On this West Virginia Week, weekend storms may help clear the smokey air, Huntington City Council approves Flock cameras and how Fentanyl may have made its way into the country.   

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

On this West Virginia Morning, if you’ve ever seen the eye-catching ‘Bus On A Rock’ in the New River and wondered why – and how – it got there, we have some answers for you.

And, West Virginia has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, workforce participation rate in the country. A key goal for West Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation Program plan is to improve health outcomes to get more people back into the workforce.

Also West Virginia’s busiest bridge is getting some needed repairs, and the Public Service Commission of West Virginia has opened an investigation into water pressure standards.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, the client of a Charleston attorney says the DEA allowed millions of doses of potentially deadly Fentanyl into the United States.

In 2023 and 2024, the Sinaloa Cartel brought millions of doses of fentanyl into the U.S. mostly across the border into New Mexico. Those pills then headed east.   

Charleston attorney and member of the House of Delegates, Tristan Leavitt represents federal whistleblowers. His client, DEA Special Agent David Howell, says the agency allowed millions of pills to come into the U.S. as part of an operation to capture cartel leaders at the direction of the New Mexico U.S. Attorney.   

News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Leavitt to discuss the case. 

Also, a data center development is facing state intervention for failing to prevent flooding of neighboring properties.

And a federal judge in Eastern Kentucky has escalated the penalties he imposed on a coal company owned by U.S. Sen. Jim Justice.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, it’s hard enough to connect a baseball and bat in mid-air. Imagine doing it when you can’t see.

In beep baseball, blind athletes rely on sound to hit the ball and run to a base. Last month (June), the East Louisville Lions Club hosted the Indianapolis Thunder, an adult beep baseball team, for a demonstration. Emily Chen-Newton with LPM News via the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom has more on the sport where players keep their ears on the ball.

Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting an outbreak of intestinal illness in 31 states – including West Virginia and a weapons manufacturer is coming to the eastern panhandle.

And a proposed advanced recycling facility in eastern Kanawha County is raising concerns for local residents.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, humidity and dewpoint can have a big impact on how we experience summer heat. Every week, in a segment we call Science Behind the Forecast, the Appalachia Mid South Newsroom’s Bill Burton and meteorologist Tawana Andrew break down what we know - and what we don't - about the climate and weather in the region.

And the Allegheny Front based in Pittsburgh, a public radio program that reports on environmental issues, looks at the native, spike-covered hawthorn and how its long, sharp thorns contribute to its vulnerable status.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, the state is under a flood watch through Sunday, the fire in Parkersburg is under investigation and a class action against the state’s foster care system will move forward. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

On this West Virginia Morning, not much has been known about Appalachia’s contributions to the Underground Railroad – until now.

Before the Civil War, slaves escaped to the free north through the underground railroad. Cicero Fain is a historian at Marshall University documenting the region’s Black history through his Appalachian Freedom Heritage Initiative. Fain spoke with Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams about documenting dozens of previously unknown underground railroad sites throughout our region.  

Also, Secretary of State Kris Warner is maintaining his position to not share voter rolls with the federal government, despite new threats of legal action. In Parkersburg, the remnants of a warehouse fire are finally out and cleanup and investigations begin.

And it promises to be a stormy weekend and as Maria Young reports, a flood watch is in effect for much of the state, through Sunday morning.  

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, affordable dental care is a little-talked-about challenge low-income families face in this state, but there is an effort underway to change that.

West Virginia is home to many people who cannot access affordable dental care. State data shows by third grade - more than half of kids show signs of tooth decay. And more than 10 percent of older adults have had all their teeth extracted. From the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay visits a mobile dental clinic with public health hygienist Bobbi Muto.

Also the state Board of Education approves a partial intervention into Harrison County Schools as it grapples with overstaffing and a reluctance to cut positions, an issue many counties are facing after COVID-19 era funding ended.

And a new manufacturing firm is coming to Wood County – and bringing with it millions of dollars in investments and jobs to support data center development.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, many people are looking towards the country's future now that the nation's 250th anniversary is behind us. It will ultimately be shaped by young adults that don't always have a place at the table. 100 Days in Appalachia director of video Nick Curran and editor-in-chief Jesse Wright recently sat down with reporter Chris Schulz to discuss a project to capture voices and perspectives about what comes next.

Also, a lawsuit brought by the state of West Virginia against Apple alleging the company’s business practices safeguard child sexual abuse materials will remain in state courts.

And a festival in Shepherdstown is continuing a tradition of developing new American theater.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning a new musical, written right here in our region, takes a look at a small Ohio town, just across the river from West Virginia, that played a significant role in the development of the nation.

The town of Marietta, Ohio played a pivotal role in the future of the United States and Ohio statehood – keeping the state slave free 60 years before the Civil War. But the vote passed by one vote.  Singer songwriters Larry Groce and Todd Burge have written a musical that dives into that history. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Groce to find out more. 

Also new fish stocking opportunities may give anglers a reason to get out to their favorite spot, and the warehouse that burned in Parkersburg Sunday had a history of hazardous waste fires.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, bats play a critical role in our ecosystems and agriculture. We’ll hear how their numbers are declining in the face of a changing climate and disease.

Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams also brings us the story of pioneering artist Oscar Micheaux, an African-American filmmaker who lived in Virginia in the 1920s.

In this episode, we also hear about a ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States based on a West Virginia case. We learn about the state’s maternal and fiscal health. And with dangerous heat for the holiday weekend, we hear about how to avoid the dangers of dehydration.

Chris Schulz is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

In the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer.

Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths. 

And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who's passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• How Oscar Micheaux Changed Filmmaking From Appalachia
• Playwright August Wilson's Life And Legacy
• Angelo’s Old World Italian Sausage
• Kentucky Poet Laureate Talks Deadly Cryptids
• Baby Barn Owl That Left His Nest Too Soon
• Sharing Soul Food

How Oscar Micheaux Changed Filmmaking From Appalachia

One of America’s pioneering filmmakers had nothing to do with Hollywood but nevertheless left his mark on the emerging industry. Oscar Micheaux was a homesteader, who then turned his attention to making movies in the early 1900s. He was a Black man who made movies for Black audiences at a time when they weren't allowed into mainstream, white-only theaters. And for several pivotal years in the 1920s, he operated out of Roanoke, Virginia.

Host Mason Adams brings us this story.

Playwright August Wilson's Life And Legacy

Acclaimed playwright August Wilson was deeply influenced by his hometown of Pittsburgh. Wilson was the author of 10 plays collectively known as The Pittsburgh Cycle. They include the Pulitzer Prize winning plays Fences and The Piano Lesson. Now there’s a new book about him, titled August Wilson’s American Century, by University of Pittsburgh professor Lawrence Glasco, and it explores that deep influence with his hometown.

WESA’s Bill Driscoll spoke with Glasco.

Angelo’s Old World Italian Sausage

In 2023, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold took us to Angelo’s Old World Italian Sausage. Angelo’s makes a craft sausage distributed throughout West Virginia, as well in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. The recipe comes from the Calabria region of Italy, and it’s made in West Virginia. 

Kentucky Poet Laureate Talks Deadly Cryptids

Kentucky’s governor appoints a new poet laureate every two years. Last year, Gov. Andy Beshear named award-winning poet, essayist and teacher Kathleen Driskell to the post. Driskell’s poems have appeared in The New Yorker, Rattle and Appalachian Review, among others. She’s authored six poetry collections. Her most recent is Goat-Footed Gods.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Driskell about living next to the dead, and America’s most lethal cryptid.

Baby Barn Owl That Left His Nest Too Soon

The Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro treats hundreds of injured animals every year, from possums, to eagles, to bear cubs. And even a fledgling barn owl that fell from its nest in a grain silo in Augusta County.

WMRA's Meredith McCool has more.

Sharing Soul Food

Soul food like cornbread, extra-cheesy mac-n-cheese and collard greens plays an important role in Black communities across Appalachia. In 2023, Folkways Fellow Vanessa Peña spoke with Xavier Oglesby, a master artist in soul food cooking from Beckley, West Virginia.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Bennie Moten Kater, Tim Bing, Paul Loomis, John Inghram and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Nicole Musgrave and Chris Julin.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, Inside Appalachia this week discusses the influence and contributions of Oscar Micheaux, an African American filmmaker who lived in Virginia in the 1920s. Mason Adams speaks with Roanoke historian Jordan Bell about Micheaux's life and career.

Also, a private school has been put on probation and another has been permanently disqualified from participating in the Hope Scholarship program.

And, a new West Virginia business partnership is investing millions of dollars in the byproducts of coal mining.

Finally, the state of West Virginia has finished the fiscal year ahead of projections for revenue.  

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia has one of the highest percentages of elderly residents in the nation. As baby boomers grow elderly amidst a workforce crisis of caretakers, WESA's Kiley Koscinski reports that both the U.S. and Japan are considering robots as a potential solution as part of this “Designing Dignity” series.

Also the Supreme Court of the United States rules that West Virginia's law barring transgender women from girls' sports can stand, and hospital consolidations play a considerable role in the closures of labor and delivery services.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, as baby boomers in West Virginia and nationwide continue to age, more Gen X and Millennial adults are finding themselves as caregivers for their parents. Pittsburgh’s major health systems are designing a new program alongside federal agencies aimed at keeping seniors at home for as long as possible.  

It’s a strategy Japan has been exploring for more than two decades.  

In this “Designing Dignity” series, WESA’s Kiley Koscinski takes a look at how the country’s care managers bridge medical and social support. 

Also, southern West Virginia saw significant flooding last week and Kentucky saw even more over the weekend. But a system to detect rising water isn’t any closer to completion.

And, the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum is creating the largest labor history driving trail in the United States, and community members have a chance to shape how it will look.

Finally, West Virginia’s America250 celebration kicks off in just a few short days. We bring you a snapshot on what to expect.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, bats are the subject of myths and legends, often in a negative light. But that goes against the reality of their role in ecosystems, including critical agricultural services for humans. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Eric Douglas reports bat populations have dropped significantly in the face of a changing climate and disease. 

Also, Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe over the weekend was awarded the inaugural Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award. Last November, Wolfe, and his partner U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, were on duty in Washington, D.C., when they were ambushed and shot. Specialist Beckstrom died from her injuries. Wolfe continues to recover.  

And, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to rule on a West Virginia case this week.

Finally, in a Saturday ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of devastating floods, the town of Clendenin received a $450,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, the world’s largest transportable Ferris wheel arrives in Charleston, the SNAP ban on soda is blocked, and we look at an effort to expand local medical care through EMS. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Some folks are working to preserve the memory of Bristol, Virginia’s Black Bottom, a largely African American community wiped out by urban renewal. 

Also, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand.

And, kudzu; it’s coming for us. 

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• The Souls Of Bristol’s Black Bottom
• Roots Book Ban Reversed In Knox County, Tennessee
• Roadside Farmstand Gets An Upgrade
• State Regulators Audit Kentucky Power After 20 Years
• Volunteers Document Species In The Smoky Mountains
• Black Bears Are Migrating As Climate Change Threatens Habitat
• The Vine That Ate The South
• Herbicide Drones Are Killing Kudzu
• Herbalism In Appalachia

The Souls Of Bristol’s Black Bottom

Urban renewal was a 20^th century movement by local, state and federal governments to revitalize struggling cities. But Black neighborhoods and business districts were often sacrificed. In Bristol, Virginia, Black business owners ran barber shops, groceries and doctor’s offices in Black Bottom, which was leveled to make way for new streets and civic projects.

“The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom” is a partnership between Black in Appalachia and Virginia Humanities. The project uses interpretive signs, public art and digital storytelling to remember the community. Organizer and storyteller Tina McDaniel helps lead the project. She says learning about 'Black Bottom was a revelation.'

