By: Kalea Gunderson | Posted: May 29, 2018 | Source: WCHSTV
A family in Lincoln County shared their experience with RISE WV as they have lived for five months without a home. (WCHS/WVAH)
Lincoln County, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — A family in Lincoln County is waiting for RISE WV to replace their flood-ravaged home after waiting five months. (more…)
By: Rick Ryan, Prep Sports Writer | Posted: May 29, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
All-Kanawha Valley baseball team
Player of the year: Jake Allen, Hurricane
Coach of the year: Bill Mehle, Charleston Catholic
Freshman of the year: Jacob Hufford, Charleston Catholic
First team
Pos–Player, School, Year Stats
C — Jake Allen, Hurricane, Sr. .419, 32 RBIs, 22 walks
IF — Nate Dunham, Hurricane, Sr. .357, 35 RBIs, 45 runs
IF — Corey Lanier, South Charleston, Jr. .434, 21 RBIs, 20 steals
IF — Brett Morris, Winfield, Sr. .457, 8 HRs, 30 RBIs
IF — Noah Cummings, St. Albans, So. .460, 46 RBIs, 23 walks
OF — Mike Stone, Nitro, Sr. .427, 30 RBIs, 4-0 record
OF — Alex Jarrell, South Charleston, Sr. .341, 79 Ks, 0.77 ERA
OF — Jake Carr, St. Albans, Jr. .419, 31 RBIs, 29 walks
Util — Jacob Hufford, Charleston Catholic, Fr. .478, 7-1 record, 1.00 ERA
Util — Aidan Johnson, George Washington, Jr. .427, 7 HRs, 331/3 IP
Util — Nick Loftis, St. Albans, Jr. .333, 40 RBIs, 1.04 ERA
P — Caden Carpenter, Sissonville, Sr. .386, 8-4 record, 2.27 ERA
P — Tyler Cox, Hurricane, So. .369, 6-1 record, 1.91 ERA
Second team
C — Dom Martin, Charleston Catholic, Sr. .385, 29 RBIs, .990 fld pct
IF — Michael Pinkerton, Sissonville, Sr. .372, 27 RBIs, 26 walks
IF — Tyler Atkinson, South Charleston, So. .385, 26 runs, 20 SBs
IF — Grant Wells, George Washington, Jr. .365, 20 runs, 16 SBs
IF — Derek Chapman, Herbert Hoover, Sr. .358, 26 RBIs, 362/3 IP
OF — Josh Adkins, Nitro, Sr. .433, 4 HRs, 33 RBIs
OF — Logan Spurlock, Capital, So. .357, 22 runs, .964 fld pct
OF — Chris Buchanan, Riverside, Jr. .325, 28 RBIs, 5-4 record
Util — Brandon Combs, Charleston Catholic, Sr. .392, 38 RBIs, 5-3 record
Util — Ethan Payne, Poca, Fr. .528, 4-2 record, 1.73 ERA
Util — Nick Edwards, Winfield, So. .397, 6-1 record, 0.63 ERA
P — Jonathan Blackwell, Hurricane, Jr. 5-2 record, 1.47 ERA, 75 Ks
P — Chayce Matheny, St. Albans, Sr. 7-2 record, 2.22 ERA, 71 Ks
By: Tom Mauldin | Posted: May 29, 2018 | Source: MaxPreps
Canyon (New Braunsfels, Texas) has been No. 1 for five weeks now and it is the only one of four ranked Texas teams to survive last weekend’s fifth round of the playoffs.
As a result, pitching strong Canyon remains atop this week’s MaxPreps Xcellent Top 25 national high school softball rankings.
Just how pitching strong is Canyon?
Brooke Vestal and Aliyah Pritchett combined for a no-hitter Friday as the Cougars blanked Warren 2-0 in the Region IV-6A final to advance to the state Final Four. Vestal, who has signed with Oklahoma, also homered.
Vestal and Pritchett have combined for 25 wins against just a 1-0 loss and get much of the publicity, but freshman Hunter Vestal is 3-0.
The Cougars are more than just pitching strong. A dozen players are hitting over .300 and six are batting above .400. Thirteen of their wins are by run-rule margins. Pritchett leads the team with a .500 average and the Vestal sisters are each hitting .450. As a team, Canyon averages nine runs per game.
