West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, a new book, “The Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness,” looks at the process to reintroduce large game to parts of Appalachia. The post Restoring The Eastern Wilderness By Reintroducing Big Game To Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Social Security began 91 years ago when President Franklin Roosevelt signed it into law. Since then, it has provided a social safety net to Americans, allowing many of them to retire with dignity, according to John Hishta, senior vice president of campaigns with AARP. But many experts say that without some action, social security benefits will have to be reduced by 20% in 2032. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Hishta to understand the situation. The post The Future Of Social Security Benefits, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

It’s thunderstorm season, but not all of them are the same. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Bill Burton and meteorologist Tawana Andrew break down what we know – and what we don't – about the climate and weather in the region. This week, they examine different types of thunderstorms.  The post Understanding Different Kinds Of Thunderstorms, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

For the third installment in our series on data centers, we look at how data centers proposals are provoking outrage from local opponents. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Kentucky Public Radio’s Joe Sonka reports that such fights are increasingly common — and bipartisan.  The post Hyperscale Data Centers Sparking Bipartisan Outrage, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that black lung rates are the highest they’ve been since the 1970s. Justin Hicks and Howard Burkes reported on that for the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Hicks and Burkes to dig a little deeper.   The post Digging Deeper Into Rising Black Lung Cases, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

West Virginia has been at the center of America's opioid epidemic and overdose death toll. While recent reports show the state’s overdose deaths have fallen by nearly 38%, addiction remains the most common reason for West Virginia children to be taken from their families. In the next episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay attends a WVU training symposium, including a screening of the recent film "What We Hide," and hears from professionals who work with people affected by addiction. The post Parental Addiction’s Impact On Trust, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

As lawmakers and educational leaders across West Virginia take a hard look at school finances, administrative staff that work outside the classroom have come under increased scrutiny. But one school financial operations officer says administrators manage an increasingly complicated educational landscape. The post Understanding A Complicated Educational Landscape, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Sanders' iconic items earned big bucks at auction. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, reporter Andrew Henderson went to the auction and hung around for the fried chicken. The post Kentucky Fried Chicken Founder’s Items Up For Auction, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Residents across Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia have packed public meetings in recent months to speak out against data centers. A recurring concern is how the developments could affect the cost of electricity. The post Concerns Over Data Centers And Rising Electricity Costs, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

For nearly 100 years, Snuffy Smith has been a staple of newspaper comic pages, though these days, it’s easier to find him online. Snuffy Smith was brought to life by Artist Fred Lasswell in the 1930s, but now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. We hear from Rose about drawing the famous hillbilly. The post The Legacy Of Comic Strip Snuffy Smith, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Federal health researchers at the CDC have a new report about black lung disease among the most experienced coal miners in Appalachia. They are suffering from the incurable disease at the highest rates in nearly half a century. The post Black Lung Disease At Its Highest In 50 Years, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The West Virginia Manufacturers Association has just launched its inaugural Coolest Thing Made In West Virginia tournament. We caught up with WVMA President Bill Bissett to find out what organizers hope will come from the competition – and what makes a really cool product.  The post An Inside Look At New ‘Coolest Thing’ Tournament, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

Data center development is a fast-growing industry, with projects popping up in seemingly every corner of the country. But that’s not been the case in West Virginia so far. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Chris Schulz reports state officials are rolling out the red carpet for the expensive and increasingly expansive projects. The post Communities Have Questions As Data Center Development Underway, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Writer Emilee Hackney has a complicated relationship with where she grew up. She loved her friends, family, the swimming holes and wild places in Tazewell County, Virginia, but she felt stifled. Her new memoir, All That’s Unseen: An Appalachian Memoir, explores this tension and what happened when she did leave. The post Writer’s Memoir Explores Complicated Relationship With Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A recent national story identified West Virginia’s Ascend program as being highly successful, even though the numbers are relatively small. News Director Eric Douglas caught up with NPR reporter Scott Neuman to discuss the program in relation to other similar efforts and what he discovered. The post A Look At The State’s Successful Relocation Program, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The criminal charges against teacher and now-former delegate Elliott Pritt shocked many. We speak with Moore Capito, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, whose office is prosecuting the case, about what specific steps parents can take to protect their children from predators who seem both successful and safe. The post Steps To Protect Our Kids From Harm, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Traditional Appalachian ballads have found new life in the form of an audio drama podcast produced by the Appalachia Book Company. We look at a reimagined story of a traditional railroad disaster ballad.  The post Reimagining Traditional Appalachian Ballads, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

