This week, a hospital in Western North Carolina was bought out. Residents say the quality of care has gone down.

Also, an immersion school in North Carolina is trying to revitalize the Cherokee language with the help of a printmaking class.

And a pair of artists follow cicada hatchings to make art from their shells.

This week, a West Virginia man is reviving an historic Black coal camp through farming.

Also, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.

And, the Reverend George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia, was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered on Juneteenth through his poetry.

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

Textbooks have long left out an important piece of labor history that happened here in the mountains --the Mine Wars. Now, there's a book out that's written for teenagers.

Also, when flooding devastates a community, people can find solace through faith and through song.

And we remember songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler, who passed away last year. Dozens of musicians have covered his songs, including Johnny Cash and June Carter.

Cicadas are emerging again. They’re an important food source for wildlife—and even some people. We talk with an expert and a fan of these bugs.

Also, morel mushrooms are a forager’s delight, but don’t shortcut cleaning them. We follow along with mushroom hunters and talk to a chef.

And, sinkholes can cause a lot of damage. But they’re also fascinating.

The Appalachian Prison Book Project has been sending books to incarcerated people for nearly 20 years. Its most popular book is the dictionary.

Also, the Seeing Hand Association brings together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft of chair caning.

And, crossing a river by ferry can be a special experience, and hard to come by. On the Ohio River, a retiring ferry captain passes the torch to his deck hand.

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

The setting for a new novel is a communal society founded by freed people in North Carolina. It was a real place called The Kingdom of the Happy Land.

Also, a Tennessee writer, musician and playwright talks about his collaborations and ability to capture a sense of place.

And, the online world of Appalachian memes — and what they tell us about folks who live here.

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

This week Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads – how they tell stories and connect us to the past.

These old tunes can mean so much. They can tap into difficult emotions and give feelings space to be heard. Some songs may even be too uncomfortable to sing.

In this special episode with guest co-host, ballad singer Saro Lynch-Thomason, we explore songs about lawbreaking folk heroes, runaway trains and murder ballads.

All the stories in this episode were produced as part of our Folkways Reporting Project, a partnership with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Inside Appalachia and the Folklife Program of the West Virginia Humanities Council.

We’ve recorded more than 150 stories for this project. Visit wvpublic.org to see them all.

This week, officials are scrutinizing a supermax prison in Wise County, Virginia, after inmate complaints and a visit by a state lawmaker.

Also, a laid-off federal worker warns the Trump administration's mass firings could make a big difference for coal miners.

And, every year, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival stages a formal dance. Organizers rely on a manual that’s been passed down for generations.