NEW ATTRACTION Shown — The Brooke County Commission heard from Buster Bowman and Pam Barchiesi, who expressed interest in establishing a new haunted attraction and year-round facility for family entertainment in the county. — Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission received an update Tuesday on efforts to replace the Market Street Bridge and learned of interest in establishing a haunted attraction and family-oriented entertainment center in the county.

Mike Paprocki, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission, said he, state Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Wellsburg; and Commission Chairman AJ Thomas contacted federal and state officials in West Virginia and Ohio to encourage support for the replacement bridge.

Paprocki said the efforts have included conversations with West Virginia Department of Transportation leaders that he finds very positive.

He noted that U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, RW.Va., the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has been a vocal supporter of the project.

Paprocki noted that WVDOT has allocated $1.8 million for preliminary efforts and is expected to advertise for an engineering firm for the purpose.

But he added that a 100 percent local match is still needed for the $87.5 million allocated for the project through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program.

Paprocki said the match could include money from West Virginia, Ohio or both, and up to 30 percent of funds from another federal agency.

Thomas, who chairs BHJ’s executive board, said he recently called an emergency meeting of the commission and invited officials from Follansbee and Steubenville to express the need to speed up the project.

“My message was that we want to cut the brakes. We cannot slow this process down.” he said.

Thomas said he wants to be able to give a realistic timeline to the businesses that were affected by the Market Street Bridge closure.

The 119-year-old space was closed indefinitely by WVDOT on Dec. 21 after inspectors found damage to support cables inside the structure.

Paprocki attended Tuesday’s commission meeting to seek their involvement in a tri-county coalition supporting BHJ’s application for a $1.2 million brownfield assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

He said the moral support of the Hancock and Jefferson county commissions will also be sought for the application, which will also involve the Northern Panhandle Business Development Corporation.

Paprocki noted in the past, BHJ has obtained grants for a number of assessments and cleanups of former industrial sites, including the current site of the Beech Bottom Industrial Park, the former Follansbee Steel property now owned by the Port of West Virginia and the former Brooke Glass Works. in Wellsburg.

He said future sites BHJ is eyeing include the former Weirton Steel property on Browns Island and property south of Beech Bottom once occupied by Power, a community once based around a massive power plant.

Commissioners also heard from Pam Barchiesi, a former volunteer organizer of the Brooke Hills Spookhouse; and Buster Bowman, who operated The Dark View haunted attraction in Toronto for many years and currently in Cadiz.

The two told the commission they are interested in converting the Brooke Glass building for use as a haunted attraction and year-round facility for family entertainment.

Bowman, known as the owner of Screwy Louie’s, specialized in bounce houses, arcade games and other amusements.

Commissioners noted that BDC has purchased the former glass factory and performed an environmental cleanup of the site, but the building still has some structural issues to overcome.

Thomas encouraged the pair to continue discussions with the BDC, but added that there may be other locations in Brooke County that would be suitable for the site.

County Commissioner Stacey Wise told them: “I’ll come up with a list for you. I like the idea.”

Also Thursday:

• County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta noted that early voting will continue on the ground floor of the county courthouse from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through Saturday.

Barbetta said early voting has set a new record, with more than 1,700 casting their ballots since it began on Oct. 23. She said more than 400 attended on the first day, and the number of voters has averaged 400 a day since then. .

She said despite the turnout, the wait for most voters was no more than 10 or 15 minutes.

Barbetta noted that polls will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday for Election Day. Each voter must bring a voter registration card, driver’s license or other accepted form of identification.

Those with questions should call (304) 737-3661 or visit

• The commission agreed to allocate $4,000 to the West Virginia Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority, a volunteer board formed by the West Virginia Legislature to promote expansion of the two highways.

It was noted that one of the two seats representing Brooke County on the board remains open.

Those interested must send a letter of interest to the county clerk at the county courthouse.

• The commission accepted the resignation of Jaetin Popish as county dog ​​warden. Popish was recently hired as a Brooke County sheriff’s deputy.

• The commission reminded everyone that Thursday business hours are 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in Weirton, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM in Follansbee, and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in Wellsburg and the unincorporated areas of Brooke County.