Champion News

PALESTINE—November 21, 2016

Champions are Thankful for the beauty of home.

        Champions are pleased to join the rest of the Nation in celebrating and expressing Gratitude–that is Gratitude with a capital G.  The highways are full of people going here and there to be with family and friends.  “The kin folks are coming.  They’re coming by the dozens!  Eating everything from soup to hay!”  Many of them are bringing the hay with them so family, friends, and food top the list of things to appreciate.  Add to the list safety for the travelers and the welcome of the home folks and health for all.

        People who are grateful for each other often express those feelings in birthday celebrations or remembrances.  Mabel May (Shannon) Upshaw was born November 20, 1906.  She is gone but not forgotten by a big loving family who filled the internet Sunday talking about what lovely, fun-loving, curious and kind person she was.  In 40 or so years Lizzie’s grandmother will be about 110 years old.  Imagine! They will still be talking about her.  A pretty baby named Clint was being appreciated by folks who talked about what beautiful eyelashes he had, but no one said how old he is today.  Lannie Hinote is celebrating with her friends and students up in Mountain Village, Alaska.  She is having teaching success, coaching success and fishing success so all is well with her.  Skyline students Levi Hicks, 7th grader, celebrates on the 25th; 4th grader, Faith Crawford on the 26th; Billy Strong, 2nd grade, on the 29th; 6th grader, Jhonn Rhodes, and 3rd grader, Lane Watkins, both celebrate on the 30th.  Uncle Al, The Lonesome Plowboy, was born November 27, 1914.  Thanksgiving was on his birthday several times during his life and his son, Willis Masters, baked big pumpkin pies for him decorated with delicate turkeys in purple icing.  They played harmonicas together and music was the undercurrent of family life.  It looks like another Texan, Dave Thompson, will be home with Sue for Thanksgiving and hopefully they will both be back at the Vanzant jam soon.  Last Thursday Norris Woods was remembered by the group there as they sang, “In the Sweet Bye and Bye.”  It has been a year since his passing, but the memory of his smile and good humor is still a regular part of the good experience.

        Kevin Gilbert is a videographer from Omaha, Nebraska.  He reported on Sunday that water cannons, tear gas, concussion grenades and rubber bullets were being used on unarmed Protectors in the 20° temperatures.  He said they were blockaded on the bridge with nowhere to retreat.  Senator Sanders has called on the President to take all appropriate measures to protect the safety of the Native Americans protesters and their supporters who have gathered peacefully to oppose construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.  Our National celebration of Thanks, while genuine and heartfelt, may be seen by some as ringing a little hollow in light of the historic and persistent treatment of the very people who welcomed boatloads of immigrants and religious refugees with generosity and compassion back in 1620.  The National Museum of the American Indian reports that the Wampanoag, who were essential to the survival of the colonists during their first year, ”were a people with a sophisticated society who had occupied the region for thousands of years.  They had their own government, their own religious and philosophical beliefs, their own knowledge system, and their own culture.  They were also a people for whom giving thanks was a part of daily life.”  Their world changed even as the world is changing today in unprecedented ways.  Justice Sotomayor said, “But we can’t afford to despair, and we can’t afford to give up our pursuing of values that we and others have fought so hard to achieve.  And so for me, this is a challenge.  So I’m going to continue doing what I think is the right thing.  That’s the challenge we all have to face.”

        Fall has come to Champion finally with temperatures in the 20s and 30s.  This week the neighborhood will be full of visitors from Tennessee and other lovely places.  The place will be overrun with grandchildren.  The gathering at Teeter Creek will be festive and well attended drawing friends and family from around the area.  Champion travelers are headed to Iowa and other points north to be in the warmth of family.  Some have gone south through the Boston Mountains.  Arkansas may have had more rain or less heat than we have had at home, resulting in brilliant fall foliage.  Sunday morning’s hard frost blanched the ground and sent clouds of mist and fog rising from springs and streams in the deep mountain folds.  White billows rose lazily up from the rivers and lakes all to be met with dazzling sunshine and shades of red, yellow, gold and green in an ethereal landscape.  On farther south the topography is less severe and more green as Champion grandparents pause in Palestine to enjoy the Steam Train Festival on their way to see grandchildren.  From one end of the country to the other, people are enjoying the beauty of their surroundings and the preciousness of family and friends.  Go to www.championnews.us to look back on ten years of giving thanks and see how many times this song has been referenced:  “Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go.  The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Leaving the Boston Mountains on a frosty morning.

