June 2009

 
  • June 30 p  The Big Robes in DC finish off their work year today. Their decisions affect each and every one of us. Here's a sketch of what they've been up to over the last 12 months.
  • June 30 p For those of us that despise watching commercials on the boob tube, relief may be coming via a web based solution. Network based DVR legal.
  • June 30 p Think it's over?  Four banks in Georgia, Minnesota and California were closed by regulators Friday, as the ongoing credit crisis continued to claim victims.
  • June 30 p A bunch of us have switched from plastic credit cards to plastic debit card. Along the lines of fraud and theft, they ain't the same. Read for yourself.
  • June 29 late p  Tim “Timbo” Rhodes, 52, see OBITUARY page
  • June 29 late p  From the email bag:  I would like to thank everyone from the EMS staff to the Fire Dept to the girls at Carol's who helped me after the accident there on June 4th, everyone  was so kind to me and done a wonderful job.  I would also like to thanks Dennis Legg and Kings Wrecker Service for gathering up my personal items and keeping them safe.  Thanks again-Jennifer Bragg and the Bragg Family
  • June 29 late p  Our Business Development Authority (BDA) was scheduled to meet July 2nd at the Courthouse. The email says that the 2nd, Thursday, is too close to the holiday so the meeting has been rescheduled for the 9th. Truth is, Chair Fran King is vacationing.
  • June 29 late p By the way, the radio station is NOT hosting fireworks this 4th of July. They didn't get enough grant $$$ to cover the cost. Sorry from 101.7FM
  • June 29 late p Much like horsehoes, have you ever played Corn Hole?  The Championship is slated for the 101.7 FM Small Town America Independence Day Celebration this weekend. Cash pay out too! Fun and close to home. See EVENTS page for complete schedule.
  • June 29 a From the email bag: THE 2 MINIATURE HORSES THAT WHERE MISSING IN THE INDORE AREA... THEY ARE HOME AND DOING GOOD
  • June 29 a After an upgrade, last night, 101.7 Fm is back on the air with a healthy, breathing , IBM puter running the whole shebang. By the way, West Virginia Surplus Prop in Dunbar is a great place to buy used puters at great savings. IBM, Dell, and HP's are available with WIndows XP installed for $75 and up.
  • June 29 a With the month nearly done, few public meetings to keep us entertained this week.
  • June 29 a Here's some pretty cool reading on the 10 greatest jail breaks.
  • June 28 Emma L. Rogers, see OBITUARY page
  • June 28 p We've been in a a place we had no place being and that occupation of Iraq and the W administration has lowered our status/ respectability in the world greatly. Word came this last week, our troops would be out of Baghdad by early this coming week.
  • June 28 p While main stream America media spent hours covering the thriller life of MJ. 200 were killed just this last week.
  • June 28 p In the last seven days, what a change in Iran were commoners took to the streets in revolt of a rigged election where more votes were cast than voters. Optimistically, change is coming and without imperial intervention.
  • June 28 p  There have been 4,634 coalition deaths -- 4,317 Americans, two Australians, one Azerbaijani, 179 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, five Georgians, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvians, 22 Poles, three Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq as of June 24, 2009, according to a CNN count.
  • June 28 p Closer to home, our West Virginia Legislature is working during the off season. Committee work includes;  Investigating the State Road administration and "discrepancies".
  • June 28 p  For that get in trouble one time and then a normal life, expunging those one time misdeamors from an otherwise spotless record.
  • June 28 p  That new super high strength power line is coming thru West Virginia without ANY benefit for those of us in the path, the Legislature is studying some benefit for W Va. New B&O tax.
  • June 28 p And the elected folks in Charleston are spinning their wheels at our expense as they study ways to prohibit  gay marriages.
  • June 28 p Tuesday afternoon, Town Council voted in new log rates in an attempt to keep the stink factory afloat. In a county, town, that can ill afford such increases, they had blinders on and marched lock step with the easy way out, raise rates on those least able to shoulder the burden.
  • June 28 p  Here in the county of little, County Commissioners are having trouble filling slots on various committees and authorities. Its been that way for years. That's a symptom of a much bigger problem at home. Most, many, are complacent with sitting on their thumbs and letting the world pass by only complaining afterwards when it's too late to make a difference.
  • June 28 p  On the upside...   Saturday afternoon a group of volunteers organized and staged a fund raiser on Courthouse Square. Music, face painting, dunking booth and more. It was a success and for a good cause
  • June 28 p On the upside...  The Solid Waster Authority (SWA) held a day day metal recycling event where over 10 huge (30 tons each) dumpster collected the stuff that most likely would have been tossed over a hillside or in a creek. That's the same SWA that Linky said hadn't done anything for months and the same SWA that Fran wants to take their $$$ for other uses.
  • June 28 p  On the upside... non profit 101.7 FM continued their Saturday night outdoor music show, Summer Jam. Around 100 showed up to enjoy great Clay County talent, good munchies, see friends, make new ones, play a new game "Cornhole", and enjoy the drive in movie. Once again, the hard work of volunteers both on stage and behind the scenes.
  • June 28 p On the upside.. over at Go Mart, on the roads, trucks hauling dirt track stock cars were seen making their way to O'Brion International Dirt Track Raceway.
  • June 28 p Some time reaaaaaaal soon, Ron Shamblin will open a new Amish Food Store at the Mountaineer Mini Mall in Maysel.  All pieces of our growing tourism economy and all coming together in a much stronger way in the Summer of 09.
  • June 28 p Step aside old liners, the new economy is here and you're in the way.
