West Virginia Morning

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.

Thousands of people at roughly 20 different events in West Virginia last weekend joined "No Kings" protests against President Trump and the actions of his administration. Also, we learn about the cosmos above the Mountain State in our latest episode of our occasional series, Almost Heavens. The post ‘No Kings' Rallies And A Look At Mountain State Skies, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, a photographer spends more than a decade documenting grandfamilies and new business opportunities come to the state. The post Photographing Grandfamilies in Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

On this West Virginia Morning, a look at the consequences of the Safer Kentucky Law, and a look forward to protests planned nationwide this weekend. The post The Consequences Of A Statewide Camping Ban, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Two films that made the Netflix Top 10 list this month were shot in West Virginia and produced by the same West Virginia film company. As it turns out, the film industry here has been quietly growing in recent years, thanks in part to financial incentives. But the state is also home to some picture-perfect settings that aren't easy for movie makers to find. The post W.Va.'s Growing Film Industry, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Kathleen Driskell is Kentucky's current poet laureate. Driskell has authored six poetry collections, and her work has appeared in The New Yorker and Rattle, among others. Her most recent is Goat-Footed Gods. Inside Appalachia producer Bill Lynch spoke with Driskell about living next to the dead and America's most lethal cryptid. The post KY Poet Laureate Talks ‘Goat-Footed Gods,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

GLP-1s have quickly become one of the most popular weight loss drugs in America, but it takes more than a regular shot to be successful. Also, extreme weather and aging infrastructure are a tough combination for many rural communities. One impact? The quality of drinking water. The post Weight Loss Drugs And How Weather, Infrastructure Affect Water Quality, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Around this time of the year, some area churches get into the business of selling chocolate Easter eggs. These are the kind of eggs that have some weight to them. But one West Virginia church has become known far and wide for its chocolate eggs. The post The Legacy Of A Clarksburg Church's Chocolate Easter Eggs, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture earlier this month issued an advisory to poultry owners about the rising number of avian flu cases in surrounding states. So far, it has infected only a small number of poultry farms in West Virginia. But in nearby Pittsburgh, the number of avian flu cases is high. The post How Avian Flu Is Wreaking Havoc In Nearby States, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A desperate attempt to pass a bill that had support from both parties in both chambers came down to the final minutes of the 2026 state Legislative session Saturday night. Aimed at keeping children in desperate situations safe, debate over the bill led to high emotions as hope from supporters began to fade. Senior Reporter Chris Schulz looks at what happened – and what comes next. The post Continued Obstacles To Approve ‘Raylee's Law' — And What Comes Next, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

We speak with Ron Flanary, co-author of "Big Emma," a book that explores the story of a powerful steam locomotive that hauled passengers, freight and coal in eastern Kentucky. Also, state officials want to keep the public informed about the launch of new rural health programs. The post An Author Interview, Rural Health And Data Centers, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The 2026 state Legislative session stretched all the way to midnight Saturday night. WVPB reporters Randy Yohe, Chris Schulz and Maria Young were in the rotunda as the session concluded and brings us this recap. The post Reporters Recap Final Hours Of The 2026 Legislative Session, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

A new young adult novel titled "The Secret Astronomers" captures a slice of life in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. This debut novel by author Jessica Walter tells the story of a friendship between two high school students as they unravel a decades-old mystery. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Walker before the book was released a few months ago. The post A Look At New Novel ‘The Secret Astronomers' Set In Pocahontas County, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

In rural communities across America, there are people traveling many miles from home to deliver babies. In the past five years, nearly 125 rural hospitals have stopped delivering babies or announced that they will. That's about two closings a month. On the next Us & Them, host Trey Kay hears from families facing that change, and how it's affecting prospects for their rural cities and towns. The post How Hospital Closures Are Affecting Rural Communities, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Online gambling commercials in the state seem to dominate the television and radio airwaves. Those messages are not lost on our college students. Marshall University Broadcast Journalism senior Abigail Ayes just completed an impactful story about student online gambling for the campus news program, MU Report. Randy Yohe, who is also Ayes' instructor, spoke with the student reporter about her findings. The post The Prevalence Of Student Online Gambling, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The annual Mothman Festival has a competition for the title of ‘most unusual Appalachian celebration.' Bath County, Kentucky, celebrated a historic occurrence this week. The meat shower of 1876. That's when pieces of meat mysteriously fell from the sky onto a farm. The post The Meat Shower Of 1876, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.