Morgantown Magazine - June/July 2015 by Morgantown Magazine

Farm to Farm A love of animals and research combine at WVU.

Higher Than Ever

The Morgantown Municipal Airport has big plans for the future.

Hometown Run The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first marathon is sure to be memorable.

Get reacquainted with the Monongahela River, an emerging escape with more and more access to fishing, boating, and waterfront dining and drinks.

volume 4

•

issue 5

published by

New South Media, Inc.

709 Beechurst Avenue, Suite 14A, Morgantown, WV 26505 1116 Smith Street, Suite 211, Charleston, WV 25301 304.413.0104 • morgantownmag.com

editorial director

Nikki Bowman, nikki@newsouthmediainc.com Editor

Laura Wilcox Rote, laura@newsouthmediainc.com contributing editors

Katie Griffith, katie@newsouthmediainc.com Pam Kasey, pam@newsouthmediainc.com Designer

Becky Moore, becky@newsouthmediainc.com Operations Manager

Sarah Shaffer, sarah@newsouthmediainc.com web manager

Katie Willard, katherine@newsouthmediainc.com Staff writer

Mikenna Pierotti, mikenna@newsouthmediainc.com photographer

Carla Witt Ford, carla@newsouthmediainc.com interns

Tessa Bonnstetter, Jordan Carter, Hope Hart integrated marketing & Advertising

Season Martin, season@newsouthmediainc.com Bekah Call, bekah@newsouthmediainc.com contributor

Andrew Barnes

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MORGA NTOW N is published by New South Media, Inc. Copyright: New South Media, Inc. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. © n ew sou t h m edi a, i nc. A ll r igh ts r eserv ed

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

editor’s note

he morgantown grip. It’s not a bad thing, but it is real. So many of us arrived to this city for school or for work, assuming we’d stay but a few years. A couple of years turned into a decade or more, and we found ourselves mumbling that old cliché our parents always said. “Time passes too quickly.” I love Morgantown. I love its people and its diversity and even its sometimes bad attitude. It’s a quirky place with tons of potential, close to our families and close to big cities when we need them. There’s room to roam and play, plus plenty to eat and drink. I personally love old haunts like 123 Pleasant Street (page 22) and new, hip joints like Tin 202 (page 32). My position as editor of Morgantown magazine has allowed me to fall in love with so many places in the city I might never have discovered, too, like this issue’s historic Garlow House (page 19). So it’s with some sadness that I announce this issue of Morgantown is my last, as I leave this great city and state for an opportunity in Chicago. I started my career with New South Media in 2011. We launched Morgantown later that same year, and watching it grow to become something so many people love has been a true honor. I always hoped it would be beloved, and yet the public response to it continues to thrill and astound me. I—and everyone

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

else in this office—can’t begin to count the times that people have come up to us gushing about the magazine’s clever design, vibrant photos, and never-before-told stories. Our team should be proud. Morgantown is a special place, and this magazine is the most important, meaningful thing I’ve been a part of to date. A city is at least in part its people, and we have very special people—both in our office and in Morgantown. Stories like those of vegan baker Aaron Behnke (page 18) and the husband-wife duo at Country Roads Quilt Shop (page 24) hit that point home. This city takes hold of us for good reason—it’s safe, it’s creative, and it has access to great parks and trails, among other amenities. And then there’s the river. For so many years the Monongahela River got a bad rap, but finally that’s starting to change. Just read our cover story on the river on page 56. I will always be grateful to have been part of this team and thankful for our readers and advertisers. I hope these bases continue to grow, and I hope each of you continues to support local businesses and organizations for a long time, from this magazine to groups like Homeward Bound WV and events like the Morgantown Marathon, both also highlighted in this issue. It’s a rare thing to have such a publication in a city this size. I’m confident our team will continue to bring you all the stories you need to know—and some you didn’t even know you wanted.

Letters to the Editor

Local Housing We thoroughly enjoyed the exciting article in Morgantown magazine entitled “The $250,000 Question.” We appreciate your efforts to bring information about the local housing market and the Morgantown Homecoming Program to your readers. Thanks again! John and Christal and your friends at the Fairmont Morgantown Housing Authority, via mail

Given a Voice On behalf of Morgantown Public Library, I would like to voice our gratitude … You help speak to the people of Morgantown. You give us a voice. What you do at Morgantown magazine you do wonderfully! Jay Gummer, Morgantown Public Library, via mail

Stay in touch!

lau r a w ilcox Rote,

Editor

Keeping Up With Home Received my first Morgantown magazine. I love it! I grew up there in the ’60s and ’70s, moving to Texas in 1979. I haven’t been home in a very long time but enjoy keeping up with “home.” I really enjoyed your article on The Flame restaurant and your profile of Betty Cross. I attended Cheat Lake from fifth through ninth grades and Mrs. Cross was our librarian during that time. She was such a warm and friendly lady. I wish her well. Amee DeFere Tuggle, Temple, Texas, via Facebook

Morgantown â&#x20AC;˘ Jun/Jul 2015

June/July 2015

Carla Witt Ford

In This Issue

Big Trips

A New Frontier

Flying Higher Than Ever

From New York City to Asheville to Louisville, these destinations are worth the drive.

The Monongahela River is experiencing a recreation revival in Morgantown.

The Morgantown Municipal Airport is poised for big development.

morgantownmag.Com

June/July 2015

In This Issue

26 30 This Matters 6 Know This 1 Meet Morgantown’s new City Council. 18 This Matters To... Aaron Behnke bakes the sweetest treats as part of his vegan bakery, The Venerable Bean. 9 What’s This 1 Garlow House holds the key to the region’s past with genealogical records, old photos, and more. 20 Read This Read local author Katie Fallon in the 2014 Best American Science and Nature Writing.

Departments 20 Eat This Try the Fried Pepperoni Rolls from Schmitt’s Saloon and Davisson Brothers Music Hall. 22 Hear This The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion brings rock and roll to 123 Pleasant Street in late June. 24 Shop This The Country Roads Quilt Shop is a community of quilters and friends, old and new. 26 Support This Homeward Bound WV is finding safe, permanent homes for animals in need.

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6 Editor’s Note 30 Scoreboard Excitement builds for the inaugural Morgantown Marathon in September. 32 Dish It Out Tin 202 offers fine dining and a twist on classic, high-end cocktails. 36 The U WVU’s Livestock and Dairy Farms combine a commitment to research and a love of animals.

40 Across County Lines A short drive to Washington, Pennsylvania, reveals great shopping, dining, history, and entertainment. 42 Healthy Living WVU encourages students to join together to fight chronic stress, from yoga and breathing techniques to time management and positivity.

On the Cover Photographer Carla Witt Ford captured this photo of our web manager, Katie Willard, and advertising support specialist, Bekah Call, on the Mon River.

Eat / Love / Wear / Shop / Watch / know / Hear / read / Do / Who / what

Take the plunge! Grab a ride on 1,000 feet of family fun at Morgantown’s Slide the City event August 29, 2015. Register at wvaq.com/slide-the-city. Use promo code “familyhouse” to save on registration and support the Rosenbaum Family House at WVU Healthcare.

Slide the City

August 2015

Batter up! The West Virginia Black Bears inauguaral season kicks off on Friday, June 19.

Visit westvirginiablackbears.com for ticket information.

Berry Good

Late June, early July— it’s not just baseball time, it’s berry-picking time! Grab a bucket and head to a pickyour-own berry farm or search the woods.

The 135,841-foot journey The Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled on a slip and slide in one hour is 135,841 feet and was achieved by Shelby Farms Park Conservancy (USA) in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 5, 2014. Source: worldrecordacademy.com

morgantownmag.Com

THIS MATTERS

d0This

Grab Your Padlz

Experience flat water paddling just minutes from Morgantown. ➼ Paddlers float with the wind past peaceful and quiet nature. Turtles sun themselves on rocks, and a blue heron perches in its nest in the branches of a tree. The Big Sandy River is dammed at Bruceton Mills, creating three miles of backflow that is the Bruceton Mills Lake—flat water with no current. It’s a kayaker’s heaven. Laura Drew-Dulaney grew up in New York, where she attended St. Bonaventure University and was in a group that did flat water paddling and racing. “My parents would never let me go white water rafting because it was ‘too dangerous.’” Nevertheless, she went to Ohiopyle, famous for its rapids, and had an epiphany. “I knew that’s where I was supposed to be.” She started spending her college summers there as a guide. Laura now owns and operates Padlz, a place for canoe, kayak, and standup paddleboard rentals on Bruceton Mills Lake. With the help of her 13-year-old daughter, Mya, good friends, and local high school students, Padlz draws many people to this scenic small-town lake. In a roundabout way, it was Mya that caused the business to come about. “I migrated here because of the white water and, after having Mya, there wasn’t 14

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really a place that offered flat water paddling that you could take the kids out on,” Laura says. After a bad experience at an outfitter and no luck finding other locations for flat water paddling, they decided to create their own locale. “We want to grow the love of the sport by providing a positive first experience through boat rentals.” Padlz opened in 2011 with the help of Laura’s father, who came up from Georgia to help build the shop. He rented a trailer and a U-Haul and brought the boats up from the distributer. A friend of Laura’s helped her build the website, and some locals helped paint the shop and figure out how to get things going. Now Laura has two employees who work when the season gets busy. This small, family-owned business prides itself on customer service, efficiency, and courtesy, as well as being inexpensive. Personal touches set Padlz apart. “We’re more interested in providing a positive experience and getting people to come back,” Laura says. “We’re also dogfriendly. Our six-pound poodle, Freckles, is very well-known and is the head of the welcoming committee.” At Padlz, twoperson kayaks are popular for humans and

What to bring: • Shoes and clothes that can get wet • Sunblock • Waterproof camera or dry bags for valuables • On cool days, dress in layers and bring a towel to dry off as needed • Cooler, water toys, and fishing poles • Sunglasses, old towels, snacks, water, and hat

their furry friends. Padlz Late last fall the Mill Street company picked up two Bruceton Mills standup paddleboards to 304.777.3665 padlz.com add to its approximately 12-boat fleet. Standup paddleboarding is growing in popularity across the nation, and guests at Padlz wanted them, too. “It’s a perfect body of water to use them on, especially if you’re a beginner. There’s no motorboat traffic, and the water is calm,” Laura says. Padlz is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Tuesday. The two-hour, self-guided trips depart at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Canoes, two-person kayaks, and standup paddleboards are $25 per boat, while a single-person kayak is $20 per boat. Cost includes paddles and life jackets. Walkins are welcome, subject to boat availability. Reservations are highly recommended. written by JORDAN CARTER photographed by Carla Witt Ford

THIS MATTERS Heavy Water

Deuterium oxide, or D2O, is sometimes called “heavy water” because deuterium is a heavier version of hydrogen. It naturally makes up a small percentage of water, but can be concentrated.

The P-9 Project

The code name for the Manhattan Project’s heavy water production program. Sources: Manhattan: The Army and the Atomic Bomb; Morgantown History Museum; Wikipedia

KNOW This

Backup for the Bomb Evidence of Morgantown’s role in building the atomic bomb still stands.

➼ Four stacks standing in a row in the Morgantown Industrial Park are nearly all that’s left of a massive World War II production complex: the Morgantown Ordnance Works. Prominent across the river from University Motors on Don Knotts Boulevard, the stacks are idle today but, in 1944 and 1945, would have spewed smoke as part of an urgent wartime effort. Ordnance—weapons and ammunition—was the facility’s original and public aim, but its ultimate mission was secret. In the WWII race to develop the atomic bomb, one way of making the uranium and plutonium isotopes needed to fuel the bomb called for deuterium oxide, or “heavy water.” Suspecting Nazi Germany was already pursuing that path, the U.S. government asked E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in 1942 to enter the ongoing Manhattan Project to speed the construction of a U.S. bomb. The chemical manufacturer already had an electrolytic plant at the Morgantown Ordnance Works, where it made ammonia needed in the making of explosives. When it joined the larger bombmaking effort, du Pont built three distillation plants for the production of heavy water: one each in Alabama, Indiana, and 16

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

alongside its ammonia plant in Morgantown. Although du Pont had three facilities, the final refinement took place in Morgantown. The company shipped its intermediate product in from Alabama and Indiana by rail, where it was put through electrolytic finishing to concentrate it from 90 percent to 99.75 purity. The final product was shipped back out by rail to the Manhattan Project’s laboratory at the University of Chicago. Some of Morgantown’s most basic characteristics—coal, water, rail, and an educated community—made it a good location for the program. The Ordnance Works is said to have employed 1,400 at its peak, about 8 percent of the 18,000-plus people who lived in Morgantown and Westover in the 1940s. The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945. Morgantown’s role turned out to be peripheral: The deuterium oxide was conceived as part of a backup production method and in the end was not used to make the bombs. The Morgantown Ordnance Works was shut down later in August 1945. Parts of the 800-plus-acre complex have served other manufacturers since, though by now most of the facilities have been demolished. Today about 450 acres of the property are managed by Enrout Properties as the Morgantown Industrial Park. The stacks aren’t going anywhere. “They’re just too big to do anything with, and there’s not really any gain,” says coowner Glenn Adrian, whose office is in one of the last remaining original buildings. “There will always be reminders of the Ordnance Works there.” While the remaining structures are not safe to enter, he says, visitors are welcome to drive down for a closer look. written by Pam Kasey

To see additional photos of the Morgantown Ordnance Works, visit the West Virginia and Regional History Center’s History OnView collection at wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu.

KnowThis

At the Helm

A good mix of old and new blood will take Morgantown’s helm when our 2015-17 city council, elected in April, is seated on July 7. ➼ Heading into his seventh term, Ron Bane is the longest-serving council member. Mayor Jenny Selin, going into her fifth term, remains in charge at least until the new council chooses from among its ranks. Marti Shamberger will serve a fourth term and Wes Nugent a third. Elected back for second terms are Bill Kawecki and Nancy Ganz. And while Jay Redmond is a newcomer to council, he brings broad experience from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in Morgantown. Issues this council expects to address include public safety, the city’s tax structure, and the perennial road and traffic woes. Attending a meeting is the least any resident can do to understand the city’s inner workings. Council deliberates first and third Tuesdays and meets last Tuesdays in work sessions where no formal action is taken. All meetings are open to the public and take place at 7 p.m. at council chambers, 389 Spruce Street.

morgantownmag.Com

ThisMATTERS TO

Aaron Behnke ➼ He hates the word foodie —too cutesy, perhaps. Aaron Behnke is a lover of food instead. A now retired pro BMX biker, Aaron arrived in Morgantown in 2001 following love and quickly came across the Mountain People’s Co-Op, where he launched his vegan bakery The Venerable Bean. “I started the bakery in 2008 when the co-op was at its weakest,” he says. “We were basically days or weeks from closing. It was a really dire financial time. The kitchen existed here, but there was nothing happening, so I started the bakery to assist the co-op and give people another reason for coming here.” It worked. Not only is the co-op flourishing, having outgrown its current location and readying a move to Pleasant Street, Aaron’s bakery is on fire. “I started off doing cookies and cakes and muffins and that’s expanded. Now it’s grown to brownies, glutenfree options like cakes for birthdays and parties, and I also do bagels, vegan pepperoni rolls, cinnamon rolls. Then spring through fall I do foods like salads and wraps to go.” He also takes custom orders. Since he’s the only fully vegan baker in town, we checked in to learn more about his food philosophy.

On vegan treats I’m completely self-taught. It was a matter of traveling a lot and finding amazing vegan baked goods in other places. I wanted to learn how to do it, so I started trying. People are always surprised. Vegan has a big misconception of not being good. And it can be done like that. I’ve made bad stuff. But once you get it right— people are often surprised my food is vegan unless they knew it ahead of time. People order a birthday cake, and everyone comes over and has birthday cake, and then when guests find out it’s vegan they’re often surprised. I run an organic, natural bakery, and cater to allergyspecific needs. I’m happy to make something delicious for someone who has an allergy issue.

written by katie griffith photographed by carla witt ford

On the vegan lifestyle—consuming no animal products I’ve been vegan since 1996. When I was younger, I started learning about animal rights and living compassionately. Over the years that evolved to learning about the health aspects associated with being vegan, and it just grew from there.

On his baking philosophy I hear people talk about different places, and they’ll ask me if I’ve ever tried this from so-and-so, and they say, “Oh! It was really cute.” But for me I’d be really disappointed if the first description of my food was that it was cute or that it looked beautiful. So my philosophy is to make it good, not cute. What I hear from my customers is that it’s good. The other thing I hear is, “I can’t believe it’s vegan.”

On the importance of the co-op It’s important to be involved in the local food economy, and the growth of the co-op ensures the growth of our food economy. If you go to Kroger to buy something, do you think that money stays in Morgantown or even West Virginia? Obviously they employ people, but with the co-op we’re trying to create greater buying power. It’s thinking about where you spend your money and what you spend your money on and who’s affected by that.

THIS MATTERS WHAT’SThis

The Ghosts of Garlow House The Josephine & William Aull Center on Spruce Street is a haven of history.

