Episodes 17 - 25

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 17
Date: December 13, 2011
Episode Title: ‘Round the Mountain: a regional Appalachian artisan network

Episode Description:
Debby Loggans provides an introduction to 'Round the Mountain, the Southwest Virginia Artisans Network. The dialogue reveals how ‘Round the Mountain links visitors to artisans, farms, galleries, and craft venues across the region. ‘Round the Mountain promotes sustainable economic development of the region's communities by assisting local artisans with marketing, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. Serving a nineteen-county region, ‘Round the Mountain has created a comprehensive directory of artisans, galleries, craft resources (including artisan schools, organizations and suppliers) and craft events throughout southwest Virginia. An artisan trail network connects Virginia artisan studios, shops, museums, unique restaurants and lodging, to feature locally-made crafts, foods and products of the Earth. ‘Round the Mountain’s juried arts and crafts at Heartwood were included in USA Today’s “10 Great Places to Shop at Craft Galleries” in December 2011.

Guest Bio – Debby Loggans:
Since 2006, Debby Loggans has served as the Programs Coordinator for ‘Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia’s Artisans Network, where she helped to establish the organization’s Business of Craft Institute. Designed for artisans and artisan venues at all levels of experience, the Business of Craft Institute offers practical and essential information about managing a craft business. Topics include sales, jury tips, marketing, social media, gallery basics, customer service, small business essentials, and craft merchandising. Prior to joining ‘Round the Mountain Debby Loggans gained over a decade of experience as Business Development Manager for People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia. She also worked for more than eleven years as the Office Manager for Bristol Herald Courier newspaper. Her community involvement includes serving in officer positions during her six-year term of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol/Washington County, Virginia.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 18
Date: December 20, 2011
Episode Title: Trains, trains, trains: Transportation models connecting Appalachia and America

Episode Description:
Rees Shearer reports on a grassroots organization, Rail Solution, which was initiated in 2003. He explains why Rail Solution began, in part to stop a Halliburton Corporation super-truckway plan, and how it has evolved after that initial success. He discusses policy work achievements, including a long list of resolutions and endorsements passed by many localities and Virginia General Assembly Members in support of the goals of Rail Solution. He explains how the Rail Solution regional partnerships have evolved into The Steel Interstate national initiative, describing the vision and dynamics behind this national concept. Host Joan Minor shares her delightful train transportation experiences from during the times she lived in Sweden. Rees Shearer responds to queries about the initial capital costs of massively upgrading America’s rail system, build out timelines, and next steps as citizens unite coast-to-coast to advocate for major changes in our entire national transportation system.

Guest Bio – Rees Shearer:
Chairman Rees Shearer founded RAIL Solution in 2003. A graduate of Duke University with a masters degree from ETSU, he is a retired elementary school counselor. His advocacy work was extensive even before he took up the cause of rail in the I-81 Corridor. He served as an Appalachian Volunteer in Kentucky’s Harlan County, as a VISTA Volunteer in northeastern Georgia, and as a community organizer for Churches in Action in southwest Virginia. He organized a handcraft marketing cooperative which still serves members 40 years later. Rees Shearer coordinated the Virginia Ninth District voter registration effort that exceeded its 30,000 new registrants goal. He served as Executive Director of the Coalition of American Electric Consumers from 1981 to 1983, helping to defeat American Electric Power Company’s proposal to create the world’s largest pumped storage dam in rural Brumley Gap, Virginia. Clinch Mountain area is preserved land now. He and his wife Kathy built their passive solar house.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 19
Date: December 27, 2011
Episode Title: Archaeology in Appalachia: Preserving Native American mounds & artifacts

Episode Description:
Alan Crockett explains about his interest in Native American mounds and offers an overview about the local mounds. He reports on the national Archaeological Conservancy preservation program and the significance of the Ely Mound, including his role as the site steward. He also talks about the recent excavation activities at the Carter Robinson Mound conducted by University of Kentucky and funded in part by National Geographic. Alan Crockett further discusses an ideal scenario for bringing Lee County artifacts back to Lee County. The dialogue includes an interesting story related to the Ely Mound and an 1877 excavation led by the Smithsonian Institute working with Harvard and the Peabody Museum. The Archaeological Conservancy has reported that the Ely Mound and the Carter Robinson Mound in Lee County are the only known remaining examples of Mississippian platform mounds in the state of Virginia. The Ely Mound was donated to the Conservancy in 2008 by the estate of Mrs. S.C. Hobbs.

