WV Lottery - 12.31.11

5-1-9

7-8-4-0

09-17-24-30-31     Hot Ball: 06    

05-23-25-28-40     Power Ball: 34   PowerPlay: x 4  

West Virginia High Risk Insurance Pool Enrollment Grows

A state-run health insurance program for people who cannot obtain coverage elsewhere is growing.

Enrollment in AccessWV grew 16% in 2010, from 874 policyholders in 2009 to 1,010, according to the Offices of the Insurance Commissioner’s 2010 annual report released last month.

More than half of AccessWV’s policyholders, 56%, were women and 62% were age 50 and over, the report said.

Kanawha County led the state with 111 policyholders, followed by Cabell with 53, Monongalia with 47, Wood with 46 and Berkeley with 43.

There were two or fewer policyholders in Pendleton, Tucker, Webster and Calhoun counties.

Only 6% of AccessWV’s policies were for families; 94% were for individuals.

AccessWV offers four plans covering the same array of services, but with different premiums, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket expenses.

The report says 42% of policyholders in 2010 opted for Plan C, which has the second highest deductibles and the second lowest premiums.

The report also says the number of private insurers in the state has increased, from 2,256 in 2009 to 2,275 in 2010.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. had the largest share of the private passenger auto market share, 25%, followed by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. with 16.6% and Erie Insurance Property and Casualty Co. with 10.4%.

State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. was the leader in homeowners multiple peril insurance with 26% of the market.

Erie Insurance Property & Casualty Co. was second with 12% of the market.

Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Co. had 11% of the market.

WV ACLU Says County Shouldn’t Fund Jesus Fest

A civil liberties group says the Harrison County Commission’s support of an annual Christian festival in Clarksburg is unconstitutional.

Media outlets report that the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia has asked the commission to stop providing funding and its endorsement for Jesus Fest.

In a December 22, 2011 letter to the commission, state ACLU executive director Franklin Crabtree says the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits government sponsorship, financial support and active involvement in religious activity.

Crabtree’s letter says the commission has provided $2,000 for the festival each year for the past five years.

The letter has been submitted to county prosecutor Joe Shaffer for an opinion.

Commissioner Mike Romano tells The Exponent Telegram that if there is validity to the ACLU’s claims, the commission needs to take appropriate action.

Governors Place Wagers on Bowl Games

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is betting some Lowcountry shrimp and grits that Clemson and South Carolina will win their bowl games next week.

Haley placed the friendly wagers Friday with her colleagues in West Virginia and Nebraska.

The South Carolina Gamecocks face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Monday, while the Tigers face the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Discover Orange Bowl in Miami on Wednesday.

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman put Omaha Steaks on the line.

West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin put up a basket of goodies unique to his state.

“Joanne and I wish both teams the best of luck as they take the field at the Discover Orange Bowl. I look forward to joining fellow alumni, students and fans to cheer on the West Virginia University Mountaineers at what is sure to be an exciting game,“ said Governor Tomblin. “I am confident I will be enjoying one of South Carolina’s finest culinary treats, courtesy of Gov. Haley, after the game.“

Clemson is Haley’s alma mater.

She says she is confident the Tigers and Gamecocks will end their seasons with wins.

GSC Men’s Basketball: Wheeling Jesuit 82, Glenville State 76

After almost a month off the Glenville State Men’s basketball team finally returned to action Friday night as they fell to Wheeling Jesuit 76-82.

The Pioneers got out to a quick lead at the 17:39 mark as they took a 9-8 lead. Wheeling Jesuit came right back and retook the lead on the next possession 10-9. The Cardinals would continue to build on their lead as they went up by eight points 19-11 at the 13:50 mark.

The Pioneers then retook the lead when freshman Jamel Morris hit a three pointer at the 6:08 mark making it 26-24 GSC.

The Pioneers gave up the lead late in the first half as the Cardinals took a one point lead heading into halftime 35-34.

GSC came out in the second half firing on all cylinders as they retook the lead 37-35, the Pioneers then built a nine point lead 56-47 with 14:08 left to play in the game.

GSC would eventually build an 11 point lead but only to see to vanish as they Cardinals battled back.

Wheeling Jesuit pulled within one point at the 5:23 mark on a Steve Catich three pointer making it 65-64.

At the 4:10 mark tied at 67 apiece the Pioneers would take a one point lead on a made free throw by Kevin Gray 68-67, but the Pioneers could not hold on as the Cardinals retook a 70-68 lead at the 3:17 mark.

The Pioneers could not come back as the Cardinals held on to an 82-76 win.

Jamel Morris led the Pioneers in scoring with 26 points, five assists, and four rebounds. Kevin Gray scored 23 points, the only other player to score in double figures for the Pioneers were Hanif Malloy as he chipped in with 10 points.

Wheeling Jesuit was led by Steve Catich with 31 points; Recardo Gaddy scored 19 points for the Cardinals, while Obi Ukwuoma scored 19 points and grabbed a game high eight rebounds.

Ben Siefert handed out a game high 12 assists for Wheeling Jesuit.

The Pioneers return to action Wednesday, January 04, 2011 when they return home to battle Shepherd University.

