 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
A lay speaker from the Gideons brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E. Church, Pauline Brumfield sang some special songs.
A big crowd was on hand for Col. Dobbins' auction at the Creston Community Building. There was a rainbow during the sale.
Austin Westfall attended the eighth grade dance and wore a tuxedo. It wasn't certain whether all the damsels or just some of them swooned.
Mary Reno was visiting her daughters & family in Creston. She, two daughters, granddaughter and Nancy Engelke were among those who attended the Mother's Day tea at the Brooksville Missionary Baptist Church.
Jim & Barbara Bush, Mr. & Mrs. Junior Hughes, Mr. & Mrs. Russ Cottrell were all attending to business in Creston.
Columbine and wild geraniums are both at their prime now. One Roane County farmer noted that he was setting out more ramps in his best ramp patch.
A woman who loves gizzards was given a wild turkey gizzard with a big bump. When she cut it open to clean it she found an intact hickory nut as well as some ground up hickory nuts.
Charles Russell was calling on Mr. & Mrs. Parris Parsons, Ray Gumm and brother Euell at the Miletree Center. It was reported that most of the ducks have been given away.
Antero announced that the firm is planning on installing a large H2S (hydrogen sulfide) line on the right-of-way where they are installing the 24" water line that runs from the Ohio River to Doddridge & Harrison Counties. H2S or "rotten egg gas" occurs in deeper formations and must be removed from the natural gas stream. It was reported that a tract was purchased from the Maxwell heirs for $1 million for a facility which some thought was another fractionation plant. H2S has many industrial uses, including making tee vee screens. One might wonder if royalties are to be paid on "the waste product"? Some years back the poison gas was encountered in wells being drilled in Roane County and two crews had a close scrape with death. On Ann's Run at Creston "big stinky" was a Newburg well drilled on the RP&N lease.
Various state agencies are working up guidelines for the water and tank bill that the legislators down at the Mouth of the Elk passed that they were not allowed to read. DuPont said that if they were forced to comply they would have to shut down and leave the state. The impact on agriculture, timbering and oil and gas operations presently remains in doubt.
The West Virginia Farm Bureau is holding meetings about the proposed new EPA rules concerning the grab of power over lawns, gardens, golf courses, hillsides, ditches, ponds, potholes, etc. One Ritchie County resident who attended the national Farm Bureau meeting in San Antonio said that the big eared one's Agriculture Commissioner Vilsak said, "Nothing to worry about!". However, the proposed rules are not in agreement with his verbal statements. Recently EPA told a farmer in Wetzel County to take out his farm pond and restore the property to the original contours "or else".
The EPA also has new rules for wood stoves and some wonder if they are going to go after old stoves that do not have the "anti-pollution" devices, fireplaces and camp fires. Some years back some government busybodies went after those folks who had the audacity to heat and cook with coal. Now it is rare to smell coal smoke even in coal mining communities. Soon it will be rare to find a coal fired power plant, except in India and China.
The Wirt Oil and Gas group's Saturday May 17 meeting will be at 3 P. M. at the High School Auditorium in Elizabeth.
In the tee vee series Sylvester never does get Tweetie Bird but Sylvester who lives on the Richardsonville road did much better as he was seen feasting on a big mouse the other morning.
At long last the "service" provided by the VA for veterans is getting some publicity. This writer remembers many years ago when the VA flat out refused treatment for a World War I veteran because "he was not one of their regulars." It made no difference that he had served honorably and had been, for his entire life, an upstanding, tax paying citizen. Speaking of veterans and health, the new nominee to run the federal health system was the nice lady who, during the "government shutdown" had barricades and guards on the national mall in Washington to keep out WW II veterans so they could not go to the memorial there.
There was quite a commotion locally when the crows raided the mockingbird's nest.
Haught Energy announced that they plan to drill a vertical Marcellus well near Fonzo in Murphy District of Ritchie County.
The garlic mustard is starting to form seed pods so it should be pulled up before the seeds mature. It is to be found all along local roadways.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude is $99.49 with drip [Appalachian light sweet] fetching $76.63, Marcellus & Utica light $91.10 and medium $98.49/bbl.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald. | 
