The Elk's Cookbook Air Fryer Donuts

THE ELK’S COOKBOOK

AIR FRYER DONUTS

Everyone is tired of cooking after the holidays, so how about a delicious and easy airfryer recipe that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really it was only 30 minutes! Gabi Strickland Walker shared her recipe this month for Air Fryer Donuts and said, “They sure were some little gems of deliciousness!”

AIR FRYER DONUTS

From the Kitchen of Gabi Strickland Walker INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

Preheat Air Fryer to 360 degrees.

• 8 count can Pillsbury Grands Biscuits • 4 T. butter, melted

• ¼ C. sugar • 1 T. cinnamon

For Glaze (Optional) • 1 T. powdered sugar • a splash of milk Step 1 Lay out biscuits and cut a hole in the center of each one. Step 2 Melt butter and set aside. Step 3 Mix cinnamon/sugar together in a deep plate or pie pan and set aside. Step 4 Cook the biscuits in your air fryer at 360 degrees for about 6 minutes or until they are golden brown. Flip them once during the cook time to make sure they cook on both sides. Step 5 After the donuts are baked, brush them generously on all sides with melted butter and dip/roll in cinnamon sugar. If desired, drizzle with glaze.

WHAT'S COOKING?

HOW ABOUT NEW BUSINESSES IN CLENDENIN & IN SUTTON WELCOME BLANCH’S FAMILY DINER & BAD AXE BISTRO!

THE NEW BLANCH’S FAMILY DINER IS SERVING THE ELK RIVER COMMUNITY

Photos provided by Diana Chandler

Blanch’s Family Diner (located in the former Red Rooster building) is now open seven days a week from 7 AM to 8 PM on Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 6 PM for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Clendenin. It is located on 9 2nd Avenue right behind the Rebel Gas Station on Route 119, convenient for visitors on both sides of the river. The owner, Diana Chandler, is not a stranger in the Elk River business community. She also owns and operates Penny Pinchers LLC, on Main Street in Clendenin. “I just really felt like it was important to have a family restaurant in Clendenin that offered a quick drive-through/pick-up window as well as a full sit-down menu,” she explained. “We are open at 7 AM every morning so it is perfect for the morning commute. We also offer bagged Lunches to Go so that it is easy to pick up lunch to take with you to work. Most importantly, we are excited to provide a family friendly atmosphere that is open until 8 PM each evening. ”

Thank you for your overwhelming support and helping us serve you! "

– Diana Chandler, Owner

The diner is named after Diana’s mom, Blanch (Toots) Jones, who had her own Blanch’s Family Diner at the end of Clendenin’s Main Street for many years. “Before she had her own place, Mom

worked at every restaurant in Town, including The Smoke Shop, Piedmont Lunch, Summers, Young’s Diner, Mary’s, Zats (she actually owned Zats for a short while), and many more.” Diana added, “I have mom’s original Blanch’s Family Diner sign which is now proudly displayed at the new family diner.” Diana said, “I have been able to open Blanch’s Family Diner because of the wonderful support from my sister Lynn Jones Taylor (who is also the manager), my niece Amber Rucker, and Diana’s good friend Tiffany Mace. They have been with me every step of the way to help the new Blanch’s be a dream come true.”

Whether you want to take the family out to dinner or just grab a quick bite to eat at the drive-through, give Blanch’s Family Diner a try soon. Their delicious food and great customer service will make you happy you stopped in!

BAD AXE BISTRO: FAMILY FOOD & FUN AT ITS BEST IN BRAXTON COUNTY

Photos provided by Becky Conrad

Welcome to one of the newest family-style restaurants: Bad Axe Bistro - on the Elk in Sutton! It opened its doors mid-August and they are planning their grand opening this winter. It is a perfect combination of a full-service restaurant and familyfriendly activities serving residents, tourists, and businesses within Braxton County and downtown Sutton.

Becky Conrad and her husband, Randy, have wanted to incorporate their management skills and experience to bring a business to Sutton for a long time. They love their town and have been actively involved with Sutton Farmer’s Market, Mountaineer Food Bank, Governor’s One Shot, and more. Both of them are on the Board for Landmark Studio for the Arts where she has been directing the Landmark Youth Theatre Ensemble for over 12 years. Becky is also the President of Sutton Community Development Corporation’s OnTrac

