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Supporters Work To Reframe The King Day Narrative Around Healing

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech during the March on Washington in August 1963, he had no way of knowing the narrative and legacy the speech would leave behind.

Rev. Ronald English, former Pastor of First Baptist Church of Charleston, said he aims to clarify the “King Narrative,” as the country celebrates the civil rights hero on January 16 this year. He wants to use that legacy for healing.

“The dream King narrative has been used for several different kinds of causes that were contrary to what Dr. King’s message was, his mission was, and his ministry was about,” English said. “That has only increased, particularly in the last two or three years, where the dream King has been used and misused and abused, I feel, for other causes and issues.”

English was ordained into the ministry by Drs. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sr. at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. English shared that King had a different ending in mind for the speech that would go on to define his legacy, but gospel singer Mahalia Jackson advised him to, “Tell them about the dream, Martin.”

English and other organizers aim to refocus the “King narrative” on the power of healing.

“Making that shift to the healing King was consistent with some of the things that I’ve been

involved in, as far as dealing with the health disparities that have impacted the African

American community since we got here in 1690 on slave ships,” English said. “The partnership of African American churches has been involved over the past year or so with giving vaccinations to deal with the COVID crisis.”

English, alongside the NAACP and the partnership of African American Churches, hopes to use the context of MLK Day celebrations as an instrument to provide tools and resources to the Black community, by focusing on different aspects of King’s message.

“We’re focusing on health disparities, and the responsibility that is ours to move that, and with momentum is where we are right now. At the time of his death, as far as identifying what he called the three evils of American society being racism, economic injustice, and militarism,” Rev. English said. “And so the economic injustice and racism kind of overlap when you look at what have been the causes of health disparities among African Americans, again, from the time we got here.”

The partnership of African American churches has provided vaccination clinics since December 2021.

“It also is an informative way of getting folks to the clinics and then, impacting information in the communities where those clinics are set up, and this is all over the state, so we’ve been able to move into parts of the state where the health disparities among African Americans has been really crucial,” English said. “In the process of doing the vaccination with local organizations, the NAACP branches and other organizations that would share a common goal, I believe in relieving the health disparities in the African American community, sharing a common voice that would help get that message around.”

As part of this endeavor, The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs (HHOMA) will host a Commemoration and Celebration of King with an Ecumenical Service, march and bell-ringing at the West Virginia Culture Center at 9:30 a.m., Monday, Jan. 16.

The symbolic march and Ecumenical Service is open to the public and free of charge.

“We are honored to celebrate the life of Dr. King,” said HHOMA Executive Director and Martin Luther King Jr. State Holiday Commission Chair, Jill Upson. “His achievements and dedication to strengthening communities with peace and solidarity for mankind empower us all to be great.”

Data Indicates Increase In W.Va. Roadway Deaths

Highway deaths increased by 10 percent nationwide in 2021 compared to a year earlier. Preliminary data shows roadway fatalities in West Virginia are following a similar trend.

Data from the West Virginia Department of Transportation shows highway fatalities in West Virginia increased by five percent in 2021. Though the statistic is considered raw data until confirmed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this fall, it indicates an increase in roadway deaths that is consistent with the rest of the country.

In an email to WVPB, West Virginia Department of Transportation director Jennifer Dooley says the biggest increase in fatalities involved collisions with pedestrians. The department says it is planning on focusing resources to prevent further crashes with its Strategic Highway Safety Plan over the next five years.

Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) representative Aimee Cantrell says behavioral trends during COVID-19 may explain this increase. Speeding incidents rose during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, when there was a lower amount of traffic.

“That sometimes gives people this sense that it’s okay to drive distracted or to drive faster than the posted speed limit, or a couple of other things that really are never true,” Cantrell said.

Cantrell reminds drivers to remember the basics of driving and practice safety measures to either prevent or lessen the impact of a crash. These measures include proper seat belt usage, no cell phone usage while driving, and remaining parked and off the road while putting information into a GPS.

Though the number has increased within the past year, West Virginia has seen a downward trend in fatalities over the past decade. Highway deaths have decreased by more than 15 percent since 2011. Cantrell credits this trend to West Virginia’s seat belt law, which was made a primary offense in 2013.

“We have consistently been trending downward in those fatalities, which is a great thing,” Cantrell said. “It is our mission and goal to decrease injuries and fatalities due to crashes. Our ultimate target is zero deaths on our roads, so that takes the cooperation of all drivers and road users.”

The GHSP is currently working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign this Memorial Day season to remind drivers to wear their seatbelts.

Allium burdickii, The Other Ramp

The Narrow-Leaved Leek, (Allium burdickii), while related to broad leaf ramps we enjoy every spring, is its own species all together and not a variation of Allium tricoccum. It’s a relative of the typical wild ramp, or leek, that people seek out this time of year as an eatable spring onion. We know very little about this wild onion.

If you’re from Canada, the eastern United States, or Appalachia, you’re probably very familiar with a local forest delicacy – the wild onion species of Allium triccocum – best known as ramps. From church hall pot-lucks to outdoor festivals, the wild ramp is widely celebrated this time of year.

But not much is known about a related species of the edible ramp, a species called the Narrow-Leaved Leek, or Allium burdickii. And this lesser known plant is often misidentified.

Eric Burkhart, Ph.D., is Associate Teaching Professor of Ecosystem Science and Management at Penn State University and Program Director of Appalachian Botany and Ethnobotany at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. Burkhart is leading a team of researchers in a study of the lesser known plant at various sites in Pennsylvania.

