Wounded Warrior Deer Hunt

U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Wounded Warrior Hunt

By Felicia Whatley

 

Three local wounded warriors enjoyed a weekend in the wild for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sponsored deer hunt including shotgun shooting lessons, a potluck dinner for the warriors and their families, a fish fry, and a chance for each hunter to harvest and take home a doe and a buck.

“I helped set up and take down for the wounded warrior hunt. One warrior harvested two deer, another got one deer and the other soldier participated in the hunt,” said Lewisville Lake Park Ranger Justin Berndt, who played a supportive role in the hunt on December 14 and 15, 2012.

A deer population study was done on the area a year ago in which the Fort Worth District decided there was a need to thin out the herd.

“We noticed an opportunity to support the district mission and we just wanted the warriors to have an experience hunting that they may not have otherwise had; so we selected three soldiers from the Disabled American Veterans, two were from Community Warrior Transition Unit with limited hunting experience for a day and a half white tail deer hunt,” said Rob Jordan, a lake manager.

“This the first time we had done a hunt here in the Trinity Lakes region. We showed them some techniques rattling antlers and grunt calls for deer,” said Jordan.

U.S. Army Sergeant Royce Sweatman, a Vietnam veteran shot and brought home a buck and doe, Command Sergeant Major Chad Wong shot a buck and Sergeant Ignacio Mata had a great time on the hunt, but did not harvest a deer. Each soldier was paired up with a ranger;  blinds made by an Eagle Scout Adrien Lewis from Carrolton and enjoyed the hunt using the authorized double barrel shotgun in the specified area.

Command Sergeant Major Chad Wong, a member of Army Reserves Civil Affairs said, “I was glad to be invited. I took my daughter and she is still talking about how much fun she had.” “I really appreciate what the Corps did for me,” said the two time Iraq veteran who also did tours in Afghanistan and Bosnia. Wong is also a police officer in Tulsa, Okla., who is going through a medical board.

Sergeant Mata said the experience “was really great and I enjoyed it. It was the first time using a shotgun. The guides were very knowledgeable and we saw a lot of wildlife—owls and various deer showed up.”

Army Corps of Engineers

 

 

 

 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosts 7^th Annual Lake Lavon Learning Service Project

 

Lewisville, Texas –

 

The 7^th annual Lake Lavon Learning Service project on March 1, 2013 from 10am to 2pm will connect almost 1,000 Sloan Creek Middle School students (Lovejoy ISD) with the Lewisville Army Corps of Engineers rangers and volunteers, local fire fighters and the environment for an experience that will teach students about water safety, community service and civic responsibility.

 

“Our spring service learning project at Lake Levon has become a tradition at Sloan Creek Middle School. This is a great opportunity for our students to learn about the importance of the lake in relation to their community. Our students look forward to the event and really benefit from the hands on learning experience,” said Principal Kent Messer.

 

This year the students will do trash pick-up to beautify the Lake area, a flood control project , water safety and a life jacket relay to focus on the importance of properly wearing the life jackets.

Parent and Lovejoy ISD employee Stacey Hancock said, “The opportunity for our students to give back to the local community is important, and I think it gives them a better understanding of the world outside their school.”

 

Seventh grade student Hannah Weeks looks forward to the field trip. “I think Lake Lavon is a great chance for us to help out the community and give back. I think my favorite part from last year was the painting.”

Eighth grade student Jenna Evans said this about the experience, “I think Lake Lavon is a great opportunity for us to learn about the community and how we can help. Last year was extremely fun for me because it was my first time to get to help out the community as a new student and I loved staining the tables.”

Seventh grade student Sioban Pitan said, “I like the project because we get to help the environment, make the area clean, and learn in the process.”

 

Assistant principal Kevin Parker said this about the event, “Our Lake Levon project allows us to transform our classrooms into a place where students get to experience learning. There are different learning environments that keep students engaged and with the help of our parents, community members, and businesses it is a win, win for everyone.”

 

Lake Lavon is known to have some of the best fishing, boating and camping areas in North Texas, about 1.6 million people visit each year, and the lake was originally authorized by the Army Corps of Engineers in March of 1945 for the purposes of water supply and flood control and to later include recreational purposes. The lake has 121 miles of shoreline and is home to various species of bass, crappie, and catfish.            

