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TIDBITS® LOOKS FOR WILDFLOWERS

by Patricia L. CookExperts estimate that there are over 20,000 species of flow-ering plants in North America, belonging to about 300 dif-ferent families. Wildflowers are the ones that grow in the wild, without cultivation. • There are “native” wildflowers that are indigenous to the

continent and “naturalized” wildflowers that have been introduced from some other part of the world. Native and naturalized wildflowers share a common distinction: They are able to grow on their own in nature.

• Wildflowers grow in cold and hot areas as well as in wet and dry places. Deserts may appear so dry that nothing will grow, but there will still be wildflowers when the conditions are right. Conversely, marshes and swamps ap-pear so wet that flowers can not survive, but they can have wildflowers as well. Many people have attempted to culti-vate wildflower gardens. Some wildflowers are agreeable to this, and others refuse cultivation.

• Wildflowers are varied in looks, growth forms and use-fulness. Some are considered grand in appearance and wanted in home and park gardens, while others are a bane to our lawns and roadsides. Some are unusual with “per-sonalities” that will amaze you.

• Skunk cabbage is a swamp-loving plant that is well named. It blooms in February and March in swampy areas and produces an odd-looking flower before producing any leaves. The flowers resemble pins in a pincushion. When the plant is bruised, it smells awful.

• Native Americans used the orange sap of the bloodroot plant to color or paint their faces for warfare or ceremo-nies and to dye baskets. The flowers on a bloodroot plant are so delicate that it cannot be picked successfully. The petals fall off with the slightest touch or breeze. The sap comes from the stem.

• Mistletoe is a plant we traditionally associate with Christ-mas. Unlike most wildflowers that are rooted in soil, this plant is termed a “semi-parasite” because it draws water and minerals from a host plant. It typically grows on hard-wood trees in the southern United States producing small

Week of March 21, 2011 Vol. 1, Issue 5

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The Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea Quercifolia) has been designated and named as the official state wildflower of Alabama

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Page 2 For Advertising Call 251-285-4116 white berries coated with a sticky substance that is toxic to humans.

• Dodder or Love Vine is unusual because it is a true para-site. Unlike semi-parasitic mistletoe, which produces green leaves, dodder vines are gold in color. Shortly af-ter dodder seeds sprout, root-like structures attach them-selves to a host plant, and the dodder plant draws all of its nourishment from the host plant. Common Dutch clover is a host plant for several dodder species.

• The Southern or evergreen magnolia is emblematic of the Southern states in America. The flower is the State Flower for Louisiana and Mississippi. What some readers may not know is the large size of this flower. Flowers range from 7 to 10 inches across — That’s the size of a dinner plate! Also interesting is that magnolia flowers are pol-linated by beetles.

• Wildflower festivals are popular in many different areas. The 25th Annual Mountain Flower Fine Art & Wine Fes-tival in Dahlonega, Georgia, is held the third weekend in May. The Dahlonega Master Gardeners present wildflow-er displays, walks and tours.

• The Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Oregon also has a Wild-flower Festival in May. Always the Sunday after Mother’s Day, this year’s event will be May 15, 2011. Guided hikes are available, and 300 to 400 species of wildflowers are displayed.

• The Waterton Wildflower Festival is a nine-day event in June at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, across the border from Glacier National Park. Waterton is an International Peace Park and World Heritage Site. Due to the conjunction of prairie and mountain ecosys-tems, the park has a truly unique variety of wildflowers. It is home to more than 50 of Canada’s rarest flowers in-cluding 30 species that aren’t found anywhere else in the world. In fact, Waterton has more flowers than any other mountain park. The festival has educational courses, art exhibits, workshops, hikes and even horseback rides.

• Crested Butte, the official wildflower capital of Colora-do, began hosting a wildflower festival in 1986. Now the week-long celebration has over 200 classes, including art and cooking classes with wildflowers. The 2011 event is set for July 11-17.

