R. John Ichter is best known for his brilliantly colored, stylized landscapes in pastel on suede and abstract oil and acrylics on canvas. His color-saturated landscapes and dragonflies convey his passion for the beauty of nature and his intense abstract works show his depth of imagination and spontaneity.
Ichter's signature style has been developed over an almost thirty-year career in painting. In all of his work, intense competing colors co-exist harmoniously and create a sense of lush, vibrant and idyllic natural world.
"Koi with Pearl" 16" x 6"
While still in college, the Milliken Design Center awarded a summer internship to Mr. Ichter.
This internship eventually led him to design fabrics that were sold through the United States.
Jazz/Gospel musician Jerome Olds commissioned Mr. Ichter to illustrate two album covers in 1986.
The Ritz-Carlton's downtown property features a number of Ichter's signature style paintings.
"It is very rewarding to have people love the artwork I do. It's also pretty cool to go to the different galleries that represent me for shows and chatting with and painting for gallery-goes and my collectors.
I really like having people watch while I paint.
I enjoy traveling, especially around Europe. I get a lot of inspiration for my work from my travels."
Ichter lives alone with his two whippetts, Joe and Rudy, in the Little Five points section of Atlanta. Along with biking and golf, Ichter trains and teaches karate having achieved rank of "Shodan" first degree Black Belt. Ichter also raises orchids and tropical fish.
The black and white pictures, many of them copied from photos borrowed from the Atlanta History Center, are arranged in silver frames of varying sizes, a clever Atlanta-centric design element conceived by consultant Matthew L. Whitaker of International Art Collaborative.
The new Buckhead hotel brims with other pieces with strong Atlanta connections, although not as readily apparent. A quartet of still-life photos by Atlanta artist Nancy Franke, for example, depict vintage silver pieces borrowed from Beverly Bremer Silver Shop on Peachtree Road.
It�s a trend guests will see at several upscale Atlanta hotels, where the walls of lobbies, hallways and even guest rooms are carefully curated. At a time when properties in the high-end market compete ever more assiduously for every booking, an impressive art collection has joined the list of luxe amenities guests have come to expect.
The Ritz-Carlton�s downtown property features a number of works by Atlanta artists. R. John Ichter, for example, created �Seas of Europa,� a mixed media piece on canvas displayed near the entrance.
The Buckhead Ritz-Carlton installed more than 3,300 new works during its renovation last year, including locally themed pieces such as prints of the Swan House.
�We wanted to capture an essence of the South,� said general manager Jon McGavin.
Close attention to art isn�t limited to large luxury hotels. Alexis Edwards Amaden, whose family owns the Whitlock Inn in Marietta, recently purchased some vintage engravings to adorn the historic property�s walls. The mural on a back stairwell has an especially close connection, Amaden said. It was painted by her mother, local artist Nancy Edwards.
Back in town, the guests at the InterContinental Hotel might admire Atlanta artist Radcliff Bailey�s vibrant �Monoprint� by the elevator. �Nightlilies,� a the huge floral piece rendered in charcoal-colored oil, greets patrons headed to the ballroom. And bronze, wood and granite sculptures created by Donald Locke, a native South American now living here, are positioned near large windows looking out onto a verdant courtyard.
Less than a quarter-mile away is the new Buckhead W, famously dressed in country-club chic by designer Thom Filicia. Guest rooms are meant to feel like a local manse�s spare quarters, outfitted comfortably yet elegantly, with a local connection.
�We get so many comments on these,� general manager Marylouise Fitzgibbon said of the Atlanta-centric pieces. A visit to a randomly chosen guest room revealed framed photographs showing a close-up of the carving on the side of Stone Mountain, and a stylized view of the encased moving sidewalk visitors stand on while viewing sharks and stingrays at the Georgia Aquarium .


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Lawyer admits to doctoring asbestos suits in N.Y.
An Unintended Effect of Energy-Efficient Buildings
Does Lead Poisoning Make You More Likely To Become A Criminal?
Iowa's asbestos inspectors overloaded
Mold may set off asthma in middle-age
3D Maps Reveal a Lead-Laced Ocean
Barbara's Corner
Hello spring, I am so very happy to say goodbye to winter!
We are all ready for the busy season to begin and we hope you are too.
I will do all I can to help you with your projects. Let me know if you need any additional supplies or if you have any questions.
For those who need them I have FedEx pre-printed shipping labels that will make shipping samples easier when you're in the field.
We can do this….together!
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Asbestos Spotlight
Crocidolite
The fibrous form of the amphibole riebeckite, found primarily in southern Africa, but also in Australia and Bolivia. Crocidolite is seen under a microscope as a blue fiber.
Often referred to as blue asbestos, it is considered the most hazardous. In 1964 Dr Christopher Wagner discovered an association between blue asbestos and mesothelioma.
Bolivian crocidolite was used in Kent Micronite cigarette filters in the 1950s. Blue asbestos was also formerly used in early gas masks. In the mid 20th Century, asbestos was found to be harmful so production stopped.
© Raimond Spekking
CC-BY-SA-3.0
(via WikimediaCommons)
I have some great news to share this month; Dr. Terry Harrison is back at the helm of our Microbiology and Food Safety Laboratories.