They point out that the Narrow-Leaved Leek (Allium burdickii) has a much stronger scent, even unpleasant, when compared to the variety of ramp (Allium triccocum) we harvest, cook and consume. They’re much smaller plants with more narrow leaves, and the stems are always green.The Allium tricoccum, in contrast, has broader leaves and the stems can be either green or red.

The red and green stems of the common broad leaf ramp (Allium tricoccum)

Burkhart also notes the flower-heads of these plants are shaped differently. The broad leaf ramp has a round snow-ball shaped flower head when in bloom. The Narrow-Leaved Leek has a V- shaped flower head, and much fewer blooms.

Flowering inflorescence of the common ramp

Narrow-leaved ramp during its flowering stage showing its V shape inflorescence

The UP researchers will attempt to learn an array of distinguishing traits between the two varieties of plants. They’re growing their sample plants side-by-side in common garden sites, so comparisons will be made under identical environmental conditions. They’ll document the DNA of the 2 species, and test their phytochemistry (which are chemicals derived from plants).

Since documentation on Allium burdickii is so sporadic and there have been so few studies to date, Burkhart says we should not assume it is edible and we should not attempt to harvest it.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Allium burdickii The Other Ramp

Huntington Residents Affected By Floods Will Soon Benefit From Marshall University Thrift Store

Huntington residents affected by the recent floods will soon benefit from a thrift store run by Marshall University for students.

Under normal circumstances, the Marshall University Thrift Store takes items donated from dormitory housing to be resold to students at a reduced rate. Items at the thrift store include clothing, furniture, sheets, pillows, and home appliances.

Next week, the thrift store is giving away 60 bins of donated items to members of the Huntington community affected by the May 6th flood.

With student volunteers living off campus during the summer, the Marshall University Sustainability Department is looking for community volunteers to help sort through items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and operate the store during the give-away. The Marshall University Sustainability Department will supply lunch to volunteers.

You can volunteer for the flood relief event here.

The thrift store is located at 331 Hal Greer Boulevard in Huntington. The Marshall University Thrift store will be giving out store items to residents Monday, May 23rd, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Marshall University To Help Unlock The Secrets Of Water Bears

The National Science Foundation awarded Marshall University a $366,624 grant to study tardigrades in a partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The National Science Foundation awarded Marshall University a $366,624 grant to study how protective structures adopted by tardigrades help protect them from their environment. The study will be part of a partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets, are micro-animals that are found in almost every place on earth. They are known for being able to survive the harshest environments.

“Tardigrades produce these compounds known as free radicals, which are reactive chemical species, when they’re exposed to stressors,” said Derrick Kolling, chair of the Marshall University Department of Chemistry.

You can see responses to extreme conditions in nature, but the reason why tardigrades are unique is their vast variety of responses to environmental stressors such as vacuums, UV radiation, dehydration, high salt concentration, and freezing temperatures. A common response by tardigrades includes forming into a tun.

“Forming this structure called a tun, they sort-of shrink down; extrude water, and then they can stay in that state for a very long period of time,” Kolling said.

When a tardigrade is stressed, it enters a quasi-death state. The animal retracts its head and its eight legs and curls into a dried-up ball.

According to Kolling, looking into these chemical structures could help development in space travel and pharmaceutical storage. They might even help fight against aging.

“Throughout our lives, we develop damage in our bodies,” Kolling said. “Not that we’re necessarily going to form one of these protective states, but these things might give us insight into how humans might protect our DNA.”

In a partnership with Robert C. Byrd Institute, the research team is starting the Tardigrade Trading Post outreach program. The trading post will send scientific kits designed by the research team to be used by citizen researchers. This includes students K-12; what Kolling referred to as little citizen scientists.

The Robert C. Byrd Institute is designing 3D printed microscopes that citizen researchers can use to gather tardigrades from their backyards. On top of providing young students an opportunity to learn about micro-species, Kolling hopes that this will help the team harvest a wide variety of tardigrade species.

“A lot of water bear species are parthenogenic, which means that you only need the female to reproduce so they can reproduce asexually,” Kolling said. “I think the odds of finding a new species are pretty decent, especially if people are willing to go to places like Dolly Sods. We could raise them in the lab. If we find interesting conditions, we would characterize them genetically.”

The grant will support the graduate and undergraduate student research team for the next three years.

Derrick Kolling, chair of the Marshall University Department of Chemistry

C&O Canal National Park Begins Removal Of Loose Potomac River Barge

Flooding last weekend caused two barges in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Park to break loose and float down the Potomac River in the Eastern Panhandle.

As of Thursday afternoon, lessened river flows allowed the smaller barge to be pulled away from the Potomac River’s Dam Number 4. Contractors involved with the situation are currently beginning the process to recover the barge at a point downstream.

An earlier update on Tuesday says some of the equipment on the barge has also been recovered, including a mini-excavator.

The larger barge is still in place near Harpers Ferry at the remnants of Potomac Dam Number 3. All of the equipment is still on board. The park says they are continuing to monitor the barge as the situation develops.

Heavy rains loosened the two barges from their moorings. The barges were part of a restoration project at McMahon’s Mill in Williamsport, Maryland.

No injuries have been reported and the national park is waiting for the Potomac’s water levels to subside to confirm any property damage.