Fresh Snow and Trivia
Lawrence McDonough's 100th Birthday Party
(Posted at 5:45 p.m., November 15, 2014)
Lawrence McDonough's 100th Birthday Party was held at the Stoney Acres Grill and Donegal Danny's Pub from 3-5 p.m. today, November 15, 2014. The building was packed with family and friends, those that wanted to wish Lawrence a Happy Birthday. It was a wonderful gathering of island people showing the spirit of caring so evident on Beaver Island. Congratulations on your century of living, Lawrence!
Danny and Danny with Brother Jim, Edward Palmer, and Hilary Palmer, as well as Cindy Gillespie Cushman entertained the crowd present.
Short Video Clip of the 100th Birthday Party of Lawrence McDonough
Brenda Welter's Father Passes Away
(from Kimberlee Mitchell)
This information came from an island friend in an email this morning. If you wish to send any condolences, you can send them to bkcwelter@aol.com or their home address is 3110 East Side Dr, Beaver Island, MI 49782..
Unanswered Questions
(An editorial by Joe Moore)
During the school board meetings from May through October 2014, many questions were asked by the public during the public comment session at the beginning of the school board meetings. Concerned community members asked questions about topics that were important to them. These questions were asked publicly at an open meeting of the Beaver Island Community School Board of Education meeting. These questions may have been answered quietly in the superintent's office to a small group of people or just the person who asked the question. I don't find that any of these questions have been answered publicly at the next school board meeting or the next or the next.
I took the time to watch and rewatch the meeting video for this period of time to make certain that I wasn't making a mistake. These questions from the community certainly would be answered. I listened and watched and soon discovered that NONE of these questions had been answered publicly. This fact disturbed me, so I mailed a list of these questions to the school board president. I offered to publish the answers to these questions on Beaver Island News on the 'Net. I waited a week, and received not so much as a phone call, postal mail reply, or an email reply. I did NOT get any notification that my letter had been received, nor did I get a response at all.
So, wanting to get answers to these questions for the public on Beaver Island, I submitted a certified letter in which I included a copy of the letter that was sent to the board president. The letter also included a FOIA request for any documents or emails related to these questions. I fnally got an email recognizing receipt of the letter from both the superintendent and the president of the school board, but still no answers. I did get an email from the superintendent stating that he needed an additional ten days beyond the five days to respond to the FOIA request. The items requested in the FOIA request were quite substantial and may take a while to compile, and a meeting with me was requested by the superintendent.
The rescheduled November meeting of the BICS School Board from Monday, to then Tuesday, to then Thursday, did answer just one of the questions asked. The question answered was related to the interpretations of test results being used to make decisions about accountability of teachers for the regression of test scores for the students at BICS. It was formally stated, finally, that the drop of one percent or two percent of a student's score from 98 to 97 or from 99 to 97 could not be considered a regression. It was also admitted that the composite score that had been used to represent the regression actually represents a 7% above average score. So, Beaver Island students are NOT failing, they are succeeding.
A school that is succeeding does not need a plan to hold teachers, students, and parents accountable. Where is the transparency? How does a non-parent get this information? Where is the communication from the school on these or any issues?
Here is an opportunity to eliminate the questions being heard around this community (What are they hiding? Why won't they answer these questions?).
Here is a link to the list of questions sent to provide all subscribers with the information about what questions were asked, but NOT answered. Click HERE
Here is a link to the FOIA request. No mention was made of this FOIA request at the November board meeting. Is it possible that no other board members are aware of this request? Interestingly enough, neither the superintendent nor the board president identified the FOIA officer for the school, so the FOIA request was sent by certified mail to both the superintendent and the board president. Click HERE
While some items in the FOIA request may take some time to gather, you would think that policies and procedures could easily be obtained and sent. Is it possible that these policies and procedures don't exist? Fifteen business days after the FOIA request is November 26, 2014. Will the FOIA request be ignored? Will the questions be answered?
"If I Only Had a Brain..."
(A Terrific Opening Day of Deer Season blog story)
BICS Board Meeting
November 13, 2014
This meeting had been rescheduled from a Monday to a Tuesday, and then reschedule yet again to Thursday. Thirty-one people attended the meeting along with the six board members with Dana Hodgson, Board Secretary, absent. There was no public comment at the beginning of the meeting, but time was reserved for Judith Gallagher to speak later in the meeting. Lots of interesting topics were discussed at this meeting, but, once again, the outstanding questions were NOT answered. What outstanding questions? The questions that had been asked over the last six months at the beginning of the meetings. These questions will be posted in another story.
