Shows / Blankenship On Trial
Blankenship On Trial
On April 5, 2010, 29 men were killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia. Federal regulators say a history of unsafe practices led to the explosion and prosecutors are now trying to prove that culture at Massey Energy came from the top down, starting with former CEO Don Blankenship. These are the stories as they are told in the courtroom, the evidence as presented by both sides and the community's reactions to the trial of Don Blankenship.
Episodes
Blankenship On TrialNew Program Aims To Keep Seniors At Home, This West Virginia Morning
As baby boomers in West Virginia and nationwide continue to age, more Gen X and Millennial adults are finding themselves as caregivers for their parents…
Blankenship On TrialAppalachia’s Declining Bat Population, This West Virginia Morning
Bats are the subject of myths and legends, often in a negative light. But that goes against the reality of their role in ecosystems, including critical…
Blankenship On TrialA Very Big (Ferris) Wheel And Soda On SNAP, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, the world’s largest transportable Ferris wheel arrives in Charleston, the SNAP ban on soda is blocked, and we look at an effort to…
Blankenship On TrialKudzu, Farmstands And Bristol’s ‘Black Bottom’ Community, Inside Appalachia
This week, some folks are working to preserve the memory of Bristol, Virginia’s Black Bottom, a largely African American community wiped out by urban renewal…
Blankenship On TrialRemembering ‘Black Bottom’ In Bristol, Va., This West Virginia Morning
Urban renewal in the last century was supposed to revitalize struggling cities, but it often sacrificed Black neighborhoods and business districts, like Black…
Blankenship On TrialFederal Cuts To Medicaid Endanger Addiction Treatment, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, federal cuts and changes to state law focused on Medicaid programs could undermine West Virginia’s drug addiction and treatment…
Blankenship On TrialUs & Them Encore: Black West Virginians With Substance Use Disorder Face Unique Challenges
West Virginia leads the nation in overdose deaths, but not everyone experiences the crisis the same way. In this Regional Edward R. Murrow Award-winning…
Blankenship On TrialImproving Health Care Access In Rural Communities, This West Virginia Morning
A $1 million initiative through the Rural Health Transformation Program aims to help rural EMS agencies expand access to health care in rural and underserved…
Blankenship On TrialCaring For The Caregivers Of Aging Adults, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, our partner HealthQ explores why embracing the title of “caregiver” matters—and how recognition and support can make a…
Blankenship On TrialProtecting Appalachia’s Flexing Mussels, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, freshwater mussels play a vital role in the health of the region's waterways, but their populations have dwindled over the…
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Community Hospital Concerns, School Choice Vouchers And A Town’s Hidden History, This West Virginia Week
An heir files suit to keep his community hospital open, disparities in the distribution of school choice vouchers, and a West Virginia lawmaker is among those…
Blankenship On TrialOhio’s Ancient Earthworks And Ballad Singing After Hurricane Helene, Inside Appalachia
This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too…
Blankenship On TrialA Guidebook For Visiting Ancient Earthworks, This West Virginia Morning
Indigenous people created hundreds of earthen monuments in what is now Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. John E. Hancock, a professor of architecture and…
Blankenship On TrialNew Book Charts Town’s History Through Its Homes, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, State Sen. Ryan Weld has written a history of Wellsburg through a unique lens -- he focused on 14 homes in the town and the…
Blankenship On TrialA Forgotten Secret Of Bourbon Aging Rediscovered, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, an Appalachian distillery has rediscovered an old technique for aging their bourbon and whiskey products. The post A Forgotten…
Blankenship On TrialClimate Change Brings Armadillos To Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, the nine-banded armadillo has become an indicator of rising temperatures in Kentucky and the surrounding region. The post…
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Abandoned Gas Wells And The Unhoused Rate Declines, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, the unhoused population in the state declines, child well-being remains the same, and just how many abandoned gas wells are there?…
Blankenship On TrialStorytellers, Inside Appalachia
This week, we’re revisiting a show featuring storytellers out loud in front of audiences. Folks like five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest…
Blankenship On TrialA Story From Liars Contest Winner Bil Lepp, This West Virginia Morning
This week’s Inside Appalachia features storytellers from around the region, including author, television host and five-time West Virginia Liars Contest winner…
Blankenship On TrialUs & Them Encore: Daniel Johnston — The Troubled Life And Artistic Genius Of West Virginia Music Hall Of Fame Inductee
Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and…
Blankenship On TrialRemembering Singer-Songwriter Daniel Johnston, This 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…
Blankenship On TrialA Discussion On The NextEra Transmission Line Proposal, This West Virginia Morning
The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is currently conducting public comment hearings concerning developer NextEra Energy’s application to construct a…
Blankenship On TrialDealing With Thousands Of Abandoned Natural Gas Wells, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialA Look At An Invasive Vine That’s Taken Over The South, This West Virginia Morning
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…
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Trump Invests In Coal And Mountaineer Food Bank Expands, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, the Trump administration invests in coal, Medicaid concerns rise in the Mountain State, and Mountaineer Food Bank expands. The post…
