"There's four words a girl loves to hear," said Cynthia Nicholson at a December rally outside the Tudor's Biscuit World location where she works. "Tudor's biscuits and unions."

In West Virginia, Tudor’s Biscuit World is widely beloved, part of the fabric of the state’s heritage.  Many will say a strong labor movement is in their heritage, too. When the workers at one store in Elkview, a small town outside of Charleston, decided to start a union, it made waves throughout the state.  Katie Myers visits workers at the store to hear them, in their own words, tell their story.  

Music in this episode is "Everybody's Favorite," by John Herrod, from June Appal Recordings.

This story is part of the “America Amplified” initiative. America Amplified is a national public media collaboration focused on community engagement reporting.

This reporting is a part of WMMT's new labor series.

Four Words A Girl Loves to Hear: Tudor's Biscuits and Unions

This program features a special selection of conversations with Appalachian African Americans. There's no Appalachian history without Black history. Despite so many of the stereotypes about this region, African Americans have long been a vital part of the fabric of mountain communities. As part of a project called AppalHealth, we've been conducting oral history interviews with Black East Kentuckians, talking to people both about their lives and experiences in general, and also asking folks in particular about their experiences with healthcare. The interviews were led by Appalshop's Tiffany Sturdivant, and  Tiffany will take things from here.

Black Appalachians Talk Health & Healthcare

Jason Bailey, Director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, at the July 6 Hazard, KY Public Hearing stated that Governor Bevin's proposed changes to Kentucky's Medicaid expansion would move Kentucky backwards instead of building on the health and economic gains the state has experienced. For more on KCEP's analysis of the plan -http://kypolicy.org/summary-governors-proposed-medicaid-changes/
Send your comments on the Medicaid waiver by Friday 7/22 to kyhealth@ky.gov

Jason Bailey Testimony @ Hazard KY Medicaid Hearing

Dr. Schuster is executive director of the Advocacy Action Network which advocates for Kentuckians with disabilities, particularly regarding behavioral disabilities and access to health care. She called on the Bevin Administration to treat the 500,000 additional Kentuckians now receiving Medicaid as valuable members of our state, even though they may be poor.

Send your comments on the Medicaid waiver by Friday 7/22 to kyhealth@ky.gov

Dr. Sheila Schuster Speaks on Behavioral Health Issues @ Hazard Medicaid Hearing

Heather Wehrheim, representing the American Lung Association, was  critical of Gov. Bevin's Medicaid proposal for increasing barriers to health care and stated that the ALA was especially alarmed with plans to limit access to tobacco cessation treatments in a state with the highest smoking and lung cancer rates.


Send your comments on the Medicaid waiver by Friday 7/22 to kyhealth@ky.gov

Heather Wehrheim, American Lung Assoc. @ Hazard Medicaid Hearing

Teresa Tice works for a physican in private practice who does not offer health insurance. At age 63, Ms. Tice would have no insurance if not for Kentucky's Medicaid expansion. She stated that she raised two sons as a divorced mother, has worked all her life, and "I certainly would hope that may state would not decide that I am too lazy, too poor, and too inconsequential to have health care."
Send your comments on the Medicaid waiver by Friday 7/22 to kyhealth@ky.gov

Teresa Tice, Bulan KY @ Hazard Medicaid Hearing

The 2016 Appalachian Media Institute interns speak with WMMT about their experiences in this year’s Summer Documentary Institute and thoughts about the region and their futures within it.  Since 1988, Appalshop’s Appalachian Media Institute (AMI) has provided opportunities for young people from central Appalachia to explore their communities and develop their creative skills through the arts and media. This is a pivotal time for central Appalachia as we work for a transition to a more diversified regional economy, and this year AMI focused on Envisioning Our Future. Six youth from eastern Kentucky participated in this 8-week program providing training in documentary storytelling and a chance to explore, produce and share youth-led visions for the region’s future. 

Appalachian Youth Envision Their Future

Over 30 people spoke out about KY Governor Matt Bevin’s proposed changes to the state’s Medicaid system that through its expansion has seen almost 500,000 low income Kentuckians find health care coverage. WMMT covered the July 7 Public Hearing in Hazard on the Section 11-15 Medicaid waiver that the Bevin Administration is seeking. This Mountain Talk features comments from health care providers, mental health advocates, policy analysts, and regular works who work with those on Medicaid or are themselves beneficiaries of the program.

Kentucky Voices for Health and the Kentucky Center for Budget Policy and Kentucky Voices for Health are also good sources of information.

Proposed Medicaid Changes Criticized In Hazard

Each year Durham Book Festival works in partnership with Durham University to invite an acclaimed poet to become the Festival Laureate. In 2017, we welcomed Andrew McMillan to the role. Here, Andrew reads his specially commissioned poem.

Andrew McMillan’s debut collection physical was the first ever poetry collection to win The Guardian First Book Award. The collection also won the Fenton Aldeburgh Award and a Northern Writers’ Award.

Andrew McMillan – Commissioned poem

As efforts continue to rebuild the economy of eastern Kentucky, the quality of the educational system, so dependent on the excellence and commitment of the region's educators, is a critical part of the solution, as is adequate state support for health care, social services, public protection, and economic development. WMMT aired this report on a Dec. 2, 2017 rally by Letcher County teachers and other state workers who opposed a plan put forth by Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and GOP leaders that would drastically overhaul the public pension system, and, the educators say, make it much more difficult to attract and retain the most qualified teachers and other public servants. At the rally, speakers called on the legislature to keep its promise to provide a livable pension after years of public service, and to address the real issue facing the state - the need for tax reform that raises the revenue necessary to support a high quality educational system and the public services that benefit all Kentuckians. Gov. Bevin did not succeed in calling a special session in 2017, but the issue of pension reform is high on the agenda as the 2018 General Assembly begins. For further information, the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (kypolicy.org)has outlined possible revenue options to fund the Kentucky pension system, education, and other essential services.

A Pension Is A Promise

In this episode we’re talking about coal company bankruptcies, creative uses for abandoned mine lands funds, and diabetes prevention. 

First, we hear WMMT’s Sydney Boles interviewing Cornell University professor Josh Macey about the ways coal companies use bankruptcy to avoid cleaning up the land and paying employees. 

Then, from Ohio Valley Resource Reporter Becca Schimmel we learn about how Murray Energy’s bankruptcy could bring a collapse of coal miners’ pensions. And, from OVR Reporter Brittany Patterson we learn about Harlan County, Kentucky’s Portal 31 Coal Mine Tour. 

And last, for National Diabetes Month Parker Hobson brings us a story about pre-diabetes, and diabetes prevention.

Environmental, Community, & Individual Health

A Story Bank Sharing New Ideas, Opportunities & Challenges For Diversifying Appalachia's Economy & Renewing Her Communities, from WMMT-FM & Appalshop Community Media Initiative

Black Appalachians Talk Health & Healthcare

Making Connections News

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