podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Cuts At NIOSH Morgantown And Revitalizing A Coal-Fired Power Plant Site, This West Virginia Morning Apr 15, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning,two weeks ago, almost all the workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health offices in Morgantown woke up to notifications that they were out of a job. The cuts are part of a sweeping reduction in force at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as across the federal government in general. Reporter Chris Schulz sat down with one of the affected workers, Kyle Mandler, to talk about the cuts.

And from Pittsburgh-based The Allegheny Front, the site of a recently demolished coal-fired power plant in western Pennsylvania is being redeveloped. Its owners say they will spend $10 billion dollars to build a gas-fired power plant and data center on the Indiana County site.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Passed And Failed Legislation Of the 2025 Session And Traditional Tattoos And Music In East Kentucky, This West Virginia Morning Apr 14, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the state legislature wrapped up its 2025 regular session at midnight Saturday night, deciding the final fate – for more than 24-hundred bills that were filed, discussed, debated and voted on over the last two months. Maria Young reports on the high profile legislation that passed – and failed –during the session.

And from Inside Appalachia, John Haywood is the proprietor of Parlor Room Art and Tattoo in Whitesburg, Kentucky –a place where some people get inked up and some play traditional music.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Reporter Roundtable Looks Ahead To Final Hours Of 2025 Session Apr 11, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, for our final show, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate, Emily Rice and Jack Walker discuss some of the big bills they've been following this session and what they are keeping an eye on in the final hours.

Join us Saturday, April 12 for our Final Hours program as we follow along with legislative action from 8 p.m. to midnight.

In the House Friday, Jack Walker recaps some of the bills lawmakers discussed as the session wraps up.

Also, the Senate and House are working together to get bills across the finish line, but first they have to agree with changes that the other chamber made. Briana Heaney has more.

And our high school reporters Emily Browning and Malia Saar wanted a better understanding of the mechanics of the legislature. A couple weeks ago, they got a chance to speak with Steve Harrison, a former delegate, senator and served the House of Delegates for several years as the House Clerk.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHmhdI1cRFY

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A black-and-white image of a dam. — **‘Valley So Low,’ Climbing Crafts And Vegan Cooking, Inside Appalachia** Apr 11, 2025
A new book looks into the toxic legacy of a huge industrial disaster in Tennessee.

Also, rock climbing gear wears out. But it can still live on as art.

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:**

**A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight**

**Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts**

**The Modern Mountain Cookbook**

A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight

Tennesse Valley Authority’s Norris Dam, circa 1936, near Andersonville, Tennessee.
*Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USW33-015709-C*

Just before Christmas 2008, Appalachia became the site of the largest industrial spill in U.S. history. A dam holding back coal ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant ruptured. The break released over a billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry.

The spill — and what came after — are the subject of a recent book, *Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe*. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Jared Sullivan.

Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts

Shelby Treichler stands smiling holding a wall hanging she’s made out of the inner core pieces of old climbing rope. The wall hanging, artfully designed to look like a bright red flower encircled by sage green leaves, is about the size of a placemat.
*Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Over time, outdoor gear wears out. Boots lose their tread. Kayaks and canoes spring leaks. Climbing rope frays. Most of it has to be thrown away.

In Western North Carolina, though, there’s a climber-turned-crafter who keeps old climbing gear out of the landfill. And finds new life for worn out equipment. Last year, Folkways Reporter Emily Chen-Newton brought us this story.

The Modern Mountain Cookbook

*The Modern Mountain Cookbook* by Jan A. Brandenburg.
*Courtesy Photo*

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 that comfort food, without involving animals?

Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s collected and perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Larry Rader, Jeff Ellis, Tim Bing 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 and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

A woman in grey shows off an elaborate flower crafted from recycled climbing rope. — **‘Valley So Low,’ Climbing Crafts And Vegan Cooking, Inside Appalachia** Apr 11, 2025
A new book looks into the toxic legacy of a huge industrial disaster in Tennessee.

Also, rock climbing gear wears out. But it can still live on as art.

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:**

**A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight**

**Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts**

**The Modern Mountain Cookbook**

A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight

Tennesse Valley Authority’s Norris Dam, circa 1936, near Andersonville, Tennessee.
*Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USW33-015709-C*

Just before Christmas 2008, Appalachia became the site of the largest industrial spill in U.S. history. A dam holding back coal ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant ruptured. The break released over a billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry.

The spill — and what came after — are the subject of a recent book, *Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe*. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Jared Sullivan.

Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts

Shelby Treichler stands smiling holding a wall hanging she’s made out of the inner core pieces of old climbing rope. The wall hanging, artfully designed to look like a bright red flower encircled by sage green leaves, is about the size of a placemat.
*Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Over time, outdoor gear wears out. Boots lose their tread. Kayaks and canoes spring leaks. Climbing rope frays. Most of it has to be thrown away.

In Western North Carolina, though, there’s a climber-turned-crafter who keeps old climbing gear out of the landfill. And finds new life for worn out equipment. Last year, Folkways Reporter Emily Chen-Newton brought us this story.

The Modern Mountain Cookbook

*The Modern Mountain Cookbook* by Jan A. Brandenburg.
*Courtesy Photo*

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 that comfort food, without involving animals?

Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s collected and perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Larry Rader, Jeff Ellis, Tim Bing 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 and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

The Easter Bunny, Microgrids And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Apr 11, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, we hear about plans for the end of the 2025 regular legislative session and a special celebration outside the capitol. It is time for children and families to enjoy the inaugural Rhododendron Roll for Easter on Saturday. Gov. Patrick Morrisey and the first lady Denise will attend — along with the Easter Bunny.

Microgrids are one of Morrisey’s top legislative priorities this year. For The Legislature Today, energy reporter Curtis Tate spoke with Kelly Allen of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy to learn more.

Our Song of the Week comes from The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show, which combines the breezy California folk-rock of two Mountain Stage alumni: Taylor Goldsmith and MC Taylor. The duo performed a mix of songs from both of their catalogs, including our Song of the Week, “House Parties,” from the album O Brother.

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.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Budget, Policy Expert Talks Microgrids And Tax Revenues Apr 10, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, microgrids are one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s top legislative priorities this year, and House Bill 2014 is the vehicle to bring more of them to the state. But county officials came to testify earlier this week against the diversion of local property taxes from those facilities to the state. Curtis Tate talks with Kelly Allen of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy about this issue.

The Senate met Thursday morning to go over the first half of bills in the final stages of consideration. Several bills passed narrowly, and many more were left to be considered after our broadcast deadline. Briana Heaney reports from the morning's bills.

With session winding down, members of the House convened for an hours-long floor session Thursday. Jack Walker has this story.

And concerns over the economy, job futures, DEI changes and more extend beyond the legislature in Charleston. Randy Yohe went out earlier Thursday to gauge student concerns on Marshall University’s campus.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nauo7wCCdco

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A Discussion On Energy Apr 09, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Briana Heaney talks with WVPB Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate who has been following several bills this session. As most politicians say, West Virginia is an energy state. Both of West Virginia's U.S. senators were at an event Tuesday sponsored by President Donald Trump where he signed an executive order with the intention of supporting the coal industry.

In the House, delegates made a procedural move to read each bill up for passage in full and debated several amendments. Emily Rice has more.

Members of the House Judiciary Committee reviewed bills Wednesday pertaining to election protocol, drug offenses and the oil and gas industry. Jack Walker brings us this report.

And the Senate Economic Development Committee approved House Bill 2014 on Tuesday after a three and a half hour meeting with testimony from several witnesses. The bill would expand the number of microgrids in the state to support AI and data centers. Curtis Tate has the story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7GAvbqD3dc

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A New Emergency Shelter In Huntington, Understanding The DEI Bill And Egg Alternatives, This West Virginia Morning Apr 09, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Senate Bill 474 is one of the most contentious bills before the legislature this year. It is commonly referred to as the DEI bill for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. On Tuesday, news director Eric Douglas sat down with Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, and Rev. Paul Dunn from the First Baptist Church of Charleston to discuss what the bill potentially means on The Legislature Today.

Also, as communities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans that target homeless people with nowhere to sleep, the city of Huntington announced a very different approach. As Randy Yohe reports, the city plans to open a new, low barrier shelter away from the business district but close to needed resources.

And with the higher price of eggs, some people are turning to other breakfast foods, like cereal or yogurt. But in central Pennsylvania, WPSU intern Rivka Wolin wanted to find something close to actual eggs. So, she and her roommate cooked up some plant-based egg alternatives and had friends compare the taste to real eggs.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

A Closer Look At State Lawmakers’ DEI Debate Apr 08, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, lawmakers are moving forward in their efforts to prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in the state. But the push against DEI was opposed by a vocal minority in the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning. Jack Walker reports.

News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, and Rev. Paul Dunn from the First Baptist Church of Charleston to discuss what the DEI bill potentially means.

Also, Briana Heaney has a story on two bills passed by the legislature that combine state agencies, and she also reports from the House Health Committee where lawmakers met Monday to consider a bill that would close a narrow pathway for minors seeking to receive gender-affirming care.

And as the deadline to read a bill for the first time on both chamber floors Thursday looms, committees on both sides are doing their final work of the legislative session. As Chris Schulz reports, that includes a number of education related bills.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC9kxuB-h-4

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Outgoing UMWA President Talks Legacy And Advocates Discuss Rising Electricity Costs, This West Virginia Morning Apr 08, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Cecil Roberts will step down as president of the United Mine Workers of America in October. Roberts says that in his 30 years at the head of the union, no achievement was more important than saving the health care and pensions of tens of thousands of retired coal miners. He spoke last week with Curtis Tate about that effort and his coming retirement.

And as part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, energy reporter Curtis Tate sat down in our studio with Gary Zuckett and Shawn Phillips of West Virginia Citizen Action Group to discuss electricity prices that have been rising at a rate faster than inflation 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Lawmakers Enter Final Week Of 2025 Regular Session Apr 07, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we're in the final week of the regular state legislative session. Everything ends Saturday at midnight. Any bill that isn’t finalized and on its way to the governor by then is effectively dead until next year.

In the Senate, the body cleared a bill Monday that would change how often a landowner has to certify managed timberland from once a year to once every five years. That bill is headed to the governor's desk. They also approved some supplemental appropriations bills, like one that would give the birth to three programs an extra nearly $6 million.

In the House, delegates approved more than 20 bills without debate and adjourned until 5:30 p.m. Monday. Emily Rice has more.

Last month, senators overwhelmingly passed a bill that would expand criminal penalties against those who sell illicit drugs. But Senate Bill 196 drew a more mixed reaction among members of the House Judiciary Committee Monday morning. Jack Walker brings us this report.

And electricity prices have been rising in West Virginia at a rate faster than inflation. This summer, Appalachian Power seeks to increase them more, sparking public protest at the Capitol and the Public Service Commission (PSC).Curtis Tate talks with Gary Zuckett and Shawn Phillips of West Virginia Citizen Action Group to discuss this issue.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLfLSJCWIMw

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

How SNAP Restrictions Affect W.Va. And A Hot Dog Legacy Lives On, This West Virginia Morning Apr 07, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, federal and state officials want to expand eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and limit what participants can buy. As Jack Walker reports, that could have big impacts on small-town West Virginia, where roughly 1 in 6 residents used SNAP dollars last year.

And for generations, Skeenies Hot Dogs in Sissonville was a local staple. The restaurant closed in 2018 — but as Folkways reporter Zack Harold explores, it comes alive for the annual Skeenies Tribute Sale just one day a year.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Education Legislation, A Statewide Camping Ban And Budget Bills, This West Virginia Week Apr 05, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, as the legislative session winds down, both chambers are working to pass a balanced budget and come up with a final product both sides will agree to.

We’ll also hear about issues the coal industry is facing, at home and abroad.

Meanwhile, several cities across West Virginia have implemented bans designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping in public spaces. Now, a bill to ban so-called camping statewide is making its way through the legislature.

We also discuss education-related topics in front of the legislature – from teacher pay to curriculum and school discipline.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Reporter Roundtable Talks Budget, Energy And FOIA Legislation Apr 04, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the coal and natural gas industries play a large role in the state’s economy and the West Virginia Legislature pays close attention to what's happening in terms of severance taxes, jobs and economic development. For our weekly reporter roundtable, WVPB reporters Briana Heaney and Curtis Tate are joined by Energy & Environment Reporter Sarah Elbeshbishi with the nonprofit newsroom Mountain State Spotlight.

The Senate met on Friday and passed several bills without discussion. Some of those had previously garnered debate. One such bill was House Bill 2172, adding an athletic trainer to the Board of Physical Therapy.

And each week throughout this legislative session, our high school reporters have filed stories that interest them as teens, but also as members of the community. This week, Emma Browning and Malia Saar wanted to look into legislation affecting the foster care system in the state.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_X53antrjs

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A young man climbs the side of a mountain. He wears a yellow helmet, blue t-shirt and khaki pants and climbing shoes. It's a sunny day. — **Encore: The Climbing Climate And Paddle Making, Inside Appalachia** Apr 04, 2025
Rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some *pumpy* crags.

Also, climbers have also been working to make West Virginia's New River Gorge more inclusive.

And, a master craftsman, who makes one of a kind whitewater paddles, remembers some advice.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Adaptive And Inclusive Climbing**

**Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing**

**Crafting A Classic Paddle**

Adaptive And Inclusive Climbing

Wearing an orange helmet and royal blue harness, Brian Liebenow holds onto the rock above his head looking down for the best place to move his feet. The green tinted sandstone looks like dragon scales in the morning light.
*Photo Credit: Katie Jo Myers/Adaptive Climbers Festival, 2023*

The mountains of Appalachia are home to some killer rock climbing, but they’re also accessible for some groups who’ve felt excluded in the past.

Adaptive sports reporter Emily Chen-Newton covers athletes with disabilities. She brings us this story, exploring why climbing festivals are making a home in Appalachia.

Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing

DJ Grant climbing a route at New River Gorge.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

In West Virginia, one of the most popular climbing destinations is the New River Gorge. Advanced rock climbers continue to pioneer new climbing routes there. The first people to climb these new routes are called “first ascensionists.” And they get the privilege of naming the routes. But what happens when dozens of those route names are plainly and clearly offensive?

In 2020 and 2021, Zack Harold followed the story of a climber at the New River Gorge who wanted to make the sport he loved more inclusive for his son.

Crafting A Classic Paddle

Jon Rugh with his wooden paddle at the New River near Blacksburg, VA.
*Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Appalachia has several huge rivers — the New River, the Youghiogheny, the Pigeon — so, it’s no surprise whitewater paddling is popular across the region, but it wasn’t all that long ago that modern paddlers first started exploring these rivers, designing their own gear and even building their own paddles. Some of those DIY paddle makers became master crafters.

Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett followed one.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Sturgeon Creek, Anthony Vega, Oakfield, the Delorian, Biba Dupont, Marissa Anderson, Tyler Childers, Jerry Douglas and John Blissard.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi 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 X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

A black man climbing the side of a cliff at New River Gorge. — **Encore: The Climbing Climate And Paddle Making, Inside Appalachia** Apr 04, 2025
Rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some *pumpy* crags.

Also, climbers have also been working to make West Virginia's New River Gorge more inclusive.

And, a master craftsman, who makes one of a kind whitewater paddles, remembers some advice.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Adaptive And Inclusive Climbing**

**Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing**

**Crafting A Classic Paddle**

Adaptive And Inclusive Climbing

Wearing an orange helmet and royal blue harness, Brian Liebenow holds onto the rock above his head looking down for the best place to move his feet. The green tinted sandstone looks like dragon scales in the morning light.
*Photo Credit: Katie Jo Myers/Adaptive Climbers Festival, 2023*

The mountains of Appalachia are home to some killer rock climbing, but they’re also accessible for some groups who’ve felt excluded in the past.

