July 2007 News

 
  • July 31 pm Happy 8th birthday wishes to Abigail McKinney.
  • July 31 pm  Happy 30th Birthday wishes to Roger McKinney
  • July 31 pm  From the email bag:  Hello! My father's birthday is tomorrow August 1st and I was wondering if you could let everyone know!   His name is Dave Hill and he will be 40 years old tomorrow, he lives in Two Run and his family would love to wish him a very very happy birthday!    Wife Melissa, Children: Brandie,  Danielle, Cory, Gary And granddaughter Gracey Paige!
  • July 31 pm Never under estimate the power and determination of a band of volunteers. From the email bag:  As the 2007 Football Season gets underway The Clay County Panthers Intermediate Football (Midget League) is proud to have 94 football players and 40 cheerleaders participating this year. We are equally proud to have another great coaching staff to come out this year and volunteer there time to these young athletes. We hope to have wonderful season.......   GO PANTHERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • July 31 pm  Power is off for about a quarter of the county. Allegheny Power sent out notices that they would be doing  maintenance at the Widen substation today from 9 until 2pm. Customers affected: Strange Creek, Cora Brown Hill, Sugar Tree Hill, Wilson Ridge ( hello jimmy miller), Runnion Ridge, Widen, Majestic, Peach Orchard, Dog Run, Ugly Run, Harrison, Swandale, Groves Creek, Paddy's Ridge, Sand Fork, Triplett Ridge. Questions? Dial 1 800 255-3443
  • July 31 pm While you're sitting there at your desk goofing off, here's something pretty cool. Up to the minute stats and info on the World Clock.
  • July 31 pm  In the last Communicator was note on John Habjan Jr unwilling to pee test as required by his probation terms. You don't have to whiz but if you don't, to jail you will go. He did.
  • July 31 pm Mr Habjan was back before Judge Alsop this morning. He said that they tested him in jail against his wishes. That test came up positive for one hard drug and pot. Knowing full well the pot was still in his system, Habjan refused again to submit to testing. Back to jail he went.
  • July 31 pm It's  a shame that a soft drug like pot remains detectable for several weeks while super addictive stuff like meth, cocaine, oxy leave the system in just a few days.
  • July 31 pm No matter what, court orders are just that. Habjan violated the terms of his probation and Judges don't like that.
  • July 31 pm Local Badges are after pot growers this week. Although a little early to get those nice tall juice laden buds, helicopters and Badges in four wheel drives are all over the place looking for the state's number one cash crop. Sheriff Holcomb said they have been pretty succesful this year with some 10 footers already confiscated.
  • July 31 pm Deadline for this Friday's Communicator is Wednesday night late. Get your notices and events emailed over ASAP. Thanks.
  • July 30 pm   Oooops   Had a guy stop today and asked about the opening of the new Welcome Center at Two Run. He said this site reported the opening as being in Oct.  Incorrecto... Should happen in the first couple weeks of August.
  • July 30 pm   Most in the county have utilities restored and Clayberry is once again quiet. Most businesses are waiting for the new burst in the economy. Translation: Monthly Govt checks are coming Tuesday. The Town will be alive once again.
  • July 30 pm  If you read the last edition of the Communicator, you know John Habjan Jr decided he wasn't going to pee test as ordered in Circuit Court land. After several nights in the can, Mr Habjan will be back in Circuit Court Tuesday morning.
  • July 30 pm Yellow tomatoes are now setting on porches to ripen.
  • July 30 pm  Terribly quiet in the County. No new stories circulating about.
  • July 30 pm You know what that means? Something is going on.
  • July 30 pm  24 hours into my week of bachlorhood: Picked up the Sunday newspaper. Stepped in the dog pee twice thinking it was a roof leak. Cleaned up the pee on the third pass and with two wet socks.
  • July 30 pm Where is that bottle of Maker's Mark.....
  • July 30 pm  Famous words:   "The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." -- A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp
  • July 30 pm  Famous words:   "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -- Western Union internal memo, 1876.
  • July 30 pm   Famous words:   "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

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  • July 29 pm  From the email bag:  Please wish Kalep Cottrill a Happy 4th Birthday on July 30th.  He is the son of Kevin and Missy Cottrill of Indore and the big bubby of Charlie.  Happy Birthday from all of your family we love you very much
  • July 29 pm Ole Dubbya is asking for relaxed restrictions allowing for more surveillance of private citizens. When will he learn???
  • July 29 pm   B Cup:   Hillary is hot and bothered over coverage of her cleavage.
  • July 29 pm   With election year still months away but campaigns in high gear, altering election machines is also in t the news. Yelp, it's easy to change election results.
  • July 29 pm  Little mention this past week on the blood bath in Iraq. Congres is still sitting on their thumbs as American soldiers die needlessly.
  • July 29 pm   There have been 3,940 coalition deaths -- 3,646 Americans, two Australians, 163 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 21 Poles, two Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq as of July 27, 2007, according to a CNN count.
  • July 29 pm  Closer to home....
  • July 29 pm On Monday down in the Federal building in Charleston, Donnie Welch plead guilty to four counts of conspiring with Sam Murphy to blow up Sheriff Holcomb in 2005. So use to covering up and fibbing, he nearly blew his plea deal. After come side bar huddles with his attorneys, Welch finally told the truth to the Judge. Full coverage in the next Communicator.
  • July 29 pm  With investigating officer Gonzales dead, charges against Joe Morris were dropped. Health Bd Chair Morris was charged with battery last year after smacking the glasses off the Mel Gibson look alike.
  • July 29 pm  Wednesday's Commission meeting was a keeper. Earl Elliot from the Lizemore Fire Dept was more than upset over remarks made by Commissioners and Sheriff Holcomb during an earlier CCC meeting. Elliot asked that the elected folks quit making nasty remarks and instead start working with residents in the southern end of the county. Mr Elliot also announced that the LVFD plans call for buying their own ambulance to serve that end of the county.
  • July 29 pm Commissioners had raised eyebrows and voiced hesitancy on the plan.  All kinds of issues came up. Behind the scenes Team Elliot and others know: If they get a shiny new ambulance and the CCC refuses to sign off on its use, not a one of them will get re elected. For that matter, the CCC can expect to be lynched!
  • July 29 pm Wednesday morning, the Magistrate ordered town barber Larry Herald out of his Main Street Clay location. court records indicate herald was three months behind in rent and hadn't paid his heating bill to boot.
  • July 29 pm Thursday afternoon, $68,000 in loan and grant funds were signed by Pete Johnson and Earl Elliot for the Lizemores Fire Dept. Look for the brand new truck, difibulater, and heart monitor to arrive in Sept.
  • July 29 pm  Storms blanketed the county Thursday and Friday. Trees fell taking power and telephone lines with em. Many residents went without power thru Saturday. One power company guy from AEP said: they hoped to have all service restored by Monday evening.
  • July 29 pm We had our first fatality at the Ag Fair held Fri and Sat.  One hog succumbed to the heat.
  • July 29 pm Step by step, inch by inch, those railroad folks keep on growing. Sunday morning signs went up at their new Welcome Center at Two Run. Look for the place to open sometime in early October.
  • July 29 pm And finally, wifey left again. She's doing some kind of conference thang in  Morgantown.  Vacation time again for the ace cub reporter!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • July 29 pm  Now fellows, those of you that are married , you know what I'm talkin about... There are times you shouldn't laugh... screw ups that go beyond an "Ooops".....  and when you get that look. You know the one, the one that means you're out of action for weeks!
  • July 29 pm Over the years most of us have learned the ropes and know how to handle "those" situations.
  • July 29 pm  9 WORDS WOMEN USE:    1. Fine : This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

  • 2. Five Minutes : If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
    3. Nothing : This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
    4. Go Ahead : This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
    5. Loud Sigh : This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)
    6. That's Okay : This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
    7. Thanks : A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say you're welcome.
    8 . Whatever : Is a women's way of saying *@!$ YOU!
