Thank you, Findlay High School Hockey Team, for helping move a donation of granite countertops!

Without your help, the donation to Habitat for Humanity could not have been accepted.

TU

ESD

AY,

DE

CE

MB

ER

27,

201

6T

he C

ouri

er •

BIR

TH

DA

YS

• A

NN

IVE

RSA

RIE

S •

RE

TIR

EM

EN

TS

• G

RA

DU

AT

ION

S •

NE

W A

RR

IVA

LS

BIR

TH

DA

YS

• A

NN

IVE

RSA

RIE

S •

RE

TIR

EM

EN

TS

• G

RA

DU

AT

ION

S •

NE

W A

RR

IVA

LS

BIR

TH

DA

YS

• A

NN

IVE

RSA

RIE

S •

RE

TIR

EM

EN

TS

• G

RA

DU

AT

ION

S •

NE

W A

RR

IVA

LS

Guidelines For Your ‘Celebrations!’Welcome to Celebrations!, the place for your non-com-

mercial announcements of nearly every kind. We encour-age you to write your own announcement, but we can help you with a traditional one.

When? Celebrations! is published Tuesdays. Your an-nouncement will appear in one Celebrations! printed edi-tion, and online at www. thecourier.com for one week.

Your deadline is 3 p.m. Wednesdays, at The Courier, for the following Tuesday’s edition. Earlier is always better.

A form is helpful, but not necessary. You can pick one up at The Courier, 701 West Sandusky St., Findlay, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; download a PDF from www.thecouri-er.com/celebrations, or call Celebrations! at 419-422-5151 and we’ll work with you. For engagements, weddings and anniversaries, you can submit forms online, with payment following. See www.thecourier.com/celebrations.

How big and how much? Use a ruler to help.• 1 column (2 in) x 5.5 inches: $30.• 2 columns (4.1 in) x 2.75 inches: $30.• 1 column x 11 inches: $50.• 2 columns x 5.5 inches: $50.• 2 columns x 11 inches: $90.• 4 columns (8.4 in) x 5.5 inches: $90.• Half page, 5 col. (10.5 in) x 5.5 inches: $105.• Front page, full color, 1/4 Page ad: $85.• Center pages available in full color, call for informa-

tion• Additional art (special borders, symbols): $5 per an-

nouncement.Good photos wanted. Photos should be at least wallet-

sized. Glossies help. Prints can be emailed, mailed, dropped off, or put in the mailbox near our front door. Photos for weddings, engagements and anniversaries can be submit-ted online. Photos will be returned by mail with your self-addressed, stamped envelope; or pick them up within two weeks or they may be discarded. The Courier assumes no liability for your photos. A limited number of color photo

opportunities are available in Celebrations! Want a lot more impact? Put your photo on the cover of

the print and online editions, and we’ll publish your infor-mation inside for free.

Legal stuff. Poems and copyrighted photos must includethe creator’s name and permission to reprint. We can rejectany announcement for any reason. This edition is copyright-ed by Findlay Publishing Co., which reserves all rights.

Special pricing for ANY active Duty Military Celebra-tions! ads. Front page of Celebrations! - ½ off, plus freeinside ad up to 11”.

Scholarships and academic honors, including dean’s listhonors announced by students, relatives or friends, should be placed in Celebrations! Scholarships announced by civ-ic and other organizations are treated as news stories.

We will print free, very-short announcements of en-gagements, weddings, anniversaries (50, 55, 60 years, etc.), birthdays (90 years or older), and dean’s list honors and graduations. They should be mailed or e-mailed to celebrations@thecourier.com. Examples:

Engagement: Jane Smith, of Findlay, and John Doe, of Philadelphia, plan to marry Sept. 14 at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Cape May Point, N.J.

Wedding: Jane Smith and John Doe, of Philadelphia, weremarried Sept. 14 in Cape May Point, N.J. She is formerly of Findlay.

Anniversary: John and Jane Doe of Findlay will celebratetheir 60th wedding anniversary on Sept. 14.

Birthday: Jane Doe of Findlay will celebrate her 90th birthday on Sunday.

Dean’s list: John Doe Jr., Findlay, son of John and JaneDoe, University of Findlay.

Businesses should contact their Courier advertising con-sultant.

Questions? Please call Celebrations! at 419-422-5151 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, or e-mailcelebrations@thecourier.com.

Recently born at Blanchard Valley Hospital, Findlay, as reported by their parents:

• Aubree Marie Sieber, girl, Colton Sieber and Allison Haslinger, Findlay, Dec. 13.

