W.Va. Receives Low Grades From American Lung Association, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 28, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in West Virginia, accounting for about 4,200 deaths annually. About 20% of adults in the state smoke. The American Lung Association released its annual report grading West Virginia with Ds and Fs. We spoke with Elizabeth Hensil, the director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association, to better understand what the grades mean.
Also, the West Virginia National Guard will continue its deployment to Washington, D.C. through the end of 2026, according to a statement from Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
And, two people are facing murder charges in the death of an 11-year-old girl in Taylor County.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Proposed Changes To Endangered Species Act And Aftermath Of Winter Storm, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 27, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, how important is habitat for survival? We listen to The Allegheny Front’s latest story on what’s happening with federal efforts to limit protections for endangered species.
Also, after a weekend of snow and ice that blanketed most of West Virginia, state officials are now warning of frigid temperatures for much of the week. And, hundreds of people with nowhere else to stay safe and warm during this winter storm landed in temporary warming centers – and some brought their pets.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Hanshaw’s Priorities And A Special Medicaid Application For Pregnancy, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 26, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, we hear from House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, who outlines his goals for the 2026 state Legislative session. This excerpt comes to us from our weekly TV/radio simulcast The Legislature Today. Watch or listen to new episodes on Fridays at 6 p.m.
Also, if you’re newly pregnant and haven’t been able to afford health insurance, there’s a good chance you qualify for Medicaid in West Virginia. The government insurance program has a special application process for those who are pregnant. We bring you the latest in a new series from the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom called “HealthQ.” Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer are approachable guides to an unapproachable health system.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Rare Salamanders And W.Va. Braces For A Winter Storm, This West Virginia Week
Jan 24, 2026
On this West Virginia Week, the state readies itself for a major winter storm. Also, a rare species of salamander is at risk, and we learn how catastrophic flooding in Appalachia is studied.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Emergency School Funding, Supporting College Students And House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, At The Legislature This Week
Jan 24, 2026
On The Legislature This Week, the House and Senate chambers disagreed on the urgency of a school district’s finances. We also hear from House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, about getting the state back to work.
Additionally, we hear debate over new nutritional support for college students, and we learn from our student reporters about basic tools to track the legislature during the session.
Chris Schulz is our host. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
The Legislature This Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news from the regular session of the West Virginia Legislature. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Randy Yohe, Maria Young and Liz McCormick.
Speaker Hanshaw Says Job Creation Is Top Priority For 2026 Session
Jan 23, 2026
On this episode of The Legislature Today, we sit down with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, to discuss how he sees things are going this legislative session.
Also, in this show, at the beginning of the week, the House of Delegates urgently moved House Bill 4574 and House Bill 4575 through the approval process, suspending constitutional rules to make it happen in one day. The bills provide emergency funding for Hancock County Schools, however, they stalled in the Senate.
And, we’ve recruited two teams of high school students this year to follow the West Virginia Legislature and report on issues to the next generation. This week, Nevaeh Siggers and Jenna Walker provide us with some basic tools to track the legislature during the session.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iulf5CI5u6I
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 every Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Mountain Valley Pipeline Project In Greenbrier County, W.Va.
Part of the MVP runs through Gary Eisenman's farm. The pipe is buried beneath this stretch of grass. Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ
The Mountain Valley Pipeline stretches 303 miles from northern West Virginia to southern Virginia. Now the company behind the pipeline wants to build a new compressor station in Montgomery County, Virginia.
For a glimpse of what may be headed their way, Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd went to Greenbrier County, West Virginia. She spoke with a family who lives near one of MVP’s existing compressor stations.
The Washington Post Investigates Flooding In Appalachia
Howard Gibson, a resident and Marine Corps veteran, looks up at the dark sky as rain falls over Summers Street on July 16, 2025 in Welch, W.Va. “They just shut down our [regional] youth football program,” Howard recalled. “We don’t have enough kids to field a team." Photo Credit: Tom Brenner/The Washington Post
Over the past few years, catastrophic floods have washed out parts of Appalachia and devastated communities. Eastern Kentucky in 2022, western North Carolina, Virginia and East Tennessee in 2024. And then, southern West Virginia early last year. So, why is such intense flooding hitting the mountains? And what do frequent major storms mean for the future?
A team of Washington Post journalists explored this question in a story published late last year. Journalist Brady Dennis joins host Mason Adams to discuss their investigation.
Remembering Tennessee Luthier Jean Horner
Jean Horner in his shop. Photo Credit: Lynn Dudenbostel/Daily Yonder
For more than 70 years, Tennessee fiddle maker Jean Horner built instruments that have traveled across the country. His fiddles have been to Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry and the Smithsonian.
Horner’s craft was shaped by his roots in Appalachia’s Cumberland Plateau and his fascination with great Italian violin makers of the 17th and 18th centuries. Horner died last January at age 91. Reporter Lisa Coffman interviewed Horner at his workshop in 2023 and shared this remembrance.
Affordable Health Care Options For The Uninsured
Neighborhood Health in Nashville is one of roughly 1,400 federal health centers that get funding to help patients without insurance. Photo Credit: Blake Farmer/HealthQ
With the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies, a lot of people are forgoing health insurance this year. But even with no insurance, there may be an affordable health care option near you. Reporters Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer with HealthQ have more.
Residents Challenge Proposal For Data Center In Northern Kentucky
Concerned Mason County residents sit in on a public hearing discussing a proposed data center near Maysville, KY. Photo Credit: Shepherd Snyder/WEKU
The town of Maysville on the Ohio River in northeast Kentucky is considering a proposed data center. The name of the company proposing it hasn’t been disclosed, and residents are pushing back against the secrecy. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WEKU’s Shepherd Snyder has more.
A Sharper Silence Explores Grief, Nature And Hurricane Helene
Michael Hettich, author of A Sharper Silence. Photo courtesy of Michael Hettich
Seven years ago, poet Michael Hettich landed in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Since moving there, Hettich has published four books of poetry, including his latest, A Sharper Silence. The book explores nature, touches on Hurricane Helene and speaks of his relationship with his wife, Colleen, who died last year of lung cancer.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Hettich about the collection.
Temperature Blankets Stich Stories From Ancient Times
Ciera Pike explains the meaning of a growing temperature blanket she's been working on. Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Temperature blankets are a popular project among crocheters. They began as a way for fiber artists to document the daily temperatures of a year, using red yarn for record highs and shades of blue for the cooler days. But the tradition of telling a story through textiles goes way back to ancient times.
Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch shared this story.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Mary Hott, Jean Horner, David Odell and Dave Bing, Paul Loomis and Tim and Dave Bing.
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.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Understanding Flooding In Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 23, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, over the last several years, catastrophic floods have washed out parts of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia, as well as North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Why are the mountains getting so much flooding? And what do frequent major storms mean for the future? Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Brady Dennis with The Washington Post. He and a team of journalists investigated those questions.
Also, much of the state is bracing for a frigid, powerful storm to hit this weekend, and with this winter storm expected to hit Saturday morning, homeless advocates across the state are moving quickly to provide warm centers and a safe place for those in need.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them Encore: Re-Entry
Jan 22, 2026
On this encore episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay hears about the challenges to America’s incarcerated population as they re-enter society.
At least 95% of all state prisoners are released after serving their sentence, more than 600,000 people each year. The re-entry process requires essential tasks; accessing identification materials, birth certificates and sometimes social security materials. How well do programs designed to help formerly incarcerated people succeed?
Some people suggest recognizing past traumas may be a powerful step to help people make a new life after they serve their time.
This encore episode of Us & Them received a best documentary award from the Public Media Journalists Association in 2023 and was acknowledged with a public service through journalism award from Virginia’s AP broadcasters.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council, the CRC Foundation, the Daywood Foundation and The Just Trust.
Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
Daryl McGraw, who spent 10 years in a Connecticut prison, is now a criminal justice reform expert and community organizer. He works in policy development, contract management and project coordination, and collaborates with grassroots advocacy groups and the Connecticut Department of Corrections. McGraw, the founder of Formerly Inc, consults with law enforcement, universities, policymakers, and behavioral health and addiction treatment providers to support successful re-entry for formerly incarcerated people. Photo courtesy of C4 Innovations
“One thing that America does really well is incarcerating people — we incarcerate more people than any other country in the world. However, we do a terrible job of reentry. Reentry doesn’t begin 60 days or 90 days before release. The system should be working on preparing me for release no matter how much time I have. We’re not responsible for how an individual goes into prison, but as human beings, as taxpayers, we should be concerned about how they come home.”
— Daryl McGraw, criminal justice reform advocate and founder of Formerly Inc., a reentry organization led by people with lived experience in the justice system.
Michelle Thompson, director of outreach at Bible Center Church in Charleston, W.Va., participates in a reentry simulation at the West Virginia State Capitol during the 2023 legislative session. Thompson says her work often involves helping people secure rental assistance, transportation and help paying bills, but this was her first opportunity to experience the challenges formerly incarcerated people face when reentering society. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“I’m so used to being on the other side of this… it’s almost enough to make me tear up.”
— Michelle Thompson, director of outreach at Bible Center Church in Charleston, W.Va.
Rahim Buford says he was “caged for 26 years of my life, from age 18 to 44, seven different prisons throughout the state of Tennessee.” He says that people of all ages, faiths, races experience challenges when they reenter society, and that's why he started his nonprofit Unheard Voices Outreach. Photo courtesy of Rahim Buford
“Rehabilitation is a misnomer. It implies going back to something. People who go to prison have nothing to go back to — they were never really abilitated. What’s needed is healing and transformation, and the system already knows it’s a revolving door.”
— Rahim Buford, founder of Unheard Voices Outreach and a criminal justice reform advocate who spent 26 years incarcerated in Tennessee
Thomas Murphy, known as “Tom Tom,” was incarcerated for 31 years before being released from prison in 2016. Since reentering society, Murphy has faced ongoing challenges securing housing, employment and stability while navigating life with a felony record. Photo courtesy of Thomas Murphy
“They released me at 56 years old — 31 years, $35. I don’t have no money. Parole board wants fees. How can I pay fees, pay rent, get somewhere to live? … I got good credit. The only thing that’s hurting me — I am a convicted felon.”
— Thomas Murphy, formerly incarcerated for 31 years
Jeremiah Nelson, with the West Virginia Reentry Council and the REACH Initiative — Restore, Empower, Attain Connections with Hope — helps organize a reentry simulation at the West Virginia State Capitol during the 2023 legislative session. Nelson, who was formerly incarcerated, says access to basic documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, state IDs and transportation can determine whether someone successfully reenters society or ends up back in prison. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“In prison, a person only makes about a hundred decisions a day. You’re told when and where to do everything. On the outside, life can mean 30,000 decisions a day.”
— Jeremiah Nelson
Verna Wyatt and Valerie Craig, victim advocates and co-founders of Tennessee Voices for Victims, work to develop a victim-centered approach to reentry and criminal justice reform. Wyatt began this work after her sister-in-law, who had been her best friend for 15 years, was raped and murdered. Photo courtesy of Tennessee Voices for Victims
“My sister-in-law, who had been my best friend for 15 years when she was murdered, my whole world turned upside down and nothing was ever gonna be the same again. … I was so angry at the system. I was so angry at people that could do such horrible, despicable things to innocent people that I wanted to prevent that from happening to other people. … The pain that’s caused from a murder is so intense. It’s so unfair. … People that experience homicide just have to learn to live and create a new normal, and it’s hard. … So, like, for me, reentry, none of it’s working right. The problem is traumatic abuse that has been layered on over the years and it’s not been addressed or healed — and we’re not healing it.”
— Verna Wyatt, co-founder, Tennessee Voices for Victims
“We walked in with that same attitude … of we are here to present to you the pain that you have caused. … And then you begin to learn their stories, and you begin to hear their history. … We begin leaving this class looking at each other and just recognizing — what we’re teaching here is a room full of victims … who don’t know it. … I don’t believe that when people leave prison that any of them want to go back. I don’t think that that is ever a goal, but what we see is that revolving door.”
— Valerie Craig, co-founder, Tennessee Voices for Victims
Navigating Society After Incarceration, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 22, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, state prisons release at least 95% percent of incarcerated people back into society. Some individuals struggle to navigate those transitional challenges successfully. On the latest Us & Them, host Trey Kay talks with Rahim Buford who was paroled after 26 years in prison. Buford says the impact of poverty and trauma and accepting responsibility for a crime can make reentry a daunting task.
Also, two bills the West Virginia House of Delegates found so urgent they were willing to suspend their own rules in order to pass them slowed to a crawl in the Senate this week, and developers seeking to build a water bottling facility in Jefferson County are appealing to the state’s highest court after local rejection.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Residents Take Part In National Protest Movement, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 21, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, one year after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, West Virginians took to the streets Tuesday to express their frustrations with recent policy changes at home and in Washington.
Also, Kentucky Power has formally notified state regulators of its plan to build a new cooling tower at its Mitchell plant in West Virginia, and Senate Democrats have a list of priorities they are hoping to address this state legislative session.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Growing Pearls In Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 20, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, pearls are prized gemstones that have been crafted into jewelry for millennia. They can be found in the wild, but they’re also cultivated on farms. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Will Darnall reports from North America’s lone freshwater pearl farm located along Kentucky Lake in Tennessee.
Also, the West Virginia Legislature is stepping in to mitigate a financial crisis in Hancock County Schools, and a massive plant to transform coal into new products is coming to Mason County.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Affording A Gym Membership And Increasing Electricity Costs, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 19, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, we bring you another story from a new series from the Appalachia Mid+South Newsroom titled “HealthQ.” If you’re looking to sign up for a new gym membership this year, it’s worth looking into whether your health insurance will help with some or all of the cost. Reporters Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer are your approachable guides to an unapproachable health system.
