washingtontimes--2020-12-19--AP Exchange: A walk through Nevada's pet cemeteries

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) - Next to a dry desert lakebed off the Searchlight highway is the sound of metal tags clinking on a collar .
Is there a dog running between the scrub brush ?
Is the mind playing tricks ?
Here is an unmarked grave .
Protruding from it is the post of a wooden cross broken to pieces after years of unforgiving sun and wind .
Here is the source of that clinking collar sound .
On the cross flaps a metal number – “ 2 ” – from the year this companion passed and ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name .
No indication of what animal lies here .
Born : 1945 .
Died : 1962 .
On this patch of desert between Boulder City and Searchlight , highway sounds and dusty silence blow through the final resting places of countless beloved pets .
There ’ s Foo Foo and Boots .
Ted and Ginger .
Buddy , Rocky and Lucky .
These are but a few of the residents at Boulder City Pet Cemetery , where families have been informally burying their furry friends for almost 60 years .
The smell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-1950s , Boulder City didn ’ t have a trained veterinarian .
Instead , the city had a man named Marwood Doud .
He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation but practiced veterinary medicine on the side until a veterinarian came to town .
He and a friend at the Bureau of Reclamation named Emory Lockette hatched a plan for the cemetery over drinks .
“ One night we were at Marwood ’ s house and were drinking , and Marwood said some person had had a dog that died and they was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this place and that place , ” Lockette said before his death .
“ And some guy came up and said , ‘ Marwood , why don ’ t you start a cemetery or something ?
’ ” he said in an interview with historian Dennis McBride .
They picked out a little plot of land about four miles south of Railroad Pass on Searchlight Highway , just off an unmarked access road near a dry lakebed .
The earliest reference to the cemetery in a newspaper appeared in 1962 , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 1957 , according to McBride .
It remained the pet cemetery for Boulder City for decades .
But people from Las Vegas eventually began burying their pets there as well .
“ It became a word-of-mouth type of thing , ” McBride said .
“ It wasn ’ t publicized , but it was just known as the place in Southern Nevada to take your pet to be buried.
” The land Doud and Lockette chose belonged to the federal government .
“ They just sort of squatted their cemetery on it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And Emory at least was earning money for the burials.
” Out of wood he built coffins and planted fence posts painted white to separate graves .
“ We figured for a small dog , $ 25 to go into Vegas and get ‘ im and bury ‘ im , ” Lockette said .
“ This included makin ’ a plywood box .
And if it was a larger dog , we charged $ 35 to go in and come back .
And then you always had to take time after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dog and buried ‘ im , the people had to make an appointment so you could meet them down there and show ‘ em where the dog was and put a cross on ( the grave ) .
It was really a whole ( thing ) .
” Walk through the cemetery today , and you ’ ll find Lockette ’ s work .
But most of it has been damaged by harsh desert conditions .
“ The government made a little stink about it from time to time , ” McBride said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any serious or concerted effort to put a stop to it.
” Among the graves are chew toys , milk dishes , ceramic statues of dogs and cats .
Most of the plots offer few clues as to what breeds are buried there .
Others include hints that make it easier to tell .
The grave of Chip has a tiny pink turtle painted on it .
The grave of Honey Hilton includes a portrait of the good girl .
Today , the pet cemetery is surrounded by a wire fence with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highway would miss it , as the graves blend into the desert ’ s browns , yellows and tans .
The burials here may seem informal .
Until you take the winding dirt road past the Valley View Cemetery – 400 miles north in Yerington .
At the top of a hill above Valley View Cemetery , there ’ s a fork in the road that branches again and again .
Sometimes hard-packed dirt , sometimes loose sand and rocks , the roads wind through fields of sagebrush , homemade shooting ranges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sagebrush and boulders , homemade crosses and rock cairns stand guard over the remains of some of Yerington ’ s most beloved residents .
“ This is where people come to bury their pets , ” said Lyon County Manager Jeff Page .
“ There ’ s places all over the desert where people bury animals.
” For those unfamiliar with twisting desert roads , finding the cemeteries is no easy task .
At the top of the hill above Valley View Cemetery is the old county landfill .
It serves as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southeast of Yerington .
Before it closed , the landfill accepted usual household and yard debris – as well as dead pets and livestock .
“ They called it the ‘ dead animal pit ’ and it smelled something fierce , ” Page said .
“ I can remember seeing cows out there from the dairy laying on their backs all bloated .
We ’ d take our .22 ’ s out and shoot them to watch them explode.
” The landfill closed in the early 1990s , but people didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of graves dot the hillsides .
Crosses are made from wooden sticks held together with twine or simple piles of rocks .
Some are draped with pet collars .
Strewn around some plots are pieces of favorite toys or blankets .
Some dirt patches are sunken into the landscape .
Those are likely graves of pets whose owners forgot to pile up rocks or cement over them .
“ If you don ’ t , ” Page said , “ the coyotes will get them.
” At Doud and Lockette ’ s pet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt for the pets buried there is palpable .
You can feel it in the sentiment of messages written on their headstones .
The sweetness of their memories is still alive in words left to remember them .
“ Those were the days , my friend .
”

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Next to a dry desert lakebed off the Searchlight highway is the sound of metal tags clinking on a collar.
Is there a dog running between the scrub brush? Is the mind playing tricks?
Here is an unmarked grave. Protruding from it is the post of a wooden cross broken to pieces after years of unforgiving sun and wind.
Here is the source of that clinking collar sound. On the cross flaps a metal number – “2” – from the year this companion passed and ended up here.
There’s no name. No indication of what animal lies here. Born: 1945. Died: 1962.
On this patch of desert between Boulder City and Searchlight, highway sounds and dusty silence blow through the final resting places of countless beloved pets.
There’s Foo Foo and Boots. Ted and Ginger. Buddy, Rocky and Lucky.
These are but a few of the residents at Boulder City Pet Cemetery, where families have been informally burying their furry friends for almost 60 years.
The smell is hard to ignore.
Dust and dander.
In the mid-1950s, Boulder City didn’t have a trained veterinarian.
Instead, the city had a man named Marwood Doud. He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation but practiced veterinary medicine on the side until a veterinarian came to town. He and a friend at the Bureau of Reclamation named Emory Lockette hatched a plan for the cemetery over drinks.
“One night we were at Marwood’s house and were drinking, and Marwood said some person had had a dog that died and they was just burying ’em in the backyard of this place and that place,” Lockette said before his death.
“And some guy came up and said, ‘Marwood, why don’t you start a cemetery or something?’” he said in an interview with historian Dennis McBride.
They picked out a little plot of land about four miles south of Railroad Pass on Searchlight Highway, just off an unmarked access road near a dry lakebed.
The earliest reference to the cemetery in a newspaper appeared in 1962, but Doud and Lockette operated there as early as 1957, according to McBride.
It remained the pet cemetery for Boulder City for decades. But people from Las Vegas eventually began burying their pets there as well.
“It became a word-of-mouth type of thing,” McBride said. “It wasn’t publicized, but it was just known as the place in Southern Nevada to take your pet to be buried.”
The land Doud and Lockette chose belonged to the federal government.
“They just sort of squatted their cemetery on it without asking permission,” McBride said. “And Emory at least was earning money for the burials.”
For a fee, Lockette gave deceased pets a proper funeral.
Out of wood he built coffins and planted fence posts painted white to separate graves.
“We figured for a small dog, $25 to go into Vegas and get ‘im and bury ‘im,” Lockette said. “This included makin’ a plywood box. And if it was a larger dog, we charged $35 to go in and come back. And then you always had to take time after you went in to pick up the dog and buried ‘im, the people had to make an appointment so you could meet them down there and show ‘em where the dog was and put a cross on (the grave). It was really a whole (thing).”
Walk through the cemetery today, and you’ll find Lockette’s work. But most of it has been damaged by harsh desert conditions.
“The government made a little stink about it from time to time,” McBride said, “but they never really made any serious or concerted effort to put a stop to it.”
Among the graves are chew toys, milk dishes, ceramic statues of dogs and cats.
Most of the plots offer few clues as to what breeds are buried there. Others include hints that make it easier to tell.
The grave of Chip has a tiny pink turtle painted on it.
The grave of Honey Hilton includes a portrait of the good girl.
Today, the pet cemetery is surrounded by a wire fence with a locked gate.
There’s a sign: “Stop! Pet Burials Prohibited.”
Drivers passing on the highway would miss it, as the graves blend into the desert’s browns, yellows and tans.
The burials here may seem informal. Until you take the winding dirt road past the Valley View Cemetery – 400 miles north in Yerington.
At the top of a hill above Valley View Cemetery, there’s a fork in the road that branches again and again.
Sometimes hard-packed dirt, sometimes loose sand and rocks, the roads wind through fields of sagebrush, homemade shooting ranges and boulders tagged with graffiti.
Tucked between the sagebrush and boulders, homemade crosses and rock cairns stand guard over the remains of some of Yerington’s most beloved residents.
Molly. Annie. Macey. Cocoa. No last names recorded.
“This is where people come to bury their pets,” said Lyon County Manager Jeff Page. “There’s places all over the desert where people bury animals.”
For those unfamiliar with twisting desert roads, finding the cemeteries is no easy task.
At the top of the hill above Valley View Cemetery is the old county landfill. It serves as a marker for finding the burial grounds southeast of Yerington.
Before it closed, the landfill accepted usual household and yard debris – as well as dead pets and livestock.
“They called it the ‘dead animal pit’ and it smelled something fierce,” Page said. “I can remember seeing cows out there from the dairy laying on their backs all bloated. We’d take our .22’s out and shoot them to watch them explode.”
The landfill closed in the early 1990s, but people didn’t stop burying their animals there. Dozens of graves dot the hillsides.
Crosses are made from wooden sticks held together with twine or simple piles of rocks. Some are draped with pet collars.
Strewn around some plots are pieces of favorite toys or blankets.
Some dirt patches are sunken into the landscape. Those are likely graves of pets whose owners forgot to pile up rocks or cement over them.
“If you don’t,” Page said, “the coyotes will get them.”
At Doud and Lockette’s pet cemetery outside Las Vegas, the love felt for the pets buried there is palpable.
You can feel it in the sentiment of messages written on their headstones.
The sweetness of their memories is still alive in words left to remember them.
Chico Hamilton, September 1963 – September 1970.
“He gave only love.”
Scooter Littlefield, November 1956 – October 1970.
“She gave her love unselfishly.”
Marcel Jung, January 1957 – October 1968.
“Those were the days, my friend.”
Trey Amante, 1949 – 1966.
“The best pal I ever had.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--1979 polio outbreak in Lancaster County remembered

