Live Downtown - Work Downtown - Play Downtown

Have you noticed the "new" look on 3rd Avenue in front of the Pullman Plaza Hotel and Pullman Square? The street has been paved and new traffic lines and directional graphics on the new asphalt are easy to read and understand. But the really neat things that catch your immediate attention are the colorful banners that encourage "Live Downtown", Work Downtown" and "Play Downtown." What a progressive look we are seeing in the promotion and development of downtown Huntington!

A tip of our hats to those who are making our city better! Hoooo-ah!

Wayne County Landowner Seeks Help To Battle Illegal Dumping

A landowner in Wayne County called me after learning that I had been successful in obtaining assistance for property owners who are victims of illegal dumping. Although I focus my efforts on Huntington and Cabell County, I agreed to visit the area along Brumfield Ridge Road, which is located along Route 75 in Wayne County.

I took scores of digital photos all along this unpaved state road and was appalled at what I saw. I will be sending the photos to the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection and request that they proceed with installing video equipment for obtaining evidence that will lead to the prosecution of the perpetrators of these acts of environmental terrorism. The signs were placed as a deterrent to dumping. The signs have not worked, obviously! Notice the amount of the fine posted on the sign - up to $50,000. I say, "Let the fines begin!" It will take thousands of dollars to clean up the environmental disaster on this Wayne County Road. First, we must stop the current and future dumping. Then, the cleanup must occur. I bring this to your attention, because this road in Wayne County is just one example of the proliferation of illegal dumps in the rural areas of Cabell and Wayne counties. In addition, Huntington has many illegal dumps within the city's limits. Our responsibility to future generations is that we get this blight under control! Enforcement must be stepped up now!

"Act like you give a damn!"

While walking toward the Keith Albee Performing Arts Center on 4th Avenue, I overheard an elderly gentleman say to a group of teenagers, one of whom had just thrown a fast food wrapper on the sidewalk, "Young man, pick that up and throw it in that trash can. At least, act like you give a damn!"

The young man did, in fact, pick up the litter and disposed of it in one of the big black trash receptacles that are showing up all over the downtown area. The container was within ten feet of him.

Would that every person who thoughtlessly litters our streets and sidewalks would "act like you give a damn."

Some Property Owners Are Ilegally Claiming Homestead Exemption

Anonymous said...

Richard, even worse, there are many illegal apartments that still get the Homestead Exemption. The real shame of it all is that it would be so easy to identify the majority of the illegal apartments. All it would take is somebody driving around looking for multiple house numbers or mailboxes on a supposedly single family structure. It seems like the county assessor and city should work together on this issue. The landlords of these apartments are likely committing tax fraud to both the city, county, state, and IRS. I can guarantee the majority of them aren't reporting the rent as income. Trust me, there are a lot of people who would love to report this kind of stuff but don't know where to go or who to contact.
3:54 PM, May 29, 2008

If you are aware of a property that has been sub-divided and the owner is claiming Homestead Exemption, contact Mr. Tom Bell who heads up the Cabell County Tax Department. His number is 526-8672.

If you do not get a positive response to your request to have the tax department investigate to determine if the property is claiming a Homestead Exemption when it does not qualify, call me at 523-7902. I will take your information anonymously, investigate it myself and bring the violation to the attention of the public right here on our blog.

Thanks for caring.

Forward-thinking solution for illegal dumping

This photo shows an illegal dump underneath the 17th Street West Huntington Bridge. As quickly as the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) cleans it up, a new dump appears.

Local community activist, John Queen, made this comment elsewhere on our blog concerning his forward-thinking solution for eliminating illegal dumping. He is right-on!

"Mr. Cobb: Been posting about some (legal) dump sites that we could create to provide disposal sites around the city where we could use containers to make it easy to dump, instead of the alleys. I saw one in Warfield, Ky. They built an entrance where you can drive up, show city I.D. and back your truck to three large containers. They charge $5.00 a load. The thing pays for itself. It's used so much they have opened several more in Martain County.

If volunteers would offer to man the sites, it could really help attacking trash. It would take some investment, but with all the money we spend in CDBG money this might be an idea. Have run it by the city, but no forward thinking. Thought it might be something (in which) you would be interested." (Edited)

John Queen

The Cabell County Solid Waste Authority, the Cabell County Government and the Huntington City Council should meet and work out a plan to provide decentralized solid waste stations for citizens to dispose of solid waste in an orderly manner.