Vo]. VI No.4 1
December 20, 1990
From the Greenbrier
Valley of West Virginia
al Dumps
20 and 30 illegal
)s were identified tn a
25 survey by mem-
of Greenbrier County's
Authority (SWA), ac-
to John Tuckwiller,
of the authority.
survey was part of re-
in preparation of a
solid waste plan to
by the county by
31. Each county In the
must turn in its own plan,
Includes the locations of
illegal dumping.
the identification of
)s, which was done by
SWA members are
to plot the sites on a
the SWA will submit
Department of Natural
(DNR). The DNR, Mr
said, has the respon-
to see that each site is
up.
of the most obvious Ille-
Mr Tuckwiller said,
the Greenbrier East
campus and behind
lot of the State Fair-
Both sites are In
After notifying the Board
and the State Fair
Mr Tuckwiller said, the
perty owners had the
up within one
removed 100
trash from the Green-
site and 50 tons from
rounds site. Another
site, which has not
up yet, is the for-
city dump west
the Brushy Ridge
of the other
are being notified and
opportunity to correct
before action is
• The Rock House, Marllnton
Mountain Messenger Staff
Betty Morgan (left), Helen Searle, Charley Goddard, Torrl Boone, Matt Landers, Lou Burroughs,
Brenda Ghorman, Dottle Brackenrlch, Troy Forren, Jonathan Wrig ht
Greenbrier Board Proceeding With
Junior High Consolidation Plans
If all goes as planned, the
Greenbrler County Board of
Education could be breaking
ground for a new consolidated
junior high school by mid-
March, according to Superinten-
dent of School Steve Baldwin.
The Board is presently await-
ing word on a letter it recently
sent the State Board of Educa-
tion asking to be placed on the
agenda for the January meeting
in Charleston. The group hopes
to discuss details of construction
~State Board's approval to pro-
ceed with construction.
The county Board of Educa-
tion is presently negotlatlng for
the purchase of a 31-acre slte of
the "Boone property" adjacent [o
Greenbrier East High School in
Fairlea. The proposed l l0.000-
square-foot building project is
expected to cost $8.5 million,
funded by a grant from the State
School Building Authority and
monies from county School
Board savings.
)lans at that time and get the ,.
I
Roof Going Up at
Amphitheater
Letters to Santa
appear on pages
3B, 4B & 9B.
Volunteers are working week-
ends to install a permanent roof
over the stage at Ronceverte's
new Island Park amphitheater,
According to City Commissioner
Lindy Hodges, who is overseeing
the fund-ralsing and labor for
the project, most work is ex-
pected to be completed by early
January. Work began in mld-
November.
The cathedral-style roof
measures 51-I/2 feet wide and
30 feet long. Its peak is 26 feet
high. No city funds are being
used for the work or materials,
Mr Hodges said. Contributions
have come from numerous local
businesses and individuals.
The project is part of an ongo-
ing construction for the amphi-
theater, whose various seating
levels were built with concrete
railroad ties donated to the City
by CSX Transportation. The tles
were removed over a year ago
from tracks near Alleghany, Vlr-
ginia.
The new amphitheater re-
ceived its first use last June at
the Ronceverte River Festival.
"Subsequent community concerts
have been held at the facility,
with proceeds going to the Island
Park Improvement Fund. Organ-
izers of events have used tempo-
rary stage coverings.
Mr Hodges said "scissors-
type" trusses used in the new
roof will help project sound bet-
ter. Plans call for the eventual
addition of stage lighting, he
said.
iii i ,Jl
Inside Today
About Herbs .................... 11A
Agriculture .................... 10A
Briefly ................................ 3A
Chestnut Street News ...... 2A
Ctassifled ............. ::2 ........ 11B
Comics & Crossword ..... 11B
For the Record .................. 3A
From the Back Porch ..... 11A
Joy of Farming ................ 10A
, Obituaries .......................... gA
Opinion .............................. 4A
Roberta .............................. 5A
Saints ................................. 2A
Sports ................................ 1B
Teen Notes ........................ 8A
Lewisburg Food Locker Provides
Help To 1670 Individuals In Area
Rock House-Big on
Crafts,
on History
stone building on
Marllnton looks as if
in history. Set
rugged mountain, with
window , small tan-
rugged hand-hewn
small structure
glances from
and exiting the
County town.
not much history to
though, Jane Jessee
Jessee operates *The
as it ls commer-
a small business of
local crafts, Al pala-
recordings, and
and magazines.
of people come in here
thls must be an awfully
Ing,- she said. "I have to
the truth, though--it
built until the late
constructed the
on the property of
Hunter, Mrs Jessee's
rocks from Dry
Creek. located
"My great-aunt used
and storage area
Into it in 1973,"
Said. "When I moved
and lived In it off
1985. It was rented
that time. too."
