7-2-09 4-Wheeler Accident Claims 35-year old Woman
   A 4-wheeler accident on Saturday, June 27th has claimed the life of Cynthia Ann Bell, age 35 of Summersville. Bell was a passenger on the ATV being driven by Phillip D. Brown of Mt. Lookout. The accident happened near Enoch where Brown lost control of the vehicle and went over an embankment where both Bell and Brown were thrown off the ATV. The vehicle reportedly landed on Bell at the site.
   Neither Bell nor Brown were wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. Brown was taken to the Summersville Memorial Hospital and later transferred to the CAMC General Division. Police didn’t know his condition on Monday. This is the third accident involving Nicholas County residents.
   A 13-year-old boy from Summersville died Saturday from injuries received in an ATV crash near Bergoo in Webster County. Also earlier in the week the Fire Chief of the Birch River Fire Robert Cottrill Department was killed near Dille State Policeman Cpl. M. A. Elswick, along with Deputy Belt, is in charge of the investigation at Cressmont.

6-26-09 Clay Residents take Part in GSC Science Camp Update

   Located here are some photos from last weekend's trip to the United State Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Westley Mullins, GSC Mentor, and Stephanie Remias were among those who attended the three day camp.

6-26-09 Michael Jackson 1958-2009 King of Pop Dies
 
   June 25, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA, USA - Michael Joseph Jackson (Aug  29, 1958 - Jun. 25, 2009) American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman – the 'King of Pop.' Seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5. Solo career in 1971. FHARRISON FUNK, ZUMA Contract photographer, is renowned for his innovative and documentary approach to photographing musicians. For over two decades his work – from album covers to posters – has been used in marketing, merchandising and promotion of music’s icons. Beginning in news and sports he later turned to fashion, entertainment, and advertising in both still photography and as a director of music videos and film. He served as Michael Jackson’s personal photographer at the height of his career, and was Executive VP and Creative Director of independent label Outwest Records, and Creative Director of London-based Blink Magazine. Funk has been commissioned by Sony, Motown, EMI and Warner Records and media such as LIFE, TIME, Newsweek, and USA Today have featured his work. His subject clients range from rock-n-roll legends David Bowie to rap founders Grand Master Flash.

6-25-09 Local Utilities Ask For Rate Increases

   Mountaineer Gas Company has filed for a rate increase with the Public Service Commission which will be a 7.77% increase for residential users, 4.58% for commercial users, 7.75% increase for industrial users and a 2.12% for resale customers. The rates will take effect July 1, 2009 unless ordered otherwise by the Public Service Commission. Mountaineer Gas would collect an additional $26,358,900 in additional revenue.
   The Town of Clay is asking for a sewer rate increase that would make the rate for 1000 gallons of water used at $11.31. A minimum bill would be set as 22.62 Elk Power Company of Clay has filed for a rate increase with the West Virginia Public Service Commission that would average 4.1%. Elk has also asked for a decrease, but the filing would cause a collection increase in revenue in the amount of $77,372.79 annually. The new rates would take effect on August 1st unless the PSC orders otherwise.
   Black Diamond Power Company doing business in Elkhurst and east Hartland of Clay County has filed for a rate increase of 3.8% effective August 1st unless ordered otherwise by the PSC. Black Diamond also proposed to decrease some rates. The filing would result in a increase collection of $90,679.46.

6-18-09 Clay Residents Taking Part in GSC Science Camp

   Glenville State College Science and Mathematics Department along with NASA is currently putting in a science camp at their campus.  Two Clay residents are taking part in this camp. Westley Mullins, Junior at GSC majoring in Chemistry and Biology, is working this summer mentoring the camp.  Stephanie Remias, CCHS Field Commander and Senior at CCHS, is one of the lucky students taking part in this year's camp. 

   The students will be making a trip early Friday morning to Huntsville, Alabama where they are going to the US Space and  Rocket Center.

6-18-09 Break-Ins In Clay Last Week

   Rite Aid Store in Clay was broken into last Wednesday night and the investigation continues as to who was responsible for the incident. Entry was gained to the store by breaking out a window in the back of the store. Entrance to the pharmacy was not successful and what was taken has not completely been determined at press time. In other related incidents, the Sattler home in Clay had many of their windows broken.
   Plywood decorates the house around the front and sides of the home. The house was ransacked and the investigation continues. The Wilson home had a drawer from a chest thrown through the dining room window that broke the storm window as well as the interior window of the home. Mirrors were broken off of vehicles on the back street in Clay. Trash dumpsters were turned over and other incidents were reported. Parts were removed from a fire truck in Clay, put in a shopping cart and shoved over the hill beside the firehouse.
   Boats were stolen, a motor was stolen off the boat, one was recovered along the bank at Pisgah. Clay County Sheriff Randy Holcomb didn’t return a phone call concerning the investigation on Monday and Town of Clay Mayor Jack Brown said the break-ins is believed to have been done by some juveniles and others in Clay and the investigation continues.

