Progress week 3

C M Y K 50 inch ProGress 2013

www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013:

The Herald-Dispatch’s annual Progress Editions take a look at our Tri-State economy and business community.

Today’s sections focus on commerce and transportation.

Other topics will be examined next Sunday.

PHOTOS BY

SHOLTEN SINGER THE HERALD-DISPATCH

Sunday, March 17, 2013

1G

CoMMerCe

ABOVE: Shoppers pass through the Huntington Mall in Barboursville.

RIGHT: Sidney and Lisa Darby of Russell, Ky., shop at the Huntington Mall.

INsIde ThIs seCTIoN opportunities inSeveral Ironton restaurants are poised to ink deals to locate in downtown Ironton along with new businesses that are near opening / 3G

Malls focus on retail and community development sTorY BY LACIe PIersoN / The herALd-dIsPATCh

W What’ s for dinner?

One thing stands out about Teays Valley —

casual dining establishments are either locally owned or their operators are local / 2H

F

lpierson@herald-dispatch.com

hile it is important to Joe Johnston to make sure there are as many people as possible coming into the Huntington Mall, it also is just as important to him to be sure those people make the most out of the time they spend there.

More than a year after the mall completed a facelift to mark its 30th anniversary, it remains as vibrant as ever with an assorted mix of stores, restaurants and community activities for those who are ready to utilize them, said Johnston, who is the property manager at the mall.

Even as the economy remains unsteady, Johnston said the occupancy rate at the mall is higher than average, but he said the mall is not immune to the oscillation of business that comes with the operation of such a facility.

“The state of our mall is evident considering our higher than normal occupancy rate,” said Johnston. “The nature of our business is one of attrition. Every year, we have stores that close, and new tenants are always being added.”

Please see MALLS/7G

The 16thAnnual

Civ il War Weekend will be held atValley (Wave Pool) Park on MArch 21  24

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EvEnts to includE: Presentation by Hurricane civic chorus, Historical Remembrance Play, Artillery night Firing, Blue & Gray Memorial service, ladies tea, Military Ball, 1800’s style non-denominational church service, dinner with lincoln (call for tickets), and Battles and tactical demonstrations.

Visit Sutler Row to purchase Civil War era items and participate in hands-on activities. www.civilwardayswv.com

For more information,contact the Parks andVisitors Bureau at 304-562-0727 Extension 102

C M Y K 50 inch 2G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Progress 2013: Commerce

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

A JOINT EFFORT KEY PLAYER: ShAnE A.S. RitChiE, CFSP

JOB TITLE: Funeral director/ embalmer and licensee-in-charge for Beard Mortuary, Huntington.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “I have been interested in funeral service as long as I can remember, but did not pursue a career in it until later in life. After high school I worked as a traveling musician for 15 years. I got married and started a carpet cleaning company, which I grew to a multi-truck operation.

At about 40 years old, I found myself divorced with full custody of my daughters. I decided that I needed a career that would ensure a stable life for my children and me, so I decided to finally pursue a career in the funeral profession. I was offered a position as a funeral attendant by a large local funeral home and sold my carpet cleaning company to a local janitorial service company in order to finance my education. My oldest daughter, Felicity, helped me enroll in college and mortuary school. I completed my schooling in 2006, worked my one-year apprenticeship in 2007 and was licensed in 2008.”

FIRST JOB: “At 16 years old, I worked after school as a janitor at the 2nd National Bank in Ashland.”

FAMILY MEMBERS: Daughters, Taija (21), Tiana (19) and my oldest daughter, Felicity, who is in heaven; granddaughter, Laci (7 months), grandsons Bryce (13) and Blake (10).

SPECIAL SKILLS OR CERTIFICATIONS: Bachelor of arts in management from Ottawa University, magna cum laude graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, scored third highest in the nation on the 2007 National Board Exam for funeral licensure, Certified Funeral Service Practitioner from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, Advanced Embalming and Postmortem Reconstructive Surgery Certification from the Fountain National Academy, Excellence in Restorative Art Award from Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Death Investigation in the Elderly Certification from the Research Triangle Institute, published author and writer for several major funeral trade publications.

FAVORITE BOOK: The Holy Bible FAVORITE MOVIE: Any of the old Universal classic horror films FAVORITE TV SHOW: Seldom watch TV, but I do like to watch Reds baseball.

PHOTOS BY LORI WOLFE THE HERALD-DISPATCH

City, citizen unity is key to Ashland and Russell advances ABOVE & RIGHT: Heavy machinery rests in an excavated area on Melody Mountain in Ashland for the construction of new businesses.

A

SHLAND — Going through the day-to-day hustle and bustle that comes with being the mayor of Ashland is all part of a bigger challenged that is welcomed by Chuck Charles.

“It’s about staying focused every day,” said Charles. “It’s imperative — in order to do any good business, it all rests on having a steady team.”

It’s the team of city planners, finance professionals and attorneys that Charles credits with boosting development in the city, namely the recent announcements surrounding a $10 million expansion of Melody Mountain, which includes the construction of a Dick’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart and a Kohl’s department store, all of which are set to open by the end of this year.

Those stores will join the already bustling Melody Mountain, which is owned by RG Properties based in Dayton, Ohio, that is home to a Wal-Mart store and O’Charley’s and Outback Steakhouse restaurants.

The opening of the new stores are expected to bring 300 jobs to the city, including 75 construction jobs.

The development is one Charles said is beneficial not only to Ashland, but to the entire Tri-State.

“We just try to focus on Ashland when we are talking to these developers,” said Charles. “I like to think I have a regional attitude because if it can’t go into Ashland, I’d like to see a business go into a neighboring town, county or even state. Even when those things don’t work out for you in your town, we still will be able to have an indirect benefit from a business that goes into West Virginia or Ohio because our community members will be able to work there and go there for their own entertainment.

“I think that anyone doing business in this area has to look at the entire Tri-State because we all can benefit from business in every part of the area.”

Charles needn’t look any farther than about six miles north to Russell, Ky., where Mayor Bill Hopkins said he and his team are working to stay in constant contact with developers in hopes of making the city a viable option for new businesses, like a Wendy’s restaurant that is slated to open Monday, April 22.

Of course, Russell already has seen its own success in the Russell Centre, where Tri-State business Pottery Place found success when it opened a location there in 2011, and businesses like Yoasis, a frozen yogurt store that opened just across Diedrich Boulevard in the Ashland Plaza in 2012, has brought a new customer base to the town, said Hopkins.

“Just before those businesses, at least in the last couple of years, there’s been Gold Star Chili, Dunham’s Sporting Goods, the Mattress Warehouse store and Fantastic Sam’s that all have started doing business in Russell,” said Hopkins. “We have talked to all of these people through the years. There are some things in all of this that we can’t control, but what we can

control is keeping in contact with the developers and making sure we know what kind of property we have available that might work for these businesses.”

While the growth of the border property in Russell is bustling, Hopkins said his biggest challenge lies in developing downtown Russell, which he said is a diamond in the rough.

The continued development of the city doesn’t necessarily depend outright on new businesses, said Hopkins, who mentioned that the new Russell Senior Center will be opening downtown in April.

“It’s something we all are looking forward to,” said Hopkins. “It isn’t a retail outlet, and that is why it should work here. It is something that will provide opportunities for everyone in Russell. It’s something that will help citizens.”

Please see ASHLAND/4G

Chuck Charles Ashland mayor

KEY PLAYER: JEFF BARnES

A $10 million expansion of Melody Mountain has recently been announced. Current construction includes Dick’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart and a Kohl’s department store, all of which are set to open by the end of the year.

STORY BY LACIE PIERSON / THE HERALD-DISPATCH

JOB: President/CEO of Barnes Agency. Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations in Teays Valley HOW DID I GET INTO MY CAREER: “I started in hospital administration and then moved into hospital marketing.”

FIRST JOB: “Loading and unloading 18-wheeler trailers for UPS. Tough job!”

FAMILY: “My lovely wife, Susan.

My wonderful son, Trevor. My beautiful stepdaughter, Lauren. I am blessed to have them all in my life.

Oh, and our shelter cat, Grace. She is part of our family, too!”

SPECIAL SKILLS: “Communication. I never meet a stranger.”

FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible FAVORITE MOVIE: “Gladiator” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “ ‘Mad Men.’ If only my wife would let me keep scotch in my office like Don Draper.”

C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Commerce

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

” Lynne Fruth, Fruth president Staley’s Pharmacy is located at 217 S. 3rd St. in Ironton.

Fruth Pharmacy has purchased Staley’s Pharmacy, which has served the Ironton community for more than 60 years.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

OPPORTUNITIES IN

IRONTON Several restaurants, new businesses poised to open

T

he new Ironton Russell Bridge is opening to Point Pleasant (W.Va.), where Fruth has headIronton to Kentucky residents for shop- quarters.” ping, dining and entertainment, said Dr. And, Fruth said, they made an employment Bill Dingus, executive director of the commitment to the Staley family.

Lawrence Economic Development Corporation.

“It was important to the Staleys to maintain Several restaurants are poised to ink deals to their employees. Their biggest concern was locate in downtown Ironton, along with new busi- their employees would continue working.” nesses that have opened or are near opening.

She praised the officials in Ironton for cre“Ironton has been void of (economic) outlets ating an atmosphere conducive to locally and such as hotels, retail and medical,” Dingus said. St. family-owned operations.

Mary’s Medical Center has opened an $18.5 million “It’s encouraging to see what’s happenfacility, which has a 24-hour emering (downtown),” Fruth said. gency room with a helipad for emer“Lawrence County is doing a gency transports. Fruth Pharmacy By LEE ANN WELCH phenomenal job in economic built a $1 million retail outlet close The Herald-Dispatch development, and they’ve been by, and has purchased an existing good to work with.” pharmacy in downtown.

The key to revitalizing a downThe Ironton metro area has between 25,000 town, Fruth said, is bringing in small niche and 30,000 people, and their retail and social businesses and making a commitment to the opportunities have been limited. community.

“Ironton is alive and well,” Dingus said.

Paul Mollett terms the rebirth of downtown “Five years ago, you could cross the streets as “being locally-owned stores in a Walmart downtown without looking either direction. world.”

Not so today. This is truly a changed town.”

Fruth Pharmacy founder the late Jack Fruth One business that relocated to downtown told his daughter, “I came to Point Pleasant with recently is Dick’s Music Shop. A staple in a wife, a baby and a suitcase full of dreams.” town for a half-century, and the south end He believed in working hard, treating people for two decades, owner Paul Mollett needed right and giving back to the community, Lynne more space. In November 2012, he made the Fruth said. move.

Mollett said there has been a huge increase “It was time to see how things would work in foot traffic downtown, and finds it uplifting downtown,” he said. “I want to see downtown to see customers come in and talk about how it revitalized. Sometimes you just have to step used to be in the city. up and do something about it.”

“Downtown can be the heart and soul of Fruth Pharmacy has opened a large store a community. It gives the town identity, and across from the St. Mary’s Medical Center people need that,” Mollett said.

Ironton location, and is now poised to move into He believes that can happen in Ironton, and downtown Ironton after purchasing Staley’s has plans to open an outlet for local artisans a Pharmacy, which has served the community for few doors away from the music store. That will be more than 60 years. a place for custom made and medium to high-end “It’s a good fit for us culturally,” said Fruth gifts, produced locally.

President Lynne Fruth. “It’s a long established “You can have a viable downtown with niche family business, and (the community) is similar businesses,” Mollett said.

ACCESSORIES

AMAZING IN IN Make a statement nt

SOMETHING COLORFUL? SOMETHING SPARKLY? A TRINKET? A GADGET? One gift answers them all…

A VISA GIFT CARD FROM ASHLAND TOWN CENTER. Give a gift card to Ashland Town Center, and you give it all...just about any store, any restaurant, any time. Available in amounts from $20 to $500 at Guest Services or ashlandtowncenter.com.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald Dispatch

Dick’s Music Shop has recently relocated to downtown Ironton.

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500 Winchester Avenue, Ashland, KY 41101 606.324.1100 • www.ashlandtowncenter.com Follow us on

3G

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Commerce

4G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Bob Hammond, Ashland Alliance director of development

Ashland

n Continued from 2G

KEY PLAYER: StEvE WiLLiAMS

ABOVE: Pottery Place opened in 2012 at the Russell Centre in Russell, Ky.

JOB: Mayor, City of Huntington HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “After serving as Huntington’s City Manager in the mid-1980s, I was encouraged to run for election to the West Virginia House of Delegates and won. I served eight years and left to build my investment business. Fourteen years later, I felt a need to get back involved and ran for election to Huntington City Council. The rest is history.”

FIRST JOB: “I was a summer counselor in the National Youth Sports Program spon-

RIGHT: Pottery Place offers several options for customers to paint.

Photos by Mark Webb/ The Herald-Dispatch

of the process, which can be as simple as visiting one of these businesses.

He said it is important not to just look at a business as a way to make money, but a way to establish the region’s identity.

“The more we patronize a business, the more successful a business becomes,” said Charles.

“When a business is successful, they will stay. They can

become part of a generation for this area, and they become part of our families. They hire our community members, and when that business flourishes they

take that money and spend it in other places -grocery stores, local shops - we all benefit from everyone supporting everyone’s business.”

sored by Marshall University and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.”

FAMILY: Wife, Mary Poindexter; stepdaughters, Nikki Urban and Laura Urban; two adopted canine sons, Beau (Great Dane Mix) and Gus (American Bull).

SPECIAL SKILLS: Financial analysis, public speaking FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible and “The Tipping Point”

by Malcolm Gladwell FAVORITE MOVIE: “Magnificent Obsession” starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Blue Bloods” on CBS 261666

The citizens of both cities have the most to gain from these new businesses said Bob Hammond, director of development for the Ashland Alliance, which serves as the chamber of commerce for the city of Ashland and Boyd and Greenup counties.

He said the development of business in any town in the area is beneficial to the cities, noting that “what’s good for all of us is good for each of us.”

“Our northeast Kentucky area has a bright future, mainly because we are part of a TriState region that has a bright future,” said Hammond. “We just have to believe it and work together to achieve it.”

He said the combination of the natural and manmade characteristics in the area make up a list of traits that lend to making the region a unique one.

“This entire area lies out like a huge industrial park with lots of amenities,” said Hammond. “We have an interstate, good highways, both of the largest Class 1 railways east of the Mississippi, economical energy, a strong workforce with a tradition of hard work, good education systems and medical facilities, the Tri-State Airport, world-class theaters and parks and a huge river that divides us, which may be the biggest attribute we enjoy - the one attribute that makes us unique from most other areas of the country.”

