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Big Band Report
Swingin' Into Spring, Poston-Style
Before delving into specifics, let's set the scene. Swing Into Spring was held May 24-27 at the Sheraton LAX Four Points Hotel, more precisely in two ground-level rooms, with concerts in the California Ballroom, most films and all panel discussions in the nearby San Diego Room. The low-slung, dimly lit ballroom is large enough to accommodate several hundred people, yet small enough to spark a number of well-aimed rants about the sound system in general and the volume level in particular. More about that later. As for the level of musicianship, trombonist Bill Watrous summed that up nicely during his set when he observed that "all of the musicians you're hearing this week are world-class. Yes, a number of the sidemen and women were seen and heard more than once (trumpeter Bob "Iron Man Summers played in no less than nine ensembles and was given the tongue-in-cheek "ubiquitous award by Gordon Goodwin), but without their remarkable talent and chameleon-like ability to perform brilliantly in any framework such a spectacular event wouldn't be feasible.
Betty and I arrived in L.A. on Tuesday evening, as we wanted to be alert and ready when the buses rolled at 9:30 Wednesday morning. The trip to Balboa took less than an hour, and we disembarked under sunny skies with the temperature around 70. Our "tour guide, Ken Poston, led us to the site of the former Rendezvous Ballroom, now an apartment complex (the Rendezvous burned down in 1966) and to other sites associated with Kenton including a nearby gazebo with a plaque listing the names of members of Kenton's first band (including bassist Howard Rumsey who was there for the occasion). We were free to wander around Balboa for an hour before heading to the Pavilion for lunch. The Mike Vax band was setting up as we chose our seats, and shortly thereafter we experienced one of those rare moments in life that should always be cherished. Seated in an opulent ballroom on a gorgeous spring day, I was about to take a bite of chicken cacciatore when Vax counted down and the band launched into Bill Holman's definitive arrangement of "Stompin' At The Savoy (played at precisely the right tempo). It was the perfect beginning to a wonderful afternoon of music.
The band followed "Savoy with Willie Maiden's "Walk Softly and Holman's "Song for Buddy, the last written for trumpeter Buddy Childers and featuring Vax and Carl Saunders. A phone call was placed to Childers' home so he could hear the piece played over the phone in his honor but the response was that he was napping and couldn't be wakened, a moment whose import was amplified the following afternoon when another fine trumpeter, Steve Huffsteter, disclosed to the audience during his band's performance that Buddy had passed away during the night. Needless to say, a great loss to the Jazz community, and I'd say more about it here but Buddy deserves an article of his own, which will be forthcoming next month.
Returning to the music, the Vax ensemble continued with Ray Brown's "Neverbird, the late Frank Mantooth's breathtaking arrangement of "Young And Foolish (showcasing pianist Jeff Colella who was sitting in for Florence), Kim Richmond's "Horizon Under, Gene Roland's "The Blues Story, and closed the first set with the ever-popular "Peanut Vendor, during which the members of the trumpet section left the stage and circulated among the audience while nailing the high notes. After a break, the band returned with Richmond's "The Big Sur, the Marty Paich arrangement of "My Old Flame, Kenton's "Reed Rapture and Bill Russo's treatment of "Over The Rainbow. Scott Whitfield left the 'bone section to team with vocalist Ginger Berglund on the Jackie Cain-Roy Kral favorite, "You Inspire Me, and fellow trombonist Kenny Shroyer soloed on Cole Porter's "Get Out Of Town, as he had on Kenton's album Back To Balboa nearly half a century ago. The band wrapped things up with Richmond's lively arrangement of Ray Wetzel's "Intermission Riff. Besides Vax, Saunders, Colella and Shroyer, the band's group of impressive soloists included Whitfield, Richmond, Huffsteter, alto saxophonist Keith Bishop and tenor Billy Kerr.
Following the return trip to L.A., supper and a good night's sleep, we were ready for the "official opening Thursday morning of Swing Into Spring. Each of the four days was begun with a film, the first of which was "Drop Me Off In Harlem (the pre-swing era). It was followed on Friday by "The Swing Era, on Saturday by "Big Bands In Transition, and on Sunday by "Music For Moderns. In keeping with the event's "baseball theme, the "first pitch was delivered (in the San Diego Room) by Tommy Hawkins, actually an ex-basketball star (All-American at Notre Dame, pro career with the L.A. Lakers and Cincinnati Royals), a lifelong jazz fan, motivational speaker and weekend deejay at KJAZ in Los Angeles. His humorous and provocative discourse preceded the first of the weekend's four poolside concerts, presented by the Los Angeles County High School for the Performing Arts under director Jason Goldman. I'll admit that I caught only parts of each noontime concert (lunch plans kept getting in the way), but what I heard was quite good.
Scott Whitfield's Jazz Orchestra West was first up in the California Ballroom and delivered a solid hour-long set that included Hank Mobley's "This I Dig Of You, Lee Morgan's lovely "Ceora, four of Whitfield's compositions"To Be There, "The Minute Game, "Splat!, "Hiccups and a duet by Scott and Ginger Berglund on Frank Loesser's "Slow Boat To China. Bob Summers, making his first appearance of the weekend, was one of a number of splendid soloists that included Whitfield, trumpeter Larry Williams, alto saxophonist Rusty Higgins, tenor saxophonists Roger Neumann and Andy Martinez, bassist Jennifer Leitham and drummer Kendall Kay. The trombone section (Whitfield, Gary Tole, Bryant Byers) bared its formidable chops on "Splat!
The afternoons were partly given over to panel discussions, the first of which, "The Big Leagues, was moderated by Larry Hathaway with panelists Whitfield, Neumann, Huffsteter and drummer Frank Capp. As usual, each one showed a sharp sense of humor that isn't always evident when he is busy leading a band. As the door has been opened, let's quickly survey the other panels as well. Friday"Grand Slam, moderated by Kirk Silsbee with panelists Ann Patterson, Mike Barone, Carl Saunders (another funny cat) and Gordon Goodwin. Saturday"Murderer's Row with Silsbee overseeing Gene Norman, Don Menza, Tom Kubis, Gerald Wilson, Bill Watrous, Buddy Collette and Gerry Gibbs. Sunday"Around The Horn with Poston (moderator) and panelists Phil Norman, Jack Wheaton, Wayne Bergeron and Sonny LaRosa (the first question, directed to Bergeron, was "how did you get started? Wayne gave a five-minute reply worthy of a Jerry Seinfeld standup comedy routine, and that was only for openers). A fifth panel discussion, "Remembering Don Ellis, was held Sunday afternoon with Nick DiScala moderating panelists Patterson, Milcho Leviev, Fred Selden and Sam Falzone.
After Thursday afternoon's panel there was time to squeeze in two more concerts before supper, the first of which was presented by Roger Neumann's Rather Large Band (not "rather large big band, as he reminded his audience). Alto saxophonist Brian Scanlon was showcased on "Pennies From Heaven in a set that included "Undecided, "For Heaven's Sake, "The Cat Walk, Gerry Mulligan's "Elevation, Billy Strayhorn's "Take The 'A' Train and Madeline Vergari (Neumann) singing Sammy Nestico's arrangement of Ray Noble's "The Very Thought Of You. Neumann and Jennifer Hall engaged in a baritone saxophone "duel on "Cat Walk, while tubaist Jim Self thundered forth on "Elevation. Trumpeters Summers, Stacy Rowles and Jack Coan, tenor saxophonist Lee Callet and pianist Tom Ranier were among the other soloists. Huffsteter, whose sad duty it was to announce the passing of Buddy Childers, was next up with his big band, and it was at this point that the eye strain became too pronounced and I stopped taking notes. It was, however, another excellent set (dedicated to Childers' memory), and I seem to recall the ensemble performing "Soul Foo Yung (Doug Webb, tenor saxophone; Rick Keller, alto saxophone), "Astral Glide (Keller, soprano saxophone; Chris Connor, bass; Dave Tull, drums) and "Slo Flo (Jerry Pinter, tenor saxophone) among other tunes. They may also have played "A Waltz And Battery but I'm not sure about that one. In any event, all of those numbers are on the band's new CD, Live At Café 322, which I'm looking forward to hearing as soon as I have a spare moment. There was one anomalythe trumpet section consisted of Pete DeSiena, Lee Thornburg (from The Tonight Show band), Larry McGuire and Mark Lewis. No Bob Summers!
After supper came two concerts in onedrummer Frank Capp's Juggernaut, wailing on those good old Basie charts by Sammy Nestico and others, and vocalist Ernie Andrews backed by the Juggernaut in a program of well-known standards. Summers was back for this gig, complementing DeSiena, Ron King and Dan Bryan in the trumpet section. The standout soloists included Summers; saxophonists Webb, Lanny Morgan and Gene Cipriano; trombonists Charlie Morillas and Bob McChesney; pianist John Proulx, bassist Jim Hughart and of course, Capp at the drum kit. Alas, Andrews' smooth baritone saxophone was ill-served by the subpar sound system and wayward acoustics, but from what one could hear he is singing about as well as ever.
Friday's early film and a poolside concert by the Riverside Community College Jazz Ensemble, directed by Charlie Richard, were followed by another in the seemingly endless series of highlights, saxophonist Ann Patterson's all-female Maiden Voyage Big Band, which proved conclusively that one doesn't have to have an adam's apple to swing. The mouth-watering menu, which included "There Will Never Be Another You, Melba Liston's "Melba's Blues and "Just For You, Cedar Walton's "Bolivia, Rodgers and Hammerstein's "I Enjoy Being A Girl, Stacy Rowles' ardent vocal on "God Bless The Child, and an up-tempo romp called "Hammy that featured "the two Jennifers, Hall on baritone saxophone, Krupa on trombone, was warmly appreciated by the audience, so much so that Maiden Voyage was the only band we heard that was unable to leave the stage without playing an encoreCharlie Chaplin's "Smile (on which Patterson, Hall, Ariel Alexander, Sharon Hirata and Scheila Gonzales formed a charming five-flute choir).
