Daily Archives: October 9, 2021

Hovering U.S. Army helicopters pour machine gun fire into the tree line to cover the advance of South Vietnamese ground troops in an attack on a Viet Cong camp near the Cambodian border, in March 1965. | Horst Faas / AP

Mainstream history books portray United States foreign policy in benevolent, glowing terms: American governments have always been dedicated to freedom, democracy and human rights, promoting these ideas and values abroad. In Washington Bullets: A History of the CIA, Coups, and Assassinations, Vijay Prashad challenges these assertions in his short history of U.S. imperialism.

Since the foundation of the U.S., and well before the emergence of modern Republican and Democratic parties, governments have pursued policies of expansionism, conquest, and empire building, according to Prashad. In 1823, President James Monroe announced that Latin America and the Caribbean were now under U.S. control. In its presumptive backyard, the U.S. went to war with Mexico in the 1840s and seized one-third of the country. Earlier, in 1812, it had made a similar, but unsuccessful attempt with Canada, then under British control.

When countries pursued independent policies that Washington disagreed with, they were dealt with brutally. In 1912, the president of Nicaragua attempted to create a Federal Republic of Central America and with the help of Germany build a canal that would compete with the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal. U.S. Marines invaded the country, deposed the president and stayed for 20 years.

After World War II, the U.S. expanded and maintained its hegemony less through military invasions and more by encouraging or organizing coups that installed subservient governments. In Guatemala, the government of Jacobo Arbenz in 1953 nationalized idle lands owned by the U.S. multinational United Fruit Company to distribute to landless farmers. When U.S.-backed mercenaries failed to overthrow the government, CIA officials warned Guatemalan army commanders that the U.S. military would invade if they did not depose the duly elected reformist government. Military officers drove Arbenz to the airport and forced him to undress in an act of humiliation before being allowed to fly to Mexico, where he was granted political asylum. For the next 40 years the country would be governed by repressive military juntas. The bananas kept coming.

Also in 1953, the U.S. organized a successful coup against the reform-minded government in Iran which nationalized the British-owned oil industry. In the 1960s and 70s, the CIA overthrew leftwing governments in Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Chile, among other places. Prashad recites an old joke: Why has there not been a coup in the U.S.? Because there is no U.S. Embassy there.

We all know about recent U.S.-backed coups against Evo Morales in Bolivia and Bertrand Aristide in Haiti, but the world does not know the same thing happened in Japan. Prashad reveals how the Obama administration forced the Japanese Prime Minister to resign in 2010 after he demanded that the U.S. remove its military bases from the Japanese island of Okinawa.

The U.S. also ensured that global trade, finance and development were controlled by U.S.-dominated institutions. The American dollar became the central currency of the global economic system. If any country displeased the U.S. government, and if a regime of sanctions were put in place, this institutional architecture could throttle any government, wiping out lines of credit, making it impossible to sell its goods and settle payments, writes Prashad. No system outside the control of the U.S. government was allowed to remain in place.

One obstacle the Americans faced was the emergence of strong communist and left-leaning nationalist movements and parties after 1945. The Soviet Bloc, with the help of a USSR recovering from the war, created another economic and political model outside of U.S. control. In some places in the so-called Third World where new nations were born out of their colonial past, that model offered viable alternatives, resulting in a series of local proxy wars, each side backed by one of the great superpowers.

Such left-wing movements grew strong, and even came to power in some countries. To eliminate such opposition, the U.S. government worked with military juntas from Brazil to Bolivia to Argentina to Colombia to abduct, torture and kill communists, socialists and human rights advocates during Operation Condor in South America that ran from 1975 to 1989. It would result in 100,000 deaths, the imprisonment of 500,000, and the handing off of babies born to pregnant activists for adoption.

The U.S. encouraged the 1965 military coup against the left-leaning nationalist government of Indonesia that had been supported by the countrys powerful Communist Party. The U.S. and Australian embassies provided the Indonesian army with lists of vaguely identified communists who had to be executed. In a short period, soldiers killed an estimated 1 million CP members and sympathizers. Rivers ran red with their blood as bodies floated out to sea. Whether in Guatemala or in Indonesia, or by the 1967 Phoenix program in South Vietnam, the U.S. egged on local oligarchs, and their friends in the armed forces to completely decimate the left, writes Prashad.

In the Middle East, the CIA encouraged Saudi Arabia to form the Muslim World League in 1962 to organize people on the basis of fundamentalist religion. This organization, amply funded with Saudi oil money, would preach the gospel of Islam and seek to turn young people inward, against anti-colonialism, communism and trade unionism in countries with large numbers of Muslim communists or where powerful anti-colonial movements had taken power.

Prashad sheds light on how the U.S. used terror and murder to achieve its goal of weakening left governments and movements in the postwar years, citing a chilling 19-page CIA document on Guatemala titled A Study of Assassination distributed in 1953. No assassination instructions should ever be written or recorded, says the study. Decisions must be made in the field and kept there. There is a list of tools that can be used in an assassination, from hammers to kitchen knives, anything hard, heavy, and handy will suffice. Absolute reliability is obtained by severing the spinal cord in the cervical region, which can be done by a knife. Persons who are squeamish should not attempt it. The CIA would continue to produce such studies for U.S.-friendly military regimes and paramilitary forces abroad, with ample results.