Also, we have the latest story from The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region. In this story, they explore soaring electricity costs and the slow growth of renewable energy.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
State Of The State And The Flu, This West Virginia Week
Jan 17, 2026
On this West Virginia Week, the state Legislature returns to Charleston and Gov. Patrick Morrisey delivered his State of the State address.
Also, flu cases are rising in surrounding states. What does that mean for West Virginia?
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
State Of The State, Minority Response And Preparing For The 2026 Regular Session, At The Legislature This Week
Jan 17, 2026
On The Legislature This Week, the West Virginia Legislature gavels in and Gov. Patrick Morrisey lays out his vision in his State of the State address. We also hear the minority party’s response to the governor’s address.
But lawmakers didn’t wait for the gavel Wednesday to start working. We’ll hear about the legislature’s interest in building nuclear, as well as needed funds for court diversion programs. And we’ll learn about the state of West Virginia’s child welfare system.
Chris Schulz is our host. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
The Legislature This Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news from the regular session of the West Virginia Legislature. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Randy Yohe, Maria Young and Liz McCormick.
Morrisey Outlines Priorities In State Of State, Hornbuckle, Woelfel Offer Minority Response
Jan 16, 2026
The West Virginia Legislature is back in Charleston for the 2026 legislative session. Both chambers gaveled in on Wednesday at noon and will be in session through March 14. Between the House of Delegates and the Senate chambers, 931 bills have so far been introduced to be considered.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey delivered his second State of the State to the legislature Wednesday night. He went over his plans for the Mountain State, much of which he will need the support of the legislature to accomplish. As Maria Young reports, Morrisey is asking for increased funding for higher education and critical infrastructure. He is also seeking a 3% pay raise for state workers and a 10% income tax cut, among others.
Also, in this show, Sen. Mike Woelfel and Del. Sean Hornbuckle, both Democrats from Cabell County, serve as the minority leaders in their respective chambers. The pair sat down with WVPB News Director Eric Douglas to discuss what Morrisey said in his State of the State address. They also discuss being a minority to a supermajority in the legislature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mij61IYNAU
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 every Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Encore: What Is Appalachia? We Asked People From Around The Region. Here’s What They Said
Jan 16, 2026
This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust Belt and even the Northeast. The Appalachian Regional Commission defined the boundaries for Appalachia in 1965 with the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), a part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s "War on Poverty." It was legislation that sought to expand social welfare, and some localities were eager for the money, while others resisted the designation. The boundaries and definition of Appalachia can now only be changed by an act of Congress.
Politically, Appalachia encompasses 423 counties across 13 states — and West Virginia’s the only state entirely inside the region.
That leaves so much room for geographic and cultural variation, as well as many different views on what Appalachia really is.
For Inside Appalachia, we turned our entire episode over to the question, “What is Appalachia?” With stories from Mississippi to Pittsburgh, we asked people across our region whether they consider themselves to be Appalachian.
A 1996 map that shows the southern part of Appalachia, as defined by John Alexander Williams. Courtesy Image
Mississippi
Bob Owens — locally known as ‘Pop Owens,' stands in front of his watermelon stand outside New Houlka, Mississippi. Pop says he was aware that Mississippi is part of Appalachia, but that no one in the state would consider themselves Appalachian.
Photo Credit: Caitlin Tan/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Bob Owens is a watermelon farmer outside New Houlka, in the northeastern part of Mississippi. Owens said he was aware that Mississippi is part of Appalachia, but that no one in the state would consider themselves Appalachian. “I consider myself the worst redneck you’ve ever seen,” Owens said. “I live in the area of the Appalachian mountain range — not part of it, but close to it. So I guess you call me a redneck Appalachian.” This is the general consensus among the people in Mississippi we spoke to.
Geographically, the foothills of the Appalachian mountain range are located in northern Mississippi. The state’s tallest point is Woodall Mountain, 806 feet in elevation. For reference, the highest point in North Carolina, Mount Mitchell, is more than 6,600 feet in elevation, eight times higher than Woodall Mountain.
Former Inside Appalachia co-host Caitlin Tan spoke with Texas State University History professor Justin Randolph, who wrote an essay for “Southern Cultures” called “The Making of Appalachian Mississippi.” Randolph argues in his essay that Mississippi became part of Appalachia for political and racial reasons, as well as economic advantages the designation brought to the 24 counties in Mississippi that were included in the ARC’s boundaries.
Shenandoah Valley
In the 1960s, while some localities were clamoring to get into Appalachia, on the eastern edge of the region, some lawmakers fought to keep their counties outside the boundaries, including politicians in Roanoke, Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Appalachian Studies associate professor Emily Satterwhite said explaining to her students why some counties in Virginia are included in Appalachia, but others aren’t, is confusing.
"The students in front of me are wondering why they're not included,” White said.
Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania skyline. Courtesy Photo
Appalachia’s largest city is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When we asked people from that city to tell us if they consider it a part of Appalachia, about half said no. “I definitely do not feel that I am Appalachian culturally,” said Mark Jovanovich, who grew up just outside Pittsburgh’s city limits in the Woodland Hills area. “Personally, I would consider the city of Pittsburgh is sort of like a mini New York City. I guess we'd probably be lumped in as like a Rust Belt city, which makes enough sense, but definitely not Appalachian culturally.”
An editor advised him to change the title of his book to a phrase that he said is sometimes used to refer to Pittsburgh derisively. “I couldn't figure out why that should be a putdown, because Paris is nice. And Appalachia is a beautiful part of the world. And if we were called the Paris of the Rockies, we wouldn't run from that. So why would we run from this? Why don't we embrace it? So that became the title of my book.”
He said that geographically, Pittsburgh is clearly in the Appalachian Mountains. “I mean, this is one mountain range that stretches from Georgia to Maine. And the idea that it belongs only to the southern part of the mountain range defies logic to me,” O’Neill said.
What Do You Think?
How about you? Do you call yourself an Appalachian? Why or why not? Send us an email at InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Wyatt, John R Miller, Alan Cathead Johnston, and Dinosaur Burps. Roxy Todd originally produced this episode. Bill Lynch is our current producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Alex Runyon was our associate producer on this original episode. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
House, Senate Minority Leaders Weigh In On 2026 Session, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 16, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, WVPB’s annual TV/radio simulcast The Legislature Today kicks off Jan. 16 through March 13. Every Friday at 6 p.m., our journalists will bring you the latest news from the West Virginia Legislature, including interviews with lawmakers and stakeholders. In our first episode this year, you’ll see an interview with Del. Sean Hornbuckle and Sen. Mike Woelfel, both minority leaders in their respective chambers and both from Cabell County. Here’s an excerpt.
Also, the state’s child welfare system is a key issue at this year’s regular legislative session, and the U.S. Marshals Service said scammers are falsely posing as marshals or other federal law enforcement officers in an effort to extort money.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Morrisey Says Investments In Higher Ed, Roads, Tourism Are Keys For 2026, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 15, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, Gov. Patrick Morrisey delivered his second State of the State address Wednesday night, giving lawmakers and the public a look at his priorities for the legislative session now underway. Be sure to bookmark our The Legislature Today hub page for the latest news on the 2026 West Virginia Legislative session.
Also, school districts under a state-imposed state of emergency are making progress. But some education leaders are pointing towards more systemic issues.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The Legislature This Week – New Podcast!
Jan 14, 2026
Not everyone has the time to listen to or watch regularly scheduled broadcasts, so the WVPB news team is bringing our state legislative coverage right to you.
Be sure to check out our new podcast, The Legislature This Week, made up of a collection of our legislative radio stories from throughout the week, including audio versions of stories produced for television on The Legislature Today.
Join Senior Reporter Chris Schulz as he brings together all our legislative news in one concise package. You’ll also hear from Assistant Director of Broadcast Journalism Maria Young, legislative reporter and 2026 host of The Legislature TodayRandy Yohe, and Director of Broadcast Journalism Eric Douglas.
New episodes of The Legislature This Week will drop Saturday mornings at 5 a.m. — just in time for your morning coffee.
For our daily coverage, visit wvpublic.org/thelegislaturetoday. #myWVPB
Health Experts Say Flu Is On The Rise, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 14, 2026
Editor’s Note: During the on-air broadcast of this episode, there was a technical issue with the story from Assistant News Director Maria Young. We have corrected this for our podcast version found here on our website.
On this West Virginia Morning, for the second week in a row, every state touching West Virginia’s border is experiencing high or very high cases of influenza. So far, this state is showing only a low to moderate outbreak. But health experts in West Virginia predict that’s about to change. Maria Young has the story.
Also, Gov. Patrick Morrisey will address members of the West Virginia Legislature Wednesday evening, and the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments from West Virginia regarding laws that restrict biologically male transgender athletes from playing in girls sports in high school and college.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Look Into Technical Education In Agriculture, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 13, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, when people think of career and technical education, professional pathways in nursing and mechanics come to mind. But West Virginia has a long tradition of agriculture that is reflected in some technical programs. We learn how one school can say they take livestock from pen to plate.
Also, state lawmakers have identified developing nuclear energy as a priority ahead of the start of the legislative session Wednesday. And, House Democrats say kitchen table issues like childcare and utility costs are at the forefront of this year’s legislative agenda.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
When To See The Doctor And A Truffle Movement, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 12, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, we’re in peak winter cold and flu season. If you feel under the weather, how do you know when it’s time to see a doctor? Through the Appalachia Mid+South Newsroom, we bring you a new project called HealthQ. Reporters Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer are your approachable guides to an unapproachable health care system.
Also, a growing movement to make Appalachia the “truffle capital of the world,” is being led by a small-town farmer in southern Kentucky. Derek Parham with member station WKYU walked the woods of Newtown Truffiere, a truffle farm south and west of Lexington, and has the details.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Transforming Health Care And The Origins Of Amazing Grace, This West Virginia Week
Jan 10, 2026
On this West Virginia Week, health care in the state may see transformation, Gov. Patrick Morrisey wants to bring out of state foster kids home, and we explore the origins of a popular American hymn.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
In this encore episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay shares the story of a simple song written more than 250 years ago that now has a profound and universal legacy.
John Newton first wrote the hymn Amazing Grace to connect with Christians and over decades it’s been sung to a number of melodies. However, in addition to its religious origins, it is now a popular folk song and a civil rights anthem which transcends divisions and speaks to people across time and faiths about shared pain, hope and forgiveness.
Newton’s creation may have been inspired by his past as a slave and captain of a slave ship. But today, Amazing Grace is a comforting song of redemption that helps many recover from dark times and see ahead to the light.
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 or wherever you get your podcasts.
John Newton, an 18th-century Anglican clergyman and former slave ship captain, wrote the words to the hymn “Amazing Grace,” first introduced to his congregation in England in 1773. Newton later described the song as reflecting his spiritual transformation after surviving a violent storm at sea in 1748. CourtesySteve Turner is an English music journalist, poet and biographer whose work spans popular music, religion and culture. He is the author of Amazing Grace: The Story of America’s Most Beloved Song, which traces the hymn’s origins and enduring influence across musical genres and American life. Photo courtesy of Ultimato
“He [Newton] has to strap himself to the helm to avoid sliding down the deck. He’s surrounded by darkness, a raging storm and the very real possibility that the ship is going to go down. This isn’t a false alarm — it’s the real thing. It’s at that moment that he becomes a Christian, vowing that if his life is saved, he will pursue a relationship with God.”
— Steve Turner, describing John Newton’s near-death experience aboard a slave-trading ship at sea
“You know, Obama sings at the church in Charleston after the murders … it’s sung when policemen have funerals in New York. It just seems kind of like an all purpose, hopeful song … that’s a very important part of the American mentality, you know, that you can start again, that you come from nothing and succeed, and you can overcome a bad or dubious or hampering past. So all those things are in the song.”
— Steve Turner, on how “Amazing Grace” has come to mark moments of public mourning and American reinvention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN05jVNBs64
Deborah Carlton-Loftis served as executive director of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada from 2009 to 2017. Founded in 1922, the organization promotes congregational singing and supports the study, performance and creation of hymns across Christian traditions in the U.S. and Canada. Photo courtesy of Baptist Women in Ministry
“[Amazing Grace] was not very well known, not considered, in England, to be one of [Newton’s] finest hymns, but it came over to the United States and picked up some usage and popularity in the revival meetings of the Second Great Awakening.”
— Deborah Carlton-Loftis
“Camp Meeting of the Methodists in North America,” circa 1819. Outdoor revival gatherings like this were a hallmark of the Second Great Awakening, a Protestant movement that spread from New York through the Ohio Valley and into Kentucky and Tennessee in the early 19th century. Thousands traveled by wagon to attend multiday meetings marked by enthusiastic preaching and communal singing. Music scholars say hymns such as “Amazing Grace” gained popularity in America at these camp meetings, where songs were often sung to multiple tunes and learned quickly by large crowds. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
“We have documented that both free black persons and white people were together for these outdoor revivals and there was a lot of interchange of musical styles.”
— Deborah Carlton-Loftis
Rev. Matthew J. Watts has served as senior pastor of Grace Bible Church in Charleston, West Virginia, since 1994. Photo courtesy of Rev. Matthew J. Watts
“Well, I think that the song would have had a great attraction for the African slaves that were in shadow slavery, in bondage … Amazing Grace would have spoke to their desire for an experience of freedom, of one day seeing God face-to-face, of being with him for all of eternity, and no longer subjected to the type of cruel treatment they experienced during slavery.”
