Clayton McChesney
Multimedia Journalist
Clayton McChesney started at WVVA in August 2022 as a Multimedia Journalist.
Growing up in Bluefield, Virginia, Clayton had been watching WVVA for almost his entire life and now gets to be a part of its news team. Clayton McChesney is a graduate from Liberty University and holds a BS in Cinematic Arts with a minor in Creative Writing. At Liberty, he worked on several short films and a tv show as well as a feature film in Georgia.
An avid movie fan, Clayton enjoys writing scripts for movies and collecting movie memorabilia.
To contact Clayton about stories or just to chat, email him at clayton.mcchesney@gray.tv
Substance Use Disorder is a big problem in West Virginia, with the Mountain State leading the nation in highest number of overdose deaths by capita according to the CDC.
The former “Painted Peak Brewing Company” building on Tazewell’s Main Street has been purchased, with plans for a new restaurant replacing it already underway.
The playground area at the front of the Glenwood Park has been permanently closed, with the planned removal of everything built in this area.
If you’ve ever wanted to help shape the future of the City of Bluefield, your chance is on the horizon, with this year’s upcoming election.
Beckley first began holding their “Irish / Celtic Weekend” back in the nineties but picked it up again in recent years thanks to funding from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
With the flooding last month leaving destruction across McDowell County, FEMA has opened a temporary location to advise people as they begin the journey back to normalcy.
With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on Monday, people came out to the Pipestem Resort State Park to experience the green to be found in nature for themselves.
With springtime comes the addition of more puppies and kittens into Mercer County, many without a home to take care of them.
The classic musical Fiddler on the Roof tells the story of a Jewish father trying to lead his five daughters in a changing world during a time of oppression from Imperial Russia.
With spring right around the corner, you may be looking forward to outdoor recreation opportunities.
Thanks to grant funding and a partnership with the Granada Theater, New River Community and Technical College is offering no-cost, six-week Certified Nursing Assistant training classes at the Raleigh Street Cinemas in downtown Bluefield.
United Way of Southern West Virginia is turning to women donors, volunteers and advocates for help on ways to invest in the community.
With McDowell County still feeling the effects of February’s devastating flood, support is coming in from around the area and beyond.
40 year old Audie “AJ” Sloan’s sister describes him as a generous and sweet guy prior to his disappearance.
While the February flood waters have returned to their banks, the damage they left behind is still an ever-present reminder of those terrible events.
With help for McDowell County coming from different places, one person bringing aid to residents is a local student who created a food drive with help from a local restaurant.
On Saturday, people got the chance to get outside, see some nature and sample some of the sweet treats to be found there, as a tour of a local maple producer returned.
On Saturday, Oak Hill welcomed a new business to Main St.
“Mountain State Maple Days” was created to highlight the maple syrup producers to be found in West Virginia.
Along with many homes devastated by the floods in February, local businesses were impacted as well, and with some small businesses in the area already struggling to get by, this devastation could mean another closure.
The U.S. Small Business administration is now set up in a temporary office at the Princeton Public Library, helping get assistance to those trying to get back on their feet after last month’s devastating floods.
If you’ve driven through downtown Bluefield, West Virginia, you’ve likely seen the empty 400 block area, left that way after multiple major demolitions last year.
McDowell County is continuing to work to recover from last month’s devastating flooding, impacting a still-unknown number of homes, with more than five hundred still without water as of Tuesday morning.
With McDowell County considered to be one of the poorest counties in the United States, non-profits play a vital role in helping sustain residents going through hard times.
Mayor of Welch, Harold McBride, says the February flood waters were the highest he’s ever seen and were a foot higher than the flood in 1977.
McDowell County residents are picking up the pieces after being hit with deadly floods.
Concord University was busy this evening with the return of the President’s Ball and a meeting of the non-profit Concord University Foundation.
Mercer County Schools have held an event for more than a decade to make this new experience less scary.
In a press release given to WVVA by Chief J.J. Ruble, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department says on Friday, February 28th around 8:00 am, deputies responded to a breaking and entering at the Ramey Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat dealership.
One new piece of cancer care technology, described as the “first step” of the center, was unveiled on Wednesday.
With things now mostly dried up, Tazewell County residents are beginning to get a more accurate picture of the damage done.
The first 2025 winner of WVVA and Cole Chevy’s Teacher Feature has been chosen.
‘Outdated’ storm water system in Tree Street Area the topic of City of Bluefield’s town hall meeting
With flooding being the focus of many people right now, the City of Bluefield is turning to the community for ideas on how to help one area replace their outdated storm water collection systems.
Although the flood water in McDowell County have been receding, they have taken a lot with them, leaving behind damage that residents are doing their best to repair.
Despite the devastation left by the flooding in McDowell County, the people in the community are stepping up to help their neighbors in need.
Along with the people trying to get back on their feet in McDowell County, animals are suffering as well.
West Virginia Delegate David Green says McDowell County says the flood waters reached record levels, some places seeing three feet above the previous record.
First held in 2022, The West Virginia Academic Showdown was envisioned by the former president of the West Virginia Senate, Craig Blair, with the goal of giving academically inclined students the same spotlight that athletes get to promote education in the Mountain State.
On Saturday, the Mercer County Blended Robotics League ended another year of robotics education.
It’s abundantly clear, the recent flooding devastated McDowell County, with the schools there impacted as well, having to end classes while they assess the damage.
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Department says road crews have been working to keep roadways clear of ice and snow.
People and organizations from the Richlands community and beyond are stepping up to help the residents recovering from the recent flooding disaster.
The weekend flooding hit Richlands hard, with entire streets shut down and some residents forced to evacuate their homes.
Raleigh County’s Emergency Management Director says damage from the weekend flooding is wide-reaching.
Next year marks a big milestone for the entire country two hundred and fifty years since the founding of the United States of America.
Mercer County was one of the many places across the region hit by flooding over the weekend.
On Saturday, the Beckley Salvation Army hoped to raise support for local youth, using a pancake brunch.
Widespread flooding impacted both the downtown and residential areas of Richlands, which the Richlands Chief of Police, Ron Holt, calls a “local state of emergency.”
Snow and above freezing temperatures brought slick roads on Tuesday, with Tazewell’s public safety director and emergency management coordinator, Barry Brooks, saying it was one of the slickest days he’s seen in a long time.
If the cold winter weather has you looking for an excuse to get out of your house, an upcoming annual event is hoping to give you the chance to have some fun while giving back to your community.
