Progress week 4

C M Y K 50 inch proGress 2013

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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 careers and homes.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

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HoMes

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Construction workers from Scott Wheeler Development LLC lay brick in Ona. Photos by Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

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ConfIDEnCE RETuRnInG foR HoME BuYERS

Signs of improvement in local housing market sTorY BY CUrTIs JoHNsoN / THe Herald-dIspaTCH F

cujohnson@herald-dispatch.com

H

ousing analysts from near and far are optimistic about the new year.

Various measurements continue to show signs of growth nationally as the local market remains relatively steady, according to numbers provided by the Huntington Board of Realtors.

Local steadiness hasn’t caused many in the industry to fret. They instead point to how the Tri-State weathered the recession without a tremendous crash, thus eliminating the necessity of a great rebound.

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Their optimistic minds point to low interest rates and a newfound sense of certainty in Washington, D.C., along with continued growth in areas east and north of Huntington.

Patrick Lucas, broker for Century 21 Homes & Land, acknowledged some uncertainty lingers due to the national debt, but he said history shows people

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Homes

2G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Housing market remains steady The Cabell County Assessor’s Office works year-round to track the housing market.

This year, Cabell County saw total sales of $75,000,000.

Every sale within the county passes through our office which allows us to continually compare data. One of the largest factors of value is location.

The total number of sales from 2006-2010 was significantly higher than that in our current market. However, sales were declining during that time. In the last two years, our market has stabilized.

While it is certainly slower than six years ago, Cabell County has been very fortunate not to have experienced the crippling downturn felt in many areas of our nation, as the average sale price in our three cities- Barboursville, Huntington and Milton- actually increased.

Barboursville District Barboursville District consists of numerous subdivisions including Guyan Estates, Indian Meadows, Old Farm, Meadow Creek and Laurel Crossing.

Many apartment complexes are scattered throughout the district.

Cabell County has not been affected by the housing crash that has plagued the rest of the country, and that tends to keep our Real Estate Market in good shape. Properties are now on the market for less time than in previous years, and the sales are very close to the asking prices, which are increasing.

Tyson Compton

president of the Cabell-Huntington Convention & Visitors Bureau

Irv

JOHNSON includes neighborhoods such as those bordering Ritter Park, Fairfield East and West, Enslow Park, Walnut Hills, Beverly Hills, Highlawn, Guyandotte, and others.

Kyle District is west of 8th Street to the Wayne County line.

Huntington-Guyandotte is the extreme south side of Huntington, mostly bordering I-64.

It also includes Harveytown, Altizer and properties recently annexed into the Huntington city limits.

Although, the number of open-market sales in this area of Cabell County is still below the level of past years, the average sale price for 2012 has increased over 2011.

Tri-State housing market

Residential open-market transactions from 2006-20012 in Cabell County that did not involve the following: additional parcels; a change after sale; related individuals or corporations; liquidation or forced sale; special financing/ land contract; and excessive personal property Sales 481 451 404 298 354 271 288

tax year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Sales 38 35 35 29 31 12 12

tax year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Sales 30 35 28 17 29 23 19

tax year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Sales 431 378 337 245 313 265 251

Providing a home

& a lifestyle

Grant District

Grant District comprises the part of Cabell County outside the Town of Milton. It has the two unincorporated areas of Ona and Culloden. Sales volume is holding steady, as our real estate market has not declined. Sales are good and indications are that prices increased, somewhat, during 2012 and early 2013. New construction is still under way in Eastern Cabell County, and despite the sometimes inclement weather, it has not slowed the building of new homes.

Town of Barboursville Bedford Heights subdiviTown of Barboursville Dission, just off Rock Camp trict is still experiencing the Road, is a prime example, new construction of upper end and construction has homes, particularly in Knob remained steady with a Creek and Deer Creek subdivi- sales range from $250,000 sions. to $350,000 and above.

The area has remained a Cherry Brooke, the new very desirable place in which subdivision on Howell’s to live and current sales reflect Mill Road, currently under that. Outside of these upper development, has one new end Subdivisions, the sales home sold at approximately in the Town of Barboursville $190,000 and there are sales remain constant, however pending for other homes. they tend to sell somewhat Properties in older areas faster than they did previously. such as Summer Acres, MalWhile foreclosures occur, colm Spring Heights and they tend to be at a minimum, Whispering Pines continue despite the conditions outside to have excellent sale prices.

West Virginia.

Some smaller homes and homes more than 40 years old Huntington Districts in the Culloden area are now Huntington is comprised of beginning to sell at approxithree tax districts, which are mately $90,000, compared to Gideon, Kyle and Huntington- previously when they were Guyandotte. selling at a rate considerably Gideon District is comprised less. Properties outside the of all properties east of 8th subdivisions are selling well Street in the Huntington city with no decline in price. limits, excluding the extreme Please see JOHNSON/3G south side of Huntington. It

tax year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

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

Huntington

total $47,436,311 $44,551,382 $41,429,961 $30,490,146 $41,225,287 $31,698,561 $34,591,406

BArBourSville total $4,868,600 $4,936,500 $3,648,300 $4,987,846 $5,236,300 $1,747,900 $2,222,000

Milton

total $4,177,620 $4,437,615 $4,069,884 $17,457,757 $4,156,500 $2,968,395 $2,973,400

non-incorporAted total $57,674,286 $53,316,096 $51,956,188 $37,971,640 $47,185,769 $41,240,447 $36,128,700

Average 98,620 $98,784 $102,549 $102,316 $116,546 $116,969 $120,109 Average $128,121 $141,043 $145,932 $171,994 $168,913 $145,658 $185,167 Average $139,254 $126,789 $145,353 $102,692 $143,328 $129,060 $156,495 Average $133,815 $141,048 $154,173 $154,986 $150,753 $155,624 $143,939

Dates used are not calendar year, but “tax year” beginning on July 1st thru June 30th.

Cabell County has wide access to such amenities, notably Ritter Park, above, in Huntington, Barboursville Park and April Dawn Park in Milton. Soon those spots will be joined by the Paul Ambrose Trail for Health (PATH), left, a 26-mile, citywide trail system in Huntington. Construction workers from Bush and Burchett Inc continue with the PATH project in Guyandotte.

Photos by Mark Webb and Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Huntington area amenities boost attractiveness of a potential home

T

he presence of parks, walking trails and other forms of recreation can boost the attractiveness of a house, but analysts are unsure as to how it can impact the home’s value.

Cabell County has wide access to such amenities, notably Ritter Park in Huntington, Barboursville Park and April Dawn Park in Milton.

Soon those spots will be joined by “It just intrinsically adds value to your home,” he said. “It may not be huge, but I think it does add value because then it becomes easily accessible to you and your family.”

But that value may not mean instant dollar signs, according to broker Jim Weiler of RE/ MAX Realty and mortgage lender Ginger Sergent of First Sentry Bank.

That is, in part, because real estate agents and mortgage experts determine value by the home’s square footage and its actual, on-site amenities, as well as the sell price of comparable homes in the area.

Weiler described parks and such amenities as catalysts that can satisfy a prospective buyer’s search for opportunity. He mentioned homes neighboring Ritter Park as an example.

“Some of them are very limited in the size of their yards,” he said. “I tell my clients or prospects, ‘You’ve got the biggest yard in Huntington a block away and you don’t have to mow it.’”

Like PATH, Weiler said plans for a park at the site of the former Miller Elementary School could provide a similar opportunity for those neighbors. Sergent listed the city’s recently opened dog park in the same light.

the Paul Ambrose Trail for Health (PATH), a 26-mile, citywide trail system in Huntington.

Tyson Compton, president of the Cabell-Huntington Convention & Visitors Bureau, said those items together with the Huntington Mall, Marshall Artists Series and the Huntington Symphony Orchestra have proved good selling points in attracting new residents to the area.

STORY BY

CURTIS JOHNSON THe HeRalddISpaTCH

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Jim Weiler of RE/MAX Realty described parks and such amenities as catalysts that can satisfy a prospective buyer’s search for opportunity. He mentioned homes neighboring Ritter Park as an example.

But it may take years for a dollar-sign increase to eventually follow, Sergent said.

She explained any such spike in value is dependent upon individual buyers choosing to pay more for comparable homes in the area . Once

enough of those comparable homes sell for an increased amount, then the park could have an indirect affect.

“You’re not going to get an instant bang for your buck,” she said. “It’s got to build up, and you’ve got to get a lot of people

to buy the (comparable) houses for a higher price for it to ever benefit you.”

Follow Curtis Johnson via Twitter @curtisjohnsonHD and http://facebook.com/curtisjohnsonHD.

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Homes

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

n Continued from 2G

Town of Milton District

Town of Milton District is located just off Interstate 64 in eastern Cabell County. It is bordered on the west and south by the Mud River and on the north by I-64. Conveniently located, it is a desirable community in which to live and consists of new subdivisions, a new commercial neighborhood, and numerous new townhouses and apartment buildings under construction.

Town of Milton District has seen a small decrease in the number of sales, but the average sale price shows an increase of approximately 20 percent.

Union District Union District comprises Ohio River Road, WV 2 — from 9 Mile Creek to the Mason County line Union Ridge, Barker Ridge, Howell’s Mill, Big 7 Mile Road, Lower Creek Road, Prichard Road and others.

Sales are good in this market area, especially large acreage farm land from 60 acre tracts upwards to 200 acres, with sales $300,000 to $400,000. Land is what buyers seem to want most, and this seems to be the latest selling/buying trend.

Lots for adding improvements such as manufactured

Curtis Johnson/The Herald-Dispatch

or stick built homes range from one quarter acre to around three acres, and a typical sale price is approximately $26,000 per acre. It is predictable to see this trend continue, unless the availability of properties would diminish.

Guyandotte District Guyandotte has seen an increase in sales with many new and updated homes on West Pea R idge Road and surrounding areas. Also, the vicinity near the new Huntington East Middle School has seen an increase in new construction on U.S. 60.

John

BRUMLEY get on a waiting list, but it is worth the wait to get a quality builder.* n Appraisals have offered another challenge. NAHB has offered a white paper to address appraisal reform titled “A Comprehensive Blueprint For Residential Appraisal Reform.” While reforms are being considered, be sure your builder is allowed to submit information to the appraiser chosen for your project. n The cost of material has risen over the past few years. Be sure to factor this into your new construction project. n New EPA regulations, energy considerations and code requirements have changed the way houses are to be built. Be sure your contractor is up to date on these new techniques and talk about what level of efficiency you want in your new home.

There is no satisfaction equal to that of owning your own home, and in particular, to building your dream home. If you are able to do it, don’t wait for better economic times. There is no better time than the present. *For the names of local Home Builder members who are builders and remodelers, go to www.tristatehba.com or for a wider area go to www. hbawv.org. For information about building and housing topics such as mortgage interest deductions, weatherization, green building, buying a home, lead paint and many others, go to www.nahb.org.

John Brumley is the President of Tri-State Home Builders Association.

McComas District McComas District has experienced recent sales in the Williamsburg Colony area.

New construction continues throughout the district with a number of new homes built in the WV 10 area.

Irv Johnson is the Cabell County Assessor.

Homeowner tips to avoid possibility of foreclosure Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Are you having trouble keeping up with your mortgage payments? Have you received a notice from your lender asking you to contact them? n Don’t ignore the letters from your lender n Contact your lender immediately n Contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency n Toll FREE (800) 569-4287 n TTY (800) 877-8339 If you are unable to make your mortgage payment: 1. Don’t ignore the problem.

The further behind you become, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and the more likely that you will lose your house.

2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have a problem.

Lenders do not want your house. They have options to help borrowers through difficult financial times.

3. Open and respond to all mail from your lender.

The first notices you receive will offer good information about foreclosure prevention options that can help you weather financial problems. Later mail may include important notices of pending legal action. Your failure to open the mail will not be an

Positive indicators for Huntington and Charleston market

Spring offers the prospect of new beginnings for many people. In recent days there seems to be a more optimistic view of the economy, the weather and of life in general.

For residents of Huntington and Charleston, this is more than just a good feeling or wishful thinking. Both cities now appear on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI).

What does that mean? To be on that list, a housing market has to show improvement for at least six consecutive months following its lowest point. The three key measurements used to gauge this index include home price appreciation, singlefamily permits and employment.

With these positive indicators, now is a good time to consider building that new home of your dreams. Owning your own home provides a place for your family to grow and thrive, and contributes to building stronger communities. With the break in the weather, spring provides the optimal time to begin construction without interruptions.

There are still challenges that face the construction of a new home, but they are not impossible challenges. n Given the new banking regulations, financing a new home may take some creative effort. n Location is important and the area surrounding Huntington is blessed with a number of new subdivisions with lots available. n There are still excellent local licensed contractors who have survived the Great Recession. They may have smaller crews due to downsizing, and you may have to

ABOVE: Jon Wheeler, Assessor Irv Johnson, J.D. Adkins, front left to right, join colleagues John Perry, Brent Williams, Brian Daniels and Jerry Vinyard, back left to right, in representing the Cabell County Assessorís Office outside of the Cabell County Courthouse.

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Metro Creative Graphics

To be on The National Association of Home Builders First American Improving Markets Index list, a housing market has to show improvement for at least six consecutive months following its lowest point. The three key measurements used to gauge this index include home price appreciation, singlefamily permits and employment.

Metro Creative Graphics

Don’t ignore the problem. The further behind you become, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and the more likely that you will lose your house. excuse in foreclosure court.

4. Know your mortgage rights.

Find your loan documents and read them so you know what your lender may do if you can’t make your payments. Learn about the foreclosure laws and timeframes in your state (as every state is different) by contacting the State Government Housing Office.

5. Understand foreclosure prevention options.

Valuable information about foreclosure prevention (also called loss mitigation) options can be found online.

6. Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds free or very low-cost housing counseling nationwide. Housing counselors can help you understand the law and your options, organize your finances and represent you in negotiations with your lender, if you need this assistance. Find a HUD-approved housing counselor near you or call 800-5694287 or TTY 800-877-8339.

ON 6G:

More foreclosure tips

H Doors &Windows H Sunrooms & Screen Rooms H Decks & Porches

Master Dealer

262010

Johnson

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Homes

4G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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

Housing

n Continued from 1G

people feel more confident in buying a home after a presidential election.

“People are still living their lives,” he said. “People are still getting married, getting divorced, having kids, retiring, moving elsewhere, getting job transfers ... So life goes on, and with life changes usually come a change in where people live.”

National signs of improvement include a March report indicating home prices rose 9.7 percent in January from a year ago, according to the Associated Press.

It also reported numbers from the National Association of Realtors showing inventories falling to a 13-year low as the sale of existing homes ticked up in January after rising to their highest level in five years in 2012.

The U.S. Commerce Department reported in late February that new-home sales rose nearly 16 percent in January, making it the largest increase in nearly 20 years, according to AP reports.

Local housing at a glance

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Construction workers from Scott Wheeler Development LLC lay brick in Ona. In Huntington, the Board of Realtors’ report identifies the city’s Southeast Hills area as particularly busy. It outpaces other city neighborhoods with more than 100 units sold in both 2011 and 2012. The area includes the Meadows Elementary School district to southeast to areas along Norway Avenue. others. More are on the way.

“The first four that we’ve got down there, we’ve had them sold before they were ever completed,” he said. “I think the price point is something that’s affordable, especially for the product that they’re getting.”

Johnson placed today’s prized price range from $189,000 to $219,000. McGuire set the demand a bit lower between $125,000 and $175,000.

