| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
An automobile parked just where one turns off W. Va. 5 to go into Creston caught fire over the weekend and burned to a crisp. Details were not available locally.
Margaret Conners and Jeanette Kyer are both in Minnie Hamilton Health Care center while Mary Alice Flowers suffered a broken hip and is in Camden Clark hospital.
Dorine Parsons is learning to be a "country girl" if she can just get used to getting her hands dirty she would like to plant a garden this year.
Stacey Parsons was an overnight guest of Amy Nicole Ferrell. They were working on a school project.
The spring peepers announced that spring has officially arrived in the Creston area. They were having a big time Saturday although their singing was significantly diminished on Sunday. With flocks of turkeys out and about many are working up a big appetite for fresh wild turkey meat. On Saturday a big old Tom was seen at the head of Beaver Dam and his beard was so long it almost drug the ground.
Under the direction of J. R. Cunningham, "Pudge" Hickman was doing some road grader work on the West Fork.
A local fellow is doing 30 days at the regional hotel in Doddridge County after being found guilty of burglary of the Gast residence and a number of forgery counts.
When one reads about the costs of health care one of the problems cited is the skyrocketing costs related to care for indigents which is paid for by Medicaid. Those who administer Medicaid always say there is never enough money to provide essential medical services. West Virginia must have a surplus in the Medicaid account as a local woman recently underwent a tummy tuck operation which was paid in full by the taxpayers.
Rev. Paul Williams filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. church.
A comely lady who has connections to Creston is said to be contemplating overseeing the delivery of a roll top desk to Florida and while there she may check out the sandy beaches and real estate in Lake County.
The price of local Penn grade crude rose to $53.50 on Saturday. Those with connections elsewhere indicate that the price will go higher. Communist Chinese demand along with terror threats (and the two are no doubt related) assure high and even higher prices for petroleum products. Arab terrorists and communist Chinese agents and companies presently operate almost without impunity in Latin America and, apparently, they routinely bring contraband and enemy agents into America via the porous borders. It is understood that some "new players" have entered to local oil patch.
Anna Engelke spent the weekend in Newport News and Hampton Roads checking out all the tourist places.
Jane & Nancy Engelke and Nathan Ash motored to Buckhannon to attend the 64th Strawberry Festival pageant. Others attending from the area were Rasalla Seman, Dean & Terry Thorn and Greg Thorn. Mica Seman of Elizabeth competed against 70 young women in the teen contest and placed in the top 12 which was an incredible accomplishment in light of the fact this was her first pageant. Ashley Sandy of Belleville won the pageant. Shhh Bang of Parkersburg provided entertainment.
Mr. & Mrs. Carl Ferrell were attending to business in Spencer and Parkersburg.
The county consolidation bill continues to go right through the hallowed halls of the Legislature down at the Mouth of the Elk. The example that was handed out showed a possible consolidation for Roane, Calhoun and Gilmer but Wirt was not even mentioned. Clay and Braxton Counties were placed with Webster and Nicholas. The Little Elf said he didn't want ordinary people to have input so the likely plan may be the five to ten counties total from back almost 40 years ago.
Everywhere one goes, it seems folks are talking about the ATV Poker run scheduled for Creston on April 16. In addition to the run there will be a person there to provide ATV safety training for those who need it. More details on this will be given next week.
Jack Nutter and Fred Bish pulled the well at the Creston Community Building after the pump lost its prime. After a professional consultation with John Little the pump is now working fine.
Gary Buchanan was hauling hay one day last week.
Plans are now in the works for the tobacco base buyout since the government price supports for tobacco are now coming to an end. The Clinton administration worked hard to promote tobacco farming in Brasil and elsewhere in the world that the Clintons had "friends". Of course crops grown out of the country are not subject to health rules and one does not have to fool with all the red tape and rules concerning workers. Albert Gore, Jr., the former presidential candidate, said that we should get all our food from 3rd world countries and now it has been announced that in 2006 America will become a net food importer, which, of course, is a serious matter in a post 9-11 world. Those who rule both in West Virginia and in the nation should realize that bragging about shutting down a business in Calhoun County is dead wrong and instead of hassling people, government should be working to promote employment and local production of food and fiber. Those in power no doubt don't know that Spencer once had the largest flour mill east of the Mississippi River and the wheat did not come from Argentina.
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