  • APB clickers:  MISSING!!! IN THE INDORE AREA 2 MINIATURE HORSES... MARE IS RED WITH A WHITE DIAMOND ON HER FOREHEAD AND HER COLT IS GRAY IN COLOR BUT LOSING HIS BABY HAIR SO HE HAS DARK SPOTS... PLEASE ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION OR HAS SEEN THEM WALKING ANYWHERE PLEASE CALL  (304)587-2277 OR (304)587-4345  OR FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AT froggygirl9932@yahoo.com  IF NO ANSWER PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE
  • June 27 a Already found a big boo boo, a left out article in the latest Communicator. Excerpts from the June 24th Commission meeting are now posted on the ADVISORY page. No charge for that one clickers.
  • June 27 a By noon Friday one of the metal recycling  big green boxes was already full. That's tons of junk not winding up along a creek or piled up  making the county look bad.   We'll leave the making the county look bad up to our politicans.
  • June 27 a  Micheal jackson will not be cremated. Since he's mostly plastic, he will be melted down into legos so kids can play with him for a change.
  • June 26 p  Got an old stinky Lazy Boy chair or that sofa Fido has slept on for years?
  • June 26 p Turns out the Solid Waste Authority folks ARE taking such items during Metal Recycling Days now in progress. Saturday is the last day for hauling in your junk for another year.
  • June 26 p Sorry, forget about hauling in useless politicians. There's no way to recycle them into anything useful.
  • June 26 a Happy Friday to one and all. The Communicator will be on news stands around 2pm today. 20 pages of solid and news on the Great Nation of Clay. Info found no other place!
  • June 26 a Look out your window, out back, in the creek, along the road. See a bunch of junk? Today and Saturday are the Metal Recycling Days for Clay County. Here's your chance tog et rid of that junk in a legal and environmentally friendly way. See EVENTS page for details.
  • June 26 a This site and The Communicator have complained for years about government secrecy and politicians improving their own lot by keeping public info away from the public.
  • June 26 a Often we pee off those in charge for demanding full disclosure. A just released national report confirms what we've been saying for over a decade.
  • June 26 a West Virginia was one of 20 states to receive failing grades in The Center for Public Integrity's "States of Disclosure" -- a 50-state ranking of financial disclosure standards for state legislators.
  • June 26 a Here's the full report.
  • June 26 a Think of visiting Clayberry?  Maybe a staycation this year? There's tons of good stuff going on this weekend.
  • June 26 a Pull behind, RV or tent camping at the JG Bradley Campground. Just North at the Braxton County Jamboree in Gassaway, dance to great bluegrass tunes.
  • June 26 a Saturday afternoon, on Courthouse Square, the Fight for Misty benefit offers great music, games, and fun  and all for a good cause.
  • June 26 a Saturday evening the WYAP Summer Jam gets underway with calk walks at 5:45. On stage will be Bo Stephens and Big Otter Bluegrass. After the show head over to Kayo Starcher's Consignment Auction at Two Run.
  • June 26 a Saturday ain't over yet. Around 9:30pm in the 101.7 parking lot, it's Drive In Movie time where "The Blues Brothers" will be the feature presentation.
  • June 26 a Yucky hot and sticky? The Clay County Pool is open!!
  • June 26 a  Did we mention Metal Recycling Days? Help clean up the county by dragging in some of that junk laying along streams and roadways.
  • June 24 p  Happy Birthday ELLA FAYE MARTIN
  • June 24 p The head counters at the Census Bureau have jobs available. See JOBS page .
  • June 24 p Thought we would have time to get the latest on the Michelle Deyton termination from the Wed morning CCC meeting but alas... you'll have to pay the 70 cents for Friday's Communicator.
  • June 24 p We're in shut down mode until we get the rag to bed sometime in the morning.
  • June 24 a We'll get a proper post on later today but.... It took longer to read the poop rate increase request than it did for the entire public hearing and vote. With only three taking part in the hearing Tuesday afternoon,  Council persons Jerry Stover, Dwana Murphy, Glada Lanham, and Arthur Jarrett voted to increase rates by over 50% and for the outrageous increase to go into effect in 45 days. Sad.
  • June 24 a Deadline for Friday's Communicator is this afternoon by 5pm. Email over your info, classifieds, event notices, chatters, and what ever else. See you in the funny pages.
  • June 23 a Gerald “Jerry” Butcher Sr, 60, of Clay, see OBITUARY page
  • June 23 a Today at 5 you have an opportunity to voice your view on raising log factory rates 56%. Don't go complaining in 45 days when you see that shocking big increase on your monthly bill. That's too late to do anything about it. And, no one wants to hear you flap your jaws about not voting for the dumb bunnies in the future. That's too late too!
  • June 23 a  Don't live in downtown? The rate increase will affect you with higher prices in local stores to cover the amount of increase.
  • June 23 a Last night's School Board meeting was all about smiles as three retirees showed up to receive their particle board commemorative for long years of service to the kids. Congrats to Bo Stephens, Janet Burton, and Mike Pierson for making ti to rocking chair money time.
  • June 23 a During the regular meeting there was no mention of CCHS Principal Phill Dobbins resigning from the post and heading back to the classroom. While the Board was in secret time, Dobbins' replacement, who the possible applicants, were all the talk in the peanut gallery.
  • June 23 a  Our guess: secret time was devoted to  getting their replacement plans in order. To get their right person in the new opening. That's how its done in Clayberry. All in the back room and all done before the position is even bid out to applicants.
  • June 23 a
  • June 22 a  Oleta Pearl (Salisbury) Mullins, 87, of Dog Run, see OBITUARY page
  • June 22 a Hope all had a fine Father's Day. You might have noticed the ace cub took the weekend off. Felt great too
  • June 22 a Opportunities on JOBS page and don't forget about applying for the Town Recorder opening. Must be a town resident to apply for the job. $480 per  month.
  • June 22 a Speaking of big shoes to fill, one of the last assignments Llyn Drake did was fill out a COPS grant application for the Town. After corrections, many corrections, it was resubmitted but late.
