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

Today is Tuesday, March 14 

Looking for a new career in Almost Heaven? Morgan County hosts a job fair on March 23…Gov. Justice signs a historic income tax cut bill…and Toyota WV awards a grant to support RCBI’s intern scholarship…on today’s daily304.

 #1 – From BERKELEY SPRINGS-MORGAN COUNTY CHAMBER – Looking for work in the Eastern Panhandle? Or perhaps you’re a business seeking employees. Make plans to attend a Job Recruitment Fair on Thursday, March 23 at Cacapon Resort State Park.

The event, hosted by the Berkeley Springs-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, will include seminars, an area for on-the-spot interviews, and of course many tables filled with employers looking for their next best employee. 

The event is free to all local businesses. Please register if you would like to be a sponsor.

Learn more:

https://www.berkeleyspringschamber.com/events-1/morgan-county-job-recruitment-fair

#2 – From WLOX – What’s being hailed as the largest income tax cut in state history is now becoming reality. Gov. Jim Justice has signed a bill to cut the income tax by just over 21%. The tax cut is expected to put more than $750 million back in West Virginians’ pockets.

The governor says this will help bring more people to the state. 

Watch the video:

https://www.wlox.com/video/2023/03/07/gov-justice-signs-largest-tax-cut-west-virginia-history-into-law/

#3 – From RCBI – Toyota West Virginia has awarded a $5,000 grant to The Robert C. Byrd Institute to enhance RCBI’s Engineering-Entrepreneurial Services Internship Program.

During a two-semester internship at RCBI, one engineering student will receive a $2,500 stipend each semester as the intern provides design, engineering, prototyping and manufacturing assistance to industry clients and entrepreneurs.

Working alongside RCBI engineers and technicians, the intern will gain a better understanding of the inner workings of business startups, product development workflow, Design Thinking methodology, 3D printing techniques and computer-aided design technology.

For more information on RCBI’s Engineering-Entrepreneurial Services Internship Program or to apply, contact Derek Scarbro, RCBI deputy director, at [email protected] or 304-781-1684.

Read more:

https://www.rcbi.org/toyota-award-to-support-rcbi-engineering-internship/

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.

A delightful and special gem in Weston, the American Glass Museum of West Virginia is filled with amazing pieces of glass and a story behind each one! The idea behind it is to preserve the history of the glass industry in the Mountain State and today's talk include details about their glass dollhouse that stands 9 feet tall. 

You can find out more information here: http://www.magwv.com/

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

Today is Monday, March 13 

Procter & Gamble manufacturing company thrives in Berkeley County…find a great spot for stargazing in Almost Heaven…and Marshall President Brad Smith shares what brought him home and how he hopes to give back to the community…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From BERKELEY CO DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – Procter & Gamble is a Cincinnati-based manufacturing company that opened its doors in Berkeley County in September 2015. The facility hosts household brands like Pampers, Downy, Bounty, and many more. 

P & G is dedicated to making peoples’ lives better in small, meaningful ways. Their care for people derives from the standard of consideration they have for their employees. “This is the first place I have ever worked where I feel like I actually have a voice. You’re respected here. The diversity here is awesome, it is a very inclusive environment,” says Brooke, a dedicated employee. 

The benefits of having P & G in Berkeley County are two-fold. P & G creates jobs for the local workers and the company can recruit and retain qualified talent while also receiving the added benefits that the location and community have to offer. 

Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpQg1rVR2Ic

#2 – From WOWK-TV – West Virginia is full of exceptional beauty with its mountains, rivers, and greenery, and if you look up at the nighttime sky, it is just as beautiful. There are several places across the Mountain State that provide wonderful views of the stars, the moon, the Milky Way and more.

If you are an astronomy lover or you are just looking for a nighttime adventure, check out some great viewing places, including Watoga State Park, Calhoun County Park, Camp Virgil Tate and Green Bank Observatory.

You can even try nighttime ziplining in the New River Gorge!

Read more:

https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/places-to-go-stargazing-in-west-virginia/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR0zxCY9y2alMwY-HO99jcpqxMTNvS12luestPEgC0wF7RaFhca0ml6Irus

#3 – From WV EXECUTIVE – For Brad Smith, home is where the heart is, and his heart has always been among the hills of Appalachia.

Smith grew up in the small town of Kenova and was raised on southern hospitality, a humble attitude and a deeply rooted sense of honesty that he says is unique to the Appalachian people.

“I had an idyllic childhood—two wonderful parents and two brothers—and I’ve had friends that have lasted a lifetime. I couldn’t have wished for a better upbringing,” he says. “Integrity is a true West Virginia trait. We still do business on a handshake, and we mean what we say.”

