Coal’s Cost On Energy Prices, Inside Appalachia

Coal’s Cost On Energy Prices, Inside Appalachia

Author: West Virginia Public Broadcasting April 18, 2026 Duration: 0:00
This week, coal power can be expensive. Utilities run coal-fired power plants harder in the winter and summer when demand is high. Also, two films made in West Virginia shot to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts. The state wants to encourage even more movies to be made in West Virginia by helping keep production costs down. And, an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays....

podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting brings you thoughtful conversations from the heart of Appalachia. Produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting, this podcast explores the region through its acclaimed series The Front Porch, where big ideas meet local realities. Each episode tackles tough issues facing West Virginia and Appalachia - from politics and policy to culture and community life - with insight and candor. Host and provocateur Scott Finn is joined by columnist Laurie Lin and Rick Wilson of the American Friends Service Committee, creating a lively mix of perspectives that challenges assumptions while staying rooted in the lived experience of the region. Expect smart discussion, civil disagreement, and plenty of context to help you make sense of the news. Listen episodes to hear how national debates play out in Appalachian communities, and discover the voices and stories that rarely make it into the headlines.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast Episodes
Iranian American Weighs In On War In Iran, This West Virginia Morning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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 sh…
Saving Rural Hospitals, This West Virginia Morning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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 sh…
Encore: Our Common Nature With Yo-Yo Ma, Inside Appalachia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week, "Our Common Nature" is a new podcast from WNYC. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana González, as they explore America and talk to folks like West Virginia coal miners. We follow Yo-Yo and his team as…
Us & Them Encore: Housing Options Are Few & Far Between In Appalachia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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An Us & Them episode honored by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters for Best Podcast examines the hidden side of homeownership in Appalachia. While West Virginia has the nation’s highest homeownership rate, aging…
A Look At The Housing Crisis, This West Virginia Morning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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 Broadcaster…
How To Better Understand The Economy, This West Virginia Morning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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 m…