Fernandina Beach, Florida. ©Calvin Palmer 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50, ISO 100, 1/250 sec, f/13, EV -0.7, Canon 40D.

Fernandina Beach, Florida. ©Calvin Palmer 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50, ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f/9, EV -0.7, Canon 40D.

Fernandina Beach, Florida. ©Calvin Palmer 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, f/9, EV -0.7, Canon 40D.

Fernandina Beach, Florida. ©Calvin Palmer 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50, ISO 100, 1/200 sec, f/13, EV -0.7, Canon 40D.  B&W conversion in Silver Efex Pro.

St Marys, Georgia. ©Calvin Palmer 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, f/8, EV -0.7, Canon 40D. B&W conversion with Silver Efex Pro in Photoshop CS3.

St Marys River

]]> http://leagueof1000words.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/anchored/ Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:00:27 +0000 onewandering http://leagueof1000words.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/anchored/

Tip 1:  Welcome Friends with a Beautiful Table:  Okay, I say that every southern belle should know her company.  And, frankly, most in my sphere would feel highly uncomfortable at a table laid out with fine china and silver.  In my opinion, the number one rule of being a gracious hostess is to make your guests feel comfortable, thus I specialize in warm, cozy tables.  You know, the kind where you can eat fried chicken for Sunday dinner?

I really like how this Easter table turned out.

Tip 2:  Enjoy the Blues:  Hello! Does Beale Street in Memphis Count?

'Q at Rendevous Before the Beale Street Blues

Tip 3: Write a Charming Thank-You Note:  Agreed! Not only do I have a  collection of stationary but so do my babies.

Tip 4: Savor Savannah: To me, Savannah is the quinticential Southern city.  The moss covered squares are both romantic and haunting.  The architechture is some of the best in America.  The cobble stone oozes history.  And the characters are both welcoming and intriguing.  I could live there.

It's the Deens and Bonfantis Y'all!

 Tip 7:  Keep It Sweet:  For my mama’s sweet tea recipe, clink here.

Tip 8: Float a River!: One of my favorite things to do going up was to hang out on the St. Marys River right in our back yard.  Forming the border between Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgie, that muddy water is like blood running through my veins.  It is where I learned to swim, where I camped, where I canoed.  It is also where I went to celebrate and to mourn.  No where makes me feel more at home than the St. Marys.

The Boat Ramp, Boulougne, FL

Tip 11: Partner Up! Carolina Shag:  Oooo, what fun it is to shag! When I lived in Vidalia, Georgia, I dated a guy from Dublin.  We joined The Shamrock Shag Club and went twice a week.  It was the most fun and, although I am not the most graceful or coordinated, it was not hard to do. And who doesn’t like the classic movie starring Phoebe Cates? It’s a star in my collection, I will tell you that!

Tip 13: Rediscover Mr. Faulkner:  One of my favorite professors at Jacksonville University was Dr. Patrick McLeod.  He was brilliant and made literature both interesting and fun.  I remember reading Light in August by Faulkner as part of his American Literature course and, while Dr. McLeod was singing the author’s praises, I was cringing.  (Not that we had the same taste. I liked Dr. McLeod so much that I took three courses from him.  I particularly remember sparring with him about the relevance of Deliverance in Southern culture.) After I graduated, I read Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying.  (That one hit a little close to home after my mom’s first cousin went rogue.  Not a fine moment in our family’s history.)  I want to like Faulkner.  I really do.  However, I just don’t, plain and simple.

That being said, on our way to Memphis a couple of years back, we made a stop in Oxford, Mississippi, where we visited Faulkner’s beautiful home, Rowan Oak.  Well, actually, they only accepted cash to get in and we didn’t have any, so we just toured the grounds and took pictures.  It was beautiful!

Rowan Oak

I finally went over and loaded it into the back of my truck to drive it away from its resting place to my backyard gate which was not very far away.  I drug it inside and unceremoniously dropped it on the patio until I could decide how to handle it.

