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Experience geocaching with
local or worldwide adventures
[MARCH
29, 2003]
Would you like to go on a
journey of fun and adventures that may open up new worlds or take
you back to your youth? Would you enjoy a learning experience and
sport that can provide you with ways to do that? Would you enjoy a
technological game that provides you with both a puzzle to solve and
a cache to find? Rick Kidd and Rod Marshall, two geocaching
participants, appear to be able to do just that when pursuing the
sport of geocaching.
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Kidd and Marshall have been geocaching
for a little over a year. Marshall first introduced Kidd to the
sport. They have been enjoying geocaching since that time.
So, besides being an adventure and
being fun, what is geocaching? You can begin your excursion into
geocaching by doing research on the geocaching website at
www.geocaching.com.
Geocaching is a sport that has rapidly grown in worldwide popularity
since May 3, 2000. That's when the first cache, a container of
goodies, was first hidden outside of Portland, Ore. As of March 28
this year there were 46,965 active caches in 165 countries.
Here is the technical part of
geocaching. There are 24 satellites 12,000 miles above the earth,
tracking latitudes and longitudes for the GPS (global positioning
system.) On May 1, 2000, the GPS was declassified by President
Clinton, giving everyone access to the system and the ability to
track geological coordinates. This opened up all kinds of new
technologies, such as the Northstar system now found on some cars,
and new techno-games such as geocaching. That is how geocaching
began.
Geocaching as a game can be as simple
or as difficult as you want. There are two things that you need to
participate in geocaching. You need access to the Internet, and you
need a GPS device.
"The GPS can be found at sporting good
stores or department stores," Kidd said. "They range from $100 to
$500 dollars, but you do not need the most expensive one to enjoy
the game." The ones used by Kidd and Marshall are in the lower-mid
price range.
"There are a few rules that you need to
follow when doing geocaching," Kidd said. "When hiding a cache you
do not disturb the earth by burying the cache or by beating down or
making new paths to your hiding place. You never put food items,
lighters or
matches, or pornographic materials in a
cache. You always ask permission before placing a cache anywhere.
You never hide a cache for profit or to attract people to your place
of business."
If you have the equipment you need and
follow these rules, you are ready to start geocaching. You are ready
to have fun. Go to the Internet to
www.geocaching.com and type
in your ZIP code or the ZIP code for the area that you are
interested in. You will learn how many caches are in that area.
"There are 204 caches within 100 miles
of Lincoln and 103 caches within 50 miles of Lincoln," Kidd said. On
a recent Sunday they visited four caches in and around Lincoln.
There are at least three caches within
a three-block radius of downtown Lincoln, beginning at Scully Park
and moving to the Lincoln Public Library. These caches are driven
by, walked past and used every day by people who never notice them.
One of these, Marshall said, is called "in plain sight." He said, "I
would not have found it myself, and it was right in front of my
eyes. My 11-year-old daughter, Shelby, discovered it after we had
followed all of the clues and coordinates on the GPS to where the
cache was hidden. I still didn't see it but Shelby did."
Kidd says his daughter Stephanie often
joins him when he goes to look for caches. This is a very
family-oriented game.
To hide a cache you will usually want
to use a small container, no larger than a 1-gallon metal or ammo
container. You put a log book in the container so that when people
find it they can log in. "The log book keeps people honest about how
many caches they have found," both Kidd and Marshall stated.
People involved in geocaching often
compete with each other to see who can find the most caches. Kidd
and Marshall are currently in a tight race with each other. Marshall
claims to have 61 finds, while Kidd has 60.
People use the geocaching website to
tell stories about their finds; however, if they do not sign the log
book, their find is not recognized as official.
Another thing that is good to put in
your cache is a note explaining what geocaching is so that people
who stumble upon the cache accidentally will not disturb it.