Adaptive sports reporter Emily Chen-Newton covers athletes with disabilities. She brings us this story, exploring why climbing festivals are making a home in Appalachia.

Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing

DJ Grant climbing a route at New River Gorge.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

In West Virginia, one of the most popular climbing destinations is the New River Gorge. Advanced rock climbers continue to pioneer new climbing routes there. The first people to climb these new routes are called “first ascensionists.” And they get the privilege of naming the routes. But what happens when dozens of those route names are plainly and clearly offensive?

In 2020 and 2021, Zack Harold followed the story of a climber at the New River Gorge who wanted to make the sport he loved more inclusive for his son.

Crafting A Classic Paddle

Jon Rugh with his wooden paddle at the New River near Blacksburg, VA.
*Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Appalachia has several huge rivers — the New River, the Youghiogheny, the Pigeon — so, it’s no surprise whitewater paddling is popular across the region, but it wasn’t all that long ago that modern paddlers first started exploring these rivers, designing their own gear and even building their own paddles. Some of those DIY paddle makers became master crafters.

Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett followed one.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Sturgeon Creek, Anthony Vega, Oakfield, the Delorian, Biba Dupont, Marissa Anderson, Tyler Childers, Jerry Douglas and John Blissard.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi 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 X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

Balancing The State Budget And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Apr 04, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the 2025 legislative session is winding down, and both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature are working to pass a balanced state budget. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with House Finance Chair Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and House Finance Minority Chair Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, to discuss the House's proposed budget.

Plus, for this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage we hear sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell — known together as Larkin Poe — perform “Mockingbird” from their new album Bloom. Their performance on a West Virginia University stage brings us our Song of the 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.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Delegates Discuss House Version Of State Budget Apr 03, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the one thing the West Virginia Legislature is required to do during its 60-day session is pass a balanced budget. Each year, the governor will offer his own budget, and then the chambers take turns preparing the draft budget. This year, it's up to the House of Delegates to put together a budget package. Once it passes the House, it will go onto the Senate for further revision.

News Director Eric Douglas talks with House Finance Chairman Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and Minority Chair of House Finance Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, about the House budget.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_YsG_Kp7Jk

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

**Us & Them: Daniel Johnston — The Troubled Life And Artistic Genius Of West Virginia Music Hall Of Fame Inductee** Apr 03, 2025
Daniel Johnston, a visual artist and singer-songwriter who was a key figure in the indie music scene in the1980s, will soon be inducted in the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Johnston’s high, wobbly vocals, uneven tempos, and percussive piano playing are unpolished and raw, earning him a label as an “outsider artist.” He recorded his best-known songs alone on cassette in his parents’ basement in Hancock County. Those tapes earned him a cult following in the burgeoning live music scene in Austin, Texas. Songwriters saw past the lo-fi production values of Johnston’s cassettes to the lyrics and structure of his songs. More widely known 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 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, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

Hear the podcast episode.

**Daniel Johnston** is among the 2025 inductees to the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Johnston burst onto the '80s indie scene with wobbly vocals and homemade cassettes that quickly earned him a devoted following.
*Photo Credit: J McConnico*

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.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

**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.
*Photo Credit: Bill and Mabel Johnston Slide Collection*

Shelly Reed and Trey Kay standing in front of “The World’s Largest Teapot” in Chester, WV.
*Photo Credit: Amy Eddings*

**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** recorded many of his songs on a $59 Sanyo boombox in the basement of his family’s Hancock County home. The early 1980s were an especially creative time for him; he compiled those songs into self-produced cassette albums and gave them to anyone who would listen.
*Courtesy Photo*

Shelly Reed, left, and Trey Kay look at a vinyl record of Daniel Johnston’s “Hi, How Are You” album, which was originally self-produced on cassette.
*Photo Credit: Amy Eddings*

**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
*Photo Credit: Flash Rosenberg*

**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.*

Mabel, Bill and Daniel Johnston.
*Photo courtesy of Hi How Are You Foundation*

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.*

Young Daniel Johnston playing piano at his family's home near Chester, WV. Bill Johnston said everyone got musical training.
*Photo Credit: Bill and Mabel Johnston*

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.

Daniel Johnston and musician and artist Kathy McCarty in July 1985. When they met, McCarty was living in Austin, TX and fronting the band Glass Eye.
*Photo Credit: Dick Johnston*

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*

*Courtesy Photo*

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, David.”*

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

*Courtesy Photo*

**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***

Jeff Tweedy
*Photo Credit: Pitch Perfect PR*

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 reture 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 performing with B.E.A.M. Orchestra during a European tour in 2010.
*Courtesy Photo*

**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, left, with Daniel Johnston in Austin, TX.
*Photo courtesy of the Hi How Are You Foundation*

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 Sept. 11, 2019, **Daniel Johnston** was found dead in his home in Waller, Texas. He was 58 and died of an apparent heart attack.
*Photo Credit: Peter Juhl*

This mural tribute to Daniel Johnston is in Houston, TX. It was unveiled on Hi, How Are You Day, a celebration of Johnston held every year on his birthday, on Jan. 22, 2020. The mural was created by muralist Anat Ronan and artist Jacob Calle.
*Photo Credit: Jacob Calle*

Legislation Targets Homelessness And W.Va. Indie Singer Enters Hall Of Fame, This West Virginia Morning Apr 03, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, several cities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping on park benches, in doorways and other public spaces.

A so-called camping ban is making its way through the legislature that would have impacts statewide. Assistant News Director Maria Young sat down with someone very familiar with Margaret O’Neal, president of United Way of Central West Virginia, to get her reaction to House Bill 2382.

Daniel Johnston is one of a handful of artists who will soon be inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. The singer-songwriter grew up in West Virginia and came onto the indie music scene in the 1980s.

In the next episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay learns about Johnston’s legacy which was partly shaped by his challenges with mental illness. We'll here an excerpt in today's episode.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

A Discussion On The Statewide Camping Ban Legislation Apr 02, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, several cities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping on park benches, in doorways and other public spaces. A bill to ban so-called camping statewide is making its way through the legislature. Assistant News Director Maria Young talks with Margaret O’Neal, president of United Way of Central West Virginia, who is familiar with the state’s unhoused population.

A bill to establish a forest carbon registry was defeated in the Senate. Emily Rice has more.

The House discussed a list of bills Wednesday, including a bill that would exempt the legislature from sharing information that is currently accessible to the public through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Briana Heaney brings us this story.

And following up on Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order, a bill to codify the elimination of certain diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI) has passed the Senate and is now in the House Education Committee. As Randy Yohe shows us, while Senate Bill 474 pinpoints the executive branch and schools, some state entities receiving state funding are still wondering where they fit under the new policy.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEbIoPTHNuo

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Discussing Coal Industry Issues And Appalachian Indie Rock, This West Virginia Morning Apr 02, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, we take a look at issues affecting the coal industry, both domestically and abroad. Curtis Tate spoke with Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, about the state of the industry.

Plus, a new wave of indie rock has rolled in from the Mountain South, incorporating elements of southern rock and lyrics drawn from Appalachian life. One such group is Fust, a North Carolina band with roots extending to West Virginia. For Inside Appalachia, Mason Adams spoke with Fust singer Aaron Dowdy.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

West Virginia Coal Association President Talks Challenges Facing Industry Apr 01, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday that would allow data centers to establish microgrids — self-contained sites that generate their own power. The bill is one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s legislative priorities. It is also of interest to Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. Our Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate speaks with Hamilton about issues the coal industry is facing at home and abroad.

The Senate passed a bill that would outlaw the use, sale and distribution of abortifacients in the state. Briana Heaney has the story.

And the Senate Education Committee took up two bills Tuesday that aim to improve school security, a legislative focus for years.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBZYE_S7gZ0

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Legislation Could Affect Teachers, Plus Mine Safety Measures At Risk, This West Virginia Morning Apr 01, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, we discuss the role education has played in this year's legislative session, from proposed teacher pay bumps to bills addressing student discipline.

News Director Eric Douglas caught up with Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, to discuss how legislation currently under consideration could impact the state's educators.

Also in this episode, Justin Hicks with Kentucky Public Radio walks us through possible risks to mine safety caused by dual efforts to cut federal spending and boost mineral production from President Donald Trump.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

State Education Union Head Weighs In On Session Mar 31, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, education related topics from teacher pay, to curriculum and school discipline are all issues before the West Virginia Legislature this session. News Director Eric Douglas talks with Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, in our studio about some of the proposed legislation this session and how it affects teachers. The WVEA and the American Federation of Teachers plan to merge this summer to become a single teacher’s union in the state.

The House of Delegates approved a bill Monday that would modify the governance structure of the state’s two land-grant universities, West Virginia University (WVU) and West Virginia State University (WVSU).

The Senate convened a couple hours later Monday while they ironed out a plan for the day. There was a lot of debate around bills on health care regulation and banking. The Senate also voted down its first bill since 2020. We will have an updated story on this floor session Tuesday.

And many LGBTQ allies and advocates gathered outside the Senate chamber to speak against legislation that the state legislature is considering, or has already passed. Briana Heaney has that story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idP7s7srKOg

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Pandemic-Era Vinyl Gets Re-Released And Natural Gas Leader Talks Industry, This West Virginia Morning Mar 31, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, this month marked five years since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of public spaces across the United States. The Cornelius Eady Trio, a ban organized around Tennessee poet and professor Cornelius Eady, used that time to create art.

The trio recorded “Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs by the Cornelius Eady Trio.” As Mason Adams reported for Inside Appalachia, the record was recently re-released on vinyl.

Plus, leaders from the natural gas industry met with Gov. Patrick Morrisey at the State Capitol last week for a roundtable discussion. Afterward, Curtis Tate spoke with Jim Crews, chairman of the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, about gas pipelines, data centers and the challenge of ordering gas turbines for new plants.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Statewide Camping Ban, Requirements For SNAP And One City Cracks Down On Shoplifting, This West Virginia Week Mar 29, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, legislators debate a statewide camping ban and what should be expected of residents who get SNAP benefits. We’ll take a look at the hopes for a comeback of the coal industry and why one city has cracked down on shoplifting.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Political Science Professor Talks Challenges To Legislative Goals Mar 28, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Marshall Political Science Prof. Marybeth Beller to discuss the issues around the super majority and getting things accomplished.

Earlier this week, Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 2354 into law. The law bans certain food dyes from school meals. The governor was joined by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. secretary of health and human services, at a media event in Martinsburg Friday. The two of them discussed additional health priorities for West Virginia and the nation.

In the House Friday, business was delayed for close to two hours due to procedural wrangling. Chris Schulz has more.

As opposed to the House, the Senate had a quiet day, moving through several bills without debate.

And for our weekly feature with our student reporters, Malia Saar and Emma Browning, they take a closer look at the budget process that the West Virginia Legislature is required, by law, to complete by the end of session.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI88Gv4FRio

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A black and white photo of a white man, Aaron Dowdy of the band Fust, sitting in a recording studio holding a guitar. He is surrounded by guitars, a microphone and other instruments. — **Fust, The Price Of Eggs And Helvetia’s Fasnacht, Inside Appalachia** Mar 28, 2025
Aaron Dowdy of alternative country band Fust took an outside path to becoming a songwriter.

Also, egg prices are up. Some folks are talking about raising backyard chickens.

And, Helvetia, West Virginia’s old world Fasnacht festival continues to grow, in part because of an online video game. Organizers are OK with it.

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

**In This Episode:**

Fust's Aaron Dowdy And Their New Album, *Big Ugly*

**The Price Of Eggs And Backyard Chicken Coops**

**Violet Tendencies**

**Appalshop Rebuilds After Flooding**

**Helvetia's Fasnacht Festival**

Fust's Aaron Dowdy And Their New Album, *Big Ugly*

Fust singer-songwriter Aaron Dowdy.
*Courtesy of Fust/Charlie Boss*

The last few years have seen a new wave of indie rock music emerging from the Mountain South. It’s distinguished by a Southern rock sound, and lyrics drawn from observations about living in the region.

We’re talking about acts like Wednesday and MJ Lenderman — and Fust, a group that’s based in Durham, North Carolina with deep Appalachian roots. Fust has a new album. It’s called *Big Ugly*.

*Inside Appalachia* Host Mason Adams recently spoke with Fust singer and songwriter Aaron Dowdy.

The Price Of Eggs And Backyard Chicken Coops

Susan Casdorph at her home in South Charleston.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

The eye-popping cost of eggs has some people thinking about raising their own chickens.

Zack Harold brings us the story of one woman who has spent the last decade trying to make that easier in West Virginia.

Violet Tendencies

Every spring, violets bloom across Appalachia, a carpet of purple, white and yellow. These unassuming flowers do everything from spruce up a cocktail to fight cancer. We explore a few of the ways herbalists use them for food and medicine.
*Courtesy of Nica Fraser*

Every April, violets bloom across Appalachia. They add flashes of purple, white and yellow to the deepening green of the hills.
But violets do a lot more than add natural flair. These flowers have long been a key ingredient in herbal remedies. People use them to fight cancer and the common cold.
And — they make a pretty tasty snack. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch brings us this story.

Appalshop Rebuilds After Flooding

Arts and media hub Appalshop's historic office in Whitesburg, Kentucky was damaged by a region-wide flooding event in 2022. The organization is currently operating from an off-site location in Jenkins, Kentucky.
*Courtesy of Appalshop*

Media and arts organization Appalshop is renowned for documenting and preserving Appalachian culture. But the historic flooding that Eastern Kentucky experienced in 2022 threatened that mission.

Flood waters breached Appalshop’s building in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and drowned the lower floors. Its extensive film and audio archive was damaged by mud and water.

Last month, more severe flooding hit the area. Roger May is Appalshop’s director of artistic programs. WVPB’s Jack Walker spoke with May about how flooding affects the region’s arts community.

Helvetia's Fasnacht Festival

One of the Fasnacht 2025 masks - old man winter.
*Courtesy of Joe Randolph*

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Fust, Noam Pikelny, John Inghram, The Local Honeys and Paul Loomis.

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 X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

A white woman, Susan Casdorph, sitting at a table. — **Fust, The Price Of Eggs And Helvetia’s Fasnacht, Inside Appalachia** Mar 28, 2025
Aaron Dowdy of alternative country band Fust took an outside path to becoming a songwriter.

Also, egg prices are up. Some folks are talking about raising backyard chickens.

And, Helvetia, West Virginia’s old world Fasnacht festival continues to grow, in part because of an online video game. Organizers are OK with it.

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

**In This Episode:**

Fust's Aaron Dowdy And Their New Album, *Big Ugly*

**The Price Of Eggs And Backyard Chicken Coops**

**Violet Tendencies**

**Appalshop Rebuilds After Flooding**

**Helvetia's Fasnacht Festival**

Fust's Aaron Dowdy And Their New Album, *Big Ugly*

Fust singer-songwriter Aaron Dowdy.
*Courtesy of Fust/Charlie Boss*

The last few years have seen a new wave of indie rock music emerging from the Mountain South. It’s distinguished by a Southern rock sound, and lyrics drawn from observations about living in the region.

We’re talking about acts like Wednesday and MJ Lenderman — and Fust, a group that’s based in Durham, North Carolina with deep Appalachian roots. Fust has a new album. It’s called *Big Ugly*.

*Inside Appalachia* Host Mason Adams recently spoke with Fust singer and songwriter Aaron Dowdy.