  • June 22 a The radio station is down for puter repairs. Has been since saturday night. Might , should, be back up and  running late Monday night.
  • June 22 a The School Board meets tonight at 6pm. To be filled is a social studies slot vacated at the end of the school year. With his desk already cleaned out, looks like CCHS Principal Phil Dobbins will get the nod.
  • June 22 a  Why would Dobbins leave the Principal slot? Would you want the headaches? Dealing with parents questioning: WHy was my little precious kicked out when he only attacked two people? Why didn't my little cherub get a scholarship? What do you mean she didn't fill out an application?
  • June 22 a But who will be his replacement. The school system is abuzz with guesses.
  • June 22 a The biggy for the week will be the Town of Clay Sewer Rate Increase Hearing on Tuesday at 5pm. The 56% increase everyone that lives, works, and or shops in the downtown and Two Run area.
  • June 22 a Truth is, the log factory costs more to operate than it takes in. There's a bunch of reasons for that. Like: It was built twice too big (excess capacity), without Council oversight, and without the technology originally covered in the budget. All that is logs under the bridge, but when you've got a place operating at half capacity and with half the customers it was designed for,  either shove it over the river bank, give it back to the lenders, make customers twice as much, or go after rate increase after increase.
  • June 22 a  Council will make the final vote on the huge increase right after the hearing on Tuesday.
  • June 22 a Our guess, won't be 10 people voicing their views.
  • June 20 p  Dorothy V. Truman of Bentree, Clay County,  see OBITUARY page
  • June 20 p  Sarah M. Butcher, 70, of Dille , see OBITUARY page
  • June 20 p  We made it thru the morning storm without any reported outages. The sun's out and it's sticky hot. Great time to head to the Clay County Swimming Pool near Schoonover Bradley Field.
  • June 20 p We're ready for weekend fun!!!!!!!!!!!
  • June 20 p Tonight the Braxton County Jamboree has Rocky Branch Bluegrass as their feature group. Nice new place with a great sound system and good dance floor. Hot dogs are pretty tasty too.  We'd like to provide the line up for the Big Otter Community Center show but they haven't been emailing the schedule. Sorry.
  • June 20 p  Check out our EVENTS page for the close up on good happenings in the county.  No dirt track racing according to the web based schedule but it's rock n roll time during the Saturday night Summer Jam at the radio station when LONG SHOT hits the stage.
  • June 20 p Don't forget the deal palace over at Two Run when Kayo Starcher starts up the Saturday night Consignment Action at 7:30pm
  • June 20 p The YAP radio Drive In movie at 9:30 Saturday night is RV with Robin Williams.
  • June 20 p The early post noted Dorsel Ramsey in the slammer. He's not in there for the felony charges laid on him Wed but for an earlier charge that had never been resolved in Court. Robe Jeff Boggs yanked his prior requirement of not getting in any more trouble.
  • June 19 a  Dorsel  Ramsey got himself in trouble just after midnight Wed morning. Excerpts from the criminal complaint: Dorsel Ramsey did by force kick open Sarah Cottrell's front door and enter into her residence at Sizemore Trailer Park... After Dorsey entered he attempted to have sexual relations with Sarah Cottrell.... Dorsel choked her and struck her in the head and face... Sarah's Dad Ronnie lives next door and overheard the exchange between Sarah and Dorsel... Ronnie told Dorsel to get on the ground and stay there..
  • June 19 a When the Badges showed up, the Dad was standing there with a ball bat in his hand and Dorsel was on the ground. Dorsel Ramsey was arrested and charged with two felonies. Good!
  • June 19 a In Clayberry, the ball bat still rules. One atta boy to Ronnnie Cottrell
  • June 19 a At 10:30 this morning the thunder lightening and rain set in. Weathercasters have been calling for rotten weather complete with tornado watches for the last three days. Looks like that nasty stuff is finally making to county. How dark is it. At 10:45 am , the street lights came on.
  • June 19 a With the Courthouse shut down, Happy Birthday West Virignia.
  • June 19 a Not sure what happened but sometime late last night, the radio station when down. Some kind of computer malfunction this time around.
  • June 19 a Normally with a major storm, Clayberry power and DSL gets fried. If there's no new posts.. you know the reason.
  • June 18 Late p  Inez Viola ( DeMoss) Sample, 77, of Clay, see OBITUARY page
  • June 18 p This just in, from the email bag:  Just wanted everyone to know that the Library will be closing, June 18, 2009 @ 4:30 p.m. due to the extreme heat.  The temperature in the library is 90 degrees and there is no air circulating at all.  The air conditioning unit is out.  We are waiting on a replacement.
  • June 18 p  One of the A/C units pooped out. Until repaired, the Library will close down each afternoon when the temp gets un-bearable and will be closed for West Virginia Day on Saturday.
  • June 18 a Nina M. Truman, 88, of Bickmore, see OBITUARY page
  • June 18 a Happy Birthday wishes to Lloyd Rapp
  • June 18 a Happy Birthday SHERRY PHILLIPS
  • June 18 a Happy 11th Birthday MARIAH HOPE
  • June 18 a Happy Birthday Hannah Perdue
  • June 18 a  In the last Communicator we included the name of the new Library Bd member as Katherine Myers Porter. That should be Kathryn Meyer-Fortner who emailed us and said she goes by Kathy Fortner. Thanks
  • June 18 a  Phil Dobbins has been the High School Principal  for a number of years. Doing a great job with a relaxed style, something is up.
  • June 18 a Dobbins turned in his bid for a social studies teaching position at the school. Unexpected and sure to set off a wave of transfers as administrators jockey for position.
