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By Alvin Engelke
The Creston summer ATV poker run will be held on Saturday July 26. Participants should be at the Creston Community
Building by 9 A. M. For details call Donna Sue at 275-3202.
The Snyder Chapel (Pine Alley) church wagon ride was reported to have been a good success with 5 wagon loads of folks
being drawn by fine teams up the West Fork, out the Stutler road, etc. Some came from as far as Pennsylvania for the event,
others from Clay County, etc. They camped two nights and were treated to Barbara Bush's fine breakfast fixins of fried
'taters, eggs, bacon, etc.
Euell Russell who is one of those fellers who goes most everywhere and does 'most anything had some good luck when he
went to the firemen's ice cream social down at Elizabeth. He won a spot light so he announced that now he would be doing
some spotlighting and he wasn't much afraid of old Brer Game Warden.
While the "chattering class" has been talking about the ghost written book by the female presidential hopeful the real book
action on the Creston scene has been the other new fiction book, the latest Harry Potter tome. While the books had arrived
early in the local post office the postal brass was busy, every day, sending out warnings not to deliver any of the books early.
At last report the book about the lady who maintains mansions in New York and Washington, D. C. & does not allow eye
contact by her underlings was on the markdown table. None were reported to have been sold locally. Now, it is reported her
hubby is buying a $1.4 million mansion in Ireland. It was noted that if he claims residence there he can avoid substantial taxes
on his $12 million book.
At the request of Charlie Stout who formerly had old oil wells in Roane County, Norm Roush, a flunky down at the Mouth of
Elk River, promised him that his "log trucks" could haul with 80,000 loads [with 10% margin or 88,000] on most of the main
roads in Wirt County as well as all the side roads in the Hughes River Public Hunting area. Stout had indicated that he had a
sawmill down at Washington Bottom and wanted to haul his logs down there. Apparently he intends to haul pulpwood to the
Westvaco lot down that way.
Speaking of overweight loads, the Turnpike Commission is very upset with the 120,000 lb. loads on that road as they are
tearing up the highway and, of course, the big trucks don't have to pay tolls. Sorta like the rich lady who said, "Only little
people pay taxes".
Some wondered just why the DNR was so gung ho to enforce the trespassing law for the new owners of the former
Westvaco properties since many land owners have not had much luck when they had problems with willful and wanton
trespassers. It was understood that some "donations" were made to facilitate the energetic law enforcement shown over the
Independence Day weekend. One man was told to get off the state road right of way where the Rock Run bridge is out and
others were chased off "the detour". Others reported that some parents drop off their 8th graders in the area and let them go
with dirt bikes and, so it is said, "adult beverages & entertainment". These latter folks were not bothered.
It was reported that over the weekend DNR seized three ATVs back in the Rock Camp country that might have been on a
former Westvaco road. Details are sketchy.
Performers at the Creston sing were Mary Ann & Jack Dobbins, Pauline Sherwood, Marvin Ray, Dorothy Graham, Amy N.
& Jeremy Ferrell.
Betty Jo Lemon and Steve Graham were among those visiting Dorothy and P. E. Graham.
Janet & Jessica Jett and Roy were calling on Mr. & Mrs. Carl Ferrell and family. They spent the evening playing
dominoes.
Shirley Rush was attending to business in Creston one day last week.
Norville McCune and his nephew Kenneth (Ralph McCune's son) were calling on cousin Dorothy Graham and visiting other
folks in Creston. Norville who will soon be 84 said he put up part of his hay with his team and stacked it. He noted that it was
hard to find folks who would work. He noted that one fellow up his way who gets a big check for "his bad back" can pick up
the front end of a car. Norville said this fellow recently received a check for over $9,000 "back pay". Norville was of the
opinion that this sort of "largesse" was not good for the country.
Roy Shuck Sr. & Jr. of Fairmont were in the area looking for their roots. Their ancestor was Moses Shuck who lived on Big
Two Run. They found folks (and even relatives) who helped them with their search.
Jerry Little attended the Creston sing and noted that they used to live in the old Mose Shuck house back when one had to walk
from the Luke Gibson place on Chestnut Run to get over in Big Two Run because the roads were so bad. Jerry noted that
there used to lots of old cannon balls over there and that some gathered them up and sold them for junk.
Ben Mita from the Boston area got upset about comments made in the column recently about a decision rendered by the
supremes concerning "privacy". It seems some of them referenced "how it is done in Europe" and thought such to be best.
Pedophiles and practioners of bestiality can claim privacy just as easily. Along the same lines of thought if one decided he
wants five wives such would be a private matter too. No doubt the priests who molested the altar boys are now sleeping easier
(at least as concerns the punishment they will receive in this world).
Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV recently said, "Private companies don't come to West Virginia. They know they can't make any
money here." One would have thought during his 8 years as governor and 19 years as U.S. Senator he would have fixed the
problem. When the little fiddler became a U. S. Senator W. Va. ranked 39th in income and now the state rates 49th. For
certain it can be said that some have had an impact.
East Resources, which purchased Pennzoil, a former Rockefeller company, paid $14.09/MCF for gas sold during March while
Columbia (apparently still part of the family business empire) paid only $3.25. This would seem to reflect the old line family
policy of preventing capital accumulation in West Virginia. Many area wells were shut in during the repair of the Hastings
station in Wetzel County.
Jane & Nancy Engelke attended a pageant in Indianapolis, Indiana over the weekend. Jane won the People's Choice award.
Downtown Indianapolis is a beautiful place to visit.
Rev. Juanita Lockhart filled her regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. church.
Charles Russell attended the spaghetti dinner for Sgt. David Bell who was seriously injured in a military accident.
Several members of the W. Va. Legislature were on hand Sunday afternoon for a tour of Dr. Ken Semmons' research work
at the Palestine Bass Hatchery. They also got to see the paddlefish that are being raised there. A grant is pending to teach
folks how to raise fish for stocking ponds and for various other commercial applications. Some agencies have been promoting
out of state sources of fish even though, now, in state producers are on line and can deliver better quality fish, etc. Also on
hand were state and local Farm Bureau officials & members, W. Va. Dept of Agriculture staff, the Wood County WVU
Extension agent, economic development officials and Wirt County Commissioner Robert Lowe and Fred Hays, president of the
W. Va. Aquaculture Association. The yield of fish from the research project conducted at the hatchery was spectacular, to
say the least. Local FFA members got to help in the project which portends great things for those who have the know how to
make warm water fish farming a going thing.
The Wirt County Farm Bureau will hold its regular meeting Tuesday, July 22 at the road garage in Elizabeth. Dr. Ken
Semmons of WVU who directing the project at the local fish hatchery will be the featured speaker and everyone is invited to
attend. Plans for the Wirt County fair will also be finalized. | 
