Glenville State College Associate Professor of Mathematics Paul Peck has been selected as the 2009 College Mathematics Teacher of the Year by the West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (WVCTM).
Peck was recognized during the WVCTM annual meeting held at the Days Inn in Flatwoods, West Virginia March 19-20, 2009.
The WVCTM is a statewide organization that advocates the best practices in mathematics instruction for students of West Virginia. The council is devoted to encouraging an active interest in mathematics and to improve the teaching of mathematics at all levels: elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and the teacher training program in colleges. WVCTM is an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Members of WVCTM are leaders in the field of mathematics education including teachers and administrators from pre-kindergarten through college as well as college students studying to join the education profession.
Each year, WVCTM recognizes a Mathematics Teacher of the Year for each level of education: Elementary, Middle/Jr. High, High School, and College/University.
“I was quite surprised and honored to receive the Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award. I appreciate the fact that several of my Glenville State College colleagues came to see me receive this award,” said Paul Peck.
Professor Peck earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Glenville State College in 1970. He was awarded a Masters Degree in Mathematics from West Virginia University in 1981. Peck has been a member of the GSC faculty for the past twenty-six years. He has received the Outstanding Faculty Award for his teaching excellence at GSC in addition to serving as President of the Faculty Senate and taking a leadership role with the Wesley Foundation. Peck is advisor of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Chi Beta Phi and was lead writer of the GSC math folio for NCATE accreditation. During his career at Glenville State College, Peck has taught Trigonometry, Calculus, Euclidian Geometry, Modern Geometry, Abstract Algebra, Discrete Math, Statistics, and Math for Elementary Teachers. He is currently the Acting Chair of the Department of Science and Mathematics.
“We congratulate Professor Peck on being honored as the WVCTM Teacher of the Year. Since joining the GSC faculty in 1982, he has been instrumental in educating many of West Virginia’s public school math teachers. He is an outstanding mathematician and teacher. All of us at Glenville State College are very proud of him and his accomplishments,” said Dr. Kathy Butler, GSC Provost and Senior Vice President.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2009
For more information:
Bob Edwards
Public Relations Department Assistant
Glenville State College
Glenville, West Virginia
304.462.7361x7610
Gilmer County High School senior basketball player, James Farley who led the Titans to the South Division title and a berth in the NOC with a 12.4 points per game average and 71 assists, has been named in Little Kanawha Conference Honors.
Conficker.
It’s the name of the latest doomsday computer attack that, according to the hype, is supposed to wreak havoc on computers Wednesday.
Computer experts say the Conficker infection -actually a computer “worm” that can copy itself to computers that aren’t protected - is designed to start receiving new instructions from its designers on April Fool’s Day, but experts say there are no signs yet that it will take down the Internet as we know it.
Conficker might be hidden in fake patches, which would make it easier for the worm to spread. (We had warned in earlier Tech Notes)
The best speculation is that that the worm is capable of recording your computer keystrokes, including your passwords. Criminals might use this information to try to steal money from bank accounts.
Some experts say this is why they don’t expect a major computer shutdown April 1.
If computers aren’t working, the worm can’t spread and can’t capture passwords.
In case you are wondering whether you are infected or not: If you have kept up with Microsoft Windows patches, you were probably protected before the worm had a chance to sneak onto your computer.
Make sure you go manually to Microsoft by using Windows Updates to get the patches. DO NOT FALL FOR TEASERS!!! (Read our earlier Warnings under Technology|Computer|Science categories)
Microsoft notes that if you’re already infected with Conficker, the worm actually might prevent you from downloading security patches that would remove it. In fact, the latest version of the worm released earlier in March was designed to stop those patches from updating.
WV Toddler Shot in Struggle for Gun While Great-Grandfather Fell Sleep
A three-year-old boy was shot in both feet as he and his five-year-old brother struggled over a .357 Magnum revolver they found inside a home in Blacksville.
WV State Police Senior Trooper T.W. Morris said the injured boy was treated at Ruby Memorial Hospital on Saturday night after a bullet grazed his left foot and pierced his right foot.
A man who had been working on the house said he had stashed the revolver under a bed set up in the living room because he had been receiving threats.
When the younger boy found the gun, his brother chased him outside to try to take it away from him. Morris said the gun fired when the older boy got a grip on it.
The brothers were being watched by a great-grandfather, who had fallen asleep.
An attempt to extend a West Virginia anti-harassment law to the Internet may have some long-reaching consequences.
Senator Mike Green of Raleigh County sponsored the bill last week.
The measure would make it a crime to send harassing or abusive e-mails or other computer-based communications.
But the Senate Judiciary Committee amended the bill to include statements posted on Web pages or online forums.
Such statements must be untrue and designed to encourage others to spread the falsehood, or ridicule the person they target.
Civil liberties advocates question whether that goes too far.
The bill would make such statements a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both. Repeat offenders would see those penalties double.
Photo Contest Will Award College Money to Grandchildren
Grandparents in West Virginia could turn some of their favorite family photos into cash.
The state’s SMART529 college savings program, in conjunction with the state chapter of the AARP and the West Virginia Association of Retired School Employees, is sponsoring a contest to find the best photo of a grandparent enriching the life of their grandchild.
Grandmothers and grandfathers are encouraged to submit a photograph featuring them teaching their grandchild a life-enriching skill, such as reading, cooking, drawing, fishing, etc.
Five regional winners, selected by a panel of judges, will each receive a $500 SMART529 college savings account for the grandchild featured in the photo.
Visitors to the SMART529 Web site, www.smart529.com, then will get the chance to vote for a grand-prize winner.
That winner will be announced at a special ceremony in Charleston and will receive an additional $4,500 SMART529 college savings account for his or her grandchild and $500 cash.
Interested grandparents or grandchildren can find the entry form at www.smart529.com or by clicking H E R E.