• The Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival is a multi-day arts and music festival celebrating its 19th anniversary this year. Held north of Dallas in Richardson, Texas, it got its name from the wildflowers planted throughout the parks, medians and roadsides of Richardson.

• Do you know which United States’ First Lady is consid-ered the “Environmental First Lady”? Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson, otherwise known as Lady Bird, was the wife of the 36th President, Lyndon Johnson. (The nickname was supposedly given to her by a nursemaid when she was a child who said she was “as purty as a lady bird.”)

• While she was First Lady, Mrs. Johnson created the First Lady’s Committee for a More Beautiful Capital. She wanted to create natural landscaping to preserve the beau-ty of the nation’s capital. Later she expanded the program to include the entire nation.

• In 1982, Lady Bird Johnson and actress Helen Hayes founded the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, origi-nally called the National Wildflower Research Center, “to introduce people to the beauty and diversity of wildflow-ers and other native plants.”

• The center in Austin, Texas, has public gardens, wood-lands and meadows and is an internationally influential research center. In 2006, the center became an Organized Research Unit of the University of Texas at Austin.

• Wildflower research has far-reaching implications. One wildflower that has made a huge difference in many lives worldwide is Wild Foxglove, botanically known as Digi-talis purpurea. The medicine derived from this plant is widely used today to treat heart disease. As Lady Bird has said, “Surely there are others like digitalis waiting out there.”

• So, whether you’re canoeing down a stream, hiking in the woods, or observing the median on a road trip, notice the wildflowers. Realize their value to society comes from more than their natural beauty.

1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the first level of Girl Scouts?2. TELEVISION: Who was best known in the role of Alice Kramden in “The Honeymooners”?3. CHEMISTRY: What is the Latin name for iron?4. ANATOMY: Where is the pituitary gland located?5. COMICS: What is the dog’s name in the comic “Dennis the Menace”?6. AD SLOGANS: What product was advertised by the slogan “A little dab’ll do ya!”?7. GEOGRAPHY: What is the Canadian province known by the abbreviation NB?8. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Who said, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”? 9. BIBLE: From which book does the quote, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven,” come?10. MUSIC: Who wrote the song “Diamonds and Rust”?

Answers 1. Daisy 2. Audrey Meadows 3. Ferrum 4. Base of the brain 5. Ruff 6. Brylcreem 7. New Brunswick 8. William James 9. Ecclesiastes 10. Joan Baez

¥ On March 28, 1774, upset by acts of destruction of British property by American colonists, the Brit-ish Parliament enacts the Coercive Acts. The acts in-cluded closing the port of Boston and making British officials immune to criminal prosecution in Massa-chusetts.

¥ On March 30, 1820, Anna Sewell, author of “Black Beauty,” is born. “Black Beauty,” the first signifi-cant children’s story in the English language to fo-cus on animal characters, established the precedent for countless other works. The story, narrated by the horse, showed Black Beauty’s progression through a series of increasingly cruel owners.

¥ On April 2, 1863, responding to acute food short-ages, hundreds of starving women riot in the Con-federate capital of Richmond, Va., demanding that the government release emergency supplies. At one point, Confederate President Jefferson Davis threw his pocket change at the mob from the top of a wagon.

¥ On April 3, 1882, Jesse James, one of America’s most notorious outlaws, is shot to death by fellow gang member Robert Ford, who betrayed James for bounty money. James was shot in the back while his mother cooked breakfast.

¥ On March 31, 1931, Knute Rockne, the legendary Notre Dame football coach, is killed in a plane crash in Kansas. Studebaker decided to name its new line of low-priced vehicles Rockne after the revered coach, agreeing to pay his widow 25 cents for each car sold.

¥ On March 29, 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are convicted of espionage for their role in passing atomic secrets to the Soviets during and after World War II. Supporters claimed that during World War II, Russia had been an ally, not an enemy. The husband and wife were executed in 1953.

