The Ironton Tribune • Profile 2023

Profile 2023

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Table of Contents 14

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46

Reaching the World.............................6 The Marting Hotel..............................34 Breaking Genres................................. 14 Sharing Her Passion...........................20 From Tradesman to Artist..................26

A Career of Creation..........................38 Creating Future Leaders....................42

Starting the Next Chapter.................30 Up, Up and Away...............................46

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Reaching the World

Evans family has operated Evangelistic Outreach for more than six decades

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STORY & PHOTOS BY HEATH HARRISON, SUBMITTED

“I’m one of seven kids,” he said. “Mom would fix dinner and rom its humble beginning in a family residence, Evanthen we could clear off the dining room table. We would stuff gelistic Outreach, located in New Boston, has grown envelopes and send out mail and newsletters with mesinto a global ministry, spreading a message of faith to millions and providing sages in them from our dining room table as a family.”

He said it soon outgrew this and his father moved the humanitarian aid worldwide. offices into a mobile home beside the house.

Approaching nearly seven decades in operaHe said, from there, they moved to Ironton, where they tion, the ministry began in 1956, founded by Dr. remained until eight years ago, when they arrived at their Calvin Evans at his home in Pedro. current location in New Boston.

“When it started, he was doing itinerant Dr. Evans spent his first decade preaching on the radio, meetings,” his son, Dr. Calvin Ray Evans, who before moving into television in the late 1960s. now serves as president and director said. “And, “It branched out into television ministry, and, from from one of those meetings, he was given an Dr. Calvin Evans offering, just a love offering. He felt like he was that, it’s branched out to the Internet and a social media ministry and continues to expand from that,” Evans said. bi-vocational at that point and didn’t want to take “Dad was a visionary. When he went on television, there were the money for himself. So he went and signed a contract with WTCR, which was the was the strongest radio station at in our area in the late ‘50s, and he launched the ministry from that.”

Evans recalls the family all taking part in the work at their home in the beginning.

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A Bible, on display at the offices of Evangelistic Outreach, is kept open to the page and notes from which Dr. Calvin Evans was preaching when he suffered a fatal heart attack in Tampa, Florida in 2006. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

three stations in this area. And everyone didn’t get all three, because it was antenna. So he said, ‘I think that would be a tool to be able to reach people.’

And, way before anyone saw what was coming with the Internet, as soon as he read about it and heard about it, he said, ‘We’ve gotta be on the Internet.’ He was always looking for next channel to be a tool to get message out.”

After nearly five decades in the broadcast ministry, Dr. Evans died, following a heart attack while delivering a sermon in Tampa, Florida in 2006. On display in his son’s office is the Bible he was using, still open to the page and notes he was preaching from.

The younger Evans, who had taken over as president in 1998, as his father’s health declined, said he took on more responsibilities, while also serving as the pastor of Rubyville Community Church, a nondenominational institution, located a few miles north of the ministry in New Boston.

Of the mission of the ministry, Evans says, “Definitely, it is always to present the Gospel. That’s first and foremost — and to meet the needs of individuals and help people as well — those in poverty around the world and in our area.”

The weekly broadcasts, which are carried locally on WSAZ, reach all of the eastern seaboard in the United States. Intros by Evans and assistant director Brad Baer are filmed at the ministry’s offices and at the church, while footage of Evans’ sermons there, and from his travels, are used, supplemented by performances from Gospel artists such as the Tammy Jones Robinette, 11th Hour and the Primitive Quartet.

“Altogether, we’re in about 30 percent of homes in America,” Evans said. “And that doesn’t include our Internet channel, which is nationwide and worldwide as well.”

He said, with the stations they are carried on, Evangelistic Outreach is available to 75-85 million households.

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Evans said it amazes him to learn of people in Hawaii, who watch each week online, when it would be pre-dawn in that time zone.

“And now we’re hearing of lot of people in Middle East, watching it live in middle of night,” he said. “That is staggering to me.

And they’re like our extended church family. We’ve got people out in the west, three hours behind us. That’s 6:30 in the morning on Sunday. It is amazing. You become the pastor of hundreds of thousands. Even though you’re in your pulpit, preaching, you become pastor to these people.”

He said he often hears of those in nursing facilities, where the broadcast is watched, and he recalls a woman in Ashland in her 90s, who, while invalid, watched faithfully for years.

“It had been her church,” he said. “We’re not taking the place of church. We’re taking the church to them, because they can’t help their situation. It makes all the difference. To me, that is very fulfilling.”

Humanitarian aid is a large part of what the ministry carries out from their New Boston offices. Evans said they have spent the past year working to provide aid to victims of flooding in eastern Kentucky.

“We give a lot of relief and help to different areas, as needs arise,” he said.

In fact, he said the main reason for their move to New Boston was to provide more space to

9 accommodate the 80 regular volunteers that help in these efforts.

“With our outreach, we go out into different areas across the country and preach,” Evans said. “We work a lot in small, rural churches, as well as metropolitan churches, but they often don’t have any support base if there is a disaster. They don’t have a food pantry or a supply warehouse. And, with our networking with people, we’re able to bring those things to them or supply the funds to help them. Currently, were involved in our food basket project, which, last year, helped over 8,600 families in the Appalachian area.“ Evans said they worked with more than 100 churches on aid in the past year.

One of their longest relationships in their humanitarian efforts is with Ironton City Mission.

“Jim Cremeans, who was their second pastor, “ he said. “Jim has been on the board of directors since the early days of ministry and is still on our board. When Dad saw the ministry growing, first, nationally, but then, by the mid ‘70s, he saw the need and the board grew to find people with expertise in different areas for the board. Jim was on, of course, because of his benevolence to people in the area. We also had individuals with expertise in insurance, expertise in business, expertise in banking.”

He said this approach has made their efforts more efficient.

“It’s given us a good balance of knowledge to be able to operate to make sure you’re able to reach more people, while using less money,” Evans said.

Evans recalls two of the most trying moments for the world that took place during the ministry’s history.