Guest Bio – Alan Crockett:
Rose Hill resident Alan Crockett has spent a career as an educator in the Lee County schools. He has also spent years of volunteer efforts on archaeological historical preservation, leading to an award in 2009 recognizing him as the most outstanding amateur archaeologist in the state. Alan Crockett was honored by the Council of Virginia Archaeologists with the Virginia Sherman Award in January 2009. The award recognizes his outstanding achievements toward recording and protecting Lee County archaeological resources. An archaeologist for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources nominated Alan Crockett for the award. He reported that Alan Crockett has continually worked with Virginia archaeologists to promote public interpretation and protection of archaeological resources and understanding of Lee County archaeology. Alan Crockett was the first person west of Charlottesville to ever receive this state award.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 20
Date: January 3, 2012
Episode Title: Appalachian Winter Wonderland – Tourism Models & Online Visitor Marketing

Episode Description:
Today’s Appalachian Winter Wonderland tour begins with a Winter special in the Town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee at The Olde Mill Inn Bed & Breakfast. This lovely historic 1800’s renovated mill is snuggled in the mountains, next to a soothing year round creek, fed from a spring inside a mountain cave. The creek still moves the Inn’s Fitz Water wheel, once ran by Chief Black Fox and Daniel Boone’s brother and their families for over 100 years before it was moved to Cumberland Gap in the 1940’s. The tour includes a Winter Photo Weekend with a digital photography competition and a Highlands Winter Getaway package offering up to 8 miles of hiking on 3 guided hikes in one weekend, along with good food and nice lodging at scenic Pine Mountain State Resort Park in Kentucky. Through online visitor marketing, the Encyclopedia of Appalachia, and the Digital Library of Appalachia, Appalachians have helped to better define their place and culture and to share that information.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 21
Date: January 24, 2012
Episode Title: Celebrating bluegrass, country & “old time” heritage music alive & thriving today

Episode Description:
Join musician and Executive Director Jack Hinshelwood along The Crooked Road. In 2011, Smithsonian Magazine reported, “The Crooked Road, Virginia’s heritage music trail, winds for some 300 miles through the southwest corner of the state, from the Blue Ridge into deeper Appalachia, home to some of the rawest and most arresting sounds around… multilane highway in some spots and a harrowing slalom course in others.” The Lonely Planet travel guide book named The Crooked Road first among the 5 best USA trips, recommending readers “hightail it to western Virginia for a toe-tappin,’ knee-slappin,’ good time…at “old time” music venues that speckle the landscape between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian mountain ranges.” A New York Times 2011 travel cover story declared, “If there ever was a place where musical authenticity was born and nurtured, “raised up” as the people around here say, the Crooked Road is it.” The Crooked Road has gone beyond debut to a smashing national delight. It’s a hit!

Guest Bio – Jack Hinshelwood:
In August 2010, Jack Hinshelwood moved to Abingdon, Virginia to begin working as the Executive Director of The Crooked Road, Virginia's Heritage Music Trail. A former consulting engineer and outstanding musician, Jack Hinshelwood was originally from Shawsville, Virginia. He grew up in Christiansburg and is no stranger to The Crooked Road and its communities. As an award-winning guitarist and fiddler, he has performed at many of The Crooked Road venues and festivals, including the Carter Fold and the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. Jack Hinshelwood has also performed in the U.S. and Canada with New York Times Best Selling Author Sharyn McCrumb. In addition, he has toured Alaska with the Appalachian and Celtic music group Celtibillies. Prior to his position with The Crooked Road, he worked for more than twenty years as a consulting engineer helping Southwest Virginia communities to meet their infrastructure needs.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 22
Date: January 31, 2012
Episode Title: The Clinch dilemma: 27 endangered mussel species versus 700 vehicles per day