¥ On April 1, 1963, the ABC television network airs the premiere episode of “General Hospital,” the day-time drama that would become the network’s most enduring soap opera and the longest-running serial program produced in Hollywood.

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Chicken a la King Casserole

Chicken is an almost universal favorite -- and especially

when served in tasty, easy dishes like this.

1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast

1 (2.5-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 1/2 cups cooked noodles, rinsed and drained

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom

soup

Bacon and Eggs Over Asparagus

Springtime is the peak season for one of our favorite veg-etables: asparagus. Versatile and easy to prepare, asparagus also is high in folic acid and a good source of fiber and po-tassium. With only 4 calories per stalk, it’s a flavor bargain.

Roasting Technique1 pound asparagus1 tablespoon olive oil

Microwave Technique1 pound asparagus1 tablespoon water

Saute Technique1 pound asparagus1 teaspoon butter2 tablespoon water

1. Prep: Rinse asparagus under cold running water before cooking. Remove tough ends by bending at the bottom and snapping off.2. Roast: Preheat oven to 450 F. Spread 1 pound asparagus in a jellyroll pan. Drizzle with a spoonful of olive oil and roast 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Shake pan halfway through.3. Microwave: Place 1 pound asparagus and 1 tablespoon water in glass baking dish. Cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on High 2 minutes; rearrange spears and mi-crowave 2 to 3 minutes longer.4. Saute: In nonstick large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon butter and 2 tablespoons water over medium-high heat until but-ter melts. Add asparagus and cover; reduce heat to medium and cook 4 minutes. Increase to medium-high; cook, un-covered, 3 to 4 minutes or until asparagus is tender and liquid evaporates.

Tips & Techniques: When cooked, asparagus should be fork-tender but not mushy, and still bright green.

Asparagus Three Ways

If you’re worried about breaking the egg yolks, crack each egg, one at a time, into a small cup or bowl before pouring onto the asparagus.

8 slices bacon1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, choppedSaltPepper8 large eggs3 tablespoons packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 475 F. In 18-by-12-inch jellyroll pan, arrange bacon slices in single layer, spacing 1/4 inch apart. Roast 8 to 9 minutes or until browned and crisp. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Drain and discard excess bacon fat in pan, leaving thin film of fat.2. Add asparagus to pan in single layer. Roll in fat until evenly coated. Arrange in tight single layer, with bottoms of spears touching one long side of pan. Sprinkle thyme and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on aspara-gus. Roast 8 to 10 minutes or until asparagus spears are tender and browned.3. Carefully crack eggs, without breaking yolks, directly onto asparagus spears, staggering if necessary and spacing 1/4 inch apart. Carefully return pan to oven. Roast 5 to 6 minutes or until whites are just set and yolks are still runny. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on eggs. Return bacon to pan; sprinkle eggs and asparagus with parsley and dill. To serve, use wide spatula to transfer to serving plates. Serves 4.

¥ Each serving: About 235 calories, 16g total fat (5g satu-rated), 435mg cholesterol, 405mg sodium, 4g total carbo-hydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 18g protein.

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimiento, undrained

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking

dish with butter-flavored cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, mushrooms, peas

and noodles. Add mushroom soup, milk, undrained pi-

miento and parsley flakes. Mix well to combine.

3. Spread mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 25

to 30 minutes. Place baking dish on a wire rack and let

set for 5 minutes. Divide into 4 servings.

¥ Each serving equals: 241 calories, 5g fat, 23g protein,

26g carb., 440mg sodium, 3g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges:

