Nov 29, 2023
Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.
Today is Wednesday, Nov. 29
The Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center has big plans for expansion. A fiber artist finds inspiration in WV scenery. And follow the Mercer County Candy Cane Trail for a chance to win prizes…on today’s daily304.
#1 – From WV NEWS – After rebranding seven months ago, the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center has continued its mission of supporting both workers and businesses throughout the state by providing training, job placement and more.
MAMC Director Derek Scarbro said the manufacturing industry is experiencing a solid resurgence.
“There are thousands of manufacturing jobs available in West Virginia both now and on the horizon with companies expanding and operations coming to West Virginia. So, there is great opportunity for a lot of good-paying, family-supporting jobs, and we’re trying to rise to the challenge and help more West Virginians take advantage of that opportunity and help these companies grow,” he said.
Earlier this month, the MAMC (formerly the Robert C. Byrd Institute) was awarded nearly $1 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission to implement its Systems Maintenance, Automation and Robotics Technology Program in Cabell and Mason counties.
Scarbro said he believes the SMART Program will be a game changer.
“We heard from 26 manufacturers just in the immediate vicinity of Cabell County and the tri-state part of West Virginia who had a specific need for these skill sets like maintaining automated production lines, which are often some of the most highly paid, highly skilled jobs outside of management at many of these factories.”
Read more:
#2 – From WV LIVING – Fiber artist Mary Roy first tried hand embroidery in 2019 as a creative outlet to cope with the symptoms of her obsessive-compulsive disorder and the stress of her corporate job. She’s been learning and stitching ever since.
In 2020, she established her business, Appalachian Moon, which she rebranded earlier this year to Mary Stitches. Roy has been voted a 2021 “Best New Artist” runner-up by readers of WV Living magazine, an Emerging Artist Fellow by Tamarack Foundation for the Arts and an Artist-in-Residence at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Most of Roy’s pieces are 8-inch hoops and take 25 to 30 hours to complete, depending on complexity. They are also thoroughly researched, which adds authenticity and helps Roy capture tiny details. Her three-layer New River Gorge hoop—one of her favorites—features the bridge, river, surrounding greenery, and female whitewater rafters.
“It was fun to play with the different colors and textures, and the layering allowed me to create something with more movement and dimension,” Roy says. The piece has been featured in exhibitions at The Cultural Center, Tamarack Marketplace and Taylor Books.
You can find her work on her Etsy page, MaryeStitches.
Read more:
https://wvliving.com/embroidered-beauty/
#3 – From WVNS-TV – The second annual Visit Mercer County Candy Cane Trail hosted by the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau is back and ready for the holidays.
Through Jan. 8, 2024, peppermints and candy canes lie throughout Mercer County waiting for people to follow the trail of holiday cheer.
Sign up at www.visitmercercounty.com/candycanetrail to get a link to your mobile passport. Then visit the locations on the passport and check into them with your cell phone.
With every third check-in, participants have the opportunity to win various gift cards, a gift basket and a weekend trip to any West Virginia State Park.
Read more:
https://www.wvnstv.com/news/local-news/the-visit-mercer-county-candy-cane-trail-returns/
Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.
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That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.