Author: Bill Lynch

Keeping Faith Through The Floods Of Kentucky

This week, we talk to the BBC’s Philip Reevell and reporter Katie Myers about a recent documentary that looks at Kentucky flood recovery through the eyes of local reporter Katie Myers. She not only covered the disaster but was also part of the cleanup effort. We also meet a family who survived the flood and found solace through faith and song. And we meet Kentucky actress Caroline Clay. She stars in a new musical with Dukes of Hazzard actor John Schneider.

This week, we talk to the BBC’s Philip Reevell and reporter Katie Myers about a recent documentary that looks at Kentucky flood recovery through the eyes of local reporter Katie Myers. 

She not only covered the disaster but was also part of the cleanup effort.

We also meet a family who survived the flood and found solace through faith and song.

And we meet Kentucky actress Caroline Clay. She stars in a new musical with Dukes of Hazzard actor John Schneider. 

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

In This Episode:

The BBC Covers The East Kentucky Flood

A photo taken by Philip Reevell after he interviewed a family living in tents by the road. They described how this was their house which had been swept away. Credit: Philip Reevell

Katie Myers is a reporter at WMMT/Appalshop in Whitesburg, Kentucky and has worked with the Folkways program. She covered the floods and flood recovery in eastern Kentucky last year and then worked with BBC reporter Philip Reevell to help guide him and his listeners through the region.

They talked with us about the experience. 

Recovering From Disaster Through Faith

The Boggs family came through the floods of eastern Kentucky through music and faith. Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave also lives in the area affected by last year’s flooding and was part of a volunteer group helping with flood cleanup. During that work, she met James and Ruby Boggs, who lived in a flooded coal camp. A month later, Nicole caught up with the Boggs family and heard about the joy that comes from the soothing music of an old family guitar.

Keeping Track Of Important Documents For Aging Parents

Taking care of aging parents is more than just managing errands and doctors appointments. It’s also having all the necessary documents to handle complicated circumstances as they arise.

WVPB’s Eric Douglas has been exploring the many issues that come with caring for elders and spoke with West Virginia lawyer Franki Parsons about necessary documents in case of accident, illness or death. 

Caroline Clay Talks About Her Big Break

Eastern Kentucky native Caroline Clay has been acting for several years, but may have just caught her first big break in the faith-based musical, “The Confession.”

Based on the book series by Beverly Lewis, the musical also stars John Scheider, best known as Bo Duke from “The Dukes of Hazzard” television show. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Ona, The Sycomores and Waylon Jennings. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

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

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

And you can sign up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Beans, More Beans And Kentucky’s Poet Laureate

This week, climate change is changing what grows in Appalachia, and where. Some peach varieties usually found in Georgia are moving north. We also learn how the bean dish frijoles charros made its way from northern Mexico — to Appalachian Ohio.

This week, climate change is changing what grows in Appalachia, and where. Some peach varieties usually found in Georgia are moving north.

We also learn how the bean dish frijoles charros made its way from northern Mexico — to Appalachian Ohio.

And we revisit our interview with Crystal Wilkinson, who was appointed Kentucky poet laureate in 2021.

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

In This Episode:

Frijoles Charros Makes Its Way To Menus In Ohio

A bowl of brothy pinto beans is a comfort food for lots of folks here in Appalachia. In southeast Ohio, one man is serving up soup beans that remind him of his childhood home. Frijoles charros — or charro beans — is a popular dish among the ranching communities of rural northern Mexico. Now they’re on a menu in the former coal town of Wellston.

Folkways reporter Nicole Musgrave has this story.  

Climate Change Prunes Peach Trees Of The South

Georgia is known for its peaches. They’re practically a state symbol. 

You can find peach trees throughout the state. But now, varieties once found only in the southern part of Georgia are moving northward into Appalachia. That’s because fruit trees need a certain amount of cold weather — and climate change is resulting in milder winters and earlier springs. 

It’s not just peaches. Climate change affects all sorts of fruit — from apples and blueberries, to pawpaws, pears and plums. 

Jess Mador has this story of fruit tree migration. It begins in Georgia.

Tough Conversations About End of Life Plans

Much of Appalachia has an aging population. And with fewer services available in rural communities, it’s often left to families to care for the needs of seniors. That includes end of life care — and beyond.

But talking about funeral arrangements can be awkward. Tom Nichols is the owner of Bartlett Nichols Funeral Home in St. Albans, West Virginia. He spoke with WVPB’s Eric Douglas about ways to ease the conversation. 

Revisiting KY Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson

Our final segment revisits our former co-host Caitlin Tan’s 2021 interview with Crystal Wilkinson. Wilkinson was the first Black woman to be named poet laureate of Kentucky. A lot of her writing focuses on Black women and their experiences in Appalachia.

Wilkinson grew up on her grandparents’ farm in Casey County, Kentucky. Her grandfather, Silas, raised cash crops like corn and tobacco. 

Caitlin began by asking Wilkinson to read a poem. She chose an ode to Tobacco and her grandfather.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Town Mountain, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Sierra Ferrell, Wes Swing and Paul Loomis. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

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

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.

