Laser Cutting Software Issued by Eastern Laser

Eastern laser is known for its new laser cutting software “SmartCarve 4.3”, this new version software can engrave plastic, high-end absolute black & green marble plaques and high-end award trophies made of absolute black marble, onyx and colored crystal.

Eastern laser equipments, once equipped with this new laser cutting software “SmartCarve 4.3”, will be perfect for making a wide rang of special products, such as custom award and recognition keepsakes, rapid prototyping and custom marking consumer products.The highest resolution engraving ensures the best engraving effects; Eastern Laser machine will create a higher detailed mark in less time than any other system on the market by using the highest-quality mechanics.

Broadview Heights Car, Truck, Motorcycle Show July 14

In Broadview Heights, The Fifth Annual Fun Family Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 14, just before Home Days opens.

The show is a new addition to the Home Days event. Cost is $10 with pre-registration and $12 the day of the show (each event). The rain date is July 15, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be a huge burn-out contest, dash plaques, trophies, door prizes, 50/50 raffle, food, and entertainment by Aloha Phil.

The show is presented by Bob’s & B&D Towing and the City of Broadview Heights. Fuerst Automotive is the sponsor.  Proceeds will benefit local charities.

For information, call (440) 263-3171.

Presentations Made by Montville Township Committee

At the Jan. 2 reorganization meeting, the Montville Township Committee presented plaques to board and commission members who have served the township and now are retiring from their positions. Mayor Tim Braden expressed that it is such volunteers that help make Montville a great place to live.

"The Committee set out to revitalize our community," Braden said. With 185 volunteer positions in government and another twelve applicants, the Committee is fulfilling its goal.

Recipients of the recognition awards were:

• Thomas Buraszeski from the Board of Adjustment
• Mark Kantor, Board of Health
• Gary Eisenhauer, Design Review Committee and Residents with Disabilities Advisory Committee
• Victoria Vigil and Judith Rosen, Drug Awareness Municipal Alliance
• Sergio Angione and Hugh Merritt, Environmental Commission
• Kathy Fisher and Joanne Wickenheisser, Historic Preservation Review Commission
• Ida Biase, Housing Committee

Family Thanks Firefighters for Saving Dog's Life

Two area firefighters were given an unexpected gift this Christmas. Jared Thompson and Jamie Giese were presented with plaques thanking them for their service for the life-saving efforts of Koda, the dog.

On October 18, the two firefighters pulled Koda from a burning house and performed mouth-to-snout resuscitation. Koda’s owners, Todd and Kim Carlson said they wanted to show the crew how grateful they were for saving their dog. The plaques show the men in uniform next to a picture of Koda.

Giese says, "It’s very special, it’s a very special award. It’s going to be a hard one to beat throughout our career. It is such a good outcome." Both men say they couldn’t have done such a heroic thing without the help of their entire crew.

Lorin Sports Hall of Fame Ready to Reopen

The Lorain Sports Hall of Fame Museum (LSHOF), has been an influential part of the community for over 40 years. Two years ago the LSHOF was forced to closed but on Thurs., Oct. 20 will mark the reopening of the newly renovated museum, located in the lobby of the St. Joseph Community Center on the corner of 20th St. and Livingston Avenue. The LSHOF will celebrate the reopening with a reception and open house from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and appetizers and beverages will be served.



LSHOF co-chairmen Ted Driscol and Ron Feldkamp are happy to have the museum open again. “It’s really great,” said Feldkamp, who been involved with the LSHOF for 16 years. “We really like this location. We put a lot of hard work into this and we’re glad to be back here.”

Driscol, who’s been involved with the LSHOF for 12 years, credited South Shore Community Development Corporation and Ohio Realty Advisors for making it possible for them to reopen at St. Joseph Community Center. “We feel great about being a part of the revitalization of the St. Joseph Community Center,” Driscol said.