This meeting had two reporters using two different HD video cameras. This was an experiment to see the possibilities of using multi-camera recording of video, and also an experiment at editing two videos simultaneously. This took almost twelve hours for the editor to edit, so the video didn't get posted as quickly as it has been previously.
(Pictures by Deb Bousquet, Video camera work by Deb Bousquet and Kaylynn Jones)
Why Video Public Meetings?
An Editorial by Joe Moore
This question is asked of my reporters and of me at least once every month, and it's about time that I responded. Most of the time, I answer, "Just because we can," and leave it at that. Then this is usually followed up with another question--Who would want to watch this video? My response is, "Anyone that wants to." Below is the reason in a particular storylike format.
Do you want to know what is going on here on Beaver Island? Let's try this. Suppose that you have been involved in a particular committee, commission, and/or board, and you have to be gone for a medical appointment, and will miss the next meeting. You happen to be flying to another city, state, or continent, and won't be arriving back on the island before the information about that meeting gets passed along and the next thing takes its place at McDonough's Market, one of the pubs, or in the post office. These word of mouth stories never get changed and are always reported without bias or changes in content or tone of voice.
Let's take the off the cuff comment made by lots of people---"Peachy." If you can imagine the tone of voice, what do you think this emphasis means---"Peeeeachy" with an upturn in the voice? How about the short, clipped, "Peechy?" I think you get the idea. The expression on the face, the tone of voice, and the inflections of the voice can convey an entirely different meaning to the words. The art of communication is much more complex than the who made the motion, who seconded the motion, and how many voted "Aye" or "Nay." How something is presented shows volumes of meanings not comprehended in or by the minutes of a meeting.
BINN Editor Joe believes that just having the opportunity to review what was said in the discussion, how it was said, and when the person commented can speak volumes about the decisions made in public meetings. Another example should suffice. You decide whether the following statements mean something different or not.
"I don't really KNOW what the outcome will be." "I don't really know what the OUTCOME will be." "I don't really know what the outcome WILL BE."
If you heard the statement, watched the expression on the face, noted the inflection of the voice, and the emphasis on the words, you would really know what the expression really means to that person. That's why public meetings are recorded in video!
From Holy Cross
Thanksgiving Mass will be at Holy Cross 8:30 am. followed by the Beaver Island Community Service at The Beaver Island Christian Church at 10:00 am.
With the traditional Thanksgiving dinner being at Gregg Fellowship Hall at 6:00 pm.
Difficult Roads
East Side....................East Side.........................Paid Een Og
Which one of these roads would you like to drive an emergency vehicle down, headed to a motor vehicle accident or a medical emergency?
This is not a statement that our county employees are not doing their jobs. Far from it---They are working as hard as they can with the equipment given to them. It is one of those situations where perhaps the Charlevoix County Road Commission don't realize the danger associated with this kind of road conditions. This is one of those situations where there doesn't seem to be enough local help to maintain the roads in a safe condition. Even if you are driving slowly and avoiding the potholes, it is difficult to maintain control of a vehicle when the tires are bouncing up and down on the road as much as these pictures indicate. The Charlevoix County Transit drivers have their hands-full, literally to maintain the routes they are required to drive.
Will this news story fall on deaf ears? Perhaps our county commissioner, our township supervisors, and our school administrator might take some time to contact the Charlevoix County Road Commission and comment on how unsafe our roads become with potholes under the icy mix of snow and rain. If not, or if they do, and nothing is done, please be very careful on these and other roads on the island!
(Pictures by Bob Tidmore)
AMVETS POST #46 AND BEAVER ISLAND FRIENDS OF VETERANS
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS FOR THE KIDS!
The Beaver Island Friends of Veterans (formerly the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary) will host the Annual Children’s Christmas Party to be held on Saturday, December 13, 11:30---1:00 at the Gregg Fellowship Hall at Beaver Island Christian Church. Hot dogs, chips, cookies, ice cream and beverage will be served to the kids and their parents and/or grandparents at no charge.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there to hear the Christmas wish lists and pass out gifts to the kids. Parents please bring your camera to take a picture of your child with Santa.
Also, the Friends of Veterans and the AMVETS of Post #46 will again partner to host a Santa’s Workshop at the Beaver Island Community School on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, to enable the kids to purchase affordably priced gifts for their families and friends. Older students and adults will be available to help the youngsters select and wrap their purchases. Notices will be sent home from school as a reminder of this great event.
WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON!