Game time is set for 7:00 PM.

~~  GSC Sports ~~

Payroll Tax Cut Raises Worries about Social Security’s Future Funding

By extending the payroll tax cut, Congress and the administration have quietly made a critical change in how Social Security is funded — one that some in Washington worry could undermine the program’s foundation if lawmakers keep renewing the tax break.

For the first time in the program’s history, tens of billions of dollars from the government’s general pool of revenue are being funneled to the Social Security trust fund to make up for the revenue lost to the tax cut. Roughly $110 billion will be automatically shifted from the Treasury to the trust fund to cover this year’s cut, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees. An additional $19 billion, it is estimated, will be necessary to pay for the two-month extension.

The tax cut is supposed to be temporary. But as squabbles over this issue and the Bush tax cuts have revealed, short-term tax cuts in Washington have a way of sticking around longer than planned, especially as economic growth remains slow and lawmakers are wary of raising anyone’s tax bill.

The prospect of policymakers continually turning to the payroll tax as a way of providing economic stimulus troubles experts, some lawmakers and both public trustees of the Social Security trust fund. Their concern: that Social Security will lose its status as a protected benefit owed to every working American and instead become politically vulnerable, just like any other government program.

And as this year’s debate about the nation’s debt showed, nothing is off limits to the political brinkmanship that has come to dominate Washington.

“It’s a grave step for Social Security,” said Charles Blahous, one of two public trustees for Social Security and a research fellow with the Hoover Institution. “It just seems to me the program both financially and politically will be on a lot rockier footing.”

Robert Reischauer, the other public trustee and president of the Urban Institute, said extending the payroll tax cut another year during high unemployment seems justified. But it “could, if it continues for a substantial period of time, undermine one of the foundational arguments that makes the Social Security program inviolate.”

Since its inception under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Social Security program has been premised on a simple contract: Americans pay into the program’s trust fund over years of paychecks through the payroll tax. In return, when they retire, they receive monthly benefits.

The payroll tax cut changes that. Instead being a protected program with its own stream of funding, Social Security, by taking money from general revenue, becomes more akin to other government initiatives such as Pentagon spending or clean-air regulation — programs that rely on income taxes and political jockeying for support.

“All of a sudden Social Security will have to compete with every other program, whereas before it had its own dedicated revenue,” said Nancy Altman, co-director of Social Security Works, an advocacy group. “It’s breaking the kind of firewall that has always existed between the trust fund and the operating fund.”

She added: “The biggest concern is that this was done without any hearings, without any apparent regard for the impact on Social Security.”

The chief actuary of the Social Security trust fund has affirmed that the payroll tax cut will not put a dent in the $2.6 trillion fund, which is expected to pay all promised benefits until 2036. The law requires the government to make up any shortfalls.

The fund has been built up over time by contributions from the 12.4% payroll tax, of which employees and employers each pay 6.2%. The temporary tax break reduced the share paid by employees by 2%.

Altman said that the tax had never been reduced before, and the most it has been raised at any time is 0.5%.

“We’ve never really monkeyed around with Social Security before,” said Blahous. “Until now it was understood the payroll tax was supposed to do one thing. It wasn’t supposed to be a stimulus mechanism. Now the payroll tax is this variable thing that goes up and down according to other economic conditions. That is a real transformation of what that money is supposed to do.”

The pressure to cut the tax came from the country’s slow-growing economy. Last December, Republican lawmakers fought to extend the George W. Bush tax cuts, which were about to expire, while the White House pushed for a tax credit called Making Work Pay. Their compromise: a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts, a year of extended unemployment benefits and a one-year payroll tax cut that effectively replaced Obama’s tax credit idea.

Last year’s payroll tax cut saved the average U.S. household more than $900, according to the Tax Policy Center.

During the fight earlier this month, Democrats borrowed from the Republican playbook, arguing that reverting to the old rate would be a tax hike. And economists worried that allowing the cut to expire would dampen economic growth in 2012 by as much as two-thirds of a percentage point..

The payroll tax cut could be here to stay for a while. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) has said he will appoint a conference committee to search for ways to extend the two-month cut for all of 2012.

Blahous said Social Security will be facing enough financial pressures in the years to come without the payroll tax cut complicating matters.

This year, the Social Security system projects that it will pay out $46 billion more in benefits than it will collect in cash. It made up for the shortfall by redeeming Treasury bonds bought in years when there were cash surpluses.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and dozens of House Democrats, have expressed concerns about the impact of the payroll tax cut on Social Security.

“Whether you’re on the left or the right, you should really dislike this,” said Blahous. “It has been somewhat mystifying, the determination to do this. I just think it’s shortsightedness.”

By Jia Lynn Yang - Washington Post

WV Governor: Lower Taxes

At the start of the New Year, when checking out at the grocery store, our seniors, individuals and families will keep more of their hard earned money. In working with members of the legislature, my proposal to decrease the sales tax on food for home consumption by 1% goes into effect. The decline from 3% to 2% means a savings of $25 million for taxpayers. For a family of four, that’s an extra $52 dollars a year that can be used toward life’s other necessities. The food tax is scheduled to drop another percentage point down to 1% in July. That is $54 million of food tax relief that goes into place this year. And, as long as our State’s Rainy Day Fund meets certain criteria, the food tax will be eliminated altogether this time next year.

