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David Sibray

David Sibray is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of West Virginia Explorer, a news and travel magazine devoted to the state’s history, tourism, outdoor recreation and economic development. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390 or at editor@wvexplorer.com
Two young girls pose for a vintage tintype portrait.
Arts

Beckley arts festival reveals extraordinary line-up Sept. 20-25

by David Sibray

Beckley’s second annual “BEX” arts festival, set for Sept. 20-25, will feature twelve extraordinary workshops and performances designed to bolster the growing arts community in southern West Virginia. Scaled down for its second year to permit covid-conscious interaction, the pandemic has allowed organizers time to design intensive programs as the region continues to attract more … Read more

The Green Bank Telescope in Pocahontas County will be employed in the international effort.
Communities

WVU joins gravitational wave detection network

by David Sibray

The hunt for more evidence of gravitational waves— the ripples in space-time formed by cataclysmic events in the distant universe—will be accelerated with a nearly $2 million National Science Foundation grant awarded to a West Virginia University scientist and her colleagues. Eberly Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Maura McLaughlin will serve as principal investigator on the project, … Read more

Renowned Country music singer Kathy Mattea will return to West Virginia to host Mountain Stage.
Arts

W.Va. native Mattea named new host of Mountain Stage

by David Sibray

National Public Radio and West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage today announced that West Virginia native Kathy Mattea will take over as the new host starting September 9. Mattea, a two-time Grammy winner from Cross Lanes, West Virginia, has performed on the world-renowned show hosted in Charleston, West Virginia, more than any other female artist, second only to … Read more

Wheeling Suspension Bridge, Wheeling, WV, Ohio County, Mid-Ohio Valley Region
Communities

Historic suspension bridge at Wheeling to be restored

by David Sibray

Gov. Jim Justice and the West Virginia Division of Highways have announced that a project to repair and rehabilitate the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge at Wheeling, West Virginia, has been awarded. Advantage Steel & Construction was awarded a contract for $17,907,147 to make necessary repairs to the historic bridge’s superstructure and substructure, to replace any … Read more

UTVs gather at the Ashland Resort in McDowell County.
Attractions

W.Va. State U. promoting Hatfield-McCoy ATV tourism

by David Sibray

Chris Zeto’s everyday duties range from community outreach and marketing assistance to explaining the history of the pepperoni roll. An extension agent for West Virginia State University, he works as a community and economic development agent in Logan County, a partnership between service and the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, covering 10 trail systems in seven different counties. … Read more

The class will collect folklore from the region, attempt to understand the collected samples, and compile the regional treasures into a book.
Communities

New River college sets fall Appalachian writing class

by David Sibray

New River Community and Technical College will offer an Appalachian Folklore and Heritage Writing class at its Nicholas County Campus in Summersville, West Virginia, on Thursday evenings beginning Sept. 16, 2021, from 6 to 8 p.m. At the conclusion of the five-week course, participants will receive a bound, hard-back book of the stories written in … Read more

City of Beckley, West Virginia, Raleigh County, New River Gorge Region
Communities

National Park Service awards W.Va. preservation alliance $550,000

by David Sibray

The National Park Service has awarded the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia a $550,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant to help preserve endangered historic buildings in West Virginia. The alliance will add the grant to its existing Saving Historical Places Grant Program, which provides funding to preserve West Virginia’s historical buildings that have fallen into … Read more

A hunter addresses his dogs during an autumn hunt. (Photo courtesy Seth Schulte)
Hunting

Seasons set for dove, snipe, sora, woodcock, Virginia rails

by David Sibray

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced 2021-’22 hunting season dates and bag limits for mourning dove, snipe, sora, woodcock, and Virginia rails. The seasons are set within the annual guidelines established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The dove season is split into three segments with this first segment running from Sept. … Read more

A geothermal heat map of West Virginia shows areas of potential geothermal energy hot spots.
Communities

WVU to drill three miles down to tap geothermal hotspot

by David Sibray

West Virginia University researchers will drill three miles into the ground near Morgantown to test the potential of geothermal energy in the region this fall. They may help reduce the university’s carbon footprint and decrease its energy costs, according to Nagasree Garapati, visiting assistant professor of chemical and biomedical engineering. Garapati and her research team … Read more