West Virginia
Priority Checklist: West Virginia House begins work on Jobs First agenda
- House Finance Committee Vice Chairman Clay Riley, left, explains House Bill 4007, relating to the state industrial access road program, during a Thursday morning committee meeting. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)
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- State Senate Assistant Majority Leader Patricia Rucker answers questions during a Senate Health and Human Resources Committee meeting Thursday afternoon about Senate Bill 42, which would allow for over-the-counter ivermectin sales. (Photo courtesy of WV Legislative Photography)
House Finance Committee Vice Chairman Clay Riley, left, explains House Bill 4007, relating to the state industrial access road program, during a Thursday morning committee meeting. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)
CHARLESTON — Making good on a pledge last month to focus on improving economic development in West Virginia, several House of Delegates committees began taking up bills as part of the House’s “Jobs First – Opportunity Everywhere” agenda.
In December, the Republican House caucus released its “Jobs First – Opportunity Everywhere” agenda, a legislative roadmap designed to stimulate statewide growth by focusing on modernizing education to prepare a skilled workforce, fostering a competitive business climate through deregulation, and ensuring responsible, long-term infrastructure development.
The House Finance Committee held its first committee hearing on House Bill 4007, relating to the state industrial access road program. The bill, introduced by Del. David McCormick, R-Monongalia, proposes updates to the Industrial Access Road Fund to better align with modern construction costs and economic development goals.
HB 4007 would double the annual funding for the Industrial Access Road Fund from $3 million to $6 million while increasing the maximum grant for a single county project from $400,000 to $800,000. The Industrial Access Road Fund, managed by the state Department of Transportation, was first created in 1999.
The bill also incorporates the West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program into the fund’s eligibility and introduces a 90-day deadline for the Division of Highways to respond to project requests.
State Senate Assistant Majority Leader Patricia Rucker answers questions during a Senate Health and Human Resources Committee meeting Thursday afternoon about Senate Bill 42, which would allow for over-the-counter ivermectin sales. (Photo courtesy of WV Legislative Photography)
House Finance Committee Vice Chairman Clay Riley, R-Harrison, said that these adjustments account for 26 years of inflation and will eliminate the need for multi-year funding cycles that previously delayed construction.
“This fits into our Jobs First – Opportunity Everywhere agenda,” said Riley, a co-sponsor of HB 4007. “Over the past five years, they have expended on an average of about $4 million per year … Because of the limits that were in the previous code, they’ve had to allocate multiple years of commitment to projects in order to build them.
“We looked at the construction inflation cost between 1999 and 2025 and essentially equated the increase from $400,000 to $800,000, which is in direct correlation to the construction increase over the past 26 years,” Riley continued. “And we took the $3 million total to $6 million, which is a direct correlation. And because there was an additional program that has come into play years ago with the certified sites, we added that as also a component.”
The Industrial Access Road Fund receives three-fourths of 1% of state tax collections that are otherwise dedicated to the State Road Fund, up to its statutory cap. HB 4007 doubles the fund’s cap, which would result in an additional $3 million being shifted annually from the State Road Fund to the Industrial Access Road Fund.
HB 4007 was one of several bills on committee agendas in the House on Thursday. Others include House Bill 4005, clarifying the categories of employment which are prohibited or authorized for persons in West Virginia who are under the age of 18 and to clarify youth apprenticeships prohibited or authorized in such categories of employment; House Bill 4006, aimed at fostering the growth of the state’s aerospace industry in West Virginia; and House Bill 4008, aimed at expanding the state’s inventory of industrial sites.
Under the House’s committee process put into place last year, bills are explained in a committee hearing on day one. On a separate day, the bill goes through markup, discussion, and vote.
On the other side of the State Capitol Building, a Senate committee moved its first bills. The Senate Health and Human Resources recommended Senate Bill 42, authorizing the over-the-counter sale of ivermectin, a prescription drug used to treat people for parasites, lice, and certain skin conditions. The bill now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Prescribed for both humans and animals, the drug became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved ivermectin for COVID treatments. Claims that the drug can also treat certain kinds of cancer are also unfounded.
SB 42 would permit pharmacists in West Virginia to sell ivermectin for human consumption without a prescription. Pharmacists would be required to give customers FDA-approved information sheets, though no professional medical consultation would be mandatory.
The bill would provide legal protections to pharmacists and medical providers to shield them from civil liability or professional disciplinary actions when acting in good faith. The West Virginia Board of Pharmacy would be required to draft specific rules to oversee the implementation of these new protocols.
State Senate Assistant Majority Leader Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, is the lead sponsor of SB 42. She said five states have also passed bills allowing for over-the-counter ivermectin sales.
“Just like many other drugs are made over the counter when they have very few side effects and are generally safe, ivermectin is one of those drugs,” Rucker said. “The risk of side effects and abuse is small and minor, but it’s possible with every drug. You can abuse Tylenol. You can overtake Tylenol. There are people who have destroyed their stomach by taking too many over-the-counter medications.