    9. Don't worry about it, I got it : Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking "What's wrong?" For the woman's response refer to #3.
  • July 27 pm We have a new notice from the Humane Assoc on the ADVISORY page
  • July 27 pm Storms played havoc with the County late Friday
  • July 27 pm  By 6 pm electric had blinked its last blink in the Maysel area.
  • July 27 pm  Around 7pm  the old Fas Chek parking lot looked like a lake.
  • July 27 pm With the power blinking around 9:30pm, Sheriff Holcomb was heard on the scanner telling dispatch that the 911 tower was back up running.  Most likely on generator power.
  • July 27 pm In between the power blinks, we were able to get this post online.
  • July 27 pm More rain and thunder boomers are expected for Saturday.
  • July 27 pm Some are asking: Will there be a Summer Jam Saturday night. Answer: Yes. If it's raining hard, the musicians will do their songs inside the station. If it's just a little drizzle at 7pm, they'll try it outdoors. Randy Triplett and Weekend Grass are on stage. Might be worth getting a little wet!
  • July 27 pm   I rear-ended a car a few days ago.  It was a REALLY  bad day!  The driver got out of the other car, and, of all things, he was a   DWARF!!     He quickly looked up at me and said, "I am NOT happy!"   So I said, "Well then, which one are you?"
  • July 27 pm Famous Quotes....
  • July 27 pm   "I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play;  bring a friend -- if you have one." -- George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
  • July 27 pm  "Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second -- if there is one." -- Winston Churchill, in response
  • July 27 pm  "I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." -- Irvin S. Cobb
  • July 27 pm  "He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." -- Paul  Keating
  • July 27 pm  "He has the attention span of a lightning bolt." -- Robert Redford
  • July 27 pm   "In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." -- Charles, Count Talleyrand
  • July 27 pm   "His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." -- Mae West

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  • July 27 pm  Delbert Russell Summers, Sr., 53, of Widen, see OBITUARY page
  • July 27 pm   Look at him  Pound for pound, Clay County's largest Commissioner. Happy 42nd birthday wishes extended to Peter Triplett.
  • July 27 pm  Last night's storms rocked thru the county leaving trees toppled and little kids clinging to their Mommy's. No major outages reported as far as we have heard.
  • July 27 pm Last winter John Habjan got himself in big trouble when his gas company was unable to meet the most basic of gas service needs. Customers complaints, County Commission intervention, and Court orders brought about change. THe three gas providers are now operated by Mountaineer Gas Company and Habjan filed for bankruptcy protection.  Dated July 26th, the WV Public Service Commission has the complete run down and Habjan's $10,000 fine on their web site now.
  • July 27 pm  On Tuesday Magistrate Boggs said Yes to evicting town barber Larry Harold for wrongful occupation. Mr. Harold says he plans to set up his own building elsewhere on Main Street.
  • July 27 pm Buck Taylor is usually seen walking up and down the streets of Clay. On Wednesday he ended up arrested and at the old Courthouse. Buck owns about a gazillion old cars all parked on his property near Fola. Brown Shirts issued a ticket for wrecked cars on his land but when he was told to sign the ticket, Buck said Nope. Getting a little agitated, Simms and Top Badge Holcomb brought him in for obstructing an officer.
  • July 27 pm Faced with a year's jail time and big fines, Mr Taylor said he thought he would just let the fine citizens of the county pay for for his room and board for a year.
  • July 27 pm  Interestingly enough.... the ticket mentions junked cars while the hand written criminal complaint references trash, litter weighing less than 500 pounds and a 32 hour pick up time limit. Hmmmmmmmmm
  • July 27 pm Famous Quotes:
  • July 27 pm   From Winston Churchill: He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.
  • July 27 pm  "I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it."  Groucho Marx
  • July 27 pm  "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." -- Mark Twain
  • July 27 pm  "He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." Oscar Wilde
  • July 27 pm   The new supermarket near my house has an automatic water mister to keep  produce fresh. Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of thunder and the smell of fresh rain. When you approach the milk cases, you hear cows mooing and witness the scent of fresh hay. When you approach the egg case, you hear hens cluck and cackle and the air is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying. The canned veggie department features the sound of a gentle breeze and the smell of fresh buttered corn.  I don't buy toilet paper there any more.
  • July 26  8:43 pm  It's raining, thundering and lightning to beat all H. I'm heading for higher ground. No update until Friday sometime!!!!
  • July 25 pm  TV-3 launched a blog from their web site on the death of Cpl Gonzales last week. Blog comments, many supposedly from Green Shirts themselves, are quite revealing. To have a look see your self, go to the TV-3 site and then click the link. top, center.
  • July 25 pm If blog comments make any difference, looks like heads will roll.
  • July 25 pm   In the case of Jeff Boggs vs the Big Otter Fire Dept., Jeff Boggs is the victor. Judge Johnson's decision arrived at the Circuit Clerk's office late on Monday.
  • July 25 pm When does a deed not count? When it's ambiguous. From the Court papers: The Court concludes as a matter of law that in determining boundaries resort is first to be made to  natural landmarks, next artificial monuments, then to adjacent boundaries and last to course and distances.
  • July 25 pm The parties were arguing over a pie shaped piece of land on the western side of the property, nearer to the Interstate.  Although the deed called for a 150 foot road frontage, the Judge said the intent was to go just 120 feet to a ditch line.
  • July 25 pm each side has to cough up $350 and pay County Surveyor Marshall Robinson to find the old ditch (culvert), and  drive stakes to show the exact western border.
  • July 25 pm Case closed.
  • July 25 pm  The old green dump truck sold for $300 and the trailer went for $800 during Wednesday' auction.
  • July 25 pm Full details on today's County Commission meeting coming mid day Thurs.
  • July 25 pm
  • July 24 pm  People email over events postings classifieds and such all the time. We take em at face value and post.   We had the  wrong dates for Widen Day over on the EVENTS page. The correct dates are now listed.
  • July 24 pm We try to tell a story but as citizen journalists... sometimes we fall short. The Charleston Gazette write up on Donnie Welch is well done. The complete article is now on our ADVISORY page.
  • July 24 pm Joe Morris slapped the glasses off that ace cub reporter's head last fall. Charged with battery and out on bond, Morris was to have gone to court today. Didn't happen. The investigating officer was Cpl Gonzales who was buried Saturday.  With the Green Shirt gone, the whole deal has to start over again.
  • July 24 pm   So... Did Dave Pierson take possession of Telford's Chevy/ Answer: No, at least not yet. It was suppose to happen July 7th.
  • July 24 pm  From US Bankruptcy records, there is a problem. GM is not willing to turn over the franchise to Mr. Pierson with Ric Tanner as the head honcho. From the court documents,  several things come into play including:  Mr Pierson is a proposed investor in the dealership and is NOT proposed to become the dealer operator.. As GM understands it, Mr Richard Tanner is suppose to become the Dealer Operator. ... neither Pierson nor Richard Tanner have provided evidence that they meet GM's standard requirements for approval...Before any closing occurs on the sale of a dealership, GM must approve the proposed dealer operator... based on the proposed dealers' financial plans, GM sales and customer satisfaction standards, the proposed dealer's net working capital, the dealer's facility plans and numerous other requirements to ensure that the buyer meets GM's standard terms and requirements.....
  • July 24 pm    Neither Mr Pierson, investor, nor Mr Tanner, proposed dealer operator, have provided the information and/or application materials required to satisfy GM's requirements for approval including performance history, net working capital,  and customer satisfaction history among other things.
  • July 24 pm   ..... A dealer operator must be a competent business person, an effective manager, must have demonstrated a caring attitude toward customers, and should have a successful record as a merchandiser of automotive products and services or otherwise have demonstrated the ability to manage a dealership....
  • July 24 pm  Wednesday's hearing on the matter has been rescheduled for 8-1-07 to decide the matter of selling all other assets to Dave Pierson.
  • July 24 pm    We knew something was up when Sheriff Holcomb's new Chevy Taho SUV was taken to an out of county dealership for warranty work Saturday. Heck, if  they can't replace an under warranty backup light, how can they replace an engine?
