Fifty Years Ago

January 30, 1969

Monongahela National Forest

On December 20, 1968, the J. B. Belcher Lumber Company, of Kenova, was the successful bidder for the Big Spruce Timber Sale area in the Monongahela National Forest. This sale is located in the headwaters of Williams River on the Marlinton Ranger District and contains 4,220,000 board feet of timber. This saw timber will be processed into lumber at Belcher’s Ronceverte sawmill…

This is one sale of several that will be sold throughout the year. This is part of the timber cutting program under sustained yield management following the National Forest multiple use program.

Starting Young

Ronnie, 7, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wade Sharp, of Clover Lick, shot a 25 pound wildcat this past week while visiting his uncle, Dewey Sharp, at the Buckskin Scout Reservation…

Planning For a Better Place to Live

The fundamental underlying goal of the Comprehensive Plan presently being prepared for Pocahontas County is to give logical direction to future growth and development of the county. This can only be accomplished through the achievement of certain other more specific goals.

Recognizing this, the Commission, in the process of planning, has identified certain of these goals and pinpointed a number of related objectives that will contribute to the achievement of these goals:

1. Provide educational opportunities for all youth and adults.
a. Provide modern school buildings and a meaningful curriculum for all students.
b. Establish a modern vocational education program.
c. Encourage programs for adult education.

2. Increase the opportunity for making a livelihood in the county by expanding the economic base.
a. Attract and hold desirable industries.
b. Improve the quality of the labor force by vocational training.

3. Improve community services related to health, human resources culture and safety.
a. Provide adequate water supply and sewage disposal systems.
b. Improve facilities for medical treatment.
c. Provide a countywide library system.
d. Improve police protection.
e. Provide a countywide emergency operations system.

4. Establish adequate recreation facilities for both residents and tourists, yet preserve natural beauty and wildlife.
a. Increase the supply of accommodations for tourists.
b. Construct outdoor recreation facilities for the large towns.
c. Increase the variety of recreation activities in the county.

5. Achieve the maximum conservation, utilization and development of the county’s natural resources.
a. Provide technical advice and training in resource management.
b. Put together farm units that can be competitive in the production of forages and their utilization through beef cattle and sheep.

6. Improve accessibility to and within the county.
a. Eliminate safety hazards
b. Provide good access to the regional highway and airport systems.

7. Provide orderly growth and development of land and housing.
a. Establish a land use plan.
b. Eliminate inadequate housing in the county.
c. Enact a countywide zoning ordinance.
d. Enact a countywide subdivision regulation.
e. Provide recommended building codes to guide construction.

8. Increase citizen participation in community affairs.
a. Provide opportunities for participation in problem solving.
b. Improve communication between groups and individuals.

It is doubtful if any clear thinking citizen of Pocahontas County would take issue with these major goals. They can be achieved only through the combined effort and cooperation of all the citizens of the county.
Prepared by Walter Jett, County Extension Agent.

BIRTHS

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Gray Sutton, of Marlinton, a son, named James Robert.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hinkle, of Marlinton, a son, named Michael Vernon.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Williams Dendy, of Alexandria, Virginia, a daughter, named Lynette Ann.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Neil McLaughlin, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, formerly of Dunmore, a son, named Michael Lee.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Benton Hill, of Lobelia, a son, named George Forrest.

DEATHS

William Franklin Haman, 91, of Cass; burial in the McLaughlin Cemetery at Cass.

Mrs. Mona Gale Smith, 67, of Richmond Virginia; born near Huntersville, a daughter of the late John Wesley and Laura Moore Grimes.

Anzel Joseph Workman, 53, of Frankford; a retired lumberman. Burial in the Enon Baptist Church Cemetery at Frankford.