• HenryMax C. Salazar, boy, Cory Salazar and Desiree Stahl, Findlay, Dec. 14.

• Everett Gregory Kuns, boy, Roger and Keisha Kuns, Fremont, Dec. 14.

• Brody Adam Sherick, boy, Brian and Briana Sherick, Findlay, Dec. 15.

• Raelynn Nicole Leupp, girl, Maxwell and Kelly Leupp, Findlay, Dec. 15.

• Tucker Lucas Bowman, boy, Ryan and Ashley Bowman, Deshler, Dec. 16.

• Weston James Rettig, boy, Jesse A. and Rosalyn L. Rettig, Rawson, Dec. 17.

• Natalie Kate Green, girl, Kris

and Bethany Green, Findlay, Dec. 17.• Violet Renee Johnson, girl,

Riana Lyn Johnson, Dunkirk, Dec. 17.• Raelynn Noelle Hoker, girl,

Blake Hoker and Toriy Cooper, Fos-toria, Dec. 19.

• Zylenn Skye Nunez, boy, Peter Moses Nunez and Shaylee Renee St. Clair, Fostoria, Dec. 19.

• Parxton William Brinkman, boy, Greg and Tricia Brinkman, Ottawa, Dec. 20.

• Elena Grace Martin, girl, Paul and Tina Martin, Findlay, Dec. 20.

• Nova Treasure Lincoln, girl, Jake Leary and Madison Lincoln, North Baltimore, Dec. 20.

• Grayson John Downs, boy, Damien Downs and Kirsten Kelly, Findlay, Dec. 20.

• Adrian Salazar, boy, Genaro and Nichole Salazar, Findlay, Dec. 20.

• Elijah Ivy Samiur Morgan, boy, Natonya Morgan, Findlay, Dec. 20.

CELEBR ATIONS ! THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016T2

This week’s celebrity birthdays include:

Sunday: Singer John Edwards of The Spin-

ners is 72. Singer Jimmy Buffett is 70. Country singer Barbara Man-drell is 68. Actress Sissy Spacek is 67. Actress CCH Pounder is 64. Singer Annie Lennox is 62. Singer Steve Wariner is 62. Guitarist Robin Campbell of UB40 is 62. Singer Shane McGowan (The Popes, the Pogues) is 59. Guitarist Noel Hogan of The Cranberries is 45. Singer Dido is 45. Singer Mac Powell of Third Day is 44. Country singer Alecia Elliott is 34. Singer Jess and Lisa Origliasso of The Veronicas are 32.

Yesterday: Actor Donald Moffat (“Clear and

Present Danger”) is 86. Actor Caroll Spinney (Big Bird on “Sesame Street”) is 83. Singer Abdul “Duke” Fakir of The Four Tops is 81. Record producer Phil Spector is 77. “America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh is 71. Keyboardist Bob Carpenter with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is 70. Humorist David Sedaris is 60. Drummer James Kottak of Scor-pions is 54. Drummer Brian Westrum of Sons of the Desert is 54. Drum-mer Lars Ulrich of Metallica is 53. Country singer Audrey Wiggins is 49.

Guitarist J (White Zombie) is 49. Gui-tarist Peter Klett of Candlebox is 47. Singer James Mercer of The Shins is 46. Actor-singer Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars is 45. Singer Chris Daughtry (“American Idol”) is 37. Actress Beth Behrs (“2 Broke Girls”) is 31. Actor Kit Harington (“Game of Thrones”) is 30. Actress Eden Sher (“The Middle”) is 25. Singer Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix is 24.

Today: Actor John Amos is 77. ABC

News correspondent Cokie Rob-erts is 73. Guitarist Mick Jones of Foreigner is 72. Singer Tracy Nelson is 72. Actor Gerard Depardieu is 68. Actress Tovah Feldshuh is 64. Guitar-ist David Knopfler of Dire Straits is 64. Drummer Jeff Bryant (Ricochet) is 54. Actor Ian Gomez (“Felicity,” “The Drew Carey Show”) is 52. Actress Eva LaRue (“CSI: Miami”) is 50. Bass-ist Darrin Vincent of Dailey and Vincent is 47. Guitarist Matt Slocum of Sixpence None the Richer is 44. Actor Masi Oka (“Hawaii Five-O”) is 42. Actress Emilie de Ravin (”Once Upon a Time,” “Lost”) is 35. Guitarist James Mead of Kutless is 34. Singer Hayley Williams of Paramore is 28. Singer Shay Mooney of Dan and Shay is 25.

