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CHARELSTON, W.Va. –Kanawha County voters will see two very familiar law enforcement names on the primary election ballot when they go to the polls. Sheriff Mike Rutherford is ending his long tenure of service to the county, so at year’s end there will be, literally, a new Sheriff in town.

Two Republicans want to fill the roll, Sean Crosier and Joe Crawford. Both have a long history of law enforcement service in Kanawha County.

Crosier started with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department in 1987 where he had a 27-year career and rose to the rank of Captain before he retired. Crosier said he comes from a long line of lawmen. His grandfather and father were DNR Conservation Officers in Monroe County and his dad served two terms as the Monroe County Sheriff.

Crawford is also a longtime lawman. He served 30-years on the St. Albans Police Force. He was with the department from 1987 to 2011 and the last six years was Chief. After his retirement, Crawford worked for the U.S. Marshal Service in the federal court security division. He spent time as the Chief of Police in the Putnam County town of Eleanor, worked as an investigator for state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office, and then became Chief of the Yeager Airport Police for two years. He returned to St. Albans to spend five more years as the city’s police chief for a second stint. Crawford is the current Chief Deputy for the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and has been in the position for the past three years.

Both candidates were complimentary of Sheriff Rutherford’s leadership and his ability to secure an increase in pay for deputies. Kanawha County is now the state’s highest paid Sheriff’s department and ranks high among all law enforcement in the state for pay rate.

“There’s been a good foundation laid and we have a lot of great men and women. I see recruiting and retention and we need to get the best and brightest. There’s a high expectation we have here at the Sheriff’s office and I want to maintain that,” said Crawford.

Crosier was equally adamant about recruiting and retention which is a challenge for all law enforcement.

“I think if we do a better job of recruiting and reach out to all of the colleges and try to hit former military guys because they always make good candidates because they are already squared away,” said Crosier.

Crosier wanted to also do more with community policing and getting the sheriff’s department to be more engrained in the areas where deputies patrol.

“Reconnect with the citizens to find out their needs in the neighborhood. Every time I go into neighborhoods and ask people if they know who their deputy is that patrols that area, they look at me funny, but they should know,” said Crosier.

Crawford said drugs continue to be a top priority for the department and will under his administration as well.

“The drug epidemic is not going to go away and we’re going to continue to fight that. We’re in a good position now with our federal partners to continue to combat the drug problem,” said Crawford.

Likewise, Crosier believed drugs along with mental health were key areas which need heightened attention.

“We have a huge mental health problem and I think it’s driving violence, driving the demand for drugs and we’ve lost an entire generation of children to drugs. We have to get back into the drug education business at all levels, elementary, middle and high schools,” said Crosier.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nurses in Charleston are being honored for their hard work amid Nurses’ Week and an ongoing shortage of them coming into the field.

Charleston Area Medical Center held a ceremony and luncheon in celebration of the national week recognizing the impact the sector of healthcare workers has on people’s lives Wednesday where they presented 80 nurses with the Award of Excellence in Professional Nursing.

This year’s theme was “Nurses Make the Difference” to honor various roles of nurses and the quality level of care that each one brings to the table.

CAMC Chief Nursing Officer Heidi Edwards said award recipients are nominated by peers and nurse leaders, which she said is truly a reflection of how it goes to those who exemplify skill and professionalism in the field.

“It’s the most incredible feeling to feel like you’re able to give back for a day for all that they give throughout the entire year,” Edwards said. “This award really does epitomize nursing from an excellence standpoint, from a value standpoint, how they care, how they nurture, and everything that nurses do.”

The 80 award recipients Wednesday covered RN’s and LPN’s throughout CAMC’s entire five-facility system, including Memorial Hospital, General Hospital, Women’s and Children’s, Teays Valley and Greenbrier Valley Medical Center as well as all of their ambulatory locations.

According to the West Virginia Hospital Association’s workforce report last year, the nursing field in the state began seeing shortages prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020, and CAMC has not been immune to those scarcities.

The association said nursing professions have a vacancy rate of 19.3% and a turnover rate of 26.3%.

However, Edwards said by honoring nurses at events like Wednesday’s is another step in helping to alleviate the shortage.

“As far as from a recruitment standpoint we do a lot of things for recruitment, but we have to remember retention as well, and by recognizing those that work with us who exemplify excellence and care for our patients every single day should be recognized, and this just gives us the opportunity to do that,” Edwards said.