Canyon faces 26-11 Oak Ridge (Conroe) in Thursday’s semifinal game with the winner meeting either 26-4 Plano or 33-7 Atascocita (Humble) in Friday’s finale.
Six new teams join the Top 25 this week as five of the six who fell from the Xcellent 25 were ranked in the Top 10. One of those was defending MaxPreps defending National Champion Los Alamitos (Calif.). Last week’s No. 2 Katy (Texas) also saw its season end with a loss.
East Carter (Grayson, Ky.) moves to No. 2 this week as senior Montana Fouts (Alabama signee) continues to make her argument for National Player of the Year. Fouts is hitting .589 with 57 RBIs, 18 doubles and eight home runs. In the circle, she is 30-0 with 11 no-hitters and 383 strikeouts in 178 innings. She has allowed just one earned run this season with a paltry 0.04 ERA.
Lincoln Way East (Frankfort, Ill.) jumped to No. 3 this week and finds itself very deep into the national title conversation. Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.) sits at No. 4 this week. Central, which won the Mississippi 5A title two weeks ago, concluded its season unbeaten. No. 5 belongs to San Marcos (CA). Both figure in the title talk as Central didn’t lose and San Marcos beat its share of Top 25 teams in 2018.
Don’t count out No. 9 Herbert Hoover (Clendenin, W. Va.), the 2018 feel good story of the year. Two years ago, they lost everything to the 1,000-year flood that ravaged portions of West Virginia killing 23 people. This year, they won all 33 games to repeat as state 2A champions.
The Cougars defeated 27-6 Warren 2-0 and advanced to the Texas 6A semifinals. It was their third straight playoff shutout and 12th of the season.
2. (3) East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), 34-0
The Raiders take on 16-16 Ashland Blazer (Ashland) in regional play on Monday.
3. (9) Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.), 25-1
East ended the regular season with 22 wins in a row. Season over.
4. (4) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 34-0
The Rockets won their sixth straight state 5A title. Season over.
5. (7) San Marcos (Calif.), 28-2
The Knights knocked Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) from the Xcellent 25 rankings with a 4-0 win in the San Diego Section Open Division. Senior Payton Tidd won her 18th straight game and pitched her seventh shutout in eight games in out dueling All-American Megan Faraimo (UCLA signee). It was the Knights’ 21st win in a row.
6. (12) Norco (Calif.), 27-3
The Cougars, winners of eight straight, take on 28-2 Los Altos (Hacienda Heights) in the California Southern Section large schools semifinals.
7. (13) Madison (Vienna, Va.), 23-0
The Redhawks, who’ve allowed 15 runs this season, take on 21-3 Battlefield (Haymarket) on Tuesday in the 6D regional semifinals. Alex Echazarreta is 18-0 and has hit nine home runs; teammate Kristin Giery has 35 RBIs and 10 homers.
8. (14) Tualatin (Ore.), 28-0
The Timberwolves are two games away from running the table on the 2018 season. They face 24-5 Oregon City on Tuesday in the state 6A semifinals. Tualatin won the first game between the two teams, 7-2.
9. (16) Hoover (Clendenin, W. Va.), 33-0
The Huskies routed Chapmanville Regional 11-1 to repeat as state AA champions. Delani Buckner did what she did nearly the whole tournament — hang zeroes. In 19 innings in the state tournament, the sophomore hurler gave up just two runs, struck out 29 and walked one. Season over.
10. (19) Freedom (Oakley, Calif.), 21-1
Vanessa Strong has pitched three-straight shutouts, including a 2-0 no-hitter with a dozen strikeouts over College Park (Pleasant Hill) in her last outing.
11. (18) New Palestine (Ind.), 26-1
The Dragons have won 16 in a row and in their last five games have outscored their opponents 64-1. They play 22-6 Edgewood (Ellettsville) in the opening round of the state 3A tournament on Tuesday. Ashley Prange has 16 homers and 64 RBIs to lead the Dragons.
12. (20) Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 28-1
Since losing, Center Grove has won five straight. Senior Jordyn Rudd and junior Abby Herbst have combined for 90 RBIs.
13. (17) Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.), 25-0
The Griffins advance to Tuesday’s sectional semifinal. Karina Gaskins has 13 home runs and 50 RBIs.
14. (15) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 32-0
Keystone defeated Oak Harbor 4-1 and Defiance 8-2 to advance to Thursday’s state D2 semifinal against 15-10 Fairfield Union (Lancaster). Senior Madi Nunez has 11 homers and 65 RBIs and a .567 batting average. Junior Autumn Acord leads with a .648 average. Junior pitcher Sydney Campbell is 27-0 with a 0.23 ERA.