CHAMPION—November 14, 2016

Dramatic evening skies in Champion

        It has been marvelous in Champion this week with Tuesday the only dreary day; however, the promised rain did not materialize.  For the rest, it has been sunny and heading finally in the direction of seasonal temperatures.  The Prominent Citizen spoke up to say that there was an unusually high voter turnout for this election on Tuesday—480 in all.  Numbers reveal that fewer than half of the Nation’s voters are contented with the outcome.  Of course, Yogi Berra was fond of saying, “The opera ain’t over ‘till the fat lady sings.”  This opera will be over on the first Monday after the second Tuesday of December, which this year happens to be on the 19th, when the Electoral College does its voting.  The World Series proved exciting all the way to the bottom of the 10th inning.  Yogi said, “You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.”  “There are some people who, if they don’t already know, you can’t tell ‘em.”  Champions agree with Yogi that “You can observe a lot just by watching.”

        Last week the Frontiersman from Champion North rode his old one speed bicycle the seven miles from his home…down C Highway and then down WW to the Bright Side.  It must have been an adventure, pushing the bicycle up the hills and riding the brake on the way down them.  Elmer corroborated the event and provided some help getting the traveler home as he was in no condition to make his return trip by bicycle.  By Wednesday he was in fine fettle again and able to significantly best his rival, the Hooligan, 11 to 4, on the Champion Horseshoe Pitch.  It must have been humiliating.  On Friday the loser was seen leaving town in a hurry.  He had apparently been sneaking in a practice session.

        The quarter mile walking trail at the Skyline School is getting some regular use by students and by folks in the neighborhood.  It was a welcome gift from the Douglas County Health Department.  The Missouri Foundation for Health is providing grant money to buy some upper body strengthening equipment for our school grounds as well.  The PTO will help fund the installation of the equipment and will get some credit for promoting healthy habits for a lifetime.  The archery program is being successful again this year, building strength, confidence and skill.  In other good news, skillful handling of resources by the administration and staff has enabled the purchase of 15 new chrome books for use in the elementary classrooms.  The YEP group is helping with the cost of the computer cases.  The wonderful annual music program of the Skyline students will be held on December 8th this year and everyone is invited to come even if you do not have children or grandchildren in school.  It is a chance to see the hope of the future as these young citizens share their talents and enthusiasm with their community.

        Music is good medicine.  Young Chase, however, was overly sugared for his Wednesday gig out on the Wide Veranda, and so old McDonald’s farm only had ducks and cows and horses.  The cookies and popsicles he enjoyed while waiting for his music friends to show up seemed to fry his attention span on that occasion.  He will soon be learning about the old lady who swallowed the fly and the old man who played knick knack on his thumb.  Nick and Doris Hula have friends or family who live in the Vanzant area (Champion East) and they stop in every year, we hope, for a visit on their way from their home north of Cooperstown (Baseball Hall of Fame), New York to their winter home in McAllen, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.  It was nice to meet them.  Nick plays a 1908 Gibson mandolin and Doris plays the chromatic harmonica—she is a corker–nice folks.  Dave Thompson is a nice guy who has been absent from the bluegrass jam for a couple of weeks, lounging around in some cardiac care unit.  Hopes are that he will get his hat out of the creek and come back soon with his big guitar and fine voice crooning to his Quebec girl, Sue, his belle.  It will be lovely to see them both again.

        Very good news comes from the Prominent Champion Girlfriend who declares herself to be on the mend.  She has turned a corner and is getting stronger every day.  The boyfriend was seen cutting capers at that good news.  Jenna and Jacob will be helping their grandpa celebrate a big birthday on November 18th.  Sweet Elva Ragland will celebrate on the 19th.  Seamus, Lizzy and Zak have a facinating grandmother with a birthday on November 23rd…lucky kids.

        Each side of any controversy has its champions.  The side with the money and the media generally is considered to be the right side.  No one denies the historic abuse of First Nations people and some observe that it is rampant yet today.  The courage to persevere and to continue the struggle for the preservation of the sacred sites of the native peoples and the water of all the people is courage that will go unsung.  Still people will be out there in the cold and wind standing against purchased power in peaceful protest.  A spokesman for the Sioux tribe says they are not opposed to energy independence and economic development, “the problem we have—and this is a long history of problems that evolved over time—is where the federal government or corporations take advantage of indigenous lands and indigenous rights.”  Meanwhile, an outfit called Bold Nebraska works on issues including eminent domain, clean energy, small family farms and small business standing up for property rights and standing with citizens to work to protect the land, water and climate.  Nathan Mackenzie Brown writes, “Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind DAPL, is abusing eminent domain laws to take over prime farmland in America’s breadbasket so that they can lay a pipeline across the Mississippi River to transport oil.  An 81 year-old-Iowa farmer, Shirley Gerjets, is hosting Water Protectors on her land in a desperate attempt to save her family farm and protect the water supply of millions of Americans from contamination.”  In his writing Brown also asserts that it is not a matter of ‘if’ a pipeline leaks but ‘when.’  It turns out that there are 2.4 million miles of pipelines across America already, 72,000 miles of crude oil pipeline.  There is a line that runs from Oklahoma through Springfield up to St. Louis and one that runs from the Jonesborough, Arkansas area up through Poplar Bluff.  Our area of the Ozarks Plateau is an empty spot on the big National pipeline map.  Lucky are you folks born here…and lucky the rest of us who found our way here.  Just because there are no pipelines through our Douglas County does not mean that our water is safe.  Dr. Masaru Emoto wrote that water connects us all and that all water is connected.