“It is absolutely the responsibility of the individuals and the pharmacists, and I do believe that pharmacists have a very good knowledge of what it is that they are not only dispensing,” Rucker continued. “They’re there to educate the consumer when the consumer requests any drugs, whether it is with a prescription or without a prescription.”
While the bill was recommended on voice vote, there was some questioning of the need for the bill and concerns raised.
“If someone doesn’t know what dose of ivermectin or how much to take, yes, there is … significant toxicities,” said state Sen. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, a doctor in Charleston. “It would be nice if there would be some safeguard or some limit that we’re going to say at least, hey, you can’t take more than the max dose for some other illness or something, just so that somebody that thinks they’re treating something doesn’t hurt themselves.”
“I do think there are some risks to a bill like this,” said Senate Assistant Minority Leader Joey Garcia, D-Marion. “I’d hate to see somebody hurt when, if they did want to take a drug like this, all they would have to do is take another step and consult with a doctor about it. The fact that five or six other states have done this … doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.”
State Sen. T. Kevan Bartlett, R-Kanawha, was in the hospital with COVID-19 during the early days of the pandemic before the vaccines were available, including spending five weeks on life support. He said he never felt comfortable taking the first COVID vaccines at the end of 2020, but he did take ivermectin.
“My wife and I both have had COVID since our initial experience there in the fall of 2020. And both times I took ivermectin in the early days of my diagnosis,” Bartlett said. “Now, I acknowledge it may have been the equivalent of turning my hat left, but I know that my symptoms and my wife’s symptoms diminished significantly within 24 to 48 hours of taking it.”
The Senate Health Committee also recommended to the full Senate a committee substitute for Senate Bill 231, relating to value-based payment requirements, for passage. SB 231 would transition the state’s addiction recovery system from traditional fee-for-service model to a value-based payment structure, rewarding healthcare providers who achieve specific, measurable patient outcomes rather than those who provide a high volume of services.
Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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West Virginia offers deep river gorges, Appalachian mountain trails, and museums covering several layers of regional history. Day trips can lead to quirky stops like the legends at the Mothman Museum or haunting tours through a historic asylum. Other stops highlight art and science, with hands-on exhibits at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences and wide-ranging collections at the West Virginia State Museum. Places like Beech Fork State Park and Babcock State Park show off the landscapes that make West Virginia a rewarding place to drive through. Below are 12 day trips worth the drive, starting from Charleston and Huntington.
Starting City: Charleston
Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences (Within the City)
This 240,000-square-foot facility opened in 2003 and combines art exhibits with STEM experiences across multiple museums and theaters. The Avampato Discovery Museum is the child-facing centerpiece, with climbing sculptures, a music studio, a Space Lab for designing rockets, and a Wild Kratts Ocean Adventure covering various ocean ecosystems. The Caperton Planetarium & Theater handles night-sky programming. The other two anchors are the Juliet Art Museum with its Interactive Art Space and the Maier Performance Hall, which hosts performances from the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and visiting jazz ensembles.
West Virginia State Museum (Within the City)
The state museum dates to 1890 and was previously known as the West Virginia Science and Culture Center. It covers history, art, culture, paleontology, and archaeology across its galleries. The Discovery Rooms walk visitors through the prehistory of West Virginia, life on the Appalachian frontier, and John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, which helped ignite the American Civil War. Additional rooms cover West Virginia’s 1863 statehood (the state was carved from Virginia during the war) and its long heritage as a coal-mining state. Interpretive reconstructions throughout the museum recreate West Virginia landmarks including a classic soda shop, Harpers Ferry, and a coal mine.
Capitol Market (Within the City)
The Capitol Market in the heart of Charleston has been widely recognized as one of the best local shopping centers in the state. Set in a historic train depot, it houses produce merchants both indoors and outdoors. Inside, Johnnie’s Fresh Meat Market handles meat, Mea Cuppa Coffeebar pours coffee, and Bogey’s serves BBQ, fire-roasted corn, and homemade coleslaw. The outdoor section is where shoppers find flowers and greens from greenhouses like Bostic and Evans, along with fresh fruit and vegetables from Robbie’s Produce out of Sissonville, West Virginia.
Kanawha State Forest (15 Minutes)
West Virginia is one of the most heavily forested states in the country, with forest covering roughly 79% of its total land area. That reality is easy to experience 15 minutes south of Charleston at Kanawha State Forest. At 9,300 acres, the forest was once a logging and mining site before the West Virginia Conservation Commission purchased it and converted it to public land. There are more than 60 miles of hiking and biking trails, with strong wildflower viewing in spring and reliable bird sightings, including 19 species of wood warblers during migration. Davis Creek offers fishing opportunities with wheelchair-accessible piers.
