| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Rev. Paul Williams filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. church.
The Creston auction will be held Saturday, March 31 at 6 P. M. at the Creston Community Building, the Community Building meeting will be April 3 and the Neighborhood Watch meeting will be April 9.
The local amphibians were out singing the praises of "global warming" or at least spring but snow and freezing weather but an end to all of that, at least for now. In addition the local area received rain and some local roads were closed because of high water for a time.
With everything snow covered the robins had a look of resignation but the wild turkeys were not overly concerned as gobbling was to be heard by those who listen for such.
Quite a lot of ground has been worked up and the freeze should help kill the pests that might be in the soil.
Fast time was foisted on local residents early this year. Of course many wish that the time was left alone but that would leave some high paid bureaucrat somewhere without a job.
The Loudens spent some time at their place on the Richardsonville road and had some rock placed in their driveway.
Euell & Charles Russell were consulting their physician in Grantsville.
The Wirt road crew has been mowing Creston area roadways. One day they got somewhat carried away and did in Hunter Pell's early pear tree that was planted something over a century ago. Earlier the local crew fetched up some cold mix to fill the potholes that were the result of freezing and thawing weather.
Nancy & Jane Engelke & Kristina Snider attended the Strawberry Festival pageant. A local Ripley girl won the Teen Pageant.
Chesapeake Energy the Oklahoma outfit that the governor was going to hold a special legislative session to appease fell somewhat out of favor when some of the coal barons got around to reading the Chesapeake web site and found that the company was bad mouthing coal (just like Enron had done earlier) but the Big Okie & his local mouthpiece 'splained that coal was different out there.' It could be assumed that the Chesapeake folks allowed as how West Virginia natives were so dumb they couldn't figure out the internet to see what was in Texas and Oklahoma newspapers, Tee Vee ads, etc.
One fellow, with deep Roane roots and a CPA certification, was approached by a Chesapeake landman with all great urgency and when asked, the landman boldly stated that Chesapeake was not about to pull up their wells & leave the state. When the landman realized that the fellow worked for a large firm (with oilfield connections even) and handled large sums of money the great urgency to sign documents that lawyers do not understand went into amazing abeyance. Nisource had earlier said the same thing that they were not going anywhere, lawsuits not withstanding. A local resident received a certified letter from Chesapeake advising of another new permit, the third new well on a lease that was signed in 1906. However, Chesapeake has not yet changed their leases to pay gross royalties. Cabot explained that 85% of the market price was the way to pay royalties and then Cabot could sell for 99% of the market price and make money on the royalty which was already defined as a net interest allowing internal deductions (by them).
The price of local Penn grade fell to $52.75/bbl and the price paid for local natural gas fell again to below $6. Of course domestic natural gas prices and the price of gasoline have not been reflecting the changes out in the field.
Freddie Bush's big old army log truck broke down up above Glenville the other day with a big load of logs.
G. J. Westfall and Matthew Copen were calling at the home of Anna Reno.
Some local resident went down to the Mouth of the Elk to hear Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor speak. Former W. Va. governor Cecil H. Underwood was there too and asked the local correspondent how things were in Wirt County. Gov. Underwood may have to use a walker but obviously his mind is still working well.
Jeff McFee who ended up with a broken leg in a car wreck is staying with his sister and is on the mend.
Samuel Jones has been practicing parallel parking. David Tenbarge set up a practice spot for him.
Brandon & Andrea Ferrell were visiting Mr. & Mrs. Carl Ferrell over the weekend.
Morris Tanner was calling on Ann's Run recently.
Randy Tucker who had been living in Ohio has been visiting area relatives and friends.
Local residents were favorably impressed that the folks down at Club Gitmo got the big terrorist boss sing about all the crimes he committed. At the same time there are those who want to negotiate with the savages, cut deals with them and sacrifice others in the hopes (fat chance) that they would leave us alone. Neville Chamberlain did that once as he didn't think that fellow socialists would bother his planned socialist utopia in England.
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