Big Stone Gap

I was in Big Stone Gap this week for a NY Times story about two brothers, Thomas and Julius Jones, who grew up there. They are now both playing for different teams in the NFL. They are playing against each other on Thanksgiving Day. It will be only the second time they've played each other in the league. The other time was also on Thanksgiving Day. Coincidence? Yes, of course.

The story's writer and I spent the day with the boys' parents, Betty and Thomas Sr. Both parents have worked as miners, but Betty spent 19 years underground working the 'hoot owl' shift at the Exeter Mine in nearby Appalachia, VA.

The pictures are meant to give a tiny amount of feeling for the players' family and town.







Betty talks to a friend in front of a trophy case at the high school that holds her sons' retired jerseys.

Fall

Maybe it has been a little too dry this year for a full-fledged Fall Color Extravaganza, but there is some orange out there. This is from southwest Virginia's Powell Valley.

Photo A Week: #18

Here are a couple outtakes from an assignment I shot today in Knoxville.