Edwards said, however, that their recruitment efforts to attract more nurses and medical staff to the hospital has overall been going very well.

Rachel Persinger was one of the Registered Nurses at CAMC being presented an award Wednesday.

She said she was honored to receive the award, and after debating being a teacher, a lawyer, and a dental hygienist, she discovered that nursing was her true calling.

“I went to college at West Virginia Wesleyan and I went through their BSN and MSN program and I just kind of fell in love with the career of being a nurse, and I enjoy my patients and I enjoy CAMC, so it has just truly been a fulfilling career for me,” Persinger said.

Persinger said that they always welcome potential new recruits into CAMC if they’re interested in shadowing a nurse to get an idea of what the job entails.

She said they currently have job positions available that doesn’t require a nursing license, so this helps people decide if nursing is something they can really see themselves doing in the long run or not.

“If they like it, they can go through nursing school and CAMC can help them with tuition and then they can get a job with CAMC, so everything’s kind of set up, but they’ve got to get their feet wet first,” she said. “So, yes, there is an ongoing nursing shortage, but if people are interested then they just need to come knocking on our door and we’ll welcome them in.”

And Persinger said there has been at least one way they have made dealing with the shortage of nurses work for the past few years.

“We support each other, here at CAMC we support each other and we make it work, so that’s a really big blessing that has been there for me is getting the support from the administration, from a leader and my coworkers, there’s never a shortage of help,” said Persinger.

Edwards added that nurses are very special people who leave a significant impact on the lives of others.

“If you’ve ever been in the hospital, if you’ve ever been sick and you know the way a nurse makes you feel and you never forget your nurse, that’s the difference that they make, because they’re your one advocate, they’re the person who’s with you the entire time,” said Edwards.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When the owners of Bogey’s Driving Range in Tornado opened their doors in 2017, they never thought they would eventually expand their food offerings to Charleston.

An indoor vendor spot opened at Capitol Market last year after the owners of Fresh Seafood Company retired. After an extensive search process of more than 50 applicants, Bogey’s was selected to occupy the space.

Bogey’s owner Andrew Ford slicing fresh meat. Carrie Hodousek/MetroNews

The BBQ style restaurant comes with a new name: Bogey’s at Capitol Market.

Capitol Market Executive Director Evan Osborn said during a Wednesday announcement welcoming Bogey’s is a big deal. The market hasn’t had a new indoor vendor in more than 10 years.

Osborn said selecting Bogey’s was a no-brainer.

“We had a unanimous favor and that was Bogey’s,” he said. “I think this is going to be the next evolution of the market. It’s going to situate us to be in this community for years to come.”

Bogey’s primary location is situated on the Big Bend Golf Course. Along with a driving range, the restaurant offers BBQ style food with outdoor seating and live concerts in the summer time.

At Capitol Market, Bogey’s co-owner and operator Andrew Ford said they’ll offer new menu items as well as a full bar seating area where guests can watch them cook and slice fresh meats.

“We have a really wide selection for this market, so everybody can enjoy something, not just barbeque,” Ford said. “We do a lot of smoked meats and wood-fired grill stuff. We’re going to have our beef ribs, our pork belly burnt ends. We’ve got a little bit of a unique flavor.”

Customers can also enjoy Bogey’s grilled shrimp tacos, tri-tip Philly, fire-roasted corn, as well as their award-winning hot dog with mustard, smoked chili, homemade slaw and onion. Their hot dog was named the best in the state by Taste WV.

Evan Osborn

Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin was at Wednesday’s announcement where she applauded Bogey’s for their success.

“These are local guys with a big passion. They’re in what I love to call ‘the heart’ of the Capital City. Being here and serving what they have at the Capital Market, this is going to be the place to go,” Goodwin said.

Ford said he and co-owner Jay Nelson have been working to build their brand over the last several years and it’s paying off.

“We’ve worked really hard building our business up in Tornado and trying to get to all these events. This is just a testament

to all of our local customers and people that love our place,” Ford said.

The mayor said the opening of Bogey’s in Charleston will serve as a bright spot with recent restaurant closures in the city. Tidewater Grill and the Chop House at the Charleston Town Center Mall, as well as Bridge Road Bistro in South Hills closed last month.