15. (23) Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), 28-2
Led by senior pitcher Savannah Diederich (Mississippi signee), the Conquerors play No. 6 Norco on Tuesday. Diederich is 25-2 and Los Altos has won 19 in a row.
16. (NR) Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.), 25-1
The Timberwolves defeated Monroe 6-3 to win the state 4A title. They also blanked three other teams in going 4-0 at state and closing out the season with nine wins in a row. Six of the final wins were shutouts thrown by junior Iyanla “Ice” Pennington, who finished the season with 22 wins, an 0.35 ERA and 282 strikeouts in 139 innings. Season over.
17. (24) Clovis (Calif.), 31-2
Clovis defeated crosstown rival Buchanan 6-3 in the finals of the California Central Section D1 tournament to conclude the season with 15 wins in a row. Season over.
18. (NR) South Caldwell (Hudson, N.C.), 28-2
The Spartans carry a 25-game win streak into Friday’s state 4A championship series with 23-5 Jack Britt (Fayetteville).
19. (21) White Knoll (Lexington, S.C.), 32-2
The Timberwolves won the state 5A championship. Season over.
20. (25) Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), 30-2
The Panthers closed the season with 15 straight wins and the state 6A title. Season over.
21. (22) Bentonville (Ark.), 31-3
Bentonville captured the state 7A championship. Season over.
22. (NR) Champion (Warren, Ohio), 29-0
The Golden Flashes have won 37 in a row over two seasons and in 29 games this season have allowed 16 runs. They face 25-2 North Union (Richwood) in Friday’s state 3A semifinals.
23. (NR) Maple Lake (Minn.), 22-0
Batting .410, Maple Lake ended the regular season unbeaten and averaging 11 runs per game.
24. (NR) Stevens Point (Wis.), 19-0
The Panthers, who have a .400 team batting average, opened the state large school playoffs with a 14-0 win over Eau Claire. Up next: 19-6 Superior.
25. (NR) Chino Hills (Calif.), 30-4
Known for their hitting, the Huskies have won five of their last season by shutout. Freshman pitcher Kendall Mangel is 26-2 with a 1.27 ERA. She beat Pacifica (Garden Grove) with a three-hitter Thursday for her third-straight shutout.
Dropped out: Katy (Texas), Los Alamitos (Calif.), Fort Myers (Fla.), Oakleaf (Orange Park, Fla.), Keller (Texas) and Cathedral Catholic (San Diego).
Clendenin’s main street as it looked two days after the flood. Shauna Johnson/WVMetroNews.com
By: Brad McElhinny | Posted: May 29, 2018 | Source: WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jack Lipphardt, director of West Virginia United Methodist Disaster Recovery, is frustrated by the pace of long-term flood recovery.
In mid-May, Lipphardt wrote a letter to Sen. Joe Manchin’s office, asking for assistance.
Jack Lipphardt
“I write to seek your help in moving WV RISE from its stagnant dormancy to the promises made to The United Methodist Church, partner ecumenical and secular bodies, funding partners, volunteer work team partners and especially to survivors of the disaster,” Lipphardt wrote.
The letter was sent right before it became public that Gov. Jim Justice’s administration had paused a contract with a consultant tasked with managing federal flood relief dollars. The administration was concerned the contract, worth up to $17 million, hadn’t gotten appropriate oversight.
But Lipphardt, like other close observers of West Virginia’s flood relief effort, says the flow of federal relief spending was slow even before that.
“We were told the first homes would be under construction in August of 2017. Then September. Then October,” Lipphardt wrote to Manchin.
By Feb. 5 this year, Lipphardt wrote, concerned groups gathered at the Clay County Courthouse. Concerns were raised about delays and “requirements that make no sense given West Virginia’s sociology and geography.”
At that meeting, he said, a representative of the West Virginia Development Office assured everyone that 50 houses would soon be under construction.
Lipphardt concluded, “To date, not one house has been constructed. Not one house has had construction to begin. Two mobile homes have been placed but neither are set up nor yet habitable.”
Lipphardt letter to Senator Joe Manchin
Contacted this Tuesday, Lipphardt said his concerns haven’t abated.
“We’ve been frustrated with them for quite some time,” he said. “We were excited a year ago.”