Tomorrow:

Comic book creator Stan Lee is 94. Actress Nichelle Nichols (“Star Trek”) is 84. Actress Maggie Smith is 82. Saxophonist Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers is 78. Singer-keyboardist Edgar Winter is 70. Actor Denzel Washington is 62. Country singer Joe Diffie is 58. Drum-mer Mike McGuire of Shenandoah is 58. Actor Chad McQueen (the “Karate Kid” films) is 56. Country singer-gui-tarist Marty Roe of Diamond Rio is 56. Actor Malcolm Gets (“Caroline in the City”) is 52. Comedian Seth Meyers is 43. Actor Joe Mangani-ello (“True Blood”) is 40. Singer John Legend is 38. Actor Andre Holland (“Selma”) is 37. Actress Sienna Miller is 35. Actress Mack-enzie Rosman (“7th Heaven”) is 27. “American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta is 26. Actor Miles Brown (“Black-ish”) is 12.

Thursday: Actress Mary Tyler Moore is

80. Actor Jon Voight is 78. Coun-try singer Ed Bruce is 77. Flutist Ray Thomas (Moody Blues) is 75. Singer Marianne Faithfull is 70. Actor Ted Danson is 69. Singer-actress Yvonne Elliman is 65. Actress Patricia Clarkson is 57. Comedian

Happy birthday to all

See BIRTHDAYS, Page T3By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Best-selling books for the week ended Dec. 18, according to the Wall Street Journal.

FICTION 1. “Double Down: Diary of a

Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) 2. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to

Find Them: The Original Screenplay” by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine)

3. “The Whistler” by John Grisham (Doubleday)

4. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two” by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany (Scholastic)

5. “Take Heart, My Child” by Ain-sley Earhardt (Aladdin)

6. “Tales from a Not-So-Friendly-Frenemy” by Rachel Renee Russell (Aladdin)

7. “Cross the Line” by James Pat-terson (Little, Brown)

8. “Two by Two” by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)

9. “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday Books)

10. “How the Grinch Stole Christ-mas!” by Dr. Seuss (Random House Children’s Books)

NONFICTION 1. “Killing the Rising Sun” by Bill

O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (Henry Holt & Company)

2. “The Magnolia Story” by Chip and Joanna Gaines (Thomas Nelson)

3. “Jesus Always” by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson)

4. “The Undoing Project” by Michael Lewis (W .W.Norton & Com-

pany) 5. “Born to Run” by Bruce Spring-

steen (Simon & Schuster) 6. “Guinness World Records 2017”

by Guinness World Records Limited (Guinness World Records)

7. “Settle for More” by Megyn Kelly (Harper)

8. “Cooking for Jeffrey” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)

9. “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance (Harper)

10. “Tools of Titans” by Timothy Ferriss (Houghton Mifflin)

FICTION E-BOOKS 1. “The Seventh Plague” by James

Rollins (HarperCollins Publishers) 2. “Alaska” by James A. Michener

(Random House Publishing Group) 3. “Light After Dark” by Marie

Force (Marie Force) 4. “The Whistler” by John Grisham

(Knopf Doubleday) 5. “Cross the Line” by James Pat-

terson (Little, Brown) 6. “No Man’s Land” by David Bal-

dacci (Grand Central Publishing) 7. “Max” by Sawyer Bennett

(Random House Publishing Group) 8. “Naughty Boss” by Whitney G.

(Whitney G.) 9. “Night School” by Lee Child

(Random House Publishing Group) 10. “Dark Crime” by Christine

Feehan (Penguin Publishing Group) NONFICTION E-BOOKS 1. “Settle For More” by Megyn

Kelly (HarperCollins Publishers) 2. “The Undoing Project” by

Michael Lewis (W. W.Norton)

The best-sellers list

See BOOKS, Page T4

CELEBR ATIONS !THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 T3

Paula Poundstone is 57. Guitarist-singer Jim Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain is 55. Actor Michael Cudlitz (“The Walking Dead”) is 52. Singer Dexter Holland of The Offspring is 51. Singer-guitarist Glen Phil-lips (Toad the Wet Sprocket) is 46. Actor Kevin Weisman (“Alias”) is 46. Actor Jude Law is 44. Actress Maria Dizzia (“Orange Is the New Black”) is 42. Actor Mekhi Phifer is 42. Actor Shawn Hatosy (“Reckless,” “The Fac-ulty”) is 41. Country singer Jessica Andrews is 33. Actress Jane Levy (“Suburgatory”) is 27.