➼ Mike McClung is surrounded by ghosts, and he likes it that way. In a back room of a 1907 house on Spruce Street, he sits quietly at a large table—maps and papers spread out in front of him. “There are lots of mysteries in this place that will probably never be solved, but it’s fun to chase them,” says Mike, manager of the Aull Center, part of the Morgantown Public Library. In 2000 the library acquired the historic house next door with a trust fund provided by Josephine and William Aull. The library then moved its West Virginia and genealogy collections to the house at 351 Spruce. Today the bulk of the library’s collection is on the main floor—you’ll find an old cannonball, yearbooks that date back to the 1920s, and a plethora of family histories. Upstairs, the house is also home to the Appalachian Prison Book Project, and special archival work on historical documents also occurs on the second floor. The house also has a small Holocaust collection, having inherited the West Virginia Holocaust Education Commission’s library. But it’s genealogy that brings people from all over the world to search the many bookshelves at the Aull Center. Mike has seen visitors from California, British Columbia, the Philippines, and Germany, to name a few. Recently a woman from Poland dropped by searching for information on her coal miner ancestors. The center has information not just on families from Monongalia County but from Marion, Preston, Harrison, and a host of other counties, too. Mike, a full-time library employee, has a history degree from WVU and has worked for the library since the ’90s. At the Aull Center he works alongside two part-time genealogists who are always happy to solve a bit of mystery, whether it’s using an old book of 1886 farm maps that show the county’s houses and their owners or a brief history of Morgantown. “You sit them down with the map and bingo, there it is. It shows them right where they lived. It

shows the creeks and the roads and The Aull Center everything. That’s 351 Spruce Street a rarity,” Mike says 304.292.0140 of the old book of farm maps. Sometimes people visit the Aull Center simply to see inside. It took Mike and colleague Bill Marquette four years to renovate the interior when the library first acquired the house. The hard work paid off, restoring the house to its original grandeur when it was built by Aaron Garlow, a local bank and hardware company president. “The Garlow House is basically the way it was in 1907,” Mike says. “The woodwork is 99 percent original.” The painted window—many people think it’s stained glass—in the study is original, and so is the chandelier that hangs at the top of the stairs, having been lovingly restored and rewired by Mike and Bill. Chandeliers in every room of the main floor have been hanging there since the 1930s. The attic, while private, still has original wallpaper. With 15-foot vaulted ceilings, the attic was once called the ballroom. “The rumor is they used to dance up there,” Mike says. “I know they played a lot of cards,” he adds, recalling finding poker chips and cards over the years. Mike says the house’s many original features are an exception, especially considering the changes its sister home— 270 Walnut Street, also known as The Sandcastle and now home to Appalachian

Gallery—has seen over the years. The Sandcastle has had many different owners, while the Garlow house stayed in the Garlow family until 2000. Architect Elmer Jacobs designed both houses. But what Mike loves most about spending a morning in the Aull Center is the stories that being there allows him to share—not just about the Garlows, but about Morgantown and West Virginia in general. Take the story of Morgantown’s founding, for example. “It’s not like Zackquill Morgan just sailed up the river and said, ‘This is going to be Morgantown,’ Mike says. “The first settlement was actually made by Thomas Decker.” That settlement—where Deckers Creek empties into the Mon River—was ultimately wiped out by Native Americans. Later, Mike says, Zackquill made a tomahawk claim in town. “You paddled in, stuck your tomahawk in a tree and said, ‘This is mine,’” Mike says. “But a lot of people have never even heard of Thomas Decker or the Decker community.” The Aull Center is open Monday to Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The center also hosts special presentations and reenactments—from Robert E. Lee to Edgar Allen Poe. A new schedule will be announced in summer. written by Laura Wilcox Rote photographed by Carla Witt Ford morgantownmag.Com

THIS MATTERS

Reborn ReadThis

EATThis

An essay by Morgantown author Katie Fallon reconnects life and death through the ancient—and often misunderstood— symbol of the vulture.

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

written by Mikenna Pierotti photographed by Carla Witt Ford

Rockin’ Rolls ➼ Schmitt’s Saloon and Davisson Brothers Music Hall on Cheat Road is a live music sensation in Morgantown, where everything from metal groups like the Texas Hippie Coalition to country acts like the Josh Abbott Band find room on-stage and a full crowd to cheer them on. But this saloon’s food hardly plays second fiddle to its entertainment prowess. Bar staples like hot wings and burgers share the limelight with taste bud imploding inventions like the Loaded Tater Barrel— with jalapeno bacon, black bean salsa, BBQ, and shredded cheese—and Nana’s Fried Buffalo Chicken Rolls. But if you’re only going to try one guilty pleasure, go for the local favorite, the Fried Pepperoni Rolls. These generously sized appetizers are the very essence of Owen Schmitt’s establishment—one part classic West Virginia with the traditional sweet, yeasty dough wrapped around thin slices of lip-smacking pepperoni and three parts rock and roll with pepper jack cheese and a crispy fried crust served with perfectly seasoned marinara and a sprinkle of Parmesan. 245 Cheat Road 304.291.9001, schmittssaloon.com

carla witt ford

➼ Katie Fallon’s essay “Rebirth,” published in both literary journal River Teeth and in the 2014 Best American Science and Nature Writing, begins with twin images seemingly at odds. As the narrator enters the hospital to prepare for the birth of her daughter, she recalls saving a dying vulture from a trap along the Elk River. On one side a baby is born, new life created, on the other a vulture, perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of death, is rehabilitated and given new life. Yet the intimacy of the narrator’s first moments with her child meld startlingly well with the moment she first presses the wounded animal to her body to calm it. It was this beautiful contrast that spoke to Katie when she first began crafting her essay, that and the important yet underappreciated role creatures like vultures play in the natural world. “I have always been fascinated with vultures,” she says. “They have a really unfortunate reputation for being sneaky and dirty. But they really do a very important job. They take pieces of other things and give them new life.”

With a wingspan of nearly 6 and a half feet and a sense of smell so acute it can detect the scent of carrion in just a few parts per trillion scattered through columns of air, the turkey vulture is a powerful creature. In ancient Egyptian mythology the vulture was Nekhbet, a goddess of protection for pharaohs and mothers. But today the creature more often inspires disgust and fear than awe or admiration. Through a seamless blend of fact, mythology, and intricately crafted scenes, “Rebirth” dares readers to look past the scary unknowns of death and decay, things from which we’ve perhaps become too far removed in the modern era, and see the beauty in the eternal cycle. “The whole essay is about rebirth,” Katie says. “The injured vulture we returned to the wild was reborn. When an animal dies and a turkey vulture eats it, that animal is, in a way, reborn and becomes part of the vulture. And in a lot of ways when you’re having a child you and the child are reborn. You think you’re bringing something new into the world but really that child is something old, something that was once a tiny piece of something else. It’s new, but it’s also old. It’s been here all along, just in a different form. I think that’s beautiful.” Katie taught creative writing at WVU and Virginia Tech, published her first book, Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird, in 2011, has been nominated several times for a Pushcart Prize, and has essays appearing in a number of literary journals. She is also one of the founders of the Morgantown-area Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving wild birds through education, outreach, research, rescue, and rehabilitation. katiefallon.com

morgantownmag.Com

HEARThis

High Octane Fearless New York City alternative rock legend Jon Spencer Blues Explosion brings musical mayhem to Morgantown. ➼ Funkacide. It’s a word you’ll find associated with alternative rock band Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s (JSBX) 2015 album, Freedom Tower: No Wave Dance Party, but it also neatly encapsulates the band’s soul—ferocious, gritty, unapologetic—what Jon Spencer himself might call true rock and roll. “This is America, baby. We ain’t got no class,” he taunts in Freedom Tower’s “Down and Out.” From start to finish Freedom Tower is its own record—fun, loud, and a little bit self-effacing as it both plays with and makes fun of modern rock and roll’s tendency toward mimesis rather than originality. And yet it’s laced (you might say scarred) with the wisdom of nearly 25 years playing against the grain while still embedded in the Big Apple’s effervescent and unforgiving music scene. JSBX was born and bred in the graffiti and neon of ’90s New York City, but its namesake is a New England native, hailing from New Hampshire and attending Brown University. From there Jon joined noise rock band Shithaus, moved to Washington, D.C, fronted garage rock band Pussy Galore, 22

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and found his way to New York City—the dirt, shadows, and magic of which would quickly become his muse. Before forming JSBX in 1991, Jon played and recorded with bands like Boss Hog and The Honeymoon Killers. He met maverick drummer and Queens, New Yorker, Russell Simins and guitarist and singer Judah Bauer, who had played with the The Spitters and recorded as part of Crowbar Massage alongside Russell, somewhat by chance, and the three formed their own experimental sound from the DNA of other pursuits. “I wasn’t looking for a band. But I had the good fortune of meeting Russell through Honeymoon Killers and Judah later,” Jon says. The trio exploded into public consumption with unconventional recording techniques and an addictive sound—at once unabashed and celebratory yet laced with angst and frustration. Six months later they recorded and released A Reverse Willie Horton. And with each successive show the group formed a wholly unique live performance style, full of swagger, sweat,

and unhinged sound. With Judah supplying guitar, vocals, and harmonica; Russell on drums; and Jon the lead vocals, guitar, and theremin, JSBX soaked up inspiration in everything from punk to blues to rockabilly to hiphop and spat out something sublime and chaotic—a sound all its own. The band has released nine albums as well as collaborative records, singles, outtake albums, compilations, remixes, and reissues. They’ve worked with everyone from Elliott Smith, Moby, and Beck to Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and the Beastie Boys’ Ad-Rock. But unlike similar groups, the three didn’t implode in the limelight. Even after a brief hiatus in 2005 to pursue other creative endeavors, the group returned, if not better then certainly shrewder, releasing compilations of rare and unreleased tracks and playing live shows in the U.S., Europe, and the UK. By 2012 they’d released yet another album, Meat + Bone, and performed on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2013. In light of the band’s June 2015 show at 123 Pleasant Street, Morgantown magazine snagged an interview with Jon. He opened up about his relationship with rock and roll and the things he’s learned from nearly 25 years in the music business.

How did you get into music? I think it started in high school, maybe with adolescence and that mixture of chemicals and hormones coursing through my veins. I didn’t really listen to rock and roll as a kid. That stuff didn’t really appeal to me. But when I was 16 or 17 new wave was going on and that sparked my imagination.

You’ve dedicated a lot of years to music. How has it changed you? Besides the physical ways? I mean, I’ve probably lost some of my hearing, pieces of teeth, damaged my knees and my back. But spiritually it’s been a very enriching experience. And just to be able to travel around and go to places like Morgantown and see those different places and meet new people—it’s been truly wonderful.

What speaks to you about both rock and blues? Rock and roll is terribly exciting. And true rock and roll is still very strange and beautiful. It can be quite dangerous and sexy at the same time. I still think it’s a very powerful art form. We really play rock and

micha warren

THIS MATTERS

roll. It’s a bit confusing with our name and there is some blues in the mixture there. We have even spent time playing with true blues men. We spent a year working with R.L. Burnside. But mainly we are interested in the power of rock and roll.

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Daddy Long Legs June 20, 9 p.m. 123 Pleasant Street 123pleasantstreet.com thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com

How has JSBX evolved? We’ve been playing for about 24 years and that’s an awfully long time for any relationship, especially for a rock and roll band. At this point we are very trusting of each other and respectful. That’s ultimately because the band is very important to us. We like doing this and want to protect what we have.

How does your newest record fit into the canon of your other work? There are echoes or reflections from earlier phases. But I always like to think when we make a new record it’s firmly rooted in what is happening right now in the present. I think Freedom Tower is a solid, clean, sparse record. For me what’s important is what’s going on right now. It’s difficult to cast my mind back. Playing for as many years as we have, you gain experience. You might even gain some wisdom, and I certainly think we have. The creativity and our relationship to the music has also changed. I like to think it has deepened. It would have been in no way possible for us to make this record 10 or 20 years ago. We just didn’t have the knowledge. I think Freedom Tower benefits from that experience and years. There’s a strength that the songs and the record as a whole gains from all of that.

courtesy of jo Murray

What can people expect from the 123 Pleasant Street show? We’ll be joined by another fine trio from New York—Daddy Long Legs. They are a really great live blues band so people should get there early. From us, expect something loud with a lot of energy. I hope those who come are expecting to get down, move their feet, and make some noise. written by Mikenna Pierotti morgantownmag.Com

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ShopThis

The Gathering Place This quilt shop is more than a hobbyist’s haven—it’s a hub for creativity, camaraderie, and charitable giving.

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

➼ In the back of her quilting store on Beechurst Avenue, Peggy Ellwood packs boxes full of neatly pressed, handmade pillowcases. “These were made by seventh graders. They’ll go up to the children’s hospitals,” she says, proudly slicing open the cardboard to show the colorful designs. “We’re just the gathering spot. But we make sure what comes in is ready to go. They have to be washed and bagged, then I have a liaison who comes and takes them up to the hospital,” she says. Peggy doesn’t make a penny on the pillowcases, nor does she make much on her regular quilting socials (sew-cials), where quilting enthusiasts gather to work on projects, eat a catered meal (sometimes with a little potluck on the side), and chat about their lives. But that’s not

why she does it. Country Roads “Yes, I have to Quilt Shop keep the lights 709 Beechurst Avenue on and make a 304.241.5645 countryroadsquilts.com profit. But it goes far beyond that. That’s not my motive. My motive is to have a shop people are proud of, where they can learn something new, be creative, and give back to the community.” The quilt shop feels like home. Maybe it’s the soft hum of sewing machines in the back room, the layers of bright quilts on the walls, or the shelves of fabric and books in every corner. Maybe it’s the high ceilings, exposed brick walls, and pegboards hung with quilting tools—bits and baubles called notions. But most likely it’s the staff. Stop by when Peggy is there (practically always) and she’ll drop whatever she’s doing to greet you and ask if you need any help. She has a great laugh—infectious and warm. And she’s quick to explain the inner workings and uses of any tool, fabric, or pattern. “When

There’s more to it than just stitching. It’s also all the people you meet and hang out with. It’s more than making stuff. It’s a creative lifestyle.” Peggy Ellwood, owner

customers are waited on here they’re treated like a friend. Not like a number,” says Peggy’s husband, Dave. That’s one reason why everyone from grad students to retired teachers to professionals looking for creative outlets find their way to Peggy’s shop to take classes and socialize. “We’re like the barber shop on The Andy Griffith Show. This is where people come and hang out and talk,” Dave says. Peggy and Dave grew up around Lake Erie. Peggy fell in love with Morgantown after visiting as a teenager and went to college at WVU. The couple raised their family in Columbus, Ohio. But when their kids grew up and left home, the Ellwoods knew they needed a new adventure. Peggy’s love of quilting (and some 25 years of experience) mixed with the couple’s years of practice running successful businesses gave them the perfect idea. “The only thing I’ve ever really, really wanted to do is open a quilt shop. But I couldn’t do it in Columbus because there’s one on every corner. So we started looking around for towns and Morgantown just kept grabbing us. You know that pull. I can’t explain it,” Peggy says. “I tell my kids it’s in my heart. There’s just something about this state, these people, this area that just grabs us.” The couple moved to Morgantown and opened Country Roads Quilt Shop in the historic Seneca Center in 2010. There they sell fabric, patterns, books, notions, thread—nearly everything a quilter at any level might need. But the cornerstone of the business is the educational side. At the shop, aspiring quilters and sewers can learn everything from the basics to more advanced ideas like paper piecing and embroidery. But those who start rarely stop, Peggy warns. “There’s more to it than just stitching. It’s also all the people you meet and hang out with. It’s more than making stuff. It’s a creative lifestyle.” A passion for Morgantown and its people has also translated into multiple fundraising, charity, and volunteer efforts hosted at or supported by Country Roads Quilt Shop. From June 12 to 13, 2015, the shop will host A Celebration of Quilts, a show with more than 100 quilts, a raffle, and a silent auction to benefit local food pantries. “This isn’t just a brick and mortar store where people pick out a yard of fabric and walk back out the door,” Peggy says. “This is a place people always feel welcome. We want to provide the education and the cutting edge tools, but we also want to provide socialization, fellowship, and a chance to give back to the community.” written by Mikenna Pierotti photographed by Carla Witt Ford morgantownmag.Com

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Furr-ever Homes

Homeward Bound WV is saving animals in a way no organization in the area has done before. ➼ Oscar de la Hoya climbs in his kitty crate like a little monkey as Jenny Robbins comes home from work. Oscar was brought to Jenny only three weeks ago, starving and crying for help outside when the Humane Society came to his rescue. No one thought this tiny kitten, whose eyes couldn’t even open, stood a chance. But now it’s a different story. “He is now purring and, boy, is he vocal. I am never in doubt when he is hungry—you can hear him meowing for miles. I named him Oscar de la Hoya because he is my little 26

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

fighter. He has overcome insurmountable odds and is, as far as I can tell, a healthy little boy. He still has a long way to go before he can be adopted, but he is extremely special already,” Jenny says. Fosters like Jenny put their own time into taking care of seemingly hopeless animals like Oscar every day through Homeward Bound WV, a local nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming animals. “Knowing this amazing little soul would not have had a chance at all if I didn’t step up makes

doing rescue work totally worth it. It’s time-consuming and sometimes exhausting, but this little kitten will have a wonderful, loved life because I invested time, love, and energy into him. He and all of our foster animals are so worth it,” Jenny says. Last year the organization found nearly 700 puppies, dogs, kittens, and cats new families. Homeward Bound is not a shelter, and there is no shelter involved, so all donations go straight to animals in need. Volunteers foster the pets until new, safe homes are found. Formally Friends of the Four-legged and Furry, Homeward Bound WV is run by a board of volunteers who work closely together—transporting animals, finding foster homes or fostering the rescues themselves, and working to find permanent homes. “There is a great need in this area for rescue and rehoming. In comparison to other rescues’ funding and fosters, we’re rather small,” says Jenny, who is also the secretary for Homeward Bound WV. The organization’s foster and adoption process is unique in West Virginia. “We don’t allow people to take an animal home on the spot. We do home visits for dogs and

