podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

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Latest Episodes:

The Changing Appalachian Farmstand, This West Virginia Morning Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, roadside farmstands with homemade jams and bread are a common sight in Appalachia. Because they’re unmanned, many of them work on the honor system: Take a carton of berries, leave some cash. But the humble farm stand is changing to keep up with an increasingly cash-free society. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch recently visited a stand in Wythe County, Virginia and has this.

Also, American Electric Power has agreed to buy one of the nation’s newest coal-fired electric plants. It also comes with permits to build a natural gas plant.

And, Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office released a statement on Monday, addressing concerns about the School Clothing Allowance program.

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

Communities Have Questions As Data Center Development Underway, This West Virginia Morning Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, data center development is a fast-growing industry, with projects popping up in seemingly every corner of the country. But that’s not been the case in West Virginia so far. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Chris Schulz reports state officials are rolling out the red carpet for the expensive and increasingly expansive projects.

Also, National Night Out will be celebrated across West Virginia on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The event began in 1970 in Philadelphia, as an effort to encourage police-community partnerships and promote neighborhood camaraderie.

And, bugs are everywhere. They’re essential to things like farming and a healthy environment, and they’re hard to ignore when you spend time outside. Working with some folks at the Natural History Museum of Utah, WPLN news editor Daniel Potter been making a podcast about bugs, including some you can’t miss this time of year: fireflies.

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

Remote Work Programs, Child Online Safety and An Appalachian Memoir, This West Virginia Week Aug 01, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Week, parents are urged to have the difficult discussions and take the necessary steps to keep their children safe from harm after a teacher and state delegate is arrested for sexual abuse. Maria Young spoke to U.S. Attorney Moore Capito about how best to protect children from predators who seem both successful and safe.

Also, a recent national story looked at Ascend West Virginia, an effort to attract remote workers. News Director Eric Douglas caught up with NPR reporter Scott Neuman to discuss the program in relation to other similar efforts and what he discovered.

We also get updates from flood recovery efforts, one power plant expands while another files for bankruptcy, and the state records its first case of measles in two years.

Finally, from this week’s Inside Appalachia, Mason Adams speaks with writer Emilee Hackney about her new book All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir. It explores the tension between loving her home in Tazwell, Virginia, while also feeling stifled there, and what happened when she left.

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

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

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

A black-and-white portrait photo of a woman. She is wearing a black shirt and looking off into the distance. — **All That’s Unseen, Inside Appalachia** Jul 31, 2026
Show notes

A new memoir explores the struggle to stay in Appalachia and the struggle to leave.

Also, an exhibit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, documents the contributions of the Catawba Nation to the American Revolutionary War.

And, grab some sunscreen as we make a visit to the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio.

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

**In This Episode:**

**All That's Unseen**

**Remembering Russell Yann**

**Appalachian Researchers Work To Save Rare Giant Salamander**

**Museum Highlights Catawba Nation Involvement In Revolutionary War**

**Designing Dignity With Home Care**

**Spotted Lanternfly Threatens Agriculture**

**Connie Jordan Green On Poetry And Growing Up In Oak Ridge**

**A Postcard From Nelsonville Music Festival**

*All That's Unseen*

Emilee Hackney, author of *All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir*.
*Courtesy*

Virginia writer Emilee Hackney has a complicated relationship with her home. She loves the place where she’s from, in Tazewell County — her friends, family, the swimming holes and mountains and wild places — but she also felt stifled. Her new memoir *All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir* explores this tension and her experience when she did leave.

Host Mason Adams spoke with Hackney about the book.

Remembering Russell Yann

Russell Yann, the former owner of Yann’s hotdogs in Fairmont, West Virginia.
*Courtesy of Marion County Convention and Visitors Bureau*

Appalachia loves its hotdogs. You can sometimes even clock where someone is from, based on how they eat their dogs — whether they get them with sauce, chili or coleslaw. Sometimes even how they’re cooked.

In 2021, Folkways Reporter and noted hotdog afficionado Zack Harold filed this story about Yann’s hotdogs in Fairmont, West Virginia, following the passing of its owner, Russell Yann.

