Morgantown Magazine April/May 2020 by New South Media

Art in the

HOSPITAL

NEIGHBORHOODS Issue

Nonprofits

GO VIRTUAL

PANDEMIC without

PANDEMONIUM

Our

COMMUNITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOW TO VOTE DURING THE PANDEMIC MORGANTOWN PODCASTS TO CATCH UP ON

response to COVID-19

Our Social Circles Don’t be socially distant! Join our social circles today and stay up to date on what’s happening around town.

What’s Going on Around Town

Daniel’s of Morgantown

Together we can support our community while practicing social distancing. We shared five ways to help businesses and organizations keep the lights on in Morgantown. It received more than 70 shares on Facebook! Thanks for sharing and supporting our Morgantown community and small businesses.

SPICE UP THOSE PANTRY STAPLES

We shared The Dominion Post story about Daniel's of Morgantown making supplemental masks for Morgantown-area hospitals. This story got more than 35 likes and 17 shares on Facebook, so it’s safe to say Morgantown says thanks to this generous contribution.

Here are some ideas for making tasty use of those pantry items you’ve stashed. We shared Bartini Prime’s video on Facebook. Chef Zack and Bartini Prime gave us some great ideas on how to make tasty dishes. Check out the video here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=494569621418898.

National Doctors’ Day

SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE LIKES and counting!

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Remember Mountaineer basketball?

We hope Pete, our #makeMYmonday winner, had a great time watching the Mountaineers take on the Oklahoma Sooners in February. We miss you WVU hoops!

STEPHANIE SWAIM; COURTESY OF THE DOMINION POST; PIXABAY; SAVANNAH CARR (2)

THE FACEBOOK FACTS

Life is better at the lake. This shot was taken by our web and social media manager, Savannah, in Cheat Lake and it got more than 70 likes on our Instagram! We can’t wait to be back on the water this summer.

was March 30. We celebrated and said a BIG thank you to all doctors, nurses, medical professionals, and health care staff on Facebook. Thank you for being on the front lines and supporting our community today and every day!

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PUBLISHED BY

New South Media, Inc.

709 Beechurst Avenue, Suite 14A, Morgantown, WV 26505

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Nikki Bowman Mills, nikki@newsouthmediainc.com EDITOR

Pam Kasey, pam@newsouthmediainc.com ART DIRECTOR/PHOTOGRAPHER

Carla Witt Ford, carla@newsouthmediainc.com DESIGNER

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MORGA NTOW N is published by New South Media, Inc. Frequency of publication is subject to change without notice. Double issues may be published, which count as two issues. We reserve the right to substitute gifts of equal or greater value. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. © 2020 N EW SOU T H M EDI A, I NC. A LL R IGH TS R ESERV ED

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EDITOR’S NOTE

n Thursday, March 12, my friend Alice Meehan drove me around her South Hills neighborhood for this magazine’s annual neighborhoods feature story. It was such a fun afternoon. We photographed her friends’ homes and admired other houses and talked about who lives where. She introduced me to Shawn Cockrell, and he and I shook hands and chatted for a while. But when his husband, Kris Knowles, showed up, we bumped elbows instead and laughed about people hoarding toilet paper. As it turned out, Shawn’s is the last hand I shook before the virus hit the fan, and it looks to be the last one I’ll be shaking for a while. Elbow bumping? So intimate! We all know where we were when we heard Michael Jackson died or that the extinct ivory-billed woodpecker was rediscovered—okay, maybe you don’t remember that one. But this thing loomed into consciousness, interpreted differently by each of us over a period of weeks. It’s only in retrospect that that hour with Alice, Shawn, and Kris took on more meaning. It was the next day that Governor Jim Justice closed the schools and, the following week, many of us began working from home, New South Media staff included. Since then, I’ve talked with so many business owners, nonprofit managers, school staff and administrators and teachers 6

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and professors—on the phone, of course. The initial conversations were mostly heartbreaking: restaurateurs fearing curbside service wouldn’t be worth the trouble, boutique owners wondering if online sales would be enough to make rent, nonprofit managers canceling important spring fundraisers. But almost immediately, people rallied in ways that have amazed me. When was the last time we saw Morgantown’s creativity and generosity put to such a test? This issue is digital only and, in the spirit of sharing, we’re making it available for free to everyone. In it, stories of the kind you always look to us for: dining, shopping, city matters, recreation, art—just, with a pandemic twist. Find things to read or listen to at home and wild places to shake off being at home too much. Learn how some nonprofits have found ways to hold their spring fundraisers anyway. Read about shops and restaurants you’ll want to order from now or visit in the future. And be inspired by the many ways our neighbors have found to avoid pandemonium. The trend lines tell us there are some difficult days ahead. If you know people who are sick or shut in or climbing the walls, much sympathy to you. These are challenging times. But if you’re looking to move, I highly recommend South Hills. It’s a really friendly neighborhood.

NEVER HAD TIME FOR THAT BEFORE Here’s what New South Media staff are doing with their wealth of home time. I've been learning the fiddle and taking lessons via video. — Laura I did a thorough cleaning of the garage last weekend—a project I have thought about for at least five years! — Buddy I’m working more than ever! However, I cleaned out my pantry, freezer, and refrigerator, made a checklist of all the food we have, and then made a list of recipes using that checklist that will get me through two months without a grocery store run—and that’s without touching the giant box of ramen noodles. — Nikki I am making my mom’s bread recipes. She would make notes in the margins of recipes saying “good” or “I used less sugar.” The smell of baking bread brings back a ton of comforting memories. — Carla My yard is finally getting a magnolia tree and rose bushes. I’m also rewiring a vintage light fixture. — Pam I’m baking cakes. First was yellow with lemon filling and buttercream icing. Today’s is yellow with strawberry filling and whipped buttercream icing. We’ve also made Rice Krispies treats, and I can’t even count how many batches of cookies. Roll me outta here when it’s over, will ya?! — Holly

Stay strong,

Editor

@morgantownmag @morgantownmag @morgantownmag

PAM KASEY; LAURA LAYVA; CARLA WITT FORD

Fly away buzzard, fly away crow, way down south where the winds don’t blow. Rub your nose and give two winks and save us from this awful jinx. — Barney Fife

MORGANTOWN

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APR/MAY 2020

In This Issue

NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS

APRIL/MAY 2020

A Place to Call Home

Keeping Our Distance—Together

Moving to town? Just looking for a change? Morgantown has a neighborhood that’s right for you.

When COVID-19 turned daily life inside out, people across Morgantown stepped up to set it right.

42 MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

In This Issue APRIL/MAY 2020

This Matters

13 Support This Nonprofits gone virtual. 13 Support This United Way’s Day of Caring is still happening—just a little later. 14 Hear This Spend some of your pandemic down-time catching up on these Morgantown podcasts. 14 Do This Keep your distance by voting absentee this spring. Here’s how.

23 Eat This Try a hot dog curbside Wallzy’s in Cheat Lake.

23 Know This The West Virginia Collegiate Business Plan Competition awards innovative new winners every April. 24 Know This Your recycling prowess may soon be put to the test. 24 Do This Get counted! Census results affect funding and representation.

15 Who’s This Meet the first woman to vote in West Virginia.

16 What’s This Black Bear Village apartments have some of the best amenities—and views— in town. 17 Read This Raise your Mountaineer cred with this book. 18 Who’s This Todd Tubutis is bringing new ideas to the Art Museum of WVU. 19 Love This Handcrafted Cooperative founder Megan Ursic introduces us to Morgantown oil painter Amanda Blake. 19 Try This Kids are going to need this summer’s Energy Express reading program more than ever before. 20 Shop This Put Eloquence Antiques and Artisans on your list for when the stay-at-home is lifted.

19 Departments

2 Our Social Circles 6 Editor’s Note 36 Across County Lines 40 Scoreboard 53 The Scene

54 The Scene 55 The Scene 56 The Scene

21 Enjoy This Leave those four walls behind and explore Morgantown’s parks this spring. 22 Love This Mon Health and Arts Monongahela teamed up to brighten hospital visits.

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EAT / LOVE / WEAR / SHOP / WATCH / KNOW / HEAR / READ / DO / WHO / WHAT

PAM KASEY

Park and Trail Love Our parks and rail-trails are seeing more users than ever while social distancing is in force—electronic counters on the rail-trails show March 2020 up 70 percent over March 2019. And no wonder: What better place to stretch your legs, breathe the fresh spring air, and see some friendly faces? Now we have a chance to make the parks and trails even better. Vote yes on the Mon County Parks and Trails Levy on the primary election ballot this spring. For less than the price of a pizza delivered to your door by a properly gloved driver, you can see our parks improved and ensure continued maintenance of the rail-trails—plus upgrade soccer and baseball fields, create a welcome center at the West Virginia Botanic Garden, and more. Visit Mon County Parks and Trails Levy for more information. Election officials encourage everyone to vote by mail this time around. See our story on page 14 and watch your mailbox.

Upsides of a Pandemic Income tax return deadline pushed back to

—and no payments or interest on federal student loans through September 30.

Lush new vocabulary words

More time to read

Check out Morgantown Public Library’s online resources.

caremongering Zoombombing quarantini MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

THIS MATTERS

EST. 1947

9 Sterling Drive Earl Core Road 304.599.9606

For Catering

catering@shoneys.com 888.455.3022 12

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Open for carryout daily 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Stop by for the same fresh taste and quality service.

