 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
R. W. "Spark" Arthur, age 82, passed away at his home on Goose Nest hill. It was reported that he had just days before made arrangements and the day he died he declined offers of assistance and/or a trip for medical treatment. He had worked for the WEVA Oil Co., the Eureka Pipe Line Co. and retired from the Wirt road garage where he was known as the best long arm mower man in the state. He asked for no funeral or viewing but there will be a memorial service and meal on Tuesday, November 17 at 1 P. M. at the Creston Community Building.
Ervin Walker, age 82, son of the late Carl Walker and Olga Meadows Walker Ferrell, passed away after complications from open heart surgery after having a massive heart attack. Not so long back he renewed his CDL and last summer drove his recently acquired Ford Model T up to Grantsville. As a youth he lived on Little Creek.
Carolyn Ray, age 67, wife of Charlie Ray passed away. The Rays live on the Leason Hill at the head of Bear Fork.
Euell Russell is back at the Miletree Center after suffering a "mini stroke" and being hospitalized at Roane General Hospital.
Mr. & Mrs. Dean Miller, Alvin & Nancy Engelke, Gary & Shirley Jones, as well as a contingent from Roane County, attended the 96th annual W. Va. Farm Bureau meeting at Flatwoods. A blue grass band including the Lincoln County DA provided the Saturday evening entertainment. Resolutions were passed that said royalty should be 20% and that there must be transparency, accountability and arm's length sale prices in cases of forced pooling. Another big topic was the WOTUS problem where the feds want to take control of all the land in the nation under new EPA rules.
A legislative panel mentioned the state's tax woes and a possible revamp of the state's tax system. When asked one State Senator said there was no plan to look at the special deal that utilities get on their taxes -- generally only 13% of what others pay. He noted that the windmills and certain natural gas facilities are taxed at only salvage value "since they can't afford to pay more". The Rockefeller company that might put a $100 million compressor station in Calhoun has been asking for tax relief.
The snake oil venders (forced pooling promoters) have been busy. They are now targeting legislators that "have not drunk the koolaide" telling their constituents to call and tell them to support "common sense oil & gas reforms" which will "solve the state's dire economic woes."
Some may remember that 50 years ago, "liquor by the drink" would make W. Va. prosperous. Why tourists would come here to drink and dine at the fancy eateries that would open once they could sell whiskey legally. Residents would find out that they could have a few drinks and not have to drink the entire bottle at once and "all would be wonderful". Then gambling (or gaming as they called it) would make West Virginia "rich"! There would be lots of high paying jobs and the state would get lots and lots of money. Men who professed to be strong Christians were put in office to vote for the gamblers and one fine state senator got caught taking his bribe and "earned" a vacation at a 'training facility'. Now the same hucksters are at it again with "forced pooling will solve the state's economic woes!"
Some of the salesmen were lamenting the "Tea Party Republicans" in the legislature as they "wouldn't play ball". Those who talk that way might be compared to the RINO Republicans down in the swamps of the lower Potomac who sold out the voters that elected them. They are the ones who just can't figger out why the citizens back Ted Cruz, Dr. Carson & the Donald for president instead OF the hand picked candidates that cowtow to the Big Eared One, the K Street moneymen and the big banks & investment firms that love Hillary the best.
Deer continue to be on the move and drivers are urged to drive with extreme caution. Perhaps soon there will be a major thinning of the big bucks and the excessive number of does.
Child protective services was calling in the area. Local residents have become more than frustrated with their actions or usually their lack of actions to help foster parents when they ask for aid and assistance and with the protection of "at risk" children. The comment by a Wirt based worker, "Oh she is too young to remember the rape so we aren't going to do anything." will never be forgotten.
The Big Eared One's killing of the Keystone pipe line has brought the spotlight to those who want to stop the pipelines (like Mountain Valley & Atlantic Coast) from Wetzel County to LNG export facilities in Virginia.
The Big Eared One said ISIS was contained and then those posing as refugees from Syria (like he wants to import to America) killed and seriously wounded hundreds in gun free Paris. At the same time we are told that "global warming" is the serious problem and that those who disagree should be prosecuted for heresy, banned from public discourse and, as in the case with Exxon sued for money damages. After all, Al Gore Jr. said it was "settled science" although the only 'science' he ever studied was likely toke rolling. There was an accident at EQT's Mobley gas fractionation plant near Pine Grove in Wetzel County causing the facility to be shut down for a time.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude fell to $39.74/bbl. with condensate only fetching $20.74, and Marcellus & Utica light $33.74 and medium $39.74/bbl.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald. | 
