Free Republic

PILGER, Neb. — Shock and grief gave way to hard work Wednesday in Pilger as crews began removing what the tornado left behind. Only about 350 people live in the town where an estimated 80 percent of buildings were leveled or damaged beyond repair Monday. But on Wednesday — the first day people other than residents were allowed into the affected areas — 1,800 people registered as volunteers and came to lend a hand. Some came with no connection to the town, but many others were family and friends of Pilger residents, or neighbors who had been spared.

From manicures to motorcycles, four Little League crooks in three states used team funds for more than baseballs, bats and celebratory ice cream cones. Thanks to community kindness, it’s still game-on this spring. With the start of a new baseball season comes a disheartening stat that makes you worry not just for the national pastime, but for the nation itself: In less than a year, four little league presidents have been charged with looting their organization's treasury. The thefts left three of the leagues in such sorry financial shape that it seemed the kids might not be able to play...

Gene Robinson of Wimberly, Texas, is a licensed pilot and also flies radio-controlled model airplanes—not an unusual combination. About a decade ago, he realized that a model aircraft outfitted to take aerial photos could be enormously useful in locating people who have gone missing—perhaps because they’ve been abducted or maybe just because they are very young and have wandered off into the woods alone. His efforts have paid valuable dividends over the years—helping find the remains of nearly a dozen people. But since late February his search-and-rescue model airplanes have been grounded: That’s when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration notified...

While some teens are busy with their social lives, school or sports, others are spending their time cuddling cats as volunteers at the Humane League of Lancaster. From working at the desk and filing paperwork to cleaning out cages and playing with the cute critters, these teen volunteers give up hours of their own time to help animals in need. “It’s calming and it makes me so happy,” Rothweiler says. “(Others) should definitely volunteer because it is a great learning experience and they could always use help. Also, who wouldn’t want to want to be around the animals?”

Last March, North Dakota gave us a heart-warming demonstration of traditional voluntary service -- in minus 20 degree weather. As the rising Red River threatened to flood Fargo, willing volunteers gathered by the thousands. Before long, they had filled and stacked over 2 million sandbags to barricade the city against the raging waters. Christians prayed for victory over the forces of nature, and by God's grace, the make-shift dikes held. About 6,000 volunteers of all ages had simply followed their conscience, worked together and met the need. Unlike President Obama's plan for government-directed "service," neither prayer nor God's comforting Truths...

Join us this weekend, Saturday, October 19th - Sunday, October 20th, for the grassroots volunteer Regional Rumble! Republican Neighborhood Victory offices in the four regions of Virginia will ban together and compete to host the most volunteers in the final push to get out the vote on Election Day. The winning region and all of its volunteers will receive a prize. Sign up today to join the fun!

Remembering The Yom Kippur War: An American's StoryBy Joel Leyden Israel News Agency / Israel Forever FoundationAs I write the diary below memories begin to pour back along with the anxiety and tears that we all experienced at the time. For many of us, the scars of war will never heal. Nor should they. image Israel was unprepared for a surprise attack by Syria and Egypt. The Yom Kippur War took the lives of 2,688 Israeli troops. Sitting in the relative safety of a suburban Long Island home, I first heard news reports of Arab armies attacking Israel on October...

Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday offered Russian replacements for the peacekeeping force Austria wants to withdraw from the Golan Heights. Austria said it was concerned about the safety of its 370 soldiers because the conflict in Syria has spread to a strategic border crossing. Security conditions have deteriorated in the area around the U.N. Golan Heights headquarters since the Quneitra crossing became the site of a clash between Syrian and rebel forces, CNN reported Friday. Austria's announcement it will remove its soldiers slashes the number of U.N. troops in the Golan Heights by one-third. Filipino and Indian peacekeepers will remain...

This is an article from Bloomburg, and as such can only be linked to. Link

With the NRA’s call for an armed police officer in every school, a debate has erupted over cost of such a strategy, but there is a much more efficient and inexpensive path to secure schools. For some reason the teachers’ unions, politicians, and school administrators think that teachers are somehow less responsible, less capable, and less trainable than those who choose a career in law enforcement, and that having anyone with access to a gun in school besides a uniformed police officer would interfere with children’s ability to learn. Setting aside those confused perceptions for a moment, what about those...

