Business, Parks and Health

Wayne
County
Business, Parks and Health
Brought to you by
Executive Director: Don Perdue Executive Assistant: Carol Damron
Resource Development Specialist: Brandon Dennison
Board Members:
Cordell Adkins
Mark Bradshaw
Sara Chapman
Stanley Fink
Kenny Hann
Tim Kinsey
Rob Pennington
Jim Sullivan
Kenneth Adkins
Larry Castle
Joyce Clark
Tom George
Jim Hale
Randall May
Associate Board Members (Non-Voting):
Cordell Adkins Knives of All Kinds
Booton Realty
Jerry Brienza Tri-State Airport
Christie Kinsey Northwestern Mutual
Financial Network
Paul Kruszynski United Bank, Ceredo
Bon Posma Saminco North
Clayton Napier Lavalette Development LLC Robert Plymale Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian
Transportation Inst Kenny Queen Kenny Queen
Hardware & Supply
Flora Russell Russell Realty Michael Stephens Huntington Banks Kevin Thompson McDonald’s CB Tooley CB & H Parts Corp.
Mark Berry Harbor Steel
The Wayne County Economic Development
Authority, Inc. (WCEDA) was established to
promote, develop and expand all types of business and industrial activity. This activity will advance and maintain the economic basis of Wayne
County. The pursuit of these activities will provide opportunities for employment and improvements in the standard of living, for the citizens of
Wayne County.
WCEDA also wants to encourage and assist
new business and industry to locate within the
county. At the same time stimulating and promoting the expansion of all kinds of business and
industrial activity which will tend to advance
business and industrial development and maintain the economic stability of the county, provide
maximum opportunities for employment, encourage thrift, and improve the standard of living in
the citizens of Wayne County.
The WCEDA also wants to broaden the basis of support for economic development and to
keep open lines of communication between and
among all interested businesses and individuals
within Wayne County.
1300 NORFOLK AVE.
P.O. BOX 519 • WAYNE, WV 25570
304-272-9050
A Special Supplement to
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Page 2, The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013
PROPOSED INTERMODAL FACILITY – The facility at Prichard will utilize its location in the United States, access to the regional Tri-State Airport and larger railway
tunnels, to become a hub of commercial transportation and product transition for the North-Atlantic region.. Graphic Submitted
Work is progressing
at intermodal facility
PRICHARD – Once the winter weather
breaks, work will pick up at the Heartland
Intermodal Facility at Prichard.
Mountaineer Construction of Kingwood
was awarded the contract to work on the
$30 million facility.
The Facility has been in the planning
stages for several years. Lately, funding has
been raised through a tax on train diesel fuel
as well as the West Virginia Port Authority
receiving $12 million from the U.S.
Department of Transportation in the form
of a National Infrastructure Investment or
TIGER III Discretionary Grants program.
The facility will be on a 100 acre site
and will sit next to the Prichard Industrial
Park and is a part of the National Heartland
Corridor which provide double-stack railcars clearance along the lines from Roanoke,
Va,, to Columbus, Ohio, passing through
southern West Virginia. The corridor will
also go toward Chicago which will allow
the movement of goods to be shipped from
the east coast to the west coast.
Most of the property (78 acres) is owned
by Norfolk Southern Railroad. It has been
described as a large parking lot with warehouses and utility buildings.
Phase I of the project has been underway
with site preparation started with the clearing the property and filling with dirt trucked
in from other construction projects and is
expected to be completed in 2014 when the
facility will go on line.
Phase II is expected to begin in 2015 as
access roads will be put in once funding is
available.
Applications have also been made for a
grant through the Special Rail Enhancement
which has been accumulating money for the
project in Prichard. The money is proposed
for infrastructure on the property at the former Prichard Landfill area. Utility upgrades
are also being looked into for the projects.
HARTLAND CORRIDOR – The Heartland Corridor project, of which the Prichard
Intermodal Facility is part, is an interstate effort to improve the route between
Norfolk, Va. and the Midwest by expanding tunnel clearances to allow doublestacked intermodal trains. Graphic Submitted
CUTTING THE RIBBON – Officials with Huntington Tri-State Airport conducted
a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome Tudor’s Biscuit World and Gino’s Pub along
with a gift shop. The businesses are open to the public. WCN photo by Diane Pottorff
Projects in the works
for Tri-State Airport
CEREDO
–
The
Huntington
Tri-State
Airport may have lost an
airline last year, but it has
not stopped providing the
best customer service.
