c o F F E Y   G r o u n d s - By Ron Coffey
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‘Just Thinking’ returns
Another chapter in the “Just Thinking” series has been submitted by Greg Roberts and is posted on this website. Greg’s latest entry is a trip down Memory Lane to when he and his wife Diane were young marrieds. He recalls some of the places they lived and some landlords who made a lasting impact on them. We have all known special people in our time, and it’s good to remember them. To read Greg’s latest essay, click HERE.


Remembering my Chevy Monza - the ‘Almost Muscle Car’ 
I have owned a lot of cars through the years. Sadly, I don’t even have a photo of many of them, or perhaps such pictures are in boxes of slides in the basement that I never look at. While the list of cars is long, most were rather forgettable, but there were a few exceptions. 
One was a 1975 Chevy Monza, a gray hatchback two door car that I bought from my friend and longtime bandmate George E. Smith in 1976. The Monza had a small V8 engine (262 cubic inches) and looked rather sporty. The hatchback was quite useful as every week I transported bags of newspapers to the post offices in Leesburg and Lynchburg to be mailed. At the time I was editor of the Leesburg Citizen and the Lynchburg News.
I was quite happy with the Monza except for one thing. The V8 engine was really stuffed into the engine compartment. So tight was the fit that a simple task like changing spark plugs was quite difficult (yes, back in the day regular folks like me changed their own spark plugs and even changed their oil). I learned that, in order to change the spark plugs, one must first loosen the motor mounts and then jack up the engine to get just enough room to access the old spark plugs and take them out. 
This was the point where I decided that perhaps I was not meant to be a mechanic. Instead I relied on my old friend Gary Cooper, who owned a gas station and was an excellent mechanic, to take on such a knuckle-busting project. 
Cooper took care of the Monza for a year or two, and for the most part it ran great and seemed like the perfect car for me. I think it was late in 1977 when the Monza’s little V8 developed something akin to atrial fibrillation and its usual rhythmic purr began “missing.” Cooper nursed it back to health to the best of his abilities, but the “missing” became part of the vehicle’s new normal. 
Eventually, I decided to part ways with the Monza and bought the one and only new car I’ve ever purchased, a 1978 Dodge Aspen. But when I think back to the good times in that Monza I get some warm and fuzzy feelings that may have more to do with the fact that I was not yet 30 years old than they do with the Monza’s appearance or performance. 
And while I cannot produce a photo of said Monza, a Google search yielded lots of pictures and a nice article summarizing the life and times of the Chevy Monza, herein offered for your reading enjoyment:

https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2015/02/27/the-almost-muscle-car-chevy-monza-1975-1980/




The Face Behind The Heisman Trophy 
Here’s another interesting read about the man who posed for the Heisman Trophy in 1934. Even Ed Smith Sr. didn’t realize his face was on the trophy until almost 50 years years later. And Smith Sr. was a pretty good football player himself who liked to stiff-arm his opponents. It all makes for a fascinating bit of history.

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/the-face-behind-the-heisman-trophy



‘The Forrest Gump of baseball’ 
Baseball fans, if you enjoy a good read, check out ESPN’s feature about Clyde Sukeforth, described as the “Forrest Gump of baseball” because he was a small-town kid who was there when some pivotal moments occurred. It was Sukeforth who discovered Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente and a host of other Hall of Famers. The unassuming Maine native enjoyed a nice playing career of his own, even after being shot in the eye during a hunting accident. In addition to being Branch Rickey’s right hand man, Sukeforth was the man who put Jackie Robinson in the lineup for the first time as a major leaguer. “Sukey” was the team’s manager only because the regular manager, Leo Durocher, was suspended for the season and the replacement manager wasn’t able to be present. Thus you can begin to see some of the Forrest Gump similarities. Best of all, Sukeforth seems to have been a wonderful person worthy of knowing more about.
The read the article, click on the link below:
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https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30555113/the-enduring-bond-jackie-robinson-man-guided-majors

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‘Just Thinking’ returns
Another chapter in the “Just Thinking” series has been submitted by Greg Roberts and is posted on this website. The subject matter this time is about the benefits of confessing our shortcomings. Is this a good idea? Does it make us feel better? Greg shares his insights and you can read them by clicking HERE.


Some good things are happening in Greenfield! 

Despite the presence of some empty storefronts in Greenfield recently, there are still a lot of positive things happening in our “Greene Countrie Towne.”


The Grind House, 1010 Jefferson St.
A good source of positive information is Grow Greater Greenfield, which has a nice Facebook presence. Recently G3 has featured the Grind House Cafe, which debuted in December at 1010 Jefferson St. The Grind House is run by Lisa Boyd, a longtime resident of Greenfield, and it’s open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week!
The Grind House offers tasty baked goods, coffee and tea, and sandwiches. Two drive thrus allow customers to enter from Jefferson St. or from behind the building. 


Coming soon! 22 Brews craft brewery
Brewmaster Scott Benner hopes to open 22 Brews in March 2021. The Greenfield microbrewery will be open for special tastings as well as distribution to retailers. His partner in the enterprise, Mark Clyburn, already owns and operates the Catch 22 Sports Pub, which offers a wide variety of beverages and a tasty food menu. 
Clyburn opened the Catch 22 six years ago and has worked to accommodate patrons by offering delivery as far as South Salem. 
Catch 22 is located at 250 Jefferson St.
For more information about local businesses and Greenfield events, check out Grow Greater Greenfield’s Facebook page.


