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Applause to all the volunteers who have worked to put together this week's 30th annual Coalton Days events, which will continue all day today, featuring the annual Vince Ross 5K Walk, Wood Chopping competition, Car Show and Cornhole Tournament, as well as the Firemen's, Car Show and Feature Parades. Today, food concessions, vendors and the rock climbing wall will open around 10 a.m., with carnival rides opening at 11 a.m. The Vince Ross 5K Walk begins at 8 a.m. in Coalton Park Saturday. The Wood Chopping competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the basketball court. The annual Car Show will begin at 10 a.m., with show registration opening at 9 a.m., and the Cornhole Tournament starting at 11 a.m. Ask Alice, a rock band from Clarksburg, will be performing in Coalton Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. This concert is also a free event. The Fireman's Parade is expected to begin at 3 p.m., followed by the Car Show and Feature Parades. Coalton Days is always fun time for the whole family, so take the opportunity to enjoy the festivities.
Applause to the second annual West Virginia Wild and Wonderful Celtic Festival and Highland Games, which brought competitions, food, music and great weather to 4-H Camp Pioneer last weekend. Last Saturday's full day of events kicked off with a 5k race, followed by a spate of Highland Games events, performances by Highland dancers, pipe and drum bands and other live entertainment, and a beer garden. The Highland Games competitions include many events, including a stone throw, a sheaf toss, a caber toss, a hammer throw, a tug of war, and a King of Stones throw. Live music throughout the day included performances from Faire May, Kinnfolk, the Devils Brigade, and Ally the Piper. The Festival concluded on Sunday with an Irish Road Bowling competition. Also on Sunday morning, a special Celtic church service was held at Beverly Presbyterian Church.
Applause to the organizers of a celebration of Joe Martin's life at Elkins City Hall last Saturday, which was attended by his family, friends and many who had worked alongside him in city and state
government. Martin served as Elkins' youngest city council member and mayor, and West Virginia's first Homeland Security advisor. Martin passed away Feb. 22 at his home in Charleston. Last Saturday would have been his 76th birthday. The City of Elkins dedicated a new flagpole to mark Martin's legacy. His daughter, Abbey Martin of Brooklyn, New York, was assisted by Elkins Fire Chief Steve Himes in running the U.S. and West Virginia flags up the pole. Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco read a proclamation declaring last Saturday Joe Martin III Day in the City of Elkins. Lynn Phillips, Gov. Jim Justice's regional representative, read a statement from Justice praising Martin's accomplishments. Also attending the ceremony were former state senator Mike Ross, former Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney Earl Maxwell, former Elkins Mayor Van Broughton, and former Elkins Fire Chief Tom Meader.
Applause to Randolph County resident Johnny Cochran, who will be inducted into the West Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Saturday, along with his family. Cochran, a renowned fiddler who played in the bands of country music legends George Jones, Johnny Paycheck and Lynn Anderson, is a four-time West Virginia State Fiddling Champion. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Sagebrush Roundup in Fairmont today. Also being inducted are his two brothers, Jimmy and Bert, and his sister Linda. All the siblings will perform during the ceremony. Cochran, who has lived in Randolph County for the last 16 years, began playing music at 3 years old, and by the age of 4 he was performing for the public on WWVA's live radio show and the "Wheeling Jamboree" broadcast from the old Capital Theatre.