Our Song of the Week comes from the charming, topical folk singer-songwriter, Loudon Wainwright III, who has made over 17 appearances on Mountain Stage across every decade that the show has existed since 1983. His performance of “Middle of the Night” is our Song of the Week.
Music In Osage And The Wakefields, Inside Appalachia
Musician Aristotle Jones is part of the music that helps keep the town of Osage, WV alive. Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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During the Great Depression, the river town of Osage, West Virginia was a raucous, little place. It’s sleepier now, but music is keeping the magic alive.
Also, after six generations, the struggle to keep a family farm going can be rough.
And the Federal program 340B cuts the price of prescription drugs for people who most need them. So, why are attack ads falsely connecting it to border safety?
The Wakefields, The Saga Of Two Brothers And Six Generations
Truth And Lies About 340 B
Aristotle Jones (right) and choir member Shelley Riley (left) singing “Oh, Happy Day” at the monthly choir meeting. Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Enduring Music of Osage
Just across the Monongahela River from Morgantown is a small unincorporated community called Osage. Years ago, it was a bustling, industrial town with a thriving nightlife. Today, Osage isn’t quite so bustling, but the love of music endures among its residents. Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett had this story.
Thad Wakefield stands in his family’s field. The Wakefields have farmed for six generations, but it’s becoming more difficult to continue. Cade Miller/Courtesy
The Wakefields –Two Brothers, Six Generations
The Wakefields have been farming in Pennsylvania for six generations, but the struggle to keep the family business going reached a breaking point when one brother decided to retire. Cade Miller, with the Penn State News lab, brought us this story.
The group went on to take credit for Blairs lost election. The group says that Blair failed his district (Senate District- 15) by protecting the federal 340B program. The 340B program is not taxpayer funded and is in no way related to immigration policy. Screenshot of one of the “Stand For Us” Pac campaign ad.
Truth And Lies About 340 B
340B is a federal program that requires drug companies to provide medicine at discounted prices to pharmacies and hospitals serving vulnerable communities. But the program has been the target of a smear campaign that’s affected West Virginians. WVPB’s Briana Heaney explained.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Aristotle Jones and Brother Robert Jones, Larry Rader, John Inghram and Blue Dot Sessions. 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. We had help this week from folkways editor Mallory Noe-Payne. You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
We hear the latest story from The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh, that reports on environmental issues in the region. In this story, we learn how electricity costs are on a sharp rise despite a record year for solar and battery construction.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in West Virginia, accounting for about 4,200 deaths annually. The American Lung Association released its annual report grading West Virginia with Ds and Fs. We spoke with Elizabeth Hensil, the director of Advocacy at the American Lung Association, to better understand what the grades mean.
How important is habitat for survival? We listen to The Allegheny Front’s latest story on what’s happening with federal efforts to limit protections for endangered species. Also, following a major winter storm, West Virginia officials are warning of frigid temperatures for much of the week.
We hear from House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, who outlines his goals for the 2026 West Virginia Legislative session. Also, if you’re newly pregnant and haven’t been able to afford health insurance, there’s a good chance you qualify for Medicaid.