West Virginia Morning

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 post Remembering Singer-Songwriter Daniel Johnston, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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. The post A Discussion On The NextEra Transmission Line Proposal, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

There are just over 6,000 abandoned or orphaned natural gas wells in West Virginia, according to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Some estimates suggest that number is low. The surprising thing, though, is where some of them are located. The post Dealing With Thousands Of Abandoned Natural Gas Wells, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Throughout the Southern United States, you'll often find three-pronged leaves with hairy vines swallowing entire sections of forests. It can be a beautiful sight at first glance. But the invasive plant causes persistent ecological problems in the region. We look at the efforts to tackle the ‘vine that ate the south.' The post A Look At An Invasive Vine That's Taken Over The South, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Ohio-based festival over the years has hosted American music icons, like John Prine, Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, while also supporting regional artists. Inside Appalachia's Abby Neff spoke with festival founder Tim Peacock to learn more. The post Nelsonville Music Festival Celebrates 20 Years, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

If your aging parent needs surgery, you might need to take time away from work to care for them. A federal policy called the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives many employees job-protected leave for caregiving. But it has noteworthy limitations. The post The Challenges And Benefits Of FMLA, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

One in six West Virginians is food insecure. Meaning, 270,000 people in the state regularly don't know where their next meal will come from. Assistant News Director Maria Young recently toured Mountaineer Food Bank's greatly expanded, new facility to find out what it takes to meet that need every day – and what it will take in the years to come. The post Meeting The Food Needs Of The State, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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. The post A Look At Baseball's ‘Miracle Fields,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Black 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. The post Black Bear Encounters On The Rise, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Monsters in the workplace? Maybe. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is developing a team building game using Appalachian cryptids like Bigfoot and the Flatwoods Monster. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with Jessica Hammer, associate professor and director of the university's Center for Transformational Play, to learn more. The post Team Building With Appalachian Cryptids, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

America's foster care crisis is serious for nearly 400,000 kids who rely on the system. In the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks into the shortage of licensed foster homes – and the wide range of agencies and nonprofit organizations who offer help navigating what can be a complicated system. The post How A Wide Range Of Agencies Are Tackling The Foster Care Crisis, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Researchers have spent almost two decades restoring a threatened species of orchid in southern Kentucky. But those efforts were disrupted when an EF-4 tornado swept through the area in May 2025, carving visible lines in the landscape. We learn about recovery efforts. The post How A Tornado Affected Threatened Orchids, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Unpredictable weather is making it harder for amphibians to survive in West Virginia and elsewhere, but we learn about an effort to protect them. Also, the WVU Cancer Institute is enrolling pancreatic cancer patients for a promising, first-in-human clinical trial. The post Protecting Frogs And WVU Explores New Cancer Treatment, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

It's been a year-and-a-half since Hurricane Helene ravaged central Appalachia. Communities are still recovering, including those who were already in recovery for addiction. The post How Hurricane Helene Affected Substance Use Recovery, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A small federal grant program aimed at increasing first-time farmer's access to land, training and tools was finding fertile ground in West Virginia. But in March, the Trump administration suddenly terminated it, leaving local partners uncertain about their futures. The post Future Of First-Time Farming Program Uncertain, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Last weekend was the first anniversary of a tornado that devastated communities in nearby southern Kentucky. A Day of Remembrance event honored those who lost their lives, and reflected on a year of recovery. For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Shepherd Snyder has this report. The post Day Of Remembrance Held In Kentucky One Year After Tornado, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, the price of gas has skyrocketed, but how do you know if you would save money with an electric vehicle? The post Understanding If An Electric Vehicle Is Right For You, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, an historic steam locomotive that occupied Nashville's Centennial Park for decades will soon hit the rails again. The post Bringing A Nashville Steam Locomotive Back To Life, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachian music comes in all kinds. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with Mason Salomeini, organizer of electronic music celebration Dungeon Fest. The post Fantasy Music Festival Comes To Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, psychedelic drugs might find acceptance as a treatment potential for mental health conditions and drug addictions. The post Treating Addiction With Psychedelics, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, Secretary of State Kris Warner provided an election night update on voter turnout and results from Tuesday's primary election. The post An Election Night Update From The W.Va. Secretary Of State, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, a conversation about some of the challenges that lie ahead for hospitals and those who need them in the Mountain State. The post A Changing Landscape For W.Va. Hospitals, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, an intimate look at the work of the crisis teams responding to the opioid crisis. The post Riding With W.Va.’s Quick Response Teams, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A plan to funnel millions of dollars in oil and gas royalties toward conservation efforts is getting support from an unexpected group. From The Allegheny Front, we learn about fracking proposals in southeastern Ohio – and what WVU researchers say could be the impact on wildlife. The post Fracking Proposals And Possible Impacts, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Across the country, old railroads have been converted into multi-use trails for folks to get out and enjoy nature. Chris Schulz has more on an ambitious vision to connect communities in West Virginia to Pittsburgh via rail trail. The post Plans To Connect W.Va. To Pittsburgh Via Rail Trail, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Prices at fuel pumps have surged since the United States went to war with Iran. But the Middle East conflict is also having major impacts on international shipping and supply chains. Those issues are taking a major toll on Appalachian corn farmers. The post How The War In Iran Is Affecting Shipping, Supply Chains In Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