2 Meat, 1 1/2 Starch.

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Commem-orative Coins

Q: I am tempted to purchase something I saw on televi-sion, but thought I would get

your advice first. A company based in Chester, N.Y., has issued com-memorative coins bearing images of the World Trade Center and the U.S.S. New York. They are made with silver retrieved from ground zero after 9/11. The coins are $29.95 each, a price I think will cer-tainly increase in the future. -- Charley, Davenport, IowaA: I would not purchase medals or coins from this company. For starters, the National Collector’s Mint is not affiliated with the Unit-ed States Mint, and the coins they issue are not legal tender but rather what I call “instant collectibles.” Instant collectibles rarely, if ever, increase in value. If you have doubts, talk to people who purchased “limited issue” plates throughout the 1980s and ‘90s and are now trying to sell them.The National Collector’s Mint was cited as recently as 2004 by New York’s attorney general for false advertising and forced to pay $2 million in fines and penalties. The company claims in its television ads that a portion of the profits from the sale of the coins will be used to benefit the Secret Service Uniformed Division Benefits Fund, which on closer examination is a private group that runs a gift shop in Washington, D.C., not an official U.S. agency. Before you decide whether to buy, check out the official Web site of the United States Mint, which has posted a warning about the National Collector’s Mint.

***Q: I have a Coca-Cola calendar from 1899. It depicts a woman sit-ting at a writing table. The text includes the phrases “Delicious and Refreshing,” “Cures Headaches” and “Relives Mental and Physical Exhaustion.” Could you please give me an idea of its value? -- Jean, Salem, Mo.A: Your calendar should be printed on cardboard stock and measure about 7 3/8 by 13 inches. Coca-Cola calendars printed before 1940 are rare and collectible. I found your 1899 calendar in Warman’s Coca-Cola Collectibles: Identification and Price Guide by Allen Pe-tretti (Krause, $24.99). Condition is, of course, extremely important. In good to excellent condition, Petretti values the 1899 Coca-Cola advertising calendar at about $15,000. This is assuming the one you have is an original issue and not a reproduction.

***Write to Larry Cox in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to antiquequestions@aol.com. Due to the large volume of mail he receives, Mr. Cox is unable to personally answer all reader questions. Do not send any materials requiring return mail.

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

junebugmonograms@yahoo.com

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The American Cafe, O'CharleysTexas Roadhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse

Big Ten Tires, Golden CorralRyans, Taco Loco

Claire's Place, Bu­alo Wild WingsChill, Gambino Brothers

Godfathers, Roly-PolyThe UPS Store, Pizza Hut

Walgreens, Grand Bay Community CenterMilton's Honda Shop

Quality Auto Glass & TrimTax Professionals, Pump It Up

Pet Supplies Plus, St. Elmo Feed & SeedContemporary Cuts & Styles

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NASCAR’s 2011 season has been distinguished, so far, by great races. Carl Edwards won the Las Vegas race with help from a pit-road mistake by Tony Stewart. (Getty Images for NASCAR photo)

NASCAR’s Got Its Groove

BackMerle Haggard once noted that, among other examples,

there are “two kinds of babies to hold.”So, too, are there two kinds of great races. Some are great because of the actual events, and some are great because of the nature of the stories. Many races described as great are really just great stories. A classic example was Dale Earnhardt’s only Daytona 500 victory, in 1998. That wasn’t a great race. It was a great story because Earnhardt ended years of adversity and bad luck at a track where his skills were unrivaled.Every race so far this season has been an interesting story.Time may largely forget that the biggest reason Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 -- what put him in position to win -- was a fateful error by David Ragan. Had Ragan not made a crucial error on a restart, his might have been the Cinderella story. Bayne still deserves considerable credit for making the right strategic move -- stifling Carl Edwards’ advance -- with the race on the line and most expecting him to mess up.From this viewpoint, the best race so far was in Phoenix, where Jeff Gordon ended his long winless streak. That race had the kind of ebb and flow, with various drivers rising and falling and rising again, that makes for a good race.The most interesting aspect of Las Vegas was an uncom-mon development. A mistake with more than 100 laps re-

maining ended up playing a prominent role in Edwards’ victory and Tony Stewart’s defeat. In an age in which drivers routinely come from two laps down to win, tak-ing advantage of rather liberal NASCAR rules, a pit-road mistake doesn’t cost a driver a race very often.This season will produce great races, too. They’ve al-ready occurred unofficially in the Budweiser Shootout and Daytona’s two qualifying races.The mood around the sport is upbeat, and it’s almost as if NASCAR’s luck has turned for the better. The victory of a 20-year-old unknown in the sport’s biggest race is quite a contrast to a nationally televised 2010 version marred by faulty pavement.The effect of each race so far has been to create addition-al interest in the next one. In short, NASCAR is building momentum again.