“You could sell them as fast as you’re building them,” McGuire said. “That’s this market right here. It’s the big-dollar homes that are hurting.”

Cathy Rickman, a mortgage lender at United Bank, also sees improvement in the market, but she qualified it as slow. At the depths of the recession approximately 15 percent of her clients were buying a home to the 85 percent focused on refinancing.

Now she estimates that split at 30-percent purchases to 70percent refinancing.

Financing remains difficult A n a lysts say f i n a nci ng remains the most challenging aspect of the market.

The Huntington Board of Realtors’ report indicates 43.2 percent of units sold by its agents in 2012 were financed with conventional loans. That’s on par with the previous years and many others, according

at 25.8 percent among the various types of financing. Those 1,236 units sold at an average price of $87,237, much cheaper than more popular forms of financing for which averages exceeded $115,000.

Lucas and McGuire said the cash buys were indicative of foreclosures, which are sold at cheaper prices to those capable of paying full cash.

Kevin McGuire Huntington Board of Realtors president various analysts.

The challenge involves qualifying for such a mortgage and being able to afford its down payment. McGuire said loans that once closed in 30 days now take 45 to 60 days.

And then it varies with the underwriter, McGuire said. He cited one example in which a registerednursewasrequiredtoprovide a diploma to prove his career. A W2 tax form would not suffice.

“It’s still tight,” he said. “People have to be pretty squeaky clean with their credit.”

Government financing ranked second in the Board of Realtors’ report with 327 purchases, or 26.5 percent, having utilized a loan from either the Federal Housing Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Growth trends suburban

The FHA loans still require a down payment and come with what can be troublesome regulations. Neither the USDA nor VA loans require a down payment, but both restrict who can qualify.

Rickman said those difficulties make saving money and watching one’s credit all the more crucial.

Fralic attributed finance challenges with giving a boost to the rental industry. His store has seen an increase in multi-family construction, particularly in Huntington. He said rentals can become a better option in the face of a buyer needing $70,000 to $80,000 in upfront money to construct a new home.

“Thatiswherethedemandis,”he said of multi-family construction.

The Board of Realtors’ report ranked cash purchases as third

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in that area, for 2012, exceeded $137,300 with most ranging between $154,500 and $173,000.

Putnam County also remains a viable market, especially for dual-income families whose jobs are split between Huntington and Charleston. Lucas said the county particularly appeals to those out of state due to similarities between it and their previous hometown.

In Huntington, the Board of Realtors’ report identifies the city’s Southeast Hills area as particularly busy. It outpaces other city neighborhoods with more than 100 units sold in both 2011 and 2012. The area includes the Meadows Elementary School district to southeast to areas along Norway Avenue.

McGuire said homes in Southeast Hills match the desired price range. Last year the average price was approximately $118,500, down from $128,400 from 2011. He believes the 2012 number would have been higher without recent foreclosures.

Lucas also mentioned the neighborhood attracts less foot traffic.

It’s proximity to area hospitals also interests young doctors who are required to live within a certain distance of the city’s hospitals.

Analysts say areas of east and north of Huntington continue to be the most favorable markets for selling real estate. They attribute the trend to a mix of city weaknesses and a general preference for a suburban lifestyle.

McGuire listed taxes and fees, along with scarce land availability and the aging nature of Huntington homes as reasons people are choosing to locate outside of the area’s most populous city.

But suburban amenities also are causing prospective home buyers to gravitate toward eastern Cabell County and Proctorville, Ohio. Analysts say those issues include presence of subdivisions, newer construction, the choice of particular schools and the proximity to attractions, such as the Huntington Mall.

Homes there generally sell Follow Curtis Johnson via for more money, according to Twitter @curtisjohnsonHD and the Board of Realtors’ report. http://facebook.com/curtisThe average price for many sells johnsonHD.

4341 U.S. Route 60 East, Suite 181 Huntington, WV 25705

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The Huntington Board of Realtors closed 1,236 residential sales in 2012, a marginal drop of 1.7 percent from the previous year.

The volume of those transactions totaled nearly $169 million at an average price of $136,702.

The total volume was down four-tenths of a percentage point from 2011, while the average price rose 1.4 percent.

The average time a unit remained on the market rose 2 percent from 148 days in 2011 to 151 in 2012. Early statistics, through late February, show that average having risen to 161 days.

Kevin McGuire, the board’s president and an agent at McGuire Realty, attributed that increase to January and February traditionally being a real estate agent’s slowest months. He said business should pick up in the spring as those interested seize on what he called a “buyers’ market.”

Those working outside of real estate offices also are optimistic about a pick up in the market. That includes 84 Lumber’s Joe Fralic and developer Adam Johnson.

Fralic started seeing an uptick in sales last year at his store, which is located near the 29th Street Exit. The increase carried over into the winter, and the store manager anticipates a busy spring. He personally felt the recession and a series of foreclosures finally ran its course and almost left a shortage.

“Now there’s a need for new housing,” he said.

Johnsonisexperiencingthatneed at Bradford Heights in Milton and CherrybrookeinOna.Hiscompany, Johnson Land Development, just last year shifted its Cherrybrooke strategytowardone-floor,rancherstyle homes. It has attracted newlyweds, young professionals and the elderly, along with others who may want to downsize.

The homes come with 1,600 square feet in living space and a garage. They sell for approximately $199,000. They’ve built the first one in April 2012, soon thereafter selling it and four

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C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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Criminal History Specialist Putnam County Circuit Court is now accepting resumes for the position of Criminal History Specialist.

The Criminal History Specialist will improve the completeness, automation and transmittal of records used by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Applicants should have a good working knowledge of the justice system. Must have the ability to prepare and effectively present written and oral reports, establish and maintain a professional working relationship with staff and the West Virginia State Police; apply existing laws, rules and regulations; possess the ability to learn and apply technology in the course of the job; exhibit attention to details and accuracy; and maintain discreet behavior due to work with sensitive records. The highest level of discretion is mandatory.

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Homes

6G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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

Rome Township leads Lawrence in number of homes sales, value The Lawrence County real estate market is ever changing and dynamic. History shows that we don’t typically see the booms and the busts that are portrayed on the national news.

However, the real estate market in Lawrence County has definitely cooled since the highs of 2007.

In fact, six years ago the total real estate sales in Lawrence County reached an all-time high of nearly $110 million. For calendar year 2008, total sales dropped to $95,189,500, and for calendar year 2009 the amount dropped again to $79,899,500 in sales.

In 2010 the total real estate sales bounced back to $84,436,135. In 2011 the total real estate sales increased again to $89,083,865, but in 2012 the total real estate sales in the county dropped to $77,597,305.

As you can see, the volume of sales has fluctuated from year to year in Lawrence County.

Looking at the county as a whole over the last few years is interesting. I would like to share with you the breakdown of only the valid residential real estate sales of 2011

Jason

STEPHENS through 2012, from specific areas of the county.

These are sales between a willing seller and a willing buyer in an arm’s length transaction. They do not include sales between related parties or non-residential properties: As these numbers show, almost every area in the county saw a slowdown of residential sales from 2011 to 2012. The most active area of the county is along the Ohio River. Only Union Township saw an increase in the total sales amount even though the number of sales was down about 17 percent.

Rome Township continues to lead the county in both the number of sales and the overall value of residential real estate property involved in transactions. The City of Ironton and surrounding areas had a strong 2011 in number of sales, but the real estate

market slowed in the city and surrounding areas in 2012.

The South Point area, which is made up of the village and Fayette and Perry townships, displayed a similar trend as the county in whole, while the remaining portions of the county, which are more rural and away from the Ohio River, saw level but light transactions in both 2011 and 2012.

Although, the overall activity has declined from 2011 to 2012, when looking at individual sales, it is apparent that real estate values are remaining steady within the county.

What this means for the prospective buyer or seller is that what they will pay or get out of their particular piece of real estate is somewhat predictable.

Our conveyance records (sales information) are open for your inspection. You are invited to the County Auditor’s Office in the Lawrence County Courthouse to see for yourself the details of our local real estate market. You can also search a variety of detailed sales information on our Web site at www.lawrencecountyauditor.org.

Metro Creative Graphics

TIPS TO AVOID FORECLOSURE Continued from 3G:

Jason Stephens is the Lawrence County Auditor.

7. Prioritize your spending.

After health care, keeping your house should be your first priority. Review your finances and see where you can cut spending in order to make your mortgage payment. Look for optional expenses — cable TV, memberships, entertainmentthat you can eliminate. Delay payments on credit cards and other “unsecured” debt until you have paid your mortgage.

8. Use your assets.

Do you have assets - a second car, jewelry, a whole life insurance policy — that you can sell for cash to help reinstate your loan? Can anyone in

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Lawrence County home sales PArCELS 75 74 62 46 33 31 15 10 9 8 7 5 4 2 2 2 1 1 1 0

totAL SALES $10,640,550 $5,187,300 $6,044,680 $4,090,375 $1,779,350 $3,499,400 $1,246,500 $498,500 $557,000 $709,000 $307,900 $611,500 $129,500 $205,000 $44,300 $76,000 $28,000 $93,000 $12,000 $0

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totAL SALES $8,307,400 $3,816,020 $6,821,790 $3,206,750 $1,526,000 $2,123,000 $632,000 $498,000 $515,000 $528,050 $401,000 $306,270 $0 $72,800 $58,000 $76,000 $287,000 $5,500 $0 $0

How Did I Get Into This: Retired after 36 years in the newspaper publishing business. Found out I was too young to retire.

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Favorite TV show: “NCIS,” “The Following”

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Entity Rome Twp Ironton Union Twp Fayette Twp Perry Twp South Point Upper Twp Elizabeth Twp Lawrence Twp Windsor Twp Coal Grove Proctorville Symmes Twp Aid Twp Decatur Twp Hamilton Twp Mason Twp Wash. Twp Hanging Rock Athalia

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services your lender or a HUDapproved housing counselor will provide free if you contact them.

10. Don’t lose your house to foreclosure recovery scams.

If any firm claims they can stop your foreclosure immediately and if you sign a document appointing them to act on your behalf, you may well be signing over the title to your property and becoming a renter in your own home. Never sign a legal document without reading and understanding all the terms and getting professional advice from an attorney, a trusted real estate professional or a HUD-approved housing counselor.

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your household get an extra job to bring in additional income?

Even if these efforts don’t significantly increase your available cash or your income, they demonstrate to your lender that you are willing to make sacrifices to keep your home.

9. Avoid foreclosure prevention companies.

You don’t need to pay fees for foreclosure prevention help-use that money to pay the mortgage instead. Many for-profit companies will contact you promising to negotiate with your lender. While these may be legitimate businesses, they will charge you a hefty fee (often two or three month’s mortgage payment) for information and

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Homes

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The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

7G

not easy being

green

Decorate with the year’s trendy color without overdoing

By KIM COOK

The Associated Press

W hen Pa ntone LLC announced that emerald green was its Color of the Year for 2013, reaction among designers and interior consultants was mixed.

The company, which creates and matches colors for the home and fashion industries, picks a top hue each year based on current use and expected continued popularity.

For New York color consultant Debra Kling, emerald green’s boldness means it should be used only as an accent. “Emerald might be one of those polarizing colors like purple — you either love it or hate it, and certainly could get tired of it fast,” she says.

Other shelter style arbiters, however, such as Elle Dicor, heralded the color by featuring luxe goods in emerald green, including fabrics from Scalamandre, Schumacher and Phillip Jeffries, and Baccarat water glasses.

Greens have been strong for a while because of interest in nature, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone’s research arm known as the Pantone Color Institute, has said. She calls green “a color of growth, renewal, healing, unity and regeneration.”

So can you decorate with emerald green without becoming overwhelmed by it?

New York designer Elaine Griffin thinks you can, as long as you’re careful.

“There’s no getting around it, emerald is flat out dramatic.

Which means it’s best used in

Curtis Johnson /The Herald-Dispatch

These signs represent just two homes for sell in Teays Valley, W.Va., which analysts describe as a bustling real estate market between Hurricane, W.Va., and Scott Depot, W.Va., in Putnam County.

A seller’s

market

“I mean I have agents right here in our office that have three, five, six, 10 buyers that they’re trying to find something for.”

By CURTIS JOHNSON The Herald-Dispatch

cujohnson@herald-dispatch.com

TEAYS VALLEY, W.Va. — The housing market continues to be strong in Putnam County, according to real estate agents and County Assessor Sherry Hayes.

Josh McGrath, president elect of the Kanawha Valley Board of Realtors, said in early March that he had noticed a favorable shift within the past 30 days. So much of a shift he moved the county from being a “buyer’s’ market” to a “seller’s’ market.”

That means agents have more qualified buyers than an inventory of available homes.

“I mean I have agents right here in our office that have three, five, six, 10, buyers that they’re trying to find something for,” said McGrath, also broker/ owner for Real Estate Central in Teays Valley. “There’s just not a lot of good listings out there.

If a good property goes on the market, and it’s clean, neat and move-in ready and it’s priced right, it will sell.”

The number of units sold in Putnam County increased 12.5 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to combined statistics provided the Huntington and Kanawha Valley Boards of Realtors.

T h e C h a rle s to n - b a s e d , Kanawha Valley board handles the majority of county transactions. Its numbers show Putnam County sellers, in 2012, experienced fewer days on market and received more of their asking price as compared to 2011.

Kanawha Valley board members tallied 590 units sold in 2012 for an average sale price of $190,706, a slight drop form 2011’s average price of $192,033. McGrath said the cheap sell of foreclosures caused the marginal drop.

The average time a house stays on the market improved to 72 days in 2012, according to statistics from the Kanawha Valley Board of Realtors. The year-to-date number for 2013 had risen in early March to 77 days, but it remained below the

Josh McGrath president elect of the Kanawha Valley Board of Realtors 2011 mark of 81 days.

That length of time is relatively low. For instance, homes sold by the Huntington Board of Realtors had an average days on market 151 days.

McGrath attributed the county’s success to sellers listing their homes at an appropriate price. He said that reality is found in that sellers received 96 percent of their asking price in 2012, up one percent from the prior year. That means a negotiated reduction of only $4,000 for someone who listed their home at $100,000.

The average home selling in Putnam County has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and is priced between $180,000 to $250,000, McGrath said. They are typically located between Hurricane east to the Crooked Creek interchange in Scott Depot.

“I just think people like that area,” he said. “A lot of the time you can find a house that is a little bit newer and needs a little less work. If you go into Charleston, Dunbar and places like that, even South Charleston, the homes are older, sometimes need more updating if they haven’t been renovated.

“That can be a scary thing for a young buyer,” McGrath added.

Qualifying for a mortgage can be a challenge in Putnam County as anywhere else, but

buyers there can benefit from mortgages offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Those loans require no down payment, but cities are typically excluded as qualification is restricted to certain geographical areas.

Putnam County benef its because, unlike other counties, all of its land is classified as a rural community and falls within the USDA’s boundaries of qualification, McGrath said. That makes buying a home simpler.

“I think that’s helped tremendously,” he said. “It affords people the ability to live in an area they want to live with a program they can afford to buy a house with.”

Hayes noticed an increase in activity between tax years ending 2011 and 2012, during which total sales rose from 512 to 623.

She believes the building of new schools and renovations at others are making the county even more desirable.

McGrath has not noticed any real shift in population, although he mentioned newer construction under way in Fraziers Bottom and Scott Depot. He also noted Winfield is becoming increasingly popular with some buyers.

The broker said he doesn’t believe any of that growth will impact the strength of the Hurricane-Teays Valley market.