RISE West Virginia, in an official action plan and elsewhere, said it would assist up to 1,200 moderate- and low-income homeowners.
West Virginia had almost $150 million to put toward long-term recovery. The money was in the form of Community Development Block Grants for disaster recovery through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
That money is also meant to help West Virginia’s business and infrastructure rebuild over the long haul.
The official kickoff for RISE was last Aug. 2. “The funds from the RISE program will help West Virginians get back on their feet and on the path to recovery,” Governor Justice stated in a news release announcing the start of the program.
But more time passed.
West Virginia made its request to start using the money this past Jan. 29. HUD gave its OK on Feb. 20.
“The delays just kept coming, people tangled up in red tape,” Lipphardt said.
“It’s a real frustration. The clients are upset and angry. People like us with the United Methodist Church and others are really bothered by this.”
West Virginia is listed as a “slow spender” in the most recent grant financial report Housing and Urban Development.
That designation means spending less than 10 percent of monthly pace required to fully use the grant by target closeout date.
Of the $149,875,000 West Virginia has available, the state still has $148,736,333 left on hand.
The perceived availability of millions in federal dollars has meant that nonprofits avoided spending money that could instead be used elsewhere, Lipphardt said.
“We’ve been told ‘Don’t spend your money on things that RISE can take care of,’ but the result is, people are stuck,” he said.
Many of those who have applied have gotten tripped up by federal regulations, he said.
RISE has a 166-page guide to policies and procedures.
“I don’t know where the brokenness is, but obviously something is broken,” Lipphardt said.
The Department of Commerce manages the RISE West Virginia disaster recovery program through the West Virginia Development Office and West Virginia Community Advancement and Development Office.
The Department of Commerce has not yet responded to emerging complaints that progress has been slow.
Lipphardt suggests a point person who reports directly to the governor might be more effective: “Somebody who would walk into the governor’s office with muddy boots and say ‘Here’s what we’ve got to do to make this happen.’”
Roger Hanshaw
Delegate Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, is one of the co-chairmen of a legislative committee meant to examine flood relief and prevention in West Virginia.
Hanshaw, too, has expressed frustrations about the pace of long-term relief.
“We’ve had duplication of services, we’ve had miscommunication, we’ve had breakdown of communication,” Hanshaw said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
Hanshaw said West Virginia’s first response to the flood was good.
“But then there’s the second line of response, and that’s the response that goes on when the flood water goes down… and that’s where the real breakdown has been,” he said.
Flooding happens so often in West Virginia, the state has to get better at response, he said.
“Mistakes will happen. There will be breakdowns. That’s just the nature of a natural disaster,” he said. “Once the immediate urgency fades, we’ve got to get this stuff right. Paperwork glitches and administrative nightmares shouldn’t keep people from returning to normalcy.”
WV State Delegate Roger Hanshaw (R-Clay) joins @HoppyKercheval to talk about the ongoing issues with flood recovery. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/kLv6OGgdu1
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) May 29, 2018
Brad McElhinny is the statewide correspondent for MetroNews. Brad is a Parkersburg native who spent more than 20 years at the Charleston Daily Mail. Contact him at brad.mcelhinny@wvmetronews.com or on Twitter @BradMcElhinny.
By: Jessie Shafer | Posted: May 29, 2018 | Source: WOWKTV
KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – The Elk River Clean up, scheduled to take place on June 2 has been postponed to June 9, 2018.
Mayor Shana Clendenin said the decision was made to switch up the dates as a result of the weather forecast and river access.
According to the Facebook page for the event, the Town of Clendenin along with the Kanawha County Commission, Chuck Grishaber with the Kanawha County Planning Department, and 25045- A New Clendenin are still looking for volunteers.
“Everyone will meet at Smith’s parking lot in Clendenin at 9 a.m. and be disbursed to gather the garbage”, the page states.
Anyone interested in helping may check out the Facebook event page by clicking here.
Schools in the Elkview and Frame areas of Kanawha County are without power and have dismissed for the day. (MGN Online/Pierce Womack / Twitter)
By: Anna Taylor | Posted: May 29, 2018 | Source: WVAH
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — Several Kanawha County schools have closed for the day due to a lack of power.
Herbert Hoover High, Elkview Middle, Bridge Elementary and Clendenin Elementary schools closed at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Appalachian Power’s website listed a tree as the source of the problem. The power is out for 2,169 customers in the Frame and Elkview areas. The outage occurred about 5:30 a.m.
