Blankenship On Trial

This week, in author Willie Carver, Jr.’s new book, he reconsiders a negative childhood experience with a neighborhood girl who might have just been looking for a friend. Also, a southwestern Virginia community rang the alarm after more and more of its children were diagnosed with cancer. A local journalist is trying to unravel the cause. And, the city of Asheville has a new crusading reporter. He’s a puppet. The post Encore: Willie Carver Jr. And Marina Waters, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Twenty-five years ago, on Sept. 11, 2001, at 8:46 a.m., a hijacked plane hit one of the twin towers at the World Trade Center in New York City, ending for this nation a certain innocence, and the belief that such an attack would never happen on American soil. Maria Young caught up an economics professor from WVU who was on site when the planes hit – and gave an exclusive interview to then-West Virginia Public Broadcasting News Director Beth Vorhees.  The post Remembering 9/11, 25 Years Later, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

They love West Virginia. They want to make their future here, but jobs, housing and opportunity can make that choice harder than it sounds. In the first of two Us & Them episodes, Trey Kay talks with young West Virginians trying to decide whether they can put down their own roots in a place they call home. The post Us & Them: Stay Or Go — Part 1: The Stayers appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

As one of the hardest hit states in the country's opioid crisis, communities across West Virginia have started spending their portion of the roughly $1 billion in settlements from pharmaceutical companies and distributors. Schuyler Mitchell, assistant news director at nonprofit newsroom Mother Jones, reported last month on the use of the funds to purchase automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, from companies like Flock. She spoke to Chris Schulz about her findings.   The post National Report Highlights Use Of Opioid Settlement Funds For Police Surveillance, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, a second data center is coming to Mason County, the Rural Health Transformation Program Funds are beginning to be distributed in the state, and remembering Dolly Parton.  The post A Second Data Center In Mason County And Kathy Mattea Remembers Dolly, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week, we remember the one and only Dolly Parton. Dolly used her musical success to help others. She started the Imagination Library, a free book program for children that included some of her favorites, like the "Little Engine that Could." And, Dolly’s kindness touched people from all walks of life. The post Remembering Dolly Parton, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

We remember Dolly Parton, not just as a musician and celebrity, but as a voice for Appalachian humor, resilience and kindness. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Mountain Stage host and country star Kathy Mattea, who shares some of her memories.  The post Singer, Mountain Stage Host Kathy Mattea Remembers Dolly Parton, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

NPR recently released a story showing that heat-related deaths in the United States have likely been undercounted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks deaths, but it isn’t always easy to attribute a death to heat. We speak with an expert who helps us understand what heat does to the body and what it means in West Virginia. The post Understanding How Heat Affects The Body, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, National Save A Life Day coordinator talks about what to expect if you stop by one of the dozens of booths planned across the state later this month.  The post What To Expect At A National Save A Life Day Booth, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, a client for a big data center is revealed, flock cameras see resistance and social media settles in court.  The post Data Center Client Revealed And Flock Cameras See Resistance, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, about 12% of West Virginia’s young people from 16 to 24 are disconnected youth - not going to school or working. Us & Them looks into why the state has such a high number. The post Why The Youth Are Disconnected, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

West Virginia’s rate of “disconnected youth” has improved, but nearly 24,000 young people are still neither working nor in school. Us & Them explores what leaves some young people feeling stuck — and the programs trying to reconnect them to education, work and opportunity. The post Us & Them Encore: Disconnected Youth appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Singer, actress and icon Dolly Parton visited West Virginia in 2022 to celebrate the state’s full participation in her Imagination Library, an early childhood literacy program she started in honor of her father in 1995. Dolly Parton died Tuesday after a brief illness. We listen back to an interview she did with then WVPB Executive Producer Suzanne Higgins.  The post Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library In W.Va., This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

One of the world’s rarest plants, the Peters Mountain Mallow, lives on only one mountainside, in the New River Valley along the West Virginia line. Last year, scientists counted just five plants still alive – and the recent drought means protecting it from extinction is getting tougher. The post Efforts Underway To Protect A Rare Plant, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, plans for a new transmission line may be in trouble, a former state delegate is indicted, and the state has a new secretary of tourism.  The post New Transmission Line Sees Resistance And The State Has A New Secretary Of Tourism, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week, a new report finds the number of black lung cases is at its highest since the 1970s. The human cost is high. Also, the author of a new book says reintroducing nearly extinct animals back into the wild can boost damaged ecosystems, but they can't repair them. And, roadside attractions pay tribute to our enduring fascination with weird. The post Black Lung And Beasts Of The East, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, changes are coming to FEMA, few details on school clothing voucher accusations, and the state has a new guide for data centers.  The post FEMA And Voucher Controversy Continues, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week, a Japanese Shinto garden took root in southwestern Virginia because of family connections spanning geography and generations. Also, in Whitesburg, Kentucky, a new mosaic uses recovered objects to honor the town’s people after the flood of 2022. And, the young adult novel Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire mixes historical fact with spooky Appalachian folklore. The post Shinto Garden In Southwest Virginia And A Healing Mosaic In Kentucky, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

