The September newsletter arrived from the Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition (ILHC) with a report on the completion of the first of 16 Interpretive Gazebos to be constructed along the Illinois Lincoln Highway corridor. There’s also a report on the National Scenic Byways Conference that was held in Denver, and lots else too. Ask to have them emailed to you too at www.drivelincolnhighway.com/.

The Carroll, Iowa, Chamber of Commerce blog reports on three upcoming events that, while not directly Lincoln Highway related, nonetheless have the coast-to-coast road as a focus.

A lecture on Sept. 24 is for business leaders who want to hear how byways can have a positive impact on a community from an identity perspective as well as economically. The free lecture at Santa Maria starts at 7:00 pm, meal at 6:00 pm (reservations required).

Bus tours on Sept. 29 and 30 are also for leaders and business owners who want to see what the tourists see between Grand Junction and Westside: “Seen from the eyes of a New York traveler who knows nothing of Iowa, our history and land is new to them and not boring. With some interpretation sites to point out, we can attract tourists just as Route 66 does in the south.”

http://carrollspaper.1upsoftware.com/print.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=8449

Meet Lois Feldman. She probably had an awkward Thanksgiving this year. NOTE: For a very personal meeting, I recommend slumming around Metrodome handicap bathroom stalls.

Lois Feldman, 38, and Ross Walsh, 26 were ticketed for indecent conduct after they were reportedly caught engaging in sexual activity in a Metrodome men’s restroom handicapped stall … more than a dozen people in the restroom were cheering by the time authorities arrived. If you haven’t heard; here is a run-down on the chain of events.

Feldman lives in Sarah Palin’s America: an America with wholesome small-town Christian family values. This former-nursing home administrator’s life is in turmoil. Who would have thought that poor decision-making would lead to destructive consequences? Of course, why should Feldman blame herself? As she put it, “I would never ever do that. My kids are my life. I go to church every Sunday.” Oh, you go to church! This changes everything! I guess we should just drop the charges then, eh?

This is America, and we are not responsible for the consequences of our own action

Examples of Feldman scapegoating and blame shifting:

1. Although Feldman chose to drink (mixing wine and beer) in an unfamiliar place and knowingly had consensual sexual intercourse contrary to her church-going, small-town morals, she shouldn’t be held responsible because alcohol limited her inhabitations [link].
2. Her husband is to blame, as she claims that he should have escorted her to the bathroom [link]. What’s next? “Honey, I had to go use the bathroom and I accidentally fell into the handicap stall in the Men’s Restroom … while naked.” That must have been a very awkward car ride home.
3. As Feldman puts it, “Everybody thinks something got put in my drink.” However, in a different interview she stated that she drank only with friends at their home in Minneapolis [link], and then went to the game with her husband. So, was it her friends or husband who spiked her drink?

Her statements are contrary to that of the Police Office, who stated in an interview, “All I can say is the actions went on for some period of time with many witnesses on hand and no one reported either party was objecting.”

To make matters worse, she unwisely decided to initially give police officers a false name. It was only after having an interrogation and refusal to take a breathalyzer that he husband identified her. After being embarrassingly identified by her husband, she sprinted away and did not return back to their hotel until about 11pm that evening.

Thankfully, in the state of Minnesota, intoxication is not a valid excuse for neglecting the law.

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The biggest question is, what is it about Minnesota public restrooms that make people go crazy? And, I am curious to know if they happened to use a condom?

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UPDATE: Meet the man that she will probably try to push unfounded rape charges against: MySpace and … well, a webpage that was dedicated to Mr. Walsh by his lovely soon-to-be ex-girlfriend.

Sometimes people just gift themselves over as blog fodder, like the couple busted for boning in the bathroom during the Iowa Hawkeyes’ rout of the Minnesota Gophers. The woman in question, who has subsequently been identified as Lois Feldman of Carroll, Iowa has said that this whole situation has ruined her life. Feldman, who calls herself a light drinker stated that she had some wine at a friend’s home before the game, and that that led to all the problems.

At some point during the game, she got up to go to the bathroom, and met Ross Walsh, who she decided to immediately rail in a men’s bathroom. I know that always happens to me when I get drunk. Feldman’s husband, a giant pussy of a man named Kelly, blames himself for the whole incident, believing that he should have gone with her to the bathroom. Kelly, if your 38 year old wife is unable to go to the bathroom without FUCKING SOME RANDO DUDE along the way, you have a lot of other issues going on in the marriage. Maybe that’s just me, but then again, MY wife didn’t fuck a stranger in a football stadium bathroom…How about instead of blaming yourself, blame your 38 year old wife, who is the mother to your three kids for not having any semblance of self-control. It’s one thing to be drunk and kiss someone, it’s quite another to instantly fuck them in a men’s bathroom with a crowd cheering you on.

Sadly, Feldman has been fired from her job, (although the reasoning behind that is beyond me) which is truly unfortunate, but her being upset at the notoriety she has received from this incident is ridiculous. She got drunk and instantly nailed a stranger in a bathroom, while her husband sat meekly in the stands, I have no sympathy for you. I’ve been drunk before, I even once was blackout drunk, you know what I didn’t do? Have sex with a stranger in a bathroom. I did make out with a poster for a little while, but I dare you to look at this poster and not be aroused.

Of course, Feldman and her husband went to see a lawyer about getting rid of the misdemeanor ticket, but according to Chuck Miner, a stadium security guard, “It’s spelled out in the law in Minnesota that intoxication is not a defense to any crime,” so good luck with that.

Meanwhile the mother of three and her husband are trying to move on with their lives. Here’s a suggestion to Kelly, when your wife gets drunk, apparently she fucks EVERYONE, so maybe lay off the wine coolers next time eh? Especially when going to a giant crowd of people. Or else who knows, next time she might be the halftime spectacular.

h/t to Graney and the Pig for digging up the Feldman photo