[to top of second column in
this article] |
There are many variations on the kinds
of caches; these include virtual caches, offset caches, microcaches,
puzzle caches, multistage caches and traditional caches, or you can
develop your own variation. "New ones crop up every day," a
participant said. Once you have developed your cache and hidden it,
you enter the coordinates using the GPS, a description and clues on
the geocaching website.
On a Sunday outing, Kidd and Marshall
visited several neat and interesting cache sites. One of the sites
had a book theme. The cache was in a larger container and could be
seen as you approached it. This cache contained books -- many good
paperbacks. The idea behind this book cache is to take some books
from it that you would like to read and replace them with other
books. Many caches are filled with little toys or things kids would
enjoy.
Another cache they visited was a
multistage cache. This cache was called the Abe in Lincoln cache.
The cache was partially a puzzle with clues that led them to various
Lincoln attractions. At each attraction another part of the puzzle
was revealed. Eventually the puzzle led them to Madigan State Park
where they hiked through the fields and woods until they were near
Salt Creek, where they looked for and found the cache that contained
Lincoln items and Lincoln tourism items.
There was one other item that was found
in the Abe in Lincoln cache. This was a travel bug. Travel bugs are
dog tags with serial numbers on them. People place travel bugs in a
cache, and the person who finds it takes the travel bug and places
it in another cache. In the forum on the website, they then log the
number of miles the travel bug has traveled.
"Some travel bugs have traveled over
10,000 miles," Rick said. "One flew on a fighter jet in Bosnia. This
is just one other fascinating part of geocaching. I mailed one
travel bug to Australia, where it would begin its journey."
Kidd and Marshall said that they had
just visited the Jesus cache. This is one of their favorite caches.
The Jesus cache is along the Mississippi River near Hannibal, Mo. To
begin the trip to this cache, you first travel on a winding trail,
but the cache is placed on a 500-foot cliff that can be reached only
by using ropes and climbing. The scenery was beautiful, the terrain
was rough. Only about two others have reached this cache and signed
the log book.
Caches are rated on the website at 1-5
for degree of difficulty. They can be double rated for physical
challenge and for mental challenge. Kidd and Marshall rated the
Jesus cache at 4.5. "Five-point caches often need special equipment
such as canoes or scuba gear, depending upon where they are hidden"
Marshall said.
A 14-person panel judges a cache's
degree of difficulty before entering it on the website. This
information helps people when they are choosing caches to look for.
The panel also determines if a new cache meets all of the geocaching
rules.
As you can see, geocaching has many
facets. It is family-oriented, it can be great physical exercise,
and it is educational. Geocaching provides you with an opportunity
to do things with your kids or to meet new people. It is a way to
get up off the couch on a Sunday afternoon and spend some time doing
something interesting. It is an opportunity to visit scenic and
beautiful places. You can leave something for people to find or you
can find hidden treasures. You can add geocaching to vacations and
trips, stopping to stretch your legs along the way to find caches.
You can also travel all over just to find caches. You can clean up
the environment while you are hiding or looking for caches. "Cache
in, trash out," is a popular part of geocaching.
Doesn't geocaching sound like fun?
Now, whenever you walk down a street in
Lincoln, hike through a park or drive down a road, you may find
yourself wondering if there is something more there than meets the
eye. Geocaching can open new worlds for you. It can lead you to look
for treasures, adventure and ways to solve puzzles in the world
today just as when you were young.
If you would
like to find out more about geocaching, visit
www.geocaching.com.
[Don Todd] |
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Places
To Go
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'A Stone in My Hand'
[APRIL
23, 2003]
"A
Stone in My Hand" by Cathryn Clinton. Candlewick Press, 2002, 191
pages.
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Review by Linda Harmon
This is a moving story set in Gaza City
during the intifada of 1988. Using the glossary at the back of the
book, I learned that the word "intifada" refers to the uprising that
began in December 1987 in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank
and Gaza Strip. The word actually means "to shake off."
The main character in the story is an
11-year-old Palestinian girl named Malak. She lives with her mother,
older sister Hend, and 12-year-old brother Hamid, with whom she
shares a love of poetry.
