Think you've had a bad day? Man Rescued from Septic Tank!

 If you're having a bad day, here's a story that shows how it could always be worse. You could be walking your dog innocently, and then suddenly fall into a septic tank... where the person with you is so nauseated by the smell they won't help you. I'm just glad the dog is okay.  Here's the story from Maryland! 

Man Rescued After Falling In Septic Tank Hole In MD

A report said the man was walking his dog when he fell into the hole on Monday.

Megan VerHelst, Patch Staff, Wed, Jun 3, 2026

CHARLES COUNTY, MD — A man was rescued this week after authorities said he fell into a septic tank hole while walking his dog in Charles County.

The incident occurred around 9 p.m. Monday at an address on Ishine Place in Nanjemoy, Charles County Volunteer Fire said in a news release.

According to authorities, a woman called 911 to report that the man had fallen into the hole, but the strong odor prevented her from getting close to him.

Firefighters and first responders arrived at the scene and located the man clinging to the side wall of the septic tank. Crews assisted the man using a ladder, ensuring he did not fall further into the hole.

Following the rescue, the man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities said the man’s effort to hold onto the side of the wall helped with the rescue. DC News Now reported that the man was walking his dog when he fell into the hole.

HISTORY: Photo at Boston's Famous Hood Milk Bottle

As someone who grew up in Massachusetts and has been to Boston countless times, I've seen the iconic Hood Milk Bottle statue for decades but never investigated how it came to be, or had a picture next to it until May 2026, when I met my friend Dave for the Comic Con and we visited it. In today's blog you'll learn about the famous bottle and how it got to rhe Boston Seaport.

(Photo: Dave and Rob at the famous Hood Milk Bottle icon in Boston in May 2026. Credit: R.G.)

How the Famous Hood Milk Bottle Arrived in Fort Point 

The inside scoop on Boston’s most incongruous architectural icon.

Boston Magazine, By Jacqueline Houton· 8/19/2020 

Any list of the city’s most iconic landmarks would have to include the Hood Milk Bottle. A beacon for the Boston Children’s Museum, which stands a few yards away, the 40-foot-tall bottle is instantly recognizable to tourists and locals, tots and grownups. But the bottle’s backstory isn’t quite as well known—and it’s as strange as the structure itself.

The bottle got its start in 1933 as a roadside stand for ice cream maker Arthur Gagner, who used it to beckon drivers on Route 44 in Taunton, Mass.

The massive bottle—roomy enough to hold 58,620 gallons if it were real—was certainly a novelty, though Gagner wasn’t the only entrepreneur to employ fanciful architecture to catch the eyes of customers. As car ownership became commonplace, giant doughnuts, coffee pots, hot dogs, and other surreal shapes rose up on roadsides across the country, enticing motorists to pull over. Gagner peddled sweet treats from his whimsical wooden stand for a decade before selling the building to the Sankey family, who also used it to sell ice cream. But by 1967, the bottle had been abandoned. 

After languishing for eight years, the bottle found an unlikely savior: Carol Scofield, a clothing designer and, as it turns out, a fan of roadside Pop architecture. She saw the building while driving by and bought it for $2,500. 

Then she called John Sloan, director of urban design for the Boston Redevelopment Authority (now known as the Boston Planning & Development Agency), and asked if he had any ideas for repurposing it. Sloan thought the bottle would make a perfect addition to City Hall Plaza; he imagined it selling ice cream in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter, bringing life to the vast brick expanse. One of his colleagues had a friend who worked at Hood, which agreed to fund the bottle’s restoration. But the mayor’s office quashed the plan: Gerhard Kallmann, one of the architects who led the design of City Hall in the 1960s, had made it clear he viewed the idea as an affront to the building’s dignity.

Sloan went back to the drawing board, seeking another underused urban space that needed a little levity. Eventually he reached out to the Children’s Museum, which was preparing to move from Jamaica Plain to a former wool warehouse on Congress Street Wharf. The playful take on a kid-friendly beverage was a hit with the museum’s board. Before long, the bottle was off for refurbishment in Quincy, where workers sanded off 14 coats of old paint. 

On April 20, 1977, it bobbed across Boston Harbor on a barge escorted by two fireboats, and a crowd cheered as a crane delivered the 15,000-pound bottle to the doorstep of the soon-to-debut museum.

