Weekly Comments Archive
Archived Issue
Saturday, June 7, 2003
ISSUE #276
No election tie this year for Mayor of Weston
June 7, 2003

WESTON, West Va.: I am just finishing up a week’s vacation without ever leaving the county. And, yes, just like where you are, it rained most days.

Rainy days ain’t all bad. If it’s not fit to do all the great things you had planned, why you can always visit old haunts and old friends, set on the porch and catch up on years gone by. Rain gets you out of hoeing weeds in the garden, temporarily. Rain on a tin roof can help a man sleep sounder, even in mid afternoon.

Weston held their city election Tuesday, with five running for mayor. Two years ago in the same election two men tied, or near to it, and it took most of the two years to figure out who won. That ballot battle made Florida’s 2000 chad-plagued race seem like a cake walk.

Since the rain canceled my other plans I volunteered to help report the returns on the radio, WHAW. It’s the biggest station in the county, also the only one, but you can hear it all over the state, and even the world, through the internet.

I was pulling for a result that would have put Weston in the history books, a five-way tie. I took along a suitcase and about a hundred pounds of nuts and dried fruit in case we were holed up in the studio for a week or two.

We went on at seven and by half past nine, the last of the votes were counted, the incumbent was declared the winner and the town went back to sleep. So Weston is stuck, for now, with whatever history they have already made, and I’m stuck with a year’s supply of peanuts, dried apricots and prunes.

Today, I’m at their annual Carp Festival, held on the banks of the West Fork River. While other towns celebrate their prize bass, trout or muskies, these folks fish for carp and use those other fish for bait. They set up a stage for a whole series of musical performers, mainly bluegrass and gospel, and I came on long enough to give the fellows a break.

With all the rain, I doubt anyone would have been shocked if Noah himself had walked out on stage. But some were surprised to see Will Rogers.

I reported on what I read in the morning paper. (Those folks had been so busy fishing, no time to read.) Headline said, “Unemployment is Up”. Well, Weston contributed to those figures with four out of five candidates suddenly out of work. Here’s another item, “Ken Heckler eyes race for Sec. of State”. That shows you right there the root of our unemployment numbers. Mr. Heckler is 89, and trying to knock some youngster out of a job.

I’ve got to go. I hear another thunderstorm approaching.

Historic quote from Will Rogers:

“(I flew) down to Tulsa, Oklahoma….. was met by my Sister and driven to her home in Chelsea. Well for the next few days I did nothing but just visit around with all my folks and old Cronies, made no dates, just get in the car and go see ’em. The family couldent get over the idea that there was not some place I had to rush to make a Lecture date every night.” WA #354, October 6, 1929

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