The Value of Dusk
by Paul Cole
November and its shortened days bring a memory of dusk and how it approaches so quickly. With the cold winds and the dustings of snow, it is strange to adjust and find value in this rapid change. The hard part is finding some value in the gray of a day as twilight comes and darkness falls. With a bit of snow, cold, and the comings of a new season, we then have chance to value dusk and the treasures it brings.
A few years ago, when I had no gray hairs and moved as fast as Lester Doney (well not really...but I can tell a tale like them), I moved back from Arizona and settled on the Island working construction. The winds of November crossed over Garden Island threatening lake effect snow. Secretly, I was happy to be back and rejoiced in a change of seasons that allowed me to appreciate a good cup of coffee brewed from a peculator a top of my grams stove from the old "Killarney Inn Days," ...her restaurant long closed.
I spent some time living with my grams and she often would wind down with some tea in the evening. My grams had a habit of tea (with a bit of something in it sometimes) and a sugar cookie at the end of day. More often than not, the tea needed some more "sugar" and she would head to the pantry. During this time, she would reflect on her day and begin to think of others, occasionally wondering what dogfight Mary Bert or Elvira had been to lately. She was not one to watch a lot of T.V. or read; rather she was more interested in talking and telling stories with a bit of card playing. Her stories were grand reflections of people who had gone on, life on the Island, a bit of worrying about a relative or friend, and of course, a bit of gossip.
She struggled with the stairs at her age and we ended up moving a bed in the corner of her big kitchen. I can still hear Brett Maudrie saying as a young lad, "You sleep in the Kitchen!" The bed was tucked in the corner where a couch used to be and it was easier for her than the stairs. She had her items next to her bed each night: her rosary, a small cross, a pin of Mary, and of course, a glass of water. She reflected and unwound; she knew the value of dusk.
I m blessed with others who grew to know the value of dusk.
My mom loved to read. She would read the newspaper cover to cover at the end of the day, and then move onto books. Often her unwinding time was talking of global politics and changes within the local, state, or federal level. She loved to know what was going on in the world, but more importantly, the community she supported. We would spend hours talking about social issues and how our country was doing.....and then proceed to spiritual issues and values. She went to bed with a small nightstand that held a simple Bible, beloved poems, and her mother’s rosary.
I visited my Dad last month on the Island. We reflected on our lives and he let me know he was doing well. I asked about his health and sleep, considering his struggle in the past couple of years. He said, "I keep a picture on my night stand." When I asked whom.....he responded. "Joy Green. She helps me remember what is important, and was a special person to me." Everyone embraces Dusk in each his or her own way.....that is what worked for him.
The dusk of the day is a great space to be. We might just laugh at a show, tell a story, discuss an article, or simply reflect on our blessings. We all have our own nightstands mentally or physically, and the rituals we take to bed help us greet each new day. Next to my bed, I have a picture of my family and books on travel and spirituality. On my mental nightstand, I place memories of the importance of Dusk to help me appreciate my blessings, and those who helped me value it.
Car Accident on the Island
On Wednesday, November 12, 2014, at approximately 1300 hours, Beaver Island Deputy Nicole Smith responded to a one vehicle roll over accident on West Side Drive near Fox Lake Road in Peaine Township. Sixty-two year old Island resident, Joddy Crosswhite, was southbound on West side Drive, driving a 1996 Geo Tracker when he lost control on icy roads and struck an embankment and rolled the vehicle onto the drivers side. Beaver Island EMS and the Beaver Island Fire Department assisted. Joddy was transported to the Beaver Island Rural Health Center for minor injuries, he was treated and released.
Organizations Wanting Dates on the Community Calendar
BINN sponsors a Community Calendar as a one-stop location for anyone to view the meetings, programs, and events taking place on Beaver Island. BINN just included the entire year of 2015 in this location. Events already planned for a specific week or date could be placed in this location, so that no one else schedules an event that might conflict with your meeting, program, or event. In order for the editor to place these meeting, programs, or events on the Community Calendar, that information has to be emailed to the editor at medic5740@gmail.com. Please get this information to the editor as soon as possible.
BIRHC SEEKS BOARD APPLICATIONS
The Beaver Island Rural Health Center is seeking interested applicants for future openings on its Board of Directors. Board position(s) will be filled at a future date. Board terms are for three years and directors are not compensated. The BIRHC meets every third month on a Saturday. Directors are expected to attend most of the meetings, either in person or by speakerphone.
Candidates should be team players who will champion the cause of the Health Center and be willing to contribute their time and talents to board activities, including fundraising. Full or part-time residents are encouraged to apply by letter to the BIRHC Selection Committee, PO Box 146, Beaver Island, MI 49782.
