Flood Recovery Efforts And Protesting Possible Medicaid Cuts, This West Virginia Week
Jun 21, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, we have the latest on devastating floods to hit two counties in the northern part of the state. We’ll also talk about West Virginians' efforts to halt Medicaid cuts.
Also, we learn about reviving Black coal camps in McDowell County — through farming. And, Juneteenth celebrations across the state — some hope to see change in future years.
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, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Buncombe medical examiners shared their list of morgue concerns with Mission executives and the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) as far back as January 2021, according to emails obtained by Asheville Watchdog. Photo by Starr Sariego; photo illustration by Andrew R. Jones
People in rural areas across the U.S. are struggling to access health care. Hospitals are closing at alarming rates. Some that stay open offer reduced services. Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina serves both the city and the surrounding counties. In recent years, it’s come under scrutiny and has been investigated by the federal government. Andrew Jones has been covering Mission Hospital for the Asheville Watchdog.
Immersion Academy Preserves Cherokee Language
The New Kituwah Academy is a Cherokee language immersion program, created to revitalize the language by teaching a new generation of speakers. Photo Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder
In Western North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is working to preserve their language. To help revitalize their dialect, community leaders opened the New Kituwah Academy in 2005. It’s a language immersion school for elementary students. The school partnered with a printmaking instructor at Western Carolina University to create materials to help students learn.
For the Rural Remix podcast from the Center for Rural Strategies, Reporter Anya Petrone Slepyan has this story.
Ski Resort Becomes Education Center For Elementary Schoolers
All second graders in Pocahontas County public schools learn to ski through a partnership with Nature's Mountain Classroom. Courtesy of Tracey Valach/Nature’s Mountain Classroom
West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort is one of Appalachia’s premier destinations for winter sports. But while tourists flock to the resort each year, it’s had problems attracting locals. Until a local woman came up with an idea for how to change that.
WVPB’s Maria Young has more.
Turning Cicadas Into Art
In plastic soup containers, artist Diego Miró-Rivera collects thousands of cicada shells in Kentucky that will become part of artwork. Photo Credit: Justin Hicks/Louisville Public Media
Across Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, Brood XIV cicadas have emerged and covered the region in their loud drone. Although some folks are annoyed by cicadas, others find profound meaning.
Louisville Public Media’s Justin Hicks has more.
What To Do “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 North Carolina resident Clint Bowman couldn’t find the writing group he needed, he formed the Dark City Poets Society in Black Mountain. Bowman has used the group to develop his poetry, some of which explores people and their connection to nature.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bowman last fall about his collection, If Lost.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, John Inghram, John Blissard, 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.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Reviving Black Coal Camps And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 19, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we learn about a McDowell County resident's efforts to restore a historically Black coal camp through farming. The coal industry was booming in the early 20th century, but the decline of coal meant Black coal camps began to dwindle, too. Tiara Brown reports.
Plus, this week's encore broadcast of Mountain Stage features a performance from singer, songwriter, poet and Grammy Award winner Carrie Newcomer. Our Song of the Week is her Mountain Stage rendition of “Take More Time, Cover Less Ground” from her 2023 album “A Great Wild Mercy.”
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.
Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Retracing The Trail Of Tears And Summertime Stargazing, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 17, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, a group of bicyclists from the Cherokee Nation have spent the last four decades taking an annual ride spanning nearly 1,000 miles, from New Echota, Georgia to Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Between 1830 and 1850, the United States government forcibly displaced roughly 60,000 Native Americans along this route — an arduous journey that claimed thousands of lives.
The present-day bike ride retraces the northern route of the Trail of Tears, with participants honoring the ancestors forcibly removed from their homelands. WPLN's Cynthia Adams caught up with the group on the fifth leg of their journey, and brings us this report from the heart of Tennessee.
Also in this episode, we have new stargazing tips from radio and television program Almost Heavens. Shannon Silverman, an astrophysicist at the Clay Center in Charleston, guides us through the cosmos above the mountains of West Virginia, and tells us what you can see with the naked eye in the summer sky.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Tucker County Microgrid Opposition And Shape Note Singing, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 16, 2025
Energy microgrids have been touted as an economic boon for West Virginia. But as Chris Schulz reports, a grassroots organization in Tucker County is coalescing in opposition to one of the first such developments in the state.
Plus, people who perform a traditional style of American music called “shape note singing” are publishing a new edition of music and planning a gathering to celebrate and, of course, sing. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Justin Hicks reports that singers are excited for this once-in-a-generation event.
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.
Chris Schulz produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Clean Energy Tax Credits, Gambling Addiction Recovery And A New Theater Production, This West Virginia Week
Jun 14, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, Congress may soon eliminate tax credits for clean energy projects, which would place hundreds of millions of dollars in investments in West Virginia at risk. We hear from a former state official who opposes the proposed legislation.
In this episode, we’ll also dive deeper into our discussion on problem gambling in the state, and hear about the path to recovery from gambling addiction, and learn about a new play regarding immigration and identity in West Virginia.
Jack Walker is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Saving A Black Coal Camp And Affrilachian Poets, Inside Appalachia
Jun 13, 2025
A West Virginia man is reviving an historic Black coal camp through farming.
Also, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.
And, the Reverend George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia, was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered during Juneteenth through his poetry.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Photos from the Black coal camp in Berwind, W.Va. Courtesy of Black by God, the West Virginian
In the early 20th century, the coal industry was booming in Appalachia. That made the region a destination for Black migrants from the Deep South, who were moving northward in search of new jobs. Black communities thrived in Appalachia during the boom. But as coal employment declined, Black coal camps began to dwindle.
Now, a West Virginia man is reviving one of those coal camps — through farming.
Load in Nine Times, by Frank X Walker. Courtesy Photo
The word “Affrilachia” was coined by Kentucky poet Frank X Walker in 1991. That’s when he co-founded the Affrilachian Poets Collective to challenge the idea that Appalachian identity is defined by whiteness. Walker says the word Affrilachia, “spoke to the union of Appalachian identity and the region’s African American culture and history.”
He’s published several collections of poetry. Last fall, Host Mason Adams spoke with Walker about his latest, Load in Nine Times.
Affrilachian Poet Norman Jordan's Summer Camp
Students interact during the poetry workshop. 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. Traci brought us this story.
Hip-Hop History In W.Va.
Shelem at his home studio in Charleston, West Virginia, demonstrating his workflow and organization. Photo Credit: Vanessa Peña/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
In 2023, communities all around the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, marking a summer day in 1973 when DJ Kool Herc used two turntables to extend a funky drum break. Over the past half century, hip-hop has gone from a marginalized art form to a mainstream powerhouse. It developed in major metropolitan centers like New York, Los Angeles and the Dirty South.
But hip-hop has taken root in Appalachia, too, and it thrives in places like Charleston, West Virginia.
Last year, Folkways Reporter Vanessa Peña had this story.
Generations Of Black Poets Live On Through Tazwell, Virginia Family
Rev. George Mills Dickerson, center, surrounded by his sons, many of whom moved away to pursue higher education. Courtesy of Jeanette Wilson
Poetry is a tradition in Jeanette Wilson’s family. They’ve recited the poems of Wilson’s grandfather and her uncle George for nearly 100 years. Now, these poems about African American life in southwestern Virginia are read during the Juneteenth celebration in Tazewell, Virginia — where they reach a wider audience and connect the past to the present.
In 2023, Folkways Reporter Connie Kitts brought us the story.
Torli Bush’s Book, Requiem for a Redbird
Torli Bush. Courtesy Photo
We’ve highlighted several of today's Black Appalachian poets. One of the region’s emerging voices is Torli Bush, who grew up in Webster Springs, West Virginia. He developed his work, in part, through poetry slams in Pittsburgh.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bush about his book, Requiem For a Redbird.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., Carpenter Ants, Tim Bing, Bob Thompson 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 Editors Nicole Musgrave, Jennifer Goren and Clara Haizlett.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A W.Va. Immigration Story Told On Stage And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 13, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) returns to the campus of Shepherd University next month, bringing actors and creatives from across the country together to premiere five new productions.
Featured among them is the festival’s first play written by a West Virginian. Jack Walker caught up with Marion County native Cody LeRoy Wilson about the production — plus his journey from rural West Virginia to the world of theater.
Thorn is a Mississippi native who started off as a professional boxer, turning to songwriting in the 1990s. He has been a guest on Mountain Stage over 10 times and continues to win us all over with his poignant and often hilarious songs and storytelling.
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.
Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them Encore: The Geography of Abortion
Jun 12, 2025
State borders are the new front lines in the nation’s abortion battle. On this encore episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at the evolving geography of abortion.
Since a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned federal abortion rights, 21 states have either banned or restricted abortion access, including West Virginia. Meanwhile, West Virginia’s neighbor, Maryland, is one of 22 states that are protecting abortion rights and expanding access.
Kay follows the decision of Women’s Health Center of West Virginia to move its abortion services from Charleston to a new clinic just over the border near Cumberland, Maryland. The move was intentional because Western Maryland, like West Virginia, is a so-called abortion desert. The two regions have some deep political and cultural similarities. Western Maryland Republicans say they feel ignored by the overwhelmingly liberal, Democratic legislature in Annapolis. They say the new abortion clinic is not wanted or needed in their part of Maryland, and they blame the clinic’s presence on the fallout from Roe v. Wade’s defeat.
This Us & Them episode was recently honored by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters as Best Podcast of 2024.
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.
Katie Quiñonez stood in the waiting room of the Women’s Health Center of Maryland, located about 10 miles south of Cumberland, Maryland. Quiñonez is executive director of this health center. She is also the executive director of the Women’s Health Center of West Virginia, which is located in Charleston and was West Virginia’s only abortion clinic until that state banned abortion in September 2022. The West Virginia center still provides reproductive health services, but in the summer of 2023, the Women’s Health Center relocated its abortion services to the Maryland clinic which is less than two miles from the West Virginia border. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingSubsequent to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling in June 2022, Gov. Jim Justice signed a measure into law that banned abortions in West Virginia, with limited exceptions. Justice called the signed bill the “protect life” law. The law bans abortions in West Virginia except in cases when the mother’s life is in danger, or instances of rape and incest that are reported to law enforcement in a timely manner. Any abortion must be performed in a hospital within eight weeks for adults and 14 weeks for minors. “I believe wholeheartedly that it does one thing that is absolutely so important. It does protect life.” — West Virginia Gov. Jim JusticeAbortion access in the U.S. varied widely even during the Roe v. Wade era. Some states had lots of clinics, others had just a few. But every state had at least one. That changed when Dobbs ended the federal right to an abortion and let states come up with their own regulations. Now, abortion access has become even more fragmented and deeply polarized. Fourteen states, including West Virginia, have essentially banned abortion. They have become what some call “abortion deserts.” Seven states have imposed stricter legal limits, while 22 states have moved to protect abortion rights and expand access. Maryland is one of those states. In May 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore approved laws that do several things. They allow a wider range of medical professionals to perform abortions. They maintain the privacy of abortion-related medical records. And they shield doctors and others from criminal investigations by states with more restrictive abortion laws. “I'm very proud to sign legislation that will protect access to abortion in Maryland. In this moment of serious consequences for women and for all Marylanders, Maryland can and will lead on this issue of abortion access. And I want to say to all women who are out there who are wondering what will happen. Who are worried about their future. Please hear me loud and clear. Maryland will always be a safe haven for abortion access and abortion rights.” — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Photo Credit: Gov. Wes Moore’s X (Twitter) PostMaryland Democrats, who control the state’s legislature, want abortion rights written into the state constitution. The General Assembly has placed a reproductive rights amendment on the ballot for November 2024. Democratic Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk chairs the House Delegates’ Health and Government Services Committee, where the amendment was first considered. She said an abortion rights amendment is necessary, even though Maryland has been a reliably blue state for a long time. “It's necessary because we feel very strongly that we want Maryland to remain a state that protects abortion access. On the ballot this November, Maryland voters will once again be able to affirmatively and resoundingly say their reproductive freedom should be a constitutional right. It is the highest protection that we can give our constituents.” — Maryland Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk Photo Courtesy of Maryland Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D), MD 21Maryland’s drive to protect abortion rights and access has attracted OB-GYNs to the state including Dr. Anne Banfield. She moved her practice to a hospital system in Southern Maryland after working for 13 years at a hospital in Elkins, West Virginia. ] “I had spent a lot of years trying to recruit to our practice there and working a lot of shifts, taking a lot of calls. And then on top of that, you know, trying to advocate within the state, trying to advocate at the state government level to protect reproductive rights in West Virginia. And I got this great opportunity in Maryland, which is a very friendly and protective state from a women's health and reproductive health standpoint. And we saw the writing on the wall, and I knew I was coming here and I was going to have to work less in a more friendly environment, and I just couldn't pass that up. I don’t think I would have left otherwise.” — Dr. Anne Banfield, OB-GYN Photo Credit: Dr. Anne Banfield/MedStar St. Mary's HospitalCresta Kowalski is the president of the Mountain Maryland Alliance for Reproductive Freedom. She said prior to the opening of the Women’s Health Center of Maryland, her group had been exploring how to bring an abortion clinic to Western Maryland. “We were like, OK, a five to 10 year goal would be an indie clinic out here in mountain Maryland. And then in January, I get an email saying, ‘Hi, I'm Katie Quiñonez and my friend Ramsie Monk and I work with the Women's Health Center of Charleston and we'd like to speak with you.’ And they had already found the location and it was perfect. It was made for the operation … I was relieved that we could have options for people that didn't have options.” — Cresta Kowalski Photo Credit: Cresta Kowalski/FacebookMichael Mudge is the pastor and founder of Bethany House of the Lord, an evangelical Christian church. He and several other anti-abortion advocates from Western Maryland came together to form Abortion Free Allegeny. He said their goals are to let people know about the clinic, organize demonstrations against it, and raise awareness about pregnancy support centers and other abortion alternatives. Mudge said he and others opposed to abortion do not like having a clinic in their backyard, but he knows it has a right to be there. “What we're dealing with here in Allegheny County, Maryland, is a direct result of the Dobbs decision. The West Virginia Legislature took the opportunity after the Dobbs decision to pass legislation effectively banning abortion. And the Maryland state legislature, as in many other states, has responded to the Dobbs decision by radicalizing even more their pro-abortion legislation. So, we're caught up in the middle of that. It's just that here, we're in a part of Maryland that doesn't fit well in Maryland.” — Michael Mudge Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Mudge referred to the political segregation that has deepened in Maryland as it has across the country.
There’s the rural, conservative, Republican Maryland of the western panhandle, the eastern Chesapeake Bay, and the counties north of Baltimore. And there’s the urban, liberal, Democratic Maryland of Baltimore City, Annapolis, and the D.C. suburbs that dominates state politics.
David Karol, an associate professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland said it wasn’t always like this.
Karol said his students were surprised to learn that in the presidential election of 1988, Republican George H. W. Bush won Maryland while Democrat Mike Dukakis won West Virginia.“Which, you know, is just shocking to students because that's a complete reversal of the alignment that we see today,” Karol said.
“The [Maryland] legislature has been Democratic for about 100 years. The governorship has occasionally gone to Republicans, but seldom. And in presidential elections, Maryland has voted Democratic consistently since 1992.” — David Karol Photo Credit: David Karol/University of MarylandRepublican Mike McKay has represented Western Maryland in the Maryland General Assembly since 2015, first as a delegate and, for the last year, as a senator. He said his constituents have felt out of step with their overwhelmingly liberal Democrat fellow Marylanders. In 2021, then-Del. McKay and five other Republican lawmakers floated the idea of Garrett, Allegeny and Washington counties seceding from Maryland to become a part of West Virginia. They wrote a letter to the Republican leaders of West Virginia’s legislature to gauge their interest. It was a very, very long shot. “We sent a letter and it became a dumpster fire, to be perfectly honest,” said McKay. “Everybody went crazy - ‘How are you leaving?’ Yada yada yada. And two of our members backed out. And the rest of us out of respect really just went our separate ways.” McKay said his constituents are more aligned with West Virginia on abortion, too. He described himself as “pro-life” and said the Women’s Health Center of Maryland is not wanted or needed. “I had a reporter from the Washington Post call me and do an interview, and she asked me, ‘How do you feel about this abortion clinic just moving across the state line, across the Potomac?’ I said, there's never been a need for it. If there was a need for Planned Parenthood to move here, if there was actually this need, they would have been here by now. We have had women's health clinics here for years. Probably 90 percent of everything that Planned Parenthood provides for women. And it's important. That 90 percent is important to urban and rural women. It's the abortion part that I say has been forced on our community, because Annapolis and Charleston had totally two different views, and our community has had to deal with the aftermath.” — Sen. Mike McKay Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingKatie Quiñonez said she’s not forcing anything on Western Maryland. “We did a market analysis and looked at what health care was available in those counties in mountain Maryland. And we found that not only was there not an abortion provider, the nearest abortion providers for the people living in mountain Maryland were at least 100 miles away in any direction. But there was also a real lack of reproductive health care, outside of a hospital system located in Cumberland. And then beyond that, we met directly with folks on the ground living and working in those communities to determine that, yes, there is a need here. Not only do we need abortion access, we need reproductive health care.” — Katie Quiñonez Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
This is what abortion care has become after the fall of Roe: a state-by-state fight over access, where abortion rights are determined by the lines on a map. The state line that divides West Virginia and Maryland runs through mountain communities that are alike in their topography, their culture and their political affiliations.