Friday: Actor Joseph Bologna is 82. Actor

Russ Tamblyn is 82. Singer Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary is 79. Director James Burrows (”Cheers,” “Taxi”) is 76. Actor Fred Ward (“The Right Stuff”) is 74. Singer Mike Nesmith of The Monkees is 74. Singer Patti Smith is 70. Musician Jeff Lynne is 69. TV host Meredith Vieira (“Today,” “The View”) is 63. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Moesha”) is 61. Country singer Suzy Bogguss is 60. Actress Patricia Kalembar (“Sisters”) is 60. “Today” show anchor Matt Lauer is 59. Actress-comedian Tracey Ullman is 57. TV host Sean Hannity is 55. Singer Jay Kay of Jamiroquai is 47. Drummer Byron McMackin of

Pennywise is 47. Actress Meredith Monroe (“Dawson’s Creek”) is 47. Actor Jason Behr (“The Grudge,” “Roswell”) is 43. Actress Lucy Punch (“Ben and Kate”) is 39. Singer-actor Tyrese is 38. Actress Eliza Dushku (“Dollhouse,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) is 36. Guitarist Tim Lopez of Plain White T’s is 36. Actress Kristin Kreuk (“Smallville”) is 34. Singer-guitarist Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers is 34. Singer Andra Day is 32. Singer Ellie Goulding is 30. Actress Caity Lotz (“DC’s Leg-ends of Tomorrow”) is 30. Drummer Jamie Follese of Hot Chelle Rae is 25.

Saturday: Actor Anthony Hopkins is 79.

Actress Sarah Miles is 75. Guitar-ist Andy Summers of The Police is 74. Actor Ben Kingsley is 73. Actor Tim Matheson is 69. Singer Burton Cummings of The Guess Who is 69. Bassist Tom Hamilton of Aero-smith is 65. Actor James Remar (“Dexter”) is 63. Actress Bebe Neuwirth (“Cheers”) is 58. Singer Paul Westerberg is 57. Actor Val Kilmer is 57. Guitarist Ric Ivanisev-ich of Oleander is 54. Guitarist Scott Ian of Anthrax is 53. Actor Lance Reddick (“Fringe,” “The Wire”) is 47. Singer-actor Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block is 44. Cellist Mikko Siren of Apocalyptica is 41. Singer Psy is 39. Drummer Bob Bryar (My Chemical Romance) is 37. Actor Erich Bergen (“Madam Secretary,” “Jersey Boys”) is 31. Musician Drew Taggart of The Chainsmokers is 27.

BirthdaysContinued from page T2

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is from a series written from 1959 to 1974 by the late R.L. Heminger, pub-lisher and editor of The Courier.

By R.L. HEMINGERNevin O. Winter, of Toledo, wrote

a history of northwestern Ohio some years ago and included in his volume articles relating to historical accounts of various counties making up this area of the Buckeye state. Among them was Hancock.

Dr. Jacob A. Kimmell, a Findlay physician and former member of the Ohio Legislature from Hancock County, as well as the author of a his-tory of Hancock County, contributed the historical article with regard to Hancock.

The doctor-historian included some especially interesting phases of Hancock County history. Among them were these items:

• When the vil lage of Van

Buren was laid out in 1833, it was designed after the style of Spanish towns, with its open square and main streets in the form of a cross. Van Buren was the second Hancock County village laid out, only a few years after Mount Blanchard. The third was Williamstown.

• When Jean Jacques Blanchard, the French tailor who lived with the Indians and for whom the Blanchard River is named, died in 1802, he was buried in a grave over which Fort Findlay was later to be built in the War of 1812. This places his grave within the small area bounded by South Main and West Front streets, a long the stream which bears Blanchard’s name.

Dr. Kimmell described Blanchard as “tailor by trade, friendly by dis-position and non-communicative by choice.” He spoke Parisian French and had an acquaintance with Greek and Latin. He married an Indian

squaw, and the couple had a dozen sons and daughters. One of the sons became a chief of an Indian tribe subsequently.

No “takers” have come forward to take advantage of the offer made by a Paul Shultz, of Otwater, Ohio, recently (1970) in a letter to Roy Carlson, executive vice-president of the Findlay Area Chamber of Com-merce, with regard to Blanchard.

