On this West Virginia Morning, Sue and Stan Jennings for 30 years have run Allegheny Treenware, a company that makes wooden kitchen utensils. But they started off as a couple of coal miners. Folkways Reporter Capri Cafaro has more.
Members of the governing board for Reconnecting McDowell voted to demolish two buildings in the county seat of Welch to make way for new, affordable housing for teachers and young professionals.
The board and members of the American Federation of Teachers held a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the old Best’s Furniture warehouse, a 25,000 square foot building that’s sat vacant for years. In the coming months, it and the smaller Katzan building located directly behind it will be torn down to make way for 28 new housing units.
State Board of Education President Gayle Manchin, who also chairs the project’s board, said the new structure will provide more than just housing. Plans include space on the first floor for workspace to encourage teacher collaboration and a coffee shop and possible deli to spur economic development in downtown Welch which she said is key.
“In order to tell the parents that live in this area, we want to educate your children with the skills that can enable them to get a job in this region, you have to have economic development,” she said. “We believe this is one step in helping to build an economically viable community again.”
The total project is estimated to cost $5.5 million with money from federal low interest loans, the state and more than $2 million from the private sector.
At least, that’s the plan. Reconnecting McDowell Project Manager Bob Brown said after the ceremony he plans to lobby state lawmakers for assistance and will begin almost immediately reaching out to businesses and national foundations for funds.
An exact date for demolition has not been set, but Brown said they expect the new building’s construction to be complete within the next year to 18 months.
A new online tool shows residents the candidates and measures they can vote on in this year's primary election in advance, so that they can take more time to consider their decisions.
One day after telling statehouse reporters he was still considering who to endorse in the hotly contested Republican primary for governor, the outgoing office holder, Gov Jim Justice, announced his pick; Moore Capito.
All West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) services are back online after a mainframe issue, affecting multiple agencies, was resolved at 8:30 p.m. Thursday evening.