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West Palm Beach Kids Capture Fifth Annual William
Aug 29th
Two Florida teenagers won the fifth biennial William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup,Charm bracelet, beating one of the largest fields ever for Sea Scouts’ most coveted sailing trophy.
Cody Stansky, 16, of Jupiter, Florida and Andrew Britton, 16, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL were awarded the silver trophy at the closing ceremonies held at the Officers Club at the United States Coast Guard Academy, which hosted the week long event.
Stansky and Britton, members of Ship 777, West Palm Beach, FL, defeated Amanda Norris, 14, and Michael Anderson, 16, of Christ Church, New Zealand. Heidi Rittmeyer, 19, and Peter Bied, 14, of Chicago, IL, placed third.
Stansky and Britton have been sailing together since middle school. They recently placed 15th at the 420 North American Sailing Competition in Brant Beach, New Jersey last month. The two teenagers are entering their junior year at the Alexander Dreyfoos High School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.
Approximately 80 young men and women gathered at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London to compete in the week-long regatta. Sea Scouts from New Zealand, Australia, England, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago sailed against youth from across the United States. The winds were moderate most of the week, averaging 10 to 14 knots, blowing from the south off Long Island Sound before turning light on the final day.
The biennial event is underwritten by William I. Koch, the Palm Beach businessman who successfully defended the America’s Cup in 1992. Other sponsors include West Marine and the United States Coast Guard Academy.
Sea Scouts are divided into two fleets: more experienced sailors compete for the Koch Cup, and a second fleet sails for the Kiwi Cup, a Maori carving donated by New Zealand Sea Scouts. Both trophies are displayed at the Boy Scout Museum in Irving,Bead bracelet, Texas. This year’s Kiwi Cup was dedicated to former New Zealand Sea Scout and Koch Cup participant Benjamin Carson who was killed in the line of duty while serving in his country’s Air Force.
Abby King, 16, and Barchan Rogers, 19, of St. Petersburg,bangles, Florida, won the Kiwi Cup.
"I enjoyed the event a lot," said Andrew Britton. "The races were well managed. The Coast Guard Academy did a great job."
Sea Scouts competing in the event selected Jonathan Hall and Jonathan Martin of England as well as Krista Chapin and Karissa Kasper of St. Petersburg, FL for the sportsmanship award.
The event venue,money clips, the Seamanship and Sailing Center at the United States Coast Guard Academy is located on the west bank of the Thames River in New London, CT. The center is responsible for the basic sail and seamanship training of the Corps of Cadets, and the coaching and management of the institution’s competitive sailing program.
Sea Scouts is part of the Boy Scouts of America and is open to men and women between the ages of 14 and 21 who learn leadership skills through seamanship.
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100809/CG48185
Keywords: Boy Scouts of America, Leisure,Beads necklace, Sailing.
Identify the word or phrase that best characterize
Aug 25th
A. Defiant
B. Contrite
C. Victimized
D. Elusive
2.) The Michigan House voted Tuesday to ban smoking in workplaces but to allow it on the floors of Detroit’s casinos,cuff Links, cigar bars and smoke shops. That sets up a face-off with the Senate. Why might senators not go along with the legislation passed by the House?
A. Majority Leader Mike Bishop sees it as socialistic.
B. Many senators are secret smokers — and several sniff snuff.
C. Many want a total smoking ban.
D. Some senators believe Michigan’s growing isolation as an open-smoking state is good for tourism.
3.) Ferndale resident Jesus Ruiz spent a day in quarantine recently in Shanghai,bangles, China. Why was Ruiz isolated?
A. He had Falun Gong literature in his luggage.
B. He was overheard telling a companion, "Taiwan is the real China."
C. A passenger near him on a plane was suspected — falsely, it turned out — of having H1N1 influenza.
D. Looking at the little red book of quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, he said: "I know a guy who was wittier than Mao — Mayor Coleman Young."
4.) A Macomb citizens’ group is organizing a recall movement against 16 Democratic county commissioners. What did they do to provoke the action?
