| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
The Creston school homecoming will be Sunday August 13 during the afternoon at the Creston Community Building. All former and present residents, former scholars and family are urged to come and spend the afternoon visiting, eating cake, drinking punch and talk "about the good old days."
Rev. Paul Williams filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. church. Cooter & A. C. Marks, Peggy Tenbarge and the Hurst family provided special music.
Mary Newton who had been visiting local family and friends recently
was consulting her physician and did not get a very good report. She
requested prayers for healing.
This week is the Wirt County fair week and many local residents will be spending much of their time at Camp Barbe. Of course there will be fine eats but there will be the livestock auction where one can purchase some fine pork (perhaps even Romeo & Juliet), or choice beef for the freezer or a big barbecue or, for that matter, replacement heifers to turn out on the farm. Emma & Lindsey Miller are among local residents who will be showing and selling animals. There are lots of track events and Saturday evening will be the bigger than last year's mud bog. One will have to come early to park anywhere close.
W. A. Wilson, Jr. was attending to business in Elizabeth.
Nancy Engelke attended the Parkersburg Homecoming Queen pageant at WVUP Saturday evening.
Euell Russell was consulting with Dr. Morehead in Parkersburg and while in town picked up his new spectacles from Dr. Conrath. He goes back for some additional tests.
Nancy Hall is scheduled to undergo treatments soon.
Rita Hurst's grandson is scheduled to go back this week to the Shriner's hospital but is now only wearing one bandage. The family thanks all those who prayed for the healing.
Johnny Miller's grandson Chris was seriously injured in a pipe lining accident in Lincoln County when the pipe came out of the sling up on a steep hill/mountain there.
Garry Matheny of Clover was killed when his 'dozer turned over on a job in Kentucky. He had many friends and acquaintances in this area and many may remember him from a utility job in Elizabeth.
The price of local Penn grade crude dropped 75 cents/bbl over the weekend to $70/bbl. which, of course, results in gasoline being in the $3/gallon range locally. Not so many years back numerous "progressive" politicians including Albert Gore Jr. were complaining that fuel prices were too low and Americans were using too much and these same fellows called for massive tax increases to slow demand. Now the prices have exceeded their wildest dreams (they were talking in the $2 range then) and they are crying the blues saying that prices are too high even though there seems to be very little impact on driving. Of course some of those folks believe that the peasants (that includes folks locally) should still be using ox carts so there would be more jet fuel for their Lear jets to zoom around the world.
East Resources, which operates most of the old Pennzoil (South Penn) properties, has filed for a 51% rate increase in their domestic gas rates to their 5,100 customers. Much of East's natural gas is purchased at rates determined a century or more ago. In the past when asked about modernizing the amounts they pay for gas the standard answer was, "We believe in the sanctity of contracts; those properties were paid for back then." Of course when one then asked them if they would work for 1906 wages they would give you a dirty look and say, "Of course not; do you think I am crazy?" When asked if they expected to be treated under a different set of rules they would then point out that you were greedy for wanting more and, of course, you wouldn't expect them, to live under 19th century rules and regulations.
Fuel prices will likely remain high for some time as the war in Israel shows no sign of letting up. In many ways the war there reflects the 1939 war in Spain which was a proxy war between Adolph Hitler and Joe Stalin. This time the proxies are the Hezbollah terrorists for Iran (& Syria which is where the WMDs were taken) and Israel for the United States & Great Britain. Those who study scripture should make a list of all those who have joined up sides against Israel, especially those who are on the American political scene. Of course the UN and many foreign nations are hostile to Israel and Israel's God. The scene is explained simply with the fact that another front has just opened in the worldwide terror war to determine which civilization will prevail.
Dominion Exploration & Production which is based in Houston Texas (after they left New Orleans) wrote local royalty owners saying that, as a result of the Tawney case against their sister company, they would have to stop deducting "gathering and processing costs" from royalties. Someone noted that if the courts keep up at this pace the poor little Rockefeller children will soon qualify for free hot lunch (if they should be forced to have to attend public school).
Alvin Engelke was calling on friends on Stinson over the weekend.
Alvin Ferrell was calling on Mr. & Mrs. Carl Ferrell. Alvin came by a new cap.
Chuck Richter who is out checking on Gypsy moth traps ended up out on the Umstead by misteak. He noted that all traps had some of the awful, imported pests but that the trap out by the old Ruble church had 120 specimens, a local record.
Amy N. Ferrell was visiting her sister Missy Ferrell and helping her move. Amy who works at Wendy's has had overtime two weeks in a row which has made her a happy camper.
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