Driscol added he is very grateful for the donations that people sent, and said people we be surprised by their new look. “We had enough funds to improve the appearance of it and it will look different to people who have been here before,” Driscol said. “My favorite part of the museum are the new arrangements and identification of the plaques.” The LSHOF has over 300 plaques of individuals and teams, and Driscol said their new format will be user friendly. “The manner which they are displayed will make it easier for visibility and access to finding information,” he said.



Feldkamp said he likes the displays of the trophies from all the high schools in Lorain.
The city once had five high schools, which included Lorain High, Southview, Admiral King, Lorain Catholic and neighboring Clearview High School in Sheffield Township. Today Lorain High and Clearview are the only high schools that remain. “It’s great to see all those trophies from the different high schools, because we down to two and it’s great to see all that history,” Feldkamp said.



Both agree that the LSHOF is vital for the city and they hope it will remain open for a long time. “Our town has a very long and rich history of sports, and people of Lorain are very passionate about sports on a local basis,” Driscol said. “And consequently our assignment is to display that history, whether it’s through the induction plaques, or through memorabilia.”

“I think it’s really good for Lorain,” Feldkamp said. “It’s a lot of hard work and we do our best to have a great induction class every year, and we’re glad we can showcase all these great athletes.”



The museum is filled with all sorts of Lorain sports memorabilia and information that dates back to the 19th century, according to Driscol. Plaques honor the outstanding local athletes who have been enshrined in the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame over the past 40 years. Free and open to the public, the museum hours are Mondays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesdays noon to 3 p.m.

Plaques Link Past to Present

John Greenwood Barnes was Cremorne's first settler and you can read all about him the next time you take a stroll along the Forgan Bridge.

Yesterday afternoon a series of historical plaques was unveiled as part of the newly completed $148 million river crossing. The six historical plaques, placed on three of the viewing platforms along the bridge, were written and researched by Mackay historians Terry Hayes, Berenice Wright and Glen Hall.

There to unveil the plaques was Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin and Main Roads regional director Ian Husband. "The boards show the history of the eastern end of the Pioneer River and the surrounding wharf precinct," Mr Mulherin said. "The Pioneer River and the area surrounding the new Forgan Bridge have played an important role in the history of Mackay. "While we celebrate the new Forgan Bridge, it's also vital to ensure there is a lasting memento of the old bridges and other historically important events to share and preserve our history for future generations."

Mrs Wright and Mr Hayes said they spent several weeks collecting the history from many sources before writing each of the stories on the plaques. "As historians we were very honoured to be asked to be a part of this," Mrs Wright said. "We had to edit a lot of the information; I wrote a lot of it out onto A4 pages and had to cut it back to around 150 words."

The first plaques feature the stories of Cremorne, which includes details of John Greenwood Barnes and his establishment of the Cremorne Gardens in 1867, and the wreck of the Brinawarr, which lies under the Forgan Bridge and is a valued relic of Mackay's early shipping history. The next recalls the wharfage on the Pioneer River in the 1860s and the floods that have been a defining influence of the flow of the Pioneer River.

The other two detail the old Forgan Bridge, including when it was officially opened in 1938 by William Forgan Smith, Premier of Queensland and Member for Mackay, and the Sydney Street Bridge, recounting its completion and associated works in 1889, which provided a long-awaited link between the township of Mackay and the near-northern side of the Pioneer River.

High School Memorabilia Up for Sale

Here's your chance to own a piece of Almaguin history. A pile of treasure is up for grabs — trophies, graduation plaques, more than 700 lockers, desks, shelving and old school athletic uniforms. The public will have a chance to bid on their favorites Saturday at 10 a.m. at the former Almaguin Highlands Secondary School off Highway 124 between Sundridge and South River.

Al Bottomley, a trustee with the Near North District School Board, said there is little wall space in the new high school to accommodate the troves of memorabilia. The new $28-million school opened last month. Bottomley said attempts were made to contact people who may be interested in the sports plaques and trophies, but there was no response.