But on one side of that state line abortion is legal, while on the other side abortion is a criminal offense.
Clean Energy Tax Credits And Abortion Deserts, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 12, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Congress is reviewing legislation that would end tax credits for clean energy projects, risking hundreds of millions of dollars in investments and jobs in West Virginia.
Curtis Tate spoke with Mitch Carmichael, former West Virginia economic development secretary, who supports preserving the tax credits.
Kay follows the story of the Women’s Health Center of West Virginia, which relocated its abortion services from Charleston to a clinic across the state line in western Maryland — a region that, like much of West Virginia, is considered an abortion desert.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Gambling Addiction Recovery And Forever Chemical Removal, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 11, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we take a look at what recovering from problem gambling can look like in West Virginia. As part of an ongoing series on problem gambling, News Director Eric Douglas spoke with a resident about her experiences recovering from gambling addiction, and how she is helping others find the same path.
Also in this episode, water providers in neighboring Pennsylvania say they are removing PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” from drinking water just as the Trump administration threatens to weaken federal regulations adopted last year.
Zoe Read with public radio station WHYY visited Aqua Pennsylvania, one of the state’s largest drinking water providers, to learn 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.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Statewide Review Of Child Welfare And A Trip To DC For WorldPride, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 10, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) is in the process of analyzing the data gathered over eight listening sessions held last month with people in various aspects of the state’s child welfare system.
Assistant News Director Maria Young spoke with DoHS Secretary Alex Mayer about takeaways from those sessions and the courses of action ahead.
Also in this episode, a Hardy County LGBTQ group traveled to the nation’s capital this weekend for an international event. Jack Walker caught up with them at the WorldPride parade, and brings us the 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.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Resuming Black Lung Research And Bolstering Cyclist Tourism, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 09, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, federal spending cuts have slowed the ability to help miners with black lung, according to those who attended an annual conference last week, even after a court order to resume the work. Curtis Tate has the story from the Pipestem Resort.
Plus, tourism leaders in Charleston have launched a new campaign that builds on the success of the capitol city’s five year contract to host the Pro Road National Championships. This year was the second year of the competition, and once the dust had settled, Maria Young caught up with Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Tim Brady 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.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
River Otters, Online Gambling And Teen Court, This West Virginia Week
Jun 07, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, online gambling is becoming easier to access. But that means some individuals may lose more money than they can afford. We hear from a representative from the behavioral health industry about the challenges online gambling can pose, and how to seek help.
Also in this episode, we discuss efforts to bring river otters back to Appalachia, the emergence of a new brood of cicadas and an alternative justice program for teens that centers around peer accountability.
Jack Walker is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Randy Yohe and Maria Young.
Encore: The Mine Wars For Young Adults, Faith After A Flood And Remembering Billy Edd Wheeler, Inside Appalachia
Jun 06, 2025
Textbooks have long left out an important piece of labor history that happened here in the mountains. Now, a new young adult book fills in some of what might have been missed about the Mine Wars.
Also, when flooding devastates a community, people can find solace through faith and through song.
And, we remember songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler, who passed away last month. Dozens of musicians have covered his songs including Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash and June Carter and Elvis Presley.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Author Steve Watkins wants labor history to be remembered. Courtesy Photo
For generations, that history of the Mine Wars in the early part of the 20th century was scarcely mentioned in schools.
The author of a new book hopes to bring the story to today’s young readers.
Host Mason Adams spoke with Steve Watkins, author of “The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers' Rights in the West Virginia Coalfields.”
A Family Guitar Brings Peace After A Flood
Derenia Dunbar (left) stands with parents Ruby (middle) and James Boggs (right) in front of their family home in Millstone, Kentucky. James holds the guitar that was mostly untouched by the floodwaters that filled their house on July 28, 2022. Photo Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we’re reminded that when disaster strikes, people in Appalachia step up to help their neighbors. In the summer of 2022, floods devastated parts of eastern Kentucky.
At the time, Folkways Editor Nicole Musgrave brought us a story about the Boggs family, who told her about the joy that comes from the soothing music of an old family guitar.
A Bicentennial Celebration In Fleming County, Kentucky
A church in Fleming County, Kentucky celebrated its 200th anniversary recently. Photo Credit: Samantha Morrill/Morehead State Public Radio
In Fleming County, Kentucky, there’s an old, covered bridge that’s been a popular tourist destination for decades. The Goddard covered bridge was built in the late 1800s, then moved in 1933. It extends over Sand Lick Creek, where the road leads to an old country church. That church celebrated its bicentennial in September.
Samantha Morrill at WMKY, Morehead State Public Radio, visited the church.
Remembering Billy Edd Wheeler
Songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler wrote memorable tunes and was a character. Courtesy Photo
Singer/songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler died in September at the age of 91. The West Virginia native and long-time North Carolina resident was best known for writing songs like “Jackson,” which won a Grammy for Johnny Cash and June Carter. He also wrote “Coward of the County,” which was a hit for Kenny Rogers, and “It’s Midnight,” which Elvis Presley recorded.
Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce was a friend and fan of Wheeler’s.
Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Groce about Wheeler’s legacy.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by James Boggs, Amethyst Kiah, Caleb Caudle, John Blissard, Paul Loomis, Chris Knight, Johnny Cash and June Carter and Billy Edd Wheeler.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. 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.
Peer Accountability In Teen Court And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 06, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, youth who are alleged to have committed minor offenses can be referred to members of an elite squad known as the teen court. As Chris Schulz reports, organizers say accountability from peers is more effective at keeping teens from re-offending.
And our Mountain Stage Song of the Week is "Lou Reed Was My Babysitter" by Jeff Tweedy, who is no stranger to Mountain Stage. He performed this time with a more familial kind of band, that includes his sons, Spencer on drums and Sammy on backing vocals.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Brood 14 Cicadas Emerge And New Series Explores State’s Clear Night Skies, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 05, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, cicadas are emerging from the ground after completing a 17-year nap. Brood 14 can be found in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom’s Justin Hicks reports, while the crunchy critters are annoying to some, they have profound meaning to others.
And WVPB is bringing you a new radio and television feature called Almost Heavens. In it, Shannon Silverman, an astrophysicist at the Clay Center in Charleston, West Virginia, guides us through the cosmos above the mountains – including how to find the Orion Nebula with nothing more than your naked eye. These short stargazing features are also available to watch on West Virginia Public Broadcasting or to stream on PBS Passport.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Online Gambling Increases Need For Counseling And A Federal Bill Threatens Solar Credits, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 04, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, as online gambling increases more people are losing more money than they can afford. In West Virginia, there is the Problem Gambling Help Network at 1-800-GAMBLER. News director Eric Douglas recently spoke with Sheila Moran, director of Marketing and Communication for First Choice Services that runs the helpline. She is also a certified gambling counselor.
And the U.S. House of Representatives last month passed a bill that would wipe out tax credits for solar projects of every scale, from those generating power for utilities to rooftop panels producing electricity for homeowners. Curtis Tate spoke with Sean Gallagher, vice president of policy at the Solar Energy Industries Association, about the economic consequences of the House bill, statewide and nationwide.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Addressing Trauma In Flooded Communities And Otters Return To Regional Waterways, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 03, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, schools became rallying points for community volunteer efforts during the February floods that hit West Virginia and Kentucky. As the flood damage is slowly repaired, children in those schools still carry trauma. Reporter Wendy Welch looks at one Mingo County school where an embedded behavioral health clinic offers support to those students.
And otters once inhabited every river system in Pennsylvania. But by the early 1900s, most of them were gone. The Allegheny Front’s Julie Grant joins a wildlife biologist who has been working for decades to bring back river otters, and finds an environmental success story.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Protecting Skin From Summer Sun And A Mental Health Crisis Among Farmers, This West Virginia Morning
Jun 02, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, summer is just around the corner and that means more time outside, and under the sun. Dr. Alan Thomay, West Virginia University associate professor of surgical oncology, spoke with reporter Chris Schulz about increasing skin cancer rates, and how to stay safe.
Also, the latest story from The Allegheny Front, a Pittsburgh-based public radio program that reports on environmental issues, is about the mental health struggles farmers face.
And Pride Month is now underway. As Jack Walker reports, hundreds turned out Sunday for a first-of-a-kind celebration in West Virginia’s first town.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Another Cicada Brood And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
May 30, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, it is another cicada summer in Appalachia. The noisy bugs have emerged again, especially in parts of Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
For Inside Appalachia, Bill Lynch spoke with Jakob Goldner, an entomologist with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, about this season’s brood.
Plus, this week’s premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded live at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston. Our Song of the Week comes from singer-songwriter Darrell Scott, who returned to the stage with a special rendition of Paul Simon’s “American Tune.”
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, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Appalachian Trail Tourism Rebounds And Mine Land Restoration Efforts, This West Virginia Morning
May 29, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the annual Trail Days festival in Damascus, Virginia attracts thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and Appalachian Trail hikers each year.
But the small town was devastated last year during Hurricane Helene, which destroyed local trailways. As Radio IQ's Roxy Todd reports, residents are rebuilding, and businesses are seeing the return of tourists to Damascus.
Also in this episode, Lake Pleasant in northwestern Pennsylvania was created more than 15,000 years ago when a glacier retreated. It is now home to rare plants and birds like osprey.
For the Allegheny Front, an environmental public radio newsroom in Pennsylvania, Kara Holsopple spoke with a team working to reforest an area that was once mined. That is part of a broader effort to restore hundreds of acres of mine lands across the region, including West Virginia.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Community Archeology At Fort Warwick And Outdoor Education In Pocahontas Co., This West Virginia Morning
May 27, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, one weekend every spring and fall, landowners, historians and archaeologists join in opening up the Pocahontas County site of the pre-revolutionary war Fort Warwick to the public. Reporter Randy Yohe followed his ancestry-loving wife Vickie to help unearth some West Virginia history.
And when the nonprofit Education Alliance announced the winners of its statewide 2025 School-Business Partnership competition earlier this month, a grassroots program started by a mom in Pocahontas County was the top winner. Maria Young looks at what made the program stand out.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Appalachian Prison Book Project, Inside Appalachia
May 23, 2025
The Appalachian Prison Book Project has been sending books to incarcerated people for nearly 20 years. Its most popular book is the dictionary.
Also, the Seeing Hand Association brings together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft of chair caning.
And, crossing a river by ferry can be a special experience, and hard to come by. On the Ohio River, a retiring ferry captain passes the torch to his deck hand.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Letters and correspondence from incarcerated people, received by the Appalachian Prison Book Project. Photo courtesy of the Appalachian Prison Book Project
Each year, Berea College and the Appalachian Studies Association present the Weatherford Awards. They honor books about the Appalachian South. The winner of the 2024 award for nonfiction is titled, This Book is Free and Yours to Keep. It consists largely of letters from incarcerated people across the region who corresponded with the Appalachian Prison Book Project.
Ellen Skirvin is one of the book’s editors. Host Mason Adams spoke with her about the project.
Seeing Hand Fixes More Than Chairs
Mike Cunningham is nearly finished hand caning a chair at the Seeing Hand workshop in Wheeling, West Virginia. Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
In April of this year, Clara Haizlett placed first at the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Awards for Best Mountain State Heritage with a story about a community of people in Wheeling, West Virginia who repair old caned chairs. You know the type. Your parents or grandparents might’ve had a set. You don’t see caned chairs as much as you used to. Cane breaks down and few people know how to fix the chairs. So, they get thrown away. But they don’t have to be.
We listen to an encore of that story.
Raising Up A New Riverboat Captain
Captain Bo Hause in the pilot house of the Sistersville Ferry. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The town of Sistersville, West Virginia is home to the last ferry crossing in the Mountain State. The Sistersville Ferry has been serving this tiny community for more than 200 years, and now there’s a new pilot at the helm.
Late last year, before the ferry stopped running for the winter, Zack Harold stopped by to witness the last ride of Captain Bo Hause.
Black Bears Eating Trash In West Virginia
When black bears become habituated to human food, they often have to be put down. Courtesy of the Division of Natural Resources
People who live in cities can get used to having their trash picked up at the curb. But folks who live in more rural communities have to haul it to dumpster sites. Those sites are destinations not just for folks hauling trash, but also for bears, seeking an easy meal. Now, some places have made moves to keep the bears out of the trash, which also helps keep them alive.
WVPB’s Eric Douglas has more.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, The Sycomores, Tim Bing, John Inghram, 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 Chris Julin.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A Book Of Letters From Prison Wins Award And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
May 23, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the annual Weatherford Awards honor books about the Appalachian South. The winner of the 2024 award for nonfiction is “This Book is Free and Yours to Keep,” a book that’s mostly letters from incarcerated people across the region who corresponded with the Appalachian Prison Book Project. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Ellen Skirvin, one of the book’s editors.
And our Song of the Week comes from this week’s premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, recorded in Charleston, WV at the Culture Center Theater. Singer-songwriter Maya de Vitry, along with Joel Timmons on guitar and Rhees Williams on bass perform “Dream In Blue.”
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, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Look Back At The Vandalia Gathering And 100 Days Into Trump’s Term, This West Virginia Morning
May 22, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we'll hear an audio postcard of last year's Vandalia Gathering, which is set to return to the state capitol grounds this weekend. We'll hear about a possible Republican primary challenge to West Virginia's senior U.S. senator. And we'll hear about what changes the governor is requesting for the federal food assistance program many West Virginians rely on.
And 100 days into the Trump administration, hear Us & Them go around the table for the thoughts dinner guests have about where the country is.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: 100 Days And A Lot To Discuss At Our Dinner Party
May 21, 2025
During his first months in office, President Donald Trump has issued about 150 executive orders and is taking action on the very issues he promised during the campaign.
There’ve been dramatic changes in immigration in the form of mass deportations despite concerns over a lack of due process. The administration continues to make good on moves to cut the federal workforce, government agencies and a variety of government-funded organizations. And nearly every day there’s economic news about Trump’s reciprocal tariffs with countries around the world and the impact on the global economy.
With all of this to digest, it’s time for another Us & Them Dinner Party as host Trey Kay brings together guests of varying political persuasions to share a potluck meal and their views on President Trump’s first 100 days in office.
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.
This Us & Them Dinner Party was the first held in the spring, coinciding with the ramp harvest in West Virginia. A signature of Appalachian cuisine, ramps made their way onto the serving table — offering a pungent, local flavor to a gathering centered on strong opinions and sharp differences. Photo Credit: Kyle VassAfter a meal, the Us & Them Dinner Party crew shares an intense conversation near the end of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in his second term. Photo Credit: Kyle Vass
For more than a decade, Us & Them has told stories from America’s cultural divides. About five years ago, we decided to bring those divisions to the dinner table — the way many families do. We invited conservatives and liberals to share a potluck meal and a conversation about the issues of the day.
The last time our Dinner Party crew sat down together was just two days after the 2024 election. Although we had a good discussion, emotions were raw. Someone suggested we meet again around the 100-day mark of Donald Trump’s second presidency — so we followed up. Our group included some longtime Dinner Party guests and a new face.
Greg Carroll is a new face at the Dinner Party. He identifies as a “radical” progressive. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
Greg Carroll is new to the Dinner Party. Originally from Texas, he moved to West Virginia in the late 1960s after spending time as a child visiting his grandfather in Putnam County. He fell in love with the land and later convinced a group of friends to buy property nearby, believing their corner of the world is “almost heaven.” Carroll is a retired historian who worked with the state archives.
"It’s a nightmare for democracy. Most intellectuals now admit it’s so much worse than they ever thought it could be. The man is almost insufferable—but, as you said, he’s predictable. No one thought someone could dismantle a government built over 200 years, right in front of our eyes, and he has to be stopped.
He’s for the rich, and he’s making little children suffer all over the planet. We have to decide what kind of country we want to be."
— Greg Carroll, reflecting on the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second presidency.
