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I hope you had a chance to take in some or all of North Branch's Midsummer Days last weekend. If you were busy, don't fret, we have another celebration this weekend. Center City is holding its annual Center City Days this Friday and Saturday. With a little help from Mother Nature, this year's Center City Days should be plenty of fun for the whole family. Friday kicks off the celebration with a fan favorite BINGO at the Center City Fire Hall. Saturday is when things really get moving, there will be a craft show with vendors throughout the town. There will also be a corn feed, a kiddie carnival and a traditional canoe race that starts at 2 p.m. There will be bands and entertainment throughout the day for your enjoyment. Center City Days finishes up with a street dance featuring the band Lamont Cranston. I have seen Lamont Cranston a few times and they put on one heck of a show. The street dance begins at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night.

The local Vets have told me that they have secured the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall for the dates of September 10 to September 13. Personally speaking, I can't wait for the wall to come to our area. I would probably never get the chance to travel and see the real Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, so this is the next best thing. I will have plenty of time to remind you about viewing the wall in months to come, but right now the Vets need your help. There is a dire need for volunteers to help make this event go smoothly. There is the need for security (around the clock surveillance), facilities (restrooms), entertainment, set-up and take-down of the wall, medical (first-aid), counseling, and school visits.

If you would be interested in donating anything, manpower, services, or money, it would all be very much appreciated. You are encouraged to call Ken Harmon at 651-213-0535 or John Broeker at 651-257-5510.

This could and will be a once in a lifetime chance for some people to view this magnificent structure that has touched so many lives.

Maybe it's just me, but have you noticed an over-abundance of woodticks this year? I can usually go the whole summer and maybe remove one or two ticks off my body. This year, I have already removed maybe eight to ten and Summer just began. I know what you are thinking, he has finally flipped his lid. Maybe. But about four weeks ago I noticed on my upper arm, a bruise that I didn't remember bumping. The bruise was strange in that it was circular in a bullseye shape. After doing a lot of research on my favorite website (which I highly advise against doing), I decided I might have Lymes Disease. I had been having some abnormal symptoms (no, not clear thinking) like a really sore neck and very lethargic. So I went in and got tested. After a tense few days, the test came back negative.

The reason for me writing about this isn't to talk about me, but to tell you first hand, if you think you may have been bitten by a Deer Tick, the test is very simple and takes a few days to receive the results. Yes, bullseye bruises are usually a symptom of Lymes Disease, but not always. There are sprays out there that repel ticks much like mosquito spray.

I have a request for you the readers. We here at the Press are looking for some unique local stories. In this day and age of foreclosures and lawsuits, we think that some local, special interest stories might be just what the County Press needs. Maybe you know someone who has a unique talent, maybe you know the history of a building that other people do not, it doesn't matter, if you think that people would love to hear about it, then so would we. I invite you to give us a call and let us know what makes your story special.

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