 

America—put your money where your mouth is

Insight into poverty, homelessness, and hunger in the U.S.

By Felicia Whatley

fwhatley@starlocalnews.com

 

The national debt is out of control. Obama continues to patronize our enemies and ignore the Americans who truly need assistance. And why is everyone so up in arms about Obamacare?

As of Aug. 24, the national debt is at the highest it’s ever been at an estimated $16.9 trillion, Our economy still has influenza, with a the declared unemployment of 11,431,388 and the U.S. trade deficit is  $652,454,200,  according to USdebtclock.org.

Foreign policy is important, but why are we still giving money to our enemies? I would argue that the money should be invested on Americans to help the impoverished, homeless, and those who are stricken with poor health.

There are several huge non-profits like U.S. AID, UNISEF, and various Christian charities  that promise a dollar a day will help save a poor, starving child in a 3^rd World Country. That is all well and good, but what about the homeless, starving families in our cities?

The recession will force 1.5 million more people into homelessness over the next two years, according to estimates by The National Alliance to End Homelessness. Some of the top reasons Americans are homeless are because of the lack of affordable housing, cited by 72 percent of cities, poverty being 52%, and unemployment 44%.

The top ideas to stop homelessness were more housing for persons with disabilities or that the nation needs better paying employment opportunities and more mainstream assisted housing.

 “Many people think having a job will reverse a homeless person's situation. But this isn't always the case. In fact, many homeless people do work--they just don't make much money. Thirteen to 25 percent--and possibly more--of the urban homeless population are employed,” said Sarah Valeck in her article “Causes of Homelessness in America.”

How does this affect your community? It is estimated that over 125,000 school-age children in Texas experience homelessness during the course of a year, stated The Texas Homeless Education Office, who is committed to ensuring that all Texas children in homeless situations have the opportunity to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school.

Or the reason why people are homeless and in need of assistance for food or paying for other basic needs such as rent, utilities, fuel for their cars, car payments, and medical bills —is simply because they are poor.

Sometimes it is the children who suffer the most from homelessness and hunger. A study cited from the East Texas Foodbank shows 22% of children under the age of 18 don't know where their next meal is coming from.

According to Feeding America, one-in-six Americans face hunger. A study released by the U.S.D.A. in 2009 and updated in 2011 said Texas has highest rate of child starvation in the country.

Instead of America funding our enemies in the Middle East and Asia, we need to focus more on helping the needs of our own citizens. Why is the U.S. still giving money to countries with military coups, like they did with Pakistan and now Egypt? It is totally illegal according to our Constitution.

Many Americans are turned down from social assistance programs. FEMA is quick to fund towns that get hit by natural disasters and human error, but what about the average Joe, who was laid off and now can’t take care of his family.

Let’s talk about Social Security. The program only gives on average $1,000 a month to qualifying recipients. How is anyone supposed to live off of that? It’s not enough-- and Medicare and Medicaid don’t cover anything major. In America, if you get cancer or need an organ transplant, you are likely to go bankrupt no matter how great you think your health insurance is.

Americans need sustainable aid and viable healthcare. For those conservatives who are panicking about having to provide healthcare for their workers—I’m sure THEY are fully insured. For those of you who have a soft spot in your heart and want to give money to help the less fortunate, give locally.

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My Story of unemployment and hunger

By Felicia Whatley

fwhatley@starlocalnews.com

When I moved to Texas last summer, getting away from an unhealthy situation in the Northeast, I was drawn in by the job growth and the cost of living here. Texas added more jobs than any other state in 2012; the state added 260,800 jobs. Nearly 99 percent of those jobs were in the private sector and the unemployment rate was almost 2% less than the national average.

I left my reporter position in Connecticut and risked everything to move here. As a disabled veteran, I went to the Homeless Veterans classes at the VA Hospital in Dallas. They had a few programs, but I was told I had to get on a waiting list and to come back in a week for another seminar. What was I supposed to do before that?

So I got in line at the Salvation Army shelter in Dallas. It had to have 115 degrees that hot July day. A lady told us to come back at 4 p.m. and that some of us could stay the night until 6 a.m., when we would be forced out. I was at the back of line. I was waiving from the heat and shifting from foot to foot. I have protruding disks in my spine, my feet got run over by a car and my lungs and eyes have been severely damaged while I was deployed on active military service. I also see a polytrauma specialist for TBI. Those IEDs are nasty business. I knew how to take them apart and disarm them, but it just takes one to bite you, to remind you how dangerous they are.