Dr. Harrison worked with us several years ago and helped to open and establish our Micro Lab, as well as writing our original Mold Investigator Training course. During this time he was rapidly becoming known as one of the most knowledgeable voices in the mold industry.
Dr. Harrison has returned with his commitment to customer service and a willingness to work closely with our clients. Having been a professor for many years he is an excellent communicator. With his knowledge of microorganisms, Terry is an outstanding source of information in regards to mold and its hazards.
All of us here at QuanTEM are very excited to have Dr. Harrison back on the team. Don't hesitate to give him a call if you have a question about mold or bacteria. I promise you, it will be time well spent.
Lawyer admits to doctoring asbestos suits in N.Y. to increase business
By Jessica Beym, South Jersey Times
A former attorney in the Haddonfield office of a firm specializing in toxic tort litigation today admitted that he falsified defendants' names in more than 100 asbestos suits filed in New York State courts in order to increase business and his standing in the firm, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.
Arobert C. Tonogbanua, 44, of Sicklerville pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court to one count of wire fraud.
Authorities said Tonogbanua admitted that he fraudulently inserted the names of his former law firm's clients into legitimately filed asbestos suits and charged the clients more than $1 million in attorney's fees, costs and settlements to defend them.
Tonogbanua admitted that, unbeknownst to anyone else at the firm, he forwarded those fraudulently altered complaints to the firm's clients, their representatives and insurance companies. Read more
An Unintended Effect of Energy-Efficient Buildings: Toxic Mold
By Sarah Zhang, http://gizmodo.com
Energy-efficient buildings can be wonderful at keeping out drafts and keeping down heating bills. But the same air-tightness, unfortunately, is also perfect for trapping humid air where toxic mold can go to party.
The Alberta Court of Appeal in Canada has been a mold-filled ghost building since 2001, after renovations to the handsome, 87-year-old sandstone building went awry. When the renovated and newly energy-efficient building reopened, according to ClimateWire, judges and attorneys complained of fatigue, irritated lungs, and watery eyes.
Air quality samples pointed the finger at mold growing inside the walls. The cracks and leaks of the pre-renovation building had been a crude form of air-quality control-albeit not very energy efficient. The new airtight building, however, trapped moisture to breed toxic mold.
The court eventually moved to an office tower downtown, but the mold permanently contaminated its archives. Record requests are a real pain. "Mold still lingers in paper court documents," Umair Irfan writes in ClimateWire; incredibly, this requires "someone with a respirator to retrieve and scan contaminated files to send to officials as requested." Read more
By Lecia Bushak, http://www.medicaldaily.com
In the U.S., crime has been reduced significantly in the past several decades. Economists and researchers have hypothesized that this decline in crime is somehow linked to the removal of high lead levels from common things like gasoline or paint, and thus claim that lead poisoning at an early age may be cause for criminal activity later on.
Before Rudy Giuliani became the mayor of New York City in the early 1990s, the Big Apple was known for its high crime rates. Since the 1960s, rape, murder, and robbery rates had ballooned significantly. Giuliani came along with a plan to decrease crime with the "broken windows" theory, and it worked; crime dropped significantly. But it wasn't just in New York City. Amazingly enough, it was happening all across the States during the last decade of the 20th century.
Why did the homicide rate decrease by over 40 percent by the end of the 1990s? Economists and criminologists have struggled to find a clear cut answer, and perhaps there is none. Some believe it's because of an increase in police officers; others point to the fact that the number of criminals who are behind bars has risen. However, a fraction of researchers believe that the decline of crime is linked to lead. Read more
By Jason Clayworth, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
A contractor's complaint has prompted closer scrutiny of possible asbestos exposure involving workers at a downtown Des Moines renovation project, but an inspector doesn't even visit hundreds of sites across Iowa each year where workers could face risks from the cancer-causing material.
The routine lack of asbestos-handling inspections at construction sites in Iowa and across the nation represents a widespread failure to protect the public, environmental safety advocates say.
In Iowa, one inspector enforces U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asbestos removal regulations and oversees as many as 4,500 asbestos removal projects each year. Another inspector must try to enforce federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration asbestos regulations.
The fact that Iowa's inspectors are overworked means owners of unscrupulous companies know they can work in Iowa and probably won't encounter oversight, said Lynn Pickard, statewide director of training of the Iowa Laborers Education and Training Fund. He emphasized concerns about projects where he believes some companies partake in "rip and skip at night when nobody is around" and incorrectly conduct air monitoring tests. Read more
By Annie Rahilly-Melbourne, http://www.futurity.org
Reducing the presence of mold in the home may reduce asthma in middle-aged adults, according to new research.
In a follow-up of a longitudinal health study conducted in Tasmania, over 5,700 participants completed respiratory and home environment questionnaires and had skin-prick tests for allergies.
The results revealed that recent presence of mold in the home was associated with "non-allergic" asthma in middle age, particularly in men whose risk was about four times that of women. Read more
By David Malakoff, http://news.sciencemag.org
3D graphics by Steven van Heuven, courtesy Hein de Baar, Rob Middag, Abigail Noble, and Christian Schlosser
About 1000 meters down in a remote part of the Atlantic Ocean sits an unusual legacy of humanity's love affair with the automobile. It's a huge mass of seawater infused with traces of the toxic metal lead, a pollutant once widely emitted by cars burning leaded gasoline. Decades ago, the United States and Europe banned leaded gas and many other uses of the metal, but the pollutant's fingerprint lingers on-as shown by remarkably detailed new maps released here this week at the 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting.
