Tucker County Connection

Earlier today I attended the Parsons Christmas celebration and I must say this years celebration once again featured a community coming together to celebrate with the true meaning of Christmas on display for all to see. Every year the city works so hard to make this event a success and once again they managed to pull it off in spades. If you missed the celebration you missed seeing wood carving demonstrations, sleigh rides, hay rides, free food, free hats and gloves, a fire pit for warming you up, a parade that lasted over an hour, contests, entertainment, and more. The event featured a light hearted family friendly atmosphere with old friends joking around, mingling, and catching up as children danced with one of the many cartoon characters that were present or enjoyed one of the many free food items provided. I'd like to take a minute to say thanks to all those who continue to put in the extra effort to make each years celebration bigger and better than the preceding. Y...

Every man knows when it comes to love few things can say it sweeter than flowers with a well written card for that personal touch. In fact, few things have the ability to express feelings of love, sympathy, understanding, caring, or to make an apology stand out. Stevens' Florist is a family owned and operated florist located in Parsons WV who've been turning out beautiful arrangements since 1962. Just imagine in that amount of time how many hearts they've helped steal, marriages they've helped save, birthdays they've help celebrate, anniversaries they've made special, and other notable life events they've been a welcomed part of in times of both love and sorrow. I sent my first rose from Stevens' Florist to someone I had a crush on back in my early high school days and since then I've made several trips to seek their assistance in making an occasion special and memorable for that special someone. They offer home décor items as well as a ...

The last few days I've been doing articles on local eating establishments that I like to frequent in and around Parsons WV. Today's article will focus on another one of my favorite places to eat Brenda's Backwoods Grill an establishment operated by arguably the nicest and occasionally craziest person in the world Brenda. I have to say that if you know Brenda you know that her attitude is infectious and you can't help but smile, laugh, and love her and the down home family atmosphere that radiates from her business. I've spent many evenings here just relaxing outside on a milk crate talking to the owners and enjoying the great company and good conversation. The menu here features fan favorites like burgers, fries, chicken tenders, liver & onions, fried bologna, mashed potatoes, salads, a daily special, and more with some of my favorites being the chili cheese fries, mushroom swiss burger, and I can rarely make it out the door without a warm apple dumplin...

As I sit here reading the inevitable plethora of headlines dotting news networks across the country once again talking about removing Christ from Christmas I can't help but be thankful to live in small town U.S.A. In a town where Christmas is still called Christmas, council meetings still open with a prayer, and neighbors still help neighbors because they want to and not because public sentiment dictates they must. We live in a town where everyone knows everyone and if you're without someone will make due with less to ensure you're fed, clothed, or otherwise comfortable, most likely a member of one of the many churches that dot the landscape of our town. Christmas is a celebration of giving onto others a little bit of joy and a feeling of family that they may have been missing, it's making even strangers feel welcome at the table, and providing room for forgiveness and charity in your heart. In our small community around Christmas time you may notice an increa...

While out walking on the bike trail from Hendricks to Parsons this past summer I came across several pieces of graffiti one of which is pictured to the left. I just wanted to take a minute to speak directly to those responsible for this and the many other acts of vandalism in our community. At one time I was you I spent most of my teen years rebelling by committing acts of vandalism, smoking, and drinking and I just wanted to give you a bit of a heads up on your future. I know oh too well from my own experience as a teen the mentality that rules are made to be broken, but I also know from adulthood that eventually they do catch up to you. You may have written "I am free" but the act of vandalism never is. When you get older and become a contributing member of society you'll be the one who pays the taxes that pay for the cleanup of the next generation of vandalizing teens that replace you. While you may not get caught and you may look cool to your friends, age ...

Are you dreading that out of town shopping trip to find those last minute gifts for the friends and family on your Christmas list this year? Why not simply forgo the hassle of leaving home and support a local business instead. Parsons has many local shops that sell items to stuff those stockings or pile beneath the tree this holiday season. If homemade, country, or rustic is what you're looking for head on over to Gifts To Go located in the old bank building at the red light in downtown Parsons. Gifts to Go sports a very nice selection of country décor, rustic items, homemade jams/jellies, and more and is sure to meet the needs of most shoppers looking to pick up that unique gift this Christmas. If primitives are your thing then Hattie Jane's located across the street from Dollar General is another must stop local business for rustic, country, and primitive décor. When it comes to those unique gifts they've got you covered. Liven up the house this Christmas with...