Get ready, your favorite stars may be back on the small screen next season, if their pilot shows are picked up. “24” star Kiefer Sutherland is shooting “Touch” for Fox; Minnie Driver, last on Fox in “The Riches,” is in “Hail Mary” for CBS; and Chris-tine Lahti, of “Chicago Hope,” is returning in “The Doctor” at CBS. Tim Allen, who has been making movies since “Home Improvement” ended, is shooting an untitled pilot for ABC.Three years ago we endured strikes from the Writer’s Guild and

the Screen Actor’s Guild that crippled the entertainment industry. TV networks thought reality shows would save the day and that viewers would watch any reality show thrown at them. Real-ity shows outnumbered sitcoms and dramas, and actors had little or no work. Flash forward to today, as the networks have found that viewers won’t watch reality-show reruns the way they do sitcoms and dramas. With fewer shows to sell into syndication, their profits have taken a huge hit.Also shooting a new series pilot, “Ringer,” is Sarah Michelle Gellar of “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” along with “Lost’s” Nester Carbonell, at CBS. “Alcatraz” is described as “a time-traveling series” with “Lost’s” Jorge Garcia, “ER” alum Parminder Nagra, Sam Neill of “The Tudors,” and Robert Forster of “Jackie Brown” fame. In addition, Debra Messing of “Will & Grace” will be back at NBC in “Smash,” “Grease” star Stockard Channing headlines “17th Pre-cinct,” Ed Begley Jr. of “Chicago Hope” toplines “Brave New World,” Ethan Hawke is shooting “Exit Strategy,” “Dawson Creek’s” James Van Der Beek is starring in “Apartment 23,” and “Friday Night Lights” star Adrianne Palicki is taking over for Lynda Carter as the new “Wonder Woman.”Everywhere you look you see Justin Bieber. Sports events, news shows, talk shows and even commercials with Ozzie Osbourne. Wherever he goes, screaming young girls are sure to be close. Imagine finding Justin Bieber in the booth across from me at the International House of Pancakes in West Hollywood. Outside of the service staff being photographed with him, he came and went unnoticed, but then who would expect to see him at the IHOP!The next day, in Beverly Hills, at Larry King’s favorite deli, Nate ‘N Al’s, I found myself seated next to CBS President Les Moonves and his wife, Julie Chen, hav-ing breakfast with their little boy. Numerous people, one after another, came to his table suggesting he fire Charlie Sheen. I just bit my tongue, but I now have the perfect solution: replace Charlie Sheen on “Two and a Half Men” and give him his own reality series ... that is one reality show even I would watch! PHOTO: Kiefer Sutherland

1. Who is Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero? What was the name of her first U.S. No. 1 hit?2. Which solo artist wrote and released “Blame It on the Boogie” before the Jacksons did?3. Who released “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” and when?4. Name the band that released “I’ll Be There for You.”5. What was the original band name of Tavares, aka

The Tavares Brothers?6. Who first sang “A Lover’s Question,” written by Brook Benton and Clyde Otis?

Answers 1. Connie Francis. Her first No. 1 hit was “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” followed im-mediately by “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” in 1960. 2. The song was written and released by English artist Mick Jackson (no relation) in 1978. The Jacksons’ version did better on the charts, but not much. 3. Jackie Wilson, in 1967. Rita Coolidge followed with her own cover of the song in 1977. 4. Bon Jovi, in 1988. The song was the New Jersey group’s final No. 1 hit. 5. Chubby and the Turnpikes in 1959. Their first R&B No. 1 was a 1974 cover of “She’s Gone,” written by Daryl Hall and John Oates. 6. Clyde McPhatter, in 1958. Country music singers Del Reeves and Jacky Ward had successful remakes of the song in the 1970s.

