 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Jack Boley, husband of State Sen. Donna Boley, was the featured speaker at the Creston Community Building Veteran's Day event. Bernard Wyatt, a WWII vet who drove over from Triplett, was the oldest man there & then there were veterans from more recent wars and family members from wars going back to the Revolution. Boley told the story of his experience in the 1950s of being one of the people sent on a secret mission (declassified in 1996) to Nevada to measure the impact of atomic explosions on buildings, equipment and soldiers. His job was to collect the "badges" that everyone wore which were sent off somewhere else to be read. He noted that years later it was reported that the numbers were "coming in too high" so someone ordered that the exposure numbers be "fudged". When he sent for his records he was told, "All those records were stored in St. Louis and the warehouse burned down". Later he learned that only the labels had been burned off the records and when he received a small part of his records "things happened". Among other things he learned that his immune system had been destroyed. Old equipment was placed near the bomb blasts and then the damaged equipment was stored in a lot with a yellow ribbon around it across from the "bunkhouse" where the soldiers stayed. Many of the soldiers were deployed in trenches or ditches near the nuclear explosion. There is now an organization of what are called Atomic Veterans with seven (7) known to live in West Virginia.
Josh McAbee completed successfully his GED studies.
It was reported that Stella dePue is very ill with hospice and comfort keepers helping with her care. Ellison Dozer service did some work on the road to the family grave yard.
Tom Gandee who in recent years drove around Elizabeth on a motorized wheelchair passed away. He was married to the late Donna Boice Gandee who, on the CB, was known as Dynamite Girl.
Patty Bain of Garfield passed away. She was a daughter of Bob & Gladys Hall Hopkins.
Rick Williams brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E. Church.
Local residents have been having to deal with the government stink bugs and the Asiatic beetles that look like ladybugs. They are a "present" from the Clintons who had them turned loose to "eat aphids on the pecan trees".
As a result of a fight out on the Umstead one local resident is a patient at the University Hospital in Morgantown. The altercation was said to have been related to a runaway teen.
The global warming cultists have had bad times recently. First, it was reported that the size of the ice sheet on Antarctica has grown significantly and then satellite data shows that there has been no increase in global temperatures now for 18 years or more. Junior Gore said there would be lots of hurricanes but there has been a lull. The polar vortex has apparently weakened again which allows the jet stream to cause cold air to come south. Siberia has already had the worst snow storm in decades and it is felt that the northeast will have another bitter cold winter, which of course will be good for the local area as they can buy more natural gas to keep warm.
"To fight global warming" the Big Eared One killed the Keystone oil pipeline so more of Warren Buffett's oil trains can go through West Virginia to their destinations at export ports. Of course the Arabs who funded Dear Leader's Harvard law school experience do not want to lose their Texas refinery market for their low grade crude oil.
It was learned that HG Energy has permitted a horizontal well on the Pinkard Brannon lease in northern Gilmer County. A Denver based outfit completed a Marcellus well near Pennsboro and the Big Injun wells on a nearby lease "came alive" with one testing at 2,200 psi. Of course all the wellheads had to be changed out to avoid someone being killed. Those with knowledge in such matters believe that the shallow pays were not cemented off when the Marcellus well was drilled. Obviously, some are willing to take shortcuts and as one noted that the state inspectors seem to be powerless.
A fellow who lives over in another county received his first royalty check from an Antero well that had a 1/8th (12.5%) net lease. The company deducted 40% of the royalty as expenses but, unless the legislature "fixes" the problem he will pay county ad valorem taxes on 100% of his royalty. These are the folks who tell you that "forced pooling is good for you!"
Chesapeake Energy, the nation's second largest natural gas producer, reported that their revenues plunged 49% from the same quarter last year. They also reported $15.4 billion in impairment charges which are defined as a sudden accounting recognition of accumulated capital destruction. Several other well known players also have taken a hit but Chesapeake was the firm with a significant local footprint. Devon, another big loser, formerly had production in Jackson County. One observer noted that, now that the Big Eared One and his buddies have killed King Coal, West Virginia will have to hitch their wagon to the big oil and gas companies. Earl Ray has already announced that low gas prices has caused a catastrophic drop in gas severance taxes so, "What is West Virginia to do?" Some may remember when we were told "liquor by the drink" will solve the state's economic woes and then gambling would make us prosperous. While it did helped enrichen the Tomblin family with the first mother pulling down six figure amounts annually, otherwise not so much.
Charles Russell was calling on Ray Gumm, Paris Parsons and brother Euell at the Miletree Center in Spencer. It was noted that the Roane road crew installed some new culverts on Tom's Run.
The deer have been on the move & several trophy bucks have been noted although the antlers are very hard to chew. A fat tom turkey was seen over on the Methodist Camp. It was noted that he could easily become a Thanksgiving turkey.
Marie Park Snyder and some comely family members came to the Creston Veteran's Day event. It was noted that Marie had gone four wheeling with Renee Gray and had a great time revisiting old haunts. It is now expected that Marie and her entire family come for the Creston ATV poker runs.
It should be noted that the Neighborhood Watch clothing giveaway will be November 21 at the Creston Community Building.
The Wirt Oil & Gas Group will have an informational meeting (update) Saturday, November 14th at the high school in Elizabeth.
Dear Leader's "J V team" apparently was able to blow a passenger plane out of the sky. Only time will tell how much of the "Caliphate" will be flattened by Putin. Leading from behind may lead an unprepared nation into war. Now that the terror war is won, or so we were told, Club Gitmo is to be closed so America can give the naval base back to the communist Castro brothers who will, no doubt then give it to the communist Chinese for their base to invade.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude fell to $43.29/bbl. with condensate fetching $24.26, Marcellus & Utica light $37.39 and medium $43.29/bbl. Mother Hope paid $11.60/bbl. for natural gas liquids from their Gilmer County Marcellus well while natural gas was worth $1.193.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald. | 
