One Happy Winner

Tony Basso, owner of Tony Basso Auto Sales celebrated Chevy Days with the theme, “Hot dogs, apple pies, baseball and Chevy.”  The celebration on Aug. 9 included refreshments, gifts for the children, drawings for prizes, including a flat screen television, and a drawing for the grand prize of a 2005 Dodge, 4 wheel drive, Hemi pickup.
The winner of the flat screen television was Heather Marshall of Price and the excited winner of the Dodge pickup was also a Price resident, Erin Hart.  Her only comment after winning the truck was, “I love Tony Basso.”

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Elder Levi Swasey

Elder Levi Luke Swasey has accepted the call to serve in the Ecuador Quito Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He is the son of Merrill and Sandra Swasey of Castle Dale.  He is also the grandson of Wayne and Elaine Wilberg of Castle Dale and the late Sherman and Birdie Swasey of Boneta, Utah.
He will speak in the Castle Dale First Ward Sacrament meeting on Aug. 17 at 11 a.m. and he will enter the Missionary Training Center on Aug. 20.

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Anna Faye Vuksinick
“Momma”

PRICE - Anna “Faye” Vuksinick, 84, passed away August 6, 2008, on the same day she was born in 1924.  She passed away at the home of her daughter Lynette.  She was born in Price, Utah to Charles A. and Kisty M. Jensen Fausett.  She married Martin L. Vuksinick.  Later divorced.
Mom touched many lives as a nurse, a profession she loved being a part of.  One of her proudest accomplishments was when she completed school for her LPN license.  She spent many committed years caring for others and had great compassion for her “little people” in the nursing home.  She told us many stories about the people she cared for and I think we were the only kids who weren’t afraid to go to a nursing home.  During those years, she cared for her Mother, sisters; Ila and Pearl.  When she retired from nursing, she returned two weeks later to work part-time.  She said retirement was “boring”.  Once she retired, she volunteered as a Pink Lady at Carbon Hospital until 2004 when her health began to decline.
Lynette and I feel the most important lesson she taught us was to be a family that stuck together through good and bad times and to rely on each other for love and support.  We do that today in her honor.
Later in life, Mom and her three sisters moved back into the family home.  She was always the one to say, “Come on, sit down, lets chat”.  To her grandkids, she was always going to give them a “talking to” or “give them a lickin”.  She would say, “Do you know what that is?”.
Lynette and Vanessa want to thank Angie Fausett and Jenn from CNS for their kindness and compassion during Mom’s last days.
Survived by her daughters; Lynette Wells and Vanessa (Ben) Benedict, grandchildren Jason & Kyle Hamann, Joshua & Jessica Wells. Jessie (James), Sasha, Brandon Benedict, Jennifer & Jeremy Fairbanks, Christopher & Octobre Benedict, Heidi & Erik Petersen, and eight great- grandchildren, Sister; Wayne Smith.  She is preceded in death by her parents, daughter Melanie, grandson Justin, son-in-law Kevin Wells, sisters; Jenny, Eloise, Pearl, Ila, Ruth, and brothers; George, Ray, and Jess.  If you wish, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society in Faye’s name.
Funeral services were Aug. 9, 2008 at Fausett Mortuary (680 East 100 South, Price, Utah).  Interment was in the Price City Cemetery, next to Justin and Kevin.  Funeral services were in the care of Fausett Mortuary.

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Antoinette Robles

EAST CARBON-Our wonderful mother and grandmother of five generations, Antoinette Gallegos Robles, passed away peacefully August 4, 2008, at the age of 96.
She was born June 23, 1912 in Oakview, Colorado to Moises and Cinita Gallegos.
Married Albert D. Robles, March 19, 1928 in Walsenburg, Colorado; he preceded her in death on March 9, 1986.
Antoinette was an extremely talented seamstress, wonderful cook, gardner extrodinare and her talents were limitless.  She helped many in their time of need and everyone is grateful for her  many acts of kindness.   “We love you mom and you’ll be in our hearts forever”.
She is survived by her children, Betty, Alice, Edna, Stan, Cyndee and Jayson; special granddaughter, Yvonne; brother, John; sister, Martha; and many other loving family members and dear friends
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Edna for giving so much time, love and patience to our mom.
She was preceded in death by her husband, grandsons, Karl and Mark Hunt; great-grandson, Randy Jr., and her much love son, Jr.
Funeral service was Aug. 9, 2008, at Mitchell Funeral Home.  Interment was in Price City Cemetery.

