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Newspaper Archive of
The Hinton News
Hinton, West Virginia
July 8, 2003     The Hinton News
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July 8, 2003
 
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8 - Hinton News Tues. July 8, 2003 Why CommentaryZ. By Brian D. Boyle This holiday weekend I was approached by a young woman who made a criticism about me not having anything positive to say about Hinton. I can't quote exactly but I think the statement was "You and Fred Long need to say something positive about the town instead of all the negative things you say." I won't speak for Fred on this but I think in his case that the paper is often filled with Headlines and Articles about the positive happenings as well as news that is happening that isn't so positive. But now I may be a horse of a different color on this one. That criticism is leveled at commentators all the time. It is not the nature of someone who is a commentator to be a cheerleader. We as a community can not deny that we have problems. It falls on the commentators to point out the problems and throw them up on the table so that a problem can be fixed. The role is often described as the devil's advocate. I think this title is a little unfair since everyone equates devil with bad and the term may have come from someone wanting to silence opposition on some issue. Opposition or dissent is a basic part of Democracy. Commentary is still necessary so we can learn. I have seen preacher's point out how the devil will trap you in a service for instance. There is nothing wrong with this because this is how we learn not to make mistakes. So what you have to do as a reader is separate this notion that dissent or criticisms is bad and evaluate the purpose of the criticism. Ask yourself why is he saying that. Look at the reasons behind the criticism and then judge the issue. There is even a reason why we need to have commentary even if every thing was fine and tlere weren't any problems, which is not the case here in Hinten or almost anywhere folks. Leon Pivont says it well in this quote taken from a June 3, 1946 Rotary Club letter that appeared in the Hinton Daily News. Leon said =Being on the right track is fins--but if you just stop there, you'll get run over." Leon understood that progress happens from movement. Movement starts from picking a direction to go in. Picking a direction to go in comes from having some choices about what is in front of you in the direction you pick. Equally important is looking behind yourself and seeing what mistakes you have made so you don't make them again. So this is why someone like myself makes commentary on issues. The thankless part of the job is that for the most part I don't think that people listen because they become to defensive, they take it too personally and they close the door in their minds to the problem presented. For instance we know Hinton has been losing population and we know that the Rail industry changes have been a major contributor to the decline of Hinten's infrastructure. When the raft industry cut jobs and changed the way it operated many Hinton folks found themselves without a job. The town declined. Young people lel because of no work, etc. This problem of providing jobs and attracting business is on the front burner in many small governments like Hinton. We certainly are recognizing that problem now. But it's 2003 folks and consider some more Hinton Daily News quotes that show that we have a history of not listening. The first is prophetic in my opinion. =It's not good for a town to depend as completely upon one industry as Hinton depends on the railroad. Heaven forbid that the C & 0 Railroad should ever reduce its operations here. If it did under present conditions Hinton would have to fold its tent. And we've got to face the po•sibility that as the New World transportationn of boxcar airliners, of glider trains, of faster railroad trains-- comes into being, there will be many changes in the rail transportation picture." Henry Kinney said this ina May 21 edition of the Hinton Daily News in 1946. He went on to propose that Hinton needed to look for a new industry to back the railroad up and expand labor to keep our boys at home." He •aw all the service men who returned from World War II that were willing to give Hinton another c'hance." Unfortunately Hinton remained a one horse, railroad town and the horse broke 3 legs. Henry wa• surely aware that when he said things he might not be listened to. Or that he may even come under attack for bringing things up. He made a.quote I wil! share a little later about a battle between the Women's Club and the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. The latter two had pas'sed resolutions supporting the construction of a New Railroad Station. The Women's Club was in favor of a New Bus Station. What troubled Henry Kinney was that the Women's Club had included in their resolution that they were opposed to the new Train Depot. Henry went on to point out that there was no need for the Women's Club Resolution to be opposed to the Train Station in order to get a new Bus station because the money for each was to come from the different companies anyway. He went into considerably more detail about this issue. The reason he