The lockers, however, are a different story. "As soon as people heard the school was closing, gun owners started to ask about the lockers," Bottomley said during last week's board meeting. "We have a lot, probably 700 to 800 of them." Also on the auction list are science equipment from the 1960s, electronics and other memorabilia. "We haven't even gone through all the rooms yet. There's stuff from an industrial physics course, plaques more than eight feet long and artwork," Bottomley said. Money raised from the auction will go toward paying for theater seating in the new high school. Theater seating costs $156,000 — the school needs to raise another $80,000 to reach its goal.

Bottomley hopes alumni will return home over the Thanksgiving long weekend and drop by to see the new high school and maybe buy something from the old one. "I have no idea who is going to show up. But there are a few treasures there." The school board is in the process of declaring the property and building surplus.

In the meantime, Bottomley warned trustees that until the school is sold there maybe a problem with vandalism. "I think it's something the board should be worried about," he said. "It's an isolated building and it's laying there like a corpse." Bottomley said he would love to see someone buy the building. "It would be really nice to see it used and there is potential for things like a warehouse."

Kalamazoo's Paul 'Big Moe' Pritchett Famous for BBQ

If anything, Paul “Big Moe” Pritchett can talk, talk, talk. Anyone who knows him will tell you his mouth is in constant motion.

On a recent Tuesday afternoon, he sat in the den of his Kalamazoo home in front of a life-size cardboard image of himself and spun story after story about cooking barbecue. Many of the stories were about how he bested barbecue outfits with the most modern in transportable cooking units and lavish sponsors.

Pritchett uses two modest barrel smokers that he tows behind a monogrammed Dodge Ram and his family vehicle, a black Chrysler Town and Country. Some stories were about how he had to sell barbecue to festival patrons to make ends meet while he was challenged to create picture-perfect contest entries for barbecued chicken, ribs, pork butt and beef brisket.

All some barbecue outfits do at festivals is participate in the contests, he said. “Nobody’s paying my mortgage,” Pritchett said, “We have to generate money all the time. But no matter where I go, I make friends by eating, drinking and talking smack.”
“They (other vendors) say ‘What’s going on, Moe?’ I say, ‘I’m just here to take your money.’”

Pritchett can back up his big talk with awards. One corner of his den Is filled with barbecue contest trophies. Award plaques cover one wall. He has left some awards in the back of his vehicles as he had displayed them during recent trips to festivals. The man keeps winning barbecuing awards with the Big Moe Pritchett’s Barbecue Sauce he sells at Meijer’s, Harding’s, Sam’s Club and Walmart. “If you open it and refrigerate it, it will last you for a year,” Pritchett said. “But once you taste it,” he said, touching his tongue with the tip of an index finger, “its not going to last long at all.”

He won the Best Ribs in Kalamazoo award at Ribfest multiple times, including the last two years.

Will and Kate Take On Diana Charity

Prince William and his bride Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are settling in to the main occupation of British royals: cutting ribbons and unveiling official plaques.

The couple's press office at Clarence House announced Monday that on Sept. 29 they will open a new children's cancer center at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, taking over a charity once held by William's late mother, Princess Diana. As is typical at one of these royal charity appearances, the couple will tour the new cancer center, meet staff and patients, and unveil a plaque to officially open it.

William is the president of the hospital. The duchess, the former Kate Middleton, has spent the last few months studying charities to decide which causes she will take on and how to fit in with William's already established menu of organizations he supports. The Telegraph reported Sunday that, as Diana did, Kate also has made unannounced private visits to some charities to check them out in person.

The couple, both 29, have spent most of their time since returning from a tour of North America in July at their rented house in Wales near William's Royal Air Force base. But, in a bow to tradition, the two recently spent a long weekend at Balmoral visiting the queen during her annual two-month holiday on her Scottish estate, according to The Telegraph.

