…….A few random thoughts,
……The “lazy, hazy days of summer” are upon us and we marveled at the temps and blue sky for a few days until we hit 90 degrees and then we remembered when it was hot. My memories of summer in this old house always a lounge chair and Nancy Drew book after an afternoon at Tomlinson Run pool. The pool tired me out (it’s exhausting pretending you can swim, when your Mother never let you learn) so I often would drift off to sleep.
……..Weirton and Newell both have water woes. I believe Weirton will require a long term solution and guidance from the PSD as the Weirton Water Board replaces old lines. While Newell’s water and sewer system were both owned by Homer Laughlin, it was great when the china company was going gangbusters, but when ‘free trade’ became the law of the land, hard times meant dealing with the survival of the company and the water/sewer maintenance took a backseat. As Tomlinson PSD was required to take over the water/sewer responsibilities, even Fiesta Table Ware felt the effects of the rate increase. While the drinking water must be treated, the water used by Fiesta is non-potable (doesn’t require treatment) and the company feels the rate should be much lower.
……….Sometimes being taken care of is the biggest burden for the entity who has things taken care of. Both Weirton and Newell fall into that category. Although Weirton finally incorporated in the late 1940’s it continued to be a “company town” with Weirton Steel meeting all their needs. Tom Milsop even served as President of Weirton Steel and Mayor of Weirton for many years. The community center is an example, They built the center and maintained it until hard times came and Weirton Steel was no more. Now the Park Board is dealing with walls falling in and an aging elephant whose upkeep and repair defies modern day budgets. Weirton Steel never paid a B&O tax, but negotiated a fee agreement with the City.
Newell never incorporated, probably because the town centered around Home Laughlin. The County takes care of their police protection and the Park at Clark field, but is only paying a portion of the grass cutting at Laurel Park. Now they are faced with higher water rates after the Newell Company was declared distressed. They got an active group of volunteers as evidenced by Fun Day (and the funnest parade ever) the concert series at Laurel Park and many activities throughout the year. Incorporation must not be an advantage for them or they would have pursued the issue.
……..Residents should be on the alert for a public hearing on the Tenaska Wells. The test well will soon be drilled and a public hearing should follow. While the property owners of the two wells to be drilled in Hancock County and Tenaska will be the only ones to benefit from the carbon capture wells, those in the vicinity of the wells will be the ones to run the risk of underground lines and any explosion. The jury is still out on the advantage of having the wells in our county. I need to learn more and so do you. I asked Scott Murray, the representative of Tenaska, who the two property owners were that had agreed to put the wells on their property, Murray declined to identify them, saying that all questions needed to be referred to Tenaska and they didn’t want those property owners bothered. That was a red flag for me.
…..I spy an ice cream truck in a driveway around here. It conjures up a memory of the truck which would come up our driveway in the summer so I could get an ice cream treat. Can’t tell you the time, I only know it came just in time so I could eat my ice cream watching Howdy Doody.
…..Make sure you check out the many activities on the July 4 Hometown celebration in Chester. It befuddles the mind how the volunteers pull off a full day of activities.
……..And, in less than a week my family will celebrate our “June 29th” holiday. On June 29, 1967, I gave birth to Doug and three years later on June 29, 1970, I gave birth to Shannon. My two biggest accomplishments. Another thing my sister, Marsha, was right about. It was very annoying to me that she was always right and although Shannon wasn’t due for another two weeks, Marsha proclaimed that I would be so upset about the prospect of missing Doug’s birthday that I would go into labor.
