On this West Virginia Week severe weather pounded the state, from destructive tornadoes in the south to historic floods in the north.
On this West Virginia Week, severe weather pounded the state, from destructive tornadoes in the south, to historic floods in the north.
Jobs in the state saw some losses, and some possible wins, while a program for people with disabilities was cut from the recent Budget. Chris Schulz takes listeners on a bike ride through the hills of Morgantown.
Also, Friday marked the 14th anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. Briana Heaney sat down with former WVPB reporter Ashton Marra to discuss her reporting on the trial that followed the disaster.
Brina Heaney is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Liz McCormick and Randy Yohe.
On an unseasonably warm evening in March, just as the sun was setting across the Monongahela River, a group of about 20 gathered at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Park amphitheater, ready to take to the streets on their bikes.
As temperatures start to rise, people are taking the opportunity to get outside. One group in Morgantown is taking to the streets on their bicycles.
On an unseasonably warm evening in March, just as the sun was setting across the Monongahela River, a group of about 20 gathered at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Park amphitheater, ready to take to the streets on their bikes.
A group of mountain bikers has come down after work from Uniontown, Pennsylvania to take part in the ride. There’s two brothers on a tandem bicycle and a woman with LED’s woven through her wheel spokes.
“Follow me. The route? I just finished it right before we came here,” Drew Gatlin said to the group. He is the staff engineer for the city of Morgantown, and one of the primary organizers of Morgantown’s social rides.
“It’s just a good time on bikes, exploring Morgantown streets and essentially trying to spread the joy that I know at least to be riding on two wheels in Morgantown,” Gatlin said.
Despite its hills, Gatlin assures newcomers that Morgantown and the social rides in particular are relatively accessible.
“If you want to get around town on a bike, you have to climb some hills eventually,” Gatlin said. “It’s a little bit aspirational, it’s a little bit ambitious. Sometimes we take the hills, it’s also helpful to remember and remind people, who are not used to riding around, that it’s okay to walk as well and get off your bike and just push it up the hill a little bit.”
The group sets off behind Gatlin, who has a large speaker strapped to the back of his bike from which he plays music and gives directions.
As the group winds its way towards West Virginia University (WVU), and starts to climb some hills into the student neighborhood of Sunnyside, some riders starts to wonder between gasping breaths why they aren’t riding on Morgantown’s miles of gently graded, car-free rail trails. Professionally, Gatlin said he’s interested in ensuring people can get around town via any mode they choose, be that on foot, in a car or, of course, on a bike.
“Morgantown can feel pretty intimidating to ride around,” he said. “My own motivations for the social ride, taking them on the streets, is really geared towards reminding people that it is possible to ride out on the streets, that you can have a good time, if not, on your own, at least in a group of people with some music, and some whimsy.”
Last year, the bicycling blog IceBikes ranked West Virginia as the fourth safest state for cyclists in the country based on low cyclist fatalities on roads. But analysis by the League of American Bicyclists showed less than a quarter of a percent of commuters in the state biked to work in 2022.
Gatlin said promoting bikes as a viable mode of transportation is an objective of the social rides, albeit a secondary one.
The night’s ride routed through WVU’s downtown campus, next to the student union, down Morgantown’s High Street and through a residential neighborhood before crossing the river into Westover. Following the river, there’s momentarily no worry about hills.
But when riding in West Virginia, you don’t get to avoid hills, just take breaks from them. After the evening’s longest climb up an alley, a rider suddenly got a flat.
“We always try to stay together. We don’t want to lose anybody or drop anyone, that’s why we have someone out in the back,” said Rebecca Marshall. She recently moved to West Virginia from Massachusetts with her partner. For them, the social ride is literally that: a social event built around a physical activity.
“In Morgantown, every place is hilly,” Marshall said. “I think it’s great. That’s why it’s better to stick together just in case people fall behind. People show up that are new to this, and might not have the general fitness for it. That’s totally okay. We want everybody to show up no matter what. Just sticking together is the most important part of social riding. That’s the point.”
Group rides are not a new concept, and according to some attendants of the current social rides, Morgantown even hosted a national series of social rides known as Critical Mass a few decades ago. More recently, Gatlin and others maintained a municipal bicycle board that gave rise to the current social rides, as well as supported a confidence city cycling class at WVU and events at middle schools. Those efforts led to the city being awarded a bronze ranking by the League of American Bicyclists in 2016.
Like so many things, the bicycle board hasn’t quite recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, something that actually helped promote the social rides.
