Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Monday, June 28 

Marshall University welcomes a new VP of Economic and Workforce Development…the New River Gorge region joins the Ascend WV remote worker program…and a historic grist mill in Morgantown is restored…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From METRO NEWS – Brandon Dennison has joined Marshall University as Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development. Founder and CEO of Coalfield Development, Dennison will begin his position at Marshall on July 1.

Dennison will work with his new department to orchestrate a collective vision for Marshall’s economic and workforce development efforts and applied research projects.

Marshall’s Advanced Manufacturing Center, the Southern West Virginia Brownfield’s Center, the Center for Environmental, Geotechnical, and Applied Sciences, Marshall’s Sustainability Department and the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia will encompass Dennison’s research team.

“I cannot think of a better person to lead this team than Brandon,” Marshall University President Brad Smith said. “As a nationally renowned social enterprise expert and a son of southern West Virginia, he brings his unparalleled passion, intense energy and knowledge of Appalachia to this post. We are thrilled that he is joining our Marshall community.”

Read more:

https://wvmetronews.com/2023/06/24/marshall-university-appoints-new-vice-president-of-economic-and-workforce-development/

#2 – From WCHS-TV – The West Virginia Ascend program launched just two years ago is adding the New River Gorge region to its options for relocation.

The program pays remote workers from other states to relocate to West Virginia. Ascend participants already have settled in the Greenbrier Valley, the Eastern Panhandle, Morgantown and Elkins.

West Virginia Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said the program has already brought in 300 new West Virginia residents.

“When we launched we got close to 10,000 applications instantly," Ruby said. "Since then, we’ve continued to see them come in, so it’s just been a great response to see people around the country and literally around the world saying I want to move there. That’s a place I want to be.”

Learn more at www.ascendwv.com.

Read more:

https://wchstv.com/news/local/program-that-pays-remote-workers-to-come-to-wva-will-now-include-the-new-river-gorge#

#3 – From WV EXPLORER – Hidden in a small wooded valley within the busy municipality of Morgantown, the historic steam-powered Easton Roller Mill roars to life on summer Sundays, attracting the attention of all who enjoy gears and pulleys.

The mill, which served as a grist mill and lumber mill, was restored by the Monongalia County Historical Society, which sponsors tours of the building on the last Sunday of June, July, August, and September.

An expert engineer demonstrates the mill machinery on the guided, free, half-hour tours. 

Dick Walters, president of the Historical Society, said members worked to renovate the mill that last operated in 1970.

“You can now observe the mill engine turn wheels and connecting belts, which power the grist stone, corn crusher, roller mills, and elevators that carry the product from floor to floor during grinding and processing,” Walters said. Construction on the mill began in 1864 and was completed in 1867.

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2023/06/21/easton-roller-mill-morgantown-west-virginia/

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Tuesday, June 27 

A family’s passion for the rails spans generations on Cass Scenic Railroad trip…Mon Forest officials are seeking WV-themed Christmas tree skirts for the U.S. Capitol display… and Theatre West Virginia is back, with a new production and refurbishments to the stage…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From THE WHEELING INTELLIGENCER – There’s something quite magical about an old steam train chugging along the mountainous terrain deep in the hills of West Virginia. For all those folks young and old who have grown up with a fascination for trains, a trip to Cass, West Virginia is just the ticket.

The author’s dad was one of those guys who loved trains. So in 1964 when she was just a youngster, her  parents and family friends piled their respective children and picnic lunches into two station wagons and headed south to the Cass Scenic Railroad in Pocahontas County.

Twenty years later she returns to Cass, this time with her husband, their son and her husband’s parents. Turns out her father-in-law also had a love of trains and passed that interest onto his own two sons. 

One of his last wishes was to ride in a steam engine so the family planned the trip in early fall when a chill was in the air and the colors of the season did not disappoint.

Read more:

https://www.theintelligencer.net/life/features/2023/06/fathers-sons-and-grandsons-share-passion-for-the-rails/

#2 – From WV EXPLORER – The U.S. Capitol is going wild and wonderful this Christmas as West Virginia comes to the fore as the nation's forest and outdoor recreation wonderland.