A. They signed a petition to change the name of Macomb County to Mathers County,tiffany, the surname of Eminem, because the Macomb family owned slaves in the 18th Century.
B. They asserted that Macomb would be taken more seriously if it could be more like Wayne County.
C. They supported a 0.356-mill tax increase, which will cost the average homeowner $27 a year.
D. They supported a plan to merge with neighboring Oakland County as a way to save money.
5.) After the Red Wings won the Western Conference title Wednesday, the Red Wings’ Henrik Zetterberg accepted the Campbell trophy and posed for photos with it,bracelets, but he refused to touch the fancy silver bowl. Why?
A. It’s a Swedish thing: They don’t like trophies made by non-Swedes.
B. He’s afraid of catching swine flu before the finals.
C. Superstition: He’s waiting for the big bowl named Stanley.
D. He allergic to silver.
Answers:
1) A and/or C; 2) C; 3) C; 4) C; 5) C
Grant pays for retreat at discount
Aug 18th
A $12,458 "team-building" retreat for Lucy C. Laney Comprehensive High School staff at the Ritz-Carlton at Lake Oconee on Thursday and today is drawing sharp criticism from Richmond County school board members.
Patsy Scott summed up her reaction with one word: "Mercy."
The two-day, one-night visit is tied to a more than $1 million federal school improvement grant the school received last month through an Obama administration initiative.
The Richmond County school board agreed earlier this year to apply for the grant, but several board members said Thursday they weren’t aware a portion of the grant was being used by Laney for the Ritz retreat.
"If I had known this, I wouldn’t have approved the grant," said school board Vice President Alex Howard upon first hearing from The Augusta Chronicle about the trip.
Calling it a "poor choice," Howard said that even if the school got a good rate the Ritz trip sends the wrong message in a time of budget cuts.
He said he understands the need for a retreat, but it could have been held locally to save money.
"There’s no excuse for this," he said.
The retreat involves 85 Laney faculty and staff. The site — where country music star Carrie Underwood recently got married — was named among the World’s 500 Best Hotels in Travel + Leisure Magazine in 2008, according to the hotel’s Web site.
School system spokesman Louis Svehla was quick to note that the school got a reduced group rate and its retreat cost fell well below a budgeted amount of $35,000 that the grant had allowed.
"The grant proposal budgeted up to $35,000 for this retreat,Charm pendant, which was approved by the state," Svehla wrote in an e-mail. "In negotiation with several sites, the Ritz-Carlton at Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia, offered the best hotel rates, acceptable food service costs and room meeting rates."
Board member Jimmy Atkins, who also hadn’t heard of the trip, noted that for the past several years the school board has held its retreats at its own central office.
"I’m very disappointed to hear that they would take off and go somewhere that extravagant to hold a retreat," he said.
Scott said the money should’ve been spent in Richmond County.
"If this is true, especially when we’re asking everybody to cut back, to me it’s just very, very unfortunate,money clips," she said.
Svehla said the normal room rate for this time of year at the Ritz-Carlton is $244 per person. "However, for this training session the discounted room rate will be $70 per person or $140 for a room for two people (double occupancy)," he said. "The hotel is waiving all meeting room rentals."
The retreat comes as part of a turnaround reform model Laney is having to undertake this coming school year in accepting the federal school improvement funds. The turnaround model requires the school to replace half its staff and have them reassigned to other schools. Several of those positions have been accounted for through attrition and some teachers being reassigned from an eighth-grade academy that Laney won’t have this school year.
"Now that the selection of staff is nearing completion, the staff will be required to attend the retreat," Svehla said. "At this retreat, there will be an agenda and various activities designed to enable the newly selected and returning faculty and staff members to become fully oriented with the vision and mission of the school relative to the implementation of the Turnaround Model of the School Improvement Grant at Lucy C. Laney High School."
The retreat cost, Svehla said, includes lodging, several meals and meeting rooms for the 85 faculty and staff,bangles, equaling a per-person cost of $147.
