Award Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

W.Va. Biscuit Voted ‘South’s Best’

Tudor’s “Mountaineer” biscuit was named “The South’s Best Biscuit” in an online poll contest held by Garden & Gun, a southern lifestyle magazine.

West Virginia’s biscuit business icon is receiving a regional reward. Homebased in Charleston, fans of the Tudor’s Biscuit World restaurant chain have taken a country breakfast staple to award winning heights.

Tudor’s “Mountaineer” biscuit was named “The South’s Best Biscuit” in an online poll contest held by Garden & Gun, a southern lifestyle magazine.

Garden & Gun had the public vote in a bracket-style contest to name the best biscuit among regional chains, local favorites, national chains, and gas stations. Tudor’s took 56 percent of the final vote to win the title.

“This win was made possible by Tudor’s customers, and we truly appreciate each and every one of them,” said Ray Burke of Tudor’s. “Tudor’s has been a staple breakfast for West Virginians on the go for decades, and we want to thank them for their loyalty.”

The “Mountaineer” was the specific biscuit to win the Garden & Gun contest. It consists of country ham, potato, egg, and cheese on a made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit.

To say thanks to voters, Tudors’ will hold a Customer Appreciation Day on Monday, April 22, by offering a Buy-One-Get-One free deal for its “Mountaineer” and “Thundering Herd” biscuits.

W.Va. Peer Recovery Support Specialist Wins National Award

A peer recovery support specialist at a Marshall-based recovery program has won the Cornerstone Award.

The award honors an individual or organization that has gone above and beyond to support students in recovery.

Aaron Blankenship is a West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network (WVCRN) team member and recovery support specialist at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.

“Through his unwavering dedication and tireless efforts, Aaron Blankenship exemplifies the essence of the ARHE Cornerstone Award for Student Support,” said Dr. Pamela Alderman, president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. “His commitment to going above and beyond in supporting students in recovery transforms lives and serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for our community. We celebrate Aaron’s profound impact and recognize him as a cornerstone of support for those navigating the recovery journey.”

The WVCRN is housed within the Marshall University Research Corporation with support from the Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery.

Blankenship will accept his award at the National Collegiate Recovery Conference in San Diego, California this summer.

According to one of his peers, Hattie Newsome, student success coordinator for Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Blankenship’s own recovery gave him the empathy and drive to work passionately with students and the recovery community.

“He inspires those in recovery by showing them they can achieve sobriety, goals and their dreams can come true,” she said.

Cross Lanes Teacher Wins Classroom Tech In CIA Competition

A Charleston area teacher has won a technology award partially sponsored by the CIA.

Tiffany Pace, a STEM educator at Cross Lanes Elementary School, was named one of the inaugural winners of the Central Intelligence Agency Mission Possible Operation Advance Technology Competition Wednesday.

The award comes with a $60,000 computer and coding lab for her Charleston classroom, as well as laptops and the choice of other STEM equipment.

Pace is one of five winners in the competition and was selected from the Southeast Region, which includes schools from Washington, D.C. to Florida, and as far west as Louisiana.

The Operation Advance Technology program aims to help improve science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) education in schools and is sponsored by the CIA and managed by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Teaching Healthy Habits And W.Va. Chefs Nominated For Award On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, more than a decade ago, Huntington made headlines as the “fattest city in the nation.” We listen to an excerpt from our latest episode of Us & Them with host Trey Kay Kay, where we look at continuing efforts to teach healthy habits in West Virginia.

On this West Virginia Morning, more than a decade ago, Huntington made headlines as the “fattest city in the nation.” We listen to an excerpt from our latest episode of Us & Them with host Trey Kay Kay, where we look at continuing efforts to teach healthy habits in West Virginia.

Listen to the full episode of Us & Them Thursday at 8 p.m. or an encore broadcast on Saturday, March 25 at 3 p.m.

Also, in this show, two West Virginia chefs are in the running for one of the most prestigious awards in the culinary world. Randy Yohe spoke with Charleston Chef Paul Smith, who says it’s a humbling honor just to be nominated.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Martinsburg VA Medical Center Earns National Nursing Honor

The Martinsburg Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center received the Pathway to Excellence designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association.

The VAMC in Martinsburg remains the only health care organization in West Virginia to achieve this national certification, according to a news release. It was also the first VA facility in the country to receive it in 2011.

“The Pathway to Excellence re-designation means we have demonstrated our commitment to creating a positive nursing environment, with an emphasis on shared decision-making and safe patient care.” said Sandra Sullivan, chief Nurse Executive at the Martinsburg VAMC.

Medical centers must undergo rigorous reviews of facility practices, policies and culture to earn the award. The designation highlights that a medical center is committed to nurses and their contributions in the workplace.

The Martinsburg VAMC consists of the main medical center and seven Community Based Outpatient Clinics that work with more than 700 nursing staff.

Martinsburg is one of four VA medical centers in West Virginia. The other three are located in Beckley, Huntington and Clarksburg.

The Clarksburg VAMC was recently in the national spotlight when a former nursing assistant was sentenced to life in prison after she murdered seven veterans.

Eight W.Va. Women to be Honored at Legacy Awards

The West Virginia Women’s Commission is honoring eight women next week with the Legacy of Women Awards.

The commission said Christine Weiss Daugherty is being given the Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson Award for lifetime achievement.

Others being honored are Michelle R. Easton, Patricia A. Petty-Wilson, Janis Gunel, Mara C. Boggs, Christine Campbell, Anne Patterson and Renee Danielle Montgomery.

Commission Executive Director Julie Palas said the women being honored have been generous with their time and talent and have been role models for others.

The event is being held on March 29 at West Virginia State University in Institute.