I finally pulled it over to my fence and propped it upright to dry out over the winter.  I had decided what I wanted to do with it, so it was a matter of waiting for warmer weather to put my idea into place.  As the weather warmed up this past couple of months, I kept looking at the branch and thinking, “get out there and get it planted.”  Not planted in the sense that it would grow – its death had occurred months before in the fall – both literally and seasonally.

Finally, this past weekend I took my post hole diggers out, dug a hole about three feet deep, and set the long part of the branch into the ground.  I anchored it with some old bricks and iron weights that I had lying around, covered the base with some of the soil that had been removed , and stood back to admire it.  I am really pleased with its form and with all the side appendages that it has.

Sycamores are among my favorite trees – another one being the Shag bark Hickory – and I collect the bark for craft projects.  The magnificent Sycamores that line Thieme Drive were planted back in 1911 under a parks and boulevard plan created by George Kessler.  They are stately, large-branched trees with mottled bark that drops off at various times over their life span.

Sycamore along Thieme Drive

I am thrilled to have a humble Sycamore branch residing in my back yard.  A little gift from nature that adds to my efforts to use unusual materials in my ongoing landscaping challenges.

Sycamore branch decoration

The Inn can be entered from one of two entrances – one fronting onto Bluffton Road and the other at the north end.  What is noticeable as one looks around is that the Inn has no windows on the street side, but that is no loss.  The views are at the back of the restaurant and lounge, and what magnificent views they are.

Although the Waynedale News just recently did a story on the completion of the deck, it has been around for about three years.  The deck, with a capacity of 40, perches above the St. Marys River with a view that rivals Nick’s Riverside Lounge on Superior Street albeit on a smaller scale.  Small tables with umbrellas to shelter the patrons are located on the deck with extra seating around a ledge with a lip wide enough to hold drinks and dinner fare.  An all-weather TV completes  an atmosphere of informality and friendliness.

Mary and Dudley and their employees welcome all who enter as though they have known them for years.  The Irishman still has his lilting accent, and Mary will give you a history of the Inn and her late husband’s role in basketball.

Most of the activity takes place on the first floor; however, a trip upstairs past photos of its previous, well-known owner, Curly Armstrong, leads to a nice-sized room which can be rented for private parties.  Again, the view is amazing from an even higher lookout over the river.

Few establishments recognize the value of our rivers as natural and beautiful attractions.  Most discussions focus on changing the river environment to accommodate businesses – Curly’s does just the opposite as it seamlessly integrates itself into the environment of the St. Marys River.  Curly’s attractive but modest-sized deck provides its patrons with an even greater opportunity to appreciate not only the Inn and its friendly staff but also the peacefulness and tranquility of a stroll onto a deck hovering over the St. Marys River – truly all-decked out.

Curly's Village Inn - Deck overlooking the St. Marys River

Deck overlooking the St. Marys River at Curly's

Overlooking the St. Marys from Curly's deck

The following stream of consciousness is an old journal entry scribbled years ago about a quarter mile from the boulder above:

I joined a fuzzy patch of flourescent green on the north side of a beech half-submerged into the forest floor like a splintered bridge across an inlet of clover with miniature fuchsia rafts the shape of campy cartoon gloves from the 1930s.

Under lime green umbrellas occasionally polka-dotted with complimentary pink mites a black-brown salamander crunched through the forest floor when fifty yards north over a small hill a large brown face with a black mustache and well-trimmed beard grew out of the distance into a tanned beer gut carrying the rest of a shirtless man through the forest over fallen trees and wild onions directly toward the mites clover and salamanders here on a soft log below an azure hole punch through the canopy.

The man had a leather tool belt around his waste, or so I thought.  Or maybe a pair of binoculars. He spotted me writing on a log.  As his girth filled my field of vision, I realized that the faded leather strap submerged below his stomach held an old revolver.

