"He is the most powerful who has power over himself."

Seneca the Younger

Roman Stoic philosopher

(4 BC - 65 AD)

"He rises by lifting others."                     

Robert G. Ingersoll

American politician & intellectual

(1833-1899)

MEDITATION MOMENTS

Visitors =

GLENVILLE

    DEMOCRAT
         AND  PATHFINDER

Your source for news and advertising in Gilmer County

U.S. & W.V.

History Shorts

May 19, 1920: Ten people were killed in what became known as the Matewan Massacre during the Coal Mine Wars.  

May 20, 1949: Nick Joe Rahall II was born in Beckley. When Rahall entered Congress in 1977, he was its youngest member.

May 22, 1947: Supreme Court Justice Margaret "Peggy" Workman was born in Charleston. In the election of November 1988, she became the first woman on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and the first woman to be elected to statewide office in WV.

May 23, 1862: In what became known as the Battle of Lewisburg, Union troops repelled a Confederate advance, killing 38 and wounding 66, while losing only 13 men.

May 23, 1941: Rod Thorn was born in Princeton. Thorn attended West Virginia University, where he was an All-American guard. Thorn has had an extended and distinguished career in the National Basketball Association.

THIS WEEKS PRAYER

Glimpses of the Glenville life

JD Brandenburg Photos

News & Commentary

Gilmer County chooses inmate

#11593-051 over President Obama

By Dendra Miller,

News Editor

Many folks in Gilmer County that went out to the polls Tues., May 8 cast their vote for "anyone but Obama." Much to their surprise, Keith Judd, the other Democrat name on the ballot for president, turned out to be a Texas inmate.

There was a lot of press attention after the election and some of it didn't look too good for West Virginians. Afterall, Judd took 41% of the vote in the state. Most voters did not know who Judd was, only that they didn't want to vote for Obama. Only after the election was over was it highly publicized that he was a convict, according to statewide press reports.

While many people did vote against Obama, not necessarily for Judd, according to the Clarksburg Exponent Telegram, 25,000 voters just left both boxes blank. The combination of these occurrences should send a message to the President that West Virginians are not happy with his performance over the past four years.

An article by Rachel Weiner in the Washington Post noted that in North Carolina, 20% of Democratic voters chose "No Preference" over Barack Obama.

Many newspapers across the state and nations, as well as news broadcasts, cited reasons for Judd's good showing. Some insisted that West Virginian's are racist. Others felt like Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency's "War on Coal" was to blame. Of course , the people of the state , as usual, were called ignorant and many were "embarrassed to be from West Virginia."

Perhaps the same networks and newspapers should have made a bigger story of the Texas inmate being allowed to get on the ballot. Afterall, he was on the ballot in Idaho in 2008 and apparently running for public office is a hobby of his. If more West Virginians had known his background , would they have still have voted against Obama, or just left the space blank like many others?

Keith Judd actually carried the vote in Gilmer County, earning 690 votes to Obama's 643. He won in nine other West Virginia counties as well, namely Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wyoming, Webster, Clay, Hardy and Tucker. Obviously some of these counties probably did vote based on the coal issues.

Nevertheless, Judd will not gain any electoral votes and therefore those who voted for him can say, "No harm, no foul." Just look forward to the General Election in Nov. when the vote you cast will be the next President of the United States.

Mothers recognized at Gilmer Senior Center

By Dendra Miller,

News Editor

Many mothers came out to the Gilmer County Senior Center on Wed., May 9 to be honored at the Mother's Day program.

Tables beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and colorful placemats and napkins welcomed them to the festivity.

To open the afternoon's events, a group of seniors sang several numbers honoring mothers. Sally Mathess, the Center's director, and Lorina Hartshorn, one of the cooks, both read poems. Lorina's was a short and sweet ode to grandmothers that stated at one point, "She mothered my mother."

Several mothers were recognized for achievements. Elda Campbell, a civic -minded lady who still volunteers almost weekly in some capacity or another, was the oldest mother. Betty Riffle had the most grandkids of Senior Center attendees ,while Ola Boggs had the most great grandchildren. Marie Wilfong had the most children. Dawn Shackleford was recognized at she youngest mother.

Each of these ladies received a flower and a mother's pin.

The Center's staff served everyone present, as is tradition on special occasions.

NEWS UPDATES

• Emergency services transmission for ambulance, Sheriff’s Department, PSD and other governmental agencies will be out for about 2 hours early next week due to temporary relocation of tower locations.

• At noon on Thurs., May 17, the Gilmer County Historical Society will meet for its regular monthly meeting and covered dish luncheon at the Holt Museum Annex.

• The student art exhibit at Gilmer County High School will has been extended through the afternoon of Fri., May 18. The public is invited to stop in and check it out.

Heavenly Father,

Bless all of our people traveling here for the upcoming GCHS graduation with safe trips;

May the teams and visitors to the Sue Morris Sports Complex games also have safe journeys;

Please protect our military service personnel at home and abroad;

Give comfort and recovery to the sick, especially to Carolyn Corcoran (publisher's sister-in-law with breathing problems), Margaret Miller Goodwin (cancer treatments), Patricia Ellison Golden's mother (in rehab), Kenny Goff (infant), Blake Grogg (6-year-old), Jo Cailliouet Flesher (Lori Rosenburg's mother), Matthew Cottrill (cancer/leukemia patient), Delbert and Jean Sears, Dennis Varner (terminal cancer), Jordain Bush (recuperating), Richard & Marion Reed, Brittany Malcomb, Judy Eaton, Macel Carr, Barbara McHenry  (prayers still needed), Leonard Montgomery, Stan Mazzagotte (in good spirits; but a little weak at this time), and others needing Christ's healing touch (if you need prayers, call us: no pranksters, please);

Prayers for the families of this week's deceased. Amen.

GCHS Advanced Art students display work

By Dendra Miller,

News Editor

For the past week, several advanced art students at Gilmer County High School have had their work on display in the library.

Teachers Becky Sprouse and Julian Phares were very pleased with some of the work the students had been doing and thought it would be nice to share it with the other students, staff, parents and the public.

Students with work represented were: Freshman - Shelby Wine and Kailyn Miller; Sophomores - Chris Puffenbarger, Nick Williams and Tabita Simon, who is an exchange student from Germany; Juniors - Jessica Jones, Dustin Marlatt and Josh Lowther; Seniors - Devon Dennis, Maggie Lilly and Hannah Simmons.

"We felt like these kids have some real talent," said Mrs. Sprouse. This editor agreed, seeing the art show one day last week.

The work will be on display through the morning of Fri., May 18. Parents attending Senior Assembly are encouraged to stop by the Media Center just across the hall from the office and take a look around.