In order to capitalize on those attributes, Charles said it is up to local residents to become part

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C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

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• Environmentally friendly ink: The newspaper uses primarily soy-based inks instead of the petroleum-based inks of the past.

• Recycling film: The film used to put images on press plates is recycled. Silver used in processing is removed from the acetate base and both are recycled.

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Commerce

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Fred Kitchen is the president and CEO of Henson and Kitchen Family Funeral Services in Barboursville.

KEY PLAYER: FREd H. KitCHEn JOB TITLE: President and CEO of Henson and Kitchen Family Funeral Services, Inc. President, owner, funeral director, embalmer and general operations manager at Henson and Kitchen Mortuary in Barboursville and radio show host, Planning For Tomorrow Radio Show.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “I began my funeral service career in 1987 not long after graduating Huntington East High School in 1986. I simply needed a job, and the fast food business just wasn’t where I was supposed to be. For whatever reason, maybe because my father was a minister and service to others was all we knew, I migrated toward working at a funeral home. I thank God every day for perseverance and the gift that I was given of my first funeral service job in Huntington. I began working with east Huntington funeral home, Beard Mortuary, as a full-time funeral attendant and later an apprentice, funeral director and embalmer and then manager of the firm.”

FIRST JOB: “My first funeral service job was at Beard Mortuary in east Huntington.

I began washing cars, lawn care, general building cleaning and maintenance, assisting with transferring deceased individuals to the funeral home from their place of death, assisting with funerals and visitations — you name it, I did it. I wanted to be a student of this business. The bottom is where we all start out when we are in the beginning stages of our careers. For those of us who are now blessed to own firms and have become husbands and fathers, we still occasionally have the opportunity to utilize many of those apprentice level skills that I learned early on.”

FAMILY MEMBERS: My wonderful and very supportive wife and business partner, Amber D. Stallard-Kitchen, and our two beautiful daughters, Annalise Grace and Arabella Dawn Kitchen, and our Yorkie, named Sir Winston.

SPECIAL SKILLS OR CERTIFICATIONS: “First and foremost, I love people and find great personal fulfillment in helping people. I am also a licensed funeral director and embalmer in West Virginia; West Virginia licensed insurance agent; licensed to

provide pre-need funeral and cremation planning arrangements through the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office; Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, Ambassador for the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice; presenter at national, regional and state conventions; member of the National Funeral Directors Association, member of the West Virginia Funeral Directors Association, Education Based Marketing; employed nearly seven years for the nation’s largest casket, urn and memorial manufacturer and provider of B2B Sales and Business Consultation, developer of presentations and trainer, facilitate educational workshops and presentations and holiday grief help programs, radio show host of the Planning For Tomorrow Radio Show, which is aired locally on Huntington’s Supertalk Radio 94.1 FM and AM930.”

FAVORITE BOOK: The Holy Bible and second would be “Lincoln’s Last Days” by Bill O’ Reilly or anything President Abraham Lincoln related.

FAVORITE MOVIE: “The Karate Kid” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Quincy M.E.”

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

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Progress 2013: Commerce

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

7G

Malls

n Continued from 1G

In 2012, those new tenants included Bare Minerals, a specialty health and beauty store; Children’s Place, which sells infant, children’s and pre-teen apparel; and a new Verizon Wireless store.

Five stores at the mall, while keeping their prime real estate, underwent extensive upgrades this year: Steak Escape, Deb Shop, Littman Jewelers, Gadgets & More and Candy Craze.

At the opposite end of the Tri-State, the Ashland Town Center acquired its fair share of new retail occupants during the 2012 calendar year, said Jaime Bloss, marketing director for the center. At the end of February, the mall boasted a 97 percent occupancy rate.

Those new stores include Dazzle Me, a specialty store that offers a handpicked selection of purses, handbags and accessories, and Things Remembered, a national chain that offers specialty items to commemorate special life moments, relocated from a kiosk in the mall to an in-line location.

Also swirling into the center this year was Orange Leaf, a well known frozen yogurt chain, which Bloss said has become a great fit at the mall since moving in next to the Panera Bread location at the mall.

Three months into 2013, Bloss said mall management’s sights already are set on developing business with Maurice’s setting to relocate to a larger space in the mall. The Buckle will move into Maurice’s former space.

She said she is excited to have these new businesses occupying the mall, saying the mall’s location in the Tri-State plays a huge factor in its success.

“I believe the growth of the center is attributable to the convenient location, increasing retailer interest in the Ashland Town Center and the mall programs that we offer to the community,” Bloss said. “The community plays a major role in the success of the town center.”

Both Bloss and Johnston said it is importa nt for each ma ll to be involved as partners in their communities, and each mall offers programs that extend beyond the spectrum of retail for their customers.

The Huntington Mall and Cabell Huntington Hospital were partners for health-focused events before the hospital sponsored the construction of the Healthy Kids Play Place, which has been the catalyst for the Get Well Wednesday program.

T he m a l l of ten is t he site for health screenings for people of all ages, from kids getting ready to start kindergarten to seniors seeking a

KEY PLAYER: GAiL PAtton

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Emily Turner, left, helps Michelle Pancake with makeup selection at the Huntington Mall in Barboursville. routine checkup.

College fairs, wedding and prom expos and even the opening of an art installation have become routine events on the mall’s calendar, and Johnston said there are teams in place to ensure the mall continues to reach out to customers. “( M a rk e t i n g d i r e c to r) M a r g i MacDuff and her marketing staff are constantly staging events to inform and entertain our visitors so that they will have a positive experience and thus making it more likely that they will visit us again sooner rather than later and more often during the year,” Johnston said.

Keeping mall patrons coming in at the Ash la nd Town Center a re two key programs that benefit both mall guests and nonprofit groups, Bloss said.

The mall’s License to Shop Program is in full swing, and coupon books are available for purchase by the general public or through special fundraising programs for charitable organizations and schools, Bloss said. Even if the books, which cost $5, are purchased at the mall’s guest service center, the proceeds benefit a local charity.

The town center also continues to host its annual Magical Night of Giving the Sunday before Thanksgiving. During the after-hours holiday shopping and entertainment event, mall patrons can be part of generating funds for dozens of community organizations and nonprofits in the Tri-State. During the 2012 event, mall shoppers raised

$25,000 for local Girl Scout troops, schools and churches.

The Ashland Town Center also has its own play area, sponsored by Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, where kids can work off their energy while their parents take a break from shopping.

When they aren’t shopping or taking a break from it, shoppers at both malls can find easy access to customer service in the form of the customary mall maps, service centers and mall safety personnel.

At the Huntington Mall, the security team’s role became even more visible this year with the creation of a security desk adjacent to the food court, Johnston said.

“Our security team, led by Jamie Yates, continues to make their presence known by being visible and helpful as they are, as I like to call them, our ambassadors,” Johnston said.

The mall security at the Ashland Town Center a lso is a va luable resource for customers, Bloss said.

“We offer public safety 24 hours a day to assist our customers, employees and retailers,’ Bloss said. “They patrol inside and outside the mall. If a customer needs assistance, they can go to Guest Services, and they will contact public safety for them.”

For more information about the Huntington Mall, call 304-733-0429 or visit www.huntingtonmall.com.

For more information about the Ashland Town Center, call 606-324-1100 or visit www.ashlandtowncenter.com.

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BORDERS

Jaime Bloss marketing director for Ashland Town Center

JOB: Executive director, Unlimited Future; owner, Top Hat Ballroom; board president, The Wild Ramp.

FAMILY: Husband, Paul Sr., manager at Richwood; daughters, Dr. Lydia Patton, professor of philosphy at Viginia Tech; Phoebe Randolph, AIA, architect at Ed Tucker and mother of Ben (3) and Noah (1); son-in-law, Justin Randolph, contractor.

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013

www.herald-dispatch.com

Sunday, March 17, 2013

1H

Progress 2013: Commerce

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Finds and Designs at Heritage Station is one of several locally owned businesses that have become part of what Huntington Mayor Steve Williams has called “the most vibrant downtown in the region” after years of noticeable development.

Continued revitalization depends on developers and residents alike

H

UNTINGTON — It was 2010 when Lauren Herman decided downtown Huntington was missing an important niche, and she was just the person to fill it.

“While visiting friends in various college towns such as Athens, Columbus and Richmond, I really enjoyed visiting all of the small, local shops scattered around the college campuses,” said Herman, who was a Marshall student at the time. “My favorites, of course, were the little vintage clothing and furniture stores, and it kind of bummed me out that Huntington didn’t really have anything like that.”

Herman, a Huntington native, said she and her mother, Claire Nudd, thought it would be fun to open a vintage shop in Huntington to share that experience with residents in the city.

Now, their shop, Finds and Designs at Heritage Station, is one of several locally owned businesses that have become part of what Huntington Mayor Steve Williams has called “the most vibrant downtown in the region” after years of noticeable development.

“The City of Huntington’s downtown area has had a complete renaissance,” Williams said. “Just a few years ago, 3rd Avenue between 8th and 10th streets had three businesses.

Today, this same area has over 35 businesses.”

A decorative crosswalk on 4th Avenue is part of The Old Main Corridor in downtown Huntington.

File photo/The Herald-Dispatch

Williams attributed the growth to the efforts of local property owners investing considerable sums of money to restore historic buildings in addition to Pullman Square attracting new businesses.

He noted downtown fixtures the Big Sandy Superstore Arena and the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, or, as he called it, “the jewel in the crown of downtown,” as being vital in drawing visitors to Huntington.

The average visitor to the arena visits four local businesses when they attend events there, Williams said.

Of course, while bringing these business downtown is very well and good, the good vibes and profits won’t last for long without the patronage of the city’s residents, said Mark Bugher, president and chief executive officer of the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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C M Y K 50 inch 2H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Progress 2013: Commerce

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

TEAYS VALLEY

WHAT’S FOR

DINNER?

Photos by Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Vehicles travel down the busy W.Va. 34 off of exit 39 in Teays Valley.

City manager makes case for more casual dining options for residents

By BONNY RUSHBROOK For The Herald-Dispatch

Coming off Interstate 64 at Teays Valley is a hungry traveler’s dream — billboard after billboard announcing every kind of fast food restaurant, from hamburgers and sub sandwiches to tacos to fried chicken — and don’t forget pizza. There are at least six places in a one-mile radius dedicated to America’s favorite tomato and cheese pie.

However, if those travelers want to sit down and eat dinner at a good, casual dinner restaurant where he or she gets served by a wait staff, they will find they have fewer choices.

Hurricane City Manager Ben Newhouse said trying to convince casual dining restaurant chains to move into the city of Hurricane or Teays Valley was difficult because they believe if they have restaurants in Huntington and Charleston, they do not need to open another one in this area, which is about half way between the two cities. However, he notes that those chains have long lines and long waiting times for tables.

“They’ve got huge waiting lines. We’ve written and spoken to 75 to 100 restaurants, trying to get them to take an interest,” Newhouse said about his efforts to get some of the bigger restaurants to come to Hurricane.

Newhouse explained that when the big chains are looking for an area in which to put a restaurant, they want to know how many people live within a 15-mile radius, the average income of the area and how much disposable income the residents have. In addition, they want to know about taxes, fees, zoning rules and regulations, controlling land, land prices and financing. He said Hurricane also has a problem because of the town’s shortage of buildings. He said he had tried to get the Fat Patty’s restaurant to open in Hurricane, but it went to Teays Valley because of the lack of buildings to house a restaurant. Fat Patty’s moved into the old Shoney’s building just off the Teays Valley exit.

“If we can’t have it in Hurricane, I am glad it’s in Putnam County,” he said. Newhouse believes with a population of 55,673, the county can support more restaurants. He added that 60,000 cars and trucks travel on the Interstate through Putnam County every day, which should add to the support of more restaurants.

Despite the fact there are not many casual dining restaurants in Teays Valley, one thing stands out about the ones that are flourishing: They are either locally owned or, if they are a franchise, the operators are local.

Along with Applebee’s, Bob Evans, Rio Grande, El Rancho Grande, Taste of Asia and Barnyard Barbeque, Teays Valley claims some great eating places.

With a sign that towers over all of the other businesses on Route 34, Fat Patty’s, located in the old Shoney’s building near Hampton Inn, came in with a bang over the Labor Day weekend 2012, and has not slowed down in its popularity. Owned by Huntington resident Clint Artrip, the restaurant features a variety of burgers with fun names such as the “Lava Patty,” with red-hot grilled jalapenos, the “Not So Cow” vegetarian patty, the “Big Fat Patty,” which at 12 ounces is labeled a monster burger, and even the “Vampire Killer,” which speaks for itself. The restaurant also serves BBQ , sandwiches, salads and dinners. Fat Patty’s has been especially

Hurricane City Manager Ben Newhouse said trying to convince casual dining restaurant chains to move into the city of Hurricane or Teays Valley was difficult because they believe if they have restaurants in Huntington and Charleston, they do not need to open another one in this area, which is about half way between the two cities. However, he notes that those chains have long lines and long waiting times for tables. popular with customers, filling the parking lot and the road leading onto it.

The Fireside Grille, which opened Feb. 21, 2011, is located at 4170 Route 34 beside the Hampton Inn. It is owned by Marc W. Brown and Judi and Rob Sydenstricker.

The restaurant features American cuisine, burgers and salads, along with such offerings as steak, walleye, salmon filet, St. Louis Ribs, wood-fired grilled chicken and shrimp. It has flat-screened TVs for watching sports and features jazz pianist Bob Thompson and his band periodically during the year.

Graziano’s Pizza, located at 200 Great Teays Blvd., has been a mainstay in Teays Valley for a dozen years. Owned by Phillip Graziano, the restaurant opened March 4, 2001.

Manager Evan Mullins said all of their food is homemade with pepperoni rolls being one of the most popular. Dinners consist of manicotti, spaghetti, eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan and 14-layer lasagna.

“It’s really thick, and the serving is very generous. It will fit two people easily,” Mullins said. Pizza is also one of their popular offerings.

Beside Graziano’s is the China Chef, located at 200-5 Great Teays Blvd., which has been in operation for a few years. The restaurant is owned by two brothers, Charlie and Kevin Lin. The restaurant features both lunch and dinner with about 12 different offerings that include sweet and sour chicken, moo goo gai pan, pepper steak and General Tso’s chicken. Appetizers include fried chicken wings, crab meat rangoon, teriyaki chicken, and steamed or fried dumplings, among others. They are particularly known for their “all you can eat” buffet.

