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This week, a Ukrainian musician reflects on what music means during wartime.
And there’s a growing number of a certain kind of blood-sucking arachnid — and diseases that come with it.
We also sit in on one of the natural wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
In This Episode:
Last year, Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett reported about the Appalachian hammered dulcimer, and its Ukrainian relative, the tsymbaly. Along the way, we met Ukrainian musician Vsevolod Sadovyj, who was in Ukraine as the country fought against the Russian invasion.
Haizlett recently caught up with the tsymbaly player over Zoom and brought us an update.
With the exception of a cold snap on Christmas Eve, Appalachia had a mild winter. And now we’re paying the price, with a surge of ticks. Appalachian social media has seen a steady stream of complaints about the arachnids, Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome.
Producer Bill Lynch reached out to regional epidemiologist Daniel Barker-Gumm and Steven Eshenaur, the health officer for the Kanawha County Health Department, to learn more.
Not all bug stories are bad stories. Jacqui Sieber from WUOT takes us deep into the Smoky Mountains to watch lightning bugs, also called fireflies.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Patrick Couch and Kay, Frank Hutchinsen, Jean Ritchie, Hazel Dickens, Paul Loomis, 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.
You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.
Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!
Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
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While baseball fields are run of the mill in most communities, there’s a certain type of diamond that’s less common: it’s called a “Miracle Field.” There are three of these in West Virginia – in Morgantown, Wheeling and Green River. These are accessible baseball facilities that can accommodate players with disabilities.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsAn effort to open discussions around the future of coal in West Virginia led to a community quilting project that debuts Tuesday in Morgantown.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsThis year, the Nelsonville Music Festival in southeast Ohio will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Over the years, the festival has hosted a who’s who of American music icons, like John Prine, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, while also supporting regional artists. Associate Producer Abby Neff sat down with director and founder Tim Peacock to talk about the festival.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsBlack bears now inhabit all 55 counties of West Virginia, and bear encounters are on the rise across Appalachia. Climate change is often a hidden culprit. But state wildlife managers are working to promote peaceful coexistence.
Continue Reading Take Me to More News