Not to be outdone, composer/arranger/trombonist Mike Barone reached deep into his bag of tricks later that afternoon and stir-fried tasty new arrangements of such well-cooked chestnuts as "Melancholy Baby, "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?, "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby, "Darktown Strutters Ball, "Avalon and Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean. Completing the spellbinding program were Bobby Timmons' funky "Dat Dere and Barone's "Elkhart (based, quite naturally, on "Indiana ). The ensemble was in superlative form (especially its sterling rhythm section comprised of pianist Proulx, bassist Joel Hamilton and drummer Paul Kreibich), as were the soloists, including Summers (again), trombonists Barone and Dave Ryan, and saxophonists Bishop, Brian Williams and Kim Richmond, who like Summers and others was a standout in several ensembles. Note to Mike B: when you ask an audience to identify a song, be sure you get it right yourself. It's not "Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue (even though that's part of the lyric) but "Has Anybody Seen My Gal? We'll forgive you this time...but don't let it happen again.
After Barone's band left the stage we were hungrynot for food but for more music, and Carl Saunders' Be Bop Big Band did its level best to assuage our appetite. Carl, as you may know, is one of those rare birds who can sit in any chair in the trumpet section and feel quite at home, playing lead, jazz or anything else. He soloed brilliantly, as usual, on Jerome Kern's "Dearly Beloved and with alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan on "Cotton Mouth. The trombone tandem of Scott Whitfield and Andy Martin captivated the audience on "Some 'Bones Of Contention, as did Scanlon and trumpeter Ron Stout on "Never Always. Saunders rang down the curtain with Bronislau Kaper's seductive "Invitation.
As supper was running late, we had to pass on the first of the event's small-group sessions, by the Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Sextet, but heard many positive comments about the band's impressive musicianship and unflagging energy. Besides drummer Gibbs, scion of the renowned vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, the members of the sextet were reedmen Rob Hardt, Justin Vasquez and Eric Hargett, pianist Andy Langhan and bassist Derek Oles.
Speaking of energy, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, the last to bat on Friday evening, furnished that in abundance, thundering through an hour-long program whose unabashed enthusiasm was equaled only by its remarkable proficiency. A few people grumbled later that the band was too slick and well-rehearsed, but what's so bad about playing good? (I know, that should be "playing well it's called poetic license, or something like that). Goodwin had an all-star in every chair, and they played like it. As for the material, it consisted entirely (I believe) of Goodwin's charts, and they were sharp and wide-ranging, from the opening "High Maintenance through "El Macho Muchacho, "Count Bubba's Revenge, "Theme From Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes, "Chance Encounters, "Lipsmanship, "So CloseAnd Yet So Far, "Horn Of Puente and "Swingin' For The Fences (a.k.a. "Sweet Georgia Brown"). Trumpeter Wayne Bergeron was featured on "Puente, trombonist Andy Martin on "So Close, tenor saxophonist Jeff Driskill on "Encounters, Goodwin's formidable trumpet section (Bergeron, Summers, Dan Fornero, Dan Savant) on the tortuous "Lipsmanship. A wonderful way to end the day.
Saturday morning dawned far too early, and we were only halfway to the finish line. The film was early too, as was the poolside session by the Saddleback College Big Band directed by Joey Sellers, which meant that Gerry Gibbs' second performance, this time with his eighteen-member Thrasher Big Band, coincided with the lunch hour. A difficult choice, but food won out and we saw and heard only a part of Gerry's concert. Like the sextet, the larger ensemble exudes raw energy, and Gerry's drums were literally taking a beating. I can't say what tunes were on the list (you probably wouldn't know them anyway) except for dad Terry's "That's Why It's Called The Blues and the zestful closer, Randy Brecker's "Some Skunk Funk, which was well-played but far too drawn out. Vocalist Joan Carroll was quite good on "You've Changed and "I'm Playing The Field.
Next up was one of my favorite arrangers, the incomparable Tom Kubis, who brought along some great players to interpret his entrancing charts and featured a number of them in one of the week's most persuasive performances. Trumpeters Jeff Bunnel and Stan Martin were front and center on W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues, bass trombonist Rich Bullock on Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore, trombonist Andy Martin on Juan Tizol's "Caravan, trombonist Alex Iles and alto saxophonist Rusty Higgins on "Frankie And Johnny, the trombone section (Martin, Iles, Bullock, Charlie Morillas) on "Bill Bailey. Kubis threw in a pair of typically dazzling originals, "Hospital Blues (featuring Wayne Bergeron's soaring trumpet) and "Samba Dees Godda Do It, on which Morillas, guitarist Mike Higgins and Kubis, on soprano saxophone, were awesome.
It's good that a panel discussion followed, as I needed time to catch my breath and regain my equilibrium after that invigorating set. The respite ended with the introduction of the first of two more dynamic bands, led respectively by Don Menza and Bill Watrous, with Menza's ensemble first onstage in the California Ballroom. Don opened with his arrangement of "Caravan, showcasing his tenor and the band's superb pianist, Tom Ranier. Menza was featured again on the ballad "Where Did Summer Go, trumpeter Ron King on Menza's "Rose Tattoo, alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan on a ballad whose name I didn't catch, the trombone section (Alex Iles, Bob McChesney, Charlie Loper, Bill Reichenbach) on the lively "T 'n T, the trumpet section (Summers, King, Thornburg, Chuck Findley) on the fast-paced "Dizzyland.
No doubt a tough act to follow, but Watrous and his mates were up to the challenge, blowing hot, cool and ardently through a program that included three charts by Gordon Goodwin ("It'll Count If It Goes, "Mama Llama Samba, "I Got D' Zzzzzs ), Johnny Mandel's "Emily (a handsome vehicle for Watrous's glossy trombone) and a tune whose name sounded like "Rhythm Samba (I hope I got that right). Watrous and pianist Jim Cox shared solo honors on the opener, "Low Life, with other cogent statements along the way courtesy of alto saxophonist Glen Berger, tenor saxophonist Billy Kerr, trumpeters Summers and Huffsteter, trombonist McChesney and bassist Trey Henry. Drummer Ray Brinker was a paragon of perception and power, as he was in the ensembles led by Kubis and Wayne Bergeron.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday the hotel had prepared special buffet dinners to be served in the lobby area, and those who hung around to sample the food were treated to a special event, a crowd-pleasing showcase concert by Sonny LaRosa and America's Youngest Jazz Band, a group of twenty-two well-dressed and confident musicians from Florida ranging in age from four(!) to thirteen years. A bandstand was set up in the lobby area (this was the only concert not held in the ballroom or at poolside), and no matter what food the onlookers had ordered, LaRosa's kids soon had them eating out of their hands. This was especially true of the band's lone four-year-old, vocalist Shekinah Martin, and thirteen-year-old drummer Trey Moore who wowed the audience on his feature, "Sing Sing Sing. But LaRosa, who formed the band with less than half a dozen eager beginners almost thirty years ago, sees to it that everyone has at least one chance to shine, and each one makes the most of it. Standing ovations were the order of the day, and even though the music was fairly simple and straightforward, as one would expect from kids their age, it was nonetheless pleasing. Saturday was Sonny's eighty-first birthday (how's that for polarity?), which gave everyone a chance to wish him many more. As for AYJB, it reprised its spirited performance for another appreciative audience at poolside on Sunday.
Saturday evening was reserved for two veterans of the big-band scene, Buddy Collette and the seemingly ageless Gerald Wilson, each of whom fronted his own band. Buddy, who's been confined to a wheelchair since suffering a stroke, was first up, and as I've been an admirer of his for many years, it saddens me to report that his band's concert was, in my opinion, the most problematic and slipshod of the week. The brass sounded disoriented and out of sync, nor did the reeds fare much better. One may ascribe some of the problem to the sound system, but not all of it. The band simply seemed unprepared, and that's a shame. On the plus side, vocalist Cheryl Conley sang well on "Witchcraft and "Peel Me A Grape. Beyond that, there's not much to say except that the rhythm section (Larry Nash, piano; Doug MacDonald, guitar; Richard Simon, bass; Harold Mason, drums) did its best to hold things together under trying conditions.
Wilson's orchestra, on the other hand, was focused and ready, opening with a seductive "Blues (For The Count) before featuring soprano saxophonist Scott Mayo on one of five movements from Wilson's "Theme For Monterey. The set also included Miles Davis' "Milestones and Wilson's "Blues For Yna Yna before closing with a pair of his Latin-inflected compositions, "Carlos and "Viva Tirado, both dedicated to acclaimed bullfighters. Saxophonists Mayo, Louis Taylor, Carl Randall, Kamasi Washington and Jack Nimitz got a workout on "Milestones, while trumpeter Ron Barrows had the spotlight to himself on "Carlos. Trumpeter Snooky Young, like Wilson an octogenarian, soloed briefly on "Count before taking his leave shortly before the leader counted the tempo on "Milestones. Among Wilson's more impressive soloists were two of his "students at USC, Washington and trombonist Isaac Smith. Judging from what was heard, it shouldn't be long before they are teaching others.
Anyone who believed that Sunday should be a day of rest hadn't reckoned on Poston, who summoned everyone to the ballroom at eight a.m. for the fourth of five films, then to the San Diego Room for Panel No. 4. After the Youngest Jazz Band's well-received poolside concert it was time for another group of relative youngsters, the hand-picked Collegiate Neophonic Orchestra of Southern California, to take center stage. Director Jack Wheaton had the ensemble well-prepared, and there were no missteps in a program that included two of Bill Holman's electrifying charts, "Limehouse Blues and "What's New, alongside "Perdido, Kenton's "Concerto To End All Concertos, James Moody's "Moody's Mood and Johnny Richards' "La Suerte De Los Tontos from the Kenton orchestra's Cuban Fire suite, among others. Soloists were bright and resourceful, especially saxophonists Andrew Balogh, Steve Horist and Fermin Chavez, trumpeter Brian Owen, pianist Hiroe Sekine, bassist Carter Wallace and drummer Jonathan Bradley. The saxophone section was especially impressive in recreating Moody's memorable solo on "Mood. The audience was small but the response was upbeat and appreciative.