One was the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

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PROFILE 2023

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Dr. Calvin Evans delivers a sermon for his evangelistic broadcast using the news studios of WOWK in Huntington in 1972. (Submitted photo)

“It definitely one of the most challenging times,” he said, recalling that he was driving into their ministry’s Ironton office, when he heard the news come over the radio.

“I thought, ‘This can’t be,’” he said. “I can only imagine how others felt.”

He said the ministry was in the middle of a multi-day tent meeting in Ironton during the week of the attacks.

“We went to the meeting one day and everything’s fine,” he said. “The next day, everything changed. We had hundreds and hundreds coming every night. You can imagine how people felt when they came to that service that night after 9-11. It just altered everything — but I was able to watch Dad stand and preach a message of hope to a people who, at that moment, felt confusion.

Looking back on it now, what are the chances of being in one of your biggest meetings of the year when that happened?”

More recently, Evans said the ministry had to adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdowns that followed it in March 2020.

“It was probably two of the harder years of our ministry,” he said. “No one knew when it would end and when people could start congregating again.”

Evans said the ministry’s facilities put them in an ideal place where they could serve the public.

“I was very blessed when I met with the leadership team,” he said. “We knew people couldn’t come. No one knew what severity the shutdown would be be. I said, ‘We’ve got everything in place here. We’re high definition on broadcasting capabilities. It’s going to be great step of faith. A lot of ministries can’t make it if we don’t help them.’”

He said they immediately launched their efforts and began contacting singers and other ministries, inviting them in.

“We would shoot for high impact services, so people can still experience the presence of the Lord and worship in their own home,” he said. “It became less about fellowship and more about worship. That was our approach: Worship where you are, because we had to.”

Evans said it was a “draining time” in his work as a minister, recalling doing 21 funerals in 30 days.

At times, he said, due to social distancing, there were only four to five people at the funerals. He recalls a funeral director asking why he kept doing them.

“I said, ‘Everybody deserves something said when they pass.

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Even if there’s nobody here, but me and you, they deserve that”.

He said thousands logged in to watch the ministry’s first service of the pandemic.

“It was amazing,” he said. “There were times we went into that sanctuary — there was nobody but the camera crew and production crew.”

But he said it helped them to reach many they had not before.

“We told them, ‘You don’t have to be afraid,’” he said. “There are things you respect, but not fear. We’ve got faith and need one another. What was a trying time emotionally wound up being a great growth time, spiritually.”

For those who have not tuned in to their broadcasts, Evans said he would tell them, “First of all, our goal is to help people, not to hurt them.”

“If I can’t bless them, I won’t bother them,” he said. “We really, more than anything, want people to know we care. Our motto has always been, ‘Reach the unreached.’ It’s been the motto of this ministry since the day it started to bring people together for Christ.”

Evans said they have several events coming up for the year.

First, will be their annual camp meeting in the Smokey Mountain, which takes place at Pigeon Forge, from April 17-20.

And, their annual Spring Jubilee is set for May 15- 19 in Lucasville, the event’s 25th year.

“There’s no admission cost, and we’ll have nationally-known

A portion of a crowd of thousands who attended a baptismal service, following the conclusion of a 13-week revival on the Ironton riverfront in 1958. Ministers officiating were Tommy and Eddie DePriest, B.C. Stumbo and Dr. Calvin Evans. (Submitted photo)

PROFILE 2023

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Dr. Calvin Evans conducts a baptism near Kelley’s Bridge.

(Submitted photo)

Old Country Church Tabernacle, on State Route 93, near Oak Hill, where Calvin Evans pastored.

(Submitted photo)

groups,” he said. “People get to hear people they otherwise wouldn’t get to hear. It’s always a blessing.

It’s a wonderful, wonderful week and a great week of unity for churches, too.”

Evans said so much of what they have done comes from the foundation built by his father and his decision to go on television and radio.

“It was great step of faith on his part,” he said.

“When you do that, there are finances and risks. He would pray about it and said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ He was steadfast at it, slowly but surely, but, once he made up his mind, he would see it through until it was done.”

With the ministry’s growth and their new building, Evans said, “I’d give anything if Dad could have seen the office here.”

“He passed before we came here, but he would have been so thrilled to see what God’s doing and more people being reached,” he said. “And that was his goal. He would always use Moses as an example.

Moses went to Mount Nebo and God let him see the Promised Land, but he said, ‘You can’t go in.’ Moses died there and God buried Moses. We don’t know where. No one’s found the body yet. But Dad’s example was this — He saw further than his days. He didn’t get to go, but he knew where people were going. He always said, ‘Make your vision longer than your days.’

I think that’s a good way to live as well.” 

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Breaking genres Singer songwriter Rob McNurlin’s music ranges from folk to traditional country to Gospel STORY & PHOTOS BY MARK SHAFFER

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or musician Rob McNurlin, it always seems to come back to Johnny Cash.

McNurlin, an Americana artist who described his music as “just a big mess of everything that we like, country, blues, gospel, a little bit of everything,” is from Westwood, Kentucky, but travels frequently to Nashville, Tennessee.

The Man in Black is who inspired him to pick up a guitar at a young age.

Cash’s son produced his first album.

He even met and hung out with Johnny Cash and his crew a few times.

McNurlin said he didn’t come from a musical family, but “they love music.”

He still remembers the 45s and albums that his parents had when he was growing up.

“Oh, man, they had the records,” he said. “Mom had a box of 45s with Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Cash… all the good stuff. Dad had Johnny Cash albums, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins.”

He said the funny things was that this was the late ‘60s and “I would hear Mom and Dad say they didn’t like rock and roll. So, I grew up thinking Elvis

and Chuck Berry and Little Richard and all those people were country singers. By today’s standards, they are traditional rock and roll singers. And it worked out fine for me.”

McNurlin started performing in the early ‘80s but has been performing for a living since 1993.

As a kid, he was really into Elvis, but the singer that stuck with him was Johnny Cash.