And you can sign-up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A Model Train Club Faces Uncertainty

This week, we hop a tiny train to discover the miniature wonders of a West Virginia model railroad club that now faces an uncertain future. We also visit Madison, West Virginia — a former coal community that’s looking to reinvent itself. And we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia and learn how racial segregation extended from cradle to the grave. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we hop a tiny train to discover the miniature wonders of a West Virginia model railroad club that now faces an uncertain future.

We also visit Madison, West Virginia — a former coal community that’s looking to reinvent itself. 

And we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia and learn how racial segregation extended from cradle to the grave.

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

In This Episode:

Model Train Club Coming To a Crossroads

Model trains are a symbol of American childhood. You can probably picture it. A circle of track, some plastic trees, a few diecast cars sitting at the railroad crossing.

Well, the model train setup in our next story takes things to a whole different scale. Folkways Reporter Zack Harold brings us the story.

Coal Towns Look To Reinvent

Appalachia’s coal industry has had a pretty good last couple of years, all things considered. But a growing number of places have lost coal altogether. And after decades of relying on it, they’re trying to figure out what’s next. 

West Virginia lawmakers established a grants commission last year, to funnel federal dollars to coalfield communities. WVPB’s Randy Yohe visited Madison, West Virginia, to hear about its efforts to build a new economy, after coal. 

Appalachian Writers Workshop To Return

Last summer, torrential rains brought flooding and destruction to parts of Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. Among the communities hit was the town of Hindman, Kentucky — home to the Appalachian Writer’s Workshop at the Hindman Settlement School. When the floods began, the writer’s workshop was midway through its weeklong session. Several campus buildings were damaged, but all of the students and faculty there eventually made it home safely.

The school announced plans for this year’s Appalachian Writers Workshop. Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with workshop organizer Josh Mullins about the flood and the upcoming workshop.

Segregated Cemetery Remembered And Restored

Bluefield is a small town on the border of Virginia and West Virginia. For decades, on the Virginia side, graves of the Black residents who helped build the community were neglected in the town’s segregated cemetery. And it might have stayed that way if it hadn’t been for the efforts of one persistent woman whose family was buried there.

Folkways Reporter Connie Bailey Kitts reports.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Otis Gibbs, Del McCoury, Tyler Childers and Amythyst Kia.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

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

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.

And you can sign-up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Encore: Maternal Medicine In The Mountains

This week on Inside Appalachia, amid recent hospital closures, Appalachian women are having to travel farther and farther to give birth. We also learn how seed libraries and community gardens are helping to protect heirloom seeds from being lost. And we hear more from our series on greyhound racing. This year, West Virginia will be home to the last two remaining greyhound racetracks in the United States.

This week on Inside Appalachia, amid recent hospital closures, Appalachian women are having to travel farther and farther to give birth.

We also learn how seed libraries and community gardens are helping to protect heirloom seeds from being lost.

And we hear more from our series on greyhound racing. This year, West Virginia will be home to the last two remaining greyhound racetracks in the United States. This week, we learn about the government policies that sustain dog racing.

In This Episode:

Maternal Medicine In The Mountains

We’ll talk with reporter Clarissa Donnelly-DeRoven about maternal health care deserts in western North Carolina and hear a report from Crystal Good, about what options Black families in West Virginia have for finding birth workers that look like them.

Appalachian PRIDE

Following one of the opinions written in the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, state legislatures across the Ohio Valley are considering anti-LGBTQ policies, while people across Appalachia took part in celebrations during LGBTQ Pride Month in June. Katie Myers with the Ohio Valley ReSource got reactions and spoke to residents.

Indigenous Gather In W.Va. To Discuss The Environment

High schoolers with Indigenous backgrounds came from all over the country to the Eastern Panhandle this summer for a leadership congress. They talked about conservation, Native identity, and the growing effects of climate change. Shepherd Snyder has the story.

Greyhound Racing Series Continues

Are the days of greyhound racing numbered? Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

In 2023, West Virginia will be home to the last two remaining greyhound racetracks in the United States. 

Reporter Randy Yohe breaks down the government policies that sustain dog racing, and considers its future in the state at a time when it’s dying everywhere else.

Canaries Out Of The Coal Mine

As old coal mines are restored, they’ve been repurposed for an increasingly broad number of new uses. In Pennsylvania, reclaimed mine land is being used for an art project involving birds. 

Kara Holsapple and Jacqui Sieber of The Allegheny Front have more. 

Feeding The Hungry In Appalachia’s Food Deserts

Supply chain issues and rising gas prices are making it harder for people to get food. As David Adkins reports, local entrepreneurs are looking to meet the demand.

A Ray of Hope

Mountain View Solar, a solar installation company in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, is training and hiring people in recovery from substance use disorder. Shepherd Snyder has this story.

