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Unemployment drops to 6.5 % in Putnam By Jack Bailey jackbailey@theputnamstandard.com
CHARLESTON – Putnam County's unemployment rate fell to 6.5 percent in February, according to data released this week by WorkForce West Virginia. Putnam County was one of only nine counties in West Virginia to see its unemployment rate fall in February. The unemployment rate rose in 44 counties and did not change 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. Putnam County had the lowest unemployment rate in the region as all of its contiguous counties reported higher rates. Kanawha County had an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent for February, while Lincoln County's was 10.3 percent, Cabell County's was 7.3 percent, Mason County's was 12.9 percent and Jackson County's was 10.6 percent. In Putnam County, unemployment was down from 6.6 percent SEE COUNTY ON PAGE 3
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Local wrestler wins world, youth wrestling 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 heals 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 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.
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
Putnam commissioners adopt $18.3 million budget for 2013 By Jack Bailey jackbailey@theputnamstandard.com
WINFIELD – The Putnam County Commission approved a $18,388,152 million budget for fiscal year 2013 at its Tuesday, March 27, meeting that includes an increase in the levy rate that property owners pay to 13.85 percent. Commissioners voted 2-1 to approve the budget ,which will go into effect on July 1. Commissioner Steve Andes voted against the proposal saying that he did not want to see the county in-
crease its levy rate from the current 13.55 percent. Commission President Gary Tillis said that he, too, hated to see the levy rate increase, but reminded those in attendance that Putnam's levy rate will remain below those of its surrounding counties even with the increase. Commissioner Joe Haynes said that in his eight years on the commission this was only the second time the levy rate had to be increased. For fiscal year 2006, the levy rate was increased from 13.5 percent to 14.05 percent. Commissioners subsequently
lowered the levy rate in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The county's current fiscal year budget is $18,347,342 and commissioners said that they worked hard to craft a budget that reflected the slow growth the county has seen in recent years as a result of the overall national economic downturn. Compounding the slow growth of tax revenues, County Manager Brian Donat said that preparation of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year was made especially difficult because of increased costs to the county from
the regional jail for housing county inmates. Donat said that next year's budget will include a $300,000 increase over the current fiscal year for increased regional jail costs. Many county agencies asked for increases in funding for the coming fiscal year, and commissioners said that they tried to give a little where they could to agencies that had asked for increases. "We went through the budget and did not give the elected officials everything they desired," Tillis said. "We made some cuts. SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 3
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