The form can be submitted by e-mail to ‘SMART529.Team@hartfordlife.com’.
or by mail to: Grandparents are Great Teachers, PO Box 1228, Charleston, WV 25324-1228.
Photos will not be returned.
The contest is open to West Virginia grandparents and grandchildren. The grandchild must be between 3 and 12 years of age as of Friday, April 3, 2009.
Entries must be submitted by 11:59PM Friday, April 3, 2009.
We had a posting on 3/25/09 that officials for the Civil War Trails program were planning to install new signs and markers in Gilmer County to tell the stories of battles and identify the home and burial grounds.
We noticed one of these signs on campus of Glenville State College.
If you have seen them in other places in the area, please sent us information and possibly pictures so we can share them with everyone.
April is designated as “Arbor Month” in West Virginia, by WV Governor and he is encouraging communities, organizations and schools throughout the Mountain State to recognize the important roles trees play in daily life.
Governor encourages people throughout the state to actively participate in tree-planting projects, such as Mountaineer Treeways, a program that solicits volunteers to plant tree seedlings on public property.
West Virginia’s Arbor Day is set for April 10 this year, but Arbor Day celebrations and tree plantings are scheduled throughout the month in communities across the state.
National Arbor Day is the last Friday of April (April 24, this year). Many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to the best tree-planting times.
For more information about Arbor Day, Arbor Month and the Mountaineer Treeways program, contact Urban and Community Forestry Program Coordinator Bob Hannah at 304.825.6983 or visit the Division of Forestry’s Web site, www.wvforestry.com.
Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 Time: 11:00AM-1:00PM Event: Go Green Place: Molohan Campus Community Center, Main Lobby Contact: Kipp Colvin at 304.462.7361x7412
As we have seen in the reports, WVDNR has been busy stocking the waters in WV.
Biologists say the biggest problem has been low flows from a lack of rainfall. The mountains where the bulk of the trout streams are located were running very low after the long dry spell of last fall and the rain in 2008 is below average.
Some have criticized the trout stocking schedule by the DNR. Critics say most can’t make it to their favorite stream until the weekend, normally several days after a stocking. There is a belief that most of the fish are caught by then, however Mike Shingleton who heads up the Coldwater Fisheries Program for DNR says they have proven conclusively that’s not the case.
“If we stock on a Tuesday or Wednesday and somebody gets there Saturday the stream has had a lot of pressure on it,” admits Shingleton. “We just finished up three years of tagging trout and watching the catch rates. Every water we tagged trout in showed at least half the fish were still there a week to ten days after we stocked.“
Shingleton says what anglers are finding is not that the fish have been fished out, but they have become acclimated to their new wild environment and have taken more instinctive feeding and movement patterns.
“They hang in there and they start moving a little bit, especially rainbows,“ said Shingleton. “If a fisherman shows up on a Saturday he shouldn’t concentrate just on where we stocked and his techniques may be a little bit different.“
Many wonder exactly where the fish are stocked. The points in the stream where the fish are deposited are easily identified if you pay attention to the points where the road and stream are in closest proximity.
“Bridges are good access and then wherever the access road gets close to the stream,” said Shingleton. “We carry trout, but we can’t carry them very far.“ ~~ WVMN - WVDNR ~~
West Virginians could soon cast early votes at other sites besides their county courthouses.
The House of Delegates voted 72-25 to send the Senate a proposal that would allow county commissions to decide whether and where to allow other early voting locations.
Supporters say the measure recognizes the growing popularity of pre-election voting. Nearly 155,000 voters cast early ballots in the 2008 general election.
Advocates also tout it as an aid to voters in larger counties who face a long drive to the courthouse.
Critics also question whether commissions would allow additional locations when it’s opposed by the clerk, the county’s elections chief.
“You could have the county commission and the county clerk at odds, and I don’t think that’s good for the state,“ said Delegate from Roane County.
Charleston Gazette State Baseball Rankings—March 30
Class A
1. Moorefield
2. Wheeling Central
3. Buffalo
4. Pendleton County
5. Notre Dame
6. Matewan
7. Williamstown
8. Gilmer County
9. Charleston Catholic
10. St. Marys
They are there on day one to bring us into the world. In our most vulnerable moments, they are who we turn to for care. They are our physicians. Today is National Doctor’s Day, a little-known observation for a profession relevant to us all. Call your Doctor and thank him on his day.
Chocolate lovers will descend on Ripley, West Virginia on Saturday, April 4, 2009 for the Second Annual West Virginia Chocolate Festival, sponsored by the City of Ripley.
From 10 AM to 4PM vendors will offer a wide variety of chocolate laced treats, from ice cream to donuts to truffles to dipped fruit for sale and sampling.
In addition to inside vendors, a chocolate factory, hand making chocolate, will be situated outside the Conference Center. There will be a parade at 11AM which will end at the festival site, McCoy’s Conference Center.
Admission and parking are free.
There will be entertainment from local groups and a visit from the Easter Bunny is expected at this family event. Ripley is accessible from I 77, Exit 138 or US highway 33, and WV highway 62..
For additional information you may contact the City of Ripley at 304.372.3482
Based on The US Treasury Department data, here is the list of banks in WV and their federal bailout fund status:
JPMorgan Chase - $25 billion
SunTrust - $3.5 billion
Fifth-Third Bank - $3.45 billion
BB&T - $3.1 billion
Huntington Banks - $1.4 billion
WesBanco - $75 million
First Community Bank - $41.5 million
Peoples Bank - $39 million
Centra Bank - $15 million
United Bank – Refused to accept any
Calhoun Banks - None
Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 - Martinsville - 2009
Winner:
Jimmie Johnson - Chevrolet - Lowe’s
He made a daring pass on Denny Hamlin then pulled away in the final laps to win at Martinsville for the fifth time in the past six races.
