| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Euell H. Russell, Bill McFee, Preston Andrick, Gary Jones, Nancy & Alvin Engelke attended the 85th annual meeting of the W. Va. Farm Bureau at Flatwoods. They heard several excellent motivational speakers and heard updates on coyote control in the state and updates on the status of agriculture in the state and nation. On the whole, the meeting was very upbeat.
Alvin Engelke attended the DAR dedication of Aaron Henry's tombstone in the Burnt Meeting House graveyard near Morgantown. It was a very nice ceremony. Aaron Henry was a veteran of Lord Dunmore's War which was fought mostly in what is now West Virginia and the Revolutionary War. Afterwards Alvin, along with local DAR members, called on Barbara Tichner Herron who has many Wirt County relatives. Alvin later walked to the old Henry cemetery near Laurel Point. Margaret Grimm from Parkersburg also attended the ceremony.
Several Creston area folks attended the first annual Snowflake pageant at Calhoun County High School Sunday evening which played to a packed house. Ashley Petrey daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Danny Stutler and Adrianne Shimer, daughter of Matt Shimer and Jackie Shimer competed for Mini Miss Snowflake. Adrianne placed 2nd for that age group. Caitly Prusack daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Prusack competed for the title of Miss Teen Snowflake and won 1st runner-up. Katie Walker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Walker competed for the title of Snowflake Queen and was named 2nd runner-up. Those attending included Nancy Engelke, Jeannie Stutler with daughters Lisa and Charlotte, and son Danny, grandaughter Shelly and grandson Jarad.
Jackie Blankenship and Paige Toney did a wonderful job and all the contestants were beautiful and creative in choosing their Christmas outfits. The pageant was sponsored by the Wood Festival and was a fund-raiser for that event.
FunChester group threw an early birthday party for Anna Engelke and friend Dena Hallow who both have birthdays in November. Anna was happy to receive a footstool that matched her new living room chair. Dena was given a cassidia maker.
Alvin Wiles and Don Rhodes were among those calling on C. Glen Arthur.
Jacques Frost made his mark in the Creston area on November 6 which was the same day that large parts of the state had their first killing freeze, a date much later than usual.
The price of local crude oil fell to $43.75 reflecting, in part, relief over the way the election turned out. It was learned that 3-D (three dimensional seismic studies) are either in the works or happening in both Roane & Tyler Counties. It was said that the guard on the Columbia deep well in Roane County was especially for one well-known scout that they do not much care for. News is scarce this week on the deep well but next week there will be an update.
One oilfield outfit that presently is in bankruptcy failed to list those to whom they owe oil and gas royalties as creditors. That should make for some very interesting legal situations and some feel that the royalty owners would thus be entitled to full payment.
It was learned that the folks down at the Mouth of the Elk River are planning on special legislative sessions with an eye to massive tax increases. As one fellow, who is an insider, said, "We didn't know things were so bad."
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