Appalachian Researchers Work To Save Rare Giant Salamander

The red parts behind the baby hellbenders heads are their gils, which will get absorbed in the next few months.
*Photo Credit: Jared Kunish/WKU Public Radio*

This year, the Eastern Hellbender became Kentucky’s first-ever state amphibian. The mammoth salamander was once abundant along Appalachia’s waterways, but it’s struggled to maintain healthy populations amid climate change and human activity. In 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the animal as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

WKYU's Hope Heffley has more on conservationists’ efforts to preserve the hellbender.

Museum Highlights Catawba Nation Involvement In Revolutionary War

A display of weapons similar to those used by Catawba warriors during the Revolutionary War.
*Photo Credit: Marshall Terry/WFAE*

With the nation’s 250^th birthday, there’s been a lot of remembrance of the War for Independence. Including the battles that took place in the South, in multiple states that make up Appalachia. In Kings Mountain, North Carolina, an exhibit highlights the role of the Catawba Nation in the Revolutionary War. The tribal group lived in the Charlotte area and supported the colonial army at almost every major battle and skirmish that took place in the South.

WFAE’s Marshall Terry reports.

Designing Dignity With Home Care

Home care physicians and care managers coordinate plans through instant message apps.
*Photo Credit: Kiley Koscinski/WESA*

As with other Appalachian states, Pennsylvania’s population is getting older. This will likely create new healthcare challenges. In the series "Designing Dignity," WESA’s Kiley Koscinski visited Japan, a country with an aging population, to learn how it’s preparing.

This week, Koscinski explores chronic care, a major driver of healthcare spending. Japan has tried to reduce hospitalizations by providing care in the patient’s home, but a workforce shortage could threaten the program’s success.

Spotted Lanternfly Threatens Agriculture

Spotted lanternflies can feed on more than 70 species of plants, including hardwood and fruit trees.
*Courtesy of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture*

With its distinctive Dalmatian pattern and splash of red, the spotted lanternfly stands out as a threat to dozens of plants. The insect is well on its way to becoming one of the worst pests American agriculture has ever seen, with the potential to cause millions, perhaps billions of dollars in losses to crops.

WVPB’s Chris Schulz spoke with WVU Extension entomologist Carlos Quesada to learn more about the insect and how to stop its spread.

Connie Jordan Green On Poetry And Growing Up In Oak Ridge

Connie Jordan Green, author of *Nameless as the Minnows*.
*Courtesy of Connie Jordan Green*

For more than 50 years, east Tennessee’s Connie Jordan Green has written everything from young adult novels to a long running newspaper column about gardening. Her poetry explores the natural world, living on a farm and growing up in a secret Tennessee city built during World War II.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Green about her childhood and her latest collection of poetry, *Nameless as the Minnows*.

A Postcard From Nelsonville Music Festival

This summer, the Nelsonville Music Festival in Southeast Ohio celebrated its 20th anniversary. The festival has functioned as a showcase, especially for bands from Ohio, the Ohio River Valley and greater Appalachia. This year’s lineup included performances from Wednesday, Geese, S.G. Goodman and others.

Associate Producer Abby Neff went to the festival.

--

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Blue Dot Sessions, Flatt and Scruggs, Tim Bing, Paul Loomis, John Inghram and Mary Hott and Hello June.

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

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

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

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

A photo of an older white man making hotdogs. — **All That’s Unseen, Inside Appalachia** Jul 31, 2026
Show notes

A new memoir explores the struggle to stay in Appalachia and the struggle to leave.

Also, an exhibit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, documents the contributions of the Catawba Nation to the American Revolutionary War.

And, grab some sunscreen as we make a visit to the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio.

