May 17, 20001

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Boggs bounces back
CLAY LIBRARY B & E SOLVED
Follow ups
???DID YOU KNOW???
SHORT SHORTS
Chatter
Magistrate Report
INERNET HUMOR
School Board



BOGGS BOUNCES BACK
      A complaint filed against a local Magistrate has been dismissed by the Judicial Ethics Commission in Charleston. Sharon Tanner lodged the complaint Dec 14 after she resigned from her Magistrate Clerk position on Dec 20, 2000.
      According to Ms Tanner, the complaint (232-2000) was lodged because Magistrate Boggs. The complaint stemmed from allegation made by Tanner that Boggs had been verbally abusive to her. Tanner worked across the hall from Boggs in Magistrate Mike King’s court room and had been employed there for 12 years.
       The following is the letter Magistrate Boggs received from the WV Judicial Investigation Committee dated April 20, 2001.
Dear Magistrate Boggs:
      During its recent meeting, the Judicial Investigation Commission was presented with a complaint file against you by Ms Sharon Tanner, a copy of which is enclosed for your information,
After a review and discussion of all available information, the Commission dismissed the complaint since there did not appear to be any violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct on your part and no probable cause to file a complaint before the Judicial Hearing Boars so charging.
      Ms Tanner has been advised of the dismissal of her complaint and the Commission’s reason for such actions.
Very truly yours,
Donald Cookman, Chairperson


CLAY LIBRARY B & E SOLVED
      Clay County Government buildings have been the focus of breaking and enterings and vandalism in the year 2000. Add the Clay County Public Library to that list.
      According to Deputy Miles Slack, the incident took place Wednesday May 9 around 12:45am with the teenage thugs gaining entry to the Clay County Public Library through a basement window in the rear. The thieves made off with around $400.00 in cash and checks. According to Slack, no thing else was stolen nor were computers or office equipment damaged. Slack,” They just broke the window out and took the money.”
      During the last four months, the Clay County Courthouse has been targeted twice as well as Clay High where extensive damage was done. The last time the Courthouse was targeted, someone made it easy for the do baders. The back door had been left unlocked on a Saturday.
       Two juveniles were taken into custody. Slack, “We had two witnesses. People that were passing on the street..”
      About half of the money has been retrieved. Sheriff Fields commented that the stolen checks had also been recovered. According to Fields a parent said that the torn up


follow ups..
***In the last edition of this paper, our lead story centered on Clay County’s Primary Health Care, their reluctance to allow the public to attend Board meetings, and the firing of Primary Director Gary Johnson. Since then, a call has been made to the non profit agency seeking an answer to this question: Has there been any change in the policy to ban the public from Board of Director’s meetings. As of May 17, 10:00am, there has been no reply.
***In our last edition we gave coverage of the recent Town Council meeting. However we forgot to mention that during that meeting, Council voted to hire two operators, Bob West ( full time) and Carolyn Hanson as a part time operator. West will report for duty May 21 as WV Water operators pull out on the 20th. Not so with Ms Hanson. Mayor Glenn Nichols was told by the WV PSC NOT to hire Hanson and instead hire Procious PSD operator Jennifer Traub. Hanson had already quit her old job and without the new one, she is left out in the cold. Speculation has it that Traub will end up as Plant Manager when the new plant is finished while remaining Procious PSD operator Bobby Burdette will be left out in the cold like Hanson.. There is a problem with the arrangement. With WV Water pulling out on the 20th, with Mr West finishing up his first week of work on the 25th, who will operate the existing plant that weekend. Without an operator in place.... you guessed it, Boil Water Order time again. Now that’s progress
***Clay Development Corp (CDC) has now borrowed $70,000.00 from the Clay County bank and used $12,500 Legislative Digest dollars to construct their three sided building addition that doesn’t even have a bathroom in it. Originally, we reported that the project was budgeted for $50,000.00.


???DID YOU KNOW???