's first and only
use came in
1980's when Maddy
operated an antique
for two years. It was
for a short time
Then in March 1990, Mrs
Jessee opened up *The Rock
House" in the building, which
her mother. Jane Price Sharp.
now owns,
*It's been a lot of fun. I'm still
learning a lot about antiques, A
lot of collectors stop in. and they
teach me a lot. It's been very
educational for me."
During the height of the tour-
ist season in the summer and
early fall of her first year, Mrs
Jessee encountered her greatest
number of visitors. "It's great
meeting so many people and tell-
ing them about all the places
around here they can visit."
"One of our biggest items is
our collection of rocks, believe it
or not." she said. *We have a
large assortment of petrified
coral. We get It In the fields
around here. My brother's been
collecting It for years. He dumps
It in my mother's field, and I get
a lot of mine from there."
The Rock Shop sells used
books and magazines, catering
largely to collectors. Also In-
cluded are a number'of local-
interest books on Pocahontas
County and West Virginia his-
tory and traditions.
Mrs Jessee said she enjoyed
taking customers on short "ramp
digs" just outside the shop In the
spring. She said she wants to
continue the activity every year,
educating visitors on the tech-
niques of harvesting ramps and
the ways of preparing them for
meals.
80M0 Of [IIX:~ION Of
T)~ COCMTY OF GI~=[I~i~I[R
/11 THISPROPERTY IS ]NFLOOOZON(X
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF
:.. THE COUNTY OF fiREENBRIER
31.50 RCRES
.. - .... " ~ FORT SPRING DISIRICT
G,~EENBRIER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIfl
SCRLE= 1"=300" DECEMBER 4. 1090
N. E, KELLEY SURVEYING CO.
- 208 W. EDGRR RVENUE
P.O. BOX 296
RDNCEVERTE.
WEST
UIRGINIB
By Chas A, Godd~rd
There are 501 families. 1670 individuals, in the Lewlsburg area who rely
on the local Food Locker for supplemental nourishment every month.
The Food Locker, sponsored by seven local churches, provides each
recipient with either one or two bags of groceries -- depending upon the
family size. When there are one to four In a family, they receive one bag per
month; five or more in a family get two bags per month.
By no stretch of the imagination could the food be considered anything
more th~un very basic --- oats or cornflakes, saltines, peanut butter, soup, a
pound of flour, canned milk, macaroni and cheese dinners, pinto beans,
one can of green beans and one can of corn.
Even though there are seven churches participating -- Old Stone Pres-
byterian, Lewisburg United Methodist, John Wesley United Methodist, Saint
Louis Catholic Mission, First Baptist church in Falrlea, Shuck Memorial
Baptist Church, and Saint James Episcopal --- there is really just one man
who shoulders the main burden of doing the shopping; distributing the
food; and questioning recipients about their circumstances. "['nat man is
Gary Waple.
Mr Waple is an Episcopal Theo]o&qcal Seminary graduate. He moved to
the Lewlsburg area in 1980 and was an x-ray technician until a leg injury
forced him to retire, fle has been running the Food Locker since March of
1983.
"Our contributions are down this year by $20,000. We rely on funding
from donations from individuals and clubs and organizations. We are vying
with other agencies for the same money and times are tight," Mr Waple
sai=some,1 people think we are taking care of a bunch of people who do
nothing but sit back -- this is just not true. Sixty-eight per cent of the
people we serve are senior citiz.cns. And 1 know of many seniors who are too
proud to accept help. I wish they would ask, even though we are having a
tou h time of it ri ,ht now We d fi u
g ' g . " g re out some way to help them, " Mr
Waple says with conviction.
The Food Locker does receive some government food supplies. However,
Mr Waple spends approximately $2,000 a month on groceries alone [they
purchase from a locally owned and operated food store at I0 per cent over
cost}. The Food Locker not only distributes food, but provides some utilities
assistance too.
Lewisburgs Food Locker Is one of seven In the area. Others are located
at White Sulphur Springs, Ronceverte Renlek Ralnelle Rupert and Quin- -
wood. The l~wisburg Food Locker how~wer is 'the lar~t o(the seven and
has the greatest number of clients.
"We take in a large gray area. The State won't help in any way if you are
$2 over the limit. That's where we come in. We follow the State Human
Services guidelines, but we help those others too. I take food to a lot of
people 1 know need it. West Virginians are very independeht and proud you
know." Mr Waple said.
Mr Waple expressed special gratitude to Boy Scout Troop # 122. "During
the food drive in November, they took a ton of food to the locker. [t took us
some time to get it distributed, but we did do it and the people were very
grateful."
Contributions to the Food Locker may be made through any one of the
participating churches. Be sure to indicate you wish your contribution to be
used to assist the Food Locker.