Wayne Bergeron's band was next up, and if the students weren't taking notes they should have been. Bergeron featured himself on Bill Liston's "Friend Like Me, pianist Christian Jacob and alto saxophonist Rusty Higgins on Liston's adaptation of Tchaikovsky's "Waltz Of The Flowers from the Nutcracker suite. After a flag-waver whose long name sounded something like "You Ate What, Mr. Sousaphone?, Bergeron teamed with trumpeter Warren Luening on "Maynard and Waynard, which Wayne had recorded with his role model, Maynard Ferguson, on the band's recent album, Plays Well With Others. Andy Martin was featured on the standard "I Thought About You, which preceded Tom Kubis's arrangement of "You Go To My Head. After reprising the Ray Charles hit, "Georgia, the band closed with a pair of originals by Kubis, "High Clouds And A Good Chance Of Wayne (featuring guess-who) and "Rhythm Method. Another in a series of gratifying performances.
Following the last of the panel discussions, much of the late afternoon was set aside for the film Don Ellis: Electric Heart, a documentary that scans the life of the iconoclastic trumpeter who died twenty-nine years ago at age forty-four. If one managed to remain seated through the first twenty minutes or so, he or she may have gained some insight into Ellis' music while viewing vintage clips of his band that are palatable if not spellbinding. But those first twenty minutes are positively deadly! Ellis is seen performing (the term is used loosely) a train-wreck of a concert with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic that should have been left on the cutting-room floor. Sorry, Ellis fans, but it is travesties such as this one that have helped cause the undoing of Jazz as we know it. My opinion, of course. The rest of the film is appreciably better, even though the narrator (and I don't know who she is) has to be among the worst I've ever heard (where is Orson Welles when we need him?). Note to producer John Vizzusi: scrap the NY Phil and lead with the Bulgarian tune, which at least has energy and purpose. To his credit, Vizzusi says the film is a work in progress and is being trimmed and revised prior to an international tour.
The meter was already running overtime when Phil Norman's Tentet came onstage to hustle through an agreeable set that included two charts, "Sugar and "Claire De Lune, by the man who couldn't be there, Bob Florence; Sonny Rollins' "Doxy, smartly arranged by Roger Neumann; Kim Richmond's study of "The Outlaw and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds, and, once again, "La Suerte De Los Tontos from Cuban Fire. With the finish line within shouting distance, Betty and I joined Norm and Faye Tompach for supper and pleasant conversation, returning to the hotel in time to catch only a part of Adventures In Time, performed by an all-star band directed by Jack Wheaton and showcasing a number of Stan Kenton alumni. While we didn't hear enough to form an opinion, the reviews we heard were decidedly mixed.
By now Betty and I were feeling rather frazzled, and having seen and been less than inspired by the Don Ellis film decided to skip the last concert, performed by the Don Ellis Alumni Band directed by pianist Milcho Leviev, about which we heard glowing reports from a number of those who attended. Even so, I don't suspect it is something we would have especially appreciated. When all is said and done I'm a four-four guy who has trouble following anything more elaborate, even if it does swing, which Ellis surely did on occasion. On Monday, we left Swing Into Spring behind and swung onto a plane headed back to Albuquerque and home.
Some final thoughts....
Before closing, I feel obliged to address some issues that arose during the event and have been discussed (ad infinitum) at various web sites since then. First, the sound system. Yes, everything was over-mic'd and over-amplified, and yes, the bands would have sounded better had there been less messing with the natural sound. But that's the rule today, not the exception. Every band I've heard from middle school on up for the last several years has used enough microphones and amps to make a gentle breeze sound like a roaring hurricane. It didn't start with Poston, nor will it end there. It's something we'll either have to live with or stay home. The crushing wall of sound is one of two reasons I always sit in the back row at big-band concerts (the other is that no one ever says "take off your hat ). Of course, not everyone can do that (there's only one back row). Ear plugs may help (Betty had to put fingers in her ears during especially agonizing passages). Aside from that, not much can be done unless the audience is allowed to vote for acoustic or amplified sound (an interesting albeit idealistic concept).
Second, the number of musicians playing in more than one band. In this case, that was unavoidable but hardly epidemic. I didn't count heads but others did. According to the UK's Gordon Sapsed, there were 235 musicians (pro division) performing. "Of that number, he writes, "less than ten percent played more than two sets and only thirteen played more than three. Bob Summers played in nine bands, Andy Martin in six, and I remember seeing trumpeter Pete DeSiena in several. But they were the exceptions, and if it hadn't been for their presence some groups may have come up short in the "all hands on deck department. That wasn't an issue with me then (every band is more or less different, no matter who's in what chair) and it isn't now.
Third, who was "best among the groups or "better than the others. I won't even go there. Almost everyone had his or her own favorites, and perhaps I did too, but I'm not saying who they were. The fact is, I enjoyed almost everything I heard, and hope others felt the same. As Bill Watrous noted, "these are world-class musicians. Some may knock them; I won't. If any were less than pleasing to my ears, I've said that. But that's as far as it goes.
Fourth, the lack of diversity within the bands. That, I will readily admit, is a problem. But I don't have an answer. While the scarcity of black musicians has been duly noted (aside from the Collette and Wilson bands, one could tally the number on one hand with fingers to spare), I was struck as well by the conspicuous absence of women. Ann Patterson's Maiden Voyage left no doubt that they can play, but I counted only ten (including Patterson, Jennifer Hall and horn players Stephanie O'Keefe and Kristin Morrison) in other groups (aside from vocalists, that is). Baritone Nancy Newman and bassist Kristin Korb played in Mike Vax's band at Balboa. Bassist Jennifer Leitham is one of the best, and we also heard from trumpeter/vocalist Rowles, percussionist D. Huffsteter and trumpeters Anne King and Deborah Wagner. Huffsteter is married to Steve Huffsteter, Wagner to Wayne Bergeron, Newman to tenor Billy Kerr, while Rowles is the daughter of pianist Jimmy Rowles. It would seem at first glance that many women need a "family connection to gain entrance to the fraternity. Something should be done about that, but I don't know what. There is no quota system in jazz, and leaders are free to use whomever they please. At this point in time, that means mostly men.
Finally, the observation that gave me the biggest laugh, that some of the bands (not mentioning any names) simply sounded "too polished. In other words, they were playing in tune and read perfectly whatever was placed in front of them. Silly me, I always thought that's what good bands were supposed to do. None was flawless, of course, but most of the lapses were so quick and infrequent as to be inaudible to most ears. Some of the sections were downright awesome, which is the way it should be. I doubt that anyone ever said to Basie or Kenton, "I love the band but it's too damn tight. As long as the group is swinging, I don't really care that everyone is playing in unison. In fact, I rather like it. As Gordon Sapsed wrote of the event, "Without exception, every set I heard at Poston would have attracted a full house at more than twice the ticket price in the UK and [would] have sent the audience away thinking, 'that's one of the best concerts I have ever attended'.
Many thanks to Ken Poston and the L.A. Jazz Institute for putting together such a marvelous event. I become fatigued simply imagining all the work that must have gone into it. And always the visionary, Poston is busy planning the next one, whose tentative dates are October 4-7 with a "bonus trip October 3 to the Whiskey-a-Go-Go on Sunset Boulevard for an all-star tribute to Buddy Rich. The lineup hasn't been set but the names Holman and Florence have been mentioned. Stay tuned . . .
That's it for now. Until next time, when we pay our respects to the great Buddy Childers, keep swingin'!
New and Noteworthy
1. Igor Butman Big Band, The Eternal Triangle (Access Industries)
2. Robert Bachner Big Band, Moments of Noise (ATS Records)
3. The Boulevard Big Band, Live at Harlings Upstairs (Boulevard Records)
4. Abe Silverman Big Band, Dream Theme (Dream Theme Records)
5. Wayne Bergeron, Plays Well with Others (Concord Jazz)
6. Anat Cohen and the Anzic Orchestra, Noir (Anzic Records)
7. Southwest Jazz Orchestra, Live at the Albuquerque Museum (SWJO)
8. No Name Horses, Stinger (no label)
9. European Youth Jazz Orchestra, Swinging Europe 2006 (Music Mecca)
10. Les Hooper Band, Out of the Woods (Hooperman Records)
11. Majestic Jazz Orchestra, Axiom Asunder (Carlisle Compositions)
12. James L. Dean Big Band, Swingin' at the Whiskey Café (Cexton)
13. Texas Instruments Jazz Band, AlgoRhythm (TI)
14. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Minimal Effort (UNL)
15. Swiss Jazz Orchestra/Jim McNeely, Paul Klee (Mons)


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FASHION ROYALTY: In Britain, watching Queen Elizabeth II's annual televised Christmas day message to the nation is something of holiday ritual. So to mark the festive season, Browns in London has produced its own tongue-in-cheek take on the message, starring the boutique's similarly regal matriarch Joan Burstein, known as Mrs. B. In the two-minute video, made in collaboration with Nick Knight's Show Studio fashion film company, Burstein reflects on the past year in fashion. The retailer singles out Christopher Kane, Jonathan Anderson of JW Anderson and Nicholas Kirkwood for having attracted investment from Kering (Kane) and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (Anderson and Kirkwood) this year, and reminds viewers of this fall's re-launch of Browns Focus, Browns' store that showcases young design talent. Burstein said of shooting the video: "It took some persuasion and the experience was a little daunting, particularly as I was very keen to ensure anything we did was very respectful to HRH the Queen. It was lovely though to have the opportunity to wish a wider audience a happy holiday, and I hope it will be well received." The video is currently live on Browns' Web site, brownsfashion.com.
