Monday, April 28, 2014

ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATES STATEMENTS...so far!


28 April 2014, Vol.1, No.37 > ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATES STATEMENTS…so far!

The POCAHONTAS CRIER
‘When the Righteous succeed the people rejoice,
But when the bad govern, men groan!’ – Proverbs 29:2
(New Email address: pocahontascrier88@gmail.com)

ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATES
STATEMENTS…so far!

If anyone has read the ‘Candidates’ Statements’ that appeared in the 24 April 2014, ‘Primary Election Guide’, in The Pocahontas Times – then you have a basic idea of what each candidate for county commission has to say about themselves and/or what they ‘think’ are the duties & responsibilities of being a county commissioner.  However, the Times DID NOT REPORT accurately what some of the candidates sent in as their statements – so we here at The Pocahontas Crier suggest each candidate review what they sent to the Times, and compare it with what the Times actually printed!  You may be surprised…& then some!

In the meantime, the Editorial Staff of The Pocahontas Crier has compiled a summary-analysis – with a ‘satirical-commentary-twist’ when needed – after all we too are traditional ‘muckrakers’ – of each candidate’s statement, as printed in the Times plus other information found on a website or ‘rumors from the holl’r’! 

Each candidate was to be given a ‘maximum’ of 500 words to say whatever they wanted but it seems that the Times decided to ‘edit’ whatever it wished WITHOUT CONFERING WITH THE CANDIDATES FIRST & FOREMOST!  Now why should we be surprised about that?  After all doesn’t the Times only print what they want us to know – not what is really going on behind the scenes, factually or otherwise!  And just WHO does the Times represent anyway?  We The People…or…just the ‘Poverty Preservation Society’ (PPS) and its local advertising!  And since the local radio station gets its ‘news’ from the Times – is it any wonder that the folks in this county DO NOT KNOW what is really taking place behind the scenes – and why this county is currently steeped in POVERTY & PAUPERISM?  That’s why we here at the Crier  believe YOU THE VOTER need to know ‘who’s doing what to whom’ so that YOU THE VOTER can STOP RECYCLING THE SAME ‘IDOTA’ and EXPECTING ANYTHING TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!  It never will on its own!  The folks at the TOP like things just the way they are – as long as they can stay at or near the TOP – and they like you where you are, working for them at ‘Minimum-Wages’ without a thought in their head about providing you an increase to ‘LIVING-WAGES’!

That is why this is the Election that can change directions for this county – and instead of Poverty & Pauperism – You The Voter can bring about PROGRESS & PROSPERITY!  That is why knowing what each candidate ‘SAYS’ goes a long way in deciding what a candidate ‘CAN DO’‘HAS DONE’ —and more importantly, what a candidate ‘WILL DO’!

In the order in which they appear on the Primary Ballot, here’s our analysis of each candidate for county commission – and our ‘muckraker’ comments as found:

DEMOCRAT BALLOT – NORTHERN DISTRICT:


PATTI HEINEMANN:  Has a Masters Degree in Public Administration; Lifelong activist for Social Justice; believes in placing THE COMMON GOOD BEFORE SELF OR ANY SELF-SERVING SPECIAL INTEREST; & wants the following:

·                        End all Lawsuits, Expunge all Judgments & Liens, & appoint new members to the County Solid Waste Authority to follow the law; 

·                       Create a new county development authority & Fire the GVEDC once and for all

·                        Create new jobs by obtaining ‘Cell Phone Service’ countywide & other companies to compete/replace Frontier Communications

·                        Create new jobs with ‘Wind Turbines’ for renewable Clean-Energy;

·                       Stop ALL FRACKING by creating a new Pure Water CO-OP to bottle water from Natural Springs & Share the Wealth;

·                      Audit all County Agencies as required by law;

·                       Have all Citizens vote on spending ‘excess county funds’ for ‘Public Works’ projects

·                      Opposes proposed new ‘national park’ and any new federal police force in this county; and,

·                       Opposes Snowshoe Resort Area District becoming a ‘political & municipal subdivision’ of this county run by a ‘foreign-corporation’ under the control of Donald Trump in which he can shift his massive $1.5 Billion Debt upon the backs of the homeowners on the mountain…and this county!


