ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T
Volume 105 Number 23
Benevolence
H E R A L D
★ Humanity
ISSN —07458800
★ Brotherhood
June 7, 2017
SPJST Hosts 12th Annual Car Show and Czech Heritage Celebration in Seaton on May 6
See pages 11 to 17.
Interstate 35 Polka Party
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life hands you a traffic jam on Interstate 35 – in the middle of a construction zone – you entertain! And, that’s exactly what Ray Koncar of Joliet, Illinois, did. At 6 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31, Ray and his wife, Annette, began their 16-hour trek back home to Joliet after visiting their daughter Margaret, who lives in the Austin area. “We were a little over an hour into the trip when we came to a stop in Temple,” Ray said from his home in Joliet on Thursday morning.
According to eral miles on I-35 Texas Department through Temple. of Transportation, Thankfully, no just after 7 a.m., a major injuries multi-vehicle acciwere reported in dent south of Troy the accidents. that included two Ray says he 18-wheelers didn’t get out of blocked all lanes his vehicle right of traffic. Then, away. “The traffic around 8:30 a.m., was backed up as Southbound I-35 far as I could see . was the next loca. . it was bumper to tion for a six-vehibumper with cars cle accident. All and many semiPhoto Source: Twitter lanes were aftrucks everyRay Koncar plays his accordion fected, and the acwhere.” But after while waiting for a traffic jam to cident took about about five minclean on Interstate 35 in Temple. two hours to clear utes, he realized the scene. Traffic was backed up for sev- that they would be stuck there for awhile.
Important Dates ...................................3 Readers Write ......................................3 Interest Rates ......................................3 Corpus Christi Getaway Info ..............3 Job Posting..........................................4 Lodge Section......................................5
Youth Section ....................................18 Vestnik Project...................................19 Czech Culture ....................................21 Advertisements .................................21 Lodge Calendar .................................22 Vestnik Survey...................................24
By Melanie Zavodny SPJST Věstník Editor/ Director of Communication
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Inside This Week’s Vestnik Page 7
Lodge 48 Beyersville supports S.P.J.S.T. Assisted Living
“With 15 more hours of traveling ahead of us, I decided to turn the engine off and get out of the car.” Ray talked to a few other stranded motorists around him including a truck with four gentlemen who were concerned about being late to work. “It was a quarter to 8, and they were supposed to be at work at 7:30. They were worried.” He thinks that many of the travelers were on their way to work, and many were communicating with their employers about being late. “I could tell it wasn’t going to be ‘just a little late’ either.” The situation was stressful, to say the least. “It was a beautiful day outside, and no one wanted to sit in a two-hour traffic jam,” Ray remarked. “My band had a gig Continued on Page 4.
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Page 10
Lodge 24 Cyclone hosts annual Mother’s Day Barbecue
Page 18
State King’s Notebook: National Polka Festival