It is estimated that power will be restored about noon.
Countywide, Kanawha has 2,519 customers reported to be without power.
By: Jack Lipphardt | Posted: May 28, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
Disaster Recovery team members of the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church pause during work on Feb. 9 at a flood-affected home in Clendenin. Pictured from left are Construction Coordinator Buck Edwards, WVCUMC Director of Disaster Recovery the Rev. Jack Lipphardt, “A New Vision with Hope” Executive Director J.F. Lacaria, case managers Miranda Nabers and Grace Msisha and Construction Coordinator Chad Faris. Courtesy Photo
Thank you for your editorial Friday, May 25 regarding the failure of RISE West Virginia to keep its promises to survivors of the storms and flood disaster of June 23, 2016, as well as to the United Methodist Church of West Virginia and our ecumenical and secular partners.
I hope your essay helps in moving RISE West Virginia from its stagnant dormancy to the promises made. From increasing and more frustrating conversations with our disaster recovery partners, particularly those of us active with funding, volunteer work teams and disaster case management, I know the United Methodist Church is not alone having trusted what we were told by RISE West Virginia, West Virginia Development Office officials and the consulting firm of Horne LLC while disaster survivors have been told to wait — and wait.
We were thrilled to hear that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, through the Community Development Block Grant program, would provide $104 million for disaster recovery. As news unfolded, the amount increased to $150 million.
It was a mystery to me why this important grant was lodged in the Development Office in the state’s Commerce Department, where there is no organizational motivation to address disaster recovery and no one with any experience or expertise in disaster response. The Resiliency Board is composed of eight people, but do any of them have any knowledge or experience in disaster recovery? Have they met?
At a meeting held June 15, 2017, at the Sports Performance Center at The Greenbrier resort, people from the Development Office and the consulting firm excitedly described the RISE West Virginia program and provided training for disaster case managers, including our United Methodist disaster case managers. They provided iPads programmed to provide easy intake for client referrals to RISE. At the meeting, we were given details of the grant and how it would be used.
Those of us present that day were told that 1,000 homes would be built in the 12-county disaster zone (80 percent in the counties of Greenbrier, Clay, Nicholas and Kanawha) in less than a year.
We were also told that RISE expected to serve 600 to 800 households. That math doesn’t work very well, but I report to you what we were told to indicate the magnitude and efficiency of work that was promised: 1,000 houses to be built, preferably by local construction contractors, in less than a year.
Numerous other details were provided, including Social Vulnerability Index priorities, single-family home construction or rehab, mobile-home replacement, elevation remediation, temporary rental assistance and flood insurance.
We were told the first houses would be under construction in August 2017. Then came the delay to September. Then October. Christmas passed with no RISE activity.
On Feb. 5 of this year, after numerous concerns were raised about RISE’s delays and requirements that make no sense, given West Virginia’s sociology and geography, a meeting was held at the Clay County Courthouse to discuss this. I attended, along with ecumenical and other partners, because we were being embarrassed by RISE, being caught in the web of RISE’s delays.
We further wanted to let the citizens who attended know what we were doing to assist recovery apart from and in spite of RISE. Representatives from the offices of Sen. Manchin, Sen. Capito, Congressman Mooney and FEMA were present. A staff member of the Development Office assured everyone present that, during that month, February, 50 homes would be under construction. When pressed about that number, he said that 30-some for sure would be under construction.
To date, not one house has had construction begin. I understand that two mobile homes have been placed, but are neither set up nor yet habitable.
In Roane County, I can point to three RISE applicants who are held up for unexplainable reasons, all three elderly women, two in their 70s and one 85. Ecumenical and voluntary organizations have been told by RISE West Virginia not to spend donated dollars on projects that RISE could take. This is a fast-growing immorality, as we see it, keeping people from recovery while HUD and RISE fool around with this.
One of my case managers has a large family whose house was destroyed in Kanawha County. The Elk River undercut the land where their home sat. Their lot stretches up the hill from the precise site of the former home. RISE West Virginia has told them it will not build unless it is on the exact previous site, which is now consumed by the reformed river’s edge.
With generous gifts from three Charleston United Methodist churches to fund their new house, and with help from our friends with Mennonite Disaster Services who will provide the labor to build it, we will see to their recovery.
