West Virginia
AIA West Virginia honors design excellence at 2026 gala in Morgantown
MORGANTOWN, WV — The American Institute of Architects West Virginia (AIA WV) recognized design excellence, honored distinguished service and celebrated emerging talent at its 2026 Design Awards Gala and Scholarship Benefit, held at Hotel Morgan in Morgantown.
The annual program highlights architectural work that demonstrates design quality and meaningful impact on communities across West Virginia and beyond. This year’s awards were determined through a blind jury process led by Christopher Meyers, FAIA, of Meyers+Associates in Columbus, Ohio. Projects were evaluated on clarity of concept, execution and long-term impact.
The program’s highest recognition, the Honor Award for New Construction, was presented to the Library and Active Living Center at Afton Ridge in Kannapolis, North Carolina, designed by Silling with design architect HBM Architects, and the Marshall County Health Department in Moundsville, West Virginia, designed by Silling.
Merit Awards for New Construction were awarded to the WVU Medicine Thomas Hospital Orthopedic Hospital Entry Addition in Charleston, West Virginia (Silling); Coalfield Elementary School in Welch, West Virginia (The Thrasher Group); and Northwood Health Systems in Wheeling, West Virginia (M&G Architects & Engineers with MSA Design).
Citations for New Construction were presented to Alderson Elementary School (The Thrasher Group) and the Oglebay Park Resort Wilson Lodge Porte Cochere (Mills Group).
A Merit Award in Renovation/Restoration was awarded to the Cabarrus County Courthouse – Phase 2 in Concord, North Carolina, designed by Silling with HBM Architects.
In the Interiors category, a Merit Award was presented to Building 2000 Renovation in Friendly, West Virginia (Pickering Associates), while Cedar Grove Elementary School (ZMM Architects and Engineers) received a Citation.
A Citation in Small Projects was awarded to the Cabell County Courthouse Clock Tower Restoration in Huntington, West Virginia (Edward Tucker Architects).
The Community Impact Award was presented to the Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers in Barboursville, West Virginia, designed by ZMM Architects and Engineers, recognizing its impact on education and workforce development.
The 25 Year Award, honoring enduring architectural significance, was presented to the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston, West Virginia, designed by Silling.
AIA West Virginia also presented the James L. Montgomery Award, the organization’s highest individual honor, to William E. Yoke Jr., AIA Emeritus, in recognition of a lifetime of distinguished service to the profession and lasting contributions to the built environment.
The evening also recognized the next generation of architects, with the West Virginia Foundation for Architecture (WVFA) awarding scholarships to ten students pursuing degrees in architecture. These awards reflect the Foundation’s continued commitment to supporting emerging talent and strengthening the future of the profession.
The AIA West Virginia Design Awards program underscores the role architects play in shaping communities through thoughtful, enduring design. This year’s recipients reflect a continued commitment to advancing the quality of the built environment while responding to evolving community needs.
Additional information, including detailed project descriptions and photography, is available in the Awards Gallery at www.aiawv.org.
A 6-year-old boy died in a motocross crash in West Virginia over the weekend, officials say.
The boy died during practice runs at Mason Motocross in Mason County on Sunday morning, CBS affiliate WOWK reported. The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. at the track in Point Pleasant.
Officials reportedly said a medical helicopter was called to the scene of the crash, but the child was not stable enough to be flown to the hospital, so instead he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The boy later died from his injuries at the hospital. He has not been identified as of Monday night.
The Mason Motocross races on Sunday were canceled after the crash, WOWK reported. They were scheduled to start at noon. According to a Facebook post from Mason Motocross, practice runs began around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Mason Motocross asked for prayers for the boy’s family.
“Let’s lift them up in prayer during this unimaginable time,” the social media post said. “Our community. Our support. Our prayers.”
No other information about the crash was released on Monday.
West Virginia
Over 26,000 West Virginia students have applied for full Hope Scholarship funding – WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 26,000 West Virginia students submitted applications for full Hope Scholarship funding for the next school year.
State Treasurer Larry Pack and his office announced the latest application numbers in a release Monday. Pack’s office said 26,617 students applied during the first application period from March 2 to June 15. The estimated cost for Hope Scholarship funding, as it currently stands, is $155 million.
The first window for students to apply for 100-percent funding closed last Monday. The state treasurer’s office said the cost for this year will rise as students submit applications. Students can apply for 75 percent of the full funding amount until September 15.
The release said around $277 million was allocated by the West Virginia Legislature and Gov. Patrick Morrisey for Hope Scholarship funding during the 2026 Legislative Session.
“We are so excited to welcome thousands of new families into the Hope Scholarship Program. Seeing the Education Savings Account nearly double in participation is a true indicator of the impact and popularity of the program,” Pack said. “Now our team turns their attention to helping these students get the resources they need to tailor their education towards their unique needs. Our goal is for West Virginia will continue to lead the nation in education innovation as we continue to build the program.”
The state treasurer’s office said the 2026-27 full scholarship amount is $5,435.62 per student, with those funds distributed quarterly.
More students are eligible for Hope Scholarship funding this year with more flexibility offered for school choice. The state treasurer’s office said that private school and traditional homeschool students can apply to the Education Savings Account program for 2026-27 academic funding.
The state treasurer’s office broke down each applicant’s eligibility for funding based on when applications are submitted.
June 16 — September 15, 2026: 75% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
September 16 — November 30, 2026: 50% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
December 1, 2026 — February 28, 2027: 25% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
Students can apply online here.
WV Sports Football Recruiting
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