Speaking of the California Gold Rush last week, I'm reminded of some other young men connected with it in what appears to have been a false report. We have to begin by remembering that there was no instant news reporting in the 19th century and that much of what passed for news was either rumor or convoluted facts. The Norwalk Experiment newspaper of Aug. 10, 1952, reported that William, George and Charles Raymond had been murdered in May 1852 while en route to Oregon. They were sons of Alanson Raymond of Sherman Township. I took this report as true until I found in the Norwalk Reflector of March 20, 1855, a news item reprinted from the Sacramento Union newspaper concerning two brothers named Raymond who arrived in Placerville from Carson Valley. They had told the man who told the newspaper reporter that their father lived about two miles from Monroeville in Huron County. The man who reported this story was one Thomas Knott of Ripley Township in Huron County.

A Willard man was sentenced Thursday to 10 months in prison for two break-ins at Willard beauty shops. One of the victims told the court she wanted Robert E. Belt, 18, of 516 S. Myrtle Ave., to get help, Huron County Prosecutor Russell Leffler said. The woman had cut Belt's hair when he was younger.

HIGHWAY PATROL Teddy L. Darr, 55, of Lexington, was charged with failure to control Thursday after he went off the north side of U.S. 20 and hit a utility pole. He was not transported for possible injuries.

Don't put your life in jeopardy. That's the plea Huron County Emergency Management Agency Director Bill Ommert is issuing to residents, with the Huron River poised to reach a flood stage of 20-feet mid to late afternoon or this evening. At some point today, flooding could result in Clarksfield and low lying areas of Huron County, so residents should be on alert, Ommert said.

PLYMOUTH A reported 25 citizens demanded answers and named names at a special Plymouth-Shiloh School Board meeting Wednesday over the on-going sex scandal. A "teacher-to-teacher" incident is supposed to have occurred on Dec. 3, 2004 at Shiloh Elementary School, said superintendent Jim Metcalf. The story was widely reported in December 2006.

It was back to the House of Blues in Cleveland last Saturday for a doubleheader tribute band night. The headliner was Zoso a Led Zeppelin tribute while opening was Signals, which is a Rush cover band.

Do you have a nickname or some shortened version of your real name? Maybe it's something obvious, like Bob or Rob for Robert. Or maybe your name is Elizabeth and people call you Lisa, Liz or Beth. Sometimes the people closest to us give us cute little pet names like Princess or Tiger. We often give nicknames to our friends and colleges. Many times these nicknames happen spontaneously, but if you need a little help, I have a few hints.

Flew joins Re/Max Quality Realty Re/Max Quality Realty has announced the addition of Kathi Flew, Realtor, to the Norwalk office. She brings eight years of real estate experience to this area.

WAKEMAN - Five suspected drug dealers arraigned last week in Huron County Common Pleas Court were the subjects of a year-long investigation. Wakeman Police Chief Tim Hunker said the five marijuana cases originated in Erie and Lorain counties and the drugs were brought to the Norwalk and Wakeman areas. Read the rest of this story in Today's Reflector...

Nelson Gray's presentation for the February Master Gardener meeting discussed biodynamic concepts and compost tea. Compost tea is a substitute for liquid fertilizer made by soaking finished compost in water and using that water (after straining) as a foliar fertilizer sprayed on the plants. The material used is kept agitated with a small aquarium aerator or other means.