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Went to college in WV (Buckhannon) for 4 years and miss the state for it's natural beauty. I'm surprised that the state has not been able to capitalize on it's outdoors image.
I think one of the problems might be that the closest major airports seem to be out of state and that can be a problem for people coming from longer distance than the mid-atlantic states.
I currently live in California and see tourism ads on tv from places like Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, etc..But not a one from WV. Why is that?
WV is a great place to see the fall colors, check out Bridge Day and New River Gorge, white water raft, rock climb, skiing, camping, check out historical sites, hot springs, etc.. It's a great state to drive around and check out some of the smaller towns and the sites. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir on this one.
Probably would not hurt to legalize the weed and try to make innovations to that industry before the surrounding states do. Maybe give major tax breaks for Hollywood studios to shoot productions there?
I'm just rambling, but I hope WV can figure out a way to draw the masses. It's such a beautiful and inexpensive place to vacation.
I have heard people mention Nascar for a tourist attraction and they might be right. It sure is popular here.
I have had an idea for jobs for a while and everybody I have told has agreed with me but who knows, many here may not. Our former Commerce Secretary has stated that the biggest reason companies when surveyed say they don't locate here is not our taxes or our work force but mainly it's lack of flat land.
With that in mind, WV needs to start looking at what has worked in the past and start watching new trends so they don't get left behind. West Virginia started out as a successful farming state. We had 105,000 farms in 1935 on almost 8.9 million acres and by 2010 it was down to 23,000. e-WV | Agriculture
People still have to eat. We grew lots of things - there used to be orchards all over the state. It's not a "fad" that people are looking toward organic farming and humane treatment of animals that are antibiotic free. It's going to be part of the future and corporations are on board. As an example, this is a growing list of companies going "cage free". Wal Mart is even on it. Cage Free Future: Corporate Commitments on Farm Animal Confinement Issues
Why doesn't the state work on bringing some of these farms back? Using just cage free as an example (there are many plants we could also grow, but I doubt the gov't would consider marijuana ) People have proven at this point they are willing to pay more for free range and organic food.
With all of these companies committing to cage free they are going to need more room. There will be an opportunity for farming to become popular again. I think we need more family farms and you don't need flat land either. WV could retain it's predominant rural character which is so beautiful and already promotes tourism and have viable jobs even in many of these depressed coal mining towns. I don't think this is a bad idea and I saw a recent article stating as much about WV family farms as a tourist attraction. WV MetroNews – Tourists discover a new destination: West Virginia’s family farms
I know quite a few people that would like better options in food from sources that treat their animals better. Enough to make it worthwhile? I don't know.
Interesting......just a couple hours north the Amish do pretty well with locally grown food. Both to sell to fix at home and at their restaurants.
I know quite a few people that would like better options in food from sources that treat their animals better. Enough to make it worthwhile? I don't know.
Interesting......just a couple hours north the Amish do pretty well with locally grown food. Both to sell to fix at home and at their restaurants.
Funny you mention the Amish as I was thinking that too. I know plenty of people that take trips there and buy lots of things.
I was thinking of the money too not being much, but the counties that have high unemployment, its in the 10-15% range so it's not everybody, but there would seem to be room for people to find a niche somewhere. I know someone who does pretty well with a nursery growing plants. I am even a little jealous as they don't work year round.
There have been a lot of out of work miners on TV lately and I noticed many of their homes are quite modest and they say they "just want to be able to make ends meet". Clearly they like rural life, that's why they don't want to leave. From what I am reading too, factories will be using robotics primarily in the near future so we can't rely on many jobs there even if they located here.
Also, two of the biggest problems we have in the state is an overweight population and the drug problem. When I watch those "rehab" type shows they frequently take them out to spend time on farms to get out in the fresh air and work so they don't relapse.
West Virginians have always been quite an independent lot and we are set up in so many ways to fix our own problems here.
Would not be surprised to see Shepherdstown University to eventually fall under the WVU brand. I know that won't be that popular of an opinion but it makes a lot of sense, could still remain a 4 year school for certain degrees and other degrees your first two years are there and then the next two years are at main campus. Like the Penn State system. Shepherdstown could even keep their sports program.
That needs to be done with Bluefield State (located just 11 miles from Concord), and Glenville State (same region as Fairmont State) as well... move them into WVU with a 2 year focus and limited 4 year offerings, mostly in teaching fields. And the community colleges need to be brought back under their parent institutions too. The duplicate system for community colleges set up to prop up the political hack appointee system is wasteful and harmful to the higher education enterprise in West Virginia.
There are a lot of people that have no desire to go to a large institution like WVU and like the small atmosphere of a Glenville State.
From what I've seen Glenville is doing pretty well on it's own. No, everything does not have to be about WVU.
You're looking at a state government that is running a half billion dollars in the red, and as one of the smallest states it has one of the least efficient higher education system that was made even more inefficient a few years ago by splitting off the community colleges. Our state has fewer than 2 million people total, and supports almost a dozen independent 4 year institutions. Iowa has 3 million people, is half again larger, and they support 3 public institutions.
If somebody wants to go to a small school, there would still be Fairmont State, Concord, WV State, West Liberty, and Shepherd... plenty of smaller options from which to choose and still too many schools. WVU is the only school set up to truly operate the smaller enterprises on the successful Penn State model, but if you are suggesting that another school absorb Bluefield and Glenville I suspect if you were to put it to a vote, those places would choose to affiliate with WVU, but the idea could be put up for vote in the affected places.
You're looking at a state government that is running a half billion dollars in the red, and as one of the smallest states it has one of the least efficient higher education system that was made even more inefficient a few years ago by splitting off the community colleges. Our state has fewer than 2 million people total, and supports almost a dozen independent 4 year institutions. Iowa has 3 million people, is half again larger, and they support 3 public institutions.
If somebody wants to go to a small school, there would still be Fairmont State, Concord, WV State, West Liberty, and Shepherd... plenty of smaller options from which to choose and still too many schools. WVU is the only school set up to truly operate the smaller enterprises on the successful Penn State model, but if you are suggesting that another school absorb Bluefield and Glenville I suspect if you were to put it to a vote, those places would choose to affiliate with WVU, but the idea could be put up for vote in the affected places.
I bet they wouldn't. If people wanted to attend WVU then they would.
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) People have proven at this point they are willing to pay more for free range and organic food. 