"Accordingly, while the name of the hotel carries a perception that there may be some added expense, in reality, the rates are very reasonable and discounted after thorough negotiations," he said.
Two other Richmond County schools also received more than $1 million each from the school improvement grant, but Svehla said those schools — Glenn Hills and Josey high schools — are staying locally for their retreats. Svehla said the decision about where to hold retreats was up to each school’s principal.
Glenn Hills Principal Wayne Frazier said he chose to keep his school’s retreat at his school because he’d rather use the grant money in the classroom and in professional development of teachers.
"My leadership style does not lend itself to that type of retreat, with the present economy crisis," Frazier said.
Frazier did confirm,Charm bracelet, though, that in June there was a school-system initiative where some leaders from his school and several others in Richmond County in Needs Improvement status attended training at Calloway Gardens. He said he thinks it was tied to the reform plan as well.
As for the Ritz trip, Svehla said Laney’s situation is unique because it’s the only school having half of its staff reassigned and the only one going through America’s Choice and college board training for the first time.
"It’s a way to get away with each other and really form a team," he said of the need for Laney’s retreat.
Columbia County school officials said they can’t recall ever sending a group to a Ritz-Carlton for training or a retreat, and lately have been trying to keep retreats and training local unless it’s only offered at an out-of-county location.
Richmond County board member Jack Padgett said of the Ritz retreat: "There’s a lot of other places you can have them," noting that although it seems the school got a decent per-room rate it probably shouldn’t have booked "the fanciest name in town."
"I just think the image is not good when we’re having furloughs," he said.
Board member Helen Minchew said that when broken down to individual workers the cost doesn’t seem exorbitant, but "it just would have been prudent to have stayed here."
Despite Recession, Many Consumers Are Spending $100 and Up This Valentine’s Day
Jan 8th
The only thing worse than “buyer’s remorse,” is “gift-giver’s remorse.” And this Valentine’s Day is especially tricky as romantics balance their need to be budget conscious with finding a thoughtful gift their partner will love. To help address this challenge, Buzzillions.com is sharing the results of a new survey of online shoppers – tiffany jewelry and Buzzillions.com users – that highlights how much people are planning to spend, and more importantly, the most desired gifts by both sexes.
According to the survey, 43 percent of consumers will spend between $50-100 on a gift for their significant other, with 14 percent saying they will spend $150 or more. The most common response was $100.
The Buzzillions survey also identified the most – and least – desirable gifts for both men and women (excluding flowers). Men wanting to please their mate should focus their attention on necklaces, concert tickets, perfume, chocolate and a Wii Fit – the top five most desired Valentine’s Day gifts among women surveyed. Men on the other hand had a meaningful book, a digital camera, a watch, an ipod and cologne at the top of their list.
The survey also revealed the least desirable gifts for both sexes. Men are least interested in electric razors, bangles golf equipment, pen sets, slippers and underwear, while women will not rejoice at opening a gift containing stuffed animals, golf equipment, appliances and camping equipment.
“Finding the perfect gift can be a daunting task at any time of year, but particularly around Valentine’s Day when meaning is injected into every purchase,” said Andy Chen, CEO of Buzzillions. “Our focus is making the gift giving process easier, helping to generate ideas, and most importantly, guiding consumers towards the highest quality products – as identified by their peers.”
Buzzillions.com is the most comprehensive customer review site on the Internet. Buzzillions, which currently has more than 4.5 million reviews on its site, collects thousands of customer reviews a day from people who are verified to have purchased the products they are reviewing. Reviews on Buzzillions encompass a wide range of products, from GPS units to cookware, baby strollers, hiking boots and moisturizers.
For a full list of the survey results visit the Buzzillions blog
About Buzzillions.com
Buzzillions.com is a one-stop product research site for consumers, providing reviews and recommendations rings from real product users for hundreds of thousands of products in thousands of categories, including consumer electronics, apparel, sporting goods, health & beauty and home & garden. These reviews and recommendations help guide consumers to make informed product decisions that meet their specific needs and uses, with product reviews from people like them, who are verified to have purchased the product. Buzzillions verifies the purchase by partnering with hundreds of retailers who actually send out the surveys to known customers. Retail partners include Toys “R” Us, Staples, REI, Drugstore.com, Brookstone and Ace Hardware. Buzzillions is owned by its parent company, PowerReviews.