Over the years, the bottle has hosted various vendors, from Hood to Au Bon Pain to Sullivan’s. It quickly turned into a fixture of Fort Point. “The bottle became such a good symbol for the museum back in the 1980s that many signs around the city were just a graphic of the milk bottle and an arrow—it was so well known,” says architect Peter Kuttner, principal of CambridgeSeven, the firm that helmed a renovation of the museum in 2007. By that time, the bottle was looking battered, having suffered water damage during storms. CambridgeSeven cut the structure in two, rebuilt the bottom half, reinforced the top, and moved the bottle slightly to a higher-elevation spot. “We were pleased to be able to save as much of it as we possibly could,” Kuttner says.

Today, with seas rising due to climate change, the waterfront plaza the bottle calls home is again in the spotlight.  

Saw the Boston Tea Party Ship: Learn Some History Today!

 Last week's Monday blog was about my attendance at the Boston Comic Con. This week's local blog is about the Boston Tea Party ship that was close to the comic con.

(Photo: The Boston Tea Party Ship. Credit: R.G.)

THE GIFT SHOP - We stopped in the gift shop, and it's got a lot of cool stuff from tea (of course) to post cards, cloth bags, tricorner hats, clothing and more.  

RE-ENACTMENTS - Experience the debate firsthand and learn of the potential ramifications of your bold actions as you find yourself on Griffin’s Wharf on the morning following the Boston Tea Party. A Patriot and a Loyalist discuss “the boldest stroke yet struck in America.."   

 ABOUT THE TEA PARTY MUSEUM - At the Boston Tea Party Ships Museum – An Adventure in History! you can be part of the famous event that forever changed the course of American history through a multi-sensory experience featuring live actors, interactive exhibits, and full-scale replicas of 18th-century sailing vessels. 

WHERE IS THE TEA PARTY MUSEUM? It's located at 306 Congress St, Boston, MA, United States, 02210

THERE IS A BOX FROM THE 1773 TEA PARTY ON DISPLAY - Protected and preserved for more than two centuries, the Robinson Tea Chest is the only known surviving tea chest from the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Experience the compelling history of this significant artifact from its humble beginnings in China through the Boston Tea Party and being handed down through the generations. The Robinson Tea Chest is proudly displayed at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum from the permanent collections of Historic Tours of America, Inc.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE BOSTON TEA PARTY

 The Boston Tea Party was a political protest on December 16, 1773, where American colonists, disguised as Native Americans, destroyed 342 chests of tea in Boston Harbor. Orchestrated by the Sons of Liberty to protest "taxation without representation," the event escalated into a catalyst for the American Revolution.

Causes of the Protest

1)  Taxation Without Representation: Following the French and Indian War, the British Parliament imposed a series of taxes on the American colonies to help pay down war debts. Colonists vehemently opposed these acts because they had no elected representatives in the British Parliament.

2) The Tea Act of 1773: While earlier taxes were repealed, the tax on tea remained. The Tea Act was passed primarily to bail out the struggling British East India Company by granting it a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies.

The Standoff: Rather than accept the cheaper, but still taxed tea, colonists in New York and Philadelphia forced the ships to turn back. In Boston, royal governor Thomas Hutchinson refused to let the ships leave the harbor until the cargo taxes were paid.

WHAT HAPPENED?  The Night of the EventOn the winter night of December 16, 1773, a group of 50 to 60 men—members and allies of the Sons of Liberty—gathered and crudely disguised themselves as Mohawk or Narragansett Native Americans. They quietly marched to Griffin's Wharf, boarded three British trade ships (the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver), and systematically smashed open 342 crates of tea.

Over the course of three hours, they dumped $1.7 million (in today's money) worth of East India Company tea—about 92,000 pounds—into the frigid water. To ensure the protest remained focused purely on political rebellion against the tax and not thievery, the raiders reportedly left everything else on the ships untouched.

Consequences and Historical Impact

 Great Britain was outraged by the destruction of property, and the British Parliament responded in 1774 by passing the Coercive Acts, which the colonists referred to as the "Intolerable Acts". These harsh laws were designed to punish Massachusetts and reassert British authority. Measures included: Closing Boston Harbor until the destroyed tea was paid for.Eliminating the local Massachusetts governing assembly.Forcing colonists to house British soldiers.Instead of isolating Massachusetts, the Coercive Acts united the Thirteen Colonies in their outrage. 

This escalation firmly paved the way for the convening of the First Continental Congress and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775.