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With only a handful of votes separating some candidates, three Broward municipal races may come down to a recount, election officials said Wednesday.
Voters across the county went to the polls Tuesday to elect local officials — but the tallies for Deerfield Beach mayor, Fort Lauderdale District 2 commissioner and Sunrise commissioner were too close to call, said Mary Cooney, spokeswoman for the Broward Supervisor of Elections.
"We won't know if there has to be a recount until after the board meets," she said, adding that a recount is already tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, should one be necessary.
The Broward County Canvassing Board will convene at 5 p.m. Thursday to consider provisional ballots — whose legitimacy had not yet been determined — and determine whether a recount will be necessary in those three races. Results from other cities, including Miramar, Pompano Beach and Oakland Park, may be certified Thursday, Cooney said.
Election rules require a machine recount if two candidates are less than half of a percent separated from each other. A manual recount is required if the candidates are less than a quarter of a percent separated, Cooney said.
While all the precincts were counted, the results are not finalized until the board meets.
After Tuesday's vote, Jean Robb, the Deerfield Beach mayor from 1980 to 1993, held a slight lead over the current mayor, Peggy Noland. Robb received 2,773 votes, or 50.24 percent, while Noland received 2,746, or 49.76 percent, a difference of 27 votes or .48 percent.
In Fort Lauderdale, a former commissioner. Dean Trantalis, led his opponent, former city commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, for the District 2 Seat by only 18 votes — Cooney said as it stands now, without any provisional ballots, Trantalis may narrowly avoid a recount.
Trantalis, who was the city's first openly gay commissioner, received 1,543 votes, or 50.29 percent, while Rodstrom, who gave up her seat to run for the county commission, only to lose, had 1,525, or 49.71 percent. The two candidates are separated by .58 percent.
With seven candidates vying for the Sunrise seat, it came down to a horse race between two candidates. Neil C. Kerch received 696 votes, or 22.33 percent, to James H. Tabeek's 688 votes, or 22.07 percent; a difference of only eight votes or .26 percent. The other candidates were: Yomtov "Vivi" Assidon, Imogene Baldwin-Ferguson, John Tómas Fusaro, Kris Hobbs and David Iannacone.


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It's your chance to get away!
This entry was posted in Enter to Win, Liz on Location and tagged Grand Getaway, Liz Mackinac Island, Liz on Location, Mackinac Island, Michigan getaway, Win a Grand Getaway, Win a trip to Mackinac Island. Bookmark the permalink.
194 Responses to It's your chance to get away!
I want to win so I can give the trip to my parents!
Went there for our honeymoon….and now 20 years later, we'd love to go back!
I'd love to be able to do a girls getaway weekend with my best buds… sounds like an awesome trip!
I'm not going to beg to be picked I just want it to happen on luck. But I would love to take my husband to be on a nice mini vacation. We are getting married in Oct but without the help of family it wouldnt happen. Were I'm the only income things are tough. So anything anyone gives us we are thankful for. He is handicap from years of working and damaging his nerves. I would do anything to see him happy for one and relax and enjoy himself and not worry about me not being happy and him being in to much pain. WITCH I'm very happy to be with him. Like I said id do anything to make him happy and I think a get away from Pulaski,NY would be nice. I hope to be picked so I can show him that Id do anything for him.
Thank you VB,
Danii (Danielle)
Fond memories of visiting there as a kid, would love to go back
I would love to take my mom for this weekend getaway, just me and my mom for a weekend alone, would be fun. We would go in style with our Vera Bradley accessories. Mackinac Island is such a beautiful place.
My husband and my one year anniversary is on June 25th. This would be a wonderful trip for us, especially since we didn't get a "real" honeymoon… Please select is for this wonderful trip!!!
Love vacationing in Michigan! But have never stayed on the island and would love too!!! And I always get comments about my lovely Vera bags/luggage!
My boyfriend of 6 years is moving to Kentucky which is 10 hours away from me. We both just got out of college and cant afford to see each other more than once a month on the short weekends. I would love to go on this trip so I can spend qualtiy time with him! Also I just love Vera Bradley and it gives me chance to use my luggage set!!
Please calgon take me away!!! so much stress I really could use a vacation. Bills pilling up cars that never work right. Cant afford a vacation because I only have a part time job!!! Please Please let me get away and gain some of my sanity back
My husband and I will be married 23 years this June, would love to surprise him with a trip to beautiful Mackinaw Island, maybe a vow renewal by the water too! We have never been there but have talked about it often, but would never be able to stay at such a gorgeous place as The Grand Hotel what an awesome trip to win!
What a great trip to the cool waters of Michigan… I would love to get out of the desert and sit by the lake and fish and cooking it on a campfire..
Thank you for this opportunity. My husband and close family members would really love this getaway.
I am going to have a bone marrow transplant and would love to take a vacation with my husband.
Ever since I first watched "Somewhere In Time"' I have dreamed about visiting Mackinaw Island! I'd be ready to pack my Vera Bradley bag and enjoy the town!
Love going on vacation and bringing my Veras with me they match everything and are.so colorful they put me in vacation mood
Ohhhhhh, I've always wanted to go there!! Me, me, me!
Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! My old Vera Bradley bags are still looking good, but feel free to throw in some new ones too!
Vera– WOW– there is no better time than now– My husband of 28 yrs of marriage and 31 years of being together– However we have been separated 21 months– we are working hard and have been in counseling all this time– we are changing ourselves not the other– can you believe that my husband is capable of fixing himself– this time I am sure it will work– we have been separated before 15 years ago too–crazy I know — but neither on could let go of the pain and hurt and blame– we are ready for some amazing all alone time– who knows — we can help others:)
My parents to me to the Island when I was 10 and it was awesome! I would love to return the favor 30 years later! Just retired from the Air Force and hubs is still Active and we are moving again in April, this way of life is tiring. Pick me, Pick me, Pick me!! Have so many different luggage pieces to choose from for my trip=)
My husband and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniveresary on June 23rd. It would be wonderful to celebrate on beautiful Mackinau Island.
I am retired and living on very limited soc. sec.,so would love a chance to get away with daughter and relax.
Looks like the perfect place to relax after a long school year.
Could definitely use a time away from the world. Please pick me!!!!!!
I LOVE Vera and would love a chance to win and My family and I could not afford for vacations this time Please pick me !!!!! Please enter me in the contest.THANK YOU!!
what a fun and romantic pre-wedding get away this would be for myself and my fiance! Good thing I just got a new Vera duffle for Christmas that's waiting for a vacation!
That would be very awesome if i won… Love to take my family away with me…..
please pick me!!
What a great place to go with 3 of my girlfriends to celebrate our 30th birthdays (sans husbands and kids..lol) this year! ! Thank you for the giveaway!
WOWWWWWW!!! I would love to suprise my besty with this, we would have the best time ever!!!
My husband I need time alone desperatley! We have a 6 year old special needs son who is wonderful but its hard to get a break. We would love to win this trip to get away for a bit.
vera bradley is the only type of bag i will bring on vacation and its the same for my friends..
I never win any thing haha but i would love this trip or a bag… goodluck ladies
Is there anything you can do if you but the wrong email in or the wrong letter but i love the island and the bag so cute
vera bradley is the only type of bag i will bring on vacation and its the same for my friends.. sorry guys i put the wrong email in – Molly i feel bad for sending that and my friend senin it any way to delete message messed up my email… But i Love the vera bag and the island maybe one will be mine you never know-molly
Pingback: Making her way to Mackinac … | Inside Stitch: The Official Vera Bradley Blog
i love u vera bradly the disigns you make are amazing please pick me my bags are packed this trip looks amazing me me please!!!!!


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5 Piece Pasta Bowl Set
Gentle embossed arches grace the rim of each piece in the Filigree collection. The embossed detailing complements the graceful scalloped rims of this classically elegant white pattern. Ideal for entertaining, this set includes a Pasta Serving Bowl and four Individual Pasta Bowls. Perfect for feeding a hungry crowd mounds of spaghetti, but don't limit it to just serving pasta. This set is also great for crisp garden salads, potato salad, or stuffing! Microwave and dishwasher safe. 5 piece set includes (1) Pasta Serving Bowl that measures 10-1/4 inch diameter x 3-3/4 inch high (96 ounce) and (4) Individual Pasta Bowls, each measures 9 inch diameter x 2 inch high (30 ounce).


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Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed:
Yates' first novel that became an instant classic upon its release in 1961. It remains the definitive portrayal of the lost promises and break-up of the American dream.
"Originally published in 1961, this gratifyingly beautiful novel has been reissued again--and for good reason....[A]n overlooked masterpiece of American tragedy."
Oscar C. Villalon, San Francisco Chronicle Book Review, 11/19/2000Review:
"This is the material of comedy, and there are scenes in the novel that border on slapstick, but rather than innocent misunderstandings that prove harmless, the characters' misadventures are unremittingly bleak and confirm the emptiness of their lives....Richard Yates's satire is not confined to the tensions of middle-class American life, but lays bare the adjustment to its shifting boundaries and in the improbable balance of restlessness and complacency he can find neither cause to celebrate nor reason to forgive."
Stan Trachtenburg, Times Literary Supplement, 01/26/2001
BookHints: Book Lovers Recommend...