6-18-09 Summersville Man Pleads Guilty to using Web to entice Teen Girls

   A Summersville man pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to using the Internet to entice and persuade two 13-yearold females to have sexual intercourse with him. Aaron Cain Adkins, 35, faces between 10 years and life in prison after posing as a 16-year old girl on Myspace, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office. Using the profile, Adkins told the minors he had a male friend who was willing to pay $300 to have sex with them. He arranged for the minors to meet him at Kanawha Falls. They did not show up. Adkins then contacted the minors again, arranging another meeting at the same location. Fayette County sheriff’s deputies met Adkins this time after a mother of one of the girls contacted police. Officers found a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a computer and $300 in Adkins’ car. U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. will sentence Adkins on September 3. He also faces a $250,000 find and a lifetime of supervision after he gets out of prison.

6-18-09 New Boat Dock Opens at Sutton Lake Marina

   Under gray skies and drizzly, spectators awaited for the grand opening of the new Sutton Lake Marina. Grand opening for the marina was set for June 12, at 3:30 p.m. Guest speakers set to attend were the honorable Governor Joe Manchin III, House Speaker Brent Boggs, Army Corps of Engineers representatives, and the owners Bill and Mary Hunt purchased the Bee Run Boat Docks at the Sutton Lake in October 2008, from Ed and Sara Nicholas.

6-11-09 Mayor Expects Better Cooperation
by Clinton Nichols

   Town of Clay Recorder Llyn Drake has resigned. Drake tendered her resignation and said she would be available if the new recorder or Council needed her for any help. Drake had posted a second agenda for the Town Council meeting and when the Council refused to take any action on her request that her agenda was the proper one. She gave a speech and promptly left the meeting.
   Mayor Brown said and Drake made it known that even though checks for Mayor, Recorder and Council were paid at the end of the month, she wanted hers at the beginning of June and Brown blocked that attempt. Her June 2nd resignation may not get her a check for June at all. She had wanted to resign on June 23, but after Council took no action on her agenda, she resigned effective June 2.
   The ongoing feud if you will, between Councilwoman turned Recorder Drake and sometimes Council and Mayor Jack Brown has left an image that Mayor Brown hopes to erase. Brown squarely placed the lack of cooperation on Drake and said if he had given Drake the Municipal Judge position she had long sought, things might have been better Brown said. “I just couldn’t do that to the people of Clay,” Brown added. After Drake left the meeting Council got down to business and quickly wrapped up the agenda.
   City Engineer JimcHildreth gave an update oncthe new water plant and hascin place the necessarycfunding plan and expectscaction by the lending authoritiescsometime this month. Hildreth said the bids were effective for 90 days and believes that will be sufficient time to get everything in place. Hildreth said the loan for the Town is somewhat larger than first expected but some of it will be interest free, which will offset the additional cost Council also had their first reading of the new sewer rate increase, a must if the Town Municipal Sewer plant is to break even in it’s operation. A Public hearing will be held at 5:00 p.m. on June 23rd on the proposed rate increase and a second reading of the ordinance will be held at 6:00 p.m. on June 23rd. The new rate would be at 11.31 per thousand gallons of water used and a minimum bill of 22.62 will apply to all customers.
   Mayor Brown still has no lease signed on the Telford’s office space and has paid $350.00 for two months. He also said the Town budget as prepared by Town Recorder was wrong, the Coal Severance budget is also wrong. Drake was not available for comment as she left the meeting but she did say she had moved to Ripley, and would continue to work for an Attorney in Clay, three days a week.
   Brown said he has four Town residents that have expressed interest in being appointed Town Recorder. Former long time Recorder Dwana Murphy has been appointed acting recorder. Council is taking applications for the position.

6-11-09County Commission Receives Grant LifePak Monitors/Defibrillators

  The Clay County Commission received a grant to help purchase LifePaks for three ambulances. More than half a million of these units are in use today on fire rescue rigs, ambulances and hospital crash carts worldwide. They have been credited for saving
tens of thousands of lives and positively impacting
countless more.
The LifePaks are the only monitor/defibrillator on the market with Carbon Monoxide and Met hemoglobin monitoring integrated into the device. CPR Metronome is a proven technology that actively guides users to a consistent compression rate without the need for extra external hardware. Each ambulance will be equipped with this state of the art technology to better serve the people of Clay County. The cost of each unit is approximately $30,000.

6-4-09 Chad Duffield Found Dead At Lizemores

   A 28-year-old Lizemores man was found dead at Adonijah last week. Chad Allen Duffield apparently hanged himself at his home last Wednesday, May 27th.
   Clay County Sheriff Randy Holcomb said this appeared to be a suicide and no foul play was involved. However he said, they must await a ruling by the state Medical Examiner. Duffield leaves behind a five-year-old daughter Kyra Elaine Duffield.
   Duffield had recently been laid off from his job, depressed and some say involved in drugs. Law enforcement officials will know what was in his system when the results are in from the Medical Examiner. He was the stepson of Leslie Davis and the son of Tammy Davis of Gauley Bridge. He was the son of Robin (Bob) White of Dutch Ridge. Survivors include brothers: Nicholas Davis, of Gauley Bridge and Teddy Nicholson, of Dutch Ridge, and sister: Cassandra Foster, of Lizemore. Grandparents: Thurman and Macil Bird of Lizemore, and Pauline Taylor of Bentree. Funeral service were held on Sunday, May 31st, at the Laurel Fork Baptist Church, Adonijah, WV. Burial will follow in King Field Cemetery, Holcomb Ridge.