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Volume 5 Issue 63
Speak up, join the discussion, take part! Take w w w. M y C o u n t y - L i n e . c o m National News and Opinions mixed with Local Small Town History and Story Telling. One! Representing the small-town conservative viewpoint of what makes this country great!
~Mike Norris, Owner & Publisher
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
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August/September , Town
4 Texas Conservative 7 @The Ranger Library 8 Good Neighbors 9 Treasure Hunters: History Series
10 Tumbleweed Smith 12 Treasure Hunters 14 Love Lessons Learned So Far
15 Huddle Up! 16 Breckenridge
Community Page
18 Puzzle-Club.com 19 Rising Star Community Page
20 This Week In Texas History
23 In Sickness and In Health
COVER ART: Over 60,000 Patriots attended the Glenn Beck “Restoring Love” event on Saturday, July 28th at Arlington’s Dallas Cowboy Stadium. We were there! My daughter, Sherrie, and I took The County Line camera to the event and stood with thousands of our fellow countrymen and celebrated what makes America great! It was AWESOME!
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All. B:510-152550100200
C:255075150300
vol.5 Issue 63
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“A TIMERonald FOR CHOOSING in 2012” - Part 2 Reagan gave this speech on October 27, 1964
In This Issue: 3 Growing Up Small
2012
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If he were giving this speech today, perhaps it would go something like this. ~mwnorris
ou and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—up is man’s age old dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course. n this vote-harvesting time, they use terms like “fundamental change” or as we were told not so long ago by this President, we must accept a greater government activity in the affairs of the people. But they’ve been a little more explicit in the past and among themselves; and all of the things I now will quote have appeared in print. These are not Republican accusations. For example, they have voices that say, “We must pass the bill in order to find out what is in it.” Another voice says, “When you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.” Or, “Our traditional system of individual freedom is incapable of solving the complex problems of the 20th century.” This President has referred to our Nation’s Constitution as a document of “negative liberties.” He believes, as many progressives, that he is restricted in his task by the restrictions of power imposed on him by this antiquated document. The President must “be freed,” so that he “can do for us” what he knows “is best.” These progressives define liberalism as “meeting the material needs of the masses through the full power of centralized government.” ell, I, for one, resent it when a representative of the people refers to you and me, the free men and women of this country, as “the masses.” This is a term we haven’t applied to ourselves in America. But beyond that, “the full power of centralized government”—this was the very thing the Founding Fathers sought to minimize. They knew that governments don’t control things. A government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they know when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. They also knew, those Founding Fathers, that outside of its legitimate functions, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector of the economy. ow, we have a new example of the government attempting to control private industry in the form of Obamacare. No longer is it a simple matter of you, the consumer, seeking the medical services of your favorite doctor, but now even to decide which doctor to go see will require government authorization and mediation. Every doctor who wishes to remain in service of his fellow man, must decide between reducing his standard of living to meet government mandated service fees or simply be forced out of business when he is unable to cover his costs of providing those services. Hardly an attractive business model for young, aspiring medical professionals. eanwhile, all along our Nation’s borders, we have illegal trespassers entering our country. Most are coming here to enjoy the Freedoms and opportunities that this mighty nation provides, yet many come who would do harm to our citizens and to infringe upon our sovereign rights to Life and Liberty. This President takes steps to avoid enforcing this nation’s laws to protect our citizens from harm. This President’s party wishes to divert energy and expense from the security of our nation’s borders and would rather have a dozen illegal immigrants standing in line for wellfare than to have a single American citizen gainfully employed to rise above the middle class. The only thing the Democrats wish to secure is their hold on positions of power by using our nation’s wellfare to buy votes. e have so many people who can’t see a fat man standing beside a thin one without coming to the conclusion the fat man got that way by taking advantage of the thin one. So they’re going to solve all the problems of human misery through government and government planning. Well, now, if government planning and welfare had the answer—and they’ve had almost 80 years of it—shouldn’t we expect government to read the score to us once in a while? Shouldn’t they be telling us about the decline each year in the number of people needing help? The reduction in the need for public housing? Shouldn’t we celebrate those who elevate themselves from poverty into the middle class? And those who graduate from mediocrity into American Exceptionalism?
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To Be Continued in Next Issue!
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3Growing Up Small Town
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Growing Up Small Town
, Mike W. Norris
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The County Line Was There...
Glenn Beck’s Restoring Love Event by Mike W. Norris Patriots: Stand and Celebrate America!
July 28th, 2012 -- Dallas Cowboy Stadium, Irving, Texas
It began with a human wave -- something that sports fans are sure to be very familiar with -- and as the wave circumnavigated the stadium, it grew louder and louder, more boisterous and more energetic...four times it went around the stadium and everyone around us was wearing wide eyes and brilliant smiles! I was almost shaking with excitement! Sherrie was grinning ear to ear and the air was taking on the spark of electricity that only an energetic crowd can share. Our growing enthusiasm quieted only for our national anthem as the music started up and Alex Boye was introduced over the stadium sound system. As is typical with the Star Spangled Banner in a sports arena setting, as those last words reverberated through the crowd, our cheers and national pride was joined by the awe-inspiring sound of “The Liberty Bell” ringing clearly from the field -- and featured on the huge media screens overhead -- bringing tears to people’s eyes, both young and old! Such was the inspiring start to Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Love” feature event.
Who is Glenn Beck?
For those of you who have no clue who Glenn Beck truly is, he is the devil himself (at least according to many liberal media sources) and this event was his third gathering of conservative American Patriots who just so happen to love their country, love their fellow countrymen and women, and who feverishly agree with our Founding Fathers that our rights and privileges come from God and not from some back room committee in the inner-most catacombs of Washington D.C. Glenn Edward Lee Beck was born on February 10, 1964 and has been a conservative radio talk show host since 2000. Prior to his recent success, Beck was an alcoholic and a drug abuser. His first marriage fell apart in 1994 and Beck contemplated suicide as an escape from a failing radio dj career, a destroyed marriage, and the responsibilities of one of their two children having severe health problems. Beck pulled himself together and two years later began a self-guided spiritual quest for answers. Beck married his second wife, Tania, in 1999. The new couple found their way to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October of 1999 at the urging of Beck’s daughter, Mary, who has suffered from cerebral palsy from birth. Beck was soon baptized in the Mormon faith. The Glenn Beck Program first aired in Tampa, Florida in 2000 on WFLA-AM and took their afternoon time slot from 18th to #1 within the course of a year. In January 2002, Premier Radio Networks launched the Beck program nationwide on 47 stations. It is now the third ranked radio program in the
11th world Trade Center attacks. Beck said on air that the purpose was to “bring us all back to the place we were on September 12, 2001...we were not obsessed with red states, blue states or political parties. We were united as Americans, standing together to protect the values and principles of the greatest nation ever created.” The name “9-12” is symbolic both as the day after the 9-11 attacks and of the project’s 9 core principles and 12 core values as derived from America’s Founding Fathers. Beck’s initial goals for the 9-12 Project was for individual American’s to pledge themselves to follow those core principles and values in their own lives and to expect them of our elected officials. Beck then began the “We Surround Them” campaign and started a behind the scenes search for 56 existing Congressional politicians who would pledge to the ideals of the 9-12 Project. These “Re-Founders” were to match the number of original signers of the Declaration of Independence and would The 9-12 Project be expected to stand against government In March of 2009, Glenn Beck put together corruption and abuses of power. a campaign which he based on the feelings of Americans on the day after the September Continued on page 11... nation behind Rush Limbaugh (#1), and Sean Hannity (#2). In January 2006, Beck joined CNN Headline News with a nightly show featuring news commentary with an unconventional and amusing delivery. In two years, his show earned CNN’s second largest audience behind Nancy Grace but Beck moved to Fox News Channel in January of 2009. By the end of 2009, Beck’s program on Fox had a larger time slot audience than the next three news networks combined -- CNN, MSNBC and HLN. Beck hosted his final episode on Fox News on June 30, 2011 with the announcement that he would be forming his own news media company to compete directly with the “main stream media.” Beck’s Internet-based, subscriber-funded news and entertainment network called GBTV went live on September 12, 2011 with over 300,000 subscribers according to the Wall Street Journal.