Terri Triplett DeLauder has participated in many Us & Them Dinner Party gatherings. She has been friends with host Trey Kay since first grade and describes herself as a “staunch conservative” Republican. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
Terri Triplett DeLauder says she’s generally pleased with the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency. She believes Trump is willing to make tough decisions that previous presidents have avoided. Terri supports his foreign policy—including his leadership on Ukraine and Gaza—as well as his stance on tariffs. She’s also largely in favor of the government cuts initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, though she disagrees with some of the reductions.
“Even though I’m a staunch conservative, the farm-to-table initiative — which is fantastic — really bothers me when it gets cut. They use local farmers, they sell to local schools, they buy local produce. That creates jobs all the way around. There’s just no reason to cut that.
I do think some of those programs will be saved. My hope isn’t necessarily to reduce defense spending, but to bring back some of the money we’re sending overseas — some of these crazy payments to other countries — and use it for programs here at home.
Put the money back into the programs. And when you look at tariffs — just getting a little bit back from them — you’re talking about bringing revenue back here. Once you do that, then you can afford to fund things again.”
— Terri Triplett DeLauder
Alexus “Lexi” Steele, from Proctorville, Ohio, is a Yeager Scholar at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. As part of the Honors College, she engages in leadership and enrichment programming while maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher. She describes herself as “fiscally conservative but far left on social issues.” Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
Lexi Steele believes the Republican Party is undergoing a fundamental shift — one that departs from the traditional definition of conservatism in its allegiance to Donald Trump. She finds this troubling. She’s also concerned about the broader social climate, where public discourse often consists of people who shout talking points without truly listening or being open to change.
She’s disheartened by what she sees as a lack of compassion and empathy from Republicans toward undocumented immigrants. As a young Black woman, she’s especially disturbed by the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives [DEI] — both nationally and in her own campus community.
“Something I’m really struggling with is what DEI looks like in the state — especially on campus. I serve on the advisory council for the Society of Black Scholars. I come from a predominantly white community and attend a PWI [predominantly white institution]. The Society of Black Scholars helped me become comfortable with my identity as an African American woman.
Now it’s gone. We can’t exist unless we reorganize as a club. But we’re not a club — we’re a subset of the university, a space where Black students can be recognized as something distinct, not just lumped in with everything else.
So what can I do? I’ve been protesting. I’ve been speaking out, letting people know this is what’s really happening. It’s not just a broad case study — this is how it’s personally affecting me.”
— Lexi Steele, Marshall University student
Michael Borsuk, flanked by Greg Carroll (left) and Jay Gould (right), is also a student at Marshall University who is double majoring in Business Management and Political Science with a minor in Constitutional Democracy. He identifies as a moderate conservative Republican. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
Michael Borsuk believes the early days of Donald Trump’s second presidency have gone well. He supports much of the administration’s policy agenda, especially efforts to cut government spending and increase efficiency. Still, he acknowledges that reductions to the federal workforce — excluding defense — only amount to about 8%. While he favors reining in military spending, he’s critical of how the Biden administration allocated foreign aid.
That said, Borsuk doesn’t agree with every Trump policy. He’s particularly concerned about how the administration is handling undocumented immigrants, especially when it comes to due process.
“I’ve said for years the immigration system is broken, and we need to work on the process. And I’ll break from my party on this. It’s scary that they’re not willing to bring someone back to the United States, because everyone is entitled to the right of habeas corpus and the ability to challenge their detention.
We should be stricter on immigration enforcement, but people deserve due process. Keep them here in the States. I don’t agree with the administration sending people back immediately. Yes, we should deport those who are here illegally — but only after they’ve had their rights.”
— Michael Borsuk, Marshall University student
Elliot Hicks, a Charleston, W.Va., attorney, has been part of the Us & Them Dinner Party for several years. He describes himself progressive in his political views. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
Elliot Hicks is deeply troubled by the Trump administration’s foreign policy, particularly its stance on Ukraine. He believes the United States prevailed in the Cold War not through military power, but by leveraging its economic strength in partnership with western allies. For decades, he says, the U.S. acted as a trusted and principled global influence — but he no longer believes that’s the case.
He’s also disturbed by the Trump administration’s claim that guaranteeing due process to undocumented immigrants would overwhelm the legal system, especially in light of the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to an El Salvadoran prison — a case he sees as a clear injustice.
“Let’s hire more people to provide due process. From the most conservative to the most radical among us, we should be screaming when people are being seized from the streets without due process.
Every person in this country is entitled to due process. Do we really disagree on that?
Do we really believe we have no influence over fixing a mistake like this? We could correct it if we wanted to.
Why aren’t we using the full force of the United States to make it right? Why aren’t we all screaming about this?
What’s happening with this government is terrible. We’ve abdicated so many of our principles—all to worship this one person [President Donald Trump]. I’m amazed at where we are.”
— Elliot Hicks, Charleston attorney
Jay Gould, seated next to Marshall University student Michael Borsuk, has attended every Us & Them Dinner Party over the past five years. He is mostly retired from a business that repairs mining equipment and describes his political views as conservative. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
Jay Gould says he’s been “tickled plumb to death” with the early days of Donald Trump’s second presidency. He supports efforts to cut government spending and backs the administration’s push for U.S. allies to take on more responsibility for their own national defense.
“If I’ve got a neighbor and I’ve got a garden, and I raise my food, take care of my family — and I’ve got a neighbor over here that doesn’t raise a garden, he’s got the same ground, he’s healthy — am I going to take my stuff and give it to him? I’m not going to do it.
They’ve got national healthcare, they have social programs far beyond what we have. Do away with their programs and fund their military — really? And pick up their load?”
— Jay Gould
Host Trey Kay responds during a tense exchange at the most recent Us & Them Dinner Party, where conversations about the Trump presidency can stir strong emotions. Photo Credit: Bobby Lee Messer
“We are living in an era full of questions. More than ever, America does not seem to know what its future holds. After two and a half hours at the dinner table, we've barely scratched the surface.
By the time we finish our conversation and pick up our plates, it’s close to 10pm. To be honest, on this night, I'm not sure if our experiment is a success. I do know that every final thought offered at the table resonates with me, regardless of its politics.
As our dinner guests depart, I'm not sure when — or if — we'll join together again. The truth is, I never know. These potluck meals and conversations across the divide only happen when brave people are willing to show up and talk. As an American, I’m always hopeful for another opportunity.”
— Trey Kay
Federal Mine Safety Researchers Remain Uncertain About Their Jobs, This West Virginia Morning
May 20, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, many workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health remain uncertain about their employment status. Curtis Tate spoke with Brendan Demich, chief steward for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1916 about his Pittsburgh-based mine research team, who was issued a termination notice last month.
And The 2025 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships continues on the roads of Charleston. This is the second year for the Professional Road National Championships in the state capital, and it brought a significant economic impact to the city.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The High Cost Of Flood Insurance And Cycling Champions In Charleston, This West Virginia Morning
May 19, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia shares a similar climate with our neighbors in Kentucky, where flooding is the most frequent and costly natural disaster. Yet, only about 1% of the state’s property owners have flood insurance. As Lisa Autry reports from the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, experts say major flood events are becoming more common and everyone needs flood insurance regardless of where they live.
And The 2025 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships will take place beginning today on the roads of downtown Charleston. This is the second year for the Professional Road National Championships in the state capitol.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
The Kingdom Of The Happy Land, Inside Appalachia
May 16, 2025
The setting for a new novel is a communal society founded by freed people in North Carolina. It was a real place called The Kingdom of the Happy Land.
Also, when a West Virginia pastor got assigned to a new church, some folks tried to warn him.
And, the online world of Appalachian memes — and what they tell us about folks who live here.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
The cover of Happy Land. Courtesy of Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Following the American Civil War, a group of freed people fled violence and bought land in Western North Carolina. In the summer of 1873, these people formed a Black communal society they named “The Kingdom of the Happy Land.” A new novel tells a story set in the kingdom, both in the past and in the present day. It’s titled, Happy Land.
Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
Artists Collaborate On "The Mockingbird"
R.B. Morris playing guitar and singing at the Big Ears Festival. Photo by Bill Foster
Knoxville, Tennessee’s Big Ears Festival has become a high-profile platform for regional artists to debut new works. This year’s festival featured the premiere of “The Mockingbird” — a collaboration between composer William Wright and Tennessee writer, musician and playwright R.B. Morris. “The Mockingbird” features Morris reading his poetry while accompanied by an experimental chamber orchestra.
Morris was Knoxville’s first ever poet laureate, and his songs have been recorded by John Prine and Marianne Faithfull.
Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Morris about his collaborations and his ability to capture a sense of place.
The West Virginian Egg Church
Church volunteer Pat George puts flowers on completed eggs. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/Daily Yonder
Even though Easter has passed, you might still be able to find leftover Easter candy. What you probably won’t find are those big chocolate Easter eggs local churches sell right before the holiday.
One church in West Virginia has become known far and wide for its chocolate eggs. Zack Harold, reporting for the Rural Remix podcast, brought us this story.
Appalachian Memes Mine The Laughs
A Little Bubby Child meme which features his Meemaw. Courtesy of Little Bubby Child
Appalachian humor is often presented as a throwback. Think: old-timers sitting around telling tall tales. Lots of moonshine jokes. Thing is, there’s plenty of modern mountain humor. It’s on the internet.
Last year, Folkways Reporter Madeline Miller brought us this story about two artists who’ve taken holler humor to the digital realm.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Hello June, Joe Dobbs and the 1937 Flood, John Inghram, John Blissard 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.
New Novel Explores Community Of Freed People And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
May 16, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the new novel called “Happy Land” tells a story set in “The Kingdom of the Happy Land,” a society in Western North Carolina formed by freed people after the Civil War. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with its author, Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
And our Song of the Week comes from a premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage recorded on the campus of West Virginia University at the Canady Creative Arts Center in Morgantown. The versatile singer, composer and musician Moira Smiley & The Rhizome Quartet perform “Mourning Dove”, which reflects on the sometimes mournful and isolating ups and downs of love, loss, and growth that partnerships endure.
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, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Reclaiming Black Musical Roots And A Local ‘Booze And Brews’ Trail This West Virginia Morning
May 15, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, popular releases like Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" and the movie "Sinners" are drawing the world’s attention to the erasure of music’s Black history. What’s gained less notice is the fact that the grassroots movement to reclaim the Black roots of folk and country music is having its own moment. It just had its own festival, too, and senior Nashville Public Radio's music writer Jewly Hight was there.
And the new "Brews and Booze Trail" from Visit Southern West Virginia takes visitors on a winding trail through nine counties with ten stops at locally owned wineries, breweries and distilleries. Maria Young spoke with Visit Southern West Virginia Director Lisa Strader to find out how to participate.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Opioid Settlement Suit Drags On And Schools Lose Local Food Funding, This West Virginia Morning
May 14, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Huntington and Cabell County, often considered ground zero for the opioid epidemic, are still waiting for opioid settlement funds from their lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies. This week, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia declined to determine a point of state law in the cities' suit, sending the matter back to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond. Eric Douglas spoke with Anthony Majestro, one of the lead attorneys on the case, to sort it all out.
And the USDA's Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, which provided funds for schools to purchase fresh, local food for students, is the latest program cut by the federal government. Justin Hough, director of child nutrition for Preston County Schools spoke with reporter Chris Schulz about how the cuts will affect school meals next year.
Also, a federal judge in Charleston has blocked President Donald Trump's attempts to cut a coal worker health monitoring program focused on black lung 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.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Safe Waste Disposal Around Bears And Former Head Of Mine Safety Talks Cuts, This West Virginia Morning
May 12, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia’s black bear population was estimated to be about 500 animals not too long ago. But conservation efforts brought them back from the brink. As News Director Eric Douglas reports, human interactions with bears are causing a new problem.
And The Trump administration has made deep cuts to MSHA and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, which monitors the health of coal miners. Joe Main, the former head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration in the Obama White House, has seen the consequences of understaffing and cuts to that agency. Main spoke with Curtis Tate about the dangers that come with cuts to both programs.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Encore: True Stories Behind Folk Heroes, Runaway Trains And Murder Ballads
May 09, 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.
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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.
W.Va. Surgeon Honored For Concussion Work And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
May 09, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, every professional sports program has a concussion protocol that dictates when a player can return to the roster. One of the two doctors who developed the program is from the Wheeling area. This weekend, UPMC Presbyterian Hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Joe Maroon is receiving an Ellis Island Medal of Honor and he spoke with News Director Eric Douglas.
And Our Song of the Week is a stirring performance of fan-favorite “Furr,” by Pacific Northwestern folk-rock outfit Blitzen Trapper making their third appearance on Mountain Stage in November 2024. This week's broadcast of Mountain Stage features a collection of five memorable sets from five different episodes recorded in 2024.
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, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Celebrating 10 Years Of Us & Them And Learning About Invasive Species, This West Virginia Morning
May 08, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, from the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay celebrates a milestone - the podcast’s tenth anniversary - with the members of Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society. The event highlights moments from past shows and offers a conversation about storytelling and artistic expression.
And The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region, reports on a natural history exhibit featuring invasive plants to the region.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: Carpe Sonum — Celebrating 10 Years Of Us & Them With The Dead Podcasters Society
May 07, 2025
For this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay celebrates the podcast’s tenth anniversary with the members of Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society, a club that is dedicated to artistic expression and following one’s passions, much like the fictional group in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society.
The event becomes a master class on podcasts, the intimate form of audio storytelling that has hooked hundreds of millions of listeners around the world. Kay talks with students about how he encourages people to tell him their stories and about a lifetime spent forming connections with people who hold views that are very different from his own.
He also gets inducted into the Dead Podcasters Society with a ceremony that involves a sword and a vow to “seize the sound.”
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.
A small placard for the "Dead Podcasters Society" — a play on the logo from the 1989 coming-of-age film "Dead Poets Society" — was on display at a Marshall University meeting of the Dead Podcasters Society, a student podcasting club. Photo Credit: Julie BlackwoodMembers of Marshall University’s “Dead Podcasters Society” gather late on a misty Friday evening in the courtyard outside the entrance to James E. Morrow Library. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
It is near 11 p.m. on a recent evening in Huntington, West Virginia. The grass is wet from showers earlier in the day. I’m standing in a courtyard of the James E. Morrow Library at Marshall University with people who are dressed in graduation robes and scholarly garb. Some have electric candles. One person is holding a sword.
These are the members and guests of Marshall’s Dead Podcasters Society, a student club modeled after the club at the center of the 1989 coming-of-age film Dead Poets Society, starring the late Robin Williams.
They invited me to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Us & Them, talk about my experience as a podcast pioneer, and reflect on a decade of telling stories about America’s cultural divides.
Professor Robert Quick, director of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., strikes the bell outside Morrow Library to open the Dead Podcasters Society proceedings. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
Journalism Professor Rob Quicke has long been inspired by Dead Poets Society and he keeps copies of the movie around. Quicke, the director of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University, launched the Dead Podcasters Society. He, like Robin Williams’ Mr. Keating, encourages students to find their voice and express themselves through creating and appreciating the medium of podcasting.
“Because podcasting is so huge now, so popular, I thought there should be a club on campus for students who want to be involved in putting together and appreciating podcasts. Someone said, ‘We’re the weirdos, we’re freaks, we’re outsiders. We’re students who don’t quite fit in everywhere else — or anywhere else.’ You know, I would never say that myself, but the fact that they said that, and that they believe it, and that they found a safe space to express themselves and be who they really are — that wasn’t something I planned on, but it’s probably been our biggest success.”
— Rob Quicke
Watch this scene from the 1989 film “Dead Poets Society.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWUpk_TyWDg
Librarian Lori Thompson (center, holding a candle) leads the Dead Podcasters Society on a candlelit tour through the stacks of Marshall University’s Morrow Library to the gathering place for Trey’s presentation to the group. Photo Credit: Julie BlackwoodMarshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society gathers in the Gen. Chuck Yeager Room of Morrow Library to hear Trey speak about a decade of producing Us & Them. Photo Credit: Lori ThompsonTrey presents some of his favorite excerpts from a decade of producing the Us & Them podcast during a presentation to the group. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
Us & Them got its start in May 2015. The pressures of running this operation are huge. I’ve put thousands of miles on my car reporting stories. I’m always raising money. And every day, I’m up against a deadline.
But the rewards are even bigger. I’ve met incredible people and have forged bonds with folks whose views and opinions are far from my own. I deeply enjoy listeners’ feedback, positive and negative. And doing this work has helped me find my voice.
“In the beginning of my Us and Them podcast, I decided that I thought that what I wanted to do, at least in the initial part of the podcast, was to show how maybe you could have a connection with people who were very different than you. That in many ways, we don't really talk to people who are not like us."