For businesses, the turn of the calendar means more cash flow, inviting the possibility of new investments including employee expansion, thanks to the reduction of two business taxes: corporate net income tax and business franchise tax. In 2006, I worked with then-Governor Manchin to set up a phase-out schedule for the business franchise tax and a phase-down schedule for the corporate net income tax. Today as Governor, I am pleased to carry out the plan as we take another step toward a tax structure that will enable businesses to become more competitive and financially secure.

The state’s business franchise tax will be reduced January 1st from 0.034% down to 0.027% and is poised to be eliminated by 2015. That is $15 million in savings to virtually all businesses in West Virginia. From the time the first reduction was made, until the eventual elimination, taxpayers will have saved an estimated $50 million. When the Business Franchise Tax is eliminated, West Virginia will join the majority of states which currently do not impose such a tax on general business activities. This is another step toward strengthening our state’s attractiveness for business investors and that means jobs.

And the corporate net income tax rate drops from 8.50% to 7.75% beginning January 01, a savings of another $15 million. The corporate net income tax reduction plan is two years away from reaching the goal of reducing the tax from a high of 9.00% in 2006, down to 6.5% in 2014. Corporations are expected to save more than $53 million per year when the rate reductions are fully implemented. The majority of states currently imposing a corporate income tax have tax rates greater than 6.5%. Again, this reduction will improve our attractiveness for business investors.

As more and more West Virginians work toward fiscal responsibility during these challenging economic times, government must lead the way. From business finances to personal finances, West Virginia is moving forward by enabling taxpayers to save money while continuing to deliver needed services. We have managed to decrease taxes while saving for the future. We have embraced responsible spending and allowed West Virginians to keep more of their hard-earned money. I am proud to carry out my campaign promise and I resolve to continue to fulfill that promise, more jobs and lower taxes, as long as I am your Governor.

I wish you and yours a Happy New Year.

Orange Bowl Report for December 30th, 2011

WV Utilities Win $21M in 2012 Electricity Hikes

West Virginia regulators are allowing more than $21 million in rate increases for around 520,000 power customers in 2012.

Nearly $20 million of the hikes aim to allow MonPower and Potomac Edison to recoup spending on fuel, transmission and purchased power costs.

The two utilities provide electricity in 37 of West Virginia’s 55 counties.

The typical monthly residential bill will increase by an estimated $3.36 per 1,000 kilowatt hours consumed.

That monthly rate will rise by another dime per month after the utilities’ parent won approval for efficiency and conservation programs.

Allegheny Energy says the resulting $1.7 million annually will help it reduce costs for both residential and other customers.

One of the programs will promote high-efficiency lighting.

West Virginia Public Service Commission announced both increases Friday.

Bon Appétit: Dark Chocolate Cherry Fudge

Ingredients:

  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  2/3 cup NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
  2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  2 cups miniature marshmallows
  1 2/3 cups NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate Morsels
  3/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan.

Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, morsels, dried cherries and vanilla extract.

Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted.

Pour into prepared baking pan.

Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil.

Cut into 48 pieces.

Daily G-Eye™: 12.31.11

Submit photos for this daily feature. You may select to have your name listed as well.
Send your photo(s) to “tellus@gilmerfreepress.net”

G-Eye™: Week in Photos: Capturing Iowa Caucus Magic

Stargazing - 12.31.11

Two planets greet the new year.

The brighter of the two is Jupiter.

It’s low in the west at midnight, but it outshines everything else in that part of the sky, so you can’t miss it.

Fainter orange Mars is about the same height in the east.

New Year’s Eve Sky

If you need a break from the countdown to the new year this evening, step outside for a moment to enjoy the lightshow in the midnight sky.

Two planets greet the new year.

The brighter of the two is Jupiter, the giant of the solar system. It’s low in the west at that hour, but it outshines everything else in that part of the sky, so you can’t miss it. Fainter Mars is about the same height in the eastern sky. It shines with a distinctive orange hue, so it’s pretty easy to pick out, too.

Another brilliant pinpoint stands well up in the south: Sirius, the Dog Star, which is the brightest true star in all the night sky. If you look carefully, you’ll see it twinkle from red to blue to pure white in the blink of an eye.

And up above Sirius, and a bit to the right, is one of the most beautiful constellations — and one of the easiest to find. It’s Orion, the hunter. Its “belt” of three bright stars aims toward Sirius. Two other bright stars stand above the belt, with two more below it. They form a wide box. And between the belt and the bottom of the box is a slash of objects known as Orion’s sword. Its most famous member is the smudge of light known as the Orion Nebula — a vast nursery of newborn stars. It’s a good symbol for the newborn year of 2012.

G-MM™: Meditation Moment - 12.31.11

The Word was made flesh. He lived among us, and we saw his glory.

The opening verses of John’s Gospel introduce the major themes that the evangelist proceeds to develop.

