Every year on the third Saturday in October, BASE jumpers from around the world gather at the historic New River Gorge Bridge as they prepare to fling themselves from the top and parachute an impressive 876 feet to the bottom of the gorge.
Change is happening in West Virginia. Small businesses remain the backbone of the state’s economy, and a movement to support and promote the creative class is encouraging new entrepreneurs to take the leap into business ownership. The West Virginia Department of Commerce continues its efforts to recruit new businesses into the state while assisting local manufacturers in marketing their products around the world. These days, West Virginia really is “Open for Business.”
The dire condition of infrastructure today is a major challenge not only for the state of West Virginia but for the U.S. as a whole. Last year, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Committee on American Infrastructure published the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, ranking the U.S. based on the following key criteria: capacity, condition,…
Broadband access continues to be a challenge in West Virginia due to the state’s low population density, mountainous topography and limited long-haul fiber, or fiber that spans extensive geographical distances. Currently ranked 44th in the nation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in terms of the percentage of population with access to broadband, only 82 percent of West Virginia residents have broadband connectivity.
West Virginia Lemonade Day is more than a program that teaches youth the principles required to start a business. It teaches students to spend some, save some and share some by giving back to their local communities.
“The program is also great for reinforcing teamwork and building good social and speaking skills,” says Jessie Hescht, a fifth grade teacher at Winfield Elementary School in Putnam County.
The U.S. Small Business Administration West Virginia District Office hosts three Boots to Business Reboot trainings across West Virginia. Veterans of all eras, Service members (including National Guard and Reserve) and their spouses are eligible to enroll in classes. Boots to Business Reboot is a two-step training program that provides participants an overview of business ownership…