Nov 2005 Past News

 
  • Nov. 30 am   Happy 334th day of 2005. Where has it all gone?
  • Nov. 30 am  Post coming later this afternoon.
  • Nov. 29 pm On this wet cool Tuesday afternoon we report the passing of Billie Zegeer. PAssing this morning before 10 am Ms Zegeer last served the county as a Town Council person in Clay. World traveler and thinker, Billie J Zegeer will be missed.
  • Nov. 29 pm Paul Rogers was about as stanch a Republican as you can get. His most notoriety came as head of the Board at Clay Development Corp on Main Street. As Board Chair, Rogers was there during some of the stormiest public meetings of recent memory. Mr Rogers died this morning. Condolences to the family and friends of Ms Zegeer and Mr Rogers.
  • Nov. 29 pm New links have been added over on the LINK page.      New pics have been added on the PHOTO page
  • Nov. 29 pm  All editions of the Communicator have been added on the COMMUNICATOR page... well ,   except,     the latest one. You have to pay the 50 cents for that one!
  • Nov. 29 am  New pictures have been added over on the PHOTO page. The newest Clay County Blogs have been added to the LINKs page.
  • Nov. 29 am Mack Samples ain't dead and he ain't playing opossum either! Make a note for Friday night at 9pm. Mack Samples and the Samples Brothers band will be featured on WV Public Radio. Joe Dobbs will host the talk/music show. Don't miss it!
  • Nov. 29 am Last night the wind howled and and stuff went bump in the night. It was pretty windy outside too!
  • Nov. 29 am Last night the county Commission meeting was packed. Extra chairs were added to accommodate the crowd. Not sure what brought the masses out, maybe the warm weather. Nov. 29 am  with Peter Triplett out with the poops and pukes, Fran King served as CCC Prez. The juiciest part came when private citizen Jesse Sizemore brought up Commissioner Sams illegal 10 Commandment display in the CCC room. Sizemore didn't add any new angles to Sams' flagrant violation of the June 27th US Supreme Court ruling but got the peanut gallery fired up none the less.
  • Nov. 29 am Sizemore brought up the usual stuff on who will have to pay a lawsuit if it develops someday. Sams responded with, there isn't any lawsuit. The well coached senior Commissioner reiterated that he didn't see anything religious about the 10 Commandments. He said the plastic wall hanging was just there for historical purposes. when one guy commented that Sams was the only one in the room that felt that way, those little blue spots starting showing on his neck.
  • Nov. 29 am Never fear, the religious right, the same ones that show loyal support for Sheriff holcomb upholding all other laws. spoke up in support of Sams. In a nutshell: we don't care what the Courts have to say about it, if people don't like looking at them, turn your head; and stay the course Jimmy Sams no matter what the cost to the taxpayer!
  • Nov. 29 am Back in July 2005 during the County Commission "camp" meeting,  one old fart said Sizemore fathered a child out of wedlock in 1994. He called the kid a B*******. Last night Sizemore made it very very clear to that old guy in attendance, he didn't appreciate such comments back in July. With tempers flaring, Fran King said she would eject Sizemore if he didn't hold it down.
  • Nov. 29 am  On the ejecting part...... Sizemore once said he KNEW he didn't father any children in 94 because he never found a woman to have sex with in 94!!!!
  • Nov. 29 am More on last night's Commission meeting later today
  • Nov. 29 am  Remember when CDC got into a fight during a Board meeting? Remember April 13th when a PSD board member smacked the snot out of a fellow Boardster? When it comes to growing a county, funders, investors, and business people look at what Clayberry has to offer and the stability of local government. With a lawsuit looming and an ongoing battle already ruled on by the Supreme Court, Clayberry ain't looking so good these days.
  • Nov. 29 am Doc Boggs is.... Doc and wife Barbara set up a scholarship fund for CCHS graduating seniors. Two seniors will receive $1000+ toward college expenses. Boggs tried to set up the stock based fund at the Clay County Bank. Unfortunately, the Bank didn't know how according to Boggs. The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation will host the scholarships.
  • Nov. 29 am This coming friday and Saturday is Tire Amnesty time in Clayberry. Before the snow and cold temps return, today would be a great time to gather up those discarded rims and tires and get ready to git rid of them LEGALLY. See EVENTS page for details.
  • Nov. 28 pm What would happen if Sadamn was found not guilty? Dubbya has a plan.
  • Nov. 28 pm  Don't get too excited but that bird flu... it has mutated.
  • Nov. 28 pm  In addition to the County Commission meeting tonight, so will the School Board. Items on that agenda include:  Approve the transfer of Melanie Moore from part time cook at CCHS to custodian at CCHS;  Approve the employment of Warren Mullins and Crystal Gibson as after school teacher at CCHS, and Rhonda Barber at CMS, supplemental services (10 sessions @ 3 hours each, paid by the 21st Century Grant);  Approve the employment of David Walker, Jr. and Matthew Walker as substitute teachers;  Approve the employment of Sarah Beth Roach as music teacher at CMS;  Approve the employment of the following as Substitute Secretary:  a.  Regina Bragg   b.  Joan Dawson  c.  Marla Grose  d.  Vicky Holcomb   e.  Fran King   f.  Pam Tanner;  Approve the transfer of Jason Hall from Calhoun County Schools to CCHS; Approve board policy JIC: Student Dismissal for the Sounding of Taps at Military Funerals;  Approve the following resolution:  The Clay County Board of Education agrees to work with the local Business Development Authority and other interested agencies.  Our collective goal will be to use the Valley Fork Elementary School as a tool for economic development in Clay County;  Approve the advertisement of Ivydale Elementary School and surrounding property for public auction.
  • Nov. 28 pm Isn't that interesting? Local government is interested in acquiring both schools for county economic development use but  the agenda calls for supporting the effort for just Valley Fork Elem. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Tonight's 6pm start time Board meeting will be held at Lizemores Elem School.
  • Nov. 28 pm  A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his  cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?"  "Sixteen," the boy responded. His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly.  "How do you know that?"  "Easy," the little boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the Bishop said:  4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer."
  • Nov. 28 pm After the christening of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked

  • him three times what was wrong.  Finally, the boy replied, "That priest said he wanted us brought up
    in a  Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!"
  • Nov. 28 pm  The Sunday School Teacher asks, "Now, Johnny, tell me frankly do you say prayers before eating?"  "No sir," little Johnny replies,  "I don't have to. My Mom is a good cook."
  • Nov. 27 pm  Ernest Monroe "Blackjack" Nicholas, 74, of Clay, see FUNERAL page
  • Nov. 27 pm  Welcome to the weekend wrap up. For the last seven days....
  • Nov. 27 pm We've spent three Turkey Days in Iraq. Our leaders tell us things are getting better. Over 605 of americans think differently.  We're now fighting two wars, the war on terror and the war on when not whether to get us out of Iraq.
  • Nov. 27 pm  There have been 2,305 coalition deaths, 2,106 Americans, one Australian, 98 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, two Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Hungarian, 26 Italians, one Kazakh, one Latvian, 17 Poles, one Salvadoran, three Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians in the war in Iraq as of November 27, 2005, according to a CNN count.
  • Nov. 27 pm It was happy time in Clayberry with the opening of Buck season. The county shut down and headed for the woods. Fix the drain? Nope. Cut more firewood? Nope. Put summer tools away? Nope. Priority one was get Bambi. The weather cooperated too. Monday morning it was cold and dry. A light dusting of snow followed.
  • Nov. 27 pm  If the County Commission ever did anything right, it was allowing Sunday hunting. We have an advantage over 40 other counties in the state. Tourists and all others can use their private lands seven days a week. Oh yell, there's still the bible thumpers wanting to close hunting on Sunday. But, if we can gamble, buy whiskey and everything else, why shouldn't we be able to use our land as we see fit?
  • Nov. 27 pm The week wasn't so good for fire fighters who worked to control brush fire after brush fire. No not caused by lighting but dumb arss people!  State laws allows us to burn after 4pm during the fire season. So what so we do? You guessed it, we decide to burn our junk during day light hours with winds blowing and right beside houses and barns. Dumb Dumb Dumb
  • Nov. 27 pm And the Communicator made it to the news stand just before Turkey Day. 20 pages with all the Clayberry details not covered on this site. The juice is in the details. Billie Zegeer, yours is in the mail too.
  • Nov. 27 pm We do have a correction on that last edition. Matthew Butcher was mentioned in the court room coverage. One place in the article, we miss typed and wrote Matthew Bragg instead of Matthew Butcher. Oppps and thanks to JP for calling our attention to the goof up.
  • Nov. 27 pm This was the bad week for turkeys. Off with their heads and stuff old bread up their butt and then eat it! Who came up with that idea in the first place clickers? Friends, families and neighbors came together for an afternoon. Darn nice holiday too! You don't have to buy gifts or even send cards!
  • Nov. 27 pm By week's end, the weather changed. Temps rose from the normal 30 degree days to near 60 today. Love it Love it Love it
  • Nov. 27 pm  County Commission meets Monday night at 6pm. On the agenda is settling the estate of nancy Nelson with Barbara Schamberger representing Sharon James, Jesse Sizemore concerning Commission Sams' illegal religious display of the 10 Commandments, the Summer Fork gang seeking help with flooding problems in their neighborhood, and Pat Beets seeking hand held radios for the Clay Fire Department. Should be a good meeting
  • Nov. 27 pm Also Monday night ( at 7) Clendenin Town Council meets. Man it's going to be tough which public gathering to attend. Both should be juicy for the peanut gallery.
  • Nov. 25 2005 late pm  Robert Elzia "Bob" Killingsworth, 57, of Ivydale, see FUNERAL page
  • Nov. 25 pm 2005  Dorlene Ann Workman, 63, of Wallback, see FUNERAL page
  • Nov. 25 pm     SUCCESS A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
  • Nov. 25 pm   MARRIAGE   A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change and she does.
  • Nov. 25 pm  DRESSING UP A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book and get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.
  • Nov. 25 pm   NATURAL Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed (or so they think) Women somehow deteriorate during the night.
  • Nov. 25 pm  OFFSPRING    A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments, romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret, fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.
  • Nov. 25 pm   THOUGHT FOR THE DAY... Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.
  • Nov. 25 pm   AND FINALLY.... A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, jackasses and pigs, the wife asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the husband replied, "in-laws." The fight is now officially on.
  • Nov. 24 am Happy Indigestion Day.  We're taking a holiday break today and Friday. No new posts unless emergency or stupid in nature.
  • Nov. 24 am Get the latest news and views on Clayberry in the latest edition of the Communicator. now on news stands everywhere, well.... almost everywhere
  • Nov. 24 am Organized by the CAEZ, yesterday, a dozen or more folks ventured to Clayberry for a ride on the BC&G rail line.
  • Nov. 24 am The idea was to get movers and shakers to see the tourism potential with operating an excursion train from Dundon to Swandale.  Man it was cold too!!!
  • Nov. 24 am So far, no one has stepped up and donated the $2 m needed to purchase the 14 miles of rail line.
  • Nov. 24 am  Thomas Jefferson thought the concept of Thanksgiving was "the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard."
  • Nov. 24 am  Contrary to popular belief, Native Americans did not eat cranberries. They did, however, find them extremely useful

  • for dying fabric and decorating pottery.     The first meal eaten on the moon by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin was roasted turkey and all the trimmings     Columbus thought that the land he discovered was connected to India, where peacocks are found in considerable number.  And he believed turkeys were a type of peacock (they're actually a type of pheasant). So he named them tuka, which is "peacock" in the Tamil language of India.    In the last twenty years, Americans' love of turkey has soared, with per capita consumption up from 8.3 pounds in 1975 to 18.5 pounds in 1995.
    Nov. 24 am
  • Nov. 23 am  Just had to post this one. Communicator comes out this afternoon. Someone tell Johnny Wooooofter, we came out early this time. Thanks
  • Nov. 23 am  A man and his friend were enjoying Deer Hunting Season in rural WV  near a blacktop highway. A huge buck walked by and the hunter carefully drew  his bow and took careful aim. Before he could release his arrow, his friend pointed at a funeral procession passing on the road below their stand.  The hunter slowly let off the pressure on his bow, took off his hat, bowed his head and closed his eyes in prayer. His friend was amazed. "Wow, that is the most thoughtful and  touching  thing I have ever seen. You are the kindest man I have ever  known." The hunter shrugged. "Yeah, well, we were married for 35 years."
  • Nov. 22 pm We're into typing mode clickers. Until we get the Communicator out the door sometime Wed afternoon, no new posts unless of emergency or dumb nature. Well... we made add some new pictures during our holiday break but little else. See everybody back Friday afternoon sometime.  The best of Holiday wishes to you and yours.
  • Nov. 22 pm Wed is an important day for the future of Clayberry and the Buffalo Creek and Gauley RR. Around 1pm Wednesday, politicians, folks with state grant dollars available, and other big wigs will be coming into our county to ride the BC&G excursion train.$2 million is needed to just buy the 14 miles of track. Another $1m may be needed to set up boarding points, camp sites, and a Welcome Center. When you see the strangers around town, tell em how important a tourist business is for Clayberry.
  • Nov. 22 pm Last weekend we posted the link to Rose Cantrell's blog. Man oh man is it growing!  For some fun when the boss isn't looking,here's the link once again. This time, bookmark it!  As a note, you don't have to register or such. Just click the anonymous spot and start posting.
  • Nov. 22 pm An older couple was lying in bed one night.  The husband was falling asleep but the wife was in a romantic mood and wanted to talk.  She said "You used to hold my hand when we were courting."  Wearily he reached across, held her hand for a second and tried to get back to sleep.  A few moments later she said:  "Then you used to kiss me.  "Mildly irritated, he reached across, gave her a peck on the cheek and settled down to sleep. Thirty seconds later she said:  "Then you used to bite my neck." Angrily, he threw back the bed clothes and got out of bed. "Where are you going?" she asked. "To get my teeth!"
  • Nov. 22 am Clay County PSD Chair Keith "Mr. Happy" King is a guy that demands total secrecy. Contrary to Open Meeting Law, Happy often does as he darn well pleases. Two weeks ago, behind the scenes, just after a public meeting, Happy along with fellow Boardsters Ted Underwood and newbee Simpson Neal closed the public out and held a secret meeting where they hired Bill Dunn to be the General Manager of the PSD. Six days later that soured and they decided to change Mr. Dunn's title to Phase 1 Co-Ordinator.  Make sure you pick up the last edition of the Communicator for all the juicy details.
  • Nov. 22 am Democracy works best when the public is included.
  • Nov. 22 am Maybe there is a reason why the Chair wants everything secret. On Friday the 18th, WV Public Service Commission held up the long awaited and long stalled Lizemores/Tuckers Bottom water line extension project! Seems the PSD hasn't been following the rules. Before any project can get started, there MUST be at least 80% of potential customers signed up. They ain't got them.  From the PSC's Nov. 18th document: Technical Staff also advised that the project, with the deductive alternatives, may NOT meet the RUS threshold of 80% of proposed customers
  • Nov. 22 am, Also, the PSD told the PSC they would include in the project a monitoring system. That seems to be missing now.
  • Nov. 22 am  The full document is posted on the ADVISORY page of this site.
  • Nov. 22 am  In the mean time, keep hauling water, keep ruining your clothes by using orange well water, and don't worry about that poo poo material your drinking. With Mr. Happy in charge, prosperity is right around the corner!
  • Nov. 22 am Tom Auxier and Billy Truman have been arguing about one thing or another for 20 years. Most recently Judge Alsop ordered Auxier to remove a fence erected near the middle of Payne Hollow Road. When Auxier didn't comply with the letter of the law, the Court gave him 24 hours to get the partially removed barb wire and metal posts removed or go to jail.
  • Nov. 22 am Right after that Auxier filed his own petition seeking a temporary order for Truman to take down his  fence. Yesterday Judge Alsop said no to that demand, that Truman's fence was not blocking the road.    The Court will hear both arguments Feb. 25 2006. Should make for a great day to attend court!
  • Nov. 22 am Blam... BLAM  BLAM.... BLAM  BLAM  BLAM was heard throughout the county yesterday during  the first day of rifle season. Bambi didn't have a chance. Three Spotlighters were nabbed Friday night. Another sneaked away. Details in this week's Communicator.
  • Nov. 22 am   While enjoying an early morning breakfast in a northern Arizona cafe, four elderly ranchers were discussing everything from cattle, horses, and weather, to how things used to be in the "good old days. "Eventually the conversation moved on to their spouses. One gentleman turned to the fellow on his right and asked, "Roy, aren't you and your bride celebrating your fiftieth wedding anniversary soon?" "Yup, we sure are," Roy replied. "Well, are you gonna do anything special to celebrate?" another man asked. The old gentleman pondered this for a moment, then replied, "For our twenty-fifth anniversary, I took Bea to Tucson. Maybe for our fiftieth, I'll go down there and get her."
  • Nov. 20 pm Forgot something this morning clickers. Great big Happy Birthday wishes to Clay County's own John Sizemore now working somewhere over in the sands of  Afghanistan. Keep your head down John!
  • Nov. 20  pm Here's the latest web post on the WV Public Service Commission site concerning the Lizemores/Tuckers Bottom water line extension.  Make special note of items D and E. Sounds like something new for those needing water service where costs make such service impossible.
  • Nov. 20 pm When are our politicians going to grow some backbone and tell potential customers, Folks, there is no way you are going to have municipal water service. It just costs too much.
  • Nov. 20 pm  Fill up the gas tank, clean the rifle, grab the ammo ( about 500 rounds should do), get some beer and head for the woods. It's deer camp time!
  • Nov. 20 pm How many times have you wanted to blow off some steam? Are the local politicos driving you crazy?  for those seeking a place to get something off their chest, Rose Cantrell just set up a blog just for you! Here's the link to the writers wonderland. Bookmark and check back often, it's sure to get juicy.
  • Nov. 20 pm    Old timers often say, Things will never change in Clayberry. Things can change and in Dover PA, voters just tossed out the whole herd on the local school board. Click Intelligent Voting for more
  • Nov. 20 pm With Turkey Day coming, we're publishing  The Communicator  early this week.  Email your classifieds, community event and meeting notices ASAP. Deadline for submission is Nov. 21st at 6pm. Obituaries too if you want to rush things!
  • Nov. 20 am What a week!
  • Nov. 20 am In the no win Oil War, there have been 2,281 coalition deaths, 2,083 Americans, one Australian, 97 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, two Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Hungarian, 26 Italians, one Kazakh, one Latvian, 17 Poles, one Salvadoran, three Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians in the war in Iraq as of November 18, 2005 according to CNN news.   Five American soldiers lost their lives on Friday alone. The House of Reps, voted Nope, we're not getting out of there. What's 2083 soldiers. We've got plenty more!
  • Nov. 20 am  Congress scuttled plans to extend the Patriot Act (for now anyway).   They indicted Scooter Libby  three weeks ago and more indictments may be coming down the pike. The House of Representatives voted to cut $700 m from the food stamp budget.
  • Nov. 20 am  A section from an instruction manual used by the US Army Command and General Staff School (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, makes clear that white phosphorus (WP) can be used to produce a smoke screen. But it adds: "It is against the law of land warfare to employ WP against personnel targets.", but we did it anyway!
  • Nov. 20 am  Locally, winter arrived in Clayberry mid week. Temps dropped to 15 degrees. Mid day on Thursday, a few snowflakes were in the air. We spent the week getting ready for the county's biggest annual holiday, Deer Camp! School let out Friday. the curtain climbers are home for a full week.
  • Nov. 20 am Our Southern border colony Clendenin showed their true colors Nov. 14th as the bitter divide between the ousted Gilliniettes and Oreos grew wider. During the meeting and after, tempers raged. Badges were called into action to separate the warring sides after a 9 year old kid was shoved during a finger pointing shouting match. After the meeting, irate panty wastes showed their class by using the "N" word. One of the many lawsuits went before a three judge panel Friday where the petitioners seeking the removal of the Town Recorder Jean Mitchell and 4 of the Councilmen were told, get a lawyer and come back in 20 days! After the meeting, Charlie Lynch was appointed Municipal Judge. If the Gillinwawaittes were mad before, they should be madder now!
  • Nov. 20 am Without a doubt the biggest thing this week was Mayor Arthur Jarrett penning his John Hancock to the first contract to improve water service. The contract, almost all grant $, adds new water storage tanks, bigger service lines, and water pumps in the Maysel area of the Town's water system. Joyce Gibson was appointed to Council replacing Billie J Zeeger.
  • Nov. 20 am  And finally, A young man named John received a parrot as a gift.  The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary.  Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.

  •     Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot.  The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder.  In desperation, John threw up his hands, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.  Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.  The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."
  •     John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude.  As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"
  • Nov. 18 am  Happy cold Friday morning. Notice at the top of this page, we've got new owners of the old West Tire Center on Fola Road. Welcome aboard Pat and Melissa Legg.
  • Nov. 18 am  in Aug 2004, every family on welfare in the county felt a 25% cut in benefits. Hard to believe, in Nov. 2004 those same people voted for Dubbya. Now 12 months later, the tide seems to be turning and Demorats appear to have stopped the next round of benefit cuts.
  • Nov. 18 am   With the majority of Americans  now against W's oil war, in Washington, a return of basic civil liberties may be coming. The reauthorization of the  Patriot Act was stalled in Congress yesterday.
  • Nov. 18 am We talked to Queen Shoals PSD Chair Jimmy Kearns Thursday afternoon. He said that water provider had been under a Boil Water Order but it was to be lifted sometime Thursday afternoon.
  • Nov. 18 am Last night Clay Town Council mustered a quorum and held their monthly meeting. The plan is to raise water rates by 22%. When the Town raises its rates, yelp!, those that buy from the municipality will have to raise theirs. That's everybody in the county! Everybody.
  • Nov. 18 am With the Town barely able to make ends meet and in need of a rate increase, they voted to purchase a $15,000 4 wheel drive truck last night.
  • Nov. 18 am Bille Zegeer's replacement on Town Council will be one time Mayor Joyce Gibson.
  • Nov. 18 am Hello Ms Zegeer, top of the morning to you.
  • Nov. 18 am A little bald headed guy asked when the group voted to seek a rate increase. At first Town Recorder Dwana Murphy said they voted in.... nope not then .... and then they voted on .... Finally she said the vote came in April 2005 to go after the Rule 42 rate increase. During her search of the official minute book, no such motion, second, and vote were found.
  • Nov. 18 am  Lets go back to Darlene Morris.. I mean Darlene Mullins. Down below we mentioned the Prosecutor had been working on charges against the wrong person. On second blush, since she said she read the indictments on "the" web site, we're going to blame Melissa Postelwait for the mix up! Yelp Melissa!
  • Nov. 18 am  During her most recent court appearance, Ms Mullins said her notice came from THE web site, she must have been talking about Ms Postelwait's site.
  • Nov. 18 am  There's been lots of media coverage on the community of Clendenin. From lawsuits out the wazooo to Badges removing a boisterous Council member, the place has been the center of attention since Bob Ore was elected in a land slide victory over ousted Donna Gillenwawa. Things are fixin to heat up again.
  • Nov. 18 am Yesterday Mayor Ore appointed Charlie Lynch to the Municipal Judge position. If the warring Council didn't like Ore appointing a new Chief of Police they sure ain't going to like the new Judge.
  • Nov. 18 am Don't forget to check the EVENTS page for Class Reunion, Music, and Turkey Dinner fun this weekend.
  • Nov. 18 am There will be no Nativity Scene in  Washington, DC this year !  The Supreme Court has ruled that  there cannot be a Nativity Scene in Washington, DC this Christmas  season.  This isn't for any religious reason; they simply have not been  able to find  three wise men and a virgin in the Nation's capitol  !!!!
  • Nov. 17 pm  This evening at 6pm ,Clay Town Council convenes in Special Session. On the agenda is water rate increase discussions. The town's water plant supplies wa wa to municipal customers in downtown and Maysel plus all of Clay County PSD and a portion of the Clay Roane PSD system. The plan is to ask the WV PSC for a Rule 42 rate increase. Translation: Give us all you can and right now!
  • Nov. 17 pm  Do Badders Okey Hodge and Roger Dale Rogers are entering guilty pleas this morning.
  • Nov. 17 pm It was chilly willy last night with temps down to 26 degrees in many parts of Clayberry. Tonight would be a good night to bring in the brass monkey. Temps should drop to 15.
  • Nov. 17 pm It's quiet this week in the land of Clay. Instead of worrying about the usual stuff, we're preparing for the annual holiday of Deer Camp. Next Monday is the first day of Buck season. It's time to buy ammo, gas up the ATV, and buy cases of beer. This is the holiday of all holidays!
  • Nov. 17 pm This morning at 11am the first flakes of snow were seen falling in downtown Clay. Winter is here.
  • Nov. 16 pm   Gene Ray Lane;  Rosetta Maye King; Roxie Jane McKinney, see FUNERAL page
  • Nov. 16 am Around 5:35 yesterday evening a nasty car wreck was called in. First responders gave the exact location, a power pole was down and power lines a dangling. The minutes went by
  • Nov. 16 am Clay FD trucks along with Badges went screaming to the signal 6.
  • Nov. 16 am At 5:42 from the scene "If you can't get an ambulance down here now, call Kanawha County
  • Nov. 16 am  5:45pm from 911 Dispatch "Clay is trying to get one together. Kanawha County is in route."
  • Nov. 16 am 5:54pm a Clay Ambulance was seen leaving  Main Street
  • Nov. 16 am  6:05 Ambulance arrives at Procious.
  • Nov. 16 am  Five ambulances in the fleet and we're trying to get one together?
  • Nov. 16 am HealthNet flew the guy to Charleston from the Queen Shoals bridge
  • Nov. 16 am Without the old Ambulance Authority to keep the public abreast of all the problems within the county's only emergency ambulance service it's tougher to see know the shortcomings.
  • Nov. 16 am Yesterday afternoon is a good indication of the contining issues.
  • Nov. 16 am While we were trying to get one together there was no 911 radio traffic on crew availability, truck availality and such. The guess is, away from the public ears, telephone service was employed to keep things quiet. My how Clayberry depends on secrecy to hide sticky situations.
  • Nov. 15 pm Lets do some catching up ...
  • Nov. 15 pm  Last week Tom Auxier was ordered to remove the fence he erected near the center of Payne Hollow Road. The action was brought to Judge Alsop's Courtroom by Billy Truman. Standing in contempt of court already, Auxier was given 24 hours to remove the dangerous obstruction. As of this morning, the fence continues to block emergency service vehicles and hinder normal traffic. This morning Tom Auxier Sr filed a counter suit against Billy Truman.
  • Nov. 15 pm  Last night's Clendenin Town Council meeting was the continuing saga of  Ex-Mayor Donna Gillenwater's supporters fighting  supporters of the duly elected Bob Ore. Throughout the meeting you could feel the tension as Gillenwawaittes smurked and sighed out loud. Oral jabs came often from the Wawaitte Council members and supporters in the peanut gallery.  It was business as usual for the most part.  A couple things stand out.
  • Nov. 15 pm   Council fired the Mayor's choice for Town Attorney (Clay County's Barbara Schamberger), two months ago. Last night Ms Schamberger returned to the front table. At least one member of Council, Gary Bledsoe, didn't like it and said as much.  During the meeting a couple local women went berserk over Schamberger grinning at them as they made terse presentations.
  • Nov. 15 pm    Within seconds of adjourning the testy meeting, the two women went to the front table ready to do battle. Out of one their mouth's came the "N" word. Someone in there was one of the hot heads making reference to some little kid. Schamberger already heated over the racial slur told them not to even talk to the kid! Two Clendenin Badges went to work separating the two hot heads from the heating up, Barbara Schamberger.
  • Nov. 15 pm Since the closing of the Roxy Theater a few years back, there is little to do in our border colony community of Clendenin. With over 60 in attendance, last night's Clendenin Council meeting changed from great entertainment not amounting to a hill of beans to something about to become seriously violent.
  • Nov. 15 pm As an update on Clay County PSD Chair Keith King's illegal dealings, here goes....
  • Nov. 15 pm Last week Chair King held an illegal meetings where the Board voted to hire Bill Dunn as General Manager. He started to work Nov. 8th. Yesterday something happened. Yesterday, Keith King announced Dunn would no longer be the General Manager. Instead Mr Dunn will be the "Phase I" Co-Ordinator.  Now instead of having one illegal meeting where decisions were made, now there's been two illegal votes taken and implemented.
  • Nov. 15 pm King has a history of not handling people well. During numerous meetings, his crusty and  rude temperament left water customers without answers and a taste of contempt toward the PSD. Private citizen Fred Sampson took King thru the Court system all the way to the WV Supreme Court a few years back. The suit was very costly to the PSD. All that could have been avoided by simply providing the public with public information.  Gordon Billhemier was the PSD attorney until the day he told the Chair, some actions  and votes were illegal under Open Meeting laws. Billheimer was fired the next day!
  • Nov. 15 pm What's the best way to raise the red flag? Do stuff in  back rooms. Treat the people with contempt. Fire employees for trying to operate the PSD according to the law of the land. Yesterday Office Manager Cindy Schoolcraft was reprimanded for providing the public with public information. She was told not to answer any questions from that ace cub reporter. As has been the case with the three Office Managers before her, current Office Manager Cindy Schoolcraft is ready to be fired by Czar Keith King. And to think we almost elected him County Commissioner 11 years ago!
  • Nov. 15 pm  This morning Judge Alsop heard the pleas of those indicted last Tuesday by the Grand Jury. Yelp, every one that showed up said , Not Guilty.
  • Nov. 15 pm Here's a cutey. Remember when the Communicator printed Darlene Morris' name instead of a Darlene Mullins as someone indicted during the Summer Grand Jury. We had to issue a big Opppps on the front page for that goof up. Here's an update.  After month's of public ridicule and pointing of fingers, Darlene Mullins stood before the Judge this morning. She said she didn't know anything about the indictment. She had read about it on "the" web site.
  • Nov. 15 pm When asked about her SS number, Not hers!  Address? Wrong address. Wrong birth date too. When asked if she had signed a court document last summer, Nope, "That's not my signature". With the case ready for trial and after the Prosecutor's office had been working on for  four months, they've got the wrong lady!
  • Nov. 15 pm Last Oct.,  Alvin Hardway broke in and stole $3600 worth of guns, swords, turkey calls, and camo gear from Wayne Frame out Dille way. Charged with Grand Larceny and night time burglary, this morning, a very quiet Alvin Hardway plead guilty to felony Grand Larceny. He will be sentenced Jan 17 2006.
  • Nov. 15 pm  Here's another interesting note from this morning. John Pridemore has been locked up for over a month (according to the Sheriff) at $48.50 per day. Unable to make bond, he stands charged with swiping  a check and fraudulently cashing it for $25. Yes, it's a felony charge but...
  • Nov. 15 pm Prosecutor Jim Samples did not bring the case before last week's Grand Jury. Translation: John Pridemore would sit in jail at our expense until the next Grand Jury session in March.. That's $7275.00 in jail bill invoices for the uttering and forgery charge.
  • Nov. 15 pm Fortunately for the taxpayer, Defense Attorney Wayne King was able to secure home confinement and a PR bond for the young man this morning. Those nice big Bond requirements set in Magistrate Court look good as a  way to get tough on crime but boy are they costing the county $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
  •  Nov. 15 pm   A blonde called her old boyfriend and said, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure it out or how to get it started." Her old boyfriend asked, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?" The blonde said, "According to the picture on the box, it's a tiger."   Her old boyfriend decided to go over and help with the puzzle.     She let him in and showed him where she had the puzzle spread all over the table.  He took her hand and said, " I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of hot chocolate and then, he sighed, . "Let's put all these frosted flakes back in the box."
  • Nov. 15 am  Morgan Dorr Skidmore, 93, of Ivydale, W.Va, see FUNERAL page
  • Nov. 15 am The Communicator made it to the news stands around 5pm last night. Our front page story covers the stormy Clay Roane PSD meeting. 24 pages of solid news and views.
  • Nov. 15 am  Later today we'll have a complete post on last night's Clendenin Council meeting and  Badges separating Gillenwawa supporters from the Oreos and ....
  • Nov. 15 am Bill Dunn left the illegally created Clay County PSD slot of General Manager....
  • Nov. 15 am  And, ... Office Manager Cindy Schoolcraft got her butt chewed for answering the public's questions on public business. Translation: Schoolcraft was told to never ever say a word to that pesky ace cub reporter!!!! Don't tell him a thang.
  • Nov. 15 am What Keith King doesn't realize is, he's just digging his hole deeper. Who works for a government agency is public record, as is what they make. Holding secret meetings is illegal. Making decisions in back rooms is just as illegal. The fact that Mr. King is completely aware of Sunshine Laws and chooses to side step them is even more troubling. Mr. Happy, it's time to straighten up and apologize for your actions or step aside.
  • Nov. 15 am Why is divorce so expensive?  Because it's worth it.
  • Nov. 15 am Why is it so hard for women to find  men that are sensitive, caring, and good looking?   Because those men already have boyfriends
  • Nov. 15 am  What does it mean when the flag at the Post Office is flying at half-mast?  They're hiring.
  • Nov. 15 am How do you get a sweet little 80-year-old lady to say the F... word?  Get another sweet little 80-year-old lady to yell *BINGO*!
  • Nov. 15 am  What do you see when the Pillsbury Dough Boy bends over? Doughnuts.
  • Nov. 14 am It's amazing what you can find in the State Code. Like, the easy and proper way to remove a PSD Board member from office. For Clay Roane PSD folks, it only takes about 30 or 40 of ya. That section of the code is now posted on the ADVISORY page.
  • Nov. 14 am We're getting the near award winning Communicator out this afternoon around 4pm. 24 pages of  news and views!
  • Nov. 14 am  The Center for Disease Control has released a list of symptoms of bird flu. If you experience any of the following, particularly #6, please seek medical treatment immediately:   1.  High fever  2.  Congestion   3.  Nausea   4.  Fatigue   5.  Aching in the joints    6.  An irresistible urge to crap on someone's  windshield
  • Nov. 14 am     Didn't take long for our old Health Department Director Karen Dawson to find new digs. From the Morgan County Messenger:   Karen Dawson became the new Morgan County Health Department administrator and nurse at the beginning of October. Dawson brings more than 16 years experience with the Clay County Health Department to her position. Dawson will be a full-time administrator as well as a second public health nurse at the Morgan County Health Department.....As Morgan County Health Department administrator, Dawson will oversee daily operations and a staff of six other employees. ......The Morgan County Health Department services include flu vaccine clinics, childhood immunizations, breast and cervical cancer screening and tests for sexually transmitted diseases and all communicable diseases. They also hold one-day clinics for blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol and blood sugar screenings. The health department also does chest x-rays and testing for tuberculosis.... Dawson and her husband decided to move to the area to be closer to his work and to their sons and grandchildren that live in Martinsburg and Winchester. They are excited about being in Morgan County and near family. "It’s great to be here," said Dawson.
  • Nov. 14 am 6 employees and Morgan County is a growing place? Here in Clayberry, the Health Dept  has nearly 60 full and part time employees!
  • Nov. 14 am   If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
  • Nov. 14 am  The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
  • Nov. 14 am   Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour
  • Nov. 14 am Now for the good stuff!
  • Nov. 14 am  A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.
  • Nov. 14 am  The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to  its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
  • Nov. 13 am From the last 7 days, here's our wrap up
  • Nov. 13 am With Scooter indicted, Rove ready for a similar fate, and fingers now pointing to our VP, there have been 2,263 coalition deaths, 2,065 Americans, one Australian, 97 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, two Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Hungarian, 26 Italians, one Kazakh, one Latvian, 17 Poles, one Salvadoran, three Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians in the war in Iraq as of November 12, 2005. (figures from CNN)
  • Nov. 13 am Dubbya's popularity fell to an all time low and a majority of Americans think Cheny had a hand in the outing of Valerie Wilson. Slow learners but learning! Civil liberties took another dive as the Feds prepare to peek into your home puter a little easier in the near future. Sure you have nothing to hide but is your privacy worth nothing?
  • Nov. 13 am We felt the first sting of winter this week. Temps dropped to 27 mid week. The last of the golds,yellow, and reds fell from the trees. People hauled coal and wood. Chimneys came to life belching black and white plumes skyward. Still early in the month, our population spent their "checks" to catch up on bills and more importantly, get ready for deer camp.
  • Nov. 13 am  It was a big week in Clayberry. On Tuesday Clay County PSD Chair Keith King reminded us why we're in the shape we're in. On Tuesday, after the regular Board meeting adjourned and public and employees shooed away, a second meeting, an illegal meeting, was convened. During that meeting, a part time General Manager was hired and given full authority over the operations of the water service provider.  Keith King planned it all out in secret and intentionally violated the public's trust in two ways. One, the PSD doesn't have the money for the hire and illegal meetings are... well, illegal. And to think, the county almost elected him County Commissioner a few years back.
  • Nov. 13 am With his many years on the board and training on open meeting laws, it's time for Keith "Mr. Happy" King to step down. It's no wonder outsiders just laugh when we ask for money to do something. Keith King is a prime example of what's wrong with Clayberry. The Wall of Shame can add one more plaque.
  • Nov. 13 am The County Commission's attempt to remove Melissa Postelwait from the Clay Roane PSD failed. Prosecutor Jim Samples, the CCC attorney, asked that the case be dismissed. It was. Why? We understand that the paperwork wasn't in order.  Postelwait was right when she boldly told the world, you can't get rid of me!
  • Nov. 13 am Thursday evening the Clay Roane PSD Board meeting was called to order with Melissa in attendance. It didn't take long for the lady to resume her troubling assault on government proceedings. Melissa asked for secret time to discuss public issues like her demand to be paid during each meeting of the PSD. Fortunately the other four Boardsters refused to go secret. postelwait provided a top secret letter which promised a lawsuit if she didn't get paid and if any of the back room stuff became public.
  • Nov. 13 am Even with a CPA questioning her illegal pay advances over the last three years and a judge ordering her to replay the money, she hasn't done it. In her letter and in public, Ms P says the illegal, self written and signed, checks were board approved. Of course a check of meeting minutes reflects no such vote to advance ANY money to a board member.
  • Nov. 13 am Although she did yell, "DON'T GET SMART WITH ME!!!" to a boardster, Melissa Postelwait didn't attack anyone during her first meeting back since being found guilty of battery (slapping Boardster Susan Beard last April). That's a good thing!
  • Nov. 13 am While the slapfest and public meeting antics make great newspaper fodder, the fun stopped when it was learned Thursday night, all funding for the Punkin Ridge water line project were yanked. The project is all gone. Kaput!  Reason? Funders refused to advance $ to a PSD where money is being mishandled. Sad. Sad. Sad.
  • Nov. 13 am Several years ago Jim Weimer from the WV PSC said this county needed to have one professional manager for all the water service providers. His emphasis was on "professional". While his words were true, there is one thing Weimer didn't realize. Clayberry can't hired a pro. The back room dealings make that impossible. We saw that this week at the Clay County PSD meeting. We also saw the detestible deeds and demands from board member Melissa Postelwait. It was a bad week in the county of little.
  • Nov. 13 am The county shut down Friday to honor our Veterans. With banks, schools, post offices, and the Courthouse closed, Clayberry was quiet.  The Communicator held up publication Friday and instead will come out Monday afternoon so as to include the latest news.
  • Nov. 13 am   A woman went to a pet shop and immediately spotted a large, beautiful parrot. There was a sign on the cage that said $50.00. "Why so little," she asked the pet store owner. The owner looked at her and said, "Look, I should tell you first that this bird used to live in a house of Prostitution, and sometimes it says some pretty vulgar stuff." The woman thought about this, but decided she had to have the bird anyway.

  •      She took it home and hung the bird's cage up in her living room and waited for it to say something. The bird looked around the room, then at her, and said, "New house, new madam."  The woman was a bit shocked at the implication, but then thought "that's really not so bad."  When her two teenage daughters returned from school the bird saw and said, "New house, new madam, new girls."  The girls and the woman were a bit offended but then began to laugh about the situation considering how and where the parrot had been raised.
  •     Moments later, the woman's husband Keith came home from work. The bird looked at him and said, "Hi, Keith."
  • Nov. 12 am For those that didn't catch yesterday's post, we're holding up The Communicator until Monday. Thursday night's Clay Roane PSD meeting is too newsy to let ride until the next edition. The delay will be worth it!
  • Nov. 12 am From that meeting.....
  • Nov. 12 am One time Board Chair and now Boardster Melissa Postelwait passed out a top secret letter to her appointed buddies. She insisted that it be discussed ONLY in private. She was saying her actions as a Board member and financials are not a  matter of public record. Hmmmmm
  • Nov. 12 am From that top secret letter: .... from now on, I want my check presented to me at each meeting that I attend... and the amount entered in the official minutes ...... I made a good faith attempt to pay the PSD $425 that I believe I was over paid from 2003 and 2004 .... I borrowed the funds to reimburse the PSD in full from previous Board member, Glen Sutton. Mr. Sutton was allow the PSD to subtract the $425 from the $3525 the PSD owes him in board member fees...
  • Nov. 12 am Let's stop there. For those that don't know, all Board members except Melissa agreed to work without pay until the district get financially sound. the mentioned $425 is not an overpayment but according to the last audit report, several illegally advanced pay days for Postelwait.
  • Nov. 12 am On page 2 of the top secret letter comes " it is my intention to follow through with the total reimbursement of the $425 that I believe I received in error.."  In error? Doesn't that sound like some Washington politician would say when caught with their hand in the cookie jar? An error, nothing more, just an error.   The question is, who signed the checks?
  • Nov. 12 am  Back to Mr. Sutton. Sutton is a seasoned businessman that knows how to negotiate a deal. Sutton is nice enough to loan someone money but in this case, the coffee house crowd has it figured out. Sutton most likely would have said something like, Sure, I'll loan you the $ to get your butt out of hot water but then you have to resign.
  • Nov. 12 am Just a guess clickers but it makes good sense.
  • Nov. 12 am  The top secret letter threatens a lawsuit if the Clay Roane PSD makes any of her secrets public. We'll have the entire letter in Monday's edition of the Communicator.
  • Nov. 12 am  There's a lot of Janes, Marys, Marthas and many Smiths, Jones, Wilsons and such. There aren't many Melissa Postelwaits in the world. A Google search churned up 3 1/2 pages of mostly our Melissa along with a softball player out West and one Melissa Postelwait competing in wheelchair sports.
  • Nov. 12 am That quick google search revealed this web entry attributed to  some Melissa Postelwait. Adults only please, click here for an interesting forum post on sex toys. Could be anybody clickers.
  • Nov. 11 pm    The  United  Way realized  that it had never received a donation from the city's most successful lawyer. So a United Way volunteer paid the lawyer a visit in his lavish office. The volunteer opened  the meeting by saying, "Our research shows that even though your  annual income is over two million dollars, you don't give a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give something back to your community  through the United Way?"   The  lawyer thinks for a minute and says, "First, did your research also show you that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness and  she has huge medical bills that are far beyond her ability to pay?"

  •     Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbles, "Uh... no, I didn't know that."   "Secondly," says the lawyer,  "my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair and ! ! is unable to support his wife and six children."
         The stricken United  Way rep begins  to stammer an apology, but is cut off again.   "Thirdly, did  your research also show you that my sister's husband died in  dreadful car accident, leaving her penniless with a mortgage and  three children one of whom is disabled and another has learning  disabilities requiring an array of private tutors?"
       The  humiliated United  Way rep,  completely beaten, says, "I'm sorry, I had no idea"  And the  lawyer says, "So... if I didn't give any money to them, what makes you think I'd ever give any to you?
  • Nov. 11 am The Communicator is NOT coming out today.  We've got  a story thats gotta go in this edition. There just wasn't enough time to get it typed last night and do it justice. The story is Melissa Postelwait and Clay Roane PSD. Melissa is back!
  • Nov. 11 am After being found guilty of battery last month and after all attempts to remove her from the PSD failed, Ms Postelwait returned to the water provider's Board meeting last night. The meeting went nearly two hours.  No she didn't smack anybody but in the way of a teaser for Monday's edition of the paper.....
  • Nov. 11 am Postelwait promised fellow Boardsters last night a lawsuit!  She demanded a secret time to discuss PSD money she advanced herself over the years she has served on the Board.  In the letter she referred to the illegal practice of cash advances as "the overpayment".  The letter demands all mention of the "overpayment" and all arrangements to pay the money back, be kept top secret, not mentioned during Board meetings and away from the public.
  • Nov. 11 am   Get this, the Board refused to go secret with Postlewait. At one tense point MP retorted to Boardster Rose Cantrell, "Don't get smart with me!"
  • Nov. 11 am  Background: About as soon as the County Commission appointed MP to the PSD she started advancing herself PSD funds. Earlier this year, Susan Beard figured out the illegal practice and brought it to the Board's attention during the April Board meeting. That was the night of the slap fest. The handwritten PSD checks discovered by Boardster Beard amounted to over $400. During the most recent audit of the water provider, the illegal practice was documented by a certified public account. The audit went back just one year.
  • Nov. 11 am In May of this year, a Court awarded temporary restraining order demanded MP return the loot to the PSD. She didn't do  it. After the Slapfest meeting, maybe in May, MP promised to pay the Board she would pay back the $. She didn't do it. In her letter to the Board, MP demanded to be paid after each meeting.  To date, fellow Boardsters have agreed NOT to accept payment for their services until PSD finances improve.
  • Nov. 11 am Hey Punkin Ridge clickers. It came out during last night's meeting, ALL funds for the Punkin Ridge water line extension project have been yanked. Your water project is dead in the water. Why? From last night's meeting, one word, Melissa Postelwait!
  • Nov. 11 am We're holding the paper up so we can include all the juice from last night's juicy public meeting.
  • Nov. 11 am On another subject..... Tom Auxier, are you reading this post? Better get those fence posts removed NOW or you're heading to the slammer and do not pass go. More on that latter today readers.  Ahh.. Tom.... Judge Alsop wasn't kidding.
  • Nov. 11 am  If there was ever a fertile place for a newspaper, it's Clayberry
  • Nov. 10 am Tonight Clay Roane PSD meets in the County Commission room beginning at 7pm. Wonder if Boardster Melissa Postelwait will be in attendance? With no other Boardster receiving pay for their services, wonder if Postelwait will demand her check? Remember the days when Melissa had a web site chocked full of red hot comments? It's back. Click MP SITE and make it a favorite.
  • Nov. 10 am   Also tonight a group will meet at the Widen Community Center to discuss high dollar water lines coming all the way from Birch River. See ADVISORY page for details.
  • Nov. 10 am Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"
  • Nov. 10 am And the winners from the Nov. Grand Jury are: Ira Richard Bryant, failure to register as a sex offender; Roger Collins, 2 counts of sexual assault; Dexter W Pritt, 6 counts delivering controlled substance; Vickie Williams, Thomas Holcomb, Johnny Neff and Adam Arnold operating or attempting to operate a drug lab and conspiracy; Margaret Runion obtaining goods and services under false pretenses
  • Nov. 10 am  Remember the church house thieves? The smart ones that took their own pictures with a stolen camera? Ashley N Graham was also indicted with 4 counts. 2 for busting into People's Baptist and Lick Fork Churches and 2 counts of receiving and transferring stolen goods. Bobby Woods and  Richard Burnside stand indicted with 2 charges each, possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy.
  • Nov. 10 am  And finally, Matthew Butcher indicted for child neglect resulting in bodily injury.
  • Nov. 10 am The Court will hear their pleas next Tuesday beginning at 9 am.
  • Nov. 10 am Dee Murphy makes stinky wx thangs women love. Here's the link to her Country Wax Tarts site. Bookmark it, Christmas is just around the corner.
  • Nov. 10 am We're going into newspaper mode. No new posts until sometime Friday after we get The Communicator out the door.
  • Nov. 10 am  Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
  • Nov. 10 am Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride,  he sticks his head out the window?
  • Nov. 10 am  A South American scientist has discovered that people with insufficient sexual activities read this web site with their hand on the mouse.
  • Nov. 10 am  Don't bother taking it off, it's too late......
  • Nov. 9 am This morning at 10 am, Clay County Commission meets in regular session.
  • Nov. 9 am  Clay County has a way of smearing egg on its face. Here's just one more example of dumb dumb dumb.
  • Nov. 9 am Yesterday Clay County PSD met. The meeting lasted 40 minutes. After adjourning, Chair Keith King announced he was holding a private huddle with fellow Boardsters Ted Underwood and newbee Simpson Neal. King closed the door and preceded to hold an illegal meeting.
  • Nov. 9 am 25 minutes later the door opened and Keith Mr. Happy King told the employees to come into the conference room. It was announced, during the illegal after meeting meeting, the Board decided to hire Bill Dunn as General Manager of the PSD. Dunn began work yesterday, was given keys to the truck and building, told to take charge, and given office space. Dunn will be paid $600 per month for his part time duties.
  • Nov. 9 am After years on the Board, Keith King knows about Open Meeting Laws. Yesterday King violated about every aspect of the law not to mention trashing public confidence. Just as he is often hostile to public scrutiny of his little island, he shows even less respect for the people that pay his salary each month, the customers of the PSD.
  • Nov. 9 am All decisions of a public body must be voted on during a public meeting. Nothing on yesterday's agenda mentioned hiring anybody. All items to be voted on must be listed on the agenda. There was no mention of any vote to hire or even carve out a General Manager position at the PSD.
  • Nov. 9 am In the WV Supreme Court case, McComas vs Fayette School Board, the high court said public bodies could not go behind closed doors and make decisions away from the public meeting setting. The Clay County PSD Board did just that yesterday afternoon. How sad, trusted public leaders violating the only thing they promised to do when they took office, to adhere to the laws of the land. Doubly pitiful for PSD Chair Keith King.
  • Nov. 9 am  Currently PSD employees are reimbursed 33 cents per mile for using their own vehicle. The WV Public Service Commission authorized 49 cents per mile in Sept of this year citing high gas prices. During the legal part of the PSD meeting, employees asked to be fairly compensated for use of their personal vehicles and receive the 49 cents. Chair King said nope and told the Office Manager not to even put that subject on the agenda in the future.
  • Nov. 9 am  When employees asked about being paid for after hours and weekend work, again the Chair said NOPE, and don't bring it up again. King said there wasn't enough money to pay them for extra required work performed.
  • Nov. 9 am During each Board meeting, the beginning and ending cash balances are reported. The norm is to have about 100 dollars at month's end. Some months end in the red. If they can't pay employees, if they can't pay mileage expenses, then how can they add on an additional $600 per month to pay Bill Dunn's salary?
  • Nov. 9 am There's only two possible answers and neither are very pretty. One, they put in for a rate increase. Two, fire Office Manager Cindy Schoolcraft and use her salary to pay Dunn.
  • Nov. 9 am   Just when it looks like Clayberry may be taking a few steps in the right direction, the "we don't give a damn about following the law" side of our appointed leadership steps forward. There's a reason why we are laughed at. There's a reason why  agencies refuse to invest in our future. There's a reason why we can't get a break. That reason is Kieth King and all the others that make us look soooooo bad.
  • Nov. 9 am Clay Town Council did not hold their  meeting last night. Canceled for lack of quorum. No Betty Murphy and no Jerry Stover.
  • Nov. 8 pm Happy 56th birthday to Steve Sirk!
  • Nov. 8 pm Clay County PSD met today at noon. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes. It's unusual for Chair Keith King to meet for more than 10  minutes. He's big on keeping the public away from any discussions. Sometimes, stuff leaks out. That happened today. Something is amiss at the PSD.
  • Nov. 8 pm  When an employee asked about the PSD reimbursing mileage expenses at the WV Public Service Commission mandated rate of 44 cents per mile, Keith (Mr. Happy) King said nope and don't put it back on the agenda!
  • Nov. 8 pm When an employee asked about getting paid for after hours and weekend work instead of getting comp time off, nope, don't want to talk about that either and don't bring it back up
  • Nov. 8 pm There's problems with the last little bit of paperwork to  get the Lizemores/Tuckers Bottom water line extension up and started. Some right of way owners may have to be taken to court for an easement plus the WV PSC has yet to give the final thumbs up.
  • Nov. 8 pm Clay County PSD Board meetings are suppose to be public. They're suppose to adhere to WV Open Meeting Laws. After adjourning today's meeting, Mr. Happy told the public to leave, they had some things to discuss. Yelp, that's a quorum of the Board meeting in secret to discuss PSD business and done in secret AFTER the regular meeting.
  • Nov. 8 pm Last night the School Board met. The plan was to work a deal for the Southern Baptist Convention group allowing for them to own the Ivydale Elem school. For the second meeting in a row, it didn't happen.
  • Nov. 8 pm Instead of a smooth, quick, no discussion, vote for the Baptist group, members of the Business Development Authority, the CAEZ, and County Commission were in attendance and asked for some time to come up with their own plan to use the school for a business center. Liz Sampson was the front lady for the combined efforts of the county to grow some jobs and services.
  • Nov. 8 pm  With no one, not even the Baptist group coughing up ANY money for a sell, Team Link is in a pinch. He needed to get ground work down at the new school site before winter and he needed the Ivydale school sale proceeds before starting the excavation. The new school is under funded by about $2 million.
  • Nov. 8 pm  The School Board didn't poo poo Ms Sampson's idea on using the old school as a business incubator and more, but only allowed them until Dec to come up with a formal plan and $. The clock is ticking!
  • Nov. 8 am  So what happened to the web site over the weekend? According to the web host guru, someone plugged the power supply into the wrong slot!
  • Nov. 8 am There are many many public meetings this week.
  • Nov. 8 am Today at noon, Clay County PSD meets. PSD Chair Keith King works to keep his meetings under 10 minutes. Didn't happen last time and little chance of a short meeting today. Meetings are held in their Main Street Clay digs across from the Courthouse
  • Nov. 8 am Clay Town Council is holding a special meeting today sometime. Sometime? State Open Meeting laws require the agenda to declare the name, date, time and purpose of the meeting. Town Council's doesn't have the time on their posting. Guess is: 6pm will be the start time to vote in a new Council member, a 20% water rate increase, and more.
  • Nov. 8 am Wednesday morning the County Commission meets at 10 am.
  • Nov. 8 am Thursday evening there are two important meetings. Clay Roane PSD will meet Thursday evening in the County Commission room beginning at 7pm. Their meeting agenda is posted on our ADVISORY page. Also Thursday evening a water meeting is planned for Widen Community Center. Something about setting up a local water board there.  Widen agreed to go in with Birch River PSD for a high dollar water supply for their community. Wonder if anybody is rethinking that decision?   There might be some resistance to paying $65+ per month for water when 2 million, free , gallons of fresh water is already flowing into the hamlet  daily and not being used.
  • Nov. 8 am  Our sources indicate the new water lines in Roane County (Clay Roane PSD) will be turned on around Nov. 23rd. That's great except, to date, there hasn't been enough water from the Town of Clay's water plant to even check for leaks. Trucks have been seen in the Newton area hauling wa wa for the tests.
  • Nov. 8 am  For all the preachers that click in this site,  politicking from the pulpit can get you in deep doo doo. Speaking out against W's oil war can get your non profit non taxable status yanked!
  • Nov. 8 am The Supreme Court announced that it would hear a challenge to the Bush administration's plan to try accused foreign terrorists in special military courts. Click restoring basic American rights for more.
  • Nov. 8 am  Did American troops use chemical  weapons on women and children in Iraq? One state run TV network says Yelp!
  • Nov. 8 am  Classifieds, community events, and public notices deadline for this Friday's Communicator is tonight at midnight. Time to email!
  • Nov. 7 pm   Nettie Jean (Sears) Mollohan, 77, of Nebo, see FUNERAL page
  • Nov. 7 pm Tonight at 6pm the Clay County School Board meets in regular session. No agenda is posted.
  • Nov. 7 pm Tonight the Board will decide the fate of the still in use Ivydale Elem school. They wanted a nice smooth process where Ric Canfield and the Southern Baptist Convention pay $100,000 for the block building quick and easy. Didn't happen. Now, community acitvist Elizabeth Sampson has organized an attempt to procure the building for  a business incubator center and training center.
  • Nov. 7 pm Should be a great meeting!
  • Nov. 7 pm This site went down sometime after midnight on Friday. Life was returned by Wirefire around 9 am this morning. Instead of back tracking and catching you up to date in one big long post, first the new stuff and then little doses from the weekend that was.
  • Nov. 7 pm Like this morning in Circuit Court land, all efforts to remove Clay Roane PSd Chair Melissa Postelwait from appointed office were dropped.
  • Nov. 7 pm Two weeks ago, see last Communicator, Ms Postelwait was found guilty of battery for slapping the snot out of fellow Boardster Susan Beard. She can stay out of jail by completing anger management classes. Shortly after the Clay Roane PSD slapfest on April 13th, the County Commission went to work to remove Postelwait from office. Removal from Office court action was filed on behalf of the CCC by Prosecutor Jim Samples. Postelwait told the Commission  during CCC meetings, YOU CANNOT REMOVE ME FROM OFFICE!
  • Nov. 7 pm Turns out she was right. Judge Ric Facemire gave the thumbs up to the Prosecutor's request to drop all civil charges.
  • Nov. 7 pm As with any court action, certain procedures and documents have to be given the parties within certain guidelines. Sounds like, the discovery evidence prior to trial time, was not done.
  • Nov. 7 pm    Melissa Postelwait was never removed from the PSD Board and now she is free to provide her infinite wisdom in the day to day operation of the challenged water service provider.
  • Nov. 7 pm So what got Postelwait mad enough to slap Ms Beard? Beard told the public back in April 2005, that Postelwait had taken pay advances on her Board salary. A later audit revealed additional checks signed by Postelwait for her own use. As of Sept 1st, Postelwait had NOT paid back the $ even tho she promised to do so after getting cauht.
  • Nov. 7  am Around 9 am this morning this site came back to life after a weekend of downtime. Posts coming ASAP.
  • Nov. 4 pm   Belated Birthday wishes for Wanda L.  and  Stephen B. Smith from their son Carry. Bet he'll get a nicer Christmas present this year!
  • Nov. 4 pm Yesterday much of the Frontier telephone customer base was without service. Ditto for dial up and DSL service. We were without a connection to the world.
  • Nov. 4 pm  Last night we were unable to update this site, NOT a glitch with Frontier but rather our web server. At Noon:30 we are back to good.
  • Nov. 4 pm   Tonight is the last football game for the Panthers this season. It's also the last game for retiring Coach Ron Sirk. Were you expecting us to call him ole Droopy Drawers? For those unable to make the trip to Sissonville for the action, listen on WYAP-LP. Know matter where you are, if you have an internet connection and a puter with speakers, you can hear all the radio fun 24/7 365 days a year. Easy too. Just use the our homepage link and when you're directed to their web site, click the blinking "ON AIR" button.
  • Nov. 4 pm  For those clicking in from a far, we have blue skies, temps into the low 70s and the Fall colors are at peak. With dry weather predicted for Saturday, this is a great time to come home and discover Clayberry for the first time. Come see the Appalachians Mountains of Clay County West Virginia.
  • Nov. 4 pm While Clay High staff tries to handle the drug problem at the public school, on Tuesday, Denver voted to allow the possession of small amounts of marijuana ... and a national Gallup poll showed that 55% of Americans want to see the same thing happen nationally. .. Denver voters passed a local ballot initiative — by a 53.5% to 46.5% margin — that eliminates all city-level penalties for the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana by adults aged 21 and older. Denver is now the third major U.S. city to vote to allow the possession of small amounts of marijuana. In September 2003, 59% of Seattle voters passed an initiative that made marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority in the city. And, in November 2004, Oakland voters passed a similar initiative with 64% of the vote.
  • Nov. 4 pm  For us old pot heads, what wonderful news!
  • Nov. 4pm  Don't know what's happened to the Business Development Authority.. maybe its the water or something.
  • Nov. 4 pm Last night the BDA met for over an hour and came up with  a bunch of ideas for growth, had open discussions, and even decided to pursue a couple items.
  • Nov. 4 pm Elizabeth Sampson floated her idea of using the Ivydale school for job training and as a business incubator for start up groups. Get this, the BDA voted to attend the next School Board meeting and ask for time to prepare strategies for acquiring and using Ivydale Elem AND Valley Fork Elem schools after the new high dollar consolidated school is built in a flood prone area of rural Big Otter.
  • Nov. 4 pm Mike Boggs and Andy Haynes came back with more info on setting up high speed wireless internet in the county. Haynes explained he has already set up a small test system in downtown Clay which was good enough to offer high speed service to the entire town. His next step is to mount the equipment on a much taller 911 tower and check the results. Boggs, Haynes, the CAEZ, and the BDA will do a customer survey county wide to see who and where high speed internet is desired. Coming soon clickers!
  • Nov. 4 pm   Ever wonder what about  the speed of your internet connection? Click on this link to do a speed test on your home puter.
  • Nov. 4 pm  Also from the BDA meeting, several of the Boardsters including newbee RT Sizemore are heading down to Mingo County where a fish hatchery business is set up using free flowing mine waters like we have here in Clayberry on Lilly and out Widen way.
  • Nov. 4 pm Out Widen we have over 2 million gallons of fresh clean potable water coming out of a mine site daily. Next week there is a meeting at Widen to set up a Widen Water Association. See ADVISORY page. A few years back Widen residents got into a peeing contest and voted NOT to set up their own water system for pennies a day. With the mine water uphill from the Widen, the gravity system would not have required even one costly pump! Instead they opted to go in with Birch River PSD and pay upwards of $60  per month for water service.
  • Nov. 4 pm The BDA is also trying to get the county designated as a  Certified Business Community. Without that designation, Clay County is not even on the state or national radar screen for new business development. With most counties already there, we're left holding an empty bag.
  • Nov. 4 pm Yes we know, we've heard all this talk before, over and over, but maybe just maybe, this time, something more talk will happen. Keep your fingers crossed.
  • Nov. 4 pm Lots going on this weekend. See the EVENTS page for Lizemores Community Day, Auctions, and Music with Bud Keen and Country Mix.
  • Nov. 3 am Happy Birthday Leah Taylor, Marjorie Lane, and Bernard Lane
  • Nov. 3 am  Today at 5pm the Clay County Business Development Authority meets at the Courthouse.
  • Nov. 3 am How about some web surfing clickers...
  • Nov. 3 am  Finally, even young people are realizing the worthlessness of the Dubbya's oil war. Click here for 1000+ high school students staging a protest.
  • Nov. 3 am  Uh Oh, Here's a lawsuit story where a young women glued her boyfriend's winky to his stomach, glued his testicles to his leg and then glued the cheeks of his buttocks together. Without a car, the poor fellow had to walk over a mile to get medical and police help. Talk about one mean woman!
  • Nov. 3 am We keep hearing about a pandemic killing off the world's population. Ever wonder who would benefit from worldwide sales of the flu vaccine.  None other than Rummy, Donald Rumfeld! Imagine that!
  • Nov. 3 am One other note. Our man W just came up with a plan to force states to buy $7.1 billion of that same flu vaccine. Doesn't it make sense now?
  • Nov. 3 am  Is it any wonder W's approval rating has  fallen to 39%?
  • Nov. 2 pm Sorry for the late post but sometimes goofing off takes precedence.
  • Nov. 2 pm Fair treatment of prisoners has always something this country has been proud of. Yes there have been bad times especially for say black prisoners in the deep South during the first half of the last century but, in the last 50 years, prisons and prisoner rights have been enhanced 10 fold. That was before W took over. Here's a  link to the dirty side of prisons and torture set up in the last four years. Not in some third world country but torture by our American leadership.
  • Nov. 2 pm Elizabeth Sampson is one of those people you either love or hate. Sampson is a retired social worker and a person involved with many aspects of Clay County. She is a community activist. A few years back Ms Sampson took charge when Shawnee Hills decided to drop a sheltered workshop in the county leaving many mentally and physically disabled workers without a place to grow and develop skills. She took the bull by the horns and grew a new non profit sheltered workshop for the county which now employees over 30 disabled people. Before that, she worked against County Commission backed development plans to turn the county into a huge out of state landfill. One time she ran for the Senate and nearly beat the incumbent, JD Brackenridge.
  • Nov. 2 pm In the Northern end of the county, our school board decided to auction off the still in use Ivydale Elem. school. Based on the hurried up auction effort in support of a newly formed local church headed by Rick Canfield and the Southern Baptist Convention, some feel preferential treatment is being doled out on the property deal. That group has plans to turn the cinder block structure into a church house and private assembly hall.
  • Nov. 2 pm  Seeing the need for a more public use of the building, Sampson is taking the bull by the horns once again.
  • Nov. 2 pm When last week's auction netted no $100,000  minimum bids, not even from the Southern Baptist Convention group, Sampson asked that the school system to reconsider the future of the building. She asked the elected folks to sell  the structure to a government agency or non profit for use as a business incubator, a community center, a training center, a place to house satellite college class rooms, or some combination of that.  The School Board all but said: We're not interested!
  • Nov. 2 pm Knowing the good such a facility could be for the county of little, Sampson is not taking no for an answer.
  • Nov. 2 pm  Right after the no auction auction, Sampson met with the County Commission and got the thumbs up for a  letter of support for the plan. Last night she garnered the support of the Central Appalachia Empowerment Zone (CAEZ) folks during their Board meeting.  Thursday evening, our Business Development Authority (BDA) will meet in regular session at the Courthouse. Our guess is, if Ms Sampson is still breathing, she will be there looking for yet another support letter for her cause.
  • Nov. 2 pm When the School Board meets next week to consider the Ivydale School sale, Sampson will be there with a stronger case for a relook at turning public property into another church house in the county. At last look, the County of Clay had 57 recognized church houses and several more community churches held in private homes.
  • Nov. 2 pm Never underestimate the power of a determined woman with a plan!
  • Nov. 2 pm Town Council did not meet Tuesday. According to state code, you just can't call off a meeting by not showing up. The legal thang to do is post the agenda, show up, and say we don't have a quorum and then reschedule the gathering with proper notice. Mayor Jarrett didn't do that.  When asked, he said they would hold a meeting later when they have all the paperwork in order to vote in a new water rate increase.
  • Nov. 2 pm   Now lets see now...... If they vote in a rate increase at an illegal meeting, sure seems like the vote would be illegal. Can they call an emergency meeting for routine business matters? How do you call a special meeting without signatures of the call posted for the public to see?  One more big Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
  • Nov. 2 am  Congratulations to Jamie Kearns - Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2006 - 1st Runner-Up
  • Nov. 2 am Wed update coming mid morning.
  • Nov. 1 am Sadly we report the passing of another Halloween season without egg tossing  and cornings.  Not even a tree cut down last night. And good weather too!
  • Nov. 1 am  NOTE NOTE NOTE  Clay Town Council will NOT meet this afternoon as our Monday post said. According to Mayor Arthur Jarett, they are holding up their meeting until the paperwork is all done on another RATE INCREASE. Now now clickers, don't get your shorts all bunched up. What's one more increase? Gas is going up as are electric rates. Gasoline is way up from last year. Why not water (and sewer rates for town people)?
  • Nov. 1 am No word on the lady that was shot in the chest Monday afternoon. No word on any details as of now.

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