Top 10:
01 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s 190/5
02 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Freight 180/10
03 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Old Spice / Office Depot 165/0
04 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 165/5
05 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet BB&T 155/0
06 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet U.S. Army 150/0
07 05 Mark Martin Chevrolet Kellogg’s / Carquest 146/0
08 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Amp Energy / National Guard 142/0
09 44 A.J. Allmendinger Dodge Charter Comm. 138/0
10 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Irwin Industrial Tools 134/0
Standings as of Martinsville:
01 Jeff Gordon
02 Clint Bowyer
03 Kurt Busch
04 Jimmie Johnson
05 Denny Hamlin
06 Kyle Busch
07 Tony Stewart
08 Carl Edwards
09 Kasey Kahne
10 Kevin Harvick
At least eight states, including West Virginia, are actively considering making drug tests mandatory for food stamps, welfare, or unemployment recipients . I really think this is a good idea.
But in a classic demonstration of how America has always had one drug law for the rich and one for the poor, no one has suggested drug testing recipients of billions in bailout cash.
We could probably save a lot of money by testing Wall Street financiers for pot or cocaine.
Both are using the tax payers’ money! Don’t you agree?
Kanawha County state Senator Erik Wells took on the state’s two teacher unions last week, accusing them of being more interested in pay than students’ education.
“We have to change,“ an emotional Senator said during a Senate Finance Committee meeting Thursday. “I get tired of the WVEA and the AFT always talking about pay and not about kids.“
Senator Wells made the comments as he pushed for legislation that would allow for the creation of charter schools.
Senator Wells and other supporters say charter schools would clear out much of the typical public education bureaucracy, allowing innovation and great accountability.
WV is one of just eight states that do not permit charter schools.
WVEA says that charter schools would amount to cherry picking the best students at the expense of others by “taking public money away from every child in West Virginia and telling a select few students that they will have a better chance.“
Senator Wells accused WVEA and others of “fear mongering” to keep charter schools from working. “I’m just looking for some change in the way we educate our students,“ he said.
Senator Wells was relentless on the unions, accusing them of not having the best interest of students in mind. “I would hope your organizations would not be a roadblock,“ he chastised the unions.
The unions prevailed, however, because the committee decided to just study the bill rather than act on it. Senator Wells agreed to study the resolution, but added that he’ll bring the bill up next year. “I’ll be dammed if I’m just going to stand there and let it go by,“ he said.
The legislation would have permitted a charter school if 60 percent of the parents and teachers wanted it.
Statement From Governor Manchin About Meeting With White House Environmental Officials
Governor Joe Manchin released this statement on 03/25/09, after meeting with officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency:
“Late this morning, I met with senior White House environmental officials to discuss mountaintop mining and the letters sent yesterday by the EPA about mining permits. We had a very productive meeting during which I shared our concerns about the potential impact of those letters. They explained that they are evaluating a number of permits, but want to look more closely at the two mining permits in question. I told them we are looking for a balance between the environment and the economy, and they assured me that they will work with us to find that balance.
“As a result of our discussions this morning, our state Department of Environmental Protection is bringing together the mining companies that have permits in question and EPA officials. We will expedite this meeting so we can work together to resolve the concerns on these issues and build a dialogue for the future.
“With a new administration comes new policies and they will have to evaluate past policies to determine where they can make improvements. We need to give them the opportunity to sit at the table with us and find common ground.”
A film arriving to stores this week is “Burning the Future: Coal in America,” a look at the conflict between the coal industry and residents of West Virginia who face environmental degradation and “a government that recklessly appeases the demands of the local coal companies at the expense of the community’s safety.”
New York Times writes: West Virginia provides coal to produce electricity for half the nation. Ironically, while preserving jobs, coal mining disfigures mountainsides, destroys plant and animal species and spreads toxic groundwater. Yet so effective is the coal industry’s public relations campaign promoting “clean coal” that these long-term environmental disasters remain largely unreported. In response, documentary filmmaker David Novak provides an impassioned, harsh exposé of big coal. “As upsetting as it is informative”.
The movie can also be seen on the Sundance Channel in May!
WV Jail officials are saying, there is not enough room in West Virginia’s jails and prisons for its inmates, and the overpopulation issue is expected to get worse in the coming years.
West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety and the West Virginia Division of Corrections reports that the population in regional jails and prisons in WV as of 12/31/2008 was 6,059.
The current prison capacity in the state is 5,300.
In the report at the end of 2008, the top five crimes committed by DOC inmates for fiscal 2008 were: —- Robbery - 547 inmates —- Drugs - 597 inmates —- Burglary/Breaking and Entering - 704 inmates —- Forcible Sex Offense - 840 inmates —- Homicide - 841 inmates.
Currently 85% of jail and prison inmates are being held for non-violent crimes.
WV DOC FY 07-08 Annual Report and a daily inmate count, among other sources, also report that the total prison commitments for calendar year 2008 were 3,273, while the total number of prisoners released - including paroles, discharges, escapees, those who died while incarcerated, court-ordered releases, pardons, medical respite and diagnostic releases - was 2,698.
Filmmaker Storm Taylor doesn’t expect everyone to be glad that somebody else is doing a documentary about Jesco White and his family. The star of “The Dancing Outlaw” has an international cult following, both for his mountain dancing and for his often bizarre antics.
Taylor says he’s heard many times, “You’re going to make West Virginia look bad.“
“He believes people who think in those terms shouldn’t turn their heads. It’s really part of the problem. “It’s not ‘Hillbillies Gone Wild,’” he said. “A lot of people want to think that’s what we’re doing. The Whites are what they are. There’s no faking it.”
For the past year, Taylor and his film crew have visited Boone County. They’ve filmed White, his family and the people surrounding them for a documentary titled “The Wild and Wonderful Whites.” The documentary is bankrolled by Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze and Jeff!