At 67 years old, William Hardenburg would still jump out of bed in the middle of the night to respond to a fire. "He's irreplaceable," said his stepson Dan Van Fossen, who is fire chief of the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Co. in Union Township, Hunterdon County. "He was right there, every call." Hardenburg, who was emergency management coordinator for Bethlehem Township, N.J., was struck by a vehicle and killed this morning, authorities said. He was clearing damage from Superstorm Sandy in front of a home on Route 617 when he was hit, authorities said. Van Fossen said his stepfather worked...

Election Day is coming up — November 6th, 2012 — in about 24 days. That’s just a little over three weeks. I’ve gotten quite a few emails from people telling me they want to help defeat Obama, but they don’t know what to do to help on Election Day and don’t have the time to figure it out; they asked me to do that work for them and give them suggestions on what they can do to really make Democrats lose BIG this year. As always, I’m willing if you’re willing…so here are five things I’m telling my friends to...

Friends, We've got 45 days left to make Mitt our 45th president. Now more than ever, we need supporters like you to step up. Whether you pledge to make 45 phone calls, knock on 45 doors, or volunteer 4.5 hours a week -- your commitment and energy will help Mitt win this. This is the final sprint -- we ask you to commit like never before, for the next 45 days. Commit to Mitt today: http://www.mittromney.com/forms/make-mitt-45 This is the most important election of our lifetime -- and you can make the difference. Join us today! Thank you, Rich Beeson Political...

TOMBSTONE — Temporary repairs were made at Gardner Spring on the Tombstone water line, City Clerk George Barnes reported. The Shovel Brigade organized earlier this month has hopes the repair will hold up during the upcoming summer storms, Barnes said. Work involved on Friday and Saturday, June 8-9, redirected and lifted the waterline out of the flow path. There was also construction of a diversion to protect the line as much as possible. Barnes said 60 people did the physical work, which involved moving large rocks and debris, along with pick and shovel work. The crew never made it to...

.........Verniece Zorn, a 70-year-old retired printing company worker, said she made a promise to herself years ago that if Gingrich ever ran for president, she would support him. She liked the newsletters he had sent her as a Georgia congressman. Zorn, who identifies herself as an evangelical Christian, said she has looked beyond Gingrich’s multiple marriages and acknowledged infidelities, and she believes he is the most capable leader in the race. “None of us are perfect. We all have our little hang-ups,” said Zorn, of Stockbridge. “He’s my first choice. I believe he knows more than all of them put...

Green: Mr. Speaker, my wife and I were really wanting to be able to vote for you for president two years ago. Are we going to get to do that in 2012? Gingrich: All I can tell you is that sometime in February or March, Calista and I and our family will be making this decision. As you know, I'm a great admirer of your work and of all you've done to teach Americans about their history and the roots of American freedom. And I can assure you that if we do decide to run next year, we're promptly going...

Madison - A Dane County judge on Wednesday doubled the amount of time state election officials could have to review an unprecedented number of recall signatures filed against Gov. Scott Walker and five other Republicans. That will give the Government Accountability Board 61 days instead of 31 days to examine the petitions and determine whether recall elections should be held this summer. Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess also granted the Republicans more time to challenge the signatures. Their challenges will be due next month, and the accountability board will take those challenges into account as it determines whether recall...

In terms of employment and wealth, the U.S. economy is shaped primarily by small businesses. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses employ over half of private sector employees, pay 44 percent of the total private payroll, and have generated about 65 percent of the net new jobs over the last 15 years. The individual contributions of these business owners are also extremely important in building and sustaining an economic and social base in our local communities. Historically, small businesspeople have always contributed significant time and resources to American society by joining civic groups like Rotary or Kiwanis or...

Fargo city officials say volunteers came from 22 states and more than 325 cities to help fill sandbags for the upcoming Red River flood fight. The city opened so-called Sandbag Central on Valentine's Day and filled about 2.5 million bags in 22 days. The sandbags are scheduled to be delivered to neighborhoods later this week. About 12,800 people joined the effort.

In the early fall of 1980, our family was stationed at an Army Post named Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. The town next to the base was Sierra Vista, Arizona. The teachers of Sierra Vista schools became a testing ground for collective bargaining by the NEA, in one of their early excursions into union control vs taxpayers. But a strange turn of events happened that fall that bear revisiting, since the strikes in Wisconsin center around collective bargaining, and as a consequence, local taxes. In 1980, teachers at all the schools in the town of Sierra Vista decided to go on strike....