Huntington Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Huntington City Council Approves Low Barrier Shelter Funding Plan

The Huntington City Council approved a resolution submitted by Mayor Patrick Farrell Monday evening to fund a newly proposed, unique homeless shelter rather than providing funds for the ongoing Huntington City Mission’s low barrier emergency facility.

Updated on April 29, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.

Monday evening, the Huntington City Council approved a resolution submitted by Mayor Patrick Farrell to fund a newly proposed, unique homeless shelter.

The plan calls for the city to steer the remainder of funds allocated for this fiscal year, plus another $350,000 for FY 2026, away from the Huntington City Mission’s low barrier emergency facility and toward the new shelter instead.

Early in this, his first term, Farrell parted ways with helping fund the mission’s low barrier shelter – which welcomes those troubled with overt mental illness or active addiction. The new mayor had concerns about the mission’s converted chapel, and its proximity to the central business district.

The new shelter will be housed in a shuttered old West End public works building at 96 West 3rd Avenue. The area is dominated by local businesses with little residency. It will operate as a public-private partnership, led by Valley Health Systems, which will lead construction and equipment work. The resolution allows Huntington to spend no more than $1 million for construction, renovation and equipment for the last-ditch shelter.

Last year the city mission broke ground on a new low barrier shelter. With its loss of city-facilitated staff funding, the end game of that project remains up in the air.

Valley Health Physician Sydnee McElroy said in a recent press conference that the new homeless refuge will eventually provide those in need with much more than an overnight shower, hot meal and change of socks.

“You’re also going to be able to access the absolute best in health care services,’” McElroy said. “Along with behavioral health services, recovery Services, meet with peers who can help you in that next step when you’re ready in your recovery journey. Meet with behavioral health counselors who can help you manage your serious mental illness. Meet with case managers and social workers who can help you meet those next needs when you actually become housed, to keep you from getting evicted.”

McElroy believes a vibrant, shelter-operating partnership will show there is much more the community can do to battle local homelessness.

“I will tell you that a lot of the time, the barriers to members of our community accessing all their needs are things like political barriers, financial barriers, bureaucracy, bias,” she said.

The low barrier shelter funding stems from the city’s share of opioid settlement monies, delivered by the West Virginia First Foundation. The resolution says the city will reimburse Valley Health for its expenses using those funds.

**Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect the results of the council vote.

A New Emergency Shelter In Huntington, Understanding The DEI Bill And Egg Alternatives, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, what a DEI bill advancing through the legislature potentially means for the state, Huntington announces a new emergency shelter and a look at egg alternatives.

On this West Virginia Morning, Senate Bill 474 is one of the most contentious bills before the legislature this year. It is commonly referred to as the DEI bill for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. On Tuesday, news director Eric Douglas sat down with Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, and Rev. Paul Dunn from the First Baptist Church of Charleston to discuss what the bill potentially means on The Legislature Today.

Also, as communities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans that target homeless people with nowhere to sleep, the city of Huntington announced a very different approach. As Randy Yohe reports, the city plans to open a new, low barrier shelter away from the business district but close to needed resources.

And with the higher price of eggs, some people are turning to other breakfast foods, like cereal or yogurt. But in central Pennsylvania, WPSU intern Rivka Wolin wanted to find something close to actual eggs. So, she and her roommate cooked up some plant-based egg alternatives and had friends compare the taste to real eggs.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Huntington To Open New Low Barrier Homeless Shelter

As communities across West Virginia have implemented camping bans that target homeless people with nowhere to sleep, the city of Huntington on Tuesday announced a very different approach.

The city plans to open a new, low barrier shelter away from the business district but close to needed resources.

Huntington’s City Mission provides more than 160 beds for men, women and families. It’s location, adjacent to downtown businesses, has been troubling for some, particularly as it evolved into a low barrier shelter that welcomed anyone, including those with mental illness or in the throes of active addiction.

Huntington Mayor Patrick Farrell on Tuesday announced plans to open a new facility roughly 10 blocks away that will offer far more than a place to sleep.

“The new low barrier overnight shelter will bring key health and social services together,” Farrell said. “Providing on site access to wraparound services that we know are part of the long term solution. This is the most coordinated and compassionate effort our city has ever made to address homelessness. This isn’t just a safe haven for tonight. It’s a starting point for tomorrow.”

The new shelter is a collaborative effort between the city and multiple health partners including Cabell Huntington Health Department, Prestera Health Services, Harmony House, Marshall Health Network and Valley Health Services. The Huntington City Mission is not currently included in the collaborative partnership. Dr. Matt Weimer is the Valley Health President and CEO.