“They’re a lot less intense in terms of organizing resources,” Gatiln said. “As COVID hit, and as the community conscious, if what was safe and what felt safe, at least developed, the social rides were one of the only options that many people felt comfortable doing, to socialize with their community.”
After the flat was fixed, the group headed back across the river to the riverfront park where the ride started.
After more than 12 miles, the ride is over and participants like Ash Orr basked in the feeling of accomplishment, to be back on his bike after the winter, and to have an opportunity to do some road riding.
“Morgantown is difficult to bike solo, I find,” Orr said. “I try to pretty much use my bike only, I try not to use my car at all. But I found that I feel more secure and more confident when I’m going through downtown or just different smaller streets within Morgantown.”
Orr came out on his electric bike, something Gatlin said he’s seeing more of and can help lower the barrier to riding in the Mountain State. But ultimately, the social ride is just a fun time.
“It’s just really a great time to be with the community, bike around town and see parts of town we don’t really get to see much,” Orr said. “It’s really nice being able to get together with folks like this. Social rides will set you free so you got to come on out.”
On this West Virginia Morning, as temperatures start to rise, people are taking the opportunity to get outside. One group in Morgantown is taking to the streets on their bicycles. Chris Schulz takes us with him as he tags along to explore the city in a new way.
On this West Virginia Morning, as temperatures start to rise, people are taking the opportunity to get outside. One group in Morgantown is taking to the streets on their bicycles. Chris Schulz takes us with him as he tags along to explore the city in a new way.
Also, in this show, with March Madness underway, some Kentuckians will legally bet on games, thanks to a law passed last year. Proponents of legalizing sports betting said the move would add oversight – and keep tax revenue in the Commonwealth.
But some worry easier gambling could come with harmful behaviors. As LPM’s Jacob Munoz reports, some experts say at-risk gamblers in Kentucky and nationwide need more help.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.
Chris Schulz produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
Local scouting leader Amy Garbrick was elected as the first female president of the governing board for the Boy Scouts of America Mountaineer Area Council, based in north central West Virginia.
Amy Garbrick, a scouting leader from Morgantown, was elected president of the governing board for the Boy Scouts of America Mountaineer Area Council Feb. 8.
Garbrick’s election earlier this month marked the first time a woman ever served as president of the council’s governing board. The council oversees scouting programs across 12 counties in north central West Virginia.
The role of president is generally held for three years. Jack Walker spoke to Garbrick about her plans for her new position, as well as gender inclusion in scouting since the Boy Scouts went co-ed in 2019.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Walker: To begin, could you just tell me a little bit about the new position you were appointed to?
Garbrick: I was appointed as the first female chair of the Mountaineer Area Council Boy Scouts of America. And that is a position that I will hold for — traditionally, it’s been about three years.
Walker: Could you also tell me a little bit about your background in scouting? I know that you had some experience running a Cub Scout troop.
Garbrick: Sure. So, back in 2013, I was a member of Reedsville United Methodist Church in Preston County, and one of our church members asked me. He said, ‘Amy, I’m going to start a Cub Scout pack here at our church, and I wanted to see if you would help me.’ … My sons were four and six, and six years old was, at the time, the youngest that you could be. You had to be in the first grade to be in the Cub Scouts. And he said, ‘Amy, I would like you to help me.’ And I said, ‘Okay, sure.’
So I thought he was going to bring them all to my house, and he was going to teach them “scout things” while like, I baked cookies, and they were just all hanging out at my house. The next week at church, he brought me the Cub Scout manual, basically, and he said, ‘Okay, let me know when you’re gonna schedule your first meeting, and you’re in charge.’
I said, ‘I don’t know anything about scouting.’ And he said, ‘Amy, you’ll learn it.’ That was in 2013, and we started out with six boys. That was before girls were in the organization. Then, when I stepped away as the cub master in 2020, we had over 50 boys and girls in our Cub Scout pack.
Walker: I know this is new to you, obviously, but are there any things you’re particularly looking to accomplish in your tenure?
Garbrick: I mean, it’s actually pretty simple. I want to make sure that everyone in north central West Virginia knows that the Boy Scouts of America is here for them. There is a pack or a troop somewhere nearby.
I would love to just get our word out there that scouting is still very much alive here in our counties, and we’re not just the ones that teach boys how to go camping. We teach everything from leadership and character development to citizenship and fitness. We teach all of those things to boys and girls in all different ages of life. We’re not just teaching kids how to tie knots and go camping. We’re so much more than that.