  • June 18 a Last edition of the Communicator, in the Police Blotter column we printed the Criminal Complaint on a husband wife dispute where the wife accused the hubby of putting a knife to her throat as she refused to sex things up. Her reason: She told police his Winky was red and blistered over. He had sex and she filed the complaint several days later. In that same complaint, an after the incident STD test revealed she now had contracted herpes.
  • June 18 a She, he, had their day in Court last week. Turns out, what's reported in criminal complaints are always true.
  • June 18 a During courtroom testimony, the Hubby showed a copy of his STD report which showed HE did NOT have herpes. Sounds like the wifey may have contracted the disease somewhere else although she reported never having sex outside the marriage.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
  • June 18 a The case was tossed, no probable cause.
  • June 18 a Wifey took off Sunday, the kid left out Wed am. All quiet at the home front. Just the ace cub reporter and Irene the Basset hound. Trying hard not to dirty dishes nor glasses.
  • June 18 a Licking off the fork and using it over and over. Paper plates work fine except for french toast and syrup. Bottom softens up and starts leaking real quick. Dog liked that!
  • June 18 a   Never knew the importance of electric sweeper bags.
  • June 18 a When sucking up dog poop,without a bag in place, little pieces of stuff and stink fills the room just before the sweeper motor starts slowing down.
  • June 18 a Might be a problem clickers.
  • June 16 p  Very very quiet in Clayberry. Maybe too quiet. Usually that means somebody is up to something and we just haven't heard about it yet.
  • June 16 p Late last week Clay Roane PSD filed a formal complaint against the Town of Clay which feeds wa wa to the PSD. The Complaint , equal to an adminstrative lawsuit, says the Town has know about a faulty "check valve" in the Town's service line for months, they've been told about it over and over, told the Mayor first hand and still, it's screwed up.
  • June 16  Sorry clickers, that's the biggest  news I can find right now.
  • June 16 p Traffic jams, lots of pollution, more roads needed, too many cars on the roads. More hospitals needed as well as MDs, nurses, housing .... How come no one is talking about the real solution.
  • June 16 p In 1950 the USA population was 150 million now its 300 million. Isn't the answer, fewer people. Birth control, tax credits for having fewer kids?
  • June 16 p Only a couple applicants for the $480 per month Town Recorder job. How about you? Send resumes to Mayor Brown ASAP.
  • June 16 p  We're on day two of life without wifey. Learned something already. You ought not sweep up Raisin Bran Crunch with an electric sweeper or at least, don't leave the wet soggy bag in the thing overnight. Ants found the sweeper.
  • June 15 p It's pretty sad person that tears up flowers. He, they, are even lower slimy pukes when they tear em up at the Clay Library.   Pitiful
  • June 15 p Mayor Brown says he is now enforcing the town curfew including picking up the little B@@##!! and taking them to DHHR where he plans to launch child endangerment laws.
  • June 15 p  The little sweety left Sunday. Gone until Friday evening. Kid takes off Wed. Home sweet home once again. Time to get out the cigars.
  • June 15 p  Other than having to sweep some spilled on the carpet Raisin Bran, life is good. Wonderful as a matter of fact. Dishes are washed, clothes are in the washer, Dog is on the back porch. Cars washed. Wonderful start to a week's vacation at home.
  • June 15 a While we come up with a good post, here's something to occupy your time while the boss ain't looking.
  • June 15 a Try this online leap frog game. Yes you can really get them from one side to the other.
  • June 13 p  Kathleen Samples, 85, of Procious , see OBITUARY page
  • June 13 p We saw good and bad during the last seven days.
  • June 13 p  Downtown Clay thugs managed to break windows, damage vehicles, attach a fire truck and such. Just a handful of trash can spoil it for so many others.
  • June 13 p When Govt is working deals behind the scenes, it's important to keep everything hush hush. During the Wed CCC bid awards for roofing of govt buildings, little things popped up. Like some contractors were called while others were left out.
  • June 13 p Like bids coming in for contracts that haven't even been advertised.
  • June 13 p Like   Questions on which contractors were told to pay prevailing wage and which didn't know about the requirement. There was no mention in the local ads.
  • June 13 p Commissioner Fran King raised issues with the process but with two of the three votes walking in lock step, her concerns were for naught.
  • June 13 p Something happened Friday morning at the Courthouse. Michelle Deyton from the County Clerk's office, left minus a job.
  • June 13 p  The rain went away just in time for the weekend. Out came the motorcycles and bikers. All stopping to spend new to the county $$$. On the far end of the county O'Brion Oval Dirt track continued the season with great racing and even bigger crowds.
  • June 13 p In downtown Clay the radio station offered up great music and movie while the BC&G RR held their Taste of Clay over at the Campground.
  • June 13 p New money for our new economy while old line businesses remained closed on the weekend. Step aside elders,  you've missed the boat and just taking up needed Main Street store front space.
  • June 13 p There is no doubt that Clayberry's only future is  based on tourism. For that to happen, more needs to come to our little spot on the map. First word of something new came this week.
  • June 13 p Word has it, a group of railroad enthusiats plan to come to Clay this Summer. Not just RR riders but those with minature engines, jitneys and the like, to travel the creek side line of the BC&G.
  • June 13 p If received with smiles and a good experience, such visitors offer great hope and promise (and $$$) for our future.
  • June 13  a Anthony “Tony” Charles Duffield, 24, of Duck, see OBITUARY pages
  • June 13 a Slowly ever so so slowly, Clayberry is turning itself into a place for weekend fun during the summer months. For this weekend, Rain Gods appear to be co-operating.
  • June 13 a Slam bam racing fun continues at Obrion Oval International (almost) Dirt track in the northern end of the county. Jim Fitzwater says the crowds are growing weekly. THat's brand new $$ for the county.
  • June 13 a The pool season is up and running. See Events page
  • June 13 a BBQ Pig Roast down at Lizemores Elementary.
