Dancing And Community On Charleston’s West Side

On this West Virginia Morning, we visit a cultural hotspot on Charleston’s West Side. We also bring you a conversation on the “what you need to know” for the upcoming Primary Election, and we hear a report on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons in the Ohio Valley.

Tuesday, May 19 is the last day to register to vote for the upcoming primary in West Virginia. Early, in-person voting starts May 27. And election day is June 9. The Ohio Valley ReSource’s Brittany Patterson put together a voter’s guide for voters in West Virginia. Our interim news director Glynis Board spoke with Patterson about what people need to know.  

Jails and prisons have become hot spots for the coronavirus around the Ohio Valley, sparking calls to release some inmates. However, a new report finds only halting progress toward reducing inmate populations. Becca Schimmel has details.

One of the most unique cultural gems in West Virginia takes place in Charleston’s West Side neighborhood. Every Friday, residents get together for a country dance night called the West Side Jamboree. Of course, these dances have been put on hold for now, during the coronavirus pandemic. But we’ll take a time hop, back to the fall, when WYPR’s Aaron Henkin stopped by the West Side Jamboree and recorded these interviews for a series he produced for the Out of the Blocks podcast.

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