 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Rev. Keith Belt filled his regular appointment at the Burning Sprin gs M. E. Church. There will be church at Burning Springs on December 25, starting at 9 A.M.
The Wirt road crew put down some berm material on CR 9, the Ann's Run road between Route 5 and the bridge that crosses the West Fork.
The Creston Area Neighborhood Watch's Christmas Party and meeting was held at the Community Building December 12th. There were at least 20 on hand including former Wirt County Commissioner Roy Copen and Sheriff Keith Wilson. Ron Balfour was unable to make the meeting but sent honey to all that were present. It was noted that everyone had a good time. Elka McClung who lives out on Fairview Ridge won the Cabelas gift certificate.
Cooter & Sis Marks, J. P. & A. C. Marks, Sarah Harris, Chuckles & Sandy Richter, Debbie Griffin & Cap'n Spock motored to Wheeling to see the light display at Oglebay Park. Cooter also wanted to visit Cabelas. On the way back they saw many wrecks as there was snow and icy bridges and the road crews in that neighborhood were caught off guard. They also noted that over in Ohio, the salt trucks were putting out material like the folks formerly did in West Virginia before "the new & improved standards" were implemented.
The Creston Community Building Christmas Party was held Saturday evening and a big crowd was on hand to talk with Santa & Mrs. Santa, visit with friends, relatives and neighbors and chow down on all the goodies, such as the ham Ted Grim & Debbie McCracken brought from Erie Pennsylvania, Ellen Hedge's noodles, Jerry Campbell's pineapple upside down cake, homemade pies and other delicacies. As W. Harrison Schenerlein IV said, "The decorations are neat." [A lot of effort was put into decorating and getting ready for the gala event.] The party received rave reviews according to facebook postings. Those present had to waddle back to their vehicles and the children were happy with their presents which included $2 bills.
Susan Myers and Nancy Engelke attended the Landau Eugene Murphy concert at the Smoot Theater in Parkersburg. They noted that the Logan native was an excellent performer.
W. Harrison Schenerlein IV & Charles Russell were dining with brother Euell, Ray Gumm and associates at Miletree on Sunday. Ray's wife had noted earlier that it was Gumm, not the gum of gum boots, bee gums, chewing gum, etc.
Those who follow politics note that the "wise ones" that gave the Republican party "winners" like Bob Dole (the Viagra man) and Sen McVain are doing their darnedest to make sure that the weakest of candidates will be up against the Big Eared One next year. They all seem to come unwound whenever someone speaks the truth that "offends" someone or makes it clear that there will be a no holds barred fight.
The postal system, the prime example of the government running a 'so-called' business venture, has announced that they will be slowing down the delivery times for first class mail and future post office closings "will be delayed for a few months." If Obamacare is implemented one can expect similar high class health care delivery as well. With federally mandated rules the efficiency of the medical profession has been reduced and, as all know well, the costs have gone up (just to comply with the rules). It should be noted that Creston, and by extension, Brooksville has excellent postal service by folks who know their customers and go the extra mile for superb service.
For those who have had the occasion to do any banking business recently there are now reams more paperwork required by the law Barney Frank & friends passed to protect the big banks that "are too big to fail" which rules are apparently designed to force out of business local banks that still exist in a number of local communities. None of their executives attended the $38,500 fundraisers where the news media is banned so as to not tarnish the image of the fellow supports the Occupy Wall Street international organization, etc.
A salesman for a Government Motors dealership, when asked, said they didn't sell used cars because they had to concentrate on new car sales to comply with the terms set to keep their franchise. The head of a private car company said the Volt, otherwise known as the Obamamobile, was a car for idiots. Apparently the technology hasn't worked out so well and sales reflect other "winners" like the Edsel, New Coke, Coca Cola's polar bear cans, etc.
Helen "Peggy" Cooper, the widow of Rev. S. Edgar Cooper, Jr., is a patient in the Camden-Clark Hospital is not doing well at all.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil fell to $92.08/bbl reflecting the worldwide economic turmoil and the unsettling domestic economic news. While a big hoopla was made over the unemployment rate dropping to 8.6% a closer look would show that the reason the rate dropped was because the size of the work force in the nation has shrunk and if the work force was the same size as it was two years ago the rate would be 11%. The real rate when one counts the underemployed and part timers as well as those who gave up trying would be closer to 20%. Reflecting the drop in the price of crude the price of gasoline in selected localities dropped to under $3.20/gallon.
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