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By Paula Wethington / paula@monroenews.com
I just came across this web site: MichiganFireworks.com.
You can search by date or by city for fireworks shows across the state. Monroe and Luna Pier are among the notices in the database.
By Paula Wethington / paula@monroenews.com
Are you a talented photographer? Can you create a pretty cake? Is your crochet work exquisite?
Today’s edition of The Monroe Evening News includes the Monroe County Fair Premium Guide 2008. If you’re a city slicker, and have no idea what that is all about, the premium guide lists all the contests that are available in this year’s Monroe County Fair.
You don’t have to live on a farm, or even in a township, or belong to a 4-H family to compete. The open division fair contests are open to anyone who lives in Monroe County.
Look through the premium guide and you might find something you can enter. Be sure to follow all the entry deadlines. The procedures can be confusing for first-time fair entrants, but there are contact people with phone numbers listed for each competition division.
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
Browsing through the paper this weekend, I was drawn to the classified ad that simply read: “MUSKRAT MEATS Call Bill at …” How could anyone pass that up? (I’m fond of packages of nuts that label their innards as meats, like walnut meats or almond meats. I think that was in play here.) I was so taken by it, I didn’t even realize it was under the wanted to buy heading rather than the for sale heading.
So I called, wondering about these mysterious muskrat meats. Were they available? Where did they come from? Bill, the man seeking the meats, clarified. He wanted some muskrats for bear hunting. He usually uses beavers to draw bears close, but beavers have become scarce - harder to find and more expensive. So he figured muskrats were a none-to-distant relative and they would probably work, too. Hence the ad, seeking the meats.
He said they used to be available at Monroe Frozen Foods, and he could satiate his need for muskrat whenever he needed to. While this batch he wants for hunting, he said they used to trap them at the creek near his home and his mom would cook them up in creamed corn for big family dinners. But he’s having a hard time locating any muskrat. Bill said he keeps hearing about all the muskrat dinners and has been wondering if they’ve cornered the market. So his question is: where does one acquire muskrat around here?
Apparently he’s not the only one. About 20 minutes before I phoned him, he said he got another call asking how much he was charging.
This seems like a uniquely Monroe thing. What do you think?
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
It seemed like a good idea at the time - but then, it always does.
Last week as leap day was approaching I was trying to think of what kind of story was warranted. Inevitably my thinking went back to my own leap day experiences - particularly two leap days ago, in a far away land.
Flashback to the year 2000 (thank you Conan and Andy - I can never say that even in my head without desiring a flashlight and shrill-voiced man). I was still living in Marquette and knowing my time was coming to a likely end there, I decided I would do something special to mark my last year.
I’m not sure where the inspiration came from but sometime - actually it was in 1999 - I decided I would swim in Lake Superior at least once each month of the year. I believe it had something to do with a large glob of people constantly asking - you mean you can swim in Lake Superior? For more than two weeks out of the year? Ever the sassy one, I thought it would be kind of nice to be able to say I swim in it year round. And I love Lake Superior. I should mention this. Thinking back now of late night skinny dips under the northern lights - well, it’s not something most people ever get to experience.
I began in May 1999. It was unseasonably warm and my friend Mari and I went to the beach, for the first time in a long time without wearing boots. Though we tromped through some snow in the woods in our flip flops, it was quite nice once we hit the sand at Little Presque. The thing about up North is that you have to take advantage while you can and before the flies start hatching.
We ended up swimming. I felt awake for the first time in months, the snow cleared out of my winter soul. It was easy enough to uphold the swimming at least once a month throughout the summer. The lake tends to stay somewhat warm into the fall - at least warmer than the air for the most part. September and October were beautiful. November, not so much. The lake hadn’t frozen yet, but for all intents and purposes, my swim was mostly just a dunking. There was not a whole lot to be done.
December, well, it was actually quite nice. There’s a whole long back story here that I won’t go into. But the swim was after a long, sweaty ska-core show. A bunch of us went down to the lake but only a few intrepids went in. It was a little icy, so that made it more difficult. We were at city beach, the towering red lighthouse and coast guard station still visible in the dark.
January of that next year, we had to go to the power plant outtake that didn’t really ever freeze all the way. That was also just a dunking. It was definitely obligatory. I don’t really remember this one - and in fact thought I may have missed it, but was reading one of my journals from back then and had it there. It was right after we had come back from Christmas break.
February. I thought I had missed February. Everything was frozen. The winter had worn out it’s welcome. My commitment was waning and I gave up. I was saved by one little fact - it was a leap year. On the 29th of that year it was freakishly warm - it felt to be about 78 degrees and the lake ice had loosened up. It was one of those days where everything fit into place. It provided a second chance, a spare day.