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puppies and make sure both the family and the home are suitable for the animal. For cats and kittens, we do reference checks and also stay in touch with the family after the adoption to make sure all is going well,” Jenny says. A similar process occurs with people who become fosters. Each foster is taught how to care for the animal’s specific needs and is given all the supplies they will need to take care of the animal temporarily. Homeward Bound volunteers actively seek animals in desperate need of homes. Volunteers go to kill shelters in the area and pull animals that are going to be euthanized. They also go to sites where animals are being dumped and take them to no-kill shelters. Displaced animals from circumstances like natural disasters have also found new homes with Homeward Bound’s help. “We have paired with Orphans of the Storm, a no-kill shelter in Pennsylvania, and serve as the middleman to help them find these animals that once had a home a new one. We want to help as many animals as we can,” Jenny says. Volunteers also plan and execute the rescues, as well as arrange vet appointments and find foster homes. Under normal circumstances, people contact them,

explaining the situation and sending photos so they know what to expect. Then the board discusses the best way to go about the rescue. “Our biggest need is fosters,” says Darlene Bolyard, president of Homeward Bound WV. “All the person has to provide is a loving, safe, and temporary home. We give them all of the supplies they will need. When there aren’t enough fosters we partner with other no-skill shelters in the area to make sure the animal will not be harmed.” Fosters for Homeward Bound WV are expected to bring their animals to Adoption Day each Sunday at the Morgantown Petco. “We want the foster to be there so they can see if the person interested in the animal would be a good personality fit,” she says. Fundraising is crucial to save and transport these needy animals. Homeward Bound does four online fundraisers each year. For each they choose an animal and tell its story. This past quarter focused on a golden retriever named Miki who was brought to the nonprofit’s attention by a photograph of her with a steel trap stuck on her leg. When the dog ran away in a wooded area, volunteers had to search for Miki for days. Eventually they found her

and took her to safety. “She spent time at the vet, had surgery to amputate her leg, and she was then put into a loving foster home to recover,” Jenny says. Miki’s story not only raised money and awareness for this organization, but Miki has been nursed back to health and was recently adopted. The group exceeded its goal of $1,500, making this the most successful online fundraiser to date. Homeward Bound is always trying to think outside the box with fundraisers, working on raffles and even a speed-dating event. Homeward Bound also sells T-shirts each Sunday at Petco’s Adoption Days. And people can donate using PayPal. This year Homeward Bound also received a Peterman Grant, a no-cost spay and neuter grant for Preston and surrounding counties. “If people can’t afford to fix their animals themselves, we ask them to call up the ‘Fix-it Phone,’ which is a 24/7 phone line,” Jenny says. Owners can leave a message and Homeward Bound will get back to them soon to help.

written by Tessa Bonnstetter photographed by Carla Witt Ford morgantownmag.Com

Scoreboard

Hometown Run Planning for a memorable, mountainous marathon in September is well under way. ➼

t 7 a.m. sharp on a Sunday in September, Josh Simpson will step toward the front of a crowd of a couple thousand people. All around him people will stand, stretch, and chat nervously, pinning numbers to their brightly colored shirts and shorts. They will come from around the globe, from Singapore, Australia, Hawaii, and California. Josh will stand among them prepared to do one thing—win. Some 2,000 runners are expected to participate in Morgantown’s inaugural marathon. Some will have toiled through months, even years, of sweat, blisters, and likely even a missing toenail or two in order to take on one of the most difficult athletic feats—the 26.2-mile run. Although Josh has trained for marathons

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

and even qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, he has never done anything quite like this hilly run through his very own Morgantown. “I have to be a part of the marathon here,” he says. “I feel like it is up to me to win. I want to be the hometown person. There’s not any pressure on me from anyone, but I put it on myself.” The race is one of few marathons in West Virginia and will be a Boston Marathoncertified event. It also caps a full weekend of races and events that start Friday—all the result of many months of planning by avid runner and Marine Corps veteran Jamie Summerlin. In 2012 Jamie ran from Oregon to Delaware to raise money for Operation Welcome Home, a charity for veterans returning from combat. He ran more than 3,000 miles and raised nearly $50,000.

Not long after that epic run, Jamie knew he wanted to bring people to Morgantown to continue raising funds for Operation Welcome Home while also showing off the Mountain State. “As a runner, I wanted to bring something here,” he says. “I wanted to expose people who were not from West Virginia to the greatness of West Virginia.” It has been a yearlong process of coordinating and getting support, including getting the City of Morgantown, the West Virginia Division of Highways, and public safety departments to sign on, as well as getting the support and excitement of the Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors Bureau, WVU, and even runners. Jamie pitched the event not just as a race but as an opportunity for runners and nonrunners alike—something big to show off the state. “This will be a great opportunity to showcase West Virginia hospitality,” he says. “At the end of the day, we’re going to support veterans with Operation Welcome Home and showcase West Virginia.” The race is set to be the most challenging event the city has ever managed, requiring staggered road closures among other needs. Jamie is recruiting 1,000 volunteers to hand

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Morgantown out water, staff first aid stations, help Marathon with registration, and prepare welcome Sept. 18–20, 2015 packets. He is calling on Morgantown residents to line the streets to cheer on morgantownmarathon.com the runners. While the main event is Sunday, festivities will take place all weekend long. On Saturday all are welcome to run the Mountain Mama 8K or the Inaugural Mile. A free health and wellness expo will also take place at the Mylan Park Expo Center on Saturday, complete with access to Crossfit gyms, chiropractors, and even flu shots. The half and full marathons take place Sunday. With 1,650 feet of elevation change, the marathon course will be a unique challenge to even the most veteran runners. That’s something a runner like Josh looks forward to. “It’s different,” Josh says. “Most marathon courses are downhill or flat. People like that. But a marathon, it’s not meant to be easy.” The course charts a path through all of Morgantown’s seven city wards. Runners will pound the pavement of Suncrest’s peaceful streets and charge up 705 to the roundabout. They will pour down College Avenue and spill out onto WVU’s campus in front of the historic Woodburn Hall. They will run through the shaded, historic streets of South Park and the fields of White Park. Then they’ll have to conquer one final hill as they travel up Beechurst Avenue before finishing at the WVU Coliseum. For Jamie, the race marks the beginning of something special he hopes will grow year after year, also bringing people back to Morgantown. Already countless WVU alumni are planning on coming back just for the race. He says even after decades, they want to be a part of the inaugural marathon. Josh says it’s a run participants won’t soon forget. “You’re definitely going to be proud of yourself when you finish,” he says. “I think our race will have more character and will stand the test of time. It’s that type of course that if you finish it, people remember.”

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Dish It Out

Top Down

This High Street newcomer is making a name for itself with high-end food and classic cocktails. ➼

t’s a little dim in this corner establishment. But the darkness inside is cool in contrast to Morgantown’s typical summer heat. The light from chandeliers scatters off a tin ceiling and shelves of wine glasses along one wall, giving everything a hazy sort of glow. You find a seat at the bar, a behemoth in dark wood and marbled stone curving out into the narrow dining space, forcing a bit more intimacy at the high tops and tables opposite. Beside you a couple of women in business attire—in

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this sort of place you might be tempted to call them dames—sip exotic-looking concoctions in highball glasses. A man joins them, loosening his tie before ordering a West Virginia beer on tap. The place is filling up fast. By 6:30 p.m. it’ll be standing room only. And people will stand, happily, while bartenders in bow ties with shirtsleeves rolled up pour networking pairs of executives and young professionals Sazeracs and Pisco Sours, and servers in white button-down shirts pass plates of fresh ceviche to professors

and graduate students chatting over book lists. “Once we get people in the door, it becomes something of a dinner and a show experience,” says Chris Evans, co-owner of this upscale, downtown bar/restaurant aptly named Tin 202 in homage to the remarkably well-restored tin ceiling and historic speakeasy feel. Chris describes his winning business strategy as a trifecta—service, staff, and flavor. “From the beginning we knew we wanted the kind of bartenders you might think of from an old movie, from the way they dressed to how they moved to how they interacted with customers. We wanted to give people the chance to really watch the craft of making a drink from scratch.” But ask any one of Tin’s four highly trained cocktail artists—three men in bow ties and a woman in a nicely pressed white shirt—for something mundane like a cranberry and vodka and they’ll politely suggest something else. “We don’t serve

Dish It Out

Beverage Director Grant McClure dishes it out

Government Mule 2 to 4 fresh basil leaves 3 to 6 dashes Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters 1.5 ounces Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, 100 proof 3 ounces Gosling’s Ginger Beer 1 orange

it. We make all our juices fresh,” Chris says. “If someone asks for that we say, ‘We’d love to make you a drink with the same flavors and see what you think.’” Maybe a Hotel-Style Old Fashioned? It’s a complex mix of whiskey, sugar, aromatic bitters, orange, black cherry, and seltzer—a twist on the staple OldFashioned cocktail you’d have found in any American tavern in the 1880s. Or maybe something a little drier? Try an Italian Spritz, with prosecco, Aperol, seltzer, and olives—it’s like a plane ticket to Venice. “The cocktail program is about identifying people’s likes while supporting craft spirits and local breweries. We’re not carrying things that are readily available everywhere—that’s part of our brand.” That brand extends to the food, which tends toward locally sourced, light, and fresh fare with high-end flavors. Like filet medallion salad with gorgonzola or panseared lamb chops with mushrooms and

rice pilaf. Tin’s tapas Tin 202 menu is perhaps one 202 High Street of the most popular, 304.212.5863 with dishes like tin202.com Crostini di Polenta, with roasted polenta, gorgonzola, and mushrooms, or award-winning pork and aged cheddar layered on crispy bread—the Pulled Pork Crostini. Don’t leave without trying a ceviche, though, either Scallop Avocado or Mango Shrimp. These are Tin’s most ordered items. “The food and drink menu are very fluid. We knew we wanted to serve as many local proteins and produce as we could get our hands on. Our filet mignon, lamb chops, pork loins—they’re all from West Virginia. Even most of our fresh seafood is from the Chesapeake. We also bring in fair trade coffee and local teas as well as farm-raised West Virginia trout.” In a town like this, with the median resident age under 23, a restaurant catering

1. In a highball glass, combine 1 to 3 fresh basil leaves with 3 to 6 dashes of rhubarb bitters and muddle until the basil leaves are saturated. 2. Add 1.5 ounces of rye whiskey and 3 ounces of ginger beer. Top with ice and stir lightly. 3. With a vegetable peeler, remove one large section of orange peel by starting at the top of the central column and working toward the very bottom, making sure to go well into the rind to capture all of the flavor (this is important for the next step). 4. Light a match, hold it between the top of the highball glass and the orange rind, and fold the orange to press the oil through the flame and onto the top of the cocktail. The orange oil will ignite. Repeat this process down the length of the peel. 5. Once finished, roll the peel into a twist, give it a quick swipe across the rim of the glass, and drop it into the cocktail. Take the remaining basil leaf, lay it flat on the palm of your hand, and clap your hands together briskly once to release the oils and aromatics of the herb. Rest this leaf along the top of the cocktail and dress with cocktail stirrers. Yield: 1 glass

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Dish It Out

to more high-end tastes was risky. But for Chris, “No one was really trying to do that,” so it was worth it. Born and raised in Morgantown, Chris attended WVU but took a year off to work as a bellman and ski concierge at the luxurious Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado. “It served a clientele that was very demanding, which taught me a lot about what high-end service is. I really enjoyed the idea of making people happy, people who were at times hard to please. That was when I fell in love with fine dining.” Chris graduated from WVU, went to work for the university, and later found himself back in the restaurant business at a favorite local chain, but the refinement and grandeur of his Colorado experience never left him. When friend Sam Schneider and his wife moved back to town, Chris told them all about his ideas. “We started 34

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talking. I said I really want to do something downtown that attracts an older crowd. I said I think I know enough about the restaurant business and I know the town well enough that I can do this.” Sam signed on as co-owner and the two started looking for the right location. When a corner space on High Street opened up, it was kismet. “We got really lucky with the space we’d found. Then we found the ceiling.” Under layers of renovations the partners uncovered a remnant of old Morgantown, a pressed tin ceiling. “Once we figured out we could clean it up and make it look new again, we decided to design everything around that era and really focused in on the design fitting with what we were going for—an old-fashioned cocktail bar with high-end food. We built from the top down and matched everything with the ceiling and

what it said to us.” The ceiling spoke volumes. It spoke in antique chandeliers, impressionist art, and moody woodwork. It spoke in classic cocktails reimagined for a modern crowd. With the ceiling at its heart, Tin took on a persona. But staffing was another matter. “Having worked in the restaurant business, I drew on my past connections to see if they wanted to be part of a startup,” Chris says. “These people had the knowledge and we’d built trust. They had confidence in me and in the cocktail world.” He hired Chef Josh McKenzie right away, but finding and training a team of key bartenders would be a challenge. Kismet struck again when Grant McClure, a cocktail artist trained in Baltimore, came to town. Chris brought him on as beverage director and hired three other professional bartenders: Josh Graham, Cameron Randall, and Adrianna Lindsay. All underwent two weeks of intensive training with Grant, where they learned the basics of classic cocktail preparation and how to innovate on the fly. Soon Chris’ bartenders were meeting up after-hours to test out new recipes and take turns playing on old favorites. “It’s a real collaborative effort, a really exciting atmosphere. Everyone wants to play scientist and artist at the same time.” The other challenge was in presenting these new/old ideas to customers more accustomed to modern cocktail arts. Chris says it’s an ongoing effort. “Our goal isn’t to make people feel unintelligent. We want to humbly educate patrons on our drinks and their history.” With all the people milling around from the lunch hour on, you’d never guess Tin opened just a little over a year ago. Chris says he has plans to start another venture right next door. The inspiration? “An old-world tavern feel.” Charcuterie, local cheeses, wine tastings, a small menu of French and European-inspired cuisine—Chris is cooking up yet another strategy. He’s even throwing around the idea of naming it after its previous life as H.C. Baker Hardware. “We’re thankful for the success we’ve had so far,” he says. “Regulars have even started calling us Tin. We went through many name options. Even thought about having no name at all. Do people really go somewhere because of the name? I think they come because of the experience. And that’s the reason people come back.” written by Mikenna Pierotti photographed by Carla Witt Ford

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The U

Farm to Farm Applied research mixes with a healthy dose of cute at the WVU Livestock and Dairy Farms. ➼

icturesque, WVU’s livestock and dairy farm lies on rolling hills on the outskirts of town, everything a farm should be. Turning off Stewartstown Road to drive up Animal Science Farm Road, windows down and arms riding the breeze, the sweet, organic smell of a farm is the first to hit your senses. Next comes the bleat of a petulant lamb calling to its mother, or the satisfied grunt of a dairy cow lying down to sun itself in the morning light. The growl of a tractor revs in the distance, while bees dance around your feet as you step out of your car and into the dewy grass. 36

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The farm creates a certain nostalgia. For some it’s remembering a youth spent frolicking on equally scenic hills. For a few it’s remembering the annual springtime visit to see baby animals, Dad’s hand holding firmly to your shirt as you lean in to pet a calf. For others it’s a return to the reason WVU began. The land grant university opened in 1867 as the Agricultural College of West Virginia with the mission of teaching agricultural and engineering sciences. Here, at the WVU Livestock and Dairy Farms, one agricultural campus of many the university owns, that mission continues. “This farm is for teaching,” says John Yost, operator of the livestock and dairy

farm, as well as WVU farms in Reedsville and Wardensville. “There is a lot of research that goes on, but the majority of it is for the classes in the college.” That is the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Sciences, and Design, WVU’s oldest academic unit. The school encompasses more than 40 majors and minors and owns nearly 3,500 acres of farmland and more than 8,000 acres of forest, all for teaching and research. But the Stewartstown farm, at least for those of us in Morgantown, is the most well-known. You’ve probably seen long lines of yellow buses trucking down Stewartstown Road for the annual Kiddie Days event in April, a time when young children meet young animals for a day of youthful learning on the farm. The duckling slide is always popular, as are the calves penned just off the main farm road, sitting outside to soak up the sun and loving pats. Or perhaps you’ve heard tell of the unusual dairy cows