  1. In March 2001 there were about 16,500 coal miners working in the state, 1,000 more were working in 2000.
  2. The number of gun dealers per capita in WV is over twice the national average.
  3. Work place deaths in the United States have dropped by nearly half over the past two decades.
  4. Social Security recipients will be getting an extra check in July to adjust for a $1 Billion shortfall in payments caused by a computer glitch.
  5. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 8% of urban junior and senior high school students miss one day of school each month because they are afraid of bullies in the classroom.
  6. Lyme disease effects more than 15,000 Americans each year. The average sufferer sees five doctors before being correctly diagnosed.
  7. The number of gun incidents in West Virginia public schools has declined since 1994.
  8. In the United States, someone is killed every 30 minutes in a motor vehicle accident caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol.
  9. There are 7,077 bridges in West Virginia and 6,462 are maintained by the state.
  10. As much as $831 million a year in federal pension and health benefits is paid to felons, fugitives and even the deceased.
  11. In West Virginia a record 5,190 families and businesses declared bankruptcy in the year 2000.
  12. Female smokers may face a higher risk of bladder cancer than men who smoke the same amount.
  13. Nationally, the welfare rolls peaked in 1994 at nearly 14.3 million people, mostly single women and their children.
  14. The average women working on a US government contract job is paid .72 cents for every dollar a man earns.
15.        The Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord were the cars most stolen in 2000. LMM


SHOT SHORTS
—–The cost for housing a prisoner in WV is right at $1300.00 per month. According to Clay County Sheriff Harald Fields, the county would be in bankruptcy now had it not been for his departments implementation of home confinement.

—–The Sheriff’s Dept seized 841 pot plants Tuesday May 15. Fields felt that this was just the tip of the iceberg and with money so scarce in the county, more folks will turn to the cultivation of marijuana.
—–With the Multi Cap office in Clay County in serious trouble of closing and with Clay Development Corp poised and ready to add to their operations, the question around the county is: Where are we going to find enough Ramsey’s to fill the jobs?

—–Kate’s Bed and Breakfast, the only one in the county, closed their doors recently. The beautiful home is available for someone else to re open the much needed travel stop for the county.

—–Clay County Internet radio station Clay County Radio is now offering “all WV musicians” every Friday night and “Doo Wop” tunes from the 50s, 60s, and 70s all day Saturday.

—–On Wed May 9, contractors broke a four inch water line at the Filcon Manufacturing plant site. The water ran for hours and it wasn’t until local customers called Jennifer and Terry Traub about “no water” was the Town notified of the big time leak. By late Wed , service was restored. Filcon is building a new building at Ovapa on a site situated along the county’s only trout stream. Due to the large amounts of treated , chlorinated water released into Laurel Creek, some folks have been commenting that the trout there now have fresh breath and clean gills

—–Speaking of getting water, the County Commission has asked the WV Public Service Commission for a waiver for the water moratorium so Filcon Industries can have immediate water service. Many long time residents of the county have waited years for water service and the CCC has never intervened for them

—–Courthouse custodian Ann Osborne now works a later work schedule , 9 to 5 to accommodate her locking up the Courthouse.

New doors were installed at Clay High May 9 to replace those that damaged by a recent break in.

—–Not one word yet on which Elem schools in the county are back on probation after recent testing. Sometime, our School Superintendent may make the public aware of this. HE White Elem will be included this year on probation due to the test scores.

—–Primary Health Director Gary Johnson was fired a little over two weeks ago after the issue of the public being barred from attending Board of Director’s meetings. Mr Johnson’s voice mail box was still on the agency’s telephone answering service as of May 16, 2001.

—–Putnam County Voters shot down a school levy this week by over a 2 to 1 margin. Locally, a levy election to renew the School System Excess Levy will be held early in 2002. Coupled with other recent Levy defeats, our School Board may have an up hill battle to renew our existing Levy.