— Matthew J. Watts, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Charleston, West Virginia
Uncle Tom on his deathbed, as depicted in a 19th-century illustration from Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel, the character sings verses commonly associated with “Amazing Grace,” including “When we’ve been there 10,000 years.” Those lines were not written by hymn author John Newton but appear to have been added later, shaped by the fluid, improvisational singing traditions of 19th-century camp revival meetings, where verses from different hymns were often blended together. Courtesy of the SmithsonianJames G. Basker teaches English and history at Barnard College. A literary historian, his scholarship spans the history of slavery and abolition, the Black Atlantic, and 18th-century literature and print culture. He is the editor of Amazing Grace: An Anthology of Poems About Slavery, 1660–1810. Photo courtesy of Jim Basker
“It’s a moment of fusion between traditional, you might say, high society white culture and popular culture, black culture, revival evangelical culture … when [Harriet Beecher Stowe] reached into that scene, and this is a moment of fusion between whites and blacks, it’s a white woman author creating one of the most memorable black characters in all of 19th century literature, she reached for what would be the paradigmatic song from his soul that he might sing on his deathbed, and it’s Amazing Grace.”
— James G. Basker
“[The words of Amazing Grace] appeal without any narrowness. There’s no specific condition, there’s no specific religious faith, there is no specific cultural context. It’s just about that thing that human beings share, which is pain … the imaginative yearning … we’re able to imagine and to yearn for joy and peace, for relief from the miseries of this world … it’s the use of the human imagination, both the creative one that made the song and the receptive interactive one that can identify with it, that lifts us up.”
— James G. Basker, on why “Amazing Grace” resonates across cultures, faiths and moments of suffering
Judy Collins helped bring “Amazing Grace” into the commercial mainstream with her 1970 recording of the hymn. Long before that, the song had circulated widely in American culture — sung at camp revival meetings during the Second Great Awakening, embraced by Black gospel traditions, used during civil rights protests, and performed by folk singers at events like Woodstock. Collins’ recording, released on her album Whales and Nightingales, became the first commercially successful version of the hymn, turning it into a top 40 hit. Photo by Shore Fire Media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtteRD5bBNQ&list=RDAtteRD5bBNQ&start_radio=1
Inspired by Judy Collins’ recording of “Amazing Grace,” a piper with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards adapted her arrangement for bagpipes. The regiment’s recording became an international hit and helped establish the now-familiar tradition of piping “Amazing Grace” at memorial services for police, firefighters and military personnel. Courtesy
“I can hear it, you know, I live on the Upper West Side and about a block from me is the Firefighters Memorial on Riverside Drive … every once in a while we hear the bagpipes coming up from the river and we hear them playing ‘Amazing Grace,’ and we see like 5,000 firefighters out there in the street with their uniforms. It’s an amazing thing. It’s very moving … it belongs in these situations because it is regenerating the idea of hope and forgiveness.”
— Judy Collins, describing hearing bagpipes play “Amazing Grace” during Sept. 11 commemorations in New York City
A Look Inside Quick Response Teams, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 09, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachia has had high rates of substance abuse and mental health disorders for years. After the problem reached a boiling point during the COVID-19 pandemic, a few communities tried using crisis response teams, and so far, that seems to be working. Last year, Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spent several months with some of these teams and has this story.
Also, after 41 years of continuous public service, West Virginia Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, has decided to retire, and the West Virginia Republican Party will be holding a closed primary this year. But not all party members are excited about the change.
Finally, the head of a Charleston church is speaking out about the Wednesday death of a Minnesota woman at the hands of ICE agents.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The History Of ‘Amazing Grace,’ This West Virginia Morning
Jan 08, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, in the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay learns the history of a song that’s become a universal anthem of hope and forgiveness. “Amazing Grace” was first written as a Christian hymn, and its beginnings in America come in the early 1800s. That’s when people traveled to revivals to worship with preachers from various denominations.
Also, the governor and the state attorney general have both issued letters of support for a new water rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and nationwide flu cases are higher than they’ve been in 25 years.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Transforming Rural Health Access, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 07, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia is set to receive a nearly $200 million federal award for the state’s 2026 Rural Health Transformation Fund. It’s designed to transform rural health care, but against the backdrop of staggering cuts to Medicaid. There are significant questions about what the new program can accomplish – and how rural hospitals in the state may fare in the months and years ahead.
Also, “Bring Them Home” is a new priority for Gov. Patrick Morrisey where he aims to reunite children sent out of state in the foster care system. And, Kentucky Power customers will pay to keep a West Virginia coal plant running past 2028.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Benefits Of Community Health Centers, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 06, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, a job loss or an unexpected change in coverage costs might mean that you’re starting the year without health insurance. If you're looking for care, there might be an affordable option near you that you’ve never heard of. Reporters Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer with our partner HealthQ have more. This story was produced as part of the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom.
Also, a proposal to cut income and business taxes in West Virginia is top of mind for Gov. Patrick Morrisey, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arraigned in a New York court Monday and West Virginia politicians were quick to react to the South American leaders’ capture over the weekend.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Steel Works Legacy On The Mon, This West Virginia Morning
Jan 05, 2026
On this West Virginia Morning, the Mon River has long been called “the hardest working river in the United States.” The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh, brings us their latest story on the legacy of steel works on the Mon River.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Encore: Holiday Traditions, Inside Appalachia
Dec 26, 2025
This week, we go a-wassailing in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s kind of like Christmas caroling, with a kick.
Also, family recipes bring generations together. But what happens when you’ve got grandma’s potato candy recipe, and it doesn’t have exact measurements?
And, a new book explores the magical dark side of nature.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Wassailers sing outside a home in Asheville, North Carolina. Traditionally, wassailers not only sang for their neighbors, but also sang in apple orchards to ensure a good harvest for the coming year. Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The winter holidays are a chance to get together and find some good cheer.
In Asheville, North Carolina, a group of friends has been taking part in the English singing tradition of wassailing. It’s like Christmas caroling, but older. And for some of the singers, wassailing has become a way to connect to their roots.
In 2023, Folkways Reporter Rebecca Williams had this story.
Goats Love Listening To Christmas Music
A goat on Connie Bailey Kitts' farm in Bluefield, Virginia listening to an organ. Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Holiday music isn’t just for humans. In 2019, former Inside Appalachia producer Roxy Todd traveled to a farm in Bluefield, Virginia. That’s where she met a herd of music-loving goats that gather each Christmas to listen to the sound of carols played on a church organ.
Grandma’s Potato Candy
Brenda Sandoval testing the consistency of the potato mixture. Photo Credit: Capri Cafaro/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
A lot of families have tried and true holiday recipes. Often, these treasured family recipes get passed down and are a way to connect with the past. But not all of them use exact measurements. So how do you know you’re getting the mix right, especially if you’ve never tried it?
In 2023, Capri Cafaro brought us a story about Brenda Sandoval’s attempt to recreate her grandmother’s potato candy.
Communion Wafers And Apple Butter Inspire Chefs’ Work At Lost Creek Farm
Mike Costello and Amy Dawson top communion wafer crackers with homemade apple butter for a dinner event. The couple serves story-rich, heritage-inspired cuisine at their dinner events, including these two recipes. Photo courtesy of Lost Creek Farm Archive
Mike Costello and Amy Dawson are the husband-and-wife duo behind Lost Creek Farm in Harrison County, West Virginia. The couple hosts farm-to-table suppers.
Along with the meal, they share stories behind the recipes. To start their suppers, Mike and Amy typically begin with an appetizer that mashes up two food traditions from their childhoods.
In 2022, Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef delivered this story.
Christmas Train Breathing Life Into Old Lumber Town
The Train Station has been there for over 100 years. It now sells hot chocolate, snacks, and souvenirs. Photo Credit: Briana Heaney/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
A lot of folks get nostalgic about trains, especially around the holidays. Hollywood tapped into that nostalgia with “The Polar Express,” a 2004 movie about a magical train ride to the North Pole.
In 2023, WVPB’s Briana Heaney visited Cass State Park and rode along on West Virginia’s version of the Polar Express.
Adventures Among Glow Worms And Fireflies
Leigh Ann Henion's Night Magic explores the surprises of the nighttime world. Courtesy Photo
Leigh Ann Henion is an author from Boone, North Carolina. Her new book is about what happens after the sun goes down. It’s called, Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens and Other Marvels of the Dark.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Henion about staying up late, and not so late, to see wonders.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Sycomores, Bob Thompson, the Cappella Bell Choir and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Nicole Musgrave.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Hear ‘Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa’ This West Virginia Morning
Dec 23, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Gov. Patrick Morrisey discusses his first year as governor, deer harvests decline for gun buck season and a special reading of “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The History Of Christmas, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 22, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Christmas has become a huge cultural and commercial holiday, but where did we get traditions like Christmas trees? And how do people in other countries celebrate? We talk with West Virginia University (WVU) religious studies professors Aaron Gale and Alex Snow to learn more about Christmas' ancient history.
Also, the Greenbrier River Trail will be undergoing a significant bridge redecking project over the next two years. And, the former Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014 was fired from his post Friday as a ranger at a West Virginia resort community.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The National Guard And The Carpenter Ants, This West Virginia Week
Dec 20, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, the National Guard stays in Washington, D.C. for now, a deadline looms for REAL IDs, and West Virginia band, The Carpenter Ants, celebrate the holidays with a new record.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Patrick County Doctor Navigates Shrinking Health Care
Dr. Richard Cole in his office at the Patrick County Family Practice. Photo Credit: Mason Adams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Rural Appalachian communities are experiencing a shrinking number of health care options. Since 2005, more than two dozen rural hospitals have closed in the region. That doesn’t include smaller clinics and other providers. This year alone, Augusta Medical Group announced it would close three Virginia facilities. That’s after Congress passed the Big Beautiful Bill Act, which changed how healthcare providers are reimbursed for Medicaid patients.
In November, an urgent care center in rural Patrick County, Virginia closed, too. In the wake of the closure, host Mason Adams went to Stuart, Virginia, to meet with the county’s only doctor.
The Sweet Smell Of Finnamon Rolls
Kim Kerr’s “Finn-amon” rolls are a top seller at her Whimsy and Willows farmers market stand. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls straight out of the oven. A baker in Charleston, West Virginia, puts a twist on this traditional treat. And it borrows from her Finnish family bread recipe.
Last winter, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold brought us this story.
Photographer Captures Flooding In W.Va. And Kentucky
Patricia and Dan Browning (65 and 64), at their home in Morgan Addition just outside Oceana in Wyoming County. The February flood reached just below the edge of their porch. Photo Credit: Roger May/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Ten months after floods ravaged southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, people are still rebuilding — and wondering when the next flood will happen. Photojournalist Roger May knows the area well — he was born and raised in the Tug River Valley, on the border of the two states.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting asked May to create a photo essay about the people of the area. WVPB News Director Eric Douglas sat down with May to talk about the project.
Legality Of Border Patrol Operations In Charlotte, North Carolina
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent in east Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. Photo Credit: Nick de la Canal/WFAE
In November, agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection descended on Charlotte, North Carolina, and surrounding communities. That led to a surge in immigration arrests. The border patrol’s unexpected appearance in North Carolina — well over 1,000 miles from the southern border — has left people with a lot of questions. What rights do people have during encounters? What rights do agents have to access private property? And how can immigration officials conduct operations this far north of the border?
Kristi Graunke, legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina, spoke with WFAE reporter Nick Delacanal about the border patrol’s operations in Charlotte.
Lyme Disease In Southwest Virginia
Ticks have become a year-round nuisance here in Appalachia. Even in winter, you can pick up ticks if you spend time outside. Over the last two decades, Southwest Virginia has become a hot spot for tick-borne disease. The area has the highest per capita rates of Lyme disease in the state.
Radio IQ's Katie Burke reports on why and what might be done to help.
Chemical Used In Drinking Water Affects Pittsburgh's Streams
Panther Hollow is one of five urban streams Pitt researchers studied to learn about phosphate levels and drinking water. Photo courtesy of Anusha Balangoda
A new study looks at how a chemical used to treat drinking water in Pittsburgh could impact urban streams there. The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsapple has the story.
Homegrown Christmas Trees In Appalachia
Hal Wilson prepares his fresh-cut Christmas tree farm in Sevier County for the 2025 season at Wilson Glyn Christmas Tree Farm. He shares more on the climate in their notch of the mountains in Sevier County, allowing them to grow the holiday favorite. Photo Credit: Heather Haley/WUOT News
If you're shopping for a fresh-cut tree this year for the holidays, be sure to check the tag! Chances are it was grown in Appalachia. WUOT’s Heather Haley went out in search of trees in East Tennessee and brings us this.
Santa's Comin' To Town ... By Train
Santa Claus waves to spectators during the annual CSX Santa Train on Nov. 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Jacqui Sieber/WUOT News
Since 1943, Santa Claus has spent one day a year delivering gifts to children across Appalachia. But instead of his sleigh, he travels by rail for this particular route. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, WUOT’s Jacqui Sieber climbed aboard the CSX Santa Train to see the magic for herself.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, Frank George, Blue Dot Sessions, The Carpenter Ants, Mary Hott and Matt Jackfert.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Nicole Musgrave and Chris Julin.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
How Health Care Options Are Shrinking Across Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 19, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, health care options are shrinking across rural Appalachia. Since 2005, the region has lost dozens of hospitals, as well as smaller clinics and other providers. After the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress changed how health care providers are reimbursed for Medicaid patients, Augusta Medical Group announced it would close three Virginia facilities.
In November, an urgent care center in rural Patrick County, Virginia closed, too. In the wake of the closure, Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams went to Stuart, Virginia, to meet with the county’s only doctor.
