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.
Concord's master's degree in social work has been ranked among the nation's best.

Concord U. online social work program among top

The Master of Social Work program at Concord University has been recognized as one of the top online programs in the nation by Learn.org, according to university officials. Concord ranked 20 among the 25 schools that made the organization’s 2020 “Best Master’s in Social Work Online Programs” list, according to Dr. C. Scott Inghram, an … Read more

A field of hemp in West Virginia greets the dawn.

USDA approves West Virginia’s industrial hemp plan

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has received certification of approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the plan submitted regarding the regulation of industrial hemp. Approval for the plan means producers will continue to be regulated at the state level in lieu of federal oversight, according to W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. … Read more

A peach tree flowers in a yard near Pineville, West Virginia, in central Wyoming County.

W.Va. State U. initiates tree art contest for isolated children

West Virginia State University is celebrating Arbor Day with a Facebook-based art project designed to encourage children isolated by the COVID-19 outbreak to create tree-themed posters. Hosted by the university’s extension service, “ABCs of Trees” online art project is open to children ages 3 to 18, and participating is simple, says extension agent Liz Moss. … Read more

Camping is a popular form of vacationing in West Virginia, and campgrounds may be found throughout the state.

Governor directs private campgrounds to close to out-of-staters

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is directing private campgrounds to prohibit new out-of-state campers to limit the rate of spread of COVID-19 in the Mountain State. The governor made the announcement on March 31 at the state capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, while also issuing an executive order to suspend all scheduled elective medical procedures. … Read more

"In this time of social distancing, it can be tempting to follow the crowd and make decisions such as panic shopping."

WVU agent provides finance tips to help during outbreak

Service workers and those who have been unexpectedly laid off may not have the savings they need in a time like this, says a health-and-families agent for the extension service at West Virginia University. Lauren Weatherford, who is working with families in Fayette and Nicholas counties in southern West Virginia, says many mountaineers are wondering … Read more

McMurran Hall at Shepherd University fronts East German Street in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Shepherd offers free online Lifelong Learning courses

Shepherd University, at Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is offering an opportunity for the public to engage free-of-charge in its Lifelong Learning program through a series of classes online that are open to anyone. The classes will be delivered in March and April through the Zoom software platform, according to Cecelia Mason, a spokesperson for the university. … Read more

Dr. James Broomall and Monica Lingenfelter flank a map with Bill and Bonnie Stubblefield.

Historic Antietam maps donated to Shepherd Civil War center

Maps donated to the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War will give researchers in the Battle of Antietam a clearer picture of the military movements that took place on September 17, 1862, according to Potomac region historians. Donated through the Shepherd University Foundation by Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield, the maps … Read more

Professors are advising social media users to question their biases and turn to local media for COVID-19 information.

WVU: Question biases, use local news for COVID-19 info

As more people turn to social media and other online sources for updates on the COVID-19 outbreak, determining which sources are reliable becomes increasingly difficult. Two professors at West Virginia University are advising users of social media to question their own biases and turn to the local news media for information. Dana Coester and Bob … Read more

Wave-smacking on New River, Adventures on the Gorge

West Virginia resort marketing crowd-free adventures

Faced with the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic, one West Virginia resort on the New River Gorge is marketing crowd-free river adventures. Adventures on the Gorge, located on the rim of the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia, is eliminating deadlines for the purchase of rafting passes online. The passes previously had a … Read more