#panhandlecleaning

North Wheeling to the Northern Parkway. Fulton. And, yes, of course, Wheeling Island. Those are the neighborhoods included in Ward 2, a section of the Friendly City that is mostly residential but also home to several eateries that have proven to be local favorites. Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack is a major contributor of tax dollars, and the ward also is near the top of B&O Tax collections. Those three areas also have been greatly impacted by the bridge construction projects along with Interstate 70 with noise, road closures, lane restrictions, and detour traffic.

Many razings have taken place on Wheeling Island, but many more are necessary, according to the residents.

On the Ballot

For decades, the second ward has been represented by a Wheeling Island resident, including Vern Seals and current Councilman Kem Imer, who is running for a third term. Four others entered the race, including a resident of downtown, one from North Wheeling, and two more from Wheeling Island. Imer and his wife have three daughters, and he is employed by Legacy Truck Center in Wheeling. Although he considered not running for re-election this year, Imer was encourage by members of the Wheeling Island Community Association to file once again. Charlie Ballouz has run for this seat several times, coming very close in 2016 when Imer defeated by the slimmest of margins. Ballouz served for several years on the Ohio Valley Transit Authority and was the chair for more than a decade. He has lived in downtown Wheeling for the past three decades, organized a successful petition against the two-way proposal for Main and Market streets, and is not afraid to speak out when he feels it is necessary.

After a sprinkler system exploded on the fourth floor of the Dream Center in North Wheeling, Panhandle Cleaning Restoration jumped into action. Wheeling Island resident Alex Coogan owns several businesses in the Wheeling area, including Eden Family Restaurant at 135 Virginia Street on the Island. Coogan is a minimalist when it comes to government and regulations, and he works very hard as a successful entrepreneur. Joe Key is a resident of North Wheeling, is an Air Force veteran, retired from the U.S. Postal Service, and has a long history of coaching on the high school and college levels. This run for city council represents his first attempt to gain a public seat but has been engaged with the local community in many capacities for many years. Ben Seidler, a resident of the north end of Wheeling Island, unofficially initiated his council campaign two years ago primarily out of frustration because of a lack of property maintenance on Wheeling Island. Seidler has staged community meetings in all areas of the ward since and his red, white, and blue signs can be seen in those areas, as well.  

Many razings have taken place on Wheeling Island, but many more are necessary, according to the residents.

Just Fine and the Fixes

(Publisher’s Note: This is the first in a series of seven articles that will offer overviews of the six Wheeling wards and the race for the mayor’s position when voters complete voting in the municipal election on June 9. Early voting begins today, but absentee ballots were mailed more than two weeks ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.) When most Wheeling residents think of Ward 1, the majority envisions only the Warwood community and not North Wheeling or North Park. Those three neighborhoods, however, have been included in the city’s first ward since re-districting took place while former mayor Andy McKenzie was in office from 2008-20016. The three areas are predominantly residential, but the ward also features commercial and industrial properties, as well.

Although the houses are close to each other,the Warwood neighborhood has remained a quaint place to reside.

On the Ballot

Ward 1 was represented for 12 years by the late Gloria Delbrugge, a spitfire council member who persistently demanded more police protection for the Warwood area. She retired from the position four years ago and passed away in December 2017 at the age of 75. Current council member Chad Thalman was elected in 2016 and is running for re-election. Thalman, a resident of Warwood and a member of management for Warwood Armature, is being challenged by John Bishop, a candidate whose name has been on the ballot now on three occasions. Bishop is an over-the-road truck driver who has owned homed in Warwood and currently in North Park.  Bishop also volunteers for the Salvation Army on 16th Street in East Wheeling and is active with the Wheeling Park Athletic Boosters.

The intersection of 7th Street and Main Street has been an issue for all members of Wheeling's city council.

Just Fine and the Fixes

Plans were in place for further development inside the North Wheeling Community Dream Center, but now the interior of the 35,000-square-foot venue appears more like a nightmare. One week before Dr. Darrell Cummings was to finally stage the annual Easter food give-away, a waterfall burst into action on the structure’s fourth floor and the damage, the pastor said, could banish the effort into bankruptcy. Because W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice ordered religious organizations and churches to cease congregating members, funds for the Dream Center diminished and forced Cummings into establishing a payment plan with the insurance company covering 407 North Main Street. And then, between 3,000-5,000 gallons of water soaked the structure. “We got a call from the alarm company and were informed that something was going on at the Dream Center. Originally, they thought it was a fire,” Cummings explained. “So, we immediately went down there, and the amazing Wheeling Fire Department was already there, but it wasn’t a fire. It was water that was flowing from the sprinkler system on the top floor of the building. “The water ran down from there and throughout all the floors beneath it, and it destroyed everything that it touched,” he said. “It looked like a rain forest in there. The water was just pouring down even after the firefighters had shut off the water to the building.”

The crews from Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration were on scene the day after the damage took place.

The Unexpected Call

Ceilings were slumping and walls were leaning the first time Cummings was able to walk through the community center, and that is when the dream turned into a disaster. “But then I received a call from Bob (Contraguero) Sr., and he said he really wanted to help us,” Cummings recounted. “I told him that I really didn’t want him and his crews to do anything until I knew whether or not the insurance was going to come through because I didn’t want to create another debt. It was a time of uncertainty, and the last thing I needed to do was dig that hole deeper. “He expressed confidence that the insurance company would cover it, and if not, he said he’s got lawyers, so he sent his crews to the Dream Center, and those folks have been there ever since. What a blessing,” he continued. “The folks at Panhandle Cleaning use some amazing technology when they are working on jobs like this one. All they had to do was take some pictures, and then they could walk us through the building on a computer in this 3-D system. You feel like you’re walking through the building. It was truly amazing.” Even today, six trucks and several crews from Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration were on-site to continue the remediation. “Every day we walk through, we have seen how incredible their work has been. They brought out an army for us, and we couldn’t be more thankful,” Cummings said. “They have this drying machine that has been pulling the dampness out; they pulled up all of the carpet that was just drenched, and they have taken out the walls that were ruined by all of that water.”

Much of what was inside the Dream Center has had to be removed by crews with Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration.

What Is Next?