Blog/Latest News

WVPB: WV DEP accepting applications for abandoned mine land grants

05.21.19

The former Hobet mine site in Boone County

BY BRITTANY PATTERSON FOR WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation is accepting applications for grant funding to redevelop abandoned mine lands through July 1, 2019.

The agency says $25 million in grant funding is available through the U.S. Department of Interior’s Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement for economic development projects on abandoned mine lands across the state.

Projects must be located on or adjacent to mine sites that ceased operations prior to August 1977…

Read the full story on the WV Public Broadcasting site »

Charleston Gazette-Mail: Young West Virginian becomes new leader of local institution

05.21.19

Nichole Greene (image from the Capitol Market Facebook page)

BY MARIA YOUNG FOR THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE-MAIL

It’s hard to imagine someone’s life coming full circle by the time they reach 28 years of age — but it’s fair to say, that’s exactly what’s happened for Nichole Greene, 2016’s Miss West Virginia USA and now the executive director for Charleston’s Capitol Market.

“I am born and raised in West Virginia. My family had a small business here for over 86 years, Save Supply Kitchen and Bath Company on the West Side,” which closed in 2012 after 83 years in operation, she said.

“And so I’ve been around small businesses and had this love of West Virginia my whole life.”

Still, she never planned to run a farmers market…

To read the full story, visit the Charleston Gazette-Mail site »

Lincoln County entrepreneur proves to be a regional barbecue favorite

05.21.19

BY CYNTHIA MCCOMAS, ENERGIZING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITIES VISTA, THE HUB

We recently shared with you April Browning’s story – April is a Lincoln County entrepreneur who started Carnivore BBQ as a pop-up business in 2017 with just two tents. Since then, her traveling eatery has grown into a local food truck favorite for festivals and catering.

April is on a mission to win the hearts of barbecue lovers, and proved to be one of the best barbecuers in the region for the second year in a row at the 4th Annual Charley West BBQ Fest.

In May 2018, April attended the Fest for the first time, where she won awards in the categories of pulled pork and wildcard. Last year, she worked out of her tents and leveled up to a food truck soon after.

“Winning two of the four categories last year really surprised me,” said April. “We were the newbies. It has really helped inspire me to pursue other avenues in the culinary business.”

This year, April kept up that momentum, winning the People’s Choice Award for best barbecue and second place in the competitive division in the ribs, pulled pork, and sauce categories. Not only does participating in the Fest help April gain exposure for her small business, but she also gets to learn from others in her industry.

“You meet so many people,” said April. “Depending on the competition, you may have only a couple hours of sleep, but the experience is what makes it worth it. I always learn something new.”

The BBQ Fest wins aren’t the only way Carnivore BBQ continues to grow. With some help with from the Robert C. Byrd Institute, Browning recently started selling packaged sauces and rubs. RCBI assists April in packaging her products on a commercial scale. Carnivore BBQ products are now sold at food truck events, and will soon be available in local shops, like the Lincoln County Friends of the Arts Gallery.

Follow Carnivore BBQ on Facebook to find where they’ll be set up next.

“With a dedicated team of volunteers, there are so many possibilities” – energy for events in Boone County

05.21.19

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

There has been lots of excitement recently in Boone County, as the “Helping Madison Grow” team, as part of the Energizing Entrepreneurial Communities program here at The Hub, has been working on a slew of events and projects for the spring as part of their Entrepreneurial Investment Mini Grants.

Kicking things off back in March, the team began a series of “Madison Meetups” for aspiring local entrepreneurs and small businesses to network with each other and skill share. These meet ups have been host primarily in local businesses as well, such as Hill’s Chiropractic, Ma and Pa’s BBQ, and a forthcoming meetup at the Hacienda Restaurant.

These meetups culminated in late April with the Madison Main Street Small Business Street Fair. Featuring local vendors, crafts people, artists and more, this event is part of a larger effort to lift up Main Street and encourage people to visit and open new businesses. The next Madison Meetup is on June 11 – click here to see the Facebook event.

The Rivers N Ridges float event is coming up on June 5th, put on by the Adventure Tourism class at Boone County Career and Technical Center, as well as the release of the Boone County Small Business Directory, to share about the already existing local businesses in the county.

We are excited to see this positive momentum and look forward to what the future has in store for the community. With a dedicated team of volunteers, there are so many possibilities.

We’re collaborating with Generation WV to support WV communities in making change on the ground

05.21.19

BY TAYLOR BENNETT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICY COORDINATOR, THE HUB

We know that local policy changes can move the needle in a big way as we work to build stronger communities and economies. Often, though, it can be a challenge to know how to go about making that change happen.

We also know that young people have a huge role to play as we craft strong, vibrant communities and economies that work for everyone.

How do we make change in a way that will support creating attractive communities for young people? The Hub is teaming up with Generation WV on the Next Generation Communities Project to tackle these challenges in collaboration with West Virginian communities.

This project will support West Virginian teams as they identify the changes they want to make, build the relationships that they’ll need to succeed, and create a strategy that will help guide them through each step of the change-making process.

How does it work?