This year, the airport
has opened two new restaurants and a gift shop. Better
Foods Inc., also known as
Gino’s and Tudor’s Biscuit
World, had a ribbon cutting
to officially open the eateries which had already been
serving food.
Tudor’s is open for
breakfast and lunch. Gino’s
Pizzaria and Pub serves
lunch and dinner products
from the Gino’s menu and
the gift shop will have graband-go cold sandwiches and
snacks.
The bar has a full line
of beer, wine and spirits
with flat screen televisions
around the restaurant so
customers can enjoy their
favorite television viewing.
The number of passengers on flights out of
Huntington
Tri-State
Airport has not changed,
but the number of enplanements went down due to
fewer flights by Allegiant
Airlines and loss of the
Delta service.
Officials continue to
look for another airline to
replace the Delta service.
The southside project
remains in a holding pattern
as officials work with the
state and other authorities to
get funding for infrastructure and other upgrades.
Some of those upgrades
include new paint and carpeting in the terminal along
with new counters for airlines.
The airport also has the
only in the round electronic
advertising billboard in the
United States located next
to the main parking facility.
Heritage Farm
Museum &Village
Weddings • Tours • Reunions
304-522-1244
WELCOME – Huntington Tri-State Airport Director
Jerry Brienza speaks with John Tudor and others from
Tudor’s Biscuit World and Gino’s during the grand
opening and ribbon cutting of the newest establishment
at the airport. WCN photo by Diane Pottorff
www.heritagefarmmuseum.com
Located less than 3 miles from Interstate 64 and Rt. 152 (Exit 8) at Huntington, WV
Open Year Round • Monday-Saturday 10 am - 3pm
Closed on Major Holidays
The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013, Page 3
PROPOSED LODGE – Plans for the Beech Fork Lodge, prepared by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, have been submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers for approval. Submitted photo
Beech Fork State Park
has activities for all
BARBOURSVILLE
– An adventure is always
waiting when visiting one
of the state parks in West
Virginia.
This holds true with
Beech Fork State Park
There are many activities
for visitors to Beech Fork,
Superintendent Matt Yeager
said.
Beech Fork State Park
is one of the state’s yearround parks. The lake was
designed by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers as a
means of controlling flooding, fish and wildlife conservation and recreation.
During the summer
months, 760 acres of the
3,144 acres is covered by
lake water. The lake extends
for about six miles along
Beech Fork Creek.
Volunteers are needed on
April 6 for the annual spring
clean up, Yeager said.
“This is a big improvement for the park,” Yeager
said. “It is rewarding to
work on getting it cleaned
up after the debris comes
from upstream.”
Because the park is open
year-round, camping and
vacation cabins are also open
for the entire year, Yeager
said. Out of the 275 camp
sites, 111 are reserved, but
this year all of Old Orchard,
as well as Moxley Branch
can be reserved.
Several camping sites are
full hook-up which includes
water, sewer and electric,
while other sites are electric
only or have no electric,
popular for those who want
to pitch a tent.
Some of the campground
areas are closed during
the cold weather months,
November to March, he
said.
Six modern cabins are
also open year-round,
Yeager said. All of the cabins have gas, television, satellite systems, full kitchens
and linens.
Even though visitors are
interested in the camping
facilities, Beech Fork State
Park offers a variety of
activities.
Yeager said the park has
boat rentals that include
pedal boats, canoes and
kayaks during the summer
months. They are located at
the seasonal boat launch.
The boat launch is in
operation from April to
November when the lake is at
summer pool. In November,
it is brought down to winter
pool. Pontoons and boats
with a 10-horsepower engine
or less may launch from this
site during the time the lake
is in summer pool.
There are also four walking trails, but Yeager said
the most popular sport at the
lake is fishing. The lake is
stocked with bass, blue gill,
crappie and catfish.
He said the park has
received a Recreation Trails
grant which will be used
to renovate the Overlook
Trail.
“We will be dealing with
erosion and improve some
of the grades on the inclines
and declines on the trail,”
Yeager said. “Right now, we
are in the planning stages.”
Also, visitors can reserve
one of the several picnic
shelters available. There are
also game fields and other
activities available at the
park.
Though there are many
activities, one annual event
takes place in the park.
Yeager said the Blue Heron
Festival will be the second
Saturday in October.
