The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced that the West Virginia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation has named Heath Miles its 2026 Wildlife Manager of the Year, according to a press release from the WVDNR.

Miles, who oversees more than 12,000 acres of wild turkey habitat at Chief Cornstalk and Bright McCausland Homestead Wildlife Management Areas in Mason County, was recognized for his work on behalf of West Virginia’s wild turkey population and turkey hunters.

“Miles has been an influential advocate, building habitat, enabling critical research and recruiting hunters for more than 15 years and we are proud to see his tireless efforts be recognized,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion.

Under Miles’ management, habitat conditions for wild turkey have improved at Chief Cornstalk and Bright McCausland Homestead WMAs, where he maintains more than 75 acres of annual and perennial food plots. Several of these plots were built through Miles’ proactive efforts to clear over 100 acres of fallow land, which suffered heavy encroachment from invasive autumn olive.

These land clearing projects created turkey brooding sites and other young forests, shrublands and grasslands that provide breeding, nesting and foraging areas for wildlife. Miles also coordinates wildlife-focused forest management activities, which have resulted in timber harvests on more than 400 acres, with additional work planned in 2026.

Miles was a key member of a project to capture and translocate wild turkey from West Virginia to Texas. Currently, he is the coordinator for turkey trapping efforts in Mason County as part of a statewide survival study. Under Miles’ leadership, the Mason County team has consistently met trapping objectives, including 24 hens trapped, banded and equipped with transmitters in 2024 and 14 hens in 2025.

Beyond his official duties with the WVDNR, Miles shares his passion for hunting and wild turkey conservation through mentorship. He has given himself a personal goal of introducing at least one person to turkey hunting every year. Over the years, Miles has helped 40 hunters, ages eight to 79, go on their first turkey hunt or harvest their first wild turkey.

Angela Wowczuk, a service assistant professor in the School of Pharmacy, has been awarded the Ethel and Gerry Heebink Award for Distinguished Extended State Service in recognition of her exceptional service to the University, students and community. 

The service award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has provided distinguished service to West Virginia for more than eight years.

Since 2019, she has served as the director and then administrative director for the Rational Drug Therapy Program. Her work integrates clinical pharmacy, public health and statewide health system collaboration, providing improved care for over 825,000 West Virginia residents covered by Medicaid, the Public Employees Insurance Agency and the West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance program.

Wowczuk has contributed extensively to education and public health initiatives across the state. She teaches in the West Virginia Rural Health Association’s HIV Academic Mentoring Program, where she trains general practitioners to manage HIV care for patients who face barriers to access in underserved areas. She also contributed to the national sexual health curriculum as a section leader with the American Academy of HIV medicine and received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and the West Virginia Department of Health to develop statewide treatment guidelines for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. 

Her work has resulted in over 1,800 encounters with physicians, social workers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and teachers on such topics as ADHD, pain treatment and stigma related to substance abuse.

Under Wowczuk’s leadership, the RDTP delivers critical clinical services statewide. The program conducts approximately 1,700 medication reviews on weekdays and 250 on weekends — evaluating drug safety, effectiveness and appropriate use. 

Wowczuk also leads the Safe and Effective Management of Pain Program, which implements CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain. Since the program began, SEMPP has halved the amount of opioids prescribed to West Virginia patients on PEIA and Medicaid — reducing adverse events, hospitalizations and unnecessary costs. The SEMPP program has proven effective in proactively preventing substance use disorder before it starts.

Woczuck is also an effective steward of resources, growing RDTP contracts funding by almost 50% since 2019. Her work exemplifies impactful, statewide service that has improved health care quality, access and outcomes for the state of West Virginia.

As the 2026 Heebink Extended Service Award recipient, Wowczuk will receive a $3,000 professional development honorarium.

“Dr. Wowczuk exemplifies the purpose of and meaning behind the Heebink Award,” Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Kreider said. “She and her work are stellar examples of the distinguished service we value as West Virginia’s land-grant institution.”

Award recipients will be recognized during a faculty and staff awards reception at Blaney House in April.

Read more about this award and others.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Gray DC) – — Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced $4 billion in private investment to build data centers across West Virginia, but the plan faces pushback from residents concerned about rising electricity costs and resource consumption.

The West Virginia State Legislature opened the door for data center development in 2023, with a plan promising 30% of funds would stay in host counties.

“We have a framework that will help make West Virginia not only the best state to open a data center… but best for consumers as well,” Morrisey said.

Resource and cost concerns

Critics say each data center will consume between 1 and 5 million gallons of water daily, employ fewer than a dozen people and strain the power grid.

Morrisey said the law bars passing costs to consumers.

However, a Carnegie Mellon report shows electricity costs in communities around data centers are expected to spike nearly 25% by 2030. The explosion of data centers nationwide will drive up electricity bills by an average of 8% even for those not near a facility.

Limited lifespan

The lifespan of a data center averages 15 years. By year 25, they are considered obsolete.

There are currently plans for eight data centers across West Virginia. Morrisey said he is listening to those communities.

West Virginia’s welcome signs were changed from “Wild and Wonderful” to “Open for Business” in 2006.

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