The Hub

A Historic Victory, Now What?

05.01.18

Now What Wheeling

BY TAYLOR BENNETT, POLICY COORDINATOR, THE HUB

This legislative session, thousands of public school employees and supporters converged on the Capitol and demanded full participation in our policy making process and won a historic victory!

Now what?

If you’re like me, you probably have questions about how to continue to participate in creating positive change for public school employees, or how the policies passed this session might impact you. You might also want to build the skills that will help you keep this people-centered momentum moving forward.

If this sounds like you, join us for the Now What: People Power and Policy workshop. Click here to Register!

Now What is coming to the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling on May 5th from 10:00am – 1pm. We’ll be offering workshops and updates on:

Next Steps for Public School Employees and PEIA
SNAP Benefits
State Budget: How it impacts you
Health Care
Turning Your Idea into a Policy Solution
And More!

Keep yourself informed, equip yourself to put people centered policy solutions into action.

Hope to see you there!

The event is sponsored by The Center for Budget and Policy, The Our Children Our Future Campaign, The WV Community Development Hub, Citizen Action Group, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, and the American Friends Service Committee.

Charleston Gazette Mail: Upcoming Trail will Connect Parkersburg to Pittsburgh

04.24.18

A bicycle parked on a forest trail

BY RICK STEELHAMMER FOR THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE MAIL

Biking on a 238-mile rail trail from Parkersburg to Pittsburgh could become a reality in the next 10 years under a plan to link existing rail trails coordinated by the national Rails to Trails Conservancy.

The Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Trail, known as the P2P by those involved in its planning, is already about 80 percent complete, thanks to existing rail trails along its corridor. From Parkersburg to the Pennsylvania border, only 22 miles of the 155-mile trail — nearly all of it along abandoned railroad tracks — have yet to be connected.

Once the P2P is completed as far north as Connellsville, Pennsylvania, bicyclists can connect with the existing Great Allegheny Passage trail and ride to Cumberland, Maryland, for a link to the C&O Towpath Trail, which ends in Washington, D.C., or continue north to Pittsburgh on the completed GAP.

Read the full article from The Charleston Gazette Mail here »

ART26201 Young Filmmakers Camp

04.24.18

Filmmaking

BY ART26201

ART26201’s YOUNG FILMMAKERS CAMP is back for a third year in a row June 25th – 29th!

We’re looking for around 15 interested students to take part in our five-day workshop at Lascaux Micro-Theater with Jamie Johnson.

Place: LASCAUX Micro-Theater

Age: 10-15 +/-

Time: 9am – 4pm Daily

Seats: 6(min) -12(max)

Fee: $100

Please contact info@ART26201.com to reserve your child’s seat!

For more information about ART26201 »

WV News: Local Business is Growing in WV Communities

04.24.18

Small business

BY JOANN SNODERLY FOR WV NEWS

Tom Hart wanted to take something ugly and rundown and turn it into something beneficial to the community he loves.

Hart and his wife, Donna, bought “a couple of old, basically abandoned buildings on Main Street (in Grafton) and have tried to revitalize them, renovate them and turn them into something that would better serve the community,” he said.

The pair ultimately went on to start two new businesses in the space. Arts and Treasures is a retail store selling primitive home furnishings and decor retail store. The store opened about six years ago. Espresso Yourself, a coffee shop, opened in December.

Hart is part of a community of small business owners that is seeking to improve the quality of life in their own neighborhoods, he said.

Read the full article from WV News here »

Coal Valley News: Environmental Stewardship is a Living Lesson at Boone Career and Technical Center

04.24.18

Trees along a road

BY JAXSON MILLER FOR COAL VALLEY NEWS

Sometimes in life, the best lessons are learned while caring for others. To find one’s true worth, do not look for it in flashes of brilliance. Rather, look closer and you will find it hidden within the daily ledger of one’s work.

The Boone Career and Technical Center’s Adventure Tourism class is the only one of its kind throughout the state. The students, along with their fellow classmates at the Boone Career and Technical Center have adopted the six-mile stretch of highway from Corridor G to the East side of Drawdy Mountain. Throughout the year, you may see them cleaning the roadsides of Route 3 and the stream of Rock Creek, a tributary of the Little Coal Watershed. The entire school including students, teachers and service employees participates in the fall and spring cleanups on the creek and roadsides. The Boone Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Environmental Protection do a great job of slowing down traffic to keep everyone safe. The D.E.P provides us with the tools to remain visible and safe throughout the cleanup. The truck-driving academy helps us remove the trash immediately during the course of the events.