If you like the idea of a family restaurant, The Italian Grille & Deli is an excellent example. Owned by Mike, Vicky and Elijah Rader and Byron Guerrant, the restaurant

also has manager Jesse Rader and a grandmother and aunt who work there. A trained chef, Elijah Rader attended the Johnson & Wells Culinary Institute.

“All other workers are friends we have known. It is very close-knit,” Jesse Rader said.

The restaurant will hold about 100 patrons.

The restaurant serves Italian food, steaks, seafood, pizza and subs. Most food is homemade such as lasagne, meatballs and alfredo sauce. Dessert is all homemade with the exception of the canoli. The shells are store bought, and the family makes the custard filling. Cakes are a specialty at this restaurant.

They include Coconut Cream Cake, Lemon Crumble and Chocolate Brownie Cake. In addition, they include Tiramsu Cake (coffeeflavored lady fingers) and traditional Italian desserts such as Italian Cream Cake.

Along with standard pizza, they make Barbequed Chicken Pizza, Eggplant Pizza and one called The Italy.

If it is ice cream or yogurt you like as a special treat, Teays Valley has a lot to offer.

TCBY has been a mainstay in the area for several years. However, two new ones have appeared on the scene in the past year and are doing a thriving business.

Clairbells, located at 3999 Teays Valley Road across from Putnam County Bank, opened in September 2012 and is owned by Sandi Elswick.

The yogurt shop offers 14 flavors with seven machines that dispense the treat. If it is a healthy alternative you want, Clairbells uses live active cultures to make their yogurt.

In addition to yogurt, one can get Nathan’s Hotdogs, barbecues and chicken salad sandwiches. The chicken salad and coleslaw for the other sandwiches are homemade every day. You can also get a grilled cheese on potato bread grilled with real butter. To wash that down, try a Yo-Shake, Claribells’ version

of a milkshake.

With warmer weather just around the corner, Clairbells offers outside seating with music. In May, Elswick is introducing fresh waffle cones filled with fruit such as strawberries and blueberries. They also offer yogurt and Yo-Pies to go.

In addition to Clairbells, the Valley gained another yogurt shop called The Orange Leaf.

If you are out shopping with the little ones, The Orange Leaf, located at 100-1 Great Teays Blvd., is a fun place to visit. The shop is painted in an orange, white and green theme with small round tables and ultra-modern chairs.

Two long orange couches provide a place to relax. The yogurt is self-serve with 16 flavors.

All but two flavors are gluten free.

Coming soon is a Fro-Jo, which is hot chocolate with a choice of yogurt and toppings.

“It’s really good — oh my gosh,” said Lori Connelly, assistant manager.

Connelly said they stay busy with good crowds, especially on the weekends.

If it is pork barbecue and fresh baked goods you like, try Mayberry’s at 3554 Teays Valley Road in Hurricane. Although the shop has been there for a few years, it was recently purchased

by Larry and Brenda Hill, who owned Aunt Bee’s bakery several years ago in Hurricane.

If you enjoy 1950s decor with the blacktiled floor and Coca-Cola theme, you will love Mayberry’s. It is a family restaurant that serves homestyle dinners, hamburgers, hot dogs, fish sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches, among others. In addition, you can watch “The Andy Griffith Show,” which plays all day.

What might make it stand out is Larry Hill’s barbecue and Brenda Hill’s famous homemade pies. In addition, one can always find her coconut cream and graham cracker pies, cupcakes and cookies every day.

C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Commerce

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

3H

West Virginia’s global role in driving economic growth The U.S. Department of Commerce has released new data showing the impact of exporting on our national economy, with West Virginia as one of only 11 states to achieve double-digit export growth last year from 2011. In reality, West Virginia did much more than double its exports — the state experienced a 26 percent increase in overall export growth, including a 61 percent increase in exports to South Korea, making it one of the best-performing states in 2012.

Not only is this a remarkable moment in time for the state of West Virginia, but for the jobcreating businesses and the workers who made it possible.

The latest export data proves that significant and serious business opportunities exist beyond our borders; in fact, 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside of the U.S. For many West Virginia

Francisco J.

SANCHEZ

companies, international marketing has become a critical element to business sustainability and growth. In 2012 alone, more than $11 billion in merchandise was exported from the state, equating to the preservation and creation of thousands of jobs in minerals and ores, chemical production and transportation equipment.

West Virginia is part of a positive trend of states fueling our nation’s economic growth, and reinforcing America’s position as a magnet for quality jobs: According to the latest data, U.S. jobs supported by

exports increased to 9.8 million in 2012.

Exporting success stories are happening across the state. Take Charleston’s Industrial Bolting Technologies Inc., which began exploring the notion of exporting their products to China in 2009. Working closely with the U.S. Commercial Service in West Virginia, the company has completed a number of sales in Korea and China in recent years.

Company president Mike McCown recently commented that when it comes to exporting, one success begets additional success: “When you develop a reputation in foreign markets of being a good company, delivering on what you promise, word gets around to other customers.”

Industrial Bolting is now further expanding its horizons, developing business

relationships in South Africa, Australia and Europe. The company recently reported that they expect a 30 percent increase in their exportingrelated business during the next few years.

Stories like these tell us that exports are making a difference in West Virginia’s economic recovery.

The once-familiar refrain that America “imports everything and exports nothing” has now given way to these success stories and many more. And the trend is one that will continue due to the entrepreneurial spirit of America’s businesses and workers. But it’s clear that there are far more opportunities than what West Virginia businesses have experienced thus far.

It all starts with businesses and government working together to take advantage of a unique window of opportunity.

Since 2010, the International Trade Administration has helped more than 16,000 U.S companies achieve a verified export sale for a total of $164 billion in exports supported. This level of support is only expected to grow during the coming years, as President Barack Obama referenced in his most recent State of the Union, and there are more resources available to local businesses than ever to explore the potential of exports.

The U.S. Commercial Service in West Virginia is providing local businesses like Industrial Bolting with trade counseling, market intelligence, business matchmaking, and commercial diplomacy to connect with lucrative business opportunities.

Rapidly emerging markets across the globe are creating unprecedented demand for

the kind of state-of-the-art products being developed here in West Virginia. Nearly 800 businesses across the state are already seeing that first hand.

As we applaud this latest achievement of West Virginia’s economic recovery, we must also commit to ensuring that its momentum continues. Continuing the creation of opportunities and support for U.S. companies to export their goods and services makes good economic sense — and American workers deserve nothing less.

Francisco J. Sanchez is the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.

He leads the International Trade Administration, a federal agency with commercial offices across the United States and the globe that promotes U.S. businesses and global competitiveness.

Putnam County Chamber of Commerce

VISIONING PROCESS

Courtesy of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce

ABOVE & BELOW: Chamber of Commerce members and county business leaders discuss ways to improve the quality of life and the business climate in Putnam County during the Chamber’s 2013 Vision Summit on Feb. 15 at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane.

In 2011, the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce identified a Visioning Process as an important objective in its annual planning session.

In 2012, it became Ashley a reality after the Chamber Board of Directors authorized the Visioning Process in its budget and created a permanent Executive Committee position to ensure the future success of this project.

The initial objectives were to enable the Chamber to become more involved with and relevant to its membership and to provide a continuous process to make Putnam County a better place to live, work and play.

In conjunction with Marshall University, Putnam County residents were surveyed on a variety of topics to determine issues important to the business community and the public in general. The results of the survey were expected, indicating the need for community and educational projects, updated infrastructure, economic development, workforce and retail development and health care issues.

Along with the survey, the Chamber also conducted extensive talks with community leaders and our elected officials to develop a framework from which to begin at the first Vision Summit in January 2012. About 35 business and community leaders came together in 2012 and with the help of Chuck Stump, acting as moderator, developed our first projects for the Visioning Process.

This project is an ongoing effort by the Chamber to continually improve our county by identifying issues central to improving the business climate and overall quality of life for Putnam County.

By bringing a cross-section of business and community leaders together at one time, we can maximize our ideas on future growth and establish a process to accomplish the same.

“The Chamber Board is thrilled to continue the Visioning process in 2013. We have created a forum

ALFORD

that will allow leaders in every sector and in every part of the county an opportunity to come together and create a single plan to move Putnam County forward,” said Mandy Curry, Visioning Chair. “The Chamber is passionate about leading this initiative and believes it’s important for businesses and residents to work and live in a thriving community that has a solid plan for future growth.”

One year after the initial summit, on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, the group of community leaders reassembled at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club to give updates on the successes of 2012 and to reevaluate some issues identified in 2012.

It is always important to refocus our efforts on the initiatives that can be accomplished and if needed, identify new areas that

need the attention of the Visioning Process. Projects on the radar for 2013 include finding solutions to the drug problem in the county, working with planning and zoning, exploring the possibility of a new community center to hold larger events in the market and an increased focus on restaurants and retail growth in Putnam County.

To follow the progress made by the Visioning Project check

out the Chamber’s monthly Pride and Progress Newsletter at www. putnamchamber.org or contact the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

Ashley Alford is the public relations representative for the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and can be reached at 304-757-6510 or a.alford@putnamcounty.org.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Commerce

4H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Downtown n Continued from 1H

2619 261993

It is the nature of any downtown business environment to ebb and flow from year to year, but he said looking at the bigger picture is what will serve Huntington residents, consumers and business owners in continuing to create and sustain a more stable, and lively, downtown area.

“What’s needed is support for the businesses that operate downtown,” Bugher said.

“Many residents still have an old view of the city center as not being the bustling city district they once knew. However, come downtown almost any evening, and you will see people out, and parking at a premium.”

Shopping habits are continually changing, Bugher said, and right now, commerce isn’t about crowded streets and sidewalks during the day. Now, he said unique niche shopping, entertainment, dining and service business are traits of successful downtowns today.

The thrill of a unique shopping experience is not lost on Kevin Brady, director of the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District, who said he completed all of his holiday shopping in downtown Huntington — specifically at Heritage Station, which is owned and operated by the district.

Shops including Herman’s Finds and Designs, Bottle & Wedge, Brand Yourself, Jameson Cigars, The Red Caboose, Common Ground and, most recently, The Wild Ramp each provide shopping experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the area, he said.

The business layout of Heritage Station, located between the 2 1⁄2 Alley and Veterans Memorial Boulevard on 11th Street, was shifty during Brady’s first few months as director in 2010 and 2011, but he said the area includes the aforementioned shops along with places

KEY PLAYER: LAuREn HERMAn

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Lauren Cundiff shops at Finds and Designs in Huntington. will begin to realize they can do it all downtown.”

A little more than two months into his term as mayor, Williams said city officials already are setting goals to further ensure and improve development in downtown.

He said a partnership with Marshall University already is proving to be beneficial as the former Stone and Thomas building is being renovated into a new visual arts center for the university. The use of that building by the university is a move that Bugher said will have a major effect on downtown.

The future of that partnership between the city and the university may best be symbolized through the development of the Old Main Corridor, which spans along 4th Avenue between Hal Greer Boulevard and 10th Street.

Williams said he hopes to create a “vibrant, active corridor” full of pedestrian traffic. The goal is to make empty storefronts along 4th Avenue

like River and Rail Bakery, Sip! Wine Bar, Let’s Eat Café and Brown Dog Yoga Studio The $50,000 the district annually accumulates from Heritage Station is reinvested into the center to market the facility and events including the Summer Party on the Patio Series and The Diamond Teeth Mary Blues & Art Festival.

“Our shops provide interesting and eclectic gifts and items for local people and visitors to Huntington alike,” Brady said. “Heritage Station is a historic monument to the true heritage of our community dating back to 1887.

It is filled with a variety of small businesses that are operated by your friends and neighbors.”

Brady said he was pleased with how the entire downtown area is coming together, but he said there always is room for improvement.

“The continuation of the downtown revitalization is critical to the community,” he said. “With continued revitalization and renewed interest in the downtown area, people

the exception, and he wants to see eclectic shops and businesses that can serve the population of students and faculty at Marshall while still being a path to downtown.

“The Old Main Corridor must become an enticing neighbor to the students of Marshall,” he said. “The campus is clean and pristine. When students walk across Hal Greer Boulevard, they are greeted with grime and empty space. We must make the Old Main Corridor shine.”

SomeofWilliams’ideasinclude adding public art to the landscape to invite pedestrian traffic and brightening the lighting to both enhance the streetscape and create a safer environment. He also said the continued presence of hanging floral arrangements throughout the downtown area creates an inviting and relaxed atmosphere.

Of course, there are a few challenges that Williams said city officials and developers will face in making that happen.

“We must be brave and courageous enough to be innova-

JOB: Vintage Selling Lady at Finds & Designs HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “My mom and I decided to open a shop in Huntington after enjoying similar shops out of town and realizing Huntington was lacking a fun vintage clothing/housewares store.”

FIRST JOB: “Schlotzsky’s Deli (getting hungry just thinking about it)” FAMILY: “I’m the oldest of four siblings and mom to two beautiful dog children.”

SPECIAL SKILLS: “Well, I think I’m pretty good at thrifting, haha.”

FAVORITE BOOK: “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein FAVORITE MOVIE: “ ‘Clueless.’ I still want a computerized closet like Cher.”

FAVORITE TV SHOW: “The O.C.” Forever the best.

tive,” Williams said. “The presence of financial capital will always be a sticking point. As we become more successful and demonstrate our unique skill set that enables us to accomplish those goals that we set, we will become a destination point not just for visitors and tourism but for investors as well.”

For an investor like Herman, whose vintage shop originally was located along 4th Avenue in the Old Main Corridor before moving to its current location, making downtown as user friendly as possible is a priority because it is those “users” who have the most influence over the success of a local business.

“Residents in Hutnington can make the biggest difference in encouraging business downtown,” Herman said.

“Instead of shopping for gifts at the mall, visit the small, locally owned shops downtown. You’ll probably find something more unique, and you’ll be stimulating the local economy in the process.”

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C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

5H

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Commerce

6H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Capt. John Whiteley, executive director of the Indland Waterways Academy at Mountwest Community and Technical College

ALONG THE OHIO RIVER

A tow boat transports coal on the Ohio River in Huntington.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald Dispatch

With coal transport decreasing to power plants, more rocks, other products moving on the river

T

he Port of Huntington Tri-State is the largest inland port in the United States, based on the weight of cargo transported through the port and miles traveled, having more than 60 million tons of cargo moving through the port annually.

