podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachian Power will get the funds it needs – but at a much lower cost to customers. And a series of short, quirky videos of English people talking about Marshall University’s soccer team has taken the internet by storm. News Director Eric Douglas investigates the backstory.  West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Maria Young produced this episode. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

On this West Virginia Morning, neighboring Kentucky is known for its lucrative horse racing industry. But despite regulations to ensure all workers are legal, the federal immigration crackdown is causing concerns. And, nearly a century after she fled Huntington, a blues festival there recognizes the diverse musical talents of Diamond Teeth Mary.  West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content. Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Maria Young produced this episode. Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:49 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

We speak with the author of a new graphic novel about the West Virginia Mine Wars. The labor struggle culminated in the largest armed uprising since the Civil War. Also, professional storyteller James Froemel invents quirky characters, like a sign maker who can’t spell. Froemel’s stories are drawn from small town life. And, one of the most common animals to get hit by cars are opossums. But there’s a kind of animal rescue called pouch picking. We talk with author Laura Jackson.  You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. In This Episode: * Black Coal And Red Bandanas, A Graphic Novel [https://wvpublic.org/new-graphic-novel-illustrates-the-west-virginia-mine-wars/] * Talking With Storyteller James Froemel [https://wvpublic.org/james-froemel-learns-the-art-of-lying/] * Digging Under Ground Leads To Spoonmaking [https://wvpublic.org/w-va-couple-follows-passion-for-woodwork-by-building-a-life-and-a-business-together/] * Exploring And Explaining West Virginia BLACK COAL AND RED BANDANAS, A GRAPHIC NOVEL A comic panel with a horse and a miner, depicting an explosion. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BCRB-Image-3-700x480.jpg]“Black Coal and Red Bandanas” retells the story of the West Virginia Mine Wars. Photo courtesy of Raymond Tyler The West Virginia Mine Wars are an important but little-known piece of American history. Coal miners in southern West Virginia had been trying to organize a union, while coal companies tried to stop them. Strikes and violent clashes ensued, culminating in the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921. A version of the story is told in the new graphic novel Black Coal and Red Bandanas: An Illustrated History of the West Virginia Mine Wars [https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1661]. Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Raymond Tyler.  TALKING WITH STORYTELLER JAMES FROEMEL A man in a blue shirt talks into a microphone and gestures as he tells a story. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Storytelling-headshot-700x661.jpeg]James Froemel continues in the long line of Appalachian storytellers. Photo courtesy of James Froemel Appalachia is known for its storytelling traditions. Cherokee legends, prayers and sermons in mountain churches, joke telling. James Froemel's journey into storytelling has taken a lifetime. From reciting Emily Dickinson in sixth grade to winning the Vandalia Gathering’s Liar’s Competition in West Virginia.  Froemel recently worked with storyteller, author and Liars Competition champ Bil Lepp to hone his craft. James Froemel [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoLEK-5Qrhs]‘s journey into storytelling has taken a lifetime. Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef spoke with Froemel about telling tales from the stage. DIGGING UNDER GROUND LEADS TO SPOONMAKING Two older people, a man and a woman, work on handmade wooden spoons in a workshop. Both people are wearing flannel shirts. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/042224_SueStanWorking_cropped_ZackGray_Allegheny-Treenware_Folkways_Capri_IA-700x483.jpg]Stan (L) and Sue (R) Jennings shape spoons on sanding machines in their Allegheny Treenware workshop in Preston County, West Virginia. Sue is pre-shaping while Stan is fine shaping on 40 grit sandpaper. These two stations are only used by the Jennings to shape each spoon by hand. Photo Credit: Zack Gray/Allegheny Treenware For 30 years, Sue and Stan Jennings have run Allegheny Treenware, a West Virginia company that makes wooden kitchen utensils. They started off as a couple of coal miners. And when they weren’t underground, they talked about what else they could be doing. Last year, Folkways Reporter Capri Cafaro visited the Jennings, and brought us this story.  EXPLORING AND EXPLAINING WEST VIRGINIA A blonde woman in a blue shirt smiles as three young possums crawl on her head. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/L-Opossum-700x875.jpg]Humorist and essayist Laura Jackson’s book Deep & Wild explores and explains West Virginia — or some of it. Photo courtesy of Laura Jackson West Virginia writer and humorist Laura Jackson is an avid explorer of backroads and scenic byways. Inspired by her trips, she wrote a series of essays about what she saw in her home state. They became her 2023 book, Deep & Wild: On Mountains, Opossums & Finding Your Way in West Virginia [https://www.autumnhouse.org/our-authors/jackson-laura/]. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Jackson. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Hello June, Jeff Ellis, David Mayfield Parade, Dinosaur Burps, John Inghram, Paul Loomis and Blue Dot Sessions. 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 Editor Nicole Musgrave. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. Sign-up [https://activecampaign.wvpublic.org/f/17] for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inappalachia/], Threads [https://www.threads.net/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/insideappalachia]. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IA-Logo-Green-Background-1400-%C3%97-1400-px-700x700.png]https://wvpublic.org/podcasts/inside-appalachia/

Every day, 10,000 people turn 65 as America’s Baby Boom generation ages. By 2040, the number of people 85 or older will more than double and the need for caregivers will grow dramatically.  In a new episode of Us & Them [https://wvpublic.org/podcasts/us-them/], host Trey Kay moderates a community conversation focused on some of the unique caregiving needs in West Virginia where nearly 21% of the population is over 65. We’ll also hear excerpts from a recently released PBS documentary called Caregiving from producer Bradley Cooper.  With the potential for Medicaid cuts over the next decade, access to caregiving programs may be a challenge especially for rural regions.  This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from WETA, the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and the CRC Foundation. Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond. If you attended WVPB's "Caregiving" screening event [https://wvpublic.org/tv-find-wvpb-television/caregiving/] on June 18, please fill out this survey [https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CaregivingEventSurvey]. Thank you! A graphic featuring the words "Caregiving, PBS." There are colorful hands designed to create a circle, as if helping one another. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/caregiving_banner-700x204.jpg]https://www.pbs.org/show/caregiving/?_gl=1*18pw0la*_gcl_au*MjA1OTM0NTYyNi4xNzUxMDQ0MDc5 West Virginia Public Broadcasting hosted a community conversation timed to the PBS and WETA documentary “Caregiving,” executive produced by Bradley Cooper. The film explored caregivers’ experiences — including Cooper’s own as he cared for his father. Because West Virginia has one of the nation’s highest shares of older residents, we used the occasion to convene caregivers, families and advocates to share stories, surface needs and connect to resources. We recorded the event and produced this “Us & Them” episode. View the “Caregiving [https://www.pbs.org/show/caregiving/]” documentary. A Black man sits in a chair and speaks into a microphone. He is bald with a gray beard and wears glasses. He is formally dressed in a black suit. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Orlando_Craighead-DSC00147-700x1050.jpg]Orlando Craighead, executive director of the Kanawha Coalition for Community Health Improvement, discusses caregiving across West Virginia and how community health partners support families. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “I work with different organizations and try to get resources to our community through events, coalitions and our community health fairs to show that seniors have options. When my grandmother was sick in Kanawha County, we were looking for resources and we didn’t know where to go. It’s community-based]giving. We can’t rely on the same old system to help us. We, as West Virginians, have to help ourselves and each other. We have to bring our community together and bring organizations together to provide the care we need.” — Orlando Craighead, executive director of the Kanawha Coalition for Community Health Improvement  Learn more about the Kanawha Coalition for Community Health Improvement [https://www.kcchi.info/]. A Black man with short, gray hair looks off camera at a speaker. He wears a tan blazer, white button up shirt, and red tie. He holds a microphone. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Eric_Hicks-DSC00114-700x1050.jpg]Eric Hicks, president of Right at Home, an in-home care provider, discusses nonmedical support for West Virginia families. The company’s Charleston office serves Kanawha and Putnam counties, with three additional offices in southern West Virginia. Hicks also founded the I started the Home Care Association in West Virginia. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “That’s one of the reasons I started the Home Care Association in West Virginia: We need a unified voice across the state to push for higher reimbursement so we can pay caregivers more. There are so many people with a kind, caring attitude who want to do this work, but many were forced to take jobs at big-box stores like Walmart or Target because the pay difference was $3 or $4 an hour. Working with the state, we were successful. In October of last year, we secured a 34% increase. Now we can pay $15 an hour, and we’re working to ensure caregivers are better compensated so people with that caring spirit can be hired and do work they find fulfilling.” — Eric Hicks, president of Right at Home Learn more about the Right at Home: In Home Care & Assistance [https://www.rightathome.net/charleston-west-virginia].   An older white woman with red hair wearing a red and white Hawaiian-style dress sits in a chair holding a microphone. She wears glasses. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kimberly_Taylor_Newsome-DSC00088-700x1050.jpg]Kimberly Taylor Newsome, program director of the West Virginia Aging and Disability Resource Center, or ADRC, discusses caregiver support and services for older adults and people with disabilities across West Virginia. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “We’re a statewide resource agency. We’re not a direct service provider — we don’t send people into your home — but we connect you with the agencies that do. We want the fragmented resources across the state gathered in one place so everyone can find what they need without calling five or six or 10 different numbers. Often people don’t know what to do because they don’t realize how deep they’re in until it’s too late. We always say: We want people to know us before they need us.” — Kimberly Taylor Newsome, program director of the West Virginia Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Learn more about the West Virginia Aging and Disability Resource Center [https://www.wvadrc.com/]. Four adults sit in chairs on a stage looking out at the audience. One white woman, one white man, and two Black men. They are all formally dressed. Two wear glasses. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Panel_Shot-DSC00104-700x467.jpg]From left, Kimberly Taylor Newsome, program director of the West Virginia Aging and Disability Resource Center; Eric Hicks, president of Right at Home; and Orlando Craighead, executive director of the Kanawha Coalition for Community Health Improvement, take part in a Us & Them community panel on caregiving, moderated by host Trey Kay, at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer About a dozen people are seen in an audience at the UC Downtown Innovation Hub. A woman speaks into a microphone as three women wait in a line behind her for their turn to speak. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/DSC00062-700x467.jpg]Between excerpts from the PBS documentary "Caregiving," the panel takes questions from audience members — many of them caregivers, advocates and advisers — at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer Learn more about the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub [https://www.ucwv.edu/innovation/dih/]. An older white woman with gray hair, wearing glasses, a tree of life necklace and a colorful dress, speaks into a microphone. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Debbie_Boese_Elkins-DSC00130-700x467.jpg]Debbie Boese Elkins, a longtime nurse and childhood friend of Us & Them host Trey Kay whom he hadn’t seen in more than 40 years, shares her experience as a full-time caregiver for her spouse, who has significant memory loss, at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “I still haven’t wrapped my head around it. When we first noticed issues in 2017, I was in denial — is something wrong? As a nurse, I thought I would recognize the signs, but when you see changes in your own loved one, you second-guess. Getting a diagnosis was a journey — from asking his primary care physician in 2017 to seeing a neurologist who said he was fine, to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and then learning it wasn’t Alzheimer’s. We saw four different neurologists. I was so exhausted I didn’t have time to think about what providing care might mean. I didn’t reach out for help at first because I didn’t know who to call. With cancer or other conditions, you know the steps and people show up with casseroles. With dementia — in my husband’s case, frontotemporal degeneration — you don’t know who to call; you’re just trying to get through the diagnosis. And when you finally get the diagnosis and realize there’s no treatment and no cure, the anger, grief and shock hit. Even though I saw it coming, I had a period of paralysis.” — Debbie Boese Elkins, a full-time caregiver for her spouse, who has significant memory loss. Check out Debbie Boese Elkins blog [https://debbieelkins.blogspot.com/] where she shares about caregiving. An older white man with gray-white hair speaks into a microphone at an event. In the background are audience members listening. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/George_Manahan-DSC00123-700x467.jpg]George Manahan, who runs a statewide Parkinson’s support group, fields calls from families seeking help for loved ones with the disease. Echoing audience concerns about where to start, he says a memorable 1-800 number for caregivers could make a difference in West Virginia, at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “I get calls from Illinois and Virginia — from adult children whose parents live here. They can’t move home and can’t move their parents to them, so they ask, ‘What do we do? How can we help?’ What we don’t have is a simple entry point. I keep asking: What if there were a single number — 1-800-CAREGIVER — for families to call? It would take money and time, but at least people in another state could find help quickly. I’ve also wondered about federally qualified health centers — FQHCs — and whether this is a burden they could help carry; they’re in 60 to 70 communities. Parkinson’s is a slow-moving disease; people can live with it for years. That means we need care in our homes as long as we can. If it moves fast, it’s probably something else.” — George Manahan, founder of the West Virginia Parkinson's Support Network A white woman wearing a light purple sweater speaks into a microphone. She has a wrap on her hand, sunglasses on top of her head, and wears glasses. Audience members look on. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bonnie_Dunn-DSC00103-700x467.jpg]Bonnie Dunn, featured in a 2020 Us & Them story about grandparents who are caregivers [https://wvpublic.org/wvpb-podcast/us-them/grandfamilies-of-the-opioid-crisis-2/], speaks at our community conversation at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. She explains how she raised awareness of her program as many attendees cite awareness as a major barrier to finding help. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “I went to the Legislature with my grandmother’s apron — holes and all — and told our story. There’s already an infrastructure — Healthy Grandfamilies coalitions, Area Agencies on Aging, the Aging and Disability Resource Center, senior centers. What we need is something that resonates, like 1-800-CAREGIVER. Most people don’t know acronyms; a simple number is self-evident. My caregiving started when my stepfather’s checkbook was off by a penny . . . later he stood in the kitchen and asked if there was something that makes coffee — while the same pot had sat in the same place for 35 years. After his dementia diagnosis, I had to find a caregiver and figure out the money. Because my name was on the house and accounts, we could make it work. We built Grandfamilies in all 55 counties. People knew our number and county contacts, and we moved mountains. The Legislature kept funding because they saw the results.” — Bonnie Dunn, founder of the Healthy Grandfamilies in West Virginia. Read more about the Healthy Grandfamilies [https://healthygrandfamilies.com/] organization that Bonnie Dunn founded. A white woman with dark hair speaks into a microphone. Her hair is pulled back in a low ponytail. She wears a black, sleeveless shirt and white pants. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Rachel_Carrico-DSC00081-700x467.jpg]Rachel Carrico, a family and elder law attorney, explains how advance directives and other legal documents can guide medical and financial decisions. She urges families to have a basic estate plan so caregivers can act legally on a loved one’s behalf, during a community conversation at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “The most important document is a durable power of attorney — the ‘golden egg’ of estate planning … Without it, even a spouse can’t access an IRA or 401(k). The alternative is often a court conservatorship or guardianship — stressful, prolonged and expensive; it’s about 70% of my practice. If you take nothing else from tonight, get a durable power of attorney. Also consider a written caregiving agreement. Under Medicaid rules, family members are presumed ‘gratuitous’ caregivers; if you pay a child without a properly drafted agreement, you can be penalized when applying for Medicaid." — Rachel Carrico, a family and elder law attorney. Find out more about the law practice Rachel Carrico founded: Good Grief Law [https://goodgrieflaw.com/]. A white, bald man wearing a dark polo shirt and slacks speaks into a microphone. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/JT_Hunter-DSC00095-700x467.jpg]J.T. Hunter, founder of R.E.M.T. Care Partner Coaching, speaks about educating, enlightening and empowering care partners — especially those supporting loved ones with Alzheimer’s and related dementias — at the University of Charleston Downtown Innovation Hub in Charleston, W.Va. Photo by Bobby Lee Messer “Caregiving is a big puzzle. If we don’t have every piece — every one of you — it doesn’t work in West Virginia. Too often we’re siloed and short on systems, but the people in this room are bringing back the village and starting a movement. I’ve spent more than 17 years talking with legislators in Charleston and in Washington, D.C. I can take your stories to them, but what truly moves them is you telling your own story. We all have a mother, a brother, a grandfather — when they hear and see you, they change. So find your organization — AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association — or contact me if you don’t know where to start. That’s how we change the system. Never underestimate your story; when you’re ready, please tell it.” — J.T. Hunter, founder of R.E.M.T. Care Partner Coaching Learn more about R.E.M.T. Care Partner Coaching [https://remtme.com/].