Also, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates resigned Thursday just weeks before the legislature is set to return to Charleston, the National Guard deployment to Washington D.C. will continue through at least February, and holiday travelers are about to start hitting the roads in record numbers in West Virginia and across the nation.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: America’s Civil Rights Champion
Dec 18, 2025
Many people know Thurgood Marshall as the first African American U.S. Supreme Court justice, however, first he had a long and distinguished career with the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
On this episode of Us & Them, Trey Kay hosts a community conversation highlighting Thurgood Marshall’s legacy and sharing excerpts from a new Maryland Public Television documentary “Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect.”
Marshall was the lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. His work used the law as a tool for social change while dismantling institutional racism and inspiring social reforms.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from Maryland Public Television, the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and the CRC Foundation.
Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
Courtesy Maryland Public Television
West Virginia Public Broadcasting recently hosted a community conversation highlighting a new documentary “Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect” on the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall, produced by Maryland Public Television (MPT). The film, directed by Alexis Aggrey, examines Marshall’s journey from Baltimore to the U.S. Supreme Court, tracing his legal strategy, moral vision, and enduring impact on American constitutional law and civil rights. The documentary is airing on PBS member stations across the country.
Thurgood Marshall walks near federal court during proceedings tied to the University of Alabama desegregation case involving Autherine Lucy in February 1956. The legal battle marked a pivotal moment in the fight to dismantle segregation in higher education. Photo courtesy of the New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection, Library of CongressWest Virginia Public Broadcasting hosted a community screening and discussion of "Becoming Thurgood" on Nov. 18, 2025, at the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Photo courtesy of Marshall University
Members of a three-person panel prepare for a community discussion as attendees gather in the Encova Auditorium at Marshall University’s Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation in Huntington, West Virginia, ahead of a screening of "Becoming Thurgood." Photo Credit: Julie BlackwoodAudience members gather at Marshall University to watch selections from the Maryland Public Television documentary "Becoming Thurgood." Photo Credit: Julie BlackwoodPanelists for the evening’s discussion about the legacy of Thurgood Marshall include (left to right) Clinton Arnold of West Virginia State University, Patricia Proctor, J.D., of Marshall University, and Cicero Fain of Marshall University. The conversation was moderated by Us & Them host Trey Kay. Photo Credit: Julie BlackwoodClinton Arnold, a professor at West Virginia State University, is the CEO of the Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, a nonprofit focused on workforce development, reentry support and strengthening families. Prior to holding these positions, Arnold spent 25 years with Verizon Communications Inc. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
“If you go back to my humble beginnings in Dayton, Ohio, where I grew up, my sister and I integrated the Catholic schools in Dayton in 1972, which was after the brutal civil rights activities of the ’50s and ’60s.
I can’t tell you how many names I was called those early years until we got through the first few years. My parents said, ‘We’re not leaving.’ That wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for some of the victories we’re talking about with Thurgood Marshall. That prepared me to go on to high school … and then on to the University of Kentucky.
If it weren’t for some of these laws and the fights done back in the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, I may not have had the opportunity to compete, and that’s what propelled me into my corporate career.
Once you were able to prove yourself, there’s still a fight. There’s still a fight to keep proving yourself over and over again. That’s part of his legacy … the persistence, the strategy, the tactics, the support, because nobody does anything on their own.
I don’t care how many people say, ‘I did it all by myself.’ Nobody does anything by themselves.”
— Clinton Arnold, professor at West Virginia State University (one of West Virginia’s two HBCUs). Arnold is also CEO of KISRA — the Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action — a nonprofit focused on workforce development, reentry support and strengthening families.
Patricia Proctor, J.D. is the founding director of Marshall University’s Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy and the university’s pre-law advisor. Prior to joining Marshall, Proctor was a litigator and partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath and a member at Steptoe & Johnson. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
“I think [Thurgood] Marshall did more through his achievements to change American society. The change was lasting. The change, I think, is forever. We live in a different world in 2025 than the world that existed in 1950, and it is because of Marshall.
We believe we have rights in America, and someone may threaten those rights, but I believe that society at large will be determined that those rights must be preserved and respected. I don’t know what the end looks like, but just like Marshall, we have to play a long game in this world.
We have to say this is the goal, and there may be steps to getting there. We may not get everything we want all at one time, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t continue to go to that goal, and I think that is the legacy.”
— Patricia Proctor, J.D. is the founding director of Marshall University’s Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy.
Cicero M. Fain III, assistant provost for Inclusive Excellence at Marshall University and a historian of Black life in central Appalachia, is the author of Black Huntington: An Appalachian Story. He also helps lead the Appalachian Freedom Heritage Initiative, which documents Underground Railroad sites in the region. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
“In terms of West Virginia, we have a rich history of scholars and lawyers who attacked the racialized status quo. We can start with J.R. Clifford, the first African American lawyer in the state. Here’s a man of great intelligence, great passion, civil rights presence and identity.
He sees a state that is not adhering to its constitution and is segregating and treating Black people with inferiority. What he does, then, is utilize the law, like Thurgood Marshall, to attack and ameliorate the obstacles of Jim Crowism that exist in the state.
It’s paradoxical when we talk about West Virginia because certainly … there were challenges, there were Jim Crow prescriptions, but there was also progressiveness that existed here. It was compelled by Black agency that many times forced white legislators and the courts to adjust accordingly.”
— Cicero M. Fain III, historian and assistant provost for Inclusive Excellence at Marshall University
Sandra Clements, a lifelong resident of Huntington, poses a question during a community discussion about Thurgood Marshall and his legacy at Marshall University’s Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
“I attended Catholic school where most of the students were Black, then went on to St. Joe where most of the students were white. From the time I was four or five years old, my father embedded in me that I was representing his family, his race, his people.
No matter where I was or what I was doing, I was representing my father — and I was never to disappoint him or be told I didn’t do what I was supposed to do as a Black woman.
I can’t imagine how Thurgood Marshall felt when he was threatened, but I know how it feels. Every Black person has been in that situation. Who in this room hasn’t been threatened or harassed?
I don’t want that for my children — but I know it will happen. My job is to fortify them to handle it. That is my responsibility. We cannot stop this fight. We cannot stop the progress that’s been made. We are not going back.”
— Sandra Clements
Alan Letton, director of the Center for Economic & Community Development in Black Appalachia and Isolated Communities at Marshall University, speaks during a community discussion about Thurgood Marshall and his legacy at Marshall University. Letton also serves as a visiting scholar in Marshall’s College of Business graduate programs. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
“One of the things you don’t know if you haven’t been in an HBCU — a predominantly Black HBCU — is that the community is built around supporting you … in ways you don’t see if you don’t go to those institutions. When you think about fraternities and sororities, and the level of Black excellence they demand, there’s a social structure created around that.
In our aerospace engineering programs, all of our lab experiments and case studies were done around Black excellence — something you don’t get in predominantly non-Black universities. Black excellence means you’re always given examples and opportunities to show where you’re the best in a particular field — not just equivalent.
So when you’re studying civil rights, or the transition from slavery to freedom, you look at the Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass letters … you analyze the writing styles, the research, the excellence in communication. You look at Lincoln, Langston Hughes, music, the arts — always through that lens.
You never see an example that’s any less than that. What HBCUs do is create a culture that is always showing excellence — and demanding that you come in with that excellence.”
— Alan Letton, reflecting on the culture of historically Black colleges and universities and their importance in the education of Thurgood Marshall.
Jayden Sullivan, a political science major at Marshall University and a member of the Thundering Word Speech & Debate Team, asks the panel how young people can continue to fight for civil rights in a political climate he describes as increasingly hostile, during a community discussion about Thurgood Marshall. Photo Credit: Julie BlackwoodThurgood Marshall (center). Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress
Latest ‘Us & Them’ Explores Thurgood Marshall’s Legacy, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 18, 2025
Editor's Note: During the on-air broadcast of this episode, there was a technical issue with the excerpt from the latest Us & Them. We have corrected this for our podcast version found here on our website.
On this West Virginia Morning, the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, used the law to achieve social change. On the next episode of Us & Them, Trey Kay hosts a community conversation, sponsored by West Virginia Public Broadcasting, highlighting Marshall’s legacy through a new Maryland Public Television (MPT) documentary called “Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect.”
Listen to the entire episode of Us & Them on WVPB Radio next week on Christmas Day at 8 p.m. or on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 3 p.m. for an encore broadcast.
Also, an electric power company operating in West Virginia got a poor customer satisfaction rating in a new J.D. Power survey, and anyone taking to the friendly skies to visit family or friends for the upcoming holidays can expect bigger than usual crowds. Finally, West Virginia’s infrastructure has improved but still got an overall failing grade in a new report.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
New Christmas Song Highlights Emotional Weight Of Holiday, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 17, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the Christmas season for many is not all merry and bright but laced with an emotional weight that at times can be overwhelming. Those challenging emotions prompted a Cabell County musician to compose a different kind of Christmas song.
Also, nearly 400 West Virginia children in the foster care system are housed out of state at a significant cost, but Gov. Patrick Morrisey has proposed a solution. And, reported cases of whooping cough are on the rise in West Virginia, and the Monongalia County Commission is facing questions about their use of opioid settlement funds for license plate readers.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
New Preserve To Protect Hellbender Salamander, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 16, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the Trump administration plans to weaken the Endangered Species Act, and that could impact the fate of an ancient creature found in Appalachia: the eastern hellbender salamander. The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant recently visited a new preserve dedicated to hellbenders and found not only natural history – but American history.
Also, the state’s highest court has agreed to review a lower court’s school vaccine decision, travelers who don’t have a REAL ID will face a $45 fee the next time they try to board a plane, and Kentucky Power needs to repair or replace a cooling tower at its Mitchell plant in West Virginia.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
New Christmas Album From The Carpenter Ants, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 15, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the Carpenter Ants have been a staple of the state’s music scene for decades. For the holidays, the band released “There Ain’t No Sanity Claus,” a Christmas record featuring friends like Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce, actress/singer Ann Magnuson and singer/songwriter John Ellison. Bill Lynch talked with guitarist Michael Lipton about the album.
Also, a West Virginia National Guard member who was shot last month in the nation’s capital is being transitioned from hospital acute care to in-patient rehabilitation.
And, residents without adequate heating sources are encouraged to contact their local Emergency Manager or health department for information on the nearest shelter or warming station.
West Virginia Morningis a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
School Consolidations And ‘Inspired By’ Little Jimmie Dickens, This West Virginia Week
Dec 13, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, another round of school consolidations in the state, the Republican caucus lays out plans for the upcoming legislative session and a Nashville poet and songwriter channels a connection to LIttle Jimmie Dickens.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Nashville Musician Draws Inspiration From Little Jimmy Dickens In Twin Lead Lines
Lou Turner, author of Twin Lead Lines. Courtesy Photo
A lot of people who came of age listening to the Grand Ole Opry know Little Jimmy Dickens. The West Virginia-born country music singer started at the Opry in 1948. He was its oldest living member before his death in 2015. With his clever songs and his rhinestone-studded outfits, Dickens influenced a generation of performers. Now he’s remembered in a new book of poetry by Nashville musician Lou Turner. Turner’s shared the stage with acts like MJ Lenderman and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. Her music veers from indie rock to Americana, and her poetry draws inspiration from country stars like Dickens.
Turner’s first book of poetry, Twin Lead Lines, was released in September. Producer Bill Lynch recently spoke with her about her poetry and connection to Dickens.
Saving Stray Cats In Shenandoah County
Melissa Miller, president of the Humane Society of Shenandoah County, holds one of the kittens. This one has been socialized from a young age and loves attention. Other cats they encounter are more feral and need to find homes in a barn or garage if they can't stay in their current location. Photo Credit: Randi B. Hagi/WMRA
One of Appalachia’s deadliest predators is also one of its snuggliest. That’s right: we’re talking about the domestic house cat. Stray cats bear litters of kittens year-round. And they can take a major toll on songbirds and other wildlife. Through spay and neuter programs, fostering and adoption, shelters and volunteers are trying to stem the feline tide. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
Listeners should be advised this story mentions some graphic veterinary problems.
Weekly Dungeons & Dragons Night For Teens At Virginia Library
A game master (center back) leads a group through a Dungeons & Dragons session at the Roanoke Public Library. Photo Credit: Mason Adams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Every week for the last 15 years, kids have gotten together at the Roanoke Public Library to play Dungeons & Dragons.
Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D for short, is a roleplaying game that allows players to inhabit characters in a fantasy setting. They work together to battle monsters and find treasure and to tell a shared story in which they’re all the main characters.
Jeffrey Wood, a youth services librarian, is a game master for the library’s D&D program. That means he’s the person who prepares each game and acts as referee as the kids work their way through it. Host Mason Adams made a couple visits to the Roanoke Public Library and caught up with Wood one evening as he prepared the next gaming session.
Revitalizing Rural Downtowns
One of Harlan’s larger downtown projects is renovating the former Lewallen Hotel to accommodate out-of-town visitors. Photo Credit: Shepherd Snyder/WEKU
Eastern Kentucky is full of isolated, rural towns that have declined alongside the coal industry. But some folks who want to stick around are trying to revitalize the region’s downtowns.
The holiday season brings a lot of joy and light, but it also brings a lot of stuff. After Christmas, what are you supposed to do with the wrapping paper and the gift boxes, not to mention the tree?
Last year, WVPB’s Chris Schulz spoke with Amy White, the director of sustainability at Marshall University, about some ideas for cleaning up after the holidays.
I Was A Teenage Taxidermist
Taxidermist Amy Ritchie sewing a bobcat. Photo Credit: Margaret McLeod Leef/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
A lot of people are fascinated by the results of taxidermy — whether it’s a display at a park’s visitor’s center, or a big buck on a friend’s wall. But we tend to be a little more uncomfortable with the process that goes into making these animal mounts. The preservation and mounting of dead animals has been around since at least the Middle Ages. But it didn’t really become popular until the 1800s, when hunters began bringing trophies to upholstery shops.