The U

with windows in their stomachs—that’s a favorite Morgantown rumor, as true as it is important. “The fistulated cows—they’re always a good talking point,” John says. “Everyone always questions what it is.” The answer comes down to good, old-fashioned science. “A ruminant, an animal like a dairy cow—cattle, sheep, deer, they’re all ruminants—they have large, multicompartment stomachs necessary for feeding.” When ruminants munch on grass for hours at a time, they’re not feeding themselves, necessarily. They’re feeding the microflora in their stomachs, little microorganisms that digest the materials the animal eats and convert it to cellulose that then supports the host animal. It’s a delicate balance and one that researchers like those at WVU have studied for years using fistulated cows. “With those fistulated animals, researchers are making a port into the largest compartment of the stomach, the fermentation vat where all the bugs are doing

their work,” John says. “The port allows them to remove stomach contents to fill artificial stomachs and then they can do test runs of different feeds without actually using a bunch of cows.” Researchers can also use the portals to look at how feeding physically works in the animal. John compares the procedure to a C-section and says the animals feel no discomfort after they’ve healed from surgery. Fistulated cows are just one of the high-level scientific projects going on at the farm, hidden to the public in some ways by a perfectly bucolic setting. “While we don’t have a high volume of research that goes on, there’s a high quality,” John says. Joe McFadden, for example, a professor of dairy science, has come in to revamp the dairy research program. Scott Bowdridge, in charge of sheep research, has nearly quintupled the number of sheep on the farm in five years and is currently focusing on internal parasites, a huge problem in the sheep industry worldwide. In poultry,

there’s Joe Moritz, a nationally renowned researcher studying poultry feeds. “The work that goes on here is what we call ‘applied,’” John says. “Students, researchers, professors—there’s not a big gap from what they do here to actually putting the findings into practice and producing food to feed the world. It’s a farmer’s farm. There’s a short leap to get our work into someone’s hand to utilize it.” Joe Moritz jokes that he’s a blue-collar researcher. “I enjoy feeding animals and looking at practical solutions to feeding animals,” he says. His students get a hands-on opportunity to work the farm while also conducting research. In poultry, they incubate eggs, watch them hatch, and vaccinate and raise the birds, learning responsibility for animal management. While the work might be a little blue-collar, the ideas behind Joe’s research, and those of others on the farm, is anything but. “We’re doing a study where we’re feeding pigs algae—it’s high morgantownmag.Com

The U

in protein and energy, and it’s also a novel way to produce diesel fuel,” he says. “Algae is a very easily grown product, a renewable base, and the oil that’s associated with the algae is separated and used to make biodiesel. Everything left over is dried and incorporated in an animal diet.” Joe started that work with poultry, and it worked well. Next they tried it with steer, and it worked well. Pigs are the last stage. “We’ll feed some pigs and, if it works out, we’ll have a new feeding ingredient.” Most of Joe’s work happens at the farm feed mill, straight up Animal Sciences Road to the top of the farm, where you’ll see what looks like an octopus in the sky. “We have a lot of different facilities on the farm, but I specifically work with the feed mill. It’s very progressive. The feed mill is very special on a national basis. At my lab we produce more peer reviewed journal articles in the area of feed manufacture than anyone else in the U.S. We’ve won awards, my students have been recognized, and that makes us unique.” Despite the incredible wealth of research, 38

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the farm is virtually open to the public. The only request is that visitors remain respectful of the animals and the research. “We have to look out for the welfare of the livestock, and we have people come in who want to feed the animals. They think it’s a zoo, and if there’s a nutritional research project going on, even someone coming in, seeing a bag of feed, and taking a scoop out could affect someone’s research. It could completely wreck a high-dollar, high-value research project.” Still, John says visitors are welcome. “When we see people, my staff and I try to welcome them, thank them for coming, but then we give them some words of caution: Don’t feed the animals. If one comes up to the fence to let you pet it, feel free to do so, but be wary of the electric fences because they bite.” Those electric fences are part of the reason the farm hosts Kiddie Days each spring. The fences are turned off and the baby animals come out. “Spring is the best time to visit because we have all the babies, and people love the chance to see

those,” John says. “But any time people are welcome to come out and look around. There’s always something going on.” The dairy is usually open, marked by a group of young calves sitting outside. Walking a little farther, you’ll come across the grown milking cows. There are always sheep outside. “People who don’t get to spend much time on farms like to see all that,” says Dani Reese, a master’s student working under Joe Moritz. “I’ve noticed ever since I started working with Dr. Mortiz that, surprisingly, there are a lot of people who just don’t know where their food comes from. And once they come on to the farm and see it, they’re really quite surprised.” Even Dani’s first trip to the farm was a surprise. “My first thought was that it was a way for the university to make money, or it’s a farm the university bought out. But I learned there’s a lot of research that goes on.” written by Katie Griffith photographed by Carla Witt Ford

across county lines

Discover Washington, PA

Open since 2008, Tanger Outlets (2200 Tanger Boulevard, tangeroutlet.com/ pittsburgh) is perhaps the most visible mark of Washington from the interstate. It’s hard to miss the billboards advertising more than 80 stores featuring popular brands and designers like J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, Nike, and more. Recent additions to the outlet ➼ mall include Michael Kors and Francesca’s, while Hot Topic and Rack Room Shoes are slated to open in summer 2015. “We have history and a large variety of activities for a wide selection of stores, so we have a little anyone, from historical activities to enterbit for everyone,” says Jodi Dague, mall tainment to spectator sports.” manager. “We pull people from Pittsburgh Also the county seat of Washington to West Virginia and Ohio.” County, the city was settled by colonists Look no farther than the Washington in 1768. Its claims to fame include helping Crowne Center (1500 West Chestnut Street, to launch the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791, shopwashingtoncrown.com) for several major an uprising of tar and feather against department stores, including Macy’s and government men daring to tax a citizen’s drink, among other things. Today the town Marshalls. Crafters can find a Jo-Ann Fabric is a mix of history and modern life, home to and Craft Store, while fashionistas and Washington & Jefferson College, a handful makeup mavens will have fun at ULTA. In the outskirts of Washington, tucked of museums, rows of eclectic shops, tasty in a historic lodge among the vibrant green restaurants, and, of course, the best outlet of Pennsylvanian hills, visitors have their shopping this side of I-79. Just 45 minutes across state lines, you’ll discover something pick of boutique stores at The Shoppes at Quail Acres (1445 Washington Road, new, while feeling right at home. There’s history and hills aplenty, all brimming with quailacres.com), featuring gifts, décor, greenery, scenery, shopping, and good food. jewelry, fashion, and more.

This small town across state lines offers more than outlet shopping and bathroom breaks.

f Pittsburgh’s close enough for a weekend jaunt, Washington is only closer—Washington, Pennsylvania, that is. Long this city, just off Interstate 79, has served as a gas break, bathroom stop, or afternoon outlet shopping for travelers heading to or from Pittsburgh and other points north. But just past the service stations, off exits with unusual monikers like Laboratory, sits a stately downtown district dotted with historic buildings and museums and flanked by neighborhoods of towering, turreted Victorians and elaborate carriage houses. “Washington, Pennsylvania, is a charming and growing area,” says Dana Bucci, director of administration for the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s filled with

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

Shop

across county lines

Eat & Drink

Play Just past The Shoppes at Quail Acres, The Meadows Casino (210 Racetrack Road, meadowsgaming.com) has enough to keep nearly anyone busy—adults, anyway. The casino offers more than 60 game tables with everything from roulette to blackjack to craps, a poker room with 14 tables, more than 3,000 slot and video machines, and horse racing, not to mention five restaurants, a food court, exclusive lounges, bowling, a banquet center, and special concerts and events. “This summer The Meadows will have Huey Lewis and Natalie Cole—they are just some of the notable acts coming—as well as boxing events and mixed martial arts,” Dana says. For outdoor entertainment, head to Consol Energy Park (1 Washington Federal Way, washingtonwildthings.com), home of the Washington Wild Things, a Frontier League minor league baseball club, and the Pennsylvania Rebellion, a National Pro Fastpitch softball team. The 3,200seat ballpark boasts audience games and promotions every half-inning, accessible and autograph-friendly players, plenty of drinks and snacks, and an intimate, fan-friendly setting. “We’re doing Wild and Wonderful Wednesdays, so people who show IDs from

After you’ve satisfied your appetite for history, shopping, and gaming, it’s time to turn to the stomach. Washington has a number of local joints to sample, from small-town landmarks like Shorty’s Lunch (34 West Chestnut Street, 724.228.9919), serving the region’s favorite hot dogs, to fine dining. Palazzo 1837 Ristorante (1445 Washington Road, palazzo1837.com), set in the 19th century mansion at The Shoppes at Quail Acres, specializes in Italian cuisine. Located downtown, Union Grill (13 East Wheeling Street, theuniongrill. com) has been hosting and feeding guests since the 1700s under several iterations. The restaurant was first established as an inn and tavern called White Goose in 1791 and today serves Italian-American cuisine alongside local craft brews and an extensive wine list. Speaking of wine, the Washington Winery and A&M Wine and Beer Supplies (202 South Main Street, amwinesupplies.com), downtown, are drinkers’ havens owned and operated by Angela Burgess and her husband, John. After Angela and John purchased A&M Wine and Beer Supplies, a longtime staple of the Washington brewing community, they opened the winery in 2014 to support the store. It’s an urban winery, meaning grapes are imported from places like California and vinted on-site. “We currently have 11 wines on tap that you can sample any day we’re open or purchase by the glass or bottle,” Angela says. The couple also offers wine pairing events, paint and sip classes, and wine and beer brewing classes. If you’re looking for lighter, lessalcoholic fare, Deli on Main (241 South Main Street, chiccobaccello.com/ deli) sits nearby, offering made-to-order sandwiches. Next door and under the same ownership is Chicco Baccello (239 South Main Street, chiccobaccello. com), a coffeehouse serving fresh biscotti, cannoli, and all the espresso your afternoon pick-me-up might require. We recommend a cappuccino and a Dangerous Stuff toffee biscotti. Take a few baked treats home with you and share with friends.

the Ohio Valley—West Virginia—get a $2 discount on their tickets,” says Marketing Director Christine Blaine. History buffs will want to check out the many eclectic museums in and around downtown Washington, too. The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (1 Museum Road, pa-trolley.org) sits outside downtown Washington with streetcars dating from 1890 to 1950 and will feature multiple summertime events this year. In the historic downtown district, the Whiskey Rebellion takes center stage at the beautifully preserved David Bradford House (175 South Main Street, bradfordhouse.org), home of a former leader of the rebellion. The year 2015 marks the home’s 50th anniversary as a museum celebrating the 18th century uprising—one that bothered President George Washington enough to lead 13,000 militiamen to western Pennsylvania to suppress it. July features the Whiskey Rebellion Festival, complete with a parade, entertainment, and heritage exhibits. Another historic home sits just a block away from the Bradford House—the LeMoyne House (49 East Maiden Street, wchspa.org/tours). The 200-year-old home is Pennsylvania’s first National Historic Landmark of the Underground Railroad. written and photographed by Katie Griffith morgantownmag.Com

Holographic Health Chronic stress is a big issue facing college students, and WVU is thinking up new ways to fight it. ➼

VU student Lauren West never thought of herself as a competitive person. The inherent tension between juggling an education, social life, and worries about the future most young people experience was easy enough to deal

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with. Like most of us, she’d do some cardio or play a little music and the stress would melt away—until she started working toward a career in nursing. “When it comes to nursing, focusing on yourself is a challenge,” she says. “Now that I am in the program I find myself comparing my intelligence and skills with everyone around me.”

Hardworking students like Lauren often spend hours hunched over books, scribbling notes in dark corners of the library, and prepping in marathon sprints (pizza and soda-fueled) for important exams. Colleen Harshbarger, director of the Office of Wellness & Health Promotion at WVU, says the very postures we put ourselves in affect our mental state. “If you think about someone who is depressed, what do they look like? An image might come to mind of someone whose shoulders are rounded forward, their chest is pointed at the ground, and their vision is looking downward. That’s sort of an acquired position of long-term depression,” she says. “But if you also think about the way we in society often sit throughout the day— whether studying or driving or working on a computer—we get that same body position. The connection between mind and body is a two-way pathway. People

courtesy of WVU

Healthy Living

Programs WVU students would like to see added for stress reduction and positivity 70

Oth er

N/A

Exe rcis e Ani ma ls Str Art ess /M usi and c Stu dy Pro gra ms Act ivit ies Dur ing Fin als Adv e Onl rtisin g ine Res our ces Not hin g

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Source: 2014 study conducted by the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion at WVU

Percent of student interest in WVU resources that can help with stress reduction and increased positivity 85%

Moderately, very, or extremely interested

13%

Not very interested

Not at all interested

Source: 2014 study conducted by the Office of Wellness and Health Promotion at WVU might think of the mind as the driver of the body. But there’s also a lot of messaging going on from the body to the mind.” Lauren admits she was bottling up her frustrations rather than airing them out, a key risk factor affecting not only mental health but also physical health. In fact, according to a Harvard and University of Rochester study, those who fail to deal with negative emotions can chip years off their lives through chronic stress. And a report from the Higher Education Research Institute in 2010 showed a significant decline in mental health among college students. Twenty-five years ago nearly 70 percent of first-year students rated themselves in the top 10 percent of mentally stable people in their class. In 2011 only 52 percent of students rated themselves in such a healthy bracket. Fortunately WVU already has a multipronged approach to dealing with student

mental health—from the comprehensive services offered at the WELLWVU Carruth Center for Psychological and Psychiatric Services to new technologies for time management, self-regulation, and increasing positivity. And incorporating exercise through programs like moveWELL is another leap forward. Lauren chose a yoga class. Though she says she was skeptical at first, “my opinion has completely changed. The main topic of discussion that has consistently come to my mind is the idea of focusing on your own mat.” Translation? Lauren’s yoga instructor asked her to focus inward and listen to her body in the present moment rather than worry endlessly about other people, the past, or potential futures. “If we train ourselves to be in the moment, that alleviates a ton of stress,” Colleen says. After taking the class, Lauren has been using techniques like deep breathing and

focusing on the self to iron out what could have become chronic stress. “I have noticed numerous occasions where I could convince myself to take a step back and reflect on my own well-being, instead of how well everyone is doing around me,” she says. Hundreds of students are participating in WVU’s stress-targeting and prevention programs. Within the university’s multipart liveWELL education and outreach wellness program, chillWELL, a topic dedicated to beating stress and optimizing quality of life, attracted nearly a quarter of students surveyed to mind/body balancing activities like Anusara yoga classes, guided breathing exercises, and biofeedback technology in 2014. The following are a few more ways WVU is reconnecting the mental and physical sides of health and well-being to help students combat runaway stress. Body It’s often hard to think of exercise when tensions are high and deadlines loom. And drumming up the motivation is another challenge. Yet research shows “the longer you sit the more your brain becomes sluggish and doesn’t function as well,” Colleen says. That’s bad news for students. “In fact we know the longer someone just sits the less active the brain is. You’ve seen those treadmill desks, but that’s not just about getting your exercise. It’s about improving how the brain works while you’re trying to take in and synthesize information.” Colleen tells students to get up at least every hour and move their bodies for 10 minutes. Adding at least 30 minutes a day of exercise is another good way to jumpstart the brain and fight stress, depression, and anxiety. “Exercise and moving your body not only increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain but it also sends messages and opens neurological pathways that improve cognition and memory.” These are two tenets of WVU’s moveWELL program, which encourages students to counteract a sedentary lifestyle with exercise appropriate for their needs— from walking to class to learning a bicep curl using free videos on WELLWVU’s website. “It’s about prioritizing movement. If we can encourage students to think about getting at least 30 minutes a day of movement in their lives, they will be moving toward a healthier lifestyle.” Mind Descartes was on to something when he theorized, “I think, therefore I am.” morgantownmag.Com

In the same way our bodies affect our minds, research has proven our minds also affect our bodies. A study published in the journal Cancer in 2015 shows using mindfulness meditation, yoga, and group therapy techniques with breast cancer survivors may even change survivors’ DNA for the better and, potentially, increase their lifespans. WVU human nutrition and foods student Rachel Day found a way to combat her own chronic illness through techniques she learned in a yoga class. “Class has helped me know how my body should feel, how I can harness energy from within my body and have strength even though I am not very strong. My bones are very weak, but somehow I still am able to hold some of these advanced poses we have practiced,” she says. “I never knew what it was to be mindful. Pay attention to things, right? Practicing in class has helped me realize it’s so much more than that. Bringing awareness to my life has given me a whole new perspective.” Yoga and classes on enhancing wellbeing are just one option. At WVU students can improve health through their brains at places like the Carruth Center, which offers individual, couples, career, and educational counseling and through programs like MindFit, where students with learning difficulties can get help 44

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

improving sustained attention, working memory, and boosting personal and academic success. Reconnecting Colleen says looking at the whole student, as well the environment in which he or she lives, is key to creating a comprehensive stress reduction plan. Take one of the hardest-working organs in the body—the heart. It isn’t just muscle. It has its own nervous system, sends its own signals to the brain (far more than the brain sends back), and the messages it sends have profound implications for brain centers involved in strategic thinking, reaction times, and self-regulation. That’s why WVU decided to incorporate mind/body connecting technologies like HeartMath products into its student health strategy. “It is a perfect example of that two-way signal between the body and the brain,” Colleen says. HeartMath products measure heart rate variability, a proven way to track stress levels, through special sensors on the body. The program then displays those stress levels via smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. HeartMath also teaches users to regulate the stress response and reduce anxiety. Other technologies, like the online chillPack (part of WVU’s chillWELL program), help students retrain their brains

to look for the positive. Students begin by rating their stress on the Perceived Stress Scale, then they participate in one simple positivity-affirming activity every day for one month, like writing thank you notes or doing good deeds. At month’s end students rate their stress levels a second time and compare. And busy students find help with the wellGO calendar, which allows them to visualize and improve time management strategies by building digital, interactive daily schedules. “They start their semester early by building reasonable plans for how they are going to use their time—whether it’s time with friends, time in class, or time studying. The program gives them feedback and even alerts them if you they have a yo-yo sleep pattern, which negatively influences health and increases stress.” Ultimately, when Colleen imagines an ideal approach to stress management, especially for today’s students, she thinks of it in at least three dimensions—mind, body, and the connections between the two. “We believe very much in what we call a holographic approach to well-being,” she says. “You can’t separate yourself out into these tidy little compartments. Every part of the whole affects every other part.” written by Mikenna Pierotti

courtesy of WVU

Healthy Living

courtesy of explore asheville

Written by Laura Wilcox Rote & Katie Griffith

Let’s face it. It costs a lot to fly. Then there are all the rules and limitations— one carry-on item, one personal item. You can’t take your giant sunblock on the plane, nor is it convenient to carry your favorite pillow. Sometimes it’s just simpler to drive. This summer, roll the windows down and hit the open road. You’re in control, and you can pack in a lot with one of these big trips— all less than seven hours away.

