Appalachia Matters

Thomas Susman, Producer

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NEWS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Appalachia Matters is a weekly radio show highlighting life in Appalachia. Each week we have a segment on leadership from retired Major General Jim Hoyer, features highlighting agriculture in our region, health care updates from Tom Susman and our host Bo Higby each week highlights a story of community interest. The show is produced by Vandalia Media Partners.

10H AGO

Get Moving, Barbour Bakery, H Stands for Hope & Sports Awards

This week on At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with West Virginia University students Joey Allinger and Andrea Cipriano to talk about their work this semester with Get Moving Inc., a nonprofit focused on promoting healthy lifestyles for West Virginia’s youth. They discuss the mission of Get Moving, community events and partnerships such as the Quarterback Challenge with WVU Medicine Galisano Children's Hospital, and what these young professionals envision for West Virginia 10 years from now. In the Rooted in the Mountain State segment, provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, we will learn about a Barbour County bakery. In our third segment Tom Susman talks with Jim Kaufman of the WV Hospital Association about an editorial he sent to newspapers for Hospital Week which was in May. In our final interview, Michael Susman talks with Jim Workman one of the deans of the sports writers in West Virginia about the West Virginia Sports Writers Association and its annual awards banquet as well as future plans for next year as they enter their 80th year. Jim is excutive director for the group.

30 min
MAY 10

Food Fight @ The Greenbrier, Dust Bowl Boards, Local Theater, and Main Street Part 2

At the Leadership Table General Jim Hoyer will finish his discussion with Robby Blair, head of the Min Street program in Martinsburg. If you missed part, one goto our Appalachia Matters Podcast on Spreaker. During the dust bowl in the 1930s, the federal government established conservation districts. In the coming primary election in West Virginia, you will get to vote for a conservation supervisor for your county. Kent Leonhardt, West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture, will provide further explanation. The Greenbrier Valley Theater located in Lewisburg is one of the most vibrant theaters in the state, wewill talk with its Artistic Director Courtney Susman Frye. In our final segment we try to make sense of all the lawsuits being filed regarding the Greenbrier Hotel, not so much about the details of the suits but on why companies file so many suits and what it all means. Tom Susman talks with Dan Casto of Campbell, Casto, & Clark a leading law firm headquartered in Leesburg, Virginia to get a better explanation.

30 min
MAY 3

Marinsburg Main Street, WV Grown, EMS is Getting Help, and Steven Allen Adams Sheds Light on Dark Money

This week on At the Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with Robby Blair, Executive Director of Main Street Martinsburg. In part one of this two-part interview, the General and Robby discuss the Main Street philosophy, the Martinsburg community, and how Main Street Martinsburg is contributing to economic vitality in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Be sure to tune in next week for part two of this discussion. In the Rooted in the Mountain State Segment for the Department of Agriculture, we will learn about the WV Grown Program. In an earlier episode we talked with Chris Hall, executive director of the West Virginia EMS Coalition about funding for EMS and struggles the industry is facing. In the last session of the legislature, some progress was made, and Chris will bring us up to date. In our final segment, we learn about all those political flyers being sent to your mailbox and texts being sent to your phone and who is paying for them as we talk with Steven Allen Adams Chief Political Writer for the Ogden newspapers.

30 min
APR 26

Radio’s Future Talks with The General and Appalachian Authors

Radio’s Future Talks with The General and Appalachian Authors This week on At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with Nico Caretto and Emma Domingo, two students from U92 the Moose, West Virginia University’s award-winning campus radio station. The students share how their roots in Ohio and Virginia led them to WVU, reflect on how their roles as a U92 sports caster and disc jockey have shaped their college experiences, and explore why radio continues to matter across generations. In our final two segments we will talk with Appalachians who have each published a book. The first is Joel Beverly from Whitesburg Kentucky and his book is titled In the Absence of Belief: A Memoir and Manifesto from the Heart of Appalachia should be available in early June and the second is Charleston Attorney Andy Richardson, he and his team have published children's book Our Charlie West Treasure Hunt.

30 min
APR 18

WVU Student Radio, Agritourism and This Old Farm Museum is 50 years old!

