Blankenship On Trial

On this West Virginia Week, Jay Rockefeller dies, West Virginia voted and a new anthology explores science fiction and fantasy in Appalachia.  Bill Lynch is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.  West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced... View Article The post Jay Rockefeller Died A...

This week, a new generation is learning the story behind "Brown Hill," a song by influential bluegrass band The Lost and Found.  Also, data centers are changing the landscape, and one project is planning to plow over an extremely rare stand of seed-producing American chestnut trees. And, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand.  The post Handmade Music School And...

These Dreaming Hills is a new horror and science fiction anthology collecting stories from across Appalachia. Inside Appalachia's Bill Lynch spoke with editor Noah Ashley Blooms about the book. The post New Appalachian Horror, Science Fiction Anthology, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

Appalachia is full of ancient cave systems. Some are so deep nobody’s sure where they begin or end. For Inside Appalachia, Folkways Reporter Andrea “river” Peterson explored a once-privately owned underground landscape that recently became a Pennsylvania State Park.   The post Appalachia’s Ancient Cave Systems, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

In both the House of Delegates and the state Senate, the 2026 general election saw significant inroads for Democrats. At least one expert traces the reasons for those inroads to several key issues. Assistant News Director Maria Young spoke with Marshall University political science professor Marybeth Beller to learn more about the wins and the losses.  The post Democrats Flip Seats In W.Va. House...

There is a lot riding on the outcome of Tuesday's election, both in this state and across the nation. Assistant News Director Maria Young spoke with Marshall University Political Science Professor Marybeth Beller about what to watch for as the results come in. The post Political Science Professor Weighs In On W.Va. Election 2026, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Br...

On this West Virginia Week, urban cryptids get us into the Halloween spirit, a researcher revives forgotten musicians and a conversation with a journalist covering data center development. The post Urban Cryptids, Rediscovering Local Musicians And Covering Data Centers, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, data centers are rapidly expanding into rural parts of Appalachia, and folks say they are having trouble finding information about these projects. Also, artificial intelligence is disrupting human art, including fiber arts like crochet. And folks are pushing back, like they always have — with song. The post Data Centers, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcast...

Inside Appalachia this week explores data centers and artificial intelligence (AI). As part of this special episode, host Mason Adams spoke with Dan Parks, a journalist who writes a Substack called Country Roads News. He's been covering data center development in Tucker County. We listen to an excerpt. The post Latest ‘Inside Appalachia’ Explores Data Center Debate, This West Virginia Morning appe...

Southern West Virginia has rich but often overlooked musical traditions. Chris Haddox is a WVU professor of sustainable design, but he's also spent years uncovering more information on those overlooked musicians. We spoke with him to learn more about his effort to shine a light on the musical talents of local miners, now with the help of a grant from the Mellon Foundation.  The post Effort To Reco...

If your doctor recommends a big test or procedure, a decision tool with the acronym B.R.A.I.N. can help you talk through options collaboratively. It works at a routine checkup or in high-stakes medical situations like childbirth. As part of the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, health reporters Kara Anthony and Blake Farmer brings the latest from the series, HealthQ. The post New Tool To Help Anxio...

From The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh, brings us their latest story on the return of black lung disease to Appalachian coal miners.  The post Younger Coal Miners Are Getting Black Lung, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

Stories about cryptids are revived every October in the lead-up to Halloween. Oftentimes, these monsters are said to live in the woods – or some other dark area where they’re difficult to find. Few, if any, can be  found leaping along rooftops in one of the country's largest historic preservation districts. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, LPM’s Roberto Roldan brings us the story of the Ol...

On this West Virginia Week, our voter's guide is out, and it has all the information you need to know about the upcoming general election in the state. Also, another lawsuit targets the state's public school funding formula. And, a million dollar giant troll is making its way to the woods of West Virginia. The post Election Day Prep, Funding Public Education And A Giant Troll Sets Its Sights On Hu...

This week, author Silas House returns with a sweeping new novel. Also, some folks say, you have to fake it 'til you make it, even if you're trying to establish a state park. And, the story of the first Mothman sightings as written by a small town journalist in 1966. The post Silas House And Making A State Park, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

Silas House is a major voice for Appalachia. The Kentucky native has written more than 15 books and served as the state's poet laureate. His latest book is The Tulip Poplars, a sweeping novel about the lives of four people as they navigate friendship and forbidden love throughout the 20th century. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with House.  The post Appalachian Author Silas House Talks New...

With the midterm elections approaching, Us & Them host Trey Kay takes the Dinner Party to Huntington, where eight West Virginians from different generations and political perspectives gather around the table. Half the guests are under 30, and while they disagree on immigration, foreign policy, the media and the direction of the country, they also discover some unexpected common ground. The po...

As we’re counting down to the midterm election, Us & Them host Trey Kay has invited a new group of guests to a Dinner Party – but this time, the table is in Huntington. Kay’s guests are a mix of conservative and progressive voters, half of whom are under 30 and they share a wide-ranging conversation over a potluck meal. We listen to an excerpt from this episode where a number of guests weigh...

The nonprofit newsroom ProPublica has been reporting on the use of public money to fund private education. Earlier this month, ProPublica published a series of stories about how they, along with Mountain State Spotlight, opened a school in West Virginia. Reporter Jennifer Smith Richards spoke with Chris Schulz about the experience and what it says about modern education.  The post ProPublica, Moun...

As people take a greater number of medications across years or decades, experts say the risk for adverse drug interactions increases. One way to advocate for yourself? Keep a list of your meds handy. We listen to the latest story from health series, HealthQ, a collaboration between Nashville Public Radio and KFF Health News, with reporters Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer. The post Protecting Yoursel...

Middle Tennessee’s Dickson County is known for being the filming location for Ernest Goes to Camp, which grossed upwards of $20 million in the late 1980s. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, WPLN’s Jewly Hight looked into the area’s earlier lore about mysterious creatures of the night. The post A Tale Of Tennessee’s Cryptids, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public B...

On this West Virginia Week, rules are in the works for data centers, lawmakers request a meeting with Flock, and the fate of West Virginia's chestnuts.  The post Energy Rules Coming For Data Centers and West Virginia’s Chestnuts, This West Virginia Week appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their herita...

When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in 2024, it took lives and upended communities. A community of ballad singers lost a place where they could share their tradition, but what was lost could be restored. The post Following Hurricane Helene, A Community Of Ballad Singers Is Making A Comeback, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

In Mason County, West Virginia, new data center developments are changing local landscapes and communities. One of the computing campuses is also threatening a special stand of trees. Reporter Andrea “River” Peterson reports.  The post The Future Of American Chestnuts In Mason County, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .