Patrick County Urgent Care And Finnamon Buns, Inside Appalachia

When you’re the only doctor in a rural mountain county, you’ve got to think ahead to keep your practice going. 

Also, a West Virginia baker draws on her Finnish heritage to make a different kind of cinnamon roll.

And, if you bought a live-cut Christmas tree this year, there’s a good chance it came from Appalachia.

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

In This Episode:

• Patrick County Doctor Navigates Shrinking Health Care
• The Sweet Smell Of Finnamon Rolls
• Photographer Captures Flooding In W.Va. And Kentucky
• Legality Of Border Patrol Operations In Charlotte, NC
• Lyme Disease In Southwest Virginia
• Chemical Used In Drinking Water Affects Pittsburgh’s Streams
• Homegrown Christmas Trees In Appalachia
• Santa’s Comin’ To Town … By Train

Patrick County Doctor Navigates Shrinking Health Care

Rural Appalachian communities are experiencing a shrinking number of health care options. Since 2005, more than two dozen rural hospitals have closed in the region. That doesn’t include smaller clinics and other providers. This year alone, Augusta Medical Group announced it would close three Virginia facilities. That’s after Congress passed the Big Beautiful Bill Act, which changed how healthcare providers are reimbursed for Medicaid patients.

In November, an urgent care center in rural Patrick County, Virginia closed, too. In the wake of the closure, host Mason Adams went to Stuart, Virginia, to meet with the county’s only doctor.

The Sweet Smell Of Finnamon Rolls

There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls straight out of the oven. A baker in Charleston, West Virginia, puts a twist on this traditional treat. And it borrows from her Finnish family bread recipe.

Last winter, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold brought us this story.

Photographer Captures Flooding In W.Va. And Kentucky

Ten months after floods ravaged southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, people are still rebuilding — and wondering when the next flood will happen. Photojournalist Roger May knows the area well — he was born and raised in the Tug River Valley, on the border of the two states.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting asked May to create a photo essay about the people of the area. WVPB News Director Eric Douglas sat down with May to talk about the project. 

Legality Of Border Patrol Operations In Charlotte, North Carolina

In November, agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection descended on Charlotte, North Carolina, and surrounding communities. That led to a surge in immigration arrests. The border patrol’s unexpected appearance in North Carolina — well over 1,000 miles from the southern border — has left people with a lot of questions. What rights do people have during encounters? What rights do agents have to access private property? And how can immigration officials conduct operations this far north of the border? 

Kristi Graunke, legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina, spoke with WFAE reporter Nick Delacanal about the border patrol’s operations in Charlotte.

Lyme Disease In Southwest Virginia

Ticks have become a year-round nuisance here in Appalachia. Even in winter, you can pick up ticks if you spend time outside. Over the last two decades, Southwest Virginia has become a hot spot for tick-borne disease. The area has the highest per capita rates of Lyme disease in the state.

Radio IQ’s Katie Burke reports on why and what might be done to help.

Chemical Used In Drinking Water Affects Pittsburgh’s Streams

A new study looks at how a chemical used to treat drinking water in Pittsburgh could impact urban streams there. The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsapple has the story.

Homegrown Christmas Trees In Appalachia

If you’re shopping for a fresh-cut tree this year for the holidays, be sure to check the tag! Chances are it was grown in Appalachia. WUOT’s Heather Haley went out in search of trees in East Tennessee and brings us this.

Santa’s Comin’ To Town … By Train

Since 1943, Santa Claus has spent one day a year delivering gifts to children across Appalachia. But instead of his sleigh, he travels by rail for this particular route. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, WUOT’s Jacqui Sieber climbed aboard the CSX Santa Train to see the magic for herself.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, Frank George, Blue Dot Sessions, The Carpenter Ants, Mary Hott and Matt Jackfert.

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 Editors Nicole Musgrave and Chris Julin.

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

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.