Yeager
emphasized
that although Beech Fork
is one area, it is operated
by three different groups:
the State Park system, the
Wildlife Management Area
and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
Since there are picnic
shelters on both the State
Park and the dam side, he
recommended that visitors
call to check where each
shelter is located.
He also said hunting is
forbidden within the boundaries of the State Park but
hunting is permitted in the
Wildlife Management area.
For more information
about Beech Fork State
Park, visit the website at
www.beechforksp.com or
call 304-528-5794.
In Lavalette, the Visitors
Center was opened to the
public in 1986 and was
designed to use solar energy,
he said. Now, that system is
considered to be antiquated
and more modern forms of
energy will be used. There
are three recreational areas:
Upstream or above the dam,
downstream, below the dam
and the beach area.
In the upstream area,
there are two picnic shelters, game courts and the
marina, which is leased by
the Great Outdoors Marina.
Downstream are two more
picnic shelters. All four
can be rented through the
National Rental Service.
There is a deck at the
beach area for picnicking.
Swimming is permissible in
any part of the lake, but
swimmers swim at their
own risk.
The beach area, located
on Stowers Branch Road, is
a gradual sloped beach with
the Corps bringing in sand
for the area.
Not only is there swimming, there are also six
miles of hiking trails in the
combined four pathways.
There are also game courts
for basketball, volleyball
and horseshoe pits. Also,
there are five playground
equipment areas for children.
Sportsmen can hunt on
the outside boundary areas
accessible from the Stowers
Branch area.
Boats can be rented at the
marina. But, if one wants to
launch their own boat on the
lake, there is a 9.9-power
restriction on motors for the
lake. This is due to the geological nature of soft soil
and fragmented rock.
Though the Corps of
Engineers operates the
dam side of the lake, volunteers staff the beach area
and assist with maintenance
work in the area. Volunteers
are always needed and can
contact Allen Shultz at 304525-4831 for more information.
Work will soon get underway on the proposed Beech
Fork Lodge which will be
located near the Stowers
Branch Beach.
It has taken almost 30
years but now officials in
Wayne County are awaiting
word when construction of
the lodge facility will start.
Plans for the Beech
Fork Lodge, prepared by
the West Virginia Division
of Natural Resources, have
been submitted to the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
for approval.
The DNR, along with the
West Virginia State Parks
and Forests contracted
E.L. Robinson and ZMM
Architect and Design for
a conceptual plan and feasibility study, as well as
an updated lodge plan to
conform to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers approval requirements for the
75-room lodge on Stowers
Branch, also known as Twin
Coves, near the beach area
of the lake. The proposed
site was chosen after two
previous studies had concluded it was the most desirable site.
It will be similar to the
lodges at Chief Logan,
Stonewall Jackson, Cacapon
and Canaan Valley State
parks.
South Stowers Branch
has a total of 71.6 acres with
the best 10.8 acres in a concentrated open area close to
the lake in which the lodge
will be built.
Cost of building the
lodge, upgrades to Falls
Branch Road and Stowers
Branch Road, an access road
and other necessary items
would be $28,485,720.
Plans include a parking
area where more than 250
vehicles can park, as the
lodge will have a conference room for meetings.
There will also be a restaurant, pub, gift shop and
meeting room, as well as a
pool, game room and exercise room.
The lodge is designed to
be a benefit to the visitors at
Beech Fork State Park and
is also influenced by the site
configuration, as well as the
function of it.
Officials are attempting to
find funding for this project
in various ways. Currently,
there has been more than
$5 million set aside by West
Virginia Speaker of the
House Rick Thompson and
former Gov. Joe Manchin
III for the project.
Last year, the Legislature
approved bond sales for
construction of the lodge.
The bonds are expected to
be sold July 1.
BOAT RENTALS – Beech Fork State Park has boat rentals that include the pedal
boats, canoes and kayaks during the summer months. They are located at the seasonal boat launch. WCN file photo
Wayne County
Sheriff’S offiCe
Sheriff
GreG farley
304-272-6378
Page 4, The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013
CSX, Wayne Co. – A winning combination
By J. RANDOLPH CHEETHAM
When 19th century railroad owner
Collis P. Huntington established the western terminus here for the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway (C&O) in 1873, one of the
railroads which would eventually become
part of CSX, he not only opened the door
for economic growth for southern West
Virginia, but forged what has become a
lasting and cherished partnership between
the area and CSX.
