Postscript letter to the Editor:

After the last few months of Mrs. Molly Nixon posting misinformation on the social media website facebook, and then her emotional address to the council in October, I felt compelled to contact her. On October 14, I reached out to her and told her that I was more than willing to provide her with any information she requested and answer any questions she may have. She responded that that would be great and asked for specific information regarding the 2011 Red Flannel Festival bill from the city and the removal cost of the logos. On October 19, I met with Mrs. Nixon in her home at 12:00pm. Little did I realize I was being secretly video recorded during our 1-½-hour meeting.

While I am aware of the law and understand the courts have upheld that it is not illegal, I feel it was morally wrong. Out of common courtesy, trust and creditability, she could have told me what she was doing and I would have not objected. I have nothing to hide. Mrs. Nixon then took the liberty to post a 3-minute-47-second segment of our 1-½-hour meeting on YouTube. She has also taken the liberty to misquote me on facebook. If you secretly record what someone says, then there should be NO ROOM for error when quoting them.

The segment that Mrs. Nixon posted on YouTube resulted from a question she asked about the city’s relationship with Watson Properties. Which, surprise surprise, she did not post on YouTube. I told her I did not know of any Watson Properties and that the only property the city had for sale was 95 N. Main and possibly it had something to do with that. That then led into a conversation about 95. N. Main. (After our meeting I inquired at City Hall about her question regarding Watson Properties and found out they actually own Wendy’s here in town, which has no relation with Mayor Charlie Watson). I believe Mrs. Nixon was on a mission of digging up dirt.

Now that she has been provided all the information she requested regarding RFF and the City, she must realize the information she was distributing was incorrect and is now focusing on 95 N. Main. Nothing I said to Mrs. Nixon concerning 95 N. Main is anything that hasn’t already been discussed during workshops or council meetings (both which are open to the public). Had Mrs. Nixon attended those meetings, she would have been aware of such information.

It is unsettling to me how someone can take bits and pieces of a conversation and twist them to darken another’s creditability. I have learned a very valuable lesson dealing with Mrs. Nixon in a one-on-one situation, while trying to address her questions and concerns.

Christine Fahl

Mayor Pro-tem, City of Cedar Springs

p.s. On Oct. 24, the Kent County Land Bank approved a motion to take title of 95 N. Main. They will oversee the environmental clean-up, redevelopment and resale of this property.

Bumps on your head

I’ve found myself groping around on my head lately after reading an article about “phrenology.” That’s a word we might not recognize today. In the mid- to late 1800s, however, it was a big deal.

In those days many people were convinced that the shape of the skull, which reflected the shape of the brain, determined character and talents. Reading the bumps on people’s heads was called “phrenology.” (In those days, some scientists were pretty loosey-goosey about evidence.)

Your head bumps supposedly revealed if you were artistic, cheerful, or fearful. Your bumps revealed if you were a fine, upstanding citizen or a criminal.

Seeing profit in this, snake oil salesmen switched their specialties and went around doing “readings.” People were eager to pay to have their heads groped.

Skeptics, of course, spoiled the fun, even before phrenology was discredited by actual scientific evidence. One of those skeptics was Mark Twain. Under an assumed name, Mark Twain visited a phrenology reader and was advised that he had no sense of humor. Another head bump reading—this time as himself, the famous humorist—got him diagnosed as having a fine sense of humor.

The phrenology article made me suspect a couple of things: 1) Snake oil salesmen have switched their specialties again and have gone into politics. 2) Groping my own head suggests that my hair is getting thin on top.

Department of medicine

A man is recovering from surgery when the nurse appears and asks how he’s feeling.

“I’m okay,” says the patient, “but I sure didn’t like those four-letter words the doctor used during surgery.”

“What did he say?” asks the nurse.

“Oops!”

Department of religion

A preacher was looking for a used lawnmower. He found one at a yard sale that the owner’s boy, Jim, happened to be manning.

“This mower work, son?” the preacher asked.

“Sure does,” Jim said.  “You have to pull hard on that cord, though.”

The preacher bought the mower. When he got ready to mow, he yanked and pulled and tugged on the cord. No luck. It wouldn’t start.

Back he went to the yard sale place. “You said this would work if I pulled on the cord hard enough,” he complained.

“Well,” Jim said, “maybe I didn’t mention that you need to cuss at it sometimes.”

The preacher was taken aback. “I haven’t done that for many years!” he said.

Jim smiled. “Just keep yanking on that cord, Pastor. It’ll come back to you.”

Department of geriatrics

• These days about half the stuff in my shopping cart says, “For fast relief.”

• Good advice is something a guy gives when he’s too old to set a bad example.