Attended the Boston Comic Con: Life-size Star Wars and Godzilla figures

Over Memorial day weekend, I attended the Boston Comic-con with my high school friend, Dave. Since moving back to New England, this has become an annual tradition over the last 3 years. There were lots of vendors and life-sized models from Star Wars to Godzilla and you'll learn about them in today's blog. 

(Photo: Rob and Dave at WickedCon) 

TAKE THE AMTRAK! - In the first two years of the comic con, I drove from Maine to a subway station north of Boston and paid to park the truck, then took 2 subway lines in. The 2 hour drive each way was always Exhausting, and dealing with traffic was always tough. This year, Tom suggested Itake the Amtrak from nearby Dover, NH, and for $50 round trip, it was fantastic!  I got to read, relax and even nap. Once in Boston, I found a Dunkin for a quick coffee and sandwich and took three subway lines to get to the convention. It's the way to go. 

VERY CROWDED!!  The comic con was very crowded, and sometimes it was hard to maneuver!  At last the rooms were brightly lit, so it made it easier to see what comics you were looking at.

 (Photo: Some attendees of the Wicked Con. Credit: R.G.)

WICKED CON is the name of the Boston Comic book convention, and it's housed in one of the Boston Seaport area hotels. Usually it takes up a couple of rooms and is filled with comic books, artists, toy makers, jewelry makers, authors, and more. Since I still read and collect comics, and have been trying to re-buy a good number of comics from the 70s and 80s that I read when I was a kid/teen (that were sadly all given away to a local comics shop in 1989 when I moved to Maryland).

ROOM FULL OF ROBOTS AND LIFE-SIZED MODELS - One of the rooms contained life-sized toys and models from Star Wars to Anime to Godzilla.

MECHAGODZILLA - Dave and I took our picture in front of this character. It's a robot monster built in Godzilla's image for the sole purpose of destroying him, Mechagodzilla has become one of Godzilla's most popular and recurring foes, like King Kong.

STAR WARS FIGURES! - The first Star Wars figure we saw was an android, or a "Droid." I remembered it from Episode 1 of the Star Wars films, which was "The Phantom Menace." I remember that movie because of the annoying "Jar Jar Binks" character! 

(Right: the B1-series Battle droid movel. Credit: R.G)) 

B1-series battle droids, also referred to as B1 battle droids, standard battle droids, clankers, or tinnies were the predominantly used battle droids manufactured by Baktoid Combat Automata and Baktoid Armor Workshop. Even though they were extensively produced and deployed, the B1-series battle droid was flimsily designed and easy to destroy, and was only truly successful in substantial overwhelming numbers. 

(Left: the IG-88B Star Wars droid. Credit: R.G.)

The Star Wars droid, IG-88B, also commonly known simply as IG-88, pronounced Eyegee-Eightyeight, or as a Phlutdroid, was a rogue, deadly masculine IG-series assassin droid manufactured by Holowan Laboratories who, because of his desire to kill organic beings, worked as a bounty hunter. Following the Battle of Hoth, he and several other bounty hunters were summoned by Darth Vader to the Executor and hired to track down the Millennium Falcon and its Rebel crew. 

VIDEO: These droid transports coming over the green hills in broad daylight was one of the first images we saw back in the exciting days before the prequel trilogy started. The scene kicked off the main trailer, and was unlike anything we had ever seen before in the Star Wars universe. Despite the film's many flaws, this hillside battle stands out as one of the interesting visual ideas, and composer John Williams adds to the threat of the droids with a menacing new march.

Idiot of the Week: Maine State Rep. Republican Randall Hall pleads guilty to violating clean election law

 This week's idiot is a legislator in the Maine House who violated election law. Funny how the Republican party has always cried about illegal voting, when they are the majority of the ones who do it. Such was the case recently in Maine. Today's Idiot is one of those people (AND 66% of the people in his district voted him in...think about that). 

Maine State Rep. Republican Randall Hall pleads guilty to violating clean election law

May 27, 2026 , WMTW-TV , Francis Flisiuk

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine State Rep. Randall Hall pled guilty to charges of unsworn falsification and criminal violations of the Maine Clean Election Act in Oxford County Superior Court on Tuesday.

The Republican state representative from Wilton entered the misdemeanor pleas after reaching an agreement with state attorneys.

Following the guilty plea, Speaker of the Maine House Ryan Fecteau, a Democrat, renewed his calls for Rep. Hall to resign, saying that his "illegal actions have violated the public's trust."