After the dissolution of the USSR and the Eastern European socialist bloc in 1991, the U.S. according to Prashad has become even more aggressive. The socialist bloc had provided military protection as well as economic aid to countries that broke from the capitalist model. Those socialist countries remaining in the Third World were left to fend for themselves. The U.S. would invade Iraq and Afghanistan, bomb former Yugoslavian states and Libya, and finance a brutal contra war against Syria. Pressure has built up on China and Russia, writes Prashad, through expansion of NATO into Eastern Europe and with the buildup of U.S. forces in the Pacific Rim region.

Those countries that will not submit to the U.S. such as Cuba, Syria, Venezuela, Belarus, Iran and North Korea are subject to crushing economic sanctions. Prashad cites one study reporting that U.S. sanctions against Venezuela have killed at least 40,000 people because the country could not import certain key medicines. Prashad suggests that the U.S. has gone after Venezuela (which has vast oil reserves and is generous in helping struggling neighboring countries) to weaken and destroy Cuba, which has strong trade ties with the South American nation.

Washington Bullets, written in beautiful prose, provides a myriad of interesting stories and details about American foreign policy and interventions. This slim volume is especially recommended for beginners seeking an introductory course on U.S. imperialism.

Vijay PrashadWashington Bullets: A History of the CIA, Coups, and AssassinationsNew York: Monthly Review, 2020, 162 pagesPaperback $17.00, clothbound $89.00Paperback ISBN: 978-1-58367-906-7Cloth ISBN: 978-1-58367-907-4

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'Washington Bullets': The U.S. history of coups and assassinations under review - People's World

In June, The Pantagraph dug into the history behind some of the Twin Cities most unusual street names. But in a community with history dating back nearly 200 years, theres plenty of ground left to cover when it comes to the naming of city streets.

BLOOMINGTON In June, The Pantagraph dug into the history behind some of the Twin Cities most unusual street names. But in a community with history dating back nearly 200 years, theres plenty of ground left to cover when it comes to the naming of city streets.

Heres a look at 12 more street names in Bloomington-Normal:

In this November 2017 file photo, traffic moves on Linden Street after the opening of the rebuilt bridge over Sugar Creek north of Emerson Street in Bloomington. Linden is one of many streets named for trees in Bloomington-Normal, a reminder of early Twin Citian Jesse Fell's affection for trees.

1. A series of tree-themed names. If youve noticed a number of Bloomington-Normal streets named for trees, the credit goes to early Twin Citian Jesse Fell. He loved trees, as evidenced by the nearly 20 streets named for trees, and the several thousand shade trees he had planted along those byways. Among them are Chestnut, Elm, Hickory, Linden, Locust, Maple, Mulberry, Oak, Poplar and Walnut.

Franklin K. Phoenix named Emerson Street for fellow "radical" of his time Ralph Waldo Emerson.

2. Streets with a radical beginning. Franklin K. Phoenix laid out a large city addition in about 1867, and Franklin and Phoenix avenues now bear his name. Franklin was, according to an early history of McLean County, a radical in politics, in religion, and in everything. So, he named streets for other radicals at the time, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner and Henry Ward Beecher. Emerson and Beecher streets still exist, but Garrison and Sumner have been renamed.

In this November 2017 file photo, blazing red trees line Empire and Prairie streets. When Prairie Street was named, its northern end stopped at the prairie, and it was believed this would always be true.

3. Prairie Street. When this street was named, stretching north-south between Empire and Grove streets, its northern end stopped at the prairie, and it was believed this would always be true. Today, the city has expanded well beyond that point, and where Prairie meets Empire is now the edge of the busy Illinois Wesleyan University campus. One would have to drive a few more miles for a glimpse of the prairie.

S.R. White laid out White Place, North Clinton Boulevard and Fell Avenue in 1898, aiming for the neighborhoods to hold several fine residences with new streets, elegant pavements and improvements.

4. White Place. S.R. White laid out this street and others nearby in 1898. He aimed for it to hold several fine residences with new streets, elegant pavements and improvements. Indeed, White Place today, along with North Clinton Boulevard and Fell Avenue, is home to some of Bloomingtons most beautiful historic homes, with plenty of mature trees forming a canopy over the streets. Clinton and White Place also have medians with additional greenery.

The Park Place Subdivision in west Bloomington, and part of Normal, has several streets named for tiles on the iconic Monopoly board game.

5. A Monopoly on street names. The Park Place Subdivision in west Bloomington, and part of Normal, has several streets named for tiles on the iconic Monopoly board game: Pacific Avenue, Vermont Avenue, Reading Road, Ventnor Avenue, Boardwalk Circle and Park Place Drive. The subdivision plan was approved in 1988, and while it was originally proposed to feature streets named after trees, developers Vern and Kurt Prenzler must have had a change of heart. Perhaps they thought the Twin Cities had enough streets named for trees? (See No. 1.)

Empire Street was named for a large factory in town called The Empire Works.

6. Empire Street. To what empire is this busy street referring? Originally called North Grove Street, it was changed to Empire Street to reflect a large factory in town called The Empire Works. The factorys creator, W.F. Flagg, built the countys second courthouse, a brick building that stood from 1836 to 1868. He was also known for his invention and manufacturing of early harvesting machines, and for his work in real estate. Flaggs legacy also lives on in Bloomingtons Eugene Street, which was named for one of his sons, described as a young man of great promise who died in early manhood.