In an effort to attract more horse racing competitors this year to West Virginia, the state Legislature increased the funding cap to $2 million for certain races – and neighboring states are taking similar action.  When Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, his owner, trainer and jockey won an estimated $3.1 million winning purse.  For the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, Justin Hicks reports much of that growth can be attributed to increased gambling on historical horse racing games.  The post A Look At Recent Growth In The Horse Racing Industry, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Mills Kelly is a lifelong hiker and Appalachian Trail scholar. He shares the trail's history and more on "The Green Tunnel Podcast." He's also written several books, including his most recent, called "A Hiker's History of the Appalachian Trail." Inside Appalachia's Bill Lynch spoke with Kelly to learn more. The post Author Describes How His Love For The Appalachian Trail Began In New Book, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Two weeks ago, on April 16, John Lucas was run over by an ambulance from the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority at 2 a.m. in Elkview. And then he was dragged for nearly two miles. He died from his injuries. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with the family's attorney, Scott Summers, and brings us this interview. The post Attorney Discusses Incident Involving W.Va. Man Dragged By Ambulance, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

As temperatures rise and people start heading outside, the chance of contracting a tick-borne illness goes up. Cases of Lyme disease have seen a sharp rise in recent years, so reporter Chris Schulz recently spoke with Dr. Kane Maiers, associate medical director for UPMC GoHealth Urgent Care in West Virginia, to learn more. The post Understanding Risks, Prevention Of Tick Bites, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Greenbank Observatory is offering a limited chance to go behind the scenes to check out its Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). SETI tours are offered to small groups – ages 12 and up – several times a month through October. We caught up with the Observatory's news manager to find out more about the tours – and what exactly scientists there are looking for. The post Green Bank Observatory SETI Tours Takes Visitors Behind The Scenes, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

There are still many questions that surround the chemical incident near Institute last week that killed two workers. Chris Schulz spoke with Dr. Christopher Martin, a specialist in occupational and environmental medicine at West Virginia University (WVU), to try and shed some light on what happened. The post Understanding And Preventing Chemical Incidents, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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. The post Weaving Poetry Into Short Stories, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Two people have died, and a third is listed in critical condition following a sudden chemical release Wednesday at a catalyst refinery plant near Nitro and Institute. Also, we listen to an excerpt from the latest Us & Them where host Trey Kay leads a community discussion at Marshall on the American Revolution. The post Chemical Leak In Institute And Latest ‘Us & Them,’ This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The American Lung Association has released its 27th State of the Air report on air pollution and awarded grades for metro areas across the country. No one in West Virginia lives in a county with a failing grade. We talk with Kevin Stewart, director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association, about the report and what it all means. The post The State Gets Good Grades For Air Quality, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A West Virginia photographer is representing Team USA in the 2026 World Photographic Cup in Iceland this week – and he's there because of a photo he almost didn't take. We hear from longtime photographer for the West Virginia Legislature and two-time winner of the Professional Photographers of West Virginia Photographer of the Year award, Perry Bennett. The post W.Va. Photographer Talks Photo That Brought Him International Recognition, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Especially in a land-locked state, the idea of caring for our natural waterways may not come easily. The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region, brings us their latest story on the healing power of water. The post The Healing Power Of Water, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Lawmakers in both West Virginia and Virginia have been looking at ways to make power bills more affordable, but their approaches are very different. We spoke with economists, politicians and ratepayers to learn why tensions between the two states may be driving up costs.  The post Different Approaches To Providing Electric Power, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, some unusual things are happening in the leadup to the state's primary elections next month. A Marshall political science professor shares some perspective. The post Political Science Professor Analyzes Upcoming Primary Election, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