Amy Shuler Goodwin

“This is so amazing for the City of Charleston. When we talk about oh, this restaurant is closing. Every single time you turn around in the City of Charleston, there is amazing opportunity that’s happening. There are businesses just like Bogey’s that are opening,” Goodwin said.

Osborn said Bogey’s will enhance what the Capitol Market is known for.

“What they’re bringing to the market is a lot of what make the market so special and that’s authenticity, doing it right and small batch, trying to do things by hand. Just like our farmers that bring flowers this time of year to the market, they’re working to bring something special,” he said.

In addition to offering lunch options, the restaurant will feature daily specials and catering options.

Bogey’s at Capitol Market will join eight other indoor vendors including Soho’s, WV Marketplace, Johnnie’s Fresh Meat Market, Mea Cuppa Coffeebar, Holl’s Chocolate, The Wine & Cheese Shop, Sushi Garden and The Purple Onion Fruit & Veggie Co.

Bogey’s hopes to open at Capitol Market later this summer.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Plans are still in place for the City of Charleston’s riverfront and Kanawha Boulevard to see some transformation.

The Charleston Capital Connector Project will convert a 3.5 mile stretch of the Kanawha Boulevard along the riverfront from the West Side to the East End. The main stretch of transformation for the project will be from Magic Island to the 35th Street Bridge.

Those who spend some of their time along the Boulevard, whether it’s running, walking their dog or walking by themselves, attended the first of a few planned public meetings regarding the Capital Connector Project Tuesday evening in Charleston. City officials and GAI Consultants, Inc. laid out to residents the plan they have over the next few months for attacking the project.

Landscape Architect with GAI James Yost detailed some of the conceptual plans they have for the Boulevard which they want to make more accessible. The plans include possibilities for expanded sidewalks, bike lanes and two or three-lane traffic. Initial meetings with stakeholders in the city began in April.

“We’ve already had different meetings with city staff so that we can understand some of the constraints from them,” he said.

Yost is a Charleston native who studied at WVU. He’s previously worked on other projects in the city, but said this project in particular is one he’s really excited about.

“I run the boulevard regularly so I’m aware of some of the constraints that we have out there and some of the issues with getting over to it,” Yost said.

GAI will take the feedback they get through their surveys from residents who are frequent users of the boulevard and use it during their design process over the next few months.

“We will come back to you again to make sure and see that we got things right,” said Yost. “You’ll be able to nitpick us a little bit more.”

Yost expects his team to come up with a master plan sometime around September and submit that to the city for review by November. At least two other public meetings will happen before there is final submitted plan from GAI.

“We will make sure we do our best to get everything right,” Yost told folks Tuesday. “We’re not going to be able to fit everything in but we’re going to try our best to make this the best possible riverfront that we can for the City of Charleston.”

Having wider sidewalks and better overall access to the water were some of the key ideas people brought up at the meeting. Some also mentioned having a kayak and rental boat launch area for Kanawha River and upgrading the steps that take people from the roadway down right next to the river.

Regardless, the sense from people about what Kanawha Boulevard and the riverfront can end up looking like in Charleston is positive. The word “potential” seemed to be a common theme Tuesday.

As GAI gets further into the design and planning process, other members of the team will look into additional sources of funding including grants for the project. Yost, who’s also the Project Manager, expects the design process to take around one year.

Last year, U.S Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito helped in securing a $1.75 million RAISE (Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure for Sustainability and Equity) Grant from the U.S Department of Transportation to get initial planning for the project up and running.

Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said the city has also applied for a $25 million construction grant. She said this project will help make the City of Charleston a more “bikeable and walkable city.”

“This is just one step to get us there,” she said. “This is going to change the face of out waterfront.”

A public survey from GAI is still live and will be through July.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission has approved two separate investment bankers/placement agents to assist with the bonds for both the Judicial Building and the future Capital Sports Center.

A five-person committee conducted interviews with the four candidate companies who sent in proposals for the two projects and reviewed their proposals. Committee members decided to go with two different candidates for the two bonds instead of choosing one for both.

The committee, which included County Manager Jennifer Herrald, recommended Carty and Company to be involved with bonds for the Kanawha County Judicial Building renovations. Commissioners approved of that motion. Committee members narrowed down the choice for the Judicial Building renovations to Carty and Company and Huntington Securities, Inc., but Carty stood out to them more.

