Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and Sonic Youth. In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the life, art, and enduring legacy of the late singer-songwriter and visual artist whose creative genius and struggles with bipolar disorder made him one of America's most influential outsider artists.
Coal sits in Norfolk-Southern train cars on the tracks in Roanoke, Virginia.Mason Adams/Radio IQ
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Coal power can be expensive. Utilities run coal-fired power plants harder in the winter and summer when demand is high.
Also, two films made in West Virginia shot to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts. The state wants to encourage even more movies to be made in West Virginia by helping keep production costs down.
And, an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
Coal Drives Up Tension, Energy Rates Between Virginia And West Virginia
The Harrison Power Station, a coal-fired power plant in West Virginia.
Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ
Lawmakers across the country are talking about affordability, especially when it comes to rising power bills. But states are taking different approaches to make that happen. Virginia is pushing for more renewable energy, while West Virginia lawmakers are trying to keep coal plants open.
Host Mason Adams teamed up with Radio IQ reporter Roxy Todd. They talked with economists, politicians and ratepayers to try to learn why tensions between the two Virginias may be driving up costs.
Tennessee State Police Consider Implementing AI Facial Recognition
More states are using cameras to aid police and other law enforcement agencies. In Tennessee, state police are exploring the idea of pairing cameras with artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition software. That’s according to public records obtained by the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom. But that technology also comes with privacy concerns.
Managing Editor Ryan Van Velzer spoke with reporters Pierce Gentry and Justin Hicks to learn more.
High Profile W.Va. Movies Highlight Growing Film Industry
A large but typical turn-of-the-century home in Mannington, W.Va., was used as the location for a staged yard sale in the popular Netflix film “The Bad Guardian.”
Photo courtesy of Robert Tinnell
It’s always exciting to recognize parts of Appalachia in movies. Today, more and more films and TV shows shot in Appalachia are turning up on streaming services. In March, two films shot in West Virginia made the Netflix Top Ten list for movies streamed in the U.S. And it’s not just the state’s geography that’s a draw for filmmakers.
WVPB’s Maria Young has more.
The Modern Mountain Cookbook
The Modern Mountain Cookbook by Jan A. Brandenburg.
Courtesy Photo
When you think of “Appalachian cooking,” what comes to mind? For a lot of folks, it’s savory comfort foods like biscuits with sausage gravy, crispy fried chicken and mashed potatoes loaded with butter. But, what about folks who want comfort food without involving animals? Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table.
Last spring, Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook: A Plant-Based Celebration of Appalachia.
Brain Tanning In Athens, Ohio
Juniper and Talcon display their finished brain tanned buckskins.
Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Tanning hides for clothes, blankets, shoes – for all kinds of things – goes back millennia. But over the years, some tanning techniques have become less common, like brain tanning.
As it turns out, women in Appalachia are reclaiming the practice. In 2020, Clara Haizlett, a brain tanner herself, brought us this Folkways story.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, Dinosaur Burps, Blue Dot Sessions and John Inghram.
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 guest editor Andrea “River” Peterson and Folkways Editor Nicole Musgrave.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and Sonic Youth. In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the life, art, and enduring legacy of the late singer-songwriter and visual artist whose creative genius and struggles with bipolar disorder made him one of America's most influential outsider artists.
The late singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston grew up in West Virginia and came onto the indie music scene in the 1980s. Last year, Johnston was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and he’s featured in the next episode of Us & Them. In this award-winning show, host Trey Kay learns about Johnston’s legacy which was partly shaped by his challenges with mental illness.
The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is currently conducting public comment hearings concerning developer NextEra Energy’s application to construct a new 107.5-mile-long transmission line from Pennsylvania through West Virginia to Virginia. WVPB spoke with NextEra about the project.