“Huntington is right now the No. 1 inland port in America,” said Capt. John Whiteley, the executive director of the Inland Waterways Academy at Mountwest Community and Technical College. “We’re No. 7 overall in America, bigger than Baltimore and Philadelphia.”

The tonnage being moved through the port has shifted, since there isn’t as much coal being moved to power plants, but more rocks, chemicals and other products are being used as backfilling, Whiteley said.

Some of the aggregates moving through the port, such as rocks and limestones, are tied to construction areas. In the Pittsburgh area, there is an increase in steel pipe and sand being moved via waterways due to Marcellus Shale gas drilling, said Patrick Donovan, director of Maritime and Intermodal Transportation at Rahall Transportation Institute.

Since coal is the primary product traveling through the port, it plays a large part in the amount of funding received from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for upkeep. Although the cost of upkeep is less for waterways compared to roadways or railways, the funding is based off the amount of tonnage traveling through it, rather than the product’s value.

“If the cargo transported on the inland waterways each year had to be moved by another mode, it would take an additional 6.3 million rail cars or 25.2 million trucks to carry the load.

On average, a gallon of fuel allows one ton of cargo to be shipped 59 miles by truck, 202 miles by rail and 514 miles by barge,” according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Inland Waterway Navigation Brochure.

Intermodal facilities The intermodal facility located at The Point in South Point, Ohio, is beneficial to the river industry, since it has direct access to the Ohio River, along with railroads and roadways, Whiteley said.

According to The Point’s official website, “This (intermodal facility) is the first point where the Heartland Corridor intersects with the Ohio River. The Point Industrial Park’s unique location near Interstate 64 Highway, State Route 23, the Norfolk Southern (National Heartland Corridor), and as a Port on the Ohio River in the Port of Huntington (Busiest Inland Port in the Nation), the Point offers a major enhancement in the flow of goods into and out of the Midwest Region of the United States.”

The Port of Huntington is expected to also become integrated with the regular supply chain of Norfolk Southern’s Heartland Corridor, once the Heartland Intermodal Gateway at Prichard is completed. The intermodal facility is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

Story by

WHITNEY JOHNSON

The Herald-Dispatch

This integration would allow the containers from double-stacked trains on the corridor to be transferred to trucks and delivered to water vessels traveling through the port, increasing the amount of cargo traveling by waterway and decreasing the amount moving via railway.

This will not only lower the cost of transportation and upkeep for roads and railroads, it could also help lower product costs.

“That’s going to change what kind of products we see moving out of the market place,” said Donovan, also the director of the National Maritime Enhancement Institute at Marshall University.

The Rahall Transportation Institute has been conducting self-funded research on what they refer to as the next-generation inland vessel or the Next-Gen, Donovan said.

This vessel features new technologies and is more up-to-date with current needs.

“The current system that is out there today is a 20th Century supply chain,” Donovan said about the current barges and tow boats used. “It is very efficient in moving the commodities we’ve talked about over the years.”

However, once the intermodal facility is completed in Prichard, the expected use of containerization and new products will require vessels suited for the 21st Century supply chain. These Next-Gen vessels are designed to work as a shuttle, with the ability to be used for short sea or inland navigation.

“It’s faster and more fuel efficient. It can burn more natural gas. It can be a dual-fuel vessel,” Donovan said. “Then it becomes a dedicated mode of transportation. We are very excited about this opportunity as we move forward.”

The tonnage from using containers on vessels is not as high as some people may think. The use of a next-generation vessel would require funding to be based off the value of products being moved, rather than the tonnage.

“When we shift and start looking at this 21st Century supply chain, stuff moving in 20-foot and 40-foot containers won’t weigh as much. The value may be more, but tonnage is down,” Donovan said.

Based on the current concept the Corps use for funding, the use of containers on vessels do not work since the tonnage is not high. Funding is important to the efficiency of containerization, which would attract more users.

RTI has conducted research on other container ports that are similar to the Heartland Intermodal Gateway, including a port located in Virginia. One of the problems at that facility was that it was not working with local people.

“The Heartland in Prichard is critical,” Donovan said. “It brings new potential users.”

Within a 125-mile radius of Prichard, RTI has come up with at least 52 businesses that could

Stretching 199 miles throughout the Big Sandy, Ohio and Kanawha rivers, the waterway is used mostly to transport coal locally and globally. Coal makes up 60 percent of the cargo moved through the port.

“River transportation is probably the most efficient, the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation,” Whiteley said.

One 15-barge tow on the Ohio River is equivalent to 2-1⁄4 trains or 875 tractor trailers. Each barge carries roughly 1,800 tons of cargo, Whiteley said. potentially become exporters at the Heartland Intermodal Gateway. These possible businesses are important to the development and usage of containerization locally.

“We’re now developing strategies with the state port authorities to see what businesses they need to work with locally,” Donovan said. “So once the port is open, we’re ahead of the game.”

By conducting the research and locating potential businesses now, once Prichard is completed, officials in the maritime industry will be prepared to begin the shift to possible containerization, which would eventually require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to change the way funding is decided.

“Once we have that first (new vessel moving through the port), then it becomes a reality and there’s a sense of urgency,” Donovan said about getting the proper port funding.

“Until then, it’s a research question.”

Donovan said they are currently researching and having discussions about potential areas that could be used as a port to move containers onto vessels once the intermodal facility is complete.

“It’s those intermodal distribution centers that are going to be critical in where this container on vessel port needs to be. It’s more about what starts happening in the market place,” Donovan said. “It’s more about what’s going on in the region and what do their supply chains look like.”

Globally, the largest product being moved via containers are automobile parts. With access to Port of Virginia and an exit ramp for a double-stack train, the local area could possibly gain an investment opportunity, by potentially moving these automobile parts once containerization becomes a reality.

“It changes our profile of who we are in the region,” Donovan said. “We’ve truly become a freight hub.”

RTI has also been working with U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s office, U.S. Maritime Administration, Public Port Authority and other maritime officials to bring a marine highway event to West Virginia. The marine highway event is expected to be held in April at the Marshall University Foundation Hall.

“There is a federal interest in what we’re doing,” Donovan said.

This event will allow public officials and private business owners from West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania to come up with ideas on the use of containerization on the Ohio River during a workshop that will be conducted at the event. The purpose is to begin drafting ideas before containerization becomes viable in the area.

Not only does the increased use of river transportation keep product costs lower due to the lower transportation costs, it also opens the opportunity for more jobs. The creation of distribution centers exporting via containers would also increase the number of jobs in the area drastically.

“If a distribution center of a magnitude of 1 million square feet comes in, to support that, you’d need about 50 acres,” Donovan said.

“Within that 1 million square feet, you’re going

to see about 450 jobs.”

Donovan estimated these jobs of paying between $18 to $26 per hour plus benefits. In addition to the distribution centers, there would be jobs for the drivers that move the containers, short haul and long haul.

“You can see realistically 1,500 to 2,000 jobs in this distribution idea,” Donovan said. “And then you can get the multiplier effect.”

Training for a career Whiteley has seen a large increase over the past decade in the number of people training for waterway careers at the Inland Waterways Academy.

“When I first came here in 2002, we were running four deckhand classes a year. Each deckhand class was five days long, and we trained about 15 people in each class,” Whiteley said.

The number of students is now between 400 and 500 per year. Courses available have also increased to 48, including 23 courses that are approved by the Coast Guard.

“These are very high-paying jobs, relatively,” Whiteley said. “Someone coming right out of high school with a high school diploma can start as a deckhand making $25,000$32,000.”

There are jobs available on long-haul barges, where employees spend longer periods of time on the river, and also harbor boats, which stay between Catlettsburg, Ky., and Huntington, helping work the fleets.

It is possible to earn a captain’s license in as little as eight years, or even faster if working the harbor boats. A pilot license can be earned in about five years.

“We have a deckhand basic training course, and then we have a steersman course,” Whiteley said. “That’s the first license you can get from the coast guard, and that’s like a learner’s permit. It allows them to steer the boat only if the captain or pilot is in the steer house with them.”

Once a steersman has completed a Towing Officers Assessment Record, they can earn their pilot license, which is second in command to the captain.

“The nearest school to us is in Paducah (Ky.), and they don’t do most of the things we do,” Whiteley said about waterway training courses offered in the area. “As we’re growing, we’re looking toward getting some courses to teach local people to get jobs in other areas, but to still return home.”

These jobs would allow people to return home, where they would purchase products and increase the money being put into the local economy.

Mountwest Community and Technical College now offers a transportation degree that is designed to be an intermodal degree, which was established with the assistance of RTI. There are six core classes, and students can specialize and take courses focusing on one certain type of transportation, while having a background of thinking intermodal from the core classes. The goal was to get people to work together among the different modes of transportation.

“It’s critical that you have this life-long learning opportunity,” Donovan said.

C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Commerce

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

7H

It takes a community to raise a city You may recall several years ago that former first lady Hillary Clinton was maligned for authoring the book, “It Takes a Village.” While we may or may not agree about the veracity of Ms. Clinton’s hypothesis, I will make a similar claim based on what I have seen while volunteering in Huntington: It takes a community to raise a city.

Growing up in Huntington, I was taught about the power of “they.” They shouldn’t have let the mall go to Barboursville.

They should have brought Interstate 64 downtown. They should do something to create more jobs.

They should fix this or do that.

For years, I worshiped at the altar of “They,” waiting for them to do something to make my hometown better. And then, some time ago, I realized that there was no they. There was no group of government or civic leaders, no brain trust, no wealthy philanthropist, no giant manufacturing plant that, alone, wielded the power to save Huntington.

There is no they; there is only we. And we had squandered decades waiting for them to raise us up.

I realized that, if Huntington was to see a bright future, we must create the future. If Huntington was to be the type of place where we wanted to live, we had to raise our expectations and improve the quality of life here. If Huntington was to offer jobs that allow our children to remain here and thrive, we had to create those jobs.

Government officials, civic leaders, intellectuals and philanthropists could and should play key roles in building a great city, but only after we come together as a community to raise our city from malaise to greatness. In fact, we could and should demand much from our elected officials and city leaders, but only if we were willing to work equally hard to raise ourselves and our city.

The good news is that we are seeing our city rise up.

Huntington is experiencing a renaissance after decades of deindustrialization. In recent years, I’ve watched Huntington build an overarching sense of community, based on the notion that individuals, working together on projects they believe are important, can create

Thomas

McCHESNEY

great change. Together, we are raising a city that will be the type of place people who can choose to live anywhere want to live.

The examples are everywhere.

A little over one year ago, residents of Huntington’s Forest Hills neighborhood came together to build a community.

Together, they created a neighborhood watch to root out crime, they launch a neighborhood association to bring neighbors together, and they, without any outside funding, constructed a beautiful neighborhood park.

The result is that Forest Hills and Gallagher Village, neighborhoods that were pristine years ago, are becoming vibrant, welcoming places to live again.

Last January, foodies, growers, food producers and people from all walks of life joined together to try to launch a market that would make it easier for residents to get access to fresh, local food and would support local farmers. Many individuals, of all walks of life, had tried to do this before and failed. By building a community, our friends and neighbors were able to create The Wild Ramp, Huntington’s local food market. This all-volunteer, nonprofit market is nearly unique in the nation. And in less than one year, it has become wildly successful. The community formed less than a year ago, opened the shop in Heritage Station during the summer, launched a successful KickStarter campaign which raised over $10,000, and returned over $100,000 to local growers and food producers.

For most of us, it means that we can now shop at a downtown food market. Paying about the same prices as we find at a supermarket, we can buy local meats, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, ice cream, herbs, pasta, grains, produce, soap and much more.

And our lives are enriched because we can participate in a community of people who love

ABOVE: Krista Thompson organizes produce at The Wild Ramp on July 19, 2012, at Heritage Station in Huntington.

RIGHT: A Create Huntington T-shirt for sale at River and Rail Bakery at Heritage Station.

File photos/The Herald-Dispatch

food and care about what we eat.

This February, three years of hard work, patience and persistence paid off as the first phase of the redevelopment of Heritage Station was completed. Three years ago, the Cabell Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District joined forces to revitalize this long-forgotten jewel of Huntington.

My wife, Stacy, and I had the good fortune of assisting with this project. Together, we crafted a plan to make Heritage Station a unique retail center that showcased our region’s past and future. Together, we audaciously proclaimed a bold vision for Heritage Station. Working through Create Huntington, we built a

community of entrepreneurs and artisans who saw the unique opportunity of Heritage Station.

And together — as a community — we created a place that is truly special, filled with life and laughter; that speaks well to visitors and has greatly improved the quality of life of local residents.

What was once lovely, historic, but largely dormant buildings is now a place where we can eat in cool, local restaurants, shop in local galleries and boutiques, buy local groceries and food, learn yoga, listen to life music, watch outdoor movies and love the town we live in.

Huntington is making tremendous progress. We are moving forward, and we are becoming a better place to live.

Our journey is exciting, and fun, and rewarding.

Part of the reason we are progressing is because our community is coming together as never before.

We, as a community, are raising our city to greatness.

If you’d like to be part of a community of people who are working tirelessly to raise up a vibrant city, join your friends and neighbors at the Create Huntington Chat ‘n Chew.

These open forums are held every Thursday, 5:30-7 p.m. in the lobby of the Frederick Building. They are an opportunity for you to be around other engaged people, to share your ideas in a positive environment and to work on projects that will make a difference.

If you’re unable to attend a Chat ‘n’ Chew, you can also learn about what’s going on and get engaged at the Create Huntington Facebook page or website at www.createhuntington.com.

Thomas McChesney is a Huntington resident.

261774

County Extension Educator

261748

Assistant Director

261745

Agriculture and Natural Resources.

12 month tenure-eligible position within the Department of Extension in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Ph.D. in agriculture, natural resources or ������� ���� ��������� ����������� ������� ��������� ��� �������� ������� hours. EEO/AA Employer.

Job Descriptions / To Apply: http://go.osu.edu/HJ4

Contact HR at 1-800-245-7277 or fax resumes to 717-651-1865

262061

PrimeCare Medical is seeking PRN RN’s and PRN LPN’s to work in the medical dept. at the Western Regional Jail.

Carroll County, 4-H Youth Development. Experience with leadership, teaching, evaluation, teamwork, committees, and collaboration with diverse clientele needed. Master’s degree required.

Competitive salary, excellent OSU �������� ������� ������ ������ Employer.