From the very beginning, Collis
Huntington was active in developing the
region’s bituminous coal industry, which
quickly became an economic building block
of this area.
Today, the region is a hub for a range of
industries, including coal, rail, river transportation, steel and metal making, oil, natural gas, electrical generation and biofuel.
It is also home to CSX’s divisional headquarters, a CSX rail yard, the Huntington
Locomotive Shop and the CSX employees
who call the tri-state region home.
Although domestic demand for coal has
decreased in recent years, shifting market
dynamics have created new opportunities
for CSX to strengthen its investment in the
tri-state area. We are adapting by improving
our ability to transport intermodal containers, move crude oil, and ship high-demand
goods such as cars and construction materials as those sectors rebound, as well as
transporting coal to seaports for export.
We are also looking to the future, which
is why CSX continues to invest in our network, spending nearly $74 million in West
Virginia in 2011 alone.
In 2013, CSX plans to invest about $2.3
billion in its 21,000 mile network.
In the meantime, coal remains an important part of CSX’s portfolio, and we contin-
ue to ship West Virginia coal to steel makers and large utilities throughout the East
Coast and around the world. We believe
that coal will remain an important part of a
responsible, domestically produced energy
mix in the Eastern United States for years
to come.
CSX has been a neighbor and part of the
Wayne County community since the very
beginning, and we will work with West
Virginia to ensure a bright future.
Mr. Cheetham is CSX’s Regional
Vice President for State Government and
Community Affairs, based in Huntington
Activities geared toward
family at East Lynn Lake
EAST LYNN -- Camping,
fishing, hunting, hiking are
just some of the activities
available for families visiting East Lynn Lake.
But many of these activities were not available last
year following the destruction of the campground area
by an EF 3 tornado.
Work has been progressing on the campground for
a full camping season this
year.
According to Mike
Smith, resource manager
with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, East Lynn
Lake is the largest flood
control project in the area.
Of the 25,000 acres, 1,005
of them are covered with
water.
East Lynn Lake was
opened in 1969 by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
as a primary means of flood
control and recreation as
well as fish and wildlife
management. The dam is an
earthen structure 133 feet
high and 652 feet long.
From April through
October, the lake is main-
tained at 662 feet above
sea level for summer pool.
During the winter months,
the lake is kept at 656 feet
for winter pool, which
allows extra storage for rain
and melting snow.
“There are a lot of recreational opportunities here
for county residents and
tourists, Smith said.
There are five diverse
recreational areas that
include a campground with
six loops, playgrounds and
picnic area, hiking trails,
marina and game courts.
For the last two years,
Smith said, the park has
been updating its five playgrounds and has installed a
new picnic shelter near the
marina.
“It is on a first come,
first serve basis,” he said.
“We are also in the process of converting an old
shed near the spillway into a
shelter for future use.”
Smith said of the 169
campsites at East Fork
Campground, half are on a
first-come, first-serve basis
and the other half are for
reservations. With the firstcome, first-serve portion of
the campground, campers
can pull their campers in
or set up tents in the areas
not for reserved camping.
Reservations may be made
by calling the National
Recreation Reservation
Service at 1-877-444-6777
or visit the website at www.
recreation.gov.
Smith describes East
Lynn Lake as being off the
beaten path and very quiet.
The lake is safe to swim,
fish or boat in as, unlike the
Ohio or Big Sandy rivers,
there is no barge or commercial traffic or undercurrents.
“It is a safe and serene
recreational area,” Smith
said. “We have first-class
fishing here and there is
no motor limitations for the
lake. We have several fishing tournaments on the lake
almost every weekend.”
East Lynn Lake has a
50-foot depth.
If one does not want to
participate in water activities, Smith said there are
Visitors can find things
to do at Cabwaylingo
By DIANE POTTORFF
Staff Writer
DUNLOW -- Camping,
hiking trails, history.
These are just some of
the things that visitors can
find at Cabwaylingo State
Forest.
According
to
Superintendent
Stuart
Peters, the park is estimated
to have a mid-March opening and some 10,000 people
will visit the forest this year.
Though the forest is open
year-round, its prime season
is April through October.
Located on 8,123 acres
of forest land in southern
Wayne County, Cabwaylingo
State Forest was one of
several state forests established in the 1930s-40s by
the Civilian Conservation
Corps (CCC). The CCC was
one of the programs created by President Franklin
Roosevelt during the Great
Depression.