program. To say she and Randy are committed to their community is an understatement! The Conrads have been friends with their business partner, Tim Hoover, for over ten years. Tim is a native of Braxton County and has served as the county’s magistrate clerk for over eight years. Becky said before that, Tim spent most of his career managing in the restaurant industry and even owned his own restaurant in the 1990’s in downtown Sutton. She said, “Our friendship began right inside the walls of the PJ Berry building, when I approached him to be in the local community theater’s upcoming production. He agreed and has been actively involved in the Landmark Studio for the Arts as a Board member and is now our business partner as well.” The Conrads said, “Tim’s experience, knowledge of the industry, and his connections within the community made him an ideal partner who will strive for success.” The new Bad Axe Bistro is located at 226 Main Street (the old PJ Berry’s) in Sutton. They are open Monday through Wednesday from 10 AM to 2 PM, and then Thursday through Sunday, 10 AM through 10 PM. They have dine-in, carry-out, or downtownSutton business delivery. Becky’s husband, Randy, was a former butcher and manager of the local grocers’ meat department where he served for 25 years. He freshly cuts all of the steaks and deli meat for Bad Axe Bistro. They have an extensive lunch and dinner menu and you can check out their daily specials on their Facebook/ Bad Axe Bistro. If you are craving a bowl of Uncle Tim’s Bad Axe Tater Soup and oyster crackers or a BBQ and Cheddar Sandwich, Bad Axe Patty Melt, Chef Salad or Bad Axe Philly, all these options and more are available! Becky said, “Our Bad Axe Spiral Potatoes (loaded or plain) and our Bad Axe S'mores are two of our most popular items.” Also, in October they obtained their license and Bad Axe Bistro now offers a great selection of beer, craft beer and wines.

The owner of Elk River Hotel and Cafe, Lex Degruyl, owns the building at 226 Main Street and he worked with Becky and family to rent it for their new business. “We worked with Michael Gioulis, our friend and consultant for the Historic Building

Preservation to maintain the building’s integrity while doing some much-needed updating,” explained Becky. “We added a new kitchen and have done a lot of work on the floors and walls. We also had to clear out a lot of debris left behind from the two previous users.” The fun, activity-side of their new venue offers four ax lanes. The lanes are a cage-like structure made from repurposed old food pallets and materials from local sawmills with a chain link fence atop the wood structure. People stand at one end of the lane and throw an ax at a target projected on the wood at the other end of the lane

Becky said, “We have had an outpouring of support from the community since we opened. It has been great to see people stop by, throw some axes at the targets, and enjoy great food and beverages. Bad Axe Bistro is a family-style restaurant and has an area for kids and families. Near the ax lanes, they have added a corn hole game, a Kick Axe Kids’ Lane, card games and activities, couches, and a family bar. Looking for a place to host your next family or work event? The venue is also available for private rentals. For more information, call Becky at 304.402.2111.

If you are in the Sutton area, stop and check out the Bad Axe Bistro. It is truly a one-of-a-kind entity with owners and staff who provide quality service to the community. Next month read about two more Elk River businesses: Elk River Nutrition and the new Elk River Loft Event Venue!!!

Doing Vehicle Title Transfers, New Tags and/or Transfer Tags

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CALL TODAY! 304.548.4726

MON - THURS • 10 AM – 5 PM Clendenin, WV 25045 401 Elk Avenue W.,

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

ELK RIVER TRAIL TOWNS PLAN RELEASED FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF SUTTON, GASSAWAY, CLAY, & CLENDENIN

The outdoor recreation industry is thriving in West Virginia. Each year, tens of millions of people flock to the state to recreate in its forests, mountains, and charming communities. This activity supports 23,000 direct jobs and generates $700 million in wages and salaries for citizens of the state each year. Recognizing the economic development power of the industry, the State has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in projects that improve recreation infrastructure and create new destinations in recent years. Recreation and tourism investments in Central West Virginia have centered around the establishment of the Elk River Trail System, which runs through portions of Kanawha, Clay, and Braxton Counties. Paralleling the Elk River, the Elk River Trail System provides recreation opportunities for anglers, boaters, cyclists, hikers, and equestrians living in or visiting the center of the state. The Trail System is a potential game changer for the communities of Sutton, Gassaway, Clay, and Clendenin! However, to maximize the economic development power of

the Trail System, communities must implement intentional strategies to accommodate an increased number of visitors from different consumer groups. A new Elk River Trail Towns Plan has been released that serves as a roadmap to help communities take full advantage of the economic development potential of the Elk River Trail System. The Braxton County Development Authority and the Elk River Trail Foundation sponsored the development of the plan for Sutton, Gassaway, Clay and Clendenin. The Elk River Trail System, which includes the Elk River Trail (73.3 miles of rail trail and 18 miles of rails-with-trail) runs along the 102mile Elk River Water Trail.

Downstream Strategies (Morgantown, WV) prepared the plan to ready the Elk River Trail Towns for the future, outlining specific recommendations and investments to maximize the social and economic opportunities presented by the trail system.These strategic investments will enable

the trail towns to attract hikers, cyclists, anglers, boaters, and equestrians to the region and help to promote a recreation and tourism-based segment of their economies.

“We are excited about having a comprehensive plan to realize the amazing possibilities presented by the Elk River Trail and the Elk River Water Trail, said Ken Tawney, President of the Elk River Trail Foundation. “We are committed to continue working through our Elk River Trail Foundation and its Trail Town Committee to implement the recommendations to foster a recreation and tourism-based economy in and around our Trail Towns. The Foundation has already begun the process of seeking funding to implement the plan’s recommendations. We thank everyone who participated in the numerous town meetings and our volunteers who have spent significant time bringing this phase to fruition.” An estimated 265 million Americans, or 80% of the population, participated in outdoor recreation during the pandemic, 87 million of whom were first timers. For the Elk River region, invigorated national interest in outdoor recreation, especially hiking and biking, presents major opportunities. The study finds that the Elk River Trail Towns could reasonably attract 150,000 visitors per year on average and anticipates $250 million in new sales activity over the next 15 years. The report estimates that spending in Sutton, Gassaway, Clay and Clendenin may result in over $390 million in regional economic activity, supporting 195 fulltime and part-time jobs across different sectors of the economy.