Job Descriptions / To Apply: http://go.osu.edu/HJ4

EOE REF #644

To learn more or to find your next great hire, visit heralddispatch.com/jobs or call Linda Waddell 304-526-2723 Rose Terrace a Skilled Nursing facility in Milton, WV, is currently seeking:

LPNs - Full-time and part-time. LTC experience preferred.

Ohio University Southern is advertising for the following position: Coordinator/Instructor, Human Services Technology (tenure track) PN102768

262067

by helping our students discover theirs

For more information and/or to submit an application please go to http://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com/ postings/5780.

Application Deadline: For full consideration apply by March 27, 2013.

Position will remain ���� ����� ������

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)- Full-time, part-time and as needed “PRN”.

Individuals interested in joining our Nurse Aide Training class.

We provide the training for free!

Ohio University is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive educational and workplace environment. Ohio University is an equal access/equal opportunity and affirmative action institution.

Dietary Assistant - part-time and as needed.

262053

Please apply within or contact Donna at (304) 390-5709 to schedule an interview.

Rose Terrace Health & Rehab Center 30 Hidden Brook Way Culloden, WV, 25510.

Equal Opportunity Employer

WWW.OHIO.EDU

C M Y K 50 inch 8H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

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c M Y K 50 inch progress 2013

www.herald-dispatch.com

progress 2013:

The Herald-Dispatch’s annual Progress Editions take a look at our Tri-State economy and business community.

Today’s sections focus on commerce and transportation.

Other topics will be examined next Sunday.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

1I

TrANsporTATIoN

ABOVE: Travelers head through security at Tri-State Airport.

RIGHT: Jim Jenkins, left, and Brent Taft check in a customer’s luggage at Allegiant Air at Tri-State Airport.

Photos by Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

INsIDe THIs secTIoN KEEPING AN EYE ON A CHANGING INDUSTRY

Tri-State Airport continues to improve, juggle projects

Making a connection

A new 1,640-foot, two-lane connection between Ironton and Russell is scheduled to be complete in late summer 2015 / 3I

optimism in the auto industry

Coming off a strong 2012, local auto dealers are optimistic for their industry for the rest of this year / 6I

sTorY BY JeAN TArBeTT HArDIMAN / THe HerAlD-DIspATcH F

jeant@herald-dispatch.com

I

t’s no time for rest at Tri-State Airport.

Facing changes to the industry and the ongoing task of creating the safest, most comfortable traveling experience for customers, the airport is always busy juggling a number of projects at one time.

And that’s certainly been true over the past year as well.

Since Delta terminated its flight out of Tri-StateAirport in May 2012, there’s been an ongoing effort to find an airline to replace it.

Butit’sbeendifficult,saidJerryBrienza,executivedirectorofTri-StateAirport.

“Overthepastcoupleofyears,airportshavehadtofocusmuchoftheirresources on airline retention in lieu of securing new airlines,” he said. “The industry is changing, and small airports are losing more and more battles for air service.

Airlines are reducing frequency and dropping lower performing markets.

Please see AIRPORT/2I

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“We are really focusing on the needs of our customers and hope that this will also become a place to visit, both dining and shopping for local area residents.”

Jerry Brienza executive director of Tri-State Airport

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Transportation

2I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

$2 million renovation to TTA facility nearing completion

A TTA bus drives past Pullman Square in Huntington.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

I

n everything from construction to funding, changes have been in the works at TTA over the past year, and more are coming for the rest of 2013.

Physical changes include renovation of the TTA facility.

Nearing completion is the TTA’s first major renovation project at the TTA headquarters since it was built in the 1970s. The nearly $2 million project along Virginia Avenue is mostly grant-funded and adds a second floor to the building. It provides more office space, a training room, lounge space and more, accommodating the TTA’s growth in services over the past four decades.

The project began in the spring of 2012 and its target completion is mid May, said TTA General Manager Paul Davis.

Another change comes in the way of funding.

The TTA has been meeting with the KYOVA Interstate Planning Commission to work on federal funding splits between transportation services provided in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

It’s a new responsibility, since TTA was moved to a new category when it comes to receiving federal funds.

U.S.CensuschangesnowincludepartofPutnamCounty intheHuntington-AshlandMetropolitanArea,increasing the Huntington-Ashland population from 177,550 to 202,637. Going above the 200,000 mark bumped local transit into the same category as the nation’s larger metropolitanareas,intermsofreceivingfederaltransitfunds.

With that new designation comes the responsibility of dividingfundingamongthemselves,ratherthan it being sent to the state for divvying up.

Airport

n Continued from 1I

They are also grounding or selling less efficient aircraft, which reduces the capacity (seats) available to passengers.

“In short, there are less flights, less aircraft and fewer seats in the skies today, and small airports are taking the biggest hit.”

When it comes down to it, there are only three major domestic air carriers left, he said: United, Delta and American.

“Being that Delta is selling most of its regional air carrier jets and halted flights out of HTS last year, leaving USAir (American Airlines) as the only major air carrier left here, we have only United Airlines as our other major option.”

Tri-State Airport has been courting United for years, but United has been going through some major network changes since it merged with Continental a few years ago, he said. It has been conservative about opening up new markets, but Brienza said Tri-State is “very optimistic that they will someday see the benefit of adding air service at HTS,” he said.

In the meantime, the recent merger of USAir and American Airlines should affect the USAir route between Huntington and Charlotte right now, Brienza said.

“Those airports that have service from both USAir and American will most likely be

KEY PLAYER: JEnnifER WoodALL TTA has been meeting with KYOVA to work out the details of the Memorandum of Agreements on the funding splits, and once those particulars are worked out, KYOVA and the transit providers will request the governors in each of the three states send letters designating one or more agencies as the recipients of the federal funds.

TTA, which employees more than 70 people, celebrated 40 years of service to the community last year.

Ridership was down slightly from the previous year, but that year was “monstrous,” Davis said, likely because of the price of fuel and the economy.

“We had nearly 100,000 new boardings for the previous year and when you try to maintain those numbers, it’s going to be difficult,” Davis said. Another factor may be the elimination of the free downtown shuttle.

That year brought TTA’s highest number of boardings since the 1970s, with more than 900,000 boardings, he said.

Davis told the authority at its most recent meeting that ridership for December was down 9,799 customers from the previous December and that fiscal year-to-date ridership was down 23,484 from the previous year. At the same time, finances have been sound. Year-to-date revenue was $36,651 over fiscal year 2011 and $40,362 over budget.

affected initially, as they may seek to consolidate office and ticket counter space, which would immediately impact the airports’ revenues,” he said.

As airport officials keep their eyes on changes in the industry, they’re also making plenty of physical changes here in Huntington — including everything from security and terminal upgrades to taxiway improvements.

Last year, the airport and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) teamed up to improve the bottleneck at the security checkpoint by relocating it into the more expansive part of the terminal. By doing so, the TSA was able to install state-of-the-art equipment that otherwise would not have fit.

“This new equipment makes security screening much more efficient and less intrusive to the customer,” Brienza said.

The airport started a $1 million terminal renovation project late last year. Upgrades can be seen in carpeting, walls, ticket counters and seating. Also undergoing improvements are the heating and cooling systems, the fire alert system and other fire code upgrades.

Tri-State Airport also partnered with Better Foods Inc. to remodel its restaurant, which was damaged in a kitchen fire in March 2012. Tudor’s Biscuit World and Gino’s Pub/Restaurant are now open to travelers and the community.

“They also opened up a gift shop that focuses on local merchandise and foods,” Brienza

JOB: Assistant manager, Tri-State Transit Authority FAMILY: Husband, John Woodall; two sons, Chad Walker and Parker Woodall.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “In 2002, I accepted a position at Tri River Transit Authority to launch a pilot program to begin Non-Emergency Medical Transportation to Lincoln, Logan and Boone counties. After four years, I became the executive director, where I served just over three years. In 2010, I accepted the position as assistant manager at TTA.” FIRST JOB: Waitress at Jefferson’s Restaurant in Barboursville.

WHAT DRIVES YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR CAREER: “Nothing ever stays the same. Public transit is always evolving, growing and changing. If you get a chance to take a deep breath, you better enjoy it, because it will inevitably be a fleeting moment.”

SPECIAL SKILLS NEEDED IN YOUR JOB: Ability to adapt to change and multitask, a good sense of humor and tenacity.

FAVORITE BOOK: “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown FAVORITE MOVIE: “The Blind Side” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Elementary” on CBS

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

Facing changes to the industry and the ongoing task of creating the safest, most comfortable traveling experience for customers, Tri-State airport is always busy juggling a number of projects at one time. said. “We are really focusing on the needs of our customers and hope that this will also become a place to visit, both dining and shopping, for local area residents.”

Last year, the airport also completed improvements to its runway by rehabilitating its

pavement, installing new runway lights and markings and improving some navigational aid cabling issues, Brienza said.

“2013 projects include rehabilitating Taxiway G and possibly a portion of Taxiway A, as well as improving some drainage issues

that are causing, or could cause, slips on or around the airport property,” he said. “ T he Tr i-state A i r por t Authority, the administration and all of its staff are dedicated to improving our infrastructure, our processes and our procedures to ensure that our guests

will be as comfortable as possible,” Brienza said. “We know people have choices whether or not to fly, or from which airport to fly from, but we appreciate all of the support our residents have given us, and we will continually try to make their HTS experience a pleasurable one.”

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Transportation

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

MAKING A

CONNECTION

Photos by Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

ABOVE & BELOW: Work continues on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River on the new $81.3 million Ironton-Russell Bridge

New Ironton-Russell Bridge reinforces bond, business

W

hile most of the focus concerning the Ironton-Russell Bridge rests on two construction sites on opposite sides of the Ohio River, Ironton Mayor Rich Blankenship said he isn’t quite ready to completely turn his back on the existing 91-year-old bridge.

“Even though a new bridge is being built, the current bridge is still in use,” said Blankenship. “Until the current bridge is not being used and is torn down, every issue with the current bridge is still important. I don’t want anything to happen to the current bridge.

“I would like to be present when it’s torn down.”

STORY BY

LACIE PIERSON

THE HERALD-DISPATCH

So is the cautious optimism of two communities that, for more than a decade, attended public meetings, met with state officials and waited patiently for action on a promise of a new bridge as the restrictions on the existing bridge multiplied.

Today,thosepromiseshavetranslatedintotwo substructure peers that eventually will become the bridge that will include a total of eight piers reinforcing the two-tower structure.

That engineering will support the 1,640foot, two-lane connection between Ironton and Russell. The current bridge, built in 1922, serves about 11,000 vehicles each day, said Kathleen Fuller, public information officer with District 9 of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The cost of the $81.2 million bridge is being funded by ODOT. The target completion date is late summer 2015.

At the end of February, about 11 months into the project, Fuller said crews with Brayman Construction of Saxonburg, Pa., had completed about 20 percent of the bridge.

“The progress now is clear, and everything, to this point, has progressed pretty much the way we expected and hoped it would, “ Fuller said. “Luckily, the weather has been very cooperative. We have regular progress meetings, and we are able to monitor and track the project. Looking at

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C M Y K 50 inch 4I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Progress 2013: Transportation

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Bridge

n Continued from 3I

Courtesy of the Rahall Transportation Institute

The Next Generation (NextGen) Inland Navigation Vessel is a new class of energy-efficient, environmentally advanced and low operating cost vessels.

New wave for economic competitiveness As we navigate and explore alternative ways to move freight and position the region to be more competitive in the 21st century, it is time to expedite the planning for new ways to move freight and remain economically competitive.

The Rahall Transportation Institute (RTI) is poised once again with its recent study on the Economic Viability and Environmental Benefits of the Next Generation (NextGen) Inland Navigation Vessel to provide necessary leadership.

Past RTI research outlined the feasibility for what we see today as doubled-stacked container trains operating in our region along with the new manufacturing, warehousing and distribution opportunities coming with the 2014 opening of the Heartland Intermodal Gateway Terminal at Prichard.

A new class of energy-efficient, environmentally advanced and low operating cost vessels is poised to move river, coastal and short-sea containers in a manner more suited for the demands of the 21st century.

Work-Cat Engineering (WCE) along with RTI, unveiled a new aluminum catamaran cargo vessel on Jan. 4, 2013, in the Journal of Commerce, the leading information and marketing services provider for domestic and international containerized cargo community since 1827. Former Horizon Lines CEO Chuck Raymond expects to sign contracts and start production on the aluminum hull catamaran vessel this year.

Robert H.

PLYMALE

Raymond refers to it as a “marine pickup truck” that can be built quickly using a “cookie-cutter” design at a cost much lower than the slower, single-hull steel ships in operation today. WCE is starting vessel production with a 400foot vessel and a 295-foot vessel with capacity of up to 315 and 107 forty-foot equivalent containers respectively.

“The NextGen vessels satisfy several of the United States Department of Transportation strategic goals,” said RTI’s Chief Operating Officer Frank Betz. “In the areas of economic competitiveness, sustainability and safety, the liquid natural gas (LNG) powered vessel is the benchmark in energy savings, toxic emissions reduction and safety. Moreover, our system of highways and railroads is reaching capacity.

The inland waterway system has excess capacity and should be developed to help provide a cost-effective supplement to building more road and railroad infrastructure. The development of a marine highway system for cargo shipments would contribute greatly to mitigate the increasing constraints of the current cargo transportation system while satisfying another USDOT

strategic goal: the state-ofgood-repair of the current highway system.”

Other benefits of enhancing the current cargo transportation system to include waterway transportation are enhancing fuel efficiency, as well as reduced highway spills, accidents and noise. A recent transportation institute estimate found that traffic congestion costs Americans $200 billion dollars, 4.2 billion hours in traffic and 2.9 billion gallons of fuel each year compounded with traffic projected to quadruple nationwide between 2009 and 2040. The issue of increased traffic and stagnant growth in lane-miles is expected to continue in the coming years.

Waterborne shipping will help alleviate these difficulties in heavily congested areas by employing a transportation mode that is under-utilized.

None of these benefits would be realized without water shipment operating in an affordable and dependable way. Operational efficiency at ports is a critical part of coastal shipping in terms of both time and cost. The original diversion from shipping to truck occurred, because waterway shipping was seen as slow, unreliable and expensive. By nature, high water resistance makes speed increases for vessels more costly than for trucks or rail. Technology improvements made by WCE on designs of the engine, hull and propulsion system will help reduce water resistance, make the vessels faster and more fuel efficient to buoy the success of

waterway shipping.

