8A The Mountain Messenger, Thursday, July 19, 1990
By ANDREA GAINER
WVU Extension Agent, Home Economics, Greenbrier County
You can bring new life to your
kitchen without remodeling, The
right paint on the right places -- par-
ticularly on those cabinets-- can re-
turn sparkle and freshness to your
kitchen:
Face it. Those cabinets have a
hard life,
A day in the life of a typical
kitchen cabinet may include grubby
hands constantly opening and cios-
ing cabinet doors; stored foods spill-
ing onto cabinet shelves; and cook-
ing grease spattering onto cabinet
surfaces,
While they daily sustain such det-
rimental use, kitchen cabinets re-
main the most noticeable element in
your kitchen. Rejuvenate your cabi-
nets, and you will rejuvenate your
kitchen.
The first step in reviving tired
cabinet surfaces is to strip off old
paint or coverings. Start by remov-
ing the cabinet doors from their
hinges so you can work on them at
a comfortable angle.
You may discover several.layers
of old paint or coverings. (Some
older cabinets, especially wooden
ones with'glass windows, may have
been covered in wallpaper that has
stuck to the glass.) Soak the doors
in remover. Be careful to follow di-
rections provided by the chemical's
manufacturer.
When removing paint from old
cabinets, be careful not to scrub the
surface too hard. The original sur.-
faces, hidden under !ayers ot o!d
paint, may be fragile. Once old paint
or coatings have been removed,
give the cabinet surface a light
sanding to prepare it for fresh paint,
One way to create a cheery
kitchen is to use bright, white, and
primary, colors. Red with white trim,
for instance, is a modern-looking
kitchen combination. If your kitchen
cabinet doors have wood-framed
windows, outline the windows in a
bright, enamel red. Use th same red
paint on moldings and trim around
windows. Use a semi-gloss white on
walls. The result will be a light, li~ely
kitchen with welcoming color.
Yellow Is another popular c01"or
for kitchens, creating a sunny, warm
environment. In a small kitchen, use
a semi-gloss yellow paint on the
walls. Trim with bright enamel in
springy light green on cabinets,
moldings, and window frames.
In a large kitchen, use warm col-
ors for walls and cabinets to create
a homey leeling. Soft pastels can
warm a drafty kitchen and reinforce
the room's function as the center of
activity.
lo make your kitchen truly indi-
vidual, complete the new look by
stenciling a pattern on the molding
or around a window. Use paint to
make delicate decorations in bright
contrasting colors -- such as red on
white or blue on yellow.
Don't forget that using paint
makes housekeeping easier in the
kitchen .-- enamel paints wipe clean
easily and won't retain grease or
dirt. Repainting your kitchen and
cabinets can make your kitchen
more attractive . . . and more effi-
cient!
TODAY'S CHUCKLE: A woman
sauntered up to the customs official
and put her bags down for inspec-
tion. The customs man asked if she
had anything to declare. "Why, not a
thing," was the woman's reply.
"Then am I to understand that the
fur tail hanging down below your
coat is your own?"
Oliver Luck
Meets With
Congressional candidate Oliver
Luck met with President George
Bush at the White House in June to
discuss Mr Luck's congressional
race and the problems facing West
Virginia.
1 was thrilled to have the oppor-
tunity to go to the White House. hav-
ing never met the President or been
help is to be aware of the need for
the federal funding of highways.
More than 80 per cent of new jobs in
West Vi~rginia come in counties
which are part of an ~nterstate high*
way system. In the Second District
we already have access to Interstate
81 in the Eastern Panhandle -- now
we need to see growth occur in
Property Tax
Revision Told
The 1989 Legislature clearly set
a new direction for property tax ad-
ministration in West Virginia. It es-
tablished a new property tax reap-
praisal program and created a com-
mission to oversee the general con-
duct of the reappraisal.
The Property Valuation Training
and Procedures Commission con-
sists of three county assessors, two
county commission members, four
citizen members and the State Tax
Commissioner. They are respon-
sible for the development of plans,
procedures and methods that will
govern the assessment activities.
The Commission has general re-
sponsibilities compatible with the
oversight responsibilities of the
State Tax Commissioner.
One of the most significant provi-
sions of the recent Legislative action
regarding property tax reappraisal is
that it calls for all property to be re-
appraised over a three year period,
beginning not later than July 1,
1991. It also expressly states that it
is not an implementation of the
1980s statewide reappraisal.
The objective of the assessment
program is assessments at 60 per
cent of current true and actual value
by the assessment year beginning
July 1, 1994. Property assessments
will then be maintained by continu-
ing three year cycles for visiting par-
cels of real property, whereby all
properties wili be adjusted to reflect
changes in the current market value.
As property assessments ap-
proach 60 per cent of current market
value, tax rates will be adjusted so
that current property tax yields will
not exceed the previous tax year
revenues by more than 101 per
cent', plus 2 per cent funding for
county assessors. Regular levy
rates may be increased up to the
maximum levy rate by adequate no-
lice to the property owners, county
and city rates cannot generate more
than 10 per cent above the prior
year's revenues. Special levies in
existence as of March 10, 1990 are
to be applied to the assessment
base as of Juty 1, 1989. Special lev-
ies enacted after March 10, 1990
will be applied to the assessed val-
ues as developed each succeeding
July 1.
