Feb 2006

 
  • Feb. 28 am   Yesterday we saw snow but said, it not going to do anything much. We saw 17 degree temps a couple days back but said, it's going to warm up. Those winter tread tires are looking pretty thread bare but we said no need to replace them, winter is over.
  • Feb. 28 am  My what a difference a little time makes. Those above indicators would have sent us scurrying just one month ago. Today we are ready for Spring and pushing it hard! It's not unusual for the month of March to come in with heavy snows.
  • Feb. 28 am One time bonuses are illegal for government workers in this state. Last night during the County Commission meeting, the request came for one time bonuses for three Deputies. For the third time, the CCC said no to the illegal bonus. Also from the Sheriff's office came a request for additional funding for "auto supplies". Commission President Triplett said Holcomb had shuffled funds inside his department and the additional $ wouldn't be necessary right then.
  • Feb. 28 am Final paperwork was OK'd for a $93,000 in grant monies to construct a walking trail at Maysel Community Park. 2006 Clay County Person of the Year Don Jarvis was the spark plug for the trail and $. Seems the powers that be want us to get off our butts and exercise.
  • Feb. 28 am  While the CCC hasn't found a replacement for Bobby Stover on the Health Board they did appoint Alex Fitzwater to replace resigned Clay County PSD Boardster Keith King. Over the last 10 years we've given Keith King double H as the leader of that PSD. In this Friday's Communicator we'll publish a very terse Chatter concerning our coverage of Mr Happy. Juicy!
  • Feb. 28 am Yes we're trying and get the Communicator out the door on time this Friday. Get your classifieds, meeting notices, events, etc. notices emailed over by Wednesday evening.
  • Feb. 28 am  We haven't mentioned Clay Roane PSD Boardster and County Commission candidate Melissa Postelwait for a few days.  With no occupation and little to do, the Slapfest Queen operates a web blog in her spare time. Last night she posted: What a shame that personal opinions cannot be set aside to show the true nature of things.  I was racked thru the coals and back over $425.00 but Mr. Grigsby and Crystal can go sign a check for $1500 without any approval to do so and everyone looks the other way?  Did I miss something?  Also wanted to add that as of today, February 27, 2006, NO charges of any nature have been filed against me.  No embezzlement, fraud, thievery, etc.... NO NOTHING has ever been filed.  The only suit against me was a civil suit and it was dropped.  Hear that?  Dropped.
  • Feb. 28 am MP was referring to her self signed $425 in illegal pay advances and a more recent action where a company was paid $1500 to dump and spread gravel in the water plant parking lot. That part about no charges of any nature have been filed against me is very troubling. Other short comings asides, maybe memory is also gone. Postelwait was found guilty of battery, ordered to take anger management classes, ordered to pay a fine, and put on probation after a last April slapping spree. Short memory aside, court documents stand.
  • Feb. 28 am  And speaking of County Commission candidates...... CCC challenger Jerry Linkinooooooger has a web site where he presents info for his political advantage. He mentions grants coming in left and right and their benefit to the county of Clay. Here's one from the USDA that needs highlighted from 2003: Clay County Board of Education; Clay, WV      $500,000   Area(s) Served: Clay County   Contact: Jerry Linkinogger (304) 587-4266; Fax: (304) 587-4181   Congressional District(s): 2nd   The Clay County Board of Education will utilize grant funds to network local schools in Clay County with distance learning. The Clay County school district is composed of 7 schools (five elementary, one middle, and one high school), 2,133 end user site students, 175 faculty, and 10,300 community residents who will comprise the end user sites. Distance learning labs will be installed allowing more advanced courses and new classes to be taught within the network. Specialized teachers from a number of school districts will participate in the project which will provide a maximum benefit to students along with substantially reduced costs to the district. Each school has a technological coordinator to oversee local issues, with all seven collectively working together to make the overall project operationally successful.
  • Feb. 28 am  Remember that one? Letters were mailed out telling us wireless internet was coming reaaal soon. $500,000 spent and can anyone see the benefit? Does anyone have wireless high speed internet compliments the $500,000 grant. Are the schools linked together? Can the computer labs be used for distant learning via wireless internet? Lots of hype back then but the answer is no. Just one more thing example of Federal dollars coming into Clayberry and POOF! All gone without intended results.
  • Feb. 28 am In the last edition of The Communicator we gave notice of that same guy collecting campaign funds by selling space in his little "We Support Link" cookbook. We centered attention on Link giving back those contributions because he started too early, before filing for office, a no no in W Va.   County Commissioner Fran King was one of those contributors.
  • Feb. 28 am  Last night Ms King referenced our article. According to King, Yes, she donated to the cookbook but was NOT told the cookbook was going to be used as campaign material. She said she felt others gave $ under the guise of publishing a cookbook in honor of school system cooks NOT to promote a candidate for office.  She added that the Linkster was none too happy when word got out he was returning the $.
  • Feb. 28 am   Hush Hush has been the mode for the school system for years. Just thinking back on that $500,000 grant and performance, maybe they do need to keep things quiet. Looks better that way!
  • Feb. 27 pm It's always good to step back and see where Federal dollars are actually going in Clayberry. The state Infrastructure Council offers a glimpse of water and waste water funding to the tune over $9m.
  • Feb. 27 pm  Sadly,  zero dollars are going for economic development.
  • Feb. 27 pm WYAP radio will be broadcasting Wednesday night's Clay County Panther Sectional Tournament game beginning around 7pm. Their web link and instructions to listen in anywhere there's an internet connection, is on our homepage.
  • Feb. 27 pm Thursday night YAP will be sportscasting the Regional Tournament action with the Lady Panthers. Go Claaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!
  • Feb. 27 pm Some trivia to gum up your brain....
  • Feb. 27 pm    John Tyler, 10th U.S. president, fathered 15 children (more than any other president)--8 by his first wife, and 7 by his  second wife. Tyler was past his seventieth birthday when his 15th child was born.
  • Feb. 27 pm   Sedated only by brandy, 11th president of the United States  James Polk survived gall bladder surgery at the age of 17.
  • Feb. 27 pm   Often depicted wearing a tall black stovepipe hat, 16th president of the United States Abraham Lincoln carried letters, bills, and notes in his hat.
  • Feb. 27 pm   17th U.S. president Andrew Johnson never attended school. His future wife, Eliza McCardle, taught him to write at the age of 17.  (Bonus fact about Andrew Johnson: He only wore suits that he custom-tailored himself.)
  • Feb. 27 pm   Both ambidextrous and multilingual, 20th president of the United States James Garfield could write Greek with one hand while writing Latin with the other.
  • Feb. 27 pm   The teddy bear derived from 26th U.S. president Theodore ("Teddy") Roosevelt's refusal to shoot a bear with her cub while on a hunting trip in Mississippi.
  • Feb. 27 pm   Warren Harding, 29th U.S. president, played poker at least twice a week, and once gambled away an entire set of White House china. His advisors were nicknamed the "Poker Cabinet" because they joined the president in his poker.
  • Feb. 27 pm  The letter "S" comprises the full middle name of the 33rd president, Harry S. Truman. It represents two of his grandfathers, whose names both had "S" in them.
  • Feb. 27 pm  George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, and his wife Laura got married just three months after meeting each other.
  • Feb. 27 pm What would a day be like without Clayberry on the web? Do you want to find out? Now's the time to send in your donation during our online drive. Send donations to DELTA: PO Box 14; Procious WV 25164.  Thanks
  • Feb. 27 am  Ronald Lee O’Dell, 61, see OBITUARY page
  • Feb. 27 am  With the weather report saying there's a 40% chance of snow over the next couple days, they're teasing us. Go to any of the big stores and you'll see racks of colorful flower seed packets, rose bush bundles, and even 10 foot tall trees all ready to plant.  With snow and cold temps, that's a dirty rotten trick to us that are sick of winter!!!!!!
  • Feb. 27 am   This afternoon at 5pm, the County Commission  meets at the Courthouse. The two page agenda should bring out some interesting discussion items. 911 Director Pat Beets currently works as a contractor, no benefits.  On the agenda is turning that position into an employee set up and buying him a new truck.  Last month Sheriff Holcomb gave all his employees a $200 raise. On this agenda is Gene King who's asking NOT to get the increase.  Top Badge Holcomb is asking again for illegal Christmas bonuses for three Deputies. With Bobby Stover and Keith King resigned from appointed Boards, the CCC will also vote into office their replacements.
  • Feb. 27 am  Tonight's CCC meeting has all the markings of a winner.
  • Feb. 27 am Have you supported our local 4-H this year. Now's the time. See EVENTS page for the Vege sale ending Tuesday.
  • Feb. 26 pm   Jimmy R. Schoonover of Clay, see OBITUARY page
  • Feb. 26 am  Eugene Mason Cutlip, 80, of Big Otter, see OBITUARY page
  • Feb. 26 am  Just some notes from the last seven days.
  • Feb. 26 am  Who would have have thunk it, after 14 months of stepped up law enforcement, thievery, thugs, and drugs have us on edge. Homes, out buildings and vehicles are all vulnerable items.  $500 chain saws swiped and sold for $25. Cars ripped off and sold for pennies on the dollar. Local convenience stores ripped off for one more fix or enough $ to buy ingredients for the next recipe of meth.
