ThiS IS THE NEWS THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT

It's Thursday, May 23rd and this is        

The News That's Not Important.

Christmas trees are back in the news that's not important as Litigators wrestle with a proposal to introduce a 15 cent tax on the holiday pine. The proposed tax is to form a commodity check off program like that presently enjoyed by beef and dairy companies.  Naysayers complain that the bill in its entirety will change crop subsidies, food stamps, and dairy programs.  The Christmas tree growers would gain approximatly 2 million dollsrs for ads from the attachment - reports the Miami Herald. 

This is the news that's not important. 

Lynne Brandon of Sitka Alaska Parks and Recreation has won an award for her outstanding contribution.  She has receivied the highly coveted "GreenBelt" award from the  Alaska Chapter of The American Society of Landscape Architechs. for excellence in the field.  

In Oscala Florida the Star Banner reports city approved landscaping efforts near the Church Hill Square Publix have made the area look more like a war zone then the once oak sheltered plaza - blaming the debacle on poor city pruning certification and training. 

This is the news that's not important. 

In Del Aire, California a group known as "the Fallen Fruit" has ventured into what is being billed as the states first public fruit park reports Patricia Leigh Brown of The New York Times.  Eighty-seven fruit trees were planted in all, 27 in the park, and 60 in surrounding neighborhoods.  Critics complain that the fruit will stain sidewalks, and become a slipping hazard. The group is scheduled to kick off the grand opening of the 'living art' park with a Fruit Jam where portable stoves will be set up and surplus fruit used in a variety of concoctions and recipes.  

This is the news that's  not important. 

In northern California residents complain that a tree the city planted in the late 1970's has caused a sewerage leak.  Over 200 gallons spilled on the sidewalk allegedly ruining works in the nearby MINE gallery. The city explained its position that the pipes were already broken.  A source reports, "The pipe had to already be broken.  There has to be some way for the roots to get in there."  Reporters speculate that local residents are unaccustomed to two hundred gallons of raw sewerage in the city streets.  One local resident is quoted saying, "I don't like trees downtown.  It's just my personal feeling." reports Richard Halstead of the Marin Independent Journal, "they block the view."  The tree planted was a London plane tree, non-invasive to the area and hybrid for city planning.  The sidewalk was cracked and lifted before the incident. 

In unrelated news that's not important- 

In Sioux City Iowa residents can sense that summer is here, reports Nick Hytrek of the Sioux City journal.  Forget about looking for tulips, every spring the orange traffic cones sprout right up on I-29 where road work means waiting, groaning and moaning as crews scurry to finish one phase of a project only to begin another. 

In other orange cone related news that's not important- cones not phones is the  sponsored message through out the capitol belt way on I-95 reports the Potomac Local News in Dale VA.  If you see that cone put down that phone/ or just throw it in the river - after all they cause brain cancer and- 

THIS IS THE NEWS THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT !

THIS IS THE NEWS THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT

                                     
                                      

It's Tuesday May 21st, 
and this is the news that's not important.

A volunteer department has rescued 'meow meow' from a local Pattenburg, NJ residents tree.  The young feline belonging to Julia Lombardo had been stuck overnight - the Hunterdon County Democrat reports.  

In related news that's not important- CBS NY reports that the local fire department in the Oakland Garden section of Queens NY was called out to rescue a New York City police officer, who while rescuing a local cat was himself caught in a tree.  Both the officer and the cat were saved without injury.  The CBS NY/AP report has not released the cats name - or the officers. 

This is the news that's not important. 

In other animal related  news that's not important - David Maye of the Huffington Post reports on an onslaught of Geese attacks at the Boise Idaho Hewlett-Packard facility.  It's been reported that a visitor was attacked resulting in a memo warning all employees that the migrating birds were in mating season.

Employees were advised not to turn their backs, squint or wink at the migratory geese and to try to maintain a neutral demeanor, walking backwards from the hissing birds and being ever mindful of obstructions they may trip over in the effort to illude the mating animals.  

In unrelated news that's not important- 

Mayonnaise and salad dressing sales were up two and three percent respectively - SB Wire.com reports.  The writer mentions- As health awareness rises, more and more consumers are eating salads.  

In other condiment related news that's not important- the San Antonio Business Journal reports that Whataburger will be coming out with three new retail sauces; Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup, and Original Mustard- these for sale first in stores and then in broader markets - I think.  There are actually conflicting reports on this one- but 

THIS IS THE NEWS THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT. 

State of the Union promises

     

IT'S         

Saturday, May 18th and this is the news that's not important.  

Today I'm introducing a special segment on President Obama's State of the Union- are they keeping promises?                  (

All week long our bloggers research one promise from President Obama's State of the Union, and  report.  This weeks promise- maintaing pre-existent infrastructure, like bridges- using what's there when possible instead of constructing new.  

This in the news that's not important.  

In Norfolk, the Daily News reports on the construction start of two bridges in phase 3 of a 3 phase operation.  Phase two has been delayed.  The first of the two new bridges will go over a road, the second over a RR track. Phase 2 of the project is facing delays as migratory birds will be left unimpeded thru late August. 

This is the news that's not important.  

In St. Louis, KTVI reports a new bridge will soon be completed.  Over 2,200 pieces of steel girder will have been assembled on the New Blanchette bridge two and a half months ahead of schedule.  Great news for St. Louis, but - 

this is the news that's unimportant.

In Terrytown NY, CBS reports constant noise coming from the New Tuppen Zee bridge construction.  Pile drivers have been the subject of numerous complaints.  When asked about the noise, sources reply- it's like we have a train track right beneath us, it's louder then the diesel trucks going by.  

In other news that's not important- in Francistown NH the Union Leader.com reports on a temporary bridge project to reopen 'the second NH turnpike', that was closed in late December while rebuilding efforts for the state funded effort are refinanced. 

In the President's home state of Illinois, Katrina Lamansky reports that a bridge in Illinois on I-80 into Iowa is being extensively cleaned and repaired.  

True also in Greenetownship, Syracuse, and Twin Falls.  Twin Falls has launched a rebuilding effort on I-84 into Idaho.  Of course there's a lot of bridge maintainance going on throughout the country, but there do however seem to be an awful lot of new bridges -  but after all-

                 THIS IS THE NEWS THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT

Old sugar mill in lihue

This is what's left of the old sugar mill in Lihue.  It was the one with the monkey painted on the tower. I wish I had taken a picture of it while it was still standing.  It closed down around 2001 or 2002 due to popular opinion it had become a living breathing carcinogen.  The old red dirt shirt shop closed its doors shortly after, along with the old Big Save.  I feel so lucky to have seen everything where it stood.  Some of the greatest innovations in our time (class of '86) had happened here and the little village I call home had marked, in discrete respect many of them.  The times they are a changing- in fact StarMarket Puhi became a Times Market- but anyway, I took the 'first Tuesday' of every month train ride 3 or 4 years ago and the guide mentioned finishing the Lihue light rail.  I'm fascinated to find where and what these spectacular Hawaiian minds are thinking, what new direction our small hub city will be taking in what seems in the most recent destruction - the dawn of a new age.  It's all been pure 'Fantasia' - Disney magic!  and I'm excited to see where it will take us.