Year
in Review 2007
A
Look Back
Another 12 months is behind us. Where did it go? For Delta Communications and The Communicator, it went to public meetings, court hearing after hearing, and typing like crazy to get the news out the door often a day late. Here’s our look back at ’07. Just the high parts mind ya, but something to remind you of the year gone by.
January 07 came in with warm temps often reaching into the upper 60s. Many commented: If this is global warming, I like it! Terry Lively was named the Clay County Person of the Year for her efforts with the Apple Festival and a new endeavor, a skate park for the area youth. We were busy hanging a handle on Larry Gillespie the new School Superintendent. Those that entered the naming contest offered: Scary Larry, Larry the Levy Guy, Larry the Lackey, Airy Larry, The Imitator, Larry Leghorn and the Somber Super. We chose the later for our Superintendent. Wayne King was readying for a disciplinary hearing before the Supreme Court.
Over in County Commission land, a new guy replaced Jimmy Sams. People in the county joked that’s school employees voted for him to make sure he couldn’t come back into the school system. Maybe they weren’t joking. About as quick as Sams left office, his 10 Commandments display disappeared. First in it’s place came a nice drawing of the Courthouse followed by a in God We Trust plague. New Commissioner Ole What’s his name said he put it up on the wall and there wasn’t anything anybody could do about it.
Sheriff Holcomb complained to the CCC about the number of people on the county jail bill after being sentenced to Federal custody.
Town Council started their hush hush mumbles as they tried not to make public a scare that a topless bar may be coming to the municipality. Glen Nichols asked that an ordinance be created. Our lead story’s headline was “Booty Ordinance Bounced Around”. During two Council meetings in Jan there was no mention of the upcoming election for Mayor, Council and Recorder. Notice of the filing window did NOT come until four days after the filing deadline.
After a rate increase, Clay Roane PSD announced they were no longer in debt. They bought 2,117,000 gallons from the Town water plant and had a 11.5% water loss rate.
Kevin Duffy was in the grease for not showing up for court. After missing more than one court appearance Kevin Duffy put on an Academy award winning performance before Judge Alsop.
Word on the street had it that Telford’s Chevy was in financial trouble and General Truck Sales was being offered the dealership.
The School system was twisting arms every way they could to get a Feb 24th Excess Levy passed. Seems $14 million isn’t enough for the pentagon on the hill.
Feb 07 Our Clay County Person of the Year , Terry Lively, was awarded the distinguished West Virginia award by Gov Manchin.
Feb was the month of ice cold temperatures and no gas service for much of the county. The finger pointed at John Habjan Sr and his three company empire as the culprit responsible for neighbors freezing. Letters were sent to the WV Public Service Commission. So serious was the situation, the PSC started the process to take over the locally owned natural gas supplier, Habjan. Night after night near zero temps continued. Emergency shelters were set up to house those in need. Commissioner Fran King made regional newscasts as our dire situation went public. Schools shut down. Businesses closed. Any gas in the aged lines went out thru numerous leaks and ruptures.
The BDA quietly hired an attorney to figure out a boundary dispute on a corner of the old Filcon site where it meets with Fabion Brown’s holdings. As for the progress of the BDA, Chair Leonard “My Good Buddy” Williams said they had to show some progress, to move it or milk it. As for actually owning the Filcon site, word came that two triangle sections of the place remained deeded to the original owners. Boardster Fran King announced that she had secured a grant to hire teens for community service projects.
One time State Senator Randy Schoonover was first in the slammer and then back in custody for mental competency hearings.
Newbee Commissioner Slinky said he would like to host once a month “Munch n Lunches” after the second County Commission meeting each month. He said it would be an opportunity for Departments heads to discuss important issues affecting the Courthouse.
Residents at Laurel Nursing went without cable TV service.
911 Director Pat Beets first mentioned his one size fits all Flood Plan Ordinance. Residents quickly picked it up as “zoning” for the county.
