"Way Out in West Virginia"

I am remiss in adding a post about another book before I post my friend John Michael Cumming's book "The Night I Freed John Brown." But I want to finish reading it first to add my personal opinion. So far, I'm very impressed.

I was also impressed by this book review written by our modest editor of Tyler Star News, Barry Harter - who never uses a byline! I am going to buy this book and get out to see more of West Virginia.

Way Out in West Virginia on its third edition
After 40,000 plus copies, Way Out In West Virginia is still not only selling, but out selling its competition with the third edition, new, revised and expanded, hitting the shelves now.

Jeanne Mozier has tapped into the under current of any state, plumbing the sublime to the beautiful with her travel guide for visitors and Mountaineers born and bred alike. The key is the author isn’t indigenous to West Virginia nor is the book a simple road map of arteries designed to get the traveler from point A to point B with a modicum of travel time or gasoline consumption.

For the author, her journey began 30 plus years ago when she and her husband gave up life in the fast lane in the ‘burbs of Washington, D.C., to find a quieter backdrop. They settled on, and in, Berkeley Springs where the couple purchased the old movie theater, The Star.

It was through the eyes of a transplant she saw the many wonders within the borders of the state whose motto promotes its wild and wonderful.

“I look at the state and see things a native wouldn’t see,” she said. “I grew up in upstate New York and went to work in Washington, D.C. Now, I make it my mission to make Berkeley Springs the center of the universe.”

As she traveled the windy roads, off the beaten interstates, Mozier began to see what kept the “natives” home. It also began what has become her now lifelong mission of sharing that with others.

The first edition of Way Out began as what she best terms a “difference of opinion” with other travel authors.

“I felt the kind of material put out by most other authors was about whitewater rafting, hiking and outdoor activities,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with that, but I thought people should know they can eat, sleep and shop here as well.”

During a trip into the Northern Panhandle of the state, Mozier said she saw enough “oddities” she was convinced there was enough material to write a book about the sights not always commemorated on plaque or in sightseeing guides. Those would include the mummies of Philippi or the world’s largest teapot in Chester.

Mozier has a little help with gigabytes of e-mail or mountains of snail mail from the faithful who want to register the latest “site.” Others practically accost her in person with some new anomaly.

“People send me notes. People come up to me at various places. I go on pilgrimages to find these places. After the last book, I felt I needed places like Doddridge County included,” she said.

The last book was published in 2003 and was the second edition with 70 more pages of new material as well as updates and tidbits of information she’d gleaned from locals for locations already listed.

Way Out’s latest incarnation makes the book a hat trick adding another 100 pages, with some deletions — “People are so inconsiderate, closing up some places while opening up others” — and new photographs.

Far from deprecative of the input, the loquacious and prolific author never finds it hard to discourse though her tongue is often in cheek. Especially when the subject is West Virginia. Which is why the book may be so popular.

“People use this book to travel. One of the interesting things about it is it’s not a traditional travel guide. You can sit down and read it,” Mozier said. “I love hearing feedback on it. I’ve actually had people come up to me and tell me they’ve never read so many good things about West Virginia in one place.”

Way Out has also become a textbook of sorts.

“I’m always excited to hear about teens using it to study for a social studies fair project or the Golden Horseshoe contest,” she said.

“This is a labor of love. It’s great fun — particularly when you find new places,” Mozier said. “One of the more encouraging things in West Virginia are the number of places to eat. The food chapter has had several new entries. I’m always on the lookout for places that serve pepperoni rolls.”

Another section with new entries are for new and exotic gardens.

And, as she’s quick to point out, the additional 100 pages are offered to readers at no extra cost.

Which is kind of what the book is about, financially feasible vacations in an era when the cost of oil per barrel continues to balloon on a daily basis.

“I think traveling through West Virginia is a terrific option for folks in places like the Baltimore, Md.,/Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh areas. It offers some options that are different to what people are used to,” she said.

Berkeley Springs is proof of that as, according to Mozier, visitors have picked up from the Hagerstown and Frederick, Md., points of origin.

Her own Star theater is a destination of sorts, offering amenities no other theater does.

“That’s my day job, The Star. Well, it’s not really a job. This year we’ll be celebrating our 31st year as owners,” she said.

What qualifies The Star as an entry in her own book is the fact it’s still a “mom and pop” operated theater, fending off the chains proliferating the malls and towns. Secondly, admission is $3.75 for the one, nightly showing of the latest release. Thirdly, movie goers can purchase a “large tub” of popcorn for $3.50 topped with “real” butter.

Finally, for an extra 50 cents, the experience is complete by viewing the feature from the comfort of a couch. But, book well ahead of time.

“That’s 50 cents per couch; not 50 cents per person. We have people who reserve them three weeks in advance,” Mozier said.