Host Mason Adams spoke to McDaniel about the project.

Roots Book Ban Reversed In Knox County, Tennessee

Knox County, Tennessee officials have reversed their decision to remove the book Roots from school libraries. In May, just a couple weeks prior, the book was banned by a school board committee.  

Written by Alex Haley, the novel follows generations of a Black family from enslavement in America in the 1700s through changes and upheavals to the second half of the 20^th century. Roots won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into an award-winning television miniseries. 

It was one of 124 titles that have been removed from library shelves in Knox County. In particular, school board members objected to a depiction of rape of an enslaved woman by a slaveholder. Public outcry to the ban was immediate.  

WPLN’s Camellia Burris reports.

Roadside Farmstand Gets An Upgrade

Roadside farmstands with fresh eggs or tomatoes are a common sight in Appalachia. They can be a way for people, especially rural women with kids at home, to support themselves economically. They often work on the honor system; there’s nobody there. Take a carton of berries and leave some cash. But the humble farm stand is changing to keep up with an increasingly cash-free society.

Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch recently visited a stand in Wythe County, Virginia.

State Regulators Audit Kentucky Power After 20 Years

Power bills have been rising across much of Appalachia. That’s the case in eastern Kentucky, too, and led to state regulators ordering an audit of Kentucky Power for the first time in more than 20 years.  

Kentucky Public Radio’s Sylvia Goodman met with a new coalition that hopes the audit could lead to lower bills.

Volunteers Document Species In The Smoky Mountains

For years, citizen scientists have been documenting plants and wildlife in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They do work the Park may not have capacity for, tracking changes in the ecosystem and helping us better understand Appalachia’s biodiversity. 

BPR and Grist reporter Katie Myers tagged along with a group of volunteers into the Smokies.

Black Bears Are Migrating As Climate Change Threatens Habitat

Black bear encounters are on the rise, and climate change is often a hidden culprit. 

WPLN’s Caroline Eggers reports that Tennessee wildlife managers are working to promote peaceful coexistence.

The Vine That Ate The South

Kudzu is a leafy vine that has spread through the South and Appalachia, draping whole landscapes with its greenery. Some people find it beautiful, at least at first. But, it’s an invasive plant that can swallow entire sections of forests and choke out other plants. 

WUOT’s Jacqui Sieber has more on efforts to tackle the “vine that ate the South.”

Herbicide Drones Are Killing Kudzu

Goats aren’t the only tool to keep kudzu in check. In Kentucky, wildlife officials are testing whether new drone technology could help fight kudzu.

Michael Collins with WKYU has more.  

Herbalism In Appalachia

In the warm months, a lot of people stock up on roots and herbs to use as medicines. Some, they grow, and others, they find in the woods. Here in Appalachia, those remedies have been a path to wellness and independence for centuries.

Folkways Reporter Heather Duncan has more.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Tim Bing, John Blissard, Mary Hott, Paul Loomis, Dinosaur Burps and Blue Dot Sessions 

This week, we say goodbye to Kelley Libby. Kelley's been Inside Appalachia’s show editor since 2020 and was also a lead editor for the Folkways project. As much as anyone, Kelley has helped shape Inside Appalachia into the show that it is. Kelley, we can’t thank you enough. Good luck with your next adventure!

And, introducing Irina Zhorov, who will take over as show editor. We’re glad to have her.  

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Jennifer Goren and Molly Born. 

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, urban renewal in the last century was supposed to revitalize struggling cities, but it often sacrificed Black neighborhoods and business districts, like Black Bottom in Bristol, Virginia. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with organizer Tina McDaniel about “The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom,” a project in Bristol that remembers the community through interpretive signs, public art and digital storytelling. McDaniel says learning about Black Bottom was a revelation.    

Also, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) has scheduled a public comment hearing for construction of a gas-electric generation plant in Monongalia County and three solar energy projects.

And, as West Virginia prepares to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, construction is underway on the Capitol grounds, where the world’s largest transportable Ferris wheel is going up.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, federal cuts and changes to state law focused on Medicaid programs could undermine West Virginia’s drug addiction and treatment system for 50,000 residents. In the latest encore episode of Us & Them, which was recently honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, host Trey Kay learns how Medicaid supports recovery organizations and what that work looks like.  

Also a new data center is announced in Wheeling, changes to Medicaid benefit requirements and flooding in Boone County.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

This year, West Virginia lawmakers made significant changes to drug and alcohol treatment programs funded by Medicaid, which many people use. The new legislation ties Medicaid payments to patient outcomes rather than the number of patients served.

The Mountain State has the nation's highest overdose rates, and overdose death rates among Black residents exceed those of any other group. In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay learns how Medicaid funding supports organizations working in recovery and what that work looks like on the ground.

This episode of Us & Them, recently honored with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is presented with support from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

"Every time we had discussions, I was doing focus group research. We started talking about kids, the challenges they face, and other issues in our communities. Everybody kept saying, 'the real problem is them drugs' — that’s exactly how they said it. So, we decided to do something about it. We began by implementing prevention programs and training community health workers, and then we trained them in peer support as recovery coaches."

— Rev. James Patterson, founder and president/CEO of the Partnership of African American Churches.

"Every day, people face subtle but constant annoyances because of their color — especially Black people. They are insulted, invalidated and sometimes physically, verbally and mentally assaulted just for being Black. I see this as a double malady that people must overcome daily, particularly when they’re also dealing with addiction and racism. The stress they endure is something others rarely experience.

We are a licensed behavioral health center that provides treatment for substance use disorder. We offer a residential treatment facility, medication-assisted treatment and multiple sober living facilities."

— Dr. Wendy Lewis, clinical director for the Partnership of African American Churches, Charleston, WV

"I had a teacher who was trying to help me, to show me the right way. I was one of those kids with ADD—I could never sit still—so I spent most of my time in the office. I don't think he understood the full extent of my problem, or he wouldn’t have paddled me as he did. I knew I had issues when I tried to break into his house.

Looking back, I wonder why I did it all. Part of it was the divorce—my dad was never around, having started another family—so I never had the support system other kids had. I felt like I fell through the cracks in Orchard Manor. Sometimes I’d wake up in the old county jail, not even knowing why I was there, beat up and bleeding. I knew I had a serious situation on my hands."

— Kevin Watkins, peer support coach trained by the Partnership of African American Churches

“Residential treatment programs in West Virginia have grown dramatically. Back in 2016, 2017 and 2018, the state had about 150 to 200 treatment beds. Today, there are more than 1,700. Providers are expanding services on the theory that Medicaid funding will continue.

The bulk of Medicaid money comes from the federal government — with Congress and the president’s approval — while West Virginia must supply matching dollars. The Partnership of African American Churches is funded similarly; as they apply for grants from the Bureau of Behavioral Health or the federal government, they have opportunities aligned with their expertise. Otherwise, their core funding is no different from any other addiction treatment provider."

— Robert Hansen, former director of West Virginia’s Office of Drug Control Policy.

On this West Virginia Morning, a $1 million initiative through the Rural Health Transformation Program aims to help rural EMS agencies expand access to health care in rural and underserved areas of West Virginia. It focuses on connecting patients with care earlier – before chronic illnesses become acute. Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh talked with Assistant News Director Maria Young to explain how the program is designed to work – and who it will focus on first.

Also, a federal judge has blocked West Virginia’s ban on buying soda with federal benefits.

And, on the 10th anniversary of the devastating and deadly flood that hit West Virginia in 2016, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced West Virginia will receive nearly $4 million for flood mitigation. 

Finally, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced charges involving health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes against 455 defendants nationwide – including some in West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, one in 10 Americans now say they are a caregiver for a parent age 65 and older, according to recent Pew research. Reporters Blake Farmer and Cara Anthony with our partner HealthQ explore why embracing the title of “caregiver” matters—and how recognition and support can make a difference in this phase of life.

Also, some state lawmakers express support for a federal ban on greyhound racing, a new segment of Corridor H opens and details of the America250 Capital City Celebration emerge.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, freshwater mussels are scattered throughout waterways in Kentucky and neighboring states like Tennessee and West Virginia, playing a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, WKYU’s Hope Heffley has more on why those populations have dwindled over the years.

And Corridor H adds a new segment while the state's Rural Health Transformation initiative focuses on rural emergency medical services.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, an heir files suit to keep his community hospital open, disparities in the distribution of school choice vouchers, and a West Virginia lawmaker is among those targeted in White House UFC fight plot. 

We also discuss how a simple conversation with his mom led one state senator to uncover his towns hidden history... and, a not-so-cuddly creature is making its way into Appalachia. 

Maria Young is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

Ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. 

Also, the author of a new book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. 

And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. 

In This Episode:

• Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene
• How To Protect Amphibians Against Climate Change
• Tornado Destroys Orchid Restoration In Southern Kentucky
• Traveler's Guide To Ancient Ohio
• Abandoned Gas Wells In W.Va.
• Tennessee Town Struggles To Reopen Its Only Hospital
• The Legacy Of Norman Jordan
• Rising Temperatures Bring Armadillos To Kentucky

Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene

When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in 2024, it took lives and upended communities. A community of ballad singers lost a place where they could share their tradition. The storm set them back, but it didn’t stop them. And what might’ve seemed lost could be restored.  

From Marshall, North Carolina, Sarah Melotte reports for the Rural Remix, a podcast from the Center for Rural Strategies.

How To Protect Amphibians Against Climate Change

Climate change has affected the seasons and made weather less predictable. And severe storms and flooding are causing damage to wildlife habitat. Kylie Frederick is a journalism student at West Virginia University (WVU), and reports that protecting amphibians, like frogs and salamanders, can start at home. 

Tornado Destroys Orchid Restoration In Southern Kentucky

Researchers have spent nearly 20 years restoring a threatened species of orchid in southern Kentucky. Those efforts were disrupted after a tornado last spring. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WEKU’s Lily Burris went to Mount Victory to learn about the recovery.

Traveler's Guide To Ancient Ohio

Thousands of years ago, Indigenous people created hundreds of earthen monuments in what is now Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. Some were burial mounds. Others were curious shapes and designs whose purposes are not entirely understood.  

John E. Hancock, a professor of architecture and design at the University of Cincinnati, has spent years studying these earthworks. Recently, he published Traveler's Guide to Ancient Ohio. If you want to visit these ancient sites, it’s a good place to start.  

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Hancock about the book. 

Abandoned Gas Wells In W.Va.

According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), there are more than 6,000 abandoned or orphaned natural gas wells in the state. But some advocates say that number is low.

WVPB’s News Director Eric Douglas visited a few.   

Tennessee Town Struggles To Reopen Its Only Hospital

As the health care industry cuts unprofitable rural hospitals, small towns across Appalachia are paying the price. 

WPLN’s Pierce Gentry takes us to Jellico, Tennessee, where the local government is struggling to reopen its only hospital.

The Legacy Of Norman Jordan

Affrilachian poet and playwright Norman Jordan was a prominent voice in the Black Arts Movement through the 1960s and 1970s. He was also one of the most published poets in the region, anthologized in at least 42 books. He died in 2015 at the age of 77. Along with his writing, Jordan left another legacy: a summer camp for teens to learn music, theater and dance.

Last summer, Folkways reporter Traci Phillips visited the Norman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy in Westover, West Virginia.

Rising Temperatures Bring Armadillos To Kentucky

In 2023, we reported on the appearance of armadillos as far north as Virginia. Now, they’re being found in Kentucky, which is seen as another indicator of rising temperatures in the region. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, LPM’s Giselle Rhoden has more on how the species has made its way north from South America.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Blue Dot Sessions, Hello June, Paul Loomis, Jeff Ellis and John Inghram. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, Indigenous people created hundreds of earthen monuments in what is now Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. John E. Hancock, a professor of architecture and design at the University of Cincinnati, spent years studying these earthworks. He published a guidebook for visiting them. Inside Appalachia’s Bill Lynch spoke with Hancock about the book.  

