Decoration Day weekend resulted in some much needed rain for the area. The “X-perts” called for flooding which, of course, did not happen. The Amphibian Chorus was jubilant and put on an excellent performance almost all night long. First cutting hay is due to go up but with more rain in the forecast, hay harvest will have to wait. Some local folks placed flowers on the graves of their loved ones but the peonies which used to be the chief flower were almost all gone so yarrow, daisies, iris, red & sweet clover were the chief flowers. There were family gatherings and lots of folks took their four wheelers and side by sides to check out the back roads.
John & Debbie Griffin attended a concert at the Sue Morris facility in Glenville.
W. Harrison Schenerlein IV graduated from high school Friday evening down in Florida. He is to attend the Manatee County Trade School to learn to be an electrician
Some local folks spent some time up in Ohio Amish country.
The comely Kim spent the weekend with her mother Wilma Mowrey.
Ed Hardman & associates have been attending to business in Creston.
Jeff Richards who works for Oil Haulers was attending to business on the Richardsonville Road.
Kristen Lonczynska, daughter of Betty Melchor, died suddenly, perhaps from an aneurism. The service will be July 12 at the Creston Community Building.
The Wirt County tax sale will be June 17. There are some Creston properties in the sale list so folks should check to be sure all taxes have been paid.
Next Era Energy is now involved in a $66 billion merger with Dominion making it the biggest electrical power company. Dominion is also in the natural gas business and is part of the Rockefeller family empire. While currently not impacting Creston no one [locally] can see the future.
There seems to be some concern about the proposed data center at the mouth of Katy’s Run. As proposed it would not have any impact on electric rates as Mon Power (First Energy) has made it clear that they have NO plan to upgrade local facilities so power for the facility would be generated on site by a gas fired power plant fueled by local wells drilled to the Marcellus & Utica shales. There is also concern, especially about the fragile water systems in Calhoun County. The facility would have to have its own water plant with reservoirs to deal with periods of drought and low water in the Little Kanawha River. Modern data centers do not need employees to wear ear plugs so there should be no noise problems. Objections to AI and data centers is funded by a billionaire who lives in Shanghai China that is tied to Dictator Xi who rules in Peking and aims to defeat the USA.
Speaking of those who hate America the rulers in Iran and their agents in the USA are still trying to undo the major defeat by Team USA. They feel that high gasolene prices will make President Trump say “uncle”. Of course we get no oil from there and in 2025 the USA produced record amounts of crude oil & natural gas and 2026 is set to break that record. Being energy independent means we are strong economically & militorily and the green weenies have been pretty much tossed into the refuse pile. The price of crude oil is set worldwide but, of course, will fall as soon as the crazies are replaced in Tehran. There are all these articles that now America is going to run out of fuel, which, of course, is nonsense. However, there may be shortages of fertilizer as some boats in the Persian Gulf are unable to leave. The “clever” ones down at the Mouth of the Elk decided back when the Marcellus boom began that West Virginia didn’t need urea and ammonia plants. “What do you need that stuff for” says the ignorant bureaucrat who is looking to retire in luxury once he gets in enough time.
Many wonder why there has not been Marcellus & Utica drilling in Wirt & Calhoun counties and “answers” have been vague — too thin, etc., no pipelines until it is learned that the wells now being drilled to the north in West Virginia are in thin seams, just like local Marcellus and of course the Utica is 1100 feet thick. It is of more than passing interest that the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) will have a lease sale in September for the Wayne National Forest for the area just across the Ohio River from Pleasants & Wood counties. One should be careful when the slicksters show up and say “sign here”. “Oh, you don’t need to read it because, you cannot understand it”. The Wayne National Forest has both Marcellus & Utica as well as other oil & gas horizons. Some time back at a public meeting the folks from Marietta College stated that the Marcellus in Wirt County was equivalent to that in Monroe County, Ohio, the area to be available to lease soon.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude slipped to $95.35/bbl. With condensate fetching $77.35/bbl. And Marcellus & Utica light bringing $84.35/bbl. Brent crude oil is $100.21/bbl. & West Texas oil is $96.60/bbl. And natural gas (elsewhere) is $3.02.
