Marianna Optimist Club Activities
By Don Jones - February 17, 2009
"It’s a Fowl Hobby" Julian Marsh, Speaks
Left, Marianna Optimist Club Member, and Guest Speaker, Julian Marsh, holds in his hands a carved wooden, Mud Duck Decoy that he artfully carved from a block of Bass Wood and painted to replicate the Mud Duck as it would appear in the wild. Marsh has, not only the ability to skillfully produce such beautifully carved pieces of art, but has an exceptional knowledge of, and appreciation for, natures most beautifully decorated birds.
Marsh’s hobby and obsession is to produce these, works of art, in his garage. Then, he loves to display the decoys at art shows and museums around the country, and will occasionally sell them, if the price is right. Annually, he is able to produce approximately fifty such pieces of art, averaging about one a week. Each piece has its own intrinsic beauty and value according to the taste of the individual admirer. However, most collect the carvings to decorate their dens, and living rooms, and not for their original intended use; hunting.
Marsh described the Mud Duck he holds, above, as a close relative to the very colorful Mallard Duck (Right). But, as one can see, the Mud Duck is somewhat challenged in the, colored, feather department, when compared to his more colorful cousin, the Mallard Duck. Additionally, as food, the Mud Duck is seriously challenged in the taste department, as well. It seems, as Marsh described it, the Mud Duck sort of taste as the name implies; like mud. He suspects they taste like mud because of their table manners; they dig crustaceans and other small animals out of the mud bottoms of shallow lakes, and ponds with their rather large and flat beak, and swallow them without straining out much of the mud, which apparently must effect the taste of the Mud Duck, when eaten.
Left, Marsh held the audience spell bound as he picked up each decoy from the table and described, in great detail, the habits and unique characteristics of the more than fifty species of wild duck inhabiting North America and Canada. Marsh confessed that he didn’t know exactly why he held such admiration and curiosity for the ducks. However, he surmised that it could be because, as a boy, his grandfather would show-off his rather large collection of decoy ducks. Then, at the age of twelve, he asked his grandfather if he could use a couple of his decoys to go hunting with, and the grandfather’s response was, "Go make your own decoys!" Well, he did, and has been making them ever since; a little better each time.
Assuredly, Marsh’s grandfather would be proud of him today, if he could only see his decoys and the knowledge of water fowl Marsh has gained since that fateful day, when he was told to, "Make your own decoy." It isn’t just a hobby to Marsh, it’s an obsession. Marsh closed his talk, claiming that he loves every moment of time spent replicating nature’s beautiful water fowl in his garage. Also, he said that he is especially pleased that others appreciate and find his art work interesting and beautiful, too.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Optimist-Outlook
Marianna Optimist Club Activities
By Don Jones - February 10, 2009
"For A Few Dollars More"
Judge Glenn Hess, State Attorney, spoke before the Marianna Optimist Club last week to a full house. In the audience was special guest, Chief Judge, William L. Wright, who Judge Hess properly recognized by jokingly pointing out the only difference between his Office, and that of Chief Judge Wright’s Office; "In this case, it’s for a, Few Dollars More," he said.
Additionally, Judge Hess pointed out that Judge Wright had a few more fringe benefits that came with his office. For example, the Chief Judge doesn’t have to go thru the metal detector at the courthouse, while he must. And, anyone, entering the Chief Judge’s Office, must bow and kiss his ring and address him as "Honorable Chief Judge Wright." Other than that, there is very little difference in the two offices. Oh yeah, he mentioned one more thing, Judge Wright has only one employee, while State Attorney Hess has over one hundred employees he must manage.
After this brief moment of levity, at Judge Wright’s expense, Judge Hess shifted his talk to more serious matters of concern, making it easy for the audience to see that Judge Hess came to the State Attorney’s Office with an agenda. He said, "I want to make the 14th Judicial Circuit, State Attorney’s Office, the best in the State. The State Attorney’s Office has its place in the system, and it must specialize, if necessary, to fulfill this vital place in the system. We need to be the best we can be at our job." He said, "I chose to run for the State Attorney’s Job because, as a Judge, I witnessed too many time delays from the time of arrest of the accused until the trial of the accused. There was too much slack in the system, and the general attitude by some individuals in the justice system was that, It was some one else’s job."