Generation WV and The Hub are taking a look at research from across the country. Working with research partners including West Virginia Forward, we’re identifying themes from existing studies – from both in-state and across the country – to help us identify key community characteristics that drive the decisions that young people make about where to live, work, and build a community. Community characteristics could be things like jobs, community health, social activities, or arts and culture.
We’ll bring these key community characteristics to participating community teams, where we’ll work out a strategy to get feedback from community members about which areas make the most sense to focus on.
Then, we’ll work with the team to identify specific changes that can be made which will strengthen the area that the community identified. (For example, the community identifies that they wanted to focus on community health. A specific change that might be made could be for the municipal government to allocate space for a community garden.)
Once the team has selected a specific change, we’ll work together to create a strategy and build the relationships to make that change happen. And when it does, we’ll celebrate our collective victory.

Right now, team members from Generation WV and The Hub are touring around the state, providing in-depth information to community teams who would like to participate, and working to identify the key community characteristics that teams will need to get started.

Are you interested in being a part of the Next Generation Communities Project? Connect with me, Taylor Bennett, at t.bennett@wvhub.org to get started.

47 new community projects coming to Cowen and Moorefield

05.14.19

Community members in Cowen accept their grant awards

BY KATHRYN RYAN, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ASSOCIATE, THE HUB

The Hub’s newest community development program, Cultivate West Virginia, has announced 47 mini grant awards toward revitalization projects in Cowen and Moorefield! This seed money will allow these communities to build momentum toward greater community revitalization as they take on projects related to downtown beautification, tourism, community events, and more.

By working together within and amongst project teams, tracking progress, and utilizing shared resources, these communities are building their capacity to leverage further funding toward larger scale economic development.

Interested to see what kinds of projects build community development? Here are the awarded projects in each Cultivate community:

Moorefield Revitalization Mini Grant Projects:

Moorefield Micro Farmers Market
Moorefield High School Hospitality Services
VISTA Community Support
South Branch Riverfest Event
Bishoff Photography Community Photos Exhibit
‘Which Came First? The Chicken or the Egg?’ Street Art Initiative
Hardy County Historical Museum Enhancement
‘Up Up and Away’ Playground Additions
Church Flagstone Repair
‘Faces of Moorefield’ Community Mural
Higgins House Fence Repair
‘Finding Pupuseria Emerita’ Local Business Signage
‘Moorefield Empowers Community’ Self Defense Classes
WPA Sidewalk Restoration
Moorefield Semi Mobile Train Platform
Moorefield Masonry Workshop
‘Higgins House: Something to Stand On’ Repair Initiative
Moorefield High School Micro-Business Complex Pocket Park
Moorefield High School Micro-Business Complex Art Picket Fence Project
‘Carla’s Public Garden’ Seasonal Decorations Project
‘Moorefield Dances’ Classes & Events
Here We Are! Historical Society Museum Signage
‘To Be or Not to Be’ Community Theater Event

Cowen Revitalization Mini Grant Projects:

‘Movies on the Hill’ Community Event Series
Webster County Little Libraries
‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ Community Event Space Improvements
‘Repair the Pavillion’ Initiative
Cowen Post Office Flower Box
‘Rain and Drain’ Library Space Repair
‘Covering New Ground’ Softball Parking
Cowen Tennis & Basketball Courts
Sewing & Quilting Community Events
‘1913 Corner Store – How it all Began’ Community Exhibit
Marathon Scholar Program
VISTA Community Support
‘The Engine that Could’ Community Mural
‘It’s All About Choices’ Community Event
High School Dugout Home
Get Fit Cowen
‘Under the Big Tent’ Volunteer Fire Department Tent & Accessories
‘Mow Shack’ Softball Lawn Care Building
Cowen Farmers Market
‘Come Play with Me!’ Playground Equipment
‘Roof for the Hounds’ Structure
‘Fountains and Flowers for our Friends’ Public Space Improvement
‘Raise the Fence’ Softball Field Project
‘Field of Dreams’ Softball Field Project

The community members who have stepped forward in Cowen and Moorefield are leading the way toward healthy, happy, and thriving communities. And the most exciting part? This is just the beginning.

As Cowen and Moorefield head into the implement phase of these revitalization projects, they’ll be building momentum, community support, and more opportunities to leverage with increased experience and resources in hand. By coming together as a community, these established and emerging leaders are laying the foundation necessary for the economic development that West Virginia needs.

Want to know more about how the Cultivate West Virginia program works with communities toward increased engagement, buy-in, and community growth? Learn more on our Cultivate WV page.

Are you our Chief Momentum Instigator?

05.14.19

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

This year, we put a call out to the thousands of changemakers working on the ground in West Virginia: let’s work collaboratively to document our work on social media using the hashtag #NewStoryWV. Our stories combined will form a new narrative about West Virginia – one that shows the perseverance, innovation, and grit that is the true spirit of our state.

We’re looking for a Chief Momentum Instigator to work with our team to build this effort. The Chief Momentum Instigator will earn a stipend while working, on average, 15 hours per week this July-September with the team at The Hub.