  • July 24 pm  We'll provide the latest on the Jeff Boggs vs the Big Otter Fired Dept case in the morning.  For now, it looks like the property line will remain at the culvert near the box elder tree. Translation: Boggs won, deeds, no matter how their worded can be changed.
  • July 23 LATE pm  Roy G. Mullins, Sr., 79, see OBITUARY page
  • July 23 LATE pm  Carl A. “Jimmy" Metz, 69, see OBITUARY page
  • July 23  LATE pm  If you want to know what's going on in Clayberry, the latest edition of the Communicator fits the bill nicely. 24 pages of everything you ever wanted to know about our 342 square miles and some you didn't need to know.
  • July 23 LATE pm    On that Somber Super Secret Salary thang.... Maybe we've just touched the tip of the iceberg. Wonder if others in the top echelon  of the school system have untold "add on salaries".  Maybe page two untold additional salaries have been there all along, Maybe the past Superintendent received em?  You have to wonder about top level school administrators as well.   All the scoop in the latest Communicator
  • July 23 LATE pm We've also got the details in this edition on the Grand Jury findings. One guy has 14 counts of sexual abuse against him. 70 cents and worth every penny.
  • July 23 LATE pm  In Clayberry , news can "seep". Just getting word on the death of Widen's Delbert Summers. Emailers are saying that a long standing dispute ended with Mr Summers being run over by a vehicle . Making sure the fellow was dead, the bad guys backed over him a second time according to the emailers anyway.
  • July 23 LATE pm Sheriff Holcomb commented Monday afternoon that his department did NOT handle the investigation. He felt the incident must have occurred in Nicholas County  with local Badges there handling the paperwork; and, two men had been arrested.
  • July 23 LATE pm More as we get it. May require a trip over to Nicholas County for details.
  • July 23 LATE pm Donnie Welch went before  Federal Magistrate Stanley Monday afternoon to clear up some fine print in his indictment. After Ms Stanley, Judge Copenhaver heard his guilty plea on trying to blow up Sheriff Holcomb 23 months ago.
  • July 23 LATE pm 23 year old Donnie Welch is looking at  30 years in prison, pay a $1m fine, prosecution costs, and court fees. Sentencing come later in the year.
  • July 23 LATE pm    It could have been worse for Welch for a couple reasons... In the deal, he plead guilty on just four of  the 9 felonies. One of the 9 felonies tossed had a mandatory 30 year minimum sentence.
  • July 23 LATE pm It almost did go bad for Donnie. The plea agreement demands him to speak the truth. During testimony Monday, Welch decided he didn't remember what was in the bomb box, who did what, and such. The defense team pulled Welch to the side and said something along the lines of: Your getting ready to blow the whole deal if you don't tell the truth.
  • July 23 LATE pm Finally, after years of fibbing, Welch told the truth and saved his butt from a worse future.
  • July 23 LATE pm   And Yes mention was made of others involved in the bomb plot to blast away our Top Badge and others. Time will tell if other prosecutions come.
  • July 23 LATE pm  Before the next Communicator we'll try and get the latest court documents and provide to the public.
  • July 23 LATE pm County Commission meets Wednesday morning at 10 am. Public meeting and sure to be a winner. Take time to see our government in action. nice soft seats too!
  • July 23 LATE pm  How about a deal. how many of you are looking at this site on a crappy old monitor? Staples on Corridor G has 19 inch flat screen monitors available for $139.00. Monday afternoon at 5pm they had ten left on the shelf. If you're considering a new screen, the ones we bought have a good clean image. In short supply, you might want to call and secure one via credit card before making the long trip.  and no we don't get a kick back either!
  • July 23 LATE pm As a note.... We're updating this site earlier each evening and again the next morning before 10am. If you don't see an update by 11pm nightly, it ain't coming until the next morning.
  • July 22 pm  The newest latest fact filled Communicator will be on the news stands Monday afternoon. If you didn't get the last one with all the school system salaries listed, you need to. The latest edition builds on those salaries with everything we know about Larry Gillespie's bonus salary that the public didn't know anything about. Go Mart at Two Run has a few of the last edition on hand.
  • July 22 pm From that last seven days.....
  • July 22 pm The nation made it thru the administration of President Cheney. Praise be that he didn't hit the nuke button!
  • July 22 pm  Here at home, the crime wave continued this week when scum bags stole $200 from the Upper Cut Styling Salon on Main Street in Clay. With her door locked, Renee Holcomb walked to one block to the Post Office. That was long enough for thugs to credit card her front door, find the cash, and leave. Left behind on the counter top was a cup of rum.
  • July 22 pm  Chester Coleman lives beside the Sheltered Workshop in Lizemores. He's a pack rat with an eye for antiques. Between Tuesday and Wednesday morning early, a thief or thieves stole two antique, cast iron, toy trains from his front porch. Each had an 8 inch long 4 inch tall engine & hopper plus three cars. One set was was cleaned up and painted nicely. The other was weathered. Intended as a gift for his grand children, they ain't no more. Anyone seen the stolen goods please call the Sheriff.
  • July 22 pm  In town businesses are taking extra measures to reduce their "exposure". Around the county people are asking, " What is happening here in Clay?" Monday's Communicator will explain. In the mean time, lock your doors.
  • July 22 pm  Mid week , word spread that bomb maker Donnie Welch would plead guilty to trying to blow up Sheriff Holcomb (Sept 2005). When the Judge accepts his plea on Monday, another chapter in Clayberry's history will close.
  • July 22 pm Dewey Owlsey was sentenced to 15 years followed by a 1 to 5 year sentence for the murder of Thelma Thomas.
  • July 22 pm All those in summer Class of 07 Indictments plead not guilty on Tuesday.
  • July 22 pm Town Council held a special meeting July 16th to hire part time temporary office help. After 15 minutes of secret time, two candidates were ready to be voted on.  Council person Joyce Gibson motioned to hire own her daughter in law. Nepotism? Something's never change in Clayberry. Fortunately, a second motion, to hire Jessica Ramsey, was successful.
  • July 22 pm  On Wednesday Green Shirt Marlo Gonzales put his service pistol to himself  and pulled the trigger. Gonzales had had enough of the back room BS common in the State Police organization.  Years ago, when a Green Shirt spoke out or fell from administrative grace, he was sent to the Turnpike for duty. These days, company commanders screw with officers by moving them around to different locations at a moments notice. It's a rotten way of doing people. The whole idea is to get the officer to quit. In Gonzales' case, he pulled the trigger on himself to end it all.
  • July 22 pm  What civil service protection did for other state workers is needed for the Green Shirts. Until the  officers stand up for themselves and speak out, their organization and the people they serve will suffer.
  • July 22 pm In the mean time, a good man is dead.
  • July 22 pm Saturday, volunteers rolled up their shirt sleeves and went to work cleaning and repairing the old Gulf station at Two Run preparing it to be the Whistlestop Welcome Center and eatery. Word is, the place will be open in early August.
  • July 22 pm  By week's end, rain cleaned the air and brought moderate temps to Clay. One guy said it feels like fall
  • July 21 am This might be the scariest day of the year. Much worse than Halloween.
  • July 21 am Today Dick Cheney will officially be made President while Dubbya gets the garden hose treatment.
  • July 21 am Donnie Welch is charged with  a dozen or so felonies for his part in the Blow Up the Sheriff effort 23 months ago. We understand Mr Welch will plead guilty Monday afternoon at 1:15pm in the Federal Building in Charleston.
  • July 21 am   With conspirator Sam Murphy already locked up and Donnie ready for a long term stay, wonder if others named in testimony will be charged?
  • July 21 am  Web gremlins ate the EVENTS page late last night. If you emailed a listing and it's not there, please resend. Thanks
  • July 21 am We held up the Communicator until Monday afternoon. Deadline for submissions is today at 6pm.
  • July 21 am  'been quieter in Clay the last three days with no scanner traffic reports of thievery.