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
4Texas Conservative ■
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, Chuck Norris - The Man
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In God We Trust United We Stand
By Chuck Norris
Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @chucknorris and Facebook’s “Official Chuck Norris Page.” He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com. The Ticking Time Bomb of Iran and Obama Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Last Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted on his website his most recent anti-Semitic tirade, saying global forces should join together to annihilate Israel. Meanwhile, in Orlando, Fla., President Barack Obama had a takeout plate of pulled pork and rice. The Jerusalem Post reported Ahmadinejad as saying, “Anyone who loves freedom and justice must strive for the annihilation of the Zionist regime in order to pave the way for world justice and freedom.” Those words came from the same international leader who called the Holocaust a myth and entreated that Israel should be “wiped off the page of time” in a 2005 speech. One might think Ahmadinejad’s caustic influence would play out with only extremists, until one realizes that his words preceded Iran’s annual “Quds Day” (Aug. 17), a nationwide event and national holiday (since 1979) during which massive crowds condemn Israel and the U.S. with chants of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” To add insult to injury, in the past week, Iranian officials have chided increased Western sanctions as “warfare.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds the last word on all Iranian state matters, retorted that his Islamic Republic can overcome the latest round of sanctions restricting their oil and money. And a top Iranian official said his government will share “experience and capabilities” with the regime of President Bashar Assad in Syria. Tensions with Iran have been ramped up lately way beyond Obama’s foreign diplomatic abilities and sanction-only quasi-restrictions. To put it simply, the former senator from Chicago is way over his head. He’s playing chess with madmen. Obama’s foreign-relations political waffling is not only a dismal failure but also a detriment to peace, stability and safety in the Middle East. One day he coddles Israelis, assuring them that America will stand by them. The next day he is the pro-Palestinian in chief, dissing Israel’s president to the French president. (Remember when Obama belittled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a hot-mic moment after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he “cannot bear Netanyahu; he’s a liar”? Obama replied, “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you.”) In 2010, The Jerusalem Post reported that only 10 percent of Jewish Israelis really believed that Obama is “more pro-Israeli” than pro-Palestinian. With Egypt granting the Muslim Brotherhood’s rise to power, Syria percolating with chemical weapons -- which some are saying were possibly smuggled from Saddam Hussein’s alleged surplus -- Hezbollah perched in Lebanon and Hamas working internal affairs, Israel remains in the cross hairs of the Middle East thugs. Imagine the volatility that will reign in the Middle East during the next four years! And 43 percent of Americans really want to re-elect a U.S. president who, rather than come to the active aid of our greatest ally in the Middle East,
disses Israeli leaders on French soil? Mark my words. America could very well aid and abet World War III with a leader like President Obama who is in his second term. Obama already has initiated that political momentum with his actions and inactions, but will we stand by and watch him carry it to fruition in a second term? Foreign dictators and other extremists are praying U.S. citizens re-elect Obama. The truth is that the world’s stability is buckling under the lethal combination of a militant Ahmadinejad and a passive Obama -- one pushing for the annihilation of Israel and the other sitting back and waiting for it to happen, one creating the bomb and the other sitting back and watching while the fuse is lit. Add to all that the Obama administration’s second-term plans to radically reduce the U.S. military! WorldNetDaily’s Jerusalem bureau chief, Aaron Klein, has just written (scheduled for release Aug. 14) a groundbreaking expose and borderline prophetic look into exactly what will happen in a second term with Obama. For example, in “Fool Me Twice: Obama’s Shocking Plans for the Next Four Years Exposed,” Klein details Obama’s second-term “large-scale reductions to the U.S. military. Some examples: Scaling back the size of
all U.S. ground forces by 20 percent; reducing the Navy’s surface fleet by 20 percent; reducing the Air Force by two combat air wings; reducing the U.S. nuclear arsenal to no more than 292 deployed nuclear weapons and the complete elimination of the Trident II nuclear missile; the complete halt of all further missile defense development; the total cancelation of the second SSN-744 Virginia Class submarine.” Fellow Americans, America and the world need a U.S. president who will restore our economy and steady chaos in the world, not usher in Armageddon with his anti-Semitic, noncommittal, conciliatory, laissez-faire leadership. The very personage of the U.S. president should emanate deterrence, not indifference. We need a president who will honor the timeless traditional relationship between America and Israel and reciprocate a blessing back to the U.S. by simultaneously observing these eternal promises: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee!” “Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @ chucknorris and Facebook’s “Official Chuck Norris Page.” He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com.
©CHUCK NORRIS DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM - Reprinted under license by Mike Norris
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We arrived at Cowboy Stadium several hours before the doors opened. When the east doors opened, we were near the head of the line...after a couple hours
outside in the 108o Texas sun, we entered the ice cool stadium and joined thousands of other event goers in searching for our 2nd level seats!
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E HERE!!! IS T R E V D A Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
7@The Ranger Library
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@The Ranger Library
, Diana McCullough
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By Diana McCullough
“We’ve come to the end of an era, and we’ve made a lot of friends” were words spoken by Beverley Shirley from the Texas State Library at our very last Big Country Library System meeting yesterday. The State of Texas created ten library support systems 40 years ago, and they’ve met their natural demise—no state funding. This bittersweet celebration was very well attended, as lots of people are real concerned about the future of public libraries. The City of Ranger supports the Ranger City Library with our facilities, utilities, and my paycheck. But there is NO money budgeted for books and there is no money budgeted for technical support. Many small, rural libraries are in a similar boat. Beverley Shirley informed us of changes that the Texas State Library was implementing to help our libraries. Have we noticed that the Interlibrary Loan Centers have closed? Well, actually, yes. We are now to go to “Navigator” and she claims it is fairly painless. The State Library is also offering a “tech assessment” but I’m not so sure how that will benefit our library. I am SO thankful that we have ELEVEN pretty new computers, the oldest two are only two years old—but computers age fast. And Athena, our aging circulation software program? I know that we need to update it, possibly with a program called “Apollo”. Mack Skinner, our technology specialist, will be sorely missed. Our TexShare Database invoices will be received soon, and that is money well spent. A new “Career Development” database will be part of the new offering which will help our patrons with resumes, tutorials and testing. The State Library also has a “Concierge Desk” nearly under contract that will offer limited support to our library questions, and “live webinars” will continue to be offered. We were assured that the Texas State Library is doing all that they can to help us. Beverley Shirley said that if we want progress, cooperation goes further than competition, and encouraged us to collaborate regionally. “We are stronger together,” she said. Then she opened the floor to discussion with, “What do you need?” One librarian broke the silence with, “We need a Leader.” Ideas were generated, including the creation of a FaceBook group. I don’t have the time or inclination for FaceBook, but we’ll see. We have plans to meet again in San Angelo this winter, so we did leave this meeting feeling more optimistic than when we arrived. Many of us stayed for the Technology Workshop that followed. eBooks are very popular and there’s a library plan for those, too. Small libraries such as ours will likely recommend larger libraries. A one year membership at the Abilene Public Library costs $10 and 10 eBooks can be checked out at a time, on-line. Call me old-fashioned, but I enjoy holding a BOOK! “Collaborating regionally” was a reoccurring theme at today’s TMCN Economic Development Alliance Meeting which was held on the TSTC campus in Brownwood. After a friendly welcome, our first speaker was Amir Mirabi from the Office of the Governor who spoke to us about “international trade opportunities in Texas”, specifically the EB5 Program in which wealthy,
well-educated, industrious foreigners can basically buy a two-year “green card” for a half-million to a million dollars and create new American jobs. Specifics were provided. One of my thoughts in this presentation was how LUCKY we are to live in the United States. We may take our lives for granted, but foreigners know to appreciate our politically safe haven, our transparent legal system, our educational opportunities for kids, our lifestyle, culture, environment, and our right to pursue the “American Dream”. “Globalization” is here, and some of these facts are worth a review: Texas has a 1.3 million dollar economy (12th largest economy in the world); Texas is the leading exporter in the USA; Texas has 28 official ports, and 50% of everything you see in your home or office came in through a Texas port. Rick Rhodes from the Texas Department of Agriculture spoke of the Texas Capital Fund and infrastructure grants. He too shared the theme: “Teamwork is more important than it’s ever been.” (Do you know a young farmer? $10,000 grants are available!)
