Heart is...Where the

Heart is...Home is where the

heart is. We allknow the familiar

statement that means weare our most comfortable,most complete and mostproductive selves in theplace where our heartsbeat strong and ourdreams dance freely.

Our concept of homeincludes the people whomake ourlives spe-cial, thebusinessesthat pavethe way forprogresstoday and in the future,the activities that shapeour character and thecommunities that stand asthe backdrops for the sto-ries of our lives.

In short, home is reallyanywhere our hopes liveand our passions thrive. Itis …Where the Heart Is.

Home is here; it is south-ern West Virginia andsouthwestern Virginia,where the Princeton Timesand our people thrive andoffer our best to keep todaybright and tomorrow better.

Princeton TimesProgress Edition

March 30, 2012

Inside:

Passionate Pursuits......Page 2-8

Inspiring Ideas............Page 9-16

Love of Learning.......Page 17-24

Hope and Home.........Page 25-32

By MATT CHRISTIANPrinceton Times

PRINCETON — AuthorSimon Black called thelate Steve Jobs “perhaps

the greatest living exampleof philanthropy in action.”Black noted that Jobs andApple Computer createdvalue and were productive indoing so.

Locally, there are manyexamples of businesses creat-ing value for customers. Onesuch business is Jim’sProduce Stand on OakvaleRoad.

The namesake of the busi-ness, Jim White, said, “Well,I have diabetes, and it wasalways a struggle for me tofind fresh fruits and vegeta-bles that were grown in theUnited States. So, I waspraying about finding a jobone day, and the thought of afruit stand kept coming tomind. I guess you might saythat the good Lord sent me asign.”

At first, White began with asmall roadside stand onAthens Road, before he wasforced to adapt.

“When we got started, peo-ple were always asking if Ihad this or that and thatthey wished we had a biggerlocation. So, we moved uphere and began to sell morestuff,” White explained.

While he was explainingthis last point, a customerwalked in. Immediately,White turned and began tofind something that couldmeet her needs.

“What can I help you withtoday?” White asked.

The customer requestedgreen beans, specifically half-runner green beans.

White replied, “No, I wentdown to the market yester-day, and they had some. Butthey were really thin, andthey didn’t have a bean inthem. I hope to get someeither late this week or earlynext week.”

After the customer had paidfor her produce and left,White explained, “Peopleenjoy getting good stuff. If Iwon’t buy it to eat, then I’mnot going to buy it to sell.”

Another thing that he’s dis-covered is that people wantis fruit and vegetables thatare from the United States.

As our conversation contin-ued, a gold truck with a loudmuffler pulled up. A manrolled down the window andasked, “Do you have anywatermelon?”

“Not yet, give it about amonth. I’m still waiting onthem to grow down inFlorida,” White replied,“They have some fromHonduras or something but,I don’t want those.”

When the customer leaves,he explains: “A lot of peopledon’t want to buy producefrom out of the countrybecause of the numerousissues that people have withthem.”

So, when a customer walksinto the stand, he tells themwhere each individual fruitor vegetable originated from.

“I always try to buy as localas I can. I usually go toCarroll County, Va., andnorthern North Carolina toget produce. Farming’s a lit-tle bit bigger down there.”

When he started, Whitedidn’t have a clue how tomake his sales stand work,

but he’s seen some tradition-al parts of business.

He said, “There’s a supplyand demand rule. One ofmy main suppliers, he’sbeen kind of like a mentorto me, because he’s been inthe business for 40 years.He won’t tell me what todo, but he’ll put the infor-mation out there for me tofigure out. Like, he’ll tellme that I can go ahead andbuy those cantaloupes, butI’ll only have 24 hours tosell them.”

White continued, “There’sprice fluctuations. A lot ofthe major distributors putout a price list twice aweek, and things’ll go upand down depending on thesupply and demand.”

A lot of his business istrial and error, though.

“You see this pepper here,”White said while picking upa pepper, “I know that I cansell that for 75 cents. Thestores are selling them for adollar or something, but Iknow that I can sell themfor 75 cents.”

He continued, “I just wantto earn enough profit to becomfortable. I don’t want totake advantage of people.”

Like any true businessowner, White knows thatit’s not a 9 a.m. to -5 p.m.job.

“I do have some hours,” hesaid.

The handwritten paperthat greets visitors to hisstand states that he’ll be inbusiness 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. onMonday and Tuesday, so hecan get produce. OnWednesday, he tries toleave to get to church, sohis hours run 10 a.m.- 6p.m. Thursdays, he’s open10 a.m.-7 pm., and Friday’shours are the is the sameas Wednesday. Saturday, heworks 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

But he knows he’ll bethere later than that.

“I’ll probably be here untildark on most days,” Whitetells a customer that asks.

Another customer arrived,a mother with her daughterwaiting the back of her car.The mother wants sweetpotatoes.

He doesn’t have them thatthe time, but he tried tocall her when he did lastweek.

Then he shows her somethat she might like beforeshe leaves with a box of

strawberries. White said, “I’ve been

blessed by the Lord to have

repeat business and someloyal customers.”

Maybe, or it could be thathe’s filling a need for some-one in Mercer County.

— Contact Matt Christianat mchristian@ptonline.net

2 Friday, March 30, 2012

PursuitsPassionate

Reaping what he sows...If Jim White won’t eat it, he won’t sell it either

On the cover...

