No more anonymous commenting

At long last, I’ve decided to remove the option to post comments anonymously on the Backroads Newsroom blog. In my opinion, allowing anonymous comments has caused more harm than good.
This is a form of censorship, and I really really hate that. But I think the freedom has been abused and right or wrong, I don’t want to be host to that abuse any more.
So from now on (and I’m still learning exactly how the new setup works) you will have to register and log in to post a comment, and then the comment will go through moderation by me so I can release the comment to be posted. If the author is anonymous, or the email does not match up, it will not be released. At some point, the comments will start posting automatically without my approval, but I still have to figure how to do that because I really don’t want to have to moderate everything.
Why the decision?
My theory is, forcing people to use their names will make people accountable for their own comments. As it is now, I take plenty of grief for being host to some of the flame-throwing comments and I upset enough people the way it is so I don’t need to get in trouble for your actions too.
I know I’ll probably get ridiculed by some of you for this change. So be it. I’ll actually sleep better at night with this new way of doing things.
I hope this requirement doesn’t discourage Backroads Newsroom readers from commenting on occasion. We do have several people who comment and use their names and I want to thank them for that. I think it shows this audience that we can have a real online face to online face discussion in a civilized manner.
With this new setup, I’ll probably start posting a little more often too. I purposefully pulled back on the use of the blog in the last year and moved a lot of my commentary to the Washington County News Facebook page because comments on their are not anonymous.
So I hope you see my side of this and I hope you agree with the decision. But like I said, I believe this change will be for the better.

First day head counts

With the first day of school underway in USD 223, St. John’s Catholic and Linn Lutheran School, it can be officially stated that Washington County schools have seen their first total enrollment increase in what is likely at least three decades.
After Washington County reported in with an increase of 17 students and Clifton-Clyde with an increase of six students in the last week, USD 223 had an overall increase of nine students today. This is all on the Hanover side, however. Hanover K-12 had an increase of 13 students, while Linn was down four.
On the parochial side of things, St. John’s Catholic in Hanover had an increase of six students while Linn Lutheran had a decrease of six.
So when you add the public and parochial together, Hanover side has 19 more students than last year and Linn has 10 fewer than last year.
Overall, the county saw an increase of 32 students with a total of 1,124 students. That is more than the 1,092 students in 2009 and the 1,116 in 2008. The 2007 enrollment was 1,163 and it goes up from there.
What do you think this means? Are we seeing an upswing everywhere? A baby boom? Why not the Linn-Palmer area?
I personally think this is exciting news, and I’ve been waiting a decade to do this story. I’ll get some commentary in next week’s paper.

Backyard chickens in town?

There is some interest in Washington to change the city policy to allow backyard chickens in town.
There is a growing movement in the nation to allow a small flock of hens in the back yard so people can have fresh eggs (and some are just there as pets).
Several cities have allowed this, in fact there was a big front page feature in the Salina Journal a few months ago about Salina’s rules that allow it.
Several cities make maximum bird policies, like allowing 4-6 hens, but no roosters. They also require setbacks from neighboring houses.
If Madison, Wisconsin, and other big capitol cities can allow it, why can’t Washington and other area towns?
I attended a K-State “rural living” workshop this spring and they said anything related to gardening and backyard chickens has grown in popularity exponentially over the last couple years. I’ve noticed that in news coverage.
I bought six chickens on Sunday so I could raise my own eggs. I see nothing wrong with people in town being allowed to do the same. I think it would be very progressive of Washington to go ahead and change the policy to allow backyard hens.
What do you think?

KSHSAA regulations say no

What’s with the Kansas State High School Athletics Association. We need a Tea Party to throw those bums out.
Okay, they’re not all bums. I’m painting with a broad brush. But the rules and regulations placed on KSHSAA activities in Kansas high schools often seem overly restrictive, and not in the best interest of kids.
I’ve heard people complain about a variety of things with KSHSAA in the past. Last year, when we tried to watch Washington County play a post season football game on an internet feed, we couldn’t because of some stupid KSHSAA regulation. How is that good for kids and parents?
If a parent wants to move their kid from one school to another any year except for their ninth grade year, they aren’t allowed to play sports for a certain period of time (basically they lose one whole sport season). So kids who are perfectly capable of playing can’t. How is that good for kids? They’d probably say kids would bolt to schools that are going for a state title. I say, so what? Let the schools recruit and build their programs that way. Free enterprise, in my opinion.
How is it good for a kid to make them sit? Punish them because they feel like they’d fit better in a different situation? Why?
KSHSAA says you can’t do this cheer drill, can’t practice at these times, must do this, can’t do that?
Who holds them accountable?
I definitely need to educate myself on this organization a little more. Is it all administrators and coaches on the KSHSAA board or is their some general public input.
If something KSHSAA does really stinks, but they like and don’t care what we think, how can we as the taxpayers who support the education system (and thereby its sports) force them to change something?
I’m just annoyed because of some rumors I’ve heard of a local kid wanting to change schools, and he will, regardless of KSHSAA, but he won’t be allowed to play football. Ridiculous. Let the kid play. We’re all paying an increase in sales tax because its good for the kids, right? So let’s follow that same theory and change some things with KSHSAA too.