LANCASTER , Pa. ( AP ) - With multiple vaccines for the COVID-19 novel coronavirus on the horizon , Americans will likely see a large-scale vaccination effort sometime in the next few months .
Older Lancaster County residents may remember other large-scale vaccination efforts , such as those aimed at eradicating polio .
The last of those efforts came much later than you may think - while polio was largely eliminated in the United States over the course of the 1950s and ’ 60s , an outbreak in Lancaster County in 1979 led to more than 150,000 county residents being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back at that outbreak , through the lens of the LNP ‘ LancasterOnline archives .
Polio - short for poliomyelitis - is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus .
Polio outbreaks were common around the world , including in Lancaster County , throughout the first half of the 20th Century .
Indeed , in the 1940s , the annual spike in polio cases - which usually happened during the summer months - was often accompanied by helpful advice in the newspapers about how to stay safe .
These recommendations included avoiding crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially contaminated water and being vigilant about pest control .
While about half of polio sufferers recovered easily with no lasting effects , a small percentage ended up paralyzed or dead , which is why a vaccine was fervently anticipated .
By February of 1955 , front-page stories were speculating about when the famed vaccine , recently developed by Jonas Salk , might arrive in Lancaster .
The previous year , one million children around the country were inoculated with the vaccine as part of a trial program , and wide distribution was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the end of March , the first people in Lancaster County were inoculated - families of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals employees .
At the same time , forms were distributed to parents allowing them to request vaccinations for their children .
And most parents did so - 95 percent of first- and second-graders in Lancaster would receive the shots .
Similar efforts took place around the country , and over the course of the next few years , thanks in part to nationwide campaigns by the March of Dimes , the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 58,000 to 5,600 .
Similar efforts in the early 1960s involving the oral Sabin vaccine further cut the numbers to between 100 and 200 cases a year , according to the Journal of the American Medical Association .
In 1979 , it had been years since Pennsylvania had seen even a single case of polio .
When a 22-year-old Amish woman in Franklin County was stricken with the disease in January of that year , Amish people throughout the state began to worry .
A small but persistent outbreak of polio had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amish communities in previous months , and its arrival in Pennsylvania caused Amish leaders to consider vaccination .
Newspaper reports at the time indicated that the Amish reluctance to vaccinate was more a matter of custom than religion , and some Amish children were vaccinated regularly .
As January wore on , Lancaster County Amish families kept a close eye on Franklin County , as some Amish residents there agreed to be vaccinated , and 16 more residents of the tiny Spring Run community were found to be asymptomatic carriers of the polio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asymptomatic cases were found among the Amish in South-central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland , and vaccinations were under way in Franklin County - not only among the Amish , but among other members of the community who may not have been vaccinated as children .
Fearing a spread to the sizable Lancaster County Amish population , state health officials began a door-to-door campaign here , speaking to Amish families and leaders about polio vaccination .
Polio historically spreads most quickly during the warmer months , and by early May , two Amish people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On May 15 , the New Era announced that Lancaster County ’ s Amish leaders had given their approval to voluntary vaccinations of Amish families .
Amish bishops and school leaders met informally with state health officials , and agreed to neither promote nor discourage vaccination , leaving the decision up to each family .
One Amish man who participated in the meeting and declined to give his name told the New Era there was no disagreement at the meeting .
“ I think our people realize the need for it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ourselves but for our English friends and other people.
” The polio outbreak , while still small , continued to spread throughout May 1979 .
On May 17 , the first case in a non-Amish person was reported in Mifflin County .
And on May 25 , massive headlines heralded the disease ’ s arrival in Lancaster County .
A 34-year-old Old Order Mennonite man was the first person to contract polio in Lancaster County since 1963 , and a 14-month-old Amish boy was also suspected to have the disease , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( All three of that boy ’ s siblings had tested positive , and were asymptomatic carriers of polio . )
The state urged all residents of Lancaster County to be vaccinated , and plans were under way to set up a series of free clinics the next weekend .
State health officials said the rapid immunization program was a massive undertaking , but they were prepared for up to 200,000 of the county ’ s 340,000 residents to show up for vaccination .
Over the next few days , the local newspapers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tens of thousands of county resident vaccinated in three days .
Vaccination sites were announced - 21 in all , including schools all over the county as well as Park City Center .
Health officials tried to anticipate questions , and made it clear who did and did not need to get a vaccine .
( In short , anyone of any age who had never been immunized against polio should get the vaccine , officials said . )
Meanwhile , another Lancaster County Amish child was admitted to the hospital with fever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polio infection .
On Saturday , June 2 , the vaccinations began .
And despite a rainy weekend , people turned out in massive numbers to take the oral vaccine , a pink liquid that was dripped onto people ’ s tongues in two-drop doses .
More than 30,000 people showed up on the first day of the program , with the Sunday News reporting that the Park City site was the busiest .
Health officials said they “ would ’ ve been thrilled with 20,000 , ” so reality certainly exceeded expectations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - nearly 57,000 people - and the final day , Monday June 4 , was the best by far , with 61,021 county residents being inoculated .
The total for the three-day drive was 147,849 .
“ It ’ s just a tremendous success , ” state health department spokesman Bruce Reimer said .
He added that the three-day mass vaccination program inoculated about 43 percent of eligible recipients - and that number didn ’ t take into account the many more who opted to get the vaccine from their family doctors instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people .
Still , the process ran smoothly , and wait times stayed well under an hour .
Jack Klock , the state-level coordinator of the program , had this to say as the immunization drive wrapped up : “ This is the best planned and best executed health program I ’ ve ever been involved in .
Lancaster County can be proud.
” As the representative of the state health department and the CDC packed up to head home , a low-key presence remained , working over the next two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amish community who were willing .
In all , this quiet program that ran in undisclosed locations , separate from the hustle and bustle of the main vaccination sites , inoculated more than 7,000 of Lancaster County ’ s 12,000 Amish people .
Even more Amish families opted to receive the vaccine from their family doctors , often in their homes .
Not counting the numerous asymptomatic or mild cases , only three Lancaster County residents were struck by the disease in 1979 before the vaccination effort got it under control .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of polio anywhere in the United States .

