The former Weston Hospital had capacity to provide for up to 2,000 mental health patients until it closed in 1994. This National Historic Landmark remained quiet until 2007, when a contractor purchased it for $1.5 million. The new owners recently decided to market the location by its pre-Civil War name, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
That [...]

Posted in Culture, Tourism, West Virginia 5 Comments »

Food is not usually discussed on this site, but today is an exception, as the story of Maggie’s Salsa demonstrates how an entrepreneurial spirit and the right opportunity can lead to business success in West Virginia.
Growing up in Mexico, Magdalena De La Cruz Cook-Garcia (a.k.a. “Maggie”) learned to prepare meals for a large family, but [...]

Posted in Business, Media, West Virginia 5 Comments »

There’s nothing like a good competition to bring out the best in people. In this case, it’s not about sports, but education. Though there won’t be any fake punts or last second shots, the prize is exciting, as the West Virginia Scholar Program winner will benefit for the rest of their life.
High school juniors in the state have until April 15 [...]

Posted in Education, West Virginia No Comments »

The 31st annual Appalachian Studies Conference will be held March 28-30 on the campus of Marshall University. Scholars and citizens from across the region will discuss activism, arts, diversity, economy & power, education, film, identity, and history.
The conference program features over 100 concurrent sessions, such as “Appalachian Identity: Existence, History & Communications,” “Women & Appalachia,” [...]

Posted in Culture, Education, Media, West Virginia 2 Comments »

It’s Entrepreneurship Week West Virginia, and from Feb. 23-29, numerous events will be taking place across the state, providing current and prospective business owners with several free training and networking opportunities. The schedule of events include the WVU Entrepreneurship Film Festival, Entrepreneurship Day at the Capitol, in addition to several marketing, finance, and business development [...]

Posted in Business, Economy, Government, West Virginia 2 Comments »

The West Virginia Legislature is seven days into its 60-day regular session. The Capitol chambers, halls, and committee rooms are filled with the sound of lawmakers, citizens, and lobbyists. Most everyone has an agenda, and although it’s not perfect, democracy in action is much better than the hopelessness within tyrannical nations.
Following the process is a [...]

Posted in Government, Media, West Virginia 3 Comments »

Generalizations are often made about more rural states within America, and West Virginia is no stranger to being portrayed stereotypically. Skewed representations of this state have existed since its inception, were proliferated during the early days of industrialization, and remain part of the local and national subconsciousness today.
On occasion, circumstances arise that illustrate the need [...]

Posted in Culture, Government, Media, West Virginia 11 Comments »