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Hampshire Wednesday, February 18, 2015 @Review.com Romney, WV • $1 PLUS TAX Hello Hampshire! From Leslie Crites, Fisher Kloee Hock, Paw Paw Thanks for subscribing! Commission calls Frontier to explain itself Details, Page 2A

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BONUS A look back, a look inside ■ Picturing JIM KING Review Staff students have passed through its halls. kids being SUNRISE SUMMIT — It was a farm, The campus has grown again and again, students the site of a dream that became a reality now sprawling from an ag complex on the with such promise. ■ years of west to athletic facilities on the east. Eight How the 50 Planning began in 1960 and on Aug. 31, years ago, the new Romney Middle School school came Hampshire 1964, Hampshire High School opened its opened on the crest overlooking HHS. into being High doors to students for the first time. Now, in the middle of Hampshire High’s Living, Page 1B Principal Robert Calvert and 21 teach- 50th-anniversary school year, we look ers greeted nearly 600 sophomores, ju- back through the years with our section niors and seniors in a state-of-the-art fa- “50 years of Hampshire High.” cility perched on the eastern slope of the Visit the halls once again. Remember From 1985: Paul Roomsburg points out how summit. the highlights. Connect with names and potting soil is cultivated to Andrew Dorsey,

february o Michael Davis, Sonny Lewis and Jeff Shell. a keepsake Through the years, more than 11,000 18, 2015 faces from your past. section in 2nd man Zero down Kitchen arrested in ATM arguing robbery to sink JIM KING Review Staff PAW PAW —Another suspect has been charged in the Jan. 9 conviction theft of an ATM from The Bank of Romney branch in Paw Paw. Hearing today challenges Brian Stotler II, 20, was ar- ‘errors’ made in ’09 trial rested last week Review Staff by Hampshire County Sher- ROMNEY — The man iff’s deputies convicted of murdering on a Morgan Romney Auction owner Wil- County war- lard Malcolm in 2008 is mak- ing one last try to overturn Stotler rant. He is be- his conviction this afternoon. ing held without bond in the Po- Kilton Kitchen will be in the Circuit Courtroom here at tomac Highlands Regional Jail on Kitchen a probation violation. Stotler was 1:30 p.m. for a habeus hear- charged by a Hampshire County ing. He is contending a lita- grand jury last September along ny of errors occurred in his August 2009 trial that with 2 other men in a string of rob- should lead to his conviction being overturned beries that authorities say netted and him being granted a new trial. them at least $30,000 in property. “This one has 15 or 20 issues,” said Prosecutor Stotler is charged by Morgan Dan James, who will be defending the conviction County with grand larceny. Po- ED DEWITT Review Staff won by his predecessor, Steve Moreland. lice aren’t saying any more about Jack Bender plows snow at the Slanesville General Store Tuesday morning. A decision could take months, James said. the charges against him now, but Kitchen is represented by Joanie Nelson of Pe- had indicated earlier they believed tersburg, who James described as Kitchen’s “7th a 2nd person was involved in the or 8th” lawyer in the case. She did not return a call theft. Another storm glances past See KITCHEN page 5A n The ATM was found buried ear- lier this month in the yard of a Gore, Va., residence that Stotler Frigid temperatures, high winds keep the county shivering rents. JIM KING Review Staff “We got off with nothing,” said Jerry Loudin, who While authorities recovered the Winter 2015 is turning out to be more annoying runs the 911 call center on Jersey Mountain Road. machine, they have not located the than devastating, keeping emergency crews hopping “We had 1 car skid off the road into a ditch and that thousands of dollars reportedly in- Options eyed and schools guessing. was the extent of it.” side it. A year ago storm after storm dropped snow on The threat of snow combined with bone-tingling After finding the machine on the region, shutting schools and generally wreaking temperatures and wind chills led Hampshire County Feb. 3, Scott Randolph Heward, as clock ticks havoc with travel and the economy. schools to call off Monday and Tuesday. 24, of Cumberland, Md., was ar- This year? Forecasts keep popping up that look Forecasters are calling for another bout of cold to rested by Allegany County Sher- dire, but the storms seem to be delivering glancing blast through Thursday, dropping lows that night to iff’s police and charged with the blows. minus 4, followed by a 4-6 inch snowstorm Satur- on recycling theft. MICHAEL O’BRIEN Review Correspondent Take Monday night’s storm. Four to 8 inches day. Video surveillance at the Paw of snow were forecast from suppertime Monday But — keep your fingers crossed — Sunday’s ROMNEY — The clock is ticking as Hamp- Paw branch showed a well-dis- through late morning Tuesday. Instead, about 3 inch- n shire County commissioners continue to look at guised man, about 5-foot-10 and es fell and that was all done by 4 a.m. Tuesday. See STORM page 5A 140 pounds at the ATM around 3 various options in establishing a voter-mandated a.m. Jan. 9. Police said he made comprehensive recycling plan for the county. off with thousands of dollars. Commissioners have about a year to put a plan Submitted by together and it seems the path to get there is rather “I don’t know how hard it was ROMNEY FIRE for him to get the ATM out of COMPANY ambiguous. there,” Stapleton said at the time. Rescue Commission president Steve Slonaker last The ATM was in an enclosed lob- workers week said having a successful affordable program by, attached to the building. extricate would be the optimum situation. Stotler was indicted last Sep- one of the The big question is whether that optimum is tember on 16 felony charges, in- victims of a even possible. cluding 2 counts of grand larceny, head-on colli- Two state officials with expertise in recycling 7 counts of conspiracy, 1 of trans- sion Sunday. met with commissioners at their invitation. They ferring stolen property, 5 of break- each painted a picture depicting a rather challeng- See ATM page 5A n See OPTIONS page 5A n

Courtesy of BERKELEY COUNTY P&G plant carries benefi t here DEVELOPMENT Review Staff AUTHORITY Construction is expected to location. This will enable us to The new CHARLESTON — A new begin later this year at Tabler rapidly and efficiently serve re- Proctor & Proctor and Gamble plant being Station Business Park. The facil- tail customers and consumers Gamble plant constructed in Berkeley Coun- ity will be more than 1 million throughout the eastern half of will be lo- ty will bring approximately 700 square feet. Media sources re- the United States, reaching 80% cated at the jobs to the region, and while it ported Tuesday there could be as of them within one-day transit.” Tabler Station will have a minimal direct im- many as 700 permanent jobs. It will be one of the largest Business pact on Hampshire County, the In a press release, Global projects the state has ever seen, Park along Details, Page 4-5C eventual benefits could be tan- Product Supply Officer Yannis and only the 2nd new P&G Unit- I-81. gible. Skoufalos said, “This new plant ed States plant built since 1971. © 2015 Cornwell & Ailes Inc. The announcement came last will leverage economies of scale Berkeley County reportedly beat Tuesday morning. P&G will and standardized manufactur- out 40 other possible locations build a $500 million plant it calls ing platforms to P&G’s advan- for the facility. “a multi-category manufacturing tage by allowing us to produce As far as the local impact, it facility” in Berkeley County. multiple brands at one strategic See P&G page 5A n Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Hampshire Review n 5A

Romney. near Romney earlier that month On their exit, the Rangers in a similar circumstance; the were mistaken by pickets for thought of being treated to the a Federal force leaving on a same hospitality surely crossed scout. To add insult to injury, their minds. Eyes on potatoes McNeill disparaged Gen. Kel- The Rangers continued south the state. That’s what we’ve ing back and re-inventing some- ley as being on a scout for on the South Branch River Ag commissioner determined from the analytical thing that was once there, using “Granny Kelley” to the Federal Road to the Trough Road and work that Black Gold did. modern technology. The technol- ‘Oh, so near pickets; a comment which drew continued south. Near the wants to seed “They also said that the land in ogy that was used when agricul- laughter from the duped pick- Trough, the fi rst sighting of Randolph County, our Huttons- ture was abandoned in West Vir- and yet so far’ ets. pursuing Federals was made. spuds sprout ville land, would be a challenge. ginia in the 1930s and ’40s and The Rangers were approach- Two Rangers were captured at across state They pointed out things we need somewhat in the ’50s was total- Feb. 21, 1865 — Operating ing Short Gap as wisps of dawn the home of William B. Stump to know as we move forward in ly different. Modern technology in the midst of several thousand to the east began breaking to a as the rest continued their es- GEORGE HOHMANN WVPA north-central West Virginia and will allow us to get more product Federal troops in Cumberland, bright clear morning. Just then, cape. Within the Trough, Mc- Randolph County and all of east- per acre. It will also teach us to New Creek and Winchester, the silent majesty of the win- Neill posted a rear guard who State Agriculture Commis- ern West Virginia.” grow inside product. But right Captain Jesse McNeill contin- ter’s morn was shattered by checked the Federals, causing sioner Walt Helmick is on a mis- Black Gold said nitrogen now, in this coming year, we’re ued his operation to pay a visit the boom of a cannon. McNeill them to retreat. sion to create jobs by convincing needs to be added to the Hut- going to focus on the potato in- to his father’s nemesis, Gen- instantly knew that the race for As noon approached, the West Virginian landowners to tonsville soil. The analysis “also dustry.” eral Benjamin Franklin Kelley. Moorefi eld had commenced. sun warmed the valley turning produce potatoes — lots of po- opens our eyes to the fact we If Helmick succeeds in having Traveling through the clear and To increase his odds of suc- the roads to mud. This slowed tatoes. have to maintain the volume potatoes grown on 3,000 acres Helmick plans to help West bitterly cold night, McNeill and cess, McNeill had had the tele- both pursuer and pursued. As Virginians with tillable land of water more closely than and the average yield is 400 his men arrived at Cumberland we had anticipated,” Helmick bushels per acre, the crop will graph wires at Cumberland cut. the Trough opened onto the plant 5, 10 or 15 acres of po- without alerting the garrison. said. “Obviously it’s ideal if you total 1.2 million bushels of po- Experience taught both sides to Old Fields Valley, the Rangers tatoes at a time. He envisions Capturing all pickets in their build redundancies into their were astonished to see their old can just plant the potatoes and the tatoes. an average of 60 acres planted good Lord will give you enough “We’ve never seen that many approach, McNeill and his telegraph systems; McNeill rivals, the 22nd Ringgold Cav- in potatoes in 50 of the state’s 55 Rangers arrive in the stillness knew it was only a matter of alry from New Creek on the water every day. That’s not the potatoes in West Virginia,” he counties this year. way it’s going to work. We know said. “We’re going to have of the predawn while the peo- time before a message would Moorefi eld Pike a mile to their That would top 3,000 acres. ple of Cumberland were nestled be sent to all Federal garrisons west, the South Branch being we’re going to have to start look- to fi gure out where we’re going Compared to “the big ing at an irrigation system. to sell all of these.” under warm covers. Armed in the region to converge on the between. Realizing that his guys” — the states of Idaho and with the intelligence gathered South Branch Valley and inter- mission was in peril, McNeill “This year we will do what There is time to resolve that Washington — “that is a pit- Black Gold told us to do and issue, said Helmick. by Fay, McNeill divided his cept his command. feinted a rush to Moorefi eld tance,” Helmick said. “Howev- men into 2 groups to capture McNeill arrived in Romney causing the Federals to do like- we look to have a signifi cant Americans consume 128 er, it’s big for us.” crop,” he said. “We’re going to pounds of potatoes per capita the generals who were sleeping about 8 a.m. to the bemused wise. Near William’s Hollow, The 2012 Census of Agricul- in separate buildings about 100 and startled looks of the few McNeill ordered his men to the plant some different varieties. annually. In West Virginia, that’s ture found that just 335 acres in But the work we do at the De- 237 million pounds of potatoes. yards apart. citizens on the street at the woods and slipped away on an- West Virginia were devoted to Both details quickly rousted time. His men related their tale other little known, seldom used partment of Agriculture is now The Department of Agricul- potato production. Idaho har- and will always be just a guide ture has provided potatoes to and secured their prisoners with as quickly as possible as they trail that let him disappear from vested potatoes from 345,217 little resistance. The bottom to private growers. correction facilities and other passed, McNeill offered up the sight with his prize. As they left acres that year. Washington had “As time moves on we want state agencies for many years. now out of the tub, McNeill or- captured garrison fl ag of Cum- the main road, General Crook 163,925 acres of potatoes. private growers throughout West Helmick thinks West Vir- dered Fay to lead the Rangers berland as he passed. Gener- watched as the federals con- “The big guys get 1,000 bush- Virginia growing the product. ginia schools, colleges and by the fastest route to Romney als Kelley and Crook plodded tinued their rush to Moorefi eld els an acre,” Helmick said. “We We want to help them learn how universities are large potential and Moorefi eld beyond. Fay led along, keeping their thoughts and commented sadly, “Oh, so think we can get 400 bushels to to grow different products.” markets. the party to the Frankfort Road to themselves. Both knew of near and yet so far.” the acre.” Helmick envisions landowners The price state agencies (present-day Route 28) toward the murder of Captain Stump McNeill and his men man- Last year the state Agricul- interested in growing potatoes pay Helmick’s department aged to gain another seven ture Department contracted contacting his offi ce and having for potatoes is based on the miles before bivouacking for with Black Gold Farms of an extension agent verify that wholesale price determined the evening. Their “guests” Grand Forks, N.D., to test grow the landowner has suitable prop- by the U.S. Department of were afforded bedrolls and 14 varieties of potatoes on erty. Agriculture. fi eld accommodations as each department-owned land at La- Because “you can’t buy a trac- Price could be a critical issue man and animal slept the sleep kin and Huttonsville. Black tor to plant 10 acres,” Helmick for growers who sell potatoes in of exhaustion. For the Rangers Gold reported that the Atlantic wants to enlist farm-equipment the competitive open market. An the thought of having won this and Snowden varieties produced dealers to provide tractors article in the July 9, 2014, issue hand of such a deadly game particularly good yields at La- and other equipment needed of the Idaho Falls Post Regis- surely sent thoughts of justifi - kin. to plant potatoes. He envisions ter noted that the market price Atlantic and Snowden pota- cation and jubilation through the landowners paying a fee for at that time was below the cost toes have white fl esh. They are the services. of production. every man. For Generals Kel- primarily processed into pota- ley and Crook, becoming mem- A local conservation district Last year the state Agriculture to chips. supervisor would oversee the Department bought a potato-pro- bers of the exclusive “Captured “We’ve learned a great deal but Generals” club was surely operation for the fi rst 1, 2 or 3 cessing machine and installed we also had our eyes opened to a summers, Helmick said. it at the department’s Huttons- among the unsettling thoughts number of issues we have to ad- considered that evening along “We’ll also teach them (land- ville farm. The machine washes dress, none of which we feel are owners) the fi nancial end of and dries potatoes, sorts them with being prisoners to a people insurmountable,” Helmick said. from whom you had won undy- it — not only how to grow it in three sizes, and bags them. “The Black Gold analysis says but how to grow it to where The department also bought a ing enmity. the Lakin property — we like (Ed. note: The above account it’s economically feasible to potato digger to help with har- to call it our western prop- make a job of it and create a job vests. is written by Rob Wolford, erty, on the Ohio River — is official historian for the City that will see an improved life- Helmick likes to call “McNeill’s Rangers” by John Paul Strain — Captain Jesse quality land. We know we can style,” Helmick said. growing and selling produce McNeill passes through Romney with his prisoners, Federal of Romney, and will be brought grow white potatoes, cabbage, to Review readers throughout “We’re not going to invent a in West Virginia a “$6-billion- Generals Kelley and Crook and the Cumberland garrison flag. corn and a number of products wheel. What we’re doing is go- dollar opportunity.” 2015 as a public service.) q on land on the western side of

