By Jack Houvouras
HQ 98 | SUMMER 2017
Huntington, West Virginia: America’s Best Community. That has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
In case you’re out of the loop, Huntington recently beat out more than 350 communities across the country to claim this prestigious title and $3 million. The competition, sponsored by Frontier Communications, DISH Network, The Weather Channel and CoBank, challenged small cities across America to come up with a comprehensive plan to stimulate economic revitalization in their respective communities.
The prize money will now be used to implement Huntington’s innovative plan to stimulate growth in three of our city’s regions. A tip of the cap to Mayor Steve Williams and the team of dedicated volunteers who spent the last three years working on the winning proposal. You can read more about the competition and Huntington’s plans for the future on page 30 of this issue.
The ABC competition got me thinking, “In what other ways can we make our community even better?” After mulling it over, I came up with my personal wish list. I didn’t include any pie in the sky dreams. Instead, I kept my ideas simple and attainable:
- Pave all the streets. I would be willing to pay a one-time special tax based on income to get this done. Even if it were a tax that would be assessed over a three-year period, count me in.
- Synchronize all the traffic lights. I have no idea why this is so complicated, but apparently, it is. You’d think that if Silicon Valley can put a computer in your pocket they could figure out a way to synchronize a bunch of lights.
- Acquire regional jet service for Huntington Tri-State Airport. The puddle jumpers must go. Actually, this wish may be closer at hand than you think. A source close to American Airlines recently told me that they plan to phase out all props in the next three years and switch exclusively to jets.
- Open a restaurant overlooking the Ohio River. Whether it’s something built atop the floodwall or in one of Huntington’s taller buildings, we need a fine restaurant with an amazing view. What’s the point of living in a city nestled on the banks of one of America’s great rivers if we never get to see it?
- Speaking of restaurants, why don’t we have a Greek eatery in town? Considering how hugely popular the annual Greek Fest has become, it seems like a no-brainer. We have Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, German, Thai and even Vietnamese. Why no love for my people?
- Bring a Publix grocery store to town. If you’ve never shopped at a Publix, then you don’t know what you’re missing. I absolutely hate going to the grocery store, but Publix actually makes it bearable…dare I say even enjoyable. Trust me, their stores put Gucci Kroger to shame.
- Name a city street after Soupy Sales. Hey, he’s the most famous person to ever hail from Huntington and he doesn’t have a street named in his honor? Another no-brainer.
- Build a small museum honoring Chuck Yeager. Marshall University houses all of the aviation icon’s personal letters, awards, medals and more. Let’s find a way to erect a building that pays tribute to the nearby Hamlin, West Virginia, native who many consider the greatest pilot in history. It could be both educational for children and a big tourist attraction.
I’m sure there are numerous items missing from my wish list. If you have some good ideas of your own, then please let me know. You can email me directly, or reach out to us on facebook.com/huntingtonquarterly or tweet us @HQ_Magazine. As a matter of fact, look for an upcoming article in HQ titled, “What Huntington Needs: We Asked, You Answered.” Who knows? One of your ideas might make the cut.