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Ann Ross
“Grannie Annie”

PRICE-Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, and teacher was taken from us too soon in an unfortunate car accident on August 4, 2008.
She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Ann was born on October 14, 1950 in Taos, New Mexico  to Cleotilde Vigil and Amadeo Romero.
She graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1968 and later earned her Associates of Science degree from the College of Eastern Utah.  On September 6, 1970, she married Ronald G. Ross in Elko, Nevada, their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple on December 7, 1994.  Ron and Ann moved to Price in 1974 and raised their family of four sons.  While residing in Price she was employed for 25 years in the coal mining industry.
Her family was the absolute love of her life, especially her 14 grandchildren who affectionately called her “Grannie Annie”.  Ann was a caring person who had a positive influence on the lives of those she touched.  She never suppressed a generous thought or deed; she was a peacemaker and a woman of unique strength and character.
Should each of us be able to tear out a page from Grannie Annie’s Book of Life and incorporate the wisdom contained therein, we would all be a better and more loving people.
Ann you are so dear, so sweet, so beautiful, so precious to us.  You are truly an elect lady and we are going to miss you more than words can express.  May God be abundant in his blessings upon you.
Ann is survived by her loving husband, Ron Ross, Price; four sons and one step-daughter: Don (Lara) Ross, Grand Junction, CO, Ron (Julianne) Ross, Sandy, UT,  Scott Ross, Denver, CO, Beau (Sarah) Ross, Coralville, IA, Kari (Reed) Smith, Springville, UT, grandchildren: Noah, Sophia, Avabelle, Lola, Eliza, Isaac, Tucker, Tilly, Ezra, Trevyn, Daryk, Danyelle, Mytchell, Mckenzy, great-granddaughter, Ryan Rae, and one more on the way.  She also leaves behind four brothers and three sisters, Ben Valencia, George Gonzales, Tom and Tim Romero, Orlinda Petersen, Lillian Taylor and Irene Leyba, and many other extended family members.
Funeral services were Aug. 9, 2008, at the Price Fifth LDS Ward, 545 East 400 North.  Interment was in  Cliffview Cemetery, Price.  Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home.

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John Arthur Elegante 
1933-2008

John Arthur Elegante passed away at the age of 75 on August 4th, 2008 in Orem, Utah after a long brave battle with cancer. He was at the home of his son and surrounded by family. He made it to his seventh inning stretch, and went out swinging for the fence.
He was born, January 15, 1933, to Charles and Adeline Elegante in Helper, Utah.  He was the eldest of four children; Fred Elegante (deceased), Charmaine Elegante and Charles “Buddy” Elegante.
He married Katherine Erramouspe on July 6, 1953.  He is survived by his six children: Jeannie Garavaglia (John), Cindy Garavaglia (Ed), Michael Elegante (Jorgene), Kathy Swiss (Jerry), John Elegante (Joni), Christi Elegante,  12 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
His passions included, children, fishing, love of outdoors, country music, Utah Jazz, Rockies baseball with a Rocky dog.
Funeral services were Aug. 9, 2008,  at Mitchell Funeral Home, 233 East Main, Price, Utah. A graveside service followed at Mountain View Cemetery, in Helper.
In lieu of flowers and in memory of Dad, spend a day with your family or you can make a donation to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
See ya later alligator!                         

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Joyce Ann Shaw

PRICE-Joyce Ann Shaw, age 68, passed away August 3, 2008 in Price, Utah.  Joyce was born on November 11, 1939 as the third of five children born to Charles Henery and Beulah Pearl Reynolds Zobell.  She married Garald Lynn Shaw on October 13, 1956 in Price.
Joyce was born and raised in Price.  She enjoyed taking care of others and taking care of her home.  Her hobbies included crocheting, making quilts, and making weaved rugs.  She also enjoyed cooking, especially for Thanksgiving, reading, playing cards with family members, and traveling.  Joyce will be remembered as a loving wife, sister, aunt, and friend who was loved by all.
Joyce is survived by her husband, Garald; two brothers, Lyman Zobell, St. George, Jerry Zobell, Sandy; and a sister, Charlene Ruiz, Price.
She was preceded in death by her parents and sister Jane Zobell.
Funeral services were Aug. 8, 2008 at Fausett Mortuary (680 East 100 South, Price).  .  Interment was in the Wellington City Cemetery.  Services were in the care of Fausett Mortuary.