  • July 21 am For those wandering about the Jeff Boggs vs Big Otter Fire Dept. suit... still no decision from Judge Johnson as of Friday afternoon.
  • July 21 am  We've got a beautiful weekend coming our way. Get out and have some fun.
  • July 20 pm   Virgle Mullins, 65, of Wallback, see OBITUARY page
  • July 20 pm Someone blew up the EVENTS page this morning. Working to restore ASAP. If you emailed over events in the last three days or so, please re email. thanks
  • July 20 pm    The wake for Cpl Marlo Gonzales will be Saturday from 5 to 8pm at Teays Valley Missionary Baptist Church. The funeral service will be held at the same church, 5pm, on Sunday.
  • July 20 am  Bobbie D. Triplett, 75, see OBITUARY page
  • July 19 pm We're holding off the Communicator until Monday.
  • July 19 pm  Ever happen across a Green Shirt, Black Shirt, Blue Shirt, Brown Shirt that was a 24 carrot horses' butt? You know the ones I'm talking about. Clayberry has had their fair share of stinkers. I was thinking back on Wiles for instance. Remember him? The guy's face would crack before smiling!
  • July 19 pm Cpl Marlo Gonzales was not in that category.
  • July 19 pm  Gonzales was easy with a smile and took the time to talk, to answer questions. Better yet he had a sense of fairness and added reason to his arrests, conduct, and actions.
  • July 19 pm  One time the ace cub reporter mentioned Gonzales as the arresting officer when Dewey Owlsey drank a pint of whiskey before taking a polygraph test.  In reality the polygraph operator was the responsible party in that mess up.
  • July 19 pm A few days after the posting, Gonzales straightened me out on my reporting.
  • July 19 pm Green Shirt Gonzales killed himself yesterday. Don't know the circumstances, never will, and don't really care to know the reason.
  • July 19 pm  The Charleston Daily Mail coverage is posted over on the ADVISORY page.
  • July 19 pm  People ask why we use "Badges" instead of Cops in the paper and this web site. ANSWER: Cops is a degrading term.  Police Officer takes too long to type. Badges fits the bill nicely without the slur of Cop
  • July 19 pm Green Shirt Badge Gonzales was  a credit to his profession and sets a high mantle for others to achieve.
  • July 19 pm He will be sadly missed. He was a goood Badge.
  • July 19 am With a busted right arm and shoulder, get well wishes extended to Senator Randy White.
  • July 19 am We're in newspaper mode until Friday afternoon some time. No new posts unless something dumb happens.
  • July 19 am A lot of folks are still fuming over the Frontier internet service being down last weekend. There are choices clickers.
  • July 19 am If you're in downtown Clay, Andy Haynes' wireless service is working now with better speed.
  • July 19 am For everybody else, there is the satellite ISP Wild Blue. One fellow out Wilson Ridge says it's pretty fast and available everywhere. Price looks to be about the same as Frontier.
  • July 19 am Our community radio station brodcasts on 101.7 FM and on the web. Greedy music label execs implemented higher broadcast royalty rates which went into affect July 15th. The higher rates will bring an end to small webcasters like WYAP. For four weeks now the greedy ones have been forced to negotiate with Congressional reps in DC. It appears those talks are leading nowhere.
  • July 19 am Unless something changes reaaal soon, YAP radio will soon be off the net. How sad!
  • July 19 am  Important Info:  Bears are attacking more humans than normal.  1.We advise the outdoorsman to wear NOISY LITTLE BELLS on  Clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close by so you don't surprise them   2. We advise anyone in the outdoors to carry "Pepper Spray"  With him or her in case of an encounter with a bear.  3. Outdoorsmen and Outdoorswomen should be on the watch for  fresh bear activity and to be able to tell the difference between black Bear droppings and grizzly bear droppings  4. Black Bear droppings are smaller than  Grizzly Bear droppings and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur.  5. Grizzly Bear poop has Noisy Little Bells in it and smells a  Lot like Pepper Spray.
  • July 18 am Some folks are just plain dumb. Like,,,, when you're indicted by the Grand Jury for a felony, does it make any sense to blow a big joint before your day in Court?
  • July 18 am  Tuesday morning Kenneth Stanford stood before Judge Ric Facemire and said Nope, not me, Not guilty of receiving stolen goods. To stay out on bond  Stanford was ordered to pee test. He flunked it with pot showing up as  the culprit.
  • July 18 am Before noon Tuesday, Mr Stanford was back before Facemire. After admitting to blowing a big bowl of the good stuff three days earlier. The Judge was less than happy. Questions came: Why?.... It's a no brainer... I will not tolerate this ... and something about bring your toothbrush if this EVER happens again!!
  • July 18 am To make an impression on the 22 year old, Judge Facemire ordered Stanford to the holding cell for the balance of the day to leave an "impression" on the lad.
  • July 18 am   You've been arrested, put on bond, indicted by a Grand Jury and then smoke pot just before  arraignment day.
  • July 18 am  What was he thinking!!!!!!!!!
  • July 18 am  Angel Cummings was arrested for her part in the stolen car incident Monday evening.
  • July 18 am  After everything settled down Monday evening, it didn't. A fight over at Pisgah brought the Badges back into service. We understand one tall thin, blonde headed young adult swam the river to get away.
  • July 18 am Tuesday 11:27am, 911 Dispatch: I need a public service RIGHT NOW.
  • July 18 am Tuesday 11:30am  Dispatch: Ambulance needed on Independence Road "Subject has been beat up".
  • July 18 am  Tuesday 11:31am  Green Shirts 311 and 683 headed that way
  • July 18 am Summer time in Clayberry!
  • July 18 am Communicator comes out this Friday. We'll have all we know in it.
  • July 18 am  Email your public notices, meetings, birthdays etc. ASAP. Deadline is Thursday at noon.
  • July 17 am  Elton Dale Workman of Clay, see OBITUARY page
  • July 17 am Here's an update for yesterday's break in at Upper Cut Styling....  Right after the robbery, over the scanner came reports of a stolen car possible signal 9, drunk driver. The vehicle wrecked near the old Boy Scout camp at the top of Dundon hill. The maroon  four door vehicle is owned by Randy Schoonover. Badges responded quickly. When we got there, we didn't see any driver nor passenger of the vehicle. At 5;50 we did notice one staggering drunk young man "floating" up to back street in the downtown area.
  • July 17 am On a lighter note.  Many of us remember the 1969 Woodstock festival in upstate New York. The sequel, Goodstock is being held this weekend in Nicholas County.  CMS math teacher Norman Stephens is one of the featured performers. See EVENTS page.
  • July 16 LATE pm  Renee Holcomb has worked her butt off for two years growing Upper Cut Styling Salon on Main Street. Around 3:50pm thieves broke in and stole her earnings for the day.  They jimmied the front door by using a credit card.
  • July 16 LATE pm  How long did it take to get in, find the stash, get out, and lock the door behind them? Less than the time it took Renee to walk to the post office and back.
  • July 16 LATE pm  More as we get it.
  • July 16 pm  Hope your internet service is back up and running. Lots of people have called  Frontier Tele  and gave them total H.
  • July 16 pm Dewey Owlsey choked Thelma Thomas to death the day after Christmas in 2005. After pleading guilty, the Judge sentenced Mr. Owsley to 1 - 5 years for unlawful wounding and 15 years for voluntary manslaughter.
  • July 16 pm Another sad sad chapter in our history is complete.
  • July 16 am Today at 4pm Town Council will convene a Special meeting at the water plant/Town Hall to hire office help
  • July 16 am  For web junkies, the last 24 + hours have been  tough, real tough. We found out what it's like without internet service, how fragile our link to the world really is.. Even with the internet down, we still sat right there in front of the screen and stared.
  • July 16 am  Not sure what the problem is or where, Bluefield or here, but for most all of Sunday and as late as midnight last night, no web.
  • July 16 am   Clayberry is tethered to the rest of the world with a single line out strung along the ridge out past Widen into Nicholas County..