Also, a West Virginia lawmaker was on a target list created by the group accused of plotting to attack the UFC fights at the White House Sunday night.

And, a McDowell County resident whose great-grandfather donated the land for what is now the Welch Community Hospital has filed a lawsuit he hopes will keep the hospital open.  

Finally, a new national analysis has identified disparities in the distribution of school choice vouchers in West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, state Sen. Ryan Weld has written a history of Wellsburg through a unique lens -- he focused on 14 homes in the town and the people who lived in them. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Weld to learn more about his project.

Also lawmakers are speaking out against major energy infrastructure projects and a new report identifies three strategies for economic growth in West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, an Appalachian distillery has rediscovered an old technique for aging their bourbon and whiskey products.

Also, competitive cycling returns to Charleston, state funds to help children affected by the opioid epidemic and lawmakers continue to look at school funding.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, the nine-banded armadillo has become an indicator of rising temperatures in Kentucky and the surrounding region. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, LPM’s Giselle Rhoden has more on how the species has made its way north from South America.

Also rural emergency medical services have an opportunity to receive Rural Health Transformation funds, and U.S. electricity generation from solar surpassed coal for the first time in May.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, the unhoused population in the state declines, child well-being remains the same, and just how many abandoned gas wells are there? 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

This week, we’re revisiting a show featuring storytellers out loud in front of audiences. Folks like five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest, Bil Lepp.

Also, musicians Anna & Elizabeth, whose storytelling used something known as a crankie.

And, we’ll head to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• The Crankie Comes To NC: What It Is And Why People Freak Out When They See One
• A Triangle Of Skunks
• Sweet Tea And Red Wine

The Crankie Comes To NC: What It Is And Why People Freak Out When They See One

In 2021, Inside Appalachia dedicated an episode to storytellers. And to their inventiveness. For example, have you ever heard of a “Crankie?”  

Crankies are cloth and cut-paper scrolls. They’re an old-fashioned way to share images that go along with stories. And you can pair them with music. Think a small, tiny theater, with someone turning a crank to show pictures.  

During their multi-year collaboration, musicians Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth LaPrelle used crankies. They would turn them alongside their Appalachian ballad singing. Host Mason Adams saw Anna and Elizabeth perform at the Ferrum Folklife Festival in Virginia and remembers how the crankies let him follow the story, while their harmonies raised goosebumps.

This story was recorded back in 2013, when Anna & Elizabeth were still performing together. It was produced by Laura Candler for WUNC.

A Triangle Of Skunks

Bil Lepp is probably best known as the five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest. The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage called him, “a side-splittingly funny man.” Lepp lives in Charleston, West Virginia, and he’s one of our region’s most famous storytellers. Back in 2019, he told a story about summer camp and a family of skunks. He performed the story “Skunks” during a Mountain Stage performance at the West Virginia Culture Center.

Sweet Tea And Red Wine

Michael Reno Harrell is a professional storyteller from Burke County, North Carolina. When we spoke to Harrell in 2021, we asked him which story he wanted us to play. This was during the social distancing part of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he hadn’t seen some of his family in a while. So, he chose a story about his mom, his sister-in-law and his aunt Eloise. It’s called “Sweet Tea and Red Wine.”

The National Storytelling Festival is October 2-4, 2026, in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Joe Dobbs and the 1937 Flood, Dinosaur Burps, Michael Reno Harrell and Anna and Elizabeth. 

This episode was originally produced by Roxy Todd with help from Zander Aloi. Jade Artherhults was associate producer, and Andrea Billups served as executive producer.  

These days, Bill Lynch is our producer.  Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. 

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, this week’s Inside Appalachia features storytellers from around the region, including author, television host and five-time West Virginia Liars Contest winner Bil Lepp. Here he is back in 2019, telling a story during a Mountain Stage performance at the West Virginia Culture Center.

Also, state regulators were in Morgantown Wednesday evening to hear from the public about a proposed transmission line project in northern West Virginia.

And, a B-minus report card may not sound like a lot when it comes to maternal mental health, but it is an improvement for West Virgina.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Daniel Johnston, a visual artist and singer-songwriter from West Virginia made his mark in the indie music scene of the1980s. His raw and unpolished style earned him a label as an outsider artist, and a place in the state’s Music Hall of Fame. 

Johnston recorded his best-known songs on cassette in his parents’ basement in Hancock County. Songwriters saw past the lo-fi production values and musicians like Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain championed his work. 

Johnston was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his 20s, and as his fame grew, his mental health struggles increased. He died in 2019 at age 58, leaving hundreds of songs and drawings. 

In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay talks with family members, musicians and others about Daniel’s life and legacy.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization in Charleston, dedicated to documenting and preserving the lasting contributions West Virginians have made to all genres of music. Its mission is to recognize the many influential musicians who have shaped the American musical spectrum — from country, classical and jazz to rock, R&B, gospel and traditional — and eventually establish a permanent facility to house a museum for recordings and memorabilia. For now, the Hall of Fame is headquartered in the Charleston Town Center Mall. Some of the notable inductees are: Bill Withers, Billy Edd Wheeler, George Crumb, Hazel Dickens, Red Sovine, Kathy Mattea, Tim O'Brien, Little Jimmy Dickens, Fred "Sonic" Smith and Barbara Nissman.

Daniel Johnston was born in Sacramento, California, in 1961, the youngest of Mabel and Bill Johnston’s five children. A few years later, the family moved to Bill’s home state of West Virginia, settling near Chester in the northern panhandle—where this photo was taken on Jan. 1, 1969, when Daniel was eight years old.

Family members say that as a kid, all Daniel wanted to do was draw cartoon figures and record songs. He dropped out of college twice, struggled to keep a job and often spent his paycheck on comic books.

His drawings range from simple black-and-white sketches to brightly colored depictions of imaginary beings and superheroes. His songs center on unrequited love, loneliness, the struggle between good and evil, and his battles with mental illness.

When Johnston was in his 20s, he was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features. His career was often interrupted by lengthy stays in psychiatric units. 

Shelly Reed is Daniel Johnston’s cousin. She grew up in Chester, and still lives there today. Reed says Chester is known for two things: Daniel Johnston and the “World’s Largest Teapot,” a tourist attraction since 1938. Johnston, famous for his music and his visual art, created much of that art while growing up near Chester. But many landmarks of his presence—including his childhood home and murals he painted at the high school—are gone.

“People in town… I don’t know, they even erased his stuff. He drew a picture of a bear and other things at the high school. I’m sure they wish they had it now, because he became so famous. But they colored over it, painted over it. Have you seen his yearbook? He drew a lot of pictures in it. He was always drawing pictures—always… After he died, my daughter and I stayed at their house for two weeks because they were overwhelmed with selling all the things people wanted after he passed away. I was in shock. I thought, ‘I cannot believe people are paying anywhere from $100 to $800.’ It’s just kind of crazy that I’m related to him… You know, he was just a kid from Chester, West Virginia, who liked playing the piano, writing down every thought in his head and drawing every picture that came to mind—and here he is, famous.”

— Shelly Reed, Daniel Johnston’s cousin

Daniel Johnston’s most famous self-produced album was “Hi, How Are You?” It gained worldwide recognition among musicians, including Sonic Youth, Beck, Yo La Tengo, Pearl Jam and Wilco. The lo-fi cassette featured one of Johnston’s most recognizable characters on the cover, a googly-eyed frog-like alien Johnston named Jeremiah the Innocent. The late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain made the frog image iconic when he wore a T-shirt featuring it to the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. Here, Johnston’s cousin Shelly Reed shows “Us & Them” host Trey Kay a vinyl copy of “Hi, How Are You?” at her home in Chester.

Irwin Chusid is a music historian and journalist who has been a free-form DJ at WFMU in New Jersey for more than 50 years. He frequently featured Daniel Johnston’s music on his shows. Chusid coined the term “outsider artist,” and he considers Johnston’s work to be in that category. 

Chusid first discovered lo-fi music when a friend played him “Philosophy of the World,” the 1969 album by the three-sister group The Shaggs. His ensuing  fascination with outsider music led him to write “Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music,” which includes Johnston. Chusid said Johnston is in a league of his own.

“[Daniel Johnston] has pop appeal and a huge body of work—songs people can cover or sing. Anyone can listen and hear a hook, a melody, a verse, a chorus, or something unusual in the lyrics. They can hear Daniel’s soul in that music. And that applies to every—can I use this word?—‘great’ outsider musician: They’re expressing their soul.”

— Irwin Chusid, music historian and journalist.

Family members describe Daniel as someone who wanted to draw and play music all the time. Daniel’s mother Mabel told filmmaker Jeff Feurzeig in his award-winning 2005 documentary, “The Devil and Daniel Johnston” that “he didn't want to do any of his chores like help mow the lawn or wash the car or any of those things.” She added that she had to “settle that.” Daniel recorded arguments with her on his cassette player and sometimes used them in songs like “Brainwash” and “Mabel’s Grievances.” He also made films spoofing her. Dick Johnston said they were brought up in a Christian home, and his mother objected to some of Daniel’s antics.

"The earliest dispute that arose about what he was doing had more to do with his art than his music, maybe. He was drawing these dead dogs' eyeballs. And you could find these things all over the county for the longest time because he and his friends were putting them everywhere. And mother thought that was distasteful. I've never heard them comment on the songs except to say that they are very good and that they thought that they were a little on the depressing side."

— Dick Johnston, only brother and former manager of Daniel Johnston and the manager of his estate.

Listen to Daniel Johnston’s song “Walking The Cow.”

Watch Daniel Johnston’s perform “I Live My Broken Dreams” in Austin, TX on MTV in 1985.

In 1983, Dick invited Daniel to spend the summer at his home near Houston, thinking that would help Daniel get on his feet. Dick said Daniel got a job at AstroWorld. But a few months later, Daniel moved in with a sister in San Marcos, south of Austin. Soon after, Daniel disappeared and skipped town with a traveling carnival. Dick said Daniel thought family members were going to put him in a psychiatric hospital because of his bipolar disorder. 

Five months later, the carnival stopped in Austin and Daniel chose to stay. He got a job at a McDonald’s and passed out his homemade cassettes to anyone who showed an interest. 

He gave a cassette to Austin-based musician and singer-songwriter Kathy McCarty, whose band, Glass Eye, was a favorite in Austin’s growing live music scene. McCarty said she got a lot of cassettes from people seeking to open for them.

“This weird guy came up to me and gave me a cassette tape. He was clearly dying of nervous energy—he could barely bring himself to talk to me. I took his cassette and said, ‘Yeah, I’ll listen to it.’ It was ‘Hi, How Are You?’ I listened to about two songs and thought, ‘My God, this guy’s a genius.’ We didn’t even practice that day; all we did was listen to his tape over and over. I think we scheduled half an hour for him to play six or seven songs. He rushed through three, then ran off stage. He went to the bathroom, climbed out the window and took off.”

— Kathy McCarty, musician and visual artist

Daniel’s local popularity led to his appearance on an episode of “The Cutting Edge” on the popular music video cable station MTV in the summer of 1985. By that fall, McCarty said Johnston suffered a psychotic episode in which he violently attacked his manager after which he spent time in a psychiatric hospital in Austin. His father, a former WWII pilot, flew to Austin to take Daniel back to West Virginia after another psychotic break. His mental health continued to deteriorate. During a trip to New York City to record his first studio album, “1990,” he assaulted another musician and was briefly hospitalized. Following a recording trip to Maryland, Daniel got into an altercation with a woman in Chester who ended up jumping out of the window of her second-story apartment to escape Daniel after he kicked down the front door. He told a judge he was trying to save the woman from a demon. The judge sent him to a psychiatric hospital in Weston, WV, where he stayed for some time before he was released into the custody of his parents. Daniel would spend a total of five years in mental health institutions over the course of his lifetime.