Normals place in Steak n Shake history is cemented with this street named for A.H. Gus Belt, who founded the restaurant chain in Normal in 1934.

7. Belt Avenue. Normals place in Steak n Shake history is cemented with this street named for A.H. Gus Belt, who founded the restaurant chain in Normal in 1934.

Bloomington might not exist if it werent for James Allin, who donated the original 25 acres of land that became the city. He would go on to name Catherine and Livingston streets for his wife, Catherine Livingston Allin, and Lee Street for his son, Lee Allin.

8. Allin Street. Bloomington might not exist if it werent for James Allin, who donated the original 25 acres of land that became the city. He would go on to name Catherine and Livingston streets for his wife, Catherine Livingston Allin, and Lee Street for his son, Lee Allin.

Developer Bill Brady Jr.s father, William Brady Sr., came up with the name "Willedrob" by combining parts of his three sons names: William, Edward and Robert.

9. Willedrob Drive. If youve even seen a street name and thought, Surely someone just made that up, you would be correct. Developer Bill Brady Jr.s father, William Brady Sr., came up with this name by combining parts of his three sons names: William, Edward and Robert. You can find the street off Four Seasons Road in Bloomington.

Yotzonot Drive comes from the Mayan language and means place of well-being or prosperity. Apparently, the developer of this neighborhood also owned property in the Mexican state of Yucatan, home to a town and a cenote bearing the name Yokdzonot.

10. Yotzonot Drive. This name, while unusual, is not made up. It comes from the Mayan language and means place of well-being or prosperity. Apparently, the developer of this neighborhood also owned property in the Mexican state of Yucatan, home to a town and a cenote bearing the name Yokdzonot.

Pavement patches could been seen in March 2014 on southbound Hershey Road at Lincoln Street on Bloomington's east side. The origin of the name "Hershey Road" is a bit of a puzzler, but we can tell you one thing: Its not named after chocolate. It may have been named for Dr. L.E. Hersey, who owned a violin school in town and was affiliated with the music program at Illinois Wesleyan University, and his son, Max Hersey, a prominent physician and surgeon and at some point the road became Hershey instead of Hersey.

11. Hershey Road. This ones a bit of a puzzler, but we can tell you one thing: Its not named after chocolate. The start of todays Hershey Road is seen on city documents in the 1960s, but at the time, it was merely a country road called public road. In 1969, plans were being made for the Broadmoor Subdivision in southeast Bloomington, and a city map at that time labeled the public road Hershey Road. One theory on the names origin points to two well-known residents by the name of Hersey: Dr. L.E. Hersey, who owned a violin school in town and was affiliated with the music program at Illinois Wesleyan University, and his son, Max Hersey, a prominent physician and surgeon. Its possible the road was named for one or both of these men, but at some point, Hersey became Hershey instead.

In this Pantagraph file photo, McLean County Highway Department crews clear debris from beneath the Union Pacific Railroad underpass on Stringtown Road, just west of Old Route 66 on the southwest side of Bloomington. Settlers began making their homes here in the early 1830s. At the time, there was no formal name for the area, so people identified it by looking for the string of houses, and it soon became known as Stringtown Road.

12. Stringtown Road. Settlers began making their homes in this spot southwest of Bloomington in the early 1830s. At the time, there was no formal name for the area, so people identified it by looking for the string of houses easily seen on the flat prairie land, according to Pantagraph archives. It soon became known as Stringtown Road.

Sources: McLean County Museum of History; Pantagraph archives; City of Bloomington

In this November 2017 file photo, traffic moves on Linden Street after the opening of the rebuilt bridge over Sugar Creek north of Emerson Street in Bloomington. Linden is one of many streets named for trees in Bloomington-Normal, a reminder of early Twin Citian Jesse Fell's affection for trees.

Franklin K. Phoenix named Emerson Street for fellow "radical" of his time Ralph Waldo Emerson.

In this November 2017 file photo, blazing red trees line Empire and Prairie streets. When Prairie Street was named, its northern end stopped at the prairie, and it was believed this would always be true.

S.R. White laid out White Place, North Clinton Boulevard and Fell Avenue in 1898, aiming for the neighborhoods to hold several fine residences with new streets, elegant pavements and improvements.

The Park Place Subdivision in west Bloomington, and part of Normal, has several streets named for tiles on the iconic Monopoly board game.

Empire Street was named for a large factory in town called The Empire Works.

Normals place in Steak n Shake history is cemented with this street named for A.H. Gus Belt, who founded the restaurant chain in Normal in 1934.

Bloomington might not exist if it werent for James Allin, who donated the original 25 acres of land that became the city. He would go on to name Catherine and Livingston streets for his wife, Catherine Livingston Allin, and Lee Street for his son, Lee Allin.

Developer Bill Brady Jr.s father, William Brady Sr., came up with the name "Willedrob" by combining parts of his three sons names: William, Edward and Robert.

Yotzonot Drive comes from the Mayan language and means place of well-being or prosperity. Apparently, the developer of this neighborhood also owned property in the Mexican state of Yucatan, home to a town and a cenote bearing the name Yokdzonot.

