Homer Hickam is a true West Virginia hero. Raised in Coalwood, a mining town in southern West Virginia, he went on to fight in the Vietnam War, work for NASA, and become a best-selling author. His book, Rocket Boys, was made into the popular movie October Sky. In this episode, he shares with Garrett stories from his life that reveal how his upbringing in West Virginia contributed to his success. Homer tells about the inspiration behind his books, expresses his love for the Appalachian mountains, and gives his thoughts about education, the importance of community, and so much more. He even gives a sneak peek into some upcoming projects that he is working on. Garrett’s conversation with Homer evokes a sense of both comforting familiarity and otherworldliness. This episode of Forgotten America will leave you in awe of how much things have changed since the 40s but also grateful for the resilience of the Mountaineer Spirit.   Follow Homer’s work by visiting his website: https://homerhickam.com/ Get a copy of his newest book, Don’t Blow Yourself Up, here: https://homerhickam.com/project/dont-blow-yourself-up/ October Sky (movie adaptation of his memoir, Rocket Boys): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132477/ Coalwood, WV: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalwood,_West_Virginia Buddy Ebsen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Ebsen Jake Gyllenhaal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Gyllenhaal Carrying Albert Home: https://homerhickam.com/project/carrying-albert-home/   Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

This episode of Forgotten America opens with a brief walk down memory lane. Garrett shares how he first met Dr. Thompson at his Moral Foundations of Capitalism seminar at Clemson University. Dr. Thompson’s lecture was a catalyst moment for Garrett that led him down a career path that brought him home to run the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, a free market think tank. Dr. Bradley Thompson was born in Canada, but he considered himself an American born in the wrong country from a young age. He tells the story of how hitchhiking through the United States was a formative experience for him and explains that he chose to explore rural America this way for two reasons: to discover America and to discover himself. This episode of the Forgotten America podcast explores the origins of Dr. Thompson’s Substack entitled Redneck Intellectual, how COVID impacted a generation of young men and women, what makes classical education unique, and the importance of fatherhood. If you enjoy thinking about the big questions of life, this episode is one that you won’t want to miss. The Well Trained Mind (online resource) https://welltrainedmind.com/ The Well Trained Mind: The Essential Edition (book) C. Bradley Thompson, Professor at Clemson University and Executive Director for the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism https://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/capitalism/cisc/bradley-thompson.html Dr. Thompson’s website: https://cbradleythompson.com/ The American Mountain People: National Geographic https://www.amazon.com/American-Mountain-National-Geographic-Society/dp/B00PAC6LMY The How and Why Book of the American Revolution https://www.amazon.com/How-Book-American-Revolution-Wonder/dp/B000BOZY3I The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountainhead Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand https://aynrand.org/novels/atlas-shrugged/ Fathers and Sons, American Style https://cbradleythompson.com/fathers-and-sons-american-style/ LocoFoco Press https://cbradleythompson.substack.com/p/announcement-from-the-redneck-intellectual Twitter: @CBradleyThomps1   Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Sarah Montalbano is the Policy Manager for the Alaska Policy Forum and a senior fellow with the Independent Women’s Forum. She was born and raised in Wasilla, AK, and her family has roots in the state from the era before Alaskan statehood. Sarah joins the Forgotten America podcast to share about the culture, natural beauty, and economic growth of the state. Garrett & Sarah discuss public policy challenges Alaska faces, art and culture, and the history of the native population as well as how Alaskans handle issues of conservation and responsible land development.   Follow @SarahMontalban0 and at IWF, Young Voices, and Alaska Policy Forum.  Additional Resources for This Episode Wasilla, Alaska: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasilla,_Alaska Alaska Policy Forum: https://alaskapolicyforum.org/author/sarahm/ Mat-Su Valley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanuska-Susitna_Valley Alaska Permanent Fund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund Endless Wall Trail in West Virginia https://www.nps.gov/places/endless-wall-trail.htm Hatcher Pass Alaska https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatcher_Pass 229 federally recognized federally recognized Alaskan native villages. Alaska Federation of Natives: https://www.nativefederation.org/ Alaska Native Corporations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Native_Claims_Settlement_Act 13 regional corporations that generate revenues and distribute them to shareholders Denali National Park: https://www.alaska.org/destination/denali-national-park Hobo Jim