UP: To Mister Bee Potato Chips Co.'s recent announcement on Facebook it will resume operations sometime in the next two to four weeks. The company, founded in 1951, has struggled financially recently and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2011. Resuming production is good news for fans who are anxiously waiting for the popular potato chips to return to stores' shelves.
DOWN: To Parkersburg City Council for its inability to make a decision on the floodwall fee issue. Council refused to repeal the fee, but put the measure back on the agenda so Mayor Bob Newell could answer questions, which he did at this past week's meeting. This apparently still was not enough and by a 5-4 vote council sent it to both the personnel and finance committees for more discussion. How much more information do council members need?
UP: To news the Charlie Daniels Band will be the headline act at the 2012 Parkersburg Homecoming. Daniels, a rock legend with several hits, including "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," is making his second stop at Homecoming - he performed here in 1989. This year's Homecoming event will be Aug. 17-19. Daniels will perform at 8 p.m. on Aug. 19 on the Suddenlink Stage at Second and Avery streets.
DOWN: To the low turnout for the Julia-Ann Square Historic District's candidate forum held this past week. Only approximately 20 people showed up to hear Parkersburg mayoral and city council candidates discuss their views on the jobs they are seeking.
UP: To the state Ethics Commission for its opinion that it would be an "inescapable conflict of interest" for West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Rick Thompson to take a job as chief lawyer for the West Virginia Education Association. How Thompson and the WVEA officials who wanted to hire Thompson for the job thought this would not be a conflict of interest is beyond comprehension.
