text:
Behind Enemy Lines
With a quarter of the season in the books, it's time that our foes in the NL Central got the once over.
I know this is unthinkable, but could these Cardinals possibly surpass last year's hundred and five thousand wins? It's just that everyday the Cardinals seem to find a new way to win. Starter's put you in a hole? "No problem", says Albert Pujols as he wipes out the deficit with one swing. Still trailing by six in the ninth? "I'll fix that", says Jim Edmonds in the middle of a seven-run rally. Facing Roger Clemens rather than Danny Graves? "That's where I come in", says Mark Mulder while reeling off a 10-inning complete game shutout. Scott Rolen out injured? "You called?", says John Mabry. Phoenix birds never die, Redbirds just never lose. Or at least never lose often enough.
This is a more balanced and well-rounded team than last year too. Thanks to the addition of the old reliable and very good version of Mark Mulder (at a price mind, though Haren has uncharacteristically so far struggled with walks and home runs in Oakland, Calero is injured and Daric Barton's not yet started hitting) and the return of Matt Morris from the land of the gopher ball (he gave up 35 last year!) have really improved the rotation, and Chris Carpenter is up there with the pair of them - while his ERA is currently over 4.00, his peripheral numbers are far better than that, and the .317 batting average on balls in play that's currently holding him back will come down. Neither Marquis nor Suppan are great pitchers (Marquis in spite of his early numbers), but the Cardinals may not have to worry about either for too much longer. Waiting in the wings at Triple-A are two of the more impressive young pitching prospects in the game. Their numbers so far this season (in the very offensive Pacific Coast League)...
|Adam Wainwright
|Anthony Reyes
The pair have the stuff to justify those kind of numbers too. Reyes, drafted in 2003 in the 15th round because of injury concerns, works in the low- to mid-nineties with his fastball and throws a good slider and impressive changeup. Wainwright, acquired by the Cardinals in the deal that sent JD Drew to the Braves and bouncing back from a 2004 that was all but a write-off due to a shoulder injury, throws in the mid-nineties with a changeup and a great curveball. If both young pitchers are healthy, though that's always been a big if, the Cubs could be spending a lot of time over the next few years staring upwards at the Cardinals unless they can construct a powerful offence of their own that can rival the Big Redbird Machine.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers, much like last year, aren't off to a bad start at all. Unlike last year though, they may not completely fall off the face of the earth come the second half. And, given the sheer amount of talent they have in the minor leagues, this is an exciting franchise to follow.
On the pitching side of things, the loss of Ben Sheets, one of the best pitchers in the game, actually hasn't hurt as badly as it might have done, if at all - his replacement, Wes Obermueller, has pitched well over his head and his peripherals, posting a 2.86 ERA in his four starts. That won't last, but it needn't, since the return of Sheets from his inner ear infection (whenever that may be, he's currently in extended spring training) should see the continuation of that kind of performance anyway. Behind him, Davis, for whom the key to his considerable success last year was keeping the ball in the park, had scarcely reached the 50-inning mark before giving up his tenth home run on the year, but a complete game shutout in his last outing could herald a return to form just in time to off-set the regressions from Cy Young candidates to just above-average innings-eaters that are doubtless about to befall the improved Victor Santos and very promising Chris Capuano. Despite fifth starter Gary Glover (with him the Brewers can only hope Jose Capellan - the main prospect they received for Danny Kolb - quickly learns to throw something besides his Kyle Farnsworth fastball), all in all though, this rotation should be very much a strength, to the doubtless surprise of some. Behind them the bullpen is decent if unspectacular.
Decent if unspectacular probably describes their offence best too. Though Brady Clark and Lyle Overbay (Over-rated-bay!) should come back down to earth, that ought to be softened by improvements from Carlos Lee and JJ Hardy (who's in the middle of a pretty horrid rookie slump that shouldn't disguise the fact he's a very capable hitter, particularly for a shortstop). Otherwise this offence is filled by players that make do rather than excel, and so their offence so far has been little better than the Cubs'. This year is a year too soon for top prospects Richie Weeks and Prince Fielder to provide a much needed shot in the arm (both have serious strikeout issues), but the Brewers, on the back of their improving rotation and Carlos Lee's big bat, I think have a decent enough shot at five hundred for the first time since 1992.
Pittsburgh Pirates
I don't know about you, but the only team in the NL Central that I can bring myself to really, really dislike is the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cardinals, though our big rivals, at least play great baseball, the kind of baseball we only wish our Cubs could play. The Reds at least have a fun offence and the Brewers a promising future. And the Astros, well, for some reason I kind of both admire and pity the gung-ho approach that has yielded results but brings with it a very miserable future. The Pirates though don't play good baseball, they aren't fun (at least to me) , they don't have a great farm system, and they don't spend any money at all. All they have is a nice stadium. Oh, and Oliver Perez, but he's not been so great this year either, as my fantasy team is really finding out. That of course only causes me to resent the Pirates even more.
Since I can't put that resentment aside, let's just leave at this short and not very sweet assessment - the Jason Kendall trade isn't working out too badly (since Mark Redman's pitching very nicely), and they won't have a record comparable to the Cubs' at the end of the year. They also won't finish ahead of the Astros.
Houston Astros
The Cubs will go from playing over the weekend the team that used to never be able to find a good fifth starter to the one that's now taken that mantle. Here's how the Astros' rotation breaks down so far...
|One through four
Ew. Brandon Duckworth and Ezequiel Astacio are the guilty parties. Wade Miller meanwhile is pitching quite nicely in Boston.
The Astros' other big problem, besides owning a 4-10 record in one-run games and a 2-19 record on the road (2-22 in three days' time we hope), has been the offence, which, Craig Biggio and the very underrated Morgan Ensberg aside, has hit .234/.295/.345. And you thought the Cubs' offence had it bad?
Will that last? Well, Lance Berkman can and will hit a lot better than he has in limited playing time after coming back from his injury, and young second baseman Chris Burke, who's now ripping it up at Triple-A after not really being given the shot he deserves, could definately help matters. That would give the Astros four at least decent offensive options. With Jeff Bagwell out for most of the rest of the season at the very least, though, it's hard to see where any other offence will come from. They need another Beltran trade. The problem is they don't have parts nor payroll to spare.
All the same, I struggle to believe that a team with a top four to their rotation as good as Clemens, Oswalt, Pettitte and Backe will finish with just the 56 or 57 wins they project to at their current pace. Sorry, throws like a girl, no first-pick in next year's draft for you!
Cincinnati Reds
Allow me to direct you to what Dan Szymborski wrote when Eric Milton signed his contract with the Reds...
Imagine Carl Lindner taking $25.5 million in cash out of his bank account. After defecating on the money, Lindner proceeds to strangle the Filipino hooker that witnessed his currency defoulment in full view of a group of tourists with video cameras, Lindner then charges into a police station brandishing an empty shotgun. On top of this, he admits that he picked Sam Bowie in the NBA draft, pre-empted the Raiders/Jets game with Heidi, and advised Neville Chamberlain in the late 30's. Uncle Carl is likely to get a better return on his investment under the set of conditions laid out in the previous paragraph than from his investment in Eric Milton, who's as overrated as Eric Gregg is fat.
Er, yeh, I think that about covers it. We were all saying it back then, but Dan O'Brien disagreed on the basis of, er, his "durability" (er, 17 innings in 2003?), his "history of providing significant innings" (which sounds like durability again to me), his "walk-to-strikeout ratio" (I'd give him that one if it wasn't for the home run ratio), his "stuff" (er, Milton's 4.85 career ERA?) and Milton's "competitiveness and work ethic". Right. Okay. So, after 9 starts, how's Milton doing?
|*Eric Milton
And that not only sums up Eric Milton quite nicely, but it sums up the Reds' pitching staff as a whole. The only team in all of baseball (including the Rockies) to have given up more runs so far is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and those poor guys have to face the best offensive division in all of baseball. And you could probably just about pay for their entire team this year with Eric Milton's $25.5m.
Nice offence or not, they're not going anywhere until the pitching improves. And that's not happening this year.
All Told
I still struggle to believe that the Cubs are worse than any team in this division besides the Cardinals. That though speaks more of the division than it does the Cubs, and it's going to take something extremely special from this team if they're going to ensure the wild card and that final playoff spot come from the Central. Right now, that's looking highly unlikely, if not yet completely impossible.
I'm going to the
I'm going to the Cards/Pirates game tonight with my girlfriend for her birthday (she's a Cardinals fan - nobody's perfect).
Problem is I don't know who to root for. The Pirates are somehow tied with us and need to be knocked down a peg, but the Cards are still 7 games ahead of us. What to do?
John, before I even read
John, before I even read this article I have something to share with you: MLB players try their hands at singing on new CD
. It includes a performance by Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins. He is rapping his original "Wish List." Isn't he on yours?
John, your review
John, your review demonstrates how weak this division really is. The Division's Pythaganport record is 121-133.
If Obermueller stays at this level and Capuano continues to improve, the Brewers might be able to make regular appearances at the .500 mark. And if JJ Hardy turns into something special, and Prince Fielder is as advertised, they keep their effective and inexpensive bullpen, and make a targeted signing or two, they could contend as soon as next year. (If I were them, I'd look seriously at moving Overbay once they drop out of the running this year and signing a big-time offensive corner outfielder. But will the new owners pony up?)
The emergence of the Brewers and the young pitching of the Cardinals makes it look like the Cubs's window is closing rapidly.
"the addition of the old
"the addition of the old reliable and very good version of Mark Mulder"
I don't know if I'd call him reliable just yet...despite some very, very good outings, he's still oscillating between being lights out and getting tagged for 4-6 runs and giving up 7-10 hits.
Still, 4-6 runs is nothing to the Cardinals offense. Should we start keeping track of the wild card race now?
(shameless self-promotion: read my interview with Len Kasper at Old Style Cubs, http://oldstylecubs.blogspot.com)
danny graves
danny graves released...
pleaaaaaaaaaaaaase hendry...do not fall for this hack reliever unless he comes damn cheap.
my bad..new is filtering
my bad..new is filtering clearer now...he was DESIGNATED FOR ASSINMENT.
basically 3 days to trade or release him...doubt he's gonna want to go to the minors.
More on the Graves
More on the Graves DFA
Might be worth a flyer if he doesn't cost us more than say Nate Frese and we can shove him in Des Moines or Mesa for Extended Spring Training while he gets his act together.
I think the magic number for
I think the magic number for the wildcard is around 95 wins. For the Cubs to pull this off would mean a record from here on out of 76-45. or a .628 winning percentage. Even WITH a completely healthy club this club is NOT that good. I think this club will struggle to go 66-55 for the remainder of the year and end the year with 85 wins. The wildcard is NOT coming from the Central...and the Cubs are not winning this division.
When it comes trade deadline time of year if the Cubs are anything BUT a seller...then they are competing to do the impossible this year at the expense of many years to come. I hope they are sellers and re-organize so they are positioned with strength in 2006.
Cubfan, Agreed. Bob
Agreed. Bob reports on the other thread that Bruce Levine says the Cubs will be getting an outfielder and reliever soon. I hope the future would not be mortgaged for these because I think this team is missing a hell of a lot more than an outfielder and a reliever unless it's Hank Aaron and Bruce Sutter. Come to think of it, even at their ages they could make the current Cubs.
Graves, with nine-plus years
Graves, with nine-plus years service time, has the ability to reject a move to the minors. He also was approaching the "five-and-ten" threshold, which would have made it so the Reds would have to get his written permission before trading him. By designating him for assignment at this point, they can trade him to whatever team gives them the best offer. Smart move by them.
That said, he is making $6.25M this year and mutual option w/expensive buyout for next year. Graves would be an idiot not to exercise that option next year. "Run Away! Run Away!"
Couple of Points: - Cubs
Couple of Points:
- Cubs are 6-1 vs ptichers making their MLB debut in the past 3 years (including Sunday's W). They face a pitcher making his MLB debut tonight. Useless, but interesting stat nonetheless.
- Ozzie got into it with a reporter from Ch.7 about aking McCarthy out. He got really defensive. Chicago might have 2 of teh most thin skinned managers in all of baseball.
- Peter Gammons was on ESPN Radio today (Dan Patrick show) and called Uribe's play with Lee "bush-league" and supposedly Konerko came out and BLASTED Uribe for doing it. I haven't seen any quotes yet, but it would be interesting to hear what he said. It was bush-league, but it was also bush-league to fall for it.
Dc Tom: "That said, he is
Dc Tom:
"That said, he is making $6.25M this year and mutual option w/expensive buyout for next year. Graves would be an idiot not to exercise that option next year. "Run Away! Run Away!""
Please some one correct me if I am wroing, but if the 10 days go by and the Reds can't trade him and he doesn't accept the minor league option, can't Graves then become like a Free Agent and his past contract null? Thus making the Cubs eligible to sign him for whatever they want? Thanks!!!
Bob reports on the other
Bob reports on the other thread that Bruce Levine says the Cubs will be getting an outfielder and reliever soon.
The outfielder will probably be some cut reject like Enrique Wilson (IF) picked up last week...and the reliever will probably mix in really nice with the talent level already sitting in the bullpen.
I wonder if the big OF and
I wonder if the big OF and reilef P Bruce levine is talking about is from TB (Huff and Baez)?? The way the post read from the other thread was that it seemed like it was from the same team. What other team could it be? I knwo MIKEC it is pure speculation, so don't jump down my throat or anything. I am not saying the Cubs will get Huff. Just wondering who levine has in mind.
i have johnny damon and
i have johnny damon and keith foulke in the t-c-r
"name that trade" pool.
That's funny, I have Barry
That's funny, I have Barry Bonds and Armando Benitez.
Wait, that's not funny.
i have johnny damon and
i have johnny damon and keith foulke in the t-c-r
"name that trade" pool.
Sweet...then I have berkman and lidge, with Clemons thrown in for a little extra.
mannytrillo, Graves signed
Graves signed a free agent contract with the Reds, which means that if he is released, he still has the right to be paid according to the terms of that contract. Either by the Reds or someone else.
Graves could elect to waive that guarantee and sign with another team. But you're Danny Graves, you just flipped off a fan, you've walked 12 in 8 innings this year and an ERA over 7, you're 31, and you are still owed $4-some million dollars for the rest of this season even if you spend it fishing. So it's not likely he'll be available for less than what he's owed by the Reds.
In the t-c-r pool, I stake
In the t-c-r pool, I stake my claim on Bob Wickman and Juan Gonzalez from the Indians!
I'll take "Drew and Gagne"
I'll take "Drew and Gagne" to block
I'll take Izzy and Jedmonds
I'll take Izzy and Jedmonds in the pool.
Now that I think about it, Pittsburgh has a history of giving the cubs whatever they want for next to nothing, so I think it would be a smart move for someone to take Mesa and Bay.
haha..i'll play
haha..i'll play along
cameron/looper for patterson/wuertz + ???
pure speculation...yum...
Seb-- "...Jimmy Rollins. He
"...Jimmy Rollins. He is rapping his original "Wish List." Isn't he on yours?"
If he were to become available, I'd be all over him like a sore rash. He's a young and cheap, all-round good player at shortstop. That is of course why the Phillies would be clinically insane to let him become available any time soon.
DC Tom--
"If Obermueller stays at this level and Capuano continues to improve, the Brewers might be able to make regular appearances at the .500 mark."
I really don't see any reason to think Obermueller will continue to perform at anywhere near this level. His present improved home run, walk and strikeout rates on their own only support an ERA around 4.50, and his batted ball distribution doesn't hint at any reason why his when hitters make contact against him they hit just .257 - he's allowing a lot of line drives, his groundball-flyball ratio is slightly biased towards groundballs and not many of those flyballs are infield flies. That's a combination that actually screams allowing a lot of hits on balls in play, it's what afflicted Glendon Rusch for so long. He's just been lucky so far.
Capuano's another matter. He's doing an improved job of keeping the ball in the park, and that's all that really undermined him last year.
"basically 3 days to trade or release him"
10 days actually.
Terrence Long and Andy Sisco.
Terrence Long and Andy Sisco.
Re #22 (OtherDave) -- I'd
Re #22 (OtherDave) -- I'd tolerate 2/3 a season Jose Mesa for a career of Jason Bay. But Littlefield can't be that dumb.
Atlanta might be willing to part with Kolb, now that they've demoted him and Hendry's coveting of Kolb is public knowledge. Mondesi and Jordan are simply not getting it done there, they can get the same production from Ryan Langerhans. So Hawkins to the Braves for Mondesi and Kolb?
Cubfan, "I think the magic
"I think the magic number for the wildcard is around 95 wins. For the Cubs to pull this off would mean a record from here on out of 76-45. or a .628 winning percentage. Even WITH a completely healthy club this club is NOT that good."
But is the rest of the NL Central (minus the Cards) that bad? I agree the future of the club shouldn't be sacrificed on a long shot this season, but I don't think it's utterly hopeless right now either.
i hope #25 is a
i hope #25 is a joke..heheh
i commented earlier how it might be somewhat hopeful the cubs could end up getting a player so KC could send sisco back to the minors...that shortly followed with KC bringing up a kid from *SINGLE A* ball...
now that's a desperate pitching situation.
Most certainly a joke; I
Most certainly a joke; I wanted to find an obscure team with a crappy outfielder lying under the radar. Sisco was a bonus, since the Royals don't have (or need) an obvious closer.
By the way, the ESPN home page has a great tagline for the Zambrano-email story: "Not-OK computer: Cubs tell Zambrano to stop."
i woke up in a cold sweat
i woke up in a cold sweat and didnt know why, i checked my computer and saw that danny graves has been released by the reds. i am know feeling an intense urge to shit my self. i must go now, and stop any thoughts hendry has of signing this nipple ring having hair dying choke artist
Ah, good to see another
Ah, good to see another Radiohead fan.
I'll suggest Jeff Conine and Jim Mecir.
So whaddya think? Want
So whaddya think? Want Danny Graves to join the bullpen of the damned?
Jorge Julio and Sammy Sosa
Jorge Julio and Sammy Sosa
More pure speculation:
More pure speculation: Byrnes/Dotel?
I think it may be something
I think it may be something more like Alexis Rios and Miguel Batista. I don't know why I am thinking that.
Heck, it could be Austin Kearns and Danny Graves.
Could Gagne be the
With all this tounge in
With all this tounge in cheek trade talk, somewhere in the cornfields of Iowa, MIKEC is getting shots of pain right to his heart and doesn't know why. When he reads this, he will then know and shoot down each and every trade proposal. :)
Anyways, IENPW, I think that might be the most logical yet, but will they trade in teh division?
I don't think Cincinatti is
I don't think Cincinatti is in a position to make that choice. Their system has crap for pitching, they'll take it from anyone. Likewise for the Cubs. They need offense, period.
My amateur opinion is that
My amateur opinion is that Phil Rogers is a muppet. Wood for Gagne just isn't going to happen, the first reason being it wouldn't be a good trade for the Cubs.
Looking deeper into it, if
Looking deeper into it, if teh Cubs get "a big OF", then who is expendable? Either Dubois would be part of the trade or he could be sent down to make room for the new OF. Or Macias could be cut (can we only hope) and then have Dubois and Holly as our backups in OF. Could make for a mess with Dubois on teh big league club after teh trade.
well said JH. phil
well said JH.
phil rogers...ken rosenthall...both were good baseball writers who were big men at their respective media outlets until they let it all go to their heads and it effected the real work that made them top dogs to begin with.
I'm going with Corey to the
I'm going with Corey to the Padres for Nevin and one of their relievers.
bruce levine's comments in
bruce levine's comments in the 5 o clock hour indicated the club was a "national league" club. looks like damon/foulke aint gonna happen.
so far.
Bruce Levine is full of
Bruce Levine is full of it.
Their advertisers want more listeners, and they pay the bills, including Levine's salary. They'll say anything to get you to tune in.
No, I only get shots of pain
No, I only get shots of pain through my heart when people say Huff is available and Tampa needs to trade him for more prospects in their already over flowing minor league system of talented prospects.
Recent comments
j.buchanan with a nice start...5ip 2h 1bb 3k, 0r/er
zobrist with 2HR and a double through 8
heyward 0-4 :(
Mark Gonzales @MDGonzales
Soler likely to return Sunday, Maddon says
Right now, I'd like to see the Mets first, Giants 2nd.
I believe that since most of the team from last years' NLCS is on the squad this year, they will really amp their game up even more to kick their ass in payback for 2015.
The Giants just do not have the depth in years past, and I think all things equal - and at Wrigley - they could handle them.
I do not want to see the Cards, period. Or their fans, media, or Joe Buck.
I don't want to play Braves in the first round. Any friggin team in the league can win 3 of 5..I hate the first round. Furthermore, I wanted to play the Marlins in 2003 and the Mets over Dodgers last year.
With that said in reverse order:
3. Cardinals: It will be devastating to lose in the first round, but even worse to their main rival. It is increased incentive for the Cardinals, especially after last year. Cards would have nothing to lose, Cubs have everything to lose.
2. Giants: Rotation in the playoffs scare me a bit, but what a lousy team.
1. Mets--because of the losses in the rotation
2. Giants--because they're not the team they were BUT they maybe have bullshit even-year magic?
3. Cardinals--because rivalry and not making the playoffs hurts them more than losing in the NLDS plus getting eliminated by them in the playoffs would make for horrible sports commentary next throughout next season.
Who's asking?
CLE/DET rained out last night already, possible rain-outs in New York (vs. Baltimore), Boston(vs. Toronto) and Philly(vs. Mets) this weekend too.
Not only games involving playoff spots that would need to be played, but any that involve home field advantage.
I got the first one! Second one I'm not even sure what even/odd betting is.
any opponent preference for NLDS?
Mets are down to 1 great pitcher instead of 4. Syndegaard may pitch Sunday which means if Mets win the WC game, he'd be set up for Game 1. There's a chance they clinch a spot by Sunday so he'd pitch the WC and then we'd probably get Colon for Game 1. They've certainly had the hottest bats over the last week and month out of the WC options.
A couple of Cub related puzzles.
Can't teach height and thinness
Hopefully Pirates don't call up A. Lincoln.
j.buchanan going friday...should be...baseball...or something like it.
Wow. I didn't know they could do that.
Nice for Willson, not so much for Addy.
Game is officially called...also officially a tie.
Stats count, no make-up date of course.
Yeah -- seeing the weather -- I hope KB and Rizz are inside, wrapped in blankets and drinking hot chocolate.