THIS MATTERS SUPPORTTHIS

STAYING

AFLOAT

Nonprofits keep the donations flowing with online fun. ➼ SPRING FUNDRAISING EVENTS raise energy and money that get nonprofits through their active summer seasons. This year, those events are getting creative. Take the Blue Jean Ball, a Mon River Trails Conservancy and West Virginia Land Trust event. A couple hundred people gather each year at Camp Muffly for bluegrass, BBQ, and a silent auction. “It’s a party with a purpose,” says WVLT Executive Director Brent Bailey. Gathering is out for this sixth annual event, but the auction will go on. “People can review the items online and, starting on April 4, they can place bids. We’ll run it for a week.” An in-home wine tasting inspires especially fierce bidding every year. Bailey thinks making the auction available to all for a week may boost the proceeds. Blue Jean Ball ticket holders will get vouchers for Woodburn Shanks BBQ, and they’ll have exclusive early

access to the WVLT’s new Elizabeth’s Woods trail south of town. Friends of the Cheat is going digital, too. Its annual early May Cheat Fest weekend, with arts and crafts, a 5K, a mass paddling race, and live music all day long and into the night is a muchanticipated kick-off to the boating season—and a critical fundraiser. Cheat Fest will go online as the multiring circus supporters love April 27–May 3. Look for kids’ nature activities, at-home kayaking training, an online auction, prerecorded and possibly Facebook Live music

events, and even a virtual 5K—register online, run on your own, and submit selfies and times. “We’ll do a little virtual awards ceremony on Sunday, May 3, and give away funny awards,” says festival organizer Lauren Greco. “It’s a fundraiser, but it’s moreso an opportunity to move around and connect in a physically distant way.” If your favorite cause holds a spring fundraiser, consider increasing your usual donation. cheatfest.org, montrails.org, wvlandtrust.org written by PA M K ASEY

SUPPORTTHIS

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK GABE DEWITT; COURTESY OF UNITED WAY OF MONONGALIA AND PRESTON COUNTIES

Give back this summer with the 29th annual Day of Caring. ➼ ONE DAY DOESN’T SEEM LIKE MUCH, but it can mean everything to those in need. Just ask any of the nearly 300 people who participated in the 2019 United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties’ Day of Caring. These do-gooders—families and friends, cohorts of corporate coworkers, and single volunteers alike—rallied together at Monongalia County Ballpark last May before heading out to help local organizations and nonprofits. One group built Ruby ReadBoxes, free mini-libraries run by the Literacy Volunteers of Monongalia and Preston Counties. Another tidied trails at Coopers Rock State Forest. And those were only two of more than 30 projects. “Since it’s all done in one day, people see these projects from start to finish,” says Amanda Posey, United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties’ director of marketing and communications. “They see the immediate difference in the community.” This year’s 29th Annual Day of Caring promises to be even bigger and better. “We’re looking to have at least 350 volunteers and about 40 projects,” says Engagement Manager Servando Arredondo. There's sure to be one to suit your interests and abilities. The event is postponed from May 6 to summer—check facebook.com/unitedwaympc for updates and volunteermpc.org to volunteer. written by JESS WA LK ER

Check @unitedwaympc on Facebook for updates and visit volunteermpc.org to sign up to volunteer. MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

HEARTHIS

PLUG IN

Stay connected the audio way with these Morgantown podcasts. ➼ SOCIAL DISTANCING

written by ISABEL THUBRON

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DOTHIS

VOTE BY

MAIL

Do your civic duty from the couch this election cycle. ➼ COUNTY AND STATE ELECTION OFFICIALS are watching changing health recommendations to keep this spring’s primary election fair and safe. Here’s the latest. If you’re registered to vote in West Virginia, you’ll receive an absentee ballot application in the mail in April. Use it! Because of the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, anyone can vote by mail. Check the top box as your justification— “other medical reason which keeps me confined”—and return the application by mail, fax, or scanned document attached to an email. Get it into the Monongalia County clerk’s hands by June 3 and you’ll get an absentee ballot back in the mail. Election officials are working to preserve the option to vote in person. Election Day is now June 9, and early voting will take place May 27–June 6. Register to vote through May 19. Any of this may change as conditions evolve. Instead of an application for a mail-in ballot, you may receive the ballot itself. The rescheduled in-person voting may ultimately be canceled. Check the Monongalia County Clerk and West Virginia Secretary of State websites for updates. written by PAM KASEY

ZACK HAROLD; HAYLEY RICHARD

MAKES TIME FOR more listening. Use some of your new wealth of free time to catch up on these podcasts about or recorded in Morgantown. If you’re into multiepisode podcast stories, you can’t do better than Kromatic Media’s Mared & Karen: The WVU Co-Ed Murders. Dive deep into the unsolved 1970 disappearance of two WVU freshmen, whose whereabouts were unknown for four months until their decapitated bodies were finally discovered. This story examines every piece of evidence through crime scene details, local police testimony, and interviews with those directly involved, across eight episodes. If you’re looking for something shorter, check out Cradle Will Rock: The Uninterment of Harry Spitz, also from Kromatic Media. This one-episode podcast tells the story of a 1975 incident in which the coffin of young Harry Spitz, in Morgantown’s Oak Grove Cemetery, rose up out of the ground without explanation 63 years after his burial. Tune in to see if you can piece together these unsolved Morgantown puzzles. kromatic.media, soundcloud.com Looking for pop culture discussion? Look no further than I’d Be Friends With Us by best friends and co-workers Jaime Ames and C’Anna Brown. Each episode delivers a variety of topics—from movies and music to celebrity and global news. A recent episode highlights the duo’s latest Netflix binges, the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion, and an update on what’s happening with America’s favorite unroyals—Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. If you’re keen on what the world’s gossiping about, this podcast is for you. Jaime and C’Anna are keeping their distance via Facebook right now; check them out there, and you can also catch up on back episodes. @idbefriendswithus on Facebook, spreaker.com A Frightful Fret with Melysette is one of our favorites from the Morgantown-based Hyphen Podcast Group. Meylsette does the work for you, delivering audiobooks of history’s most infamous pieces of haunting and disturbing literature. Recently, she’s been delving into Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. If literature doesn’t suit your fancy, check out any of Hyphen’s podcasts at hyphenpodcastgroup.com. Follow inspiring efforts by those who aim to change Appalachia's future, one episode at a time, with the Sparked podcast from WVU Magazine. In the latest episode, you’ll learn about the social prejudice against the Appalachian dialect through the experience of four middle school girls who tried to change the way they talk in order to be accepted by others. Each episode has its own story to tell, and within it, a chance to normalize Appalachian culture for the rest of the world. magazine.wvu.edu/sparked Finally, podcast-adjacent, social distancing is a great opportunity to finally do the Historic Downtown Morgantown Audio Walking Tour and stretch your legs at the same time. Explore the rich history of this community, from High Street to South Park. Learn what life used to be like in Morgantown before it became a large university town, and long before social distancing was a thing. downtownmorgantown.com

19TH AMENDMENT 100TH ANNIVERSARY WHO'STHIS

WHO WAS IRENE D. BROH?

COURTESY OF MARSHALL UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Memories from the first woman purported to cast a vote in a national election in West Virginia. ➼ THIS YEAR MARKS the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which passed the U.S. Congress in 1919 but required ratification by 36 states before it could be formally adopted into law. West Virginia was the 34th state to ratify the amendment, and Tennessee was the 36th on August 26, 1920. Women were finally granted the right to vote after a long and storied battle by suffragists around the country. So who was the very first woman in West Virginia to cast her ballot? It’s purportedly Irene Drukkar Broh of Cabell County. Broh was a native of St. Louis, born in 1880 to Simon Drukkar and Sarah Tobias Drukkar, a suffragist who worked alongside Susan B. Anthony. Her father wasn’t supportive of women organizing and fighting for their right to vote. Broh said he traveled a lot, and as soon as he left town, her mother would scoop her up and head to the suffrage meetings. Irene Drukkar married Ephraim Broh in 1905 and moved with him to Huntington four years later. Unlike her father, Ephraim was supportive of women’s efforts and encouraged his wife to remain involved. Broh followed in her mother’s footsteps and organized the city’s first suffrage club. In those years, men went to some lengths to keep women away from polling places, Broh related in a 1974 interview preserved by Marshall University's Marshall Digital Scholar program. “On election day, the men measured off 100 feet, and if we had come 99 feet inside the polls we’d have been arrested. That was the law.” Broh said women at the time didn’t react much to winning the right to vote. Many men, Broh added, didn’t even share the news with their wives. They had to be educated about the responsibility and privilege of voting. It’s fitting that one of the very first suffragists in West Virginia also claimed the title of the state’s first female to cast a vote in a federal election. She voted by paper ballot on November 2, 1920 at the Kestler Garage on Fifth Avenue in Huntington—at 7 a.m., as soon as the polls opened. Several men in the polling place offered to put Broh’s ballot in the box for her. She refused them all, because her suffrage group had been warned of it as just another scheme to keep women’s votes from being counted. Following the passage of the 19th amendment, suffragist clubs nationwide gave way to new groups called Leagues of Women Voters. Broh remained active in the women’s rights movement and became a supporter of the National Organization for Women. “You see,” Broh said, “we didn’t do anything but work for the vote. Now that we have it, we have an opportunity to do better things. So many things.” written by HOLLY LELEU X-TH U BRON

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THIS MATTERS

Black Bear Village Apartments 380 Richard Harrison Way 304.951.7297, blackbearvillagewv.com,

WHAT'STHIS

ROOM WITH A VIEW on-site theater, and even a golf simulator—there’s no place like Black Bear Village anywhere else in Morgantown, says regional property manager Marcello Lalama. Just off of Interstate 79, the property includes 250 one- and two-bedroom apartments designed with professionals in mind. Black Bear Village apartments offer contemporary design, gourmet kitchens, and oversized walk-in closets. Residents enjoy a coffee bar and a clubhouse lounge. Need to work off some steam? Take a swim in the property’s outdoor, heated salt-water pool, get into downward dog in the yoga room, or shoot some hoops at the basketball court. Renters love the state-of-the-art amenities and the premier location just minutes away from some of Morgantown’s most popular shops and restaurants. Got a dog? No problem. You can bring Rover along for your stay, because this apartment complex 16

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pup to the on-site dog park and, afterward, wash him off at the pet-washing station. If you’re an out-of-towner looking for a limited stay, you can take advantage of Black Bear Village’s short-term leases for people who are based in the area temporarily and want more comfort than a hotel. “Professionals can stay with us and don’t need to worry about having access to a kitchen, gym, or other amenities a hotel may not offer,” Lalama says. Black Bear Village overlooks the Monongahela River and Star City and has some of the best views in town. “If you don’t have a room with a view, you can get one with us,” says Lalama. “You will experience luxury professional living in a resort-style community with us.” facebook.com/ blackbearvillagewv written by SAVANNAH CARR

COURTESY OF BLACK BEAR VILLAGE (4)

Looking for luxury? Check out Morgantown’s hottest new rentals. ➼ A MILLION-DOLLAR VIEW, amenities galore, an is extra pet-friendly. Grab a frisbee and take your

READTHIS

MIGHT OF THE

MOUNTAINEER WALK INTO any WVU football or basketball game, and the energy is electric. Players hustle to crush the competition, fans chant and cheer, and music pounds. In the middle of the storm is the Mountaineer. Coonskin cap on head and rifle in hand, the mascot never seems to take a breath except to yell, “Let’s go … Mountaineers!” But behind the buckskin suit and school spirit lies a long heritage, one that extends beyond the Mountaineer’s current role as a collegiate mascot. That cultural history is exactly what WVU professor Rosemary Hathaway explores in her latest book, Mountaineers are Always Free. She examines the Mountaineer’s intersections between frontiersman and hillbilly, upstanding university representative and crowd rabble-rouser. At its heart, the book is a scholarly discussion about identity. Yet, it also presents nuggets of university history. By the book’s last page, one truth becomes certain: The Mountaineer isn’t merely a single person. It’s an identity that’s grown to encompass generations of proud, hardworking folks who have called this place home.