—–Over in Fayette County, Delegate Tom Lousia is testing the waters for a run at the governor’s office. Lousia accepts no contributions while on the campaign trail.



Chatter
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the amount of accidents occurring at the recently re-opened skating rink ? Within just a few short months, at least five (5) children have broken legs, arms and even worse.
The most recent event included a pre-school girl, as the result of an adult male falling on her. She had to have emergency reconstructive surgery. One entire side of her face was crushed.
We all know and understand that accidents happen. I just don’t understand why there have been so many. Can rules not be made, or are they just not being enforced ?
If their signs say “NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS”, then who is ?

A very concerned parent,
Vicki Jones


Magistrate Report

Criminal Cases
Felony
05-02-01: Delk - Danny Hanshaw, Final order - no probable cause found for firearms violations.
05-06-01: Guthrie - Charles Anderson Truman Jr., arrested, ROB, hearing set for fail to pay child support for 12 consecutive months.
05-09-01: McKown - Kenneth Norton, arrested, ROB, hearing set for malicious assault and burglary.
Misdemeanor
05-01-01: Miller - Carl J. Morris, arrested, ROB for destruction of property and domestic assault.
05-02-01: Slack - Terry Lynn Lowe, summons for domestic battery; Slack - Douglas Jackson, summons for livestock ruuning at large; Slack - Laura Jackson, summons for allowing stock to run at large; McKown - Thomas J. Flores, arrested, ROB for violation of DV protection order.
05-03-01: McKown - Sarah Rogers, warrant issued for obtaining goods under false pretense.
05-07-01: CP Mueller - Thomas Aaron Vance, failure to maintain control.
05-10-01: Delk - Terry Lee Vanmeter, ROB for possession of marijuana less than 15 gms.
05-14-01: Belt - Russell Young, warrant issued for battery.
Civil Cases
04-27-01: Clay County Sheriff’s Dept. - Jack’s Cash and Carry, $47.69
05-01-01: Mitchel King - Clifton Grose, $1,265.00.
05-02-01: Monogram Credit Card Bank - Virgil R. Truman Sr., $879.37.
05-04-01: Ramona’s Pizzaria - Gary A. Holcomb, $417.19; Clay County Sheriff’s Dept. - Rosewood Lumber Co. Inc., $115.16; Thomas and Debbie Salisbury, $45.96; Alcha V. Samples, $52.25 - complaint W/D 05/11/01; Robert W. Hill, $196.59; D. Simms AGT/REGI DEP, $92.82; Joy N. Harrah, $68.13; Betty Harmon, $24.41; Wavie Starcher Store, $251.61; Dove Harden, $61.16; Wavie Starcher Store c/o Roger L. Graham, $307.94; Donald F. Hamilton, $19.15; Reatha Robinson, $107.86; Knuck Clearing Co., $1,817.23; Michael and Sandra Knopp, $93.92; Barry Stewart, $40.49; Carolyn Mayes, $127.54; Early Jack McGlothlin, $187.41; Ellen Dawn McLaughlin, $122; Larry and Kimberly Miller, $52.69; Kermit Morris, $139.69; Roberta Mullins, $16.55; Gary E. Nelson, $149.61; Wayne King, $267.43; Madge Birdene Nicholas, $52.26; Joe A. Kincaid, $29.29; Sherman Pritt, $72.53; Ronald Paul Rhodes, $16.10; Larry D. Holcomb, $69.67; Harold D. Keener Jr., $34.68; Reathea A. Joyner, $16.55; Joseph A. Jones, $186.22; Earl Allen Johnston, $70.13; Sue Ferrebee, $96.59; Dennis L. Fearby, $15.84 - W/D 05/11/01 by