Any child, as long as you’re in kindergarten and up — any child, boys and girls both, are welcome in the Boy Scouts of America.
Walker: You mentioned that girls are also allowed to get involved in scouting now beyond the Girl Scouts, which is a separate entity. Could you tell me about that trend over the years, and how it has impacted the scouting experience from your perspective as someone who is overseeing a lot of these programs?
Garbrick: So girls in scouting is actually not new. Girls have been involved in scouting for decades. In other programs of the Boy Scouts of America, it wasn’t until the past five or six years that nationally girls were welcomed into the Cub Scouts, as well as into the Scouts BSA program. So that’s the younger girls in kindergarten all the way up to the age of 18. They were welcomed into the program about five or six years ago.
Honestly, I’m so glad for it. I was the cubmaster when we welcomed our first girl into our pack. Her name was Kennedy. I’ll never forget, she was so excited that now she actually got to not only come to the meetings because she was already coming with her older brother. Now she gets to come to the meetings and actually participate and earn advancement and earn recognition. So she was so excited. The girls at the older level, at the troop level — they joined the Boys Scouts of America in 2019, and they have hit the ground running.
Walker: Now, you’re obviously the first woman to hold this position. What does that mean for you, and how is it going to impact the way that you approach this new role?
Garbrick: Sure. So, it’s obviously very exciting. I’m excited mainly to show young girls and young women that yes, I am a woman, and I’m in the Boy Scouts of America. And you can be, too.
Really, if I can get just another handful of girls to join the program then I’m doing my job. I really just want young girls and young women to look up to me and to see, ‘Hey, there’s a woman who is leading this organization. I should join and see what it’s all about.’
High Street in Morgantown, West Virginia is a bustling strip of activity. On any given day, university students and locals can be found enjoying the many restaurants, bars and special events that downtown has to offer. Tucked away off the main drag is a place called Yama. It’s a cozy diner that’s been serving up authentic homestyle Japanese food since the 1990s.
This story originally aired in the Feb. 11, 2024 episode of Inside Appalachia.
High Street in Morgantown, West Virginia is a bustling strip of activity. On any given day, university students and locals can be found enjoying the many restaurants, bars and special events that downtown has to offer. Tucked away off the main drag is a place called Yama. It’s a cozy diner that’s been serving up authentic homestyle Japanese food since the 1990s.
As you walk into Yama, the workers greet you with a warm smile. The restaurant invites you to slow down and spend some time connecting. You can pick up a manga comic to read, or enjoy the Japanese TV playing in the background.
The food here is different from what you typically find in nearby Japanese restaurants. Less sushi, more comfort foods. Like katsudon, a pork cutlet over rice.
Yama attracts diehard regulars, like Sun Lee. Lee is from Korea but has been living in Morgantown since 2005. She visits Yama once or twice a week. She became friends with the staff and has tried most things on the menu.
“Honestly, I got a little bit annoyed when they closed down a lot during COVID. I always had to check my Instagram or Facebook to check their business hours,” said Lee.
Yama the restaurant was started in the 1990s by Mitsuo Yamashita, but everyone calls him Yama. Yama prioritized hiring staff that were Japanese or Japanese American. People like Miki Carducci. Carducci is from Osaka, Japan, and she has been working at Yama for years. She loves the food, especially the crispy teriyaki tofu.
“Teriyaki tofu isn’t what Japanese people eat. That’s his creation,” Carducci said. The restaurant serves up classic dishes, but Yama also put his own spin on things.
Yama trained as a chef back in his home country of Japan. He made his way to Pittsburgh, where he worked in a sushi restaurant. Japanese students attending West Virginia University (WVU) begged him to open up his own place in Morgantown. So, he decided to open up a casual restaurant for college students.
About half the workers at Yama are students. Miki Carducci’s son, Hugo Carducci, recently started working at Yama with his mom.
Growing up in West Virginia, Hugo rarely met other Japanese people. The Japanese community is very small. He said he regularly encountered people who had never met an Asian person before.
Hugo and his family moved to Pittsburgh, and eventually Morgantown. Now, he’s a student at West Virginia University down the street. For him, Yama is a community space that lets him explore and share in his Japanese identity.
“The other day, someone came in and we got in an entire conversation in Japanese for like 10-15 minutes. We’re one of the only places here in Morgantown that can offer that,” Hugo said.