  • Feb. 26 am The only thing that's separating us from big town America is, no one has been killed ... yet. Sadly, that may be next.
  • Feb. 26 am A few days ago, the Clay Roane PSD said employee salaries are top secret. The public has no right to know where $ go and who gets how much. This week, PSD attorney Tom Whittier put that position in writing. No to the pub lic's right to know.
  • Feb. 26 am To us dumb bunnies that can read, State Code seems pretty clear:  § 16-13A-11. Accounts;  audit . . . . The treasurer of each public service district shall keep and preserve all financial records of the public service district for ten years, and shall at all times have such records readily available for public inspection.  At the end of his term of office, the treasurer of each public service district shall promptly deliver all financial records of the public service district to his successor in office.  Any treasurer of a public service district who knowingly or willfully violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned in the county jail not more than ten days, or both.
  • Feb. 26 am Spreading Sunshine gets costly when it gets to the Court room.
  • Feb. 26 am  Each year we go online and ask for financial support. We're asking now.  If you like a daily dose of life in the misspelled slow lane, if you like knowing what's going on, who died, pictures of back home, and clueless elected and appointed officials getting catching grief almost daily, how about supporting this endeavor.
  • Feb. 26  am Those 1400 clickers a day (on average) need to help. We need to raise close to $1000 to make the needed improvements, upgrade our equipment, and add more space for additional archives and pictures.  One year we threatened to add pop up ads to finance this site. We don't won't to do that but.................. Our mailing address is : Delta; PO Box 14; Procious WV 25164.
  • Feb. 26 am And now something for a smile...   A crusty old Marine Sergeant Major found himself at a gala event hosted by a local liberal arts college. There was no shortage of extremely young, idealistic ladies in attendance, one of whom approached the

    • Sergeant Major for conversation.  "Excuse me, Sergeant Major, but you seem to be a very serious man. Is  something bothering you?"    "Negative, ma'am. Just serious by nature."  The young lady looked at his awards and decorations and said, "It  looks like you have seen a lot of action."  "Yes, ma'am, a lot of action."
         The young lady, tiring of trying to start up a conversation, said, "You know, you should lighten up a little. Relax and enjoy yourself." The Sergeant Major just stared at her in his serious manner.  Finally the young lady said, "You know, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but when is the last time you had sex?"     "1955, ma'am."
        "Well,  there you are. You really need to chill out and quit taking everything so seriously! I mean, no sex since 1955! She took his hand and led him to a private room where she proceeded to "relax" him several  times. Afterwards, panting for breath, she leaned against his bare chest and said, "Wow, you sure didn't forget much since 1955!"
       The Sergeant Major, glancing at his watch, said in his matter-of-fact voice, "I hope not, it's only 2130 now."
  • Feb. 25 am Daniel Norman Starcher, 58, of Procious, see OBITUARY page.
  • Feb. 25 am How many people can say they've been in business 50 years. Otto Brown can.  Happy 50 years of barbering service to the county of Clay.
  • Feb. 25 am  Kelsey Stephenson is in a league of her own. The 10 year old has had her first photograph published in the national publication, Ranger Rick. The crystal clear close up picture of a frog was taken outside her home with a Canon digital camera.
  • Feb. 25 am  Last night the Clay High Panthers finished off regular season play with a loss to Herbert Hoover (56 to 49). But But But, this remains the first winning season  for the Panthers since since 1998 with a  12 win 10 loss record.  The Panthers go into the Sectional Tournamnet next Wednesday evening. They take on Roane County at home. The Lady Panthers have already advanced to the Regional level and play Oak Hill Thursday evening in Summersville.   Go Clay!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Feb. 25 am Ex Senator Randy Schoonover is in the news again. Schoony was arrested Wednesday evening for violating a domestic violence petition. Violating a DVP is nothing new for Schoony but getting arrested for yelling, banging on windows, kicking on doors, potty mouth, is. The arrest stems from repeated breaches of the Feb. 14 2005 petition. Will Schoony ever learn? Not likely.
  • Feb. 25 am  The assault on peaceful existence continued Thursday when two more vehicles were stolen. One from Ivydale and another from Two Run were the latest targets of the thugs. Friday night a week ago, druggies stole $100's worth of hand tools from a Guy Mullins Road residence. Black shirt Miles Slack was seen investigating that theivery yesterday afternoon. No arrests have been made.
  • Feb. 25 am   Angel Cummings and Angela K Ramsey were arrested this week on a criminal complaint dated Jan 12 2006. Boh are charged with swiping a 2000 green Pontiac from Cunningham Motors in Ivydale. Cummings was seen driving the hot item.  She also is alleged to have sold the the pricy car for just $100. From the police report:  Angel Cummings alledges that Ramsey... was going to trade it for some drugs.
  • Feb. 25 am Drugs. A car worth $1000a sold for $100? The drug war continues in Clayberry with no one the winner.
  • Feb. 25 am Saw something interesting yesterday in Circuit Court.  In Court, the tall , blond headed, Christopher Tschetter was extradicted back to Albion New York. There the fellow  jumped probation terms over a grend larceny charge. Here's the interesting part, outside the courtroom, in the hallway, no less than four women cried. Four! Tschetter must have been quite the young stallion.
  • Feb. 24 am Thank goodness it's Friday. Sunshine is expected and warm temps to boot. School's out for the rug rats today.
  • Feb. 24 am This morning at 9 in Circuit Court land, both sides of the Billy Truman vs Tom Auxier suit will be heard. At issue is a spat between two neighbors and a 10 foot wide road  to Auxier's property. Might be a good one to watch.
  • Feb. 24 am Tonight at 7:30 the CCHS Panthers finish off their regular season play. The home court opponent is Herbert Hoover. Come out and support the home team.
  • Feb. 24 am Last night Oak Hill beat out Braxton County in Sectional tournament action. That means the Lady Panthers will be playing Oak Hill in the Regional Tournament to be held in Summersville next Thursday night.
  • Feb. 24 am  Sheriff Holcomb ain't talking. Mums the word. No update on the numerous break ins yet.
  • Feb. 24 am  In the mean time keep them locks locked. If they're inside your home, some suggest, don't take any prisoners.
  • Feb. 24 am  More this afternoon clickers.
  • Feb. 23 pm Our annual online fund drive is in progress. It takes $ to keep this site up and running. Your support is needed to keep the info flowing. With our puters aging and web space once again running low, how about some help. Mail your checks to PO Box 14 Procious WV 25164.
  • Feb. 23 pm  Happy Birthday wishes to Glenna Chapman from Denise McGlothlin.
  • Feb. 23 pm   Belated birthday wishes to Evelyn McGlothlin and Day Brady.
  • Feb. 23 pm  Ok you true blues, Doug Thompson says Dick Cheney was drunk as as a skunk when he shot a lawyer. Here's the link and back ground from a secret service report.
  • Feb. 23 am  Tonight at 6pm the final BDA Community Meeting will take place in the County Commission room at the Courthouse. here's your chance to listen to their plans of what they plan to do.
  • Feb. 23 am Tonight at 7pm on WYAP, Fred Sampson will moderate an on air, live discussion group. Tune in. You could hear about anything. For those a far, more than 10 feet from the tower, listen over the web. Go to their web page and click the flashing "ON AIR" button as a quick way to listen in.
  • Feb. 23 am  Those early rumors of  killing elderly hospital patients after Katrina are  turning out to be very true.
  • Feb. 23 am Just as W and Rummy and others have been telling us for months, things are improving in Iraq. Here's another link too.
  • Feb. 23 am Here in Clayberry. We're worried. No longer is it just one thug going after another thug. Neighborhood after neighborhood are feeling the effects and fright. Over the last few weeks, thievery has increased. Even the areas previously unscathed by drug thugs in search of stuff to sell, have been touched.
  • Feb. 23 am In 2006 the target is outbuildings. Places normally protected by  a $2 lock. The place where easy to carry away and pawn chain saws, weed whackers, and hand tools are stored. Places away from a house and often without night lights.
  • Feb. 23 am  For homeowners, the pattern is the same. Strange vehicles driving thru a neighborhood. Shortly there after, a home or outbuilding is broke into and our druggie population has enough pawnable goods for another batch of meth.
  • Feb. 23 am More Badges would be nice but that ain't the answer. We're on our second generation of out of control drugsters. The kids of kids. Kids raised around the drug culture. Kids conceived while Mothers were stoned out of their heads. Crack babies growing up to be crack adults.
  • Feb. 23 am Badges on every corner would do little good. The change has to come from the home out. Nothing less will work.
  • Feb. 23 am  Not necessarily teens either. Take for instance Jonathan Sizemore 11 days ago. According to eyewitness at Go Mart that Sunday, after pumping a couple $ worth of gas to his tank, he entered the store, laid down a $100 bill. After creating a distraction, he grabbed the big bill and nearly a like amount in change and fled. To date no arrests have been made.
  • Feb. 23 am Normally you don't mention a name until charges are filed. But my lands, when eyewitness after witness  tell the story as well as those on the other side of the counter, it's time to take off the blinders.
  • Feb. 23 am
  • Feb. 22 pm  Lenore Katherine Samples, 86, of Clay , see OBITUARY page.