Emily Crawford from Brownwood reminded me of our Ranger Citizens Task Force with their neighborhood clean-ups and painting projects. Our last speaker of the day wasAngelos G. Angelou from AngelouEconomics. com. A highly intelligent man, born in Greece—I sat back and enjoyed listening to him speak. When it comes to economic development, he said the MOST important thing is: “Are your existing employers happy?” He emphasized education and that “It won’t matter where you got your degree, it’ll matter what you KNOW.” He strongly recommended on-line learning at Schoox.com. He told us to do our best to retain our 25 – 44 year old demographic, and looked out over our graying heads and laughed. Mr. Angelou quoted Michaelangelo and I will too, in closing: “The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and miss it, but that we aim too low and reach it.” Please take care, and as always…ENJOY READING!
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Here’s our view from the 2nd level of Cowboy Stadium! We were some of the first people to get to our seats and this was about 1-1/2hrs before the event was scheduled to start -- about 6:30pm on a Saturday evening.
■ Good
® Agent Neighbors Neighbors, Clint Coffee CLU ChFC State Farm InsuranceGood
The Basics of Assets Liquid Versus Fixed Assets
Assets fall into two categories: liquid and fixed. Liquid assets are assets that can be converted quickly and easily to cash without losing value. The most common liquid assets are checking and savings accounts, since you’re able to withdraw your funds as needed. Emergency funds are often kept in savings or money market accounts for this reason. Other liquid assets include life insurance policies that have a cash surrender value, savings bonds, certificates of deposit without withdrawal penalties. Fixed assets aren’t as accessible as liquid assets because they’re not easily convertible to cash. Fixed assets need to be sold, and a hurried sale would result in a loss. Examples of fixed assets include collections of art or antiques, jewelry, and real estate, such as your home. Protect Your Assets
regularly. Fixed assets should also be tracked, and you should record both their value and replacement cost. Start by assessing the value of significant items, like a home and car. Move on to other items, which you can easily take photos or video of to store with receipts or appraisals. Don’t forget to update this inventory when you add assets, or if items change in value. Lastly, make sure you’re not the only one who knows where and how to access these and any important records. Your spouse, a grown child, or a trusted friend should know necessary computer passwords and have access to safes and safe deposit boxes. Know When To Liquidate
Want to buy a home? Start a small business? Liquidating assets is one way to access money when you need it. When you liquidate, do so smartly. Make a plan based on the money you need, and know the current value of your assets before selling. Consult a professional for help with any specialized sales, such as for real estate and collections of art. If you’re in a dire economic situation, selling everything not nailed down may seem like the only solution. But liquidating any assets besides your emergency fund should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Desperate times don’t have to lead to desperate — and ill-planned — measures.
You build assets by saving and planning for them. And as you build your assets, it’s important to insure and keep a record of them in case of burglary, fire, or some other type of disaster. Your insurance agent can advise you about what policies you need, as well as any riders for additional coverage for assets like jewelry and electronics. Liquid assets should be recorded and any documentation —such as account numbers, certificates, and insurance policies — kept in a safe place, such as a safe deposit box at the bank or in a fire safe if at home. Just in case, always make copies Comments: neighbors@mycounty-line.com of original documents and back up computer files Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
9Treasure Hunters: History Series
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, Jerry Eckhart
Treasure Hunters: History Series
By Jerry Eckhart To see more of Jerry’s treasure finds, search Facebook for “Jerry Eckhart” Chapter 4 - White Sands and Wild Winds
Once I returned from Greenland, I finished my enlistment and we went home. For almost a year, we tried to find something to do that would support us. I found a job with a company in Lawton and again began prowling the Wichita Mountains. This short time only lasted about six months, but my brother had located an old battle site which we explored for relics. While researching that area of the Wichita Mountains near Altus, Oklahoma, I came across the story of Devil’s Canyon. My brother, David, and I determined to explore the canyon. It was a couple of years before we had the opportunity. I had taken a job with the National weather service and was ready to begin some serious searches. I had gotten into metal detecting by then so when the time came, I was more than ready. The activities in Devil’s Canyon are the most fascinating of Spanish mining efforts took place in a narrow, canyon at the western edge of the Wichitas. They are still being written about even to this day. Devil’s Canyon well deserves the name, because it is narrow with boulders the size of small houses, scattered on the floor of the canyon for its entire length. The reflected heat from the steep sides and scattered boulders turn this canyon into a blazing inferno during summer, spring and early fall. It seems an appropriate place for the devil to dwell. The canyon is only about a mile long, with few trees until you reach its mouth. There, Devil’s Canyon widens into a flat expanse, covered with short Post Oak trees right up to the edge of the North Fork of the Red River. It was in this hellish place the Spanish dug pockets of gold and melted them down into crude ingots. Frey Juan de Salas made the first expedition into the canyon in 1629. He established a temporary mission at the mouth of Devil’s Canyon near the banks of the North Fork of the Red River. Thirty-one years later, Captains Herman Martin (Martine) and Don Diego de Castillo came into the canyon, not for God as did the priest, but for gold. For the next 50 years, Spanish mining activity flourished in the Wichita Mountains, especially in the Devil’s Canyon area. Legend says the Spanish did find gold. Logic says that something kept them in the mountains for 50 years. It must have been gold. Geology confirms the possibility of gold deposits. Then, the Spanish disappeared. What could have made them leave, or perhaps they didn’t? There is an old Kiowa Indian legend recounted by Steve Wilson in his book,
“Oklahoma Treasures and Treasure Tales” that goes like this. “At some time immemorial, they (the Kiowa) came upon a mine being worked by Spaniards” Wilson wrote. “The Kiowa attacked and killed the miners after they had gathered 50 burro loads of gold, all of which was later hidden by the Indians. No one but the chiefs knew where it was hidden.” I’ve known Steve Wilson for more than 50 years. He spends countless hours collecting Indian legends. I also know that whatever Steve writes is as true as he can determine. This tale is no exception because I spent many a year prowling the mysterious Wichita Mountains and found numerous clues to Devil’s Canyon’s Spanish occupation. On trees at the mouth of the canyon were and perhaps still are, carved turtles and sombreros. At one time, there was a huge turtle made from piles stones in the center of the canyon. In the 1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps destroyed a large part of the turtle when they built a large pond. The last time I visited the site, there were only a few of the original piles of stone. At the north entrance to Devil’s Canyon, there is a blocked entrance to a mine. Next to the old entrance is an octagonal rifle barrel driven deep into the exposed roots of a tree. I curiously tried to remove it, but it was so deeply imbedded and locked in by
tree roots it wouldn’t even budge. The gold in Devil’s Canyon could be dismissed as myth, were it not for the artifacts that turn up around there. The very walls seem to hold a life of their own. Although the drone of aircraft approaching nearby Altus Air Force Base disturbs the quiet, when they pass, there are other sounds in the stillness, a sudden shifting of rock or an unexplained rumble deep within the mountain. Sometimes, it seems one can hear echoes of voices where there are none to speak. The Kiowa say the Old Man of the Shadows (the Devil?) guards the gold that is buried beneath bleached, armor clad bones. To the local Kiowa, the place is still revered and avoided. I searched for this gold and the abandoned mission some 25 years ago. The entrance to the canyon is at the end of a one mile trail that comes in from the north. There is no other closer access. On this last trip in 1985, my brother, Dave and I made the trip into Devil’s Canyon. I had my metal detector and Dave his fishing rod. In all my years of treasure hunting, Dave has made a lot of trips with me, but never swung a detector. If there is a fishing hole around, that is where he is. We went deep into the canyon, following faint trails. The canyon widened as we neared the south end. Ahead, we could see a tree covered flat, separated from the state land by a three wire fence. Large signs were posted about a hundred yards apart, saying, “Stay out! Trespassers will be shot.” Just across the fence was a nice, manmade pond. Dave couldn’t resist, but jumped the fence, went to the pond and started casting. Me? Well, I had to see what was hidden in the woods and small creek behind the pond. I crossed the fence, walked to the pond and dropped down into a shallow creek behind it. Behind the dam, the creek was only about three feet deep and perhaps ten feet wide. As I walked down stream, the creek gradually deepened. I searched the sides of the embankment for whatever it might reveal. I hoped to see any indication of foundation stones because the mission remains were supposed to be nearby. The dry creek deepened until only my head was above the edge. I came upon an area about three feet below the top of the bank which showed a layer of chipped and broken flint. I examined it closely, then Continued on page 13...
