Bill Lynch, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Looking Back At 2024, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, a look back at some of the stories that shaped the show in 2024, like the story of an abandoned Fairmont Brine site in Marion County, West Virginia. It was a common hangout spot, but there’s a hidden danger. Also, food deserts are places where it’s hard to find nutritious food. Like disenfranchised neighborhoods in East Knoxville, TN. And, not all bamboo is invasive. In fact, there’s a species native to Appalachia.

This week, a look back at some of the stories that shaped the show in 2024, like the story of an abandoned Fairmont Brine site in Marion County, West Virginia. It was a common hangout spot, but there’s a hidden danger.

Also, food deserts are places where it’s hard to find nutritious food. Like disenfranchised neighborhoods in East Knoxville, Tennessee.

And, not all bamboo is invasive. In fact, there’s a species native to Appalachia.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Radioactivity At Fairmont Brine
Healing Damaged Communities Through Food
Appalachian Bamboo Bouncing Back

Radioactivity At Fairmont Brine

Fairmont Brine processed liquid used in hydraulic fracking. Now abandoned, the site became a local hang out, but it’s dangerous.

*Photo Credit: Justin Nobel*

Starting in the late 2000s, fracking brought a natural gas boom to parts of Appalachia. But, the natural gas market has been erratic. And in some places, the oil and gas industry has left behind dangerous, radioactive sites. Justin Nobel is an investigative reporter who’s covered that issue.

In the fall of 2023, he wrote about it for Truthdig in a story titled “Inside West Virginia’s Chernobyl: A highly radioactive oil and gas facility has become a party spot in Marion County.” Mason Adams spoke with Nobel.

Healing Damaged Communities Through Food

This collective kitchen is where Femeika Elliott first prepared meal kits to sell at the Knoxville Farmers Market.

*Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Through the 20th century, lots of poor and largely Black neighborhoods were bulldozed and replaced with new highways and civic centers. Now some groups are looking at creative ways to repair those communities. In April, we featured a story about a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee. And a woman there who uses food as a way to heal generations of damage.

Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch had the story.

Appalachian Bamboo Bouncing Back

Volunteers in southwestern Virginia are trying to revitalize river cane.

*Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ*

There are a lot of different kinds of bamboo – more than 1,400 varieties.

America has a native species of bamboo, but was nearly wiped out.

Last summer, Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd reported that a group of mostly volunteers is trying to restore the plant in southwestern Virginia.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Bob Thompson, Caleb Caudle, Noam Pikelny and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Holiday Favorites From Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, 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.

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.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Here We Go A-Wassailing
Grandma’s Potato Candy
Adventures Among Glow Worms And Fireflies
Communion Wafers And Apple Butter Inspire Chefs’ Work At Lost Creek Farm

Here We Go A-Wassailing

Wassailers sing outside a home in Asheville, North Carolina. Traditionally, wassailers not only sang for their neighbors, but also sang in apple orchards to ensure a good harvest for the coming year.

*Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

The winter holidays are a chance to get together and find some good cheer.

In Asheville, North Carolina, a group of friends has been taking part in the English singing tradition of wassailing. It’s like Christmas caroling, but older. And for some of the singers, wassailing has become a way to connect to their roots.

In 2023, Folkways Reporter Rebecca Williams had this story.

Grandma’s Potato Candy

Brenda Sandoval testing the consistency of the potato mixture.

*Photo Credit: Capri Cafaro/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

A lot of families have tried and true holiday recipes. Often, these treasured family recipes get passed down and are a way to connect with the past. But not all of them use exact measurements. So how do you know you’re getting the mix right, especially if you’ve never tried it?

In 2023, Capri Cafaro brought us a story about Brenda Sandoval’s attempt to recreate her grandmother’s potato candy.

Adventures Among Glow Worms And Fireflies

Leigh Ann Henion’s “Night Magic” explores the surprises of the nighttime world.

*Courtesy Photo*

Leigh Ann Henion is an author from Boone, North Carolina. Her new book is about what happens after the sun goes down. It’s called, Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens and Other Marvels of the Dark.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Henion about staying up late and not so late to see wonders.

——

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Sycomores, Bob Thompson, the Cappella Bell Choir and Bela Fleck and the flecktones.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Appalachian Memes And Trouble At Greenbank

This week on Inside Appalachia, the online world of Appalachian memes — and what they tell us about folks who live here. Also, parts of West Virginia have been radio silent since the 1950s for scientists to monitor the skies. So, what does that mean for first responders in an emergency? And winter holidays are here. We’ve got some tips to keep the festivities from going up in smoke.

