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America's Awesome Kids
West Virginia’s children ages 8-10 have the opportunity to “tell their stories” as part of the America’s Awesome Kids project. A partnership between WVPB and WGBH in Boston.
Maximumrocknroll was a zine that ran from 1982 to 2019. It first started as a radio show in California. Now, it’s a podcast. Since October, Johnson City, Tennessee, DJ Cary Allen has been part of the show and spotlighting Appalachian bands. Host Mason Adams spoke with Allen.
Poison ivy continues to be virulent through the winter. But in this episode, we hear from two health professionals about where folk cures and mainstream medicine overlap.inu_maru/Adobe Stock
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Somepoliticians and coal operators call themselves friends of coal, but one journalist says they don’t seem to be friends of coal miners.
Also, what not to do if you get poison ivy.
And, pepperoni rolls were a staple in the coal mines. But public schools might be why they caught on.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
West Virginia Republican Sens. Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito pose with coal miners at a White House event where President Donald Trump signed executive orders to loosen regulations for coal mining.
Courtesy Photo by Office of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has slashed thousands of federal jobs and used executive orders to shake up regulation of energy production, including coal. Leann Ray is editor in chief of the nonprofit news outlet West Virginia Watch and recently published an op-ed that addresses several of these federal actions regarding coal.
Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with Ray about the op-ed and what she hopes legislators will do for coal miners.
15 Years Later: Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster
A makeshift memorial at the site where 29 mine workers were killed during the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster 15 years ago.
Photo Credit: Curtis Tate/West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
April 5 marked the 15th anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in West Virginia. Twenty-nine coal miners died in an underground explosion. It was one of the worst mining accidents in recent memory. Justin Hicks and Curtis Tate from the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom sat down to talk about how it’s remembered, especially by victims’ families.
Curtis Tate is a reporter for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Justin Hicks reports for Louisville Public Media.
Folk Cures For Poison Ivy
Marybeth Mitcham points out poison ivy growing in late October in Haysi, Virginia. Poison ivy continues to be virulent through the winter.
Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
For all the products on pharmacy shelves, people still use folk remedies for common ailments. Like the itchy rash that comes from poison ivy.
Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch spoke with two health professionals about where folk cures and mainstream medicine overlap.
The Riddle Of The Pepperoni Roll
The story of the West Virginia pepperoni roll is more than its creation, but also how it spread.
Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Pepperoni rolls have been enshrined as part of West Virginia history through their connection to coal miners. They’re absolutely a favorite and available almost everywhere, but that wasn’t always true. How pepperoni rolls became a statewide convenience store staple might have less to do with coal mining and more to do with lunch ladies in Kanawha County.
Folkways Reporter Zack Harold took a bite out of pepperoni roll lore in 2023.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Loose Cattle, Hello June, Frank George, Pete Moss, Joe Dobbs and the 1937 Flood 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. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Chris Julin.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
If you can find the Big Dipper, chances are you can find the whirlpool galaxy in the skies over West Virginia. And, you might be surprised to learn where a titanium factory in West Virginia is getting some of its energy.
This week, a Tennessee DJ takes us on a tour of Appalachian punk and metal. Also, Appalachian culture is enriched by its immigrants. We explore the fusion of West Virginia and Japan. And, Appalachia isn’t all punk rock and Japanese food. There’s also string band music.