Mike J Svetich
1918-2008

HELPER - Beloved husband, father, grandfather, Mike J Svetich, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on August 5, 2008. 
Mike was born May 8, 1918 in Bingham Canyon, UT to Pete and Matilda (Barich) Svetich.  At an early age he moved to Mutual, UT where he and his four sisters Mary, Katie, Mildred and Anne grew up. 
When Mike was 12 years old he met a girl named Dorothy Louise Kilgore for the first time and told her he was going to marry her when they grew up.  They were married on August 23, 1941 and raised three children, Betty Jo Ruden, Richard (Terri) Svetich, and Debra (Russ) Dull.
Mike was an active loyal member of the United Mine Workers of America for over 60 years, presiding as secretary for Local 1206 for many years.   He was also a member of the Price Elks Lodge. 
Mike will be remembered most for his love of his wife Louise, his dedication to family, and his strong work ethic. 
Preceded in death by his wife and grand daughter Dana Lynn Dull. Survived by his children, five grandchildren, Belinda (Scott) Timothy, Randy Ruden, Jennifer (Jerad) Baletka, Kevin Dull and Erik Svetich, seven great grandchildren, and two great great-grandchildren.  The most important thing in Mike’s life was his family, he would always say, “If you ain’t got family, you ain’t got nothin”.
A memorial service will be held Aug. 16, 2008, 11 A.M.,  Mitchell’s Funeral Home, 233 East Main St. in Price, Utah.  Family will be at Mitchell’s one half hour prior to services. Interment will be at the Helper City Cemetery.   In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Helper Mining and Railroad Museum, 294 South Main St., Helper, Utah. 

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Shea Fields
Samuel Urie

Wayne and Tracie Urie of Ferron are pleased to announce to marriage of their son, Samuel to Shea Fields, daughter of David and Amy Fields of Castle Rock, Wash.   They will be married on Aug. 16, 2008 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
A reception will be held in their honor on August 16 from 2 – 5 p.m. at the home of Drew Buck, 2870 West 7420 South, West Jordan.
A casual dress open house will be held two days prior on Aug. 14 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the home of Jeff and Gayle Ewell, 120 West 500 South,  Ferron.

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August 5, 2008

From Puppies to Lizards: 
What Makes a Pet?

Colleen Davis

When beginning this article, the first thing I did was look for the definition of pet. Well some of what I found was that a pet or companion animal is: an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment, as opposed to livestock, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for other reasons. Pets also seem to provide their owners with health benefits; keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress for those who like having animals around. Walking a dog can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air and social interaction.

My research also revealed that for thousands of years people from all different places and cultures around the world cared for some animals simply because the liked them. Sometimes it was because of the way they looked, felt or the sounds they made. Some people chose the pet they had because of the status having such a creature gave them. Some animals are just good company and show an attachment to people.

Pet is a word that started appearing in the English language as early as the 1600s. Pets are generally not expected to work for their keep and they are not eaten. People have been using animals for hundreds of years in many ways. Dogs have been used for generations as guards, for hunting, and herding, but as time has passed, dogs have been kept as companions and playmates. Then and now most family dogs are not purebreds although they still are recognized as retrievers, spaniels terriers, shepherds, hounds, and other types. Their looks reflect the kinds of dogs that are living in the community.  At first domestic dogs appeared to have been similar in appearance. As civilization proceeded, dogs began to evolve so they could perform various functions in the community. Some were used to work with stock, while others served as guards. The selective breeding to develop dogs with deliberate physical traits began about 150 years ago. Today there are about 300 different breeds throughout the world.

Cats were first introduced to help keep rodents and vermin away. What farmers from centuries ago saw and realized is that the crops and grains attracted vermin and rodents. The vermin then attracted cats. The farmers then started encouraging the cats to stay by leaving out food that would attract them. Since they had a source of food. They moved in on a permanent basis. Being a naturally calm animal just as are feral cats today, they first started allowing people to approach them to be petted and then eventually to be held.