— Trey Kay, creator and host of Us & Them
Links to the Us & Them episodes that Trey Kay shared with Marshall’s “Dead Podcasters Society”:
Marshall University students and members of the Dead Podcasters Society listen to an audio presentation by Trey. Photo Credit: Julie Blackwood
I played several excerpts from shows highlighting what I’ve learned from each one. I also discussed how I use a variety of audio sources, like voicemails, to illustrate my plight in one episode when I was trapped on a snowy interstate for more than 24 hours. I took questions from students.
“It was definitely, definitely interesting to me. I’ve never seen such open conversations like that. Usually, they’re much more heated, or the stuff I engage with is fairly one-sided and doesn’t really speak honestly.”
“A lot of the clips you played were about deeply personal things for the people you interviewed — even the one about being trapped on the turnpike. They were tumultuous situations that could inspire fear or intense emotion. Does it take a toll on you personally, having to hear these things?”
“I do a podcast about tea with a friend from choir, and we try to create a very comfy atmosphere. How often do you find yourself needing to create that kind of comfort to get people talking? And how often does that atmosphere work against the kind of conversation you need to have?”
— Questions and comments from members of Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society
Trey Kay, kneeling on the right, is waiting for journalism Professor Robert Quicke to induct him into Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society. Photo Credit: Lori Thompson
After my presentation, journalism Professor Rob Quicke inducted four new members into the Dead Podcasters Society - including me. I have arthritis in both knees, so several students helped me kneel on the ground. Quicke used that sword I saw someone carrying before the ceremony and tapped me on each shoulder, as if I was being knighted, as I recited the society’s induction vow:
I, Trey Kay, accept the mic and the power it holds. I vow to tell stories that matter, to speak with purpose, to listen with intent, and to never fear the pause. In the silence between words, I find meaning. In sound, I find soul. I'm a podcaster of the living and the dead. Carpe sonum.
And then I was given a medal!
Carpe sonum! (Seize the sound!)
Trey Kay, exuberant after 10 years of producing Us & Them, reacts to his induction into Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society. Photo Credit: Lori Thompson
“In a world of endless noise, you have chosen the mic. You believe in stories, in silence and in signal. You're not afraid of dead air, only dead ideas. For those about to be inducted, you now join the ranks of those who listen deeply, speak truly and edit wisely. Carpe Sonum.”
— Rob Quicke
Trey Kay with Nolan Duncan, President of Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society. Photo Credit: Robert QuickeTrey Kay with Dr. Robert Quicke, professor of journalism and director of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University. Photo Credit: Lori ThompsonDead Podcaster Society member Trey Kay. Photo Credit: Robert Quicke
Mothman Potato Chips And Cutting Cement’s Carbon Emissions, This West Virginia Morning
May 07, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachia’s most famous cryptid is back and on a bag of chips. For Inside Appalachia, Bill Lynch went out in search of the new Mothman potato chips from Mister Bee in Parkersburg.
And The Allegheny Front, based in Pittsburgh, is a public radio program that reports on environmental issues in the region. We hear their story by Kara Holsopple about efforts to cut carbon emissions that are generated by making cement.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Award-Winning Podcast, Us & Them, Celebrates 10 Years
May 05, 2025
[CHARLESTON, WV] – Us & Them, an award-winning podcast that shines a light on the issues that deeply divide Americans, celebrates 10 years of tackling some of the nation’s most challenging social issues with a retrospective.
The latest episode of Us & Them marks the show’s 10-year anniversary with Kay making a midnight presentation at Marshall University to a student group known as the “Dead Podcasters Society.” The organization is devoted to the craft of creating and listening to podcasts. For the anniversary, they invited Kay to share a retrospective sampling of Us & Them’s work over the past decade.
Professor Rob Quicke, director of Marshall’s W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications and faculty sponsor of the club, said his goal is to foster a space where students can create audio content that is “genuinely meaningful to them.”
Doing this work has helped me find my voice”, said Us & Them host, Trey Kay. “Audio storytelling through Us & Them has given my life meaning and purpose. I was glad to share what I’ve learned with the next generation of creative podcasters at Marshall, and I’m grateful to the talented team at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, our funders, and supporters who help make the program a reality.”
“West Virginia Public Broadcasting has a mission to tell the stories and have discussions that shape who we are”, added WVPB Executive Director, Eddie Isom. “Us and Them encourages conversations that let us learn a little more about ourselves and our neighbors.”
Us & Them’s 10-Year Anniversary podcast episode drops on Wednesday, May 7 and can be accessed at wvpublic.org. See all 10 years of Us & Them podcasts at: https://wvpublic.org/podcasts/us-them/
About Us & Them:
Us & Them is a podcast exploring all sides of the cultural issues that too often divide us. Peabody Award-winner Trey Kay brings us stories that may make you rethink your opinions on religion, sexuality, and other important issues. Us & Them is a joint project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting and Trey Kay Productions, with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council.
About West Virginia Public Broadcasting:
The mission of West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) is to educate, inform, and inspire people by telling West Virginia’s story. WVPB is an indispensable resource for education, news and public affairs, emergency services and economic development. Learn more at http://www.wvpublic.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
A Virginia Mercury Reporter Investigates Red Onion State Prison
Red Onion State Prison in Wise County, Virginia. Courtesy of Virginia Department of Corrections
In parts of Appalachia, coal mines have given way to a newer industry. Southwestern Virginia has two high-security, supermax prisons: Wallens Ridge State Prison, near Big Stone Gap, and Red Onion, not far from the town of Pound.
Prisoners at Red Onion say they live in poor conditions and are often placed in solitary confinement for long stretches of time. Reporter Charlotte Rene Woods has been covering the story.
Deadly Cost Of NIOSH Cuts
Scientists say they want to get back to work and fear their firing will endanger workers across the country. Photo Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting The Trump administration has fired tens of thousands of workers since January. Including at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Nearly all the workers at the NIOSH offices in Morgantown, West Virginia, lost their jobs in April. Kyle Mandler is one of the affected workers. He spoke with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Chris Schulz about the cuts.
Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival And The Grand March
The Grand March is part of Kentucky's oldest festival, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival. Photo Credit: Will Warren/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Appalachia is home to a lot of festivals. In Eastern Kentucky, the town of Pineville has the oldest festival on record in the state. It’s called the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival, and it happens Memorial Day weekend.
It’s a four-day celebration that culminates with an exquisite tradition: The Grand March. A traditional dance that has been passed down since the first festival in 1931. Folkways Reporter Will Warren was born and raised in Pineville and grew up taking part in the festival. In 2023, he reported on the Grand March.
Antonia Capriotti's Life Through Art
Antonia Capriotti, an artist based in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle, developed her skills through coursework at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Berkeley County. Photo Credit: Jack Walker/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
West Virginia artist Antonia Capriotti creates paintings and illustrations that are full of life.
Her journey as an artist began in Jefferson County’s public schools, where special education classes helped her discover a lifelong passion. WVPB’s Jack Walker has more.
United Mine Workers Of America President Reflects On Career
UMWA President Cecil Roberts, dressed in a camouflage shirt and surrounded by union members, waves a victory sign. Courtesy of UMWA
In October, Cecil Roberts will step down as president of the United Mine Workers of America. Roberts says that in his 30 years at the head of the union, no achievement was more important than saving the health care and pensions of tens of thousands of retired coal miners. Roberts recently spoke with WVPB’s Curtis Tate about the fight for those benefits.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Dinosaur Burps, Ron Mellenex and Gerry Milnes, Frank George, John Inghram, Mary Hott and Blue Dot Sessions.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Poor Conditions At A Virginia Supermax Prison And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
May 02, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Red Onion is one of two high-security, supermax prisons in southwestern Virginia. Prisoners say they live in poor conditions and are often placed in solitary confinement for long stretches of time. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with reporter Charlotte Rene Woods, who has been covering the story.
And from Mountain Stage, indie supergroup Fantastic Cat recorded this week's Song of the Week “All My Fault” almost a year ago at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston.
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, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Revisiting Morgantown’s Camping Ban, Mine Safety Advocates Face Obstacles, This West Virginia Morning
May 01, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we take a deeper look at the Tuesday vote to uphold a camping ban on public property in Morgantown, which purports to address homelessness. As Chris Schulz reports, the final vote was viewed as a win for some, but a major loss for others.
Also in this episode, a federal court has blocked the rollout of new coal mine safety requirements. Now, Justin Hicks with Kentucky Public Radio reports that the agency tasked with overseeing mine safety rules is keeping mine worker advocates out of the fight.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Morgantown Camping Ban Upheld, Plus A Closer Look At 2024 Abortion Data, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 30, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Morgantown city residents voted Tuesday to narrowly uphold a camping ban on public property, which purports to curb homelessness. When Morgantown City Council passed the ban last September, it drew swift condemnation from housing advocates who said the ban would criminalize homelessness with fines or jail time and make it even harder for struggling people to find long-term housing.
In November, Morgantown residents successfully petitioned to repeal the ban, an action the city council declined to take. That led to the issue being placed before voters on the city ballot Tuesday. Results are unofficial until canvassing on May 5.
Also in this episode, the Guttmacher Institute is a research group that studies reproductive health. They recently released a new report on abortion trends in the United States in 2024, and found the number of abortions performed increased slightly, but the number of people traveling outside the state for the procedures decreased slightly.
Lead data scientist Isaac Maddow-Zimet spoke with reporter Jack Walker about these figures, and what they suggest for states with near-total abortion bans like West Virginia.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
New Penalties Against Homelessness, Plus A River’s Life In Photos, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 29, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Morgantown voters will vote today on a proposed camping ban the Morgantown City Council passed in September, purportedly to curb homelessness. But housing advocates worry it would only exacerbate the difficulties those experiencing homelessness face.
Morgantown is not alone; camping bans have been popping up across West Virginia and the United States. In nearby Tennessee, the state legislature has already made camping on public property a felony. WPLN's Cynthia Adams walks us through the newest laws impacting those experiencing homelessness in Tennessee, and the fallout so far.
Also in this episode, the Youghiogheny River stretches through southwestern Pennsylvania from the Monongahela River. It has been a decades-long focus for writer and photographer Tim Palmer. Kara Holsopple with The Allegheny Front, an environmental public radio program based in Pittsburgh, brings us a story on what Palmer's efforts to document the river have entailed.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Both Medicaid And Mine Safety Face Cuts, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 28, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, new federal work requirements for Medicaid could impact up to 44,000 of the state's residents.
But a new analysis suggests that reporting one's employment under the proposed policy could be prohibitively complicated, limiting access to health care even for some of those with long-term work. Health reporter Emily Rice discussed the policy specifics with health care policy expert Katherine Hempstead.
Plus, 33 field offices of the Mine Safety and Health Administration face closure through the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
The Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center compiled and analyzed data from the federal Mine Data Retrieval System on the number of inspections conducted and cumulative hours worked by inspectors at these offices. Tom Martin, an editor with WEKU, spoke with Wes Addington, executive director of the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, in Whitesburg, Ky.
Also in this episode, the most diverse collection of wildflowers at any national park in the United States has bloomed in the Great Smoky Mountains. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, Jacqui Sieber paid the park a visit to learn more about what makes the season so unique.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Poison Ivy Remedies And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 25, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we debunk treatments for the common itchy rash that comes from poison ivy. For Inside Appalachia, Folkways reporter Wendy Welch spoke with two health professionals about where folk cures and mainstream medicine for the affliction overlap.
We also bring you part of a premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, recorded on the campus of George Mason University at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, Va. From that performance, slide guitar star Cristina Vane's “Make Myself Me Again” is our newest Song of the Week.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Regenerative Farming Techniques And The DEI Debate, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 24, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, one small-scale farmer in Warren County, Kentucky wants to bring ideas of land stewardship and community back into farming. Derek Parham with member station WKYU reports on Willie Houston's passion for producing healthy food and nurturing healthy land.
Meanwhile, equal opportunity laws have battled discrimination in the United States for decades. But efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs have arisen in dozens of states, including West Virginia. For the newest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay spoke with folks about the issue, including Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion — Its History And The Efforts To Erase It
Apr 23, 2025
For decades, polls have shown most Americans believe equal opportunity in the workplace is beneficial and laws like the 1964 Civil Rights Act worked to achieve that goal. More recently, the effort has included voluntary diversity, equity and inclusion programs - known as DEI.
On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at changing social and political sentiment that’s prompted efforts to dismantle the nation’s DEI programs. President Trump’s executive orders require government agencies to stop the programs calling them illegal and immoral discrimination. State lawmakers are taking a cue from Washington and so far more than 30 states have considered or are looking at anti-DEI legislation, with half having already passed such laws.
While some people say diversity programs provide positive societal change and are positive for a business’s bottom line, a growing percentage say the efforts are discriminatory practices that can lower employment standards and do not improve productivity or efficiency in the workplace.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and the CRC Foundation.
Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
The debate over Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — referred to as DEI — is one of the fiercest fronts in America’s culture wars. These initiatives, rooted in the spirit of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, are meant to ensure fair access and opportunity. Increasing opposition to such programs and initiatives includes executive orders from President Donald Trump as well as dozens of state proposals.
Elliott Hicks is a Charleston lawyer and member of Us & Them's DEI advisory board. He's pictured here at an event at the West Virginia University Law School. Photo Credit: West Virginia Executive Magazine
To explore some of the complexities of DEI, we begin with a look inward at the Us & Them project. Our production team is small and mostly white, made up of a handful of producers—most of whom are women — who write and mix each episode. In the past decade, only one person of color has produced content for the show.
A few years ago, at the suggestion of one of our funders, we created a DEI advisory board including people of color from West Virginia to gain input and feedback from a more diverse range of perspectives. We established a six-member board, all of whom are community leaders with experience serving on corporate, nonprofit and civic boards.
Elliot Hicks, an Us & Them advisory board member, is a longtime attorney based in Charleston, West Virginia, who serves on several boards, including Friends of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Hicks says he joined the Us & Them DEI board because he believes the show is genuinely working to include diverse perspectives on complex issues.
“When you have people of color on boards or in organizations where they haven’t traditionally shown up in large numbers, it helps the thinking process and makes the ideas that come out of those groups more palatable to more people. That’s why it’s to the advantage of the organization to do this and to continue those efforts — and to the advantage of our state. We shouldn’t push that aside just because we don’t have a lot of minorities here.”
Felicia Bush is the owner of a mental health agency and member of Us & Them’s DEI advisory board. Photo Courtesy of Felicia Bush
Felicia Bush is another member of the Us & Them DEI advisory board, but at first, she was skeptical about joining. As a Black woman, she worried she was being asked to participate just to check a box for a funder — not because of her expertise as a successful business owner.
Bush has seen the power of DEI firsthand including a staff retreat when she led a “privilege walk” for her employees.
The Us & Them team found several examples of privilege walks on YouTube explaining the activity designed to help people understand how opportunity shapes our lives.
“[After the killing of George Floyd, when there was a push for DEI training programs,] people were coming from the outside who had seen [the privilege walk exercises I led], and they were like, ‘We can get that and check that box, because we held a privilege walk.’ So they sought me out to provide it. They even offered to pay me, signed contracts and all of that. And then [after the backlash against DEI programs around 2024], they all backed out — which I thought was very telling.”
— Felicia Bush, MA, MSW, LGSW, founder and CEO of Harmony Mental Health Inc., a nonprofit mental health and social services agency serving nine West Virginia counties.
President Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on Jan. 20. Photo Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
One of the orders said, “The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government… Nearly every Federal agency and entity submitted “Equity Action Plans” to detail the ways that furthered DEIs infiltration of the Federal Government. The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today.”
John D. Skrentny, professor of sociology at the University of California San Diego, has written and researched the legal and policy issues related to inequality in work and education. Photo Courtesy of John Skrentny
Sociologist John Skrentny of the University of California San Diego says efforts to promote workplace diversity in the U.S. have long been shaped by whether Democrats or Republicans hold political power in Washington.
After the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, a new agency — the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — was tasked with investigating complaints of workplace discrimination. This system would become known as affirmative action, requiring the hiring of underrepresented groups. By the 1980s, enforcement of hiring quotas had fallen out of favor, but many businesses, led by their human resources departments, continued pushing forward.
“They began to make the argument that it’s actually good for business to have more minorities and women in the workforce... Diversity is good for the bottom line.”
— John Skrentny, University of California San Diego
Target store at the Southridge Shopping Center in South Charleston, W.Va. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, corporate America rushed to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion.The Target corporation, based in Minneapolis, emerged as a leader — highlighting diversity in its recruiting and suppliers and revamping store layouts. But Target is now one of the major U.S. corporations scaling back or abandoning those DEI initiatives.
