Death of a Friend

Sam Hronis, 92, long time Oshkosh resident, passed away late Wednesday evening. An unforgettable character, he brightened any day with his presence. His wit and his trademark smile could disarm anyone. He could compliment you and without changing his demeanor chastise you for some fault. His verbal barbs were dead-on, always true, and they made for a few enemies here and there. I understood him having known many Greeks where I used to live, and smiled even when he zinged me.

He was born into WWI and took part in WWII. Medicine was his forte in the service. He served as a medic in the area of Japan and knew war up close. He saved a lot of people and was proud of that. He performed many procedures that would have certainly had him arrested had he been in the U.S. - since he was not an MD. Sulfa drugs, forerunners to our modern antibiotics, were the answer to many maladies. He was treated as a 'god' by native women and children on islands south of Japan. They used the sulfa drugs freely and didn't know until years later that those drugs eventually caused more harm than good.

I told Sam that I once played for a wedding at the Greek Orthodox Church off East Washington Blvd. in Madison. That brought back memories to him and he later asked me if I had ever been to the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Greek Orthodox Church in Milwaukee. I hadn't, and as short as a week ago he reminded me to make that trip. When I do, I will be thinking of him. In that same conversation (a week ago) we talked about a couple of Greek restaurants on State St. in Madison. He told me that his relatives owned one of those, retired recently and quit the business. I had eaten there many times. It is now a pizza place directly across from the Parthenon, the other Greek restaurant which serves a pretty mean Gyro & Fries.

Sam wrote many letters to the editor which the Northwestern printed. Last fall he wrote one critical of the city's leaf collection and suggested a cheaper way to do it. I was told that the Streets Dept. began doing things differently the day after the letter appeared! Good for Sam.

He had been married about SEVENTY YEARS! Incredible! To give you an idea how long that is: That's more than my age and both my marriages put together...and I'm no spring chicken. I never met Sam's wife. She wasn't well and he took care of her, doted on her. He would leave the house for an hour a couple of times a day but was always anxious to get back home. When he left he would more often than not eat at the Salvation Army. He enjoyed getting out of the house and enjoyed conversation.

Those conversations would sometimes become a rant about the Veteran's Administration and the rising costs of drugs, the thugs in power in Washington and how the Republicans would continually try to cut the V.A. budget - while at the same time tell people to 'support the troops'. Sam had no use for their two-faced B.S. and was at no loss for words if someone challenged him.

He supported any effort to stop the current war in Iraq. He told me once that he didn't know if the protests at the sundial did any good, but he had to hand it to anyone who would.

A week ago he retold a story, one from WWII that had haunted him for sixty years. A battle was over, he had tended to the injured American soldiers, and a Japanese soldier lay dying. Sam could see what was wrong, could've saved him, but wasn't allowed to help him. It was against U.S. rules to aid enemy injured. His commanders were nearby, he didn't dare help, and he watched the fellow die. He mentioned that the fellows pockets were probably checked later and more often that not a picture of a girlfriend / wife and kids would be found. That to Sam was the tragedy of war.

That's my salute to Sam.

A memorial service for Sam will be held at the Salvation Army. The date and time has not been announced. The general public is welcome to attend.

The Project - Part Five

The DNR has evaluated the project in it's entirety, applauded saving the sturgeon, and now everything awaits the governor's signature. Tentative plans for the casino resort grand opening include a ribbon cutting ceremony by the governor, who will arrive at the new airport landing on the giant sturgeon's tail at 1,800ft in the 'pride of the Wisconsin Air Force' - the 'goober-natorial aeroplane' ,(named after the governor who bought it), the Tailspin Tommy.

The governor's signature is expected soon, right after he signs the bill allowing the newly expanded Crandon Mine, and also the series of 'canoe-up' Resort Hotels every eight miles on the Lower Wisconsin Riverway (which also bans all camping on sand bars).

The members of the Northeast Wisconsin United for Future Development Association (NEWUFFDA) worked hard to make 'The Project' a success and I'm sure there will be more to report next year on an even grander project.

The Project - Part Four

OSHKOSH WATER SUPPLY

Of course Oshkosh and all cities will need a source of water when Lake Winnebago becomes just another historical footnote. The planning for the 'Project' wasn't haphazard and juvenile. Water is important and we went to the nth degree to insure a safe and clean ongoing supply of water. We have contracted with a French multi-national corporation to supply the entire Fox Valley via pipeline, at a nominal fee of course. They attempted to bottle water from an obscure trout stream near Wisconsin Dells a few years ago, temporarily halted the project, but taking care of ecological concerns is our aim. We say: Forget the bottles - just 'pipe' it over!

ABOUT THE STURGEON

All these fishermen yap-yap-yapping about the loss of sturgeon spearing, actually all fishing when the lake becomes The Winnebago Valley can quit their whining. We've addressed that! The Winnebagoland (World's Largest) Aquarium will take care of all that --- AND MORE. The Aquarium will be smack in the middle of the casino / resort complex and many restaurants and viewing areas will abut the glass walls on all four sides, underneath, and even on top. Come watch the sturgeon up close in their natural habitat.

Sturgeon spearing season sometimes just lasts a day or two but now YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAR STURGEON 365-DAYS A YEAR. You will pay by the pound after you land it. Yes it will be expensive but think...No more ice shacks, no waiting for winter, and the domed fishing area will be climate controlled. Just think. Spearing in a short sleeved shirt!

Due to demand, spearing will be done by lottery and waiting list. Get your name in now. It will work a bit like getting season tickets for the Green Bay Packers. Put your name in now so your grandchildren can spear a sturgeon. Start putting a little money aside now and your grandchildren will be able to pay for the fish.

Next: DNR concerns.

The Project - Part Three

BEFORE I BEGIN TODAY'S COLUMN...A SHORT NOTE FOR MY READERS:

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO SUE SOMEONE WHO STATES UP FRONT---

"THAT THEY ARE FULL OF BOLOGNA"???

____________________________

As the water level on Lake Winnebago recedes pilings for the new 10-lane elevated freeway will be built. It will run from Appleton to Fond du Lac right through the center of the lake bed "tunneling" through the giant sturgeon landmark. The highway will eventually connect Green Bay to Milwaukee in a more direct route taking some of the load off Hy.41. An interesting note on this: It will be built so that traffic can be routed 'one-way' in all ten lanes on football Sundays when the Packers play the Bears. Who'd a thought such an improvement was possible?

THE WINNEBAGO VALLEY MALL

The new mall will make that one in Minnesota seem like a corner convenience store. Say goodbye to the Mall of America and hello to the world's longest mall. Our new mall will rival and even top the Great Wall of China. Imagine this. The mall will run from Fond du Lac to Appleton under the elevated highway! It will even resemble the Great Wall of China and attract a lot more tourists to Wisconsin. It's like they say...Keep Wisconsin Green---Bring Money. The elevated freeway will have exits every 1/4-mile so you can shop 'til you drop all day long and then some.

That's all I have time for today. I have things to do, places to be, and legs to pull. Stay tuned. DNR concerns, the world's largest aquarium, Sturgeon spearing 365-days a year and more.