The reality of our nation’s fiscal and economic challenges to compete globally in the 21st century is causing both public and private transportation professionals to consider alternative options for moving freight.

Current users of the inland navigation system fully understand the value that a marine highway system would provide for transporting their respective commodities. Yet, a comprehensive approach is needed to implement and demonstrate the benefits of the 21st century supply chain to our nations inland waterways.

Alternative solutions such as the NextGen catamaran cargo vessels are poised to provide economic viability and environmental benefits of the next generation of cargo shipments.

Our region once again is a pioneer in developing not only new strategic transportation corridors such as the Heartland Corridor but new maritime vessels that could initiate more transportation opportunities nationally and internationally.

Robert H. Plymale is CEO and director of the Rahall Transportation Institute.

Plymale leads a team of business, academic and research professionals working to enhance safety and economic development opportunities through transportation.

the total timeline, we haven’t missed any major construction, but, of course, in any project, there are the occasional setbacks here and there.”

As the new bridge becomes part of the new horizon, residents, city officials and business leaders in Russell are seeing the structure not only as a new connection to Ironton, but also a route to a new, more vibrant Russell, said Bill Hopkins, mayor of the city.

The new bridge will enter Ironton at South 2nd and Jefferson streets, and it will connect to the U.S. 23 viaduct in Russell.

It’s a plan that Hopkins said he originally was skeptical about because it diverted traffic away from downtown Russell, but the plan has opened the door to access a way to make that plan work for the city.

“We know that a lot of people are interested in the bridge, and so are we,” Hopkins said. “All of us are anxious to see this bridge go up. It’s a needed connection for continued economic development in the area, both for Ironton and Russell and into Ashland.”

Thanks to the bridge’s connector to U.S. 23, the city of Russell also will have the U.S. 23 viaduct replaced, a project that will be financed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Hopkins said. The construction of the new viaduct will incorporate a new exit for downtown Russell, allowing for continued access, Hopkins said.

The viaduct project still is in the planning and public hearing stage, but Hopkins said the viaduct replacement should be completed in 2016.

“That viaduct is just like the bridge. It’s too old, and it requires too much maintenance to leave it like it is,” Hopkins said. “It’s going to feel different to have the new bridge in a new place, but everything is going well with our own city projects that have stemmed from the bridge.”

Hopkins said he believes the new bridge is a major catalyst in the development of the Russell and Ashland area, which, in the past month has become the site in which three national chains — Dick’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart and Kohl’s — have

Rich Blankenship Ironton mayor announced they will be opening locations within the next year.

He said the Russell Centre continues to thrive, with businesses including Hobby Lobby, Petland and Tri-State-based Pottery Place providing all of the workings for economic and, therefore, municipal improvements throughout the area.

“It does so many things to have businesses come here because it keeps Russell up-todate and growing along with the rest of the area,” Hopkins said. “With the tax revenue that comes from these places, it helps us make improvements to the city that are good for the residents and good for attracting new business in the future.”

The same sentiment is echoed across the river.

As construction for the bridge began in 2012, Bill Dingus, executive director of the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce, estimated the new bridge could bring between $40 million and $50 million to the area, which is a prospect that isn’t lost on Blankenship.

“I see history being made,” Blankenship said. “I see a new, safe bridge that will be beneficial to our city.”

The confident tones can be felt in Ironton from Blankenship, who said the reaction from residents in his city is encouraging, even as they work through the rerouting and delays that come with a project of this magnitude.

“Citizens constantly make positive statements about the bridge,” Blankenship said. “This is a major project that will benefit our city for generations to come, and every precaution is being made to protect our citizens, and the construction workers, and I appreciate their patience. This project will take a while before completion, and we all have to keep the end result in mind.

“This is a step in the right direction.”

KEY PLAYER: MARK D. KEssingER

JOB: Project manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District HOW DID YOU GET IN YOUR CAREER: “I liked math in high school so my counselor suggested I take engineering in college.”

FIRST JOB: “I worked in the coal mines in Mingo County, W.Va., to pay my way through engineering school at WVU.” FAMILY: wife, Renee; daughter, Lauren; and twin sons, Cason and Sasha.

SPECIAL SKILLS: Civil engineer FAVORITE BOOK: Anything about the Civil War FAVORITE MOVIE: “Forrest Gump” FAVORITE TV SHOW: College football

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C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Transportation

6I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

KEY PLAYER: JoEL GoLdY

JOB: President Goldy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FAMILY: Wife, Katie; daughters, Harper, Ellie, Mia, Kya. FIRST JOB: Pumping gas at an Exxon Station (back when there were full service stations) WHAT DRIVES YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR CAREER: Helping people get the car of their dreams.

FAVORITE BOOK: “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Modern Family” on ABC.

Joel Goldy is the owner of Goldy Auto at Kinetic Park in Huntington.

AUTO INDUSTRY

OPTIMISM

Goldy Auto at Kinetic Park

Car sales trending upward for 2013, local experts say

By JEAN TARBETT HARDIMAN The Herald-Dispatch

C

jeant@herald-dispatch.com

oming off a strong 2012, local auto dealers are optimistic for their industry for the rest of this year.

“National car sales are trending slightly upward for 2013,” said Chris Miller of Dutch Miller Auto Group. “All national forecasting models predict a better year for the car industry in 2013 for everyone. Our sales at Dutch Miller Kia for 2013 are up by about 30 percent, which is huge. Banks, feeling more stability than in years past, are easing up on credit restrictions, which means more loans are available for consumers and more people are able to buy cars.”

Other dealers are optimistic as well.

Joel Goldy of the Moses Automotive Group, who has recently launched Goldy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram located in KineticPark, said his dealership sold 22 vehicles in its first two weeks and is looking forward to providing those brands in Huntington.

In January, Chrysler group posted 34 consecutive months of year-over-year sales gains nationally, he said.

“All the new products coupled with a new building, we have very high expectations for Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Ram brands this year,” he said.

Construction continues at Goldy Auto at Kinetic Park in Huntington.

PHOTOS BY MARk WeBB / THe HeRAlD-DISPATCH

Please see AUTO/7I

KEY PLAYER: JAMES d. YoRK JOB: Executive director of West Virginia Public Port Authority, Department of Transportation.

FAMILY: Wife of 30 years, Robbin; son, Stephen; and daughter, Cheyenne.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “I have always had a desire to be part of making a difference. As corny as that may sound, I find my drive in working for people rather than an issue.

Having dedicated my life to government for 30-plus years, I feel so gracious to have the opportunity to work here in West Virginia where ‘doing the right thing for people’ remains the theme in government.

“I was fortunate to get this opportunity here in West Virginia after a wonderful career

in Florida. I began in the field of criminal justice focusing on complex analysis of criminal activity.

Following several years of identifying strategies to protect Florida infrastructure, the focus became the safety, economic and future needs. I was assigned to lead the commercial movement of commodities originating from Florida’s seaports and surface entry points and how they traverse by way of surface water, air and rail.

“Because of Florida’s location with many seaports, both industrial and agriculturally, this became significant following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. After embarking on a governmentsponsored trip to the Middle East, my career allowed me to focus on transportation movement into major points of entry

into the United States and how they move and what it plays to a state’s economy. I remained in this position until 2011. I was very fortunate that Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox to allow me to be a part of West Virginia’s team, and now I am lucky to work with dedicated professionals in the public and private sector as we continue to move the state forward.

“West Virginia is vital to this very effort. We are a very valuable player given the fact that we have the largest water port in movement of tonnage (the Ohio River). Because of our state’s location, we are positioned within the middle of our major ports in Virginia and the largest dry inland port in Chicago.”

SPECIAL SKILLS: “Due to there being many issues to assure each project is approached and completed

timely, within budget and in concert with what the people want and deserve, I would say that a good skill to have is the ability to listen. Being a good juggler doesn’t hurt, either. Having the ability to push forward and not accepting failure. If failure occurs, accept it as part of the learning process. Get up, dust off and get back to work. My education in public administration didn’t hurt, either.”

FAVORITE BOOK: “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu FAVORITE MOVIE: “Taken” (At the time, my teenage daughter wanted to go on a family trip overseas. I was not able to go.

I showed her the movie. She changed her mind.)

FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Well, I watch a lot of public television.

I am partial to ‘Rick Steve’s Europe’ series. It’s calming, and he has the second best job.”

C M Y K 50 inch Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013: Transportation

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

CSX Transportation: Here to stay in Huntington Engines are rebuilt on the standard line at the CSX Locomotive Shop in Huntington.

Photos by Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Like many CSX employees who grew up in West Virginia, I know firsthand the value that the CSX and Huntington partnership brings to our region — from the jobs CSX creates along our tracks and with local businesses, to the goods we carry to and from West Virginia — as well as the tremendous potential for the future.

The railroad that would eventually become CSX was born in the 1870s here in Huntington, where Collis P. Huntington established the western terminus of his Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Huntington was a pioneer of the industry, one of the “Big Four” figures in the 19th Century responsible for building the United States’ first transcontinental railroad. Not only did he bring rails to the region and lend his name to the city, he championed many of the industries that still support our local economy — railroads, coal and agriculture.

Today, CSX is just as integrated into the fabric of modern-day Huntington as it was during its founding. Huntington is home to CSX’s divisional headquarters and dispatching center, as well as a CSX rail yard and the Huntington Locomotive Shop. It is also home to more than 550 CSX employees, including myself.

Each year, our company handles more than 1.5 million carloads of coal, agricultural goods, textiles and many other freight goods in the West Virginia area. We invested

J. Randolph

CHeeTHaM

$74 million in its 2,200 miles of track in West Virginia during 2011 alone. This investment is only growing, as CSX plans to increase capacity along its Ohio River Subdivision to accommodate additional business from shale gas related industries. Across our network, CSX plans to invest about $2.3 billion this year.

In the midst of this investment, the business environment is changing. While coal consumption in the United States is decreasing as natural gas and alternative energies gain prominence, our commitment to West Virginia and all our customers remains steadfast, and we see many opportunities for new and different partnerships. We are poised to capitalize on these changes to continue shipping needed goods to and from the Huntington area.

But CSX’s support of the Huntington area goes beyond just creating the infrastructure to enable West Virginia businesses to succeed and grow. Our company is actively involved in civic partnerships throughout the region to help strengthen the

Chris Browning welds a battery tray to a locomotive on the cab enhancement line of the CSX Locomotive Shop in Huntington. community and its citizens. We enjoy a longstanding relationship with the Rahall Transportation Institute, having contributed more than $150,000 to help fund research into transportation technologies, resources and processes to improve the economic competitiveness of the Appalachian Region and the nation.

We also donate to a variety of local charitable and civic initiatives that support our company’s core values. For example, CSX has a long relationship with St. Mary’s Medical Center supporting its Transportation Injury Prevention and Safety Program, which works to educate families and children about transportation safety, as well as the H.E.A.R.T. Program that educates young children on the importance of proper nutrition and healthy living. CSX also supports Cabell Huntington Hospital, donating more than $50,000 to the Children’s Hospital.

CSX’s has a 150-year history of service to America’s military, and nearly one in five CSX employees has served in the armed forces.

To show our appreciation to our citizen soldiers, CSX recently

donated $25,000 to the West Virginia National Guard Foundation to support their efforts to help members of the Guard and their families in times of need.

We look forward to continuing our enduring partnership with Huntington and West Virginia, as we work together to adapt and continue supporting our region’s businesses and people. We encourage our neighbors to join us on Saturday, April 27, at a CSXhosted volunteer cleanup day to help rehabilitate the Vinson Little League field on Park Avenue.

More information is available at www.BeyondOurRails.org/ events.

As a lifelong resident of West Virginia and a 15-year employee of CSX, I’m proud to be part of the CSX - Huntington partnership and the value it brings to our businesses, citizens and children.

I look forward to carrying on this tradition long into the future.

J. Randolph Cheetham is CSX’s regional vice president for State Government and Community Affairs. He is based in Huntington.

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Auto

n Continued from 6I

There’s a lot of new technology out there to excited about, Goldy said.

“Consumers will notice more all-new models,” he said. “The model refresh will bring more LED headlights, diesel in cars as well as light duty trucks, better solutions for connecting your phone to the vehicle, easier-to-use navigation and stereo controls, 8- and 9-speed transmissions for better fuel economy.

“The Ram truck now has an air suspension with 4 inches of travel,” he said. “It has a button on the key fob that will lower the truck to make entry easier. Plus, you can raise the truck for off-road use.”

The building for Goldy Auto is still under construction, but vehicles are for sale on the lot, he said.

“I ordered more inventory because we thought the building would be further along, but it is a bit behind schedule, so we have more cars and trucks than we can fit on our lot,” he said. “In May, we should have the dealership completely open with service and sales fully operational. Currently, service is being performed at Moses Nissan in Huntington.”

It’s looking like 2013 will be an amazing year for consumers, Miller said.

“Withinterestratesbeingkeptartificiallylow for consumers by the Fed, this means one thing forconsumers:cheaperpayments,”hesaid.“Basically,youcanborrowthesameamountofmoney asyearspastforasmallerpayment.Combinethat with higher than usual resale values of trade-ins and good manufacturer incentives — rebates —and,man,isitagoodtimetobuyacar.”

Dutch Miller Kia was one of 25 dealers in the country out of 2,600 selected by Kia as a Presidents Club Award Winner, an award given to the top dealers in the country in combined sales volume, sales customer satisfaction and service customer satisfaction.

Theonevariablethatcouldchangetherationale of the consumer is the 2.3 percent payroll tax increase signed into law, Miller said.

“While not significant enough to change demand trends, this tax will impact purchase decisions,” he said. “Some consumers will consider less expensive new car models and further shop for value and savings: considering safety, fuel efficiency, maintenance, insurance costs and warranty in the overall decision to offset higher taxes. Other new car buyers may shift to the used car market because of perceived affordability.”

There’s an interesting phenomenon going on right now with used cars, Bill Cole said.

“Because people did hold back from replacing their car perhaps a little longer than they would, the used care business is a little bit tougher right now,” said the owner of Bill Cole Auto Malls in Ashland and in Bluefield.

“There’s really a pressure on finding enough quality used cars, and that is because, instead of trading with 50,000 miles, people have been trading with 100,000 or 150,000 miles.

That’s not as easy to turn around.”

But with today’s low interest rates, he remains optimistic.

The industry has come back dramatically in recent years, Cole said.

“Things are going well,” he said. “We see the car business nationally is enjoying some high. It’s not record sales, but near record sales (industrywide).”