One key point involved the ex- that’s a visionary and wants Month, gave the students a Kitchen cessive sentencing claim, when Johnson to go out and be someone Waxing chance to spend time learning Nelson noted that Kitchen was sen- who brings businesses into about African Americans, as n From Page 1A tenced to consecutive terms based n From Page 1A our county instead of some- n From Page 1A well as work on their presenta- on a lack of remorse and emotion, one who is always reacting tion skills. tion of habeus corpus relief, other- though he was told not to show any the city of Romney until to conditions,” Hott said. The class chose from ath- “I am extremely proud of wise known as a Losh list. emotion during his trial. July 1. Hicks praised Johnson’s letes, historical figures, politi- them,” Massie said, adding, Kitchen signed off on claims of Another point was made regard- The dual role will allow persistence and organiza- cians, musicians and other sig- “they went above and beyond 10 of the possible 54 separate in- ing the claim of the state’s knowing her to oversee 3 big city proj- tional skills. nificant black Americans. what I asked them to do and stances of grounds of relief, though use of perjured testimony, but Nel- ects that Mayor Dan Hile- “Being able to see proj- The project, held in con- the results speak for them- 2 claims — irregularities in arrest son acknowledged that there was man hopes wrap up between ects through was the big- junction with Black History selves.” o and the state’s knowing use of per- no claim of intentional wrongdo- now and then — bringing gest thing,” he said. “We’ve jured testimony — were withdrawn ing by the prosecutor and that this the new sewer plant online been able to see what she’s Selena’s count. during the hearing. allegation would be covered under at the end of May, construc- done for the town.” Pete “He just was a loving, car- Kitchen claimed: prejudicial pre- the prosecutorial misconduct alle- tion of new sidewalks in the Board members Len Mc- ing father,” she says. “He was n trial publicity, failure of counsel to gation. Safe Routes to School pro- Master and Bob Cheeves From Page 1A there for us when we need- take an appeal, consecutive sen- Nelson said that inconsistencies gram this spring and expan- voted against the change. ed him for anything. He was tences for the same transaction, in- of Boyce’s testimonies — both dur- sion of the city’s water stor- Hileman said the City “excruciating pain, burning a jokester, loved his family, effective assistance of counsel, ex- ing the original trial and in Wednes- age tanks to comply with Council will discuss John- sensations and the taste of loved his grandkids, just ev- new state rules. cessiveness or denial of bail, claims day’s hearing — and Boyce’s in- son’s departure at next blood.” He had been hit once erything. There’s so much you of prejudicial statements by the “I didn’t want to give her volvement in a misdemeanor gun Monday night’s meeting. in the chest, back, lower ab- can remember.” prosecutor and an excessive sen- up, but in this job if she’s charge called into question the He anticipated advertising domen and 3 or 4 times in the In 2004, he had this to say tence. competency of then prosecutor successful, it’s going to ben- the position quickly. arm. His leg was “butchered.” Soon after the hearing got under- efit the city,” Hileman said. about the Vietnam War: Steve Moreland’s case. “I don’t ever expect to Only 3 of the 8 on his patrol “I believe we were lied to way, the only witness to take the “I know it’s a bit of a stretch,” “It’s a win-win.” find anybody of her cali- survived. Johnson takes over from about the situation, not only stand, John Allen Boyce, 27, of Au- Nelson said, regarding the initial ber,” he said, but noted, For his efforts, Nixon re- Shoemaker, whose latest here in the United States, but gusta, was brought by the petioner. claim that Boyce was perhaps in- “She’s not going to go very ceived the Purple Heart, a contract ended Dec. 31. He after we arrived in Vietnam. After being sworn in, Boyce was fluenced on how to testify by a far.” medal he kept in a desk draw- questioned by Nelson regarding his stayed on to oversee the au- And many still have hard feel- promise regarding his other legal Shoemaker was named er. cognitive ability and memory is- thority until a hiring selec- ings about it. I just hope we trouble. interim director of the de- Nixon spent a month in a sues. Nelson wondered if Boyce tion was made. Shoemaker can all put it behind us, re- She also raised question in the velopment authority in Tokyo hospital and 7 more has difficulty remembering the se- was 1 of 3 candidates inter- in the U.S. Naval Hospital in gardless of which side of the claim about prejudicial statements viewed for the job the 1st 2007, after he wrapped up a fence we’re on, and go for- quence of some events, as well as by Moreland, due to language Portsmouth, Va. While there if he had problems remembering week in February. stint as county commission- ward.” he used in his closing argument, he married Gail Frye. things more than 6 months in the But the authority’s per- er. He has served as execu- A documentary at the time where he said “I” instead of “we”, Nixon returned to college past. sonnel committee decided a tive director on a year-to- on men who were injured in and a statement he made where he after he married, earning a Boyce, a key witness for the change was in order, bring- year contract since then. Iraq moved the Vietnam vet. said that he has tried murders with- bachelor’s degree in education prosecution in Kitchen’s 2009 mur- ing Johnson’s name to the Last summer the HCDA “I saw the same look of out a body. board voted to post the po- from Shepherd College and der trial, admitted that he did. full board after a closed ses- later his master’s in counsel- hope for a normal life in their James responded, saying that sition and bring a full-time, Nelson’s angle was to call into sion last Wednesday. ing. He taught or served as a eyes that I had. In fact, I saw calling into question inconsisten- permanent director on when question Boyce’s ability to clearly Board President Jason counselor in Hampshire, Pend- myself in their place. The cies and alleging use of perjured Shoemaker’s contract ran remember what happened the night Hicks reported the recom- leton and Mineral counties be- physical and mental toll is so of Malcolm’s murder. testimonies were 2 very different mendation and Bob Hott, out. great.” things. fore his war injuries led him to She raised inconsistencies with who sits on the board as the During Shoemaker’s ten- Review correspondent Nora At that point, after an explana- retire in 2004. his story detailing his mother 1st County Commission’s rep- ure the HCDA opened a Over the last 10 years, Nix- Kimble contributed to this re- tion by Judge Carl, the claim was alerting him to Malcom’s death and resentative, put her name technology park in Capon on underwent 17 surgeries by port. o also the conversation he had with withdrawn. into nomination. Bridge. Two years ago, the Kitchen at his home where Kitch- James then went on to respond “Eileen stood out far and authority rolled out a pro- en confessed to using a baseball bat to the other claims, and said that above anybody else, in my posed $22 million over- and steel-toed boots to kill Mal- the circumstantial case the state opinion,” Hott said. haul of the business park on colm. brought was argued fairly and well He called her motivated Romney’s north side to in- Hampshire County prosecuting by Moreland. and a self-starter. clude a train station, retail Attention Grassy attorney Dan James cross-exam- “He put together a great case and “We need somebody shops and walking trails. o ined Boyce, and Boyce said that the jury believed the state’s version despite having trouble remember- over the defense’s,” James said. “We do a lot of the weath- ing the entire conversation that Nelson then drove the point Bridge ering steel with low beams Lick Road Runners! home that Boyce’s memory issues and structural plate,” he took place at Kitchen’s home, he n From Page 1A We are looking for any interested did remember hearing Kitchen say were “a cause for concern.” noted. he killed Malcolm. Those issues combined with the Erected in 1936, the truss alumni to help plan a School Reunion Nelson also noted that the call other claims led them to the hear- which parallels the river on bridge requires repainting to 911 about Malcolm’s “injury or ing. the north, and Long Road, and higher maintenance for the Grassy Lick Elementary School. death” came in at 10:10 p.m., but “You can look at each of these er- on the south. than new bridges, Thorne Boyce testified hearing about the rors on their own and maybe they “Better sight distances said. Any help, pictures, memorabilia or information will be are going to make it much Two years ago the bridge incident between 7 and 9 p.m. from are not enough, but this was a 4 day greatly appreciated. A meeting is scheduled for March 5, his mother, again raising the notion trial and the errors are cumulative.” safer,” Thorne said. “That’s was rated 4, in poor condi- of inconsistency in his testimony Judge Carl then noted that both one of the reasons they de- tion on a 0-9 scale used to at 6 p.m. at Kirby Assembly of God Church for anyone relating to his memory issues. the state and the defense had 30 cided to move it upstream.” evaluate every bridge in the interested in helping make this event happen. Since there were no other wit- calendar days to submit any addi- The replacement bridge state. nesses called, Judge Carl read over tional pleadings or other informa- will probably look a lot like Engineer Gary Klavuhn You can email [email protected] or the other claims of the grounds of tion to him on the case and that the the U.S. 50 bridge, Thorne noted then that bridge has a ruling would “take a little while said, although a final design weight limit because of the call/text 304-433-1406 for more information. relief, and Nelson made points re- o garding each one. and it will be thorough.” o won’t be decided until July. poor condition. Wednesday, July 1, 2015 Hampshire Review n 5A