“He’s the one that really made me want a guitar,” McNurlin said. “The Johnny Cash TV show premiered in the summer of 1969, I was nine years old.

That Christmas, I asked for a guitar because I wanted to be like Johnny Cash.

I still want to be like Johnny Cash.”

The path from liking Cash and ending up recording his first album at Cash’s farm is a winding one that starts like, many musical odysseys, with a guitar.

Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash were performing in Lexington, Kentucky. So, McNurlin asked his parents if they wanted to go see them perform.

They did.

A couple of weeks before the show, McNurlin called up Cash’s people to

Left, Carl Eldridge and right, Rob McNurlin, perform on at the Ironton Tuesday Night Summer concert series.

see if it was possible that Cash would sign his guitar.

“I said ‘Look, I’m a huge Johnny Cash fan. I’ve got an old Martin D-18 guitar. I already had Rambling Jack Elliot sign it. Is there any way Johnny would sign it?’” McNurlin said. Cash’s people told him to ask for, Peggy McKnight, who did the merchandise sales for Cash. “I got there early, early. They were still unloading the trucks.”

He found McKnight and she said they were going to try to get Cash to sign it. They let McNurlin backstage and told him to hang out with Cash’s guitar tech, Brian Farmer, while he prepped guitars for the show.

“Johnny Cash had the first black Martin guitar ever made, it was made in the ‘60s. It was a black Martin D-35 they had made for him. It was his main guitar for years,” McNurlin said. “So, Brian pulls out this guitar and says “You want to play Johnny’s guitar?’ So, I got to play it.”

Right before the show started, McKnight told him to watch the show and leave his guitar with Farmer. She said that when Cash introduces June Carter Cash, he should come backstage again.

“So, when June starts her part of the show, Johnny comes backstage to take a break,” McNurlin explained. “Peggy stops him. He agrees to sing the guitar, shakes my hand and then plays the guitar for a bit and then gets back on stage. When June Carter Cash comes off the stage, she signed it too.”

That, it turns out, was not the biggest highlight for McNurlin.

“After the show, Brian Farmer tells me that anytime there is a show, I can come backstage and hang out with him,” McNurlin

said. “So, anytime there was a show within driving range, I would go see Johnny. About the third time, Brian says ‘You know, there may not be a time when you can’t get a hold of me’ and then he hands me a backstage laminate pass.”

So McNurlin started hanging when he could and struck up a friendship with John Carter Cash, who played rhythm guitar in his dad’s band and would occasionally interact with Johnny Cash.

“I didn’t know him well, but he would try to make eye contact with everyone in the room and say ‘Hi.’ There were a few times that I got a little one on one with him.”

One day, McNurlin called up John Carter Cash and asked what the chances were of recording his first album, “Cowboy Boot Heel” at Cash Cabin Studios, where the elder Cash recorded hundreds of songs.

“He said ‘Yeah, we can do that,’” McNurlin said. “So, I went and did that. And come to find out, it was the first album that John Carter Cash ever produced.”

PROFILE 2023

17 Carter Cash, a musician in his own right, has been the producer on 75 records, including producing his mother’s album “Press On,” for which he won a Grammy, and was an associate producer on several of his father’s albums.

He has also produced albums by other artists such as Loretta Lynn, Marty Stuart and Brad Paisley.

“So, I was the test subject there, which was great,” McNurlin said with a laugh. “I still see John Carter Cash every once in a while.”

Since then, McNurlin has released several recordings including Buffalo Skinners, Lonesome Valley Again, Tent of the Wicked, Rhinestoned, Gospel Guitar, Blood on the Saddle and Blue Nashville Guitar.

Tent of the Wicked was produced by Kenny Vaughn, the guitarist for Marty Stuart’s band, The Fabulous Superlatives.

Because of his eclectic taste in music, it is hard to peg McNurlin into a specific category.

When he started out in 1993, the genre was called alternative country or cow punk and included everyone from Jason and the Scorchers to the Jayhawks.

“See, therein lies the problem. Although I love the traditional country music, I also love Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but I also love gospel music and Woodie Guthrie and Arlo Guthrie and Rambling Jack Elliot. And I just wanted to play it all, so where are they going to put me?”

McNurlin said. “I just say the heck with it, I’m just going

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PROFILE 2023

to play it. To me it is all the same.”

The genre is more commonly called Americana now.

“Yeah, they finally stuck a name on it,” McNurlin said, although that name doesn’t really fit him well, since he is too country for rock and roll and too rock and roll and folky for the Gospel people. “All Americana turned out to be was all the cool songs that couldn’t get on the radio stations.”

Regardless of what genre he’s in, McNurlin is well-known for putting on a good show and has played many of the fairs, festivals, churches, radio show, TV show and other events in the Tri-State, including playing Ironton aLive’s Tuesday Night Concert series for years.

“It’s a great place to play,” he said. “Every little town should have something like it.”

As a musician, he said it doesn’t matter to him if it is an outdoor event, a church or a club.

“It is the audience that makes the show,” McNurlin said. “If the audience wants to hear some music, it is a great show. That’s what matters, it doesn’t matter to me where it is at.” 

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Sharing her passion Instructor offers wide variety at Chesapeake dance studio

STORY & PHOTOS BY HEATH HARRISON

L

aunching Studio 301 in 2020 consisted of overcoming some obstacles for Kenzie Buchanan.

Originally, the dance studio was going to be located in Proctorville, her hometown, where she graduated from Fairland High School (It’s name comes from its initial planned site at 301 Elizabeth Street there), but prior to opening, she had to move the business to a different site.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of that year, leading to shutdowns of nonessential businesses and the implementation of social distancing and health guidelines.

“It was a blast,” she said of the difficulty.

As things began to reopen around Ohio in May, Buchanan de-

cided to go for it and slated her start for that August.

She opened her doors at 518 3rd Ave. in Chesapeake, with masking and safe practices in place.

“We found this space and I think it’s a good spot in town,” she said. “Everybody in Chesapeake has been really nice to us and welcoming.”

