Sheila McEntee, Ancient Kilns And Amythyst Kiah, Inside Appalachia

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In troubled times, the outdoors can offer peace. We talk with a West Virginia writer about her new collection of essays.

Also, modern technology makes firing pottery a lot easier, but some potters in North Carolina still do it the old way.

And, East Tennessee’s Amythyst Kiah’s latest album contemplates the cosmos.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

W.Va. Author Writes About The Natural World

An older white woman sitting on a rock surrounded by trees. — Sheila McEntee, author of *Soul Friend: And Other Love Notes to the Natural World*.
*Photo courtesy of Sheila McEntee*

Writer Sheila McEntee has been observing nature for most of her life, especially birds. She’s published essays about her experiences in Stonecrop Review, Woods Reader and Wonderful West Virginia magazine. Several of these essays have been collected for McEntee’s first book. It’s titled, Soul Friend: And Other Love Notes to the Natural World.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with McEntee about writing and developing an interest in nature.

Rare Butterflies In The Blue Ridge Mountains

A white man standing in a field wearing a sun hat. — Derek Hennen, a field zoologist with Natural Heritage Program.
*Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ*

Summer is a great time to spy butterflies in your backyard or in meadows across the region. Unfortunately, their numbers are declining. The Mitchell’s Satyr butterfly is federally listed as endangered. Scientists are working to preserve the few meadows where these elusive butterflies still exist.

Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd tagged along with a surveyor in Floyd County, Virginia to learn more.

Wood Fired Pottery In Western North Carolina

A photograph of a wood-fire kiln filled with shelves of pottery. — Pottery stacked in the wood kiln, before and after firing. The pots sit on small balls of clay, called wads, to prevent them from sticking to the kiln.
*Photo Credit: Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder*

Technology has taken some of the work out of firing pottery. A lot of potters use sophisticated kilns that can be fired by just one person. Some don’t even require human supervision – just punch in your settings, add your pottery and come back later. But other older methods still exist. These take work – and help, which is part of the point.

Reporter Anya Petrone Slepyan from the Rural Remix Podcast brings us this story from western North Carolina.

Rural Transformation Fund Impact In W.Va.

The Republican budget bill passed by Congress in June includes cuts to Medicaid funding. The changes shift some health care costs from the federal to state governments. That will mean a loss of coverage for vulnerable populations. It also means some rural hospitals may have to close.

As part of the bill, Congress added $50 billion to the Rural Transformation Fund, to help offset those cuts. Rich Sutphin is executive director of the West Virginia Rural Health Association.

WVPB’s Maria Young spoke with Sutphin about the changes.

Public Opposition Mounts Against Trump's Plan For Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority is leaning in on fossil fuels. Not only is it considering delaying the retirement of four coal-fired power plants, it’s considering building several new gas-fired plants. 

But the TVA is facing community opposition to some of those plans — even from a prominent country star.

Now, in this moment of scrutiny, President Donald Trump could radically change the nation’s oldest and largest public utility. 

WPLN’s Caroline Eggers reports.

Amythyst Kiah’s Album, Still + Bright

A person holding a guitar and looking to their left into the distance. They are sitting in front of an orange backdrop surrounded by plants. — Amythyst Kiah, whose new album is Still + Bright.
*Photo courtesy of Kevin & King*

“Play God and Destroy the World” is the opening track from Still + Bright by singer and songwriter Amythyst Kiah. The album follows 2021’s Wary + Strange, and features guest spots by S.G. Goodman, Billy Strings and others. Amythyst Kiah spoke with Inside Appalachia from her home in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Amythyst Kiah is touring through the fall. In mid-August, she’ll appear on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage. You can catch the broadcast in September. Check the Mountain Stage website for details.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Paul Loomis, Gery Milnes, Hello June, Mary Hott and Amythyst Kiah.

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.

You can send us an email: [email protected].

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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