With a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Marshall University and a master’s in management from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI, Smith began working for global technology platform Intuit in 2003. Quickly working his way up the corporate ladder through his home-grown integrity and keen communication skills, Smith was named CEO of the company in 2008, where he served in this position for an entire decade.

While Smith accrued great success in Silicon Valley, his heart never left West Virginia, and today he serves as the 38th president of his alma mater, Marshall University. 

Among his accomplishments, Smith, along with his wife, Alys, co-founded the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, an initiative that launched in 2021 with the goal of cultivating the abundance of untouched and unrecognized potential that resides in the Mountain State. 

Read more:

https://wvexecutive.com/accelerating-education/

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, March 12

Have you heard about the time they knocked a hole in the Cheat River? This strange tale was reported in an 1885 edition of the Weston Democrat…Learn about the numerous higher ed opportunities in Advantage Valley, #YesWV…and mark your calendars for Oct. 21--that’s the 2023 date for Bridge Day…on today’s daily304.

 #1 – From WV EXPLORER – A lot of crazy things have happened in West Virginia, but the day they knocked the hole in the Cheat River is one of the more bizarre. While some historians have questioned the story’s authenticity, an eyewitness account was reported in the Nov. 14, 1885 edition of the Weston Democrat.

About 15 miles north of Kingwood, a great limestone boulder weighing an estimated 324 tons sat on top of the mountain, supported only by a large oak. Some men, for reasons unknown, decided to cut down that tree, which sent the boulder plummeting down the mountain to land in the Cheat River.

“But instead of seeing the rock, we saw the water rushing from every direction down into a huge hole probably 30 feet square. During the half-hour we stood there, not less than 10 saw logs were drawn into the hole and disappeared,” the eyewitness said.

It was speculated that a cave extended under the river and the weight of the immense rock coming down with such force and rapidity caused the roof to give away. 

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2017/09/18/day-knocked-hole-cheat-river-west-virginia/

#2 – From LIVABILITY – Are you preparing for college or planning to go back to school for another degree? There’s no better place to study than West Virginia’s Advantage Valley.

Top institutions and universities help to train the Advantage Valley region’s present and future workforces. Those include state universities, private colleges and community and technical colleges. 

From West Virginia University in the north to Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in the south, these top learning institutions offer everything from two-year degrees to graduate college, in a variety of fields including aviation, biomedical engineering, agribusiness and the arts.

Learn more:

https://livability.com/wv/charleston/education-careers-opportunity/8-colleges-and-universities-in-advantage-valley-wv/

#3 – From WVNS-TV – After a triumphant return in 2022 following a two-year hiatus, Bridge Day is back again in 2023. The date has been set for October 21, 2023. 

The event will include known favorites and staples like the titular Bridge Day BASE Jump itself, along with others including a 5K race, Bridge Walk guided tours, and whitewater rafting. Events take place in the beautiful New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. 

For details, visit OfficialBridgeDay.com.

Read more:

https://www.wvnstv.com/outdoor-sports/bridge-day-2023-announced-registration-opens-soon/

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, March 11

From historical attractions to incredible scenery, here’s a bucket list for your WV travels…a battery storage manufacturing facility in Jackson County is expected to create 100 new jobs--#YesWV!…and spring is hopping at WV State Parks--check out some of the exciting activities taking place…on today’s daily304.

 #1 – From THE TRAVEL – Planning a visit to West Virginia? Or perhaps you’re already a Mountain State resident and just want to get out to see some other parts of the state. From incredible scenery to historical landmarks to quirky attractions, here are a few places you might want to check out.

For the avid outdoorsman (or woman!), there’s the Monongahela National Forest, where you can hike, bike, and fish while soaking in the region’s natural beauty. 

History lovers will want to add the State Farm Museum and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to their bucket list.

Head to Charleston to tour the State Capitol Complex, catch a Mountain Stage Show or, during the summer months, take in a Live on the Levee show at Haddad Riverfront Park.

See the rest of the list at The Travel … and visit www.wvtourism.com for help in planning your visit in Almost Heaven!

Read more:

https://www.thetravel.com/famous-landmarks-in-west-virginia/#monongahela-national-forest

#2 – From WCHS-TV – Michigan-based Our Next Energy has entered an agreement with the state to locate a battery storage system manufacturing facility in Jackson County.

Our Next Energy is expected to use a 40,000 square foot industrial building at the Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables site in Ravenswood. The company will build a lithium iron phosphate utility-scale battery system that can serve as long-duration energy storage in partnership with BHE Renewables. 

“We’re welcoming ONE to West Virginia with open arms, and we’re continuing to celebrate our ability to compete and attract world-class businesses to our great state,” Gov. Jim Justice said.

ONE expects the manufacturing facility to be operational in 2025, with hiring to start in 2024. The facility is expected to create more than 100 new jobs.