The 3D maps and animations are the early results of an unprecedented $300 million international collaboration to document the presence of trace metals and other chemicals in the world's oceans. The substances, which often occur in minute quantities, can provide important clues to understanding the ocean's past-such as how seawater masses have moved around over centuries-and its future, such as how climate change might shift key biochemical processes. Over about 30 cruises in the past few years, researchers have collected nearly 30,000 water samples at 787 study sites. Then, using painstaking techniques-including wearing "moon suits" and working in clean rooms to prevent contamination-they've measured elements like iron, nickel, and zinc. The effort, known as GEOTRACES, "is a huge improvement over what we were able to do in the past," says ocean chemist Hein de Baar of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research in Texel. Read more
Any publication included in this News Letter and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of QuanTEM Laboratories, LLC but remain solely those of the author(s). Such publications have been included only for ease of reference and academic purposes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Help support FCC while you do your everyday shopping!
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FCC is an affiliate of the The Christianbook Group.


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The term Hall of Fame was basically originated in 1900 when the first U.S Hall of Fame was founded at Bronx Community College in the Bronx, New York (the same Bronx that Al Rosen is from). Since, Hall of Fames have been created for baseball in Cooperstown, New York; Football in Canton, Ohio and there are Hall of Fame for most other sports as well as other industries of entertainment, WWE, Rock and Roll, etc. Five years ago, the Tri-Fitness Challenge started their Hall of Fame and they induct new members each year. This year, 2017, we are proud to induct the following people who have impacted Tri-Fitness:
Tonia D'Anna – is a personal trainer and mother of two from Citrus Hills, Florida. She has won the Obstacle Course event at numerous events including her first in 2002 at the Southeastern Championship in Miami followed by the World Challenge in Las Vegas. She is presently ranked 6th all time on the Obstacle Course with a time of 48.21 seconds.
Jeff Sullivan – is one of the top men athletes to run the Obstacle Course. His goals were to beat the best woman's time and to be able to run his age. He accomplished both with a best time of 43.59 seconds. In addition, he has helped Tri-Fitness with his general contractor skills by making and fixing different parts of the course and helped drive the course to Las Vegas. Despite having a few back surgeries he is hoping for a comeback in the future.
Chrisie Allemand -is a registered dietician from Louisiana but presently residing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She is the founder of Fit Focus Training and Nutrition and has been competing in Tri-Fitness since 2001. In 2009, Chrisie became the Tri-Fitness World Champion. She has run the Obstacle Course in 52.75 seconds.
Nicola Brown – is an attorney from Jamaica and has been competing in Tri-Fitness events for more than 10 years. In addition to competing, Nicky has helped out and organized Tri-Fitness challenges and camps. Nicky's has run the Obstacle Course in 54.62 seconds.
Danielle Singh – helped organize the 1999 Tri-Fitness World Challenge/Trade Show at the Tampa Convention Center. This event was televised and raised $9000 for St. Judes Research Hospital. Overcoming a last minute bogus law suit initiated by a multi millionaire, the Tri-Fitness Challenge was a success and she competed as well. Having thought she retired from Tri-Fitness in 2001, she laced up her sneakers for a comeback this year. She has run the Obstacle Course in 61.09 seconds.
Sydney Joseph – is a personal trainer from Brooklyn, New York. He has won the Tri-Fitness National Challenge and placed top 3 at numerous Tri-Fitness World Challenges. Known for his colorful apparel, Sydney is always there to cheer on all the competitors. Sydney has posted an Obstacle Course time of 49.31 seconds.
Tonga Fifita and FAMILY – Despite having entertained crowds from the Tokyo Super Dome to Madison Square Garden, this first Tongan professional wrestler (also known as Haku or Meng) as well as brother to Al is always entertained by the athletic ability of Tri-Fitness athletes. Tonga is Vice President of Tri-Fitness and has been a presence at many of the events from Washington, DC to Florida events. While playing football at the University of Texas at El Paso, his son Tevita gathered up 3 of his teammates and made the drive to Las Vegas to help out and surprise his uncle. Tonga's wife Dorothy, daughter Vika and sons Tevita, Pate, and Taula are there to support and help Tri-Fitness in any way. While the Bench Press event was going on at the TradeWinds in St. Pete, they surprised Al by setting up the Obstacle Courses themselves. They are FAMILY FOREVER!
Karla Kirkegaard – is a personal trainer and mother of three from Poway, California. Karla has placed top ten at numerous World Challenges. In addition, she has hosted numerous Tri-Fitness camps in the San Diego area and has volunteered at Tri-Fitness events. Also, Karla has made Tri-Fitness a family event by competing with her son Colton. Karla has run the Obstacle Course in 62.22 seconds.
Celeste Turner – is a personal trainer from New Orleans, Louisiana. She has been competing in Tri-Fitness since 2008 including top 5 finishes overall in numerous National and World Challenges. Celeste has been one of the top athletes in the Fitness Routine over the last 10 years and has run the Obstacle Course in 57.25 seconds.