The Price Of Eggs And Backyard Chicken Coops

Susan Casdorph at her home in South Charleston.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

The eye-popping cost of eggs has some people thinking about raising their own chickens.

Zack Harold brings us the story of one woman who has spent the last decade trying to make that easier in West Virginia.

Violet Tendencies

Every spring, violets bloom across Appalachia, a carpet of purple, white and yellow. These unassuming flowers do everything from spruce up a cocktail to fight cancer. We explore a few of the ways herbalists use them for food and medicine.
*Courtesy of Nica Fraser*

Every April, violets bloom across Appalachia. They add flashes of purple, white and yellow to the deepening green of the hills.
But violets do a lot more than add natural flair. These flowers have long been a key ingredient in herbal remedies. People use them to fight cancer and the common cold.
And — they make a pretty tasty snack. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch brings us this story.

Appalshop Rebuilds After Flooding

Arts and media hub Appalshop's historic office in Whitesburg, Kentucky was damaged by a region-wide flooding event in 2022. The organization is currently operating from an off-site location in Jenkins, Kentucky.
*Courtesy of Appalshop*

Media and arts organization Appalshop is renowned for documenting and preserving Appalachian culture. But the historic flooding that Eastern Kentucky experienced in 2022 threatened that mission.

Flood waters breached Appalshop’s building in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and drowned the lower floors. Its extensive film and audio archive was damaged by mud and water.

Last month, more severe flooding hit the area. Roger May is Appalshop’s director of artistic programs. WVPB’s Jack Walker spoke with May about how flooding affects the region’s arts community.

Helvetia's Fasnacht Festival

One of the Fasnacht 2025 masks - old man winter.
*Courtesy of Joe Randolph*

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Fust, Noam Pikelny, John Inghram, The Local Honeys and Paul Loomis.

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 X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

Proposed SNAP Work Requirements And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Mar 28, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, a bill that would expand both the employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP food benefits has passed the Senate and has moved to the House Finance committee. As Randy Yohe reports, those backing Senate Bill 249 see possible gains in the state’s dismal workforce participation rate, but opponents say passage could hurt needy families and increase government bureaucracy.

And our Song of the Week comes from The Headhunters, the legendary jazz fusion band best known for its 70s era records. “Watermelon Man” was written by pianist Herbie Hancock and was first released in 1962.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Reporter Roundtable Talks DEI Ban, Vaccines And Home Rule Legislation Mar 27, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate and Briana Heaney are joined by Caity Coyne, a reporter for the nonprofit news organization West Virginia Watch.

Also, lawmakers in the House of Delegates took on a novel source of power for West Virginia Thursday morning. Chris Schulz has more.

The Senate approved Senate Bill 505 Thursday. The bill changes how power plants operate in the state.

And a bill that would expand the employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP food benefits has passed the Senate and has been moved to the House Finance Committee. Those backing Senate Bill 249 see possible gains in increasing the state’s dismal workforce participation rate. Opponents say passage could hurt needy families and increase government bureaucracy. Randy Yohe has our story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3WwjC9v6xI

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Legislators Discuss Home Rule And Checking In On The Safer Kentucky Law, This West Virginia Morning Mar 27, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke spoke with News Director Eric Douglas about a bill that would remove the ability of cities and towns across the state to set their own rules - called home rule - for The Legislature Today.

And new tough-on-crime laws in many states have enhanced crime sentencing. Some also ban public camping, something the West Virginia Legislature is currently considering statewide. From the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay heads across the state line to check on the consequences of the Safer Kentucky Law.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

**Us & Them: Substance Use Disorder — Can You Recover Without A Place To Call Home?** Mar 27, 2025
Reality is more challenging now for people who live at the intersection between substance use disorder, homelessness and the criminal justice system.

New laws across the nation echo aspects of the 2024 Safer Kentucky Act, which enhance penalties for violent crimes, drug crimes, shoplifting and carjacking, as well as a ban on public camping.

On this episode of *Us & Them*, host Trey Kay returns to Kentucky to check on the consequences of the new tough-on-crime law. In cities, the demand for longterm and transitional housing remains acute, while in small town Appalachia the access to any social safety net can be far, far away.

This episode of *Us & Them* is presented with support from The Just Trust.Subscribe to *Us & Them* on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

**Amanda Hall**, Senior Director of National Campaigns at Dream.org, brings hard-won insight from rural Kentucky. In her late teens, she received two five-year drug-related sentences and spent 13 months in prison. After treatment, she became a social worker, later ran the recovery center where she once was a client, and spent seven years lobbying for addiction safety nets in Kentucky. Her advocacy now shapes national drug policy. She says the debates around the Safer Kentucky Act were tough to watch — especially the ban on camping and public sleeping.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"I'll be honest—because we're smaller, we have fewer unhoused people, but there are whole counties without any shelter. It’ll take us a while to sort through the data, but I’m eager to see it because I truly believe the Safer Kentucky Act is harming Appalachians. I remember burning a lot of bridges in my past; sometimes I got lucky and found a couch or went back to my mom's house, but not everyone has that opportunity. Instead of providing resources or harm reduction, we're throwing people in jail. Studies show that within the first two weeks after release, some individuals are 39 times, or even over 120 times, more likely to die of an overdose. It's very frightening for our population with substance use disorder. It's really scary.".

— **Amanda Hall**, Senior Director of National Campaigns at Dream.org

**George Wruck**, who lived at the Altogether Community Center in Paintsville, Ky., said he struggled financially after moving from Florida with his sister to open a general store. When that venture failed and he had a falling out with his sister, he had nowhere to go and began camping until law enforcement informed him it was illegal. Wruck, who says his substance use disorder is long behind him, now faces financial hardships and depression.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"I hope people understand that many folks are literally living on the street. It's today's society—being disabled for so long means I couldn't work or get a higher disability paycheck. A lot of people fall on hard times and need help rather than being pushed further down the hole. It's tough, but I'll push through it."

— **George Wruck**, a homeless person living in Paintsville, Ky

**The Altogether Community Center** in Paintsville, Ky.—formerly a motel —was converted into a warming center, emergency shelter, and transitional housing facility for individuals completing substance use disorder treatment. Although it did not offer inpatient care, the center provided a structured environment to access essential services, secure stable short-term housing, and receive assistance with permanent housing and job placement. However, the Johnson County Fiscal Court voted to shutter the facility on March 12, 2025.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

**State Rep. Jason Nemes,** a Republican in Kentucky’s legislature, represents three counties, including Louisville, the state’s largest city. Nemes said he co-authored the Safer Kentucky Act, which also makes public sleeping a crime, because of what he described as outrageously high crime levels in Kentucky. In Louisville specifically, he noted that murders have increased over the past decade, and homicides are up in the surrounding Jefferson County as well.
Nemes explained that the core of the Safer Kentucky Act is to target violent criminals by ensuring longer jail sentences. One provision aims to prevent individuals who use handguns in the commission of crimes from being released early. He said lawmakers consulted with law enforcement and victims to highlight a disturbing trend of adults using children to commit crimes.
One provision of the law stipulates that if an adult uses a child to commit a crime, the adult is guilty of the same offense as the child. Additionally, the law increases the severity of the charge for the adult.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"While I have a great deal of respect for the advocates, what they're doing isn't working. There's an industry built around homelessness with a lot of money at stake, and they resist change. I understand that we want people to avoid arrest and jail, but that's ultimately up to them. It's easy to demagogue on the other side and say, 'they made homelessness illegal,' but that's far from the truth. If you're going to break the law and encamp without accepting treatment when it's offered, that won't be allowed in Kentucky.

The real question is: What are the underlying reasons someone is homeless? Is it a lack of jobs, mental health issues, or substance abuse? That's what we need to address. If they won't accept help voluntarily, we're prepared to get them before a judge and push for involuntary treatment. We'll do our best to help our people."

— ***Kentucky State Rep. Jason Nemes***

**Isaac Chamberlain** is homeless in Louisville, Ky., and said he struggles with substance use disorder. Recently incarcerated, he has been diagnosed with three stage 3 cancers and is receiving treatment for hepatitis C. Chamberlain frequently visits VOCAL Kentucky—a group dedicated to ending the AIDS epidemic, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and homelessness—to obtain his hepatitis C medication. He said he hasn't been cited for living outdoors because he's "being smart" about avoiding detection when using public restrooms, drugs, or camping.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"I do have issues with substance use disorder, but I was just released from prison. I became homeless when the person I was staying with had their house burn down last year—when I come home, there’s nothing left. Kentucky was just given $35 million for homelessness services... but where is it going? I have three stage-3 cancers and I'm on the streets, yet I'm asking for help. I've followed all the advice, but our lawmakers won't help."

— **Isaac Chamberlain**, homeless person living on the streets in Louisville, Ky

**Jennifer Twyman** is an organizer with VOCAL Kentucky, a grassroots movement of low-income individuals dedicated to ending homelessness and mass incarceration in the state. Based in Louisville, the organization works to empower marginalized communities.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"I’m appalled by the new homeless services division of the police department. Every day, they deploy a huge caravan of sanitation trucks and officers—spending a lot of money literally chasing people around. We know camp clearings increase overdoses—I have data on that—and it’s astonishing that this cycle continues, profiting those who enforce it. Now they want to use opioid settlement funds to pay for the court process our outreach workers and the Coalition for the Homeless set up to handle these citations. I used opiates for 20 years— that money represents the deaths of many of my friends. They’re taking $750,000 from that money to support a court system that exists only because our state passed [the Safer Kentucky Act]."

— **Jennifer Twyman**, an organizer with VOCAL Kentucky

**Donnie Green**, founder of the Arthur Street Hotel, turned his own homelessness into a mission to help others rebuild. Homeless at 23—and sober throughout—he started the hotel with private donations and has spent decades working in harm reduction.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"The legislation in place today [the Safer Kentucky Act] is not new—it has been used elsewhere in the past. To claim that the struggles within our communities, especially among vulnerable populations, are unconnected is, at best, naive and, at worst, maliciously negligent. No one chooses to live on the streets. The rules that allow some people to remain housed are too onerous, forcing them back outside. This isn’t a matter of choice; it’s a system that prevents people from securing housing. We must address that issue, or decide that everything is set in stone, with no room for adjustment."

— **Donnie Green**, advocate for the homeless in Louisville, KY

Since opening in October 2022, the Arthur Street Hotel in Louisville, Ky., has helped more than 260 formerly unhoused individuals secure permanent housing. The hotel staff says that they offer “community, advocacy, resources and empowerment” (C.A.R.E.) to those experiencing housing instability, connecting them with opportunities for wellness and long-term stability. Its staff provides intensive case management to remove the physical, mental and emotional barriers that prevent people from securing permanent housing.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

**Tiny Heron,** director of housing services at the Arthur Street Hotel, lost her husband to an overdose in 2018. Since then, she’s been committed to ensuring homeless people with substance use disorder receive shelter, food and the dignity they deserve.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

"I often hear people refer to us as the 'homeless hotel'—or say we have 'Arthur Street vibes.' They say negative things about what we do here, and that's fine—I like to ruffle feathers. What we do is very different. The people we serve have been turned away from every other shelter or organization."

— **Tiny Heron**, director of housing services at the Arthur Street Hotel.

*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

**Donnie Green** and Tiny Heron sport tattoos on their forearms that capture their personal philosophies on homelessness.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

**Donnie Green**, co-founder of Feed Louisville—a nonprofit that repurposes food to combat hunger and homelessness—delivers a box of food and supplies to a man camping in Louisville on a cold February night.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

**Donnie Green** speaks with a man experiencing homelessness about his needs.
*Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Lawmakers Talk Home Rule Mar 26, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, to talk about a bill that would remove the ability of cities and towns across the state to set their own rules. It’s called home rule.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey joined a meeting of gas and oil industry leaders at the Capitol Wednesday. He spoke to them about House Bill 2014, his plan to bring more microgrids and data centers to the state. Morrisey talked about keeping more of the profits from this resource-rich state here and how the microgrid legislation would do that.

In the Senate, lawmakers passed several bills on topics ranging from food stamps to DEI. Briana Heaney has more.

In the House, delegates got off to an emotional start debating a foster care bill. Chris Schulz has more.

And a bill that would expand the employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP food benefits has passed the Senate and is now under consideration in the House of Delegates. Randy Yohe has our story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W8Rzbtk9-8

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A Growing Tourism Industry And Analyzing The State Budget, This West Virginia Morning Mar 26, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, research from the state suggests more than 21,000 jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector will open annually over the next five years. Randy Yohe spoke with stakeholders in the tourism industry about their work and the anticipated growth.

Meanwhile, members of the West Virginia Legislature are currently reviewing this year's state budget, which allocates money to many of West Virginia's publicly funded agencies and programs. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, to discuss the budget from an analyst's perspective.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Policy Analyst Weighs In On State Budget Mar 25, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the state budget continues to work its way through the West Virginia Legislature. We recently heard from Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, a Harrison County Republican and vice chairman of the House Finance Committee. This time, News Director Eric Douglas sits down with Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst at West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, to discuss the state’s budget from an analyst’s perspective.

Also, the Senate advanced several bills Tuesday, including a bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe medicine. Briana Heaney has more.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Monday signed House Bill 2354. It bans certain additives from schools starting in August. It also bans those same additives from being sold statewide in 2028. Briana Heaney also has this story.

And Monday afternoon, the House Education Committee discussed a bill that would change the structure of the Boards of Governors at the state’s 19 public colleges and universities.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uTlyQvuO6o

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Postal Workers Rally Against Cuts And A Vaccine Exemption Bill Fails To Pass, This West Virginia Morning Mar 25, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, postal unions across the U.S. rallied against job cuts and the possibility of a privatized postal service last week. Reporter Jack Walker stopped by a rally in Charleston and tells us about workers’ concerns.

And as part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Dr. Cathy Slemp – former state health officer for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources – and Del. Sean Hornbuckle, the House minority leader to discuss the defeat of the much-debated vaccine bill in the House of Delegates Monday.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

House Rejects Bill For Vaccine Exemptions Mar 24, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates for more than two hours debated a bill that would require public schools to accept religious vaccine exemptions. But Senate Bill 460 was rejected, 56-42. Briana Heaney has the story.

After the defeat of the vaccine bill in the House, News Director Eric Douglas sat down and discussed the results with Dr. Cathy Slemp, former state health officer for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and now co-chair of the West Virginia Hope in Action Alliance, and House Minority Leader Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell.

Also, parental rights took center stage on the Senate floor, as lawmakers held a lengthy debate over local control. Chris Schulz has more.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAMxNyDBw1E

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Camping Bans And Coal Ambitions, This West Virginia Morning Mar 24, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, camping bans have popped up around the United States, which critics say unfairly target people experiencing homelessness. As Chris Schulz reports, a camping ban traveling through the West Virginia Legislature has some Morgantown residents feeling frustrated.

Plus, with President Donald Trump back in the White House, fossil fuels have resumed their place at the forefront of the nation's energy policy. Earlier this month, Trump posted on social media calling for more energy production from “beautiful, clean coal.”

As Curtis Tate reports, ambitions for reviving the coal industry are far from certain, even in the most coal-reliant 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Reporter Roundtable Talks Bills On Microgrids, Vaccine Exemptions And Civics Curriculum Mar 21, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Jack Walker, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate discuss what legislation their following in this week's reporter roundtable.

Also, over the past year, camping bans have started popping up at both the local and state level. As Chris Schulz reports, a camping ban bill making its way through the West Virginia Legislature has some Morgantown residents feeling frustrated.