If you've had the opportunity to grab a seat at the Iron Bridge Bistro in Parsons WV you've no doubt been impressed with the many flavorful menu options made possible by the superb culinary skills of chef Todd Zais. I'm proud to say I've had the chance to enjoy his cuisine on multiple occasions and discovered that somehow he manages to make even dishes I normally find unappealing more than palatable, in fact I've yet to have a dish come out of his kitchen I didn't enjoy. The Iron Bridge Bistro's menu reads like a short story enticing your taste buds and daring them to try something fresh, new, and exciting. With fan favorites like the deep fried philly cheese steak, jalapeno popper dip, crab dip, crab cakes, and more you're sure to find something everyone will enjoy. You may want to spend some time talking to the friendly wait staff and getting to know them as I have no doubt you'll be back time and time again to work your way through the e...

I can remember hearing locals as far back as my grade school days referring to Parsons as a "dying town" or "retirement community". With this post I wanted to take a look at this and see just where Parsons currently stands. If you would have asked me a decade ago I would have agreed that the outlook for our small little town was bleak given the dwindling population, lack of new business, and general lack of interest in any sort of local development or project. Fast forward to 2017 and this is what I've seen thanks to organizations like On Trac , work being done by The City of Parsons, and locals who've taken it upon themselves to refinish and repurpose crumbling buildings in our once pre-85 flood thriving town. Parsons is once again growing with investments like the new Shop N Save underway (pictured above), new businesses being launched at an increasing rate, and most of the town being either renovated already or being eyeballed for renovation at a ...

Eating on a budget in a time of disappearing dollar menus can sometimes be a hassle to say the least. In Parsons there's a new little gem recently back open and now with inside dining and even more menu options we think you'll enjoy. Riverside Seafood is leading the charge in cheap and affordable seafood in our area by sporting a menu that features favorites such as fish -n- chips, fried shrimp, crab cakes, calamari, and more all for $5.50 a meal. When they say meal they mean a meal. A normal order at their establishment includes the main dish, french fries, hush puppies, cole slaw, and a choice of drink. They also offer options when it comes to your meal including having your shrimp sautéed instead of deep fried, the ability to customize your meals by removing items you don't like and substituting ones you do, and adding another main item as a side order for a $2.50  upcharge. The price alone makes this local business something to check out in an overcrowded an...

I've heard it said time and time again that pesky little quote that "corporations are evil" yet it would appear that saying simply doesn't hold true when it comes to Sheetz. As the husband of a manager for Sheetz who has more than 17 years under her belt I've had the honor of seeing first hand the way Sheetz treats it's employees, it's customers, and the communities that their stores call home. I can tell you that it's no wonder Sheetz makes the top 100 list of best places to work almost every year as they pay competitive wages, offer nice benefits, offer a 401k retirement plan, and sprinkle tons of other lesser known companywide incentives into the mix as rewards for hard work and company loyalty. Don't take my word for it try them out for yourself as a growing constantly expanding business they're always hiring new members into the Sheetz family and that title means more than just a "fast food worker" it can easily mean a ...

The Parsons Christmas celebration has managed to grow every year, this year is no exception to that trend.  Events scheduled for the 2017 Christmas celebration are as follows and will all take place December 9th in Parsons WV. Please note that this may not be a complete list. Craft Show 10AM-4PM at Presbyterian Church 1-4PM on 2nd Street free sleigh & hay rides Food Drive at the courthouse 2PM 2:30PM Ugly Sweater Contest at the courthouse 3PM Santa's Beard Contest at the Courthouse. Christmas Parade starting at 5PM Photos with Santa at the Fire Hall after the parade If you need anymore information don't hesitate to contact Tammy at (304) 478-2311