Over in School Board land, the high dollar folks were greasing the tracks to ensure an Excess Levy YES vote. Promises were made to add new classrooms at existing schools. The public didn’t know, the classrooms had to be built to accommodate the newly acquired Head Start program.
Week after week the freezing temps continued. As many as 1000 customers went without natural gas for heating. The PSC held an emergency hearing in Charleston. Just before Judge Ric Facemire ordered Habjan’s empire into receivership, Habjan filed for US Bankruptcy protection. Didn’t work. A work around was given and Habjan was ordered out of business. Columbia Gas and Mountaineer Gas workers showed up to start the repair process. Happy Faces were awarded to Fran King, Pat Beets, Ed Clarkston, Darrell McKown, Mountaineer and Columbia Gas Companies for all night efforts to restore gas service in Clayberry.
On Feb 15th, long time Clay County attorney and two time Prosecutor , Wayne King had his law license yanked.
During the Health Dept meeting (Feb 8th), questions came up on who is really the threat preparedness coordinator. Director Klotzbach said her and Jay Carper’s work load was so heavy, she needed to hire someone. The Board voted to do just that.
After being made public by this newspaper, the School Board discussed plans to install $300,000 in astro turf at Schoonover/Bradley Field. With the Excess Levy Election just around the corner, they didn’t want the astro turf news made public.. or at least not until after the election anyway.
With the Flood Plain Ordinance (Zoning) issue firing up, a second vote on the new law was delayed. A public hearing was set for March 14th. Commission Prez Triplett had done his homework and disputed much of what was being presented to the public.
MARCH 2007 Our Police Blotter page filled to three pages with lots of arrests for drugs an drunk driving.
Jim Holcomb and Georgia Lee Neal celebrated 77 years of marriage. Charles Cantrell was named a Hometown Hero.
On the Excess Levy, the vote: In favor of paying extra taxes – 716; Voting against wasting more money – 334. Teachers in Clay County voted NOT to go on strike. Other counties did strike.
BDA Chair Leonard Williams tendered his resignation only to un tender it a few days later. First mention came of setting up a separate non profit came March 1st. A motion was passed to get bids to build a new metal building at the old Filcon site. The BDA recommended the Katherine Knotts by appointed the group.
In County Commission land, the new guy was having trouble adapting to making decisions during “public” meetings. He set off to himself and said little. Joyce McLaughlin was hired as County Coroner. That didn’t last too long. The first Flood Plain Ordinance Hearing was held March 14th. 300 or more filed the upstairs Courtroom. Their message: CCC, Don’t you DARE try zoning in this county. The public gave Charleston big wig a Robert Perry and local Flood Plain Coordinator Pat Beets double H. They took a verbal beating.
During a regular meeting of the CCC, Ambulance Service Director Bev King took a dressing down over employee appearance and talk on 911 radios. Commissioner Peter Triplett raised serious questions over mismanaged shift schedules, over time wages, who gets the overtime, and double billing. Bev King never learned to listen. Each time she opened her mouth, she inserted another foot. Her mouth was full pretty quick. Connie Lupardus asked permission to apply for a ½ million dollar grant to study a proposed 22 mile super highway from Clay over to Nicholas county via mined out lands.
A grant to pay Deputies and Prosecutors for hours worked on domestic violence cases was returned to the Grantor. Not one penny of the money was used. Our local officials chose to use local dollars instead of free money from the Feds.
Over at the JG Bradley Campground, the foundation was laid for a new lodge building. Connie Lupardus started work on saving the old Dundon bridge.
In the middle of March Federal agents surrounded Telford’s Chevy. They shut the place down and confiscated a computer among other things. The center of their investigation was TG Cruickshank Jr. Word spread quick that it was porno related. Down in Charleston, the Fed Prosecutor’s office would give no details. We contacted TG who said our web postings were NOT accurate. He said, “I have never experienced anything like this in my life…. I got to get things worked out”.