  • June 13 a Yard Sale Central continues on every street corner.
  • June 13 a Bingo tonight at CCHS, 6pm
  • June 13 a  This evening 101.7 FM has seasoned musicians sure to make you smile when the Possum Holler Pickers hit the Summer Jam stage in downtown Clay at 6pm. Cake walks at 5:45..
  • June 13 a Kayo Starcher will be offering up some good deals during tonight's Consignment Auction at Two Run. If you're wanting to make some extra pocket change, load up your extra junk and take it to the old State Road garage between 4 and 7:30 for tonight's sale.
  • June 14 a After the auction, WYAP-LP's Drive In Movie is the classic "Ice Age" sure to please the entire family. That starts around 9:30pm
  • June 14 a Over at the campground at Dundon, Sunday afternoon's culinary delight the Taste of Clay kicks off at noon.
  • June 12 a  Mildred C. Belt, 77, of Dog Run. see OBITUARY page
  • June 12 a   Ronnie Marvin Moore, 60, see OBITUARY page
  • June 12 a Communicator comes out around noon:30 today
  • June 12 a Lead story deals with the long delays in emergency services on the far end of the county. The issue was raised by Bomon'ts Jimmy Kearns during Wed's commission meeting.
  • June 12 a  Coverage of that meeting includes the bidding process on repairs to the old Courthouse, CAEZ, and hardware bldg roofs. After some re-thinking, there were blemishes in that process.
  • June 12 a Like, some of the bids weren't in sealed envelopes.  During the bid award process, some of the bids couldn't be found and resulted in Darryl and Darryl running around like chickens with their heads cut off in search of the documents.
  • June 12 a Like.... Bids came in on projects that haven't even been advertised yet. That may be an  eyebrow raiser on how the bidding process was actually conducted behind the scenes.
  • June 12 a Like... The newspaper ad made no mention that the projects pay prevailing wage. That was only mentioned during the meeting. One contractor turned in a second set of bids after learning (not in the paper) about Davis Bacon demands.
  • June 12 a Like.. Some potential contractors were telephoned and encouraged to bid.
  • June 12 a The County Commission is starting to sound like the school system of doing business.
  • June 12 a Downtown Clay thugs struck Wed night breaking out windows and tearing up vehicles. Once again a hand full of hooligans are making it tough on the majority.
  • June 12 a A young working class couple with four children came to Clay last night in search of a large house, four bedrooms would be nice, for rent. They said they wanted to escape Kanawha County life.
  • June 12 a If anyone knows of such a rental unit, email us and we will forward the info
  • June 11 a While you're waiting on us to finish typing the paper and if the boss is away, here's a dandy web page full of West Virginia pictures.
  • June 10 p  Samuel Van Rose, 68, of Strange Creek, see OBITUARY page
  • June 10 p  Deadline is tonight for Communicator submissions. Paper comes out Friday afternoon. Get your  emailed chatters, classifieds and what evers to us by 7pm or so.
  • June 10 p And Yes, County Commission unanimously reappointed Jim Knotts to the BDA this morning.
  • June 10 p All the details and more in the next edition of Clayberry's award winning newspaper, The Communicator.
  • June 10 p  No updates until we get the paper to bed.
  • June 10 p Just as well too.  Big storm rolling thru Clay during this update. Batten down the hatches and put fresh batteries in your flashlight. Might need it!
  • June 9 p This morning around 7:15, Jack Brown responded to a breaking and entering call at the local Rite Aid. Thugs entered the building by breaking a riverside window. No other details right now
  • June 9 p Happy Birthday Phillip Summers
  • June 9 p Delegate Dave Perry provided a Legislative Update article after the last session. That info is now posted over on the ADVISORY page.
  • June 9 p Weathercasters keep talking about big time rain and hail coming our way but as of  4pm, ain't happened.
  • June 9 p Mentioned on Wed morning's Commission meeting agenda are the reappointments of lots of volunteers to various committees. One of those appointments is Jim Knotts to the Clay County Business Development Authority.
  • June 9 p Mr Knotts is not convicted of any crime BUT has 128 felony indictments for child sexual abuse. Does anybody  think Knotts should step aside until a jury decides his fate? Or, maybe the County Commission should step him aside?
  • June 8 p  DANIEL LANE WESTFALL, age 24, see OBITUARY page
  • June 8  4:30 pm Big time storm with thunder boomers and high winds coming our way tonight. Know what that means? Most likely power and DSL outages. Hold on to your  hats clickers.
  • June 8 p Turns out, you can't buy a Judge in West Virginia. Who would have thunk it?
  • June 8 p Lots are saying the economy is improving. You think that?  Credit card delinquency rates jumped 11% in the first quarter, possibly indicating that consumers are using tax refunds to pay day-to-day expenses
  • June 8 p No school buses. Huraaah!  Kids at Home. Bad. Bad Bad
  • June 8 p Update on Town Council not paying one time Recorder Llyn Drake after she moved out of town, she says they paid her the next day.
  • June 8 p  Clay County PSD meets Tuesday morning at 11am. County Commission convenes Wed at 10am
  • June 8 p Happy Birthday Leslie Blanton
  • June 8 p Postings over on the JOBS page.
  • June 8 p Want to do something good for the county? County Commission is looking for a couple of folks to volunteer for the Housing Authority. How about you.
  • June 7 p Wanda Jane (England) Bishop, 71, of Bomont, see OBITUARY page
  • June 7 p    Grey Max McLaughlin, 88, formerly of Duck, see OBITUARY page
  • June 7 p From one end to the other, what a week.
  • June 7 p Monday morning during an IRS auction, Doc Jamie paid $50,000 to buy back his own seized vehicles. Ryan Clifton made him pay dearly for the two vehicles.
