 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
The big item should be the primary election as the actual vote is Saturday, May 14 although folks can vote early at the County Clerk's office. Those who do not follow "polly ticks" seem at a loss as to just who are the candidates and for what do they stand. For certain there are some "light duty" candidates and several whose political buddies do not withstand even a cursory investigation but such has been the case in West Virginia for decades with the motto,
"We have the best politicians money can buy!" The endorsement of the slot machine owner & puppy breeder by some "reputable folks" makes that absolutely clear.
It was reported that there will be a ramp feed May 21 over at the old Hartley school.
The US military showed the world that they were still a force to be reckoned with when Osama was taken out from his trash littered hideout in scenic Pakistan. It seems waterboarding (not torture) gave the clues that led to his lair and some hope that the good old boys that fed him to the sharks first anointed his body with lard before wrapping him in old worn out footballs. It is not clear why Obama ordered him killed not captured as, it seems obvious, he could have been captured easily.
Rev. Keith Belt filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. Church.
Chuck Richter was calling in the area. He has been placing gypsy moth traps in the are for a number of years now. Also someone put out a number of emerald ash traps (the big purple things placed high in the trees).
Area residents have been feasting on deep fried locust blossoms which are plentiful this spring.
Mr. & Mrs. Denver McFarland had a Mother's Day get together on May 6, with a cookout those attending were Ira and Margaret Lynch, Tim Lynch, Jim, Carol, Luke and Levi Lynch, Stephen Settle, Hoss, Tara, Dakota, Brittani, Jacob, Savannah (Nanner) Donley. Then Miss Savannah decided she was having such a great time, she spent the night with her Grandad and Mamaw McFarland.
The local area continues to have rain -- most gardens remain on hold while lawns and weeds grow.
Calhoun County Commissioner Bob Weaver. Wirt County Commissioner Robert Lowe, his lovely daughter Logan, Mr. & Mrs. Bob Lowe (Sr.) Casper Shuman, Mr. & Mrs. Junior Hughes, Tammy Little, Scott Simonton, Florence Bishop, Harold Ritchie, Allen Thomas, Jim McIntyre and Dayton Hicks were among those attending to business in Creston over the weekend.
Mr. & Mrs Bobby Ray Starcher & Carol spent some time at their place at Cremo.
Connie Boggs who carries the mail up Little Creek, down Big Rowell and back down the West Fork to Creston had a flat tire down below the old Cremo post office but a helpful Mr. Hill came along & rescued her.
Stephen M. Vandall who is a grandson of Wamsley & Tottie Vandall inquired if there were any Vandalls still living in the area. He was assured that there were several. His ancestor (& the progenitor of all Wirt, Calhoun & Roane Vandalls [however spelled]) was a Revolutionary War patriot who kept "an ordinary" at Fayetteville (now W. Va.).. He donated a rye field for the Fayette County Court House and there is a plaque there noting his gift.
It was reported that Joe O'Ferrell who sometimes operates as Standard Oil Company of West Virginia pulled the 4 1/2 from his well on the Warburton place.
Chesapeake has been in the news lately. First something went wrong with their frac of a Marcellus well near Bradford Pennsylvania and the location, adjacent farmland and a stream received fracturing fluid. Details of the incident were not released. Up in Ohio it was reported that the company's Utica shale well came in requiring an 8" line to take the gas and lots of tankage to hold the crude oil. Also it has been learned that there is a class action lawsuit against Chesapeake in the State of Kentucky over the deduction of "post production costs".
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil dropped to $92.50/bbl. It was said that the margin requirement for futures trading was increased but such should have not impacted George Soros & Mark Rich, two of the major international commodities traders. No doubt they cleaned up by selling short when the price fell. Mark Rich is known locally for once owning Ravenswood Aluminum and later for the purchase of his pardon from the largest IRS fraud case in the history of the nation. That deal was done for the Clinton duo by the present AG for the Big Eared One.
It was reported that there was a "big dust up" down at the high school in Elizabeth when vehicles were towed from the school parking lot.
The big Creston "Fun Day" is scheduled for June 11 at the Creston Community Building. There should be a good time for 'children' of all ages. Tommy & Barb Wright are heading up the planning.
Some more fine logs were pulled up the road from the T. R. Boggs place on Ground Hog. Some noted that there are no "second logs" making some wonder if the blocking is just being left to rot in the woods.
Charles Russell was consulting his physician at Minnie Hamilton Health Care center. It was determined that he suffered from "iron poor blood" and was given iron pills.
Nancy Engelke was consulting with the medical staff at Roane General Hospital.
A black buzzard was observed along the road in the Knight or Big Bend near the Munday road. These are invasive non native birds that are noted for picking out the eyes of calves and other newborns and then waiting till they wander aimlessly and die. The best option is the 3 - S treatment, namely, shoot, shovel & shut up. If one has questions, one can consult the bird book.
Fred & Betty Bish went to visit Dolly Parton's amusement park. Fred was making his brags but others had their doubts. Time will tell.
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