CARLA WITT FORD

written by JESS WALKER

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

THIS MATTERS

WHO’STHIS

BE BETTER

THROUGH ART

Students in any WVU department can benefit from art, says museum director. Everyone can. ➼ SINCE IT OPENED IN 2015, the Art Museum of WVU has made a place for itself as a resource to students and the community. But Todd Tubutis, museum director since February 2019, is creating something more. What he hopes you’ll find there now is a space for collaboration and inclusivity. Prior to arriving at WVU, Tubutis served as associate director of the Sheldon Museum of Art at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He’d worked in natural history museums, a rare book library, and a nonprofit photography venue. But his passion lies in academia, and the position at the Art Museum of WVU posed an opportunity for him to get back to his roots.

“I wanted to find my way back into an academic setting and, when I saw this position available, I decided to take a chance. The wonderful thing is, they said ‘Yes.’” Tubutis grew up near Chicago, and work and research have taken him all over the U.S. and abroad. But the mountains of West Virginia were uncharted territory for him, so he’s spent the past year immersing himself in his new environment. “I’m finding the landscape to be very beautiful, and I’m enjoying exploring Morgantown and the rest of West Virginia,” he says. “Everybody is friendly and has really welcomed me into the campus community.” Tubutis also noted the enthusiasm he encounters when it comes to advancing the museum’s goals and mission. “Our supporters, many of whom are WVU graduates, are so passionate about the museum succeeding, and the staff here is fantastic,” he says. “Everyone is on board with the vision of finding ways to reach departments all across campus.” He sees the museum as not only a resource for the community at large, but also an integral part of the student experience. “It’s important for all students of any discipline—from the history department to the law school to health sciences—to see how the museum can be a part of their learning,” he says. “The museum isn’t a rarified space only for special people. It’s for everyone.” Visitors are invited to take a look at the museum’s rotating exhibitions, browse the nearly 5,000-piece collection, or stroll through the 2.5-acre Nath Sculpture Garden. In addition, the museum hosts a number of events—like Lunchtime Looks, in-depth considerations of individual pieces in the museum that take place on the first Friday of every month during the academic year. “I think we have a real opportunity here to bring contemporary art to Morgantown in a way that serves campus and the community,” says Tubutis. “I hope people come in and take the chance to see what we have.” Admission is always free. 304.293.2141, artmuseum.wvu.edu written by K AY LY N CH R ISTOPH ER

Check facebook.com/artmuseumofwvu for occasional “Museum from Home” videos while social distancing is in effect. 18

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COURTESY OF WVU PHOTOGRAPHY

Todd Tubutis joined the Art Museum of WVU as its new director in February 2019.

She Surrendered Her Dreams to the Sky, open

➔

edition print of original oil painting, 8x10, $30

➔

The Stars Were Hers, giclee print of original oil painting, limited edition, 8x10, $45

THIS MATTERS LOVETHIS

SHE GAVE HER PURPOSE TO THE SKY, AND IT REPLIED, “THIS IS ALL I KNOW.”

You should believe in the magical artwork of Amanda Blake. ➼ MORGANTOWN OIL PAINTER A Home Made ➔ of Sunsets and Wildflowers, original oil painting on wood block, 3.5x5.5, $85

Everything Was Theirs, original oil ➔ painting on wood panel, 6x6, $400

AMANDA BLAKE tells stories of imaginary subjects using earth elements, superstition, and symbolism. Her pieces leave behind magical feelings that go beyond a painted panel, and her work has a way of expressing something you know lives deep within yourself. “Humans are always searching for understanding and meaning. We’re always trying to figure it out. It’s the most prevalent subject matter of my work,” Blake explains. One look at Blake’s collection reminds you of the fire in your heart, stars to wish upon, and light to guide you through darkness. Visit her shop and you’ll find originals and prints of portraits, abstracts, and tiny houses. thisisalliknow.com, @thisisalliknow on Instagram written by M EGA N U RSIC

TRYTHIS

VACATION EDUCATION

COURTESY OF AMANDA BLAKE; COURTESY OF ENERGY EXPRESS

Energy Express is extra important this summer. ➼ KIDS SPEND SUMMERS swaying on swings and teetering on seesaws. However, the “summer slide” isn’t a playground activity. It’s the decline in a child’s reading and other academic skills that happens after the last school bell rings. Luckily, Energy Express keeps kids’ drive to learn chugging fullsteam ahead. The six-week summer reading and nutrition program serves West Virginia students in rural or low-income areas. “It keeps kids active academically, mentally, and physically,” says Andrea Price, director of Energy Express. Now in its 27th year, Energy Express spans more than 40 counties, reaching 3,000 kids every summer. Price attributes its success to the AmeriCorps members, educators, and mentors who volunteer their time. “I’ve sometimes been almost moved to tears just seeing the beauty of the program in action and the impact the teachers and AmeriCorps members make,” she says. Energy Express will be especially important this summer following the spring school closures, and Price says the program will be adjusted as needed. She encourages anyone interested in volunteering to contact their local WVU Extension Service office. Parents looking to enroll their children can contact the offices for an application. extension.wvu.edu/youth-family/youth-education/ energy-express written by JESS WA LK ER

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THIS MATTERS

SHOPTHIS

Eloquence Antiques & Artisans has a new spot in an old mall. with antique store owners in Italy and ➼ SPRING—OR SUMMER— IS THE PERFECT SEASON for brightening your home. In search of inspiration, many locals browse the aisles of Eloquence Antiques & Artisans for restored furniture, handcrafted woodwork, vintage pottery, original stained glass, and other rarities. With one-of-a-kind items from more than 100 vendors spanning West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, this shop offers something for everyone. On entering the new location in the old mall at Greenbag Road, regular and new shoppers will immediately sense the adventure that awaits them. The large, open-floor layout holds aisles of carefully constructed and staged displays. Each 9-by-9-foot booth is a different boutique—and, taken together, they offer an experience that owner April Black likens to a treasure hunt. Black initially opened Eloquence Antiques & Artisans on The Mileground in May 2017 after returning from a soulseeking European adventure. While talking 20

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artisan shop owners in Spain, she began imagining one spot that merged both business types. She left a corporate career to turn her dream into a reality, and, she confirms, “has never looked back.” At Eloquence Antiques & Artisans, April aims to make her vendors successful and her customers happy. Eventually, this meant scouting out a new location with a lot of square footage, an ample parking lot, and wheelchair accessibility. Once she found the perfect space, she spent two months renovating it with her dad. Ahead of the opening on February 15, April invited all vendors to see their dedicated sections of the shop and challenged them to get creative. Everyone’s efforts have paid off—the result is a delightful and diverse place with as many stories as there are items inside. “It’s a fantastic place to shop for gifts,” says April, “or to just take a stroll down memory lane.” While dropping off welded art, her youngest vendor, a

9-year-old boy, eyed a rotary phone for the first time and just had to buy it. Some shoppers stop by for West Virginia– made crock stoneware or marbles, and others end up renting trucks to transport recycled barnwood or church pews. Others still drop in to register for upcoming furniture painting workshops. Inventory turnover is swift, and April points out that new pieces arrive daily. “Customers keep coming back,” she explains, “because of the excitement paired with the unknown.” In any given visit, it’s easy to find something you remember seeing perched on a shelf in your grandmother’s house. It’s not uncommon to overhear shared recollections and excited gasps. When social activities return and you're ready to shop, you can glimpse Eloquence's latest wares on the shop’s Facebook page. 5000 Greenbag Road, 724.880.1506, facebook.com/eloquencewv written by BETH STA LEY

COURTESY OF ELOQUENCE ANTIQUES & ARTISANS

CALLING ALL SHOPPERS

THIS MATTERS ENJOYTHIS

SUMMIT UP It’s easy to get some healthy perspective right here in town. ➼ WHAT’S THE BEST ANSWER to social

distancing? Getting closer to nature, of course. Morgantown’s variety of hikes— leisurely, strenuous, secluded or opening on views—are great places to enjoy your space.

1. See primeval Morgantown at WVU’s Core Arboretum —an old-growth forest preserve right beside the Coliseum. Three miles of trails on the arboretum’s 90 acres span a 200-foot elevation gain and pass among an astounding variety of plant and bird species. Go now—the spring wildflowers are spectacular. arboretum.wvu.edu

2. Spring is a great time to check out the West Virginia Botanic Garden. The reservoir loop is wide, making it easy to keep six feet of distance from other walkers. Or wander the gardens over the coming months to enjoy a riot of spring blossoms. wvbg.org

PAM KASEY; COURTESY OF THE MORGANTOWN BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION; PAM KASEY (2); CARLA WITT FORD

3. BOPARC’s White Park is a large greenspace on the south side of town. It can be accessed from several trailheads near the ice arena and the adjacent ballfields. The park’s five miles of trails pass by the city’s reservoir and are a favorite of dog lovers. boparc.org

4. For creekside tranquility, head to the Falling Run Greenspace. This new urban oasis can be accessed from Outlook Street—practically downtown. It has the only waterfalls anywhere in town, so it’s a great place to relieve stress and enjoy the great outdoors close to home. facebook.com/fallingrungreenspace

5. If you love a jaw-dropping view, hike the trail to Raven Rock —arguably

better than the Coopers Rock overlook, and less crowded, too. But if you prefer serenity to far horizons, make your way to Rock City. Either hike is a great way to adjust your altitude. wvstateparks.com

written by SAVA N NA H CA R R

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

THIS MATTERS

Dr. John Battin, artist Molly Davis, Beth Keener-Flanery of Arts Monongahela, artist Michael Green, and Mon Health System President and CEO David Goldberg celebrate the opening of the pilot exhibition, “Just What the Doctor Ordered,” in October 2019. DOTHIS

THE ART OF MEDICINE and visitors ease feelings of stress and anxiety, Mon Health Medical Center has transformed its main entrance. No longer just a conventional hospital lobby, it has become an expertly curated art gallery, the product of a partnership between the hospital and Arts Mon. The partnership provides space for working artists to display their works and aims to lift the spirits of patients and visitors walking through the hospital’s front doors. “Beth Keener-Flanery, the executive director of Arts Monongahela, was contemplating this concept of a gallery without walls and was looking for a place to pilot it,” says Aimee Harris, the director of volunteer services at Mon Health. “And I thought, we’ve got a great display space here—plus, we’re community-based, so we are always looking for ways to partner with other organizations, especially nonprofits.” The concept came to life in October 2019 with the first exhibition: Just What the Doctor Ordered, sponsored by MVB Bank. The exhibitions will rotate quarterly, 22

