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By Ty McClung 
West Virginia University
On a warm summer day in late May, about 100 people are waiting for their turn to go inside the Neighborhood S.H.O.P., located in the annex of Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia. 
Inside the S.H.O.P. – which stands for Showers Healthcare Outreach Program – they will find resources like naloxone, clothing, first-aid supplies, food, showers, and people offering services from rental to legal assistance. Director Derek Hudson says the no-barrier organization aids almost 2,000 people a month.

A Grant County man is facing multiple charges after he escaped from the back of a police cruiser, fled into the woods and discarded his ankle monitor along the way.
The incident occurred on  the afternoon of June 4 when officers with the Grant County Sheriff’s Department received  a call from the area of North Fork Highway about a possible probation/parole violation. 
Members of the probation and parole office received a tip that their parolee, Blake Michael Juker, 23, of 4534 North Fork Highway, had violated his supervised parole terms and conditions by possessing a firearm. The officers investigating the case noted that Juker had made threats toward law enforcement that he would kill them. 

During their June 26 meeting, the Grant County Commission discussed briefly the possibility of expanding the courthouse campus through the purchase of the Main Street United Methodist Church, located directly next to the existing courthouse facility. 
The commission said they had been informed that the church was likely to have their final service in the coming weeks and could potentially be looking to sell the building. 

New project to open on Valley Street in space leased from SRRDA

West Virginia University Medicine Grant Memorial Hospital (GMH) announced last week that work is underway to open a Rapid Care Walk-In Clinic in Petersburg on Valley Street. 
In cooperation with the Grant County Commission, the former Halterman building has been added to the existing lease agreement between the county and GMH. 

The recent rain has caused the riverways to rise throughout the region, posing a threat to those boating or kayaking. This was seen first hand last week when the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Company received a mutual aid call for a water rescue from the Seneca Rocks Volunteer Fire Department. Working together with SRVFD and other local agencies, crews were able to quickly coordinate efforts and bring the situation under control to get the victim to safety.

The Grant County Commission held a special meeting on June 18 to deal with confusion caused by last week’s Juneteenth holiday. 
The issue fell heavily along the holiday’s classification as a national holiday but not technically a state or “legal” holiday. In past years, the commission has followed the recommendation from former West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who declared the day a holiday for all state employees. However, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced earlier this month that his administration would not be recognizing the day as a state holiday, meaning state employees were expected to report to work. 

The Grant County Chamber of Commerce gathered in Cabins last week to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of Hillbilly Heaven Smoke Shack Cafe. 
The restaurant is owned and run by the Rodgers family, headed up by Cinda Chapman-Rodgers, her mother Paula Watkins and her daughter Latasha Rodgers. Together, the family serves a large variety of full breakfast, lunch and dinner specials that are all homemade. 

The Grant County Chamber of Commerce has announced the new round of their annual StartUp grant, aimed at supporting the growth and development of new and existing Grant County businesses. 
The grant was born in 2022, when  GCCC President Kirk Wilson asked his board to focus on a specific part of their mission “promote and advance the commercial, industrial, tourist and civic interests of the Grant County… and provide business leadership to improve the economic environment and to enhance the quality of life in Grant County.” He challenged them to come up with a way to encourage business growth in the area, specifically for entrepreneurs.