Tuesday, April 3, 2012 The category "community newspaper" is broad enough to encompass weekly papers specializing in local events/news mailed to subscribers (instate and out-of-state) who want to ‘keep up” with events of their hometown. DEBBIE’S POETRY CORNER PAGE 4
Cabell County's Unemployment Rate hits 7.3 Percent By Jack Bailey jackbailey@theputnamstandard.com
– Cabell CHARLESTON County's unemployment rate rose to 7.3 percent in February, according to data released last week by WorkForce West Virginia. Cabell County was one of 44 counties in West Virginia to see its unemployment rates rise in February. Unemployment fell in nine counties and remained unchanged from January in two counties. Monongalia County had the state's lowest unemployment rate at 5.2 percent, while Hancock County had the highest at 13.9 percent. Overall, the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 7.2 percent, and the not seasonally adjusted rate stood at 8.2 percent. The national unemployment rate remained at 8.3 percent in February. Cabell County had a lower unemployment rate than most of its neighboring counties, with the exception of Putnam County where the unemployment rate was 6.5 percent. Of Cabell's other contiguous counties, Wayne County was at 8.8 percent, Lincoln County was at 10.3 percent
50 Cents
Milton Middle School wrestler brings home World Title MILTON – Milton Middle School eighth grade wrestler Caperton Humphrey recently brought home a world championship title from the Black Hills Nationals AAU World Folkstyle Championships held in Spearfish, S.D. The wrestling tournament was held March 16-17 on the campus of Black Hills State University and featured hundreds of wrestlers from around the country. Humphrey competed in, and won, the 150-pound weight class of the 13-14-year-old Schoolboy division. John Beaudrie of Wyoming finished second in the division, while South Dakota's Noah Diamond finished third. The most recent success for Humphrey comes on the heels of winning a Cabell County Wrestling Championship in February. This year he set a new Milton Middle School record for number of wins in a single season at 53 wins with only two losses. In January, he won the 145pound weight division at the
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Milton Middle School eighth grader Caperton Humphrey (center) recently won first place in the 150-pound weight class of the 13-14-year-old Schoolboy division at the Black Hills Nationals AAU World Folkstyle Championships held in Spearfish, S.D. Courtesy photo WSAZ Invitational Wrestling Tournament in Huntington. Humphrey has participated in organized wrestling since he was six years old.
“My dad wanted me to try it, so I did. He said if I didn't like it, I would never have to do it again, but I went to one practice and got hooked on it,” he said.
He trains several hours each day, but doesn't let it interfere with his school work. “After school, I practice from 3:05 (p.m.) until 6 (p.m.), then I lift weights after practice and do push-ups and pull ups at the house,” he said. “My G.P.A. (grade-point average) stays 3.5 or higher. I just kind of manage my time. If I have a lot of homework, I won't work out as much. School comes first.” When he is not wrestling, Humphrey plays baseball and football. He plans to attend college and earn a law degree, but is unsure whether he wants to wrestle or play football at the collegiate level. “You ask me which I like best, football or wrestling – it just depends. If I am in football, I train and work to be the best at that. If it is wrestling season, I train and work to be the best at that. When I'm in football, I love football more than wrestling. When I am in wrestling, I love wrestling more than football. It all depends on when you ask me,” he said.
County to purchase land in Barboursville for new Ambulance Station By Jack Bailey
SEE JOBS ON PAGE 4
l Volume 114 l Issue 16
jackbailey@theputnamstandard.com
HUNTINGTON – The Cabell County Commission has approved $319,800 for the purchase of 2.4 acres of land in Barboursville with the plan to build an emergency services ambulance station there. Gordon Merry, director of Cabell County Emergency Services, said that he was been working for nearly two years to find a suitable site in the Barboursville area. When the new ambulance station is built, it will be the county's
eighth emergency services station. “Our call volumes are up,” Merry said, noting that last year emergency services responded to 27,000 calls countywide, and about 2,200 of those calls came from the Barboursville area. “This will cut down on our response time,” Merry said. “It's the right thing to do for the public.” The property the county is acquiring is on Riverview Drive in Barboursville. Merry said that he hopes to have funds in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, to build the
new emergency services building. He estimated the cost of building the new building to be in the $1.2 million to $1.3 million range. But once complete, Merry said that he should not have to seek additional buildings for some time. With a new station in Milton completed within the last two years, Barboursville remains the biggest unaddressed area in the county. “This station is needed very badly,” said Cabell County Commissioner Bob Bailey. “There are 2,200 calls a year that come from
that area. This is very much needed.” Commission President Nancy Cartmill, a former mayor of Barboursville, said that buying the property and planning to build an emergency services station in that area is a significant accomplishment. “This is the greatest thing we have done in some time,” Cartmill said. “The next thing is to get the money to build the station, and we will have the county pretty well covered.” SEE COMMISSION ON PAGE 3
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