Our other case manager has a person in Nicholas County whose house was destroyed by the flood but which now has mine drainage washing the site. As with the case above, a new house could be built on his land farther up the hill from the house that was destroyed, but RISE has disqualified him because he does not want to live in a house that RISE would build on the mine-drainage-affected former house footprint.
As I write this, the United Methodist Church has begun construction to care for this survivor and get him into a home on suitable land that is his.
Our United Methodist case managers have other clients who have been disqualified by RISE’s crippling rules or are caught in the unconscionable and strangling delays. To reiterate, we are not alone with this problem that is affecting ecumenical and secular partners, especially our survivor families.
The West Virginia United Methodist Church, our ecumenical partners and other volunteer organizations have been active since day one, from early response to recovery, and continue to move forward to help survivors move from untenable, dangerous situations into residences that are safe, secure and sanitary. We hope for the day when RISE West Virginia executes its promises.
Jack Lipphardt, mayor of Wheeling from 1992 to 2000, was senior pastor of Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church. After the June 2016 floods, he has been director of West Virginia United Methodist Disaster Recovery.
Kanawha County Library Facilities Manager Tim Venitsoras looks over boxes of books in the basement of the main library in Charleston. The books are ready to go to a warehouse for storage before the annual book sale in October. Chris Dorst, Gazette-Mail
By: Ryan Quinn, Education Reporter | Posted: May 28, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail
In November, the Kanawha County Public Library system’s board unveiled and voted for an estimated $27 million renovation and expansion of the main library in Charleston.
Despite the planned 20,000-square-foot size increase, the system had begun working to remove about one-fifth of the 252,745 items in the Charleston library’s physical collection, and system Director Alan Engelbert said it probably will remain at about 200,000 items when the revamped main library opens.
Engelbert said the items are being sold, donated or, in certain cases, simply discarded.
The expanded library will have more spaces, he said, for people to meet and create, including a cafe, craft room and an expanded children’s area. He said it will include lower shelving and wider aisles that won’t be able to fit as many books but will “be a really nice collection to browse and use.”
He provided a breakdown by “broad collection type” of projected total items to be removed. He said the numbers represent the “minimum that we need to achieve in order to be able to fit our collection” in the new space.
The projected 51,478-item reduction is anticipated to include removing the following (original collection numbers are as of September):
“We are reaching a balance between spaces for people and other types of activities libraries are engaged in while maintaining a very strong collection, both physical and electronic,” Engelbert said.
He said some of the children’s items are from the 1950s and ’60s; young-adult items tend to change rapidly in popularity; paperbacks tend to have condition issues and the reference collection is shrinking “because of the ever-increasing reliance on electronic sources.” He also said “nonfiction will not have as much space in the renovated building.”
Engelbert said between 30,000 and 35,000 items have already been withdrawn, with the majority currently in a warehouse, awaiting futures outside the county library system. He said he thinks there are, easily, 3,000 boxes of books there.
He said most removed — “weeded,” in library jargon — items are put up for sale at the annual book sale in October. He said relatively few of the withdrawn books were likely sold at the 2017 sale, and with the larger amount of recent weeding and Charleston Civic Center renovations limiting the size of last year’s sale, he expects this October’s sale to include an unusually large number of books.
After the sale, nonprofits may take what they want, Engelbert said. He said some items the system doesn’t think would be bought are given to Better World Books, a company whose website says it has “donated over 21 million books to partner programs around the world.”
Engelbert said other books are given to the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority or donated to local entities. He said items typically discarded straightaway include beat-up books and outdated travel, medical, legal and tax books.
Monika Jaensson, president of the library system’s board, said a “significant” number of books have gone to the new Clendenin branch, which is opening Wednesday. The June 2016 flood wrecked the previous branch there.
She also said local entities, like The Bob Burdette Center, are receiving books.
“If people can’t walk in the library because the shelves are too tight, then we’re not [serving] anyone,” Jaensson said.
She said she anticipates that the collection reduction is “going to actually increase the circulation,” while allowing space for lectures and presentations.
“We cannot continue to have the massive amount of books that we have in order to be a new library, to be a 21st-century library,” she said, noting that many now use electronic devices to pick up books. “We’re going to bring conversation back into the library. Important. Dialogue. Important. Learning.”
Pam Smith, president of the Public Library Association, a division of the Chicago, Illinois-based American Library Association, said it’s “very predominant that there’s competition for space in libraries when it comes to how people use space.”