text:
Create memories that last and stay in a traditional Family Holiday Safari Lodge on a private concession in the legendary Kruger Park. See the delight on your children's faces when they get face to face with the Big 5 and other animals.
This family safari package offers a glorious 2 night stay in the south eastern Kruger Park. Enjoy all the trimmings with a short flight to this authentic family safari lodge.
Spending quality family time together in wonderful natural surroundings, is what makes life memorable! This ideal vacation destination for the whole family will transport you to a world of peace and luxury in the wilderness. Enjoy exciting Big Five game drives with experienced rangers and spot as many birds as you can - this area is a birdwatchers haven.
This family safari package is designed to offer the best of the Kruger Park from a place of comfort offering inter-leading family suites, excellent food and a really special bush atmosphere. This family safari lodge is the perfect playground for parents and children with excellent facilities for all. Guests can hear traditional African tales and enjoy camp fire dinners under the stars for an unforgettable family getaway.
Depart Johannesburg with a 45 min short flight to Nelspruit, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the Kruger National Park. If you leave Johannesburg early enough, you can arrive in time for lunch at your family holiday safari lodge. Then it is off to exploring the lodge and settling into your inter-leading family suite where you will be spending the next 2 nights.
Excitement will be quite high with your first afternoon game drive of approximately 3-4 hours and you are sure to have some of the best wildlife sightings that Kruger National Park has to offer. Upon return to your lodge, dinner will be served in the open air boma or enclosure which is an experience your family will always remember. (Lunch and Dinner included)
Following your early wake-up call, you will head out on a morning open safari vehicle game drive to view the wildife of Kruger. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for a welcome bush brunch. During your afternoon at leisure enjoy family fun and relaxation
The children can play in the swimming pool while you read a good book on the pool deck keeping an eye on them, or alternatively, babysitting services are available if you would like to treat yourself to a massage at the spa. High tea will be followed by an afternoon game drive which will also be your chance to do a night drive in Kruger National Park. Afterwards you can share your wildlife encounters around the boma fire with other guests or just sit back and listen to your guide's vivid storytelling. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Another early day, followed by a 3-4 hour morning open safari vehicle game drive and brunch served back at your family holiday safari lodge. This concludes your 3 Day Family Matters Safari Package tour in the Kruger Park. You will be picked up after brunch for your private road transfer back to the airport and check-in for your onward flight to Johannesburg. (Breakfast included)
Approximate travelling time 3 hours
Child price - children under the age of 12