What have been considered “children’s perfect pets”, are rabbits, mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs, because they were easy to care for, didn’t have a long lifespan and are generally gentle. Chickens have also been considered to be a perfect backyard pet for some of the same reasons; they are easy to care for and are gentle and friendly.

One of the most recent changes in the types of pets have been reptiles: lizards, snakes and turtles. One reason for this is because people are able to care for them, but also because a large number of our society finds lizards and snakes both dangerous and repulsive.

Keeping a pet takes a lot of work and dedication, and involves a number of practices. These include providing the animal with a special diet or food, playing with it, giving it adequate shelter and sometimes even allowing it to live in our home or sit on the furniture or your lap. And one of the most important practices in having a pet is caring for it when it is sick or injured.
As I stated earlier pets have been part of our lives for hundreds of years and we continue to debate what our responsibilities are to them. The issues are difficult and opinions vary. Americans for the most part value their pets as companions and associate them with their happiness.

Pet owners include the family pet as a part of their family life. They are included in family portraits, family vacations, holidays and also when buying gifts. Some pet owners celebrate their birthdays, and when the time comes they have a memorial service to mark the end of their life. Over time pets have become an important part of many of our lives, whether it has been a faithful pet or just one that we are used to having in the yard.

So the question again is “what is a pet”? Well a pet  in short is an animal that is a companion and brings us comfort, joy and in general helps us to be happy.

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June 17, 2008

Wilderness Program up and Running in Huntington

Josie Luke

Many residents of Emery County appreciate the surrounding area because of the ability they have to have two very different environments in such close proximity, with the Manti la Sal Mountains to the west and the San Rafael Swell to the east; this also made the area a perfect place for a group of entrepreneurs looking for an area to run a wilderness therapy program.

Elements Wilderness Program is one of the newest businesses to select Emery County as the place to base their operations. With an office in Huntington, the program is now up and running, and began accepting clients on May 30.

Wilderness therapy is emerging as a viable alternative option for the treatment of youth. It incorporates group and individual therapy with the opportunity for youth to learn how to take care of themselves and cooperate with others while working through challenges in an unfamiliar environment.

 Program Director Karen Hesselman described the group’s reasons for selecting the area. “Our first thought was that we’d like to be a little bit closer to our home, Salt Lake, but there really was nothing remote that would work. The elevation was a problem because we need two different field areas, one for summer and one for winter,” she said.

“So, Huntington and Emery County, this strip along Highway 10, was perfect because you have the Forest on one side and you have the Swell on the other. This is really nice, just being in between the two different field areas. ”

She also explained another benefit to the location-- safety, saying, “The time it will take for us to get to the group on either side is quick and that is a big deal for us for safety. It seems like the perfect fit.”

The partners in the business are Hesselman, Admissions Director John Karren, and Clinical Director Lynn Smith. All have previous experience with similar programs. They joined to organize a program they believe will benefit those adolescents who are involved. “We want to go back to the real wilderness piece, as in using the outdoors as a therapy tool, getting rid of all the distractions,” Hesselman stated.  

The Field Director Dan Shorb explained their program’s approach. “This program is smaller and we’re trying to specialize by dealing with less, what we would call, clinical kids, meaning, students that aren’t acting out as much as others in other programs,” he said. “I think our specialization is really a kind of a symbol of where this genre of educational programs has gone. From its real roots of being kind of boot camp style, to now where its gone to the other extreme to where its very therapeutic and very clinical.”

In this light, in the program the youth are referred to as students and staff are called field mentors. For every group of 10 students, there are four field mentors assigned. The field mentors will work with the students for eight days and then have six days off, with a another group of mentors alternating in each week.     

Most students will be referred to the program through an educational consultant who is versed in the many different treatment types and treatment providers, and selects a specific program according to the needs of the client. Parents can also find such programs online. Information on the Elements program can be found at www.elementswilderness.com.

Hesselman also revealed that it took a great deal of time to get permits and licenses in hand for the group to finally be able to open such a business in the area. A license had to be granted from the state, a business license from the city, and permits from the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.  

She related, “It would come and go, one day it would be really exciting and I would think ‘everything’s working perfectly,’ and then the next day, you’re just totally depressed and depleted because there would be another glitch. It was up and down a lot, but everything seems to be working out now that we’re up and running.”