The Spring grand jury indicted 11. Most of em were indicted on drug, meth charges. 48 year old Dewey Owsley was indicted for the murder of Thelma Thomas.
Senator Rockefeller came to the Big Otter Community Center March 25th. During the heavily attended event, Jay promised to restore civil liberties and end the war.
APRIL 2007 The snow came. Lots of it. Kids got out of school.
The Clay County Housing Authority called an emergency meeting . Jay Carper and Fran King were present. They raised strong concerns over the management of the county’s two low income housing projects. Encore Management Co oversees both operations. In addition to serious lack of maintenance , was money missing with the finger pointing at long time Site Manager Sherry Brown. Fran King reported very few of the 35+ rental units were fit for use. She said both High Street and Maysel Manor units were in horrible shape. Both Board members called for a Federal audit. Ms Brown later admitted to stealing money from the tenants of both housing units.
After admitting the town’s sewer plant was operating in the red and in need of a rate increase , Town Council voted Yes to a water rate increase. Since the Town wholesales wa wa to the entire county, a water rate increase will provide more $ to Town coffers. While water rates go up, the 350 customer sewer system continued to go belly up and needing monthly transfusions from Town accounts to operate.
Long time school teacher Ray James committed suicide April 1st at his home in Maysel. Rosey Keen died in a fire at her Main Street Clay Home April 10th.
The BC&G got in a verbal battle over the stalled lodge conference center at their campground. The contractor and others wanted to build it without plans and by the seat of their pants. On the other side, Connie Lupardus contended, if you don’t do it right (blueprints and by state code mandates) the group would NEVER receive grants for the much needed addition. The quarterly meeting was stormy to say the least.
A Fishing Derby held April 14th out at Lake Sampson brought a ton of kids to enjoy the new Lake. It was ice cold and rainy the entire day. The kids never noticed the bad conditions. They had a blast.
Seems it takes a couple thumps on their heads to get their attention. A second Flood Plain Ordinance was held April 12th. With an even bigger crowd in attendance, the consensus: What part of NO do you not understand Clay County Commission. The crowd was even more mean spirited than during an earlier hearing on the issue of zoning for the county.
Brian Moore and Morgan Gibson submitted their resignations from the BDA. Much time was spent during an April CCC meeting discussing increased expenses at the Ambulance Service. Director Bev King once again got her butt chewed for the spending without Commission approval. She told em, she didn’t need their permission to spend money. Commission Prez Pete King got ALLLL fired up on that last comment from Bev King.
A community design team came to Clay in April to tell us what we need to do to spruce up the town, make it more suitable for tourism stuff. Other than flooding the whole place, basically, they said everything needed reworked. Signs, sidewalk repairs, changing the parking on Main Street, building side street parking lots, fixing parking meters or doing away with em, new street lights, planting trees, adding a small park and colorful banners were at the top of the immediate needs.
New ball field lights were turned on out at Clay County park. Cost to turn them on each time: $500.
Druggies continued to get arrested in April. Little Mikey Lanham was arrested once again on battery, public intox, trespassing and battery. Bond was set at $25,000. Not counting these charges, Lanham has 11 felony charges , 9 battery convictions, and a total of 66 misdemeanors to his name.
New Commissioner Linkinooooger came to office promising grants galore for the county. The first grant application was filed and would provide $17,608.00 for the school system to provide popcorn and movies as a way to prevent juvenile delinquency.
Faced with a Federal Tax Lien of $ 219,682.00, Telford’s Chevy laid off employees and for all intents and purposes, shut down April 27th.
May 2007 On May 3rd Federal officials and the owner of Encore Management came to Maysel Manor for a sit down meeting. The public was tossed from the public meeting immediately. Encore owner Doug Pauley told his employees not to say a word in public. Days later, Commissioner King’s sister in law Joyce McLaughlin was on the job as Site Manager. When asked about the old manager and maintenance man, one attorney replied :They are separated from their employment. After the story was published in Clay County’s real newspaper, The Communicator, Fran King went ape S*** mad and said Joyce wasn’t here sister in law. Joyce jumped that ace cub reporter with all kind of negative comments. Somewhere during the verbal skirmish, Joyce admitted she hadn’t even read the article!
