Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.
Today is Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026.
…and now for the rest of the stories…on today’s daily304.com!
#1 – From THE MAIN THING – Be the kind of leader people remember
The leaders who make the biggest difference aren’t always the ones making the biggest speeches. Sometimes they’re the ones quietly helping someone else succeed.
That’s a central theme in the latest episode of The Main Thing Podcast, featuring Concord University President Dr. Bethany Meighen.
Meighen returned to West Virginia after more than a decade working in the University of North Carolina System. Today, she’s leading a public university of about 2,000 students, nearly half of whom she says are first-generation college students.
Her philosophy? Servant leadership.
Meighen says a leader’s job is to remove obstacles so other people can succeed. That means working alongside people when they need you, getting behind them when they don’t and creating a culture built on care, grace and trust.
Read more:
https://themainthingpodcast.com/be-the-kind-of-leader-people-remember-bethany-meighen/
#2 – From WV PRESS – Meet WVU’s four-legged officers
They work hard. They protect Mountaineers. And apparently, they accept payment in squeaky rubber balls.
Meet Storm and Chuck, two explosives detection K-9s with the West Virginia University Police Department.
Storm is a one-year-old black Lab and pointer mix who joined the department in July 2025. His job requires him to recognize around 25 different scents, using a canine nose equipped with roughly 300 million olfactory receptors. Humans have about six million.
Then there’s Chuck, a yellow Lab born and bred in Holland.
Both dogs are certified through the National Police Dog Association and work alongside their handlers, Officers Isabella St. John and Ethan Stepp.
Their work gets especially important when big crowds come to Morgantown. Before football games, Storm and Chuck search buses, bags, equipment and other areas for potential threats. The K-9s also can respond across West Virginia, including to schools in all 55 counties when there’s a bomb threat.
Read more:
https://wvpress.org/wvpa-sharing/paw-and-order-k-9-officers-keep-mountaineers-safe/
#3 – From METRO NEWS – TC Energy has big plans for West Virginia
Seven-and-a-half billion dollars invested. Nearly 3,000 miles of pipeline. And TC Energy says it’s just getting started.
Company President Francois Poirier told MetroNews during the West Virginia Chamber’s Business Summit that TC Energy has “big growth plans” for the Mountain State.
Over the past decade, the Canadian-based company has invested about $7.5 billion in West Virginia, developing nearly 3,000 miles of pipeline, 38 compressor stations and 1,500 meter stations. It currently employs more than 700 people in the state.
Now another major project is on the way.
TC Energy recently announced plans to transport 800 million cubic feet of natural gas into the Virginia market through West Virginia. Poirier says the project will mean several hundred million dollars in additional spending over the next few years.
The company is also preparing to open its new Appalachian headquarters in downtown Charleston, which will continue serving as TC Energy’s regional hub.
Read more:
https://wvmetronews.com/2026/09/02/tc-energy-is-ready-to-launch-big-growth-in-west-virginia/
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.