Asheville, NC

riving into Asheville, North Carolina, feels familiar— the city peeking out from behind the mountains as you round the last hill. It’s a dream escape for creative souls, with arts and music around every corner. And it’s barely six and a half hours away. To walk around downtown Asheville (population 87,000) is to experience an unexpected mix of calm and excitement. A man plays a somber violin in front of the Flatiron Building while, down the street, two 20-somethings drum on white buckets outside the popular Tupelo Honey Café (tupelohoneycafe.com). A woman painted silver stands stoically in the street—completely still even as children touch her arm to see if she is real. In the park in the center of town, a large drum circle(5) forms on warm Friday evenings. Most people know Asheville for the Biltmore(1)(biltmore.com), George Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre estate that dates back to 1889. You can easily spend a day or more exploring its many rooms, gardens, and even restaurants and winery. While it’s certainly a sight to behold, this city in the Blue Ridge Mountains is truly so much more than a grand, old house. Asheville literally has something for everyone, from the Asheville Art Museum(2)(ashevilleart.org) at Pack Square downtown to the North Carolina Arboretum (ncarboretum.org), a vast oasis of gardens, trees, and trails worth every penny of its $12 per vehicle admission. Even simply driving the Blue Ridge Parkway is an adventure. You’ll find all types of cuisine and a bustling brewery district all in close walking distance downtown, too, with favorites like Wicked Weed Brewing(7)(wickedweedbrewing.com), Green Man Brewery(3)(greenmanbrewery.com), Asheville Brewing (ashevillebrewing.com), and Hi-Wire Brewing (hiwirebrewing. com). Each is distinct—from Wicked Weed’s vast outdoor patio 46

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and great dinner menu to Hi-Wire’s intimate feel in a laid-back, dive bar setting. And beer lovers won’t want to miss Thirsty Monk(6)(monkpub.com), two floors of American craft brews and all of the best Belgian beers on the corner of Patton Avenue. Looking to shop? These southerners take buying local seriously, from the all USA-made apparel at Spiritex (spiritex. net) and independent clothing designers showcased at Hip Replacements(4)(hipreplacementsclothing.wordpress.com) to colorful skate equipment and art at Push Skateshop and Gallery (pushtoyproject.com) and books galore at Malaprop’s Bookstore/ Café (malaprops.com). Malaprop’s has enormous book displays that span all genres, and the inviting store also hosts countless author events. After a day of shopping, you can continue to surround yourself with books and enjoy a glass of wine at the same time at Battery Park Book Exchange (batteryparkbookexchange.com), at the Grove Arcade on Page Avenue. For music, The Orange Peel (theorangepeel.net) gets all your favorite touring bands and has hosted everyone from Smashing Pumpkins to Deadmau5 in its 1,050 capacity space. Most shows at this renowned venue are standing room only. Also downtown, Jack of the Wood (jackofthewood.com) is a Celtic-style pub with more traditional music, including bluegrass most nights. Travel a bit off the beaten path for great music and a memorable dinner on Friday and Saturday nights at The Admiral (theadminrainc. com), when the restaurant transforms into an all-out dance party after dark. Options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner abound in Asheville. Start your day off right with breakfast at Sunny Point Café (sunnypointcafe.com) or Over Easy Café (overeasyasheville. com). You’ll find plenty of vegetarian offerings for lunch at places

Derek olson

35.5800° N, 82.5558° W Approximate drive time from Morgantown: 6h 32m

Explore asheville (7)

laura wilcox rote

like Green Sage Café (greensagecafe.com) and Laughing Seed Café (laughingseed. jackofthewood.com) while carnivores will love the pulled pork sandwich at 12 Bones (12bones.com) in the River Arts District. The arts district is home to a number of working studios—many open every day year-round— that were once old factories and other historic buildings. Make reservations for outdoor fine dining at Rhubarb (rhubarbasheville. com) or The Market Place Restaurant & Loung(8)(marketplace-restaurant.com), the latter with award-winning West Virginian William Dissen as chef. Of course, t he great outdoors is what brings many people—visitors and transplants alike—to Asheville. You’ll find hiking trails at every turn, as well as scenic drives and easy getaways like Chimney Rock State Park (chimneyrockpark.com). Take the winding 40-minute drive to find yourself on a mountain overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge and the quirky, charming towns of Lake Lure and Bat Cave. Once at Chimney Rock, you can climb 26 stories of stairs and feel as though you’re on top of the world. You’ll have access to fly-fishing, mountain biking, and zip lining in and around Asheville, too. Whether you want to be in the center of it all and claim your hotel points, too, or prefer a quiet cottage with a hot tub in the woods, Asheville has plenty of places for you to rest your head at the end of a big day. A short drive from downtown, Asheville Cottages (ashevillecottages.com) are upscale with heated bathroom floors and covered patios complete with private hot tubs. Similarly, Asheville Cabins of Willow Winds (ashevillecabins.com) offer rentals to accommodate the whole family, plus access to a trout pond and a game porch with pingpong and air hockey, among other amenities.

exploreasheville.com morgantownmag.Com

Louisville, KY

ess than six hours away, “Derby City” is more than horses and bluegrass, though it also has those in spades. The largest city in Kentucky, Louisville has an abundance of arts and culture as well as great shopping, dining, and entertainment. You can easily spend an afternoon walking up and down Bardstown Road, part of an area called The Highlands. There you’ll find unique shops like Carmichael’s Bookstore (carmichaelsbookstore.com), Louisville’s oldest independent bookstore, with another location on Frankfort Avenue. Check out Dot Fox (dotfoxclothingculture.com) for everything from the hippest shirts to the perfect boots. Walk down the street one minute and you’ll also find General Eccentric(8) (geneccentric. com), with racks and racks of charming cotton dresses made for a summer night out. Just off the beaten path, Acorn Apparel (acornvintage.weebly.com) is an award-winning local business that offers up vintage clothing, jewelry, and even to-die-for home décor like 1960s wall hangings. Or shop Hey Tiger(7) (shopheytiger. com) for vintage and handmade clothing and more for men and women. You’ll also find an Urban Outfitters on Bardstown Road. For must-have, local souvenirs, be sure to stop into Why Louisville(3) (whylouisville.com). Simply walking around The Highlands in and of itself is fun, as you can spot quirky murals and discover plenty of places to pop in for a drink or quick bite to eat. Make dinner reservations at Lilly’s Bistro (lillysbistro.com) and enjoy the romantic, southern atmosphere with a farm-to-table menu and wide-ranging wine and bourbon lists. Music lovers have plenty of options for shopping and live shows in Louisville, too. Better Days Records (betterdaysrecords. net) has two locations—Bardstown Road and West Broadway. 48

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This oasis of vinyl has been around since 1982. For a noisier experience, check out the calendar for Headliners Music Hall (headlinerslouisville.com) on Lexington Road. This standing-room only venue will host everyone from Glass Animals to Citizen Cope in summer 2015. Louisville is also home to the esteemed Forecastle Festival ( forecastlefest.com), July 17 to 19, 2015. This year’s lineup includes Sam Smith, My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse, and many more. For a more mainstream experience but no less exciting, experience the f lashing lights of Fourth Street Live(2) (4thstreetlive.com). This dining and entertainment mecca is the beating heart of Louisville nightlife, with everything from the Hard Rock Café and Howl at the Moon to Maker’s Mark Bourbon House & Lounge and The Sports and Social Club—home to not just food, drinks, and plenty of room to watch the big game, but also a popular bowling alley. Of course many people know Louisville for the Kentucky Derby(1) (kentuckyderby.com), taking over the region and beyond each May. But you can enjoy a mint julep and watch races all summer long at Churchill Downs (churchilldowns.com) during other special events. Check out Downs After Dark for affordable tickets through June. And no trip to Louisville would be complete without a thorough study of the region’s bourbon. Right on Main Street you’ll find the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience—an interactive tour with museum quality displays. To see how some of the best bourbon is really made, take a one-hour drive through beautiful horse country to tour Woodford Reserve (woodfordreserve.com) in Versailles. Closer to Louisville, you’ll also find the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery, where you can learn about Bulleit (bulleitexperience.

moberly photography

38.2500° N, 85.7667° W Approximate drive time from Morgantown: 5h 43m

clockwise from top: dan dry; Louisville convention & visitors bureau (CVB); john wurth; louisville cvb (4); stacey yates

com), complete with tastings. You could make a whole trip out of exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (kybourbontrail. com), made up of nine historic distilleries across the state. But you can also find some of the rarest bourbon in the world back in the city. The Silver Dollar(4) (whiskeybythedrink.com) on Frankfort Avenue has an enormous list of spirits, including the elusive Pappy Van Winkle, and is also a great place for a Southern-style meal. On Monday nights, you can also catch a comedy show at The Silver Dollar. Feeling like a kid again? Just journey across the street to Hilltop Tavern (hilltoptavern.blogspot.com) for pingpong, foosball, and board games. No matter how you decide to spend your stay in Louisville, the 21C Museum Hotel (21cmuseumhotels.com/louisville) is a luxurious way to start and end any day. This beautiful and creative boutique hotel comes with fine dining at Proof on Main(5,6) and art exhibits everywhere you look, as well as a colorful bar with friendly, attentive service you won’t want to leave. You’ll find even more art at LOOK Consortium Galleries and Museums (looklouisvilleart. com), a consortium of fine art galleries in the region. Hundreds of works of art by local, national, and international artists rotate through the LOOK galleries every year. Just down the street from the 21C, baseball fans can’t miss the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory (slugger.com). Of course, the city has long been a big draw for college sports fans—particularly basketball and football—as the city is also home to the University of Kentucky Cardinals.

gotolouisville.com

morgantownmag.Com

Rehoboth Beach, DE

very summer West Virginians seem to travel south en masse to lie aimlessly on the beach— driving or f lying to the Outer Banks or Myrtle Beach or sometimes even Florida. But just five and a half hours away is Rehoboth Beach, a fun, quirky ocean escape that’s easy to reach. Driving to Rehoboth is half the fun, at least once you get through Maryland and into Delaware, crossing over the enormous Chesapeake Bay Bridge and across surprisingly serene Delaware farmland, until you smell the ocean. Once there, park your car— you can pay with an easy-to-use app on your phone—grab your beach towels and sunscreen, and head to the beach or stroll the mile-long boardwalk. Just before the boardwalk you’ll also find the charming, centrally located bandstand—a gazebo-esque venue that’s often home to live music. On the boardwalk, Funland(2) ( funlandrehoboth.com) is a must no matter your age. This many-decades-old amusement park is truly a wonderland of games and rides for the whole family, with everything from your classic carousel to the more nausea-inducing Freefall and Sea Dragon rides. Of course, you’ll be sure to work up an appetite lying out on the sand all day, having those big beach umbrellas and chairs opened and secured for you. Or, more likely, your hunger will stem from hours of standing out in the Atlantic, the waves crashing into you again and again to your utmost glee. Luckily there is ice cream and fried food galore just steps from the beach. Thrasher’s (thrashersrehoboth.com) claims to have the best French fries on the boardwalk. It’s a modest brag, but a true one, and they come in a giant bucket so you can carb up all afternoon.

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

While options for oysters or fish and chips are stationed around every bend in Delaware—try Big Fish Grill(6) (bigfishgrill.com), you’ll also find some surprising offerings in Rehoboth. Grab a seat at the bar at Pig + Fish (thepigandfish.com) on Rehoboth Avenue for an upscale late afternoon snack and a unique craft brew or glass of fine wine. Try the Hummus and Red Pepper Feta with cucumbers, kalamata olives, and naan bread or order up some PEI mussels. On up the street toward the beach, Purple Parrot Grill Beach Haus & Biergarten (ppgrill.com) offers an unforgettable time if you’re not afraid to let your hair down a bit. The bar and restaurant is decorated in cartoon murals and offers plenty of outdoor seating, not to mention karaoke and even drag shows on select nights. A lot of folks travel to Rehoboth in part for the beach’s proximity to one of their favorite beer producers—Dogfish Head. You’ll want to get to the Dogfish Head(3) (dogfish.com) brewpub early for a seat because, trust us, few want to leave this haven of great brews and eats—it has everything from IPAs and wasabi-infused beer to spice-rubbed wings and chickpea falafel—right in the heart of town. You might also want to schedule a tour of the brewery(4) in neighboring Milton, just 15 miles away. Tours include a beer sampling and access to an eclectic art gallery, pub grub, bocce, cornhole, and, of course, growler gills. Just off the beaten path, enjoy happy hour at Shorebreak Lodge (shorebreaklodge.tumblr.com) on Wilmington Avenue and you won’t be disappointed. Great service and a beautiful presentation of favorites like the Surf n Turf combine with a fun atmosphere for a memorable outing. And just because it’s the beach doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a fancy-ish night out. If you’re looking for a great date night, make

visitdelaware.com

38.7158° N, 75.0831° W Approximate drive time from Morgantown: 5h 35m

visitdelaware.com (4); courtesy of funland; laura wilcox rote (3)

dinner reservations for a window seat at Salt Air(7) (saltairrestaurant.com), also on Wilmington. This restaurant is an absolute must for a great meal in a beautiful setting, with plenty of farm-to-table options for hungry diners. Back on the sand, one thing is certain—you have to arrive at the beach early to claim your spot before the throngs of other tourists arrive. By late morning colorful umbrellas and sand castles will overtake that sandy oasis. Still, if you’re up for adventure, it’s worth it. You’re likely to even spot dolphins in the distance. And you’ll always be just steps away from a slice of Grotto Pizza(8) (grottopizza.com) or a waffle cone filled with any of a myriad of homemade ice cream f lavors from The Ice Cream Store (rehobothbeachicecream.com). If you tire of the Rehoboth Beach crowd, Lewes Beach(1) is a quaint, quiet alternative just a 20-minute drive away. The sleepy town of Lewes(5) was founded in the 1600s, and simply walking its streets gets you a glimpse of a faraway time, complete with old houses and a cemetery. Explore more history at the Zwaanendael Museum (facebook.com/ zwaanendael), a beautiful building built in the 1930s to commemorate Delaware’s first settlement, Swanendael, established by the Dutch in 1631. The two-story museum includes exhibits on the area’s maritime, military, and social history. The bayside beach of Lewes is enormous and mostly empty on, say, a Monday morning. It’s perfect for a mid-trip respite from Rehoboth. Even beloved Dogfish Head now has lodging in Lewes, at the Dogfish Inn (dogfishinn.com). In town, you’ll also find great options for dining, from The Buttery (butteryrestaurant.com) to Kindle (kindlerestaurant.com).

