Est. 1845 Est. 1845 Wednesday, AUGUST 2, 2017 | VOLuME 126 NUMBER 31 TWO SECTIONS 16 PAGES 94¢ USPS 362-300 Firemen s Parade Photos | Pages 4B & 5B Little League Wrap Up | Page 1B Win Tickets to see Brantley Gilbert | Page 8B Medicaid Reimbursement Legislature Gives Could Erase School Deficit Convicted Felons By Jean A. Flanagan County Board of Education at so critical. “We’ve made some the bid submitted by Tetrick & Second Chance, Moorefield Examiner their July 24 meeting. changes in the way we do things,” Bartlett. While the $51,600 bid was “We are due about $277,000,” he said. the higher of the two, Burgess said If Hardy County Schools re- Burgess said. “If we get it, we’ll Burgess also reported on the the accounting firm has done au- Passes Tenuous ceives the Medicaid reimburse- have about $50,000 surplus. That’s bid process for a two-year audit of dits in the past and were familiar ments they were promised, the not much, but better than a defi- the school’s finances. She said five with Hardy County Schools’ ac- $200,000 deficit would be erased. cit.” requests for bids were sent to ac- counting system. State Budget That according to Finance Direc- School Superintendent Dr. Mat- counting firms, but only two firms The only other bid received tor Veeta Burgess. thew Dotson said next year’s Med- sent bids. The others were no bids. was from Perry & Associates for By Jean A. Flanagan Burgess addressed the Hardy icaid reimbursements will not be The board voted to accept Continued on page 6 Moorefield Examiner The 2017 West Virginia Legislature took steps to help convicted felons of nonviolent crimes get a “second chance” at a productive life. HOT OFF THE GRILL “House Bill 2657 allows nonviolent felons the opportunity to peti- tion the court to have their felony reduced to a misdemeanor 10 years after completing the terms of that felony conviction,” said Del. Isaac 20 Compete in Youth Sponaugle (D-55). Sponaugle met with the Examiner to outline changes made during BBQ Chicken Contest the Legislative Session, effecting residents of Hardy County. Twenty young people competed in the “A felony conviction really hurts an individual’s chance at getting 2017 Youth BBQ Chicken Contest during a good job,” Sponaugle said. “This should help. They’ve done their last week’s Poultry Week celebration. time. This gives them a second chance.” There were two divisions; nine regis- The Legislature also passed the Medical Cannabis Act, which al- tered in the Junior Division and 11 regis- lows for the legal use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. tered in the Senior Division. “We are the 29th state in the United States to pass such legislation,” Each contestant received a half-chicken, Sponaugle said. “It allows doctors to prescribe marijuana for health a barbecue grill and charcoal. They had 2 reasons. It establishes a panel whose appointed members will make 1/2 hours to cook their chicken. recommendations for rules to implement the law. They will bring Prizes were given for the 1st and 2nd those recommendations back to the legislature for approval.” place in each division. There was also a Senate Bill 386 bans growing marijuana for personal use. It also prize for the Most Unique BBQ Chicken. prohibits smoking marijuana and the sale and purchase of edible can- Recipe cards were required to be submit- nabis products. ted. The Bureau of Public Health will oversee the implementation of And the winners were: the law. A Medical Cannabis Advisory Board will be appointed. Senior Division: Medical marijuana will be permitted for the treatment of cancer, First Place - Sid Trotter HIV/AIDS, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, MS, Epilespy, Huntington’s Second Place - Gavin Berry Disease, Crohn’s Disease, PTSD, Intractable Seizures, Sickle Cell Junior Division: Anemia and terminal illness. First Place - Joseph Riggleman In regard to the budget, Sponaugle said, “Things are still a mess. Second Place - JW Teets “The legislature has not fixed the budget woes of the past two years. Most Unique - Kristin Nichols We will be facing another government shutdown next year.” First Place winners received a $50 gift Sponaugle said the budget increases that will impact Hardy coun- card. tians most directly are the increase in Department of Motor Vehicle Second Place and Most Unique winners fees. Fees were increased to fund road projects. received a $25 gift card. Photo by Jean Flanagan Continued on page 7 Dotson Celebrates First What’s Happening With Anniversary as Superintendent The Main Street Project? hard the people in the school system By Jean A. Flanagan Williams. “Until we can secure funds to work,” he said. “Many of them come Moorefield Examiner The Main Street Project, remove the asbestos, we can’t to school, do a fantastic job, and then formerly the