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - With multiple vaccines for the COVID-19 novel coronavirus on the horizon, Americans will likely see a large-scale vaccination effort sometime in the next few months.
Older Lancaster County residents may remember other large-scale vaccination efforts, such as those aimed at eradicating polio. The last of those efforts came much later than you may think - while polio was largely eliminated in the United States over the course of the 1950s and ’60s, an outbreak in Lancaster County in 1979 led to more than 150,000 county residents being inoculated.
Here’s a look back at that outbreak, through the lens of the LNP ‘ LancasterOnline archives.
Polio - short for poliomyelitis - is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Polio outbreaks were common around the world, including in Lancaster County, throughout the first half of the 20th Century.
Indeed, in the 1940s, the annual spike in polio cases - which usually happened during the summer months - was often accompanied by helpful advice in the newspapers about how to stay safe. These recommendations included avoiding crowds, washing hands, not swimming in potentially contaminated water and being vigilant about pest control.
While about half of polio sufferers recovered easily with no lasting effects, a small percentage ended up paralyzed or dead, which is why a vaccine was fervently anticipated.
By February of 1955, front-page stories were speculating about when the famed vaccine, recently developed by Jonas Salk, might arrive in Lancaster. The previous year, one million children around the country were inoculated with the vaccine as part of a trial program, and wide distribution was expected sometime in the spring of 1955.
At the end of March, the first people in Lancaster County were inoculated - families of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals employees. At the same time, forms were distributed to parents allowing them to request vaccinations for their children.
And most parents did so - 95 percent of first- and second-graders in Lancaster would receive the shots.
Similar efforts took place around the country, and over the course of the next few years, thanks in part to nationwide campaigns by the March of Dimes, the number of annual polio cases in the U.S. dropped from 58,000 to 5,600. Similar efforts in the early 1960s involving the oral Sabin vaccine further cut the numbers to between 100 and 200 cases a year, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In 1979, it had been years since Pennsylvania had seen even a single case of polio. When a 22-year-old Amish woman in Franklin County was stricken with the disease in January of that year, Amish people throughout the state began to worry.
A small but persistent outbreak of polio had been quietly spreading from the Midwest through Amish communities in previous months, and its arrival in Pennsylvania caused Amish leaders to consider vaccination.
Newspaper reports at the time indicated that the Amish reluctance to vaccinate was more a matter of custom than religion, and some Amish children were vaccinated regularly.
As January wore on, Lancaster County Amish families kept a close eye on Franklin County, as some Amish residents there agreed to be vaccinated, and 16 more residents of the tiny Spring Run community were found to be asymptomatic carriers of the polio virus.
By Feb. 1, more asymptomatic cases were found among the Amish in South-central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, and vaccinations were under way in Franklin County - not only among the Amish, but among other members of the community who may not have been vaccinated as children.
Fearing a spread to the sizable Lancaster County Amish population, state health officials began a door-to-door campaign here, speaking to Amish families and leaders about polio vaccination.
Polio historically spreads most quickly during the warmer months, and by early May, two Amish people in Mifflin County were suffering serious symptoms.
On May 15, the New Era announced that Lancaster County’s Amish leaders had given their approval to voluntary vaccinations of Amish families. Amish bishops and school leaders met informally with state health officials, and agreed to neither promote nor discourage vaccination, leaving the decision up to each family.
One Amish man who participated in the meeting and declined to give his name told the New Era there was no disagreement at the meeting.
“I think our people realize the need for it,” he said, “not only for ourselves but for our English friends and other people.”
The polio outbreak, while still small, continued to spread throughout May 1979. On May 17, the first case in a non-Amish person was reported in Mifflin County.
And on May 25, massive headlines heralded the disease’s arrival in Lancaster County.
A 34-year-old Old Order Mennonite man was the first person to contract polio in Lancaster County since 1963, and a 14-month-old Amish boy was also suspected to have the disease, though his test results were still pending. (All three of that boy’s siblings had tested positive, and were asymptomatic carriers of polio.)
The state urged all residents of Lancaster County to be vaccinated, and plans were under way to set up a series of free clinics the next weekend.
State health officials said the rapid immunization program was a massive undertaking, but they were prepared for up to 200,000 of the county’s 340,000 residents to show up for vaccination.
Over the next few days, the local newspapers reported on the whirlwind effort to get tens of thousands of county resident vaccinated in three days.
Vaccination sites were announced - 21 in all, including schools all over the county as well as Park City Center.
Health officials tried to anticipate questions, and made it clear who did and did not need to get a vaccine. (In short, anyone of any age who had never been immunized against polio should get the vaccine, officials said.)
Meanwhile, another Lancaster County Amish child was admitted to the hospital with fever and paralysis, awaiting confirmation of a polio infection.
On Saturday, June 2, the vaccinations began. And despite a rainy weekend, people turned out in massive numbers to take the oral vaccine, a pink liquid that was dripped onto people’s tongues in two-drop doses.
More than 30,000 people showed up on the first day of the program, with the Sunday News reporting that the Park City site was the busiest. Health officials said they “would’ve been thrilled with 20,000,” so reality certainly exceeded expectations.
The next day was even better - nearly 57,000 people - and the final day, Monday June 4, was the best by far, with 61,021 county residents being inoculated. The total for the three-day drive was 147,849.
“It’s just a tremendous success,” state health department spokesman Bruce Reimer said. He added that the three-day mass vaccination program inoculated about 43 percent of eligible recipients - and that number didn’t take into account the many more who opted to get the vaccine from their family doctors instead of waiting in lines with hundreds of other people.
Still, the process ran smoothly, and wait times stayed well under an hour.
Jack Klock, the state-level coordinator of the program, had this to say as the immunization drive wrapped up:
“This is the best planned and best executed health program I’ve ever been involved in. Lancaster County can be proud.”
As the representative of the state health department and the CDC packed up to head home, a low-key presence remained, working over the next two weeks to continue vaccinating any members of the Amish community who were willing.
In all, this quiet program that ran in undisclosed locations, separate from the hustle and bustle of the main vaccination sites, inoculated more than 7,000 of Lancaster County’s 12,000 Amish people. Even more Amish families opted to receive the vaccine from their family doctors, often in their homes.
Not counting the numerous asymptomatic or mild cases, only three Lancaster County residents were struck by the disease in 1979 before the vaccination effort got it under control.
The 1979 Pennsylvania outbreak was the last appearance of polio anywhere in the United States.
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/3ab0XS0


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--4th-grader’s art patch sent to the stars on SpaceX rocket

LEBANON , Pa. ( AP ) - When SpaceX ’ s Dragon rocket launched on Dec. 6 bound for the International Space Station , it brought a piece of Lebanon County with it .
A patch created by 4th-grader and Lebanon native Joshua Ferguson , a student at Milton Hershey School , was selected to be sent on SpaceX ’ s Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program .
Joshua created the patch in 2019 when he was still in 2nd grade .
Joshua was ecstatic when he learned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumped a lot and was screaming a lot , ” he recalled .
“ I had so many emotions , like ‘ woahhh is this really happening , I can ’ t believe that this is going on !
’ ” At Milton Hershey , located in Hershey , more than 370 total patches were submitted as part of the contest , 143 created by first- and 2nd-grade students and 231 by 3rd- and 4th-graders .
One patch from the first two grades and another from the second two grades were selected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space station .
The mission taking Joshua ’ s art to the ISS also contains art from another Milton Hershey student , Zoya Johnson , now in 6th grade .
Students in kindergarten through 4th grade and also teachers voted for the winning patch during lunchtime , where they were displayed to vote .
Joshua ’ s patch was one of the two winners , even though he doesn ’ t usually spend his time drawing , preferring Legos and miniature soldiers .
The other patch was created by Zoya Johnson , now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixty-seven patches were selected out of a total of 21,200 submitted on an international level , with entries reflecting the “ international ” in the station ’ s name : students from Brazil and Canada also saw patches included in the launch .
“ I saw another patch of NASA ’ s that had a rocket on it , so wanted to do that but wanted the rocket to be the main part of the patch , ” Joshua replied after being asked about the design of his patch .
“ Jupiter is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a planet .
Saturn had too big of rings and Jupiter is large , so I could fit the M and S in it.
” The two letters stand for Milton Hershey School .
Joshua Ferguson ’ s art contains Jupiter , Saturn , the SpaceX rocket , the International Space Station , Earth and elements meant to celebrate Milton Hershey .
Milton Hershey applied to partner with the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program in 2019 and was selected by NASA to participate .
That year , high school students at the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and returned to Earth .
Joshua wants to be an aerospace engineer when he grows up .
“ When I heard about the patch , in Mr. Crowley ’ s room , I said that if I win this , I want to devote my life to space , ” he said .
He added that the sheer size of space and the fact that most of it remains a complete mystery makes him want to devote his life to the topic .
Joshua is getting a telescope soon .
“ I probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I want to learn the basics , ” he said .
More than 1 million people , including Joshua , watched the launch via a video livestream at 9:45 a.m. last Sunday .
According to the student space program , the spacecraft is set to land on Earth again on Jan. 8 , although it is as yet unknown when Joshua ’ s patch will return to Earth .
But he is anticipating the day it does .
“ When it comes back , we will probably buy a pretty expensive frame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he predicted .

LEBANON, Pa. (AP) - When SpaceX’s Dragon rocket launched on Dec. 6 bound for the International Space Station, it brought a piece of Lebanon County with it.
A patch created by 4th-grader and Lebanon native Joshua Ferguson, a student at Milton Hershey School, was selected to be sent on SpaceX’s Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.
Joshua created the patch in 2019 when he was still in 2nd grade.
Joshua was ecstatic when he learned that his patch was chosen. “I jumped a lot and was screaming a lot,” he recalled. “I had so many emotions, like ‘woahhh is this really happening, I can’t believe that this is going on!’”
At Milton Hershey, located in Hershey, more than 370 total patches were submitted as part of the contest, 143 created by first- and 2nd-grade students and 231 by 3rd- and 4th-graders. One patch from the first two grades and another from the second two grades were selected by the school to be sent to the space station.
The mission taking Joshua’s art to the ISS also contains art from another Milton Hershey student, Zoya Johnson, now in 6th grade.
Students in kindergarten through 4th grade and also teachers voted for the winning patch during lunchtime, where they were displayed to vote. Joshua’s patch was one of the two winners, even though he doesn’t usually spend his time drawing, preferring Legos and miniature soldiers. The other patch was created by Zoya Johnson, now in 6th grade.
In total, sixty-seven patches were selected out of a total of 21,200 submitted on an international level, with entries reflecting the “international” in the station’s name: students from Brazil and Canada also saw patches included in the launch.
“I saw another patch of NASA’s that had a rocket on it, so wanted to do that but wanted the rocket to be the main part of the patch,” Joshua replied after being asked about the design of his patch. “Jupiter is in the background, because it’s a planet. Saturn had too big of rings and Jupiter is large, so I could fit the M and S in it.” The two letters stand for Milton Hershey School.
Joshua Ferguson’s art contains Jupiter, Saturn, the SpaceX rocket, the International Space Station, Earth and elements meant to celebrate Milton Hershey.
Milton Hershey applied to partner with the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program in 2019 and was selected by NASA to participate. That year, high school students at the school saw their gravity-related experiments sent into space and returned to Earth.
Joshua wants to be an aerospace engineer when he grows up. “When I heard about the patch, in Mr. Crowley’s room, I said that if I win this, I want to devote my life to space,” he said.
He added that the sheer size of space and the fact that most of it remains a complete mystery makes him want to devote his life to the topic. Joshua is getting a telescope soon. “I probably can’t find unknown stuff, but I want to learn the basics,” he said.
More than 1 million people, including Joshua, watched the launch via a video livestream at 9:45 a.m. last Sunday. According to the student space program, the spacecraft is set to land on Earth again on Jan. 8, although it is as yet unknown when Joshua’s patch will return to Earth.
But he is anticipating the day it does. “When it comes back, we will probably buy a pretty expensive frame and hang it up in the house,” he predicted.
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/2WeLzeQ