  • Feb. 22 pm  A couple weeks back on this web we made mention of sitting behind Kenneth Tanner during a School Board meeting.  During the meeting Tanner was busy updating a web site via a wireless internet connection and a lap top. We questioned whether he was using school equipment to update the school's web site or his boss's campaign page. We have an answer from Mr. T himself. The administrator said that his boss  can update the campaign site himself and does. Tanner said he was updating the school site. He said Link also takes his own pictures.
  • Feb. 22 pm Glad we have an answer. No taxpayer funds being used to finance  a political campaign.
  • Feb. 22 am   Last night was a great night for the Lady Panthers. With a 20-2 basketball season, the girls won the sectional championship 60 to 41. They're off to the regional championship next week in Summersville. The outcome of the Braxton Oak Hill sectional game will determine our opponent in next week's game.
  • Feb. 22 am   Go Claaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!
  • Feb. 22 am We're starting our online fund drive for 2006. Each Feb. we ask the world for a donation to keep the Clayberry web beast up and running. Keep in mind, none of us at Delta Communications, that's Terri, Lindy, or Andy make one penny from this site or that near award winning newspaper, The Communicator. Not one red cent.
  • Feb. 22 am If you like receiving a misspelled, often confusing, daily dose of life in the slow lane, how about a donation. Mail to: PO Box 14   Procious WV 25164. Thanks
  • Feb. 22 am Post coming on the latest round of recovered items ASAP.
  • Feb. 21 pm Law enforcement retrieved a "chopped" 2004 Eastern Gas Company service truck this morning. The nearly new Ford didn't look  like much after a few days on Murder Mountain. The cab had already been "chopped" by the time Badges located the flat bed four wheel drive. Various gauges and large holding tank were also found on Oil Field Road as the Mountain is officially known.
  • Feb. 21 pm The company truck was removed from a fenced locked yard in Arnoldsburg in Calhoun County. Thugs drove thru the locked gate to get away with the stolen unit.
  • Feb. 21 pm   Police continue to look for other stolen items on Murder Mountain as of mid morning.
  • Feb. 21 pm  Lets see now, two trucks recovered from Murder Mountain last week, a Cat "bobcat" loader found not to long ago out there, and the thugs still take stuff there out there  to escape police notice?  Do any of them have a brain?
  • Feb. 21 pm Residents out Wallback way watched as a Young man tried to avoid a road check in the wee hours on Rt. 36. Residents say that truck was stolen from Moses GMC in the Kanawha Valley.
  • Feb. 21 pm Tonight the CCHS Lady Panthers play the Sectional Championship in Roane County. The Roane County station is broadcasting the event. If we win tonight, the Lady Panthers will go to the Regional  Championship.   Go Clay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you're going to the game, lock your doors just in case.
  • Feb. 21 pm Also tonight, the Business Development Authority is hosting a Community meeting at HE White Elem school. The public forum begins at 6pm. Here's your chance to speak out on what you want to see happen in our county of little.
  • Feb. 20 late pm  The Communicator made it to the news stands this afternoon. A solid 24 pages of news and views found no other place. Yours for a mere 50 cents. Get em while they're hot.
  • Feb. 19 am  Rodger Lynn Fugate, 53, of Bickmore, see OBITUARY page
  • Feb. 19 am We forgot one yesterday, Happy Birthday to Clay Elem 2nd grader, Cullen Grose
  • Feb. 19 am  Looking back over the last seven days...
  • Feb. 19 am This week Cheny shot a republicrat lawyer, some cheered. The sad number for today is 2,474, the number of coalition deaths as of Friday Feb. 17th.
  • Feb. 19 am Lizemores area residents took the first steps in organizing a new neighborhood watch program after a rash of break ins.
  • Feb. 19 am  EARLY BIRD... County Commission candidate, ole what's his name, got out of the election year blocks fast. Up came a web site followed by campaign cookbooks. Maybe a little too fast clickers. This past week Link spent time giving back campaign cookbook donations after finding out the hard way, he had started collecting $ before filing for office. That's a no no. Wonder who complained? The early bird just got bit.
  • Feb. 19 am Who was the first candidate to unveil posters? County Clerk Demorat Shawn Krajeski.
  • Feb. 19 am The Lady Panther's clinched the LKC Championship.
  • Feb. 19 am  Wednesday night Magistrate Jeff Boggs told a ref at half time, "That was the worst refereeing' he had ever seen. The ref ordered him to leave the CCHS gym. He didn't. The ref told the Sheriff to remove Boggs, he didn't.  As the game ended, Boggs was still talking about the worst refereeing. the ref heard him again. Again the ref told that to the Sheriff. The Sheriff said he agreed with Boggs. Coach Ron Sirk told the ref to grow some thicker skin. As the ref was heading to the lockers, he said he would handle the problem himself. Translation: If the Lady Panthers get sanctioned during one of their best seasons in years,  we know who to blame.
  • Feb. 19 am   Mid week, the County Commission said no to reducing taxes on out of state coal, oil and gas producers in the county. Instead of reducing assessments as recommended by the State Tax Dept., they increased the assessed value 10 fold ($110,000 to ($975,000). Additionally, the CCC began a search for untaxed rolling stock worth $1m's more in taxable holdings.
  • Feb. 19 am  Thugs ransacked trucks at Frontier Telephone Company's office at Maysel. after loading up $200,000+ in equipment, they swiped two big work trucks. One was later recovered on Murder Mountain. The other was found on Jordan Creek in Kanawha County. Much of the hand held equipment was also recovered. Hard working Holcomb will undoubtedly arrest the culprits. The last time the phone company was broke into, they chose NOT to follow thru withh charges. Wonder if they'll do the same thing this time.
  • Feb. 19 am Noticed the work has stopped on the Big Otter Elem School? Away from the public and ever so quietly, the school system has problems. The state folks say you can't have a steep high wall behind a new school. They got one. With no more land available for further contouring the hill, a work around is needed. Maybe move the dirt to the front and into the valley floor? Nope! That would restrict water flow during flooding.   Without a right of way for electric and tele service, there's another roadblock. Enema domain takes time and more $. With the clock ticking, major obstacles remain. Tick Tick Tick
  • Feb. 19 am  For most of us, we've had enough winter. Then snow and cold temps came again. **!!!
  • Feb. 18 am Last night Clay Middle School girl hoopsters beat out Glade in B Ball Tournament action.
  • Feb. 18 am We can give the PoopMeister heck for his public relation skills but not on hustle.
  • Feb. 18 am Wednesday evening  thugs swiped $100,000's in equipment from the local phone company. Thursday mid day, most of the hand tools were found up on Murder Mountain plus two stolen trucks.
  • Feb. 18 am So what do thieves do with a big boom truck and service truck? They play. We understand after stealing the vehicles, the bad guys did doughnuts in the mud until the bigger truck got stuck up. It was the bigger truck , F-450, that was found on Murder Mountain.
  • Feb. 18 am Friday afternoon around 4:30pm came word of the second telephone company truck found on Jordan Creek just below Clendenin in Kanawha County. According to the scanner traffic, the heavy duty service truck was damaged but drive able. How did the Sheriff find it? Leads, tips and leg work.
  • Feb. 18 am Now for the bad guys. Jordan Creek? what is the Clayberry connection with Jordan Creek. Who in Clayberry knows someone on Jordan Creek? Hmmmmm....
  • Feb. 18 am We reported the Lanham boys getting arrested Thursday afternoon after getting in the FasCheck parking lot. Both made bond and back out on the street ready for more excitement.
  • Feb. 18 am Over the last 10 days people have been shot, rocked, attacked, and buildings burned over Danish cartoons which make fun of Muslim big cheese phosphate. When originally published in Sept 2005, little was said. So far, chicken sh** American media outlets have shied away from publishing the images. Here's the link for all 12 cartoons. Be careful clickers, don't let any Muslims see you looking!
  • Feb. 18 am  While AOL, MS, and Yahoo bowed down to government intrusion into our internet privacy, Google told the Feds to stuff it where the sun don't shine. Here's the latest on Google standing up for our privacy rights.
  • Feb. 18 am Get that firewood in now clickers, suppose to be 9 degrees tonight and snow.
  • Feb. 17 Noon    No arrests yet in the telephone company  pillaging and stealing of equipment and 2 trucks
  • Feb. 17 Noon   When you see Prosecutor Jim Samples notice is butt has been reduced. Here's the brief
  • Feb. 17 Noon  Judges are real particular folks. When they tell you to show up for court and be ready, they mean it. Yesterday Judge Alsop was ready for court time but the right prisoners were not brought down from CRJ. The lone prisoner present wasn't suppose to be there. The Prosecutor's office is responsible for seeing prisoners are in court when needed according to Circuit Clerk Mike Asbury.
  • Feb. 17 Noon  Yesterday Judge Alsop was more than a little miffed and opened a can of butt chewing with Samples being the primary recipient.  Clerk Asbury got a dose as well. Someone please give Jim Samples some Preparation H. He needs it.
  • Feb. 17 Noon In the last edition of the Communicator, defense attorney Wayne King responded to this question: Mr King when are you going to pay that $500 you promised Magistrate Mike King back in Nov 2005? Wayne King's response,  "I'll pay it when I D*** well please and you can put that in your paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
  • Feb. 17 Noon  We did just that.
