West Virginia Division of Highways crews from across the state worked in Hinton over the weekend to construct a temporary bridge. It’s the second temporary solution to a large sinkhole that formed more than four months ago.
West Virginia Division of Highways crews from across the state worked in Hinton over the weekend to construct a temporary bridge. It’s the second temporary solution to a large sinkhole that formed more than four months ago.
The bridge “kit” was prefabricated and put together beside the sinkhole on state Route 20.
The bridge is temporary until a permanent, 300-foot steel drainage structure under the road can be installed. The division hopes to put the permanent repair out for bid by late next month.
Earlier repair plans were halted after crews found toxic levels of lead on site. The department of highways plans to install a 300-foot steel drainage structure.
The sinkhole appeared in June in front of the Hinton Police station after a 90-year-old drain under the road failed. The sinkhole is unlike any other, with a very fine ash material washing away beneath both a police station and the roadway itself.
Crews worked over the summer to install a temporary culvert and fill material under the road. This worked until heavy rains washed out the material and made the sinkhole larger.
Route 20 in Hinton was reopened to traffic on Sunday, Nov. 20.
On January 29, 1873, railroad officials gathered at Hawks Nest in Fayette County to drive the last spike on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. The C&O, as it was known, connected the Ohio River with the Atlantic Ocean and gave birth to the modern coal and timber industries in southern West Virginia.
The southern West Virginia leg of the railroad was one of the great engineering feats of the late 19th century. More than 7,000 men—including many African Americans—laid track through the New River Gorge and cut tunnels through the mountains between Hinton and Covington, Virginia. One of America’s most popular folk songs emerged from construction of the C&O’s Great Bend Tunnel in Summers County. It recounts how the “steel-drivin’ man” “John Henry” defeated a steam drill in a contest of man versus machine.
After its initial completion, the C&O kept expanding and connected West Virginia resources with markets in the Midwest and the Great Lakes. Thanks to its coal traffic, the C&O continued to thrive in the 20th century while many other railroads failed. Today, the remaining C&O lines are part of CSX Transportation.
West Virginia’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has scheduled a series of constituent visits around the state over the next two weeks to discuss current state and national issues.
According to the senator’s office, they include a Town Hall meeting at West Virginia University in Parkersburg on Wednesday.
He also has scheduled stops Thursday in Charleston, Peterstown and Lindside followed by a Town Hall meeting in Hinton.
Next week, Manchin plans to visit Charleston on Wednesday and Huntington on Friday.
The only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, Manchin faces re-election next year.
He attended a series of Town Hall meetings about health care in March when congressional Republicans were pushing for repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Development officials say downtown Hinton is expected to benefit from a new electric vehicle charging station at the Hinton Technology Center.
A recent announcement by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority says the station is within walking distance of retailers and restaurants.
There is no cost to use the station.
The authority says the Summers County Planning Commission expects usage of the station to begin gradually. Demand is expected to increase as the electric vehicle community becomes aware of the station.
The authority says the planning commission will consider additional electric vehicle charging stations in the downtown area as demand increases.
While you would think all children would be excited to be away from school this summer, many throughout the state continue to go.
It may be mid-July, but Hinton Area Elementary School is packed with around 20 students listening closely to their yoga instructor.
Credit Jessica Lilly
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Ian says that the program has taught him how to live healthy
Instead of being stuck at home over their vacation, these kids are learning about nutrition, physical activity, cooperation and making friends. It’s part of the REACHH program, which stands for Reaching Everyone to Assist in Creating Healthier Homes.
Ian Gardner will be entering sixth grade. This is his second year in the program. He says that he was originally unsure about some of the activities, especially yoga.
“Some stretches I did here were some stretches I thought I would break some part of my body for,” Gardner says. “And today I started flexing and I was like ‘wow, this is cool.’ I mean I thought it was going to be boring and quite, but not so much.”
But it’s not only physical activity Ian is learning. He’s also finding new ways to eat healthy. The program provides nutritional foods at breakfast and lunch.
Ian says that some of the food, which he refers to as the ‘good stuff,’ came as a surprise to him.
“I learned about some green foods that I never thought I would like, like peppers and stuff, they were green, the green peppers, and orange, I never thought they would be good, they just looked weird and they felt weird,” Gardner says. “And then I came here and I was like ‘wow, it’s pretty good and it’s healthy, cause school feeds you healthy food.’”
Amanda Gill is the Summer Fun and After School coordinator for Reach Family Resource Center. It’s this appreciation that makes it worth it for people like her. She is currently going to school to be an elementary teacher.
“And to see some of these kids say, ‘wow, you care about me. You made a difference in my day and I really like coming to your program, it makes you feel important, and like you’re making a difference,” she says.
The program continues during the schools year with after school tutoring and a free meal.
And for those of you who still aren’t convinced about yoga, Ian says that it is a nice experience. “There’s all kind of neat and cool poses that almost everybody would probably like so I encourage you to try it,” he says.
