Volume 169 Number 26
Single Copy: $1.00
Commemorating 9/11 Woodsfield, Ohio
Thursday, September 19, 2013
The Clarington Volunteer Fire Department have agreed to allow the Ohio State Highway Patrol to use a room in the firehouse as a sub-post. The sub-post will allow the patrol to better serve Monroe County and will allow them to perform accident and witness interviews in the county instead of at the St. Clairsville Post. Pictured, from left, with the sign that will be posted on the building are: Lieutenant Jeff LaRoche, Clarington VFD co-chiefs Cindi Hunt and Steve Raper, and Photo by Darin Brown Sergeant James Faunda.
State Highway Patrol To Operate Sub-Post in Clarington VFD Building
Darin Brown General Manager Monroe County will see more presence from the Ohio State Highway Patrol with the creation of a sub-post in Clarington. The Monroe County Sub-Post will be based out of the Clarington Volunteer Fire Department (thanks to space donated by the department) and will allow the St. Clairsville Post of the State Highway Patrol to better patrol and serve the county. Lieutenant Jeff LaRoche of the St. Clairsville Post said the sub-post is a way to deal with the increased traffic from the
oil and gas industry activity in the county. According to Lt. LaRoche, in years past Monroe County was assigned a resident trooper. When the last resident trooper, Gary Hudson, retired, the program was ended. Since the end of the resident trooper program, the St. Clairsville Post has patrolled both Belmont and Monroe counties on a shift basis. Naturally, due to a larger population and more business activity, Belmont County receives a lot of attention. The new sub-post in Clarington is a concerted effort to give
Monroe County needed attention as well. “We're going to try to push any extra resources down this way,” said Lt. LaRoche. While the sub-post is a sign of a renewed emphasis on patrolling and serving the county, it will not be a manned post. Office space in the fire hall will be used as a meeting place to interview and talk to people who have witnessed or been involved in accidents. Follow-ups to accident reports can be finished there, and complaints can be addressed.
Darin Brown General Manager Tucked away in a hollow just outside of Cameron is a home that has sprung up from the ashes to create a unique garden oasis. The home of Richard and Rita Shreves and their son Shannon is an example of the unusual and creative nature of Monroe County residents. The story of the Shreves’ current home began in 1999. In the middle of winter, the family was sitting together watching television, enjoying the warmth of the fireplace that was the centerpiece of the old farmhouse in which they resided. Little did they know what was about to happen. Mortar had worked its way out of the chimney, and a vacuum was created. With the fire going strong, the heat finally created a spark in the attic. From there, fire spread quickly. “We only had minutes to get out,” said Shannon. The result was the loss of their home but not their lives. As they dealt with the aftermath, they were able to stay in a nearby cabin, offered for free by some Amish friends of the
family. Despite the hospitality offered, the winter was still hard as the family lived without water, plumbing, phone or electricity for six months, mostly in the winter. After spending half a year living a rustic life, the Shreves knew they wanted to get a home quickly. They bought a mobile home and placed it several yards away from their previous home. The setting for the mobile home was a pasture where corn and green beans had been grown for years. Soon that landscape was transformed. What is so unique about the Shreves’ property is their landscaping. Then Beacon staff writer Martha Ackerman wrote about their landscaping not long after the Shreves moved in. It has flourished since then. “We can’t even believe how fast it grew,” said Shannon as he talked about the surroundings the family has created for itself. “It’s kind of taken on its own momentum and created its own ecosystem,” he added. The carefully crafted garden is a mixture of trees, flowers, wild plants and hand-made fixtures. The centerpiece is the fish pond in the middle of the garden. Shannon and Richard dug the pond by hand, even to five foot deep at its deepest
end. The pond is home to several goldfish and had previously housed koi before a pesky heron decided to dine upon them. After dealing with the frustrations of the bird using their pond as a snack bar, the Shreves decided to do something. Not wanting to kill it, they tried an alligator decoy. It worked and still works. “We haven’t lost any fish since then,” said Shannon. Perhaps what sets the Shreves’ garden apart from the many other beautiful gardens in Monroe County is how much they have utilized local resources. The centerpiece of the family’s “sunken garden” is a huge fire pit made of stacked rock. Every carefully chosen stone was brought up from the creek in a wheel barrow and placed to create a natural stone wall reminiscent of those utilized by farmers in Ireland. Another captivating focal point is a grape vine arbor. Shannon built it from roughhewn locust posts he cut from the woods above the family’s home. The arbor blooms in three seasons with purple wisteria in the spring, climbing roses in the summer, and clematis in the autumn. Setting off the use of local