        Saturday night the air was still and clear bringing temperatures down to the low 20s.  The big waxing moon was clearly visible those nights with dark areas of the lunar seas and the lighter highlands of the lunar surface….all put together give us the illusion of an image of the Man in the Moon.  Planters by the signs will still have time to get their garlic in the ground on the 16th.  Come down to the wide tranquil banks of Auld Fox Creek for a view of one of the truly beautiful places in the world.  It is in the middle of one of the nice open spots.  Go to www.championnews for images and stories of the happenings at the end of the pavement.  Hank Wilson’s alter ego passed away in his sleep at the age of 74.  He sang, “I love you in a place where there’s no space and time.  I love you for my life.  You are a friend of mine” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Champion Stinky Rose

CHAMPION—November 7, 2016

Days are getting shorter in Champion.

        Autumn arrived over the week end.  We all knew that it was coming; still the sudden little chill was a surprise.  Champions will bundle up as whiffs of wood smoke perfume the air and the change of seasons reminds aging sages of the swift passage of time.  Subtle shades soften green going to brown.

        Pete Proctor writes to The Champion News to say that the Southside Baptist Church there in Mountain Grove is hosting a Veterans Breakfast on November 10th at 8:00 a. m.  All Veterans are welcome.  Pete keeps up with those things and his Champion friends and neighbors appreciate it and appreciate his service as well as the service of all our Veterans.  November 11th is Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada and the United Kingdom.  The observance began in 1918, and is still called Armistice Day in France and Belgium.  For many people, ‘Remembrance’ is associated with the fallen of the First and Second World Wars, but guys like Pete help raise awareness of his own generation’s service and a new generation of Veterans and Service personnel that need support–Champions all.

        Chuck Barns had his birthday on November 11–Veteran’s Day.  He passed away back in 2002, at the age of 85.  He learned heavy construction in the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s.  During World War II, he worked on the Alcan Highway in Alaska.  It was always interesting to visit with him up at The Plant Place, to hear him talk about having raised artichokes in Tasmania and tell stories about the various exotic places where he had lived and worked.  He made an exciting bridge partner.

        Birthdays are fun.  Miley’s mama had a milestone birthday on Wednesday the 2nd, but Miley said, “Shhh!  It’s a secret!”  Skyline fifth grade student, Hailey Hall, had a birthday November 4th.  Mason Solomon, third grader, enjoyed his on the 7th.  Lizzie’s granddad was born November 8, 1946.  (Wow!)  Fourth grader, Justin Borders, had his day on November 9th.  Jill Sterling is a sterling gal.  She lives in Tulsa and will be celebrating on the 13th, as will Skyline’s first grade teacher, Madelynn Vivod.  For a while Lizzie’s granddad was as old as his brother, but then Waldo’s Champion Rich leapt ahead again to become a year older on the 15th.  Raven Hull is in the fifth grade at Skyline with a birthday on the 16th and Caleb Barker, first grader, has his birthday on the 17th.  He also has a granddad–such a fortunate lad.  Upon marking the anniversary of one’s birth, a little acknowledgement of the miraculous nature of it combines sweetly with gratitude.

        Just imagine how different things might have been if, in 1864, the folks at Sand Creek had had the advantage of the internet and wide spread social media focused on the superior forces of the Colorado U.S. Volunteer Cavalry so that the whole world could witness their actions, or focused on the U.S.  7th Cavalry Regiment at Wounded Knee in 1890, backed up by a battery of Hotchkiss mountain guns.  Perhaps things would have turned out differently.  Certainly that is the hope in the current situation at Standing Rock in North Dakota.  While not nearly all of the information that comes to us over the internet is verifiable, much of it is.  On the ground now are many hundreds of people native to that land joined by their American neighbors and global neighbors from Japan, Russia, Germany, Australia, Israel and Serbia, as well as Aztecs from Mexico and Amazonian indigents.  Maori of New Zealand recorded a fearsome Haka and Palestinians, Mongolians and Tibetans have voiced support.  The support is for the Sioux people and for the Water of the World.  It may be chaotic in the neighborhood there with road blocks, the great influx of sympathizers and the overwhelming presence of the riot police with their tactical vehicles.  Most likely people in the little towns around the area are being inconvenienced and their lives disrupted by the pipeline protesters/water protectors.  It may also be heart breaking to think that the many U.S. Veterans among the Native Americans are now being intimidated by the military force of the very Nation they served.  In this instance, the militarized constabulary, enabled by compromised politicians, is allied with industry for profit.  The hope is that intense public scrutiny will prevent repetition of 19th century tragedies and some positive resolution can be reached.  A great solar flare or a sudden reversal of Earth’s magnetic polarity might wipe out the internet, but until then the Nation’s eyes are slowly opening to appreciate clean water in a clean glass as a human right as well as the rights of people to preserve their family gravesites.  In a sea of information we thirst for wisdom.