Students from Kidz at Hart Day Care andPreschool showcase their Princeton spirit by

showing where their hearts are during a briefouting to Princeton Railroad Museum on March

23. The students pictured here are 4-5 yearsold, and are members in Kidz at Hart’s

Preschool program.

Photo and illustration by Tammie Toler

Photo by Matt Christian

Comparing apples to apples...Jim White, the owner of Jim’s Produce Stand, discusses theapples that he has available for sale with regular customerLee Roy Blevins. White offered Blevins several varieties,including Golden Delicious and Granny Smith. Blevins ulti-mately opted for the Red Delicious.

By TAMMIE TOLER Princeton Times

PRINCETON – When Dr.Dana Olson arrived insouthern West Virginia,

he was on a mission toinsure local MRI tests wereadministered in a way hebelieved proper. He neverexpected to make a family,find a home and dedicatehimself to a institution in aplace he planned to live amaximum of three years.

That arrival came in 1987,and he’s lived here eversince.

“I’ve been a lot of places inmy life, but I’ve never beenany place better than this,”Olson said, seated inside thecomfortable office he routine-ly keeps dim so that he canreview MRI scans easily.“West Virginia is worth fight-ing for.”

Throughout his career,Olson has reinvented himselfand his goals many times,but these days, he seemsmost content as one of theregion’s premiere diagnosticradiologists, and his commit-ment to PrincetonCommunity Hospital, itsemployees and the patients itserves is extremely clear.

“This is the way hospitalsare supposed to be – ownedby the community, for thecommunity,” he said. “This isthe way things ought to be,and when everyone elsecatches on that this is thebest way, they’re going toneed a model – a guide – toshow them how to be suc-cessful. I think PrincetonCommunity Hospital servesas that guide.”

•••Olson’s life has changed sig-

nificantly since he grew up inNebraska. Science and adesire to learn new thingshave always remained con-stant, no matter his location.

As a teen in the Midwest,Olson was intrigued withham radios and the frequen-cies on which they communi-cate.

“My teenage life was put-ting up antennas and figur-ing out how to make themresonate,” Olson said.

Amateur, or ham, radiouses a designated radio fre-quency spectrum for the pur-pose of allowing privaterecreation, non-commercialexchange of messages, wire-less experimentation, self-training and emergency com-munication. It’s referred toas amateur radio simply todifferentiate between thesemessages and commercialbroadcast programming.

Ironically, ham radios andmagnetic resonance imagingoperate on similar “zones,” soeven as a teen, Olson waspreparing for his futurecareer.

After his basic education,Olson worked as an electron-ic engineer, and he foundhimself visiting the MayoClinic to see how the MRIprograms interacted withand through IBM computers.

“I got the idea that it mightbe possible to do it all – med-icine, engineering and radio.MR scanners run in aboutthe same zones as hamradio,” Olson said.

He went to medical schoolin Texas, and his career pathsoon took him to Seattle,Wash., where he completedhis radiological residency.

At that time, however,Olson worked primarily withthe MR scanners, insuringthey were calibrated correct-ly, working right and deliver-ing the results that doctorswho relied on them needed.

“At that time, there was acertain type of scanner that Ispecialized in, and I knewwhere all of those scanners ofthat type were,” Olsonrecalled.

Ultimately, he tracked oneof those special scanners toCommunity Radiology, andhe contacted Dr. SteveRaskin to check on themachine that had a specialplace in Olson’s heart and hislife. That conversation led toan offer to come to southernWest Virginia and SouthwestVirginia to work short-term.

“I thought I would be herethree years – max,” Olsonsaid.

•••After living in Seattle for 10

years, Olson packed up andmoved to West Virginia,where he was pleasantly sur-prised with the area, itsgeography, its people, and itssights.

“After I got here, I realizedthat it had been 10 yearssince I’d seen stars,” he said.“With all of the people, thelights, and the pollution onthe West Coast, you knowthe stars are up there, butyou can’t see them. Onenight, after I had been here ashort while, I was driving upa hill and I looked up on topof the hill. I thought tomyself, ‘I never noticed thatradio tower up there.’ But, asI got closer, I realized thatwas Orion’s belt that I couldsee. It was simply beautiful.”

At that point, Olson said heknew this area was special,but he still planned to leavefor adventures elsewhere –until fate intervened again.

“Just as I was preparing toleave this place, I met a WestVirginia girl, and that wasthe beginning of me rein-venting myself again,” hesaid.

The West Virginia girl whowon Olson’s heart and con-vinced him to stay in south-ern West Virginia long-termwas Dr. Jana Peters, whoowns and operates her ownsuccessful medical practiceon New Hope Road. The cou-ple has been married for 20years, and they have one son,who is currently in college.

While both Olson andPeters work in Princeton,they make their peacefulhome in Monroe County.

•••When his work with the

MRI scanner at Community

Radiology was complete,Olson shifted his focus tobecoming a diagnostic radiol-ogist, and he found his pro-fessional home at PrincetonCommunity Hospital, wherehis determination to servethe patients and his commit-ment to caring have earnedhim a reputation as one ofthe most compassionate,committed, diligent doctorsat the hospital – even if mostpatients never meet him.

PCH conducts MRI scans toview a variety of internal tis-sues in order to diagnose awide array of ailments.

Most recently, the hospitalhas received AmericanCollege of Radiology accredi-tation for breast MRI, andthe fact that PCH was thefirst in West Virginia toachieve the honor made itmuch sweeter.