In 2023, Margaret McLeod Leef brought us this story of one expert practitioner in Yadkin County, North Carolina.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Fred Hutchinson, Lou Turner, Mary Hott, Blue Dot Sessions and Hello June.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Jennifer Goren.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
State Employee Pay Raises And Little Jimmy Dickens, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 12, 2025
A lot of people who came of age listening to the Grand Ole Opry know Little Jimmy Dickens. With his clever songs and his rhinestone-studded outfits, the West Virginia native influenced a generation of performers. Now he’s remembered in a new book of poetry.
And the governor said state employees “will” get a pay raise in the coming legislative session.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: 2025 — Changing Definitions, Upending Institutions
Dec 11, 2025
As we count down to the end of 2025, Us & Them host Trey Kay looks back at the year’s whirlwind of actions and reactions.
Each week presented fresh moves in the agenda President Donald Trump outlined during his campaign. First it was a reshaping of the federal government from the Department of Government Efficiency known as DOGE, Elon Musk’s initiative, which slashed budgets and agencies and workers. At the same time, additional resources for the Department of Homeland Security led to a significant increase in the number of immigration arrests and detentions by federal agents. The use of National Guard troops in U.S. cities tests the limits of the president’s authority while those in the Mountain State mourn the death of a soldier shot in the nation’s capitol.
We look at how one-time culture war talking points are reengineering America's defining institutions.
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.
Trey Kay stands before a rainbow in the summer of 2025, as Congress debated a bill to rescind federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Although the cuts threaten organizations like West Virginia Public Broadcasting and programs like Us & Them, Kay says he is choosing to remain hopeful. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“Through my work on Us & Them, I’ve spent years in rooms with people who don’t trust each other, while still encouraging conversation… This year, those rooms felt different. Quieter. More cautious. More guarded… A nation without guardrails doesn’t become freer. It becomes more fragile… The only thing that has ever brought us closer together is to listen to each other. It’s not about agreement or surrender — but it’s a stubborn decision to stay in the room together. To keep talking… It may be the last guardrail we still control.”
— Trey Kay, host of Us & Them
Latest ‘Us & Them’ Reflects On 2025, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 11, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, federal funding for arts and culture has been curtailed. Trey Kay looks at the reasons in the latest Us & Them.
Also, the state board of education has approved another round of school closures and consolidations throughout the Mountain State. And, the state Legislature is expected to take up several bills in the coming session to address foster care and children who are homeless.
Finally, U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was laid to rest with full military honors Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Christmastime After A Flood, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 10, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, it’s common at Christmastime for churches and businesses to set up angel trees, decorated with paper ornaments holding a child’s name and wish list. Trees set up this year for the children of Iaeger, West Virginia, reflect the long-term damage done by the February floods that devastated McDowell County.
Also, the state House of Delegates Republican Caucus laid out their plans Tuesday for economic development for the coming legislative session. And, after deadly floods across the state this year, lawmakers are looking at how communities are recovering and how to prevent future floods.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Mapping The Mon River, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 09, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we listen to the latest story from The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh. In their latest story, organizers of a custom mapping project hope it stirs more interest in the Mon River.
Also, state child welfare services are trying to turn things around after a failed federal audit, West Virginia’s fire death rate has remained among the highest in the nation, and lawmakers are getting input from West Virginia educators on improving regulation of public education.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Revitalizing Rural Downtowns, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 08, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, eastern Kentucky is full of isolated, rural towns that have experienced decline alongside the coal industry. But some who want to stick around are trying to revitalize the region’s downtown spaces. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, Shepherd Snyder 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.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
School Vaccines And A Photo Essay, This West Virginia Week
Dec 06, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, vaccine requirements in the state of West Virginia change again, a look ahead at PEIA, and we talk with photographer Roger May about communities in southern West Virginia rebuilding after the February floods.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Encore: The Love Of Competition, Inside Appalachia
Dec 05, 2025
One thing about Appalachians: we can get competitive.
We’re proud of our local food. Love a good hunt. And enjoy competition with friends. We learn the rules and celebrate our victories.
But there’s more to competing than just winning or losing. In this show, we’ll also meet competitors who are keepers of beloved Appalachian traditions.
Musgrave Reports From The Mountain Mushroom Festival
Tina Caroland shows off a morel mushroom at the Mountain Mushroom Festival in Irvine, Kentucky. Caroland has demonstrated how to fry morels at the festival for about 15 years. She purchased morels for this year’s cooking demonstration because Caroland and her family were slow to find morels at the start of this season. Photo Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Each spring, people take to the woods in search of morels, a seasonal favorite throughout Appalachia, and they inspire all kinds of competition.
Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave went to the Mountain Mushroom Festival in Irvine, Kentucky and found people looking for the most mushrooms — the biggest mushrooms — and the tastiest way to eat mushrooms.
An Accident Of Appalachian History Led To A New Style of Pizza
In Wheeling, West Virginia, people are passionate about their pizza. People there say that an accident of history led to a new style of pizza – Appalachia’s contribution to America’s great regional pizza traditions. Folkways Reporter Zack Harold visited DiCarlo’s Famous Pizza to find out more. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Ever live in a place where there’s a competition between two restaurants, and people sort of decide which team they’re on?
Folkways Reporter Zack Harold says people in Wheeling, West Virginia are passionate about their pizza.That’s because an accident of history led to a new style and a who’s better/who’s best contest that’s been going on for decades.
Brave Kids Continue Eisteddfod Tradition
Eisteddfod is probably not a word that rolls off the tongue of everyone in Appalachia. But in Wales, it refers to a traditional music competition that goes back nearly 1,000 years. Immigrants brought the tradition to southern Ohio, where it's endured for generations -- thanks in part to some brave kids.
Folkways Reporter Capri Cafaro has this story.
Playing To Eat And Eating To Play
Another competitive tradition that’s endured for generations is weekly board game night. Whether with family or friends, we play Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, and sometimes even Candyland.
Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett reported on a board game that matches West Virginia’s favorite cryptids with some of its favorite places to eat.
A Southern Ohio Town Honors The Appalachian Connection To The NFL
Appalachia’s connection to professional football has always been a little loose. Lots of pro players have come out of Appalachia, but there’s really only one Appalachian NFL team – the Pittsburgh Steelers, or two if you count the Atlanta Falcons, as a listener recently argued we should.
It turns out, at least one other professional team has Appalachian DNA – the Detroit Lions. That franchise began as the Portsmouth Spartans in Portsmouth, Ohio, just across the river from Kentucky.
Sports fan and WVPB Reporter Randy Yohe has this story.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Charlie McCoy, The Steel Drivers, Larry Groce, David Mayfield, and Dean Martin.
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. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.
You can send us an email at InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
And you can sign up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
WNYC’s New Podcast ‘Our Common Nature’ Visits W.Va., This West Virginia Morning
Dec 05, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, public radio listeners know acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. WNYC recently released Our Common Nature, a new podcast that follows the musician and producer Ana Gonzalez as they explore the country. This included a visit to West Virginia. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Gonzalez about the podcast. We listen to an excerpt.
And listen to this full episode of Inside Appalachiahere.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Photojournalist Talks Resilience, Recovery After Flood, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 04, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, more than nine months after the February flood that hit southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, people are still rebuilding and struggling to recover their daily lives. They’re also wondering — when is the next flood going to happen?
WVPB asked West Virginia photojournalist Roger May to create a photo essay on the people in that region — ensuring their stories are told and not forgotten as the news cycle moves on.
May sat down with News Director Eric Douglas to discuss the project.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The Future Of Low-head Dams, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 03, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, low-head dams across Appalachia have been responsible for many deaths, causing state officials to label them as public safety hazards. But some community members are hesitant to have the fixtures removed. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, Shepherd Snyder and Pierce Gentry bring us this report.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Terry Gross Talks With WVPB About Public Radio, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 02, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, regular listeners to our afternoon programming will immediately recognize the voice of Terry Gross. She has been the host of Fresh Air for 50 years – well before it became a national staple. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Gross recently about her career, her style and the uniqueness of public radio.
Also, Gov. Patrick Morrisey is cautioning the public to avoid speculation and wait for official updates after two West Virginia Guard Members were shot last week. Chris Schulz has more.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Morrisey Gives Update On National Guard Shooting, This West Virginia Morning
Dec 01, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Gov. Patrick Morrisey appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered over the weekend with host Miles Parks to discuss the shooting of the two West Virginia National Guard soldiers, Air Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and Army specialist Sarah Beckstrom. We listen to an excerpt.
Also, while air pollution in the Mon Valley has been the focus of environmental concerns and lawsuits for many years, some groups are also looking at water quality. As part of the series Reporting from the Mon, The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant heads out with a river watchdog to look at what’s happening with the waste from a chemical plant.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Our Common Nature With Yo-Yo Ma, Inside Appalachia
Nov 28, 2025
Our Common Nature is a new podcast from WNYC. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana González, as they explore America and talk to folks like West Virginia coal miners.
We follow Yo-Yo and his team as they venture into Appalachia. And we talk with González about meeting people where they are.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Our Common Nature: The Smokies, Mammoth Cave And W.Va. Coal
Yo-Yo and West Virginian country/folk artist Kathy Mattea perform for retired miners at Nuttallburg, a historic coal-mining complex. Photo Credit: Austin Mann/WNYC
We’re sharing a new podcast from our friends at WNYC. It’s called Our Common Nature. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who you probably know best from his rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite Number One in G Major.
In the podcast, Ma teams up with producer Ana González. They travel around the country, meeting people and hearing their stories and music. They visit parts of Appalachia, including West Virginia and the Smokies. We’re excited to share an excerpt from their travels.
Also, host Mason Adams speaks with González about what she and Ma had in mind for these trips — and what they learned along the way.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Yo-Yo Ma and Blue Dot Sessions.
Special thanks this week to WNYC for sharing their podcast with us.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Us & Them Encore: Who’s Going To Take Care Of Maw Maw?
Nov 24, 2025
We’re an aging nation.
Today, 16% of Americans are over 65. In the next few decades, that will double as the youngest Baby Boomers move into old age. But in West Virginia, that future is now. It’s the third oldest state in the nation, and more than 20% of its residents are over 65. At the same time, West Virginia’s birth rate is low because young people are leaving. That generational imbalance will increase in coming years.
The numbers show a growing crisis. Senior care has shifted from a nursing home model to one focused on aging in place. The cost of care is lower the longer people stay in their homes and that’s led to an explosion in home-based support and care services. But now, those companies can’t find the workers they need to provide services for the growing elderly population.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the West Virginia Humanities Council.
Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
Phyllis Nichols lives in a Section 8 housing facility in Charleston, W.Va., designated for elderly residents and people with disabilities. A specialized caregiver visits several times a week to help her age in place. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingThe Rev. Jim Lewis, a retired Episcopal priest in Charleston, W.Va., waits for a medical appointment. After suffering a series of strokes, Lewis was no longer able to live safely on his own, and his children, who live in other parts of the country, helped move him into an elder care facility. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingTrey Kay visits Rev. Jim Lewis at his new residence in a retirement community. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingEric Hicks, CEO of Right at Home in Charleston, W.Va., helped pioneer the growth of in-home care services after recognizing the coming surge in the elderly population and the shift away from institutional care. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee MesserJoe Monk, a retired art professor, talks with his cousin Trey Kay, on the back porch of his cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bath County, Va., about multigenerational caregiving. Monk grew up watching family members care for elders and later welcomed aging relatives into his own home. He died in December 2024. Photo courtesy of the Monk Family
Solar Power Hike And A Roller Coaster In Mercer County, This West Virginia Week
Nov 22, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, Appalachian Power customers may be seeing another price hike, caregivers are under stress, particularly during the holidays, and a new mountain roller coaster is a destination for fun seekers in Mercer County.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
A Conversation On Increasing Premiums, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 21, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, people who buy health care through the federal marketplace are set to see their premiums rise 40 percent or more. It depends on whether Congress extends the 2021 enhanced subsidies that help people pay their premiums.
Ruby Rayner is a reporter for the Chattanooga Times Free Press who’s been covering this story in Tennessee. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Rayner.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Caring For Our Aging Population, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 20, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we’re an aging nation, and the numbers show a growing crisis – 18% of Americans are over 65. The cost of care is lower the longer people stay in their homes, and the trend has led to an explosion in home-based support and care services. On the next episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay focuses on the challenges of care for our growing elderly population.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Ride On W.Va.’s Mountain Coaster, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 19, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, by now, cooler temperatures have closed many theme parks around the area. But if you’ve got a craving to get on a roller coaster, you don’t have to wait until spring and you don’t have to drive very far. Bill Lynch takes us to the Brush Creek Holl’r Mountain Coaster.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Why Thurgood Marshall’s Story Matters Today, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 18, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, a new documentary entitled “Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect” is a Maryland Public Television production about Thurgood Marshall’s journey from young lawyer to one of America’s influential legal minds.
WVPB is hosting a special screening of the film at Marshall University on Nov. 18, and Us & Them host Trey Kay will moderate the live event along with a panel discussion. Ahead of the screening, Kay talked with one of the panelists, historian Cicero Fain, about why Marshall’s story matters now.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Look At AARP’s New Report On Caregiving, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 17, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, more than a quarter of adult West Virginians are serving as caregivers for a family member. That comes with stress and emotional and physical tolls.
News Director Eric Douglas found himself in this position over the last few years as well. The AARP just released a new nationwide report on caregiving, so Eric spoke to Jane Marks, the state president of the organization, to find out more.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Missing Miner’s Body Recovered, This West Virginia Week
Nov 15, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, the body of a missing miner was recovered, guaranteed median income comes to Mercer County, and with Halloween over and Thanksgiving a few weeks away, what can you do with those leftover pumpkins?