DAVID McLAUGHLIN:  Lists no opinions, programs, policies, or proposed agenda, for any county problems or solutions; does claim, “If elected…when educational issues come before the commission, I will do my best to support better ways to educate our future – our children”.  Perhaps David should be running for the Board of Education, or at least tell David that the county commission has no say, input, or control over anything that the Board of Education does – since the BOE is a separate elected governmental body with its own duties, responsibilities and finances, etc.!


KENNETH ‘BUSTER’ VARNER: Sets forth no ‘county problems’ or any ‘solutions’ to county problems although he sat on the County Solid Waste Authority & voted to sue hundreds & hundreds of county Citizens in lawsuits by a ‘collections-agency’ that has NO AUTHORITY from the Office of the Attorney General as required by law; yet he does say that he would “help our people get good jobs, good communications and good emergency services”, but doesn’t say how he’d do those things; he believes that the county can continue to ‘build’ on ‘logging & tourism’ but IF SO, where are the results in the last four decades as poverty & pauperism remains the ‘largest-employer’ in the county & our county population has declined as a direct result of ‘Minimum-Wages’ instead of ‘Living-Wages’; and as for ‘Fracking’, he takes no position by claiming that ‘the state won’t allow counties to control it [i.e,[fracking]’well – that’s not exactly correct since A COUNTY CAN CONTROL & BAN ‘FRACKING’…by simply demanding that the ‘level of water purity’ REMAINS THE SAME as the current purity of the water – but since ‘fracking’ PUTS TOXIC CHEMICALS in the ground that eventually pollutes all underground & surface water in the area of ‘fracking-wells’ the county commission can stop fracking by using science & Common Sense to protect our Water Resources!   So, YES, FRACKING CAN BE STOPPED in this county!


DAVID FLEMING: Lists no opinions, programs, policies, or proposed agenda, for any county problems or solutions; but does says he enjoys ‘talking’ about ‘so many things… that elicit conflicting feelings and perspectives’; claims to enjoy ‘reflecting’ upon deceased former commissioner, the late James Carpenter, remembered by many for his ‘alcohol-scented’ aftershave & 'sour-mash' aroma, and his infamous act of signing a secret deed giving the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation (GVEDC) free county-owned land, as well as signing a secret ‘99-year-lease’ giving all profits to the GVEDC and placing ALL LIABILITIES upon County Citizens; also Fleming says he reflects upon the late Dolan Irvine, who he says, ‘shook things up’!  Oh yeah, you can say that again as the ‘ever-benevolent’ self-serving Dolan NEVER RAISED HIS OWN PROPERTY TAXES IN 25 YEARS AS THE ASSESSOR while he raised everyone else in the county between 20% - 30%, or more, simply by expanding ON PAPER both property boundaries & household/dwelling square feet!  A ‘great friend’ indeed…who needs any enemies!

Don’t believe it?  Ok, go look for yourself and take your ORIGINAL DEED & LAND PLOT to the Assessor’s Office, and ask Tom Lane to show you what the size of your property & your house was 25 years ago, and how many times it has changed up until Dolan quit being an ‘Assessor’ to become a ‘commissioner’!  Such ‘friends’, Oi Vey!  And then folks wonder WHY Pocahontas County has poverty & pauperism – while the ‘Poverty Preservation Society’ gets richer and the rest get poorer!  Oh, yeah, wasn’t Dolan also the one that the DEP threatened to put in jail unless he removed his PIGS away from a tributary flowing into Knapps Creek – and isn’t Knapps Creek the source of drinking water for Marlinton!  How’s that for ‘benevolence’ folks?  Guess Dolan’s ‘pig-money’ was more important than your health & welfare!

One last thing concerning Fleming, WHY in SIX YEARS TIME has neither Fleming nor any other current commissioner ever DISCUSSED or raised the issue as to WHY the Pocahontas County Solid Waste Authority (PCSWA) is NOT IN COMPLIANCE with the existing State Laws, and WHY the PCSWA has a private ‘collections-agency’ suing almost one-third (1/3) of county property-owners?  Oh, but you might ask, ‘Isn’t that part of listening & talking to the people of this county?’  Since Fleming has done nothing positive for this county in the last six-years, then  why think he could do anything but ‘serve the special interests’ into the future?