• Don’t let aging get you down.  It’s too hard to get back up.

• Remember: You don’t stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.

Dear Citizens of Cedar Springs,

I have been looking though the council minutes all the way back to 2009, and what I have seen is disturbing. Time and again, citizens showed up and voiced their objections to proposed changes in ordinances, and despite that, the council went ahead with no documented public support and changed them. People were being ticketed for parking on their own property. It is my understanding that if I wish to put up a tent in my backyard, I must first secure a permit. Why does the council feel that they have the right to dictate to us what we may or may not do on property that we pay taxes on? Cars parked in public lots have been vandalized. Citizens have told me that when they have spoken out in a way that the city did not like, code enforcement showed up at their door. To say that if they have done nothing wrong, they have nothing to fear is untrue. My next door neighbor parked 23 ft from the side walk and 60 ft from the center of the street. The car was in front of her own garage, and was ticketed. She had to fight it all the way to the doors of court, despite talking to city hall.

Another matter I would like to call to the attention of the public is the city’s purchase of 95 N. Main. *In council member Fahl’s own words: “It’s a mess.” “The city can’t make money off of it.” “We paid like $19,000 for the entire property, it’s actually 3 lots and a building, and the reason we paid that is because that’s what the IRS…was owed on the back taxes. So we picked it up because it was actually a really good deal, at the time.”  She also explains the city can only sell the property for the original purchase price, plus any upkeep. I wonder who was this a good deal for? If the city legally is not allowed to make money off of it, why did we enter the real estate business? According to the council minutes from 3/08/12, “City Manager Christine Burns stated that the buyer for 95 N. Main St. had rescinded his offer and had presented another offer due to the discovery of asbestos contamination during a property inspection. The buyer now only wanted to purchase the two vacant parcels associated with the property.” The council voted to not allow this sale, but rather demolish the building and sell the property as a whole. According to council member Fahl, “There is a fuel tank that’s underneath that building…and that was one of the city’s requests that whoever buys that building remove the fuel tank due to … possible contamination.” She continues that removing just the asbestos from the building was estimated to “cost us close to $80,000.” She states that if the building did not have so many issues “somebody could have made good money off of it.” So, if I understand, the city legally cannot make a profit, and we now own an asbestos contaminated building sitting on top of a fuel tank that could potentially be a source of contamination? We bought it because it was a good deal?

Christine Fahl, Bob Truesdale, and Patty Troost are all on the November ballot for City council. Christine Fahl was the only one of them on the council in 2009 when we bought this poisonous building. I don’t know about the rest of Cedar Springs, but Christine Fahl will not get my vote.

Molly Nixon

City of Cedar Springs

*The quotes from Mayor Pro Tem Christine Fahl were from a private meeting in Ms. Nixon’s home, which Ms. Nixon videotaped, without Ms. Fahl’s knowledge.

Dear Editor,

The fourth grade at Aviston Elementary, located in southern Illinois, is learning about the United States and the different environments, climates, resources, and highlights found in each region. The kids in the class think it would be fun to receive postcards, souvenirs, resources, or any information about our great country from each of the 50 states.

We hope that people reading this letter will be interested in mailing our class items pertaining to their state. Our address:

4th Grade at Aviston Elementary

350 South Hull Street

Aviston, Illinois 62216

A sincere thank you to anyone who is able to contribute! We appreciate the excitement you will add to our learning experience.

Voice of experience

I lived through the 1928 depression. From what I see now, the current one is working its way to a close. The direction from here is up. Thought you’d like that good news as the leaves come down and we hear winter growling in the distance.

More experience

Mrs. Smith gave her first-graders a math problem to solve. “If I had ten sheep and five of them jumped over a fence, how many would be left?”

“None,” answered Josh.

Mrs. Smith raised her eyebrows. “None?” she said. “Josh, I think something’s wrong with your arithmetic.”

“Mrs. Smith,” answered Josh, “you don’t know your sheep. When one goes, they all go.”

Summary

Experience doesn’t always bring wisdom; sometimes experience comes alone. That may be the case in my prediction about the economy (although my fingers are crossed and I’m doing what I can). But Josh does know his sheep.

Laws of the natural universe

Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of probability: The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Law of the Telephone: When you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal.

Law of the Alibi: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

Variation Law: If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

Bath Theorem: When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone will ring.

Law of Close Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don’t want to be seen with.

Law of the Result: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won’t work, it will.

Law of Biomechanics: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Theater Rule: At any event, the people whose seats are farthest from the aisle arrive last.

Coffee Law: As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, someone will ask you to do something that will last until the coffee is cold.