Next option, I looked into faith based shelters. There was one, near the VA, a Christian one. They gave me a meal and then turned me away. I am sure the Star of David I wore had nothing to do with it. One of the residents there said, “Find a cheap apartment in a safe area.” I did just that. I moved into Lewisville a few days later. With only a few grand left, I realized I needed assistance.

Hope Inc., Catholic Charities, and the Salvation Army in Lewisville turned me away. I attended Kol Ami, a reformed Jewish synagogue in Flower Mound and asked them for assistance. I was also turned down. I was accepted instead at Christian Community Action (CCA).

The help was gracious, but minimal. They paid $200 towards one month’s rent and gave me access to use their food pantries weekly. I asked if I could have access to the dental clinic (my VA compensation does not include dental) and my councilor Kate said, “That’s for people who don’t have any insurance.” I had to pay out of pocket with my family’s assistance to get a tooth pulled.

I got a job with Dexway CAE teaching English as a second language online. Most my students were in Spain, Kuwait, Mexico, or other parts of Europe. I enjoyed the job, but the pay wasn’t great--$12 hour, and the company was unstable.

When I got laid off I was really scared. Scared that I would become homeless, my bills didn’t pay for themselves, and that I couldn’t go to the grocery store and buy fresh items to supplement my diet. I receive some assistance from the VA, but since I have a master’s degree, I have a lot of debt.

I decided against food stamps because you enter yourself on a national registry, which some have complained can affect the jobs you are offered—it is on several applications--, can affect how you file your taxes and it was possibly used to affect your credit.

VONAP through Texas Workforce Commission for Veterans, the VFW Foundation, and the Vietnam Veterans organizations did help me financially, so I could get through another month in Lewisville. I quickly realized I had to move, because the rent was being increased to almost $800 a month.

Now I live in Plano, sharing a one bedroom apartment with a strange man, so the rent for me is $350 plus half the utilities. I happily work for the Star Local News and still need the pantry assistance.

Most pantries in Plano are only open a few hours a week, open during the daytime, when it is difficult for me to go. God’s Pantry is one of my favorites. Sometimes I get lucky when Costco or Trader Joes donates. I also like the Assistance Center of Collin County in correlation with a Plano Lutheran church. They put nice fruits, vegetables and milk products in my bag. But I can only utilize that pantry once a month.

I am happy to be in Texas again. I have a bigger chance making it on my own here. I call Connecticut “the rip off state.” The taxes on my (one) vehicle were over $400 and if I were to rent an apartment there it would probably be close to $1200.  For property taxes on a three-to-four bedroom home, it is almost $6,000 a year. Most of the twenty and thirty-somethings that worked with me at the Reminder News lived with their parents, including me.

As the Serenity prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr says, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

Benghazi attack

It has been a little over a month since the U.S. embassy in Libya was attacked, leaving 15 wounded and killing four Americans, two Navy seals and one an ambassador Christopher Stevens. There is ample evidence that President Obama knew of the attacks and did not react. There were Marines and munitions an hour away at most that could have helped save these men's lives. What have we learned from this?

As we near the 2012 Presidential election, many Republicans are calling Obama a coward for his lack of efforts as the Embassy screamed for help. Up til now, Obama has fulfilled his promise to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and we are expected to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

U.S. military generals have expressed that the conficts are not drawing down and now is not the time to pull out. Let's also not forget that Obama wanted to close down Gettmo, Guantanamo Bay Cuba. His brilliant idea was to bring the international terrorists and other criminals to American soil and hold them in a maximum security prison, where they would be afforded the same rights as U.S. citizens. The idea was ludicrous.

Though I have already voted for who I think would be the best candidate as a Commander and Chief of our Armed Forces, the best to help us with our economy, and bring back good values for America, I am quite positive that Obama will still get re-elected. I pray that Americans will realize that national security is still paramount. When the troops come home from Afghanistan, it won't change the true threats from abroad.

But is America's biggest problem it's leadership? I think it is more complicated than that, but for those who rallied around Obama for "Change." Did they get the change they wanted? I think not.

DFAS how could you?

