Archived News

Morgantown, W.Va. – At the heart of the West Virginia University Extension Service is a passion for the state and its people. That statement also holds true for Tara Curtis, the new director of communications and marketing for the University’s main outreach arm, bringing more than 20 years of public relations, communications and marketing experience to the unit.

Not only is she a Mountaineer through and through in regards to her work experience and academic career, but she’s also acutely aware of Extension’s mission as she spent part of her youth growing up in West Virginia 4-H programs.

Morgantown, W.Va. – There’s a lot of talk about ticks in the news and on social media this year after a milder than usual winter and increasing public attention to Lyme disease and Powassan virus. However, these parasitic pests are common in West Virginia and an integrated control approach can help homeowners protect themselves and their family.

According to Daniel Frank, former West Virginia University Extension entomology specialist, West Virginia has three species of ticks that are frequently encountered. These include the American dog tick, the blacklegged or deer tick, and the lone star tick.

Morgantown, W.Va. – Firefighters across the state will soon be able to better handle a variety of emergency situations as the West Virginia University Fire Service Extension expands their footprint by bringing new, mobile equipment and training to volunteer units in rural communities.

According to Mark Lambert, director of the Fire Service Extension, the ability to reach more firefighters directly in their communities addresses a critical, unique training need for the majority of West Virginia.

Four Monroe County youths added to a legacy of West Virginia University Extension Service  4-H teams who have fared well in land judging and homesite evaluation contests by winning the national championship in both categories at the National Land, Range and Homesite Evaluation Contest held in Oklahoma on May 4.

Reagan Ernst, Kris Hoke, Andrew Wrzosek and Cameron Wickline practiced for more than 10 months to take home the top honors, including an extra week of practice on site in Oklahoma to acclimate to the wide variety of soils they’d be asked to judge.

Fatalities caused by falls continue to be the leading cause of death for construction workers, and to help protect workers in our area, the West Virginia University Safety and Health Extension will help them identify fall hazards and prevent fall fatalities through a free, educational event on Monday, May 8.

Construction workers, employers and safety professionals are invited to join WVU Safety and Health Extension specialists at CSC Home and Hardware in Morgantown from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. that day as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s 2017 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction campaign.

Youths can learn to protect and preserve West Virginia's natural resources at the West Virginia State Conservation Camp held Monday, June 12 through Saturday June 17, hosted by the West Virginia University Extension Service.

High-school-aged youths ages 14-18 interested in exploring natural resource-based careers or expanding their knowledge of the environment, outdoor recreation and conservation are encouraged to apply. In addition to hands-on learning in areas of forestry, wildlife management, nature awareness and more, the camp will offer traditional camping activities such as nightly campfires, recreational sports and other group activities.

Experts from the West Virginia University Extension Service are offering a one-day, hands-on workshop for those interested in producing and marketing dried fruit and vegetable products.

The workshop takes place Thursday, May 11 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Marshall County WVU Extension Office, 126 Barn Drive, Moundsville, WV 26041.

After a nationwide search, Ronnie Helmondollar has been named program director of the West Virginia University Extension Service’s Agriculture and Natural Resources unit, effective Monday, April 3.

No stranger to the WVU Extension Service mission, Helmondollar’s appointment comes after serving on the administration team as the interim program director since 2015 and at the county level with 26 years of experience as an Extension agent.

Hundreds of West Virginia 4-H’ers and WVU Extension representatives will travel to the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 28 to explore opportunities at West Virginia University, meet with legislators and celebrate WVU’s 150th birthday at WVU Day at the Legislature.

Hosted by WVU Extension, the annual event offers participants a unique chance to learn about higher education opportunities afforded to them within their state while getting a firsthand look at the legislative process.