Murphy’s Law of Lockers: If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

Rug Law: The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet.

And now my favorites

Brown’s Law: If the shoe fits, it’s ugly.

Wilson’s Law: As soon as you find a product you really like, they will stop making it.

Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible if you don’t know what you are talking about

Oliver’s Law: A closed mouth gathers no feet.

This week:

Serious Topics only

The first is Communication.

Smart phones are extremely popular. All that email and texting is handy, but the result has been big income losses for the Post Office. It’s on the verge of insolvency.

About 200 years ago Benjamin Franklin launched the U.S. Postal Service, a huge project in a vast new country. All our lives a mail carrier has come to our door six days a week. What an incredible effort to deliver mail to every house in the country, in every little town from Maine to California! It’s part of the fabric that holds America together.

Today, Apple Computer and Microsoft are rich corporations and the Post Office is broke. This qualifies as a serious topic.

Education

The other day I happened upon some pictures of American children from about the turn of the twentieth century. This was in the days of child labor, a practice widely accepted and highly profitable for business owners. So these weren’t school photos I was looking at; many of them were taken in front of the factories that employed the kids.

So now we come to a joke I also came across the other day:

A young boy went into an office to be interviewed for a job. The man in charge asked his full name.

“Francesco Czuchna McGillicuddy,” he replied.

“How do you write that?” asked the manager.

“Well, sir,” said the boy, “can’t you just put it down without spelling it?”

Religion

A young pastor was sitting in a restaurant eating lunch. He opened a letter he’d received from his mother that morning and a twenty-dollar bill fell out.

The young pastor thought to himself, “Thanks, Mom, I sure needed that right now.”

As he finished his meal, he noticed a beggar outside on the sidewalk leaning against the light post. Thinking the poor man could probably use the $20 more than he, the pastor scribbled out the names on the envelope and wrote in big letters across the top: PERSEVERE!

So as not to make a scene, he put the envelope under his arm and dropped it as he walked past the beggar. The man picked it up, read the message, and smiled.

The next day, as the pastor was eating his lunch in the restaurant, the same man tapped him on the shoulder and dropped a big wad of bills on the table.

“What on earth,” asked the pastor, “is this?”

“That’s your half of the winnings. Persevere came in first in the fourth race at the track yesterday and paid 30 to one.”

Health

A woman comes out of the gym, spots a friend in the parking lot, and says, “I just lost 10 pounds!”

Her friend says, “Uh… turn around. I think I might have found them.”

Correction to Post Script

I erred in claiming the Red Flannel Festival had their building paid off. My apologies for not getting that fact straight.

Kathy Bremmer

City of Cedar Springs

The letter Kathy is referring to appeared in our paper on September 20.—Editor

Take back Red Flannel Town, USA

A peaceful demonstration protest march is planned before, during and after the Cedar Springs City Council meeting on Thursday, October 11, at 7 p.m.

Red Flannel Town is not just a logo. It is our history. A symbol recognized for 73 years worldwide. It’s the reason for a wonderful festival to celebrate our community, schools, families, friends and volunteers.

I have much respect for all the folks who work on City Council, Red Flannel, and various other committees. It was sad and shocking to see our city medallion taken down, smashed, and displayed for photos. How can the destruction of public property be justified? Look at our city flag (if it hasn’t been destroyed). It is a symbol for educated, fun loving, reasonable people that enjoy red flannels year-round.

City Council—the Red Flannel Festival isn’t asking for a free ride, just reasonable negotiations about cost. It’s time to fix this mess. Not one more red cent should be spent to cover or destroy public property or develop a new logo.

To our new City Manager: Good luck. I sure hope you can guide City Council back to the citizens of Red Flannel Town, USA.

Thank you Red Flannel Fesival for purchasing and paying to hang up the wooden Red Flannels.

Rose Powell

City of Cedar Springs

I know who lost!

Go ahead and celebrate, but for me the enjoyment of Red Flannel has waned. And nobody won. Even being in the parade no longer excites me. We residents of Cedar Springs let the clashes of two ladies (who don’t even live within our city limits) spoil it for us.

I understand it was mandated by the Festival that the city destroy everything that even looked like red underwear. They tell me that now I can still wear my Red Flannels, but not on city property. It makes me sad to see pictures of the broken up, expensive logo that once hung in the chambers at City Hall. If Red Flannels are now history to the City of Cedar Springs, why didn’t that logo go to the local museum so that my great-grandchildren can know that there was a day in the history of our city, when people had unity and respect for one another? Thank you Grace (Hamilton) and Nina (Babcock) for your inspiration and the many years of enjoyment.

Amish Bob Truesdale

City of Cedar Springs