Stephanie Rosen and Family – Stephanie is a former elite gymnast who has helped her dad Al at over 50 events plus camps. She has judged, organized, timed, spotted as well as supporting her 3 daughters Kaylin, Aubree and Preslee to challenge themselves in Tri-Fitness. Her husband Gary has helped at all the Tri-Fitness events in every capacity from erecting and transporting the equipment to spotting the athletes.


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North Korea Honors Kim Jong Un's Best Year Yet, Promises To Shock World in 2018
By Tom O'Connor On 12/30/17 at 3:25 PM EST
North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un attends a music concert for the Attendants of the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) held in Pyongyang on December 29 in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang, December 30, 2017. The events of 2017 have arguably led to North Korea's youngest leader becoming its most powerful. KCNA via REUTERS
World North Korea Kim Jong Un Donald Trump ICBM
Despite crippling economic sanctions and threats of U.S. military action by President Donald Trump, North Korea has looked back at historic achievements made by supreme leader Kim Jong Un in 2017, the year in which the secretive, militarized state developed missiles capable of striking anywhere in the U.S.
North Korea's state-run media was ripe Saturday with celebrations of its ballistic and nuclear weapons programs, highlighting how the mostly impoverished, authoritarian country had managed landmark advances in the face of a U.S. administration that vowed a hardline stance against Kim's growing arsenal. In one report, the official Korean Central News Agency published a timeline of notable events, promising to continue its path toward developing new, more powerful weapons in spite of condemnation from most of the international community.
Related: Who are Kim Jong Un's children and does North Korea have an heir?
"Do not expect any change in its policy. Its entity as an invincible power can neither be undermined nor be stamped out," the state-run outlet wrote.
"The DPRK, as a responsible nuclear weapons state, will lead the trend of history to the only road of independence and justice, weathering all tempests on this planet," it added, referring to the country by its official title—the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
On January 1, 2017, Kim made a New Year's Resolution when he first announced his country had developed the technology capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Trump, then president-elect and weeks from taking office, quickly dismissed the claims, saying "it won't happen!"
It did.
But first, North Korea tested its Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile in February, and a new high-thrust engine in March. In April, amid reports of a sixth nuclear weapons test, Trump warned he was sending an "armada" to the Korean Peninsula and threatened military intervention. U.S. military presence intensified around the nuclear flashpoint and Trump's warning carried extra weight as it followed a cruise missile strike on Syria, whose government he accused of using chemical weapons.
No nuclear test occurred at the time, but Kim came through with his ICBM promise on the Fourth of July, launching the first North Korean missile capable of hitting the continental U.S. on the nation's Independence Day. After the first Hwasong-14 ICBM launch, Kim launched a second later that month as a war of words between the young head of state and the oldest U.S. president began to heat up.
As the U.S. launched joint drills with South Korea and Japan, North Korea went on to test a new, more powerful hydrogen bomb in September and launch a third ICBM late last month. This new, higher missile, known as Hwasong-15, displayed the country's ability to hit any target in the U.S. With the year coming to a close, North Korea has claimed a credible deterrent against U.S. invasion, something all three generations of the country's ruling family have desired.
A stamp issued by North Korea's State Stamp Bureau commemorates the test-launch of the new type of ICBM Hwasong-15 is seen in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, December 29, 2017. KCNA via REUTERS
Another organ of North Korea's leadership, ruling Korean Workers' Pary official newspaper Rodong Sinmun published Saturday another commentary that not only criticized U.S. foreign policy for its interference in the affairs of sovereign states, but hinted new North Korean innovations in store for the new year.
"Under the grim situation only socialist Korea has dynamically advanced along the road chosen by itself without the slightest deviation and smashed the U.S. arbitrary practices," the outlet wrote.
"In 2018 the world will be further shocked by Juche Korea which will successfully build a powerful socialist nation by giving full rein to the great might of self-reliance and self-development."
North Korea Honors Kim Jong Un's Best Year Yet, Promises To Shock World in 2018 | World
What Are the U.S. Military's Most Powerful Weapons?
China: 'This Is Not How a U.S. President Should Behave'
Is Kim Jong Un A More Qualified Leader Than Trump?


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Returnal Has New Gameplay Footage Out Now Featured On The PS5
The PlayStation 5 has now been out for several weeks. Thus far, the community seems to be taking well to it. The next-gen graphics seem to be what many hoped for and the haptic feedback provided by the DualSense controller is a revolutionary selling point that many can't get enough of. It takes immersion to the next level from a feeling standpoint.
Some New Screenshots Of Resident Evil 3 Remake Have Surfaced Showing New Threats And Vibrant Environments
The game library also isn't too shabby, with titles like Astro's Playroom, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure to choose from at this current moment. There seems to be something for everyone that has been lucky enough to get their hands on this still hard-to-find console.
One of the more promising PS5 exclusives that fans have known about is Returnal, a third-person psychological horror game being developed by Housemarque. Its moody sci-fi themes were highlighted back in June, but now, there's a new gameplay trailer that peels back the curtain on the horrors that await players bold enough to venture through a foreign planet.
The Next Gran Turismo Is In Development And Will Reportedly Include Aspects From The Past, Present, And Future
The trailer doesn't pull any punches, but instead gets right into the combat sequences. The player makes use of a lot of technologically advanced weaponry that show a lot of firepower and diversity right out of the gate.
