Archived News

Forests dominate the landscape and economy of the Mountain State. But forests are under greater and more complex stresses with each new invasive pest or pathogen and a changing climate. The decisions made by foresters and landowners on how to best manage forests also have long-lasting implications.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 48 million people become ill from contaminated food every year in the United States; nearly half of those illnesses are the result of contaminated produce. With proper training and food safety planning, many of these outbreaks can be prevented.

Strength, courage, resilience, determination—these are not often words you hear used to describe an area in rural West Virginia that is crippled by the opioid epidemic. But, in Wayne, West Virginia, just 20 minutes south of what is considered West Virginia’s opioid capital, Marie’s House Women’s Recovery Center is battling this epidemic built on a foundation of these very ideals.

Service is an integral part of the West Virginia 4-H program. Even during the busy days of 4-H camps around the state, time is set aside to give back to communities near and far.

The world around us is changing at a rapid pace. With new technologies and innovative programs, the way companies do business and the skillsets they demand is also changing. 

What has six wheels, shelves full of books and fresh produce, and a community full of support? It’s no riddle, just the Beverly Bookmobile – a colorfully decorated library on wheels that provides elementary students in Randolph County with access to literacy, nutrition and safety education all summer long.

From the time-honored 4-H livestock projects to cutting-edge STEM activities, West Virginia University Extension Service will offer a blend of tradition and innovation at the State Fair of West Virginia in Fairlea from Aug. 8 to Aug. 17.

Students in rural communities across the United States, including students in West Virginia, will be honing computer science skills and further developing science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) education with the help of Google and the National 4-H Council.

Across the state, classrooms are quiet and hallways have emptied as another school year comes to a close. But at six Randolph County elementary schools, summer break is a time of growth and maturity – for the schools’ newly planted fruit-bearing trees and bushes, that is.

Improving the healthy lifestyle landscape in some West Virginia areas might sound like a tough task, but a group of passionate West Virginia University faculty and staff believe the secret lies in empowering communities and providing the support they need to take control of their own health.