  • Feb. 17 Noon   On Wednesday Sheriff Holcomb filed a civil suit against the Waynester to recover the $500+. Mr King has 20 days to respond to the civil document. Maybe "when I d*** well please" means, right now. Full details in MONDAY'S Communicator.
  • Feb. 17 am The Communicator is delayed until Monday. Here's why.
  • Feb. 17 am Between people jumping out of moving cars,  a fight in a grocery store parking lot, drunk hubbies beating up their squeeze, and stolen vehicles, Thursday was a day of action for Clay County Badges.
  • Feb. 17 am Wednesday night thugs broke into the Frontier Telephone office at Maysel. After breaking into every truck in the fenced and locked lot, $200,000+ in small equipment was loaded into a big boom truck and service truck and out the door they went.
  • Feb. 17 am Thursday morning 7:48 am Deputy Paxton was checking out another stolen vehicle parked at Maysel Baptist when Badges headed to nowhere else but Murder Mountain. There they located the boom truck and another truck stolen from Clendenin. The vehicles were located close to the trailer where Richard Cummings use to live. Remember that name?
  • Feb. 17 am From the scanner it sounded like they found the big truck  near a big pile of stolen items. That pile of goods may have been left behind for a second haul.
  • Feb. 17 am  They spent much of the morning fingerprinting, and collecting blood samples. With two tow trucks on scene, the mired in mud big white truck made it off the hill around noonish.  According to Sheriff Holcomb, much of the $200,000 in hand tools, instruments, gauges, saws etc. were recovered from Murder Mountain.
  • Feb. 17 am The second truck remains unaccounted for.. Over the scanner we heard Holcomb heading down to Kanawha County mid afternoon, most likely on the search.
  • Feb. 17 am While snapping pictures Thursday morning, we had a chance to speak with Murder Mountain resident Tommy Young Sr who said he didn't do it and wouldn't  be a part of such F***** SH**. Sweetie Rene Boyd said she didn't know a thing about the stolen equipment on her family's home place. Remember those names?
  • Feb. 17 am  Near by Ovapa neighbors reported hearing gunshots Tuesday morning at 4:20am.
  • Feb. 17 am  So why did they steal a big boom truck and a service vehicle. One guy at Go Mart had an answer. Since the boom truck was a Ford, they needed the service truck to keep it on the road. Makes sense to us!
  • Feb. 17 am Over in the FasCheck parking lot the Lanhams got into a fist fight. Remember those names? They were fighting because one of them took too many hits off a joint.
  • Feb. 17 am Heading up North past Spread Park, one dumb bunny jumped out of a speeding vehicle. He was taken to the hospital.
  • Feb. 17 am Is it the wa wa or what? This ain't the old days clickers. Remove your car keys on each exist.
  • Feb. 17 am Thinking there is going to be an arrest soon, we're holding up the Communicator until Monday to get as much of the details as possible. Quit whining!!!!!!! You'll get your 50 cents worth and then some!
  • Feb. 17 am How about some NASCAR trivia on West Virginia.
  • Feb. 17 am We've got a new restaurant opening Friday at 11 am. Bobbie and Mike Morris purchased the old Kitchen eatery. Some told them they ought to come up with a new name... since they make real mashed potatoes, why not, "The Real Potatoes" . So far they ain't listening. When you try them out Friday, give em your suggestions.
  • Feb. 16 am  Blanch “Toots” Jones, 66, of Bomont, see OBITUARY page
  • Feb. 16 am  Deadline for Friday's Communicator is TODAY at noon. Email your community events, notices. classifieds, etc. now.
  • Feb. 16 am Yell I know you keep checking for updates but Tuesday night was Valentine's Day and last night was the Braxton County game. Time is not our ally. But for now....
  • Feb. 16 am With  t he season nearly over, the Panthers pulled out a big win over quick running sure shooting Braxton County last night.
  • Feb. 16 am Yesterday during the Board of Review (AKA County Commission) meeting, Kuukla Fran and Ollie said no to reducing coal baron tax burdens. You heard it right, Fola Coal, with the recommendation from the WV Tax Dept. asked for a $8 million tax assessment reduction. The CCC said no. Ditto for Joseph Lauriata Coal  where his tax assessment was INCREASED 10 fold!
  • Feb. 16 am Tuesday's Clay County PSD meeting went well over 2 hours as new Chair Ted Underwood and Simpson Neal went to work correcting problems with the Policy and Procedures manual. When did they vote to change their meeting times to 5pm? It ain't in any meeting minutes!
  • Feb. 16 am   We're working on the Jeff Boggs story from Tuesday night's Lady Panther Basketball victory over St. Albans. A perfect night unless Magistrate Boggs' mouth spoils it all with SSAC sanctions. Boggs said Wednesday, he ain't talking. Everybody else is.
  • Feb. 16 am For those living afar, temps are predicted in the upper 60s today. How nice and the dead of winter too!
  • Feb. 16 am  In his election year bid for a County Commission seat, Super Link is taking credit for a $47,000 grant. Read in Friday's paper one little problem with such accolades.
  • Feb. 16 am   Where's the only source for news and views on Clayberry?
  • Feb. 16 am   We're into typing mode until we get Clayberry's near award winning newspaper out the door mid afternoon Friday. Emergency stuff only will be posted... well, maybe dumb stuff too.
  • Feb. 14 LATE pm Tonight WYAP-LP 101.7 FM is hosting an hour long,  special Valentine's Day show after the Lady Panther ball game. The game should be over by 9. Call in your love requests 304 587-8353 or email at wyap@frontiernet.net. Let your sweetie know you wuv em.
  • Feb. 14 pm Hello to Vickie in Nashville TN.
  • Feb. 14 pm Hello CB too.
  • Feb. 14 pm With snow on the ground, the temps rising, and blue skies from wall to wall, Happy Valentine's Day to one and all. Say something nice to someone today. Let's see now, something nice about the CCC.... Ahhhhh.... The School Board....
  • Feb. 14 pm  I'll try harder clickers.
  • Feb. 14 pm  Wednesday morning, beginning at 10 am, the County Commission will hear from residents with complaints on high property taxes. If  the coal folks can receive  $ millions in reductions, why not you?  Call today for details 587-4259.
  • Feb. 14pm Last night 30 or so community activists met at the Lizemores Fire Dept. building to restart a Neighborhood Watch program. Green Shirt Elswick and Top Badge Holcomb were in attendance. Badges made it clear, those in the group patrolling the community are eyeballs only, they can do a lot to slow down crime by just keeping their eyes open and taking notes. Things like night lighting, door locks, security systems, calling neighbors, and  removing overgrown shrubs so people can see your home make a big difference.  After 75 minutes of brain storming, they came up with a plan which includes: define the area to be served; assign block captions; see what training is available; and look for grants to finance the operation. They plan to meet again next week.
  • Feb. 14 pm   Now the juice. Clay Roane PSD has been a disaster for years. The old Procious PSD was equally dismal. Since the beginning of time, finances have been in shambles, waste has been rampant, and from the bottom up, turmoil has been the norm.  For media outlets, last April's SlapFest and follow up adventures made for "above the fold" news.
  • Feb. 14 pm  Other issues are even more serious. Often those more important issues just don't get the attention, appeal they deserve. When inspectors raise water quality and safety issues with your product, it affects the entire customer base. That happened last week when the latest health report was made public.  Critical health issues were raised in that report as were raised in 2005, 2004, 2003....
  • Feb. 14 pm Having the 3rd highest water rates in the state (and ready for another rate increase) is another area of concern.
  • Feb. 14 pm  Buying a truck two years ago on credit and now the truck is an unroadworthy junk pile is an indication of little oversight. Months of not having accurate concise financial reports is another biggie. Going without annual audits for years.... Change after change in manpower is a further  indicator of a public service district in disarray. Ditto for Boardsters fighting and or quitting or being told to resign. Keeping secrets like how much public employees earn is yet another example of a public service agency in need.
  • Feb. 14 pm Criminal Melissa Postelwait has a blog. Few read it but it's out there. After last Thursday's outdoor PSD meeting, she posted notes including: On the February Invoice (page one, at the bottom) is a charge for Barlette Concrete for $1385.44 for gravel for the driveway at the plant. A quick look back at minutes again reveals no motion was ever made in public to approve such a high dollar purchase. I myself was not aware of the purchase until it was presented on the invoice at the February 9th meeting. Another shining example of District funds being spent without approval to do so. One more thing I want to mention on this is that Barlette is a cash and carry place.  They had to pay upon receiving the gravel.  Who signed the check with out board approval to do so?  It was listed on the January Invoice but the amount was only $1130.77.  Why the difference and why no mention of it in a public meeting?
  • Feb. 14 pm The image conscious PSD is all torqued up over those posts. PSD Chair Dave Grigsby emailed out a response to the writings of the ever challenging brain trust, Postelwait. That correspondence is now over on the ADVISORY page. It's worth reading.
