Monday, July 30, 2012
EXTRA ONLINE EDITION
GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE BILL MALONEY RECENTLY CAME TO PUTNAM COUNTY. PAGE 5
Putnam native helps honor nation’s veterans TEAYS VALLEY -- Twelve years ago, Congress passed a special law to honor the nation's veterans. At military funeral services, two uniformed people must be present to fold the flag properly. And there must be a bugler available to play taps. "With that law," David Melton told the Putnam Rotary Club recently, "there just weren't enough buglers present to do live bugle." Melton, a Putnam County native and Poca High graduate, had played the trumpet for some 57 years, and after he retired he sometimes played taps for military funerals. He joined Bugles Across America, an organization with the singular mission to provide a live bugler for military funerals. The organization now has over 7,500 volunteers signed up for the final rites honoring the half million veterans who die every year. In a chance meeting with Clem Pemberton, Commander of Winfield's American Legion Post 187, Melton learned that the members maintained a color guard to celebrate the traditions of the nation with schools, churches and community civic groups. The post also needed a bugler for funerals. The Post participates in about one service every week. Sure, SEE TAPS ON PAGE 3
HOW TO REACH US PHONE: (304) 743-6731 FAX: (304) 562-6214
Toyota’s Buffalo plant recognized by EPA By Jack Bailey jackbailey@theputnamstandard.com
BUFFALO – Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for achieving a 10 percent reduction in energy intensity through its ENERGY STAR Challenge For Industry program. Toyota's Buffalo plant was one of eight Toyota plants across the country recognized by the EPA. Collectively, the eight sites reduced energy intensity by nearly 24 percent. Energy intensity is measured relative to efficiency improvements in process and equipment. The ENERGY STAR Challenge For Industry program is only awarded to individual industrial sites. To gain recognition, the site’s company must be an ENERGY STAR partner. Earlier this year, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) received its eighth consecutive ENERGY STAR
Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia has been recognized by the U.S. EPA for reducing its energy intensity. Sustained Excellence Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency and management. “Thanks to the efforts of our
team members, Toyota has reduced our total energy use per vehicle over the last five years as we achieved greater energy efficiency across North America,” said TEMA Executive Vice
President Steve St. Angelo. “This demonstrates that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen as we conSEE TOYOTA ON PAGE 3
Ethics complaint filed against Putnam Family Law Judge By Lawrence Smith www.wvrecord.com
CHARLESTON - A Putnam County family law judge again is accused of showing ill-temper toward a litigant. Robert R. Harper Sr. on July 20 filed an ethics complaint with the Judicial Investigation Commission against William M. "Chip" Watkins III.
In his complaint, Harper, 62, a retired Greyhound bus driver from Sissonville, said that in the five times he's appeared in family court since December, Watkins has "screamed, cussed, belittled, humiliated and threatened me in most of these hearings." Following one of those hearings on Jan 26, Harper says Watkins had him "jailed for 21
days for non-disclosure of monies that I had received in a malpractice settlement." A video of that hearing has been posted on YouTube. The purpose of the hearing was for Harper to prove why he should not be held in contempt for failing to pay child support to his ex-wife, Joyce Harper Halstead, whom he divorced in 1978.
A year ago, Harper says Halstead, who lives in Eleanor, with the help of the state Department of Health and Human Resources' Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, petitioned the court to collect alleged back child support despite money being deducted from his Social Security beneSEE WATKINS ON PAGE 3
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