Yohuru Williams, professor of history and law at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also directs the Racial Justice Initiative at St. Thomas. Photo Credit: University St. Thomas Newsroom
Yohuru Williams, a history and law professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, says fear of backlash is motivating corporate decisions to end DEI initiatives.
“I think there was a moment when Target legitimately could talk about being a leader. People were making deliberate decisions to shop at Target. The company was having an impact in the community. They were recruiting from some of the best universities in the country — also from historically Black colleges and universities — bringing in incredible talent who wanted to work for Target because the company embraced diversity as part of its core identity…
But in the aftermath of Trump’s executive orders and Target’s announcement, there was real fear that all of that would go away. The community had a visceral reaction. People were saying, ‘You made this promise, we made this progress together — so if you walk away from this work, where does that leave us?’”
— Yohuru Williams, professor of history and law and director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota
President Donald Trump supported Patrick Morrisey in his successful campaign and election as Governor of West Virginia. Photo Credit: Patrick Morrisey Campaign
Soon after winning the 2024 election, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey made his intentions clear. In a Facebook post, he wrote: “I will work very hard to implement the Trump agenda right here in West Virginia. Are you ready for a governor who will be fighting to help Trump?”
One of Gov. Morrisey’s first official acts was to sign an executive order eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion across state government. The order applied to public and charter schools, colleges and universities, state agencies, boards and departments.
Just weeks later, West Virginia University — the state’s largest university and employer — announced it would immediately close its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
"Here in West Virginia, we’re going to do the right thing, and we’re going to make sure that West Virginia always stands for freedom, the rule of law and the American ideal. We’re going to keep going — this is just the beginning of our effort to root out DEI. That’s going to happen more and more in the weeks and months ahead."
— West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, in a video post praising West Virginia University for its decision to end its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
West Virginia State Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, argued in the 2025 legislative session that diversity, equity and inclusion programs make it harder for marginalized communities to move forward. Photo Credit: WV Legislative Photography
West Virginia State Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, one of five women in the Senate, is a vocal opponent of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Rucker, who immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela at age 6, says the push for DEI offends her as a minority.
“I think, in general, people consider diversity a good thing, inclusion a good thing, equity a good thing. Those are all descriptions that are favorable in anyone's minds, if you just say them in isolation. The real concern and problem is a push using the guise of DEI of those words to really, actually, I think, do reverse discrimination. And as a minority myself. I can tell you, I'm offended. The whole entire DEI push that we have done in this country offends me personally. It is telling me I need help, and that unless someone lowers the standards for me, I can't get to the same place. And that's offensive.”
— West Virginia State Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson
Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, the only Black woman in the West Virginia Legislature, speaks at a town hall meeting in Charleston addressing a bill to eliminate DEI initiatives in state institutions. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
As West Virginia lawmakers advanced a bill to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts across state institutions, Del. Anitra Hamilton raised concerns during a House Education Committee hearing.
Hamilton, one of the few Black lawmakers in the state Legislature, joined others — both Black and white — in questioning the bill’s necessity in a predominantly white state. Critics, including Hamilton, pointed to the proposal’s vague language and warned it could mislabel legitimate inclusion efforts as discriminatory.
In the final hours of the 2025 legislative session, the Republican-majority state legislature voted to pass the measure to end DEI initiatives statewide. Following the vote, the West Virginia Democratic Party criticized Senate Republican leaders for suspending Senate rules to achieve the vote.
“I think this is a poor piece of legislation that is written to divide us. I think that any time you write legislation and put in policies that's based on the feelings of people, it will always land you in trouble, because feelings are subjective. At the end of the day, this bill is divisive. There is no need for it. Some of the ghosts of our past we keep alive because we won't deal with issues. DEI, we don't have this problem in West Virginia. We create these problems. And when we do have the problems, we won't stand for what's right. Today I'm standing and I'm gonna be on the right side of history because it matters. It's offensive. It's offensive to me. It's offensive to my ancestors. My great great grandfather was a slave. That's how my family got here. But no one else has that testimony here. DEI matters. At some point, West Virginia has to move beyond this. And why we got to have this legislation coming from the governor's office, I do not know. I'm against it. I will always be against it, vote your pleasure. It's a no for me.”
— Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia
Rev. Matthew Watts, pastor of the Grace Bible Church in Charleston, W.Va. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Rev. Matthew Watts, a longtime activist and pastor of Grace Bible Church in Charleston, West Virginia, has been a vocal critic of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s bill to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across state institutions.
"He produced no data, no information, no statistics, no witnesses. He didn’t tell any anecdotal stories as to why diversity, equity and inclusion is a problem.
"We’re not just going to roll over and say, ‘OK, all is lost. We can’t do anything. We’re back in slavery. We no longer have the right to vote. We don’t have the right to speak. We no longer have our constitutional rights.’ No — we’re going to push back.
"I can only say, I live in West Virginia. It doesn’t apply here. It’s dangerous here. It’s divisive here. It would be destructive here. It would hurt this state. And I believe if you give people truth, facts and information, the people in the state of West Virginia will see through this."
— Rev. Matthew Watts, senior pastor of Grace Bible Church, Charleston, W.Va.
Karen Williams, a part of the local NAACP’s political action committee helped organize the town hall meeting to bring the community together to form a plan to stop West Virginia’s Anti-DEI bill from passing. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Karen Williams greeted a group of Black and white West Virginians at a town hall meeting at Grace Bible Church, held on the 57th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“So we gather here today because the question is: Will the destruction of diversity, equity and inclusion kill the dream? We cannot be silent anymore. We have to have a response when they talk about erasing history, when they don’t even understand the definition of DEI — and we have to get that clear.
“We’re going to clarify that, because it’s not just a Black face. You have women who have benefited from DEI more than anyone. You have people with disabilities, you have veterans, you have all of these groups. But when they talk about DEI, they’re talking about doing away with our history.”
— Karen Williams, a member of the Charleston, W.Va., NAACP’s political action committee
Rev. Marlon Collins of Shiloh Baptist Church speaks at a town hall meeting against legislative efforts to ban nearly all DEI initiatives. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Rev. Marlon Collins of Shiloh Baptist Church voiced urgent concern at a town hall meeting over West Virginia’s push to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
“Can we get done with all the sanitized talk now? We can come up with plans and all that, and that’s cool. But we’re dealing with racists. There’s no reasoning with these people.
“They are right in front of our doggone face — executive orders to take Black history out of the Smithsonian, not even under the table. And we still don’t have a plan.
“All the people who are Black — my mother’s age, my father’s age — and all the white people who marched with them and got sprayed, they’re going to vote. But who we need are the people who have new ideas, who have new energy. It ain’t that ‘We Shall Overcome’ energy. It’s that ‘We kickin’ the hell out of the door in’ energy.”
Tariffs Impact Agriculture And W.Va. Poet Releases Book, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 23, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, some farmers in neighboring Kentucky are worried about the impact tariffs spearheaded by President Donald Trump could have on their earnings. As Lily Burris with member station WKMS reports, that is because trade wars cost the state's farmers nearly $3 billion in revenue during Trump's first term.
Plus, Torli Bush is originally from Webster Springs, but his writing has reached well beyond Webster County. The rising voice in the Black Appalachian poetry scene released a new book this winter, “Requiem for a Redbird,” and gave Bill Lynch with Inside Appalachia the details.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
New Sustainability Goals At WVU And A Plant-Based Appalachian Table, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 22, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, today is Earth Day, and people all over the world are taking time to focus on the environment and our effect on the natural world.
To mark the day, West Virginia University has announced a comprehensive set of more than 20 sustainability goals, to attain significant environmental improvements across the university's campus by 2035. Traci Knabenshue, director of sustainability at WVU, spoke with reporter Chris Schulz about the need to focus and act on sustainability now.
And from Inside Appalachia, Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist, writer and vegan in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s collected and perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table. She spoke with Bill Lynch about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook.
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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Push For Microgrids And A Revival Of Video Rentals, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 21, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we look into the push to expand the number of microgrids in West Virginia. The self-generating energy sources are key to Gov. Patrick Morrisey's plan to draw more data centers to the state.
Curtis Tate caught up with Reid Frazier, a reporter for environmental newsroom the Allegheny Front who has covered a similar project recently announced in Pennsylvania.
Also in this episode, the days of Blockbuster and Family Video may be bygone, but one small shop in western Kentucky us keeping the video rental business alive. Derek Operle with member station WKMS brings us this story as part of the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom.
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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A single, ancient chanterelle on the forest floor proved to be the only mushroom found the day of the hunt. Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Mushroom hunting has always been a part of Appalachian culture, but especially in recent years, mushrooms have been having a moment. In 2023, Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch spent time with fungi enthusiasts in Virginia and West Virginia and brought us this story.
Appalachian Forager Found On TikTok
Johnson finds pawpaws on her family’s property in eastern Kentucky. Photo Credit: Amanda Page/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Gathering wild foods has long been a way to put food on the table in the Appalachian Mountains. But foraging is an acquired skill, and it’s not so easy to learn unless you have people to show you. Of course, in the internet age, it’s become a lot easier to find those kinds of folks, in online communities devoted to mushroom hunting and using native plants. One woman in Eastern Kentucky made a name for herself online as “Appalachian Forager.” And her videos have gone viral.
Last year, Folkways Reporter Amanda Page visited Appalachian Forager and had this story.
The Sweet Taste Of Syrup In Virginia And West Virginia
Valerie Lowry offers samples to visitors at the Highland County Maple Syrup Festival. Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
For warm weather lovers, the transition from winter to spring can be an excruciating time, with fits and starts, and fool’s spring. But that agonizing transition between cold and warmer weather also affects trees. Their sap inches up and then comes back down — and that’s how we get maple syrup.
Highland County, Virginia, and its neighbors in West Virginia are some of the southernmost places in the U.S. to make maple syrup.
Generations of people in these communities have turned tapping trees for syrup into a longstanding tradition — but modern producers are experimenting with new syrups while adapting to changing demands, and a changing climate.
From our Folkways archives, we bring you this story from Clara Haizlett.
Passing On The Craft Of Making Fly Fishing Rods
Lee Orr crafts simple fly fishing rods that are anything but simple. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
For a lot of people, the best part of spring isn’t blooming trees or gardens, or even the return of warmer weather. It’s the return of trout fishing season. And while some anglers update their tackle with the latest innovations and new lures, fly fishing is a different story. A lot of folks who fly fish prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, with fishing flies and rods made by hand using traditional materials.
In 2023, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold took us out on the Elk River for a lesson in the art of fly fishing.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, John Inghram, Tim Bing, Mary Hott and Bob Thompson.
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 Jennifer Goren, Chris Julin, Nicole Musgrave and Mallory Noe-Payne.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Author Examines The Kingston Fossil Plant Spill And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 18, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, author Jared Sullivan looks at a man-made disaster after a coal ash dam broke just outside of Kingston, Tennessee and the clean-up. For Inside Appalachia, Sullivan spoke with Mason Adams about his book "Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe.”
Also earlier this month, the Trump administration granted exemptions on new regulations for mercury and other air pollutants to dozens of coal - fired power plants, including three in West Virginia. The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier reports the exemptions were supported by the grid operator for the mid-Atlantic region.
And our Song of the Week comes from folk singer-songwriter, Loudon Wainwright III, who has made over 17 appearances on Mountain Stage in every decade since the show started in 1983. We hear his performance of "Middle of the Night".
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, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Using Art To Communicate And Lead Pollution Exposure In Children, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 17, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Eastern Panhandle artist Antonia Capriotti creates paintings and illustrations that are full of life. Her journey as an artist began in Jefferson County’s public schools, where special education classes helped her discover a lifelong passion.
And The Allegheny Front is based in Pittsburgh and reports on regional environmental news. Their latest story looks at the findings of a study into how infants and young children get exposed to dangerous levels of lead – and what happens when they do.
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 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Cultural Events Lose Federal Funding And Environmental Impacts Of Executive Order, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 16, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony went ahead Saturday night despite a massive, eleventh-hour setback. Maria Young reports on the unexpected loss of promised federal funds and how that might impact cultural events across the state.
And The Allegheny Front, a public radio program that reports on environmental issues based in Pittsburgh, looks at President Donald Trump’s executive orders on energy and what they mean for the environment.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Eric Douglas produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Cuts At NIOSH Morgantown And Revitalizing A Coal-Fired Power Plant Site, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 15, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning,two weeks ago, almost all the workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health offices in Morgantown woke up to notifications that they were out of a job. The cuts are part of a sweeping reduction in force at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as across the federal government in general. Reporter Chris Schulz sat down with one of the affected workers, Kyle Mandler, to talk about the cuts.
And from Pittsburgh-based The Allegheny Front, the site of a recently demolished coal-fired power plant in western Pennsylvania is being redeveloped. Its owners say they will spend $10 billion dollars to build a gas-fired power plant and data center on the Indiana County site.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Passed And Failed Legislation Of the 2025 Session And Traditional Tattoos And Music In East Kentucky, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 14, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the state legislature wrapped up its 2025 regular session at midnight Saturday night, deciding the final fate – for more than 24-hundred bills that were filed, discussed, debated and voted on over the last two months. Maria Young reports on the high profile legislation that passed – and failed –during the session.
And from Inside Appalachia, John Haywood is the proprietor of Parlor Room Art and Tattoo in Whitesburg, Kentucky –a place where some people get inked up and some play traditional music.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Reporter Roundtable Looks Ahead To Final Hours Of 2025 Session
Apr 11, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, for our final show, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate, Emily Rice and Jack Walker discuss some of the big bills they've been following this session and what they are keeping an eye on in the final hours.
Join us Saturday, April 12 for our Final Hours program as we follow along with legislative action from 8 p.m. to midnight.
In the House Friday, Jack Walker recaps some of the bills lawmakers discussed as the session wraps up.
Also, the Senate and House are working together to get bills across the finish line, but first they have to agree with changes that the other chamber made. Briana Heaney has more.
And our high school reporters Emily Browning and Malia Saar wanted a better understanding of the mechanics of the legislature. A couple weeks ago, they got a chance to speak with Steve Harrison, a former delegate, senator and served the House of Delegates for several years as the House Clerk.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHmhdI1cRFY
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
‘Valley So Low,’ Climbing Crafts And Vegan Cooking, Inside Appalachia
Apr 11, 2025
A new book looks into the toxic legacy of a huge industrial disaster in Tennessee.
Also, rock climbing gear wears out. But it can still live on as art.
And, an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Tennesse Valley Authority’s Norris Dam, circa 1936, near Andersonville, Tennessee. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USW33-015709-C
Just before Christmas 2008, Appalachia became the site of the largest industrial spill in U.S. history. A dam holding back coal ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant ruptured. The break released over a billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry.
The spill — and what came after — are the subject of a recent book, Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Jared Sullivan.
Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts
Shelby Treichler stands smiling holding a wall hanging she’s made out of the inner core pieces of old climbing rope. The wall hanging, artfully designed to look like a bright red flower encircled by sage green leaves, is about the size of a placemat. Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Over time, outdoor gear wears out. Boots lose their tread. Kayaks and canoes spring leaks. Climbing rope frays. Most of it has to be thrown away.
In Western North Carolina, though, there’s a climber-turned-crafter who keeps old climbing gear out of the landfill. And finds new life for worn out equipment. Last year, Folkways Reporter Emily Chen-Newton brought us this story.
The Modern Mountain Cookbook
The Modern Mountain Cookbook by Jan A. Brandenburg. Courtesy Photo
When you think of “Appalachian cooking,” what comes to mind? For a lot of folks, it’s savory comfort foods like biscuits with sausage gravy, crispy fried chicken and mashed potatoes loaded with butter. But, what about folks who want that comfort food, without involving animals?
Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s collected and perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Larry Rader, Jeff Ellis, Tim Bing and Blue Dot Sessions.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Jennifer Goren.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
The Easter Bunny, Microgrids And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 11, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we hear about plans for the end of the 2025 regular legislative session and a special celebration outside the capitol. It is time for children and families to enjoy the inaugural Rhododendron Roll for Easter on Saturday. Gov. Patrick Morrisey and the first lady Denise will attend — along with the Easter Bunny.
Microgrids are one of Morrisey’s top legislative priorities this year. For The Legislature Today, energy reporter Curtis Tate spoke with Kelly Allen of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy to learn more.
Our Song of the Week comes from The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show, which combines the breezy California folk-rock of two Mountain Stage alumni: Taylor Goldsmith and MC Taylor. The duo performed a mix of songs from both of their catalogs, including our Song of the Week, “House Parties,” from the album O Brother.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
On this episode of The Legislature Today, microgrids are one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s top legislative priorities this year, and House Bill 2014 is the vehicle to bring more of them to the state. But county officials came to testify earlier this week against the diversion of local property taxes from those facilities to the state. Curtis Tate talks with Kelly Allen of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy about this issue.
