Coal And Coal Miners, Inside Appalachia

Some politicians and coal operators call themselves friends of coal, but one journalist says they don’t seem to be friends of coal miners.

Also, what not to do if you get poison ivy.

And, pepperoni rolls were a staple in the coal mines. But public schools might be why they caught on. 

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

In This Episode:

• Leann Ray And Her Support For Coal Miners
• 15 Years Later: Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster
• Folk Cures for Poison Ivy
• The Riddle Of The Pepperoni Roll

Leann Ray And Her Support For Coal Miners

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has slashed thousands of federal jobs and used executive orders to shake up regulation of energy production, including coal. Leann Ray is editor in chief of the nonprofit news outlet West Virginia Watch and recently published an op-ed that addresses several of these federal actions regarding coal. 

Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with Ray about the op-ed and what she hopes legislators will do for coal miners.

15 Years Later: Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster

April 5 marked the 15th anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in West Virginia. Twenty-nine coal miners died in an underground explosion. It was one of the worst mining accidents in recent memory. Justin Hicks and Curtis Tate from the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom sat down to talk about how it’s remembered, especially by victims’ families.

Curtis Tate is a reporter for West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Justin Hicks reports for Louisville Public Media.

Folk Cures For Poison Ivy

For all the products on pharmacy shelves, people still use folk remedies for common ailments. Like the itchy rash that comes from poison ivy.

Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch spoke with two health professionals about where folk cures and mainstream medicine overlap.

The Riddle Of The Pepperoni Roll

Pepperoni rolls have been enshrined as part of West Virginia history through their connection to coal miners. They’re absolutely a favorite and available almost everywhere, but that wasn’t always true. How pepperoni rolls became a statewide convenience store staple might have less to do with coal mining and more to do with lunch ladies in Kanawha County.

Folkways Reporter Zack Harold took a bite out of pepperoni roll lore in 2023.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Loose Cattle, Hello June, Frank George, Pete Moss, Joe Dobbs and the 1937 Flood and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff 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 Chris Julin.

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

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

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.