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
10Tumbleweed Smith ■
www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ August 2012 v5.63 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline Tumbleweed Smith
, Bob Lewis
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By Bob Lewis CHIHULY GLASS SCULPTURES ON DISPLAY IN DALLAS
During your summer travel you might want to go to the Dallas Arboretum and see some sculptures by the world renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly. He has been called the Picasso of Glass and has works of art around the globe. If you’ve ever been to the Bellagio in Las Vegas, you’ve seen his dramatic works on the ceilings of hallways and open spaces. The Chihuly installation in Dallas is the Arboretum’s most exciting and anticipated exhibit in the facility’s history. During the two hours we spent there, we heard constant ooohs and aaahs. It is truly amazing to see what can be created by blowing on a tube with molten glass on the end of it. The Arboretum is a perfect place for an exhibit of glass sculptures. They blend well with the fountains, waterfalls, pools, shaded walkways and flower gardens throughout the 66 acres. Some of them look like explosions of red and yellow. Others look like giant blue ice cubes floating in a creek. There are spikes, globes and flower designs, all in glass. We saw every color imaginable, from pale to bright and all the gradations in between. Some pieces were created especially for the Arboretum. A recent hailstorm damaged some pieces, but they were quickly repaired. The installation opened in May and will be up until November 5. Dallas has gone all out for the event, calling it the must-see exhibit of the year. After all, not many places get to have the1.5 million-dollar glass sculpture garden. Admission prices are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $9 for children. Parking is $10. The Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road and is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Contact info: www.dallasarboretum.org or 214515-6500. On Wednesday nights, visitors can see the sculptures, trees and gardens lighted. Evening tickets are $20, $15 and $10, no charge for parking. During the Chihuly Nights, visitors can experience a selection of dining venues from picnic to gourmet. Reservations for meals are required. An unexpected surprise at the Arboretum was a display of small houses
of great artists. Local architects, builders and interior designers created miniature homes of Georgia O’Keefe, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet. All are complete with small yards or gardens. Some have reproductions of the artists’ work inside them. The main star of the place, though, is the glass. A short movie of how the glass art is created is extremely revealing. Plan to see it after the exhibit. It’s in a cool, air conditioned building. August can be hot in Dallas. The Arboretum does have some mist machines along some of the walkways. Inside the gift shop, you realize what an empire Chihuly has built. Some of his sculptures are for sale (around $5,000). You can buy books and videos, clothing, umbrellas, bags and other items, all with Chihuly’s name. He is a native of Washington who studied glassblowing in Italy and revolutionized the Studio Glass Movement. COTTON DILLARD IS THE ULTIMATE SURVIVOR
Cotton Dillard of Lake Brownwood has survived 45 rattlesnake bites, 6 bouts with cancer (once he was given 3 months to live), numerous motorcycle crashes and several falls from oil derricks. He is one tough hombre who is lucky to be alive. Once during a rattlesnake sacking contest a snake stuck its fangs under Cotton’s thumbnail. Cotton knocked the snake away with such force that the fangs remained under Cotton’s thumbnail. Cotton grabbed the fangs with his teeth and spat them out. Another time a snake left its fangs in his arm. What about this guy! I imagine only a handful of people have had fangs stuck in them and it happened to Cotton twice. Cotton didn’t start fooling around with rattlesnakes until he was 38 years old. That’s when he decided to enter rattlesnake sacking competitions. The first one he entered he set a new world record. He went on to set 6 more. At one event he sacked 5 rattlesnakes
in 3 seconds. During the peak of his competing days, he would imagine the snakes to be twigs and he picked them up without fear. In rattlesnake sacking events, contestants have to put 10 snakes in a tow sack. They are in an enclosed area about ten square feet. Cotton has been a familiar figure at rattlesnake events all over Texas. He’s 77 years old now and hasn’t entered any contests lately. But he’s always thinking about coming out of retirement. These days he doesn’t even have any snakes around his house. “Just a foot long centipede,” says Cotton. Rattlesnakes have bitten him on his lip and on his nose. The worst bite he had was at his daughter’s house when he was trying to get a snake out of a bucket. “I spent 21 days in intensive care,” says Cotton, “then 16 days in the hospital and about two and a half months at my daughter’s house recuperating.” He has held 51 snakes in his hands at one time. He used to put them inside his shirt. At one point in his career he was a rodeo clown. He rode a motorcycle in the arena and crashed it while going 50 miles an hour. “I had a dozen rattlers in a bread box on the back of the motorcycle. When it crashed, the snakes would come out. I’d clown around and make like I couldn’t find them all. Cowboys climbed the walls.” He did the Kung Fu Death Walk in which he walked barefooted through a group of rattlesnakes. “I’d just kick them to one side. Sometimes I’d pick one up with my toes and throw it over.” He has done the Kiss of Death with a rattlesnake. “Get it to coil on a table, then reach down and kiss it on the back of its head. I did that 21 times and never got bit.” Cotton started riding Brahma bulls when he was 9 years old. “When I was 8, I had scarlet fever. Two doctors pronounced me dead and laid me out for 3 hours. No vital signs at all. One of them told my mother to take me to the funeral home. She seemed to know that I wasn’t dead. Next morning I got up and went to school.”
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
11Growing Up Small Town
www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ August 2012 v5.63 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline
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, Continued...
Following Beck’s example, 9-12 Project organizations began to spring up all over the country in sisterhood with local “Tea Party” organizations. Beck never asserted any direct control over any of the thousands of 9-12 organizations nor has he ever claimed to be their national leader. But he is nonetheless, in every sense of the word, the father of the movement and 9-12’ers across the country regard Beck as a modern day Paul Revere -calling their attention to current events and proclaiming the need for action.