After all this, it should have been easy to finish out the year. The cold, most challenging months were gone. But nope. March. That’s what killed me. I ended up going home for Spring break and never made it to old GitcheeGoomie in the time that I had. My one blemish on a year’s record.
But that 29th was more than just an extra day to get a swim in - it’s been a benchmark of sorts. It’s been a tether throughout the years since then, reminding me of who I was then and how it’s lead me to here.
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
Since we have a slight history of posting NASA-like things on this blog, I thought I would continue the tradition.
The moon will disappear tonight. But don’t be alarmed, it’s just doing what it occasionally does - taking a reprieve from watching over us humans while passing through the shadow of the earth. It could be quite spectacular, says NASA.
According to NASA, during a total lunar eclipse, “the Moon’s disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and (rarely) very dark gray.”
An eclipse of the moon can only take place during the full moon phase, and only if the moon passes through some portion of Earth’s shadow. The shadow is composed of two cone-shaped parts, one nested inside the other. The outer shadow, or penumbra, is a zone where Earth blocks some (but not all) of the Sun’s rays. In contrast, the inner shadow or umbra is a region where Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
Tonight’s eclipse will last three hours and 26 minutes, starting at 8:43 p.m., hitting mid-eclipse at 10:26 p.m. and concluding at 12:09. The actual total block out of the moon will begin at 10:01 and will last until 10:51 p.m.
There were two total lunar eclipses visible from the continental U.S. last year - one on March 3 and the other on Aug. 28. North Americans will have their next opportunity to see a total lunar eclipse on Dec. 21, 2010.
Partial Eclipse Begins: 08:43 pm
Total Eclipse Begins: 10:01 pm
Mid-Eclipse: 10:26 pm
Total Eclipse Ends: 10:51 pm
Partial Eclipse Ends: 12:09 am
For more information visit http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
I’ve just got to tell you - I love the text message scandal story that’s been a-brewing in Detroit the last two weeks. First off, it’s juicy. It’s got all the good makings of a prospective Law & Order episode. And while it’s true that there are actual people at the heart of this who may end up wounded - not just a good story - it’s can still be a positive thing.
I won’t lay on you the whole self-righteous “the people who suffer in this are the people of Detroit.” We know this. But it seems to have broken open what some have always suspected: a long, winding trail of corruption in Michigan’s largest and hardest pressed city. It’s only when the light shines and we’re able to see what we’re dealing with that change happens.
But aside from all that, I love it because of what it does for newspapers. There’s all this talk of newspapers grasping for air, clutched little hands held fast over our news-mongering hearts, trying to understand the what and why of our own story. There is a general bad feeling about media, a mistrust, or even worse a dismissal of traditional news outlets. And then along comes the Detroit Free Press story on the explicit text messages. Suddenly, everyone is paying attention to the printed word again.
When the story first broke, I delighted in reading the comments on the Freep forums. Most skewered and barbecued the mayor. Some of them defended Kwame and commented that they finally came up with something, after intense scrutiny and wouldn’t we all have something that we would like to hide?
Or they verged on the edge of “this is a private matter between him and his family.” This stance gulled me. One person asked if the Free Press invaded the Mayor’s and his aide’s privacy by taking info off of their phone/pagers and wondered if it was legal. It’s fine to question, but it should be made clear: the devices they used in their affair were city issued. That means, every text, every phone call, every directory assistance is funded by taxpayers. And, additionally, what the texts seemingly revealed is that both people involved perjured themselves, possibly costing the city upwards of $9 million - and counting. That is nowhere near a private matter.
Bloggers can blog, commenters can comment, but what it really came down to is reporting. The release of the messages, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act - something any person in the country can and should use - was the first step. (Albeit a step that took much effort and tenacity - which it shouldn’t since it’s public info…) Now we have a person who abused city resources who has resigned, a mayor who is being investigated, a full city council investigation into budget matters and city spending and possible criminal charges to be filed. Isn’t this what newspapering - the watchdog of the media - is all about? Reporting what has been overlooked, seeking truth in matters that affect all people of a particular place whether they realize it or not and shedding light into the dark corners?
Yes, websites and other media can cover issues like this (and the Free Press took full advantage of its site during this story), but they didn’t. And when stories break elsewhere, on different media that is, it doesn’t seem to generate quite the same amount of buzz and permanence.
So maybe print is going out of fashion, but let’s not forget its purpose.
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
Well, maybe not the fact that the guy was getting mugged and slugged, but the way he fought back and clobbered the guy - I love it.