HAYES

fidence Elementary and the renovations at Winfield Middle School and Winfield Elementary and more schools in the future, Putnam County is even more desirable to live and raise a family.

Tax year comparisons: n July 2007 to July 2008: 665 sales totaling $121,868,587 for an average sale price of $183,260 n July 2008 to July 2009:

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523 sales totaling $99,958,922 for an average sale price of $191,125 n July 2009 to July 2010: 643 sales totaling $125,120,436 for an average sale price of $194,590 n July 2010 to July 2011: 512 sales totaling $104,324,918 for an average sale price of $203,760 n July 2011 to July 2012: 623 sales totaling $120,895,190 for an average sale price of $194,053 Sherry L. Hayes is the Putnam County Assessor. For more information, visit http:// putnamcoassessor.com.

“Avoid upholstering a longterm piece like a sofa in emerald — I promise the visual thrill will be gone in a matter of months,” Griffin says.

At Wayfair, you’ll find Joy Carpet’s 3D graphic Highrise rug in a great emerald. Glass drawer knobs and pulls might be a fun way to introduce this green too. (www.wayfair.com) Launching in February, JC Penney’s got a bedding and bath collection created in partnership with Pantone; t here a re severa l pie ce s in emerald, trimmed with white or cream. (www.jcp. com ) At Lamps Plus, find Arteriors Home’s Roma emerald cased glass and Greens Circle Rings Ovo table lamps, as well as the smart Kite pillow in an emerald ikat print. (www.lampsplus.com ) At Homegoods, there are some striking emerald wine glasses priced quite a bit less than Baccarat, and a good selection of emerald throw pillows and picture frames as well. (www.homegoods.com ) Emerald is considered the stone of Venus, and there may be a little luck of the leprechaun at work too — more reasons to give it a try.

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262012

Sherry L.

small doses, as accessories,” she says.

For those liking the color enough to consider paint, Griffin has a suggestion. “True emerald should go in tiny spaces like foyers or powder rooms, and then dining rooms, which always benefit from a theatrical touch. But it’s too harsh a color for rooms in which you linger.”

Consider malachite accessories. “Malachite is emerald at its best, so take your inspiration from there. Malachite boxes, printed fabrics like Tony Duquette’s for Jim Thompson, bedecked plates and table lamps are all fab,” Griffin says.

Some colors pair well with emerald, and can give a visual pop to a room. Griffin likes yellow and brown, “like a sundappled forest”. As preppy gowiths, try raspberry, peacock, Prussian blue, pale rhubarb and turquoise.

And Kling notes that emerald pairs well with other greens: “In contrast to any other color family, the human eye perceives that no two greens clash. This is because we’re accustomed to seeing every variant of green coexisting harmoniously in nature.”

Where shouldn’t you use the hue?

Vertical Concrete Contractor

Putnam County continues to attract families to area Modest increases in the number of home sales is the latest sign that the market could be starting to turn around nearly five years after the housing bubble burst.

Much of this is due to interest rates being at a historic low.

Putnam County saw a leveling off period and not the sharp decline other counties and states experienced.

New construction values, for the 2013 tax year, are $17,978,220.

A five-year average of home sales indicates the median value at approximately $193,357.

With the building of several new schools in the county — Buffalo High School, Con-

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C M Y K 50 inch 8G The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013

www.herald-dispatch.com

Progress 2013:

Homes

Sunday, March 24, 2013

1H

Wild, Wonderful

World of

DESIGN

ABOVE: Husband and wife duo Seth Cyfers and Jill LaFear are the owners and creative minds behind Ackenpucky Creative. The company specializes in interior design for homes and businesses. BELOW: Ackenpucky Creative brings an artists’ eye and a craftsman’s touch to unique lighting and upholstery for antique furniture.

Photos courtesy of Josh Edwards and Ackenpucky Creative

Husband, wife blend creative style, talent in their business

Y

ou may not know David Seth Cyfers and Jill LaFear, and you may not have any idea what an Ackenpucky is, but if you’ve been in Backyard Pizza and Raw Bar, SIP Wine Bar or the new downtown offices for Trifecta Productions, you’ve stepped into the wild and wonderful world of Ackenpucky Creative.

STORY BY DAVE LAVENDER / THE HERALD-DISPATCH internship and installation at New York’s Museum of Modern Art with renowned artist Doug Aitken, Cyfers also worked for a year and a half with the late Huntington homebuilder, designer and antique furniture restorer, Tom Sadler.

“Ackenpucky is a West Virginia word and it’s sort of a watchamacallit word and it fits in that we started with a purpose but no definite direction,” Cyfers said. “We thought that was appropriate as we are evolving into finding ourselves as a company and the kind of products we are going to produce.”

LaFear said they started out doing

studio arts, furniture, light and design, but as requests came in for additional services, they have either created it themselves or found a craftsperson to handle the challenge — like one current project of reupholstering nearly 100 bar stools for a soon-to-open English pub in Barboursville.

“Instead of telling people no, we started figuring out how to do it and that is part of the creative process pushing yourself to be more creative rather than just relying on a manufacturer,” she said.

A quick scan of their own living room mirrors the depth of their tastes — a beautifully-twisted and ribboned

metal drum lamp, hanging over the couch is one of Cyfers’ large mixed media pieces that would look at home in a SoHo gallery, and in front of that couch, a massive maple stump-sawn coffee table he created from giant chunks of a more than 100-year-old tree that had been cut down in Huntington’s west end.

He’s already sold two of those tables and has more curing.

“I have a bunch of these slabs to make tables. Once you cut it you have to let it sit a year. You noticed those logs in the yard,” Cyfers said. “I am

Please see STYLE/2H

262011

Cyfers and LaFear, two artists who married New Year’s Eve 2010, are also grapevine-wrapped together in a ever-twisting and growing business called Ackenpucky Creative, a business named after the Appalachian colloquialism defining a stew-based meal made of unspecified ingredients with each ingredient enhancing the flavor of the others.

It’s a creative resource firm based on Prices Creek Road that’s blessed with a sprawling 5,000-squarefoot industrial workshop (originally built by TSI Interiors owners Norman Davis and his late wife, Shirley Broh Davis). Ackenpucky brings an artists’ eye and a craftsman’s touch to everything from unique lighting, upholstery for antique furniture (even with their own fabric designs), making oneof-a-kind furniture pieces, and putting their studio art and design stamp on interiors and exteriors for both homes and businesses.

A Marshall University art graduate who did an

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C M Y K 50 inch 2H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Homes

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

COnVEniEnCEs OF

DOWNTOWN

LIVING A young Huntington professional says he enjoys being able to walk to work, having a community feeling while living in a condo sTORY BY WHiTnEY JOHnsOn / THE HERALD-DisPATCH

Photos by Marcus Constantino/For The Herald-Dispatch

ABOVE & BELOW: Lee Huffman poses in his condo in the St. James building on 10th Street in Huntington. Huffman moved into the St. James building in 2005, while the building was still apartments. Between 2006 and 2007, he became the third owner to purchase a condo in the building.

H

UNTINGTON — Living in downtown Huntington has many perks for people who prefer to be close to businesses and entertainment.

“Downtown living is most appealing to young professionals and empty nesters,” said John Pickens, a Realtor for Prudential Bunch Co. “Both groups enjoy the ben“I was moving from Charleston for a job and really my employer was right downtown too,” Huffman said. “It’s very convenient.”

Besides being able to walk across the street for work, Huffman also said a perk is being able to walk to Starbucks, the Keith-Albee or being close to downtown events such as the parades and games at Marshall University.

“You see what goes on more when you’re downtown,” Huffman said. “There are always things going on. And you see everyone out doing things in the city.”

Huffman said overall there are different doors, gates and security codes used for safety and protection. These security measures could affect a person’s decision on where they choose to move.

“Freedom to travel on business or leisure without the worries of home invasion or utility failures could weigh heavily on the decision process,” Pickens said.

With advantages, come a few disadvantages to living downtown.

“The disadvantages would likely center on the tendency for excessive noise and a concern for higher crime potential,” Pickens said. “All too frequent reports of altercations at the local bars does create a yearning for the seemingly, more peaceful suburbs.”

Huffman said people do hear some of the noise but do eventually get used to it.

One of the things Huffman finds unappealing is walking out the front door and having some people ask for money while walking the

efits of low to no maintenance issues, and the conveniences offered for shopping, entertainment and dining within short distances.”

Lee Huffman moved into the St. James building in 2005, while the building was still apartments. Between 2006 and 2007, he became the third owner to purchase a condo in the building.

John Pickens a Realtor for Prudential Bunch Co. streets of Huntington. There have also been problems with people from area bars committing vandalism, such as busting beer bottles on the building or breaking lights that residents place in flower boxes.

Better patrol by the police department on Friday and Saturday nights was one of Huffman’s suggestions to helping prevent future vandalism but he also wishes residents and area business owners would take pride in the city and help keep it clean.

“You also see first-hand things that could be improved,” Huffman said. “More pride needs to be taken in the streets downtown. During the Marshall movie, the streets were spotless but now everyday there is trash in the streets.

I think if they could improve anything with the downtown area, it would be the cleanliness.”

Although downtown living may not be for everyone, it depends on your lifestyle and personal preferences.

“Families would likely find downtown living the least attractive due to space confinements valued for raising children,” Pickens said.

Huffman prefers the advantages of being

Style

n Continued from 1H

waiting to saw them and then stack them to cure and then prepare them to finish.”

Though the design pendulum swings broadly, they believe a thread runs through it — character, quality and an individuality you can’t find in a box store.

“The things that people might commonly consider to be decor for their house is often junk,” Cyfers said. “We are trying to bring the handcrafted element back to it and the quality. We try to make things as affordable as possible by one — cutting out as many middle men as possible and two using as much salvaged material as we can.”

When they’re not stacked with client’s furniture pieces to re-imagine, the young couple jumps into the Jeep, which pulls a giant trailer, to hunt for antique furniture to rehab.

“A lot of people want something that is very original with their upholstery like that settee something that is original and unique and something nobody else has and that is fine if you want to pay a few thousands dollars,” said LaFear, who can not only order but who also designs her own fabrics and patterns. “But if you can find something antique or vintage

Courtesy of Josh Edwards and Ackenpucky Creative

Ackenpucky Creative brings an artists’ eye and a craftsmans’ touch to everything from unique lighting, upholstery for antique furniture (even with their own fabric designs), making one-ofa-kind furniture pieces and putting their unique studio art and design stamp on interiors and exteriors for both homes and businesses. and then reupholster it you can save a lot of money.”

Though relatively new as a company, Ackenpucky’s vision of mashing up and melding rustic Appalachia with splashes of modern art, is a bold, refreshing style that has already picked up a number of fans in the city.

What Joe Murphy calls “Hil-

billy chic” has its stamp on the new space for Trifecta, the TV and film company that is housed on the first floor of the new Kindred Communications-owned building that was once Channel 13.

“You can go onto a soundstage anywhere in the U.S., but it’s not Huntington,” Murphy

said walking past floor lights ref lected in guardrails that wrap the room. “We wanted someone who shared our vision and to articulate what we are feeling. Seth Cyfers is our guy.

He’s worked for us doing art direction for years, so when it came time to build our space we basically wanted him doing

able to walk to work and still being able to having a community feeling while living in a condo downtown.

“Yougettoreallymeetyourneighbors,”Huffman said. “Rather than if you had separate houses or something like that. They know your business but never really too close. It’s nice to have people that are close by. It’s just a feeling of community.”

Downtown living is also convenient for Marshall students since they can be within walking distance to campus and places such as Pullman Square. Students and residents in the area can also ride their bicycles to and from class or work, instead of driving a car and having to worry about finding a parking spot or getting a ticket at a meter. Bicycle lanes created on Old Main Corridor along 4th Avenue help keep these riders safe during their travels.

“The convenience can’t be beaten,” Huffman said.

every space in our studio. Seth’s work is very progressive, yet taps into the heart of Appalachia. We call it hillbilly chic. We wanted things around us that embrace who we are and look at this every room is a work of art. When you are working with creative people you can’t have conventional thinking.”

Drew Hetzer, owner of Backyard Pizza and Raw Bar, spent months with Cyfers as Cyfers put his rustic meets modern art touch on the place on a shoestring budget.

“I showed him the logo, the color schemes and the feel and he went into Seth mode,” Hetzer said. “It has that Appalachian feel as it should, we are in West Virginia but it doesn’t in any way feel hokey. He puts his unique twist to it and he can pull it off, and we get a lot of people traveling in here from Florida to California to New York and a lot of them say ‘we need this place where we live.’”

And while their work may be finished at some businesses, their touch remains on the scene as they curate the revolving local art work at such venues as SIP Wine Bar and Backyard, where such standout local artists as Joanna Donchantz, Clay McNearney and others have works.

Not surprisingly, Ackenpucky, which carries nine furniture brands including American

Leather, Norwalk, Baker, Four Hands and Henredon, continues to grow its scope.

In fact, they are in the process of also opening a commercial space and art gallery in the historic Old Central City district along 14th Street West in Huntington, home to such established shops as Hattie and Nan’s, the Farmer’s market, Perry and Jaymes Florists and a good dozen antique shops.

LaFear, and Cyfers, who have started a family and have two young children, said appreciating older things was passed down from their families and that respect for craftsmanship is something they are trying to share today.

“We kind of both come from families that while dissimilar in certain ways both have an appreciation of things that are older,” LaFear said “To us, older feels like home and not like you are walking into a big box store.

That is one of the best compliments someone can give you is that when they walk into your house that it feels like home and you want everybody to feel that way. We want to give that to people because it is important to us. You can’t do that by going into a big box store and picking out everything that everyone else has and putting it in there.

You have to have your own personality and your own tastes and preferences.”

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Homes

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

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Resort architect captures beauty of mountains through a Tree House design on Falls Creek

Submitted photos

Renowned resort designer and architect TAG Galyean has created the “Tree House on Falls Creek” for the Wild Rock West Virginia community. Galyean designed the homes to capture the beauty of the West Virginia mountains from their perch atop the New River Gorge.

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ANSING, W.Va. — Renowned resort designer and architect TAG Galyean has created the “Tree House on Falls Creek” for the Wild Rock West Virginia community. Galyean designed the homes to capture the beauty of the West Virginia mountains from their perch atop the New River Gorge.

Galyean dubbed his design the“Tree House” for the homes’ high stance among the trees. Adding to this appeal is a wooden bridge that connects the main house to a bunkhouse for the kids. A backyard pond and nearby park make it an ideal retreat for families who love the outdoors.

“For many buyers, building a mountain home on the face of the New River Gorge can be an intimidating proposition,” Galyean says. “The Tree Houses on Falls Creek offers new Wild Rock residents a luxurious and individualized home without the burden, and expense, of designing and building on their own.”

The Tree House includes all the amenities you might find in a luxury hotel, but its metal mineshaft roof and pine plank siding are true to West Virginia’s rugged landscape and character.

Galyean’s design pays respect to the region’s coal mining history and U.S. National Park Service architecture.

“This is a positive reference. It was a practical and deliberate choice,” he said.

Plans start with four bedrooms and 3,000 square feet under roof. The homes use highquality, long-life materials, including hardwood flooring, granite counter tops and metal roofing.

They also feature an outdoor Jacuzzi. The fully furnished and landscaped homes will cost about $250 per square foot, a significant value compared with mountain homes in surrounding states.