The House of Delegates worked through multiple amendments and nearly three hours of debate on a bill that would provide exemptions to the state’s current childhood vaccine laws. Briana Heaney was there and brings us this story.

Some members of the House want to tighten identification laws for voters. Jack Walker brings us this report.

Finally, for our weekly feature with our student reporters, Malia Saar and Emma Browning, they take a closer look at bills making their way through the legislature that lift restrictions.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8_VyY4_LA0

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

White man laying down holding a baby on his chest wearing a white sweatshirt with little ears. — **Looking Back At 2020, Inside Appalachia** Mar 21, 2025
During a pandemic, where do you give birth?

Also, we’ll have the story of a family that cultivated an heirloom tomato in West Virginia. It took a lot of work.

And, a musical tradition brought people together — even when they couldn’t gather in person.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Become A Dad In The COVID-19 Pandemic**

**Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato**

**The Ramp Hunter**

**The Sacred Harp**

Become A Dad In The COVID-19 Pandemic

Baby Cai on his dad Chuck Kleine’s chest.
*Photo Credit: Glynis Board/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

In June of 2020, former West Virginia Public Broadcasting videographer Chuck Kleine and Pennsylvania resident Joe Buckland recorded their experiences with having children during the pandemic.

Buckland and his wife had a baby in mid-February, nearly a month before the lockdowns.

Kleine and his wife, Glynis Board, WVPB’s assistant news director at the time, had a baby in March, about a week after most staff were sent home.

Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato

Mary Lou Estler slices up her family’s heirloom mortgage lifter tomato. But there’s a mystery with this tomato.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

One of *Inside Appalachia* Host Mason Adam's friends hates tomatoes — but started growing them in 2020 because he “wanted to be part of it.” It being growing a garden, complete with a swath of heirloom tomatoes. Like a variety called Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter tomato. This heirloom breed got its start in Logan County, West Virginia.

A guy known as Radiator Charlie bred two varieties of tomato together to get a giant, juicy fruit. Word spread, and eventually so many people bought his $1 tomato plants that he was able to pay off his house. That’s how the “mortgage lifter” got its name.

But in 2020, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold brought us a story about another West Virginia tomato plant, also called “mortgage lifter.” And it’s even older.

The Ramp Hunter

A lot of big events were canceled in 2020 — high school proms, baseball games, and even family reunions — but some annual traditions would not be stopped. Like foraging for ramps.

People still went out to their favorite ramp patches in early spring. In 2020, we aired this story of a ramp-hunting expedition, led by Maryland park ranger Caroline Blizzard. Photographer and filmmaker Michael Snyder tagged along to record her for “The Mountain Traditions Project."

The Sacred Harp

Shape-note singers in the region most often use oblong-shaped tunebooks like The Sacred Harp and The Shenandoah Harmony. This singer has personalized their copy of The Sacred Harp.
*Photo Credit: Kelley Libby/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

One of the oldest European musical traditions in Appalachia is shape note singing. It’s also called Sacred Harp singing. It’s sung acapella, often in large groups, with singers facing each other in a square.

Social distancing made shape note singing a lot harder, but a group figured out a way to continue to sing through the pandemic. *Inside Appalachia* Editor Kelley Libby — then a Folkways Reporter — filed this story in 2020.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Tyler Childers, Noam Pikelny, Mary Hott and the Cornelius Eady Trio.

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 and Caitlin Tan.

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

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

A blue plate with a mayonnaise, a white sauce, and two slices of red tomatoes. — **Looking Back At 2020, Inside Appalachia** Mar 21, 2025
During a pandemic, where do you give birth?

Also, we’ll have the story of a family that cultivated an heirloom tomato in West Virginia. It took a lot of work.

And, a musical tradition brought people together — even when they couldn’t gather in person.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Become A Dad In The COVID-19 Pandemic**

**Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato**

**The Ramp Hunter**

**The Sacred Harp**

Become A Dad In The COVID-19 Pandemic

Baby Cai on his dad Chuck Kleine’s chest.
*Photo Credit: Glynis Board/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

In June of 2020, former West Virginia Public Broadcasting videographer Chuck Kleine and Pennsylvania resident Joe Buckland recorded their experiences with having children during the pandemic.

Buckland and his wife had a baby in mid-February, nearly a month before the lockdowns.

Kleine and his wife, Glynis Board, WVPB’s assistant news director at the time, had a baby in March, about a week after most staff were sent home.

Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato

Mary Lou Estler slices up her family’s heirloom mortgage lifter tomato. But there’s a mystery with this tomato.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

One of *Inside Appalachia* Host Mason Adam's friends hates tomatoes — but started growing them in 2020 because he “wanted to be part of it.” It being growing a garden, complete with a swath of heirloom tomatoes. Like a variety called Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter tomato. This heirloom breed got its start in Logan County, West Virginia.

A guy known as Radiator Charlie bred two varieties of tomato together to get a giant, juicy fruit. Word spread, and eventually so many people bought his $1 tomato plants that he was able to pay off his house. That’s how the “mortgage lifter” got its name.

But in 2020, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold brought us a story about another West Virginia tomato plant, also called “mortgage lifter.” And it’s even older.

The Ramp Hunter

A lot of big events were canceled in 2020 — high school proms, baseball games, and even family reunions — but some annual traditions would not be stopped. Like foraging for ramps.

People still went out to their favorite ramp patches in early spring. In 2020, we aired this story of a ramp-hunting expedition, led by Maryland park ranger Caroline Blizzard. Photographer and filmmaker Michael Snyder tagged along to record her for “The Mountain Traditions Project."

The Sacred Harp

Shape-note singers in the region most often use oblong-shaped tunebooks like The Sacred Harp and The Shenandoah Harmony. This singer has personalized their copy of The Sacred Harp.
*Photo Credit: Kelley Libby/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

One of the oldest European musical traditions in Appalachia is shape note singing. It’s also called Sacred Harp singing. It’s sung acapella, often in large groups, with singers facing each other in a square.

Social distancing made shape note singing a lot harder, but a group figured out a way to continue to sing through the pandemic. *Inside Appalachia* Editor Kelley Libby — then a Folkways Reporter — filed this story in 2020.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Tyler Childers, Noam Pikelny, Mary Hott and the Cornelius Eady Trio.

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 and Caitlin Tan.

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

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

Sen. Tarr Talks Bills That Affect W.Va. Medicine And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Mar 21, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, a number of bills have moved through the legislature this year that make changes to the practice of medicine in our state. As part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, joined News Director Eric Douglas in our capitol studio to discuss his position on some of these bills.

And our Song of the Week comes from Stephen Wilson Jr. making his Mountain Stage debut. Wilson Jr. performs “Billy”, a song from his debut album Son of Dad that embraces his roots.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Lawmaker Talks Potential Changes To Medical Practices In W.Va. Mar 20, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, a number of bills have moved through the West Virginia Legislature this year that make changes to the practice of medicine in the state. A bill to remove the certificate of need for hospitals failed, but bills allowing optometrists and pharmacists to expand their practice are still moving. Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, has argued against some of these bills so he joined News Director Eric Douglas in our studio to discuss why.

Also, some state lawmakers say the cost of maintaining the state’s sex offender registry should fall on the shoulders of registrants themselves. Jack Walker brings us this report.

And Appalachian Power electricity customers protested a proposed rate increase on the Capitol steps Thursday. Curtis Tate brings us the latest.

Having trouble viewing the episode below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiaybjr13Tc

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Marshall Students React To DEI Removal And Lawmakers Give Update On Budget Process, This West Virginia Morning Mar 20, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, state and federal orders to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs have spurred organizational changes at Marshall University. As Randy Yohe reports, these changes are being met with mixed reviews from students.

And the one thing delegates and senators are constitutionally required to do is pass a balanced state budget. News Director Eric Douglas spoke Wednesday with Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, vice chairman of the House Finance Committee, to get their take on the budget process so far for The Legislature Today.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Finance Committee Lawmakers Weigh In On Budget Bill Mar 19, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, vice chairman of the House Finance Committee, to get their take on the budget process so far.

In the Senate, lawmakers passed seven bills Wednesday and sent two other bills to the governor's desk for consideration. Briana Heaney has more.

The House of Delegates passed bills to legalize standing on a moving motorcycle with both feet on its petals; and to allow retired state police officers to assist Child Protective Services in child abuse and neglect cases. Both bills will be sent to the state Senate for further review.

Also, deaf community members of all ages visited Charleston to talk with lawmakers and resource groups. Jack Walker stopped by and brings us this report.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT3KRYWAyIM

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

COVID-19’s Lasting Impact In West Virginia And Lawmakers Talk Unique Eastern Panhandle Challenges, This West Virginia Morning Mar 19, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, five years after quarantines were implemented questions remain about the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and who needs the vaccines today. Health Reporter Emily Rice spoke with Dr. Steven Eshenaur, public health officer of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department about COVID-19’s lasting impact in West Virginia.

And West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle is hours from Charleston, but decisions made at the State Capitol still reach the state’s easternmost region. As part of The Legislature Today, Eastern Panhandle Reporter Jack Walker spoke with Delegates Michael Hite and Mike Hornby about their approach to regional issues like infrastructure constraints and a higher local cost of living.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Lawmakers Talk Challenges Unique To Eastern Panhandle Mar 18, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Jack Walker talks with Eastern Panhandle lawmakers Dels. Michael Hite, R-Berkeley, and Mike Hornby, R-Berkeley. They discuss lawmakers’ approach to regional issues like infrastructure constraints and a higher local cost of living.

Also, Tuesday marked the last day for new bills to be introduced in the House of Delegates. The state Senate has until next Monday for the same milestone.

In the Senate, the chamber passed the Safety and Violence Education for Students Act. Senate Bill 548 would provide training for public school students on violence and self-harm.

In the House, helmet requirements for West Virginia motorcyclists were the subject of spirited discussion on the floor. As Jack Walker reports, the debate centers around safety and personal choice.

And from the Eastern Panhandle to the southern mountain counties, West Virginia contains great variety. As Chris Schulz reports, both education committees debated bills intending to address unique regional issues.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGN_KiGabIo

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

W.Va. Flood Recovery And Energy Stakeholders React To Session, This West Virginia Morning Mar 18, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, it’s been a month since floods ravaged West Virginia’s southern coalfields, resulting in dozens of deaths across three states. As Chris Schulz reports, the long road to recovery is just beginning.

And Monday was Environment Day at the Capitol. As part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, energy and environmental reporter Curtis Tate sat down in the Capitol Rotunda with Emmett Pepper of Energy Efficient West Virginia and Lucia Valentine of the West Virginia Environmental Council about legislation they’re following this year.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Energy & Environment Stakeholders Weigh In On Legislative Session Mar 17, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate speaks with Emmett Pepper of Energy Efficient West Virginia and Lucia Valentine of the West Virginia Environmental Council about energy and environment legislation they’re following, including Senate Bill 592, which would relax safeguards for aboveground storage tanks.

Monday was also Environment Day at the Capitol. Groups held a public hearing outside the House chamber in opposition to Senate Bill 592. An aboveground storage tank leak in 2014 contaminated the drinking water supply for 300,000 residents in the Charleston area.

In the Senate, rules committees don’t meet very often, and bills assigned to them are often considered shelved for the session. As Chris Schulz reports, two bills nearing completion in the Senate were sent to the chamber's Rules Committee.

In the House, the chamber reviewed several bills for their final reading, touching on topics like voter registration and reading education. Jack Walker brings us the rundown.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/live/17t9ap2fyZg

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Jefferson County Rejects Water Bottling Plant And Reporters Discuss Food Dyes, Vaccines This West Virginia Morning Mar 17, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Jefferson County rejected a proposal for Mountain Pure Water Bottling Facility last week, a plant that would have extracted and packaged groundwater in the historic community of Middleway. For now, that decision bookends a protracted debate over local land use involving a developer, the county planning commission and hundreds of concerned residents. Jack Walker walks us through last week’s hearing.

And at the end of each week during the legislative session, our reporters get together to discuss some of the major issues they covered on The Legislature Today. We often invite a reporter from a different news organization to join us to get a different perspective and as last week wound to a close, Curtis Tate and Brianna Heaney were joined by MetroNews’ Brad McElhenny.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Appalachian Mardi Gras, Pet Procedure Subsidies And Women’s Representation In US Narratives, This West Virginia Week Mar 15, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, Old Man Winter has departed for now — perhaps because his effigy was burned last week in Helvetia’s annual Fasnacht celebration. We’ll travel to the remote Swiss enclave in Randolph County, where preserving history means participating in a localized Mardi Gras tradition.

Plus, West Virginia lawmakers are considering expanding access to spay and neuter subsidies for the state’s cats and dogs. We visit an animal shelter in Berkeley County, plus the Capitol Rotunda to learn more.

Also in this episode, we discuss the exclusion of women from U.S. historical narratives, a decision surrounding a controversial development proposal in Jefferson County and a new law enshrining definitions of gender into state code.

Jack Walker 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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Reporter Roundtable Talks Food Dye Ban, Virus Legislation And Water Quality Mar 14, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Briana Heaney and Curtis Tate are joined by Brad McElhinny of MetroNews for our weekly reporter roundtable.

Also, West Virginia is the first state to ban a list of food dyes, including Red 40. The legislation got bipartisan support, with only a few no votes. Briana Heaney has that story.

A bill that would loosen regulations on above ground storage tanks cleared the Senate. A leaking tank prompted the West Virginia water crisis in 2014, where more than 300,000 West Virginians lost access to safe drinking water for a week or more. Heaney also has this story.

And we have our weekly feature with two West Virginia high school students. Our student reporters, Malia Saar and Emma Browning, take a close look at some bills that affect education and career opportunities.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN7V8yJhtWs

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Album cover that reads "Don't Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs by the Cornelious Eady Trio. There is a red car in a forest surrounded by trees. The front trunk of the car is full of yellow flowers. — **‘Don’t Get Dead,’ Tattoos And Cryptids, Inside Appalachia** Mar 14, 2025
It’s been five years since the COVID-19 lockdowns. An album made during that time is getting a re-release on vinyl.

Also, a Kentucky tattoo artist practices traditional tattooing and traditional music. He says they’re not too different.

And, what keeps people so fascinated with cryptids?

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

**In This Episode:**

**Don’t Get Dead: Pan***demic Folk Songs* By The Cornelius Eady Trio

**Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room**

***Traditions: The Ghost of Ruth Ann and Other Local West Virginia Lore***

*Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs* By The Cornelius Eady Trio

*Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs* by the Cornelius Eady Trio
*Courtesy Photo*

Five years ago, the COVID-19 lockdowns kept a lot of people out of public spaces — and a lot of artists used that time to create. Like the Cornelius Eady Trio.

The group is organized around Cornelius Eady, a poet and professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, whose writing has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

With the help of musicians Lisa Liu and Charlie Rauh, Eady puts his words to music. The trio recorded an album of songs about the pandemic. It’s called *Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs by the Cornelius Eady Trio*.

The album now has been re-released on vinyl by Whitesburg, Kentucky’s June Appal Recordings.

Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room

Fellow tattooer Russ Griswold thumps on his upright bass and John Haywood plays the banjo as frequent client Brad Centers listens.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

John Haywood of Whitesburg, Kentucky says he got his first guitar and his first tattoo when he was about 13 years old.

These days, Haywood is the proprietor of Parlor Room Art and Tattoo in downtown Whitesburg. It’s a place where some people get inked up, and some play traditional music.

It’s a place unlike any other, as Zack Harold reports.

*Traditions: The Ghost of Ruth Ann and Other Local West Virginia Lore*

The Veggie Man at the Folklife Center in Fairmont, West Virginia.
*Courtesy of the Mothboys*

Almost everyone has heard of the Mothman — West Virginia’s best known cryptid. But have you heard of Veggie Man?

