Feaster honored as top conservationists of the year
It's time to pass along some information that has come across my desk by regular mail or through the World Wide Web.:
Brad Feaster honored
Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area property manager Brad Feaster has received the Sassafras Audubon Society's Don Whitehead Conservationist of the Year award for major contributions to a current conservation cause.
Feaster, who lives in Linton, was recognized at the organization's annual banquet in Bloomington.
Feaster was recognized for his policies and work in managing the property's wetlands to maintain the current habitat that is vital for many species of resident and migratory birds. One of the many tasks he and his crew work on is controlling invasive species such as phragmites and cottonwood trees.
Feaster was instrumental in helping organize the Friends of Goose Pond in support of the goals of wildlife conservation and habitat restoration at the property through environmental education, scientific research, and recreational activities and programs.
The friends group has worked with the SAS to provide community days to highlight Goose Pond and its activities. He also helped to stage the two-day Marsh Madness festival, highlighting Greene County destinations, including Goose Pond.
Last month, Feaster worked with the Greene County Daily World to produce a booklet that highlights all the Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area has to offer.
If you've ever met Feaster you know he's community-minded, and normally jumps in head first when asked to help with something that will make our area better.
Congratulations Brad!
It's graduation time
It's hard to believe, but it's time for high school graduation ceremonies.
Because of the additional snow days this past winter, a couple of area schools have pushed their graduations back a week.
To help with your planning, the following is a list of the public school graduations:
* Bloomfield -- June 5 at 4 p.m.
* Eastern Greene -- June 5 at 11 a.m.
* Linton-Stockton -- May 29 at 1:30 p.m.
* Shakamak -- May 29 at 2:30 p.m.
* Union -- May 29 at 10 a.m.
* White River Valley -- May 29 at 10 a.m.
Pride in your downtown
I received an interesting telephone call Tuesday morning. It was from someone who was concerned about the condition of some of Linton's downtown buildings.
The person drives through downtown daily on their way to the post office, and they decided to share their feelings.
They noticed some buildings with no windows and holes that allow birds -- and anything else -- to easily get in. If people (owners and others) aren't concerned about the look of the downtown, this person wondered about health and environmental issues.
This person even mentioned about all the work that Bloomfield has done recently to improve its downtown and fill empty buildings, and wondered why Linton hasn't followed suit.
They questioned if there was anything the city could do to help the problem.
This person suggested that our downtown is dying, and that is a direct reflection on our entire community.
I can't disagree with that statement, though I do believe that personal pride plays a major role in how the downtown looks.
If a business closes, and a building is empty for months or years, that owner is responsible for its condition.
Unfortunately, that's not always the case. The owner becomes hands-off and the property goes downhill fast.
Mayor Tom Jones and others have tried to address these problems in the past with land-use planning, but they've come up against some roadblocks that haven't been moved as of yet.
I appreciate the telephone call, because it shows people care.
Just in case you want to share your opinions with the mayor and Linton City Council, the council meets the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m.
The more people who rally behind a cause, the better chance it has to being corrected.
Chris is the general manager/editor of the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or 1-800-947-4487 or by e-mail at cpruettt79@hotmail.com.
- -- Posted by downtownalleycat on Wed, May 19, 2010, at 1:50 PM
Posting a comment requires free registration:
- If you already have an account, follow this link to login
- Otherwise, follow this link to register