Blankenship On TrialEncore: Printmaking Inspired By Appalachian Stories, Inside Appalachia
This week, some of the stories on our show inspired college student art — including a vivid image of a bear smashing a clarinet. Also, a Hare Krishna community…
Blankenship On TrialNelsonville Music Festival Celebrates 20 Years, This West Virginia Morning
The Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Ohio-based festival over the years has hosted American music icons, like John…
Blankenship On TrialThe Challenges And Benefits Of FMLA, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialMeeting The Food Needs Of The State, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialA Look At Baseball’s ‘Miracle Fields,’ This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialBlack Bear Encounters On The Rise, This West Virginia Morning
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…
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The Drought Continues And Amphibians Struggle, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, the springtime drought lingers, beverage distributor workers continue to strike and the state’s amphibians are struggling. The post…
Blankenship On TrialAppalachian Monster Game And Nelsonville Music Festival, Inside Appalachia
This week, a new roleplaying game gives folks in the workplace a chance to be a mythical Appalachian monster. Also, southeast Ohio’s Nelsonville Music Festival…
Blankenship On TrialTeam Building With Appalachian Cryptids, This West Virginia Morning
Monsters in the workplace? Maybe. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is developing a team building game using Appalachian cryptids like Bigfoot and the…
Blankenship On TrialHow A Wide Range Of Agencies Are Tackling The Foster Care Crisis, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialUs & Them Encore: Our Foster Care Crisis
Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care, while a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a growing crisis. As May marks…
Blankenship On TrialHow A Tornado Affected Threatened Orchids, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialProtecting Frogs And WVU Explores New Cancer Treatment, This West Virginia Morning
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…
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A Primary Recount, An Agency Deficit And Termination Of A Farming Grant, This West Virginia Week
At least one primary election race is headed for a recount. Also, an independent audit finds a critical deficit that could affect struggling families. And, the…
Blankenship On TrialRecovery After Hurricane Helene, Inside Appalachia
This week, Hurricane Helene devastated central Appalachia and disrupted the lives of people in recovery. Also, in West Virginia, fur trapping continues, even…
Blankenship On TrialHow Hurricane Helene Affected Substance Use Recovery, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialFuture Of First-Time Farming Program Uncertain, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialDay Of Remembrance Held In Kentucky One Year After Tornado, This 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…
Blankenship On TrialUnderstanding If An Electric Vehicle Is Right For You, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialBringing A Nashville Steam Locomotive Back To Life, This West Virginia Morning
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…
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Judge Copenhaver Dies And The Primary Wraps Up, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, a long-serving judge dies, the primary election wraps up and national hospital week is observed. The post Judge Copenhaver Dies And…
Blankenship On TrialFantasy Music Festival Comes To Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachian music comes in all kinds. Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams spoke with Mason Salomeini, organizer of electronic music…
Blankenship On TrialTreating Addiction With Psychedelics, This West Virginia Morning
On this West Virginia Morning, psychedelic drugs might find acceptance as a treatment potential for mental health conditions and drug addictions. The post…
Blankenship On TrialAn Election Night Update From The W.Va. Secretary Of State, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialA Changing Landscape For W.Va. Hospitals, This West Virginia Morning
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…
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The Primary Turns Ugly And Ambulance Driver Indicted, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, the primary election in the state turns ugly and racist, an ambulance driver is indicted for the death of a man in Elkview and…
Blankenship On TrialRiding With W.Va.’s Quick Response Teams, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialFracking Proposals And Possible Impacts, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialPlans To Connect W.Va. To Pittsburgh Via Rail Trail, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialHow The War In Iran Is Affecting Shipping, Supply Chains In Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialA Look At Recent Growth In The Horse Racing Industry, This West Virginia Morning
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…
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The Opioid Settlement And Gas Price Shock, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week, an opioid settlement reaches a milestone, gas prices shock Sen. Shelley Moore-Capito, R-W.Va., and we have more information on the…
Blankenship On TrialMills Kelly, Coalfield Depopulation And Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque, Inside Appalachia
This week, historian Mills Kelly’s love affair with the Appalachian Trail started when he was a boy scout. Also, the region is known for exporting coal, but…
Blankenship On TrialAuthor Describes How His Love For The Appalachian Trail Began In New Book, This West Virginia Morning
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…
Blankenship On TrialAttorney Discusses Incident Involving W.Va. Man Dragged By Ambulance, This West Virginia Morning
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…