Judge Hess, since taking the State Attorney’s job, has implemented changes to correct the foregoing delays in the system. He found, when he came to office, that too often experienced attorney’s were being over tasked, while less experienced attorneys, and investigators were under tasked when processing criminal cases. Additionally, he noticed that the less experienced attorneys and investigators were receiving very little, On the Job Training, (OJT).
Since taking office, Judge Hess has implemented On the Job Training, (OJT), and assigned junior attorneys to assist senior attorneys in preparation of criminal cases for trial. Also, he has implemented a procedure whereby proper and complete investigation of each case is done prior to legal review, resulting in fewer last minute discoveries that will tie-up the Courts and State Attorney’s Office, lengthening the case while delaying cases that follow.
Since implementation of Judge Hess’s changes, convictions where obtained in all three criminal cases that have gone to trial so far this year. Now, because of the thoroughness of the investigations, and quality of accumulated evidence, more accused felons are making pleas of, "Guilty" at first hearings, saving the courts and the system much time and expense of prosecution. His final words were, "I just want to make a difference!"
By Don Jones - February 10, 2009
"For A Few Dollars More"
Judge Glenn Hess, State Attorney, spoke before the Marianna Optimist Club last week to a full house. In the audience was special guest, Chief Judge, William L. Wright, who Judge Hess properly recognized by jokingly pointing out the only difference between his Office, and that of Chief Judge Wright’s Office; "In this case, it’s for a, Few Dollars More," he said.
Additionally, Judge Hess pointed out that Judge Wright had a few more fringe benefits that came with his office. For example, the Chief Judge doesn’t have to go thru the metal detector at the courthouse, while he must. And, anyone, entering the Chief Judge’s Office, must bow and kiss his ring and address him as "Honorable Chief Judge Wright." Other than that, there is very little difference in the two offices. Oh yeah, he mentioned one more thing, Judge Wright has only one employee, while State Attorney Hess has over one hundred employees he must manage.
After this brief moment of levity, at Judge Wright’s expense, Judge Hess shifted his talk to more serious matters of concern, making it easy for the audience to see that Judge Hess came to the State Attorney’s Office with an agenda. He said, "I want to make the 14th Judicial Circuit, State Attorney’s Office, the best in the State. The State Attorney’s Office has its place in the system, and it must specialize, if necessary, to fulfill this vital place in the system. We need to be the best we can be at our job." He said, "I chose to run for the State Attorney’s Job because, as a Judge, I witnessed too many time delays from the time of arrest of the accused until the trial of the accused. There was too much slack in the system, and the general attitude by some individuals in the justice system was that, It was some one else’s job."
Judge Hess, since taking the State Attorney’s job, has implemented changes to correct the foregoing delays in the system. He found, when he came to office, that too often experienced attorney’s were being over tasked, while less experienced attorneys, and investigators were under tasked when processing criminal cases. Additionally, he noticed that the less experienced attorneys and investigators were receiving very little, On the Job Training, (OJT).
Since taking office, Judge Hess has implemented On the Job Training, (OJT), and assigned junior attorneys to assist senior attorneys in preparation of criminal cases for trial. Also, he has implemented a procedure whereby proper and complete investigation of each case is done prior to legal review, resulting in fewer last minute discoveries that will tie-up the Courts and State Attorney’s Office, lengthening the case while delaying cases that follow.
Since implementation of Judge Hess’s changes, convictions where obtained in all three criminal cases that have gone to trial so far this year. Now, because of the thoroughness of the investigations, and quality of accumulated evidence, more accused felons are making pleas of, "Guilty" at first hearings, saving the courts and the system much time and expense of prosecution. His final words were, "I just want to make a difference!"
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Optimist-Outlook 2/12/09
By Don Jones
Marianna Optimist Club Activities
"Why Are Bull Pups Not Becoming Bulldogs!"
Adam Gray, Marianna High School’s Head Coach, and Nicole Thoreson, a Member of Florida’s Amateur Wrestling Association’s, "Team Dynamic," are doing their best to promote amateur wrestling in Jackson County Schools. Coach Gray was last week’s Optimist breakfast meeting guest speaker.
