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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Scott Lemley is the Democratic nominee for a seat on the Wetzel County Commission.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

On May 5 a Middlebourne woman admitted she set fire to her own house in Proctor, and she also pleaded guilty to the misuse of funds of an elder person. For her arson crime, Cynthia Longwell Nottingham, 32, of Court Street, Middlebourne, was sentenced by Judge John Madden in Wetzel County Circuit Court to two years in prison and for the elder funds abuse charge she was sentenced to not less than two nor more than 10 years. The sentences were suspended and she must pay almost $14,000 in restitution and serve three years on supervised probation.

Sgt. John Brookover of the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office has been named the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2007. On May 7 Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Haught designated Brookover as an officer who has contributed greatly to the county.

One can imagine Bridget Hughes’ surprise and delight when she opened the letter from The Doodle 4 Google Team inviting her and her son, Sean Staats, to come, all expenses paid, to the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif., on May 21.

Author, illustrator, and 2000 graduate of Magnolia High School Laura Vila has published a new children’s book, “Building Manhattan”, that describes and illustrates the history of Manhattan, N.Y., from its conception as an island of natural beauty with diverse wildlife to its contemporary diversity of cultures and architecture.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

We must, as a society, hold people accountable,” said Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Haught May 12 in his closing argument at the circuit court trial of a man who was indicted for failing to register as sexual offender. A jury of five men and seven women deliberated 18 minutes before bringing in a guilty verdict, with Judge John Madden presiding over the proceedings.

Among the personnel and staffing changes approved by the Wetzel County Board of Education May 1 was the retirement of Robert K. Miller as a bus operator, effective July 1. Approved immediately was the resignation of Cynthia H. Culley as head girls’ soccer coach at Magnolia High School. In addition, Deanna L. Heasley was approved for employment as countywide non-certified substitute teacher as of May 2.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

I stole a car—a Pontiac Firebird,” said a Clarksburg man who admitted in Wetzel County Circuit Court on May 5 he was guilty of grand larceny.

BY ELIZABETH THOMAS, For the Wetzel Chronicle

The open forum session at the beginning of the Paden City council meeting on May 5 had more than the usual amount grievances aired.

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

Henry David Thoreau’s advice to “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!” may well have been the unofficial theme of the Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner held April 24 at the Mollohan Center.

The Wetzel County Board of Education May 1 approved the continued employment of permanent and probationary professional and service workers for the 2008-09 school year.

BY BILL ABRAHAM, Staff Writer

The Wetzel County Board of Education May 1 adopted a $28.3 million budget for the 2008-09 school year, approved McKinley & Associates of Wheeling as the school system’s architect of record, and approved the firm’s first proposed project—repair of the south wall at Magnolia High School.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Outer Space is coming to New Martinsville School. On Friday NASA astronaut Lt. Commander Christopher Cassidy will be coming to spend the day at NMS as part of the NASA Astronaut Appearance program for “NMS Space Day.”

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

New Martinsville City Council unanimously approved Monday a revised employee policy manual that changes the city’s policy on taking municipal vehicles home.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

We’re very sorry to see you leave town, but we’re glad you’re still in the area,” said Mayor Charles Sine to Councilman Rick Kolat at the May 5 meeting of the Hundred City Council. Council had just voted unanimously to accept Kolat’s letter of resignation, effective immediately. Kolat left the council because he no longer lives in the city limits, a requirement of the council position.

Two Democrats are running for Wetzel County Sheriff: Johnny Cool and incumbent James Hoskins.

Three candidates are seeking the mayor’s seat in New Martinsville: George Antonik, Lucille Blum, and Steven (Steve) Bohrer.

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

New Martinsville City Council held a special meeting on April 15 as required by law to lay the levy that sets the amounts the city gets from county taxes. For fiscal year 2008-2009, for budget purposes, the amount will be $657,225.

Five candidates are seeking the two available seats on the Wetzel County Board of Education: Amy Jo Dieffenbauch, Carolyn Lemasters, Linda S. Ritz, Dan Snyder, and Anna M. Watson.

Editor’s Note: After Casey Corliss’ biography and response was printed in last week’s Wetzel Chronicle, Cris Jenkins called to say he had sent his response by mail, although we’ve never received it. He then provided his information via e-mail. In the interest of fairness and public information we are running both candidates’ responses this week.)

The race for a seat on the Wetzel County Commission is one of the mostly hotly contested races in Wetzel County. Four Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination: Cindy K. Glasscock, Scott Lemley, Steven R. Steele, and William (Bill.) Grimm. Larry Weekley is the sole Republican candidate.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

At an unscheduled Pine Grove special town meeting on April 23 the council voted to decline the United States Environmental Protection Agency grant they had been offered last year for roughly $724,000 to repair their municipal sewer lines and extend sewer service to Galmish and Barker.

Three Democrats are vying for the seat of Second District Circuit Judge, Div. 2, that is being vacated by Judge John T. Madden. They are Frederick E. Gardner, Tad Greene, and David W. Hummel Jr.

For an unprecedented 13th consecutive year, Magnolia High School has taken first place in the West Virginia State TSA conference, held earlier this month in Charleston, edging out neighbor Tyler Consolidated for the win.

Charles E. L. Booth is challenging incumbent Wetzel County Surveyor Henry M. Parsons for that position.