There are many insects that threaten West Virginia's agriculture and bother us when we're trying to enjoy time outdoors. But with its distinctive Dalmatian pattern and splash of red, the spotted lanternfly stands out for its ability to threaten dozens of plants, commercial and domestic. We hear from WVU Extension entomologist Carlos Quesada to learn more about the insect and how to stop its spread. The post How To Stop Spread Of Spotted Lanternfly, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, an unattractive, slimy, two-foot salamander may hold the key to detecting healthy water ways in West Virginia.  The post Helping Hellbenders Help Water Health, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, blind athletes rely on sound to hit the ball and run to a base in beep baseball. The post Playing Baseball By Ear, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, the spike-covered hawthorn is unique to our region but little known, and the heat you feel might be more about how humid it is than the temperature. The post A Rare Appalachian Tree And How Humidity Affects Heat, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, affordable dental care is a little-talked-about challenge low-income families face in this state, but there is an effort underway to change that. The post Mobile Dental Care A Lifeline In Rural Communities, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning a new musical, written right here in our region, takes a look at a small Ohio town, just across the river from West Virginia, that played a significant role in the development of the nation. The post Larry Groce On His New Ohio History Musical, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week, Inside Appalachia discusses the influence and contributions of Oscar Micheaux, an African American filmmaker who lived in Virginia in the 1920s. Mason Adams speaks with Roanoke historian Jordan Bell about Micheaux's life and career. The post A Look At Filmmaker Oscar Micheaux’s Impact, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, both the U.S. and Japan are considering robots as a potential solution to an aging population amidst a caretaker crisis. The post The Robotic Future Of Caring For The Elderly, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

As baby boomers in West Virginia and nationwide continue to age, more Gen X and Millennial adults are finding themselves as caregivers for their parents. Pittsburgh’s major health systems are designing a new program alongside federal agencies aimed at keeping seniors at home for as long as possible. The post New Program Aims To Keep Seniors At Home, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Bats are the subject of myths and legends, often in a negative light. But that goes against the reality of their role in ecosystems, including critical agricultural services for humans. Bat populations have dropped significantly in the face of a changing climate and disease.  The post Appalachia’s Declining Bat Population, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, federal cuts and changes to state law focused on Medicaid programs could undermine West Virginia’s drug addiction and treatment system for 50,000 residents. The post Federal Cuts To Medicaid Endanger Addiction Treatment, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, our partner HealthQ explores why embracing the title of “caregiver” matters—and how recognition and support can make a difference in this phase of life. The post Caring For The Caregivers Of Aging Adults, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, freshwater mussels play a vital role in the health of the region's waterways, but their populations have dwindled over the years. The post Protecting Appalachia’s Flexing Mussels, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Indigenous people created hundreds of earthen monuments in what is now Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. John E. Hancock, a professor of architecture and design at the University of Cincinnati, spent years studying these earthworks. He published a guidebook for visiting them. Inside Appalachia’s Bill Lynch spoke with Hancock about the book.   The post A Guidebook For Visiting Ancient Earthworks, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, State Sen. Ryan Weld has written a history of Wellsburg through a unique lens -- he focused on 14 homes in the town and the people who lived in them. The post New Book Charts Town’s History Through Its Homes, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is currently conducting public comment hearings concerning developer NextEra Energy’s application to construct a new 107.5-mile-long transmission line from Pennsylvania through West Virginia to Virginia. WVPB spoke with NextEra about the project. The post A Discussion On The NextEra Transmission Line Proposal, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