Wilmington air park ranked No. 1 in Ohio
The Wilmington Air Park is playing an important part in Ohio commerce and now ranks No. 1 in Ohio and No. 32 in the U.S., according to a news report.
The air park had the highest volume of cargo for the 12-month period ending in September 2020. In 2018 it signed a five-year lease with Amazon, and no doubt shipments have increased significantly due to the coronavirus pandemic. 
More info:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2020/12/12/wilmington-air-park-earns-lofty-cargo-ranking.html


Spy novelist le Carre dies at age 89
John le Carre, who elevated the art of writing spy novels, passed away at the age of 89. He hit it big in 1963 with “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” and several of his novels were made into motion pictures.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55297558


Groundbreaking country singer Charley Pride dies at age 86
Charley Pride, the son of a Mississippi sharecropper who went on to become country music’s first black superstar, died Dec. 11 due to complications of COVID-19. Singles like “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone” were among his 29 recordings to reach No. 1 on the country charts.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/arts/music/charley-pride-dead.html

​Just Thinking is back!

​Greg Roberts has a new "Just Thinking," and this time it's about civility, a quality that seems to be lacking in society these days. Read on and see what Greg is JUST THINKING.

Autumn 2020 ‘Happenings in the Hills’ available 

The Autumn 2020 issue of “Happenings in the Hills” has been printed and contains lots of information about attractions and activities in and around our beautiful Appalachian hill country. Even though many events have been cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a lot going on. Janny Brizius is planning to have the 40th annual Christmas at the Cabin this year (Oct. 16-Dec. 14), including public hours there on Thanksgiving evening. And there’s a nice article detailing some of the history of the Cabin out on Cave Road. And though he is no longer with us, David “Boonie” Brizius continues to inspire stories that make us smile, like the one found in the Autumn 2020 issue.
“Happenings” is free, so watch for it at many area businesses or check out the digital version by visiting the Magic Waters Theatre website:
http://www.magicwaterstheatre.com
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A few words in memory of Paul E. Orr
A local legend, Paul E. Orr, passed away June 28, 2020 at the age of 96. Just about anyone with any connection to Greenfield remembers Mr. Orr for one reason or another. Once a fine athlete himself, he became an outstanding coach and later an administrator, banker and bailiff. He was a people person who never met a stranger. Although he outlived most of his contemporaries, Mr. Orr still managed to leave behind a host of friends. 
Just a little over a year ago I had the privilege of watching as Coach Orr was inducted into the Times-Gazette Highland County Hall of Fame. I went over with my brother-in-law, Don Hay, and the Orr family graciously invited us to sit up front to watch the proceedings.
Numerous coaches and former athletes had written letters nominating Mr. Orr for this honor, and in my mind it was pretty much a slam dunk. And though I never played football for Coach Orr, I submitted a letter nominating him as well because our paths crossed quite a bit through the years and he became a treasured friend. 
As a school administrator, Mr. Orr helped to shape my future, and as a coach he got the most out of his players, developing winning habits that made our community proud. As McClain High School athleticdirector, he helped pave the way for my first job in the newspaper business. As bailiff of the Highland County Court he got reacquainted with some of his former students and showed them that he still cared about them. He loved his wife Evelyn and was a devoted family man. As a singer in a barbershop quartet, he was talented and charming. In the church choir or as a soloist, his voice was hauntingly beautiful. As a member of the greater Greenfield community, Mr. Orr was a true icon. 
Rest in peace, Mr. Orr.
I should just stop now, but if you read on I’ll explain a little more about how our paths crossed with excerpts from my Hall of Fame nomination letter and other reflections.
Paul Orr is a legend in the Greenfield area and has influenced the development of literally thousands of young men and women through his distinguished coaching, teaching and administrative career at Edward Lee McClain High School. 
Often the first thing that comes to mind about Paul is his amazing success as coach of the McClain Tigers football team in the 1950s. Several of those teams enjoyed undefeated seasons, and – if the current football playoff system had been in place – would have gone on to compete for state championships. His six years coaching the Tigers in the 1950s produced SCOL titles in 1954, 1957, 1958 and 1959, and an overall record of 37-13-4. Over the years I have talked with many of his former players who speak of Coach Orr in reverential terms, not only for his ability to get the maximum effort from those young men, but also in admiration of the way he helped them grow to be better men in the years after football.
When I was in high school in the 1960s, Mr. Orr had left coaching and “moved up” to an administrative role at McClain High School, and our football teams experienced some very lean years. In the autumn of 1966 the entire community buzzed with excitement when it was announced that Mr. Orr had agreed to coach the Tiger football team once again! As a result, during my senior year the Tigers roared back to a winning record at 6-4. The following season they were even better, finishing with a record of 8-2 and winning a share of the South Central Ohio League title.
The son of a United Methodist minister, Mr. Orr also led a Sunday school class for high school students. I got to see another side of him in that setting. And once, he kind of broke down during a church service while talking about his brother, James Orr, who was killed in action in World War II. Mr. Orr showed us all that there is a time for tears as well as laughter. 
​Coach Orr continued as McClain football coach for several more years during the time I was away at college, and served as McClain athletic director for a time. In late 1970, as a journalism student at Ohio University, I was assigned to write an article and get it published in a newspaper. I called Greenfield Daily Times Editor Jeff Pollard about this, and he suggested that I interview Mr. Orr for a story about the Athletic Department. Mr. Orr was very gracious with his time and treated me like an adult. While I don’t recall much about the story I wrote, I still remember the way he made me feel like we were two grown-ups on equal footing.
Largely as a result of writing that story, Jeff Pollard thought of me when the Greenfield Times purchased three weekly newspapers and needed an editor. I got the job in March 1972.
In the early 1970s changes were afoot for Mr. Orr as well, and he was hired as superintendent of the Fairfield Local School District in Leesburg. As fate would have it, I was then editor of the Leesburg Citizen and had numerous opportunities to see him in action. Mr. Orr’s leadership and people skills served him well during his time as superintendent of schools.
Following his retirement from education, Mr. Orr stayed busy for what amounts to another career’s worth of time. He spent several years in the banking business, and then retired to his farm – or so he thought. One day Judge Robert J. Judkins came calling, saying there was a need for a bailiff at the Highland County Court in Greenfield. Mr. Orr accepted, on a temporary basis. “Let’s give it six months or so” is the way Mr. Orr remembered the conversation. He must have liked coming to court, however, for his career as bailiff spanned 30 years! 
In a surprising twist of fate, our careers intersected once again when I was named as the clerk of the Highland County Court in 1997. I got to witness first-hand how Mr. Orr treated law enforcement officers, attorneys, plaintiffs and defendants alike, always with dignity and respect. And when he needed to, the Old Coach could still get stern and be sure the ​decorum of the court was maintained. 
Mr. Orr was only paid for court time, but often hung around in the bailiff’s office swapping stories with the judge or entertaining the rest of us with tales from his long and extraordinary career. Mr. Orr was a pretty outstanding athlete in his own right, and helped win an SCOL football title as a senior at McClain. He was a military veteran and thought about becoming a physician before concentrating on education. Mr. Orr loved talking politics – but could disagree with conflicting viewpoints without coming to blows. His love for his wife Evelyn was obvious, and he loved to brag about his children and grandchildren. 
For years, Mr. Orr sang in a barbershop quartet called the Accidentals, a talented and entertaining group that performed with gusto and joy. Later he helped to form another barbershop quartet known as the Strolling Tones, with Jay Harmount, Mike Anderson and myself trying to keep up with him. We had some great times together!
How many lives has the Old Coach influenced for the better? The answer is incalculable, but it’s got to be a big number. 
I feel very fortunate that my life has intersected with his on numerous occasions. 
The Bible tells us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).
I rejoice that I was able to call Mr. Orr my friend, and I mourn with the multitude who are saddened by his passing.