“We need to be much more than a warehouse for books,” Smith said. “I think the focus on serving people and building skills and community, that’s the most important thing libraries can do. That said, part of that role is connecting people with ideas and books.”
But she noted that information comes in various ways, including through physical books, digitally and through people.
Monica Garcia Brooks, Marshall University’s associate vice president for libraries and online learning, said she has seen libraries change, including at Marshall, to where patrons are still using collections, but they might be doing so “on a device or camped out on a comfy chair using our wireless.”
“Libraries would prefer to buy, I don’t know, 30,000 e-books in one fell swoop, knowing that all of their patrons could use those materials 24/7, no matter where they are,” Brooks said.
Reach Ryan Quinn at ryan.quinn@wvgazettemail.com, facebook.com/ryanedwinquinn, 304-348-1254 or follow @RyanEQuinn on Twitter.
By: Roger Wolfe | Posted: May 27, 2018 | Source: Williamson Daily News
On a fateful evening in August of 2012 in Roane County two West Virginia State Police (WVSP) Officers were gunned down during what should have been a routine traffic stop. Corporal Marshall Bailey and Trooper Eric Workman were killed in the line of duty.
The death of the officers marked a dark day, one of the worst losses the WVSP has experienced in the existence of the agency as it lost two officers in the line of duty. The loss of the officers is felt by many still today.
Both officers were known as great role models for all that knew them. Trooper Workman was known in particular for his many athletic accomplishments and his love for the outdoors.
Workman was an avid hunter and fisherman and spent a great deal of time pursuing the muskies anywhere they could be found. Since his death, his family and friends have found a fitting way to honor the young man and help promote the things he felt so passionate about.
Shortly after his death, the Trooper Eric Workman Foundation was formed to honor the fallen officer and the first Eric Workman Memorial Muskie Tournament was held. This year will mark the 6th Annual occurrence of the tournament.
The growing muskie fishing community across the state has gotten behind and gotten involved with the annual event and it is an enormous success each year. This year the event will kick off at 12 a.m. on Saturday, June 2, 2018 on waters all over the state of West Virginia.
The event culminates on Sunday, June 3rd at 2 p.m. with a banquet and awards ceremony. The contest and the prizes aren’t the end of the story for this tournament.
The proceeds from the event are used for the betterment of the resources that Workman loved and for educational outreach and drug prevention programs around the state.
The Foundation also provides a $1,000 scholarship for a deserving Clay County High School student in Workman’s honor.
Over the previous years, the foundation has gone above and beyond to help the WVDNR improve muskie fisheries all over the state. The foundation has provided much needed items such as fathead minnows, a favorite food of growing muskies, to state hatcheries to help grow out fingerling muskie to be stocked all around the state.
The foundation has also donated various equipment to help the fisheries biologists do their job and monitor the progress of muskie statewide.
Equipment such as electric fish handling gloves which greatly help the biologists in the harvesting of eggs from wild muskie to be raised at hatcheries for stocking.
The foundation has also purchased PIT tag readers that enable anglers to scan tiny tags that have been implanted into previously caught fish and identify the fish, so they can collect data about the particular fish to help the WVDNR keep track of growth rates, fish movement and event harvest information.
The foundation is continually finding ways to help promote and protect the resources that Trooper Workman cared so deeply for. Each year the tournament continues to grow proving that even in tragedy, good things can continue to prosper.
The tournament is catch and release only and each angler is encouraged to quickly snap the required picture and return the fish to the water unharmed. It is great when anglers come together for some great fun and it is even better when it is for a wonderful cause.
Our officers and first responders aren’t thanked enough for all that they do and for putting themselves in danger to protect us and the resources we all hold dear.
Even in the horrendous event that took two dedicated officers, it is comforting to know that in the memory of those lost they are being honored by promoting the things that were near and dear to them. Even in the absence of Trooper Eric Workman, he continues to make an impact on fish that he loved.
For more information on the Trooper Eric Workman Foundation or the upcoming tournament, check them out at www.eworkman.org or look them up on social media. There is still time to get registered and get out and chase some muskies at your favorite fishing spot and help a great cause in the process.
Roger Wolfe is an avid outdoorsman and has spent most of his life hunting and fishing and writes a weekly outdoors column for HD Media. He is a resident of Chapmanville and can be reached via email at wolfeii@hotmail.com.