The accreditation processbegan in 2010, when PCHphysicians began usingbreast MR to detect malig-nancies at their earliest level– often far before mammog-raphy or manual examina-tions could identify an abnor-mality. As an added benefit,the program allows special-ists to conduct MR-guidedbiopsies inside the unit,allowing doctors to pinpointthe area of abnormality withprecision unknown before.

In February 2011, PCHbegan the process of seekingaccreditation, which meantthat the hospital had to trackand submit all of the breastMRI cases to date, includingthose that had reached reso-lution before the applicationdate.

In June, the applicationprocess was complete, and inNovember, the hospitalreceived word that it hadearned accreditation.Although PCH is no longerthe only West Virginia hospi-

tal with a program endorsedby the American College ofRadiology, Olson still takesgreat pride in knowing thatPCH was first.

Because accreditation is avoluntary, rigorous reviewprocess that opens the hospi-tal for review by experts inany given field, Olsonbelieves it makes the hospi-tal better by insuring thatlocal physicians are stickingto high standards of care anddiagnosis.

“It means we’ve been test-ed. We’ve opened ourselvesup for review. That’s us,” hesaid. “That’s our hospital. Alot of times, people andplaces in the southern part ofthe state don’t get the recog-

nition we deserve, but thisproves that we deserve it.”

While breast MR is the lat-est program to earn accredi-tation, it is not the only oneto achieve the impressivestatus. In fact, according to a2010 report produced byCharleston Area MedicalCenter, PrincetonCommunity Hospital is oneof only three facilities southof Randolph County to beaccredited by the AmericanCollege of Surgeon’sCommission on Cancer.

The other two are CAMCand Cabell HuntingtonHospital.

“That’s us down there,”Olson said, pointing toward amap of West Virginia that

identified accredited hospi-tals. “I’m proud of that, and Ithink we deserve that. Wehave a tumor board. We testourselves all the time.”

•••Receiving breast MR

accreditation is no reason torest, however.

Since that program earnedan A+ on its review, PCH hasbegun using MR technologyto examine patients withpossible malignancy of theprostate.

“The way prostate cancer iscurrently approached, often,physicians will do multiplebiopsies and still not reallyknow where the cancer is,”Olson said. “With MRI, theabnormality is clearlydefined. This allows thephysician to be much moredirect in an approach totreatment.”

This diagnosis could alsohelp doctors treat prostatecancer in a way that keepsnerves in and around theprostate intact, thus decreas-ing the complications oftreatment many men face.

And, although Olson is notsure what medical adventurehe’ll face next, he hopes thereare many more to come. Hereferred to another doctor,who said his wife routinelyasked him when he plannedto retire. The doctor in ques-tion asked why he shouldretire, considering the factsthat he had studied for yearsto learn all he knew, and heliked being a doctor betterthan anything else.

Olson can relate. “My sense of things is to

keep going as long as I can,”he said.

He plans to keep going atPrinceton CommunityHospital, serving the peoplewho helped build the hospitalin the 1970s and the genera-tions of loved ones who stillfeel as though they own it.

“This is the way hospitalsare supposed to be. We haveexcellent interventional radi-ology, excellent orthopedics,excellent pathologists. Thepeople here really care aboutthe people we serve. We knowwho our masters are. Theyare the people we see in thesewaiting rooms and in the gro-cery stores. They are the peo-ple we care for,” he said.

•••Although people not well

versed in medical technologymight find Olson’s job a bitdim — reviewing dozens, ifnot hundreds, of scans week-ly, seeking malignancies andissuing diagnoses sure tochange the lives of people onthe other sides of those scans— Olson sees hope.

“If you have cancer anddon’t know it, you may feelthings are fine. But, thingsare happening to you thatmay ultimately overcomeyou,” he said. “Knowing thatthere is a problem is thebeginning of seeking a solu-tion.”

— Contact Tammie Toler atttoler@ptonline.net.

How hospitals are supposed to be

After traveling the world and reinventing his career, Dr. Dana Olson believes Princeton Community Hospital has just the right formula on...

Proud of Princeton...Above, Dr. Dana Olson, adiagnostic radiologist atPrinceton CommunityHospital, stands alongsidethe magnetic resonance scan-ner that helps physicians findout what’s happening justbeneath patients’ skin withbetter precision than everbefore. Olson has worked inand around southern WestVirginia since 1987, and hesays he hopes to continuemeeting new medical andpersonal adventures in thearea that has become hishome. At left, one of thoserecent adventures involvedsecuring accreditation fromthe American College ofRadiology for the PCH breastMR program, which helpsdoctors spot malignanciesbefore they would show upon traditional scans.

Photos by Richard Hypes (above)and Tammie Toler (left)

Friday, March 30, 2012 3

• SALT WATER, FRESHWATER & POND FISH• SMALL ANIMALS • REPTILES • BIRDS

Kirby Addition Road • Glenwood • Princeton, WV 24740

THEE FISHH SUPERSTORETHE FISH SUPERSTORE

304-487-0742 304-487-0742

A Great

Place To

Buy Fish

Owners: Scott & Rhonda Patton

Over 300 Tanks

10,000 Fish to Choose From

Now Offering

Green Valley Bowling& Fun Center

Open BowlingSpecial!

• Bounce houses• Glow Mini Golf

(304) 327-0481Each Office

IndependentlyOwned & Operated

MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PRODUCER

John W.FoxBUYING OR SELLING -

CALL MECELL: (304) 920-2796E-Mail: jwfox@citilink.netWeb: www.johnwfox.com

www.johnwfox.info

Licensed in WV and VA

Stevee Yost,, Broker

By TAMMIE TOLERPrinceton Times

PRINCETON — AbbyHonaker was born todance. Angie Nash

always loved to work out, butshe’s much more comfortabledoing lunges than the salsa.