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works of local and nationally recognized artists as well as pieces borrowed from the Monongalia Arts Center. The current exhibition, sponsored by the Mon Health marketing department, is called 3/6: Shape, Color, Texture. “The elements of art and design are line, shape, space, value, color, and texture,” says Keener-Flanery, who curates the exhibitions. “These elements are evident in each of the works on display. But we are focused on three of the six for this particular exhibition: shape, color, and texture. We wanted to share work that was uplifting, engaging, and colorful.” The artwork ranges in nature from photographs and paintings to sculptures and beyond and is displayed primarily in the hospital’s lobby and on the second-floor catwalk above the registration desk. Although a hospital may seem like an unconventional place for an art gallery, Keener-Flanery says it perfectly fulfills art’s purpose of providing its viewers with an escape. “Art really is for the people, so we should put it where they

says. Not only that, but the presence of art has also been linked to a greater sense of well-being among those who are exposed to it. “There’s a great deal of research about how and why art in health facilities brings healing elements to more than just those patients who have to be there for their stays, but also to their families,” says Keener-Flanery. “It creates a way for them to be able to get away for a moment and step out of that stress.” Employees at Mon Health also benefit from the lobby’s makeover, says Harris. “It’s fun to see employees gather in groups at one piece or another, having discussions about what they’re looking at,” she says. “This can be a high-stress place to work, so it’s a good way for the staff to decompress, too.” All of the works on display at Mon Health Medical Center are for sale through Arts Mon. Those interested in sponsoring an exhibition or purchasing a piece of art can contact KeenerFlanery at bkf.artsmon@gmail.com. written by KAYLYN CHRISTOPHER

COURTESY OF EMILY GALLAGHER/MON HEALTH SYSTEM

Mon Health System and Arts Monongahela team up to brighten visitors’ stays. Keener-Flanery says, and will display the are so they can see it and respond,” she ➼ IN AN EFFORT TO HELP PATIENTS

THIS MATTERS EATTHIS

TRY THESE AT

WALZZY’S Hot dogs and more are waiting for you in Cheat Lake.

➼ MORGANTOWN NATIVE JASON WALLS was known by “Walzzy” in high school, and he’s always had a penchant for hot dog shops. He, along with his mother, Jerri Walls, and his aunt and uncle Shari and Scott Taylor, took a risk in this dog eat dog world when Subway left the Ashbrooke Shopping Center in Cheat Lake last year. They set out to create a comfortable spot to grab a quick and delicious bite to eat. Opened for business last fall, Walzzy’s Hotdogs seats about 40 at tables and a counter, says Kelly Powell, Jason’s sister and “Jill of all trades” for the eatery. The family was a bit concerned about having missed the boon of the summer boating season to keep them afloat in their first few months. Fortunately, word of mouth translated to a steady stream of customers who keep going back. Walzzy’s plans to offer curbside and delivery until the dining room re-opens. Call to order one of the specialties—like the Walzzy Dog, topped with chili, American cheese, slaw, onions, and Walzzy’s powder, or the Hangover Dog finished with bacon, pepper jack cheese, and a fried egg. 512 Ashbrooke Square, facebook.com/walzzyshotdogs

NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS (3); COURTESY OF WVU ENCOVA CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

written by HOLLY LELEUX-THUBRON

KNOWTHIS

THE BEST-LAID

PLANS

Visionary students compete to make their dreams come true. ➼ THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WVU engineering seniors Alan Brockman, James Carnes, and Kyle Gillis won their category in the 2019 West Virginia Collegiate Business Plan Competition. The trio left the event with a giant $10,000 check and then amassed $100,000 in seed funding over the following year. The competition allowed them to make their dream—Iconic Air—a reality. This year’s participants hoped for a similar outcome. The 2020 competition had two categories—Lifestyle & Hospitality and Stem & Innovation—with three rounds of judging, explains Tara St. Clair of the WVU BrickStreet Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Business plans increased in quality this year, St. Clair says, and more proposals than in previous years tackled social issues. Judges chose the two winners on April 2, awarding each a $10,000 prize. The winners must use their prize money to bring their business plans to life, and they must do so in West Virginia, St. Clair says. “This is not just an academic exercise— this is real life with real students who have real ideas, and we expect those ideas to become something tangible.” businessplanwv.com, facebook.com/wvcbpc written by HOLLY LELEUX-THUBRON

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

DOTHIS

COUNTING ON YOU

Our once-a-decade opportunity to direct funding to the things we care about goes on even during a pandemic. Here are the basics.

Does it matter if I’m counted? Yes! More populous places get more state and federal money—funding for local fire departments, schools, and roads. In addition, West Virginia could lose one of its three representatives in Congress; an accurate count will ensure the representation we’re due. Where are college students counted? Census officials affirm that, even if college students are staying with parents on April 1, 2020, because of changes to school calendars, they should be counted where they would have been living most of the year before social distancing. Most WVU students should be counted in Morgantown.

What does the 2020 census ask? In addition to who lived in your home on April 1, 2020, you’ll be asked race and national origin, family relationships, and home ownership status—all to help agencies plan social programs. Can my family’s information be used against us? By law, responses are tallied anonymously. No identifying information is shared, not even with law enforcement. You can complete the census online, by email, or by phone. IIf you haven’t responded by mid-August, a census worker may visit you to help. wv.gov/2020census, 2020census.gov written by PA M K ASEY

KNOWTHIS

OOPS! DON’T DO IT AGAIN

Recycle Right Morgantown’s friendly reminders aim to decontaminate our recycling. ➼ ONE DAY SOON, residents may return home on recycling day to find Oops! tags hanging from their recycling bins. The tags are a public education campaign of Recycle Right Morgantown, a city initiative that aims to clean up Morgantown’s recycling stream. “On average, about 30 percent of all curbside recycling has contamination,” says Morgantown Recycling Manager Vanessa Reaves—that is, more than one in four items placed in recycling bins can’t be recycled. “It’s a nationwide problem.” Morgantown recycles both to preserve expensive landfill capacity and to minimize its environmental footprint. The city adopted single-stream recycling in 2013 as a convenience to residents—instead of having to sort, residents can put all recyclables on the curb together to be sorted at the materials recovery facility (MRF). But when a load includes too many contaminants—food containers that are recyclable but haven’t been rinsed, for example, or aluminum foil or light bulbs that simply can’t be recycled—it has to be landfilled. Long an industry bugaboo, the contamination problem got serious a couple years ago when China cut back on the used plastics it would buy because the recyclables were too contaminated. That pushed the problem back to the materials recovery facilities, the recyclables haulers, and, ultimately, communities like ours. Luckily, it’s easy to learn what can be recycled, and Recycle Right is here help. “First, we’re mailing out ‘how to recycle’ guides with do’s and don’ts in MUB bills,” Reaves says. Then comes direct feedback through the Oops! tags. Volunteers will walk ahead of recycling trucks, open bin lids, and view the contents. Obvious contamination will result in an Oops! tag, and the contents won’t be recycled that week. Common mistakes are electronic waste and scrap metal, styrofoam food containers, greasy pizza boxes, and plastic garbage bags. The Oops! campaign is expected to begin in October. That gives residents time to refresh their understanding of the recycling rules and sharpen their skills this summer to avoid getting tagged in the fall. We can easily learn to recycle better, but it’s only part of the solution to reducing what’s landfilled, Reaves reminds us. “A first step is being thoughtful about what you purchase and how you purchase it—reducing waste at the checkout.” recyclerightmorgantown.com

Free trash and recycling pick-up Fill out Recycle Right Morgantown’s online survey between now and the end of October for a chance to win three free months of service. recyclerightmorgantown.com 24

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PAM KASEY

written by PA M K ASEY

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MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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Place

to Call

Home written by Pam Kasey Morgantown recently surpassed Parkersburg as the third-largest city in West Virginia. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just one sign that this bend in the Monongahela River appeals to college graduates, academics, established professionals, and retirees alike. Whatever your demographic and lifestyle, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a neighborhood here for you. Street-specific school district information may be found at croppermap.com/monongalia. Home sales data from MLS.com, courtesy of Howard Hanna Premier Properties sales associate Cherie Tretheway.

South Park

History, charm, and walkabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;South Park is pricier than other near-downtown neighborhoods, but it delivers with treelined streets, manicured gardens, and architectural detail. Many homes date to the late-19th and early-20th centuries, and more than 500 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Residents nearer downtown have flat lots and quick walks across the bridge to shops and restaurants; many higher on the hill enjoy views over town. Morgantown High students walk to school, and families can often hear the marching band on football Friday nights.

Downtown

Campus

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First Ward

GREENMONT

Average 2019 closing price $146,000

With lots of starter homes with good-sized yards, sidewalks everywhere, and flat, quiet streets, First Ward has long been a favorite neighborhood for young families. Grassy Jack Roberts Park, at the heart of the neighborhood, has a playground, basketball court, and ballfield, and the hill that gives a great view of the 4th of July fireworks makes for even better sledding in winter. Walking and biking trails criss-cross forested White Park at the neighborhood’s edge, and the Morgantown Ice Arena sits just beyond that. Longtime local hangout Mundy’s Place offers good pub grub and often hosts live music.

Greenmont

Average square footage 1,442 Schools Mountainview Elementary, South Middle, Morgantown High Neighborhood Association facebook.com/ groups/111429811172

WOODBURN

Average 2019 closing price $235,000

A one-time working-class neighborhood on the streetcar line, Greenmont offers all the walkability and history of South Park at a more affordable price. Owners and renters share this neighborhood of early-20th century homes on compact lots. Unlike many other parts of Morgantown, Greenmont hosts restaurants and hangouts right in the ’hood: places like Phoenix Bakery, Madeleine Marie’s Catering and Carryout, and hangouts like Quantum Bean Coffee, Gene’s Beer Garden, and Chestnut Brew Works. And a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge has made it a quick skip to the Deckers Creek rail-trail and just a few more steps to the farmers market, library, shops, and restaurants downtown.

Average square footage 1,470 Schools Eastwood Elementary, Mountaineer Middle, University High Neighborhood Association facebook.com/ woodburnneighbors

FIRST WARD

Average 2019 closing price $201,000 Average square footage 1,350

NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS; PAM KASEY

Woodburn

Woodburn lies on a neat grid beside Richwood Avenue, just east of the university’s downtown campus. It’s a neighborhood of racial, economic, and age diversity, and residents enjoy a quick walk to downtown, either directly, by local streets, or via the extensive trail system in adjacent Whitemoore Park. Woodburn serves as home to M.T. Pockets Theatre; Town Hill Tavern and Cheese Louise are favorite hangouts, and Mario’s Fishbowl is voted Best Neighborhood Bar by our readers year after year.