Galyean’s Tree House makes ample use of grand views and open spaces. The home’s focal point is a gathering room with three of the four walls glassed and doors that open to a patio in the woods. The home’s main section has two master bedroom suites that open to a high-end kitchen/dining area for entertaining. A wooden walkway bridges the main cabin to a two-bedroom bunkhouse with its own screened-in porch.

The bunkhouse gives the kids their own space, but within a safe distance of their parents.

Galyean has 45 years of design experience and has worked with some the world’s top resorts, including The Greenbrier Hotel, The Broadmoor Hotel and The Lodge at Pebble Beach. TAG has a “style-free” approach and his designs complement each resort’s awe-inspiring environs. He brings that same touch to Wild Rock’s new Tree Houses. The adaptable plans offer an affordable and easy path for new buyers to customize and build their own homes at Wild Rock. A four-bedroom Tree House is now available for vacation rentals or purchase.

“For the past 45 years I have been designing properties by imaging how a couple or family might enjoy them,” Galyean said. “The Tree Houses are designed for romantic getaways or bringing the grandkids for a vacation in the woods.”

Galyean developed the Tree House on Falls Creek to fit within Wild Rock’s sustainable community design initiated in 2008 by Nelson, Byrd, Woltz Landscape Architects. An important part of his work will be ensuring that Wild Rock continues to develop in harmony with the natural environment of the New River Gorge.

The homes are next to a pond and Peregrine Park, complete with fire pit and bocce ball court.

The setting creates an intimate community within the larger Wild Rock community.

Wild Rock, which shares a three-mile border with the New River Gorge National River, complements a region famous for its beautiful wilderness, world-class whitewater rafting and outdoor adventures. Wild Rock partners with their neighbor Adventures on the Gorge to offer residents everything from whitewater rafting and rock climbing to sunrise yoga and zip line tours of the wilderness’ canopy. The property has a commanding view of the 1,000 foot gorge with the iconic New River Gorge Bridge on the horizon. There’s front door access to miles of trails.

The community is located just north of the New River Gorge Bridge and is minutes from Fayetteville.

Find out more info about rental vacation homes and cabins at www.wildrockwv.com .

Courtesy of Wild roCk West Virginia

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C M Y K 50 inch 4H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Homes

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

ASK A DESIGNER This photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn shows light-up plastic planters added to an outdoor family room to give it nighttime use by designer Brian Patrick Flynn for Hayneedle.com. In order for the planter to work, it simply requires being plugged into a nearby outlet with its attached cord and an extension cord.

The Associated Press

By MELISSA RAYWORTH The Associated Press

M a ny A mer ic a n s h ave embraced outdoor decorating, filling their yards with fluffy sofas, gleaming end tables and even outdoor rugs.

But what happens when the sun goes down?

Chris Lambton, landscape designer and host of HGTV’s “Going Yard,” advises his clients to give as much thought to the lighting of their outdoor space as they do to the furnishings.

Forget yesterday’s glaring porch light, he says. You can now choose from a wide range of much subtler lighting options.

Many are inexpensive and stylish enough to quickly turn a basic patio into a chic entertaining space.

Here Lambton and two other outdoor decorating experts — Los Angeles-based designers Jeff Andrews and Brian Patrick Flynn — offer advice on the newest, most attractive and safest options for outdoor lighting.

Indulge your indoor style M a ny i ndoor f u r n it u re designs and fabrics are now available as outdoor items, Lambton says, and the same goes for lighting. Companies are creating outdoor versions of their most popular indoor lamps and fixtures.

Flynn is a fan of outdoor chandeliers on patios or decks that are covered: “They’re an excellent way to make any humdrum outdoor space feel like an actual room.”

But, he says, choose wisely: “To get them right, you’ve got to take scale and proportion into consideration. Install one that’s too small, and it will look like an afterthought. Install one that’s too big or hangs too low, and it will completely overwhelm the space.”

Flynn also recommends using floor lamps and table lamps designed for outdoor use. Prices vary widely (from more than $1,000 to less than $100), so he suggests hunting online for deals and the perfect style.

Another option: Create your own outdoor fixture. Many electricians can rewire your favorite indoor lighting to be safely used outside, Lambton says. “Search for whatever fixture you like,” he says, “then put an outdoor conduit in and attach it to a switch.”

Go vintage “Vintage is always a key to good lighting,” Andrews says, “indoors and outdoors.”

“Recently I got these really cool, inexpensive Moroccan lanterns” with a vintage look.

Rather than simply displaying them on a table, he hung them from outdoor branches. “I had them wired for outside and hid the wires in the trees,” he explains.

When the vintage lanterns glow from the tree branches at night, it gives the yard a “romantic and kind of European feel.”

Forget the flood light

Rather than one or two bright porch lights, all three designers suggest using a variety of softer lights.

Lambton has used faux stone blocks with LED lights hidden inside, alongside traditional lighting. Flynn has done the same with illuminated planters.

“Sneaking in ambient light in unexpected ways is something I love to do,” Flynn says. “In Los Angeles, I turned the middle of a family’s Los Feliz backyard into a full-fledged family room, comfy sectional sofa and all.

To bring light to the space, I used modern, plastic planters that light up. They have cords on the back of them, and connect to exterior outlets. Once turned on, a light bulb inside the transparent plastic illuminates and the entire area glows softly. This is so genius because it requires no electrician whatsoever.”

Even simpler options: thin strips of lights that can be attached along the underside of deck railings, or strands of lights in the shape of everything from simple bulbs to stars, hearts or jalapeno peppers strung overhead.

No matter which style of light you choose, Andrews says, add dimmers to your outdoor light switches. “Everything in the world,” he says, “needs to be on a dimmer.”

Go beyond your deck or patio Combine safety and beauty

Don’t forget to light the far reaches of your yard, Lambton says. It will make your property feel bigger and banish the feeling of being enveloped by darkness when you entertain outside.

It costs little to place a few small, solar-powered lights at the bases of trees and shrubs.

He also suggests attaching a few to tree branches. “And I love to uplight ornamental grasses,” Lambton says. “It adds nice depth to the yard.”

Home improvement stores and websites offer a huge array of options for lighting outdoor pathways and deck stairs, adding beauty while making your space safer.

And what about the safety of leaving lighting out in all weather? If it’s outdoor-rated, Andrews says, it should be fine.

But keep your climate in mind.

Flynn prefers not to leave “most lighting sources out year-

round unless an outdoor space is covered,” he says. “The only type of lighting I’m worry-free about for the outdoors is festivalstyle string lights. They’re pretty much the same thing as holiday twinkle lights.

Don’t forget the fire Fire pits of all sizes — from huge outdoor f ireplaces to sma l l tabletop conta i ners — provide golden, flickering light for your outdoor space.

Display a collection of pillar candles in varying sizes (battery-powered or real), either clustered on their own or tucked inside large, glass lanterns to “add a bit of sparkle” to your yard, Andrews says.

Or create an outdoor chandelier with candles: “I tend to try my hand at rustic do-ityourself ideas,” Flynn says.

“In my own outdoor dining room, I suspended a candelabra made from reclaimed pine planks, rope, mason jars and tea lights above the dining table. When my family comes over for pizza night, it creates the perfect ambience.”

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The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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Rainscaping an answer to storm runoff problems

By DEAN FOSDICK The Associated Press

Stormwater runoff can quickly drain a homeowner’s wallet. The flooding erodes yards, soaks basements, pollutes streams and wastes a precious resource.

But rainscaping — an integrated system of directed water flow and settling basins — can convert those losses into gains by providing new wildlife habitat, beautifying properties and in some cases providing food for the dinner table.

“It’s becoming a pattern of capture and reuse rather than simply moving the water off,” said Pat Sauer, Rainscaping Iowa Program administrator.

“There are more options out there than just rain gardens. We’re looking more comprehensively at what can be done on the landscape.”

Numerous state and local groups are holding workshops and providing rebates for residents who add such refinements to their properties as rain barrels, cisterns, permeable paving, settling ponds, green roofs and berms.

“Iowa is providing training for professionals — certified rainscapers — who are designing some of those programs,” Sauer said.

“Many of these agencies also build large-scale inf iltration systems projects on public lands,” said Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, who along with Apryl Uncapher wrote “Creating Rain Gardens.” (Timber Press, 2012).

Landscapers often merge art with science. “In Portland, Ore., many parking lots and curb strips sport swales (depressions) and retention basins, often decorated with sculptures of leaping fish,” Woelfle-Erskine said.

Rainscaping, though, can be expensive and complicated. So why bother?

“A rain garden is not only a beautiful, low-maintenance, water-saving garden, but can additionally provide habitat and forage for local fauna, sustain select edibles for harvest, reduce pollution, f looding and erosion to nearby rivers and become a daily reminder of the importance of water

conservation,” Uncapher said.

Yards vary, and rainscaping designs must be site specific. Some suggestions: n Perk. Conduct a soil test to see if your yard will percolate (drain) rainwater, Sauer said. “If it doesn’t perk, then all you’ll be left with is standing water. If your yard is hard, like concrete, you’ll have to improve the soil.” n Plant native. Prairie plants and woodland seedlings with deep roots help soak up stormwater, filter pollutants and recharge groundwater levels, Sauer said. “Using native plants also helps ensure they’ll survive their new setting.” n Installing a residential rain garden, which is a saucer-like depression in the ground that captures rain from a downspout, driveway or patio, is the simplest and least expensive way to retain stormwater, Woelfle-Erskine said. But here’s his kicker: “They won’t work if your yard is uphill from your house.” n Use permeable materials like bricks, paving blocks or gravel on driveways and walkways, with spacing that allows water to seep into the soil. n Edibles. Berries, asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, fruit trees, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, and culinary and tea herbs can be creative additions in the right rain garden sites, but use them with care. “Be aware of where the water is flowing into your rain garden from,” Uncapher said. “Rain gardens serving to intersect runoff from potentially polluted surfaces are not ideal for edibles unless soil and water nutrients are tested and monitored.”

Rain gardens and related rainscaping features give homeowners a chance to be part of the stormwater and pollution solution, while serving aesthetic and functional purposes, said Bob Spencer, RainWise program manager for the City of Seattle.

“Not only are the gardens attractive landscaping, they are protecting our water bodies and the creatures that live there,” he said.

ABOVE: In this Feb. 11 photo, art complements science on this settlement pond in Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood. Sediment ponds slow the flow of storm water, allowing particles and pollutants to settle out. The accumulations are removed every five years or so by Seattle Public Utilities crews, leaving cleaner and clearer water to flow downstream.

LEFT: Rainscaping features can be expensive and complicated or simple and cheap, like this rain barrel capturing water from a downspout on a rural home in northern Belgium. The gardener simply dips a spray can into the surplus when she wants to water her plants.

The Associated Press

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less. In these cases, you may be required to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI) to protect the lender if you fall behind on payments. n If PMI is required, ask what the total cost of the insurance will be. How much will the monthly mortgage payment be when the PMI premium is added and how long you will be required to carry PMI? n Ask if you can pay off the loan early and if there is a penalty for doing so.

In addition, there is a long list of sources for mortgages loans: mortgage banks, mortgage brokers, banks, thrifts and credit unions, home builders, real estate agencies and Internet lenders.

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When shopping for a home mortgage make sure you obtain all the relevant information: n Research current interest rates. Check the real estate section of your local newspaper, use the Internet, or call at least six lenders for information. n Check the rates for 30-year, 20-year and 15-year mortgages.

You may be able to save thousands of dollars in interest charges by getting the shortestterm mortgage you can afford. n Ask for details on the same loan amount, loan term, and type of loan from multiple lenders so that you can compare the information. Be sure to get the Annual Percentage Rate (APR), which takes into account not

only the interest rate but also points, broker fees, and other credit charges expressed as a yearly rate. n Ask whether the rate is fixed or adjustable. The interest rate on adjustable rate mortgage loans (ARMs) can vary a great deal over the lifetime of the mortgage.

An increase of several percentage points might raise payments by hundreds of dollars per month. n If a loan has an adjustable rate, ask when and how the rate and loan payment could change. n Find out how much down payment is required. Some lenders require 20 percent of the home’s purchase price as a down payment. But many lenders now offer loans that require

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Research, double check when trying to obtain a home loan Courtesy of www.usa.gov

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6H The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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Progress 2013 Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Homes

CUSTOM HOME ENVIRONMENT

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

The Sentiment, a new subdivision of luxury townhomes, is located on Peyton Street in Barboursville.

Developer’s dream of offering luxury living in a simple neighborhood becomes reality

B

ARBOURSVILLE — Jason Gue started his Gutenhaus Construction Company in 2002. Over the years, the Marshall University graduate and Barboursville resident has made trips to Lexington, Ky., Columbus, Ohio, and other major cities and observed the lavish townhomes located either off the interstates or main highways.

Impressive yes, but there was something about the design. The buildings had that cookie-cutter look like the circular, two-sport ball parks that came into existence in the 1960s and 1970s in cities across the United States. Big, but not grabbers visually. Seen one, seen them all.

Gue once had a notion to erect townhomes that carried the luxury brand with a simplistic look in his hometown, but backed off. The conversation started while he was doing renovation work for a client.

“Thought about it. Put it on hold,” he said.

In August 2011, Gue got the townhome fever again. This time wheels started to turn when Ameen Mansouri purchased Gue’s house in Deer Creek and Gue built new digs in nearby Knob Creek. Mansouri has been in the building industry overseas for more than 25 years.

Please see ENVIRONMENT/2I

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C M Y K 50 inch 2I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Homes

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

Make a room your own with custom fabric and wallpaper W

hen Renee Pedro bought a house with mid-century dicor, she decided to embrace the look.

Drawing inspiration from the 1963 Philco oven in her kitchen, she began hunting for towels and table linens with a mod ‘60s vibe to complement the appliance.

“That oven was my style. My thing,” said You can upload photos, original artPedro, of Philadelphia. work or computer-generated designs She was disappointed by the lack of on her company’s website, Fabricondechoices, and in 2009 began looking for a mand.com. way to create her own textiles to decorate Some manufacturers have designers the kitchen. “I couldn’t find something who help customers develop the look that fit my aesthetic, so I decided to make they want. Do-it-yourself designers it,” she said. can usually preview the order online or After a year of looking online, she order a sample piece. It normally takes found a company that would allow her to less than a month for orders to be prodesign her own fabric. Now she runs her cessed. The websites also have a wide own online business, variety of premade Story by Crashpaddesigns. patterns available. com, selling tea towNile Johnson of MELISSA DUTTON els, pillow cases and Nile Johnson InteThe Associated Press table linens in mod, rior Design in Kenbright, geometric or nett Squa re, Pa . , flowered patterns that she designs her- said custom pieces help his firm accomself. plish its goal of creating spaces that Many companies have begun to offer reflect a client’s personality. consumers the chance to create custom “It really helps the interior show and fabrics and wallpapers. Advances in print- breathe who they are,” he said. “It’s not ing have made it more affordable to cre- just pretty. It’s not just functional. It ate small runs, and to make high-quality really tells their story.” products faster and cheaper, said Aaron Johnson has used the custom printKirsch, president of Astek Wallcovering ing process to create a window shade Inc. in Van Nuys, Calif. depicting a child’s favorite story book.

He sells directly to consumers via his He is currently creating wallpaper that company’s website, Designyourwall. corresponds to a client’s checkered com. The company also makes custom dishes. products for the fashion, hospitality and Creating rolls of wallpaper for an motion picture industries. Demand for accent wall or producing yards of fabric the custom products has been steadily to make curtains, bedding or furniture rising, Kirsch said. covering allows homeowners to create “Custom wall covering ... has gone bal- layers of design that contribute to the listic,” he said. look they are after, added Los Angeles Homeowners can create their own wall designer Kate Albrecht, who runs the covering for about $6.50 a square foot, website Mrkate.com. he said.