The Senate met Thursday morning to go over the first half of bills in the final stages of consideration. Several bills passed narrowly, and many more were left to be considered after our broadcast deadline. Briana Heaney reports from the morning's bills.
With session winding down, members of the House convened for an hours-long floor session Thursday. Jack Walker has this story.
And concerns over the economy, job futures, DEI changes and more extend beyond the legislature in Charleston. Randy Yohe went out earlier Thursday to gauge student concerns on Marshall University’s campus.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nauo7wCCdco
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A Discussion On Energy
Apr 09, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, Briana Heaney talks with WVPB Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate who has been following several bills this session. As most politicians say, West Virginia is an energy state. Both of West Virginia's U.S. senators were at an event Tuesday sponsored by President Donald Trump where he signed an executive order with the intention of supporting the coal industry.
In the House, delegates made a procedural move to read each bill up for passage in full and debated several amendments. Emily Rice has more.
Members of the House Judiciary Committee reviewed bills Wednesday pertaining to election protocol, drug offenses and the oil and gas industry. Jack Walker brings us this report.
And the Senate Economic Development Committee approved House Bill 2014 on Tuesday after a three and a half hour meeting with testimony from several witnesses. The bill would expand the number of microgrids in the state to support AI and data centers. Curtis Tate has the story.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7GAvbqD3dc
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A New Emergency Shelter In Huntington, Understanding The DEI Bill And Egg Alternatives, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 09, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Senate Bill 474 is one of the most contentious bills before the legislature this year. It is commonly referred to as the DEI bill for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. On Tuesday, news director Eric Douglas sat down with Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, and Rev. Paul Dunn from the First Baptist Church of Charleston to discuss what the bill potentially means on The Legislature Today.
Also, as communities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans that target homeless people with nowhere to sleep, the city of Huntington announced a very different approach. As Randy Yohe reports, the city plans to open a new, low barrier shelter away from the business district but close to needed resources.
And with the higher price of eggs, some people are turning to other breakfast foods, like cereal or yogurt. But in central Pennsylvania, WPSU intern Rivka Wolin wanted to find something close to actual eggs. So, she and her roommate cooked up some plant-based egg alternatives and had friends compare the taste to real eggs.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Closer Look At State Lawmakers’ DEI Debate
Apr 08, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, lawmakers are moving forward in their efforts to prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in the state. But the push against DEI was opposed by a vocal minority in the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning. Jack Walker reports.
News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, and Rev. Paul Dunn from the First Baptist Church of Charleston to discuss what the DEI bill potentially means.
Also, Briana Heaney has a story on two bills passed by the legislature that combine state agencies, and she also reports from the House Health Committee where lawmakers met Monday to consider a bill that would close a narrow pathway for minors seeking to receive gender-affirming care.
And as the deadline to read a bill for the first time on both chamber floors Thursday looms, committees on both sides are doing their final work of the legislative session. As Chris Schulz reports, that includes a number of education related bills.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC9kxuB-h-4
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Outgoing UMWA President Talks Legacy And Advocates Discuss Rising Electricity Costs, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 08, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Cecil Roberts will step down as president of the United Mine Workers of America in October. Roberts says that in his 30 years at the head of the union, no achievement was more important than saving the health care and pensions of tens of thousands of retired coal miners. He spoke last week with Curtis Tate about that effort and his coming retirement.
And as part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, energy reporter Curtis Tate sat down in our studio with Gary Zuckett and Shawn Phillips of West Virginia Citizen Action Group to discuss electricity prices that have been rising at a rate faster than inflation in West Virginia.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Lawmakers Enter Final Week Of 2025 Regular Session
Apr 07, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, we're in the final week of the regular state legislative session. Everything ends Saturday at midnight. Any bill that isn’t finalized and on its way to the governor by then is effectively dead until next year.
In the Senate, the body cleared a bill Monday that would change how often a landowner has to certify managed timberland from once a year to once every five years. That bill is headed to the governor's desk. They also approved some supplemental appropriations bills, like one that would give the birth to three programs an extra nearly $6 million.
In the House, delegates approved more than 20 bills without debate and adjourned until 5:30 p.m. Monday. Emily Rice has more.
Last month, senators overwhelmingly passed a bill that would expand criminal penalties against those who sell illicit drugs. But Senate Bill 196 drew a more mixed reaction among members of the House Judiciary Committee Monday morning. Jack Walker brings us this report.
And electricity prices have been rising in West Virginia at a rate faster than inflation. This summer, Appalachian Power seeks to increase them more, sparking public protest at the Capitol and the Public Service Commission (PSC).Curtis Tate talks with Gary Zuckett and Shawn Phillips of West Virginia Citizen Action Group to discuss this issue.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLfLSJCWIMw
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
How SNAP Restrictions Affect W.Va. And A Hot Dog Legacy Lives On, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 07, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, federal and state officials want to expand eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and limit what participants can buy. As Jack Walker reports, that could have big impacts on small-town West Virginia, where roughly 1 in 6 residents used SNAP dollars last year.
And for generations, Skeenies Hot Dogs in Sissonville was a local staple. The restaurant closed in 2018 — but as Folkways reporter Zack Harold explores, it comes alive for the annual Skeenies Tribute Sale just one day a year.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Education Legislation, A Statewide Camping Ban And Budget Bills, This West Virginia Week
Apr 05, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, as the legislative session winds down, both chambers are working to pass a balanced budget and come up with a final product both sides will agree to.
We’ll also hear about issues the coal industry is facing, at home and abroad.
Meanwhile, several cities across West Virginia have implemented bans designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping in public spaces. Now, a bill to ban so-called camping statewide is making its way through the legislature.
We also discuss education-related topics in front of the legislature – from teacher pay to curriculum and school discipline.
Chris Schulz is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe. Learn more about West Virginia Week.
Reporter Roundtable Talks Budget, Energy And FOIA Legislation
Apr 04, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the coal and natural gas industries play a large role in the state’s economy and the West Virginia Legislature pays close attention to what's happening in terms of severance taxes, jobs and economic development. For our weekly reporter roundtable, WVPB reporters Briana Heaney and Curtis Tate are joined by Energy & Environment Reporter Sarah Elbeshbishi with the nonprofit newsroom Mountain State Spotlight.
The Senate met on Friday and passed several bills without discussion. Some of those had previously garnered debate. One such bill was House Bill 2172, adding an athletic trainer to the Board of Physical Therapy.
And each week throughout this legislative session, our high school reporters have filed stories that interest them as teens, but also as members of the community. This week, Emma Browning and Malia Saar wanted to look into legislation affecting the foster care system in the state.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_X53antrjs
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Encore: The Climbing Climate And Paddle Making, Inside Appalachia
Apr 04, 2025
Rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some pumpy crags.
Also, climbers have also been working to make West Virginia's New River Gorge more inclusive.
And, a master craftsman, who makes one of a kind whitewater paddles, remembers some advice.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Wearing an orange helmet and royal blue harness, Brian Liebenow holds onto the rock above his head looking down for the best place to move his feet. The green tinted sandstone looks like dragon scales in the morning light. Photo Credit: Katie Jo Myers/Adaptive Climbers Festival, 2023
The mountains of Appalachia are home to some killer rock climbing, but they’re also accessible for some groups who’ve felt excluded in the past.
Adaptive sports reporter Emily Chen-Newton covers athletes with disabilities. She brings us this story, exploring why climbing festivals are making a home in Appalachia.
Removing Racist Language From Rock Climbing
DJ Grant climbing a route at New River Gorge. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
In West Virginia, one of the most popular climbing destinations is the New River Gorge. Advanced rock climbers continue to pioneer new climbing routes there. The first people to climb these new routes are called “first ascensionists.” And they get the privilege of naming the routes. But what happens when dozens of those route names are plainly and clearly offensive?
In 2020 and 2021, Zack Harold followed the story of a climber at the New River Gorge who wanted to make the sport he loved more inclusive for his son.
Crafting A Classic Paddle
Jon Rugh with his wooden paddle at the New River near Blacksburg, VA. Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Appalachia has several huge rivers — the New River, the Youghiogheny, the Pigeon — so, it’s no surprise whitewater paddling is popular across the region, but it wasn’t all that long ago that modern paddlers first started exploring these rivers, designing their own gear and even building their own paddles. Some of those DIY paddle makers became master crafters.
Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett followed one.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Sturgeon Creek, Anthony Vega, Oakfield, the Delorian, Biba Dupont, Marissa Anderson, Tyler Childers, Jerry Douglas and John Blissard.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Balancing The State Budget And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 04, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, the 2025 legislative session is winding down, and both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature are working to pass a balanced state budget. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with House Finance Chair Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and House Finance Minority Chair Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, to discuss the House's proposed budget.
Plus, for this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage we hear sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell — known together as Larkin Poe — perform “Mockingbird” from their new album Bloom. Their performance on a West Virginia University stage brings us our Song of the Week.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Delegates Discuss House Version Of State Budget
Apr 03, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the one thing the West Virginia Legislature is required to do during its 60-day session is pass a balanced budget. Each year, the governor will offer his own budget, and then the chambers take turns preparing the draft budget. This year, it's up to the House of Delegates to put together a budget package. Once it passes the House, it will go onto the Senate for further revision.
News Director Eric Douglas talks with House Finance Chairman Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and Minority Chair of House Finance Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, about the House budget.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_YsG_Kp7Jk
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Us & Them: Daniel Johnston — The Troubled Life And Artistic Genius Of West Virginia Music Hall Of Fame Inductee
Apr 03, 2025
Daniel Johnston, a visual artist and singer-songwriter who was a key figure in the indie music scene in the1980s, will soon be inducted in the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.
Johnston’s high, wobbly vocals, uneven tempos, and percussive piano playing are unpolished and raw, earning him a label as an “outsider artist.” He recorded his best-known songs alone on cassette in his parents’ basement in Hancock County. Those tapes earned him a cult following in the burgeoning live music scene in Austin, Texas. Songwriters saw past the lo-fi production values of Johnston’s cassettes to the lyrics and structure of his songs. More widely known musicians like Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain championed his work.
Johnston was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his 20s, and as his fame grew, his mental health struggles increased. He died in 2019 at age 58, leaving hundreds of songs and drawings.
In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay talks with family members, musicians and others about Daniel’s life and legacy.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the CRC Foundation.
Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
Hear the podcast episode.
Daniel Johnston is among the 2025 inductees to the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Johnston burst onto the '80s indie scene with wobbly vocals and homemade cassettes that quickly earned him a devoted following. Photo Credit: J McConnicoThe West Virginia Music Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization in Charleston, dedicated to documenting and preserving the lasting contributions West Virginians have made to all genres of music. Its mission is to recognize the many influential musicians who have shaped the American musical spectrum—from country, classical and jazz to rock, R&B, gospel and traditional—and eventually establish a permanent facility to house a museum for recordings and memorabilia. For now, the Hall of Fame is headquartered in the Charleston Town Center Mall. Some of the notable inductees are: Bill Withers, Billy Edd Wheeler, George Crumb, Hazel Dickens, Red Sovine, Kathy Mattea, Tim O'Brien, Little Jimmy Dickens, Fred "Sonic" Smith and Barbara Nissman. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingDaniel Johnston was born in Sacramento, California, in 1961, the youngest of Mabel and Bill Johnston’s five children. A few years later, the family moved to Bill’s home state of West Virginia, settling near Chester in the northern panhandle—where this photo was taken on Jan. 1, 1969, when Daniel was eight years old. Family members say that as a kid, all Daniel wanted to do was draw cartoon figures and record songs. He dropped out of college twice, struggled to keep a job and often spent his paycheck on comic books. His drawings range from simple black-and-white sketches to brightly colored depictions of imaginary beings and superheroes. His songs center on unrequited love, loneliness, the struggle between good and evil, and his battles with mental illness. When Johnston was in his 20s, he was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features. His career was often interrupted by lengthy stays in psychiatric units. Photo Credit: Bill and Mabel Johnston Slide CollectionShelly Reed and Trey Kay standing in front of “The World’s Largest Teapot” in Chester, WV. Photo Credit: Amy Eddings
Shelly Reed is Daniel Johnston’s cousin. She grew up in Chester, and still lives there today. Reed says Chester is known for two things: Daniel Johnston and the “World’s Largest Teapot,” a tourist attraction since 1938. Johnston, famous for his music and his visual art, created much of that art while growing up near Chester. But many landmarks of his presence—including his childhood home and murals he painted at the high school—are gone.
“People in town… I don’t know, they even erased his stuff. He drew a picture of a bear and other things at the high school. I’m sure they wish they had it now, because he became so famous. But they colored over it, painted over it. Have you seen his yearbook? He drew a lot of pictures in it. He was always drawing pictures—always… After he died, my daughter and I stayed at their house for two weeks because they were overwhelmed with selling all the things people wanted after he passed away. I was in shock. I thought, ‘I cannot believe people are paying anywhere from $100 to $800.’ It’s just kind of crazy that I’m related to him… You know, he was just a kid from Chester, West Virginia, who liked playing the piano, writing down every thought in his head and drawing every picture that came to mind—and here he is, famous.”
— Shelly Reed, Daniel Johnston’s cousin
Daniel Johnston recorded many of his songs on a $59 Sanyo boombox in the basement of his family’s Hancock County home. The early 1980s were an especially creative time for him; he compiled those songs into self-produced cassette albums and gave them to anyone who would listen. Courtesy PhotoShelly Reed, left, and Trey Kay look at a vinyl record of Daniel Johnston’s “Hi, How Are You” album, which was originally self-produced on cassette. Photo Credit: Amy Eddings
Daniel Johnston’s most famous self-produced album was “Hi, How Are You?” It gained worldwide recognition among musicians, including Sonic Youth, Beck, Yo La Tengo, Pearl Jam and Wilco. The lo-fi cassette featured one of Johnston’s most recognizable characters on the cover, a googly-eyed frog-like alien Johnston named Jeremiah the Innocent. The late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain made the frog image iconic when he wore a T-shirt featuring it to the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. Here, Johnston’s cousin Shelly Reed shows “Us & Them” host Trey Kay a vinyl copy of “Hi, How Are You?” at her home in Chester.
Irwin Chusid Photo Credit: Flash Rosenberg
Irwin Chusid is a music historian and journalist who has been a free-form DJ at WFMU in New Jersey for more than 50 years. He frequently featured Daniel Johnston’s music on his shows. Chusid coined the term “outsider artist,” and he considers Johnston’s work to be in that category.
Chusid first discovered lo-fi music when a friend played him “Philosophy of the World,” the 1969 album by the three-sister group The Shaggs. His ensuing fascination with outsider music led him to write “Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music,” which includes Johnston. Chusid said Johnston is in a league of his own.
“[Daniel Johnston] has pop appeal and a huge body of work—songs people can cover or sing. Anyone can listen and hear a hook, a melody, a verse, a chorus, or something unusual in the lyrics. They can hear Daniel’s soul in that music. And that applies to every—can I use this word?—‘great’ outsider musician: They’re expressing their soul.”
— Irwin Chusid, music historian and journalist.
Mabel, Bill and Daniel Johnston. Photo courtesy of Hi How Are You Foundation
Family members describe Daniel as someone who wanted to draw and play music all the time. Daniel’s mother Mabel told filmmaker Jeff Feurzeig in his award-winning 2005 documentary, “The Devil and Daniel Johnston” that “he didn't want to do any of his chores like help mow the lawn or wash the car or any of those things.” She added that she had to “settle that.” Daniel recorded arguments with her on his cassette player and sometimes used them in songs like “Brainwash” and “Mabel’s Grievances.” He also made films spoofing her. Dick Johnston said they were brought up in a Christian home, and his mother objected to some of Daniel’s antics.
"The earliest dispute that arose about what he was doing had more to do with his art than his music, maybe. He was drawing these dead dogs' eyeballs. And you could find these things all over the county for the longest time because he and his friends were putting them everywhere. And mother thought that was distasteful. I've never heard them comment on the songs except to say that they are very good and that they thought that they were a little on the depressing side."
— Dick Johnston, only brother and former manager of Daniel Johnston and the manager of his estate.
Young Daniel Johnston playing piano at his family's home near Chester, WV. Bill Johnston said everyone got musical training. Photo Credit: Bill and Mabel Johnston
Daniel Johnston and musician and artist Kathy McCarty in July 1985. When they met, McCarty was living in Austin, TX and fronting the band Glass Eye. Photo Credit: Dick Johnston
In 1983, Dick invited Daniel to spend the summer at his home near Houston, thinking that would help Daniel get on his feet. Dick said Daniel got a job atAstroWorld. But a few months later, Daniel moved in with a sister in San Marcos, south of Austin. Soon after, Daniel disappeared and skipped town with a traveling carnival. Dick said Daniel thought family members were going to put him in a psychiatric hospital because of his bipolar disorder.
