DOWN: To the person or persons who discarded more than 30 malnourished dogs in Doddridge County along the side of the road. The dogs, all with severe mange, were spotted by passersby along Sugar Run Road and taken to the Ritchie County Humane Society for care. Some dogs were found dead. Those who abandoned the dogs should be prosecuted and severely punished for their inhumanity.
UP: To the Help to Heal Wounded Warrior project scheduled for June 23 at Riverfront Park. The event will benefit the Wounded Warrior project and will include entertainment; a walk, run and wheelchair event; adaptive rowing instructions; and a car show.
DOWN: To the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, once again, for giving no advance warning of a new state mandate and then wording the mandate so vaguely as to confuse law people around the state. New regulations requiring motorists to provide proof of insurance with all registration renewal forms apparently don't take effect until 2014, but West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles officials are asking motorists to provide their insurance information voluntarily now.
Wood County Sheriff's Tax Chief Deputy Dennie Huggins said his department received notification of the change on the afternoon of June 1, the same day it said it was to become effective. Huggins said from the information provided by the DMV, it appeared it was a requirement and they were concerned customers weren't notified of the change. Words such as "compulsory" and "must" were used in faxes and letters from the DMV to the tax offices all over the state, and letters stating the cycle for the change as "June 1, 2012, to June 1, 2013."
It would be nice if the DMV would give advance notice, unlike when it closed the local office here and the months of deception about when another permanent office would be opened in Wood County, or when it changed the necessary paperwork required to renew a driver's license.
UP: To the 16th annual Kids Golf Classic at the Parkersburg Country Club where participants and sponsors helped raise a record $163,000 for the Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club. A fitting way for longtime executive director Mike Flanagan to begin the process of turning over the directorship to Ben Shuman in two months when Flanagan retires. Since the tournament began, it has raised more than $1.7 million.
UP: To Ann Bailey for receiving the 2012 Edwin L.D. Dils Heart of Our Community Award for her years of volunteer service to the community and especially the Parkersburg YMCA. She has been on the YMCA board for 35 years and was its interim director in the 1980s.
UP: To Matt Baker who is returning to Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park as superintendent. Baker, 33, was assistant superintendent at the park for four years before becoming superintendent of Coopers Rock State Park in 2010. Baker will take over the park next week.
