O
ne local city has been recognized as one of the friendliest places in the south, and a free “How to Spot Scams” workshop aims to help neighbors recognize telephone and email fraud. Here’s the 411 from communities around the region, including St. Albans, Dunbar and Charleston.
CITY RECOGNIZED: The City of St. Albans has been named one of the “20 Friendliest Places in the South.” The recognition, from Southern Living magazine, highlights St. Albans’ efforts to support residents living with dementia and their caregivers, officials said in a release. In 2020, the city formally became a dementia-friendly community — one of only a few nationwide. Through the city-sponsored Dementia Friendly St. Albans program, local business owners have been trained to recognize signs of dementia, and support groups have been created for families affected by the disease. The city also provides a Dementia Experience Trailer that gives residents and caregivers a hands-on way to understand the challenges faced by those living with the condition. St. Albans Mayor Scott James said the award from Southern Living reflects the city’s character. “This honor ... is a reflection of what makes St. Albans special — our people,” James said. “Our community has shown what it means to care for one another, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
SCAMS WORKSHOP: Kanawha County Public Libraries will host a “How to Spot Scams” workshop today (Wednesday, Sept. 17) at its Dunbar Branch Library. The seminar is being held in conjunction with the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Consumer Protection Advocate Susan Azevedo will lead the class. Participants will learn how to identify spam calls and emails and recognize techniques scammers use to defraud others. The workshop, which begins at 1 p.m., is free and open to the public. The Dunbar Branch Library is located at 301 12th St. in Dunbar. More information on today’s “How to Spot Scams” workshop is available on the Kanawha County Public Library website.
AUTHOR EVENTS: Two special romance author events will be held at the Kanawha County Public Library’s main branch in downtown Charleston on Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 27. Both events will take place at the library’s first-floor Coffee Nook, where free coffee and cookies will be available from Mea Cuppa. The Sept. 19 event begins at 12:30 p.m. Paige Lavoie, author of "Mothman in Love", will give a talk and sign copies of her novel. On Sept. 27, West Virginia LGBTQ+ author TJ West will speak about his book "Country Road Romance". Both events are free and open to the public. More information is available online.