“My organization will provide services, medical services, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, infectious disease services at the location, with partners,” Weimer said. “There will be access to tertiary care. There will be access to nonmedical services.”

The shelter will be located at 94 3rd Avenue West, in a former city public works building. Renovations have already begun. The mayor said he hopes it can be open in the very near future.

Huntington Mayor Sends DOGE, GSA Call To Action Letter

Huntington Mayor Patrick Farrell has released the contents of a letter he wrote to administrators of the Department of Government Efficiency and the General Services Administration suggesting that relocating federal workers from Washington, D.C., to Huntington would save taxpayer money, offer more affordable housing, and provide a safer place to live and work.

Huntington’s mayor is asking the Department of Government Efficiency to relocate federal jobs to his river city.

Mayor Patrick Farrell publicly released a letter he wrote, directed to administrators of DOGE, and the GSA, the General Services Administration.

Farrell, a Republican, said in the letter that relocating federal workers from Washington, D.C., to Huntington would save taxpayer money, offer more affordable housing, and provide a safer place to live and work.

Mayor Patrick Farrell is beginning a first term in office.

*Courtesy of Patrick Farrell*

“I urge you to consider a bold, cost-saving approach: repurpose vacancies in Huntington’s existing federal space to relocate more of the federal workforce here,” he said in the letter.

Farrell said in the letter that as the GSA reassesses its federal building portfolio, which includes several large Huntington offices, the city presents an opportunity to rethink how and where federal employees work.

“Huntington has existing federally owned office space, eliminating the need for costly leases,” Farrell said. “Our lower costs for business operations, infrastructure and services ensure federal dollars go further here.”

Two Huntington federal buildings were among hundreds nationwide targeted for potential sale or closure in a GSA online list posted this past Tuesday. That list was taken offline hours later for reassessment.

In the letter, Farrell explained that federal salaries in Washington are significantly higher due to locality pay differences. He said for every 100 D.C. federal employees, moving to lower cost Huntington would save taxpayers $1.52 million annually.

Farrell touted Marshall University’s cybersecurity expertise and talent pipeline as a benefit.

“Marshall provides federal agencies with direct access to expertise and innovation, further strengthening Huntington as an ideal federal workforce hub,” he said.

Farrell closed his letter by saying, “The real question isn’t whether Huntington is ready, The real question is whether the federal government is ready to make the right choice – for its workers, for taxpayers and for its future.”

Ohio River Valley Communities Brace For Flooding

Citizens are urged to prepare for flooding and watch local forecasts and first responders for updates.

With several inches of rain forecast to arrive over the weekend, local and state officials are preparing for flooding. 41 of the state’s 55 counties were under either a Flood Watch or Flood Warning from the National Weather Service Friday afternoon.

The state remains under a state of preparedness declared by Gov. Patrick Morrisey ahead of a separate round of storms last week. Joe Curtis, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Charleston, said the western part of the state could see up to three inches of rainfall through Sunday.

“The first round of heavy rain is going to be on Saturday during the day, and we’ll see it kind of let up a little bit overnight, and then the second round will be on Sunday,” he said. “On Sunday, we’ll see another round of rainfall, and because of how wet the ground is, any rain that falls over those two days are going to run off into the rivers and the streams, and then we could see some potential river flooding.”

The City of Huntington started erecting floodwall gates Friday morning in anticipation of the Ohio River cresting as high as 54 feet in the coming days, more than double the river’s annual average of 25 feet.

The city also reports the Huntington Stormwater Utility is prepared to activate all 17 flood pump stations that are part of Huntington’s floodwall and levee system. The flood pump stations serve two key purposes – to prevent rising Ohio River water from flowing into the city and to pump high water from rainfall inside the city into the river. Huntington Sanitary Board crews also are preparing for heavy rainfall by cleaning debris out of catch basins in neighborhoods that are prone to flooding.

Curtis said with the ground already saturated from rain and snowmelt in recent days, the water will have one place to go.

“It’s not going to soak into the ground. If it comes down at a pretty heavy rate, it could lead to flash flooding which means that the waters are going to quickly pond and rise on the streets, and that could definitely cause issues for anyone traveling on those roadways,” he said. “In addition to that, all of the water is also going to flow down into the streams and in the rivers.”

Curtis said everyone should stay aware, including keeping an eye on local forecasts, as well as announcements from local government and your emergency responders.

Cabell County officials like Training and Public Education Coordinator for Cabell County 911 Ted Grant are already making preparations.

“The Cabell County EMS has got access to a couple of boats and military vehicles that are able to go in our water areas and retrieve people and help with evacuations if need be,” Grant said. “We’re also pushing the alert system for the county called CASS (Cabell Alert & Safety System) that the county has adopted to try to get notifications out to people a little bit more quicker.”