Yet, both Honaker andNash are completely at homeat Brickhouse Cardio Club,where high-energy musicand intense workouts aredrawing crowds severaltimes a day. The two women,who own franchises andinstruct at each other’sestablishments, are theentrepreneurs behindBrickhouse Cardio Clubs inboth Princeton and Bluefield,and it’s obvious that theylove what they do.

Princeton’s Brickhouseturned Thorn Street into adestination location severalevenings each week, begin-ning in April 2011. Nashopened her studio inBluefield later that sameyear, and they are boththrilled with the growth oftheir businesses and the waythe communities haveembraced them.

When Honaker, a marriedmother of four and a lifelongdancer, met the opportunityto open a Princeton head-quarters for the franchise,she knew the opportunitywas too good to turn down.

“I was like, ‘This is perfect.If somebody else opens this, Iwould go to it, and I wouldwind up working for them,’”she said, flanked by friendsand surrounded by the trade-mark lime and blue colorsthat brighten the interior ofher business in Princeton’sEast End.

So, she signed on to contin-ue the Brickhouse philoso-phy that working out shouldbe fun and effective, in afriendly environment thatwelcomes everyone. Whenshe opened her gym’s doorslast spring, her offeringsincluded three Zumba class-es and one Yoga session eachweek. Now, the schedule isso busy that it’s rare to seethe gym’s Athens Crossroadsparking lot empty.

Although Nash is busierthan ever with her ownBrickhouse to operate, shestill teaches a couple ofclasses each week inPrinceton.

“I think we’re reaching outto people who have neverreally cared for the formalgym atmosphere,” she said.“We’re not an intimidatingenvironment, and we reallywant our clients to be suc-cessful in their workouts.”

•••Honaker and Nash took

very different routes to theirsuccess with Brickhouse.

Honaker is a traineddancer, who was alwaysphysically active but neverliked hitting the gym.

She has worked on thestage worldwide, including inLos Angeles, touring withthe Joffrey Ballet andNorwegian Cruise Lines, aswell as behind the scenes onnetwork TV programming.

Originally from WyomingCounty, Honaker met her

husband, a Summers Countynative, in L.A., and oncethey became a family, thepair decided to move backhome.

While that decision mayhave seemed natural, findinga professional fit didn’talways come easy forHonaker. She had hoped totake dance classes locally,but her experience and skilllevels always left her teach-ing the class, rather thantaking it.

“I hated working out. Ihated going to the regulargym,” she said, which ruledout involvement in a tradi-tional gym.

Then, three years ago, shewas inspired to try Zumba, ahigh-energy workout builtaround dance. Although itpacks a great workoutpunch, the routines aredesigned with a Latin flavorthat makes the hour-longclasses feel more like a danceparty than an aerobics class.

“Three years ago, I startedteaching it, and I fell in lovewith it,” Honaker said. “It’sall I wanted to do.”

Nash, a married mother oftwo, has always enjoyed tra-ditional fitness programs.

“When I was in college, Iwas living in this little, tinyspace, but I was still alwaysdoing fitness videos and any-thing I could do to stay fit,”she said.

Even after all the time she

has spent teaching Zumbaand other classes offered atBrickhouse, Nash confessesthat she still doesn’t feel likeshe’s perfected the salsa stepwith the same flare otherinstructors can do.

“But that’s OK. You know,Abby may be doing salsa,and I’m doing lunges in thebeat with the music. That’swhat’s really wonderfulabout our workouts,” Nashsaid. “Can’t dance? So what?You can still come and moveand have a great time.”

And, if Zumba just isn’tyour thing, Brickhouse isbranching out to offer evenmore classes. The Yoga thatsupplemented the scheduleearly is growing in populari-ty, and other classes areincreasingly available,including PiYo, Pilates andTurbo Kick.

“I love teaching the kick-boxing classes. I really thinkthose are my favorite, but Ilike them all,” Nash said.

•••As passionate as Honaker

and Nash are about theirbusinesses, they’ve won theloyalty of some clients whoare now instructors or ontheir way to becoming class

leaders.At last count, there are 13

instructors between the twobusinesses, and there weretwo in training at the time ofthis interview.

Tammy Boswell is one ofthe instructors who startedas a client.

“A friend talked me intocoming,” she admitted,behind a smile. “I stuck tothe back row at first. I waskind of petrified.”

Soon, the Latin beat andfun she had during the class-es became one of her favoriteparts of her days and weeks.

“Now, I’m here every time Ican get here,” she said.“Zumba is my favorite, all-time. But, I love the TurboKick, and I like ZumbaToning.”

Boswell is no longer stick-ing to the back of the class.Now, she proudly occupiesthe position in front and cen-ter, when she’s not teachingthe class.

Tammy Lilly is one of theBrickhouse’s brightest suc-cess stories.

She joined shortly afterPrinceton’s headquartersopened, and she was strug-gling to get involved in aworkout routine.

“I hated going to the gym,because I never felt like Iknew the right things to do,and I think the gym settingis a little intimidating,” shesaid.

But, Lilly knew she had todo something.

“I lost a friend, and whenshe passed away, I took agood, long look at myself inthe mirror, and I thought to

4 Friday, March 30, 2012

“In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid.”