Clay County Humane Society discovered many dead dogs tossed over a hillside and brought the information to the County Commission’s attention on May 9th. They pointed the finger at Dog Warden Walter Stutler. Over in the Prosecutor’s office, it looked like a game of musical chairs as office dividers and desks were moved around.
On May 15th someone stole Clay McGhee’s watch dog. He pointed the finger at Drema Thomas. She denied everything. For a while, it looked like some long court action was in store. Didn’t happen readers and the dog was never found.
The West Virginia Supreme Court admonished Circuit Judge Ric Facemire on May 15th for his conduct during the Gerald Thompson drug trial. Thompson was ordered another trial. The high court decided Facemire’s actions influenced jurors.
The Town of Clay water plant stopped fluoriding the water supply citing danger to employees health.
The Skate Park Committee held their first events in the Howard Knotts building at Clay County Park.
BDA Chair Leonard Williams and Jerry Nelson bailed out of the lead economic group May 5th. Connie Lupardus spoke on a need for a town wide Clean Up Day. A few minutes into her spiel, the BDA adjourned. Puff! Gone!
Health Dept employees received a $1200 maximum pay raise.
Dewey Owsley plead guilty to the Christmas Day 05 killing of Thelma Thomas.
In May, during a County Commission meeting, the newbee Commissioner made our day when he recommended (advised) the reading of the Communicator to the world. He said our stories were very entertaining!
SUMMER TIME IN CLAY Yahoooooooooooooooo! School’s out and the kids are free! Lumping June, July, and August together, just before the June 12th Municipal Election those wanting to keep their Council jobs voted to start fluoriding the water supply once again. That election eve tactic didn’t help much. On the 12th with 112 voters taking part, Jack Brown was elected to replace King Arthur Jarrett as Mayor. Council changed hands with Llyn Drake, Jeremy Hanshaw voted into office along with returning, Joyce Gibson, Betty Murphy, and Jerry Stover.
The Courthouse square was scrubbed down. A Metal Recycling Day was held. Yard Sales were on every corner in the county. Kids swam in Elk River. On June 30th WYAP radio station held the Small Town America Celebrates Independence Day in downtown. Each Saturday night the non profit station held outdoor music shows in the old Fas Chek of Clay parking lot. Hundreds showed up for the weekly event. Over at the JG Bradley Campground music shows were held as were yard sales, antique car shows, and farmers markets.
The June meeting of the BDA was nothing but fire. With Chair Williams resigned, the Vice Chair ran the meeting. It didn’t take long for many of the Board members to lather up. The acting chair said they didn’t need to build a building at Filcon. They didn’t have the money for the building! Fran King didn’t take the Chair’s words well nor did Boardster Jesse Sizemore. As a matter of fact, they couldn’t even decide to cut the tall grass at the industrial site. On Commissioner Slinky’s idea to use $25,00 in BDA funds to train Courthouse employees on a computer program training session , Jesse Sizemore, “ Who does he think he is, Superintendent of the County!!!!”
In June rumbles were heard over at Clay County’s most top secret social service provider, Clay Development Corp. Firings came. Shhhhh!!!! It’s all top secret. Mums the word!
Telford Chevy went into Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. One more business dead in the county of little. Helen Jeffers nearly died when Clay County Ambulances were unavailable to take her to a Charleston hospital.