Echoing the phrase, ‘in the beginning’, which opens the book of Genesis, he proclaims a new creation in which the promise of the Lord to Ezekiel—‘My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people’ (37:27)—is fulfilled in an extraordinary manner.

What a profound, consoling mystery is expressed in these simple words, ‘The Word was made flesh, he lived among us.’

Recalling what the preacher says: ‘May we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.’

1 John 2:18-21. Let heaven and earth exult in joy!—Ps 95(96):1-2, 11-13. John 1:1-18b.

Ronald Junior Hardman

Ronald Junior Hardman

Age 78 of James Street Glenville, West Virginia, departed this life at 8:01 AM Tuesday December 27, 2011 at his residence following an extended illness.

He was born March 17, 1933 at Normantown WV, son of the late Albert and Genevie Grace Shaffer Hardman.

Ronnie was an Army veteran of the Korean Conflict, retired from the United States Postal Service, where he was maintenance from 1966 until his retirement in October 1992 at the Glenville branch.

He was also a Methodist by faith and loved fishing.

On October 20, 1956, he was united in marriage to Josephine Mark Hardman who survives at their James Street home.

3 sons survive: Ronald M. Hardman of Orlando FL, Roy Lee Hardman and wife Rose of Deltona FL, and Robert J. Hardman of Elderton PA. 2 grandchildren also survive; Matthew and Michael Hardman.

He was the last surviving member of his immediate family having been preceded in death by 3 sisters; Katherine Taylor, Annabelle McPherson, and Juanita Paugh.

A memorial service will be held at the Ellyson Mortuary Inc., Glenville WV at 1:00 PM, Saturday December 31, 2011 with Rev. Mark James officiating.

Leona M. Hardman

Leona M. Hardman

Age 81, of Parkersburg, formerly of Tanner, WV, passed away December 29, 2011 at Eagle Point Health Care Center in Parkersburg.

She was born in Gilmer County WV, daughter of the late Lynn and Sarah Wagoner Frymier.

She was a retired elementary teacher having taught 23 years in Wood County and four years in Gilmer County.

She was a member of the Pythian Sisters of Tanner.

Surviving are her children, Tami Hardman of Mineral Wells WV, Beth Hernandez of Miami FL, Robert Hardman of Grantsville WV, Eric Hardman of Rockport WV; a brother, Claude Frymier of Smithville; 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hardman; a grandson, Adam Spears; and two brothers, Jimmy and June Frymier.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Tuesday, January 03, 2012 at Stump Funeral Home in Grantsville with Rev. Ronzel Roberts officiating.

Interment will be in the Mt. Liberty Cemetery at Tanner.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday.

12.31.11

Today - December 31, yyyy

Today is Saturday, Dec. 31, the 365th and final day of 2011.

Thought for Today:

“Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to!“ — William E. Vaughan, American newspaper columnist (1915-1977).

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Dec. 31, 1951, the Marshall Plan expired after distributing more than $12 billion in foreign aid.

On this date:

In 1759, Arthur Guinness founded his famous brewery at St. James’s Gate in Dublin.

In 1775, during the Revolutionary War, the British repulsed an attack by Continental Army generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold at Quebec; Montgomery was killed.

In 1879, Thomas Edison first publicly demonstrated his electric incandescent light in Menlo Park, N.J.

In 1909, the Manhattan Bridge, spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, was officially opened to vehicular traffic.

In 1946, President Harry S. Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities in World War II.

In 1961, the Green Bay Packers shut out the New York Giants 37-0 to win the National Football League Championship.

In 1969, Joseph A. Yablonski, an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency of the United Mine Workers of America, was shot to death with his wife and daughter in their Clarksville, Pa., home by hitmen acting at the orders of UMWA president Tony Boyle.

In 1985, singer Rick Nelson, 45, and six other people were killed when fire broke out aboard a DC-3 that was taking the group to a New Year’s Eve performance in Dallas.

In 1986, 97 people were killed when fire broke out in the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Three hotel workers later pleaded guilty in connection with the blaze.)

In 1991, representatives of the government of El Salvador and rebels reached agreement at the United Nations on a peace accord to end 12 years of civil war.

Ten years ago:

New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani spent his final day in office praising police, firefighters, and other city employees in the wake of 9/11, and said he had no regrets about returning to private life.

Notre Dame tapped Tyrone Willingham to be its football coach, replacing George O’Leary, who’d resigned because of misstatements about his academic and athletic achievements on his resume; Willingham became the first black head coach in any sport for the Irish.

Actress Eileen Heckart died in Norwalk, Conn., at age 82.

Five years ago:

The death toll for Americans killed in the Iraq war reached 3,000.

Hundreds of Iraqis flocked to the village of Ouja (OO’-juh) where Saddam Hussein was born to see the deposed leader buried in a religious compound 24 hours after his execution.

Ordinary Americans paid their respects to former President Gerald R. Ford, walking slowly by his flag-covered casket in the U.S. Capitol.

One year ago:

Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm air pummeled the South and Midwest, killing a total of eight people in Arkansas and Missouri.

The body of federal defense consultant John Wheeler III, 66, was found in a Wilmington, Del., landfill; his death, ruled a homicide, remains under investigation.

