For some artists, the pandemic was a time for creation and reflection. As part of BPR and Foxfire Museum's oral history project Jackson County poet Louise Runyon shared her poetry about pandemic - and her family connection to Western North Carolina. She was interviewed by Foxfire Museum curator Kami Ahrens in March 2021. Louise Morgan Runyon: I’m Louise Morgan Runyon and I live in Jackson County, North Carolina. And I moved here only two years ago, but I have come up to this place for my entire

Mountain Area Health Education Center is expanding its partnership in Transylvania County. When Mission Health System was purchased by HCA Healthcare in 2019, many local medical care providers found themselves re-negotiating their contracts. “I've been working here as an OB-GYN for 11 years.” That’s Dr. Brian Barrow. His Transylvania Women’s Care office was connected with Mission Health but now his office is called MAHEC Women’s Care at Brevard in partnership with Mountain Area Health Education

The State Department of Transportation is re-evaluating a controversial road project in Haywood County after criticism from residents and municipalities.

Since BPR launched "The Porch" last summer, the news team has produced episodes centered on racial justice movements, policing, the insurrection on the US Capitol, all of this and more, while also navigating an unprecedented global pandemic. This episode is a little different. We invited listeners to submit funny stories from the past year and compiled them into this episode and online. It’s a community gathering we’re calling “Viral Humor.” We’ve all felt it. The awkwardness of talking, or

News of over 1,000 unmarked graves of children found at an indigenous residential school in Canada hit home for members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Homelessness was the key issue in the most recent municipal elections in Haywood County. In late 2019, newly-elected leaders in the Town of Waynesville created a task force to gather information. It’s now issued recommendations, which will likely generate new controversy.

Supporters say they will keep showing up until the tribal council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians hears their call to recognize same-sex marriage. Just like last month, tribal council members voted for a second time not to read a resolution that would change the Cherokee code to recognize same-sex marriage. But at Thursday’s meeting, almost 20 Eastern Band members turned out to show their support for the measure. They included Big Cove resident Tamara Thompson, who submitted the

In this episode of The Waters & Harvey Show, we debut a new theme song ‘Lee-Roy.’ It’s from the jazz band The Core , and our hosts talk with members of the group about the song, and their shared love of jazz. Plus, Darin and Marcus also reflect on the roots of their show, and how music has always been an important part of it.

Over a year ago, the borders of some local counties and regions were shut to the public to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As part of BPR and Foxfire Museum's oral history project, Dakota Brown, education director at the Museum of the Cherokee shares what it was like when the Qualla Boundary closed during her interview with Foxfire curator Kami Ahrens. Dakota Brown: When I went to school, I was gonna be a finance major. And I hated it. So I decided that I wanted to instead be a history major.

On July 23rd, the 2020 Summer Olympics get underway a year late in Tokyo. Because of COVID-19, these games are already unlike any other in the history of the Olympics. To get ready for the games, our hosts showcase plenty of stories and facts from Olympic history - some well-known, and many not. Their guest is David Wallechinsky, who wrote the definitive history of the Olympics The Complete Book of the Olympics , and served as president of the International Society of Olympic Historians from