Tremaine, the creators of the wildly popular MTV series “Jackass,” which featured Knoxville and his friends performing dangerous, self-destructive and crude pranks and stunts.
Taylor says he understands rural people are sensitive to how they’re portrayed in the media. He comes from Maryville, Tenn., a small town just outside of Knoxville, where he spends most of his time working in real estate to support his part-time interest in filmmaking.
“I met Johnny (Knoxville) at a pool hall in south Knoxville,” Taylor said. “I came outside and there was a guy sitting in my car listening to my Johnny Cash cassette.”The two hit it off. After Knoxville went to California and became a television and film star, Taylor worked on several productions with him and others connected with “Jackass.”
He says he could work full-time in film and television if he wanted, but has little interest in making commercials. For a while, he filmed a regional travel show for Turner Broadcasting, which gave him the opportunity to explore one of his main interests.
“I love small-town culture,” he said. “Any chance I get to see something small-town, a fair or folk art, I grab it.”
The travel show had a limited run and was only available in 13 states, but it did give him the chance to meet White. Taylor says he was a fan, but they became friends.
“It all took on a bigger aspect than I thought,” he said.
Seeing how White lived, Taylor got involved with the dancer. He and his crew stripped out old insulation and underpinned White’s trailer. They built a front porch for him and worked on some of the electrical problems in the building. Taylor visited from time to time and hung out with White.
A chance meeting between Julien Nitzburg, one of the producers of the original “Dancing Outlaw” video, and Knoxville sparked a conversation about doing another documentary. Knoxville suggested Taylor would be the right man to do it.
“My key concern was that it be done correctly,” Taylor said. “This is not a ‘Dancing Outlaw Part 3,’ but a reintroduction to Jesco and the entire family. They’re fascinating people and I think many people are surprised they’re amazingly likeable.”
But he’s not pulling his punches. Taylor’s film crew spent a year following the family. Some of Taylor’s footage includes filming people in jail or getting out of jail, people in rehab and even people getting kicked out of rehab.
“But we also talked to the sheriff,” he said. “We talked to the attorneys. We interviewed some of the pastors from the community. We tried to keep it well-rounded and true.”
Taylor says part of White’s issues come from the intense poverty the family has endured over the years. A culture of entitlement has developed around them. A belief the family is owed money has caused rifts between people who could and would help them.
He says White is surrounded by more than enough “great friends,” who don’t care so much for the man, but would rather see the crazy character.
“They want to take him out drinking,” he said. “They’re the ones killing the guy.”
Taylor isn’t saying he hasn’t been guilty of the same thing. Back when he first started coming to visit White at his trailer, he was one of those people who showed up on his doorstep with a jar of moonshine ready to party. Over the past year, as he’s had the chance to see the value of those kinds of friends, he’s changed his approach.
“These days, I call ahead and make sure he’s got something to eat,” Taylor said. “He doesn’t eat right. He doesn’t take care of himself.”
Taylor says the film is almost finished. With another month of editing, “The Wild and Wonderful Whites” will be ready for film festivals.
“We have 500 hours of footage,” he said. “This ought to be a six-part series instead of just an hour-and-a-half film.”
Although he hopes “The Wild and Wonderful Whites” will be picked up for distribution at movie houses, he’s realistic. Only a spare handful of documentaries get picked up for national distribution. A few end up as art house films. But he expects “The Wild and Wonderful Whites” will probably find its audience on DVD. ~~ by BILL LYNCH / AP ~~
WV Legislature is facing an uphill battle for a bill that forces the high schools in WV to hire a full-time athletic director and set standards for them.
The price tag for this bill is set at $6 million, which has to be paid by either the state’s 55 county school systems or individual high schools.
Unfortunately, the bill that would require the hiring of athletic directors does nothing to fund it.
Gilmer County High School Principal Nasia Butcher told Charleston Daily-Mail that her school could use a full-time employee to handle athletics but the county already is strapped for funds.
“If they gave us the funding, it would be great,“ she said. “I would be in favor of that. That would make all of our lives easier.
“But passing it without the funding? It’s difficult now as it is.“
Butcher said the county’s current athletic director is also an elementary school teacher. The person is paid about $5,000 a year for the athletics work, which includes many duties.
The Gilmer athletic director is responsible for sporting events for six grades (7-12) and has to hire referees, meet with coaches, go over rules and regulations, and schedule every game and make- up game, manage transportation issues and make sure teams have the right equipment. The athletic director also attends as many games as possible, including all away football games.
Blue-Hippo is such a cute name for a computer finance company.
But the thousands of unfortunate people who have been robbed of their hard-earned money by this outfit must think of it more like the hippopotamus of the wild — vicious and unpredictable.
Here is an example of a lady who wanted a computer but couldn’t pay cash for it, and financing was not possible.
A little more than a year ago she saw a television ad about how easily anyone with poor credit could get a computer by simply making a few payments up front to prove they are worthy of financing.
She signed up to make bi-monthly payments that would add up to $1,918.
In return she would receive a basic Dell desktop computer that today one could purchase for less than $500.
After paying $853.85 with a $99 down payment and 17 installments, she still didn’t get her computer. She was late on making a couple of payments, but she had already paid up front more than the computer was worth.
She called the company numerous times but kept getting the runaround. She repeatedly was put on hold for up to an hour. She was told that supervisors were unavailable. Then she was told her computer was in the warehouse. Finally she was told she could use the money she paid to buy other electronic toys Blue-Hippo sells — at prices far higher than typical retail.
“I just want my money back,“ she said. “The funny thing about all this is that now I actually have enough to buy a PC if only I could get my money back.“
It took a few tries, but I finally got through to an attorney for Maryland-based Blue-Hippo, who promised to make things right for her by refunding her money.
As the result of a complaint brought by the Federal Trade Commission, Blue-Hippo’s two finance companies agreed three years ago to pay up to $5 million to customers whose money was taken but who received nothing in return.