That’s another West Virginia cryptid. And it helped inspire a zine project from the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with the center’s director, Lydia Warren, about the forthcoming publication, which is taking submissions.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Cornelius Eady Trio, John Haywood, Tim and Dave Bing, Paul Loomis, John Inghram and John Blissard.

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 and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

Three people in a tattoo parlor. One person is sitting and two of them are standing and playing an upright bass and a banjo. — **‘Don’t Get Dead,’ Tattoos And Cryptids, Inside Appalachia** Mar 14, 2025
It’s been five years since the COVID-19 lockdowns. An album made during that time is getting a re-release on vinyl.

Also, a Kentucky tattoo artist practices traditional tattooing and traditional music. He says they’re not too different.

And, what keeps people so fascinated with cryptids?

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

**In This Episode:**

**Don’t Get Dead: Pan***demic Folk Songs* By The Cornelius Eady Trio

**Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room**

***Traditions: The Ghost of Ruth Ann and Other Local West Virginia Lore***

*Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs* By The Cornelius Eady Trio

*Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs* by the Cornelius Eady Trio
*Courtesy Photo*

Five years ago, the COVID-19 lockdowns kept a lot of people out of public spaces — and a lot of artists used that time to create. Like the Cornelius Eady Trio.

The group is organized around Cornelius Eady, a poet and professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, whose writing has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

With the help of musicians Lisa Liu and Charlie Rauh, Eady puts his words to music. The trio recorded an album of songs about the pandemic. It’s called *Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs by the Cornelius Eady Trio*.

The album now has been re-released on vinyl by Whitesburg, Kentucky’s June Appal Recordings.

Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room

Fellow tattooer Russ Griswold thumps on his upright bass and John Haywood plays the banjo as frequent client Brad Centers listens.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

John Haywood of Whitesburg, Kentucky says he got his first guitar and his first tattoo when he was about 13 years old.

These days, Haywood is the proprietor of Parlor Room Art and Tattoo in downtown Whitesburg. It’s a place where some people get inked up, and some play traditional music.

It’s a place unlike any other, as Zack Harold reports.

*Traditions: The Ghost of Ruth Ann and Other Local West Virginia Lore*

The Veggie Man at the Folklife Center in Fairmont, West Virginia.
*Courtesy of the Mothboys*

Almost everyone has heard of the Mothman — West Virginia’s best known cryptid. But have you heard of Veggie Man?

That’s another West Virginia cryptid. And it helped inspire a zine project from the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with the center’s director, Lydia Warren, about the forthcoming publication, which is taking submissions.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Cornelius Eady Trio, John Haywood, Tim and Dave Bing, Paul Loomis, John Inghram and John Blissard.

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 and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

Consumers Feel The Rising Cost Of Eggs And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Mar 14, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, reports indicate the Justice Department is investigating whether big egg producers are price gouging. To gauge how people are feeling about the prices, WITF reporter Rachel McDevitt went to Lancaster County Pennsylvania restaurant The Pancake Farm – where a sign on the door tells customers to expect a dollar-fifty upcharge for any meal that includes eggs.

And our Song of the Week is from a premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage. Joy Clark performs “Tell It To The Wind”, a song written in a moment of gratitude when she was on tour in Waterford, Mississippi.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Lawmakers Discuss Child Care Issues Mar 13, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Del. Cathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, and Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, about the issue of child care in the state and how it is a personal and economic development issue.

Also, it was the 30th day of the 60-day session. We are at the midpoint, and there will be a series of deadlines lawmakers must meet, beginning next week, to get legislation introduced and moving.

The House of Delegates rejected a bill Thursday that would have allowed corporations to make contributions to political campaigns. As Jack Walker reports, the idea faced bipartisan pushback.

Several bills being considered by the legislature this year have reignited a long-running debate about who has ultimate control over the state’s schools. Chris Schulz has more.

And on Wednesday, the House passed a Department of Environmental Protections rules package. The bill included a change that could allow more pollutants in streams in the state. Briana Heaney has more.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHWvY5ffGT8

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Bracing For Federal Education Cuts And Work To Be Done For Women’s Equality, This West Virginia Morning Mar 13, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, educators across the state are bracing for federal cuts to education and wondering how to meet the new school discipline requirements lawmakers are weighing. Eric Douglas talks with the head of the West Virginia School Board Association.

Also, a look at what the United States Constitution says about women’s rights. Us & Them host Trey Key talks with author Jill Hasday whose new book “We the Men” lays out an unfinished agenda for women’s equality.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

W.Va. School Board Association Head Talks Legislation Aimed At Schools, Students Mar 12, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Jim Brown, the executive director of the West Virginia School Board Association. The group represents the school boards in all 55 counties in West Virginia. They discuss pending legislation that will affect school systems and students.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey held a ceremonial bill signing event today where he signed Senate Bill 456, which defines “men” and “women.” Briana Heaney has that story.

The House of Delegates passed a bill pertaining to the appointment of mental hygiene commissioners, and the placement of residents in institutions due to mental health concerns. Jack Walker has the details.

The Senate Natural Resources Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would charge a $100 fee every time a protected bird, including bald eagles, is killed by wind turbines. A fiscal note attached to the bill said it would raise about $300,000 a year from the 376 wind turbines in the state. Senate Bill 21 now goes to the Senate Finance Committee.

And state and federal orders to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs have spurred organizational changes at Marshall University. As Randy Yohe reports, these changes are being met with mixed reviews from students.

Having trouble viewing the episode below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RChaKsmsIBY

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A white woman with medium length brown hair. — **Us & Them: We The People [But Not So Much] Women** Mar 12, 2025
Many Americans assume the U.S. Constitution guarantees men and women equal rights. But the authors of the Constitution did not consider women as part of ‘We the people.’

In fact, the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment provides far fewer protections for gender as a protected category than it does for race, religion or national origin.

In this episode of *Us & Them,* host Trey Kay hears from author Jill Hasday, a law professor at the University of Minnesota whose new book “We the Men” lays out an unfinished agenda for women’s equality.

Hasday says women are systematically forgotten in America’s most important stories about itself and there are important symbolic and emotional consequences from that exclusion.

This episode of *Us & Them* is presented with support from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.

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

Jill Elaine Hasday is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Centennial Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She teaches and writes about antidiscrimination law, constitutional law, family law, and legal history.
*Photo Credit: Jill Hasday*

"I have [America’s] 250th anniversary firmly on my calendar, and I believe it’s an important moment when people are truly listening. There will be many speeches asking, 'What is America?' and 'What is American history?' The centennial tells the story of how the founders established self-government, yet most Americans were denied self-government—and that omission must be part of our founding story. A hundred years later, Reagan essentially echoed the same sentiment. My hope for the nation’s 250th anniversary is that we tell the whole American story: both the founders’ tremendous achievements and the limitations that mean we are still working toward that promise. It’s not a sad story; it’s one of ongoing progress. We can all be part of that democratic project. It wasn’t completed in 1776—women, who make up half the population, deserve to be in those stories just as much as men."

— **Jill Elaine Hasday**, author of **We the Men: How Forgetting Women's Struggles for Equality Perpetuates Inequality**

*Courtesy*

"It took me a long time to be perfectly candid and to come up with a title. What I like about 'We the Men' is that our Constitution famously begins 'we the people'—the best part of the document. From there, it goes downhill. The Constitution is supposed to speak for and empower the people to govern themselves, but in reality, everyone behind it has been a man. As my book’s subtitle suggests, women are systematically forgotten in America’s dominant narratives, which helps perpetuate their inequality. Sometimes even when people tell stories about women, they’re overlooked. How did women make progress? Men decided one day to hand it to them, instead of acknowledging that women—and male allies—had to fight enormous resistance. It wasn’t just spontaneous enlightenment; it’s also the forgetting that there’s still work to be done. People in 21st-century America have been saying that sex equality has been an issue since before the 19th Amendment 'gave' women the vote."

— **Jill Elaine Hasday**, law professor at the University of Minnesota

Activist Phyllis Schafly wearing a "Stop ERA" badge, demonstrating with other women against the Equal Rights Amendment in front of the White House, Washington, D.C.
*Photo Credit: Underwood Archives/Uig/Everett Collection*

— **Jill Elaine Hasday** reflects the legacy of **Phyllis Schlafly**:

**On the Can-Do Attitude Argument:**
“Her anti-feminist manifesto, *The Power of the Positive Woman*, argues that if you don’t have a can-do attitude, you won’t succeed—much like a Horatio Alger story. But the flip side is that failure is blamed solely on a lack of effort, even though many hardworking women who demonstrate relentless determination still miss out on opportunities.”

**On Privilege and Empathy:**
“Schlafly had an extraordinarily privileged position. She married a wealthy lawyer who shared her far-right views and financed her entire operation, enjoyed household help for her six children, and maintained a supportive, if unconventional, feminist marriage. Yet she seemed to have little empathy for women struggling in harsher circumstances.”

**On Media Savvy and Debating Style:**
“She was always impeccably groomed, with a beautiful posture and a perfectly styled suit—qualities that made her a master of television and debate. Her cool, collected demeanor in the face of ridiculous arguments could be both admirable and infuriating to her opponents.”

**On the Obstacles to Women's Success:**
"One reason I mention Phyllis Schlafly so often in the book is that she sets the template for decades of anti-feminism that persist today. She argues that equality has been achieved—and yet claims that whatever feminists ask for would be disastrous. For example, anti-feminists testify before Congress that there are no obstacles to women's success, even as they oppose paid leave. They ask, what prevents women from working full time? For many, the reality of childcare—a need for safe, quality care when you have three young children—remains a formidable barrier. You can't simply bootstrap your way out of a baby needing constant attention."

Women’s Liberation Parade in New York City in the summer of 1971.
*Photo Credit: Bettmann/CORBIS/NOW.org*

"I don't think the current Congress is going to pass a statute recognizing the ERA, so I'm not holding my breath for the next two years. In my mind, there's no deadline for Congress recognizing the ERA; as I said, the Supreme Court has never denied recognition to an amendment that Congress accepts."

— **Jill Elaine Hasday**

A book cover depicting the design of the American flag. There are silhouettes of women appearing to be at a rally. Words on the cover read, "We the men. How forgetting women's struggles for equality perpetuates inequality," by Jill Elaine Hasday. — **Us & Them: We The People [But Not So Much] Women** Mar 12, 2025
Many Americans assume the U.S. Constitution guarantees men and women equal rights. But the authors of the Constitution did not consider women as part of ‘We the people.’

In fact, the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment provides far fewer protections for gender as a protected category than it does for race, religion or national origin.

In this episode of *Us & Them,* host Trey Kay hears from author Jill Hasday, a law professor at the University of Minnesota whose new book “We the Men” lays out an unfinished agenda for women’s equality.

Hasday says women are systematically forgotten in America’s most important stories about itself and there are important symbolic and emotional consequences from that exclusion.

This episode of *Us & Them* is presented with support from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.

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

Jill Elaine Hasday is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Centennial Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She teaches and writes about antidiscrimination law, constitutional law, family law, and legal history.
*Photo Credit: Jill Hasday*

"I have [America’s] 250th anniversary firmly on my calendar, and I believe it’s an important moment when people are truly listening. There will be many speeches asking, 'What is America?' and 'What is American history?' The centennial tells the story of how the founders established self-government, yet most Americans were denied self-government—and that omission must be part of our founding story. A hundred years later, Reagan essentially echoed the same sentiment. My hope for the nation’s 250th anniversary is that we tell the whole American story: both the founders’ tremendous achievements and the limitations that mean we are still working toward that promise. It’s not a sad story; it’s one of ongoing progress. We can all be part of that democratic project. It wasn’t completed in 1776—women, who make up half the population, deserve to be in those stories just as much as men."

— **Jill Elaine Hasday**, author of **We the Men: How Forgetting Women's Struggles for Equality Perpetuates Inequality**

*Courtesy*

"It took me a long time to be perfectly candid and to come up with a title. What I like about 'We the Men' is that our Constitution famously begins 'we the people'—the best part of the document. From there, it goes downhill. The Constitution is supposed to speak for and empower the people to govern themselves, but in reality, everyone behind it has been a man. As my book’s subtitle suggests, women are systematically forgotten in America’s dominant narratives, which helps perpetuate their inequality. Sometimes even when people tell stories about women, they’re overlooked. How did women make progress? Men decided one day to hand it to them, instead of acknowledging that women—and male allies—had to fight enormous resistance. It wasn’t just spontaneous enlightenment; it’s also the forgetting that there’s still work to be done. People in 21st-century America have been saying that sex equality has been an issue since before the 19th Amendment 'gave' women the vote."

— **Jill Elaine Hasday**, law professor at the University of Minnesota

Activist Phyllis Schafly wearing a "Stop ERA" badge, demonstrating with other women against the Equal Rights Amendment in front of the White House, Washington, D.C.
*Photo Credit: Underwood Archives/Uig/Everett Collection*

— **Jill Elaine Hasday** reflects the legacy of **Phyllis Schlafly**:

**On the Can-Do Attitude Argument:**
“Her anti-feminist manifesto, *The Power of the Positive Woman*, argues that if you don’t have a can-do attitude, you won’t succeed—much like a Horatio Alger story. But the flip side is that failure is blamed solely on a lack of effort, even though many hardworking women who demonstrate relentless determination still miss out on opportunities.”

**On Privilege and Empathy:**
“Schlafly had an extraordinarily privileged position. She married a wealthy lawyer who shared her far-right views and financed her entire operation, enjoyed household help for her six children, and maintained a supportive, if unconventional, feminist marriage. Yet she seemed to have little empathy for women struggling in harsher circumstances.”

**On Media Savvy and Debating Style:**
“She was always impeccably groomed, with a beautiful posture and a perfectly styled suit—qualities that made her a master of television and debate. Her cool, collected demeanor in the face of ridiculous arguments could be both admirable and infuriating to her opponents.”

**On the Obstacles to Women's Success:**
"One reason I mention Phyllis Schlafly so often in the book is that she sets the template for decades of anti-feminism that persist today. She argues that equality has been achieved—and yet claims that whatever feminists ask for would be disastrous. For example, anti-feminists testify before Congress that there are no obstacles to women's success, even as they oppose paid leave. They ask, what prevents women from working full time? For many, the reality of childcare—a need for safe, quality care when you have three young children—remains a formidable barrier. You can't simply bootstrap your way out of a baby needing constant attention."

Women’s Liberation Parade in New York City in the summer of 1971.
*Photo Credit: Bettmann/CORBIS/NOW.org*

"I don't think the current Congress is going to pass a statute recognizing the ERA, so I'm not holding my breath for the next two years. In my mind, there's no deadline for Congress recognizing the ERA; as I said, the Supreme Court has never denied recognition to an amendment that Congress accepts."

— **Jill Elaine Hasday**

Preserving History With The Mardi Gras Of Appalachia And Legislative Action On Foster Care Issues, This West Virginia Morning Mar 12, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, current weather seems to indicate that old man winter might be gone. That may be due to burning his effigy in Helvetia, WV at last week’s annual Fasnacht celebration. Randy Yohe takes us to the remote Randolph County Swiss enclave, where preserving history has become the Mardi Gras of Appalachia.

And earlier this week, multiple bills related to foster care and adoption are winding their way through the two chambers at the Capitol. Maria Young spoke with Jaycie Bias, executive director of the West Virginia Foster, Adoptive & Kinship Parents Network, and Rachel Kinder with Mission West Virginia, a non-profit that advocates and focuses on those same areas for The Legislature Today.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Stakeholders Weigh In On Foster Care Issues Mar 11, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Assistant News Director Maria Young turned to the issue of legislation related to foster care and adoption as multiple bills wind their way through the two chambers. She spoke with Jaycie Bias, executive director with the West Virginia Foster, Adoptive & Kinship Parents Network, and Rachel Kinder with Mission West Virginia, a non-profit that advocates and focuses on those same areas.

In the House, delegates passed several bills, many of which, like the state wide camping ban, garnered debate.

It was a somber day in the Senate as lawmakers passed a bill that would increase penalties for drug-related offenses. The bill is named in honor of a 26-year-old Morgantown native and West Virginia University (WVU) graduate who died after ingesting drugs laced with fentanyl. The bill passed with her parents present in the gallery. Emily Rice brings us that story.

And student conduct and discipline has been a focus of legislative activity for the past several years. As Chris Schulz reports, one subcommittee is looking at bills to help students focus and behave.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaHu-Yfk4c

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

New Human Services Secretary Discusses Child Welfare And Effect Of Federal Cuts Are Felt At Mammoth Cave, This West Virginia Morning Mar 11, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the federal government has begun firing federal workers at National Parks across the country. WKU Public Radio reporter Derek Parham reports Mammoth Cave National Park in neighboring southern Kentucky is just one of the sites already feeling the effects of those sweeping measures. This story was produced as part of the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom. A collaboration between NPR and several public radio stations in West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky.

And for The Legislature Today, health reporter Emily Rice sat down with West Virginia’s new Secretary of the Department of Human Services, Alex Mayer, to discuss the future of child welfare in a state with more than 6,000 kids in its custody.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

New Secretary Talks More Training, Retention Plans For Department Of Human Services Mar 10, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Health Reporter Emily Rice talks with West Virginia’s new secretary of the Department of Human Services, Alex Mayer, to discuss the future of child welfare in a state with more than 6,000 children in its custody.

The Senate approved 10 bills Monday on issues ranging from optometry to carbon sequestration. As Chris Schulz reports, two of those bills deal with the well being of students in the state’s schools.

The House of Delegates sent five bills over to the Senate. One bill that addresses thrift stores garnered some debate. Briana Heaney has that story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFPnSUO8sbQ

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Spay & Neuter Programs Need State Support And Reporters Discuss A Statewide Camping Ban, This West Virginia Morning Mar 10, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, it is estimated that the state had more than 118,000 stray cats. Many advocates say spaying and neutering pets is key to reducing pet overpopulation. But spay and neuter procedures can be costly, which is why the state has stepped in to help finance them. Jack Walker reports that lawmakers are looking to strengthen spay and neuter access once again.

And at the end of each week during the legislative session, our reporters get together to discuss some of the major issues they covered on The Legislature Today. We often invite a reporter from a different news organization to join us to get a different perspective and as last week wound to a close, host Curtis Tate welcomed health reporter Emily Rice and reporter Lori Kersey from West Virginia Watch.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Federal Cuts Protest, Debate Over Arming Teachers, And Searching For The Next Cryptid, This West Virginia Week Mar 08, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, we hear from West Virginians protesting federal cuts to staffing and funds. Plus, we’ll look at legislation to arm teachers in classrooms across the state and have reaction to the dismissal of a long-standing lawsuit against West Virginia’s child welfare system, and if you have a cryptid story to share, the West Virginia Folklife Center wants to hear from you!

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Reporter Roundtable Talks Statewide Camping Ban, Addiction And Microgrids Mar 07, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate and Emily Rice are joined by Lori Kersey from West Virginia Watch for our weekly reporter roundtable.

In the House, delegates passed a bill that would prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in the state. Ranked choice voting is not currently practiced, but Senate Bill 490 clarifies that no state or local elections can use it.

In the Senate, there was a long and contentious debate around laser eye surgery. Briana Heaney has that story.

The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday afternoon advanced two bills on controversial topics: Senate Bill 264 would reinstate the death penalty in West Virginia, but only for the intentional killing of law enforcement officers and emergency responders. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 474, which would eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and offices from the state’s executive branch and every level of education.

A Senate Bill, the Riley Gaines Act, has cleared both chambers and is quickly approaching the legislative finish line. Briana Heaney also has this story.

Finally, we have our weekly feature with two West Virginia high school students, Malia Saar and Emma Browning.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gq5G0Xg6HU

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

White woman with blonde hair wearing a t-shirt that says "Skeenies" with an image of a hot dog on the t-shirt. — **Skeenies Hotdogs And A Stump Story, Inside Appalachia** Mar 07, 2025
A beloved West Virginia hotdog restaurant closed in 2018. An annual tribute sale gives people a chance to relive its glory days.

Also, a West Virginia town can trace its beginnings to the first place its founders lived — a giant stump.

And, a few people still farm the way folks did before tractors — with horses.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Skeenies Hot Dogs**

**Workhorses On The Farm**

**Terrestrials: The Stumpisode**

**Rosalie Haizlett's Book**, **Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist’s Journey**

Skeenies Hot Dogs

Karen Skeen keeps her family’s famous “indescribably different” hotdog recipe alive with an annual tribute sale.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

For generations, Skeenies Hot Dogs in Sissonville, West Virginia, was known for serving some of the best slaw dogs around.

The restaurant closed in 2018 — but still comes alive for the annual Skeenies Tribute Sale. Giving devoted Skeenies fans a few days to make up for lost time.

Folkways Reporter Zack Harold has this story.

Workhorses On The Farm

A family photo of Danny Wingate using a team of horses to plow his sister's garden in Comers Rock, Virginia. Shortly after being interviewed for this story, Wingate passed away.
*Courtesy Photo from Clevie Wingate*

Before the tractor, farmers in Appalachia relied on workhorses to plow fields and pull their wagons. In southwestern Virginia, the practice has mostly disappeared, often along with the farms themselves. But some farmers? never let go of farming with a horse.

Folkways Reporter Connie Bailey Kitts has this story.

Terrestrials: The Stumpisode

The Stumpisode: The Wild World of Tree Stumps.
*Courtesy Photo from Tara Anand/Terrestrials*

Host Mason Adams and his family are big fans of a podcast called *Terrestrials*, on Radiolab for Kids. In an episode last year, *Terrestrials* featured a piece of Revolutionary war history that led to the founding of a city in West Virginia. The story was part of an episode about stumps.

We hear from Terrestrials creator and host, Lulu Miller.

Rosalie Haizlett's Book, *Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist’s Journey*

Rosalie Haizlett with her book, *Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains, an Artist’s journey.*
*Courtesy Photo*

In 2022, nature artist Rosalie Haizlett set out on a trip to illustrate parts of the Appalachian Mountains that often get overlooked — that is, the tiny birds, reptiles and other critters hiding beneath leaves or up in the trees.

Her illustrations came together as *Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains, an Artist’s journey*. The book is full of colorful images and thoughts Haizlett recorded as she spent hours exploring the mountains.

Last fall, Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Haizlett about the book.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Chris Stapleton, Sierra Hull, Steve Earle, Dinosaur Burps, Hazel Dickens, Harvey & Copeland, Tyler Childers 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.

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

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

White man walking behind two horses on a field. — **Skeenies Hotdogs And A Stump Story, Inside Appalachia** Mar 07, 2025
A beloved West Virginia hotdog restaurant closed in 2018. An annual tribute sale gives people a chance to relive its glory days.

Also, a West Virginia town can trace its beginnings to the first place its founders lived — a giant stump.

And, a few people still farm the way folks did before tractors — with horses.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Skeenies Hot Dogs**

**Workhorses On The Farm**

**Terrestrials: The Stumpisode**

**Rosalie Haizlett's Book**, **Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist’s Journey**

Skeenies Hot Dogs

Karen Skeen keeps her family’s famous “indescribably different” hotdog recipe alive with an annual tribute sale.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

For generations, Skeenies Hot Dogs in Sissonville, West Virginia, was known for serving some of the best slaw dogs around.

The restaurant closed in 2018 — but still comes alive for the annual Skeenies Tribute Sale. Giving devoted Skeenies fans a few days to make up for lost time.

Folkways Reporter Zack Harold has this story.

Workhorses On The Farm

A family photo of Danny Wingate using a team of horses to plow his sister's garden in Comers Rock, Virginia. Shortly after being interviewed for this story, Wingate passed away.
*Courtesy Photo from Clevie Wingate*

Before the tractor, farmers in Appalachia relied on workhorses to plow fields and pull their wagons. In southwestern Virginia, the practice has mostly disappeared, often along with the farms themselves. But some farmers? never let go of farming with a horse.

Folkways Reporter Connie Bailey Kitts has this story.

Terrestrials: The Stumpisode

The Stumpisode: The Wild World of Tree Stumps.
*Courtesy Photo from Tara Anand/Terrestrials*

Host Mason Adams and his family are big fans of a podcast called *Terrestrials*, on Radiolab for Kids. In an episode last year, *Terrestrials* featured a piece of Revolutionary war history that led to the founding of a city in West Virginia. The story was part of an episode about stumps.

We hear from Terrestrials creator and host, Lulu Miller.

Rosalie Haizlett's Book, *Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist’s Journey*

Rosalie Haizlett with her book, *Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains, an Artist’s journey.*
*Courtesy Photo*

In 2022, nature artist Rosalie Haizlett set out on a trip to illustrate parts of the Appalachian Mountains that often get overlooked — that is, the tiny birds, reptiles and other critters hiding beneath leaves or up in the trees.

Her illustrations came together as *Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains, an Artist’s journey*. The book is full of colorful images and thoughts Haizlett recorded as she spent hours exploring the mountains.

Last fall, Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Haizlett about the book.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Chris Stapleton, Sierra Hull, Steve Earle, Dinosaur Burps, Hazel Dickens, Harvey & Copeland, Tyler Childers 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.

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

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting*.

Lawmakers Weigh Limiting Opioid Treatment Centers, Plus Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Mar 07, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Senate Bill 204 would make render opioid treatment centers across the state unlawful. These centers provide medications like buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone to treat opioid use disorder. For The Legislature Today, Assistant News Director Maria Young traveled to the State Capitol to speak with Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, and Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, about the policy proposal.

Also in this episode, this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage kicks off a new spring season of live music. This week's episode was recorded in December at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, W.Va. “Face Your Life,” performed by The David Mayfield Parade, is our Song of the 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.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Senators Discuss Opioid Treatment Program Legislation Mar 06, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, legislation to outlaw opioid treatment programs that distribute methadone without offering integrated care in West Virginia, Senate Bill 204, is making its way through the West Virginia Legislature. Emily Rice brings us this story. Also, Assistant News Director Maria Young talks with Sens. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, and Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, about the bill.

In the Senate, the Government Organization Committee debated Senate Bill 20, which would require funding for increased costs to volunteer fire departments and EMS units.

On the floor of the House of Delegates, lawmakers voted to pass a spate of bills. Among them was House Bill 2117, which would require mail-in ballots to be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

And compared to previous years, this year's legislative session is off to a relatively slow start. However, bills relating to LGBTQ rights and issues have been an exception. Chris Schulz has more on the latest bills to move in both chambers.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6K-JVwxfT0

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Protesting Federal Spending Cuts And Discussing W.Va. Energy Policy, This West Virginia Morning Mar 06, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, hundreds of people in Morgantown gathered for a protest against federal spending cuts being felt on the state and local levels. Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has empowered Elon Musk and others to make swift cuts to federal funding. Chris Schulz reports.

Also in this episode, reporter Curtis Tate spoke with Del. Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, and Del. George Street, R-Preston, about energy issues in the state for our legislative recap show The Legislature Today. They touched on rising electricity costs, community solar use and data centers.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Lawmakers From Both Sides Of The Aisle Talk Energy Mar 05, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate talks with Vice Chair of the House Energy and Manufacturing Committee Del. George Street, R-Preston, and Minority Chair of the Energy and Public Works Committee Del. Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, about energy issues in West Virginia. Among other topics, they discuss rising electricity prices, community solar and data centers.

The House of Delegates considered a bill Wednesday that changes the law on illegal drugs that contain fentanyl.

Also, a bill that would ban foods that contain certain ingredients cleared the Senate and is very close to completing legislation. This bill would make West Virginia the first state in the US to have such an expansive ban on these ingredients.

And the Federation of Humane Organizations of West Virginia in 2024 estimated that the state had more than 118,000 stray cats. Many advocates say spaying and neutering pets is key to reducing pet overpopulation. But spay and neuter procedures can be costly, which is why the state has stepped in to help finance them. This session, Jack Walker reports that lawmakers are looking to strengthen spay and neuter access once again.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW5h0wnHuFc

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Examining Election Bills And Protesting For DEI Programs, This West Virginia Morning Mar 05, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the West Virginia Legislature is currently reviewing several bills pertaining to voting and elections in the state. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Deak Kersey, the chief deputy secretary of state, to discuss the impact this legislation would have.

Plus, amid federal and state crackdowns on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, students at Marshall University gathered to protest on their campus. Randy Yohe 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Chief Deputy Secretary Of State Talks Election Legislation Mar 04, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Deak Kersey, the chief deputy secretary of state and the chief of staff for Secretary Kris Warner, about a series of bills working their way through the state legislature that pertain to elections. They touch on topics including removing ineligible voters from the rolls, clarifying eligibility requirements and prohibiting ranked choice voting.

Also, it’s not uncommon for lawmakers to reintroduce a bill that failed the previous year, especially when that bill progressed out of at least one chamber. As Chris Schulz reports, the education committees on both sides of the Capitol have focused on such bills to start this year’s session.

In the House, delegates passed two bills pertaining to criminal justice.

And students at Marshall University recently spoke up on the future of the school's many Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, related programs. As Randy Yohe reports, a campus rally also brought out students concerned that their majors and minors may not lead to the career paths they once expected. (Student journalists from Marshall helped prepare this report.)

Having trouble viewing the episode below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCAbR0VQmQw

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Democrats’ Legislative Priorities And Trump’s Environmental Policies, This West Virginia Morning Mar 04, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the state's 2025 legislative session is now one-third complete. Reporter Curtis Tate sat down with Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, and House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, to discuss their party's priorities for the remainder of this year's session and their takes on the session so far.

Plus, The Allegheny Front is a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that focuses on regional environmental issues. They bring us their latest story about President Donald Trump's approach to the environment.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Minority Leaders Weigh In On Session So Far Mar 03, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate talks with Minority Leaders Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, and Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, to further discuss their priorities and how they see the session so far.

Also, the first of a flurry of bills addressing gender and biological sex has passed the upper chamber. Senate Bill 456 defines sex and prohibits transgender people from using certain facilities that align with their gender identity.

And a bill to address disciplinary issues in West Virginia schools passed the House of Delegates this morning. Chris Schulz has more.

Having trouble viewing the episode below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk71IjUVXLU

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Bird Flu Brings Risks And Appalachian Folklore Inspires Zine, This West Virginia Morning Mar 03, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the spread of bird flu brings risks to wildlife, pets and even people, especially farm workers and hunters. Pittsburgh-based environmental public radio program The Allegheny Front brings us their latest story on the virus.

Plus, almost everybody has heard of the Mothman, West Virginia’s best known cryptid. But the state has plenty of others, including Veggie Man. Veggie Man helped inspire an upcoming Zine from the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University. Bill Lynch spoke with the center’s director, Lydia Warren, about Veggie man and the zine.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Vaccines And Trans Rights At The Capitol, Rural Homelessness And The Personal Impact Of Federal Cuts, This West Virginia Week Mar 01, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, we hear from homeless people in the southern coalfields and their advocates about the unique challenges of being unhoused in a rural community.