I actually used to be a regular at Yama. I studied Japanese at WVU, and I would hang out at Yama for hours with friends, like Kaoru Shirashi. I called him up recently, and he told me how he felt a little afraid when he first arrived in Morgantown. To him, the area was so rural and sparse.
But Yama became a comforting place for him and other Japanese students at WVU. It reminded them of home in a place where the familiar was hard to come by.
“I feel like I’m in Japan, even though I’m in Yama restaurant in West Virginia,” Shirashi said.
Yama himself was a big part of that comforting atmosphere. He would remember customers and sometimes bring you a little treat, like mochi ice cream.
Yama’s not at the restaurant anymore, though. He retired a few years ago and moved back to Japan. Now there’s a new owner.
Min Kim has operated Yama since 2016. Before she took over, she had never worked in a restaurant. Her primary focus was raising her daughter. She heard from a friend that Yama was looking for help. Kim needed a job, and Yama needed a successor, even one that didn’t know much about running a restaurant.
Kim apprenticed with Yama for four years, learning his recipes and the ins and outs of the kitchen.
“The most challenging dish was tempura. Because Yama-san, he graduated from culinary school,” says Kim.
Even though she doesn’t have formal culinary training, Kim has perfected all of Yama’s dishes. But she’s not Japanese — she’s Korean. Some customers ask her if she’ll add Korean dishes to the menu, but she insists she wants to keep Yama as a Japanese homestyle restaurant.
Kim said her apprenticeship with Yama was more than just learning recipes. She also became part of a family.
“Yama has its own energy, like a living creature. It’s just not a place,” Kim said.
Papering the corner of the restaurant are postcards, letters, and doodles from customers expressing their love for Yama — its food and its people. The restaurant provides food, but also something more.
“Sometimes you see customers really down, depressed,” Kim said. “But they still come because they need comfort food. Just bring some sweetness to them. Come on, this is extra for you to make you cheer up.”
Yama is a little pocket of Japan among the hills of West Virginia. It’s a space where Japanese students and staff can share their language, culture and food. It’s also a place of comfort and connection for the larger community.
Many who come here simply love the food, but there are also hidden depths in a bowl of Yama’s ramen.
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This story is part of the Inside Appalachia Folkways Reporting Project, a partnership with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Inside Appalachia and the Folklife Program of the West Virginia Humanities Council.The Folkways Reporting Project is made possible in part with support from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies to the West Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more stories of Appalachian folklife, arts and culture.
When the farming start-up, AppHarvest, launched in Kentucky, it promised good jobs in coal country — but some workers called it a grueling hell on earth. We also explore an island of Japanese culture in West Virginia called Yama.
When the farming start-up, AppHarvest, launched in Kentucky, it promised good jobs in coal country — but some workers called it a grueling hell on earth.
We also explore an island of Japanese culture in West Virginia called Yama.
And fish fries have been a staple in Charleston, West Virginia’s Black community for years. We visit one and learn a little about what’s made them so popular.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
When AppHarvest built its first greenhouse in 2020, it was touted as no less than the future of farming — and even Appalachia itself. The start-up would use cutting-edge technology and local workers to produce vegetables on an industrial scale. But then, last year, the company filed for bankruptcy.
Austyn Gaffney recently reported on the downfall of AppHarvest, in a story for Grist. Mason Adams talks with Gaffney to learn more.
Japanese Homestyle Haven In Morgantown
High Street in Morgantown, West Virginia is a bustling strip. Tucked away off the main drag is a place called Yama, a cozy diner that’s been serving up homestyle Japanese food since the 1990s. Japanese students and staff share their language, culture and food. It’s also a place of comfort and connection for everyone.
Folkways Reporter Lauren Griffin has the story.
Fish Fries, An African-American Tradition In Charleston, W.Va.
Signs for fish fries are pretty common in Charleston, West Virginia, especially in the city’s Black community, where they’ve become a tradition.
Folkways Fellow, Leeshia Lee, grew up in Charleston and says friends and neighbors frequently hosted fish fries, often as a way to raise money for community needs. Lee has the story.
Remembering The W.Va. Water Crisis 10 Years Later
Ten years ago, a chemical spill in Charleston, West Virginia’s Elk River contaminated the drinking water of hundreds of thousands of people. The disaster became a national story, about corporate distrust and community action.
WVPB’s Randy Yohe spoke with Kallie Cart, a former broadcast reporter who covered the crisis and went viral after one particular exchange.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Chris Knight, Tim Bing, Amythyst Kiah, Jeff Ellis and Bob Thompson.
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.