“Carty had a better presentation in our thoughts,” Herrald told commissioners. “They were going to be able to put out an RFP (request for proposal) to all the local banks to get the best interest rate for us.”

According to Herrald, Carty and Company is going to seek a five year call for refinance with no penalty for the commission and the renovations. They’ve previously done deals with Berkeley County and Kanawha County.

Greg Isaacs is Senior Managing Director for Carty. He was at the commission meeting Tuesday and spoke to commissioners.

“It is a public issue and everything is transparent so we will show you comparables,” Isaacs told the commission.

Piper Sandler was recommended by staff and approved by commissioners to be involved with the Capital Sports Center project. Carty and Company was also considered for the bond assistance for the sports center.

Piper Sandler is also working with the City of Charleston and has become familiar with Capital Sports Center project. Herrald said their proposal is for the county to own one portion of the property and the city to own the other.

“This would be a lease revenue bond that would allow the revenue from the Capital Sports Center to come in and allow us to pay the bond with those revenues,” said Herrald.

Joe Nassif, Managing Director at Piper Sandler, said they will seek financing from local investors and banks for the project.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A couple of familiar names will be on the Democratic ballot for Kanawha County voters. Longtime Kanawha Couunty Commissioner Kent Carper is seeking reelection, but is being challenged for the Democratic nomination by former Secretary of State Natalie Tennant.

Carper has endured some public humiliation in recent months amid allegations of inappropriate behavior in a public park. The allegations rose to an investigation by Charleston city police. A special prosecutor was appointed to the matter, but no charges related to the investigation have ever been filed. Regardless, it’s an issue in the campaign which Carper addressed this way:

Kent Carper

“I would say take a look at my record and take a look at people who know me and who I am,” Carper told 580-WCHS. “Sometimes it’s difficult to explain things you just can’t explain because there is no way in the world you can satisfy some people’s appetite for vicious politics.”

Carper’s health had been an issue as well. He’s a kidney transplant recipient and had other concerns, but has been on the mend and after an extended absence returned to his position on the county commission and continued to work. Carper said he considered stepping down, but made the decision to give it another try at the request of supporters.

“People came to me and asked me to run. Supporters and some who hadn’t supported me in the past. So I discussed it with my family and thought I’d give it consideration and I did. It’s up to the voters of the county,” he said.

Tennant said she came to the candidacy in a similar fashion having not even considered running until she was asked.

“It was a groundswell. I’ve had many people in the community and county who came to me about six or eight months ago and asked me to please run for county commission or to just consider it,” she said. “I took their request seriously and looked at it and here I am.”

Natalie Tennant

Tennant noted she brings diversity to the race and pointed out a woman had never been elected to the Kanawha County Commission in history. She added said she had stayed away from Carper’s side issues in her campaign.

“I know Commissioner Carper and his family and I love his family. A lot of people have asked me about his situation and I really don’t have any information about it. I just run the way I run,” she said.

Tennant said she believed she had the enthusiasm and the right ideas to help the county move ahead. She added her experience in public service equipped her for the job.

“I’m hearing a lot of needs, concerns, and ideas and that’s what I bring is an open, spirited attitude,” she said.

Carper said he is proud of his record and is particularly proud of the county’s financial situation.

“The finances of the county are rock solid. I’ve led and written the budgets for the last 20-some years and I can tell you Kanawha County is debt free today,” he said.

Carper however believed his expertise in the area of budgeting will be needed as the county prepares to forge ahead with required remodeling of the county’s judicial building.

“That’s going to cost Millions of dollars and there’s a serious concern I have about the finances of the county, ” he said.

The winner of the Democratic nomination will face opposition in November.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — School officials and law enforcement officers are saying that as kid’s lives are increasingly spent online, improving its safety regulations are more important than ever before.

School safety officers, superintendents, principals, teachers and other board members from 15 counties were learning about online threats to children as well as the increased amount in the real-world in Charleston on Tuesday during the regional school safety meetings.

Hosted by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), the conference brought in officials from the FBI and the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security to share information about new technology and programs available for each school system to utilize in helping to protect kids from these virtual and real-world threats.

One presentation being conducted by an FBI representative was highlighting some of the bureau’s community outreach programs available in West Virginia.

Will Hosaflook

These programs included a Teen Academy, Safe Schools Initiative, Active Shooter Training, Opioid Abuse Awareness, and Social Media Awareness. The latter of the programs regarding social media posed a major issue to be discussed Tuesday– how to monitor and protect kids of its usage.

