Tag: Flood Damage

Morel Mushrooms, River Music And A Pumpkin Drop, Inside Appalachia

Morel mushrooms are a forager’s delight, but don’t shortcut cleaning them.

As flood relief continues from Hurricane Helene — a musician raises money with a song inspired by West Virginia’s 2016 floods.

And, not every pumpkin gets to be a jack-o-lantern. Some are used in science experiments instead.

In This Episode:

  • More About Morels
  • Raising Flood Relief With A River Song
  • Smashing Pumpkins For Science!

More About Morels

A morel sliced lengthwise will resemble a gutted fish. Note its characteristic hollow stem, a final safety check on whether you have a true morel, and the reason for its nickname of “dry land fish.” Also note that unclean morels can house ants as well as snails. Courtesy Adam Boring.

Every spring, morel hunters head to the woods in search of mushrooms that look like little wrinkled Christmas trees. Some folks freeze them for later. And even add them to their holiday menus. 

Folkways reporter Wendy Welch spoke with foragers and chefs in Virginia about how to safely harvest and prepare these beloved fungi. 

Raising Flood Relief With A River Song

Four months after Haddox appeared on stage at the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Hurricane Helene tore through the conference location, where recovery efforts are ongoing. Courtesy Chris Haddox.

In 2016, torrential rains resulted in one of the deadliest floods in West Virginia. It inspired songwriter Chris Haddox, called “O, This River.” 

Since Hurricane Helene, Haddox has been using that song to raise money for people in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene. 

Folkways reporter Connie Bailey Kitts spoke with him about the story behind the song.

Smashing Pumpkins For Science!

The crowd looks on at a package with a parachute falls to the ground at the 35th Annual WVU Pumpkin Drop Oct. 25, 2024. Photo Chris Schulz.

Mason: Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean pumpkin season is done. At West Virginia University, the big orange gourds are part of an annual challenge that takes a lot of guts –pumpkin guts.

WVPB’s Chris Schulz had more. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Christian Lopez, The Appalachian Road Show, Tim Bing, Caleb Caudle, Chris Haddox and John Inghram.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi 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 Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Final Week To Apply For Federal Aid Over April Storms, Floods

Renters and homeowners have just over one week to apply for aid from the federal government over storms and flooding that struck West Virginia in early April.

Renters and homeowners have just over one week to apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over storms and flooding that struck West Virginia on April 11 and 12.

FEMA can help fund basic needs and repair projects spurred by storm damage in Boone, Hancock, Kanawha, Marshall, Ohio, Roane, Wetzel and Wood counties. The funds cannot apply to repairs already covered by insurance.

Residents of Brooke, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lincoln and Tyler counties may also be eligible for public assistance on the state or local level.

President Joe Biden approved FEMA’s disaster declaration for the storms in May, opening affected West Virginia regions to federal aid. Applications for the current round of aid to West Virginia were initially due in September, but the agency extended its deadline to Nov. 2.

This year, FEMA announced it streamlined its disaster aid application process, removing some application requirements.

West Virginia residents may also be eligible for financial support from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). However, loan offers may be delayed “due to a lapse in congressional funding,” according to the SBA website.

Property and business owners from counties affected by the storm can apply for low-interest disaster relief loans from the SBA to offset financial losses. The deadline to apply for these loans is also Nov. 2.

Individuals seeking FEMA aid can apply online, or over the phone at 1-800-621-3362. For more information on eligibility and financial aid for the April storms, visit the agency’s website.

Individuals interested in applying for SBA loans can also do so online. For more information, residents can also contact the SBA over the phone at 1-800-659-2955, or over email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Encore: Remembering Floods And Recovering From Disaster, Inside Appalachia

Flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated parts of West Virginia and Kentucky.

We explore some of the reasons for floods, as well as the aftermath and the slow recovery that often follows disaster.

It’s not all gloom. Even in our hardest moments, there’s always hope. 

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Revisiting The WV Flood Of 2016

In 2016, West Virginia saw 10 inches of rain in 12 hours. The resulting flooding led to 23 deaths. The governor mobilized hundreds of members of the West Virginia National Guard.

Jessica Lilly reported from the town of Richwood and told a story that went back decades.

Reclaiming Rand

Rand, West Virginia, is a town of about 900 people just outside Charleston. Flooding has been a regular problem for decades, partly because of longstanding issues with faulty storm sewers.

Tiara Brown reported this story.

Healing Comes From Alan “Cathead” Johnston’s Ballad 

Alan “Cathead” Johnston with his daughters Jessi and Stacey at the Wheeling Jamboree.

Courtesy Photo

Singer and songwriter Alan “Cathead” Johnston wrote the song, “Muddy Waters” about two horrific back-to-back 100-year floods that tore through McDowell County in 2001 and 2002.  

It’s been a couple of decades, but Folkways Reporter Connie Kitts found that people are still drawing strength and comfort from this ballad.

The Flood In Hindman, KY

It’s impossible to talk about flooding without acknowledging last year’s historic flooding in eastern Kentucky. The floods killed at least 38 people and damaged some of the region’s cultural centers, including Appalshop in Whitesburg and the Hindman Settlement School.

WFPL’s Stephanie Wolf visited Hindman just after the floods and took stock of what was lost. 

Coming Back From Disaster Through Faith And Music

Dean (Dino) McBee cleans old recording equipment damaged in the 2022 floods in Kentucky.

Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

When you spend time in Appalachia and live through a few floods, you tend to notice a recurring theme: neighbors helping neighbors. In Millstone, Kentucky gospel musicians were cut off from participating in part of their culture after they lost instruments. Many found help reconnecting with their music.

Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave brought us this report.