Mobile Boat ShowMarch, 18-20 – Mobile Convention Center

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American Red Cross Gumbo Cook- O� March, 19 – Bienville Square-11a.m. -3p.m.

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Mobile Historic Homes TourMarch, 18 & 19

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Gulf Coast Home & Remodeling ShowMarch, 19 & 20 / 10am - 5pm

Greater Gulf State FairgroundsMore Info: 661-6523

Festival of FlowersMarch, 24 - 27 / 10am - 5pm

Providence HospitalMore Info: 639-2050

34th Annual Azalea Trail RunMarch 26th

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¥ It was Kurt Vonnegut, one of the most influential writ-ers of the 20th century, who made the following sage ob-servation: “There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope they are organized along the lines of the Mafia.” ¥ That cork you pulled out of your wine bottle was made from the bark of a tree. The cork oak has to grow for 25 years before any cork is harvested, and then it’s stripped only every 10 years thereafter. ¥ If you can predict the future by watching the flight pat-terns of birds, you are engaging in ornithomancy. ¥ The coldest place on earth is a place known only as Ridge A in Antarctica. The average winter temperature there is -94 degrees F. ¥ According to archaeological research, the bikini is nothing new; evidence has been found that the two-piece garment was worn in parts of Italy as early as 2000 B.C.

¥ In 1950, 70 percent of all the cars, buses and trucks in the world could be found in the United States.

¥ According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average television screen in United States homes is growing by 1 inch every year. ¥ It was Ambrose Bierce, in his “Devil’s Dictionary,” who defined “admiration” as “our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves.” ¥ Ever wonder why magazine publisher Hugh Hefner chose a rabbit as the symbol of his Playboy magazine? Evidently, when the mogul was a small boy, one of his treasured possessions was a blanket with bunnies all over it.***Thought for the Day: “I’ve done the calculation, and your chances of winning the lottery are identical wheth-er you play or not.” -- Fran Lebowitz

For Advertising Call 251-680-7052 Page 7PARK IT HERE!

For years, cities have had to come up with solutions for

parking cars to allow access for employees and people do-

ing business as well as for visitors and tourists.

• Whether called a car park, parking garage, parking struc-

ture, parking ramp, parking deck, parkade or some other

name, buildings equipped to hold lots of cars have be-

come a necessity for crowded cities. Unique parking

structures are found in cities around the world. Architects

have not only worked to solve parking problems but have

designed some memorable structures.

• One of the earliest, if not the earliest, parking garages

was the Botanic Gardens Garage in Glasgow, Scotland,

built between 1906 and 1912. It had cages for the cars and

a distinctive façade of green and white glazed terracotta

tiles. Preservationists have been fighting to keep it from

demolition.

• The first known multi-story car structure in the United

States was built in 1918 for the Hotel LaSalle in Chicago.

It was demolished in 2005.

• Designers of those first parking structures would be as-

tonished at the size, design and automation available today.

• Volkswagen’s Autostadt in Woofsburg, Germany, is an

amusement park based on an automotive theme as well as

a place to purchase a new car. It includes a car museum,

car-factory tours, driving courses and more. Two 20-story

car silos housing 800 new Volkswagens are attention-

grabbing sites. If you decide to buy, a central robotic arm

will travel up the tower and deliver your car to you with

an odometer that reads zero. It is possible for six people

to travel up the silo in the same way the cars do for a view

of the towers’ interior.

• A parking area combined with shopping, restaurants, etc.

in Tokyo Bay is quite a tourist destination. Even though

it is expensive to access by toll, the Umihotaru, “floating

car park,” is a must see. Its design resembles a cruise ship,

and it is built on an artificial island where Japan’s longest

tunnel, the Aqualine, ends and becomes a bridge.