  • July 15 pm Sorry for the slow posting. This time it ain't our fault. The over burdened DSL provider was down, then on and then off most of the morning. Here's our weekend update
  • July 15 pm  Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Saturday that the Iraqi army and police are capable of keeping security in the country when American troops leave "any time they want," ....
  • July 15 pm .  Lets get out of there!    So what's the hold up? You got it, Dubbya.
  • July 15 pm   There have been 3,894 coalition deaths -- 3,608 Americans, two Australians, 157 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 20 Poles, two Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq as of July 11, 2007, according to a CNN count.
  • July 15 pm  Maybe West Virginia should seed clouds like China does to stop this drought.
  • July 15 pm The Grand Jury returned five true bills Tuesday. Winners this time around include:  Kenneth Sanford, receiving transferring stolen goods,  Antonio Scott Foster, burglary, grand larceny,  William Arthur Jr,  Failure to pay child support,  Justin Canaday, sexual assault 2nd degree, indecent exposure,  Ralph Fields, 14 counts sexual assault and related offenses
  • July 15 pm We did get a little break in the drought Wednesday when the heavens opened up and let us have it for most of Tuesday night. With the thunder and lightning, the power was off most of the night and into Wednesday morning for many.
  • July 15 pm Breakins and vandalism has been the hot topic this  past week. The old sewer plant got it Thursday night . Thugs busted out windows an threw parts and supplies all over the river bank. It doesn't appear anything was taken just plain and simple vandalism.
  • July 15 pm   Friday evening another band of  hoodlums took ball bats to a white car driving down Main Street (in front of the library) busting out windows. broken glass was all over the place according to eyewitnesses.  Badges (Green, Black and even a Blue Shirt) responded and four arrests were made for battery and destruction of  property. They did not go to jail if your wondering.
  • July 15 pm  This first 15 days of his term of office has been hectic for Mayor Jack Brown. After Friday night's Main Street ball bat incident, Brown saw others wondering around on the two lane. After heading back to Town Hall to read up on ordinances, he headed back down Main Street with an ultimatum,  the curfew is in affect, skid addle or risk being sent to the slammer.
  • July 15 pm  TV-3 provided region wide coverage on the boob tube this week.
  • July 15 pm Our sleepy little hamlet is once again locking doors, double checking locks, and sleeping with one eye open.
  • July 14 pm  Ernest Duffield, 81, of Widen, se OBITUARY page
  • July 13 pm  Check the EVENTS page for good stuff to do this weekend. Like...  Tiffany Farmer and Stephanie Moore will be at the Summer Jam at the radio station.  Great time to get out and see your buddies. The Concert is free.
  • July 13 pm Somebody said, you dumb bunny, you forgot to post the new indictments. Sorry, Thought I did. This old age thang sucks!
  • July 13 pm Here's the list  from Tuesday's Grand Jury
  • July 13 pm  Kenneth Sanford, receiving transferring stolen goods
  • July 13 pm  Antonio Scott Foster, burglary, grand larceny
  • July 13 pm William Arthur Jr,  Failure to pay child support
  • July 13 pm  Justin Canaday, sexual assault 2nd degree, indecent exposure
  • July 13 pm  Ralph Fields, 14 counts sexual assault and related offenses
  • July 13 pm  We've got problems world. Last night the old sewer plant was broke into and things tore up. In the last couple weeks, downtown businesses have been the target of the vandals. So far, Elk Power Co was broke into, Clay Lumber (robbed of $600 worth of knives and more), can't forget the Dollar Store and the Laundromat this week.
  • July 13 pm Around 8:45 Friday night a white car was seen setting in the road, in front of the Library, with two side windows knocked out. Glass shards were all over the road as the crowd formed.
  • July 13 pm Thursday TV-3 news was in town making note of the crime wave. Late night news captured us once again.
  • July 13 pm It appears we have two groups. One is busting in places and swiping resellable items for quick pocket money. The other appears to be a younger crowd out to tear things up and run.
  • July 13 pm Whatever the case, lock your doors folks.
  • July 13 pm Help Randy Help!
  • July 12 pm  Back in April 2007, the Clay County School Board had on their meeting agenda an action item to vote in the Superintendent's new annual contract. The agenda item said Larry Gillespie's salary would be $82,000. That's a lot of money but about average for a Superintendent.
  • July 12 pm Truth is, that ain't the truth.
  • July 12 pm Near the end of the contract is word of an additional salary of $11,500.00. That additional salary can be taken monthly, quarterly, or once a year for a tax deferred annuity. That $11,500 works out to even more when you consider it is NOT being taxed at today's salary scale.
  • July 12 pm Add it all up and add in the free or reduced benefits, and our Somber Super is up around $115,000.00 per year in compensation.
  • July 12 pm Good for Larry GIllespie!
  • July 12 pm The story is the backdoor way the School Board operates. They put one thing on the agenda , never mention the real salary and then sign it with a grin.
  • July 12 pm Back room dealings in Clay is alive and well in Clayberry.
  • July 12 pm The only question is, how long have the hush hush additional salaries been added to employment contracts.
  • July 12 am   The "there's the door" speech last week may have produced a bail out. Sometime Tuesday, once Chair and more recently Vice Chair, Paige Willis, tendered his resignation from the economic development group, the Clay County Business Development Authority. Willis was the last of the original members appointed during the Jimmy Sams era of the County Commission.
  • July 12 am  How can you tell when it's summer time in Clayberry? Just listen to the scanner. Wednesday morning early early, Badges were called to Clay Lumber Company at Two Run where the front door was bashed off its hinges and $600 worth of knives were stolen. Last week Elk Power Co was broke into, They also tried at the Dollar Store. Not so long ago, thugs got in Clay Middle School and the Board Office on Gump Street.
  • July 12 am Are your doors locked, dead bolted?  They should be!
  • July 12 am Kelly Conrad lived in a rental home for over three years. She was also a customer of Clay Roane PSD. Her normal water bill was around $30 or $35 per month. Last October, as she was moving into new digs, her water bill came as usual.  Arrival was the only part that was usual. The monthly bill card gave notice of a 1/4 million gallon usage with w dollar amount of  $2348.55.
  • July 12 am The PSD water man came around and said he could see no leaks. A few days later he returned but said, Yelp, you've got a leak!
  • July 12 am   Calls to the PSD were successful with much of the 1/4 million "adjusted" away leaving a balance of around $870.
  • July 12 am Unable to pay the $870, the PSD is taking her to Court August 3rd.
  • July 12 am  She says she never lost water pressure while the /14 million was running out somewhere; the service man said he couldn't see any leak; and according to Ms Conrad, her yard was dry with nary a wet spot!
  • July 12 am   265,960 gallons leaked out in her front yard in less than one month and the place didn't look like a lake? If that doesn't make for a big Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. what does.
  • July 12 am  A parcel agenda for Thursday's Clay Roane PSD meeting is posted on our ADVISORY page.
  • July 11 pm During this morning's County Commission meeting Mayor Jack Brown asked the CCC for help. Brown said the town's sewer plant is in  reaaal financial trouble. With only 300 customers to pay the bills, the log factory takes in just a little over $11,000 per month but costs just a little under $12,000 to operate.
  • July 11 pm Operating in a deficit since going on line 9 years ago, Mayor Brown  inherited the white elephant when he took office 11 days ago.
  • July 11 pm  How bad is it? Mayor Brown has a power company shut off notice laying on his desk. Back bills add up $3700.00. There are NO backup pumps in case one breaks. And, the lift stations are the most costly to maintain part of the system.
  • July 11 pm  Brown asked the Commission for help with the mess.
  • July 11 pm There's really only three answers. One, add more customers tot he system by extending high dollar service thru Maysel. Or, 2, raise sewer rates. Or, 3, cut expenses.
  • July 11 pm We have some reaaaal sad news clickers. Real sad. A loss to the community
  • July 11 pm   Please join me in remembering a great icon. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.    Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.     Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

  •      Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, two children, John Dough and Jane Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.                 The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.