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Small town besieged by hundreds of giant black vultures

PHILADELPHIA ( AP ) - Black vultures circled beneath a leaden sky , swooping down close to the tombstones in a Marietta cemetery in search of something dead to eat .
Classic horror imagery aside , a big bird in the air is better than one on the roof for homeowners in this quaint town of 2,607 on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County .
In Marietta ’ s case , it ’ s usually 10 to 20 vultures on the roof , tearing off shingles , picking at rubber for hours , and leaving fresh coatings of their acidic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
“ This is like Edgar Allan Poe stuff right here , ” Councilman Louis McKinney said by the cemetery on Fairview Avenue on a recent Wednesday afternoon .
No one ’ s quite sure why the vultures , sometimes numbering in the hundreds , have chosen to converge on Marietta .
Like their slightly larger turkey vulture cousins , black vultures are native to Pennsylvania , and residents said they ’ ve always been seen in summer months , soaring high above the river .
What they lack in beauty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing an important part in the ecosystem by eating carrion and roadkill .
In recent years , though , the vultures have moved inland once the frosts become consistent in late autumn .
They roost in pine trees and line up on warm rooftops , spreading their wings - with spans of five feet - to soak up the sun .
Residents say this year is worse than ever , an issue first reported by Lancaster Online earlier this month .
One homeowner on West Market Street who asked not to be identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars repairing damage the vultures have caused to her roof .
“ My insurance company doesn ’ t cover ‘ act of vulture , ’ ” she said .
John Enterline , 67 , owns a stately colonial across the street , all decked out for the holidays - with a Halloween twist , thanks to the vultures that converge by his chimney .
He said neighbors often bang pots and pans to scare them off , or light firecrackers .
One recent day , someone on West Market upped the pyrotechnic ante @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boom .
It rattled the window , ” Enterline said .
“ They all took off .
It was like Alfred Hitchcock ’ s The Birds.
” On trash days , the vultures swoop down into the street , topple cans , and make a mess .
Weighing up to six pounds , they ’ re no sparrows , and they ’ re always defecating .
“ If you ’ re walking down the street and they ’ re on a dead squirrel or something , you cross the street .
You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Jade Brumfield , 29 , whose mother-in-law has taken to whacking her trees with a broom to chase the scavengers .
West Market resident Tina Grumm has considered spikes on her roof , or a fake owl with a moving head .
Adult black vultures have no natural enemies in nature , though .
The motto is “ harass , not harm , ” said Harris Glass , director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’ s Wildlife Services in Pennsylvania .
Federal law dating back a century protects black vultures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , and authorities tend to make an example out of anyone who kills one with punishments including fines and possible jail sentences .
Municipalities and landowners can seek out depredation permits , allowing them to legally kill a vulture , but no agency is going to remove whole roosts .
There are a slew of somewhat effective tactics to scare the birds off - from such simple things as fireworks to truly bizarre approaches like frozen vulture carcasses or taxidermied black vultures hung upside down in areas where they roost .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Halloween stores .
The vulture effigy , in essence , gives off bad vibes for the rest of the roost and they tend to stay away .
Harris said the tactic was stumbled upon in Texas when a vulture , fried by power lines , happened to get tangled up and hung in place .
The other vultures causing the power company problems didn ’ t come back .
But vultures can wise up .
“ Eventually , they will try to eat the carcass , ” he said .
Glass said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes for a few weeks .
He recalled a town in Northern Virginia that reached out for help to deal with vultures roosting at a cemetery .
Police there fired off pyrotechnics for a few days , and the vultures left .
“ But then they flew , I kid you not , to the mayor ’ s house and converged there , ” Glass said .
“ There were so many in the pine trees , they were actually breaking the branches.
” In Marietta on a recent weekday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their dark forms often blending into the branches .
Some of them were turkey vultures , which aren ’ t as destructive .
The bases of those pines were covered in a white dust .
It wasn ’ t snow .
“ It ’ s gross .
It smells like a barn , ” said Liz Garner , a Northeast Philadelphia native whose property is home to a roost .
Councilman McKinney said that the whole situation has “ gotten out of hand ” and that the invaders were a hot topic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom .
He hasn ’ t had vultures at his house , but he empathizes with homeowners who hear them clawing at their roofs all day .
“ We have to find something , find a way , ” he said .
In the meantime , as besieged resident Grumm summed it up , “ The vultures are winning .
”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Black vultures circled beneath a leaden sky, swooping down close to the tombstones in a Marietta cemetery in search of something dead to eat.
Classic horror imagery aside, a big bird in the air is better than one on the roof for homeowners in this quaint town of 2,607 on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County. In Marietta’s case, it’s usually 10 to 20 vultures on the roof, tearing off shingles, picking at rubber for hours, and leaving fresh coatings of their acidic, white feces behind when they fly off.
Experts call that “whitewash.”
“This is like Edgar Allan Poe stuff right here,” Councilman Louis McKinney said by the cemetery on Fairview Avenue on a recent Wednesday afternoon.
No one’s quite sure why the vultures, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, have chosen to converge on Marietta. Like their slightly larger turkey vulture cousins, black vultures are native to Pennsylvania, and residents said they’ve always been seen in summer months, soaring high above the river. What they lack in beauty, they make up for in resourcefulness, playing an important part in the ecosystem by eating carrion and roadkill.
In recent years, though, the vultures have moved inland once the frosts become consistent in late autumn. They roost in pine trees and line up on warm rooftops, spreading their wings - with spans of five feet - to soak up the sun. Residents say this year is worse than ever, an issue first reported by Lancaster Online earlier this month. One homeowner on West Market Street who asked not to be identified said she’s spent several thousand dollars repairing damage the vultures have caused to her roof.
“My insurance company doesn’t cover ‘act of vulture,’” she said.
John Enterline, 67, owns a stately colonial across the street, all decked out for the holidays - with a Halloween twist, thanks to the vultures that converge by his chimney. He said neighbors often bang pots and pans to scare them off, or light firecrackers. One recent day, someone on West Market upped the pyrotechnic ante.
“There was like this huge boom. It rattled the window,” Enterline said. “They all took off. It was like Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.”
On trash days, the vultures swoop down into the street, topple cans, and make a mess. Weighing up to six pounds, they’re no sparrows, and they’re always defecating.
“If you’re walking down the street and they’re on a dead squirrel or something, you cross the street. You’re scared to walk by them,” said Jade Brumfield, 29, whose mother-in-law has taken to whacking her trees with a broom to chase the scavengers.
West Market resident Tina Grumm has considered spikes on her roof, or a fake owl with a moving head. Adult black vultures have no natural enemies in nature, though.
The motto is “harass, not harm,” said Harris Glass, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services in Pennsylvania. Federal law dating back a century protects black vultures because they are considered endangered, he said, and authorities tend to make an example out of anyone who kills one with punishments including fines and possible jail sentences. Municipalities and landowners can seek out depredation permits, allowing them to legally kill a vulture, but no agency is going to remove whole roosts.
There are a slew of somewhat effective tactics to scare the birds off - from such simple things as fireworks to truly bizarre approaches like frozen vulture carcasses or taxidermied black vultures hung upside down in areas where they roost. Some people have tried the plastic vultures found in Halloween stores.
The vulture effigy, in essence, gives off bad vibes for the rest of the roost and they tend to stay away. Harris said the tactic was stumbled upon in Texas when a vulture, fried by power lines, happened to get tangled up and hung in place. The other vultures causing the power company problems didn’t come back. But vultures can wise up.
“Eventually, they will try to eat the carcass,” he said.
Glass said you have to commit to harassing vultures, sometimes for a few weeks. He recalled a town in Northern Virginia that reached out for help to deal with vultures roosting at a cemetery. Police there fired off pyrotechnics for a few days, and the vultures left.
“But then they flew, I kid you not, to the mayor’s house and converged there,” Glass said. “There were so many in the pine trees, they were actually breaking the branches.”
In Marietta on a recent weekday, the vultures gathered in pine trees, too, their dark forms often blending into the branches. Some of them were turkey vultures, which aren’t as destructive. The bases of those pines were covered in a white dust. It wasn’t snow.
“It’s gross. It smells like a barn,” said Liz Garner, a Northeast Philadelphia native whose property is home to a roost.
Councilman McKinney said that the whole situation has “gotten out of hand” and that the invaders were a hot topic during a recent council meeting held by Zoom. He hasn’t had vultures at his house, but he empathizes with homeowners who hear them clawing at their roofs all day.
“We have to find something, find a way,” he said.
In the meantime, as besieged resident Grumm summed it up, “The vultures are winning.”
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/2IPRdB9


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--K-9 team training 'as much for the K-9's handler' as for dog

