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Communities in West Virginia offers residents a welcoming atmosphere, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of connection to nature and neighbors alike. From charming small towns to vibrant cities like Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia communities provide friendly neighborhoods, excellent schools, and access to outdoor recreation right at your doorstep. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life surrounded by the state’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests, along with rich local culture, historic sites, and community events that bring people together. With safe streets, local businesses, and a true spirit of Appalachian hospitality, living in West Virginia communities means enjoying a high quality of life and a supportive, tight-knit environment where everyone feels at home. Be sure to visit our Communities Travel Guide for information about communities in West Virginia.

A hellbender gazes back at the camera from an aquarium exhibit.
Communities

W.Va. launches citizen science survey of hellbenders, mudpuppies

by David Sibray

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — To learn more about the distribution of odd-looking hellbenders and mudpuppies, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has launched a citizen science project to track sightings of these important but declining salamanders around the state. The project, which will take two years to complete, gives anglers, science enthusiasts and public members … Read more

French Creek Freddie, a favorite resident of the W.Va. Wildlife Center, will offer his advice on the weather this weekend.
Communities

46th Groundhog Day being celebrated at W.Va. Wildlife Center

by Will Reedy

FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. — Will West Virginia suffer more winter or enjoy an early spring? “French Creek Freddie,” the Mountain State’s unofficial weather-prognosticating groundhog, will weigh in during the 46th annual Groundhog Day Festival at the West Virginia Wildlife Center on Thursday, Feb. 2. According to Trevor Moore, a wildlife biologist at the center, the public … Read more

Communities

WVU and partners build a solar-power test site in Fairmont

by Clyde Craig

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The launch of a partnership between West Virginia University engineers and the nonprofit and utility sectors could bring the region one step closer to integrating solar-generated power into the electrical grid. Anurag Srivastava, professor and chair of the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, will support the construction and analysis of a … Read more

A farmer plants in a garden in West Virginia.
Communities

W.Va. encourages farmers to participate in 2022 ag census

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va — The W.Va. Department of Agriculture is encouraging all farmers and farm operations in the state to participate in the 2022 Census of Agriculture to ensure support for agriculture in West Virginia. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service mailed paper questionnaires to producers in December, according to W.Va. Commissioner of … Read more

The North Bend Rail Trail spans Middle Island Creek at West Union, West Virginia.
Communities

Gov. petitions for small business funding in five rural counties

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is petitioning for Clay, Boone, Monroe, Preston, and Hampshire counties to be declared eligible for federal benefits as a result of their relative lack of business investment. The Historically Underutilized Business Zone, or “HUBZone,” program provides participating small businesses access to exclusive federal contracting opportunities and preferential … Read more

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

Shepherd University awarded nearly $3 million from Congress

by David Sibray

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Four Shepherd University programs will benefit from $2,708,000 in congressionally directed spending that the university is receiving from the $1.7 billion omnibus bill signed by President Joe Biden on December 23, 2022. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who serve on the Appropriations Committee, requested the money to … Read more

Winter By Timothy Eberly
Communities

W.Va. Gov. declares State of Emergency in all counties

by Clyde Craig

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice has declared a State of Emergency for all 55 West Virginia counties due to the winter storm event forecast to hit the state in the coming days. The National Weather Service predicts heavy snow, freezing rains, dangerous wind chills, and strong winds beginning today, Thursday, December 22, 2022, and … Read more

Skunk cabbage rises through the snow in spring in West Virginia.
Communities

Eastern Skunk Cabbage performs magic in spring

by Barry Glick

SUNSHINE FARM, W.Va. — Winter and spring may be the best time of year to sing the praises of Symplocarpus foetidus, a.k.a. “Eastern Skunk Cabbage,” because this is when this unusual plant performs a magic trick. Before I tell you about the magic, let’s dispel an obvious negative. First of all, this plant does not … Read more