Showing posts with label US st Florida Key West 2007 Feb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US st Florida Key West 2007 Feb. Show all posts

Friday, February 16, 2007

20070216 County responds to major storm



County responds to major storm

Carroll County, Maryland, USA

February 16th, 2007

While I was on the phone with Vivian Laxton, W.A.B., the public information officer for Carroll County; the picture above was my view from my office in Key West.

Ms. Laxton, please enjoy the picture and please know that the wind has picked up down here and the skies have become overcast. So much so that while I was talking with you on the phone, I had to put on a long sleeved shirt.

The bottom photo is from when I was I was talking with the Westminster Police Chief, Jeff Spaulding and Ashley Reams, a reporter with the Westminster Advocate, earlier in the day.

Yeah, I’m thinking of all of ya. We’re roughing it down here – and I know you care. I guess the temperature has dipped to the high 70s.

Anyway, now where was I? Oh, that’s right, the press release from Ms. Laxton, W.A.B., P.I.O. for Carroll County

CARROLL COUNTY a great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play

News Release

For more information, contact: Vivian D. Laxton, W.A.B., Public Information Administrator.

For Immediate Release

County responds to major storm

http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/releases/stormtotals.pdf

February 15, 2007 - Carroll County's Department of Public Works employees spent approximately 6,160 man-hours clearing 973 miles of county-maintained roads during and after the winter storm that moved through the area Tuesday and Wednesday, February 13-14.

Crews began treating roads at 4 a.m. on Tuesday and continued well into Thursday. One to 3 inches of snow fell during the day Tuesday. Between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, another 6 to 7 inches of sleet fell over much of the county. When rain began to mix with sleet early Wednesday, the sleet soaked up the moisture like a sponge. The extreme weight of the
precipitation made it difficult for plows to move.

With approximately 110 employees clearing 50 snow plow routes, usually streets can be cleared of 6 inches of snow eight hours after the storm ends. Because of the heavy accumulation, the Valentine's Day storm took twice as long to clear. About 2,500 tons of salt were used by county crews. Sixty-two pieces of equipment, including 55 trucks, six motor graders and a rubber tire loader, were utilized by the county and its contractors to plow.

In addition, the county's Department of General Services had crews working from midnight Monday through Thursday to clear ice and sleet from parking lots at Carroll Community College, the Circuit Courthouses, senior centers, libraries, Carroll Area Transit Service, Board of Education, and county offices.

Approximately 51 employees worked to clear the lots and 2+ miles of sidewalks, half a mile of ramps and steps, and 15 trucks and numerous heavy-duty shovels and ice chippers. Two front-end loaders were rented to push the snow off the lots and to clear drains. The Bureau of Fleet Management worked 12-hour shifts to keep county trucks operating, fixing hydraulic lines and pumps, transmissions, rear axles, windshield wipers, and welds on plows.

The Office of Emergency Management continuously monitored conditions throughout the storm. The only major incident reported was a roof collapse at a barn in New Windsor. None of the 25 head of cattle inside was injured.

Because most businesses closed and residents stayed off the roads, the number of traffic accidents was kept to a minimum. Law enforcement agencies reported a total of 70 weather-related incidents through the duration of the storm, not counting in Westminster City.

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20070216 A Meaningful Job




A Meaningful job

February 16th, 2007

In my search for meaningful employment, I may have stumbled upon something. I could clean the seaweed off the beaches in Key West.

I’m perfectly qualified and I would perform the task with enthusiasm and gusto.

Whadda ya think?

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20070215 Louie’s Back Yard

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Louie’s Back Yard Key West

February 15th, 2007

http://www.louiesbackyard.com/

20070215 License Plate spotted in Key West


License Plate spotted in Key West
(I photoshopped two of the letters/numbers out of the plate...)

February 15th, 2007

“billoreilly.com… The Spin Stops Here!”

Mr. O’Reilly would be proud.

(Picture of Mr. O’Reilly from http://www.billoreilly.com/)


20070215 Key West Key Lime Pie




Key West Key Lime Pie

February 15th, 2007

Apparently the Key Lime Pie maven in Westminster is the Westminster City Clerk, Laurell Taylor. This post and photographs are in her honor.

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Thursday, February 15, 2007

20070214 Key West The Day in Pictures









Key West - The Day in Pictures

February 14th, 2007

Top to bottom:

Key West Light House

Ernest’s Café

Do Not Feed the Chickens

A friendly chicken near Mallory Square

A Key West door

Mallory Square

Cayo Hueso Habana sign in Mallory Square

Sculpture in front of the old Custom’s House

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20070214 Southernmost Point




Southernmost Point – Key West

February 14th, 2007

20070214 Gauging A Presidential Legacy





20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

My Tentacle column for this week is up: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Pictured to the left is the executive director of the Little White House Museum, in Key West Florida, Robert J. Wolz on February 12, 2007

February 14, 2007

Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently political pundits have spent a great deal of effort pondering the legacy of President George W. Bush. Of course, those of us who consider ourselves to be students of history understand that history needs much more time and distance in order to accurately gauge the legacy and historical impact of any particular president.