A month before the story begins, her
beloved father left on a bus headed for Israel to look for work and
never returned. Since his disappearance she has not spoken to anyone
except a dove. She named the dove Abdo and believes that her father
sent it to her. Every day she climbs up on the roof to wait for his
return and to feed Abdo some seeds. Malak envies Abdo's ability to
fly away. She says of herself that she lives through Abdo and will
fly away from everything some day.
The authorities closed all the schools
the day after Malak's father disappeared, and they didn't reopen for
more than a month. Malak is nervous about going back to school, but
her mother thinks it will help her. Hamid walks her to school every
day and then goes on to his school. Hend had to quit school to take
a job with her mother. Malak's first day back is a disaster, but the
second day she meets a girl named Rula. They become good friends and
their friendship is very healing for Malak.
[to top of second column in
this review]
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Life seems to be the hardest for young
Palestinian men, and Hamid and his friend Tariq (who saw his own
father killed by Israeli solders) are no exception. Against the
wishes of their mothers, both young men have become "shabab"
(defined here as "youth activists") and are involved in some
terrorist activities. The favorite of the young men is to throw
stones at the soldiers and run. If they are caught, they will be
shot. So far Hamid and Tariq have been able to outrun the soldiers,
but many of their friends have not been as lucky.
Malak believes her father must be in
prison somewhere and cannot contact them. She wishes that she could
visit him the way that Rula visits her father. She presses her
mother until she tells her the truth about her father and how he
died. The bus that he was riding in was blown up by the Islamic
Jihad, the very group that her brother is involved with. Malak is
devastated and becomes withdrawn again. Hamid is very confused and
angry, as he becomes more involved in the violence. Malak's family
is falling apart, and she realizes that she must do everything she
can to save it.
This story does not have a happy ending
but a realistic one. It gives American children a picture of what
life is like for children who live in the middle of the conflict in
the Middle East. The Israeli army and the terrorists are portrayed
equally as harsh. There are no political statements, just a
realistic picture of the life of one family. This book is
recommended for children age 11 through adult.
For more
information, please visit the library at 725 Pekin Street or call
(217) 732-5732.
[Linda Harmon,
Lincoln
Public Library District] |
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Concert
association announces
new name and new season
[APRIL
25, 2003]
Almost everything is new
about the Lincoln Land Concert Association this year -- its name,
its booking source, a reciprocal arrangement with two nearby cities
and, of course, the artists who will perform during the 2003-04
season.
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Formerly affiliated with Trawick of New
York, which has a copyright on the name "Community Concerts," the
association is now booking through Allied Concert Services of
Minnetonka, Minn., and has therefore dropped the word "community"
from its name. The vote to change booking services came in October.
Association president Harley Petri of Elkhart said the board of
directors met with Allied president David Folin beginning last
summer, liked what they heard and decided to give his company a try.
Folin was present Tuesday night to
preview the season's lineup. This year all performances are on
weekends, with three shows on Friday night and one on Saturday.
Headlining the series is Red, Hot...&
Blue!, a musical revue featuring eight performers acclaimed as the
"hardest working cast in Branson." They sing and dance their way
from ragtime to rock 'n' roll. In Branson, Mo., the show has been
consistently awarded Best A.M. Show, Best Costumes and Best Vocal &
Dance Group.
Red, Hot...& Blue opened on July 4,
1996. Since then the show has been featured on Holland-America
Cruise Lines and Princess Cruise Lines and has made several national
tours. The high-energy revue comes to Lincoln March 12, 2004.
Fans of Garrison Keillor's "Prairie
Home Companion" may remember Butch Thompson, a jazz pianist who
performed on the radio show in the '80s and '90s. On April 23, 2004,
he will team up with Duke Heitger on trumpet and Jimmy Mazzy on
banjo and vocals to form Butch Thompson's Big Three. The trio of
seasoned musicians traces the history of jazz from its origins in
New Orleans to the ragtime of Scott Joplin, the blues of Chicago's
south side and the jazz of the Roaring '20s.