Citizens in flood-prone areas are advised to make preparations in case of evacuation, with some estimating the impact could be akin to past floods.

“From what I’ve been told, it’s been referenced back to the 1997 flood, where they did have significant flooding,” Grant said. “Certain parts of the community have also experienced significant flooding (three) years ago. So it’s definitely going to compete with those levels.”

Lora Lipscomb is the Public Information Officer for the West Virginia Emergency Management Division. She said emergency management is set up and ready to activate the emergency operations center if needed.

Lipscomb and others urge caution around floodwaters, and said to never walk or drive into flooded areas.

“Six inches of flood water and it looks like so little on the ground, but if it’s moving, it will knock a person down and not very much more than that will take the wheels out from under your car.”

The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) has also announced preparations to work with the Emergency Management Division to combat the effects of the severe weather system, including staging crews across the state ready to monitor road conditions and close roads when impacted by road slips, landslides or high water.

The Kanawha County Commission has issued a State of Preparedness due to the coming rain and potential flooding. The press release from the commission highlights the potential for flooding along the Coal River.

Solar Panels Go To School, Help Cut Rising Electric Bills

You can’t see it from the ground, but nearly 400 solar panels line the roof of the eight-year-old school, built on the site of an old high school.

There’s coal transportation on three sides of Ceredo-Kenova Elementary School. That includes rail lines on all three sides. Parallel to one of them, barges carry coal on the Ohio River.

Coal dominates electricity production in West Virginia, as it has for decades. But this school, and the surrounding Wayne County School District, is trying on a different kind of power – solar.

You can’t see it from the ground, but nearly 400 solar panels line the roof of the eight-year-old school, built on the site of an old high school.

Superintendent Todd Alexander says the solar panels could save the district a substantial amount of money on its annual electric bill. Electricity rates have been rising in Appalachian Power’s West Virginia service territory. While much attention has focused on impacts to residential customers, schools pay more, too.

“I don’t have the numbers on Ceredo Elementary School specifically, but if you look district wide, those savings are estimated to be about $200,000 a year that we would save in utility cost,” he said. “Now that was before any rate increases. With some of the proposed rate increases that are that are on the table right now, that number could go up significantly.”

But the school still receives power from the grid. That’s because the district entered a power purchase agreement with Appalachian Power, an arrangement made possible by state lawmakers in 2020.

A local company, Solar Holler, installed the panels on the school’s roof last year. The power they generate goes to the grid, and the school receives a credit for that power. Alexander says there was very little up-front cost, really just the fees for some attorneys to review the agreement.

“We’re still paying for the solar that we’ve collected,” he said. “It’s just cheaper than what we would pay for what we would get off the grid.”

In spite of coal’s lasting footprint in the community, Alexander says there was very little concern about the perception that the project would displace coal jobs. In fact, he says, some of the parents of the students at the school work installing solar.

“And I think it’s because Solar Holler operates in the West End Huntington, which is in Wayne County,” he said. “So they are a local employer.”

The school’s solar system was activated in early January. Then, several inches of snow, and some ice, fell across the region. Temperatures stayed cold. The snow covered the solar panels.

Thomas Ramey, commercial and nonprofit solar evaluator at Solar Holler, says winter weather is factored into how much power the panels can produce. Though winters have generally been mild for several years, he says the calculations have proved to be pretty accurate.

Alexander notes that the panels will generate electricity even when the school is out on break.

“We’re going to be collecting power year round, including it in the summer,” he said. “All of that is banked.”

Principal Deidre Farley says the installation occurred during the school year, with hundreds of students in the building. It was not as disruptive as anyone expected.

“That was what the teachers were concerned about, was the noise level,” she said. “And there was just maybe one day that I can remember that we heard some noise, but other than that, we didn’t even hear them.”

Farley says solar power even became part of the curriculum.

“Some of the students knew what was going on, and they had questions, and we would answer,” she said. “Some of the teachers did lessons on solar power and that type of thing.”

Alexander says older students in the district are learning about solar with an eye toward a potential career.

“We have a district internship program that they participate in,” he said. “We have high high school students from Wayne High School and Spring Valley High School and Tulsa High School that have access to an internship program through Solar Holler, where they’re working for them.”

With minimal up-front cost, working with a local company and the opportunity for students to learn trade skills that could build a career, Alexander says he had every reason to say yes.

“So with those factors, it was a no brainer, just to go ahead and move forward with it,” he said.

Solar Holler is an underwriter of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This story was distributed by the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, a collaboration between West Virginia Public Broadcasting, WPLN and WUOT in Tennessee, LPM, WEKU, WKMS and WKYU in Kentucky and NPR.