Pavement patches could been seen in March 2014 on southbound Hershey Road at Lincoln Street on Bloomington's east side. The origin of the name "Hershey Road" is a bit of a puzzler, but we can tell you one thing: Its not named after chocolate. It may have been named for Dr. L.E. Hersey, who owned a violin school in town and was affiliated with the music program at Illinois Wesleyan University, and his son, Max Hersey, a prominent physician and surgeon and at some point the road became Hershey instead of Hersey.

In this Pantagraph file photo, McLean County Highway Department crews clear debris from beneath the Union Pacific Railroad underpass on Stringtown Road, just west of Old Route 66 on the southwest side of Bloomington. Settlers began making their homes here in the early 1830s. At the time, there was no formal name for the area, so people identified it by looking for the string of houses, and it soon became known as Stringtown Road.

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Watch now: The history of 12 more street names in Bloomington-Normal - The Pantagraph

This is the second time a La Russa team has met a Baker team in the playoffs; the other was a five-game victory for Bakers San Francisco Giants over La Russas Cardinals in the 2002 N.L. Championship Series. It remains Baker's only pennant in his 24 seasons as a manager, and his team lost the World Series in seven games to the Angels.

La Russa managed for 33 seasons without a break, from 1979 through 2011, with the White Sox, the As and the Cardinals. He won six pennants, three championships and a spot in the Hall of Fame, then returned to Chicago this season after a 10-year hiatus from the dugout, eager to fit in with a team on the rise.

The first conversation I had with him in the off-season, right when he was hired, I was expecting Tony La Russa, Hall of Fame manager, to be very strict, to be very like: Im in charge. This is what were going to do, said Lucas Giolito, who will start Game 2 on Friday. And I was very surprised when, in our first conversation, he told me that: Im coming over. This is your guys team, and Im going to work every day to earn your respect starting in Day 1 of spring training. And hes done that.

Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the White Sox, had always regretted La Russas departure in 1986, when General Manager Ken Harrelson fired him. The White Sox are the only team La Russa has managed that has not won the World Series with him.

This club has inspired me, La Russa said on the field during batting practice before Thursdays Game 1 in Houston, after praising the teams attitude in the interview room. Its a very spirited bunch. In years past, weve had some clubs that had something like this a vocal spirit but this is a real spirited bunch all the time, from the minute you walk in the clubhouse to their pregame, during the game, after the game.

Like La Russa, who inherited a playoff team from the previous manager, Rick Renteria, Baker took over a strong Astros team before last season. The Astros were coming off an A.L. pennant, but they fired Manager A.J. Hinch after revelations of illegal sign stealing during their 2017 title run.

With no connection to the scandal and a knack for bonding with players, Baker fit well for a team in crisis that would also be missing two elite starters: Gerrit Cole, who had signed with the Yankees, and Justin Verlander, who had just one start before sustaining an elbow injury that also cost him the 2021 season. Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia, among others, have capably taken their place.

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Tony La Russa and Dusty Baker Have a History. Now They Meet Again. - The New York Times

CHARLESTON The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at http://www.wvencyclopedia.org.

Oct. 10, 1774: Shawnee warriors led by Cornstalk were defeated at the Battle of Point Pleasant. It was the only major engagement of Dunmores War and the most important battle ever fought in present West Virginia.

Oct. 10, 1872: Architect Rus Warne was born in Parkersburg. Warne designed many notable buildings in Charleston, including City Hall and the Masonic Temple.

Oct. 10, 1878: Blanche Lazzell was born in Maidsville, Monongalia County. She was one of West Virginias most notable artists and is recognized as one of Americas leading abstract painters and print makers.

Oct. 10, 1948: During a boat-racing event in Charleston, Chuck Yeager flew a Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star up the river and under the South Side Bridge, surprising boaters, audience and news media at the event.

Oct. 11, 1811: State founder and U.S. Senator Waitman Thomas Willey was born near Farmington. Willey proposed the West Virginia Statehood Bill in the Senate and saw to its passage and later signing by President Lincoln. He was then elected as one of West Virginias first two U.S. senators and served from 1863 to 1871.

Oct. 12, 1877: Howard Mason Gore was born in Harrison County. He served as U.S. secretary of agriculture and the 14th governor of West Virginia.

Oct.13, 1863: The Battle of Bulltown took place. The location was valuable during the Civil War because the Weston & Gauley Bridge Turnpike crossed the Little Kanawha River on a covered bridge at this site.

Oct. 14, 1947: In a Bell X-1 rocket airplane dropped from a B-29 bomber, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier by flying 700 miles per hour. He set another speed record on December 12, 1953, by flying two-and-a-half times the speed of sound in a Bell X-1A.

Oct. 14, 1949: WSAZ-TV went on the air on channel 5. Early shows included the first telecast of a Marshall College (now University) basketball game on December 3, 1949.

Oct. 14, 1985: Kanawha Airport was renamed Yeager Airport in honor of Chuck Yeager.

Oct. 15, 1839: Aretas Brooks Fleming was born in Fairmont. In 1888, Fleming won the Democratic nomination for governor and then won West Virginias most controversial gubernatorial election.

Oct. 16, 1859: John Brown and his raiders captured the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, but they were soon besieged by the local militia and federal troops. The raid galvanized the nation, further alienating North and South and drastically reducing any possible middle ground for compromise.