The monstrosities the player battles against are just as awe-inspiring, ranging from creatures with hundreds of tentacles to flying demons. They all have such a unique color palette that instantly draws you in. You want to find out more about these threats teeming around a well-detailed environment.
Based on the visuals, it's clear Returnal has next-gen qualities. Everything seems so crisp and the sci-fi elements provide a haunting feel that stays with you throughout the trailer's entirety.
We also get a glance of the time-looping concept. Players will take control of a female space pilot named Selene. She's stuck in a time loop and every time she dies, she's forced to venture through this alien world and face different threats.
That should give this game a lot of re-playability as the elements change all of the time. The high-tech weapons the developer has provided should give you a chance of lasting through the alien threats in hopes of breaking the cycle.
2K Sports Explains Why NBA 2K21 MyCareer Progress Won't Carry Over To Next-Gen
The PS5 is still hard to come by, but once more are made and the next-gen console becomes readily available, you have to imagine Returnal will be a top title that PS5 console owners look forward to experiencing.
Read More: Returnal Has New Gameplay Footage Out Now Featured On The PS5
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The Callisto Protocol Looks To Be A Promising Dead Space Spiritual Successor According To Latest Trailer Announcement →
Cynthia Bailey Tells People To Vote – Check Out Her Gorgeous Natural Look In The Photos She Dropped
Eva Marcille Impresses Fans With A Throwback Music Video In Which She Is Featured
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Todd Tucker Proudly Shared A Video Featuring His Son, Ace Wells Tucker: 'A Star Is Born'
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Enjoy reading and share 51 famous quotes about Cramp with everyone.
from fright they free, from force and cramp.
Of the evil they ask no repentance.
Of the good they ask not for battle.
is deep inside of equal kind.
pulled forward by its inner laws.
"You've broken a bone, it's healed funny."
She strapped me up though and that's the reason my foot is hurting, because the strapping gave me cramp.
Want to see more pictures of Cramp quotes? Click on image of Cramp quotes to view full size.


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Fur Blend return with their brand new single Serotonin on 20th May. The single is released on limited edition CD and digital formats. There are only 50 CDs and the sleeves were hand printed by Laura from the band.
The single is now available to pre-order for only £2 from our bandcamp You can also purchase the single along with their previous CDs Alley Pally & Vicugna Pacos EP for only £6 (these bundles are extremely limited so get them quick).
Fur Blend will launch the single at Santiagos in Leeds on Saturday 21st May - Fur Blend Single Launch with Kath & the Kicks and Charlie Padfield. Entry is free.


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Megaphone Magazine
Hope in Shadows
Voices of the Street
Vendors Stories
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by Julia Aoki
photos: Top: Priscillia Mays Tait reads her work at a Voices of the Street Launch, where The Bear Whisperer (right) also shared his writing. Geoff Webb photos.
The joy of sharing stories
Through work at Megaphone, it is an honour to support writers on the margins to tell their stories, in the form of journalism, creative writing and photography
Get on your megaphone
There is an uncanny sensation that comes with being at work during the final days of the year.
While many were taking a much deserved holiday break in the waning wintry days of 2021, Megaphone's vendor hub remained open for vendors who were stocking up on supplies or needed a place to warm up.
On my days working in the office, I delighted in the eerie quiet on the roads during my commute and the unfamiliar stillness of the dimly lit office building, normally animated by a steady movement of people.
But once the door to the vendor hub swung open at 9 a.m., beautiful folks from the community would trickle in. Some were nearly unrecognizable under many layers of sweaters, coats and masks, but the staff were quick to figure them out with a greeting.
It was on a day like this, when my normal work pace was slowed by the sense of stillness in the outside world, that I had a moment to reflect on how special this work can be.
One vendor came by with a new piece of writing for our forthcoming edition of Voices of the Street. He had been informed of the theme for this year's anthology—which we will announce at a later time, but it is safe to say that it is a theme that is deeply relevant to many Megaphone vendors, storytellers and readers—and took it as an assignment, meditating on the topic until the words came and he could put them on paper.
That day, he came in with his handwritten poem and stood at the counter of the vendor hub, and as he always does when he has a new work, politely asked if we would like to hear it. We enthusiastically obliged and listened as he read from the page.
I was struck in that moment by the pride in his voice, and just how profound a simple exchange like that can be: to be gifted another person's story and carefully crafted words, and in return, to give one's attention and time.
I thought of the many other folks in the community who have generously shared their words with us over the past year, and how fortunate we are to hear from so many talented writers and share in their stories.
While we are closing out another challenging year, this is the feeling that will carry me into 2022: what an absolute joy and honour it is to support folks to tell their stories, in the form of journalism, creative writing and photography.
And there will be many stories to share. As we begin 2022, we know we have so much to look forward to, like celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hope in Shadows, launching the first-ever Megaphone podcast, and holding creative writing workshops to support writers to prepare works for this year's Voices of the Street.
We are eager to get this year started, to bring all of this work to you and provide more opportunities for people with lived experiences of poverty to have a say in the stories told about their communities.
This winter, our community came together to help us surpass our goal of raising $35,000 by Dec. 31. We have now reached our stretch goal of $45,000! From our hearts to yours, thank you. It's your support that keeps our work going.
— Julia Aoki is the executive director of Megaphone.
