It’s been a year in America with lots of big political news and some very disturbing events. Supreme Court decisions are reshaping the nation’s policies as violence and shootings continue to take lives. Us & Them host Trey Kay has been traveling around asking people “How’s America doing?” and “Why do you think that?” Trey spent Election Day in a swing district in Pennsylvania talking with voters about the state of America. Some worry financial strains have made things worse while others say they see good things to come. There’s concern that politics has become just another sporting event, where all that matters is the winner. But politics can also help shape the policies that lead to the American dream, so how do we come together and collectively do the right thing for the future?

In West Virginia there are nearly 50 specialized court programs designed to help teens and adults kick their drug addictions. Drug courts divert people away from incarceration into a rigorous, court-monitored treatment program. They are intense experiences, some more than a year long. Participants are drug tested regularly and require monitoring devices. Graduation rates across the country show success rates from 29% to more than 60%. There are many supporters within the justice system, but critics say drug courts only work with the easiest first-time offenders and don’t take violent offenders or sex offenders. Some drug courts require a guilty plea before someone can participate, which can limit a person’s options if they don’t make it through the program. In this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay talks with people about this court-designed approach to sobriety that began nearly 50 years ago when the first drug court opened its doors.

Imagining the future is at the core of this episode of Us & Them. Earlier this fall, we held a day-long workshop to hear ideas and talk about what can make the future a reality. The Civic Imagination Project based at the University of Southern California works with cities across the country to get residents thinking about new directions and possibilities for their communities. We invited people from the Upper Kanawha Valley with a range of backgrounds and experiences to discuss their hard-hit economy and consider fresh approaches and alternatives. Considering the future can offer people some control about what’s ahead and as the conversation develops, there can be inspiration for more citizens to get involved. In this episode, we learn that many things are possible if we can just imagine them.

There’s a lot of energy and movement on abortion policy and law this fall. Some states have defined their position with five states offering ballot measures to protect or further restrict access to abortion. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, plenty of people feel like one side has won...and the other has lost. But how is this power shift playing out for people on the front line of the issue? How are individuals and groups facing what comes next in this post-Roe world? In this episode of Us & Them, two West Virginia women, an abortion rights advocate and an abortion-rights opponent, outline their perspectives on where we are in this moment and what’s ahead.

It’s time for our Us & Them dinner party crew to share a meal in person! This remarkable group of people has been meeting for two years, virtually, to talk across their social and political divides. There’s a lot they disagree on and there are moments of awkward concern at the table as they navigate that space. In this new episode, we’re together to talk and listen and try to understand a little more about each other. Our guests agree that sharing food and views enhances a sense of comradery and helps us really see each other. This Us & Them dinner party episode offers respectful talk across the table.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin may be redefining the nation’s political landscape by reconfiguring the middle. While some say he’s tough to predict, others insist Sen. Manchin’s consistency has come to serve as an important political reference point. As the spotlight shines on the toxic battle between left and right, a man with decades in public office recently helped deliver a rare compromise bill through Congress. For the past two years, Joe Manchin has seemed to be at the center of the political debate between us and them. This episode offers perspective and analysis on Manchin’s political legacy and the future as we weigh consequences of the midterm elections and how they may play out on Manchin’s next campaign.

West Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin is the man in the middle. For years, Manchin has used his deciding vote in the Senate to stand up to Pres. Joe Biden’s legislative agenda, but recently a surprise agreement changed everything. In this episode of Us & Them, we look at the outcome of that legislation called the Inflation Reduction Act. Many are asking, “Who is Joe Manchin?” The important compromise on climate legislation in the bill is producing a transformation to Manchin’s political image and according to some analysts, opening opportunities for the future. Joe Manchin is not up for reelection to his Senate seat until 2024, but the outcome of the midterm elections could have a significant impact on him. If the Democrats lose their majority in the Senate, Manchin will no longer be the all-powerful deciding vote. However, if the party holds control of the Senate but loses the House, it’s unlikely Democratic legislation will even make it to the president's desk. Despite the frustrations many in his own party have with Joe Manchin, there’s an important fact to — Manchin represents one of the most elusive and powerful factions in American politics - the middle. How far can that take him?

Whatever you call what happened at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, a rally - a protest - a riot - or an insurrection, the congressional investigation and hearings are forging new territory. On this episode of Us & Them, we look at who’s watching the hearings, who’s not and why. What some call a clarifying moment in our nation’s experiment in democracy is surprisingly forgettable to others. Host Trey Kay listens to a range of opinions about what that day meant and finds a new layer of uncomfortable truths behind how people feel. Kay uses the Us & Them approach to listen to others and finds to his surprise, the outcome is far from what he imagined.

More than a hundred years ago West Virginia was home to our nation’s most violent labor uprising. For some, the Battle of Blair Mountain was a watershed moment when coal workers decided their rights were worth fighting and even dying for. The armed insurrection pitted 10,000 coal miners against 3,000 heavily armed coal industry guards and state troopers. The conflict came to a head because of the social and economic forces that hit West Virginia’s coal country after World War I. 

It was the largest labor uprising in American history and the largest armed conflict since the Civil War. And yet, the Battle of Blair Mountain is largely unknown to most Americans, including West Virginians. To learn more,  we follow the path of the miners on their march to Mingo, and learn what precipitated the battle.

The episode was honored with an award from The Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters.

Many West Virginians have trouble with their teeth. In fact, there’s a big gap between folks who can reliably access an affordable dentist and those who can’t. That’s no surprise when half the state’s counties have fewer than six dentists. A recent national ranking shows West Virginia is second to last in overall oral health care. A state report shows that by third grade, 56 percent of children show signs of tooth decay, and 12 percent of adults have had all their teeth extracted.

People who don’t have good oral health habits and access to regular and quality dental care elevate their risk of other critical health care issues such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. About more than aesthetics or any toothless hillbilly stereotype, access to dental care is a dangerous culture divide that might look like a class gap but is deeper and far more serious.

This episode was recently honored with a regional award from the Associated Press of the Virginias. The first place honor was for best documentary.