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A Coal Miner's Uncertain Future

Frank Thompson was laid off as a mechanic from Peabody Energy's North Antelope Rochelle mine in April 2016. (Stephanie Joyce/Wyoming Public Media)
Frank Thompson was laid off as a mechanic from Peabody Energy's North Antelope Rochelle mine in April 2016. (Stephanie Joyce/Wyoming Public Media)

Note: Due to a programming change, this segment did not air on Nov. 15, 2016 as scheduled.

In April, Frank Thompson lost his job as a mechanic at Peabody Energy's North Antelope Rochelle mine in Campbell County, Wyoming. He was one of almost 500 coal miners laid off that day by Peabody and its competitor, Arch Coal.

At the time, Thompson, who is a single dad, was most concerned about what being laid off would mean for his 7-year-old son. Today, Thompson still isn’t sure what the future holds, but he's trying to stay in his hometown of Douglas, Wyoming.

Stephanie Joyce (@stephaniemjoyce), energy and natural resources reporter for Here & Now contributor Wyoming Public Radio and Inside Energy, caught up with him.

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