Plus, leaders from the state legislature discuss issues in our schools including discipline, as well as proposed exemptions to the state’s school vaccine requirements

Also in this episode, a local woman grapples with losing her dream job in the recent federal cuts.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Reporter Roundtable Talks PEIA Funding, Election Process And Transgender Identity Issues Feb 28, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Steven Allan Adams, veteran statehouse reporter for Ogden Newspapers, joins our WVPB reporters for our weekly roundtable.

Advocates for survivors of sexual violence hope the state will continue supporting crisis programs. But this year, they’re also backing a bill to address one form of sexual exploitation that’s receiving traction in the legislature. Jack Walker reports.

Thursday afternoon, Senate Judiciary discussed a bill that would restrict public schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation. It would also obligate teachers to out transgender students to their parents or guardians. Briana Heaney has more.

Also, we have a weekly feature with West Virginia high school students. This week, Malia Saar and Emma Browning look at some issues they thought may be of interest to the youth of West Virginia.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys9FhqAEDaU

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting

African American photographer and educator Raymond Thompson, Jr. leans on the metal rail of a walkway. He wears a blue shirt. — **Encore: Raymond Thompson, Jr. And Agape Rugs, Inside Appalachia** Feb 28, 2025
In the 1930s, hundreds of mostly Black workers died digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel. A photographer brings their stories to life.

Also, when Jerry Machen began making art from old carpets in Tennessee, his wife Linda wasn’t impressed.

And, a new exhibit shares the cultures of Indigenous people who call Appalachia home.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Remembering and Reimagining The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster**

**Cutting A Rug To Make Art**

**Celebrating Central Appalachia's Indigenous Heritage**

Remembering And Reimagining The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster

Raymond Thompson, Jr. remembers the African American lives lost in the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster.
*Courtesy Photo*

The Hawks Nest Tunnel in West Virginia is the site of one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. More than 700 men, most of them African American, died of lung disease as a result of mining the tunnel in the 1930s.

A new photography book sets out to bring their untold stories to life. It’s called “Appalachian Ghost: A Photographic Reimagining of the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster,” by artist, educator, and journalist Raymond Thompson Jr.

Mason Adams spoke to him about the book and Hawks Nest Tunnel.

Cutting A Rug To Make Art

One man in Kingsport, Tennessee, has been building and repairing carpets and rugs for more than 50 years. For Jerry Machen, Sr., the business not only provides him with a livelihood — but also an opportunity for expression and discovery.
*Photo Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Lots of families live with furniture, silverware, and rugs, but we often take them for granted. We seldom think about who makes these items — or where to turn when they need repaired.

One man in Kingsport, Tennessee, has been building and repairing carpets and rugs for over 50 years. For Jerry Machen, Sr., [May-chin] the business not only provides him with a livelihood — but also an outlet for expressing creativity.

In 2022, Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave reported the story.

Celebrating Central Appalachia's Indigenous Heritage

David Locklear, left, and Larry Jent play music as Jocelyn Jones dances at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center in Elkins June 29, 2024.
*Photo Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

For generations, historians argued that European settlers found Appalachia devoid of Indigenous people, that it was just a hunting ground, but Appalachia has long been home for Indigenous people.

A series of events in Elkins, West Virginia is telling their stories. It’s part of the exhibit, “Creating Home: Indigenous Roots and Connections in the Appalachian Forest.”

Chris Schulz reported.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Steve Earle, Jeff Ellis, Yonder Mountain String Band and John Blissard.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi 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 X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

A man with glasses works on a carpet. — **Encore: Raymond Thompson, Jr. And Agape Rugs, Inside Appalachia** Feb 28, 2025
In the 1930s, hundreds of mostly Black workers died digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel. A photographer brings their stories to life.

Also, when Jerry Machen began making art from old carpets in Tennessee, his wife Linda wasn’t impressed.

And, a new exhibit shares the cultures of Indigenous people who call Appalachia home.

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

**In This Episode:**

**Remembering and Reimagining The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster**

**Cutting A Rug To Make Art**

**Celebrating Central Appalachia's Indigenous Heritage**

Remembering And Reimagining The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster

Raymond Thompson, Jr. remembers the African American lives lost in the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster.
*Courtesy Photo*

The Hawks Nest Tunnel in West Virginia is the site of one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. More than 700 men, most of them African American, died of lung disease as a result of mining the tunnel in the 1930s.

A new photography book sets out to bring their untold stories to life. It’s called “Appalachian Ghost: A Photographic Reimagining of the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster,” by artist, educator, and journalist Raymond Thompson Jr.

Mason Adams spoke to him about the book and Hawks Nest Tunnel.

Cutting A Rug To Make Art

One man in Kingsport, Tennessee, has been building and repairing carpets and rugs for more than 50 years. For Jerry Machen, Sr., the business not only provides him with a livelihood — but also an opportunity for expression and discovery.
*Photo Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Lots of families live with furniture, silverware, and rugs, but we often take them for granted. We seldom think about who makes these items — or where to turn when they need repaired.

One man in Kingsport, Tennessee, has been building and repairing carpets and rugs for over 50 years. For Jerry Machen, Sr., [May-chin] the business not only provides him with a livelihood — but also an outlet for expressing creativity.

In 2022, Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave reported the story.

Celebrating Central Appalachia's Indigenous Heritage

David Locklear, left, and Larry Jent play music as Jocelyn Jones dances at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center in Elkins June 29, 2024.
*Photo Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

For generations, historians argued that European settlers found Appalachia devoid of Indigenous people, that it was just a hunting ground, but Appalachia has long been home for Indigenous people.

A series of events in Elkins, West Virginia is telling their stories. It’s part of the exhibit, “Creating Home: Indigenous Roots and Connections in the Appalachian Forest.”

Chris Schulz reported.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Steve Earle, Jeff Ellis, Yonder Mountain String Band and John Blissard.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi 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 X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

Committee Chairs Focus On Budget, Foster Care And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning Feb 28, 2025

Updated on Wednesday, March. 5, 2025 at 9:40 a.m.

On this West Virginia Morning, two committee chairs: Del. Adam Burkhammer, the chair of House Human Services, and Sen. Jason Barrett, the chair of Senate Finance spoke with Curtis Tate on Thursday's episode of The Legislature Today. They spoke about the most pressing issues in their committees, including foster care and the state budget. Here’s a portion of that interview.

And our Song of the Week is by Hugh Masekela, the South African trumpeter and activist who performed the popular anti-apartheid song “Bring Him Back Home” (referring to Nelson Mandela) twice on Mountain Stage. This version is from the latter appearance recorded in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1994 – two days before Nelson Mandela was inaugurated president of his home country. Hugh Masekela died in 2018.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

**Editor’s Note: This story was updated to include information about the Mountain Stage Song of the Week heard in the episode. An earlier version of this post listed an Inside Appalachia story that ran March 3.

Committee Chairs Talk Foster Care, State Budget Feb 27, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Curtis Tate caught up with two committee chairs: Del. Adam Burkhammer, R-Lewis, the chair of House Human Services, and Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, the chair of Senate Finance. They spoke about the most pressing issues in their committees, including foster care and the state budget.

Also, advocates for survivors of sexual violence hope the state will continue supporting crisis programs. They're also backing a bill to target "sextortion,” and finding traction in the state legislature.

In the Senate, lawmakers heard from more than 10 speakers from across the country while discussing Senate Bill 545. The bill would ban certain food additives from school nutritional programs, in what lawmakers are calling the West Virginia Feed to Achieve Act.

West Virginia code tends to favor local control of schools via county boards of education. Last year, lawmakers took an initial step to raise the training standards for board members. As Chris Schulz reports, they are revisiting the topic this year.

And West Virginia's legislature has a Republican supermajority. The Senate has the highest percentage of Republicans of any state legislative chamber in the nation. Before the start of this year’s session, Briana Heaney sat down with political science professors and legislators to discuss the impacts of the state’s supermajority.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI0x08WxIcM

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Lawmakers Debate Vaccine Exemptions And Cuts To Medicaid Could Affect Recovery Efforts, This West Virginia Morning Feb 27, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Del. Matt Rohrbach and Sen. Tom Takubo spoke with Eric Douglas about legislation aimed at providing exemptions to childhood immunizations currently making its way through the legislature in the latest episode of The Legislature Today.

And from the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay learns how Medicaid supports recovery organizations and what that work looks like as Trump administration spending cuts may be targeting some low-income health care efforts.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

**Us & Them: Black West Virginians With Substance Use Disorder Face Unique Challenges** Feb 27, 2025
The Trump administration’s effort to cut federal spending targets a broad range of agencies and initiatives, including the low-income health care program Medicaid. Republican lawmakers are considering adding work requirements or decreasing federal investment dollars toward states providing the program. Typically, this money would be used to pay for doctors visits, nursing home care, or prescriptions. But the scope of Medicaid programs goes beyond day-to-day health care.

Many people rely on Medicaid to seek help for substance use disorder and drug and alcohol addiction. West Virginia has the nation's highest overdose rate. In recent years, the state’s overdoses among African Americans have risen above any other group.

In this episode of *Us & Them,* host Trey Kay learns how Medicaid money supports the organizations that work in recovery and what that work looks like.

This episode of *Us & Them* is presented with support from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.Subscribe to *Us & Them* on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

Reverend James Pattersonhas led the Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) for the past two decades as its founder and president/CEO. PAAC is a nonprofit, collaborative, faith-based community development corporation based in Charleston, WV, that also provides health care.
*Photo Credit: PAAC*

"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**

Many Black West Virginians have had uncomfortable experiences when visiting the doctor—experiences that can discourage people of color from seeking medical care, mental health treatment or help for drug addiction. Dr. Wendy Lewis, clinical director for the Partnership of African American Churches and a researcher of this phenomenon, explains the impact of these encounters.
*Photo Credit: PAAC*

"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**

Kevin Watkins received training as a peer support coach from the Partnership of African American Churches. A native of Charleston’s Westside—a community with a high concentration of Black residents—Watkins describes the area as "the valley of the shadow of death" because many people he knew died too young. Watkins struggled with substance use disorder, starting with alcohol at a young age and later turning to marijuana, pills and, eventually, speed, which he injected.
*Photo Credit: PAAC*

"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**

**Robert Hansen** is retired after nearly 50 years in West Virginia's behavioral health field, including a two-year stint as director of the state’s Office of Drug Control Policy—known as the drug czar.
*Photo Credit: The Charleston Gazette-Mail*

“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**

Doctors In Legislature Weigh In On Childhood Vaccine Bill Feb 26, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas sat down with two physicians – Sen. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, and Del. Matt Rohrbach, R-Cabell, to discuss the legislation aimed at providing exemptions to childhood immunizations.

Also, it's Disability Advocacy Week at the State Capitol. Groups that advocate for residents with disabilities across the state have visited Charleston to talk about their needs and legislative priorities. Jack Walker stopped by and brings this report.

Nearly everyday each chamber's Finance committees have been holding hearings with testimony from different agencies, organizations and branches of government. The House Finance Committee on Wednesday held a hearing on the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA). Briana Heaney has that story.

And the House of Delegates is reviewing a spate of bills that would affect the electoral process in West Virginia. Jack Walker spoke with delegates on both sides of the aisle about some of the bills proposed so far.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nUh2WedBCs

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Committee Chairs Focus On Discipline And Adjusting After Dream Federal Job Cut, This West Virginia Morning Feb 26, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, school discipline has been a key legislative issue for several years. As legislators consider that and other bills that could impact education across the state, West Virginia Public Broadcasting News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Sen. Amy Grady of Mason County and Del. Joe Ellington of Mercer County, chairs of the Education committees in their respective chambers, at the capitol for The Legislature Today.

And a 24-year-old West Virginia native in the early days of what she describes as a dream job was among 1,000 National Park Service workers fired this month, part of the federal government’s workforce reduction effort. As Maria Young reports, she’s scrambling to find her next job, but wondering if her termination does the nation any good.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Education Committee Chairs Talk School Discipline, Teacher Staffing Feb 25, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with the chairs of House and Senate Education, Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, and Del. Joe Ellington, R-Mercer. They discuss a wide range of topics including school discipline and ways the state can improve the ongoing teacher shortage.

In the House Tuesday, lawmakers approved bills related to court-appointed special advocates in the state’s foster care system, destruction of first responder equipment and clarifications for officers, lawyers and judges when distributing child sex abuse materials — described in the bill as “child pornography” — as part of their official duties in the judicial system. All three bills now head to the Senate for consideration.

The House Health Committee held a hearing on a controversial piece of legislation that would allow for religious and philosophical vaccine exemptions for school children.

And school discipline has been a key legislative issue for several years. As part of the new committee hearing process, the House Education Committee spent two days discussing House Bill 2515. Chris Schulz brings us this story.

Also, a bill to remove regulatory requirements for health care providers to expand or offer additional services in West Virginia failed to pass its committee by one vote Monday afternoon. Emily Rice has this story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JwL7V4kD6w

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

House Reviews Bill Restricting Trans Rights And Recovering An Archive After Flooding, This West Virginia Morning Feb 25, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the House Judiciary Committee met Monday to discuss a bill that restricts the rights of transgender people in West Virginia to places like public bathrooms, locker rooms and domestic violence shelters.

And Appalshop, a media and arts hub based in eastern Kentucky, was hit by floods that devastated most of the region in 2022 and damaged part of its film and audio archive. This month, another bout of devastating flooding killed at least 22 people in Kentucky and three in West Virginia. Jack Walker spoke to Roger May, Appalshop’s director of artistic programs, about its archival recovery process, and how ongoing flooding affects the region’s arts community.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Drug Testing, Gender Legislation Make Gains In Committees Feb 24, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas sits down with our host this week Curtis Tate to discuss a conversation he had with House Judiciary Chair Del. JB Akers, R-Kanawha, and Minority Chair of House Health Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, about the vaccine exemption bill that passed the Senate and is now before the House Health and Human Resources Committee.

Also, the Democratic caucus of the House of Delegates hosted a press briefing Monday to highlight their current legislative priorities. Jack Walker stopped by and brings us this report.

The House Judiciary Committee met this morning to discuss a bill that restricts the rights of transgender West Virginians. Briana Heaney has that story.

And more than a year after lawmakers said making childcare more accessible was their top priority, so far this session, nothing has been done. Still, some lawmakers, parents and childcare providers say the state needs to do something. Briana Heaney also has this story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o5S1FIHvnE

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Reporters Discuss Education Bills And Addressing Homelessness In Southern W.Va., This West Virginia Morning Feb 24, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, politicians have moved to enact camping bans at the local, state and federal level. As part of the WVPB newsroom's series on homelessness, Briana Heaney spoke with people experiencing homelessness, and their advocates in the southern coal fields.

And each week, our reporters get together - sometimes with a reporter from a different news organization - to discuss some of the major issues they covered on our daily television program The Legislature Today. Recently, host Bri Heaney welcomed Duncan Slade, the deputy managing editor for the nonprofit newsroom Mountain State Spotlight. Here is part of that discussion.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

A Legislative District In Turmoil, Flood Recovery And Substance Abuse Prevention, This West Virginia Week Feb 22, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, we’ll learn more from two experts about Certificate of Need and why state lawmakers want to change it.

We’ll hear from the state’s new director of substance abuse prevention and recovery. We’ll also visit a legislative district that’s been thrown into chaos.

We’ll get an update on the flood recovery in southern West Virginia. We’ll also hear about beekeepers, a preservation district and a surface mine.

Curtis Tate 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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Senate Approves Vaccine Exemptions And Reporter Roundtable Talks Education, Health Feb 21, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, in the Senate Friday, lawmakers approved a bill that would allow for broad vaccine exemptions. Briana Heaney has the story.