ALTOONA , Pa. ( AP ) - Tugging at the end of his lead , Freddy ’ s nose excitedly followed Patrolman Alex Vasquez ’ s hand as the officer tapped on surfaces where drugs might be hiding .
Both members of the Logan Township Police Department circled the training room Dec. 2 at the Kittanning Trail Volunteer Fire Company hall as police K-9 instructor Jim Walstrom kept an eye on the team ’ s performance .
“ This training is as much for the K-9 ’ s handler as it is for the K-9 , ” said Walstrom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As Vasquez and Freddy circled the room a second time , Walstrom quieted his voice and pointed out the duo were cutting a corner near the hall ’ s garage door .
“ It ’ s a two-pronged search between the dog and the handler , ” Walstrom said .
“ You got ta let the dog free-search a bit , but if he ’ s not hitting the places you want him to go , you ’ ll give him a bit of guidance.
” Freddy , a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whined as Vasquez forced him to retrace their steps .
“ ( Freddy is ) getting frustrated now , because he knows it ’ s here , ” Walstrom said .
Unfazed by Freddy ’ s behavior , Vasquez directed the K-9 to check and recheck potential hiding spots .
When the two reached the corner where the drugs were hidden , Freddy immediately fell silent and sat , staring up at Vasquez .
“ I didn ’ t put him in the corner , and I ’ ll take the responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled a rubber ball from his cargo pocket .
Freddy immediately snapped onto the ball , engaging in a small game of tug-of-war with Vasquez .
Walstrom explained the ball was Freddy ’ s reward for finding the stash .
“ Because these guys have such a strong retrieve sense , ” he said , “ that ball is more of a reward than a treat would be.
” Logan Township police have used K-9 units intermittently throughout the years , and currently they run two teams - one for day shift and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Reese said .
“ These dogs are more than just a nexus for drug enforcement , ” Reese said .
“ They also serve as tracking dogs , searching for fugitives throughout the county , and at times , the state.
” The Logan Township Police Department maintains agreements with law enforcement agencies in Blair County , allowing others access to the resource .
And on at least one occasion , Vasquez and Freddy have assisted the Pennsylvania Game Commission with its tracking needs , Reese said .
Additionally , Logan ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the department ’ s community policing efforts .
“ In Logan Township , we have a lot of dog lovers , which provides us with a good way to connect with our community , ” Reese said .
The department ’ s K-9s were purchased with help from community partners and organizations , such as the Blair County District Attorney ’ s Office , Fiore Toyota and Operation Our Town , an organization dedicated to fighting drug use and illegal activity in neighborhoods throughout Blair County , Reese said .
Together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,000 a year , which includes their food , medical care and kennel costs , when needed .
Reese hailed the staffing of two K-9 units within the Logan department as a progressive move by the department ’ s board of supervisors , adding the community ’ s financial support of the K-9 program made it possible .
“ Without their assistance , we wouldn ’ t be able to staff K-9s , ” he said .
As Vasquez and Freddy finished their training , Logan Patrolman George Swander readied his K-9 partner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sniffing out the hidden drugs .
“ Our dogs come home with us after every shift , ” Swander said .
“ I have a blue heeler at home , and they play non-stop.
” Also a Belgian Malinois , Ciro - pronounced sear-o - is a hit with Swander ’ s kids , but Swander said the K-9 is only allowed out to play when he is there to supervise .
“ Ciro ’ s been on patrol for two years now , ” he said .
“ He ’ s 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days before my second-oldest son.
” While at home , Ciro relaxes , but once his flat collar - a flat strip of nylon bearing Ciro ’ s name - goes on , Swander said the dog knows it ’ s time to go to work .
“ It ’ s not just the collar nowadays , though , ” he said .
“ When I put on certain boots , he starts prancing in his kennel , because he knows .
He loves to work.
” Being part of a K-9 team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Whereas some officers can separate their home life from work , Swander ’ s partner follows him home every day .
When the officers travel for vacation or attend training outside of Blair County , Vasquez said their K-9s are housed at local kennels with specialized equipment to meet the dogs ’ needs .
Spending nearly all their time together creates a strong working relationship , but Vasquez said K-9 teams can have drawbacks .
If the officers are unavailable for any reason , he said it ’ s unlikely the dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training .

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) - Tugging at the end of his lead, Freddy’s nose excitedly followed Patrolman Alex Vasquez’s hand as the officer tapped on surfaces where drugs might be hiding.
Both members of the Logan Township Police Department circled the training room Dec. 2 at the Kittanning Trail Volunteer Fire Company hall as police K-9 instructor Jim Walstrom kept an eye on the team’s performance.
“This training is as much for the K-9’s handler as it is for the K-9,” said Walstrom, who owns Keystone K9 and Security.
As Vasquez and Freddy circled the room a second time, Walstrom quieted his voice and pointed out the duo were cutting a corner near the hall’s garage door.
“It’s a two-pronged search between the dog and the handler,” Walstrom said. “You gotta let the dog free-search a bit, but if he’s not hitting the places you want him to go, you’ll give him a bit of guidance.”
Freddy, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois with a caramel coat and coal-colored snout, whined as Vasquez forced him to retrace their steps.
“(Freddy is) getting frustrated now, because he knows it’s here,” Walstrom said.
Unfazed by Freddy’s behavior, Vasquez directed the K-9 to check and recheck potential hiding spots. When the two reached the corner where the drugs were hidden, Freddy immediately fell silent and sat, staring up at Vasquez.
“I didn’t put him in the corner, and I’ll take the responsibility for that,” Vasquez said as he pulled a rubber ball from his cargo pocket.
Freddy immediately snapped onto the ball, engaging in a small game of tug-of-war with Vasquez.
Walstrom explained the ball was Freddy’s reward for finding the stash.
“Because these guys have such a strong retrieve sense,” he said, “that ball is more of a reward than a treat would be.”
K-9 community
Logan Township police have used K-9 units intermittently throughout the years, and currently they run two teams - one for day shift and one for night shift, Logan Chief David Reese said.
“These dogs are more than just a nexus for drug enforcement,” Reese said. “They also serve as tracking dogs, searching for fugitives throughout the county, and at times, the state.”
The Logan Township Police Department maintains agreements with law enforcement agencies in Blair County, allowing others access to the resource. And on at least one occasion, Vasquez and Freddy have assisted the Pennsylvania Game Commission with its tracking needs, Reese said.
Additionally, Logan’s K-9 units serve an important role in the department’s community policing efforts.
“In Logan Township, we have a lot of dog lovers, which provides us with a good way to connect with our community,” Reese said.
The department’s K-9s were purchased with help from community partners and organizations, such as the Blair County District Attorney’s Office, Fiore Toyota and Operation Our Town, an organization dedicated to fighting drug use and illegal activity in neighborhoods throughout Blair County, Reese said.
Together, the two K-9s cost the department $8,000 a year, which includes their food, medical care and kennel costs, when needed.
Reese hailed the staffing of two K-9 units within the Logan department as a progressive move by the department’s board of supervisors, adding the community’s financial support of the K-9 program made it possible.
“Without their assistance, we wouldn’t be able to staff K-9s,” he said.
Home life
As Vasquez and Freddy finished their training, Logan Patrolman George Swander readied his K-9 partner, Ciro, for their turn at sniffing out the hidden drugs.
“Our dogs come home with us after every shift,” Swander said. “I have a blue heeler at home, and they play non-stop.”
Also a Belgian Malinois, Ciro - pronounced sear-o - is a hit with Swander’s kids, but Swander said the K-9 is only allowed out to play when he is there to supervise.
“Ciro’s been on patrol for two years now,” he said. “He’s 3 years old. He was born two days before my second-oldest son.”
While at home, Ciro relaxes, but once his flat collar - a flat strip of nylon bearing Ciro’s name - goes on, Swander said the dog knows it’s time to go to work.
“It’s not just the collar nowadays, though,” he said. “When I put on certain boots, he starts prancing in his kennel, because he knows. He loves to work.”
Being part of a K-9 team is a round-the-clock duty, Swander said. Whereas some officers can separate their home life from work, Swander’s partner follows him home every day.
When the officers travel for vacation or attend training outside of Blair County, Vasquez said their K-9s are housed at local kennels with specialized equipment to meet the dogs’ needs.
Spending nearly all their time together creates a strong working relationship, but Vasquez said K-9 teams can have drawbacks.
If the officers are unavailable for any reason, he said it’s unlikely the dogs would work with another officer without significant training.
“We’re a package deal,” Vasquez said.
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/3mg8GQP


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Erie's first Black female firefighter now an officer