In addition to providing the 70- to 80-foot tree that will be displayed on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol this holiday season, smaller trees are also being provided to federal offices in Washington, D.C., along with ornaments and tree skirts that celebrate the Mountain State.

Officials at the Monongahela National Forest are seeking assistance from groups and individuals to help provide some of the dozens of tree skirts that will be needed as part of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative.

Suggested themes for the tree skirts include iconic West Virginia locales, native wildlife, famous West Virginians, outdoor recreation, West Virginia culture and more.

This year’s theme for the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree is “Endlessly Wild and Wonderful.”

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2023/05/24/west-virginia-u-s-capitol-monongahela-christmas/

#3 – From THE REGISTER-HERALD  – Theatre West Virginia has announced its 2023 season lineup, including the longtime favorite “Hatfields & McCoys” and, new this year, “Rocket Boys,” the original Homer Hickman musical from 2008.

The cast and crew of nearly 50 people met for the first time recently amid a flurry of activity ranging from vocal auditions to costume and set checks to needed maintenance and repairs.

The stage has been resurfaced, the back “cyc” has been redone, the top towers refinished along with additional work to the “Hatfields & McCoys” houses.

Working collaboratively with the superintendent of the National Park Service is a top priority, said Theatre West Virginia’s General Manager Gayle Oaks. 

“The Park Service updated our bathrooms, and they are amazing,” she said.

Read more:

https://www.register-herald.com/news/life/theatre-west-virginia-redux-plotting-a-future-while-trying-to-recreate-enthusiasm-of-the-past/article_ccf048e0-0632-11ee-b179-975107c8b841.html

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Monday, June 26 

Looking to become a solopreneur? 3 Steps to Startup has some tips…WV artist Melissa Duty aims to lift the spirit with her public art projects…and discover West Virginia’s best arts communities…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From 3 STEPS TO STARTUP –  In recent years, more and more people have opted to become self-employed and work as solopreneurs. While self-employment offers many advantages, it also presents unique challenges that can impact a solopreneur’s ability to get things done. 

3 Steps to Startup offers advice to those starting out and addresses how the West Virginia Capital Access Program (WVCAP) can give you a head start toward success as a solopreneur.

Learn more:

https://3steps2startup.com/2023/05/09/going-solo-how-to-be-a-solopreneur-that-actually-gets-things-done/ 

#2 – From SHINE ON, WV – Visual Artist Melissa Doty was never professionally trained, but that didn't stop her from creating some of the most positive and uplifting pieces of visual art! Living in Charleston, WV, she's had the opportunity to helm a lot of public art projects as well as building an international social media following for her bright colors, geometric shapes, and artistic eye.

Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FePIIbJTZww&feature=youtu.be

#3 – From WV EXPLORER – What makes for a good arts community? According to John Villani, the author of “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America,” good arts communities are those in which affordable housing, entrepreneurial spirit, and the availability of arts venues—such as galleries and coffeehouses—are reversing economic downturn.

“In places that got their start as agricultural crossroads, lakeside retreats, mining towns, and fishing villages," Villani writes, "local artists and business owners have transformed off-the-beaten-path hamlets into vibrant art towns.”

Six West Virginia communities have been certified by the W.Va. Division of Culture & History as qualified arts communities—Elkins, Wheeling, Lewisburg, and Berkeley Springs and the counties of Wood (including Vienna, Parkersburg, and Williamstown) and Mercer (including Athens, Bluefield, and Princeton).

These certified communities have fulfilled state requirements by providing a list of schools and organizations that make annual funding applications to the W.Va. Commission on the Arts and by describing the activities of their local arts councils and their methods of coordinating cultural planning and involving artists in civic projects.

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2023/06/17/west-virginia-arts-communities/

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Sunday, June 25 

Tudor’s Biscuit World remains a staple of Appalachian cuisine and beyond…Make your fall plans now! The 2023 dates for Gauley Season have been released. WV’s richest man, Marshall University President Brad D. Smith reflects on giving back to his home state…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From WV EXPLORER – Known for its made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches, Tudor’s Biscuit World has been a staple of Appalachian cuisine since it first opened and is one of the only fast-food chains of its size to originate in West Virginia.

