Ethanol

Two things:

1. We're looking for people who own cars that can burn flex fuels. That is, cars whose engines are designed to run on fuel that's 85 percent ethanol as well as they do on regular unleaded gasoline. If you fit that category or know someone who does, please contact me at jimross@herald-dispatch.com or (304) 526-2803 or (800) 444-2446.

2. I had a "Well, duh" moment recently. I was pondering the shutdown of South Point Ethanol in 1995 or 1996, and it hit me. That was probably the start of Ashland Inc.'s corporate departure from the Tri-State. It was about that time that noises became public that changes had to be made. The noise became public in late 1995 or late 1996, but something had to be brewing under the surface before that. Ashland was the dominant investor in South Point Ethanol, and the plant would not have shut down without Ashland's okay. On top of that, the shutdown came around the time John R. Hall was leaving the company and turning it over to Paul Chellgren, the man who decided it was time for Ashland to leave the old home place.