| By Alvin Engelke
 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Fifty folks showed up for the Creston homecoming and everyone seemed to have a great time looking at old pictures, visiting with friends from long ago, etc. In addition to local folks visitors included Commander (USNRet) Steve Mowrey, Calhoun County Commissioner Bob Weaver, Chester Jarvis and Irma Walker from Lakeland Florida, Jim, Rose & Bill Merrill, Diane Founds, Robert Wix, David Hoffman, Pauline Cline, Hazel Powell, Pauline Petty Tingley, Brenda Tingley Wilson, Helen Petty Elliott, Betty & Billy Vannoy, Royce, Ron & Jim Henthorn, and some others who didn't sign the book. Peggy Cooper returned to visit with area friends after moving away earlier this year.
David Hoffman brought up some more pictures from his 102 year old grandmother's collection including pictures of Ralph and George "Doc" Wix.
Local residents took in the Wirt County Fair and were involved in various activities. Some local folks, or folks with local connections, were involved in the various pageants. Others entered the crafts, cooking, canning, photography, etc. competitions and fetched home lots of ribbons while others entered animals. Lyndsey Miller had the reserve champion heifer which fetched $3.10/lb. The best lamb brought $13/50/lb and the total sale brought in almost $100,000. The Ripley livestock market paid the difference so that all lambs fetched $3/lb and all hogs brought $2/lb.
At the last minute the ban on chickens was raised so Sierra Dooley was able to exhibit her prize chicken, along with some others. There had been a disease outbreak and there was a fear that it would spread causing major economic damage in the state's poultry industry.
Charles & Euell Russell noted that they got to visit with their friends and relatives as did many others as well. Many attended the auction of critters so as to fill the freezer with choice meat and others attended the mudbog.
Stephanie Boster visited Mr. & Mrs. Randall Miller and daughters and took in the fair.
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry dePue were attending to business in Elizabeth.
It has been learned that the postal authorities in Clarksburg want, once again, to close the Creston post office although it is clear that they are in violation of their own guidelines. The Wirt County Commission has already acted on the problem and has contacted the Wirt County 911 advisory board and the 911 director. Preliminary contacts have also been made in Calhoun County and Congresswoman Capito's office is to start an investigation.
Two star routes and one R. F. D. route are associated with the Creston office and all mail that goes to and from Mt. Zion passes through the Creston office. Needless to say local residents "ain't happy" and a petition has already been started and public meetings are being planned. Postal employees are terrified of losing their jobs and are forbidden to speak. Their boss is one Michael G. Bailey and his telephone number is 304-623-7708. Prior attempts, including one back in the late 1960s to close down the Creston office were shoved where the sunshine does not penetrate.
There will be a grape growing workshop August 23 at the Heritage Park in Spencer. For details one can contact the county agent in Roane County.
A local woman is said to be happy now as she has a new man friend. She is glad to have back her family and friends.
Some folks up on Little Creek noted that, come next season, they plan on having a produce stand to sell the goodies that they grow.
Keith Belt brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E. church.
Reva Mullinex Wayne and Cathy White are holding a shower for Reva's daughter Anna Hughey September 8 at 5 P.M. at Sportsmen's Park in Elizabeth. For details call 275-3383.
Nancy & Jane Engelke, her husband Wilbur and son Harrison Schenerlein all attended the Miss American Outstanding Teen Competition in Orlando, Florida. They also visited Nancy's father, Harold Martin in Melbourne. They had troubles going down as planes were late and they missed their connecting flights and luggage was lost ...
Those who were familiar with Community Resources were appalled but not really surprised by the results of the state audit and the $2 million lawsuit against the hapless entity. One can only hope that the appropriate folks are held accountable.
The powers that be down at the Mouth of the Elk apparently carried the day Saturday so that gambling will be a bigger part of the state's economic plan which, apparently is to keep us at #50. The announced closure of Fenton Art Glass, an institution and tourist destination for over a century highlights the state's "open for business" reality.
The price of local crude oil fell to $66.25 and gasoline can now be purchased some places for less that $2.70/gallon.
Local residents were among those from all over who went to the DEP office in Kanawha City over the proposed special field rules for "deep wells" for Chesapeake and Petroedge (Haughts). The hearing was scheduled for 1 P. M. and at 11 A. M. Chesapeake decided to try to get an order from a circuit judge or get the legislature to give them special treatment and cancelled/postponed the public meeting. DEP's official explanation of the "special rules" was in marked contrast to the interpretation held by others including the state's best oil and gas lawyers including George Patterson.
Earlier it had been reported that one of the partners in the ill fated log operation behind the old Ravens plant had high tailed it to Estonia. It was learned though that just recently he contacted a nearby county trying to rent a building to set up a wood products operation. While he claimed to be in Europe some believe that might be just another story, especially since it was learned that his name wasn't even what he told others and as had been reported in news stories.
At the Wirt County Fair livestock sale Charlie Stout (Applied Mechanics & Arches Fork Evergreen) was noted as being the wood facility at the Ravens building but that was quickly corrected as he was/is not involved with "the other folks". He has been hauling pine from Creston area Heartwood Fund IV lands which are held for the mystery owner/s. | 