Jackson County School Superintendent, Will Hosaflook told MetroNews that social media has had a huge impact on children’s lives, and it’s important for adults to stay involved.

“I stress this all of the time, especially in Jackson County and to our principals in the county is that parents just have to be so diligent these days with the social media aspect, I mean the digital footprint is so, so important,” Hosaflook said.

Hosaflook said indulging in the online world can be a risk for anyone with the multitude of hackers and predators that are out there pretending to be someone they’re not, however, he said kids can be particularly vulnerable.

He said there are simple steps parents, teachers, and guardians can take, however, to better protect kids’ online exposure, such as making sure their privacy settings are on , or monitoring exactly who they are talking to.

Hosaflook said Tuesdays’ presentations were eye-opening for school administrators as it talked about just how vulnerable kids can be online.

“What we learned today, especially with the FBI, there are predators out there, there are certain groups being formed that actually prey on our children, get them to send them a picture or something that could possibly be inappropriate and hold that over their head, which causes children to have anxiety and do things that they normally would not do,” he said.

Hosaflook said that Jackson County Schools are already starting to incorporate one new school safety program mentioned during Tuesdays’ meeting.

He said they have partnered with the Cooke Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that addresses various issues in schools and works to meet their needs. On May 20, they plan to join the organization for a social media awareness night where they will present on two parents laying out what to look for regarding their children’s’ social media activity and how to be diligent in making sure they are staying safe online.

Mingo County Schools Superintendent Dr. Johnny Branch said the impact social media has on students in Mingo County is no different.

“We see students who are either victims of social media misuse or abuse, or we see students who are involved in misusing social media to make other people uncomfortable or maybe to hurt someone,” Branch said.

Johnny Branch

He said by working with school counselors, resource and prevention officers, as well as the state police, the school system has already been trying to boost kids and families’ awareness of their social media activity.

And at each school, Branch said every student is given a device that has filtering software integrated into it to monitor the students’ online activity.

He said there’s so many threats coming from many directions, and it’s sometimes difficult for adults to keep track of everything their child could potentially be exposed to.

“I don’t think parents realize the extent to which people even outside of this country will go to get information on their kids, and will use that to hurt them, to bring them harm,” said Branch.

A fairly new unit that has been around for only about a year now, Brian Brown is an officer with the Capitol Police School Safety Unit. He said online safety is something that has been a concern for kids’ safety for practically as long as the internet has been established, but that concern is only growing.

“I’m a retired state trooper so we saw that a lot with the state police also,” he said. “We have a small Crimes Against Children Unit also in the state police when I was with them, but that’s definitely an area of safety that needs addressed.”

Brown said one of the new groups that’s of particular concern online for kids today that the FBI noted is called the ‘764,’ a violent extremist group who is involved in sextortion and the creation and distribution of child sexual exploitation.

Tuesday marked the first of three more meetings WVDE will hold with the FBI to address these concerns to counties around the state.

Tuesday’s meeting covered Boone, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, Putnam, Roane, Wayne, Wirt, and Wood counties.

The rest of the school safety meetings will be held in the following locations:

Friday, May 10 – White Palace at Wheeling Park, Wheeling
Barbour, Brooke, Doddridge, Hancock, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Preston, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Wetzel counties

Monday, May 13 – West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg
Braxton, Fayette, Gilmer, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Summers, Webster, Wyoming counties

Thursday, May 16 – West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB)
Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, Pendleton, Randolph, Tucker counties and the WVSDB

Park Place Stadium Cinemas has been a fixture in downtown Charleston since 1981. (Photo/MetroNews)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A 43-year entertainment venue in downtown Charleston has closed its doors.

The owners of Park Place Stadium Cinemas announced on Facebook Tuesday that it closed its doors at the end of business Monday.

“This decision wasn’t easy, but unfortunately, declining business and the high cost of necessary upgrades have made it unavoidable,” the message said.

The owners, the Hyman family of Huntington, thanked their patrons who have watched movies at the Washington Street East location since 1981.

“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who has been part of our journey. Your support, laughter, and shared moments have made the Park Place Cinemas an enduring part of the Charleston community,” Park Place said.

Owner Derek Hyman told MetroNews it’s a tough business.