Fran King was elected to be the BDA Chair. At her first meeting, she told those in attendance, she was making changes and if you don’t like, there’s the door. As a matter of fact, she said that at least five times. Sometime in there she told her Boardster buddies, it’s time to get to work and added, “This ain’t no Social Club”. When the local radio station asked the BDA for a $50 ad campaign on the station, first the request letter was said to be lost. With a second letter in hand, at least two BDA members refused to sign the Board approved ad campaign to draw tourists into the county. Another Boardster quit. Seems members of the BDA were unwilling to sign that $50 check because that ace cub reporter also volunteers over at WYAP-LP. Shame Shame Shame
Hillary Tinney was selected the 2007 Ag Fair Queen.
The BC&G RR Co-Op opened their Welcome Center Hot dog stand at Two Run. With floaters everywhere in Buffalo Creek, E-Coli was discovered in the stream running beside the new campground. The group’s June 30th meeting was stormy to say the least. Maybe, just growing pains!
The School Board tried a sneaky when it came to a new salary for the Somber Super, Larry Gillespie. They made it sound like he would be getting $82,000 for his services. A look at the second page of the contract revealed another $11,500 bonus . Adding it all up plus days off, hospitalization and other perks, our Clay County Somber Super is pulling in over $120,000. Guess that’s why they needed that Excess Levy so bad!
On July 18th, 13 year veteran, Green Shirt Marlo Gonzales committed suicide with his own service revolver. One Hell of a nice guy gone way too soon.
Nepotism was alive and well in July when Council person Joyce Gibson voted to hire her own daughter in law Cathy Butcher for a Town job.
In thugery news, 26 year old Donnie Welch, one of the conspirators that tried to blow up Sheriff Holcomb, plead guilty to four felonies.
Lizemores Fire Department ordered a brand new ambulance to be stationed at the Fire House. County Commission refused to give the needed OK for LVFD’s ambulance be dispatched by the county wide 911 service.
During the August Town Council meeting , Council person Llyn Drake made her demands very clear. She wanted a Municipal Court set up and she wants to be the Judge. How important was it to Ms Drake? She was willing to give up her elected position ($100/month) for the Judge’s slot ($500 /month minimum).
In the sweltering heat of August, Commissioner Triplett and King caught the new guy up in some clever wordsmithing. At issue was words and descriptions in a $20,000.00 Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation grant request.
In the bad news department, Greenlee Properties shut down their Main Street Clay office on August 13th. With the building up for sale, The Communicator office (also house in the building) was told, you got 36 hours to get out ‘cause the utilities will be turned off on August 15th at 8 am. The lazy hazy days of Summer changed immediately.
Business man and BDA member Jim Knotts’ life changed August 31st. He was charged with 48 sexual assault charges to a minor. After spending a night in CRJ, Knotts made the $240,000 bond. Many of the charges go as far back as 1991. Knotts remained in the public trust position on the Business Development Authority.
SEPTEMBER 2007 Back to school time. The new Valley Dale Elem school opened. Parents immediately started complaining about the longer bus rides. With the $8m facility already open, seems a little late to complain.
Helen Jeffers was named 20007 the Golden Delicious Belle. The Apple Festival came once again. Smiles everywhere!
Construction of the Dundon Bridge Ski Slope stopped for five weeks. Nothing happened for the weeks leading up to the Apple Festival. Traffic jams were daily. During the Festival, it was all but impossible to get into Town.
Pat Legg moved the Bickmore Tire Shop into downtown Clay.
Ex Senator Randy Schoonover was given a year of home confinement followed by parole. Talk about hard time! Harry Tanner was given 30 years in the slammer for his part of the stabbing murder of a Florida resident. His partner in the crime, Tressy Moore, received 20 years.
In Sept CAEZ Director Connie Lupardus asked the County Commission and Town Council to take over ownership of the old Dundon bridge. She wanted the structure turned into a tourist attraction to grow the economy. Both government agencies said heck no to the proposal.
OCTOBER 2007 The Big Otter Fire Department spent much of the year fighting over a small strip of property on the westward side of the firehouse. The rift grew bigger in the Fall went it was announced their Executive Committee purchased an acre of dirt ($20,000) on the east side of the building.
