NPR and Member stations in Appalachia and the Mid-South have launched a collaboration aimed at strengthening local news coverage and bringing more stories from this region to the rest of the country.
For thousands of years, pearls have been a prized gemstone used to craft jewelry and other adornments. But North America has just one freshwater pearl farm that cultivates the shiny objects, located at Kentucky Lake in western Tennessee.
20,000 people watched a Black man hang in Kentucky 90 years ago. A new book looks at why
A new book from a Kentucky native details the last public hanging in the United States, which took place in Owensboro 1936, and examines it through the lens of lynch culture in America.
Despite federal shutdown, local and state funds keep Great Smoky Mountains National Park open
After the federal government shutdown cut staffing and services at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, local governments and nonprofits in the region stepped up to foot the bill and keep the park open during the peak fall season.
Teacher turns invasive carp into food for injured birds of prey
Carp have increasingly become a nuisance in waterways across the country. A Kentucky high school teacher and his students are using the invasive fish to feed injured raptors, like bald eagles, vultures and hawks.
Low-head dams pose risks in Appalachia, but some people aren’t ready to see them go
State officials in Appalachia have labeled low-head dams as public safety hazards, with some even being responsible for deaths. But some community members are hesitant to have the fixtures removed.
Plants, pollinators and people: The push to restore the Ohio River Basin
A new plan to protect and restore the waters of the Ohio River Basin recommends dozens of regional solutions to tackle interlinked environmental problems.
National Quilt Museum program aims to stitch together math, fiber arts for students
A new initiative pieced together by the National Quilt Museum is using the fiber arts to teach K-12 students about geometry and other mathematical principles.
Kentucky hemp company suing Tennessee over ‘discriminating’ hemp law
A Kentucky company says a new Tennessee law regulating hemp discriminates against
out-of-state businesses.
Disability services in Appalachia face defunding under proposed federal budget cuts
Advocates are concerned funding cuts proposed by the Trump administration could eliminate some forms of disability services, including all University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.
In America’s EV battery belt, Kentucky is next test for the UAW
Nearly 1,500 workers at a massive electric vehicle battery plant in Kentucky have an important election coming up. Hourly workers at the BlueOval SK Battery Park will vote on whether they should join the United Auto Workers Union.
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