The WV Natural Resources Police will hold a Hunter Education Class in Clay County at the Clay Co. Middle School on March 25-26. The class will be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 1-7 p.m. on Sunday. Students must attend all hours of both days of the course and pass a written and hands-on test to be certified. Legislation requires any person born on or after January1, 1975, must present proof of certification from an approved hunter education course to the license agent to purchase a base hunting license. The course is open to the public and is free of charge. Students must be 10 years of age by the final day in order to receive permanent certification. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult. Class size is limited to 45 students, so pre-registration is required. To register, contact Misty at the WV DNR District 3 office at304-924-6211 Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Clay County Health Department is expanding its services. New services will include well child checkups, sick visits, chronic care, breast and cervical cancer screenings at free or not cost; as well as pap smears and mammograms and many more services. All major insurances are accepted — HMOs, PEIA, Blue Cross Blue Shields, United Health Care, Medicare and Medicaid, etc. Family planning will also be available for free or a low cost, as well as immunizations. CHD is expanding their services due to funding reductions by the state and an assurance of continued reductions in the future. CHD also provides Women, Infant and Children (WIC) services and Right from the Start Services. Hours of operation for CHD are Monday through Friday from 8a.m.-4 p.m. Call CHD at 304-587-4269 for more information.
The Elk Conservation District is conducting their annual plant and tree sale of the following items as a service to the residents of Braxton, Clay, Nicholas and Webster counties: crimson gold, Fuji, Gala, golden delicious, gold rush, Granny Smith, and yellow transparent apple trees; Montmorency and summit cherry trees; contender and John Boy Peach trees; Potomac and Shenandoah pear trees; Arapaho blackberry plants, heritage (red) and jewell (black) raspberry plants, Surecrop strawberry plants, and Blue Ray and Jersey blueberry plants. Seedlings available are: Allegheny chinkapin, sugar maple, redbud, flowering dogwood, white pine, Scotch pine and Norway spruce. Quantities are limited and will be sold on a first-come first-served basis. Call the ECD office at 304-765-2535 or email ecd@wvca.us to obtain an order form. Order deadline is March 15 and pick up will be Wednesday and Thursday, March 29 and 30, at the locations designated on the order forms. There will be a pick up location in each county.
North American Youth Sports will hold their annual spring youth basketball tournament at Ripley High School on March 31-April 2. The tournament will feature 10 different brackets: 5-6 grade boys; 5-6 grade girls; 7th grade boys; 7th grade girls; 8th grade boys; 8th grade girls; 9th-10th grade boys; 9th-10th grade girls; 11th-12th grade boys and 11th-12 grade girls. All grades are based on the grade in which a student is currently enrolled for the 2016-17 school year. The entry fee for the tournament is $160 and guarantees each team a minimum of three games. There will be awards presented in each bracket. The entry deadline is March 17. For additional information or an entry form, call 1-866-352-5915, tournament director Kevin Harries at 304-532-7965 or go to the NAYS website at www.northamericanyouthsports.org.
The Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC) is a supplemental foods program for pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding women, infants and children, under the age of five. The WIC office in Clay County will no longer be open on Fridays beginning March 3. New hours will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Anyone from the Clay area needing assistance may contact the Braxton or Nicholas County WIC offices. Hours are as follows: Braxton County: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Nicholas County: Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. All WIC Offices will be closed Feb. 20 in observance of Presidents’ Day. WIC provides supplemental foods and nutrition education to qualifying participants. To apply for the WIC program or to receive more information call: 304-587-2323.
Monday after-school tutoring takes place every Monday at the Lizemores Church of the Nazarene from 4-6 p.m. Students who need help with homework or extra skills practice can come by Lizemores Nazarene and be assisted by teachers and other volunteers. A light snack will be served. Please ensure that all participating students have something to work on.
The meeting schedule for CAEZ board meetings in 2017 is as follows: Tuesday, March 7; Tuesday, April 4; Tuesday, May 2; Tuesday, June 6; July Meeting – to be announced; Tuesday, Aug. 1; Tuesday, Sept. 5 (to be held at different location); Tuesday, Oct. 3; Tuesday, Nov. 7; Tuesday, Dec. 5. Meeting will be held in the Clay County Courthouse Commission Room. Economic Development Committee meets at 4 p.m. and board of directors meets at 6 p.m.