“We are not unique. This is something that is happening in the theatre business. There are other theatres closing down. We have theatre we closed in Cincinnati just last week,” Hyman said.

Covid hurt Park Place but also competition, Hyman said.

“They (number of patrons) dropped off recently because of covid but they also dropped off when Marquee (Southridge-based Marquee Cinemas) put the loungers (lounge chairs) in their theatre and we’d have to do the same thing which would be quite expensive,” Hyman said.

He said putting the specialized chairs in Park Place’s 11-theatres would cost about $1 million. Hyman said he’s still waiting on a profit from a $2.5 million renovation they company did in 1999.

“Whether or not we got all of the money back—it would be close. I could probably done just as well putting money in the Stock Market,” he said. “But that is what needed to be done at that time and unfortunately every 20 years or so someone comes up with a new idea and we have to go out and spend a million dollars to do.”

Good memories

Park Place was the first theatre with more than two screens to make its way to the state’s Capital City. There was a two-screen theatre at Plaza East on Charleston’s East End and a multi-screen theatre in Kanawha City.

St. Albans resident Amy Young remembers frequently coming to Park Place when she was growing up.

“A lot of good memories here back in the day,” she said outside the theatre Tuesday. “When you came here was a big treat to come see movies and I can remember as a kid coming to see cartoon films, theer was one with a little mouse called Fievel (The American Tail) and I really like that movie. I don’t know why I remember that one.”

South Charleston resident Daniel Mead saw ‘Return to the Jedi’ at Park Place in 1983. He said he hates to see it close.

“It was a great place to have a date and it was just enjoyable to watch the movies back then,” Mead said.

Both Mead and Young are hopeful recent updates in downtown Charleston will attract something else in the space.

“It is sad to see it close considering all of the work they are going to put into the mall for the youth (Capitol Sports Center). I could see that revitalizing places like this downtown,” Young said.

Future buyer?

Current owners said they hope someone will buy the property and reopen it.

“As we say goodbye, we hold onto hope that a new operator will see the potential in the Park Place and bring it back to life. We believe in the power of community and the magic of the movies, and we hope to see the lights of Park Place shine once again.” the Facebook message said.

Hyman said they’ve checked around for some possible buyers but they’ve had no takers. It said it would probably take a while considering the current climate.

A statement from Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said the city will begin looking for a new tenant.

“The City has made improvements to the theater space over the last couple of years, including major improvements in the garage.

“It is our understanding all of the movie-related equipment will remain, so we are hopeful another operator will be interested in locating downtown. Foot traffic and business have both increased in this area and are expected to continue increasing with the construction of the Capital Sports Center and major improvements in the Business Improvement District. We are hopeful to find a partner that shares our vision for the future of our Downtown,” Goodwin said.

The End

Hyman said he’s sorry he had to close Park Place abruptly Monday night but that was the best way.

“If we had told our staff they would have all disappeared and had jobs within a week or two. The managers are all getting severance pay and the regular people are getting a couple of weeks of pay,” he said.

Hyman was a teenager when his father opened Park Place in 1981. He would later take over the business. He said it’s been a good life. Hyman said he hopes Park Place will be remembered for the good times it provided for movie-goers and how it helped downtown Charleston. The biggest accomplishment?

“I would say bringing hundreds of thousands of people downtown for years and years,” he said.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A few members of Charleston City Council are still in disagreement on how the city handled the investigation of former Chief of Police Tyke Hunt.

Hunt returned to paid medical leave Monday after serving a 20-day suspension for violating police department policies. Hunt has been accused by two women of inappropriate conduct while he was Chief of Police. An internal investigation returned a 10-day suspension without pay for each complaint of sexual misconduct alleged against Hunt.

Tyke Hunt

On the same day, council met at City Hall where Shannon Snodgrass, who has repeatedly been a critic of the city’s handling of the investigation with Hunt, brought it up again at the end of the meeting. She said the city has failed to protect the two women who filed the complaints, Chelsea McCoy and Jenny Harless.

“Sadly, this body, this administration and this mayor has let down these two women” Snodgrass said.

Snodgrass brought up the recent action by the mayor in Dunbar in Kanawha County who suspended a police officer accused of sexual misconduct. The information of the case was handed over to the prosecuting attorney’s office and involved an outside investigation. The actions of the mayor were made within days of the allegations being made. She said this is what Charleston city officials should have done.

