…………… As I write this column it’s 8:00 p.m. Sunday and the West Virginia Derby is set to go off momentarily. I am saddened by the demise of the many activities and pageantry which once took place on the premier day of racing in Hancock County. We had the biggest party in the State, hosting the Governor and legislators and bringing in thousands of visitors and with them came their money.
……. Adding to the feeling of sadness is news that the HARV will soon be torn down like the fitness center. There is little or no food service trackside for racing enthusiasts and the hours at the Mahgany and LBV are limited. Is this the same Mountaineer that had so much potential? Not hardly and I wonder the future holds for a business that has been part of our landscape since 1951. Years ago there had been talk of moving the racing (and casino) license to Morgantown should Mountaineer shut down,
;;;;;;Mason County is moving full-steam ahead with plans for their NUCOR plant and I am hearing that once all the permits are in place and ground is broken at the major facility we will have news and a time frame for the transponder on the property south of Mountaineer. I’m told surveyors are in the vicinity of the property that has already been purchased.
……”The only constant is change” and I think that applies to every facet of business and government. Like life, there is a cycle to politics. I’ve always maintained that “There is a time to come and a time to go..” Some politicians are lucky and know when to pull the plug on their political career and exit. . I wasn’t. I liked the high of the win. I always compare winning an election as a tremendous high. Picture Sally Fields the first time she won an election standing at the podium and gushing “You like me, You really like me!” It was great especially for the kid who got chosen last on the volleyball team in gym class.to finally hear that the voters like you. And, when they didn’t, the person who told me was Grandson Addison who when I took him door to door told me “alot of people don’t like you, Nana.”
……I didn’t used to believe in political polling. It was a nuisance to the voters who got call at inopportune times and I doubted polling could predict the outcome of an election. I went kicking and screaming into using a national polling company out of Virginia for table games, We lost only one precinct (New Manchester) just as the polling numbers predicted. But what even convinced me more was that the percentage by which we won every precinct was spot on, I became a believer.
……I was surprised to see that Jim Justice is leading Manchin by significant margins in the latest national polls. I think Manchin painted himself into a corner with his “no labels” talk of a third party run. Now the Republicans have their candidate and I’m not real sure the Democrats are fond of Joe. It may be time to go.
……With First District State Sen. Ryan Weld making a bid for Attorney General, we in the First District may very well be casting about for a Senatorial candidate to fill out the two year term. The rules stipulate his replacement would have to come from Brooke or Hancock County since the other Senator. Laura Wakim-Chapman is from Ohio County, In legislative appointments the replacement must be of the same political party.
……..It’s just a ‘lil” special session. With all the delegates and senators in Charleston for Interim committee meetings, Governor Justice called them back into special session Sunday. At the top of the 40 bill list is additional money for fire department and EMTs. $12 million is set for the fire Departments and $10 million for EMT’s.
……….The Governor also wants the Summersville Lake Area and the 177 acres around it declared a State Park. Summersville Lake is a manmade lake constructed in the 1960s and with 60 miles of shoreline and the full realm of activities. I question however that we are not supporting our current State Parks like Tomlinson Run and helping them reach their potential, is it the time to add another one to the funding pot? (Summerwville was once famous throughout the State as the number on Speedtrap in West Virginia).