While student teaching in a first grade classroom, Holden taught me that moss grows on the north side of trees.  At the age of six, he had more energy than anyone I’ve ever met. He also knew that poison ivy has 3 leaves.

Tenacity near the derelict Gilman Paper Company.

The Gilman Paper Company was sold to the Durango Paper Company in 1998, which filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009.  Recent talk of turning the site into a swath of high-end condominiums along the St Marys River was hushed when developers realized the scale of environmental cleanup necessary after decades of pollution.

When my family moved to St Marys in 1989, the majority of people were either employed by the Navy, or Gilman paper company.

Who knew that my little sister would eventually go bowling with Mikhail Baryshnikov, thanks to Howard Gilman?

An excerpt from Forbes.com describes Gilman’s “pet projects:”

The Fall of The House of Gilman

by Robert Lezner and Tomas Kellner

$154 million spent transforming the White Oak Plantation in Yulee, Fla., which was acquired by the Gilman family in 1938, into a dance center for Baryshnikov and other noted artists, a conference center and a home for 60 species of endangered and threatened animals, including reticulated giraffes, okapis, black and white rhinoceros, and cheetahs. Howard played host at White Oak to U.S. presidents and celebrities and their families, often using the company’s plane to ferry them to White Oak. The guests were fed meals prepared by top-notch chefs. Bill Clinton played golf on Gilman’s private nine-hole course.

A high school friend told me that rather than ceasing to pollute the air 365 days a year, Gilman chose to simply pay the annual fines.

The kicker for our high school football team made considerable hazard pay at the Gilman Paper Company wearing a hazmat suit, climbing and cleaning scrubbers.

Concrete Slabs in a Toxic Pool

Milky Toxicity

The greyscale stones are actually floating pieces of soiled styrofoam that shift with the wind.

For years, the air in St Marys’ historic downtown/riverfront area reeked of sulfur.  A friend had a four foot mini ramp in his backyard right on the marsh, and some days the stench was unbearable.

Judging from singed stacks of annual profit and loss statements scattered around the ashes, this house once held an accounting office for Gilman.  The shell of a home was later visited by anti-Christians, Crips, and squatters.

Squatter Remnants

Crip Graffiti

Oxidized Calculator

]]> http://wildernessugeorgia.com/2010/03/19/on-the-st-marys-river/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:07:49 +0000 Taylor Merck http://wildernessugeorgia.com/2010/03/19/on-the-st-marys-river/ Rather than spending my spring break venturing off to exotic places, I went home to my own special piece of nature in southern Georgia. My home is on the St. Mary’s River, which runs on the border of Georgia and Florida in southeast Georgia.

Facts about the St. Mary’s River:

• The St. Marys begins in the Okefenokee Swamp and flows along a twisting 130-mile-long path into the Atlanta Ocean at the coast.
• Many native plant species are found here, including: longleaf pine, American holy, southern magnolia, and many more.
• Wildlife in the area includes: bald eagles, white-tailed deer, black bears, alligators, otters, manatees, and more!
• The river, which is largely uninhabited, is mostly used for recreational and sightseeing purposes.

Basically, the river is beautiful, natural, and amazing!

I spent my spring break walking the banks of the river, and out in the boat taking in the beautiful weather while enjoying the river itself. While also having the luxury of the river, we own several hundred acres of land–mostly trees and paths. You know what that means? Nature walks galore. My favorite!

Here are some pictures from my visit home:

View from the bluff

Tracks found on one of our paths (Chapstick used to measure size; my dad's idea, not mine!)

View from the bluff: our dock and the river!

I’m so thankful to be blessed with such a beautiful place to call home. The St. Mary’s River is truly a wonderful place.

Is there somewhere special in nature that you love to go? Somewhere like a river, lake, or maybe just a park?

If there is, we want to hear about it!

Like we said before, we want to hear about awesome spring break experiences! Or even just a place in nature that is special to you!

Comment on this post if you want and tell us. Or email us and you’ll get your own post!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, ALL!