Restoring HONOR 8/28/10
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
“Faith” manifested itself in Washington, D.C. when Beck hosted over 500,000 Patriots who came from all over the country to attend what almost every attendee described as a “prayer revival.” While the media laid the accusations that Beck somehow was insulting the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Beck’s fans came away from the event with profound feelings of faith in God and new found determination to work together in their communities. Beck Faith, Hope and Charity has said, “I thought we were going Glenn claims that during to do a political rally but Restoring Thanksgiving in 2009, he felt like his Honor was really about God.” program was lacking direction. He prayed for inspiration and over the Restoring COURAGE 8/24/11 holidays he painted three paintings. The Davidson Center, Jerusalem, Israel “Faith” was based on Samuel Adams’ On May 16th, 2011, Glenn belief that America was put together announced that his 2011 event would by divine providence; that God played be called “Restoring Courage” and an instrumental role in our nation’s that it would be held in Israel. In founding. “Hope” was an image of his announcement, Glenn said “I ask George Washington and symbolized you to stand with me in Jerusalem... how Truth was vital in dealing with whether I am there with 10 people or our nation’s challenges. “Charity” 7 people or if I am there alone, I will was based on Ben Franklin and the role be counted. I will stand.” that he played in founding the nation’s Three days after Beck’s first hospital -- The Pennsylvania announcement, President Barack Hospital in Philadelphia in 1751. Obama became the first American On the surface, Faith, Hope and president to formally endorse calls for Charity served as the basis for Glenn’s Israel to return to it’s pre-1967 borders program for the next several months and to relinquish its settlements in after he revealed them on air on the West Bank to the formation of a March 12th, 2010. He had the three Palestinian state -- an unprecedented posters mounted on his studio set and move in American foreign policy. referenced them over and over again, Most of Beck’s staff, and I would and based many monologues on their imagine a huge majority of his fans, symbolism. thought he was crazy! They said it These simple posters would reveal couldn’t be done. Israeli officials themselves to be instrumental over said it was impossible. When Glenn the next three years. was boarding the airplane to head for
Israel for the event, members of his entourage asked him not to go. Glenn himself said that he didn’t want to go, but he said he had to go. Just three months after announcing the event on air, Glenn went to Israel and was joined by about 2,000 people from around the world for the first Christian-organized gathering to have ever been held on the Temple Mount, the Holiest-of-Holy sites -- EVER. Ever. At the event, Glenn spoke to the crowd and claimed to “stand with Israel” to “support Israel” and his wish “to be counted first among those supporting Israel.” For thousands of Americans, myself included, this event was a calling to become informed on the issues of Israel and Palestine and to research the issues of the Middle East. It was a call to Americans to stand with her allies and to stand with God’s people and it was a message to the people of Israel that Americans do stand with her. It was a message of “Hope” that Israel does not stand alone in the face of her enemies. Restoring LOVE 7/28/12 Cowboy Stadium, Arlington, Tx
Beck wanted to conclude his “Restoring” events with something big. He announced that “we as a nation must humble ourselves and face the consequences, turn back to God and move forward.” Beck got the idea for Restoring Love while he was in South Africa. He witnessed first hand the poverty and living conditions of the poor in South Africa and was driven
11
by Nelson Mandela’s push for peace in the early 1990’s leading up to his South African presidency. Beck’s plan was to inspire his fans to “serve others” and he knew almost immediately that this event would be about “service.” Over 30,000 volunteers showed up on Friday, July 27th, to tackle over 300 projects that were gathered together and choreographed by local churches and organizations. It was a literal army of volunteers and is thought to be the largest assembly of service volunteers to gather in the absence of a natural or man-made disaster. It was ground breaking and awe inspiring and that was the day before 60,000 people arrived at the stadium on Saturday. Saturday’s stadium event was like a wrap-up party -- celebrating American History and American Patriotism. It was a celebration of community and a renewal of Faith and Hope in ourselves, and in our country. We witnessed immensely cherished tokens of our nation’s history and we celebrated America and our fellow Americans. But Restoring Love was about “Charity” and the spirit of giving that thrives in America. Faith, Hope and Charity. Honor, Courage and Love. That’s been Glenn’s message to his fans for the past three years regardless of what the mainstream media wishes to call the man or his ideals. It’s not always about politics. It’s more about the original core values and principles of our Founders and how we can exercise those values and principles at other places besides the voting booth. Send Comments to: smalltown@mycounty-line.com
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
12Treasure Hunters ■
www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ August 2012 v5.63 ~ www.Facebook.com/mycountyline Treasure Hunters
, Jerry Eckhart
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By Jerry Eckhart To see more of Jerry’s treasure finds, search Facebook for “Jerry Eckhart” Research Libraries and How to Build Your Own.
Any treasure hunter, history addict, or genealogist needs their own personal library. I long dreamed of having a large library, with books filled from floor to ceiling. Well, that didn’t happen, but as a writer, I found the need to have information on certain subjects at my fingertips. While I never got my formal library, I did manage to assemble a mass of information and add to it on a regular basis. You don’t have to have a large number of book cases nor filing cabinets to have a library. Most of mine are stored in boxes, under beds or my desk. Here are some tips that might help you put together information on whatever your interest is. 1. Save magazines. Every hobbyist reads a few magazines on his particular interest. When you finish with those, don’t throw them away, but store them by date or topic in a box. Where you put the box is your decision. If you don’t have room to save every magazine, then either copy or cut out a particular article and staple it together with the date and topic at the top. You can then file these in manila file folders. It is amazing how much information you can assemble in such a small space. By all means, don’t throw them away just because you don’t have an immediate need for them. Often, I have suddenly had to refer back to a bit of information I saved from years ago. If you reach a point where you have no space left, sort through all those back issues, pull out the ones you absolutely want to keep and sell (don’t throw away) the remainder. This will give you more room plus a little extra cash to buy more. 2. Be particular about what books you buy and how much you pay for them. Haunt garage sales and used stores such as Goodwill for bargains on books you might want for your collection. A used book is just as a new one unless it is missing pages. You can pick up some excellent bargains in the used book section of Amazon.com. Of course, it is nice to have bookshelves to store these in if you have the room. Again, used bookshelves are often available in the garage sales. 3. Newspapers. Many papers run columns that tell what happened on certain dates in the past. For the treasure hunter, this is a wealth of information. They often list sites where old circuses, carnivals and gatherings were held. Some papers have a column written by a long-time resident who centers his writings around recollections of the past. Our local County Line paper (yes, this one) does this, and I would advise any serious researcher to save every copy he can get his hands on. If you cannot save all the papers, clip the various
articles that grab your interest and place them in appropriately labeled manila files. A small two drawer file cabinet will fit almost anywhere and hold a ton of manila folders. 4. Use audio cassette tapes: It seems the cassette tape player has almost disappeared from the scene and that is a shame, because they are the most useful of all to record stories or to keep notes on what you are doing. I know that most newer cell phones have a recording feature on them, however for extended recording or making a file of audio tapes they are not so good. If or when you find a good tape recorder, snap it up and keep a supply of blank tapes with you. Interviews of knowledgeable people is one of the best way to make a record of stories that may be passed down verbally. Be sure to label the tape according to its contents, and file it in a shoe box or other small container. Soon, you will have an audio library consisting of irreplaceable memories of those who share their stories. 5. Use the internet wisely: Be aware that many stories and information bits you get from the internet is incorrect. Okay, so I have stepped on your toes. Sorry about that. The truth is simply this; There is no regulatory agency to determine whether what you read on the internet is true or not. Although it