Speaker Fecteau also said if Hall does not resign, he will refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee, which will "convene in earnest to determine its recommendation to the full House.”

Hall was originally indicted on 10 counts of aggravated forgery after being accused of forging 10 names on election documents in 2024.

The indictment accused Hall of knowingly submitting fraudulent documents to qualify as a clean election candidate in Maine, specifically the Cash Qualifying Contribution Affirmation Form.

Court documents indicate that Hall has been sentenced to 48 hours in jail, as well as 100 hours of community service that must be completed by May 28, 2027. Hall is scheduled to serve his 48 hours in jail starting at 7 a.m. Friday, according to the court documents.

Hall is serving his fourth term in the Maine House representing House District 74, which includes the towns of Industry, New Vineyard, Strong, Wilton, Avon, Carthage, Temple, Weld, Perkins Township, Washington Township, New Portland and South Franklin.

He won re-election last November with 66% of the vote over Democrat Gregory Kimber.

Hero of the Week: Chattanooga officer rushed into burning home, rescued family

 This week's hero is a Chattanooga police officer who apparently didn't think twice when he saw a house on fire and he rushed in to save a family. Here's the story.

Bodycam shows Chattanooga officer rushing into burning home, rescuing family

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A Chattanooga Police officer is being credited with saving a family from an apartment fire.

Body camera video shows Officer Rogers running into a home with flames visible near the front door. Police say the call happened May 1st just before 10 p.m. on Cranberry Way in Hixson.

Neighbors told the officer people were still inside. That is when he went in.

According to Chattanooga Police, Officer Rogers rescued Rachel Blaylock’s 4-year-old daughter Marlowe from the burning apartment as Blaylock followed with 10-year-old Charles.

Police body camera video shows Officer Rogers push through smoke and flames, getting Marlowe out safely. Blaylock says he was even ready to go back inside... "I keep thinking back, how was I going to get two kids down the stairs?" Blaylock told us. "He just grabs her, and he was willing to go back in." Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Police are not trained in firefighting, but they do take an oath to serve and protect,” CPD said in a social media post. “And that is exactly what Officer Rogers did. Neighbor Ebony Cox says she was getting ready for bed when she heard screaming coming from next door.

When she came outside, she looked over and saw the apartment building in flames.

"I'm like, please, please, somebody get her out," Cox says.

"He was just a brave person to react like that. He could have got hurt, but he didn't care. He just kept on kicking the door."

Blaylock says she’s just thankful her children made it out and that Officer Rogers didn’t hesitate.

Book of the Week: The Devil Gun, by J.T. Edson

I recently enjoyed another western novel, written in 1968 called "The Devil Gun" by J.T. Edson. I had never heard of the author (because his series were published in the decade I was born), and I've always had an affinity for cowboys...(and a past-life experience from Tombstone) thus, enjoying Western novels, although this was connected more to the Civil War. The book featured a Union officer going rogue to prevent a slaughter of innocents when a repeating gun was being given to native Americans for a purposeful brutal massacre. It also features Texas Light Calvary captain, who was more on the Confederate side, but realized the rogue Union soldier was there to save people.  This book was very enjoyable and had those two great main characters! (Apparently it's part of a series)  5 of 5 stars

OVERVIEW: It was the deadliest weapon in the West--a gun that could down a whole regiment, a whole Indian tribe of a whole town without even trying. They called it the Devil Gun.

Captain Dusty Fog of the Texas Light Cavalry had orders to capture that gun from a pair of Union Army fanatics--and out to stop him was the entire strength of the war-crazy Indian nations. The odds were not good. But Dusty had no choice--at stake were the lives of every man, woman and child in Texas.

Fingal's Cave: Scotland's 'cave of melody'

Geology has some amazing things to see and hear- one is Fingal's Cave >Fingal's Cave is a breathtaking sea cave on the uninhabited Scottish island of Staffa, famous for its towering, naturally formed hexagonal basalt columns and cathedral-like acoustics. That's today's blog. 

(Image: Fingal's Cave. Credit: www.wildaboutargyll.co.uk) 

Fingal's Cave: Scotland's 'cave of melody' where eerie echoes bounce off pillars of solidified lava

By Sascha Pare, Live Science, June 1, 2026

Fingal's Cave is a sea cave in Scotland whose walls are made of hexagonally joined basalt columns. These structures may have formed within the same lava flow that shaped the Giant's Causeway, a geological formation in Northern Ireland composed of more than 40,000 interlocking basalt pillars.

