Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.
Today is Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.
…and now for the rest of the stories…on today’s daily304.com!
#1 – From OUTSIDE – Outside magazine says fall is better in Almost Heaven
Fall has arrived in West Virginia. And Outside magazine has some ideas for making the most of it.
The publication teamed up with West Virginia Tourism to highlight ways to experience autumn across the Mountain State’s parks and forests. Start with the West Virginia Waterfall Trail, where more than 40 waterfalls offer a pretty spectacular excuse for a fall road trip.
Want to stay awhile? More than 20 state parks offer cabin rentals. Blackwater Falls State Park has 39 fully furnished cabins, while Coopers Rock State Forest offers five stargazing cabins with skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Then get above the trees. Take the scenic chairlift at Canaan Valley Resort State Park or ride the aerial tram into the Bluestone Gorge at Pipestem Resort State Park. And keep an eye out for more than 50 Almost Heaven swings scattered around the state.
#2 – From WV NEWS – $34.2 million supports West Virginia businesses
Three West Virginia businesses are getting a boost through $34.2 million in USDA-backed financing.
The funding comes through USDA Rural Development’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program and is being provided in partnership with local lenders. The investments support projects in Huntington, Milton and Morgan County.
Icon Cinema Huntington LLC will receive a $3.4 million guaranteed loan to renovate and equip a multiscreen cinema and family entertainment center. The project is expected to create 20 jobs. Clearwater Investment Holdings LLC will receive $25 million to refinance existing business debt and support continued resort operations in Milton, retaining 23 jobs.
And Branch Berkeley Springs LLC will receive $5.8 million to develop a micro-resort in Morgan County. Plans include upgrades to two short-term rental homes, nine new rental facilities and working capital.
#3 – From WV GAZETTE-MAIL – West Virginia heads to ‘Survivor’
A West Virginian is taking on one of television’s toughest competitions.
Maggie Nestor, a 40-year-old farmer from Middleway who lives in Charles Town, is competing on season 51 of CBS’s “Survivor.” She’s the first contestant from West Virginia to appear on the long-running reality competition.
Nestor has been watching “Survivor” for 25 years and dreamed of competing since she was 15. She describes herself as a jack-of-all-trades, and believes growing up in West Virginia and working on a farm helped prepare her for the physical and mental challenges of the game.
Now she’s trading the Mountain State for the island and putting those skills to the test.
Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.
The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty, and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.
That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.