ERIE , Pa. ( AP ) - Seenah Mischel was in grade school when she said she saw something one day in her hometown of Buffalo that “ just stopped me in my tracks.
” It was a Black female firefighter , “ someone who looked just like me , ” climbing off a fire truck .
“ I swear , never before in time had I thought I could do something like that , ” Mischel said .
“ Seeing someone doing it was an eye-opener .
From that point , I wanted to do it.
” Lt. Seenah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first Black female firefighter when she was hired in 2010 , in August was named the bureau ’ s first Black female officer .
Mischel , 42 , didn ’ t seek her dream of becoming a firefighter right away .
But after college , a stint in the U.S. Army and a move to Erie , she said she decided to go for the job while driving to work one day after hearing a radio announcement about the Erie Bureau of Fire recruiting new firefighter candidates .
“ They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was perfect .
I signed up right away , ” she said .
Mischel successfully completed her candidate testing and was hired in 2010 , becoming Erie ’ s first Black female firefighter .
She made more history in August when , after returning from an overseas deployment with the U.S. Air Force Reserves , she learned that she had received a lieutenant ’ s position that she had tested for , becoming the city fire bureau ’ s first Black female officer .
Mischel was to be officially sworn in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremony at Erie City Hall on Wednesday .
The recent promotions of six other city firefighters were also to be recognized during the ceremony .
“ It ’ s very exciting .
I swear it feels like the best job in the world , ” said Mischel , who is the first in her family to enter the fire service .
“ I feel like I wasted time not going for it sooner .
I can kick myself now , I guess , for wasting time .
Because once I got into it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t imagine myself doing anything else.
” Mischel admits that she entered the city fire service with “ zero experience in firefighting.
” But she credits members of one of her early crews - Fred Gillespie , Kevin Troyer , Ricky Kuhn , and Joe Walko , who now serves as Erie ’ s fire chief - with helping to provide the training and education she needed .
“ Those guys were pivotal in grooming me as a firefighter .
They made me into the firefighter I am now .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Walko said Mischel was willing to learn and was self-motivated , and she “ really dug in and got into the fire science and techniques.
” “ She was always a go-getter , ” he said .
“ We taught her the ins and outs and had a great time .
I think we broke her in well.
” The crew that Mischel worked with those early years gelled and they were really like a family , Walko said .
“ We had a bunch of good times together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good woman and a great firefighter .
It was great to have her on our team.
” Now that she is an officer on the Erie Bureau of Fire , stationed out of Engine Co. 8 on East Avenue , Mischel said she wants to be trusted and receptive in her new position and wants to continue to grow and learn .
“ I definitely want to live up to the standards and hopefully will be able to achieve that , ” she said .
Mischel said she has learned a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now retired , who was her inspiration for considering a career in firefighting from some City of Buffalo firefighters who are in her airfield firefighter unit of the U.S. Air Force Reserves .
Though she has never met the woman , Mischel said she still serves as her role model .
Mischel , one of four female firefighters on the 134-member Erie Bureau of Fire and currently its only Black member , said she knows that she , too , might serve as a role model for other females and minorities in Erie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a career .
“ Sometimes I do see those looks I gave her when I was a kid , ” she said .
“ I see it in the eyes of kids when they stop and look at me , never realizing that firefighters on the job are someone who looks like them.
” Walko said Mischel is a role model , and when it comes to the recruitment of minorities for the city fire bureau , “ she is going to be up front with the rest of us ” in fulfilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasing the diversity of the city ’ s public safety forces .
“ She is more than willing to participate , and she is going to be an asset in recruiting , ” he said .
Mischel said she tries to encourage anyone with an interest in becoming a firefighter to follow it through .
She said she doesn ’ t believe there is anything that anyone can ’ t do if they want to do it , and she does not see any obstacles for women who want to do it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ job as a challenge or something I had to fight for .
I never felt it was anything I had to prove .
I had the mindset of doing it because I know I can and I feel up for it , ” she said .
“ I think it ’ s just attitude .
If there are young women who feel this is something they may want to do , I say go for it.
” Mischel is happy she did .
“ I can ’ t explain it .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of her career .
“ You don ’ t know what you are going to get .
We literally save lives , and other times we ’ re there for support .
It ’ s rewarding .
”

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - Seenah Mischel was in grade school when she said she saw something one day in her hometown of Buffalo that “just stopped me in my tracks.”
It was a Black female firefighter, “someone who looked just like me,” climbing off a fire truck.
“I swear, never before in time had I thought I could do something like that,” Mischel said. “Seeing someone doing it was an eye-opener. From that point, I wanted to do it.”
Lt. Seenah Mischel, the Erie Bureau of Fire’s first Black female firefighter when she was hired in 2010, in August was named the bureau’s first Black female officer.
Mischel, 42, didn’t seek her dream of becoming a firefighter right away. But after college, a stint in the U.S. Army and a move to Erie, she said she decided to go for the job while driving to work one day after hearing a radio announcement about the Erie Bureau of Fire recruiting new firefighter candidates.
“They were looking for women and minorities to apply. It was perfect. I signed up right away,” she said.
Mischel successfully completed her candidate testing and was hired in 2010, becoming Erie’s first Black female firefighter. She made more history in August when, after returning from an overseas deployment with the U.S. Air Force Reserves, she learned that she had received a lieutenant’s position that she had tested for, becoming the city fire bureau’s first Black female officer.
Mischel was to be officially sworn in to the new position during a promotion ceremony at Erie City Hall on Wednesday. The recent promotions of six other city firefighters were also to be recognized during the ceremony.
“It’s very exciting. I swear it feels like the best job in the world,” said Mischel, who is the first in her family to enter the fire service. “I feel like I wasted time not going for it sooner. I can kick myself now, I guess, for wasting time. Because once I got into it I was so happy and fulfilled I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
Mischel admits that she entered the city fire service with “zero experience in firefighting.” But she credits members of one of her early crews - Fred Gillespie, Kevin Troyer, Ricky Kuhn, and Joe Walko, who now serves as Erie’s fire chief - with helping to provide the training and education she needed.
“Those guys were pivotal in grooming me as a firefighter. They made me into the firefighter I am now. I am extremely grateful and proud,” she said.
Walko said Mischel was willing to learn and was self-motivated, and she “really dug in and got into the fire science and techniques.”
“She was always a go-getter,” he said. “We taught her the ins and outs and had a great time. I think we broke her in well.”
The crew that Mischel worked with those early years gelled and they were really like a family, Walko said.
“We had a bunch of good times together,” he said. “She is a good woman and a great firefighter. It was great to have her on our team.”
Now that she is an officer on the Erie Bureau of Fire, stationed out of Engine Co. 8 on East Avenue, Mischel said she wants to be trusted and receptive in her new position and wants to continue to grow and learn.
“I definitely want to live up to the standards and hopefully will be able to achieve that,” she said.
Mischel said she has learned a little more about the firefighter in Buffalo, now retired, who was her inspiration for considering a career in firefighting from some City of Buffalo firefighters who are in her airfield firefighter unit of the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Though she has never met the woman, Mischel said she still serves as her role model.
Mischel, one of four female firefighters on the 134-member Erie Bureau of Fire and currently its only Black member, said she knows that she, too, might serve as a role model for other females and minorities in Erie who might be thinking of making firefighting a career.
“Sometimes I do see those looks I gave her when I was a kid,” she said. “I see it in the eyes of kids when they stop and look at me, never realizing that firefighters on the job are someone who looks like them.”
Walko said Mischel is a role model, and when it comes to the recruitment of minorities for the city fire bureau, “she is going to be up front with the rest of us” in fulfilling Mayor Joe Schember’s mission of increasing the diversity of the city’s public safety forces.
“She is more than willing to participate, and she is going to be an asset in recruiting,” he said.
Mischel said she tries to encourage anyone with an interest in becoming a firefighter to follow it through. She said she doesn’t believe there is anything that anyone can’t do if they want to do it, and she does not see any obstacles for women who want to do it.
“I didn’t pursue this job as a challenge or something I had to fight for. I never felt it was anything I had to prove. I had the mindset of doing it because I know I can and I feel up for it,” she said. “I think it’s just attitude. If there are young women who feel this is something they may want to do, I say go for it.”
Mischel is happy she did.
“I can’t explain it. It’s different every day,” she said of her career. “You don’t know what you are going to get. We literally save lives, and other times we’re there for support. It’s rewarding.”
___
Online:
https://bit.ly/2KpF1Yc


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Central Florida students find images of life in the pandemic

ORLANDO , Fla. ( AP ) - The assignment was to capture in photographs what already weighed heavily on most everyone ’ s mind : The way the coronavirus pandemic had altered their lives .
Students in John Burke ’ s creative photography class at Boone High School had no shortage of ideas .
They took photos of empty refrigerators , discarded face masks , overdue bills , at-home haircuts .
Tristan Kaos Green , 17 , thought about how it felt to return to Boone ’ s campus , south of downtown Orlando , when so many classmates chose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was thinking about the feeling I had when I first came back to school after COVID had happened , and I realized that none of the faces I used to see were in school anymore , ” said Tristan , a Boone senior .
“ And it was kinda scary , I ’ m not going to lie .
And it was lonely.
” He decided to photograph himself in a empty school courtyard , a face mask across his mouth and nose , his school ID around his neck and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to convey the central message on campus : “ You kinda have to distance yourself.
” The end result was striking , capturing Tristan sandwiched between the dark clouds of the sky and the stark concrete of the walkway .
Orange County Public Schools had issued an “ artists call ” for black and white photographs that showed the impact of the pandemic on students .
Students from high schools across the county submitted photos .
Tristan ’ s was one of 20 selected to hang at OCPS headquarters in downtown Orlando @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their Eyes : 2020.
” Others in the gallery highlighted a basketball hoop with a net removed at a shuttered playground , a child at a window with his hand pressed against the pane , a child on a backyard swing set , alone .
Another showed a boy , in a mask and backpack , outside a school ’ s front door .
His mirror image , faded and ghost-like , faced him .
In that second image , the boy had no mask , as if the child ’ s memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him on campus .
Burke said in class he frequently discusses how to generate interesting ideas .
“ Observe your community , observe yourself , ” he tells his students .
But his students are a creative bunch and found many ways to document life disrupted by COVID-19 concerns .
They can express in images what might be difficult to express in words , he said .
“ I am , in a good way , continually surprised by how deep they are , how pensive and reflective they are .
I certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student photographed a maximum occupancy sign with the number taped over .
A senior photographed all the college mail she ’ d received , piling it up on her bed and sharing her sense of being overwhelmed with a world that expected her to move on even as so much had changed .
Though more than half of his students are studying remotely this semester , visible in class only on a screen , an online message system allowed all of them to share their photos and their thoughts .
“ This helps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think it also helps them cope .
I ’ m anxious , but I see you ’ re anxious.
” When Tristan shared his photo , one student wrote , “ I love how empty the school is and the atmosphere is so cool.
” Tristan had a friend help with his campus photo shoot .
He said Burke , after seeing his first take , prompted him to consider ways to improve it , encouraging him to think about his position in the courtyard , the camera angle and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold feel ” he wanted .
Caitlyn Jaryszak , 17 , who took the college mail photo , also photographed her 2-year-old sister , wearing a face mask and holding aloft an expandable ball that when stretched out gave the sense the little girl was in a cage .
The Boone senior wanted to convey how much her youngest sister ’ s life was constrained by the virus .
“ It ’ s impacted her whole life so far , ” she said .
“ I feel like she hasn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was selected for the district headquarters ’ gallery .
Caitylyn said most of the time 2-year-old Phoebe is happy at home and , at her age , oblivious to the virus .
In fact , her young model was often smiling , laughing and not all that willing to stand still .
But Caitlyn managed to capture a momentarily serious look on the toddler ’ s face , and that seemed to capture 2020 .
“ I think it was a really interesting assignment , ” said Caitlyn , who is studying remotely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really cool to see everybody ’ s else work and how they thought about it and how they felt the pandemic impacted them and the community .
”