Since then, she has seen steady attendance and, with a staff of eight instructors, offers a wide variety of classes.

“They’re all great and have different, varying backgrounds,” she said of the teachers. “We have a wide variety of dance studios in our area and each one of them comes from a different place.

We’ve kind of been able to take the best of dance in the Tri-State

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and brought it into one place, which is pretty cool.”

Describing their offerings, Buchanan said it is “all kinds of stuff.”

“We have ballet, tap, jazz, acro, hip hop, baton — baton is one of our biggest programs — contemporary, lyrical, musical theater and K-pop, which is a new one.”

She said classes are available for ages 18 months and up.

“We don’t have a cap,” she said. “Even if you’re 36 years old and want to come start ballet, come on in. We’ll get you in a ballet class.”

She said attendance varies, but has remained steady.

“Right now, we have about 65,” she said. “They’re mostly from this area. We have a lot of kids from Ashland and the Tri-State in general. And a lot of people come from the Symmes Valley area, since we’re the closest for them.”

She said many of those attending now were there at the start.

“Overall, we have a steady, good group of consistent dancers, which I love,” Buchanan said. “That’s really important with dance — consistency. If you’re not coming, you’re not going to get any better. And I have a group of kids who want to get better and are in here constantly.”

She said the studio had their first full competition season last year.

“They did really well,” she said. “We got a few platinum awards, which is the highest you can get. We had a very small program last year and we’re slowly building on it. Now that we have new competition director, Sophia Holley, I think we’re going to keep looking ahead on that. She’s been dancing her whole life and brings something cool to the table.“ Buchanan said they put on a few productions a year and recently performed “The Nutcracker” at the Foundry Theater at City Hall in Huntington, with whom they have a partnership.

“It was our first time doing The Nutcracker this year, and it was a very huge success,” she said. “it was probably our best show so far.”

She said they also host their “Dancing Through” series of shows, in which they adapt popular books.

“The first one we did was ‘Dancing Through Oz’ retelling ‘The Wizard of Oz’ through dance, and with no words,” she said. “And we have ‘Dancing Through Wonderland,’ and ‘Dancing Through the Chocolate Factory,’ which is Willie Wonka,” she said.

“Dancing Through Wonderland” is slated for April.

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Buchanan said they also host an endof-year showcase annually.

“Every dancer participates in that,” she said. “And, other than the recital, all of our productions are free for dancers. They don’t have to pay costs and fees and don’t have to pay performance fees. We’re very not money-based, but are for the experience. We try to promote that as much as we can, because that really what it’s all about.”

When asked what inspires her most to teach, Buchanan said “I have such a passion for dance, I can’t hold it all in.”

“I’ve got to let other people have a taste of it,” she said. “It’s so much fun and it really unites people together. I’ve made best friends from dance and want other people to be able to do that, too.

No matter who you are, if you’ve ever danced before or if you have no experience, walk in and we’ll find a class for you. You’ll have a good time and that’s really important to me.”  N AT I O N A L H O S P I C E & PA L L I AT I V E C A R E M O N T H

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PROFILE 2023

From tradesman to artist Sean Daniel took a sideways route to starting Oops, I Shirt Myself

STORY & PHOTOS BY MARK SHAFFER

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ean Daniel took a sideways route that ended up with him starting his own businesses, Sean Daniel Media Oops, I Shirt Myself.

He started off in the trade industry, rather than the creative field.

“I was in engineering. I traveled all over the place for a company, doing plastic pipe,” Daniel explained.

“I came back to this area and I was teaching industrial maintenance and electrical at Collins Career Technical Center and Scioto County Vocational School. I was training people in CPR too.”

He applied for work at a local factory and was turned down, but then the same company asked him a week later to teach millwright safety and CPR/AED training.

With that came a realization…

“I figured this was no longer the field for me,” Daniel said with a laugh.

Then he had dinner with his friend, Brad Bear who, was at Ohio University and making TV shows and movies.

“I thought that sounded a lot better than what I was going through at the time, so, the next week, I enrolled and ended up working at OU as a special projects producer for a couple years after going to school there,” Daniel explained.

Then he got an offer he couldn’t pass up.

“I got a pretty sweet deal with Harley-Davidson, filming all their stuff. I got to travel a lot, I got to produce a lot of nice footage that people used in commercials and things like that. I was producing five or six commercials while sitting in my house in Ironton.”

PROFILE 2023

In 2018, outside market forces led to Harley-Davidson cutting back and one of the first things that was cut was advertising.

Daniel looked to get into other businesses to supplement his income, which lead him to starting Oops, I Shirt Myself.

The business is essentially Daniel creating graphics and putting them on things like signs, T-shirts, hats, hoodies and even making large-scale vinyl graphics, which are put on walls. He recently started making wooden signs with graphics on them.

He admits that it was a big step to go from industrial work to what he does now, but he said it has been a great transition.

“One big thing that I’ve found is that in engineering, the work is exact. In art, it is opinion,” Daniel said. “Art is very fluid, even to the same person, it can hit them different depending on their mood. I like that. There is a bit of confidence that has to build from doing this. In industrial settings, it is either yes or no.”

He said he feels schools in this area need to push art more.

“Because I’m not saying that, I regret any of the time I spent in the industrial world, but I feel like I could have gotten a lot more out of life if I would have done art first,” Daniel said, admitting

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that it is hard to make art your job. “That is why you have to expand. I started out with just shirts. Now I can do anything from massive billboards to hats.”

And his art has gone from making one-off custom shirts to corporate work.

One of his biggest projects was done last fall for Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

“I did a 120-foot mural that goes up the wall to the ceiling. It was thousands of butterflies and flying things,” he said. He has also designed other murals for a pediatric doctor’s office and a Huntington hospital. “It has been fun. I find myself exploring the Internet for new ideas. You have to keep trying new projects. I never know what I can do until someone asks me to.”

He points out that, on his desk, there are two metal cylinders marked “Flex Seal.”

“One is the real thing, the other is a cup,” he said.

Daniel said the constant change is a bonus for him.

