| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
The unseasonably warm weather came to an end and now the Creston area is receiving snow and January weather. Older residents remember back in the 50s one winter the plum trees bloomed on Ground Hog Day with the resultant best crop of plums ever. That year folks plowed up 'tater patches and gardens early and had a wonderful harvest, but of course, that was before Albert Gore Junior discovered "global warming".
Hallie Cunningham is getting along well after suffering a stroke. She has been in rehab.
Sharon M. Sturms, age 60, passed away after a long illness. She was a daughter of Delma and the late Glover Starcher and grew up on Big Run of Little Creek. She leaves many relatives in the area. Burial is to be in the Cooper cemetery.
The Comely Red Head turned the big 20 on January 5th while her grandpa, Ira J. Lynch, Sr., turned over another year on January 3rd.
It was reported that some nice muskellunges have been caught in the West Fork recently.
Nancy, Alvin & Anna Engelke went to Florida to help Harold Martin celebrate his 97th birthday. Anna came on the big bird and her luggage arrived after she left to go back to Virginia. On the way down it was obvious all the lumber and building material that was being hauled there to repair damage from the hurricanes. The other things that are obvious are the downed timber (most of which is being wasted) and the blue plastic roofs, which, it is said is real obvious from airplanes.
A number of area residents attended the joint meeting of the W. Va. Farm Bureau and the W. Va. Forestry association with local legislators at the Wood County 4-H camp. A large crowd was on hand. It was learned that there might be a special session of the legislature to deal with the Workmen's Compensation problem and that there might be some legislation to deal with the excesses of the authorities that GasCap started. Scott Rader spoke eloquently about the problems facing those in the timber business, especially small operations. He also laid out in plain language the problems facing the hopelessly broken and corrupt program called workmen's compensation which is "being used as a retirement program by many who elect not to work".
County commissioners and county clerks from several counties pointed out that regional jail boss Canterbury would break several counties this year over their bill for jailbirds housed in the high dollar facilities that were ordered by folks who had friends in the financing and construction business who wanted to eliminate counties from West Virginia. The big wheeler dealers down south have already introduced legislation to eliminate counties and centralize yet more power (in their hands).
Those who have been down to the Mouth of the Elk River have all commented on the new look of the capitol building. At the least it is an ad for safe sex while one wag said it was something left over from the tryst with the Swiss Miss. Others view the new look as an ominous sign of what those in power plan to do to the taxpayers of the state.
The anti smoking nazis have been busy trying to "ban cigarette smoke' even on private property. They did have a "hearing" in Arnoldsburg but, of course, their mind was made up in advance. People were allowed to talk but no transcripts were taken for the bureaucrats to study. One might note that the group that promotes cocaine, marijuana and other very harmful and illegal drugs are on the same side as the anti-smoking forces. One might draw a conclusion.
Alvin Wiles and Euell H. Russell were among those calling on C. Glen Arthur.
Nancy Engelke was consulting her endocrinologist at Athens, Ohio. Because of the lack of leadership down at the Mouth of the Elk River he had to leave W. Va. Now, of course, :Ohio receives the tax dollars and the other benefits from his practice.
Donna Sue Ferrell has been on the sick list.
Rev. W. Delmas Stutler is doing well after having a stint installed. While he was in the hospital thieves robbed his shop both Friday & Saturday nights and made off with enough equipment to start a wood working shop. The criminal element also raided several other Elizabeth businesses. It is hoped that the gendarmes solve the crimes quickly.
Nancy & Jane Engelke, Susan Myers and Danielle Burns were among those at the W. Va. Fairs and Festivals convention at the Mouth of the Elk River. Little Cosmo went along for his first trip to the "big city". He got out on the ledge of the 11th floor but luckily, for him, a cleaning lady noticed a fellow in distress and opened a window and facilitated a rescue.
The Wheeling Feeling crew visited the Funchester Group over the weekend.
Stalnaker Energy drilled in a natural flowing oil well on Three Forks of Bear Fork. Back in the early 50s several shale oil wells were drilled on nearby Sand Ridge with standard rigs. Warren Haught noted that those wells made from 400 to 600 bbl/day of oil. The price of local crude currently is $45/bbl.
Santa brought one local resident a copy of Dave McKain's new book on the Civil War in North Western Virginia (that's now here). There has been a lot of staying up late reading history from primary sources which, of course, puts facts in a true light. Both his books are worth reading and place the civil war in proper perspective. Even liberals might appreciate the books.
It was reported that Martin Twist is now drilling wells under the acronym, AEP which usually stands for American Electric Power but in this case stands for Appalachian Energy Partners. He had been operating under other names such as Cherokee.
A number of local residents attended the David O'Dell concert at Heritage Park in Spencer. It was an evening of fine music along with refreshments. The little ones were dancing in the aisles to the music. No finer banjo and fiddle playing can be found anywhere.
Arley Parker made it to Creston with the mail on time one day recently and caught everyone off guard. When Jack hauls the mail it is always on time and there are no "late slips" from the postal bureaucrats. | 