        Some Champions have been awash in convivial good feelings, riding the victorious wave of the Chicago Cubs.  “Ah!  When pigs fly!” they all had said.  In a country weary of vitriol, some good news for underdogs was well received.  Of course, Cleveland wanted to win too and both teams put out genuine effort.  The game was replayed over coffee cups and dinner tables for days with criticism and vindication.  The Wednesday gathering will have things to talk about this week.  Last week the get-together was augmented by Sarah Sikes, up visiting from Richland Hills, Texas, over by Ft. Worth.  A regular guest over the years, she was once here when the Skyline VFD Auxiliary Ladies had a big shoot out.  They gathered up their old toasters, coffee pots, and other things that did not work, and blasted the daylights out of them out in a pasture.  The spent brass added up to pounds and the exercise gave some release from pent up political passions at the time.  Area ladies are well armed.  The horseshoe pitchers played without an audience and wandered back inside without much to say about the experience.  Marshfield native, Kaitlyn McConnell, stopped by for a visit.  She had been to the barbershop in Ava for the Wednesday morning jam, which she said was great.  She was going back through town to visit at the high school music department to find out about the area String Project that carries on the tradition of Bob Holt.  She is finding good stories in these parts for her Ozarks Alive page.  Young Chase, another music man, was otherwise occupied and so the trio was diminished and a little lack-luster but struggled through a few tunes.  Thus far, efforts to wrest a delightful little banjolin from the ownership of a gentleman who only likes it for its looks, has been to no avail.  He likes to “drink his java from an old tin can while the moon goes riding high.  He likes to hear the call of the whippoorwill and to hear the coyote whine.”  One imagines that when he is out on his tractor, all by himself, that he can yodel like Gene Autry.

        Enjoy the sights of Champion at www.championnews.us  Express your surprise by email at champion@championnews.us or your delight via your esteemed postal carrier at The Champion News, Rt. 72 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717.  Make inquires at both places.  Come on down to the wide, wild, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek for a breath of fresh air and a sip of pure spring water.  Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

 
By Wilda Moses

Over the week end there was a report of a great herd of wild buffalo that appeared unexpectedly at one site of confrontation along the Dakota Access Pipeline project.  Their presence adds an almost cinematic perspective that suggests history is happening now.  Through the years there have been many conspiracy theorists who warned about the dangers of militarized police being used against peaceful people standing up for their rights.  It is happening.  Representatives of the United Nations and Amnesty International have been alerted to the chaotic situation at the Standing Rock Reservation of the Sioux in North Dakota.  Heavily militarized police and National Guard are allied with the pipeline company which is pursuing a project that has seriously questionable legality and unaddressed ramifications for the indigenous people and for millions of people downstream who rely on the Missouri River.  The people have been defending their sacred sites, their land and water for months with scant attention from the media.  Their numbers are growing and perhaps the sight of thousands of buffalo will encourage them to hold their ground.  Certainly the numbers of the constabulary are growing, with their tanks, assault rifles, riot gear, rubber bullets, sound cannons, mace, pepper spray and, on occasion, vicious attack dogs.  There are also reports of infiltrators among the peaceful, prayerful, unarmed people who are directed to incite violence in order provide law enforcement with justification for their ruthlessness.  Those 147 and more people who have been arrested in Morton County have been subjected to brutality and humiliation commensurate with the degree of respect historically afforded indigenous people.  The current situation is reminiscent of the difficulties at Wounded Knee in 1973.  The injustices of that historic period persist even as Leonard Peltier languishes.  The buffalo and the tribes coexisted in harmony long before the European invasion.  To many the American buffalo is a symbol of sacred life and abundance.  To others it is a symbol of strength and unity.  It also serves as a reminder of what greed can cost us.  Buffalo narrowly escaped extinction.  How will buffalo or any living thing exist without water?

CHAMPION—October 31, 2016 (Boo!)

At the end of the trail, Bud’s Bunch–looking for ice cream.