Schools Mountainview Elementary, South Middle, and Morgantown High Neighborhood Association facebook.com/groups/ morgantownfwna

SOUTH PARK

Average 2019 closing price $260,000 Average square footage 2,080 Schools Mountainview Elementary, South Middle, and Morgantown High Neighborhood Discussion facebook.com/groups/ spanmgw

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

WILES HILL–HIGHLAND PARK Average closing price June 2019–March 2020 * $152,000 Average square footage 1,600 Schools Suncrest Elementary, Suncrest Middle, Morgantown High Neighborhood Association facebook.com/whhpna

SUNCREST,

INCLUDING EVANSDALE

Average 2019 closing price $304,000 Average square footage 2,380 Schools North Elementary, Suncrest Elementary, Suncrest Middle, Morgantown High Neighborhood Association facebook.com/ suncrestneighbors * from trulia.com

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Near

Hospitals

Evansdale Campus

Wiles Hill– Highland Park Homes in these neighborhoods located between WVU’s two campuses date from the 1920s to the 1960s. Wiles Hill’s terrain, above Stewart Street and Willowdale Avenue, makes for sometimes dramatic views across the Mon River, while leafier Highland Park to the east of that central corridor is a little flatter. It’s all within easy walking distance of the medical campus and Milan Puskar Stadium, making it game day central. Children play on quiet streets and at Wiles Hill Park, and the Wiles Hill Community Building holds a community art studio and a wellness room with workout equipment and hosts workshops and senior activities.

PAM KASEY; ELISABETH ROTH

Suncrest

including Evansdale

Families love Suncrest’s broad lawns and quiet streets. Krepps Park hosts baseball, picnic pavilions, a dog park, and an outdoor swimming pool with a freshly updated kiddie pool. Suncrest’s schools are the most diverse in town—students at North Elementary speak more than 40 languages at home. That’s in part because professionals and scientists like Suncrest, too, for its nearness to the medical centers and to other employers that draw from an international talent pool. Nested in adjacent to Suncrest is the tidy enclave of Evansdale, between 8th Street and Evansdale Drive—a neighborhood distinguished by a tight-knit and welcoming feel, spectacular views over the Monongahela River from the backs of homes on Riverview Drive, and Blaney House, the sprawling, beautiful home of the president of WVU. Everyone loves Suncrest’s easy access to restaurants of all types, from fast casual to quirky independent to fine dining as well as many ethnicities. MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

Close to

Highways Jerome Park

Jerome Park is named for the destination the West Virginia Traction and Electric Company established on its trolley line between Morgantown and Sabraton to give people a reason to ride on weekends. The refreshment stand and dance pavilion have gone the way of the trolley, but the working class neighborhood remains. Jerome Park attracted Italian and African American families employed in the coal mines and Sabraton’s factories, and it’s even more diverse today. Residents in these several hundred homes dating mostly to the 1940s and 1950s enjoy quick access to downtown in one direction and to Interstate 68 in the other. They’ve created a playground at Paul Preserve park and, for more vigorous activities, they can cross Route 7 to the tennis courts and swimming pool at Marilla Park. Their closest hangout is Mario’s Fishbowl.

Steady growth in new shops and office spaces along Star City’s University Avenue business corridor is gradually transforming the town from a sleepy former glassmaking hub to a destination. Homes all across the compact town are walkable to many local services, centrally located between shopping centers, and an easy drive from the interstate. Star City takes advantage of its position on the Caperton Rail-Trail and its long Monongahela River frontage with boating and fishing access, a park and picnic pavilion, and a big playground. Residents love the espresso drinks, healthy meals, sweet treats, and trailside decks at Terra Cafe and, for an evening hangout, they head to Crockett’s Lodge. 32

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PAM KASEY

Star City

Westover & Granville On the west side of the Monongahela River and just off of Interstate 79, Westover and Granville offer quiet, affordable, familyfriendly neighborhoods. The popularity of the shopping centers within their city limits means city services like parks, police and fire response, paving, and snow removal are well-funded. It also means a wide variety of shopping close by, including the soon-to-open WestRidge Business and Retail Park.

WESTOVER & GRANVILLE Average 2019 closing price $173,000 Average square footage 1,540 Schools Skyview Elementary, Westwood Middle, University High Websites westoverwv.org; townofgranvillewv.gov

STAR CITY

Average 2019 closing price $212,000 Average square footage 1,547 Schools Suncrest Elementary, Suncrest Middle, Morgantown High Website starcitywv.com

JEROME PARK

Average closing price in 2019 $197,000 Average square footage 1,610 Schools Brookhaven Elementary, South Middle, Morgantown High

HAYLEY RICHARD; PAM KASEY

Norwood Addition

Subdivided in the early 1900s, Sabraton’s Norwood Addition on the east side of Hartman Run Road is home to about 150 families; homes date mostly to the 1940s and 1950s. Lots range from wide lawns with views to wooded stands and privacy higher and farther out on the hill, and the entire neighborhood sits high enough to be a quiet remove from the Sabraton business corridor. The ballfields, tennis courts, and swimming pool of Marilla Park are just up the road. Groceries, hardware and outdoor supplies, and other needs can be met just minutes away on the corridor, and local hangouts include Pizza Al’s, Rio Verde, Sabraton Station, and Woodburn Shanks Pit BBQ. The neighborhood association connects residents through monthly meetings and through events shared with neighboring Jerome Park.

Neighborhood Association The Jerome Park Neighborhood Association meets quarterly.

NORWOOD ADDITION

Average closing price June 2019–March 2020* $122,000 Average square footage 1,450 Schools Eastwood Elementary, Mountaineer Middle, University High Neighborhood Association The Norwood Addition Neighborhood Association meets monthly. * from trulia.com

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

CHEAT LAKE

Average 2019 closing price $392,600 Average square footage 1,900 Schools Cheat Lake Elementary, Mountaineer Middle, University High Website cheatlake.com

SOUTH HILLS

Average 2019 closing price $423,000 Average square footage 3,910 Schools Mountainview Elementary, South Middle, Morgantown High

Cheat Lake

If breathing room and outdoor recreation are your thing, Cheat Lake is for you. This community on the shores of a river dammed a century ago to produce electricity offers large, wooded lots and homes ranging from modest mid20th century bungalows to 21st century mansions with all the latest amenities. Life on the lake makes for easy access to boating of all sorts, and everyone enjoys lakeside drinks and sunset dinners at Crab Shack Caribba, The Lakehouse Restaurant, and Whippoorwill Bar & Grill. All that plus class II to V whitewater rafting higher on the Cheat and the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best hiking at Coopers Rock State Forest, all just 20 minutes from town.

NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS

Neighborhood Association the South Hills Neighborhood Association meets monthly

Away

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PAM KASEY

from it All

South Hills

Perched on a rise between downtown Morgantown and the Sabraton corridor, South Hills is close to everything but feels like a retreat from the fray. Many of the 1960s and later homes on large lots are architecturally stylish, and the hillside terrain means lots of privacy, great porch sitting, and dramatic sunrises and sunsets. Several of the streets donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go through to anywhere, so joggers and dog walkers enjoy quiet pavement, and the residents of this neighborhood of just 140 homes often stop and chat. Yet for all its seclusion, South Hills is a few minutesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drive from the conveniences of town.

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

ACROSS COUNTY LINES

Once in a Blue Moon Blue Moon Rising is a magical community of rentable tiny hobbit houses that overlook Deep Creek Lake and is only 45 minutes from Morgantown.

ooking for a once in a blue moon vacation experience? Look no further. Perched on the hillside on 125 acres overlooking Deep Creek Lake, Blue Moon Rising—14 hobbit-like tiny houses that are uniquely designed using sustainable building practices— provide vacationgoers an enchanting respite, a base to explore the area, and an opportunity to experience the microhousing phenomenon. In 2008 Lisa M. Jan, who also owns a nearby restaurant and bar called Moonshadow, decided to create a destination that proved that it was possible to fabricate a beautiful, charming, and comfortable community without sacrificing nature. “Our cornerstone is that nothing goes to waste,” she says. “Each tree that was felled was reused elsewhere.” Even the soil removed while excavating foundations was reused. After mixing it with clay, water, and lime, it became the plaster coatings on interior and exterior straw bale walls on the main building at the entrance overlooking the lake, aptly called The Leap. The focal point of the property is the hillside abodes, called waldens—tiny houses designed and built by Hobbitat in Cranesville, Maryland. Each building was fabricated using reclaimed, recycled, and eco-friendly products. Jan’s guiding principle for the property is the three Rs—Reclaimed, Recycled, or Recyclable. And that is evident at every turn. 36

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Check out Blue Moon Rising Cabins on Deep Creek Lake https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_co ntinue=4&v=6wA3EotlbOs&feature=e mb_logo

With names like Luna Bleu, Kaya, and Funkomatic 513, each cabin is unique. Some have twin beds tucked into a loft with a queen bed in a cubby off the kitchen, while others have twin beds that serve a dual seating purpose in an open room with a wraparound kitchen. Occupancy for the cabins ranges from two to four people, depending on the size. Many of the cabins feature

antique windows and reclaimed front doors, and each is filled with thoughtful and whimsical details that personalize them. In Bella Donna, longleaf heart pine reclaimed from Andrew Carnegieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former locomotive shed is used on the floor and shelving, porch posts are from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and the front porch light is handmade out of a well bucket from India. All cabins

Blue Moon Rising, a collection of 14 hobbit-like vacation rentals, overlooks Deep Creek Lake.

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

ACROSS COUNTY LINES

have an outdoor seasonal shower—as well as an indoor one. The bathrooms are generous, given that each house is under 300 square feet. And most have porches that are prime for sittin’, where you can contemplate what it means to live lightly. Although each cottage is outfitted with dishes, glassware, coffee pot, hot plate, refrigerator, and toaster ovens, there is also a community building that looks like it was transported from a movie set for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that offers a larger gathering spot. A community fire pit is also located on the property and serves as a comforting social spot. When you arrive at BMR, you park your car at the entrance and a staff member takes you and your luggage to your cottage by cart. “In line with our low-impact mission, parking is only available at the entrance to the community,” explains Jan. “We don’t want car exhaust, intrusive headlights, or slamming car doors to disturb the peace of the cabins.” For those with four-legged companions, BMR is Fido-friendly. There’s an additional $20 fee, with no restrictions on size as long as your dog is friendly. So pack the leash and enjoy hiking the property and surrounding areas with your furry family members. With a woodland setting and teepees that serve as cocktail areas, BMR has also become a popular spot for smaller destination weddings. Couples can reserve the entire property and make their wedding a weekend event everyone will remember. As a special thank you, couples who get married here get half price on future bookings for life, and all guests who attend get 20 percent off their stay, if they come back. In fact, BMR gives all returning guests a 20 percent discount on future bookings. Whether you want to channel your inner Bilbo Baggins or gather your tribe for a family or company retreat, Blue Moon Rising is a place you’ll return to again and again. Just read the guest books in each of the houses. Folks collect cottages like they are boy scout patches. And although it is currently closed to the end of April due to COVID-19 restrictions, they are accepting reservations for later dates. Visit bluemoonrising.org. written and photographed by N I K K I BOWM A N M ILLS

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Each tiny house has a unique layout that includes repurposed materials and is less than 300 square feet. Each cabin has a porch with outdoor seating. A community building offers an indoor space for larger gatherings, and an outdoor fire pit is the perfect spot to unwind in the evening with your neighbors.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES SHOW YOUR LOVE

Buy a gift card, order online, use delivery services, ask for curbside take out. Businesses can be found on Facebook and websites Follow Main Street Morgantown's Facebook page for daily updates.

t s e f

Check out our 2020 Best of Morgantown winners online at morgantownmag.com.