  • July 11 am  Many  Frontier internet customers are experiencing no web, slow web, and the web cutting in and out. We're doing a short post this evening while we suffer thru the interruptions.
  • July 11 am County Commission meets this morning at 10 am. Just one page worth of agenda to get thru but none the less, might be well worth your time to take it in.
  • July 11 am The Summer Grand Jury met yesterday. The front door of the Courthouse was open well past 4pm. We understand there were just a hand full of true bills this time around. Will post those indicted  as soon as we get our hands on the list.
  • July 11  Check the ADVISORY page for the summer reading program at the Library as well as the upcoming rabies clinic coming to Clayberry. Politicians do NOT qualify for the shots.
  • July 11 am  The latest Communicator came out Monday. 28 pages and growing every month.  Many newspapers are suffering thru bad times. Not so with the near award winning rag. It could be that it was endorsed by Commissioner Slinky last month as the paper to read!..The above the fold article covers the new leadership at the BDA and the number of times Fran King told wayward Boardsters, "There's the door!" Wonder who she was referring to readers? Better yet, will they take the hint?
  • July 11 am Also in this edition are the latest school system wages. Pretty interesting reading there folks!
  • July 11 am  Last night's Clay Co PSD meeting went without much fanfare. Community activist Fred Sampson expressed dissatisfaction with the PSD not fixing the long standing low and no water pressure problems in the Little Italy section of the system. He said back in '94 when the Lizemores/Tucker's Bottom water line extension project was being proposed, it included fixing the problems in the Little Italy neighborhood.
  • July 11 am Chair Fitzwater said they didn't have the money ($100,000) available now that they plan to buy a new truck, new ATV, new software, and touch read meter equipment. The project engineer put the problem squarely on the back of the water provider, the Town of Clay. He said a bunch of the water pressure was being used to send wa wa to Maysel and on to Roane County. With the diversion that direction, water pressure was reduced heading North to Ivydale and Little Italy. With wa wa pressure under 90 pounds at the master meter, low pressure on up the line can result.
  • July 11 am  The PSD mentioned a need to buy chlorinators on the system too.
  • July 11 am We understand there will be a special meeting of Town Council next week to hire a new office person. As stated during the last regular meeting of the group, what they  really need is a part time,  Class II,  water operator to replace a guy that quit.
  • July 11 am Know a Class II operator? Time to call the Mayor!
  • July 10 LATE pm  Maysel Hash, 91, of Ivydale, see OBITUARY page
  • July 10 LATE pm  James Paul Summers Sr., 81, of Wallback, see OBITUARY page
  • July 10 LATE pm  Ronald Earl Lyons, 79, of Ovapa, see OBITUARY page
  • July 9 LATE pm   The Communicator made it to the news stands around 4pm today. 28 pages, count em, 28 pages of the news and views on life in the slow lane, Clay County West Virginia.  Our lead story covers the last BDA meeting where the new Chair told Boardsters,  "There's the Door" at least four times. Great reading, second to none, award winning or not.
  • July 9 am No updates until we get the Communicator out the door sometime around 3pm today.
  • July 9 am  From the email bag:  Found: approx. 1-2 years, bobbed tail, a mini version of a austrailian shepard.(looks blue in color with spots) brown on the face on Blue Knob/call  587-7511
  • July 8 pm Most of us have known for 4 years, the USA can't win in the Mid East. Now the NY Times agrees.
  • July 8 pm  Back in 04, the Presidential election was bought. Called "Vote Caging" here's the scoop. Uhhhh, don't throw away that junk mail.
  • July 8 pm  Hush Hush is the word from the Shrub in the Prosecuting Attorney firings.
  • July 8 pm  There have been 3,878 coalition deaths -- 3,593 Americans, two Australians, 156 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 20 Poles, two Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq as of July 5, 2007, according to a CNN count.
  • July 8 pm The week started off with what makes us so special. The Small Town America Independence Day Celebration brought out yard salers, musicians, little kids,  a parade and even four KaBooms that evening. Nothing fancy , just little ole Clay celebrating in our own way.
  • July 8 pm We saw change this week....
  • July 8 pm During the first meeting of the new Town Council, priorities were set. Mayor Brown got started by fixing long neglected parking meters. He said he wanted to get a Town Badge on the job and the sidewalks fixed. What an idea, add revenue without a B&O tax and make the place look better!
  • July 8 pm In this week of change, we saw all new leadership installed during the Business Development Authority meeting Thursday night. Gone are Leonard Williams and the Vice Chair. Their last actions made it clear why they had to go. During their last couple weeks in office, they refused to follow unanimous Board  votes. Voted into action are Fran King as Chair, Jim Knotts as Vice Chair, Katherine Knotts as Secretary, and Mike Evans as Treasurer. King said she was going to put up with the back room bad mouthing and decisions. She said the new and improved BDA would be a team effort with everybody doing more than drinking coffee and whistling. Don't like it? There's the door!
  • July 8 pm 11 years ago the BDA identified a need in the county, a farmers market. They did nothing with the notion. The BC&G RR Co-Op did. This week, the first Farmers/Flea Market at Dundon was held. Several booths were set up which netted big $ for the vendors. One guy walked away with an additional $800 in his pocket. Not a bad start for a $6 registration fee.
  • July 8 pm Charleston newspapers reported changes in Court processing fees. Instead of paying one Court cost fee of $160.50, the greedy B**^^!!s will now charge $160.50 for each moving violation before the Magistrate. Hopefully our local Magistrates will see fit to drop charges as a form of protest.
  • July 8 pm  Bad news came during Wednesday's County Commission meeting. While the BC&G RR folks work their butts off to grow a public campground at Dundon, running along side their property are floaters in the creek rendering the waterway full of E-Coli and too risky for wading and swimming. Many homes up stream including all but a couple in Widen, dump raw sewage in Buffalo Creek.
  • July 8 pm Great big Congratulations to the 2007 Ag Fair Queen Hillary Tinney !!
  • July 8 pm  Why are working parking meters so important to downtown Clay? Answer: We have many business owners so dumb as to park in front of their places of business all day long. With the owners parked there, customers can not.
  • July 8 pm Why are parking meters so important: ANSWER:   To capture those out of town tourist dollars. Those out of towners are already accustomed to feeding the metal bandits. Working parking meters are a great way to fleece the tourists with little resistance.
  • July 8 pm  Jeff Boggs and the Big Otter Fire Dept. crew waited another week for Judge Johnson to make public a decision on the land dispute court case. As of the morning mail Friday morning, no decision yet.
  • July 8 pm Word spread that a local doctor was buying the old IGA grocery store building on Main Street. According to one family member, they ain't heard nothing yet.
  • July 8 pm  No big changes at Telford Chevrolet as the July 7tth buy out date came and went.
  • July 8 pm And then the sad side of Clay. 12:56 pm today, Sunday afternoon. With one ambulance responding to Camp Creek hill, 911 Dispatch reports a person with "bad" chest pains and blood pressure , 75 over 55. Clay County Ambulance has no one else on duty nor anyone to call into duty.
  • July 8 pm Far away Calhoun County was called to duty but without a paramedic on the truck.
  • July 8 pm  Kids filled the county's only public swimming pool. Canoes were seen on the Elk River and at Lake Sampson. Gardens came back to life after a couple brief showers this week. Kids rode bikes down Main Street. People sat on their front porches and heard cars with loud mufflers and even louder radios pass by. The Blue Haired ladies mumbled their complaints.
  • July 8 pm Clayberry at its best.
  • July 8 am  Something to hold you until then...  A man enters a bar and orders a drink. The bar has a robot bartender.  The robot serves him a perfectly prepared cocktail, and then asks him, "What's your IQ?"   The man replies"150" and the robot proceeds to make conversation about global warming factors, quantum physics and spirituality, biomimicry, environmental interconnectedness, string theory, nano-technology and sexual proclivities.
