Readers' Recent Comments

The boil advisory was lifted on Friday. Today, Sunday in Stouts Mills Area the water is brown and muddy! Is it safe to drink it? Should the advisory have been lifted so soon?

By Concerned Resident on 05.19.2013

From the entry: 'GCPSD: Boil Water Advisory for Sand Fork, Dusk Camp Area Has Been Lifted'.

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The writer’s “Internal Evidence” is one of the lamest pieces of sophistry I have ever seen.

To us the bible as proof of its own inspiration is, in logic, a classic example of circular reasoning.  It is like saying “I’m right because I say I am”.

The writer confuses evidence with proof.

In the case of the blood, the blood is only the evidence; it is the scientific knowledge of blood that is the proof.  The white granular substance is only the evidence; the lab test is the proof.

With regard to the bible, we have been testing the “thing itself’ through higher criticism for a century and a half and the “thing itself” does not pass the tests.

Bringing you the truth in love.

By Anonymous on 05.19.2013

From the entry: 'TRUTH OR TRADITION? – #222'.

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WV is a full-fledged participant in the new national Common Core Standards program. The confusion is caused by the State’s reference to the Next Generation program that is actually the Common Core Standards program for K-12 English learning arts and math. One advantage of joining the national program is that there will be on-line testing to determine how individual schools, and county school systems in WV compare with education outcomes, and the State’s overall performance can be compared to other states. The objective for Common Core is to strive to establish the USA as a world leader in education, something we lag badly with now.

By WVDOE Watcher on 05.19.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Rotten to the Common Core'.

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Wonder if the poll numbers would be that good in GC?

By doubt it on 05.18.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Hoppy's Commentary - Tomblin’s Window of Opportunity'.

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Where are all you War Protesters that were so vocal when Bush was President?
Barry got your tongue?  You give your politics away with your silence.

By Obama's War on 05.18.2013

From the entry: 'Where are the Nonviolent Alternatives to the Nine Proposed Military Bases in Afghanistan?'.

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Your government ‘sells’ this sort of stuff to make you feel good, when in actuality, its just more invasion into your life, causes bigger government, and in the end you have less input and they have more control?

By anonymous on 05.18.2013

From the entry: 'HHS Announces Actions to Improve Safety and Quality of Child Care'.

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Some store already have them on premises. All they have to do it to capitalize.

By LOL LOL on 05.18.2013

From the entry: 'OddlyEnough™: Eating Insects Could Help Fight Obesity'.

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I can just picture pans of them in the showcase at the local grocery store.
Not sure the effect it would have on this community.  Doubt the store would have to reorder often.

By lol on 05.18.2013

From the entry: 'OddlyEnough™: Eating Insects Could Help Fight Obesity'.

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“Insanity: Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein

By We're Livin' It on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Rotten to the Common Core'.

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It is the job of the Principal to make sure the drinking fountains are covered, water to the sinks turned off while providing hand-sanitizer and drinking water plus make sure any water used for meals or dishes has been boiled.  Did they do it? Last time someone was too busy looking down their nose with a do what I want attitude. Last time they had no water at all.

By Reason for Concern on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'GCPSD: Boil Water Advisory for Sand Fork, Dusk Camp Area Has Been Lifted'.

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Imagine the EPA getting this ‘wrong’ ?

By lol on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'University of Delaware-Led Study: EPA Standards Overestimate Poultry Pollution'.

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Can we be certain that the children at Sand Fork are NOT drinking and washing their hands in the bad water?
By the way—-
What is the status/outcome of Superintendent Blankenship standing in defiance of the Health Department Order to close the Sand Fork School in April when there was not water, and the unsanitary conditions that resulted?
Has there been any testing of students and staff to determine if any hepatitis or other disease issues have resulted in the defiance of Health Department Order?

By GC citizen on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'GCPSD: Boil Water Advisory for Sand Fork, Dusk Camp Area Has Been Lifted'.

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Next Generation CSO Crosswalk to 21st Century CSOs.
You can find this link on the WVDE web site.
“The Crosswalks Documents were created by the work groups in English Language Arts and Mathematics who studied the Common Core State Standards and then placed these standards into the West Virginia Framework for Next Generation Standards.“

WV does not plan to comply with Common Core.That was revealed from RESA at the last Gilmer County BOE meeting. They will institute Next Generation standards. RESA now has their own consortium.  We are aware WV has joined multiple consortia that were funded by federal grant monies.

When all is said and done, the WV BOE must be the ones held accountable for passing or failing to meet national standards. Right now deferral from meeting NCLB requirements another year is pending.  Nothing shows it will ever happen.