With the war in Iran now in its second month, many questions remain about the motivations for and the objectives of the conflict. Ace Parsi's family left Iran for the U.S. because of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. He shared his perspective on the situation with reporter Chris Schulz. The post Iranian American Weighs In On War In Iran, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

America's rural hospitals are closing at an alarming pace. That's become a concern in many parts of West Virginia. We look at nearby Tennessee, which has the highest hospital closure rate in the nation – but also some shining examples of hope. WPLN's Health Reporter Catherine Sweeney takes us to Linden – a Tennessee town where the shuttered hospital there has recently reopened.  The post Saving Rural Hospitals, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

We've long known that smoking can cause lung cancer. But what about air pollution? As The Allegheny Front reports, a new Appalachian study finds a connection. The post The Connection Between Pollution And Lung Cancer, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Lots of public radio listeners know acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In the fall, WNYC released Our Common Nature, a podcast that follows the musician and producer Ana Gonzalez as they explore the country. This included a visit to West Virginia. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Gonzalez about the podcast and what she and Yo-Yo Ma learned along the way. The post A Conversation On Acclaimed Cellist's Visit To W.Va., This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

By some measures, West Virginia has the nation's highest homeownership rate. However much of that housing is old and needs repair. Our latest episode of Us & Them is a recent award winner from the Virginia AP Broadcasters. Trey Kay uncovers an aspect of the housing crisis we don't often hear about – structures without electricity or running water that people call home. The post A Look At The Housing Crisis, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Fluorspar is a little-known mineral used to make everything from steel, aluminum and gasoline to uranium fuel and batteries. For the Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom, WKMS' Lily Burris reports the largest known deposit of the critical mineral in the U.S. is in western Kentucky – and its applications in artificial intelligence (AI) could reawaken the region's mining industry.  The post The Connection Between A Mineral And Data Centers, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The economy is everything we buy or sell and services we use. It can be a broad category and most of us struggle to understand what it all means. The show "Planet Money" from NPR dives into those topics and attempts to make sense of it. And now, the show has published a book called Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life. We speak with the author and one of the program's hosts. The post How To Better Understand The Economy, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

"Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire" is a young adult novel set in Appalachia. Written by West Virginia native Don Martin, the book follows the story of a witch-in-training who uses her magic to help a forgotten mountain coal town. It was an instant New York Times bestseller after it was released last year. Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Martin about the book and his podcast "Head on Fire." The post A Conversation With ‘Verity Vox And The Curse Of Foxfire' Author, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

For nearly 100 years, Snuffy Smith has been a staple of newspaper comic pages, though these days, it's easier to find him online. Snuffy Smith was brought to life by artist Fred Lasswell in the 1930s, but now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke to Rose about drawing the famous hillbilly.  The post The Legacy Of Comic Strip ‘Snuffy Smith,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A panel discussion consisting of community, political and data center industry leaders Tuesday night at Shepherd University has reignited the debate over local control of data center development in the state. Also, WorkForce West Virginia has released state unemployment figures for January. And, Amazon this week celebrated the grand openings of two news operations facilities in West Virginia. The post Panel Explores Data Center Development In State, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

It has been a week since the bill creating the state's new Office of Entrepreneurship was signed into law – with an official opening date of July 1. Maria Young caught up with Secretary of State Kris Warner to find out what the new office can do to help would-be new business owners turn their hopes and dreams into reality.  The post A Look At The State's New Office Of Entrepreneurship, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Overwhelming issues at school districts across the state in the last few years have prompted the West Virginia Department of Education to investigate and intervene in the administration of local education. We learn about an analysis conducted by the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy of 10 school districts and the need for a broader look at the issues facing the state's schools. The post An Analysis Of 10 State School Districts, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.