The Caldwell County News November 20, 2013 - Page 2
Advocating Hamilton FFA members awarded American Degree
Polo’s Barnwarming King & Queen
Houston Stone and Kayla Eisman were voted as Polo’s 2013 Barnwarming King and Queen last Friday night at the Polo Barnwarming festivities that included cider chugging, tug-o-war, other fun games and line dancing. (Photo by Debby Misel)
Take Aim Friday I went up to the Clean Line Energy office in Polo to pay another friendly visit to Mark Lawlor since he missed out on my healthful BANANA muffins on Monday. I found him in his cramped office surrounded by charts and graphs displaying Grain Belt promos and pictures of those hideous 20 story tall towers proposed to scar our land and disrupt our health. Since Clean Line Energy Partners is only a Texas based investment company, and NOT an electric or transmission company, one has to wonder what they think they are doing going around the country telling people that they should give up their land for a 3500 megawatt HVDC power line extension cord to unknown points east. It’s like a banker wanting to get into the medical industry and perform experimental surgery, but would you want anyone but a specialist to cut into you? My guess is that the only thing an investment company would want to be cutting into is a profit. The hundreds of miles of long-haul transmission lines that Clean Line has proposed across KS, IA, IL, MO, IN, OK, AR, NM, AZ, and southern CA seems like an awfully big undertaking with which to start. One would think that this sort of endeavor should be properly thought out, and carefully planned before they start inflicting people with threats of eminent domain. There are many questions of deep concern about the lack of decisiveness that surrounds the whole “Clean” Line concept. When one follows the ever increasing news releases of Grain Belt promoting themselves one has to wonder, not only at the amount of promotion ‘invested’, but also the lack of consistency of facts.
Opinion by Amy Harvey
In my experience, whenever someone feels they have to continually promote something, then they must be overcompensating for something that is lacking; like supporters. In Soviet Russia loud speakers with canned propaganda played in the square from 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. until people began to repeat the hair-brained ideas that eventually eroded their freedoms. Do you think that Clean Line projects are so unpopular that Grain Belt is trying to brainwash people to gain acceptance? The Delphi Technique of propaganda was definitely on display at my Cameron, Missouri “open” house meeting in July. You would think that Grain Belt could at least keep their stories straight. For instance, a few weeks ago Clean Line leaked a Memorandum of Option agreement to purchase (for a 7-year term beginning 2/8/2013) 117 acres in Clark County on the far eastern side of Illinois. One would assume this is where Grain Belt would build its converter station, poised to send its tired Kansas wind to “all points east.” But now they are wooing eastern Missouri counties near Hannibal with their converter station “carrot.” Grain Belt reps probably promised a converter station to every commissioner along the proposed routes in an attempt to woo favor. How can any of us trust a company that is so bent on its love of having us play their “Whack the Mole”game. Maybe they should change the name of that game to “Whack the Converter Station” since those 90 million dollar stations seem to pop up at a moment’s notice if Clean Line thinks they are losing public favor or need. Of course, no one can use Grain Belt’s DC power until it is converted
Housing. . .
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not acceptable as these structures were not designed to be lived in. At the Oct. 17 Kidder City Council meeting, Eden-Browder asked the aldermen how they felt about “sheds”, such as the one on Duste Warner’s property, being used as homes. According to EdenBrowder, the Warner home has no insulation, no permanent foundation and is not up to “a living standard.” In response to this comment, Kidder resident Brenda Rauber demanded, “What gives you the right to tell someone how much space they need?” Rather than apologizing, or making any effort to retract her statement, EdenBrowder repeated her “living standard” statement, and then added an ominous, “If I called the Health Department…” “They’d say as long as there is potable water and heat, they’re fine,” retorted Rauber. When questioned about the situation, Caldwell County Health Department workers had this to say, “There are no ordinances in Caldwell County defin-
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to our existing local AC grid, so... It is wonderful that Clean Line has placed their office so conveniently for all us affected landowners in Polo. In an effort to maintain a relationship of transparency and open communication, I thought we should ask some pertinent and practical questions. And, in order to prevent misunderstanding I have asked him to, “Please answer in writing, backed up by written documentation, reports, etc that you are using to base your opinion.”And Mr. Lawlor, we do have more questions, but let’s just start with what we have. And remember, this is for posterity so be honest. 1) Where is the converter station? How many converter stations will there be and where will they be located? 2) Please submit copies of any studies prepared by SPP, MISO and PJM regarding GBE’s addition to their system(s). 3) What do you think about PJM’s new import limit? http://www.rtoinsider.com/pjm-import-cap1108/ And how will this affect your plans to ship wind power to “states farther east?” 4) When will GBE be applying to FERC for negotiated rate authority? 5) When will GBE be submitting its project to MISO and/or PJM as a reliability, economic or public policy project worthy of regional cost allocation? The terminology in these questions do seem confusing for laymen like you and me, but my hope is that during our growing relationship with Clean Line, they will be shown to be as confused as we are. Mr. Lawlor, we await your answers with bated breath.
ing what is or is not livable. There are no written minimal standards of living or codes. As long as no one is in physical danger, it doesn’t concern us.” And according to home owner Duste Warner, not only was the building installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, the entire dwelling has been remodeled to accommodate the needs of her family. They have city water, sewer, electric and Wi-Fi. “We’ve had to learn to be efficient because it is small,” says Warner with a grin, “But everyone has their own space and it keeps me from buying too much stuff.” Currently the Kidder City Code states that all structures must be installed and set on a foundation per the manufacturer’s recommendations for the specific type of structure- a regulation the Warner home clearly meets. However, Eden-Browder reminded the council that the code was written to addresses buildings intended to be occupied for living purposes, therefore she intends to bring in related ordinances from other towns to show the council how they have addressed the alternative housing issue.