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Yates, Richard
The Collected Stories of Richard Yates
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text: Colour Riche® Nail Lingerie 3.67 3 Reviews. See All. Easy Application.10-Day Wear.No Dry Time. Bling Addict Razzle be Dazzle Statement piece $8.95 1 2 3 4 5 Buy ItFind Near You Description Your dream manicure is now at your fingertips with Colour Riche® Nail Lingerie. Now customize your manicure and create endless nail looks with one nail sticker. These 3D nail jewels come in different colors and patterns to be layered with any nail color for a sophisticated sparkle effect. Designed for the nail novice, they require no dry time and offer mistake-proof application.Easy applicationIndestructible color No dry time10-day wear Ingredients 2-ETHYLHEXYL ACRYLATE • ACRYLIC ACID • HYDROXYCYCLOHEXYL PHENYL KETONE How To Use EASY 3 STEP APPLICATIONPeel – Fold – File10-DAY WEARDurable film-forming polymers create glass-like clarity with 10-day resiliency.LUXURIOUS DESIGNSSophisticated patterns and colors exclusively curated by our international Color Designer. Show Some Love TweetEmail HaveSave Ask or recommend Share Close Ask or recommend Close Email this Product From: To: Send me a copy Message (optional) Email addresses you supply here will only be used to send the requested content. 4 Colour+Riche%3csup%3e%c2%ae%3c%2fsup%3e+Nail+Lingerie+Statement+piece


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2013 (Freshman): Named captain for inaugural season ... Played in 14 games, starting 10 at goakeeper ... Made 98 saves in over 509 minutes of action ... Finished with a record of 2-7 ... Recorded a save percentage of .412 and a goals-against-average of 16.47 ... Named Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week twice ... Was a unanimous selection to the A-Sun All-Freshman team ... Earned A-Sun All-Academic honors.
High School: Was a four-year letter winner in lacrosse at Merion Mercy Academy in Merion Station, Pa. … Also lettered for four years in soccer and one year in basketball ... Was a goal keeper in lacrosse and midfielder in soccer … Earned Rookie of the Year honors in both soccer (2008) and lacrosse (2010) … Helped her lacrosse team to four straight Catholic Academies League championships ... Was a member of the Spirit Club.
Personal: Full name is Caili Anne Guilday … Was born on September 1, 1993, in Bryn Mawr, Pa. … Parents are Licia and Robert Guilday … Has two brothers, Sean and Robert, and two sisters, Cassidy and Quinn … Is a discovery major.
Why Stetson: "The new Division I lacrosse program, Coach Nicole Moore, the academic reputation and the location."
Hobbies: Art, watching movies, travel, going to the beach, and spending time with friends.
Goals: "I want to succeed in both academics and athletics. I am very excited to be a part of the first Stetson women's lacrosse team and I am looking forward to making history with my coach and teammates."
Fun Facts: Is one of five siblings ... Favorite bands are Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and The Grateful Dead ... Favorite food is mahi mahi ... Favorite book is Big Fish ... Favorite movie is Fight Club


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Saturday, May 29, 2010
Kid's Craft: Sea Shell Mobiles
9 comments:
- jlbee said...
these are beautiful, marylea!!!
- May 29, 2010 at 10:43 AM
- twolittleseeds said...
Love this!!! Going to have to make this xx
- May 29, 2010 at 12:26 PM
- CHILDHOOD MAGIC said...
Mermaid treasures are a favorite around here! Love this project!
- May 29, 2010 at 7:34 PM
- Tara @ Feels like home said...
I ADORE this project. I can't tell you how many seashells we have lying around from various trips to the beach, and we're always looking for something to do with them. We'll be making mobiles, for sure!
- May 29, 2010 at 10:13 PM
- Melodie said...
Did they all have holes or did you make some? Most of the shells I collect never have holes and I would be afraid to break the whole thing. What do you do for this?
- May 30, 2010 at 12:53 AM
- pink and green mama MaryLea said...
WE collected shells with holes in them for this project -- the ones that don't have holes were just for our collections.
- May 30, 2010 at 7:53 AM
- twolittleseeds said...
We made these and I have posted a link
Your shells have huge natural holes! I could only find 5. Thanks for sharing x
Melodie: We had to drill our shells. We used a powerdrill with a masonry bit. Some were much easier than others and it didn't take long x
- May 30, 2010 at 2:38 PM
- Twig and Toadstool said...
So simple and so sweet! We are huge fans of your blog here...craft on!
- May 30, 2010 at 4:44 PM
- MommaMindy said...
Since I rarely have an original idea, I am SO thankful I found your blog! We have jars and jars of shells and pieces of driftwood. What a great idea! It also inspired me to hang some from the little lights I like to put around my deck. Thanks for providing such great ideas. I am so glad your share your inspiration.
- May 31, 2010 at 7:47 PM


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SBA Helps Nations Oldest Ice Cream Company Tap Exploding International Markets
When America's oldest ice cream company — Philadelphia's Bassetts Ice Cream — first opened in1861, international product distribution was unthinkable. Founder Lewis Dubois Bassett, a Quaker school teacher and farmer, made and sold ice cream from his backyard using a mule-turned churn. But, over the four generations of family ownership that followed, the Bassetts grew their home-based business into a household name across the eastern United States. From Bassetts' headquarters in Philadelphia's historic Reading Terminal Market, the company won customers up and down the East coast and as far west as Chicago. Thanks to Bassetts' heirloom family recipe and nearly 150 years of dedicated work, national prominence was in sight, but exporting internationally remained completely off the radar screen.
But, in 2008, everything changed — both for Bassetts and for ice cream lovers as far from its Philadelphia home base as China. That year marked Bassetts' President Michael Strange's first meeting with SBA's exporting experts, setting Bassetts on a course to tap exploding opportunity in international markets.
Making History
Today, ice cream is almost everywhere, and almost everyone has a favorite flavor. But in 1861 – when Bassett's Ice Cream founder Lewis Bassett began producing and selling it from his farm – ice cream was just beginning to take hold in America. That novelty, combined with the quality of Bassetts' secret family ice cream recipe and farm-fresh ingredients, earned Bassetts a strong foothold in the growing ice cream industry, propelling the company to early success. Soon, Lewis Bassett opened a store in Philadelphia on Market Street near Fifth Street. Then in 1892, he moved production and his retail store to Philadelphia's then-newly-opened Reading Terminal Market, where the Bassetts Ice Cream store remains today as the market's last original tenant.
Over the ensuing years, Bassetts remained in the spotlight. High-profile projects ranged from making 50 tubs of borsht sherbet for Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1959 to producing signature flavors for a variety of Philadelphia-area celebrities and special events. With each passing generation of family ownership, Bassetts burgeoning brand could be found in an increasing variety of restaurants, clubs, independent ice cream shops, and, grocery stores. Ultimately, the Bassetts brand came to thrive in both the wholesale and retail arenas, and the company grew into a full-service dessert distributor serving much of the eastern United States.
Opportunity Knocks: Overseas Opportunities Put Bassetts On Brink Of A Boom
From the beginning, Bassetts has been a business pioneer. Bassetts' company founder Lewis Bassett set the standard, starting an ice cream business boldly before most Americans had even tasted the creamy confection. Now — with the help of the SBA — his great-great-grandson, current company President Michael Strange would take up the torch, opening whole new markets for the company through international export of its now-iconic ice cream.
By 2008, generations of dedicated work had primed Bassetts for a chance encounter that would change everything. At a networking event that year, Bassetts President Michael Strange connected with a fellow entrepreneur whose business partner had ties to a food distributor in China. Through these new contacts, Strange shipped ice cream samples to the Chinese distributor, sparking a torrent of demand from the far east and securing Bassetts its first product order from China. The wheels were now in motion: Bassetts was on a runaway train hurtling towards becoming an international brand. A blind taste test in China ranked Bassetts ice cream ahead of some of the world's largest brands and Bassetts' Chinese distributor was poised to place the brand in grocery stores, restaurants, and ice cream shops across China. But like most American small business owners, Michael Strange had no idea how to do business in China. How should foreign receivables be handled? Where can overseas shipping insurance be obtained? How is a growing export business best financed? The future of Bassetts' international business opportunities hung in the balance; if these questions were not answered and answered fast, the very overseas market that could carry Bassetts to next-level success could just as easily break its core business that five generations had invested everything to build.
Enter: The SBA
Once again, chance intervened and Bassetts locked in its overseas opportunities for the long haul. Just after Bassetts received its first Chinese order, Michael Strange's new international business contacts connected him to exporting expertise at SBA's Philadelphia District Office and its Small Business Development Center resource partners. SBA's exporting counselors connected Strange with counselors at local SBDC's, other federal agencies, and export-focused organizations to guide Strange step-by-step through the exporting process. With that SBA guidance, Strange learned how to structure foreign receivables, secure export-import insurance through the Export-Import Bank of the United States and tap into the USDA's Branded Program to fund up to 50% of certain overseas marketing costs up to $300,000 per year. That guidance built Bassetts a strong framework for its export business going forward, setting it on the track for long-term exporting success.
Today Bassetts Ice Cream has approximately 2,000 customers in China, where it has opened two retail locations and sells to a variety of grocery stores, ice cream shops and restaurants. The company also has a growing export business in the Bahamas and Anguilla and hopes to export to even more countries over the coming years. Bassetts President Michael Strange continues to strengthen his export business through SBA, participating in exporting classes at local SBDC's and working closely with exporting experts at SBA's Philadelphia District Office.
Pennsylvania Culinary Firm Writes Own Ticket for Success
Kathy Wolper has some advice for fellow-small business owners: take full advantage of every business-building opportunity.
But, for Wolper, as with many small business owners, opportunity isn't always easily recognized or easily tapped. So, when opportunity seems out of reach, Wolper simply creates her own. And, according to Wolper — with the right mix of research, passion, and tenacity — other small business owners can do the same.
Wolper founded her successful cooking instruction and specialty baking business — Kathy's Just Desserts/Cooking Wizards — when her then-employer's bankruptcy left her unemployed. Wolper turned that unemployment into to opportunity when she used her technical training and elementary education experience to found a business based on her life-long passion: baking. And, when Wolper faced the challenge of financing her firm's growth, she, once again, created her own opportunity—this time, with the help of the SBA.
Do What You Love
In 2001, Kathy Wolper was an experienced education professional, a passionate baking hobbyist, and she was unemployed. Wolper spent her early career as an elementary school teacher and parlayed that experience to become a technical trainer. All the while, she spent her free time baking elaborate confections for family and friends. Wolper had found outlets for her skills and passions and was busy balancing the demands of both, when the events of September 11, 2001, brought life as she knew it to sudden a halt.
Wolper lived and worked in eastern Pennsylvania, far from the New York City and Washington, D.C. areas so economically hard-hit by the terrorist attacks. But the overall economic lag that followed the attacks left Wolper's employer in bankruptcy, and left Wolper to look for her own "next chapter."
Wolper had always dreamed of starting her own baking business, but, before September 11, life's track had led Wolper in another direction. But, now, the stage was set for a new start for Wolper. Wolper's unemployment benefits included a Women's Opportunity Resource program about how to start a business, and Wolper seized the chance to learn the practical side of making her dream of business ownership a reality.
Just one month after September 11, 2001 turned her life upside down, Wolper opened Kathy's Just Desserts/Kitchen Wizards for business. The "Kathy's Just Desserts" arm of the business offered a variety of baked goods, ranging from cookie trays to elaborate wedding cakes, all baked in her at-home kitchen (which was fully certified by the Department of Agriculture). The "Kitchen Wizards" part of the business taught students of all ages how to cook through in-school programs, summertime cooking camps, scout workshops, and adult "Supper Club" classes.
Wolper was finally doing what she loved.
Taking the Next Step with the SBA
By 2008, Wolper's business was on track to expand. Seven years in business had proven that there was a strong market for her business' services. Now, Wolper wanted to expand her business' geographic footprint to capture even more of that market. Wolper had funded the business' start-up and early development herself; Wolper's home-based business model allowed the business to flourish in her East Norriton, Penn., hometown without a large overhead. But, now, Wolper had her sights set on expansion within her own community and across the country. She knew that she would need to hire a business development team, expand her marketing efforts, and invest in legal counsel to guide growth, but Wolper didn't know how she would finance all of those expenses. Expansion on that scale would require outside financing, and conventional bank financing seemed out of reach — the business' historic cash flow volume, while healthy for a local business like Wolper's, was not commensurate with the larger scale business she envisioned.
So, once again, Wolper searched for a new opportunity. She researched her options, worked her contacts, and attended a variety of economic development events, forums, and lectures. But, it was not until she attended a 2008 business networking event at Montgomery County Community College that her financing plan began to come into focus. At that event, Wolper learned that SBA's "Meet the Lenders" lender-borrower matchmaking event could help her find the financing that she needed — fast.
"Meet the Lenders" helps entrepreneurs find financing fast and connect with onsite business counselors for mentorship and technical business education. The event's "one-stop, speed-dating" format puts potential borrowers in front of a host of active lenders in a single day. "Meet the Lenders" is made up of a series of 15-minute "pitch periods," during which each entrepreneur presents their financing need to a lender one-on-one before moving to the next lender to present again. Lenders then schedule detailed interviews for a later date with entrepreneurs whose needs may be a match with their lending portfolios. Representatives from SBA's Resource Partner network (SCORE, Small Business Development Centers and Women's Business Centers) are also on hand at the event offering technical business advice to help entrepreneurs reach their financing goals.
In Fall 2010, Wolper attended an SBA "Meet the Lenders" event in King of Prussia, Penn. She brought with her to the event her business plan and all documentation pertinent to her loan requirements and presented them to a variety of lenders. After a series of post-event meetings with several lenders, Wolper secured an SBA-backed line of credit through Univest Bank and Trust Company.
Wolper's SBA-backed line of credit allowed her to pursue her business expansion, one step at a time. Today, Kitchen Wizards operates 50 cooking camps in the Philadelphia metro and New Jersey shore areas, along with its successful battery of classes. As Kitchen Wizards continues to grow, Wolper's next steps include expanding her business' footprint to include operations in inland southern New Jersey and the Boston area.
Along with that growth, Wolper's plans include giving back to the community; her business will donate a portion of proceeds from any kids' program during the calendar year 2012 to the Mommy's Light Lives On Fund, a charity founded to help bereaved children through the grief process following the death of their mothers.
Home-Grown Philadelphia Firm Preserves 180 Jobs and Reinforces City's Maritime Industry Prominence, Thanks to SBA Funds
Not so very long ago, much of the storied Philadelphia Navy Yard lay dormant. Once a vibrant hub of the nation's maritime industry — employing 40,000 at its height during World War II and building and launching the likes of the battleship New Jersey into U.S. Naval service — the Yard closed in 1995, and 7,000 jobs were lost. Although the Navy maintained some military facilities on the Yard's western end post-closure, acre after desolate acre of the sprawling 1200 acre shipyard lay abandoned.
For many, the decaying Navy Yard stood in silent testament to the broader decline of industrial America. By the turn of the last century, untold numbers of industrial and manufacturing sector firms were shuttered in Philadelphia, alone. Marketplace changes and foreign competition ravaged those sectors, and industry stalwarts like Rhoades Industries, a mechanical contracting and fabrication firm doing business in Philadelphia since 1938, were no exception.
But endings often make way for new beginnings, and, thanks to resourceful leadership and SBA financing, Rhoades Industries is, once again, no exception to the rule. As traditional opportunities dwindled, Rhoads tapped into new markets, re-shaped its customer base, and wrote its own ticket for success in the modern economy, complete with a new address at the now revitalizing Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, re-dubbed the Philadelphia Naval Business Center.
Setting the Stage for Success
In 1890, Rhoads Industries' owner, Daniel Rhoads', great grandfather, Samuel Rhoads, opened a sheet metal fabrication shop in Philadelphia. The business grew with the city's development, and Samuel passed it on to his son, Samuel, who, in 1938, named it Rhoads Industries. In the years that followed, Rhoads Industries evolved to include mechanical contracting and produced many large and complex metal structures and devices for both local and international customers. That work lead Rhoads to team with The Department of Energy, as well as a number of Fortune 500 firms such as DOW, Northrop Grumman, Lockeed Martin, and Air Products.
By the turn of the last century though, industry tides were turning. Foreign competition was seizing hold of the industrial and manufacturing sectors' customer base, and Rhoads' competitors were failing. To survive, Rhoads' would look to its own upstart roots. Just as it had at its founding, Rhoads needed to identify a new customer base and tap into it with products tailored to its needs. In short, Rhoads needed to re-invent its business model to survive.
Charting a New Course
As more traditional customers fell away, Rhoads' work for the U.S. Navy increased. Rhoads mechanical engineering and sheet metal expertise was a perfect fit for the Navy's needs. Work repairing Navy ships and harvesting spare parts from retired Navy ships for use on other Navy vessels was plentiful. By mid-decade, Rhoads had won federal government contracts with the U.S. Navy had developed substantial goodwill with the Department of the Navy and other defense contractors at the Navy Yard Industrial complex. This created a solid new business segment for Rhoads.
By 2006, it was clear that Rhoads' next chapter would be inextricably tied to the maritime industry, and company head Dan Rhoads focused on developing that business. Rhoads already knew his company's Philadelphia headquarters' proximity to major waterways and ports had given it an edge. So, in a move that would literally re-shape the entire company, Rhoads set out to make the most of his Philadelphia homebase by moving the entire operation — then located in two separate facilities in Northeast Philadelphia — to the old Philadelphia Navy Yard
To insure further development of its maritime and non-maritime business, alike, Rhoads purchased buildings at the Navy Yard in 2006 through a Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation financing program. Rhoads' new Navy Yard location made it possible to consolidate its two original Philadelphia-area sites into a single location while expanding its capabilities on both maritime and non-maritime-related projects. Rhoads could continue to offer traditional mechanical contracting and fabrication services in heavy steel and sheet metal fabrication, complex precision assembly, and equipment installation contexts. But its new facilities boasted a unique 150-ton overhead crane capacity, precision build platforms and sandblast and paint capabilities that could take its capabilities to a new level. And the Navy Yard's location – right on the Delaware River and complete with dry dock and pier – allowed Rhoads to offer regionally un-rivaled ship repair and ship building services.
By 2011, time had told the tale – Rhoads' move to the Navy Yard was an unmitigated success. The firm's traditional customers, including some of the area's largest and most prominent manufacturing and industrial services companies, were able to route an even greater variety of projects to Rhoads, thanks to its upgraded facilities. Meanwhile, Rhoads' new shipbuilding and repair services had won it a variety of new federal government contracts with the United States Navy.
But financial reality was setting in. Full payment on the original loan financing Rhoads' Navy Yard facilities was coming due before Rhoads' full consolidation into the single Navy Yard site could be completed and before it was possible for Rhoads to tap into all of the promise for profit that the new facilities held. Rhoads' 180 jobs hung in the balance as Rhoads' leadership sough new financing to secure its future.
That's when Rhoads turned to SBA for help.
Enter: SBA
In 2011, Rhoads looked to SBA and Philadelphia-based Certified Development Company ("CDC") DelVal Business Finance Corporation to refinance the PIDC loan that had financed Rhoads' initial move to the Navy Yard. The new financing that that deal put in place for Rhoads under SBA's 504 loan program bought Rhoads the time that it needed to make a real go of its new Navy yard facilities – thanks to the 504 Program's favorable interest rates and generous loan pay-back period – saving Rhoads' tens of thousands of dollars, saving the 180 jobs on Rhoads' employment roster, and saving yet another generation of commercial enterprise from closure at Philadelphia's Navy Yard. With much-needed capital now freed from burdensome loan payments, Rhoads could expand and improve its Navy Yard facilities and capabilities and complete its consolidation into a single Navy Yard site, fast-tracking job growth.
SBA's 504 Loan Program is a tiered financing vehicle that provides growing businesses like Rhoads Industries with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. 504 loans are available through CDC's like DelVal Business Finance Corporation, which are economic development organizations that work with SBA and conventional lenders to offer loans under the 504 Program to qualified borrowers. Typically, a 504 loan is 50% funded by a conventional lender and 40% funded by the SBA's 504 Program, requiring only a 10% borrower equity injection. Loans through the program are often an affordable option for borrowers because they require a relatively small borrower equity injection and generally offer favorable blended interest rates and repayment terms that are often longer than standard.
