……WHO….WHAT….WHEN…..WHERE? Every fledgling journalism student knows the four points of a new release that you need to include in a story. You would expect then that the Communications Director for Governor Jim Justice would make sure he doesn’t miss a point. That why when I received a notice of Gov. Justice and Babydog’s appearance at Weirton Senior Citizen’s Center at 2 p.m. today, to discuss Amendment 2, I thought all of the points had been covered. But wait, the very next e-mail I received from the Governor’s Office covered the same points: 2 p.m. Tuesday to discuss Amendment 2, but the where had changed to Follansbee Community Center. Governor Justice by his own definition is great , actually according to “the greatest”, but can he be in two places at one time? Is Babydog (definitely the star of the show) going to cover one of the stops? Does the Governor’s office Communication Dept. have a problem with communications? And, thirdly (is that really a word) does the Governor not know life (and voters) exists north of Weirton?
……I’ve always maintained that there is a fifth point that is the most important of all in a news release: WHY? Yep, why is the Governor doing these community conversations. He’s determined to defeat Amendment #2 and on that point I agree. I think that he could have sent Babydog on a whirlwind tour of the State though cause I think voters are turning out to view the cute pooch.
……KUDOS to the Lions Clubs in the area. The Chester Lions celebrated 75 years of service last week and the New Cumberland Lions had their annual Halloween party at the Community House. While change is good, those things that remain constant year after year are dear to my heart. New Cumberland is for sure a sleepy little town of 900 people, but reports say that 500 kids showed from 5 to 7 p.m. October 29 to Halloween on Ridge, Second and Third Avenue proving that when it comes to trick or treating small towns ro! Reports also say that 75 kids showed up at the Lions Halloween Party at the Community House. I attended that same party when I was seven-years-old. My kids attended the party as well. The kids who attended Saturday’s party will not only make memories, they will get to relive those memories with their kids, aw well.
……Saw the photos of the party kindly posted by Peggy Rocchio Lee on Facebook. I spotted some really great costumes, even now I marvel at the talent some parents have to create a prize-winning costume for their kids. My kids never won a prize unless you count one for having the most challenged mother. Halloween requires a touch of whimsy and handful of ability to scrounge together the ingredients to transform your kid into something, Living, out the highway, meant my neighborhood was accessible only by car. Having your parent drive you house to house defeats the purpose of the experience.
…….What I never missed however, was the Lions Halloween Party. The highlight of those parties was the time I won a prize for best costume. My Mom dressed me as the Asian Flu in 1957. It really wasn’t hard. She put me in my pajamas, gave me a thermometer and a bedpan and hung a sign around my neck. We were a little more light hearted about flus in the past. Can you even imagine a little kid dressing up like the COVID virus today?
………Has politician become a dirty word? I fear it has and once someone has run for office, that moniker will haunt him or her for infinity. I think that once a person has gotten elected, they are a public servant pursuing a career in public service. I think every public official is now tainted when every voter things that every vote is made with not the goal of making things better, but with an eye toward re-election. I saw where the county commission is searching for an office administrator. Commissioner Eron Chek shared the posting on her Facebook page with a heading that the position was a good entrance into politics. I have always had the hope that anyone employed by the County Commissioners, County or Circuit Clerk or Assessor’s Office keep politics out of it and just do their job.
