Neighbors showing up with tractors, electricians donating time, and volunteers cleaning up the fields: you can really feel how much heart the community has poured into rebuilding the Clendenin League over the last decade!

Elk River Communities in Kanawha County Museum shared photos this month of the old band room at Clendenin High/ Junior High School, reminiscing about early band teachers, including Mr. Lewis, Mr. Foster, Mr. Miller and others.

There’s nothing quite like the taste of a fresh-picked strawberry straight from the garden. Sweet, juicy, and bright red, strawberries are often the very first fruits of the season here in West Virginia, making them a favorite in backyard gardens across the Elk River Valley and beyond.

Wayne Wharton’s new April 2026 murder mystery, Justice Looks Away, quickly topped the Amazon murder mystery charts and you may want to add it to your summer reading list! It is an enjoyable mystery with a cadre of interesting characters who will not disappoint.

Spring is finally here, and summer is quickly approaching, which means one thing: trail season is in full swing!

This month launches our new summer series, From the Ground Up! Three issues celebrating seasonal, local Appalachian cooking — starting with the best thing June has to offer: fresh strawberries straight from the patch, baked into a cast iron skillet shortcake. Gabi says it all: "Simple, summer, and gone before it cools."

With the school year winding down, most of the Herbert Hoover teams’ regional and state tournaments have not wrapped up yet to be included in our June issue (we have to be at the printer by mid-May). ERL wishes all of our teams the BEST of luck and, don’t worry, we will have highlights in our July issue!

A Berry Wonderful Experience! Strawberry fields are in full bloom, signaling warmer weather and time to go strawberry picking! Check out Elk River’s own Country Road House and Berries’ website with their 2026 schedule for strawberry picking appointments during the month of June! It’s easy!