“It’s a layered look where they feel like Custom fabrics run about $18 to $30 a each little element of a room speaks about yard, said Rysa Pitner, founder of Fabric their personality,” she said. on Demand in Los Angeles.

“As a designer, you have this idea for a Custom options appeal to “individuals perfect fabric in your mind and sometimes who love to author their own stuff,” she you can’t find it. Sometimes that fabric said. needs to be created.”

ABOVE: This photo taken Sunday, March 3, 2013, provided by Sarah Rowland shows Sarah Rowland with the wallpaper she designed for Dixie Donuts in Richmond, Va. Owners Betsy Thomas and J Frank asked Rowland to design a custom wallpaper for an accent wall at the shop located in the trendy Carytown section of Richmond.

LEFT: This undated photo courtesy of Renee Pedro/ Crash Pad Designs shows the custom tea towels she made for her home in Philadelphia. Pedro has started a business making household goods with fabrics she designs and orders through the Internet.

Photos by The Associated Press

Each unit has a pertinent name. Old Toll House Villa, according to the brochure, corresponds with the toll house built in 1837 on Main Street in Barboursville that was used to collect tolls from ferry passengers. Harvey Hall is tied to the town of Barboursville, the original home of Morris Harvey College.

Photos by Lori Wolfe/ The Herald-Dispatch

Environment n Continued from 1I

“I thought it would be successful,” Gue said. “Your concern is finances. He does development overseas. I told him about it, he liked it. It was most suitable at the time. We didn’t have anything like that here.”

The next step would be land.

Preferably flat. “That’s hard to find,” he said.

During his search, Gue eyed property off Peyton Street (right at the light on U.S. 60 and across what has been called “The Bridge to Nowhere.”)

There are businesses there as well as a deluxe apartment complex called Waterford Village on Riverview Drive. Quiet at home, quick access to necessary points. Gates to control access in and out. Good fit.

Gue had a feasibility study done. Thumbs up on the project.

“Didn’t want to rent, it was go on the sell route,” he said.

“Spend more, make it nicer. It’s a risk, but a risk worth taking.”

Gue now needed a name/ design for the yet-to-be-developed nine-plus acres where the Guyandotte River serves as a backdrop, one that would create curiosity. Enter Dina Lowery Vacho, a designer who once lived in West Hamlin, graduated from Marshall and now has a design studio in York, S.C. Vacho, with an assist from Kiki Gue, Jason’s wife, did her homework and came up with “The Sentiment.”

The definition of sentiment is: a thought, view, or attitude, especially one based mainly on emotion instead of reason.

From the inception, Gue wanted this project to be a fit for the quaint village. Architecture reflects elements of times past — an old firehouse with a bell tower on top, period materials brick, stone and metal used in ways to make the complex charming. Bell towers are atop the eight-unit building currently up and will be present for all to

see when remaining buildings go up. A simple, eye-catching approach from the outside.

“We wanted to blend it, the hometown atmosphere,” Gue said. “Don’t skip on things that make it nice.”

Vacho refined the site plan and designed the exteriors and floor plans of the buildings. She said she did a lot of research and brought many ideas to the table.

“A lot of neat things,” Vacho said. “I tried to give him (Jason) that sense of feel. We didn’t want to lose the feeling of what once was. The feeling of home needed to remain. It became sentimental to me. I stayed true to the whole thing.”

Once inside, the owner decides on furnishings. Help is available from Michael Tubbs, owner of Creative Accents. He was hired as design consultant and director of operations and sales for The Sentiment.

The Sentiment features five layouts. Prices range from $179,000 to $439,000. The demographics ... late 20s to early 70s.

“It’s not for everyone,” Gue said.

All townhomes feature tall ceilings, lots of windows and plenty of open space.

Each unit has a pertinent name. Old Toll House Villa, according to the brochure, corresponds with the toll house built in 1837 on Main Street in Barboursville that was used to collect tolls from ferry passengers. Harvey Hall is tied to the town of Barboursville, the original home of Morris Harvey College.

“We didn’t want to get the condo feel,” Gue said. “We want that custom-home environment.”

Gue said Vacho had this thought: “A memory of simpler times. Walk down the sidewalk and talk to your neighbor.”

Lowery ranks The Sentiment as one of her top five all-time projects to date. She said it projects the look of one big estate.

“It challenged me to put the proof in the pudding,” Lowery said.

The Sentiment, a new subdivision of luxury townhomes, is located on Peyton Street in Barboursville.

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

Progress 2013: Homes

3I

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

NatioNal assoCiatioN of HoMe Builders

Metro Creative Graphics

Kitchen and bath projects top the list of remodeling projects, Realty Times reported in a story by Carla Hill on its website realtytimes.com.

Realty Times is an online news service for the real estate industry.

Kitchens top remodel list; bathrooms third

A

ccording to the latest survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), kitchen and bath projects top the list of remodeling projects, Realty Times reported in a story by Carla Hill on its website realtytimes.com. Realty Times is an online news service for the real estate industry.

Burgin Construction concurred. In a story posted at burginconstructioninc.com about predictions for hot remodeling projects in 2013, kitchens ranked No. 1 and master bath upgrades third.

Rob Stepp, president of Creative Kitches in Huntington, agrees with the assessments as those two projects dominate his store traffic.

“There’s a strong remodeling segment,” Stepp said. “Things were slow at one time, but now things are picking up. Remodeling never quits.”

Any uptick in the economy helps spark the remodeling fires. “There’s been a pentup demand,” Stepp said.

“People held off. It’s a challenge unless you get the money.”

As for kitchens, customers are going from simple updates to make the heart of the home more functional to upscale remodels that offer a high-end look.

One trend is to have an island in the kitchen. “That is catching on,” Stepp said.

The stainless steel look (refrigerator, stove, etc.) also is in along with granite tops (over formica).

As for bathrooms, heated floors, towel warmers, hot tubs and warm colors are popular as customers try to create an indoor oasis.

Stepp said remodeling in either area takes on many forms.

If a family has a house with

three bedrooms and one bath, there comes a time when a bedroom goes in favor of a master bath. A wall comes out for a kitchen/dining room combination.

“Kitchens are at the heart,” Stepp said. “People want that open feel.”

Installing a built-in closest is popular, too. “That (closets) has grown,” Stepp said.

Creative Kitches has offices in Charleston and Lewisburg. The company’s customer service base has expand-

Don’t let your advertising

get skipped in the DVR shuffle.

ed as Stepp has 20 installers. There’s the huge inventory and once a purchase is made, Creative Kitchens handles the project through to completion.

“It saves a lot of time and you don’t piece meal things,” he said of customers having to find a contractor to handle the work.

Stepp’s company handles other remodeling projects. One growing in popularity is fireplaces.

Another area that’s changing is furniture style for the rooms. “There’s a look the customer wants,” Stepp said.

Paint colors for rooms vary, too.

“The metropolitan look has come back,” Stepp said.

Once done, remodeling does deliver bang for the buck. The customer knows the home value has increased.

That comes in handy when it comes time for a possible sale.

“You get a high return on the investment,” Stepp said.

Story by

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tHe HerALD-DISpAtcH

Rob Stepp president of Creative Kitchens in Huntington

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C M Y K 50 inch 4I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Homes

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

RENTAL PROPERTY:

IN DEMAND

Photos by Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

ABOVE & BELOW: Construction continues on a rental housing project owned by Bob Gleason in Huntington.

More choosing to rent as being approved for home loans continues to be difficult

H

erman Glaser, a local landlord, uses the story of one tenant to illustrate the difficulty of today’s lending market — an obstacle that benefits the rental industry.

That tenant has rented form Glaser for nine years. She has never missed a month’s rent and currently pays $650. She Angie Payton said different factors could explain that tenant’s situation. The loan officer at Metro Community Federal Credit Union admits today’s lending climate remains tight with added regulations, however low interest rates for those who qualify make additional work worth the effort.

But renting remains a viable option for many in the area. Real estate broker Jim Weiler joined developer Adam Johnson and Glaser in saying vacancy rates remain low as developers bu i ld add it ion a l units in Huntington and the surrounding area.

Weiler, of R E/ MAX Realty, went as far as to call it a good ma rket for landlords as high utility costs caused Angie Payton some to search for consistency in a rent/mortgage payment.

“You’re paying on the high side right now because of that demand,” he said of tenants.

Glaser said his tenants represent a crosssection of the area’s population. He acknowledged economic issues have caused some tenants to move in needy family members, a move that violates Glaser’s policy.

Johnson, who develops properties for sale and rent in eastern Cabell County, said his average tenant stays for three to four years.

Some are middle-age adults who opt to rent because they remain scared or unsure of the housing market.

Glaser and Payton said determining one’s goals can help a person decide whether to buy or rent. Both said those who frequently relocate or remain unsure of their desired location should rent.

Knowledge of one’s credit score can provide additional help. Payton recommends anyone

recently applied for a mortgage, but was denied even though Glaser suspects her monthly payment might end up being less than rent.

“Most banks are a little more picky than they were,” he said. “I’m hearing tenants say they wanted to buy, but couldn’t get loans approved.”

Herman Glaser local landlord

with a score in the upper 600s and above to buy. To the contrary, she said anyone in the mid to upper 500s and below should consider renting.

“But I also would say they need to come in and let someone take a look at their credit and see if there are any inaccuracies and what improvements could be made,” she said. “There’s just a lot of little tweaks that could make a huge difference.”

The Best Seller List.

STORY BY CURTIS JOHNSON / THE HERALD-DISPATCH

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

Progress 2013: Homes

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

5I

Homefix: Tips on an air conditioner upgrade

By DWIGHT BARNETT

Scripps Howard News Service

Q: Late last summer, our air conditioner was not doing a good job of cooling, but we decided to save through the winter and have a new air conditioner installed in the spring.

I have received several estimates on what we need to do to upgrade. We have a 1980s twostory home with an unfinished basement. One contractor wants to replace the air conditioner only. Some want to replace the furnace and air conditioner, and one wants to replace everything including most of the ducts.

What should we consider in making a decision?

A: The easiest and most economical choice would be to replace the air conditioner only, but that may not be in your best interests in the long run.

If your plans include remaining in the home for five years or longer, you really should consider a total upgrade. Your question concerning an air conditioner leads me to believe the home is heated by natural gas and not an electric furnace, so my answer will be concentrated on a gas-forced air-heating system.

There are so many variables with each home that the first thing you should do is have an energy audit performed.

An audit will determine such things as: Do you have the required insulation? Is the home substantially airtight?

An auditor may test to see if

a home has a large amount of leakage of the conditioned air to the outside air or if the ducts have air leakage inside the home.

It’s critical for the house and the HVAC system to work together, and you can’t depend on the HVAC system

at www.bpi.org) or RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network, at www.resnet.us).

With a total upgrade, the contractor will determine if the existing ductwork is sized properly for the furnace fan, and where the furnace is located in the home.

As I have stressed in past articles, when a furnace is located in a basement, it is difficult to cool the second-floor rooms, because the colder air is dense and does not rise as easily as warm air. With a new high-efficiency furnace, the furnace can be relocated to anywhere inside the home or attic to better cool the second-floor rooms. You should choose an HVAC (heating, venting and air-conditioning) contractor who uses the HVAC manuals designated for the sizing, placement and installation of the ductwork and for the Metro Creative Graphics proper sizing of the heating alone. There is a guide to DIY and cooling equipment. energy audits at http://energy.

One home I recently inspectgov/energysaver/articles/ ed had a 4-ton air conditioner for do-it-yourself-home-energya 1,900-square-foot ranch-style audits. But for such a large home. In my opinion, the air investment, you should use conditioner was oversized and the services of a professional, would quickly cool the home, certified by BPI (Building but would do little to remove Performance Institute, Inc., moisture from the home’s air. A

damp home is a breeding ground for mold and mildew.

I also found that the inside coil, which is part of the cooling system and located in the furnace cabinet, was not designed for a 4-ton system.

All components of the HVAC system need to be matched to work efficiently, quietly and provide the most comfort for the homeowners.

If possible, all the duct work should be located inside the home and not in an attic, attached garage or crawlspace, and all of the ducts must be sealed airtight at all joints and seams.

Even though this has been a code requirement dating back to the 1980s, few contractors in my area bothered with sealing the ducts then, but the “times they are a-changin’ “ - and the new codes are being rigidly enforced. If advised by the energy auditor, a total upgrade would be an economically wise choice.

Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector. Contact him at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 268, Evansville, Ind. 47702 or barnett@barnettassociatesinc.com.

BELOW: This photo shows a Bon Appetit print of a Parisian bistro storefront by Cindy Taylor that is part of a new collection at Pottery Barn.

Artistic prints and other elements are a strong spring decor trend.

BOTTOM: Sky Bird embroidered pillow covers from Pottery Barn are shown. Visiting this spring’s decor previews often felt like exploring an art gallery. There was an artistic vibe in everything from dinnerware to drapery, art photographs to textiles.

Photos by The Associated Press

isiting this spring’s decor previews often felt like exploring an art gallery. There was an artistic vibe to everything from dinnerware to drapery, art photographs to textiles.

Manufacturers are now able to reproduce artwork with impressive detail and precision. Originals that may have been painted or inked retain evidence of brush and pen. Computer-generated designs have greater depth of color and pattern than in the past. And photo prints are even more striking. with a coterie of photo artists who have made intriguing works at a price point not easily matched in the market for great photography.

California photographer Lupen Grainne creates imagery that combines a pensive Instagram quality with professional composition. She captures dreamy San Francisco street scenes and beautiful fruit or fork still lifes that draw you in.

San Francisco-based Ana Ramirez’ shell photographs in stark black and white highlight the sculptural beauty of nature.

And Prague-born photographer Michal Venera’s expressive black-and-white Tanzanian animal prints depict the textural grace and beauty of the natural world.

You’ll also find some amazing work from pro photogs Cindy Taylor and Rebecca Plotnick. (www. potterybarn.com ) At Crate & Barrel, there’s the Monet-like watercolor floral of the “Myrtle” pillow, while the dramatic “Landscape” pillow, featuring a winding road through wild countryside, brings Turner to mind. (www.crateandbarrel.com ) Bird’s eggs writ large — in fact, 32inch-square large — are the powerful focal point of a series of wall art at Wisteria this spring. The eggs themselves are softly hued, but the scale of the photographic imagery is so remarkable that one or more would be a central feature in any room. (www.wisteria.com )

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Zara Home has a bouquet of lovely throw pillows for spring with vintage prints or botanical ones reminiscent of paintings by the Masters. “Mariposa” features a flock of Edouard Travies-esque exotic butterflies on a white background; “Lula” evokes a Renoir still life; “Spring” has a sweet cottage floral; “Lannion,” “Hawaiana” and “Hojas”’ tropical motifs have a retro vibe. (www.zarahome.com ) A spring walk through the Chicago Botanic Garden inspired artist Matthew Lew to create an exuberant burst of white and tan blooms on a bright orange background, rendered at CB2 on a hand-tufted rug. The retailer’s got another modern rug featuring a graphic brush stroke of linen white on tonal carbon gray. And artist Katherine Finn-Gamino’s colorful multi-media geometric pillow is abstract art for the sofa. (Botanical rug, Swoosh rug, pillow, www.cb2.com ) Watercolor paintings of many popular dog breeds, including Labs, golden retrievers and little terriers, are available from Pottery Barn on linen throw pillows with personalized monograms. The needle arts are showcased here, as well, on linen lampshades stitched with tonal ikat or floral motifs, and a pillow depicting a vintage bird postcard in finely-detailed embroidery.

