This Conversation

If one in ten American adults is an alcoholic, that means there are lots and lots of friends, family members, spouses and others who love them and live with them and who have resulting struggles of their own. In this episode, "JANE" talks about the help she gets through Al-Anon, an organization that focuses on relatives of alcoholics. She's also a member of Adult Children of Alcoholics because of...

To conclude our four-part series on alcoholism, we talk with Professor Matthew Tirrell, Director of Addiction Counseling at the Emory & Henry School of Health Sciences. How do we know that alcoholism is a disease? Why is it a family disease? What works and what doesn't in counseling sessions? What behavioral patterns emerge in families of alcoholics? Mentioned in this episode: WEHC 90.7 FM is...

This conversation with "Eric" begins a four part series focusing on alcoholism. Many estimates say that one adult in ten of American adults is an alcoholic. Eric's story is one of a high-functioning alcoholic who operated mostly under the radar until a serious health issue ultimately led him to Alcoholics Anonymous and sobriety. He learned that alcoholism is a disease. He agreed to this interview...

Police in Saltville arrested a man for disorderly conduct for trying to sit at a table designated for "Press" at the Saltville Town Council Meeting on July 9, 2024. David Huff said he was a reporter. The police officer did not accept the Press Pass he showed that identified him with a website. Mr. Huff was given approval for a court-appointed attorney at his arraignment date on...

Odd connections: St. Paul attorney, activist and author Frank Kilgore died on Sunday, July 14. On July 15, former president Donald Trump picked JD Vance as his VP running mate for the Republican ticket in the Presidential race for November 2024. This show is a rerun of the October 2022 interview with Frank Kilgore about his book JD Vance is a Fake Hillbilly. Kilgore's book was in response to JD Va...

Scientists are constantly searching for ways to reduce the amount of carbon in the air to help combat climate change. In this episode, Dr. Alex Lewis talks about Electro-Active Technologies, the company he co-founded in Knoxville, TN, and the initiative to produce carbon-free hydrogen energy. The sophisticated process relies on microbes eating massive amounts of food waste. Electro-Active Technolo...

The Mel Leaman Free Medical Clinic is located in Marion, Virginia and serves those without insurance from Washington, Smyth, and Grayson Counties. The Mel Leaman Free Clinic offers general medical care and includes oral surgery, orthopedic care, mental health counseling, flu shots, free lab work, and free medicines. Volunteer professors and clinicians from Emory & Henry's College of Health Sci...

Appalachian Sustainable Development is bringing a new $12 million dollar farm to Washington County, Virginia. In this conversation, ASD Director of Development Sylvia Crum brings to life the vision of helping farmers expand the market for their products to the entire Northeast region -- so they make more money, farming practices are improved, and the regional economy grows. Mentioned in this episo...

Pop Quiz: What's the difference between a county attorney and a commonwealth attorney? That's how this interview begins and moves on to the duties of a county attorney, including responsibilities related to Washington County's proposed solar farm. Brandon Snodgrass walks us through his journey to the County Attorney's Office and the reward he finds in his work. Mentioned in this episode: WEHC 90.7...

Why would a D-I coach take a paycut for a job at a small university in southwest Virginia? You'll find the answer in This Conversation with Emory & Henry's new head basketball coach Jimmy Allen. According to Emory & Henry news: "Jimmy Allen  ’93 has been selected as the next Head Men’s Basketball Coach. Allen returns to his alma mater with 31 years of coaching experience and a career...

Chris Kolakowski is Director of Wisconsin Veterans Memorial and author of three books on military history. He's also a graduate of Emory & Henry College. In this interview, Chris traces his path from growing up in Fredericksburg, Va. through Emory & Henry and into the world of presenting history to the public. Mentioned in this episode: WEHC 90.7 FM is the Voice of Southwest Virginia. Stay...

Karen Baker, a current resident of Floyd County, Virginia, brings a background as a trial lawyer and an Administrative Law Judge to her campaign to unseat Virginia's 9th District Congressman Morgan Griffith. In this interview, she talks about her desire to serve people with examples of national laws she helped change related to age discrimination -- and how she prepared for nursing school while se...

Delegate Sam Rasoul has family roots in the West Bank and shares his view that Israel is breaking international law and conducting a genocide in Gaza. He insists that the conflict is not one of religion and describes the long history of Christians, Jews, and Muslims living peacefully together until post World War II when Israel was formed and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were run off thei...