DEMOCRAT BALLOT – SOUTHERN DISTRICT:


WILLIAM S. BEARD, JR.: Lists no opinions, programs, policies, or proposed agenda, for any county problems or solutions; but does say, “I have been enjoying my time on the County Commission”.  We would hope so since he too, like Fleming, is on the board of the GVEDC, and invited to all their banquets & social gatherings paid for by Pocahontas County FUNDS!  And he’s such a good & cooperative member, giving the GVEDC all it asks for, and more, that his newest ‘good-buddy’, Phillip Cain, even made Bill a member of the board of Phil’s Pendleton Bank!  And the same questions asked to Fleming, can be asked to Bill, “Why haven’t you or the commission discussed the corruption in the county solid waste authority while HUNDREDS of your neighbors are being sued by a private ‘collections-agency’ – WHEN IT’S THE COUNTY COMMISSION THAT CAN STOP THE LAWSUITS & EXPUNGE ALL JUDGMENTS?”  


SHAY HUFFMAN: well known for her service as the ‘Community Midwife’ in which she has delivered hundreds of babies; also known for her work as a Home Care Nurse providing health care services throughout the county; she believes in increased access to care & services for Senior Citizens & Children; sees the need for economic development, support for farmers, small businesses, tourism, and high-speed Internet services, great ideas but with few examples and details so far; and promises to give back $15,000 of her salary to ‘children & seniors’, but again gives no details or specifics.  While giving back part of your salary is a quaint idea, who do you give it back too?  It’s set by State Law!  But if you wish to give money away, the IRS permits up to half your gross income to any recognized 501(c)3 organization!  A far better Idea & Promise would be to LOWER TAXES and RETURN EXCESS county funds to the people!  


SARAH (Burt-Kinderman) RILEY: Lists no opinions, programs, policies, or proposed agenda, for any county problems or solutions; but does say she ‘advocated for opportunities for local businesses, especially family farms’, but gives no details; claims ‘to continue to create a climate where local businesses can thrive and local jobs can grow’, but again offers no details, especially in the face of the facts that ‘local businesses’ are thriving from tourist-trade while paying ‘Minimum-Wages’ to their employees – so what kind of ‘climate’ could be more lucrative than that for the few at the expense of the many?  There’s lot of rhetoric but shortness on detail!

Of particular note however, is that Sarah claims to be ‘the executive director’ of High Rocks, founded by her mother, Susan Burt.  The High Rocks compound, as many folks know, only caters to a handful of ‘young women’, boys need not apply, and boasts a budget around three-quarters-of-a-million-dollars per/year obtained from private and public government grants – such as the current county commission giving the High Rocks compound in excess of $80,000.00 already this year alone – that’s more funds to High Rocks than given to the five (5) Libraries in this county combined – that serves everyone! 

Now while the ‘Limousine Liberals’ of Lewisburg and elsewhere think that ‘empowering women’ is a good-thing, such as training teenage girls to dress, act & speak ‘professionally’ – to better themselves in the order of an International Toastmasters curriculum – the local ‘Red-Necks’ believe High Rocks to be a secret ‘Witches Coven’ that teaches young women to ‘fly-on-brooms’ before obtaining a ‘driver’s permit’!   Yet what has become disturbing in this Age of the Internet whereby there’s ‘no more secrets’ – is the latest ‘rumors’ floating on the wind & cyberspace that the High Rocks compound has a ‘dark-side’ whereby a ‘recent-batch’ of young-women, teenagers, were into ‘self-mutilation’, i.e., cutting-themselves with razor-blades, and then licking their own blood and that of each other!  If so, then that kind of activity goes a long way into explaining the other side of ‘empowering of women’ …& then some!  And if that’s the sort of activity taking place as ‘introverts’ try to become ‘extroverts’then how much longer before Sarah is back in front of the county commission requesting even more funds – for fences, spotlights, & guard towers to enclose her compound – since legal requirements will require doctors in long white robes to keep a closer watch over their teenage ‘psychotics’!  Perhaps canisters can be placed in every store for loose change to build a statute to honor ‘Sappho of Lesbos’ for the center of the High Rocks compound!