Does any of this improve the educational future of WV children?  Westest results in Gilmer County declined during the past two years ofintervention.
 
You can spend a lifetime following the political money trail,never be bored and often upset.That can only be changed at the ballot box.  One of the most fundamentally important questions on the table right now should be, are the children getting true value for tax dollars spent on education today?

By Coalition Facilitator on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Rotten to the Common Core'.

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I thought Robert E. Carpenter was working for GSC?

By Mary Lee K on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'Gilmer and Lewis County Men Sought by WV State Police'.

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Anyone know if there is a relationship in these cases to the rise in meth usage?

By anonymous on 05.17.2013

From the entry: 'Child Abuse Cases Rising in WV after Brief Decline'.

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It appears after doing some web searches, that some states have all ready bailed out of the common core education.  Must be finding out problems?

By anonymous on 05.16.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Rotten to the Common Core'.

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For a better understanding of this thing called Common Core, go to:  stopcommoncorenow.com

By GC Resident on 05.16.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Rotten to the Common Core'.

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Norma, are Blankenship and Matterin double dipping to receive their regular State retirement benefits plus full compensation for their school system work too This is information WV taxpayers should know. Thank you.

By O. B. Rankin on 05.16.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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Earl B.  So sorry to be late responding, had some down time.  Last year’s BOE financial statement showed Mr. Blankenship receiving $123,000 and a little over $4,000 in travel.  As to Mr. Mattern, I will try to find who issues his contract and if we would be provided that info or will a Freedom of Information request necessary.
I know that Gilmer County BOE did not hire W&S.  There was no bid.The state issued that contract.  It is my understanding the state has a list of “approved vendors”.  I believed those were vendors that meet state criteria such as insurance, bonding, product specs. etc. I have found no evidence that being included on that list exempts a company or an entity from the laws regarding public improvements and bidding whether education or no.

By N Hurley on 05.15.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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Dear Burnt. I can’t wait until our IRS gets their hands on your med records to go with the financial records.  We will be able to have more scandal with all that good stuff.  thanks, ‘J’

By anonymous for a reason on 05.15.2013

From the entry: 'Funding from Health Reform Law to Help Uninsured West Virginians Get Affordable Health Coverage'.

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Shipley is correct. As Karen P. has pointed out on here many times, smaller is better.
Home schools do better.
Amish schools do better.
Catholic schools do better.
Voucher systems do better.
Local control and local responsibility work. Thousands of tiny systems are custom built for the students they serve. Thousands of small experiments discover what works in education, and what doesn’t. These schools can spend more time chasing excellent teachers and less time chasing grants and they don’t have layer on layer of administrators looking out for administrators.
The U.S. Dept. of Education is a failure and the State Dept of Education is not much better, but don’t worry, they will take care of themselves!

By Burnt Weiney on 05.15.2013

From the entry: 'G-Comm™: Rotten to the Common Core'.

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I would like to try and summarize this article.
I am Jay Rockefeller and I just helped spend another 2.4 million of your tax dollars on more government that you didn’t even need or want.
He neglected to mention that you will also be getting thousands of new IRS agents to enforce the law.

By Burnt Weiney on 05.15.2013

From the entry: 'Funding from Health Reform Law to Help Uninsured West Virginians Get Affordable Health Coverage'.

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Good point Earl Batson.  Remember, the ‘education budget’ portion of state expenses, is over 50% of the entire state budget.  Mark Manchin is son of A.J., former treasurer.  Remember that deal?  If our new AG ever starts investigating corruption, he will need to at least double his staff.

By Anonymous For a Reason on 05.14.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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Great that the Feds FINALLY prosecuted somebody who actually violated this law. One out of HOW MANY? They don’t need new laws until the really start enforcing the ones they already have,

By Skip Beyer on 05.14.2013

From the entry: 'G-otcha™: Lewis County Resident Entered Guilty Plea to Providing a False Statement'.

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Mrs. Hurley, could the Coalition get us information for the compensation for Ron Blankenship and Ted Matterin for a GFP posting? Citizens have a right to know. This school mess raises serious questions about who profits from funds being spent and the treatment of Williamson and Shriver is one of many issues needing to be looked into. Why does the firm get what is believed to be no-bid contacts to have a monopoly on school building projects? Is any of Mark Manchin’s SBA money to W & S from federal sources to give the feds justification for investigating?

