West Virginia - Wild and Wonderful

About West Virginia

West Virginia is noted for its mountains and diverse topography, its historically significant logging and coal mining industries, and its political and labor history. It is one of the most densely karstic areas in the world, making it a choice area for recreational caving and scientific research.

Business

West Virginia is full of opportunity for any business with a growing economy and a highly dedicated workforce. Whether you are running an existing business or thinking of starting a new business you can find all of the information you need throughout this business section.

Education

West Virginia is fortunate to have a tremendous education system with a high standard of excellence. Please use the information provided here to learn more about the wealth of educational opportunities in our great state.

Employment

West Virginia is home to one of the finest workforces in the country based on our hard work and commitment to quality. Whether you are looking for new job opportunities, enhancing your job skills or researching future employment trends you can find all of the information you need throughout this employment section.

Family

West Virginia offers the perfect balance of a rural and urban setting that suits a variety of lifestyles. This is a state where you can go whitewater rafting in the morning, go to an art exhibit in the afternoon and attend a concert in the evening. Whether you just moved to the Mountain State or your family has been here since it was founded, you are part of our community.

Health

Maintaining proper health is vital to ensuring the highest quality of life possible. West Virginia strives to provide one of the best health care systems in the country that is affordable and available to all residents of the state. This section contains numerous resources to assist you in accessing the health care services provided in the state.

Tourism

Exhilarate in the lasting beauty and natural wonder scattered throughout West Virginia. From unmatched outdoor recreation to world-class resorts, breathtaking scenery and a variety of cultural and historic attractions, West Virginia is an ideal spot to plan your next adventure. Discover for yourself what makes West Virginia wild and wonderful.

 May Special Session: The Governor's Call for this week's Special Legislative Session 

5/12/2010  I, JOE MANCHIN III, GOVERNOR of the State of West Virginia, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 7, Article VII of the Constitution of West Virginia, do hereby call the Legislature of West Virginia to convene in Extraordinary Session at twelve o’clock noon on the thirteenth day of May, two thousand ten, in its chambers in the State Capitol, City of Charleston, for the sole purpose of considering and acting upon the following matters:

FIRST:            Legislation relating generally to the public schools; authorizing the creation of autonomous schools to be known as Charter Innovation Zone 2.0 Schools; setting forth requirements for Charter Innovation Zone 2.0 Schools; and creating the Charter Innovation Zone 2.0 School Commission.
    
SECOND:            Legislation relating to additional compensation for certain professional personnel in the public schools; requiring a minimum annual salary supplement and a minimum monetary incentive for certain professional personnel; and authorizing additional monetary compensation for certain professional personnel paid from local funds.
               
THIRD:            Legislation relating to health and developmental screening of students in the public schools; and requiring a comprehensive health screening for students entering public school for the first time in this state, students entering third grade, students entering sixth grade, and students entering ninth grade.              
 
FOURTH:            Legislation relating to hiring professional personnel in the public schools; setting forth hiring criteria; and setting forth requirements for hiring committees.

FIFTH:            Legislation relating generally to improving school performance; setting forth requirements for improving school performance; requiring plans for early warnings and interventions; adopting a performance-based model for evaluating

school performance; revising standards and criteria; authorizing certain actions of the state board related to improving school performance; and creating the Education Opportunity Zone 180 program.

SIXTH:            Legislation relating to school committees; and authorizing the reorganization of certain committees into collaborative teams.
 

SEVENTH:            Legislation relating to the training and certification of certain professional personnel in the public schools; authorizing alternative training and certification programs for certain professional personnel; and setting forth program requirements.
      
EIGHTH:            Legislation relating to the evaluation of professional personnel in the public schools; and requiring annual evaluations.
     
NINTH:            Legislation relating to the nomenclature of certain law enforcement personnel within the Division of Natural Resources; and clarifying the effect of certain terminology on pensions.

TENTH:            Legislation relating generally to health and human services; revising certain terms; and clarifying the authority of certain state officers.
            
ELEVENTH:            Legislation relating to dangerous weapons; and addressing certain criminal penalties and fines.      

TWELFTH:            Legislation relating to the establishment of a temporary high risk pool program to provide health insurance to certain individuals; setting forth requirements for the program; authorizing the insurance commissioner to take certain actions to establish and administer the program; and authorizing the insurance commissioner to effectuate the insurance provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

THIRTEENTH:      Legislation relating to the transfer of certain funds; creating a special revenue account; and setting forth requirements for expenditures.

FOURTEENTH:      Legislation to authorize and appropriate the expenditure of public moneys to pay the expenses of this extraordinary session.

FIFTEENTH:      Certain supplementary appropriation bills.

SIXTEENTH:      Certain ceremonial and memorial resolutions.     

Contact Information

Sara Payne Scarbro 
304-558-2000