The writer said he was convinced Blanchard left a treasure consisting of two brass-bound chests of silver and gold coins along the Blanchard River somewhere in this locality. He wanted the Chamber executive to help him find them. He said he had ultra-sensitive instruments which he could bring to Findlay to help locate the treasure, if an idea could be developed generally as to where Blanchard might have deposited them.

• When the Indians buried one of their number in what is known as Indian Green, west of Findlay along

U.S. 224, they deposited jewels of some kind in the grave with the body so that the dead braves would have some means with which to purchase their share of “goodies” in the happy hunting ground. Once a white man robbed one of those graves of its jewels and the Indians discovered what had happened to them and later learned who the culprit was. They chased him out of the area, after making life miserable for him for a while.

• There may have been a battle at Indian Green. Some historians have asserted that Gen. Mad Anthony Wayne gave the Indians a startling surprise on his way to and from the Battle of the Maumee in 1794. But others believe he moved straight north from Greenville to Fort Recov-ery, thence to the junction of the Maumee and Auglaize at Defiance where he built a fort, and thence down the Maumee to the rapids near Maumee where he defeated the Indi-ans, and then returned to Greenville

by the same route.It is probable, according to Dr.

Kimmell, that either Wayne’s entire army or some portion of it came far enough east on their march back from the Battle of the Maumee to reach “Indian Green” and may have had an encounter with the red men, doubtless to the disadvantage of the latter.

Indian Green is located on U.S. 224 just east of the junction with Ohio 186 (McComb Road).

Phases of Hancock County historyincluded in articles about the Buckeye state

College CornerThe following are students have

recently been named to the dean’s list:• Nicholas R. Sammet, son of

Robb and Lorraine Sammet, of Find-lay, University of Northwestern Ohio.

• Kristen Buck, daughter of Randy and Julie Buck of McComb, University of Northwestern Ohio.

Carl & VeraReickenbaugh

Carl and Vera Reickenbaugh, Findlay, OH, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on December 29, 2016.

Carl and the former Vera Bowser were married December 29, 1956 at Immaculate Conception Church, Deshler, OH.

Mr. Reickenbaugh is retired from Allied-Signal, Fostoria. Mrs. Reickenbaugh is a housewife.

The couple has fi ve children: Reva, Findlay; John, Findlay; Rona, Bloomdale; Richard, Arcadia; and Robert, Findlay. They also have twelve grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Please help celebrate their anniversary with a card shower. Please send cards to: 1421 Bernard Ave., Findlay, OH 45840.

ANNIVERSARY

Fenstermaker-MartinSarah Fenstermaker of St. Marys

(formerly of Leipsic) and Cody Martin of St. Marys were married June 4, 2016 at First Church of the Nazarene in St. Marys.

The bride is the daughter of David & Kathy Fenstermaker of Leipsic. She is a 2009 graduate of Pandora-Gilboa High School and a 2014 graduate of Brown Mackie College in Findlay. Sarah is currently employed at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital as a certifi ed Surgical Technologist.

The groom is the son of Richard & Judith Martin of St. Marys. He is a 2010 graduate of St. Marys Memorial and a 2013 graduate of Rhodes State College. Cody is currently a sales repat 7-Up.

The couple honeymooned in St. Lucia & reside in St. Marys.

WEDDING

Jerry and Sue Smith, of McComb, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve.

Smith and the former Susan Rader were married December 24, 1966, at McComb Church of Christ, McComb, Ohio.

The couple’s children are Dean (Karen) Smith of Deshler, and Craig Smith of McComb. They have one grandson, Aaron Smith, of Deshler.

Smith is a retired tire builder for Cooper Tire & Rubber Company,

and Mrs. Smith is a retired school bus driver for McComb Local Schools. They are members of the McComb Church of Christ.

They have been operating their family business, Sue’s Miniatures and Collectibles, for the past 30 years. The couple also enjoys spending time with their family and attending local sporting events as well as their grandson’s activities.

The family is planning a celebration after the holidays.

Jerry & Sue Smith

ANNIVERSARY

CELEBR ATIONS ! THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016T4

3. “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance (Harper)

4. “Tools of Titans” by Timothy Ferriss (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

5. “Nothing to Envy” by Barbara Demick (Random House Publishing Group)

6. “Killing the Rising Sun” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (Henry Holt & Company)

7. “Let’s Take the Long Way Home” by Gail Caldwell (Random House Pub-lishing Group)

8. “The Insulin Resistance Diet and Plan & Cookbook” by Tara Spen-cer (Tara Spencer)

9. “Sh*t My Dad Says” by Justin Halpern (HarperCollins Publishers)

10. “Antifragile” by Nicholas Taleb Nassim (Random House Publishing Group)

Nielsen BookScan gathers point-of-sale book data from about 16,000 locations across the U.S., represent-ing about 85 percent of the nation’s book sales. Print-book data providers include all major booksellers and Web retailers, and food stores. E-book data providers include all major e-book retailers. Free e-books and those sold for less than 99 cents are excluded. The fiction and nonfiction lists in all formats include both adult and juve-nile titles; the business list includes only adult titles. The combined lists track sales by title across all print and e-book formats; audio books are excluded. Refer questions to Michael.Boone@wsj.com.

