Kentucky is part of Appalachia

[Marthe48]

34. One of the lures to Appalachia is sparse population

There are small towns and lots of empty space. People who live here hunt and fish, or farm. People who live elsewhere come to hunt, fish, hike, all the outdoor things. I grew up in Cleveland, Oh. My parents bought an abandoned farm and we'd come down on the weekends. When my parents separated, my mom, younger brother and I moved to southern Ohio. I've lived here since I was 17, graduated from a small school, married, raised a family. We lived through some tough times, and so did our family and friends. We have been lucky to avoid the opioid crisis. Maybe I was part of the last generation that was able to survive here, I don't know for sure. Our kids, and all of their cousins, have scattered across the country from Monroe and Belmont Counties and have been much more successful than if they had stayed. Depending on what someone wants from life, it is still possible to earn a decent living in the larger towns. I just don't think people like moscow mitch and others need to make deals with the devil. Even with the woes we see here now, the resilient people who live in Appalachia have not hit bottom. We don't need russian influence now and I hope we never will.