| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Since there will not be a paper next week it should be noted that the Creston auction will be held on Saturday January 8 starting at 6 P. M. at the Community Building. Everyone is welcome.
The regular business meeting of the Creston Community organization will be held at 7 P. M. on Tuesday, January 4 at the Community Building. It is time to pay annual dues. At the last meeting a good cook who lives on Little Creek brought some fine peanut butter fudge.
Winter arrived in the Creston area as the global warming folks took off for the sub tropics and the mercury headed for zero. They seem to think that mere mortals can control the sunspot activity on the sun and now, apparently, they are going to unleash a series of lawsuits to try to show that, at the very least they can be obnoxious. For starters they are going to have the Esquimeaux sue about the polar ice. During the first round of snow (last Monday) Jeremy Ferrell lost control of his chariot and landed up against a tree. The chariot did not do well. The weekend snow was coupled with cold temperatures.
Becky Wogan moved from Ohio to Don Rhodes rental trailer in Creston.
Oakley "Duke" Malone, age 87 of Slate passed away 7 days after suffering a heart attack. He had many friends in the Creston area. Not so long back he cut up a bunch of treetops that were going to waste and provided free firewood to elderly men and women [most of whom were younger than he]. He would rick the wood for the women but for the men he just dumped it out of the truck.
Bessie Arthur, Rick, Becky & Hope Starcher motored to Marietta to attend a Christmas celebration at the home of Rich Headley who is the son of Bessie's brother Harold. They reported having a good time.
Eddie Norman was calling on Rod Lynch.
The Creston area had a special visitor from the Polar Regions Saturday when a jolly old fellow in a red suit showed up at the Community Building. Some delectable biscuits and gravy apparently tempted him away from his workshop for the visit with local area children. He was assisted by a number of local elves and Mrs. Santa and special pictures were taken by Mrs. Robert Lowe of the young & the young at heart with Santa. Santa said that he wanted to thank all the children for the nice letters and pictures that he was given. Something over 40 people were on hand for the food, pictures and visits with Mr. Claus. Thirty fruit baskets were given out to special area residents. Rosalie White won the Christmas bears while Pat Smith won the knife.
Paul Williams filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. church and the comely Sierra Starcher sang Frosty the Snowman. She also brought a tin of homemade cookies and candy to Charles Russell.
Those visiting at the "House of the Insane" included Andrea and Brandon Ferrell, Danielle Duckworth, Jackie Nutter, Doreen Parsons, The Old Lizard and Jeff Westfall.
Momma Nut Hut is recuperating now that she had her loose screw removed and a new one installed, complete with "Locktite". She had been having real problems trying to function with a loose screw.
The Old Lizard drove John Bingman's new (to him) chariot home from Parkersburg.
The comely brunette with the sparkle in her eye got her electric fixed.
Fat Pat the Oilfield Rat was calling in Creston one day last week. He has been wheeling and dealing as well as producing oil and gas in paying quantities. The price of local crude rose Saturday $2.25 to $42.75/bbl. There are 42 gallons in one barrel of crude oil.
Anna Engelke was attending to business in Lancaster County, Ephrata and Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Keith Collins and friend Matt were also calling in Lancaster County.
Trana Mae Simmons who is an established authoress has a new book out, Dead Man Talking, which was released December 17. Her great grandfather John R. Pell formerly was a Creston merchant timber and oilman. She and her husband Barney live in Terrell Texas. She grew up at Coshocton Ohio.
Local residents are concerned about the arson fire of the church on Elizabeth hill. It was reported that the pews, stoves, etc were stolen before the vermin set the building alight. Then, not so far out the ridge Larry Menefee's Precision Machine Shop caught fire. It is hoped that the gendarmes solve the crime quickly before anything else goes up in smoke.
As part of the culture war, Christmas and Jesus are to be banished from, apparently, all public places and schools as irate atheists rant and rave (and perhaps have a deep fear of the truth). However, since Creston is not and never has been P. C. (politically correct) it is hoped that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year and that every one keeps in mind that the birth of Jesus is the reason for the season. This, of course, takes nothing away from the recent Festival of Lights (Hanukah) which reminds the faithful about when the Syrians desecrated & contaminated the Temple and the Jews had to clean it up after whipping them. It seems that with the Syrians now hiding Saddam's weapons & loot, nothing has changed in over 2000 years and the folks at Damascus are now due for a repeat treatment. Now doubt this all was involved as to why when Abraham was given the Promised Land the Damascus section was excluded.
The folks up in the northern panhandle have bought into the big county consolidation plan being pushed by the folks down at the Mouth of the Elk River. Some up there want to be big frogs in a bigger pond and this would be done by destroying the ecosystems of others (but if one is building an empire, "Who cares?") For certain most of West Virginia will suffer because of this while a few will get much more power and, of course, money. Far too many are in "public service" for the money. It is interesting to note all those who go to Washington (and other towns) and have never had anything but end up multimillionaires while on modest salaries.
Alvin Engelke was calling on the Amish folks who purchased the O'Rock place on Garfield Road at the mouth of Thorn's Run. For certain they bake fine pecan pies. They are getting established and will, among other things, repair harness and tack.
Jack Dobbins who formerly lived at Creston had a massive stroke while visiting in Ohio and presently is in University Hospital at Cleveland.
Juanita McFadden who did live at Burning Springs passed away. Burial was at the Bryner Chapel at Joker. She was one of Scott Greathouse's 21 children.
It was learned that the SEC is moving in on a well known oil promoter.
Auction Saturday, January 8, starting at 6 P. M. at the Creston Community Building. Pepperoni, cheese, 50/50, etc. Bobby Ray Starcher 890-05. For details call Donna Sue at 275-3202.
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