BooksContinued from page T2

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 27, the 362nd day of 2016. There are four days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history: On Dec. 27, 1904, James Bar-

rie’s play “Peter Pan: The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” opened at the Duke of York’s Theater in London.

On this date: In 1831, naturalist Charles Darwin

set out on a round-the-world voyage aboard the HMS Beagle.

In 1927, the musical play “Show Boat,” with music by Jerome Kern and libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II, opened at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York.

In 1932, New York City’s Radio City Music Hall first opened.

In 1945, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund were formally established.

In 1947, the original version of the puppet character Howdy Doody made his TV debut on NBC’s “Puppet Play-house.”

In 1949, Queen Juliana of the Neth-erlands signed an act recognizing Indo-nesia’s sovereignty after more than three centuries of Dutch rule.

In 1968, Apollo 8 and its three astronauts made a safe, nighttime splashdown in the Pacific.

In 1970, the musical play “Hello, Dolly!” closed on Broadway after a run of 2,844 performances.

In 1979, Soviet forces seized control of Afghanistan. President Hafizullah Amin, who was overthrown and exe-cuted, was replaced by Babrak Karmal.

In 1985, Palestinian guerrillas opened fire inside the Rome and Vienna airports; 19 victims were killed, plus four attackers who were slain by police and security personnel. American naturalist Dian Fossey, 53, who had studied gorillas in the wild in Rwanda, was found hacked to death.

In 1995, Israeli jeeps sped out of the West Bank town of Ramallah, capping a seven-week pullout giving Yasser Arafat control over 90 percent of the West Bank’s one million Palestinian residents and one-third of its land.

In 2007, opposition leader Benazir

Bhutto was assassinated during a sui-cide bomb attack in Pakistan following a campaign rally.

Ten years ago: Saddam Hussein urged Iraqis to

embrace “brotherly coexistence” and not to hate U.S.-led foreign troops in a goodbye letter posted on a website a day after Iraq’s highest court upheld his death sentence.

Former Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards jumped into the presidential race a day earlier than he’d planned after his campaign accidentally went live with his election website a day before his scheduled announcement.

Five years ago: Tens of thousands of defiant Syrian

protesters thronged the streets of Homs, calling for the execution of President Bashar Assad shortly after his army pulled its tanks back and allowed Arab League monitors in for the first time to the city at the heart of the anti-government uprising.

Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a conservative Democrat, said he would retire from the Senate rather than seek a third term.

Abstract expressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler, 83, known for her bold, lyrical use of color, died in Darien, Connecticut.

One year ago: British Prime Minister David Cam-

eron sent hundreds more troops into northern England to help exhausted residents and emergency workers fight

back rising river waters that had inun-dated towns and cities after weeks of heavy rain.

Death claimed Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon at age 83; baseball player Dave Henderson at age 57; cin-ematographer Haskell Wexler at age

93; painter-sculptor Ellsworth Kelly at age 92.

Thought for today: “I’m not young enough to know

everything.” — Sir James Matthew Barrie, Scottish dramatist-author (1860-1937).

Today in history

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A Nevada Army veteran who died without knowing he won the nation’s highest medal of brav-ery received the honor he’s been owed for nearly 140 years in a ceremony recently.

Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei held an event at his Reno office to present a new Medal of Honor to Jerry Reynolds, the 82-year-old grandson of the late Private Robert Smith.

Smith fought in a battle against American Indian tribes in the Dakota Territory on Sept. 9, 1876, when he was 29 years old. Then-President Rutherford B. Hayes approved the Medal of Honor for Smith in 1877 for showing “special bravery in endeavoring to dislodge Indi-ans secreted in a ravine,” according to Army records.

But the award never made it to the veteran, who was born Harry Reynolds but used an alias for unknown reasons. His grandson said the medal was deliv-

ered to Camp Sheridan in Nebraska Ter-ritory, where Smith had previously lived, but someone else signed for the package.