A Tennessee DJ takes us on a tour of Appalachian punk and metal. Also, Appalachian culture is enriched by its immigrants. We explore the fusion of West Virginia and Japan. And, Appalachia isn’t all punk rock and Japanese food. There’s also string band music. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. In This Episode: * Maximumrocknroll Uncovers Appalachia's Extreme Music Scene [https://wvpublic.org/story/arts-culture/tennessee-dj-brings-appalachian-punk-to-the-world/] * Japanese Homestyle Haven In Morgantown [https://wvpublic.org/yama-a-japanese-community-space-in-morgantown-w-va/] * Federal Cuts Impacting Mammoth Cave National Park [https://www.wkyufm.org/2025-03-07/at-least-20-jobs-cut-at-mammoth-cave-national-park-amid-trump-administration-purge] * Using The Internet To Connect With Extended Family [https://www.wesa.fm/arts-culture/2025-08-05/miner-genealogy-website-pittsburgh-beaver] * A Sharper Silence Explores Grief, Nature and Hurricane Helene [https://wvpublic.org/story/arts-culture/poet-writes-on-grief-nature-and-hurricane-helene-in-new-book/] * Journalist Documents Experience Of Trans Youth In American Teenager [https://wvpublic.org/story/arts-culture/author-of-new-book-profiling-trans-teens-visiting-charleston-this-month/] * Appalachian String Band Music Festival In W.Va. [https://wvpublic.org/story/arts-culture/appalachian-string-band-music-festival-bridges-generations/] MAXIMUMROCKNROLL UNCOVERS APPALACHIA'S EXTREME MUSIC SCENE A man sitting at a computer. He is wearing headphones and is surrounded by memorabilia. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/250822_CaryAllen2_MasonAdams_WVPB_IA-700x525.jpeg]Tennessee DJ Cary Allen at his studio. Photo courtesy of Cary Allen Appalachia is known for its distinctive music. It’s home to thriving punk, metal, indie and hardcore scenes. Now, the world is getting a chance to check out Appalachia’s extreme music scene, thanks to Maximumrocknroll. Maximumrocknroll was a zine that ran from 1982 to 2019. It first started as a radio show in California though. Now it’s a podcast. Since October, Johnson City, Tennessee, DJ Cary Allen has been part of the show and spotlighting Appalachian bands. Host Mason Adams spoke with Allen. Cary Allen is a DJ on Maximumrocknroll Radio. He also plays garage rock and gospel on his Fuzzkill and Righteous Fuzz radio shows in the Johnson City area. The bands we heard in that segment were L.I.P.S., Coffin Smoke, Nerve Endings, Ex-Parents, Warmones, Wyndrider and Buzz-Hound. You can find Maximumrocknroll Radio wherever you get podcasts. JAPANESE HOMESTYLE HAVEN IN MORGANTOWN A woman takes an order. In front of her is a line of delicious looking Japanese food on a counter. She smiles for the camera and wears a black apron. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/021224_RyokoKijimoto_MinKim_Folkways-700x394.jpg]Staff member Ryoko Kijimoto serves up rich rice bowls and ramen in Yama’s diner atmosphere. Photo courtesy of Min Kim Just about every college town has its go to block or neighborhood for restaurants and bars. In Morgantown, the home of West Virginia University (WVU), that’s High Street. And tucked off the main drag is Yama, a cozy diner that’s been serving up homestyle Japanese food since the 1990s. Japanese students and staff go there to share language, culture and food. It’s also a place of comfort and connection for the larger community. In 2023, Folkways Reporter Lauren Griffin brought us this story.  FEDERAL CUTS IMPACTING MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK A cave wall with the words "Trump 24" carved into the wall. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/250822_MammothCave_DerekParham_WKYU_IA-700x525.webp]Graffiti found inside Mammoth Cave in March 2025. Photo Credit: Derek Parham/WKU Since January, the Trump administration has fired or laid off nearly one out of four staffers in the National Park Service. Republicans in Congress are now proposing even more cuts. WKYU’s Derek Parham reports that visitors around the country are feeling the effects, including at parks like Mammoth Cave and the Great Smoky Mountains. USING THE INTERNET TO CONNECT WITH EXTENDED FAMILY A white man holding a book of photos. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/250824_Miner_KateG_WESA_IA-700x933.webp]Mark Miner runs Minerd.com, which details the history of his family. He is holding one of his many family photo albums. Photo Credit: Kate Giammarise/WESA A growing loneliness epidemic has gripped the country. People struggle to make connections with other people, and sometimes even within their own families. Some experts blame the internet, especially social media. But a Pennsylvania man is using the internet to connect with his extended family – and they number in the thousands. WESA’s Kate Giammarise has the story. A SHARPER SILENCE EXPLORES GRIEF, NATURE AND HURRICANE HELENE A book cover with gray paint streaking the page. The title is, "A Sharper Silence by Michael Hettich." [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/250824_ASharperSilence_WVPB_IA-700x1058.jpg]The cover of A Sharper Silence. Photo courtesy of Michael Hettich/Terrapin Books Seven years ago, poet Michael Hettich landed in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Since moving there, Hettich has published four books of poetry, including his latest, A Sharper Silence. The book explores nature, touches on Hurricane Helene and speaks of his relationship with his wife, Colleen, who died in January of lung cancer. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Hettich about the collection. JOURNALIST DOCUMENTS EXPERIENCE OF TRANS YOUTH IN AMERICAN TEENAGER A person with a beard, hat and nose piercing smiles toward the camera for a portrait photo. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Undated_Nico-Lang_CHRISTIAN-ROGERS-ELI-MOCKPACE-TAYLOR-700x878.png]Nico Lang is the author of American Teenager, a new book that explores the lives of transgender teenagers living across the United States. Photo courtesy of Christian Rogers Nico Lang is a non-binary, award-winning journalist who has spent over a decade covering the transgender community. Their work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Esquire, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Lang’s latest book, American Teenager, chronicles the daily lives of eight transgender teens across the U.S., including one in West Virginia. WVPB’s Jack Walker spoke with Lang and brings us this. APPALACHIAN STRING BAND MUSIC FESTIVAL IN W.VA. Four people playing musical instruments on a stage. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/String-Music-fest--700x525.jpg]The Jack Wilson Terrier Band playing at the 2025 Appalachian String Music Festival. Photo Credit: Randy Yohe/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Summer is high time for string band music. And since 1990, mountaineers have gathered in Clifftop, West Virginia for the Appalachian String Band Festival. The festival attracts thousands of old-time music fans from around the world. And if you know much about old-time, you know most folks who journey there don’t show up just to listen, but to play and dance.   WVPB’s Randy Yohe went out for a visit and brought us this. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Ron Mullennex, L.I.P.S., Coffin Smoke, Nerve Endings, Ex-Parents, Warmones, Wyndrider, Buzz-Hound, Erik Vincent Huey, Paul Loomis, Mary Hott, Blue Dot Sessions and John Blissard. 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 Editor Jennifer Goren. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/inappalachia/], Threads [https://www.threads.net/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/insideappalachia]. Sign-up [https://activecampaign.wvpublic.org/f/17] for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. [https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IA-Logo-Green-Background-1400-×-1400-px-700x700.png]https://wvpublic.org/podcasts/inside-appalachia/