SCOREBOARD

Cricket vs. COVID-19

WVU’s cricket club retains its national title this year by virtue of pandemic.

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After winning the trophy, Guda emailed WVU President Gordon Gee, who responded quickly with his congratulations. The team met with him in person and handed him their championship trophy. “He’s a wonderful person. Whenever I come across him now on campus, he says, ‘Hey champion! How are you doing?’ He knows who we are now,” Guda says. Gee, who sits on the ACC’s advisory board, was equally proud. “I do not know much about cricket, but I do know a great deal about Mountaineers,” said Gee. “I know they are determined to succeed and climb ever higher, so I am proud of this group of Mountaineers who achieved this goal.” A bat-and-ball game that originated in England in the 16th century, cricket spread through the expansion of the British Empire and is now the fourth most popular sport in the world. Two teams of 11 players each take turns batting and fielding. A batsman tries to protect the wicket—three “stumps” topped by two balanced “bails”—and the bowler, or pitcher, tries to knock the bails down. Runs are scored as batsmen change places on the field based on the success of a struck ball.

The WVU cricket team formed in 1990 and joined the Pittsburgh Cricket Association in 2006. As part of the association, the team plays a regular league season from April to October. Each October, the ACC hosts a regional competition, followed by the national tournament each spring. Most of the team’s current players are graduate students balancing the rigors of academia and sport. “For all the stress of school, cricket is something that gives us a kind of relief,” Guda says. “When we get together for practice or games, we have a lot of fun.” His teammate, fellow bowler Sai Krishna Anudeep, agrees. “If I have a good week in the classroom, I take that same intensity out to practice and in games.” Last year’s title win spiked interest in cricket on campus. Any student, regardless of experience, can join the team. “A lot of people didn’t know we had a cricket club at WVU,” says Guda. “And now a lot of us are recognized as national champions.” The final round of the 2020 tournament will not be rescheduled for the “near future,” the ACC says—leaving WVU the champs indefinitely. written by DAV I D GIGN ILLI AT

COURTESY OF VENKATA SUBBA SAI SATISH GUDA

he West Virginia University cricket club defended its national championship title in March following a stunning Cinderella victory in 2019. The team won its pod, only to have the championship shut down by a certain virus—leaving WVU the national champs by default. The club competed in the American College Cricket (ACC) national title tournament in Lauderhill, Florida, its seventh appearance in as many years, but its first time to arrive as the team to beat. The team was ready for the challenge in the weeks leading up to its trip south. “We’re excited to defend our title,” said Sai Satish Guda, the team’s captain, before the tournament. “We’re looking forward to the challenge.” Each year, 32 universities compete in the American College Cricket (ACC) national tournament. During last year’s wild card run, West Virginia defeated Virginia Tech, University of Alabama–Huntsville, Ryerson University, Northeastern, and Maryland, leading up to a finals match against the New Jersey Institute of Technology. In the championship final, the team won in highly dramatic fashion: by one run. “I was like ‘Let me get this, for the team and WVU, and then I’m done. I don’t have any other goals for cricket,’” Guda says. Last year, Sony TV telecast the finals internationally. “Getting a chance to follow our passion for cricket and playing on a stage where our games would be recorded on Sony TV is something phenomenal. Sending the link to our parents and having them watch it and be excited for us, that feeling was something so special,” says Guda, who recently completed his Ph.D. in engineering. “I think I’m speaking for all the players—we all got pretty emotional.”

How to

Ride the Bus 1 Plan your trip with Google Transit 2 Download the Bus Finder mobile app 3 Along your route, stand in a safe, visible spot on the correct side of the street * 4 Wave the bus down as it approaches 5 Pay the .75 cent fare or swipe your bus pass in the farebox 6 Pull the cord on the bus when you’re ready to get off SPONSOREDCONTENT

Taking You Where You Want to Go Mountain Line serves the residents and visitors of Morgantown and Monongalia County. ➼ THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION:

The Property Tax Pass

Are buses running right now? The twomillion-dollar answer: Absolutely. Public transit is an essential service taking workers to health clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, and to grocery stores that are keeping food supplies stocked. The intention is to keep buses running at full strength for as long as possible. If full service is not possible, Mountain Line will work to ensure vital public transportation is available to meet the most essential needs of our community. The Authority is taking unprecedented actions to clean and disinfect vehicles and surfaces to protect passengers, drivers, and customer service representatives. Social distancing is encouraged—6 feet apart—on buses and waiting areas, as is good hand-washing hygiene. Please make an effort to avoid touching anything you don’t have to touch in public spaces and on buses. Mountain Line serves the community in more ways now than ever.

To make public transit service affordable for as many people as possible, the Authority provides bus passes to property owners, landlords, and businesses that are supporting the expansion of transit service through their property tax contributions. The Property Tax Bus Pass Program provides a direct return to taxpayers, but encouraging the use of public transit is also intended to: • Decrease traffic congestion; • Reduce the demand for parking; • Improve local commute and travel times; • Decrease pollution; and • Reduce the need for individual investment in personal autos— saving riders money for their other priorities. If you own property, live, or work in Monongalia County, get your pass here.

Special Services for Seniors The bus system services a wide range of riders, from high school students to

* Express routes stop at designated stops only: Rt. 30 West Run, Rt. 38 Blue & Gold, Rt. 39 Beechurst, and Rt. 44 Valley View

Check out the Mountain Line Bus Finder App available in the App Store and Google Play. elderly citizens. To serve seniors even better, those 60 or older can sign up with Senior Monongalians and receive bus passes through the organization’s Nutrition Program. In addition, NewFIT provides transportation to necessary medical services to those who have no other transportation options. See if you’re eligible and request an appointment here.

Going Where You Want to Go The bus line provides transportation service to all of Morgantown and Monongalia County, and you can even catch the Grey Line for service to the Pittsburgh International Airport for only $15 each way. Where is your bus right now? Download the Authority’s “Bus Finder” mobile app to locate any buses currently traveling on one of 24 routes. This tool can help tremendously as you plan your day. Learn more about Mountain Line routes here. MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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Keeping Our D I S TA N C E â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Hundreds of people pitched in in the first weeks of the preK-12 school closure to get meals to students in need.

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Confirmed world COVID-19 cases top 100,000

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Together

When schools and businesses started closing in mid-May to slow the spread of COVID-19, people all over Morgantown stepped up to bridge the gaps for health, educational continuity, and fun.

Written and photographed by Pam Kasey

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WVU suspends classes after March 13 State nursing homes restrict visitors

he evening of Thursday, March 12, Justin Byers was unwinding on the couch in front of the police drama Deputy. The kids were in bed, and his wife, Kari, flipping through Facebook, saw a mention that West Virginia might close the schools to slow the spread of this new virus. Knowing a lot of students need their school lunches, she wondered aloud how kids would get fed. Feeding people is something the couple thinks about, as owners of the restaurant Bartini Prime in Suncrest Towne Centre. If you haven’t eaten there, you’ve noticed it—it’s the one with Clyde the Camel standing out front. Byers had already been watching the COVID-19 virus’s progress in China. He’d even called his banker several weeks earlier to discuss what would happen if it were to spread and affect cash flow at Bartini Prime and his other businesses. So when the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic on Wednesday, March 11, the couple went on alert. If the schools closed, they knew, restaurants wouldn’t be far behind. “Then we just started talking about it,” Byers says. “‘We’re going to have food; let’s feed the kids.’ We talked about how we’d do it.” It’s been a short, sharp shock, but now we know: When a pandemic that we’re completely unprepared for rumbles through, people getting sick is only the epicenter. What we do to slow it down and the havoc that causes ripples out ahead in all directions. And in that ripple, people step up with workarounds, generosities, and unsuspected talents to get everyone through it together with grace and humor. Morgantown magazine looked for those bright spots, and they were easy to find.

Getting kids fed

Friday morning—the 13th—Byers posted on Bartini Prime’s Facebook page that, if 44

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People come for the atmosphere— we don't think the carryout’s going to be super big. So as food gets close to spoiling, we’re just going to cook it and serve it. These kids might get a filet mignon.” JUSTIN BYERS Bartini Prime

World Health Organization declares a pandemic

the schools did close, the restaurant would provide free boxed lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. About that same time, Governor Jim Justice was announcing that the schools would, in fact, close. Within minutes, other Morgantown restaurants chimed in: Crab Shack Caribba, Get Fit Juices & Shakes, Scorers Sports Bar & Restaurant, and Mountain State Brewing Company quickly offered kids weekday lunches. The governor soon came out to assure families that schools would provide lunch during the shutdown, but more than a dozen restaurants across town joined in that weekend anyway to be part of the solution. Uber, Lyft, and other delivery drivers asked how they could help. Monday, March 16 kicked off a week of free lunches for kids all across town. “Our cooks reported to their normal work sites and prepared food there,” says Monongalia County Schools Operations Officer Beth Harvey. “They set up on the sidewalk, and people would pull up and

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Gov. Justice closes schools through March 27

they would hand them a bag lunch or as many as they needed. Our bus drivers also loaded up their school buses and drove their normal routes throughout the lunch time to meet the kids.” Tropics Restaurant & Bar, The Tea Shoppe at Seneca Center, and the other dozen restaurants served lunches, too. Fat Angelo’s offered free pizza to kids. Pug’s Homemade Italian served pasta or small pizzas and apples. Tuesday was Bartini Prime’s first day. “When people pulled up, I’d hand them a bag,” Byers said at the time. “Kids would get out—everybody likes taking pictures with the camel.” Lunches included pasta and meatballs, vegetables, cut fruit, bagged pretzels, and juice boxes. Then, Tuesday night, Justice ordered restaurant dining rooms across the state closed starting at midnight. It was just as the Byerses predicted. And it happened so suddenly that Bartini Prime and all the other restaurants were caught with coolers full of food. As the week rolled on,

(Left) Crab Shack Caribba offered lunches for students after school was canceled. (Above) A Lyft driver delivered lunches to people she knew needed them every day March 16–20. Lunch one day consisted of a hot ham sandwich and lots of sides.