subset: commoncrawl


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A home in West Fork was completely consumed by flames Friday morning. Burnt shards is all that was left of the home leveled by a fire on Sugar Mountain Road.
A 15-year-old boy jumped out of his bedroom window on the second floor after the smoke from the fire woke him up.
The fire started around 4:30 a.m. and the home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, officials said
The West Fork fire department responded to the blaze. Officials said there were minor injuries reported.
To view pictures on your mobile phone, click here.


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ACT presents Broadway hit
Altoona Community Theatre will finish its 2012-2013 season in the Mishler Theatre with the musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." Performances will be at 8 p.m. May 2, 3 and 4 and at 2 p.m. May 5.
Written by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shelove, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum" is a Roman romp about a wily slave named Pseudolous who pulls out every trick he knows to help his young master win the heart of a beautiful but simple-minded courtesan in exchange for the one thing he desires most his freedom.
Tickets are $23 for adults and $18 for students. Tickets are available at the Mishler box office from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays, by calling 944-9434 or online at www.altoonacommunitytheatre.com.
ACT also is hosting a Red Hat Ladies Brunch before the Sunday matinee. For more information, contact the ACT Administrative Office at 943-4357.
Guest pianist scheduled
HUNTINGDON - The Juniata College Wind Symphony will feature a Huntingdon native as guest pianist and debut a new Juniata College and community music ensemble at its spring concert at 3 p.m. April 27 in Rosenberger Auditorium on the Juniata campus.
Joining the ensemble will be Robert Swan, a 1964 graduate of Huntingdon Area High School and a renowned instrumental soloist for the International Baldwin Artist Roster. Swan will play "Piano Concerto in A Minor," by Edvard Grieg.
As a piano soloist, Swan has performed with major orchestras and given solo performances at Lincoln Center in New York City and the White House. He is an adjunct professor of music at Seattle Pacific University and at Music Works Northwest, in Bellevue, Wash.
After intermission, the college musicians will display their talents in a new ensemble, the Raystown Wind Orchestra.
Tickets for the concert are $5 for adults. Juniata students with ID and children under age 18 are admitted free.
Glee Club to perform
UNIVERSITY PARK - The Penn State Glee Club, directed by Christopher Kiver, will perform a mix of music ranging from works by the Beatles to Benjamin Britten at its annual Blue and White Concert at 8 p.m. Saturday in Schwab Auditorium.
The program features a rollicking setting of "Saltarelle" by Camille Saint-Saens and a gorgeous arrangement of the African-American spiritual "Balm in Gilead." The always-popular Hi-Lo's perform energetic pop arrangements, while the concert concludes with rousing renditions of Penn State songs.
Each general admission ticket is $12 for an adult and $4 for a student. Buy tickets before the day of the concert to save 40 percent.
The school's oldest student organization, which includes 80 singers, tours throughout the United States and abroad. The ensemble performs choral literature from the Renaissance to the 21st century.
Juniata gets into 'Noir'
HUNTINGDON - "Noir, Noir, Noir," the latest production from the Juniata College Theatre Department, is loosely adapted from "Kiss Me Deadly," a Mickey Spillane novel and later a classic film noir movie. Inspired by the film's portrait of a world living in fear of mob control and nuclear destruction, this production will focus on Americans' current societal fear of classified information leaks, drone targeting and other phobias.
Directed and created by Stephanie Skura, a member of Juniata's Gravity Partners, the college's professional theater faculty, "Noir, Noir Noir," will be staged at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Suzanne von Liebig Theatre on the Juniata Campus.
Admission for this performance is free and open to the public, but audience seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved online. Tickets that are reserved online will be held at the door.
The Eagles touring again
PITTSBURGH - The Eagles will bring their "History of the Eagles" tour to the CONSOL Energy Center at 8 p.m. July 23.
The Eagles - Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit - will perform classics spanning their career. Hits from band members' solo catalogs will also be featured during the evening.
Tickets for the show range in price from $50 to $225 and can be purchased online atticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.