Five months later, the carnival stopped in Austin and Daniel chose to stay. He got a job at a McDonald’s and passed out his homemade cassettes to anyone who showed an interest.
He gave a cassette to Austin-based musician and singer-songwriter Kathy McCarty, whose band, Glass Eye, was a favorite in Austin’s growing live music scene. McCarty said she got a lot of cassettes from people seeking to open for them.
“This weird guy came up to me and gave me a cassette tape. He was clearly dying of nervous energy—he could barely bring himself to talk to me. I took his cassette and said, ‘Yeah, I’ll listen to it.’ It was ‘Hi, How Are You?’ I listened to about two songs and thought, ‘My God, this guy’s a genius.’ We didn’t even practice that day; all we did was listen to his tape over and over. I think we scheduled half an hour for him to play six or seven songs. He rushed through three, then ran off stage. He went to the bathroom, climbed out the window and took off.”
— Kathy McCarty, musician and visual artist
Courtesy Photo
Daniel’s local popularity led to his appearance on an episode of “The Cutting Edge” on the popular music video cable station MTV in the summer of 1985. By that fall, McCarty said Johnston suffered a psychotic episode in which he violently attacked his manager after which he spent time in a psychiatric hospital in Austin. His father, a former WWII pilot, flew to Austin to take Daniel back to West Virginia after another psychotic break. His mental health continued to deteriorate. During a trip to New York City to record his first studio album, “1990,” he assaulted another musician and was briefly hospitalized. Following a recording trip to Maryland, Daniel got into an altercation with a woman in Chester who ended up jumping out of the window of her second-story apartment to escape Daniel after he kicked down the front door. He told a judge he was trying to save the woman from a demon. The judge sent him to a psychiatric hospital in Weston, WV, where he stayed for some time before he was released into the custody of his parents. Daniel would spend a total of five years in mental health institutions over the course of his lifetime.
“Dave, here I am on MTV holding up my tape, ‘Hi How Are You,’ and they're recording me tonight, I'm on MTV. Remember when we used to watch MTV back home? Look, I'm on MTV, David.”
– Daniel Johnston, speaking on an MTV promo for “The Cutting Edge”
Courtesy Photo
Kathy McCarty began working on “Dead Dog’s Eyeball: Songs of Daniel Johnston” after Daniel was hospitalized in Weston. She said she recorded his songs so people could hear the music in a more relatable way. She accomplished that goal: The album was well-received, and one track, “Living Life,” appeared on the soundtrack of the 1995 romantic drama “Before Sunrise,” starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
“Oftentimes people used to ask me in interviews, do you think that his mental illness is like, what makes him such a great songwriter? And I'd be like, ‘no, if he had not been mentally ill, it would have been much better.’ His mental illness - it stood in his way.”
— Kathy McCarty
Jeff Tweedy Photo Credit: Pitch Perfect PR
Daniel continued to record, often collaborating with other musicians. His eighteenth and final album was issued in 2012 but his most enduring work was the material from the 1980s, much of it from West Virginia.
His dad, and later, his brother Dick, managed him. They toured with him, booking local artists to accompany him. Daniel eventually stopped playing guitar or piano because of tremors from the medications he took.
In 2017, Daniel announced he would reture from performing. He did a final, five-date tour. Each stop featured a different band influenced by his music.
Jeff Tweedy, the frontman of Wilco, and his son backed up Daniel at the Old Vic in Chicago. A video of the concert shows Daniel sitting in a chair, reading his lyrics off a music stand. Both hands grip the microphone to steady his shaking body.
Tweedy will induct Daniel Johnston into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and perform at the ceremony. He said it’s a great honor.
If it was up to me he'd be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or he'd be in every state's Hall of Fame. I don't know, I just think that you know I think that there are a lot of good reasons to keep his music alive and keep a focus on the art that he made.
— Jeff Tweedy, of the band Wilco
Daniel Johnston performing with B.E.A.M. Orchestra during a European tour in 2010. Courtesy Photo
Daniel Johnston performed outside the U.S. at venues in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. In 2010, he toured Europe with the B.E.A.M. Orchestra, an 11-piece outfit from Holland. Live recordings from that tour are on Daniel’s 2010 album “Beam Me Up!”
Dick Johnston, left, with Daniel Johnston in Austin, TX. Photo courtesy of the Hi How Are You Foundation
Dick Johnston manages Daniel’s estate. He said proceeds from the sales of Daniel’s drawings and other merchandise pay for the upkeep of his voluminous archives and legacy-building projects.Dick said he’d like to develop a cable or television series based on Daniel’s life.
Daniel’s visual art is also in the spotlight. The art publisher Rizzoli will soon release “Daniel Johnston,” a 400-page book spanning four decades of Johnston’s work.
Daniel is also remembered through the Hi, How Are You Foundation, a non-profit co-founded by Tom Gimbel, who managed Daniel in the 1990s. The foundation’s “Hi, How Are You Project” educates young people worldwide about mental health through community-building events.
For a kid who started out making cassette tapes in his family’s basement, that’s quite a legacy.
“OK, even if you don’t like outsider music, you’re missing something in the human experience if you’re not listening to Daniel Johnston. He’s a deeply philosophical commentator on the world, society, life and our experience, and I think he has valuable things to offer. It’s something that shouldn’t be missed.”
— Dick Johnston
On Sept. 11, 2019, Daniel Johnston was found dead in his home in Waller, Texas. He was 58 and died of an apparent heart attack. Photo Credit: Peter JuhlThis mural tribute to Daniel Johnston is in Houston, TX. It was unveiled on Hi, How Are You Day, a celebration of Johnston held every year on his birthday, on Jan. 22, 2020. The mural was created by muralist Anat Ronan and artist Jacob Calle. Photo Credit: Jacob Calle
Legislation Targets Homelessness And W.Va. Indie Singer Enters Hall Of Fame, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 03, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, several cities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping on park benches, in doorways and other public spaces.
A so-called camping ban is making its way through the legislature that would have impacts statewide. Assistant News Director Maria Young sat down with someone very familiar with Margaret O’Neal, president of United Way of Central West Virginia, to get her reaction to House Bill 2382.
Daniel Johnston is one of a handful of artists who will soon be inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. The singer-songwriter grew up in West Virginia and came onto the indie music scene in the 1980s.
In the next episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay learns about Johnston’s legacy which was partly shaped by his challenges with mental illness. We'll here an excerpt in today's episode.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
A Discussion On The Statewide Camping Ban Legislation
Apr 02, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, several cities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping on park benches, in doorways and other public spaces. A bill to ban so-called camping statewide is making its way through the legislature. Assistant News Director Maria Young talks with Margaret O’Neal, president of United Way of Central West Virginia, who is familiar with the state’s unhoused population.
A bill to establish a forest carbon registry was defeated in the Senate. Emily Rice has more.
The House discussed a list of bills Wednesday, including a bill that would exempt the legislature from sharing information that is currently accessible to the public through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Briana Heaney brings us this story.
And following up on Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order, a bill to codify the elimination of certain diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI) has passed the Senate and is now in the House Education Committee. As Randy Yohe shows us, while Senate Bill 474 pinpoints the executive branch and schools, some state entities receiving state funding are still wondering where they fit under the new policy.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEbIoPTHNuo
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Discussing Coal Industry Issues And Appalachian Indie Rock, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 02, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we take a look at issues affecting the coal industry, both domestically and abroad. Curtis Tate spoke with Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, about the state of the industry.
Plus, a new wave of indie rock has rolled in from the Mountain South, incorporating elements of southern rock and lyrics drawn from Appalachian life. One such group is Fust, a North Carolina band with roots extending to West Virginia. For Inside Appalachia, Mason Adams spoke with Fust singer Aaron Dowdy.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
West Virginia Coal Association President Talks Challenges Facing Industry
Apr 01, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday that would allow data centers to establish microgrids — self-contained sites that generate their own power. The bill is one of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s legislative priorities. It is also of interest to Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. Our Energy & Environment Reporter Curtis Tate speaks with Hamilton about issues the coal industry is facing at home and abroad.
The Senate passed a bill that would outlaw the use, sale and distribution of abortifacients in the state. Briana Heaney has the story.
And the Senate Education Committee took up two bills Tuesday that aim to improve school security, a legislative focus for years.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBZYE_S7gZ0
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Legislation Could Affect Teachers, Plus Mine Safety Measures At Risk, This West Virginia Morning
Apr 01, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, we discuss the role education has played in this year's legislative session, from proposed teacher pay bumps to bills addressing student discipline.
News Director Eric Douglas caught up with Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, to discuss how legislation currently under consideration could impact the state's educators.
Also in this episode, Justin Hicks with Kentucky Public Radio walks us through possible risks to mine safety caused by dual efforts to cut federal spending and boost mineral production from President Donald Trump.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
State Education Union Head Weighs In On Session
Mar 31, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, education related topics from teacher pay, to curriculum and school discipline are all issues before the West Virginia Legislature this session. News Director Eric Douglas talks with Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, in our studio about some of the proposed legislation this session and how it affects teachers. The WVEA and the American Federation of Teachers plan to merge this summer to become a single teacher’s union in the state.
The House of Delegates approved a bill Monday that would modify the governance structure of the state’s two land-grant universities, West Virginia University (WVU) and West Virginia State University (WVSU).
The Senate convened a couple hours later Monday while they ironed out a plan for the day. There was a lot of debate around bills on health care regulation and banking. The Senate also voted down its first bill since 2020. We will have an updated story on this floor session Tuesday.
And many LGBTQ allies and advocates gathered outside the Senate chamber to speak against legislation that the state legislature is considering, or has already passed. Briana Heaney has that story.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idP7s7srKOg
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Pandemic-Era Vinyl Gets Re-Released And Natural Gas Leader Talks Industry, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 31, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, this month marked five years since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of public spaces across the United States. The Cornelius Eady Trio, a ban organized around Tennessee poet and professor Cornelius Eady, used that time to create art.
The trio recorded “Don’t Get Dead: Pandemic Folk Songs by the Cornelius Eady Trio.” As Mason Adams reported for Inside Appalachia, the record was recently re-released on vinyl.
Plus, leaders from the natural gas industry met with Gov. Patrick Morrisey at the State Capitol last week for a roundtable discussion. Afterward, Curtis Tate spoke with Jim Crews, chairman of the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, about gas pipelines, data centers and the challenge of ordering gas turbines for new plants.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Statewide Camping Ban, Requirements For SNAP And One City Cracks Down On Shoplifting, This West Virginia Week
Mar 29, 2025
On this West Virginia Week, legislators debate a statewide camping ban and what should be expected of residents who get SNAP benefits. We’ll take a look at the hopes for a comeback of the coal industry and why one city has cracked down on shoplifting.
Maria Young is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week's biggest news in the Mountain State. It's produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Political Science Professor Talks Challenges To Legislative Goals
Mar 28, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas talks with Marshall Political Science Prof. Marybeth Beller to discuss the issues around the super majority and getting things accomplished.
Earlier this week, Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 2354 into law. The law bans certain food dyes from school meals. The governor was joined by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. secretary of health and human services, at a media event in Martinsburg Friday. The two of them discussed additional health priorities for West Virginia and the nation.
In the House Friday, business was delayed for close to two hours due to procedural wrangling. Chris Schulz has more.
As opposed to the House, the Senate had a quiet day, moving through several bills without debate.
And for our weekly feature with our student reporters, Malia Saar and Emma Browning, they take a closer look at the budget process that the West Virginia Legislature is required, by law, to complete by the end of session.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI88Gv4FRio
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Fust, The Price Of Eggs And Helvetia’s Fasnacht, Inside Appalachia
Mar 28, 2025
Aaron Dowdy of alternative country band Fust took an outside path to becoming a songwriter.
Also, egg prices are up. Some folks are talking about raising backyard chickens.
And, Helvetia, West Virginia’s old world Fasnacht festival continues to grow, in part because of an online video game. Organizers are OK with it.
You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Fust singer-songwriter Aaron Dowdy. Courtesy of Fust/Charlie Boss
The last few years have seen a new wave of indie rock music emerging from the Mountain South. It’s distinguished by a Southern rock sound, and lyrics drawn from observations about living in the region.
We’re talking about acts like Wednesday and MJ Lenderman — and Fust, a group that’s based in Durham, North Carolina with deep Appalachian roots. Fust has a new album. It’s called Big Ugly.
Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams recently spoke with Fust singer and songwriter Aaron Dowdy.
The Price Of Eggs And Backyard Chicken Coops
Susan Casdorph at her home in South Charleston. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The eye-popping cost of eggs has some people thinking about raising their own chickens.
Zack Harold brings us the story of one woman who has spent the last decade trying to make that easier in West Virginia.
Violet Tendencies
Every spring, violets bloom across Appalachia, a carpet of purple, white and yellow. These unassuming flowers do everything from spruce up a cocktail to fight cancer. We explore a few of the ways herbalists use them for food and medicine. Courtesy of Nica Fraser
Every April, violets bloom across Appalachia. They add flashes of purple, white and yellow to the deepening green of the hills. But violets do a lot more than add natural flair. These flowers have long been a key ingredient in herbal remedies. People use them to fight cancer and the common cold. And — they make a pretty tasty snack. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch brings us this story.
Appalshop Rebuilds After Flooding
Arts and media hub Appalshop's historic office in Whitesburg, Kentucky was damaged by a region-wide flooding event in 2022. The organization is currently operating from an off-site location in Jenkins, Kentucky. Courtesy of Appalshop
Media and arts organization Appalshop is renowned for documenting and preserving Appalachian culture. But the historic flooding that Eastern Kentucky experienced in 2022 threatened that mission.
Flood waters breached Appalshop’s building in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and drowned the lower floors. Its extensive film and audio archive was damaged by mud and water.
Last month, more severe flooding hit the area. Roger May is Appalshop’s director of artistic programs. WVPB’s Jack Walker spoke with May about how flooding affects the region’s arts community.
Helvetia's Fasnacht Festival
One of the Fasnacht 2025 masks - old man winter. Courtesy of Joe Randolph
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Fust, Noam Pikelny, John Inghram, The Local Honeys and Paul Loomis.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Proposed SNAP Work Requirements And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 28, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, a bill that would expand both the employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP food benefits has passed the Senate and has moved to the House Finance committee. As Randy Yohe reports, those backing Senate Bill 249 see possible gains in the state’s dismal workforce participation rate, but opponents say passage could hurt needy families and increase government bureaucracy.
And our Song of the Week comes from The Headhunters, the legendary jazz fusion band best known for its 70s era records. “Watermelon Man” was written by pianist Herbie Hancock and was first released in 1962.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Reporter Roundtable Talks DEI Ban, Vaccines And Home Rule Legislation
Mar 27, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Curtis Tate and Briana Heaney are joined by Caity Coyne, a reporter for the nonprofit news organization West Virginia Watch.
Also, lawmakers in the House of Delegates took on a novel source of power for West Virginia Thursday morning. Chris Schulz has more.
The Senate approved Senate Bill 505 Thursday. The bill changes how power plants operate in the state.
And a bill that would expand the employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP food benefits has passed the Senate and has been moved to the House Finance Committee. Those backing Senate Bill 249 see possible gains in increasing the state’s dismal workforce participation rate. Opponents say passage could hurt needy families and increase government bureaucracy. Randy Yohe has our story.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3WwjC9v6xI
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Legislators Discuss Home Rule And Checking In On The Safer Kentucky Law, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 27, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke spoke with News Director Eric Douglas about a bill that would remove the ability of cities and towns across the state to set their own rules - called home rule - for The Legislature Today.
And new tough-on-crime laws in many states have enhanced crime sentencing. Some also ban public camping, something the West Virginia Legislature is currently considering statewide. From the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay heads across the state line to check on the consequences of the Safer Kentucky Law.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Us & Them: Substance Use Disorder — Can You Recover Without A Place To Call Home?
Mar 27, 2025
Reality is more challenging now for people who live at the intersection between substance use disorder, homelessness and the criminal justice system.
New laws across the nation echo aspects of the 2024 Safer Kentucky Act, which enhance penalties for violent crimes, drug crimes, shoplifting and carjacking, as well as a ban on public camping.