Op-Ed

ROB WOLFORD now Keyser. He arrived there that night and began Romney Flag has a ratio of 1-to-3 hoist-to-fly possibility that the flag was made in a production his forced march to Romney by way of Headsville making it an unusually long flag. line. and over the Middle Ridge Road. The canton of the flag deserves special mention. While purely conjecture, it is likely that Col. Col. Wallace and his men arrived in the environs It measures 27 by 36.5 inches and has 11 stars in Arthur Cecil Cummins brought the Romney of Romney in the early morning hours of June 13. a somewhat odd pattern. The star arrangement Flag to Romney from Harpers Ferry and that its ‘Romney’ flag Sighting artillery in the Indian Mound Cemetery was originally an archetype circle of stars initially origins are similar to that of other flags made he had his men rush across the Romney Bridge comprising 7 stars with 4 added within the circle in the Shenandoah Valley. The manufacture symbolizes history and climb the embankment to the high-ground on at a later date. of Confederate Flags by the loving hands of the other side to flank the rebels. Having gained an Assuming that this is the case, the flag was likely “Loyal Ladies of the Sunny South” is a fact that What has become known as the Romney Flag advantage with his more disciplined troops, Col. made about March 2, 1861, with the addition of Southerners treasure. rests in a quiet corner of the Stonewall Jackson’s Wallace wheeled his forces left to charge the flank the 7th state, Texas, to the Confederacy, but before Sam Watkins remarked that his hairs stood on Headquarters Museum in Winchester, Va. of the Confederates in the cemetery. the addition of the 8th state, Virginia, on April end while he listened to the dedication ceremony A tattered remnant of a Union victory in a dusty By this point all Confederate forces had retreated 17, 1861. If this be the case, then it may be that little crossroads town in western Virginia over 150 east through Romney taking most of the civilian the flag was manufactured outside of Virginia, as of his unit’s flag as the young volunteers of years ago, the flag is likely the only tangible link population with them. Wallace’s men found the Virginia did not join the Confederacy until a month Tennessee swore that they would die to defend to that sunny June day when Lew Wallace began town deserted but for the African-American following the 7th star being added to Confederate their colors and that no one would take the object Romney’s Civil War saga. population. Many homes had hot breakfasts flags. of the affection from their hands. Among the first 10 engagement of America’s awaiting them all over Romney. Within the 7-star circle there are 4 additional To say that a flag is only a piece of cloth and that bloodiest war, the attack on Romney inaugurated Col. Wallace’s assessment of the geography stars, presumably for the states of Virginia, its existence is for utility only is to not grasp the the tradition of capturing opposing forces’ flags surrounding Romney caused him to decide not Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee, added meaning of national colors. It is more, much more, during the Civil War; an act that would cost many to occupy the Appalachian hamlet any longer as each was added to the Confederacy. Because than the sum of its individual parts. In its furls are their lives and earn others the nation’s highest than needed. He ordered his men to confiscate all Tennessee joined the Confederacy on June 8, recorded the noble acts of the men who followed military decoration, the Medal of Honor. military material and to burn what could not be 1861, it is very likely that the last alteration to it to victory, defeat and, for 1 in 10, death on the It would be fair to say that the flag was one of the carried off. the flag was made just 5 days prior to its being battlefields of the Civil War. first captured by the Union Army, if not the first. Among the items that he lists in his official captured and possibly altered in Romney. That the Romney Flag was captured so early The action known as the Romney Raid was an early report is a rebel flag. Col. Wallace returned to The stars on the flag measure roughly 3.5 in the war speaks to the undisciplined and green Union victory amidst Union defeats seemingly Cumberland that afternoon. The Romney Flag inches point-to-point. They are in pairs sewn onto nature of the early Southern recruits. In time these everywhere else. No fewer than 7 lithographs were eventually found its way to Indianapolis, where it opposing sides of the flag so that the stitching for same men would lead charges across open fields a executed depicting stages of the raid in Harper’s was displayed as a trophy of war. each becomes the stitching for its twin on the other mile wide in the face of artillery and musketry and Weekly and the New York Illustrated News, a rare The Romney Flag is what is known as a First side of the flag as expected. come within a whisper of winning Confederate phenomenon for a skirmish in which only one National pattern of the Confederacy. It was chosen However, a couple of the stars have stitching independence. Union infantryman was wounded. from a wide range of designs and officially adopted that misaligned and leads one to ask if this flag In the 1960s, circa the Civil War’s Centennial, Colonel Lew Wallace, commander of the 11th on March 4, 1861. For this reason the Romney was pieced together in a hurry or in some factory many of the Confederate Flags captured in the Indiana Zouave Infantry arrived in Cumberland, Flag can be dated to having been made sometime setting where quantity was prized above quality. Md., in the late afternoon of June 12, 1861. Anxious between March 4 and June 13, 1861. Little else is The canton of the flag is made of 3 pieces of conflict were returned to their respective states. to get into the conflict before it ended, Wallace known about its origins. indigo blue fabric; its hue is deep and rich. There Among those returned was the Romney Flag. inquired whether there were any Confederate The Romney Flag measures 40.5 by 112 inches is one large piece on which the stars are sewn and While it is still a mystery why the flag was not activities in the immediate area. or about 3 by 9 feet. Because of its rather large two smaller pieces used to fill in at the bottom. returned to its place of capture, it does reside a Finding that Confederate forces under the dimensions it is likely that it was a garrison flag One star overlaps the seam on the canton pieces; short distance in a secure location and in the care Command of Col. Arthur Cummins were training for Romney. piecing a flag together from remnants in the of loving curators whose respect and affection for and organizing at Romney, just 30 miles southeast A study in 1976 by H. Michael Madaus and 1860s was more the norm than an exception. That it is never in question. ❏ of Cumberland, Col. Wallace set off to disperse Robert D. Needham of surviving Confederate the pieces seem cut from the same cloth and are the rebels at Romney. He ordered his men to flags found that most First National flags have not uniform indicates that the maker had many Rob Wolford is the historian for the city of entrain and commenced at once to New Creek, a proportional ratio of 3-to-5 hoist-to-fly. The projects afoot and this was but one evidences the Romney. He holds an M.A. in history.

and for a quarter of a mile we out: “The speed limit is not a driving at least 50 miles per hour town’s share is $50. some of it minor, but still impor- can see them and they can see suggestion. It’s the law.” — 15 miles over the limit. They How much revenue does this tant, especially to the victims. Speed us.” Complaints about ticketing for often charge faster drivers with generate? Calculating 30 speed- The chief has paperwork to n From Page 1A Rice says the exchange that speeds barely over the limit were speeds under 50 to reduce the ing tickets a month at $50 each do as well, to which Chief Rice follows a stop is predictable. made 2 years ago, when two lo- penalty — “at our discretionary would give the town $1,500 a has added work on grant propos- hiding behind trees and bill- “When we pull them over, cal citizens spoke out at the May call,” says Officer Yonker. The month or $18,000 a year, a lit- als to bring in money for police boards. Hidden speed limit they say ‘I didn’t see the sign,’” 2013 Capon Bridge City Coun- fine is $110 if the driver does not tle over 7 percent of this year’s equipment. Issuing speeding signs. Speed limits unreason- he continues. “Excuse me; we cil meeting. They charged that exceed 50 miles per hour. town budget. Speeding ticket tickets is just one part of their ably low. Drivers cited for driv- have a sign warning the speed former police chief Amos Dam- While $110 may sound like revenues fall far short of paying work. ing just a mile or two over the limit is decreasing followed by a ron cited drivers for driving just a lot of money, not that many the salary of even one full-time Speed trap or not, the Capon limit. Rural towns using speed- speed limit sign and a sign say- a mile or 2 over the speed limit, drivers are cited per day. Chief police officer. Bridge police will continue to ing fines for revenue. ing ‘radar enforced’ on Route 50 and accused the town of depend- Rice said the Capon Bridge po- Chief Rice is quick to point enforce speed limits, Rice says, None of these meanings flatter at both ends of Capon Bridge.” ing on speeding ticket revenues lice issue 20-30 speeding tickets out all the other things his de- for several reasons. the police, and all of them an- Capon Bridge speed limits ap- for funding. in an average month. Every traf- partment does. Being visible Pedestrians in Capon Bridge noy Capon Bridge Police Chief pear reasonable, judged by state Council member Janet Baker fic stop does not result in a ticket is part of the job, and sitting in walk along roads that lack side- Ralph Rice. standards. The West Virgin- responded, saying she had re- for speeding. People pulled over highly visible locations along walks. Some try to cross U.S. “They act like we’re hiding ia state driver’s manual recom- cently examined the town’s tick- may be getting warnings, or be Route 50 gives citizens an op- 50. Cars pull out into traffic behind signs,” he says. People mends a speed limit of 25 in res- et files. She found no one tick- cited for missing or expired tags portunity to stop and talk, as from parking lots and at inter- even say this when he or the idential and business areas. The eted for doing less than 7 miles or inspection stickers. they frequently do. sections with no traffic lights. town’s other full-time police of- 35 mile per hour limit on U.S. over the limit, and agreed with The town keeps less than half On a typical day the police Justified or not, Capon ficer, Paden Yonker, sits at the 50 is generous compared to that, Chief Damron’s statement that of a $110 speeding fine; $60 also make the rounds of town Bridge’s reputation as a speed shale pit up the road from Jill’s and the 25 mile per hour limit most ticketed drivers were at goes directly to the state. This businesses at least once, and trap may be a good thing. As Barber Shop, a favorite location on Cold Stream and Christian least 10 miles over the limit includes $40 for the region- during the school year they di- Mayor Steve Sirbaugh point- for monitoring traffic. Church Roads is exactly what when he pulled them over. al jail, a $10 criminal correc- rect bus traffic at the intersec- ed out during that City Coun- “Nine times out of 10,” he the state recommends. Today, Chief Rice and Officer tion fee, $8 to the crime victims tion of U.S. 50 and Cold Stream cil meeting back in 2013, traf- says, “the cars we pull over for Whether you think them low Yonker say that most speeders compensation fund, and $2 for Road. They enforce town ordi- fic slows down when it goes speeding are headed towards us, or not, Officer Yonker points they pull over on Route 50 are law enforcement training. The nances and deal with crime – through town. o