State Balladeer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo_Jim Bus 142 from Into the Wild: https://www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/ethno/projects/bus_142/index.php Into the Wild (book): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild_(book) Firecracker Boys (book): https://www.amazon.com/Firecracker-Boys-Dan-ONeill/dp/0465003486   Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Jerry Apps is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of more than 35 books. He is a storyteller and historian, joining the Forgotten America podcast to share about his life growing up on a dairy farm in rural, central Wisconsin. Born during the Great Depression, his youth inspired much of his subsequent work and his love for rural America. He joins Garrett to discuss his upcoming book, Farms & Rural Communities: An Agricultural Ethic for the Future. If you’ve ever enjoyed listening to a beloved grandparent tell stories of their childhood, you’ll particularly enjoy this episode which dives into the history of family farming and much of the forgotten history of rural life in America.   Follow Jerry’s work at https://jerryapps.com/ Purchase a copy of his new book from Fulcrum Books. Signed copies are available.   Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Nick Deiuliis is a chemical engineer, attorney, and business executive. During a career spanning 30 years, he served as the CEO or Chairman of the Board of five public energy companies. During that time, Nick has been on the front lines of the war being waged by elites against working men and women of Appalachia, the “doers” of the American economy, and the free-thinking individual.     Nick is a lifelong Pittsburgher and considers himself a proud capitalist and free enterprise advocate. He joins Garrett today to discuss the city of Pittsburgh and its place among Appalachian cities, the energy industry’s role in society and the future of the region, and Nick’s book, Precipice: The Left’s Campaign to Destroy America.   Nick shares about the thinkers who inspired his own personal philosophy and the path his career in the energy industry took. If you’re wondering what Appalachians can do to build a brighter future and fight back against coastal elites, you’ll want to listen to this episode of Forgotten America.   Learn more about Nick’s work here. Buy and Read Precipice: The Left’s Campaign to Destroy America  Reason Article Mentioned: https://reason.com/2005/10/01/rethinking-the-social-responsi-2/ Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Elyse Marcellino is the Director of Embark in Mississippi. Embark is a new schools accelerator that works with school founders to help them move from idea to doors open. They guide school founders through early planning and preparing to launch so they can successfully open new schools to serve students throughout the state. Elyse and Garrett start this episode by celebrating what West Virginia and Mississippi have in common and commiserating as residents of states that are often ridiculed by coastal elites.   Elyse shares about her experience with several types of education environments growing up which inspired her to make a career in the education reform movement. Sometimes supply needs a little help meeting demand - Garrett & Elyse discuss how we can improve education options outside of state legislatures by working alongside education entrepreneurs to meet the educational needs in our communities even in rural communities.   Embark Laurel, Mississippi Home Town on HGTV Mississippi Delta      Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Fred Fransen is the President of Huntington Junior College and Co-Founder of Certell, Inc. He also previously served as Executive Director at the Center for Excellence in Higher Education and as Senior Fellow for Liberty Fund. He has been working to make breakthroughs in how to improve education at both the K-12 and higher education levels.   Garrett & Fred talk about the role of junior colleges in the reformation of education in the United States, particularly about the changes Fred is making at Huntington Junior College to incorporate civics and Great Books education into the college’s programs. Fred shares about the defining role the Fall of the Berlin Wall played in his realization of how important freedom is, and how that moment led him to the University of Chicago, which underscored his future career in higher education reform and philanthropy. They also explore Fred’s time in a small town called Eureka Springs, Arkansas.    Committee on Social Thought at University of Chicago Find Fred Fransen on LinkedIn Alan Bloom Liberty Fund Huntington Junior College   Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Join us for a Thanksgiving-themed episode before we pause for the holidays! On Thanksgiving Eve, Garrett recorded another solo episode. He shared ten things he is grateful for this Thanksgiving. He observes how the practice of gratitude can break up the monotony of life and cut through the polarization of our day. For Garrett, remembering the good things in his life has helped him get through dark times. Gratitude is a catalyst for both joy and togetherness when both might otherwise be absent. Also, to give our team a break during this holiday season, we are going to take a pause from releasing episodes for the month of December. We all need a moment to reflect on where we have been and where we are going in the New Year. We’ll be back in January to start off 2024 with some great content!     Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Monica Moses is a policy fellow for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy and a PhD candidate at West Virginia University. She joins Garrett today to discuss the role colleges and universities play in rural communities. She discusses how growing up in a small town near St. Bonaventure University influenced her interest in researching the role universities and colleges play in rural areas. Garrett & Monica explore the symbiotic relationship that these higher education institutions have with the communities around them and how they can help prevent brain drain.    Learn more about Monica’s work and follow her on Twitter @MonicaaMoses. Olean, New York St. Bonaventure University  Alleghany River Ascend WV   Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Ashley Stinnett is the Communications Coordinator for Coalfield Development, he’s a co-founder of the Film Futures Foundation, a former republican candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates, an actor, and an author. He was born and grew up in Lavalette, West Virginia and currently resides in Wayne County.   Today he joins Garrett to talk about Halloween, the horror genre, and his book Haunted Tales From Appalachia: Ghosts, Spirits and Other Strange Happenings from the Hills and Hollows.    Many of the stories in Ashley’s book are inspired by real events. In this episode, he shares some of the family stories that inspired his book and discusses his faith and its influence on his horror writing. Garrett & Ashley explore the value of the horror genre in film and writing and tackle the question “Is Appalachia an inherently scary place?”    Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scary_Stories_to_Tell_in_the_Dark Goosebumps books https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goosebumps Scholastic BookFair https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/content/fairs/home.html   Other Books by Ashley Stinnett: The Liberty Documents: Principles That Framed a Nation Grasping Appalachian Conservatism: How Not to Be Mistaken for a Latte Liberal The Liberty Essays: Restoring a Lost American Principle     Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Kim Dully has a Master’s degree in School Counseling, she is a Grassroots Coordinator with Love Your School-WV, and a co-host of the We Have Hope podcast. She has years of experience working with families and kids, particularly with recruiting and teaching foster parents in the northern panhandle of West Virginia.   On today’s episode of Forgotten America, Kim shares her experience with the foster care system as a child whose siblings were in foster care in Pennsylvania and as an adult who has worked to recruit foster families in West Virginia. Her story helps to highlight the beauty that comes when one adult steps in the gap for a child and the brokenness that exists in our current foster care system.    Kim Dully kim@loveyourschoolwv.org  We Have Hope podcast https://www.loveyourschool.org/we-have-hope-podcast/ Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Aaron Renn is a writer and consultant based in Indianapolis and is a co-founder and Senior Fellow at American Reformer. He had a first career in management and technology consulting advising major corporations as a Partner at Accenture and a second career in urban policy as a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Today his focus is on helping conservatives and the American church rise to the challenge of finding success in the 21st century.   Appalachia is the last physically beautiful land in America that does not have extreme climate and is affordable. The same sorts of people who are buying up land in the West will soon, and already are, turning their sights east toward Appalachia. In this episode of Forgotten America, Aaron and Garrett tackle difficult questions like the role climate plays in economic growth, how migration is impacting local communities in the region, and the major divide Aaron sees between the North and South Appalachian regions.    Garrett asks what kind of progress should we want for our region and should we look to growing mountain state regions in the West for ideas to grow economically in Appalachia? Listen in to hear what Aaron thinks about the present and future of Appalachia and his citizen-centric strategy for prosperity.      Stats & Terms Mentioned Idaho is the 2nd fastest growing state in the country. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/idaho-population-change-between-census-decade.html Appalachian Regional Commission's discussion of subregions in Appalachia. https://www.arc.gov/map/subregions-in-appalachia/ Sunbelt vs. Frostbelt https://www.jrank.org/encyclopedia/pages/cm7kzpwgun/Sunbelt-Frostbelt.html Brookings Institution’s Exurbia Info  CentralApp https://www.centralapp.us/ Oktana https://oktana.com/ Nate Phipp’s article about these remote companies https://cardinalinstitute.com/a-west-virginia-miracle-in-remote-work-innovation/ SOAR https://soar-ky.org/ Governing.com article on relocation incentives https://www.governing.com/work/pay-people-to-move-to-your-state-or-region-maybe-its-not-such-a-bad-idea   You can keep up with Aaron Renn by subscribing to his Substack. Twitter: @Aaron_Renn The pieces that inspired this episode. https://urbanreforminstitute.org/2023/08/the-future-of-appalachia/ https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/future-of-appalachia https://www.city-journal.org/article/appalachias-north-south-divide   Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Jessi Troyan, Director of Policy & Research for the Cardinal Institute, takes over the Forgotten America podcast as guest host. She interviews Chris Denson, Director of Policy & Research at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, about health care in rural America, particularly focusing on his experiences with the healthcare system in Georgia.    Prior to his time at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, Chris served as Director of Outreach at HCA Memorial Health in Savannah, a 612-bed Level 1 trauma center serving a 32-county region in Southeast Georgia and South Carolina and as the Director of Advisory Services for Hometown Health, a multi-state rural hospital trade association based in Georgia. He shares his unique perspective on health care policy and its impacts on rural communities.    Key Statistics Mentioned: 159 Counties in Georgia 82 w/o OB/GYNs 65 w/o Pediatricians 40 w/o Internal Medicine 18 w/o Family Medicine 9 with No Physicians whatsoever Certificate of Need - Heavily regulated in Georgia 50 services and facility types are regulated through CON You’re 10% more likely to have a Nurse Practitioner office in rural areas.   Reports from Georgia Public Policy Foundation https://www.georgiapolicy.org/publications/addressing-georgias-healthcare-disparities-the-benefits-of-full-practice-authority-for-nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants/#how-underserved-is-most-of-georgia   https://www.georgiapolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CON-report.pdf      Georgia Public Policy Foundation: https://www.georgiapolicy.org/about/ Chris Denson: https://www.georgiapolicy.org/people/chris-denson/  Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation: https://csorwvu.com/  Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - @Aviv5753 Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Anthony Hennen covers Pennsylvania as a reporter for the Center Square and is the Managing Editor of Expatalachians. He also was recently named a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow with the Fund for American Studies. He joins Garrett today to discuss Presidential election season and how candidates are addressing rural American issues.   Find Anthony online at: Center Square: https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/ Expatalachians: http://expatalachians.com/ Anthony’s previous Forgotten America Episode: https://forgottenamerica.libsyn.com/ep-006-expatalachians Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Marina Herrera is a 17th generation New Mexican on the Spanish side of her family with roots as far back as time immemorial on the indigenous side of her family. She joins Garrett today to talk about her life growing up in New Mexico’s Mora Valley. She takes us on a journey through the culture, language, food, and art of the region that inspires a sense of awe. Marina also shares the challenges New Mexico faces and the ways she is working with the Rio Grande Foundation to address those concerns. If you’ve ever said, “Thank God for Mississippi,” you’re likely to relate to the experiences Marina shares in this episode of the Forgotten America podcast.    Statistics Mentioned New Mexico is 51st for education  New Mexico is 1st in the nation for non-violent crime Record breaking homicides five years in a row Espanola is the heroin capitol of the world Albuquerque is a sanctuary city New Mexico spends more per student but gets worse outcomes than any of their neighboring states  New Mexico is #1 in the nation for Ph.D.s per capita  New Mexico is one of the world’s largest producers (surpassing Mexico) of oil & gas Places to Visit The Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio, #7 burger in the nation, Green Chile Cheese burger The Owl in San Antonio, https://sanantonioowl.com/ Santa Fe, New Mexico  Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, part of the National Park Service System  https://www.nps.gov/sapu/index.htm  New Mexican music has a distinct style. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_music World’s Tallest Tramway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandia_Peak_Tramway San Miguel Church - oldest church in the U.S.  The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi  El Pinto - restaurant  Geronimo - famous restaurant  Sangre de Cristo Mountains https://www.britannica.com/place/Sangre-de-Cristo-Mountains  Las Vegas, New Mexico and Taos, New Mexico on the map   Additional Information & References Learn more about Marina and her work at the Rio Grande Foundation.  Penitente Morada of Abiquiu  Learn more about Penitentes, a private Catholic Brotherhood unique to Northern, New Mexico Santeros - Saint art makers, distinct form of iconography art  Colcha embroidery - unique form of art from the American southwest Breaking Bad https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903747/   Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