I love the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway! It is a trail that runs along the banks of the St. Mary’s, St. Joseph and the Maumee Rivers.   The Greenway is 19.5 miles and runs through many interesting places in Fort Wayne and New Haven, including Johnny Appleseed’s grave site and the replica of the old fort. My wife Amanda and I have ridden our bikes up and down these trails many times and can’t wait to get out there.   Plus my butt seems to have gotten bigger over the winter so I need to GET TO WORK!

Okay, this isn’t actually me but I thought it would be funny.

Don’t forget all of the golf courses in the Fort Wayne area! There are many public golf courses in Fort Wayne and surrounding areas.  Some of my favorites are the par 3 course at Shoaff Park, Riverbend Golf Course, and Clear Creek over near Huntington Indiana.  I like Clear Creek the best because you can take your shirt off and have a few beers while you golf.  ( I’ll spare you a picture on this one )

And of course…  my favorite activity to do in Fort Wayne during the spring and summer…  FORT WAYNE TIN CAPS BASEBALL!! The new stadium downtown is a BLAST! Hook me up with a couple of $5 lawn seats, an ice cold Smithwicks, and I’m good to go!  Oh, I hear they are pretty good too, won the championship last year. 

I welcome spring with open arms!!!!!

If you would like to buy or sell a home in Fort Wayne Indiana or in the surrounding communities, please call us at 260-704-0842, email us at ChristiansenTeam@gmail.com, or you may want to visit our website for more specific information on the communities we service.

Relocating to Fort Wayne? Are you moving to work at the Fort Wayne GM Plant? Contact us to see how we can help!

Want to know a little more about us?  Check out our Facebook fan page HERE or GOOGLE US!!

Fort Wayne Realtors Jared and Amanda Christiansen

FORT WAYNE HOMES FOR SALE

The Christiansen Team

WE work, YOU win!!

Those who travel Thieme Drive on a regular basis – or live in the area – can’t miss the “Road Closed” signs at each end of the drive.   The signs warn of the critical condition of Thieme Drive at its intersection with West Washington Boulevard.  The approaching shore stabilization project, which has been let for bids,  represents the culmination of years of starts and stops – many of which were impacted by the lack of federal funding.

The Thieme Drive river bank erosion issue begins at the southwest end of Thieme Drive where it intersects with West Washington Boulevard and runs for approximately one block northeast to the intersection of Thieme Drive and West Wayne Street.  The river bank has eroded from the natural processes of the river’s flow as it curves like a serpent through Swinney Park, along the southern edge of the Nebraska Neighborhood, and along Thieme Drive.

Rivers – no matter how slow they appear to meander – exhibit a natural process called “cutting” and “depositing.”  As a river flows, two forces work on the sides of the river banks.  On the inside edge, the river flows at a slower pace and drops – deposits – its load of silt, rock, and any other materials that have been bounced and carried along.  On the outside edge, the river flows at a faster pace, carving – cutting – into the outside edge of the bank and carrying away soil and undercutting tree roots.

The process is a natural cycle and, ultimately, over thousands of years, will result in the curves coming so close to each other that a heavy flash flood will bisect the curvature, and an ox-bow lake will be born.  The Google Earth image below shows the exaggeration of the river’s curves as well as the area of the river bank stabilization project.

The stabilization project using gabion baskets is a much-needed repair of the river bank.  The downside will be the probable destruction of many of the trees along the bank.  The equipment necessary to work on the project will no doubt require access which will require removal of the trees.  I am hoping that the Corps will take it easy on the existing vegetation, especially the long-standing elms and cottonwoods.

Now as to the other issue – the flooding at my intersection – I will continue to fight against the erection of a concrete wall and the destruction of 1100-feet of river bank.  Period.

St Marys, Georgia. ©Calvin Palmer 2009.

Zeiss Planar T* 1,4/50, ISO 400, 1/125, f/5.6, Canon 40D.