The paper reported that Will and Kate stayed at Birkhall, the house on the estate that his father, Prince Charles, inherited from his grandmother (Charles and his wife, Camilla, were in London at the memorial service for the British victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks). The couple played host to William's annual "country pursuits" party for several guests during the weekend in the Scottish highlands.

Although the duchess had been to Balmoral when she was dating William, this was their first visit as a married couple to the estate they will one day take over as king and queen.

New Display in Longhorn Gym Highlights NSAA District Feats

When Longhorn fans attend the first home volleyball game next week in the high school gym, a display of NSAA district plaques will surely catch their eye. On the gym’s south wall are two long rows of Nebraska School Activity Association (NSAA) district plaques, noting CCS students’ accomplishments in athletics, speech and play productions.

CCS Activities Director Marc Mroczek and teacher/coach Chris Sander found all the plaques and moved them to the more prominent display this summer. They said it took them several days to clean out the trophy cases both in the East 9th St. school building and at the Wellington site. They were stacked randomly, and most were unable to be read. “People need to see the accomplishments by our students,” Sander said. “It might motivate kids when they see them in that they want to be part of that,” he added. Mroczek agreed. “I don’t think most people realize the success our school has had,” he said.

While it was a lot of work, both Mroczek and Sander know people will appreciate seeing them more visibly displayed. They had the help of maintenance head Kent Silvester and bus mechanic Del Rehn in getting the support system built into which the plaques were placed.

In all, there are 109 plaques on the wall, 68 for NSAA district championships or state qualification, and another 41 runner-up plaques. Up until 1977, the NSAA awarded trophies, Mroczek said, but after that the association went to awarding plaques. The NSAA activity trophies earned by CCS will remain at the Wellington site. Mroczek said the glass-front trophy case in the main lobby at the school will now contain NSAA plaques and trophies from the current years as well as the school’s two state championship trophies.

Transit Station Mosaic and Plaques Honor St. Lucie County's Highwaymen

A mosaic and 26 plaques, each with a single name, on the west wall of the Intermodal Transit Station that opened this week on Avenue D are the work of two local artists honoring the work of St. Lucie County's most famous artists, the Highwaymen.

The Highwaymen were a collection of mostly self-taught African American artists who painted and sold their work by the side of the road. Although their work been celebrated around Florida and the U.S., the transit station mural is the first that singles out many of the individual artists. Even the Florida Artists Hall of Fame wall in Tallahassee simply says "Alfred Hair and the Highwaymen."

Local artist Pat Cochran designed the 26 bronze plaques and sand cast them, using a specific ramming technique prior to pouring the bronze. Although he knows some of the local Highwaymen well, including Charles Walker and James Gibson, he has enjoyed meeting others for the first time while working on the station mural.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of the project occurred when we were installing the art and Highwaymen John Maynor rode up on his bike, exclaiming to those in the neighborhood that his name is up on that wall," Cochran said. "I am just really happy that I could be a part of this."

Cochran and mosaic artist Anita Prentice earned the responsibility of designing the Highwaymen memorial at 725 Ave. D by presenting through a competitive bid process.
Prentice's contribution was a large mosaic of a colorful royal Poinciana tree. I agree this image is an ideal fit for the centerpiece of the project, as so many of the Highwaymen artists used this blooming tree in their own art.

"We have a history of art here in St. Lucie County and this royal Poinciana follows this history. It is truly a magical tree which is bare, then explodes with color," Prentice said.

“Anita's pain-staking process involves breaking large pieces of colored glass with a hammer, sketching the image with chalk, then permanent marker, followed by laying each piece of colored glass into the right area by hand. The six-week process for this mural is truly evident when you see it in person. I was impressed with the numerous shades of reds and how well each tiny piece contributed to the larger picture. Many of our community members attended the official ribbon cutting of the Intermodal Transit Facility this past Tuesday. I encourage you to visit the site, too. It is a thoughtful tribute to a group of artists that has made Fort Pierce proud.”