This week, the online world of Appalachian memes — and what they tell us about folks who live here.

Also, parts of West Virginia have been radio silent since the 1950s for scientists to monitor the skies. So, what does that mean for first responders in an emergency?

And winter holidays are here. We’ve got some tips to keep the festivities from going up in smoke.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Appalachian Memes Mine The Laughs

Andi Marie Tillman as “Papaw” showing off some of Little Bubby Child’s merch; a shirt that says, “Meemaw Tried.”

*Photo courtesy of Little Bubby Child*

Humor runs deep here in Appalachia. Folkways Reporter Madeline Miller brought us a story about two artists who’ve taken holler humor to the digital realm.

Andi Marie Tillman depicts her character Papaw on FaceTime.

*Photo courtesy Andi Marie Tillman*

Radio Quiet Zone Presents Trouble For Emergency Responders

Since the 1950s, the federal government has designated parts of two West Virginia counties as a National Radio Quiet Zone. Because of research, television, radio and cell signals near the area are restricted. Ten Virginia and West Virginia counties are asking the government to change that for emergency responders.

Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd has this story.

Remembering Poet Nikki Giovanni

Poet Nikki Giovanni in 2015 at Shepherd University.

*Photo Credit: Shepherd University*

Distinguished poet, educator and long-time Virginia resident Nikki Giovanni died Nov. 9, 2024 at the age of 81.

She was one of the most well-known and acclaimed poets in America and a voice for African Americans and Appalachians.

We revisit Roxy Todd’s 2022 interview with Giovanni.

Avoiding Holiday Fire Hazards

Make sure smoke detectors are in working order during the holiday season.

*Photo Credit: Alexander Raths/Adobe Stock*

The holidays bring people together to celebrate. Which — when paired with cold winter weather — can create the potential for fires.

Mark Lambert, the director of the West Virginia University (WVU) Fire Service Extension, spoke with WVPB’s Chris Schulz about fire safety.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Charlie McCoy, Javon Jackson and Nikki Giovanni, John Inghram, Dinosaur Burps, June Carter Cash and Larry Rader.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Sistersville Ferry And Keeping Listeners Connected, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, crossing a river by ferry can be a special experience, and hard to come by. On the Ohio River, a retiring ferry captain passes the torch to his deck hand. And Hurricane Helene destroyed roads and knocked out power and cell service across western North Carolina. But there was still a way to keep people in touch.

Crossing a river by ferry can be a special experience, and hard to come by. On the Ohio River, a retiring ferry captain passes the torch to his deck hand.

And Hurricane Helene destroyed roads and knocked out power and cell service across western North Carolina. But there was still a way to keep people in touch.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Raising Up A New Riverboat Captain
Blue Ridge Public Broadcasting Crucial During Flood
Loose Cattle And Tammy Fay With Michael Cerveris
Columbus Washboard Company Produces Instruments Aimed To Meet Musicians’ Needs

Raising Up A New Riverboat Captain

The Sistersville Ferry has been serving its Ohio River for over 200 years.

*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

The town of Sistersville, West Virginia is home to the last ferry crossing in the Mountain State. The Sistersville Ferry has been serving this tiny Tyler County community for more than 200 years, and when it reopens next spring, there will be a new pilot at the helm.

Reporter Zack Harold stopped by to witness the last ride of Captain Bo Hause.

Blue Ridge Public Broadcasting Crucial During Flood

Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has devastated communities across western North Carolina and east Tennessee.

*Courtesy Photo*

If you’re in an area that’s struck by a disaster, how do you get information? Especially if power and cell service has been knocked out? You might have to use an old-fashioned technology — the radio. Portable radios work on batteries, and don’t depend on the internet or cell reception.

When Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, our partner station, Blue Ridge Public Radio, became a crucial source of information. A few weeks after the storm, Mason Adams spoke with BPR’s News Director, Laura Lee.

Loose Cattle And Tammy Fay With Michael Cerveris

Tony Award winning actor Michael Cerveris (center, in blue) stays busy. The former Huntington resident had a new show on Broadway and a new record with his Americana band, Loose Cattle.

