Tag: podcast

How much mine-able coal is left in Appalachia?

An old coal company store in Southern West Virginia has some spooky history.

We revisit the story of the Greenbrier Ghost, through the voices of school children.

And learn how growing a garden benefits women in a Pocahontas County prison facility.

Mine-able Coal Study: A study released this past week says mine-able coal will run out much more quickly than expected. The report comes from an environmental organization and the author claims its science based and not politically driven. West Virginia Public Radio’s Jessica Lilly has more.

Houston Air Quality: Royal Dutch Shell may or may not build a plant in Western Pennsylvania that would create ethylene, a key component of plastic, from natural gas. The company is rethinking its plans in light of disappointing third quarter profits. If it’s built, an ethane cracker in Beaver County would have a major impact on jobs in the region. But what impact will it have on air quality in a region that has struggled for decades to clean up its air? The answer may lie in the city of Houston, home to the largest chemical hub in the Americas, and one of the smoggiest cities in the country. The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier traveled to Houston to learn more.

Haunted Company Store: Built during a time of labor strife in the southern coalfields, the Whipple Company Store in Fayette County, W.Va., is one of those buildings that just LOOKS haunted. Every Halloween, the owners offer haunted history tours. Producer Catherine Moore set out to do a fun piece about the reported paranormal activity at the store with a couple of local ghost hunters. Well, she got more than she bargained for and found out that there’s a lot more to the so-called hauntings and to the history of the store, than meets the eye. Now, here’s The Soul of a Company Store, a 20-minute documentary produced by Catherine Moore.

Prison Vegetable Garden: Grow Appalachia is an organization based in Berea, Ky., that promotes growing local food across four states, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The organization’s web site says, as of April, Grow Appalachia was working with more than 25 partner sites in 39 counties. One of those sites is the Denmar Birthing Center in Pocahontas County, W.Va., a facility for pregnant federal prison inmates. Allegheny Mountain Radio’s Megan Moriarty visited Denmar recently to learn more about the garden project and has this report.

Kentucky prepares to introduce new science education standards.

A report on the effects of natural gas fracking is due out soon.

And we hear from two West Virginia writers with books out just in time for the spooky season.

KY New Science Curriculum: Kentucky is among several states preparing to introduce new science standards in public schools. But there’s opposition from a vocal minority. Kentucky Public Radio’s Devin Katayama has more on the challenges that face Kentucky as it once again leads the charge in changing what and how students learn science.             

WV Frack Study: The Horizontal Well Control Act of 2011 requires studies be conducted to gain a better understanding of the effects of the natural gas drilling that’s sweeping northern West Virginia, Pennsylvania and other states. Those reports are coming due, and this past week legislators in West Virginia got a sneak peek from scientists who have been looking into the matter. West Virginia Public Radio’s Glynis Board reports.    

PA Chemical Plants in Gulf: Because of shale gas, the U.S. has become the cheapest place in the world to make plastic. This has led to more than $100 billion in investment along the Gulf Coast in colossal new petrochemical plants that take natural gas and break it into the raw materials to make plastic. Western Pennsylvania may get its own taste of these cracker plants if Shell builds one in Beaver County. The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier took a trip to the Gulf to see what the impact may be if the plant is built in Pennsylvania. This is the first story in a four-part series by The Allegheny Front in Pittsburgh, paid for in part by the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

WV Lumberjack Jamboree: The Lumberjackin’ Bluegrassin’ Jamboree was in full swing earlier this month at Twin Falls State Park.  As West Virginia Public Radio’s Brian Allen reports the annual event includes speed competitions, vendors, and of course, bluegrass music.

WV Ghost Story Book: Just in time for Halloween- a book of ghost and mystery stories by a West Virginia writer. John Douglas of Berkeley Springs is the former editor of the Morgan County Messenger newspaper and his new book is called A Fog of Ghosts, Haunted Tales and Odd Pieces. Douglas discusses his book with West Virginia Public Radio’s Cecelia Mason.

WV Short Story Book: In the tradition of the old dime store novels, West Virginia State University student Frank Larnered has edited and published a book of short stories. Hills of Fire: Bare-Knuckle Yarns of Appalachia features 12 authors that showcase Appalachians as heroes. Larnered sat down with West Virginia Public Radio’s Beth Vorhees to talk about folklore, monsters and horror that inspires this book and his work.