conflict with the fair. Some Second, Carl ordered the 2 at- surprise. He characterized the Those charges were dropped also worried that student ex- torneys to negotiate over which change as simply another devel- and the pair was re-indicted to- Fair hibitors would find it difficult O’Hara crime scene photographs will be opment that any attorney would gether in May, allowing James n From Page 1A if the fair were held during a n From Page 1A submitted in evidence. Brill has have to deal with. to pursue trying them jointly school week. described some of the pictures “Anything and everything in August. Shoemaker’s plea Contracts with the compa- Many young people now tion from O’Hara’s defense at- as gruesome. changes everything,” he said. “It agreement meant Judge Carl nies supplying rides for coun- spend the day at the fair- torney Jonathan Brill that James Shoemaker’s plea agreement can be something happening in didn’t have to rule on motions ty fairs are signed a year in ad- grounds tending to their ani- disclose any statements made stipulates that his sentencing a trial and you just deal with it.” from both defendants to sever vance. When the school makes mals. The conflict could also by Shoemaker leading up to the will occur after Mandy O’Hara’s Mandy O’Hara was dating the trials. its decision in late spring, fair mean financial disaster for the trial. James agreed to do so be- trial. He faces a sentence of up Shoemaker’s father, John Ste- In addition to 1st-degree dates cannot be changed. fair, since parents might not al- fore Judge Charlie Carl ruled on to 20 years in prison, although ven Shoemaker II, at the time of murder, O’Hara faces charges The outcome was in doubt low their children to attend the the motion. he is permitted in the agreement the murder. She was living with of conspiracy to commit mur- in the months preceding the fair on school nights. Two issues remain outstand- to argue at his sentence hearing Shoemaker III and his pregnant der, concealment of a human vote. The discussion was dom- Profits from the fair are di- ing for Carl to rule on before the for a 10-year term. girlfriend, Gabriella Clutter in body, conspiracy to conceal a inated by those who opposed vided among the Ruritan clubs trial. First, Brill has announced Brill said Monday that Shoe- Capon Bridge. deceased human body, burglary any change. Several commit- that plan and staff it, and then his intention to request a change maker’s guilty plea and im- Both O’Hara and Shoemaker and conspiracy to commit bur- tee members strongly support- used for scholarships and other of venue. pending testimony came as no were indicted last September. glary. o ed what they saw as a 50-year forms of community service. tradition of holding the Hamp- These profits depend on young dent achievements and gradua- Standards for those responsi- for college and beyond.” shire County Fair in August. people and families purchas- tion rate are taken into consider- ble for educating the students at Hardinger resides in Augusta Some doubted the Board of ing food and tickets for rides HHS ation, and Hampshire is current- HHS are also going to be a top with her husband Ed who dou- Education would ever set the throughout the evening. n From Page 1A beginning of the school year In the end, the vote came ly moving toward gaining that priority in the new administra- bles as both the physical edu- any earlier in August, or al- Monday night without further status. tion. cation teacher at Romney El- low the school calendar to con- discussion. Representatives of One of her main goals is to fol- “That was Mr. Woofter’s “I want to make sure we ementary School and the wres- flict with the fair. Representa- each Ruritan club were given a low the path set by Woofter to dream and I want to continue have the best teachers that are tling coach at HHS. They have tives of one club announced paper ballot allowing the club make Hampshire High a state that,” Hardinger said. “We rose teaching up to their potential,” 2 daughters, Brianna, a nurse in that their club would refuse to one vote, and the vote favored School of Excellence. in the ranks with our testing last Hardinger said. “As we hire I Morgantown, and Janna who is participate in the fair if it were moving the fair to July, 6 clubs “It’s a criteria set by the year and I think the preliminar- want to get the most highly qual- studying elementary education moved to July. to 3. state,” she said. Things like stu- ies looked pretty promising.” ified people to prepare our kids at Fairmont. o Those in favor of the move Committee Chair Paul Lew- were quieter, many not entire- is will check with the company Another cause for pause is ern history, it is not about hate. I terest in our organization to help ly happy about the move, but supplying rides to make sure the fact that the badge worn feel that it has become a major save our beliefs,” he said. thinking it necessary. Some the last week in July is still Flag by Romney’s police force con- issue and the people with strong “We are highly upset that it privately favored allowing the available. So long as it is, the n From Page 1A tains the confederate flag that Southern heritage will not let it has gone this far. The Sons of Board of Education to base Hampshire County Fair will has caused so much controversy be tolerated. Confederate Veterans will stand decisions on educational con- move to the last week in July Only a few weeks removed from over the last few weeks. “There are many things in this up to honor this flag no matter cerns, without worrying about in 2016. o Confederate Memorial Day cel- Hileman says so far he has world that offend people. We see what. ebrations here, the flag and the not heard any call to remove or it everyday, but it does not mean “This flag — along with all summer. cause are back in the spotlight. change it. that we banish or get rid of it be- the other flags of the Confed- July 4 “Our corn crop is excellent,” Romney Mayor Dan Hileman “If it’s offensive I would cer- cause it might upset or offend eracy — represent our heritage, he said. says it is the duty of both the tainly consider changing it, but someone. honor and respect for those that n From Page 1A The recent rain hasn’t been town and its residents to remem- I haven’t heard any comments “When will it end? Are we go- fought and died under those a problem for them, either. ber those —on both sides of the at all from the local public,” he ing to keep removing things be- flags. war — that fought and died. said. cause it offends others? I hope “Many of our ancestors nev- Hampshire County (it primar- “That’s one thing that can take “We recognize those that “It’s been there for years and not. There will be nothing left in er gave up the fight and we will ily goes to feed livestock), the all the moisture you can give sweet corn that so many people served on both sides and I think years, way before my time. I this world.” continue to stand proud for our- it,” he said. “ Our corn grows that’s the right thing to do. That have never even thought about Arnott says that the back- selves and our ancestors,” he enjoy sinking their teeth into is on a hill, not in the low lying was a very important point in it, honestly,” he said. lash has his group protecting said. o also ready to go. river areas. I’ve never seen it our community history,” he said. Another group feeling the their cause more than ever, but “It’s all coming in good,” too wet for corn for us,” he “What we do is honor both wrath of the rebirth of the con- it also has drawn up new inter- Arnold said. said. sides. We don’t show any par- troversy is the Sons of the Con- est in those interested in joining So good, in fact, that the Ar- Like Arnold will do later this tiality and even though we have federate Veterans. the group, which is a good thing Colts Restaurant nolds plan to start selling corn week, Cook said they have be- Confederate re-enactors we “I feel that is an attack on in the middle of all the contro- this Friday, just in time for gun getting the corn out to the have had Union ones in the past our heritage,” said Matt Arnott, versy. & Pizza Park the many 4th of July festivi- masses. as well. Camp Commander of the Moun- “With our heritage under at- Main St., Moorefield ties that will take place in area They started picking their “I feel personally it’s impor- taineer Partisan Rangers Camp tack and others trying to erase 304-538-2523 • 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. backyards all weekend. They sweet corn last Friday and it tant to recognize everyone. The 2249. what has happened in the past, will be set up at Rite Aid in is now for sale at their Lynn’s Civil War was so devastating to “The Sons of Confederate Vet- people are now interested in Daily SpecialS Romney as well as the farmers Market location at Mountain the country.” erans is there to preserve South- what is happening and taking in- Weekend Steak market at the Wellness Center. Top. & Seafood Specials Eli Cook of Spring Valley “We have 30 acres of sweet Orchards and Farms is the oth- corn that comes in about 2 www.HampshireReview.com Homemade pizza er major corn grower in Hamp- acres a week. That puts corn Made w/Fresh Ingredients shire County and is also ex- for sale from now through the For all the latest news, happenings and more around the area. periencing success so far this end of September,” he said. o WEST VIRGINIA’S BIGGEST BEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER•2006•2009•2010•2011•2012•2013•2014•2015 2 in a row Sports, Page 1C

Hampshire Wednesday, November 4, 2015 @Review.com Romney, WV • $1 PLUS TAX Hello Hampshire! From Roy Wolford, Amherst, Va. Mason Roach, Augusta Thanks for subscribing! First of 2 ATM thieves sentenced to prison Details, Page 3A

HEROIN HITS HOME FLOOD ‘It’s come OF memories around 30 years full circle’ Pill-popping gives way of lessons to cheaper cousin heroin What if it happens again? JIM KING Review Staff ED DEWITT Review Staff First in a series ROMNEY — Thirty years ago at this very mo- Heroin usage in Hampshire County is spik- ment life changed forever in Hampshire County. ing in 2015, mirroring a statewide surge that Record rainfall upstream made the South Branch brought President Obama to Charleston 2 weeks of the Potomac River flood to never-before-seen lev- ago, but lagging behind trends seen in Martins- els — it crested at 44.22 feet in Springfield — and burg and Winchester, Va. created a disaster in West Virginia that made national Numbers — of arrests, of overdose calls to headlines. 911, of deaths — only tell part of the story. Homes, camps, roads and bridges that marked Chief Deputy hundreds of years of family legacies and progress OVERDOSE Nathan Sions says were washed away in almost an instant. CALLS 80 percent of the We still experience the flood of 1985 every day. To Hampshire 911 center crime the Hamp- We pass by the ruins of homes. We drive over new POLICE shire County Sher- YEAR CALLS HELP bridges. We see river bedrock where once there were iff’s Office deals lush banks covered in towering trees. 2012 30 19 SPECIAL SECTION with tracks back to Three decades later, are we any better prepared to 2013 28 18 drugs. Prosecutor 2014 29 17 combat the rising river if —or when — it happens Dan James puts the again? 2015* 40 26 percentage higher. *As of Oct. 26 “We really should be better off for the next time,” “Ninety per- Charlie Baker, Hampshire County Floodplain Ad- cent of my cases ministrator and chair of the West Virginia Floodplain are drug-related. Association, said. The breaking-and-enterings, the burglaries — Among the many hats he wears in his line of work, they’re drug-related and people are getting sick Baker manages the county effort to make sure all of it,” he said. Flood structures built in the floodplain are up to code and Sheriff John Alkire explains: “When it comes were constructed with all the proper permits. down to it, people are stealing property and of memories “Hopefully I am doing my job and getting the mes- pawning it for anything to get a little bit of cash.” sage out there,” he said of the proper way to build Increasingly, that’s to buy DRUG Review Files and manage structures in the floodplain. heroin as access has gotten TALK Water recedes from the Romney “We publish articles, we send letters and we regu- easier and the cost of related Bridge, where U.S. 50 crosses the late the special flood hazard better now than we did prescription drugs has risen. Opiates South Branch, the day after the 1985 in 1985,” he said. “We have a permitting process and Heroin is an opiate, ex- Drugs derived A 30-yeAr retrospective on the from the opium flood crested. greAt flood of november 5, 1985 make sure any construction in the flood hazard area tracted from the opium pop- meets minimum standards for the national flood in- py. Prescription painkillers poppy. A speciAl section in surance program.” Morphine the hampshire review like oxycodone and hydro- n WednesdAy, november 4, 2015 n codone are opioids, man- Codeine See FLOOD page 5A made drugs that mimic the Heroin effects of heroin. The way Opium they work is similar too. Opioids “It changes the brain,” Synthetic or says Cindy Corbin, execu- partly-synthetic tive director of Pathways, a drugs that mimic opiates Recycling begins Saturday recovery program based in Methadone JIM KING Review Staff Romney. “Somebody who HOW IT pital on Depot Street. is trying to get clean and so- Oxycodone WORKS ROMNEY — Hampshire To start the program off, a (sold as Perco- County’s new era of recycling truck from United Disposal ber from that, it’s almost im- cet, Percodan or What’s recycla- possible, it’s highly, highly, ble: Cardboard, slides quietly into place Satur- will be on hand to handle any OxyContin) Review Staff highly unlikely you can do Hydrocodone newspaper, day morning at a temporary lo- pent-up supply, said County it without going into a long magazines and cation for a single type of ma- Clerk Eric Strite. The temporary recycling station is set up on the west side (sold as Vicodin, catalogs of old Hampshire Memorial Hospital in Romney. treatment program and then Lorcet, Lortab) When: 8-noon terial. The bins will be open for pa- a long-term recovery pro- Demerol Saturdays and From 8 a.m. to noon, card- per recycling every Saturday gram.” Dilaudid Wednesdays board and other paper products from 8 to noon and starting on probably won’t be open that it undertook the petition drive Four or 5 years ago, pills Duragesic Where: Old like newspapers, catalogs and Nov. 18 for the same hours on day.” last year that forced the Coun- Hampshire Me- magazines can be dropped off Wednesdays. The program is a far cry from ty Commission into creating were the biggest concern for morial Hospital, law enforcement here. Before that, in the early Romney in bins on the west side of the “Wednesday the 11th is a what the Hampshire Recycling the effort that begins Saturday. 2000s, heroin was king, Alkire says. old Hampshire Memorial Hos- holiday,” Strite noted, “so we Cooperative envisioned when See RECYCLING page 5A n “Now the last couple 3 years it’s gone back more so to heroin,” he says. “It’s come around full circle.” After a few years without any heroin deaths, 2 were recorded here in 2014. See HEROIN page 5A n Review Staff fiscal year would have cost Giant rainbow ROMNEY — There will not $4,000 and a 5-year audit — be an outside audit for funds as requested by board mem- enthralls associated with Capon Bridge ber John Ward — would have Middle School. set the county back nearly entire county After Superintendent Skip $20,000. ED DEWITT Review Staff VETERANS DAY 2015 Hackworth presented the The vote came after Finance Hampshire County School Director Denise Hott present- THE POT OF GOLD — The morn- Board with 2 price options — ed the results of her own inter- ing commute for thousands of Hamp- for both a 1-year and 5-year nal audit to the board. Hott in- shire County residents was a lot audit — the board voted 5-0 dicated that the only informa- brighter than normal last Thursday, in favor of not spending the tion she did not yet have in- thanks to a massive double rainbow Boyce’s money it would cost to do so. volved purchases for the con- that gave new meaning to “Almost A 1-year audit for the last cession stand during athletic Heaven.” ED DEWITT Review Staff The show began at about WARS 7:35 a.m. as dark black and Living, Page 1B Board Secretary Shirley O’Dell swears in Jeffrey Crook as interim superintendent of Hampshire County Schools maroon clouds gave way SEE ALL to a spectacular light show 107 that was visible as far away PICS as Berkeley County. Board unanimously More than 100 visitors to the Review’s Facebook page posted photos of the rainbow, and specula- rejects CBMS audit tion as to where it ended ranged from Celebrating Hospice ED DEWITT Review Staff Board with 2 price options — the field next to Dollar General in Ca- Pages 6B-7B ROMNEY — There will for both a 1-year and 5-year pon Bridge, to The Bank of Romney not be an outside audit for audit — the board voted 5-0 at Sunrise Summit. “It was just glorious,” Leana Tim- © 2015 Cornwell & Ailes Inc. funds associated with Capon in favor of not spending the ED DEWITT Review Staff Bridge Middle School. money it would cost to do so. brook said in a post. “I heard the rain Thursday morning’s rainbow breaks After Superintendent Skip A 1-year audit for the last and wind and stepped out to the most through the clouds as seen from Hackworth presented the fiscal year would have cost beautiful sight. I was rushing out the across from Augusta Elementary WE’RE WITH YOU Hampshire County School See AUDIT page 5A n See RAINBOW page 5A n School. Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Hampshire Review n 5A