Seven Hamilton FFA members received the highest degree an FFA member can receive at the past National FFA Convention held in Louisville, KY on October 30th thru November 3rd. The American FFA Degree is awarded to FFA members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA and made significant accomplishments in their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs).Approximately 3,500 American FFA Degrees are handed out each year at the National FFA Convention. That number represents less than half of one percent of all FFA members, making it one of the organization’s highest honors. Receiving their American FFA Degrees were: Caleb Graham, Rachel Dotson, Marissa Gilliam, Carley Bowen, Kathleen Clevenger, Brandon Cummings and Shelby Adkison.
Cross Country Update
Lantz Morrow (shown left), Colin Graham and Seth Wynne represented Penney High at the 2013 state cross country competition in Jefferson City. Morrow placed 46th with a time of 18:00, Graham placed 100th with a time of 18:51.76, and Wynne placed 128th with a time of 18:17.89. Liberty North Senior, James Logan Kavanaugh (shown right), son of former Penney athlete James Matthew Kavanaugh, grandson of the late James Kavanaugh and Sherria Kavanaugh of Hamilton, and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Harper of Hamilton, also ran in this year’s competition. Kavanaugh’s team took 4th at State after winning the 2013 All-Conference and All-District competitions.
Anisten Houghton as Amelia Earhart. (Photos by Cindy Fickess)
Living Wax Museum at Hamilton Elementary
Paxton Henderson as George Washington.
Third grade students at Hamilton Elementary dressed as famous historical figures last week to create their own “wax museum” last week. In addition to dressing as their chosen subject, students also researched and wrote about each person. Then, as the rest of the school came wandering through the “museum”, the figures came alive and began talking about their lives and their contributions to American History.
New Shoes from a 1944 Sears Roebuck Catalog Every year before school started mother had my brother and I come to the kitchen sit in a chair and then she placed a piece of paper under our foot and she drew an outline around our toes and heel. Today I still have a 1944 Sears Roebuck Catalog. At the beginning of the shoe section there are instructions on how to order shoes stating not to stand, as this would spread the foot. But the interesting thing about this section is How to Order Shoes under Rationing. The instructions read as follows: “Most shoes in this catalog are Rationed and a Ration Stamp either Airplane Stamp No. 1 or No. 2 from Ration Book No. 3 is required for each pair purchased. If you forget to attach the ration stamp, we cannot send the shoes.” In this same catalog 4 ply tires all weather, the advertising states “fights snow, mud and bad roads” $13.75 including federal excise tax. We started school in Polo with new shoes, a big Chief Tablet and money for hot school lunches. Good thing summer came quick as the shoes were wearing thin. Around the farm we usually went barefoot. We had helped get the garden ready in the spring, and now there were rows of tomatoes, green beans, radishes, onions, lettuce and hills of cucumbers.
Barbara Sackman Taylor Graves Guest Writer
It wasn’t unusual to find my brother in the garden early in the morning hoeing row after row. I would join him bringing a shaker of salt. We would sit down between the rows, plucking big red tomatoes from the vine. To this day I love tomatoes. I wonder how mother knew how to raise baby chicks, can several hundred quarts of vegetables, and make dresses from feed sacks for me. As a young girl she stayed at home alone after school as my grandmother worked. There was no cell phones, internet or cooking programs on television. There were weeks at a time when I was young mother never left the farm. Women didn’t go to town shopping on a weekly basis. I never remember her attending any functions at school. The farm supplied our meat, vegetables, milk, and butter. We did have visits from the Watkins man. I remember the wonderful smell of the vanilla that she bought on one of his visits. I just knew it tasted wonderful, and you know the rest of this story. Not having electricity we had the ice man who visited weekly. He delivered blocks of ice. The wood ice box sat in the corner of the kitchen. A cardboard card that had 10-15-20-25 printed in the corners was in the kitchen
The Caldwell County News Vol. 144, Issue 22, Wednesday, November 20, 2013 Published weekly at 101 S. Davis • P.O. Box 218 • Hamilton, Missouri 64644 Phone (816) 583-2116 • Fax (816) 583-2118 • e-mail: news@mycaldwellcounty.com Web Page:www.mycaldwellcounty.com
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window. With the number at the top this told the ice man how much ice to bring to the back door. Having railroad tracks running along the farm, we would look up to see a hobo coming down the road after a train had stopped on the tracks. Mother always met the man at the back door, offered him a wash pan and water to clean up while she fixed him a fruit jar filled with food to take back to the train with him. On one occasion apparently she felt uncomfortable as she told the man, she had just fried chicken for our stepfather who was in the barn repairing a corn crib. I knew to keep quiet. My stepfather was not in the barn he was on the other side of the farm. The hobo thanked her for the chicken and we watched as he walked back to the train. I never remember seeing a key for either the front door or the kitchen door; we never had a reason to be afraid.
Correction
On page 1 of the Nov. 13 issue of The Caldwell County News, the headline should have read, “Share the Harvest donates 200 lbs. venison to The Community Cupboard.“ While The Community Cupboard is a food pantry in Caldwell County, it is not The Caldwell County Food Pantry.
Steve Henry, Publisher Stephanie Henry, Marketing Lisa Parris, Editor Debbie Rankin, Production Staff Cindy Fickess, Bookkeeping Dennis Clark, Distribution Allen Gentry and Debby Misel, Sports –Subscription Rates– In Missouri 1 Yr. - $30 (includes tax) Out-of-State: 1 Yr. - $38.00