About the Bobcast
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For many years Bob and Rick have worked both been very concerned that many of our residents don’t seem to be exhibiting the same level of community pride they did in the ’50s and ’60s and have been working hard to turn than trend around. That’s at the very heart of this podcast. Folks just don’t seem to know as much about our community as they once did, and many are simply far “too busy” to get involved. We know what “busy” is because we’re busy too. But we believe that a large part of the problem is that folks just don’t know as much about our community as they once did, so we’re here to help remedy that situation.
For example, how many people know about the new splash pad at the City Park pool, or that a new pool is in the works for Southwood Park? How many people know that the summer before COVID shut everyone down there was a large group of volunteers who spent the summer cleaning up Parkersburg’s parks? How many people even know that Parkersburg has more than two parks? Does everyone know that the city is in the process of replacing nearly century-old fire stations? Or if someone stole your bicycle but you don’t know who did it, you can go to one of the Police Substations and file a report with one of the many volunteers?
There are a lot of services that are available in our community that nobody seems to know about. We hope to help remedy all that with our (hopefully) informative and entertaining podcast. Help us be a part of the solution!
Click HERE for the current podcast.
Click HERE to send an email to our live cast.
Click HERE for our podcast archives.
About Bob
A life-long resident of Parkersburg I have been
heavily involved in volunteerism my entire adult life. I have chosen
to raise my children — and now my grandchildren — in Parkersburg
because I love this city and its long-held family and community
values, and I strive to pass on those values to my family. Having
worked in the security industry for over twenty years, I have
currently served as a dispatcher and assistant supervisor with the
Wood/Wirt County 911 Center for 17 years and am presently the
City Councilman for Parkersburg’s Third District.
I started The BobCast MOV because it had come to my attention that
many residents of the Mid-Ohio Valley are unaware of some of the
wonderful things that are happening in our area and haven’t had the
opportunity to meet many of our community leaders and those who
provide the many volunteer services in our area. Some of my earlier activities have included:
- Telecommunications Technician in the US Air Force
- Cadet and Senior Member, West Virginia Wing, Civil Air Patrol
- Reserve Deputy with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office
- Director of Wood County CERT
- Search and Rescue Technician, Tyler County OEM
- Advisory Committee for the Neighborhood Youth Academy
- Electronic Search Technician, Project Lifesaver
About Rick
Having retired from actively earning a paycheck
in May of 2008, I find that I now have some “free time” to engage in
activities that I want to do, not that someone else tells me I
have
to be doing. My roots go deep in the community, my ancestors being
among the first settlers of western Virginia in what is now the
Belleville/Rockport area of
Wood County, when my 4th
great-grandfather, John C. “Old Johnny” Flinn, arrived here in about
1808 and settled in the Lee Creek community. My second
great-grandfather Peter Sellers arrived here in about 1850 from
Monroe County, Ohio, as one of the first
Restoration missionaries to western Virginia. A few of my current and previous activities are listed
below. As you can see, Bob and I are both into volunteerism, because
we believe in “giving back” to the community. That’s why we talk
about it so much on the BobCast. My semi-complete autobiography is
HERE and my personal website is
HERE.
- Present Activities
- Messianic Jewish Theologian/Torah Teacher at the Center for Messianic Learning since 2002 (We try to avoid discussing religion and politics on the BobCast, so forgive me if I occasionally slip; theology has been my passion for over 50 years, and has markedly informed my worldview.)
- Volunteer with the Parkersburg Police Department
- IT Coordinator, Parkersburg/Wood County Neighborhood Watch
- Amateur Radio Operator (General), WV8DOC/KD8NKS
- Trustee, Wood County Emergency Communications
- W5YI Volunteer Examiner for Amateur Radio
- Member of West Virginia Statewide Interoperability Radio Network (SIRN) Regional Interoperability Committee, Region 1
- COML and AUXCOMM, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Communications Technician, Tyler County Office of Emergency Management
- Electronic Search Technician, Project Lifesaver
- Earlier Activities
- Professor of Systematic Theology and Comparative Religion
- Bivocational Pastor/Teacher for over35 years
- Holistic Naturopathic Practitioner (CNHP) for over 20 years
- Author and/or editor of over 20 military equipmenet maintenance manuals
- Advisory Committee for the Neighborhood Youth Academy
- Deputy Director, Wood County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Patrol Sergeant (Reserve) with Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office
- Hospital Corpsman First Class, United States Naval Reserve
- Everything else is on my website.
About MOV’s Picturesque History
Parkersburg’s History
Originally named Newport in the late 18th century following the American Revolutionary War, Parkersburg’s fascinating history is filled with intrigue. Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers, the City is rich in historical significance. The town area was laid out on land granted to Alexander Parker for his Revolutionary War service, and the area was renamed for him as Parkersburg in 1810. It was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1820, and rechartered as a city in 1860. [MORE]
Vienna’s History
Vienna began as a 5,000-acre settlement — a grant to Dr. Joseph Spencer for his services during the War for Independence. Vienna remained rich farmland up until the late 19th Century, when roads were improved and tracks for an electric railway between Parkersburg to the south, and Marietta to the north, were laid. In 1794, Dr. Spencer gave the city its name. Dr. Spencer served as an aide de camp to his father Joseph Spencer during the Revolutionary War. [MORE]
Williamstown’s History
Williamstown was named for Isaac Williams (1737–1820), who settled here in 1787. Williams had served under General Braddock (1755) as a ranger and spy and under Governor Dunmore (1774) fighting against the Shawnee. His home was on 400 acres on the Ohio River opposite the mouth of the Muskingum River, site of Marietta, Ohio, which was founded about a year after he arrived. Other local namesakes include Williams Creek and Williams District. The settlement was known as "Williamsport" to Ohio River travelers until 1822 when the present name was formalized. [MORE]
Belpre’s History
On the banks of the mighty Ohio River is a picturesque little town known as Belpre, or “Belle Prairie”. The people that settled the “Belle Prairie” Belpre area were New England farmers who had served their country during the Revolutionary War. Many had served as officers, and most were well educated. Belpre, part of the Ohio Company land purchase, was surveyed and platted in the winter of 1788-89, and was the second organized American settlement in the Northwest Territory (the land north and west of the Ohio River, 1787 Ordinance). April 11, 1789 is the accepted date as cabins were first occupied that spring. [MORE]
Marietta’s History
Established in 1788, Marietta is the oldest city in the state of Ohio, and the first official American settlement territory north and west of the Ohio River. Known as the “Riverboat Town,” it is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. Prior to American settlement, the area was inhabited by various native tribes of the Hopewell tradition, who built the Marietta Earthworks, a complex more than 1,500 years old, whose Great Mound and other major monuments were preserved by the earliest settlers in parks such as Mound Cemetery. [MORE]
For more information about communities in the Mid-Ohio Valley, go to Our Town.
About Attractions and Services in the MOV
Attractions
- The Phelps-Tavenner Research Center
- The Phelps-Tavenner House, the oldest house in Wood County, built by Col. Hugh Phelps circa 1800, is the most historic property in Wood County, relating specifically to the pioneers of the area. The Phelps-Tavenner Research Center is located at 2401 Camden Avenue, Parkersburg.
Services
- Soon to come
