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Larry Groce On His New Ohio History Musical, This West Virginia Morning
1w agoTap to summarizeOn 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 town of Marietta, Ohio played a pivotal role in the future of the United States and Ohio statehood – keeping the state slave free 60 years before the Civil War. But the vote passed by one vote. Singer songwriters Larry Groce and Todd Burge have written a musical that dives into that history. News Director Eric Douglas sat down with Groce to find out more. Also new fish stocking opportunities may give anglers a reason to get out to their favorite spot, and the warehouse that burned in Parkersburg Sunday had a history of hazardous waste fires. West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Eric Douglas produced this episode. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
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Studying Endangered Bats, A Pioneering Appalachian Filmmaker And The Supreme Court Rules On Local Sports, This West Virginia Week
1w agoTap to summarizeOn this West Virginia Week, bats play a critical role in our ecosystems and agriculture. We’ll hear how their numbers are declining in the face of a changing climate and disease. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams also brings us the story of pioneering artist Oscar Micheaux, an African-American filmmaker who lived in Virginia in the 1920s. In this episode, we also hear about a ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States based on a West Virginia case. We learn about the state’s maternal and fiscal health. And with dangerous heat for the holiday weekend, we hear about how to avoid the dangers of dehydration. Chris Schulz 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 with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. Learn more about West Virginia Week.
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Encore: Oscar Micheaux, Kathleen Driskell And Soul Food, Inside Appalachia
1w agoTap to summarizeIn the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer. Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths. And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who's passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. In This Episode: How Oscar Micheaux Changed Filmmaking From Appalachia Playwright August Wilson's Life And Legacy Angelo’s Old World Italian Sausage Kentucky Poet Laureate Talks Deadly Cryptids Baby Barn Owl That Left His Nest Too Soon Sharing Soul Food How Oscar Micheaux Changed Filmmaking From Appalachia Oscar Micheaux. Courtesy of the New York Public Library One of America’s pioneering filmmakers had nothing to do with Hollywood but nevertheless left his mark on the emerging industry. Oscar Micheaux was a homesteader, who then turned his attention to making movies in the early 1900s. He was a Black man who made movies for Black audiences at a time when they weren't allowed into mainstream, white-only theaters. And for several pivotal years in the 1920s, he operated out of Roanoke, Virginia. Host Mason Adams brings us this story. Playwright August Wilson's Life And Legacy In a 1968 photo, playwright August Wilson poses amidst the burnt remains of the Hill District's Mainway Market, torched in the riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Courtesy of the Frank F. Hightower Photograph Collection/University of Pittsburgh Press Acclaimed playwright August Wilson was deeply influenced by his hometown of Pittsburgh. Wilson was the author of 10 plays collectively known as The Pittsburgh Cycle. They include the Pulitzer Prize winning plays Fences and The Piano Lesson. Now there’s a new book about him, titled August Wilson’s American Century, by University of Pittsburgh professor Lawrence Glasco, and it explores that deep influence with his hometown. WESA’s Bill Driscoll spoke with Glasco. Angelo’s Old World Italian Sausage Sonny (left) and his father Angelo pose in front of the meat case at Angelo’s Market in Powellton Hollow. From father to son to father to son, Angelo's Old World Italian Sausage has been around in the hills of West Virginia for a while. Courtesy of the Argento Family In 2023, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold took us to Angelo’s Old World Italian Sausage. Angelo’s makes a craft sausage distributed throughout West Virginia, as well in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. The recipe comes from the Calabria region of Italy, and it’s made in West Virginia. Kentucky Poet Laureate Talks Deadly Cryptids Kentucky’s governor appoints a new poet laureate every two years. Last year, Gov. Andy Beshear named award-winning poet, essayist and teacher Kathleen Driskell to the post. Driskell’s poems have appeared in The New Yorker, Rattle and Appalachian Review, among others. She’s authored six poetry collections. Her most recent is Goat-Footed Gods. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Driskell about living next to the dead, and America’s most lethal cryptid. Baby Barn Owl That Left His Nest Too Soon The juvenile barn owl was safely kept and transported in a dog crate. Courtesy of the Wildlife Center of Virginia The Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro treats hundreds of injured animals every year, from possums, to eagles, to bear cubs. And even a fledgling barn owl that fell from its nest in a grain silo in Augusta County. WMRA's Meredith McCool has more. Sharing Soul Food Xavier Oglesby cuts onions for a macaroni salad he is cooking inside Manna House Ministries’ kitchen. A pot of boiling water is behind him, cooking the pasta for the dish. Photo Credit: Vanessa Peña/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Soul food like cornbread, extra-cheesy mac-n-cheese and collard greens plays an important role in Black communities across Appalachia. In 2023, Folkways Fellow Vanessa Peña spoke with Xavier Oglesby, a master artist in soul food cooking from Beckley, West Virginia. -- Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Bennie Moten Kater, Tim Bing, Paul Loomis, John Inghram and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. ...