Psalm 56:11

Bluefield Union MissionFounded in 1931

304-327-81672203 Bluefield AvenueBluefield, WV 24701

FAMILY BOWL ANY 2 HOURS

on Sunday afternoon $ 17.90 /Lane

(Shoe rental not included)

COMPANY PARTIES Try A New Approach

When Running Your Next Company Party. Bowling

Is A Blast & Everyone Can Do It. We Will Plan The Whole Event For You!

Cumberland Road • Bluefield 304-325-7037

Come Watch Your Favorite Games in Our Sports Lounge!

Sweaty and smilingOn a mission to make working out more fun than frustrating,

Brickhouse Cardio Club owners hope customers leave sessions...

Photos by Tammie Toler

Let’s salsa...Above, Abby Honaker, owner and instructor at BrickhouseCardio Club in Princeton, gets a group of about 30 womenwarmed up for a high-energy, high-intensity Zumba work-out. As the Princeton Brickhouse closes in on its one-yearanniversary, Honaker says her mission is still to provide acomfortable place where clients can get the workout of theirlives while having fun. Below, Honaker, client-turned-instructor Tammy Boswell and Bluefield, Va., Brickhouseowner Angie Nash gather for a group photo before one of theZumba sessions.

Photo by Tammie Toler

Dancing calories, and stress, away...Abby Honaker calls the steps during a recent session of Friday-afternoon Zumba at 704Thorn St. Although Honaker is a trained dancer, she encourages all clients to keep theirworkouts moving, even if the steps don’t come easily for them. In fact, Bluefield, Va.,Brickhouse owner Angie Nash says she prefers more athletic steps than the salsa popular inmany Zumba classes. ‘Can’t dance? So what?’ Nash asks. ‘You can still come and move andhave a great time.’

‘Nobody cares if you miss a step or your tech-nique isn’t perfect. It’s about learning andbeing active. I always say that if you leavesweaty and smiling, you’ve accomplished yourgoal.’

— Abby HonakerOwner and instructor at

Brickhouse Cardio Club,Princeton

Brickhouse PrincetonMarch Schedule

Brickhouse Cardio Club’s schedule is always evolving,but the following schedule offers a glimpse into the class-es available this March. Visit facebook.com/brickhouse-cardioclubprincetonwv/ for more information about April.

Monday9 a.m : Zumba5 p.m.: Yoga6:15 p.m.: Zumba7:15 p.m.: Ripped

Tuesday5:15 p.m.: Brickhouse Body6:15 p.m.: Zumba

Wednesday9 a.m.: Zumba5:15 p.m.: Zumba6:15 p.m.: Zumba Toning

Thursday5 p.m.: Yoga6:15 p.m.: Zumba 7:15 p.m.: Turbo Kick

Friday9 a.m.: Brickhouse Body5:15 p.m.: PiYo6:15 p.m.: Ripped

Saturday10 a.m.: Zumba

Want your news now?

Check out ptonline.net for

up-to-date:

News,Sports,

Multimedia shows,Video,

Police blotter,Mercer Memories,

Community events,and much more!

And, share your opinionswith us anytime at

facebook.com/PrincetonTimes.

Brickhouse, page 5

myself, ‘I don’t want to be 40and unfit,’” she recalled.

So, she joined Brickhousein Princeton and found herfitness niche. Last summer,she took part in the busi-ness’s local version of the hit“Biggest Loser,” and to date,she has lost approximately80 pounds.

Not only is Lilly just a frac-tion of the size she once was,she said the most rewardingpart of the weight loss is theincreased energy and overallfeeling of wellness she hasfound since she started danc-ing her way to a better life atBrickhouse.

“You know, I’m glad I lostthe weight, but that’s notwhat it’s really about. It’sabout being a healthier per-son and having a little moreenergy to face each day,” shesaid.

She has so much energythese days that even duringa casual conversation justbefore class, she picked up a

hoola hoop and shimmiedher way across the roomwhile she talked.

•••While some gym scenes

focus more on the fanciestworkout closes, shiniestequipment and biggest mus-cles, Honaker and Nashemphasize that none of thosethings matter at Brickhouse.In fact, all that matters ismoving, and finding some-thing that inspires clients.

That’s what appealed mostto Lilly.

“I liked the location of theBrickhouse, and the friendli-ness of it, and after a fewtimes, I loved the feel of it,”she said.

Honaker quickly followedup, “Nobody cares if you missa step or your technique isn’tperfect. It’s about learningand being active. I alwayssay that if you leave sweatyand smiling, you’ve accom-plished your goal.”

Although Brickhouse offersmonthly and annual mem-berships, the businesses alsowelcome visitors, who pay a$5 fee per class. Monthly and

annual rates vary, dependingupon specials offered at thetime, and the structure withwhich the client wishes topay.

Once someone becomes amember, however, they mayenjoy unlimited classes, andthey can visit any one of the25 Brickhouse franchises inthe nation.

Currently, classes offeredweekly in Princeton includesix classes weekly of Zumba,two of Yoga, one PiYo class,one Zumba Toning, twoBrickhouse Body – or bootcamp – classes, and oneTurbo Kick, but the scheduleis always adapting to theneeds and interest of clients.

And, there are always spe-cial events on tap. Now,Honaker is eagerly planningfor an April 21 Sale-a-bra-tion, which will mark herone-year anniversary in busi-ness in Princeton.

“From 12 p.m. to 3, we’regoing to do a mash-up of allthe classes we offer, andwe’re going to have give-aways and much more,”Honaker said. “We just want

people to come see whatwe’re all about and help usstay open another year.”

