Thursday, October 16, 2014
Cabell Midland boys fall to Nitro, page 16 50 Cents Volume 116 Issue 41
Cabell County has first samesex marriage By Amanda Smythers amanda@theputnamstandard.com
After a year of waiting for the results of a lawsuit of two same-sex couples against two West Virginia county clerks, the West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced last week that he would no longer seek to defend the state’s mandate on marriage, opening the gate for same-sex marriages across the state. “On Oct. 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court decided it would not take up the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to set aside Virginia’s law regarding same-sex marriage,” he said in a statement. “By refusing to consider the appeal, the Supreme Court has caused the Appeals Court’s decision to become final and binding on West Virginia.” Cabell County whose clerk, Karen Cole, was one of two clerks named in the lawsuit, had one of the first couples to benefit from the change. Cabell residents Casie McGee and Sarah Adkins were married shortly after the announcement on Cabell’s courthouse steps.
“I think it was a nervous and exciting time for them and for everyone really,” said Aaron Dunn, an ordained minister for the Unitarian Universal Life Church who performed the wedding ceremony. “So many emotions and desires were bound up with that lawsuit.” Dunn said the wedding took place immediately following the state’s announcement. The happy couple got to the courthouse just in time to get a license before the end of the day. “It all happened so fast,” Dunn said. “We had about 15 minutes before the courthouse closed to get the marriage license. In that moment, it was all nervousness from the shock of it and the excitement of it all. It was a joyous occasion.” Dunn said the newlyweds had no problem getting in and out of the clerk’s office, a big difference from last September when they initially attempted to apply. “We never really had any issues,” he said. “This was a new process but I felt they were adequately prepared. They had the
First Lady Michelle Obama gives Mary Cook, a 21-year Cabell County Schools employee and current cafeteria manager, a hug after Cook won the food healthy challenge.
Cook wins The Chew challenge
By Amanda Smythers amanda@theputnamstandard.com The Cabell County Schools Food Service Program has again taken the national stage, this time getting attention from as high up as the White House. Mary Cook, a 21-year employee for Cabell County and the current cafeteria manager at the Village of Barboursville Elementary, won the hearts of the judges and first lady Michelle Obama when she presented Cabell’s staffcreated spaghetti and meat sauce recipe on ABC’s “The Chew,” winning the food healthy challenge by beating two other contestants from
school districts in Maryland and New York. “It was probably one of the most exciting thing I’ll ever do in my life,” Cook said. “It was wonderful.” The episode, which aired Oct. 4 and is still available to watch online, had Cook elbow-toelbow with the first lady, who, Cook later found out, had hand-picked Cabell’s recipe to win. “She was so nice,” Cook said. “It was wonderful because when I walked out, she had her arms open. She was really friendly and nice and down to earth.” Cook said the judges told her they had picked See The Chew, Page 15
See Marriage, Page 4
No. 2 Midland loses homecoming game to No. 1 Capital By Zach Cumberland zach@theputnamstandard.com During pregame warm-ups Tyrell Davis of Capital barked over to the Cabell Midland student section and confidently said “this is our homecoming!” Whether Davis knew it or not, he had just foreshadowed what was to come. On homecoming evening at Cabell Midland High School the Capital Cougars (6-0) came in ranked No. 1 in Class AAA, with
the Knights right on their heels at No. 2. Midland jumped out to an early lead when senior quarterback Coy Pettit crossed the goal line putting the Knights up 6-0. The extra point was added soon after, making the score 7-0 just 2:32 into the first quarter. Less than one minute later, the Cougars answered right back when senior running back Kashaun Haley, who is a Division 1 prospect, scored one of his three touchdowns
to tie the game at 7. Haley frustrated the Knights defense all night long piling up 219 yards on 18 carries. He sat out the previous game against Huntington due to a knee injury. “I didn’t play last week,” Haley said after the game. “I was upset See Football, Page 15 Shelby Hill is Cabell Midland’s 2014 Homecoming Queen. Photo by John Hagley Photography