For Bill Clements, owner of Quarrier Press who publishes Way Out in West Virginia, Mozier is one of West Virginia’s treasures.

“She just showed up at our doorstep and said she had something weird for us,” he said.

Over 40,000 copies later, Mozier is one of Clements’ favorite regulars with his company.

“Of all the books on travel in West Virginia, hers sells the best. Way Out in West Virginia outsells all the others combined,” he said. “What makes her different is it’s readable. That’s why people like it.”

Mozier is popular enough that Steve Shaluta, West Virginia tourism photographer, tapped her to do the introduction and captions for his coffee table tome Wonders of West Virginia currently on book shelves. But, it’s Way Out that will be Mozier’s legacy. She’s already begun compiling material for a fourth edition.

“When the latest one goes to press, I start a folder with new stuff,” she said.

The criteria?

“As long as it’s weird and wonderful and in West Virginia, it’s in the book,” Mozier said.

Both the third edition of Way Out in West Virginia and Wonders of West Virginia are available in bookstores around the region and can be ordered online from www.wvbooks.com or by calling 1-888-982-7472.

Children of the World

I saw these kids - I could not wait to go. They were all as beautiful as I imagined they would be. I could not say all I wanted to say without "editorializing," which is not allowed in our little newspaper. I was moved, spiritually and physically (I could hardly sit still), by the life that came from these - God's - kids.


Children of the World, a choir comprised of orphaned and disadvantaged children from Uganda, India and the Philippines, was invited by Pastor David Tosi to perform at Paden City Baptist Church on June 1, as their last stop of World Help’s 2007-2008 U.S. tour.

The group has performed at Focus on the Family, Brooklyn Tabernacle, Crystal Cathedral and Disney World. Their joyful faces as they sang and danced belied the devastation that has occurred in their young lives, mainly as the result of the AIDS pandemic.

The children touched the hearts of many as they sang in English and in their native tongues and shouted out scriptures that were displayed on a video backdrop.

World Help was born out of a sincere desire to help those in need both spiritually and physically. Their purpose is to generate compassion and inspire individuals to get involved in helping over 15 million children who have been orphaned and their lives drastically impacted by AIDS.

As the spokesperson explained, a child can be sponsored for just $30 a month, which will provide everything needed to change his or her life and impact their community.

For further inspiration and information visit www.worldhelp.net.

Appalachia's Cure for Poverty?

Here is an abridged version of a press release from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History located in our Capitol Complex in Charleston, with my comments interspersed:

“Governor Joe Manchin announced on May 8 that he has approved the West Virginia Division of Culture and History's (WVDCH) project application for Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) assistance in the amount of a $200,000 grant toward the educational component of the new West Virginia State Museum.”

Got that? The ARC is giving the WVDHC close to a quarter million dollars. Read on. . .

“Manchin is West Virginia's commission member for the ARC, as are the governors of the other 12 states in the Appalachian Region. The region includes all of West Virginia and pats of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky,Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.”

Even I, who has lived in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia for over 30years, did not realize that the ENTIRE state is considered to be Appalachia.Let me skip ahead in the article to inform you of the original intent of ARC:


“ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. It was created in early 1965 by abroad bipartisan coalition of the U.S. Congress, which passed the legislation to address the persistent poverty and growing economic despair of the Appalachian Region. The legislation had the broad support of President John F. Kennedy, who initiated work on the project and President Lyndon B. Johnson who submitted it to Congress.”

“Reid-Smith [Commissioner of WVDCH] said, "With Governor Manchin's approval, this grant from ARC will help us achieve our goal: to present an educational program that meets the 21st-century content standards and objectives for West Virginia schools. We are most grateful to the governor and ARC for this generous gift, which will mean so much to the citizens of the Mountain State, and we look forward to working with them in the future."

Uh oh – does that mean the WVDCH is going to scarf up more and more of the monies that are supposed to combat poverty?


“The new museum will have two education centers for use by teachers. A computer lab will provide access to a virtual museum, interactive research tools and hands-on learning activities. An audio-visual room will provide space with videos, movies, and more, to further interpret West Virginia's rich history.”


Oh, now that’s rich (in the sense of ironic). They cannot possibly depict real West Virginian history without including its “poor” history.


“The West Virginia State Museum, located in the lower level of the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex for the past 32 years, is currently in the construction phase of renovation The history of the state will be told in the new 23,000-square-foot museum through modern exhibits that will appeal to visitors of all ages. There will be a show path, which is a chronological journey of West Virginia history, using themed settings to highlight pivotal moments. Special effects, narration, first-person accounts, surround sound, and dynamic theater lighting will help visitors experience what it was like to be a West Virginia during the most important moments in the state's history.”

With all the bells and whistles no one will notice – we haven’t gotten very far. Certainly not in wiping out poverty as was Appalachia Regional Commission’s original purpose.