Mountain News & World Report

In this episode we bring you stories about challenges to rural healthcare in the region, the last Neon Days Festival, and mine lands sitting idle across the country. First, Appalshop's Tayna Turner & Taylor Pratt spoke with women leading the 141-day-long-and-still-going-strong 24/7 peaceful protest outside Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, TN. They are there to publicly oppose Ballad Health’s decision to close the neonatal intensive care unit (or NICU) and to downgrade other services. Then, WMMT's Rachel Garringer spoke with Dr. Sam Quillen at Neon Days 2019 about the history of the festival, the town, and the uncertain future of small-town festivals. And finally, from Ohio Valley Resource reporter Britanny Patterson we learn about mine lands sitting idle across the region. Music on this episode features Music on this episode features Anna & Elizabeth with a tune called “The Very Day I’m Gone” from the JuneAppal Album by the same title which features songs of Addie Graham performed by contempora