If this sounds like you…

You’re a natural connector, picking up new friends and building your network everywhere you go
You have a passion for storytelling
You’re interested in plugging in to the network of changemakers of all stripes working across the state
You love West Virginia and are invested in making a difference in the state’s future

…you may be a good fit for the Chief Momentum Instigator role.

If you know of someone who may be interested – please help us spread the word! This is a great opportunity to build skills and network for a person who is interested in working in marketing, communications, and public relations in West Virginia.

Learn more about #NewStoryWV over on the website: https://newstorywv.org/.

Our office is based in Charleston, but we are willing to work with someone remotely dependent upon experience.

We are accepting applications until June 14, 2019.

Click here to see more information about the role and details on how to apply.

Let’s get this party started – we’re documenting the true spirit of WV

05.10.19

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

If you have the heart and mind – and are putting in the time – to make a difference for the greater good in West Virginia, starting this June, we need you.

This year, we put a call out to the thousands of changemakers working on the ground in West Virginia. Let’s document a story that shows the grit, resilience, and determination that is the true spirit of our state. When you’re posting on social media about the people and projects that are making a difference for the better – big or small – in West Virginia, include the hashtag #NewStoryWV.

From June – November, we are challenging West Virginians to create at least one #NewStoryWV post on social media each month around a theme.

Sign up to take the challenge »

Posts can be brief or long, and may or may not include photos or videos. There are only 3 rules for your posts:

Posts shine a spotlight on the positive happening in WV communities
When addressing challenges, posts focus on solutions
Posts incorporate the theme

If you sign up to take the challenge, you’ll receive an email each month with details about the theme plus tips and tricks to use social media to tell your story.

Sign up to take the challenge »

The themes are:

June: Champions & Trailblazers
July: Bright Ideas
August: Actions for Good – Happening Today
September: Opportunities & Paths
October: Skillsharing
November: Actions for Good – #Throwback Edition

Research shows that celebrating the positive stories happening in communities is linked to the ability of towns to be resilient in the face of economic shocks and downturns (Read our #NewStoryWV Brief for more on the research.). The stereotypes about West Virginia are holding us back.

To the locally-owned business owners and employees; community volunteers; champions at service organizations and clubs; workers at nonprofits and community institutions like libraries and schools; engaged West Virginians of every stripe working for the greater good in their communities; and to our state’s storytellers: let’s get this party started.

Sign up to take the challenge »

Mellon Foundation funding for community-based archives

05.06.19

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is offering $1 million over the next two years to community-based archives across the US. Let’s get some of these funds for community archives in WV! Share this opportunity with anyone you know who may be appropriate.

From the organizers:

“The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation invites community-based archives in the United States and its territories to submit proposals to fund one or more of the following areas of need:

Operational support for the organization, including general support for staff, space, and utilities.
Collections care, including storage, cataloging, description, and preservation.
Programming and outreach activities, including collecting new materials, and exhibitions, publications, or other uses of the collections.

Since 2013, the Foundation’s Scholarly Communications program has been making a series of grants to help diversify the body of primary source evidence available to, for example, activists, artists, researchers in humanities fields, community historians, genealogists, teachers, and students. These grants were designed to support and strengthen a body of archival practice, called community-based archiving. Archival studies scholars Andrew Flinn, Mary Stevens, and Elizabeth Shepherd define community as ‘any manner of people who come together and present themselves as such,’ and a community archive as ‘the product of their attempts to document the history of their commonality.'”

Find out more about the opportunity on the foundation’s website »

Jaycees host first community Farm-to-Table Dinner in Boone County

05.06.19

BY TERRY BARTLEY, COMMUNITY COACH, THE HUB

This Saturday, May 11th, the Madison-Danville Jaycees will host Boone County’s first Farm-to-Table Dinner.

Through a partnership with the Food and Farm Coalition and the Coal Heritage Foundation, the Madison-Danville Jaycees are able to bring a nice dinner completely featuring locally sourced food.

“There’s plenty of people that have gardens and grow food in the area, but it feels like no one has time to cook a family dinner anymore,” said Mackenzie Price, President of the Madison-Danville Jaycees, “we’re really excited to be able to provide a dinner with great local meat, fruit and vegetables.”

The food will be prepared by Chef Wes, a Madison resident. The dinner will feature food from Boone County farmers markets, in addition to some food from adjacent counties, such as asparagus from Lincoln County.

Matthew D. Thompson, the Community Placemaking and Farmer’s Market coordinator for the Food and Farm Coalition, said he also loves having the chance to bring locally produced food to Boone County.

“I’m a foodie at heart, the fact that I get to make a living sharing great food sourced from West Virginia is a blessing,” he said. “I love meeting farmers and being able to actually see food travel from a farm to a table, market, or food business.”

Matthew has been working with members of the Madison-Danville Jaycees for a few months now to get this dinner together. He said it is hard to put something like this together without the help of local volunteers.

“One of the keys to a great community event is a strong, energetic volunteer team. The Madison-Danville Jaycees have been great to work with and I’m happy to support them with this farm-to-table opportunity,” Matthew said.

The Farm-to-Table Dinner will be held at the Madison Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at https://bit.ly/2XZMHlF or in person from any Madison-Danville Jaycee member prior to the event, or at the door.