Thompson, who plays both piano and
clarinet, also sits in as a music critic. In Minneapolis-St. Paul he
writes a newspaper column and has a radio show on jazz.
Leading off the Lincoln Land Concert
season on Sept. 20 is a young male a cappella quartet called Marcoux
Corners. Specializing in close harmony, the group covers five
decades of music, beginning with the doo-wop style of the '50s. The
vocalists mix humor with their harmonizing and feature fresh
arrangements and programs tailored to the audience. Marcoux Corners
has been hailed as "one of the best up and coming groups in the
country" by an ambassador to the Contemporary A Cappella Society of
America.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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Rounding out the season is Cowboy Envy,
a trio of women musicians who perform in the style of the Sons of
the Pioneers. Their show is "not country western; it's cowboy,"
Folin confirmed. Cited for Best Harmony by the Western Music
Association in 2000 and 2001, band members bolster their sound with
guitar and punctuate it with humorous tales of the Old West. An
accordianist accompanies far in the background. The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution reported, "Cowboy Envy galloped onto the scene
with yips and yodels and harmonies to die for."
A new feature of concert series
membership this year is a reciprocal arrangement with associations
in Pekin and Pontiac. Included in a Lincoln Land season membership
is the option to attend any of the four concerts presented in Pekin
and the three in Pontiac. For convenience, all three schedules will
be printed on the Lincoln Land ticket. Petri said, "I'm really
excited about the reciprocal agreement," which has been accomplished
without a rise in price. Membership cost is steady at $35 for the
basic adult season ticket.
There is, however, a new upper-level
sponsorship category this year. For $300 an Angel membership
provides two tickets per performance plus four compact discs by
season artists. Angels will be issued four coupons which they can
cash in for CDs of their choice. In the case of Red, Hot...& Blue, a
video may be substituted for the CD.
Campaign secretary Judy Awe said two
Angels have already signed on. Other levels of support are
Benefactor ($150, includes two memberships), Sponsor ($80), Patron
($45), Adult ($35), Student ($15) and Family ($75). All memberships
are season tickets. No individual tickets are sold.
The membership drive for the 2003-04
season began Tuesday night. Anyone interested in purchasing a
membership can call Awe at 732-4758 or membership chairman Mary
Thomas George at 735-3241 (evening).
Allied Concert Association has been in
business for over 50 years. Since 1966 the Folin family has owned
and operated the company. "If a woman answers the phone, it's my
sister-in-law," David Folin said. "If it's a man, it's either my
father, my brother or me."
The Lincoln
Land Association has been bringing performing artists to local
audiences since 1958. "You are important," Folin told membership
workers on Tuesday night. "Think how many years your organization
has brought culture to your community."
[Lynn Spellman] |
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LCT
auditions begin
[APRIL
2, 2003]
Lincoln Community Theatre is
looking for local talent to sing, dance and act in its summer 2003
productions. Singing and non-singing roles are available.
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Individuals auditioning for a role in
one of this summer's musical productions should have a song
prepared. An accompanist will be available. Individuals trying out
should also be prepared to learn a few basic dance steps at the
audition. Those auditioning for non-singing roles will be required
to do cold readings from the script.
Scripts may be viewed at the Lincoln
Public Library two weeks prior to each audition. Library scripts may
not be removed from the building.
All auditions will be conducted at St.
John United Church of Christ, 204 Seventh St. in Lincoln.
LCT audition
schedule
"Nuncrackers"
-- a musical comedy from the "Nunsense" series of plays
"Steel
Magnolias" -- an all-female lighthearted drama
- Directed by Paul Cary from
Springfield
- Performance dates: July 11-19
- Audition: Friday, May 16, at 6
p.m. or Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m.; possible callbacks on
Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m.
