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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.
Fireworks burst over Snowshoe Mountain during the resort's annual Independence Day celebration. From mountaintop resorts to historic river towns, communities across West Virginia host some of Appalachia's most memorable Fourth of July celebrations. (Courtesy Kurtis Schachner / Snowshoe Mountain)
Festivals / Events

Where to watch Fourth of July fireworks in West Virginia in 2026

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — From mountaintop resorts and lakeside parks to historic river towns and courthouse squares, West Virginia offers some of Appalachia’s most memorable Independence Day celebrations. This year carries added significance as communities across the Mountain State join the nation in celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Many destinations are expanding their holiday weekends with concerts, … Read more

A judge's bench stands ready for the next case. New research from West Virginia University found that while judges are increasingly using artificial intelligence to help organize information and improve efficiency, they remain committed to keeping judicial decisions in human hands. (Photo: Saúl Bucio)
Higher Education

West Virginia University study finds judges welcome AI, but say justice must stay human

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As artificial intelligence rapidly enters schools, businesses, and government offices, many Americans are asking the same question: Will AI someday help decide court cases? New research from West Virginia University suggests the answer, at least for now, is “no.” AI in courts is growing, but judges draw a line A white paper … Read more

Streams like this one may appear insignificant, but researchers say small mountain headwaters collectively play a major role in supplying and protecting Charleston's drinking water. (WVExplorer Photo)
Health and Medicine

Charleston’s drinking water depends on thousands of small mountain streams

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Perhaps most people think of Charleston‘s drinking water as beginning in the Elk River, though researchers point out that it actually starts much farther upstream. According to a new analysis by scientists at Yale University and the University of Massachusetts, thousands of small mountain streams flowing into the Elk River watershed contribute … Read more

A researcher adjusts laser-based equipment used to study plasma behavior in a laboratory setting. Scientists at West Virginia University are developing new methods that could advance technologies ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to spacecraft propulsion and fusion energy.
Higher Education

WVU researchers developing plasma tech that could improve computer chips, spacecraft and fusion energy

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University researchers have secured a $633,833 National Science Foundation grant to develop technology that could improve computer chip manufacturing, spacecraft propulsion systems and future fusion-energy devices. The project places WVU scientists among a relatively small group of researchers working to solve one of plasma physics’ most challenging problems—understanding what happens … Read more

A family overlooks the New River Gorge Bridge from Long Point Trail in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve near Fayetteville. The overlook is among West Virginia's most popular destinations for travelers exploring the Mountain State by road trip. (Photo: David Sibray)
Travel / Transportation

Why more Americans are choosing West Virginia for summer road trips

by Clyde Craig

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — As the summer travel season reaches its peak, more travelers are turning to West Virginia for road trips that combine mountain scenery, outdoor recreation, small-town culture, and relatively short driving distances from major East Coast cities. The Mountain State has become increasingly visible to travelers since the designation of the New River … Read more

A new $7 million research partnership between West Virginia University and Johns Hopkins University will support studies focused on rural health, mental health, substance use disorders, dementia, and other healthcare challenges affecting West Virginia communities.
Health and Medicine

WVU, Johns Hopkins launch $7 million partnership to address W.Va. health challenges

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University and Johns Hopkins University have launched a new $7 million research partnership to address some of the state’s most pressing health and environmental challenges and help researchers compete for major federal grants. Announced Friday during a meeting of the WVU Board of Governors, the initiative will support collaborative research … Read more

Illustration of the 1944 Shinnston tornado in Harrison County, West Virginia, one of the deadliest tornadoes in state history.
History / Prehistory

West Virginia’s Deadliest Tornadoes: The most destructive storms in state history

by Clyde Craig

SHINNSTON, W.Va. — For many residents, West Virginia is known more for its mountains than for tornadoes. Yet some of the state’s deadliest weather disasters have come not from floods or winter storms but from violent tornadoes that swept through towns with little warning. While West Virginia experiences fewer tornadoes than the Great Plains states, … Read more

Captain William Foreman and 21 militiamen died in a Revolutionary War ambush at McMechen Narrows near present-day McMechen, West Virginia, in September 1777.
History / Prehistory

One of West Virginia’s deadliest Revolutionary War ambushes happened at McMechen Narrows

by Clyde Craig

The 1777 attack known as the Foreman Massacre left 22 frontier militiamen dead and remains one of the most significant Revolutionary War-era sites in the Ohio Valley. MCMECHEN, W.Va. — The steep hills rise abruptly from the Ohio River at McMechen Narrows, creating one of the most dramatic landscapes in West Virginia’s northern panhandle. Today, … Read more