Julia Aoki published this page in Magazine articles 2022-01-14 09:44:18 -0800
Megaphone is a magazine sold on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria by homeless and low-income vendors. Vendors buy the magazine for 75 cents and sell it for $2.
We work on the unceded and ancestral lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
V6A 2T2


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I'm not a Pinterest user, but a Google search will occasionally lead me to a Pinterest board or pin. When I'm there, a substantial portion of my screen's real estate is taken up by a big, blue bar, urging me to join. This script removes that bar.


Benjamin A. "Darby" Cool, Jr.
Search for a charity of your choice to donate to in memory of Benjamin.
Farrell's Funeral Service has been serving the Auburn, New York area with compassion and respect. Our deep roots in the community are a source of pride, as we grow side by side with the families we serve.


Caersws hotel accomodation, hotels in Caersws, Powys. We have a selection of hotels in Caersws, Powys, hotels near all the attractions, places to see and things to do. You are able to make an instant confirmed secure online booking. We also offer information on Powys travel and tourist information.
Caersws is a village that lies in the heart of the county of Powys, Mid Wales. Set between Carno and Llanidloes on the A470 North-South road. There are numerous walks in the area with delightful views of the Severn Valley.
And slightly further afield are the mountains of Bwlchygarreg, where you will find three beautiful lakes, Llyn Du, Llyn Tarw and Llyn Mawr; fishing can be taken up at Llyn Tarw and Llyn Du, which is regularly stocked with trout, whilst Llyn Mawr is home to pike and perch. And if you find yourself in need of refreshment after all the exercise then There are three pubs in the village to slake your thirst ….. the Unicorn, the Red Lion and the Buck Hotel.


text:
Drug Resistance Testing Is Effective Even With Low Virus Levels
"It is possible for resistance testing labs to tweak the standard tests so that they are better able to detect resistant virus in people with low virus levels. Data indicate this practice is occurring more frequently now than in the past. It is not a standardized practice, however, given a paucity of research indicating whether modified genotypic testing is sensitive enough to yield conclusive results.
"Hoping to answer this question, a team in London led by Nicola Mackie, MD, from the Imperial College Healthcare National Health Service Trust, examined the results of 7,861 HIV resistance tests—1,001 of which involved samples with viral loads below 1,000 copies—collected from 3,791 people."
Read more in POZ, March 30, 2010.
Posted by John S. James at 9:37 PM 0 comments
Health Law Cuts Cost of Being a Woman
"Being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition. That's the new mantra, repeated triumphantly by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Barbara A. Mikulski and other advocates for women's health. ...
"The health care industry and health care insurance in general has been riddled with the most discriminatory and unfair practices to women," said Marcia D. Greenberger, the founder and co-president of the National Women's Law Center. "This law is a giant leap forward to dismantling the unfairness that has been a part of the system."
Read more in New York Times, March 30, 2010.
Study: Chocolate Could Reduce Heart Risk
"According to a new study, small doses of chocolate every day could decrease your risk of having a heart attack or stroke by nearly 40 percent."
Read more in New York Times (AP), March 30, 2010.
Cardio Risk: Increased Homocysteine Levels Common During HIV Treatment
"HIV treatment is associated with increases in the amino acid homocysteine, which may help explain the higher rates of arterial disease seen in people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy compared with those not infected with the virus, according to a small Mexican study published online ahead of print by the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS). ...
"Going forward, the study authors said, therapies known to lower homocysteine should be explored. "For example, some patients may benefit from betaine (trimethylglycine) or choline (in the form of phosphatidylcholine)," they write. "These therapies have been used in the general population with variable degrees of success."
Note: Both betaine and phosphatidylcholine are readily available as supplements.
Posted by John S. James at 12:09 AM 0 comments
How Health Care Reform is Already Changing Lives
"The final passage of health reform last week is a huge victory for people with HIV and AIDS. Here are some of the short and long-term changes that will impact our community."
Note: Insurance companies already think they have a loophole to delay covering children with pre-existing conditions for four years. The companies agree that the law says they cannot exclude the children's conditions from their policies -- but says that they can refuse to sell those children any insurance at all until 2014, when a new provision kicks in allowing anyone to buy insurance despite pre-existing illnesses.
If this interpretation stands, Congress could respond with a separate law to accelerate the 2014 provision to this year, for children. That would restore the obvious Congressional intent in the health-reform bill, without doing anything else. Let the "family values" advocates vote against it. JSJ
Read more in AIDS Connect, March 29, 2010.
Posted by John S. James at 10:39 PM 0 comments
[Find HIV Services near your ZIP code -- New York and San Francisco example shown]
Note: Click the link below to check near your ZIP code. Feedback to AIDS.gov is requested; this services-location site is not yet complete. JSJ
"In looking at these three elements, we at AIDS.gov have released a soft launch of the AIDS.gov locator service, a feature that allows users to find HIV/AIDS services for Testing, Housing Assistance, Treatment, and Mental Health related to HIV/AIDS.
"We have already received feedback from some of the service stakeholders and there are features we plan to add and enhance, including a mobile interface, texting capability, more HIV/AIDS services provided by the Federal Government and printable directions. But by doing a soft launch, and through an iterative process, we have the opportunity to engage the HIV/AIDS community to find out what else we can be doing to improve these services."
Read more in AIDS.gov, March 25, 2010.