  •        The customer is very impressed and thinks,"This is really cool." He decides to test the robot.  He walks out of the bar, turns around,and comes back in for another drink. Again, the robot serves him the perfectly prepared drink and asks him, "What's your IQ?    The man responds,"about a 100."   Immediately the robot starts talking, but this time,about football, NASCAR, baseball, super  models, favorite fast foods, guns and women's breasts.   Really impressed, the man leaves the bar and decides to give the robot one more test. He heads out and returns, the robot serves him and asks,  "What's your IQ?" The man replies,"Er,50, I think."   And the robot says...  real slowly.....   "So....... ya gonna vote for Bush again?"
  • July 7 am There's lots of stuff to do in Clayberry this weekend. Check out our EVENTS page. The Farmers Market at Dundon continues today 8 to 5pm. Saturday night is the Summer Jam with Art & Dave Douglas plus Eugene Parson. Don't forget Sunday is the big Taste of Clay event. Yum yum.
  • July 7 am According to US Bankruptcy Court records on Telford Chevy, today is the day Dave Pierson is set to take over the dealership...
  • July 7 am  A quick look over at the Sec of State's office web site reveals the new name will be Citizens Chevrolet.  Here's the officer's page and the addresses page.
  • July 7am  The new company is set up and ready to go. Let's see what happens next.
  • July 7 am The Communicator will come out Monday afternoon. Deadline for classifieds, events, meetings etc is tonight at midnight. Email info now.
  • July 7 am  While you're surfing around this site, check out the ADVISORY page for the $1000 reward being offered.
  • July 6 pm Forgot to post something yesterday.  If you're interested in taking a 1st/CPR Class Saturday morning, 9 am, at the Ambulance Service, better call them NOW, 587-2554. Wonder what sleepy butt forgot to post the class over on the EVENTS page.
  • July 6 pm Lost a dog? Jimmy Kearns down at Bomont found a very pretty red Lab Friday morning. If it's yours, call 548-5223
  • July 5 pm  Town water operator Dwana Murphy emailed to say the last full time water operator did NOT make $70,000 in one year, he only made  $60,000.  We'll stick with the $70,000 (actually $68,000 according to the guy himself). Remember, that's just the gross salary. You can add to that number the cost of benefits or another $15,000. Not bad for Clay County.
  • July 5 pm Clay County has needed a farmer's market for years. The BC&G RR Co-Op is hosting such a thang this Friday and Saturday at the JG Bradley Cmapground at Dundon. Begins at 8 am each morning.  Another first for the county of Clay!
  • July 5 pm  ALERT ALERT   We're holding off the Communicator until Monday.
  • July 5 pm   Thursday's Business Development Authority meeting was a keeper. We have a new slate of officers including Fran King - Chair; Jim Knotts Vice - Chair; Mike Evans - Treasurer; and,  Katherine Knotts -  Secretary.  That's total new leadership for the struggling economic development group.
  • July 5 pm  Chair King made it clear, from now on, it would be a team effort complete with committee assignments. If you don't like it, there's the door. The days of back door dealing and back biting, it's over. She said she had had it with those sitting there like a social club and doing nothing more than drinking coffee and whistling, I mean singing.
  • July 5 pm Past Chair Leonard Williams stayed about long enough to pass the torch and ski daddled.  As he was leaving, Fran yelled out and asked him to stay long enough to sign a check. He didn't. He wouldn't. He bolted for the door saying he was no longer an officer.
  • July 5 pm Check? What check?
  • July 5 pm  During last month's meeting the Board voted to start an advertising campaign on the local radio station  for the summer months. The ad campaign cost was $50. After the June meeting, the Chair refused to sign the $50 check according to Arthur Jarrett. Ditto for the Vice Chair signing the check according to Fran King. Jerry Nelson, then the secretary, said he was more than willing to sign the check but what was the use when the Chair nor the Vice Chair were refusing to honor the Board's wishes. Note: It takes two signatures on each check.
  • July 5 pm According to the auditor, after a Board votes to pay something, the two officers can NOT refuse to follow orders. In this case, they did just that.
  • July 5 pm Me thinks that personal vendetta  against that Mel Gibson look alike  may have come into play here and was what Fran was talking about..
  • July 5 pm  Guess what our lead story will be in Monday's Communicator? You got it, the BDA meeting.
  • July 5 pm How refreshing, new faces, new committments, and new ideas. Yes we're gullible, but it is a new beginning.
  • July 5 pm  From the email bag:  The Sermon this Mom will never forget...    Dear Lord," the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you, we are but dust." He would have continued but, at that moment, my very obedient daughter (who was listening!) leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, "Mom, what is butt dust?"

  •  
  • July 5 am  Today at 5 in the CCC room at the Courthouse, the Business Development Authority will convene for the monthly meeting. With their Chair, oh, excuse me, their President resigned, they plan to elect new officers. After years of accomplishing little to nothing, new leadership may revitilaize the county's economic development group. We can hope anyway!
  • July 5 am  Finally some rain last night. Tomato plants around the county were heard yelling, Thank You Thank You.
  • July 5 am  Top Badge Randy Holcomb may have made another first in the county.  The Legislature passed a new law last year making it a crime to switch wee wee samples.  The law went into effect July 1st. Tuesday Holcomb caught a probationer falsifying the yellow stuff.
  • July 5 am   For those checking in from the big cities, yesterday in Clayberry, flags were flying everywhere, kids watered down their buddies with water hoses, kayaks were seen on the Elk River, and the smell of people grilling out was everywhere. Small town America at its best.
  • July 5 am  How about an update from Tuesday's Town Council meeting.
  • July 5 am New Mayor Jack Brown made his priorities clear, he wants a City Badge hired, working parking meters, and sidewalks repaired.
  • July 5 am Noticed something else from the meeting and the Mayor. During discussions to quickly hire a part time temporary office helper, he insisted on advertising the position. He made that demand at least three times before it stuck.
  • July 5 am New Council person Llyn Drake made her pet project public. Drake, " I have an interest in establishing a Municipal Court."
  • July 5 am Back to that new hire at Town Hall.... they had a part time water operator resign leaving Dwana and Drema to overtime work. Dwana said she has had a hard time finding a replacement water operator. Anybody out there with a Class II water operator license, call the Mayor ASAP. The pay is very good. The last water operator grossed nearly $70,000 in one year.
  • July 5 am Has anybody noticed the town wa wa tasting bad? Council admitted as much Tuesday. Carbon is now being added to the stuff to make the stuff more pallatable.     Does anybody know anybody that drinks the stuff?
  • July 5 am  The town sewer system account is flat broke. They only do bills after enough customers come in and pay. What's the answer? Two Council persons spoke up on extending the sewer system into Maysel. Do you feel a storm brewing... again?
  • July 5 am In the early 90s Town Council Ok'd building the sewer plant twice too big. With only 300 customers in town, it can't make a go of it until that number doubles. Less than a decade old, the log factory has many mechanical problems including the need to replace $8000 a piece pumps and areators.  Although equipment costs are outragious, there's another problem. Many of the Town's storm sewer drains are hooked to the log lines. During wet weather all the rain water floods the plant  and destroys those little microbes that digest the brown stuff.
  • July 5 am Just a few years ago, during one the overflows, a 150 wide plume of floaters escaped into the Elk. The Town was fined $50,000 for that negligence.
  • July 5 am The full scoop in the next Communicator.
  • July 4 am Happy 4th of  July. Hope your day is filled with family picnics and thoughts of peace.
  • July 4 am We're taking the day off. Details from Tuesday's Town Council meeting and the plan of attack from new Mayor Jack Brown on Thursday.
  • July 4 am  Busting bubbles....
  • July 4 am There is no evidence that Betsy Ross sewed the first U.S. flag. The story didn't even flutter forth from her relatives until 1870.
  • July 4 am  George Washington did not toss a dollar across the Potomac. Even if he did toss something, the dollar didn't come into being until after the U.S. gained independence.
  • July 4 am  Francis Scott Key did not write our national anthem. He penned the words then set them to an old English drinking song. It did not become our national anthem until 1931.