Yet, uncannily, there are many parallels shared in the legacy of our 33rd president, Harry S Truman and President Bush, our 43rd president; and it is only understandable that the comparisons persist.

I took the opportunity Monday to tour President Truman's Key West White House, known as the "Little White House," in order to re-acquaint myself with the great legacy of the now-legendary president.

After the tour I interviewed the executive director of the Little White House Museum, Robert J. Wolz, at great length. The tour guide, David Lynch and Mr. Wolz are both walking encyclopedias on the life and times of President Truman.

Mr. Wolz says, with a certain "I told you so" confidence, that it is "remarkable that President Truman has gone from the least popular president of all time to the fifth most successful."

President Truman first arrived in Key West in November 1946, just days after the majority party in Congress had changed in the mid-term elections. In his case, Republicans reclaimed Congress for the first time since the administration of Republican President Herbert Hoover, the man who had immediately preceded President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read the rest here: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

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Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

20070214 Greetings from Key West

Greetings from Key West

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day

Around lunchtime, when I took the picture above, I got a phone call from WJZ reporter Mike Schuh
[1]. He was in Westminster tracking down a snow story.

For twenty years as an elected official, I got to work with many great journalists from the print, radio, and TV media. Mike Schuh is one of the best of the best. Always pre-occupied with getting it right and reporting relevant and community-oriented news – he is “real people.”

For more on Mr. Schuh – go here. And be sure to read his “A Bakers Dozen of Sensible Schuh's.”

Later – I checked in on how Mr. Schuh was making-out getting the story in Westminster. I was at Southernmost Point at the time… I’ll post that picture separately…

















UPDATE: For Mr. Schuh’s reporting of the snow event in Westminster go here: http://wjz.com/video/?id=24955@wjz.dayport.com

_____
[1] Mike Schuh, WJZ Channel 13 Reporter

February 14th, 2007

http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_053095449

Mike Schuh joined WJZ Eyewitness News as a general assignment reporter in April, 1993. In 2002 Mike won a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting. During his career at Eyewitness News he has also earned 7 Emmy Awards for Hard News Investigations, General News Reporting and Features Reporting.

Mike came to WJZ after reporting for other television stations in Indianapolis, Louisville, Missouri and Illinois. In 1983 he received his B.S. Degree in News Reporting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mike lives near Towson with his wife and one very, very energetic daughter.

20070214 Greetings from Key West

Greetings from Key West

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day

Around lunchtime, when I took the picture above, I got a phone call from WJZ reporter Mike Schuh
[1]. He was in Westminster tracking down a snow story.

For twenty years as an elected official, I got to work with many great journalists from the print, radio, and TV media. Mike Schuh is one of the best of the best. Always pre-occupied with getting it right and reporting relevant and community-oriented news – he is “real people.”

For more on Mr. Schuh – go here. And be sure to read his “A Bakers Dozen of Sensible Schuh's.”

Later – I checked in on how Mr. Schuh was making-out getting the story in Westminster. I was at Southernmost Point at the time… I’ll post that picture separately…

















UPDATE: For Mr. Schuh’s reporting of the snow event in Westminster go here: http://wjz.com/video/?id=24955@wjz.dayport.com

_____
[1] Mike Schuh, WJZ Channel 13 Reporter

February 14th, 2007

http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_053095449

Mike Schuh joined WJZ Eyewitness News as a general assignment reporter in April, 1993. In 2002 Mike won a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting. During his career at Eyewitness News he has also earned 7 Emmy Awards for Hard News Investigations, General News Reporting and Features Reporting.

Mike came to WJZ after reporting for other television stations in Indianapolis, Louisville, Missouri and Illinois. In 1983 he received his B.S. Degree in News Reporting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mike lives near Towson with his wife and one very, very energetic daughter.

20070214 Our Home away from home in Key West



Our Home away from home in Key West

February 14th, 2007

Of course, we’re roughing it down here in Key West. Today it was in the 80s, the sun was out and it was another gorgeous day.

We ate lunch at a Cuban restaurant at Mallory Square, slipped down to Southernmost Point for a quick photo and then toured Hemingway’s house at 907 Whitehead Street.

Folks have asked where we are staying, so we thought that we show ya a picture of the place.

Yeah, it’s kind of ostentatious but we love it.

Yes, those are our chickens. They are quite friendly.

Okay, I thought I would wash the windows, feed the chickens and spruce the place up a bit. I’ll write more later.

Kevin and the Math Potatoes.

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20070213 Rooftop Gardens in Key West


The Rooftop Gardens above the Whiskey Bar on Duval Street in Key West

February 13th, 2007

20070213 The Yellow Bicycle


The Yellow Bicycle

February 13th, 2007

Friday, February 9, 2007

20070209 Feather Eyes


Feather Eyes

February 9th, 2007

“Feather Eyes” is actually a photo of the cover photo of one of the airline magazines. I wish that I had recorded the photographer and the name of the magazine, but I did not. It is not “my picture.” It is my picture of someone else’s picture. Nevertheless, I just thought it was fun…

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