And to boot, I’m no fan of oil sands oil either. I bet I’ll like it less if it washes up on my beach. Past that, literally, is the Soo and St. Mary’s River. The river’s polluted enough already between the heavy industry and the municipal sewage. Navigating the rocky bottom of the river is white-knuckle at the best of times… ever more when you’re carrying a load that would stop a local ecosystem in its tracks.

Something tells me that this is a bad idea. The fresh water, the salmon runs, the whitefish, plus all mammals in the surrounding ecosystems. It would be a disaster as bad as any oil spill we’ve seen on the big oceans. This lake chews ships up…. worse than oceans given how shallow and rocky some parts are. An oil sands spill in largest freshwater lake? How’s that for headline news. I think I’ll start taking some water quality records for my shoreline this fall. Like all good environmental lawsuits… a good baseline is invaluable. You can read more about Enbridge’s Alberta Clipper pipeline here and here and here.

Paradigm shift.

I tend to be one of those “what’s really going on under the surface” people who always thinks there is an underlying rationale of some type.  My opinion on turning Calhoun two-way?  I believe it will eventually be extended over Headwaters Park to join with its other half on the north side of the river.

If that connection is made, then Calhoun could be extended out to the “new, improved”  – depending on your view of improvement – E. State Boulevard sans the curvature.   An additional thought is that if the casino somehow becomes a reality, then the extension of Calhoun would bring more traffic to that area by directing patrons to the property in a more direct route.  I suspect – like it or not – the Mayor and the private investors are marching toward the construction of a casino as part of the North River project.

Hey – just my “what’s really behind the two-way conversion” theory.  Hope you all enjoy it!

Path showing possibility of extending Calhoun Street

I parked on Fourth Street in a spot along the earthen levee, so it didn’t cost me anything but a short walk across the Clinton Street Bridge to Headwaters Park where the helicopter was waiting.  Not a huge bird, but still imposing.

My favorite river - the St. Marys from the Clinton Street Bridge on my way to take my ride

The helicopter waiting to take on passengers - I believe it is a Robinson

I paid my $20 and waited a few minutes until the helicopter returned with its current riders.  The cockpit held three people – the pilot and two passengers.  I was by myself, so the young attendant asked for a volunteer to go with me since they liked to take two people at a time.  A kind gentleman stepped up and said he would go even though he was with a family group waiting for rides.

View of Fort Wayne just after takeoff - St. Joseph Hospital is in the lower left-hand corner

I sat on the outside, and, as I climbed into the cab, I noticed there were no doors.  The attendant strapped us in, and we took off.  I am not sure how I thought I would feel, but what an amazing sight to rise off the ground and swoop into the air.  I was a tad bit apprehensive about the fact that there was no door.  To make matters a little more complicated, I had to take out my camera and take pictures while sitting at the edge of the door.  It was a little tricky, and I worried a little about my pictures turning out clear enough since it was not exactly the most steady location.

As we swung around in a large circle, I peered down at the buildings, the sun was shining, and fluffy clouds hung in the sky.  What a wonderful day and what a magnificent way to spend a short portion of it!

View of Parkview Field from the air - what a sight! And that is the door frame right next to me

The ride doesn’t last very – perhaps 5 minutes or so, but it was well worth the $20.  If money were no object for me, I would have lined up a couple of more times.

Swinging around to approach Headwaters Park for landing

What a great experience!  Now on to that 30-minute flying lesson at Smith Field!  I guess I am a little late starting my “bucket list”, but now I can’t wait to get to my next challenge!

I received a couple of calls from a city attorney to clarify a couple of items, but other than that, I haven’t heard about the materials I requested.  Of course, those who read my blog know how much I love this small, little corner of the world and how much I loathe the City’s attempts to tear down the river environment and erect an ugly, concrete wall.