“You change to what the public wants or needs or what makes you happy,” he said. “I’m getting there.” 

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PROFILE 2023

PROFILE 2023

Starting the next chapter South Point author wraps up trilogy, prepping new projects STORY & PHOTOS BY HEATH HARRISON

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or Hannah Boggs, of South Point, 2023 will be a big year.

Not only will she graduate from Marshall University’s College of Business in December, but her plan is for this year to also see the completion of a trilogy of novels she has been writing over the past half decade.

In 2017, Boggs, then 16, completed her first book, “Violent Delights,” a young adult, paranormal thriller.

“It starts with an ordinary girl moving to new town, where she happens to encounter these two famous magicians who are twins,” Boggs said of its premise. “And she gets tangled up in their world.”

Boggs attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Huntington, but had to withdraw in middle school due to health reasons. She ended up enrolling in the online Ohio Connections Academy as a sophomore and graduated early in 2020, the same year she released the second book in the series, “ Fire

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and Powder,” also titled from the works of William Shakespeare.

Boggs began her first book when she first became sick and, in many was, she said it was a chance to work through her frustrations and feelings of isolation. The protagonist of her series also deals with an illness.

While she had written stories as a child, she said it was as a teenager that she became serious about her craft, beginning with encouragement she had from writing poetry.

On the first book, she worked with an independent publisher. It was at their suggestion that the story was expanded.

“It’s very funny,” she said. “Initially, ‘Violent Delights’ was supposed to be standalone. And I had vague idea of a second story that takes place 20 years later. But, on our first call together, they said, ‘This is a trilogy, right?’ And it became a trilogy after that.”

She said, after finishing the first book, she began to ponder how to continue the story.

PROFILE 2023

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PROFILE 2023

“So it was not initially a trilogy, but it kind of came into it,” she said. “But I’m happy with the way it’s turned out. I feel like it’s a lot better than it was.”

For the second novel, she self published and physical copies of her works have been available through local bookstores, author events and online through Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Books-AMillion. They are also available digitally.

For “Violent Delights,” she received a glowing review from Jon Fitch, the CEO and founder of Accurance, a book production company for authors .

“I have been in book publishing more than two decades and seen, read and worked on more than 80,000 books,” he said.

“Hannah Boggs work shows so many signs of pure talent at such a young age. I can honestly say I have never read any work by such a young author that was better quality that this. The settings, development of character and style reflect what should decades of writing experience, but they show up here in a young lady of just 16.”

The book also won for Best Paranormal Book in the genre categories from the 2019 Indies Today Awards, which are open to all self-published and independent authors, including those using small press publishers.

She said she has mostly concentrated on the local market, but has received positive feedback from afar as well, including fan art from England.

“And I believe it was my first author event, there was actually one girl I didn’t know, but she had seen that my book was going to be on there and she had traveled from several states over to get it in person,”

Boggs said. “It was very flattering. She said she really didn’t know anything about it, but thought it looked intriguing.”

She doesn’t have a specific release date for the trilogy’s conclusion, but plans for the final installment, “Violent Ends,” to come out later this year.

She said part of the excitement for her in wrapping up the story is the chance to try new things, particularly standalones that aren’t tied to a series.

“I have several different book ideas for the future,” she said.

“I do want to continue writing.

It’s just a matter of settling on ideas. And most of them do fall

in the same genres of thriller and horror, but do have ideas that are fantasy or sci-fi that I’m interested in expanding on.”

She said she would also like to do an anthology of short stories and eventually would like to do another series.

“I have other trilogies planned that I’m excited about,” she said. “I want to pursue a literary agent for them, because I think they are that good and I want to get them out there.”

On her influences, she said Agatha Christie is her favorite writer, but, rather than focus on specific authors, she is more of a genre fan.

“I gravitate toward mysteries, thriller, horror and occasionally go into fantasy,” she said. “I’ve been doing lot more reading recently, especially when it comes to the technical side of writing.”

She says she is a big movie fan, with similar themes in her favorites.

“I like lot of slasher and gothic stuff and thrillers,” she said, noting that Wes Craven’s “Scream” series was a big influence on her first book, as was the 1980s black comedy “Heathers.”

Boggs, who shoots her own book covers, has been pursuing an interest on the other side of the camera, as well, having acted in a proof of concept video for a local film project, “Wish,”

by Huntington filmmakers the Vanscoys.

She said she auditioned for the project after seeing a posting at Pullman Square in Huntington.

“I was given a flashback part,” she said of her role, her first experience in filmmaking.

“It was a lot of fun.”

Boggs said she plans to spend the year balancing her time between writing and working toward graduation, in which she will be part of the College of Business’s first online graduating class.

She has majored in business, and has three minors — management, marketing and creative writing.

“Ultimately, I’d love to open by own bookstore/bar,” she said. “I want to keep writing, but have a place where I can sell books and promote independent and local authors and give them a place where they can do book signings.”

For more information on Boggs’ work, visit www.hannahboggsbooks.com. 

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A Trip Back in Time:

The Marting Hotel

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STORY & PHOTOS BY NICOLE COX

ne of legendary business icon Henry Adam Marting’s last ventures was to build the remarkable Marlowe Theater with his son in law, Dr. Andrew Clark Lowry.

“Marlowe” was a combination of their surnames. Just around the corner at Second Street and Park Avenue, ground was broken for a spectacular hotel unique from all the others. The project soon stalled, and, from 1914-1917 the site was known as “Ironton’s Hole in the Ground,” since only the basement had been excavated, due to steel shortages from World War I. In 1916, Mr. Marting pledged to finance the hotel project and by the following year had raised $190,000, including $75,000 of his own investment.

Col. Marting had interests in dozens of businesses in Ironton,

beginning with a dry goods store on Second Street and later, a pivotal role in the Foster Stove Company, the Crystal Ice Factory, Ironton Portland Cement and the Eagle Iron Works. In 1912, he incorporated the Marting Iron and Steel Company by purchasing three coke-fueled iron furnaces throughout Lawrence County. He was given the title “colonel” by Ohio Gov. Asa Smith Bushnell, after being a member of the governor’s staff.