From the wire:
“Pickpocket pummeled by ex-Marine sentenced to 6 months in jail
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A 28-year-old man who took a beating when he tried to pick the pocket of a 72-year-old ex-Marine is going to jail for six months.
Jesse Rae pleaded guilty in November to assault with intent to commit unarmed robbery against Bill Barnes. He was sentenced Monday in Kent County Circuit Court.
Rae had said he’d used alcohol and cocaine on June 22 before he entered a suburban Grand Rapids party store and noticed a wad of bills in Barnes’ pocket.
A surveillance camera in the store captured Barnes hitting Rae’s head and body with his fists. Barnes landed six or seven blows before a store manager intervened.
Barnes not only served in the military but also was a Golden Gloves boxer.”
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
I think it was something that was sent by accident, but I received a copy of the newly hashed out contract between the Drain Commissioner Office and the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO local. On the spreadsheet showing the wages, there are two columns that identify workers will receive a “Sinning Bonus”.
Apparently, the UAW and the Drain Commission worked out a deal for sinning. In 2008, in addition to the hourly rate, employees from the operations manager to water meter reader to utility clerk will receive an additional $1,935.48 for sinning.
In 2009, the sinning bonus drops to $927.89.
Of course, I do realize that it’s most likely a typo and should read “Signing Bonus” - but hey, who knows what goes on in those negotiations.
By Paula Wethington / paula@monroenews.com
My new coffee mug …
Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
Here it is, New Year’s Eve again.
Let me be up front about this: I hate New Year’s. I find it usually fraught with anxiety and expectation - you have to find something to do, you just have to! and it has to be the best thing ever! And then comes the let down - another year notched on the belt. The natural question to ask - Did I do anything remarkable?
Then, the holiday season concludes and there’s just winter. I actually love winter - i.e. snow and that clean feeling only a crisp breeze can provide - but SE Michigan winters don’t exactly fulfill that. (I’m a U.P./Minnesota girl, what can I say?) So, I’m trying to shake off my New Year’s Blah in order to get the new years how-to-have-a-better-year-story done.
In researching the origins of New Year’s and what people around the world do, I came across a list of things you should say to another person to wish them well into the next annum. On Wikipedia (yes, I check out wikipedia when researching things to make sure I covered different bases…) there’s a list of “typical phrases seen on cards or heard in greeting.”
Here are the suggestions:
I just have to ask though, is this truly necessary? Does anyone need a guide to New Year’s tidings? It’s not like back stage where you say some specialized thing like “break a leg”. The only one you are to exclaim, according to the list, is “Wishing you a happy new year!” I especially like that they have both “I wish you…” and “We wish you…” listed, just to avoid that possible snake den of confusion.
So, I propose we come up with one, just to see if it makes the wikipedia list of possible things to say to one another on New Year’s. What should it be? And make sure you ‘insert the appropriate year(s)’.
Here’s to jibbing the rig and pie in your eye in 2008!
By Paula Wethington / paula@monroenews.com
Last night I watched one of the one-hour specials on The History Channel about the history of Christmas: Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas.
I knew that many of the customs and traditions we take for granted today were not introduced to America, or in some cases observed anywhere, until the mid-1800s. But I didn’t know why Christmas was overlooked or even outlawed as a holiday festival in earlier years of this country. (Answer: Christmas festivities in that era were more like what we see today at Halloween or Mardi Gras).
One of the comments in the video production that I found interesting is that while many people struggle with religious vs. secular observances of the Christmas holiday, the two aspects contribute to and support each other. Without secular observances such as Santa Claus making department store appearances, the Christmas holiday would not be as popular or as pervasive in our culture. But until Christmas morphed into a family-friendly holiday, many religious people wanted nothing to do with the raucous festivities formerly associated with Dec. 25.
If you’re interested in this topic, the History Channel has additional features on its web site. Enjoy!
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
As I’m writing a story right now about the State of the Communities breakfast - hosted by the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce this morning - I keep thinking back to the conversation that was floating around at the table I chose as I was sitting down.
One of the women was telling a story about a wedding where the mother of the groom objected to the union during the ceremony. First someone asked if she was serious about it. Apparently she was.
Secondly the other women wondered what the marrying pastor/priest did - did he proceed? Surely they must have training for that, someone suggested. He reportedly just continued with the ceremony as though she had not said anything.
But it raised the question - do those doing the marrying still offer the option to object? I didn’t hear the whole thing, but thought she said that it wasn’t offered, that the priest or whoever, never said object now or forever hold your peace. Has this been taken out of the wedding ceremony? Have you ever been to a wedding where someone objected? Who was it, and what did they do?