As far as I am concerned, the City is responsible for the increased flooding in my area.  After the completion of an extensive wall that was erected to protect the Nebraska neighborhood from flooding, this area began to flood more frequently.  How do I know?  Well, I have lived here now for 14 years, and, since the 2001 completion of the Nebraska Wall, this small “cup” area has flooded five times in six years:  July 2003, June 2004, January 2005, February 2008, and March 2009.

Of course, the City personnel simply tell me I am not an engineer so I really have no understanding of river dynamics.  But I do have common sense, and common sense tells me that if you wall off water from spreading out in one area where it has typically gone, it will seek an open and lower level to spread out. Unfortunately, that is now my area.

The City keeps slapping up short-sighted flood measures such as berms, levees, and walls, and, with each one , it marches toward the destruction of Thieme Drive – an historical drive named after Fort Wayne entrepreneur Theodore Thieme, and which is probably the last river drive left in Fort Wayne.

So, I will see what I get from my first FOIA.  And, believe me, I will certainly let you know via my blog.

Thieme Drive, one of the few remaining river drives still visible to joggers, bikers, and motorists, suffers from two separate and distinct issues that are the result of its location along the St. Marys River.  The first issue involves river bank erosion.  For a number of years, a section of the river bank located in the 900 block of Thieme Drive at the junction of Thieme Drive and West Washington has been subject to erosion during times of flooding.

To understand why this happens, one must understand river dynamics.  Rivers are not static entities – they are in constant motion.  Over time, a young river begins to slowly deviate from its straight path and take on a more curved “S” form; it begins to meander.  As a river begins to form curves over time, two dynamics are involved.  The water on the outside of the “S” curve along the river bank moves at a faster pace, and the river cuts into the bank carrying away soil and exposing tree roots over time.

On the inside of the river, the water moves at a slower pace and deposits soil.  Thus, one dynamic cuts into the river bank and the opposite dynamic deposits.  Eventually the river forms an exaggerated “S” and doubles back on itself.  This process over time has led to the river bank along the 900 block of Thieme Drive to be slowly eroded to the point where little embankment is left.

To resolve this issue, the Army Corps of Engineers undertook a Section 14 Study under the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program (CAP).  The Section 14 Study was nearly complete in 2004 when funding ran out and additional funding was not allocated in either 2005 or 2006.   But the Section 14 Study was not the only study done in reference to Thieme Drive.

The second issue that involves Thieme Drive is flooding at what I call the “cup” area located at the intersection of Thieme Drive, West Berry Street, and Nelson Street.   I have lived in my home now for a little over 14 years – first as a renter and now as an owner.  Since the City’s completion of a concrete wall in 2001 just across on the other side protecting the Nebraska Neighborhood, my intersection has flooded five times in six years:  July 2003, June 2004, January 2005, February 2008, and March 2009.

Flood of 1985 – intersection of Thieme Drive, West Berry Street, and Nelson Street – note that the water does not rise to the level of the first floor – the homes in the area were built higher and on hills

__________________________________________________________________________________

The City would argue that the Nebraska wall has nothing to do with the flooding at Thieme Drive.   And, because it refuses to recognize the impact a wall in one area can have another area, the City continues to throw up more walls and levees, which I believe only increases the odds of more flooding in the Thieme Drive area.  After all, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that if you prevent water from entering an area where it previously spread out, it will be pushed somewhere else seeking a lower spot on its route.

Intersection of Thieme Drive, West Berry Street, and Nelson Street – my home is the gray one on the corner

___________________________________________________________________________

While the flooding is traumatic and aggravating, the water does not enter the living quarters portion of my home.  What little water I do get in my basement is the result of ground flow through the soil and not over it.  The water also does not rise to the level of entering other homes in the area.  Two garages which back onto Thieme Drive usually get water in them.

In all five floods, I have never had to make one claim involving structural damage or personal property damage to my insurance company.  I suspect – but I am not sure – that the other home owners also have not had to make any claims either.