The next question, however, in this scenario is that ‘if’ dear-ole Sarah were to win, how could she vote for MORE PUBLIC FUNDS from the taxpayers of this county for her High Rocks compound of which she is an ‘executive director’?  By law she would have to recuse herself from voting for a ‘conflict-of-interest’ and that means that the other two county commissioners would have to agree – somehow – but that too is unlikely since giving public funds to a public official for private purposes is illegal – but if given anyway, that would then raise the question as to whether or not the other commissioners were ‘bewitched’! Guess we’ll have to wait & ask a ‘Red-Neck’ what he thinks!

At any rate, all kidding & satire aside, it is believed that Sarah is simply a ‘ringer’ placed in the three-way race to take votes away from Shay so as to help Beard on behalf of the ‘Poverty Preservation Society’, aka, GVEDC!  


REPUBLICAN BALLOT – NORTHERN DISTRICT:


CHARLES WILFONG: Lists no opinions, programs, policies, or proposed agenda, for any county problems or solutions; but does mention his experiences in farming & existing agricultural marketing, the timber industry, and tourism, and to ‘broaden our economic base’, but gives no specifics or details – and dear-ole Charley did not respond to the Eight-Rivers Council survey since rumor has it that he favors ‘fracking’ thinking he’ll stuff his pockets for the short haul! 

But that brings up the apparent pattern among most of the candidates in their use of ‘clichés’ for new jobs, economic development, tourism & such, ad nauseam!  But look at the scenario and judge the results so far in the past four decades: 
·                       Logging > how much more ‘virgin timber’ is there since it takes upwards to fifty-years or more to grow hardwood lumber! 
·                       Tourism > The bulk of the ‘tourists’ go skiing, the buses do not stop at local convenience stores or craft shops or yard-sales – the buses are in a hurry to get to the mountain, and get off again when leaving!
·                       Fracking > Who wins with ‘fracking’?  Only the predatory-corporations poisoning the earth with the toxic-waste by-products from the chemical industry!  Over 25 states have already destroyed themselves and their fresh water resources with ‘fracking’!  But the SAME GREED that has destroyed over 500 mountains for COAL is willing to kill untold numbers for a few more bucks in their pockets – which they can’t take with them at their last breath!
·                       Farming > For about 70 years now West Virginia no longer has any land-grant ‘Credit Bank’ to finance crop loans as found in Maine & elsewhere!  Now we have ‘Commercial Banks’ that indebts everything a farmer owns!  And unless you have large landholdings & government subsidies, small farms & farming are fading like a sunset.  The Census Bureau doesn’t even keep statistics on farming that much anymore!

These examples are ‘The Epitaph’ of this county in one-word!  We cannot continue doing the same things over & over and expect a different result!  A reality check is that once Donald Trump gets his Snowshoe-Resort Area District (SRAD) in place – the next DEMAND will be for a FOUR-LANE to connect I-64 with Corridor-H – and guess where it’s coming? 

Remember when Intrawest first bought Snowshoe about 15 or so years back?  Didn’t the WV-Department of Highways come through the county holding public-meetings for public-comment about ‘improving’ Rt. 92?  Well ‘improving’ did NOT mean repairing or straitening or anything else to do with the existing Rt. 92 – NOPE, ‘improving’ meant BUILDING A FOUR-LANE right down the middle of the valley from Corridor-H to I-64!  SO GOODBYE POCAHONTAS COUNTY FOREVER!  With a river and a four-lane splitting the county in half – how will anything remain here for tourists or anyone else in tact – for five years – let alone for 100 as fanaticized?  But it’s not inevitable – it can be stopped – if we elect the Right persons this time around!


NORMAN LEE ALDERMAN: Fully experienced as a former commissioner; stood up against the ‘Poverty Preservation Society’ when it first formed the Pocahontas Development Authority (PDA) riddled with folks that did NOT WANT COMPETITION to their businesses, the single most factor in preserving poverty & pauperism in this county for the last 25 years!  Look at the lousy service from the monopoly of Frontier Communications for an example!