Defense Financial Accounting Service (DFAS) send me a lovely, welcome to retirement from the Army letter. Oh you don’t believe me? You must know how the system works. According to DFAS I owe the military $7,044.79. I thought at first it must be an outrageous bill from equipment that didn’t get turned in. I transferred to so many different state’s National Guards, I figured some stuff had to have gotten lost. But why so much? I don’t understand.

I called the Debt and Claims department at DFAS and the gentleman who answered the phone said that a few hundred dollars were to be recouped because of over payment at a Army training school Summer of 2010 and the rest over $6,000 was because I had received a reenlistment bonus of $15,000 and I had only served a little over half of my commitment. What?

I went through a paper medical board in the summer of 2011, sent to Massachusetts State Med Com where they had determined due to a medical diagnosis that I would be medically discharged. I received a medical HONORABLE discharge July 15, 2011 that ended my 11 years in the Army. The medical disability I occurred as a combat veteran serving my country in Iraq. I stuck through it all: the rapes, the mortars, the terrible chain of command, because I believed in my Army core values and loved being a Soldier.

So to add insult to injury, they want a refund? I didn’t get to plea my case to a real person nor did I receive a medical pension from the United States Army. Instead, they want money I spent to live off of while I was in Graduate school back?

I have $80,000 in student loan debts, $10,000 to pay my car off, $10,000 in medical bills the VA won’t pay for and $6,000 in credit card debt that I owe. I can’t handle all this. I am a newspaper journalist for a weekly and I make a little over $300 a week. It is an unreasonable hardship to even think about these alleged DFAS charges. I gave 11 of the best years of my life to the Army, I was pushed out, and now they want what from me? It’s obscene.

The gentleman on the phone wanted to know how much I would be willing to pay each month, $200 or $300. I told him I couldn’t. I can’t afford to pay that back and I’m hurt that they would even ask for it. The bonus was a re-enlistment incentive the Army was giving in 2007, because retention was so low and we were spread so thin. Why are combat veterans treated like this? Shame on you DFAS; and shame on you Department of the Army, for even asking me to pay this back.

Well you didn’t fulfill your end of the bargain either. I was supposed to get the GI Bill Kicker, which was up to $450 a month while I went to school. I told them to put it in the contract, but they didn’t, so I was screwed. And it looks like I’m screwed over again with a $7,044.79 bill that is expected to destroy what I have left in credit. I have PTSD. DFAS you are not helping. I feel like crying myself to sleep again tonight, because at 31 years old I am stuck living with my parents. I have a job that will never help me break even, let alone get ahead. I just can’t do this. I need help.

Sincerely, Ret. Specialist Felicia Whatley 

All Day Kindergarten in Bolton?

Bolton Public School Board proposes All-day Kindergarten. The proposal is welcomed by Kindergarten teachers, school board members, and the Governor. All-day Kindergarten is part of the Superintendent’s proposed Bolton budget for next year.

“For the academic point of view, based on what we are expecting the students to know course-wise at the end of the year, this is why most towns do want all-day kindergarten for their public schools,” said Bolton Superintendent for the Board of Education Paul K. Smith.

The idea is to prepare the kids early because the Governor has said that if the students cannot read at a 3^rd grade level then they will not pass third grade, according to Smith.

“It is crucial to the youth’s development. Kindergarten needs to serve as a strong foundation, not just academically, but socially and physically. They have common course standards they need to meet to create a strong social and emotional piece in their school learning and growing experience to be done in a safe environment,” said Claudia Danna, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Bolton Public Schools.

She went on to say that this is the time we teach children to work well with others, become friends, and work together to problem solve. “It is important to catch them where they are and if there are deficits to address them.”

This is also the time kids are introduced to the Fine Arts in school. They sing, dance, and learn theater, which they agreed is important to the children’s social growth and physical coordination.

“Many small towns think kids are not ready for all-day kindergarten, but it is then that they get the opportunity to mature. The kids acquire retention and learning in a full day,” said Smith.

Smith and Danna also discussed that likely many of the children end up in day care, which is not a better option.

“Here they get more opportunities to learn and grow. They can practice more what they have learning in a higher order of thinking to apply it,” said Danna.

The intention is not to gear the students up for exams, but instead to give them a full day to grow physically, socially, and mentally.