Smith returned to using his birth name after his discharge from the Army, then later moved to Elko, Nevada. He died in 1930 without knowing he won the award.

In 2011, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War contacted Jeffrey Reyn-olds to let him know about his grand-father’s award. Smith had served as a drummer boy in the Civil War before enlisting in the Army in 1872 under the pseudonym.

Jerry Reynolds contacted Amodei’s office this summer to seek help getting a new medal. Congressional staff worked with the Army’s Command Awards and Decorations Branch, which announced on Oct. 14 that they would provide a medal to the family as a symbol of the one that was never presented to Smith.

140 years late, Nevada veteran lauded with U.S. Medal of Honor

CELEBR ATIONS !THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 T5

CELEBR ATIONS ! THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016T6

NEW YORK (AP) — Get this haters: Miranda Sings has her own TV show on Netflix — and it’s appropriately titled, “Haters Back Off!”

Miranda is the quirky, overly con-fident wannabe celebrity who wears red lipstick drawn outside her lips. She started uploading videos of herself on YouTube in 2008, and she unabashedly believes that she’s extremely talented and destined for stardom.

The character of Miranda is played by 29-year-old actress and comedian Col-leen Ballinger.

Ballinger believes the original inter-est in Miranda came from viewers trying to figure out if she is a real person.

“The videos were getting passed around because people were trying to figure out if I was a real person, if I was an actress,” Ballinger said in a recent interview. “They loved to hate me. ... I got a lot of hate mail and that’s where the term ‘haters back off’ came from because I got all this hate. And ... then it slowly shifted into the fans liking the videos and I started to pick up on what was trending online and trying to ... go with that and make this career snowball into something more than just a couple viral videos.”

The Miranda Sings YouTube channel has more than 7 million subscribers. Ball-inger said that while she initially resisted

revealing her identity, she now believes fans have embraced Miranda as a char-acter. She also has her own personal YouTube channel where she vlogs and posts her own videos not in character.

“We’re letting (viewers) into our home multiple times a week. They know every-thing about me. It’s so important to having success online to make people feel like they really connect to you,” Ballinger said.

On “Haters Back Off!” viewers see Miranda beyond the internet.

“We’ve seen Miranda’s YouTube videos online for many years but this is kind of the story of what happens behind the camera and before she films a video and after she films a video and how does someone become internet famous and how does that change their life once they do become famous and the inner work-ings of this girl who is a little bizarre and different,” Ballinger said.

Viewers are also introduced to the other people in Miranda’s world.

“It’s also about this family who’s a little quirky and a little weird and they’re OK with that. They’re confident in who they are and they don’t have to stick to what is popular or what is beautiful or, you know, trendy. They’re themselves and they’re happy with that and I think that’s an important message to share, too.”

Ballinger says she always wanted to be a performer.

“I went to school for singing and, you know, I was a vocal performance major,” said Ballinger. (That means those videos of Miranda singing off-key are jokes.)

“I wanted to do opera and musical theater so, you know, I had big plans to go to New York and do Broadway and all this kind of stuff, but I never would have thought it would come from Miranda. Miranda was something I was doing for fun on the side. It was a fun hobby for me so I never thought it would become like a real job and I’m so glad that it did because now I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Since becoming “internet famous,” Ball-inger has had to deal with people knowing

her real identity. And she says she’s mindful of her safety when sharing online.

“I travel a lot for work and have people waiting outside my hotel or call my room constantly or show up at what-ever restaurant I’m eating at because I snapchatted. It is a little terrifying,” she said. “But, this is the life that I chose and I love my job and it’s part of it. It’s just important to make sure you’re safe and you have people with you at all times.”

She recently announced in an emo-tional video on her personal YouTube channel that she’s divorcing fellow inter-net personality Josh Evans after one year of marriage.

Colleen Ballinger’s character has a new Netflix series

HUDSON, N.Y. (AP) — Police in New York broke a car window to rescue a woman who turned out to be an extremely realistic mannequin.

The unusual incident happened Friday morning in the city of Hudson.

The Times Union of Albany reports that a caller told police there was an elderly woman “frozen to death” in a parked car. Officers rushed to the scene and found what appeared to be a

woman sitting in a car’s front passenger seat wearing an oxygen mask.

A sergeant busted a rear window, opened the door and discovered that the woman was a realistic mannequin.

The car owner arrived and said he uses the dummy for his job selling medical training aids. The police chief says the owner was “incredulous” that police broke the window to rescue the mannequin.