        There is good news in Champion!  The bees are flourishing again in the Ancient Behemoth Bee Tree on the South Side of the Square.  Moreover, there are more bees—over the top—that is to say, a second story of bees with an additional entry about four feet higher than the long established entry.  The old tree is just right for this thriving hive.  Locals are relieved and grateful for the continuity.

        Bud Hutchison’s Fall Trail Ride headed up In Champion on Wednesday and took a wide 16 mile swing out through the Shannon Ranch and returned several hours later to the Historic Emporium for ice cream out on the wide veranda.  Fourteen horses and riders made the trip with no serious complications; nobody’s hat went in the creek (they didn’t cross any creeks to speak of); nobody was thrown or trampled and as they all loaded up to go their separate ways it was agreed that it had been another great ride.  Bud listed off several folks that can no longer ride because of age and health related issues.  For some the effort to get in the saddle is excruciating, but then the movement of the horse moves their bodies in a therapeutic action that makes them feel better in the end….probably everywhere.  J.C. Owsley made that observation, but he did not make the ride this time.  Wilma enjoyed the day visiting out on the veranda listening to the dairy farmer harmonize with Teresa’s husband and enjoying the Chase Cauthron Wednesday Trio.  When Mr. Letsinger dismounted and strolled up the steps he accepted the invitation to play the mandolin and scrubbed off a version of ”Turkey in the Straw” that set toes tapping.  For contrast he played “Laura’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago.  It is the song that goes, ”Somewhere, my love, la, La, la, la–la, la…”  This musician is also reported to be a transcendent yodeler, but he was not in the mood.  Some of his fellow riders said he had been singing a song about a bad Strawberry Roan while they were out on the trail.  Sublime/Champion.

The Ancient Bee Tree has a Champion two story hive.

        In sports:  The Champion Horseshoe Pitch was the scene of good action on Wednesday, though no official score was reported.  It would appear that each player is capable of a finite number of pitches in any episode of play, elbows, knees, backs and throwing arms notwithstanding.  Champions always root for the home team.  Some Old Champions have been watching the World Series.  Baseball, they say, is the most sophisticated of all the gladiator sports.  Super sophisticated videos now show every play from every angle and graphics show the strike zone and replicate the path of the pitch.  The Old Champion gal liked it better on the radio where the spitting and scratching did not show up.  As to the chewing, she acknowledges that while slow, according to critics, the game is decidedly intense and stress relief via the jaw serves a purpose.  She has fond memories of Red Barber and Phil Rizzuto calling the games with names like Pewee Reece, Yogi Berra, Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella, Stan Musial and Leo Durocher.  It was wonderful on the radio:  “Two up and two down in the top of the 9th….  It’s a high fly ball to right field…..he’s going back, back, back and……”  Back in the 1950s she was a great fan of White Sox first baseman Norm Cash, who came from Justiceburg, Texas where she had family history.  Now she is appreciating 6’6” pitcher, John Lackey, who was born in her home town of Abilene, Texas.  He has been in the big leagues since 2002, and joined the Cubs in 2015.  When the series is over there will be happy people and disappointed people, but it will have been exciting.  The boys of summer shine.

        America’s Favorite Pastime is a peasant diversion from the unpleasantness of politics.  The election will soon be over.  Some will be glad, some disappointed.  The rancor of this political season is unprecedented.  Hopes are that at its conclusion, neighbors with disparate (and maybe desperate) views can and will still be neighbors and friends.

        Over the years there have been many conspiracy theorist who warned about the dangers of militarized police being used against peaceful people standing up for their rights.  It is happening.  Representatives of the United Nations and Amnesty International have been alerted to the chaotic situation at the Standing Rock Reservation of the Sioux in North Dakota.  Heavily militarized police and National Guard are allied with the pipeline company which is pursuing a project that has seriously questionable legality and unaddressed ramifications for the indigenous people and for millions of people downstream who rely on the Missouri River.  The people have been defending their sacred sites, their land and water for months with scant attention in the media.  Their numbers are growing as are the numbers of the constabulary with their tanks, assault rifles, riot gear, rubber bullets, sound cannons, mace, pepper spray and, on occasion, vicious attack dogs.  There are also reports of infiltrators among the peaceful, prayerful, unarmed people who are directed to incite violence in order provide law enforcement with justification for brutality.  Those 147 and more people who have been arrested in Morton County have been subjected to brutality and humiliation commensurate with the degree of respect historically afforded indigenous people.  It is very reminiscent of the difficulties at Wounded Knee in 1973.  However, over the week end there was a report of a great heard of wild buffalo showing up unexpectedly at one site of confrontation.