Elizabeth Epling, the marketing director for Tudor's, shared some facts about the growing chain, including that, in total, Tudor’s has 74 locations, with its 75th opening soon in Inwood, West Virginia, spanning from the Northern Panhandle to the most southern part of the Mountain State.

John Tudor, the son of founders Bill and Mae Tudor, operates most of the Huntington locations, and his son, Pat, owns a location in Lexington, Kentucky.

And have you ever wondered about the names of the biscuits? Many of them are named after regular customers of the original Tudor’s Biscuit World, including the Ron, Dottie, and Tootie.

“When someone comes in every day, you tend to get to know that person on a first-name basis, so after a while, when Ron would come in every day for his sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit, it became second nature for the person working at the counter to say, ‘Give me a Ron’ rather than a sausage, egg, and cheese,” Epling says.

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2023/06/14/tudors-biscuit-world-west-virginia-surprising-facts/

#2 – From HERALD-DISPATCH – Every September and October, West Virginia’s Gauley River features the world’s best whitewater.

During this time, the Summersville Dam is drawn down at 2,800 cubic feet per second by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to create close to 100 rapids, including nine Class V rapids in 26 miles.

Gauley Season 2023 release dates are Sept. 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, and Oct. 6-8, 14-15 and 21-22.

“Gauley Season is pure excitement in the whitewater rafting world,” said Roger Wilson, CEO of Adventures on the Gorge. “Rafters from all over know exactly what to expect, and they are already letting us know they will be in town for an unsurpassed experience.”

Read more:

https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/dates-out-for-whitewater-rafting-on-the-gauley-river/article_47bb7aeb-4dc9-53b7-83a5-e2c7fb679507.html

#3 – From MSN – Brad Smith was six years old when a plane carrying the 1970 Marshall University football team crashed a mile from his home near campus in southern West Virginia, killing all 75 people on board. His cousins rushed to aid their dying neighbors as volunteer firefighters. “I watched the flames burn outside my window,” Smith remembers. “And then I watched this community rise from the ashes.”

Smith decided to take the country roads back home to West Virginia, the place he belongs—and into the President’s House at Marshall, his alma mater, which he took over in January 2022. He brought back with him a sizable fortune, accumulated over nearly four decades in business. According to Forbes’ ranking of the richest person in each state, he’s West Virginia’s wealthiest resident, worth $700 million.

The former Intuit CEO, together with his wife Alys, founded Ascend West Virginia, the remote worker program that provides financial incentives and outdoor recreation opportunities to recruit young professionals to move to West Virginia. 

Read more:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/how-marshall-university-president-brad-smith-became-west-virginia-s-richest-person/ar-AA1czX2x

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Saturday, June 24 

Get your tickets now for Mountain Stage’s first show in Clarksburg…a Princeton couple tours all 55 counties in Almost Heaven…and the Advantage Valley is taking flight--literally--with an influx of aviation programs…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From WBOY– Mountain Stage is coming to Clarksburg for the first time in its nearly 40-year-old history this August 

The show is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center and will feature Tony Trischka’s EarlJam, Jason Carter Band, The Watson Twins and others. The show is hosted by Kathy Mattea and broadcast to more than 280 radio stations across the world.

Visit www.mountainstage.org for ticketing information.

Read more:

https://www.wboy.com/news/harrison/the-mountain-stage-music-show-is-coming-to-clarksburg-for-the-first-time/?&es_id=3e24fb2bf4

 #2 – From THE REAL WV – Four years ago, Jim & Judy Holland took a drive. They had extra time and wanted to explore after doing some work on their house. They drove through several counties in southern West Virginia that day. Mesmerized by what they saw in their own backyard, they decided, “Let’s visit every county in the state!” 

Their plan was simple: 1) Visit every county, 2) take a picture of each courthouse & 3) visit an attraction at each stop. Most of the time, they made day trips in order to be back home each night and ready for the next day. Judy created a map which guided their adventures. Every time they visited a county, she colored it in to show their progress.

And after taking their first trip in September 2019, they completed their mission by visiting their 55th county (Jefferson) in May 2023. 

