The following meeting information concerning local news, activities, and events organized by groups other than the CCSJ is updated at the beginning of each calendar month. Please check with the originating organization because of likely cancellations or changes since they were originally posted here. See Regional News for non-CCSJ news, activities, and events organized and/or taking place outside the Morgantown area.
Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP voter guide
As a nonpartisan organization, the Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP distributed questionnaires to every candidate running to represent our community at the state and federal levels. All responses are included on their website page.
City of MORGANTOWN TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY POLICING
The City of Morgantown set up a Special Committee on Community Policing. Tim Hairston represented us. The committee presented its resolution for a board to the Morgantown City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on August 25th.
A resolution considering approval was approved at the September 1 City Council meeting. Meetings are every Wednesday at 3 p.m. by Zoom, and all are welcome to attend. Agendas and call-in information are posted here.
YOUR VOTE MATTERS
It is time to plan for the general election. Everyone can apply for an absentee ballot and check the first box- “Illness, injury or other medical reason which keeps me confined” as your rationale. The applications are preprinted to include COVID-19 as a reason to apply.
Ballots will be mailed out beginning on September 18th. Editorial comment: Please return your ballot as soon as you know your choices to avoid any problems with delays anywhere in the process.
The website to request an absentee ballot is now live here. You can apply electronically at this site or print the application and mail it yourself to the county clerk.
You may also contact the county clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot. The phone number for the Monongalia County County Clerk’s office is 304-291-7230. You can hand deliver your completed ballot through November 2nd.
Please note that, at “press time,” there are no plans to automatically mail an application for an absentee ballot to every registered voter. If you want to vote absentee, you must apply for a ballot.
Other important deadlines for the election are:
October 8 – 14, 2020 - Sample ballots published in local newspapers throughout the state (publication dates will vary by county).
October 13, 2020 - Voter Registration Deadline
October 21 – October 31, 2020 - Early Voting at the county courthouse, annex or designated community voting location during normal business hours and Saturdays 9AM to 5PM.
October 27 – November 2, 2020 - Official List of Candidates or Sample Ballot published in local newspapers throughout the state (publication dates will vary by county).
October 28, 2020 - Deadline for Absentee by Mail Application. Absentee applications received after October 28, even if postmarked, cannot be accepted by law.
November 2, 2020 - Deadline to hand-deliver Absentee Ballot to County Clerk’s office.
November 3, 2020 - General Election Day
November 4, 2020 - Absentee Ballots mailed, but without a postmark accepted.
November 9, 2020 - (Canvass) - Absentee Ballot postmarked by Election Day accepted if received by start of Canvass.
CITY OF MORGANTOWN LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATION
The Mayor And City Council Of Morgantown Released A LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH Proclamation On June 2, 2020. A Copy Of The PDF Can Be Downloaded At This Link.
SUPPORT LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Do you want to “do something” to help in this difficult time when we are supposed to be staying at home? If so, we are suggesting that the following local organizations might benefit from any financial assistance you are able to provide as they help people in need in the Morgantown-Monongalia County area. As far as we know, all are 501 (c) (3) organizations so contributions would be deductible to the extent allowed by law:
Bartlett Housing Solutions (Bartlett House): Link. 10 West Run Road, Suite 200, Morgantown, WV 26508, (304) 292-0101, info@bartletthouse.org
Caritas House: Link. 391 Scott Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26508, (304) 985-0021.
Christian Help: Link. 219 Walnut Street, Morgantown, WV 26505, In-Kind Contributions / Collection Drives: information@motownchristianhelp.com, (304) 296-0221; Financial Contributions: finance@motownchristianhelp.com, (304) 296-0221 Ext. 11.
Community Kitchen, Inc. At Trinity Episcopal Church: Link. P.O. Box 922, Morgantown, WV 26507.
Empty Bowls Monongalia: Link. 7 Rousch Drive, Westover, WV 26501, (304) 241-5510
Milan Puskar Health Right: Link. 341 Spruce Street, Morgantown, WV 26505, (304) 292-8234, info@mphealthright.org
Morgantown Area Meals on Wheels: Link. 3375 University Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26505, (304) 599-1954, morgantownareamow@gmail.com.
The Pantry Plus More: Link. 9 Rousch Drive, Westover, WV 26501, (304) 282-1123, info@pantryplusmore.org.
Scotts Run Settlement House: Link. P.O. Box 590, Pursglove, WV 26546, (304) 599-5020 for email form.
The Shack Neighborhood House: Link. P.O. Box 600 Pursglove, WV 26546, (304) 599.5466 for email form.
United Way's list of food and hunger sites: Link.
Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc., Emergency Impact Fund for North Central West Virginia: Link. P.O. Box 409, Morgantown WV 26507, 304-296-3433
FREE COVID-19 TESTING
To increase the COVID-19 testing opportunities for minorities and other vulnerable populations, the Governor's Office, the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs, WV Department of Health and Human Resources, WV National Guard and community partners are providing FREE, optional testing for residents in counties with high minority populations and evidence of COVID-19 transmission.
This testing is available to all individuals in selected counties, including asymptomatic individuals. Proof of insurance is NOT required. Identification, such as a driver’s license or proof of address, will be required to be tested. Those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. See the DHHR website for more information.
MORGANTOWN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
The next regular meeting should be Thursday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. in the Public Safety Building Conference Room on Spruce Street. You can get information on the commission, including information on filing complaint forms here, copies of the agendas and minutes for the commission meetings here, and a calendar of annual human rights observances here.
GREATER MORGANTOWN INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION (GMIA)
No updated information was available about future meetings at "press time.”
You can follow GMIA on Facebook or on the web. The email address is morgantowninterfaith@gmail.com.
eague of Women Voters
"The League of Women Voters of Morgantown-Monongalia County is working on various ways to encourage voting and to celebrate the 19th amendment SOMEHOW given that all our celebrations were cancelled. People are encouraged to travel down High Street to check out the banner, which was funded by donations from the community and from donors to WV Women Vote and its member organizations. We will announce events as we get them finalized."
The League is working with the Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP, Mountaineers for Progress, and PFLAG to sponsor local candidate Zoom forums. Once candidates confirm their interest, the interviews will be recorded via Zoom and will be available to the public as soon as possible.
The first interview, with Jeff Arnett and Ed Hawkins as candidates for the Monongalia County Commission is available here.
The virtual forum for candidates for the 51st District of the West Virginia House of Delegates will be on October 8th.
The WV Women Vote speaker series included a presentation with Ellie Smeal, past president of NOW, on August 26, Women’s Equality Day. You can see it here
MORGANTOWN NOW CHAPTER
Follow this group on Facebook. The next meeting will be a video conference call on October 13th at 7:00 p.m. Details and information on the link see their weekly newsletter of email morgantownnow@gmail.com.
Morgantown NOW has also started “Timeline Tuesdays, a “20 part series, created by an all-volunteer team from the WV Women Vote Coalition of Morgantown. Our series will illustrate important events in the history of WV and the USA as they relate to voting.” You can access these videos from the Facebook page.
Morgantown NOW is selling stylish VOTE masks for $7.00 each with cash or check made payable to Morgantown NOW. To order one, please email Lynda Goldberg at withay@goldilox.us.
PFLAG MORGANTOWN
The October General meeting will be on October 13th, at 6:00 p.m. For call-in information, please email secretary@pflagmorgantown.org.
October 10th: Raising Trans Kids Meeting, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. “This meeting is for parents, guardians, and families who are raising transgender kids (of any age), or have kids who might be transgender. For call-in information, please email raisingtranskids@pflagmorgantown.org.”
Follow PFLAG on Facebook or at their website.
MORGANTOWN CHURCH OF THE BETHREN
Morgantown Church of the Brethren continues to worship online on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Please go to Facebook for further information. The beneficiary of their “Kaleidoscope of Blessings” for October will be Bartlett House.
morgantown-kingwood naacp
The next meeting will be on October 20th at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. Contact the NAACP at 3241naacp@gmail.com for more information and to learn how to participate. The branch is now focused on getting out the vote.
The branch has established several committees, including Education; Communications, Press and Publicity; Criminal Justice; Political Action; Legal Redress; Health; Community Coordination; and Environmental and Climate Justice. Barb Howe represents CCSJ on the Community Coordination Committee, which is chaired by Denny Poluga.
Follow this group on Facebook.
UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF MORGANTOWN
October 4 - Open meeting of the Board - decisions to be made.
October 11 UU the Vote - What can we do in this late hour to help bring out the vote.
October 18 - join Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalists and Ministerial Leader Cricket Hall
October 25 - Duane Nichols with another program to challenge us.
October 24 we will be recording an outdoor Dance Performance by Tad Kato
Saturday, November 7 will be the UU's of Greater Pittsburgh Annual Assembly.
Check the web site or the Facebook page for updates.
WVU art in the libraries virtual program
On August 26 the WVU Libraries’ Art in the Libraries Virtual Program hosted Eleanor Smeal, former president of the National Organization for Women. A recording of the event can be seen on YouTube.
The next presentation, featuring Ilene Evans as African American suffragist Coralie Franklin Cook is available on You Tube.
Additional topics include:
October 9, 12 - 1 p.m.: Becky Cain Ceperley, former national League of Women Voters president to speak on the impact of voter registration and turnout.