  • Feb. 14 pm Another peeing contest? Nope. It's not even the problem. They haven't got to the problem. They're looking at symptoms of the problem. Questions on how public dollars are spent should be public record. The business of the operation must be ALL public.  Years ago, that WV PSC aluminum siding salesman, Jim Weimer, said that the Procious water plant was too small to EVER treat water at reasonable rates. He said debt load was out of hand and growing. He suggested we consolidate all the PSD's into one properly managed professional operation.  We ran him out of town after he came up with a best deal, bestest deal and a bestest yet ever deal.
  • Feb. 14 pm Here's the problem. It's us. We're dumber than dog doo.
  • Feb. 14 pm Our voters, residents, don't demand performance. Our leadership doesn't have a game plan for the future. Without a game plan, we just react and for the most part, that means to raise rates on the poorest people in the second poorest county in the second poorest state in the union. Normally, the Weimer (we called him Weiner back then) plan would work. It just won't work in Clayberry. In this hamlet of greed, for anything new to work (consolidation), someone's palm has to greased. Weimer said the consolidated PSD would work only if a TRAINED  PROFESSIONAL manager was hired. Near sighted Weimer didn't understand, we don't do that. We hire a brother, brother in law, first cousin, housekeeper, etc.
  • Feb. 14 pm The Dave Grigsby letter is just another example of a troubled government operation. It ain't Dave, Rose, Susan, Johnathon, or even dumb arrss Melissa, it is us!
  • Feb. 14 pm  And what's the answer? There ain't one. The WV PSC doesn't have the gonads to step in and meet their obligations (example Elk Power and Habjan gas companies) of receivership. Now so far in debt, ALL our PSD's are maxed out, They can't go in debt any further to build up infrastructure.
  • Feb. 14 pm Last person out turn off the light bulb please.
  • Feb. 14 pm Hey, we haven't talked about Commissioner Fran King since last week. After three days of web posting, Ms King gave that ace cub reporter double H.  King was worried about the public perception of web postings. Grigbsy is worried about funders and others looking at us and what they do with the information. Grigsby, King and all of us should be worried. We should be worried about perception because on this site and others, it is reality. We're nuts here!!! Instead of worrying about the truth getting out, they should redouble their efforts on what the truth is.
  • Feb. 14 am Happy Day of Love and Kisses
  • Feb. 14 am We've got a juicy post coming later this morning. Check back around noon
  • Feb. 14 am Walter Schoonover lives in the house with all the flowers in front of Clay Middle School. Mr. S found a male mixed dog Sunday afternoon. The thing was covered with snow balls all over.  He trying to find the owner. Did you lose a Yorky mix? call 587-4683
  • Feb. 14 am Too seepy right now clickers. Come back around noon for a winner.
  • Feb. 13 pm  We've been a little remiss in a  couple areas.
  • Feb. 13 pm Feb. is the month set aside by the County Commission to listen to residents with tax issues. For those that feel their taxes are too high or otherwise messed up, call the County Clerk NOW and set up an appointment to be heard. 587-4259 is the number.
  • Feb. 13 pm this morning the CCC heard from coal barons who want their taxes reduced. Before the CCC is reduction of  Fola Coal's assessed values by one half. That's a 7 million tax cut. If its good for them, it's good for you. Call for an appointment now
  • Feb. 13 pm The other thing  under reported are the community meetings now in progress. Commissioner Fran King is the spearhead for this initiative. King and the BDA are working to turn the county into a certified business community. Such designation gives us a leg up on the state level and WV Development office in Charleston. 38 other counties already have the designation. Check the EVENTS page for a meeting close to you. Tonight the 6pm meeting will be held at Big Otter Fire Dept.
  • Feb. 13 am Most areas of the East are reporting the winter storm will have little impact on the morning commute to work. Things are different here in Clayberry.
  • Feb. 13 am  Many don't work. Of our 10,400 population, only 2400 have jobs. Of that 2400, over 1000 travel outside the county for work. Lets see now. 2400 workers, 2250 kids, that's less than 1/2 of our population needing to get out on the roads today.
  • Feb. 13 am Tonight over at Lizemores Fire Department building, a bunch of concerned locals are meeting to reform a Neighborhood Watch program. A rash of recent break ins and robberies have lead to the Watch program.
  • Feb. 1 3 am  Tuesday's Clay County PSD meeting will be convened at 5pm instead of the normal high noon gathering. Last week, the County Commission accepted the resignation of Keith Mr. Happy King from the Water Board. Last Friday was the last day for resigned Office Manager Cindy Schoolcraft. Long time field man Sam Taylor resigned after a January blow out meeting. Since Jan 23rd, Taylor has been off duty on Comp time.
  • Feb. 13 am If you didn't pick up a copy of last week's Communicator, you ought to. Good reading second to none.
  • Feb. 13 am Check back often, we update often.
  • Feb. 13 am  QUOTES:   Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach: "You guys line up alphabetically by height." And, "You guys pair up in groups of three, then line up in a circle."
  • Feb. 13 am Boxing promoter Dan Duva on Mike Tyson hooking up again with promoter Don King: "Why would anyone expect him to come out smarter? He went to prison for three years, not Princeton."
  • Feb. 13 am  Lou Duva, veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of heavyweight Andrew Golota: "He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is."
  • Feb. 12 pm  Elliott "Buddy" David Quinn, 69 , see OBITUARY page .
  • Feb. 12 pm What a beautiful snow!!!!! With accumulations between 4 to 8 inches blanketing the county, kids are having a big day. The sun is even trying to pop thru the gray clouds. Here's the highlights from the last seven days.
  • Feb. 12 pm Last night the Lady Panthers clinched the LKC Championship with a first time ever win over Parkersburg Catholic. Three nights earlier, they whooped up on powerhouse Charleston Catholic. It was great to see their tails tucked as they got back on their chartered bus and in BMWs and Mercedes. The poor little Clay High team is heading to play off action and poised to win it all. Go Claaaaaaaaaay!
  • Feb. 12 pm After three days of court time, Adam Arnold walked away a free man Friday. A jury of his peers found him not guilty of operating or attempting to operate a meth lab at his residence in Pisgah Ridge. So dismal was the Badge's performance in the investigation, much of the evidence was tainted, destroyed, or otherwise unusable. Even worse, the case was  not about an operating meth lab.  At Arnold's home were common household ingredients ( Coleman fuel, gas line dryer, salt, a gas can with a hose sticking out of it, etc.) located in an outside box away from the house. Those items were enough to get him arrested and in the court system for 14 months.
  • Feb. 12 pm Thursday night 80 or more folks from the Lizemores neighborhood organized a community meeting with local Badges. The area has been plagued with break ins and lootings. Many were scared to be at home alone. Clayberry has changed.
  • Feb. 12 pm Thursday night during a Clay Roane PSD meeting, the most recent water quality inspection was made public. Continuing in the tradition of the past several years, several major critical violations were cited. Stuff growing in t he storage tanks and serious issues with chlorine levels topped the list.
  • Feb. 12 pm  Wednesday morning, Commissioner Fran King let go with an 8 minute tirade over postings on this web site. Our postings gave BDA and Ms King double H over removing the CAEZ rep from the county's lead economic development group, the Business Development Authority. Her orations were not over the truthfulness of the postings but that the dirty backdoor underhanded slimy puke actions were made public. She said such press freedoms made the county look bad.
  • Feb. 12 pm Right after her outrage, the County Commission voted unanimously to follow thru with those plans. CAEZ Director Connie Lupardus was tossed from the BDA.
  • Feb. 12 pm During the afternoon CCC Board of Equalization meeting, the public was made aware of reductions in coal taxation. The WV Tax Dept. plans to allow Fola Coal to go untaxed this year on coal holdings. The tax reduction amounts to $7 million in assessed value. Coal baron Joseph Laurita will be allowed to pay no taxes on his vast coal holdings.
  • Feb. 12 pm Just another week in the land of the poor and without. Thanks for tuning in.
  • Feb. 12 pm With Valentine's Day approaching...
  • Feb. 12 pm  Here's how to say I love you in 27 languages:  English I Love You ;  Spanish   Te Amo; French   Je T'aime;  German  lch Liebe Dich; Japanese  Ai Shite Imasu Thai Phom rak khun;  Italian Ti amo;   Chinese Wo Ai Ni;  Swedish Jag Alskar
  • Feb. 12 pm In Alabama Arkansas Kansas Oklahoma Texas North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Tennessee Idaho Missouri Mississippi Montana Louisiana Virginia West Virginia Kentucky and parts of Florida, to say I love you, say, "Nice Arss, Get in the truck"
  • Feb. 11 am  Thelma Virginia Nicholas, 80, see Obituary page
  • Feb. 11 am  Charles Ellis, 52, of Clay, see Obituary page
  • Feb. 11 am Batten down the hatches, winter is finally coming. Snow is in the weekend forecast. 4 to 8 inches expected between now and Sunday midnight. Make sure you have a good supply of winter weather essentials, beer, pretzels and movies rented.
  • Feb. 11 am Here's our story....     13 months ago during a stepped up bust em all campaign, a snitch ratted on Adam Arnold. When Badges arrived Jan 4th 2005, they found  some ingredients for making meth. The usual things, some Coleman fuel, gas line dryer, pickling salt, liquid plumber, and such. Arnold was arrested and carted off to jail. Over the last 13 months, Arnold's been thru the wringer.    Mid afternoon Friday a jury of his peers found him Not Guilty of operating or attempting to operate a secret drug lab.