This week on At The Leadership Table, General James Hoyer sits down with Eric Nuttall, Broadcast Advisor for WVU Student Media and Program Coordinator for U92 The Moose, WVU’s award-winning campus radio station. They discuss shaping the next generation of broadcasters, and why radio continues to be important for West Virginians across ages and places. The next two segments will deal with agritourism. The first is the Rooted in the Mountain State Segment provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture which will provide background on the coming agritourism conference at Glade Springs later in April. Then we will hear about an agritourism trail being developed in several counties in West Virginia by Brenda Mobley Director of the Ripley CVB. In our final segment you will learn about The West Virginia State Farm Museum which is 50 years old this year.

30 min
APR 12

Appalachia Matters: Inside Look at WVSSAC, WV Wine and Help for Small Business

In our rooted in the Mountain State segment, we will highlight West Virginia Grown Member of the Month April Urnst with Old World Libations a winery in Monroe County West Virginia. There are over 80,000 secondary school student athletes in West Virginia, these sports that they compete in is regulated by The West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission otherwise known as the WVSSAC. Many times, the only time we hear about this group is if there is controversy or a lawsuit We wil talk with Wayne Ryan the Executive Director of the commission to get an understanding of what the WVSSAC does and how it is formed. The Secretary of the State’s office in West Virginia oversees elections, but the office is also responsible for several corporate filings for West Virginia companies. To assist small business Secretary of State Chris Warner asked the legislature for the authority to form an office of entrepreneurship. The legislation passed in the last legislative session; Governor Patrick Morrisey signed the bill. Recently, we talked with Secretary Warner to learn about the new office.

30 min
APR 5

Improving Education with Rural Health, Vahala Ranch, Women Leaders, & Matewan Museum

This week on At the Leadership Table, is Part 2 of the two-part series honoring International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. General Hoyer revisits and reflects on the insights and perspectives from women leaders across the Mountain State who were featured in past segments. Today you’ll hear Part 2 of this series, and if you haven’t already, give Part One a listen, too! You can find it online by searching for Appalachia Matters anywhere you listen to podcasts. In the Rooted in the Mountain State segment provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, we will learn about Vahala Ranch in Sistersville, West Virginia. They recently were awarded a grant for the farm. School-based health clinics provide primary health care behavioral health and other services such as vision and dental care. They provide access to students, in some instances such as rural settings; they can also serve the community. Recently one such clinic opened in southern Gallia County as part of Ohio Governor’s Mike DeWine’s Office for of Appalachia. It is a joint project of the school system, Holzer Health and Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus. We will learn more about the clinic and the services offered. Matewan West Virginia is now a living memorial to the coal wars of the early 1900s, but in the day it was a flash point for coal company and union organizing disputes, this week Dave Miller of WMOV was in Matewan and he talked with MacKenize New Walker of the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum and she will provide an overview of the museum history and some of the projects they are in involved in at this time.

30 min
MAR 29

Walking Over Water, Good Greens, Vetoes, Citizen Legislators, Women Leaders

This week on At the Leadership Table, General Hoyer revisits insights and perspectives from women leaders featured in past segments. This lookback is in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month in March. In this two-part series, the General explores the great contributions of women leaders who have made an impact in our local communities, state, and nation. In the Rooted in the Mountain State Segment provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture we will meet a veteran, Corey Clendenin who is a farmer and he was granted funds for his farm through a Veterans and Hero’s pitch contest sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. Clendenin grows micro greens, and his farm is in Sissonville near Charleston. When any state legislature finishes, the Governor must take time to review the adopted bills to see if he will sign or veto the bill. I talked with attorney Alex Macia about the process used in West Virginia. Macia was chief counsel for former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise. Alex provides a front row explanation of what happens. Our congress is full time, those who are elected have little time to hold down a job other than being a representative or senator. In West Virginia the legislature meets for two months in the wintertime, and its members are regular people who hold a job during the time they are not in session. On the 2026 last day of legislative session Senator Eric Tarr of Putnam discusses the benefits of a part-time legislature. The Ohio River Town of Middleport held a bridge walk in March, where walkers would come across the bridge into West Virginia then return to Ohio. Over 250 people showed up. We talked with some participants. We talk with Maureen Kloss one of the organizers, Mayor Ben Neese and Meigs Sheriff Scott Fitch.

30 min

5

out of 5

4 Ratings

Appalachia Matters is a weekly radio show highlighting life in Appalachia. Each week we have a segment on leadership from retired Major General Jim Hoyer, features highlighting agriculture in our region, health care updates from Tom Susman and our host Bo Higby each week highlights a story of community interest. The show is produced by Vandalia Media Partners.

Creator

Thomas Susman, Producer
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

94
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Vandalia Media Partners II, LLC
Show Website

Appalachia Matters