Appalachia Matters

This week At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer revisits poignant clips from some of his past interviews with military veterans, urging gratitude on Veterans Day and all year round for those who serve as well as the families who support that service. 

In the Rooted in the Mountain State provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture we are going to learn about Harvest Trail a veteran owned agricultural company that sources local produce and freezes dries that produce for later use.

Brian McCommon is the Protocol Officer for the West Virginia National Guard, he is also a musician that has participated with military bands at events. We talk with him about Veterans Day and its history and meaning. 

Our final segment is about not about veterans day but it is a report Tom Susman  filed for affiliate WMOV on the day before the election. We were curious with all the election betting websites, is it legal to bet on election in WV? We  talk with Deke Kersey Deputy W.V. Secretary of State. 

This week on At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer’s student production team from the WVU Public Interest Communication Research Lab, the PIC Lab, starts a series of “take-over” episodes, where students and their mentors reflect on some of their favorites of the General’s past interviews.
 
Heading into Election Day, PIC Lab Program Coordinator Jenna Stewart talks about some of her favorite quotes and takeaways from the General’s previous guest, West Virginia Secretary of State and Chief Elections Officer Kris Warner, on our democracy and election security. 

In the Rooted in the Mountain State Segment provided by the Department of Agriculture we will learn about FFA at Tyler Consolidated High School in Middlebourne West Virginia.

In our final segment we  talk with Melanie Hall CEO of Hospice of Huntington and we will learn about hospice care and why it is an important aspect of care for those with a terminal diagnoses as well as their family.

City Created by World War 1, Recovering Rare Earth & All Things Lavender 

At The Leadership Table this week, we sit down with Steve Dunmead, CEO of Mission Critical Materials, to explore leadership, innovation, and the future of critical materials in West Virginia. Steve discusses the challenges of the United States’ reliance on foreign sources for rare earth elements and how Mission Critical Materials is working to build a domestic supply by recovering these valuable materials from acid mine drainage. He shares his vision for the future of this technology and the impact he hopes it can have in West Virginia and beyond.

In the Rooted in the Mountain State Segment, we will learn about a lavender farm and producer of all things lavender, this was a previously aired story, 

In our final segment, we learn about Nitro, WV the West Virginia city founded as a result of World War 1and how the town remembers those who served in the military. Rich Hively Nitro Historian and City Recorder gives us the background. 

This week At The Leadership Table is Gabriella "Bella" Sergent, a Martinsburg native and graduate student at West Virginia University. Bella currently serves as the Lead Graduate Assistant for WVU's Public Interest Communication Research Laboratory (PIC Lab), where among other efforts, she helps lead a student team in producing General Hoyer’s weekly segment!  As an active student leader, young entrepreneur, and storyteller, Bella gives us a glimpse of why strategic storytelling is important for a variety of organizations and businesses.

In our Rooted in the Mountain State segment, we will learn about the Sunny Pointe Farm and their corn maze.

This Month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we will talk with Doctor Mary Legenza who is with Marshall Health Network and serves as Chair of the Department of Oncology. She talks about how women can protect themselves from breast cancer and we will learn about her career. 

Substance Use Disorder  is still  an issue in our region and for those who are successfully managing their addiction, getting back in to the work force can be daunting. When U.S. Senator Jim Justice was Governor, he set up the Jobs and Hope program and we  will learn about the initiative in our final segment. 

This week At The Leadership Table is Kendall Drobish, a senior at West Virginia University and Founder of the cake-pop business Kendall's Kreations. Throughout her years at WVU, Kendall has filled her time as an intern at both Hope Gas and the Public Interest Communication Research Lab (PIC LAB), President of the Public Relations Student Society of America, and Student Ambassador for the WVU Canady College of Creative Arts and Media. The General and Kendall discuss her background as a native West Virginian from the northern panhandle, and how she wants to serve the state moving forward.

In the Eastern Panhandle of WV, there is a neat distillery called Devil's Due, we will learn about this operation in this week's Rooted in The Mountain State segment provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. 

Across West Virginia there are at least 10 free and charitable clinics. In most cases a number of the medical providers at these clinics, volunteer their time. The target population served are the uninsured or underinsured, An example of underinsured  person would be a person who has a $5,000 deductible and  works a minimum wage job  and  cannot afford to pay for medical care before the deductible is expired. 

Without these safety net clinics  many individuals would go with out needed medical care. By far the biggest and and most established clinic is West Virginia Health Right of Charleston Each year they have a one day mega clinic called WV Day of Caring. To learn more about WV Health Right and the services they provide as well as the Day of Care I talked with Angie Settle CEO of WV Health Right.

Outside of West Virginia there has been a number of Measles outbreaks. Some of those states do not have the same laws as West Virginia when it comes to mandatory school vaccines. If you are going to travel you will want to listen to our interview with Amy Haskins of the Jackson County set Virginia Health Department.

