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The First Edition Of Hur Herald: May 1996
By Bob Weaver
The Hur Herald is now in its eighth year of publication, the original printed version
and the on-line version since 1999.
The Hur Herald was launched in May, 1996 with no forethought, a one-time printed
"newspaper" for the amusement of the residents of Hur. The occasion was a
community get-together at the Weaver house, having just returned to the community
to live.
Part of the fun was having a mock election for Mayor, signs, ballots and eloquent
campaign speeches delivered by Rick Fitzwater and Louie Slider. When I ran, even
when paying for most of the food and getting the entertainment, I always lost.
It is somewhat fascinating, after several Hur "elections," Rick Fitzwater, in the real
world, has served as a member of the Calhoun County Board of Education and I
have had the privilege of being on the County Commission.
The lead story in first Hur Herald gave details about the vicious campaign, after
which Slider was always elected to the coveted position, with "Fitzwater and
Weaver the born losers."
Other highlights in that first edition:
The removal of the historical fallen down outhouses in the the Hur church cemetery,
to be replaced by modern versions, still outhouses.
Obituaries included well known Hur residents Leona Sturm, 92, one of the villages
crank'em-up telephone operators; Ona Roberts Smith, 93, resident of the Kerby
Ridge and mother of nine and Scottie McCoy, 84, fascinating character and last of
the Hur store keepers.
A poetic insert from Grantsville poet Nettie Stump, appropriate for this season:
"When the trees commence to bud, and the sun dries up the mud, and the showers
bring on the flood - It is the sign of Spring.
A notice that other important elected offices will be filled, Street and Sanitation
Director, Justice for Peacemaking, Dog Catcher, Mental Hygiene Net Supervisor, in
addition to five council seats.
Proposition 111 was on the ballot to extend the limits of the village. The only
requirement was a verbal declaration of wanting to be a citizen, followed by a
swearing in ceremony by Judge Carl Shaw.
The Will Sturm house, long a landmark, burned to the ground in downtown Hur.
The online Herald was started in 1999, at the suggestion of Norma Knotts Shaffer
and Rich Kurnik. Since that time, somehow we have written millions of words and
published thousands of photographs about the life and times in Sunny Cal, past and
present.
The Herald has lots of devoted readers who have connections to Calhoun, the region
and West Virginia, but most are scattered across America. A growing number of
readers, however, have no roots in the area, but for some reason or another, they
just check in.
Who would have ever thunk!
We are grateful to them all, including those who have submitted stories and
pictures.
Here is the front page story in the first edition of The Herald: May, 1996:
HUR ELECTION CLIMAXES IN BITTER BATTLE - Charges Of Vote Buying Uttered
The two announced candidates for Mayor of the Village of Hur, Lewis Slider and Bob
Weaver have been canvassing the neighborhood from Slider Fork to the head of Pine
Creek, trading political punches in an effort to be elected to the coveted
position.
Weaver, in a press conference held this week, said he caught Slider attempting to
bribe Charles Kerby in front of the Mt. Olive Church, just before Sunday School.
Slider, whose campaign slogan is "Slider-One Honest Man," denied the charges
saying he was talking with Kerby about ramp digging.
Weaver appears to be running about the community while Slider is at work
spreading other rumors, promising lower taxes and the development of an industrial
park on the Kerby Ridge.
Slider accused Weaver of being underhanded by giving away ramps to all the elderly
people in the neighborhood. Weaver maintains he is just a friendly guy who wants to
be a good neighbor.
The battle got fiercer four weeks ago when Rick Fitzwater was selected as Weaver's
campaign manager. "He knows all the dirty tricks," accused Slider. "He's a banker."
Slider apparently forgot to mention his wife Dottie, who is his campaign chairperson,
is also a banker.
Weaver, when asked what he stood for in the election, said "Truth, justice and the
American way." Weaver became angry when Slider said he had the mentality of a
person who had read too many Superman comic books, from whence he stole the
slogan.
Weaver was spotted in front of the old McCoy Store making a speech, saying he
represented the poor and hapless (apparently meaning hopeless), who needed help
to rise up and become part of the working class. He said Slider lived in the newest
house on the highest hill in Hur. "There he sits looking down on the rest of us," he
said.
Slider became irritated by the comments and replied "I am full of passion for the
little guy." An unidentified Weaver supporter called Slider and said "You should
confine your passion to Dottie and we'll take care of our own."
The election will be held Tuesday on Weaver's front porch, in an effort to save the
beleaguered village from vanishing in the 21st century.
So, with this major news event, the Herald was launched.
In August we plan to publish a special one-week edition of the best and worst of the
Herald.
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