Read the full story from Coal Valley News here »

Farm Tours and More at Lincoln County Farm Field Day

04.24.18

Lincoln County Farm Field Day

BY DAN TAYLOR, ENERGIZING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM COORDINATOR, THE HUB

A Lincoln County tradition continues again this year, as Zeke Wood hosts the Lincoln County Farm Field Day for 2018 on Saturday May 12th.

Zeke, who helped created the Lincoln County Farmers Market, hosts the event yearly on his farm at 297 Middle Creek Road, just three miles east of Hamlin off Route 3, with sponsorship from the Guyan Conservation District.

This year’s event begins at 9:30am with tours of the farm, which include three high tunnels on site through USDA NRCS, who will be on hand to discuss their high tunnel program during a roundtable discussion, also discussing state and federal conservation programs and irrigation and moisture management systems.

There will be a presentation on crop production by John Johnson from WVU Extension, as well.

Lunch is provided at noon, and at 12:30 the first Lincoln County Farmers Market of the season kicks off.

From then on out, the Farmers Market will be each Saturday at First Sentry Bank in Hamlin from 9am to 1pm till the fall. Other farmers markets will kick off in the county following this, with West Hamlin on Mondays from 3-6pm, Lincoln Primary Care on Wednesdays from 3-6pm and Alum Creek on Fridays from 3-6pm.

The Hub, first via the IAS program and its mini grant component, and now through the Energizing Entrepreneurial Communities program, has been working with the Farmers Market to support their work since 2016, as it is an important entrepreneurial vehicle for local farmers and an important amenity to the community, as they look to boost their local economy and invite visitors in to enjoy what they have.

To RSVP for the Lincoln County Farm Field Day or for more information call the Guyan Conservation District Office 304-528-5718 or Zeke Wood 304-824-7959

View the Lincoln County Farm Field Day 2018 Flier Here

Mountain Statesman: National Service Recognition Day featuring AmeriCorps VISTA — Breanna Collins

04.17.18

Grafton’s Vice Mayor Brenda Thompson with Breanna Collins, The Hub’s Energizing Entrepreneurial Communities VISTA.

BY NICKI SKINNER FOR MOUNTAIN STATESMAN

There are a special group of people, who often work behind the scenes to make changes occur. Those unknown individuals devote their time and efforts with little or no recognition.

This Friday, April 6, during Grafton’s First Friday events, Mayor Peggy Barney will be shining the light on some of Taylor County’s hardworking VISTAs, with a proclamation reading in honor of National Service Recognition Day, which was held yesterday, Tuesday, April 3.

The day of recognition launched in 2013, as a way for more than 800 mayors to recognize the efforts of AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers within the communities that they serve.

Read the full article from Mountain Statesman here »

Herald Dispatch: Solar Holler and Coalfield Development Train West Virginians in Solar Energy

04.17.18

Solar Panels

BY DAVE LAVENDER FOR THE HERALD DISPATCH

It was John F. Kennedy who once said, ”The sun does not always shine in West Virginia, but the people always do.”

While that may be the case, a small group of people here are indeed “Mining The Sun,” as is the motto of Shepherdstown-based Solar Holler, which has been working with the nonprofit Coalfield Development Corp. of Wayne to help train workers here to install solar panels.

These days, those workers for Solar Holler are installing panels on everything from nonprofits and businesses – like Ed Tucker Architects in Huntington – to an increasing number of homes in West Virginia.

Read the full story from The Herald Dispatch here »

You’re Invited! Thomas Celebration April 26

04.17.18

Photo courtesy of Josh Stevens

BY NEW HISTORIC THOMAS

Thomas Celebration

April 26 | 6:30-8:30pm | Cottrill’s Opera House

The board of New Historic Thomas has decided it is high time to celebrate the successes we have found in our town over the years. From new businesses, public art, trail updates, downtown beautification- you name it, we want to celebrate it! The success of Thomas is truly a community effort and is one that we should we should be proud of!

What can you expect from this party?

Food by Farm Up Truck
Drinks from local breweries
A look into the work that New Historic Thomas has been doing
The opportunity to surround yourself with community members who are passionate about Thomas!

See the full details here. We hope to see you there for what we know will be a fun night!

See the full event details on New Historic Thomas’s Event Page »

BY TAYLOR BENNETT, POLICY COORDINATOR, THE HUB

BY KAYLA YOUNG, BOSS BABES WV

BY DAN TAYLOR, ENERGIZING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM COORDINATOR, THE HUB