daily304 - Episode 03.10.2024

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Sunday, March 10 

Never mind the groundhog…the first sign of spring is campgrounds opening in the Monongahela National Forest. Wellsburg’s Merco Marine becomes a beacon for quality dock systems. And sculpture artist Bill Hopen finds inspiration in Almost Heaven…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From WV EXPLORER – Officials at the Monongahela National Forest have announced the 2024 opening dates for developed recreation sites across the 921,000-acre forest in eastern West Virginia.

Campground and picnic shelter reservations for some sites may be made at Recreation.gov, and roadside camping, or dispersed camping, is available in much of the forest year-round.

According to National Forest Service public affairs specialist Tina White, the following dates may change based on local conditions.

National Forest Service public affairs specialist Tina White reminds visitors that the lack of cell phone service in the Monongahela National Forest should be considered when planning a trip. 

Click the link below for opening dates. Dates may change based on local conditions. 

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2024/03/01/monongahela-national-forest-opening/

#2 – From WV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – Hard work meets innovation in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, and Merco Marine stands as an example of this with its West Virginian and American manufacturing expertise. 

Based in Wellsburg, since 1979, Merco Marine has become a beacon for quality dock systems, marinas and industrial applications. The company produces an impressive array of nearly 500 products.

What sets Merco Marine apart is not just the breadth of their product line, but their commitment to being a West Virginia business. With a resounding #YesWV, Merco Marine embraces the state’s prime location and proximity to larger cities, access to water and rail, and the dedication of the West Virginia Department of Economic Development in assisting with business transactions.

Read more:

https://westvirginia.gov/merco-marine-says-yes-to-west-virginia/

#3 – From WV LIVING – For Bill Hopen, bringing stories to life through sculpture has become one of the most meaningful elements of being an artist. 

Originally from New York City, Hopen found beauty, inspiration, and economic freedom in the Mountain State. “In West Virginia, I found all these beautiful hardwoods available in the forest,” Hopen says. “I had chainsaws and chisels, and I began carving.” 

With some local attention on his work, residents suggested he teach lessons. Soon thereafter, he became an artist in residence in Clarksburg, where he worked for two years.

He began creating small commissioned pieces—then the Clarksburg Historical Society brought him his first large commission: a piece on immigrants for the courthouse plaza. Then he got a call requesting a bronze statue of St. Francis de Assisi for a hospital in Charleston. 

Hopen’s work can be found all throughout the Mountain State, including a stone carving on the Davis & Elkins College campus, a marble Mother’s Day memorial in Grafton, a bronze Senator Robert C. Byrd statue in the West Virginia State Capitol, and a bronze Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster memorial piece at Tamarack.

Read more:

https://wvliving.com/bill-hopen-tells-stories-through-sculpting/

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.