PICTURED TOP: The Lewisville and Woodsfield Volunteer Fire Departments each commemorated the 9/11 anniversary by displaying their fire trucks as a remembrance to the heroes who fell on that day. Photos by Jaya Russell PICTURED BOTTOM: The stars and stripes gleam in the morning sun as Beacon reader Bill Wilson’s patriotic morning glories are shown as they climb up the flag pole. Photo by Darin Brown
The Shreves Family Home 14 Years After Devastating Fire: “Beauty From Ashes” See Sub-Post, Page 12
The Shreves family has created their own “little Shangri-La” at their home near Cameron. Pictured is a broad view of their garden with blooming flowers in the foreground and the hand-dug goldfish pond in the background. Photo by Darin Brown resources are the plants that are used. Dispersed amongst flowering plants and trees purchased from greenhouses are plants that Richard and Shannon have transplanted from the local woods. There are several ferns and other plants dotting the landscape that grow naturally in Monroe County.
Another dramatic feature of the garden is a wagon that was purchased by Shannon at the auction on SR 148. When no one would bid on it, he got it for only five dollars. Now it is home to dragon wing begonias. Also featured is a hitching post from 1850. It was the original hitching post from the
Pfalzgraf General Store in Cameron and was given to the family by the great-granddaughter of the store owner. In many ways, the Shreves’ home beckons to a bygone age. They feel a real sense of history as the farmhouse that burnt down and the property See Shreves , Page 12
Page 12, Monroe County Beacon, Woodsfield, Ohio
Shreves
From Page 1
The Shreves family members are shown as they stand in front of the arbor that marks the entrance to their garden. Pictured, from left, are: Shannon, Rita and Richard Shreves.
Sub-Post
According to Lt. LaRoche and Sergeant James Faunda, who resides in Monroe County, it's all about “increased presence and availability.” Lt. LaRoche and Sgt. Faunda also added that, with the new sub-post, they will continue to have a strong relationship with the Monroe County Sheriff's Department. “We have a great working relationship with the sheriff and the deputies patrolling the roads. We help each other a lot,” said Sgt. Faunda. Lt. LaRoche said they have learned over the years that the two departments must have a good relationship to properly service the area. “When you have such a rural area, sometimes we're one another's
Thursday, September 19, 2013
on which the family resides were the ancestral home of Rita’s family. However, the Shreves were not always aware of that fact. When Rita’s mother was dealing with cancer (she has since passed away), she asked Rita and Richard to take her to her old homeplace. Following her directions, they tried to make it to the place only to be thwarted by a washed-out bridge. Several years later, looking to move from Clarington to a place in the country, Rita and Richard came across their current property outside of Cameron. Upon seeing the property Rita declared that it was instantly familiar, that she had dreamed of it. The couple decided to buy it. Four years after moving into the old farmhouse, the Shreves hosted Rita’s elderly uncle Herbert, her mother’s youngest brother. As the family sat at dinner, Rita asked her uncle if he would show her his
old homeplace. Herbert got an odd look on his face and said to his sister, “I thought that’s why you bought this place. You’re here!” While the family lost the original farmhouse in the fire, they feel no less connected to their homeplace. A survivor of the fire was a rose bush planted near the house. Rita found out her grandmother had planted it in 1916. It now grows and blooms by the family’s porch. Another feature in the garden that is a remembrance of the old homeplace is a sculpture created by Shannon. It’s made from chimney stones from the original home and capped off by the cornerstone. “I wanted to take a slice of my grandparents’ life and place it here,” said Shannon of the sculpture. Rita certainly feels like she is still connected to her family. Rita said of her mom, “I think she knows, and I think she smiles.” From Page 1
only back-up,” said Lt. LaRoche. While the relationship with the sheriff's office works well, Lt. LaRoche said the highway patrol needed to increase its presence because the increased oil and gas activity means more traffic and more problems that must be dealt with. Lt. LaRoche said the St. Clairsville Post has been doing many more over-sized escorts and has been receiving many more complaints than usual, mostly about the rig traffic. Sgt. Faunda reported that he has been issuing many more citations, often to out-of-state drivers in town with oil and gas employment. All of that means that those patrolling the roads have a much tougher job. It also
means safety is a major concern. “Most of the roads in Monroe County are bad enough for cars. When you add heavy loads and drivers who don't have experience driving on those roads, it's a disaster waiting to happen,” said Sgt. Faunda. The Ohio State Highway Patrol wants to do everything within its power to protect those on the road. Both patrolmen reported that their dealings with the oil and gas contractors show that the companies are concerned about safety as well. “Most of the companies are very easy to deal with,” said Lt. LaRoche. He added, “They want to be safe, good employers, good partners and good for the area.”
