator of the Rural Utilities Service in the US Dept. of Agriculture, and Mark DeFalco from the Appalachian Regional […]

Solar By Necessity: Elijah & Guylaine Collett

ARTICLE by Willie Davis: In 1999, after a hard day of working as a freelance electrician, Elijah Collett turned on his computer.  His son was teaching him how to use the Internet, but aside from a few religious websites, he didn’t have much interest in it.  That evening, however, he decided to try his hand […]

Williamson: Taking a Leap to Reach ‘Sustainable’

ARTICLE by Willie Davis:  In 1931, the Williamson, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce released a booklet celebrating the town.  The cover shows, embedded within a cartoon heart, a photograph of the Williamson skyline. We see a bustling, industrious town perched above the Tug River with a railroad shifting coal cars to and from the rest […]