This week, we remember the one and only Dolly Parton. Dolly was more than a musician or a celebrity. She used her musical success to help others. She started the Imagination Library, a free book program for children that included some of her favorites, like the Little Engine that Could. And Dolly’s kindness touched people from all walks of life. Today, we’re honoring Dolly Parton, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we reflect on Dolly Parton’s passing and her legacy in the region.Also, the Adaptive Climbers Festival at Kentucky’s Red River Gorge feels like home for climbers with disabilities from around the world. And, a new book spotlights Appalachian plants and encourages readers to get in touch with nature. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a new report finds the number of black lung cases is at its highest since the 1970s. The human cost is high. Also, the author of a new book says reintroducing nearly extinct animals back into the wild can boost damaged ecosystems, but they can't repair them. And, roadside attractions pay tribute to our enduring fascination with weird. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a Japanese Shinto garden took root in Southwestern Virginia because of family connections spanning geography and generations. Also, in Whitesburg, Kentucky a new mosaic uses recovered objects to honor the town’s people after the flood of 2022. And, the young adult novel “Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire” mixes historical fact with spooky Appalachian folklore.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith. Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy. And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a new memoir explores the struggle to stay in Appalachia –and the struggle to leave. Also, an exhibit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina documents the contributions of the Catawba Nation to the American Revolutionary War. And grab some sunscreen as we make a visit to the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, after a disaster, can comics help set the record straight? Also, sifting through Hurricane Helene’s debris, one group tries to reunite keepsakes with their owners, including love letters. And a cafe in Virginia feeds the hungry and tries to destigmatize homelessness. For its outreach manager, whose brother lived on the streets for years, it’s personal. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we’re traveling to summer attractions across Appalachia. Like a bus that sits on a rock at the West Virginia confluence of the New and Gauley rivers. Also, one person’s weedy nuisance is another’s “golden” treasure. So says a North Carolina fiber artist. And we spill the tea on a classic roadside attraction. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, before emancipation, Appalachia provided pathways to freedom for enslaved people trying to escape bondage. A new project identifies more than two dozen previously unknown underground railroad sites. Also, the Fly Around Music & Arts Festival in North Carolina was inspired by the hard work that followed Hurricane Helene. And, a ballad about floods recorded a generation ago still provides solace for people today.You'll hear these stories and more, Inside Appalachia.

This week, in the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer.Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths. And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who's passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.