“Dave, here I am on MTV holding up my tape, ‘Hi How Are You,’ and they're recording me tonight, I'm on MTV. Remember when we used to watch MTV back home? Look, I'm on MTV, Baby!”

– Daniel Johnston, speaking on an MTV promo for “The Cutting Edge”

Kathy McCarty began working on “Dead Dog’s Eyeball: Songs of Daniel Johnston” after Daniel was hospitalized in Weston. She said she recorded his songs so people could hear the music in a more relatable way. She accomplished that goal: The album was well-received, and one track, “Living Life,” appeared on the soundtrack of the 1995 romantic drama “Before Sunrise,” starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

“Oftentimes people used to ask me in interviews, do you think that his mental illness is like, what makes him such a great songwriter? And I'd be like, ‘no, if he had not been mentally ill, it would have been much better.’ His mental illness - it stood in his way.”

— Kathy McCarty

Daniel continued to record, often collaborating with other musicians. His eighteenth and final album was issued in 2012 but his most enduring work was the material from the 1980s, much of it from West Virginia.

His dad, and later, his brother Dick, managed him. They toured with him, booking local artists to accompany him. Daniel eventually stopped playing guitar or piano because of tremors from the medications he took. 

In 2017, Daniel announced he would retire from performing. He did a final, five-date tour. Each stop featured a different band influenced by his music.

Jeff Tweedy, the frontman of Wilco, and his son backed up Daniel at the Old Vic in Chicago. A video of the concert shows Daniel sitting in a chair, reading his lyrics off a music stand. Both hands grip the microphone to steady his shaking body. 

Watch Daniel Johnston perform with Jeff Tweedy and his son at the Old Vic in Chicago in 2017. 

Tweedy will induct Daniel Johnston into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and perform at the ceremony. He said it’s a great honor.

If it was up to me he'd be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or he'd be in every state's Hall of Fame. I don't know, I just think that you know I think that there are a lot of good reasons to keep his music alive and keep a focus on the art that he made.— Jeff Tweedy, of the band Wilco

Daniel continued to record, often collaborating with other musicians. His eighteenth and final album was issued in 2012 but his most enduring work was the material from the 1980s, much of it from West Virginia.

His dad, and later, his brother Dick, managed him. They toured with him, booking local artists to accompany him. Daniel eventually stopped playing guitar or piano because of tremors from the medications he took. 

In 2017, Daniel announced he would retire from performing. He did a final, five-date tour. Each stop featured a different band influenced by his music.

Jeff Tweedy, the frontman of Wilco, and his son backed up Daniel at the Old Vic in Chicago. A video of the concert shows Daniel sitting in a chair, reading his lyrics off a music stand. Both hands grip the microphone to steady his shaking body. 

Watch Daniel Johnston perform with Jeff Tweedy and his son at the Old Vic in Chicago in 2017. 

Tweedy will induct Daniel Johnston into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and perform at the ceremony. He said it’s a great honor.

If it was up to me he'd be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or he'd be in every state's Hall of Fame. I don't know, I just think that you know I think that there are a lot of good reasons to keep his music alive and keep a focus on the art that he made.

— Jeff Tweedy, of the band Wilco

Daniel Johnston performed outside the U.S. at venues in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. In 2010, he toured Europe with the B.E.A.M. Orchestra, an 11-piece outfit from Holland.  Live recordings from that tour are on Daniel’s 2010 album “Beam Me Up!”

Dick Johnston manages Daniel’s estate. He said proceeds from the sales of Daniel’s drawings and other merchandise pay for the upkeep of his voluminous archives and legacy-building projects. Dick said he’d like to develop a cable or television series based on Daniel’s life. 

Daniel’s visual art is also in the spotlight. The art publisher Rizzoli will soon release “Daniel Johnston,” a 400-page book spanning four decades of Johnston’s  work.

Daniel is also remembered through the Hi, How Are You Foundation, a non-profit co-founded by Tom Gimbel, who managed Daniel in the 1990s. The foundation’s “Hi, How Are You Project” educates young people worldwide about mental health through community-building events. 

For a kid who started out making cassette tapes in his family’s basement, that’s quite a legacy.   

“OK, even if you don’t like outsider music, you’re missing something in the human experience if you’re not listening to Daniel Johnston. He’s a deeply philosophical commentator on the world, society, life and our experience, and I think he has valuable things to offer. It’s something that shouldn’t be missed.”

— Dick Johnston

On this West Virginia Morning, the late singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston grew up in West Virginia and came onto the indie music scene in the 1980s. Last year, Johnston was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and he’s featured in the next episode of Us & Them. In this award-winning show, host Trey Kay learns about Johnston’s legacy which was partly shaped by his challenges with mental illness.

Also, an international nonprofit is launching an initiative to ease West Virginia’s childcare dilemma.

And, Marshall University is trimming some programs as it eyes growth in the coming years.

Finally, the state is sponsoring a poetry contest for the America 250 celebration on the Fourth of July.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, the Public Service Commission (PSC) of West Virginia is currently conducting public comment hearings concerning developer NextEra Energy’s application to construct a new 107.5-mile-long transmission line from Pennsylvania through West Virginia to Virginia. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, in Morgantown.  

Known as the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link, the line would cross Monongalia, Preston, Mineral and Hampshire counties. Chris Schulz recently spoke with Kaitlin McCormick, senior director of project execution at NextEra, about the need driving the project.  

Also, homeless advocates have released new figures that show a drop in the number of unhoused people in West Virginia.

And, the state is looking for information on technology to help monitor patients in rural settings. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, there are just over 6,000 abandoned or orphaned natural gas wells in West Virginia, according to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Some estimates suggest that number is low. The surprising thing, though, is where some of them are located. News Director Eric Douglas has this story.

Also, West Virginia is holding steady in a national report on child well-being.

And, the application deadline for the Hope Scholarship Program is just a week away on Monday, June 15. State Treasurer Larry Pack, who serves as Chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board, is encouraging more families to apply for the funding.  

Finally, a statewide initiative launched Monday aims to help West Virginians prepare for disasters before they strike.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, throughout the Southern United States, you’ll often find three-pronged leaves with hairy vines swallowing entire sections of forests. It can be a beautiful sight at first glance. But the invasive plant causes persistent ecological problems in the region. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WUOT’s Jacqui Sieber has more on efforts to tackle the ‘vine that ate the south.’

Also, the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) has a new chief operating officer. Gov. Patrick Morrisey has named William "Bill" D'Aiuto to the newly created leadership position.

And, U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey, who oversees the Northern District of West Virginia, has been named to a leadership position on a board that targets major drug trafficking operations across multiple states. Harvey will serve as the vice-chair of the Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, the Trump administration invests in coal, Medicaid concerns rise in the Mountain State, and Mountaineer Food Bank expands. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

Some of the stories on our show inspired college student art — including a vivid image of a bear smashing a clarinet.

Also, a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia serves vegetarian food made in three sacred kitchens. 

And, COVID-19 exposed the contempt society has for marginalized people. One author says, these folks are anything but passive. 

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• WVU Students Carve Prints From Stories On Inside Appalachia
• The Three Kitchens Of New Vrindaban
• New Book Exposes ‘America’s Contempt’ For Marginalized Underclass
• Leann Ray And Her Support For Coal Miners

WVU Students Carve Prints From Stories On Inside Appalachia

We occasionally hear from educators who find ways to work Inside Appalachia into their classrooms. In December, the show was tagged in an Instagram post by West Virginia University (WVU) art professor Joseph Lupo.

The post showcased four-color reductive relief prints made by WVU students — each one inspired by a story or episode they heard on Inside Appalachia. 

Host Mason Adams spoke with three of Lupo’s students and asked them to describe their work and its connection to the show. But first, he asked Lupo to explain the assignment he gave his class.

The Three Kitchens Of New Vrindaban

New Vrindaban is a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. It started in the late 1960s and is home to a few hundred permanent residents — but thousands of pilgrims visit each year. They come to worship in the temple — and to visit the opulent Palace of Gold. 

But those main attractions were a pretty small part of Folkways reporter Zack Harold’s trip. He ended up spending much of his time in the kitchen.

New Book Exposes ‘America’s Contempt’ For Marginalized Underclass

More than one million Americans have died from COVID-19. Some groups of folks died at much higher rates than others. And those deaths tended to follow lines of race, class, age and disability. In other words, conditions that were already making life harder for some people played out during the pandemic, too.

Last year, host Mason Adams spoke with reporter Sarah Jones about her book, Disposable: America's Contempt for the Underclass.

Leann Ray And Her Support For Coal Miners

The Trump administration has slashed federal jobs and loosened energy production regulations, and delayed a Biden-era rule to protect miners against silica dust, which contributes to black lung disease. Last April, we spoke with Leann Ray, the editor-in-chief of the nonprofit news outlet, West Virginia Watch, about an editorial she wrote.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Tim Bing, Frank George, Blue Dot Sessions and Hello June.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways editor Chris Julin.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, the Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Ohio-based festival over the years has hosted American music icons, like John Prine, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, while also supporting regional artists. Inside Appalachia’s Abby Neff spoke with festival founder Tim Peacock to learn more.

Also, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services this week has released a ruling on pending changes to Medicaid coverage. Opponents say thousands in West Virginia will lose coverage.

And, Google has created a website to provide information on the company’s plans to develop a data center near the Putnam County town of Buffalo. 

Finally, low income West Virginia residents can apply soon for energy assistance to get through the summer heat if they are in danger of having their service shut off.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, if your aging parent needs surgery, you might need to take time away from work to care for them. A federal policy called the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives many employees job-protected leave for caregiving. But it has noteworthy limitations. HealthQ’s Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer, as part of the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, spoke with Jocelyn Frye from the National Partnership of Women and Families to learn more.

Also, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has released their final report on the mining accident that killed a miner last November.

And, an apprenticeship program in the state’s schools is reporting widespread success in its first few years of operation.

Finally, activists who are concerned about the risks coal mining poses to endangered species in Appalachia notched a courtroom victory last week.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, one in six West Virginians is food insecure. Meaning, 270,000 people in the state regularly don’t know where their next meal will come from. Assistant News Director Maria Young recently toured Mountaineer Food Bank’s greatly expanded, new facility to find out what it takes to meet that need every day – and what it will take in the years to come.

Also, human rights advocates are raising questions about reported immigration enforcement in West Virginia earlier this year.

And, a reminder for anyone who takes a parking spot reserved for Purple Heart recipients. Starting next week, there will be stiff penalties for unauthorized use of those spaces.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, while baseball fields are run of the mill in most communities, there’s a certain type of diamond that’s less common: it’s called a “Miracle Field.” There are three of these in West Virginia – in Morgantown, Wheeling and Green River. These are accessible baseball facilities that can accommodate players with disabilities. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WPLN’s Cynthia Abrams reports that these fields are a growing trend across the country.

Also, Gov. Patrick Morrisey is doubling down on prevention as medicine to improve the state’s health.

And, collections for West Virginia’s General Revenue Fund surpassed $381 million in May. That’s $44 million more than estimated, according to Morrisey’s office.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, black bears now inhabit all 55 counties of West Virginia, and bear encounters are on the rise across Appalachia. Climate change is often a hidden culprit. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WPLN’s Caroline Eggers reports that state wildlife managers are working to promote peaceful coexistence.