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

**In This Episode:**

**All That's Unseen**

**Remembering Russell Yann**

**Appalachian Researchers Work To Save Rare Giant Salamander**

**Museum Highlights Catawba Nation Involvement In Revolutionary War**

**Designing Dignity With Home Care**

**Spotted Lanternfly Threatens Agriculture**

**Connie Jordan Green On Poetry And Growing Up In Oak Ridge**

**A Postcard From Nelsonville Music Festival**

*All That's Unseen*

Emilee Hackney, author of *All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir*.
*Courtesy*

Virginia writer Emilee Hackney has a complicated relationship with her home. She loves the place where she’s from, in Tazewell County — her friends, family, the swimming holes and mountains and wild places — but she also felt stifled. Her new memoir *All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir* explores this tension and her experience when she did leave.

Host Mason Adams spoke with Hackney about the book.

Remembering Russell Yann

Russell Yann, the former owner of Yann’s hotdogs in Fairmont, West Virginia.
*Courtesy of Marion County Convention and Visitors Bureau*

Appalachia loves its hotdogs. You can sometimes even clock where someone is from, based on how they eat their dogs — whether they get them with sauce, chili or coleslaw. Sometimes even how they’re cooked.

In 2021, Folkways Reporter and noted hotdog afficionado Zack Harold filed this story about Yann’s hotdogs in Fairmont, West Virginia, following the passing of its owner, Russell Yann.

Appalachian Researchers Work To Save Rare Giant Salamander

The red parts behind the baby hellbenders heads are their gils, which will get absorbed in the next few months.
*Photo Credit: Jared Kunish/WKU Public Radio*

This year, the Eastern Hellbender became Kentucky’s first-ever state amphibian. The mammoth salamander was once abundant along Appalachia’s waterways, but it’s struggled to maintain healthy populations amid climate change and human activity. In 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the animal as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

WKYU's Hope Heffley has more on conservationists’ efforts to preserve the hellbender.

Museum Highlights Catawba Nation Involvement In Revolutionary War

A display of weapons similar to those used by Catawba warriors during the Revolutionary War.
*Photo Credit: Marshall Terry/WFAE*

With the nation’s 250^th birthday, there’s been a lot of remembrance of the War for Independence. Including the battles that took place in the South, in multiple states that make up Appalachia. In Kings Mountain, North Carolina, an exhibit highlights the role of the Catawba Nation in the Revolutionary War. The tribal group lived in the Charlotte area and supported the colonial army at almost every major battle and skirmish that took place in the South.

WFAE’s Marshall Terry reports.

Designing Dignity With Home Care

Home care physicians and care managers coordinate plans through instant message apps.
*Photo Credit: Kiley Koscinski/WESA*

As with other Appalachian states, Pennsylvania’s population is getting older. This will likely create new healthcare challenges. In the series "Designing Dignity," WESA’s Kiley Koscinski visited Japan, a country with an aging population, to learn how it’s preparing.

This week, Koscinski explores chronic care, a major driver of healthcare spending. Japan has tried to reduce hospitalizations by providing care in the patient’s home, but a workforce shortage could threaten the program’s success.

Spotted Lanternfly Threatens Agriculture

Spotted lanternflies can feed on more than 70 species of plants, including hardwood and fruit trees.
*Courtesy of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture*

With its distinctive Dalmatian pattern and splash of red, the spotted lanternfly stands out as a threat to dozens of plants. The insect is well on its way to becoming one of the worst pests American agriculture has ever seen, with the potential to cause millions, perhaps billions of dollars in losses to crops.

WVPB’s Chris Schulz spoke with WVU Extension entomologist Carlos Quesada to learn more about the insect and how to stop its spread.

Connie Jordan Green On Poetry And Growing Up In Oak Ridge

Connie Jordan Green, author of *Nameless as the Minnows*.
*Courtesy of Connie Jordan Green*

For more than 50 years, east Tennessee’s Connie Jordan Green has written everything from young adult novels to a long running newspaper column about gardening. Her poetry explores the natural world, living on a farm and growing up in a secret Tennessee city built during World War II.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Green about her childhood and her latest collection of poetry, *Nameless as the Minnows*.

A Postcard From Nelsonville Music Festival

This summer, the Nelsonville Music Festival in Southeast Ohio celebrated its 20th anniversary. The festival has functioned as a showcase, especially for bands from Ohio, the Ohio River Valley and greater Appalachia. This year’s lineup included performances from Wednesday, Geese, S.G. Goodman and others.

