Hello & Welcome Back!

the March issue

VOLUME 08 / ISSUE 03/ MAR 2026
3/2/2026
March is here, so check off another month of winter and get ready for spring weather! Our mom, Jackie Knight, loved March because we always celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and her Irish ancestry.
March is here, so check off another month of winter and get ready for spring weather! Our mom, Jackie Knight, loved March because we always celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and her Irish ancestry.

Mom’s maiden name was Mahaney which was originally O’Mohoney in the early days of Ireland. Needless-to-say, we wore green every March 17 and to this day, I can hear her singing O’ Danny Boy in her gorgeous soprano voice. Sweet memories. Our March issue highlights a host of our Elk River students who have worked hard to claim victories and rewards! Check out our Elk’s Students section and be proud along with them. Our feature stories recognize two amazing Elk River natives who are making their mark in our community. Jason Cantrell was named the new principal of Elkview Middle School and you can feel the excitement when you walk in the door! My favorite quote of Jason’s is “This is our school, and our kids deserve the very best middle school experience we can give them.” Mic drop: that sums up everything you need to know about him! Welcome Principal Cantrell! Also this month, we are so proud to feature our interview with Elk River’s own, Lauren Campbell. This girl is on fire when it comes to her goal of connecting her love of music with the legal profession. I can’t wait to see where her future takes her! You know Dee is watching and smiling down on her -- his family was his pride and joy. It’s been a long winter and even though we may have glimpses still this month of the cold, the worst of the weather is behind us. Get ready to put on your coats and gloves for the start of baseball and softball season. You know Ken and I will be there! You can’t keep grandparents at home when they have grandchildren on the field! Go Gage, Colton and Remi! Stay warm, my friends!

FEATURE STORY
3/2/2026
Leading with Heart at Elkview Middle School
Leading with Heart at Elkview Middle School

Everyone dreams of a white Christmas, but the Elk River community received their wish two weeks before! Here are some photos shared with us from family and friends this holiday season.

Trail Mix
3/2/2026
Country Roads, Creative Careers
Country Roads, Creative Careers

Lauren Campbell is combining her passion for music with the legal and business foundations of the industry—creating a path uniquely her own.

The Elk's Garden
3/2/2026
Tomatoes for Spring Planting
Tomatoes for Spring Planting

While winter snow still blankets the ground, many gardeners (including me!) are already dreaming of summer—flipping through seed catalogs and imagining the taste of a big, juicy, garden-fresh tomato.

The Elk's Journal
3/2/2026
Highlighting Local Author Cat Pleska
Highlighting Local Author Cat Pleska

ERL is proud to highlight Cat Pleska, an award-winning author and educator in the Kanawha Valley, Pleska has published two memoirs: My Life in Water (UnCollected Press, 2024) and Riding on Comets (WVU Press, 2015).

The Elk Reflects
3/2/2026
Honoring Joseph E. Engle
Honoring Joseph E. Engle

On November 15, 2025, five members of VFW Post 8516 of Pinch, West Virginia, came together to honor Civil War veteran Joseph E. Engle by placing a grave marker at his final resting place in Amma Cemetery in Amma, WV.

The Elk's Cookbook
3/2/2026
Oatmeal Batter Bread
Oatmeal Batter Bread

This mouthwatering brown bread brings back memories of the warm, slightly sweet loaf many of us love from LongHorn. I first started making this bread when I was about 12 years old, and it quickly became a family favorite.

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The Elk's Students
3/2/2026
The Elk's Students
The Elk's Students

The Herbert Hoover Huskies are making school history — with the entire swim team qualifying for States, the girls earning a Regional Championship, and Coach Gary Walker named Coach of the Year. Plus: standout honors for Maysen Fletcher, Jenna Brown, and the Lady Huskies’ Ayva Veltri.

Reader's Submission
3/2/2026
Reader's Submission
Reader's Submission

Blue Cold! Gary Walker took daughters Paelin and Lowenn out to experience Blue Creek frozen over. What a winter this has been!

Elk River Living is a local and independently- owned magazine devoted to the wonderful people, businesses, and events in the communities on the Elk River, WV.

OUR COMMUNITIES

From Charleston to Sutton, Elk River Living holds a mirror up to the places that line the Elk River and reflect them to you. There are so many rich traditions that make celebrating easy, and we bring them to you in our recurring segments each month: The Elk's Cookbook; The Elk's Journal; The Elk Reflects; The Healthy Elk; The Elk's Students; Trail Mix; Around the Elk; At the Library; and more!

OUR BUSINESSES

We celebrate our local businesses, and the hard-working people behind them. They are an integral part of the fabric of the places we call home. The Elk River economy is continually expanding, with existing and exciting new developments surrounding the Elk River Trails, and Elk River Living is here to promote and bring their stories to you.  If you have an opportunity, please consider our sponsors for your needs!  They care a great deal about you and the community.

ERL is free of charge at these local businesses in limited supplies

At the beginning of each month a limited number of copies of Elk River Living is printed and dropped off at the following businesses in the Elk River area. This list is subject to change and we encourage you to contact the business beforehand to confirm they have remaining copies.🖤

ERL offers subscriptions that are sent directly to your mailbox

To ensure our readers get Elk River Living, we offer an annual subscription for a fee and each issue will be mailed to you at the beginning of each month..🖤

For more information:

info@elkriverliving.com

304.546.9243

Elk River Living + Google Earth Studio =  a fun ride up the Elk River, WV.

Elk River Living used Google Earth Studio to create an aerial tour of the communities that line the Elk River, from Charleston to Sutton, West Virginia. Enjoy the ride!

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If you're reading this, then you know and care about the communities that we call home. That also means your input really matters! If you know of any people, businesses, and events  in your neck of the woods that should be featured in ERL, let us know.