West Virginia
West Virginia Children's Home to permanently close its doors – WV MetroNews
ELKINS, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Human Services say consistent absenteeism in schools will be dealt with in another way after making the announcement that a historic children’s home will permanently be closing its doors.
The DoHS said the West Virginia Children’s Home in Elkins is scheduled to officially close down tomorrow, Tuesday, December 31.
DoHS Cabinet Secretary Cynthia Persily said a decision was made to close the facility as the state is working to reduce reliance on residential care for children. She said this facility and its use for housing children who have been adjudicated by the court, primarily for truancy, is not consistent with those goals.
Persily said all of the adolescents who were currently living in the Children’s Home have now been removed from the facility and have been transferred to more appropriate placements elsewhere.
“We made arrangements to close the facility in November and worked diligently in transferring the very few children who were housed there into more appropriate housing for them,” said Persily.
She said there were just two remaining children in the facility at the time the decision was made to close it, and the average daily census of children there has been about four since it reopened after the Covid-19 Pandemic. The facility was only licensed to house a total of seven children at a time.
Persily said they have been working with the Department of Education who has been working diligently on truancy prevention programs for children instead of housing them for truancy purposes, as they believe there are more appropriate solutions that can be put in place to address this issue.
“The children who were housed there were not receiving treatment, it was purely housing, and the county school district was providing schooling for them,” she said.
Persily said it was also costing them $1.7 million annually to keep the facility operational due to it needing to be staffed 24/7. She said it just wasn’t feasible.
“If any of us do the math, $1.7 million dollars a year to care for an average of four children, it doesn’t seem to be financially-sound either,” she said.
She said they had about 21 full-time employees working at the facility at the time of closure as well as a few more temporary staff. Persily said they are being transferred to work at other state-run facilities.
Additionally, Persily said a recent study by ZMM Architects also highlighted the need for $7.8 million in deferred maintenance to be put into the building, which was completed in 1909. She said the architect company said there would need to be a lot of new safety measures put in place to keep the building up to code.
Persily said, given that it is a historic building, they weren’t sure if more maintenance needs would be tacked on.
“So, consequently, those costs could have gone up significantly, and given the fact that it’s just not consistent with our goals to house children in a residential facility who could be housed elsewhere, we opted to close the facility.
While she said WVCH had received additions and upgrades in 1916 and again in 1935, and has been well-maintained over the years, the over 25,000 square foot facility now faces challenges due to age and structural requirements.
Once home to the West Virginia Orphanage beginning in 1909 when it opened, Persily said interestingly enough, there are a number of historic artifacts there that they are currently working with the Department of Culture and History to archive some of those artifacts, including historic pictures and documents.
She said the facility has definitely made an impact on the children it has served over its 115 year tenure, but it can no longer serve such a purpose.
“I certainly think that it has kept children safe, and in many instances, caused those children to be able to graduate, to go to school and graduate, but again, we think there are better ways to do that for children today than by housing them in a residential facility,” Persily said.
However, the state is currently evaluating any future potential use for the historic building to preserve its legacy. Those plans will be developed in coordination with the West Virginia Real Estate Division.
ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY) — Davis and Elkins College is home to the Flynn Planetarium, which is the host of different events showcasing the mysteries of the universe. This past weekend, guests were able to grab some snacks and learn about stars, planets and galaxies.
Jerod Caligiuri, an assistant professor of astronomy at the school hosted the series of events. He believes the space is an important place for people to learn about the unknown.
“It’s a great resource. It’s a small planetarium but it’s a great resource for the community,” Caligiuri said.
Since launching a Facebook page for the planetarium, he said hundreds have come to see what it is all about. Caligiuri added that nobody knows everything about the universe and that adds to the fun of exploring it.
“Nobody knows everything and that’s what makes it exciting” Caligiuri said. “So, there’s always more to learn, always more to discover, and it’s a really big universe out there,”
He added that over the years, the planetarium has seen some upgrades, but he is still looking to lift up it’s capabilities.
“If donations come in, I would love to upgrade the projection system,” Caligiuri said.
He finished by encouraging people to check it out next time they have an event.
By Brett Dunlap
For The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Parkersburg – Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park will commemorate West Virginia Day on Saturday with a variety of activities.
Park Superintendent Craig Pyles said the park is partnering with the Blennerhassett Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to put on a variety of programming to mark the anniversary of West Virginia becoming a state on June 20, 1863.
“This year, we have crafters doing things of the time period, which will make it that much more interesting,” he said.
The event will have an information booth that includes things like flag codes, Constitution booklets, patriotic pins and thank-you cards for veterans utilizing an America 250 backdrop. People can sign a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and there will be goodie bags for kids, as well as information on the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Demonstrations and activities around the flag will be done by Shannon Sams-Harper, Melody Zimmerman and Catherine Sams. Sams will also be doing a cooking demonstration on an open fire utilizing dutch ovens to cook soup beans and sweet potato pecan biscuits.
Mary Ellen Brown will present a demonstration in which participants can make their own candle. People will be able to participate in the hands-on use of a washboard, organizers said.
A writing/coloring station will include writing with a quill and ink on parchment paper and a patriotic coloring book with crayons.
There will be a spinning wheel demonstration with Angie Wilson and a blacksmithing demonstration with John Schlicher.
Brian Clary will offer an interpretive program entitled “A Messenger in the Ohio Country.” This first-person program focuses on the American Revolution in the Ohio Valley and aligns with America 250 commemorative programming.
Dick and Martha Hartley will also be doing interpretive programs. Martha will examine the roles and functions of hats and what the wearer may be doing while wearing a specific hat. Dick Hartley will portray Peter Taylor, the Blennerhassetts’ English gardener, and discuss who Taylor was and what the gardens he planted and maintained on the island were like.
At 12:30 p.m., Pyles will read a West Virginia Day Proclamation, followed by free cake and ice cream for those in attendance.
Activities will be going on throughout the day, before and after the proclamation ceremony.
Pyles suggests people wanting to be there for the proclamation come over on the 11 a.m. boat to allow plenty of time to take in some of the sights and demonstrations.
“That would give people time to wander the grounds and see the crafters before the start of the ceremony,” he said.
Regular tours of the island and its usual attractions will be going on throughout the day.
All special West Virginia Day program events on the island are free but the boat ride over is $12 for adults and $8 for children 3-12. Wagon rides are $13 for adults and $11 for children. Guided mansion tours are $5.
Read more from The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, here.
The post Blennerhassett Island to commemorate West Virginia Day Saturday appeared first on West Virginia Press Association.
BEVERLY, W.Va (WDTV) – The West Virginia Celtic Festival took place Saturday at Camp Pioneer in Randolph County.
People from around the country came to celebrate their Scottish and Irish heritage at the fourth annual event.
The festival included Irish dancing, Highland games and live Celtic music. Participants set up tents around the park for the public. Artifacts from Celtic heritage and history were on display.
The event was expected to reach up to 5,000 attendants.
“Today we’re hosting the fourth annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games. It’s a celebration of Celtic culture and heritage and history,” said David Ferguson, a participant. “We have Highland Games, heavy athletics. We have the athletes throwing the cabers, throwing the heavy stones. A lot of fun athletics to watch. We have Highland dancers. We have musical entertainment. We have something for everybody. We have a lot of fun activities for the kids.”
A Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan service will take place Sunday at the Beverly Presbyterian Church.
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
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