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COUNTRY MUSIC STAR JOE DIFFIE CLAIMED BY VIRAL COMPLICATIONS
From singing demos in the 1980s to becoming a major country music star in the 1990s, Joe Diffie made his mark and was one of my favorites in that genre of music. Sadly, the 61-year-old was claimed by complications related to COVID-19 on March 29. For a nice look at the life and career of the hitmaker known for “Third Rock from the Sun,” “John Deere Green” and “Bigger Than the Beatles,” check out the link below:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/joe-diffie-country-singer-dead-obituary-974556/

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COMMUNITY ICON HARRY TURNER HAS PASSED AWAY
I was saddened to learn that Harry V. Turner passed away on or about March 24. For many of us he was the Principal at McClain High School and so we feared him a bit, but later we realized what a dedicated and caring man he was. When the Greenfield Rotary Club heard about Mr. Turner's passing, a brief tribute was posted on their website. Here's the link:

www.greenfieldrotary.org

Also, I'd like to reprise something I posted years ago from Mr. Turner about the things he remembered from his childhood growing up in Marshall, Ohio. He liked to remind the rest of Highland County that the only state champion basketball team so far was Marshall, and was proud of his hometown as well as Greenfield and all things having to do with McClain High School. 
R.I.P. Mr. Turner. 
Click below to read about Mr. Turner's early memories:

I REMEMBER WHEN - By Harry Turner

Hall of Fame basketball coach Jim Burton (second from left) is pictured with several members of the Coffey clan.

POINT ROBERTS, USA IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY CROSSING CANADA BORDER
I stumbled across an interesting article recently about a U.S. town that can only be reached through Canada. The community is called Point Roberts and is said to be great place for people in the witness protection program… It’s home to about 1,300 people, hundreds of bald eagles and a place where killer whales are often seen in the summertime. To learn more about this interesting place in the Vancouver area, click on the link below:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20191201-a-us-town-only-reached-through-canada




NBA TRIES THE ‘ELAM ENDING’ AT 2020 ALL STAR GAME
I never heard of the Elam Ending before Feb. 16, and now I think it sounds very interesting after having read an article on how turning off the clock near the end of basketball games could reduce trips to the free throw line and make the conclusion exciting. Nick Elam talked with the National Basketball Association, and the NBA decided to try it in the All Star Game. Here’s a link to the article:
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/elam-ending-takes-center-stage-in-2020-nba-all-star-game-someday-its-going-to-be-everywhere-in-basketball/




HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS AND BURSONS: NAMES SYNONYMOUS WITH BASKETBALL
Recently I had the opportunity to treat some of my grandchildren to an evening with the Harlem Globetrotters. I had chanced to see an announcement that the Globetrotters would be performing at Muskingum University, not far from Zanesville where son Wade, his wife Susan and their children live. I checked with Wade, bought some tickets, and we were in for a fun evening.
Though the names have changed since the days of Meadowlark Lemon, Marques Haynes and Curly Neal, the level of entertainment is still high with the current batch of Globetrotters. They are super-talented basketball players and the current lineup includes a lady who can handle the ball like nobody’s business and a Polish player with some gymnastics moves as well as basketball expertise. Names like “Bulldog” Mack head the current roster, and while I didn’t take any notes during the game, the Globetrotters had a sharpshooter who made seven consecutive shots from about 35 feet out (the team had taped down a “five-point line” about 10 feet behind the collegiate three-point line as a reference for the distance). 
The Washington Generals weren’t bad either. They had some legit players and both teams produced plenty of dunks. However, the Globetrotters were better and had a big lead late in the game when there was a timeout and the Generals somehow got the score rolled back to a tie! No worries. In the final minutes the Globetrotters pulled away once again to claim another victory.
Best of all, the Globetrotters kept us laughing throughout the game. I had seen them on TV before and seen similar teams in person, but these modern Globetrotters offered up new tricks and gags to keep things fresh and entertaining. And the skill level of the passing, dribbling and dunking was off the charts. 
It was a very enjoyable evening for the grandkids, but we adults were entertained too. 
If that weren’t enough, we happened to sit near a man that Wade recognized from his undergraduate days at Muskingum. “Aren’t you Coach Burson?” he asked, and the man confirmed that he was indeed Jim Burson, longtime coach of the Muskingum Muskies men’s basketball team. During the evening, several tall men stopped by to shake his hand and greet their former coach. We could feel the love… We found Mr. Burson to be very personable and were happy when he consented to posing for a photo with us.
In addition to being a Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Burson won 542 games over 38 years at Muskingum), Jim is the father of legendary high school phenom Jay Burson (he scored 2,958 points over four years at John Glenn High School, a high school record that stood for 22 years). Jay Burson also starred at Ohio State University from 1986-89. (Ironically, the high school player who broke Jay’s scoring record was Jon Diebler, who also attended Ohio State.)
Altogether, I had a great evening that brought back many memories. My own love of basketball was sparked by seeing the Harlem Satellites (a team similar to the Globetrotters) who performed in Greenfield when I was probably in junior high school. I loved the fancy dribbling and behind-the-back passes, and soon found myself shooting baskets on cold winter days at my parents’ driveway. For the next 50 years or so, playing basketball was a big part of my life. 
I also fell in love with the Ohio State Buckeyes of the day (Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek, etc. – I think I can still name them all) and was crushed by those NCAA Finals defeats to Cincinnati on consecutive seasons in the early 1960s. I remember Jay Burson playing for the Buckeyes too, and think he played in a game in Greenfield as part of a fundraiser, perhaps in the 1990s.
Ahh, good memories. Here are some links related to this post:
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Harlem Globetrotters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_Globetrotters


