 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
A jolly gentleman from the polar regions, accompanied by his wife, showed up at the Creston Community Christmas party Saturday evening. Many of the younger set hugged & kissed the polar couple making the Arctic visitors feel very welcome. For all the others there was lots & lots of food and dessert. Ted Grimm & Debbie McCracken brought down some special ham from Erie Pennsylvania. Marie Snyder fetched daughter and family to show them where she went to school and many others with roots in Creston brought their extended families for the occasion. Charles & Eliot White's comely sister & husband came for the evening and shared thoughts & memories with local residents. A few youngsters were fearful of the red dressed couple but most were more than willing to perch on Santa's lap and tell him their wishes, name, age, etc. Several elves assisted with the event, those who decorated, purchased the presents, fixed and served the food, helped hand out goodie bags & presents, cleaned up, donated candy and food items, etc. A big thank you to all that helped make the annual event a success for all, especially the younger ones who were so excited. It was also noted that Creston Community Building dues are now due. The annual fee is one whole dollar.
Rick Williams brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E Church.
The unseasonable warm weather continues locally with dandelions and chickweed in bloom. The Global Warming con artists (thousands from 200 countries) had a big meeting in Paris and signed a deal that is said to avoid U. S. Senate oversight that will transfer U. S. sovereignty to the "nice folks" at the UN. With ISIS terror on the rise both in America and across the globe the Big Eared One & "Jon Cary" the horse faced fellow who marries rich women tell us that "global warming" is the most dangerous thing. Locally, cattlemen are happy that winter has yet to set in harsh as such saves on feed, etc. Some government stink bugs and the Clinton's Asiatic beetles were also tormenting area residents.
The post office has been running tee vee ads about how "this is our season" but locally such is not the case. The mail has been hours late, even on days when there was almost no mail. The report was that the mail truck that brings the mail from Charleston to Parkersburg has been routinely late and that such would be the case well into the New Year. Some believe that this is to stir up commotion so folks will agree to another postal rate increase. Local postal workers are, of course, very frustrated as they try to do a good job.
Junior Hildreth had a 'dozer up on Goose Nest.
Lots of fine logs are being hauled down the Richardsonville road.
Charles Russell was calling on Ray Gumm, Paris Parsons & brother Euell at the Miletree Center. Euell noted that he has been walking [with help from Diane McCune]. It was also reported elsewhere that he "had a girl friend".
Stephanie Lynch is recovering after undergoing neck surgery. Tommy Wright is scheduled to undergo gall bladder surgery.
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) held a public hearing at the Doddridge County park and several local area residents attended to hear one of the federal employees read the paper that was handed out to those who came. She said the job would start in 2018. Also present were employees of a federal contracting firm hired by the taxpayers to assist the commission, etc. Columbia employees were also present to show exactly where the pipeline would be going and it was noted that the big compressor is in Ritchie County, not Calhoun. A county commissioner was present from both Calhoun & Ritchie Counties. The pipeline will transport 2.7 bcf (billion cubic feet) of natural gas/day to the Gulf of Mexico to be exported as LNG to foreign lands. One Ritchie County landowner was concerned that the pipeline was going much too close to his & his neighbors' homes where there was ample room to move it elsewhere. One Tyler County producer noted the obstinacy of Columbia as he wanted a tap into a low pressure gathering line. He was told that the tap fee would be a "mere" $112,000 for a shallow gas well. It was explained that FERC approval gave the Rockefeller family company eminent domain to take property if folks object. The meeting started at 6 P. M. and was over at 6:32 P. M. A union man talked in favor of the jobs and then railed about the Koch brothers 'owning politicians'. When asked about George Soros he noted that he had never heard of the man.
An outfit from Oklahoma that is not authorized to do business in W. Va. wrote a local resident a letter giving him 3 choices, lease for (A) $800/acre with a 1/8th royalty,(B) lease for $200/A with a 15% royalty or (C) sell for $1,600/acre. The offer letter was sent back in the stamped, self-addressed envelope with "Offer D". Another lady received a letter from an agent of Noble Energy offering her $250/acre bonus with a 12 1/2% (1/8) lease or $125/acre with a 15% royalty. Apparently the big boys have calculated that they have purchased enough legislators to get their forced pooling bill passed and now they can get away with lowball bonuses and royalties as the George Patterson written bill defines royalty as being a 1/8th. The 1/8th lease that the woman was provided was a net, net lease and she would be lucky to get a 6% royalty. She had been told by friends that she should receive a 20% royalty. It should be noted that Noble paid Mother Hope $7,100/acre for the right to develop the Marcellus on Consol, CNX, Dominion, etc leases in West Virginia. The leaseman told her that all the other owners had signed and she would be left out. As it apparently turned out there is only one other owner in the property and she had not signed.
The Gilmer County road crew apparently has all the pot holes patched, all the mud holes filled, ditches pulled and bad pipe replaced as half the crew is cutting down healthy trees along W. Va. 5, many of which support the road bank. It was reported that moves are being made to stop and circumvent the needed reforms for the DOH that were made obvious by the legislative audit.
Frank Sidwell, age 83, of Elizabeth passed away. He is survived by his wife Ida Lockhart Sidwell. Burial was in the Rector cemetery at Burning Springs.
Doris Marie Burdette, age 85, of Spencer passed away. She was the widow of Bob Burdette and the sister of Junior Taylor. Junior formerly worked in Creston looking after the Montark wells.
Jo Ann Jenkins, age 81, of Stumptown passed away. She was a sister of the late Sylvia Meadows.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil fell to $34.62/bbl. with condensate (super drip) fetching only $15.62/bbl. or just 37cents/gallon. Marcellus & Utica light fell to $28.62/bbl. with medium bringing $34.62. Gasolene prices range from $1.83 in Jackson County to $2.29 in some places.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald.
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