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By Alvin Engelke
The spade footed toads and the spring peepers have announced that spring is here. Dorothy Lynch's crocuses are in bloom and hairy bitter cress is blooming along the West Fork. With the countdown getting close the global warming folks cleared out of Baghdad and came back home or, at least warmer weather is upon us.
Area residents continue to clean up after the ice storm. Lots of fence has to be rebuilt, trees and limbs must be removed from meadows and many well roads and locations are still blocked. Some claimed that no one wanted the wood and "wise ones" were having it burned. However, those out and about report folks are busy gathering up firewood; in some instances getting it before it his hauled away to be burned. Others are gathering up pine post to sell to Burke Parsons Bowlby Corp. Others hauled away saw logs but some of the purloined timber, it was reported, had to be returned.
It was learned that CADD Energy had a bulldozer and a service rig over in Big Two Run when the ice storm came. The trees blocked the road and they were unable to move the equipment which was then covered by high water.
The folks down at the Mouth of the Elk River presumed that the benevolent White Father in Washington would declare an emergency and then all the cleanup costs would be picked up with a federal check. Now, it seems such will not be the case, causing consternation on those who advised, "Spend with abandon".
Those who read the monster coal truck bill report that, in addition to allowing coal trucks to haul 120,000 lb, the weight limit for all roads in the state was raised to 88,000 lb which is 4 tons more than what is allowed on the interstate highway system. If one has his road demolished by big trucks one can thank Mrs. Karen Facemyer, a Ripley politico. One can call her at home and thank her at 372-2260. Perhaps she may have a clue about who will pay for the repairs to roadways and vehicles damaged why trying to navigate through "the brave new world" that the folks down at the Mouth of Elk River created.
Mr. & Mrs. Ivan Nicholas were attending to business in Creston over the weekend. Ivan was also on his way for tests in Spencer.
Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Ray Starcher were calling on Paul Cunningham and several other area residents. Bobby Ray reported that Don Freshour is scheduled for surgery.
A lot of work has been done at the Creston Community Building. Two new signs have been placed on the outside and a lot of painting has been done inside. Fred, Ted, Ed and the crew have been busy.
Rev. Gladson Grim and son Terry were up checking out the work at the community building. Terry retired from the W. Va. Department of Highways after almost 34 years, mostly as a grader operator. He was known as an expert in laying hot mix with a grader, in addition to working dirt roads, pulling ditch line, plowing snow, etc.
Albert "Bub" Ferrell reported that he is a lucky man now. It seems that he came by some new BVDs or was it union suits or some such.
Local residents are concerned about the two local livestock markets that were closed by the feds. The markets are owned by some of Don Wilson's family. Don was active in politics in Pleasants County.
Alvin Engelke was calling on Alice Sampson & family up on Stinson. Mrs. Sampson will soon celebrate her 90th birthday.
A fellow who lives down near the Space Dock and a fellow who has a cute sister named Amy got confused down at Pettyville and went into a facility reserved for the fairer sex. They were awfully embarrassed over their misteak.
The price of local crude oil fell to $32/bbl. Some local natural gas was sold for $5.22/dth.
Eastern American Energy has started drilling on a Beekmantown well on Butler Fork of Big Otter in Clay County. The location is easy to reach on the Moore Fork road just south of the I-79 exit on W. Va. 16 south. The well is to go down 12,000 feet. The Beekmantown was the big producing pay in the well Exxon drilled 30 years ago in Jackson County and it was one of the finds in the well drilled on Mt. Zion Ridge in Calhoun County. An industry source indicated that 4 more wells are planned in that immediate area.
Some say that they cannot understand why America has fighting forces in and around Iraq. Apparently they forgot that the forces of evil declared war on us on September 11 (and that was after a number of prior attacks). Now there is a new and deadly flu like disease going around the world. Serious times call for action, not talk.
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