Jim Burson: https://ohiobasketballhalloffame.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/2007/jim-burson.html


Jay Burson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Burson




JOE BURROW: FROM BULLDOGS TO BUCKEYES TO TIGERS TO HEISMAN
There’s a nice article in the Athens Messenger about quarterback Joe Burrow, the high school phenom who might have been the next big star at Ohio State but instead wound up at LSU with a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship. I’ve not met Joe Burrow, but he has impressed me with his abilities on the football field and his speech upon receiving the Heisman Trophy. Here’s a link to more about the guy who may be quarterbacking the Bengals next year:
https://www.athensmessenger.com/spotlight/from-bulldogs-to-buckeyes-to-tigers-to-heisman/article_de549f6a-3116-5c9d-8407-fc58f2ddf1e4.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-next

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HOMEMADE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
A year or two ago I made some spray that quickly melts ice from my windshield when I don’t have time to let the car warm up, or don’t feel like scraping the windshield. It works well, but I forgot the recipe, so did an Internet search on the subject and found recipes and a video. 
I think what I made was from this recipe: Mix one part water to two parts rubbing alcohol. Apply to the window and watch ice peel right off! Recipe #2: Use a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol (50% works, too, but not as well) with a few drops of dish soap.
You can spray this stuff on your windshield the night before and it helps prevent icy buildup. According to the video link below, you can also spray the bottom of your garage door and make it easier to open on icy mornings. 
Here’s the video link showing how to make your own. 
https://www.google.com/search?q=homemade+defrosting+spray&oq=homemade+defrost&aqs=chrome.3.0j69i57j0l4.10655j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1
I’m told that three parts vinegar with one part water also works.

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RALPH MAY CHRISTMAS SHOW 1969
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to turn back the clock to 1969 and imagine that we’re in the Ohio Theatre for the Ralph May Christmas Show. The show was directed by Robert Anderson and featured the Columbus Pops Orchestra. The recorded version still sounds great! Just click on the link below, close your eyes and enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TDZuwhO0R8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3UpZJjecLI9e3d2CAGe-pPW82WDkj6dXkM8EaY94LexH_WsAXkxs4RGhM
 
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GENETICIST SEES BIG OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUMANITY
CBS “Sixty Minutes” had an interesting profile of Harvard geneticist George Church on Dec. 8. Church believes that science can protect humans from viruses, genetic diseases, and aging. Check it out at:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/harvard-geneticist-george-church-goal-to-protect-humans-from-viruses-genetic-diseases-and-aging-60-minutes-2019-12-08/

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EVERY ‘ABBEY ROAD’ SONG & EVERY PERSON ON SGT. PEPPER’S COVER
I always liked the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album, which was the group’s final album (though the previously recorded “Let It Be” was released later). As often happens when browsing the Internet, I get sidetracked by an article such as the one on the link below that promised information about every song on “Abbey Road” and then morphed into an explanation of every person featured on the cover of the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” cover. I found all of this quite interesting, and did not know that Shirley Temple appears three times (!) on that iconic cover. So if you are up for some extensive reading, click the link and enjoy!
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-abbey-road-songs/



