Uncut Conversation with Ernie (Substack Exclusive)

In Mingo County, West Virginia, we had one of the longest and most interesting conversations we’ve had: An hour with Ernie, a small grocery store owner who used to be a truck driver and a police officer. Ernie shared his thoughts about this portion of West Virginia – the state’s poorest and most neglected region – as well as the country more broadly.

This was part of our trip through the river towns of Mingo County, which is one of Appalachia’s most overlooked areas. A region often defined by coal, poverty, and the opioid crisis, life there is far more complex than the headlines suggest.

We traveled along the Tug Fork River through former coal towns and remote mountain communities to explore how the region has changed during decades of economic decline. Along the way, we met Ernie. Here’s our extended conversation with him.