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Re: Goooood Morning SHR -Thursday
"Fight for four"..Me
Everything is Possible...If you Believe
Whatever goes... remember, this is a family forum
Annalee wrote:Just found this.....don't know how far it is from the Villages or how far it is from HH but here is a chance to see him......but for sure if either of you go, you have to report back! And take Picts ......
Tony Stewart is scheduled to participate in a grand-opening ceremony and sign fan autographs at the new River City Comcast Xfinity store in Jacksonville, FL, on Wednesday, January 8, beginning at approximately 6:30 pm local time. The store is located at 13141 City Station Drive, Suite 155, in Jacksonville. An Xfinity store wristband will be required to receive Stewarts autograph (limit of one per person present), and a total of 250 wristbands will be distributed at the store on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 2:00 pm local time on the day of the event.
jsw14 wrote:Annalee, Jacksonville is about 2hr North-East of The Villages, & a good 4hr from H's house I don't think I'll be goin
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MARTINSBURG - With fall, blooms the classic sophistication of dahlias, zinnias, sunflowers and hydrangeas. The design staff of Flowers Unlimited, under the detailed eye of Anthony Hess and Mark Jordan, carefully brings the elegance of the season alive in the floral designs they create.
"We go for funky, fun flowers that you don't see every day," Hess said. "As the season changes, so does our flower selection."
The Queen Street store opened in 2003 and has since grown into the D.C. metro area, although both Hess and Jordan say that Martinsburg is home.
Article Photos
"We really haven't changed; we still take pride in the service that we have always done. That's why people come to us, and we are very unique. We offer things that you can't find anywhere and nice quality products," Jordan said.
For any event or occasion that calls for a touch of color to make it extra special, Flowers Unlimited can provide exactly what is needed. Weddings and funerals are the main occasions, although Hess said he wants people to understand they are more than simply a flower shop.
"Besides the floral aspect, we have a home interior line which offers unique items that you can't find in the area. You don't have to leave Martinsburg to get something classic and special," Hess said.
Flowers Unlimited carries handbags lines by Spartina449 and Rowallan, the Tymes bath and body line, a silver line called Mariposa and a variety of specialty candles. These, among many other gift ideas, can be crafted into gift baskets along with the collection of silk and dried flowers.
As for weddings, the season extends from the early summer months into the crisp days of fall, Hess said. The design staff at Flowers Unlimited has a booked wedding schedule up through the early weeks of December.
"We have had at least 60-plus weddings within the year. Maybe more," Jordan said.
When working with funerals, Flowers Unlimited works one-on-one with families for casket sprays, and to help them express all aspects of sympathy, which does not always mean flowers. The staff has designed casket sprays with vegetables and other unique elements of nature.
"A client had passed away, and her wish was to have a funeral consisting of all magnolia, and I went to her yard and cut all the magnolia the morning of, picked them and they were blooming as I was walking through the door," Hess said.
In the upcoming months, Flowers Unlimited will host a fall open house on Sept. 29 in celebration of the season. The event will be a fun adult party with refreshments, costumes and music.
"We also always have a big event at Christmas that everyone looks forward to. A Christmas open house and window unveiling. We cover the windows up, like they do in New York and other places, and change them out. We don't take the wrapping off until the night of open house," Jordan said.
The Christmas Open House will be held Nov. 9.
Flowers Unlimited provides its customers with all aspects of floral design, from modern to traditional to high-end. Although the business continues to grow, the Eastern Panhandle remains home.
"We have our local clientele that we love; we wouldn't be around without them," Jordan said.
Flowers Unlimited is located at 144 N. Queen St., Martinsburg. For more information, contact the store at 304-260-5770.


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Investigators released the name of the driver they say was behind the wheel in a crash that killed two University of Arkansas students.
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2003 - Winter
The Review Magazine: Winter 2003
Table of contents:
Thoughts on a Trip to Thailand
Does Dos Plus Dos Still Equal Cuatro?
Why Study Abroad?
The Inauguration of Westminster's Sixteenth President
Westminster Adds to Higher Education Debate
New Center for Business, Aviation, and Entrepreneurship Brings a New Dimension to Learning


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Published October 24, 2013
Like she's done for months now, Hillary Rodham Clinton kept everyone guessing at her Distinguished Speakers Series talk last night in Alumni Arena.
Is she really running for president in 2016? Would she say so—or hint at it—during her speech?
As the sold-out crowd of 6,700 waited, she delivered a mostly memorized—and mesmerizing—speech about why she believes that America is still a world power with a mission to lead, despite its many problems.
The former U.S. senator from New York and former secretary of state was introduced by Student Association Vice President Lyle Selsky and UB President Satish Tripathi. Tripathi thanked her for returning to Buffalo and noted her years spent supporting and visiting Buffalo. "The impact of her leadership has been profound and lasting," he said. "She has left a legacy of support for higher education."
"Hello, Buffalo!" Clinton said upon entering. The headliner for UB's 27th annual lecture series and the Undergraduate Student Choice Speaker, Clinton said she visited Buffalo 52 times during her tenure as senator. Tripathi also noted that she was the most-well-traveled secretary of state in U.S. history, having visited 112 countries during her tenure.
Clinton mentioned how UB students are gaining the skills and exposure to diversity that will help them power the new knowledge-based economy. She also gave shout-outs to local legislators and citizens working to improve the city and region, citing projects including the waterfront revitalization and the $30 million she helped secure to move UB's medical school downtown.
Clinton also discussed domestic and foreign policies, the state of public education and her relationship with President Barack Obama, stressing the need to combat the "idea-free zone" in Washington and its "slash-and-burn" partisan politics.
Part of what grounds her, she said, are her Midwestern roots. Her trips back to Western New York are always a pleasant return to old friends. "I've been watching Buffalo closely, even while traveling," she said. Throughout her career she's kept a snow globe with a buffalo inside it—a gift from a hotel housekeeper during one of her stops in town. "'Don't forget Buffalo,'" the woman told me, and I haven't," Clinton said.
Later on, a heckler piped up in the bleachers. Raising her voice slightly over his shouting, Clinton continued talking about how Buffalo was a "model for making connections. We have to be willing to come together." She paused slightly and quipped, "And it involves sitting down and talking, not yelling." The crowd came to its feet with a roar.
Clinton then moved from education statistics to personal anecdotes, recounting her experiences on the global stage as the 67th secretary of state. "I know the world watches carefully how we make decisions here in the U.S.," she said.
Among her stories:
The most common question Clinton said she received during her first trips abroad was how she got along with Obama after their contentious 2008 presidential fight. "I was surprised he asked me," she admitted, remembering his invitation later to serve as secretary of state. "He called Bill while we were on a walk in a nature preserve."
Clinton said she had to put herself in Obama's place to see the global issues pressing on his administration and the economic challenges he faced at home. What if she had to ask him the same question? "I'd want him to say yes."
What Clinton called a "peaceful transition" after the election became a friendship with Obama, and a shared love of country. "We're problem-solvers," she said of Americans, adding that democracy only comes from political compromise and continuity. Despite the "painful effects of economic stagnation" that led to higher unemployment and poverty in cities like Buffalo, "we can see reasons and evidence to be hopeful."
She ended with a message to America to care for its children, especially in their first five years of life, and to work to close disparity gaps in education, poverty and health care for all Americans. "Children are the canaries in the coal mine," she said. "We have to be honest about how kids, who come to kindergarten already behind, will succeed."
After her speech, she sat down with Dennis Black, vice president for university life and services, who took questions from the live audience and from Twitter.
Questions ranged from Clinton's thoughts on Chelsea and future grandchildren—"I'd be very happy being a grandmother, but there's no pressure"—to her difficult decision in 2012 to allow Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng to seek asylum at the U.S. embassy in Beijing—"It could have been a diplomatic catastrophe, but on the other side of it was one man and his future trumped all the other issues."
It came down to the very last question to address the elephant in the room. Black looked slyly at Clinton and asked: "Describe what an ideal candidate would look like."
Without missing a beat, Clinton waited until the clapping died down and replied, "I'm not as interested in what a candidate looks like, but what they stand for."
What an inspiring talk that must have been. I wish I had been there. This is the kind of statesmanship this country needs. Or should I say stateswomanship.
In particular, I congratulate the undergraduates for selecting this speaker. This choice makes up, at least in part, for a previous class' invitation to Donald Trump.
Gerry Rising
Did no one question her record as secretary of state, specifically her support for jihadists and wahabists in the overthrow of Qaddafi, as well as open support for arming the same crowd in Syria, or her warmongering and bullying of China and Russia over their support of Assad?
Did no one question the "Asian Pivot" policy of encircling China with military bases?
Very disappointing. Why is she entitled to a free ride?
Joseph D'Urso


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Best Western Plus Savannah Airport Inn & Suites
Pooler, GA 31322
Interior Corridor hotel located in Pooler, Georgia along Interstate 95. 87 room all-suite property featuring an indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, and sauna. Sleeper sofas in all rooms except handicap access. Deluxe Continental breakfast includes make your own Belgium waffles, biscuits and sausage gravy.
Info & Amenities
Hours of Operation
Sunday: All Day
Monday: All Day
Tuesday: All Day
Wednesday: All Day
Thursday: All Day
Friday: All Day
Saturday: All Day
Facility Amenities
Bus / Motorcoach Parking on Site, Complimentary Breakfast, Exercise Room/Fitness Center, Express Check-in/out, Free Parking, Indoor Pool, Meeting Space Available
General Information
Internet Connectivity
Free Wi-Fi, High-Speed In-Room
Near Interstate Highway
Room Amenities
Hair Dryer, In-Room Coffee Maker, Iron/Ironing Board
Room Information
Number of Non-smoking Rooms: 87
Number of Rooms (Total): 87
Number of Suites: 87
Room Type