For more information, applicants may contact Donna Kubic, Managing Director. Candidates should send or drop off a letter which states their interest and tells a little about them by the deadline of December 13, 2014.
BICS Seeks Paraprofessional
Title I Position Posting
Glimpses
Beaver Island's Veteran's Day Observance 2014
The Beaver Island AMVETs Post 46 put on a ceremony this morning "at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month" at the Beaver Island Community School's gymnasium.
The program opened with a Good Morning and a welcome to all who had attended.
The history of Veteran's Day was read by a student of BICS.
There was a rememberance of Dick DeRosia, a life member and active member of the Post who died this year.
The veterans from Beaver Island who gave their life in the service of their country in time of war were recognized by Alvin LaFreniere.
Kathy Speck led the singing of "America."
The Chaplin offered a prayer.
Taps was played, and the observance came to an end.
Video of the Observance
Clip 1
Clip 2
Beaver Island TV Show
Here is a link to our segment in the Travelin Hunter TV show taped last year.
It aired recently on the Sportsman Channel.
"Forecast Gale.....I don't know who Gail is," said host Tony Smotherman. Sometimes the weather fouls up the best made plans. Tony is coming back to Beaver Island for another show, likely in 2016. Take a look - it’s a funny segment taped in late November 2013 at the start of our Island’s worst winter in over 100 years.
Thanks to Chamber of Commerce members and friends who made this media visit possible - Island Airways, B I Marina & Car Rental, B I Boat Co, Marijean Pike, Daryl Butler, Al Hunting, Elaine West, Jared Pike, Todd Ireland, and Gavin West.
Click the Thank You to hear a new song written especially for today, sung by children.
Update BICS Board of Education Election Results
Copied from the Charlevoix County Website
Happy Birthday, U.S. Marine Corps
Paul Welke's Edmund Fitzgerald Story
. Published several years ago.
‘That Fateful Day’
This is a story about my flying experience on a specific flight on a specific day that left such an indelible mark on my memory that it seems like it happened a month ago. In reality it occurred 39 years ago. The event that happened on this day which has become a benchmark in my memory is the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975. What occurred on this day which correlates a common experience we faced was one of the worst recorded storms in Great Lakes history. My specific experience which I relate here is from memory and my pilot log books. I departed Beaver Island for Charlevoix at 4PM in Piper Apache N2130P with no passengers. I returned before 5:30PM with two passengers and lots of baggage. My passengers were Marie and LZ Riegle, retired island residents. Marie was always a nervous flyer and after this day all the more so. The weather on the flight to CVX was fairly typical for November, with gusty southwest winds, rain squalls and occasional limited visibility. I was expecting a cold frontal passage sometime that evening. On the return trip I found the weather had deteriorated considerably. Back then weather reporting and forecasting was in its infancy compared to today. Now we have AWOS (automatic weather observation systems) at most airports throughout Michigan which can be accessed instantly by cell phone or internet with up to the moment conditions. Today forecasts are also easily accessible and accurate. After departure I found flight conditions to be limited visibility with snow and moderate turbulence. There were no real breaks in the weather to get a good idea of the wind speed and direction by looking at the surface of the lake. The only navigation during these years was the ADF (automatic direction finder), magnetic compass and clock (WWII technology). The ADF was a low frequency receiver which homed in on an NDB (non directional beacon). CVX and SJX each had an NDB. This basically gave you a heading to fly which needed to be corrected for your estimated wind direction and speed. Your time or ETA was merely a mental calculation based on the known distance, aircraft speed and your wind estimate. With the assumption that the wind may be switching around to the west or northwest I took a calculated heading that would bring us across the southeast shore of the Island, using the SJX beacon. This, with a normal wind, would take about 12 minutes. My actual time was 4 minutes longer meaning I had picked up about a 50 knot NW wind. As I got up to the north end of Sand Bay I broke out into good visibility with a view of the sunset in the west. As I approached the airport with improving visibility my stunned realization was that the winds were now westerly about70 knots (81 MPH). Fortunately they were blowing straight down runway 27. After landing I taxied into a tie down where my two brothers Mark and Carl were waiting to secure the aircraft to the ground. For those of you who remember Marie Riegle she always carried a rosary while flying. Now you know why.
The next morning we heard the bitter news that the Fitzgerald had sank with all hands. For some reason I always thought that the sinking occurred during the early hours of the next morning, which would have been the 11th. Consequently I could never resolve the discrepancy in my mind of my log entry of 11/10/75 and the fact that she sank the same day.