Today, thanks to SBA 504-Program financing, Rhoads' place at the Philadelphia Navy Yard is secure. The 180 Rhoads jobs that were saved by the new financing have meant continued revitalization of the six acres of the historic Navy yard that Rhoads controls and untold savings for the U.S. Navy through Rhoads' continued contract work at the Yard harvesting ship parts from decommissioned naval vessels for re-use. But, more than that, those 180 Rhoads jobs have meant hope – hope for continued and growing employment opportunities in eastern Pennsylvania, hope for a maritime industry once counted out, and hope for a national economy fighting for recovery.


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SDudla Safaris and Infinito Safaris join forces and become one venture !!!!
This is a discussion on SDudla Safaris and Infinito Safaris join forces and become one venture !!!! within the Bowhunting Africa forums, part of the HUNT AFRICA category; Guys, I hope your hunting season is going well. I have just started a new job in a new province ...
- Hunted South Africa
SDudla Safaris and Infinito Safaris join forces and become one venture !!!!
I hope your hunting season is going well.
I have just started a new job in a new province in South Africa so there is a lot of things happening.
I would also like to make the following announcement....
If the moderators will allow me to do so...
We are pleased to announce that Gerhard Delport and Ryno Potgieter has joined Infinito Safaris as exclusive Bow Hunting Professional hunters.
Understanding the need for a specialized bow hunting section in our business, we have joined hands with these two pros to run and manage our exclusive bow hunting concessions.
We are further pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive bow hunting concession in the Dwaalboom district of the Limpopo province of South Africa. No rifle hunting is allowed here. The area is roughly 30,000.00 acres big, and Camp SDudla will be used as our base of operations.
Please visit our web-site at Welcome to Infinito Hunting Safaris and click on Bow hunting to be transferred to our web-site that is dedicated to bow hunters.
Look forward to our specials that we will put on before the end of the month, as a special promotion for this new venture within our organization.
We are also working on the web site and if there is any advice you can give with regards to improving please let me know.
Thanks guys...Gerhard
- Member of AfricaHunting.com
- Hunted Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, France, Spain, USA
Gerhard, All the best on your new venture. I had a look at the website, looks great.
Here are some things I might recommend:
- A "HOME" button in the menu that takes you back to the entry page or better for this website 3 links in the menu to the options offered on the entry page "Hunting", "Bowhunting", "Fishing". The problem is that once past the entry page there is no button to navigate back the entry page to visit the other sections of the website. For example, I might be interested to learn more about fishing after I looked at one of the hunting sections, but there is no obvious way to get there...
- The menu links change from page to page which can be very confusing to people... They may visit a page that they found in the menu, now it is not in the menu anymore and they can't remember what page they were on where they found that page in the menu. I would highly recommend that your menu stays fixed from one page to the next, always the same.
Jerome Philippe, Founder of AfricaHunting.com
Visited by over 240,000 hunters monthly, viewing 2.5 million pages, generating 14.5 million hits over 11,000 members (statistics Jan 2014).
Click HERE to Support AH
If you enjoy this site then tell fellow hunters about it!
Our community is a place for seasoned African hunters and those who dream of someday hunting in Africa. I hope that you will find AfricaHunting.com a great place to spend time preparing for or dreaming about your future African hunting safari or reliving your last.
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Peter Ferrara, Contributor
I cover public policy, particularly concerning economics.
Climate change itself is already in the process of definitively rebutting climate alarmists who think human use of fossil fuels is causing ultimately catastrophic global warming. That is because natural climate cycles have already turned from warming to cooling, global temperatures have already been declining for more than 10 years, and global temperatures will continue to decline for another two decades or more.
That is one of the most interesting conclusions to come out of the seventh International Climate Change Conference sponsored by the Heartland Institute, held last week in Chicago. I attended, and served as one of the speakers, talking about The Economic Implications of High Cost Energy.
The conference featured serious natural science, contrary to the self-interested political science you hear from government financed global warming alarmists seeking to justify widely expanded regulatory and taxation powers for government bodies, or government body wannabees, such as the United Nations. See for yourself, as the conference speeches are online.
What you will see are calm, dispassionate presentations by serious, pedigreed scientists discussing and explaining reams of data. In sharp contrast to these climate realists, the climate alarmists have long admitted that they cannot defend their theory that humans are causing catastrophic global warming in public debate. With the conference presentations online, let's see if the alarmists really do have any response.
The Heartland Institute has effectively become the international headquarters of the climate realists, an analog to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It has achieved that status through these international climate conferences, and the publication of its Climate Change Reconsidered volumes, produced in conjunction with the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC).
Those Climate Change Reconsidered volumes are an equivalently thorough scientific rebuttal to the irregular Assessment Reports of the UN's IPCC. You can ask any advocate of human caused catastrophic global warming what their response is to Climate Change Reconsidered. If they have none, they are not qualified to discuss the issue intelligently.
Check out the 20th century temperature record, and you will find that its up and down pattern does not follow the industrial revolution's upward march of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the supposed central culprit for man caused global warming (and has been much, much higher in the past). It follows instead the up and down pattern of naturally caused climate cycles.
For example, temperatures dropped steadily from the late 1940s to the late 1970s. The popular press was even talking about a coming ice age. Ice ages have cyclically occurred roughly every 10,000 years, with a new one actually due around now.
In the late 1970s, the natural cycles turned warm and temperatures rose until the late 1990s, a trend that political and economic interests have tried to milk mercilessly to their advantage. The incorruptible satellite measured global atmospheric temperatures show less warming during this period than the heavily manipulated land surface temperatures.
Central to these natural cycles is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Every 25 to 30 years the oceans undergo a natural cycle where the colder water below churns to replace the warmer water at the surface, and that affects global temperatures by the fractions of a degree we have seen. The PDO was cold from the late 1940s to the late 1970s, and it was warm from the late 1970s to the late 1990s, similar to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO).
In 2000, the UN's IPCC predicted that global temperatures would rise by 1 degree Celsius by 2010. Was that based on climate science, or political science to scare the public into accepting costly anti-industrial regulations and taxes?
Don Easterbrook, Professor Emeritus of Geology at Western Washington University, knew the answer. He publicly predicted in 2000 that global temperatures would decline by 2010. He made that prediction because he knew the PDO had turned cold in 1999, something the political scientists at the UN's IPCC did not know or did not think significant.
By that logic, you are suggesting that every time the planet warms, which it already does naturally – but in case it's anthropogenic – we should concentrate power with the bureaucratic elite and technocratic scientists like Peter Gleick, just to be safe? Not to mention throw billions of tax dollars down the drain?
The issue with the "precautionary" argument is that it ignores the tradeoffs we face as a society and the GREAT harm we would do to our economy pursuant of that strategy. Why shoot yourself in the foot because you might get hit by a car walking across the street?
You also don't appreciate the regressive nature of increased energy and food prices that come with increased regulation. Lord Monckton's presentation at ICCC-7 touched on the enormous pain and struggle the people of Haiti, who – and I'm not exaggerating – can barely afford to purchase mud pies made from real mud. As a result of world food prices being increased due to agricultural land being re-devoted to biofuel production, thanks to "precautionary" climate change alarmism.
You make great points Ron. But as logically and ethically clear the choice is to make based on the two paths of consequence you lay out, you're working from a faulty premise. After debating deniers and studying their sociology for a decade, I've come to see that people of the denier mindset (I could give it a political label, but won't) truly have no inner moral struggle or qualms with the concept that their prescription on climate will very likely lead to mass suffering and death. These facts just don't emotionally animate them at all.
The reasons for their total loss of what we'd call humanity or moral decency are manifold, but we must accept the horror that these people feel nothing at all for other people. These ethically broken individuals only care only for their immediate personal short term interest.
It is an example of the banality of evil.
@Dave Leaton
an excellent job of spinning and avoiding scientific facts my friend.
And who do you support?
Michael Mann of hockey stick fame, who created a fake graph
James Hansen of surface temperature manipulation fame
Kevin Trenberth of interfering with the peer review process fame
Keith Briffa of cherry picking tree ring data fame
Heidi Cullen claiming a flood in Tennessee is 1 in 3000 year event fame
so Dave, it really sounds like you're supporting some seriously anti-science advocates.
evidently, you know nothing about cilmate change because the earth is below GAT and below average atmospheric co2.
Thus, you cannot attribute a 288.0 kelvin change to 288.8 kelvin to humans.
owned Stephania, owned hard.
dishonesty is expected of the alarmists at this point, they will not even admit that earth is below GAT and below average levels of atmospheric co2. In typical far left fashion, they shun the historical record and dismiss the fact that for most of the earth's life, it has been much warmer and had much higher concentrations of atmospheric co2.
I think at this point, they are feeling a lot of shame and embarassment about being indoctrinated, but instead of admitting the error, they are doubling down on stupid.
how do you account for the record ice extent in Anarctica in 2007?
what physical processes overrides co2?
water vapor
the sun
the currents of the ocean
the BEST study, in which the contribution of man was not studied, you idiot.
What a ridiculous and comment. Your entire argument rests on the risible notion that the expertise, knowledge, and experience of someone making a claim should have no bearing or thrust on how much we trust said claim. This is really getting into pre-enlightenment territory.
I read your AT blog posting, which is equally laughable and misrepresentative of the perspective of climate realists. It is suggested that you not invoke that great scientist and fair minded thinker Rush Limbaugh if you want to be taken seriously by people of any political stripe.
wrong again, Stephania
earth is below GAT and average atmospheric co2, you're indoctrinated please see a shrink or jump on the next big hoax.


