podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

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Latest Episodes:

Improving Health Care Access In Rural Communities, This West Virginia Morning Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

Caring For The Caregivers Of Aging Adults, This West Virginia Morning Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

Protecting Appalachia’s Flexing Mussels, This West Virginia Morning Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

Community Hospital Concerns, School Choice Vouchers And A Town’s Hidden History, This West Virginia Week Jun 20, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

A white man standing at a microphone. He is outside on a patio. There are people surrounding him. — **Ohio’s Ancient Earthworks And Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene, Inside Appalachia** Jun 19, 2026
Show notes

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

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

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

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

**In This Episode:**

**Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene**

**How To Protect Amphibians Against Climate Change**

**Tornado Destroys Orchid Restoration In Southern Kentucky**

***Traveler's Guide To Ancient Ohio***

**Abandoned Gas Wells In W.Va.**

**Tennessee Town Struggles To Reopen Its Only Hospital**

**The Legacy Of Norman Jordan**

**Rising Temperatures Bring Armadillos To Kentucky**

Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene

John Phillips of Mars Hill, North Carolina performs an Appalachian ballad called “Little Maggie” at the ballad swap at Zadie’s Market in Marshall, North Carolina.
*Photo Credit: Sarah Melotte/Daily Yonder*

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

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

How To Protect Amphibians Against Climate Change

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

Tornado Destroys Orchid Restoration In Southern Kentucky

Tara Littlefield, a botanist and ecologist with the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, has been working to restore this wetland site in Mount Victory.
*Photo Credit: Lily Burris/WEKU*

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

*Traveler's Guide To Ancient Ohio*

The cover of "Traveler's Guide to Ancient Ohio" by John E. Hancock.
*Courtesy of Ohio University Press*

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

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

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Hancock about the book.

Abandoned Gas Wells In W.Va.

Dave McMahon, left, and Ted Boettner look at an abandoned natural gas well near Kanawha State Forest in Kanawha County.
*Photo Credit: Eric Douglas/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

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

WVPB’s News Director Eric Douglas visited a few.

Tennessee Town Struggles To Reopen Its Only Hospital

Local minister Benji Johnson stands outside of the shuttered Jellico Regional Hospital on Monday, March 30, 2026.
*Photo Credit: Pierce Gentry/WUOT*

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

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

The Legacy Of Norman Jordan

Students participate in a poetry workshop at the 2024 Norman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy.
*Photo Credit: Traci Phillips/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

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

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

Rising Temperatures Bring Armadillos To Kentucky

Armadillos are moving farther north to states like Kentucky and the surrounding region.
*Courtesy of Bernheim Forest and Arboretum*

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

------

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

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

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

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

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

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

A woman walking through a wetland. She is facing away. — **Ohio’s Ancient Earthworks And Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene, Inside Appalachia** Jun 19, 2026
Show notes

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

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

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

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

**In This Episode:**

**Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene**

**How To Protect Amphibians Against Climate Change**

**Tornado Destroys Orchid Restoration In Southern Kentucky**

***Traveler's Guide To Ancient Ohio***

**Abandoned Gas Wells In W.Va.**

**Tennessee Town Struggles To Reopen Its Only Hospital**

**The Legacy Of Norman Jordan**

**Rising Temperatures Bring Armadillos To Kentucky**

Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene

John Phillips of Mars Hill, North Carolina performs an Appalachian ballad called “Little Maggie” at the ballad swap at Zadie’s Market in Marshall, North Carolina.
*Photo Credit: Sarah Melotte/Daily Yonder*

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

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

How To Protect Amphibians Against Climate Change

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

Tornado Destroys Orchid Restoration In Southern Kentucky

Tara Littlefield, a botanist and ecologist with the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, has been working to restore this wetland site in Mount Victory.
*Photo Credit: Lily Burris/WEKU*

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

*Traveler's Guide To Ancient Ohio*

The cover of "Traveler's Guide to Ancient Ohio" by John E. Hancock.
*Courtesy of Ohio University Press*

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

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

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Hancock about the book.

Abandoned Gas Wells In W.Va.

Dave McMahon, left, and Ted Boettner look at an abandoned natural gas well near Kanawha State Forest in Kanawha County.
*Photo Credit: Eric Douglas/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

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

WVPB’s News Director Eric Douglas visited a few.

Tennessee Town Struggles To Reopen Its Only Hospital

Local minister Benji Johnson stands outside of the shuttered Jellico Regional Hospital on Monday, March 30, 2026.
*Photo Credit: Pierce Gentry/WUOT*

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

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

The Legacy Of Norman Jordan

Students participate in a poetry workshop at the 2024 Norman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy.
*Photo Credit: Traci Phillips/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

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

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

Rising Temperatures Bring Armadillos To Kentucky

Armadillos are moving farther north to states like Kentucky and the surrounding region.
*Courtesy of Bernheim Forest and Arboretum*

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

------

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

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

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

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

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

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

A Guidebook For Visiting Ancient Earthworks, This West Virginia Morning Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Book Charts Town’s History Through Its Homes, This West Virginia Morning Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

A Forgotten Secret Of Bourbon Aging Rediscovered, This West Virginia Morning Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

Climate Change Brings Armadillos To Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

Abandoned Gas Wells And The Unhoused Rate Declines, This West Virginia Week Jun 13, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

Learn more about West Virginia Week.