South Side Studios will be opening their galleries this upcoming week to celebrate “To the Point,” an art exhibition of regional pencil artists.

“It’s really remarkable to see how artists can capture such poignant moments and evoke so much emotion using a simple tool; the pencil,” said Robb Shobe, resident artist and board vice president of South Side Studios. “We hope everyone will come out - the show openings at South Side Studios are always a good time and free to attend. So it’s a nice way to have a fun evening out while supporting local artists.”

The opening reception for the show will take place from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, December 6 and will remain in the gallery until Feb. 8.

The featured artists during the display will include Ralph Cale, J.W. Gainer, and Dan Morro.

Read more: South Side Studios to host pencil artists from around the region in new exhibit

Mayor Brady Kitzmiller and volunteer Patty Flanagan helped to host the town’s first Hometown Christmas event at the Bayard Veteran’s Memorial Park. The event showcased the town’s new pavilion, located in the park, and the town’s largest Christmas display to date. Attendees who braved the cold were treated to hot chocolate and music and were the first to see the full display lit up for the holiday season.

A Cabins man was indicted last month on multiple charges, including stealing a vehicle and breaking into a parked vehicle to steal a wallet.

The incident began on the afternoon of July 23 when police received two reports from drivers who reported to have seen Shawn Edward Dolly, 40, of 8285 North Fork Highway, Cabins, lying on the side of the road.

However, when officers arrived at the location where Dolly was reported to have been seen, they could not locate him.

Less than three hours later, police received a second call reporting a stolen Jeep Wrangler (valued at approximately $8,000) less than a quarter mile from where Dolly had been seen.

As officers began to search for the stolen vehicle, they were informed that Dolly had been arrested in Petersburg on other charges and outstanding warrants.

When questioned about the stolen vehicle, Dolly allegedly told officers that he had not been involved in the larceny of the Jeep, but told officers that he “may know someone who would know who took the Jeep, but only if it would benefit him in securing bond on his current charges.”

Read more: Man charged with stealing vehicle, breaking into another

Community comes together to revitalize a beautiful little town

The Town of Bayard hosted their first Hometown Christmas event, unveiling not only the Christmas decorations at the town park, but also celebrating the community and their hard work to bring new life to Bayard.

The event took place at the Bayard Veteran’s Memorial Park and marked an important celebration of a year filled with local accomplishments.

The efforts to revitalize Bayard started with the simple goal of adding flowers to the town’s community spaces, filling the small town with color.

“We do have a beautification committee and that really just started from wanting to put out flowers,” explained Patty Flanagan, a volunteer who helps to spearhead the beautification effort in the town. “That was Vonda Foltz’s idea and she suggested we try to raise some money and put flowers around town. And I thought it was a great idea.”

Flanagan explained that the group then went to the Grant County Commission to request some starter funds to begin the beautifi cation effort. This year, the commission provided funds for the town to purchase flowerpots and flowers.

From there, Flanagan said that the small group began attending Bayard Town Council meetings to begin growing and expanding their reach in the community.

Read more: Bayard celebrates first Hometown Christmas at Veteran’s Memorial Park

 The Petersburg City Council confirmed last week that this year’s Trick-or-Treat event will be held on Halloween night (Oct. 31) starting at 6 p.m.

The council asked that anyone interested in participating leave their porch lights on to let trick-or-treaters and their families know which households will be giving out sweets this year.

The announcement came during the council’s regularly scheduled Oct. 7 meeting.

Read more: Petersburg announces Trick-or- Treat date (Oct. 31, 6-8 p.m.)

 Grant County’s former ambulance director has filed a lawsuit claiming he was removed from the position due to whistle-blower retaliation and discrimination following an incident in which an ambulance driver illegally pulled a concealed firearm and physically punched a suspect during a domestic violence incident.

Robert Funk worked as the county’s Director of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) since August 2017 until February 2024 when he was removed from the position.

In the first section of his complaint, which was filed last month in the Grant County Circuit Court, Funk described an incident in 2020-21 when Grant County Ambulance was contacted by Grant Memorial Hospital and requested a mental hygiene patient be transported out of the county. After the transport, Funk contacted the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services and was advised not to transport mental hygiene patients in the future.

Read more: Former ambulance director files suit against the county, claims retaliation (Issue surrounding a...

 Grant County Schools will be hosting the Charleston Clay Center’s Clay2Go Outreach Exhibit, a large exhibit that offers interactive education and experience with scientific concepts.

Grant County Superintendent Mitch Webster said he saw the exhibit on display in another area and was impressed with the scientific interactivity and quickly began working to bring it to Grant County.

“There was a long wait list and a lot of work that goes into something like this, but I came back and went to Ms. [Linda] Carlson and asked if she would take this on and get it arranged, and she did, and I greatly appreciate that,” Webster explained.

Read more: Interactive science exhibit comes to Grant County from Charleston

 A local peer recovery coach and counselor was honored yesterday as a “Beacon of Hope” in the community, being awarded the 2024 Beacon of Hope award during a ceremony at Grant Memorial Hospital by the Mosaic Group.

Roger Dodd works not only with the Potomac Highlands Guild and the Russ Hedrick Resource and Recovery Center but also serves as a first contact for those hospitalized from overdose at Grant Memorial Hospital and Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser.

“Roger’s commitment to patients is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Marla Oros, the CEO of the Mosaic Group. “He embodies the essence of a peer recovery coach, tirelessly dedicating himself to guide individuals on their path to recovery from substance abuse. Roger’s role is not just about providing support, it’s about promoting health and preventing harm. He stands as a guardian for those who may have lost their way.”

Read more: Peer recovery counselor honored as a ‘Beacon of Hope’ in the community