The couple recommended their favorite local eats as well as scenic places to visit. 

“This state is beautiful! Before you spend a penny, spend time here in your own state,” Judy Holland said. “Lost River State Park in Hardy County is an amazing hike. Cranny Crow Overlook allows you to see Virginia and West Virginia at one spot. I also recommend Valley Falls in Marion County. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Read more:

https://therealwv.com/2023/06/15/princeton-couple-visits-all-55-counties-in-west-virginia/

#3 – From LIVABILITY – The aerospace/aviation sector is taking flight in Advantage Valley as the region creates more forward-thinking jobs for the up-and-coming workforce.

Companies in this Huntington-Charleston metro area comprise a critical link in West Virginia’s aviation and aerospace supply chain that includes suppliers such as Constellium, Star Technologies, Level 1 Fasteners, Oerlikon Metco and Carbon Fiber Composites. These companies are producing brackets and precision clamping devices for jet engines, creating solutions to increase engine fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, and specialty fasteners, including studs, screws, nuts and bolts for the aerospace industry.

“We have a cluster of companies that support the aerospace/aviation sector, and that’s a growing aspect of our economy,” says Terrell Ellis, executive director of Advantage Valley, the economic development organization working to grow and create jobs in the nine-county region. 

“We have roughly two times the national average of workers in those clusters with the skills to produce component parts for the aviation sector,” Ellis says. “Aviation/ aerospace is a growing sector for us.”

Read more:

https://livability.com/wv/charleston/education-careers-opportunity/advantage-valley-wv-is-ready-for-take-off/

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Friday, June 23 

Charleston throws a lot of shade, according to its new title of “America’s Leafiest Capital City”...researchers at WVU explore farm-to-fiber fashion with wool production…and Ascend WV welcomes the New River Gorge area to its remote worker program--#YesWV…on today’s daily304. 

#1 – From LOOTPRESS – When we say Charleston throws a lot of shade, we mean that as a good thing! The city recently earned itself the title of “America’s Leafiest Capital City.”

Nearmap, a leading location intelligence and aerial imagery solutions provider, released a first-of-its-kind report, America’s Top 25 Leafiest Capital Cities, The report identified the top 25 leafiest capital cities and their percentage of total residential tree coverage.

Charleston (West Virginia) took first place with 74.7% tree coverage.

“The volume of tree cover can have a significant impact on public health and safety, from preventing overheating, improving environmental health, and mental and physical health benefits,” said Tony Agresta, Executive Vice President and General Manager of North America at Nearmap. 

“Beyond that, the insights gleaned from this data can be used by insurers, construction companies and local governments to create tangible change in their communities, in addition to tracking progress in the creation of greener cities, reducing natural disaster risk and progressing urban development.”

Read more:

https://www.lootpress.com/charleston-named-leafiest-capital-city-in-america/?fbclid=IwAR15Xn0T8ZwQ4B4qMqODF9bpjgZOYN9K_5DQdOzTPzidFIfayrhw1vx7TGI

#2 – From WV EXPLORER – Wool production has declined in  West Virginia, but researchers at West Virginia University are exploring new ways to support the state's sheep farmers and wool producers.

Jordon Masters, a WVU research assistant, is leading the effort to promote farm-to-fiber production in the Mountain State with the goal of adding value to wool with grant funding from Fibershed, a nonprofit that develops regional fiber systems.

“I think it is important to promote farm-to-fiber and farm-to-fashion for West Virginia farmers,” Masters said. “Too often, West Virginia farmers have been left behind, and, hopefully, the work through this grant will help to end that.”

Masters aims to create a kind of micro-mill to help West Virginia producers process their wool more effectively and shorten the supply chain.

The micro-mill suite will allow farmers to process the fiber themselves, adding value to the fibers they sell by creating many different products, such as garments, accessories, and carpentry fiber.

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2023/06/09/wvu-wool-micro-mills-sheep-west-virginia/

#3 – From WVU TODAY – Ascend West Virginia, the nation’s premier talent attraction and retention program, has announced its addition of the New River Gorge community to the program.

