Glynis Board

The state faces complex ripple effects as a result of the opioid crisis. Among them, educators anecdotally report suspension rate increases in kindergarten classes, and a generation of babies born dependent on substances now being introduced to Head Start programs throughout the region.

Public school teachers and staff staged a statewide walk-in earlier this year to bring attention to what they say is a dire need for in-school mental health support. Many counties have already mobilized efforts to support students and help teachers who are not trained to cope with the increased number of traumatized youths disrupting the learning environment, including Wirt County.

About 100 West Virginia University faculty and students gathered outside of Woodburn Circle Thursday afternoon to voice their concerns about a so-called “campus carry” bill making its way through the West Virginia House of Delegates.

In addition to musical artists, a recent Wheeling event — Hip Hop: A Black Tie Affair — featured visual artists such as photographer Rebecca Kiger. Kiger photographed members of the hip hop community including the artist Joshua Lamar Pethtel — also known as Poetic Peth.  Kiger and Pethtel sat down to talk about creating art in the Ohio Valley, and how a photographer and a rap artist collaborate.

Democrats in West Virginia’s House of Delegates Monday proposed an amendment to the state constitution’s Bill of Rights that would specify a clean environment is a constitutional right.

Thirty-two Democratic Delegates cosponsored an Environmental Rights Amendment. House Joint Resolution 25 states that access to clean air and pure water is the right of all West Virginians.

Cyndi Kirkhart has some 26 thousand square feet of warehouse space at the Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington, West Virginia, where she is executive director. That sounds like a lot of space. But very little of it is cooler space.

A new crayfish species found in West Virginia was just named after an enthusiastic crayfish expert who lives in here in the state.

West Virginia Public Theatre is hosting professional actors and musicians this week in Morgantown. They’re rehearsing a new musical based on a novel about life in the coal camps of southern West Virginia leading up to the historic Battle of Blair Mountain. Authors and musicians aim to highlight the sacrifices that laid the groundwork for the modern labor movement.

Teachers in at least 30 counties across West Virginia participated in a walk-in demonstration Wednesday morning, and teachers in all 55 counties wore red to show solidarity.

The latest monthly survey results are in from the National Foundation of Independent Business. Data indicate the small business climate in West Virginia would be great, except that no one can find qualified applicants to fill vacancies.

For our first installment of Wild, Wondering West Virginia, we tackled a question about West Virginia’s origins. Listener Nancy Taylor wanted to know what West Virginia was like during the ice age and whether the ancient time shaped the Mountain State’s topography.

The National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count is, for many people, a holiday tradition. Every year, for a 24 hour period between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, citizen scientists look to the skies, trees and bird feeders to identify and count as many birds as possible. This year marks the 119th season. West Virginians have been participating for about 80 years.

West Virginia’s poet laureate Marc Harshman won the 20th Annual Blue Lynx Prize. Winning the national poetry competition led to the publication this year of his latest compilation of poetry entitled "Woman in Red Anorak." Harshman spoke from his home in Wheeling.

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll take a look back at a story we aired earlier this year. The story details the life of Kentucky politician and pastor Danny Johnson and the investigation that exposed a long line of questionable actions that preceded his rise to power. 

“The Pope’s Long Con” from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting has earned several national honors, including a Peabody Award. 

On this week’s episode of Inside Appalachia, we’ll take a look back at the story of Mark Combs— a comedian, an actor and dog owner moving from West Virginia across the country to chase big dreams. What could possibly go wrong?

And we’ll get a new update on where he is now. 

A face new to politics is challenging Republican incumbent David McKinley in West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. 

Democratic challenger Kendra Fershee is a law professor at West Virginia University in Morgantown. She’s never run for office before. Her progressive platform is focused on education, universal healthcare, and job creation. She says she wants West Virginians to have the freedom to stay in the state. She decided to run one day last year while doing yard work.

The region just lost a powerhouse of environmental science and advocacy with the death of professor Benjamin Stout. Stout’s work as an educator, an expert witness in the courtroom, as well as his work empowering citizens with science, made long-term impacts regionally and nationally.

Stout was a Wheeling resident and, for the past 26 years, a biology professor at Wheeling Jesuit University. He was a stream ecologist who dedicated his life to science, nature, and above all, community. Ben died of cancer Aug. 3 at his home in Wheeling, surrounded by his family. He was 60.

Throughout the U.S., thousands of towns are working to revitalize their downtowns. Some 2,200 of these places were considered this year for a prestigious Great American Main Streets Award, based on revitalization efforts. This year Wheeling is among the top 10 contenders for the award. Executive director of Wheeling Heritage Jake Dougherty spoke about the award and the work his organization is doing to see Wheeling reinvented.

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll learn about the life of  Kentucky politician and pastor Danny Johnson, and the investigation that exposed a long line of questionable actions that preceded his rise to power. 

A comedian, an actor and dog move from West Virginia across the country chasing big dreams. What could possibly go wrong?

A theater company in Morgantown is producing a play that grapples with trauma, addiction and love as part of its 2018 summer season.

Playing off of the drama and emotion evoked on the stage, and in combination with community experts, West Virginia Public Theater hopes to add to the community conversation about the substance abuse issues ravaging the region.