Oct. 16, 1922: The Rev. Leon Sullivan was born in Charleston. In 1977, Sullivan initiated the original Sullivan Principles, a code of conduct for companies operating in South Africa. The Principles were among the most effective efforts to end the system of apartheid.

e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the West Virginia Humanities Council, 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301; (304) 346-8500; or visit e-WV at http://www.wvencyclopedia.org

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This week in history | Journal-news - Martinsburg Journal

BLOOMINGTON (WEEK) - History is taking flight in Bloomington with the guest appearance of a B-25 bomber built in 1943.

The historic combat veteran aircraft arrived Friday at the Central Illinois Regional Airport as a guest of the Prairie Aviation Museum.

Inspired by the Rosie the Riveter campaign, 'Rosie's Reply' was used back in the 1940s as a medium bomber during World War II.

According to crew member Jerry Lester, this particular aircraft is called a medium bomber because U.S. soldiers flew at mid-levels during their bombing runs.

"Our philosophy is we have to keep history flying. We want to make sure we continue honoring the men and women that served, and these airplanes are just one way to do it."

The museum is now offering 25 minuteAir Adventure rideswith tickets selling for about $425 per person, and around six passengers per flight. Organizers tell 25 News the funds will help keep these historic aircrafts expertly maintained.

'Rosie's Reply' will stay in Bloomington Friday through Saturday afternoon.

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History takes flight in Bloomington with B-25 bomber - week.com

Halloween is almost here, and with it comes the things that go bump in the night. Mason Countys history stretches back over 250 years through disasters, wars, good times and bad, so its inevitable that we have our fair share of ghost stories.

The following is based on a true story. *Cue X-Files theme.

Im sure most my readers know where The Strip Mines are. If not, its out back of the Bend Area where Zuspans strip mines were, between Hanging Rock and Gibbstown. Today, its all farmland and ponds (and a popular hangout spot). It also holds a dark secret

Over 150 years ago, in 1850, this area was a pocket of farmland surrounded on all four sides by thick forest, known as the Big Woods. That was changing though, as the coal mines and salt furnaces of the Bend Area sought out lumber for their mills and attracted laborers from the country farms. The mills, looking for old growth, worked their way out from Hartford, Mason, and Clifton and clear-cut enormous tracts of countryside.

The lumber operations by themselves required a small army of laborers, and the clear-cutting provided an easy route from Gibbstown to Clifton, Mason, or Hartford. This little pocket of farmland, in just a few years, had gone from being pretty much the middle of nowhere to a major crossroad between the four towns. This is where our story begins.

One of the farmers out in this little pocket of farmland was David Somerville. David, his wife Catherine, and their eight children lived a fairly ordinary life. The two older boys, William and Weston, were laborers, possibly with one of the lumber mills. The two younger boys, John and David, along with daughters Rebecca, Mary, Catherine, and Martha, helped their parents on the farm.

One night, Mary was the only one home. Perhaps the rest of the family had gone to town or were visiting nearby relatives. Either way, Mary was home alone.

As the legend goes, a group of men were passing the farm that night. Maybe they were lumberjacks returning to town, maybe they were miners returning home. Well never truly know. Anyhow, to make a very sad story short, they saw that Mary was home alone, broke into the Somerville cabin, assaulted her, and afterwards took her deep into the Big Woods and buried her. Alive.

Though Mary was obviously missing, the crime was never discovered. Her family left Mason County not long after and resettled in Indiana, but Mary remained here, some say in more ways than one.

It wasnt long after when farmers and woodsmen began reporting a womans screams in the night, coming from the Big Woods. They had spent their entire lives in the countryside, so they knew that it wasnt coyotes, it wasnt some other animal, and it wasnt the wind. Some Irish immigrants feared they had brought a banshee with them, but it had started before they arrived. Not knowing about Mary, they simply called her the Screaming Lady.

For over one hundred years, the Screaming Lady haunted the Big Woods. More often than not, she was heard rather than seen. Screams with what seemed like no source echoing through the woods. Other times

One night a newcomer to the area heard the screams, and thinking a living woman was actually in trouble, did what any normal person would do and called the cops. Well, the cops came out and found the source of the screaming, a ghostly woman standing in the road with her face all scratched up and bloody. Again, they did what any sane person would do, turned the car around and got the heck out of there! Only problem was, her screams followed them all the way to town.

Finally, in 1986, Mary Somervilles grave was discovered while strip mining the Big Woods. Work was stopped in the area, and Foglesong Funeral Home was brought in to exhume the remains and give them a proper burial in Zuspan Cemetery. I like to think that since then, the Screaming Lady has been at rest.

Of course, that doesnt stop parents and older cousins (mine and myself included) from using the legend for a bit of fun! This time of year is always marked by drives through the Strip Mines, a car mysteriously dying and not wanting to restart, and a did you hear that? I think I hear the Screaming Lady!

Rizer

Chris Rizer is the president of the Mason County Historical & Preservation Society and director of Main Street Point Pleasant, reach him at masonchps@gmail.com.

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Ohio Valley History Screams in the night - Daily Sentinel

KARE 11's Gia Vang helped surprise Chenue Her on his first day on anchor desk in Des Moines, Iowa.

MINNEAPOLIS Editor's Note: The video above originally aired on WOI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa on Oct. 4, 2021.

History was made this week just a few hours south of Minneapolis.