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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March 17

Justice declares statewide state of emergency First daily student lunch distribution in Mon County

WV becomes 50th state with a confirmed COVID-19 case

March 18 WV restaurant dining rooms, bars, health clubs, and gyms close WVU moves remainder of semester online

whether they were offering free lunches or not, restaurants had to decide whether it would be worth it to stay open for curbside and delivery. And meanwhile, the numbers of lunches families were showing up for at schools and bus stops exploded: 650 on Monday, 1,770 on Tuesday, 2,700 on Wednesday. Brian Kiehl, who heads up nutrition services for Monongalia County Schools, was stunned. “We normally provide around 6,500 lunches and 4,000 breakfasts a day,” Kiehl says. “But at our open feeding sites in the summer, it’s almost nonexistent. Less than 100 a day. We were thinking this was going to be more like summer.” When families showed up at schools for 4,000 meals on Thursday, Harvey started thinking maybe she should take all of the people who were messaging offers of help seriously.

WVU lighting and sound design professor Alan McEwen teaches an advanced lighting course online. WVU Dance Coordinator Yoav Kaddar demonstrates for ballet students in front of his computer. The costuming program in WVU's School of Theatre and Dance made masks for health care workers, and high school family and consumer science students baked at home and submitted photos to their teacher.

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Of course, school is not mainly about lunch. When this is all over, students need to be able to get promoted to the next grade, take challenging college admissions tests, graduate and be prepared for college. After schools closed suddenly starting March 16, teachers had to figure out how to do distance learning—fast. “Before we left we’d started reading an abridged version of The Iliad, and I knew they wouldn’t be able to find this version online anywhere,” says Morgantown High School (MHS) 9th grade honors English teacher Jennifer Secreto. “I had to learn how to scan the document, send it to my email, and download it.” Then she uploaded it to the school district’s online learning management system, Schoology. Secreto has been able to pretty much follow her original lesson plan: after The Iliad, To Kill a Mockingbird, then an assignment she gives students every year to write letters to their future selves—she returns the letters to them, unread by her, when they graduate. Other teachers are uploading videos of their lectures to

COURTESY OF ALAN MCEWEN; MAUREEN KADDAR; COURTESY OF JOSHUA WILLIAMSON; COURTESY OF BRANDI AMMONS

Teaching scramble

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WV hair and nail salons and barber shops close State park lodges close

Schoology, she says, and having live chat sessions with their students. Lecture classes translate easily to the internet, but hands-on classes require more creativity. MHS Family and Consumer Science teacher Brandi Ammons had students in her baking and pastry courses create something delicious at home and upload photos. It was a little challenging to shift her in-class assignments to students’ homes, because she doesn’t know what equipment and ingredients families have. On the other hand, “Many parents have reached out and said that they are thankful for this assignment, because it is one less thing for them to worry about,” Ammons says. She adds, presumably with a smile, “Now some of the mothers are complaining because I am putting a glitch in their diets.” And what about performance classes? MHS choral music educator Lauren Tosh organized a “Masked Singer” show and competition. It replaces the spring concert performance experience. “It also lets them sing solos that they never have an outlet to allow others to hear,” Tosh says. “So many of my students crave these kinds of opportunities.” More than 30 choir students are submitting 1-minute videos of themselves singing behind masks that hide their identities. MHS teachers, administrators, and staff will serve as judges and, after several rounds, one student will emerge as the winner. But this is also a college town, and WVU had half a semester left when classes were suspended in mid-March. Professors had spring break and the following week to get distance-learning materials and methods in place. Some were already teaching their classes online through the university’s Ecampus system; others had to quickly decide: Should they continue to hold class meetings at specified times, and just shift them online—the “synchronous” model of distance learning that works basically as a virtual classroom? Or should they change their class formats

to take advantage of the internet’s “asynchronous” teaching model that lets each student learn when it’s convenient? Facebook groups popped up by discipline—among art and design faculty, among laboratory science faculty—to discuss how to best make the shift. Conventional wisdom in those international discussions—because faculty around the world were facing the same decision at the same time— gravitated toward the idea that everyone was in a crunch, and professors just needed to do what felt most natural for themselves, their students, and their class material. Students in Kirsten Stephan’s field-based Winter Dendrology course were learning 75 tree species and their winter characteristics this semester. The professor of forest resources management decided to simply teach the 15 species the class had yet to learn by photograph. But her Forest Ecology course, based in a greenhouse lab, was not so simple to take virtual. “Students had been growing poplar trees for the entire semester, and their culminating final harvest was going to happen next week.” They’d grown cuttings in various conditions: sand, sawdust, shade, salt water, fertilizer or none. They’d measured stem and leaf biomass twice. They were about to harvest the plants, separate stems, leaves, and roots, and dry and weigh them to determine which growing conditions led the plants to invest in what kinds of growth. Instead, Stephan and her teaching assistant would do that lab work and provide the data to the students. It’s a required course for forestry majors and for recreation, parks, and tourism resources majors, so the loss of hands-on observation and experience is unfortunate. Students are still expected to master the material, Stephan said. She pointed out one other difficulty with the new approach: It would take her longer than the time she’d expected to spend, but she had half her usual time to devote to it because she and her husband

would be tag-teaming with their out-ofschool 5- and 7-year-old children. Sculpture professor Dylan Collins has 10 undergraduate students this semester. “It was relatively painless to transition,” he said before classes started back up online on March 30. “They were just beginning some new projects before the break, so I transitioned them to projects using found objects and a project with earthworks”—that’s environmental art with natural materials and photo documentation of the sites. “The students are bummed out about losing the sense of camaraderie and teamwork, and I’m bummed. But I also feel like it’s a good time to talk about ways to document your artwork.” Much college theater and dance instruction works with solutions similar to Toth’s at MHS. “The faculty have been working really hard to come up with alternative exercises and projects,” said Joshua Williamson, director of WVU’s School of Theatre and Dance, before classes started back up online. “Students will be working on monologues and doing scene work at home, whether with parents or maybe with roommates. They can set up an iPhone, film each other, and send it in.” But greater challenges lay behind the scenes. “What do you do with lighting students? What do you do with scene shop? Faculty across the country are solving the same problem at the same time,” Williamson said. “There have been great conversations in online forums sharing ideas. How do you teach something like welding online? It’s all the support people—they’re proving to be the more difficult ones to transition online. We’re still in the exploration phase.” Williamson foresees a return in force to theater performance when this is over. “The people who typically do this work like to collaborate in groups, get together as teams,” he says. And to theater attendance: “There’s a human connection in the theater, not only with fellow audience members, but connecting with the people on stage who are playing MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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WVU Hospitals no-visitor policy

School closure extended to April 20 WV stay-at-home order

characters, sharing joy, sadness, whatever the show is about. That’s part of the human connection we all crave.” K-12 and college administrators grappled with important challenges beyond the sudden shift to online instruction. How do you provide equitable instruction for students who don’t have internet access? For students with learning disabilities? How can prom happen, or a yearbook be finished? Should graduation ceremonies be conducted virtually? Postponed? Cancelled? Solutions to those questions swirled as the virus’s timeline evolved.

Meeting the most basic needs

Already adept at handling a chronic emergency, the social services network

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that provides critical services to the neediest among us was well-prepared to manage this acute one. “What we’ve done that’s different is simply that we’re limiting public access to the building to 10 people, and that includes people who are working on the floor,” said Colleen Lankford, executive director of food pantry and free store Christian Help, as the need to minimize gatherings became apparent in the second half of March. Staff have already long practiced good hand hygiene, and they added sanitary wipedowns every 15 minutes. “It hasn’t been that big of a stretch. And the line out front hasn’t been too bad. The main needs are food and financial support—a lot of people that have been laid off didn’t get much notice.”

Clay Marsh appointed WV COVID-19 Czar

A Morgantown Community Kitchen volunteer packs lunches for delivery.

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First weekly student lunch distribution First WV COVID-19 death

Free meals served at churches and nonprofits downtown continue, but they no longer serve as social gatherings. “No group meals. The church is closed,” said Jim Chapman, kitchen manager at Morgantown Community Kitchen, which serves free lunch for about 100 at Trinity Episcopal Church on Willey every weekday. “They are still letting us operate out of the kitchen, but everything goes in to-go packaging. We don’t want people standing around together outside, so we’re handing out the food as soon as it’s ready. We have a table at the door where they can get their bagged food, whether cold or hot that day.” One group of people Morgantown Community Kitchen began feeding was the residents at the Bartlett House emergency shelter downtown. That facility began to shelter in place on March 16. “We are bringing in all of their meals, delivering medications if there are prescriptions that need to be picked up,” says Bartlett Housing Solutions Executive Director Keri DeMasi. “We’re delivering all of their personal care items and providing as much entertainment as you can during these times.” Anyone who leaves the property for other than a medical necessity, she says, can’t return, on recommendation of the state Department of Health and Human Resources and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Protection. Bartlett House isn’t full, she said in late March. There are homeless who don’t want shelter because of addiction, mental health, social anxiety, or other reasons. Those unsheltered homeless face exceedingly difficult conditions now because some of the places they rely on for bathrooms and hand-washing—places like the meals programs and Milan Puskar Health Right—are controlling entrance tightly. If the virus were to find its way to the unsheltered homeless population, many of whose health is compromised already, it could spread quickly and fatally. In recognition of that risk, a county homelessness task force that DeMasi serves on, along with representatives

Time to Stock Up The sudden closures of non-essential businesses have sent many to food pantries and social services organizations for help. Supply closets are running low—here’s what some groups need.

Bartlett Housing Solutions

Sheltering dozens of homeless 24/7 through the stay-at-home order and participating in solutions for the unsheltered homeless. Needs cleaning supplies, masks, personal hygiene items, and financial contributions.

Christian Help

This free store and food pantry is relied on by a surge of people who are suddenly without jobs. Needs cleaning supplies, food, and financial contributions.

Milan Puskar Health Right

Community supported free and charitable clinic serving an atrisk population. Needs cleaning supplies, masks, and financial contributions.

Morgantown Community Kitchen

Providing free meals to those who need them, with the added expense of carryout packaging. Needs volunteers, masks, and financial contributions.

Pantry Plus More

Moving its in-school free pantries to twice-weekly deliveries while schools are closed. Needs financial contributions. Contact your favorite social services organization to find out how you can help.

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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March 31

April 1 Second WV COVID-19 death School closure extended to April 27

WV state campgrounds close

Credit Where It’s Due Solid leadership and a surprising fact put Morgantown in good shape for the pandemic. In early March, long before COVID-19 became a topic of daily conversation, WVU administration and health care leaders saw the risk that thousands returning from March 14–22 spring break travel could mean for Morgantown. Universitysponsored spring break trips abroad were canceled and, on March 10, President Gordon Gee suspended classes after spring break. That foresight minimized the number of people who might bring the virus into our cosmopolitan little town. Dr. Clay Marsh, WVU Health Sciences vice president and executive dean, was a voice of reason early on, educating the public with straightforward facts and offering clear advice. Governor Jim Justice recognized Marsh’s leadership on March 25 by appointing him the state’s Coronavirus Czar. And—who knew?—it turns out Morgantown has the most health care workers per capita of any metro under 350,000 people, according to a study released in early April by Self Financial, with more than 7 per 100 residents. Thank you, health care heroes!