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Encore: True Stories Behind Folk Heroes, Runaway Trains And Murder Ballads, Inside Appalachia
Nov 14, 2025
This week Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads - how they tell stories and connect us to the past.
These old tunes can mean so much. They can tap into difficult emotions and give feelings space to be heard. Some songs may even be too uncomfortable to sing.
In this special episode with guest co-host, ballad singer Saro Lynch-Thomason, we explore songs about lawbreaking folk heroes, runaway trains and murder ballads.
All the stories in this episode were produced as part of our Folkways Reporting Project, a partnership with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Inside Appalachia and the Folklife Program of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
We’ve recorded more than 150 stories for this project, and you can find them all here.
The Ballad Of ‘John Henry’ Elicits Varied Feelings For Some Black Appalachian Residents
A statue of John Henry stands in front of the Big Bend Tunnel near Talcott, West Virginia, where many versions of the ballad of ‘John Henry’ say the competition between Henry and the steam drill took place. Photo Credit: Christopher Muller/SteamPhotos.com
The ballad of “John Henry” tells the story of a railroad worker who competes against a steam drill to see who can drill a hole through a mountain fastest and farthest. With his immense strength and skill, John Henry wins, but dies from his efforts. There is great debate about the historical facts, but most accounts describe Henry as an African American man from West Virginia or Virginia, working for the C&O Railroad. For some who grew up in Black communities in Appalachia, the song elicits a variety of feelings. Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave has more.
If learning about John Henry piqued your interest, be sure to check out the recent Black in Appalachia podcast episode about John Henry. They dive into some important topics, including a current-day link between health and working conditions, especially for Black workers.
Ballads About Train Wrecks Holds Lessons For Modern Life
“The Wreck At Rural Retreat” from Marshall University’s digital scholar archive. Photo Credit: Marshall University
Starting in the late 19th century, trains were everywhere in southern Appalachia, and so were songs about them. Scott Huffard, an associate professor of History at Lees-McCrae College, says these ballads weren’t just about trains, they were emulating trains using special techniques with common instruments. Reporter Laura Harbert Allen has that story and tells us what we can learn from ballads about trains.
Traditional Murder Ballads Reveal A Dark Truth About “True Crime” Media
There are many murder ballads from Appalachia - and most of them are about men killing women. Folkways Reporter Zack Harold is a musician himself. In fact, you can hear him playing guitar and banjo on a song called “Little Sadie” that appears in this week’s episode.
“Little Sadie” is a ballad about a man killing his sweetheart - exactly the kind of song Zack sought to understand in his reporting about murder ballads. What can they tell us about history? And what is “true crime” the modern-day equivalent?
Real-Life Outlaw Otto Wood Went Viral In The Thirties
As Zack explored in his story, people in the past and the present love viral “true crime” stories. In the early 1930s, the way for a story to go “viral” was by being sung about in a ballad. That’s what happened to Otto Wood, a real-life outlaw who grew up around Wilkesboro, North Carolina. He spent time with the Hatfields of southern West Virginia, became a famous moonshiner, and died in a shootout with police in 1930. Less than one year later, his story was told in the ballad “Otto Wood The Bandit,” recorded by Walker Kid and the Carolina Buddies.
Our host Mason Adams reported on that song.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Wes Swing, Dinosaur Burps, and The Chamber Brothers. Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Appalachian Hymn Singing, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 14, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, a two-man rescue team found the body of a missing miner in the Rolling Thunder coal mine in Nicholas County. An around the clock search and rescue operation had been in motion since Saturday.
Also, there’s a style of singing in bluegrass and traditional music that’s rooted in the music of Primitive and Old Regular Baptist churches, places where singers like bluegrass legend Stanley were raised. On a recent episode of Inside Appalachia, reporter Zack Harold introduced us to a woman who helps keep this sacred tradition alive.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: The Mythology Of Crime Stats
Nov 13, 2025
America’s crime rates have prompted President Donald Trump to deploy federal agents and National Guard troops in a handful of major cities.
On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at what data and statistics can really tell us about the level of violence in our country.
Crime continues to be one of the defining issues for the Trump administration, and the president refers to what he calls “out of control” crime numbers to deploy soldiers on city streets and support his actions, while using federal agents to sweep up undocumented immigrants. However crime rates are inconsistently reported, and the analysis is challenging. The administration points to its own actions as a reason for a recent drop in crime, but FBI data show major crime categories have been on the decline for the past two years. In fact, a recent poll suggests Americans are less anxious about street crime and more fearful of online scams and school shootings.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the Just Trust and the CRC Foundation.
Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
Jeffrey Butts, research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and director of the school’s Research and Evaluation Center. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“We don’t have crime data because there’s no one walking around logging every offense. We have crime when someone sees it and reports it — that’s a complaint. An arrest is different, and the falloff between reports and arrests can be more than 50%. If you want to assess safety, you ask residents — the National Crime Victimization Survey does that — but the U.S. hasn’t sustained it well and almost never at the neighborhood level.”
— Jeffrey Butts, research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and director of the school’s Research and Evaluation Center
National Guard troops stand outside Union Station in September 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesMembers of the National Guard patrol outside a Bass Pro Shops in October 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo Credit: George Walker IV/AP PhotoCalifornia National Guard are positioned at the Federal Building, June 10, 2025, in downtown Los Angeles. Photo Credit: Eric Thayer/AP PhotoResidents watch as people take part in a protest near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Broadview facility in Chicago. Photo Credit: Jeenah Moon/Reuters
“All the things you just mentioned about DC and Chicago and LA and using the National Guard, that is not either a response to the crime problem or an intervention designed to improve the crime problem. It has nothing to do with crime. It’s public relations and political campaigning using the crime issue and using public safety to draw attention and motivate their base… The fact that any indicator of crime is lower now than it was six months ago, or six years ago, is not evidence of the impact of anything that’s been done to prevent crime. It’s the crime numbers moving… What politicians do is wait for them to go down and then claim credit, or they see them going up, and point to their opponents and say they did it.”
— Jeffrey Butts, research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and director of the school’s research and evaluation center.
Jeffrey Butts reviews incident-level crime data and national victimization trends as part of his center’s research into how communities measure public safety. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“Any time an elected official starts explaining the crime problem, keep a healthy skepticism. Too often, the numbers are wielded ineptly — or intentionally — to shape public reaction rather than improve public safety.”
— Jeffrey Butts, research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and director of the school’s research and evaluation center.
Understanding Crime Data, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 13, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, how violent is America? On the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at what crime data really tells us. The Trump administration points to what it calls “out of control” crime rates to deploy federal agents and National Guard troops in a handful of major cities. But the numbers can tell us where crime is the highest, and it may be a surprise. Kay talks with Jeffrey Butts, director of the research and evaluation center and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Ways To Reuse Fall Décor, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 12, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, decorative pumpkins and Jack O’Lanterns can find a second life on your table and in the garden. We explore ways to reuse fall decorations.
Also, we have the latest edition of our occasional series, Almost Heavens. The Clay Center’s Planetarium and Science Educator, Shannon Silverman, is an astrophysicist who guides us through the cosmos above the Mountain State. Visit our website to find videos and classroom resources about the cosmos.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
New Program To Help Residents In Poverty, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 10, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, more than 500 residents of Mercer County are about to find out if they have been chosen for a rare opportunity. They have applied for a Guaranteed Minimum Income program through the nonprofit Give Directly, which uses funds from wealthy benefactors to give cash benefits to those in need.
Maria Young caught up with Jeff Atwood, a software developer who donated the funds for the program, to find out what he hopes the results will be.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Turning Point USA At Marshall And Population Decline, This West Virginia Week
Nov 08, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, we have a conversation with Marshall University's Turning Point USA chapter president. We also learn about a recently released horror film shot near Huntington, and the population decline in central Appalachia may be getting worse.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Appalachia’s Population Problem, Inside Appalachia
Nov 07, 2025
Central Appalachia is known for exporting coal. But it’s losing people, too.
Also, folk singer Ginny Hawker grew up singing the hymns of the Primitive Baptist Church, but she didn’t think of performing until she got a little boost from Appalachian icon Hazel Dickens.
And, the chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
The population inAppalachia’s coal-producing counties has declined since the boom of the 1950s. As the coal industry mechanized and shrunk, jobs went away, and young people did too. Now, a series of population estimates shows things might get even worse.
Journalist Jim Branscome grew up in southwestern Virginia and recently covered this story.
The Last Public Hanging And America's History Of Lynching
Rainey Bethea eats his last meal — which consisted of fried chicken, pork chops, mashed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, cornbread, lemon pie and ice cream — in Louisville, before being transported to Owensboro for his execution in August 1936. Photo Credit: The Associated Press
Nearly 90 years ago, Rainey Bethea was tried and hanged as thousands watched on the banks of the Ohio River in Owensboro, Kentucky. Now, his death — the last public hanging in the U.S. — is at the center of a new book that takes a closer look at lynching, and the American culture that grew out of it.
“Amazing Grace” as it appears in Ginny Hawker’s family heirloom songbook, Lloyd’s Primitive Baptist Hymns. You can see stains in the margins, left by the tobacco-covered hands of her aunt Annie Maud Puckett. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/Rural Remix
There’s a way Appalachian-born singers like Patty Loveless or Ricky Skaggs can bend, glide and flip over their melodies — it can stir your soul and break your heart at the same time. You can trace this style of singing back to bluegrass legends like Ralph Stanley. But the roots of this sound go even deeper, back to the Primitive and Old Regular Baptist churches where folks like Stanley were raised.
For the Rural Remix podcast, Reporter Zack Harold introduces us to a woman who helps keep this sacred tradition alive.
Tent Revivals For Christian Worship In Tennessee
People lift their hands in praise of God at a tent revival in Oneida, Tennessee on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. The revival was organized by local pastors who feel their community’s faith has faltered in recent years. Photo Credit: Pierce Gentry/WUOT News
For decades, tent revivals were a staple of Christian worship throughout the South. With the onset of TV and, later, the internet, many congregations opted for cheaper, far-reaching mediums for sharing the gospel. But tent revivals are still going strong, too. WUOT’s Pierce Gentry takes us to a tent revival in East Tennessee.
Beavers Are Nature's Greatest Engineers
Natural areas manager Evan Patrick highlights a man-made dam meant to replicate a beaver dam and draw nearby beavers to the site. Photo Credit: Derek Parham/WKU
Beavers have been trapped and hunted in America for thousands of years. They were a food source for Indigenous people, and harvesting beaver pelts was an integral part of early European trade. The trade has dwindled, but all too often, landowners who find beavers working on their property still consider them a nuisance. Conservation groups are working to change that. New programs in Kentucky aim to show the environmental benefits of coexisting with America’s largest rodents.
WKU’s Derek Parham has more.
Watching The Monongahela River
Koa Reitz, an environmental scientist with Three Rivers Waterkeeper, collects sediment samples near the Synthomer Jefferson Hills plant, which will be sent to a lab. Photo Credit: Julie Grant/Allegheny Front
Air pollution in the Mon Valley of Pennsylvania has been the focus of environmental concerns and lawsuits for years, but some groups are also looking atwater quality. As part of its series “Reporting from the Mon,” The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant heads out with a river watchdog, to see what’s happening with the waste from a chemical plant.
Appalachian Memories Inspire Chef
Chef William Dissen’s debut cookbook is arranged by season and fresh, local ingredients. Courtesy of John Autry
Chef William Dissen’s memories are seasoned with the flavors of West Virginia's mountains. Dissen has taken some of those memories and turned them into award-winning cuisine at The Market Place. That’s his James Beard-nominated restaurant in Asheville.
Last fall, Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef spoke with Dissen. He was in Charleston to talk about his debut cookbook, Thoughtful Cooking.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Ginny Hawker, Hazel Dickens, Mary Linscheid, Jeff Ellis, Blue Dot Sessions, Frank George, John Blissard and Hello June.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Chris Julin. And, congratulations to longtime Inside Appalachia contributors Molly Born and Zander Aloi on their marriage.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
W.Va. Wildfire And Appalachia’s Declining Population, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 07, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, high winds Wednesday fanned more than 20 fires across the state. As Chris Schulz reports, the largest of those fires is still burning.
And, the population in central Appalachia has been in decline for decades. As jobs went away, young people did, too. Now, a series of population estimates shows things might get even worse. Journalist Jim Branscome grew up in southwestern Virginia and recently covered this story. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with him.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Conversation With MU’s Turning Point USA President, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 06, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, founded by assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA focuses its energies largely on college campuses like Marshall University (MU).
Mason County freshman Branson Tolliver is Marshall’s chapter president. He spoke with Huntington Bureau Chief Randy Yohe on the goals of this growing student movement.
And, we have updates on a debate over an air quality permit for a microgrid facility in Tucker County.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Spooky Season Continues With New Film, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 05, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Halloween may be over, but Mountain State spookiness continues on with a new film called Self-Help. Shot in locations near Huntington, the horror movie follows a college student who infiltrates a dangerous self-actualization community after her mother becomes entangled with its leader.
The film was produced by brothers Erik and Carson Bloomquist. Bill Lynch spoke with Carson about the film and their experience in West Virginia.
Also, we have updates on Mountain State job needs, food needs and an essay contest to help students save for college.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Conversation About Hidden Costs On Utility Bills, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 04, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Kentucky utility regulators could approve a rate increase for Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities customers. They’ve approved new power plants to meet the electricity demands of data centers. Customers may not have known about the hidden cost they’re paying for two coal plants.
Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom Managing Editor Ryan Van Velzer spoke with WVPB’s Curtis Tate about his reporting on those plants.
