This week, in author Willie Carver, Jr.’s new book, he reconsiders a negative childhood experience with a neighborhood girl who might have just been looking for a friend. Also, a southwestern Virginia community rang the alarm after more and more of its children were diagnosed with cancer. A local journalist is trying to unravel the cause. And, the city of Asheville has a new crusading reporter. He’s a puppet.
Drop Of Sun Studios And Appalachian Syrup, Inside Appalachia
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This week, Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina has put out some of the hottest indie rock records of the year. We talk with one of its co-founders.
We also visit the Alleghany Highlands, where Appalachia’s maple syrup traditions are changing with the times.
And, poet Lacy Snapp introduces us to east Tennessee’s poetry scene.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
The Continuing Conversation About West Virginia’s Prisons
Poetry Pub Crawls And Woodworking To Find Words
Highland County, Virginia attracts syrup producers and maple syrup fans for its annual festival.
Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Sweet Taste Of Syrup In Virginia And West Virginia
Highland County, Virginia and its neighbors in West Virginia are some of the southernmost places in the U.S. to make maple syrup.
Generations of people in these communities have turned tapping trees for syrup into a longstanding tradition — but modern producers are experimenting with new syrups while adapting to changing demands, and a changing climate.
Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett brings us this story.
Alex Farrar (left) and Adam McDaniel are the co-founders of Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina.
Credit: Drop of Sun Studios
Drop Of Sun Studios Sees Success In Asheville, NC And Beyond
Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina has been putting out a string of buzzworthy albums ranging from Angel Olsen and Wednesday to Indigo De Souza.
Inside Applachia host, Mason Adams, wanted to find out more and spoke to record producer Alex Farrar about the studio and making records amid the Asheville music scene.
The Continuing Conversation About West Virginia’s Prisons
West Virginia’s prison system has come under fire for acute staffing trouble, violence and inmate deaths. But a recent report shows that the number of people incarcerated in West Virginia ranks low among states.
Wanda Bertram is communication strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, which produced the report.
WVPB News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Bertram to find out more.
Poetry Pub Crawls And Words That Come From Woodworking
Poet Lacy Snapp lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, where she teaches American Literature and Composition at East Tennessee State University. She’s also a woodworker. It’s a craft she picked up from her father’s side of the family in western North Carolina.
Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch first met Snapp at the Appalachian Studies Conference in Athens, Ohio. She was there to talk about her work with a group that makes poetry more accessible to the public.
Bill recently caught up with Snapp to talk poetry, woodworking and poetry pub crawls.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Lucero, Indigo De Souza, Secret Shame, Angel Olsen, Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, Truth Club and Tyler Childers.
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.
On this West Virginia Week, the air around the site of a chemical leak near Institute is determined safe, the state reaches a settlement with Roblox, and Charleston photographer Perry Bennett represents Team USA in Iceland.
This week, in author Willie Carver, Jr.’s new book, he reconsiders a negative childhood experience with a neighborhood girl who might have just been looking for a friend. Also, a southwestern Virginia community rang the alarm after more and more of its children were diagnosed with cancer. A local journalist is trying to unravel the cause. And, the city of Asheville has a new crusading reporter. He’s a puppet.
Kentucky writer Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr’s new book Tore All To Pieces weaves poetry and short stories into a narrative about people and place. Inside Appalachia’s Bill Lynch recently spoke with Carver and brings us this conversation.
As the U.S. approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are debating not just politics but the nation’s past. In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay brings together student and academic scholars and community members at Marshall University in West Virginia to examine what the revolution means to us today.
