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

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Ruby Memorial Hospital is recruiting high school seniors and recent grads for its Project SEARCH internship…Chestnut Hill Candle Company fills the room with West Virginia-made aromas…and get free seeds through the 2025 Grow This: West Virginia Garden Challenge…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From WV NEWS – Project SEARCH at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is recruiting interns for its 2025-2026 class.

The program is an internship experience for high school seniors or recently graduated students with mild and moderate special needs. The program was first established at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 1996, and WVU Hospitals is the first Project SEARCH site in West Virginia.

Once accepted into the program, student interns report to Ruby Memorial Hospital instead of their home school district classroom for the entire school year.

Applications are due April 1 and can be requested through high school guidance counselors and local county Departments of Rehabilitation Service.

https://www.wvnews.com/wvumedicine/project-search-accepting-applications/article_50f00420-d281-11ef-ac8e-9b91e088f8c0.html

#2 – From WV LIVING – With just the strike of a match, you can fill a room with festive aromas crafted in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle.

Missy and Dave Severs launched Chestnut Hill Candle Company, featuring a clean-burning, natural soy blend formula.

There are more than 115 Chestnut Hill candle fragrances. Other products include wax potpourri, outdoor-only citronella candles, and air fresheners.

Chestnut Hill candles light up homes around the world—the Severses ship products from the Chester warehouse to points across the globe. Despite its worldwide reach, the company’s primary focus is local, and its bread and butter is fundraising projects.

https://wvliving.com/lighting-the-way/

#3 – From WV NEWS – West Virginia residents can now sign up for free seeds as part of the 2025 Grow This: West Virginia Garden Challenge.

An initiative of the WVU Extension Service, the program is designed to help gardeners of all experience levels, from beginners to experts. Throughout the growing season, participants receive educational resources, including gardening tips, tasks, and updates through the Grow This newsletter.

The program provides free seeds, including chives, mesclun lettuce, and pickling cucumbers, to participants while supplies last.

Signing up early is recommended, as the seeds are expected to go quickly. Residents can also join the Grow This Throwdown, where counties compete for grant funding to support local agricultural projects.

https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/grow-this-free-seeds-and-gardening-challenge-for-west-virginia-residents-in-2025/article_73079e1e-d1fb-11ef-9943-ff44c8f8649b.html

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

daily304 - Episode 01.21.2025