in, 7 for opioids and the rest for to go back — multiple trips a Heroin marijuana. week.” By September, Operation The Baltimore-to-Martins- n From Page 1A Greenlight a vet Catharsis hauled in 19 more burg connection is well docu- people, 8 on charges involving mented. Berkeley County was So far this year, heroin has heroin and 11 for opioids. designated as part of the Wash- not been listed on any death “These were some serious ington-Baltimore High Inten- certificates, but 3 point to the drugs,” James said in Septem- sity Drug Trafficking Area in campaign takes off problem. ber. September 2014. The HIDTA • On Jan. 4, Lorranna Mae He said heroin is making a designation sends more federal Review Staff Ginevan, a 59-year-old married rebound because the previous actionable national support for resources there to reduce drug homemaker in Augusta, died drug of choice — prescription The nation’s largest retailer is America’s veterans and their fami- abuse. lies,” a Wal-Mart press release of intoxication of opiates that pain pills — has gone up in pushing a nationwide effort to A HIDTA report this summer honor veterans in a new way as it said. “You interact with them every were not prescribed. price. day at work, at school and in the • On April 28, 20-year-old “Whatever the milligram of noted that Berkeley County’s works on its own commitment to 24 heroin deaths in 2014 puts it hire 250,000 vets by 2020. neighborhood. However, it’s hard Brandon Riggleman, a laborer the pill was, it was a dollar a per capita in worse shape than “Greenlight a Vet” is Wal-Mart’s to show them support or recog- from Purgitsville, died of “non- milligram,” James said. “Now campaign of honor and help for nize their contributions when, back prescribed” morphine intoxica- it’s more like $1.50 or $2 per Baltimore. America’s veterans. home and out of uniform, they’re tion. milligram. Prices have gone Across the Virginia line, The honor part is simple enough more camouflaged than ever.” • And on June 24, David up tremendously and heroin is Winchester and the Northern to join. The company said it chose green Matthew Downham, 49, a con- cheaper to buy.” Shenandoah Valley are facing Greenlightavet.com asks every- for the light’s color because a green struction supervisor from High Congressman Alex Mooney similar issues. As of July 23, 12 one to turn one light at home — on light means go, “and that’s what View, died of “a combined drug (R-Shepherdstown) put it this overdose deaths had been re- your porch or in your house — green and leave it veterans are known for — their ability to take ac- intoxication” at his home. way when he held a town hall covered in the region. on “as a symbol of appreciation and support for tion quickly no matter the challenge.” A 4th death, 33-year-old Jen- meeting here with area police “Thank goodness, we don’t our veterans.” Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart Foundation have nifer Williamson’s on June 2, in early September: “Law en- have the population,” Alkire The page urges participants to share their sup- committed $20 million in grants to organizations involved the opioids oxycodo- forcement is doing what they says. “Luckily we’re a more ru- port by taking a picture of the green light and post- that provide veteran job training, education and ne and hydrocodone. can to crack down on the pill ral setting with fewer people, ing it using the hashtag #greenlightavet. community-based collaboration. The 911 center has taken 40 mills, and heroin has been in- so we’re going to have less of The webpage also has a place to click to show Two donations include: calls for drug overdoses so far creasing in popularity. One pre- a problem.” support — support it says will be highlighted dur- • A $500,000 grant to Hire Heroes USA (Hire this year. The total for all of scription pain-killer can cost Keeping the problems of 2014 was 30. Law enforcement $20 while a bag of heroin costs ing the nation’s largest Veterans Day parade Nov. Heroes) to help increase their capacity. Hire He- those cities to the east there responds to about 75 percent of $8.” 11 in New York City. roes has built a national reputation of excellence is paramount for the county’s for their success at helping unemployed veterans those calls; the rest are emer- The supply is steady from the The help comes from Wal-Mart’s hiring pledge. drug court program. The discount giant recently hired its 100,000th find jobs. gency medical service alone. east, specifically Baltimore. “A couple of counties are re- veteran. • A $190,000 grant to Blue Star Families for a Ongoing undercover inves- “Some people make trips Empowering organizations including the Insti- tech-train-to-hire project that will train military tigations have resulted in drug quite often to Baltimore,” Al- ally, really struggling and have tute for Veterans and Military Families, Team Red, spouses for high demand and high growth careers sweeps coming out of 2 of the kire says. “They’re not pur- huge amounts of overdoes,” White and Blue, Team Rubicon, Hire Heroes USA in technology. This program speaks to the heart 3 grand jury sessions this year. chasing in large quantities; says Drug Court Supervisor and Blue Star Families have joined Wal-Mart in of one of the greatest challenge to military life, In January, Operation Frost- they’re purchasing with what Sarah Royal. “Our whole goal the campaign, which launched Oct. 26. which is 58 percent unemployment and underem- bite rounded up 22 suspects in- cash they have to support their is not getting us to that point.” “This is a campaign to help create visible and ployment among military families. o dicted on delivery with intent to habit for a couple days and Coming: Challenges in stop- o distribute. Three were for hero- make enough selling for them ping the drugs an actual person isn’t spoken to. “It’s almost impossible to Flood It’s the Cadillac of systems.” say,” Elliott said. “Petersburg Heare Watts. Thank you. They are breathtak- That system is an example of actually had a more severe flood Rainbow “Let me say this, wow! Ev- ing pictures of beauty.” n From Page 1A the interoperability radio and ery single picture shared is just The original post has in 1996, but the South Fork of n From Page 1A communication upgrades that the South Branch had less ex- beautiful. I love keeping up amassed 568 likes and 134 That is important because have been made through the val- treme flooding, so the impact with Hampshire County news shares and has reached nearly should a disaster like the 1985 ley over the last 30 years. “The wasn’t as great downstream.” door, but I had to just stop and because that is where my fa- 18,000 people. It is still up on flood happen again, it means the speed of information is dissemi- According to Elliot it would breathe in the fall rain shower ther is from and I have rela- the Review’s wall and all the county would be eligible for fed- nated faster,” Malcom said. take — forgive the pun — a per- and gaze at God’s promise.” tives there. Every person who photos shared by readers can be eral disaster assistance instead In addition, the county now fect storm of conditions. It was also a welcome sight shared their beautiful rainbow scrolled through and enjoyed in o of grants. “Grants you have to has satellite telephone and Inter- “To get an event like 1985 for Tennessee resident Kathy pictures has blessed my heart. comments section. pay back,” Baker said, “the fed- net that can be used if power and again in Hampshire County, it eral assistance you don’t.” phone lines are down. would likely require a wide- recycling on the May 2014 pri- That is probably the biggest Malcom also noted that since spread very heavy rain in both Recycling RECYCLING TIP mary ballot fell short of con- difference in how things were 1985, the city of Romney has the South Branch and South firmable signatures, but a new n From Page 1A In order to make re- handled in 1985. relocated their water plant, and Fork South Branch river basins cycling easy at home, effort over the summer put the “We were in the program but generators were installed at crit- combining and moving down- start with a system issue on the November ballot did not have the permit process ical infrastructure sites across stream,” he said. And it’s a ways away from as easy as 1-2-3. Just last year. in place,” Baker said. “That re- the county. “We’ve seen that it happened the commission’s own plan to have 1 small container Voters approved the state- ally started taking effect in “We are continuously up- before, so of course it’s pos- have a facility in Augusta next for each material that’s mandated wording by more 1986. That disaster led to us do- grading our ‘what if’ scenarios,” sible in the future. We have to to the Potomac Highlands Re- being recycled, 1 for than a 2-to-1 margin, starting ing things properly with more he said. “We constantly identify remember what happened then gional Jail. cans 1 for glass and the clock ticking toward Satur- stringent regulations.” what we need to upgrade.” and always be ready if it comes That site requires preparation 1 for plastics. A small day’s 1st collection. State law Baker’s team communicates Another major improvement our way again.” — excavation, fencing, oth- kitchen-size trashcan gave the commission 180 days with builders, homeowners, re- in the wake of the ’85 flood is Thanks to the diligent work of er security measures, parking works well as do 5-gal- from when the election was altors and insurance agents. “We the fact that the county now has people like Baker and Malcolm, spaces — that costs money the lon buckets for smaller certified to establish a “com- also talk to our congressmen,” 3 American Red Cross designat- Hampshire County has done just commission hopes a grant from homes and individuals. prehensive” recycling program he said. ed shelters should residents be the Department of Environ- that, gotten ready. — RANDY DAVIS, Delray for the county and then another In return, Baker can sleep at displaced. There was not a sin- “We participate in the com- mental Protection will pay. But 180 days to begin implement- night knowing he is doing ev- gle one in 1985. the grants won’t be announced munity rating system and that ing the program. erything in his power to be pre- Those shelters are at the Au- until next week or be available shows that the county goes “We’ll have an attendant on When the commission adopt- pared for the next big flood, gusta Assembly of God, Spring- until January. above and beyond the minimum duty,” he said. “We really want ed its 3-page plan in May, Rob- whether it happens or not. field Valley Fire Department “The commission would to avoid people putting trash standards,” Baker said. in Mills of the recycling co-op “People don’t like regula- and the Capon Springs Volun- He also warns about the trendy have just gone ahead and paid in.” teer Fire Department. gave the proposed start his sup- tions,” he said, “but my job is terminology of calling the flood the costs up front, but the grant United Disposal is provid- trying to help them preserve Generators have either been port. of 1985 a 100-year flood. won’t pay for reimbursements,” ing 1 bin and the county is rent- their investment. That’s the installed, or are ready to be in- “I understand you have bud- “Everyone calls it a 100-year Strite said. ing the 2nd. United is the main whole reason for this. We want stalled in those locations so that get concerns. We are a small flood,” he said. “When you call So, Plan B was hatched to trash hauler in the county and them to be able to pass that power can remain on for the vic- county with a very tight bud- it that, everyone assumes we recycle paper products at old under West Virginia Public Ser- event and still have a home.” tims in need. HMH until then. vice Commission rules had to get. And, I think we need to go That should offer a peace of Again, that is a little bit less won’t have another one for an- slow,” Mills told commission- other 100 years. You could ac- The new program replac- be given the 1st opportunity to mind when it comes to prop- to worry about should the skies es United Disposal’s monthly participate in the county’s recy- ers. erty and livelihood, but what darken for days and cause the tually have 2 or 3 of that mag- The commission’s plan in- nitude in 1 year, so calling it a 1 trips to Hampshire High School cling program. about the logistics involved with South Branch to erupt again. to pick up paper and cardboard. As part of the Region 8 Sol- cludes an open-ended approach emergency management? And, it can and likely will percent flood is the direction we to expanding, taking into ac- are going. A bin with narrow access is id Waste Authority, the trans- First responders and EMS happen again, at some point. for cardboard. A 2nd bin for fer station on Route 28 north of count changes in the market for workers in 1985 indicated that “The amount of rain that fell “What that means is that in recyclables. any given rain event there is a 1 other paper sits inside a locked Romney already accepts tires a powerless feeling loomed over in Hampshire County during the “This plan gives us plenty of percent chance that levels could chain link fence. (for a small fee), TVs, comput- the whole South Branch Riv- Flood of 1985 was far from un- Strite said security is a con- leeway for expanding,” com- exceed a hypothetical magni- ers and some metals for recy- er valley as there was little that precedented,” said Jason Elliott, cern, both at HMH and when cling missioner Bob Hott said in tude.” o could be done to help those in Senior Service Hydrologist at the program moves to Augusta. Petitions presented to place May. need until the water receded. the National Weather Service in As time passes and those af- Part of that was because com- Baltimore and Washington. fected most by the disaster of 1985 continue to pass on and munication was completely cut “It’s estimated 3 to 5 inches off thanks to massive power of rain fell in the Romney area be lost to the ages, Baker wor- outages as the floodwaters rose. in one day, which is something ries that complacency could set Thankfully, 30 years of techno- that happens at least once a de- in among those wanting to live logical advancements should be cade. What made this event his- near the river. mammo an asset if the unthinkable hap- toric was the amount of rain that It’s his job to always remind pens again. fell upstream.” them of the danger they face and “We now have the luxury of Franklin, in Pendleton Coun- the best way to be prepared for MONDAYS having a mass notification sys- ty, recorded 7.55 inches of it, and even with the threat of tem,” said Brian Malcom, Di- during that same time peri- flooding looming over the deci- rector of Homeland Security od. Similar heavy rain also oc- sion making process, people are and Emergency Management in curred in Petersburg. still building around the river as Valley Health is offering Hampshire County. “Statistically, that much rain much as ever. discounted rates for screening “Within seconds we can call in a single day has less than 1 “I think with the passing of mammograms scheduled on everyone in the flood plain with percent chance of happening in time people forget,” Baker said. Mondays. the push of a button. They can any given year,” Elliott said, “so “It’s been 30 years. Even I was link it up to their cellphones, that tells you it was an extreme just a kid then. People who come too, and it documents that we event, but it also tells you that in from out of state to build and spoke to someone or we know there’s always a chance it could didn’t live it don’t understand if a message was left. Then, we happen again.” that from mountain to mountain $99 o can send someone out to help if When, though? it was nothing but water.” paid at the time of service portion of the meeting. get information as to why a rep- using cash, check or credit card Audit Moreland arrived shortly after resentative of the WVEA was 6 p.m. for what he thought was a not invited to the superintendent n From Page 1A 6:30 meeting and was therefore interview. “He took a hostile not allowed to make his appear- tone and hung up on me,” Allen Every Monday $4,000 and a 5-year audit — ance. The meeting included an said of Hackworth. “This is not as requested by board member expulsion hearing set for 5:30 Page Memorial Hospital ...... 540-743-8103 John Ward — would have set p.m. that ended up being can- conducive to shared progress.” the county back nearly $20,000. celed, and the appearances por- • New superintendent Jeffrey Hampshire Memorial Hospital ...... 304-822-4929 The vote came after Finance Di- tion took place then instead of at Crook was sworn in by board Shenandoah Memorial Hospital ...... 540-459-1207 rector Denise Hott presented the the usual time of 6:30. secretary Shirley O’Dell. Crook War Memorial Hospital ...... 855-724-3384 results of her own internal audit Hackworth called Moreland began his tenure at midnight on to the board. Hott indicated that speaking a “moot point,” since Nov. 3. Warren Memorial Hospital ...... 540-636-0250 the only information she did not the vote for the audit had al- • Thanks were directed to Winchester Medical Center, Diagnostic Center...... 855-724-3384 yet have involved purchases for ready been shot down by the Hackworth from the board the concession stand during ath- board minutes before. There- members for his time and dedi- Call today to make your appointment! letic events. fore, Hackworth said, Moreland cation as superintendent. The vote brought the tension would not be allowed to make • Realignment of some re- involving the athletic funds at his appearance. the school to a head, and confu- Other highlights of Monday’s sponsibilities across the school sion regarding the start time of meeting included: system and the elimination of the position of Director of Mid- the board meeting had one par- • Gayle Allen addressed her All Valley Health hospitals are accredited ent, Micah Moreland, up in arms concerns of “being bullied” by dle/High School Curriculum. It digital mammography providers. that he was unable to address the the central office during a phone had been vacant and not in the o board during the appearances conversation. She was trying to budget for the last 2 years. FLOOD OF memories