Lt. LaRoche said that many of the companies even want to hear about trouble drivers so they can address the issue before something happens. Sgt. Faunda added a story about responding to a tractortrailer crash on SR 255 last year. He said the company's safety director met with him later and wanted to do all he could to avoid future accidents. As a result the company voluntarily began an escort program to increase safety. Despite the efforts by companies, Lt. LaRoche and Sgt. Faunda know they must up their game if they are going to help protect Monroe County drivers. The Monroe County Sub-Post will be one more tool in their arsenal of patrolling, enforcement and service.
Commissioners will require the department to pay the overtime hours before receiving the funding. In other business, the commissioners signed a letter of support that was drafted by county economic developer Jason Hamman. The letter will support an effort for an undisclosed business on the river to gain an easement from the Department of Ohio Transportation for a pipeline
BHS Sports
plate will be Cameron on the road on Sept. 20. The Blue Devils golf team competed in the OVAC Class 1A tournament on Sept. 10. The school could not field a full four-man team, so a team score was not tabulated. golfer John However, Dietrich found individual success, finishing in fourth place, four shots behind the leader, with a score of 74. Dietrich was named to the All-OVAC team for his efforts. Also golfing for Beallsville was Kyle Carpenter who shot a 97. In volleyball, the Lady Blue
MCHS Sports
(22-25) and lost the subsequent two sets (15-25 and 1625). Monroe Central was led in the loss by Kelsey Dick who had nine points and 10 assists. Kaleigh Marley had a strong effort as well with eight kills and 10 digs. Kateleyn Dimmerling added 10 assists while Brittany Hooper added seven points. The volleyball squad will face Buckeye Trail on the road on Sept. 17 before returning home to face River on Sept. 19. In golf, Monroe Central
From Page 6
that runs along SR7. The easement would allow the for the expansion from four inches to 16 to 20 inches. The hope is that such an expansion would lead to the development of a liquids processing facility barge terminal. or Commissioners will send the letter to the director of ODOT. For more information on the county visit: www.monroecountyohio.net. From Page 7
Devils continued their hardknock season with a straight set loss to Bellaire St. John. The 7-1 Bellaire St. John squad found stiff competition from Beallsville in the first set (22-25). However, the Lady Blue Devils couldn’t keep pace in the second and third sets as they fell 13-25 and 1925. Beallsville was led in the loss by Rikki Decker (eight points) and Ella Campbell (seven points). The volleyball team was also scheduled to play on Sept. 12 against Paden City and Sept. 16 against Valley. Scores and statistics were unavailable. From Page 7
competed in the OVAC 3A championship on Sept. 12. The team finished eighth in the event. Golfers Evan and Dustin Blackstone Graham finished 16th and 18th respectively out of 32 golfers with individual scores of 88 and 89. Brett Tomlin shot a 116, and Micah Roberts shot a 119. The Monroe Central soccer team was scheduled to play on Sept. 12 against St. Marys and Sept. 14 against Magnolia. Those games have been rescheduled to the 25th and the 28th of September.
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