  • July 4 am  Most of the midnight ride of Paul Revere was accomplished by other horsemen. It was Samuel Prescott, in fact, who carried the warning to Concord.
  • July 4 am  The Declaration of Independence was not approved on July 4, 1776. Only John Hancock, for the assembly, signed it that day. The other signatures were made on August 2.
  • July 4 am  George Washington wasn't the first U.S. President. John Hanson was the president of the Congress of the Confederation and carried the title of president of the U.S., as did eight men after him.
  • July 4 am "Yankee Doodle" is not an American song. It was a British ditty designed to harass ragtag colonists during the French and Indian War.
  • July 3 LATE pm  Mary Ann Woodrum, see OBITUARY page
  • July 3 am  Happy day before a day off work.
  • July 3 am Thinking about fall hunting? Maybe joining a hunting club? See ADVISORY page.
  • July 3 am Today Town Council meets at 6pm in the water plant building on main Street
  • July 3 am  The CAEZ does likewise at 4pm followed by a full Board meeting at 6pm.
  • July 3 am A couple weeks back High Street apartments resident Lisa Heidebrecht (we'll just call her Lisa, it's easier) filed for a restraining order against the guy living across the hall from her David Hanshaw. According to court documents got the beegeebees scared out of her when Hanshaw was beating on her door and yelling threatening remarks. The record says Hanshaw was at it for 45 minutes.
  • July 3 am   Without a phone to call the Badges nor a back door to run, according to the petition, she wrote up her Last Will and Testament.
  • July 3 am The Court Ok'd a temporary restraining order right after the June 17th incident.
  • July 3 am  Yesterday Judge Facemire had David Hanshaw and Lisa in the Courtroom. Instead of  pointing the finger directly at Hanshaw, both parties were told to stay away from each other in a permanent "mutual" restraining order.
  • July 3 am   Mutual? With all the allegations aimed at Hanshaw, mutual?  Maybe the Court knows something we don't.
  • July 3 am Did you notice this in the Charleston Gazette:   If you’re going to pay a traffic ticket with more than one citation in West Virginia, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise: an extra $160.50 in court costs for every infraction.   Traditionally, state magistrates have not made traffic violators pay court costs on each citation. But earlier this year, the state Supreme Court ordered them to start.
  • July 3 am  Lets see now, speeding ticket, tail light out, loud muffler... that's three times $160.50 for court costs before any fine is imposed. One Kanawha County Magistrate commented that he planned to dismiss all the little stuff to avoid citizens paying outragious administration fees.
  • July 3 am Raise your hand if you thought Dubbya was going to pardon Scooter from the get go. One, Three Ten... Yelp we all knew it.
  • July 3 am  On Jan. 20, 2001, Prez Clinton granted 140 pardons and issued 36 commutations. During his presidency, he issued a total of approximately 450 pardons and commutations, compared to 406 issued by President Reagan during his two terms. During his four years, President Carter issued 566 pardons and commutations, while in the same length of time Bush the First granted 77. President Ford issued 409 during the slightly more than two years he was president.
  • July 3 am  Here's the link to Clinton's reasoning behind the pardons.
  • July 2 am For those that didn't bookmark the new Corruption in Clay blog, it is now listed on the LINK page.
  • July 2 am   From the email bag:  HAPPY 9th  BIRTHDAY TO MY GIRL!!!!!!!!!!   KARLEY  DUFFIELD on July 2nd, WE LOVE YOU KAR
  • July 2 am  Tonight the School Board meets  at 6pm at the Standard Bryant Annex building on Gump Street. State Open Meeting law requires such public meetings to have an agenda posted  on the front door of the meeting house three days in advance. As of noon Sunday there was no agenda posted.
  • July 2 am The School Board is notorious for keeping the public in the dark. At one point a few months back, it looked like they had changed their ways and would follow the law of the land. Looks can be deceiving.
  • July 2 am So sad they teach good citizenship, following the law and then set such a stinky example.
  • July 2 am Tuesday's line up includes CAEZ meetings at 4 and 6pm.
  • July 2 am Also on Tuesday, the new Town Council meets under the direction of Mayor Jack Brown.
  • July 2 am Thursday's 5pm Business Development Authority meeting will include election of new officers. As far as we can tell, that fence that was suppose to be built at the old FIlcon site, ain't. That straw that was to be cut, ain't.   Just another 30 days and nothing done. Nothing new for the BDA.
  • July 1 am A new month and the end of the first half of 2007. Seems yesterday we were talking about a new century and now 2/3's of a decade is behind us. With the Independence Day spirit upon us, we're not going to bash the Shrub other than than to mention how disgraceful his actions and his administration are to the residents of the world.   Lets celebrate the 4th by bringing the troops home now.
  • July 1 am  From the past 7 days....
  • July 1 am  Wednesday's County Commission meeting revealed serious health issues along Buffalo Creek. There, with  raw poop from Widen and down stream as well, the waterway is full of E-Coli. That's the same stream where kids have gone swimming for years. During the CCC meeting came word, since the homes were built before 1970, nothing could be done about the logs. A quick look at  §16-9-3  "..... Any person (1) who throws, causes to be thrown or releases any dead animal, carcass, or part thereof, garbage, sink or shower waste, organic substances, contents of a privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or the effluent from any cesspool, spoiled meat or nauseous or offensive or poisonous substances into any river..."
  • JUly 1 am Not sure that law would apply, but it's worth a shot.
  • July 1 am  After 6 weeks of absolute dry, two light drizzles helped the gardens this week. 75% of the county uses a well or cistern. Those folks are still doing without and/or hauling water.
  • July 1 am  Wednesday evening after a couple late night power blinks, five days worth of Current News vanished into cyber land.
  • July 1 am  Saturday morning the BC&G RR group held their annual meeting. The strains of growth were evident. The down home group of volunteers are struggling to deal with government red tape and get their campground lodge completed and locomotive rolling. Word came that the Buffalo Gals will be opening a new Welcome Center at Two Run in the old Taco Mel's building. Should be open in just a couple weeks or less.
  • July 1 am  Get this. The place that will be open on Saturdays AND Sundays to serve our new tourist economy with brochures, maps, directions, a friendly smile and maybe even an ice cream cone or hot dog.
  • July 1 am  Clayberry's old line businesses close down on Fridays and stay shut on the weekends. With the new economy here, those oldsters will either change or shut down for good.
  • July 1 am Five days of bachelor hood came to a close Friday evening with the return of the wifey. Tall House was cleaned up I thought  but.... Something about a sticky floor, ants in the sink, the dog lookin' much thinner, dirty clothes in front of the washer, and the smell of cigars...... Will try to do better next year.
  • July 1 am Saturday was the Small Town America Independence Day Celebration in downtown Clay. Yard sales filled the place with great deals. Local junksters made real $  Little kids covered their ears as fire trucks aired loud horns during the 1pm parade.  For those little kids riding in the back of a pick up in the parade, it was as big as the Macy's T Day parade.  Smiles came easy as one met another and old friends told stories and jokes.  Kids ran around in chase. With the sun out in full force, us pasty whites turned red as a beet.
  • July 1 am   Saturday evening well over 100 people came back to the radio station parking lot to hear great West Virginia musicians, meet old friends and find out what makes Clay County West Virginia so special.   Saturday night our secret pyro provided a teeny, tiny, 4 KaBoom fireworks display.    If anybody asks if Clay had a fireworks display, tell em Yes.
  • July 1 am We saw the changing of the guard yesterday. After attending to parade duties, outgoing Mayor King Arthur took the police cruiser to Jack Brown's home and gave our new Mayor the keys. With the new month comes new leadership at Town Council.
  • July 1 am Our problems are many and the road to a better economy is bumpy BUT, there ain't no place like home.

  • July 1 am While you wait.....Miranda rights.    Reading  him his Miranda Rights, a female police officer arrested a man for  drunk  driving. The female officer told the man, "Sir, you have the right to  remain silent. Anything you say, can and will be held against you."        The drunk replied,  "Tits!