Applause to the emergency crew workers who performed a water rescue, saving the lives of two individuals in Barbour County last week. The two individuals were rescued from the Tygart Valley River in the area of Cove Run late Thursday night, Barbour County officials said. A man and a woman were injured when they attempted to take a canoe over a section of the Tygart Valley River known as Wells Falls last week, said Dylan Harper, deputy director of the Barbour County Office of Emergency Management. The two were rescued from the Tygart Valley River in the area of Cove Run late in the evening. The Philippi Fire Department, Belington Fire Department, Junior Fire Department, Barbour County Sheriff’s Department, West Virginia State Police, Barbour County Ambulance Authority, and West Virginia Division of Natural Resource Police all participated in the rescue.

Applause to last week’s naturalization ceremony at the Jennings Randolph Federal Building in Elkins. Thirty-two individuals from 17 countries became new United States citizens during the event..Friends, family and members of the community filled the courtroom to honor and celebrate the event. The ceremony was presided over by United States Magistrate Judge Michael Aloi, the grandchild of an Italian immigrant himself, as he told the new citizens.

Applause to two new murals that have been painted in Elkins recently. The Wilson Street train bridge has received a makeover, now sporting the two new murals painted by local artists. The murals, by Haylie Young and Wilhelmina “Willa” McWhorter, fill spaces under the Wilson Street train bridge that were once covered in graffiti. The project’s coordinator, Desire Kniffen Watson, said this is one of several art projects she would like to work on around Elkins.

Applause to the eight new members who were inducted into the Our Town Inc. Rosie the Riveter Honor Roll during a special event last Saturday afternoon in Parrish Hall at St. Brendan Catholic Church. This year’s inductees into the Rosie the Riveter Honor Roll included: Olga “Jerry” Sneberger Ball, Jessie Lucille Roberson Demotto, Frankie Jean Stalnaker Sponaugle, Nola Nelson Tingler, Evalena See Isner, Gatha Lee Sharp McDaniel, Mary Elizabeth Bell Bosworth, and Mary M. Stankus Williams. Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon that represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II. Any woman who received pay for any essential work during war is considered a Rosie. Saturday’s was the fifth annual celebration hosted by Our Town to recognize women from the area who served their country during WWII. The theme for this year’s event was “going to the movie theater during WWII.” Our Town organizers were inspired by the former Manos Theater, which was once located in downtown Elkins, as the “setting” for the event. Those attending were treated to newsreels people would have been watching during that time period.