For more information aboutBrickhouse Cardio Club inPrinceton, visit the businesssite on Facebook.com, at

www.facebook.com/Brick-housecardioclubprincetonwv,phone 304-952-6037 or stopby 704 Thorn St., Princeton.

To learn more aboutBrickhouse Cardio Club inBluefield, contact Nash at

304-920-1220.Information on all

Brickhouse Cardio Club loca-tions is available at brick-housecardio.com.

— Contact Tammie Toler atttoler@ptonline.net.

Friday, March 30, 2012 5

Home is where yourcat is sleeping!

GREEN VALLEY ANIMAL HOSPITALQuality Health Care For Your Animals

Blue Prince Road • Bluefield, WV • (304) 327-5173Richard Pence, DVM • Ray Gracon, DVM

Brickhouse...Continued from page 4

By MATT CHRISTIAN Princeton Times

PRINCETON — New RiverCommunity andTechnical College is look-

ing for a permanent home inMercer County.

Currently, the college islocated on the second floor ofthe Mercer County TechnicalEducation Center.

Steven Wise, dean of theMercer County Campus, said,“It’s not about the TechCenter, they’ve been great.Anytime, we need somethingLinda [Cox, the principal ofthe school] has been veryhelpful. [The Mercer CountyBoard of Education] has beenvery positive and they’ve saidthat they’ll work with us.”

Wise also points out thathe’s able to interact with sev-eral potential students everyday.

“Occasionally, when I comein in the mornings, I’m ableto stand there and hold thedoor open for potential stu-dents,” he said.

The challenge lies in sepa-rating the two schools.

Wise said, “The biggestthing for us is establishing aclearer identity for theschool.”

That’s been a problem forNew River in Mercer Countysince it was first establishedin 2003 by an act of the WestVirginia Legislature.

At that time, the communitycollege programs of BluefieldState College and GlenvilleState College were combinedto form New River. Since theprogram was originally partof Bluefield State, the origi-nal campus was there.

But as the two collegesdiverged, it became necessaryto move the operations toanother location where NewRiver could brand itselfuniquely. As such, the MercerCounty Technical EducationCenter was selected.

Yet, there are still issueswith that location.

Wise said, “A concern ofsome of the students is thatthey don’t want to interactwith the high school students.

A lot of them feel like they’regoing back to high school.”

Even so, New River and theMercer County Board ofEducation have recently metand discussed the possibilityof constructing a facility onthe campus that would be itsown separate building.

Dr. Ted Spring, president ofNew River, called the part-nership between the institu-tions “a great partnershipand a good working relation-ship.”

Spring also indicated thathe was “very excited” aboutthe possibility of having acampus at the MCTEC.

During the last Board of

Education meeting, MercerCounty SuperintendentDeborah Akers stated thatNew River needed around8,000 square feet of space.

Spring, however, believedthat number to be higher.

He said, “In the long range,we’re going to need a facilityof about 30,000 square feet.”

Wise believes New Riverfaces a choice.

Wise said, “There’s alwaysthat option between what dowe need now versus what arewe going to need 10 yearsdown the road.”

Wise explained how Akersarrived at her number.

“If you look at the enroll-

ment for places likeSummersville, that’s whereyou get the numbers like 600students. I think that we’regoing to have a higher enroll-ment because we have morepopulation than NicholasCounty,” he said.

Wise didn’t believe that hav-ing other educational institu-tions in the area would be adeterment to the expansionplans.

He said, “The majority ofstudents that we serve areunique. We serve a need withaffordable education. Themajority of our students arelooking to learn a trade thatthey can help people with.”

Only a few of those studentshead on to Concord orBluefield State.

Wise said, “There are over-lays. We occasionally get astudent that’s maybe a littlenervous but there’s not thatmany. I just don’t thinkthere’s that much overlaps.”

Finding a new headquartersfor New River became a hottopic in October, when theschool reportedly consideredmoving its Princeton campusinto the former FirstCommunity Bank Building onMercer Street. But, sinceFirst Community Bankoffered the City of Princetonfirst option to purchase thestructure, New Riverresumed its search for a placeto put its new Princetonhome.

So far, there are severaloptions available.

Wise has indicated he wouldstill consider a Mercer Streetlocation, if property were

available at the right priceand infrastructure, such asparking, could be figured outin a manner satisfactory tothe school and the city.

And, there is always thepossibility New River couldconstruct a new buildingsomewhere in the communityto serve the needs of itsPrinceton campus. Exactlywhere that structure mightbe remains to be seen.

Although New River offi-cials see great potential inNew River’s Princeton future,space limitations have curbedefforts to develop a newbrand of education in MercerCounty, and Wise reportedthat most students whoattend the Mercer Countycampus specialize in complet-ing their general studiescourses before moving on to atrade-related program atanother campus or school.

— Contact Matt Christian atmchristian@ptonline.net.

New River seeks room to growCommunity college officials believe new campuswill expand education opportunities, school identity

Photos by Matt Christian

New River at work...New River Community and Technical College is among thefastest-growing educational institutions in the state, andMercer County officials report that they need more space tooffer the unique programs that has given New River a repu-tation as a college that offers and affordable education toimprove lives. At left, New River Community and TechnicalCollege Student Government Association President HelenClarke and Dennis West use the computers provided on thesecond floor of the Mercer County Technical EducationCenter. Above, NRCTC students chat while waiting for arecent class to begin.

