 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
The Creston donation auction will be held Saturday, June 7 at the Community Building. This is the place one comes to pick up bargains that had been stored in other folks' garages, back rooms, attics, etc. Also Bobby Ray Starcher will have cheese, pepperoni and his other goodies.
Anna Mae Parsons, age 71, longtime employee of the Calhoun County Clerk's office died suddenly last Wednesday morning. The local correspondent had talked with her on Monday and she had been at work on Tuesday. She was the person who knew "everybody" and helped all those who came to the clerk's office with problems. To say that she will be missed is an understatement.
Lovie Fae Kerby, age 82, widow of Wilbert Kerby of Lemuel's Run passed away.
George "Pappy" Villers, age 90, who lived on Annamoriah Creek passed away.
C. Glen Arthur is back home after a stay at Minnie Hamilton Health Care. Hospice has come in to help take care of him. Sunday afternoon he was able to sit out on the porch and visit with family and friends. Among those calling were Mr. & Mrs. Don Rhodes & daughter. Don said he was looking for a place elsewhere to buy so that Creston could be a Rhodes free zone.
Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy O'Dell were calling on Jimmie Schrader, Sr. The two Jims formerly worked together at Spencer many years ago.
Jimmie & Orrison Schrader were calling on the Richardsonville road.
Lots of folks were in from Ohio and elsewhere for Decoration Day. While many visited the graves of loved ones, others had a long weekend of fun & recreation. Because of the cool spring (sorry about that 'global warming' folks) the peonies were at their prime to use to place on the graves.
It got so cool the other evening in Elizabeth that most of the plants at Jim Matheny's hardware store were damaged. Teddy Parsons reported ice on his windshield.
Donna Sue Ferrell had a big birthday celebration. Those attending included Mary Reno, Glenna Jean & Alley Oop Westfall, Richard McFall, Jeremy, Amy, Larry & Mary & Uncle "Jiggs" Sidwell.
There were 412 riders at the Shrine ATV Poker Run held at the dePue farm Saturday which was a record.
The Mid Ohio Valley Regional Council is to look at ways to set up trails for ATV riders in the area somewhat like the Hatfield-McCoy trails that exist down in southern West Virginia. Locally Rod Lynch has been the #1 proponent. The issue was discussed recently at a meeting in Elizabeth.
The rain let up and some hay has been made. Jack dePue was able to bale up one field so there was some parking for the poker run. However, others have fields that still are too wet for equipment.
Miller Communications workers have been busy installing radio equipment in Creston. While they encountered difficulties, due in part to being 'somewhat remote', they made things work so a local concern can have contact with field workers. When completed they will have installed a first class system.
On the other hand, problems continue with computer systems. The computers are not compatible with each other and they do not "recognize" the printer and the satellite linkage is out & so on. All this tends to raise the frustration level of those who try to use such modern devices.
The USDA's multiflora rose is now in full bloom. The exotic pest is a good example of "do gooders" at work in the government. Their spiel was, "Plant the roses that won't spread and you won't have to build fences any more." Of course the roses spread and now there is no need for fence as there are no fields. Of course the USDA folks knew that the roses would spread but they had a friend who had a nursery that sold the plants.
Nicky Jo Rahall, the Arab congress critter from southern West Virginia, has decided that the government and "ecological" groups move to mandate the use of ethanol (corn whiskey), as motor fuel was a big mistake. The price of corn, of course, has gone up, making it harder for chicken and hog farmers and, so they say, making grain shortages in Mexico and other third world countries. Of course it takes more than a gallon of petroleum based products to make a gallon of ethanol but for those with a liberal mindset to "save the planet", what does that mean? After all, the intentions were 'good' and isn't that all that matters?
The national fury over who the presidential candidates will be continues with B. Hussein saying that he had campaigned in all 57 states. Someone noted that there are 57 Moslem nations in the world. Her Thighness, Madame Hillary, brought up the assassination word. Some have suggested that the fellow with relatives in Kenya should stay away from Fort Marcy Park and the Mena airport. Sen. McVain continues to prove that there are three Democrats vying for the presidency.
Closer to home the foul odors relating to bogus degrees continue from the state university up in Morgantown and it becomes clearer by the day that the big boss who lives in the mansion down at the Mouth of the Elk with the most big screen tee vees is calling the shots. Resolving the school problems may have to wait until November.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude rose to $125.25/bbl while the local price of low test gasoline rose to $4.30 which, of course, makes it somewhat more difficult for those who need to drive to low paying jobs. Of course, Al Gore and others who wanted to cut gasoline consumption and travel by 'the peasants' should be well pleased.
The W. Va. Supreme Court ruled 5-0 to deny the appeal of Nisource and Chesapeake to set aside the $400 million Roane County verdict against them in the class action fraud case brought by the late Garrison Tawney, a retired Roane County teacher and farmer. While an appeal to the supremes in Washington is possible there is very little to appeal since flat rate gas wells ($5 to $400 per year regardless of how much gas is sold) have been banished in all the other states and the punitive damages multiple is on the low side. Seven times is generally considered tops but in the Tawney suit it is only two times actual.
The Dominion class action suit will now be brought more to the front as the better option in that suit was to follow the Tawney decision while Mother Hope (the poor, down on their luck Rockefeller family) wanted to offer a small percentage payment for what was improperly taken from royalty owners.
The Charleston Gazette reported that oil and gas leasing & the purchasing of minerals from unsuspecting land owners has taken on a statewide frenzy. Chesapeake told folks that $5/acre & a 1/8th (net royalty) was a good deal and then, after the fellow signed, he learned that Marathon was paying $350/acre with a 15% royalty.
Marathon has been leasing up in the mountains and is now leasing specifically for deep drilling in Fayette County.
Chesapeake, which is the biggest frog in the local pond, said in their filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission that they are involved in a land grab in West Virginia. They are buying minerals under various names and they are having folks sign leases that have perpetual renewal clauses.
It was noted that folks should get together before leasing for up in Pennsylvania the same folks as operate here were offering low amounts but the landowners got together and received a lease bonus of $2,411/acre along with a 15% royalty.
The Gazette article noted that some landmen have been using less than honorable methods to obtain signatures and one should obtain good advice before signing anything. The Tyler County Farm Bureau will hold a meeting Thursday, June 5 at 7 P.M. at the Tyler County Consolidated High School near Middlebourne to discuss leasing. Dave McMahon and Alvin Engelke will both be present to give a repeat of a talk they gave recently in Marlinton, an area not historically known as being a big oil and gas field.
Much of the new lease activity concerns coal bed methane (CBM), the Marcellus shale and deep formations.
Retired DOH employee & Annamoriah native Hale Maze was in Creston recently looking for trees that might fall and hit cars traveling on Route 5. He had been hired as a temporary to do this.
The bridge crew was in Creston "daylighting" the LKR bridge for an inspection and the county crew was on hand working up land for flower beds. The wildflower mix that the state uses makes for some beautiful patches of color along the roads.
The local area has seen a lot of helicopter traffic.
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