While the Marshall County Commission’s special quarterly meeting on Tuesday will be restricted to staff only, the Marshall County Board of Health’s scheduled meeting for Wednesday has been postponed until May 13.

The public is welcome to participate in the commission’s meeting by teleconference, which will begin at 9 a.m.

In order to take part in Tuesday’s commission meeting, the call-in number is 1-503-300-6845, to be followed by the conference code 876147.

Two major issues on the MCC’s agenda are the laying of the levy on second and final reading, and discussion of the governor’s $100,000 block grant. Also, on the agenda will be the Marshall County roof replacement project award, and a legal matter by Assessor Terry McDiffit.

On Thursday, Marshall County Health Department Administrator Thomas Cook reminded all individuals in Marshall County that they are still under a general stay-at-home or their place of residence status unless performing an essential activity, as are all state residents, as defined in the governor’s Executive Order 9-20.

The order deals with all people going to or from the home of a family member. According to the order, they shall limit the number of visits to the greatest extent possible, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Groups engaging in outdoor activities will be limited to a maximum of 10 people and they must always maintain social distancing of six feet apart.

As outlined in Executive Order 9-20, Section 3, essential businesses and operations in Marshall County shall order their employees and/or contractors, to the maximum extent possible, to work from their home, or to otherwise work remotely in order to limit the instances requiring their employees to leave home.

The MCHD has also issued the following recommendations relating to businesses. They are:

Implement a plan to limit staff to essential personnel only; implement social distancing practice within and around the workplace, such as providing signage upon entering a business; supply adequate disinfecting and hygienic supplies to employees, and when possible face masks and gloves; frequently wipe down and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces; provide protective barriers for employees exposed to the general public; no more than two individual members of the public should be allowed to enter the business per 1,000 square feet of public space at any given time; create one-way aisles or other restrictions to limit close contact with other people.

Those with questions involving the above issues should contact their personal health care provider or health department administrator Tom Cook at 304-845-7840.

∫∫∫

Although the Moundsville-Marshall County Public Library is not open to the public as the result of COVID-19, staff members are at the facility on a daily basis to answer questions dealing with library matters via telephone and other means, and to conduct online videos.

The Facebook youth schedules for this coming week are:

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.

Friday at 1:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.

The library also has a WiFi connection at the parking lot door.

∫∫∫

The two stone buildings on the south side of the Mound in Moundsville are a thing of the past.

Inmates at the West Virginia State Penitentiary used one of the buildings as a gift shop for items they had made, while the other was used as a restroom.

The stone on the two buildings was the same as that which is on the penitentiary.

The buildings have not been utilized for approximately 50 years, and in recent years the roofs had collapse and trees had grown through the tops of the structures.

∫∫∫

Gail Artimez, the executive secretary for the Marshall County Schools transportation department, has been named as the Marshall County Schools Service Personnel Member of the Year.

She began her career with the MCS in 2004, when she was employed as a substitute secretary. In 2011, she was contracted as a part-time secretary at John Marshall High School and became a full-time employee in 2012. Artimez worked as a secretary at JMHS until 2019, when she moved into her current position.

Other personnel member of the year nominees included:

Lisa Bowers, Cameron Elementary; Michael Moore, Cameron High; Chris Barcelona and Shelley Berardi, both Center McMechen Elementary; Roslyn Alonso Alvarez, Central Elementary; Cathy Bartlett and Rhonda Rine, both employees at the county office; Holly Armstrong, Glen Dale Elementary; Mary Amedro, Stephanie Morris, Debbie Mosa, Sherry Toler, Shelly Weaver and Jeff Weese, all employees at Hilltop Elementary; Jennifer Gunto, John Marshall High; Fred Weaver, maintenance employee; Sharon Kale, McNinch Primary; Leanne Dobbs, Moundsville Middle; Tammy Hughes, Sand Hill Elementary; Heather Markonich, Sherrard Middle; and Amy Bonar, Washington Lands Elementary.

Each year service personnel employees vote a staff member to represent their school or building as a county contender, and then a committee consisting of county office officials and previous award recipients conducts interviews and choose the county winners.

∫∫∫

The four Marshall County Golden Horseshoe winners have been selected.

They are Bailey Sebroski, Moundsville Middle School; Liadan Smith of Our Lady of Peace School, and Charles Heitz and Grace Gatts, both students at Sherrard Middle School.

These students, all eighth graders, have been recognized for their outstanding knowledge of West Virginia history.

The Golden Horseshoe award has been given every year since 1931.

The test assesses student knowledge of state government, history, economics, geography and current events. The number of winners per county is based on population.

There will be a formal pinning ceremony when students are inducted as Knights of The Golden Horseshoe Society, with the day, date and time to be determined by the state Department of Education.

∫∫∫

The Marshall County Commission is urging all county residents to respond to the 2020 census.

“It is alarming to hear that West Virginia has one of the lowest response rates in the country,” said Betsy Frohnapfel, county administrator. “A lot of our residents depend on federal programs. If people do not respond, it could drastically cut the amount of federal and state dollars that come to Marshall County.” Frohnapfel also said it is an easy process. Whether you prefer to access it online or by phone, it takes less than 20 minutes to complete the survey.

Both federal and state governments make decisions on how to distribute funds based on Census data. This information is used by lawmakers to determine how much public money is allocated for schools, infrastructure, health care, etc. Government programs that are impacted include Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Federal Pell Grants, career and technical education grants, Head Start and school lunch programs.

“We are still under the Governor’s Stay-at-Home Order and it is a great time to respond to the U.S. Census. Log on to https://my2020census.gov or call 1-800-2020. Your participation is vital,” Frohnapfel stated.

∫∫∫

William C. “Bill” Cross Jr., has written a poem which he has titled, “The Coronavirus.”

It reads:

What the world needs now

As we stand six feet apart

Is for all to stand together

And means it from your heart.

We are separated from our family

And all our many friends.

But that won’t be how

This story ends.

The churches are closed

And the schools are too,

The stores are open, but only a few.

So we just stay home

Like we are supposed to do.

Many have died in the world all around

They are trying real hard,

But no remedy has been found.

The sickness is bad

An unseen enemy we fight.

Lord we pray you will bless us

And help us do what is right.

This is Mr. Cross’ most recent poem. This one was written on March 29. He is 97 years old, and is a World War II veteran. He is a resident of the Proctor Ridge area in Wetzel County.

Jim Cochran can be reached by email at bugs52@comcast.net.