CRESTON NEWS

(07/30/2001)
By Alvin Engelke

Nancy and Jane Engelke and Michael Tedrick attended the Country Roads Festival Pageants in Pennsboro Saturday evening. The theme was "Under the Sea". Jane and Michael served as pageant judges. Jane for the Queens division and Michael for the Teen and Princess Divisions. Only in small town America would pageant lovers have a dog as part of the doings. It seems that seven years ago, when the pageant started, this particular dog wandered into the auditorium. He has visited every pageant since and could be found sitting on someone's lap getting lots of petting or just wandering around amongst the crowd. The Queen is named after a famous New York City garment factory worker who eventually became the owner of 16 plants in four states, including Pennsboro, West Virginia. She was very philanthropic in nature, making many generous donations to Ritchie County. Thus the Country Roads Festival Committee is proud to name the festival pageant winner "Queen Vera".

Anna Engelke and Keith Collins were visiting in Wirt County for the week-end. Keith was celebrating his 21st birthday. Anna was looking in attics for pictures to decorate her apartment. Keith was interested in borrowing the Civil War story about Burning Springs called Leander. Keith is a history buff and especially enjoys Civil War history. His recent trip to Gettysburg piqued his interest. Anna and Keith are planning a return trip with friends to do some "ghost walks" and see what they missed on their first visit. Keith stated he had never seen so many statues.

Jeremy Carl Ferrell and Andrea Bonnet were united in marriage Saturday, July 28 at the Creston Community Building. Jeremy is presently working in Parkersburg.

Mr. & Mrs. Tony Graham of Wheeling were calling on Dorothy Graham and relatives in Newark.

Tommy & Kathy Ohse were calling on Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ferrell and daughter.

In deep drilling news, Columbia's well near Gassaway came in big as did the well that Harry Clay Boggs drilled off Aplin Ridge in southern Jackson County. Ardent is moving equipment on their location on Bennett's Mill Run (Bull River) near Grantsville and work is scheduled to start soon on Cabot's location on Brown's Ridge south of Rockport. Several more wells have been permitted in several counties and Cabot is buying pipe line right-of-way in Calhoun County for wells that are yet to be drilled. The folks down at the Mouth of Elk River have been busy trying to cut special breaks for out of state owners of deep wells. As Leona Helmsly said, "Only little people pay taxes."

Fisher Well Surveys, Inc. was attending to business in Creston Friday. Perkins Oil and Gas has been doing service work at Sanoma, down at the mouth of Big Two Run and on the Richardsonville Road.

R. K. Lynch was calling on S. R. Lynch.

Shawn Starcher has been busy cutting weeds and brush around his place and up the road toward the Creston Community Building. He also has two little goats to help.

Two Guns said he didn't report about missing the whistle pigs down on the Carper bottoms and wanted a retraction printed. He must be inferring that the retired furniture salesman is a worse shot.

It was reported that Bible school at the Creston church was a success. There were 28 the first day, 35 the next and then 44. On Thursday night 35 went to Rendor Lanes for bowling and 86 came to the gospel sing. On Sunday evening the children put on a program about what they learned during the week. Dorothy Graham reported that she surprised herself by being able to sing to the youngsters.

Gaylen Duskey, who writes in the Parkersburg News, reported that the powers that be are busy working up plans to eliminate Wirt County from the face of the state. No doubt, Calhoun County is next. The forces of regional government and one world rule have a real pal in Canterberry, the regional jail tycoon. The folks down at the Mouth of Elk River have been working on county abolition plans since at least 1968. Deals like the ABM treaty and the Koyoto Accords are the equivalent on a national level to make the United States of America a country that "once was", sort of like Carthage, the Incas, the Byzantine Empire, etc.

Mary Reno was calling in Creston Friday evening and dropped off decorations for her grandson's wedding. On her way home, over on Independence road, her chariot caught fire under the hood. The cause of the blaze has yet to be determined.

Local residents are still awaiting the results of the autopsy on Steve Burner and there is no talk about the four wheeler feller that didn't make it.

Larry Ferrell and Mary were visiting in Creston.