pointed this Out is because he said there was a history of people thinking that if two projects went on at the same time that both organizations would be squabbling over who gets the money. Boy! do we still do that in 2003. Henry went on to point out that the women did great work. Still Henry said, knowing in advance that he was going to catch it, that "I tremble to think what the reaction will be when the good ladies read this but I am nevertheless moved to say that we are never going to get things done if we work at cross purposes with each other." Well folks its 57 years later we still haven't learned that one about "cross purposes." It is still alive and well; and, in fact, it's flourishing here Ritz Theatre in Hinton. Why? I'll tell you why! (Even though I know I am going to catch it for this .one.) Because too many of the folks put their own interests in front of the interest of the goal for a project or the goals of the community. They would rather undermine someone else's project to cause a collapse then work together. One reason I see is often they want to grab hold of some of that outside money that comes along with projects and divvy it up with their cronies, even if they do this legally, which sometimes they don't. Another reason is because the lks want to make themselves look , they got jeaious of others. This self-gratification and social climbing replaces the goal of a project with many folks. I have seen this in community serv!ce groups I have worked with. It is a cross-purpose thing. Folks who volunteer need to examine their motives because this is not the purpose ofvolunteerism. I wonder if these sorts of actions are Human Nature. That we humans can't learn from seeing problems pointed out and not addressing them. Progress happens so this isn't so. I am an optimist and I will continue to point out the problems hoping that someone will listen even if I am perceived to be negative. It gets pretty discouraging sometimes and it sure troubles me that Henry Kinney and others were pointing out our problems here in Hinton 5 to 8 decades ago and folks didn't listen then. Let me put it a little different then Loon Pivont did in the quote above. Hinton stayed in the same spot on the railroad track and the train came along and ran us over. As luck would have it Hinton did not get killed then. But fools walk out and stand on the same track, put there backs to the next train that is coming and wait again to be run over another time. We are not nine life cats. My question is, are there too many fools in charge? Could this ekplain why we take decades doing the same stupid thing over and over even though they have been pointed out to us before. Hindsight has let us see for us the results of not listening? SUMMERS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT JULY CLINIC SCHEDULE July 9th. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Noon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. July 10th. Womens Clinic with Nancy Lynch NP (appt. only) 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. July 14th. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Neon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. July 15th. - Prenatal Clinic with the Assoc. in OB/GYN 9 A.M. - 12 Noon. July 16th. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Noon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. July 21st. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Noon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. July 23rd. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Noon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. July 25th. - Food Hanlders Classes 9 A.M. & 1 P.M. July 28th. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Noon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. July 29th. - Prenatal Clinic with the Assoc. in OB/GYN 9 A.M. - 12 Noon. July 30th. - Cholesterol, Blood Sugar & Hemoglobin 8 A.M. - 12 Noon. Immunizations and TB skin tests 1 P.M. - 4 P.M. Attends Boys State • Summers County High School ha• announced its selections for the 2003 session of The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State which was held June 10-16 at Jacksonk Mill in Weston, West Virginia. Participants at Mountaineer Boys State received training in the ideals and objectives of American Government. Representatives from , Summers County High School were Cass Dobbins, ANNUAL IRISH MOUNTAIN REUNION The Annual Irish Mountain Reunion will be held Sunday, July 20, 2003, at the old Jimmie Rookstoors Farm on Irish Mountain. The gates will open at 10:00AM and the cover dish dinner will commen& at 2:00 PM. Come enjoy in the gathering. PREPARED CHILD BIRTH CLASSES The REACHH-MIHOW Program is offering child birth classes for women who are at least 28 weeks pregnant. Classes will begin Tuesday, July i and be held one time weekly for six weeks. The time will be 6:00 PM. Them i• no charge for the classes a the instructor will be Jennifer Pack, PAC. Classes will be held at the Family Resource Center, 411 Temple Street, Hinton. Participants must be pre- registered. For more information call 466-2226. WV WATER FESTIVAL QUILT SHOW The WV Water Festival Quilt Show registration wi}l be Wednesday, July 31st. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The quilts will be judged and hung Wednesday aiternoon. The fee will be $2.00 per quilt. Registration forms may be picked up at the WVU Extension Office, Court House Addn., 466-7113. For more information call Erma Meadows, 466-3907. Please share your quilts with friends and guests and be eligible to win a prize. VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDI The West Virginia Water Festival Board of Directors is seeking Reenactment Volunteers (period 1750-1870) to man a frontier encampment and bateau boat during the 2003 WV State Water Festival in Hinton, WV. Dates for the encampment will be August 1-3. Interested parties should contact: Bill Eillis at 304-466- 1514. SOLID WASTE AtrrlORITY Summers County Solid Waste Authority meets on the 3rd. Monday of each month at 4:30 pm at the Memorial Bldg., Hinton. 466-0695. Everyone is welcome to attend. JOHN HENRY DAYS QUILT SHOW The John Henry Days quilt show will be July 12th. and 13th. at Dillon's Superette upstairs. The hours will be Saturday 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM. Sunday hours will be 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Registration will be Friday from IO:OOAM until 12:00 noon If you would like to display a quilt, bring it to Dillon's Superette at Talcott at this time. Judging will be by people's choice. Prizes will be awarded..There will be quilting demonstrations during the day. For more information call 466-1367. BIG BEND PSD Big Bend Public Service District Wilt Ii0td their monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at the water plant at 3:45 pro. Big Bend PSD serves the areas of Talcott, Hilldale, Pence Springs, and Willowwood Road. The public is invited to attend these meetings. Council on Aging This is a weekly publication of the Summers County Council on Aging, Inc., 120 Second Ave., Hinton. Funded in part by the WV Bureau of Senior Services, Appalachian Area Agency on Aging, other grant and local resources and donations. Any older persons is encouraged to participate in the program regardless of race, creed, handicap, or national origin. The Summers County Council on Aging is an equal opportunity employer. Wednesday, July 9th. Menu: Sloppy Joe on whole wheat bun, raw vegetable salad with oil & vinegar dressing, peach, milk. Activities: Summers County Senior Center Quilters will quit today 10:30 A.M. Thursday, July 10th. Menu: Chunky Vegetable soup, tomato stuffed with tuna salad, apple, whole wheat rolls, margarine, milk. Activities: Sarah Redes Physician's Assistant for C.A.P. Clinic will hold • a workshop on. Medications. Bingo for prizes after lunch. FOOD HANDLERS CLASSES Food Handler Classes will be held at the Summers County Health Department on July 25th. beginning at 9 A.M. and 1 P.M. All food handlers are required to attend a food handler class every two years. A TB Skin test is also required and will be given at the time of the class if needed. If you have had a TB Skin test within the past year, documentation of the result is required. Food handlers under the age of 18 years must provide written parental permission before receiving the TB Skin test. The Cost of the TB Skin test is $4.00. The charge for the food handler class is $5.00. For further information please call the • Summers County Health Department at 466-3388. For Sale 1995 Green Dodge Neon New tires, runs well. 136,ooo miles. High Book $3,ooo Only $1,5oo Call 466-ooo5 after 4 pm Friday, July llth. Menu: Breaded pork chops, oven browned potatoes, broccoli, angel food cake with strawberries and whipped topping, whole wheat bread, margarine, milk. Activities: Special singing by: Mary Fluharty 11:00 A.M. Monday, July 14th. Menu: Chicken Italiano, •paghetti with marinara sauce, fre•h yellow squash, pear, margarine, milk. Activities: Bible Study 11:00 A.M. Tuesday. July 15th. Menu: Savory black beans, deviled eggs, tossed green salad, strawberries, cornbread, margarine, milk. , Activities: Robert Riffle, Collector of Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House will speak 11:00 A.M. Bingo for prizes aider lunch. Menu changes may occur due to availability of food or due to circumstances beyond our control. Nell Farley, Dennis Gore, Fred Honaker, and - Jordan Keaton. Fox Photograhics, First Century - Bank and the family of the late S.D. McLean, S - are sponsoring the participants by donating tlie enrollment fees. Cass is the son of David and Mona Dobbins. Nell is the son of Norman and Jennifer " Farley. Dennis is the son of Ricky Gore. Jordan is the son of Mike and Janie Keaton. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING The Summers County Council on Aging, Inc. Board of Directo/s- meeting will be held on July 8, 20(] at 10:00 AM. This is an opeh: meeting. HULK I Fri: 6 & 8:30, Sat: 5 & 7:30, Sun: 6 Adm: $5.oo each Ph:466-67oo FREEIdovEI: hO6pn10o@wt1ted4j PG-13 BI I HULK PLUS Wrong Turn Eric S. Hopkins, M.D. General Surgery is pleased to announce the opening of his surgical practice in association with Dr, David A. Mullins. Specializing in: • General and Vascular Surgery • Gastrointestinal F, ndoseopy • Management of Breast Disease • Endocrine Surgery Accepting new patients 201 Twelfth Street * Princeton, WV * Phone: 304-425-1852 • r00PRINCET )N Community Hospital , • I IM§vJlolltlro]tllllirgolige _1 . I, II IIII II III I China Garden Restaurant 606 Stokes Drive, Hinton