David Sibray
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Homemade soap was widely used in West Virginia before commercial products became available in the 20th century, and spring was ultimately soap-making time. Soap was made with pork fat, beef tallow, or mutton fat, and lye—ingredients that were generally available in good measure by the end of winter. After the autumn butchering … Read more
During a live, statewide address at the State Capitol in Charleston, Governor Jim Justice urged West Virginians to take all necessary precautions to help slow the spread of COVID-19, including staying home as much as possible. “We might be able to prevent us from getting to a point where we’ve got to shut down the … Read more
Author and engineer Homer Hickam says he trusts that the native bravery he knew growing up in West Virginia will help others weather the troubles that result from the 2019-2020 coronavirus outbreak. Hickam, who famously preserved a glimpse of life in the state’s southern coalfields in his book “October Sky,” is reading selections from his … Read more
The director of parks and recreation for the City of Wheeling says recreational use has noticeably increased at the city’s facilities and elsewhere, certainly as a result of the coronavirus epidemic. Jesse Mestrovic, who manages more than 30 public spaces across the city and more than 13 miles of rail-trail, says that but for the … Read more
The West Virginia Tourism Office has launched an online guide to dining to promote restaurants in the Mountain State that are operating during the coronavirus outbreak and help encourage residents to support local establishments. On March 18, Governor Jim Justice issued an executive order formally directing all restaurants and bars in West Virginia to limit … Read more
Officials at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia will temporarily close the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, its primary visitor contact facility, as a result of the covid-19 outbreak. The measure was taken in response to the latest state, local, and federal guidance promoting social distancing to slow the spread of … Read more
Practicing social distancing is one way to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but practicing emotional closeness may help alleviate the anxiety that the coronavirus can provoke. Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, a research assistant professor in the West Virginia University Department of Neuroscience, part of the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, said that “switching to compassion mode” may … Read more
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice joined state health, education, and emergency response leaders in Charleston today to update residents on precautionary measures being taken to protect the public from the potential spread of novel coronavirus. There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia, though it’s anticipated that the disease will be reported … Read more
Though there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia, Dr. Clay Marsh of West Virginia University is advising Mountaineers to employ precautions when traveling for spring break. The school’s Vice President and Executive Dean for Health Sciences, Marsh says non-essential travel should be limited, and he’s asking students, faculty, and staff to inform … Read more
Residents of the mountain counties of West Virginia have traditionally weathered the ravages of communicable diseases with some success. Isolation here flattened the peak of most outbreaks, with the notable exception of the air-borne “Influenza of 1918.” Outside the mountain counties, epidemics might destroy without restraint, and the cholera outbreak of 1832-1834, which battered the … Read more
