(WTAP) – Here’s a look at your morning headlines, weather and what’s trending for May 8.
Weather: Rainy Mother’s Day weekend ahead
It’ll be another comfortable early May day in the Mid-Ohio Valley Friday with partly cloudy skies and a high near 68 degrees, with an isolated shower chance (around 20%) during the afternoon — mainly for parts of Ohio, according to WTAP.
Sips Coffee Truck, Peoples Bank deliver Teacher Appreciation Week pick-me-up
Teachers across Washington County got a caffeinated boost Thursday as Sips Coffee Truck and Peoples Bank partnered to deliver free drinks during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Sips owner and operator Jen Allman said the team delivered more than 600 coffees and refreshers to several Washington County schools to thank teachers and staff for their work. Allman said she brought the idea to the bank and found an eager partner.
Peoples Bank branch manager Jessica Daye said supporting education is a priority for the bank, and the week was a chance to recognize the role teachers play in making learning possible.
The partnership also extended beyond Washington County, with Peoples Bank and Sips teaming up Tuesday for a similar effort honoring teachers in Wood County.
AOMC brings BattleBots competition to Marietta for hands-on STEM challenge
The Appalachian Ohio Manufacturing Coalition (AOMC) hosted its first-ever BattleBots competition in Marietta, drawing students from across Southeast Ohio for a hands-on STEM event.
AOMC Associate Director Cecily Fyffe said the competition is part of a larger effort to connect students with manufacturing careers in the region and was made possible through grant funding from Ohio Valley Employment Resources through OhioMeansJobs.
Fyffe said AOMC provided participating schools with what they needed to start a BattleBots program, making the event the first competition for the new initiative. Schools represented included Fort Frye, Belpre, Waterford, Warren, Shenandoah, Caldwell, Morgan and homeschooled students through Building Bridges to Careers.
Teams competed in an arena built by Micromachines, with matches ending when a robot could no longer operate properly or when the three-minute time limit expired.
Parkersburg marks National Day of Prayer with ceremony at Bicentennial Park
Dozens gathered at Bicentennial Park Thursday afternoon for a National Day of Prayer ceremony.
Mayor Tom Joyce opened the event with a proclamation declaring May 7 as National Day of Prayer in Parkersburg. The proclamation was followed by about an hour of remarks and prayers from elected officials and local faith leaders.
Several faith leaders focused prayers on Parkersburg, calling for revival, economic growth and an end to the city’s drug epidemic.
The National Day of Prayer is observed nationwide each year on the first Thursday in May.
House to Home passes halfway point in campaign for new day shelter
House to Home has surpassed the halfway mark in its capital campaign to build a new day shelter, raising about $103,000 toward its $200,000 goal, according to board vice president Kay Fluharty.
Fluharty said the new shelter is intended to move clients away from the current street-corner setup and into a more comfortable, private space during the day. Plans call for building a 40-by-80-foot day shelter behind the current building, including an 80-foot-long porch.
Once the new shelter is built, the organization plans to repurpose the existing space for services such as a food pantry, clothing closet and laundry. With additional fundraising, Fluharty said House to Home hopes to hold a grand opening by this fall.
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