*Photo Credit: King Edward Photography*

Tony Award-winning actor Michael Cerveris grew up in Huntington. Most recently, he was on stage in the musical “Tammy Fay,” which just left Broadway, but he’s better known for his starring roles in Sweeney Todd and the Broadway adaptation of The Who’s Tommy. He’s currently on HBO’s The Guilded Age, but his Americana band Loose Cattle has a new album.

Back in October, Producer Bill Lynch spoke to Cerveris.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Sierra Ferrell, John Hartford, Tim Bing, Jeff Ellis and Loose Cattle.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Encore: Celebrating Foxfire, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, since 1967, Foxfire has been a storehouse of traditional Appalachian knowledge that still helps people today. It continues to preserve music and history, but part of Foxfire’s heritage has been recording the stories of Appalachian women. This week, we explore Foxfire — its past, present and future.

Since 1967, Foxfire has been a storehouse of traditional Appalachian knowledge that still helps people today.

It continues to preserve music and history, but part of Foxfire’s heritage has been recording the stories of Appalachian women.

This week, Inside Appalachia explores Foxfire — its past, present and future.

In This Episode:

What Is Foxfire?
The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women
Oral History Tradition Continues Today

What Is Foxfire?

The Foxfire office in Rabun County, Georgia.

*Photo Credit: Lilly Knoepp*

Foxfire began in 1967 as a student-run magazine in North Georgia. It was a way for high school students to collect and share the wisdom and lore from their community members. They named it “Foxfire” after a fungus in the region that glows in the dark.

Over 50 years, it’s grown into a book series, a magazine, a museum and an oral history archive. One of those oral histories is from 1975 and captures the kind of knowledge that Foxfire collected.

An Appalachian Woman’s Place Often Went Beyond The Home

Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Ellis is featured in the Foxfire project with Blue Ridge Public Radio.

*Photo Credit: Lilly Knoepp*

A lot of the women in older archival Foxfire interviews said that they “didn’t work” but so many Appalachian women were midwives, mothers and business owners.

Foxfire’s latest collection features 21 women in the book called, The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women, edited by then Foxfire education director and museum curator Kami Ahrens. Mason Adams has more.

Oral History Tradition Continues Today

In 2020, Blue Ridge Public Radio partnered with Ahrens to record oral histories and aired them on the radio. BPR’s Lilly Knoepp shared a few.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Sean Watkins, The Steel Woods, and Dr. Kathy Bullock and her class at the John C. Campbell Folk School.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A Chef Shares W.Va. Memories And Visiting A Cat Cafe, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, The chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant says he was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia. The Seeing Hand Association brings together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft of chair caning. And a West Virginia community grapples with its population of feral cats.

The chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant says he was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia.

The Seeing Hand Association brings together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft of chair caning.

And a West Virginia community grapples with its population of feral cats.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Appalachian Memories Inspire Chef

Chef William Dissen at his home in Asheville, North Carolina.

*Photo Credit: Johnny Autry*

Chef William Dissen’s memories are seasoned with the flavors of West Virginia’s mountains. He’s now taking some of those memories and turning them into award-winning cuisine at his James Beard Award-nominated restaurant, The Market Place, in Asheville.

Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef spoke with Dissen while he was in Charleston with his debut cookbook, Thoughtful Cooking.

Mending With Seeing Hands

Jeannine Schmitt weaves a new seat onto an old hand caned chair.

*Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

A lot of folks in Appalachia grew up with caned chairs in the house, but you don’t see them as much as you used to. Cane breaks down over time and needs to be replaced. Few people know how to do that.

At a workshop in Wheeling, West Virginia, a community of skilled workers repair old chairs – and show that not everything that looks broken has to be thrown out.

Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett brings us the story.

Clara also produced a short video about the people at Seeing Hand. That video, and a few others, will appear on West Virginia Public Broadcasting as part of an Inside Appalachia television special. The episode premiers at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving on WVPB and will be available to watch online starting Nov. 25.

A Cozy Cafe For Cats

Many cats at Give Purrs A Chance come from overrun shelters and animal rescues in southern West Virginia.

*Photo Credit: Jack Walker/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

West Virginia is home to more than 100,000 stray cats. Most aren’t spayed or neutered, which only increases the problem of overpopulation.

Pet advocates say subsidies for the procedure and pop-up clinics can help, but as WVPB’s Jack Walker reports, so can creative efforts to find cats a home.

—–

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Christian Lopez, Harvey & Copeland, Todd Burge, Dinosaur Burps, Paul Loomis and Blue Dot Sessions.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter/X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.