Fingal's Cave extends 230 feet (70 meters) deep and 60 feet (18 m) high inside the small, uninhabited island of Staffa, located in Scotland's Inner Hebrides. It was carved by a volcanic eruption sometime during the Paleocene epoch (66 million to 56 million years ago).

As giant lava flows from this eruption began to cool and solidify, their top and bottom parts contracted and fractured into hexagonal shapes similar to those formed by desiccation cracks in muddy sediments. Eventually, these fractures extended and combined in the center of the flow, forming hexagonal pillars whose sides were later revealed by waves eroding the margins of the flow, according to the National Trust for Scotland.

Fingal's Cave formed inside Staffa due to pressure and erosion that opened cracks in the rock.

The cave gets its name from an Irish myth about a warrior called Fionn Mac Cumhaill. According to the legend, Fionn — whose full name was shortened to Fingal, meaning "white stranger" — built the Giant's Causeway across the sea to Scotland to fight a rival called Benandonner, and Fingal's Cave is what remains of Fionn's path over the ocean on the Scottish side.

The 18th-century Scottish writer James Macpherson popularized the name Fingal's Cave with a book titled "Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six Books" that was published in 1762. 

Then, after visiting the cave in 1829, the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn wrote an overture — a musical introduction to a ballet or opera — known as the "Hebrides Overture" or "Fingal's Cave Overture."

Mendelssohn was inspired by the natural acoustics and eerie echoes inside Fingal's Cave, according to the National Trust for Scotland. A nod to these unique sounds is also found in the cave's Gaelic name, "Uamh-Binn," meaning "cave of melody" or "musical cave." Mendelssohn's overture established Fingal's Cave as a tourist destination, and other famous visitors include the authors Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, the poets John Keats and Lord Alfred Tennyson, and Queen Victoria.

Historic Preservation: Swansea Old Quaker Meeting House with Anti-Slavery Ties

It's so important to preserve history, and residents of Swansea, Massachusetts are fighting to restore the oldest Quaker Meeting House in the state that dates back to 1701. The site was significant to a woman who fought against slavery and needs to be preserved. Here's the story about the fight for preservation.

(Photo: The National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Swansea Friends Meeting House one of the 11 most endangered historic places in the country.  Wicked Local)  

Preservation efforts ramp up as Swansea Friends Meeting House is named one of nation’s most endangered historic sites

A Somerset preservation group recently secured its largest grant yet as restoration efforts continue at the state’s oldest surviving Quaker meeting house.

 By Samantha Genzer, May 28, 2026, Boston.Com

The Swansea Friends Meeting House in Somerset, Massachusetts has landed on a national list of “most endangered historic places,” bringing renewed attention — and new funding — to ongoing efforts to preserve the centuries-old landmark.

On May 20, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Meeting House one of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the United States amid the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

Built between 1701 and 1702, the Swansea Friends Meeting House is recognized as the oldest surviving Quaker meeting house in Massachusetts. The site reflects the history of early Quaker settlers who sought religious freedom and safety in colonial New England.

After the congregation dwindled to four members in 2008, ownership of the building was transferred to the Town of Somerset. With the structure no longer in regular use and closed to the public for more than a decade, deterioration began to take its toll, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In 2018, Somerset residents formed the Friends of Somerset Historic Preservation (FOSHP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the property.

Since then, the group has secured grants and undertaken restoration projects aimed at stabilizing both the exterior and interior of the building, according to FOSHP Chair Richard Peirce.

“The Friends of Somerset Historic Preservation are working to preserve the structure and the history of the people who built it,” former FOSHP Chair Mary Ann McDonald wrote in an essay about the site. “They were the founders of Somerset, and they left us a past that gives us pride of place. We honor the past by preserving it for the future.”

According to FOSHP Treasurer John Larsen, preservation efforts slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic despite earlier support from organizations, such as the Hathaway Family Foundation.

However, momentum returned last spring when FOSHP received grants from the Taunton River Watershed Alliance and Massachusetts Historical Commission, allowing the organization to begin the first phase of exterior restoration work, Larsen said

The Massachusetts Historical Commission grant, totaling $80,000, funded repairs to the building’s windows and doors. That phase is expected to be completed by the end of June, according to Peirce.