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ATTICA ?- Seneca East Board of Education met Monday night and heard treasurer Laura Brickner give her report, saying the General Fund is doing well, though just a month into the school year. When asked how the cafeteria fund was faring, she said the numbers are misleading at this point, due to the up-front purchase of food and there being three pay days in August.
North Central Ohio Council of Regional Government Director John Davoli spoke to the board, asking them to approve a resolution to allow Superintendent Michael Wank to sign a memorandum of understanding, joining other school and city entities to support a grant to perform a feasibility study for utilizing natural gas to power vehicles such as school buses. Davoli told the board that a memorandum does not commit the district in any way. The resolution was approved.
In lieu of transportation requests, which would pay some parents whose inconvenience in busing makes it more appealing to the district, were approved for the children of Rog Wilson, Laura Brodman, Shannon Widman, Kelly Hendrix, Gail Englehart, Barb King and David Kin. The board is anticipating more parents, who were contacted earlier, will respond.
Another resolution approving bus routes and authorizing the superintendent make arrangements for transportation of all special education and parochial students to include the use of hired and/or contracted vehicles and buses operated by other school districts or private concerns was approved.
Other resolutions approved included:
School fees for the 2012-13 school year.
Contract with NOECA for 2013 computer services.
Accept amounts and rates for the .75 mil levy for Seneca East Public Library.
Hiring Spielman, Hill, and Hedebrink to perform procedures for the ODE-Medicaid School program.
The board went into a lengthy executive session to meet with individuals who had concerns regarding personnel. Another executive session was held later in the meeting to discuss certified and supplemental personnel contracts.
The board approved two other resolutions, approving changes to the Seneca East Employment of Retirees policy, and hiring mentors for new teachers.
In Wank's report, he said the bus routes have been straightened out with communication being the problem. He also mentioned only one person has applied for a supplemental technology position, developed to assist teachers.
Wank praised the work of maintenance personnel, particularly Jay Mason and Glen Wise, in assembling equipment and cubicles in the sports complex.
The board also approved paying an annual fee of $484 for membership in the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding, which helps work for adequate school funding, according to Wank.
Elementary principal Brad Powers said positive things are happening at the beginning of the school year with programs helping teachers assess and work with students. He said in his 26 years in education he is most excited about this year.
Junior/high school principal Don Vogt attended the meeting, saying he wants to take what are good test scores and make them better. He complimented staff members and custodians, thanking former principal Judy Watson for "sticking around awhile" to help him become acclimated to the new position. He said students have responded in a great way.


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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
So, a Myrtle Beach woman tried to strangle her boyfriend last month… for stealing the covers.
Tina Berryhill Rucker, 42, allegedly became enraged when her boyfriend rolled over and did the old blanket grab. Rucker, who was reportedly intoxicated (ya think?) commenced to choke him out. He had bruises and scratches on his neck, and she had a swift trip to bond court on a charge of criminal domestic violence.
First of all, these folks need a bigger blanket. And Tina could possibly do with some anger management classes. But a teeny-tiny part of me sees her drunken point. Sometimes a blanket hog needs a lesson. Not saying violence is the answer, but putting an ice cube in his ear might have gotten the point across.
I would never commit violence against my husband for bogarting the blankets. We have plenty of bedcovers, thank you very much. If and when I snap, it will be for snoring. How many of you feel me on this?
Here's the scenario: I always retire at least an hour before Widdle Baby, which in itself annoys me. If I wanted to go to bed alone every night, I'd have stayed single. Usually, Widdle dozes off on the sofa in the den and sleeps like the dead. You can't wake him without a police whistle or starter's pistol, and I don't own either.
Some nights, just to mix it up, he says, "I'm coming to bed right now," and then promptly remembers something he has to find online IMMEDIATELY that takes at least 30 minutes of research. Either way, it's me and my latest book at bedtime. Even the dog won't come to bed until Daddy does.
That's not the worst part. That comes later, after I brush my teeth, moisturize my face and mourn the state of my neck. After I take my sleeping pill and crawl into bed with a book. After I turn off my little reading light, let the book fall to the floor and drift off to sleep.
Just as I'm in that blissful, weightless state of almost-no-return, the door creaks open and Widdle trudges across our dark bedroom to his bathroom. He doesn't tip-toe, but in all fairness, neither does he stomp. Regardless, I hear the floorboards squeak and snap awake. Wide awake.
I usually get up and stagger to my bathroom, then get a glass of water from the kitchen and go back to bed… but not to sleep. No, I turn on the light and start reading again, because once I'm up the whole getting-sleepy process has to start over.
Widdle crawls into bed, we clink wedding rings (a sweet ritual he introduced years ago) and he's out—asleep in seconds. I toss and turn and read some more until at last, I snap the little light off again and sleep overtakes me.
Then, as I sink into sweet oblivion, he lets out a high-pitched, strangled snore that sounds like a goat digesting barbed wire. It jolts through me like an electric shock, and I darn near levitate off the bed. Then three things happen: 1) I punch his shoulder; 2) he hollers, "Why you hit me?" and 3) he resumes snoring with even more gusto.
Do I contemplate murder at such moments? Of course; I'm only human. But usually I just grab my pillow, deliver one last smack and scurry off to the spare room.
Alone again, naturally.
Julie R. Smith, who used to eat granola in bed before Widdle noticed she was costing him a fortune in dental bills, can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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S&W First Response folding knife features a stainless steel 1/2 serrated Drop Point blade, stainless steel handle with black G10 insert, seat belt cutter, window punch, liner lock with pocket clip. Overall length: 8", blade length 3-3/8". Imported.
*You must be 18 years or older to purchase any knife. Any knife that is shipped shall require an adult signature on delivery. It shall be the purchaser's responsibility to determine any local restrictions concerning the purchase of knives and to comply with all applicable laws. Smith & Wesson Corp. will not sell or ship any knife in any state or other jurisdiction where prohibited by law. By purchasing or ordering any knife, you represent that you are of legal age, and agree that you will take full responsibility for compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and other restrictions.


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We recommend Window Alert Decals, containing a unique component that reflects ultraviolet light, which is brilliantly visible to birds, alerting them of your glass windows and doors without obscuring your view outdoors.
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Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi may be best known for her carefree, club-hopping ways, but the Jersey Shore star – who recently confirmed that she and fiancé Jionni LaValle are expecting their first child – says that having a baby on the way has changed her.
"I guess [pregnancy] just made me more mature," Polizzi, 24, told reporters while promoting her new MTV show Snooki & JWoww Thursday in New York City.
Joined by Jenni "JWoww" Farley and Jersey Shore cast mate DJ Pauly D, the reality star explained just how much her behavior has been altered.
"It's different because now I'm not drinking," Polizzi notes. "I'm usually partying and going to clubs but pregnancy made me grow up a lot."
Her best friend agrees: "[Nicole] really came into her own being pregnant. Looking at your best friend and seeing that you feel proud," said Farley, 26.
Premiering June 21 on MTV, Snooki & JWoww follows Polizzi during her first trimester – during which she barely suffered from morning sickness. "I hardly threw up," she notes. "I was just very tired and cranky."
But she's done with her signature "Whaaa" whine. "My baby will take over that sound," she says. "I can't wait!"
Polizzi said her beloved pickles are a thing of the past, as well. The petite star's newest cravings are "a lot of fruits and Italian icies … no pickles."
Lastly, she's given up the glow. Known for her signature bronze complexion, Polizzi admits, "I haven't tanned since August."
Snooki: Pregnancy Has Made Me More Mature
Amanda Schwab/Startraks


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FOUND, at last a property business that has had a successful 2008. Its name? Housepricecrash.co.uk.
When 25-year-old Brendan McLoughlin bought the obscure website three years ago the only visitors were a few doomsayers warning that the end was nigh for the house-price boom. Now, as property values nosedive, the controversial news and discussion website is attracting 50,000 hits a day and revenue of more than £300,000 from advertisers including Sky, Virgin and BT.
And according to the internet rating agency Hitwise, it is now the ninth-biggest property website in the UK.
However, the site has attracted the ire of property experts who accuse McLoughlin of profiteering from pessimism.
TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp of Channel 4s Location, Location, Location has described the site as sick.
There is a website called Housepricecrash and I am their deadliest enemy, she said earlier this year. They all rent and have a vested interest and enjoyment in watching others suffer . . . We are not going into freefall unless we panic ourselves into it.
McLoughlin defended the site, saying: Ive owned a property since 2003 and have felt the pain of falling prices.
House prices have dropped by 14.9% over the past year and many economists predict further losses of 15%-20% in 2009.
Allsop, you are sick with your utter clueless nonsense.
We are not going into freefall unless we panic ourselves into it
Firstly, you DON'T talk yourself into a house price crash, and you don't EVER panic yourselves into a house price crash.
Exactly what happens in a recession. You DON'T talk yourselves into a recession, you SPEND YOURSELVES INTO IT!.
How on earth did Allsop get on TV


