SMOKE HOLE, W.Va. — Hunter Rohr, 15, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has caught a golden rainbow trout that set state records for length and weight, according to biologists with the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources.Rohr caught the 28-inch, 11.84-pound trout in the Smoke Hole section of the South Branch of the Potomac River in Pendleton County using … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s outdoors are more than a scenic backdrop. They’re a strategic economic asset. That message will take center stage February 17–18, 2026, when leaders from across the state and region convene for the inaugural West Virginia Outdoor Economy Summit at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.Presented by the Charleston Convention and … Read more
HURRICANE, W.Va. — The West Virginia State Parks Foundation has launched an official online merchandise store, offering supporters a new way to celebrate West Virginia’s parks while directly supporting projects across the state park system.The online shop features T-shirts and sweatshirts showcasing the distinctive “Love WV State Parks” logo, highlighting the state’s parks, forests, and … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Travel safety in West Virginia is shaped less by headline-grabbing crime and more by geography, weather, and the realities of rural travel. For West Virginians and the growing number of tourists drawn by the state’s mountains, rivers, and small towns, that distinction matters.Recent tourism data show steady growth in outdoor recreation, heritage … Read more
PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Did Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis secretly meet in what is now West Virginia just days after the first land battle of the Civil War?It is a question that’s lingered for more than a century and a half, whispered in local lore, debated by historians, and preserved in the pages of the … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University and the WVU Health System together generate $14.3 billion in annual economic impact in West Virginia, accounting for approximately 17% of the state’s gross domestic product, according to a newly released independent study.The analysis, conducted by national consulting firm Tripp Umbach, found the combined operations at the university and … Read more