Women of Appalachia Spoken Word event on Oct. 17 from 1-3 p.m.
October 30th, 6: p.m.: Atiba Ellis, Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School on democracy, voting, and race.
Further information is here. Registration for the Ceperley and Ellis presentations should be available online later, but to get an invitation to these zoom webinars, email Exhibits Coordinator Sally Brown Deskins, sbdeskins@mail.wvu.edu.
WVU DIVERSITY WEEK 2020
This annual event is scheduled for October 11-17. “WVU’s annual Diversity Week endeavors to promote celebration, education, and understanding of different identities and experiences present on our campus. Diversity Week is designed to create an atmosphere that provides the WVU community, including students, faculty and staff, the opportunity to explore different cultures, engage in discussions that bring new perspectives, and celebrate the presence of, and contributions made by, people of all identities and experiences. “This year's activities will take place virtually.”
A Virtual Social Justice Summit Series will begin during the Diversity Week on October 16th (2:00 - 4:00 p.m.) and continue on October 17 (11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.). Go here for more information. For other information please check their website.
WVU NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM
Please go here for a variety of resources on “Native Mascot Facts & Resources.” Bonnie Brown, the coordinator of the Native American Studies Program, has prepared “BACKGROUND: Retiring the Washington “R_dsk_ns”* Name and OTHER so-called “Indian” mascots,” noting that “In acknowledging the disparaging nature of the term, “R_dsk_ns” is used in place of the Washington team’s name in this entry.” She also said that “The term “Indian” in quotation marks, is used to differentiate between the term used as a descriptor for a caricatured mascot and the term Native Americans might use for themselves as individuals, tribes, or groups.”
2020 Peace Tree: (event details will be shared as they are finalized) WVU programming involving guest of honor MERV TANO, J.D. has been postponed to 2021 due to the covid-19 pandemic. Merv Tano is president of the International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management and adjunct faculty at Haskell Indian Nations University. The Peace Tree is located between Martin Hall & E. Moore Hall. The annual Peace Tree events are free and open to the public.
March 8-10, 2021: Join the program in welcoming U.S. Poet Laureate JOY HARJO (Muscogee Creek Nation) ...details forthcoming, pending campus social distancing guidelines for Spring Semester.
2021 American Indian Archives Workshop: Native American Studies will host a workshop for West Virginia Educators and Librarians, in collaboration with Dickinson College-Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center, the Carlisle Indian School Project, and WVU Libraries. DETAILS to be Announced in Spring 2021. (Grant Funding Assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council)
See their website for more information.
WVU CENTER FOR BLACK CULTURE AND RESEARCH
For more information, please go here.
WVU CENTER FOR WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES
For more information, please go here.
WVU LGBTQ+ CENTER EVENTS
LGBTQ+ History Month
The LGBTQ History Month is time of observance for gay rights and related civil rights movements throughout history. We feature documentary screenings, discussions, and we partner with many groups on campus to celebrate LGBTQ+ history. For more information on any of these activities, please go here.
Upcoming events include:
October 9 - I Am Brilliant! - A collaboration between WVU's LGBTQ Center and the Art Museum of West Virginia University - 2-4 PM, via Zoom.
October 11 - National Coming Out Day
October 15 - Faculty & Staff CONNECTIONS, 4 PM - Zoom social and faculty research spotlight.
October 16 - Undergraduate Zoom SCOOP, 2 PM - Coming Out Stories.
October 20 - Asexual Awareness Week starts
October 23 - Undergraduate Zoom SCOOP, 2 PM - Awareness of Intersex and Asexual Identities
October 26 - Intersex Awareness Day
October 30 - Tips for LGBTQ Job Seekers - Meet with representatives from career services and employers to learn ways to succeed in the job market.
November 18 - Friendsgiving: An evening of food, friends and fun at the Center! 5:00-8:00 p.m. RSVP: lgbtq@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-9593. Join us in celebrating community and friendship during this holiday season. All students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are welcome.
November 20 - Trans Day of Remembrance: We will be honoring the memory of Trans people whose lives were lost due to acts of anti-transgender violence.
Black & Pink Holiday Card: Join us to fill out holiday cards for incarcerated LGBTQ+ people.
World Aids Day: Every year we sponsor a panel of experts to talk about trends in HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
December for Caritas: This December, the LGBTQ+ Center is collecting donations of personal hygiene and home cleaning supplies for the pantry at Caritas House - a local non-profit organization providing support, assistance and services to West Virginians in 22 counties impacted by HIV/AIDs, homelessness, and those recovering from substance abuse. Please drop off any donations at the LGBTQ+ Center.
See their website for more information.