This week, in author Willie Carver, Jr.’s new book, he reconsiders a negative childhood experience with a neighborhood girl who might have just been looking for a friend. Also, a southwestern Virginia community rang the alarm after more and more of its children were diagnosed with cancer. A local journalist is trying to unravel the cause. And, the city of Asheville has a new crusading reporter. He’s a puppet.
[CHARLESTON, WV] – West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) announced today that they have received a 2025 Ohio Valley Emmy Award in the category of Magazine Program – Single Program for the Inside Appalachia-Folkways Special.
“I’m very proud of and excited for Bryce Smith, the producing editor who assembled this piece into a 30-minute magazine program format,” said WVPB Director of Video Production, Chris Barnhart. “He did a great job assembling the individual pieces together into a seamless and coherent entity. I’m sure Bryce would agree that this award also belongs to all of the contributors who worked on the project.”
The Ohio Valley Emmy Awards are a division of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Columbus, Ohio division was founded in 1964. In addition to granting the Ohio Valley Emmy Awards, this division awards scholarships, honors industry veterans at the Silver Circle Celebration, conducts National Student Television Awards of Excellence, has a free research and a nationwide job bank. The chapter also participates in judging Emmy entries at the regional and national levels.
“It’s such a nice honor,” said Inside Appalachia Producer, Bill Lynch. “We think we tell good stories. It’s great when other people think so, too.”
In this special program, Mason Adams shows us three pieces from our prolific Folkways Reporters. Clara Haizlett introduces us to a group restoring cane chairs, as well as a few musicians keeping the musical history of Osage, WV alive. Zack Harold shows us students at an elementary school in Boone County that is keeping a 100-year-old playground game alive.
About West Virginia Public Broadcasting:
The mission of West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) is to educate, inform, and inspire people by telling West Virginia’s story. WVPB is an indispensable resource for education, news and public affairs, emergency services and economic development. Learn more at https://www.wvpublic.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Crissy Cantley, an Option Pathway teacher at South Charleston High School in Kanawha County, earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s February 2026 Above and Beyond Award. Cantley works closely with students who are at risk of not graduating on time, helping them stay on track for success.
The West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Above and Beyond Teacher Award is in honor of educators from all grade levels (K-12) and disciplines who go the extra mile. These teachers are known for paving the way for academic achievement, using new and innovative strategies to reach students, or simply making a difference in the lives of their students every day.
West Virginia Arts Alive is the West Virginia Department of Education’s annual event to showcase outstanding arts education and student achievements in West Virginia's public schools. WVPB will broadcast the event live on The West Virginia Channel, Friday, April 17, 2026 at 7 p.m. It will also be available to live stream on YouTube.
Lots of public radio listeners know acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In the fall, WNYC released Our Common Nature, a podcast that follows the musician and producer Ana Gonzalez as they explore the country. This included a visit to West Virginia. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Gonzalez about the podcast and what she and Yo-Yo Ma learned along the way.