A Poem For A Flooded Town

West Virginia poet Doug Van Gundy at the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky for the Appalachian Writer’s Workshop in 2022 the night Troublesome Creek flooded.

He shared this poem with us, which was partly inspired by what he saw.

——

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jackson Browne, The Dirty River Boys, Alan “Cathead” Johnston, Dino McBee and Yonder Mountain String Band.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Wheeling Faces Worst Flood In 20 Years, Mayor Says

After a week of inclement weather, the Ohio River is higher in Wheeling than it has been in 20 years.

The Ohio River reached “Moderate Flood Stage” in Wheeling on Thursday, a height of 40 feet. The waters were expected to crest at nearly 42 feet.

Major flooded areas included Water Street at Heritage Port and most of the southern end of Wheeling Island near the Wheeling Island Stadium.

The Mayor of Wheeling, Glenn Elliot told MetroNews “Talkine” that the river last crested this high in 2004, but people who live near the river are accustomed to floods.

Free parking is available to park cars for those in flooded areas in the 10th Street and Intermodal Parking Garage.

According to a release from the City of Wheeling 1-70 Exit 0 and the Bridgeport Bridge will remain open for residents and businesses.

Onlookers in vehicles are being asked to avoid flooded areas.

To prepare for flood cleanup, the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department offered free tetanus shots Friday for West Virginia residents.

The Ohio River is expected to remain in flood stage across portions of the area through the weekend.

FEMA Offers Guidance To Residents Seeking Flood Aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided guidance to residents seeking federal aid after floods ravaged several counties in southern and central West Virginia in August.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has distributed letters to some residents of Boone, Calhoun, Clay, Harrison and Kanawha counties affected by flooding in August 2023.

These letters were distributed to residents who applied for federal relief funds. They outline applicants’ eligibility for funds, and next steps to claim them.

Last summer, flash floods swept southern and central West Virginia, damaging homes and businesses across the counties.

On Jan. 30, President Joe Biden officially declared the flooding incident a major disaster, opening the region and its residents to federal recovery funds. The funds can be applied to home repairs, property loans and more.

Since the disaster declaration, FEMA has allocated more than $1 million to the West Virginia counties. FEMA supplied residents an additional $72,000 cumulatively for other disaster costs like childcare and medical expenses.

FEMA has encouraged individuals affected by the flooding to file insurance claims immediately. Costs not covered by insurance can be covered through FEMA funds, and an end date for the application period has not yet been announced.

For residents who have already submitted their applications, letters from FEMA regarding next steps should have already come, or soon be on their way.

The letters will state if residents need to submit supplemental information to complete their claims, like proof of insurance, proof of occupancy in a house affected by the flooding and proof of ownership of said property.

FEMA encouraged residents to promptly submit necessary supplemental materials and to follow guidance provided in the letters. FEMA also encouraged residents who have not yet filed a claim to do so as soon as possible.

For more information on the eligibility letters, residents can contact FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Helpline at (800) 621-3362, or visit disaster recovery centers in Boone, Clay, Harrison or Kanawha counties.

For more information on the disaster declaration and submitting a federal aid claim, residents can visit fema.gov/disaster/4756.

Remembering Floods And Recovering From Disaster, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated parts of West Virginia and Kentucky. We explore some of the reasons for floods, as well as the aftermath and the slow recovery that often follows disaster. It’s not all gloom. Even in our hardest moments, there’s always hope.

Flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated parts of West Virginia and Kentucky.

We explore some of the reasons for floods, as well as the aftermath and the slow recovery that often follows disaster.

It’s not all gloom. Even in our hardest moments, there’s always hope. 

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Revisiting The WV Flood Of 2016

In 2016, West Virginia saw 10 inches of rain in 12 hours. The resulting flooding led to 23 deaths. The governor mobilized hundreds of members of the West Virginia National Guard.

Jessica Lilly reported from the town of Richwood and told a story that went back decades.

Reclaiming Rand

Rand, West Virginia, is a town of about 900 people just outside Charleston. Flooding has been a regular problem for decades, partly because of longstanding issues with faulty storm sewers.

Tiara Brown reported this story.

Healing Comes From Alan “Cathead” Johnston’s Ballad 

Alan “Cathead” Johnston with his daughters Jessi and Stacey at the Wheeling Jamboree.

Courtesy Photo

Singer and songwriter Alan “Cathead” Johnston wrote the song, “Muddy Waters” about two horrific back-to-back 100-year floods that tore through McDowell County in 2001 and 2002.  

It’s been a couple of decades, but Folkways Reporter Connie Kitts found that people are still drawing strength and comfort from this ballad.

The Flood In Hindman, KY

It’s impossible to talk about flooding without acknowledging last year’s historic flooding in eastern Kentucky. The floods killed at least 38 people and damaged some of the region’s cultural centers, including Appalshop in Whitesburg and the Hindman Settlement School.

WFPL’s Stephanie Wolf visited Hindman just after the floods and took stock of what was lost. 

Coming Back From Disaster Through Faith And Music

Dean (Dino) McBee cleans old recording equipment damaged in the 2022 floods in Kentucky.

Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

When you spend time in Appalachia and live through a few floods, you tend to notice a recurring theme: neighbors helping neighbors. In Millstone, Kentucky gospel musicians were cut off from participating in part of their culture after they lost instruments. Many found help reconnecting with their music.

Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave brought us this report.

A Poem For A Flooded Town

West Virginia poet Doug Van Gundy at the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky for the Appalachian Writer’s Workshop in 2022 the night Troublesome Creek flooded.

He shared this poem with us, which was partly inspired by what he saw.

——

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jackson Browne, The Dirty River Boys, Alan “Cathead” Johnston, Dino McBee and Yonder Mountain String Band.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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