Last week, the organization received its largest grant to date — approximately $184,300 from the Mass Cultural Council, Peirce said.

Larsen said the funding will support the remaining phases of the exterior restoration, including repairs to the facade and foundation, along with site improvements surrounding the building.

(Photo: Tombstone of Patience Brayton, a Quaker, was born in 1733 in North Kingston, Rhode Island was an anti-slavery advocate. Credit: Southcoast Today)

Why preserve the Meeting House?

FOSHP leaders say the importance of the Meeting House extends beyond architecture and local history. The site also played a role in early abolitionist movements through figures such as Patience Brayton, a Rhode Island Quaker and outspoken anti-slavery advocate.

Slavery existed in Somerset as early as 1680, but Brayton believed slavery was “incompatible with the teachings of her faith,” McDonald wrote in her essay. After marrying a Somerset farmer, she freed the enslaved people working on her husband’s property and later embarked on a yearlong journey in 1771 across the American colonies to speak out against slavery.

“The building stands for religious freedom, equality of the sexes, and — very early on — abolition of slavery,” Peirce said.   

For more information about the restoration, visit: https://savingplaces.org/places/swansea-friends 

What happens after restoration?

Once exterior and interior restoration work is complete, organizers hope to transform the Meeting House into a community cultural center. Larsen said they are planning to form a group to discuss the possibilities of the Meeting House.

“We want to make the building a vibrant part of the community once again,” he added.

Peirce said the restored Meeting House could host community events like concerts, lectures, and art programming, while still honoring the site’s historical significance.

“I don’t see the building being open without a nod to the history of the building and the area,” Larsen added.

Peirce said that recent grants and national recognition have strengthened his confidence in completing the project. “We’re looking forward to turning our attention to the interior and getting the building open as quickly as possible,” he said.

Weird News: Hell (MIchigan) Is For Sale For About $666K

The weird news of the week, is that if someone tells you to go to Hell, you can, and now you can own it! The entire small town of Hell, Michigan is officially for sale at an interesting price. Hell is a quirky, unincorporated community in Livingston County, Michigan, about 20 miles northwest of Ann Arbor. Settled in 1838, it is famous for its playful, devilish theme and tourist attractions. I love this part - "Mail a postcard from the official Hell U.S. Post Office, which singes and burns the edges so your recipients know where it came from." Today's blog is about the town for sale!

Hell is Officially on Sale

Beth Dalby, Patch.com, May 26, 2026 

If you have ever sent someone to a special corner of Hell in your mind, you can now do so literally — and for less than $666,000 —without the risk of growing horns, a tail, or cloven hooves.

Hell is for sale. Hell, Michigan, that is.

The sale of the popular tourist town for $625,000 includes just over seven acres of land and buildings — the Creamatory ice cream parlor known for its Gravedigger Sundae; the Screams Souvenirs from Hell and Halloween shop; and Hell’s Chapel of Love, which boasts, “A marriage that starts in Hell has nowhere to go but up!”

A mini-golf course is also part of the sale. And the buyer would also be able to send mail through the local post office, which stamps “Been Thru Hell” on every piece of mail.

This isn’t the first time Hell has been for sale. according to  owner John Colone, who says that his 70th birthday approaches, it’s time to give up the 5.25-acre development in Livingston County.

(Photo: Hell, which often freezes over – along with the rest of Michigan – is for sale. (Photo via Facebook)

Fun Fact

In 1963, the Hell Chamber of Commerce sponsored a two-day "fun festival" which began with Satan's arrival by helicopter at "Satan's Hills," a local housing development.

How it Got Its Name

According to local lore, the settlement got its name in the mid-1800s thanks to its founder, George Reeves. Because he paid local farmers for their grain with home-distilled whiskey, their wives would frequently complain that their husbands had "gone to Hell again" during harvest time

Attended a Medium Show- but Ed's Spirit Came to Me Instead

On Friday, May 22, 2026, Tom and I went to see New England Medium Maureen Hancock perform live at the Levitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine. We had never seen her before and enjoyed her live show reading various people from the audience. We were hoping for Tom's mom to come through to her, but she didn't. Instead, because I'm also a medium, Tom's late partner Ed came through to me and visibly! (This will be a chapter in an upcoming book, btw)

(Tom and Rob at the Levitt Theatre. Credit: RG)

About the Theatre

The theatre opened in the fall of 1923 and is located in downtown Ogunguit. It was built by original owners Frank and Annie Leavitt. The venue specialized in silent films, which were accompanied by live organ and piano music.  Today, the theatre has an Art Deco bar and serves American cuisine. There is a lounge on the mezzanine level, too. The theatre is fully operational and hosts music, comedy some silent films, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.leavittheatre.com/.