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A Look At Filmmaker Oscar Micheaux’s Impact, This West Virginia Morning
2w agoTap to summarizeOn this West Virginia Morning, Inside Appalachia this week 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. Also, a private school has been put on probation and another has been permanently disqualified from participating in the Hope Scholarship program. And, a new West Virginia business partnership is investing millions of dollars in the byproducts of coal mining. Finally, the state of West Virginia has finished the fiscal year ahead of projections for revenue. West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
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The Robotic Future Of Caring For The Elderly, This West Virginia Morning
2w agoTap to summarizeOn this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia has one of the highest percentages of elderly residents in the nation. As baby boomers grow elderly amidst a workforce crisis of caretakers, WESA's Kiley Koscinski reports that both the U.S. and Japan are considering robots as a potential solution as part of this “Designing Dignity” series. Also the Supreme Court of the United States rules that West Virginia's law barring transgender women from girls' sports can stand, and hospital consolidations play a considerable role in the closures of labor and delivery services. West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Maria Young produced this episode. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
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New Program Aims To Keep Seniors At Home, This West Virginia Morning
2w agoTap to summarizeOn this West Virginia Morning, 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. It’s a strategy Japan has been exploring for more than two decades. In this “Designing Dignity” series, WESA’s Kiley Koscinski takes a look at how the country’s care managers bridge medical and social support. Also, southern West Virginia saw significant flooding last week and Kentucky saw even more over the weekend. But a system to detect rising water isn’t any closer to completion. And, the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum is creating the largest labor history driving trail in the United States, and community members have a chance to shape how it will look. Finally, West Virginia’s America250 celebration kicks off in just a few short days. We bring you a snapshot on what to expect. West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Maria Young produced this episode. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
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Appalachia’s Declining Bat Population, This West Virginia Morning
2w agoTap to summarizeOn this West Virginia Morning, 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. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Eric Douglas reports bat populations have dropped significantly in the face of a changing climate and disease. Also, Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe over the weekend was awarded the inaugural Freedom 250: Hometown Hero Award. Last November, Wolfe, and his partner U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, were on duty in Washington, D.C., when they were ambushed and shot. Specialist Beckstrom died from her injuries. Wolfe continues to recover. And, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to rule on a West Virginia case this week. Finally, in a Saturday ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of devastating floods, the town of Clendenin received a $450,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant. West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Maria Young produced this episode. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Transcribe →A Very Big (Ferris) Wheel And Soda On SNAP, This West Virginia Week
2w agoTap to summarizeOn 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. 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 with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. Learn more about West Virginia Week.