Also, we have updates on recent state tax collections, SNAP benefits and a report from West Virginia Legislative interims.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Questioning The Status Quo, This West Virginia Morning
Nov 03, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, TJ Meadows from the Metro News Network is questioning the status quo. He spoke with News Director Eric Douglas about stepping into the role formerly filled by Hoppy Kerchival and using his background in business & the energy industry to ask questions and shake things up.
Also the $60 million sale of four state-owned health care facilities has been finalized, and at least nine locations around West Virginia, including the state capitol building, will be lit up teal Monday to help raise awareness for Alzheimer's disease.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Food Banks Face Challenges And The History Of Halloween, This West Virginia Week
Nov 01, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, food banks face challenges as SNAP benefits are delayed and the government shutdown continues. Also, an influx of cash may help lift people in Mercer County up out of poverty. We also explore the roots of Halloween.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
The Return Of The Headless Man And The Murdered Girl
Mike Allen And The Button Bin
From left, authors Rod Belcher, Mike Allen and Amanda McGee during an event at Book No Further in Roanoke, Virginia. Courtesy of Mike Allen
It’s the season for gathering around fires and telling spooky stories. Mike Allen is an award-winning science fiction, fantasy and horror writer based in Roanoke, Virginia. Besides writing, Allen also runs Mythic Delirium. It started as a sci-fi poetry zine. Now it’s a publishing imprint that puts out books. Host Mason Adams visited Mike to speak with him about his work.
Since that interview in 2023, three new Mike Allen books have been published: Slow Burn, a collection of stories and poems, The Black Fire Concerto, a post-apocalyptic horror novel, and Trail of Shadows, a horror novel that begins on the Appalachian Trail.
Molly Born And The Spooky Old Tunnel
Spooky stories can be about people, but sometimes they’re just about a place. A patch of land or an old building can develop a reputation that grows and grows over the years. Some are off the beaten path, but others you can drive right up to. In Mingo County, West Virginia there’s an old single-lane railroad tunnel that’s become a local legend.
Back in 2018, reporter Molly Born ventured inside the Dingess tunnel to find out what makes it so unsettling.
Ghost Story
Some people are afraid of ghosts. Others want to figure out ways to communicate with them – like Anita Allen, a writer and paranormal investigator in Roanoke.
Host Mason Adams talked to her about a couple of her ghost encounters.
Another Ghost Story
Haunted places dot Appalachia — moonlit hollers, mist-shrouded cemeteries, and dusty buildings that hold unspoken secrets. Playwright and theater director Dan Kehde knows just such a place, in Charleston, West Virginia.
WVPB’s Jim Lange brought us this story in 2021.
Spiritualism And Mediums
Scott Worley oversees Haunted Beckley in Beckley, West Virginia, where he’s spent most of his life. He collects stories and gives history and ghost tours. This story isn’t exactly about ghosts — but people who commune with them. We’re talking about spiritualism, a religious practice centered on the idea that people can communicate with the dead and even seek advice through seances.
Spiritualism has gone in and out of style for generations. In the 1800s, though, it became a mainstream trend that attracted celebrities like Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
Worley tells us about what spiritualism looked like in West Virginia during that time.
Pumpkin Patches As Tourist Destinations
Colorful hay bale and pumpkin patch at Sinkland Farms in the New River Valley. Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ
A growing number of farms are turning themselves into Halloween destinations with corn mazes and pumpkin patches. Roxy Todd and All Things Considered host Craig Wright explored a few of these farms in western Virginia.
Return Of The Headless Man And The Murdered Girl
James Froemel is an actor and storyteller in Morgantown, West Virginia. He’s also an occasional contributor, providing readings of short stories by Appalachian authors. For the Halloween season, he sent us a pair of tales from Ruth Anne Musick.
“The Return of the Headless Man” and “The Murdered Girl" were collected and retold by Ruth Anne Musick. They’re available in the story collections The Tell-Tale Lilac Bush and Coffin Hollow, respectively.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Blue Dot Sessions, Mary Hott, Jeff Ellis, Gerry Milnes, Hello June, Paul Loomis and Red Sovine.
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.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A Spooky Mountain State Story, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 31, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia and her ancient hills are no stranger to spooky happenings and things we can’t explain. You’ll find no bigger fan of these stories than Jim Lange, the host of Eclectopia. This year for Halloween, he shares this paranormal story from Robert Tipane.
Also, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has filled a vacancy in the state Senate. We learn more about how West Virginia 211 is a service for people seeking food assistance. And, a low barrier homeless shelter will open its doors in Huntington this weekend.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode. Teresa Wills is our host.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Digging Into Halloween’s Rich History, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 30, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Halloween is more popular than ever, but where did we get traditions like costumes or trick-or-treating? We talk to West Virginia University (WVU) religious studies professors Aaron Gale and Alex Snow to learn more about Halloween's rich history.
Also, the parent company of Appalachian Power and Kentucky Power racked up nearly $1 billion in profits in just one quarter. And, the sale of four state-run health care facilities is back on track.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Help For Mercer County Residents And Stepping Up State Nutritional Needs, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 29, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, an influx of cash will provide more than 500 residents at or close to the poverty line in Mercer County $1,500 each month for 16 months. The key here is it’s no strings attached. Maria Young has the story.
Also, with delays to federal nutritional benefits expected, the state government is trying to step up to meet the need. As Chris Schulz reports, Gov. Patrick Morrisey is asking for public support, too.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Meeting Food Needs Amid Shutdown, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 28, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has pledged $1.1 million in emergency funding to West Virginia food banks. The decision comes as federal workers across the state go without pay for the fourth week and more than a quarter million people in the state face having their November SNAP benefits curtailed. We hear from Huntington-based Facing Hunger Food Bank CEO Cyndi Kirkhart on meeting the challenges faced in getting nutritional food to families in need.
Also, students in Jefferson County will now have an easier time continuing their education after graduation, and we learn about historic preservation grants available in West Virginia.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Obesity In W.Va. And A Novel Set In Greenbank, This West Virginia Week
Oct 25, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, a new obesity report paints a grim picture for West Virginia, but can anything be done? Also, Americans have been struggling with housing for years, but is the market changing? And a new novel set in Pocahontas County tells the story of two high school students as they unravel a decades-old mystery.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
A page from The Secret Astronomers, in which two high school seniors maintain a correspondence in an old astronomy textbook. Photo courtesy of Penguin Random House
A new novel for young adults captures a slice of life in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. It tells the story of a friendship between two high school students as they unravel a decades-old mystery. It’s the debut novel by Jessica Walker.
Host Mason Adams spoke with her.
Watching Fall Foliage From The Sky
A lot of us experience fall foliage through the windows of our cars or by looking up from the forest floor. But WVPB News Director Eric Douglas brings us another way to experience autumn’s splendor – from the air.
Appalachian Author Reflects On Heritage, Portrayal Of Cherokee In Literature
Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle is an acclaimed Appalachian author who lives in Cherokee, North Carolina. Clapsaddle’s debut novel, Even as We Breathe, was the first novel published by an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. She’s also the 2025 Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
WVPB’s Liz McCormick spoke with Clapsaddle about her writing and the importance of reclaiming Cherokee identity through literature.
Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room
A traditional pin up-style tattoo by Haywood on friend and client Brad Centers' forearm. 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 string-band music. It’s a place unlike any other. Earlier this year, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold documented his visit.
In this story, we hear from regular Brad Centers, who died in September following a battle with colon cancer. Before Brad's death, Haywood gave a little support toward Brad's treatment with each new tattoo.
If Lost
Poet and poetry organizer, Clint Bowman, says the best way to read poetry in front of people is to read poetry in front of people. Courtesy photo
When Clint Bowman of Black Mountain, North Carolina couldn’t find the writing group he needed, he formed the Dark City Poets Society. Bowman used the group to develop his poetry, some of which explores people and their connection to nature.
Early last fall, Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bowman about his collection, If Lost.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Charlie Mccoy, Blue Dot Sessions, Hello June and Tim and Dave Bing.
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 Nicole Musgrave.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Us & Them Encore: The Housing Struggle
Oct 23, 2025
America’s housing shortage continues to put affordable homes out of reach for people across the country — from small towns to big cities.
While West Virginia has the nation’s highest level of homeownership overall, many residents still struggle to find something that works for their budget. In fact, nearly 140,000 West Virginians spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs.
In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at the squeeze in two places—Philadelphia and southern West Virginia—finding that while inventory has improved, costs remain well above pre-pandemic levels and even manufactured homes, once an entry point for many, are slipping out of reach.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council and the CRC Foundation.Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
Claudia Aiken, director of the Housing Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania. Photo Credit: University of Pennsylvania
“Housing became really important during the pandemic … not only because we were home all the time and working from home, but because housing itself was suddenly at stake in a way it hadn’t been. People who were doing fine before were still doing fine—many even did better with stimulus checks and the homeownership boom, as rising values benefited those with assets. But on the other side of the spectrum, the pandemic hit service workers hard. Many of them are renters, and suddenly they had no income; they couldn’t pay rent and had to ask, ‘Can I stay in my home another month?’”
— Claudia Aiken, director, Housing Initiative, University of Pennsylvania
Taylor Kessinger (left), a researcher in the University of Pennsylvania’s Biology Department, walks with Us & Them host Trey Kay (right) in West Philadelphia. Photo Credit: Christina StellaTaylor Kessinger, is also a housing development advocate in Philadelphia, who often attends zoning board meetings in his West Philadelphia neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“A lot of people genuinely believe housing costs are out of control … and that if you want to rein them in, you need to allow more homes to be built — the market has a role to play. … Opposition and support don’t line up neatly with left-right politics: some folks are NIMBY (not in my backyard) for explicitly right-wing reasons — they don’t want apartments in exclusionary suburbs because they associate them with lower-income residents or crime … while others are NIMBY or anti-YIMBY (yes in my backyard) from the left because they fear development will raise land values and rents, putting people at risk of displacement. … You’ll see people oppose development because it might lower property values, and you’ll also see opposition because it might raise property values — and therefore property taxes — especially in a city like Philadelphia, where there’s a high rate of lower-income Black homeownership.”
— Taylor Kessinger
Ron Whyte, a lifelong Philadelphian and housing activist, sits on the back porch of the Victorian house he shares with five roommates in West Philadelphia’s Squirrel Hill. He says he was priced out of a previous apartment by “ren-o-viction” — moderate renovations followed by steep rent hikes. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“I think they call it ‘renoviction’, where they decide to renovate the building. And that's a way that they push people out is by saying, ‘Look, we have added this amenity, or we have fixed the doors, we have painted,’ or something like that. ‘And now, because we painted, we have to raise the rent by $500 a month,’ which for a lot of people living there wasn't really affordable.”
— Ron Whyte
Elk View Mobile Home Park in Mercer County, West Virginia. About 22 million Americans live in manufactured homes for their relative affordability, but residents are facing new pressures: sudden lot rent increases, often after new ownership and capital improvements. Elk View residents say the same squeeze is happening here. Photo Credit: Jessica LillyBicycles lie in a yard between manufactured homes at Elk View Mobile Home Park in Mercer County, West Virginia. Photo Credit: Jessica LillyOn a cold December day, 19-year-old Kayla Thompson and her stepfather, Eddie Woodward, pause while loading most of their belongings into a moving truck at Gardner Estates Mobile Home Community in Mercer County, West Virginia. They’re leaving after living without electricity and heat for about six weeks; they say the electrical problem took a month and a half to fix. Homes of America, LLC — which in the past year purchased five manufactured home parks in Mercer County, including Gardner Estates — now owns the property. Sandy Kinney, an attorney for the company says, “It is making substantial investments to improve these long-neglected properties, so the residents live in places they are proud to call home.” Photo Credit: Jessica LillyGary Cooper sits in his kitchen with a bag of macaroni from the food bank at Delaney Mobile Home Park in Mercer County, West Virginia. Now owned by Homes of America, his park faces rent hikes of more than 200 percent; Cooper says he wants to stay in the home he takes pride in. Photo Credit: Jessica LillyOn a bitterly cold day in late December, Matthew Bragg — lead sanitarian for the Mercer County Health Department for about seven years — conducts a rare winter inspection at Elk View Mobile Home Park in Mercer County, West Virginia. The court-ordered visit asks him to check water conditions, specifically drainage and sewage issues, and verify health and safety compliance. Photo Credit: Jessica LillyAdam Wolfe, a staff attorney with the nonprofit Mountain State Justice, joins Mercer County Health Department inspector Matthew Bragg at Elk View Mobile Home Park in Mercer County, West Virginia, to review drainage and other health-and-safety concerns. Residents had contacted the firm after receiving letters saying their lot rents would more than double in roughly 60 days. Photo Credit: Jessica Lilly
“These are people who can’t fight for themselves … who may not be sophisticated enough to know what to ask for from a billion-dollar, out-of-state corporation with tons of lawyers.”
— Adam Wolfe, Mountain State Justice
Tucker County Mystery And From Mothman To The Silver Bridge, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 21, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, a group of Tucker County residents are asking the Intermediate Court of Appeals for help learning about a proposed power plant in their community to run a data center.
And, we hear the second part of our look back at reporting from Point Pleasant columnist Mary Hyre as she went from writing about the "Mason County Monster" to the Silver Bridge collapse in a little more than 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 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Bridge Day Is On And The Kitchen Table Tour, This West Virginia Week
Oct 18, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, despite a government shutdown and the closure of national parks across the country, parks in West Virginia are staying open – for now. Also, a new book looks at the last public hanging in America. And, they’re out there, paranormal investigators talk about Paranormal Kentucky.
Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Mary Hyre's column from the time of the initial Mason County Monster sighting. Photo courtesy of The Athens Messenger
Fans of Appalachian monsters and cryptids will know Mothman. In West Virginia lore, it’s a human-sized creature with wings and red eyes that glow. It was first spotted in the 1960s. A small-town newspaper writer covered the Mothman sightings. That is, until tragedy struck the town.
WVPB News Director Eric Douglas brings us this story.
Bridge Day BASE Jumping
Every October, hundreds of BASE jumpers descend on the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. They come to leap from the 876 foot tall bridge, pull their parachutes and aim for the banks of the river below.
In 2024, high school students Dylan Neil and Noah Fox got curious about how to become a Bridge Day BASE Jumper. So, they spoke with an expert: BASE jumper Marcus Ellison.
Paranormal Kentucky Explores Ghosts, Aliens And Cryptids
There’s a chill in the air, and it’s a good time for telling spooky stories. Appalachia has a bunch of them. Some have been collected in a new book. It’s titled, Paranormal Kentucky, An Uncommon Wealth of Close Encounters with Aliens, Ghosts and Cryptids.
It was written by Marie Mitchell and Mason Smith, a pair of retired Eastern Kentucky University professors turned paranormal investigators.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with them.
The Columbus Washboard Company Makes Instruments From Past
A variety of decorative washboards on display in Columbus Washboard storefront. Photo Credit: Capri Cafaro/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Columbus Washboard Company in Logan, Ohio was founded in 1895. Back then, washboards were a necessary tool for doing the laundry each week. Today, of course, most people have a washer and dryer, or access to a laundromat. But the Columbus Washboard Company has found a way to stay open.
In 2022, Folkways Reporter Capri Cafaro visited the factory and brought us this story.
Extreme Heat Affects Seniors Living In Rural Housing
Deborah Nagy (left) and Marsha Craiger chat inside Nagy's home in Wise. Craiger administers Senior Cool Care, a state energy assistance program that serves people who are over 60 who experience poverty. Photo Credit: Katie Burke/Radio IQ, Climate Central
For 71 years, Deborah Nagy has lived on the Appalachian plateau in southwestern Virginia. She remembers hot summers spent running barefoot, and cooling off in creeks and water holes. But as she’s gotten older, she says the heat feels … well, different.
That’s actually more than a feeling. It’s a scientific reality. Seniors are acutely vulnerable to health impacts from heat — and, as pollution traps more heat, summers are becoming more intense.
Radio IQ's Katie Burke has more.
Monongahela River On The Allegheny Front
Sewage overflow into the river after rainstorms is a major threat to the health of the Mon. Photo Credit: Annie Quinn/Mon Water Project
Of Pittsburgh’s three rivers, the Monongahela, also called the Mon, is the toughest to pronounce. And it’s often underrated.
The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsapple spoke with a river advocate to better understand the Mon.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Mary Hott, Dave Odell and Dave Bing, Ron Mullennex, Blue Dot Sessions and Dinosaur Burps.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Nicole Musgrave.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Breaking Ground On An Old Strip Mine And Lessons In Racial Justice, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 16, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachian Outlaw Trails hopes to become the largest trail system for off-road vehicles and dirt bike riders in the country. Officials broke ground on the project at the site of an old strip-mine this week.
And, the nation’s last public hanging – nearly 90 years ago – may hold important lessons about race and justice that are relevant today. A new book draws a line from that dark time to modern instances of racial violence like the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Moving Ahead With Bridge Day And Mapping The Monongahela, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 15, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the deal to keep the state’s two national parks open was set to end on Friday. Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday he’s extending the deal through the end of the month – just in time for Bridge Day, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of people.
And, sophisticated technology not normally used in nature is allowing activists to map the Monongahela River – and raising hope that it will lead to more support for the troubled waterway.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The Year After Hurricane Helene, Inside Appalachia
Oct 10, 2025
It’s been a year since Hurricane Helene barreled into central Appalachia. The storm caused floods and landslides. The disaster changed the shape of rivers. It also took lives and upended entire communities, but from the beginning, the recovery brought people together.
Also, country music’s Rob McNurlin grew up with traditional music in Eastern Kentucky. His friend Marty Stuartsays he’s a folk hero.
And, we check up on Virginia rapper and producer Byron Mack.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
A home dedication for a survivor of Helene, who received a new home in Washington County through the Trails to Recovery organization. Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ
It’s been a year since Hurricane Helene hit the mountains of Appalachia. The storm brought catastrophic flooding and devastated parts of western North Carolina, east Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Our partner station RadioIQ produced a documentary about how folks recovered and rebuilt after the storm.
Roxy Todd's RadioIQ reports from southwestern Virginia.
Whitewater Raft Guides Clean Up Nolichucky River
The Nolichucky River clean up crew. (left to right) Michael Crooks, Parrish Ross, Justin Morgan, Amelia Taylor, Nick Wirick. Photo Credit: Rolando Arrieta/NPR
Erwin, Tennessee, was near the epicenter of Helene’s destruction, and it saw extensive damage along the Nolichucky River.
NPR’s Rolando Arrieta visited the area to meet with whitewater rafters and find out how the cleanup is going.
Filmmaker Tells Country Star Rob McNurlin's Story
Country musician Rob McNurlin (center) standing next to Colonel Steven Middleton (left of McNurlin). Middleton directed the documentary, From The Cowboy's Boot Heel: The Musical Journey of Rob McNurlin. Photo courtesy of Colonel Steven Middleton
For decades, Rob McNurlin has played in hole-in-the-wall bars, clubs and coffee houses throughout central Appalachia. He’s recorded songs, made videos and even hosted television programs, but was never able to break into the mainstream. After McNurlin announced plans to retire, filmmaker Colonel Steven Middleton asked if he could tell the singer’s story. He made the documentary, The Cowboy’s Boot Heel: The Musical Journey of Rob McNurlin.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Middleton.
Using Invasive Fish As Food For Injured Birds Of Prey
Somerset High School teacher Hank Gevedon demonstrates how to filet a carp. Photo Credit: Sam Dick/WEKU
Invasive carp are a nuisance in waterways across the country. The carp reproduce quickly and crowd out native species. They’re even a hazard to boaters. A southern Kentucky high school teacher and his students are using the invasive fish to feed injured raptors, like bald eagles, vultures and hawks.
Flat Five owner Byron Mack shows a trophy for an award won by one of his songs. Photo courtesy of Byron Mack
A couple years ago, Host Mason Adams reported on one of Appalachia’s most influential music recording studios. Since that story aired in the summer of 2023, Byron Mack has been through some changes.
Mason sat down with him at his home in Salem, Virginia.
Matthew Perry Foundation At Healing Appalachia Music Festival
Matthew Perry Foundation's Nick Gaines at Healing Appalachia. Photo Credit: Randy Yohe/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Healing Appalachia was held in Ashland Kentucky a few weeks ago. The three-day music festival celebrated recovery, and included performances by Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers and Molly Tuttle.
This year, Healing Appalachia worked with the Matthew Perry Foundation, which was founded shortly after the actor’s death. The organization supports groups tackling addiction in their communities.
WVPB’s Randy Yohe attended Healing Appalachia and spoke with Matthew Perry Foundation Program Director Nick Gaines.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Rob McNurlin, Larry Rader and Byron Mack.
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 also had help this week from Folkways Editor Jennifer Goren.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A Helping Hand In Mercer County And An Appalachian Singer’s Life Story, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 10, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, hundreds of low-income households in Mercer County are about to get a significant financial boost – one that organizers hope will make a difference for recipients as well as their communities.
And, a retiring Appalachian singer announced his plans – then got a call from an old friend. We bring you the story behind the story of Rob McNurlin’s life.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Flight Subsidies Up In The Air And The Rise Of Young Voters, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 09, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, federally subsidized flights to and from rural airports are expected to continue for now – even if the government shutdown forces the suspension of those subsidies.
And, Us & Them host Trey Key looks into why young people are showing up to vote in record numbers and who is helping to shape their views.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them Encore: The Fight For The Youth Vote
Oct 09, 2025
This episode first aired in 2023, focusing on the strategies to motivate young voters, and we’re sharing it again in the wake of the Sept. 10, 2025, assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. Kirk, a renowned conservative youth organizer, was shot and killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University.
Nothing divides Americans like politics — but young voters continue to matter. Us & Them host Trey Kay talks with journalist Kyle Spencer, whose book Raising Them Right traces how conservative organizers spent years building a youth movement on campuses. Spencer says the growth was strategic and well funded. Money can organize power, she notes, though it doesn’t force a single, uniform ideology on young people.
Kay also talks with Abby Kiesa of Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), who explains how youth participation has shifted in the Trump era and why a deeper problem persists: the political system still struggles to turn young people’s political interest into sustained turnout.
Revisiting this Us & Them episode in the wake of Kirk’s death offers context for how campus-based organizing — and reactions to it — have shaped youth politics today.
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.
Kyle Spencer is an award-winning journalist and frequent New York Times contributor. She has written about Christian rockers, Philadelphia murderers, Harlem parents in the age of school reform, million dollar PTA's, marijuana etiquette and gay culture among young American Catholics. In recent years, she has focused much of her attention on the ways in which race, class, and culture are impacting life inside American classrooms. Courtesy Photo
As the founder and president of Turning Point USA, the late Charlie Kirk is credited by President Donald Trump with motivating young conservatives to vote in the 2024 election. Photo Credit: Jackson Forderer/AP Photos
Candace Owens has emerged as a notable conservative pundit. Owens served as communications director for Turning Point USA, but since then has become an influential commentator and entrepreneur. Photo Credit: Gage Skidnore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgKc-2rFcRw
“Mom and Dad… I’m a Conservative” is a self produced humor video by Candace Owens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-poqjet5mY
Candace Owens responds to Congressman Ted Lieu playing a recording of her making a statement about Adolf Hitler.Abby Kiesa runs the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University. She has worked on several major research projects and evaluations while at CIRCLE, as well as on several partnerships to support growing voters for a more equitable electorate. Kiesa is well-versed in the wide range of youth civic and political engagement efforts and practice, and brings a broad view of the institutions and interventions that can make up ecosystems for civic development among all youth. Courtesy Photo
Supreme Court Investiture And Leaf Peeping From The Skies, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 06, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the newest justice on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has already been sworn in. But today that happens in a public ceremony.
And, West Virginia typically puts on a spectacular display of fall colors. We'll tell you how to view them from above the trees.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Crackdown Yields Dozens Of Arrests And Teaching Kids To Love Reading, This West Virginia Week
Oct 04, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, we look at the government shutdown and where it is likely to hit the hardest in West Virginia. Also, a law enforcement partnership yields dozens of arrests – in one particular area.
A steam locomotive built more than 70 years ago is on the move. And, an international volunteer group that began in West Virginia is working to put a book in the hands of children across America.
Maria Young is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
New Book Exposes 'America's Contempt' For Marginalized Underclass
Sarah Jones is a senior writer at New York Magazine and author of Disposable: America's Contempt for the Underclass. Photo Credit: Anna Carson DeWitt
More than one million Americans have died from COVID-19. Some groups of folks died at much higher rates than others. And those deaths tended to follow lines of race, class, age and disability. In other words, conditions that were already making life harder for some people played out during the pandemic, too.
A colorful scene of athletes, climbing gear, wheelchairs and trekking poles are scattered at the base of a cliff. Everything has a golden glow from the light beaming through the fall foliage. Ropes of various colors hang in front of the wall waiting to be used. Photo Credit: Katie Jo Myers/Adaptive Climbers Festival, 2023
The mountains of Appalachia are home to some killer rock climbing. And, in a lot of cases, its crags and cliffs are fairly easy to get to. That’s why some groups are choosing Appalachia as a climbing destination, a place to return to time and time again.
In 2023, Emily Chen-Newton reported this story about why climbing festivals are making a home in Appalachia.
West Virginians Pay For Rising Costs At Out-Of-State Coal Plants
OVEC's Kyger Creek plant, on the right, sits next to the Ohio River in Gallia County, Ohio. Photo Credit: Curtis Tate/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Electricity prices continue to rise and people aren’t happy about it. In West Virginia, Appalachian Power customers have been paying hundreds of millions of dollars in hidden costs. That money is going to buy power from two coal plants that aren’t even located in the state.
WVPB’s Curtis Tate has more.
Memes Carry On Appalachian Humor
Andi Marie Tillman depicts her character Papaw on FaceTime. Photo courtesy of Andi Marie Tillman
Humor runs deep here in Appalachia. Even online, where memes about mountain life seem to go viral all the time.
Last fall, Folkways Reporter Madeline Miller brought us this story about two artists who’ve taken holler humor to the digital realm.
Compost Drop-Off At A Farmers Market
Laura Totin Codori, the founder and CEO of Worm Return, with her dog Ginger at the East End market, wants Pittsburgh to be a “city that composts.” Photo Credit: Kathy Knauer/The Allegheny Front
Finally, apple cores, potato peels and other food waste are a big climate problem when they end up in landfills. Now, the city of Pittsburgh is giving residents a chance to save their food waste from becoming just trash. People can drop off food waste at city-run farmers markets, where it then becomes compost.
The Allegheny Front’s Isabell Kim visited the farmers market in the East Liberty neighborhood and brings us this report.
------
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Gerry Milnes, John Inghram, Tim Bing, Paul Loomis 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 Clara Haizlett.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
The National Weather Service Needs You And The Future Of Clean Energy, This West Virginia Morning
Oct 01, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, forecasting storms involves a lot more than noticing a few dark clouds and some rain drops. The National Weather Service relies on volunteers – they’re offering the training that’s needed.
And, West Virginia’s clean energy jobs have been growing – but the federal energy policy is focused heavily on fossil fuels rather than renewables. Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate takes a look at what that means for clean energy development.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