The legislation established a new
in the White House, it was an mvita- other area id. category of proper~r preferential
tion I was honoreS"{oacce~t~'~r"~* .... ~A~;t~ '}~eeF' ~sses'sment. Mar~a'~iimberland is
Luck said.
Mr Luck and other top congres-
sional candidates spent about two
hours with the President. Mr Bush
also had a pnvate conference with
Mr Luck in which Mr Luck described
the progress of his candidacy and
the problems facing the Second Dis-
trict,
'1 had the opportunity to discuss
the need for job growth in West Vir-
ginia One way the President can
~ng, I mentioned the growing drug
problem n the Eastern Panhandle, I
will hopefully get a chance to dis-
cuss this in more detail at a later
date," Mr Luck said.
"All in all. I was very happy with
the outcome of my visit to the White
House. I look forward to hawng an-
other opportunity to meet with tl~e
President and discuss more issues
of concern to the voters of the 2nd
District of West Virginia."
to be valued based upon tile pro-
ductwe potential of the land, as op-
posed to what a wdling buyer would
pay a wilhng seller. Other existing
preferential trea;ments wdt continue.
For example, land used for agricul-
tural purposes will st be valued ~n a
preferential manner.
Other major changes include
mandatory assessor traimng and m-
creased annual funding for asses-
sors' offices.
Visitors From 34 Countries
Look At West Virginia Soil
By Jonathan Wright
Over 200 individuals representing
34 countries toured eastern Green-
brier County June 27 as part of an
international symposium on plants
and soil. The meeting was based at
Pipestem State Park near Athens
and hosted by the United States
Department of Agriculture Research
Service in Beckley.
The purpose of the symposium
was to discuss ways of improving
crop utility Jn hilly farm lands, ac-
cording to spokesman Paul
Murrmann, director of the Appala-
chian Soil and Water Conservation
Research Laboratory in Beckley.
"This is an international problem," he
said, 'and we hope this event
helped increase knowledge of how
to cope with it."
Sukhdev Malhi, a participant from
Lacombe, Alberta (Canada), said, '1
like the whole geography of this
area. The mountains are beautiful--
it's one of the best areas to visit in
North America."
Kelley Sponaugle, area conser-
vationalist from the Agriculture Re-
search Service, said, "This is an an-
nual effort to exchange information
on this topic. During the tour of the
Lewisburg area, we examined farm-
ing methods in acid soil on lime-
stone."
The group took time out from its
business to tour the historic district
of downtown Lewisburg. Tours were
directed by John Mdllhenny, director
of the Lewisburg Visitors and Con-
vention Bureau. Other attractions of
historic and natural interest in the
surrounding area were also visited,
including the Pence Springs Resort,
Morlunda Farms, and
farms.
Dr Murrmann said, "Thi-~
'West Virginia Country
We wanted to show the
history of this area of the
believe we gave everyone
impression of West Vir,
The group meets
years. Its previous meeting
at the University of Alberta
ada. Planning for the
directed by a steering
made up of rel:
twelve research institutions.
"We got an extremely
reaction to the tour here in
West Virginia," Mr S
"Everyone enjoyed seeing
tryside. Both the weather
appearance of the
great."
Mr Staggers Sponsors Flag Bill:
No Constitution Change Needed
US. Representative Harley Stag-
gers, days he's sponsoring a bill that
would protect the US. flag without
having to amend the U.S.
Constitution.
A member of the House Judiciary
Committee, Mr Staggers says he
"Made in America United States
Flag Protection Act of 1990" would
create a U.S. Flag Commission to
license the manufactunng of official
U.~,,.,f~ags, which would have the
same protections gwen US. cur-
rency and U.S. government prop-
erty. He said that current flag own-
ers would be able to keep their flats
and have them designated as offi-
ctai flags.
"We can protect the integrity of
the U.S. flag m a way that is consti-
tutional and hmely with this bill," said
Mr Staggers. "Official U.S. flags
would be made here in America.
They would have full protection un-
der the law. Those who own US.
flags now could receive a seal mak-
ing their flags official and protected
by law."
The Second district congressman
says that under the bill destruction
or altering of an official U.S. flag
would, like destruction of U.S. cur-
rency or U.S. government property,
be a federal crime punishable by a
fine of up tO$250,000 and/or impris-
onment for up to one year.
Mr Staggers says the bill also
would accomplish his longstanding
goal of banning foreign-made
American flags. He notes that last
year some 100,000 foreign-made
American flags were imported into
the U.S. He says in just the first four
months of this year the number has
more than tripled to 322,000.
The West Virginia State
Home at Barboursville
openings for Peacetime,
Korean. World War I, and
War I1 Veterans. Veterans
able to feed and dress
and attend the cafeteria to
sic requirements.
Clean pleasant rooms,
prepared meals, TV areas
and social worker staff,
reation and transportation
MediCal Center is available.
The home is located near!
postoffice, grocery and
stores, pharmacy, public
tion and Veterans Or(
Help a Veteran find
home. Contact: Registrai'
boursville Veterans Home, 5~
ter Street, Barboursville,
your nearest West Virginia
of Veterans Affairs Field
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