A 30 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE ON THE GREAT FLOOD OF NOVEMBER 5, 1985

A SPECIAL SECTION IN THE HAMPSHIRE REVIEW n WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015 Similar stories from different points of view Review Staff fected by the flood of 1985 is gradually As you’ll read, we seemed to find at nothing we could do” to “We did what we From every angle, the stories were dif- disappearing. Three decades have come least one person willing to speak from had to do to get through it” filled the pages ferent, yet at the same time similar. And, and gone, and with them so have many of many walks of life. of text we received. as we found out, there were a lot of angles the stories, emotions and memories of the As the interviews took place and the The stories contained within these pages to cover. flood. Those of us who remain have a re- comments and stories poured in via mail, come right from the mouths of people who Condensing interviews and the submit- sponsibility not to forget and to preserve as email and social media, one binding factor lived them, and though we won’t be do- ted experiences of more than 2 dozen peo- much as we can for future generations. joined all the stories that we recorded. We ing another supplement like this for a few ple into 12 pages was a tall task, to be sure, Second, we wanted to give you, the res- are a resilient, conscientious people, and more years at least, anyone reading this is but we hope you’ll find this supplement idents of Hampshire County who lived even Mother Nature’s worst won’t hold us welcome to give the Review a call or send valuable on a few levels. through what was one of the worst natural di- down for long. us a note with your experience so it isn’t First, the age group of people most af- sasters in state history, a chance to talk to us. Comments ranging from “There was forgotten. J

ReviewA Staff storm collided with a mountain The storm that became the Flood of HAMPSHIRE’S LOSS 1985 started as a tropical blip nearly a 3 People dead month earlier off the African coast. 1 Bridge washed out By Oct. 31, the remnants of Hurricane 529 Homes destroyed Juan pushed out of the Gulf of Mexico north across the southeastern states. On 55 Homes condemned Nov. 3, a Sunday, another storm formed 39 Homes with major damage over Georgia and tapped the moisture left 8 Homes with minor damage in the atmosphere by Juan as it too drift- 40 Households displaced ed north. 28 Private businesses destroyed By dawn on Nov. 4, the storm was Source: KILLING WATERS: THE GREAT drenching southern West Virginia and WEST VIRGINIA FLOOD OF 1985 strengthening as it moved north. By night- fall, the center of the storm sat over Lynch- Those proved to be fatalities as well. burg, Va., and its clockwise motion pulled Rain total from Nov. Schools, which closed Nov. 5, reopened Atlantic moisture that ran smack into the 1-6, 1985, as report- the following Tuesday except for students eastern edge of the Allegheny Mountains. ed by the Charleston at Romney and Hampshire who lived west Within 24 hours, the deluge had hit office of the National of the South Branch. hardest at the headwaters of some of West Weather Service. Virginia’s great rivers like the Cheat, the With the roadbed of the South Branch Greenbrier and the South Branch, setting bridge washed out west of Romney the off historic levels of flooding that rolled only way across was by foot. through the communities and farms down- Statewide the numbers were staggering. stream. feet above flood stage and 4 feet higher First reports here were sketchy. At the time the death toll was thought to Petersburg was hit hardest with more than the previous record from July 1888. The Hampshire Review of Nov. 6, 1985, be 38, but it rose to 47. than 10 inches. The Weather Service office At Glenville, the Little Kanawha River included a statement from Romney Mayor The hardest hit were Grant and Preston in Charleston reported just over 4 inches crested 13 feet above flood stage and about Larry Miller. counties. for Romney. 2 feet higher than the March 1967 flood. He said the filtration plant on the city’s The loss is estimated between $570 mil- NOAA reported that the Cheat and At Philippi, the Tygart Valley River crested west edge had operated all night to provide lion and nearly $700 million. More than Greenbrier rivers crested at record lev- nearly 15 feet above flood stage, around 4 water reserves until rising water forced it 3,500 homes and 180 businesses were de- els. Record water heights were also seen feet higher than the previous record stage. to close at 4 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5. stroyed. Rich, valuable farmland was sim- on portions of the Tygart Valley, Little At Moorefield, the South Branch of the A week later the Review reported that an ply swept away. Kanawha, and West Fork rivers, and on the Potomac River crested about 10 feet above unidentified hunter from Brunswick, Md., The South Branch bridge was rebuilt and north and south Branches of the Potomac. flood stage and nearly 4 feet higher than had died in a camp and 2 of his compan- then replaced in 2010. The Flood of 1985 At Parsons, the Cheat River crested 10 June 1949, the previous record. ions were missing. passed from headlines to history. J

STORIES INSIDE OUR SPONSORS THANKS Round-the-clock water worries ...... 4 A home in the crosshairs ...... 7 Shaffer’s Funeral Home ...... 3 We thank those willing to be interviewed for Facetime memories ...... 4, 8, 9 Judy Judy’s tale ...... 9 Modern Woodmen ...... 10 this section, along with the following people Emergency responders ...... 5 Lary Garrett’s tale ...... 9 The Bank of Romney ...... 12 who provided the bulk of the photographs: Rob- Cheri Beverage’s tale ...... 5 Rick Harshbarger’s tale ...... 9 in Pancake, Splinter and Nancy Arnold, Mike Farm affected 30 years later ...... 6 and Linda Smith and Linda Cunningham.

FLOOD OF memories 2 Flood of Memories November 4, 2015 1985 Flood The devastation here are not many people in Hampshire flood of 1985. Our family was no excep- we have a place to clean up.” Many lost County who were not impacted by the tion. My Aunt, Mary Susan Williams, everything. My cousin, Carl Pownell from T had “back water” from the Rt. 50 Springfield had a cottage at the foot of the bridge, 5 or 6 feet on the main level Trough in Sector, W.Va. Many wonderful of her pre-Civil War home. Much family memories were made there and the was saved, much was destroyed. whole thing, land and all, washed down I recall my cousin from Mt. Lake the river. These photos give one a really Park, Md., commenting; “at least good idea of what changed.

s Before — My friends at the cottage standing in front of the garage the summer prior to the flood. The white truck in the background is pointed toward the foot of the Trough.

s Before — Looking southeast, toward the river prior to the flood. Note corner of the cinder block cot- tage on left side of photo. t After — Just over the head of the man wearing the cap (my cousin Carl) is the end of the Trough. The concrete slab s After — behind Carl and my dad, Loy, was all that remained of the ga- Looking rage. Note how the flood carved out and took the earth. southeast, after the flood. Note light color block of cement on left side of photo — the remains of the cottage’s concrete floor. The buildings off in the distance are the Trough General Store on the other side of the river. The flood took the trees, the earth and the cottage.

The power of Mother Nature was demonstrated beyond my imagination when this occurred. Prior to this, I would have never believed the magnitude of change that occurred in Sector, West Virginia. Carter Wagoner, Romney, W.Va.

November 4, 2015 Flood of Memories 3 FACETIME Your memories Jan Kesner I spent 2 nights at Ca- pon Bridge Rescue Squad due to Cold Stream being flooded. I remember waking up early to the sound of a helicopter landing be- hind the fire company and being greeted by the RESA 8/9 Execu- tive Director. He was flying to Bloomington Left, The Romney filtration Dam to “babysit” it. plant sits nearly complete- There were concerns ly submerged. Johnny Lew- it could be failing and is, the plant supervisor at if it did we wouldn’t the time, said he believes have much notice. He the water covered the told me if it didn’t hold, building at 1 foot every six the Johnstown flood minutes. Top, a sign notes in Pennsylvania would the high water mark of the look like a walk in the flood. creek compared to what this could do.

Barbara Shingleton I remember the cow Round-the-clock work that was stuck up under the bridge. Romney’s filtration plant was swamped, but heroics restored service

ED DEWITT Review Staff see state police lights flashing,” he said. “They house and sent to Winchester to be cleaned. Christine Seeders ROMNEY — The floodwaters of 1985 asked me where I was heading and I told them The next few days were taken little by little My brother, Thomas wreaked havoc on homes, business and fam- that I ran the water plant. A policeman told me as the building was brought back to working Seeders, lived past the ilies. Those stories are told frequently. What the plant was under water.” condition. bridge. We had to go people tend to skip over is the logistical night- Unable to get closer and assess the damage, “We worked in there cleaning everything and around to the other side mare it also caused for public utilities such as Lewis headed for the high ground. the power company replaced the wires, but all of the mountain to get electric and water. “I went up on Indian Heights and I walked they could do at that time was just lay them to him and his family. Johnny Lewis, the former supervisor at the down and stood on the bank and the water was on the ground going down to where the pum- My sister-in-law said Romney filtration plant, has been retired now already all around the plant,” he said. “At one phouse was,” Lewis said. “We finally got to that the water came up for 9 years, but like so many others in this area, time the river was rising a foot every 6 minutes. where we were ready to start and all we needed in their living room he vividly remembers the days surrounding That’s a lot of water. It finally crested at the was the pumps and the motors.” and kitchen; they had Nov. 4, 1985. rain gutters of the plant.” Somehow, even after all the work that need- one big mess. Water “We were told the evening before that there At that point, a meeting was called. ed to be accomplished and the odds stacked was everywhere. It just could be some major flooding,” Lewis said. “We discussed what we could do,” Lewis against them, the pumps were back and running messed up everything. “That night about 8 p.m. the Mayor called me said. “We decided that everyone needed to go on the 3rd day. So, my mother told and told me maybe I should go down and get and get some rest and we’d meet down there “No, it wasn’t potable at that point,” Lew- them to get some things the work van away from the plant. the next morning.” is made clear. “The health regulations said that together and they went Lewis had his wife drive him in so he could Upon arrival at the plant the following day, we had to have 3 consecutive samples good to to my mother’s house retrieve the van, and upon arrival it was already the river was down into the field nearby. drink before we could sound the all clear.” for a couple of days pretty bad, as the river was lapping up against “Our pump house was gone,” Lewis said. “It Once that happened, there was still much until the water went the side of the building. had been washed away completely, and that work to be done. The old plant’s basement was down. It was awful. “While I was inside trying to latch some was going to be a major problem.” still full of water and crews worked round the What a mess, but ev- doors shut, I heard her blow the horn,” Lewis After clearing debris from in front of the clock, but it was still a month until it was up eryone made it. J said. “The water was coming up on the wheels doors of the main building at the plant, the and running. of the van at that point. The mayor had also ar- crew was finally able to get inside. Looking back 30 years later, Lewis remem- rived and we both agreed there wasn’t anything “There was 6 inches of mud and silt on the bers the teamwork and the long hours. When else we could do, so we decided to meet again inside,” Lewis said. “We had to shovel and asked what you learn going through something in the morning to see how things were.” hose it out. Our filters had over a foot of mud like that, he noted that the ’85 flood made them As could be expected, Lewis slept little that on them. We worked 22 hours straight before more prepared for the floods that came in 1996. night, worrying about what awaited him the the mayor made us go home.” “You just never know what’s gonna happen,” J next morning. During that marathon work shift, the pumps he said. “It was unreal.” “When I came back through town I could were removed from the remnants of the pump