Now I need to explain something which struck me like a bolt of lightning. Four years ago in the fall of 2010 I began writing this story, thinking that the 35th anniversary would be a good time to do so. First I had to locate my old log books, which in itself was a challenge. Then late one evening on a dark and quiet night while sitting at the computer I began doing research on the wreck of the Fitzgerald. My goal was to get a clear understanding of the order of events and resolve in my own mind the date discrepancy. As I read the details leading up to the tragedy I came to the realization that the Fitzgerald did in fact sink in the early evening of the 10th, the same day as my memorable flight. As I continued my research I now came to the haunting realization that while I was struggling with a flight under very challenging circumstances on that fateful day 39 years ago, the 29 crewmembers of the Fitzgerald probably already knew that their fates were sealed. At this point I closed up my log books, put away my notes and did not revisit the subject for two more years until now.
Much has been written, studied, conjectured about this tragedy, but for myself every November when the “gales of November” are upon us I shall always remember.
PW
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
ARTIST: Gordon Lightfoot TITLE: Lyrics and Chords
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called Gitchee Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore, 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
/ Asus2 Em / GD Asus2 /
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship's bell rang
Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'
The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew as the captain did too
'Twas the witch of November come stealin'
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashin'
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck
Sayin', "Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya"
At seven p.m., a main hatchway caved in
He said "Fellas, it's been good to know ya"
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when its lights went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her
They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral
The church bell chimed 'til it rang 29 times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called Gitchee Gumee
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early
Edmund Fitzgerald
by Gordon Lightfoot
Click HERE to listen
A Couple Things...
From the Transfer Station
Recycling Information--No Cloth in off-season
Talking Threads Quilt Guild WEDNESDAYS
Talking Threads Quilt Guild invites all quilters, sewers, knitters, crocheters, weavers, spinners, and any other crafters to Peaine Township Hall on Wednesdays from 9:30 until noon. Bring your projects, supplies, and enthusiasm. Call Darlene at 448-2087 if you have questions , or just stop in on Wednesday.
Dog Island: The Plane Crash
by Lance Terrill Olson
This book written by Lance Terrill Olson is presented to BINN subscribers through an agreement between BINN editor and the author. This book is about an imaginary plane crash that takes place on an imaginary island, Dog Island. The book is for sale at a few places on the island.
Chapter 3-Part 2 The Plane Crash
She sobered up emotionally, long enough to realize the situation she was in… she and her daughter! It was time to buck up and act like an adult.
"I'm sorry, Tommy! I didn't mean what I said. It's just that I hurt so bad and my little girl and I need help." She spoke like she was having trouble getting air. "Sam, our pilot, was in a hurry to get us to Mackinac Island so he could go on vacation in Canada. And I don't know if he even filed a flight plan. He isn't really a full-time pilot... just a friend of a friend who owns his own plane."
She thought for a second and said, "He didn't make it did he? He's been very quiet since the crash. Is he... dead?"
Tommy said, "I'm pretty sure he is…."
She continued, "He knew the weather wasn't good over here, but he said he thought he could handle it! We flew out of Appleton and I don't know if anyone knows where we are! I think we ran out of fuel."
At this point, Tommy realized that he was the only one.
No one was expecting the plane and no one was keeping track of it. It was all on his shoulders. That's when the big shot of adrenaline hit him and his heart started beating fast. He began to sweat. For a moment, he looked at the little girl who was now sitting down in the marsh grass, petting me.
I was enjoying the attention, smiling and wagging my tail just like everything was fine! Tommy had the fleeting thought that he was in deep shit and I was having a good time! For a brief moment, he despised me. Or, rather, he realized that he was the only human and, therefore, had all the responsibilities on his shoulders, alone. His long time friend and protector wasn't going to be of any help! He realized that he had to grow up fast and figure it out. He was the only one there who could help.
Tommy said, "I have a knife and I'll try to cut through your seat belt. I'm not sure I can do anything to keep you from coming down on your head. I can't really reach in there and hold you up."
She said, "I understand. Cut it on my 'good' side so I can use that arm to cushion the fall." He removed his knife from its sheath and saw that his hand was shaking... badly. He tried to squeeze his other hand into the opening up and between the side of the plane and her good side. All he could get in was one arm, but in an awkward position. He found the belt. It was almost embedded in her thigh because of her weight hanging on it. He couldn't cut that without cutting her too.
But then he saw that a length of the belt was fastened to the floor of the plane. He could reach it easily.
"OK, are you ready? I can cut it up here, under your seat." She put her good arm towards the ceiling to support her weight. He cut the strap. Everything happened fast. The belt was easily cut through because his knife was very sharp. She came down and rolled a little at the same time. She lay there, mostly on the back of her neck and her good shoulder. She was crying in relief and frustration and pain.