The name comes from
the four counties it serves:
CABell, WAYne, LINcoln
and MinGO.
The CCC camps were
established for the rebuilding of forest land which
established the park system.
It was during the 1930s that
the CCC built the log cabins, superintendent’s residence, picnic areas, hiking
trails and fire tower.
Built in 1935, the tower
was constructed to watch
for forest fires. Though not
in use today, it remains one
of a few fire towers in the
state.
A new edition to the forest is the public water available in the Dunlow/Route
152 Water Project Phase I.
Work on the pipeline was
completed in December.
There are many activities to experience at
Cabwaylingo. They include
swimming, picnicking, game
courts such as basketball,
volleyball and horseshoes;
as well as six open hiking
trails, fishing and hunting.
Peters said two new playgrounds with new equipment has been installed for
children to climb, swing and
use their imagination.
And for those who like
to stay longer than one day,
there are cabins, two campgrounds and the McClintic
Group Camp. Prices on
rentals vary and firewood is
also available.
For the past two years,
renovations to the main
meeting/dining room have
been ongoing. Peters said
renovations have been put
off until next summer when
funding becomes available.
There is also the pool
which will open on Memorial
Day Weekend.
Other events will also be
open to the public.
On the third Sunday in
September, the Maynards
will have their annual
family reunion with the
Cabwaylingo Fall Festival
closing out the park in
October.
Dreamland Pool is still a
place to beat the heat
KENOVA -- Officials
with Dreamland Pool continue work on upgrades and
other projects.
An average of more than
500 people have visited
Dreamland Pool within the
last few years.
According to Mayor Ric
Griffith, the pool has undergone some renovations to
make it even better for visitors.
Griffith said the Kenova
Parks and Recreation Board
has worked very hard on
Dreamland Pool, including
fixing the filtration system,
pouring new concrete and
replacing drains. Within the
last year, workers have also
replaced the deck around
the pool. The work is not
completed yet, he said.
Griffith said he would
like to accomplish some
other goals for the pool
including building and
refurbishing an ampitheater
that sits behind the concession stand and improve
the lighting and electrical
systems.
He said once the ampitheater is completed, he would
like to see a summer concert
series that includes not only
national performers but also
local talent.
Known as the larg-
est public pool east of the
Mississippi, Dreamland
Pool opened in 1926. When
it opened, it had a three-level pavilion which included
a dance floor where many
big bands such as Tommy
Dorsey, Louis Armstrong
and other popular musicians
of the time performed.
The
pavilion
was
destroyed by fire in 1972.
Today, it continues to be
a place for parties in celebration of milestones.
Dreamland Pool tries to
open near Memorial Day
weekend and closes before
the beginning of the school
year in Wayne County.
THE DAM – East Lynn Lake opened in 1969 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engines as
a primary means of flood control, recreation as well as fish and wildlife management.
The dam is an earthen structure that is 133 feet high and 652 feet long. File photo
60 miles of roadway that
vehicles can use. The roads,
especially in the back country, are used especially by
operators of all-terrain vehicles.
Acres that are not developed are leased to the West
Virginia Division of Natural
Resources where hunting is
permitted during the appropriate seasons.
Also nature groups are
invited to explore the area.
Several native or rare plants
have been discovered in the
park by the West Virginia
Native Plants Society.
Smith said that the plants
that have been discovered
are rare or have been reported for the first time in the
state.
“This project has protected the habitat from
intrusion,” he said. “It has
protected the habitat and
enhanced for these unique
species. This area needs to
be protected.”
Nature hikes are also
offered on are four trails
that can be explored, Smith
said.
“This facility was built
for the public to come in
to use and enjoy,” he said.
“This gives people something to do as a family.”
And a family environment is a big part of the
park. Smith said alcohol is
prohibited on the project
grounds.
He also said the dam is
the safest one east of the
Mississippi River.
“It is well-constructed
and maintained,” he said.
In fact, it has saved
Wayne County millions of
dollars from flood damage.
For more information,
call 304-849-2355.
RE-ELECT
R
Proven Leadership,
Committed to our Community
Proven
Lea
As your West Virginia Senator for the 5th District, including
Cabell and Wayne Counties, I am dedicated to the growth of
our region.
