Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
Home » Punk Music, Banjos, Legendary Hot Dog Maker And More Inside Appalachia
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Punk Music, Banjos, Legendary Hot Dog Maker And More Inside Appalachia
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Lots of folks have picked up new hobbies, or renewed old ones, during the pandemic. Maybe you know someone who started knitting, or baking, or mountain biking. For some, those hobbies have a way of turning into passions that play out over years and sometimes decades.
In this episode of Inside Appalachia, we’re sharing stories about people with passions like poetry, music, or making hot dogs, and have touched others with their dedication to their craft.
In Harlan County, Kentucky, 20-year-old Bradford Harris plays in the punk band L.I.P.S. When in-person shows were canceled because of the pandemic, Bradford began playing the banjo. Eventually, this led to a surprising new talent — making banjos. Bradford even tracked down a 97-year-old instrument maker to learn the craft.
Poet Nikki Giovanni says there are many reasons she loves Appalachia, the region where she was born. An activist for civil rights and social justice, Giovanni has been helping give voice to Black Appalachians for half a century.
Crystal Wilkinson grew up in Kentucky with her grandparents. She is one of the founding members of a group known as the Affrilachian poets. Wilkinson has a new book called “Perfect Black,” which is set to be released from the University of Kentucky Press in August.
We’ll listen back to a 2019 interview Wilkinson recorded for Inside Appalachia back in 2019 about her experiences growing up in Appalachia influenced some of the stories in her books.
Skiing In West Virginia
Skiing took off in West Virginia in the 1950s, when a ski area was developed on Cabin Mountain in Canaan Valley. Today there are six ski resorts.
John Lutz, a native of Parkersburg, was a huge part of developing the industry in the state. He’s been recognized as one of the country’s top ski instructors. He also developed one of the first blind skiing programs, brought a professional ski-racing series to West Virginia and created opportunities for thousands of people to ski in our region. He left West Virginia for a while, but as he told Inside Appalachia co-host Caitlin Tan, he found himself missing home.
Old Man Winter– Helvetia’s Annual Fasnacht Festival
Like most festivals and events, the annual Fasnacht celebration in Helvetia, West Virginia was canceled this year due to safety concerns from COVID-19. Normally, on the Saturday before Lent begins, hundreds of people gather in this tiny town to frighten away Old Man Winter.
If you live in West Virginia and care about food, you probably know DiCarlo’s in Wheeling, where they serve pizzas topped with cold cheese. Maybe you’ve been to Richwood, a town that claims to be the ramp capital of the world. And you probably know that, when it comes to hotdogs joints, Yann’s Hotdogs in Fairmont is on a level all its own.
Russell Yann, the longtime owner of the iconic lunch spot, died on Jan. 15. Reporter Zack Harold spoke with Yann’s friends and family, and closes this episode with a remembrance of Yann’s life and legacy.
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Dinosaur Burps, Bradford Harris, L.I. P. S, and Anna and Elizabeth.
Roxy Todd is our producer. Our executive producer is Andrea Billups. Kelley Libby edited our show this week. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode. You can find us on Twitter @InAppalachia.
Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
Stock car racing’s roots run deep in Appalachia. Our twisty roads and dark hollers were home to moonshiners — and moonshine runners, who became known for their driving skills. And they became some of NASCAR’s first stars when it formed in 1948. But NASCAR’s oldest continuous racing team had nothing to do with moonshine.
On this West Virginia Morning, domestic violence prevention advocates lined the State Capitol rotunda in February, seeking a budget increase. They said lawmakers were receptive to the idea. But no increase was passed before this year’s regular legislative session ended. Jack Walker checked in with domestic violence prevention advocates on funding needs as a potential special session approaches.
For Sue and Stan Jennings, woodworking isn’t just a way to make a living, it’s a way of life. What started out as a passion for the craft was born out of necessity. Over the last 30 years, the Jennings have developed a thriving business making wood objects called treenware — small wooden kitchen utensils.