Photographic art is an excellent way to bring a creative or unusual element to your room. Pottery Barn continues to expand its wall-art series this spring

C M Y K 50 inch 6I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Homes

Mulch with shredded leaves, evergreen needles, woodchips, or other organic matter to conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and improve the soil as they decompose.

Courtesy of Melinda Myers, LLC

5 easy steps to a low maintenance environmentally-friendly landscape It’s possible to create a beautiful landscape and be kind to the environment even with a busy schedule Melinda and while staying within budget.

“All it takes is a bit of planning and a few low maintenance strategies,” said gardening expert and author Melinda Myers, in a news release.

Myers recommends these five strategies to create a low maintenance eco-friendly landscape this season.

MYERS

Be waterwise Save money on the water bill, time spent watering and this precious resource, water. Start by growing drought tolerant plants suited to your growing environment. Once established they will only need watering during extended dry spells. Mulch with shredded leaves, evergreen needles, woodchips, or other organic matter to conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and improve the soil as they decompose.

Fertilize with a low nitrogen fertilizer, like Milorganite, that promotes slow steady growth

instead of excessive greenery that requires more water. Plus, it won’t burn even during drought.

Put rainwater to work all season long by using rain barrels to capture rainwater off your roof or directly from the sky.

Recycle yard waste in the landscape Minimize the amount of yard waste produced, reuse what can be in other areas of the landscape and recycle the rest as compost. These are just a few strategies that will save time bagging, hauling, and disposing of yard debris. And better yet, implementing this strategy will save money and time spent buying and transporting soil amendments, since it will be created right in the backyard.

Start by leaving grass clippings on the lawn. The short clippings break down quickly, adding organic matter, nutrients and moisture to the soil. Grow trees suited to the growing conditions and available space. That means less pruning and fewer trimmings that will need to be managed.

Make compost at home

Recycle yard waste into com-

post. Put plant waste into a heap and let it rot. Yes, it really is that simple. The more effort put into the process, the quicker the results.

Do not add insect-infested or diseased plant material or perennial weeds like quack grass, annual weeds gone to seed, or invasive plants. Most compost piles are not hot enough to kill these pests.

And do not add meat, dairy, or bones that can attract rodents.

Manage pests in harmony with nature Ahealthyplantisthebest defenseagainstinsectsanddisease. Selectthemostpest-resistant plants suited to the growing conditions and provide proper care.

Check plants regularly throughout the growing season. It is easier to control a few insects than the hundreds that can develop in a week or two. And when problems arise, look for the most eco-friendly control.

Start by removing small infestations by hand. Consider traps, barriers, and natural products if further control is needed. And as always be sure to read and follow label directions carefully.

Energy wise landscape design

Use landscape plantings to keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Homes will have a more comfortable temperature throughout the seasons and energy costs will be reduced.

Plant trees on the east and west side of a house to shade windows in the summer and let the sun shine in and warm it up through the south-facing windows in winter.

Shade air conditioners, so they run more efficiently and be sure to collect and use any water they produce for container gardens.

Incorporate these changes into gardening routines and habits over time. Soon these and many more strategies that help save time and money while being kind to the environment will seem to occur automatically.

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

West Virginia turning green?

Much of our country has already started the process of becoming more energy efficient and West Virginia is scratching the surface.

Is your home energy efficient? How does it relate to housing, or you?

Energy assessments and audits are one way to begin.

Testing (assessments or audits) of your home can determine where and how energy is being lost, what systems are operating inefficiently, and what cost-effective improvements can be implemented to improve comfort, durability and efficiency. The assessor will analyze the data found and provide a written report.

This report should provide justification for improvements and could be used to obtain federally sponsored mortgage loans like an energy efficient mortgage (EEM).

Here are some assessments you can perform on your own: 1. Visual inspection 2. Utility bill analysis If you have high energy bills you could have leaks in the building envelope, ineffi-

Lorre

WILSON

cient windows, poorly sealed ducts. Damp basement?

Moisture migration could be through the foundation or walls. Excessive amount of dust? It could mean it’s time to change the air filters (dust streaks on ducts indicate air leakage).

An assessor may perform a blower door test, duct blaster test and thermographic scanning. These tests can provide more details in the energy efficiency of your home.

Once of the best resources when searching for an energy surveyor/assessor is contacting your utility company.

Being sure your home is energy efficient is one way to begin the process in living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Lorre Wilson is a Realtor with Re/Max Realty Consultants.

Nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written more than 20 gardening books.

Metro Creative Graphics

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

Progress 2013: Homes

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Consider several factors before purchasing home

7I

Angela

ROACH

Almost everyone dreams of owning their own home and experiencing the feelings of pride and security that homeownership can bring. But, how do you know if you are ready for that dream?

There are several things that should be considered and asked of yourself if buying a home is in your future: Do you have a stable job? Lenders would like to see that you have been employed at the same place for at least 2-3 years and if not at the same job, in the same field. Lenders are looking for stability in your employment history. Do you plan to stay in the area for a while? You don’t want to buy a home if you have plans to move in the near future. Are you indebtandifso, howmuch? Lenderswilllook closelyatyourdebttoincomeratio.

Thissimplymeanstheamountof existingdebtobligationyouhave comparedtoyourgrossincome.

Themaximumamountmostlenderswillwanttoseeis35%,butthis canvaryfromlendertolender. You canfigurethisbytakingyouryearly grossdividedby12andthendivide yourtotaldebtbyyourmonthly grossfigure. Doyouhaveanysavings? Areyoureadytopayforhome repairsandmaintenance? It’svery differentfromrenting. Yousimply cannotcallupthelandlordwhen somethinggoeswrong.

One of the many mistakes people make when buying a home is simply buying too much house. Just because a lender says you qualify for a $200,000 mortgage does not mean you can really afford that much. Look at your present and future lifestyle and think about how things may change. Do you plan to live in the home for the rest of your life? If it’s large, who’s going to take care of that when you are older and may not be able to

Scripps Howard News Service

A smart divide sink can be a good choice for any new kitchen.

Plumber: New kitchen sparks

Metro Creative Graphics

maintain such a large place? Is it a one story or a two story home?

Stairs can become an issue as you age. Do you plan to have children? Will someone want to become a stay at home parent? If so, one income needs to be able to support the family. You should also plan for the unexpected illness or disability that may only leave one income for the family. These are the things that are often overlooked when considering homeownership.

If you decide you are ready to buy, consider hiring a real estate agent to help you through the home buying process. A real estate agent that is working for you, not the seller, will have your best interest in mind. They will consider your needs and wants and help you find the perfect house. Attending a homebuyer education class or pre-purchase counseling session with a certified housing counselor is also a good idea.

The more you understand about the home buying process and what it means to own a home,

‘Battle of the Bowls’

the better prepared you will be to make this very important decision. A housing counselor can help you learn how to create a budget and save enough money to cover emergencies without going into more debt by using credit cards or other loans.

Ifyouareahomeownerand experienceahardship,thefirst thingtodoistocontactthelender immediatelytoexplainthesituation.

Lenderswouldrathernotforeclose onthehomeandinmostcases willworkwithyoutohelpyoustay inyourhome,butyouhavetobe proactive. Alltoooften,manyhomeownerssimplydenythatthereisa problemuntiltheforeclosurenotice isdeliveredandtheauctiondatehas beenset. ContactingaHUDcertifiedhousingcounselingagencyis animportantstepastheycanactas aliaisonbetweenyouandthelender andhelpsavethehome,butyou musttakeanactiverole.

By ED DEL GRANDE

Scripps Howard News Service

Q: We’re going to remodel our outdated kitchen and plan to install a cast-iron kitchen sink. I want a single-bowl sink that will be open and large for me to work in. My husband wants a double-bowl sink. He says it will be better for the garbage disposer and, later on, for resale value. Can you help us solve this disagreement? Ann, Kansas A: One style of sink comes to mind, and I believe it can be a good choice for your new kitchen ... and marriage. This special sink is called a “smart-

divide” kitchen sink.

Sma rt-divide sin ks a re double-bowl cast-iron sinks that feature a divide that’s only half the height of those in standard two-bowl kitchen sinks. By dropping the height of the divider, many features and benefits are opened up for the user, giving you the best of both worlds.

For instance, you can fill up the sink past the low divide to completely soak large cookie sheets. For large pots, the handle for the pot will usually sit higher than the divide so the pot can sit flat on the sink bottom.

Finally, since the sink does have two shallow bowls, you can use one dedicated drain for the disposer. This can keep wasted food separate from the dishes.

So when you add everything up, a smart-divide sink can be a very intelligent choice for your new kitchen.

Master plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of “Ed Del Grande’s House Call,” the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande. com or email eadelg@cs.com.

Always consult local contractors and codes.

From Putnam County to Boyd County

Angela D. Roach is Program Manager with CCCS of Huntington, A Division of Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA.

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C M Y K 50 inch 8I The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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C M Y K 50 inch progress 2013

www.herald-dispatch.com

Sunday, March 24, 2013

1J

CAreers

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 homes and careers.

ON THE JOB

HUNT

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Denise Hogsett, standing, of the Marshall University’s Career Services Center helps graduate student Erin Cristello with a resume at Marshall University.

INsIde THIs seCTIoN

SIGNS OF HOPE IN WEST VIRGINIA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECLINE

Value of education remains in today’s sour economy sTorY BY rACHeL BAILeY / For THe HerALd-dIspATCH

Technical center success Referred to as “Putnam County’s best kept

secret,” Putnam Career and Technical Center students are graduating and finding success / 2J

W.Va. guard creates jobs The National

Guard not only helps out locally by lending a hand, it also creates jobs for West Virginian Guardsmen / 3J

E

verywhere you turn, it seems people are talking about jobs — coal-related jobs, jobs in natural gas and, generally, a lack of jobs.

But with West Virginia’s unemployment rate in a slow-but-steady decline since late 2010 and sitting at 0.5 percent below the national average of 7.9 percent, jobseekers in the area may have cause for hope.

Denise Hogsett, director of Marshall University’s Career Services Center, has seen some encouraging developments of late.

“I think what we’re seeing now is that internships are increasing, which is a good sign,” she said.

Internships on the rise signal to Hogsett that companies are beginning to look for young peopletohireandtrainbeforetheiragingemployeesleavetheworkforce.

Not surprisingly, Hogsett sees this growth happening in fields like information technology and niches like social media management. Computer skills, it seems, are always a safe bet in the job market. Even in manufacturing and jobs that require the running of heavy equipment, proficiency with computers is important, as that equipment is run increasingly by sophisticated machines.

Denise Hogsett director of Marshall University’s Career Services Center

Please see JOBS/6J

Capt. Will Hargis

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C M Y K 50 inch 2J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

Progress 2013: Careers

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

SV career, technical education committed to preparing students The goal of Career and Technical Education is to provide students with the skills to step-up to the challenges of a globally competitive economy.

Employers in the 21st century not only seek, but demand career and technical training for their employees. Preparation for today’s workforce requires a comprehensive education that integrates rigorous academics along with career and technical skills.

Spring Valley High School Career and Technical Education is committed to preparing our graduates with the academics and marketable workplace skills to be competitive in the 21st century.

Our programs are designed to prepare students to be successful citizens, workers and leaders. We make Career and Technical Education (CTE) a valuable part of students’ overall school experience and use it to prepare them to enter the workforce or to transition to a post-secondary education. CTE offers students the opportunity to get a jumpstart.

In CTE programs, students learn how core academics are applied in real-life applications. They understand the relevance of their education to their future goals. All programs offer participation

Velvet

try, students learn to organize, lead and manage the building process. The program examines the basics of design and in hands-on training that how to establish and control will prepare them with the the cost of a project. Students knowledge, talent and skills who complete the carpentry valued and needed for career pathway will receive NCCER success. Work-based learning Certification. experiences connect learning The Automotive Technology with the world. Examples are curriculum prepares students job training, shadowing and for employment and/or techniclinicals. cal schooling by training them At Spring Valley, we offer in basic operations of automo12 programs of study, which tive braking systems, engines are in alignment with postand vehicle suspension. Stusecondary education, business dents completing the automoand industry. Each program tive pathway are prepared to consists of four courses. diagnose and service the variStudents enrolled in CTE ous automotive components courses automatically receive in addition to being able to use college credit at no cost, by and operate the newest comsimply meeting all curriculum puter systems, machinery and standards and passing the shop tools. course final exam. The proWelding Technology pregrams provide students with pares students for careers the opportunity to achieve in three major areas: Manulocal and national credentials facturing, construction and to start a career or college maintenance repair. Students experience. will receive training on weldStudents who enroll in our ing operations and acquire Drafting program will develop the technical skill for each skills required by entry-level process and each application technicians. Students will of cutting, Arc, MIG, and develop drafting skills from TIG welding. Students will the fundamental through receive NCCER certification. advance practices. The course Therapeutic Services is a also provides students with program for students who computer aided drafting syswish to pursue a career in tem (CAD). health care. Students particiWith a pathway in carpenpate in classroom, laboratory

and clinical experiences that will prepare them for employment in health care and for college admission. Students who complete the program are eligible for certification in direct care worker, phlebotomy technician, EKG technician and pharmacy technician.

Students pursuing a career in the food industry will gain knowledge and skills through the Pro-Start curriculum.

Students will discover the basic and advanced skills required in food preparation and service, principles of food identification, food and beverage composition, nutrition and dietetics. Students will gain authentic experiences by planning, setting up, preparing and hosting various events requiring catering and /or food services.

The mission of the JROTC program is “To motivate young people to be better citizens.”

JROTC seeks to train students in leadership and motivational skills that will serve them during their school years and throughout their lives. JROTC is a very effective way to instill goal-directed, success-oriented attitudes and behaviors.

Through fluid power/ hydraulics program of study, students learn to apply basic engineering principles and

KELLEY

PUtnAM CAREER AnD tEChnICAL CEntER In ELEAnOR

technical skills. Instruction includes fluid mechanics and hydraulic principles fluid power systems, design and operational testing, inspection and maintenance procedures, related instrumentation and report preparation.

The Information Management program focuses on careers that produce images through hands on activities.

Students will learn how to use various hardware such as digital cameras, scanners, projectors and document cameras. In conjunction with the technological equipment, students will also explore Microsoft and Adobe software products useful in the digital media worlds.

The Careers in Education/Teacher Cadet program is an innovative approach designed to attract talented young people to the teaching profession through a challenging introduction to teaching.

The program seeks to provide high school students insight into the nature of teaching, the problems of schooling and the critical issues affecting the quality of education in American schools. Students participate in clinical experiences that will prepare them to understand the operations of managing a classroom.

Electrical Technician is a

broad-based program. Students will learn the basics of industrial electricity, from circuits to microprocessors.

Through the curriculum, students will use hands-on experiences related to real world situations while learning to install, diagnose, and repair equipment using electronics and/or electronic control systems to control industrial technology. Students will receive NCCER certification upon completion of program.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is an engaging and thought provoking program.

Students develop critical thinking skills through handson projects. Students have the opportunity to create, design and build. PLTW is a curriculum that is designed to prepare students to be the most innovative leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students completing PLTW program will earn college engineering credit.