That settlement did not seem to have much of an effect on Blue-Hippo. Consumer complaints continued to flood the Better Business Bureau and attorneys general around the country, according to the BBB.
Two years ago, West Virginia’s attorney general filed a suit against Blue-Hippo, charging that it failed to honor its promise to return payments to customers in that state who got smart and wanted their money back.
According to the Better Business Bureau, Blue-Hippo failed even to respond to more than 1,000 written complaints in the past couple of years.
But enough is enough. This company has shown by its actions that its prime motivation is to steal from the poor.
How can a company justify its existence by conning people with bad credit to send them as much as $2,000 and in return they might or might not send them a computer worth $500?
Apparently the company felt comfortable doing what they did as it seemed to be the national policy. Capitalism at work! Get rich at the expense of the poor, and get away with it. Now, it is time for the FTC and attorneys generals to take this company out.
A former Union Carbide building in Charleston, West Virginia is imploded to make way for new construction at the University of Charleston. (Saturday, March 28, 2009)
Mr. Hough, you are a liar, a coward, and a thief! You need to review the court record on the matter of 05-F-8 and turn to page 157. And if you fail to act another charge and another federal complaint will be made against you by the end of this business day.
Line 12 HOUGH: What share do you own in the property?
Line 13 R RAFFERTY: I believe that’s 1/6th
The title opinion brought forth in the civil action of Cecil Leon Ramsey II vs. Roanna Arbuckle Rafferty – firmly brings forth the fact that she owned 1/72 and that is it!
Also, if you check the court record Rafferty gave TWO completely conflicting reports to the Sheriff who illegally shut down my timber operation and stole four loads.
You will need to arrange for my attorney to interview all the members of the jury in this case and place yourself under arrest for being involved in a conspiracy to commit perjury causing great harm to another person.
I call for the Gilmer County Commission to immediately suspend Gerald B Hough.
Citizens of Gilmer County if this self important Gilmer County Commission does not act then, I recommend that we make moves to have them all replaced at once by any means possible.
By an expensive title opinion, born from this civil action a perjury in a Gilmer County Court case was revealed and proved by documents and fact.
When that perjury results in a wrongful conviction, and money is paid for that perjury, then a conspiracy can be concluded and misconduct of our Gilmer County Prosecutor is once again evident.
WHERE IS YOUR ANSWER GERALD B HOUGH?
This court case proved your wrongdoing and it proved Rafferty committed a crime.
Are you going to hold her accountable, or do you just protect your false witnesses?
Someone broke the law and made a fool out of you at the same time, but you see in Gilmer County that is how it is - if you are one of them it is cool to break the law - if you are out favor you are going to jail even if you are innocent!!
PROVES WITH COURT RECORD that false testimony was given in circuit court Also Judge Facemire, convinced the jury that we only owned 1/6 and 1/9 when we PAID TAXES on 3/6 which is a matter of record.
Hough did not do his homework- Facemire promoted false facts.
The judge is supposed to sit there and listen with no bias. But that did not happen!!
Hough did not do his homework and it cost me a few hundred thousand dollars
We want an answer Hough- You are as guilty as Rafferty for paying her to lie on the stand.
Give us an answer! What you did was a crime Hough and the citizens want an answer!
YOUR ARE CAUGHT HOUGH by the OUTCOME of this civil action. PROOF!!
Don’t know who is sending or taking the pictures of the trashy places in Glenville but you sure are getting some good ones.
A lot more out there though. Would be curious to see who owns that property that is For Sale.
Don’t figure they will come forth though and disclose their identity.
I don’t think if it were me, I would want to let people know that I let something like that get to the place it is now. Wow, I doubt they could give it away the way it looks and where it is located, let alone expect money for it.
Where is their pride? The Glenville Volunteer Fire Dept. could use these kind of places to train new firefighters, and give additional training to our already dedicated Volunteer Firefighters and rid the town and citizens of the rubbish and trash all at the same time.
If the owners do not want to pay to clean up this mess maybe the Fire Dept. would consider doing a controlled burn, they could bill the owners or our Town Council and the money be used for the Firehouse.
If the owner does not pay the Fire Dept. for cleaning the mess, fine or jail them or both. Just a thought.
There are several places on up River Street that they might get also. The yard beside the Church was mowed, yaaaa, improvement but more to be done. Junk cars and porch still piled up, but I guess one step at a time. The Church people will just have to close their eyes when attending Church, and the neighbors and people just driving by close your eyes..
Maybe someday we will get a surprise and it will be done.
The two houses by Jack’s Septic, pathetic. One even has a sign hanging that says chicken dinners $5.00. Did anyone ever find out who owned these houses?
The old Church property beside the auto shop is owned by Doug Cottrill. Where are you on cleaning this mess up? I wonder if they have very many Formal Complaints being filled out.???
Does it mean if there is not very many complaints filled out that nothing will be done? We the people should not have to file complaints. If the Gilmer County Commissioners, law enforcement, Health Dept. City Council, Mayor, done their jobs and opened their eyes they would see what a mess our town and County is in and take care of the problem.
Our county deserves better than this.
“In the case of Cecil Leon Ramsey II vs. Roanna Arbuckle Rafferty”
Roanna Rafferty perjured herself in a circuit court case –OVER THIS VERY SAME PROPERTY) in which Judge Facemire presided over. A court case in which I was charged with THREE felony charges and beat all three in court, due to the fact I should have never been charged in the first place. The false arrest cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses (since the matter went all the way to the United States Supreme Court in Washington DC) AND LOSS OF WAGES!! It cost me my new radio show since I was arrested on false charges trying to report to my new cumulus broadcasting work station and KBED 102.9FM afternoon drive show 2-7pm
Roanna lied in court and said she owned 1/6 of the property in question and the jury was convinced of that by Gerald B Hough Gilmer County Prosecutor. It’s all a matter of court record and I have that next to me on my desk.
