Fifty Years Later, West Virginians Remember JFK's Death

Fifty years ago Friday, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. The killing shocked the nation and world and, to this day, people still talk about it. Many West Virginians are remembering where they were the day the President was killed.

The West Virginians who are remembering that day include Mountain Stage host Larry Groce, who was living near Dallas at the time.

LarryGroce.mp3
Larry Groce shares his JFK memory.

Others who share their memories include: Maura Brackett, who worked in the White House, and a Princeton man who served as a local campaign manager for Kennedy during the 1960 campaign.

This is audio collected from West Virginia television stations following the death of President Kennedy, exclusive to this digital version of our story:

REPORTER.mp3
Reporters at the Capitol.
WTRF,_PEOPLE_ON_THE_STREET_REACT_TO_JFK'S_DEATH.mp3
WTRF collected man on the street interviews following the death of JFK.
COMMENTARY_ON_JFK'S_DEATH.mp3
Commentary about the death of JFK.

How to Prepare Your Holiday Packages With USPS

The United States Postal Service is preparing for the busiest shipping season. The delivery service says online shopping is continuing to increase deliveries.

This year, USPS expects volume to increase by 12 percent.USPS is projecting 14.7 billion cards will be delivered from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.

The Postal Service is suggesting these mail-by dates and tips to help customers mail and ship conveniently for the holidays:

For Dec. 25 Arrival

  • Dec. 2: International First-Class Mail®
  • Dec. 2: Priority Mail International®
  • Dec. 10: Priority Mail Express International™
  • Dec. 14: Standard Post
  • Dec. 16: Global Express Guaranteed®
  • Dec. 20: First-Class Mail®
  • Dec. 21: Priority Mail®
  • Dec. 23: Priority Mail Express™

The United States Postal Service is offering a military care kit for families preparing care packages for service members overseas.
The kit is free and contains items like boxes, mail tape, address labels, appropriate forms and directions. To order, call 1-800-610-8734.

Military Mailing Deadlines for Dec. 25

  • Dec. 10: APO/FPO First-Class Mail® Letters and Cards
  • Dec. 10: APO/FPO Priority Mail®
  • Dec. 17: APO/FPO Priority Mail Express™ Military Service         

Hanukkah begins next week on Nov. 27 and ends Dec. 5 this year. Postal officials are recommending those celebrating and hoping to use the USPS to send items as soon as possible.    

Credit USPS
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USPS Hanukkah Stamp 2013

The destination, date mailed and service purchased (International First-Class; Priority Mail International; Priority Mail Express International, etc.), will determine when it arrives.  Customers should ask at their Post Office for this information.                                                             

Complete shipping details can be found on the USPS website.

'There Is a Change in the Air' in This Southern W.Va. Town

A town in Southern West Virginia is rolling up its sleeves to revitalize downtown. The goal is to turn the main street in Princeton into a safe place to socialize, shop, and grow. Residents basically decided to stop complaining about the rundown reality, and do something to change it.

The Princeton Renaissance Project began about six months ago. It’s a vision to create an attractive economically vibrant downtown. Most of the work is focused on Mercer Street, an area with a reputation for drug trafficking and prostitution. Those projects include:

  • Festivals and events: The crew at the Riff Raff Arts Collective, a gallery on Mercer Street in Princeton organized and hosted the Altogether Arts Week for the past five years. The event includes a parade, sidewalk painting, and more. Volunteers with the project have also organized outdoor movie viewings, and in October, tricks or treat on Mercer Street.
  • Restoring the historic Lavon Theater
  • The Princeton Community Improvement Commission created a grant program to help renovate storefronts. Businesses can apply for up to $2,000 for storefront renovation.
  • Relocating Princeton City Hall from the corner of Courthouse Road to the former First Community Bank building on Mercer Street.
  • Artist Alley: The project blocked off more than 20 spaces on two walls separated by a narrow strip of rough pavement. Any artist was able to cover a section of the wall with a masterpiece. After a few final touches the alley will be a 24 hour outdoor art gallery.
  • Circle time: business owners, non-profit representatives, citizens, and sometimes the city manager meet once a week to discuss new ideas to make the Princeton Renaissance a success
  • Eight paid mural artists to help cover some buildings

“It’s pretty cool because I’ve been wanting to paint this town for years and years and years,” Patch Whisky, one of the paid artists helping spruce up Mercer Street.

“I was wanting to paint that building five years ago when I was trying to open up an art gallery downtown here,” Whisky said. “They wouldn’t let me do it for free. Now they’ve had to pay somebody a lot of money to paint whatever they’re painting on there right now. But it’s definitely changed.”

“There is a change in the air.”

Wisky’s work can be found across the east coast in cities like Charleston South Carolina, Miami Florida and now his hometown Princeton.

“The whole idea is to give people a good reason to come back down to Mercer Street,” Sam Franz said during a circle time meeting. “Lots of fun. I’m surprised at how eager all the local businesses are to get out and help us with this.”

“We’ve got the arts, and we have education, government, non-profit and just the regular folks all pulling together,” new city manager Elke Doom said, “to bring us back to I can’t say the old glory, but a whole new Mercer Street.”

Marshall football unveils helmet to honor victims of 1970 place crash

Marshall’s football team will wear the number 75 on its helmets at its next game in memory of the victims of the 1970 team’s plane crash. Marshall (6-3, 4-1 Conference USA) plays at Tulsa (2-7, 1-4) on Thursday night. Thursday is the anniversary of the Nov. 14, 1970 crash just short of Tri-State Airport near Huntington. The crash killed 75 people.

Coal drama headed to Huntington

A concert of modern dance that explores the history of the coal mining industry in Appalachia is touring Southern West Virginia. 

Two groups are working together to tell the story of the coal industry in Appalachia from the turn of the century to the 1920’s. 

The National Coal Heritage Area Authority (NCHAA) and the West Virginia Dance Company (WVDC), teamed up to create a performance called, A Coal History”. 

The choreography throughout a series of works depict immigrants passing through Ellis Island, African-Americans coming from the south, and locals all making their journey into the mines. 

The production is a collection of performances and representatives say are appropriate for all ages. Creators say:

"It is a chapter of bittersweet history that West Virginian’s should never forget."

The performances are open to the public. 

The West Virginia Dance company travels to Huntington High School in Huntington on Sunday November 17 at 2 o’clock. 

New theme music for West Virginia Morning

Listen for new open and closing theme music on West Virginia Morning this week.

Local composer Matthew Jackfert, a part time board announcer at West Virginia Public Radio, was commissioned to write a new theme for the weekday news program.

Click to listen to the old theme music  here.

Listen to the new theme here.

WVMOpen.mp3
New theme music for West Virginia Morning will debut Tuesday, November 12, 2013
WVMClose.mp3
Here is the one minute closing theme

Many thanks to the talented musicians who performed this stunning new work.

Joseph Cevallos — Violin, Pennywhistle

Alasha Al-Qudwah — Viola

Jim Lange (W.Va. Public Radio classical music host)  — Guitar

John Query — Djembe (hand drum), triangle, suspended cymbal, shakers

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