Today’s Birthdays:

TV producer George Schlatter is 82

Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins is 74

Actor Tim Considine (“My Three Sons”) is 71

Actress Sarah Miles is 70

Rock musician Andy Summers is 69

Actor Sir Ben Kingsley is 68

Producer-director Taylor Hackford is 67

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg is 65

Actor Tim Matheson is 64

Pop singer Burton Cummings (The Guess Who) is 64

Singer Donna Summer is 63

Actor Joe Dallesandro is 63

Rock musician Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith) is 60

Actor James Remar is 58

Actress Bebe Neuwirth is 53

Actor Val Kilmer is 52

Singer Paul Westerberg is 52

Actor Don Diamont is 49

Rock musician Ric Ivanisevich (Oleander) is 49

Rock musician Scott Ian (Anthrax) is 48

Actress Gong Li is 46

Author Nicholas Sparks is 46

Actor Lance Reddick is 42

Pop singer Joe McIntyre is 39

Rock musician Mikko Siren (Apocalyptica) is 36

Rock musician Bob Bryar is 32

WV Lottery - 12.30.11

6-5-6

3-5-2-0

02-07-08-09-16-19

04-24-45-46-52     Mega Ball: 01   Megaplier: x 4  

G-otcha™: Gassaway Man Arrested for Operating Multiple Meth Labs

Imprisonment Status:  Pre-Trial Felon
Matthew  Burton Friend
	Full Name:	Friend,  Matthew  Burton
	Height:	6’  1”
	Weight:	170 lbs.
	Birth Date:	01.09.1986
	Gender:	Male
	Booking Date:	12.30.2011
	Facility:	Central Regional Jail
	Imprisonment Status:	Pre-Trial Felon

Offender Court Order Information

Court Info Number	Issuing Agency Location
11F205 THRU 216	WEBSTER COUNTY - Bail Amount: $0.00

 

Matthew Burton Friend, age 25, from Gassaway, WV was arrested by Webster County Division of West Virginia State Police on Friday, December 30, 2011.

Friend is on six conspiracy and six felony charges of operating or attempting to operate clandestine drug laboratories.

Criminal complaint filed indicates the State Police witnessed Friend wearing a gas mask while “gassing” a meth lab from a tube.

Officials also found multiple black plastic trash bags containing trash from a clandestine drug lab, including soda bottles with methamphetamine residue, Drano cleaner, dissected lithium batteries, containers of ice packs, empty Coleman fuel, blister packs from Sudafed and burned aluminum foil.

The criminal complaint indicates total of six drug labs present at the residence.

Friend is behind bars in the Central Regional Jail.

OddlyEnough: Verizon Wireless to Charge $2 to Pay Some Bills

Verizon Wireless, the country’s largest cellphone company, says it will start charging $2 for every payment subscribers make over the phone or online with their credit cards.

 

Capitalism: First they trick you into going paperless and Green, and then charge you more calling it Convenience Fee.

Power of People: People stood up and spoke and Verizon retreated as the result.

GCHS Girls’ Basketball: Lady Titans champion of the Kermit VanScoy Invitational

The Gilmer County High School Lady Titans won the championship game of the Kermit VanScoy Invitational in Doddridge County on Thursday, December 29, 2011 by defeating Ritchie County 61-44.

Lady Titans were led by Maggie Lilly scoring 17 points and Julie Bishop with 16 points.

Ritchie County earned the spot in championship game by defeating Doddridge County 47-42.

Gilmer County defeated Calhoun County on Thursday to play in championship games.

Doddridge County played Calhoun County in the consolation game.

Lady Titans will travel to St. Marys on Thursday, January 05, 2012 for their next game.

Tip-off will be at 7:30 PM.

Box Score:

Gilmer 17 12 11 21-61

Ritchie 14 13 12 5-44

GILMER COUNTY (8-1):

Maggie Lilly 6 5-6 17

Jordan Morris 4 2-2 12

Tiffany Young 1 0-0 2

Julie Bishop 4 6-6 16

Morgan Allen 3 1-2 8

Michaela Gumm 2 2-2 6

TOTALS: 20 16-18 61

3-Point Goals: Morris 2, Bishop 2, Allen 1.

RITCHIE COUNTY (3-7):

Tristin Toman 7 6-11 21

Kylie Gump 2 0-0 4

Amanda Davis 3 0-0 6

Vanessa Tallman 1 4-9 6

Maria Webber 1 1-3 3

Sydney Snodgrass 2 0-0 4

TOTALS: 16 10-23 44

3-Point Goals: Toman 1

Gymnastics Classes – 01.02.12

There are still a few openings for gymnastics classes for children age 4 & up.

Classes are held Monday evenings at the Sand Fork Baptist Church.

First class starts promptly at 5:00 PM for the younger children; 6:00 PM for the next group class and a 7:00 PM class for older kids.

Our next classes will be held on Monday, January 02, 2012.

Our instructors come to us from Champs Central in Clarksburg.

The cost is $45/month payable the first Monday of the month.

If you are new to the group, please go to Champs Central website at www.champscentral.com and print off the registration form to bring with you the first night of class.

For further information look for Gilmer County Gymnastics on Facebook.