Also, Sierra Club West Virginia will debut its finished “Quilting for Community” project Tuesday evening in Morgantown – designed, cut and sewn by community members who may or may not have had any sewing skills when they began.  The project will then launch a statewide tour that is expected to lead to similar projects across West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Week, the springtime drought lingers, beverage distributor workers continue to strike and the state’s amphibians are struggling. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week

A new roleplaying game gives folks in the workplace a chance to be a mythical Appalachian monster.

Also, southeast Ohio’s Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20^th anniversary in June. We talk with the founder about what keeps people coming back. 

And, members of a Ukrainian Catholic church in Wheeling, West Virginia, make pierogies for their community every week. What makes them so good? 

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• Monsters Of Appalachia Game Connects Coworkers
• Rail Trails Connecting Appalachian Cities
• Pressure On Power Grids
• Southeast Ohio Residents, Wildlife Experts Warn Against Fracking
• Flash Flooding In Dante, Virginia
• Tick Season Could Be All-Year Round
• Rebuilding After EF4 Tornado Struck Somerset, Kentucky
• Nelsonville Music Festival Celebrates 20th Anniversary
• A Passion For Pierogies In Wheeling, W.Va.

Monsters Of Appalachia Game Connects Coworkers

People in the workplace often have to do team-building exercises. But instead of the stale old icebreakers, a team of university developers are using Appalachian cryptids. Bigfoot, the Flatwoods Monster and Moth-person are all part of the game called Monsters of Appalachia. It was developed by the Center for Transformational Play at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Host Mason Adams spoke with Jessica Hammer, associate professor and director of the center. 

Rail Trails Connecting Appalachian Cities

Across the country, old railroads have been converted into multi-use trails for folks to get out and enjoy nature. 

WVPB’s Chris Schulz has more on an ambitious vision to connect communities in West Virginia and Pennsylvania by rail trail.   

Pressure On Power Grids

Northern Virginia is home to the biggest concentration of data centers in the world. It’s known as “data center alley.” And now, its power needs are affecting rural places throughout the region. As utility companies expand the power grid to keep up, new substations and transmission lines are being proposed. One project stretches across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia. Another extends through nine counties in Virginia. It’s drawing pushback from environmentalists and residents.

WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports. 

Southeast Ohio Residents, Wildlife Experts Warn Against Fracking

An Ohio commission is accepting bids to lease thousands of acres of a remote, state-owned wildlife area for fracking.

The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant visited the area and has more.

Flash Flooding In Dante, Virginia

A 2022 scientific paper suggests Appalachia could see nearly twice as many flash floods by the end of the century. Climate change is causing more extreme rainfall, and the town of Dante, Virginia is one of many places where flooding is getting even worse. Dante has had floods throughout its history. 

Radio IQ's Katie Burke spoke with an African American family whose ancestors came to work in the mines. They survived a flood last July. 

Tick Season Could Be All-Year Round In Louisville

We’re seeing the effects of climate change in other, unexpected ways, too. We have seen a lot of ticks this year, and scientists say they’re likely to become even more prevalent because of climate change. 

The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom’s Bill Burton and meteorologist Tawana Andrew regularly discuss the region’s climate and weather. This week, they’re talking ticks.

Rebuilding After EF4 Tornado Struck Somerset, Kentucky

A year ago, an EF-4 tornado struck Somerset, Kentucky, damaging part of the city. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WEKU’s Curtis Tate has more on efforts to rebuild a local church and an electric cooperative’s headquarters. 

Nelsonville Music Festival Celebrates 20th Anniversary

This year, the Nelsonville Music Festival in southeast Ohio will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Over the years, the festival has hosted a who’s who of American music icons, like John Prine, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, while also supporting regional artists.  

Associate Producer Abby Neff sat down with director and founder Tim Peacock to talk about the festival. 

A Passion For Pierogies In Wheeling, W.Va.

Just about every culture has some version of the dumpling. China has the wonton. Italy, ravioli. And in India and Pakistan, samosas. 

Different forms of dumplings have made their way into Appalachia, brought by immigrants who blended their recipes into the region’s cuisine. That includes folks from eastern Europe, who began arriving more than a century ago.

From our archives, Folkways reporter Will Warren went to a weekly pierogi making session in Wheeling, West Virginia, and brought us this story in 2024.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Mary Hott, David Odell and Dave Bing, Hello June and Blue Dot Sessions. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Jennifer Goren. 

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, monsters in the workplace? Maybe. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is developing a team building game using Appalachian cryptids like Bigfoot and the Flatwoods Monster. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Jessica Hammer, associate professor and director of the university’s Center for Transformational Play, to learn more.

Also, despite the recent soggy weather, most of West Virginia remains under drought conditions.

And, three treatments for cancer patients are available for the first time in southern West Virginia.

Finally, bells will be ringing across the state as part of the America 250 celebration.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, America’s foster care crisis is serious for nearly 400,000 kids who rely on the system. In the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks into the shortage of licensed foster homes – and the wide range of agencies and nonprofit organizations who offer help navigating what can be a complicated system.

Also, state lawmakers are making it easier for workers to get training on new skills faster.

And, a bitcoin mining company has acquired property in northeastern Kentucky, near Ashland, to build a hyperscale data center. This story was produced as part of the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom.

Finally, improved water quality in West Virginia has led to fewer restrictions on sport fish consumption across the state.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

Hundreds of thousands of kids rely on America’s foster care system. 

West Virginia has the highest rate of foster care placements of any state - four times the national average. Foster care is most often needed because of parental substance use, mental health challenges, poverty and neglect. Six-thousand Mountain State kids are in foster care, but there’s a shortage of licensed foster homes and residential facilities and that’s why nearly 400 kids live in out-of-state institutions. 

On this Us & Them, an encore episode finds more than half of all states have seen their number of licensed foster homes drop, some by as much as 60 percent because many new foster parents don’t stay in the system for long. 

While official foster care cases are tracked and overseen by state agencies, many types of so-called kinship care are not official or included in state data.  

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council, CRC Foundation and Daywood Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

“I was in several foster care situations… I think three or four. It always seemed short and seemed as if we were getting bounced around.The hard part was probably just the beginning, how much I just always try to keep my siblings in check. I felt as if, if they behaved in a way, just like the other situations we might get taken away. It feels like yesterday that I got adopted. It went by fast. The things that make me smile was definitely adoption day. ‘Cause I knew, I finally found a family and I could try and live out the rest of my childhood.”

— Dominic Snuffer

“You might fall off because of just life experiences that you may be going through. You might have a change in jobs. You might have an illness in your family. You might have a death in the family. And so I used to see for every 100 parents that I recruited, I might get only four to six families actually get a kid into their home for every hundred that would call me and be interested in becoming a foster parent.”

— Larry Cooper

“ They both took the stand and said that they give up the rights to their child, I just started breaking down. She [Brandi] was sitting beside me like this and she looked over at me. She said, ‘What's wrong?’ I said, ‘I can never imagine saying that about my own child’. She was kind of numb to it because she's worked in the field. It was hard to hear somebody say that.”

— Marc Wilson

“It wasn't until he was sitting next to me in the courtroom that I realized not everybody hears relinquishment. Not everybody hears abuse, neglect. Not everybody hears that - as CPS workers [this is] just everyday language. So once I was with him and realized, okay, this isn't everybody's life. They may have drug issues, domestic violence, gangs coming in and out of their home, but these words are not everyday life for a lot of people.”

— Brandi Wilson

“I can tell you the number of kids in formal care, so if there are 6, 078 kids in foster care in West Virginia, right now 58 percent of those are in kinship relative placements. For kids in informal care, where grandma or an aunt or some type of relative or even what we call fictive* kin has stepped in, it's almost impossible to get numbers on that.”

— Rachel Kinder

*Fictive care refers to placements where a foster parent knows the child, but is not related to them. This could be a teacher, family friend, or a neighbor.

“It actually was a pretty easy decision because we were both on the same page almost always with helping people. I've known since probably my early high school years that I did want to do foster care. However, we really wanted no more than maybe three. And the way life and things happen. we got five at one time. I have two brothers who were put in foster care that I never knew and I still don't know.  So we made a commitment that when we got into it, that we would never split up families.”

— Louisa Snuffer

“If they call us for a sibling group, we're not going to say ‘no’ to them because that was our number one belief. Like, ‘We need to do whatever we can to keep siblings together.’ When we were initially approved, we were approved for four children. So, DHHR [Department of Health and Human Resources] told us we could have four children in the house, given the space. And that, that was kind of our cap. I said, ‘Maybe we'll do three tops,’ you know, that seems like a manageable number. And the very first call we got for placement was a sibling group of five. Of course we said, ‘yes.’ We had to do a few things to get approved for a fifth child. They moved in with us. Things went great.”

— Nikki Snuffer

“[For] my kids that have gone to Winfield, I make them go through the [Future Leaders] program. Not because I'm teaching it, but because even if it wasn't me, I'd want them to get these skills. It's the kind of things that are forgotten these days.”

— Nikki Snuffer

On this West Virginia Morning, researchers have spent almost two decades restoring a threatened species of orchid in southern Kentucky. But those efforts were disrupted when an EF-4 tornado swept through the area in May 2025, carving visible lines in the landscape. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WEKU’s Lily Burris went to Mount Victory to learn about the recovery.

Also, area residents in northern and eastern West Virginia can offer their feedback in person next month on a proposed electric transmission line in the region.

And, beverage distributors for southern West Virginia have now been on strike for two weeks and counting.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, unpredictable weather is making it harder for amphibians to survive in West Virginia – and elsewhere. Kylie Frederick, a journalism student at West Virginia University (WVU), reports on how efforts to protect frogs and similar creatures start at home.

Also, the West Virginia University Cancer Institute is enrolling pancreatic cancer patients for a promising, first-in-human clinical trial that doctors hope will improve survival rates for a very challenging disease.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Week, after statewide primary elections, at least one race is headed for a recount. Also, independent audits find potential savings at three state agencies – as well as a critical deficit that could affect struggling families.

And, a busy summer is on tap in the capitol city. And, the termination of a federal grant program for first time farmers is leaving some growers – and communities – in a bind. 

We also discuss the effects of Hurricane Helene in Appalachia. 

Maria Young is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

Hurricane Helene devastated central Appalachia and disrupted the lives of people in recovery.

Also, in West Virginia, fur trapping continues, even in the 21st century.

And, baseball is America’s past-time. One league is making the game more inclusive.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• Substance Use Recovery After Hurricane Helene
• Pittsburgh Researcher Moves To China After Trump Cuts
• The Tao Of Fly Fishing Rods
• W.Va. Fur Trade In The 21st Century
• The Sweet Taste Of Syrup In Virginia And W.Va.
• The Homewrecker Returns To Hillbilly Hotdogs
• Baseball Field In Tennessee Accommodates Players With Disabilities

Substance Use Recovery After Hurricane Helene

It’s been a year-and-a-half since Hurricane Helene ravaged central Appalachia, especially western North Carolina. The storm upended communities, including support for people living with addiction and behavioral health issues.

Blue Ridge Public Radio’s Katie Myers has been exploring how people are still recovering. 

Pittsburgh Researcher Moves To China After Trump Cuts

As the Trump administration cuts federal science funding, people in research hubs like Pittsburgh are wondering how or if that shift might reshape their communities.

WESA’s Glynis Board spoke with one researcher and his family about their recent decision to move to China.

The Tao Of Fly Fishing Rods

Most of the time, athletes welcome technical innovations in sports equipment. Gone are the days when folks ran marathons in Converse sneakers. And you don’t hear basketball players pining for short shorts. But some fly fishermen still prefer to do things the old-fashioned way. In 2023, Folkways reporter Zack Harold took us to the Elk River to meet Lee Orr of the 304 Rod Company. 