The plan recommends various projects, including the development of more water access points around towns, wayfinding signage to and from the trail system, and building improvements in each community, among others. While the implementation expenditures carry an estimated price tag of just over $4 million over 10 years, the $390 million economic impact for the region and these four trail towns is far more substantial. The Town of Clendenin recently made a critical initial investment to pave a one-mile section of the rail trail through town, with plans to have another 1.2 mile section paved. Advantage Valley offers an entrepreneurship program that assists new owners in critical new business development in and around the trail towns

of Sutton, Gassaway, Clay and Clendenin. The Program will present local workshops and offer free business coaching to individuals as they consider and start opening businesses to support the tourism industry and trail development. The FASTER WV Program (acronym stands for Fostering Advantages for Start Ups & Entrepreneurial Resurgence in WV) identifies, encourages, and supports small business start-up and growth through coaching, business classes, access to capital, and other resources. Since its inception, the FASTER WV program has served over 376 clients with over 3,291 hours of coaching, 52 new businesses have been created, 76 businesses have been improved, $231,000 in loans have been made, and $575,960 has been leveraged in additional private investment. Tyler Brandstetter serves as Advantage Valley’s FASTER WV business coach and is ready to help anyone interested in discussing a potential new business or the expansion of an existing business in the region. Bryan Shaw is Advantage Valley’s new Director for Entrepreneurial Development and will soon make presentations in the region about what types of businesses might be successful as the economy develops around increased tourism. “With the advent of remote work, people can live and work anywhere,” says Terrell Ellis, Executive Director of Advantage Valley. “The Elk River Rail and Water Trails are great assets to the quality of life in our region. The trail town plan provides a roadmap of improvements for the communities along the trail system that will make them more attractive as a place to not only recreate, but to live as well. With anticipated visitation growing to 150,000 per year over time, we are excited to leverage the resources of the FASTER WV program to support new and expanding businesses that will be needed to serve these trail users. The future is very bright for the outdoor recreation economy.”

ON THE PATH OF PROGRESS

THE ELK RIVER TRAIL TOWN & THE TOWN OF CLENDENIN

Many of us remember a childhood joke that asks “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is: “One bite at a time.” While we may not have understood the true answer as children, as we have grown and matured as adults, this joke exemplifies how we face life’s many challenges and overcome many of the obstacles that are in our path. One example is the Town of Clendenin which suffered total devastation as a result of The Flood of 2016. Six years later the Town has indeed attacked their obstacles “one bite at a time” and is emerging, both economically and spiritually, from what many predicted would be total defeat. The Town of Clendenin celebrated the Christmas holiday season with one of the largest gatherings the town has ever seen. Businesses decorated their windows with holiday decorations and adorned the parking meters located along Maywood Avenue and Main Street. Clendenin was transformed into a Hallmark town with a magical sky of white lights criss-crossed across Main Street. It was a perfect setting for the Clendenin Christmas Parade that drew a crowd of 500-600 with locals and visitors

lined along the streets for the 32 floats and bands who marched through Town. Councilman Dave Knight said, “Seeing so many families lined along the streets brought back such wonderful memories of growing up in Clendenin. When I got home after the parade, I just sat down and was overcome with emotion. It was a wonderful sign that Clendenin is truly coming back.” The same was true for this year’s annual Clendenin Fall Festival, hosted by the Clendenin Lion’s Club and the former Clendenin Women’s Club. The first and second Chili’N on the Elk Chili Cook Off & Wine and Craft Beer Festivals also boasted huge numbers along with the first Chili Chase Dave Fields 5K run. There have been multiple events in Town centered around the new Dr. O. M. Harper Stage on Main Street, including the opening of the new Clendenin Brewing Company and the new Kanawha County Public Library/Clendenin 24/7 Kiosk Station. Last but not least, Clendenin is a new Elk River Trailhead with a bonus 2.2 miles of paved trail traversing from the north Clendenin trail head through the Town. All of these events are part of the vision and support of Mayor Kay Summers and the Clendenin Town Council, who are now embracing the new Elk River Trail Towns Plan that serves as a roadmap to help communities take full advantage of the economic development potential of the Elk River Trail System. Also, Kanawha County Commissioners Kent Carper, Ben Salango and Lance Wheeler have been big supporters of the Elk River Trail and the Clendenin leaders’ vision. Mayor Summers said, “I am looking forward to 2023 and more exciting events and changes coming to our community, which will include extension of the trail through town to Reamer, construction of the new Clendenin Trailhead across from the Post Office, and some other exciting changes that we have yet to announce.”

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