podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

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Latest Episodes:

Singer, Mountain Stage Host Kathy Mattea Remembers Dolly Parton, This West Virginia Morning Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, we remember Dolly Parton, not just as a musician and celebrity, but as a voice for Appalachian humor, resilience and kindness. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Mountain Stage host and country star Kathy Mattea, who shares some of her memories.

Also, a second data center is coming to Mason County, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Thursday.

And, Justice William “Bill” Wooton has been released from a hospital following a medical incident Wednesday morning in the midst of oral arguments at the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

Finally, the U.S. Department of Justice is offering free training and prevention resources to help schools and youth groups keep children safe online.

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

Understanding How Heat Affects The Body, This West Virginia Morning Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, NPR recently released a story showing that heat-related deaths in the United States have likely been undercounted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks deaths, but it isn’t always easy to attribute a death to heat. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Brian Leary, assistant professor and director of tactical performance physiology with the WVU School of Medicine Division of Exercise Physiology, to discuss what heat does to the body and what it means in West Virginia.

Also, Justice William "Bill" Wooton experienced what was described as a medical incident Wednesday morning during oral arguments at the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

And, a new analysis from the state treasurer's office hopes to dispel confusion around potential tax revenue from data centers.

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

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

Maria Young produced this episode.

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

Dealing With The Hottest Days, This West Virginia Morning Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, every week, the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom’s Bill Burton and meteorologist Tawana Andrew break down what we know - and what we don't - about the climate and weather in the region. This week, we're talking about when different areas of the country have their hottest days.

Also, education leaders, families and community members are calling on lawmakers to take immediate action on school funding.

And, a memorial that honors a West Virginia hero and generations of soldiers who bravely served with him is one step closer to reality.

Finally, state tax collections for August came in higher than expected, but the pace is expected to cool as the most recently passed personal income tax cuts are fully implemented.

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

What To Expect At A National Save A Life Day Booth, This West Virginia Morning Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, National Save A Life day began in West Virginia, but organizers say some people are reluctant to pick up the free, easy-to-use naloxone kits that could someday help someone in need due to stigma. Maria Young caught up with Caroline Wilson, the National Save A Life Day coordinator, to find out what to expect if you stop by one of the dozens of booths planned across the state later this month.

Also community and conservation groups are asking West Virginia courts to make sure their challenges to an air permit are properly reviewed, and a second climber dies near Seneca Rocks.

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

Unchecked Data Center Noise Pollution, This West Virginia Morning Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, noise pollution has reached dangerous levels for residents living near the Memphis-Mississippi border. That’s the home of Elon Musk’s X-AI data center campus that runs Grok, the AI chatbot for the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WPLN’s Caroline Eggers reports on what’s becoming an emerging model of data center – and unchecked noise pollution.

Also, SNAP recipients in four West Virginia counties are now able to purchase hot foods using their SNAP benefits through Sept. 26.

And, 54 low-security inmates at the Ohio County Correctional Center in Wheeling are in the process of being moved to other facilities so the jail there can close.

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

Data Center Client Revealed And Flock Cameras See Resistance, This West Virginia Week Aug 29, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Week, a client for a big data center is revealed, flock cameras see resistance and social media settles in court.

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.

Remembering Dolly Parton’s Appalachian Roots, This West Virginia Morning Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, we lost the beloved Dolly Parton this week. The Tennessee native was an American music icon, an actress and a philanthropist. She was also, undeniably, Appalachian.

To mark her passing, Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Ted Olson, a country music historian at East Tennessee State University’s Department for Appalachian Studies.

And South Charleston High School's varsity football team took to the field for the first game of the season Thursday night wearing new, safer helmets that are showing up on football fields across the state.

Also, a West Virginia whistleblower alleges federal funds for HIV treatment are being misused, and some of the best whitewater in the country is coming to West Virginia in a few short weeks.

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 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 The Youth Are Disconnected, This West Virginia Morning Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, Hollywood may have coined the term 'failure to launch,' but it's showing up in young adults in West Virginia – for a troubling reason. There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not working or going to school, there’s a name for it - disconnected youth. About 12% of West Virginia’s young people from 16 to 24 fall into that category. And while the rate has dropped, it’s still a challenge.

In the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay works with co-producer Kyle Vass to learn why the state has such a high number. Vass talks with psychologist Colleen Moran about what prevents some people from moving ahead.