  • Feb. 11 am   Here's some of the details that came out during the trial. Arnold had just moved into the residence a couple weeks earlier. Those common household articles were NOT found in the rental unit but out back in a large box near a water storage tank. the contents of the box couldn't even be seen from the home.
  • Feb. 11 am Our current law says just having those items in one location can get you arrested for having a meth lab. Defense attorney Wayne King had his act together and worked the jury for 2 1/2 days. In the end, no witness could tie any of the ingredients to Arnold. No fingerprints. No link not even in a bag of trash outside. The bag had some rubber tubing but no old letters, no envelopes, nothing with Adam Arnold's name.
  • Feb. 11 am  Knowing he was digging himself deeper with each testimony, Prosecutor Samples didn't even call three Badges to testify. The case got even whimpier when attorney King let it be known that a bunch of evidence had been destroyed. How bad was it? Judge Alsop told the jury that the destruction of the evidence and witnesses not being called should be considered to have weakened the state's case. That's why the Badges weren't call to the stand!
  • Feb. 11 am  Adam Arnold walked out a  free man. Law enforcement and the court system had taken 13 months from this young man. Who knows how much the over zealous indictment cost the family.
  • Feb. 11 am So you're sitting there thinking, **!! One of those druggies got off!
  • Feb. 11 am Think again. It might be you next. Who's to say out back of your house, laying over in the woods, or in tall brush, someone throws out the remnants of a meth lab. Worse yet, maybe you've thrown over the hill, an old cut up garden hose, empty Coleman Fuel cans.  Might you have discarded some old canning jars? According to local Badge mentality, you're guilty of having a drug lab. Think about it and you'll agree, it's pretty darn scary.
  • Feb. 11 am In that opening volley of drug arrest on top of drug arrests last Jan, Feb. and March, many of us got wrapped up in the media blitz. We're learning clickers. Those broad law enforcement nets can pick up more than druggies.
  • Feb. 11 am  Time to lighten up a little..
  • Feb. 11 am  Two women were playing golf when one teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole. The ball hit one of the men and he immediately clasped his hands together at his groin, fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around in agony. The woman rushed down to the man, and immediately began to apologize "Please allow me to help. I'm a physical therapist and I know I could relieve your pain if you'd allow me," she told him. "Oh, no, I'll be fine in a few minutes," the man replied. He was in obvious agony, lying in the fetal position, still clasping his hands together at his groin. At her persistence, however, he finally allowed her to help. She gently took his hands away and laid them to the side, loosened his pants and put her hands inside. She administered tender and artful massage for several long moments and asked, "How does that feel?" He replied, "It feels great .but my thumb still hurts like H."
  • Feb. 10 am Happy Happy Birthday wishes to Ronda Dennis.
  • Feb. 10 am Yes we know, we're getting way behind in our postings. We're trying, but there is a bunch going on. Promise to try and get up to date by this evening. In the mean time....
  • Feb. 10 am Last night was chilly willy in Clayberry. It was especially chilly for those attending the Clay Roane PSD meeting OUTSIDE the Courthouse. Yelp, seems our little party animals forgot to unlock the meeting room before shagging off to Charleyton.
  • Feb. 10 am The federal Clean Drinking Water Act mandates a yearly inspection. On Jan 20th, that inspection was completed. The findings of the Sanitary Survey were made public last night during the Clay Roane PSD meeting. How serious? County Sanitarian Jay Carper was there in his official capacity as a health officer.
  • Feb. 10 am  Regular bacteria sampling must be done. Clay Roane has serious issues on the chlorine levels in the system. Carper said the water is safe to drink but down the road, it don't look good. At one point Carper said the water was safe to drink but had long term risks "down the road". He later revised that slightly. During 2005, who remembers the public being told about rejected bacteria sample testing? We should have.
  • Feb. 10 am There are the usual safety item complaints, the usual complaints on storage tanks not locked shut from public intrusion, pumps not working, and so forth.
  • Feb. 10 am This  deficiency sounds bad. On page 4 of the report comes this: It can be seen that the settled water turbidities are only slightly improved over the raw water turbidity. TRANSLATION: The chemicals ain't working! Even the instruments used to check for mud in the water haven't been calibrated.
  • Feb. 10 am Two of Clay Roane PSD's storage tanks haven't been cleaned since going on line in 1982. From the report: The system has been detecting high values for disinfection by products (haloacetic acids) that my be linked to chlorine reacting with organic materials present in the storage tanks.  Hmmmmm... organic materials in the tank.
  • Feb. 10 am Sounds like stuff clinging to the inside of the tanks that ought not be there. Those are the tanks holding our ready to drink wa wa. Doesn't that sound appetizing. To find out more about thoe haloacetic aids and links to tumors, cancer, liver and kidney diseases, click, THIS WATER TASTES A LITTLE THICK.
  • Feb. 10 am  It's going to take us a while to read the report more closely. More coming clickers. In the mean time, keep something in mind. These are the same problems the PSD had last  year and did little to nothing about.
  • Feb. 10 am Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson on being a role model:   "I wan' all dem kids to do what I do, to look up to me. I wan' all the kids to copulate me."
  • Feb. 10 am  New Orleans Saint RB George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."
  • Feb. 10 am  And, upon hearing Joe Jacobi of the 'Skins say: "I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl," Matt Millen of  the Raiders said: "To win, I'd run over Joe's Mom, too."
  • Feb. 9 pm We've got pictures from last weekend's Pee Wee Wrestling Classic over on the PHOTO page. Enjoy
  • Feb. 9 pm Lock your doors at night or when away? That was unheard of in Clayberry until just the last few years. Most of us left the keys in the car too. That's all changed now.   Drug thugs have broken into homes.  A month ago 80 year old Clio Morton was home when two such punks broke in. His niece was tied up during the incident.
  • Feb. 9 pm Tonight at 7pm the community of Lizemores is holding a meeting at the fire house to discuss what can be done about the rash of break ins and how to better homes and life against the upward spiral of crime.
  • Feb. 9 pm Down in Charleston at the Marriott, tonight, we've got a party going on. With the Legislature in session, the Clay County Bank is sponsoring a get together between local leaders and the Legislative delegation. Care for some free muchies? Fun starts at 6pm.
  • Feb. 9 am  Tonight the Clay Roane PSD meets in regular session in the County Commission room. The meeting agenda is posted over on the ADVISORY page. Make a copy and bring with you for tonight's always fun to watch PSD.
  • Feb. 9 am rarely a day goes by we don't give Dubbya  double H over his oil war. Our occupation of a foreign land for no good reason is a horrible waste of life and $. The needs of Vets are many. Here in Clayberry, we have another need. We have that post over on the ADVISORY page now.
  • Feb. 9 am We'll have a more complete post later today on Fran King's butt chewing of that ace cub reporter but for right now, it's little too painful to sit for long periods of time.
  • Feb. 9 am As a teaser to get you back later today, this....
  • Feb. 9 am  Fola Coal was assessed $15 million on holdings in Clay last year. After next Monday's Board of Equalization meeting, their assessed value may be cut in half , down to $7 million. Last year a mining co. in the Southern part of the county wanted their taxes reduced by a gazillion dollars. Even with Joseph Lauritta suing the county, the CCC held tight. The suit was dropped and taxes remained the same. Not so this year. Lauritta  will be paying nearly $0 in taxes. Don't blame the CCC, that zero assessment came from the big boys in Charleston.
  • Feb. 8 am See you this afternoon.
  • Feb. 8 pm This morning the Clay County Commission deappointed the CAEZ rep from the Business Development Authority.
  • Feb. 8 pm Before doing so, Fran King provided 8 minutes of how bad it looks for such peeing contests to be made public and how such publicity is bad for the county.   Well Duhhhhhhhhhhhhh
  • Feb. 8 pm The problem is not the reporting . The problem is the peeing contest! Ms King's logic would suggest Dubbya's Oil war would be OK if no one knew about it. Ms King's logic would suggest breaking the law is OK as long as no one finds out.
  • Feb. 8 pm With the CAEZ Director removed from the BDA Board, and an demonstrated attitude of we're not interested in efforts of the CAEZ, Clayberry is right back where it's always been, unorganized, divided, and without a unified direction for the future. Pitiful
  • Feb. 8 pm Also from this morning's meeting, the CCC tabled plans for three Badges to get Christmas bonuses two month's late. The Sheriff called the Bonus's one time adjustments which is not allowed based on Attorney General opinions. After month's of overtime and increased expenses like gasoline bills and maintenance, according to Commissioner Sams, the Sheriff's budget is in trouble.
  • Feb. 8 pm We've got a real trial in progress in Circuit Court land. On Jan 5 2005, Adam Arnold was charged with a clandestine drug lab. Three Green Shirt Badges have already testified on what was found. The  trial continues Thursday morning at 9am sharp.
  • Feb. 8 pm Many times we've given defense attorney Wayne King H for bumbling, unprepared, or otherwise under par performances. Not so this time. King has all his notes in order, little stacks of info here and there, and appears to be following a check marked list of what to do first and on and on. King appears working two angles. One, just because all that crap was laying around Arnold's residence, that don't mean squat. And, two, just because you have coleman fuel, gasoline dryer, and battery acid around, there ain't nothing illegal!