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New York City, NY

ust a hop, skip, and a couple of tolls away sits the venerable New York City. This most major of major American cities offers a wealth of activities—too much to get through in one weekend, though many of us have broken a flip-flop trying. From the warmly welcoming Lady Liberty to an incredible wealth of cuisine and dining options to world renowned museums and galleries, New York will keep you busy from daybreak until dawn. It’s the city that never sleeps, after all. To keep your sanity and your feet from falling apart trying to do it all in one long weekend, theme your trip or pick your top New York sites. Coming in at only a six hour drive, your first visit to New York—or even your sixth—certainly won’t be your last. First time visitors are always drawn to the major attractions; those iconic scenes that immediately tell you you’ve arrived in New York. The brilliant Times Square(1) (timessquarenyc.org), the peaceful Central Park(7) (centralparknyc.org), the bright lights of Broadway (broadway.com), the historic Statute of Liberty(5) (nps.gov/stli/) and Ellis Island (nps.gov/elis), and the imposing Empire State Building(4) (esbnyc.com), all are perfect stops for a New York newbie, and each offers a plethora of sightseeing, shopping, and dining options nearby. One of our favorite spots, an up-and-coming NYC icon, is the High Line Park(3) (thehighline.org)—a redeveloped elevated commercial train track with nearly a mile and a half of beautifully designed walking trail, landscape architecture, and exhibits depicting the history of the industrial track, not to mention unusual and impressive views winding through the city’s skyscrapers. Dubbed a park of the future, this one can get crowded at peak times but offers a lovely look at old Manhattan. When you’re sick of beating the pavement in the summer heat, 52

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head indoors to one of New York’s dozens of museums and galleries, from the more recently established National September 11 Memorial and Museum (911memorial.org), commemorating the events and honoring the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to the ever popular American Museum of Natural History(6) (amnh.org). All of these top tourist attractions are certainly worth the visit, but they can get crowded. Standing in lines might take up hours of your precious trip, so plan well and try to get advanced ticketing where possible. Take your own tour through neighborhood brownstones, pick up some flowers from a local street vendor, or stop into a hole-in-the-wall storefront for one of those famous $10 manicures—they do still exist. If you’re looking for a more relaxed visit or a taste of what life in New York is really about, take a step away from the major tourist sites and head into the busy streets of New York’s many boroughs. There you’ll find the food, shopping, and lifestyle that has made this city home to everyone from famous celebrities to infamous mobsters—all without the lines and tourist-priced tickets that can make New York so intimidating to travelers. What you may not realize is New York has one of the most extensive public park systems in the world (nycgovparks.org), including botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums, hiking trails, and nature preserves. Summer is the perfect time to explore New York City’s parks, with offerings like Art in the Parks (nycgovparks.org/art) across the city to Central Park’s free Shakespeare in the Park productions (centralpark. com). In Brooklyn, we’d recommend a morning stroll through Prospect Park(8). With a coffee and one of those famous New York bagels in hand—the world-famous Terrace Bagels (224 Prospect Park West) is nearby—take a people-watching gander

Wikimedia: Anthony Quintano

40.7127° N, 74.0059° W Approximate drive time from Morgantown: 6h 15m

jeff smith

nikki bowman

Marin Seck

through the extensive green space, full of pickup soccer games, birthday parties, and kids learning to ride bikes. Even walking across the Brooklyn Bridge(2) is an experience. If the summertime city heat is getting to you, head to Coney Island (coneyisland. com) to cool off at the beach or on amusement rides. Eat like a local and grab a hot dog while there. Meanwhile, shoppers are sure to find lots of interesting items at places like Brooklyn Flea (brooklynflea. com) and the Brooklyn Night Bazaar (bkbazaar.com), both open on weekends, as well as the multitudes of antique, décor, and fashion retailers throughout the city. For the arts-minded traveler, plenty of smaller theaters, boutiques, and galleries await curious visitors around nearly every street corner. Come nightfall these spaces burst with activity—the weird, the off-the-cuff, and the avant-garde. Even bluegrass has a home in New York at places like Sunny’s (sunnysredhook.com), a local watering hole located in Brooklyn’s waterfront that features a bluegrass jam every Saturday. But Brooklyn isn’t the only place to explore. Check out the indie spaces near your hotel, or head to websites like Gothamist, Thrillist, and Time Out New York for ideas throughout the city. With so much to do, it’s the getting to everything that can be the tough part. Luckily New York also boasts one of the most extensive public transportation systems in the country. The subway and buses will take you most everywhere you need to go. Pick up a MetroCard allowing you to ride every subway and public bus in the city. A pass with unlimited rides for seven days is available for $30, while payas-you-go cards are also an option. Folks traveling just for a weekend will want to do the math as to which option makes the most sense for you. Visit web.mta.info/ metrocard for more information.

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Niagara Falls, ON

iagara Falls, Canada, is an experience to say the least. Before you arrive, you can already see the mist rising up, somewhat obscuring your view of the streets and buildings ahead. The anticipation builds. If you’re traveling to Canada for the first time, you can’t help but be excited. Roll your windows down and you will hear it soon, too—the roar of more than 165 feet of falling water from Horseshoe Falls, the most powerful waterfall in North America. Niagara Falls is actually made up of three waterfalls—the massive Horseshoe Falls, which lie mostly in Canada, Bridal Veil Falls, and the American Falls. This natural wonder in Ontario, Canada, is every bit worth seeing, and it’s an easy drive, less than five hours from Morgantown. Everything here is colorful. The Peace Bridge—which carries you from Buffalo, New York, into Canada—as well as dancing fountains throughout the city and even the falls themselves have vibrant lights that come on at night. You can view Niagara in its raging beauty from one of the many overlooks, as well as from many luxury hotel rooms and restaurants. And of course you can often see and hear it just walking through the center of town. But maybe you crave even more. If that’s the case, you may want to get up close and personal with Niagara on a Journey Behind the Falls (niagaraparks.com) tour in warmer months. This tour takes you to the very foot of the falls. You’ll also travel in an elevator down 150 feet through bedrock to special tunnels that lead you one-third of the way behind the massive sheet of water. And many cruise tours will also take you right up to those behemoth beauties—just prepare to get a little soaked. But it’s not just water that makes this top travel destination so memorable. All around the falls, visitors will find even more 54

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entertainment to choose from, from the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory (niagaraparks.com/hours/butterfly-conservatory. html) to Ripley’s Believe It or Not (ripleys.com/niagarafalls). The butterfly conservatory is part of Niagara Parks and has more than 2,000 tropical butterflies in a serene, green setting that everyone will love. Also part of Niagara Parks, don’t miss the Falls Incline Railway, open year-round and climate-controlled. It connects the Niagara Parks attractions at Table Rock (just north of the present day observation and commercial complex) and the Fallsview Tourist Area—including many hotels and the ever-popular Fallsview Casino Resort ( fallsviewcasinoresort.com)—to the Bridge of Flowers pedestrian crossing over the Niagara Parkway into Table Rock. Did we mention the ride is affordable? Tickets start at just $2.50. High above the falls, Skylon Tower (skylon.com) offers the best view of all of the falls as well as serving up award-winning fine dining in its revolving restaurant. Then there’s Niagara SkyWheel (cliftonhill.com), which takes you 175 feet above Niagara Falls in a giant Ferris wheel. Clifton Hill is also home to many themed restaurants, popular chains, plenty of shopping to ensure you take home the best souvenirs, and even a dinosaur mini-golf adventure, making it an ideal escape for families. Ten minutes away, the kids are sure to love the Marineland(4) (marinelandcanada.com) theme park and aquarium, a thrilling way to pass the time whirling high and fast on a rollercoaster or tower ride or taking in a show complete with acrobatic dolphins. Bird Kingdom(3) (birdkingdom.ca) is another fun outing for all ages, with exotic parrots and macaws, dwarf frogs, and tortoises, among other colorful creatures. Have breakfast at Fuel Café (2) on Niagara Falls Boulevard or end a great day with dinner

The tourism partnership of niagara

43.1167° N, 79.0667° W Approximate drive time from Morgantown: 4h 41m

The tourism partnership of niagara (6); syndicate brewery

at Marilyn’s Bistro & Lounge, both located inside The Tower Hotel (niagaratower.com). Fuel Café is known for its crepes and is great for the whole family, while you might want to make reservations for a romantic evening at Marilyn’s, which focuses on using local, seasonal ingredients plus traditional Mediterranean Cuisine techniques in an upscale environment. To continue your grown-ups’ night out on the town, Syndicate Restaurant and Brewery(7) (syndicaterestaurant.ca) on Lundy’s Lane is an easy five-minute drive away. Enjoy filling up on farm-totable fare and watch as the brews are made on-site in an inviting atmosphere. For lunch, try one one of the restaurant’s unique salads or sandwiches. At dinner you can choose from a three-course prix fixe menu, plus dessert. Call ahead to schedule a brewery tour. For a tasty foray into Canada, head north toward Niagara on the Lake, stopping at farm stands along the way or at Kurtz Orchards Farm and Marketplace (kurtzorchards. com) to sample dozens of jams and salsas made of local produce. Or had west toward St. Catharines and visit one of the region’s many wineries, like the 13th Street Winery(6) (13thstreetwinery.com). This charming winery also offers local arts and crafts. Call ahead to ask about special events. Really adventurous visitors can keep the excitement alive with a short trek into Toronto, Ontario’s capital, less than 90 minutes away.

niagarafallstourism.com morgantownmag.Com

A New

Frontier

Morgantown â&#x20AC;˘ Jun/Jul 2015

Claimed at one time by settlers and later by industry, the Monongahela River is now being claimed for recreation. written by Pam Kasey photographed by Carla Witt Ford

morgantownmag.Com

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

Know Your Pools For more than a century, the river we call Monongahela has actually been a long series of pools. Nine dams from the head of the river at Fairmont to its mouth at Pittsburgh slow the water down and keep it at least 9 feet deep for navigation. The pools are named for the dams that retain them. Granville, Star City, Westover, and most of Morgantown lie beside the Point Marion Pool, which is formed by the Point Marion Lock and Dam just over the border in Pennsylvania. South of the Morgantown Lock and Dam is the quieter Morgantown Pool.

“The Monongahela River fishery, once dead, is now on the active list and coming back strong.” It took another generation for residents to believe it. Leigh Ann got a real surprise on that day in June 2005. “I remember getting out of the river thinking it actually felt pretty clean,” she says. Today Morgantown gets out on the river for swimming, boating, and fishing, and it’s turning out to enjoy its riverbanks, too.

pam kasey

n an overcast Sunday morning 10 years ago, anyone up early enough had the chance to witness a Morgantown moment of strangeness and beauty. Hundreds of red- and blue-capped athletes gathered at the bottom of Walnut Street. They stretched, they jogged in place, they shook off their jitters in the cool morning air—then they waded into the Mon and swam upriver. It was June 2005, the kickoff of the first triathlon ever held on the river. For residents, it was jarring. “Growing up, I heard all kinds of jokes about the Mon River not being clean,” says Morgantown native Leigh Ann Kersting, who competed in that first triathlon and is now a vice president at MVB Insurance in town. “I was nervous about the triathlon but also about the river—thinking, ‘What am I doing?’” Residents had good reason to be unsure. A century and more of heavy industry in the watershed—mainly coal mining in seams that created acid discharge—had left the river so polluted, it tested at an acidic pH of 4.7 in 1962. A 1967 sampling just downriver in Pennsylvania found no fish at all. But a focus on cleaner discharges was starting to change that. By 1974 the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources reported that fisher’s catches were improving.

BRIAN PERSINGER, wvu

Boating: It’s Why We’re Here W hen settlers came west across the mountains in the middle 1700s, the Mon River varied enormously. “It flooded often in the springtime, at the end of the melting season, but in the summertime you could walk across it,” says Steve Stathakis, a project coordinator with the Morgantown History Museum. The highest navigable point on the river was a good place for travelers to restock for river travel to Pittsburgh, the Ohio River, and points farther west. “Being head of navigation of the river meant people stopping here along their way needed boats and they needed to buy supplies, foodstuffs,” Steve says. “That created a market for farmers’ produce and attracted others to the area.” The town’s founding and river commerce are so tightly connected that one of the very earliest enterprises was a boatyard located where Deckers Creek enters the Mon River. “Michael Kerns had a boatyard and he built flatboats because they didn’t need a lot of draft (boat depth),” Steve says. Flatboats were floated downriver and dismantled at their destinations for building materials. “And a lot of the flatboats were just built by farmers—it was simple construction, and farmers had wood and time. They’d build boats, load up their stuff, take it to market in Pittsburgh or even all the way to New Orleans sometimes. Then they’d walk back. It took months.” The Mon as we know it today—slow and deep, perfect for navigation—only came to be after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the three locks and dams on the Upper Mon in West Virginia in the early 20th century. That created a reliable 9 feet of draft year-round and gave coal, limestone, and other industries cheap transportation to market. Towboats and barges plied the river often into this century. As com mercial r iver t raff ic past Morgantown has slowed in this century, recreational boating has picked up. WVU’s rowing team can often be seen on the river during the fall and spring competitive seasons. And boating enthusiasts have gained a range of new facilities over the past decade, including new public ramps, docks, trailer parking, and slip rentals.

Get on the River Closest to town, tow your boat to Uffington or Star City, where you’ll find parking for trailers, or put in at the bottom of Walnut Street if you don’t need trailer parking. If you don’t have a boat but you’re affiliated with the university or can get a universityaffiliated person to sponsor you (this is allowed!), you can rent a canoe or kayak at the WVU Outdoor Rec Center (304.293.2203). You can also rent a cartop carrier kit if you need it. Wear water shoes and remember a life jacket!

Unlock the Locks Everyone should try this: Recreational boaters can “lock through” the dams in either direction at no charge. Passage takes about 20 minutes and is an adventure. Carry a line of 10 feet or so for a kayak or canoe, or longer for a larger boat. Pull the signal rope on the approach wall to signal the lockmaster. Stay behind designated points until the lockmaster beckons. Secure your boat to the floating pins in the lock chamber wall, and enjoy the ride as the chamber fills or empties to the level of the other side. On approach and departure, stay between the red and green buoys to avoid dam-related currents. In summer 2015, probably through October, the Morgantown lock, near the Jeep dealership, operates 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the lock is on the left-descending bank. All locks downriver operate 24/7. Don’t try to go far upriver—the Hildebrand and Opekiska locks, the two nearest Fairmont, will not be open to recreational boaters in 2015.

morgantownmag.Com

Upcoming Events Friday, June 5, 7 p.m.* 100

Movie: Maleficent at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. BOPARC Art Cart and WVU Healthcare bounce house at 7 p.m., movie at 9 p.m.

Terra Café

Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Edith Barrill Riverfront Park Dock, fishing pier, and trailer parking

Mon River Trails Conservancy’s Trail Mix at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, celebrating National Trails Day and our local railtrails. Art Cart and bounce house, food vendor, live bands. Noon: Deckers Creek Trail Half Marathon award ceremony. montrails.org

Thursday, June 11, 7 p.m.*

WVU Outdoor Rec Center Kayak rentals

ZZ Top tribute band Eliminator Kansas City at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park.

Sunday, June 14, 3–5 p.m.** Morgantown Energy Associates Fishing pier

Take a picnic and enjoy live music at Edith Barrill Riverfront Park. Wamsley Cycles B ke sales and rentals

Thursday, June 25, 7 p.m.* Eagles tribute band Desert Highway at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park.

Saturday, June 27, 4 p.m. West Virginia Bass Federation Tournament weigh-in, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park.

100

Walnut St. boat ramp

Deckers Creek

Sunday, June 28, 3 p.m. West Virginia Bass Federation Tournament weigh-in, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park.

Saturday, July 4* Celebration of America at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. Live music. Fireworks at dusk.

Thursday, July 9, 7 p.m.* Pittsburgh blues band Mahajibee Blues at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park Dock and amphitheater

Sunday, July 12, 3–5 p.m.** Take a picnic and enjoy live music at Edith Barrill Riverfront Park.

Thursday, July 23, 7 p.m.* Restaurants Oliverio's, Mountain State Brewery, Table 9 Waterfront Place Hotel Morgantown Lock and Dam Fishing spots

Bluegrass and country music with the Marshall Lowry Band at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park.

Sunday, August 9, 3–5 p.m.** Take a picnic and enjoy live music at Edith Barrill Riverfront Park.

Saturday, August 29, 2:30 p.m.* Mon River Big Band opens the Crossroads Jazz Festival at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. The festival continues into the evening at downtown venues.

Sunday, September 13, 3–5 p.m.** Take a picnic and enjoy live music at Edith Barrill Riverfront Park.

* BOPARC Summer Fun Series ** Star City Community Event Series

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

Fishing: A Turn-Around All but dead in the middle of the last century, the Monongahela River has become a beloved river fishery. It’s not a “restored” habitat— the dams have changed the Mon from wild and variable river to placid, except for one important feature: tailwaters. The well-aerated areas just below dams make for famously good fishing. Fishers love the Mon, especially its tailwaters, for its muskie, sauger, and walleye. But the biggest draw may be the bass. “Every year the Division of Natural Resources does a census on catch rates per hour for bass— largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. The Mon River consistently ranks among the top in the state,” says West Virginia Bass Federation board member and Morgantown resident Jim Matuga. “We have great habitat: We have grass, we have structure, we have current, and the water quality is good. And there are stretches where you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.” The Bass Federation has held its annual 60-team invitational tournament at Morgantown every year since 2007 in recognition of the quality of the bass fishing here. The tournament takes place June 27 to 28 this year.

Throw in a Line

Fish off the piers at Star City’s Edith Barrill Riverfront Park and behind the Morgantown Energy Associates power plant at the bottom of 6th Street. Fishing is also allowed from the bank below the Morgantown Lock and Dam. You’ll need a current West Virginia fishing license, easily available at wvfish.com and through retail license agents across the area.

Building a Flatboat

Explore Morgantown’s river origins through summer 2015 with the Morgantown Museum Commission’s flatboat project at the mouth of Deckers Creek. “It’s a living history exhibit that begins with building the boat through this summer,” says Project Coordinator Steve Stathakis. “We’re going to build it out of all wood, no metal, all hand tools, in the same way it would have been built around 1820.” While boats of the 1700s and 1800s were probably built of oak, these carpenters will use poplar for its easier workability. During demonstration events into the fall, the carpenters will work in period clothing and use period tools to construct the 12-by-32-foot boat in public view, while a docent will explain the process and historical context. The result, come fall, will be a replica flatboat open to the public. A locked cabin on the boat will be open during events and will display cooking and other equipment flatboaters used in their living quarters.

morgantownmag.Com

Rail-trail: Come on Down to the Riverfront

A Sparkling New Attitude

Triathlete Leigh Ann says times have changed for the Mon River. “There are so many activities on the river now that we didn’t have before.” She mentions the range of footraces and other competitions, restaurants with deck seating, and popular riverside playgrounds as some of the kinds of things that weren’t around when she was a kid. Since her first time in the Mon a decade ago, Leigh Ann has swum in the river just for fun. The best sign that things are looking up may be her three children. “They definitely have not grown up with any kind of negative concepts about the river,” she says. “They wouldn’t balk at getting in the river.” 62

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

Take to the Trail Parking access to the Caperton rail-trail is available at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park and at Edith Barrill Riverfront Park in Star City. Pavement on the Caperton Trail gives way to gravel heading south on the Mon River South Trail, east heading up the Deckers Creek Trail, and north on the Mon River North Trail out of Star City. Bicycles may be rented on the trail at Wamsley Cycles (709 Beechurst Avenue, 304.296.2447) or, if you’re affiliated with the university or can get a university-affiliated person to sponsor you, you can rent at the WVU Outdoor Rec Center (304.293.2203). Take plenty of water and don’t forget a helmet!