Hesselman and her partners are pleased to be in the area and plan to look to the community for support. “We still need a lot of local support to make it happen. We will need more employees as we start to go, so I hope everyone is open to what we have to offer and know that we are very interested in bringing the community into what we’re doing. We do want to know the community and use the resources and hopefully they’re accepting,” she said.

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April 22, 2008

Medical Reserve Corps Looking for Volunteers

Josie Luke

After President George W. Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address, in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country, the Medical Reserve Corps was organized. The local unit, the Southeastern Utah MRC is currently looking for volunteers.

“MRC units are community-based and function as a way to locally organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources,” the MRC website explains.

The SEUMRC is organized under the Southeastern Utah Health Department and is currently looking for doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, veterinarians, mental health professionals, pharmacists, dentists and emergency personnel, including firefighters, EMTs and police, along with anyone else who is willing to help in an emergency.

“We are looking for people who are willing to do what needs to be done,” explained Cynthia Grant, SEUMRC Coordinator. “Basically, the people we can use is anyone who is willing to work in an emergency situation and who is dedicated and willing enough to give back to the community that they would do that without getting paid.”

Those who would volunteer for the SEUMRC, would be those who would not already be involved, including those who are retired, not working full-time, working in another field, or not currently working.

Some of the situations Grant sees the SEUMRC volunteers working in are in circumstances like the Crandall Canyon mine disaster, or in the event of a pandemic, flood or earthquake. In such instances, they could help to shelter those involved, provide for medical and physical needs, assist with communications, or anything else that was needed.

Grant said the group is just getting off the ground, but eventually, she would like to see a group of 12 to 20 volunteers in each county, with over 70 percent being lay people, without much medical experience. The program will also have a team leader in each county, who would be paid for five to 10 hours a month. In a team leader, Grant said she is looking for someone with strong people skills, who would take initiative and “quickly catch the vision of the MRC”.

The MRC is designed to be of service in the community in which it is located, and so unlike the Red Cross, the MRC has much more flexibility in how it is organized and how volunteers are used.

Grant sees volunteers supporting local health initiatives and any other community event where medical experience might be needed. She revealed that in some instances, like the bus accident last year near Blanding, people were needed to “just comfort people who were involved”, or to help with logistics and record keeping.

Volunteers would need to go through required trainings in eight core competencies, including training in the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which trains volunteers on how to react in emergencies. The trainings can be taken online and according to Grant, won’t require a huge amount of time.

For questions about the Medical Reserve Corps, or to volunteer, contact Grant at (435)748-2997, on her cell phone at- (435)749-2998, or email her at cgrant@utah.gov.

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Year of the Mammoth

Josie Luke

Twenty years after the Huntington Mammoth was discovered during the construction of the Huntington Reservoir dam, the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum hosted Mammoth Day on Aug. 8, as part of their Year of the Mammoth Celebration.

The event was held 20 years to the day the Columbian mammoth was first found by Chris Nielson, an employee of Nielson Construction.

To commemorate the event, the museum organized various events, including lectures on the discovery, film viewings, a mammoth hut, primitive food preparation, drum making, atlatl throwing, flint knapping, pin the tail on the mammoth, a dunking booth, miniature Mesozoic gardens, natural paints and rope/cordage making.

The Year of the Mammoth Celebration is an especially significant event for the Prehistoric Museum, because accreditation was pursued primarily in an effort to keep the mammoth remains in the area. With other, much larger entities lobbying for the right to curate the bones, the newly accredited museum was finally allowed to keep the find in their bone lab.

The community has responded to the efforts of museum and college staff, who put in much work to organize events throughout the year. Mammoth Day drew a large crowd; more than 350 came inside the museum, with many more enjoying the entertainment outside. Evening events also drew large numbers.

The year-long celebration continues Sept. 13, with the Mammoth Marathon. Participants in the marathon and half marathon will be given the unique opportunity to race through the San Rafael Swell. Those interested in participating can register at www.mammothmarathons.org/lgc/lgc.html.

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Attack of the Green Stink Bugs!

James L. Davis

The Green Stink Bugs are coming!  Emery County found itself in the middle of what could have easily been the plotline of many a l950s horror movie last week as green stink bugs seemed to be invading the area.

