Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.
Today is Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.
…and now for the rest of the stories…on today’s daily304.com!
#1 – From WVU OEDC – Trail training: Learn what it takes to make recreational trails happen
The Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative was created to help communities build on their strengths and create new opportunities through outdoor recreation and outdoor economic development.
The OEDC’s Trail Training and Education program is designed for anyone ready to learn how trails are planned, built, and maintained. From first-time volunteers to experienced crew leaders, these workshops offer practical skills you can take back to your community.
Sign up now for an upcoming class or request a trail training session in your community!
#2 – From WV EXPLORER – West Virginia town built as Great Depression experiment wins national honor
Arthurdale, West Virginia—the nation’s first New Deal homestead community built during the Great Depression—has been awarded the 2026 Trustees’ Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration with strong personal advocacy from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the experimental town near Morgantown was designed to help impoverished coal-mining families overcome poverty.
Though the ambitious government-owned social experiment did not unfold entirely as original planners envisioned, Arthurdale eventually transitioned into a self-sustaining, privately owned community with ongoing small-scale industry and agriculture. Its original homes and municipal structures survived through the decades, capturing a distinct chapter of American history.
Today, Arthurdale Heritage continues to steward and preserve these historic sites, earning national recognition for safeguarding the legacy of the families and ideas that shaped this landmark New Deal effort.
Read more:
https://wvexplorer.com/arthurdale-west-virginia-great-depression-award/
#3 – From METRO NEWS – Advantage Valley receives POWER grant to help manufacturers expand to new markets
Advantage Valley has received a $2 million POWER grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for its Expanding Markets program.
Serving manufacturers across a nine-county region in the Charleston-Huntington corridor, the economic development organization uses these funds to help local businesses attract new customers, strengthen domestic supply chains, and secure market growth. Regional leaders project that the latest round of funding will help create over 200 new jobs as participating manufacturers scale up operations and increase investments to meet demand.
Local business owners and regional partners praised the initiative for offering practical guidance to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Program participants, such as Industrial Bolting Technologies and Reshore Technologies, highlighted Advantage Valley’s assistance with early-stage exporting, web development, and identifying competitive market opportunities.
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.
