CITY OF MORGANTOWN SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY POLICING AND CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD
There will be a meeting on January 4th at 3:00 p.m. This meeting will take place via WebEx at using the meeting number 793 734 477. The meeting will be broadcast live on Morgantown 15 and live streamed via the City of Morgantown website. The public can also listen live by calling 408-418-9388 and using the access code 793 734 477.
Meetings are usually held every Monday afternoon. Go to here to look for the name of the committee to get the WebEx information for each week.
We understand that there are tentative plans to present the ordinance creating this board at the Morgantown City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on January 26th at 7:00 p.m. via WebEx. The Agenda Center link above will have information on the agenda for that meeting, ways to access the meeting, and ways to comment on agenda items.
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.
MON COUNTY CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER IS THE HOMETOWN CHARITY FOR THE 2020 SUBARU SHARE THE LOVE EVENT
“This is such an honor and we look forward to working closely with the Subaru team again this year to raise money to support children in our community who have experienced abuse and neglect. When you purchase a vehicle, now through January 4, 2021, you can choose the MCCAC as your charity and $250 will be donated to our agency. Last year, Subaru raised $16,759 in support of the MCCAC. Thank you Subaru of Morgantown for your continued support.
MORGANTOWN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
The next regular meeting should be Thursday, January 21st 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.
The Human Rights Commission plans to present two resolutions to City Council at the January 26th meeting. One is a “RESOLUTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT STATEMENT FOR THE CITY OF MORGANTOWN,” acknowledging that “we are on the traditional territory of native peoples, including, over time, the Shawnee, Delaware (Lenape), the Seneca of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy, and others.” The second is a “RESOLUTION FOR RECOGNIZING THE SECOND MONDAY IN OCTOBER AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY RATHER THAN COLUMBUS DAY.”
CCSJ supports these resolutions and will express that support to City Council on the 26th. To add your support, please see the information above about the Special Committee’s presentation that night.
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.
MORGANTOWN NOW CHAPTER
Follow this group on Facebook. The next meeting will be on January 12th at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Details and information on the link see their weekly newsletter of email morgantownnow@gmail.com.
Morgantown-Kingwood Branch of the NAACP
The next meeting will be on January 19th at 5:50 p.m. via Zoom. Contact the NAACP at 3241naacp@gmail.com for more information and to learn how to participate. The branch has committees on Education; Communications, Press and Publicity; Criminal Justice; Political Action; Legal Redress; Health; Community Coordination; and Environmental and Climate Justice.
PFLAG MORGANTOWN
Tuesday, January 12th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: General Meeting & Allyship TED Talk & Discussion
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/99672862356 Meeting ID: 996 7286 2356; Passcode: AllyVerb.
Meeting Agenda:
I. Check In/social
II. Education committee updates
III. Membership Renewal
IV. Elections for PFLAG Board – April 2021
V. Other news?
VI. Allyship TED Talk & Discussion
Brief readings: https://info.umkc.edu/diversity/ally-is-not-a-noun/ and https://hbr.org/2020/11/be-a-better-ally
Social Saturdays (1/2, 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, and 1/30): Join Zoom Meeting, https://zoom.us/j/93329780701, Meeting ID: 933 2978 0701, Passcode: Latte
Follow PFLAG on Facebook or at their website.
MORGANTOWN CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-MENNONITE DISTRIBUTED ADVENT BASKETS
Services continue online with information available here.
Follow them on Facebook
UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF MORGANTOWN
Sunday, January 3: Board meeting
Check the web site or the Facebook page for updates.
DISMANTLING RACISM TOGETHER
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 13th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom.
“As we continue to learn more about the systemic racism that exists in our community so that we can work directly to dismantle it, the January meeting of Dismantling Racism Together will take a closer look at the many ways the issues exist in our community, and how the dominant class often doesn’t realize either that it exists or that it benefits them.
“J. Spenser Darden, director of diversity initiatives and community engagement for West Virginia University’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will lead us into a deeper understanding and awareness of how ingrained racism is in ‘the system’.
“If you are interested in attending, please RSVP and the login information will be sent to you.
“Also, you can mark your calendars for Feb. 3 for an evening joint meeting with the Community Coalition for Social Justice and as many other groups working on related issues as we can gather so that we can all become more aware of the many initiatives at work in the community.
“Let us all hope that the coming year brings with it more healing of our society as well as our bodies.”
MORGANTOWN PRIDE
Follow this group on Facebook.
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
See their website for more information on this and other monthly and weekly activities.
WVU FOOD JUSTICE IN APPALACHIA PROJECT
January 22, noon, Food Justice in Appalachia with Joshua Lohnes, WVU Food Policy Research Director. This event is free and open to the public, but you must register here.
There will also be an exhibit at the WVU Downtown Campus Library from August 2021 through June 2022. All are welcome to contribute art, photos, recipes, etc. before the deadline on February 1. For more information, please here.