Actually Roanna Arbuckle Rafferty” had sold that 1/6 to her brother Roger Rafferty when he settled over a civil action accusing him a forging his mother Virginia Rafferty’s will years prior and was in full knowledge she no longer owned it when she appeared in court.
Roanna won the judgment of the 1/6 in the legal action and promptly sold it to Roger for $18,000 cash. My mother was awarded a gas well, but it was never put in our name and Lois Rafferty sold it, even though we owned it legally. That is called a fraudulent conveyance, but yet nothing was done when the criminal complaint was taken to the Sheriff Mickey Metz and the matter was brought to the attention of the prosecuting attorney for Gilmer County.
If during the trial the judge or the prosecutor could have added to 6 they would have discovered that there was a discrepancy in the amount of property everyone testified that they owned, and this matter was included in my recent federal complaint that was reviewed and accepted by an Asst US Attorney.
Actually according to a title opinion that Mr. Ramsey paid for it was determined that Roanna Rafferty only owned 1/72 of the property not 1/6. There were a total of 3/72 that were overlooked and it was determined my grandfather bought the property years ago and left 1/72 to each of his children, in which Roanna was included.
Ramsey paid a great deal of money for that title opinion and was most likely a cost greater than what the 1/72 was worth.
Rafferty also lied about the $1,000 dollars we sent her that she denied receiving from the sale of timber. We had the receipts and showed them in court and she was immediately caught in a lie, yet nothing was done.
A character in my latest book is based on Cecil Leon Ramsey the second who I feel is someone to look up to in the community, and someone that sets a good example about what living a clean wholesome life in West Virginia is truly all about, mixed with honest business relations, and down home consideration for other citizens.
The cost Mr Ramsey has endured just to prove the facts in the case far exceed the value of the property at dispute in this civil action.
What I want to know is where is the Justice in the Gilmer County Court system?
Judge Facemire knows who Roanna Rafferty is, since I am sure he recalls her testimony from a court case in which he has had to defend himself before the Judicial Investigation Commission for misconduct. I doubt that he has forgotten that, since the judges testimony in the matter is still at issue and was recently mentioned in my federal complaint.
If Rafferty is allowed to receive no punishment for perjury involving the amount of property owned which has been determined by this very civil action, then doesn’t that send a message to the public that it is OK to lie in a Gilmer County Court room regarding information referring to ownership of property? And that there will be absolutely no punishment for that false testimony just as long as Gerald B Hough is the prosecutor ?
The gas well that we received in a civil judgment, was sold by Lois Rafferty, but even though a complaint was filed with Sheriff Metz at 1pm on December the 28th 2007 –no action what –so –ever was taken by Sheriff Metz.
Justice in Gilmer County seems to be determined by who you know, and who you are and not actual facts- I have proved myself to be extremely unpopular since I cost the state 750, 000 or more to fight me in two state courts and three federal courts.
I want an answer and I want MR GERALD B HOUGH to explain to all of Gilmer County WHY, if you are caught in false testimony, that there is no consequence for that crime.
Roanna Rafferty was paid 700 dollars by Hough and Gilmer County to bring forward the false testimony.
I would think the county would want it’s money back and to punish Rafferty for the false testimony and making them look bad. But, that is not how it works up on the hill in Gilmer County.
The WV DOH did not allow trees to be planted on that site. The Glenville State College Environmental Organization did want to restore that site but was unable to. The WV DOH viewed the trees as a maintenance problem.
I had a desire to start my own organization, however I did not have enough amount of money to do this. Thank heaven my colleague recommended to utilize the loans. So I received the financial loan and realized my dream.
I agree. It looks to me the commissioners are just passing the buck and making it more difficult for concerned citizens. Or maybe they don’t have the guts to take the position to clean the county. They just want to say to the violators, “if it weren’t because of ‘….’, we would not be here bothering you about this.” What a crock. Or maybe they don’t want to take a position against themselves and their friends who own some of these properties. Or perhaps they are just blind to see and need someone to tell them. Which is it?
Just seen in the weekly paper that we the citizens of Gilmer County can fill out a Formal Complaint Form in the County Clerk’s Office for the neglected, fire hazards and unsafe properties in our County that we want to file a complaint against.
WHAT?
This is all thanks to our County Commission meeting where amendments were made to its Unsafe Buildings and Lands Ordinance.
First of all, I do not think that we as citizens should have to file a complaint. It is a given fact, that the town of Glenville, and all surrounding roads out, are open to anyone that travels this area and can be seen by anyone who has their eyes open.
A complaint form should not be necessary if the ones in authority were doing their jobs in the first place.
They would see it and do something about it without our telling them. People does not have or want to take the time to try to find a parking place at the Court House to go to the Clerk’s Office to fill out this form.
If you get a lot of names and complaints does this mean the problem will be solved or just a few, it will be forgotten?
It is nearly impossible to find a place to park because the College students that do not want to walk on the hill park in the Court House lot. Give that student/vehicle a first offense ticket, and on the second offense tow the vehicle and charge for the towing.
If it happens a third time confiscate the vehicle for 30 days. There are ways to remedy this. Second, a person who signs that complaint form with name address and phone number opens the door to danger and possibly harm to them or their family and home.
Am I right when I say that the records with the complaint forms are open to the public in the County Clerk’s Office? Not a good idea. Having to sign a Formal Complaint Form to get the problem taken care of is STUPID. Officials do your job!!! Anyone agree with this?
I would have loved to have heard that tape, obviously you did, and that is why she was convicted, because the taped evidence proved beyond a doubt there was “INTENT”
That was what nailed her then.
Without the phone recording, the case would have been weak.
The son should have just told the guy to get out of his pod, and made it known there was a conflict, thus saving his mothers career.