When you hear the words “New York,” what do you think of? Maybe you think of Times Square or Wall Street. Perhaps you think of the Empire State Building. Does your mind immediately go to pizza? Mine does. There’s a number of cultural references to New York that may come to mind. But whatever you think of, I’m willing to bet the first thing that comes to mind is related to New York City . . . not New York state. What is the rest of New York like beyond Manhattan? How do New Yorkers feel about the stereotypes and the tendency of American pop culture to reduce their entire state to a single city? The Cardinal Institute’s newest team member, Nate Phipps, joins us to share about his childhood in upstate New York and the similarities and differences between New York state and states like West Virginia.   Nate Phipps bio   ---------- Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

This may have been one of my favorite episodes to record in quite awhile, and I hope you all enjoy it too. In this week’s episode, Garrett interviews West Virginia author, S.D. Smith, author of the beloved Green Ember series. Garrett & Sam discuss such wide-ranging topics as the beauty of Appalachia, Sam’s childhood in South Africa, the philosophy and writing of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and the feeling that many West Virginians have of inferiority inter-mixed with a deep sense of pride.    If you believe all children should read fairy tales, if you feel awe when you behold the sunset across the Appalachian Mountains, and if you enjoy the company of characters from a good book, you will adore this discussion with Sam and the sneak peak he gives into his life as a writer in southern West Virginia.    Follow Sam’s work at his website https://sdsmith.com/.   Literature and Locations Mentioned Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) Old Smith Cemetery, Wayne County, WV Pipestem Resort State Park New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Little Beaver State Park   “it grows like a seed in the dark out of the leaf-mould of the mind: out of all that has been seen or thought or read, that has long ago been forgotten, descending into the deeps.” - J.R.R. Tolkien    More information on the concept of “leaf-mould of the mind” from the Rabbit Room.   ---------- Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Mark Moses has provided finance-related management and consulting services to local government agencies since 2011 after spending two decades working directly for municipal agencies in senior-level finance and administrative management positions. He joins Garrett today on Forgotten America to discuss an area of political life that is often forgotten, overlooked, and dismissed: municipal finance.   Each of us is often most aware of national politics, and when it comes to certain issues, we may pay attention to our state legislatures. But how many of us keep an eye on what the level of government closest to us is doing? Mark & Garrett discuss how the sprawling missions of towns, cities, and municipalities can negatively affect the lives of those who form these communities. I think you’ll be surprised just how much city hall impacts your life.    Website: https://munifinanceguy.com/ Twitter: @MuniFinanceGuy   Mark’s Book: The Municipal Financial Crisis: A Framework for Understanding and Fixing Government Budgeting   ---------- Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Danny Murphy, the Director of Right on Crime for Virginia and West Virginia, joins Garrett Ballengee and Jessica Dobrinsky Harris, Cardinal’s Policy Analyst, for a discussion of what it means to reform the criminal justice system in America and how we can approach this issue from a perspective rooted in the principles of liberty.    In this episode, we tackle issues like mandatory minimums, what it means to be “tough on crime,” differences in types of drug offenders, bail reform, plea bargaining, federalism, and more.    Right on Crime   ---------- Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter

Kerry McDonald, a national expert on education entrepreneurship and alternative forms of education, joins Garrett to discuss nontraditional schooling and the growing trend of microschooling in America.    Garrett & Kerry explore the history of homeschooling and the reasons why many have chosen to return to a model of education that is reminiscent of the one room schoolhouse while debunking several popular myths about homeschooling and other forms of alternative education. Kerry also shares the most recent statistics about homeschooling and microschooling in the United States along with stories from her work with education entrepreneurs across the country.    Senior Education Fellow at FEE and the host of the LiberatED podcast.    Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-educated Children outside the Conventional Classroom   Pioneer Institute Embark   ---------- Hosted by Garrett Ballengee Executive Director - @gballeng Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Executive Producer Amanda Kieffer Communications Director - @akieffer13  Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy   Produced & Edited by Tony Reed Associate Director of Operations - @treed1134 International Center for Law & Economics   Follow: YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram Support: Patreon, Donate, Newsletter