NEWS

Class AA high school softball all-state teams

Kenzie McCann is named captain of the Class AA softball all-state team. Eddie Ferrari, WVMetroNews.com

By: MetroNews Staff | Posted: May 30, 2018 | Source: WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The 2018 Class AA West Virginia high school softball all-state teams, as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

 

FIRST TEAM

P – Delani Buckner, Herbert Hoover, So.

P – Kenzie McCann, Chapmanville, Sr. (captain)

P – Holly Brehm, Wyoming East, Jr.

P – Taylor Bonnett, Poca, Sr.

IF – Jenna Thomas, Sissonville, Jr.

IF – Emily Riggs, Bridgeport, Jr.

IF – Brooke Clark, Shady Spring, Sr.

IF – Kirsten Belcher, Herbert Hoover, Sr.

IF – Ashleigh Sexton, Independence, Jr.

OF – Rachel Pennington, Lincoln County, Sr.

OF – Grace Hefner, Braxton County, Sr.

OF – Megan Seafler, Herbert Hoover, Jr.

C – Amber Frame, Braxton County, Sr.

C – Bella Posey, Lewis County, Jr.

UTIL – Olivia Mace, Roane County, Sr.

UTIL – Carly Cooper, Petersburg, So.

UTIL – Alivia Rosnick, Weir, Jr.

UTIL – Madison Anderson, Keyser, Sr.

 

SECOND TEAM

P – Bella Savilla, Nitro, Fr.

P – Aubrey Smith, Keyser, Jr.

P – Madison Corbin, East Fairmont, So.

P – Logan Shanholtz, Liberty-Harrison, Sr.

IF – Jenna Burgess, Petersburg, Fr.

IF – Haleigh Ferris, Lincoln, Sr.

IF – Peyton Wiseman, Shady Spring, Sr.

IF – Rebekah Woody, Herbert Hoover, Jr.

IF – Kerry Vanmeter, Petersburg, Sr.

OF – Tiara Snyder, Robert C. Byrd, Jr.

OF – Kara Browning, Chapmanville, Sr.

OF – Paige Humble, Bridgeport, Fr.

C – Hannah Walker, Oak Glen, Jr.

C – Rileigh Parsons, Wayne, Sr.

UTIL – Presley McGee, Herbert Hoover, So. (captain)

UTIL – Leah Cochran, Point Pleasant, Sr.

UTIL – Lydia Sweat, Nitro, So.

UTIL – Isabella Aperfine, Weir, Fr.

 

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

Jada Freeman, Chapmanville

Chelsea Napier, Logan

Whitney Sansom, Wayne

Randa Watts, Lincoln County

Grace Belcher, Scott

Emilie Walker, Man

Sydney Houck, Winfield

Elyssa Medley, Winfield

Tori Gibeaut, Poca

Mallori Chapman, Herbert Hoover

Cortney Fizer, Herbert Hoover

Sophia Mikula, Weir

Hannah Patterson, Oak Glen

Lexi Boothe, Wyoming East

Kari Walker, Wyoming East

Bradlea Hayhurst, Shady Spring

Savannah Holbrook, Oak Hill

Nicole Kester, Independence

Savannah Bragg, Independence

Katie Hoffman, Berkeley Springs

Ashlyn Spears, Roane County

Payton Merica, Bridgeport

Grace Rock, Liberty Harrison

Gracey Lamm, Lincoln

Madi Andrick, Lincoln

Alexis Hudson, Lewis County

Emma Kennedy, Philip Barbour

Haley Smith, Elkins

Anna Runyan, Fairmont Senior

Ashton Malnick, North Marion

Cara Minor, North Marion

Kelsie Byus, Point Pleasant

 

HONORABLE MENTION

Natalie Fouts, Lincoln County

Charlee Mullins, Chapmanville

Baylee Pullen, Lincoln County

Kerigan Moore, Nitro

Mercedes Bush, Poca

KK Short, Winfield

Jessica Canterbury, Herbert Hoover

Allison Phillips, Weir

Samantha Kaczmarek, Weir

Alexa Andrews, Oak Glen

Autumn Miller, Wyoming East

Kaylen Parks, Independence

Katie Griffith, Wyoming East

Hannah Trump, Liberty Raleigh

Maddy Maynard, Liberty Raleigh

Kyndl Johnson, Wyoming East

Kiersten Roberts, River View

Alexis Nicholas, Nicholas County

Katie Richardson, PikeView

Allison Mace, Roane County

Kyla Smith, Clay County

Kassidy Heavner, Braxton County

Kate Stanley, Bridgeport

Allie McAllister, Liberty Harrison

Daisy Gibbons, Liberty Harrison

Hannah Ferris, Lincoln

Ashley Hawkins, Robert C. Byrd

Paije Bragg, Lewis County

Payton Campbell, Lewis County

Lauren Wilmoth, Elkins

Shay Swiger, East Fairmont

Saylor Atha, East Fairmont

Anna Runyon, Fairmont Senior

Tanner King, Point Pleasant

Peyton Jordan, Point Pleasant

May 30, 2018 in Community News, Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

FCC grants Manchin waiver to challenge broadband maps

By: MetroNews Staff | Posted: May 29, 2018 at 7:46 p.m. | Source: WV MetroNews

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission adopted an order last week granting U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the opportunity to participate in an effort to make sure broadband coverage maps of West Virginia are accurate.

Manchin submitted a waiver on May 15 to participate in the Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process in order to make sure data collection records accurately showed coverage available to West Virginians.

Mobility Fund Phase II was created to provide up to $4.53 billion worth of support to build 4G LTE service for rural areas that lack coverage. Eastern counties and parts of western and southern West Virginia are considered eligible areas.

Manchin said in the request, while he is not a government entity or service provider entitled to the challenge process, internet access is an interest of his public service due to legislative work and outreach on the matter.

The FCC approved the request on May 25, saying Manchin’s request was in good cause.

Manchin said in a statement Tuesday the waiver allows him to engage in the challenge process and work to increase internet coverage as needed.

“As a lifelong West Virginian and proud public servant who tries to visit every county in the state at least once each year, I have driven nearly every mile of road in our state and experienced first-hand the loss of broadband coverage along the way,” he said.

A map of eligible is available at the FCC’s website. If anyone has questions about the challenge process or the map, Manchin said they should reach out to his office at 202-224-3954 or email broadband@manchin.senate.gov.

May 29, 2018 in Business News, Community News, Local News, NEWS, Politics

2018 All-Kanawha Valley baseball team

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

May 29, 2018 in Community News, Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Lady Huskies Rise to No. 9 in the Nation by MaxPreps

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.

Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.) returned to the Top 25 this week after winning the Washington state 4A title. New to the Top 25 this week are South Caldwell (Hudson, N.C.), Champion (Warren, Ohio), Maple Lake (Minn.), Stevens Point (Wis.) and Chino Hills (Calif.).
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national high school softball rankings

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).

May 29, 2018 in Community News, Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Disaster recovery leader says RISE West Virginia is ‘stagnant’

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.”

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.

May 29, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Community News, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Politics

UPDATE: Elk River Clean Up postponed due to weather

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. 

May 29, 2018 in Community News, Life & Style, Local News, NEWS, Outdoors & Recreation

Multiple Kanawha County schools dismiss early after power outage

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.

May 29, 2018 in Education News, Local News, NEWS

Jack Lipphardt: RISE WV must help flood survivors (Gazette)

By: Jack Lipphardt | Posted: May 28, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

WVUMC Disaster Recovery Team in Clendenin

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.

May 28, 2018 in 2016 FLOOD, Local News, Long Term Aftermath & Recovery, NEWS, Politics