- Roles are available for six women
(ages 18-70), with several parts for "mature" actresses as well as
one woman in her 20s.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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"1776"
-- a history-based musical
Questions regarding auditions may be
directed to Marlene Perry, audition chairman, at (217) 732-2640.
Season
tickets are still available for this season. Send check or money
order ($20 adults, $12 children through eighth grade) to LCT, Box
374, Lincoln, IL 62656. Additional information regarding LCT's
upcoming season is available at
www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre.
[Lincoln Community Theatre
press release] |
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Lincoln Community Theatre
entertaining for 32nd summer
[MARCH
26, 2003]
Preparing for the 32nd year of
live summer theater for the Logan County area, Lincoln Community
Theatre's 2003 membership campaign kicked off this month. Season tickets
for the summer are $20 for adults and $12 for students through
eighth grade.
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Productions for this season begin in
June with the hysterical musical "Nuncrackers," a continuation of
the well-loved "Nunsense" series offered by LCT in previous seasons.
This selection centers around the sisters' holiday program and
includes dueling Sugar Plum Fairies, dear Sister Amnesia and
audience participation. The July production, "Steel Magnolias," is a
familiar, bittersweet story that mixes laughter and tears as the
audience becomes acquainted with the eccentric and lovable
characters of a small Southern community. Closing the 2003 season on
a patriotic note, LCT will offer the musical "1776." Humor abounds
with the fast-paced wit of our founding fathers as they deal with
revolutionary problems and joys.
Performances Tuesday through Saturday
will be at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees will be offered at 2 p.m. All
productions will be presented at the Johnston Center for the
Performing Arts, 300 Keokuk St.
Season ticket holders may make their
reservations as soon as the box office opens on June 2 and are
assured a seat for each performance on the night of their choice up
to the date tickets become available to the general public. After
that point, season ticket holders may still make reservations, but
tickets are then reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Season ticket holders may also purchase additional general admission
tickets when making reservations during season ticket week and do
not have to wait for general admission sales to open.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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General admission tickets to each
production are available to the public one week before each show's
opening, at the cost of $9 per adult and $6 per student through
eighth grade. Individuals or businesses wishing to further support
live theater in Lincoln may purchase memberships at increasing
levels and be recognized in each program during the summer season.
Those memberships are as follows: Friends of LCT at $30 (includes
one membership), Sponsors at $50 (with two memberships), Angels at
$100 (four memberships), Grand Patrons at $250 (eight memberships)
and Sustaining Members at $500 (12 memberships).
To renew or
purchase a season membership, send check or money order to LCT, Box
374, Lincoln, IL 62656. For further information, contact LCT's
membership committee at (217) 732-7542. Additional information
regarding LCT's upcoming season is also available at
http://www.geocities.com/
lincolncommunitytheatre.
[Judy Rader, Lincoln Community
Theatre
publicity chairman] |
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Classic films
return to Lincoln Cinemas
The Logan County Arts
Association, in conjunction with GKC Cinemas Corporation, has
brought the classic film night series back to the Lincoln Cinemas.
The next set of films is scheduled for every second Thursday through
October, with shows at 7 p.m.
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Classic films lined up for the 2003
season:
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Tickets are $5.50 for adults and $4.50
for senior citizens and children 12 and under. The tickets are
available at GKC Lincoln Cinemas. Anyone
wanting more information may call the Logan County Arts Association
at (217) 735-4422.
[Press release from the
Logan County Arts Association] |
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Lincoln Community Theatre
information
Lincoln
Community Theatre's box office, phone
735-2614, is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through
Saturday for the summer season. The office is located in the lobby
of the Johnston Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of
Lincoln College.
Performances of
"Dearly Departed" are scheduled for July 12-20, and "The King and I"
will be presented Aug. 2-10. Show times are 2 p.m. on Sundays and 8
p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln,
IL 62656; e-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.
Visit the
LDC website at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html.
Pictures from past productions are included.
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