Many Consumers Are Spending $100 and Up This Valentine’s Day
Dec 29th
According to the survey, 43 percent of consumers will spend between $50-100 on a gift for their significant other, with 14 percent saying they will spend $150 or more. The most common response was $100.
The Buzzillions survey also identified the most – and least – desirable gifts for both men and women ( Valentine’s Day gift excluding flowers). Men wanting to please their mate should focus their attention on necklaces, concert tickets, perfume, chocolate and a Wii Fit – the top five most desired Valentine’s Day gifts among women surveyed. Men on the other hand had a meaningful book, a digital camera, a watch, an ipod and cologne at the top of their list.
The survey also revealed the least desirable gifts for both sexes. Men are least interested in electric razors, golf equipment, pen sets, slippers and underwear, while women will not rejoice at opening a gift containing stuffed animals, golf equipment, appliances and camping equipment.
“Finding the perfect gift can be a daunting task at any time of year, but particularly around Valentine’s Day necklaces when meaning is injected into every purchase,” said Andy Chen, CEO of Buzzillions. “Our focus is making the gift giving process easier, helping to generate ideas, and most importantly, guiding consumers towards the highest quality products — as identified by their peers.”
Buzzillions.com is the most comprehensive customer review site on the Internet. Buzzillions, which currently has more than 4.5 million reviews on its site, collects thousands of customer reviews a day from people who are verified to have purchased the products they are reviewing. Reviews on Buzzillions encompass a wide range of products, from GPS units to cookware, baby strollers, hiking boots and moisturizers.
For a full list of the survey results visit the Buzzillions blog About Buzzillions.com Buzzillions.com is a one-stop product research site for consumers, providing reviews and recommendations from real product users for hundreds of thousands of products in thousands of categories, including consumer electronics, apparel, sporting goods, health & beauty and home & garden. These reviews and recommendations help guide consumers to make informed product decisions that meet their specific needs and uses, with product reviews from people like them, who are verified to have bangles purchased the product. Buzzillions verifies the purchase by partnering with hundreds of retailers who actually send out the surveys to known customers. Retail partners include Toys “R” Us, Staples, REI, Drugstore.com, Brookstone and Ace Hardware. Buzzillions is owned by its parent company, PowerReviews.
COMMONWEALTH CHRISTMAS TREE DELIVERED TO STATE CAPITOL
Dec 6th
Gov. Steve Beshear, D-Ky., issued the following text of a tiffany speech:
The Finance and Administration Cabinet, along with the Frankfort Plant Board, today delivered the Commonwealth Christmas tree to the State Capitol. The tree will stand in front of the State Capitol and will be lit during the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting on Monday, November 30.
This year’s tree was donated by Jackie and Joyce Gritton, of Lawrenceburg. The family donated the tree in memory of their late son, Kevin D. Gritton.
“The tree for this year’s lighting ceremony has significant importance because of the bangles family’s heartfelt donation and their touching story,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “During the first Christmas holidays in 2008 after I became governor, Jane and I had the honor of lighting the Commonwealth’s Christmas tree, and we are looking forward to doing so again this year, and every year while I am governor.”
“Kevin would do anything for anybody and had a heart of gold. His big joy in life was doing something for others and even though his life was short, he lived a very full and fulfilled life,” said the Grittons. “He thoroughly enjoyed Christmas and loved to give unique personal gifts. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate his memory than to give this tree in his honor as a personal gift to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
The Grittons also have a son, Barry and a daughter, Amy.
The donated Christmas tree is a Norway Spruce and stands 30 feet tall.