In Des Moines, Iowa, Chenue Her, a St. Paul native, became the first Hmong male news anchor in the country.

KARE 11's Gia Vang, the first Hmong news anchor in the Twin Cities, helped surprise her friend and fellow journalist on his first day at WOI-TV Local 5 News.

Back on Oct. 4, Her made his debut on the anchor desk with his "Good Morning Iowa" co-anchors. During the show, Her was surprised with a pre-recorded message from Vang, who he's known for several years.

"I am thrilled for your new adventure back in the Midwest, just a short drive from your hometown here in the Twin Cities. Over the years I have watched you grow and thrive in this industry, and I felt your support being two of the very few TV news journalists who are Hmong," Vang said. "Now you're making history as the first Hmong male news anchor in the country. Haib kawg nkaus."

Haib kawg nkaus, which translates to "really amazing job," is a Hmong saying used to celebrate amazing achievements.

Back on camera, Her laughed and told viewers "I'll try not to cry."

"She's a big reason why I was able to find my footing in this industry. She's been a big part of my journey and someone I've looked up to for so long," Her said of Vang. "I'm kind of speechless right now that you guys pulled this off."

Friday morning, CBS Mornings shared a portion of the exchange between Vang and Her. In the clip, which has been viewed thousands of times, CBS correspondent Vladimir Duthiers said the moment "speaks to how underrepresented people need to be seen and to have people see them."

In response to the CBS feature, Her tweeted, "I swear Im still dreaming. Someone pinch me."

"To think they felt my story, a Hmong kid from St. Paul, MN, was worth this platform really is surreal to me. Des Moines, thank u for embracing me & for supporting @weareiowa5news."

Vang says she and the team at Good Morning Iowa didn't expect their on-air surprise to get such a widespread response online. "We just thought it would be special to do for him," she said. "But I think the reaction it's getting speaks to how representation truly does matter to not just the community, but the country. Dream even if you're a Hmong kid from St. Paul or a Hmong kid from south Sacramento."

Her, a son of Hmong refugees, came to Des Moines from WXIA in Atlanta, where he worked as a reporter.

KARE 11, WOI and WXIA are all owned by TEGNA.

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St. Paul native makes history as first Hmong male news anchor in America - KARE11.com

BOONE, N.C. Mountaineers welcomed fall with a flurry of activities from Sept. 1719 highlighted by the fourth annual Founders Day celebration, during which a crowd gathered at Founders Plaza on App States campus Sept. 17 to honor the universitys founders, history and traditions.

Reflecting on our past emphasizes our longstanding, institutional commitment to increasing access to education for all. This commitment to access which was set forth by our founders has guided us to be the forward-thinking university we are today.

App State Chancellor Sheri Everts

Founders Day commemorates the anniversary of the first day of classes held in 1899 at Watauga Academy the educational institution founded by B.B. Dougherty, D.D. Dougherty and Lillie Shull Dougherty that evolved to become Appalachian State University in 1967.

Reflecting on our past emphasizes our longstanding, institutional commitment to increasing access to education for all, said App State Chancellor Sheri Everts. This commitment to access which was set forth by our founders has guided us to be the forward-thinking university we are today.

During the challenges of the past 18 months, as the university confronted the COVID-19 pandemic, Everts said the Appalachian Community rallied to find every opportunity to create positive experiences for students and move the university forward. Through two World Wars, the Great Depression and the first global pandemic, Mountaineer spirit continues to prevail, she said.

The history and future of App State are intrinsically interwoven with that of the High Country. As a guest speaker at the ceremony, App State alumnus David Jackson 00, president and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and former staff member at the university, expressed his appreciation for the partnership between the town and the university.

He said, Theres no secret that all of us understand what it means to have the black and gold spirit inside us.

The tradition of ringing the Founders Bell, an iconic symbol of App States history, was established in 2019, as the university celebrated its second annual Founders Day.

Each inductee of App States Bell Ringers Society rings the bell and receives a commemorative pin from the chancellor.

Dr. Karl Campbell, associate professor in App States Department of History and chair of the universitys History Committee, introduced the 2021 class of the Bell Ringers Society with members representing the App State that was, the App State that is and the App State that is to come, he said.

In his remarks, the historian asked Founders Day attendees to consider how the actions of todays Appalachian Community will affect Mountaineers of tomorrow: How will history look back on us from 100 years in the future? Will it be said that we emerged from our present situations with flying colors? Will our actions be remembered with pride?

He continued, A century ago, our community exemplified the power of resilience and unity. Lets work together to make our own positive contribution to the historical legacy of Appalachian State University.