Struggles in the coal business locally mean, “We’re not celebrating as much as the nation, but having said that, our business is solid,” Cole said.

Meanwhile, his Ashland dealership wrapped up a construction project within the past year.

“We finished up a state-of-the-art Honda facility that we’re proud of,” he said. “While the building has been completed almost a year, the construction has been ongoing (with the demolition of the old building). In the past several months, we’ve finished all that so we can be about the business of selling and servicing cars. ... So we’re looking for a good year.”

KeY PLaYers

Jason Moses

saM MiLLer

Connie Beford

JOB: Executive manager, Moses Automall of Huntington HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: “Born to do it” FIRST JOB: “If you don’t count filling the Coke machines here at the dealership, it was working in our Parts Department” FAMILY: wife, Halcyon; daughter, Éowyn; and son, Jackson COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: MCTC Board of Governors, Huntington Chamber of Commerce board.

FAVORITE BOOK: “The Black Swan” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb FAVORITE MOVIE: “The Village” TWITTER: @MosesMeansMore

JOB: General Manager, Dutch Miller Chevrolet.

HOMETOWN: Huntington.

EDUCATION: BA from University of South Carolina.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING: Citadel Grad School of Business and advanced degrees in the Matt Miller School of Business.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Big Brothers/Big Sister, Susan G. Komen Foundation, MU Child Development, Weed and See Foundation.

OUTSTANDING QUALITY: Good listener.

FAVORITE WEBSITE: Dutch Miller.

JOB: Owner, Beford South Point Ford HOMETOWN: Huntington EDUCATION: Huntington High graduate.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Marshall Artists Series; Marshall Athletics; youth sports; Partners in Education Ohio and W.Va. FAMILY: Husband, Mark; two daughters, one son; three grandchildren.

OUTSTANDING QUALITY: People person, good listener, understanding, organized, treats customers like family.

FAVORITE BOOK: “Cure for the Common Life” by Max Lucado THING YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Family.

BarBara Moses aTKins

JOB: Dealer manager of Moses Honda Volkswagen since 1994.

HOMETOWN: Huntington EDUCATION: Huntington High School and bachelor’s from University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

FAMILY: 3 grown children, Drew, Orin and wife Leslie and Laura COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: “Board member of the Huntington Museum of Art, Hospice of Huntington and the Society of Yeager Scholars, Marshall University and past president of the Board of the West Virginia Auto Dealers Association.”

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: “Golf, travel and movies.”

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: “My family, friends and customers!”

sTeVe Parsons JOB: Dealer Principal and Chief Operations Officer of Turnpike Ford of Huntington and Turnpike Ford of Charleston/ Marmet.

HOMETOWN: Teays Valley.

EDUCATION: George Washington High School, West Virginia State University.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING: National Automobile Dealer Academy, numerous trade seminars.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: St. Jude Children’s Research Center, Mountain State Center for Independent Living for West Virginia, Marshall University, Salvation Army, United Way. FAMILY: wife, Kelly; four children, Hayley, Lukas, Peyton and Cole.

OUTSTANDING QUALITY: Open to new ideas.

SOMETHING YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Turnpike Ford loyal customers.

FAVORITE WEBSITE: TurnpikeFord. com.

C M Y K 50 inch

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8I The Herald-Dispatch â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013

www.herald-dispatch.com

Sunday, March 17, 2013

1J

Progress 2013: Transportation

High hopes for the anticipated Heartland Intermodal Gateway

File photo/The Herald-Dispatch

The long-awaited intermodal facility at Prichard, now given the official name of the Heartland Intermodal Gateway, will feature double-stacked freigh containers.

I

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n the past, those who have driven by the site of the future Heartland Intermodal Gateway at Prichard may have noticed the parcel of land near the Big Sandy River with a few homes around it.

“Today, you see much development of the property to make ready for the facility, tracks and bridge crossing system for ingress and egress,” said James York, executive director of the West Virginia Public Port Authority.

The next year will be exciting in the transformation of this site, he said.

“The access road, the bridge overpass that will provide the access to the facility as well as the beginning phases of track placement and formation of the pad site will be taking place,” York said. “The trains daily continue to run past the facility daily moving the containers.”

Once Prichard is complete — the target date for which is June 2015 — “the new facility becomes part of the logistical supply chain,” he said.

The long awaited intermodal facility at Prichard, now given the official name of the Heartland Intermodal Gateway, has long been looked to as a catalyst for the regional economy.

It will sit along Norfolk-Southern’s Heartland Corridor, which since September 2010 has carried trains with doublestacked freight containers between the Virginia Coast and Chicago.

The intermodal container port at Prichard will be a place where cargo can be moved from rail to roadways, stimulating local economic growth through “private investment in warehousing, distribution centers, and associated activities and creating a more efficient freight flow,” York said.

“Depending on the industry sector, supply chain logistics

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costs account for a high percentage of a product’s delivered cost,” he said. “The ability to ship from West Virginia storage facilities has enabled local and regional businesses to save annually in shipping costs, which are then available for reinvestment.”

The Prichard Intermodal Terminal’s intermodal marketplace includes 60 counties in three states, where potential job growth opportunities in the warehousing and distribution sectors can occur.

The hope is that it will have a tremendous impact on West Virginia’s global market presence, as it connects with a fully integrated system of maritime, rail and highway transportation.

York said the Port Authority has completed a state plan, based on market analysis of key cities in West Virginia, identifying good sites for distribution centers and manufacturing facilities.

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Transportation

2J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Can the new

This photo taken with a fisheye lens shows a 2013 Corvette ZR1 on display at the 2013 Pittsburgh Auto Show in Pittsburgh.

The Associated Press

Corvette save GM? N

ASHVILLE, Tenn. — It looks part Ferrari, part Batmobile. But can this superhero save GM? Auto industry analysts and mainstream media predict the 2014 Corvette Stingray will have all sorts

By BRAD SCHMITT The Associated Press of extraordinary, megastar powers.

One of them could be the power to revive a parent company that, less than four years ago, had the fourth-largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history.

“It will bring more jobs to support that operation,” Dinwiddie says. “We’d like to see that plant running three shifts, fully-staffed and operating as the crown jewel of General Motors in the future, so everything that goes in there helps.”

But expectations aren’t just for reviving GM. The Corvette mystique goes beyond one company, one brand.

“The ’Vette, that most aspirational dream car for heartland buyers, may be a bellwether for America’s recovering car industry and economy: when middle-class strivers feel flush enough to splurge on Corvettes again, the good times may be about to roll,” The New York Times gushed.

They certainly are for Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco, who got a 2014 Corvette Stingray as his reward for being named this year’s Super Bowl MVP. At the center of all this excitement, of all these high expectations, is a huge, decades-old assembly plant on 212 acres just off I-65 near Bowling Green, Ky., just 29 miles north of the Tennessee border.

Leading the charge - and bearing much of the weight of those heavy expectations - will be plant manager Dave Tatman, who landed in Bowling Green after working at 12 other car plants on three continents.

“Theearlyreturnsfromthedayoftherevealtotheautoshowtonow, dealers are telling us that people are lining up to put a deposit down on thiscar.Weanticipateprettyhighdemandforthiscar,”saysTatman,who declinesfor“competitivereasons”tobespecificaboutsalesprojections.

“I anticipate that we’re gonna hit the ground running pretty hard, for sure. There’s an excitement for the Corvette Stingray that we haven’t seen.”

General Motors executives told reporters at last month’s Detroit Auto Show — where the new Corvette completely dominated the buzz — they hope the 450-horsepower Stingray will revive the company’s image and sales.

The GM plant in Spring Hill will reap the benefits as well, building the front and rear bumpers for the storied vehicle. The company has not announced how many Spring Hill workers will be involved, but Mayor Michael Dinwiddie sees promise in the development.

Different generation of buyers The key to the success of the C7 (seventh-generation Corvette) and its ability to revitalize GM will be Chevy’s ability to make the new Stingray desirable to young, affluent buyers.

Lipscomb University business professor Andy Borchers, a graduate of General Motors Institute, says that’ll be an uphill battle.

“A lot of young people these days look at environmental sustainability. Some are living without cars and using public transit,” Borchers says. “It’s a different era.

“Those who do use cars are interested in different things, like how do the electronics work? How do I connect my iPhone to this car?” he says. “So those things made the 1960s-, ‘70s-era Corvettes such a hot vehicle and society has changed.

“Being Grandpa’s performance vehicle is very much the concern.

They would obviously like to have a younger customer base. This car is not going to do that unless they can reimage that.”

Tatman concedes the point: “That’s absolutely true.”

But, he adds, C7 designers have included enough new toys — includingtwoeight-inchscreens,seven-speedmanualtransmission with active rev matching — to make it sexy to young buyers.

“We think obviously with the technology we’ve loaded in the car, we hope to attract an entirely new demographics to our car,” Tatman says.

Several auto industry critics agree, with the C7 shaking the the car’s dated image.

More jobs in Bowling Green The C7 already is having an impact in the Bowling Green area.

The assembly plant is growing from 512 to around 700 employees, and the company has already invested more than $130 million in changes needed to produce the new Stingray.

And the current line rate of eight cars an hour could double with those modifications.

In addition, GM is moving a custom engine building operation from Michigan to Bowling Green, adding another 20 jobs.

“It’s the only place in the world that you could come build your engine, and we’ll put it into your car for you while you’re here,” Tatman says.

In fact, most anyone can go to the assembly plant to watch Corvettes being built, and some 50,000 people a year do just that. With the C7, Chevrolet officials predict that number will go even higher. nnn It’s all good news for the not-for-profit National Corvette Museum next door.

More than 30,000 people watched the online reveal of the new Stingray on the museum’s website, which is the same traffic the site usually gets in a month.

“I think it’s gonna generate even more excitement,” says Katie Frassinelli, the museum’s marketing and communications manager.

“Social media didn’t exist like it does for this generation,” Frassinelli adds. “People share opinions and pictures, and that definitely makes the excitement more.”

Plus, she says, the car simply looks more exciting.

“This Corvette is more like a race car than any other model prior,” she says. “The features are made to be very high end.

It’s very racy looking.” nnn

‘Sizzle’ or fizzle, expert asks Still, Borcher says observers need to remember there is always a sales bump and enthusiasm around a new product.

And it always fades.

“It’s sizzle,” he says. “Every car company is coming up with new models, they sell good for a while and then they slow down.”

And, he says, even if the new Corvette shows a significant jump in sales, it represents little of GM’s total sales.

“Maybe they’ll pump it up by another 5,000, time will tell,” he says. “It’ll still be $1, $2 billion out of $150 billion.”

Change our community for the

n Continued from 1J

BETTER.

Your contribution could help: a child learn to read, a family improve their financial stability, a senior citizen remain safe at home, a student graduate from high school and more. The possibilities to help are endless. Join us to make where we live a better place.

James York, executive director of the West Virginia Public Port Authority Railway and the Division of Highways.”

York is excited.

“As we participate in the export-import market, the Prichard terminal will no doubt be a networked facility that places West Virginia in the containerized movement of freight,” he said. “This location will be attractive to businesses who move containerized freight and will see the value added benefit of having a terminal right here in West Virginia, which allows shipments or origin and destination here.”

That will provide cost savings to companies already in West Virginia or those that want to

locate to the state, he said.

As the construction gets under way, marketing will be a key focus. The state development office, Rahall Transportation Institute in Huntington and the Wayne County Economic Development Authority are developing strategies in targeting the companies locally, regionally and beyond.

“The effort is massive in marketing properties around Prichard and other areas,” York said. “Working with each of these professional entities generates much excitement on the possibilities that we hope to build, promote and fortify for the future for the state.”

GIVE TODAY at www.giveunitedway.org 261322

“The continued partnership between planning organizations and our state development office will seek to attract sustainable business for these locations,” York said.

The port authority also supports the Division of Highways formulation of a statewide freight plan to augment and link freight movement into and out of West Virginia.

“All of these projects will provide the necessary transportation infrastructure to enable West Virginia companies to better compete in the global marketplace and provide economic growth in the region,” York said.

In the meantime, things are happening in Prichard.

“The movement of thousands of yards of earth is a massive effort to bring the facility to engineering standards,” he said.

“The day-to-day efforts for this project include a cooperative effort between the port authority’s contractor, Mountaineer Contracting, Norfolk Southern

“This autumn, the Corvette ditches its mullet, aviator glasses, and Thursday night bowling league image forever,” the New York Daily News recently wrote. “It’s all grown up now.”

The car — which has no price tag yet - hits the market in the third quarter, and only then will analysts be able to assess how far reaching the Corvette Stingray’s revitalization powers will be. Current Corvettes range from $49,000 to more than $100,000, and Tatman says the C7 will be in that range. nnn

‘Very racy looking’

nnn

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C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

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C M Y K 50 inch 4J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Progress 2013: Transportation

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

HIGHWAY

UPGRADES

Billy Summers/The Herald-Dispatch

Motorcyclists from around the area travel down new U.S. 35 on Aug. 7, 2010, in support of Hogs for Dogs, a fundraiser for the new Putnam County Animal Relief Center. When the possibility of a toll road was voted down, the Department of Highways turned its focus instead to maintenance and upgrades to the existing U.S. 35.

U.S. 35 projects nearing completion

By RACHEL BAILEY

For The Herald-Dispatch

A few years ago, Putnam County residents were faced with a choice: Expand all of the section of U.S. 35 that runs through the county to four lanes, making it a toll road, or leave the expansion incomplete.

“No one wants to pay to get where they need to go,” as West Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Carrie Bly points out.

“The Department of Highways had put in

several areas where you could go around the tolls. There were many options where you could get off and get around the tolls,” she says. “We listened to the community, and they didn’t want a toll road.”

Putnam County government voted the toll road down, and the expansion of 35 was stunted, meaning a section of the road, from Beech Hill to the Buffalo Bridge, would have to remain two lanes.

Without the funds to expand the entirety of the road, the DOT turned its focus instead

to maintenance and upgrades to the existing two-lane portion of U.S. 35.

The expansion to four lanes of much of the highway meant more people on the roads, about 12,000 at its busiest point.

“We wanted to make it as safe as we could with the funding we had,” Bly said.

Officials divided up the remaining, unexpanded portion of the road into two parts — Beech Hill to Plantation Road, and Plantation Road to Buffalo Bridge. Improvements include widened shoulders, the installation

of piling walls and resurfacing. In some cases, utilities like power poles or underground wires had to be moved to make room for the shoulders, which doubled in size from two feet to four feet.