On Sept. 18, 1919, the grand opening dedication dinner was hosted in the spectacular Marting Hotel. The lobby was decorated with flower bouquets and Rome apples, since the apple show and festival were being held at the same time. Sadly, the man who saw the project to completion did not live to see its success.

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Nine days later, on Sept. 27, 1919, Colonel Marting succumbed to illness.

One time listed as “Ohio Valley’s Best Hotel” the hotel advertised 128 rooms with rates from $1.50 to $4. It once contained a barber shop, billiards parlor, cigar store and coffee shop. It nearly always hosted a tavern, restaurant or bar. The impressive seven-story Italian Renaissance Revival style building at 202 Park Ave. in Ironton boasts a history as interesting as its architecture.

One of the hotel’s most famous guests was none other than female ironmaster and socialite Nannie Kelly Wright. After a colorful career, ruined romance, and extensive world travels, Wright made the Marting Hotel her home from the 1930s until her death in 1946. From her view high above the town, she reminisced about watching the World War II soldiers arrive at the nearby train depot. Both the original Ironton-Russell Bridge and the newer O.C. Collins Memorial Bridge are within view of the top floors, as well as the dome of the county courthouse. Due to its proximity to the Ohio River, rail lines, the county seat and the Ironton business district, the Marting Hotel has always been a popular downtown destination. Often hosting community meetings, dinners, dances and civic functions, the establishment also served in times of need. The devastating flood waters of 1937 reached the third floor, but several patrons took refuge on the upper floors.

One of the more recent notable guests was U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, whose district office on the ground floor served the southern part of the 6th Congressional District from 2011 until the end of last year when redistricting moved Lawrence County into the Second District.

For a brief time in the 1950s it was named the MacArthur Hotel, but, by the next decade, had resumed its original name and, by then, added the Sand Bar, banquet facilities, air conditioning, and televisions in all the rooms. The historic hotel went through dozens of managers, renovations, redecorations and various entertainment additions before falling into disrepair at the end of the century.

In 1998, it was added to the National Register of Historic Plac-

es. Several years later, the Ironton – Lawrence County Community Action Organization took ownership of the decayed building and began extensive renovations. Now known as the Park Avenue Apartments, this beautiful landmark continues to be a busy center in the city with lively characters and social activities comprised of 50-units of senior living apartments.

At the time of Marting’s death, he gave financial donations to the Marting Hotel, proving his devotion to the project. The Ironton Register newspaper ran his extensive obituary and noted: “Every business house in the city was closed during the funeral hour from 2 to 3 o’clock. The Home Telephone Company suspended service for 10 minutes at 2 o’clock. The public schools and banks were closed.” The town collectively mourned the loss of a great industrialist and friend of many.

It has now been over 100 years since the grand opening. If these walls could talk, they would echo the laughter, friendliness, sociability and enjoyment that guided Marting’s vision for his final venture.

Nicole Cox is President of the Lawrence County Museum & Historical Society and can be reached at 740-646-4104. 

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PROFILE 2023

PROFILE 2023

A career of creation

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Gospel series exhibit marks reopening of Hutton gallery

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STORY & PHOTOS BY HEATH HARRISON

or nearly seven decades, Robert Hutton, of South Point, has been immersed in the creation of art and, since his retirement from teaching at Marshall University in 1999, he has remained a prolific creator, turning out countless works.

In 2018, he and his wife, Robin, opened the Hutton Wayfarer Gallery at their farm.

However, just as the gallery was beginning to build momentum with its events, they were forced to close to the public due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Their plans to reopen were complicated by another setback in 2022, when Robert was injured in an auto accident, which required a lengthy recovery.

But, it was during this recuperation that he resumed and focused more intensely on a series of oil pastel works depicting scenes from the Gospels, which were the focus of an exhibit that marked the gallery’s reopening in late 2022.

A lay brother with Society

of the Divine Word, a Catholic Missionary order, for five years, Hutton’s Christian faith, a focus of the exhibit, has been a major part of his work since his first days as an artist.

Here, he shares the story behind some key pieces of his work: 591 State Route 650 Ironton, Ohio 740-533-3032 260 Co. Rd. 403 Proctorville, Ohio 740-886-5476

“ OUR SAVIOR” “Sixty-eight years ago, at the age of 16, I entered my senior year of high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soon after, two major events occurred in my life: First, I became passionate about becoming an artist, starting a disciplined

self-study of drawing; Second, I had a spiritual conversion.

Because of these two factors, towards the end of my senior year, I created my first significant sculpture in clay, a thorncrowned head of Christ, titled ‘Our Savior.’

Being extremely shy, I was shocked one day in class when the principal announced over the PA system to the whole school, ‘Everyone should go see Robert Hutton’s artwork in the hallway display case!’ Later, that spring, my art teacher submitted that sculpture in the 1956 All- Schools’ City Art Exhibition, for which I won a merit award. That began my art journey and I am still plodding.

The famous writer, Henry James posed three questions to artists: 1) What were you trying to do?

2) Did you accomplish your purpose?

3) Was it worth doing?

Such practical questions leave me perplexed since I work more intuitively. If I have a plan, it’s usually nebulous, plus the work in progress can

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PROFILE 2023

veer off in another direction. Robert Leper, a former Carnegie Mellon professor of mine while looking at my work commented, ‘I get it! You’re sparring for an opening!’ I continue to use that method and ‘I find my way by taking it.’” “ HE IS RISEN AS HE SAID HE WOULD” “This large oil pastel is one of my favorites in which Christ appears in the early morning radiance of his resurrection. Jesus’ stylized face conveys both human compassion and divine insight.

The bold simplicity of color shapes enhances the visual impact.

On the day of Hutton Wayfarer Gallery reopening exhibition, a woman walked in and upon noticing the image of the risen Christ, she spontaneously exclaimed, ‘That gives me chills!’