‘If you look at the enrollment for places like Summersville, that’s whereyou get the numbers like 600 students. I think that we’re going to have ahigher enrollment because we have more population than NicholasCounty.’

— Dr. Steven WiseNew River Community College

Dean of Princeton campus

6 Friday, March 30, 2012

OUR MISSION“To provide vision and leadership for the Greater Bluefield community with a commitment to strengthen economic development, stimulate growth of area businesses and enhance the quality of life for all its citizens.”

619 Bland Street • P.O. Box 4098Bluefield, WV 24701 • (304)327-7184

www.bluefieldchamber.comE-Mail: info@bluefieldchamber.com

Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greaterbluefieldchamber

By MATT CHRISTIANPrinceton Times

GREEN VALLEY — Forone local man, theancient Korean martial

art of Tang Soo Do leads tosuccess in business, schooland athletics.

The Karate School masterDonny Meadows began histraining in the martial artsalmost 40 years ago.

He said, “Around 3 1/2 yearsto four years later, I startedmy first studio in west Texas.First we had a studio in SanAngelo, then we moved to theAustin area, and we had astudio there.”

Having been around theprofession so long, Meadowshas seen the demographics ofhis students change.

“When I first started inTang Soo Do, Karate wassomething that men aged 18-25 did, and the training wasvery physical, because that’swhat they wanted. Therewere hardly any women orkids that were training.”

As movies like “The KarateKid” and “Teenage MutantNinja Turtles began to takeplace in the 1980’s, thatchanged.

“By the early ‘90’s, over 80percent of our students wereunder the age of 12,”Meadows said.

The change in demographicsexemplified the reality thatbusinesses have to changewith their customers’ needs.

Meadows said, “If you didn’tadapt to that, then you werein trouble.”

Now, he’s seeing anotherchange in demographics.

“Right now, we’re starting to

get a lot of the baby boomers— people in their 40s, 50s,and 60s — that are comingback to the sport, and they’relooking for physical exercisewith a mental component,”

Meadows said.When proving that Tang Soo

Do has something to offereveryone, Meadows rattles offthe benefits for differentgroups.

“For kids, Tang Soo Do willteach them skills like self-dis-cipline and leadership. Whena child enters our programwith a few months, theirgrades start to improve, theybecome more confident,”Meadows said.

He continued, “They becomesomeone that is trying to getothers to follow them insteadof the one that is everyone istrying to get to follow them.”

For the Baby Boomers reen-tering the sport, Meadowssaid, “This is low impact forpeople with joint problems,and it will help to increase

yourflexibili-ty,whichwilllowertheamountof car-diovas-cularissues.”

EventhosethatstrugglewithissueslikeADHD,ADD,and

autism can find a place inThe Karate School.

“We’ve had a tremendousamount of success with kidswith ADD, ADHD, and

Asperger’s syndrome. Theneat thing about karate andTang Soo Do is that therereally are no limits to whatsomeone can do,” Meadowssaid.

Still, the primary benefit oflearning a martial art is self-defense.

Meadows said, “The thinghanging over everything isself-defense. This is a combatmartial art. It gives peopleconfidence to know that dur-ing a car-jacking or a homeinvasion when people don’thave access to a weapon, theyhave a way to protect them-selves.”

When his family came tosouthern West Virginia asmissionaries, Meadows neverintended to open a businesshere.

He said, “When we camehere, I was thinking that Iwas retired. I thought that Iwas done with martial arts,but when we got here theneighbors came over andstarted asking questions like‘Where did you come from?’and ‘What did you do there?’”

So, Meadows found the timeto teach on the side beforeopening The Karate School afew years ago. Then, lastMay, The Karate Schoolmoved into its new home inthe Green Valley Mini Mall.

Meadows credits the disci-pline and leadership skillstaught by martial arts, for hischildren’s success.

The Karate School skills keep mind, body strong

Photos by Matt Christian

Showcasing skills...Donny Meadows, master at The Karate School, exhibits some of the TangSoo Do techniques he teaches students as a means of self-defense, as wellas a way to work out with a mental focus. For more information about TheKarate School, visit thekarateschool.com or stop by the school’s location inthe Green Valley Mini Mall.

Stayingstrong...Students at TheKarate School rangefrom elementaryschool students toBaby Boomers look-ing to retain theirphysical and mentaledge. Here, studentstake time away fromtraining to showcasetheir belt levels andtheir inner strength.

Photo courtesy ofthekarateschool.com

Karate, page 8

Friday, March 30, 2012 7

Photo by Matt Christian

Specializing in service...Danny Hurley, owner and operator of Danny’s on Mercer Street, says his goal is to provide aplace where customers and friends can relax and enjoy excellent service. ‘If you treat every-body right and with respect, then they’ll come back and support you,’ Hurley says.

By MATT CHRISTIANPrinceton Times

PRINCETON — For theowner of Danny's,Danny Hurley, his

business goes back to onething- serving the cus-tomers.

Five years ago, Hurleyopened Danny's with onegoal.

“When I opened my goalwas to serve the people ofthe local area and to providea place where they couldcome in and not worry abouthaving any problems,”Hurley said.

That loyalty extends toemployees too.

“Craig, he's been with mesince I opened up. It's goodto have loyal employees. Hekind of runs the businesswhen I'm not around.”

His philosophy when serv-ing customers is simple.

He said, “If you treateverybody right and withrespect, then they'll comeback and support you. If youdon't have customers, youdon't have a business.”

