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Clyde CraigClyde Craig

Clyde Craig is a staff writer for West Virginia Explorer. Born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, he traveled with his family across the globe with the U.S. Army before returning to the Mountain State in 2011. He has been a writer with the explorer since 2018. He can be reached at 304-575-7390 or at craig@wvexplorer.com.
isitors examine artwork at a previous West Virginia University Mountaineer Week arts and crafts fair. The annual celebration of Appalachian heritage returns November 9–15, 2026. (WVU photo)
Festivals / Events

WVU Mountaineer Week celebrates traditions of West Virginia’s early mountain settlers

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Appalachia’s customs and traditions will take center stage at West Virginia University next week as the 79th annual Mountaineer Week brings traditional crafts, mountain music, storytelling, and regional foods to the Morgantown campus. The celebration, scheduled for November 9–15, will include demonstrations of weaving, quilting, woodworking, and other traditional skills, along with … Read more

Artist's illustration of Mothman with outstretched wings and glowing red eyes against a dramatic sunset sky near Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
Lore and Legend

60 years of Mothman: How a West Virginia ‘monster’ became an American legend

by Clyde Craig

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Sixty years after two young couples reported encountering a mysterious winged creature near Point Pleasant, West Virginia, Ohio State University is commemorating the sightings that gave rise to the Mothman legend. The university’s Center for Folklore Studies has organized three November events examining the creature and its place in American folklore. … Read more

Young orange-and-white tabby kitten resting beside a terracotta flowerpot and turquoise planter.
Agriculture

West Virginia spay-neuter program faces funding shortfall after helping 98,000 animals

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia program that has helped spay and neuter more than 98,000 dogs and cats since 2018 is seeking additional funding as a major private grant approaches its conclusion. Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt has asked Gov. Patrick Morrisey for discretionary funding to sustain the W.Va. Spay-Neuter Assistance Program, which has provided … Read more

Visitors enjoy panoramic views of orange and red autumn foliage from the stone overlook at Coopers Rock State Forest in West Virginia.
Travel / Transportation

West Virginia fall color peaks, but the most beautiful days may still lie ahead

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Fall foliage has reached peak color across much of West Virginia ahead of Halloween, according to the W.Va. Department of Tourism, but travelers who miss the height of the season may still find some of autumn’s most beautiful scenery in the weeks ahead. The department’s fifth foliage report of 2026 highlights destinations … Read more

Black dog looking through an opening in a green wooden fence.
Lodging and Real Estate

Barking dogs pose health, workplace concerns for more West Virginians

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia communities are facing complaints about barking dogs, with some towns adopting stricter noise ordinances while others struggle to balance residents’ peace and quiet with animal owners’ rights. In Clarksburg, officials have established time limits on continuous barking and penalties that can reach $750. In Fayetteville, a revised ordinance has become … Read more

Close-up photograph of a small warbler held gently in a bird bander's hand, showing its yellow throat and distinctive facial markings.
Wildlife / Conservancy

Dozens of birdwatchers thought they’d found one of America’s rarest birds in West Virginia

by Clyde Craig

DANIELS, W.Va. — In the spring of 1975, two women visiting Little Beaver State Park in Raleigh County spotted an unusual songbird that would soon convince dozens of experienced birdwatchers they had rediscovered one of North America’s rarest birds. The bird appeared to be Sutton’s Warbler, first discovered in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle in 1939 … Read more

Forests stretch across the mountains of West Virginia, which ranked second nationally in a new study of potential Bigfoot sightings. Approximately 78 percent of the state is forested.
Lore and Legend

West Virginia ranks No. 2 in America for spotting Bigfoot, study finds

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians searching for Bigfoot may have better luck than almost anyone else in America, according to a new national ranking that places the Mountain State second for potential Sasquatch encounters. Only Washington ranked higher in the study, which considered historical Bigfoot reports, forest coverage, and climate conditions. West Virginia finished ahead … Read more

Illustration of a powerful solar eruption above Earth, with numerous satellites orbiting the planet against a backdrop of fiery solar activity.
Higher Education

West Virginia University researchers aim to reduce satellite collision risks from solar storms

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Solar storms can expand Earth’s upper atmosphere, slow satellites, change their orbits, and make them harder to track. As thousands of additional satellites circle the planet, those disturbances are becoming an increasingly important concern for the companies and governments that operate them. A West Virginia University researcher will lead a $2.7 million … Read more

A white-tailed deer stands in the middle of a snow-covered rural road in November, surrounded by trees as light snow falls.
Wildlife / Conservancy

West Virginia leads nation in animal collisions as deer season raises danger

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia motorists face the nation’s highest risk of striking an animal while driving, according to new insurance data released as the state enters its most dangerous deer-collision season. “Driving through West Virginia this time of year is like driving through a petting zoo,” said David Sibray, publisher of West Virginia Explorer. “I drive … Read more