It’s also haunted. At least I sensed that there was at least one earthbound ghost there. But that evening it was filled with spirits of loved ones who wanted to be heard.

 (Photo: The Leavitt Theatre. Credit: R. Gutro)

There are four sections of seats in the theatre. Two of them are in the center of the theatre and are split with a wide aisle between them. There are also sections on the right and left sides of the theatre. Tom and I were seated in the first row of the second center section (farther from the stage) with the large aisle in front of us. We had the two end seats to the left aisle.

The Line Up

While we were watching the show, I developed a very strong headache which is my signature sign that there are a lot of earthbound ghosts or visiting spirits who crossed over.

When I looked to my left at the aisle next to me, I actually saw a long line of about 30 spirits lined up toward the stage!  This is very unusual for me to see spirits visibly, but they knew they had a chance to communicate with their relatives in the audience. They were waiting to connect with medium Maureen Hancock, one at a time.

Standing next to me was a large man with a very large stomach who was about 68 and had passed by a heart attack. He had a grayish beard and a ring of hair around his head which was otherwise bald. In front of him was a woman who was about 70, wearing a dark blue dress with white flecks or shapes. She had matching blue shoes, brown wavy hair piled up and black framed glasses that came to a point on the ends like were famous in the 1960s. She said she was a teacher.

(Photo: The stage of Leavitt Theatre before Ed arrived. Credit: R. Gutro)

I must have looked at the line of people two or three times while I was sitting there and Maureen Hancock was channeling them one at a time from the stage.

Tom Gets a Sudden Chill

While I was looking at the line of spirits lined up in the aisle, Tom told me he got a sudden chill that ran along his spine. He said it was the same experience that he had the month before when he was with his mom before her passing.

Earlier in the evening, medium Maureen Hancock called it the “Quickening,” and said it’s indicative of a spirit visiting. It was just a minute later I would know that chill was Ed making an appearance.

Ed Makes an Appearance

Shortly after I saw that line of spirits waiting to be “read” by the medium, Tom excused himself to go to the restroom. As soon as he got up from his seat, out of the corner of my right eye, I saw a man standing there about 5’10” or so (I don’t know how tall Ed was in life), wearing what looked like long dark green or brown slacks. Then he sat in Tom’s seat!

When I looked over at him, I immediately recognized Ed! I could clearly see his dark hair, and he looked toward the stage and grinned. He drew my attention to his left hand that he placed near his knee.

I reached over with my right hand and put my hand on his knee. Then I realized that he put his hand on top of mine because his hand took on a young appearance. Gone were the veins and wrinkles in my hand, and they were replaced with the tight skin of a 30-something year old (of Ed’s hand, because Ed passed in his mid-30s).

Ed sat still and let me hold his knee while he rested his hand on mine, for what seemed like 5 minutes but it was likely less than 30 seconds. During that time, he continued to stare forward at the stage, and he told me why he was there.

Ed’s Messages

The first thing Ed wanted to convey was what happened before Tom’s mom passed in April 2026. Tom’s mom lived in South Carolina with Tom’s sister and her husband who were caring for his mom, who was under home hospice.

Just before his mom passed, Tom flew down to be with her. On the morning she passed, Tom said he experienced a sudden and cold chill up his spine. Ed said that chill was from him. He appeared in the room with all of Tom’s family in spirit, to   welcome Tom’s mom into the light.

When I asked Tom why Ed would be there for his mom’s passing (other than for Tom), Tom explained that Ed did landscaping work for his mom and helped her out, and she loved him.

Ed told me it was he who was standing behind Tom, drawing all the energy from the air (slowing the air molecules down and creating cold air).

Ed also said two other things. One was the name “Cody,” who was our dog who passed on March 6, 2026. He was reassuring me that he had Cody in his arms. When I heard Ed say Cody’s name, I teared up.

The other thing he said was that Tom needs to monitor and watch his blood pressure. Tom said he had been having some challenges with it.

(Image: This is a AI generated image of Ed holding Cody in spirit that I created using Google Gemini. Credit: R.G.)