• Another parking structure connected to water is Marina

City on the Chicago River in Chicago that was built to dis-

courage city residents from moving to the suburbs. Two

65-story towers that were part of the complex and com-

pleted in 1964 contain 18 floors for parking. Each tower

of the “corncob” structure accommodates 450 autos.

• Turning from water to books, the “Community Book-

shelf” parking garage for the Central Library in Kansas

City, Missouri, looks like a row of books on a library

shelf. The south wall of the garage is designed with sign-

board mylar book spines measuring 25 feet by 9 feet (7.6

m x 2.7 m). The books showcased are 22 titles that were

suggested by readers.

• Cologne, Germany, has Europe’s longest parking struc-

ture. Rheinauhafen is a parking tunnel that is 2.5 miles (4

km) long with three strategically placed entrances.

• The Michigan Theater in Detroit, Michigan, is another

unusual parking garage. Originally a grand theater built in

1926 on the site where Henry Ford built his first automo-

bile, it was scheduled for demolition in 1976. Engineers

saved the historic building by redesigning it into a three-

story garage.

• R. Omar Barker said it well in 1946: “Here lies an urban

gentleman, who failed to make his mark, he died with his

lifetime squandered, hunting some place to park!”

Page 8 For Advertising Call 251-285-4116

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ALL MY CHILDRENAngie returned to Pine Valley and asked Jake and Amanda to be her baby’s godparents. Madison apologized to Ryan for not telling him sooner that he was her unborn child’s father.

Jake defended Cara when her professionalism was called into question. Ricky found Zach’s letter stashed away in Griffin’s bag. Emma blamed Ryan after a delusional An-nie was taken away by the authorities. Wait to See: The bachelors of Pine Valley are up for auction.

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFULStephanie and Brooke were back to being enemies again. Thomas told Ridge the real reason why he made a move on Brooke. Taylor was excited to be Stephanie’s clos-est ally again. Thomas went against Ridge’s orders and made a shocking announcement at a press conference. Madison mistakenly leaked one of Forrester’s secrets. Taylor relished the fact that Ridge and Brooke’s mar-riage was coming to an end. Wait to See: Nick receives a surprising phone call.

DAYS OF OUR LIVESEJ couldn’t help himself and finally kissed Taylor. Im-poster Rafe found an old photo of himself at the police station. Gabi recognized the thief on the surveillance footage as her brother, Dario. Jennifer and Daniel dis-covered they had a lot in common, as they were both go-ing through a divorce. Nathan accepted a job at a hospi-tal out of town. Sami was shocked by Rafe’s temper after she told him that Dario was moving in with them. Wait to See: Vivian is determined to find out Stefano’s secret.

GENERAL HOSPITALJason discovered that Johnny was the one who set off the car bomb that almost killed Sam. Michael was deter-mined to prove that he had what it takes to be a member of his father’s organization. Sam got a blinding headache while searching for the Balkan alone. Elizabeth received Aidan’s DNA test results. Josslyn was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Meanwhile, tragedy stuck again in Port Charles when Elizabeth’s son Jake was hit by a car. Wait to See: Suzanne tells Theo where he can find their grand-son.

ONE LIFE TO LIVETess witnessed a kiss between Charlie and Echo. Todd hovered between life and death after the shooting. Dorian advised Langston to get over Ford since he was busy with Tess. Aubrey allowed Rama to live at the man-sion in exchange for her silence. Shane kept Gigi in the dark about Jack. Clint was arrested during Ryder’s cus-tody hearing. David did everything he could to get back to Llanview. Wait to See: Joey learns about Aubrey’s past with Ford.

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESSThe police arrived at Sharon’s house to arrest Adam for perjury. Phyllis secretly boarded a plane to Thailand to search for Adam. Meanwhile, Adam had some hard questions for Koa about Skye. Chance received a threat-ening message warning him not to testify or Heather would be killed. Jana went to a church looking for in-formation on Daisy’s baby. Wait to See: Abby gets in trouble with the law.

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