Preston County News
News Articles
We’re in an era where technology is constantly reshaping industries and regions around the globe are working hard to adapt and thrive. In Preston County and our surrounding communities, forward-thinking initiatives to nurture a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce are taking shape. And they’re also getting funding.What is...
Located just outside of Kingwood, you’ll find the 44,000 square-foot Grace Chapel industrial building situated on a 7.5 acre site. The building was constructed in the early 1970s to house the Kinney Shoe Factory, which employed 100 people. When it went out of business in 1986, the building sat unoccupied...
Manufacturing growth has been steady, at worst, in recent years, so it’s hard to imagine how one might draw a straight line from the industry to a toilet.Manufacturers will be, um, relieved to know we are not in one but rather akin to one, at least when it comes to...
If you run a small business, particularly one that has employees and offers benefits such as a workplace retirement plan, then recent tax changes could affect you this tax filing season.By keeping up with tax changes, you can potentially find legal ways to lower your tax liability while staying compliant,...
The No. 1 Priority for Small Businesses This Year Is to Increase Revenue — Here Are 4 Ways to Do Just That.
Feb 16 2024As 2024 begins, goals and resolutions are top of mind. According to a recent report by Intuit QuickBooks, the top priority among business owners is to increase revenue, above getting financing or launching new products or services.Increasing revenue is no easy feat, but entrepreneurs can employ a variety of strategies...
West Virginia’s Blue Ridge peaks, dramatic gorges, and rushing rivers put it on the map for hikers, rafters, and rock climbers. But the Mountain State isn’t just an adventure destination—it’s also home to historic Civil War sites, old-time music venues, and some of the best stargazing in the United States...
Mon Health Preston Memorial Hospital has received national recognition from the American Red Cross after receiving enough blood donations to change more than 500 lives.According to the Red Cross Blood website, the organization is currently facing an emergency shortage in blood donations, with the lowest amounts of people giving blood...
Arthurdale Heritage has been awarded a $25,000 grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Public Impact Projects at Smaller Organizations Program.This grant is just one of 206 new grants from the NEH which are given to humanities projects across the country and total $33.8 million. According to the...
The Preston County Commission held its first meeting of the New Year on Tuesday where it was presented a check of nearly $600,000 as a part of the statewide opioid settlement.Last year, the state of West Virginia was awarded $1 billion from pharmacies—including Walgreens, Walmart and CVS—in a lawsuit that...
Created by a West Virginia University faculty member and his former graduate student, syGlass — virtual reality software that displays scientific images in immersive 3D — will soon offer AI analysis and cloud-based streaming for extremely large datasets required by scientists like structural biologists.Two related National Institutes of Health grants...
6 predictions for workplaces in 2024
Dec 28 2023We’re embarking on a journey into the uncharted territories of corporate evolution because we’ve been living in a world of constant disruption since 2020, starting with the remote work experiment and flowing to all the “great” and “quiet” workplace trends. So, what’s on the horizon for 2024? Here are six...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is marking the end of 2023 by highlighting on-the-ground projects and partnerships that are building economic prosperity for farmers, families, and communities nationwide. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – and its record investments in rural America – USDA has been able...
Technology’s Influence on Workforce Development
Dec 18 2023The hype around artificial intelligence (AI) accelerated into high gear this year, catalyzed by the splash made by ChatGPT when it gained 100 million users within two months of launching. Since then, AI has become the latest focus for industry leaders looking to capitalize on the promise of productivity it...
Resilient and fueled by passion and purpose, nearly 2,700 West Virginia University graduates are ready for the next chapters in their lives following two Commencement ceremonies Saturday (Dec. 16) at the Coliseum.“Commencement means beginning, but a current box office success suggested another word fitting for this occasion — ‘renaissance,’” WVU...
WVU to launch robotics engineering major
Dec 15 2023Students interested in the rapidly evolving world of robotics will now be able to enroll in a new robotics engineering major at West Virginia University following approval by the Board of Governors during a meeting Friday (Dec. 15).The four-year degree program will officially launch in fall 2024 and builds on...
As she nears retirement age, 58-year-old Michelle Whiffen isn’t thinking about stopping work cold turkey. The director of client services at recruitment marketing firm HireClix says she’s reached the fun part of her career—a time when she feels more autonomous and valued—and appreciates a new program called “flextirement” that will...
Companies have a long list of factors to consider before building a new facility or expanding operations. How much available land is there? Are there utilities nearby to power the site? What’s the closest interstate and port to move our goods? But as unemployment rates have steadily dropped in the...
Six months ago, Anshita Verma was sending out a handful of job applications a day. Now, the 26-year-old data scientist is sending out 10 to 15 daily, and she says it’s all thanks to artificial intelligence tools.“Instead of taking 30 minutes to fill out an application, it might take me...
Workforce development stands at the heart of any region’s economic vitality. It is the cornerstone on which businesses, industries, and communities build their future. In the age of AI and advanced technology, leveraging AI for workforce development has become an option and a strategic imperative for EDOs.AI in Skills Gap...
Simulations from West Virginia University researchers demonstrate their use of two kinds of industrial wastewater to decontaminate each other has the potential to slash a power plant’s total water use.The researchers from the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources modeled various scenarios for using “cooling tower...
For decades, many of West Virginia’s young people have made the decision to leave the state. Oftentimes, leaving was a necessity. While they would have preferred to put their talents to use in their hometowns, the job opportunities they sought existed outside of our borders.But it’s no secret that we’re...
Do you find yourself distracted by notifications when you’re on Zoom calls with clients? Do you find your eyes glazing over when you’re talking to colleagues? When was the last time you switched airplane mode on? Entrepreneurship involves juggling multiple tasks and running a team, all while thinking about the...
West Virginia has partnered with Tutor.com to offer free online access to tutoring, test preparation and job-search assistance. Randall Reid-Smith, curator of the Department of Arts, Culture and History announced the partnership on Wednesday duirng Gov. Jim Justice's weekly briefing.His department worked with the West Virginia Library Association, he said...
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito are optimistic about the economic potential for the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub in West Virginia, but challenges remain.Manchin and Capito briefed the business community Wednesday morning in a Zoom call held by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce for their Business Academy series.“Our...