After the Flood of July 2003, the City asked the Army Corps of Engineers to undertake what is called a Section 205 Study under its Continuing Authorities Program (CAP).  Although the study was done under the same Continuing Authorites Program as the Section 14 Study, it was a much broader study and included several different areas along the St. Marys.  The results of the study were released on February 17, 2005, with findings that impacted several areas prone to flooding.  One of those areas was the intersection of Thieme Drive, West Berry Street, and Nelson Street – the area where I live and where the recommendation was construction of an 1,100 feet concrete wall.

Despite the fact that the Section 205 Study found, in reference to Thieme Drive and West Berry, that “the area impacted by the 2003 flood event is a relative small area”, the City pressed ahead with its  goal to wall in Thieme Drive.   I immediately contacted my West Central Association to let them know of my opposition to a wall and  to ask for the Association’s support to prevent a concrete wall along the Drive.  The Association agreed and let its position be known to the City.

Protective retaining walls built in front of two homes on Thieme Drive, just down from me -  a measure I have asked about on a couple of occasions with no response

_______________________________________________________________________

The Association then began a series of meetings with City officials to try to come to some resolution about the two different issues involving Thieme Drive.  The Section 14 Study involving river bank erosion was at a standstill due to lack of funds, and neither West Central residents nor the City had any control over this fact.  Thus, the focus was on resolving the flooding issue at the Thieme Drive, West Berry, and Nelson Street intersection.

After a couple of presentations by the City and a charrette conducted during 2006 and 2007, a consensus was reached and a plan was sent to the City through two city officials who participated in the meetings.  The plan was to construct a lower wall of about four-feet in height rather than a 10-foot wall which would completely destroy the river environment.

The lower wall would be constructed with columns set at specific distances along the lower wall into which solid plates could be dropped when necessary to protect from higher river levels.  In addition to the above ground wall, a slurry wall was suggested to block the flow of the water through the ground.

Subsequent to presentation of the plan to the City, the City contracted with a local engineering firm to complete an evaluation of Thieme Drive for the purposes of proceeding with the suggested plan.  Soil borings were taken in six different locations along Thieme Drive.

Imagine my surprise – and no doubt the surprise of others who were involved in the discussions – when the evaluation dated October 26, 2007, of which I have a copy, came back with the findings that the area was fill and construction of the wall – even at a lower level – was outside the scope of what was considered “normal or usual construction”.  In layman’s terms – it wasn’t feasible.

The recommendation was to deem the project economically beyond the City’s ability to implement or to refer the project to the Corps for implementation.  So, when I hear a City official spout to TV cameras or newspaper writers the following statements pointing a finger at West Central, I get irritated:

The city has been aware of the gradual erosion, and says plans to stop it were presented to the neighborhood over the years.

“Nobody could really come to an agreement on they wanted for the flood stabilization, so the projects been dormant now for about a year,” said City of Fort Wayne Engineer David Ross.

The City does a true disservice to its citizens when it allows its officials to manipulate information which is known to be untrue.  I have literally every communication – emails, studies, reports, and letters – over the past four years since the original Section 205 Study that involves the Thieme Drive area.  To know that Mr. Ross has the audacity to go on TV and make statements that simply are not true is extremely disturbing.

The truth is the Section 14 Study stabilization project – the first issue – did not have funding to complete the process and has lain dormant for that reason, not because West Central residents couldn’t make up their minds.  And, the truth is that the plan proposed to the City by West Central residents to resolve flooding at the Thieme Drive intersection – the second issue – could not be implemented because of the nature of the soils and the inability of the City to fund the project, again not because West Central residents couldn’t come to an agreement.

• Tech Talk–water levels are still down. Press release discusses Lake Superior levels and discharges at the St. Mary’s River. Soo Today

• Right or wrong? Should access to fresh water be considered an international human right? Environment News Service

• Yucca Mountain may be dead, but we still need a plan for spent nuclear fuel. Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Great Lakes cities aim to reduce water consumption in the Basin. Daily Commercial News and Construction Record