        Douglas County Health Department nurse Nannette Hirsch made her regular last Tuesday morning of the month visit to Champion.  She was accompanied by a nursing student named Violet, who has family ties to the area.  They will be at Skyline School on the first Tuesday of each month doing blood pressure checks and other health screenings.  It is a great service to the community—some verify, ‘life saving.’  Nannette’s birthday passed on the 16th with no Champion News fanfare, but Champions are indeed fans of this pleasant lady.  One of Champion’s regular Bobs celebrates his birthday on the 4th of November.  Emerson Rose Ogelsby, Champion granddaughter, has a birthday on the 5th and the 6th belongs to a very sweet lady from Goshen County, Wyoming.  She knows who she is and everybody who knows her is glad to know her.  Kalyssa’s grandfather, Wayne Wiseman has his birthday on the 7th.  He has been out on a wild adventure with Mishbucha rambling through the Great Smokey Mountains in good company at a beautiful time of the year.  Bob Weltanschauung of Champion South will share his birthday with the presidential election and will forever remember the results.  Happy Birthday, Bob, and everyone.  (See a smiley face here.)

        A Champion Louisiana brother in law came to the Vanzant bluegrass jam the other night.  His guitar picking was a pleasure to hear and before the evening was over he sang, “This Ain’t My First Rodeo.”  If a person orders a music stand from an outfit called Ceol Waves on the internet, the next thing you know a fellow named Shelton will be chatting up the person, sharing the philosophy that music is a prodigious part of the human experience.  Look them up at www.ceolwaves.com.   They have a great deal on a zinc guitar capo.  Look up www.championnews.us and see a picture of Nannette on stilts in the October 3rd post, and pictures of some of Bud’s bunch at the end of the trail.  Pictures of the Bee Tree remind school alumni that the Bee Tree used to be first base.  “Take me out to the ball game” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Champion Trails

CHAMPION—October 24, 2016

Champion East

        What glorious days are these in the fair Champion Township!  Remote from the tumultuous world outside and safe among friends, the days pass for the fortunate natives in tranquil simplicity–just doing what comes next.

        Champions have made their way to Tennessee en masse where they planned to tour Sargent York’s museum.  He was a third cousin to their Grandma Phoebe.  Then they were headed on over to Byrdstown to visit the graves of great, great and great, great, great grandparents.  When Bonnie saw the facebook posting of this trip, she reported that Pete’s grandparents were buried there as well.  They were William Dural Mullens and Sarah Marsha Jackson Mullens both born in 1843.  They had ten children.  There will be lots of stories to tell when the travelers return.  Meanwhile folks from Tennessee spent Sunday in Champion.  They are here to say goodbye to a precious lady, Mrs. Esther Howard.  She and her husband Raymond Howard of Marshfield had been frequent visitors to Champion in years past and always left the place improved by their presence.  Esther wore pretty hats and always had a sweet loving smile and a gentle laugh.

        Good things are going on at the Skyline School.  PTO members are looking at a new piece of playground equipment with the idea of getting some assistance from the Douglas County Health Department and perhaps some other help.  The middle school students are participating in “Say Something Week.”  When it comes to violence, suicide and threats, most are known by at least one other individual before the incident takes place.  Say Something teaches students how to look for warning signs, signals and threats—especially in social media—from individuals who may want to hurt themselves or others and to Say Something to a trusted adult to get them help.  Meanwhile, in Alaska, Lannie Hinote is flying along the Yukon River as ice is building up.  She says the sight always amazes her with its beauty.  The school in Mountain Village is lucky to have her teaching and coaching and she feels lucky to get to be there.  She was certainly a great asset to Skyline during her time here and it is wonderful to still be connected with her to share her great adventure.

        For people who enjoy birthdays this is a banner week.   Starting out with the Milkmaid herself, mother of Taegan and Luxe, Chase’s sister, Leslee’s spouse and Fae’s daughter-in-law, all in one dynamic young woman only 17 miles over the speed limit!  She celebrates on the 24th.  The next day belongs to Roger Miller who was born in 1936 and passed away in 1992.  He wrote songs like “You Can’t Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd, “Dang Me, and “Walking in the Sunshine.”  The father of Eli and Emerson Rose shares his birthday with his children’s great Uncle Harley who will, on the 26th, leap forward and again become older, by a solid year, than his Champion sister-in-law.  Shala, the instigator of her mother-in-law’s fantastic surprise party last week, celebrates her own birthday also on the 26th.  Nicholas Georges is a kindergarten student at Skyline School.  His birthday is on the 28th.  Miley Ludwick is a first grade student and also celebrates on the 28th.  The 29th belongs to Royce Henson and Connie Lansdown, both with deep Champion ties.  Felipe, who regularly celebrates the liberation of Cuba, celebrates his birthday on the 31st along with Cheyenne Hall, a 7th grade student and with Ms. Curtis, Skyline’s illustrious Superintendent.  Halloween is on Monday this year, so Cheyenne and Ms. Curtis will have “Happy Boo!-Day” sung to them.