Episode Description:
The show opened with a reflection on the region’s biodiversity, recognized as one of The Last Great Places on Earth by The Nature Conservancy, and part of the six-state Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere, established decades ago by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Current events included the decaying Kyle’s Ford bridge over the Clinch River. When TDOT announced that the bridge would be closed for over a year, public outcry ensued. How could 27 endangered mussel species in the river remain protected, while simultaneously accommodating 700 vehicles of people travelling daily across the river, during a bridge replacement project? Further topics included Heartwood and ‘Round the Mountain hitting the USA Today Top Ten places in the nation to shop for crafts, within 6 months of Heartwood’s opening. Lonely Planet’s newest travel guide placed The Crooked Road first on its “5 of the USA’s Best Trips” list of travel destinations.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 23
Date: February 7, 2012
Episode Title: Appalachia’s On-going War on Poverty + Endless Pride in Heritage = Tourism

Episode Description:
A reflection on the portrayal of the region in the February 1993 issue of National Geographic magazine offered an in-depth visit to the heart of Appalachia. Did the construction of highways and broadband deployment open up the region for development and tourism, or simply better facilitate a mass exodus? Who owns the land and minerals rights in Appalachia and how does that affect development? Beyond just natural resource extraction, what’s next? Can Appalachians better tout their offerings to tourists and lead into a creative economic transformation based on culture, music and the great outdoors? Topics included mist, salamanders, honeysuckle, caves, Native American mounds, frontier tales, the great migration on The Wilderness Road Trail, the Civil War, coal camps and company towns, handmade and homegrown, the Homeplace of America’s Music, centers of art and culture, outdoor recreation, rivers and forests, scenic drives and vistas, and unique restaurants and lodging.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 24
Date: February 14, 2012
Episode Title: Brumley Gap, Hayter’s Gap & the Preservation of Clinch Mountain

Episode Description:
Over three decades ago, Brumley Gap Concerned Citizens and the Coalition of American Electric Consumers began their successful defeat of a 1978 Appalachian Power Company proposal to create the world’s largest pumped storage dam facility in Brumley Gap, Virginia. They sold cakes and quilts, paid for trips to Richmond and D.C., met with federal and state officials, attended shareholders’ meetings, testified before regulatory agencies, conducted a prayer service outside of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and attracted national attention. A leading utility analyst group helped to document that the project was too expensive and unnecessary. After a five-year fight, the power company dropped the proposal. Thirty years later, in 2008, the area became the 4,836-acre Channels State Forest and for the first time in Virginia’s State Forest history, a portion of the forest, the Great Channels of Virginia, also became a Virginia Natural Area Preserve, protecting 720 acres.

Appalachian Knowledge Economy with Joan Minor
Episode # 25
Date: February 21, 2012
Episode Title: More Success Stories: Rural Broadband Deployment & Grow Your Own Doctors

Episode Description:
Serving small Southwest Virginia communities deep in the heart of Appalachia, Scott County Telephone Cooperative is recognized for national leadership in rural fiber-to-the-premise broadband deployment. The Cooperative is featured as one of 6 ARRA Broadband Initiatives Program success stories on USDA Rural Development’s website. Broadband applications deep in the heart of Appalachia include establishing and expanding higher education institutions, even in small towns, to provide educational opportunities and alleviate shortages of health care professionals within the region. This “grow your own doctors” approach is building sustainable economic development and providing access to higher education. Topics include the founder of Osteopathic Medicine, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Appalachian School of Law, Appalachian College of Pharmacy, the upcoming Appalachian College of Optometry, and a proposed dental school and medical school.