What better response could I ask for? I am always pleased when others find meaning and beauty in my work.

Notes on color: For me, color is the most powerful element of expression and since we have such a dazzling array of colors available today that were unavailable in the past, I want to exploit color to the fullest extent in every possible way. To that end, working in oil pastels has been helpful, particularly describing subjects with diverse, colored contour lines.

“ WHERE IS JESUS?” “The three women are perplexed and distressed when they arrive early to find the empty tomb. They witnessed the crucifixion and now this. Imagine what unsettling thoughts and feelings each of them experienced.

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I sense an endearing innocence about their expressions, despite all. It reminds me of a time when I was lamenting my problems to a spiritual mentor and then he responded matter-of-factly, ‘Do you expect to get off scot-free?’ At times, most all Christians ask, ‘Where is Jesus?’ “ WERE NOT OUR HEARTS BURNING?” “Robert Frost once said, ‘Take that which is ordinary to experience and make it extraordinary to expression.’ In this oil pastel, I adapted his poetic advice as follows: Jesus’ glory is veiled so all of the figures appear as ordinary Jewish men. However, the extravagant revelation of Jesus is captured in the expressions and gestures of the two disciples as they traveled to Emmaus.”

Robin says the Gospel Series Exhibition will continue through April and may be viewed by appointment by contacting 304-634-8674. 

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PROFILE 2023

Creating future leaders 4-H brings agricultural opportunities, teaches life skills

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STORY & PHOTOS BY HEATH HARRISON

achael Fraley has been the extension educator and heading since 2014, coordinating its Lawrence County 4-H programs.

For her, it was a natural career path. She grew up in the 4-H program, as a member of the Starlight 4-H Club of the Symmes Valley area and wanted to dedicate her future to it.

“When I was 12 years old, I said, ‘This is what I want to do with the rest of my life,’” she said.

Fraley graduated from Ironton and attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where she finished with an undergraduate degree in career technical education with an agriculture option.

She then went to West Virginia University in Morgantown, where she earned her Master’s in extension education.

It was at WVU where she worked for four years at the extension office as an assistant educator in training. From there, she

came to Lawrence County, where she began the job in her office, located in the county courthouse.

“As 4-H educator, I oversee all of the community clubs within our county,” she said. “We have about 30. And, with that, we have 125-ish trained volunteers. They have to go through yearly training, such as Protecting Our Minors training, and yearly things to help enhance their education piece. I do all the training for those and help manage those clubs.”

One of the biggest undertakings for the 4-H office is the Lawrence County Fair, which takes place every July, where the Junior Fair consists of a week of livestock competitions and projects. About 650 4-H and FFA members take part in that event, Fraley said.

“Anyone who competes in the Junior Fair, they have to be involved with 4-H or FFA to be eligible to participate,” she said.

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“We partner with the Lawrence County Agricultural Society to make sure all of the kids complete the requirements to be able to compete. And all those kids do quality assurance training. I do all the training for that.”

4-H members can start at age 5 in kindergarten a Cloverbud, Fraley said, and can take part in the noncompetitive events and activities. At age 8, in the third grade, they can begin to compete in the junior fair and life skills and livestock events.

In addition to the 650 members of traditional clubs 4-H reaches with the fair, Fraley deals with 550 students in Lawrence County through school-based and training-based programming.

In August 2022, the office hired Zoie Clay as program assistant and she provides school and afterschool programming in four of the county’s districts.

Examples of the school-based programming include 4-H Health Rocks, educating students on better health and living, as well as

PROFILE 2023

Real Money, Real World, a financial literacy program.

Fraley said another big aspects of 4-H is the camp, which takes place over three days in June at Canter’s Cave in Jackson. Lawrence County is one of 10 counties to take part in that “We facilitate summer camps and come up with the program, with help from other educators,” Fraley said.

She said the camps also serve as a leadership opportunity for the teenage members of 4-H, with them serving as counselors.

“We have a lot of camp counselors who help with the supervision of our kids,” Fraley said. “They step in to make sure younger kids get where need to go. And it’s a good time to be outdoors.

We do hiking, swimming and fishing. We don’t allow cell phones and it’s an opportunity to disconnect.”

Founded in 1902 and having a motto of “To make the best better,” 4-H clubs are found in every state in the U.S., as well as organizes internationally.

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PROFILE 2023

It’s name comes from the four “Hs” of head, heart, hands and health, which are listed in the pledge members recite.

“And there’s our Big M — Belonging, independence, generosity and mastery,” Fraley said.

The 4-H extension office is through The Ohio State University.

Fraley, along with office assistant Paige Matney, is employed through OSU. She said, as a land grant institution, OSU has an office in all 88 of the state’s counties.

“4-H falls under that umbrella,” she said. “And the county commissioners help support those offices. Without the support of the county commissioners, we wouldn’t have the opportunities we have here.”

Also working in the office are Debbie Carpenter, who teaches nutrition, and Rosa Storey, who was hired through SNAPEd. Terry Abner, from the Area Agency on Aging District 7, partners with and works

through the office as well.

Fraley said another part of her job is community service and she is on the Lawrence County Farm Bureau and a part of other organizations She also works with the 4-H teen leaders on service projects and ways to give back to the community. In December, these leaders could be found at the Chesapeake Community Center, working with Community Mission Outreach in their annual food and toy distribution to the needy.

“I’m also responsible for outreach,” Fraley said. “And research, development of curriculum and presenting at different conferences. Taking what we do and develop at the county and state level and sharing it nationwide.”

Fraley said she has seen many people in public service and other sectors, such as teachers, administrators and attorneys, who have grown up and gone through the 4-H program and benefitted from it.

“I would say one of the biggest benefits is the life skills,” she said. “Learning responsibility and a hands-on learning experience. It’s also, a lot of times, the friendships made from being in 4-H. People from all over the county come together and build lifelong friendships. And there’s also the confidence they have to take on leadership.”

Fraley said there are many members who continue helping the program into adulthood.