The Christmas Tree Lighting will be held on Monday, November 30th at 6:30 p.m. on the rings Capitol steps. Entertainment will be provided by the Western Hills High School Choir, Frankfort School of Ballet, Frankfort Children Singers and Frankfort County High School Chamber Choir. Sadie Meyer will perform on the violin at the Governor’s Mansion following the ceremony. Those in attendance will include Gov. Steve Beshear, First Lady Jane Beshear, Andy and Britiany Beshear, Frankfort Mayor Gippy Graham and a special visit from Santa Claus. The event is free and open to the public.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
CHRISTMAS TREE PERMITS NOW ON SALE
Nov 30th
Christmas tree permits are on sale for $5 each at all Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest ranger stations and the forest headquarters. Each permit allows a family to cut one tree, with a tree height limit of 15 feet, or dig a small live transplant tree. Permits may be purchased in person or by mail and are limited tiffany jewelry to two permits per family. The permits are non-refundable.
When venturing out into the cold and snowy hills in pursuit of a Christmas tree, here are some hints to help make your trip a safe one:
1. Before leaving home, notify a friend or family member where you will be going and when you will return. Then, stick to your plan and let your contact person know when you have returned.
2. Consider carefully your clothing, equipment, and vehicle needs, making certain they are adequate for the worst conditions you might encounter. If planning to drive over snow-covered roads, a high-clearance vehicle may be best, and don’t forget to carry tire chains and a shovel.
3. ALWAYS check out the avalanche hazard before leaving home.
4. Start out early in the day so that you have enough daylight to be able to choose that “perfect” tree.
5. Be familiar with the area that you plan to visit.
6. Carry extra clothing, food, and tools in your vehicle for those unexpected mishaps that may occur.
7. Christmas tree permits may be placed on the driver’s side dashboard in lieu of a Northwest Forest Pass when parking at a trailhead. However, once enough snow accumulates and selected trailhead parking areas convert to Sno-Parks, you must have a valid Washington State Sno-Park permit displayed on your windshield necklaces when parking at any State Sno-Park.
For those who can’t make it into any of our offices during daily business hours many local businesses are also selling Christmas tree permits.
* In Wenatchee, tree permits are available at Hooked on Toys and Arlberg Sports. * In Chelan, permits can be bought at the Chelan Shell Foodmart gas station. * The Entiat Food Center in Entiat is also selling Christmas tree permits. * In the Lake Wenatchee area, Parkside Grocery, Midway Village and Plain Hardware have permits for sale. * In Leavenworth, tree permits are available at Dan’s Food Market, the 76 gas station and Shell Village Mercantile. * In the Cle Elum and Ellensburg areas Christmas tree permits can be purchased at Roslyn Cyclery, Pioneer Coffee, Intermountain Radio Shack, Morning Star Chevron/Deli and Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce. * Christmas tree permits are available at the following locations in the Naches Ranger District area: * Eagle Rock Grocery, Whistlin’ Jacks Resort and Rimrock Grocery Store on State Route 410 * Helms True Value Hardware and Save-On Foods in Selah * Oak Creek Ace Hardware and Slim’s Market in Naches * KOA Campground at Squaw Rock * Vendors selling Christmas tree permits in Okanogan County include: * Chevron Station in Okanogan * The General Store in Conconully * The Junction Mini Mart in Tonasket * Carlton General Store in Carlton * Twisp Chevron gas station, Hank’s Market and Hank’s Mini Market in Twisp * Pardners Mini Market in Winthrop
For more information about Christmas tree permits please contact any Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest office. These offices are open Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our offices will be closed on the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Forest Service offices may also close early the day before these holidays, so call ahead for operating hours.
