| Treasure, in plain sight | | Posted Friday, February 02, 2007 1:13:36 PM by Blog57 Team | | GENEVA -- Bob Fry walked into Geneva's Scentimental Gardens shop with a family treasure carefully wrapped in tissue paper. Inside was a gold pocket watch, gray with age yet still keeping time. Fry inherited it from his Uncle Lafayette, an intelligent, independent farmer who could build anything and kept his homemade honey on relatives' tables for decades. Fry often visited Lafayette on his family's Pennsylvania farm, the same farm granted to relatives back in 1760, the deed of which was signed by William Penn's son. By comparison, Lafayette's Civil War-era pocket watch is relatively new. And as Fry found out, it's not worth all that much, at least not to anyone outside the family. "It's gold-filled, so it's only worth about $150," Fry said, "But it means a lot to me." .... | |
| |
| | | Fleeced by caregiver, man speaks | | Posted Wednesday, November 15, 2006 11:27:46 AM by Blog57 Team | | Robert Morlan was rolled into an Adams County courtroom in a wheelchair Oct. 17 and saw the woman he once considered a daughter. It was the first time since April 18, 2005, that Morlan, 86, had seen Debora Jo Smith. It was the probably the last time. Morlan watched Smith as she was led away in handcuffs after being sentenced to six years in prison after she pleaded guilty to felony theft. She stole about $60,000 in cash, jewelry and family heirlooms from his condo and ran up about $125,000 in credit card purchases that was signed off to Morlan after she filled out credit applications in his name using his Social Security number. As part of her plea deal, the district attorney dismissed one count of theft against an at-risk victim. Smith apologized to Morlan, saying she was now a born-again Christian.... | |
| |
| | | You see junk, but Jerry Ritter sees a challenge | | Posted Saturday, November 11, 2006 7:38:48 PM by Blog57 Team | | When most of us want to relax we might read a book, see a movie or maybe even take a nap, but not Jerry Ritter. He grabs a chain saw. "This one's driving me crazy. I've been working on it for two weeks now." Sounds odd that something that drives him crazy makes him relax but it does. Jerry goes to garage sales every Saturday morning looking for things that don't work. Then with a little elbow grease and mind bending he makes them new again. Kind of reminds me of the Island of Misfit Toys in the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas special. He gives new life to things many of us would give up on and throw away. "I find all kinds of things to work on. Stuff like that fascinates me. And it keeps my mind going . . . it keeps me sharp." .... | |
| |
| | | Precious watches stolen | | Posted Saturday, November 11, 2006 1:57:11 PM by Blog57 Team | | Two antique watches, among the most historically precious items at the Royal WA Historical Society in Nedlands, have been stolen. They were lifted from a case - clasps were forced and glass broken. The watches had been kept locked up, hidden from view, for 50 years and have lasted only two months since going on display in specially designed cabinets. Margaret Love, convenor of the society's museum, said: "The society has a small collection of antique jewellery, part of which had recently been put on display and aroused much interest, including many new visitors." The missing items are: • Man's solid gold pocket watch, c1875. Elegant piece, small, with cross-hatched tracery and a small shield in the middle of the cover.... | |
| |
| | | Home and garden events | | Posted Tuesday, November 07, 2006 11:14:20 PM by Blog57 Team | | TUCSON MONEY FAIRE: Learn about obtaining free credit reports (and how to read them), free tax preparation, tax identification numbers, free checking and savings options, reducing monthly payments, home repair assistance and how to be protected from identity theft. When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: El Rio Neighborhood Center, 1390 W. Speedway Blvd. Price: free Info: 882-2165 .... | |
| |
| | | Campaign reform simply not working | | Posted Saturday, November 04, 2006 7:47:54 AM by Blog57 Team | | The tone and tenor of political discourse has probably never been lower, at least in modern times, as anyone who watches TV, listens to the radio or reads their junk mail knows. But win-at-all-cost politicos and their campaign managers are only partly responsible. If you're looking for the real culprits, blame the “reformers" — especially Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., whose namesake campaign finance law is largely responsible for the negativity and dishonesty we are seeing in campaigns today. As might have been predicted, this misguided effort to limit political contributions and regulate free speech (which amount to the same thing) simply channeled them into less transparent and less accountable directions, leading to the rise of so-called 527 groups. One, FairJudges.Net is now funding ads in North Carolina's judicial races for largely Democratic candidates.... | |
| |
| | | Where the girls aren't | | Posted Friday, October 27, 2006 7:18:59 AM by Blog57 Team | | Whether it's Pokemon or Nemo, Tarzan or Thomas ? a pocket monster, clownfish, jungle boy or tank engine ? the character is just the beginning of the story when it comes to skewed portrayals of males in kids' movies. Male characters in G-rated movies, whether animated or live action, not only outnumber female characters by a lopsided margin, but they are also portrayed as disconnected and physically aggressive, according to researchers at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. Their report, "G Movies Give Boys a D," is their second in a series based on research commissioned by "See Jane," a program to reduce gender stereotyping in media for children 11 and younger. Actress Geena Davis and Dads & Daughters, a Duluth-based national nonprofit organization, founded the program.... | |
| |
| | | Appraiser values tales | | Posted Monday, October 23, 2006 11:14:21 PM by Blog57 Team | | Of all the objects appraiser Vern Reese has collected over his 71 years, none are more valuable than the wealth of stories he's heard. “You don't get rich buying and selling antiques, but once in awhile you make some interesting money at it," said Reese, who attended an appraisal day on the weekend at St. John Community School. Although he rarely buys and sells anymore, Reese has made some interesting money. He recalled the time when a woman sold him a container full of gold pocket watches for $100 and he sold the first five for $1,500. Another time, a woman brought him a sampler of girl's stitching — a piece of cloth where girls displayed their stitching skills for grading at school — from the mid-1700s. “I took one look at it and said you have a valuable piece of family history here," Reese said.... | |
| |
| | | Show treasures in clever displays | | Posted Sunday, October 22, 2006 1:26:48 PM by Blog57 Team | | The challenge that faces anyone who wants to display collections of little objects is that unless the pieces are artfully arranged, they can make a room feel cluttered. Before you part with a prized collection because you think it doesn't work in your close quarters, consider these possibilities. Collections will allow you to keep your treasures on display while at the same time saving valuable storage space where you might have been tempted to stash them. Put tiny items, such as matchbox covers, shells or coins of modest value, into jars and display them on narrow photo shelves of 3 to 4 inches in depth. .... | |
| |
| | | Bank gives heirloom appraisals | | Posted Friday, October 20, 2006 11:12:26 AM by Blog57 Team | | SAN MATEO ? There were no blockbuster appraisals at an "Antiques Roadshow"-style event Wednesday evening, but there were plenty of interesting stories. Around 80 clients of Borel Private Bank and Trust Co. showed up at the bank with antiques and collectibles to be evaluated by Stephen Turner, an appraiser for Bonhams and Butterfields Auctioneers. Turner appraised the items on the spot, in the manner of the popular PBS television show. Kevin Weir, who owns a Foster City catering business, brought in a silver ring from the Major League Baseball All-Star Game hosted by Cleveland in 1981. His father received the ring, similar to championship rings in professional sports, for serving on a committee that promoted the game. "He was so disconnected from baseball that he didn't even know the game," Weir said of his father, who was a banker.... | |
| |
| |
|
|