W.Va. Fur Trade In The 21st Century

People have long trapped animals for their hides.  

In North America, Europeans swapped iron tools, cookware and whiskey for animal skins. The pelts were part of a lucrative business that lasted well into the latter part of the last century. In fact, trapping was one of Appalachia’s first industries. 

These days, fur trappers struggle to earn a living. The fashion industry has largely turned away from fur. Still, some trappers in West Virginia have adapted or found new careers using their particular skills. A few years back, Folkways reporter Lauren Griffin brought us this story.

The Sweet Taste Of Syrup In Virginia And W.Va.

Highland County, Virginia and its neighboring counties in West Virginia are some of the southernmost areas in the U.S. where you can make maple syrup. Making maple syrup has become tradition in these communities, but producers are experimenting – both out of curiosity and out of necessity. In 2023, Folkways reporter Clara Haizlett visited the Alleghany Highlands.

The Homewrecker Returns To Hillbilly Hotdogs

Last summer, producer Bill Lynch traveled to Hillbilly Hotdogs in Lesage, West Virginia. It’s a local institution and a tourist attraction. In 2024, the hotdog stand’s signature menu item suddenly became unavailable. But the "Homewrecker" has now returned. Bill went to the hotdog stand to take the homewrecker challenge: eating the three-pound hotdog in less than 12 minutes.

Baseball Field In Tennessee Accommodates Players With Disabilities

You can find a baseball field in most communities, but some diamonds are rarer than others. Like a “Miracle Field.” A baseball facility that can accommodate players with disabilities. WPLN’s Cynthia Abrams reports that these fields are a growing trend across the country.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, Tim Bing, Tim and Dave Bing, Joe Dobbs and the 1937 Flood, Dinosaur Burps and John Inghram. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Chris Julin, Nicole Musgrave and Jennifer Goren. Special thanks to our guest editors this week, Whitney Henry-Lester and Amy Pedulla.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, it’s been a year-and-a-half since Hurricane Helene ravaged central Appalachia. Communities are still recovering, including those who were already in recovery for addiction. Blue Ridge Public Radio’s Katie Myers has more.

Also, at least one of West Virginia’s too-close-to-call primary races will go to a recount.

And, new reporting shows that renewable energy is growing across the country with some surprising states leading the way.

Finally, a 70-acre stretch of land in Upshur County will be transformed into a multi-purpose recreational complex, thanks to multiple grants and a generous gift.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, a small federal grant program aimed at increasing first-time farmer’s access to land, training and tools was finding fertile ground in West Virginia. But in March, the Trump administration suddenly terminated it, leaving local partners uncertain about their futures. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Chris Schulz reports.

Also, during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill this week, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., asked if a warfare training center in southern West Virginia could help modernize military training.

And, millions in federal funds will protect West Virginia from exposure to lead in drinking water.

Finally, the unemployment rate in West Virginia has fallen from March levels but remains slightly higher than the national average.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, last weekend was the first anniversary of a tornado that devastated communities in nearby southern Kentucky. A Day of Remembrance event honored those who lost their lives, and reflected on a year of recovery. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Shepherd Snyder has this report.

Also, West Virginia lawmakers are taking a hard look at the sustainability of statewide spending on special education.

And, the beginning of July promises to be an extremely busy time for the City of Charleston, with not one but two major celebrations underway.

Finally, the streets of Charleston will once again be filled with world-class cycling races, set to kick off June 16. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, the price of gas has skyrocketed, but how do you know if you would save money with an electric vehicle? The Allegheny Front, a Pittsburgh-based public radio program that reports on environmental issues in the region, reports on how to find out if you would save money with an electric vehicle. 

Also state audits reveal potential savings, the state's gas tax is expected to rise and vets warn about pets accidentally eating cannabis.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, an historic steam locomotive that occupied Nashville’s Centennial Park for decades will soon hit the rails again. John Boyle of the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom reports on a yearslong restoration effort to save the train.

Also some lawmakers are back in Charleston this week for interim meetings and canvassing starts today for last week's primary election.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, a long-serving judge dies, the primary election wraps up and national hospital week is observed. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachian music comes in all kinds. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Mason Salomeini, organizer of the electronic music celebration Dungeon Fest in Whitesburg, Kentucky.

Also some of Tuesday's primary races remain too close to call, the state's math scores improve and students have new opportunities in the utilities and energy sector.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Chuck Anziulewicz is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, psychedelic drugs might find acceptance as a treatment potential for mental health conditions and drug addictions. From the next episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay checks back with a friend named Dimitri Mugianis who’s been using a psychedelic drug called ibogaine to help people kick addictions.

Also, the governor's endorsements in the primary election get results, beverage distributors go on strike and the production of mining tools goes local.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, Secretary of State Kris Warner provided an election night update on voter turnout and results from Tuesday’s primary election.

Also Sen. Shelley Moore Capito cruises to the Republican nomination, and election analysis from a West Virginia University professor.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, Jim Kaufman, president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association, spoke with Maria Young about some of the challenges that lie ahead for hospitals and those who need them in the Mountain State.

And the Primary Election is tomorrow, as well as a look at making America's pastime accessible to all.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Week, the primary election in the state turns ugly and racist, an ambulance driver is indicted for the death of a man in Elkview and Democrats call for an investigation of Senator Jim Justice. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

On this West Virginia Morning, substance use disorder and mental health challenges reached a boiling point during the COVID-19 pandemic, so a few localities decided to try something new. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spent time over several months with crisis teams in Huntington and Princeton.

And the state commits to helping children through improvements to foster care and new savings accounts, while local and federal law enforcement focus on seatbelt enforcement.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Chuck Anziulewicz is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, a plan to funnel millions of dollars in oil and gas royalties toward conservation efforts is getting support from an unexpected group. From The Allegheny Front, we learn about fracking proposals in southeastern Ohio – and what West Virginia University (WVU) researchers say could be the impact on wildlife.

Also, West Virginia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its child welfare system took center stage Wednesday.

And, the U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday it is creating a new Special Missions Command in Kearneysville, West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, across the country, old railroads have been converted into multi-use trails for folks to get out and enjoy nature. Chris Schulz has more on an ambitious vision to connect communities in West Virginia to Pittsburgh via rail trail.

Also, a new statewide effort to boost school safety got its first investment this week.

And, the West Virginia Democratic Party is calling for a federal investigation into Sen. Jim Justice and his efforts to maintain control of The Greenbrier Resort.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, prices at fuel pumps have surged since the United States went to war with Iran. But the Middle East conflict is also having major impacts on international shipping and supply chains. As Shelby Bloomer with Kentucky-based radio station WKMS reports, those issues are taking a major toll on Appalachian corn farmers. This story was produced by the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom.

Also, ahead of the May 12 primary election, voters in West Virginia’s 8^th senatorial district began receiving a mailer from an out-of-state political action committee that targets one candidate and raises race as an issue.

And, some Catholics are excited by the news of new leadership in West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, in an effort to attract more horse racing competitors this year to West Virginia, the state Legislature increased the funding cap to $2 million for certain races – and neighboring states are taking similar action.  When Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, his owner, trainer and jockey won an estimated $3.1 million winning purse.  For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Justin Hicks reports much of that growth can be attributed to increased gambling on historical horse racing games. 

Also, the source and cause of a small mercury spill in Charleston remains under investigation, but the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the City of Charleston coordinated cleanup efforts throughout the weekend.

And, following an environmental group’s litigation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently put protections in place along nearly 4,000 miles of river in 17 states, including Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, for four species of mussels. Derek Operle with member station WKMS reports.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Week, an opioid settlement reaches a milestone, gas prices shock Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and we have more information on the recent chemical spill near Nitro. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

Historian Mills Kelly’s love affair with the Appalachian Trail started when he was a boy scout. He was 12.

Also, the region is known for exporting coal, but it’s losing people, too. 

And, Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque in southwestern Virginia fuses Asian ideas with Appalachian comfort food, like cheesy egg rolls.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• A Hiker’s History of the Appalachian Trail
• Acupuncture May Ease Alpha-Gal Syndrome
• Depopulation In Appalachian Coalfields
• Ambulance Crews In Rural Tennessee Administer Antibiotics On Site
• A Community Rallies Around Cuz’s Barbeque
• Environmental Engineer Turned "Water Healer"

A Hiker’s History of the Appalachian Trail

Mills Kelly knows an awful lot about the Appalachian Trail (AT). While he’s never attempted a thru-hike, the lifelong hiker has covered hundreds and hundreds of miles of the trail. He’s also a trail scholar. He shares its history on The Green Tunnel Podcast. 

He’s also written several books about the trail, including his most recent. It’s called A Hiker’s History of the Appalachian Trail. Producer Bill Lynch recently spoke with Kelly about his life with the AT.

Acupuncture May Ease Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Nobody loves ticks. The bloodsuckers have a reputation for spreading Lyme disease, but that’s not all. They can also infect people with Alpha Gal Syndrome, a red meat allergy.  

Symptoms of the allergy range from a rash to crippling gastro-intestinal upset. It has even very rarely led to death. Sometimes the allergy fades over time, but sometimes it doesn’t, and there is no cure. 

But as WMRA’s Christine Kueter reports, some are getting relief through acupuncture.    

Depopulation In Appalachian Coalfields

The population in Appalachia’s coal-producing counties has declined since the boom of the 1950s. As the coal industry mechanized and shrunk, jobs went away, and young people did, too. Now, a series of population estimates show things might get even worse.

Journalist Jim Branscome grew up in southwestern Virginia and has been following this story. Host Mason Adams spoke with Branscome back in the fall.

Ambulance Crews In Rural Tennessee Administer Antibiotics On Site

Untreated infections are one of the most frequent causes of death in the United States. Getting lifesaving antibiotics is a challenge in rural areas that don’t have easy access to hospitals. 

For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, reporter Pierce Gentry tells us about an effort in Hawkins County Tennessee to find a solution. 

A Community Rallies Around Cuz’s Barbeque

Food in Appalachia is a blend of the food from all the other places people came from to get here. In West Virginia, we have pepperoni rolls because about 100 years ago, Italians working in the coal mines wanted an easy lunch.  

Different food ideas show up all the time.  

At Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque in Tazewell County, Virginia, you get local mountain flavors, but with an Asian inspired twist. There are items on the menu like Morel mushrooms, cheesy egg rolls and country ham caprese. 

In 2022, Folkways reporter Connie Bailey Kitts and her family stopped in at Cuz’s for dinner and brought us this story.

Environmental Engineer Turned "Water Healer"

The Susquehanna River is one of the world’s oldest rivers. It’s also one of its most threatened. The Susquehanna has been named America’s most endangered river multiple times. More than a decade ago, Carol Perenzen became its inaugural riverkeeper. She helped connect people to their river and advocated for its protection. Now Perenzen has a new project.

The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsapple has more. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Eric Vincent Huey, Mary Hott, Hello June and John Inghram. 

Mason Adams is our show host. Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Jennifer Goren and Zander Aloi.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, Mills Kelly is a lifelong hiker and Appalachian Trail scholar. He shares the trail’s history and more on The Green Tunnel Podcast. He’s also written several books, including his most recent, called A Hiker’s History of the Appalachian Trail. Inside Appalachia’s Bill Lynch spoke with Kelly to learn more.

Also, Jefferson County Schools have been placed on lockdown for a second day in a row after threatening calls were made.

And, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said Thursday on her weekly press call that she was shocked to see the price for a gallon of regular gas in West Virginia had climbed to more than $4. Capito shares what she said it will take to get those numbers down. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, two weeks ago, on April 16, John Lucas was run over by an ambulance from the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority at 2 a.m. in Elkview. And then he was dragged for nearly two miles. He died from his injuries. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with the family’s attorney, Scott Summers, and brings us this interview.  

