Port Byron Historical Society March News

ROY KOUSKI related his experiences with the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II at the March 12th meeting of the Port Byron Historical Society. He told of the liberation of the Wobbelin Concentration Camp on May 2, 1945. Everyone was urged to Google Wobbelin to learn more about this camp. Roy also talked about accepting the surrender of German soldiers as the war was ending and interactions with the Russian soldiers. Mr. Kouski then answered many questions from the audience. Our program April 9th will be CARL PALMER on "The History of Numbers, Slide Rules and Surveying In Illinois" at 6:30pm at the River Valley District Library,214 S Main St in Port Byron. Everyone is always invited.

WILL B. ROLLING Wins Eddy Award

WILL B. ROLLING will receive an EDDY Award for public art at the River Action 12th Annual Eddy Awards Dinner Friday, April 25th at Black Hawk State Historic Site, Watchtower Lodge, 1510 46th Ave in Rock Island. Social Hour at 5:30 pm. Dinner followed by presentation of the Eddy Awards at 7:00 pm. Visit riveraction.org for ticket information.

GRANT TAKES COMMAND

The River Valley 150th Anniversary Civil War Roundtable will meet Monday, March 24th at 6:00pm at the River Valley District Library, 214 S Main St in Port Byron to discuss Civil War events in March of 1864. Our main topic will be Ulysses S. Grant being appointed to the newly created rank of Lieutenant General placing him in charge of the entire Union Army: we will look at the Grant's career to date and the challenges he faced. We will also discuss the Kilpatrick Raid on Richmond: were the papers found on Ulric Dahlgren forged? The Jones County "rebellion against the rebellion" in Mississippi reached its climax: we will look at Newton Knight and his fight against the Confederacy and his shocking later life. There was a bloody riot in Charleston Illinois involving soldiers home on furlough and Copperheads. We meet the fourth Monday of every month to discuss Civil War events in that month, 150 years ago. Everyone is always welcome.

What Global Warming?

It is officially Meteorological Spring! The normal highs in the Quad Cities are supposed to be 41 degrees and the normal low temperatures 24. Instead, we see sub-zero temperatures in the forecast. The Quad Cities had the snowiest Meteorological Winter in recorded history and it was in the top five for coldest winter in history. To celebrate the start of Meteorological Spring I shoveled my driveway and sidewalk for the umpteenth time for a piddling one inch snowfall. We are under a snow advisory for tonight with four or more inches of snow forecasted. There is a chance of snow almost every day in the ten day forecast with temperatures way below normal. For some reason I am finding it difficult to believe in global warming. Heck, I am having trouble seeing anything wrong with global warming.