D-200 Employees Honored for Years of Service

Fifty-two District 200 employees with a combined total of 960 years of service to the school district were recognized in front of their colleagues during an opening day program on August 16 at Woodstock High School. Superintendent Ellyn Wrzeski, Board of Education Vice President Sue Palmore, and Woodstock Council of Teachers President Karen Bergren presented recognition items to each employee in appreciation of their long-term service to the school district.

Those receiving custom pins for 15 years of service were: Kelly Afeld (Dean Street), Rebecca Aldridge (WHS), Roberta Beckman (Mary Endres), Edward Buchanan (Buildings and Grounds), Nancy Cain (Verda Dierzen ELC), Courtney Deering (Westwood), Luz Enriquez (Dean Street), Brent Filetti (Northwood), Michelle Homer (Transportation), Kristin Howell (Westwood), Angela Hughey(Transportation), Laurie Kaminski (WHS), Melody Kamphausen (Olson), Helen Ledanski (WHS), Tracy Lightcap (Prairiewood), Robin Luckey (Transportation), Lynnette Ludwigsen (Northwood), Michelle Martin (Creekside), David Masey (WHS), Sandra Metcalf(Dean), Kathy Mitchell (Creekside), Carol Nystrom (WNHS), Julia Patterson (Dean), Kathy Rubino (District), Steve Ryan (Mary Endres), Vickie Schmarje (Westwood), Dale Schultz (Transportation), Shelley Simonton (Northwood), Jennifer Spear (WHS), Gail Vanderpoel (Northwood) and Lorrie Wagner (Westwood).

District 200 employees with 20 years of service received recognition plaques. They were: Michelle Anderson (Transportation), Maureen Butler (Dean), Jane Fyfe (Mary Endres), Edward Jahrke (Transportation), Duane Peiffer (Creekside), Cathy Porter (Creekside), Laurel Singer (Transportation) and Rose Traven (WNHS).

Paperweights recognizing 25 years of service were presented to Kirk Benda (Creekside), Karen Bergren (Northwood), Lynne Blumhorst (District), Mary Churchill (Northwood), Joy Fister (Westwood), Gay Mather (Greenwood), Georgeann Mielnik (Creekside), Kathy Shea (Creekside), Sandy Theriault (WHS), Sue Totz (Northwood) and Tom White (Creekside).

For 30 years of service to District 200, Nancy Macari (Prairiewood) and Marilyn Meyers (District) received engraved clocks.

Classic Car Show and Sock Hop in Newtown

Got an old car? Older than 1980? If so, bring it to Newtown for "Going Back in Time" -- a classic car show and sock hop. The Classic Nights Car Club is hosting the event at Masonicare at Newtown/Lockwood Lodge. Music will be provided by DJ Hank Rotzal. There will be food and refreshments, too.

Everyone is invited to bring their favorite classic cars, as long as they're older than that 1980 cutoff year. Peg Loulis, of Masonicare at Newtown, started the show through her car club eight years ago. She's been a member of the Classic Nights Car Club for 25 years. "The car club decided it would be a nice thing for the community and for the residents who live here," Loulis said. "We do one every Friday, May through October, at the Village Square Shopping Center on Route 111 in Monroe. We've been doing that one for 25 years as a community event; we've had as many as 200 cars there, or more." Loulis said residents at Masonicare -- where there's assisted living and nursing facilities -- love seeing the old cars when the annual show takes place there. Community members enjoy it, too.

"It brings back so many memories; also their families come, so it's an all-day event," Loulis added. "Volunteers bring residents down and tour them around. There's `People's Choice' awards, so everyone gets to vote on their favorite cars."

Owners of the winning vehicles receive trophies. There will be dash plaques, too. These are plaques engraved with the day of the event (car owners like to collect them). The plaques will be available for the first 50 cars. After the event, the Classic Nights Car Club will post pictures of the winners on its website, www.classicnights.com.

Fred Loulis, club president, drives a powder blue 1964 Thunderbird convertible. No one knows how many cars will arrive, or which models, until the show gets under way.