        It is good to see how much information has come out about Proposition 3 on the November ballot.  For all its pro school wording the thing turns out to be pro big tobacco and the money from the tobacco tax would not necessarily go to public schools like Skyline.  Amendment 6 is another of those trickily worded political maneuvers.  The overt reasoning is to prevent voter fraud, which is almost nonexistent on the individual voting level.  The covert reasoning is to roll back voting rights by requiring photo identification.  The expense of acquiring photo ID is one that many poor people cannot afford.  Many women voters may find that they cannot vote if they have not changed their names on their IDs after they have been married or divorced.  Veterans may be impacted as well.  This is a good spot for some quotes of the week.  Scotland’s Bobby Nickelson says, “A country that encourages ignorance is not a democracy.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) said, “Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.”  Voltaire (1694-1788) said “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”

        Ansel Adams (1902-1984) said, “It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.”  People commenting as “Bold Nebraska” on the internet reported that a motorist was recently killed while driving through a cloud of anhydrous ammonia that leaked from a Magellan Midstream Partners pipeline near Tekama, Nebraska.  In Standing Rock, North Dakota heavily armed and militarized local police and National Guard are operating at the behest of the petroleum companies against people who are protecting their land, their sacred sites and the Missouri River from a pipeline that has been started without permission of the land owners.  Eminent domain for private gain is the ploy and hundreds of peaceful, prayerful people have been arrested and treated in the most degrading way.  Journalists have been arrested for reporting on the events going on there today.  Journalist Amy Goodman has had the charges against her dropped in court.  She said “Journalism is the only profession explicitly protected by the U.S. Constitution, because journalists are supposed to be the check and balance on government.  We’re supposed to be holding those in power accountable.  We’re not supposed to be their megaphone.  That’s what the corporate media have become.”

        In sporting news, the Champion Regulation Horseshoe Pitch is becoming a popular site in this lovely weather.  The persistent rivalry between the Frontiersman and the motorcycle Hooligan took an odd twist when the adversaries joined forces against the formidable team of George and The General.  They had been playing an hour or two before the newcomers challenged them, and fatigue may be one of the excuses they give for having been so soundly trounced—11 to 9.  When the game was over, George casually tossed a ringer just to add to the humiliation.  Go to www.championnews.us for a photograph of the competition.  Spectators were polite.

        Joann Hicks, Marsha Wheat Turnbull and Janice Ray used to work together in a lab over in Mountain Home.  They have all retired and rarely get to see each other so their rendezvous at the Historic Emporium on Wednesday was a pleasant gathering.  They signed the guest book and toured the Square and had good memories to share.  Marsha is from Vanzant originally and was familiar with the area.  Joann and Janice had only heard stories about the place so their curiosity was satisfied and locals were happy to get acquainted with them.  Being retired has some fine points to it.  The freedom of not having to go to work is reminiscent of happy childhood.  “Playmate, come out and play with me, And bring your dollies three, Climb up my apple tree–Look down my rain-barrel, Slide down my cellar door, And we’ll be jolly friends forever more!” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Hot competition at the Champion Horseshoe Pitch.

CHAMPION—October 14, 2016

Wagon-Master Clifton Luna

        The sad news came to Champion that Clifton Luna has passed away.  He was 91.  He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II.  He and his wife of 67 years lived on their Dora farm where he continued to operate his father’s saw mill.  For many years he hitched up his mules and led a train of other wagons and horseback riders through the Ozarks.  He brought the wagon train through Champion every October on their way from West Plains to Mansfield and it was always a highlight of the year for this community.  This was the first year that he was unable to make this trip.  He will be much missed and long remembered by his many friends in the West Plains Wagon Club, the Gee Haw folks of Arkansas, and all the folks along the trail.  He had a big family and a big place in the heart of this part of the world.

        Dick and Coleen Danham live in Highlandville.  They had read about the Squires Store in the Rural Missouri publication and then happen to see Kaitlyn McConnell’s facebook page, Ozarks Alive, where Champion had been featured recently.  They made a day of it and visited both these thriving commercial centers.  The next Wednesday Alice and Austin Reynolds of Springfield decided to visit the Bright Side, also as a result of seeing the story on Kaitlyn’s page.  Alice said that they stopped in Norwood to ask directions and no one seemed to know how to find Champion.  She called Henson’s Store for directions, thanks to Kaitlyn having included the phone number in her article.  Champions are considering the notion of getting some signs up in various places.  Perhaps a committee should be formed.