  • Feb. 8 pm Come out and enjoy some courtroom time this month. The public is allowed in and unless you start snoring in the peanut gallery, Judge Alsop doesn't even yell at you.
  • Feb. 8 am  Last night the CCHS Panthers barely scraped by Webster. Head over  to the high school tonight at 7:30 for Lady Panther B Ball action.
  • Feb. 8 am  This morning at 10 the County Commission meets. They have a big decision to make. They will vote on a new member to the Business Development Authority (BDA). Behind the scenes, inner click members of the BDA are recommending Jim Dawson to fill a position now occupied by the CAEZ Director.
  • Feb. 8 am This morning the CCC will either vote to eliminate the CAEZ from helping grow the county of Clay or pee off the BDA by appointing some other pick.
  • Feb. 8 am State Code speaks on who sits on county development authorities. That section of the code is now posted over on the ADVISORY page above Senator Randy White's weekly column. Sure sounds like the law says our BDA shall cooperate and work in conjunction with other agencies to advance the county. Leaving the CAEZ out in the cold doesn't sound like the spirit of the law.
  • Feb. 8 am  Also on the agenda, the trend continues, more pay raises coming. This time the Sheriff Dept will be givin pay increases.
  • Feb. 8 am  Should be a good morning to attend a public meeting, do you understand what I mean?
  • Feb. 8 am Over on Main Street, Bobbie and Mike Morris purchased the old Kitchen restaurant building and are readying the eatery for reopening next week.
  • Feb. 8 am   During Monday night's School Board meeting, Kenneth Tanner spent time uploading dog and pony show pictures to a web site. He used a school lap top, school camera, school wireless internet connection, and was on school time. The only question is, to which web site, the school's site or  his boss's campaign site? Take a guess.
  • Feb. 8 am Bob Weaver operates the online journal, The Hurherald. Weaver often speaks out when badges go stupid on us. Now labeled a cop hater, Weaver was arrested Monday night for taking pictures of a car wreck. For the full report on When Cops Go Bad, click In the Jail house Now.
  • Feb. 8 am Look at your  gas and electric bill. Costly to warm that house? You bet it is. Geo Thermal heat pumps use the warmth from the earth, pond, or water well as a heat source. Check out our newest advertiser over on the home page for more.
  • Feb. 8 am And something for our conservative buddies ...
  • Bush is my shepherd; I dwell in want.

    • He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests.
    He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness.
    He restoreth my fears.
    He leadeth me in the paths of international disgrace for his ego's sake.
    Yea, though I walk through the valley of pollution and war,
    I will find no exit, for thou art in office.
    Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy media control, they discomfort me.
    Thou preparest an agenda of deception in the presence of thy religion.
    Thou anointest my head with foreign oil.
    My health insurance runneth out.
    Surely megalomania and false patriotism shall follow me all the days of
    thy term.  And my jobless child shall dwell in my basement forever.
  • Feb. 7 am  SCREW UP  SCREW UP  My Bad!  Tonight's Health Board meeting begins at 6 pm. That's 6pm TONIGHT. Thanks LK for keeping us straight
  • Feb. 7 am  The latest edition of The Communicator is all printed up  to be on all the news stands Tuesday afternoon. 20 pages of the most accurate news and views on life in ever so troubled, Clayberry West Virginia.
  • Feb. 7 am   There's a full week of stuff this week. Today at 4pm, the CAEZ Eco/Dev Committee meets followed by the full Board meeting at 6pm.    Clay Town Council also meets today at 6pm. Their meetings are held at the water plant.
  • Feb. 7 am Tonight at 6 is the quarterly meeting of the Clay County Bd of Health.
  • Feb. 7 am The Panthers play home court ball beginning at 7:30. Webster County is the opponent.
  • Feb. 7 am During daylight hours head over to Circuit Court land where the entire month of Feb. is booked solid.   Wednesday morning the County Commission meets at 10 am.    Lots more this week. Will post as we go along.
  • Feb. 7 am Big get well wishes extended to O Gene King who was ambulanced to Charleston Sunday morning real early. We think he's just got one cross wise but who knows for sure. He's still down there for testing as of Monday night.. King was missed during last night's School Board meeting.
  • Feb. 7 am After a picture taking dog and pony show, the School Board voted to call the new consolidated school, Big Otter Elem.
  • Feb. 7 am  Our School leaders also interviewed the lone candidate for the soon to be vacated Superintendent's spot. As he was promised before Link got the nod several years back, look for Larry Gillespie to finally get his chance at the top spot.
  • Feb. 7 am In our weekend post we mentioned the peeing contest against CAEZ Director Connie Lupardus by the success challenged Clay County Business Development Authority. The plan is to keep CAEZ from being involved in growing Clay.
  • Feb. 7 am Here's another example of how our elected and appointed leadership can mess up a wet dream!
  • Feb. 7 am Wednesday morning during the Commission meeting, under the stewardship of Fran King, the CCC plans to remove the CAEZ rep from the BDA and install Jim Dawson. Dawson is of course a fine person to be on the BDA but his strong background is not the reason for his appointment. The idea is to get Lupardus off the BDA. Fill that slot with someone not from the CAEZ. Lupardus comes up with too many ideas. Her follow through and success rate makes the BDA look like bumbling stumps. With the CAEZ backed Rail Road Co-Op working in high gear to open a campground at Dundon this year, the CAEZ backed (Lupardus) and the Co-Op for that matter, has to be stopped. There is no room for growing tourism and jobs!
  • Feb. 7 am   Nothing scares our old line blue bloods more than for local yocals to have a way to make money doing tourism work. If locals start making money on their own, they become too independent for the big boys to control. Control is most important in this land of poverty.
  • Feb. 7 am Behind the scenes, band leader Fran King has taken it on herself to stop Lupardus efforts to grow the county of little. No we're not making this up. Stupid as it sounds and is, Fran confirmed her wrath of other people getting credit and taking the ball and running with it. When WVU officials were here three Friday's ago to check out a 3 million gallon per day fresh water supply out Widen, Ms King admitted to keeping the meeting and tour of Widen secret from the CAEZ.
  • Feb. 7 am Last year when the BDA was  told Fran was being appointed to the BDA, they asked Commissioner Triplett to find someone else to be on the board. The BDA didn't want her.  Band leader King might want to stop and look over her shoulder to see if anybody is following.
  • Feb. 7 am  So what comes next? Watch for Fran to say I give up. I quit! I've had it with the BDA!  Instead of busting up Clay County's best shot at prosperity in 50 years, watch Ms King to stomp her feet and employ that droopy lip routine.
  • Feb. 7 am  She and the county would be better served by forming a partnership with the CAEZ, telling the rest of the BDA to grow up or go away, and pressing on with a Connie/Fran duo of making something good happen. With the BDA track record, anything less would be a disgrace to our county.
  • Feb. 7 am   It's time to grow up Fran!!!!!!!!!!
  • Feb. 5 am Before the weekend wrap up, there's a peewee and Jr. high age wrestling tournament over at CCHS beginning at 9am today. Might be fun to go out and watch the small fry's.
  • Feb. 5 am Here's our view of things from the last seven days.
  • Feb. 5 am Near the end of each month there are few public meetings. There's always an exception...
  • Feb. 5 am Clay County PSD held an emergency meeting Wednesday at 4:30.  Ted Underwood and Simpson Neal were in attendance. Before the meeting Underwood told those in attendance, those that knew about the meeting, that he had every intention of following Open Meeting Laws. How refreshing! Underwood also agreed to accept the Board Chairmanship post.
  • Feb. 5 am   Over the last eight months or so it looked like our appointed and elected leaders were getting their heads together and developing a united front to grow tourism in the county. The union was between the CAEZ and the Business Development Authority (BDA). Change comes hard for Clayberry. Just when something looks like it is improving, BAM, the old Clay BS comes seeping thru the back door. We shoot our own foot.   It's happening again clickers.
  • Feb. 5 am  We've got a  peeing contest in progress with the pee-er being the BDA. A looks like they have their shorts bunched up over the successes of the CAEZ and the BC&G Railroad Co-Op. For instance..
  • Feb. 5 am For some time the BDA has said they want office space with a paid professional in charge.  Back in the fall, the CAEZ offered the BDA office space, use of the CAEZ office machines, and even the CAEZ secretary to answer the phone. So far, the BDA has said No to such a partnership. The BDA doesn't want the CAEZ to steal any of their thunder. The BDA thinks the CAEZ may find out about BDA plans and get some of the glory if anything good ever comes.  So far the BDA hasn't managed ANY thunder. More along the lines of faint fizzle is about all they've been able to muster.
  • Feb. 5 am  For instance...    New BDA member RT Sizemore revitilaized an old idea on the county looking at growing a fish hatchery, fish fingerling, etc operation in Clayberry,  employ existing water sources like the 3 million gallons per day pure water source out Widen. In attendance, CAEZ Director Connie Lupardus was enthusiastic about the idea. Lupadus has been working with the BC & G RR Co-Op which is setting up an excursion railroad from Dundon to Widen. How wonderful it would be for the train riders to have something nice to look at while in Widen. Three weeks ago, researchers from WVU came to Clay to look at the water source. CAEZ and Connie Lupardus were NOT told about the WVU visit. She was deliberately excluded.