From Emery Town Hall to the Wells Fargo Bank and Maverik Store in Castle Dale, green bugs coated the walls, the sidewalks and the gas pumps, giving rise to a distasteful grimace from those trying to figure out a way to deal with the little creatures.  At Wells Fargo, bank employees cleared the insects from the front door with a vacuum cleaner and at Maverik the insects, crawling across the fuel pumps, were either ignored or stepped on as they coated the pavement.

According the Dennis Worwood of the Utah State University Extension, the stink bugs  apparently thrived due to the wet spring and were on the move as the heat of the summer dried things up.  According to the Oklahoma State University Entomology and Plant Pathology website, the Green Stink Bug, or Acrosternum hilare, for the scientifically or horror movie minded (green stink bug doesn’t sound nearly as frightening as Acrosternum hilare), stink bugs overwinter as adults in protected areas such as fence rows, grassy field borders, under stones or bark of trees.  Green stink bugs are more prevalent in mid to late June and taper off in fruit trees in July and August, with only one generation per year.

According to Worwood, the best weapon against the green stink bug is Permethrin or a soap water spray.  Killing off an invasion of stink bugs with a soap water spray may work just fine, but it doesn’t sound like any of the weapons they used in the 1950 horror movies.  What about laser beams or high frequency sound waves?  Now that sounds more like it.

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-Dazed-

A Trip to the Mall

James L. Davis

Malls frighten me...vehemently.  Well, perhaps I should rephrase that.  Malls don’t actually frighten me vehemently; people who go to malls frighten me…vehemently.  I believe that mall people are, by and large, somewhat unbalanced by nature. 

That is because Saturday for the Davis household was School Clothes Season, and we were all at the mall hunting for clothes.  Clothes hunting is much the same as deer or elk hunting, except instead of going out into the wilderness and braving the elements to seek out your prey, you go to the mall and brave the other shoppers to seek out clothes your children will actually wear.

Instead of carrying a high powered rifle with a scope, you carry a wallet that may or may not be loaded.  And instead of dressing in orange camouflage (which doesn’t make a lot of sense to me either), my children spend a great deal of time and energy dressing in their best clothing.  Which begs the question, if my children can still spend hours choosing what clothes they are going to wear to go clothes hunting, why exactly are we clothes hunting in the first place?

On Saturday my wallet was loaded with pretty much all the ammunition I owned and it fired dollar bills with the speed of an Uzi whenever my children got a new wardrobe in their sights.

Upon arriving at the mall we immediately went to the two or three stores where everyone else at the mall was also shopping, including the employees of neighboring stores.  This would be the three stores devoted to skateboard attire.  While stores like Zumiez or Pac Sun may have ridden the wave of being antiestablishment a few years ago, they now are the establishment.  Great grandmothers now wear skater shoes.  I tried to convince my kids of this fact and persuade them that the true rebel teenagers did all of their shopping at Wal-Mart or Ross Dress for Less, but they weren’t having it.  So we went in search of skater clothing.

The only thing I have to say about skater clothing is this:  Skateboarding is an activity that is known to involve a little bit of risk.  Skaters quite often fall off their boards and land on the sidewalk, on hand rails, on the road, on park benches, picnic tables, cars, other people and perhaps even a fire hydrant or two.  So wouldn’t you think that if you were manufacturing clothing for skaters you would make the clothing pretty rugged?  But no, the clothing doesn’t only seem less than rugged; in some cases it seems transparent.  Which is why I spend a great deal of my time shaking my head vehemently  Shaking your head vehemently involves the rapid turning your head first left, then right at such a rapid pace that your vision becomes blurred and quite often spittle escapes your lips and splatters on innocent passersby. I do this to let my children know in no uncertain terms that I will not be buying the item they are currently looking at. Quite often store clerks will come to ask me if everything is OK in hopes that I will stop splattering all over the merchandise, to which I respond by continuing to shake my head vehemently.

I am fortunate that my children do not normally want to walk around showing off body parts that I do not want them showing off under any circumstance.   Looking at the clothing (or lack of clothing) hanging on the store racks, I thought to myself that no parent is going to let their children wear clothes like that and I turned around.

My daughter warned me as I turned around to divert my eyes, but of course I didn’t and I found myself staring directly at a pair of thong underwear.  And they were not hanging on a rack.  The woman bent over helping her daughter pick out a pair of shoes apparently was unaware that her pants were falling down because she made no effort to pull them up.  I looked at my daughter, she looked at me and we decided to search for her newest pair of skater shoes somewhere else.  We exited the store, both of us shaking or heads.  Vehemently.