Since I was elected in 1992, we have provided positive
benefits in many areas:
PRICHARD INTERMODAL FACILITY
Created SB569 for the funding of the project, working for over 10 years to
secure all the resources necessary for the landmark facility.
BEECH FORK STATE PARK
Sponsor of SB 362 that is designed to provide funding for a lodge and access
road to Beech Fork Lake.
1-73 / I-74 CORRIDOR
Facilitated the review and completion of the feasibility study for the I-73 / I-74
Corridor project.
HATFIELD McCOY TRAILS
Sponsored two pieces of legislation and tireless support for the creation of the
Hatfield McCoy Historical Trails.
Committee Leadership & Involvement:
• Chairman of Education
• Finance
• Economic Development
• Health and Human Resources
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Seniors & Long Term Care
• Pensions & Retirement
• 20 years of service for Wayne County
In the last 20 years, In
I have strived to
put the people of last
the
20
y
Wayne and Cabell Counties
as ayne
my first priority. We have made
W
and
Cab
many accomplishments
and progress. However, with your
many
accomplis
support I would be honored
to serve our region and continue
support
I
would
to build on our success.
to
build
on
our
Cabell & Wayne
Counties 5th District
Paid for by the Re-elect Plymale for Senate Committee, Stephanie A. Neal, Treasurer
www.bobplymale.com
Paid
for
by
the
Re
The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013, Page 5
spring
Home & Garden 2013
Don’t miss out on the chance to showcase
your business in our special spring section!
Our Spring Home & Garden Issue
will be published on
April 17 in
The Wayne County News
&
th
April 20 in
The Tri-State Weekend
th
Ads are just $1500 per column inch.
Deadline to advertise is
th
Wednesday, April 5
Tri-State
& Weekend
To advertise call: Lora
• (800) 523-3910 • Office (304) 272-3433 • Fax (304) 272-6516 •
Email: [email protected]
Page 6, The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013
This Week's Business Spotlight is
Wayne Physical Therapy
Let us help you get back on track!
Specializing in
Orthopedic, Industrial and Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Mike kennedy, P.T.
Rob CRowdeR, P.T. and
New LocatioN in the old Movie Gallery
4554 U.S. Route 152 • Lavalette, WV 25535
304-522-7900 • 304-522-7901
Maybe you believe other retailers in your line of business are going to cut
their advertising, so it’s safe for you too.
Right? Wrong!
You’re in competition for the consumer’s dollar with every other retailer
in the Tri-State area, no matter what they sell. People have only so many
dollars to spend and if they don’t spend it on what you have to sell, they’ll
spend it on something else.
To have a story about your business placed here call:
Advertise
Here!!!
NOW OPEN
Call
Mike Kennedy, P.T.
Rob Crowder, P.T. and
304-272-3433
Today!
Specializing in Orthopedic,
Industrial and Sports Injury
Rehabilitation
4554 U.S. Route 152
Lavalette, WV 25535
304-522-7900 • 304-522-7901
304-272-3433
Huntington
GRAVEL
&
SAND
Monday - Friday
7:30 to 5:00
Owner: Tommy Damron
NEW LOCATION! (304) 525-5095
LAVALETTE
CARPET
& Tile Center
Lodging
• Riverside Dining •
Fly Fishing on
Legendary Elk River
304-339-2359
www.ElkSpringsWV.com
Only 14 miles from
the base of Snowshoe
Ski Resort
Come Stay With Us!
Open 365 days a year!
FREE
ESTIMATES
• Carpet • tile • Wood Floors • Vinyl • Blinds
• Wallpaper FaBriCs and Upholstery
• CommerCial & residential
4681 Rt. 152 • Lavalette, WV • (304) 529-3621
Phil & Chandra Tomblin • Owners / Installers • Lic. # WV023546
To Have Your Business
Appear in the "Spotlight," Call
304-272-3433
To advertise in this section please call 304-272-3433.
The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013, Page 7
VAMC: 80 years of caring for veterans
HUNTINGTON – “To care for him
who shall have borne the battle and for his
widow and his orphan…” These words,
spoken by President Abraham Lincoln during his second inaugural address, have
guided the staff of Huntington Veterans
Administration Medical Center (VAMC)
throughout eight decades of service to area
veterans.
When the original 210-bed Huntington
VA Hospital opened in 1932, it included the
main hospital building, a laundry facility,
and several additional buildings that were
used to house nurses, the facility director
and other professional personnel.
