 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
While Saturday was a beautiful spring day with warm temperatures such did not last long. By Sunday evening the area was white with snow. Crocuses, daffodils and early bloomers are adding their color to the local landscape. Special among the flowers are Julia Joyce's special daffodils. The other night when the five planets were all visible was an excellent star gazing night at Creston.
Kenneth Belt & son were in Creston checking on some hay.
The number of Canada geese in the Creston area has increased with nesting pairs along the West Fork and elsewhere.
There was a good crowd on hand Sunday evening for the special Lenten renewal service at the Burning Springs M. E. church. There was special music with both Wirt & Calhoun singers participating. All who attended the service considered it a blessing. A revival meeting will start March 31 at the Burning Springs church.
A big slip came in the Ann's Run road just before the Blankenship power. The road was closed Thursday evening and the Wirt road crew spent all day Friday hauling dirt.
Donald Wilson was doing some heavy hauling for Erlewines over the weekend in Creston.
Matthew Copen was limping around after Austin Westfall placed a sad iron on Matt's toes.
Nancy Engelke was consulting her bone doctor over at Belpre. He & his associates had to move their practice out of state after the folks down at the Mouth of the Elk River failed to take meaningful action to correct the insurance and general business climate in West Virginia. Of course the Ohio state officials are happy to "get the business". She was able to have her lab tests done at the Minnie Hamilton Health Care center in Grantsville.
Anna Engelke and friend Sean came in to attend Derek Bailey's wedding. They also went four wheeling, toured the local area and visited at Jane Engelke's mercantile establishment in Parkersburg.
The kitchen in the Creston Community Building was put back together after the installation of a new holding tank and hot water tank. For the first time in modern memory the water does not look rusty. The first Creston ATV poker run is scheduled April 17.
Moose and Samantha were calling on Cinder, Sammy and Wolfgang. The visitors liked country living and did not want to return to the big city.
It was learned that Mr. Dexterity does not like chocolate milk. The Old Furniture Salesman visited him at his place of employment and fetched him a container of skim milk. The old salesman noted that "Mr. Dexterity just wouldn't be up to the full strength stuff." Mr. Dexterity was real proud of his jug of skim milk.
Calhoun County Commissioner Robert Weaver was attending to business in the Creston area.
Bessie Arthur who had been working for Helping Hands underwent training at the CCIL facility in Parkersburg. A Mr. Bill O'Dell purchased CCIL and cut the pay of the Helping Hands employees. O'Dell has hundreds of Medicaid clients in his operation and rakes in lots and lots of taxpayer dollars. Things are made easier for him since the State of West Virginia refuses to issue provider numbers to his competitors.
The W. Va. DEP has brought action against Kentucky oil & gas promoter Martin Twist for failing to comply with an agreed order. The agreed penalty was $2,500/day starting on August 9, 2003. As one fellow said, "That could add up to real money".
The other day a local resident happened to be at a retail business run by a blind man at quitting time. The man noted that it had been a very busy day, all day long without any breaks and that he was tired. It was pointed out to him the new bumper sticker that says, "Work harder, millions on welfare expect you to keep them." He noted that such was the truth.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil eased off to $34.75/bbl but it has been very difficult to get oil hauled. Some natural gas fetched over $9 but most sold for far less.
One local landowner received a letter from the U. S. Coast Guard indicating that he would be held liable for an old well that was drilled and abandoned more than 75 years ago. The company that drilled the well has been long gone and then the mineral rights were leased by the Rockefeller family for several decades.
Bear Yoak and Geek were business visitors in Creston. Geek is famous for fixing computer problems.
Some first rate saw and veneer logs have been hauled out of Beaver Dam, apparently from the Jim "Banty" Boggs place.
| 