I heard her say, "I can't feel my legs! They are cold and I can't move them." Tommy backed out the door to look things over. He almost fell because he forgot there was a drop.
They would have to pull her out somehow. He thought to himself, "Things just keep getting better and better!"
"OK. Maybe your daughter and I can pull you out. We'll have to pull you by your good arm." The next twenty minutes were spent in a start-stop series of moves. They gained about 2 inches each time they pulled. The little girl had surprising strength and she didn't cry or get in his way. They worked together well. Since it was about three feet to the ground below the open door, they both supported her weight so she wouldn't fall. Her legs were lifeless. She was dead weight and she had apparently fainted from the pain. They finally got her to the ground.
Tommy said, "Let's get her far away from the plane. There's a lot of fuel around it and we should be safe." This time, they each grabbed a leg at the ankles. He could see that her ankles were a little blue in color. They drug her about 30 feet from the wreckage. It worked fine and it was easier.
When they were dragging her away, her jacket rode up and exposed her stomach, waist and then some of her bra. Tommy was really embarrassed and was quick to stop and pull down her jacket.
After catching his breath, Tommy decided they should gather all of the luggage and look for things that could be helpful. "What's in these small packages?" he said to the girl.
She replied, "I don't know. They aren't ours. They must have been in the back storage area." He reached for one and cut a slit in the end. Inside was a white powder. When he smelled it, it smelled like ether. He threw it out of their way and said, "It must be some special chemical that he had to deliver."
"Well, let's get all your stuff and see what we have to work with. We can try to make your mom comfortable until they get here." But, by now, Tommy knew now that they weren't coming. If they were coming, he would have heard quad engines or search plane engines by now. And it was almost dark.
The girl's mom was still unconscious. She was now sweating and saying funny things, twisting her head back and forth as she lay there. He thought this was what they called "shock." That was very serious. She needed help, and soon.
It was then that he thought about having to make a very difficult decision. He might have to go for help.
Out on the island, there are no cities or towns nearby to project light into the air from streetlights, signs and other artificial light, like on the mainland. It was hard to see the stars on the mainland because of the diffused light. The only night light on the Island came from the billions of stars and the moon. That is why some people came to the island to stargaze. The sky was usually crystal clear at night.
When Tommy and his dad went fishing at night on an inland lake, they didn't have to use the lights on the boat. They could see reasonably well for a hundred yards just by the natural light. The boat lights actually reduced their ability to see where they were going. You could only see a few feet ahead with them on and they attracted insects, Of course, they never took me fishing... they said they didn't want me to get snagged with a hook.
The problem tonight was that there was heavy cloud cover. It blocked the natural light from reaching the ground. Tonight it would be as dark as being inside a cave, deep in the ground. There would be absolutely no light to see by. When you try to walk, you stumble and fall and run into things. It would be like being totally blind, he thought.
For the next half hour, the kids pulled clothes out of the suitcases and made a makeshift bed on the ground as well as a pillow. They also found a waterproof tarp to put on the ground first, to keep moisture from soaking the makeshift bed. Then, they gently moved her mother onto it. And, the girl gathered some clothes to put on herself if it got cold.
With the last of the light, Tommy gathered lots of firewood. Some of it was still in log form, four or five feet long. The girl helped him because she trusted him now. He wasn't just some little kid. He knew some things. By now, she realized the situation... they weren't going to get any help soon. It would be a long night.
When the wood was all gathered, Tommy made a campfire pit by kicking marsh grass out of the sand. He recalled that there wasn't much of a fire danger. He remembered the signs that the Fire Department put around the Island. "Fire Danger Today: LOW" it said when he saw a sign this morning. "My god, that seems like a week ago,” he thought.
He tore some birch bark off a fallen tree and put it into the pit. Then he added small twigs and built it up to larger stuff. As the girl watched, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a baggie that contained a book of matches and a broken cigar. "That looks like a cigar," she said. "Do you smoke cigars?!"
"Oh, darn! It's broken.... Well, sometimes I do. When Max and I are out on an adventure, I light one up. The smell of the smoke calms me... makes me feel like Grandfather is still alive and nearby. I don't do it often. They're hard to get. I can't take too many puffs without getting dizzy. But, it's the smell that I like. When it goes out, I put it into a baggie so my mom doesn't smell it. She didn't like Grandfather to smoke them and I'm real sure she wouldn't like me doing it.
Then, he lit a match and caught the birch bark on fire. The flames quickly spread upward to catch the twigs on fire.