is a quick and easy to get information, you must be aware that some of it is totally incorrect. The difference in this and in printed information is that most printed information must go through a copy reader and then an editor. It is their job to verify the authenticity of the information before it is printed. That pertains to books, periodicals and newspapers. If you are serious about accuracy of your research, then take what you pick up off the internet with two or three grains of salt. A research library of your own is highly important because you will have the information you need in just a few minutes. You can pull a piece of written literature out of your file, hold it in your hand, make notes on it or scribble references in the margins. With electronic media, in order to do this, you must set up files and in most cases, you will end up printing it out. Then, you have a piece of written material in your hand. All of the different means of obtaining information are useful. It is up to you to decide just how you want to build your library. With a little imagination and ingenuity, you can have the research library you need to make your search for the truth easier. Send Comments to: treasure@mycounty-line.com
Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
13Treasure Hunters: History Series
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glanced down. There at my feet was a half finished spear point. I bent to pick it up and as I did, a rifle shot rang out. The bullet clipped a bush a few feet away from where my head had been a few seconds before. Bending low, I ran up the stream to behind the dam where I had entered. Dave was still casting into the pond and oblivious to anything else around him. “Dave!” I shouted. “Let’s get out of here. Someone just shot at me.” Another shot rang out, but I had no idea where it went. This time, my brother heard the shot and took after me, dragging his line and lure after him. He was still reeling in the last of his line as we crossed the fence. I don’t know if it was a hunter or someone actually shooting at us. Maybe the shooter was only trying to frighten us away. It didn’t matter. We got the message. That was the first and definitely the last time I ignored a “Keep Out” sign. I didn’t find any treasure or Spanish artifacts, but I still have the arrowhead that I think saved my life. (I originally wrote this story for Lost Treasure magazine in 2011. You can read the full story called “Ghosts of Devils Canyon” in their magazine.) It wasn’t until late 1964 that I landed a job with a private meteorological contractor called Avco Corp. They had the contract for upper air research at White Sands, New Mexico. We loaded up a U-Haul and headed west. The closest town we could find to live in was El Paso, Texas, which was about 50 miles away. There were numerous vacant GI homes there and within 24 hours, we had rented one and were moved in. We later purchased a nicer home for less than we could rent. White Sands Missile Range was about 50 miles west and it took a little over an hour to drive. Our crew carpooled so the cost of gas and travel was less on all of us. El Paso and the White Sands were typical desert, covered by gravel, rocks and sand. Each day, about noon, the wind picked up and within an hour blew a gale. The air would fill with dust and visibility drop. We had to adapt to this no matter how uncomfortable it was. There was little rain, which was an advantage to my treasure hunting because artifacts in the area were well preserved due to the dryness. Just west of El Paso were the Franklin
, Jerry Eckhart
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Mountains which held remains of early nature to continue, no matter what man to his stories of the old days when he was day tin mines, and rumors of hidden gold. did. actively mining and prospecting. He knew Although I spent hours of my spare time On the far side of the impact range was his business about minerals and spent a searching them, I only found traces of the site of the Doc Noss peak where in the lot of time telling about this area of Utah. early day settlers. White Sands Missile 1930’s, Doc Noss, an early day treasure He told how a dynamite explosion gone Range was another story because it held hunter found a cave full of gold bars. He wrong had blown his leg off. The loss the ruins of early day ranches that were had gone into the cave which was under of his leg didn’t seem to slow him down abandoned when the military took over a or near Guadalupe Peak and found the any. He hobbled around on two crutches huge parcel of land from the owners. The bars stacked along the sides. He removed and even managed to make short trips missile range itself was almost a hundred several, took them to a nearby town and into the desert where he searched for rock miles long and at least 50 miles wide. sold them. Later, he was found dead, specimens to sell. The main base was at the south end, some alongside his car with a single gold bar Upon our return to the main base at 50 miles from El Paso, and the impact near him. This story has been documented White Sands, our crew was assigned to range stretched to the north all the way and reported a number of times in various another balloon site, almost 20 miles to the White Sands National Park, near treasure magazines. Later, his family sued further north inside the impact range. This Alamogordo. the government to get access to the mine. location was near the fabled white sands. Our crew had the responsibility of They allowed to use ground penetrating At that time only a small part of the white releasing weather balloons before every radar in the area but forbidden to enter the sands were designated as a National Park missile launch. One launch site was well cave. The radar results showed an empty and few visited it. Our site was only a few into the impact site, some 35 miles north cave. miles from a gigantic gypsum lake called of the main base. The site was a small, My part in the story was much simpler. Lake Luna. This lake did have water in it, 20 by 20 foot building with tracking We passed the site every time we went to although the dry desert wind had created a equipment inside, and a large shed where our balloon shack. At that time (1964), crust of gypsum, some two feet thick over we inflated the balloons. Although the the site was surrounded by an eight foot the water. You could walk out onto it and missiles were supposed to pass over us chain like fence with a guard on the hear a hollow booming sound beneath and impact further up range, there were gate. Large, covered military trucks were your feet. At the edge was a large, square impact craters within a hundred yards of going in and out. A sign at the entrance log well. It was tumbled and falling in, our launch site. Fortunately, no errant identified it as a restricted radar site. I but the mouth was still open. We would missiles crashed there while we were on always believed they were removing Doc drop a rock down the well and it was only site. Noss’s gold. Others since, have written a couple of seconds before you heard the There were at least three old ranch sites of their experiences with this site. One splash. Imagine early day settlers trying within 3 miles of the site. Each of them even reported that he went over the back to drink that gyp water. It must have been were rubble and scattered boards. I picked side of the peak and actually watched the terrible for them, but there was no other up parts of old equipment and harness. bars being loaded onto the trucks. No one water available unless one found a spring It was almost as if the residents simply knows for sure just what happened, but it in the mountains to the west. Next to the well was an old wagon, with just the four packed their personal belongings and surely does sound strange. wheels and a running gear remaining. walked away. The military had gone in At one time, I was on a mobile team that with bulldozers and pushed any standing was dispatched to New Mexico and Utah. Apparently it was left from when someone structure to the ground. Most of those old It was our job to go to different places tried to haul water. The entire wagon was ranch houses were made of adobe, and where missiles were impacted and release embedded to the wheel hubs in the white gradually crumbled into the ground from balloons during the firing. Much of this gypsum sand. whence they came. Sometime around 1967, I left Avco and work was confidential and still cannot be At that time (1964) there were no metal discussed. I did get a chance to walk and went out on my own as a photographer, detectors as we know them and even if search a portion of Utah between missile then found a better job working with there had been, they would have been shots. I found a number of old, old claim the National Weather Service. This outlawed on a military base. That meant markers, with typical claim notices stored turned into my career until 1984. It was our crew poked around with sticks or an in tobacco cans. Since these were now during this time I fell in love with metal occasional iron bar that we found. Out on military property, it was not illegal to detecting. of one site came a rat-chewed McClellan remove the older ones, and I kept a couple saddle. When we tried to stow it in our for many years. vehicle, it virtually fell apart it was so old Mineral specimens were scattered all and cracked. To Be Continued... around the area. I picked up a few of the I think the most memorable sight was more interesting ones. They have now Pick up our next issue for more beside a crumbled adobe wall. Next to disappeared as well. We spent thirty days of Jerry Eckhart’s biography and that wall, grew a single chili pepper plant, at this particular sight, and had a big time. treasure hunting stories. sporting a lone bright red chili pepper. In the evenings, I took to visiting with an It would have made a great picture but old one-legged prospector that ran a small cameras were not allowed in there. That rock shop on the highway that ran in front Send Comments to: treasure@mycounty-line.com lone pepper typified the resilience of of the base. I would sit for hours, listening Published by Mike W. Norris dba Wolverine Design ● PO Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com
14Love Lessons Learned So Far
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■ Love Lessons Learned So Far , Vicki Stiefer
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One of the entertainers sings to the crowd. The Restoring Love event as a whole was 30% music concert, 30% history lesson, 40% revival, 110% Patriotic and 200% AWESOME! If you weren’t there...you simply have no idea what you missed! The best I can do is share these few photos and promise you that it made me proud to be an American!