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WV primary election postponed to June 9

of local and state health care and homelessness organizations, is planning to make portable toilets and mobile hand washing stations available. It’s also considering the challenges of testing the unsheltered homeless for symptoms and providing quarantine and treatment for any who need it. While the social services organizations adapted quickly, they also have new needs to handle a surge of demand and new sanitation requirements: volunteers, cleaning supplies, protective gear, and, especially funding.

Meanwhile, feeding the kids

During the first week of school lunch distribution, March 16–23, West Virginia went from no confirmed COVID-19 cases to 16, two of them in Monongalia County. It was becoming clear that the schools would be shut down for longer than the originally planned two weeks. And while feeding kids was a priority, gathering kitchen staff every day in order to do it couldn’t be the safest approach. Byers, who had been first to offer students lunches, was one of the calls Monongalia County Schools Operations Officer Beth Harvey made at the end of the first week in search of partners to organize a weekly food distribution. “He said, you provide the food?” Harvey recounts. “I said ‘Yeah.’ And he said, ‘No problem!’” On Monday the 16th she called him again to say the school system had ordered five days’ worth of breakfasts and lunches for 1,500 kids—could he organize getting it packed and distributed on Thursday? It’s a big ask. Imagine your phone rings. You answer it. You are asked, “Can you coordinate the storage and packaging of 15,000 meals and get it all distributed to hungry kids across the county three days from now?” You might understandably hesitate. Where would a person even start? Byers will tell you it’s the volunteers that made what followed happen, and that’s true—but it clearly took a logistics mastermind to pull it off. He owns

a tennis club near University High School, so the decision to use that site for receiving, packing, and redistributing was a no-brainer. By the afternoon of Tuesday, March 24, the 15 most popular bus stops across the county had been established as distribution sites, and a web page was created where people could sign up, feedmonkids.com. Sysco and Mona Supply had offered refrigerated trucks for food storage. On Wednesday, 20 volunteers in two assembly lines bagged and boxed 1,500 packages of five breakfasts and five lunches each and another 1,500 packages of drinks. The information network was so efficient that, in two days, families had signed up to receive meals for 1,200 kids, leaving a comfortable few hundred packages for anyone who would just show up. And on Thursday, Byers doesn’t even know how many volunteers—“tons”—turned out to distribute. The first weekly meal distribution, on March 26, wasn’t exactly perfect—the meals were a little skimpy, and not all of the “extra” meals ended up where they were needed, so a small number of families were helped by others. Hundreds of additional people were signed up on-site. That same day, Kiehl at the school system placed orders for meals for twice as many students for the following week’s distribution. He was having a hard time sourcing the right kinds of foods from the school district’s suppliers. “We’re ordering different foods than we usually do, trying to order individually wrapped foods, like breakfast cereal bars, that are easy to redistribute,” he explained. Because it wasn’t just him—every school system across the nation that plays an important role in its students’ nutrition must have been placing similar orders, and it was a sudden strain on the market. “Heading toward the end of the school year, I’m guessing manufacturers were cutting back on many of the school items that are individually wrapped,” Kiehl says. “All of a sudden we’re ordering 100 times the amount we’d normally order,

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Third WV COVID-19 death

while they’re cutting back.” In preparation for the second weekly distribution, scheduled for April 2, Kiehl managed to source a heartier five breakfasts and five lunches, plus drinks, for 3,000, foods like bowls of cereal, fruit cups and applesauce, pepperoni calzones—almost all of it, to his credit, individually wrapped. When volunteers showed up at the tennis club Wednesday morning to pack, sign-ups had already hit 2,700. “It’s so much better this week,” Byers said. “We’ve got 60 volunteers packing in shifts, 9 to noon, noon to 3, 3 to 6. We’ve got someone coming in to feed them lunch. Last week feedmonkids. com was just a sign-up form; now it’s a website where you can also see the menu or you can volunteer.” Forty people had volunteered to deliver on Thursday, and a new system would get the delivery vans loaded and off more smoothly. And Morgantown Printing and Binding was printing signs for the distribution sites to let families know they should pull up in their cars rather than parking and standing in line. Most of the restaurants in town that initially offered student lunches stopped during the second week—some switching to feeding health care workers—because student lunch distribution was now centralized and under control. Yet, their owners stayed involved. “All the restaurants have called and said, ‘What can we do?’” Byers said as the second weekly distribution was in preparation. “Polly at Oliverio’s came and packed last week. Bron from Crab Shack has been there, Brendan from Tropics, others—all the restaurants are really good about helping if we need anything.” Similarly, school system personnel are volunteering generously. “Ron posts on Facebook, and people come out,” said retired AP psychology teacher and MHS assistant principal Richard Vidulich of county Board of Education President Ron Lytle as both packed drinks for students. WVU contributed stacks of boxes for transporting packaged meals, PACE

Enterprises was on hand to take used cartons away for shredding, and so many other people and businesses pitched in. Byers had twice as many meals to coordinate the second week as the first, and more than twice the volume. But if anything, the outpouring of support in the community energized him for the task. “The volunteers and the contributions have just been amazing,” he said. “Next week, I think we might be moving this over to Chuck’s Furniture or Mylan Park—Pantry Plus More and United Way of Mon and Preston Counties are adding 1,000 family boxes.” He beamed. “We’re going to feed even more people.”

Bartini Prime owner Justin Byers (left) and chef Zachary Smith videotaped suggestions for cooking delicious meals from food pantry items. Families gave each other distance at the first weekly meal distribution at Granville Park.

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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OUT & ABOUT IN THE MOUNTAIN CITY

1 SPRING 2020 • ALL OVER TOWN

Scenes from the Pandemic Things have been looking different around Morgantown lately. As COVID-19 unfolds, people are responding in creative, ironic, generous, and generally smile-inducing ways.

1, 2 NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS; 3 COURTESY OF CARD MY YARD MORGANTOWN; 4 COURTESY OF FRIENDS OF WVU HOSPITALS; 5 PAM KASEY; 6 JOEL BROWN; 7 SHARON CHAPMAN

1 South Park Service Station knows what its customers care about. 2 Spotted in Greenmont. 3 Card My Yard Morgantown showed Mon Health System workers big love on March 27. 4 Community members “Chalked the Walk” in appreciation of WVU Medicine workers on April 2. 5 Cheese Louise has been taking cheesy cheer to the neighborhoods. 6 First Ward neighbors organized a fun physically distant activity for families walking the neighborhood. 7 Westover residents are burning candles in their windows in solidarity with each other—a warm little wave to passersby.

6 7 MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

FEB 26 •123 PLEASANT STREET

The Best of Morgantown 2020 Awards Party 1

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Best of Morgantown 2020 winners celebrated at the 9th annual BOM party. BOM winners provided a generous food spread and fabulous door prizes. WVAQ’s Jaime “Just Jaime” Ames emceed, and photographer Amberlee Christey’s Berlee Booths provided a very popular photo booth. For a link to all of the photo booth photos, visit morgantownmag.com/bom. 1 Gene’s Beer Garden owner Al Bonner and Best Bartender Lucy Morrison. 2 For Best Charity / Nonprofit Pantry Plus More: (rear, left to right) Micah Weglinski, Roark Sizemore, and Krista Mitchell with (front) Best Politician Tom Bloom, Christine Wang, Amanda Bolyard, and Lindsey Weglinski. 3 For Best Fine Dining winner Tin 202, coowner Chris Evans, Rilley Lydon, Best Craft Cocktail Bartender Josh Graham, Damian Dennison, and Chef Tyler Richards. 4 For Best Place to Buy Shoes winner The Shoe Story, (rear) Liam Theeke and Matthew Jordan with (front) Kimberly Jordan, Hailee Hammerquist, and store owner Julie Jordan. 5 Jaime “Just Jaime” Ames entertained the crowd as BOM20 awards emcee. 6 Our Morgantown magazine BOM20 BOM Squad: (rear) Christie Besse, Holly Thubron, Heather Mills, Bryson Taylor, (front) Hayley Richard, Jess Walker, Savannah Carr, Nikki Bowman, Pam Kasey, and Laura Layva.

1, 2, 3, 4, AND 6 BERLEE BOOTHS/BERLEEBOOTHS.COM; 5 NIKKI BOWMAN MILLS

OUT & ABOUT IN THE MOUNTAIN CITY

1 FEB 8 • MORGANTOWN EVENT CENTER

WVU Medicine Children’s Gala

COURTESY OF WVU MEDICINE

The 17th annual WVU Medicine Children's Gala took place at the Morgantown Event Center at the Marriott at Waterfront Place. WVU Medicine Children’s is the only hospital in West Virginia that provides certain kinds of specialty care, including pediatric heart surgery and epilepsy monitoring—the annual gala helps ensure the availability of these specialized services. This year’s fundraiser went Beneath the Blue, featuring creatures you might find in the deep ocean. 1 The event center was transformed for Beneath the Blue, even featuring a 1,000-pound octopus that hung from the ceiling. 2 Amy L. Bush-Maron, chief operating officer of WVU Medicine Children’s, and emcee Ryan Shazier of the Pittsburgh Steelers presented Dr. Richard Brant, medical director for quality and patient safety, with the WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital Award. 3 Rachel and Deb Scudiere attended in support. 4 Brantly Poling, 2020 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champion Child, will represent WVU Medicine Children’s throughout West Virginia and parts of the surrounding states. The 8-yearold from Vienna, West Virginia, is pictured with his parents, Rocky and Brooke Poling, his sister Brylee Poling, and Pittsburgh Steeler Ryan Shazier. 5 Party on the Moon kept the crowd on the dance floor.

MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

FEB 22 • CHEAT LAKE

Morgantown Polar Plunge

COURTESY OF WENDY MILLER

The first Polar Plunge in support of the Special Olympics of West Virginia took place in Cheat Lake in 2005. Fun-loving souls have braved frigid waters every year since in support of athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities, and the invigorating fundraisers now also take place in Hurricane, Parkersburg, and Wheeling, West Virginia. The 111 participants in this year’s Morgantown plunge enjoyed a sunny 40 degrees outside Crab Shack Caribba Cheat Lake and raised nearly $30,000. Photographers didn’t record the names of these “plungers,” but their hearty antics in support of a good cause are just as much fun anonymous.

MORGANTOWN

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APR/MAY 2020

Show your support of our healthcare workers by joining your neighbors in clapping, cheering, and joyfully making noise from your window, yard, balcony, or car at 8 p.m. on April 8!

#ClapBecauseWeCare

Morgantown Magazine April/May 2020

Articles inside

Morgantown Magazine April/May 2020