At The Leadership Table this week, we sit down with Erienne Olesh, CEO of the NSF Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure Engine (RETI), to explore innovation, commercialization, and the future of energy in Appalachia. Erienne shares her journey from a neuroscience researcher to leading major technology transfer initiatives, explaining how she helps turn lab discoveries into real-world economic impact.

In the Rooted in the Mountain State segment presented by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, we will learn about Sassafras Ridge and the folks who are growing elderberries up there. 
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There are about 45 to 50,000 West Virginians who rely on the Health Exchange for health insurance coverage. For lower income individuals there are some cost subsidies. For those who may have an illnesses, the product is guaranteed issue. The annual open enrollment period is coming up and we talk with Jeremy Smith an ACA Navigator about crucial dates and steps 

If you are a regular listener,  you know I like to report on small business people who may sell food or other products. Today we we will hear from James Eochs from Tropopica a local food vendor who I talked with earlier this summer at the Mason County Fair. 

This week At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with Evan Chapman, co-founder of Loving WV, a West Virginia brand created to showcase the state’s pride, culture, and communities. Evan and the General discuss the story behind Loving WV, how the brand has grown from an idea born out of homesickness into a statewide business, and Loving WV’s efforts to support communities impacted by this summer’s flooding.

In the Rooted inn the Mountain State segment provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture we will meet Doctor Jim Maxwell who is the State Veterinarian He is the point person to maintain animal health in the state. 

Our region, like many other regions in Appalachia have been hard hit the opioid crisis and other illegal substances, Michael Hanney works for Marshall Health Network in Huntington and he operates the ProAct Program which provides assistance to those who suffer from substance abuse. Also this month is recovery month where those who are in recovery or providing assistance to those who need help are recognized as well as bringing attention to available resources.

Working the Bees, Tools to Succeed, Elections on the Horizon and Zanesville Salsa.

This week At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with West Virginia’s 31st Secretary of State and Chief Elections Official, Kris Warner. They discuss the many responsibilities of the Secretary of State’s Office, from elections and voter registration to business administration and government transparency. They also talk about preparing for West Virginia’s upcoming General Election, what election integrity means, and why it is important for West Virginians to take part in the electoral process.

In the Rooted in the Mountain State segment, we will learn about a bee supply company out of Parkersburg called Bearsville Bees. 

20% of  employer companies in the USA  are women owned. many women dream of owning their own company, The Meigs County Chamber of Commerce is an example of an organization working  to give women the tools  and confidence they need to succeed. Tom Susman talks with Susan White who is Executive Director of the Meigs Chamber about their annual Women in  Business summit. 

Who does not like good salsa? Steven Figiel with affiliate WJEH talks with Tom Zackney of Zanesville, Ohio about his family’s salsa business 

This week, At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with Ryan Watson, Executive Director of the West Virginia University Office of Innovation and Commercialization. Ryan and the General discuss his unique journey from engineering and law to university leadership, and how those experiences have shaped his approach to problem-solving and innovation. They also explore WVU’s role in turning research and discoveries into real-world impact and discuss the innovations Ryan believes have the potential to help propel West Virginia toward greater prosperity.

Every week we get a segment from the West Virginia Department of agriculture called Rooted in the Mountain State,  this week we will hear about a special  agriculture day held for fifth grade students in Ohio and Marshal Counties.  

Located In Lewisburg West Virginia is one of the state’s three medical schools, The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. It was founded in 1974 on the campus of the former Greenbrier Military Prep School.  The school has grown in size in stature, it faced hurdles in the early on,  there was a move to close the school, and more recently during the 2016 legislative session some in the legislature wanted to privatize the school, but then Governor Jim Justice stopped that effort. 

The School has flourished and produces more primary care doctors  who stay in state than any other medical school in the West Virginia. The campus has undergone several recent infrastructure improvements.  We will meet Doctor James Nemitz President of the School. 

In our final segment we will talk with a popcorn vendor who was at the Jackson County Junior Fair.

This week At The Leadership Table, General Hoyer sits down with Pastor Kevin Cain, or "Rev Kev",   founder of The SOURCE Foundation, a Morgantown-based organization dedicated to helping children and families meet their basic needs and build a stronger future. Pastor Kevin and the General talk about leadership, the experiences that shaped his commitment to serving others, and the story behind The SOURCE Foundation.

In the Rooted in the Mountain State segment from the Department of Agriculture we will learn about the Farm Bureau’s Heritage Farm for 2026.

Marshall Health Network at its Cabell Huntington Hospital performed the first histotripsy in the state  of West Virginia which  provides treatment for liver cancer without surgery. We will learn about histotripsy and how it works in our third segment.

Going to county fairs is fun and through our radio work we covered four county fairs this year and at  each fair there are various exhibitors. At he Meigs Ohio County Fair Tom Susman  talked with a representative of the Great Bend Radio Club and we will replay his interview that was aired on affiliate WMOV.