WV State Police: Sandusky Case Brings More Attention to Child Sex Crimes

The Commander of the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Task Force says the arrest, this year, of former Penn State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky will help shine a light on child sex crimes in the coming years.

In November, Sandusky was arrested and charged with dozens of counts of sexually abuse involving eight young boys over a period of 15 years.

The number of victims has since grown to ten.

The charges against Sandusky lead to the firing of legendary Penn State Head Football Coach Joe Paterno along with several Penn State academic officials.

“He was found out,“ Sgt. Casto says of the Sandusky case.  “The other good part of that is that other victims came forward that have lived with this for many years.“

He says there are a lot of sexual abuse victims out there.

“These crimes go heavily underreported.  Probably only up to about a quarter of these crimes ever reach law enforcement.  The rest are hidden away forever.“

Sgt. Casto says the Internet has brought all kinds of crimes, many of them targeting kids, directly into homes throughout the Mountain State.

“We really didn’t realize how big of a problem it was until we became involved in it, especially in West Virginia.“

You can find out more about the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at www.wvicac.com.

WV Group Develops App for Alternative Cars

A West Virginia center has developed an app to help first responders better understand the differences between traditional vehicles and those that run on electricity or alternative fuels when it comes to emergencies.

The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium created the free app, QRG, which is available for iPhone and iPad and soon will be available for Android devices.

The guide provides detailed, vehicle-specific information including mechanisms, disconnect procedures and other special concerns.

A hard-copy version that alerts emergency personnel to high-voltage cables and cut zones also is available for a fee.

The app contains information on electric drive vehicles such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery and fuel cell electric vehicles as well as vehicles powered by alternative fuels like biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, propane and hydrogen.

G-otcha™: Calhoun County Man Behind Bars on Meth Charges

Imprisonment Status:  Pre-Trial Felon
John Fredrick Fisher
	Full Name:	Fisher, John Fredrick
	Height:	5’  10”
	Weight:	190 lbs.
	Birth Date:	10.04.1979
	Gender:	Male
	Booking Date:	12.29.2011
	Facility:	Central Regional Jail
	Imprisonment Status:	Pre-Trial Felon

Offender Court Order Information

Court Info Number	Issuing Agency Location
11F77, 78, 79	CALHOUN COUNTY - Bail Amount: $15,000.00

 

John Frederick Fisher, age 32, from Calhoun County was arrested by West Virginia State Police on December 29, 2011 for attempting to operate a drug lab, exposure of a child to meth manufacturing, and a drug-related conspiracy charge.

He is behind bars in Central Regional Jail on $15,000 bond.

Emily Grace Stalnaker

Emily Grace Stalnaker was the name chosen for the third child born to Jessica and William Stalnaker of Ireland.

She was born December 08, 2011, at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital of Weston.

She weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces.

She has two siblings, Seth and Kaylee.

Her mother is the former Jessica McCray and is a homemaker.

Her father is employed in the oil field.

Maternal grandparents are Kim Mackey and Darley McCray.

Paternal grandparents are Penny Stalnaker and Leonard Stalnaker.

Madison Grace White

Madison Grace White was the name chosen for the daughter born to Ermine and Ashley White of Burnsville.

She was born December 09, 2011, at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital of Weston.

She weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces.

She has one brother, Ethan Godfrey.

Her mother is the former Ashley Stump.

Maternal grandparents are Roger and Tracy Stump of Sand Fork.

Paternal grandparents are Ernie and Nelma White of Rosedale.

Braylee Adaire Mayo

Jennifer Thompson and Shawn Mayo of Weston announce the birth of their second child, a daughter, Braylee Adaire Mayo, on December 07, 2011, at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital of Weston.

She weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces.

She has one sister, Amaya Addison Mayo.

Her mother is the former Jennifer Duncan and is a homemaker.

Her father is employed by Hardees.

Maternal grandparents are Jack Duncan and Jenny Duncan of Weston.

Paternal grandparents are Gary and Sandy Bowman of Weston.

Paetyn Ryanne

Paetyn Ryanne was the name chosen for the daughter born to Tawni Stapleton and Shawn Hill of Weston.

She was born December 03, 2011, at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital of Weston.

She weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces.

Her mother is a college student.

Her father is employed by Shop n Save.

Maternal grandparents are Renate and the late Jeff Stapleton of Weston.

Paternal grandmother is Tammy Lovett of Weston.

WV State Senator Doug Facemier – 12.28.11

With the passage of the Marcellus Shale Horizontal Well Act earlier this month, the Senate is now poised to tackle the unfunded liability for the Other Post-Employee Benefits (OPEB). During the 2011 Regular Session, the Senate resurrected and passed a bill designed to address the substantial public employee retiree health care debt; however, the bill died in the final hours of the legislative session due to a funding mechanism disagreement.

OPEB is a multi-billion dollar unfunded liability, and the last major debt problem currently facing West Virginia.  The debt is made up mostly of retiree health care costs for the state’s public employees; a promise made by lawmakers years ago to public workers and teachers in lieu of paying them a more competitive wage.  If unresolved, OPEB will continue to grow leaving a much greater problem for future generations. It is our responsibility as legislators to fix this problem before it is too late.