I believe the original charges involved conspiracy to intimidate a witness. Carolyn also was aware what was in the envelope because you can hear she and her son laughing about thir clever plot on the recording from the jail. Some things really are as simple as they appear
You sound very informed on this topic Louise, and it is great to have this type of a mainstream forum to discuss important issues.
I am confused about one issue in this case, and maybe someone can clear it up for me.
The son that was in jail, actually had a right to view all court documents pertaining to his case. If there was an issue with information given to the police, then, that persons name should have been redacted. It should have stated. Confidential informant number so and so stated such and such.
So, therefore, I am confused as to who really is at fault. If the defendant had a right to the documents, and they were delivered sealed from his attorney, then it should not matter who the person was that delivered the documents.
It was the taped conversation with a known drug dealer (the son) that brought about the warrant, so it is my believe, the charges are incorrect.
If there was a conspiracy to get the son, (the defendant) documents he was entitled to, then where is the crime?
The jail should have never had those two in the same pod and that situation could have been worked out by a five minute conversation with the shift commander.
Someone dropped the ball.
This is just another chapter In “The Perils Of Carolyn”. With her family’s feeling of entitlement
why on earth should she take responsibility for her actions when she can pass the blame to someone else? Although I find it rather curios that it took her all this time to think of a way to try to dodge her crimes and make a bit of spending cash too.
Thanks you for doing this feature…such is long overdue. Truth be told, some of the worst eyesores in town are owned by some pretty so-called important people. If the college really wants to attract students to this town, they need to focus on housing IN town, and not be involved in the building of exclusive places like Rivers View…who even ever sees that? But everyone coming to this town sees the deplorable condition of much of our housing. Also, it would be nice if city officials themselves drove around the community from time to time to assess conditions of everything….that is if they can get by on some of the streets that have tree limbs growing so far out they hit your car.
Mr Whitehead, I feel that the conduct at Military Funerals (or any funeral) has a lot more to do with conflicting with the mores of society than the constitution. However, the only recourse to the civilized is through the law. I understand and for the most part agree with your points but please understand my outrage toward those who have no respect for a grieving family. A funeral is not the place for Westboro’s members to voice their beliefs and the conduct should not have to be tolerated. I do not believe it should take a constitutional amendment but perhaps state laws regarding harassment should be revisited. There has to be a way to end the torment of citizens who have already paid the ultimate price for their country.
I think it is a good idea of publishing pictures of the dilapidated buildings, houses with junk and trash in yards and stacked to the ceiling on porches, high grass, and old junk cars.
It is so disgusting, and embarrassing to know that some people in our county live like this.
The Health Dept. should do something along with the law officials, Mayor and County Commissioners.
This is not only disgusting but a health hazard to the people who live in and around these trashy places.
Can you imagine the rats, bugs, snakes and other critters in those places, not to mention the diseases that can be gotten from such filth?
The sad thing is some children have to endure this type of environment.
Sad that we are allowing this by not stepping up to the plate and complaining until action is taken by our elected officials.
Someone needs to take action and get this problem taken care of ASAP.
If they do not clean the messes up, do one, some, or all of the following: pull their drivers licenses, fine them, put them in jail, publish their names and addresses in paper, take pictures of the junk holes and put them in the media.
Something is better than nothing.
Mayor, County Commissioners, law officials, Health Dept. please do something.
Where are you when you are needed?
Shame on you for not taking control of the situation.
I agree with Bobbi Hern.If Mr and Mrs S stop their work in Cedarville there will no more Cedarville Days.We drive along way every year to see old friends and familyand have great time so I hope they will cont’d to keep up the good work.Hang in there Mrs S some people would like to be in your shoes.
A donation should be just that, a donation. I was not asked for a donation, but gave one freely as I and my family have enjoyed the fireworks show for years. Anyone who has been to the fireworks knows that donations have always been take up, even by some whom I believe are doing the complaining now.
I do not believe any one was asked to leave for not giving a donation. If that were the case, there would not have been nearly as many there to watch as there was. I do not know how much was taken in by donations and I am sure many donated freely as well.
The attitude a person perceives coming from others is usually what they give off in the first place. I wonder if when some were asked for a donation what their attitude was, and if they were rude, maybe that is what they perceived they got back. Just a thought…..
I think everyone is getting off track and ignoring the original question: Should she have forced the people to pay for the fireworks which was not advertised as such?
I think these supporters of Mrs. S should answer it
There would be no Cedarville Community Assoc. if not for Mrs. S. It was her vision from the very start. She mows for hours not for her benefit, but for the upkeep of the community, because some don’t see the need to keep things looking nice themselves. I don’t know of a harder working person. I am proud to call her my friend as I hope she is to call me hers.
I believe some need to take a long look in the mirror before casting stones at others. “People is glass houses…“ GOD knows I am not perfect and I do not claim to be. None of us are. I hope and pray that the person who started this will take a long look at their reasons behind this and not keep trying to tear this small community apart. You have to be a good neighbor to have a good neighbor. I have lived in or near Cedarville my whole life, too. I guess my memories of who always created problems is different than others. Just goes to show that no two people see things in the same way.
A West Virginian looking at this from a Neutral point of view:
It is a shame for the WV legislature to allow Capito running for two federal offices at the same time.
It is not hard to see the objective of some republicans in this case.
They aren’t sure whether Capito can beat Governor Manchin for Byrd’s unexpired term, so they want to allow her to have her pie and eat it too.
Isn’t this a flawed reasoning?
Running for U.S. House and U.S. Senate at the same time?
Is it because Republican Party accepting the most obvious problem - they have no one else?
Wouldn’t Capito be disallowing another good Republican from running for one of these two offices?
If Capito insists on running for both, wouldn’t she prevent another Republican from winning and serving WV?
I think Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito should only choose one or the other office and cease this absurdity of possibly running for both.
Wouldn’t this be the right thing to do whether the candidate is Democrat or Republican?
