Martin
Wine named CRJ’s “Employee of the Year”
Martin Wine of Sandfork
has been selected as the Central Regional Jail’s Employee
of the Year for 2009. The honor is bestowed annually
by a vote of employees at the Flatwoods correctional
facility.
“We are pleased to have him here,” said CRJ Administrator
Shannon Markle. “Martin is a good role model for the
younger employees who look up to him. I am real proud
that the staff has recognized him with this honor, he
added.
Martin lives on Dusk Camp Run Road in Gilmer County
with his wife of 32 years, Darlene. They have two daughters
and two grand children.
Wine has been a correctional officer since June 2007.
He is an ordained association member of the West Virginia
Annual Conference of the United Methodist Churches.
Prior to joining the CRJ staff, he served seventeen
years as a full-time minister.
“I am deeply honored that Sgt. Gwinn would nominate
me and that my fellow employees would select me for
this prestigious award,” the recipient said.
When not performing his duties at the Central Regional
Jail, Martin says he is still active in the ministry.
In additional he collects model Mustang cars and is
restoring a rare 1984 SCO Mustang. His hobbies, however,
take a back seat to spending time with his five year
old grandson and three year old granddaughter. “They
are simply the love of my heart,” Martin concluded.
The Employee of the Year will be the guest of honor
at a dinner to be held in the near future at the Jail.
He will receive a special award plaque and have the
use of a designated parking space for the coming year.
Massive
search for missing boy has positive
outcome
Temperatures had dipped
well below freezing last Thursday when authorities were
notified that a 13 year old Strange Creek youth was
missing. Caleb Whitney had left his home and had not
returned. When the alarm sounded, he had been missing
approximately one hour. Members of the Frametown and
Servia Fire Departments, Sheriff’s Deputies and State
Police were the first to respond to the home of Tim
and Erica Whitney.
As the search got underway, it quickly grew to include
the EMS, DNR, fire personnel from Flatwoods, Gassaway,
and Sutton as well as search and rescue dogs from Nicholas
County, the State Police Search and Rescue helicopter
and a host of community volunteers.
According to Frametown Fire Chief Angie Short over one
hundred individuals were involved in the search. The
operation came to a successful ending about 11:00 p.m.
when volunteer Gary Ellyson and search dogs located
the youngster in a creek approximately one mile from
his home. The boy had fallen over an embankment and
struck his head on a rock, rendering him unconscious
in the stream. The cold water resulted in the helicopter’s
heat seeking technology’s failure to locate the missing
boy from the air.
He was returned to his parents by Deputies Aaron James
and Bryce Scarbro, before being taken to Braxton County
Memorial, by Braxton EMS, for treatment of hyperthermia
and possible frostbite. Caleb was released from the
hospital on Friday. According to his parents, he is
still undergoing treatment, but is expected to fully
recover. Tim and Erica Whitney praised the efforts of
the searchers and credited them for saving their son’s
life. (See Letter to the Editor on page 2 of this issue.)
Fire Chief Short also thanked those whom she said, “rose
to the difficult challenge. I am proud of our community
and all those who helped bring this incident to a positive
conclusion.”
Ballot set for Primary Election
24
file for office
With the filing period closing last Saturday at mid-night,
and no applications received by County Clerk John David
Jordan in Monday’s mail, it appears that the ballots
for the Primary Election can be prepared. In all twenty
four individuals filed for office before the deadline.
Susan K. Lunceford, long time Deputy County Clerk appears
to be unopposed for the office that her boss did not
seek reelection to.
The office drawing the most attention is that of Circuit
Clerk from which J.W. Morris announced his retirement
in early January. Susan (Frame) Lemon of Gassaway, a
long time deputy decided to try to follow in her boss’
foot steps. Matthew Facemire, and Tammy Collins both
of Sutton, threw their hats in the ring early in the
filing period. On the final day, former Sheriff Howard
Carpenter of Gassaway and Brett Morrison of Sutton filed
for election to the office of Circuit Clerk.
The final hours of the filing period also saw three
people file for the lone seat open on the County Commission.
Former Assessor, Brent Nettles and Kent Dobbins, both
of Duck and Gary Ellyson of Gassaway will all compete
for the seat currently held by Mike Chapman.
Chapman did not seek reelection to the commission but
did file for a position on the Republican Executive
Committee, representing the Western District. He was
the only person filing for any office, representing
the Republican Party.