BY BILL ABRAHAM, Staff Writer

The Wetzel County Board of Education April 21 approved a preliminary operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 of $28,398,840—about two percent higher than this year’s $27.7 million budget approved in April 2007.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

By a final court order, Iams Funeral Home must transfer all preneed funeral accounts to two other New Martinsville funeral homes and they are not permitted to engage in any preneed funeral arrangements or services. The decision will be appealed by Iams’ counsel Hiram Lewis. On April 24 in Wetzel County Circuit Court, Judge John Madden ruled that Iams Funeral Home was “permanently enjoined from selling, offering for sale, making available, or acting as the provider of any preneed funeral products or services in the State of West Virginia.” Iams was further ordered to reimburse funeral homes that had previously serviced some of his preneed funeral contracts but had not been paid.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

Thanks to the watchful eye of an observant neighbor, two more suspected illegal aliens have been taken into custody. According to New Martinsville Police Chief Tim Cecil, on Saturday night a neighbor near the Paducah Drive location of an April 16 Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sting observed a suspicious white van which seemed to be circling the apartment building. Ten days earlier the building has been the scene of a coordinated raid which had snared seven illegal immigrants and closed the El Caporal Mexican Restaurante in the New Martinsville Plaza. The neighbor called NMPD; Ptl. Don Larsen and Ptl. Friend Estep came on scene to find all the lights on in the former residence of the arrested aliens. Finding the van empty, the officers knocked on the door of the illuminated apartment, but heard no response. After investigating all exterior areas of the building, the officers returned to the van to find it occupied by two individuals who reportedly spoke no English at first. As investigations continued it was determined the duo were able to converse well enough in English to reveal they were in the country illegally.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

Wetzel County Commission met on April 23 with representatives of the employees from the Wetzel County Landfill once again topping the agenda.

Chris Blackburn, Rick Estep, and Joel A. Potts III are vying for the Fifth Ward seat on the New Martinsville City Council. Incumbent Doris Fannin has chosen not to seek re-election.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

Local residents reacted with both surprise and resignation April 16 as Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement closed El Caporal Mexican Restaurante in the New Martinsville Plaza.

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

A woman described as “New Martinsville’s Mother Teresa” was honored as the Wetzel-Tyler Volunteers For Better Reading’s Tutor of the Year Aug. 17.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

Hundred City Councilman Rick Kolat announced on April 21 that the next meeting of the Hundred city council would be his last because he is moving out of the town. Due to the absence of Mayor Charles Sine, no discussion was held to determine how a replacement for Kolat would be found, but the issue will be discussed at the next council meeting on May 5.

BY BILL ABRAHAM, Staff Writer

Seven Wetzel County School employees will be transferred to other county schools next year, despite an effort by two of them to persuade the board of education to keep them at their present assignments.

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

A victory and slight defeat during the recent legislative session were the main topics at the W.Va. 2/I-68 Authority meeting held in New Martinsville April 14.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

As local anglers pull trout from the stocked Fishing Creek stream near Pine Grove, in the background Dominion Transmission’s Hastings Extraction/ Fractionation Plant towers above all. The plant is a Wetzel County fixture in the landscape and is the largest facility of its kind in the east. People drive by and probably do not realize how many types of products in their daily lives may have origins in plants such as Hastings. Open for over a century, the natural gas processing plant has many products and operations, and as new gas fields open up countywide the plant is busier than ever.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

You’re lucky—this forum is unique to Wetzel County. You can learn about us face-to-face,” said David Hummel, candidate for circuit judge, as he and 18 other hopefuls spoke with the crowd assembled at the Wileyville Fire Hall on April 14.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

BY AMY WITSCHEY, Editor

When she was about 20 years old, just newly married, Ima Lee Yoho of New Martinsville since her recent move from Proctor, began to learn the art of making quilts. In the 60 years since then she has probably created about 100 quilts. She has given them to her two daughters, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. She has even sold some of her creations.

BY JONAY KELLY-BLAVOS, For the Wetzel Chronicle

The war in Iraq has undoubtedly touched the lives of many in the local area, but none as personally as the Ault family who learned last week that Sgt. Jesse Adam Ault died April 9 while traveling to Baghdad, the victim of a roadside bomb.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

In a political paradox, the Pine Grove city council voted unanimously to not do anything. But in this case, the underlying result of initiating no action allows a $720,000 sewer extension project to continue.

The Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce’s Awards Dinner will be held April 24 at the Mollohan Center at the Wetzel County 4-H grounds.

Wetzel County has received $14,500 to provide funding for conservation/restoration of permanent County Clerk records. County Clerk Carol Haught says, “We are pleased to receive this funding to continue the restoration and preservation project of Wetzel County books dating back to 1846.”

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

Since a group of Wetzel County Landfill employees came before Wetzel County Commission last week, the landfill general manager, Randy Sims, resigned from it’s employ reportedly because, “he was at the end of his rope.”

BY BILL ABRAHAM, Staff Writer

Paden City Development Authority attorney Timothy E. Haught told members April 14 that Jeff Sprouse has not yet responded to PCDA’s counter-offer to accept his bid on the industrial park for $1,000,001.

BY BRENDA DORSEY, Staff Writer

The jury deliberated only a few minutes before they decided on April 14 that a New Martinsville man was guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Wetzel-Tyler Center for Child Advocacy will hold an open house for the public April 24, 3-5 p.m., at the Family Resource Network in Middlebourne.