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.
Forests in the Appalachian Mountains may soon see more logging due to new executive orders and the possible end of certain protections.
Religious, immigrant groups sue Tennessee over law on ‘harboring’ immigrants
A new Tennessee law would impose criminal penalties for housing immigrants without legal status. The lawsuit hopes to block the law before it takes effect July 1.
Vanderbilt poll: Americans value higher education but are losing faith in its institutions
Most Americans believe that a college education is vital for success, but confidence in higher education — especially private universities — is declining, according to the latest polling by Vanderbilt University.
Checking in on ‘community benefits agreements’ in Tennessee — and the new law curbing them
A new Tennessee law that takes effect in July will ban “community benefits agreements” for companies that have received state economic incentives. It arrives seven years after the state’s first such agreement.
Finding art in nature with cicada Brood XIV
Brood XIV is emerging across Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. While the cicadas are annoying to some, they offer profound meaning to others.
Whitewater rafting rebounding in Hartford after being battered by Helene
Many small communities that dot the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains rely on whitewater rafting for tourism. In September, Hurricane Helene brought devastating flooding to the region, destroying many outdoor water adventure businesses. Now, some are starting to bounce back.
The long-term impact of violent loss: Reflecting on the crimes and execution of Oscar Smith
Casey Smith was just under 3 years old when he lost his mom Judith Robirds Smith and two half brothers, Chad and Jason Burnett. His father, Oscar Franklin Smith, is scheduled to be executed Thursday morning for the 1989 murders. It would be Tennessee’s first execution by lethal injection since 2019.
Tennessee can charge people for crimes they didn’t commit, advocates want reform
In Tennessee, prosecutors can charge people for crimes committed by another person, even if they weren’t directly responsible. Activist groups are working with state legislators to change that.
To combat monarch butterfly population loss, federal officials seek threatened status
Monarch butterflies are migrating through parts of the South and Midwest as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public comment on a proposal to list them as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
In rural Appalachia, drivers can save money with EVs. Tennessee researchers want to speed the transition.
Rural residents might stand to benefit more than their urban counterparts by switching to electric vehicles.
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