Around the State
Research & Technology
Compiled by Jennifer Jett Prezkop
Capon Springs & Farms Featured
in Google’s Annual National
Economic Impact Report
Capon Springs & Farms of Hampshire
County, WV, has been honored by Google
for their use of the internet and social
media to improve sustainability. For the
last seven years, Google has picked one
business in each state to be included in
their Annual Economic Impact Report,
and Capon Springs & Farms is the lone
representative for West Virginia.
Known for centuries for the healing
Capon Springs water, the resort has been
family-owned and operated for more
than 80 years. In 2013, the West Virginia
Small Business Administration named
Capon Springs & Farms the Family-Owned
Business of the Year. Last February, that
was one of things that caught the eye of
Google, beginning the interview process.
“It is quite an honor,” says Jonathan
Bellingham, a third-generation family
member who serves as the marketing
manager. “Digital communication has
become an important way to share information and carry on a conversation
with our guests.”
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west virginia executive
To see the complete feature on Capon
Springs & Farms and download the 2016
report, visit https://economicimpact.google.
com and click on West Virginia.
Date Set for 2016 West
Virginia Makes Festival
The Robert C. Byrd Institute for
Advanced Flexible Manufacturing (RCBI)
will host the 2016 West Virginia Makes
Festival, a celebration of ingenuity and creativity to inspire artists, inventors, makers
and students of all ages, on October 7 in
Huntington.
The annual festival, which coincides
with national Manufacturing Day, is open
to everyone and will feature 3-D printing,
special exhibits and attractions, local food
vendors and technology. A design challenge at the festival will provide makers
the opportunity to demonstrate their new
ideas and skills and reward their creative
inspirations.
“Our festival celebrates makers,” says
Charlotte Weber, RCBI director and CEO.
“It taps into the inventive community of
entrepreneurs and innovators so they can
interact with like-minded makers.”
For more information, visit www.rcbi.
org/online/wvmakes.
Bluefield State College Robotics
Team Finishes Second at
International Robotics Competition
Apollo II, an autonomous ground vehicle
developed, designed, programmed and
created by Bluefield State College (BSC)
students, won five awards, including two
first place awards, and finished in second
place overall at the 2016 Intelligent Ground
Vehicle Competition (IGVC) Autonomous
Challenge at Oakland University. The
four-day competition attracted 34 entries
from higher education institutions in the
U.S., India, Canada, Mexico and Turkey.
“BSC robotics had a fantastic experience at IGVC,” says Dr. Bob Riggins,
the team’s advisor. “The team won first
place in Basic Course, first place in Speed
Around the Basic Course, second place
in Design, fourth place in the Advanced
Course and, best of all, second place overall
in the world.” The BSC student team at
IGVC included William Lambert; Charles
Reeves, IV; Levi Poff; Michael Goforth;
Jesse Haynes and Ian Fields.