The first section, started in 2011, covered about 14 miles and stretched from Beech Hill to Plantation Road. The second section, currently under construction, stretched from Plantation Road to Buffalo Bridge, about 3.5 miles.

“We have about 2.4 miles to go,” said Bly, though she did not indicate when she thought the project would be completed.

After nearly a year of construction on the project, Putnam commuters will surely be glad to see the upgrades completed.

Don’t forget to read “Next Generation Vessel” in this edition!

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C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

5J

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C M Y K 50 inch 6J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

Progress 2013: Transportation

Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2798 www.herald-dispatch.com

Lexus, Porsche top vehicle dependability rankings

By DEE-ANN DURBIN The Associated Press

DETROIT—Ifthere’sonething you can count on, it’s your car.

Vehicles are more dependable than ever, says J.D. Power and Associates. The consulting company’s latest study, which measures problems experienced in the last year by owners of 3-yearold vehicles, found that reported problems fell 5 percent to the lowest level since J.D. Power began collecting this data in 1989.

Lexus, Porsche, Lincoln and Toyota owners reported the fewest problems, while Jeep, Mitsubishi, Dodge and Land Rover owners had the most. Owners reported an average of 126 problems per 100 vehicles from the 2010 model year, down from 132 in last year’s survey. Problems can be anything from engine failure to dashboard electronic glitches to excessive wind noise.

For the first time, cars and trucks that were new or redesigned for 2010 performed better than those that were unchanged from the 2009 model year. Owners of new models experienced 116 problems per 100 vehicles compared with 133 for models that weren’t new in 2010. That result challenges the conventional wisdom that it takes carmakers one or two model years to work out all the glitches in new cars.

“The rapid improvement in fundamental vehicle dependability each year is more than offsetting any initial glitches

that all-new or redesigned models may have,” said David Sargent, who leads J.D. Power’s global automotive operations.

Among the models that were new or redesigned in 2010 were the Ford Mustang, Buick LaCrosse, Lexus ES350 and Toyota Camry.

Chrysler’s Ram brand — which introduced a new heavy-duty pickup in 2010 — saw one of the biggest leaps in the rankings. It rose to the 9th spot in 2013 from the 29th spot last year. Suzuki and Mazda also jumped in the rankings. Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion brand dropped 13 spots, and Cadillac, Audi, Volvo and Mitsubishi all dropped 11 spots.

For the third straight year, excessive wind noise was the top problem, said Raffi Festekjian, director of global automotive research operations.

Noisy brakes came in second, and problems with chipping or fading paint were No. 3, also for the third consecutive year, Festekjian said in an e-mail.

But trouble with dashboard electronics is on the rise, especially in the premium segment.

People reported wrong or missing directions in navigation systems, and voice recognition software that doesn’t recognize commands. The voice problem made the top 10 for the first time in the history of the survey, Festekjian said.

Those problems are likely to grow as newer cars make their

Cars you can count on

COUNT ON CARS: A new study

by J.D. Power and Associates says vehicles are more dependable than ever. The study questioned 37,000 owners of 2010 model year vehicles and measured the problems they had in the last year, from engine failure to electronic glitches.

MOST/LEAST DEPENDABLE: Lexus, Porsche, Lincoln, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz were the top performers. Volkswagen, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Dodge and Land Rover got the lowest rankings.

WHY IT MATTERS: People should feel more comfortable holding on to older cars or shopping for used cars.

And J.D. Power says dependability is only expected to get better.

The Associated Press

The Lexus IS 300h debuts at media previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Lexus, Porsche and Lincoln are the best performers in an annual survey of vehicle dependability. The J.D. Power and Associates survey released Wednesday measures problems experienced in the last year by owners of 3-year-old vehicles. way into the three-year reliability study. In J.D. Power’s study of quality after three months of ownership last year, owners reported more problems with audio, entertainment and navigation systems than with any other vehicle feature, Festekjian said.

This year’s study found that the Toyota Prius was the most reliable small car and the Hyundai Sonata was the most reliable

midsize car. The Toyota RAV4 was the highest-ranked small SUV and the Chevrolet Tahoe was the most reliable big SUV. The Lexus RX midsize SUV had the fewest problems of any vehicle, at 57 per 100.

Dependability rankings are important to car companies, since buyers who are happy with a purchase are more likely to stick with that brand in the

future. J.D. Power said 54 percent of owners who do not experience any problems with their vehicle stay with the same brand for their next new vehicle. That slips to 41 percent when owners experience three or more problems.

Sargent said the results should give buyers more confidence in older vehicles, whether they’re keeping their current model or shopping for a used car. But

he says dependability keeps improving, so people who buy new cars this year can have even more confidence in their cars’ performance three years from now.

The 2013 study, which was released Wednesday, was based on responses from more than 37,000 original owners of 2010 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership.

SPEEDOMETER top speed often exceeds reality

The Associated Press

The speedometer of a 1953 Corvette is seen at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Mich. Although current cars with high-horsepower engines can come close to the top speedometer speeds, most are limited by engine control computers. That’s because the tires can overheat and fail at higher speeds.

D

ETROIT — The speedometer on the Toyota Yaris says the tiny car can go 140 miles per hour.

In reality, the bulbous subcompact’s 106-horsepower engine and automatic transmission can’t push it any faster than 109.

So why do the Yaris — and most other cars sold in the U.S. — have speedometers that show top speeds they can’t possibly reach?

The answer has deep roots in an American culture that loves the rush of driving fast. The automakers’ marketing departments are happy to give people the illusion that their family car can travel at speeds rivaling a NASCAR racer. And companies often use one speedometer type in various models across the world, saving them money.

But critics say the ever-higher numbers are misleading. Some warn they create a safety concern, daring drivers to push past freeway speed limits that are 65 to 75 mph in most states.

By TOM KRISHER “ You reach The Associated Press a point where it becomes ridiculous,” says Larry Dominique, a former Nissan product chief who now is executive vice president of the TrueCar.com auto pricing website.

“Eighty percent plus of the cars on the road are not designed for and will not go over 110 mph.”

Last year, speedometer top speeds for new versions of the mainstream Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu were increased from 120 or 140 mph to 160, which approaches speeds on some NASCAR tracks. The speedometer on the Honda Accord already topped out at 160. All are midsize family haulers, the most popular segment of the U.S. auto market, and like most new cars, have top speeds that seldom exceed 120 mph.

The Yaris got its 140 mph speedometer in a redesign for the 2012 model year, giving it the same top reading as the original 1953 Chevrolet Corvette sports car. Even the

new Nissan Sentra compact has a 160 mph speedometer.

There are several explanations for the speedometers.

When people are comparison shopping, cars with higher speedometer readings appear to be sportier, and buyers favor them even though they have no intention of driving over 100.

“People really want to see higher numbers,” said Fawaz Baltaji, a business development manager for Yazaki North America, a large supplier of speedometers for auto companies.

“It is indicative of a more powerful engine.

There’s a marketing pitch to it.”

Although cars with high-horsepower engines can come close to the top speedometer speeds, most are limited by engine control computers. That’s because the tires can overheat and fail at higher speeds. Tires now common on mainstream cars often can’t go above 130 mph or they could fail. Many tires, especially on older models, have speed limits as low as 112. But that’s still faster than most people will ever drive.

Automakers, in a push to cut costs, now sell the same cars worldwide and use the same speedometers in different cars all over

the world. In China and Europe, governments require that the top number on speedometers be higher than a car’s top speed. Cars sold in Europe, for instance, have faster top speeds than those sold elsewhere because they can be driven over 150 mph on sections of Germany’s Autobahn. So to sell the same car or speedometer globally, the numbers have to be higher, said Kurt Tesnow, who’s in charge of speedometer and instrument clusters for General Motors.

Also, some mainstream cars have some souped-up cousins that go faster and need higher speedometer numbers. A Chevy Malibu with a 2-liter turbocharged engine, for instance, can go 155 mph, far higher than the mainstream version. The little Toyota Yaris gets its speedometer from another Toyota model that’s sold in other countries. “It’s not that each speedometer is designed for that specific vehicle,” said Greg Thome, a company spokesman.

Lastly, research has found that most people like the needle to hit highway speeds at the top of the speedometer’s circle, said Yazaki’s Baltaji. So the common freeway cruising speed of 70 to 80 mph is right in the middle on a 160 mph speedometer, he said.

The rising speedometer numbers aren’t surprising to Joan Claybrook, the top federal auto safety regulator under President Jimmy Carter. She’s been fighting the escalation for years and says it encourages drivers — especially younger ones — to drive too fast. During her tenure, she briefly got speedometer numbers lowered.

“They think that speed sells,” she said of automakers. “People buy these cars because they want to go fast.”

Some drivers at dealerships Tuesday conceded that marketing the higher speeds could have worked on them — at least when they were younger.

Paul Lampinen, 36, Ann Arbor, Mich., said he bought a Ram Pickup with a V-8 engine because he likes a powerful truck. The higher speedometer numbers could have influenced him when he was in his 20s, but they wouldn’t work now, he said. “I don’t want to pay any tickets,” he said while getting his truck serviced at a Chrysler dealer in nearby Saline, Mich.

For years, most speedometers topped out at 120 — even though that was 50 mph over the limit in most states. Then, in 1980, Claybrook, who ran the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, limited speedometers to 85 mph, even though cars could go much faster.

The move, designed to end the temptation to push cars to their limits, drew outrage from gearheads nationwide. Some automakers got around the rule by ending the numbers at 85 but leaving lines beyond that to show higher speeds. The government also forced automakers to highlight 55 mph, which at the time was the fuel-saving national speed limit.

C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

7J

COMPUTER EDUCATOR

261705

WVU Physicians of Charleston is looking for a motivated individual with a minimum of two years experience in a medical office environment, training front end as well as scheduling and medical records experience a plus. The position will be responsible for assisting, planning, testing, and helping implement upgrades for and enhancements on application software. They will be responsible for providing training for scheduling and registration, charge and payment posting, account review as well as EMR applications. The successful person will assist customers in identifying systems solutions to meet functional needs, streamline, and ensure patient safety and confidentiality. High school education required. Epic Systems software experience preferred but not required training will be provided. Excellent benefits package provided.

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by helping our students discover theirs

Send resume to WVU Physicians of Charleston, Attn: Human Resources, 3110 MacCorkle Ave., SE, Charleston, WV 25304 or fax to (304)347-1328.

EOE

The Office of Information Technology Office at Ohio University currently has 3 openings that we invite you to apply for

Ohio University offers a great compensation plan and benefits for you and your family. To Apply, go to http://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com please complete and submit the online quick application and attach required documents. Please provide name, addresses, and current contact information for at least 3 professional references.

For full consideration, please apply by March 13, 2013. Position will remain open until filled.

+:H-Q4 J1H0.F 6H:0.F I:LH-QH:H6Q J:82/F :H4 Q*1Q/LQH6Q4 622K 3411)65&<* 2:<06 -<$</68 :==RN !? =&;9>?S +>>'RC?'09 /&7!;&@&?7 6>@@5?!7NF ) 8;C'R&N O>97&; 4;DF M5?7!?$7>? ," +0118(

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Associate Software Engineer Storage Engineer Infrastructure Administrator

Ohio University is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive educational and workplace environment. Ohio University is an equal access/equal opportunity and affirmative action institution.

WWW.OHIO.EDU

Immediate Opening FAMILY MEDICINE FACULTY MEMBER UNITED HOSPITAL CENTER

The United Hospital Center Family Medicine Residency Program is recruiting an additional full-time faculty member. The residency is a community based hospital program with ACGME and AOA accreditation. Candidates may be osteopathic or allopathic trained but must be board certified by the ABFM. Delivery of obstetrical patients is not required. Experience with residency tracking software and electronic medical records such as EPIC is necessary. Candidates should also be familiar with the Patient Centered Medical Home concept. Compensation is a competitive salary reflective of experience, full benefit package, interview and relocation expenses paid.

INQUIRES CAN BE SENT TO:

261704

Eric Radcliffe, MD 527 Medical Park Drive , Suite 500 Bridgeport,WV 26330 radcliffe@uhcwv.org

/-. )"#"'. $+ &.!(#- ,!'. *% &.'.

Hospice of Huntington is looking for focused, compassionate, and committed team members who want to have a positive impact on the people we serve on our home team and our hospice house. ' .:< %"4 :<0!% ;": 0 #7011<$95$9 0$! ;41/115$9 #0:<<: change? ' Are you an RN with 2 or more years of RN experience? ' Are you an LPN with 1 year of experience or more? ' Are you a CNA with 1 year or more experience? ' Do you have nursing home or home health experience? ' Are you interested in working full-time, part-time or per diem?

We serve our patients wherever they call home, including assisted living, nursing home, or their personal residence. :==R!(C7!>?9 @CN A& '>P?R>C'&' %;>@ 7"& M>9=!(& >% M5?7!?$7>?F L?(D P&A9!7& C7 PPPD">9=!(&>%"5?7!?$7>?D>;$ >; =!(T&' 5= C7 7"& M>9=!(& >%G(& C7 ))B) #7" :3&?5&F M5?7!?$7>?F +,D .&?' 7"& (>@=R&7&' C==R!(C7!>? 7> M/ 4!;&(7>; < ))B) #7"D Hospice of Huntington, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

Highlands, a growing premier healthcare facility in Prestonsburg, is currently recruiting for Director of Ancillary Services Full-Time - Weekends/Holidays required Highlands Regional Medical Center has an opening for a Full-Time Director of Ancillary Services. The Director is responsible for all aspects of staff management, departmental management for Radiology, Laboratory and Respiratory Therapy Departments. Creates a positive professional work environment that focuses on the customer. Administrative responsibilities include: annual work plan development, budget preparation, performance reviews, performance improvement programs, professional development programs for staff, and preparation and maintenance of regulatory requirements, such as DNV, OSHA, etc. Directors are expected to embrace, utilize, and champion technology to advance HRMC & HHS and its strategic agenda.

Bachelor’s degree (in a related field); at least five (5) years’ experience; eligibility for licensure in the state of Kentucky; strong experience in regulatory compliance; and computer skills. Management training or experience required.

Attractive benefits.

Interested applicants may apply on line @ our HRMC website www.hrmc.org Click on the “Career” link hZdZg XXZfY[bc a `e_ hZdZg XXZfY[b\ E-mail: tclark@hrmc.org Highlands is an equal opportunity employer

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C M Y K 50 inch 8J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 17, 2013

’S DAY ST. PATRICKCASH BONUSUP TO SAVE

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