| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
The Creston Community ATV Poker run is scheduled for Saturday, September 25 with sign up between 9 A. M. and noon. In addition to the run which is good family fun, there will be food, door prizes, 50/50 and goodness knows what else. Last time there were some awfully good looking riders. Everyone is urged to come out and enjoy the area's beautiful scenery, visit with friends and have a good time. Proceeds go for the community building and local functions. For details call Donna Sue at 275-3202. Those who want to help with the bathroom project should consult with Fred, Ed or Ted at the poker run.
The old box culvert (built back in the 1920s before "the great leap forward") over Still Run (near the former Cedar Hill School but now between the John Copen and the late Les Arnold's homes) collapsed causing W. Va. 5 to be closed with traffic detoured completely around Creston via Girta and Smithville. Should the bypass not be made by Friday, the real detour from Elizabeth to Creston is made by going up the Munday road over Trap Run Hill and down to Deaver's Fork (the first right at the foot of the hill). One then goes up Deaver's Fork to the first right (past the Duane Spencer residence) and up over Owl Hill (past the white church) and then turns right at the bottom of the hill and goes down Chestnut Run to W. Va. 5 where one turns left and heads on up to Burning Springs, Creston and other points east.
The Wirt road crew patched the rough places on W. Va. 5 with hot mix.
The adopt-a-highway project was rained out again on September 18 but, hopefully, the trash will be picked up soon. The sun came out later in the day (just like last time).
While a large swath of the nation was damaged by the big Russian, Ivan, the Creston area only had inconveniences, such as with the highway litter project. Marietta had the biggest water in 40 years and nearby counties also had blocked roads and damage by flooding. A significant number of roll hay bales were lost in Wood County and local residents had relatives who were flooded out. A state of emergency was declared in West Virginia so the state government could acquire more federal funds. Many vehicles were left in low-lying areas to be flooded and along the Ohio River; oil tanks were on their sides.
Anna Engelke reported that over in Virginia where she lives that Ivan caused tornados, one of which hit the weight station sign that she drives by each day on her way to work.
Rev. Paul Williams brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E. Church.
Rev. Juanita Lockhart will be there next week.
Tim Carpenter, Matthew Copen and Richard McFall were among the oilmen and oil women who feasted on Mississippi catfish at the big Ergon Oil fish fry at their terminal above Marietta. Ergon is a consequential buyer of local crude oil.
Jane Engelke and Danielle Burns were at the Miss America contest at Atlantic City, New Jersey. Jane's store, Elizabeth Michaels had a booth and they helped cheer on Miss West Virginia, Julia Burton. They were guests at the New Borgato Hotel.
Charles Russell went down to check on the Ohio River flooding and stopped for a meal at the Mineral Wells Wendy's. Melissa Ferrell fixed his hamburger while Jeremy Ferrell fixed his fries. There is nothing like having a good Creston area connection.
Don & Mia Rhodes and Euell Russell were among those calling on C. Glen Arthur.
There have been lots of four wheelers riding around the area. Lots of folks have been out having a good time.
Paw paws have been ripening and Chinese chestnuts are falling so the deer can fatten up even more. The squirrels have been cutting on hickory for a few weeks now and the young wild turkeys are big enough for fryers.
The Gasts have been doing a lot of work at and on their placed located on the former site of the Rose Hill log church and in the old graveyard.
The price of local crude oil rose back up to $42/bbl. With good prices for both crude and natural gas it was learned that more wells are planned for next year than this. One company said they were going to drill 400, mostly south of the local area. Their goal is 300 for 2004 and they are fairly close. All the drilling activity has caused a shortage in oil field hands. The folks in the coal business report a similar situation, a dearth of coal miners.
Speaking of coal miners someone put up billboards showing elderly women who would qualify for Medicare and perhaps Medicaid with a story that they have (or will lose) the United Mine Workers Health Insurance and the taxpayers are expected to pick up the tab. Apparently a deal was cut again in the Congress to bail out the union fund once again. Back when old John L. Lewis ran the union he took the funds and purchased the Riggs Bank in Washington, D. C. (Well of course he bought it for the miners, didn't he?) Recently the Riggs Bank was back in the news as they were fined big time for illegal international money transfers. Of course, W. Va. congress critter, Nicky Joe Rahall has long been a spokesman for Arab interests and he even visited Saddam before the hot lead started to fly.
Sumner Redstone who is Dan Blather's boss sold $12 million of stock in the CBS parent company which may indicate the magnitude of the problems that outfit has with the bogus letters that ex-Sen. Cleland who is part of the Catsup boy's team gave to the more than willing Blather and friends to try to destroy the president. 50 years ago the left wing media destroyed Sen. Joe McCarthy because he fingered Alger Hiss (later proven by Russian documents to be a spy just like Whittaker Chambers said) and they have had a free reign ever since until now. In the past there was no one to question their veracity but now there is real competition in the news business. This time they were tested on their story and they failed.
Some local residents received cards from the Buckeye real estate developers, the Bruners who chop up land in such a way that the W. Va. taxpayers get to pick up the costs while they take their profit elsewhere. With the world uncertainty and the likelihood of terror for many years, it should be realized that there should be plenty of farmland available to feed the nation (and certainly the local area) without having to rely on third world countries as suggested by Albert A. Gore, Jr.
Chancy Shaw has a bright blue high tech belt with his name and telephone number in black letters (& numbers) should he get lost. The belt has a quick snap release and puts one to mind of a dog collar. Last report was that the wife didn't want him to wander off and get lost. All his friends are urged to ask him about his new "prize" possession.
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