River: Road with Waves The river is a road between destinations— and a lot more fun than pavement. Towns along the river promote the idea of a Mon River water trail, with services and amenities along the way. And Morgantown and Star City are participating in the Mon River Town program that helps communities in West Virginia and Pennsylvania make the most of their riverside character. Watch this summer and fall for new riverside art installations, lighting improvements, and wayfinding signs making better connections between the river and things to do. Longer-term projects might include food trucks and organized paddle trips. “We’re getting our residents and visitors to say, ‘Hey, that’s a great idea—the riverfront is not just a place for special events, it’s a place we utilize every day,” says West Virginia Co-coordinator Chet Parsons. To get involved in the Mon River Town program, visit monrivertowns.com.

courtesy of ella belling

In 1991 CSX decided to abandon its rail on the Morgantown side of the river rather than on the Westover side. It’s a decision Morgantown benefits from every day. The Mon River Trails Conservancy acquired the rights to develop about 50 miles as a railtrail—20 miles on Deckers Creek and 30 miles along the Mon River. The shift in the late 1990s from rail that separates us from our river to a trail that gets us down on it let residents begin to reclaim their riverfront. “The city had to be convinced that people would actually use the trail because it has a power plant and several wastewater treatment plants along it and there was an eyesore nightmare of an abandoned warehouse district,” MRTC Executive Director Ella Belling says of the organization’s work. Today 48 miles of the group’s rail corridor is developed as trail up Deckers Creek, south to Fairmont and north into Pennsylvania—and that eyesore nightmare has become the city’s popular Wharf District. The rail-trails, with connections into neighborhoods and the Core Arboretum, quickly became important corridors for recreation and commuting, and MRTC continually adds amenities—most recently, a new Van Voorhis trailhead north of Star City with parking, restrooms, and plans for a put-in for cartop boats.

Morgantown â&#x20AC;˘ Jun/Jul 2015

The Morgantown Municipal Airport looks forward to a multimillion dollar runway expansion, including hundreds of acres of potential development space.

Written and photographed by Katie Griffith

morgantownmag.Com

nobstructed views show 180 degrees of a cloud-dotted sky. Hills are just undulating waves on the horizon. The air is quiet. A breeze picks up a wind sock, pulling hard at the blaze orange cone as a plane appears overhead. Still miles away, it’s coming in fast, aligning head-on with the waving neon marker. It descends. The airfield that moments ago was silent echoes with the roar of engines. The plane pulls up, wheels extended, to make a clean touchdown on the runway. As it rolls into the terminal and the engines shut off, the airport returns to a peaceful silence. The breeze lessens, dances with dandelions, and stills. The Morgantown Municipal Airport is a tiny place. Few residents in town, unless they grab the daily shuttle to Washington, D.C., have much to do with it. But behind the one-gate terminal and the 5,199-foot runway lies what city officials say will become the epicenter of Morgantown’s growth— and what is already a driving force behind it. Sitting on what might be the flattest area of town, the airport was originally a farm, and remnants of that bucolic past endure—pieces of the old farmhouse sit just behind the airstrip, while deer can sometimes create a runway hazard—but the location is actually the second iteration of Morgantown municipal flying. The town built its first airport, and what was likely one of the state’s first as well, in 1922 where the WVU Coliseum sits now. The Morgantown Municipal Airport as we know it now opened in 1939 and has grown to become the second-busiest airport in the state, behind Charleston. And in 2015 Morgantown has surpassed the capital city to become the busiest in the state. With an active flight school, a new charter service with seven airplanes, the Jet Center, commercial service to D.C., plus a plethora of general aviation and military activity, more than 45,000 aircraft landed and took off from Morgantown in 2014 alone, according to FAA data. Charleston’s traffic sat just under 48,000 for the same year. In May 2015 these numbers hovered around 15,000 for Morgantown and 13,000 for Charleston. And who are these people who are coming and going? With four flights to D.C. daily, it’s not commuters. The airport instead supports the strong growth Morgantown has seen by welcoming investors and government contractors. “Right now we’re talking about business aircraft,” says Glen Kelly, Morgantown airport manager and assistant city manager. “Because of all the business we have, we’re the busiest airport in the state.” It’s all kinds of companies. Some are doing business with WVU, some are people investing in the town’s new development. Some who come in are doing business with the Department of Energy, NIOSH, and Camp Dawson in Preston County, not to mention the dozens of companies engaging in international business like Petitto Mine Equipment, Blackheart International, 66

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

A Friend Returns

Ali Baba Restaurant at the Morgantown Municipal Airport has reopened under the direction of a familiar face.

Classic but unassuming, Ali Baba Restaurant has reopened at the Morgantown Municipal Airport. The restaurant and owner Elias Hishmeh are famous around these parts for Mediterranean food—the hummus and falafel, particularly—and the principle of service that guides the whole operation. Elias opened his first eatery in 1977, but it wasn’t the Ali Baba’s we know today. “When I first opened, I didn’t serve any Middle Eastern food,” he says. “It was hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, 21 shrimp in a basket—things like that. Then customers started asking me where I’m from and started asking for some hummus, some falafel, so we started making these things to let customers have what they want.” The restaurant was Westover Deli then, but the Mediterranean food was such a hit that Elias switched gears and, in 1978, opened the first iteration of Ali Baba Restaurant in Westover. It was one of Morgantown’s first experiences in non-Western cuisine. “When I came to this town the only place that had ethnic food was, I think, La Casa, and maybe there was a Chinese restaurant on Beechurst. That’s about it,” Elias says. But his restaurant took off. The customer base grew and then he moved. A lot. From Westover Ali Baba’s moved to downtown, then to Star City, then back downtown, and, finally, to the airport in 2003. There it looked like it would remain. Dedicated customers had followed Elias and his restaurant through every move, following the scent of sizzling kebabs, fresh feta, and briny olives. A few years ago Elias sold the business to focus on a wedding venue elsewhere in town but recently decided to return. After a short closure, Ali Baba’s reopened in spring 2015 with Elias back at the helm and his son, Aaron, at his side. “We’re doing the thing that made Ali Baba’s what it was all along,” Aaron says. “The menu itself is maybe a little smaller in scope.” The change, he says, is to refocus the restaurant on customers’ traditional favorites. “The shish kebab, the gyro sandwiches, we pride ourselves on having the best homemade falafel you can get anywhere.” But that’s not the only thing Elias and Aaron pride themselves on. The Hishmehs are famously strict about the quality of their service. “We want to see our customers come in, enjoy their meal, and leave happy,” Elias says. Fortunately, he or Aaron is always around to ensure it. A meal at Ali Baba’s isn’t complete without a handshake for new customers and hugs for longtime patrons. “They aren’t just our customers,” Elias says. “They’re our friends.”

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and FCX. “We have a whole myriad of companies that do more than half their business overseas,” Glen says. The Morgantown Jet Center, owned by KeyLogic’s Jon Hammock, is another center of activity at the airport, serving both KeyLogic’s own business needs—“Our plane carries our employees and partners to and from the Morgantown Municipal Airport and other East Coast cities multiple times per week,” Jon says—and those of other businesses. The Jet Center recently welcomed Mountain Air Services, an aviation company supplying charter services, plane rentals, and aerial photography and mapping. Prior to KeyLogic’s tenancy, the hangar was operated by Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ aviation department, which paid for a $6 million addition to add business and office space and conference rooms. In July 2014 the Jet Center opened that space to other business, renting offices to government contractors. “Morgantown Municipal Airport is a vital hub for transportation and business activities,” Jon says. “Corporations look at locations with easy access to major cities.” 68

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

Extending Services Despite all the activity, the Morgantown airport is losing potential business every day. The runway is simply not long enough for the Gulfstream IV-class business traffic companies require, Glen says. Gulfstream IV planes are double engine jets primarily used by private and business flyers. “It’s the minimum benchmark for corporations and companies,” Glen says. But when the runway is wet, these planes can’t land in Morgantown because of liability insurance requiring longer runways. “They used to be able to land here based on the operator’s manual, but now they can’t.” Recently, Glen says, the president of Northrop Grumman was invited to be recognized by WVU, but his travel plans were delayed by the lack of adequate runway at the Morgantown airport. “He couldn’t land here because it rained, so he had to go to Pittsburgh,” Glen says. “That’s what typically happens. Over half of the football teams that come in go to

Eyes to the Sky and Beyond

Courtesy of Bret Kennedy

RSA Flight Training offers flight classes for all ages and experience levels.

Pittsburgh, and most of our charter flights.” But it’s not just a matter of incoming dignitaries and sports teams. “We lost Mylan Pharmaceuticals because they could not have their Bombardier Global, which is a step above the G4.” Mylan had long held the Jet Center hangar but relinquished it in 2014 because of a lack of airport infrastructure. “We lost them because we didn’t have enough runway,” Glen says. “We had another company that was wanting to come in and take this hangar but they had holdings in Australia and South America and not enough runway for that type of business.” Runways in Pennsylvania are long enough, though. In 2013 the city revisited decades-old plans for an airport expansion. “We did a swap,” Glen says—a land swap to ready the airport for a major overhaul, not just of the runway but of the airport property itself, opening land on the east side of the airport for development. The expansion will include a receiving station for Camp Dawson, an access road to the recently completed National Guard Readiness Center, business parks,

It’s not every day you can get a full aerial view of Morgantown. At Morgantown Municipal Airport and RSA Flight Training, however, the sky isn’t the limit. It’s just part of the experience. “You’re looking out the front window of a plane, side to side,” says Bret Kennedy, pilot, instructor, and RSA co-owner. “In West Virginia, with the mountains, a lot of times you’re only 3,000 feet off the ground. You can see cars driving, houses, golf courses—a lot of people take scenic drives, but in the air you can see the whole state in an afternoon.” It’s the curiosity to experience these aerial views that gets people into flight school, he says, but it’s the freedom to get up and go that gets people hooked. Bret and his business partner were students at the school for only a year or two before they decided to take on the business. “For me it was a hobby,” Bret says. “I certainly wasn’t in the business to own and run a flight school. I was a student here and started taking lessons—I thought it would be cool—and here I am, a year or two later.” Since taking over RSA, Bret and his partner have tripled the number of available trainer planes and added a flight simulator. Their customers come from across a broad spectrum. Some are people looking to make a career of flying and to get a leg up on flight skills before entering one of the major national training programs. Others are businesspeople wanting to take their operation to the next level and fly to meet clients. Still others are just checking things off a bucket list. “I’d flown on airlines before, but my first experience flying a small plane was very different. You get blown around a lot more; it’s not a smooth ride,” Bret says, adding that the agitation was worth the freedom flying a plane yourself provides. “On my first trip I rode in the backseat with a friend of mine taking lessons, and we went to Philadelphia to have lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. It’s the freedom to go on your own schedule and not worry about driving for hours and hours.” Lessons begin at $120, with opportunities ranging from single introductory classes to hourly instruction to earn a license. Call the RSA office at 304.322.2135 to sign up.

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the construction of more than 40 aircraft hangars, corporate development on the west side, the creation of a foreign/free trade zone, and, of course, a runway extension from 5,199 feet to 6,200. With the expansion Morgantown is looking at development that could stretch from U.S. 119 to Interstate 68. “This will be business park, commerce park, a lot like you see in Fairmont where the satellite dishes are,” Glen says. “We expect to see at least 300 acres of additional developable property as a result of this runway expansion.” The expansion won’t mean more commercial service for residents looking to fly places other than D.C. For that type of traffic we’ll need even more runway, at least another couple hundred feet, and that money just isn’t in the books right now, Glen says. “If we would go to 6,600 feet that would help tremendously. When you hit 6,500 it opens up a lot of new worlds for you. At 6,500 or 6,600 feet you might be able to get an Allegiant or a Southwest or somebody—if you had a good route for them.” Rather than commercial services, this expansion will cater to business traffic and charter services, allowing WVU’s smaller sports teams to leave from the Morgantown airport rather than Clarksburg, and allowing the developers and investors coming in to work at WVU and other parts to land here instead of 90 miles north. Recently, the announcement of the Air Force Reserve’s plans to move ground for the runway expansion as part of a training project has amped up development plans. Air Force Reserve engineers could arrive as early as spring 2016 to begin moving dirt, putting the project ahead of schedule by 24 months. The Air Force offer cuts the cost of the project nearly in half, saving the city approximately $12 million of what will be a $31 million project. “This whole project is meant to leverage off everything else, where everybody is benefiting and the whole area is growing. We expect this to be the economic development center for 70

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

the city and, to some degree, the county for the next 10 years,” Glen says. But not everyone is on board. Shortly after the Air Force announcement in April, Clarksburg vocalized its disapproval, an action Glen says could threaten the whole deal.

Code Red “The Department of Defense does not like bad press,” Glen says. And Clarksburg’s fuss is nothing but. The Benedum Airport Authority claims the expansion is a waste of funds. At one point Benedum suggested a flight sharing program in which Clarksburg would take all commercial flights, leaving Morgantown with private and corporate. The suggestion fell flat. Hitting 10,000 enplanements a year is a benchmark for airports looking for Federal Aviation Authority entitlement money, $1 million to support runways and airport operation. “The city’s going to give away $1 million because they (Clarksburg) don’t want to compete? Their business model is to cause us to close so they get all of our business. The problem is, our business doesn’t go there. Our business goes to Pittsburgh, just like Mylan Pharmaceuticals,” Glen says. “And most of our passengers—if you’re not going to fly here, and go from here to Dulles, you’re going to go to Pittsburgh.” So far Morgantown isn’t backing down, and the expansion project continues to move forward. If the extension doesn’t happen, Glen says, the Air Force Reserve offer will fly off to another project in another state ready to accept it. “When you see areas that are really prosperous, they have multiple pieces of infrastructure,” Glen says. “I worked a lot with Senator Byrd for a few years and I asked him once, ‘Why are you building so many roads?’ and he said ‘Well, without infrastructure there is no economic development.’ And that’s not just roads. That’s airports, too.”

out & about in the mountain city

April 11 • Coombs Farm

Grand Opening

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Amberlee Christey and the gang celebrated the opening of the new Amberlee Christey Photography studio at Coombs Farm near Cheat Lake in April. The beautiful studio was decked out with lots of favorite local wedding vendors, thanks to help from wedding planner Yohana Williams, who also provided a peach bellini bar. She and Amberlee made charming food tags and other décor for the grand opening event. Flowers were provided by Blooms Florist, and vanilla cupcakes from The Cupcakerie were a crowd favorite. Meadow Mountain Catering, Elite Bridal, Coni & Franc, Lolita’s Cupcreations, and other local vendors also helped to make the day unforgettable. 1 Photographer Amberlee Christey pauses for a photo with Layla Hedrick. 2 Amberlee’s new studio is located just off of Interstate 68’s Exit 7. 3 Christina Leach, Leandra Hickman, and Lauren LeClere have fun in the photo booth. 4 Amber and Jonathan Benicosa pose with their kids, Nadia and Asher. 5 Heather, Nathan, and Eli Zeni smile for the camera. 6 Samantha Larrick takes a break with a friend. 7 Alicia and Samantha Mazon are all laughs. 8 The grand opening is a hit. photographed by Amberlee Christey Photography

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Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

May 1 & 2 • Waterfront Place Hotel

WVU School of Pharmacy Alumni Weekend

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courtesy of wvu school of pharmacy

A Kentucky Derby-themed celebration was a big hit as alumni donned their best hats and attire for the 2015 Alumni Weekend hosted by the WVU School of Pharmacy and the WVU School of Pharmacy Alumni Association. Throughout the weekend alumni were invited to attend a continuing education session, a kickoff reception, and a dedication ceremony and tours of the newly remodeled CookHayman Pharmacy Museum. The weekend wrapped up with the WVU School of Pharmacy Alumni Association’s “Run for the Roses” Derby Spectacular. 1 Matt and Lisa Keller smile for the camera. 2 W. Clarke Ridgway, professor emeritus of the WVU School of Pharmacy and member of the Class of 1971, chats with alumnus Carroll Martin. 3 Members of Four on Six provide entertainment for the evening. 4 Daniel Ventricelli, Catherine Freeland, and Michael D. Newton attend the Derby Spectacular. 5 Tiffany Turner, Maggie Turner, Jason Turner, and Katie Kacmarik also attend the event. 6 Alumnus Brian Lawson talks bow ties with WVU President E. Gordon Gee. 7 Christopher, Dominic, and Shanna Secreto pose for a photo. 8 Linda Jacknowitz and husband, Art, professor emeritus of the WVU School of Pharmacy, enjoy the event. 9 Beth Fullmer, Professor Vincent Castranova, and Bernadette Castranova pause for a chat.

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Morgantown â&#x20AC;˘ Jun/Jul 2015

Your local guide to life, art, culture, & more JUN/Jul 2015

June June 4–6 The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs MT Pockets Theatre Company, 1390½ University Avenue, Thurs.–Sat., 8 p.m. 304.284.0049 This razor-sharp play written by Mike Daisy and directed by David Beach is a hilarious and harrowing tale of pride, beauty, lust, and industrial design. Illuminated is America’s most mysterious technology icon, the former CEO of Apple, and how his obsessions shape our lives. Follow the trail all the way to China to investigate the factories where millions toil to make iPhones and iPods. Discover the love affair we have with our devices and the human cost of creating them. General admission costs $15, or $13 for senior citizens and $10 for students. Admission for ages 12 and under is $7.