Appalachian State University inducted the 2021 class of its Bell Ringers Society during the 2021 Founders Day celebration, held Sept. 17. Chancellor Sheri Everts, center in second row, is pictured with the new bell ringers. Shown in the back row, from left to right: Lynn Patterson 89, university program specialist in App States Belk Library and Information Commons; Bo Henderson 79, one of the eponyms of App States Henderson Springs LGBT Center; and Sam Cheatham, a senior marketing-sales and management double major from Mills River and co-business director of App States Team Sunergy. Shown in the front row, from left to right: Jim Whittington 52, a former App State student-athlete; Roberta Jackson 91, a retired App State staff member and founding member of the Junaluska Heritage Association; Maxine McCall 60 65, a published author and leader in the North Carolina Society of Historians; and Mike Steinback, a former App State Board of Trustees chairman. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Lynn Patterson 89, university program specialist in Appalachian State Universitys Belk Library and Information Commons, rings the Founders Bell during Founders Day 2021 as Chancellor Sheri Everts looks on. Later in the day, during a Founders Day tour of the Boone Cemetery on App States campus, Patterson shared with the crowd the work of the Junaluska Heritage Association and university partners to identify unmarked graves of Black persons in a section of the cemetery. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Bo Henderson 79, one of the eponyms of Appalachian State Universitys Henderson Springs LGBT Center, rings App State's Founders Bell during the 2021 Founders Day ceremony. Henderson is one of seven new members inducted into App State's Bell Ringers Society. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Appalachian State University alumna Maxine McCall 60 65, a published author and leader in the North Carolina Society of Historians, rings App State's Founders Bell during the 2021 Founders Day ceremony. McCall is one of seven new members inducted into App State's Bell Ringers Society. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Jim Whittington 52, a former Appalachian State University student-athlete, rings App State's Founders Bell during the 2021 Founders Day ceremony. Whittington is one of seven new members inducted into App State's Bell Ringers Society. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Roberta Jackson 91, a retired Appalachian State University staff member and founding member of the Junaluska Heritage Association, rings App State's Founders Bell during the 2021 Founders Day ceremony. Jackson is one of seven new members inducted into App State's Bell Ringers Society. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Mike Steinback, a former Appalachian State University Board of Trustees chairman, rings App State's Founders Bell during the 2021 Founders Day ceremony. Steinback is one of seven new members inducted into App State's Bell Ringers Society. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Appalachian State University's Sam Cheatham, a senior marketing-sales and management double major from Mills River and the co-business director of App States solar vehicle team, rings App State's Founders Bell during the 2021 Founders Day ceremony. Cheatham is one of seven new members inducted into App State's Bell Ringers Society. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Appalachian State University alumnus David Jackson 00, president and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and former staff member at the university, highlighted the interdependency of the town and university in his address to the crowd gathered for Founders Day 2021. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Trent Margrif, senior lecturer in Appalachian State Universitys General Education Program, far left, conducts a tour of the Boone Cemetery, located on Howard Street, as part the universitys Founders Day 2021 celebration. Several historic figures, including university founders B.B. Dougherty, D.D. Dougherty and Lillie Shull Dougherty, are buried in the cemetery. Photo by Beth Davison

The historic Boone Cemetery, located along Howard Street, behind Cone Hall on Appalachian State Universitys campus, is the burial site of several notable figures from the town and university. Pictured in the foreground are flags placed by App State anthropology students indicating the unmarked graves of Black individuals. Photo by Beth Davison

Dr. Alice Wright, pictured second from right, instructs a group of students in placing flags to indicate unmarked graves in the historic Boone Cemetery on Appalachian State Universitys campus. Wright is an associate professor in App States Department of Anthropology. Photo by Troy Tuttle

Students pick up some souvenirs and display their Mountaineer spirit during AppalFest on Sanford Mall, celebrating Appalachian State Universitys Founders Day 2021 and the kickoff to Family Weekend. Photo by Troy Tuttle

Students enjoy a sweet treat on Sanford Mall during AppalFest part of the Founders Day 2021 festivities at Appalachian State University. Photo by Troy Tuttle

Earlier in the day, Founders Day attendees had the opportunity to learn more about App States history through a presentation about the historic cemetery located on campus, given by senior lecturer Trent Margrif. Known as the Boone Cemetery, the site is home to some historic figures from the town and university who are buried there.

After the Founders Day ceremony on Founders Plaza, Margrif led a tour of the cemetery, highlighting gravesites of notable town and university members, as well as a number of graves of Black individuals that are unmarked. The latter graves were flagged for the Founders Day tour by Department of Anthropology students, to showcase ongoing work for a preservation project by the Junaluska Heritage Association.

Free food, music, crafts and fun. What was not to love about the Founders Day finale on Sanford Mall? Students flocked to AppalFest to listen to music by a DJ, feast on hot dogs and cotton candy, frolic on inflatable slides and rev up their school spirit for the Mountaineers first home football game of the 2021 season, which took place Sept. 18.

With this years Founders Day coinciding with the kickoff of App States Family Weekend, the event on Sanford Mall provided the opportunity for students to celebrate campus life and Mountaineer history with their families.

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App States Bell Ringers Society Class of 2021 members

Sep. 8, 2020

App States third annual Founders Day commemorates a 121-year history. Ceremonies include Bell Ringers Society induction and ribbon cutting ceremony for two new residence halls.

Learn the history of Appalachian State University, from its founding in 1899 as a rural academy to its growth into a destination of choice for high-achieving students.

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 20,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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History and tradition App State's 4th annual Founders Day celebration | Appalachian Today - Appalachian State University

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Centennial High School Bulldogs and the Central High School Wildcats will run onto the field at Dutch Clark Stadium on Friday night to the roars of crowds that have marked the occasion for decades in Pueblo.

And the football players competing in the 71st Bell Game have more than their win-loss record on the line.

Cars, houses, and even people are decorated in red and blue during Bell Week, either representing their school or simply showing support for the cross-town rivalry.

The match-up has been going on for more than a century in Pueblo, and it has a rich history.

