family owned businesses left in town. it's an obvious new yorker arrives in question. why no cell service? >> in the mountains it is hard to get the signal in the valleys. >> anthony: nick mullins is a former coal miner turned writer. working in public outreach trying to help people transition away from fossil fuel. >> elaine: try calling an ambulance here and getting out of the county to the closest hospital. they don't deliver babies in the hospital in this county anymore. >> anthony: elaine mcmillion sheldon is an oscar nominated documentary filmmaker born and raised in southern west virginia. >> anthony: if you were describing this area -- church-going, gun rights are important. a lot of people of my ilk, that's not going to resonate at all. in fact, it sounds threatening. >> elaine: right, but both sides are saying the same thing. both sides feel threatened by each other. and i would say a majority of people that live in this region want to be left alone. the traditions of this place, the things that we value, whether that be family, interpersonal communication, not having cellphone technology to distract us, those types of things sort of butt up against america's idea of progress.