CTE programs motivate students to complete high school and move on to higher education or seek immediate employment in the workforce.

Our goal at SVHS is to make this happen.

Velvet Kelley is the CTE Administrator at Spring Valley High School.

Changing careers is a familiar trend

mation technology (IT).

“There’s a high need in the HUNTINGTON — Whether community,” Midkiff said of it’s because of the economy, allied health professions. And, wandering attentions or adven- he points out, there is a demand turous spirits, career change has for IT in virtually every indusbecome a fact of life for many try. From hospitals and schools Americans. to mining operations and shipThe average American work- ping, computers are vital in er stays in a job about 4.4 years markets of all kinds, making IT before moving on, according a good field to transition into. to the Bureau of Labor Statis“IT is very popular because tics. For Millenials, there are a lot of entry that number is closer level positions i n to 3 years. At that rate, those areas,” Midkiff people who enter the said. Companies don’t workforce now could want to have to train expect to have a dozen their workers to use jobs or more over the computers, so cancourse of their lifedidates with a backtimes. ground in IT make Glen Midkiff, a coordesirable employees. dinator at the Marshall Of course, four“We have University Career Seryear institutions like vices Center, is famil- students that Marshall aren’t the iar with this trend; he only way to jumpare dislosees his fair share of cated work- start a career change. non-traditional stuexperience, ers, unem- Hands-on dents who need help like internships and ployed or transitioning into a volunteer hours, can new field. be a valuable way to looking “We have students learn new skills and to change that are dislocated the people you directions.” meet workers, unemployed hope to work for. or looking to change Glen Midkiff Technical colleges directions,” he said. offer two-year cera coordinator Midkiff says he and tificates and associat the Marshall his colleagues at the University Career ate degrees that can Services Center Career Services Cenincrease both earning ter try to create an power and employenvironment where ability. students feel comfortable startThe most important thing, ing over. Many of the students Midkiff says, is a resume that he assists are older, have nev- clearly reflects the variety of er been to college before, and skills and experience a candibecame students after years date has. in the workforce. These stu“Everyone needs to practice dents often need extra help with for their interview,” he added. developmental courses like Eng- “They need a mock interview lish, reading and math. and to be able to answer ques“They may have been laid off tions related to their career because there are more qualified field.” workers where they’re at, so they He also highlights “soft skills,” come here seeking a degree to get like leadership and teamwork, that edge and really boost their skills that can be developed resume to keep employment,” he anywhere from student governsaid. “They’re seeking a second ment to sports teams to church chance and a chance to start over.” commitees.

Two of the most popular fields Jobs numbers in the national for those changing careers to news may sound grim, but there transition into are allied health are options, both for the recentprofessions, like pharmacy or ly unemployed and those simply radiation technician, and infor- looking to make a change.

By RACHEL BAILEY

For The Herald-Dispatch

Courtesy of the Putnam Career and Technical Center

The Putnam Career and Technical Center in Eleanor, W.Va., was named the Best Career and Technical Education Facility of the year for 2012 by the West Virginia Department of Education. It strives to offer training in skills and occupations that are relevant in today’s job market, according to Assistant Principal Jonathon Pitzer.

Students win honors, find success after graduating

By BONNY RUSHBROOK For The Herald-Dispatch

ELEANOR, W.Va. — The past several months have been very good for Putnam Career and Technical Center in Eleanor, W.Va. Referred to sometimes as “Putnam County’s best kept secret,” it really isn’t a secret any longer — the school has won honors, teachers have won awards, the students are winning medals, and perhaps best of all, the students are graduating with college credit and are getting good jobs that can be considered careers.

In August, PCTC was named the Best Career and Technical Education Facility of the year for 2012 by the West Virginia Department of Education. Although three other schools were nominated for the award, PCTC was “selected in part because of a professional development program designed through a collaborative effort between Putnam County Schools and the West Virginia Center for Professional Development,” according to Assistant Principal Jonathon Pitzer.

“The professional development has helped several PCTC instructors begin the process of National Board Teacher Certification,” Pitzer said. Most of the teachers come from industry.

In addition to professional development efforts, the staff at PCTC also focused on a “failure is not an option” approach to student assessment.

During the school year, student test scores on the WorkKeys exam increased dramatically, with improved reading, mathematics, and technical thinking scores over their previous levels. Principal Mike Erwin said everyone at the school contributed to the award.

“This award is the result of a schoolwide effort, and the fantastic staff certainly deserves this recognition,” Erwin said.

No student left behind For years, educators have tried to keep students from dropping out of high school. Two years ago, Putnam County Career and Technical Center began using a state-wide program called Option Pathway that encourages students to stay in school and graduate

with a high school diploma. According to Option Pathway Teacher Alli Johnson, the program identifies students who are not likely to graduate on time and allows them to graduate with their classmates if they can demonstrate academic proficiency in specific areas of learning to earn their diploma.

“In this program, students complete a career and technical program, the WorkKeys assessment, the GED, and a range of other class work,” Johnson said.

Johnson works with these students by identifying the areas where they struggle and then tailors the instruction to their individual requirements.

“Students enjoy the programs they are in and the real-life learning that takes place,” she said. “This program has been beneficial for several students in our county who otherwise may have dropped out.”

According to Pitzer, at least 41 students have benefitted from the Option Pathway program since 2011. He gives Johnson a lot of credit for their turnaround.

“Mrs. Johnson really does a fantastic job with those kids,” Pitzer said.

Focus on health occupations On Saturday, March 2, Sally Harvey, Health Occupations instructor at PCTC, was the 2012-2013 HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Advisor of the Year at the HOSA State Conference in Huntington.

Harvey, a nurse who teaches direct care in the nursing assistant program, was recognized for Scrub Camp, an annual event at Marshall University that helps middle and high school students explore careers in health care.

“It is an introduction to health professions. Those interested in health get a chance to see if that is what they want to do,” Pitzer said. Harvey was also honored for her work in starting a HOSA club at Winfield Middle School.

“Mrs. Harvey is really dedicated. She works one on one with students,” he said.

Of the 23 PCTC students who competed in the HOSA Conference, 18 earned a medal for their conference competitions. The five gold medal-

ists will represent West Virginia at the National Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The other PCTC winners included eight silver medalists and five bronze medalists.

The design seen ‘round the world This past holiday season the Graphic Arts students were on a special assignment. Each year during December, the students design a holiday card for the Toyota Holiday Card competition.

The winner for 2012 was Emma Hurley whose design was an ornament in the form of a globe that hangs from the branch of a Christmas tree. The globe was draped with a ribbon imprinted with the word, “Toyota.” On the globe, a star sits in the area of the United States where the Toyota plant is located in Buffalo, W.Va. Hurley took the design from concept through print, as she competed with other designers to meet the real-world challenge of satisfying a customer’s needs. Her card was distributed to company employees, businesses and elected officials around the world.

Giving students a head start One of the great programs at PCTC is called EDGE, or Earn a Degree Graduate Early. It allows students to take high school courses for community and technical college credit. Students can earn an associate degree with substantial savings. If you take the right courses in high school, you can save up to $3,000 in college tuition, Pitzer said.

Students who take the college credit courses in high school, could earn an Associate Degree within one year after high school or along with a high school diploma.

PCTC students have been taking advantage of this program. From September 2012 to January 2013 (just one semester), PCTC students earned credit for 767 college courses through the WV EDGE agreement. These college credits are 100 percent free and are granted by local community colleges

Please see PUTNAM/3J

KEY PLAYER: SAMAnthA FREEMAn JOB: Director of Career Services, ITT Technical Institute, Huntington Campus HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR CAREER: I was hired to be a Career Services advisor at a college in Ocala, Fla. It was there that I discovered my love for higher education.

FIRST JOB: Part-time book laminator at the Raleigh County Public Library (Beckley, W.Va.) FAMILY: Married with two boys and one girl SPECIAL SKILLS: It is easy for me to meet new people.

FAVORITE BOOK: “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston FAVORITE MOVIE: “The

Magic of Belle Isle” FAVORITE TV SHOW: “The Walking Dead

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Careers

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

You need skills to pay the bills According to a report by the state Council for Community and Technical College Education and the state Higher Education Policy Commission, out Brenda of every 100 students enrolled in the ninth grade in West Virginia, only 17 will earn a two-year or four-year college degree within 10 years.

Sixty percent of students who do start college in the state, never finish, the report said.

What happens to those students and the others who never even started a post-secondary program? How can they have a family, pay for gas in their car, and all the other financial demands that we all have, when they do not have the skills to get a job where they can earn enough to pay the bills? A changing labor market has made an education even more valuable today than it has been in the recent past, the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy said in its monthly “Jobs Count” report. Our students must be college and career ready. To ensure this for all students, schools need to do what Career and Technical education has done all alongintegrate academics, technical, and employability skills into all of their programs.

Students in Cabell County’s three high schools can com-

TANNER

plete a career and technical education program and either go out into the world of work or go on to a post-secondary program. They also earn EDGE credits (acronym for Earn a Degree-Graduate Early) when they successfully complete their CTE courses. Our state community and technical colleges will accept these EDGE credits, which may enable students to spend less time and money obtaining an Associate’s Degree.

If you are a senior in Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, or Putnam counties, Cabell County’s Career Technology Center offers a “13th” year option.

This “13th “ year option allows graduating seniors to take one of our program (with the exception of our LPN program) tuition free. Students will still be responsible for books and any fees that apply to the particular program they are taking. You may even qualify for a PELL grant or VA benefits which may cover the cost of your books and fees.

This is a wonderful opportunity for those who want to learn a skill, which will enable them to find a good job.

If you are a displaced worker or would just like to have a new career, our center also offers several adult programs, such as Medical Office Assistant, LPN, HVAC, Interior

The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

3J

WEST VIRGINIA MILITARY BRANCHES

National Guard biggest employer and recruiter

Design and several others.

The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy said in their December issue “Jobs Count” report that changes were small for West Virginia employment in December, but the manufacturing sector saw a small rebound, adding 700 jobs and the construction workforce added 400 jobs. We have programs at our career center where you can learn the skills needed for jobs in those areas. The skilled trades are the hardest to fill in the United States with “Baby Boomers” retiring faster than these jobs can be filled. Much of the gap caused by these retirements, will be concentrated in “middle skill” technical jobs that require more than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year degree, according to the “Jobs count” report. Again, many of those skills for the jobs needed could be acquired by attending the Cabell County Career Technology Center.

For more information about our programs, which will give you the skills to help pay your bills, call 304-528-5106.

By RACHEL BAILEY

For The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON — West Virginians have a proud history of serving their country through military service. In World War II, our state had the nation’s highest number of soldiers per capita, and residents have remained dedicated to the armed services.

But in order to pursue a career in the military, West Virginians must leave home to train and live on bases. Because West Virginia doesn’t have a military base of its own, the branch of the armed services with the greatest presence and impact in the state is the National Guard.

The National Guard not only helps out locally by lending a hand when natural disasters strike. It also creates jobs for West Virginian Guardsmen.

“For the National Guard, the majority of our force is at one week a month, two weeks a year,” says Capt. William Hargis, echoing the Guard’s former recruiting slogan.

But for those who’ve shown their dedication to the Guard by serving for a few years, there may be the prospect of full-time work.

“In the cases that enlisted soldiers come in and are in the Guard,theycanbehiredastechniciansoractiveGuards,”Hargissaid, noting that current opportunities arelargelyinrecruiting.“Orthere’s logistics; soldiers who have been in the Guard for a few years and manage supplies for units and do budgetingandthingslikethat.”

Of all the military branches in the state, Hargis says he thinks the National Guard is “probably the biggest employer and recruiter.” This is good news for those who prefer to stay close to home.

“All of our recruits stay here in West Virginia as opposed to the US Army Reserve and active duty,” Hargis said.

Hargis makes clear that the Guard hires almost exclusively from within.

Brenda Tanner is the Director for Career and Technical Education for Cabell county Schools and Principal of the Cabell County Career Technology Center.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald Dispatch

Capt. Will Hargis of the U. S. Army said the majority of West Virginia’s National Guard works one week a month or two weeks a year. But for those who have shown their dedication to the Guard by serving for a few years, there may be the prospect of full-time work.

“A lot of our soldiers do additional training and certification,” he said. This makes finding qualified soldiers to move up the ranks easy when the National Guard is looking to fill a full-time position. Especially since, as Hargis notes, most of the soldiers have a four-year degree as well.

But working in the National Guard takes more than just competence; it takes character.

That’s what Hargis looks for in new recruits, in addition to good health, ambition and a high school degree.

That character is important when helping relieve West Virginians dealing with natural disasters.

“Every year in West Virginia, we are called out for some natural disaster,” said Hargis.

Usually it’s a flood or a snow-

storm, but last summer, the Guard devoted time to helping residents deal with a prolonged power outage during some of the hottest weeks of the year.

“National Guard soldiers went out assisting with setting up generators and helping with supplies and things like that,” Hargis said. “We train throughout the year to provide services.”

For soldiers who choose to stay with the National Guard and pursue a career in recruiting or logistics, all that time in the field turns out to be job training. It takes a long commitment, putting in years as a soldier before you’re even eligible to apply for full-time work. But for those who want to serve the country and the state without settling far from home, it might just be a commitment worth making.

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

Justin McElroy is the managing editor at Polygon, a video game website founded in 2012 in partnership with Vox Media. He is also one-third of the podcast team from “My Brother, My Brother and Me.”

Marshall graduate Justin McElroy enjoying Web and podcast success

I

t’s only fitting that Justin McElroy’s podcast My Brother My Brother and Me airs on the Maximum Fun network, because the Marshall University graduate has been excising just that from his weekly pile of work.

Don’t try this at home college grads, McElroy is a trained professional expert, but McElroy, who graduated in 2004 from Marshall with a B.F.A. in acting and directing spends his days thinking about video games and how to get the last laugh when he and his brothers, Travis and Griffin gather for their MBMBAM weekly podcast.

And he gets paid for it.

Since 2007, McElroy has made a living as an editor of online gaming websites, first with AOL’s website Joystiq and now with Vox Media’s super-site, Polygon where he has been managing editor since January 2012.

Since April 2010, he and his brothers, Travis, who lives in Cincinnati, and Griffin, who lives in Austin, Texas, have grown their edgy comedy podcast to more than 40,000 weekly downloads, sold-out live performances around the country.

While these days there is no

clear path to career success, McElroy has built a multi-faceted and fun career using his broadbase of skills he gained not only at Marshall but on area stages as a well-known actor in local productions.

There’s no better time to check in as McElroy, who is managing editor at Polygon, the video game website founded in 2012 in partnership with Vox Media, celebrated its one-year anniversary in February.

Polygon was built with a team of eight main writers and editors who came from such sites

A Division of Cabell County Public Schools

WE TRAIN TODAY’S STUDENTS FOR TOMORROW’S CHANGING WORKPLACE

as Joystiq (where Justin, Griffin and Chris Grant) came from, to Kotaku, The Escapist and from MTV’s gaming site.

“People were saying that it was like the Expendables of gaming journalists but it was also a lot of chefs in the kitchen and a lot of people to get used to,“ McElroy said. “We all saw the founders as equals and we started with that team of eight about a year ago publishing on The Verge, the tech site at Vox Media.”

Since then, Polygon designed and launched its own site (one of the largest responsive websites) in October 2012 and doubled the staff size which was the plan

by Vox, which has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco and Austin.