MetroNews staff photo
By: Brad McElhinny | Posted: May 26, 2018 | Source: WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State officials have been trying to make sure the Department of Homeland Security can find all its equipment.
A Legislative Audit published this past week shows that the agency hasn’t been able to account for $254,000 in trailers. The most expensive of those is a Pepro Trailer valued at $113,075.
The agency also is responsible for a utility task vehicle valued at $8,999 that can’t be found.
“Additionally, the Legislative Auditor was informed that assets of considerable value have been loaned out to other state agencies in the past,” the audit stated.
“However, due to the lack of inventory management over the years, Homeland Security is currently unable to locate or account for these items.”
And the agency indicated it has items located in remote locations that haven’t been inventoried. Those include items such as water pumps, valued at about $1,500 each, or radio equipment.
“The Legislative Auditor concludes that this is problematic not only because the Division uses millions of dollars in state and federal funds to purchase items, but also because the federal government gives the Division items of considerable value to be used to carry out its mission,” the audit stated.
“Despite this, no effort has been made in recent years to account for these assets and protect them against theft or misuse.”
The agency says it knows it has a problem.
“We recognize the significance of the asset problem and have and are taking major steps to correct this issue,” Homeland Security officials wrote in a response.
Post Audit Report – Homeland Security Inventory – https://t.co/hYt1o1miPo #WVLegis
— WV Legislature (@wvlegislature) May 22, 2018
The problem is that the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management hasn’t put adequate controls in place to keep track of its equipment, the Legislative Auditor concluded.
Early this year, it dawned on Homeland Security officials that the division’s inventory was not updated or accurate, according to the audit.
A minimal number of fixed assets had been inventoried from 2013 to 2018. And it had been several years since the last physical inventory and reconciliation.
The agency gave a few reasons for its inattentiveness.
Previously, the agency did not have a section or a particular person with the specific responsibility of asset management.
“Rather, the finance and accounting manager was given the responsibility of asset management, and previous individuals in that position did not place much emphasis on it,” the audit stated.
The agency also indicated that when it transitioned to the wvOasis system, there was not much effort toward ensuring a smooth transition for asset management.
To improve, Homeland Security hired a part-time, temporary employee on Jan. 8 to make sure the agency has all its stuff.
The employee was trained at Surplus Property and started putting together an updated inventory, according to the audit. The worker is conducting walkthroughs of agency facilities, listing the assets and then having them entered into wvOasis.
Roman Prezioso
That process is how the agency discovered nine camping and box trailers that had been on its asset list could not be located.
The missing trailers drew the focus of Senate Minority Leader Roman Prezioso as he listened to the audit results during interim meetings.
“Where do you think these trailers are? How can they come up missing?” Prezioso asked.
The director for Homeland Security, Jimmy Gianato, responded that the trailers were provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2001.
State Homeland Security Chief Jimmy Gianato
Back then, Gianato said, they were distributed across the state to counties, state agencies and non-profits. At some point, he said, the trailers were titled to the Office of Emergency Services.
“We have been vigorously trying to locate all of those, and these are the ones we still have to locate,” Gianato said.
“Some have been destroyed, the roofs have started to leak, the insides have rotted out and they’ve been surplused. If you can imagine, a cheap FEMA trailer in 2001 and now we’re at 2017 — a lot of the counties after determining no more use instead of returning them they just disposed of them.”
Homeland Security has developed a corrective action plan with target dates to resolve its issues.
Those included meetings with all staff to emphasize a culture of keeping track of property, a review of agency policies to be completed by the end of this month and dedicating some employees to tracking property.
State Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary Jeff Sandy
Jeff Sandy, the secretary for the Division of Military Affairs and Public Safety, said he wants to take on a broad-based effort to keep track of materials.
“One of our weaknesses we have is separation of duties,” Sandy said.
“There will be a separate entity — Division of Administrative Services — that will do the inventories, which will make sure the money is spent properly and individuals — not to say anything about Jimmy — but Jimmy and other individuals will have that separation from that, so they know that when an employee orders something or has something that needs to be on an inventory an independent person that can be uninfluenced is handling that.”
Brad McElhinny is the statewide correspondent for MetroNews. Brad is a Parkersburg native who spent more than 20 years at the Charleston Daily Mail.Contact him at brad.mcelhinny@wvmetronews.com or on Twitter @BradMcElhinny.