Shannon Snodgrass

“This is what transparency looks like,” Snodgrass said in reference to the city of Dunbar.

“This is what this administration did not do,” Snodgrass said referencing the city of Charleston.

Hunt resigned as Chief of Police in August 2023. He was also demoted from lieutenant to corporal when he first went on medical leave.

Council member Shannon Snodgrass called for Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin to send all files relating to the investigation of Tyke Hunt to the county prosecuting attorney’s office.

“There is a file currently sitting in the prosecuting attorney’s office on the Harless case, but not on the McCoy case,” according to Snodgrass.

Chelsea McCoy is a former officer who is suing the city of Charleston. She alleged that Hunt tampered with her polygraph results during her departmental application process in exchange for sex in the polygraph examination room. McCoy also alleged to having sex with Hunt in the chief’s office.

The complaint from Jenny Harless alleges that Hunt made sexual advances toward her in his office in 2022.

The Gazette-Mail first reported that the Charleston Police Department’s Professional Services Division did not find that Hunt had violated the department’s Workplace Violence, Harassment & Discrimination policy. They said Hunt was disciplined twice for Unbecoming Conduct and that he also violated the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.

Snodgrass said the city is playing a “cat and mouse game” with the situation.

“Send all the files to the prosecuting attorney’s office for a full review. Why not?” Snodgrass asked.

Council member Beth Kerns piggybacked off of the remarks from Snodgrass. She said the standard has been lowered for other police officers since the allegations came to light last summer.

“This is sending the wrong message to other women in our city and to those that serve our city legally and responsibly,” said Kerns.

Meanwhile, council member Jeanine Faegre said the issue is like “beating a dead horse.”

“I think that we should all sit on our hands for a bit instead of worrying about who and what and why Tyke Hunt is doing what he has done or allegedly done,” Faegre said in response.

Amy Shuler Goodwin

Faegre also claimed council member Shannon Snodgrass has been on a smear campaign against “the female mayor.”

“I find it insulting that this is all you (Snodgrass) have to preach on,” said Faegre. “I would like to know what you’re doing for your ward to be quite honest.”

In an appearance on “580 Live” with Dave Allen Monday morning, Goodwin supported the decision that came from current Police Chief Scott Dempsey in the internal investigation involving Hunt. She also previously said it was the right decision for Hunt to step down as chief last August.

“I have confidence in our chief of police and I stand by him,” said Goodwin. “Our head and our heart are always in the right place and my moral compass are never off and that’s what I have to go on.”

The mayor did not comment on the remarks made by any of the three council members who spoke at the end of the meeting.

During their meeting Monday night, City Council also passed a bill to amend the Municipal Code that would update requirements and penalties for bicycle riders and motorized vehicles. The change is in preparation for the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships happening in the city May 14-19.

Also, the city agreed to purchase $81,321 worth of body armor from Atlantic Diving Supply for the Charleston Fire Department. pursuant The deal will help replace expired gear and add additional gear to CFD.

There was also a purchase agreed upon for 13 sets of replacement Turnout personal protective equipment for the fire department. That deal is with Witmer Public Safety for $62,000 to replace damaged gear and to purchase personal protective equipment for new hires.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Board of Education has recognized Trinity Resler as the 2024 KCS Counselor of the Year.

Resler is about to complete her first year as counselor at Nitro Elementary. She previously served as counselor for five years at St. Albans High School.

“I’m in shock,” said Resler after being honored Monday. “If I am any good, it’s a reflection of all the great people I work with.”

Resler started with Kanawha County Schools fourteen years ago as a classroom support aide.

Congratulations to Trinity Resler for being named the 2024 KCS Counselor of the Year. She is completing her first year at Nitro Elementary after serving for many years at St. Albans High School. She started with KCS fourteen years ago as an aide. Congratulations, Trinity! pic.twitter.com/z7Tvd42eb5

— Kanawha County (@KCBOE) May 6, 2024

“With a heart full of passion and a spirit of resilience, Trinity climbed the ranks, earning the respect and admiration of her peers along the way,” said Superintendent of Kanawha County Schools Dr. Tom Williams.

Williams went on to say that Resler has set herself apart over the years as a down-to-earth individual in the school system who cares about all who are around.

“What truly sets her apart is her genuine kindness,” he said. “Despite her accolades, she remains refreshingly humble.”