Soon, they had a nice fire going. She said, "Why did you use that white bark? What is it?"
"It's birch bark. From the birch tree. The bark has a flammable oil in it. You can get it wet and it will still light. If it's raining out and you want to start a fire, you can use it to dry out the smaller twigs and get them going. Then, they get the larger stuff dry and burning. It's easier to use than lighting individual twigs to get a fire started."
After watching the fire for awhile, Tommy made the decision. Her mom wasn't getting any better. If he didn't get help soon, she might die too.
He told the girl what he had decided and why. At first she was terrified. She wanted to go with him. But, he explained that she needed to keep the fire going and tend to her mother who needed her now, more than ever. He didn't tell her about the coyotes on the Island and his fear that they might go after her helpless mother if they were hungry enough. With a fire going and the total darkness, there was little chance.
There weren't any bears to worry about on Dog Island. The word is that only animals that can walk or run across frozen Lake Michigan in winter inhabit the Island. Bears hibernate in winter, so they miss the opportunity. That is probably a good thing.
He gave her instructions not to burn up the smaller wood too fast. She didn't need a big fire. Gradually push the longer stuff into the fire. After the tips burn, push them in further.
He would be back with help as soon as he could.
He reached into his pocket to get his GPS. He found the sandwich and some chips. His first thought was to gobble them down. With all that was happening, he hadn't realized how bad his stomach hurt from not eating. But, then a little voice inside told him to give it to the girl. She gobbled it down like she hadn't eaten in a week. And then she asked if she could have some water from his canteen.
Before he left, he took a GPS reading at the crash site. He decided to leave his canteen with the girl with instructions not to let her mother drink too much, if she woke up. He also left his pump bottle of Cutter's insect spray after he sprayed the girls ankles, back, and other areas. Cutter's is one of the only sprays that keeps stable flies at bay. Almost any deet spray kept the mosquitoes away.
Then he used the compass function of his GPS to guide him in the direction of a logging trail he knew about. It was about a mile away. From there, he would walk north about three miles to the nearest house.
Although he told me to "stay!" I was having no part of it. There was no way Tommy was going through the woods at night without me along for protection! Seeing that he was getting nowhere, Tommy removed his belt and looped it around my collar. He didn't want me to get lost in the darkness. Ha, ha!
It was amazing how long the light from the fire behind us helped us to see ahead. But, then, it got totally, blind dark. Tommy figured that we were about a half mile from the trail by then. I walked by his side and tugged on the belt in jerks. I was not able to see! I couldn't believe it! With the glow of the GPS above my elevation, he could see enough not to run into a tree, but walking was rough.
All of a sudden Tommy had a thought that cheered him up. There were no mosquitoes! Maybe they can't see in the dark either, He could hear one occasionally. They were probably attracted by the carbon dioxide from his breath, but they couldn't see him well enough to land. He laughed out loud, causing me to stop and look at him. To him, at least something was going well.
We were both getting wet from the dew that was forming on the vegetation we walked through, before we made it to the trail.
We actually made it to the trail before the light from the GPS started to go dim. The batteries were getting low so he turned it off. He couldn't remember when he put in a fresh battery. Was it a year ago? Two? It really didn't matter now. He would have to make his way in the dark without it. He was worried that, if the batteries died, he would lose the coordinates of the crash. That would be a real disaster!
So, off we went into the dark, trying to feel the track contours on the trail with our feet. Occasionally, he would run into a sapling branch. It always seemed to hit him in the face. But then he knew he was over too far and tried to make a correction, back to the center of the trail.
I began to smell the molecules of rubber tires from some ATV that was on the trail earlier, and went out ahead of him in the dark. My pull on the belt was steady because I kept smelling my way along the trail. Tommy probably thought I could see in the dark, but I couldn't. My god, it was dark!
Then it dawned on him. I was smelling the trail. I was going to help him after all. "Good dog, Max!," he said. That turned out to be a mistake. I stopped and sat down, waiting for a command… or a treat. I stared at him. Well where I thought he was in the dark. But, I couldn't smell a treat.
After failed attempts to command me to continue, which I didn't understand, Tommy gave up and started walking again. That's all it took. I took off walking ahead again. I was disappointed that he didn't have a treat for me, but that's the way it is... I was disappointed that he gave that other sandwich to the girl too. Oh, well....
After about two and a half or three hours of stumbles, falls, and wet feet from water puddles and probably a sprained finger, Tommy saw a dim light in the distance. I could tell there was something different about the light, but down at my level, I couldn't see it yet. It was the O'Rourke house.
