Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Why Charleston officials say Hope Scholarship costs are dropping again
Also, don't miss Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas The Musical on the Charleston Patch calendar
Morning Charleston! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Why Charleston officials say Hope Scholarship costs are dropping again
- Why a globe-trotting PGA rules official insists on calling Charleston home
- How a holiday contest at PSC is feeding Charleston families in need
Also on today's calendar: WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS at Holistic Inc and 3 more events.
Find out what's happening in Charlestonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Charleston? Post it to Charleston photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️
Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Charlestonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
From our Partner
Today's Charleston Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T-Mobile and UScellular have joined forces to connect people from big cities to small towns and everywhere in between. UScellular is now a part of T-Mobile. Find out more at T-Mobile.com/Better-Together.
Find a T-Mobile store near Charleston.
- Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 50 and low of 31 degrees.
- Thursday: Mostly cloudy and warmer, temps: high: 62, low: 35.
- Friday: Mostly sunny; windy, cooler, with a high of 42 and low of 23 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Projected Hope Scholarship Budget Drops Again (wvnews.com) — From Charleston, state officials say the projected cost of West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship program for 2026–27 has dropped by about $85 million, to roughly $230 million. The revised estimate reflects fewer expected participating students and will be sent to the state Department of Education. Charleston-area parents should note key dates: partial 2025–26 funding applications are due Feb. 28, 2026, with universal eligibility and new applications starting March 2, 2026. 
2. On the PGA Tour, the offseason is short for rules official and WV native Ken Tackett (wvmetronews.com) — A Kanawha County native who works as a PGA Tour rules official says he and his wife love living in Charleston and have no desire to move, despite constant travel. Ken Tackett describes balancing life on the road with time back in the Kanawha Valley, where he squeezes in rounds at local courses between high-profile events featuring stars like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.
3. PSC employees collect 2,600 food items for YWCA Charleston (wvva.com) — Employees at the Public Service Commission’s Charleston offices collected 2,600 food items and $900 to support YWCA Charleston’s Sojourner’s Homeless Shelter for women and families. The donations, gathered through a holiday tree-decorating contest, will help provide meals, case management, and stability for vulnerable Charleston-area residents through the holidays and winter months.
4. Treasurer Pack unveils new SMART529 withdrawal feature (wvnstv.com) — From his Charleston office, State Treasurer Larry Pack announced a new SMART529 app feature that lets account holders send withdrawals directly to schools or bank accounts. The upgrade, already used by thousands statewide, aims to modernize college savings management while making it easier for Charleston and West Virginia families to fund education costs.
5. Off The Shelf: 'Crafting for Sinners' is a fight for survival (wchstv.com) — From Charleston, a new “Off The Shelf” segment spotlights “Crafting for Sinners,” a tense horror novel set in small‑town Kentucky and written by Appalachian author Jenny Kiefer. The feature explains how Kiefer’s research in local craft stores shapes the story of Ruth, a queer woman fighting for survival against a cult-like church. It also invites other Appalachian authors and publishers to contact WCHS to be featured.
📸 Around Charleston
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Charleston
★ Featured events ★
- Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas The Musical
Clay Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston
7:00 pm
Friday December 19
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS at Holistic Inc
4815 MacCorkle Ave SE , Charleston
9:00 am - Santa's Candy Gift Drop
South Charleston Farmers Market , 4006 Maccorkle Avenue S.W. , South Charleston
11:00 am - Holiday Movie Night
Community Center , 601 Jefferson Rd , South Charleston
2:00 pm - North Pole On Ice with Santa
Memorial Ice Arena , 20 RHL Boulevard , South Charleston
4:00 am - Christmas Eve
Capitol Market , 800 Smith St , Charleston
10:00 am
Wednesday December 17
Thursday December 18
Saturday December 20
Wednesday December 24
📣 Charleston Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Kenna Homes @ South Charleston
Kenna Homes Co-Op , 410 Kenna Dr , South Charleston
2:30 pm - South Charleston Farmers Market Christmas Ornament Making
South Charleston Farmers Market , 4006 MacCorkle Ave SW , South Charleston
4:00 pm - Club Ice Session
South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena , 20 RHL Blvd , South Charleston
5:15 pm - Santa's Candy Gift Drop
South Charleston Farmers Market , 4006 Maccorkle Avenue S.W. , South Charleston
11:00 am - Holiday Movie Night
Community Center , 601 Jefferson Rd , South Charleston
2:00 pm - North Pole On Ice with Santa
Memorial Ice Arena , 20 RHL Boulevard , South Charleston
4:00 am
Wednesday December 17
Thursday December 18
Saturday December 20
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
🪧 Patch Classifieds
- Office Space for Rent
303 6th Ave Suite B 2,000 sq ft of office space for rent or Keyman offices, all utilities included. Suites at 303 beside Walgreens 304-553-1476... (More info)
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- A few weeks back, my third son Charlie, a Tuxedo cat, stopped eating for a couple of days.
It turned out that he had a few infected gums, and some extractions were in order. I had the surgery done immediately, and he got a reaction to the 3… (Nextdoor South Hills) - Please share & repost to help reunite this stray dog!
FOUND on December 10, 2025 in Cross Lanes, WV 25313 near Cross Lanes post office Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to contact… (Nextdoor Bailey Rd)
- Kanawha County Courthouse to Close for Christmas and New Year’s Holidays/... (X: kanawhaus)
- It was very nice to welcome current Ripley, WV Mayor Carolyn Rader to our State Capitol office earlier this week. Before running for public office in... (X: wvsosoffice)
- Pizza Hut posted a job opening for Production Team Member in Charleston. Apply here.
- Tractor Supply Company posted a job opening for Team Member in Charleston. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Charleston here.
Ok Charleston! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.