Also, federal, state and local agencies are working to monitor conditions at the site of a fatal chemical leak near Nitro last week.

And, a new national study shows teacher pay is not keeping up with inflation, and West Virginia is bringing up the rear. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, as temperatures rise and people start heading outside, the chance of contracting a tick-borne illness goes up. Cases of Lyme disease have seen a sharp rise in recent years, so reporter Chris Schulz recently spoke with Dr. Kane Maiers, associate medical director for UPMC GoHealth Urgent Care in West Virginia, to learn more.

Also, potholes across West Virginia are on track for repair by the end of May, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey. That’s happening as the state steps up safety efforts for workers.

And, the League of Women Voters of West Virginia has published its annual legislative scorecard on 20 bills that became law in the recently completed legislative session.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, the Green Bank Observatory is offering a limited chance to go behind the scenes to check out its Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). SETI tours are offered to small groups – ages 12 and up – several times a month through October. Maria Young caught up with the Observatory’s news manager, Jill Malusky, to find out more about the tours – and what exactly scientists there are looking for.

Also, a new study is shedding light on the need for more mental health resources for new and expecting mothers.

And, a developing industry is taking off with federal support.

Finally, text messages illegally using the West Virginia State Seal have been reported to the Secretary of State’s office.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, there are still many questions that surround the chemical incident near Institute last week that killed two workers. Chris Schulz spoke with Dr. Christopher Martin, a specialist in occupational and environmental medicine at West Virginia University (WVU), to try and shed some light on what happened.

Also, Mountaineer Food Bank is expanding its warehouse to serve significantly more food insecure West Virginians. The nonprofit cut the ribbon on its new, 864,000 square-foot facility in Gassaway last week. The central location will serve 48 of the state’s 55 counties and is designed to quickly get more food to those in need.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Week, the air around the site of a chemical leak near Institute is determined safe, the state reaches a settlement with Roblox, and Charleston photographer Perry Bennett represents Team USA in Iceland. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

In author Willie Carver, Jr.’s new book, he reconsiders a negative childhood experience with a neighborhood girl who might have just been looking for a friend.

Also, a southwestern Virginia community rang the alarm after more and more of its children were diagnosed with cancer. A local journalist is trying to unravel the cause.

And, the city of Asheville has a new crusading reporter. He’s a puppet.

You'll hear this story and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• Willie Carver Jr.'s Novel Tore All To Pieces
• Health Care Hollow In Tennessee
• Childhood Cancer Rates Rise In Scott County, Virginia
• Preserving Little Green Apples
• Air Pollution Can Cause Lung Cancer
• Asheville's New Puppet Correspondent

Willie Carver Jr.'s Novel Tore All To Pieces

Kentucky writer and educator Willie Edward Taylor Carver, Jr. has a new book. It’s a mosaic novel that draws from his upbringing, and his experiences as a gay man in Appalachia. The title is Tore All To Pieces, and it weaves together poetry and short stories into a narrative about people and place.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Carver about the book, and about the joys of bologna gravy. 

Health Care Hollow In Tennessee

Hospitals in rural America are closing at an alarming pace, and Tennessee has the highest closure rate. 

WPLN in Nashville is looking at the trend, and what's being done to reverse course.

Reporter Catherine Sweeney went to Linden a Tennessee town that watched its hospital go dark but is now on the path to recovery.   

Childhood Cancer Rates Rise In Scott County, Virginia

A cancer diagnosis can be devastating. And tragic when it happens to a child.  

But when multiple childhood cancer cases appear in a community, folks start asking questions. That’s what’s happening in Scott County, Virginia. Scott County has seen a dramatic rise in childhood cancer diagnoses.

Marina Waters is a reporter who’s been covering the issue. Host Mason Adams spoke with her.

Preserving Little Green Apples

Fruit trees in much of central Appalachia are just coming off their spring bloom. Their fruit won’t be ripe until late summer, early fall, but some varieties of apples show up early. Some folks call them June Apples, June transparent apples or even early transparents. The growing season and flavor of this fruit set it apart. And generations of Appalachians have kept these apple trees alive.  

In one of our early Folkways stories, from 2020, reporter Connie Kitts discovered that these early apples were in danger of disappearing. 

Air Pollution Can Cause Lung Cancer

For decades, we’ve known smoking can lead to lung cancer. Public health messages usually focus on personal behavior that the only way to prevent lung cancer is for people to stop smoking. But new research finds a connection between lung cancer and air pollution, particularly in urban areas.

The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant spoke with researchers about reducing cancer rates through environmental policy. 

Asheville's New Puppet Correspondent

There’s a new “voice for the people” in Asheville. He’s a blue puppet with bright red hair. His name is Little Ginger and you can find him on Instagram. He’s a crusading reporter, taking on potholes and local property taxes. 

Blue Ridge Public Radio’s Laura Hackett has more.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Mary Hott, Paul Loomis, John Blissard and Hello June.  

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. 

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, Kentucky writer Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr’s new book Tore All To Pieces weaves poetry and short stories into a narrative about people and place. Inside Appalachia’s Bill Lynch recently spoke with Carver and brings us this conversation.

Also, state and federal environmental agencies were on site Thursday at the Catalyst Refiners plant following a fatal chemical leak on Wednesday.

And, money from the Rural Health Transformation Program is about to start flowing into West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives at a moment when Americans are arguing not just about politics — but about our nation’s history. 

As President Donald Trump calls for the removal of what he labels “divisive” history from public institutions, a new documentary from Ken Burns revisits the American Revolution with all of its complexity, contradiction and competing visions of freedom.

In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay brings together professors and students at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia along with community members for a public conversation. There’s talk about what the revolution meant then, who it was for, and what it means now — at a time when questions about executive power, citizenship and belonging feel anything but settled.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from WETA and the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation.
Learn more about Marshall University.

“My experience with students is that students want unvarnished history. They don’t want the Disney version of American history. That’s boring, right? And that’s not the way it works.

I try to point out that these are people that we’re talking about. They’re flawed humans with different kinds of ambitions and desires and counter-ambitions. And if you think about the past in that kind of way, it allows you to put yourself back there, maybe relate to what’s going on and think about those sorts of things.

I’ve never experienced students coming up to me and saying, ‘Look, I want you to simplify this, romanticize this, and I don’t want any of the most unsavory aspects of it to come about because it hurts my feelings.’ I don’t have that experience. I don’t understand that experience.”

— Kevin Barksdale

Learn more about Kevin Barksdale.

“It’s easy sometimes in academia to look at the revolution or the founding and say this was terrible, and ask if there’s hypocrisy there.

But it’s really important to think about how the ideals that come out of the revolution—the founding, the Declaration of Independence—have been used for multiple social justice issues since then.

Part of the American story is believing in things like liberty and equality and self-determination. And we don’t take a lot of time to really think about what those terms mean. Unless we interrogate our history—what they meant to the colonists, and how they didn’t always live up to them—it forces us to ask what we actually mean when we use those words today. Without telling these stories, we can’t have a sense of what those ideas mean.”

— George Davis

Learn more about George Davis.

“I feel like watching the documentary definitely changed my perspective on how I would fit into the nation’s origin story.

Being a young Black American woman, it’s hard to see where we would fit in. As they mentioned, it was more often about what wealthy white women did.

I feel like our part of history goes unnoticed and we’re kind of hidden from that. So we don’t really know what victories we had or what we did during that period of time.”

— Adriana Raymore

“Growing up here in West Virginia, they romanticized the American Revolution very heavily. We focused on what we won—our battles—rather than how we treated the people that helped us along the way.

I think we need to teach everything—the good, the bad, the ugly—all of it, rather than just the one version, the American hero narrative.”

— Benjamin Harrison

“I think the part that makes me feel the most uncomfortable is when they said that Native Americans probably would have been better off if we had never come here.

That’s a really uncomfortable truth to sit with. It’s hard to reconcile it — because here we are on this land, and we’re reaping the benefits of their injustices.

I feel like the sanitized version of history that people think they want is unproductive and uninvolving. It creates apathy.

This is an experiment — the American experiment — and we have to keep refining what that means.”

— E. Provost

“These are all the same questions: What right do I have to speak? What right do I have to think? What right do I have to tell somebody else what to do?

I think it’s important that we never stop revisiting those issues—because the tides of history will never stop.”

— Lio Frye

“You created a system that was perhaps the best in the world at creating wealth. Through that period, you went from landed wealth to a tremendous expansion of mercantile wealth, and then industrial wealth through manufacturing and transportation — now into an era of digital wealth.And this system, with all its warts and bubbles and difficulties, has been able to manage that tremendous transition and address issues with the distribution of that wealth.”

— John Maher

“I think part of the role of universities and colleges is to expand the worldview of people, because sometimes what we do learn in K-12 is very limited and the perspective is very limited.

Part of the role of universities and colleges is allowing people to expand their worldview but then also create a safe space to have these discussions.”

— Lacey Vinegar

“Benjamin Franklin said, ‘Now we have a republic, if you can keep it.’

And to me, that means we have to be bold. We have to not only have these debates within academia, but we also have to have those moments when you are sitting next to somebody who you disagree with—and learn how to respectfully speak to them.

We have to have the courage to stand up and say something.”

— Helen Zublic Fain

“I don’t know if I could say any specific image, but I think the Revolution—absolutely, the ideas.

It wasn’t based off of ancient ideas, it wasn’t based off ancient peoples—it was based on the idea that we’re creating something new for the people.

And I think that we should continue that in our democracy.”

— Mason Skidmore

“With the perception that colleges are indoctrinating per se, do you believe that some of that comes from the fact that, and I mean here in West Virginia, that not half our population has a college education?

Do you believe it’s a threat now with social media playing an influence in kids that are 13 years old seeing political content and not understanding how to process it or what they are exactly seeing, and what do you think that means for the future of democracy?”

— Michael Borsuk

On this West Virginia Morning, the American Lung Association has released its 27th State of the Air report on air pollution and awarded grades for metro areas across the country. West Virginia isn’t perfect but is surprisingly good. No one in the state lives in a county with a failing grade. The Charleston-Huntington metro area got all As.  

News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Kevin Stewart, director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association, about the report and what it all means.  

Also, West Virginia has reached one of the first settlements in the country with a popular children’s online gaming platform.

And, a West Virginia folklorist has been honored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Finally, the Appalachian Regional Commission is accepting applications for projects to help people in recovery enter – or reenter – the workforce.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, a West Virginia photographer is representing Team USA in the 2026 World Photographic Cup in Iceland this week – and he’s there because of a photo he almost didn’t take. We hear from longtime photographer for the West Virginia Legislature and two-time winner of the Professional Photographers of West Virginia Photographer of the Year award, Perry Bennett.

Also, a federal hearing in three weeks could determine the next step for the historic but struggling Greenbrier Resort.

And, it's time to get your bird feeders out. The hummingbirds are here.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, especially in a land-locked state, the idea of caring for our natural waterways may not come easily. The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region, brings us their latest story on the healing power of water.                

Also, the search for extra-terrestrial life is on at the Green Bank Observatory in Pocahontas County.

And, the Spring Gobbler Season has kicked off. After a long, cold winter the annual spring harvest offers a chance to enjoy West Virginia’s great outdoors under sunny skies. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Week, a Florida energy company plans to build a high voltage line across four West Virginia counties. Also, the state’s horse racing industry gets a boost, and be sure to watch out for ticks this season. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

Coal power can be expensive. Utilities run coal-fired power plants harder in the winter and summer when demand is high. 