Five individuals will contest for the three open seats
on the non-partician Board of Education. Incumbents,
Elizabeth Stewart, Kathy Parker, and John Campbell are
all seeking reelection. They will be challenged by Dave
Hoover of Flatwoods and James “Jimmy” Huffman of Exchange.
Two ladies will compete for the office of Conservation
District Supervisor. They are Shirley Hyre of Gassaway
and Debra V. Hamric of Frametown.
The balance of those filing will fill seats on the Democratic
Executive Committee which is represented by one male
and one female from each Magisterial District. Filing
to represent the Northern District were: Martha B. Taylor
of Napier and Bernard Butler of Burnsville. Brenda Mollohan
and Danny Cogar both of Sutton, filed for the Eastern
District seats. Marlene Hunter and Danny R. Varney both
of Gassaway were the only filers from the Western District.
Kent Dobbins of Duck was the only person filing from
the Southern District.
Ambulance involved in accident
Weather
contributes to multiple accidents
A Braxton County Ambulance with four persons aboard
was involved in an early morning crash Saturday, January
30. EMS employees Ralph Marshall and Sam Mace had just
left Braxton County Memorial to take a patient home
on a snow covered highway. As they traveled Route 4,
near Braxton Farm Supply, at what authorities stated
as a very slow rate of speed, the driver of a north
bound vehicle lost control, crossed the centerline and
struck the ambulance in the driver’s side door.
Members of the Gassaway Volunteer Fire Department used
the “Jaws of Life” to free the driver, Marshall, from
the wreckage. All four occupants were taken to Braxton
County Memorial Hospital where they were treated before
being released.
According to Trooper L.D. Mohr of the Sutton Detachment
of the West Virginia State Police, Jonathan Greene of
Gassaway, the driver of the 1999 Dodge Dakota that struck
the emergency vehicle, was at fault. Greene did not
receive injuries in the crash according to police reports.
He was cited for failure to drive with due care. Both
vehicles were heavily damaged.
Numerous other accidents, attributed to the inclement
weather, kept Fire, Rescue, EMS and Police busy for
several hours.
Braxton Senior Center to hold food drive
Braxton County Senior Citizen Center
will be hosting a food drive through the end of February
to help give back and relieve hunger in the area.
The Senior Center is partnering with Mountaineer Food
Bank to collect non-perishable food items such as pasta,
rice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and canned
goods. Items should be dropped off at the Senior Center
from 8:00-4:00, Monday through Friday.
“I wanted to have a food drive for the Mountaineer Food
Bank because they have done so much to help the Braxton
Senior Center. Since February is Valentine’s month I
thought we should give something back with love,” says
DeAnn Whitney, the Nutrition Site Director. Donated
items will go to help hungry West Virginia citizens.
Braxton County Senior Citizen Center is located on 33
Senior Center Drive, on Route 4 just below Sutton. For
more information about the food drive and how to participate
call 304-765-4090.
Corps of Engineers seeks assistance to solve crime at
Sutton Lake
The U. S. Army Corps
of Engineers seeks assistance in identifying the vandal(s)
who damaged the restroom at the Downstream Day Use Area
below Sutton Dam. The damage at the downstream area
occurred between the evening of January 22 and the morning
of January 23, 2010. Any individual with knowledge or
information of this incident is encouraged to call Corps
Watch toll-free at 1-866-413-7970. Callers can remain
anonymous and may be eligible to receive a cash reward
of $100 to $1,000.
The Huntington District is a participant in Corps Watch,
a neighborhood crime-watch deterrence program to protect
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assets. Each year, millions
of dollars in property are lost due to vandalism, larceny,
arson and environmental and cultural degradation. This
program is designed to heighten public awareness of
the seriousness of the impacts of crime within or around
dams, lakes, navigation locks, recreation areas and
other Corps facilities.
To help fight these crimes and reduce operations and
maintenance costs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
has received Congressional authority to offer cash rewards
of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest
and prosecution of individuals causing damage to Corps
of Engineers property. Individuals who witness or suspect
that a crime has been committed against Corps property
are encouraged to use the toll-free number, 1-866-413-7970,
to report information of theft, vandalism or any other
threats or suspicious activity against Corps property
24-hours a day. Callers can remain anonymous.