Police rescue ‘frozen’ woman who turns out to be mannequin

DSH • Spayed Female

15 Weeks • Black

Baby JesusPrecious baby don’t you cry,Momma will sing you a lullabyas loving angels watch from on high.This perfect baby, a miraclefrom heaven to earth,was created by God, His purposeto send God’s message to mankindto accept rebirth.For 33 years He spoke throughthe Holy Spirit, lovingly against sin,to accept an eternity at life’s end,and to enter the new Jerusalem.Baby Jesus, we worship you,Man of God, our Savior, we singHoly, Holy, Holy as we wait to hearyou call our name, as we willenter your beautiful heaven above,and your never-ending love.

Lila Rose RoszmanMarion

The Fable and the TruthWhile trimming a tree —My mom said to me —You know Santa’s not realBut we’ll still have presentsAnd a nice Christmas meal!

I think you realizeThere’s no sleighs in the skyNor eight reindeerThat know how to fly

Now, I’ve got a better story to tellNo myth or fableIt’s about a babyBorn in a stable

That baby was Jesus —God’s gift of a Savior on Christ-mas DaySo don’t forget to thank Him —And don’t forget to pray!

Alyce M. HallFindlay

My NeighborMy neighbor whom I lovedalways wore a cheery smileShe was never sad or lonelyAnd for others, would walk a mile.She lived a faithful lifeThat all neighbors could beholdAnd even at 88She never seemed to grow old.She came to see me oftenand we talked of Jesus’ love.Although she’s gone, I know where she isShe is spending Christmas this yearwith Him in Heaven above.

Rowena McDougleFindlay

Poetry Corner

CELEBR ATIONS !THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 T7

HOLDEN, W.Va. (AP) — On land where coal was once mined, officials have trumpeted the return of an elk herd to West Virginia for the first time in 141 years.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and offi-cials from the state Division of Natural Resources and other agen-cies introduced the public to 24 elk Monday in a wilderness area bearing his name in southern West Virginia.

Hundreds of people showed up Monday to snap photos and view the elk a few hundred yards away in a holding pen where they’re getting acclimated. They’ll be released later this month.

The holding pen is on reclaimed coal mine property, where grass-lands have been cultivated and are considered key for sustaining elk.

“There’s thousands of acres here that’s been restored,” Tomblin said. “To have the elk population here for

people to come and enjoy, I think it’s putting the land to good use.”

In a state where thousands of coal mining jobs have been lost in the past few years, officials are tout-ing the elk’s potential to help tour-ism. Elk herds, killed off by hunters and habitat loss, haven’t roamed the state since 1875.

“The southern coalfields are hurting with the downturn in the coal industry,” said Randy Kelley, the DNR’s elk project coordina-tor. “Tourism in West Virginia is a growing industry, and this is just another cog in that machine. We expect we’ll get a lot of visitors here as well, particularly in the fall when they’re bugling. It’s not something that people in the east are used to.

“It’s like Christmas a week early for those of us who enjoy the out-doors.”

While elk herds are common in western states, they were reintro-

duced in several states back east in the past two decades, including in the southeastern Kentucky moun-tains in 1997.

Officials had hoped elk in Ken-tucky would naturally migrate in numbers to West Virginia, but that never happened. Legislation in West Virginia last year authorized the DNR to pursue an elk restoration plan.

Last January, the Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit Conserva-tion Fund bought more than 32,000 acres of land in Logan, Mingo and Lincoln counties for about $20 mil-lion for wildlife management and recreation. The state DNR, which also acquired an additional 10,000 acres under lease agreements, will manage the entire wilderness area.

DNR biologists trapped the elk at Kentucky’s Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in November. The elk were quaran-tined to determine whether they

were disease-free, and then were transported to Logan County on Thursday. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation contributed $50,000 to help offset the costs of the restora-tion project.

Doyle Gore of Holden, a retired equipment operator and welder from Patriot Coal, was hired to help con-struct the holding pen this summer.

Gore said he’s traveled to New Mexico and Colorado to hunt elk. He said he never imagined he’d see the day where elk would return to his home state.

“I was tickled to death,” he said. Officials want to give the herd

several years to expand before poten-tially opening the state to elk hunt-ing. Efforts will be made to bring in additional elk from out-of-state.

“I doubt if I ever get to hunt these,” Gore said. “But at least my grandkids and young people will be able to.”

Officials trumpet returnof elk to West Virginia

CELEBR ATIONS ! THE COURIERTUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016T8