Roger Nutter resigned as President of the BC&G RR Co-OP citing health issues.
The Save the Bridge effort continued with a signed petition presented to the County Commission. They nor Town Council were swayed.
Llyn Drake continued her effort to set up a speed trap court, I mean a Municipal Court without success. County Commission struggled with high jail bills. Construction on the Dundon bridge ski slope remained stalled. Traffic, especially about the time school buses were running, was a night mare.
The Communicator celebrated 12 years of near award winning newspaper excellence. The move to the new Two Run location was completed in Oct. A shipping center was added to the office supply end of the business. Combined with off street parking and that endorsement by the County Commissioner, the business grew a little more! We added a new sports column penned by Garrett Sudath from Morgantown.
In October there were 4802 Demorats, 1296 Republicrats, and 3 in the Mountain Party, and 431 Independents in Clay County. CCHS Volley Baller Alysia Hively scored her 1000th Kill on Oct 25th. The Clay Ambulance Service received a new truck for service on Oct 25th. In Oct Badges came onto private property and broke up a gospel sing/church service on Tom Auxier’s property. They said the music was too noisy! Earl Elliot demanded the CCC OK 911 dispatching for the new Lizemores’ Fire Dept Ambulance. They didn’t get it!
During a Nov meeting of the County Commission, it became public, if the BC&G RR buys the rails up Buffalo, the true owner will be the CCC. Six indictments were returned by the Winter Grand Jury. Once again, mostly druggies and alleged sexual perverts were given the true bill status.
November 2007 Nights got chilly. Teens tried to maintain their summer tans. They hung out Go Mart… for a while. Residents prepared for Buck season and Thanksgiving Day.
Bomber Donnie Welch received 22 years for trying to blow up Sheriff Holcomb.
Continuing their tradition of doing little, the BDA met Nov 1st. They once again tried to organize themselves into a new stand alone agency. Didn’t work.
Town Council applied for another wa wa rate increase. They continued to hold Llyn Drake at bay on the need for a Municipal Court.
Our front page above the fold article reported a soaring CCHS drop out rate. The old Valley Fork School was sold to the CAEZ to be turned into a community technical college building. Bid rigging forced the CAEZ to pay the full price.
DECEMBER 2007 We started slowing down just a bit during the Holiday season. People decorated. Dinners were held around the County. Houses were decorated. The Town of Clay did not hang up ANY decorations on the utility poles on Main Street.
The BDA continued running in circles. During the Dec CAEZ meeting, after some questioning by Peter Triplett it became known, the BC&G RR did not have ANY liability insurance on their Campground and that CAEZ is the actual owner of the newly under roof Lodge Bldg there. By month’s end the BC&G reported having insurance on their operation. A shocker none the less!
During a Commission meeting, VFW Rep Joe Lanham told the elected group, he wanted the long standing and beautiful evergreens in front of the old Courthouse chopped down to make room for a new Veterans Memorial. The county of Clay, or at least many of em went wild over the idea of cutting down the last remaining tall trees on Main Street. Historical Society Prez Jerry Stover suggested that the trees would look better cut up into furniture.
During a Dec Commission meeting, Health Dept Director Linda Klotzbach demanded that smoking behind the Courthouse be stopped. She said her department could get an injunction to enforce the smoking ban. A few days later Ms Klotzbach said she never meant any kind of legal action. She meant she would start an education plan in the county.
On Dec 17th fired Clay Development Corp employee Brenda Baird filed a $2.6 million lawsuit the top secret social service provider. She claims she was wrongly fired from the family run agency after she answered question from a Board member who wanted to know about quarterly bonuses given to select few upper echelon administrators .
On a good note, two new tax preparation businesses opened I downtown Clay near the end of December. Maybe that’s a sign of a better new year.
Thanks for supporting the Communicator in 2007. Getting the news out is important to the health of Clay County West Virginia and we love providing it to you. Happy 2008 . AW