REMEMBER ‘PAUL IS DEAD’ URBAN LEGEND? MEET THE MAN WHO HELPED POPULARIZE IT
Fifty years ago, music lovers across the nation were fascinated to hear of a report that Beatles icon Paul McCartney had died and been replaced by a look-alike. I remember it well. I was a student at Ohio University, and just about everyone was talking about the “clues” to Paul’s death, including his appearance on the “Abbey Road” album cover walking barefoot (it was said the dead weren’t buried in shoes as you could not see their feet in the casket anyway), and lines from various Beatles songs (“He blew his mind out in a car,” “The walrus is Paul”) and the mysterious hints that could only be heard by playing a record backwards (“I buried Paul” from “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Turn me on dead man” from “Revolution #9” and “Paul is a dead man, miss him, miss him, miss him” from “I’m So Tired”). There were lots of other clues as well, and I had no idea how the rumors took off in such a big way until recently. 
It turns out that the man getting most of the credit for fueling this mystery trip of rumors and clues was a student at the University of Michigan named Fred LaBour, who is a musician of some prominence in his own right. LaBour heard the Oct. 12, 1969 broadcast on WKNR claiming that Paul McCartney had died. Almost immediately, LaBour and his friend John Gray wrote a satirical parody review of the Beatles’ album “Abbey Road” and started making up additional “clues” about McCartney’s demise. Their article, published in the Oct. 14, 1969 issue of the Michigan Daily, was entitled “McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought to Light” and suddenly the whole Paul is Dead phenomenon kicked into high gear. The article claimed that the abbey Road cover depicted a funeral procession from a cemetery, with Paul the “deceased” being barefoot and holding a cigarette in his right hand (he was known to be left-handed). The article furthermore stated that Paul had died in a car crash three years earlier and that he was the subject of the crash described in “A Day in the Life” on the album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” 
LaBour and Gray were astonished when the story was picked up by major metropolitan newspapers, spreading the rumors far and wide. LaBour even participated in a mock trial featuring celebrity attorney F. Lee Bailey and examining the subject of McCartney’s supposed death -- though he told Bailey during the pre-show meeting that he had made the whole thing up. 
I mentioned that LaBour is a musician himself, and even plays bass -- the instrument Sir Paul was known for in the Beatles. LaBour’s music has more of a country and western flavor and he is a member of the Riders in the Sky, a group of talented singers and players of cowboy music. My wife and I saw them at the Murphy Theatre in Wilmington probably a good 20 years ago, and they are very talented and very funny. Initially there was a problem with the sound system, but the Riders in the Sky commenced to singing a capella without amplification and it sounded wonderful! They put on a hilarious show but it was impossible not to notice their formidable musical talents as well. 
Fred LaBour’s stage name in the Riders is Too Slim, and he’s been singing, playing and telling stories with them since 1977. The band has even been been featured on television in animated form. And one of his bandmates, Douglas B. “Ranger Doug” Green, was featured in the excellent Ken Burns documentary “Country Music” on PBS this year.
So, that’s a little trip down Memory Lane about the Beatles and the Riders in the Sky. If you ever get a chance to see either of these groups, or any of the individual members, please do so. And thanks, Fred, for causing so many college students to work hard in 1969 looking for clues and trying to play records backwards. 
Here are some links to more information about the Paul rumors, the Riders in the Sky and Fred LaBour:
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_is_dead

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/i-buried-paul-your-guide-to-the-convoluted-conspiracy-that-paul-mccartney-died-in-1966

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860871_1860876_1860997,00.html

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-mccartney-is-dead-conspiracy-897189/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_LaBour

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riders_in_the_Sky_(band)

https://www.ridersinthesky.com/

THE COWS THAT ATE DYNAMITE!
Thanks to Steve Roush, Highland County Press columnist, for sharing an interesting story from 1899 about some Highland County cows that tested their taste buds with fearless enthusiasm. How did it turn out? Read on at the link below:
https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Opinion/Article/Dr-S-R-Howard-and-the-cows-that-ate-dynamite/4/22/51060



R.I.P. DR. JOHN
Another musical icon has passed away. On June 6 Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., better known to his fans as Dr. John, died at age 77. A hitmaker in his own right as well as a respected studio musician, Dr. John brought a rich gumbo of New Orleans musical stylings into everything he did -- and he did enough to be enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I remember buying his “Going Back to New Orleans” album a few decades ago, and I’ve been a fan ever since.
Here’s a link to a nice piece about Dr. John’s life and music:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dr-john-essential-songs-845549/


R.I.P. EARL THOMAS CONLEY
While watching “The Voice” recently I learned the sad news that Earl Thomas Conley had died this year. The Portsmouth native passed away on April 10, and “Voice” coach/judge Blake Shelton called Conley his all-time favorite singer.
Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, “ETC” was riding high on the airwaves of country music radio. I loved his music, and appreciated that Conley organized a series of charity concerts in Portsmouth that Dianna and I attended through the years. In addition to his fine music, we got to see and hear some other amazing artists as well. Performers we saw at the ETC Homecoming events included Garth Brooks, Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgan, Patty Loveless, Asleep at the Wheel, the Whites, George Strait and Tom Wopat (of “The Dukes of Hazzard” fame).
Thanks to Jeff Graham, Adena CEO and Portsmouth area native who knew the country singer, I have a cap autographed by the great ETC.
For more about the life and times of Earl Thomas Conley, click on the links below:
https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/news/37209/community-mourns-loss-of-etc

https://tasteofcountry.com/earl-thomas-conley-dead/

REGGIE YOUNG
One of my favorite guitarists that I didn’t know anything about was Reggie Young. The late guitarist was a fixture in Memphis, at Muscle Shoals and in Nashville and his work is all over hundreds of hit songs. Two that jumped out at me, way before I ever heard of Reggie, were “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray and “The Highwayman” as performed by The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson).
Here are some links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Young

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-6zd-z1qm8

Here’s an interesting interview with Reggie -- the first of three parts -- with a very knowledgeable interviewer, Zac Childs, if you really want to get to know Reggie’s story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cimXdMFczyA


R.I.P. TIM CONWAY
Comedian Tim Conway, a mainstay of “The Carol Burnett Show” and the “Apple Dumpling Gang” movies, passed away May 14 at the age of 85. Whenever I stumble across a rerun of the Carol Burnett Show on TV, I always take at least a few minutes to enjoy the interplay among Conway, Burnett and Harvey Korman. A lot has changed over the years, but Conway’s brand of comedy is timeless and always makes me laugh.
Here’s a link to a story about the beloved comedian:
https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-obits-tim-conway-dead-20190514-story.html


WHAT A SINGLE SOUND SAYS ABOUT YOU
Has anyone ever commented on your accent? Someone once asked me where I was from, and I responded that I was from southern Ohio. They countered by asking, “But where are you from ORIGINALLY?” Maybe it has to do with the way I speak certain “r” sounds. The “r” sound is one of the most difficult for children to master as they develop their ability to speak. I ran across this interesting article on the BBC website that sheds light on the way people speak those “r” sounds (what linguists call a rhotic) in different parts of the world:
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20190315-what-a-single-sound-says-about-you


APRIL FOOLS AND THE LEFT-HANDED WHOPPER
Burger King surprised a lot of people back in 1998 by announcing the creation of the Left-Handed Whopper, featuring “all condiments rotated 180 degrees, thereby redistributing the weight of the sandwich so that the bulk of the condiments will skew to the left, thereby reducing the amount of lettuce and other toppings from spilling out the right side of the burger." The announcement was one of the better April Fool’s Day jokes I’ve heard of through the years. Some people bought it, hook, line and sinker based on the pseudo scientific explanation that accompanied the announcement.
You can read all about it by clicking the link below, and enjoy the graphic explaining how the full 180 degree rotation of pickles, lettuce and condiments would create the perfect left-handed burger. There are also links to other April Fools hoaxes for your reading pleasure.
http://hoaxes.org/af_database/permalink/the_left-handed_whopper/

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R.I.P. DICK DALE, FATHER OF SURF GUITAR
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Dick Dale, the “King of Surf Guitar,” on March 16. My son Colin posted something about it on social media, and my mind flashed back to a show we attended in Columbus around 2002. Dick was a master showman and had the audience in the palm of his hand. He had a very percussive style, developed partly because Dick first played drums and had a great sense of rhythm.
At one point in the show, Dick took a walk through the audience and had everyone cheering. This may have been before the days of wireless guitar systems, or he had a very long cord -- can’t remember which. And when he broke a string (he attacked the strings with a lot of gusto), he simply stopped and changed the string while maintaining a connection with the audience.
After the show, Colin and I hung around to meet Dick Dale and we got our photos taken with him. He loved entertaining and hanging out with his fans.
Colin saw him on several other occasions, and left this comment on his Facebook page:
“I was fortunate enough to see him in concert multiple times. The first of which, Dale dropped his guitar pick mid song, so I reached in my pocket and handed him a heavy gauge pick I had on me. He reached down from the stage, took the pick from my hand and proceeded to finish the song. When it was over he walked back over and gave it back to me along with some of his own guitar picks. The pick I had given him was brand new and he had completely worn the point of it down with his intense, lighting fast picking technique against his ultra heavy gauge guitar strings. Dick was a joy to talk with after each show and a wonderful guy. He will be missed.”
Born Richard Anthony Monsour in May 1937, the guitarist developed his distinctive sound by adding to instrumental rock influences from his Middle Eastern heritage, along with a “wet” reverb sound and his rapid alternate picking style.
In 2011, he told the Miami New Times that the hectic drumming of Gene Krupa, along with the “screams” of wild animals and the sound and sensation of being in the ocean inspired his sound.
Dale’s fifth single, 1961’s “Let’s Go Trippin’,” is considered the first surf rock instrumental and has been credited with launching the early 1960s craze. The Beach Boys’ “vocal” surf pioneered the sound’s second wave.
On the track “Misirlou,” Dale transformed the traditional Greek folk song into a sped-up, one-string performance, which became a national sensation after Dale performed it on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1962. In 1994, Quentin Tarantino used it as the opening music for the movie “Pulp Fiction.”
For more about the life and times of Dick Dale, check out the links below:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/17/dick-dale-dies-aged-81-misirlou-pulp-fiction

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-dick-dale-obit-20190317-story.html

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AENEAS COFFEY & THE COFFEY STILL
By accident over the holidays, I discovered a possible ancestor who is known in some circles as a “whiskey hero.” While researching a particular brand of Irish whiskey I ran across mention of a “Coffey still” patented by an Irishman named Aeneas Coffey. A few clicks later, I found several interesting articles about Aeneas Coffey and his contributions to the distilling industry.
The glowing tribute below appears on Wikipedia:
“It is impossible to overestimate Aeneas Coffey's importance in the history of distilling. Analogies between industries are hard to make, but one can safely call him the 'Henry Ford of distilling', the 'father of Irish whiskey' or the 'man who put the 'e' into whiskey'. Just as Ford came from Irish stock but made his name, fame and fortune in America, so Aeneas Coffey was an Irishman whose invention changed the world.
“Aeneas Coffey's contribution to the mechanisation of alcohol production is immense and his invention can be found today in almost every country on earth.”
After reading the above words, how could I NOT claim Aeneas Coffey as a relative?
If you would like to know more about this interesting character, click on the links below:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeneas_Coffey

https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/whisky-heroes/20740/aeneas-coffey/




NATHAN COCKERILL HONORED BY CLEVELAND COMEDY FESTIVAL
Greenfield native Nathan Cockerill was posthumously honored Nov. 17 with the creation of an award in his name at the Cleveland Comedy Festival at Playhouse Square in the Lincoln Theatre.
The “Nate Cockerill Best Improv or Sketch Performer” Grant Award was chosen by judges of the Cleveland Comedy Festival. The judges are Shawn Eckert of Helium Comedy Club in Buffalo, Chris Ripetta from the Punchline in Atlanta, Ga. and Kate Sidley from the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Cockerill was an integral member of the improv community in Cleveland. He studied at the Second City Conservatory and later taught improv for the Second City of Cleveland. He was a mainstage performer for Second City Cleveland from 2002-04. Cockerill was also a founding member of the Ground Floor Comedy Club in the Coventry neighborhood, teaching and performing improv.
After moving to Chicago to pursue his career, Cockerill passed away from cancer in 2016. This award honors his passion for making people laugh and his legacy as a comedian.
It did my heart good to learn of this honor for Nathan. He was a close friend of our son Colin, and when they were younger they spent a lot of evenings at our house playing games and just hanging out together. Later they formed a fantasy football league, now named after Nathan.
For more about the Cleveland Comedy Festival, here’s the link:
https://www.clevelandcomedyfestival.com/



HANK GARLAND AND CHRISTMAS CLASSICS
Through the miracle of the Internet I asked who played guitar on two Christmas classics that I enjoy a lot, “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee and “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms. There are some nice guitar flourishes on both songs that seemed similar, and I wondered if the same guitarist played on both sessions. Turns out I was right: it was Hank Garland, a big time player and studio musician who appeared on hits by Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee, Mel Tillis, Marty Robbins, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Conway Twitty and many others.
Garland’s guitar skills are showcased on Bobby Helms’ 1957 hit, “Jingle Bell Rock,” and the following year he played guitar on Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Both of those songs are all-time favorites and in the top ten of seasonal download lists. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has sold more than 25 million copies.
Hank Garland was known as one of the top guitarists in Nashville, and played jazz as well as country and rock. One of the best known songs recorded under his own name was “Sugarfoot Rag.” Sadly, he was injured in a 1961 automobile accident and comatose for a time. After regaining consciousness he recovered somewhat but was unable to return to the recording studio. Garland passed away in 2004.
According to Wikipedia, when noted Nashville journalist Peter Cooper asked Chet Atkins a number of years ago who he thought the best guitar player to ever come to Nashville was, Atkins stated without hesitation, "Hank Garland." "Chet wasn't wrong," said Harold Bradley, an A-Teamer who followed Garland as the most recorded guitarist in Nashville. "I am very humble about my playing because Hank Garland is the standard."
"I can't even imagine what he would have become had he not been in that accident," said Brad Paisley, a guitarist and contemporary country hit-maker who received a Grammy nomination for his own version of "Sugarfoot Rag". "You're talking about 40 years of lost innovation that could have come only from him."
For more about Hank Garland check out the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Garland

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MACK SAUER, THE WILL ROGERS OF HIGHLAND COUNTY
I never met Mack Sauer, but I heard a lot about him when I was a young journalist from Chuck Mowrey, former owner of the Leesburg Citizen where Mack once had a respected platform for his writings and his special sense of humor. I also got to read one or two of the books that Mack Sauer had written and enjoyed his stories, his style and his humorous outlook on life.
I think Mack was pals with Lowell “Fizz” Wilkin of Greenfield, as both men were involved in local radio shows back in the day. Mack and Fizz were involved in local service organizations, were gifted speakers and always seemed to find the humorous aspect of any subject.
Recently Steve Roush, columnist for the Highland County Press, posted an interesting piece about Mack Sauer with help from his cousin Ellen Roush, who had written a profile of the humorist in the 1990s. If you ever heard of Mack Sauer or are curious to learn more, click on the link below and enjoy:
https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Opinion/Article/Mack-Sauer-The-Will-Rogers-of-Highland-County/4/22/47488

Other columns that mentions Mack Sauer:
https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Steve-Roush/Article/Two-well-known-Highland-Countians-pass-away-the-very-same-day/4/400/47261

https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Opinion/Article/Mack-Sauer-left-his-mark-on-the-world/4/22/47741

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CHARLES MANSON SPENT TIME IN CHILLICOTHE PRISON
The infamous cult leader Charles Manson, who died Nov. 19 at the age of 83, was born in the Cincinnati/Greater Kentucky area and spent most of his life in prison. In 2012, I had the opportunity to take a tour of CCI in Chillicothe, including Death Row, which was quite interesting. During the visit, the staff mentioned that some of the more well-known inmates who had spent time at CCI included Charles Manson and Johnny Paycheck. Everyone from Greenfield knows about Paycheck’s brushes with the law, but I was unfamiliar with Manson’s connection to the area. He was born in Cincinnati in 1934 and given the name Charles Maddox, later taking the last name of his then-stepfather William Manson. The young Manson spent much of his early years in reform schools, jails and prison before bursting on the national scene in 1969 as the mastermind of the Tate/LaBianca murders in California.
For more about Charles Manson, click on the link below:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/20/us/charles-manson-dead/index.html

WILBUR WRIGHT AND THE HOCKEY STICK
Here’s a fascinating account of an incident that changed the life of aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright, and a look at the bully who wielded the hockey stick. Oliver Crook Haugh also became a well-known figure for a time — but for all the wrong reasons:
http://www.highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Opinion/Article/Wilbur-Wright-and-the-hockey-stick/4/22/34122


‘HOOSIERS,’ SHEB WOOLEY  AND THE WILHELM SCREAM
Recently my wife and I found ourselves with a rare free evening together and nothing to watch on TV. Our Netflix allocation for the month was used up, and I suggested we put in “Hoosiers,” one of my all-time favorite movies that I had not seen in quite a long time. Dianna found the DVD and we watched this great account of Indiana basketball that’s loosely based on a true story. Aside from the obvious enjoyment of watching a bunch of kids from a small town win the state title, I discovered some new things in watching the closing credits. I saw that Sheb Wooley played the part of the principal that brought the coach (played by Gene Hackman) to Hickory High School. I told Dianna that Sheb Wooley was a singer or songwriter, too. So I consulted Wikipedia and was rewarded with the information that Sheb Wooley had a big hit record in 1958 called “Purple People Eater,” a song I remember well from my youth. He also recorded some humorous songs under the name Ben Colder, and I was familiar with a few of them too. 
Then, Sheb’s bio got a little murky. It said that in addition to appearing in such classic films as “High Noon” and “The Outlaw Josey Wales,” the actor did some voice work, including what has become known the Wilhelm Scream in a 1951 “Florida Western” called "Distant Drums". Wooley's scream was used in a scene where  a man is torn apart by an alligator. Sheb’s brief vocalization of the victim’s agony has become a stock sound effect used in some 225 films and TV episodes. Apparently the Wilhelm Scream (so named because one of the characters killed off in  the 1953 film “The Charge at Feather River” was Private Wilhelm) has quite a following and has become kind of an in-joke among the sound effects/filmmaking community. It surely must have resonated with George Lucas — If you have seen the “Star Wars” or “Indiana Jones” series you have definitely heard the Wilhelm Scream!  The scream is featured   in lots of Disney cartoons and shows up on television shows and in video games. 
I found the history of the Wilhelm Scream somewhat fascinating, if difficult to describe. Fortunately there’s no need to describe it. You can watch a brief history of the scream (2:58) and after that should be able to recognize it next time it shows up on your big or small screen. 
A compilation showcasing the Wilhelm Scream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio
Sheb Wooley info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheb_Wooley

IF DONALD TRUMP GRACED EVERY NFL TEAM’S LOGO…
In an interesting exercise, some creative folks have incorporated Donald Trump’s likeness into all 32 NFL team logos. I had to check this out to see how he would look in Bengals’ stripes…(not too inspiring in my opinion). However, there are some pretty good ones, created in good fun:
http://uproxx.com/sports/2015/12/donald-trump-nfl-logos/9/

SOME GREENFIELD HISTORY BY WAY OF VIRGINIA
I am always amazed at the reach of Greenfield and her people through the years. Products from our community turn up in a lot of places, and the latest evidence of this happened in September while we were in Harrisonburg, VA. There in the municipal building can be found the Harrisonburg Fire Department Museum, which features a rich display of historic firefighting apparatus, uniforms and memorabilia.
As we explored the museum, my wife Dianna noticed one of the nets that people used to jump into as a group of firemen held the net in place. The net was in pristine condition, and Dianna noted that it might have been made in Greenfield. I dutifully got down on my hands and knees and looked up, finding the words that provided one of the highlights of our trip: 
Browder Life Saving Machine
Mfd by
Cory-Patterson Mfg. Co.
Greenfield Ohio USA
We were pumped up at this discovery, and as luck would have it soon ran into the Fire Chief, Larry Shifflett and told him about the connection between our towns. The chief, who looked to be roughly my age, said he had jumped from a third story window into that net as part of his training around the late 1970s, and indicated that it had come to Harrisonburg in 1954 with a new fire truck. He estimated that the net was manufactured in 1953, probably because that was the year the order was placed for the new fire truck. Chief Shifflett mentioned that his father had also been fire chief in Harrisonburg, and it was evident that he was pretty enthusiastic about firefighting and the museum. 
There were several large bells on display, and I did my best to look for a Bell’s Foundry inscription on them but to no avail. Nevertheless we enjoyed our journey through the history of firefighting, and Chief Shifflett explained a little about the workings of early fire extinguishers. Some of them were filled with carbon tetrachloride, which did a pretty good job of snuffing out flames but also gave off poisonous fumes. The substance was stored in glass balls which could be thrown at the fire by hurlers who made a hasty retreat when the glass broke. Other devices had heat-triggered devices that released the carbon tetrachloride. Later, soda-acid extinguishers replaced their older counterparts and were much safer to operate. 
So, if you’re ever in Harrisonburg, VA you may want to stop by the Public Safety Building at 101 North Main Street, 3rd Floor and check out the museum. Admission is free, and you might even get to meet Chief Shifflett.
To see more photos from the museum, click the link below for a nice slideshow:
http://www.harrisonburgva.gov/hfd-museum

I saw Harold Schmidt, president of the Greenfield Historical Society, soon after returning to Greenfield and told him about our encounter with the Browder Life Saving Machine. Harold was glad to receive the news and said other communities sometimes contact the Greenfield Historical Society to learn more about the fire nets which were once so popular with fire departments. He mentioned several places GHS has heard from, including Maryland and California. 
The local Historical Society does have one of the Browder Life Saving Machines and it can be seen at events such as the History Day that just took place on Oct. 3. I’m glad to see how much effort GHS puts into preserving our rich and amazing history.
More info about the Browder Life Saving Machine can be found at these links:

Why they went away:
http://my.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/fire-department-safety-nets-did-they-go-away-and-why?id=889755%3ATopic%3A5984841&page=3

Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_net

This Facebook page includes a video of a demo from the 1960s:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=160648347314270&story_fbid=843373795708385

Memories from Larry Chapman:
http://www.highland-ohio.com/browder%20life%20saving%20net.htm

Patent info:
https://www.google.com/patents/US952871

Listing from ebay (sorry, it’s been sold):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321044431463

And more…
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/browder-firemans-firefighter-life-430858076

LIVE FROM DARYL’S HOUSE!
John Adams told me about this interesting website featuring top entertainers in a relaxed setting, which happens to be Daryl Hall’s house. Daryl is the Hall of the singing duo Hall & Oates. 
Daryl Hall started Live From Daryl's House, the free monthly web show in late 2007, after having the idea of "playing with my friends and putting it up on the Internet," and the show has since garnered acclaim from Rolling Stone, SPIN, Daily Variety, CNN, BBC, Yahoo! Music and influential blogger Bob Lefsetz, who cited Live From Daryl's House as a perfect example of a veteran artist reinventing himself in the digital age by collaborating with both established colleagues and newer performers.
Check it out here:
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/

CALENDAR

Some events are slowly returning. In the meantime, keep washing your hands and wear a mask!

Area Events

Click on the button for more area events from the Visitors Bureau of Highland County Facebook feed.

ABBEY ROAD: THE HISTORY OF AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER
Even if you are a not a Beatles fan, you are probably familiar with the iconic cover photo of their final studio album, “Abbey Road,” considered one of their best albums. The cover photo has sparked countless parodies, but considering all the rumors and buzz from back in the day about Paul McCartney being dead, probably the best is his use of the same background for his “live” album decades later. Here’s the link to an interesting article for trivia buffs, Beatles fans and curiosity seekers:
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/abbey-road-cover-art-strolling-back-rock-most-190720943.html

WIT & WISDOM
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. - Thomas Aquinas

We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. - Bill Vaughan

An army of deer led by a lion is more feared than an army of lions led by a deer. - Philip of Macedonia