plaintiff; Thomas C. Hughes, $33.07; Elmer Edwards, $44.78; Remichae P. Holcomb, $61.74; Nellie Duffield, $16.10 - W/D 05/11/01; Robert G. Drake, $90.49; Derrick Amusement, $4,641.91; Naaman and Alice DeMoss, $15.84; DeMoss Electronics, $17.91; Augusta Deems, $38.96; Michael Dawson, $32.39; Denver Davis, $40.49; Woodrow Cutlip Jr., $47.29; Carte’s Service Station c/o Robert Carte, $30.41; Arthur Carr, $114.87 - W/D 05/11/01; Betty Burdette, $27.98; Mashell Pierson Hudnall, $35.56; Glen F. Brown, $224.26; Lucille Brown, $18.95 - W/D 05/11/01; James A. Greathouse, $92.31; Steve Goodwin Jr., $56.38; Jobe Jr. and Melissa Gill, $89.19; Geophysical Petroleum, $22.37; Donna J. Harper, $66.98; William T. Ford, $95.15; Thomas Jerrell Ford, $66.58; Deborah Finch, $27.59; William P. and Alice S. Ferrebee, $23.11; Glen R. And Donna J. Williamson, $145.55 - W/D 05/11/01; Flisty Williams, $27.03; United National Bank, $2368.15; Wayne and Lorretta Welch, $62.59; Willard and Gladys M. Truman, $15.84; Charles E. Thornsbury, $15.84; David P. Taylor, $46.88; David Taylor, $63.05; Darrell L. Tawney, $252.17; Barbara A, Stone, $66.58; Scott Stone Sr., $16.10; Tina L. Tanner, $105.42; L.H. Samples c/o Austin & Co. CPA, $36.94; Provident Trust Corp., $11.65; Julia Kinney Royalty c/o Rouzer Oil Co., $21.13; James Allen White, $39.57; Douglas White, $163.27; C.W. Wellen, $68.11; Union Drilling, $164.07; John J. Summers, $113.77 - W/D 05/11/01 by plaintiff; Tina Slack, $349.35; Paxton Construction, $73.23; Roger S. Mullins, $116.96; M.W. Krysak, $81.98; Irene V. Legg, $69.59; Central WV Production, $337.41; W.D. and Deloris Young (no amount given); Daniel Woods, $93.34; Tamela Workman, $99.88.
05-07-01: Anita Blankenship - Ronald Blankenship for domestic violence, final protection order entered 05/11/01.
05-10-01: Sheila Bird, Jennifer Stone - Craig Fugate for domestic violence, 180 day protection orders entered; Wanda S. Legg - Rocky L. Legg for domestic violence, trial set.
05-11-01: Michael Morris - Gary and Becky Thompson for wrongful occupation, trial set; Clay Co. PSD - Carol Cook for $95.94.
Worthless Checks
05-02-01: Bentree Grocery - notices issued to Danielle N. Deems, $5.00 ( paid 05/04/01); James Stanley, $16.05; Teresa Holley, $22.00; Kimberly Roark, $31.44 and $18.09; Deana Hudnall, $30.70; Brian Brown, $15.27 ( paid 05/09/01 ); Barbara Ramsey, $12.00 ( paid 05/07/01 ); Roland Killingsworth, $5.08 and $10.59
05-08-01: House’s Market - Christine J. Williams, $47.07, notice issued.
Citation Register
04-29-01: DNR - Dennis Ray Gray, illegal burning/escaped fire.
04-30-01: State Police - Robert Leon Crose, speeding; Sheriff’s Dept. - Terry Vanmeter, possession of marijuana less 15 gms.
05-01-01: State Police - Donald F. Drake, no proof of insurance; State police - James E. King, operator’s; Sheriff’s Dept. - Stacy A. Schoolcraft, speeding.
05-03-01: State Police - Scottie Lewis Neal, driving on suspended/revoked.
05-04-01: Sheriff’s Dept. - Joshua Matthew Jones, defective equipment and registration violations; State Police - Faith Ann Schafer, illegal posession/alcohol beverage.
05-05-01: State Police - Lori Ann Chapman, reckless driving.
05-06-01: State Police - Jason Triplett, no proof of insurance.