Part of treating customersright is providing a little bitmore for West Virginiagames.

He said, “We do a lot forthe Mountaineer games.Sometimes we have a cook-out or happy hour prices.

The atmosphere is a lot bet-ter for the Mountaineergames.”

During a WVU footballgame earlier this year,patrons were able to enjoythe game on several flatscreens positioned throughout the bar.

“With WVU going to theBig XII next year, it's goingto help my business. I thinkthe nearest game is whatlike 1400 miles away. People

Danny’s offers patrons aplace to leave worry behind

‘When I opened my goal was to serve the peopleof the local area and to provide a place wherethey could come in and not worry about havingany problems.’

— Danny HurleyOwner of Danny’s

Danny’s, page 8

8 Friday, March 30, 2012

A Commitment To...

• Skilled Nursing Care

• Hospice Services

• Physical Therapy

• Speech Therapy

• Occupational Therapy

• Family Oriented

(304) 487-3458315 Courthouse RoadPrinceton, WV 24740

Jeff & Nancy LivingstonOwner/Office Manager

(304) 887-4470(304) 323-2491

Sara BakerRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-4122

Lorraine BrowningRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-1167

Christy WoodRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 887-1214

Jim HaunCRS, GRI, SRES Realtor

Licensed in WV/VA(304) 320-7007

Gloria HaunRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-7008 &(304) 425-5412

Ward PerryRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-9042

Vivian Romano, GRIRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-2116

Jonna LooneyRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-0888

Patty DossRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 887-7072

Katie Melara, GRIRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-6794

Lisa WatkinsRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 921-0928

Joely ColeRealtor - Assoc. Broker,

ABR - Accredited Buyers RepLicensed in WV/VA(304) 920-8780

Lisa CollinsRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(276) 970-0555

Barbara Belcher,ABR, GRI

Realtor Licensed in WV/VA(304) 320-3226

Jamie CrewsRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 887-7541

Mark LightfootRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 320-1815

Ali PattersonRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(276) 970-2969

Carolyn PhillipsRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 920-4317

Ruth BlackRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 887-3188

LeAnn RumleyRealtor Licensed in WV

(304) 920-6591

Dale CarterRealtor Licensed in WV

(304) 384-7656

Fredia BerholtzRealtor Licensed in WV

(304) 922-8412

Sam Williams, ABRealtor Licensed in WV/VA

(304) 487-1229

NEWW PRINCETONN OFFICE NEWW PRINCETONN OFFICENEW PRINCETON OFFICE OPENINGG EARLYY 2012 OPENINGG EARLYY 2012OPENING EARLY 2012

Our brand new, fully staffed office (same great location) will be opening soon. Please stop by and see us. We’d

love to show you around!

WE’RE BACK!WE’RE BACK!

FOUR SEASONS

3507 Cumberland RoadBluefield, WV 24701

(304) 323-2491

*Based on current MLS data

Mike Tyree, Broker Each Office Independently Owned & Operated

The Most Recognized Name in Real Estate

Find Us On:

www.C21WV.com

SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER.

106 Oakvale RoadPrinceton, WV 24740

304-425-7563 COMINGG SOON!

COMINGG SOON!

COMINGG SOON!

“My kids and my wife areall black belts. My oldestdaughter, Savannah, gradu-ated at the top of her classand went to the University ofTexas, and now, she has agreat job in Chicago,”Meadows said.

His youngest two, Kelsye

and Jabe, went to MontcalmHigh School before heading tocollege.

“My youngest daughter,Kelsye, graduated at the topof her class, went to WestVirginia University, and nowgoes to the University ofHouston. My son, Jabe, grad-uated at the top of his classacademically, and attendsWVU on full ride scholar-ship.”

That success hasn’t beenlimited to the classroomeither. Both daughters havecompeted in national champi-onships in cheerleading, andJabe was a four-year letter-man in football, basketballand baseball.

Meadows said, “I attribute alot of their success to TangSoo Do.”

— Contact Matt Christianat mchristian@ptonline.net.

Karate...Continued from page 6

may not have the money togo to the south or west forthose games,” Hurley said.

One tradition that the newcustomers will be able toenjoy is the playing ofCountry Roads after thegame.

Hurley said, “We've got alittle bit of tradition here.We like to play CountryRoads right after the gamewhether they win or losejust like in the stadium.”

Another is providingDanny's with something toadorn the walls of the bar.

“A lot of customers whenthey go somewhere, they'llbring me something back toput up there. There's thisgirl that's originally fromChicago. Every time shegoes back she brings mesomething.”

Some patrons bring intheir old football helmets.

Hurley said, “We've gotfootball helmets from allover. When someone comesin they like to put their hel-mets on the wall.”

When a yellow helmet withblue lettering catches aneye, he explains, “That'sfrom Emory and Henry inVirginia, I think. Some play-er that played there and atPrinceton brought that in toput that on the wall.”

Danny’s is located at 911Mercer St.

The hours of operation areMonday–Saturday, 11 a.m.-3a.m., and Sunday 1 p.m.-1a.m.

— Contact Matt Christianat mchristian@ptonline.net.

Danny’s...Continued from page 7

Photos by Matt Christian

A place to unwind...Danny Hurley says he opened Danny’s Bar five years ago tooffer local patrons a place to forget their cares and have funamong friends. During that time, the business’s laid-backatmosphere and service have made it a favorite in thePrinceton community. And, the patrons have made it theirown by contributing their favorite sports memorabilia to thecasual decor.