Sherman prop- move forward with demoli- go home and manage a farm. “Every time I turn around, erty at the corner of Main and tion.” “The biggest disappointment has someone is asking me about Jefferson streets, is in a hold- The Hardy County Rural been not having a secure budget to do the Main Street Project,” said ing pattern, according to Har- Development Authority pur- the things we’d like to do.” Hardy County Board of Edu- dy County School Superinten- chased the two-acre site and Dotson knew Hardy County was cation member Brad Simmons. dent Dr. Matthew Dotson. entered into a lease/purchase approaching “watch list” status in re- “People want to know why “We’re waiting for grants agreement with Hardy County gards to its budget before he took the it’s taking so long,” said Hardy that we’ve applied for and Schools. The school system is job. “As it happened, the situation got County Rural Development we’re applying for grants as paying the RDA $49,800 per worse after more state funding was cut Authority member Elwood they come available,” he said. Continued on page 8 that further reduced the budget,” he said. The West Virginia Department of Education monitors the finances of those schools that carry a deficit from one fiscal year to the next. Those schools are on a watch list. “We’ve done some things, as a county board, so the situation will be better next year,” Dotson said. One of the biggest challenges has been Medicaid reimbursements. It By Jean A. Flanagan anniversary as Superintendent of works like this: Let’s say a student Moorefield Examiner Hardy County Public Schools. He sat requires a service, like speech thera- down with the Examiner to review his py. If the student qualifies, Medicaid Matthew Dotson knows firsthand first year, with it’s surprises and chal- will pay for that therapy. So the stu- the impact a teacher can have on a lenges. “I, and my family, are very dent is sent to a speech therapist and student that’s struggling. A teacher happy here,” he said. the school system pays for the service. who took an interest in him at a young Dotson said the biggest surprise he The school system turns around and Photo by Jean Flanagan age is partly responsible for his suc- received was the discovery of the Har- submits the bill to Medicaid for reim- Hardy County School maintenance workers consolidated and removed the debris on the cess today. dy County work ethic. bursement. lot at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets last week. Grant funding for redevelopment Dotson recently celebrated his first “I was really surprised at how Continued on page 8 of the site is pending. CONNECT www.MoorefieldExaminer.com WEATHER Source: National Weather Service On Facebook On Twitter @MoorefieldExaminer News: @MoorefieldEx @HardyCountyWV Sports: @HardyCoSports AWARDED for GENERAL EXCELLENCE in ADVERTISING — 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 & 2016 AWARDED for GENERAL EXCELLENCE in EDITORIAL — 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 & 2016 2 - MOOREFIELD (WV) EXAMINER, Wednesday, August 2, 2017 INTERCEPTED LETTER Visit the Fair Senators Manchin, Capito, and slate sees somewhat absurd. My Act.” I’m trying to envision how such Representative Mooney, speculation is that the Republi- The first option of adding approaches to managing my per- This week the Tri-County Fair is going full blast in The Senate has agreed to de- can leadership is either aiming at amendments to a bill that could sonal life would play out. bate something related to health a pork-barrel amendment process not pass will just add chaos to the If I wanted to drive from West Petersburg. Youngsters in 4-H and FFA, cooks from care, but I cannot figure out what (e.g. buy the votes), or a bait-and- process of legislation and admin- Virginia to Washington, D.C. for a their kitchens, and farmers from their fields and barns the bill is. While I am an advocate switch maneuver to change Ma- istering health care. The second day at the museum, would I turn will all be showing you how it’s done…or how it should of presenting positions on legisla- jority Leader McConnell’s prior option rejects the ACA for stub- or stop at every whim of the pas- tion for your colleagues and con- health care reconciliation bill into bornness or spite without a viable sengers in the car? Or, cancel look when done well. stituents to contemplate, a blank a “Repeal the Affordable Care plan. Continued on page 3 Demonstrations, farm animals, food, agriculture products, fruits, vegetables, flowers, craft exhibits, and plenty of the best from the cooks in Hardy, Grant and call it news rather than opinion. Pendleton counties will be on display and in competi- Remember the miles of head- ***************** lines about the fiasco Trump’s meet- I think Senator John McCain’s tion for prizes.