Where did that come from in the first place?
By Stephanie Ariganello; stephaniea@monroenews.com
As I was having my quick breakfast of dried apricots I kept thinking of a poem, referring to dried human ears as dried peach halves. I couldn’t remember all the details, but that description, even years and years later, has never left me.
So I found the poem - which is actually written by a native Detroiter who went to MSU and then grad school at Bowling Green. I’m posting it here to demonstrate the power of writing, the power of descriptions that leave branded spots on our brains. (Note: I had to edit it in order to remove the “f” word, which appears in its entirety in the poem.)
The Colonel
by Carolyn Forche
What you have heard is true. I was in his house. His wife carried a tray of coffee and sugar. His daughter filed her nails, his son went out for the night. There were daily papers, pet dogs, a pistol on the cushion beside him. The moon swung bare on its black cord over the house. On the television was a cop show. It was in English. Broken bottles were embedded in the walls around the house to scoop the kneecaps from a man’s legs or cut his hands to lace. On the windows there were gratings like those in liquor stores. We had dinner, rack of lamb, good wine, a gold bell was on the table for calling the maid. The maid brought green mangoes, salt, a type of bread. I was asked how I enjoyed the country. There was a brief commercial in Spanish. His wife took everything away. There was some talk then of how difficult it had become to govern. The parrot said hello on the terrace. The colonel told it to shut up, and pushed himself from the table. My friend said to me with his eyes: say nothing. The colonel returned with a sack used to bring groceries home. He spilled many human ears on the table. They were like dried peach halves. There is no other way to say this. He took one of them in his hands, shook it in our faces, dropped it into a water glass. It came alive there. I am tired of fooling around he said. As for the rights of anyone, tell your people they can go f— themselves. He swept the ears to the floor with his arm and held the last of the wine in the air. Something for your poetry, no? he said. Some of the ears on the floor caught this scrap of his voice. Some of the ears on the floor were pressed to the ground.
The poem comes from Forche’s book called “The Country Between Us” published in 1981 by HarperTrade New York. (Incidentally, Margaret Atwood had a hand in getting this published - one of my all time favorite authors.)
By Stephanie Ariganello
stephaniea@monroenews.com
So this really doesn’t have much to offer in the way of insights into to journalisming or newspaperness. But since I’m at work and it’s semi-work related I’m feeling like I need to share.
Earlier this evening I posted a comment on fellow blogger LunaPierCook’s page (www.blogsmonroe.com/food) in regards to eating rabbit.
Here was my comment: “Yeah, J (my guy who is a chef) has a line on bunnies and loves cooking them up. Me, well, not so much. I can’t get past the fact that they’re little hopping bunnies, not all that far off from our cats and I don’t want to eat our cats. Maybe someday I will. He uses rabbits in the specials at the restaurant sometimes. I’ll let you guys know if he’s planning a rabbity meal anytime soon. Last time he made some sort of braised dish with lavender tea and a ton of other things and swore it tasted like KFC.”
One of my coworkers just came back from a game and checked the drop-off box for whatever reason, found some fliers and jokingly said “these must be for you” while delivering them to my desk. There’s no way he could have read the comment since he was at a game all night.
The fliers are all about animal cruelty. One asks “Why call some animals ‘pets’ and others ‘pants’?” and then goes on to ask “What if leather shoes were made from cocker spaniels?”
The other flier is about KFC and cruelty to chickens with a rendition of the Colonel on the front, smiling, bloodied and holding a knife to a frightened, scalded chicken. Both are from PETA.
Did someone read the comment and feel compelled to pass along the literature? Is it just a coincidence? Am I thinking about it way too hard? Is it simply time to go home and instead of doing yet another political brief (as I felt my head may explode) this blog fodder was a twisted gift from the gods?
Nope. Not yet. Today is not your best bet when castrating animals. You’ll have to wait until this weekend.
Today is actually the best day to go camping (along with tomorrow - which would make sense since you have to stay overnight to camp) and also the best day to prune to encourage growth.
How do I know this? The Old Farmers Almanac.
Tomorrow is a good day to begin logging, as well as harvest above ground vegetables, and set posts or pour concrete. Trying to lose weight? Kick off the effort on the 28th. Or wait for October 6th and 10th. Weaning animals and children, cutting hair to discourage growth, quitting smoking and going to the dentist are some of the other actions on the list.
The almanac provides an astrological timetable, based on the Moon’s signs, and shows the best days for certain activities during the current and next month. The whole year is available.
You can check out when to do stuff here: www.almanac.com/astrology/
As to the why you would want to do stuff, that’s up to you to figure out.