  • June 7 p Under duress, Recorder Llyn Drake resigned from office. When she tried to muster support for her continuing in that position for a few more weeks, there wasn't any. During that same Town Council meeting, the elected folks said Aye to raising sewer rates 56%.
  • June 7 p  Teresa Kerns resigned from the Library Board Tuesday evening. When Kerns accepted the no pay position, the place was an embarrassing wreck with few users, the financials in disarray, without public support and used by few. Under her rein, the place turned around and once again is an asset for the entire county.
  • June 7 p During the CAEZ meeting , it was announced that the community college at Valley Fork will be getting a full time person to run and grow the place. Welcome Kim Sovine.
  • June 7 p Thursday's BDA was all talk. True they didn't get into a fight or anything but still, they were discussion the same blah blah blah that should have been decided years ago. Talk is better than nothing.
  • June 7 p The BDA has accomplished two things this year. Around town, the BDA purchased nice blue cloth banners and erected them on downtown Leonard poles. Looks nice.
  • June 7 p The BDA's  first ever, tourism brochure, came out this week. Colorful and on slicky paper, Clay County West Virginia finally has a vehicles to promote our 342 square miles with pride.
  • June 7 p Business leader, BDA member, and indicted felon Jim Knotts will get another day in Circuit Court. The Big Robes in Charleston ruled on his appeal Friday afternoon. Knots will return to Judge Facemire's courtroom where he can't use the "its been too long ago" as a defense.
  • June 7 p For those thinking Mr Knotts will never go to court, our guess, Yes he will
  • June 7 p As many prepare for vacation travel, without reason, gas prices went up. In the last few weeks, they've gone up over 30 cents per gallon.
  • June 7 p We saw our entrepreneurial minded folks in high gear Saturday as yard sales popped up. Saturday evening the radio station folks got their 2009 outdoor music show season (their 6th season) underway. Over at the Consignment Auction house, the place was packed. Later Saturday night, folks had fun at the WYAP Drive In movie.
  • June 7 p Lots of rain helped gardens grow and flowers to bloom. Graduated seniors snoozed on the couch. Clay County schools closed for the summer break on Friday. Smiles were seen everywhere.
  • June 7 p Life in Clayberrry is always a struggle. Blue skies and sunshine filled days make it a little easier.
  • June 6 a With sunshine coming down everywhere, after tonight's Summer Jam, and after the Consignment Auction, the radio station is airing "RV" with Robin Williams at the 101.7FM Drive In Movie (old Fas Chek parking lot) which begins at dark, best guess, 9:15 to 9:30pm
  • June 6 a It's a great time to come visit Clayberry.
  • June 5 p Happy Birthday Elva Vaughan
  • June 5 p BDA member and local businessman JIm Knotts stands indicted with 128 sexual abuse felonies to a minor. Just before going to Court five months ago, his attorney appealed the case to the W Va Supreme Court. Team Knotts argues that the case was too old and the Prosecutor (15 years ago) should have advanced the case as soon as he knew about the allegations.
  • June 5 p Today the Supreme Court findings were made public. Written in legalese and 28 pages in length, it sounds like: the case will go back to the Circuit Court where a "Dimming memories and the passage of time alone are insufficient to establish the level of prejudice necessary to show the denial of due process".
  • June 5 p from the conclusion page: As discussed above, the circuit court is required to hold an evidentiary hearing to apply the legal principles that we are adopting through this opinion. If Petitioner is able to meet his burden of demonstrating actual substantial prejudice, then the trial court should proceed to consider the reasons offered by the State for the delay and determine, after weighing the tendered justifications against the demonstrated prejudice, if due process was denied based on the preindictment delay. That determination, as we counseled above, is to

  • be made with reference to the critical considerations that the United States Supreme Court stressed in Lovasco: “whether the action complained of . . . violates those 'fundamental conceptions of justice which lie at the base of our civil and political institutions'. . . and which define 'the community's sense of fair play and decency.'”
  • June 5 p He ain't off the hook yet clickers.
  • June 5 a Happy Birthday to Communicator editor Terri Kerns AND the ace cub reporter, ole tubby himself, James A the magnificent, world famous printer in the garden spot of America, Clay County West Virginia.
  • June 5 a Most of the county was without an Internet connection for much of Thursday night. How many of you sat around last with your hands on the keyboard just wishing for a dose ot the web.
  • June 5 a And this, how many times have you gone to the jail web site, look at the thug, then the date of birth, and said, D!!!! he's younger than me and looks ten times older.
  • June 5  a Ahhh go look in a mirror clickers.
  • June 5 a Miles Slack put together a good blog listing the new 911 road names and how to get there. Here's the link once again for those that have been asking.
  • June 5 a In the way of fun this weekend, Jeannie Davis is holding an auction over near Lake Sampson, Big Otter FD is hosting a Poker Run, the swimming pool reopens Saturday, the Summer Jam Season opener, the BC&G RR night featuring Joe Nutter and Variety Pak, Consignment Auction beginning at 7:30 during the warm months,  and a whole bunch more, just check the EVENTS page for details.
  • June 5 a Now if the rain will just go away.
  • June 5 a The Mel Gibson look alike is tweaking his puter this weekend. If no updates, that means he screwed something up again!
  • June 4 p  From Senator Randy White: Last week the WV Department of Environmental Protection issued a moratorium on any new underground coal slurry injections. Their study along with several other private studies have concluded that there exists a real concern for the toxins being found in potential well waters.
  • June 4 p Already getting feedback on the planned 56% poop factory rate increase. Some saying No Way Jose.
  • June 4 p Here's the skinny. The West Virginia Public Service Commission says the average home uses 4500 gallons of wa wa each month. Sewer rates are based on water usage. With 4500 gallons as the base, under the new stink rates, a Town of Clay resident will see a $49.93 bill for being able to flush the logs. Remember that $49.93 is JUST the cost of sewer service. On top of that add the water used.
