Lyn Widmyer

After 50 years, George Rutherford is completing his last term as president of the Jefferson County NAACP. Learn of his proudest achievements as a civil rights activist and his advice to those wishing to continue the struggle. Thumbnail picture credit: Steve Pavey

Henrietta Lacks died in 1951 but her immortal cells live on. HeLa cells have been instrumental in medical advances that have saved millions of lives. Dr. Sara Reynolds explains why the cells are immortal and shows us a living HeLa cell at her laboratory at Shepherd University. Welcome to Jefferson County, Ms. Lacks!

In 1973, Jim rode along highways and byways to discover the South and to recover from a near-death car accident. Listen as he shares what he learned.

Many long-time cemeteries in Jefferson County are facing neglect and some are threatened by development. Addison Reese is dedicated to preserving and protecting these cemeteries and capturing the history of the people buried there.

Jan Hafer is helping people as they recover from drug addiction. She is a volunteer recovery coach in the number one state for drug abuse: West Virginia. Jan has a family member who successfully overcame addiction and is now helping others do the same. Enjoy the latest video from my series: Interviews in Jefferson County and subscribe for more!

Lisa’s short story was selected by Barbara Kingsolver to win Shepherd University’s 2022 West Virginia Fiction Competition. Barbara provided a detailed critique of Lisa’s story and Lisa shares some of Barbara’s suggestions. Not bad for a novice writer like Lisa to earn advice from a Pulitzer Prize winner!