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