Founded by West Virginia native Brad D. Smith and his wife Alys, Ascend WV will welcome a new group of adventurers to the state’s New River Gorge region, home to the country’s newest national park, offering them more than $20,000 in incentives — and a path to making “Almost Heaven” home. New River Gorge joins a lineup of other communities that have welcomed nearly 300 new West Virginians while maintaining a 98% retention rate.

The program offers a $12,000 cash relocation incentive and a year of free outdoor recreation including whitewater rafting and skiing. Remote workers also will have the opportunity to earn remote work certifications through West Virginia University and access to the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Visit www.ascendwv.com to learn more and submit an application.

Read more:

https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/stories/2023/06/20/ascend-announcement

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

It is no surprise that a state as beautiful as West Virginia is celebrated in four different state songs with lyrics that sing about the mountainous beauty, warm friendships and sense of community that abound. Each song has a different story about how it became official, taking country roads through the West Virginia hills to arrive at a place that is home.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is THURSDAY, June 22 

West Virginia native Christian Lopez sets his new video in an old familiar place…the state makes a $50 million investment in WVU Cancer Institute…and at Mountwest College, students can earn a paycheck while studying in their field--#YesWV…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From ROLLING STONE –  Christian Lopez recorded his just-released album “Magdalena” in self-imposed exile in a remote corner of New Mexico. But for his new video “Harpers Ferry,” the singer-songwriter-guitarist went home again.

A West Virginia native, Lopez would frequently visit nearby Harpers Ferry, a historic site in the U.S. Civil War and beyond, as a kid. When he returns now, for a video directed by his frequent collaborator Steve Jawn, Lopez has an evolved perspective on Harpers Ferry’s innate beauty. 

“I wrote this song about when I would bring my new wife to Harpers Ferry and how I’d witness her fall in love with it,” he said. “It was like me falling in love with it all over again. The feeling that Harpers Ferry gives you is one you wish you could carry around at all times.”

Catch Lopez on tour this summer and watch the new video at Rolling Stone magazine.

Read more:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/christian-lopez-harpers-ferry-magdalena-album-1234767787/

#2 – From WDTV –  Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia University academic and healthcare leaders last week to announce a large state investment for the WVU Cancer Institute.

The $50 million investment helps in the pursuit of earning an official National Cancer Institute designation. The funding will be used for comprehensive research programs, faculty and facilities that will directly lead to innovative approaches in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment for all West Virginians.

“Our goal is to place the WVU Cancer Institute in the top 2% of cancer centers nationwide, which will improve the health and wellness of the people in our state, particularly in southern West Virginia, by reducing cancer occurrence rates and increasing cancer survival,” WVU President Gordon Gee said.

Read more:

https://www.wdtv.com/2023/06/15/gov-justice-announces-50m-state-investment-wvu-cancer-institute/

#3 – From LIVABILITY – Students at Mountwest Community and Technical College in Huntington can earn a living while also earning a degree via on-the-job training initiatives. Through partnerships with C.J. Hughes Construction Co. and the IT managed service provider Ntiva, Mountwest is offering two new programs that simultaneously offer both an education and a vocation.

“You’re getting your college degree by working for the folks who are also paying you to be in the program,” says Mountwest Director of Communications & Marketing Matt Crutchfield. “These are really great partnerships.”

Learn more about Mountwest Community and Technical College at www.mctc.edu.

Read more:

https://livability.com/wv/charleston/education-careers-opportunity/earn-a-living-while-earning-a-degree-in-huntington-wv/

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Tucked away inside one of West Virginia's beautiful mountains is where you'll find Hernshaw Farms. They use the Memorial Tunnel along the West Virginia Turnpike to grow a large variety of mushrooms. We talk to them about how they supply local restaurants with gourmet mushrooms and give people across the country to grow their own delicious varieties at home.

Learn more: https://hernshawfarms.com/

Of the 29 state turnpikes in the nation, West Virginia’s was the 8th to be completed when it opened in 1954.  It had a honeymoon period before the Interstate system change everything, and Turnpike became inadequate and dangerous for drivers used to four-lane modern highways. But the wheels of change came to the Turnpike and today it completes the dream of connections to the Great Lakes and Florida.