By Vicki Stiefer Veto Power
In my marriage I have quickly learned there must be compromise. It’s true what Ben Franklin said, “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.” . My lovable honey bunny can turn into a bear at times so we needed a plan. I am perfect of course and never ever lose my temper or have a dramatic outburst of tears. Never. My husband just huffed and laughed heartily right next to me. We came up with a veto system. It works for the president of the United States so why wouldn’t it work in a household? The rules are tough though, one veto a week and as we all know there are times when a women thinks a man is crazy with a capital C. Of course men think all women are crazy and well, they are right. Women are crazy, we just perfect it to an art form. We are functioning crazy. It’s a different kind of crazy than say a group of guys standing around the B-B-Q grill watching their tennis shoes catch on fire because they wanted to dry them quickly and have a beer at the same time. No joke, I watched a good friend lose his favorite, very expensive tennis shoes and he still couldn’t figure out why it didn’t work. When I mentioned that the soles were rubber and the heat was too hot. He waved me off and pouted with his buddies. It’s a wonder men run the world. Or do they?? According to my dearly departed mother who even from the grave whispers in my ear that behind every good man is a good woman. So... men are flawed but we love them. Once a week my husband and I both have a veto card we can play. When the veto is uttered from the lips it stands above all else. For example, my husband and I live in a second floor apartment home. Some little kid left their pail and shovel across the parking lot on their patio. Now the head of my household, the bread winner, the tutor my niece and help make flashcards decides he can grab his pitching wedge and sail a golf ball off of our patio straight into the bucket on the other side. When I asked him if he thought about any damages that might incur he just shook his head. As I wished our insurance company a Merry Christmas I remembered the ever powerful veto. So I braced myself and raised my voice authoritatively “Veto!” He instantly deflated but I had won that victory for our neighbors and our wallets until he responded with club held high, “I veto your veto!” I couldn’t believe it! By now a couple of neighbors had poked their heads out the door to see what was going on. After we eyeballed a couple of the Gladys Kravitz’s we sat down and realized a veto that veto’s the first cancels everything out so we were right back where we started. Golf club in hand looking wistfully towards one pail and shovel until we see the kid that left it grab it and go back inside the house. My husband’s plan foiled and our veto’s spent for the week and it was only Wednesday. It’s a fun experiment to put your pride aside for the one you love and try out the veto! Send Comments to: lovelessons@mycounty-line.com
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15Huddle Up! ■
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, Matt Swinney
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By Matt Swinney
The crashing of shoulder pads and smell of freshly cut grass on football fields across Eastland County means only one thing, High School football is right over the horizon. Right now every team is 0 and 0 and every team thinks that this year might be the year. With the start of the high school football season less than a month away, I thought that I would preview a few of the high school football teams around the county. First off, let’s take a look at the Ranger Bulldogs. The Bulldogs, under Head Coach Brody Deaver, are in a new district, District 7-A Division 2. Every two years, the UIL has district realignment, which shuffles every district in the state. The Bulldogs are joined in District 7-A Division 2 with Albany, Baird, Cross Plains, Gorman, Hamlin, Roby, and Roscoe Collegiate. The Bulldogs weren’t able to come out on top last year, but loaded with sophomores and freshman they got the varsity experience backed by the two-headed monster at running back with Junior Dylon Montez and Sophomore Caleb Gunstanson. Last year, Montez rushed for 440 yards and 8 touchdowns and Gunstanson rushed 240 yards. As we head down the road on our high school football tour bus, we leave Ranger and head down Interstate 20 ten miles and head into Maverick country. We’re not talking about the Dallas Mavericks, we’re talking about the Eastland Mavericks. The head coach Brian Hulett returns four offensive and five defensive starters from a team that was 12-1 and was Class 2A Division I Regional Finalist. They are picked in a lot of high school publications, including Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine, to finish first in District 4-2A Division I, but it’s always tough to repeat as District Champions. They’ll try to do it behind an offense led by running back Brandon Allen and wide receiver Clint Galyean, who is the son of Eastland’s Boys Basketball coach Doug Galyean. Allen rushed for 752 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Galyean caught 26 passes for 502 yards and 5 touchdowns. The catalyst of the Mavericks offense will
be quarterback Josh Moylan, but he hasn’t started a game at QB in two years. They are led on defense by linebackers Luis Ojeda and Jeremiah Sloan. On the final stop on our high school football tour, we head ten more miles on I-20 to the town of Cisco, otherwise known as Lobo country. The Loboes, under head coach Brent West, will try to win the Class 2A Division II state championship after making it to state championship game in 2011. The Loboes went 14-1 in 2011, led by District Offensive MVP quartback Colten Gayle and all-state running back Mason Reed. Gayle passed for 1178 yards and threw 15 touchdowns, and also rushed for 1178 yards. Reed rushed for 1500 yards and 26 touchdowns. Reed also plays linebacker on defense and had 126 tackles. This year could be the year for the Loboes. So, make sure and support your local football team in Eastland County. Good luck to the Bulldogs, Mavericks, and Loboes in 2012!
About the Author: The County Line is proud to introduce Matt Swinney to our readers. Matt contacted TCL to offer his insight and enthusiasm for high school sports and bring us to the game as best he can. Just like any good sports caster, Matt comes with his own set of pro stats: 1992 Graduate Ranger High School 1996 Graduate East Texas State University 1998-2005 KATX News & Sports Director, Play by Play for High School (Football, Basketball, Baseball and Softball) 2005-Present KWRD, KVCE, KSKY Radio Program Coordinator Host of “The Good Sports Guys” a twice weekly sports show for KVCE Technical Director for The Wells Report with Jon-David Wells (KSKY) Former producer and co-host for “Inside the Game”, a weeknight sports show (KVCE)
TCL hopes to bring you Matt’s insights this football season and carry it forward with other high school and collegiate sports from our area.
Send Comments to: huddleup@mycounty-line.com
No matter which team you’re rooting for, you can create your own custom team sports apparel and accessories! No Minimum Orders! Quantity Discounts! Shipped Straight to Your Door!
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HELP WANTED The County Line is looking for parttime, work from home sales person(s) to help expand our marketing and advertising sales territory. Responsibilities will include making face-to-face sales calls and developing ongoing relationships with current and future advertisers and clients as well as participating in monthly billing and collections procedures and paper deliveries as needed. Computer and Internet experience and access is required. Good reliable transportation, excellent phone and communication skills are highly beneficial. Sales experience is a plus but not required. Graphic Design experience is a plus. Excellent opportunity for enthusiastic individuals and self-starters. If you want to become part of the greatest little newspaper in Texas, then send your resume to: County Line PO Box 1156, Eastland TX 76448 -orVisit our website at: www.MyCounty-Line.com No phone calls please.