Also, two films made in West Virginia shot to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts. The state wants to encourage even more movies to be made in West Virginia by helping keep production costs down. 

And, an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• Coal Drives Up Tension, Energy Rates Between Virginia And West Virginia
• Tennessee State Police Consider Implementing AI Facial Recognition
• High Profile W.Va. Movies Highlight Growing Film Industry
• The Modern Mountain Cookbook
• Brain Tanning In Athens, Ohio

Coal Drives Up Tension, Energy Rates Between Virginia And West Virginia

Lawmakers across the country are talking about affordability, especially when it comes to rising power bills. But states are taking different approaches to make that happen. Virginia is pushing for more renewable energy, while West Virginia lawmakers are trying to keep coal plants open.

Host Mason Adams teamed up with Radio IQ reporter Roxy Todd. They talked with economists, politicians and ratepayers to try to learn why tensions between the two Virginias may be driving up costs.  

Tennessee State Police Consider Implementing AI Facial Recognition

More states are using cameras to aid police and other law enforcement agencies. In Tennessee, state police are exploring the idea of pairing cameras with artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition software. That’s according to public records obtained by the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom. But that technology also comes with privacy concerns.

Managing Editor Ryan Van Velzer spoke with reporters Pierce Gentry and Justin Hicks to learn more.

High Profile W.Va. Movies Highlight Growing Film Industry

It’s always exciting to recognize parts of Appalachia in movies. Today, more and more films and TV shows shot in Appalachia are turning up on streaming services. In March, two films shot in West Virginia made the Netflix Top Ten list for movies streamed in the U.S. And it’s not just the state’s geography that’s a draw for filmmakers. 

WVPB’s Maria Young has more.  

The Modern Mountain Cookbook

When you think of “Appalachian cooking,” what comes to mind? For a lot of folks, it’s savory comfort foods like biscuits with sausage gravy, crispy fried chicken and mashed potatoes loaded with butter. But, what about folks who want comfort food without involving animals? Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table.

Last spring, Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook: A Plant-Based Celebration of Appalachia. 

Brain Tanning In Athens, Ohio

Tanning hides for clothes, blankets, shoes – for all kinds of things – goes back millennia. But over the years, some tanning techniques have become less common, like brain tanning.  

As it turns out, women in Appalachia are reclaiming the practice. In 2020, Clara Haizlett, a brain tanner herself, brought us this Folkways story. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, Dinosaur Burps, Blue Dot Sessions and John Inghram. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from guest editor Andrea “River” Peterson and Folkways Editor Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, lawmakers in both West Virginia and Virginia have been looking at ways to make power bills more affordable, but their approaches are very different. Virginia is pushing for more renewable energy, while West Virginia lawmakers are trying to keep coal plants open.  

Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams and Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd spoke with economists, politicians and ratepayers to learn why tensions between the two states may be driving up costs.  

Also, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said Thursday she’s in favor of data centers in West Virginia but also admits their limitations.

And, a Florida energy company is planning to build a high-voltage power line in southwest Pennsylvania to feed data centers in northern Virginia. It crosses four West Virginia counties along the way. The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier reports the company is seeking the right of eminent domain. 

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, some unusual things are happening in the leadup to the state's primary elections next month. Leading Republicans are directly challenging other Republicans to try to steer the makeup of the West Virginia Legislature. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Marshall Political Science Professor Marybeth Beller about the context of these unusual moves and how they are shaking up the races -- and political watchers.

Also, middle school students win a national award for their work on water filtration and a month-long sweep by law enforcement nets results.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, with the war in Iran now in its second month, many questions remain about the motivations for and the objectives of the conflict. 

Ace Parsi’s family left Iran for the U.S. because of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. He shared his perspective on the situation with reporter Chris Schulz.   

Parsi is also running for Congress in West Virginia’s second district. 

Also, there are yard signs, candidate forums and ads for candidates out, but if you’re not sure exactly who you can vote for, there is a tool.

And, Thanksgiving is more than seven months away. But starting this weekend turkeys across the state have reason to hide.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, America’s rural hospitals are closing at an alarming pace. That’s become a concern in many parts of West Virginia. We look at nearby Tennessee, which has the highest hospital closure rate in the nation – but also some shining examples of hope. WPLN’s Health Reporter Catherine Sweeney takes us to Linden – a Tennessee town where the shuttered hospital there has recently reopened. 

Also, the public will soon have an opportunity to express their opinion on a proposed electric transmission line project in person.

And, a longtime Charleston priest, activist and central figure in one of West Virginia’s most turbulent cultural conflicts has died. The Rev. Jim Lewis was 90.

Finally, you might say there’s now more horsepower driving a small but important industry in West Virginia.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, we’ve long known that smoking can cause lung cancer. But what about air pollution? As The Allegheny Front reports, a new Appalachian study finds a connection.

Also, we have the latest from our occasional series Almost Heavens, where the astrophysicist and Clay Center educator Shannon Silverman guides us through the cosmos above the Mountain State. In this segment, we learn about what can be seen in the springtime skies overhead.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Week, the state supreme court decides on vaccine requirements, the office of miners health and safety releases its findings about recent accidents and money talks on Planet Money. 

Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. 

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. 

Learn more about West Virginia Week. 

Our Common Nature is a new podcast from WNYC. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana González, as they explore America and talk to folks like West Virginia coal miners.

We follow Yo-Yo and his team as they venture into Appalachia. And we talk with González about meeting people where they are.  

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

• West Virginia: Yo-Yo Ma And W.Va. Coal
• The Smokies: Mountains And Forgotten Family With Yo-Yo Ma
• Kentucky: Yo-Yo Ma And The Louisville Orchestra Perform In Mammoth Cave

Our Common Nature: The Smokies, Mammoth Cave And W.Va. Coal

We’re sharing a new podcast from our friends at WNYC. It’s called Our Common Nature. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who you probably know best from his rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite Number One in G Major.

In the podcast, Ma teams up with producer Ana González. They travel around the country, meeting people and hearing their stories and music. They visit parts of Appalachia, including West Virginia and the Smokies. We’re excited to share an excerpt from their travels.

Also, host Mason Adams speaks with González about what she and Ma had in mind for these trips — and what they learned along the way. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Yo-Yo Ma and Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks this week to WNYC for sharing their podcast with us. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, lots of public radio listeners know acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In the fall, WNYC released Our Common Nature, a podcast that follows the musician and producer Ana Gonzalez as they explore the country. This included a visit to West Virginia. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Gonzalez about the podcast and what she and Yo-Yo Ma learned along the way.  

Also, a panel of federal judges has upheld the constitutionality of West Virginia’s vaccination requirements.

And, much of the state is facing an elevated risk of fire right now.

Finally, Trump administration officials in February announced a change in rules intended to help coal, and March data show solar is quickly catching up.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

For some Americans home ownership is a way to build wealth for future generations.

But West Virginia presents the complexities and nuances of that reality. The Mountain State has the nation’s highest homeownership rate but the second lowest personal income rate.

And much of the state’s housing is old and needs repair. In one West Virginia county, 67% of the homes are more than 80 years old and half rate below normal on standard quality measures. By several measures, there are 500,000 people living in such conditions.

In this encore Us & Them — which was recently honored by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters for Best Podcast — we travel just across the state line to western Virginia to experience a side of the housing crisis we don't often see — structures in disrepair that people call home.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

"We have about 3.8 million households in Appalachia, and by several measures, there are half a million people living in homes built before 1930 or in families earning less than 30% of area median income. Cuts to the HUD budget this year have hit federal assistance hard, leaving people with less buying power. All things equal, if your income is very low, your ability to find a decent place to live is very limited."

— Jim King, CEO of FAHE

“Back then I would get the water in a barrel for cleaning and cooking and all that stuff. I got a big pot out there that I use to heat water in to bathe and stuff. I used wood and had a flue that I had built in for heat.”

— Joyce Vest

“I just realized when I came out here that that’s not a way for her to live, and if I could help her, we were going to do so. We started searching and looking [to find a service to help], and it took a couple of years before we had the house. It was one of those things that was on my heart that I had to do. To be honest, I didn’t realize people lived like that — without electricity and without water. I’m not sure how she did it, but she did. She managed. It was an eye-opening experience for me, and it made me realize that I needed to do some things.”

— Stacey Reeder, veterinarian in rural Virginia

“The Indoor Plumbing and Rehabilitation program is designed for low- to moderate-income homeowners who have no indoor plumbing, no potable water or a failing septic system. In her case, she had no well, no indoor bathroom and no septic system — so she qualified for the program. It’s a common challenge: even if a septic system was installed 50 years ago, it may now have failed or be underperforming and must be replaced to meet current regulations and prevent groundwater contamination. And if someone who is 70 or 80 years old — who has lived in their home for decades — suddenly finds that their septic system has failed, they may be forced to install an alternative system that can cost up to $40,000, an expense that is often unaffordable on a fixed income.”

— Kenneth Rogers, rural housing specialist with Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP)

Before-and-after composite images of Joyce Vest’s home document conditions before the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) built a new structure with electricity and running water. The images were provided to Us & Them by SERCAP.

Photo by Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting; composite images courtesy of SERCAP

“That means their families haven’t accumulated the wealth needed to pass on from generation to generation to ensure stability. People my age — and I’m among the oldest millennials — can buy homes largely because of intergenerational wealth. Without that, you lose access to safe, stable housing. Anyone could become homeless at any time — a huge medical expense could wipe you out and leave you on the street. We hear stories like that, but housing insecurity is mostly rooted in generations of being left out. We see it in Appalachia, where people live in old trailers, and in urban areas, where tenants endure poorly maintained rental homes while paying high rents. This isn’t so much a political divide as it is the result of setting our country on a wealth-building track that didn’t include everyone — and still doesn’t. It’s become an us-and-them scenario.”

– Mel Jones, co-director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech University

On this West Virginia Morning, by some measures, West Virginia has the nation’s highest homeownership rate. However much of that housing is old and needs repair. Our latest episode of Us & Them is a recent award winner from the Virginia AP Broadcasters. Trey Kay uncovers an aspect of the housing crisis we don't often hear about – structures without electricity or running water that people call home. We listen to an excerpt. 

Also, state education leaders are highlighting some of West Virginia’s most successful schools.

And, DirecTV workers, represented by the Communications Workers of America — or CWA — have voted to give union leaders the authority to call a strike if negotiations with the company fail to reach a fair agreement.

Finally, democrats in the House of Delegates held a press conference Wednesday to call for a special session to address skyrocketing gas prices.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, fluorspar is a mineral used to make everything from steel, aluminum and gasoline to uranium fuel and batteries. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, WKMS’ Lily Burris reports the largest known deposit of the critical mineral in the U.S. is in western Kentucky – and its applications in artificial intelligence (AI) could reawaken the region’s mining industry. 

Also, the West Virginia office of Miner’s Health Safety and Training has released their initial findings from last week’s two fatal accidents.

And, state leaders from both parties are calling on Gov. Patrick Morrisey to help alleviate skyrocketing gas prices.

Finally, state and federal grants are coming to West Virginia for workforce development.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning 

On this West Virginia Morning, the economy is everything we buy or sell and services we use. It can be a broad category and most of us struggle to understand what it all means. The show Planet Money from NPR dives into those topics and attempts to make sense of it. And now, the show has published a book called Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life.

WVPB’s News Director Eric Douglas spoke with the author of the book, Alex Mayyasi, and one of the show hosts, Sarah Gonzalez, to break it down and learn more about what readers and listeners can gain.

Also, a new program to ease communications between law enforcement and people with disabilities was recently signed by Gov. Patrick Morrisey.

And, the state Attorney General’s office is trying a new approach to help keep West Virginians informed about scams.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning