David G. Johnson



David Glen Johnson, 66, of Wister, OK passed away Sunday, August 28, 2011 in Wister. David was born July 27, 1945 in Wister, OK to George Oliver & Gracie Mae (Callaway) Johnson. He was a heavy machinery operator. David was a veteran of the US Army. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Adam Morris; brothers, John, George & Tony Johnson; and sister, Nancy Butler.

Survivors include his wife, Nina of the home; son & daughter in law, Chris & Teresa Morris of Wister, OK; granddaughters, Clancy Morris & Casey Morris; great grandsons, Landin Morris & Boston Morris; sisters, Bobbie Garner and Linda Fite of Wister, OK, Doris Shelton of Shady Point, OK; brothers, Elton Johnson of Wister, OK, Leo Johnson of McAllen, TX, Dennis Johnson of Sallisaw, OK; numerous nieces & nephews, other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 3 pm, Friday, September 2, 2011 at Bethel Baptist Church in Wister, OK with Rev. Clyde Steelman officiating. Interment will follow in Ellis Chapel Cemetery, Wister.




Ray Vermillion


Ray Vermillion, 73, of Wister, OK passed away Sunday, August 28, 2011 in Poteau, OK. Ray was born in Whiteface, TX on December 20, 1937 to Holley L. & Vinita (Stroud) Vermillion. He was a realtor. Ray was a veteran of the US Army.

Survivors include his wife Cecelia of the home; daughter, Jean Morris of Ratliff City, OK; son & daughter in law, Dennis & Lisa Vermillion of Wister, OK; 3 grandchildren, Shelby Hill, Monty Hill & Sara Vermillion; brother, Marvin Vermillion of Austin, TX; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 10 am, Friday, September 2, 2011 at the Oakland Cemetery Pavilion, Poteau, OK with Rev. Jack Covey and Rev. Jim Cook officiating. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Catch a Dream or Make a Wish.

Jack C. "J.C." Kuykendall




Jack Claude “J.C.” Kuykendall, 78, of Wister, OK passed away Monday, August 29, 2011 in Poteau. J.C. was born September 3, 1932 in Red Oak, OK to Jesse Herman & Effie (Pulley) Kuykendall. He was a car salesman. J.C. was preceded in death by his parents; first wife of 44 years, Ruby Marie Harmon; sons, Carroll & Ronnie Kuykendall; and brother, Larry Kuykendall.

Survivors include his wife, Esther of the home; sons, Jerry Kuykendall, Terry Kuykendall & Claude Kuykendall of CA, Gary Henson of MO; daughters, Shirley Thomas of Lodi, CA, Marie Ford of Norman, OK, Vernoyise Ford & Lawanna Collins of Wister, OK, Ruby Horton of Howe, OK, Joy Davis of Arcadia, OK, Linda Clough of Wister, OK, Gwinda Quarry of Poteau, OK, & Brenda Hendon of Wister, OK;stepchildren, Linda Kiser of Duluth, Minnesota & Doug Percifield of Wister, OK; 41 Grandchildren; numerous Great and Great Great Grandchildren; other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 10 am, Wednesday at Wister Assembly of God Church with Rev. Frankie Harris officiating. Interment will follow in Ellis Chapel Cemetery, Wister, OK. Pallbearers will be Jeff Ford, Maury Ford, Timothy Hendrix, Cody Agherrabi, Slade Reece, Vernon Midgley, Josh Midgley, & Doug Percifield. Honorary pallbearers will be Kim Ford, & Niko Reece.

The family will be at the funeral home on Tuesday evening from 6-8 pm to visit with friends and relatives.



What makes Hot Summer so good?




Hot Summer bests Maple Forest in the Victory Ride
Photo:  Adam Coglianese, Courtesy of NYRA
With her victory in yesterday's six-furlong Victory Ride Stakes-G3 at Saratoga, Hot Summer proved that her previous triumph over eventual Grade I winner Her Smile in last spring's Comely was no fluke.  

The three-year-old Malibu Moon filly is fast cementing her credentials as a specialist at distances up to a mile, and a peak at her pedigree suggests why she was cut out to be a good one.  She has now won or placed in six of her seven career starts, and earned $245,700.

Purchased for $180,000 by current owner Harold Queen at the 2009 Keeneland September sale, Hot Summer is the third foal from the stakes-placed Quiet American mare, Summer Delight, who has also produced stakes-placed Southwest (by Cozzene).  The mare's yearling colt by Hard Spun will be offered for sale next month at Keeneland, and her two-year-old Lemon Drop Kid colt, Stirred Up, who brought $420,000 at last year's venue, is in training at Del Mar.

Hot Summer is the latest in a line of top-class fillies from A. P. Indy's son, Malibu Moon, who has established quite a reputation as a sire of good distaff runners, including Grade I winners Life At Ten, Devil May Care, Malibu Mint, Malibu Prayer, and Funny Moon.

Shortly after Hot Summer entered the winner's circle at Saratoga, Pedigree Consultants tweeted:  "Crazy good nick for Hot Summer--son of A. P. Indy over a Quiet American mare."   And indeed, the cross has produced Champion Bernardini (by A. P. Indy out of Quiet American's graded stakes-winning daughter, Cara Rafaela), Grade II winners A P Warrior and Astrology, and this year's Busanda winner, Dance Quietly.

A. P. Indy and his sons have actually done well not only with daughters of Quiet American, but also with mares by other sons of Fappiano, too.  This pattern has produced Wood Memorial winners Tapit (Pulpit/Unbridled) and I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even/Roy), Grade I winner A. P. Adventure (A. P. Indy/Fappiano), Grade II winner Apart (Flatter/Unbridled), and the current graded stakes-placed two-year-old colt, Brigand (Flatter/Quiet American).

But in my opinion, it's not just this nick that makes Hot Summer's pedigree so noteworthy.  Rather, it's the fact that Hot Summer descends from the great foundation mare, Missy Baba, who is her fifth dam as well as the fourth dam of her grandsire, A. P. Indy.  To make it even more intriguing, Hot Summer carries two more crosses of this superior female family by virtue of the fact that she is inbred to Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise, the dam of both A. P. Indy and Summer Squall (sire of her second dam).  She beautifully embodies the "Rasmussen Factor," a pattern of female family inbreeding through different individuals that has consistently produced a higher-than-average percentage of graded stakes winners.

Interestingly, Hot Summer's breeders, Lazy Lane Farms, sought to replicate this pattern when they bred her dam, Summer Delight, to A. P. Indy's close relative, Lemon Drop Kid, a mating that produced the aforementioned two-year-old colt, Stirred Up.  By Kingmambo, Lemon Drop Kid is out of Weekend Surprise's half-sister, Charming Lassie (by Seattle Slew).  

Stirred Up is therefore inbred to Lassie Dear (dam of both Weekend Surprise and Charming Lassie), 3 x 5.  And as a result, Missy Baba appears as the fifth dam of both Lemon Drop Kid and Stirred Up, who seems to have the birthright to be as good as or better than his Victory Ride-winning half-sister.  

Ready, Set, Study

September is almost here, there's a hint of fall in the air, and students are returning to school. Norway's Crown Prince Sverre Magnus, age 5, started school last week as well. He was accompanied on the first day by his parents, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. His grandmother, Queen Sonja, was also with the family on her grandson's big day. The prince will attend Jansløkka school in Asker, where his sister Ingrid Alexandra is also a student.

Viking magazine is celebrating the beginning of the academic year with an issue focused on education. Our cover story, called "Ready, Set, Study," provides students everything they need to know to begin exploring study abroad options. In "The Bilingual Boost," we highlight the benefits of learning a second language, featuring a Norwegian-language preschool in Edina, Minn. We also tell the story of the Norwegian teachers' resistance in WWII, based on the letters and journals of Edvard Brakstad. A teacher at Eidsvoll Landsgymnas, Brakstad was arrested by the Nazis in March of 1942, along with 1,100 other Norwegian teachers. Finally, our Q&A interview this month is with educational psychologist Tove Dahl, the long-time dean of Skogfjorden, Concordia College's Norwegian Language Village.

The staff at Viking wishes the crown prince—and all students—an excellent start to the school year!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Eugene T. Boyer


Eugene Travis Boyer of Muskogee, OK (formerly of Poteau) passed away Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Muskogee. Gene was born October 14 in Parma, MO to Otto Chester & Stella Pearl (Carylile) Boyer. He spent his career as a retail manager for Walmart & C.R. Anthony’s & was a partner in D&D Pharmacy in Poteau and Fort Smith, AR. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty. Gene was a 57-year member of the Poteau Masonic Lodge. Gene was a veteran of the US Army & attended First Baptist Church in Poteau. His passion was bowling.

Survivors include daughters & sons-in-law, Judy & Ed Logwood of Harrisonville, MO, Sherrie & Michael Jones of Poteau, OK; son & daughter-in-law, Steven & Marianna Boyer of Chesapeake, VA; 8 grandchildren; brother, Floyd “Cotton” Boyer of Belton, MO., and left behind scores of friends wherever he lived.

Services will be 10 am, Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at Evans Chapel of Memories, Poteau, OK with Rev. Jim Cook officiating. Interment will follow in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Springfield, MO.








Ten Year Anniversary for Kronprinsparet (the Crown Prince couple)

Yesterday marked the Kronprinsparets (Crown Prince Couple’s) tenth wedding anniversary. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit celebrated their decade of marriage with a church service at Oslo Cathedral and a program at Universitetsplassen.

The church service was attended by the entire royal Norwegian family, Mette-Marit’s mother and siblings, the couple’s children, the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as well as other state officials. In addition to official invitees, 200 Norwegian people received tickets to share in the occasion. The couple’s two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra (7) and Prince Sverre Magnus (5), and Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby (14), were all involved in the ceremony, the two eldest reading bible verses.

After the church service, the celebrations continued at Universitetsplassen (University Place). Met with cheers from the crowd, the royal couple gave a speech and enjoyed a hip hop concert. The celebration at Universitetsplassen was not just a celebration of the couple’s wedding anniversary, it was also a celebration of the Royal Couple’s Humanitarian Fund, Kronprinsparets Fond, which, according to the Royal Website, “identifies and supports projects for young people at risk.” 

Dallas Foster, Organ Donor, Houston, Texas, 1959 - 2011

His amazing life story could never be geographically challenged, even though it sounded like it was all over the map.

After all, his name was Dallas. He went to college in Nashville. And he lived in Houston.

That’s Houston, as in Texas, not the county to the south of his hometown.

Dallas Foster’s heart, the one that gave out last week, always had a special place for Macon, even when he didn’t live here.

He kept a song in that heart, too. And, when he lifted his beautiful voice, there was room for everybody on the dance floor.

It was not the same heart he arrived with in the world 52 years ago. It was the one he got on loan when he received a heart transplant in Atlanta in 1999.

He was released from the hospital on July 25, the day before his 40th birthday.

His new heart must have been an exact replica of the original because it never missed a beat.

Dallas kept right on being Dallas, a giant of a man who loved and was loved.

“He lived his life to the fullest at every juncture and never fell down,” said longtime friend Donna Massey Harper. “He was a miracle man, and everybody who ever met him felt that way about him.”

Nine years ago, at his 25th high school reunion of Central’s class of 1977, his classmates gave him a small statue of the Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz,” who also went looking for a heart.

Dallas was born again -- in the medical sense of the word -- with the gift of life that beat softly inside him. After his transplant, he became an advocate for organ donation. He passionately became involved in campaigns to raise awareness, especially in the black community.

Three weeks before he died, he made a video for LifeGift, a not-for-profit organ procurement organization. He was a dedicated volunteer with the group, which serves 109 Texas counties. (The video can be viewed on YouTube.)

He also was featured on billboards for Donate Life Texas. He is shown with his guitar with “Give Life a Second Chance” in big, bold letters.

Music was a major part of his life. Dallas made his singing debut as a child at Holsey Temple CME on Washington Avenue in Macon, where a memorial service will be held for him Saturday at 11 a.m.

In 1995, Dallas formed a five-piece band called “Just Got Lucky” after an old blues song by Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. He played the guitar and was the lead singer.

They performed everything from blues to country to gospel and Southern rock. They were the opening act for several big concerts in Houston over the years, including Rare Earth, Carlos Santana, The Guess Who and Jerry Jeff Walker. Two years ago, just a few weeks before his 50th birthday, the band released its first CD.

Still, Dallas always considered himself more blessed than lucky. He came from good timber.

His father, the late E.G. Foster, operated a sign shop in downtown Macon. His mother, Connie, died after suffering a heart attack after hitting a deer with her car.

But she was an organ donor, and that left a lasting impression on him. A few years later, he developed cardiomyopathy and spent eight months on a heart transplant list at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta.

He wasn’t the only advocate in his family. His sister, the late Susan Foster-Ray, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and became a well-known volunteer with the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Dallas was a two-time participant in the Transplant Olympics, where he played tennis and volleyball.

In the video he made just a few weeks before he died in his sleep, Dallas was asked if there was anything he couldn’t do after his heart transplant a dozen years ago.

He said doctors told him he was not supposed to lift heavy objects, do yard work or construction work.

He laughed and said that suited him just fine. He never had a desire to do any of those things anyway.

That left him plenty of time to make a difference.

And he did.

T'neil Martin, Organ & Tissue Donor, Kentucky,


Our precious, and seemingly healthy daughter, T’neil D. Martin, was only 17 years old when she suffered a brain bleed caused by an unknown, abnormal connection of blood vessels in her brain that had been present from birth. At the moment the doctor voiced his concern that her condition “could very well take her life”, I felt in my heart that if she did not survive, then we should pay forward the gift of her life to us by donating her organs so that another family would not have to stand in the shoes we were now standing in. In that instance, I knew that organ donation would be one of the few things we could do to truly bring honor to T’neil and the legacy of her life.

T’neil was not a registered organ donor and I don’t know that she had ever considered organ donation. But I did know her to be a giver. She had a beautiful heart and smile to match which she shared with all she came in contact with. T’neil loved her family and she loved her friends but she also had a love for those in need. Knowing this about my daughter allowed us to make the decision to donate her organs without hesitation or regret. T’neil had now gone to a place where she no longer needed her organs and it would have been a real shame to just let her perfectly healthy heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, corneas, tissue and bone just go to waste when we knew that somewhere, someone was waiting on a second chance at life through organ transplantation.

Because of our decision to donate, a 15 year old girl suffering from cystic fibrosis received two healthy lungs. A 29 year old woman who had just begun to travel the road of life received a heart. Two men, two fathers, two husbands each received a kidney and a young man received a tendon that enabled him to play sports again. Our decision has connected us with new friends who have become permanent extensions to our family. Our hearts are comforted to know that a part of our daughter lives on in others.

Finally, I know that with our decision to donate came the responsibility to educate others about the need for organ donation, especially within minority populations. Minorities comprise over half of the list of those awaiting a transplant and often wait twice as long to receive a transplant due to a lack of minority donors.

T’neil was determined to make her mark and change the world and through the giving of her organs she was able to do just that!

(Story shared by Denisha M. Henry – T’neil’s mother)

Barbara Hansen Young obit

Back to school

On Sunday night I started writing a ‘back to school’ blog post – which I’ve yet to post let alone finish.

With my younger son entering his next-to-last year of high school and the older one heading to South Korea soon to study before his final semester of college, writing about ‘holding on and letting go’ seems apropos.

After all, Erik was only 16 – the age Andrew is nowwhen he sojourned to Germany on a foreign exchange student program.

It’s hard to believe it was only four years ago we dropped Erik off at an elegant Washington, DC hotel after touring the Lincoln Memorial, the then-new World War II memorial, and ‘the Wall.’

I probably fled that hotel as fast as earthquake evacuees did from various buildings yesterday, wanting to be back in the car before the flood of tears began.

Today my niece Kasey, Erik’s birthday twin, started kindergarten. On Erik’s first day of kindergarten, I put him on the bus without shedding a tear. Ditto Andrew, who this year drives to school. Sometimes I miss Crazy Louie, the bus driver who scrawled my phone number next to his seat so he could call me if he couldn’t get up our hill in snowy, icy West Virginia winters. When that happened I led the children at the bus stop down the street to be picked up.

Early Monday morning when we drop Erik at the airport for the first leg of his journey, I don’t think I’ll cry. When he graduates from college, I probably will. And when commencement rolls around for Andrew, no doubt I’ll bawl like a baby.

But I won’t be crying because we failed in our job as parents: to hold on as tight as we can then let them go.

80...81...82....

Summer is almost over and I really am so sad about it.  I haven't bought a single item of new school clothing, nor have I organized the school supplies or written names on anything.  I just can't do it.  I'm not ready.

Even though I've been a hideous blogger for our 87 Days of Summer Vacation, I have been taking pictures.  I have taken SO many pictures!  So many, in fact, that my Google albums want to charge me to upload any more.  While I'm deciding whether or not to fork out for extra online storage, you can still check out the remaining June and first half of July photos over on the sidebar.  Every photo has a story, of course, so let me know if you want to hear.  There are just too many to blog.

Here are a few of my favorites that haven't made it to the Google album yet:



Gordon has learned to ride his two-wheeled bike and asks at least once a day if we can go for a ride.  Tonight we did a little bit of back-to-school prep and timed ourselves riding from our house to the school.  If you don't count the few minutes of arguing over who gets to go first through the under-road tunnel, then we should be able to make it in about 20 minutes.  I think a morning bike ride will be a perfect start to a new school day, don't you?

Chris has been in Phoenix for the past three weeks and will finally get home on Friday.  I can't wait!

Lucky 13


I've always liked this picture of Chris and me.  It was taken outside the Idaho Falls, ID Temple right after we were married thirteen years ago today.  No one had a digital camera at the time, so almost all of our pictures from that day were taken by a professional photographer and almost all of them were posed.  I'm kind of jealous of today's brides with their zillions of great candid shots that they can post all over wherever, while I have just a handful of not-so-natural-looking hard-copy photos.  But that's what I like about this picture-- even though we're getting ready to pose, the looks on our faces isn't contrived at all.  We're looking at each other and I'm laughing and we look really, naturally happy.  I love it.

Every marriage has its ups and downs, and ours is certainly no different.  We definitely have those times when we're just trying to get through, sucking it up, gritting our teeth, and forcing a smile.  We both fill a lot of different roles and sometimes it can feel like we're so caught up in making things work that we forget to enjoy it. 

But then there are moments like this one, maybe when we're getting ready to go on to the next seemingly important thing, when we have a chance to look at each other, laugh, and just be happy together.  Those little moments make everything else worth it. 

Chris is good at bringing out those happy little tidbits for me, and today I feel really lucky, and grateful, to have thirteen years worth of memories with him.  Happy Anniversary, Hunst.  I love you!

PS-- I took this picture of the boys yesterday-- so cute!   


Anna Lou Burgess



Anna Lou Burgess, 78, of Poteau, OK passed away Saturday, August 20, 2011 in Poteau. Anna Lou was born October 11, 1932 to Clovis & Winnie (Plummer) Neff. She was a florist. Anna Lou was a member of Southside Baptist Church, Poteau.

Survivors include her husband, James of the home; 3 sons, Michael McDaniel, Rick McDaniel, & Brad McDaniel; 4 Grandchildren; 2 Great Grandchildren; brother, Bobby Hendricks; other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 2 pm, Monday, August 22, 2011 at Southside Baptist Church, Poteau, OK with Rev. Monty Thompson officiating. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery, Poteau, OK.

August Is Ripe for the Nordic Diet

It's August—one of my favorite times of year, and hands down the best month in my culinary calendar. The tomatoes and cucumbers are finally starting to ripen in my garden. The herbs, planted from seed so many weeks ago, are the size of small bushes and the fall crop of raspberries will soon be ripe in my yard. What isn't plentiful outside my door can be found at the local farmer's market: beets, cabbage, garlic and more. It's a great time to be a locavore. And as a Minnesotan, I can't help notice the similarities between a local diet and the Nordic diet.



The Nordic diet, as outlined in the August issue of Viking magazine, includes six main elements: grains; fish and seafood; cold-weather vegetables; game, meat and poultry; herbs; and native berries. Danish chef Trina Hahnemann, author of "The Nordic Diet: Using Local and Organic Food to Promote a healthy Lifestyle," said in a recent Viking interview "the Nordic diet is about eating a lot of local vegetables in season, eating local fish, cutting back on meats and eating grains."



If you'd like to learn more about the Nordic Diet, check out Trine Hahnemann's website, including these ideas for creating delicious Danish smørrebrød. And if you haven't done it already, be sure to check out Kari Diehl's article on New Nordic Cuisine in the August issue of Viking!



Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.



Photo courtesty of Flickruser CharlesFred

How much more can Indian Tale take?




Indian Tale wins a $75,000 claimer at Saratoga on August 11th
Photo:  Tod Marks
www.photoshelter.com/c/todmarks
I'm praying that it doesn't rain tomorrow.

If it does, and the Grade II Woodford Reserve Lake Placid Stakes is taken off the turf at Saratoga, trainer Richard Dutrow will send his recently claimed three-year-old filly, Indian Tale, to the starting gate for what will be her fifth race in 14 days.  What in the world is he thinking?

The controversial conditioner must not have been in the room at the Gideon Putnam last Sunday when the University of Glasgow's Tim Parkin delivered his compelling presentation on The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database (EID), highlighting what are now becoming predictable causative factors leading to race-related catastrophic breakdowns.

Based on an analysis of 1.5 million starts between November, 2008 and October, 2010, EID researchers have been able to identify certain variables that put thoroughbred racehorses at greatest risk of fatal lower limb injuries.  Among these is the number of starts within one and six months prior to a particular race, with a positive correlation between a higher number of starts and a higher risk of injury.  Having made four starts within an 11-day period this month alone, Indian Tale seems to be moving rapidly into a high-risk category, and that's a shame.

Purchased for $65,000 by Flying Zee Stables at the 2010 Midlantic Two-Year-Old-In-Training Sale, Indian Tale had been slowly and carefully nurtured by her original trainer, Carlos Martin, who had her perfectly primed to win her debut:  a five-and-a-half furlong maiden special weight contest at Aqueduct last November.  She didn't race again until April of this year, when she finished a tiring seventh against $50,000 claiming foes at Gulfstream.

After that lackluster effort, Martin worked with the filly for three months before entering her again at Saratoga, in a five-and-a-half-furlong Allowance/Optional Claiming race on August 7th.  Indian Tale rewarded the trainer's patience with a sharp second place finish, but when she got back to the unsaddling area, she was led to Dutrow's barn, rather than to Martin's, having been haltered for $35,000.

Dutrow wheeled Indian Tale right back four days later in a $75,000 claimer at seven furlongs, and her new owner, J. W. Singer LLC (Jose Singer) collected the $33,000 winner's share of the purse after the filly demonstrated a strong closing kick and got up to win by more than three lengths.

Far from being content to have virtually broken even on Indian Tale's purchase price in a matter of days, the Singer/Dutrow team apparently figured that they could keep squeezing the lemon until the game filly ran dry.  So Dutrow waited only two days before he entered her again, this time in a one-mile contest originally carded for the turf.  And on August 15th, just four days after her second career victory, Indian Tale entered the starting gate again, in a seven-furlong allowance race that was switched to the dirt when the rains intervened.  Once again, she ran her heart out, and in spite of having been bumped at the break, she finished a willing second while contributing another $12,720 to the coffers of her connections.  But they wanted more.

As racing fans watched in disbelief, Indian Tale was led to the starting gate yet again just two days ago, on August 18th, in a one-mile grassy starter handicap.  This time, though, the filly had finally had enough.  After colliding with another horse soon after the start, she never got into the fray and was eased in the stretch, crossing the finish line some 40 lengths behind the winner.  The lemon had finally been squeezed dry, or so it appeared to everyone but the Singer/Dutrow camp.

Undeterred by the exhausted filly's performance, they've entered Indian Tale to run in tomorrow's Lake Placid, but she's listed as "main track only," and will only go if wet weather forces the race off the turf.

By Storm Cat's high-class son, Tale of the Cat, out of the A. P. Indy mare, Indy Power, Indian Tale was bred to be a good one.  Her third dam is a half-sister to influential sire, Clever Trick, and her fourth dam, Kankakee Miss, is the ancestress of Queen's Plate-G1 winner, Alydeed.

Though she may not have quite lived up to her lofty genetic heritage, Indian Tale has shown courage and heart and a modicum of talent, giving and giving until she had nothing more to offer.  She deserves better than to be run into the ground.
  Well I don't know about the rest of you but I really enjoyed Hiawatha Day this year. There were not as many there as usual but we that were there seemed to have fun.
  Thanks to ALL OF THE ONES who made it a success. I will not name them as I am sure I would leave someone out--- but A BIG THANK YOU!
  Lise Peirce has some ladies sun glasses and am M&M coffee mug that was left on a table there. If they are yours and you would like them contact Lisa.
  My wife says to tell all of you hello and she really missed being there.
   I will post some pictures on the Hiawatha Day page in the next few days.

Wally

Jackie Maxey Blount



Jackie Maxey Blount, of Poteau, OK passed away Friday, August 19, 2011 in Fort Smith, AR. Jackie was born in Cedars, OK to Walter & Jewel Salequa (Hardaway) Maxey. Jackie was retired from OG&E. She was preceded in death by her parents; 3 brothers, Walter Maxey Jr., Bill Maxey & Cled Maxey; and her husband, Pete.

Survivors include her daughter & son-in-law, Salequa & Bob Beams of Greenwood, AR; 2 grandchildren, Barry Beams of Greenwood, AR, Kori Beams of Fayetteville, AR; 3 sisters-in-law, Wanda Maxey of Wilburton, OK, Virginia Maxey of Cedars, OK, Elizabeth Coffey of Oklahoma City, OK, Several nieces & nephews, other extended family and friends.

Services will be 2 pm, Saturday, August 20, 2011 at Evans Chapel of Memories, Poteau, OK with Don Cherry officiating. Interment will follow at Cedars Cemetery, Cedars, OK. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Poteau Church of Christ.

Frtiz H. Bach, MD - Transplant Pioneer, 1934 - 2011

Fritz Bach, Who Aided Transplant Survival, Dies at 77.

Dr. Fritz H. Bach, a physician and medical researcher who helped develop techniques to improve people’s chances of surviving organ and bone marrow transplants, died Sunday at his home in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. He was 77.

In a transplant, a major worry is that the body will reject the new organ. So the goal is to find as compatible a donor as possible. A kidney transplant between identical twins in 1954 had proved to work, but most people needing transplants do not have twins.

Dr. Bach’s seminal contribution was to develop a process for systematically mixing cells from the patient with cells from potential donors until a donor is found whose cells do not react adversely with those of the patient. The technique provides a measure of how compatible the tissues from the two bodies are likely to be. The more likely, the less the possibility of rejection.

In the 1960s, Dr. Bach applied his approach to bone marrow, which contains the stem cells that produce the body’s blood cells.

In the 1950s, scientists had succeeded in transplanting bone marrow into people whose own marrow had been ravaged by nuclear radiation or cancer-killing chemicals. By the late 1960s, doctors were beginning to try transplants on different kinds of patients. Dr. Bach’s techniques made it possible to determine in advance that antibodies from the donor and the patient would not fight to the death.

His primary procedure was used twice in 1968. The first use was when Dr. Robert A. Good, considered the father of immunology, saved the life of a 5-month-old boy who had been born with a bone marrow defect. Then Dr. Bach led a team that operated on a 2-year-old boy who bled constantly and suffered repeated infections. In both cases, bone marrow from a sister was used for the transplant.

In 1975, Dr. Bach announced a way to speed up his process of analysis to hours, rather than days. That made it applicable to transplants of cadaver kidneys, which must be used within 48 hours. Adding to the efficiency of his technique, he described how infection-fighting white blood cells could be classified and frozen for use in screening many potential donors. His work on the compatibility of donors paved the way for experiments that led to the identification of the Major Histocompatibility Complex, a large gene family whose molecules play an important role in the immune system.

Fritz Heinz Bach was born into a Jewish family in Vienna on April 5, 1934. After Nazis and their sympathizers attacked Jews in planned riots called Kristallnacht, or Night of broken glass, in November 1938, Fritz and his older brother fled to England. They were among nearly 10,000 mainly Jewish children rescued by the British and put in the care of British families. They later reunited with their family in Bath, England. An American soldier sponsored their emigration to the United States, and they settled in Burlington, Vt.

Dr. Bach graduated from Harvard in 1955 with a degree in physical science. He studied medicine at Washington University in St. Louis and Harvard Medical School, from which he received an M.D. in 1960. He taught and did research at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Minnesota and the Columbia and Harvard medical schools. He published more than 800 scientific papers.

Dr. Bach was married twice, to Marilyn Lee Brenner and Jeanne Elizabeth Gose. Survivors include his six children, David, Peter, Wendy, Kathryn, Erika and Dana, all of whom have his last name; and four grandchildren.

In recent years, Dr. Bach was concerned with transplanting pig organs to humans as a way to alleviate a persistent shortage in organs to transplant. He worried that swine tissue could unleash new diseases in humans, and did scientific research on ways to stop this. He advised proceeding, but methodically, and involving the public — not just experts — in making decisions about literally mixing species.

Dr. Bach’s many awards included the Peter Medawar Award of the Transplantation Society. His life came full circle in 2004 when the University of Vienna, where he had started a laboratory and was training young scientists, gave him an honorary doctorate.

In recent years he found evidence that carbon monoxide, inhaled at very low concentrations, could help damaged arteries. He was also working to find ways for people to tolerate transplants without having to take medication for the rest of their lives.

He treasured a photo taken of him early in his career, in which he is shown delivering a lecture on a new genetic hypothesis he had constructed. It turned out to be completely wrong.
By  | New York Times

Brandon Curtis, Organ and Tissue Donor, Utah 1992- 2011


Brandon Curtis, 18, was "called on his mission" early when he died Wednesday, July 28, 2010 from injuries sustained in a rollover accident after football practice at Springville High.

Born on April 28, 1992, to Jesse and Dianne (Schouten) Curtis, Brandon loved life and was loved by all who knew him. He was known for his smile and the twinkle in his eye. His smile defined him; it could light up a room. His sense of humor kept his family in stitches; he turned arguments into laughter consistently. He had an amazing, loving, helpful, personality, giving 100 percent in all he did. He was as perfect a son, brother, cousin and friend as could be asked for. He was his mom's help, support, and joy. He was the oldest of 7 children and was the perfect big brother to all.

Brandon was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and fulfilled his priesthood responsibilities with dignity and honor. He went on several appointments with the missionaries and was so excited to serve a full-time mission. He was also an Eagle Scout having completed his project just days before his 18th birthday.

Brandon excelled in athletics and was a member of the football, wrestling, and track teams at Springville High School. His coaches and teammates thought of him as a compassionate, natural leader; a hard worker and a very giving person, a person that they would like their sons to grow up and be like.

A good friend, mentor, and 2nd Dad to Brandon, Matt Day, said, "Brandon took up a large piece of real estate in the heart of everyone he came in contact with and it's going to stay that way.""When he first got his driver's license he asked both of us what it meant to be an organ donor. And we explained it to him and he said 'gosh, well if I’m dead and they can use parts of my body, then why not,'" said Brandon's father Jesse Curtis.

But Brandon's parents never imagined that their son's organs would someday save lives. His eyes now belong to a 40-year-old Orem woman. His heart is now beating again within a 66-year-old man’s chest. And his bones, used in an operation to help a 15-year-old Centerville boy, once wheelchair bound, is now able to walk again.

"We know through Brandon's donation that he lives on in a lot of ways. It's a gift to us, to see the lives he's blessed because that was truly him. He was a giver," says Brandon's father. "To have that as kind of a last thing he gave, even after death, which is just awesome, awesome."

Brandon's mother, Dianne Curtis, had a coincidental meeting with a Tooele woman a year after her son's death. A stranger at the time, the woman asked Dianne directions to the cemetery where Brandon was buried and the location of his gravesite.

"She said, 'a year ago today I received a kidney and a pancreas from your son.'" says Brandon's mother. "She said after the surgery, she was laying there, she said she closed her eyes and she said she saw him, and because he was in the paper, she recognized him and said 'that's the boy, that's the boy I saw,'" said Brandon's mother.

Brandon's parents say their loss continues to give so many a new lease on life and they are sharing their story in hopes of inspiring others to become organ donors.

Courtney Nash, Organ Donor, Florida, 1997 - 2011



Courtney Nash, who was a rising junior at Astronaut High School in Brevard County, Florida, became an organ donor at age 14, her mother, PJ Nash-Ryder, told WFTV News. Nash-Ryder said her daughter's strength and selflessness in both life and death has sustained her during this difficult time.

"I didn't get my miracle, but she has performed other miracles," said Nash-Ryder. "I know she's up in heaven with that."

She described her daughter's strong faith in God. She talked about how Courtney had signed up to be an organ donor when she was 14. She thanked the gathering for their support.

"She touched so many lives," Nash-Ryder said. "They have given me the strength to keep going."

She hoped some good can come from the tragedy, including more awareness about the type of amoebic infection that affected her daughter.

Earlier Monday, students at Astronaut High wore T-shirts memorializing Courtney and decorated their cars in honor of the teen, who had just started her junior year.

"They're very close-knit as a community," Principal Terry Humphrey said. "I think that everybody's trying to make sure that the family knows she was loved.

"One of the things about living in a small community like Mims, you know everybody."

Nash was active in school, participated in softball and enjoyed the outdoors, Humphrey said.

She aspired to become a model and ultimately an obstetrician, her uncle, Tom Uzel, of Port St. John, said.

"Just a wonderful child, she's our angel," Uzel said.

Elizabeth Candler, who said she had known Courtney since the second grade, said her friend was kind and good-natured.

"She had everything going for her," Candler said. "In the blink of an eye, she is gone. It could have been any of us."

Health officials say Nash caught an amoebic infection while swimming in the St. Johns River during the first week of August.

Duane Edward Sweeten


Duane Edward Sweeten, 41, of Poteau, OK passed away August 15, 2011 in Poteau, OK. Duane was born May 9, 1970 in Ft. Smith, AR to Billy Gene & Lora Etta (Upchurch) Sweeten. He worked construction. He was preceded in death by his father.

Survivors include his daughter, Ashley Sweeten; son, Randy Smith; mother, Lora Price all of Poteau; sister, Rose Permenter of Spiro, OK; brothers, Brian Sweeten of Spiro, OK and Daniel Sweeten of Poteau, OK; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 20, 2011 in Evans Chapel of Memories, Poteau, OK with Rev. Eddie Blankenship officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, Panama, OK. Pallbearers will be Justin Permenter, Billy Permenter, Thomas Upchurch, Jerry Jones, Dylan Sweeten, & George Sutton

The family will be at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6-8 pm to visit with friends & relatives.

Yet another To Catch a Predator acquittal

To Catch a Predator failed to end in acquittal, and in Petaluma, CA, the site of one of the first stings and former home of Polly Klaas.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110816/ARTICLES/110819618/1350?Title=Man-acquitted-of-charge-in-TV-sex-sting&tc=ar

Man acquitted of charge stemming from 2006 'To Catch a Predator' TV sex sting

Published: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 1:01 p.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 5:16 p.m.
He was kicked out of the Navy and spent time in jail.
Tuesday, five years after appearing on NBC Dateline's “To Catch a Predator,” 26-year-old Joseph Roisman of Watsonville was acquitted of charges of attempting to have sex with an online decoy posing as a 13-year-old girl from Petaluma.
He is the only one of 29 men prosecuted in the 2006 sting to beat the rap.
“I’m ready to move on with my life,” Roisman said outside the courtroom following proceedings. “Hopefully the service will take me back,” he said of his desire to continue his military career.
His mother, Deborah Roisman of Watsonville, shouted, “Woo woo!” as Judge Arthur Wick ordered the case thrown out after six days of trial testimony, and later had harsh words for those involved in the TV show that implicated her son.
She said she and her pediatrician husband spent more than $100,000 defending their son. She vowed to sue NBC producers and called the sting a “huge waste” of tax money.
“They made my son’s life a living hell for five years,” she said.
A Dateline spokeswoman, Amy Lynn, did not return a call seeking comment.
In reaching his decision, Wick found prosecutors had not proven Roisman had “specific intent” to commit the crime - attempting lewd acts with a child under age 14.
He also criticized the tactics used by Dateline’s partner, online watchdog Perverted Justice, whom he suggested lacked credibility and engaged in entrapment.
“The axiom, ‘Actions speak louder than words,’ clearly does not apply in this case,” Wick said from the bench.
Wick stopped the trial and issued the verdict without the defense team presenting its case and before consideration by the jury.... 
Turer argued it was Perverted Justice officials who steered the conversation toward sex. Although Roisman was told the girl’s age, he was doubtful because of her mature-sounding voice and sophisticated talk, Turer said.
“This case is the poster child for the abuse in this program,” Turer said after the acquittal. “They took everything away from this kid just to make a TV show.”....
Sonoma County jurors leaving the courthouse Tuesday said they were not impressed by the Southern California-based group's methods. Windsor bank teller Kathleen Kerckhoff said they obviously induced Roisman to act the way he did. She said she would have found him not guilty if the case had come to the jury.
“I don't have any respect for Perverted Justice after this trial,” she said. “I think they do have quotas. They have an agenda. It was the right resolution.”
In all, prosecutors obtained convictions on 27 defendants. Sentences ranged from probation to nine months in jail.

Bobbie J. Bell




Bobbie Jean (Abernathy) Bell, 52, of Bokoshe, OK passed away Monday, August 15, 2011 in Fort Smith, AR. Bobbie was born December 20, 1958 in Poteau, OK to Jim Bob & Janice Laverne (Richardson) Abernathy . Bobbie worked for the LeFlore County Assessor for 14 years.

Survivors include her husband, Mike of the home; daughters & sons-in-law, Misty & Joe Walker of Bokoshe, OK, Britney & Jansen Hambright of Spiro, OK; son & daughter-in-law, Michael & Brittany Bell of Cameron, OK; 5 grandsons, Hayden Bell, Trenton Massey, Cameron Massey, Coby Bell & Tanner Hambright; her parents, Jim Bob & Janice Abernathy of Bokoshe, OK; 1 sister & brother in law, Trina & Rick Ward of Cameron, OK; brother & sister-in-law, Jimmy & Celia Abernathy of Bokoshe, OK; numerous nieces & nephews; other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 10 am, Friday, August 19, 2011 at Calvary Assembly of God, Poteau, OK with Rev. Lynn Bullard & Doug Nixon officiating. Interment will follow in Old Bokoshe Cemetery, Bokoshe, OK. Pallbearers will be Wes Bell, Wayne Bell, Zack Bell, Rick Hall, Doyal Aary, & L.C. Culwell. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandsons, whom she cherished.

The family will be at the funeral home on Thursday evening from 6-8 pm to visit with relatives & friends.



Union Rags impresses in the Saratoga Special




Union Rags splashes to victory in the Saratoga Special
Photo: Adam Coglianese, Courtesy of NYRA
As Union Rags drew off in the sloppy stretch to defeat five two-year-old rivals in the 106th running of the Saratoga Special, announcer Tom Durkin exclaimed, "Just a two-year-old frolicking in the mud!"  And indeed, that's how easily Union Rags won the Grade II contest, even though he veered out awkwardly as he approached the wire.  It didn't matter, because the colt was much the best.

The handsome bay son of Dixie Union, conditioned by Barbaro's trainer, Michael Matz, was winning his second race in as many starts, after a successful debut in a five-furlong maiden special weight contest at Delaware last month.  Union Rags has now banked $318,800, and is on his way to repaying the $390,000 that his breeder Phyllis Wyeth (aka "Chadds Ford Stable") paid to buy him back at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Two-Year-Old Sale in March.

The colt had been pinhooked to the two-year-old venue by IEAH, which had plucked him out of the 2010 Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale, where Wyeth had sold him for $145,000.  With his victory in the Saratoga Special, Union Rags earned a $200,000 bonus for Ms. Wyeth, because he was the first member of the crop sold at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Sale to win a graded stakes at Saratoga.

Union Rags is from one of the last crops sired by Dixie Union, a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Dixieland Band who won seven of his 12 starts at two and three, including the Grade II Norfolk at a mile, the Grade I Malibu at seven furlongs, and the Grade I Haskell at a mile and an eighth.  The rangy, long-striding colt gives every indication that like his sire, he'll have no problem going a greater distance than the six-and-a-half furlongs he conquered today.

Union Rags has a strong infusion of stamina from the family of his dam, the winning Gone West mare, Tempo, who has produced six other winners, including Union Rags' full brother, the stakes-placed Geefour.  His second dam, the superior turf mare, Terpsichorist (by Nijinsky II) is herself a multiple stakes producer, out of the influential Glad Rags (GB), a Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in Ireland.  She is the ancestress of many good horses, including Belmont and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Colonial Affair.

While Union Rags represents Dixie Union's first stakes winner from a Gone West mare, he is but one of several stakes winners produced by the stallion when he was bred to mares by Mr. Prospector and his sons.  Other successful examples of this nick include last year's Demoiselle-G2 winner, Dixie City (from City Sister, by Brilliant/Intermediate Chef-de-Race Carson City), multiple graded stakes winner, Gone Astray (from Illicit, by Mr. Prospector), and Astarita-G3 winner Sensation (from Ryn, by Mr. Prospector).

As for what lies ahead for Union Rags, trainer Matz is considering his options.  "Obviously, our main goal is for next year," he said, "but we'll just have to see how he is and look for something in about a month or five weeks."  After the way he ran today, it's hard not to believe that the best of Union Rags is yet to come.

Robert "Bob" George Hawks




Robert “Bob” George Hawks, 65, of Orange, TX passed away Thursday, August 11, 2011 in Poteau, OK. Robert was born in Cedar Rapids, IA on May 12, 1946. He was a veteran of the US Air Force. Robert worked as a pipe fitter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Larry & Dorothy (Whittney) Hawks and sister, Linda Peterson.

Survivors include his wife, Catherine Cook of Orange, TX; 4 daughters & sons-in-law Marcy Hawks Hendrickson & Scott of Tulsa, OK, Lori Hawks Manley & Dan of Frisco, TX, Kristen Hawks Dalley & Mike of Frisco, TX, and Janet Barrow Mauzey & Michael of Red Oak, OK; 1 son & daughter-in-law, Richard Hudson Barrow & Angie of Hennessey, OK; 8 granddaughters, Brooke Rowell & husband, Michael, Bailey Hendrickson, Bethany Hendrickson, Brenna Hendrickson of Tulsa, Ciara Hawks of Frisco, TX, Desiree Mauzey Bartmess & husband, Lang of Tecumseh, OK, Sarah Mauzey Needham & husband, Kyle of Longtown, OK, Rainey Dale Mauzey of Red Oak, OK; 4 grandsons, Eric Manley, Evan Manley, (already past due) Jaxon John Dalley of Frisco, TX and Casey Richard Barrow of Hennessey, OK 1 great granddaughter, Kalyn Mykelle Bartmess ; great grandson, Matthew Tyree; and awaiting great grandchild, Needham Baby; other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.


There will be a memorial service at a later date.

Nordic Diet and Fitness

Have you had a chance to read about the new Nordic diet in this month's issue of Viking? In it, Kari Schoening Diehl asks the question: Could the diets of Scandinavians play a major role in their health and well-being?



This is a question that I've wondered about for a couple of years, after reading an article on the topic in Women's Health magazine back in 2009. Called "Land of the Lean," the article explores why Norwegians are among the fittest, leanest people in the world. The writer credits Norwegians' lifestyle, combined with healthier food choices and smaller portion sizes, as factors that contribute to Norwegians' fitness.



However, Norway isn't immune to the health challenges the rest of us face. As highlighted in "Tipping the Scales," in Viking's February issue, Norway's obesity rate has risen from 7 percent to 11 percent since the early 1980s. Though the rise in Norwegian obesity is significant, it pales when compared to the rate in the United States, which was 32% in 2008.



You'll find Diehl's article, including a recipe for gravlax, in the August issue of Viking!



Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.



Photo courtesy of Flickr user plindberg.

Broken Vow colt stands out at the Saratoga sale




Hip #103 at the 2011 Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale
Credit:  Fasig-Tipton
The buzz at the Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale may be all about the Bernardinis, but if you judge success by a seller's return on investment, and how far a horse exceeds the expected norm, look no further than Hip #103, the Broken Vow colt--the only one by his sire at this venue--who brought $440,000.

The colt had previously sold as a Keeneland November weanling for $165,000 (more than six times his $25,000 stud fee), by far outshining the other members of his crop, who as a group averaged $62,600.

Consigned at Saratoga by Gainesway, as agent, and purchased by Mark Casse, as agent, the dark bay or brown colt out of the graded stakes-placed Copelan mare, Copelan's Angel, must be a physical standout to command these prices.  In 2010, Broken Vow's 47 sale yearlings averaged $44,964, with a filly out of the stakes-winning Cat Thief mare, Cohiba Miss, fetching the highest price--$240,000--at last year's Keeneland September sale.  Subsequently named, "Lady Cohiba," the now two-year-old filly, purchased by Live Oak Plantation, is currently in training at Belmont.

Trainer Mark Casse knows Copelan's Angel well, having consigned her to two OBS Two-Year-Old-in-Training sales back in 1997, where she was sold for $55,000.  She went on to win or place in eight of her 11 starts, including a third in the Grade III Selima, while earning $134,195.

Copelan's Angel's previous foal, a 2009 colt by Corinthian (who stands for $25,000), had caught the eye of EQB's Patrice Miller, who bought him at last September's Keeneland sale for $100,000.  In order to qualify under EQB's stringent selection criteria, a yearling must have an excellent cardiovascular system, and meet other rigid biomechanical benchmarks, so it certainly appears that Copelan's Angel is producing some athletic-looking foals.

But her foals don't just look good, they run well, too.  Five of the mare's eight foals of racing age are winners, including the stakes winning Skip Away filly Fly Away Angel, and stakes-placed In the Paint (by Tiznow).

Broken Vow, a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Champion Unbridled, out of the Nijinsky II mare, Wedding Vow, is perhaps best known for his outstanding fillies, having sired Grade I winners Unbridled Belle, Sassy Image, Cotton Blossom, and Panamanian Champion Broken Wedding.

The colt by Broken Vow out of Copelan's Angel is bred on a pattern similar to that which produced Grade II stakes winner Rockport Harbor (by Unbridled's Song out of a Copelan mare).  The match merits an A+ TrueNicks rating.  With a solid record of performance in the sales arena, and the pedigree and conformation to match, this free-striding colt will be one to watch when he hits the racetrack.

Chris Hansen busted TWICE!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Chris Hansen busted TWICE!

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/08/catch-a-predator-chris-hanson-caught-cheating-again-national-enquirer

To Catch A Cheater! Chris Hansen Busted For Second Affair


By Radar Staff

For a guy that made a living catching people out misbehaving on camera you'd think he might of been a little more discreet when it came to his own life.
But, RadarOnline.com can reveal that To Catch A Predator host, Chris Hansen, has been caught cheating on his long suffering wife a SECOND time.
The National Enquirer are reporting that the 51-year-old married father of two embarked on a steamy six month affair with Kathleen Collins, a stripper that he met in Las Vegas in early 2011.
According to the Enquirer the petite blonde fell hard for Hansen and was "floored" when she discovered that he had also been carrying on an extramarital fling with another woman, Kristyn Caddell, a 30-year-old TV news reporter for WPTV 5 in West Palm Beach, Fl.
Collins learned of Hansen's other mistress when she saw photos of the two of them together in the Enquirer, who broke the story - and a close friend claims: "I know this sounds crazy, but Kathleen really thought she was the only one."

Ace Bingham Obit


Patrick Wayland, Organ Donor, Pensacola, Florida 1987 - 2011

Patrick Wayland, 24, of Midland, was pronounced brain dead at 11:25 a.m. Friday after a swim training , but continued to receive life-sustaining treatment until organ recipients could be located across the country, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Marine Corps. on Monday.

He was removed from all life-sustaining measures at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the release stated.

In an online web log created following the training incident, Wayland's father David Wayland thanked First Presbyterian Church of Midland for their support and said his son would continue to sacrifice, even after death.

"As a Marine, Patrick swore to serve and give his life to duty, and by donating his organs, he is able to fulfill his obligation to others. He is surrounded by people who he has loved and who love him dearly," David Wayland wrote Friday. "I know for some of us, this isn't the miracle we were praying for. But Patrick removed the burden of impossible decisions as his last gift to us."

Nordic Heritage Inspires Author

In the July issue of Viking, we featured 15 favorite summer reads by three Nordic books experts. One of the books featured was Eric Dregni’s “Vikings in the Attic: In Search of Nordic America.” Dregni, a fourth generation Scandinavian-American, has authored and co-authored 16 books, many of which explore the history and culture surrounding his Swedish, Danish and Norwegian heritage. Viking writer Carly Schramm talked with Dregni recently about his latest book and how his Scandinavian heritage influenced his writing and shaped him as a person.

Viking: What inspired you to write “Vikings in the Attic”?

Eric 
Dregni: After living in Trondheim for a year, I came back to the United States and saw so many subtle things that are directly related to the Scandinavian immigrants. I had taken the Midwestern culture for granted and just assumed that everyone lived this way, until I lived in Italy and Norway.

V: How would you summarize the book?

E.D.: It’s about the unknown history of things that have a Scandinavian influence in the Midwest and throughout the United States. It’s about growing up with things that I didn’t know, but that I wish that I had known.

V: What do you hope readers will gain from reading “Vikings in the Attic”?

E.D.: To understand who we are, essentially. Personally, I hope people see that the idea of being Scandinavian is not all lefse and lutefisk. There’s a lot more to it.

V: How has your Norwegian heritage shaped you as a person?

E.D.: My great-grandfather Ellef was a blacksmith, and therefore very handy. I was brought up with this idea that if you own something, you must learn how to fix it. No matter what you do for your job, working with your hands is important. Also, my dad insisted on having "Norwegian dinner" about once a month, which was always white food on a white plate. For a little kid who liked bland food, this was perfect, but as a teenager who wanted some spice, I dreaded Norwegian dinner. However, as an adult living in Norway, I found that Norwegian foods outside of the Midwest, such as rakfisk and gravlaks, gammelost, salt licorice, moose, whale and cloud berries are full of unusual flavors.

You can find Dregni’s book at your favorite Nordic bookseller, or online at amazon.com. For more summer reading recommendations, check out the July issue of Viking!