Shinnston approves plans to establish PODA, forms oversight committee
SHINNSTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Shinnston will be the latest West Virginia city to hop on the PODA wagon.
On Monday, the Shinnston City Council moved forward with plans to establish a Private Outdoor Designated Area (PODA) in its downtown business district, unanimously approving the proposed ordinance during a public hearing and final reading.
The newly adopted ordinance permits the creation of a designated area where alcohol purchased from participating businesses may be carried and consumed outdoors within clearly defined boundaries of the city's business district. The goal of the PODA is to encourage economic activity and create a more walkable downtown environment, particularly during community events such as the city's Wind Down Wednesday events.
'So, our kind of thought process was to bring them, draw them to the green space and then trickle down to the different businesses throughout Shinnston, the different stores,' the Shinnston City Manager Tori Drainer said.
City officials emphasized that the area will be strictly regulated with signage, enforcement protocols and specific hours of operation, those being Wednesday-Friday from 5-10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1-10 p.m. Officials said that these regulations will be in place to ensure public safety and compliance with state alcohol laws.
In May, the City of Shinnston approved a security and maintenance plan in preparation for the upcoming PODA. Officials said that the area will be regularly patrolled by a dedicated police officer and city ambassadors. Public Works crews will also be responsible for waste and debris collection within the PODA, as well as operating a street sweeper to maintain cleanliness.
'Right now, we have Casey's, which is a huge asset to Shinnston,' Drainer added. 'We're hoping that this opens the door to different breweries, microbreweries, and things of that nature to draw in.'
As part of the implementation process, the council also appointed members to serve on a newly formed oversight committee tasked with guiding the PODA's operation and addressing any concerns that may arise. The committee will include Brendan Gallagher, Patrick Kovalck and Tori Drainer, as well as one local business owner who does not serve alcohol, in an effort to maintain balanced representation and community-focused mindset.
Shinnston now joins a growing list of West Virginia cities that have adopted a PODA framework. With the move, Shinnston aligns itself with municipalities such as Fairmont, Morgantown, Clarksburg, Wheeling, Charleston and Huntington, all of which have implemented similar programs to support downtown revitalization and economic activity.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Academy Sports (NASDAQ:ASO) Reports Sales Below Analyst Estimates In Q1 Earnings
Sporting goods retailer Academy Sports & Outdoor (NASDAQ:ASO) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales flat year on year at $1.35 billion. On the other hand, the company's outlook for the full year was close to analysts' estimates with revenue guided to $6.12 billion at the midpoint. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.76 per share was 14.7% below analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy Academy Sports? Find out in our full research report. Revenue: $1.35 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.37 billion (flat year on year, 1.5% miss) Adjusted EPS: $0.76 vs analyst expectations of $0.89 (14.7% miss) Adjusted EBITDA: $109.8 million vs analyst estimates of $120.7 million (8.1% margin, 9.1% miss) The company dropped its revenue guidance for the full year to $6.12 billion at the midpoint from $6.18 billion, a 1% decrease Management lowered its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $5.85 at the midpoint, a 2.1% decrease Operating Margin: 5.1%, down from 7.5% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow Margin: 7.9%, down from 12.3% in the same quarter last year Locations: 303 at quarter end, up from 284 in the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales fell 3.7% year on year (-5.7% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $2.95 billion 'During the first quarter we saw continued progress across our strategic initiatives, including the opening of five new stores, and the biggest brand launch in the Company's history with the addition of the Jordan Brand,' said Steve Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer. Founded in 1938 as a tire shop before expanding into fishing equipment, Academy Sports & Outdoor (NASDAQ:ASO) sells a broad selection of sporting goods but is still known for its outdoor activity merchandise. A company's long-term sales performance is one signal of its overall quality. Any business can put up a good quarter or two, but the best consistently grow over the long haul. With $5.92 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, Academy Sports is a mid-sized retailer, which sometimes brings disadvantages compared to larger competitors benefiting from better economies of scale. As you can see below, Academy Sports's 3.8% annualized revenue growth over the last six years (we compare to 2019 to normalize for COVID-19 impacts) was sluggish. This quarter, Academy Sports missed Wall Street's estimates and reported a rather uninspiring 0.9% year-on-year revenue decline, generating $1.35 billion of revenue. Looking ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to grow 5.2% over the next 12 months, similar to its six-year rate. This projection is noteworthy and implies its newer products will catalyze better top-line performance. Software is eating the world and there is virtually no industry left that has been untouched by it. That drives increasing demand for tools helping software developers do their jobs, whether it be monitoring critical cloud infrastructure, integrating audio and video functionality, or ensuring smooth content streaming. Click here to access a free report on our 3 favorite stocks to play this generational megatrend. Academy Sports operated 303 locations in the latest quarter. It has opened new stores at a rapid clip over the last two years, averaging 