On this West Virginia Morning, thousands of acres of land across West Virginia and surrounding states are covered in coal mines where not much grows. But some new research is looking at a plant that thrives in that environment.
On this West Virginia Morning, a WVU researcher is studying a plant that can help restore surface mine properties by creating missing topsoil and capturing carbon out of the air and storing it underground. The above ground plants can also be used as biomass which can be turned into biofuels or even particle board.
News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Jennifer Kane, a postdoctoral student in plant and soil sciences from the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design. Kane is studying the plant Miscanthus. She grew up in Raleigh County and has first-hand knowledge of the abandoned mine lands she is looking to improve.
Also, in this show, an entire city in Jefferson County, Kentucky is slated to disappear, thanks to a relatively new law in the state. But few know the city of Poplar Hills even exists. WFPL’s Justin Hicks reports the city government went defunct years ago and now the state is trying to get rid of these so-called “ghost cities.”
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 Concord University and Shepherd University.
Eric Douglas is our news director and 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
On this West Virginia Morning, the Ol’ Mountain Trader, a free classified ad publication that serviced southern West Virginia, has closed after a 50-year run. Briana Heaney has the story.
On this West Virginia Morning, the Ol’ Mountain Trader, a free classified ad publication that serviced southern West Virginia, has closed after a 50-year run. Briana Heaney has the story.
Also, in this show, we listen to the latest story from The Allegheny Front, a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region. Their latest story is about a stage production out of Kentucky discussing land use and loss in coal country.
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 Concord University and Shepherd University.
Eric Douglas is our news director and 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
On this West Virginia Morning, hundreds of southern West Virginia teachers are gathered in Charleston this week, learning how to best improve student literacy. Randy Yohe reports on implementing the “Ready Read Write” initiative.
On this West Virginia Morning, hundreds of southern West Virginia teachers are gathered in Charleston this week, learning how to best improve student literacy. Randy Yohe reports on implementing the “Ready Read Write” initiative.
Also, in this show, officials have issued alerts about air quality issues in West Virginia. Eric Douglas has more.
The Putnam County Commission approved an ordinance Tuesday that could restrict drag shows. Curtis Tate has more.
And with the July 4 holiday approaching, officials are asking the public to rethink using fireworks. Delaney Wells has more.
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 Concord University and Shepherd University.
Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and produced this episode.
Teresa Wills is our host.
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
There’s a new push to sell the Itmann coal company store building in Wyoming County. The almost 100-year-old building has a rich history as a former store and business office owned by Issac T. Mann.
There’s a new push to sell the Itmann coal company store building in Wyoming County. The almost 100-year-old building has a rich history as a former store and business office owned by Issac T. Mann.
Randy S. Burdette
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Aaron Parsons, director of the West Virginia State Archives, speaks during the 2022 open house at the Itmann Company Store.
Today, it comes with some memories and a lot of expensive repairs. Current owner and former state Sen. Billy Wayne Bailey is hoping real estate agent and historian David Sibray can find the right buyer.
Foxfire Realty and the Wyoming County Historical Society hosted an open house earlier this month.
David Sibray
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Wooden cabinetry and craftsmanship provide additional ornamentation in a building otherwise build solidly of stone, steel, and concrete.
“Again and again, what occurred to me is just how important this building is to all of that community, not certainly just in the town, but all of the county as well,” Sibray said. “Everyone has some relationship to that building. It turned out that I had a relationship with that building … kids who sat there and ate candy in the breezeway, people who went to get their checks, people who bought all their furniture, people who bought all their food.”
Sibray specializes in historical sales. In a way, he says it’s part preservation.
Yvonne Wilcox
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Courtesy
David Sibray checks the acoustics in the Itmann company store space ahead of an open house sponsored by Foxfire Realty and the Wyoming County Historical Society.
“It’s about knowing a lot more than that building,” Sibray said. “And a lot more than what’s economically going on. Like certainly, in this case, you’ve got the new [Coalfields] Expressway, you’ve got the ATV trails, you’ve got the Guyandotte water trail, you have
David Sibray
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Steel window framing in the classical style is incorporated into the thick stone and concrete walls of the Itmann Company Store.
broadband access, all of those things go into knowing what you’re doing with any sort of property. But when you’re selling something as big as this, you have got to know all of that.”
It cost $25,000 when Bailey bought it. The current listing price is $499,000. Despite the financial jump, Sibray says it’s an appropriate price.
“Whoever buys this building is going to need to have the ability to do a lot of work with the building,” Sibray said. “I mean, it’s going to cost millions of dollars. And my job also for the owner is to leave no money on the table.”
“To some extent, it prevents people from wanting to buy the building and tear it down. There are people who would like to remove the building and move the stone. This building also is being sold on the global market Foxfire Realty, our specialization has always been because we work with properties that are large scale properties, we have to go nationally.”
The building has sparked interest and some interesting conversations.
“As far as buyers’ potentials, we’ve had several people who have come forward who have expressed interest and they seem to be viable owners,” Sibray said. “But the wheels of this train move slowly. So it may take a little time for people to work out how exactly the purchase of this building might be managed.” If the building sells, Sibray is optimistic about the impact it could have in this tiny community.
“I can’t imagine it being anything other than a good outcome,” Sibray said, “as long as it’s repaired.”
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The coal company store in Itmann was built around 1923.
West Virginia has been awarded an additional $15.4 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration as part of the American Rescue Plan. The plan was created to help ease economic impacts from the pandemic.
The funds are part of the EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment, which allocates $200 million of its funds to support coal communities.
Pocahontas, Logan and Boone counties were selected to receive funding to help recover from the pandemic but also to create new jobs and opportunities.
Snowshoe Resort in Pocahontas County was awarded the largest grant to expand water service. More than 13,000 jobs are expected to be created with $8 million.
Logan County will receive more than $6.1 million to construct a new water treatment plant, which is expected to create more than 200 jobs, while keeping 400.
Boone Memorial Hospital is expected to use $1.3 million to establish a farmers’ market and greenhouse, creating 136 jobs while keeping 23.
“The American Rescue Plan continues to deliver critical investments for our communities that spur economic development and create good-paying, long-term jobs,” said U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin in a new release from the U.S. Department of Commerce. “I’m pleased the EDA is investing more than $15 million to expand water service in Pocahontas County, construct a new water treatment plant in Logan County and establish a farmers’ market and greenhouse in Boone County. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this funding for years to come, and I will continue working with the EDA to boost economic growth across the Mountain State.”
The Region 2 Planning and Development Council pulled together public and private sectors that helped support the Logan County project.
Southern West Virginians are invited to pitch their business ideas for a chance to earn cash and technical assistance.
Southern West Virginians are invited to pitch their business ideas for a chance to earn cash and technical assistance.
The Pitch Southern West Virginia business idea competition is for start-ups or new businesses in operation for no more than three years. Students at WVU Tech are also eligible to pitch ideas.
It’s an initiative by the newly announced partnership between WVU Tech, the West Virginia Hive and the WVU Tech Launch Lab.
“We have lots of needs for new products,” Diana Woods, the lab’s director, said. “And innovation can be incremental changes to existing ideas as times change and things change, we need to make them a little bit better.”
Clients of the West Virginia Hive are also eligible. New businesses in 12 counties – Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers, Braxton, Webster, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, Wyoming, and McDowell – can also pitch ideas.
Applications are due by midnight on Monday, Aug. 15. Top winners will be asked to attend a live competition on Sept. 13, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. at the WVU Tech campus in Beckley.
