Well, just a week after Groundhog’s Day where we’re told to expect Spring to be right around the corner, and winter finally shows up! 

...In our first year in business, we helped to lead the fight to keep a natural gas pipeline from being built along Stagecoach Road in Bloomingdale down to Florida. Well, they’re back, planning now to run the line through Effingham County on it’s way to Florida, and another line through Effingham on it’s way to Anderson, South Carolina. We’ll have a story next week about the dangers a Liquefied Natural Gas pipeline can present and try to keep you updated on community meetings about the proposed pipeline.

...Great, just what I wanted to hear! Another mega shopping center coming in a couple of miles from our house! Allison’ll have me in the poor house in no time!

...The American Red Cross has a Blood Drive scheduled for 9am-3pm, Tuesday, February 28th, at Effingham County High School, 1589 Hwy. 119 South, in Springfield. Hope you can take a little time to share the gift of life!

...Things I learned while reading about other things...

• A Battle Creek, Michigan man pleaded no contest to a charge of a sexual offense with a sheep, but he’s fighting the Judge’s order that he register with the State’s Public Sex Offender Registry when he gets out of prison. The man was on bail for burglary when a neighbor caught him with his sheep. He maintains that the Sex Offender Registry is for criminals who are a danger to children and other adults, not to animals. (I’d just keep my mouth shut if I was him, before word gets to the prison where he’s gonna be serving  a

2 1/2 to 20 year sentence!)

• An Arkansas Deputy stopped a man for erratic driving on Interstate 530, and placed him in the back of the patrol car, arrested for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and for driving while suspended. He allowed the man to call a family member to come and pick up his car to keep it from being towed. The Deputy got out of the patrol car when the man’s family arrived, and as they drove off in the man’s car, the man got out of the back seat and stole the Deputy’s car. It was recovered at the next exit, where another car was reported stolen.

• A 20 year old Fargo, North Dakota woman, a student at North Dakota State, called the Police Station at 3:15am and repeatedly asked the clerk on duty where she could buy some marijuana. The clerk told her over and over that it was illegal to buy and sell marijuana, and finally told the woman they had some in the evidence locker room. The woman showed up around 4am, and was arrested after she gave the clerk $3 for a joint.

...Please, remember to mention to our advertisers that you appreciate their support of your free community newspaper. Without them, this publication would not be possible!

...Take care this  week, stay safe, and in the words of the great Red Skelton, “May God Bless.”