CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced that applications are now open for the 2026 antlerless deer and state park controlled lottery hunts.

Hunters who want to participate in these limited-permit opportunities must submit their applications online at WVhunt.com.

“These lottery hunts are critical for managing West Virginia’s deer population and protecting natural habitats across the state,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. “By participating in these managed hunts, our hunters can play a role in conservation while gaining exclusive access to some of the most scenic public lands and state parks the Mountain State has to offer.”

Antlerless deer lottery hunts

The WVDNR issues a limited number of Class N stamps for residents and Class NN stamps for nonresidents to hunt in designated counties and public lands where additional harvest is needed. This year’s lottery includes the following 13 limited-permit areas:

• Boone County
• Camp Creek State Forest
• Daniels Ridge WMA
• Fayette County (West Portion)
• Greenbrier County (North Portion)
• Greenbrier State Forest
• Kanawha County (North Portion)
• Kanawha County (South Portion)
• National Forest Land in Nicholas County
• National Forest Land in Pocahontas County
• National Forest and State Land in Randolph County
• Raleigh (West Portion)
• Webster County

Applications for these antlerless deer lottery hunts must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Sept. 4. Applicants may check their status starting Sept. 15 at WVhunt.com. Successful applicants will be notified by email by the first week of October.

State park lottery hunts

The WVDNR is also accepting applications for controlled deer hunts at Beech Fork, Pipestem Resort, Stonewall Resort and Twin Falls Resort state parks. Applications must be submitted online at WVhunt.com by midnight Aug. 31.

There is a $15 application fee and applications may include up to two hunters. Drawings will take place Sept. 3 and successful applicants will be notified between Sept. 8-25. Deer harvested during these controlled hunts do not count toward a hunter’s annual bag limit.

All controlled hunts are subject to West Virginia’s hunting regulations. For more information about application requirements and specific hunt dates, visit the WVDNR’s lottery hunts page. To purchase a hunting license and stamps, visit WVhunt.com.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s ‘Ascend’ program has continued to reach success and work to reverse the population decline in the state.

Officially launching in April 2021, with direction and financial backing of Marshall University President Brad Smith and his wife Alyss, Ascend pays individuals $12,000 to move to West Virginia for two years. Beyond the cash incentive, Ascend also offers free outdoor recreation activities, a coworking space, social programming events, and professional development and entrepreneurial assistance.

“We’ve really tried to integrate the space and the people into the community, and, vice versa, bringing the community into the space, as well,” WVU Assistant Vice President of Economic and Community Development Danny Twilley said.

Ascend is currently operating out of six separate locations in the state, including Charleston, the New River Gorge, Greenbrier Valley, Morgantown, Greater Elkins and the Eastern Panhandle area.

Twilley said Ascend has had a total of 704 participants, more than 1,500 people have moved to West Virginia, bringing additional household members, and 24 new babies have been born in the state.

Out of all the numbers, Twilley is most proud of the fact that the Ascend Program has a 96.4 percent retention rate, meaning almost all participants fully complete the program.

“We know that they show up, they want to be involved, they want to engage, and they want to be together, so it’s been really remarkable,” Twilley said.

In addition to an exceptionally high completion rate, 41 percent of the program’s participants have either purchased or built homes in West Virginia, exemplifying a long-term commitment to the state.

“It’s 41 percent,” Twilley said. “That’s a commitment, right. To buy a house, that shows you have a long-term commitment to stay. Often times what we find is those who start renting will eventually buy a house, as well.”

Throughout the years, the Ascend Program has racked up over 80,000 applications, and is currently on the way to reaching 90,000 applications. All are welcome to apply.

Story by Sophia Wassick

WELLSBURG, W.Va. — A Brooke County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to a felony drug charge stemming from a January investigation at a Follansbee home.

Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney Allison Adyniec Cowden said Rian Harkins, 25, was sentenced July 13 by Brooke County Circuit Judge Jason A. Cuomo to serve one to 15 years in the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Harkins pleaded guilty April 20 to one count of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

The case began Jan. 4 when Brooke County Sheriff’s Deputy Shane Siranovic responded to a reported overdose at a home on Fourth Street in Follansbee.

Prosecutors said Siranovic found Harkins unresponsive behind a table in the basement of the home. After attempts to wake him, including a sternum rub, Harkins regained consciousness and told deputies he was fine.

While inside the home, deputies reported seeing suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain view. Authorities secured the home while Siranovic obtained a search warrant from Brooke County Magistrate Court.

During the search, deputies recovered digital scales, small plates containing a white substance that field-tested positive for cocaine or cocaine base, plastic bags containing suspected narcotics, and other items investigators said were consistent with packaging and distributing controlled substances.

Investigators also found several containers holding a liquid with a white, grainy substance, along with an ice cube tray containing similar material and a box of baking soda. Prosecutors said laboratory testing later confirmed the liquid contained fentanyl.

Authorities also recovered several firearms from the home. One, a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-caliber handgun, was determined through the National Crime Information Center database to have been reported stolen from Wheeling, prosecutors said.

Harkins remains in the custody of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.