My Earliest Memory

My earliest memory is when my mother hung a shower curtain. I was a 2-year-old when my family moved from an apartment where there was a shower with glass doors to a house where there was a tub and shower. The tub and shower needed a curtain, but I did not understand why. I was also confused because the shower curtain was pink and it resembled a window curtain. I remember asking my mother why she was hanging a window curtain in the bathroom. I do not remember her answer, but I soon learned what shower curtains are and how they differ from window curtains.

Sheriff argues over funding

Hannah Schott
Sept. 28, 2009
County Affairs

An argument regarding county affairs occurred Thursday between the county sheriff and several county commissioners. The sheriff accused the county commissioners of preventing changes the county sheriff's department needs.
"You're putting the lives of the people of this county in jeopardy," Sheriff Gus DiCesari said to commission president Anne Chenn and commission members Valerie Dawkins, Faith Ellis, Jose Gardez and Roland Grauman. DiCesari asked for five new sheriff's deputies and eight new police cruisers, but Chenn said the county does not have the $580,000 needed for those improvements.
DiCesari told the county commissioners that the eight current police cruisers each have more than 150,000 miles on them. DiCesari said: "It is getting too costly to maintain the older vehicles and they spend too much time in the repair shop. You commissioners eliminated the equipment budgets for my department this year and now I can't buy anything. This is the first time in my 27 years as sheriff that the county hasn't allocated money to the sheriff's department to buy equipment. My deputies can't keep driving these old vehicles. Something bad is going to happen."
Chenn suggested that deputies not drive their cruisers home each day as they do now, which would make cars more available and limit mileage. DiCesari disagreed. He said letting the deputies drive their cruisers home and parking them in their neighborhoods is a deterrent to crime.
Commission members Anita Shenuski and Raymond Laybourne supported Sheriff DiCesari's plea for more funding. Shenuski and Laybourne said the county should spend more money on the sheriff's department and law enforcement than on programs for migrant workers who come to the county.
Shenuski said during an argument with Chenn: "We never had problems until we began letting migrants come to this county to work. They are a problem for our law enforcement, our schools and our health care system. They take away jobs from decent people and work for next to nothing and if something gets stolen, you can bet it is one of them that's taken it. We need to protect local residents from them."
Chenn denied that migrant workers are the problem. Chenn said the county ran short of money this year because of increased costs for employee health care and fuel. The county also had to spend $30 million to build a new prison. Chenn said: "Those people who come here to work are decent, hardworking people being employed at jobs that local residents don't want to do. They add a great deal to the local economy and they pay taxes. You are being a hypocrite when you try to blame those people for everything."
The county commissioners estimate that there are around 5,000 migrant families now in the county working in agriculture, construction and service industry jobs. Commissioner Jose Gardez said many of the migrant workers become permanent members of the community, open businesses and become citizens.
The commissioners voted 5-2 against the sheriff's request for additional money.

Bluefin herring returns to namesake restaurant

Bluefin Grille on Lake Superior's North Shore survived a summer without its namesake fish on the menu. "We hadn't had it all summer until last week," the restaurant's executive chef said. Bluefin herring were hard to catch this summer because the water temperatures in Lake Superior were colder than usual.

Source: Bluefin herring returns to namesake restaurant by Steve Karnowski
Pioneer Press print edition, Sept. 28, 2009

My first day at ARCC

My first day at Anoka-Ramsey Community College occurred only four weeks ago, but seems like history to me. I never thought four weeks could pass so quickly and feel like an eternity at the same time. These last four weeks have felt like a summary of my life. Each day I have in life is precious, and I think I would value days more if I only had the time to treasure them. Right now, all I can do is try to keep a hold on each day's memories so I can sift through them later to look for hidden gems.
On August 25, 2009, I walked into a classroom for the first time in my life. I knew this would be an experience incomparable to being a home-schooled student. I wasn't really scared, but I was sad. Life can be like a rainstorm, beautiful and wild, passing over us before we have a chance to breathe in the scent of fresh, cleansing rain.
Someday I'll look back on my first day at ARCC and these first four weeks. I'll remember them and smile. This is my chance. This is my change. This is my blessing and my challenge.

Alzheimer's Toll Rises

The number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease is rising, a new study reveals today. Alzheimer's disease now afflicts more than 35 million people worldwide, a number that will double in the next 20 years. Researchers report age, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes as the leading causes of Alzheimer's disease.
Source: Alzheimer's Toll Rises by Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press
Star Tribune print edition, September 21, 2009

Crash Wreaks Havoc on Interstate 790

Hannah Schott
September 16, 2009
Morning Crash

Devastation closed Interstate 790 this morning after 14 cars and four tractor-trailers careened into a wreck. The crash killed two people and injured 20 others, four of whom were seriously hurt. Firefighters cut the roofs off three of the cars to free the drivers and passengers. A helicopter from Memorial Hospital flew two of the seriously injured people to a trauma center. All five of the Fire Department's ambulances and ambulances from four nearby cities were called to the scene.
The chain reaction crash began at 6:45 a.m. when two tractor-trailers collided. A diesel truck driver prevented his tanker from overturning after his cab was hit by a car, reported Sgt. Albert Wei of the Police Department. The accident happened in the northbound lanes and closed the entire highway. The city's Police Department is investigating the accident.
Fire Chief Tony Sullivan said the scene looked like a "war zone" when he arrived, worse than any other accident he had seen in his 18 years as fire chief. Sirens wailed as fire trucks and ambulances arrived to help the injured. Interstate 690 was backed up for three hours as traffic was re-routed.

Flu drugs that save lives

A flu drug that saves lives could become the decade's first new flu medicine. The drug, peramivir, when intravenously administered removes flu symptoms 5 times faster than Tamiflu pills. Tamiflu pills aid the survival prospects of flu patients, but peramivir IV treatment is preferable when patients cannot swallow pills.
source: Tests show two flu drugs shorten illness, save lives
September 14, 2009 print edition of Star Tribune

McDonald's offers Friendly Welcome

If you are looking for a warm welcome to accompany your hot cup of coffee, walk inside your neighborhood McDonald's restaurant. While I was at a McDonald's Tuesday morning, I observed people sharing news about current events, retelling past stories and giving friendly advice. I asked an older man named Rob why he came to McDonald's. Rob said, "It is a friendly atmosphere because we have the whole neighborhood here."
A woman who identified herself as a school bus driver told me the employees at McDonald's make her feel comfortable and welcome. "During the school year, I come here every day," she said.

The dos and don'ts of leads

I have learned that leads are crucial to the development of a good story. Leads should be concise, but should contain enough important information about the story to capture the reader's interest. Leads should not be iffy or gushy. They also should not state the obvious. The best lead is in subject-verb-object order, and leads should not contain unnecessary adjectives.