A national settlement with the makers of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram means not only big money for West Virginia, but changes to the sites themselves.

Also Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of West Virginia has received tremendous response to the passing of the country music superstar and the moon puts on a celestial show tonight.

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 woman looks toward the camera, not smiling. She has light red hair and wears earrings. She has a gray cardigan on over a white shirt. She is outside. — **Us & Them Encore: Disconnected Youth** Aug 27, 2026
Show notes

There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, working or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are ‘disconnected youth,’ and while West Virginia’s rate has dropped in recent years, it’s still one of the highest in the nation.

Just under 12%, or 24,000, young people are in this category, and they can be tough to track down because there’s a stigma attached to this status. However, some programs are trying to bridge the gap - to connect with young people and help them train for a job and a career.

On this *Us & Them* episode, we’ll find out why some young people get stuck and the things Mountain State leaders say could help this next generation.

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, YouTube Music, Spotify, the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

**Michelle Phares**, formerly director of YouthBuild in Elkins, West Virginia, worked with young people ages 16 to 24 who had become disconnected from school or work. Ferris left YouthBuild in April 2023 and now serves as deputy director of the Beverly Historic Center.
*Photo courtesy of Michelle Phares*

“A lot of them have not had basic needs met for a while. They haven't been able to get to the dentist, they haven't been to a doctor, they need to get eyeglasses, they don't have a driver's license, they can't find their Social Security card or their birth certificate. So, we walk through those things to get them to a stable place, where they then feel comfortable to even be in a classroom and start thinking about their education, start getting marketable job skills.”

— **Michelle Ferris**

**Sharelle Harmon** poses with her children, **Nehemiah Harmon**, **Jaidyn Harmon** and **Saniah Spady**, after graduating from West Virginia University in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and political science. Harmon, a 2015 graduate of YouthBuild North Central in Elkins, W.Va., credits YouthBuild and AmeriCorps with helping her rebuild her life and pursue higher education.
*Photo courtesy of The Inter-Mountain*

**Dayton Eisenhart** and fellow YouthBuild crew members show furniture they constructed through the Elkins, West Virginia, program. Eisenhart was in his final year at YouthBuild when *Us & Them* visited in 2021, learning construction skills while working toward a path into the workforce.
*Photo Credit: Michelle Phares*

**Sarah Armstrong Tucker**, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Community and Technical College System, spoke with *Us & Them* about efforts to connect more young West Virginians with education, career training and the workforce.
*Photo courtesy of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission*

“I generally don't like to characterize people in a negative connotation, and ‘disconnected youth’ seems to me to be a negative connotation. I'm sure that those students are connected to something. It's our job to figure out what they're connected to, to tap into that and to get them to connect to other things.”

— **Sarah Armstrong Tucker**, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Community and Technical College System

**John Prentice** was a therapist with First Steps, a Huntington, West Virginia, day program serving young people experiencing homelessness, when *Us & Them* interviewed him in 2021. Prentice is now a psychologist with Valley Health Systems in Huntington, where he provides behavioral health and recovery services.
*Photo courtesy of Valley Health Systems*

“I grew up in Elkins, West Virginia, in a fairly lower, middle class family who had periods of some pretty acute poverty. And as a queer teenager trying to figure out, ‘OK, what comes next out of this tiny town?’ there was a lot of, ‘Where do I go? Where do I look? How do I get connected?’ And if it wasn’t for the social connections that I was fortunate enough to have, there is no way that a lot of this stuff would have happened. … Unless I had people who were like, ‘Oh, here’s how to do this,’ there’s no way I would have gotten the drive to go to college or the push to keep going further.”

— **John Prentice**

**Colleen Moran**, a licensed psychologist in Charleston, West Virginia, specializes in working with children and young adults. In the 2021 *Us & Them* episode, Moran discussed depression, trauma and “learned helplessness” as factors that can leave some young people feeling stuck or disconnected from school and work.
*Photo Credit: Kyle Vass*

“You don't fix anything. You provide skills. You teach abilities. You support. You encourage. You guide. We don't ‘fix’ because these people aren't broken. They have been through some horrendous experiences, or they have chemical imbalances, or they are in bad situations. They are not broken. They just need help, support and skills.”

— **Colleen Moran**

A family of four. One adult woman and three children. They are dressed as if they are attending a graduation. They are standing outside. — **Us & Them Encore: Disconnected Youth** Aug 27, 2026
Show notes

There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, working or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are ‘disconnected youth,’ and while West Virginia’s rate has dropped in recent years, it’s still one of the highest in the nation.