Tommy started running, tripped over me, and fell again. But, he soon realized that he couldn't really see well enough yet. His body and especially his legs hurt like the devil. In this kind of darkness, it was different having the light in front of you. Everything being relative, it was like the sun shining directly into your eyes, riding in the car. It almost blinded you. The last quarter mile was hell.
This Old Cookbook-4
This old cookbook was found as an old house was being cleaned and items sorted out. It comes from a project of an elementary classroom from May 1958. BINN will present one recipe each week until the cookbook's last. An attempt will be made each week to actually make the weekly recipe. The title page states, "Dear Mother...I hope this book will help you cook."
Brownies
1 cup sugar.....3/4 cup flour......1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla.....2 eggs......2 squares chocolate
1 teaspoon baking powder......1/2 cup nutmeats
Bake until done
Ronald Spees, 8 years old
Mix the butter and the chocolate in a sauce pan big enough for the whole recipe. Fold in the other ingredients after the chocolate is melted. This recipe was baked at 325 for 35 minutes.
It was pretty tasty for dessert after dinner.
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Standby for More Internet Issues
Net neutrality debate heats up as Verizon threatens legal action
- Michelle Clancy (09 November 2014)
About 70 organisations have filed opposition to the so-called sender side approach to Net neutrality rules in the US, put forth by the Federal Communications Commission as a possible proposal.
And Verizon, as a top US ISP, has filed a lawsuit in relation to the FCC’s tandem Net neutrality consideration to reclassify broadband as a public utility.
Throttling websites specifically is a banned practice as far as the FCC is concerned, but FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has left the door open for companies to strike commercial deals with ISPs to have their traffic prioritised over others when it comes to bandwidth allocation and faster delivery.
Critics have been concerned that allowing this behaviour would essentially translate into smaller web companies being squeezed out of the market, because only the larger ones would have the ability to pay the toll, as it were. And that in turn, they say, would result in a stifling of innovation, a reduction in the marketplace of ideas and the killing of the long-tail economy that has sustained the Internet to date.
“Individuals, companies, policymakers at all levels and public interest organizations working on everything from environmental protection to reproductive rights have called on you to establish every Internet user’s right to connect with any person or website of their choosing without discrimination, censorship or any other interference with their communications by their Internet service provider (ISP),” the group said in a letter to the FCC.
Large open-access advocates like Google and Netflix and a range of tech investors have also filed official protests to the proposal, prompting the Commission to revise its approach to ban paid prioritisation arrangements outright.
Meanwhile, Wheeler is also seeking comments on reclassifying broadband as a public utility.
Earlier in the year Verizon won its challenge of the Open Internet Order in US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Verizon argued that the FCC lacks the authority to enforce Net neutrality because, it claimed, Congress did not grant the agency the ability to do so, because broadband is not classified as a public utility, the way telecom is.
Beaver Island Community Players Performed Saturday Night
Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. was the Beaver Island Community Players' 2014 production,"It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" by Joe Landry.
Working On It
It seems I’ve fallen into something of a self-improvement kick.
I hardly recognize myself!
It happens, now and then, in my life. I’ve learned to not put too much stock in it. I pick up and then drop new habits as often as....I can’t even think of a good comparison. Often.
Really often.
Presently, on top of trying to write every day, I’m attempting to cultivate several “good for me” habits.
I’ve started a new diet and exercise regimen.
I am making a concerted effort to finish every book I have started before beginning another one. At this time I have about twelve books, partially read, to work through one by one.
I am spending at least a few minutes at the end of each day tidying up after myself, so that I’m not greeted by a big huge mess of my own creation on every day off. I worked thirty days in a row in the month of October. That really drove home the need to stay on top of things.
I’m trying to get studio time in every day.
On my day off, I am spending concentrated time on housework before going into the studio or out in the yard to work.
I’m easily distracted or put off-course. I have to be strict.
I set the timer for fifteen minutes. I start in the bathroom, working as efficiently as I can until the timer rings. I go on to the laundry room, the same, then kitchen, dining room, living room. Another fifteen minutes for the bedroom and the stairs. I try not to worry about getting to every task; I try not to let distractions pull me off course.
It’s a struggle.
Monday, I was about seven minutes in to cleaning the bathroom when I decided to refill the vase. A walk around the yard followed, to decide what blooms would work. Many are far past their prime. I cut a bouquet of rosemary, spent too long arranging it, and then---of course---had to stop to take a photograph of it.
Ah, well....count the walk around the yard as exercise....and then use it all as writing material.
That’s the person I’m familiar with!
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