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Kudzu, Farmstands And Bristol’s ‘Black Bottom’ Community, Inside Appalachia
2w agoTap to summarizeSome folks are working to preserve the memory of Bristol, Virginia’s Black Bottom, a largely African American community wiped out by urban renewal. Also, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand. And, kudzu; it’s coming for us. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. In This Episode: The Souls Of Bristol’s Black Bottom Roots Book Ban Reversed In Knox County, Tennessee Roadside Farmstand Gets An Upgrade State Regulators Audit Kentucky Power After 20 Years Volunteers Document Species In The Smoky Mountains Black Bears Are Migrating As Climate Change Threatens Habitat The Vine That Ate The South Herbicide Drones Are Killing Kudzu Herbalism In Appalachia The Souls Of Bristol’s Black Bottom Undated photo of Bristol’s Black Bottom. Courtesy of Black in Appalachia/Virginia Humanities Urban renewal was a 20th century movement by local, state and federal governments to revitalize struggling cities. But Black neighborhoods and business districts were often sacrificed. In Bristol, Virginia, Black business owners ran barber shops, groceries and doctor’s offices in Black Bottom, which was leveled to make way for new streets and civic projects. “The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom” is a partnership between Black in Appalachia and Virginia Humanities. The project uses interpretive signs, public art and digital storytelling to remember the community. Organizer and storyteller Tina McDaniel helps lead the project. She says learning about 'Black Bottom was a revelation.' Host Mason Adams spoke to McDaniel about the project. Roots Book Ban Reversed In Knox County, Tennessee Alex Haley’s 1976 Roots is about the horrors of the slave trade in America and designated an official state book of Tennessee. Knox County recently backtracked its decision to remove the critically acclaimed book from school libraries. Photo Credit: Camellia Burris/WPLN Knox County, Tennessee officials have reversed their decision to remove the book Roots from school libraries. In May, just a couple weeks prior, the book was banned by a school board committee. Written by Alex Haley, the novel follows generations of a Black family from enslavement in America in the 1700s through changes and upheavals to the second half of the 20th century. Roots won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into an award-winning television miniseries. It was one of 124 titles that have been removed from library shelves in Knox County. In particular, school board members objected to a depiction of rape of an enslaved woman by a slaveholder. Public outcry to the ban was immediate. WPLN’s Camellia Burris reports. Roadside Farmstand Gets An Upgrade Jessica Camden, owner of Sugarbirds Farm Stand, holds two of the 30 vendors’ products available for sale inside. Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Roadside farmstands with fresh eggs or tomatoes are a common sight in Appalachia. They can be a way for people, especially rural women with kids at home, to support themselves economically. They often work on the honor system; there’s nobody there. Take a carton of berries and 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. State Regulators Audit Kentucky Power After 20 Years Mary Cromer, deputy director of the Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, stands outside of their Whitesburg offices. Photo Credit: Andrew Henderson/AMSN Power bills have been rising across much of Appalachia. That’s the case in eastern Kentucky, too, and led to state regulators ordering an audit of Kentucky Power for the first time in more than 20 years. Kentucky Public Radio’s Sylvia Goodman met with a new coalition that hopes the audit could lead to lower bills. Volunteers Document Species In The Smoky Mountains <img src="https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Great-Smoky-Mountains-Park-all-taxa-biodiversity-inventory-ATBI-Appalachia-700x393.webp" alt="A landscape image ...
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Remembering ‘Black Bottom’ In Bristol, Va., This West Virginia Morning
3w agoTap to summarizeOn this West Virginia Morning, urban renewal in the last century was supposed to revitalize struggling cities, but it often sacrificed Black neighborhoods and business districts, like Black Bottom in Bristol, Virginia. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with organizer Tina McDaniel about “The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom,” a project in Bristol that remembers the community through interpretive signs, public art and digital storytelling. McDaniel says learning about Black Bottom was a revelation. Also, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) has scheduled a public comment hearing for construction of a gas-electric generation plant in Monongalia County and three solar energy projects. And, as West Virginia prepares to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, construction is underway on the Capitol grounds, where the world’s largest transportable Ferris wheel is going up. West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Chris Schulz, Eric Douglas and Maria Young. Eric Douglas is our news director. Teresa Wills is our host. Maria Young is our producer. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
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