Published: September 22, 2009 05:14 pm      

County leaders honored at cookout

State Democrat party leaders were treated to a cookout by Gov. Joe Manchin, Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin, and Democratic Party Chair Nick Casey last Tuesday at Chafin’s home in Charleston. The affair was to honor and thank the West Virginia Democratic County Chairs. Mercer County Democrat Chairman Mike Vinciguerra, his wife Shirley, and Senator John Pat Fanning of Iaeger attended. Additional guests from the area included Judge Omar Aboulhosn and his wife, Weena, Bluefield City Board Member Pete Sternloff, Jimmy and Linda Knowles, Howard Wellman and Norris Kantor. Jeffrey V. Kessler of Glen Dale, 2012 gubernatorial candidate, was also present. According to sources, the food was great and the dessert was fun.

444

The 18th biennial Bluefield Coal Show held at the Brushfork National Guard Armory last week was the pinnacle of coal shows. Show Chairman Charlie Peters, the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce and the team out did themselves this year. Having attended several shows in the past, I could not help but notice the large number of vendors and the elaborate displays. It took me nearly two hours just to pass through and see the exhibits. On Wednesday, the parking lot was completely full, people were parked anywhere they could find a spot and several enterprising neighbors were renting parking spaces in their yards. During my walk through I saw several familiar faces including Congressional candidate Marty Gearhart, John Mayo with Tammy Lynn, Steve Copolo with Eastern Vault, Stuart Sigmon of Pounding Mill Quarry and Ron McCall with Airgas. Ron was deep in thought working to set up a welder for demonstration at the time. Out at the registration desk, Bluefield State College’s Dean of Engineering Frank Hart and Pocahontas Land Corporation’s Melinda Testerman were busy greeting folks and registering them for the event. The Chamber’s registration booth was covered up with registrants and folks asking for information.

444

During a conversation with one vendor I asked him how cap and trade and the other proposed bills adversely affecting the coal industry might impact his business. His reply: “See all the vendors at this show and all of the equipment they either sell or manufacture. Those businesses will be out of business and these people will lose their jobs, and I will probably be out of business.”

444

Gov. Manchin is not happy with the Environmental Protection Agency holding up 23 surface mining permits for “extended reviews.” The governor was right when he said the uncertainty is unfair to miners and the companies. If you happened to go to the coal show last week you could easily see that the action is also unfair to the many companies and people that supply the coal industry with everything from paper products to multi-million dollar pieces of equipment. Those companies are also adversely affected and they employ people. In the statement released, the governor said, “This uncertainty is unfair to the miners who are wondering whether they will be able to take care of their families. It’s unfair to the companies, which cannot be expected to make investments under these unpredictable regulatory conditions.” He summed it up by saying, “Our businesses, our miners and their families cannot be expected to hit a moving target with the rules changing like they are.”

444

Pocahontas High School’s Class of 1964 is planning a “Dutch Treat” dinner on Friday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Mayflower Seafood Restaurant on Hockman Pike in Bluefield, Va. Members of the class and friends are all invited to join in for a time of reminiscing and fun. To make reservations, members of the class, guests and friends can contact Charlotte Carter Rich at (276) 322-4572, (304) 887-1464 or send an e-mail to cfcrich46@yahoo.com.

444

There you have it, a few comments on items of interest to the area. Autumn is here. Enjoy the crisp days and blue skies. “I did quite a bit of prowling down in Washington to see what our hired help was doing. They was just appropriating right and left. The U.S. Treasury to them is just a rainbow — there was no end to it.” Will Rogers, March 13, 1932.

Wilson Butt, a resident of Bluefield, is a retired Department of Highways official.