First Fridays at Woodburn Woodburn Activity Center, Parsons Street Fri., 6–8 p.m. This monthly event offers music, food, and fun at the Woodburn Activity Center beside the old Woodburn Elementary School on Parsons Street. Free parking is available but limited. June 6 Mon River Trails Conservancy’s Trail Mix Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park Sat., montrails.org This Mon River Trails Conservancy event celebrates National Trails Day and local rail-trails. Kids’ activities like the Art Cart and Bounce House take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Also enjoy food vendors and live bands. At noon, the Deckers Creek Trail Half Marathon award ceremony will take place. Green Jellÿ at The Main Street Cafe The Main Street Cafe, 331 West Main Street Clarksburg, Sat., 5 p.m., 304.641.4020 themainstreetcafe304.com Grammy-nominated and always entertaining Green Jellÿ will take the stage at The Main Street Café, performing with Hour 24, The Renfields, Motion Theatre, High Fives and Hell Yeahs, and Captain Catfeesh. $10 NEARBY

Gregory Pallante

June 5

June 24 The front man of one of your favorite bands returns to Morgantown. Ben Nichols of Lucero comes to 123 Pleasant Street for what’s sure to be a memorable night. This show is for ages 18 and older. $15 123 Pleasant Street, Weds., 8 p.m., 123pleasantstreet.com

June 7 Dog Wash & Adoption Event Seneca Center, 709 Beechurst Avenue Sun., Noon–4 p.m. Dogs, cats, and kittens are looking for loving homes at this adoption event. You can also bring your pet for on-site grooming by Pampered 4 Paws. Dog baths, including wash, dry, and nail trimming are $15 to $35 depending on dog’s size. Nail trimming and filing is $7. Nail trimming is $5. Raffles, giveaways, and refreshments will be available. All proceeds benefit Homeward Bound WV. Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis Walk Hazel Ruby McQuain Park, Sun., 4:30–7 p.m. 412.823.8272 Registration is free and begins at 3:30 p.m. The

Take Steps Walk is the nation’s largest event dedicated to finding cures for digestive diseases. The day will also be filled with music, food, kids’ entertainment, and educational materials. June 9 Star City Story Time Star City Town Hall, 370 Broadway Avenue Tues., 1–2 p.m., 304.599.5743 The Morgantown Public Library hosts story time in Star City at the Star City Town Hall. This event is held every Tuesday. On this day, Sharon Summers will read In the Small, Small Pond. Get a frog’s-eye view of life in a pond throughout the seasons. This community event is great for kids to learn about North American wildlife. Free

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Monongalia Arts Center Literary Writing Workshop Monongalia Arts Center, 107 High Street Tues., 6:30–8 p.m., 304.292.3325 monartscenter.com This writing workshop is open to the public and welcomes all genres and approaches to creative writing. Attendees will take turns reading selections of their work, and the group will analyze the selection through thoughtful and critical discussion. The workshop is led by Morgantown native Howard Parsons, who has an MFA in fiction. June 10 Taste of Morgantown WVU Erickson Alumni Center, One Alumni Drive Weds., 5:30–8:30 p.m., 304.598.9500 redcross.org/tasteofmorgantown Taste of Morgantown showcases the finest local restaurants, specialty food vendors, breweries, and wine distributors. More than 20 restaurants and vendors will offer samples of exceptional food and drinks, from Table 9 to Atomic Grill. Proceeds benefit the American Red Cross. $40 per person, $75 per couple June 12–June 14 17th Annual Corporate Cup Challenge White Park, Mississippi Street, Fri.–Sun. 5 p.m., 304.296.7525 brett@unitedwaympc.org The Corporate Cup Challenge raises money for the local United Way through friendly competitive sporting events between companies. For participating organizations, these competitions are truly team-building exercises. Sporting events include bowling, team trivia, cornhole, dodgeball, horseshoes, billiards, volleyball, and more. June 13 Bark in the Park 5K Run/Walk & Festival Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, Sat., 7 a.m. This fundraiser hosted by Pet Helpers Inc. invites runners to participate in a timed race at 8 a.m., followed by a timed race for runners and walkers and their furry friends at 9 a.m. Awards will be given in every category. $20 in advance, $25 day of NEARBY Summer Terrarium Workshop Tatham’s Nursery and Garden Center 41 South Robert Stone Way, Reedsville Sat., 9 a.m., tathams.com Create a unique terrarium using plant materials. Workshop includes a wide mouth glass jar, plant materials, decorative stones, moss, and special terrarium soil mix. Additional accents will be available for purchase. The event will occur again on June 20. Enjoy free coffee and tea with fresh pastries from our coffee shop. $30 per terrarium

Yoga for Gardeners Workshop West Virginia Botanic Garden, Tyrone Road Sat., 4–5:30 p.m., 304.216.8704 erin@wvbg.org, wvbg.org

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

Enjoy BOPARC’s Summer Fun Series! Movies begin at 9 p.m. and concerts start at 7 p.m. Events scheduled for June and July include:

Friday, June 5

Maleficent movie night, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park

Thursday, June 11

Eliminator KC concert, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park

Friday, June 19

Annie movie night, King Street Park

Thursday, June 25

Desert Highway concert, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park

Saturday, July 4

Celebration of America concert, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park

Thursday, July 9

Mahajibee Blues concert, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park

Tuesday, July 14

Steel Away concert, Krepps Park

Friday, July 17

Dolphin Tale 2 movie night, Jack Roberts Park

Thursday, July 23

Marshall Lowry Band concert, Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park

boparc.org Heather Garrison will introduce participants to simple yoga poses to help relieve sore gardening muscles. Class will begin with a practical introduction, move into a series of postures, and close with a silent meditative stroll through the garden. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a water bottle and mat. Register by June 6. $12 for WVBG members, $15 for non-members Time and Distance, No Pretty Pictures, Flipswitch, Letters, and Bassette The Main Street Cafe, 331 West Main Street Clarksburg, Sat., 7 p.m., 304.641.4020 themainstreetcafe304.com Don't miss these bands as they rock this

favorite new Clarksburg music venue at an allages show. Music begins at 8 p.m. $5 June 13 & 14 WV Bass Federation Invitational Championship Weigh-Ins Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater, Sat. 4 p.m., Sun., 3 p.m., 304.472.3600 wvbass.com Get on down to the river and watch 68 championship teams′ catches weighed in. It′s a catch-and-release event, fun for the whole family.

June 15

June 25–28

Cinderella Around the World: Curiosity Quest Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce Street Mon., 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 mplcuriosityquest@gmail.com morgantown.lib.wv.us The Morgantown Public Library offers enrichment classes for children throughout summer with the mission to provide a fun, safe place to explore. In this class, children in first through fifth grades will travel on a magical journey by reading multicultural versions of Cinderella and make a tiara and other crafts from around the world. Register at the circulation desk at the library on Spruce Street. Visit morgantown.lib.wv.us for a full schedule of classes. $20 per student, per class, per day

NEARBY 10th WWII Living History Szilagyi Center, 20 Buffalo Street Rowlesburg, Thurs.–Sun., All day 304.329.1240 rowlesburg.info Every year reenactment units attend this event with period equipment, weapons, vehicles, uniforms, pup tents, and other artifacts. The World War II Museum and other exhibits will be open throughout the weekend. This year’s 10th anniversary theme is “Then, Now, & Tomorrow,” comparing the WWII era to our current military. Enjoy WV Army National Guard band performances, films, and appearances by real-life Rosie the Riveters. Dress in period attire and dance the night away. Tickets include beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres. Call for reservations. $30

June 19 Paint and Sip Arts Monongahela, 201 High Street Suite 3, Fri., 6:30–9 p.m., 304.291.6720 assistant@artsmon.org This painting class allows artists to sip wine and learn from local artist Tyler Bray. Each class includes paint, brushes, canvas, and easel. All you need to bring is your beverage of choice (wine only) and your creativity. Email assistant@artsmon.org to reserve your spot. Classes are for ages 18 and up (21 to drink wine). $30 West Virginia Black Bears vs. Mahoning Valley Scrappers Monongalia County Ballpark, 2040 Gyorko Drive Granville, Fri., 7:05 p.m., 304.293.7910 facebook.com/wvblackbears The WVU Black Bears, a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, will start its inaugural season with a three-game series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. June 20 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion 123 Pleasant Street, Sat., 9 p.m. 123pleasantstreet.com Don’t miss this popular punk and blues band from New York City as they share the stage with Daddy Long Legs for this special 18 and over show. $15 in advance, $18 at the door June 21 NEARBY Celebrate WV McGrew House, 109 East Main Street Kingwood, Sun., All day, mcgrewhouse.org Celebrate West Virginia on the grounds of the historic McGrew House and honor our state’s admission into the union. Enjoy music, food, and an open house.

June 22 LEGO Racers: Curiosity Quest Class Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce Street Mon., 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 mplcuriosityquest@gmail.com morgantown.lib.wv.us Second through fourth graders can learn and test what makes racecars go fast. Learn about gears and types of motors. Enjoy designing, creating, and building racecars with LEGOs.

Frozen Fun: Curiosity Quest Class (Grades 1–5) Morgantown Public Library 373 Spruce Street, Thurs.–Fri. 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 mplcuriosityquest@gmail.com morgantown.lib.wv.us Learn about the The Snow Queen fairytale that inspired the Disney movie Frozen. The kids will love making a rock troll, Elsa’s braid, and a bracelet. They can also chill out with Frozen books, songs, crafts, games, puzzles, and frozen treats. June 27 6th Annual Touch-a-Truck WVU Coliseum, Sat., 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 304.290.8441 The event starts with a silent hour for sensitive ears from 10 a.m.–11 a.m. During the event, children can sit in, climb on, and explore all types of vehicles at the WVU Coliseum parking lot. This year Batman and his Batmobile will be there. Other vehicles will include cranes, dump trucks, buses, recycling vehicles, police cruisers, fire trucks, and even a helicopter. All proceeds go to support cancer research at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at WVU. $5

July July 4 Rocktop 4th of July Friend and Family Appreciation Day Rocktop Lounge and Rooftop Cabana 341 Chestnut Street, Sat. Noon, 304.777.4100, rocktopnights.com Join Rocktop for an all-day rooftop Fourth of July celebration. The pools will be open, a live DJ will play music, and there will be plenty of great food. Fourth of July Fireworks Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, Sat., Dusk Grab a seat on the waterfront near Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park early for a prime spot to watch the fireworks. Free July 6 Let’s Celebrate Japanese Star Festival Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce Street Mon., 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 mplcuriosityquest@gmail.com morgantown.lib.wv.us Second through sixth graders are invited to decorate a bamboo tree with origami ornaments, paper cuttings, and Japanese writings to celebrate Japan’s Star Festival. Make origami stars, birds, butterflies, and flowers and learn some Japanese and Chinese writings, too. July 11 Nature Photography Workshop West Virginia Botanic Garden, Tyrone Road Sat., 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 304.216.8704 Local photographer Dave Smaldone will teach participants to use simple settings on their cameras, give compositional tips, and encourage seeing creatively in a variety of natural settings. Beginner and intermediate photographers welcome. $15 for WVBG members, $20 for non-members

June 28 2015 Coopers Rock Climb-a-Thon Coopers Rock State Forest, Sun. 9:30 a.m., 800.225.5982 coopersrock@wvdnr.gov www.coopersrockstateforest.com Each year an enthusiastic group of climbers gathers at Coopers Rock to combine their love of the outdoors with a drive to help others. This year’s 4th Annual Climb-a-Thon will raise money and awareness for Paradox Sports, an organization that provides inspiration, opportunities, and adaptive equipment to the disabled community, allowing them to participate in outdoor sports. Fifty climbing routes will be set up for participants. Routes vary from very easy to extremely hard. Space is limited. Register at coopersrockclimbingguides.com. Preregistration is $25. No previous climbing experience is needed. All equipment provided.

NEARBY New Deal Festival Arthurdale, Sat., newdealfestival.org This annual festival celebrates the unique history of the nation’s first New Deal Subsistence Homestead Community of Arthurdale. Now in its 81st year, the festival features artisan demonstrations, a craft market, children’s activities, new exhibits in the New Deal Homestead Museum, tours of the Arthurdale Historic District, a visit from an Eleanor Roosevelt impersonator, and much more.

July 16–19 WV Writers’ Workshop WVU’s Downtown Campus, Thurs.–Sun., All day 304.293.3107, english.wvu.edu Hone your skills in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or screenwriting. A reduced rate is offered for participants who would like to attend the luncheon, panels, classes, lectures, and/or readings without enrolling in a workshop. This morgantownmag.Com

show, and plenty of live stunts. Don’t miss live music from the Flaunt Girls, Travis Tritt, The Davisson Brothers Band, and many more. Tickets can be purchased at wvmountainfest.com or Triple S Harley-Davidson. July 28–August 1 Monongalia County Fair Mylan Park, 500 Mylan Park Lane Tues.–Sat., All day, moncountyfair.org Traditional family fun and entertainment last all week long with this year’s new attractions, more entertainment, and more youth competitions. In addition to the carnival rides and the already popular motorsports, there will be a Friday Fight Night and a livestock auction on Saturday.

Upcoming

Ricky Tims

August 8

June 16-18 Ricky Tims’ Super Quilt Seminar Learn from two master quilting teachers—Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson—with tips, techniques, secrets, and methods at this super seminar. Register online by July 1. Registration fee includes entry into all 10 sessions, plus a quilt show, autograph session, and more. $224 Thurs.–Sat., rickytims.com, Waterfront Place Hotel, 2 Waterfront Place

rate is $120 for the four-day conference or $50 per day (Thursday, Friday, and/or Saturday). Saturday’s open mic reading is free and open to the public. Deadline for day participation is July 2. Register online at epay.wvsto.com/wvu/ wvuenglishdeptworkshops. July 18 Wild Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk West Virginia Botanic Garden, Tyrone Road Sat., 10 a.m., 304.216.8704, wvbg.org Learn about edible and medicinal wild plants abundant in this region with herbalist Jen OshaBuysse. Discover what’s in your yard that can soothe a bee sting and learn ways to integrate wild foods into your diet. MedExpress Kids’ Day Downtown Morgantown, Sat., 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 304.292.0168, downtownmorgantown.com Kids take over downtown Morgantown in this event sponsored by MedExpress. Kids can learn about safety, play games, receive free goodies

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015

from area businesses, make crafts, and play in the giant sandbox. Free July 20–24 Arts in the Park Wiles Hill Community Building, 287 Eureka Drive Mon.–Fri., 8:15 a.m.–4:45 p.m., boparc.org Arts in the Park is designed to promote arts exploration and instruction as well as outdoor recreation for school-aged children. Children are grouped according to grade level and age and will rotate among four classes. Supervised swim sessions are scheduled for afternoons at Krepps Pool, weather permitting. July 22–26 MountainFest 2015 Mylan Park, 500 Mylan Park Lane, Wed.–Sun. All day, wvmountainfest.com Morgantown’s annual motorcycle rally is back. Thousands of bikers ride in for events like a custom builders showcase, vendor mall, poker run, chopper

NEARBY Roosevelt Run 5K Run/Walk Arthurdale, Sat., 304.264.3959 rooseveltrun.wordpress.com Run or walk through the historic district of Arthurdale and be transported back to the 1930s. The course is frozen in time, making its way past many original houses where you can see antique cars in the driveways. Wear your best 1930s attire to impress Eleanor Roosevelt, who will hand out awards. After the race, wander the living history museums or enjoy healthy snacks and refreshments. Other family activities will include a petting zoo and photos. $20 in advance, $25 after July 19 NEARBY Fala’s Flee Kids’ Race Arthurdale, Sat., 304.264.3959 rooseveltrun.wordpress.com The Fala’s Flee Kids′ Race is for kids 10 years old and younger. This one-mile course will start shortly after the Roosevelt Run 5K and is not timed— everyone is a winner! $3

2nd Annual Motown Mac N’ Cheese Cook-Off Marketplace Pavilion, Spruce Street, Sat., 2–5 p.m., 304.296.7525, motownmacncheese.com Which of Morgantown’s restaurants reigns supreme? Taste the best professional and hometown cooks have to offer and enjoy activities for the whole family.

Got a hot date?

Send your events for consideration in our calendar to: morgantown@newsouthmediainc.com with the subject line “Calendar.”

morgantownmag.Com

Then & Now

The American Wind Symphony Orchestra’s Point Counterpoint tugs through Morgantown.

Residents today enjoy a full schedule of summer events on the riverfront.

For more photos

of Morgantown’s past, check out wvhistoryonview.org

Music on the River It’s been a few years since Morgantown has hosted the Point Counterpoint, or its successor the Point Counterpoint II. No, we’re not talking about debates. This is the floating concert series hosted by the American Wind Symphony Orchestra out of Mars, Pennsylvania. Aboard what amounts to a barge, the Point Counterpoint carries the more than 40-member orchestra along waterways to river towns nationwide for a summertime concert series. The barge was last seen in Morgantown in 2004, though this photo dates from much earlier. The Point

Counterpoint will be making another 10-city journey into West Virginia in 2015. While Morgantown isn’t on the tour list this time, don’t fret. Our very own, always available Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater has plenty to offer all summer long, including live music concerts, festivals, and open-air movies. Check out our calendar on page 76 for events! Then & Now is published in partnership with WVU Libraries’ West Virginia & Regional History Center. wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu

written by katie griffith photographed by carla witt ford

Morgantown • Jun/Jul 2015