Putting TLC+ to the Test
"If we routinely test everyone for HIV and treat those who are infected, could we bring an end to the HIV/AIDS epidemic? The test and treat concept, modeled on data from South Africa by scientists at the World Health Organization, is a provocative HIV prevention strategy. According to mathematical modeling, a successfully implemented test and treat program could significantly reduce the number of HIV infections in South Africa within 10 years. While a growing number of experts within the HIV/AIDS community are intrigued at the possibility, no one knows whether this strategy would work in the real world.
"The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the premier research institution of the U.S. government, is taking steps to find out. NIH is planning a 3-year study in 6 major U.S. cities. Called TLC+ (for Enhanced Test, Link to Care Plus Treat Strategy), this study will explore the feasibility of expanding HIV testing, better linking those who test HIV positive to medical care and treatment, and improving adherence to HIV treatment. The components of TLC+ will be evaluated against the current standard of HIV testing and treatment."
Fair is foul...
"These words came especially to mind as the Illinois Secretary of Human Services Michelle Saddler presented the Department's budget to a group of advocates last week.
"My reaction was due partly to Secretary Saddler's description of the proposed cuts, which will be tragic.
"With this budget, we are dismantling the social safety net" she said. "Human services are being kicked to the curb…people will simply disappear if they are not helped…$300 million will be cut from human services, with special gutting of prescription drugs…in mental health, 74,000 will not receive their meds…rehabilitation services cuts will hurt people who, with services, can work, but without services, will not be able to…"
"Services will be available only to those at Medicaid levels – which are set at below federal poverty – and to those who can afford to pay full freight. Others will have no access to virtually any service even if they have children who are autistic, have cerebral palsy, or are intellectually impaired; suffer from mental illness or could live at home rather than a nursing facility at greater cost.
"Also disorienting was what the Secretary said next: "The Department of Human Services in no way supports this budget. Candidly, the governor is not an advocate for this budget either. It is driven by limited resources."
Read more in Protestants for the Common Good, March 25, 2010.
The State of the Crisis: ADAP Advocacy Across the Country
"Dose of Change offers up these examples of advocacy in action as groups across the country respond to the crisis. These are just a few of the endeavors we've identified so we are asking you to send us more examples of ADAP advocacy tools in your community. Let's all learn from each other and stop more cuts before they happen."
Public Hearing on Expanded Access of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents (DAAs) for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in Patients with Unmet Medical Need
"The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a public hearing to obtain input on the scope and implementation of potential Expanded Access programs with Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents (DAAs) for treating chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection in patients with unmet medical need."
Read more in FDA, March 26, 2010.
Note: The hearing is April 30.
MEDICARE EXPANDS COVERAGE FOR TREATING FACIAL LIPODYSTROPHY SYNDROME IN PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV
"The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced its decision to cover facial injections for Medicare beneficiaries who experience symptoms of depression due to the stigmatizing appearance of severely hollowed cheeks resulting from the drug treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Today's decision is effective immediately."
Read more in CMS, March 23, 2010.
Minocycline Decreases CD4 T-Cell Activation and Reduces HIV Replication
"SUMMARY: Adding the inexpensive antibiotic minocycline to standard combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) inhibited HIV replication and significant decreased CD4 cell activation in a laboratory study, according to a report published in the April 15, 2010 Journal of Infectious Diseases. Minocycline acts on cells, rather than the virus, and researchers suggested it might be used as an adjunct therapy with ART."
Read more in HIVandHepatitis.com, March 23, 2010.
Posted by John S. James at 2:14 AM 0 comments
Inflammation and Immune Activation Linked to Increased Mortality Risk in People with HIV
"SUMMARY: Inflammation and excessive CD8 T-cell immune activation were independent predictors of increased risk of death both in a U.S. study and among HIV patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Uganda, according to 2 reports presented at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2010) last month in San Francisco. While lower CD4 cell count may explain part of the association, inflammation itself was an independent predictor of mortality."
The Worst Time for a Hospital Visit
"This week in 'Doctor and Patient,' I write about how four factors — hospital occupancy, weekend admissions, nurse staffing and the seasonal flu — can not only increase the risk of dying in a hospital but can also interact in variable ways.
"The result of this interplay, according to a study published this month in the journal Medical Care, is that each hospital has a unique threshold — its own "fingerprint," according to one of the study authors — beyond which patient safety becomes compromised. One hospital may find that a four-to-one patient-to-nurse ratio and 70 percent occupancy borders on hazardous, whereas another hospital that serves a healthier population will work efficiently at the same staffing ratio until at least 90 percent of the beds are occupied. ...
"Dr. Matthew Davis, an associate professor of pediatrics, internal medicine and public policy at the University of Michigan and senior author of the study, suggested that patients get their seasonal flu vaccinations and speak to their doctors about the timing of their procedure or admission, particularly in relation to the hospital's overall work flow. 'I think that would be a particularly good conversation for people planning to have elective surgery,' Dr. Davis said. 'Not all of this improvement in safety has to happen within the fours walls of a hospital.'"
Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage
"Shortly after his diagnosis, however, his insurance company, Fortis [now known as Assurant Health], revoked his policy. Mitchell was told that without further treatment his HIV would become full-blown AIDS within a year or two and he would most likely die within two years after that. ...