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Stamford Small Business Resource Center
The Stamford Small Business Resource Center, generously funded by the First County Bank Foundation, is the premier place for information on every aspect of small business. The Center holds an extensive collection of print and digital materials and will serve as a collaborative space, conducive to brainstorming and networking. The Library also hosts classes, symposiums and workshops on topics related to small business and networking.
Upcoming Events
Databases and Electronic Media
Access Business News
MasterFile Premier
Small Business Resource Center
Reference USA
Business E-books
Small Business
On the Web
Business USA
US Small Business Administration
Wall Street Journal Guide for small business
New York Times Small Business
IRS - A to Z Index for business
US Census Bureau Economic Statistics


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Im not new to minimins however just noticed this A lot to lose section so thought id pop by!
I started ww in 2010 at 19 stone 6lbs, and lost 3 stone (also did cambridge for 2 weeks), had maintained up until late last year when 13lbs crept back on, so i restarted a cpl of weeks ago at 17stone 5. For my bmi, i should really get down to about 10stone, hoewever my target is 12 stone.
I turn 30 in March and have decided i really have to do it this year, and stop saying the same thing at the start of every single yeaR! I got married 2 and a half years ago, and we hope to have kids soon so id really like to lose weight and get healthy for pregnancy, and fit so that i dont struggle when it finally happens.
Anyway, i look forward to reading through all your posts etc!x


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Live Oak Public Libraries are accepting entries for the 2010 Young Writers Contest. Entry deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 20. The contest is open to children in grades kindergarten through college. Students are asked to write a poem using five words selected from the books of the authors and illustrators in this year's Savannah Children's Book Festival. The festival is set for Nov. 13 at Forsyth Park. For complete details and prizes, visit www.liveoakpl.org
Students from Chris Flake's fifth-grade math class at G.W. Carver Elementary School participated in a learning task to help them determine how to collect, organize and display data using the most appropriate graph. Students visited other fifth-grade classrooms and conducted a survey. Then they returned to their class to organize the data by creating a tally table and frequency chart. The students then created graphs to display their data.
It's that time of year again. Monday started homecoming week at both Bryan County High School and Richmond Hill High School. That means parades, homecoming queens and, yes, football.
ATLANTA - Offering big bonuses to teachers failed to raise students' test scores in a three-year study released Tuesday that calls into question the Obama administration's push for merit pay to improve education.
Bryan County Elementary School held it's first Lunch and Learn with parents recently.
SAVANNAH - Savannah Technical College and the city of Riceboro are partnering to bring adult education/GED classes to area residents beginning this fall at the Riceboro Youth Center on Highway 17.
Lanier Primary School, in conjunction with Oral Health America: National Sealant Alliance and the Georgia Oral Health Prevention Program, will provide preventive dental procedures for eligible children attending the school.
The largest and most diverse group of graduating seniors in Georgia's history took the SAT this year. The SAT participation rate for the Georgia class of 2010 - 74 percent - was among the top 10 in the nation. Of the state's 2010 college-bound seniors who took the SAT, 44.6 percent were minority students, up from 35 percent in 2005 and 30.4 percent in 2000. In addition, 37.9 percent of the state's SAT takers indicated that they are first-generation college attendees.
ATLANTA - Georgia will kick off its annual statewide Red Ribbon campaign at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Centennial Olympic Park. Last year, the event drew more than 500 students from across the state. The campaign signals the start of red ribbon activities in schools throughout the state Oct. 23-30.
Dr. Linda M. Bleicken officially will be inaugurated as Armstrong Atlantic State University's seventh president at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, in the Armstrong Fine Arts Auditorium. The date has a special significance for the institution, as it marked the first day of classes at the historic Armstrong House in 1935.
Multiple deployments and frequent school transitions are just a few of the issues on Marilee Fitzgerald's plate this school year.
Bryan County Schools got some good news Monday.
Members of the Bryan County Board of Education have approved spending about $15 million to get work started on both of the county's new elementary schools.
Georgia Technology Student Association members at Bryan County High School recently gave a special recognition to the technology department at BCHS and Bryan County Middle School.
Lanier Primary School recently hosted "Arts Night."
The University System of Georgia's Board of Regents voted Tuesday to allow Armstrong Atlantic State University to shorten its name to Armstrong State University. The name modification will take affect at the beginning of the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. Armstrong is building a new 21,000-square-foot Armstrong Liberty Center on Memorial Drive in Hinesville. The new campus is scheduled to open in summer 2015.
The Richmond Hill High School choruses received top honors at the Large Group Performance Evaluation held March 20-21 at Armstrong Atlantic State University.
SAVANNAH - Starting this fall, students at Armstrong Atlantic State University will have the opportunity to earn a B.S. in business economics, expanding on one of the university's most popular degree tracks.
STATESBORO - Georgia Southern University has selected the Gov. Nathan Deal and the 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year and Georgia Southern alumna Jemelleh Coes as the speakers for the 2014 spring commencement ceremonies on May 9 and 10.
Richmond Hill Elementary School second-graders in Julie Alderman's class recently took a field trip to the UGA Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center in Guyton. The students toured the facility, hiked trails and also got up close and personal with some native snakes during a presentation.
Three Richmond Hill residents recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
The following students at Richmond Hill Middle School were recently named to the honor roll for the third nine-week grading period of the 2013-14 school year:
The following students at Bryan County Elementary School were recently named to the honor roll for the third nine-week grading period for the 2013-14 school year:
Kelly Reid of Richmond Hill has received the Dean's Award for academic excellence during the fall 2013 term at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.
The following students at G.W. Carver Elementary School were recently named to the honor roll for the third nine-week grading period of the 2013-14 school year:
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Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch® Nonstick Meatloaf Pan with Insert
- Exclusive
- Summary
To ensure a juicy, succulent meatloaf that conjures up fond memories of home-cooked dinners, bake your favorite recipe in our heavy-gauge aluminized-steel pan. Made in the USA, it features a nonstick interior to release food effortlessly.
- Cooks perfectly to ensure moist, tender flavor and attractive browning.
- Commercial-grade aluminized steel distributes heat quickly and evenly for consistent baking results.
- The Goldtouch ceramic coating reinforces our pans making them more resistant to abrasion than normal non-stick surfaces and releases food with ease.
- Lift out aluminum insert allows excess fat to drain away and easily transfers meatloaf to plate.
- Use the pan without the insert to bake homemade bread.
- Won't corrode or rust, even with heavy use.
- Coated wire reinforcement along the rim maximizes durability and resistance to rust and warping.
- Folded construction enhances strength.
- Made exclusively for us by a 50-year-old American company, North America's only manufacturer of commercial bakeware.
- Recipe included.
- Dishwasher safe.
- A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 10" x 5" x 3" high.
- Made in USA.
- Use & Care
- Oven safe to 450°F.
- Before first use, hand-wash the pans in warm water with mild dishwashing soap.
- Due to this bakeware's heat efficiency, we suggest monitoring the oven temperature and baking time for the first few uses, then making adjustments to recipes as necessary.
- Use only wood, silicone or plastic utensils to avoid scratching the surface.
- Do not cut baked goods while they are in the pan.
- Pan will darken slightly with use. This is normal and will enhance its performance.
- Dishwasher safe; however, we recommend hand-washing to maintain the appearance of the baking pieces over time.
- Never use abrasive cleaning products or scouring pads.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
This item is shipped from our warehouse by UPS to arrive within five business days of our receiving your order.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Rush Delivery
For an additional charge of $15 per address, we can rush delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Return Policy
At Williams-Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. If, within 30 days, you are not completely satisfied with your purchase for any reason, please return the item for an exchange or refund of the merchandise value. View Full Return Policy.


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A pair of Michael Jackson shoes along with their Certificate of Authenticity were located in a limousine Sunday after police say they were stolen from an event at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia late Saturday night.
Police say the shoes were stolen during the "Hair O' The Dog" event at the hotel. Event security was handling an incident on one end of a hallway and when they returned, the shoes were gone.
FOX 29's Chris O'Connell reports the shoes were discovered by the passengers in a limousine, who learned the shoes were stolen and worked to immediately find their owner.
The shoes were allegedly taken by three guests of the event, who investigators believe took them into the limousine, but forgot to take them when they got out of the vehicle.
A spokesperson for the "Hair O' The Dog" event tells FOX 29 the person who donated the shoes does not plan to press charges.
Police and event organizers aren't sure who the guests are who took the shoes. As many as 2,000 people attended the event, organizers said.
Private security handling the auction surveyed the area at the time the shoes reported missing, but couldn't find the shoes or the people who took them.
According to the Hair O' The Dog website, the annual event helps to generate income for non-profits through fundraising. Organizers say a portion of the event proceeds are given to various local charities, including Big Brothers, Big Sisters, The National Constitution Center and The Garden of Reflection.
Flames are tearing through a South Jersey forest right now, and this wildfire is only expected to grow.


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This is the digital bathroom scale that displays results in giant numerals for easy reading. The bright LCD screen is almost half a foot wide and displays readings in massive 2 1/2" high numbers that can be viewed without squinting or stooping down. Even turning the scale on requires no bending, just a simple tap of a foot on the platform. The display shows readings for five seconds after users step off, and the scale automatically powers down after 10 seconds to conserve the batteries. With a nonslip texture for safety and comfort, the scale has a 440 lb. weight capacity and displays results in pounds or kilograms to within 0.2 lb./0.1 kg. The LCD screen indicates when batteries are low. Includes two CR2032 batteries. 13 1/4" L x 12 1/2" W x 2" D (2 1/2 lbs.)
Lifetime Guarantee
The Extra Large Number Readout Scale comes with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee at no additional charge. If this product ever disappoints you, for any reason, you may return your Hammacher Schlemmer purchase for exchange, credit, or refund.Should you have any questions, we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please call 1-800-321-1484 to speak with a product specialist or email us at email@example.com to receive a response within one hour.
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COPYRIGHT © 2014 HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W100HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER • 147 E. 57th ST • NEW YORK, NY • 10022 • 1-800-321-1484