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Thursday, April 25, 2013
I am an Adult Day Care Service provider in the tri-county area. My center provides services for adults from 18 until; currently my oldest client is in her nineties. Our Lt. Governor has traveled the state and met with providers as well as current recipients of wavier services and others receiving funding from other sources, and last but not least those caregivers or citizens of the state awaiting funding on those long wavier waiting list; either the Community Supports Waiver or the Wavier program administer by the Department of Disabilities.While I truly believe that he sees the big picture and the enormous need for expanded day care services as he has stated in at least two newspaper articles.I am left to wonder if he knows where the Federal funds are going. He is not only the Lt. Governor but he is responsible for the Agencies on Aging throughout our state. He must be aware that these agencies have taken federal money since 2008. Those dollars were to be used to train the employees of this agency to offer "Options Counseling" to help aging and disabled with options when needing long term supports.
While the Lt. Governor has stated he believes that the Aging and Disabled of this state are his number one concern. The people who run the agency he is responsible for must have missed the message all together. If you are a disabled consumer or caregiver looking for help and call your Area Agency on Aging & Disability, the first question that will be asked is "are you 60 or older". Every citizen of this state must be wise enough to know that almost all disabilities are lifelong and do not start at 60. Currently the only proof that they are even remotely associated with the disabled community is the signage on their vans that says Aging and Disability Resource Center.
As a citizen of this state and someone who is very involved in the disabled community, I find it disgraceful that we continue to have officials on the state level that allow things like this to occur. We as humans treat our disabled and elderly worse than we treat our beloved pets. If agencies or facilities giving care to these folks are allowed to continue to receive funds and not provide care what will happen?
Rosemary W. Boling
Hoot Owl Ave.
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text: Ask The Artist! Categories ClientsFellow Artists Latest FAQ How much does a portrait cost? This is a question I get very often. The price depends on your choices and can vary quite allot. First you have a choice between detailed or painterly styles. The Painterly styled portraits are much more affordable than the detailed. The reason for the price difference is obviously because of how many hours it takes to create a portrait. Second, the price also depends on which medium you and size you choose. The mediums available are oil, pastel , pencil & conté crayon. View my complete price list here » Will the portrait be signed by you? Of course it will! It's the part I'm waiting for the entire painting process and it's the moment I have decided that the piece is completed. All original artworks are and should be signed by the artist who painted it. All my clients also receives a Certificate of originality along with their portrait, which is also signed and dated by me. How do I find out exactly how much my portrait will cost on your Price list? First, you can choose to view the prices your currency. My base prices are in SEK, Swedish krona. The Price page is divided into three tabs. You have a choice between three painting techniques ( mediums ) and those are: Oil, Pastel and Pencil. When you choose your preferred painting medium you will find information about my prices for that particular painting technique ( medium ). In the Price Table you have the sizes in cm and inch to the left and the prices for both Detailed and Sketchy Portraits to the right. In next table below you have information about additional charges for things like Extra Studies ( more than one subject on the same painting/ drawing ), Scenic Backgrounds and Montages. Even though you are not in a Ordering process right now, you can still play with the 50% deposit payment ordering tables to see exactly how much your portrait will cost. The only thing you need to do is follow the numbers, read the information and make your choices. Hope this helps... You have made a fantastic drawing from shelties, a collage with obedience sheltieIs it possible to buy a copy of this collage? Hello, Almost all portraits I have on my website are private commissions with my clients own pets, it wouldn't feel right to sell those as Prints. So unfortunately no one can to buy a copy. You are however welcome to commission a collage with your own photos. What perfect drawings you make. Please can you tell me how much a portrait costs, with four dogheads? I don't charge for extra studies, only size and medium of your choice. Please check out my complete price-list. What do you use to blend with? Fingers? Tortillions? In the beginning of the process, when I start to block in the big areas I'm using two slanted pastel blenders. The brushes are in size 2 and 12 from Da Vinci. At a later stage, when there is much paint on the paper I use my fingers only. I have tried allot of different blenders, but somehow I always end up in using my fingers as that feels most natural to me. What kind of oil do you use, for the sketching the subject on the canvas? I meen that brown colored sketch...is that an oil or something else? The oil color brand I use is Winsor & Newton Artists. The "brown" color I'm sometimes using to sketch up the subjects with is Burnt Sienna. But you can use what ever color you are comfortable with, like Raw Umber or Ivory black. I use Ivory black quite allot too. You can also combine colors for sketches, like Raw Umber and Ivory black. The colors are mixed with allot of Turpentine. How did you get started with your career as portrait painter? I've noticed how difficult it is to to do a career as an artist here in Norway, so was wondering how you went through to get where you are today. :) When I started out to paint professionally I didn't have a clue what was waiting around the corner. When thinking back, I'm wondering why my hair isn't grey yet! My opinion is that I'm still not where I would like to be and I know I still have a long way to go. A big failure I did was to go internationally right away, everyone should start to get known locally first. To do a career as an artist of any kind is very difficult, no matter in which country you are located. As a matter of fact, living in nordic countries as I do myself makes it a bit easier. Why do I think that? Well, it's because there is no big competition among portrait artists, especially when it comes to creating portraits of pets. A big problem is that people here don't trust anyone, which makes it hard to sell services online. One other issue is that people don't even think about searching for something like pet portraits in search engines. To sell services, we have to market ourselves offline in order to make them visit us online. It takes around 10 years of very hard work for a artist to "make it". By that I don't only mean painting or pursuing better painting skills. I mean working hard with marketing and creating a SEO friendly website. The only thing I have had time to do so far is creating a website which can be found in major Search engines, and that's since 2006 when I decided to paint portraits professionally. All commissions I get right now is through my website only. What I will do next when it comes to marketing is a big question, I do have many ideas but didn't try anything out just yet. How did you create this website?! I used to work as a web designer professionally, so I created my website from scratch. This means; first I created the design exactly how I wanted the website to look in Photoshop, a PSD image in many layers. After that I puzzled the site together in HTML and CSS. I used Dreamweaver to help me out with the visual as I'm working, but I'm also doing allot of coding myself because I want it to be clean. I'm using div tags for the website template because it loads faster than tables do. The "Work in Progress" Blog (wordpress) have the same template (theme) and is also done by myself. I'm very fastidious when it comes to design and I want everything to look exactly how I imagined it to be. One pixel wrong, could make me stay up at night :). That's probably not normal, I know... I'm also using some coding made by others on the website, things like the slider on top of each page. That one I'm using is called Nivo slider and can be edited to suit your needs. More about my website can be read about here : new website 2011 Why do you use oil paint? That is a good question! I love oil paint and it's my favorite medium next to pastel. Oil is also a very popular medium among art lovers and buyers, simply one of the easiest mediums to sell. Oil was frequently used by the old masters who created all beautiful masterpieces, many artists both admire and study old masterpieces. I love to paint with oil because of what can be achieved with it, but also because of the buttery feel the paint has. It takes some time for the oil paint to dry which is great when I want to keep the paint "open" and I don't have to worry about if it's too dry the next day or not. Oil is also a great medium for painting in many layers and that is the painting technique I use. I was wondering if you would mind sharing your workflow throughout one of your animal pastel paintings. Also, do you offer any tutorials online or for sale? Actually I have been thinking about writing a simple pastel tutorial and add it to my Art Article section soon. I'm going to do that as I'm painting the next dog portrait. Unfortunately I don't have any tutorials for sale yet. Is there another paper/card that you would recomend for someone starting out using pastel pencils? I wouldn't recommend any other paper than UART for detailed work and Sennelier for sketches. There are two other sanded papers that I know of; Wallis and Fisher 400. For a start you can try a hight quality Fine Art velour paper like Hahnemuhle. My first and only portrait created on velour paper is the papillion pet portrait. It's a great looking portrait, but it was very hard to achieve what I wanted on that paper. I buy my art supplies online too ( some of them ), since they don't sell all supplies I need here in Sweden. How do you achieve the depth to fur and does each layer get progressively lighter or darker? Painting fur: It is not the stroke that makes a hair, it is the dark color around it. First you have to create depth and a good base, then paint both dark and light strokes in order to make the fur look realistic. After this is done, you will probably need to go through the same process in several layers. Painting layers: In oil you need to work from dark to light. This doesn't mean you can't add darker colors with each layer, it is something you still need to do in order to create depth. The tiniest details at the end of the painting process are usually the lightest ones. The first layers can cover the previous one, but as you are progressing and the painting is starting to take it's shape, you can't cover everything you have done before. Only add the details and colors you need. Always work from thin to thick paint when painting with oils. I do have a tutorial written on my website. A step by step guide about how I paint a German Shepherd. Read the oil painting tutorial here > I just wondered if you have any tips for creating fur with lots of depth in pencil? What techniques can I use to make realistic fur? Does the kind of paper make a difference? When drawing detailed I usually use a method called negative drawing. First I'm drawing the darkest areas, leaving the lightest out and then drawing all the values in between. That method is preferred by many pencil artists. The paper makes a big difference. The choice of paper is individual and the only way to know which paper suits you best, is to try it out. The paper should be thick and really white for graphite work in my opinion. I use the Fabriano 5 for my pencil drawings, both sketchy and detailed portraits. How do you get your brush strokes to stay so thin when you paint the fur on the pets? Also how do you make very thin lines in pencil? When I paint fur I use a flat or rounded small brush, usually nr. 0 - 2 depending which kind of brand it is. To make thin lines with a brush I use Turpentine or Linseed oil mixed with the colors. In order to make thin lines with a pencil it needs to be very sharp. The secret is always in the brush or pencil tip... I am confused, in another part you say you use linseed oil, but here you say no. Please help. Thanks. That's probably because I didn't use linseed oil before, but now I do. I use the drying linseed oil, making sure to use 50% oil mixed med 50% Turpentine, plus paint naturally. If you use too much oil, it will be very hard to paint more more layers over the previous one. Start by using only Turpentine mixed with paint and add linseed oil later on. With oil you need to paint thick over thin and not the other way around. Could you please tell me how long you would leave a finished oil painting before varnishing it? I would leave it for 6 months, since an expert told me to wait that long. I know many artists varnish their paintings long before that, but I don't. I would wait at least one month, so I never varnish my paintings before I send them to my clients. How do you do to draw the first lines of the portrait? To obtain the perfect proportions? Sometimes I do it freehand, measure the angles from a distance with a pencil at the same time as I squint with my eyes. This is however a very time-consuming method and requires many years of experience. I find it hard to do it freehand for that particular subject, I then prefer to use the grid method. You can find allot of information on the Internet about how to use the grid method. Do you have a tutorial about painting pencil human portraits (with hair desirably)? Thank you for your attention. No, I still don't have my tutorials ready. I will try to find time to write more tutorials over the summer. When painting in layers, how do you apply paint over dry layer? Do you coat the canvas with any medium before applying? No I don't do that, but many artists do. I prefer to keep the dry layer beneath dry when I apply new color. However some artists first apply the entire dried layer with Linseed oil and then dry it up with a rag before starting up the next layer. Just experiment and see which method suits you best. I would love to see you make a couple of instructional DVD's...maybe a basic and then a advanced one and perhaps one for pets and one for humans...Is that a possiblity? Oh, so many fellow artists has asked me that. As soon as I will have some spare time I will create at least some Tutorials. That will have to wait until I feel I am ready for it. Is it very difficult and have you had any problems mounting the paper? I know it needs to be done for preservation and appearance, but am uncertain. The only problem I have had is that I created mounts in the wrong size and that was of course very frustrating! But no, I have not yet ruined a portrait with a mount. If you are uncertain about that, why not have framer do the job for you? Even though I'm able to create my own mounts, I regularly pay someone else to do it and use my own time for painting. What would you recommend to use to fix your pastel work. I have used fixative but find it dulls the colour slightly and now use hairspray. What is your preference? I never use any fixative for pastel work, so I can't give you any advice on that. I wouldn't recommend it at all, to anyone. The only thing that preserves a pastel is proper framing in my opinion. How do you get such a soft beautiful blend on your pencil drawings, for example on the Malamute? First I draw on the desired area with a soft pencil grade, like 4B, 5B or 6B. Then I use a soft rag /old sock or brush to blend, that's all. I keep on doing this until it's perfect. For a beginner pencil portraits artist please recommend pencil ranges (e.g. 2H- 6b) and paper type My favorite pencil is 2B, which I can draw both light and dark strokes with. I also love to use 5B for very dark shadows. I use H or HB for very light strokes too. So I use H, HB, 2B and 5B most of the time for my drawings. When it comes to paper, you will have to test which one you prefer. I use Fabriano Artistico extra white watercolor paper for my detailed portraits nowadays. When applying layers in oils, is there a limit to how many layers you can do? Do you have to plan how many layers in advance? No, I don't plan on how many layers I have to apply to a detailed oil painting. I just keep on painting until I think the artwork is completed. I don't normally apply more than three or four layers though and I don't cover the entire painting with each layer, just where there is work needed. I always paint with my next layer in mind and that is the only thing I plan. Naturally if I don't like my previous layer I just paint it over with new colors, but that is not something I regulatory need to do nowadays since I mix all my colors before I start out. I don't use much linseed oil, so I tend to use more turpentine than oil. I don't like how dark colors shine when dried because of the oil. Some old masters where painting allot more layers. I think Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci was painted in 50 layers or so, but that technique was slightly different from mine. Also, I don't think any client would pay for that many hours of work after all, at least not my clients. I have my first portrait to paint but how on earth do I price it up? I don't how it's going to turn out etc. After you compared your artwork to others, checked out which prices they have and decided upon your own prices. Just tell the price and start working. Keep on working until you are satisfied. If you love it, the client will probably love it too. If something goes wrong, simply start over. If a client don't like your work, simply give the money back and keep the painting or drawing for yourself. This has never happened to me, but that is what I would do. To price your own work can be a hard task, but you need to start somewhere. Could you give me any tips on how you achieve your lovely subtle backgrounds please? I don't know if you mean oil or pastel, the approach a bit different depending on which medium. I love to use warm or earth tones most of the time, trying to create the background less important then the subject. I always try to mix colors and blend them onto the paper on canvas until I get the right colors and light. When painting in oil, I like paint in layers. This way I can achieve great depth and softness. I use a large brush to blend oil paint sometimes. When painting with pastel, I also build layers, blocking in dark tones first and then add light colors over the previous layers and then blend. It's hard to explain really... Just wondering, your pencil work (actually all your work) is incredible. Will you be doing a pencil tutorial at some stage? No I don't think I will, at least not in near future. I will only work on Pastel Tutorials for now. Katja, your work is beautiful, can i please ask how you get such softness in the fur using oil?, when I try to blend I end up with such a muddy mess that I have to start all over again only to end up in the same situation, also if i glaze to get depth i seem to lose all brushstrokes, my high lights also look "added on" and not part of the fur any tips would be most gratefully recieved. As I don't know how you work with oil, it is hard for me to answer your question. It is a quite different approach depending on if you paint in layers (like I do) or if you paint "alla prima" (wet in wet). I need to know this before I can answer. In working with pastels, you've mentioned that you don't preserve the final painting with fixative. I myself have seen the perils of using fixative(color gone awry, etc), but was wondering if you also never spray your work with similar medium, in between layers, for keeping things from muddying up? I've found that I need to do this, as my use of pastels is very new, and haven't the skill to blend without fixing as I go along. As I work on sanded paper, I don't feel that I need to use any fixative between layers either, so the answer to you question is: no, I don't. I have heard of many artists that do use fixative between layers though and if you feel that you need to, why not? I see that you mix your paint with some turpentine and a small amount of drying linseed, but can you clarify the fat over lean process for me please. Do you increase the amount of oil or the amount of paint in the mixture as you do more layers? Also, wondering if you oil out the background to give it that sheen you see in your photos? I start by using only turpentine mixed with oil paint, just like I would be painting with watercolor. After that I start adding thicker and thicker paint, this means that after your start mixing in oil mediums, the paint is as fat as it can get. I don't mix my paints with any oil medium on my first layers. Now I use Walnut oil instead of Linseed as it dries slower and doesn't shine that much when it's dry. Yes, I oil-out all my paintings with a very thin layer of Walnut oil, but this only brings out dark or vibrant colors as I don't like them to shine too much. I have often had to turn away commissions due to really small photographs being supplied by the client, where I am unable to take photos myself. Other times the photos are too small for the size they request (2 inch photo for a 12ins portrait!) or the pets are blurred or red eye. How do you deal with this politely please? Sometimes they are unable to afford good pics and it is so sad to see their disappointment, but I have to as I know I would not do justice to their payment or pet. I often get very small and blurry photos as well, which I'm unable to work from. This is very frustrating indeed! If the photo they sent is the only photo they have and the pet has passed, there is not much more you can do but to turn down their commission. I always explain why I can't work from their photo / photos and ask politely if they happen to have any more photos. I also give them a link to my article about how to photograph pets for portraits and ask if they have any possibility to take new photos of their pet. This is the only thing you can do unfortunately. Most photos provided by clients are not the best you can find and when that happens, I'm a very happy artist:). Not many clients send photos taken by a professional photographer. Ask a Question Email Address: Your Question:


