Fire department retirees honored

By WILSON BUTT

The Bluefield Fire Department honored its own last Thursday evening. The annual dinner to honor retirees was well attended. Special guests for the evening were recent retirees James Turner, with 20 years of dedicated service, and Ronald Matthews, with 21 years of dedicated service, to the Bluefield Fire Department and the citizens. Turner and Matthews were presented with plaques provided by their fellow firemen in recognition and honor of their services. The city also provided them with firemen statuettes as tokens of appreciation for their services. All retired city firemen are invited to the annual event held at the fire station on Bluefield Avenue.

City Board Members Pete Sternloff, Mary Frances Brammer, Mike Vinciguerra and City Manager Andy Merriman were on hand to represent the city and honor the retirees. Several retirees and their wives were there to enjoy the evening festivities. Chief Tony Hodges proudly attested to the culinary skill of the fellow members of the department. The chief left the impression that all of the members of the fire department are good cooks. Somehow fire departments always manage to have good cooks, and Bluefield has nothing less than a first class fire department.



Bluefield Fire Chief Tony Hodges also reported that his department is trying to secure grants to purchase two special “stair chairs” designed to accommodate elderly or wheelchair patients who need to be transported down stairs. These chairs provide a safer way to move handicapped, elderly or sick patients up or down steps. The special chairs cost about $1,800 each. He said the department hopes to secure one chair for each fire station.

These special chairs are designed to optimize handle positioning, track operation and patient placement to reduce the risk of operator and patient injury when transporting up or down stairs. They can prove to be essential for safe evacuation of disabled or injured persons from multi-level facilities in emergency situations. They may save a life or reduce the chances of serious injury to patients or firemen.



Rumors have it that local businessman Gene Buckner of Bluewell, owner of NAPA stores in Bluefield and Princeton, may be considering a run for a seat on the Mercer County Commission. When contacted Buckner did confirm that he has been approached by quite a few people encouraging him to enter the race on the Republican side of the ticket and that he is considering the matter seriously. Buckner is the son of the late Allen and late Katherine Buckner of Bluefield, Va.



The city of Bluefield honored city employees for their dedicated service with a luncheon at the Herb Simms Youth Center in the Parks and Recreation Center (former Bluefield Auditorium) on Stadium Drive on Oct. 6. Chuck McGonagle provided a commercial grill for the event.

Merriman and Vinciguerra did most of the cooking, serving up ribs, chicken, sausages and other tasty delights, while Mayor Linda Whalen and City Board member Tom Blevins served the workers. Grants Market generously provided most of the food for the event. Our city workers often do not receive the appropriate appreciation for the jobs they perform. Their work makes our city a better place.



U.S. Senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller report that they have recommended G. Nicholas Casey Jr., to President Obama for the Federal District Court vacancy for the Northern District of West Virginia. The vacancy was created by the untimely death of The Honorable W. Craig Broadwater. In their letter to President Obama, the two West Virginia senators noted that, “Mr. Casey has distinguished himself as an attorney, as well as a tireless advocate for many social and civic causes. Nick has earned the respect of the legal community throughout the state of West Virginia, and we believe he would make an exceptional federal judge serving with honor and distinction.”



I wish you a clear blue sky, a good meal and a warm home. And one more thing ... Bluefield and the entire Four Seasons area is going to miss Mary Jane Hammond.

Wilson Butt, a resident of Bluefield, is a retired Department of Highways official.

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