On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay returns to Kentucky to check on the consequences of the new tough-on-crime law. In cities, the demand for longterm and transitional housing remains acute, while in small town Appalachia the access to any social safety net can be far, far away.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from The Just Trust.Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
Amanda Hall, Senior Director of National Campaigns at Dream.org, brings hard-won insight from rural Kentucky. In her late teens, she received two five-year drug-related sentences and spent 13 months in prison. After treatment, she became a social worker, later ran the recovery center where she once was a client, and spent seven years lobbying for addiction safety nets in Kentucky. Her advocacy now shapes national drug policy. She says the debates around the Safer Kentucky Act were tough to watch — especially the ban on camping and public sleeping. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"I'll be honest—because we're smaller, we have fewer unhoused people, but there are whole counties without any shelter. It’ll take us a while to sort through the data, but I’m eager to see it because I truly believe the Safer Kentucky Act is harming Appalachians. I remember burning a lot of bridges in my past; sometimes I got lucky and found a couch or went back to my mom's house, but not everyone has that opportunity. Instead of providing resources or harm reduction, we're throwing people in jail. Studies show that within the first two weeks after release, some individuals are 39 times, or even over 120 times, more likely to die of an overdose. It's very frightening for our population with substance use disorder. It's really scary.".
— Amanda Hall, Senior Director of National Campaigns at Dream.org
George Wruck, who lived at the Altogether Community Center in Paintsville, Ky., said he struggled financially after moving from Florida with his sister to open a general store. When that venture failed and he had a falling out with his sister, he had nowhere to go and began camping until law enforcement informed him it was illegal. Wruck, who says his substance use disorder is long behind him, now faces financial hardships and depression. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"I hope people understand that many folks are literally living on the street. It's today's society—being disabled for so long means I couldn't work or get a higher disability paycheck. A lot of people fall on hard times and need help rather than being pushed further down the hole. It's tough, but I'll push through it."
— George Wruck, a homeless person living in Paintsville, Ky
The Altogether Community Center in Paintsville, Ky.—formerly a motel —was converted into a warming center, emergency shelter, and transitional housing facility for individuals completing substance use disorder treatment. Although it did not offer inpatient care, the center provided a structured environment to access essential services, secure stable short-term housing, and receive assistance with permanent housing and job placement. However, the Johnson County Fiscal Court voted to shutter the facility on March 12, 2025. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingState Rep. Jason Nemes, a Republican in Kentucky’s legislature, represents three counties, including Louisville, the state’s largest city. Nemes said he co-authored the Safer Kentucky Act, which also makes public sleeping a crime, because of what he described as outrageously high crime levels in Kentucky. In Louisville specifically, he noted that murders have increased over the past decade, and homicides are up in the surrounding Jefferson County as well. Nemes explained that the core of the Safer Kentucky Act is to target violent criminals by ensuring longer jail sentences. One provision aims to prevent individuals who use handguns in the commission of crimes from being released early. He said lawmakers consulted with law enforcement and victims to highlight a disturbing trend of adults using children to commit crimes. One provision of the law stipulates that if an adult uses a child to commit a crime, the adult is guilty of the same offense as the child. Additionally, the law increases the severity of the charge for the adult. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"While I have a great deal of respect for the advocates, what they're doing isn't working. There's an industry built around homelessness with a lot of money at stake, and they resist change. I understand that we want people to avoid arrest and jail, but that's ultimately up to them. It's easy to demagogue on the other side and say, 'they made homelessness illegal,' but that's far from the truth. If you're going to break the law and encamp without accepting treatment when it's offered, that won't be allowed in Kentucky.
The real question is: What are the underlying reasons someone is homeless? Is it a lack of jobs, mental health issues, or substance abuse? That's what we need to address. If they won't accept help voluntarily, we're prepared to get them before a judge and push for involuntary treatment. We'll do our best to help our people."
— Kentucky State Rep. Jason Nemes
Isaac Chamberlain is homeless in Louisville, Ky., and said he struggles with substance use disorder. Recently incarcerated, he has been diagnosed with three stage 3 cancers and is receiving treatment for hepatitis C. Chamberlain frequently visits VOCAL Kentucky—a group dedicated to ending the AIDS epidemic, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and homelessness—to obtain his hepatitis C medication. He said he hasn't been cited for living outdoors because he's "being smart" about avoiding detection when using public restrooms, drugs, or camping. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"I do have issues with substance use disorder, but I was just released from prison. I became homeless when the person I was staying with had their house burn down last year—when I come home, there’s nothing left. Kentucky was just given $35 million for homelessness services... but where is it going? I have three stage-3 cancers and I'm on the streets, yet I'm asking for help. I've followed all the advice, but our lawmakers won't help."
— Isaac Chamberlain, homeless person living on the streets in Louisville, Ky
Jennifer Twyman is an organizer with VOCAL Kentucky, a grassroots movement of low-income individuals dedicated to ending homelessness and mass incarceration in the state. Based in Louisville, the organization works to empower marginalized communities. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"I’m appalled by the new homeless services division of the police department. Every day, they deploy a huge caravan of sanitation trucks and officers—spending a lot of money literally chasing people around. We know camp clearings increase overdoses—I have data on that—and it’s astonishing that this cycle continues, profiting those who enforce it. Now they want to use opioid settlement funds to pay for the court process our outreach workers and the Coalition for the Homeless set up to handle these citations. I used opiates for 20 years— that money represents the deaths of many of my friends. They’re taking $750,000 from that money to support a court system that exists only because our state passed [the Safer Kentucky Act]."
— Jennifer Twyman, an organizer with VOCAL Kentucky
Donnie Green, founder of the Arthur Street Hotel, turned his own homelessness into a mission to help others rebuild. Homeless at 23—and sober throughout—he started the hotel with private donations and has spent decades working in harm reduction. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"The legislation in place today [the Safer Kentucky Act] is not new—it has been used elsewhere in the past. To claim that the struggles within our communities, especially among vulnerable populations, are unconnected is, at best, naive and, at worst, maliciously negligent. No one chooses to live on the streets. The rules that allow some people to remain housed are too onerous, forcing them back outside. This isn’t a matter of choice; it’s a system that prevents people from securing housing. We must address that issue, or decide that everything is set in stone, with no room for adjustment."
— Donnie Green, advocate for the homeless in Louisville, KY
Since opening in October 2022, the Arthur Street Hotel in Louisville, Ky., has helped more than 260 formerly unhoused individuals secure permanent housing. The hotel staff says that they offer “community, advocacy, resources and empowerment” (C.A.R.E.) to those experiencing housing instability, connecting them with opportunities for wellness and long-term stability. Its staff provides intensive case management to remove the physical, mental and emotional barriers that prevent people from securing permanent housing. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingTiny Heron, director of housing services at the Arthur Street Hotel, lost her husband to an overdose in 2018. Since then, she’s been committed to ensuring homeless people with substance use disorder receive shelter, food and the dignity they deserve. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
"I often hear people refer to us as the 'homeless hotel'—or say we have 'Arthur Street vibes.' They say negative things about what we do here, and that's fine—I like to ruffle feathers. What we do is very different. The people we serve have been turned away from every other shelter or organization."
— Tiny Heron, director of housing services at the Arthur Street Hotel.
Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingDonnie Green and Tiny Heron sport tattoos on their forearms that capture their personal philosophies on homelessness. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingDonnie Green, co-founder of Feed Louisville—a nonprofit that repurposes food to combat hunger and homelessness—delivers a box of food and supplies to a man camping in Louisville on a cold February night. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public BroadcastingDonnie Green speaks with a man experiencing homelessness about his needs. Photo Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Lawmakers Talk Home Rule
Mar 26, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, and Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, to talk about a bill that would remove the ability of cities and towns across the state to set their own rules. It’s called home rule.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey joined a meeting of gas and oil industry leaders at the Capitol Wednesday. He spoke to them about House Bill 2014, his plan to bring more microgrids and data centers to the state. Morrisey talked about keeping more of the profits from this resource-rich state here and how the microgrid legislation would do that.
In the Senate, lawmakers passed several bills on topics ranging from food stamps to DEI. Briana Heaney has more.
In the House, delegates got off to an emotional start debating a foster care bill. Chris Schulz has more.
And a bill that would expand the employment and training requirements necessary for SNAP food benefits has passed the Senate and is now under consideration in the House of Delegates. Randy Yohe has our story.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W8Rzbtk9-8
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
A Growing Tourism Industry And Analyzing The State Budget, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 26, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, research from the state suggests more than 21,000 jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector will open annually over the next five years. Randy Yohe spoke with stakeholders in the tourism industry about their work and the anticipated growth.
Meanwhile, members of the West Virginia Legislature are currently reviewing this year's state budget, which allocates money to many of West Virginia's publicly funded agencies and programs. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, to discuss the budget from an analyst's perspective.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Policy Analyst Weighs In On State Budget
Mar 25, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the state budget continues to work its way through the West Virginia Legislature. We recently heard from Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, a Harrison County Republican and vice chairman of the House Finance Committee. This time, News Director Eric Douglas sits down with Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst at West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, to discuss the state’s budget from an analyst’s perspective.
Also, the Senate advanced several bills Tuesday, including a bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe medicine. Briana Heaney has more.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Monday signed House Bill 2354. It bans certain additives from schools starting in August. It also bans those same additives from being sold statewide in 2028. Briana Heaney also has this story.
And Monday afternoon, the House Education Committee discussed a bill that would change the structure of the Boards of Governors at the state’s 19 public colleges and universities.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uTlyQvuO6o
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Postal Workers Rally Against Cuts And A Vaccine Exemption Bill Fails To Pass, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 25, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, postal unions across the U.S. rallied against job cuts and the possibility of a privatized postal service last week. Reporter Jack Walker stopped by a rally in Charleston and tells us about workers’ concerns.
And as part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Dr. Cathy Slemp – former state health officer for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources – and Del. Sean Hornbuckle, the House minority leader to discuss the defeat of the much-debated vaccine bill in the House of Delegates Monday.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
House Rejects Bill For Vaccine Exemptions
Mar 24, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, the House of Delegates for more than two hours debated a bill that would require public schools to accept religious vaccine exemptions. But Senate Bill 460 was rejected, 56-42. Briana Heaney has the story.
After the defeat of the vaccine bill in the House, News Director Eric Douglas sat down and discussed the results with Dr. Cathy Slemp, former state health officer for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and now co-chair of the West Virginia Hope in Action Alliance, and House Minority Leader Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell.
Also, parental rights took center stage on the Senate floor, as lawmakers held a lengthy debate over local control. Chris Schulz has more.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAMxNyDBw1E
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Camping Bans And Coal Ambitions, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 24, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, camping bans have popped up around the United States, which critics say unfairly target people experiencing homelessness. As Chris Schulz reports, a camping ban traveling through the West Virginia Legislature has some Morgantown residents feeling frustrated.
Plus, with President Donald Trump back in the White House, fossil fuels have resumed their place at the forefront of the nation's energy policy. Earlier this month, Trump posted on social media calling for more energy production from “beautiful, clean coal.”
As Curtis Tate reports, ambitions for reviving the coal industry are far from certain, even in the most coal-reliant state.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Reporter Roundtable Talks Bills On Microgrids, Vaccine Exemptions And Civics Curriculum
Mar 21, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, WVPB reporters Jack Walker, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate discuss what legislation their following in this week's reporter roundtable.
Also, over the past year, camping bans have started popping up at both the local and state level. As Chris Schulz reports, a camping ban bill making its way through the West Virginia Legislature has some Morgantown residents feeling frustrated.
The House of Delegates worked through multiple amendments and nearly three hours of debate on a bill that would provide exemptions to the state’s current childhood vaccine laws. Briana Heaney was there and brings us this story.
Some members of the House want to tighten identification laws for voters. Jack Walker brings us this report.
Finally, for our weekly feature with our student reporters, Malia Saar and Emma Browning, they take a closer look at bills making their way through the legislature that lift restrictions.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8_VyY4_LA0
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Looking Back At 2020, Inside Appalachia
Mar 21, 2025
During a pandemic, where do you give birth?
Also, we’ll have the story of a family that cultivated an heirloom tomato in West Virginia. It took a lot of work.
And, a musical tradition brought people together — even when they couldn’t gather in person.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Baby Cai on his dad Chuck Kleine’s chest. Photo Credit: Glynis Board/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
In June of 2020, former West Virginia Public Broadcasting videographer Chuck Kleine and Pennsylvania resident Joe Buckland recorded their experiences with having children during the pandemic.
Buckland and his wife had a baby in mid-February, nearly a month before the lockdowns.
Kleine and his wife, Glynis Board, WVPB’s assistant news director at the time, had a baby in March, about a week after most staff were sent home.
Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato
Mary Lou Estler slices up her family’s heirloom mortgage lifter tomato. But there’s a mystery with this tomato. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
One of Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adam's friends hates tomatoes — but started growing them in 2020 because he “wanted to be part of it.” It being growing a garden, complete with a swath of heirloom tomatoes. Like a variety called Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter tomato. This heirloom breed got its start in Logan County, West Virginia.
A guy known as Radiator Charlie bred two varieties of tomato together to get a giant, juicy fruit. Word spread, and eventually so many people bought his $1 tomato plants that he was able to pay off his house. That’s how the “mortgage lifter” got its name.
But in 2020, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold brought us a story about another West Virginia tomato plant, also called “mortgage lifter.” And it’s even older.
The Ramp Hunter
A lot of big events were canceled in 2020 — high school proms, baseball games, and even family reunions — but some annual traditions would not be stopped. Like foraging for ramps.
People still went out to their favorite ramp patches in early spring. In 2020, we aired this story of a ramp-hunting expedition, led by Maryland park ranger Caroline Blizzard. Photographer and filmmaker Michael Snyder tagged along to record her for “The Mountain Traditions Project."
The Sacred Harp
Shape-note singers in the region most often use oblong-shaped tunebooks like The Sacred Harp and The Shenandoah Harmony. This singer has personalized their copy of The Sacred Harp. Photo Credit: Kelley Libby/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
One of the oldest European musical traditions in Appalachia is shape note singing. It’s also called Sacred Harp singing. It’s sung acapella, often in large groups, with singers facing each other in a square.
Social distancing made shape note singing a lot harder, but a group figured out a way to continue to sing through the pandemic. Inside Appalachia Editor Kelley Libby — then a Folkways Reporter — filed this story in 2020.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Tyler Childers, Noam Pikelny, Mary Hott and the Cornelius Eady Trio.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Chris Julin and Caitlin Tan.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Sen. Tarr Talks Bills That Affect W.Va. Medicine And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 21, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, a number of bills have moved through the legislature this year that make changes to the practice of medicine in our state. As part of our daily broadcast The Legislature Today, Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, joined News Director Eric Douglas in our capitol studio to discuss his position on some of these bills.
And our Song of the Week comes from Stephen Wilson Jr. making his Mountain Stage debut. Wilson Jr. performs “Billy”, a song from his debut album Son of Dad that embraces his roots.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Maria Young and Randy Yohe.
Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Lawmaker Talks Potential Changes To Medical Practices In W.Va.
Mar 20, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, a number of bills have moved through the West Virginia Legislature this year that make changes to the practice of medicine in the state. A bill to remove the certificate of need for hospitals failed, but bills allowing optometrists and pharmacists to expand their practice are still moving. Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, has argued against some of these bills so he joined News Director Eric Douglas in our studio to discuss why.
Also, some state lawmakers say the cost of maintaining the state’s sex offender registry should fall on the shoulders of registrants themselves. Jack Walker brings us this report.
And Appalachian Power electricity customers protested a proposed rate increase on the Capitol steps Thursday. Curtis Tate brings us the latest.
Having trouble viewing the episode below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiaybjr13Tc
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Marshall Students React To DEI Removal And Lawmakers Give Update On Budget Process, This West Virginia Morning
Mar 20, 2025
On this West Virginia Morning, state and federal orders to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs have spurred organizational changes at Marshall University. As Randy Yohe reports, these changes are being met with mixed reviews from students.
And the one thing delegates and senators are constitutionally required to do is pass a balanced state budget. News Director Eric Douglas spoke Wednesday with Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, vice chairman of the House Finance Committee, to get their take on the budget process so far for The Legislature Today.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Maria Young produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Finance Committee Lawmakers Weigh In On Budget Bill
Mar 19, 2025
On this episode of The Legislature Today, News Director Eric Douglas speaks with Sen. Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Del. Clay Riley, R-Harrison, vice chairman of the House Finance Committee, to get their take on the budget process so far.
In the Senate, lawmakers passed seven bills Wednesday and sent two other bills to the governor's desk for consideration. Briana Heaney has more.
The House of Delegates passed bills to legalize standing on a moving motorcycle with both feet on its petals; and to allow retired state police officers to assist Child Protective Services in child abuse and neglect cases. Both bills will be sent to the state Senate for further review.
Also, deaf community members of all ages visited Charleston to talk with lawmakers and resource groups. Jack Walker stopped by and brings us this report.
Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT3KRYWAyIM
The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.
Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
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