In the House, a few bills are working their way through committees that aim to adjust state election laws. Also, in a committee hearing that lasted into the night Thursday, delegates grappled with health care regulation laws and heard differing opinions from more than 10 presenters. Emily Rice has more.

We also have our weekly feature with West Virginia high school students, Malia Saar and Emma Browning, who look at the makeup of the West Virginia Legislature and state government.

Finally, WVPB reporters Jack Walker and Briana Heaney are joined by Duncan Slade, deputy managing editor for the nonprofit newsroom Mountain State Spotlight, for a roundtable to discuss the biggest news of the week.

Having trouble viewing the episode below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbYVsPT1mRo

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A person standing in front of an orange backdrop surrounded by plants. The words in the image say, "Amythyst Kiah" and "Still + Bright". — **Amythyst Kiah, Black Hair Salons And Poetry, Inside Appalachia** Feb 21, 2025
This week, we talk with East Tennessee’s Amythyst Kiah. Her new album contemplates the cosmos.

Also, hair salons are important gathering places where Black women can find community.

And West Virginia poet Torli Bush uses story to tackle tough subjects.

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

**In This Episode:**

Amythyst Kiah’s Album, *Still + Bright*

**Nappy by Nature Hair Salon**

**Filipino Hospitality With A North Carolina Flair**

Torli Bush's Book, *Requiem for a Redbird*

Amythyst Kiah’s Album, *Still + Bright*

Amythyst Kiah on the cover of *Still + Bright*.
*Courtesy of Kevin & King*

"Play God and Destroy the World" is the opening track from Amythyst Kiah’s new album, *Still + Bright*. The album follows 2021’s *Wary + Strange*, and features guest spots by S.G. Goodman, Billy Strings and others.

Amythyst Kiah spoke with *Inside Appalachia* from her home in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Nappy By Nature Hair Salon

A normal day at Nappy By Nature Salon with sisters styling hair with their daughters. From left to right: Tunisia Beatty, Rakyra Bonner, Tina Beatty and Robin Bonner.
*Photo Credit: Traci Phillips/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

We spend a lot of our lives at home or at work, but there are other spots that are just as important to who we are. They’re Third Places.

A third place can be a coffee shop or a basketball court, or any place where people get together and connect. In Black communities, hair salons can be spaces where women feel united and accepted.

Folkways Reporter Traci Phillips takes us to a hair salon in Charleston, West Virginia’s west side.

Filipino Hospitality With A North Carolina Flair

Hidden away from the main streets of Asheville, Neng Jr.'s is getting noticed nationally.
*Photo Credit: Margaret McLeod Leef/West Virginia Public Broadcastin*g

Asheville, North Carolina, is known as one of Appalachia’s cultural hubs — and that extends to the city’s dining scene. But Asheville was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Dozens of its restaurants and bars were drowned in water, mud and debris.

Some may never reopen, while others are beginning to find their way back — including Neng, Jr’s, which serves up Filipino cuisine. After several months of hard work, Neng Jr.’s reopened in January.

Last Spring, Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef found her way to the restaurant, which is tucked away in an alley. She brought us this story.

Torli Bush's Book, *Requiem For A Redbird*

*Requiem for a Redbird* by Torli Bush.
*Courtesy Photo*

There is a rich tradition of Black Appalachian poets and writers. One of the newest is Torli Bush, who grew up in Webster Springs, West Virginia.

Bush has won poetry slams in the region, and now has a new book, *Requiem for a Redbird*. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bush about the book.

-------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Amythyst Kiah, John Blissard, Jett Holden, The Local Honeys, Jeff Ellis and Dinosaur Burps.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Eric Douglas is our executive producer. 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 and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

Three young girls sitting in chairs with three women standing behind them and another woman standing holding a book in a room with mirrors. — **Amythyst Kiah, Black Hair Salons And Poetry, Inside Appalachia** Feb 21, 2025
This week, we talk with East Tennessee’s Amythyst Kiah. Her new album contemplates the cosmos.

Also, hair salons are important gathering places where Black women can find community.

And West Virginia poet Torli Bush uses story to tackle tough subjects.

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

**In This Episode:**

Amythyst Kiah’s Album, *Still + Bright*

**Nappy by Nature Hair Salon**

**Filipino Hospitality With A North Carolina Flair**

Torli Bush's Book, *Requiem for a Redbird*

Amythyst Kiah’s Album, *Still + Bright*

Amythyst Kiah on the cover of *Still + Bright*.
*Courtesy of Kevin & King*

"Play God and Destroy the World" is the opening track from Amythyst Kiah’s new album, *Still + Bright*. The album follows 2021’s *Wary + Strange*, and features guest spots by S.G. Goodman, Billy Strings and others.

Amythyst Kiah spoke with *Inside Appalachia* from her home in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Nappy By Nature Hair Salon

A normal day at Nappy By Nature Salon with sisters styling hair with their daughters. From left to right: Tunisia Beatty, Rakyra Bonner, Tina Beatty and Robin Bonner.
*Photo Credit: Traci Phillips/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

We spend a lot of our lives at home or at work, but there are other spots that are just as important to who we are. They’re Third Places.

A third place can be a coffee shop or a basketball court, or any place where people get together and connect. In Black communities, hair salons can be spaces where women feel united and accepted.

Folkways Reporter Traci Phillips takes us to a hair salon in Charleston, West Virginia’s west side.

Filipino Hospitality With A North Carolina Flair

Hidden away from the main streets of Asheville, Neng Jr.'s is getting noticed nationally.
*Photo Credit: Margaret McLeod Leef/West Virginia Public Broadcastin*g

Asheville, North Carolina, is known as one of Appalachia’s cultural hubs — and that extends to the city’s dining scene. But Asheville was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Dozens of its restaurants and bars were drowned in water, mud and debris.

Some may never reopen, while others are beginning to find their way back — including Neng, Jr’s, which serves up Filipino cuisine. After several months of hard work, Neng Jr.’s reopened in January.

Last Spring, Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef found her way to the restaurant, which is tucked away in an alley. She brought us this story.

Torli Bush's Book, *Requiem For A Redbird*

*Requiem for a Redbird* by Torli Bush.
*Courtesy Photo*

There is a rich tradition of Black Appalachian poets and writers. One of the newest is Torli Bush, who grew up in Webster Springs, West Virginia.

Bush has won poetry slams in the region, and now has a new book, *Requiem for a Redbird*. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bush about the book.

-------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Amythyst Kiah, John Blissard, Jett Holden, The Local Honeys, Jeff Ellis and Dinosaur Burps.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Eric Douglas is our executive producer. 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 and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

*Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.*

Hanshaw Outlines Legislative Priorities And The Cultural Importance Of Hair Salons, This West Virginia Morning Feb 21, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw sat down with Eric Douglas to discuss some of the issues that will come before the legislature this session like education, PEIA and the foster care system. This is an excerpt from that interview for The Legislature Today.

And there are places we go besides home or work that can play an important role in who we are and how we live. These Third Places are where people get together and connect. This week, Inside Appalachia explores an important third place found in most Black communities – the hair salon.

Also in this episode, floodwaters began rising in the southern part of the state over the weekend. Maria Young reports now, six days later, there is much progress – but a long way to go.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, 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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

House Speaker Hanshaw Shares Goals For Education, PEIA And Foster Care Feb 20, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay. They discuss a number of issues including education, flooding in southern West Virginia and the crisis in foster care in the state.

In the House Thursday, HB 2712 was introduced on the floor and sent to the House Health and Human Resources Committee. The bill would remove rape and incest exceptions to West Virginia’s abortion ban. A similar bill in the Senate, SB 51, was withdrawn by its sponsor.

In the Senate, issues of gender identity have been prominent in the legislative session this year. As Chris Schulz reports, the Senate Education Committee took up the issue in their meeting Thursday.

Finally, this year’s session is already underway, but a partisan tug-of-war over the 91st district House seat hasn’t been resolved. Jack Walker talked to Berkeley County residents, plus state lawmakers, about the drawn-out search for a successor.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPF8lB4F_os

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Voters React To Filling Of 91st District Seat And A Discussion Of Certificate Of Need, This West Virginia Morning Feb 20, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, the state legislature is proposing removing the state's certificate of need for healthcare providers. Health Reporter Emily Rice sat down with Jim Kauffman, president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association, and Jessica Dobrinsky, chief of staff and Certificate of Need policy expert at the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, yesterday to talk about the potential change and how it could impact patients.

And this year’s legislative session is already underway, but a partisan tug of war still hasn't been resolved. It's over who should fill the 91st district seat won by Joseph de Soto in November. Reporter Jack Walker talked to district residents about the drawn-out search for a successor.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Health Stakeholders Discuss Proposed Changes To State Code Feb 19, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, Health Reporter Emily Rice speaks with Jim Kauffman, president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association, and Jessica Dobrinsky, chief of staff and certificate of need policy expert at the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, about changes lawmakers are proposing to state code this session.

Also, the much-watched vaccine exemption bill was laid over in the Senate Wednesday. Legislators have told WVPB the bill likely won't be voted on until Friday.

Also from the Senate, the West Virginia Legislature in 2023 banned gender-affirming care for transgender minors, with narrow exceptions for hormone therapy. Now, a more conservative Senate is moving to do away with those exemptions. A bill sponsored by Sen. Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, would ban hormone therapy for new and existing patients under 18. Briana Heaney brings us this story.

The House Health and Human Services Committee spent more than three hours Tuesday evening deliberating two bills related to food sales in the state. Two hours of debate centered around HB 2354, which would add seven food dyes to the list of banned food alterations.

Finally, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has said the state is facing a $400 million shortfall. But many in the legislature are not so sure. Caelan Bailey looked into it for us.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/live/jul48_W1TQc

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Senate President Discusses Legislative Priorities And How Federal Cuts Could Affect Local Schools, This West Virginia Morning Feb 19, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, new Senate President Randy Smith, R-Preston, spoke with news director Eric Douglas for The Legislature Today on Tuesday. They discussed Smith's legislative priorities, including economic development and broadband issues.

And amidst the cuts being made to federal programs, Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, spoke with Chris Schulz about what cuts to the Department of Education would mean for local schools.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Senate President Smith Weighs In On Legislative Goals Feb 18, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with West Virginia Senate President Randy Smith, R-Preston. Smith was elected to be the Senate President for the 87th legislature that started this year.

Against the backdrop of legislative action Tuesday, much of the state is reeling from massive flooding over the President's Day weekend. Gov. Patrick Morrisey confirmed the flood-related deaths of two people in McDowell County. He has sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting disaster assistance for 13 West Virginia counties.

In the Senate, a bill that would allow for broader vaccine exemptions for schools hit that second reading stage. Briana Heaney has more.

On the House floor, delegates adopted a resolution rejecting the redesignation of part of a Potomac River tributary.

And some of the first bills discussed in the Senate Education Committee this year are trying to address the ongoing issue of staffing in West Virginia’s schools. Chris Schulz has more.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/live/cWUN_R0XAL8

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Deputy Speaker Discusses House Plans And Personal Experience Guides New Recovery Director, This West Virginia Morning Feb 18, 2025

On this West Virginia Morning, Del. Matt Rohrbach, R-Cabell, is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Delegates. In an excerpt from the Feb. 17, 2025 episode of The Legislature Today, Rohrback spoke with news director Eric Douglas about plans for legislation, the new process of debating bills in the House and legislation implementing religious exemptions from vaccines.

And shortly after taking office, attorney General JB McCuskey created the new position of Director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Recovery. As Maria Young reports, he named Josh Barker to the position because of his personal experience with the issue.

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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Deputy Speaker Of The House Talks Floor Debate Changes, Vaccine Exemptions Feb 17, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Speaker Pro Tempore and Deputy Speaker of the House Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell. They discuss plans for legislation, the new process of debating bills in the House and legislation implementing religious exemptions from vaccines. Rohrbach is also a doctor.

We also feature a conversation between Health Reporter Emily Rice and Del. Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, to discuss his objectives this session as chair of the House Health Committee.

In the Senate Monday, SB 460, or the vaccine bill, was on first reading. The bill will be on second reading Tuesday, or the amendment stage, and is likely to have amendments offered.

Also, we bring you the latest on changes in the House of Delegates. The most notable does away with public hearings in favor of public comment in the committee process. Supporters say the procedural overhaul will give delegates more time to carefully consider bills and their effects on West Virginians, including public input. But opponents argue the new system gives committee chairs discretion to ignore certain members of the public.
And LGBTQ advocacy groups brought a rainbow of color to the Capitol rotunda Monday. They came to discuss their work, plus their priorities and concerns for this year’s legislative session. Jack Walker has the story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Smq0Sp6XY

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

2025 Legislative Session Kicks Off With Early Look At Budget And Vaccines, This West Virginia Week Feb 15, 2025

On this West Virginia Week, we hear from Gov. Patrick Morrisey about his plans for the state. We’ll also have the minority response to his first State of the State address.

Plus, the debate begins over vaccine exemptions and whether parents should be allowed to decide that their kids can skip a long list of vaccines. We hear about new penalties on a coal company owned by Sen. Jim Justice, and a new program to help childcare businesses in West Virginia get off the ground.

Also in this episode, a new state position: Director of Addiction Recovery. And, a new way to protest that draws on the past.

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, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Reporter Roundtable Recaps First Week Of 2025 Session And Looks Ahead Feb 14, 2025

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we have a roundtable with our Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate, Health Reporter Emily Rice and Statehouse Reporter Briana Heaney. They discuss the first days of the 2025 state legislative session and look ahead to the remaining weeks.

Also, members of the House Education Committee have wasted no time getting to work on big issues. The committee held two informational hearings, first on the Hope Scholarship Thursday and then on the state school funding formula Friday.

And, lawmakers began the process of establishing a religious exemption to childhood vaccines Thursday. There were so many questions from lawmakers that the Senate Health Committee had to come back for an extended meeting.

Last year, we introduced a new segment in our program featuring two West Virginia high school students who learn about the legislative process by following bills that interest them. Those students last year were Ben Valleau and Ameera Mustafa. In December, on their winter break from college, Valleau and Mustafa came back to our studio to pass the torch on to one of our new high school hosts, Emma Browning.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/KhvYn0R-I4M?si=UWPOGODnaHVJ0JGD

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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podcast Story Archives – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Join us Saturday, April 12 for our Final Hours program as we follow along with legislative action from 8 p.m. to midnight.

A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight

Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts

The Modern Mountain Cookbook

Adaptive And Inclusive Climbing

Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing

Crafting A Classic Paddle

Fust's Aaron Dowdy And Their New Album, Big Ugly

The Price Of Eggs And Backyard Chicken Coops

Violet Tendencies

Appalshop Rebuilds After Flooding

Helvetia's Fasnacht Festival

Become A Dad In The COVID-19 Pandemic

Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato

The Ramp Hunter

The Sacred Harp

Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs By The Cornelius Eady Trio

Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room

Traditions: The Ghost of Ruth Ann and Other Local West Virginia Lore

Skeenies Hot Dogs

Workhorses On The Farm

Terrestrials: The Stumpisode

Rosalie Haizlett's Book, Tiny Worlds Of The Appalachian Mountains, An Artist’s Journey

Remembering And Reimagining The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster

Cutting A Rug To Make Art

Celebrating Central Appalachia's Indigenous Heritage

Amythyst Kiah’s Album, Still + Bright

Nappy By Nature Hair Salon

Filipino Hospitality With A North Carolina Flair

Torli Bush's Book, Requiem For A Redbird

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