Ed Departs

As soon as Tom came back and walked in front of me to take his seat, I saw Ed’s brown pant leg stand up, and he turned the other way and disappeared.

When Tom sat down, I was teary eyed and couldn’t talk for several minutes. When I composed myself, I leaned over and softly told him that Ed had just visited and sat in his seat.

Making Sense of it After the Event

After we left the event and were driving home, I told Tom in detail about Ed’s appearance. He asked me about the color of the pants Ed was wearing, and I told him. That’s when I learned something else about Ed that I never knew. 

Tom recognized the color of the pants I was describing and provided an answer why I saw him wearing them. Tom said that for a period of time, Ed worked as a ranger with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. I had no idea!

Tom later searched the Internet to jar his memory and realized that Ed worked at the Potomac Overlook Regional Park at in Arlington, Virginia that borders the Potomac River.

Further, when I looked up the uniform, the pants were the SAME color of the pants I saw Ed wearing when he sat in Tom’s chair, and when I put my hand on his knee. I was astounded.

Bottom Line

This was one of the most incredible visits from Ed that I’ve ever had. He sat next to me, and I actually felt my hand on his knee and his hand on mine. It’s an experience I will never forget.

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Idiot of the Week: Former 'gay cure' ministry leader accused of trying to meet with minor

This week's idiot is yet another ministry person, who is rabidly anti-gay, and was caught with a minor Do you think Conservatives know that the worst child predators are among themselves? I doubt it, but every week there seems to be an Idiot from a conservative background, who is rabidly anti gay, anti trans, anti drag queen, hates people of color, people of other ethnicities , and is the one who is abusing children. It's disgusting. I share these as a way of educating people to look in their own houses before accusing others of what's happening in your own backyard. Why this guy's bond was only set at  $15K is unimaginable. Here's the story.

Winter Park businessman, former 'gay cure' ministry leader accused of trying to meet with minor

May 20, 2026 , Gail Paschall-Brown WESH-TV, Florida

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County deputies said Tuesday they had "stopped a predator before he had the chance to harm a child," announcing the arrest of a man accused of trying to meet with an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old boy.

Alan Chambers, 54, faces charges of solicitation of a minor via computer, transmission of material harmful to minors, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device, records show.

Chambers' arrest is part of an investigation that started in February, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. His arrest affidavit states he and the detective spoke via Snapchat and Telegram between then and May of this year, during which Chambers allegedly sent sexually-explicit messages while attempting to arrange a meetup.

Detectives shared two pages of what Chambers allegedly said he wanted to do with the minor, including sending a "picture of a white (male's) torso laying in bed where the end of their penis was visible."

The affidavit states Chambers spoke of "forbidden love" and that he wanted the boy "so much," with the undercover detective stating the accused had asked him on April 10 if he could take an Uber and meet them near their office on Park Avenue. Chambers also repeatedly expressed concerns over getting in trouble and occasionally deleted the chats, according to the affidavit.

Chambers was arrested Tuesday morning during a traffic stop at Aloma Avenue and Strathy Lane, according to the affidavit. During the arrest, deputies remarked that Chambers allegedly told them he works at John Craig Clothiers in Winter Park and currently lives with his wife and two children.

We spoke with several business owners in Winter Park who knew Chambers and said, off camera, that they were shocked.

WESH 2 News previously reported on Chambers in 2013 when he was head of Exodus International, a now-defunct Orlando-based Christian ministry that advocated and practiced so-called conversion therapy. Chambers apologized to the gay community "for years of undue suffering and judgment at the hands of the organization and the church as a whole," announcing the organization would shut down.

Further, the Park Avenue District acknowledged in a statement that Chambers served in a volunteer board leadership role, adding he was suspended from the board pending further review after the sheriff's office's announcement Tuesday.

"The Park Avenue District is aware of the matter involving Alan Chambers, who served in a volunteer Board leadership role. This matter is unrelated to the organization or its operations," the statement reads. "Following formal action by the Board of Directors, Mr. Chambers has been suspended from the Board pending further review. Out of respect for the legal process, the organization will not provide additional comment at this time. Our focus remains on supporting the Park Avenue community, local businesses, and ongoing district initiatives."

A judge set his bond at $15,000 and prohibited him from having any contact with individuals under the age of 18.

Chambers was also ordered not to use social media. He was granted online access for work only.

Anyone with information about any additional victims should call the agency's non-emergency line at 407-836-4357, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said on social media.