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Evaluations Office - Transfer Credit
Transfer Credit Evaluation
An official transfer credit evaluation, summarizing prior college credit and indicating completed Sacramento State general education requirements will be prepared by the Evaluations Office for first-time Sacramento State transfer students. The results of the evaluation is available via the Degree Progress Report online at My Sac State.
Questions about the evaluation should be discussed with the Academic Advising Office located in Lassen Hall, Room 1012.
Allowance of Transfer Credit from Accredited Colleges and Universities
Generally, students will be granted credit for baccalaureate level courses successfully completed at regionally accredited two or four-year colleges.
All courses, except remedial, are accepted for degree credit from institutions awarding four-year degrees.
Credit is reviewed by the Evaluations Office and is granted in compliance with applicable national, state, Title V, CSU system, and University policies and procedures. Such credit may be applied toward fulfillment of major, minor or general education requirements when applicable; other courses may count as elective credit toward the baccalaureate degree. This credit will be listed in summary form on the Sacramento State transcript of academic record.
For more information, please visit assist.org
Transfer credit is not posted to the Sacramento State transcript for students seeking a Second Bachelor's degree.
Advanced Placement Examinations and International Baccalaureate
Sacramento State grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Boards. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted from three to six semester units of college credit for each examination. More information.
Credit for Instruction in Non-Collegiate Settings
Sacramento State grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction appropriate to the baccalaureate, either military or civilian, as recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The number of units allowed are those recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs. For more information contact the Sacramento State Evaluations Office located in Lassen Hall, (916) 278-4862.
Up to six units of credit for learning knowledge or skills-based experience which has been documented and evaluated according to campus policy may be awarded under the auspices of the Sacramento State Academic Advising Center located in Lassen Hall, (916) 278-6351.
Transfer Credit From Overseas Institutions
Credit is granted from recognized overseas institutions. Awarding of advanced standing varies depending on the educational system of the country. Certified copies of transcripts and degrees must be submitted in English translation. CSU students planning to attend overseas institutions should check acceptance of credit prior to departure.
Limitations on the Transfer of Credit
Unit limitations apply to specific categories of credit which may be used to meet baccalaureate degree requirements: A maximum of 24 units in extension and correspondence.
- A maximum of 30 units of any combination of correspondence, extension, and military service credit.
- A maximum of 30 units of examination credit.
- A maximum of 70 units may be transferred from two-year colleges.
Transfer Grade Policies
Sacramento State utilizes the following policies in evaluating grades earned in courses accepted for transfer:
The grading policies of the regionally accredited institution where credit was earned is honored by accepting at face value all official transcript entries including those:
- reflecting academic renewal efforts,
- reflecting acceptance of grade point remediation for repeated courses, and
- regarding "incomplete" grades (e.g. I, IS, and IU).
All transfer courses graded Pass/No Pass or Credit/No Credit are computed at neutral value, except in those cases where the specific grading symbol is identified by the source institution as equivalent to a grade less than C in which case it will be taken at face value.
All transfer course grades or symbols used to designate unsatisfactory, failing, or non-passing work at time of withdrawal such as UW, WU or WF are evaluated as failing grades (F) unless otherwise defined by the source institution.
Degree Progress Report
The Degree Progress Report helps you assess your progress toward graduation. It can tell you how the courses you have taken apply toward your degree requirements and what courses are left to take before you graduate. Students can administer their own degree audit online using My Sac State.
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Weld County public works crews on Friday were able to reopen a vital route connecting eastern communities into Greeley off of U.S. 34.
The county opened Weld County Road 58 from Weld 47.5 to the Fern Avenue Bridge, into east 18th Street leading into Greeley, allowing traffic the first western route into Greeley since U.S. 34 was closed more than a week ago due to flooded roads and washed-out bridges along the South Platte River.
"This is has been our No. 1 priority in the immediate Greeley area to get folks a route from Kersey into Greeley because of the closure of U.S. 34," said Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway.
County road and bridge crews were able to work a miracle, Conway said, in repairing two damaged bridges, building up a crumbled roadway and putting blacktop on this section, which essentially cut off traffic and commerce to farmers, oil and gas workers and other commuters needing a more direct route into Greeley.
U.S. 34 has been closed since the flooding of the South Platte River, which peaked at nine feet above flood level more than a week ago. The rising river washed out an entire section of the highway, as well as the E. 18th Street connection to east Greeley from U.S. 34. The washout of both connections forced commuters to take county roads from U.S. 34 south to LaSalle, where they connected with U.S. 85, which led them back north to Greeley.
Conway said the reopening should immediately alleviate the pressure on U.S. 85, which has been bumper-to-bumper for days through LaSalle and Evans.
State department of transportation officials reported this morning that the section of U.S. 34 from Greeley east to Kersey will reopen later this month.
While the 18th Street stretch is reopened, other roads nearby remain open only to local traffic: Holly from East 18th Street north to dead end; Hemlock from East 18th to East 24th Street; and Fern from East 18th to East 24th Street.
They had planned to have the road open by Monday, but pushed to get it open sooner, knowing rain was expected Friday.
"Our public works crews worked morning, noon and night, and this is just a heroic effort," Conway said. "When you consider we started out with 109 damaged roads in the county two weeks ago, and as of Wednesday we were down to 39, and opening a couple today."
On East 18th, specifically, the work was intense.
Crews rebuilt the road which had washed out, repaired two bridges and put on an asphalt overlay.
Conway said the next major project is Weld 61 east of Kersey.
"That's probably the next big one. It is a huge harvest road," Conway said. "We hope to have that open within a week."
Our public works crews worked morning, noon and night, and this is just a heroic effort.
— Sean Conway, county commissioner