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The assignment was to capture in photographs what already weighed heavily on most everyone’s mind: The way the coronavirus pandemic had altered their lives.
Students in John Burke’s creative photography class at Boone High School had no shortage of ideas. They took photos of empty refrigerators, discarded face masks, overdue bills, at-home haircuts.
Tristan Kaos Green, 17, thought about how it felt to return to Boone’s campus, south of downtown Orlando, when so many classmates chose to study online this semester.
“I was thinking about the feeling I had when I first came back to school after COVID had happened, and I realized that none of the faces I used to see were in school anymore,” said Tristan, a Boone senior. “And it was kinda scary, I’m not going to lie. And it was lonely.”
He decided to photograph himself in a empty school courtyard, a face mask across his mouth and nose, his school ID around his neck and his backpack slung over one shoulder. He wanted to convey the central message on campus: “You kinda have to distance yourself.”
The end result was striking, capturing Tristan sandwiched between the dark clouds of the sky and the stark concrete of the walkway.
Orange County Public Schools had issued an “artists call” for black and white photographs that showed the impact of the pandemic on students. Students from high schools across the county submitted photos.
Tristan’s was one of 20 selected to hang at OCPS headquarters in downtown Orlando. The gallery was titled “Through Their Eyes: 2020.”
Others in the gallery highlighted a basketball hoop with a net removed at a shuttered playground, a child at a window with his hand pressed against the pane, a child on a backyard swing set, alone. Another showed a boy, in a mask and backpack, outside a school’s front door. His mirror image, faded and ghost-like, faced him. In that second image, the boy had no mask, as if the child’s memory of life before the pandemic was with him on campus.
Burke said in class he frequently discusses how to generate interesting ideas. “Observe your community, observe yourself,” he tells his students.
But his students are a creative bunch and found many ways to document life disrupted by COVID-19 concerns.
They can express in images what might be difficult to express in words, he said. “I am, in a good way, continually surprised by how deep they are, how pensive and reflective they are. I certainly was not at that age.”
One student photographed a maximum occupancy sign with the number taped over. A senior photographed all the college mail she’d received, piling it up on her bed and sharing her sense of being overwhelmed with a world that expected her to move on even as so much had changed.
Though more than half of his students are studying remotely this semester, visible in class only on a screen, an online message system allowed all of them to share their photos and their thoughts.
“This helps connect them,” Burke said. “I think it also helps them cope. I’m anxious, but I see you’re anxious.”
When Tristan shared his photo, one student wrote, “I love how empty the school is and the atmosphere is so cool.”
Tristan had a friend help with his campus photo shoot. He said Burke, after seeing his first take, prompted him to consider ways to improve it, encouraging him to think about his position in the courtyard, the camera angle and the tone that best gave it the “cold feel” he wanted.
Caitlyn Jaryszak, 17, who took the college mail photo, also photographed her 2-year-old sister, wearing a face mask and holding aloft an expandable ball that when stretched out gave the sense the little girl was in a cage.
The Boone senior wanted to convey how much her youngest sister’s life was constrained by the virus. “It’s impacted her whole life so far,” she said. “I feel like she hasn’t been able to explore.”
The photo also was selected for the district headquarters’ gallery.
Caitylyn said most of the time 2-year-old Phoebe is happy at home and, at her age, oblivious to the virus. In fact, her young model was often smiling, laughing and not all that willing to stand still. But Caitlyn managed to capture a momentarily serious look on the toddler’s face, and that seemed to capture 2020.
“I think it was a really interesting assignment,” said Caitlyn, who is studying remotely this semester. “And it was really cool to see everybody’s else work and how they thought about it and how they felt the pandemic impacted them and the community.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Ice dancers training in West Palm eye Beijing Olympics

BOCA RATON , Fla. ( AP ) - A skating duo - her from Boca Raton , him from Kazakhstan - hope to ice dance their way into the next Winter Olympics .
And their path to competition runs through an ice rink in West Palm Beach , where a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion from Russia coaches them .
Maxine Weatherby , 19 , came to South Florida by adoption .
Her skating partner Temirlan “ Tima ” Yerzhanov , 24 , came to the U.S. to continue training as a teen , and later followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their celebrated coach , Evgeny Platov ?
The 53-year-old and his wife thought Florida would be a great spot for a winter home , a place to dial back from decades of elite competition and the breakneck pace of a second career coaching world-class up-and-comers .
They moved to Hutchinson Island full-time five years ago .
Platov took up golf .
That ’ s not to say Platov didn ’ t slowly return to the ice when he discovered a local ice rink - more on that in a bit .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sport ’ s most exclusive circles .
Really , up until late 2018 , Weatherby and Yerzhanov weren ’ t certain they ’ d be reaching those altitudes themselves .
FINDING EACH OTHER NEXT DOOR Weatherby was the least accomplished of the three and at the time knew that if she were to continue competing it would be in ice dancing - the partnered competition that focuses on intricate footwork , choreography , and lifts as opposed to the jumps and throws of skating singles or doubles .
“ I was never fond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teen .
“ I really liked having a partner on the ice.
” But to get any further , she had lost one partner and needed to find another .
Yerzhanov was older , and had successfully competed internationally .
He too had a history in singles and doubles , but at a time when he was considering hanging up his skates , around age 15 , he got an invitation to try ice dancing instead .
He loved the change , but did not have luck keeping a partner .
Circumstances caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them .
Heading into 2019 , he needed a partner too .
The two , separated by five years in age and experience , were acquaintances , having passed each other on the ice as they practiced years earlier in Coral Springs .
Finding a skating partner is like finding a date - it usually involves a website .
And first skates .
And chemistry .
Both were striking out .
Then Weatherby ’ s mom struck matchmaker gold .
“ What about Tima ?
” she said , admittedly aiming above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , but not beyond the young woman ’ s potential .
“ For a year I was skating by myself .
People were coming from all over the states and other countries to try out .
It was a last chance for me .
And then they called , ” Yerzhanov recalled .
“ I hadn ’ t seen Maxine in a long time .
I was shocked her skills got so much better .
She ’ s also tiny , so I was thinking the lifts are going to be cool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really strong because she was a pairs skater , ” he said .
“ Funny , we were looking all over the world and she was 20 miles from us , ” Platov said .
He made the call without ever seeing them skate together in person .
“ Two seconds of video .
Done .
It was fantastic .
It just clicked , ” Platov said .
They were natural mirrors on the ice .
Their lines matched .
He later discovered their temperaments and work ethics were also in sync .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently discovered the joys of coaching youngsters and thought his life spending nights , weekends and holidays traveling the international circuit were behind him , found himself all-in once again .
The pair began training with Platov in West Palm Beach and with Platov ’ s former student John Kerr , a two-time British national ice dancing champion with sister Sinead Kerr , in Pembroke Pines .
In a field where partners skate years with one another before arriving at the world stage , Weatherby and Yerzhanov are speeding through the ranks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two had landed enough points in competitions - including a bronze medal for team Kazakhstan in Kazakhstan ’ s Denis Ten Memorial Challenge - that they were headed to Montreal for the World Championship in 2020 last March .
The bronze was particularly sweet for Yerzhanov , now a West Palm Beach resident , who was competing for the first time in his hometown and in front of his parents , who had remained in Kazakhstan and , to that point , had watched him only on video .
“ That was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , my hometown .
I wanted to show everyone who I am .
That I can skate .
Some thought I wasn ’ t good enough .
We were the only ones from Kazakhstan to medal , ” he said .
Everything was coming together .
And then COVID-19 undid the sports universe .
Not only could no one compete , but the ice rinks in South Florida were also closed .
No place to practice .
Nowhere to earn money - all three are instructors at the rink as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He welcomed the first week to help his body recover from injuries .
And then they started practicing lifts in the street in front of her house or his .
They worked on their strength and choreography and waited .
The rink ’ s owner is no stranger to adversity .
Figure-skating enthusiast Lori Alf erected Palm Beach Ice Works in 2009 , aiming to give locals a classy venue for training with an Olympic-sized rink .
A month later , she was diagnosed with cancer .
After becoming the sole survivor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to battle the economics of ice .
Making money to stay afloat for the figure skaters requires also drawing in big players like hockey teams - sometimes putting the two at odds over access to the open ice , she said .
Being a home base for Platov , Weatherby and Yerzhanov to practice and also train others has made it all worth it , Alf said .
“ When Evgeny came down to meet with me , I could tell he had a real passion for the sport .
The rink was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ ve dumped money into it to keep it open to the community .
We have strict bullying policies .
The coaches here are really about hard work , ” Alf said .
“ Evgeny is a perfect fit for me .
He ’ s a healthy person .
He ’ s had a great career , but it ’ s not about jockeying to make it about him.
” COACH WANTS SKATERS TO HAVE FUN This is something many comment on after meeting Platov , who has serious bragging rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain the only ice dancers ever to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 1994 in Norway and again in Japan in 1998 .
In those four years , they were unbeatable with 22 consecutive titles .
Even Platov will admit that Russian coaches are strict .
“ They were hardcore in my times , kind of like Navy Seal training , ” Platov said .
Training in his day meant leaving home at age 14 and rarely seeing your parents again , not even on Christmas .
He will also tell you that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time on the ice than singles and doubles skaters and hockey players too .
While figure skaters must conquer jumps , an ice dancer ’ s every step is a point won or lost in a dance choreographed and scored by the seconds .
When they aren ’ t on the ice , they ’ re studying ballet or are in the weight room .
Weatherby and Yerzhanov train four hours a day on the ice and at least an hour off six days a week .
Platov figures he ’ s tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former coaches .
“ I want to fix that element .
Fix that line .
But also make them laugh .
Make them a joy , ” Platov said .
He wants them to love the sport like his first coaches made him love it .
“ To be honest , I was looking at quieter chapter , ” Platov says with a distinct Russian accent .
“ Teach little kids .
Be a little bit away from skating .
But it didn ’ t happen.
” First , he was working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ match in Weatherby .
Now he can ’ t help thinking bigger .
COVID has given the pair more time to prepare .
They have an invitation to the 2021 World Championship .
“ Even if the Worlds are not in Sweden , all this work will not be wasted .
They ’ ll be practicing and getting better day by day , ” Platov said .
“ They ’ re improving pretty fast .
They will be ( a ) pretty good team , maybe in the future , maybe top 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing .
There are many teams in the world .
”