Norman began The Pocahontas Commentator at first as a local printed newspaper, since the ‘bad-news’ of the county was being HIDDEN FROM VIEW by The Pocahontas Times, which never tells folks about any problems – just makes announcements AFTER THE FACT!  Since the printed newspaper was too slow in getting the word out, Norman set up an INTERNET NEWS SERVICE and it has become legendary throughout this State & Country!

Now Norman, from the Southern District, is running for County Commission again, and has teamed up with Patti Heinemann, a candidate for the Northern District, and they have put together a shared-platform-agenda that could really turn this county around and PRODUCE REAL LONG LASTING JOBS AT ‘LIVING-WAGES’ AND INCOME FOR EVERYONE with Natural Spring Water on their property!  In short, by establishing a CO-OP, now called the ‘Pocahontas Pure Water CO-OP’, duly registered with both the Federal & State governments, the INCOME from having Natural Spring Water will be forever, as long as the water keeps flowing!  And by having a CO-OP that produces clean bottled-water, NO FRACKING CAN COME INTO THIS COUNTY! 

Lastly, everyone in the CO-OP will SHARE THE WEALTH equally pursuant to the amount of water they put into the bottling plant in proportion to the profits from the sale of the bottled-water all around the world!  All kinds of new & long-lasting jobs will be provided – and NOT AT ‘MINIMUM-WAGES’since the CO-OP SHARES THE WEALTH EQUALLY per input!  No one will be working for somebody else – NO – everyone will be working for themselves & their family – simply by collecting Natural Spring Water into water containers pursuant to the flow of their Spring, collected by ‘tank-trucks’, brought to the bottling plant, tested, filtered, tested again, and so forth until bottled and put into shipping containers for all places where someone needs a clean drink of water!  Everyone with a Natural Spring can benefit and SHARE IN THE PROSPERITY!  This single project can rebuild the Middleclass in Pocahontas County once again – and united together – we can make our own destiny and not be at the mercy of the 1% that currently owns everything!

THAT’S WHY…

THIS TIME…there’s no excuse…
 IT’S YOUR CHOICE…
TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!

Just say ‘NO’ to those who want to keep this county in Poverty & Pauperism
– and –
Just say ‘YES’ to real Progress & Prosperity for the future!

On Primary Day – YOU have a chance to elect two persons that will always put YOU first!  They know that:

THE GREATER COMMON GOOD ALWAYS COMES BEFORE SELF OR ANY SELF-SERVING SPECIAL INTERESTS!

Keep up to Date – Stay tuned to these Websites:




  IF YOU are registered to vote as a Republican, you can
       Vote for Norman Lee Alderman in the Primary Election
       on 13 May 2014;
  IF YOU are registered to vote as a Democrat, you can
      Vote for Patti Heinemann in the primary election on
      13 May 2014;
  If you are registered to vote, but with no party
      affiliation, then you must request Loud & Clear either
      a Republican or Democrat ballot on Primary Day when
      you go to the polls;  &
  Since Norman is unopposed, he recommends that you 
      request a Democrat ballot to vote for Patti so that this 
      county can again have an Honest & Just county 
      commission!
   Early Voting is from 30 April 2014 to 10 May 2014 – so
       Vote Early & avoid the rush!

The Pocahontas Crier is an independent Internet News Service that has so far endorsed two candidates for County Commission
       one a Republican & the other a Democrat   
in addition to providing in depth news reporting on important issues directly affecting the Citizens of Pocahontas County!

Email comments & suggestions to: pocahontascrier88@gmail.com  
[Our apologies for any & all inconveniences for NEW EMAIL]

If you wish to financially assist, kindly send all campaign contributions to: The United Campaign for County Commission (UCCC), c/o Citizens for Common Sense Alternatives (CCSA), a registered Political Action Committee, 7837 Wesley Chapel Road, Green Bank, West Virginia 24944-9063 
Phone: 1.304.456.4565 or 3282 (also fax)

[The Pocahontas Crier is part of The Crier Coalition of Internet News Services comprised of The Pocahontas Commentator, The Pocahontas Crier, Signal Fires of WV, Rolling Thunder &  Echoes from the Holl’r.]


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