 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Rev. Keith Belt filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. Church.
Some local folks were in Elizabeth for the ground breaking for the new rest home. It was reported that some of the dignitaries were miffed that they weren't given a larger part in the dedication activities.
The comely Debbie Basnett & sister Brenda were calling on brother Bob at the Miletree Christmas activity. Ray Gumm's cute grandchildren & family were calling on Ray while Paris & Orva Parsons' daughter visited them. Charles Russell was calling on brother Euell & Edith Kittle's cousin called on her.
Nancy Engelke and Susan Myers were visiting in North Carolina and then Nancy checked out the new mine facility being built at Caretta.
Charley Collins, age 67, of Elizabeth passed away.
A local fellow was having some medical problems and stopped at the poke store and obtained some 80 proof Geo. Dickel antifreeze which he took home and placed in the freezer. Before bedtime he "took a snort" but noted that the antifreeze/medicine had no impact on him. The next morning he discovered that the contents of the bottle left in the freezer had frozen. He allowed as how something was wrong with this picture.
Two loads of huge logs were hauled down the Richardsonville Road on Sunday.
The education establishment down at the Mouth of the Elk continues to "look bad". First they came out and defended Bill Ayers' Common Core and said it was an improvement even though it requires intelligent children to count using their fingers and all the computer data on all children is fed to Bill Gates or his designated agents. The last thing was the hiring of a Ms McGraw who had been working in the education department in Virginia but had been suspended with pay over some very serious charges. Seems no one checked with the folks there and when the word got out she was sacked (after less than a week on the job) and now threatens to sue just as did Mrs. Darrell McGraw, a/k/a Jorea Marple who was apparently canned by the Manchins. One would hope that the new legislators take control of the purse and "clean house". To raise standards Ray's Arithmetic could be used for teaching basic math and the McGuffey readers used to teach literacy, citizenship, integrity and morality.
Some dandelions were blooming over the weekend while the chickadees, titmice and nuthatches visited the bird feeder. Some new calves have also arrived, obviously taking advantage of the pleasant weather. Talk about the black ice and lack of DOH activity last Saturday continues & elsewhere in the state one can see salt trucks with snow plows driving around when there is no reason to be out whatsoever except to say "Oh, we are ready". Of course, what is being said really is that we are trying to fool you to make you think that we aren't bumbling idiots.
A flock of the invasive black buzzards have taken up residence in Spencer with the bulk of the birds roosting in the trees behind the big Spencer graveyard. One would hope that the problem can be properly addressed.
A spokesman for HG Energy stated that the company is contemplating drilling more horizontal Marcellus wells in the Hartley/Brohard field. They are trying to get free lease modifications without any language concerning the natural gas liquids (NGLs) that make the area so attractive for Marcellus drilling.
Local residents continue to get letters wanting to buy minerals "for top dollar" and other outfits who are not even authorized to business in the state are looking to make quick bucks from the vulnerable and unknowing.
Reflecting the crash in crude oil prices, gasoline in Parkersburg is now $2.25.9/gallon while in other states the price is in the $2 range. The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude is $55.52/bbl. with mountain high test (drip) fetching only $31.52 with Marcellus & Utica light at $49.52 and medium $55.52/bbl. Talk continues that there will be a slowdown of drilling, pipe lining and other petroleum related activities.
The Big Eared One, reflecting his personal views and those of his Communist party supporters, recognized the communist dictatorship in Cuba. Someone said "it would be good for American agriculture". No doubt Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) who has plenty invested in dear leader will profit as happens with corrupt governments and crony capitalism. The USSR worked with Dr. Armand Hammer who owned Occidental Petroleum and Missouri Beef Packers, the nation's largest integrated meat firm. Dr. Hammer liked to brag that he had both Al Gore Sr. & Jr. in his hip pocket as he had made them "national figures".
Range Resources announced that the firm had a Utica well in Washington County Pennsylvania that is bigger than Triad Hunter's monster Utica well near Middlebourne. However the Pennsylvania wells has yet to be connected to the pipeline system so only time will tell. Meantimes Triad's Statler 3 horizontal Utica well in Monroe County Ohio continues to blow out of control. Someone made a major foul up with the valves and now experts from the southwest (the likes of Red Adair) have been called in to shut in the well, avoid disaster, etc.
The little pot bellied dictator of North Korea, along with his communist Chinese friends, brought a big movie company to its knees and the Big Eared One said he couldn't do anything about it. One might say that the United States of America lost and the hackers won. There was a movie "The Mouse that Roared" and it comes to mind. One would hope that someone down in the lower Potomac swamps grows a pair and takes out the enemies.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald. | 