INERNET HUMOR

This is a poem made up entirely of actual quotes from George W. Bush. The quotes have been arranged only for aesthetic purposes, by Washington Post writer Richard Thompson.

MAKE THE PIE HIGHER
by George W. Bush
I think we all agree, the past is over. This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses. Rarely is the question asked Is our children learning? Will the highways of the internet become more few? How many hands have I shaked? They misunderestimate me. I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity. I know that the human being and the fish can coexist. Families is where our nation finds hope, where our wings take dream. Put food on your family! Knock down the tollbooth! Vulcanize Society! Make the pie higher! Make the pie higher!


West Virginia School of Engineering - Final Exam
1. Calculate the smallest limb diameter on a persimmon tree that will support a 10 pound possum.
2. Which of the following cars will rust out the quickest when placed on blocks in your front yard?
A) '66 Ford Fairlane
B) '69 Chevrolet Chevelle
C) '64 Pontiac GTO
D) '74 Gremlin
3. If your uncle builds a still that operates at a capacity of 20 gallons of shine per hour, how many car radiators are necessary to condense the product?
4. A pulpwood cutter has a chain saw that operates at 2700 rpm. The density of the pine trees in a plot to be harvested is 470 per acre. The plot is 2.3 acres in size. The average tree diameter is 14 inches. How many Budweiser Tall-Boys will it take to cut the trees?
5. If every old refrigerator in the state vented a charge of R-12 simultaneously, what would be the decrease in the ozone layer?
6. A front porch is constructed of 2x8 pine on 24-inch centers with a field rock foundation. The span is 8 feet and the porch length is 16 feet. The porch floor is 1 inch rough sawn pine. When the porch collapses, how many hound dogs will be killed?
7. A man owns a house and 3.7 acres of land in a hollow with an average slope of 15%. The man has 5 children. Can each of the children place a mobile home on the man's land?
8. A 2-ton pulpwood truck is overloaded and proceeding down a steep grade on a secondary road at 45 mph. The brakes fail. Given the average traffic loading of secondary roads, how many people will swerve to avoid the truck before it crashes at the bottom of the mountain?
For extra credit, how many of the vehicles that swerved will have mufflers and uncracked windshields?
9. A Coal Mine operates a NFPA Class 1, Division 2 Hazardous Area. The mine employs 120 miners per shift. A gas warning is issued at the beginning of 3rd shift. How many cartons of unfiltered Camels will be smoked during the shift?
10. How many generations will it take before cattle develop two legs shorter than the others because of grazing along a mountainside?


