West Virginia
Morrisey: ‘Backyard Brawl’ economic development plan will focus on energy infrastructure in WV • West Virginia Watch
West Virginia will see a renewed focus on economic development and competition with surrounding states through initiatives set to be taken on under Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
Morrisey addressed the press on Thursday, discussing what he has for several months dubbed the “Backyard Brawl” for regional economic development, referring to a football term used for local rivalries.
“I think that the reason I’ve talked about that for a long time is that I’m a believer in the power of competition,” Morrisey said. “That if you start to look at what your state is doing in the economic arena and you compare it to all the states that you touch, you start to have barometers of where you stand and how you can be better at what you do.”
The focus of the effort is going to hinge strongly on developing energy infrastructure and, through that, competition with surrounding states as well as other general metrics for business and economic growth, Morrisey said.
“We know that for West Virginia to unleash its true potential, we have to be an energy powerhouse, and that means taking advantage of all of our energy resources,” Morrisey said.
Todd Johnston, who was named earlier this month to serve as Morrisey’s deputy chief of staff, will be a crucial lead for the new “Backyard Brawl” initiative. Johnston comes to West Virginia with a background in energy, natural resource and infrastructure policies as well as regulatory compliance issues. He previously served as a vice president of ConservAmerica, a conservative-leaning nonprofit focused on “market-based solutions” to promote environmental conservation alongside economic development.
Johnston will work as the director of West Virginia’s new “energy, infrastructure, and competitiveness” program, Morrisey announced. In that position, he will coordinate with the Governor’s Office, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation as well as commerce and economic development representatives across the state.
Specifically, Morrisey said, the new efforts will key in on improving “fundamentals” across the state that he believes will drive economic growth and development.
As it is early in the process, not many specifics were outlined Thursday for what projects or initiatives may be undertaken for this work. Morrisey did say he would like to see efforts as soon as possible to accelerate permit application approvals, which can delay the start and completion of certain projects.
The policies Morrisey said he wants to see advanced are similar to ones stressed by former Gov. Jim Justice who, since earlier this month, is serving in the U.S. Senate. Justice regularly described himself as a pro-business governor and, as the operator of several coal mines, lamented national policies that he felt undercut West Virginia’s energy and economic potential.
West Virginia still ranks low nationally in several metrics for private business successes, Morrisey said. The state is ranked 40th in CNBC’s 2024 top states for business and 49th in Forbes’ best states for business report. While Forbes listed West Virginia as 13th nationally for business costs, the state ranked 50th for labor supply, the regulatory environment and potential growth prospects, Morrisey pointed out.
“We were near the bottom in a lot of different categories. I want to change that,” Morrisey said. “West Virginians deserve to have that change so we can start to really rise in the economic rankings.”
When asked how his approach to economic and energy development would differ from Justice’s despite sharing similar strategies and goals, Morrisey said he wasn’t interested in looking at the past.
“I think the important thing is we’re not gonna look back. We’re going to build on strengths and there’s been some positive things [like Roads to Prosperity],” Morrisey said. “I want to level-set with people about where we are, what we’re inheriting and how we have to go forward. I think you’re going to see a level of vigor, you’re gonna see a level of dedication focused on competition that the state has never seen before.”
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Online casino revenue has never been higher in West Virginia.
That means plenty of customers are making deposits and playing games.
But, one of the keys to being among the top online casinos in West Virginia is having reliable and secure payout methods.
Online players need to know they will be able to receive their winnings in a timely and legal fashion. While iGaming platforms often promote their deposit methods, we’re taking a closer look at the available withdrawal options.
Top WV Online Casino Payout Methods
Options for withdrawing funds from a West Virginia online casino are a little more limited than deposit options.
Online casino operators are also slower to provide a withdrawal than a deposit, as they tend to review with payout to ensure the funds are going to the right person in a secured way.
Here’s a breakdown of the available withdrawal options for WV online casino players.
Online Banking
Online casinos typically use a company like Trustly to complete secure online banking transfers to make payouts.
This method will see the winnings deposited directly into the bank account that you provide.
Thousands of banks participate in these programs, so your bank is likely covered. Withdrawals can take 24 hours for online casinos to review, then 3-5 business days for your bank to process the funds.
eCheck/ACH
Most online casinos use VIP Preferred as a banking method option. This is a way to transfer funds through an electronic check that is done through ACH (Automated Clearing House). It’s the same option many companies use for making direct deposit payments to employees.