5.3% annual growth, much faster than the broader consumer retail sector. This gives it a chance to become a large, scaled business over time. When a retailer opens new stores, it usually means it's investing for growth because demand is greater than supply, especially in areas where consumers may not have a store within reasonable driving distance. The change in a company's store base only tells one side of the story. The other is the performance of its existing locations and e-commerce sales, which informs management teams whether they should expand or downsize their physical footprints. Same-store sales is an industry measure of whether revenue is growing at those existing stores and is driven by customer visits (often called traffic) and the average spending per customer (ticket). Academy Sports's demand has been shrinking over the last two years as its same-store sales have averaged 5.4% annual declines. This performance is concerning - it shows Academy Sports artificially boosts its revenue by building new stores. We'd like to see a company's same-store sales rise before it takes on the costly, capital-intensive endeavor of expanding its store base. In the latest quarter, Academy Sports's same-store sales fell by 3.7% year on year. This decrease represents a further deceleration from its historical levels. We hope the business can get back on track. It was encouraging to see Academy Sports beat analysts' gross margin expectations this quarter. On the other hand, its revenue, EPS, and EBITDA missed and it lowered its full-year guidance. Overall, this was a softer quarter. The stock remained flat at $44.50 immediately following the results. Is Academy Sports an attractive investment opportunity right now? If you're making that decision, you should consider the bigger picture of valuation, business qualities, as well as the latest earnings. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it's free.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Shinnston approves plans to establish PODA, forms oversight committee
SHINNSTON, (WBOY) — Shinnston will be the latest West Virginia city to hop on the PODA wagon. On Monday, the Shinnston City Council moved forward with plans to establish a Private Outdoor Designated Area (PODA) in its downtown business district, unanimously approving the proposed ordinance during a public hearing and final reading. The newly adopted ordinance permits the creation of a designated area where alcohol purchased from participating businesses may be carried and consumed outdoors within clearly defined boundaries of the city's business district. The goal of the PODA is to encourage economic activity and create a more walkable downtown environment, particularly during community events such as the city's Wind Down Wednesday events. 'So, our kind of thought process was to bring them, draw them to the green space and then trickle down to the different businesses throughout Shinnston, the different stores,' the Shinnston City Manager Tori Drainer said. City officials emphasized that the area will be strictly regulated with signage, enforcement protocols and specific hours of operation, those being Wednesday-Friday from 5-10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1-10 p.m. Officials said that these regulations will be in place to ensure public safety and compliance with state alcohol laws. In May, the City of Shinnston approved a security and maintenance plan in preparation for the upcoming PODA. Officials said that the area will be regularly patrolled by a dedicated police officer and city ambassadors. Public Works crews will also be responsible for waste and debris collection within the PODA, as well as operating a street sweeper to maintain cleanliness. 'Right now, we have Casey's, which is a huge asset to Shinnston,' Drainer added. 'We're hoping that this opens the door to different breweries, microbreweries, and things of that nature to draw in.' As part of the implementation process, the council also appointed members to serve on a newly formed oversight committee tasked with guiding the PODA's operation and addressing any concerns that may arise. The committee will include Brendan Gallagher, Patrick Kovalck and Tori Drainer, as well as one local business owner who does not serve alcohol, in an effort to maintain balanced representation and community-focused mindset. Shinnston now joins a growing list of West Virginia cities that have adopted a PODA framework. With the move, Shinnston aligns itself with municipalities such as Fairmont, Morgantown, Clarksburg, Wheeling, Charleston and Huntington, all of which have implemented similar programs to support downtown revitalization and economic activity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Blenko unveils limited-edition, train-themed West Virginia Day pieces
MILTON, (WBOY) — West Virginia-based Blenko Glass Company is leaning into West Virginia history for its limited-edition 2025 West Virginia Day pieces. Three unique pieces celebrating the trains that helped shape the Appalachian region are available in limited qualities. The West Virginia Day piece, which was announced on Monday, is 'Full Steam Ahead,' a cobalt blue vase inspired by the Cass Scenic Railroad #2, complete with a smoke shaped stopper. Only 162 pieces are being made, and they will be sold by online auction starting on June 20, here. 'While its form honors the power and elegance of steam engines, its deeper inspiration lies right here in Milton. The decommissioned railroad tracks at Blenko once drew our founder to this location, thanks to their connection to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway,' Blenko said in the announcement. WATCH: West Virginia's Fiesta Tableware appears as a clue on Jeopardy! The companion piece for this year is 'Holler Song,' a citrine vase with a unique with a handle shaped like a train's whistle pull. Limited numbers of the Holler Song piece are available for preorder on Blenko's website here for $186. They will begin shopping on June 20. Blenko has been a hand-made glass company operating in West Virginia since the 1920s. It remains one of the only remaining remnants of West Virginia's once booming glass industry. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.