 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
A speaker from the Gideons brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E. Church. He discussed the successes at the Wirt County Fair, out reach at Marshall University & his experience in Ghana, west Africa.
Workmen are installing new gutters and some other work on the Creston Community Building. Some of Santa's elves were busy making treat bags for the good little boys & girls that will be coming to the Creston Community Christmas party at 6 P. M. on Saturday, December 12. There will be a covered dish dinner and those bringing food should coordinate with Rosie White or Connie Boggs so that there are not 12 turns of escalloped potaties, for example and no baked beans. Ellen Hedges is to bring the home made noodles. Ham & turkey is being provided. It has been reported that a jolly fellow with a long beard from the polar regions make make an appearance to cheer the young and young at heart.
Jack Griffin who likes to be Jack Russell was calling on one of the ladies at the Tucker residence.
Bethel Jean "Jeanne" McClung Smith, widow of Curtis B. Smith, passed away in North Carolina. She was the daughter of Tilden & Carrie Hopkins McClung. Her husband was a brother of former Parkersburg mayor Al Smith. A memorial service will be held at 11 A. M. on December 12 at the Wayside Methodist Church in Vienna.
Stella dePue, age 76, wife of Jack dePue, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Services will be Tuesday with burial in the dePue family graveyard at Creston.
Charles Russell attended the "Holiday Party" at the Miletree Center in Spencer. The event was said to combine Thanksgiving and Christmas and, apparently was OKed by the PC police.
ISIS, one of the Moslem terror groups brought the worldwide terror war home to America with an attack at a Christmas party in a not upscale community in California but the Big Eared One's chief lawyer said that she would prosecute, as a top priority, anyone who, in someone's mind, said anything that might cause harm to Islamic activists, etc. The killers made sure to kill the Christian woman whose parents got her, as a teen ager, away from Moslem terror activities in her native middle east so she could live a normal life without constant fear. They also killed the Messianic Jew who had talked religion with the male killer. Messianic Jews are modern day Jews who believe that Jesus is the Son of God that was prophesied in the Old Testamet that would come to save the entire world. It was said he was told "You'll never see Israel." but, no doubt he will see the new Jerusalem that John spoke about.
The FERC public hearings on the Mountaineer Xpress (Columbia Gas) 36" gas pipeline that goes near Creston will be Tuesday December 8 at 6. P. M. at the Doddridge County Park on Snow Bird Road at Smithburg and Wednesday Dec. 9 at 6 P. M. at the FFA Conference Center at Cedar Lakes south of Ripley. Residents are urged to attend to find out the status, ask questions, see detailed maps, etc.
Now that the weather is somewhat colder [but not nasty] the government ladybugs, a/k/a Asiatic beetles and the government stink bugs are less of a problem.
Johnna Heater who lives at 3666 Seacrest Road, Apt. D-4 in Wooster, Ohio 44691 noted that she has lost the sight in her left eye and has other medical problems. She noted that she had several visitors recently from Texas, Oklahoma, etc. and would love to have cards and letters from her friends in West Virginia. She noted that she prayed for a computer and someone brought her a Dell.
Local residents received "tax increase" letters from the State Tax Commissioner showing, in some instances, rather drastic increases in the values of oil & gas properties even though for the last several years there has been a drastic decrease in the price of both oil & gas. As one woman said, "Apparently they didn't get the news bulletin -- prices have crashed!". One Calhoun operater noted that he has a well that makes about $1200/year and the state put the new value for tax purposes of the well at $75,000. Another man received a notice of increase in oil & gas reserves for property owned by his wife's family where all they own is the 1/8th oil royalty as, because of a deed a century ago, Cabot owns all the gas and 7/8th of the oil and thus the local family owns no reserves but they must take time and effort to show the all knowing all seeing big brother state government to be wrong. Another increase letter, for about $40 thou was for a well that the owner received no money from in 2014, the year on which, to hear the tax folks tell it, the values were based. At the same time folks received gas royalty checks based on 43 cents/mcf natural gas.
J P. & A. C. Marks, Steve Loudin & Shane were among those calling at the Creston Space Dock. Cap'n Spock & Garrett were attending to business in Parkersburg and on Ruble Hill.
The so called "stakeholder group" held a meeting/hearing in Taylor County on the forced pooling bill promulgated by George Patterson, the lawyer for the big boys who fully intend to put the shaft to West Virginia citizens and the taxing entities. The head snake oil salesman said, "Why, you will be able to get a 1/8th royalty!" In 1982 a law was passed in W. Va. that assured that such would be the minimum unless one signed leases that allowed expenses to be taken out of royalties. The big new pays that are to be drilled are among the best in the world and a 1/8th royalty is an insult. The gentlemen who wrap rags around their heads get at least 50% and down in Mississippi, not noted as being a historic oil & gas producing area, the royalty is 25%. Of course the big company bill has no provision for transparency or accountability as that would allow the state, the counties and mineral and land owners to ascertain the correct volumes, qualities and actual prices paid at the real sales points, not fictional spots presently used by certain firms to defraud. A spokesman for one of the big out of state boys said, "We have our checkbook out and we intend to get the bill passed!" The head promoter of the bill himself said, "You know that money talks down there." The latest version of their bill, 56 pages long, is now available for folks to read and study. It defines royalty as being 1/8th which will be used as a club to force people to agree to bad, bad deals on leases and modifications.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil fell to $38.97/bbl. with condensate fetching only $19.97, Marcellus & Utica light $32.97 and medium $38.97.bbl.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald. | 