Electronic checks take 1-2 business days to be processed.
Debit Card
Debit cards are payment cards linked directly to your bank account. Most WV online casinos accept Visa and Mastercard from customers.
In many cases, the operator will require a user to make a deposit with the debit card before accepting any withdrawals being credited to the card. Payouts using a debit card will send the funds directly to your bank account.
Transactions using a debit card should appear in under 24 hours.
Apple Pay
Apple Pay is an option that is available. It is a virtual wallet that holds debit and credit cards for customers. It is a convenient option for iPhone users that use mobile online casino platforms.
Payouts using Apple Pay are typically reflected in under 24 hours.
PayPal
PayPal is a virtual wallet that users can attach their debit cards or bank accounts to.
Online casinos require customers to have a Personal or Premier PayPal account if they are looking to use it as a payout method.
Withdrawals using PayPal take 1-2 business days to appear in your account.
Venmo
Another virtual wallet option that is owned by PayPal, Venmo links a user’s bank account and banking cards.
Just one Venmo account is allowed per customer at a given WV online casino.
Venmo withdrawals take 1-2 business days to appear in your account.
Play+
Play+ is an account that customers fund and then use those funds for various things like online gaming or online gambling.
West Virginia iGamers can fund and make deposits to their Play+ account through online casinos. In order to get a payout with your Play+ account, you must first make a deposit using the same account.
Payouts using Play+ should appear in your account in 24-48 hours.
Cash at Casino
Some online casinos will work with their retail partners for deposit and withdrawals.
Users have the option to visit the participating the retail casino location, make a cash withdrawal from their online account based on the funds they have available.
For this option, customers will need to have a valid ID photo and a transaction ID number from the online casino.
Wire Transfer
A wire transfer moves funds electronically from one account to another. However, this method is typically used for large sums or international banking.
West Virginia online casinos require large minimums in order to make a withdrawal using this method. These minimums are thousands of dollars.
Wire transfers tend to take 1-2 business days to take effect.
Check by Mail
If no other options work for you, West Virginia online casinos in most cases are willing to send you a paper check with your winnings.
Most require a certain minimum amount in order to use this method. Checks can take up to 14 business days to reach a user once sent.
Drew Ellis has experience covering the gambling industries in North America and around the world. Decades of media experience provide him with the background to handle the complexities of different gambling laws and policies around the United States and North America. Ellis has primarily focused on online and retail casino news since 2021. Prior to working in the gambling industry, Ellis spent over 20 years in the newspaper industry, covering sports and the gambling. His work for The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun and The Oakland Press was recognized with awards by the Associated Press and other media organizations. Drew has also contributed to the Detroit Free Press and the Associated Press.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) – The Toughman Contest will return to Clarksburg this weekend for its 47th year, with the Nathan Goff Armory hosting the event for the 45th consecutive time.
The tournament was founded in 1979 in Bay City, Michigan by Art Dore, a former professional boxer. Dore later teamed up with Jerry Thomas to bring the event to West Virginia.
The contest is designed for amateur boxers, with no professionals allowed to compete. A new rule introduced this year prohibits former winners from competing in future Toughman contests.
“The event is three 1-minute rounds. Everyone wears 16 oz. gloves which is a training glove. There’s no headgear required for this now, hasn’t been for about 7 or 8 years and they get a one-minute rest between each round. We’ll have experienced trainers in each corner,” said Jerry Thomas, president of West Virginia Sports Promotions.
Two doctors will be ringside along with paramedics and EMTs from Harrison County Emergency Squad to tend to fighters after their bouts.
The tournament features five weight classes for both men and women. Fighters will weigh in Friday at 4 p.m., where matchmakers will determine opponents based on age, size and experience.
The single-elimination tournament begins Friday night, with all participants fighting once before returning Saturday to advance through the bracket until winners are crowned.
“The winners here in the men’s division will take home $1,000 for first place prize. The runner-up in each weight class will receive $500. The winner receives a nice Toughman jacket that you can only obtain by winning the tournament or working for the company,” Thomas said.
The weekend will also feature two professional fights. Friday’s bout will be a four-round super middleweight contest, and Saturday will feature an eight-round title fight for the vacant West Virginia cruiserweight championship.
Tickets and live streaming options can be purchased on their website. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door before the event begins at 7 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
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