Just under 12%, or 24,000, young people are in this category, and they can be tough to track down because there’s a stigma attached to this status. However, some programs are trying to bridge the gap - to connect with young people and help them train for a job and a career.

On this *Us & Them* episode, we’ll find out why some young people get stuck and the things Mountain State leaders say could help this next generation.

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, YouTube Music, Spotify, the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

**Michelle Phares**, formerly director of YouthBuild in Elkins, West Virginia, worked with young people ages 16 to 24 who had become disconnected from school or work. Ferris left YouthBuild in April 2023 and now serves as deputy director of the Beverly Historic Center.
*Photo courtesy of Michelle Phares*

“A lot of them have not had basic needs met for a while. They haven't been able to get to the dentist, they haven't been to a doctor, they need to get eyeglasses, they don't have a driver's license, they can't find their Social Security card or their birth certificate. So, we walk through those things to get them to a stable place, where they then feel comfortable to even be in a classroom and start thinking about their education, start getting marketable job skills.”

— **Michelle Ferris**

**Sharelle Harmon** poses with her children, **Nehemiah Harmon**, **Jaidyn Harmon** and **Saniah Spady**, after graduating from West Virginia University in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and political science. Harmon, a 2015 graduate of YouthBuild North Central in Elkins, W.Va., credits YouthBuild and AmeriCorps with helping her rebuild her life and pursue higher education.
*Photo courtesy of The Inter-Mountain*

**Dayton Eisenhart** and fellow YouthBuild crew members show furniture they constructed through the Elkins, West Virginia, program. Eisenhart was in his final year at YouthBuild when *Us & Them* visited in 2021, learning construction skills while working toward a path into the workforce.
*Photo Credit: Michelle Phares*

**Sarah Armstrong Tucker**, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Community and Technical College System, spoke with *Us & Them* about efforts to connect more young West Virginians with education, career training and the workforce.
*Photo courtesy of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission*

“I generally don't like to characterize people in a negative connotation, and ‘disconnected youth’ seems to me to be a negative connotation. I'm sure that those students are connected to something. It's our job to figure out what they're connected to, to tap into that and to get them to connect to other things.”

— **Sarah Armstrong Tucker**, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Community and Technical College System

**John Prentice** was a therapist with First Steps, a Huntington, West Virginia, day program serving young people experiencing homelessness, when *Us & Them* interviewed him in 2021. Prentice is now a psychologist with Valley Health Systems in Huntington, where he provides behavioral health and recovery services.
*Photo courtesy of Valley Health Systems*

“I grew up in Elkins, West Virginia, in a fairly lower, middle class family who had periods of some pretty acute poverty. And as a queer teenager trying to figure out, ‘OK, what comes next out of this tiny town?’ there was a lot of, ‘Where do I go? Where do I look? How do I get connected?’ And if it wasn’t for the social connections that I was fortunate enough to have, there is no way that a lot of this stuff would have happened. … Unless I had people who were like, ‘Oh, here’s how to do this,’ there’s no way I would have gotten the drive to go to college or the push to keep going further.”

— **John Prentice**

**Colleen Moran**, a licensed psychologist in Charleston, West Virginia, specializes in working with children and young adults. In the 2021 *Us & Them* episode, Moran discussed depression, trauma and “learned helplessness” as factors that can leave some young people feeling stuck or disconnected from school and work.
*Photo Credit: Kyle Vass*

“You don't fix anything. You provide skills. You teach abilities. You support. You encourage. You guide. We don't ‘fix’ because these people aren't broken. They have been through some horrendous experiences, or they have chemical imbalances, or they are in bad situations. They are not broken. They just need help, support and skills.”

— **Colleen Moran**

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library In W.Va., This West Virginia Morning Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, singer, actress and icon Dolly Parton visited West Virginia in 2022 to celebrate the state’s full participation in her Imagination Library, an early childhood literacy program she started in honor of her father in 1995. Dolly Parton died Tuesday after a brief illness. We listen to a clip from an interview she did with then WVPB Executive Producer Suzanne Higgins. Watch the full interview here.

Also, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has announced the replacement for a state delegate who recently resigned.

And, National Save A Life Day is less than a month away, but there's still time for you or your organization to get involved.

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

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