podcast

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin joined us to speak about another tight budget year and how his legislative agenda will play out in a GOP-controlled statehouse.

A piece of legislation that would repeal a 2009 energy bill progressed through both chambers at the state house Monday, but that bill is changing shape as it makes its way through both chambers. 

Also, as session began last week there were some tense moments during a discussion of rules in the House of Delegates.

On West Virginia Morning, Ashton Marra reports from the state capitol where new legislative leaders were chosen yesterday.  And we profile another inspiring West Virginian who was the first to use supercomputers to study the large-scale structure of the universe.

On West Virginia Morning, Glynis Board visits the Youth Services System in Wheeling, serving at risk children and young adults.  And Clark Davis reports from the Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington.

On West Virginia Morning, Suzanne Higgins reports on a new drug that successfully treats Hepatitis-C, but it comes with a big price tag.  And we’ll visit a distillery in the Eastern Panhandle.

On West Virginia Morning, Beth Vorhees talks with freelance radio producer Jean Snedegar about the people she is profiling in her fifth season of Inspiring West Virginians.  And reporter Roxy Todd takes us to Webster County for the Burgoo cook-off. Burgoo is a stew made without rules. 

On West Virginia Morning, Liz McCormick reports on “resource recovery,” a polite way to say how household garbage can be used for fuel.  And Jessica Lilly joins Beth Vorhees to describe the scene at the arraignment of former Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship Thursday in Beckley.

On West Virginia Morning, a widow of the Farmington Mine disaster, which happened 46 years ago today, remembers the last day she spent with her husband in an archived interview from 1992.  And Beth Vorhees talks with the director of the Partnership for Elder Living about aging issues facing the state. 

On West Virginia Morning, the chair of the Public Service Commission responds to a report that the state over regulates public water utilities.  And the city council in Morgantown has decided to delay an ordinance banning certain truck traffic downtown.

On West Virginia Morning, Glynis Board sits down with an expert on stress to talk about how social factors play a role in our health.  And Ashton Marra reports from legislative interim meetings at the state capitol.

On West Virginia Morning, Fairness West Virginia is celebrating same sex marriage in West Virginia, but the group knows there’s still work to do for equality in housing and employment.  And a profile of the Reverend Jim Lewis of Charleston who supported gay marriage in the 1970’s.

On West Virginia Morning, Jessica Lilly talks with the father of one of the victims of the Upper Big Branch mine explosion who welcomes the news that former CEO of the company that owned the mine has been indicted.  And Dave Mistich reports from Parkersburg about the posted signs asking people not to give money to panhandlers.

On West Virginia Morning, U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller will get a school named after him at West Virginia University.   And we’ll have an update about how the community of Matewan is turning their town around.

On West Virginia Morning, Glynis Board talks with a health care worker who spent a month assessing the Ebola virus in Liberia. And the Public Service Commission is holding public hearings across the state on a rate increase request from American Electric Power.  Jessica Lilly attended one in Mercer County.

On West Virginia Morning, a full rundown of reports about last night’s election results.  Our reporters were at the campaign parties to hear the victory and concession speeches.  And we’ll check in with our political analyst Dr. Robert Rupp about the new Republican majority in the House of Delegates.

On West Virginia Morning, we wind up our pre-election coverage with interviews from Republicans Shelley Moore Capito, who is running for the U.S. Senate and David McKinley, who is seeking another term as the First District Congressman.  And a report about last weekend’s Hackathon at WVU which highlighted women, media and wearable technology.

On West Virginia Morning, in 2006 two miners died in a mine fire in Logan County.  Eight years later, a fire training facility is dedicated in their memory.  Also, noted food promoter the James Beard Foundation has honored five local food organizations in West Virginia.

On West Virginia Morning, Ashton Marra talks with Democratic incumbent Nick Rahall about this race for re-election to the third congressional district seat.  And we begin a series of profiles of third party candidates who are running for federal offices.  We begin with Davy Jones, a Libertarian candidate from Martinsburg running for the seat in the 2nd Congressional District.

On West Virginia Morning, Jessica Lilly checks in with a victim of black lung whose lung transplant was approved after his story aired on West Virginia Public Radio in June.  And Chris Smithers sings the Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

On West Virginia Morning, operators of public water and sewer systems tell lawmakers that they are over-regulated.  They want the Public Service Commission to ease up.  And Glynis Board has an interesting story about wild ginseng and how a little bird could help the plant survive.

On West Virginia Morning, lawmakers get some advice about how to make campaign finance reporting more transparent.  And we’ll profile Rocket Boy Homer Hickam.