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■ , Mike W. Norris The County Line Distribution Area
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Rising Star Community Page
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20This Week In Texas History
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, by Bartee Haile
This Week In Texas History
By Bartee Haile DEMOLITION DERBY IN THE SKY CLAIMS TEN LIVES
After spending a week trying to convince the sponsor and contestants to call off a dangerous California-to-Hawaii air race, federal aviation officials threw up their hands on Aug. 21, 1927 and grudgingly gave permission for the daredevils to take off. On the heels of Charles Lindbergh’s sensational New York-to-Paris solo in May 1927, the whole world went crazy over aviation. Air races became the hottest spectator sport as the super-rich offered fabulous pots to barnstormers, who usually risked their necks for next to nothing. When pineapple tycoon James Dole put up a $25,000 prize for a dangerous dash to Hawaii, a Dallas millionaire promised the same tempting sum to the first flier to make it in one piece from Big D to Hong Kong. Capt. William P. Erwin, a World War I combat ace credited with nine kills, declared his intention to collect the entire $50,000. Ten thousand Texans gathered at Love Field on Aug. 6, 1927 for the unveiling of the Spirit of Dallas. Eager to duplicate the international renown enjoyed by the Missouri backers of the Spirit of St. Louis, local business leaders had picked up the tab for the expensive adventure. As radio listeners across the Lone Star State tuned in for live coverage of the ceremony, Gov. Dan Moody proudly introduced Capt. Erwin as a native Texan overlooking the inconvenient fact that the hero was born in Oklahoma. Erwin had, however, long since erased this “blemish” from his otherwise perfect record by graduating high school in Amarillo. Three days later in front of another enormous crowd, the Spirit of Dallas took off for the West Coast only to turn around because of a fuel-system malfunction. Repairs were completed in record time, and Erwin was again aloft for the 19-hour red-eye to San Francisco. Exhausted by the ordeal, the pooped pilot muttered, “I would rather take a trip across the water anytime than make it across the mountains to California from Texas.” But The Spirit at least reached the starting line in tragic contrast to two other aircraft that went down en route. Even before it officially began, the doomed Dole Flight already had cost three lives. In a vain attempt to talk the sponsor and participants into calling the whole thing off, government watchdogs delayed the race for nine days. Dole and the pilots stood their ground though eventually bowing to the feds’ demand that a trained navigator accompany each contestant. This last-minute compromise bumped Bill Erwin’s pregnant wife from the passenger list of The Spirit. The Dole derby started at noon on Aug. 23. The first plane cleared the runway, but the second and third crashed on take-off. Half an hour later, the Spirit of Dallas was the sixth and last to wing its way toward Hawaii. Miss Doran, the Michigan representative named for a popular schoolteacher along for the hazardous ride, soon returned for a fresh set of spark plugs. Moments later the pilot, navigator and petite passenger vanished over the Pacific never to be seen again.
No sooner had Miss Doran reentered the race than the Spirit of Dallas suddenly reappeared with its shredded canvas skin flapping in the wind. Unable to jettison his 400 gallons of gasoline, the cool-headed Erwin slowly circled the field before gently touching down for a perfect landing. A second airplane also safely withdrew leaving just four crews still in the running. Of the remaining entries, only two ever reached Hawaii. Bill Erwin and his navigator Alvin Eichwaldt joined the desperate search for the missing planes. Over a newly installed short-wave, the talkative pair kept earthbound associates posted on their progress. At six o’clock that evening, Erwin reported good-humoredly, “Please tell the gentleman who furnished our lunch that it is fine, but we can’t find the toothpicks.” Two hours later the mood changed dramatically, when The Spirit flew right into the teeth of an unexpected storm. After an SOS came the alarming message, “We are in a tailspin.” A long pause preceded an
encouraging postscript: “We came out of it okay but were sure scared. It sure was a close call.” But the Spirit of Dallas was not out of the woods. The navigator interrupted a transmission with the ominous announcement, “We are in another tailspin.” Mainland monitors huddled around the short-wave anxiously awaiting word Erwin had somehow pulled out of the dive before plunging into the ocean. But the eerie silence was the bitter obituary for the Spirit of Dallas. The deaths of Capt. Bill Erwin and navigator Eichwaldt brought to ten the final toll of the disastrous Dole Flight. Much like the space shuttle tragedies six decades later, Americans learned the hard way that new frontiers are never conquered without casualties. Visit Bartee Haile’s “General Store” at twith.com or request list of “Best of This Week in Texas History” collections at P.O. Box 152, Friendswood, TX 77549.
Send Comments to: texashistory@mycounty-line.com
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During the event finale, all seven entertainers, the choir, a rock band and a symphonic orchestra joined Glenn Beck in singing Matt Maher’s “Hold Us Together” which brought down the house! Everyone was clapping and singing while fireworks finished off the event! At the base of this picture you can see the actual desk that Abraham Lincoln used while he was a member of congress. Beck shared many historical artifacts with the audience, including hand written letters by three presidents, artifacts from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars as well as Eisenhower’s 5-star military helmet from WWII. It was absolutely impossible not to be energized by this event.
Tradition tells of a chime that changed the world on July 8, 1776, with the Liberty Bell ringing out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. On November 1, 1751, a letter was sent to Robert Charles, the Colonial Agent of the Province of Pennsylvania who was working in London. Signed by Quaker Isaac Norris (Jr), Thomas Leech, and Edward Warner, it represented the desires of the Pennsylvania Assembly to purchase a bell for the State House (now Independence Hall) steeple. The bell was ordered from Whitechapel Foundry, with instructions to inscribe on it the passage from Leviticus 25:10 “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” It was Norris who chose the verse to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges -Pennsylvania’s original constitution. Norristown, Pennsylvania is named for Isaac Norris’ father (Isaac Norris, Sr.) who was a friend of William Penn and served as mayor of Philadelphia in 1724 and 1725.
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August 20th, 2012
Hello everyone!!! By now most of you know that I am back on dialysis. Here’s my story since the July issue: I did an interview with KTAB recently where we talked about the new Eastland Dialysis Center and what it means to me and how it will affect other dialysis patients in our area. We also talked about how I deal with dialysis and trying to live a normal life. Going to Abilene three times a week for treatment is stressful enough, but now it’s an expense that wasn’t in my medical budget. Don’t get me wrong, there’s help with reimbursements from the American Kidney Foundation, but you’re still out of pocket every time you have to fill up your vehicle. The reimbursements lag a month behind so we’re spending allot of our grocery money at the gas pump. (By the way, Michael is losing weight, so there’s a silver lining!) Speaking of Michael, he is a wonderful husband and I have wonderful family support. Michael always has my back because we never know how I am going to feel after treatment. Good or bad, he’s always there! Mike, I try to tell you every day how much I Love you. And there’s a reason for that. Not only are you my husband, but my best friend, too!! You always pull me up when I’m down and I have allot of those days. And there you are, right by my side. So thanks, Michael, for all your loving support.
I go to Lubbock on the 28th of August to see a surgeon for the permanent dialysis access called a fistula. I am very nervous because I really don’t want one of these things in my arm. But the doctor says it’s a better dialysis treatment than the port in my neck. I know the doctor knows best, but I just don’t like the looks of them. Call me crazy, but that’s how I feel!!! Sherrie, our daughter, will be a senior this year. We are so proud of her. I have to take care of myself because there is so much going on with Sherrie -football games, concession stand and whatever else she signs up for!! I am trying to come up with a fund raiser for the months of October and November. I need some ideas...would you please email me or Mike or call me. I am still having to take all of my anti-rejection medications and continue to go to Dallas for my pancreas transplant. Luckily there have been no problems with the pancreas transplant so far and my blood sugars are typically normal...which is better than Michael’s actually. He’s taking blood sugar meds now and he’s trying to cut back on sweets while I get to have almost anything I want! Except cheese...I miss cheese. OK, that’s it for now. See you next month!
Love, Ruthie
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In Sickness and In Health
Donations may be made to: Farmers & Merchants Bank
Ruth Norris Benefit Fund
930 East Main Eastland, TX 76448 (254) 629-3282
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(Editor’s Note: My pleasure, Bobbie)
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