There are just over 6,000 abandoned or orphaned natural gas wells in West Virginia, according to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Some estimates suggest that number is low. The surprising thing, though, is where some of them are located. The post Dealing With Thousands Of Abandoned Natural Gas Wells, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Throughout the Southern United States, you’ll often find three-pronged leaves with hairy vines swallowing entire sections of forests. It can be a beautiful sight at first glance. But the invasive plant causes persistent ecological problems in the region. We look at the efforts to tackle the ‘vine that ate the south.’ The post A Look At An Invasive Vine That’s Taken Over The South, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Ohio-based festival over the years has hosted American music icons, like John Prine, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, while also supporting regional artists. Inside Appalachia’s Abby Neff spoke with festival founder Tim Peacock to learn more. The post Nelsonville Music Festival Celebrates 20 Years, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

If your aging parent needs surgery, you might need to take time away from work to care for them. A federal policy called the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives many employees job-protected leave for caregiving. But it has noteworthy limitations. The post The Challenges And Benefits Of FMLA, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

One in six West Virginians is food insecure. Meaning, 270,000 people in the state regularly don’t know where their next meal will come from. Assistant News Director Maria Young recently toured Mountaineer Food Bank’s greatly expanded, new facility to find out what it takes to meet that need every day – and what it will take in the years to come. The post Meeting The Food Needs Of The State, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

While baseball fields are run of the mill in most communities, there’s a certain type of diamond that’s less common: it’s called a “Miracle Field.” There are three of these in West Virginia – in Morgantown, Wheeling and Green River. These are accessible baseball facilities that can accommodate players with disabilities. The post A Look At Baseball’s ‘Miracle Fields,’ This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Black bears now inhabit all 55 counties of West Virginia, and bear encounters are on the rise across Appalachia. Climate change is often a hidden culprit. But state wildlife managers are working to promote peaceful coexistence. The post Black Bear Encounters On The Rise, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Monsters in the workplace? Maybe. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is developing a team building game using Appalachian cryptids like Bigfoot and the Flatwoods Monster. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Jessica Hammer, associate professor and director of the university’s Center for Transformational Play, to learn more. The post Team Building With Appalachian Cryptids, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

America’s foster care crisis is serious for nearly 400,000 kids who rely on the system. In the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks into the shortage of licensed foster homes – and the wide range of agencies and nonprofit organizations who offer help navigating what can be a complicated system. The post How A Wide Range Of Agencies Are Tackling The Foster Care Crisis, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Researchers have spent almost two decades restoring a threatened species of orchid in southern Kentucky. But those efforts were disrupted when an EF-4 tornado swept through the area in May 2025, carving visible lines in the landscape. We learn about recovery efforts. The post How A Tornado Affected Threatened Orchids, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Unpredictable weather is making it harder for amphibians to survive in West Virginia and elsewhere, but we learn about an effort to protect them. Also, the WVU Cancer Institute is enrolling pancreatic cancer patients for a promising, first-in-human clinical trial. The post Protecting Frogs And WVU Explores New Cancer Treatment, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

It’s been a year-and-a-half since Hurricane Helene ravaged central Appalachia. Communities are still recovering, including those who were already in recovery for addiction. The post How Hurricane Helene Affected Substance Use Recovery, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A small federal grant program aimed at increasing first-time farmer’s access to land, training and tools was finding fertile ground in West Virginia. But in March, the Trump administration suddenly terminated it, leaving local partners uncertain about their futures. The post Future Of First-Time Farming Program Uncertain, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Last weekend was the first anniversary of a tornado that devastated communities in nearby southern Kentucky. A Day of Remembrance event honored those who lost their lives, and reflected on a year of recovery. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Shepherd Snyder has this report. The post Day Of Remembrance Held In Kentucky One Year After Tornado, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, the price of gas has skyrocketed, but how do you know if you would save money with an electric vehicle? The post Understanding If An Electric Vehicle Is Right For You, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, an historic steam locomotive that occupied Nashville’s Centennial Park for decades will soon hit the rails again. The post Bringing A Nashville Steam Locomotive Back To Life, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.