FLOOD OF memories 4 Flood of Memories November 4, 2015 ‘There wasn’t anything you could do’ EMS and fire crews faced an unheard-of kind of emergency ED DEWITT Review Staff A powerless feeling was ROMNEY — The scariest shared by many of the 1st re- part of the 1985 flood for emer- sponders and those working so gency medical services and lo- hard at the firehouse. cal fire companies wasn’t the “There wasn’t anything you dangerous river that caused the could do,” Weaver said. “No most alarm. It was the quiet. one had any power. The town “Emergency call wise there of Romney was just kind of sit- wasn’t anything you could do,” ting there cut off.” said current Augusta Fire Chief In the days that followed the George Weaver. “I was just a real work began. young kid back then and the “We had refugees come to A helicopter delivers supplies to be dispersed. memories are a little sketchy, the firehouse,” Weaver said. but emergency wise there “I know in the later days peo- wasn’t much we could do be- ple were bringing in relief sup- cause no one could call in or plies and we helped distribute CHERI BEVERAGE REMEMBERS call out due to the power.” those.” The worry for local fire and Water, or lack thereof, was EMS started at the same time another huge problem. First the phones went, then the electric it began for everyone in the “They got drinking wa- South Branch Valley, the night ter from a spring somewhere We lived 12 miles up River Road. I was tak- We had Hampshire County people in the military before. on Jersey Mountain,” Weav- ing graduate classes and was supposed to go back overseas calling to check on family, families from “I was at home listening to er said. “They hauled it down to Romney that evening for class. The creek had out of the area trying to find family members and the scanner as the flood came to the hospital and there was a already come over the road below St. Luke’s get word about their safety. down through Petersburg,” filtration system set up. In the church and I couldn’t go to class. It was chaotic and challenging but you didn’t Weaver said. “I listened to the days that followed, water was My husband Jay was working in Petersburg have time to think about being tired. The funniest Petersburg and Moorefield fire hauled by the fire trucks to Pe- and just got across the bridge before they closed call was about a cow in a tree. Nobody does cows companies talking back and tersburg. it. He parked his line truck on this side of the in trees — not DNR, not DOH, not even the fire forth, and then Petersburg went Perhaps the most remarkable bridge and it was destroyed by the flood. company. silent when they lost power. thing about the relief effort in I was emergency services director for the coun- We just had to find someone to cut the tree Then Moorefield went out.” Weaver’s opinion was the fact ty (just appointed in June of that year). Greg down. The cow was dead but it was near the top With nothing else left to lis- that it was done without any Kesner was on the rescue squad with me and of a pretty big tree! Like I said it was challeng- ten to on the scanner, Weaver real help. called about 1 a.m. to say they were doing water ing!! — like so many others — went “This was all before there rescues on Rt. 28 (pulling people out of cars that We went out on a body recovery in Springfield. to bed. were regional and federal re- were stranded). Three hunters died and were under several feet “I came to work that next sponses,” he said. “Everyone While he was telling me what was going on, of mud. There wasn’t too much that we didn’t day not thinking anything of just did what needed done. We the phone went dead. That was the last phone ser- get to do or see. I remember that first day I came it, honestly, and I was told I coordinated the whole thing. vice we had for three to four weeks. Electric went to Romney after the flood; I cried all the way to couldn’t work because there When I say we, I mean all of us out as well. town. was no power or no water. My up and down the South Branch The next morning we rode over a logging road All that beautiful area was devastated. Trees boss told me to go on up to the Valley. We did the best we to get to a spot we could see the river. It was and buildings and barns were gone. Debris and fire house because they were could.” an amazing sight. Mobile homes, cars, propane mud everywhere along with dead livestock and going to need me up there.” The hard work paid off, of tanks, livestock, parts of barns and buildings were other animals. It wasn’t the beautiful River Road By that point, the floodwa- course, as people gradually re- all floating down the river. of a few days before. ters had risen drastically. built their lives the best that The telephone poles were only out of the water It was months before things even got back to “It was across the road nu- they could. There was also by about a foot. Nothing looked familiar. It was close to normal. The railroad was destroyed and merous places on Rt. 28 before some perspective to be had, ac- three days before the water went down enough to track had to be rebuilt. Homes were destroyed or you get to the train station,” cording to Weaver, regarding get a car to town. My dad, Bob Shilling, was my badly damaged and many were condemned and Weaver said. “I went down to the minimal loss of life. assistant director and had everything set up at the had to be torn down. River camps were mostly all the state roads garage and it “Only 3 died,” he said. fire hall. Water, pallets of food, National Guard washed away. It devastated the county. was already coming up Rt. 50 a “There was no warning. No cooks, cots and shelter supplies were all in place No one remembered flooding that severe. The little bit and the filtration plant one expected it. It was such a and still coming in. 1930s was the last time we had a flood that de- was covered at that point.” rare flood. Had it happened 2 We ran out of tetanus vaccine and I called Sen- structive at the time. Of course we have had an- Like so many others who ex- weeks later during Thanksgiv- ator Byrd’s office. He had the military fly more other 100-year flood in 1996. We had enough perienced the awe of the rag- ing weekend the valley would in with some other medical supplies we needed. experience in ’96 that we were much better pre- ing river with their own 2 eyes, have been full of hunters. It Jerry Mezzatesta was in Charleston and between pared even though we had two floods that year. Weaver noticed a similar de- was catastrophic as it was, but him and the Office of Emergency Services in Hampshire County has been tested and I think we velopment that has been retold had it been hunting season the Charleston we got kerosene heaters, cleaning sup- proved we can survive. countless times. “Everything loss of life would have been an plies, bedding, personal care items. It was amaz- I pray we never suffer another flood like ’85 J ing how much and how fast the help rolled in. but I know we will be able to handle it if Mother imaginable was washing down astronomical total.” J the river,” he said. I was at the fire hall nonstop for several days. Nature brings it on.

FLOOD OF memories November 4, 2015 Flood of Memories 5 Right: Splinter Arnold stands by a silo on his property along River Road where (below) 30 years ago the raging waters of the South Branch reached during the great flood of 1985.

30 years later a farm still feels the effects ED DEWITT Review Staff have to turn over or rotate. You can just “You could see everything floating,” Once the water receded and the clean- ROMNEY — The devastation of the plant year after year.” Arnold said. “Hundreds and hundreds up effort began, part of the effort went to flood of 1985 is still clear today. Shore- That’s the benefit of being near the riv- of propane tanks were bobbing up and the tractor. “I totally rebuilt it,” he said. lines along the river are forever changed, er. The down side of that is a whole other down and washing away.” “Every bearing and every seal was re- homes that once held countless memo- ballgame. Unlike some other area families, Ar- placed. I had the engine rebuilt and put ries are gone and the memories of those “We are still living with it,” Arnold nold’s thoughts were about safety, but it back together and ran it for about 10 who lived it are still said, now 30 years re- like a true farmer, he was concerned years. The amazing thing was there was strong even 30 years lat- moved from the greatest about what this would mean for his live- no cosmetic damage to that tractor. It er. challenge his farm has lihood. was laying with the windshield up and One of the families When the sun ever faced. “I knew what was happening,” he said. you’d have thought a log or something and businesses impact- “came up the Like other families and “The dyke was gone and all of the fenc- would have gotten it.” ed the most by the great farmers along the South ing was gone. I was just looking ahead. At the same time he was working on flood was the farm oper- river was in my Branch, Arnold knew he There was going to be a lot of work once his tractor, he was also laying new fence ated by John and Nancy would be dealing with it was over.” and dealing with a lost corn crop. Arnold. backyard. some level of flooding In the meantime, Arnold headed to a “Sixty acres were buried under all that The Arnold Farm is ” that early November day. neighbor’s house where his corn com- sand,” Arnold said. “They don’t reim- about 8 or so miles up River Road, nes- What ended up happening was more bine was kept. “Of course I couldn’t get burse you for your harvest, either, only tled along the banks of the South Branch. than he ever expected. it to start,” he said with a laugh. what you paid to plant it.” High water sometimes filled the fields, “We were worried,” Arnold admitted. “At that point we figured it would be The work required to get back to nor- leaving behind sediment that would “You knew that morning it would be safe, but about an hour later they called mal was great. “There was about 3,000 make the soil so bountiful that Splinter bad. Nancy (his wife) woke me up at 5 me back and said we needed to move feet of fencing that needed to be re- Arnold says they call the area Sugar Bot- a.m. and said she heard a noise. We went it. So I waded out and wrapped a chain placed,” he added. tom. down and realized it was the river, and around it and we drug it out with a trac- Now 30 years beyond the flood, Ar- “It’s where we’ve grown sweet corn in when the sun came up the river was in tor.” nold still deals with the destruction it the past,” he said. “That river has been my backyard.” Somewhat miraculously, despite all the brought to his farm. up there several times before and after What he saw he could not wrap his water invading his property, Arnold only “It’s nothing really severe,” he said, ’85 and it’s one of those fields you don’t head around. had one tractor that was lost at the time. See FARM page 11 n FLOOD OF memories

6 Flood of Memories November 4, 2015 A home in the crosshairs of disaster ED DEWITT Review Staff glow all around, too.” VANDERLIP — Robin Pancake’s home has Robin estimates that the river rose about 9 feet seen its fair share of drama in its 235-year history, in 40 minutes. Once it was no longer safe to move however, nothing before or since has compared to any more belongings, the Pancakes had to climb what the home endured during the 1985 flood. onto a windowsill in order to board the canoe. The original home was built in about 1780, and “Our plan was to walk down the tracks to the that structure serves presently as the Pancakes’ car and come into Romney to my husband’s dining room. mother’s house. As that worked out, the bridge Since the 1st log was laid nearly 2 and one half was closed. We had no idea how bad it was.” centuries ago, the structure has been built onto It was so dark at the time it was impossible to at least 8 more times and has survived countless see all the devastation around them. brushes with the South Branch of the Potomac. “We weren’t panicked or anything,” Robin The house is about 1 mile west of Romney said. “We just thought we’d walk down the tracks on U.S. 50 in Vanderlip, on the 1st left turn af- and get to our car and go to town.” ter crossing the railroad tracks. It sits down in the The walk down the tracks provided a sensory field between Mill Creek and the river. experience Pancake had never had before and will “I remember a lot,” Robin said about the chal- never forget. “The thing I remember the most is lenges her family faced during the early morning the trees going out. It sounded like big guns going hours of Nov. 4, 1985. off. It was like when you see a war movie.” “Our front road flooded a lot. When we knew Once they walked down the tracks to Vanderlip, that was going to happen we would park in there was a ton of activity. People were helping Vanderlip and walk down the railroad tracks. people. The authorities were on the scene trying “My husband would always get information to help and keep people away from the railroad from his brother in Moorefield when it would get and the bridge. bad. We learned over the years that it’s about 6-8 “We got in our car and realized we couldn’t get hours after it peaks in Moorefield that it would to town,” Pancake said. “This was before 6 a.m. It peak at our house.” was still dark. The state road man With the impending flooding all was stopping traffic and he told us but certain, the family went to bed The water it likely wouldn’t crest until after as normal the night before, not “ 9 a.m. That meant about 4 more quite certain what they would find was coming up hours of it rising.” when they woke up the next day. All of that time meant a lot “My husband set the alarm for into the front more water. More, in fact, than Top: Robin 4 a.m.,” Robin said. “When he Pancake had ever seen or even Pancake on woke up he went downstairs and yard like it heard about. her porch to- opened the front door and he said “In the 1930s flood our house day. Right: the water was coming up into the had legs. did get water in it,” she said, “but a table is front yard like it had legs. ” not this much, and in 1947 the stuck on the Mr. Pancake then woke Robin and said she water got up and around the house, but not in it.” shutters in- needed to start carrying things upstairs. She then Once it was clear they would not be going any- side the woke her 3 children to begin helping her. where, there was little they could do. home, show- “We had 3 kids at home and 3 away at college,” “We moved the car and sat on the front steps of ing how high Robin said. “They were 13, 14 and 16. They were someone’s house and just watched it come up,” the water a big help. Of course, my husband made sure to was inside. Robin said. Below: be- tell me to tell the boys to save the guns,” she said At one point, Mr. Pancake went back to check longings dry- with a laugh. on the property. He said the water was going into ing outside. “At one point during that time I opened our their bedroom door, meaning it was cresting in back door and our beagle swam in. Then, my hus- the 2nd floor of the home. band came across the backyard in a canoe. When the water finally receded and the Pan- “My daughter and I got all the photo albums. cake’s went back the next morning, things were We were trying to think of the things we knew we very different than they left it, yet some things wouldn’t be able to replace. We spent about an were similar. hour running stuff up and down the stairs, piling “Our beagle was sitting right where we left it upstairs wherever we could find a place.” him,” Robin said. “He even went outside to use As the water came up into the house, the Pan- the bathroom.” cake’s beagle kept climbing on to the highest fur- In addition, another dog, horse and lots of cats niture. “After he got to the top of the back of one were still around. “They all were there waiting to of the couches he went upstairs and got on the eat,” Robin said. tallest bed,” Robin said. “From there he would The next several days and subsequent weeks not budge.” saw a lot of cleaning and teamwork for the few The water kept rising. It wasn’t until it got families near the Pancakes. waist high in the 1st floor of the home that Robin “It was complicated because the bridge was and the kids stopped. closed,” Robin said. “People came to help us and “The water was making all the rugs float,” she we helped the other people.” said. “We had no electricity, of course, so we The 1st step in the recovery process at the Pan- were using candles. But there was just a funny See HOME page 11 n