School Board Meets - Krauklis and Jarvis Retiring
The Clay County Board of Education met May 7, 2001 for their regular meeting at the administrative office building in Clay. All Board members were present - Gene King, R.B. Legg Jr., Fran King, Scott Legg, and David Pierson Jr.
Meeting was called to order at 6:00p.m., and the agenda, previous meeting minutes, payment of current bills were approved with little discussion. Business Manager Loretta Gray presented the Board the monthly financial report for April. Gray said they had received reimbursments from a Distance Learning Grant for the internet class at Clay County High School (CCHS) for $6,800, and, $32,000 from Medicaid. Superintendent Jerry Linkinogger explained that special education teachers generate Medicaid dollars. Gray also reported that, although not as large as in March, they had received a sizable tax collection in April.
Employment was approved for the following - substitute bus drivers, pending successful completion of training and testing: Brodis Ray Brown, Gary Allen Keen, Willard Franklin Lane II, Roger Keith Moore, Glenwood N. Nichols, Toby A. Taylor, and Edgar Price. Training will have to be completed by September. Probationary employees for the 2001-2002 school year - teachers: April Kearns, Lisa Adkins, Mistie McKown, Lora Brown, Elizabeth Simmons, Debra Johnson, Erica Samples, Joe Braley, Tammy Varney, Jacqueline Higginbotham, Nancy Fackner, Joe Paxton, Michelle Paxton, Joyce Lewis, Susan Canterbury, James Oates, Brian Collins, Anissa Collins, Kacinda Russell, and Batanya Jackson; custodians: Ricky McLaughlin, Rachel Thorne, and William Johnson; bus drivers: Randy Holcomb, Brenda Griffin, David Belt, Caroline Taylor, and Wyona Ramsey; aide: Robyn Shamblin; secretaries: Robin Litton, Valerie Brown, and Denese Murphy; cooks: Betty Adkins and Jennifer Koch.
Randy Schoonover, of Central WV Outfitters, received permission to use Bradley Field at CCHS for an archery competition on September 23, during the Golden Delicious Festival. Proof of insurance and a letter from Worker’s Compensation must be provided prior to the event. Schoonover took the opportunity to question the Board on news of possible school closures. Linkinogger said there had been discussion on school closures at the previous meeting at Ivydale Elementary, and that he’d made the statement that he’d recommend school closures to the Board if the excess levy doesn’t pass next time. He said the school system will have less funding due to low coal severance tax collections. Schoonover said he’d ask his friends to support the levy, and that the general public should know the effects if the levy fails to pass.
The central office will be losing three long time employees next year as the retirement/resignations were accepted for Assistant Superintendent Jeff Krauklis (effective July 31), Director of Federal Programs, Personnel and Teacher Certification Richard Jarvis, and Secretary Geraldine Legg (both effective June 18). Linkinogger said all three will be sorely missed. The resignation of Erica Pritt Samples as cheerleader coach at CCHS was also accepted.
The Board approved two out of state trips. TSA winners from Clay Middle School (CMS) and CCHS will be going to national competition in Richmond, VA, June 20-25, cost: $12,250.00. The CCHS Band will go to Orlando, FL during spring break next year. Approval was given pending proof that the trips will be properly chaperoned.
Board approved signing a memorandum of understanding with the Clay County Sheriff’s Department and Clay County Commission for a Cops In Schools (CIS) grant. CCHS Assistant Principal Cindy Willis, who is writing the grant along with Anita Stephenson, told the Board that with this grant a resource officer will be hired for 3 years for placement in the school. The officer will work for the Sheriff’s Office, but be placed at the school, one duty being to educate students in crime awareness. Willis said that they want someone to fund the position for an additional year, but realized money was scarce. The memorandum was needed for the grant writing.
A hearing to determine the status of a student at CMS was held. The student was expelled, assigned to alternative school, and has to meet certain criteria.
Tabled at their last meeting, the Board discussed at length the attendance policy. Discussion began on how students sign in and out of class and their various reasons, followed by some debate on what should or shouldn’t be considered an excused absence. Sign outs eventually add up to being counted as an excused absence ( 3 - I think ). After looking at state code, Board generally agreed that their policy follows the code as to how absenses are recorded. However, several members voiced their concerns on how absenses affected the way some students were allowed to schedule for the following year, particularly Pierson and Scott Legg. Legg, “...kids are penalized the following year for having excused absenses, like a death in their family, which affects scheduling...” Students with perfect attendance are allowed schedule first. Linkinogger said this is done as an attendance incentive, and that before they used it there were as many as 65 sign outs a day at the high school. He suggested that they add a death in family clause and a hospital/doctor clause, for the attendance incentive only, to the policy. Scott Legg, “There’s nothing wrong with the attendance policy...I asked for it months ago. We need to see the registration policy.” Board again tabled the item until next meeting.
Gene King asked if CCHS Principal Kenneth Tanner would do a presentation on test scores like he did last year. Linkinogger said they’d just received the test scores last week. He said, overall, scores on total basic skills had gone up with the exception of H.E. White Elementary, which went down slightly.
Meeting adjourned at 7:07p.m. All motions passed unanimously. Next meeting Monday, May 21, 6:00p.m. at CCHS. TK