  • June 4 p For those living elsewhere in the county and thinking the rate increase won't affect you. Wrong. Every business in town will have to adjust rates to cover the increase in sewer rates.
  • June 4 a   Janie B. Patterson of Clay died June 3, 2009. Wilson-Shamblin-Smith Funeral Home, Clay, is in charge of arrangements
  • June 4 a  Emma I. Metheney, see OBITUARY page
  • June 4 a  Freddy M. White, 64, of Indore died June 3, 2009. Graveside service will be 9 a.m. Friday, June 5, in Holcomb Cemetery, Indore. Wilson-Shamblin-Smith Funeral Home, Clay, is in charge of arrangements
  • June 4 a Lets try this again with contact info this time. Can anybody give this kid a break? From the email bag: I am looking for a summer job. I have been babysitting for two and a half years. I can clean, cook, or whatever household chores that need done. I am going to West Virginia University in the Fall .  jreneet11@hotmail.com 304-587-4214    thanks Josselyn Truman
  • June 4 a Rain is coming down hard in Clayberry.  Expected to last the next  36 hours and flood watches are in place
  • June 4 a Last month the BDA tried twice to hold their monthly meeting. Didn't happen. They'll try again this evening at 5pm, in the Courthouse. Lets see now... Did they get their federal ID number? Guess: Nope. Did they find a buyer for the old FIlcon site? Guess: Nope. Have they grown any jobs? Answer: Nope. Have they added ANY info to their high dollar and absolutely worthless web site? Nope
  • June 4 a  Llyn Drake made an effort to stay on Council another month. She said it was to see the sewer rate increase process thru. State law requires Council members to be residents of the municipality. With Drake moved from town more than five weeks back, Mayor Brown got his way and Drake is out of there.
  • June 4 a Although she made a spiel to stay on Council, she knew her goose was cooked. Drake had with her the seal for the city, all records for the office, various pending grant applications, and keys to the office.
  • June 4 a  Interesting: Council persons get paid for their efforts. Brown refused to cut a check for Ms Drake for the month of May, the month where she continued to do Recorder functions but lived elsewhere. Although asked to stay for the meeting, Drake stormed out as soon as she gave her speech and resigned.
  • June 4 a As for her performance while in office and her speech, Drake said she had done a good job and had worked to serve the residents of the hamlet. Mayor Brown challenged that as he reported mandatory annual budget was submitted late, then was all screwed up, that Drake had submitted it a second time only to have it rejected by the State folks, and it took he and water operator Dwana Murphy additional time to get the mess straightened out and properly executed.
  • June 4 a Interesting.... When Drake made her plea to use her scribed agenda and to stay another couple weeks, no one from Council went to her rescue. When she asked for her last month's pay day, no one from Council came to her side.  Sort of reminds some of a sinking ship and the rats jumping off or something like that.
  • June 4 a Dwana Murphy will serve as interim Recorder until next month. During that time resumes will be accepted for the $480 a month part time job.
  • June 4 a Jack Brown ain't no rocket scientist but brought something else to Council's attention. He showed a receipt where Drake at taxpayer's expense purchased a copier toner cartridge for a Cannon printer. Note: Town Hall doesn't own a Cannon printer. During an earlier verbal scuffle, the same type of purchase was made and questioned by Brown. Back then Drake said she had made a bunch of copies at home for a bridge dedication ceremony.
  • June 4 a That response came after Drake had successfully pushed for a new Town hall all in one office printer, fax, copier for government use.
  • June 4 a With Drake handling grant paperwork and now out of office, questions are coming up on grant awards and if they will come to frutation. Stuff like the COPS grant, $15,000 from Budget Digest and the $190,000 sidewalk repair grant.
  • June 4 a Are you a resident of the municipality? Need a good paying part time job? Get your resume into Town Hall.
  • June 4 a Politics is always fun to watch. Ms Drake has been in the middle of it for 23 months. More importantly, at least to the people, is the first reading of the Log Factory 56% rate increase. When passed later this month, the big time increase will take affect 45 days later. Get the Crisco.
  • June 4 a We'd like to blame the increase on Llyn Drake who dragged her feet on the rate increase request for 10 months.
  • June 4 a  Truth is, four years ago, then Mayor Arthur Jarrett, King Arthur as we called him back then, said he knew they needed a poop factory increase but instead, Jarrett wanted to F all the people that purchased town water.... a bigger pool to pull from since their water customers are all over the county via Clay County and Clay Roane PSDs.
  • June 4 a Last person out of town, turn off the light bulb.
  • June 3 a Town Recorder Llyn Drake resigned from office last night. Mayor Brown was last seen grinning from ear to ear as he danced up and down Main Street. Update coming
  • June 2 p   Interesting IRS auction this morning up at the State Road garage. 40 or more were in attendance with 29 ready to bid. Actually only two were contenders, Doc Jamie and Ryan Clifton. Doc Jamie was the winner coming in at $50,000 to repurchase his SUV and Porsche.
  • June 2 p  The coffeehouse crowd expected the SUV to go for around $7000 and the Porsche around $22,000. The interesting part was how Mr Clifton made Jamie keep bidding higher and higher.
  • June 2 p  It almost felt like there was some kind of grudge there from years ago and Ryan was making the good Doc pay out the nose. Just a guess clickers.
  • June 2 p Under blue skies and bright sunshine, it was fun to watch.  That leaves Doc Jamie with a little over $1.3m in liens left to repay.
  • June 2 p Those of us watching, there was some head scratching.... If Jamie had $50,000 to repurchase the vehicles, why didn't the IRS just grab the $$$?  If Jamie puts them in his own name, what's to keep the Feds from taking them again?
