This week, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder often end up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, one year after the Mountain Valley Pipeline went into service, people who live directly in the pipeline’s path have received compensation. But not everyone. And, the Sacred Harp songbook gets an update for the first time since the early 1990s.
Home » Roanoke's Lost Queer Scene, Rescuing Baby Animals And Sheep Shearing In Appalachia
Published
Roanoke's Lost Queer Scene, Rescuing Baby Animals And Sheep Shearing In Appalachia
Listen
Share this Article
The pandemic continues to inspire more people to go outside. One result? They’ve found more baby animals. This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear how everyday folks have helped rescue a record number of baby owls.
And we’ll meet a woman who moved from L.A. to rural West Virginia. “It’s very wild here. It’s like the Wild West except we’re east of the Mississippi,” said Margaret Bruning, who’s now learning to raise and shear sheep.
June is Pride month. We’ll listen back to a fabulous story from 2019 as With Good Reason producer Cass Adair takes us on an audio tour through the history of Roanoke’s Queer scene with those who lived it.
About 40 years ago, Roanoke, Virginia was home to six gay bars. Many LGBTQ+ people lived in the surrounding mountains and would gather at these nightclubs to unwind and feel like themselves. Roanoke was a hot spot for queer night life. However, these bars were against the law at the time in Virginia. Producer Cass Adair takes us on a tour through the history of Roanoke’s LGBTQ+ scene with those who lived it.
Lack Of LGBTQ+ Protections Has Some West Virginians Ready To Leave
While LGBTQ+ bars are no longer illegal, how far has the culture really shifted? After all, there are many places in Appalachia where queer people still face discrimination — and many say they don’t feel welcome.
Casey Johnson, left, and David Laub, right, are both concerned with the lack of LGBTQ rights in West Virginia.
Gayle Manchin Named New Co-Chair Of Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian region is facing many challenges, ranging from environmental degradation to the sheer difficulty of accessing some of these communities. Would additional funding from the federal government help? Washington has been sending money into the region since the “War on Poverty” in the 1960s. The Appalachian Regional Commission came out of that effort — and it just named the first ever West Virginian to lead the agency.
ARC
/
Gayle Manchin is the new federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Kentucky has the most beef cattle of any state east of the Mississippi, but beef has been getting a grilling lately because of the industry’s environmental impact. As Lian Niemeyer reports, some Kentucky cattlemen are working to reduce their climate hoofprint. One well-known area company has even joined the plant-based meat business. This week on the show, we hear how companies are implementing these changes.
Working To Improve Farmers’ Mental Health
Growing food or producing milk can be a life-giving career, but farmers face unique challenges that can lead to anxiety and depression. While efforts to help are growing, there’s a push to get Pennsylvania to do more.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Sheep Shearing Is A Family Tradition
Emily Hilliard / West Virginia Folklife Program
/
Margaret Bruning, left, and Kathy Evans, right, in Kathy's studio.
Many families pass down traditions by working with livestock — and not just cattle either. Some families have built traditions around spinning and weaving, usually among women. But that wool doesn’t just magically appear. It’s part of a tradition that starts with raising the sheep.
As part of our Inside Appalachia Folkways project, reporter Heather Niday brings us the passing of that knowledge and about honoring a legacy.
Rescuing Baby Animals
One good thing to come out of the pandemic? Many folks have been spending more time outside. Last year, 3,700 animals were treated at the Wildlife Center of Virginia — a high tech veterinary hospital in Waynesboro, Virginia that cares for creatures brought in from all over the region.
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Dinosaur Burps and Dog and Gun.
Roxy Todd is our producer. Jade Artherhults is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Andrea Billups. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode. You can find us on Twitter @InAppalachia.
This week, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder often end up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, one year after the Mountain Valley Pipeline went into service, people who live directly in the pipeline’s path have received compensation. But not everyone. And, the Sacred Harp songbook gets an update for the first time since the early 1990s.
Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D for short, is a roleplaying game that allows players to inhabit characters in a fantasy setting. They work together to battle monsters, find treasure and tell a shared story in which they’re all the main characters. Youth Services Librarian Jeffrey Wood ran a recent session, guiding a group of young teenagers through an adventure involving a sheep, a dragon made of furniture and a few other creatures.
On this West Virginia Morning, we learn about efforts to clean up an important waterway, and examine the impact of prospective food benefit cuts on Appalachians in need.