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An Ignacio man is suspected of killing his stepfather by hitting him over the head multiple times with a 5-gallon propane tank.
Richard Silva, 30, was being held Thursday at the La Plata County jail on suspicion of second-degree murder. His bail was set at $50,000.
The incident occurred about noon Tuesday at 130 Orchard Drive, about four miles north of Ignacio and three miles east of Oxford.
Silva is suspected of killing his stepfather, Clayborn Scott, 55, also of Ignacio.
Silva was supposed to be at home caring for his stepfather, who suffered from physical and mental complications resulting from a motorcycle accident, said Dan Patterson, investigator with the La Plata County Sheriff�s Office.
�(Clayborn) was never left alone because of his condition,� Patterson said. �He didn�t move around too well, and his mental capacity was diminished somewhat from the accident.�
Silva�s mother, Rose Scott, was returning home from Durango when she saw her son walking on the side of the road about a quarter mile from the house. She was with her daughter, Sherry Valdez, and her husband, Ted Lucero,
�They were upset with him because he was not supposed to leave Clayborn alone,� Patterson said. �He wouldn�t say anything.�
His hair was wet, as if he had recently taken a shower, Patterson said.
They went to the house and found Clayborn bludgeoned to death on the floor next to his bed, Patterson said.
A 5-gallon propane tank was sitting in the shower with the water running on top of it, he said.
An autopsy done Wednesday in Grand Junction found Scott had multiple skull fractures and died of blunt-force trauma, Patterson said.
Silva said he couldn�t remember anything from the last two days and declined to speak with investigators.
�He�s saying that because he has no explanation for what he did,� Patterson said.
It appeared Silva started to cover up the mess, but he became overwhelmed and walked away, Patterson said.
�He changed his clothes and showered and walked away,� Patterson said. �It was just too much stuff to try to cover up.�
Rose Scott had been married to Clayborn Scott for about six years.
It was unknown what motivated the killing, Patterson said.
�He�s not talking. It�s anybody�s speculation as to why he did it,� Patterson said. �But we have plenty of evidence.�
Silva�s sister told authorities her brother suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in Afghanistan.
The crime occurred on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. Scott was a member of the Southern Ute tribe, but Silva is not, which is why the La Plata County Sheriff�s Office is investigating the case.


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Crystal Hefner is proving she's more than a pretty face – the 26-year-old showed off her deejay skills at Playboy's annual Mansion Masquerade party on Saturday.
Even Hugh, 86, Tweeted his excitement over his wife's impending set, "Crystal is going to DJ a part of the Playboy Masquerade Party here at the Mansion tonight. Fun."
But no one was more excited to take the stage than the centerfold, who showed off a pair of shoes covered in black glitter and a sneak peek of her red catsuit, which she paired with gem encrusted headphones.
Once Crystal got behind the turntables, her doting husband shared a pic. "Crystal DJing the Masquerade party," Hugh captioned a photo of the blonde bombshell in the deejay booth.
But the model's musical career doesn't end with the party – she's got a new single, "True Harmony," debuting on iTunes on March 25.
Courtesy of Hugh Heffner


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Can you say "hypocrisy," boys and girls?
HERE's a good example of hypocrisy:
If you're wondering why the Department of Justice has been paging through two months' worth of various Associated Press journalists' phone records, you have to cast your mind back to the Spring of 2012.
Back then, the news was brimming with all sorts of exciting stories on the national security front. The AP reported in May that the CIA had "thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner" using "an upgrade of the underwear bomb that failed to detonate aboard ...
Read more


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CulinaryMeat served on a hot stone, Fondue à la maison, Rösti à la maison, Lasagne à la maison, Valais specialities (cheese slices etc.)
DetailsLarge terrace with view of the Alps and the Rhone Valley
Altitude: 1,700 metres
Accessibility: Cable car, chair lift, ski lift, winter hiking trail, ski slopes, ski tour, car
Built: 1992
No. of seats: 30 - 100 indoors and over 100 outdoors
Service: Yes
No. of deck chairs: 5 on request
Overnight accommodation: No


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The first users of Blair County's upgraded emergency communication system are praising the clarity of voice transmissions.
"The sound quality is amazing," 911 Telecommunicator Leisa Kyle said Tuesday. "And there's a much more extended range."
"It's very clear," Blair County Sheriff Deputy James Brantner said. "It's a lot better that it was before."
Article Photos
Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich
Blair County officials pose with Altoona firemen, AMED and personnel from the Blair County Sheriff's Department at the Blair County 911 Center in Altoona on Tuesday.
By the end of the week, Blair County expects to wrap up a $7.5 million project with the introduction of equipment that will transfer emergency dispatches from analog to digital communications
That process started Sunday and Monday when police and sheriff's deputies began using new handheld digital radios. It continued Tuesday when Blair ambulance crews did the same. As of today, county firefighters will begin joining the new system.
"So far, the feedback has been very favorable," Blair County 911 Director Mark Taylor said. "What we've done is working."
The change meets a federal mandate requiring emergency providers to use narrowband radio frequencies.
It also makes use of eight communication towers that should eliminate areas where emergency crews had difficulty communicating.
Those involved in the effort gathered Tuesday at the 911 Center where Taylor and construction coordinator Jeff MacAlarney of ComPros described the system and its advantages, including its backup capability to reroute dispatches.
"In case of failure at one of the tower sites, we can stay up and running," MacAlarney said.
The new system also gives 911 dispatchers the option of activating the handheld radios carried by emergency responders, which could be helpful for an injured police officer or firefighter who has limited ability to communicate.
"They'll be able to know which radio it came from," Altoona fire Capt. Steve Shilling said.
The system can also be used, Taylor said, to pinpoint a responder's location.
Taylor, who initiated the project in mid-2011 and worked last summer to coordinate efforts that led to the construction of six communications towers in remote locations and in some cases, the nearby placement of pre-fabricated buildings housing related equipment.
Blair County commissioners arranged a bond issue to pay for the project, with payments to be covered by current debt millage.
At their weekly meeting Tuesday, commissioners praised Taylor for his efforts on a project that he initiated during his first year on the job.
"It was quite an undertaking but certainly well worthwhile," Commissioner Diane Meling said.
Commissioner Ted Beam Jr., a former councilman and public safety director for Altoona, said he knows how important radio communication is for emergency responders.
"Anything that improves it that much has to be a great asset for the county," Beam said.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.