Read more:

https://wchstv.com/news/local/energy-storage-company-announces-location-in-jackson-county-wva

#3 – From WV NEWS – The spring equinox arrives later this month, and state parks in North Central West Virginia are preparing for the new season and adding events to the calendar.

“West Virginia’s 35 state parks and nine forests account for 1.5 million acres of the state, meaning no matter where you find yourself in Almost Heaven, there’s likely one nearby,” said Lauren Hough, public relations manager of the West Virginia Department of Tourism.

There are no entry fees to these parks and a majority of them host community events throughout the year too. Upcoming events include Green Day hikes at Tygart Lake and many other parks throughout West Virginia. Stonewall Resort hosts the Appalachian Dinner Series showcasing regional producers. And Prickett’s Fort hosts a variety of activities this spring, from School of the Longhunter to Wood Duck Day.

For more park activities, visit www.wvstateparks.com and click on Events + Calendar. And don’t forget to share your adventures on social media using #wvstateparks and #almostheaven!

Read more:

https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/west-virginias-state-parks-prepare-for-spring-season/article_af78a356-ba9d-11ed-bc76-7f43e9754452.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 Friday, March 10 

Music, more music and Mothman--what a combo! Reserve your tickets now for Mountain Music Festival in the New River Gorge and Mountain State in Charleston…and how much do you know about Mothman? Here are three facts that might surprise you…on today’s daily304.

 #1 – From ACE ADVENTURE RESORT – Get your tickets now for Mountain Music Festival, June 1-3 at ACE Adventure Resort in the beautiful New River Gorge. The exciting lineup includes Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sierra Hull and many more.

Mountaintop camping is available and the water park will be open for you to cool off from all that dancing!

Learn more:

https://mountainmusicfestwv.com/

#2 – From MountainStage – Be a part of the live audience as Mountain Stage records a fresh episode for NPR Music with host Kathy Mattea. The March 19 show takes place at the Culture Center Theater at the State Capitol Complex. The lineup includes Darlingside, Alton, Royal Wood and more! Reserve your spot today!

Learn more:

https://mountainstage.org/event/darlingside/

#3 – From WV Explorer – America's quintessential Atomic Age monster, Mothman continues to attract attention in the Ohio Valley, so much so that more than 25,000 visitors attended the annual Mothman Festival in 2022, and far more are expected at the three-day 2023 event in September.

As much as people might know or suspect about the legendary beast, which made its first recorded appearance in 1966, three critical details about its alleged history and habitation are not always considered, says Denny Bellamy, director of the Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For instance, did you know the first Mothman sighting occurred in Clendenin? Reports of a flying humanoid came first along the Elk River near the Elk River Trail.

“I don’t know why it migrated [to Point Pleasant], but I suppose it had something to do with the ordnance factory. Something must have been going on there, and something must still be going on,” Bellamy said.

Read on for more interesting facts about Mothman, and plan a trip to the Mothman Museum to learn more.

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2023/02/28/three-facts-mothman-point-pleasant-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 Thursday, March 9 

Basking in the success of its first satellite launch, WVU preps for launching the state’s second small satellite. Learn why #YesWV is the ideal location for the aerospace industry. And Touchstone Research Laboratories’ founder shares his strategy of “failing fast”...on today’s daily304.

 #1 – From WVU – West Virginia is now on its way toward launching the state’s second small satellite. A team from West Virginia University and the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium is poised to turn that achievement into a massive boost for the aerospace industry statewide by taking the first steps toward opening the West Virginia Small Satellite Center of Excellence.

The SmallSat Center will work with businesses and other organizations to develop West Virginia’s second small satellite and to help those partners offer services and products to clients who want to fly experiments out to low orbit. 

West Virginia’s first small satellite, STF-1, launched from New Zealand in 2018 and vastly exceeded the usual three-month lifespan for a SmallSat. It’s still up there, transmitting from outer space, more than 1,300 days later. 

Candy Cordwell, assistant director of the Space Grant Consortium, and Majid Jaridi, former director, envisioned the next SmallSat kickstarting and sustaining an entire industry for aerospace research, products and services in West Virginia.

Read more:

https://media.statler.wvu.edu/news/2022/08/22/west-virginia-aerospace-industry-set-to-take-off-with-launch-of-wvu-small-satellite-center

#2 – From WV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – The aerospace industry is a dynamic, emerging economic sector in West Virginia. From up-and-coming high-tech innovators to established titans of the industry, the state’s growing cluster of aerospace companies is fueled by an array of advantages.

If you are considering moving or opening an aerospace company in #YesWV, you’ll find it an ideal location.

West Virginia is within a day’s drive of 34% of the top domestic purchasing sectors of aerospace products and national defense contractors, corporations and federal agencies. Additionally, the state is in close proximity to original equipment manufacturers based in the South, including Boeing, AirBus, Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream.

