West Virginia
West Virginia is ground-zero for UFO research, extraterrestrial encounters
GREEN BANK, W.Va. — A renowned paranormal investigator says West Virginia has a remarkable association with UFO activity because of its role in the search for extraterrestrial life and because it was the location of many early alleged UFO encounters.
Dave Spinks, perhaps best known for his appearances on the Travel Channel, the History Channel, and Destination America, says you can’t beat the Mountain State when it comes to UFO lore.
“Two of the earliest and most famous encounters in the U.S. were reported here,” Spinks says, referring to legendary encounters involving Mothman and the Flatwoods Monster.
“But it was here, too, at Green Bank Observatory that Frank Drake established the first telescopes used in the SETI program—the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.”
“Here he met with Carl Sagan,” Spinks said, referring to the collaboration with scientists who met with the proponent of the Drake Equation, an argument used to speculate about the possibilities of intelligent life off the planet.
Spinks began to collect notes about encounters with UFOs and the paranormal in the 1990s. However, his inspiration came from his youth spent in the hills near Flatwoods, the site of one of the state’s first encounters.
In 1952, a group of Flatwoods residents reported seeing what they believed was a spacecraft crashing in the hills south of the town. On investigation, they encountered its apparent occupant, a super-human, the Flatwoods Monster, a being that chased them from the alleged crash site.
Spinks grew up nearby near Birch River and some of the members of his family had attended school with some of the witnesses from Flatwoods. “That’s what started me thinking.”
Spinks also heard tales of Mothman, a winged creature said to haunt the Ohio Valley near Point Pleasant in the 1960s, during which West Virginians frequently watched the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse, which some claim to have done.
He left law enforcement in 2011 and became a full-time paranormal investigator—one of the field’s most noticeable, appearing in nationally televised shows and in thousands of news articles and podcasts.
Spinks says he’s been offered his own television programs but has so far declined the offers as he finds the genre apt to veer from honesty for the sake of production values.
“I like to present a more gritty approach to investigating these tales,” Spinks says.
“Essentially, I have three questions I wish to answer. These are what drive me. What happens when we die? Are there unknown creatures walking among us? And are we alone in the universe?”
As well as speaking, authoring books, and appearing on television and in videos, Spinks also recently purchased an allegedly haunted house, Willows Weep, in Cayuga, Ind., which he uses as a laboratory for investigation.
For more information on Spinks and his work, visit Dave Spinks Paranormal Investigator.
A pre-industrial night’s sky lingers over remote West Virginia
Longing for a life far from city lights? You could hardly do better than to move to West Virginia. Sparsely populated, the state is part of a region of extremely low light — ironically located near the center of the eastern U.S., one of the most lighted regions in the world.
The night in some parts of West Virginia is so star-spangled that it may seem pre-industrial, according to astronomer David Buhrman, who tours the region with telescopes, leading educational programs and advocating for the value of starlight. Read the full story here.
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West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on March 30, 2026
The results are in for the West Virginia Lottery’s draw games on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 30.
Winning Powerball numbers from March 30 drawing
07-11-31-41-57, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 30 drawing
01-21-44-47-48, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 30 drawing
5-7-5
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 30 drawing
3-5-2-0
Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 25 numbers from March 30 drawing
03-05-10-16-19-21
Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
- Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia leaders are pushing to attract large data centers across the state, including sites in Mason County and Putnam County, citing growing demand for artificial intelligence and data storage and the potential for major economic gains.
State officials maintain the projects could bring billions of dollars in investment while forecasting increased tax revenue that could support local services.
“We’re talking multi-billion dollar investment,” said Del. Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam. “When that comes about and you start receiving the personal property taxes from that, we are looking at millions of dollars going toward our emergency services, millions of dollars going toward our school levies.”
However, some experts caution the long-term economic benefits may be limited.
“Most or many of the jobs that are created are temporary,” said Kelly Allen with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. “The biggest job is related to the construction, and then there are typically few permanent jobs. Those don’t necessarily go to local West Virginia workers.”
Questions also remain about who will benefit most from the investment. While data centers can generate significant property tax revenue, a recently passed law could shift much of that money away from local communities.
In 2025, West Virginia lawmakers approved House Bill 2014, which allows the state to collect most of the property tax revenue from data centers. Experts say that could leave counties, municipalities and school districts with less direct economic impact than expected.
Beyond economics, environmental concerns are also being raised — particularly around water usage.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection requires large water users to report their usage annually. State leaders said companies must submit environmental and engineering plans.
“They’ve submitted detailed engineering and environmental plans, and they’re working on water and mitigation strategies,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said. “There’s a long-term commitment to responsible development. We’re going to have plans to limit the noise. We’re going to do it the right way from a water perspective.”
Still, some critics say oversight may not go far enough. Reporting requirements occur after water is used, and there are currently no caps on consumption.
“Large-scale data centers could consume up to 5 million gallons of water a day in some scenarios,” Dr. Nathaniel Hitt with the WV Rivers Coalition. “Local communities simply do not know whether that’s going to be the situation for their local data center, because there’s no transparency for what amount of water will be used or from where that water will come.”
As more projects are proposed across West Virginia, experts say key questions remain about their long-term impact on local economies, natural resources and whether the promised benefits will fully materialize.
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