For that reason, President Kessler has authorized the appointment of a five-member bipartisan Finance Subcommittee to develop proposals for the upcoming Legislative session. The subcommittee will look at potential funding avenues in conjunction with State revenue to determine the best possible solution. With a regulatory framework in place for Marcellus Shale gas extraction, new revenue from this industry may be a potential source to stabilize OPEB.

I was chosen to sit on the Subcommittee due to my experience Co-chairing the Senate Finance and the Joint Select Marcellus Shale Committees. I am grateful for the opportunity to research, examine, and develop prospective solutions for future legislation with my Senate colleagues. Together, we will work toward ensuring the financial security of our State.

I encourage you to contact me with any concerns you have regarding issues facing our district or our state.  You can write to me at: Douglas E. Facemire, State Senate, Room 217W, and Building 1 State Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305. You can email me at: or call 304.357.7845

Delegate David Walker - December 2011

As we enter a New Year, I would like to wish you all good cheer and good health.  I am looking forward to addressing the many challenges facing the state of our state.  I may be optimistic but I believe we are beginning to see a light at the end of our economic tunnel.

After years of discussion, we passed a bill in December, 2011, which is designed to build our economy, protect our environment, preserve landowners’ rights and create jobs.

Specifically titled the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Act, it is a wide-ranging regulatory bill directed at natural gas drilling of Marcellus shale in West Virginia.  The mile-deep deposit is among the world’s most promising natural gas reserves.

Tapping it will involve horizontally drilled wells as well as hydraulic fracturing of the shale with water mixed with chemicals and sand.

There are supporters and critics of the bill but all agree to one thing: The legislation is only a starting point for ongoing regulation of the burgeoning new industry.

We put provisions in the bill giving landowners more rights.  The bill requires additional notice to surface owners and the public.  For instance, property owners get a minimum of one week notice before an operator can survey a person’s property.  The person also gets a copy of the permit application and other related filings the operator submits to the state regarding the proposed drilling location, road location, impoundment location and other features.

Both the property owner and the public have a right to comment on drilling permits.  Before filing a permit, an operator must publish a notice in the local newspaper in the county where the drilling will occur.

Companies must post performance bonds and work with the Department of Highways (DOH) to repair roads that may be damaged because of additional use.

Fees have been increased from $400 in current law to $10,000 for the first well and $5,000 for each additional well on a single well pad.  The money will be used to allow the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to hire 17 more people to inspect and review well permits.

The DEP will expand its website to provide greater transparency regarding permitting information.  The bill includes significant additions to permit requirements such as sediment control plans, well site construction and safety plans and water management plans.  There are also safequards for well casings and drilling in karst terrain which houses West Virginia’s cave systems.

Overall, West Virginia can use the jobs the industry will create but not at the total expense of her citizens.  If business, local leaders, landowners and laborers work together, then Marcellus Shale production may be the dawn of a new day for our Mountain State.

In closing, I would like to add a bit of good tidings for some citizens of Gilmer County.

In the middle of December, over $15 million in Small Cities Block Grant funds were provided by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are being managed by the Community Development Division of the West Virginia Development Office (WVDO).

I am pleased to announce the Gilmer County Commission received $200,000 from the state development office.  This money will be added to the $3.2 million water extension project in the Cox’s Mill area of Gilmer County. Approximately 104 households will benefit from this community development project designed to provide clean, adequate water and reliable sewer facilities.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you feel need addressed. You can reach me by calling 304.340.3135, by e-mailing “dwalker@mail.wvnet.edu” or writing to my office address: Room 210W, Building 1, State Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305.

Bon Appétit: Easy Meatloaf

Ingredients:

  1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  1 egg
  1 onion, chopped
  1 cup milk
  1 cup dried bread crumbs
  salt and pepper to taste
  2 tablespoons brown sugar
  2 tablespoons prepared mustard
  1/3 cup ketchup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk and bread OR cracker crumbs.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan, OR form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup.

Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Daily G-Eye™: 12.30.11

 

 

 

The Mountaineers have arrived in Miami for the Orange Bowl.

Players, support staff and families all received a big welcome Thursday afternoon at Miami International Airport.

Members of the Orange Bowl committee lined both sides of tarmac as the traveling party exited the plane.

The Orange Bowl has survived decades while many other bowls have come and gone.

This is the 78th game.

It has had 19 national championships awarded as a result of this game so historically the entire country has associated the Orange Bowl with a quality match-up.

West Virginia will begin practices in Miami Friday at Barry University.

Submit photos for this daily feature. You may select to have your name listed as well.
Send your photo(s) to “tellus@gilmerfreepress.net”

Stargazing - 12.30.11

Just northwest of Rigel, the bright blue-white star that marks the left leg of Orion, the hunter, look for Cursa, “Orion’s foot stool.”

Cursa is the second-brightest star in Eridanus, the river.

Look for it in the southeast during mid-evening.

Lunar Arrival

LAUNCH CONTROL: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero, and liftoff of the Delta II with GRAIL, a journey to the center of the Moon.

