Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

This week, too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender. And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature. The post Crisis Response Teams And Essays On N...

This week, we look back at 2025. We met some fascinating people, like Aaron Dowdy of country rock band Fust. Also, central Appalachia continued to recover from Hurricane Helene. From the beginning, the recovery brought people together. And, we made a trip to Hillbilly Hotdog to take on "The Homewrecker." The post A Look Back At 2025, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadca...

This week, we go a-wassailing in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s kind of like Christmas caroling, with a kick. Also, family recipes bring generations together. But what happens when you’ve got grandma’s potato candy recipe, and it doesn’t have exact measurements? And, a new book explores the magical dark side of nature. The post Encore: Holiday Traditions, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West...

This week, when you’re the only doctor in a rural mountain county, you’ve got to think ahead to keep your practice going. Also, a West Virginia baker draws on her Finnish heritage to make a different kind of cinnamon roll. And, if you bought a live-cut Christmas tree this year, there’s a good chance it came from Appalachia. The post Patrick County Urgent Care And Finnamon Buns, Inside Appalachia a...

This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry’s Little Jimmy Dickens. Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens. And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car. The post Lou Turner And Little Jimmy Dickens, Inside Appalachia app...

This week, one thing about Appalachians: we can get competitive. We’re proud of our local food. Love a good hunt. And enjoy competition with friends. We learn the rules and celebrate our victories. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. The post Encore: The Love Of Competition, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, we learn about a new podcast from WNYC called "Our Common Nature." Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana González visited Appalachia. They went to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mammoth Cave National Park and West Virginia’s coal country. The post Our Common Nature With Yo-Yo Ma, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, the cost of health insurance is going up in 2026. Millions of people are faced with sticker shock. Also, a mountain farmer kept an encrypted diary for years. It’s unclear whether he would have wanted that code to ever be cracked. And, a beloved West Virginia hot dog restaurant closed in 2018. An annual tribute sale gives people a chance to relive its glory days.   The post Rising Health...

This week, on this special episode with guest co-host, ballad singer Saro Lynch-Thomason, we explore songs about lawbreaking folk heroes, runaway trains and murder ballads. The post Encore: True Stories Behind Folk Heroes, Runaway Trains And Murder Ballads, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, the region is known for exporting coal, but it’s losing people, too. Also, folk singer Ginny Hawker grew up singing the hymns of the Primitive Baptist Church, but she didn’t think of performing until she got a little boost from Appalachian icon Hazel Dickens. And, the chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia.   The post Appalach...

This week, just in time for Halloween, a suite of spooky tales to make your skin crawl. Also, tales of the supernatural. And, ghost stories galore. The post Encore: Halloween, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, a new novel about two girls and an astronomy textbook draws inspiration from one of the quietest places in West Virginia. Also, author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle talks about growing up as part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. And, a Kentucky tattoo artist practices traditional tattooing and traditional music. He says they’re not too different. The post The Secret Astronomers An...

This week, the story of the first Mothman sightings as written by a small-town journalist in 1966. Also, every year, hundreds of people celebrate Bridge Day by parachuting from the 876-foot-tall New River Gorge bridge. But not just anyone can do it. And, the Columbus Washboard Company used to make washboards for laundry. Now, people use them to make music. The post Mothman, Bridge Day And Washboar...

This week, it's been a year since Hurricane Helene hit central Appalachia. From the start, the recovery has brought people together. Also, country music’s Rob McNurlin grew up with traditional music in Eastern Kentucky. His friend Marty Stuart says he’s a folk hero. And, we check up on Virginia rapper and producer Byron Mack. The post The Year After Hurricane Helene, Inside Appalachia appeared fir...

This week, COVID-19 exposed the contempt society has for marginalized people. The author of a new book says these folks are anything but passive. Also, rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some pumpy crags. And, the online world of Appalachian memes and what they tell us about the folks who live here. The post ‘Disposable,’ Acces...

This week, for nearly a century, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival has staged a formal dance. Organizers rely on a manual that’s been passed down for generations. Also, abortion is illegal in most cases in Tennessee. So what happens after a birth? A photographer followed one mother for a year. And, new prisons are touted as a way to bring jobs to former coal communities. Not everybody agrees t...

This week, hop aboard the Cass Scenic Railroad for a visit with the people who keep the steam trains running. Also, we head to the woods and take a master class in foraging for wild mushrooms. And, the makers of Angelo's Old World Italian Sausage still use a century-old family recipe. Customers love it. The post Scenic Railway, Wild Mushrooms And Italian Sausage, Fall Favorites Inside Appalachia a...

This week, we remember Rex Stephenson. He’s known for his stage performances of the Jack Tales, which have captivated school kids since the ‘70s. Also, keeping the family farm going after six generations can be rough. And, some parts of southern Appalachia still practice the tradition of keeping up community gravesites for Decoration Day. The post The Wakefields And Remembering Rex Stephenson, Ins...

This week, the federal government has taken back millions of dollars set aside for public radio stations. Allegheny Mountain Radio is among those fighting to stay on the air. Also, a book by a West Virginia artist illustrates the tiny worlds of mountain critters, like a lizard that changes color. And, geocaching gets folks outside to play detective and find hidden treasures. The post A Rural Radio...

This week, we speak with the author of a new graphic novel about the West Virginia Mine Wars. Also, professional storyteller James Froemel invents quirky characters, like a sign maker who can’t spell. And, one of the most common animals to get hit by cars are opossums. But, there’s a kind of animal rescue called pouch picking. We talk with author Laura Jackson. The post Encore: A Mine Wars Graphic...

This week, a Tennessee DJ takes us on a tour of Appalachian punk and metal. Also, Appalachian culture is enriched by its immigrants. We explore the fusion of West Virginia and Japan. And, Appalachia isn’t all punk rock and Japanese food. There’s also string band music. The post Maximumrocknroll, Yama And Clifftop, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, in troubled times, the outdoors can offer peace. We talk with a West Virginia writer about her new collection of essays. Also, modern technology makes firing pottery a lot easier, but some potters in North Carolina still do it the old way. And, East Tennessee’s Amythyst Kiah’s latest album contemplates the cosmos. The post Sheila McEntee, Ancient Kilns And Amythyst Kiah, Inside Appalach...

This week, after a disaster, can comics help set the record straight? Also, in Western North Carolina, a new generation of Cherokee potters are keeping old traditions, while shaping a modern practice all their own. And, schoolyard games come and go, but for kids in one community, marbles still rule.  The post The Appalachian Comics Project, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public...

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. The post Encore: Looking Back At 2020, Inside Appalachia appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting .

This week, the music of West Virginia songwriter Ella Hanshaw and, thanks in part to her grandchildren, the discovery of some old tapes that led to a new release. Also, a pair of potters in western North Carolina forego commercial clay to work with clay that’s wild. And, we make a trip to West Virginia’s Hillbilly Hotdogs for its infamous "Homewrecker Hotdog Challenge." The post Ella Hanshaw, Wild...