The game, also known as the "One Hundred Year War," began in 1892, according to Pueblo School District 60. On Thanksgiving Day, the Wildcats and Bulldogs competed against each other for the first time at Minnequa Ball Park near Lake Minnequa.

The rivalry didn't officially become the Bell Game until 1950, when Lou Rhoads donated a bell from an old C&W Railway Engine to be used as a trophy.

For the past 71 years, the bell has been passed between the two schools, going through various iterations of blue and red paint. With it, generations upon generations of Wildcats and Bulldogs have attended the Bell Game and cheered. Many, finding themselves rooting for both teams at some point in their life.

Dave Craddock can provide insight from both sides. He's the current principal at Centennial, and he's also the former head football coach at Central.

The youngest of four boys, Craddock explained how he's been a Bell Game fan long before he walked onto the field as a Wildcat.

"I got to watch my older brothers playing it," said Craddock, "That rivalry, you just felt it. Even as an elementary, middle school kid, you felt it and you just couldn't wait. that's what you wanted to do, can't wait until it's my turn."

Craddock's father played for Centennial in 1949, and his grandfather from his mother's side played for Central. When he reached high school, he took the field as a Wildcat. After graduating, he returned as an assistant coach, then he eventually became the head coach at Central.

Central and Centennial were the two original Pueblo schools. Centennial came first, established in 1876. Central soon following.

His family connection to the Bell Game isn't unique -- Craddock pointed out many Pueblo families have ties to Central, Centennial, or even both schools.

"Roots run deep," explained Craddock. Even though the Pueblo area now has seven schools, he said almost everyone has connections to the Bell Game.

"It's not only our two school's history, it's really Pueblo's history," Craddock said.

During his time as a player, Craddock found a community through the Bell Game. As a coach, he's had the privilege of seeing his players and students grow up to have families and kids of their own playing in the game.

"I have friends that I went to school with, good friends, whose kids are in my school right now," said Craddock. "Because of these traditions, there's a lot of interlinking between families and you get the pleasure of educating and exposing friends, children, colleagues, or cousins eight times removed to this wonderful tradition."

When asked about his favorite Bell Game memory as a coach at Central, Craddock said there wasn't just a singular moment, that every single ball game he ever played, coached, or attended was special. He did share a few of his favorite memories:

While Pueblo is the size of a city, sometimes, it can feel like a small football town. During the Bell Game, alumni and current students fill Dutch Clark Stadium.

"We have Chili Fest, we have the state fair, we have all these cool things that are Pueblo events, and the Bell game is definitely one of them."

In the early 1900s, an alleged "brawl" between the opposing teams broke out after a game. Craddock admitted he knew about the folklore surrounding the incident.

"There was tension, obviously, and I think some rock-throwing might have been a part of it," Craddock said.

According to D60, in 1907 the Bell Game ended in a tie. That led to a "riot," which caused a nearly 15-year hiatus.

After the rivalry picked backed up, the Bell Game remained a major event in Pueblo. Now, the game is considered the longest and largest high school football rivalry west of the Mississippi.

"That's the beauty of this rivalry, it's founded in tradition but it continues to evolve."

Craddock believes the game has survived because of what it means to the community, and that the game represents the best of both schools.

"This sums up all the best things. Centennial High School and Central High School, and I'm just super proud to be a part of it."

The Bell Game has managed to last 121 years, surviving wars, Centennial moving locations, and a pandemic. However, the 120th Bell Game was a challenge for both schools.

In 2020, the Bell Game was scaled back for safety concerns. The district was only able to allow 175 fans from each team into the stadium, a fraction of the number of fans who usually attend.

"We have two classes that really don't know what to do during the week," explained Craddock. Due to COVID restrictions, all Bell Game festivities were significantly scaled back. "We have half of our population that really doesn't know how to celebrate Bell Week."

This year, Craddock and educators at Centennial and Central worked to reengage students. They wanted to get students excited about not just school again, but extracurricular activities they weren't able to participate in last year.

While it's been a struggle, Craddock said the students have definitely leaned into the excitement of Bell Week.

"The kids were cheering during lunches yesterday, doing spirit yells."

Win or lose, Craddock hopes the community always remembers the importance of this game goes beyond winning. Also, while they might seem like men, the players are still just high school students doing their best in a high-pressure situation.

For the players, the Bell Game lasts weeks: a week of mentally preparing for the game, the week of the game, and a week spent coming down from a win or accepting a loss.

"As I look back about how much it means still to the kids, I try to put my kid hat on. I watch it every day. I watched the kids get excited for this thing that started 121 years ago. And they probably don't have the background other than it's important to Central and Centennial," Craddock said.

He explained how easy it can be to take these kinds of celebrations for granted. Craddock believes it's the adult's responsibility to continue sharing the history of the Bell Game to the younger generations, to keep this rivalry going for years to come.

"This is our history, and us as adults, I hope we never take it for granted."

The 71st Bell Game and 121st year of the rivalry happens at 7 p.m. Friday at Dutch Clark Stadium.

For online tickets for Central's side, click here.

For online tickets for Centennial's side, click here.

The game will also be available to stream on both school's Facebook pages and the District 60 Facebook page.

Events / High School Sports / Local News / Pueblo / Sports / Sports / Video / VOSOTs

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Ringing Colors: A look at the Bell Game's history in Pueblo - KRDO