Happy Birthday Eva!

        A Champion couple both have birthdays in October–seven days apart.  Who is older?  Do they party the whole week long?  Carson Cline has his second birthday on October 18th.  He is a Champion grandson with a groovy big brother.  Wyatt Shannon is a prekindergarten student at Skyline.  His birthday is the 19th.  Betty Swain celebrated her 90th birthday several years ago on October 20th.  She is an avid bridge player whose favorite bid is ‘three no trump.’  Marty Watts is a Champion son-in-law who lives in Tennessee.  His birthday is the 20th.  Cyanna Davis is a sixth grader at Skyline.  She also celebrates on the 20th.  The 21st belongs to the late Anna Henson of downtown Champion and Cidneye Godkin over on the Colorado River in Texas.  Donna Moskaly, Ava Art Guild winner of many awards, shares her birthday on the 22nd with Haylee Surface, a second grade student at Skyline, and with Skyline’s cook, Mrs. Beth.  Birthdays are the best days of the year for some people.  Eva Clark was just honored with a surprise party by her family, friends and colleagues.  Donita Virtue shared her beautiful home for the event and Eva’s family and friends put the good effort in to make a lovely day for a lovely lady.  She had birthday greetings from around the country and from friends she made in Eastern Europe when she worked with Doctors Without Borders.  She is still working as a nurse and being an amazing grandmother.  It is a joy to celebrate so many dynamic Champions!

        Amy Goodman is a journalist who has been looking into the ongoning historic gathering of Native Americans and their many allies out on the Great Plains.  Those folks are struggling to protect their land, their cemeteries, their history and their water, as well as the water of all the people who live downstream on the Missouri River.  Deia Schlosberg is a documentary film maker.  Both she and Amy Goodman are exercising their First Amendment rights as journalists and have both been subject to arrest and prosecution for doing nothing more than reporting on what they see, which is a great and growing number of non-violent people praying on their own land.  They have gathered to express their opposition to a well-funded, under vetted pipeline project—eminent domain for private gain–and have been met with violent attacks by private security companies hired by the commercial interest.  The Wall Street Journal reported that there were 1,400 pipeline spills and accidents in the U.S. just between 2010 and 2013.  According to the Journal reviews, four in every five pipeline accidents are discovered by local residents, not the companies that own the pipelines.  Recent spills in Alabama and Arkansas are yet to be resolved environmentally or financially.  Little wonder the Standing Rock people are concerned.  Meanwhile Nestle corporate agents and those of similar companies continue to find ways to legally appropriate natural water.  “Water! Water!  All day we faced the barren waste without a taste of water.  Cool, clear water.  Oh! Dan, can’t you see that big green tree where the water’s flowing free and it’s waiting there for you and me?”

        A political advertisement on television these days features half a dozen fresh faced ten year old youngsters enthusiastically touting Proposition 3 on the November ballot.  They are most appealing, indicating that if you care about children you must approve this proposition.  The children are actors with promising careers ahead of them.  The promise of the proposition is that only the smaller cigarette manufacturers, those that poor people can afford, will be taxed while the big companies like R.J. Reynolds will have nothing changed.  It is a ploy to gain more of the market share.  Worse yet, the money from these taxes is to be dispersed among private and religious schools, again drawing funds from public education.  Little rural schools like our wonderful Skyline R2 School could use some support, but do not believe that this proposition will help any more than the “Right to Work” or “Right to Farm” actually helps workers or farmers.  Politics are tricky.  They are also dishearteningly dirty.  The obsession with unpleasant personalities draws attention away from the important issues.  Alas!  Suffragettes who finally won the vote in 1920, might have said, “Grab ‘em by the ballot box!”

        Sunday night’s full moon, the Hunter’s Moon, sailed high across the sky, setting the world below aglow and lingering on the horizon until the sun took over.  It is a treasure to live in a part of the world with so little light pollution—where it can get really dark.  That is when the night sky can sing its celestial song.  Music lovers over in Vanzant are sure to have some interesting opinions about Bob Dylan having won the Nobel Prize for Literature this year.  (The nominating committee has neglected The Champion News once again.  Alas!)  Dylan and Johnny Cash had a long time friendship and recorded quite a number of songs together including “Girl From the North Country.”  Young Chace Cauthron is about to start a band out on the wide veranda at the Historic Emporium.  His enthusiasm for music is an inspiration.  Come be inspired down on the wide, wild wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek.  The horseshoe pitch is available without charge for anyone stout enough to play.  To get to this tranquil spot, go to the bottom of several hills where country roads meet the pavement.  You will have passed through some beautiful country with the fall foliage morphing right before your eyes.  Ah!  “The times they are a changing!” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Oh! The seasons they are a-changing!