Mothman Museum (1 Hour)
West Virginia has its share of cryptid legends, and the state’s most famous is Mothman, first sighted around Point Pleasant in November 1966 and described as a winged figure with glowing red eyes. The Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant calls itself the world’s only museum dedicated to Mothman, with collected newspaper clippings, eyewitness accounts, and props from the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies. Visitors can take pictures next to the nearby Mothman Statue or pick up Mothman-inspired shirts and souvenirs. The museum also runs the Mothman ’66 Escape Room and a Mothman Blacklight Mini-Golf course, both fit for families willing to lean into the spookier side of the legend.
Hawks Nest State Park (1 Hour)
Hawks Nest State Park covers 270 acres along the cliffs above the New River. The water below produces fast rapids popular with experienced whitewater rafters. Away from the rapids, the park offers a scenic overlook down to the New River Gorge Bridge and 8 miles of hiking trails climbing up into the mountains. Hawks Nest Lake holds bass for anglers, though swimming is not allowed in the lake (the park has a separate pool and splash pad). Like many West Virginia parks, it was initially developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and the Hawks Nest Park Museum covers that history.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)
A few more minutes’ drive from Charleston takes you down into the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The gorge was carved by the New River, which, despite its name, is actually one of the oldest rivers in North America at roughly 260 million years old. The gorge is the deepest in the Appalachian Mountains, with 1,000 feet of exposed sandstone and shale cliffs. Those cliffs support more than 1,600 established climbing routes, drawing climbers year-round. Hikers have nearly 100 miles of trails to choose from, along with scenic drives, whitewater rafting, and fishing access.
Babcock State Park (1 Hour, 30 Minutes)
Babcock State Park’s signature landmark is the Glade Creek Grist Mill, a working mill built in 1976 from parts of three historic West Virginia mills, most notably Cooper’s Mill, which had been destroyed by fire decades earlier. The mill is one of the most-photographed spots in the state. Beyond the mill, the park has more than 20 miles of hiking trails winding up into the Appalachian hills, and Boley Lake offers paddle boat, rowboat, and canoe rentals at the marina. Geocachers have left trinkets throughout the park, especially near Glade Creek Waterfall.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (1 Hour, 45 Minutes)
Construction on the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum began in 1858, and it opened in 1864 during the Civil War to house psychiatric patients. At 1,300 feet long, it remains one of the largest hand-cut stone masonry buildings in the United States. Originally designed to hold up to 250 patients under the 19th-century Kirkbride Plan, which emphasized natural light, air, and space, the asylum eventually housed as many as 2,400 patients at a time, with the crowding leading to documented abuses. It also housed Union and Confederate troops during various Civil War raids. The asylum closed in 1994 and now offers historical tours Tuesday through Sunday, with separate ghost tours available in the evening.
Starting City: Huntington
Huntington Museum of Art (Within the City)
At nearly 60,000 square feet, the Huntington Museum of Art is the largest art museum in West Virginia. The collection is eclectic, spanning fine paintings alongside decorative crafts. The Touma Gallery displays Middle Eastern pottery, metalwork, and woodwork including pieces from Damascus, Syria. The Herman P. Deans Firearms Collection covers early firearms and crossbows as examples of historic craftsmanship. On the grounds, West Virginia’s only plant conservatory showcases tropical and subtropical species, and 6 miles of hiking trails run through forested hills.
Heritage Farm Museum & Village (Within the City)
The Heritage Farm Museum & Village was the first Smithsonian Affiliate in West Virginia, recognized for its hands-on approach to Appalachian pioneer history. A former farmhouse converted into a multi-museum pioneer village, it covers specific aspects of Appalachian life across several buildings. The Progress Museum focuses on 1850s Appalachian settler life, while the Transportation Museum covers the railroad and frontier wagons. The Country Store Museum recreates a 19th-century general store, and the Children’s Hands-On Activity Center lets kids try 19th-century chores. A Treehouse Trek trail on canopy bridges rises 60 feet above the forest and ends at a large treehouse.
Beech Fork State Park (30 Minutes)
Less than half an hour from Huntington, the 3,000-acre Beech Fork State Park sits on Beech Fork Lake, a reservoir built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control on Twelvepole Creek. The park’s 31 miles of shoreline support canoes, kayaks, johnboats, and paddle boards, rentable at the dock. Fishing includes largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, and bluegill, with a valid West Virginia fishing license required. Hiking trails wind around the lake and up to overlooks.
There’s A Lot To See On These Country Roads
John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is still the most familiar song about West Virginia’s winding mountain roads, and along those roads are picturesque stops ranging from the Clay Center in Charleston to the Heritage Farm Village near Huntington. For travelers drawn to darker history, the Mothman Museum and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum preserve the stranger and more haunting side of the state. All of these sites sit within an easy day-trip radius of Charleston or Huntington, so the drive itself becomes part of the experience.
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