Mission Statement
The Kanawha Valley Update serves the communities of Kanawha County, West Virginia by offering access to accurate, independent, nonpartisan community news and information.
About the Kanawha Valley Update
The Kanawha Valley Update is an independent, nonpartisan, digital-first local news project from Michael Ramsburg, an experienced multimedia journalist and lifelong West Virginian. The goal of the project is to provide accurate, fact-based reporting on the diverse communities of the Kanawha Valley region of West Virginia. The Update strives to support the local news and information needs of the more than 174,000 people who currently call Kanawha County home, including those in communities outside the Charleston metro area.
The Kanawha Valley Update began as a weekday newsletter on the Substack platform. In 2025, the project grew to include this multimedia website. Content is now distributed through the free flagship newsletter, on the kvupdate.com website, and via various news partners and social media channels.
The Update was created to augment other area news providers. Through diverse local coverage, the project aims to provide community-focused, information-driven news and feature content, spotlighting people, places and beats that may receive less attention in other existing regional media.
