Ric Griffith
Ric Griffith | |
|---|---|
| Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 27th district | |
| In office December 1, 2022 – January 8, 2025 | |
| Succeeded by | Michael Amos |
| Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 19th[1] district | |
| In office December 1, 2020 – 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 2, 1949 Kenova, West Virginia, U.S.[2] |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Toledo College of Pharmacy |
Ric Griffith is a Democratic former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He assumed office on December 1, 2020, representing the 27th District, which encompasses parts of Cabell and Wayne County, and was reelected to a second term in 2022. He declined to run for reelection in 2024, choosing instead to run for West Virginia's 5th Senate district, which covers all of Cabell County and northern Wayne County.[3] He lost the general election on November 5, 2024.
A former mayor of Kenova, WV,[4] his house district was formerly part of the 19th District[3] prior to 2021 redistricting following the 2020 U.S. census.[5]
Early life and education
Griffith graduated from Ceredo-Kenova High School and received a degree from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy.[6]
Government service
Griffith served two terms as Kenova City Council President and two terms as Mayor of Kenova.[4]
The Pumpkin House
Griffith is well known for displaying several thousand jack-o'-lanterns on his property each Halloween.[7] Carving all the pumpkins is a community event, with around 20 dedicated volunteers helping. The pumpkin display is part of Ceredo-Kenova AutumnFest, a community-wide event which has a parade, scavenger hunt, and haunted trail. In 2019, he displayed over 3,000, one for every resident of his home town of Kenova, West Virginia.[8]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Griffith decided it was too risky to do the display at his home due to the large crowds that congregate to view it. He opted instead to have members of the community come by and pick up a pumpkin so it can be carved and displayed at their own homes. He created printed out instructions to go with each pumpkin to help the children and their families carve them.[9][10]
References
- ^ "Ric Griffith". Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "West Virginia House of Delegates". www.wvlegislature.gov.
- ^ a b "Ric Griffith". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "W.Va. House 19 candidate: Ric Griffith (D)". The Herald-Dispatch.
- ^ "Redistricting 2021". www.wvlegislature.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ "Ric Griffith's Biography". The Voter's Self Defense System – Vote Smart.
- ^ "Kenova's Pumpkin House". www.wvculture.org.
- ^ Pennell, Julie (September 26, 2019). "This house in West Virginia displays 3,000 carved pumpkins every year!". Today. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Creasy, Luke (July 29, 2020). "Pumpkin House tradition won't end, owner says, but display was 'too risky' because of virus". The Coal Valley News. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Ward, Lee (October 23, 2020). "Lighting up Halloween — Pumpkin House owner hopes wife is right: 'If you carve them, they will come'". The Daily Independent. Retrieved January 9, 2021.