Published: September 21, 2007 09:08 pm         

Thumbs - Saturday, September 22, 2007

Thumbs up ... to Beulah Foley Mills, honored recently with a birthday party given by South Gate Baptist Church in Blackslear, Ga., in recognition of her 105th birthday. Mrs. Mills spent most of her life in Raleigh County.



Thumbs up ... to Irma Powell of Lewisburg, who recently celebrated her 99th birthday. She is a retired elementary teacher with 35 years of service, having taught in Cabell, Raleigh and Greenbrier counties.



Thumbs up ... Edith O’Dell, formerly of Quinwood, who recently celebrated her 95th birthday at Coffman Nursing Home in Hagerstown, Md., with family and friends. Her address is Edith O’Dell, Coffman Nursing Home, 1304 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, Md. 21740.



Thumbs up ... to a community drive that asked fans attending Friday night’s football contest between the Woodrow Wilson High School Flying Eagles and the Capital High School Cougars in Beckley to bring a can of food or a nonperishable food item as a donation to The Salvation Army, which has had to turn some people away because it had no food left.



Thumbs down ... to a mistake at Summers County High School, where some band instruments were packed away without being dried. That apparently caused mold to either ruin or damage several pieces of equipment stored for the summer in cabinets, destroying violins and other instruments, such as a bass fiddle.



Thumbs down ... to Nebraska state Sen. Ernie Chambers, who sued God, accusing Him of causing untold death and horror and threatening to cause still more. Chambers, who says he’s trying to make the point anybody can sue anybody, is seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty.



Thumbs down ... to whoever stole a section of bleachers recently from Sandy River Middle School in McDowell County.



Thumbs up ... to mother and daughter Karen Lane, a teacher at Coal City Elementary School, and Kelli Carrico, a teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, who have teamed up for free tutoring assistance in all subject areas to students in all grades, from kindergartners to high school seniors.



Thumbs up ... to Ally Fox of Rupert, a 2005 Greenbrier West High School graduate who competed recently at the Winfield riding arena and won the West Virginia State Open 1-D Championship. She not only won both “gos,” and the finals, out of more than 175 adult and youth riders each time, but also had the fastest time of the weekend with a 16.23 and set a new arena record.



Thumbs up ... to Ernie McGraw, presented with the Citizen of the Year Award from the Kiwanis Club of Meadow Bridge for his outstanding service to the community and individuals.



Thumbs up ... to the Mountain State University Foundation’s recent Honors Dinner at Tamarack. MSU honored its Alumni Hall of Fame inductees, Ron Stennett, Barbara Gardner, Price H. Calfee Jr., Robert Bolen and Nancy Pat Lewis-Smith, as well as its Tower Society members, Tommy Adams, Stewart Anderson, Christopher Donoghue, Sheila Dewhirst-Logar and Julia and Joe Long.



Thumbs up ... to Wyoming County, one of only three school systems in West Virginia to meet the lofty goals set forth by the federal government in the No Child Left Behind legislation.



Thumbs up ... to First Baptist Church of Boomer, which recently celebrated its 101st anniversary.



Thumbs up ... to Dr. Larry Schwab of Morgantown, who is making history as a full-fledged, greatly admired member of West Virginia University’s famed Mountaineer marching band. The Kingwood native, who turned 67 on Sept. 12, is playing trumpet in the 375-piece unit for the 12th year.



Thumbs up ... the 2007 State Fair. Officials say going back to a nine-day schedule was a “success” and favorable weather helped 2007 attendance surge to nearly 200,000. That was the second-highest gate attendance in four years and there was a 13 percent increase in carnival revenues and gross food revenues.



Thumbs up ... to the Crab Orchard-MacArthur Public Service District, named Wastewater System of the Year for 2007 at the West Virginia Rural Water Association’s 22nd annual Training and Technical Conference Banquet at Snowshoe Mountain.



Thumbs up ... to Cheryl Mills, principal at Danese Elementary School in Fayette County, Rotha Young, principal at Mount Nebo Elementary School in Nicholas County, and Beckley Elementary School principal Sandra Sheatsley. The three were recognized as New Principals’ Leadership Academy Distinguished Scholars based on their work during the 2006-07 Principals’ Leadership Academy.