A pair of twins is preparing to greet the new year in a special way — by entering orbit around the Moon. The first will arrive tomorrow, with the other following on New Year’s Day.

The “twins” are a pair of spacecraft that form a mission known as GRAIL. The two were launched in September, and followed an unusual, looping path to the Moon — one that allowed them to reach the Moon with a fairly small booster rocket.

Their mission is to probe both the Moon’s interior and its surface. The findings will help scientists determine the structure of the Moon’s core, and figure out why the lunar farside is so different from the nearside — the hemisphere that faces Earth.

GRAIL will accomplish that by mapping the Moon’s gravity field. The field is lumpy, with some regions exerting a stronger pull than others. The two craft will fly in formation, measuring the distance between them down to the micron — about the width of a red blood cell. Such tiny changes in the distance will reveal differences in the Moon’s gravity.

The craft will spend a couple of months synchronizing their orbits before beginning their “nominal” mission. During that three-month mission, the craft will drop lower and lower to produce an ever-sharper map of lunar gravity — a map that will help scientists probe the interior and the history of the Moon.

The Moon will get two new visitors from Earth, one on December 31, the other on January 1. The twin spacecraft, which form the GRAIL mission, will make the most precise measurements to date of the Moon’s gravitational field, which is quite “lumpy.“ Mapping the lumps will provide new information about the history and evolution of the lunar surface. The measurements also provide a look deep into the Moon’s interior. This artist’s concept shows the two spacecraft flying in formation, with differences in the Moon’s gravity represented by different colors on the surface. [NASA/JPL]

G-MM™: Meditation Moment - 12.30.11

This reading from Luke reminds us of the wonderment of new parents, of possibilities, hopes, and fears for the new life they have to nurture and the family they have become.

We can only imagine the domestic life of the Holy Family.

They are an example of domestic church, living in communion as they faced the insecurities of Jewish family life under Roman rule.

Families have traditionally come together to celebrate at this time of year.

As the year draws to an end it is a natural time for reflecting on the giftedness, the challenges, the fragility, and the strength of family bonds.

May the imminence of the new year allow us to draw on the strengths, face the challenges, respect the fragility, and embrace the giftedness of our own unique family.

Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever—Ps 104(105):1-6, 8-9. Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19. Luke 2:22-40.

Penny Lynn Rush

Penny Lynn Rush

She passed away Monday, December 19, 2011 at her home in Frametown, WV at the age of 54.

She was born on July 14, 1957 in Milton, WV a daughter of the late Allie Estep and Mary Spurlock.

She is survived and very much loved by husband, Robert Rush; his brother, Allen “Bubbles” Rush; son, Dwaine Fetty; daughter, Sallie Chapman; brothers, Dwaine Estep and his wife, Karen, JimBob Estep and his wife, Kathy, Michael McKinney and his wife, Vannie; sister, Peggy Hinkle and her husband, Klaus; as well as five grandkids, Cole Spurlock, Makaila Chapman, Aaron Chapman, John Fetty, Sherridan Fetty and great grandson, Jamie Spurlock.

Service was 7:00 PM Wednesday, December 21 at Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway with Rev. Robey Godfrey officiating.

Friends called one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Arrangements by Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway.

Autis Blaine Means

Autis Blaine Means

Age 81 of Lubeck, passed away December 29, 2011, at his residence following a brief illness.

He was born at Weston, WV a son of the late James Garfield Means and Reba Grace (McBride) Means.

Blaine was a retired Millwright with Local 5668 and worked for Century Aluminum, formerly Kaiser Aluminum. He was a U. S. Marine Corps veteran, serving 1947 to 1950. Blaine achieved the Lifetime Endowment of the National Rifle Association and a Lifetime member of the National Knife Collectors Association.

Surviving is his loving wife of 59 years, Fae (Warren) Means, three daughters: Reba Robinson (Rex) of Coolville, Elaine Corcovilos (Rick) of Ravenswood and Roberta “Bert” Greene of Vienna, brother Charles Means of Lorraine, Ohio; five grandchildren; two step grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a stepson Ernest Warren; two brothers and two sisters.

Funeral services will be Saturday 2:00 PM at the Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg with Pastor Bill Thomas officiating.

Entombment will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens.

Visitation will be today, 2:00 - 4:00 and 6:00 - 8:00 PM.

Memorial contributions may be made to Amedysis Hospice 417 Grand Park Drive Suite 206, Parkersburg, WV 26105.

Lee E. Cooke

Lee E. Cooke

Age 68, of Gassaway, WV passed away December 23, 2011 at Hubbard Hospice House, Charleston.

He was a former police officer in Richmond, VA and was an Air Force veteran.

He is survived by wife, Debra Cooke; children, Melissa Kennedy and husband, Rex, Dana Cooke, Tony Cooke and Lee Cooke, Jr.; brother, Ernie Bivens; sister, Marie Bivens and Sheila Bivens; granddaughter, Madison Kennedy.

Memorial service was 2:00 PM Monday, December 26 at Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway with Pastor Brace Cook officiating.

Friends called one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

At Mr. Cooke’s request his body will be cremated.

Arrangements by Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway.

12.30.11