🌱 Huggins No Show At Coaches Caravan + 52nd WVU Parkersburg Ceremony

Good morning, Parkersburg! I'm Danielle Fallon-O'Leary and I'll be your new source for all the events, news, and general happenings in your town. Here is everything you need to know today in five minutes or less.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Cloudy, a t-storm in the p.m.. High: 79 Low: 63.
• Saturday: Humid with a stray t-storm. High: 77 Low: 56.

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Here are the top three stories in Parkersburg today:

1. Despite the controversy surrounding Bob Huggins' recent radio show statements that some have deemed as homophobic and derogatory, the WVU Coaches Caravan proceeded as planned in Parkersburg. However, Huggins was absent from the event after the university announced its official punishment for his behavior. The newly appointed athletic director, Wren Baker, and head football coach Neal Brown attended the caravan, aiming to engage and excite the public about Mountaineers sports as part of their efforts to shape the future of the Mountaineer Athletic Program. (WTAP)
2. West Virginia University at Parkersburg recently held its 52nd annual spring commencement ceremony featuring a keynote speech by J. Craig McAtee, the executive director, and CEO of the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers. McAtee motivated the graduating class to pursue greatness and highlighted the absence of perfection. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of 130 graduates who earned certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees, while also recognizing outstanding individuals within the campus and community through recognition awards and honorary degrees. (Parkersburg Sentinel)
3. West Virginia American Water, the state's largest investor-owned water utility, is participating in the Environmental Protection Agency's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program to analyze drinking water for 29 PFAS chemicals. PFAS are industrial chemicals found in consumer products that can have harmful health effects, and the EPA is working on establishing a drinking water standard for them. West Virginia American Water has been monitoring PFAS levels in its systems and plans to continue testing for these substances in the coming years, complying with any federal guidelines that may be established. (Charleston Gazette)

Today and tomorrow in Parkersburg:

Friday, May 12

• Downtown Seafood Weekend At The Cocktail Bar (5:00 PM)

Saturday, May 13

• Downtown PKB Cleanup At Bicentennial Park (9:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• West Virginia University (WVU) at Parkersburg will be hosting a Yoga and Mimosas event on May 20 on the lawn at the Historic Oakland Estate. Grand Central Nutrition will also be offering energy teas and all proceeds will go toward the upkeep of the estate. (WVU Parkersburg)
• Join the City of Parkersburg on May 16 at City Park Pavillion for a Public Forum. Planned topics of discussion will be project overview, community input, and next steps. (City Of Parkersburg via Facebook)
• Those hot summer days are almost here and so is pool season! City Park Pool & Splash Pad will be opening for the Summer 2023 season on May 27. (City Of Parkersburg via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you back in your inbox soon with a new update!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.