  • Feb. 5 am What the BDA doesn't understand is, leaving the CAEZ out, won't work. The BDA and Clayberry is a tiny zit on the butt of the state. Neither can attain anything without the other. Our county can do nothing but wither on the vine without both groups working in partnership. Until the BDA grows up and quits stomping their feet like a little kid, Clay is doomed.
  • Feb. 5 am   About the only time we think about electric service is when it goes off or a rate increase is approved. This week two Clay County suppliers, Elk Power and Black Diamond averted being put into receivership with last second negotiations in front of the WV PSC Judge. The PSC told the court, the David Musser companies had all but abandoned the county of Clay with dismal leadership.
  • Feb. 5 am Buried deep in the paperwork came word of a $1.6 million refund NOT being paid to customers.
  • Feb. 5 am This week we found out how vulnerable we are to being cut off from the rest of the world. Friday morning a tree fell across the single telephone line from Nicholas County that connects all our tele and internet communications to the rest of the world. With cell towers linked by land line as well, Clayberry' commmunications was severed.
  • Feb. 5 am Even with telephone communications restored before dark Friday, internet connections remained shaky as late as Saturday night.
  • Feb. 5 am At week's end, the S word made an appearance. After weeks of warm temps, the mention of snow scared us enough to head to the grocery store and ready for winter. Saturday night we built up our fires and hunkered down for a blast of winter. Little kids said they wished the snow would come on Sunday night so schools would be closed Monday.
  • Feb. 5 am Just another week in the land of little.
  • Feb. 4 am Happy 32nd Birthday Matt Evans of Bentree.
  • Feb. 4 am Pretty much all telephone service comes into the county on a lone telephone line from Nicholas County. A falling tree managed to tear down that line Friday morning around 9 am. With the line down, no DSL (or dial up service). Clayberry was locked out of all outside communications for most of Friday. Business and Government was all but shut down. Many of us web junkies showed signs of withdrawal by noon.
  • Feb. 4 am  Sometime after 3pm Friday tele service was restored. Well after dark, Frontier's internet service came back on line.
  • Feb. 4 am One telephone for all communications? Correct.   We found out how weak our infrastructure really is yesterday. No communications in or out for nearly an entire day.
  • Feb. 4 am Last night the high school JV and Varsity B Ball  teams were victorious of Roane County.
  • Feb. 4 am For those looking for the newspaper that no one ever reads, stop looking. It won't be out until Monday afternoon. No big story we're working on this time... just needed more time for digging.
  • Feb. 4 am   Speaking of digging......    The Tucker's Bottom water line extension project should be completed next week if good weather continues. With thirty customers ready to hook up, there's a problem. Tucker's Bottom is in the northern end of the county and is served by a tiny little water line that is already sucked dry by existing customers. That section of line from downtown Clay is slated for upgrade later this spring. The plans originally called for an 8 inch line. The very first change made by Clay County PSD was to reduce that 8 inch line down to 6 inches. Savings? around $70,000. Ahhhh what's a little less water?
  • Feb. 4 am On our Monday post on the WV Public Service Commission ready to put Elk Power and Black Diamond Electric into receivership.... After accepting an agreement from David Musser (owner), the receivership proceedings were stayed for 60 days.
  • Feb. 4 am One question remains, what happened to the $1.6 million that was suppose to be refunded to customers? Full details in that paper nobody reads, The Communicator, Monday.
  • Feb. 4 am  Dubbya's oil war has cost  $250 billion since we invaded Iraq. That's $100,000 per minute.
  • Feb. 4 am  More coming. Check back Saturday.
  • Feb. 2 pm  Mary Alice Roberts, 61, of Wallback, see OBITUARY page
  • Feb. 2 pm From the Roane County Times/Record....
  • Feb. 2 pm  Sabrina Ann Metheney, 22, of Grannies Creek, Ovapa and Rocky Bailey, age and address unknown, for operating a clandestine drug lab, manufacturing methamphetamine, child neglect and related charges after police allegedly discovered a drug lab in the home Metheney shared with her 5-year-old son in January of this year
  • Feb. 2 pm  Kenneth Lee Crites, 27, of Bomont for possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of methamphetamine. Crites was stopped in a November road check near the Clay County line.
  • Feb. 2 am  Glendale California's Lee Sizemore Dorgan, Happy Birthday
  • Feb. 2 am Over in Scotsville Va, Happy Birthday Kyle Rhodes.
  • Feb. 2 am  From yesterday afternoon, Gov Smokin Joe: “Today has once again been a difficult day for our State’s miners, their families and our mining industry.  Out of respect for family members who have not yet been notified, I will not speak in specifics.  But I can confirm that we have had accidents at three separate coal mines, two underground mines and one surface mine that have resulted in two fatalities.

    •       As a result of these three incidents, all of which occurred within just the last few hours, I am calling on the industry to cease production activities immediately and go into a Mine Safety Stand Down.  This means that starting with the current shift, and each new shift after that, the mine companies, supervisors, and the miners themselves are to engage in a thorough review of safety procedures before any work is to continue.
        Today, I have also called on our Federal MSHA colleagues, and they immediately agreed, to send additional mine safety resources to West Virginia to participate in activities related to the stand-down. In addition, while each mine in the State is currently scheduled to be inspected every three months, we will immediately begin the process of inspecting every mine in the State and their equipment, conditions, engineering plans, safety procedures and safe work practices.  My office is also in the process of filing emergency rules tonight that are the next step in implementing the mine safety legislation that was passed by the Legislature last week.
         While the last month has been more trying for our State than anyone could have ever imagined, West Virginia remains committed to putting the safety of every one of our miners first and foremost above all else.
          We will continue to work with labor and industry leaders, and the members of our Legislature in this effort.  But tonight, our hearts and prayers, and the hearts and prayers of every West Virginian, go out to the families of the two men that were lost today.”
  • Feb2 am With all mines chut down, Guess Don Blankenship just met his match.
  • Feb. 2 am  More coming clickers, stay tuned.
  • Feb. 1 pm We have sunshine from wall to wall today. Get out and have some fun. If you're at work, start coughing or something and take off early. It's beautiful!!!!!
  • Feb. 1 pm Monday night we reported on WV Public Service Commission actions to place two Clayberry electric suppliers (Elk Power and Black Diamond) into receivership. Lots of questions have been coming in on that subject and the impact to this county.
  • Feb. 1 pm According to Black's Law Dictionary: Receivership is a legal proceeding in which a receiver is appointed for an insolvent corporation, partnership, or individual to preserve the assets for benefit of affected parties.
  • Feb. 1 pm  What comes after the PSC demand is unclear.  'Couple years ago the same WV PSC demanded John Habjan's gas companies be put into receivership. As far as we can tell, that was never done.
  • Feb. 1 pm  AT&T opened their data base for government snoops. Now they're getting sued.
  • Feb1 pm  Here's our CIndy Sheehan update. She wasn't yelling or protesting before W's speech, just wearing an anti war tee shirt. Seems our man George didn't ANY kind of free speech last night. Also ejected from the Senate chamber was a Reps. wife who was wearing a pro war shirt.
  • Feb. 1 pm  With 1000's of civilians dead and many 1000's more wounded, with over 2300 soldiers dead and 1000's and 1000's severely injured and torn apart, with many journalists blown apart and beheaded, ABC news has made the loss of one pretty talking head front page news.
  • Feb. 1 pm  And to wrap up this afternoon's post, Army officials say it's perfectly acceptable and legal for American soldiers to collect information on citizens without any type of court action. Just Do It!
  • Feb. 1 pm
  • Feb. 1 am Happy Happy Birthday to Don Gill today.
  • Feb1 am Tonight the Panthers take on Calhoun County in home court action over at CCHS.
  • Feb. 1 am Thursday evening at 5, the Clay County Business Development Authority will convene their monthly meeting in the County Commission room at the Courthouse.
  • Feb. 1 am the Communicator comes out Friday (we think). Deadline for community events, classifieds, notices, obituaries is Thursday morning. Get your stuff in ASAP.
  • Feb. 1 am Last night Megan Cole scored her 1000th point during the romp over Webster County.
  • Feb. 1 am President Dubbya did his annual butchering of the english language in the state of union speech.  While that was going on....
  • Feb. 1 am  Cindy Sheehan was getting arrested not for yelling something but for wearing an anti war tee shirt.
  • Feb. 1 am  A group of newspaper publishers and book sellers were deciding to sue Google for making access of news pages too easy.
  • Feb. 1 am  While W was telling us the oil war was going reaaaal well, 11 young men were found dead with a bullet wound in the back of each head. Must have been suicide.
  • Feb. 1 am  The 17th state said gay men and women have the same rights as ALL Americans.
  • Feb. 1 am  While Dubbya was seating Sam Alito, 2 more lower courts said women have rights too.
  • Feb. 1 am  Dubya was strong and convincing on the need to restore all provisions of the Patriot Act. Under those new commy  provisions, you can be charged with a felony for protesting to close to the President.
  • Feb. 1 am  Just another night of listening to public relations dog and pony show of deception better known as Bush's second term in office.

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