West Virginia is seeing a dramatic decline in overdose deaths, but addiction’s consequences can be complex. On a new episode of Us & Them, Trey Kay explores what addiction can leave behind for children and families through the film “What We Hide” and a conversation with addiction and mental health professionals. The post Us & Them: What We Hide — Examining The Collateral Damage Of Addiction appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, Gov. Patrick Morrisey gets pushback over school clothing vouchers, Huntington residents seek to ban Flock cameras, and black lung is big again.  The post Pushback On School Clothing Vouchers And Black Lung Numbers Grow, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, we learn about steps parents can take to keep their children safe from harm, we look at a program to attract remote workers to the state, and a new Appalachian memoir. The post Remote Work Programs, Child Online Safety and An Appalachian Memoir, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week, a new memoir explores the struggle to stay in Appalachia and the struggle to leave. Also, an exhibit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, documents the contributions of the Catawba Nation to the American Revolutionary War. And, grab some sunscreen as we make a visit to the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio. The post All That’s Unseen, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week, after a disaster, can comics help set the record straight? Also, sifting through Hurricane Helene’s debris, one group tries to reunite keepsakes with their owners, including love letters. And, a cafe in Virginia feeds the hungry and tries to destigmatize homelessness. For its outreach manager, whose brother lived on the streets for years, it’s personal. The post Appalachia Comics Project And Open Door Cafe, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Open Door Café in Wytheville, Virginia uses gardening as a way to feed the hungry while breaking down the stigma of homelessness. For Inside Appalachia, Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch brings us the story about digging into the roots and connecting to more than just the land. The post How A Café Uses Gardening To Fight The Stigma Of Homelessness, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Like many U.S. cities, Morgantown has a growing homeless population with far more people in need than shelters can take in. On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay moderates a community conversation about the city’s camping ban, the shortage of housing and meaningful solutions for the future. The post Us & Them: Who Can Call Morgantown Home? appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Many people struggle to find affordable housing, and more cities and towns now grapple with growing homeless populations. On the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay moderates a public conversation in Morgantown about that city’s housing approach. The post Morgantown’s Housing Approach, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, a look at how the hot, humid weather of summer is a prime season for the sometimes disease-carrying ticks.  The post ‘Tis The Season For Ticks, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, weekend storms may help clear the smokey air, Huntington City Council approves Flock cameras and how Fentanyl may have made its way into the country.    The post The Smokey Air And Flock Cameras, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, if you’ve ever seen the eye-catching ‘Bus On A Rock’ in the New River and wondered why – and how – it got there, we have some answers for you. The post Finding Solitude In A Bus On A Rock In A River, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, the client of a Charleston attorney says the DEA allowed millions of doses of potentially deadly Fentanyl into the United States. The post Whistleblower Raises Alarm On Fentanyl Trafficking, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, not much has been known about Appalachia’s contributions to the Underground Railroad, but a Marshall University historian is documenting that history. The post The Underground Railroad’s Route Through Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, many people are looking towards the country's future after the nation's 250th anniversary. A group in West Virginia is talking to the region’s youth to capture their voices and perspectives about what comes next. The post How Appalachia’s Young People See The Next 250 Years, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, the world’s largest transportable Ferris wheel arrives in Charleston, the SNAP ban on soda is blocked, and we look at an effort to expand local medical care through EMS.  The post A Very Big (Ferris) Wheel And Soda On SNAP, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A $1 million initiative through the Rural Health Transformation Program aims to help rural EMS agencies expand access to health care in rural and underserved areas of West Virginia. We spoke with Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh to understand how the program is designed to work – and who it will focus on first. The post Improving Health Care Access In Rural Communities, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Week, the primary election in the state turns ugly and racist, an ambulance driver is indicted for the death of a man in Elkview and Democrats call for an investigation of Senator Jim Justice.  The post The Primary Turns Ugly And Ambulance Driver Indicted, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, an intimate look at the work of the crisis teams responding to the opioid crisis. The post Riding With W.Va.’s Quick Response Teams, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

In an effort to attract more horse racing competitors this year to West Virginia, the state Legislature increased the funding cap to $2 million for certain races – and neighboring states are taking similar action.  When Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, his owner, trainer and jockey won an estimated $3.1 million winning purse.  For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Justin Hicks reports much of that growth can be attributed to increased gambling on historical horse racing games.  The post A Look At Recent Growth In The Horse Racing Industry, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.