Learn more:

https://westvirginia.gov/industries/aerospace/

#3 – From THE DAILY 304 – Creating real, innovative, and state-of-the-art materials while also taking advantage of West Virginia’s best and brightest is just one thing on Brian Joseph’s list of things to do. Joseph, President and CEO of Touchstone Research Laboratories, likes to “fail fast” as he invents new materials, then creates businesses to support those inventions. Joseph is an innovator and entrepreneur who maximizes efficiency in product and business by putting the right people in the right place at the right time. 

“All innovation comes from, ‘I have an idea, and then I make something, and then I test that.’ And then it gives me another idea. Most of the time is not spent on trying to solve the problem, most of the time is spent on running the experiments, building the things to know if it works,” Joseph said. “So, the trick is to do that fast. You do that fast you’re going to beat everybody and that’s what this area has. This area has people that can make anything really quick.”

Watch the interview on Innovators and Entrepreneurs, a bi-weekly segment of the daily304 that features discussions and wisdom from West Virginians who have built their companies and launched new ideas here in the Mountain State. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgeXoLmuFQ8

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.

Just as Lewis & Clark trekked across the continent, so, too, did Colonial America have teams of explorers who charted the interior of a nation that existed mostly along the Atlantic Coast. Abraham Wood was a fur trader seeking to expand his trading post, so he was joined by Edward Bland to be the first team to explore Virginia’s mountains and valleys.  Wood dispatched two more teams, and they were the first European settlers to see what is now West Virginia. 

What Makes You Wonderful is wearing and apron and learning how to eat healthy and save a little money in this weeks episode. Executive Chef Stephen Gustard is offering an number of culinary demo classes though June. Whether you're interested in stocks and soups or cocktails or canning, these classes have something for everyone. You can find out more information here: https://www.tamarackwv.com/events/

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

Today is Wednesday, March 8 

Clay County’s newly renovated rail to trail prepares to reopen…WV BusinessLink’s program coordinator shares how the platform helps startups…and WV’s 2023 elk herd is looking strong and healthy, wildlife officials say…on today’s daily304.

 #1 – From CLAY COUNTY FREE PRESS –  There have been many stories already written on the rail to trail that stretches from Dundon to just above Adair; it is a wonderful way to get out and explore Clay County by jitney or rail bike.

But heavy rains and flooding eventually took their toll and the BC&G rail excursion had to shut down operations in the last couple of years due to much needed track maintenance.   

FEMA stepped in, and a crew came in and reworked the failing track, rebuilt the trusses, replaced thousands of cross ties and made the line a new trail that the county can be proud of. The trail is now extended to a 28 mile round trip excursion through a time when only story keepers and moldy books can remember what was there. 

The renovated track will become part of the state park system later on this year. Proposals are now coming in from different companies that will operate the rail line, so stay tuned!

Read more:

https://claycountyfreepress.com/news/cc-top-stories/newly-renovated-rail-trail-to-open-soon/

#2 – From POSITIVELY WV – Podcast host Jim Matuga sits down with Mark Burdette, program coordinator at West Virginia BusinessLink. 

West Virginia BusinessLink, based out of Charleston, is a supportive platform that connects entrepreneurs and small business owners to a network of local, regional, and statewide resource partners to foster innovation, growth, and prosperity.

“You have to learn to adapt,” Burdette said. “If you don’t learn how to do that, you’re well on your way to being either out of business or you’ve got your competition nipping at your heels because they’re catching up fast.

Learn more about how West Virginia BusinessLink helps people start and grow their businesses.

Listen to the podcast:

https://positivelywv.com/wv-businesslink-empowering-entrepreneurs-to-realize-their-dreams/

#3 – From METRO NEWS – As West Virginia’s elk herd slowly grows, the number of animals will eventually eclipse what the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources can accurately keep tabs on. 

In fact, there’s evidence that may already be happening.

“Actually we’ve handled two different young bulls apparently we missed back about 2019 or so,” Elk Project Leader Randy Kelley said.

Each year the DNR works up as many of the elk as they can on the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area to keep close tabs on them during the year. The analysis can help determine if the elk are from West Virginia or elsewhere. Neighboring Virginia has a growing herd of elk as well, but so far, those haven’t been as prevalent in West Virginia as the Kentucky herd.

Eventually, the three states expect to establish what the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has previously called the Appalachian Elk Herd. The goal is to have them ranging someday through all three states.

Along with the DNA work being done in partnership with WVU, Kelley said they are also starting to get new technology which is helping with the management like tests which can determine if cows are pregnant at the time they work with them and testing for some dreaded diseases like brain worm.

Read more:

https://wvmetronews.com/2023/02/21/w-va-elk-look-strong-and-healthy-in-2023-wellness-checks/

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.