“It is very common for quite a few of our seniors, when they age out, to come to me, looking for how to serve and be a part of it,” she said.

She said this is illustrative of their ultimate goal.

“We want them to master life skills,” Fraley said. “We want them to be active citizens in their communities, and we hope we are giving them skills to be able to walk into those roles.” 

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PROFILE 2023

Up, up and away CCTC’s aviation classes growing in second year

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STORY & PHOTOS BY HEATH HARRISON

ow in its 17th year, the Project Lead the Way program at Collins Career Technical Center has been providing STEM education to most of the county’s school districts, offering a hand-on, problem-solving approach to learning.

And two years ago, they began a new addition to the program, educating students about careers in the aviation field.

Matt Monteville, satellite coordinator for CCTC, said the aviation class is now offered in four of the county’s districts, and about 40 students in total are enrolled.

“It’s part of our engineering pathway,” he said one of the op-

tions for the four-year PLTW program, which also offers students a choice of specialization in biomed education.

At Rock Hill High School, 16 students are enrolled in the course, seven of whom are their second year.

The class is taught by Justin Lister, who has a background in aviation and he says the students are with PLTW for all four years of high school.

“We introduce them to different types of aviation,” he said, explaining that they explore commercial, military and other fields.

“We give an explanation of aerodynmaics and how wings work.”

For this, the school is equipped with a wind tunnel, which List-

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PROFILE 2023

er uses with a model wing and a string, showing the students how air flows around it and creates the power of lift.

He said they also learn how flight instruments have evolved over time, from old fashioned steam gauges to equipment in a modern glass cockpit.

Lister’s classroom is also equipped with a bank of simulators, in which students can don virtual reality goggles and go on a simulated flight.

“We fly as close as they can, virtually,” he said.

Monteville said the simulators allow them to take off from airports in either Ashland, Kentucky or Chesapeake and provide a

detailed view of the Tri-State, with the Ohio River and landmarks such as the Oakley C. Collins Memorial Bridge in Ironton and the high school itself, north of the city, visible.

Lister said the goal of the class is to get students to the point where they can go and obtain a private pilot’s license.

Monteville said the class has proven popular and it is growing in its second year, seeing its enrollment triple across the four schools.

“And we just added the simulators this year,” he said. “The kids are interested in learning basic flight.”

He said CCTC is partnering with Marshall University, in

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PROFILE 2023

Huntington, West Virginia, and Ohio University in Athens for the class.

Marshall opened the Bill Noe Flight School in fall of 2021 at Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, which allows students to earn a commercial pilot: fixed wing degree and offers ground and flight courses.

“That’s one of the reasons we started it,” Monteville said of CCTC’s offering. “Because of those opportunities.”

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Monteville said there is currently a pilot shortage in the United States and the aviation class is preparing students for a field in which there is demand for qualified professionals.

He said multiple students have expressed going on into a full career in aviation.

“There are great opportunities out there,” he said. “And it’s not just flying. There are things like air traffic control and weather.

There are so many aspects to it.” 

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Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) (also called "Regular HEAP") The HEAP program runs from July 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023. HEAP is a federally funded program designed to help income-eligible Ohioans with their winter heating bills. Clients must be income-eligible to receive a bene€t in the form of a credit directly to the client's main energy heating account beginning in the month of January.

Winter Crisis Program (WCP) (also called "Emergency HEAP" or "E-HEAP") The E-HEAP program operates from November 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. The Winter Crisis Program provides a bene€t once per heating season to an income-eligible household that has been disconnected (or have a pending disconnection notice), need to establish new service, need to pay to transfer service, or have 25% (or less) of bulk fuel supply remaining. The program can also assist with fuel tank placement, fuel tank testing and heating system repair. The program operates from November 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. Clients with a current medical certi€cate on €le with their utility are ineligible to receive WCP assistance until the medical certi€cate protection expires.

Summer Crisis Program (SCP) (also called "Summer Cooling") The Summer Cooling program operates July 1, 2023, to August 31, 2023. The Summer Crisis Program provides a bene€t once per cooling season to an income-eligible Ohioan's electric bill, and/or for the purchase of fans and air conditioners. Eligible clients are those with a household member over the age of 60 and/or a household member with a documented medical condition, a COVID-19 diagnosis, a disconnect notice, have been shut o, or are trying to establish new service on their electric bill or require air conditioning. This year the program operates July 1, 2023, to August 31, 2023.

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING Proctors Landing

SENIOR APARTMENTS • 1-2 Bedrooms 7894 County Road 107, Proctorville, Ohio • 740-886-1300

Storms Creek Apts.

2-3 Bedrooms 1505 Lawrence St. Ironton, Ohio 740-534-0375

Park Ave. Apts.

1-2 Bedrooms In-house senior center Ironton Ohio 740-534-0375

Riverview Apts.

2-3 Bedrooms 784 Co. Rd. 411, Proctorville, Ohio 740-886-5009

10th Street Apts.

1-2 Bedrooms 10th St., Ironton, Ohio 740-534-0375

Your heart does so much for you … isn’t it time to show it the kindness it deserves?

Being kind to your heart is easier than you might think. Here are some ways to get started: • Exercise. 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week.

• Eat a healthy diet, one that’s low in saturated fats and high in fiber and protein.

• Manage stress.

• If you use tobacco products or vape, stop.

• Learn about your family history. If heart disease runs in your family, your risk is higher!

• Understand your personal risk factors. King’s Daughters free Heart Health Risk Assessment is easy to do and available online.

Just snap the QR Code to the right to get started.

• Know your heart numbers: cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, blood pressure, BMI. • Pay attention to your body and know the signs of heart attack: chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, pain that radiates down the arm or into the jaw. If you have any of these – get checked out!

Kindness matters. To your heart.

To your family. To all.

King’s Daughters makes it easy to show your heart kindness with same-day cardiology appointments. Just give us a call at (606) 324-4745.

Cardiologist Jennifer Listerman, M.D., is available right here in Ironton, providing world-class heart care to residents of Ironton, Lawrence County and surrounding areas.