Chelan Ranger District, 428 W. Woodin Ave., Chelan WA 98816; 509-682-4900
Cle Elum Ranger District, 803 W. 2nd Street, Cle Elum, WA 98922; 509-852-1100
Entiat Ranger District, physical address 2108 Entiat Way, mailing address P.O. Box 476 Entiat, WA 98822; 509-784-1511
Methow Valley Ranger District,bangles 24 West Chewuch Road, Winthrop, WA 98862; 509-996-4000
Naches Ranger District, 10237 Hwy. 12, Naches, WA 98937; 509-653-1401
Okanogan Valley Office, 1240 South Second Ave., Okanogan, WA 98840; 509-826-3275
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Headquarters office, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801; 509-664-9200
Tonasket Ranger District, 1 W. Winesap, Tonasket, WA 98855; 509-486-2186
Wenatchee River Ranger District-Leavenworth office, 600 Sherbourne, Leavenworth, WA 98826; 509-548-2550
Wenatchee River Ranger District-Lake Wenatchee office, CLOSED during the winterFor more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
AA Travel Insurance Urging Travellers to Stay Safe on the Ski Slopes This Christmas
Nov 27th
Holiday goers encouraged not to cut back on winter sports cover
AA Travel Insurance
Gina Rudd
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Telephone +44 1268 592 172
As the festive season approaches, the ski holiday is perhaps the most christmas gift obvious choice for those looking to book a winter break.
Yet the economic crash appears to have caused a significant reduction in the number of holiday-goers opting for ski excursions: according to the Guardian newspaper, ski trip bookings fell 13% just last year, with empty beds being cheaply sold off last minute, and companies failing to make profit.
With the ski industry now struggling to break even, this year has seen a sharp rise in the cost of ski holidays. Those budget and last minute deals have become harder to find, with ski companies adopting a supply-and-demand approach to save money.(1)
But the holiday-maker can look to the new resorts to find cheaper alternatives away from the more obvious destinations in the French and Swiss Alps. The “piste” found in the Abruzzo Mountains in Italy offer a similar experience to the more renowned ski-spots, and without a glamorous reputation of the more established resorts, it is a more realistic option for the budget conscious.(2)
Add this to the money-saving options of mid-week excursions and the enormous range of necklaces budget flight tickets available across the internet, and a festive holiday spent skiing or snowboarding remains a possibility. Even over Christmas, when expenditure hits a seasonal high.
With the recession still a very real concern, cutting back on essentials like travel insurance may be a tempting prospect, with those splashing out on their ski holiday simply hoping the worst never happens.
Tellingly, a survey commissioned by AA Travel Insurance exposes the need for an insurance package covering winter sports-based holidays. The fact that 57%(3) of holiday goers are taking more adventurous trips, signals a need for people to make sure they are adequately covered when they travel.. A sizeable 19% of those surveyed had required medical attention when abroad. 1 With the cost of treatment abroad potentially far outweighing the cost of the holiday, getting adequate cover for a winter sports holiday is a must. AA Travel Insurance offers a policy which includes medical expenses cover of up to Pounds 10 million and 24 hour medical emergency support which could prove vital in a medical emergency.
A spokesperson for AA Travel Insurance said, “Accidents can happen on a small or a large scale. Being equipped with the right insurance isn’t tempting fate; an insurance policy on a winter sports holiday is imperative in any kind of emergency.”
Notes to editors
(1) Taken from Skiing Trips that won’t break the bank on October 4th 2009 (Guardian.co.uk)
(2) Taken from Skiing’s cheap and cheerful alternative to the Alps on October 4th 2009 (Guardian.co.uk)
(3) Survey carried out by PR Precision on behalf of AA Travel Insurance between 12th – 16th October 2009
About AA Travel Insurance
The AA is not only the UK’s premier breakdown service we also provide great value travel insurance with cover you can trust.
Our secure website allows you to buy single trip travel insurance or annual multi trip travel insurance bangles online in just a few minutes, or if you prefer to talk to someone why not contact our UK-based call centre? Our call agents are available 7 days a week.
AA Travel Insurance is a division of Drakefield Insurance Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Drakefield Insurance Services Limited is part of The AA.
Children line up at mall to whisper a Christmas wish
Nov 26th
From his perch on an avocado green couch at Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall christmas gift, Santa Claus rattled off his most popular gift requests from children this winter: dogs, horses, and the latest gadgets and electronics.
There was a more unusual request from one little boy — a vacuum.