“Just from the tech perspective the site has gotten a lot of attention as it is one of the larger responsive websites,” McElroy said. “If you go to the website,

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work completed at PCTC. Students are eligible for up to 30 hours of free college credit if they complete a program of study at PCTC.

Hosting the best and brightest Once again, it is that time of year again for PCTC students to demonstrate the skills they have learned the past year. On March 23 Putnam Career & Technical Center hosted the annual West Virginia SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. This event, held in conjunction with local industries and the West Virginia

Department of Education, was expected to draw more than 600 of the best career and technical students from across the state to compete in a variety of vocational and leadership contests.

Winners from each category werebeawardedprizes,apprenticeshipsandscholarshipsfortechnical trade unions, colleges, and employers. Public viewing areas will be available for all skill competitions, and spectators are welcome.

“We generally do well. We’ve got some great kids and fantastic teachers. I’m really looking forward to the contest,” Pitzer said.

An awards ceremony was held at Winfield High School on the evening of March 23 to recognize winners. First place winners will represent West

Virginia at the National SkillsUSA Conference in Kansas City, Mo. The National Conference is scheduled for June 2013.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. “”The awards ceremony is fun.

That is the highlight for me,” Pitzer said. “It’s fun to watch these young people who are the best at what they do,” he said.

Pitzer said students who participate in their programs at PCTC have a high rate of employment.

Industries in the area stay connected to the school and will hire students with these industrial and technical skills when they graduate from high school.

“We’re really trying to be as relevant as we can. It won’t do any good to offer skills no one needs,” he added.

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STORY BY DAVE LAVENDER / THE HERALD-DISPATCH

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C M Y K 50 inch 4J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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Raleigh General Hospital is currently seeking full time RN’s for Critical Care. These positions come with a $8,000.00 sign on bonus with experience, and a $5,000 sign on bonus without experience. Raleigh General Hospital has competitive wages and benefits, including a 401(k) savings plan, paid vacation and sick leave, and much more!

Please inquire about our excellent benefits package!

For additional career opportunities visit our web address@ www.raleighgeneral.com Apply on-line Human Resources: 304.256.4190 EEO – M/F/V/D

Director of Materials Management

262354

261296

335 TWP RD 1026, South Point, OH 45680

262323

Providing Person-Centered, Holistic Care RNs, LPNs, and STNAs.

Raleigh General Hospital is currently seeking to fill the Director of Material Management position. The Director of Materials Management is responsible for the daily operations of all Materials Management functions. The Director of Materials Management integrates the department’s services with the hospital’s primary functions, develops/implements policies and procedures that guide or support service, assesses and improves department performance, and ensures orientation and continuing education of departmental staff. This position requires a bachelor’s degree in business administration or equivalent and a minimum of three years of hospital materials management. You may visit our website at www.raleighgeneral.com to complete the on-line application.

Please inquire about our excellent benefits package!

For additional career opportunities visit our web address@ www.raleighgeneral.com Human Resources: 304.256.4190 261706

EEO – M/F/V/D

C M Y K 50 inch The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

5J

TO HIS FRIENDS, HE’S IN MAINTENANCE.

Professional Drivers Needed In The Kenova Area!

Great Pay and Lots of Home Time K&T 7=!6&= 38EW!I*E:!@A< + J2 7=!6!A# UR?&=!&A*& Required Valid Hazmat and Tank Endorsements K@ /EAY UR?&=!&A*& 2&>8!=&( L8<: "E6& E *8==&A: 97MH )' years of age or older & DOT >8EW!I&(F

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Find the right person for your job today at www.heralddispatch.com/jobs or call 1-800-955-6110.

262364

Huntington-Area Metals Service Center seeks qualified warehouse workers.

Team player?

Proven leader?

Imagine your future at DIRECTV. 262324

Local specialty clinic an individual experienced in all front office duties.

Must have recent experience in insurance billing, filing electronic claims, coding and problem solving insurance billing issues.

Send resume to: Office Manager P.O. Box 2683, Huntington, WV 25726

Apply At: UR*&WW&A: 4EPH;&A&I: 4E*YE#& Martin Transport, Inc. 0 100% Paid Health and Dental 866-293-7435 NA<8=EA*& %@= UB?W@P&& 0 +DDX 4E!( Z$DHDDD Q=@8?

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262328

Experience with plasma, oxyfuel, forming, shear, or saw preferred but not required. Forklift and overhead crane experience also preferred. Good wage and benefits including bonus, profit-sharing and 401k.

Please submit resume to: 206 Prichard Industrial Park Rd., Prichard, WV 25555

0 Annual Safety and Tenure ;5K.1 0 38E=:&=WP 1E%&:P EA( 1&=6!*& ;5K.1 0 2&%&==EW ;5K.1 V O@W!(EP ;5K.1 0 /T@ ,&&Y< 4E!( -E*E:!@A ;E<&( @A ?=&6!@8< P&E= 0 UB?W@P&& 1:@*Y 5TA&=<"!?

Plan: (ESOP) 0 401K Retirement Plan with 9@B?EAP 9@A:=!C8:!@A< 0 7@WWE= %@= 7@WWE= BE:*" @A I=<: 'X 0 BEAP B@=& C&A&I:<

262353

TO THE LANDLORD, HE’S A MAGICIAN WHO MAKES PROBLEMS DISAPPEAR.

Goodwill Industries of Huntington, West Virginia, is hiring an EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR to lead the organization.

With your leadership skills and experience, you’re ready to take your career to the next level. And when you join DIRECTV as a Team Leader, you’ll find inspiring professional possibilities. On our Customer Care team, you’ll help us deliver the ultimate video entertainment and customer experience, and as you do, you will have the support you need to explore your full potential. Are you ready to find out how you can grow with a forwardthinking leader in the pay-TV industry? Join our hard-working, innovative team members who are motivated to give their best each day for more than 20 million customers.

For more information about the position, please visit:

http://www.goodwillhunting.org/executivedirectorsearch/

262346

262066

Customer Care Team Leader

262345

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As a Team Leader, you’ll play an important role in our success. Using your exceptional communication skills, you’ll maintain strong, loyal relationships with our customers by helping your team provide informed, timely solutions to a range of issues and customer needs.

When you join our team, you’ll find exceptional opportunities for personal and professional growth. You’ll be inspired by our vibrant, employee-focused facility, and rewarded with excellent pay, benefits and perks like a complimentary DIRECTV programming account. Join the company that’s transforming what TV means to the world. Apply today, and be sure to complete the required Virtual Job Tryout as part of your application process. EOE To apply online, visit: directv.com/careers

C M Y K 50 inch Progress 2013: Careers

6J The Herald-Dispatch — Huntington, WV, Sunday, March 24, 2013

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

Construct a resume that employers want Understand clearly that the purpose of your resume is to get you an interview, moving you to the next step of your job search process. Each job description and organization is unique, with differing expectations and requirements. The resume you build may open the door for one opportunity but might close the door to the next. Learning to tailor your resume to the job description will give the potential employer what they want. This means you will be writing more than one resume.

Do not take this advice wrong. The initial effort that you put into the development of your base resume has not been fruitless. This base resume will be the framework for you to use when constructing your resume for each job application.

You are responsible for the development of your document. Ask for help but do not

a closer look at through an interview.

There are several steps to take to assure that you can make that connection: Denise 1. Research the company HOGSETT 2. Have a very clear understanding of the position turn over the task to someone 3. Read and re-read the job else. Your resume should description showcase your experiences 4. Compare the job descripand what you have to offer. tion with your resume to assure that your resume idenCareer Counselors can help tifies the key words, skills and you evaluate what is and is requirement needed not working for you on your 5. Find the parallels between resume.

Connecting what you have the job duties and your experito offer with the employer’s ences and skills sets stated needs in the job 6. Attend any informationdescription is critical, not al sessions that are offered or only in your resume and cov- contact a person you know er letter, but in the interview that works with the organizaand all other interactions that tion and ask questions you have with the employer.

7. Ask questions of the Use your resume to convince recruiters at career fairs the employer you are the one Use all this information for the interview, providing during the construction them with the confirmation of your resume. Be sure to that you are worth taking format the resume so that

Path

n Continued from 4J

go to Polygon and change your browser width or size the site rebuilds to suit the size you are looking at, but the really neat thing if you have a tablet or iPad or a phone, where about 30 percent of our traffic comes from, you are looking at the same website.”

McElroy, who also does some video game reviews and features for the site, said it has been a wild ride since while there are bigger gaming sites out there, there never has been one that started so big and then built from there.

In his job as managing editor at Polygon, McElroy is in touch and working with writers in Australia, London, New York (both state and city), Philadelphia, Connecticut, Chicago, Akron, Ohio, Austin, Texas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

While they can most often work from their homes, McElroy and his fellow writers must travel to both coasts for conferences and meetings including the upcoming June E3 conference in California where the PlayStation 3 and new X-Box’s will be unveiled.

“It gives us a lot of perspective and represents a more diverse set of people and it lets us get better people and get them more affordably,” McElroy said.

“For what I get paid here I couldn’t live in San Francisco, and it also doesn’t limit us to a specific location. That is this is what I tell people all the time for this area. There has never been a better time ever for you to do what you want and to live here. You don’t need to be anywhere, especially if you are a writer. If you can write and have an Internet connection. When I am hiring someone, location is the last thing I look at. We’ve not had a meeting in our organization, even if they have a clump of people in New York or D.C., where we haven’t had some online component and someone dialing in. That is the way we work.”

While McElroy and his brother Griffin are both writing for Polygon, the two brothers also hook up weekly with their computers to record the successful “My Brother, My Brother and Me,” comedy advice-strewn podcast which they’ve been doing weekly since April 2010 on the Maximum Fun website (www.maximumfun.org) Still growing at 40,000 downloads a week and counting, MBMBAM’s hosts were featured as one of the headliners at the annual Maximum Fun convention at Lake Arrowhead, Calif., last year, where they were joined by a couple hundred folks in the comedy industry Justin said the growth of their comedy has been a bit surreal.

it is easy to read. Do not make the employer hunt for critical information or skills required. Remember that for screening purposes, a potential employer will look at the resume in a matter of seconds. So make each second count in your favor.

Also, remember that many applications will be completed online. You may have submitted your resume to a recruiter but then they direct you to an online application. This is a normal process. You must read and follow the directions very carefully. Get help if needed, complete all fields, use keywords from the job description and then re-check the application for any errors before submitting.

The first impression matters. What is my resume, cover letter and initial application saying about me? It can say that you do not pay atten-

“We did a show there and there were a lot of people who I’ve looked up to for a long time in the same room watching us do our thing,” McElroy said. “... It’s all Griffin and I can do to keep the plates spinning. MBMBAM was basically something we started because we weren’t keeping in good contact but now it has turned into a considerable part of our income. It’s fun and we are amazingly lucky. For all the success we’ve had I think the thing I feel luckiest about is that I get to do it with them.

When we were at MaxFunCon we all had our significant others, my wife and their girlfriends and it was all six of us up there and that was incredible getting to be together and hang out together.

That has been the best part, and it’s always been as rewarding developing our working relationship. When it comes to the boring business stuff we fight like brothers but watching how our banter works we really sharpen each other. So that has been fun to see that evolve and to be a part of it.”

McElroy said he credits his education both in and out of class at Marshall with honing him for his multi-faceted creative jobs.

“I really learned my fundamentals at Marshall in my journalism classes with Dan Hollis,” said McElroy, who out of school worked for The Ironton Tribune and The Herald-Dispatch. “It’s Dan’s voice I hear in my head when I

tion to detail and that you not interested in the opportunity, if your resume, cover letter or online application have typos, spelling errors and poor grammar. Details count; use resources available to you for assistance.

Last but not least always be honest. Misrepresenting yourself can be a disaster.

Bring those real achievements, skills and abilities to the employer’s attention.

Looking for a full time job can be a full time job regardless of the stage in your career, make the time you spend count by landing that career opportunity of your dream and adding value to the organization that saw in you what they needed to ensure the future success of their organization.

Denise Hogsett is the director of Career Services at Marshall University.

write bad and that has been invaluable to me. As far as theater, my MBMBAM is inextricably tied to my degree more than anything. These days, if you are in the media, videos and presentation are almost as big a part of your writing. No one is just a writer, so that theater training is good for that. Theater too is such a collaborative art form and so good for learning teamwork and performance.”

McElroy said these days students should also jump in and start working while in college on honing their skills for their dream job.

“I tell people don’t rely on just your education,” McElroy said. “It’s really good for learning the fundamentals of things you want to do and learning the basics but you can’t just rely on it. You need to start working and doing stuff, especially with the Internet now, there’s no reason not to.”

Because who knows, anything can happen, even here, especially here.

“My boss at Maximum Fun, Jesse Thorn, has this talk, ‘Make Your Thing,’ McElroy said. “And in this day and age people are making a living off of their YouTube channels that they do as a goof and people are doing podcasts that they just did for fun and they make a living off of it. There’s nothing that says you have to be in L.A. You can live anywhere if you work on something or make something that people like.”

Jobs

n Continued from 1J

Another area where Hogsett says employment can reliably be found is sales.

“They’relookingforpeoplewhohave the ability to communicate and work hard, the ability to be flexible,” she said.

While IT jobs usually require a two- or four-year degree, one of the upshots of sales positions is that they don’t typically require higher education. This is good news for both those without higher education and college grads wondering what to do with that Bachelor’s degree in history.

“A history degree doesn’t lead to sales, but if that person is very good at sales and they have a history degree, they can make it work for them,” Hogsett said.

Other areas of growth in the TriState include health care and engineering, according to Hogsett.

“There are large niches for individuals who are registered nurses and, of course, physical therapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy,” she said. “All of those things are huge, as far as need.”

She also notes that there seems to be a shortage of engineers to fill positions made available by retirees.

“More companies are looking at engineers to do project management,” she said.

Finally, there are “still huge gaps” in the workforce for people who have two-year associate degrees and certifications, often in a variety of medical fields, but also in positions like electrical technician and paralegal.

In Hogsett’s mind, there is something for everyone in the job market these days - from the availability of jobs in sales to virtually anyone to the specialized realm of engineering. But it’s hard to advise job-seekers which path to pursue in an ever-changing landscape.

“Before (the sequester) went on, the government jobs were good jobs to have and good jobs to apply for and for students at an entry level to look for,” Hogsett said. “How do we know what’s going to happen with the government sector? You think about the Corps of Engineers; that’s where engineers go.

Are they going to be cut?”

But Hogsett is certain about one thing.

“The most important thing to say is that it’s proven in statistics that if you get a two- or four-year degree, you’re going to be more marketable and position yourself to make more money and get a job than someone who only has a high school education,” she said.

Even in our volatile economy, the value of education seems to remain.

Goodwill and the United Way have teamed up to give you 2 options for FREE Tax Prep!

Would you like to do your taxes yourself and have an email address? If you make $57,000 or less, you can ��� ���� ������� ��� ����� ������ taxes for FREE!

IS YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME $51,000 OR LESS? You may be eligible for FREE state and federal tax preparation by VITA volunteers.

Cabell County Public Library

455 9th Street Plaza, Huntington MONDAYS 3pm to 7pm and 3/23 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

1005 Virginia Avenue, Huntington SATURDAYS 3/16, 3/30 & 4/13 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

What You MUST Bring:

261713

For additional information call:

2-1-1 or 304-781-1033

Goodwill Industries

1. Picture ID 2. Social Security cards or Individual Tax Payer ID Numbers for you, your spouse and all dependents 3. W-2s, 1099s and any tax information you have received 4. Proof of bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit