| Clay County parents are regularly told that the local system provides an excellent educational program and boasts that Clay Middle School is listed as a National School of Excellence.
WATER RATES Are you’e water bills getting you down? They should. Clay County has some of the highest water rates in the WV. Clay County PSD charges $50.28 for 4500 gallons; Queen Shoals PSD charges $47.98 and Clay Roane tallies up to $46.60 for the same 4500 gallons of water per month.
State wide Clay County PSD ranks as the 7th most expensive water source in the state. It doesn’ have to be that way. Marianna PSD in Wyoming County charges just $2 for 4500 gallons. In Mercer County that rate is $3. In Mineral County at the Beryl Water Company locals pay $4.38 for 4500 gallons of wa wa.
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As for that nasty German Water Co, the one we’e told to hate, WV American Water, the folks that charge an arm and a leg for the wet stuff, for the same 4500 gallons, the charge is $36.23.
Prosecutor Grindo was in court Aug 24th for the Tommy young Sr bond reduction hearing. As it closed he stood and said he wasn’ ready for the next case. Without taking a breath, Judge Alsop, “Lets get it started”
Remember Marina Lanham? That’ the lady that wrote a Chatter in this paper about Deputy Kevin Delk harassing her and arresting her on possession of controlled substances. Lanham said Delk had charged her with the same thing before, and each time the charge was tossed because there wasn’ anything illegal about having prescription medications. Chock one more up for Lanham. On Aug 24th, Magistrate Boggs tossed the charge. On Kevin Delk. Did you know he is working as a Town cop in Richwood?
Wa Wa A couple months back Clay Roane PSD had a bid opening for the Amma Left Hand project. The project came in over budget by 1.8 million dollars. After some arm twisting negotiations, more money was located but mostly in the form of costly loans. On Sept 2 the second part of the water line extension project was put out to bid again. This time the low bid came in $130,000 cheaper.
Here’ the catch. Even with the lower bid in hand, and the project now a go, it’ the grant money that will be reduced NOT the loan money!
Master Land Use Plan was discussed during a non quorum meeting of the County Commission August 23rd. With around 20 in the peanut gallery and only Commissioner Peter Triplett present, this one got interesting. Over the last 6 months a group of citizens called a sterring committee worked on a plan where strip miners would not have to return the land to the approximate original contour as required by state code. Instead of spending the money for that, Big Coal would agree to leave roads, leave power lines, and other enhancements that might be attractive to economic development. Sound like a good idea?
Not to those in attendance at this public hearing! They were vocal too. Those that spoke out made it clear: they didn’ want Big Coal getting any free rides and the crummy puke coal barons already have a nearly free reign against property owners. Comments included: “ don’ want my property destroyed by the coal companies; the County Commission could over ride the wishes of the local people and then we’e got a problem; It’ the coal kings that benefit the most under this plan; How many members of that steering committee live near a coal site; the numbers used in that report are wrong and and and , since Barringer Trust Co owns nearly all the remaining coal property in the county, how come they didn’ participate in the Master Land Use Plan? I think that last comment came from a fellow named Sibert Osborne but not sure. Making darn good sense, an attempt to bring the folks of Barringer Trust to a meeting in the future are planned. One note, there are 4023 acres already permitted for surface mining in Clay County.
CRIME AT CCC MEETING
More Like a Political Rally
With Peter Triplett and Jimmy Sams ready for action and after opening an opening prayer. The Aug 24th County Commission meeting got under way minus sucking at the public trough Commissioner HAC.
Center stage was given to School Superintendent Jerry Linkinooger and crew of 10. Link was slated to speak on crime in the county. It turned into a political post haste. Around the room were school system employees Coach Ron “roopy Drawers”Sirk, Mike Pierson, Bruce Cunningham, Bob Morris, Brian Holcomb, Dave Pierson and one time school board member Fran King. Link got it started off with “e’e getting beat to death.”He was referring to the number of schools and school buildings that have been broke into and vandalized over the last 12 months. The Linkster said they have insurance but so many claims will cause their rates to go up. Then came the trump card: If we have to spend money on burglar alarms and replacing stolen equipment, the money will have to be taken from programs that will help the children. Link questioned the logic of laying off two deputies July 1st.
High School teacher Bruce Cunningham , also a small business owner in Ivydale reported being broke into 5 times this year with losses totaling over $20,000.00. Link, “I don’ know what needs to be done but someone needs to get started!”
From the peanut gallery came suggestions of forming community watch groups and a meeting with law enforcement and the court system.
One lady, maybe Karen Dawson, felt that the problem goes beyond law enforcement and straight to a Prosecutor’ office where criminals are routinely set free. Bob Morris on juveniles,”They have no fear… They have no worries of jail time…. People are sick of it!…”
Coach Sirk asked why the County Commission couldn’ fire the Prosecutor. Both Triplett and Sams said they couldn’ fire someone after an appointment. From the back Magistrate Boggs disagreed , “Yes you can” After discussion on the Sheriff having little get up and go, the Mel Gibson look alike suggested that the CCC declare Grindo and Commissioner Bragg dead and then stop sending out their checks.
Sirk asked the CCC to set a curfew for the Town. Bruce Cunningham, “imes have changed… I want to stay in business… I stay there now [his business place]. At what point do you strike back? .. We need help and we need it badly..”Bob Morris commented that Town Cop Butcher needs to stay within the municipality and attend to the problems there.
As Triplett and Sams were explaining they had applied for grant dollars to hire one deputy back and mentioning how they can’ tell the Sheriff how to do his job nor Prosecutor Gringo, Cunningham and Sirk almost at the same time : It’ the CCC’ job to provide police protection. Sirk, “was it the wisest thing to lay off deputies? I don’ think so.. It’ politics.. I only see two Commissioners.. Why pay somebody that doesn’ show up?????”
As the political discussion was petering out , Link reiterated that he just wanted to make sure the CCC knew there is a problem, they should pool their resources and do something, the school system will work with the CCC on this problem, and “e’e asking for help.”
So how come the headline calls this a political rally? ‘ause Jimmy Sams said so! With Jerry Linkinooger retiring from the Superintendent’ job just in time to run for office in 2006, it’ Sams who would be challenged by Link. With so many from the school system on hand and away from class time too, sort of looked like the boy’ club was assembling for an assault on Mount Sams in 2006.
And one other note from the Aug 24th gathering of the Clay Commission. The Commission chose NOT to reappoint Clay County PSD board member Earl Long to the post. Instead they replaced Long with Ted Underwood. Maybe that’ the fist sign of change in the works.
So what came of the meeting? County Commission agreed to host a public meeting law enforcement Sept 13th at Clay High at 7pm. AW
JOBS MAY BE COMIN’
BDA Meets
We’e got some last minute news from the Sept 2 Business Development Authority meeting. Chair Leonard Williams informed the group there was a possible tenant for the old Filcon “on’ Say that Word”Industrial site near Ovapa.
According to Williams , a company may be interested in leasing a portion of the site to serve as a storage yard for the company. Williams provide some details: the company manufactures, sells and installs metal roofing products like carports, doors and roofing; could employee 10 to 15 people; and a BDA offer has already been extended.
Williams went on to say that the end of the property the guy wants to use (near the Ovapa Cut Off Road) would have to be raised out of the flood plain.
Around 5:30 pm , Clay County’ own Ron Summers showed up and gave more insight on the expansion plans of the company he works for, Quality Outdoor Products. He reported: he has been with the North Carolina based company for two years; is the state manager of operations for a little over three weeks; he currently has 6 people from Clayberry employed at the Nitro office; and, if they expand into this area as many as 10 or 11 people could be employed.
Currently his crews move around the state and installs commercial car ports for the most part. The jobs are not minimum wage work. A three man crew can make between $300 and $500 per day doing the installs. His company plans to expand into manufacturing components for the product in the near future and that could mean even more hires in the County.
Summers said he is also looking at other sites in the county including, Frank Murphy’ land at Wallback, the old rock quarry at Newton, and a place in Big Otter. Williams, “We’e real interested in this.” A meeting will be held in the near future with Quality Outdoor Products and BDA members in the county.
BOB CLARKE Curmudgeon’ Corner
It’ “éjà vu all over again,”remarked the noted American philosopher, Yogi Berra, and in this interminable political season we note the wisdom of his words. Old age prevents some of us from strolling down memory lane, thus we are forced to lurch. In 2000, as discussed in earlier efforts, with John McCain leading in the presidential polls and having won the primary in New Hampshire, the Bush group was understandably concerned about the forthcoming South Carolina primary: enter Karl Rove and his experienced character assassins. The sliming of McCain is well-documented, and needs only brief mention here. One charge was that the former prisoner-of-war had fathered a non-white child. Another, was the incredible accusation that he was anti-veteran.
In Georgia, the Bush hatchet squad, whose unofficial motto should be: “o concept too vile”topped its previous efforts. Financed by bottomless right wing pockets, hundreds of Republican hit groups, went after Senator Max Cleland, a triple amputee and former infantry lieutenant. Decorated for valor for his service in Vietnam, Cleland suddenly found himself faced with the charge that he was not “atriotic.” The basis for this spurious accusation was that he had voted against the so-called “atriot Act.” “hat’ in a word?”Shakespeare asks. It is probably a unique brand of treason to suggest that the immortal bard could be wrong about anything. In this case, however, there is a great deal in a name. While it is true that “ rose by any other name would smell as sweet,”faced with an Act called “atriot,”the potential signee is backed into an untenable position. Cleland voted against the Act, and it cost him his senate seat. We now know that almost no member of Congress had read it before its hasty passage. The hysteria of the moment, combined with the abiding fear of losing political office in the midterm elections impelled our ever-craven Congress to rubber stamp generalissimo John Ashcroft’ grand scheme. There were a few exceptions. The splendid old lion, Robert Byrd, whose political star has never shone as brightly as it does now, was one. Cleland’ objection, in part, was based upon the fact that the Patriot Act threatens a number of protections guaranteed by the Constitution, and we all know how Senator Byrd feels about that noble document.
The third act of this gripping saga involves the infamous swift boat controversy. For those of us following the presidential campaign it could be argued that Kerry has milked his Vietnam experience to the point of overkill. Perhaps so – the group attacking his record calls itself the “wift Boat Veterans for Truth.” How odd it seems that after thirty-five years these accusations about Kerry’ military record should emerge. What could these people’ motives be? Could the fact that the defamers are a group of Texas Republicans have any bearing on the matter? The questions involving Kerry’ veracity have even outdone the slimy ad on Cleland in Georgia in which his picture was shown, side-by-side with Saddam Hussein. An interesting sidelight to all this is that the same production company that did the ads on McCain in South Carolina produced the current ones smearing Kerry. Origin: Texas. Where else? Moreover, it is military procedure for someone else to submit a person for citations, not the candidate himself. We may never know whether or not John Kerry is a “ero.” What we do know, however, is that his detractors, some of them senior officers who attested to his behavior as in the “ighest traditions of the Navy”have changed their stories. We also know that some of the veterans who are casting doubt on Kerry’ integrity were not on the scene.
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We know further that Kerry’ anti-war activities after his release from the service provoked resentment in some quarters. Payback can be emotionally satisfying. Lost in all this is the simple fact that John Kerry volunteered for service in Vietnam when he easily could have avoided it. The same could not be said about the many sons of the rich and privileged.
The trouble is, as we all know, that once an accusation is made, it sticks no matter how many denials it evokes, no matter how fallacious it is proved to be. The question remains. Newspapers are particularly adept at this technique. A story appears on page one reporting that John Doe is suspected of murdering his wife. When the true culprit is found, or the “vidence”is found to be false, the retraction appears, buried on page eighteen. Meanwhile, in the John Kerry case, George W. Bush remains above the fray. Just yesterday, (August 23) he announced that he wishes both sides would stop producing these ads, the ones coming from “ndependent”sources, that is. Bush, however, does not condemn the attacks on the other side. He saw a good thing going in South Carolina, and he stayed out of it – theoretically.
It may have been Nixon who invented the technique in this country, but it has an ancient pedigree. The leader tells his functionaries: “o whatever it takes, but don’ tell me about it.” Thus was the concept of “lausible denial”born. It is tempting to mention Reagan and Iran-Contra here, but diplomacy dictates. When King Henry II appointed his old friend Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury he thought it a stroke of political genius. With an ally as Primate of England, Henry could confound the opposition of the clergy and control the church’ vast riches to help finance his various plans, including war. It was not to be so, at least for a time. Important leaders always seem to have a swarm of toadies and sycophants about them, and Henry was no exception. Becket was becoming a growing problem, having transferred his allegiance from the crown to the church – and his God. According to the most famous version of this tale, Henry’ impatience with Becket’ intransigence led him to exclaim: “ill no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” As the king’ wish is father to the deed, some of Henry’ barons rode to Canterbury and murdered Becket in the great cathedral. There may be a parallel here in the world of dirty tricks that is modern politics. It was always thus. At least, so it seems among us reluctant cynics.
Potpourri
Persistence in one opinion has never been considered a merit in political leaders. – Cicero –
By necessaries, I understand not only the commodities which are indispensably necessary for support of life, but whatever the custom of the country renders it indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without. – Adam Smith – The Wealth of Nations
One of the strangest things about life is that the poor who need the money the most are the ones who never have it.
– Finley Peter Dunne - (“r. Dooley”
Today the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced that they have found another Mohican. – George Carlin -
When asked what he thought about western civilization, Mohandas Gandhi replied: “ think it would be a good idea.”
I’ rather see a man wrap himself in the Constitution and burn the flag, than burn the Constitution and wrap himself in the flag.
– Anonymous Texas Legislator –
The lightness of serious men is preferable to the seriousness of light men. – Leon Wieseltier –
A man cannot be too careful in his choice of enemies.
– Oscar Wilde –
Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it…I am haunted by waters. I can’ explain it any better than that.
– Norman MacLean -
A dog is the only friend you can have in life who will go with you wherever you want to go, whenever you want to go, without question and without putting on his pants. That is the quintessence of dog that secures our affection. – Padgett Powell –
The entire history of this investigation (9/11 Commission) raises the question of whether the administration recognizes any principle higher than re-election. – Walter Cronkite -
May your house be safe from tigers.
Cur
The Christian Service Center, Inc.
Hello folks! It’ good to be here with you again. A good many of you have expressed your liking for these newsletters, and we enjoy sending them to you. If you have any comments or suggestions, or if you have news you would like to share, stop in and let us know, or give us a call.
We have several people on our sick list this week: Cora Fugate and Mary Gray, both of Upper Sycamore, Vinnie Jackson of Valley Fork, Kathy Runion of Twistabout, Ed Mullins of Maysel, Clarence Fitzwater of Valley Fork, and our own Helen Moore of Adonijah. Our prayers and a heartfelt get well soon wish goes out to all. God Bless you all.
Sympathy to the family of Roy McDaniels of Upper Sycamore. Mr. McDaniels was very ill and had been lost at the head of Sycamore, which is a very rugged area. His remains were only recently found. Our prayers go out to his family.
We have a special prayer request and get well wish that we need to send out: Jim and Jeanie Perdue’ grandson, 2 ½ year-old Neal Wilkenson, has High QT, a heart condition that is also connected to hearing loss. He is very sick and may need a pacemaker put in. Everyone pray for this little boy, God’ listening.
Another special prayer request goes out for the grandson of Barbara Davis. This young service man has some sort of adult onset leukemia. He really needs our prayers, folks, so let’ get to it.
It’ school time! Now that the kids are out of the house and you have some free time, come in and see all the really nice stuff that we have. We have some great sales going on. You’e going to like what you find.
We’e got a joke for you: school’ in and the children were in the cafeteria line. At the beginning of the line was a basket of apples. A teacher had written a note and attached it to the basket. The note read: “ake one only, God’ watching.” At the end of the line was a large bowl of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note and attached it to the bowl. This note read: “ake all you want, God’ watching the apples.”
We are in need of a larger building. God and you, our donors, have been good to us. We greatly appreciate all of the donations and hope that you continue to support us with your gifts. If it wasn’ for you, the CSC couldn’ do the work and extend the help to others in need. Special thanks to Charles and Lois Dotson, and his brother Thomas A. Dotson, of Litchfield Park, Arizona, Mary Skolka of Stevensville, Maryland, Denise and Rachel Walters of Clay County, WV, and to these churches: Lizemore Methodist Church, Fairview Baptist Church (our very long time friends and supporters), and Laural Fork Baptist Church. Our prayers go out to all, and – THANK YOU FROM EVERYONE HERE!
Sycamore Baptist Church is having their homecoming on September 12, 2004 starting at 12:00 p.m. Toby Mitchell will be preaching and there will be special singers. Everyone is welcome, so come on over and join the fun. God will like seeing you there.
Homecomings mean FOOD, so here is a recipe for your enjoyment:
Cornbread Salad
Fresh or day-old SWEET cornbread,
broken into small pieces (do NOT crumble fine)
Chopped green pepper
Chopped green onion
Chopped celery
Chopped tomato
Crispy fried bacon, crumbled
Mayonnaise
The amounts in this recipe are based on your own taste. Use a little of any ingredient or a lot – as you like it. The only things that seem to be necessary is that the cornbread should be sweet and you should use mayonnaise instead of salad dressing. But, it’ all up to you. Experiment with different veggies also.
Time to go, folks. We hope you’e enjoyed the news. We look forward to hearing from you and would love to have you come in and visit with us. God Bless you all until next time, and remember: God loves each and every one of you, and so do we!
PROTECTIVE DAD IN TROUBLE
FELONIES FOR SHOOTING DOG
A Clay County man received three felony wanton endangerment charges and one animal cruelty charge after shooting a dog that had bitten his daughter.
From the official courthouse criminal complaint filed August 31, 2004 by State Police TFC M.L. Bailey: On Tuesday 08-31-04 at approximately 1915 hours, Sgt Wiles and the undersigned officer received a shots fired at a dog complaint from Clay 911. The offense took place along Camp Creek Road near Procious within Clay County. At approximately 1925 hours both officers arrived at the scene and spoke to Walden Dennis (victim). The victim advised that a Thomas J. Flores shot at his dog while he was standing near the dog in J.B. Butcher’ yard. The victim advised that Thomas J. Flores (accused) fired three shots at the dog within 40 feet of the victim. The accused also hit the dog twice with the shotgun blasts.
The undersigned officer located 3 shot pattern holes in J.B. Butcher’ yard along with 2 shotgun waddings, Three shotgun hulls were in J.B. Butcher’ driveway. One shotgun shell hull was located approximately 170 feet North of the victim’ residence along the roadway.
At approx. 1940 hours the undersigned officer observed the dog in question. The dog appeared to have been shot.
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