CRESTON NEWS

(10/01/2001)
By Alvin Engelke

There will be a benefit auction Saturday, October 6, starting at 6:30 P. M. at the Creston Community Building. Proceeds will go for upkeep of the building. Bobby Ray will bring down all sorts of goodies and there will be delectable delights from the kitchen. Come spend the evening visiting, hunting bargains and catching up on the latest news.

Linda Buchanan continues to improve after her car's encounter with a cement truck. She is out of intensive care and hip surgery is scheduled for Wednesday. She may get to leave the hospital a week or so after that surgery but will not be able to walk for at least an additional ten weeks.

Cap'n Spock was among those calling on Phil and Betty Winters at their Elizabeth residence.

Nancy and Jane Engelke were attending to business in Paducah, Kentucky. On their way back they made a wrong turn, as they learned when they passed the sign that said "Welcome to Tennessee". They ended up spending a night in Lexington, Kentucky.

Sue Farnsworth, the popular Creston postmistress, hung it up on Friday with a surprise party. She said that she wanted to thank all those who have helped and with whom she has been in contact all these years. Sue started out in the Burning Springs post office and has been at Creston for a number of years. While Sue stressed all those who have helped her and made her life easier, those who know are well aware that it was Sue who helped make the Creston Post Office a user friendly facility. Those who have experiences elsewhere can easily relate to what this really means. For now an OIC from the Parkersburg area will be running the office.

Those calling on Dorothy Graham on the occasion of her 76th birthday Friday included Mary, Ruth & Dale Schrader, Tim, Angie, Mike and Megan Kemp, Amanda and Toby Ray, Michael and Paul Edward Graham. She received cards and telephone calls from family not in the area. She noted that the visits, cards and calls helped lift her spirits and that she had been suffering from a cold.

Betty Jo Lemon was visiting her son and his family in North Carolina where he is stationed in the Air Force. His family had a reunion.

Barbara Jane Fluharty was consulting with her physician.

W. A. Wilson, Jr. is home after a visit at Roane General Hospital.

Leota Workman was visiting area relatives over the weekend and stayed with SFC & Mrs. Tom Fluharty, USA, Ret'd.

J. P., R. P. & A. C. Marks were calling on Aunt Debbie and Uncle John this week.

The price of natural gas has now fallen to under $2/MCF or less than 1/5th of the price in January 2001. The Rockefeller companies are busy now buying cheap gas to fill their storage fields so it can be sold high later. The price of Pennsylvania grade crude is now less that $20/bbl.

Area tobacco growers are about to wind up the harvest of their burley crop which would appear to be good this season.

Local residents have been having telephone troubles which were said to be caused by "cards" at the phone facility along the dePue straight on W. Va. 5. It has been noted that the local telephone system has been allowed to become obsolete.

The nation's new war continues to be a topic locally. While Creston is much safer than Washington, D. C., New York and London, it was pointed out that no one is safe anywhere. Mr. Netanyahu, the former Prime Minister of Israel, who has a great understanding of the current trouble, notes that western civilization, Judaism and Christianity are all under attack by a well organized (& well funded) movement and their allies. He noted that decisive action, over the long haul, will have to be taken and cautioned against half hearted measures. One might say bombing aspirin factories when grand juries are meeting will not get it.

Air travelers report that planes "aren't crowded" and workers in airports are lonesome as there are few around. In view of the gents obtaining fake Hazmat endorsements on phony CDLs, one fellow who travels a lot said he would not go in any tunnels or subways. Another mentioned that his brother had been involved in the construction of a big hotel complex in Orlando, Florida but that is now on hold as occupancy in hotels there is now 20%. Apparently, the magic kingdom is on a list of targets.

While all this is going on the PC police have been busy. It isn't nice to talk about terrorists, they are "alleged hijackers". One should not speak badly about Moslems (or Mohammedens, as they used to be called) even though "death to the infidels" has been the byline of many for centuries. [Creston area residents are among the infidels.] Of course this is unfair to many who did nothing, or had family killed in New York and are appalled that some would make such a scene and embarrass them. Old Walter Crankcase (Cronkite) even compared Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson to Osama Ben Laden for their audacity in making comparisons to the Old Testament where God punished Sodom, Gomorra, the Canaanites and finally Israel & Judah for upholding abominations, baby killing, etc.

Sadie, the cute little Beagle-looking puppy that was abandoned at the Griffin residence last week, still needs a good home. She has now had her parvo & distempers shots, has been wormed and had Advantage flea stuff applied. She is too young to have rabies shots yet. The number to call is 275-0922.

While walnuts, hickory nuts and papaws are thick in some places, some Creston area locations are lacking. One big paw paw patch had only three. The bushytails and turkeys are thick and the night before the weather changed one might think that all the deer in the world were out on the black top. Some did not survive.

While the low gas prices have put on ice some local drilling plans the deep gas business is going full bore. Dominion Resources has been out looking for locations and the seismic "group shoot" orchestrated by Annette Evans is continuing even though it is understood that legal action is in the works. Certain industry sources pointed out the severity of mineral trespass and Ms Evans and her secret backers are said to be in deep doo doo.

The ginseng (sang) & goldenseal (yellowroot) meeting is scheduled for October 11 at 6 P. M. at the West Fork Park at Arnoldsburg. This is an opportunity to become self sufficient on one's own land raising high dollar legal cash crops that have almost unlimited demand. Dave Cook from WVU Extension and Fred Hays from the Center for Sustainable Resources will give the presentation. One can preregister by calling 548-7117.

Anna Engelke and Keith Collins went to hear Maya Angelou, a big Bill Clinton operative who spoke at Fairmont State College. They also attended the college homecoming dance.

Keith Collins was the escort for the Kappa Delti Pi (or should it be pie?) candidate.

Auction Saturday, October 6, starting at 6:30 P. M. at the Creston Community Building. New & used items, food, cheese, tools, etc. For details call Donna Sue at 275-3202. Bobby Ray Starcher 890-01.