At the shoe store next door my daughter found several pair of skater shoes that she liked and as we waited for the salesperson to get her size from the back room, I turned around to see if possibly there were other types of shoes in the store that she might be interested in.  And my eyes again fell upon some thong underwear, again not hanging from a rack.  In fact, they were the same pair of thong underwear and they were still being worn by the mother who was apparently unaware her pants were falling down.

I turned back to the front of the store and with my daughter we both waited for the skater shoe salesman to bring us our skater shoes, shaking our heads…vehemently.

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-Casey’s Pockets-

A Cavity Free Kid

Casey Wood

Have you ever watched cartoons or seen comic strips where the hero goes to the dentist’s office?  Many times they end up having cavities, and when they return to the dentists office to get them fixed they are terrified.  After the procedure the hero always ends up deciding that it wasn’t so bad.  I’m not convinced.

My dentist is Dr. Todd Huntington.  I have been going to him for periodical cleanings and check-ups as long as I can remember, and low and behold, I have never had a cavity.  Now you would think this would give me confidence when I visit the dentist’s office every six months or so, and you would think wrong.  The dentist’s office is one of the most terrifying offices I go to, because each time I fear that I am going to get that dreaded first cavity.  I go through the usual cleaning and flossing procedure with no problem, but when the doctor comes in and starts probing my teeth with the little ice-pick shaped rod to check for cavities, I think my heart stops.  I have always asked “What’s the prognosis doc?” to which he has responded “We’re good.”  I shudder when I think of the day when I will receive a different answer.

Now you would expect that those around me would be happy for me, and for my lack of dental drilling, but it is not so.  I think only Dr. Todd and I are happy to know I don’t have a cavity.  Each time I come home and report to my father and sister that my teeth are hole free it seems to ruin their day.  Where’s the love in my family?  I don’t know, but if you find it, give me a call. 

Apart from my fear of holey teeth I love the dentist’s office.  I believe I am the longest running “Cavity Free Kid.”  Cavity Free Kids are the children who come into the office and leave without cavities.  They receive a prize from Dr. Huntington, along with getting their picture put on a cork board with all the other Cavity Free Kids.  I stopped getting prizes a couple visits back, but I still make sure that when I leave my picture is on that cork board next to Walker Woolsey, the Moss children, or Dr. Todd’s own kids. 

I fear it’s only a matter of time until my luck runs out, and my family gets their wish.  So, if the next time you go to the dentist’s office you hear some squealing, and possibly crying in the next room,  take a peek in and you may see me in the dentist’s chair, having my teeth drilled, claiming I can feel it through the anesthetic.  If that happens, make sure you’re cavity free, so somebody older than 16 can be on the wall next to Walker, the Moss children, and Dr. Todd’s own kids.

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-Swell Recipes-

Sweet Tooth Helps Create Some Tasty Treats

Kathy Ockey

Cleveland resident, Melissa Jensen, is originally from Huntington. The daughter of Scott and Lisa Miller, she said she grew up as a tomboy, playing with her cousins on a farm and has some very good memories about those times.

She and her husband, Jeremiah, are the parents of two little girls, Meliah, 4, and Tandy, 2.  They are also expecting a baby boy.  She said it is nice to know that it is a little boy so she can prepare with “boy” things after having two little girls.

Melissa has two sisters and they all collect their new recipes and exchange them once a year.  She said she loves to read recipe books and gets a lot of them from the local library. 

Melissa loves to try new recipes.  She said about half of their meals consist of new recipes. Her husband is really good about trying new dishes and sometimes giving some helpful advice to make them better.   They usually like what they try and sometimes add different seasonings to improve the taste. 

Melissa said, “Seasonings make all the difference and can really make a good recipe even better, “ Melissa said.  She said she likes to cook and try new recipes because she “likes the end results.”
Melissa said she has a sweet tooth and is contributing recipes for desserts that she really likes.  These contain fruits and vegetables that people can get out of their gardens.

Apple Crisp

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
8 graham crackers (2 1/2 x 5 inches), coarsely chopped
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place slices of apples in an 8 x 8 baking dish.  Mix graham crackers, brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.  Add melted butter and mix well.  Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over apples.  Cover with aluminum foil.