Serious About Seed Saving

Heirloom seeds don’t just connect people with delicious food. They connect to community. Credit: Neil Conway/Flickr

During the pandemic, millions of Americans turned to gardening. In Appalachia, people have long saved heirloom seeds that have been passed down for generations. Today, that tradition continues, partly through organizations like seed libraries and community gardens that collect these seeds to save them from being lost.

Folkways reporter Rachel Greene spent time in Ashe County, North Carolina — talking to the people giving new life to old seeds.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Marisa Anderson, Michael Howard, Josh Woodward, the Hillbilly Gypsies.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Alex Runyon is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

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

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.

And you can sign-up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A Teen Takes On Book Deserts In Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, we meet a West Virginia high school student whose love of reading inspired her to bring books to young children. We also check in on people who were displaced by historic flooding in Kentucky. What’s happening now that we’re deep into winter? And we find advice for people navigating the difficulties of caring for aging parents.

This week, we meet a West Virginia high school student whose love of reading inspired her to bring books to young children.

We also check in on people who were displaced by historic flooding in Kentucky. What’s happening now that we’re deep into winter? 

And we find advice for people navigating the difficulties of caring for aging parents.

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

In This Episode

A High School Student Combats Book Deserts

Maybe you’ve heard about food deserts. These are places where there’s little access to fresh food, but there’s another kind of desert in our region that affects the literacy rates of young children. Book deserts are areas where there aren’t libraries or bookstores. 

Rania Zuri, a senior at Morgantown High School in West Virginia, is the founder of an organization that provides books to preschool children across the state.

Sit For A Spell In The Story Parlor And Hear A Story

Appalachians love telling stories. Lies, yarns, and good ole fashioned tall tales. In fact, the International Storytelling Center is based in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Just across the state line in Asheville, North Carolina, a young family is cultivating another place for people to gather to share stories. Matt Peiken at Blue Ridge Public Radio reports.

How To Help Manage Legal Issues For Aging Parents

Helping aging parents can involve a lot more than getting them to the doctor, church and the grocery store. It might mean managing their checkbook, their bills and their treatment. 

WVPB News Director Eric Douglas explores care giving in “Getting Into Their Reality: Caring For Aging Parents.” He recently spoke with Franki Parsons, a lawyer who specializes in legal and estate planning. 

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Brings People Together In Moorefield, WV

Moorefield, West Virginia is home to about 3,300 people – about 1 in 10 are immigrants. That includes a small community from Eritrea and Ethiopia. Many work at the chicken processing plant in town, Pilgrim’s Pride. The hours are long and don’t leave much time for socializing. Still, members of that East African community continue to practice a tradition they’ve brought from home: the coffee ceremony.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Company Stores, Hillbilly Gypsies, Watchhouse, Long Point String Band and Ona.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

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

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.

And you can sign-up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Coming To A Theater Near Me

Bill Lynch expands his “Lore” study, takes on a new project and begins a crash course in all things Appalachia.

I could hardly turn down the opportunity, but when Volunteer West Virginia asked me if I’d like to speak at the regional conference they were hosting, I said yes without really thinking.

This is a recurring pattern in my life.

But delivering an address sounded like an opportunity to spread the good word about Inside Appalachia and our program Folkways, which explores art and culture in Appalachia.

Sometimes to get people to listen to your radio show or podcast, you have to go tell them about it first. Volunteer West Virginia anticipated a crowd of around 400 people – 400 people who maybe have never heard of Inside Appalachia. That sounded pretty good to me, though my experience with public speaking is a little spotty.

I’ve spoken intelligently before groups of about a dozen and spoken less coherently in front of groups of nearly a hundred. I’ve given good speeches nobody remembers and bad ones I still remember, like the time I spoke at a community center during a celebration for Mahatma Gandhi.

The nicest thing anyone told me that night about my speech was that I was brief.

Honestly, Volunteer West Virginia would do better with someone who could sing or do magic tricks, but that kind of thing costs money and I’ll work for fun-sized candy bars, chewing gum and a bottle of water.

That’s what I got for dressing as Daniel Tiger at an event at the Kanawha County Public Library last year, which was more than I took home as Buster Bunny at the West Virginia Book Festival.

I say yes to a lot of things, but how often do you get to dress up like a beloved children’s cartoon character?

But I’m game to give Volunteer West Virginia a good show.

Volunteer West Virginia has asked me to talk to their guests about Appalachia and the future of our region, something our radio show and podcast explores every week.

Probably, they’d have wanted me to be a little more well-versed in the subject, but what they asked also seemed to fit the overall mission of “Lore,” which is for me to learn about Appalachian culture.

And who doesn’t love a deadline?

So, now I have four months to come up with an engaging, half-hour presentation about Appalachia, its future – and also maybe work in something about Charleston for the visitors.

The last part seemed easy. I can tell you how to get to all the bakeries in the county, and which one has the best scone.

Bill knows scones. Credit: Bill Lynch

I work for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. We aired six seasons of Downton Abbey (which I watched). I think I’m expected to like scones.

Volunteer West Virginia said I had a lot of leeway. I could do slides. I could bring in guests.

I said I could come up with something.

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