  • June 2 a Mary Lou Thomas, 80, of Dille, see OBITUARY page
  • June 2 a Clayberry has become Yard Sale Central. see EVENTS page for tons of opportunities
  • June 2 a Communicator came out last Friday. Prescribers in the Ovapa area say they haven't received their paper. We called the Procious PO which handles the mail in the Ovapa area. Rep there says they haven't seen the newspapers as of Monday afternoon at 2pm.
  • June 2 a The Communicator is mailed at the Maysel post office where most of the award winning publications take a trip to Charleston before being sent back to the various Clayberry PO's via truck.
  • June 2 a Sorry but we mailed em!
  • June 2 a Nothing too exciting from last night's School Board meeting. Other than concensus to double the CCHS and CMS Athletic Directors salaries.....
  • June 2 a In the latest edition of the Communicator is the write up from the last meeting in May School Board gathering where Boardster Gene King got all fired up over the administration adding more paper increasing duties. He was most concerned over the likelyhood of more people needing hired at the Pentagon for the new duties.
  • June 2 a Last night the Board voted unanimously to increase the paper duties. No mention of  new hire... yet.
  • June 2 a This afternoon Town Council meets. On the agenda actually both the agendas, is the first vote to icnrase log factory rates by over 56%.
  • June 2 a On the issue of one time Town Recorder Llyn Drake continuing to receive a pay day after moving from the municipal boundaries over a month ago.. something from another former Recorder:      I served as Recorder, Town Clerk, Water Clerk, and Sanitation Board Clerk from 1983 through 1987 and haven't forgot everything that I needed to know about the various positions in the governing body and the various clerk positions.   I understand that serving in any capacity in the governing of the Town of Clay can be frustrating to no end.  At the same time, I also know that serving can be a very satisfying experience when people are there for the right reasons, get along among themselves, can disagree without be disagreeable and are there to serve the citizens of the Town of Clay and not themselves or to have a job and do it to the best of their abilities to support themselves and their family rather than being on the Welfare rolls like myself and Victor Delawarelle.

  •      Another question that has come to my mind is why does it take so many office people being paid so much money to do basically the same work that was done by one office employee for so many years prior to 1987?   There may not be many people left but there are a few who will remember the ones that did this before me.   Have things changed THAT MUCH??   At the time I started doing this work, the water and sewer bills were done on an archaic billing machine that took forever and was totally inadequate to meet all the reporting requirements of the Public Service Commision.   After some months in 1983, the Council approved the purchase of the first computer and the jobs could all be done by one qualified person on one computer with one hand tied behind their back.  Sure there were times when the office would be closed because there was only one person, but I don't remember any major catastrophe resulting from that particular inconvenience.   Perhaps someone else does.  I do remember a parking meter being chained to a dump truck, yanked out of the concrete, and dragged through Town and deposited in front of the Town Office by someone who didn't like where the Mayor had put it.  Does anyone besides me remember that incident and who the people were that did it?
        Another thing I don't understand is the auditing process now.  Seems I've either been told or read that the requirements have been changed, however, since I'm no longer responsible for anything regarding the auditing, I haven't bothered to verify anything.  All I know is that during the four years I was responsible, every year there were auditors from the State Tax Department that spent several days checking and verifying everything in and out of the General, Revenue Sharing, and Coal Severance Tax bank accounts and auditors from the Public Service Commission that did the same thing for Clay Municipal Water Works and the Sanitation Board.  We weren't allowed to pay sewer expenses from the water company at all unless the funds were paid back before the end-of -the-year audit.  Any discrepancies, and during my four years there were some because nobody is perfect,  were reported to the Prosecuting Attorney and as the responsible person, I had to be able to explain the discrepancy to the satisfaction of the State Tax Department, the Public Service Commission and the Prosecuting Attorney.  If this is not required now, it should be.  Keeps everyone on the up and up.
       I do not know how the West Virginia Code as it relates to municipalities, could be any clearer about eligibility to serve as a member of the governing body.  When anyone choses to move from within the corporate boundaries of the Municipality, it's my opinion that they should be prepared to tender their resignation immediately upon moving.
    (c) Unless otherwise provided by charter provision or ordinance, the mayor, recorder and councilmen must be residents of the municipality and must be qualified voters entitled to vote for members of its governing body.
     Linda (Morehead) Given
  • June 2 a As for that big time log rate increase, code does demand that Council set up a seperate Board, a Sanitation Board, to handle rate increases. Has anybody heard of such a group? Have they met to vote in a rate increase? Was the meeting properly posted?
  • June 2 a Answer: Nope!
  • June 1 a No look back this time around  Instead....
  • June 1 a Can anyone give this young lady a hand: I have been babysitting for two and a half years. I can clean, cook, or whatever household chores that need done. I am going to West Virginia University in the Fall  and I would like to get some money saved up before I leave. Sincerely, Josselyn Truman
  • June 1 a Man there's a full week of Clayberry action
  • June 1 a Tonight the school board meets at the Board office behind the Methodist church on Gump Street. Near the bottom of the agenda is a new salary for the athletic director. Might be interesting.
  • June 1 a In addition to two CAEZ meetings (4pm and 6pm) and a Library Board meeting (6pm)  Tuesday evening, Clay Town Council will convene at 5pm. With two agendas posted not sure which one will be used.
  • June 1 a In any case, with Llyn Drake thinking she is still on Council, should make for some early fireworks.
  • June 1 a BDA meets Thursday at 5pm.
  • June 1 a The Solid Waste folks held a two day tire recycling program where they collected nearly 4400 old carcasses which most likely would have ended up along a road or in a stream.
  • June 1 a People are willing to recycle, make Clayberry look better, keep it lookin clean, if given a chance to do so.

  • June 1 a This month comes the metal disposal days. Interested in recycling? Here's a nice site. Thanks Allison Gruber for the link