| By Alvin Engelke
The Creston area received some snow and sleet over the weekend. Sunday morning, W. Va. 5 and adjacent roadways were treacherous at best.
Santa Claus will be at the Creston Community Building at 10 A. M. til noon to share breakfast with the children (of all ages). Pictures with old Santa will be $2 to cover the cost of the film. The chance to share one's gift list and get photographs will run from after breakfast until 2 P. M. Children of all ages are urged to come visit with a real Santa (he doesn't have any pillows in his outfit). Unlike the Santas in department stores and malls, the Creston Santa is 'real' and he isn't promoting any special brand of toys. This is a special opportunity that no parent wants to miss.
Donna Gandee, age 51 of Elizabeth passed away. She was a daughter of Clair Boice. Her grandfather, "Cap" Boice had a service station at Creston until the building and business were destroyed in the 1967 flood. "Cap" operated in the building were "Tell" Belt got his start before moving to Parkersburg and becoming rich and famous.
Sylvia Headley, age 94, passed away after an extended stay in a rest home. The daughter of Florence Smith Haney, her first husband, a Mr. Summers died as a result of working in a rock quarry. She then married T. J. "Tom" Headley after his first wife, Nora, passed away.
Mary Ann Dobbins' 5 year old grandson Edward fell from the top bunk and broke both jaws, along with a few other bones, just for good measure. He is undergoing surgery in a Morgantown hospital. The family has requested prayers for the little boy.
Nancy Engelke was consulting her optometrist.
Local residents were saddened at the sudden death of Perry Taylor. Some local residents went to school with both Perry and his wife, Darla.
Mr. Dexterity hasn't had much luck in getting folks to gather up deer antlers for him. Perhaps there are some helpful folks around who could give him a hand.
Randy the Schwann's man was back making his Creston area rounds. He noted that he had undergone two back surgeries and he had not one good word for the Workmen's Compensation mess down at the Mouth of Elk River. He noted that if he was ever injured on the job again he would say that he fell in the shower.
Charles & Euell Russell were Christmas shopping in Spencer. They were also dining at Wendy's restaurant.
Local residents were pleased to learn that Saddam was caught over in Iraq. The info babe on NPR corrected herself after stating that UN troops had caught him. The government radio, which is often considered to be the voice of Socialist Internationale, was apparently not happy that fellow socialist Saddam was now in U. S. hands. It was also noted that Albert Gore Jr. may have spoken too soon in his big endorsement.
Closer to home down at the mouth of Elk River there continue to be official reports of dire financial times as a result of decades of bad management by those who rule W. Va. as a private fiefdom. At last report the Caperton family still hadn't come up with enough moola to see fit to pay the millions they still owe Workmen's Compensation. Surely, surely no one gets special treatment down in that section.
A big logging job is in progress out on Sixteen Ridge. Each evening (after the scales are gone) a long string of Buckeye log trucks can be seen heading down route 5 toward Ohio which has a frost law to protect their roadways.
The problems facing local oil and gas producers have been getting more press attention lately and, on Friday, Dominion allowed more local natural gas to bypass the extraction plant at Hastings in Wetzel County. Roy G. Hildreth, Jr. stated he was losing $200,000 per month and Harry Clay Boggs was losing $150,000/month.
One Calhoun producer who was never told to shut in his wells noted that the other day a Dominion meter engineer shut in his wells while leaving the adjacent Dominion meter wide open. Of course, the Rockefeller children likely need new shoes and wealthy Calhoun residents shouldn't begrudge "helping the needy" in poverty pockets like New York City, the Grand Tetons and Washington, D. C.
It was learned that at least two wells to what would apparently be the Newburg formation are in the works for Calhoun County, likely after the first of the year. West Side Exploration, a Michigan outfit that was involved in a Trenton/Black River test on Canoe in Roane County, has permitted an Oriskany well on Nelson Garrett's land at Cox's Mills in Gilmer County while Harry Clay Boggs has plans for a Tuscarora well on the Elizabeth Miller property near Spencer. The Tuscarora is generally referred to up in Ohio as the Clinton formation and is in the bottom of the Silurian. Charleston businessman Duncan C. Malcolm plans some new wells on Green Creek in Roane County.
The price of natural gas has jumped up so much lately that such is making the news. Gas for January delivery will fetch $7.221/dth (or MMBTU) while some local gas is still sold for 20 cents/MCF. Local wells often have between 1200 and 1400 dth/MCF. The price of local Penn grade crude rose over the weekend to $29.75 although the capture of the Ace of Spades in Iraq might cause a drop in price.
Wirt County has had several firsts since Pfc. Jessica Lynch became world famous but last week there had to be another one. Seems Carl E. Smith Pipeline and R & R Pipeline were laying a gas line to the Greg Lynch (her father) home as a donation. A union from somewhere came and set up pickets claiming "unfair labor practices." One might wonder what is unfair about donated labor. Maybe they would volunteer to cut and split the wood for the family and others who live up Mayberry.
Numerous area folks have been sick and many fear the flu that has closed schools in nearby counties, etc. To complicate matters there is now a shortage of influenza vaccine. It was learned that this was caused by federal legislation passed a few years ago at the insistence of Madame Hillary and her friends at the "Children's Defense Fund". The new rules eliminated several of the firms that made vaccines.
Round hay bales for sale at $15. Contact Alvin Engelke at 275-3578.
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