“We are not a day care program. The intent is not to ease working parents, but to better prepare the children. At that age, they are ready to experiment and be creative in an environment that has the facilities and staffing to help them experiment everything they should at this level,” said Smith.

The proposal would have equal impact on the Kindergarten teachers of Bolton. When asked how she felt about it Arin Rumovicz said, “We need it. We have to squish so much into so little time. We will be working, and then all of a sudden it is time to clean up. This would give me the chance to do some extension activities, review, enrich, and support those who need more support. Some of the kids went to all-day Preschool. This is like a step back. I like the idea of all-day Kindergarten. It is time for it.”

Bully Busters

Bullying has become much more prevalent in recent years, erupting on the news in dramatic tragedies like the shootings in Columbine and Virginia Tech, and quietly pervading local classrooms and schools. At Manchester High School, a group of student leaders has put together a group called Bully Busters that goes into elementary and middle schools using live demonstrations and teaching students how they can make a positive impact against bullying.
“I am the lead speaker when we do our presentation,” said senior Logan Welch. “We teach the different types of bullying - relationship, physical, verbal and cyber. We teach them that if you are a bystander, you are involved, and how to be a positive bystander. We teach them positive thinking in a situation. I teach them how to brighten the room, not darken it. I also teach about the different types of bullies in a comfortable environment so they can come forward and share their own stories. We know now what works with each age group,” said Welch.
Bully Busters is made up of MHS student-athletes, journalists and student government representatives that are recruited by school councilors. Each Bully Buster is active in the community and active with the cause of Bully Busters. They communicate and teach with interactive skits and role-playing so the message is clear - bullying is real, it hurts, and needs to be stopped.
The Bully Busters teach students to stand up for others and to have fun turning the situation into a good one. The program started in 2009 and was small in its infancy, but has grown to something the school and its students are being noticed for.
“I do a skit called ‘Nails in the Fence’ where I am the mother of a little boy," said sophomore Savanna Smith, who is also involved in the campus newspaper. "The mother (me) gives him a bag of nails. Every time he loses control of his temper he puts a nail in the fence, and when he can control himself he takes them out. Eventually, he takes them all out, but it leaves scars and things will never be the same. People can be hurt like the fence,” she said.
The Bully Busters are co-advised by Heidi Macchi, a Manchester Outreach social worker, and MHS guidance counselor Laurie Pels-Roulier. Central Connecticut State University Masters in Family Therapy intern Alexis Relyea-Nieman also assists the group. Joel Waldron, owner of the Academy of Martial Arts and Personal Development, is a Bully Busters consultant who helps in training, skits, story ideas and interventions.
“I have been involved since its beginning. I participate in the skits and often play the ‘bully.’ I don’t really bully in real life," said senior Ashley Mills. "I’m also a reader. I read stories to kindergartners through second grade. At the question and answer part, we see how engaged they were and how much of what we taught them, they remember," she said.
“Bennett Academy did surprise ‘thank you’ cards and a list of ways we can prevent bullying," said Mills. "Others have done the same. I like the creative ways we address bullying.” Mills is the class board vice president, she is on the activities planning board, and serves as a representative to the Board of Education. She also serves on Manchester’s Youth Commission as a public relations officer and interns at Bowers Elementary and Manchester Manor.
“These students are the best of the best. They have leadership potential and passion for working with kids. This program has been successful in raising awareness about bullying with brief strategies and principles,” said advisor Roulier.
The influential 19 students are on a mission to inform and make a difference. Some of them know the personal pain of being bullied and how it changed them as people. Sometimes even a joke amongst friends can sting.
“Yes, I was bullied too throughout my scholastic career, even by teachers. I feel like I can connect and relate with kids who have been through that experience," said sophomore Michelle Hegenauer. "As Bully Busters, we have matured and learned how to handle it better now. It is exciting when kids come up to me and say, ‘You are my hero. I am glad you are here,’” she said. Another active student, Hegenauer is on the MHS volleyball team and also won a place on the boys’ dive and swim team.
The program has gone viral. Welch, Mills and Hegenauer appeared on Manchester Review Channel 15 this past April to describe the program. They were interviewed by host Jack Peak, with whom they shared personal stories of being bullied and of witnessing incidents of bullying.
“Bully Busters has been an amazing group. They are kids that excel in every area and grow and mature as leaders to advocate against peer pressure in their community,” said CCU student Relyea-Nieman.