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) - A skating duo - her from Boca Raton, him from Kazakhstan - hope to ice dance their way into the next Winter Olympics. And their path to competition runs through an ice rink in West Palm Beach, where a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion from Russia coaches them.
Maxine Weatherby, 19, came to South Florida by adoption. Her skating partner Temirlan “Tima” Yerzhanov, 24, came to the U.S. to continue training as a teen, and later followed another coach to the Sunshine State.
Their celebrated coach, Evgeny Platov? The 53-year-old and his wife thought Florida would be a great spot for a winter home, a place to dial back from decades of elite competition and the breakneck pace of a second career coaching world-class up-and-comers.
They moved to Hutchinson Island full-time five years ago. Platov took up golf.
That’s not to say Platov didn’t slowly return to the ice when he discovered a local ice rink - more on that in a bit. But he thought he was done working in the sport’s most exclusive circles.
Really, up until late 2018, Weatherby and Yerzhanov weren’t certain they’d be reaching those altitudes themselves.
FINDING EACH OTHER NEXT DOOR
Weatherby was the least accomplished of the three and at the time knew that if she were to continue competing it would be in ice dancing - the partnered competition that focuses on intricate footwork, choreography, and lifts as opposed to the jumps and throws of skating singles or doubles.
“I was never fond of jumps,” says the petite teen. “I really liked having a partner on the ice.”
But to get any further, she had lost one partner and needed to find another.
Yerzhanov was older, and had successfully competed internationally. He too had a history in singles and doubles, but at a time when he was considering hanging up his skates, around age 15, he got an invitation to try ice dancing instead.
He loved the change, but did not have luck keeping a partner. Circumstances caused him over time to run through four of them.
Heading into 2019, he needed a partner too.
The two, separated by five years in age and experience, were acquaintances, having passed each other on the ice as they practiced years earlier in Coral Springs.
Finding a skating partner is like finding a date - it usually involves a website. And first skates. And chemistry. Both were striking out.
Then Weatherby’s mom struck matchmaker gold. “What about Tima?” she said, admittedly aiming above her daughter’s rankings at the time, but not beyond the young woman’s potential.
“For a year I was skating by myself. People were coming from all over the states and other countries to try out. It was a last chance for me. And then they called,” Yerzhanov recalled.
“I hadn’t seen Maxine in a long time. I was shocked her skills got so much better. She’s also tiny, so I was thinking the lifts are going to be cool with her. And she’s really strong because she was a pairs skater,” he said.
“Funny, we were looking all over the world and she was 20 miles from us,” Platov said. He made the call without ever seeing them skate together in person.
“Two seconds of video. Done. It was fantastic. It just clicked,” Platov said. They were natural mirrors on the ice. Their lines matched. He later discovered their temperaments and work ethics were also in sync.
BACK IN THE GAME
With that, Platov, who had recently discovered the joys of coaching youngsters and thought his life spending nights, weekends and holidays traveling the international circuit were behind him, found himself all-in once again.
The pair began training with Platov in West Palm Beach and with Platov’s former student John Kerr, a two-time British national ice dancing champion with sister Sinead Kerr, in Pembroke Pines.
In a field where partners skate years with one another before arriving at the world stage, Weatherby and Yerzhanov are speeding through the ranks.
After roughly a year together, the two had landed enough points in competitions - including a bronze medal for team Kazakhstan in Kazakhstan’s Denis Ten Memorial Challenge - that they were headed to Montreal for the World Championship in 2020 last March.
The bronze was particularly sweet for Yerzhanov, now a West Palm Beach resident, who was competing for the first time in his hometown and in front of his parents, who had remained in Kazakhstan and, to that point, had watched him only on video.
“That was one of my dreams to compete in my city, my hometown. I wanted to show everyone who I am. That I can skate. Some thought I wasn’t good enough. We were the only ones from Kazakhstan to medal,” he said.
Everything was coming together. And then COVID-19 undid the sports universe.
Not only could no one compete, but the ice rinks in South Florida were also closed. No place to practice. Nowhere to earn money - all three are instructors at the rink as well.
NO SLOWDOWN
Weatherby and Yerzhanov took it in stride. He welcomed the first week to help his body recover from injuries. And then they started practicing lifts in the street in front of her house or his. They worked on their strength and choreography and waited.
The rink’s owner is no stranger to adversity.
Figure-skating enthusiast Lori Alf erected Palm Beach Ice Works in 2009, aiming to give locals a classy venue for training with an Olympic-sized rink. A month later, she was diagnosed with cancer. After becoming the sole survivor of an experimental treatment, Alf continued to battle the economics of ice.
Making money to stay afloat for the figure skaters requires also drawing in big players like hockey teams - sometimes putting the two at odds over access to the open ice, she said.
Being a home base for Platov, Weatherby and Yerzhanov to practice and also train others has made it all worth it, Alf said.
“When Evgeny came down to meet with me, I could tell he had a real passion for the sport. The rink was built as a gift to the community. We’ve dumped money into it to keep it open to the community. We have strict bullying policies. The coaches here are really about hard work,” Alf said. “Evgeny is a perfect fit for me. He’s a healthy person. He’s had a great career, but it’s not about jockeying to make it about him.”
COACH WANTS SKATERS TO HAVE FUN
This is something many comment on after meeting Platov, who has serious bragging rights. He and his partner Oksana Grishuk remain the only ice dancers ever to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 1994 in Norway and again in Japan in 1998. In those four years, they were unbeatable with 22 consecutive titles.
Even Platov will admit that Russian coaches are strict.
“They were hardcore in my times, kind of like Navy Seal training,” Platov said.
Training in his day meant leaving home at age 14 and rarely seeing your parents again, not even on Christmas.
He will also tell you that ice dancers then and now put more time on the ice than singles and doubles skaters and hockey players too.
While figure skaters must conquer jumps, an ice dancer’s every step is a point won or lost in a dance choreographed and scored by the seconds. When they aren’t on the ice, they’re studying ballet or are in the weight room.
Weatherby and Yerzhanov train four hours a day on the ice and at least an hour off six days a week.
Platov figures he’s tough, but not as tough as his former coaches.
“I want to fix that element. Fix that line. But also make them laugh. Make them a joy,” Platov said. He wants them to love the sport like his first coaches made him love it.
“To be honest, I was looking at quieter chapter,” Platov says with a distinct Russian accent. “Teach little kids. Be a little bit away from skating. But it didn’t happen.”
First, he was working with Yerzhanov. Then along came a perfect match in Weatherby. Now he can’t help thinking bigger.
COVID has given the pair more time to prepare. They have an invitation to the 2021 World Championship.
“Even if the Worlds are not in Sweden, all this work will not be wasted. They’ll be practicing and getting better day by day,” Platov said. “They’re improving pretty fast. They will be (a) pretty good team, maybe in the future, maybe top 10 in the world. That would be amazing. There are many teams in the world.”