Illinois Car Show Announced

Gary Lang Auto Group is holding their 14th annual Classic Car Show Sunday, July 17th. The Show will go on rain or shine from 9 am – 3 pm. Registration for entries is from 9 am – 12 pm. Star 105.5 D.J. Jeff James will be on site to provide music and entertainment all day.

All makes and models are welcome and entry into the competition is free. Dash plaques will be handed out for the first 100 cars to arrive at the event. The awards ceremony begins at 3pm and trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each of the 26 categories. The categories encompass 110 years of automotive history and include classes such as “1900-1942 Street Rods” and “MOPAR 1955-1980.” The judges of the contest will be the owners of the classic cars themselves.

Admission to the public is free and everyone is welcome. Gary Lang stated, “We want to make sure the Classic Car Show is a fantastic experience for all our customers; there will be a D.J. playing music and food vendors will be on hand. The car selection should be incredibly diverse as we have classes for everyone, starting all the way back in 1900 and moving through the present. There are classes for stock, modified, street rods, MOPAR, Corvette and many others. We hope that this will be the best Classic Car Show yet.”

W-CL-T Memorabilia and Trophies to be Auctioned

Over the past 20 years as a shared school district, the students at Woden-Crystal Lake and Titonka have achieved many milestones that will forever be a part of the school's history. When the era comes to an end in June, years of memories and memorabilia will still remain. Trophies, plaques, banners and even sports uniforms will soon become a bigger part of W-CL-T history.

W-CL Superintendent of Schools Dwight Widen said the district has formed a committee of community and board members to decide what to do with the items when the districts no longer share a high school. The two districts will begin whole-grade sharing agreements with other districts this fall. "We have a committee, and once we complete the softball and baseball seasons we plan to hold a silent auction in August," said Widen. The auction will feature a variety of items from the school's past, and the committee is working to determine what items should be sold and what should remain.
Many uniforms have changed over the decades, and those, including ones most recently worn by W-CL-T athletes, will also be up for auction.

"All of our students have turned in their uniforms," Widen said. "They are not the only ones who have worn their number; we have 20 years of alumni who might be interested in purchasing a jersey.We have been very grateful for the support of our booster club over the years and their hard work and generosity to purchase all of these uniforms," Widen said.

Trophies and awards from more recent years are on display at the school in Crystal Lake, but Widen said there are many more in storage that may also be available for auction. Newer, more notable items such as trophies and banners from the 2007 and 2008 Girls' State Basketball Tournament will likely remain in the building on display for years to come."The state things will be around for a while," Widen said. "We do share a public library with the town, so we will be able to display some of our history for the community to see."

At the end of the year, when Woden-Crystal Lake and Titonka Community Schools part ways, the high school will no longer exist, but both communities will continue to operate elementary schools.

Packers Pick Sherrod - An All Around Star

Harriet Sherrod's fireplace mantel is a treasure trove of matte gold-finish trophies. Etched glass plaques bear the engraved Sherrod name. There are as many awards for academic honors as there are for sports achievements. And every time she would squeeze in a new award - no easy task with so little room - Harriet and the rest of the family would look over at youngest son Derek and tease him a little. "Your brother just got another one," they'd say. "You'd better catch up!"

That's how it is with this close Mississippi family of college graduates and soldiers. Derek Sherrod grew up knowing nothing but support and success. What he didn't get from the family genes at 6 feet 5 1/2, 315 pounds to help his football career as an offensive tackle, he learned from his father, Louis, a Navy man, his three high-achieving older siblings and his mother, Harriet.

"Nothing is given in life," she told him again and again. "You have to work for it. You have to earn it." Sherrod's selection in the first round, 32nd overall, of the NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers late Thursday night was no accident. And no stroke of luck. He worked his way through Caledonia (Miss.) High School to become one of the most coveted recruits in the nation. He became an All-American at Mississippi State, graduated in three years on the honor roll and started pursuing his master's degree in 2010.