The hospital was constructed at a cost of
$284,293 for the 94,932 square foot building. At that time, the foundation of health
care was primarily inpatient services.
Now, 80 years later, the Huntington
VA Medical Center, in Wayne County, has
become a leader in establishing new programs and innovations to ensure Veterans
have a broad scope of health care services
with the most advanced technology available.
The 80-bed acute medical and surgical
care facility, recognized as a national leader
in quality health care, offers comprehensive
inpatient and outpatient services, including
mental health, rehabilitation and specialty
care programs.
In 2012, the Huntington VAMC cared
for 28,834 Veterans, through 3,984 hospital
admissions and 342,324 outpatient visits.
Expansion of Mental Health Services
As a new generation of Veterans return
from Iraq and Afghanistan, the Huntington
VAMC has undergone many service
enhancements and expansions to ensure
care for all of our nation’s heroes.
In early 2011, the VAMC opened a
new three-story, 15,000 square-foot mental
health clinic for outpatient services, and an
adjacent Psychosocial Rehabilitation and
Recovery Center (PRRC). The PRRC
serves as a day treatment facility for patients
In 2012, construction began on a 5,800 square foot Women’s Health Clinic located
on the west end of the VAMC campus. The Women’s Health Clinic will open in the
spring 2013 to serve the VAMC’s more than 1,000 female patients.
with serious mental illness that allows them
to get therapy and assistance with daily living skills without having to be admitted to
the hospital.
The VAMC has also hired additional
mental health staff and increased emphasis
on programs such as suicide prevention and
crisis intervention.
Ending Veteran Homelessness
In July 2011, the VA Medical Center
opened a new Homeless Veterans Resource
Center in downtown Huntington.
The Center is located at 624 9th Street,
near other important community resources.
The Homeless Resource Center’s staff
provides homeless Veterans and those at
risk for homelessness with housing referrals, job assistance and placement, access
to counseling and health care services, educational classes and assistance with basic
personal needs such as laundry and shower
facilities. The Center also houses a large
donation room, helping to supply Veterans
with clothing, personal care supplies, house-
hold items and even furniture.
“No Veteran should ever be homeless,” said Ed Seiler, director of the VA
Medical Center. “I believe that we can
make a real difference towards eliminating
homelessness among Veterans right here in
Huntington. To do that, homeless Veterans
needed to have a place where they could go,
a place that they could call their own.”
Since the Homeless Center’s opening,
the number of homeless Veterans in the
Huntington area has decreased from approximately 120 to less than 60 on any given
night. This success is due in part to housing vouchers provided through HUD and
the Veterans Supported Housing Programs,
and through hundreds of contacts through
outreach, offering assistance with legal concerns, and addressing clinical needs for substance abuse and mental health services.
Improving Access to Care
Last year, access to services was at the
forefront of the VAMC’s planning initiatives. To expand care for Veterans in south-
ern Ohio, the VA Rural Outreach Clinic in
Gallipolis increased operating hours from
two days a week to four days a week, and
additional space was renovated to allow for
specialty services through Telehealth.
In addition, the Huntington VAMC relocated its interim Rural Outreach Clinic in
Chapmanville to its new home in Lenore,
W.Va., which improved access to services
for Veterans who live in Logan and Mingo
Counties.
Also in 2012, construction began on a
5,800 square foot Women’s Health Clinic
located on the west end of the VAMC
campus.
Female Veterans have been involved
in the planning process, participating in
decisions concerning the design, décor and
functionality of the facility.
“As the number of women serving in
the military has increased, we have seen an
increase in our number of women patients,”
Seiler said. “Women have unique health
care needs, and they deserve a separate
space designed especially for their care.”
The Women’s Health Clinic will open in
the spring 2013 to serve the VAMC’s more
than 1,000 female patients.
2013 and beyond
A number of other construction projects
at the VA Medical Center are underway or
will begin in the near future.
The renovation of the former Army
Reserve Center is anticipated to begin later
this year.
The building, located at the entrance to
the VAMC on Spring Valley Drive, will
house administrative services, and free up
space within the medical center for additional patient care services.
Another project will begin soon in the
west wing of the medical center to allow for
an expansion of primary care services.
The VA Medical Center also has project
requests submitted for the construction of
a dialysis unit, and the renovation of the
surgical suite and operating rooms.
Page 6, The Wayne County News, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013