Kenny Shuman is Jewish -- and a lifelong resident of Washington County, Virginia. He was willing to share some of his personal story and his view of the Israel-Hamas war for listeners to This Conversation. The show has heard from Rev. Boyd Evans, priest of Episcopal church in Abingdon, who had spent a significant amount of time in Gaza. https://player.captivate.fm/episode/63390c14-78c5-4f5d-80ce-3...

Alan Linkous owns Adventure Diving in Bristol. He can fix you up with scuba gear, train you to dive, and help design a trip for you and your friends. At other times, he may be diving to attempt to find and recover a body. It's kind of change of pace for the show, but a refreshing look at fun and adventure. Learn more at https://adventurediving.com/ Mentioned in this episode: WEHC 90.7 FM is the Vo...

Debbie Antonelli played college basketball for NC State and has developed a sports broadcasting career at the highest network levels. She's a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. In This Conversation, we hear about her three sons, her activism with Special Olympics and her connection to Emory & Henry College. Mentioned in this episode: WEHC 90.7 FM is the Voice of Southwest Virginia....

In this interview, aired on Apr. 10, 2024, Bettie Mae Fikes, known as "The Voice of Selma," tells her story of the Civil Rights struggle she lived in the 1960s. As a young girl, she sang in marches for the right to vote, the right to ride a bus, and the right to basic freedoms. She remained non-violent in the face of horrible cruelty, simply because her skin was black. She was jailed and kept in j...

Dr. Ed Damer, Professor of Philosophy at Emory & Henry College for 45 years, died on March 21, 2024. This tribute presents a look at Ed through the eyes of several close colleagues and his weekly lunch group. Special attention is given to Ed's focus on logic, his love of fun conversation, and his service to the Abingdon Rotary club where he directed the annual Frolics performance. Ed leaves be...

Local film debuts tomorrow/Thursday, March 28 at Legacy Theatres in Bristol and runs through April 4. Legacy Theatres. Bristol. With its professional cast and local connections, early reviews say that "You won't believe it's a local film." The film is called "Searching for the Elephant, " produced by Cross Purposes Productions. Learn more in Teresa's conversation with filmmaker David Alford, Wedne...

March is Women's History Month and Dr. Amy Sorensen has presided over the opening of the new Helen Matthews Lewis Women's and Gender Center at Emory & Henry College. In this conversation, Sorensen addresses skepticism about a Center that addresses women's issues along with concerns of LGBTQ students. She shares her personal history that led to her passion for helping. Mentioned in this episode...

Johnny Wood is a beloved broadcasting icon in the surrounding five-state region with a 44 year career at WCYB-TV. HIs career has been recently celebrated with the debut of an hour-long documentary honoring his career. Hundreds of people turned out for the premier of  Good Morning. I'm Johnny Wood  at the Paramount Theatre on Friday, March 8, 2024. The video is now available on WCYB's&nbs...

Virginia Delegate Isarel O 'Quinn talks about his path from Patrick Henry High school and Emory & Henry College to the state legislature with a focus on his bill to pay for development of a small modular nuclear reactor, planned for Wise County in Southwest Virginia. He shares his philosophy of working across the aisle in state government at a time of harsh political fights on the national lev...

Emory & Henry graduate Kevin Saxton will be getting a Superbowl ring as a team member of the Kansas City Chiefs following their 25-22 Superbowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024. After stints as an assistant coach for a North Carolina high school coach and for Benedict College in South Carolina, he won a Bill Wash minority fellowship and was assigned to the Kan...

Nuclear energy -- along with nuclear waste may be coming to Wise County in Southwest Virginia. Volunteer with SW Virginia Nuclear Watch Coalition Rees Shearer presents objections to the idea. Plans are underway for a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor on a 65,000 acre site in Wise County. Utility companies Dominion Power and American Electric Power/Appalachian Power want to build the reactors in conjun...

Dr. Keith Perrigan is bragging about student achievement in Washington County Schools. He's also set a goal of having WCOVA school teachers be the highest paid teachers in the state. Where does this passion and optimism come from and who is the student in Dr. Perrigan's office.. and why is he there? Be sure to tune in to this wide-ranging, uplifing conversation with Dr. Keith Perrigan of Washingto...