Chimney swifts

Are they bats? Are they birds?
The unidentified flying creatures that can be seen diving into the historic jailhouse’s limestone chimney are actually chimney swifts. This bird can resemble a bat because of its way of flying, but they’re definitely not.
You can see them circling old chimneys at dusk, when they’re ready to go in and roost for the night. You can also see them leaving the roost at the crack of dawn.
I took a photo and video tonight.

Tribute to Cowboy

I’d like to add a little something to the pictures I’m running this week of Cowboy’s funeral procession. If you would, please, could you write a little something that you remember about Cowboy? Just little stories about him that I could put together as a kind of tribute? This is for tomorrow’s paper, so I really need them tonight. Short notice, so please tell your friends about this if you could. Thanks.

Oh, and Cowboy’s Custom Cycle is open again. Talked to Diane and Chad there this evening and it is open for business, but not necessarily for major rebuilds or anything. Cowboy’s brother David Nutsch is managing in the interim.

Cowboy’s funeral procession

Here is video from Cowboy’s funeral procession on Aug. 6. I was set up east of the Morrowville corner on Highway 36 as the procession came from Washington on its way to the Catholic cemetery north of Morrowville.
This is the main motorcycle leg of the procession. To keep the video file size manageable, I did not include the regular vehicles. I counted 185 bikes on this video. There were around 20 more before and after this video, making over 200 bikes in the procession.
Quite a testament to Norman “Cowboy” Nutsch.

Cross country travelers… hmmm… God bless’m

It must be that time of summer again.
All sorts of types are making their way across the country using non-interstate thoroughfares as their routes, to increase awareness/raise funds/in memorium/experience the country/joy ride/fill in the blank… on a once in a lifetime trip.
Many of those travelers use Highway 36, so this office often receives phone calls about the “did you see the guy with the strange bike” or “there’s a guy on horseback” or “…and he’s dragging a cross!”
Evidently we’re supposed to do stories on all these travelers, but what many people don’t seem to realize is that anyone crazy enough to go cross country in their bare feet while carrying a flag/cross/deer antlers could have a few issues.
Sure, there are occasionally travelers who do have a genuine purpose for the trip and are relatively normal, respectable people.
But the crazies outnumber the normals on at least a four to one ratio.
Today, my friend Charlie stopped by asking if I had taken my picture of the day yet. Nope. Evidently, there were some strange-looking folks just down the street that might work for a picture.
I thought that sounded like a good idea, especially considering there is a guy on a horse that is also in the county right now on his cross country trip raising awareness for teen suicide (supposed to get his picture tomorrow or Saturday) and another guy trying to break the record for the fastest bike ride across the country (who should be going through Saturday morning.) If I have one, I just as well have three.
I drove up the street and, as usual, you couldn’t miss them. A couple on two bikes were parked on the street getting a drink and letting their little dog out for a walk. They looked like a cross between Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Grapes of Wrath. Antlers adorned their handlebars, lots of leather, handmade colorful small flag decor… nothing unusual for cross country travelers here.
I stopped and asked if I could take a picture. Usually they love getting their picture taken so they can talk about their cause… or the fact that the government is being controlled by aliens.
This couple surprised me and asked that I not take a picture. “We’re Amish. We don’t like that.” Uh… never in my life seen an Amish couple like that… unless of course they’re Alien Order Amish.
I probably looked a little dumbfounded.
“So are you riding across the country?”
“You could say that.”
“Taking 36?”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
Uh, okay. Bye then. Don’t let your blood-stained battle axe fall out of your bike trailer, people might get worried. (I need to remember to check out the America’s Most Wanted site.)
I should start a cross country travelers wall here at the News office. It could be like a Hall of Fame for the cause. That’d be hard to do, however, because as far as I know they started at Belleville and didn’t make it past Marysville. Or the aliens finally caught up to them somewhere in the Haddam hills and they were never heard from again.

Results

The results are in. In the local race, Incumbent Sheriff Bill Dickson beats challenger Jim Mueller, 737 to 508.
Of note in local results, J.R. Claeys had a very strong showing in Washington County, taking 39% of the vote, besting two strong opponents who are showing well on the state level.
The first district congressional race is anyone’s guess. Barnett has 32.98% of the local vote, followed closely by Tim Huelskamp with 29.66%. Well behind are Tracey Mann with 17.99% and Rob Wasinger with 14.59%.
I still need to get advanced results, but they shouldn’t make any difference in the sheriff race in the county.