Associate Producer Abby Neff went to the festival.

--

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Blue Dot Sessions, Flatt and Scruggs, Tim Bing, Paul Loomis, John Inghram and Mary Hott and Hello June.

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

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

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

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

Writer’s Memoir Explores Complicated Relationship With Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, writer Emilee Hackney has a complicated relationship with where she grew up. She loved her friends, family, the swimming holes and wild places in Tazewell County, Virginia, but she felt stifled. Her new memoir, All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir, explores this tension and what happened when she did leave.

Also, once a candidate has been placed on the ballot for the general election, there are only certain reasons they can be removed, but state election officials have been asked to try.

And, the West Virginia Department of Health (WVDOH) has confirmed the state’s first case of measles in more than two years.

Finally, the state’s overall unemployment rate is tied with the national average at 4.2%, but some counties in the state are much higher or lower.

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

A Look At The State’s Successful Relocation Program, This West Virginia Morning Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, a recent national story identified West Virginia’s Ascend program as being highly successful, even though the numbers are relatively small. News Director Eric Douglas caught up with NPR reporter Scott Neuman to discuss the program in relation to other similar efforts and what he discovered.

Also, applications for West Virginia’s School Clothing Allowance program opened later than usual this year – and closed earlier than expected.

And, transferring knowledge from master to apprentice is one of the oldest ways of handing down traditions, but applications are open for a program to support that relationship.

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

Steps To Protect Our Kids From Harm, This West Virginia Morning Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, the criminal charges against teacher and now-former delegate Elliott Pritt shocked many of his colleagues – and alarmed parents in West Virginia who wonder how best to protect their children from predators who seem both successful and safe. Moore Capito, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, whose office is prosecuting the case, talked with Assistant News Director Maria Young about what specific steps parents can take to keep their children from harm.

Also, the owner of a coal-fired power plant north of Parkersburg has filed for bankruptcy.

And, a new natural gas-powered power plant is coming to the region, according to a press release from Gov. Patrick Morrisey.

Finally, the city of Wheeling broke ground Tuesday on a project that’s expected to breathe new life into the downtown area.

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

Reimagining Traditional Appalachian Ballads, This West Virginia Morning Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, traditional Appalachian ballads have found new life in the form of an audio drama podcast produced by the Appalachia Book Company. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Andrew Henderson brings us a reimagined story of a traditional railroad disaster ballad.

Also, a state delegate accused of enticing a minor has officially resigned from the House of Delegates.

And, over the weekend Gov. Patrick Morrisey formally requested that President Donald Trump issue an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for West Virginia following the severe storms and flash flooding that struck the state last week.

Meanwhile, across north central West Virginia, cleanup efforts continue – with the help of scores of volunteers.

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

How AI May Help Predict Tornadoes, This West Virginia Morning Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Morning, tornadoes are notoriously unpredictable, making forecasting nearly impossible. But now, artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to improve forecast models. We listen to the latest story from The Allegheny Front, a public media program based in Pittsburgh, that reports on environmental issues in the region.

Also, Del. David Elliott Pritt, R-Fayette, who was charged last week with enticing a minor, has a preliminary hearing Monday before U.S. District Judge Frank Volk in Charleston.

And, several hundred West Virginia National Guard members remain on hand in the north central part of the state, where Pleasants, Upshur and Lewis counties were among the hardest hit areas in last week’s severe weather.

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

Fatal Floods, Criminal Charges Against A Delegate And The 2026 National Scouting Jamboree, This West Virginia Week Jul 26, 2026

Show notes

On this West Virginia Week, torrential rains flood the north-central part of the state – damaging homes, businesses and bridges – and claiming the lives of two people.

A West Virginia delegate who is also a school teacher is facing criminal charges involving a student – and calls for his resignation. And – health officials are working hard to keep the number of cyclosporiasis cases in the state from growing.

West Virginia also welcome more than 10,000 scouts for ten days filled with the kinds of adventures Almost Heaven is known for.

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.