November 4, 2015 Flood of Memories 7 JUDY JUDY REMEMBERS FACETIME Your Family move was delayed as everyone pitched in to help memories I was a senior in high school. I remem- out. My dad, Robert Riffle, worked for GTE. no texting or Internet. ber being in Mrs. Robin Pancake’s art class He left at 5 a.m. and didn’t get home until 9 He walked over the bridge and also helped William Donald at HHS. We were wondering if it would stop p.m. or later. They worked endlessly rebuild- the Sitars and the Slocums hosing all their fur- I was in Dover Hol- raining. Mrs. Pancake was concerned about ing all the phone lines especially in Petersburg niture off. My mother, Brenda Riffle, Billy low spending time with the rain since the South Branch goes by her and Moorefield. and I ended up moving all the furniture from family just before the home. I could tell it worried her because My mom and I decided we needed to help Slanesville (the house was sold) hauling it flood. We always en- she kept looking out the windows. I just fig- the flood victims. We drove Route 50 east just down Route 28 to Fort Ashby to Route 46 to joyed food at the Wag- ured her driveway may have some flooding. before the Romney Bridge and helped Mr. and Fountain all around back to Beaver Run Road on Wheel in Moore- I found out later the whole first floor was full Mrs. Sitar. because the Romney bridge was out. field. I remember it of water. The floodwaters had been to the first sto- My dad was always working. At Blue rained for a week. Af- Some of the kids were joking about not hav- ry. We cleaned mud out of everything. At 17 Beach bridge it was one lane because of the ter the flood we had ing school the next day. My parents and I were years old I had never seen such disaster. It flood damage. I remember seeing spray paint to clean up and it was in the process of moving from Slanesville to my stunk and made you sick to see all the dam- on buildings with numbers like B-22. Those crazy. father’s family farm along Beaver Run Road at age. It was such a sad sight to witness. were to be demolished. I went to Moorefield Cows were in trees and the Hampshire and Mineral county line. There were several people helping. Linda months later and the whole town still looked it wasn’t a good sight. The next day we found out the Romney Richman Corbin was there. We all worked to- terrible. However, life went on Bridge was out. We had no phone service be- gether well. It felt good to help the victims. I It’s still hard to imagine all the damage the cause of the flooding. I missed 2 or more hadn’t heard or seen from my boyfriend at the 1985 flood caused to West Virginia and the helping others. How J could you forget the weeks of school because of the bridge being time. Remember, there was no way to call and families. I’ll never forget it. flood of 1985?

Miranda Nicol Miller I wasn’t born yet, but when I was 16 I lived in a house that had sur- vived the flood. After the flood, they rewired the bedroom that I had, which ended up having outlets about 6 feet up the wall. It also had a marker line on the wall that showed where the water had reached. It was a real eye opener because I wasn’t there but I could only imag- ine the destruction. Volunteers worked tirelessly at local firehalls to meet the needs of the hundreds of displaced county families. Lori Keplinger Carr Such a sad time! My grandparents and an uncle lost everything on the North Fork Riv- er. My sister and I were attending WVU, we couldn’t contact any- one, but came home to find everything gone. I’ll never forget the stench or my grandma’s strength at that time. J

FLOOD OF memories 8 Flood of Memories November 4, 2015 FACETIME LARY GARRETT REMEMBERS Your Trek across state memories stayed a step Josh Keiter: I was 5 years old and I ahead of worst remember my parents On Nov. 4, 1985, I drove from driving around to dif- home in Mathias to Franklin for ferent places in the area Court at 9 a.m. The case was set- showing me and my lit- tled around noon and at about 1 tle brother, Caleb, the p.m., William Moomau and I left high water. Some of for Charleston. We went through those images are still Judy Gap to the North Fork and with me today. then to Seneca Rocks and Elkins. The water over low spots on the North Fork was already brown and Rob Wolford nasty. We followed a tractor-trailer I was in the army at close enough that when he made a the time. I came home path through the water we quick- from Aberdeen Prov- ly drove through before the water ing Grounds to a very could return. different world the On the way up the mountain, weekend following the water coming down the hollows 2 days, flood. I helped my aunt was so high that it was hard to be- salvage her belongings lieve it all went into the culvert. I 2 views in Paw Paw. Every- kept thinking that at any second where you looked the Above: The bridge we would see a wall of water com- valley was monochro- over the South ing down a hollow or even the matic; the same muddy Branch just west road that it would wash us off the of Romney as brown color. mountain. flood waters were I had to file a civil suit in El- receding on Nov. kins. Some areas were impassi- Linda Cale 6, 1985. Right: ble because leaves had clogged The next day. Capon Bridge Res- the storm drains making for a lot The onslaught of cue Squad had the only of surface water. I had to wade water washed out 4-wheel drive ambu- through water to get to the court- the roadway at lance in the area. We house to file our civil suit. each end of the worked in the Moore- We got to Buckhannon right field area. The bridge bridge. before dark and just before they was out so we couldn’t were to close the bridge as the wa- get to Petersburg. ter was running fast. We arrived at the West Fork on I-79 near Weston just before the water crossed the Cindy Michael highway at a low spot making the I was in Petersburg on interstate impassable. the Sunday this hap- When we arrived in Charleston RICK HARSHBERGER REMEMBERS pened. We just got and turned on the TV to the news home and that eve- to see how bad things were get- Delivering employees and a 1st baby as well ning the water hit and ting, the weather man reported that my aunt and uncle had our area was getting some much I was working at the Potomac ets to draw from it. Blue Beach Bridge at Poland just went to bed around needed rain and seemed complete- Center the week of the ’85 flood I had some very good looks at Hollow Road. It took forever 9 p.m. that Sunday ly oblivious to the building disas- as I still do. The Romney bridge some of the badly flooded areas to get across and then through night. The fire com- ter that I had just witnessed. was out and we were living in around here when I repeatedly Fort Ashby and across Mineral pany knocked on their I appeared before the West Vir- the Burlington area at the time took our 4WD vehicle out into County to my house. door telling them to get ginia Supreme Court the next day, so the only way to get to Rom- the rural areas picking up and When I got there she was out, that the water was but was not able to return for an- ney was through Fort Ashby us- dropping off staff at shift chang- more than ready to go but our rising. other day and then had to go on ing the Blue Beach bridge which es that didn’t have a 4WD. dog had gotten out and was out Thanks to the firefight- Route 60 through Rainelle where I was damaged and only had one My wife was 9 months preg- in the woods barking at some- ers. They saved my witnessed the horrific aftermath of lane open at the time. nant with our first child and she thing so I had to go way down in aunt and uncle’s life the flooding of the Jackson River. The center itself, being up on called late one afternoon the day the woods to get her. that night. My wife and law partner, Kar- a hill, was fine except we had after the waters receded from We arrived at Memorial Hos- I have many, many en Garrett, was also in Franklin no drinking water just like the most areas, Nov. 8. She said it pital in Cumberland safe and memories of the flood on Nov. 4; she didn’t try to leave rest of Romney due to the wa- was time she thought, so I left sound however and pretty soon and it makes me cry for another hour or so and could ter plant being under floodwa- Romney trying to hurry home. after that we were the proud par- when I look back on all not get home until after I got home ter. The National Guard brought That wasn’t possible, howev- ents of Candice Leigh Harsh- of it. J from Charleston and that was only us a tanker truck full of water er, because I hit the line of traf- barger who today is pregnant by going to Harrisonburg. J and we used pitchers and buck- fic waiting to cross the one lane with our first grandchild. J

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10 Flood of Memories November 4, 2015 said there was never any thought of doing anything else. His fam- Farm ily has been working the farm n From Page 6 since 1892, and has owned it since 1938. but the big holes they dug to “My dad and granddad were put the stumps in are starting to gone at that point,” Arnold said of sink. The stumps are starting to the flood. “It was just me. My son rot. There are about 4 places in was still in college. I was selling our fields. We are living with it. corn. Local farmers were buying Things like that come up, and a lot and I was taking a lot to Pil- now whenever we are hauling dirt grim’s Pride. It was working for and don’t know where to put it we me. I never thought about chang- have a place we can take it.” ing the operation.” The change of the land is one of Today, as the river peacefully the challenges the Arnolds face. runs through the property and lots “The worst problem from the are leased to weekend campers, farming aspect was all the sand. Arnold is a realist when it comes You couldn’t get through it with a to what could happen again. truck, a tractor or anything else. It “It will happen again,” he said. took 4 or 5 years to get some or- “When though? That’s the ques- Above, the wheel of the tractor Splinter Arnold would later restore sticks out of the river. Splinter ganic matter and vegetation back tion. Tomorrow? Next week? would get it running again and use it for 10 more years. Below, the Arnold hog pen submerged by on the soil. There were areas that 2050? It’s going to happen again. the rising waters of the South Branch. were worse than others, but by The way these weather systems now it’s recovered pretty well. hang up. You saw what recently Though the extra work required happened in the Carolinas. If that to get the farm back to as nor- happens in Elkins? Water runs mal as possible was great, Arnold downhill.” J

It’s built up some. We understand that the original residents who Home didn’t have that protection had a n From Page 7 2nd home up on the mountain that they used when the river flooded. cake home was moving We’ve never been able to find a everything outside into the yard. sign of it, though,” she said. “Fortunately the weather was Now 30 years removed from the sunny and mild,” Robin said. experience, Robin can think back After that, the Burlington on it and remember it vividly. Fire Company came and power Watching the rising waters from washed the entire downstairs of her neighbor’s house particularly the house. stands out in her memory. “I am an expert on flood clean- “It was just happening,” she ing now,” Pancake joked, relaying said. “I just expected the house to that she had to do the same thing lift up and go, honestly. It’s an old during the 1996 flood as well. house.” “We needed to throw away any- Even if that happened, Robin thing with upholstery. Anything feels that it wouldn’t have been related to food had to be tossed the end of the world. The Pancake out too. Most of our wooden fur- “My thought was I knew home as it ap- niture we are still using though, there was nothing in that house I peared during the and while most of the appliances couldn’t do without, though I re- flood of 1985. were lost, some came back on.” ally would have hated to lose our Waters reached After the initial cleanup was pictures. My 3 older kids were in the 2nd floor of over, it was still a long while be- Morgantown and Fairmont and the family home, everyone was safe.” which dates from fore the Pancakes returned to 1790. Robin Pan- a normal life in their riverside She also made it clear her fam- cake said the rail- home. ily never had a thought of mov- road tracks, as We weren’t back in the house ing, even after it happened again seen in the top until right after Thanksgiving,” in 1996. “This was my husband’s center of the pho- Robin said. “It wasn’t like it was. home,” she said. “He moved in to, provide more The dining room (the original when he was 13. There was never protection from 1780 cabin portion of the home) a thought of leaving.” the river than the dried out 1st. That’s what we used These days Robin still lives original owners as our living room.” in the home and has no plans on were afforded. Robin also says that the freak leaving, even if the waters rise The home flooded nature of the flood was something again. again in 1996. she understands and because of “Oh I’ll never leave. I imag- that she doesn’t worry. ine my next stop will be Indian “The railroad protects us now. Mound,” she said with a smile. J

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12 Flood of Memories November 4, 2015