By Earl Batson on 05.14.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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This glaring example of purposely withholding information from the public extends to Mr. Ted Matterin, Mr. Charles Heinlein, Dr. Linger, Gayle Manchin, and Governor Tomblin. The problem could be resolved within days if the individuals would exhibit courage to act. An investigation needs to be done to expose how State interventions have failed, what the expenses to WV taxpayers have been, and how our public school children have suffered from the gross incompetency while the State tinkered over the years. Does anyone know if Ron Blankenship receives his 120 K salary in addition to his State retirement money, and does Ted Matterin get his consulting fees paid in addition to his regular State retirement? It is no wonder that the individuals do not want to speed up the return of our schools to County control because it is would be against their financial interests.

By J. D. Lingenfelter on 05.14.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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This is just going to prove out as superfluous, ‘put a new dress on the old problem, and no one will recognize it’ ,government styled charade.
Remember how Linger and board of education told the Governor how ‘they’ were not in agreement of the audit?

By you foot the bill on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Action Plan Comes Alive to Meet Governor's Education Challenges'.

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Buying unnecessary stuff is a habit of Blankenship. This is the way he makes his kickbacks under the table!

By think about it on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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To the Board of Ed[23] employee and the 80K unnecessary, non-working phone system.  The bus drivers say that their bus radios were working OK when Blankenship had them replaced.  Can you tell us how much that cost the taxpayer?  Do you know how much the salary was that was paid to the Troy Principal who never showed even one day for work?    And people wonder why the taxpayers are hissed off with this mafia payola system?
Superintendent Blankenship.  You are a *radio guy* ?  How about telling where all those good used radios reside today?  Tell your school board in a public meeting, so everyone knows.

By in crooked county on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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If the school board, as a balanced group of elected representatives are supposed to have control of discipline, but Blankenship jumps ahead of the Board, wouldn’t the parents and students have a solid basis for a suit against both Blankenship and the State ?  Parents, you need to speak out!
So how many times has this happened that the board and no one else is aware of?
What makes Blankenship think he has been appointed judge, jury and hangman for our Gilmer County children?

By where's the oversight on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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Mr. Manchin,
  I understand your statement of over dose on drugs. But what about the people that need pain pills and you fix it till they can’t get the medicine they need. That is not the right thing to do.
  The doctors know when the patience is taking to many pain pills, and then he should stop them. But to take them away from the people that are suffering will not work. A lot of people get hooked on them, but that is because they are not trying to do what they are suppose to do with the medicine.
  You have to be responsible for yourself and the medicine you take. Take it the way it is suppose to be taken and you won’t over dose on it.
  We have a hard enough time trying to make ends meet. Do we have to suffer along with that to?
  Think about it, one day you will get older and you may have to have pain medicine to. What if the doctor looks at you and say sorry, this is what you wanted.
                    Sincerely yours,
                      Betty

By Betty on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Manchin's Message from the Hill to the Mountains: TIME FOR THE FDA TO STOP STALLING ON PAIN KILLERS'.

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Our problem is the superintendent who thinks he is knows it all. He has always does his work, if any, in secrecy. He really likes his back scratched in all of his dealing. I hope I am getting the point across. He does not want the state to communicate with people in the county. How many times the state officials have mentioned that Blankenship should have explained or been at a meeting?

By must look at the source of problem on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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Wouldn’t it be great if they could actually read and do simple math by 6th grade ?

By anonymous in Crooked County on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Action Plan Comes Alive to Meet Governor's Education Challenges'.

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I attended one of the levy meetings where Superintendent Blankenship and Board President Bill Simmons was actually telling all of us how desperate this levy was for the children.  The levys funds would be used to buy books and tablets that were needed but there was not enough money in the budget to purchase.  The Superintendent and the school board appeared to be ‘selling’ the levy to those of us attending.
Are you saying that the levy funds are and will not be used as was presented to us in the public meetings?

By really? on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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There are very important legal issues that need addressed in this Gilmer School debacle.
Apparently both Superintendent Blankenship and principal Butcher have stated publicly, that there have been several students expelled from school.
Expulsions from more than one school.
The elected school board was not informed nor were they involved either.
Discipline and school trips were the only two items your school board can vote on.  These issues are under their control.
Seems Blankenship has taken it upon himself alone to be the “court of expulsion” without informing or involving the school board.
These students and their parents were denied their “day of court” with the school board being excluded.
How long must Gilmer County citizens be treated in this fashion?
Governor Tomblin and Delegate Boggs and Walker.  Please help!
Obviously there is NO oversight of Blankenship.  There is NO oversight of the State of West Virginia Board of Education.
Governor, Delegates.  You have a responsibility to resolve these issues.

By its your elected duty on 05.13.2013

From the entry: 'Community Concerns™: Delegates Walker and Boggs, Why Tolerate Withholding of Information ....'.

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