The people of WV are tired of these games and want leaders, not self-servers, running for office and now offices.
One office should be more than enough for anyone. Shouldn’t it?
G. Dave Ramezan
I am glad to see that the internet age is still being used to tell lies and slander people who are trying to do good for their communities.I was once told never to believe what you read and only half on what you see.The article about Mr.S is not as it seems.If the person placing the article is so pure and heaven sent why don’t they become more civically involve with their community instead of pick a fight like the cowardly school yard bully of past.And don’t use the excuse of Mrs s because personally I am tried of your excuses.
JWL,
Yes, it begins with “S” and has three syllables and 4 vowels. Ask any member of the Cedarville community, past or present, and they will tell you who she is. She’s the Mayor! and only business ‘woman’ in C-ville. I’m sure every community has one but she really is one of a kind. No friends, so you can see her any evening finding something to do, ie. mowing grass (especially the properties that are not hers so she can lay claim to and control them)!
Really sad…..
Believe me, every small community has a Mrs. S., (too bad it’s not a Mrs. C., as in “Happy Days”...But there is always some one to stir the pot and they aren’t happy until they have drama! They thrive on it, Ignore them, they are like children ..But, this is like The Wheel of Fortune to the rest of us, can we at least know how many vowels are in her name? Is S. the first or last name? Sort of interesting…Our community had the same great thing going every year with a different theme, children & their families had a great time for years, it just took one women and then her “Klan” took it from there, and ruint it for the whole community, with lies and rumors. Sometimes we wonder why..But like I said, I do belive, like there is always one in the family , there is always one in a community that can’t stand to have a good time without DRAMA. Ours was and is Mrs. W. (and just 2 vowels).
It is good to see one mess cleaned up in the city that being the burned-out house in Brooklyn that should have been done months ago.
The pictures say it was the joint effort of Gilmer County Commission and the City.
Does that mean that maybe they will do the same with the other places that people have complained about recently, such as the house beside the Catholic Church, trashy trailers and houses in Brooklyn and other places as well?
I seriously doubt it. For some unknown reason they and our law officials do not want to bother with this type of thing.
Can anyone explain this to me???
Why do they not want to give citations for this?
Too much trouble maybe?
Or when they do give tickets the offenders are not made to pay their fines, why?
I bet the offenders get a real kick out of knowing they will not be forced to clean up their place or be forced to pay the fines.
This being a College town I would think they would want to show some pride in our community to draw people.
Not very impressive if you ask me. All four roads leading out of Glenville have many eyesores that need cleaned up.
County Commissioners, Mayor and Glenville City Council, law enforcement and the people who trash their places, please do something to correct this matter and clean up our County.
We the people of this county deserve some answers and most of all ACTION on this issue.
When nothing is done by the law, they are just as guilty as the one who does the trashing.
Well actually, if you want to get technical—If you check the figures, actual data that is available—about 70% of all people incarcerated in WV jails and prisons are there for non violent or non-violent property related crimes—crimes that can in no way be considered crimes against mankind. Also there are many people that should not be in jail at all because they are innocent—then there are the people that are claiming to be victims of CREATED CRIMES, crimes that were not crimes at all but somebody was arrested and held, even though later, the facts substantiate that no crime occurred.
I like your answer very much!!
Thanks,
Very snappy comment there sport!
I hope some of us have been able to identify another problem, just by reading that comment.
We have been thought 1+1 = 2. But not in politics:
Do you remember Heather Manchin Bresch situation at WVU?
An expensive investigation that found the Governor’s daughter to have not fulfilled the requirements for her MBA despite her insistence to the contrary.
That whole mess was during the short administration of Manchin’s good friend, ex-WVU President Mike Garrison.
When Garrison was put into office without anything like the qualifications of most university presidents, faculty, alumni, and the press all decried the Democratic partisan politics that put Garrison in this position.
Of course, the worst fears were realized, a little over a year into Garrison’s term, when the Garrison Administration appeared to be helping Governor’s daughter obtain a graduate degree without doing all the work.
Do you remember who was the head of the WVU Board of Governors in that affair?
A man named Steve Goodwin, one of the principals of the famed Goodwin family.
Goodwin did his best to help Garrison retain his position, but nothing could keep Garrison from taking the fall over the worst scandal in modern WVU history.
Now Governor Manchin has rewarded Steve Goodwin for all the many services rendered his family by giving the late Ripley lawyer’s son, Carte, the position of being U.S. Senator for a few months.
Carte’s aunt, Kay Goodwin, is also Manchin’s Secretary of the Arts and Education!
That’s just the problem!! Attorney’s are running the state of WV…
For some reason the governor does not think anyone is a leader ...unless they are a member of the WV Bar!!
We NEED leaders that are NOT attorney’s and have NEVER been an attorney!!
Myself, out of the many I have become acquainted with and gotten to know, there are only a few Lawyers I like—and less than that are honest!!
Attorney’s in West Virginia cover for each other, even when they know that another has done wrong!!
But, if we are going to appoint an attorney why can’t we appoint someone that, really truly will be a representative of the people. Someone who it would go against their very being to be dishonest—and someone we could all trust with our life and that is Jefferson Triplett from Elkins!
If we have to have an attorney for a leader, lets make the proper choice from the start.
This is absolutely disgusting what courts have done. It is awful anymore how filthy language has become common in anything you watch. You can hardly sit down and watch anything without bad language and references to sexual enhancements anymore.
Well, I have to say it’s also 2.85 in Jane Lew and Clarksburg now. But how is that possible if gas and oil prices are dropping??
I think the State Attorney General really needs to crack down on these stations that price fix!!
Where is the justice??????????
Capitalism and the free market don’t exist when it comes to necessities!!!
, there is always one in a community that can’t stand to have a good time without DRAMA. Ours was and is Mrs. W. (and just 2 vowels).