“At least we know someone’s going to get help around the house,” Santa said.
Santa took up residence at the mall a few days ago and will be posing for bangles pictures and listening to wish lists through Christmas.
A line of those waiting to sit on his lap and share their Christmas wishes didn’t take long to form.
Some children were squirmy, like 18-month-old Michael Anderson, who slid out of Santa’s lap twice. On the third try his mother, Michelle, was able to get a photo.
Others sat shyly next to Santa while they asked for Nintendo games and dolls.
Four-year-old Bryce Bramble has big dreams of what rings Santa should put under his Christmas tree.
What did he ask for?
“I can’t remember, there were so many things,” he said.
When is a Christmas tree not a Christmas tree?
Nov 25th
You can call the Colorado blue spruce standing in Lake Superior Plaza whatever you want tiffany and co. Minnesota Power isn’t giving it an official label.
A news release from Minnesota Power announcing that the 50- to 60-foot tree would go up Wednesday referred to it as a holiday tree, and that is what it was called in coverage of the event held at 30 W. Superior St. This sparked a debate in the comments section of duluthnewstribune.com, pitting Team Christmas against Team Holiday.
“Some call it a Christmas tree, some call it a holiday tree,” Minnesota Power communications manager Amy Rutledge said Thursday. “When it’s set up for us, it symbolizes the start of the holiday season. It’s important to focus on the fact that it’s a community tree.”
This is the 25th year that Minnesota Power has put up a tree, which was donated this year by a local family. It will be lighted Nov. 20, before the Christmas City of the North Parade, and taken down sometime after New Year’s Day.
Rutledge said there was never an internal discussion about what to call the tree. The news release said “holiday tree,” but a Minnesota Power employee referred to it as a Christmas tree on television.
Rutledge said that no one complained to Minnesota Power about what the tree has been called key rings.
The holiday vs. Christmas debate itself seems to be a sort of holiday tradition. During the 1990s, the decorated tree at the White House was referred to as a “holiday tree.” The one recently shipped from Arizona to the U.S. Capitol has been tagged as a Christmas tree, and has been since 2005.
In 2005, the Rev. Jerry Falwell started the “Friend or Foe” campaign to combat what he said was an attack on Christmas. This included boycotting major retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart that used “holiday” instead of “Christmas” in advertising.
A local Catholic priest’s take: If the tree is on Minnesota Power’s property, then they can call it whatever they want.
“If it were on my land, it would be called a Christmas tree,” said the Rev. William Graham, the chairman of the Catholic studies department at the College of St. Scholastica. “I think Minnesota Power, since they own the land, they get to decide. They’ll get no lip from me.”
The News Tribune couldn’t confirm Thursday whether the tree stands on company land or public land, but Lake Superior Plaza is clearly a public space.
Rabbi Amy Bernstein of Temple Israel said it should be called a Christmas tree, but she thinks there are necklaces good intentions behind calling it a holiday tree.
“It’s an attempt to be inclusive and respectful of other traditions,” she said.
But since there isn’t a tree associated with Hanukkah, Bernstein added, it doesn’t make any sense.
“It’s a Christmas tree,” she said. “Nobody else has a tree.”
Dave Jensch, the station manager at the Northland’s NewsCenter, said the tree was referred to as a Christmas tree during Wednesday’s 6 p.m. newscast show and a holiday tree at 10 p.m.
Jensch said his station typically uses the term “holiday” but has no plans to lose the “Christmas” in the Christmas bangles City of the North Parade, which it sponsors. A name change — to the “KBJR Christmas Parade” — was experimented with a decade or so ago.
“And people went crazy,” Jensch said, adding because of the link to the Merv Griffin song “Christmas City,” it’s unlikely it will ever change.
Bill van Druten of the Lake Superior Freethinkers has a take that goes beyond whether it’s a holiday tree or a Christmas tree.
“It’s foolish to cut down a living tree for that sort of nonsense,” he said. “We can have a very happy December or holiday without destroying nature.”