Coach Gray hails from Madison, Florida, where he coached high school football for a number of years. He recently accepted the head coach position at Marianna High School; and shortly afterwards, the wrestling coach position, although, he had no wrestling experience. Fortunately, his assistant wrestling coach, Ron Thoreson, has enough wrestling experience for them both. By working together, Coach Gray and Coach Thoreson have quickly begun to rebuild Marianna High School’s wrestling team from a three member team, last year, to a seven member team this year, including one female wrestler.
On December 6th, of this season, M.H.S. managed to hold their own at the Wakulla High School’s Wrestling Meet, and Sports Editor, Clint Cox, of the Jackson County Times, had this to say [The wrestlers experienced some landmark moments for the season, even with two wrestlers, Josh Kornegay and Jacob Kornegay, sidelined with illnesses and injuries. In a never-before-seen match in the panhandle, Junior Allison Hutton wrestled another female wrestler from Lincoln High School at 112 lbs. The match had the entire crowd’s attention. "No one can remember another match in our area that had two female wrestlers," commented volunteer coach Ron Thoreson. "It really shows how wrestling is growing in popularity.]
Coach Gray pointed out that Allison is second year varsity, and the only female on the team. As the only girl, she must practice against male wrestlers in her weight class in order to compete. When the coach asked where she got the courage to stay another year? She said, "I love the sport, and I just want to prove that girls can wrestle, too!" Coach Gray said, "Not only are their too few girls going out for the sport of wrestling, there are too few boys, as well.
Out of more than 800 students at Marianna High, there are only seven participating students on the varsity wrestling team this year. It’s not, just, the wrestling team that’s suffering for lack of participation; this year, the varsity football team has six players who’ve never played the sport before." Also, he wondered, "Why didn’t many of the Marianna Middle School students, who participated in football last year, go out for football when they got to Marianna High School, this year? Overall, there are not enough students going out for sports of any kind. We need to get kids more interested in sports at the Middle Schools; it’s too late by the time they get to high school," he said.
Marianna Optimist Club Activities
"Why Are Bull Pups Not Becoming Bulldogs!"
Adam Gray, Marianna High School’s Head Coach, and Nicole Thoreson, a Member of Florida’s Amateur Wrestling Association’s, "Team Dynamic," are doing their best to promote amateur wrestling in Jackson County Schools. Coach Gray was last week’s Optimist breakfast meeting guest speaker.
Coach Gray hails from Madison, Florida, where he coached high school football for a number of years. He recently accepted the head coach position at Marianna High School; and shortly afterwards, the wrestling coach position, although, he had no wrestling experience. Fortunately, his assistant wrestling coach, Ron Thoreson, has enough wrestling experience for them both. By working together, Coach Gray and Coach Thoreson have quickly begun to rebuild Marianna High School’s wrestling team from a three member team, last year, to a seven member team this year, including one female wrestler.
On December 6th, of this season, M.H.S. managed to hold their own at the Wakulla High School’s Wrestling Meet, and Sports Editor, Clint Cox, of the Jackson County Times, had this to say [The wrestlers experienced some landmark moments for the season, even with two wrestlers, Josh Kornegay and Jacob Kornegay, sidelined with illnesses and injuries. In a never-before-seen match in the panhandle, Junior Allison Hutton wrestled another female wrestler from Lincoln High School at 112 lbs. The match had the entire crowd’s attention. "No one can remember another match in our area that had two female wrestlers," commented volunteer coach Ron Thoreson. "It really shows how wrestling is growing in popularity.]
Coach Gray pointed out that Allison is second year varsity, and the only female on the team. As the only girl, she must practice against male wrestlers in her weight class in order to compete. When the coach asked where she got the courage to stay another year? She said, "I love the sport, and I just want to prove that girls can wrestle, too!" Coach Gray said, "Not only are their too few girls going out for the sport of wrestling, there are too few boys, as well.
Out of more than 800 students at Marianna High, there are only seven participating students on the varsity wrestling team this year. It’s not, just, the wrestling team that’s suffering for lack of participation; this year, the varsity football team has six players who’ve never played the sport before." Also, he wondered, "Why didn’t many of the Marianna Middle School students, who participated in football last year, go out for football when they got to Marianna High School, this year? Overall, there are not enough students going out for sports of any kind. We need to get kids more interested in sports at the Middle Schools; it’s too late by the time they get to high school," he said.
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