"In 2004, a jury in Florence County, South Carolina, ordered Assurant Health, part of Assurant Inc, to pay Mitchell $15 million for wrongly revoking his heath insurance policy. In September 2009, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the lower court's verdict, although the court reduced the amount to be paid him to $10 million.
"By winning the verdict against Fortis, Mitchell not only obtained a measure of justice for himself; he also helped expose wrongdoing on the part of Fortis that could have repercussions for the entire health insurance industry. ...
"Insurance companies have long engaged in the practice of "rescission," whereby they investigate policyholders shortly after they've been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. But government regulators and investigators who have overseen the actions of Assurant and other health insurance companies say it is unprecedented for a company to single out people with HIV."
Read more in Aegis, March 17, 2010.
Comment: Re AIDS fundraising, note AEGiS Toolbar - Create Donations by Shopping and Searching.
No Benefit From Cyclosporine During Early Infection
"Adding cyclosporine to an antiretroviral (ARV) regimen during the first few weeks or months of HIV infection does not offer additional benefit in terms of virus suppression, CD4 cell increases or reduced immune activation. That's the verdict, according to a study published March 17 in The Journal of Infectious Diseases."
Response of a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac251) to raltegravir: a basis for a new treatment for simian AIDS and an animal model for studying lentiviral persistence during antiretroviral therapy
"This finding may help to develop effective ART regimens for the simian AIDS model entirely based on drugs adopted for treatment in humans. This ART-treated AIDS nonhuman primate model could be employed to find possible strategies for virus eradication from the body."
Read more in Retrovirology, March 16, 2010 (full text available).
Spontaneous reversal of the developmental aging of normal human cells following transcriptional reprogramming
"Conclusion: Prematurely aged (shortened) telomeres appears to be a common feature of iPS cells created by current pluripotency protocols. However, the spontaneous appearance of lines that express sufficient telomerase activity to extend telomere length may allow the reversal of developmental aging in human cells for use in regenerative medicine."
Read more in Regenerative Medicine, March 16, 2010.
Comment: Not an HIV article, but possibly relevant to cure research.
Vacc-C5 to be prepared for phase I/II clinical trial
"Research results to date indicate that Vacc-C5 may induce a protective
antibody response in HIV patients similar to that found in patients with a very
slow or non-progressing disease. This naturally very slow or non-progressing HIV
infection observed in a small minority of patients has been the subject of
academic interest for years and our discovery of these antibodies in such
patients could lead to a significant shift in the approach to treating HIV. The
results have been presented to the company's Clinical Advisory Board with very
encouraging feedback, says Birger Sørensen, CEO of Bionor Immuno.
"Vacc-C5
"The main trigger behind the disease progression from HIV to AIDS is the
hyper-activation of the immune system. This hyper-activation overwhelms and
gradually causes a collapse in the immune system, leading to the AIDS stage of
the disease.
"From research on blood donated by patients with a very slow or non-progressing
HIV disease, the company has succeeded in identifying a specific part of the
virus, C5, which is believed to induce hyper-activation of the immune system.
Antibodies to this specific part are likely to be protective and cause a slow
disease progression. Using its unique technology, the company has developed the
vaccine candidate Vacc-C5, that is designed to induce a similar antibody
response to the one discovered in patients with naturally very slow disease
progression. Vacc-C5 has passed pre-clinical research tests showing that it has
the potential to induce the desired antibodies."
Read more in Bionor Immuno, March 17, 2010.
Comment: Bionor Immuno was acquired by Nutri Pharma in February 2010. Bionor's technology creates peptides (parts of proteins) designed for use in vaccines to cause production of desired antibodies.
Chemical in Bananas May Prevent and Treat HIV
"A chemical in bananas has been found to inhibit HIV, according to research findings from a University of Michigan Medical School published in the March 19 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. According to the study authors, this may lead to the development of inexpensive microbicides to prevent HIV transmission and, quite possibly, novel compounds to treat the disease. ...
"The test tube studies conducted by Michael Swanson, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, and his colleagues, indicate that a lectin isolated from the common banana binds to the sugar-rich HIV envelop protein gp120. Not only may this prove useful in the development of vaginal and rectal microbicides to prevent HIV transmission, Swanson and his fellow authors speculate, but the HIV-inhibiting lectin—dubbed BanLec—may also have therapeutic potential.
"The University of Michigan team discovered that BanLec is similar in potency to Fuzeon (enfuvirtide) and Selzentry (maraviroc), two U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved fusion/entry inhibitors. Swanson's group argues, however, that BanLec could be cheaper to create than current antiretrovirals, which use synthetically produced components.
"BanLec may also provide a wide range of preventive and therapeutic protection against drug-resistant virus. "The problem with some HIV drugs is that the virus can mutate and become resistant, but that's much harder to do in the presence of lectins," Swanson said. "Lectins can bind to the sugars found on different spots of the HIV envelope, and presumably it will take multiple mutations for the virus to get around them."
"Swanson pointed out that the clinical use of BanLec is years away. But he is currently developing a process to molecularly alter BanLec to enhance its potential clinical utility."
Rates of new HIV diagnoses amongst US gay men 44 times greater than those in other populations
"HIV has a hugely disproportionate impact on gay and other men who have sex with men in the US, according to new figures released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Surveillance (CDC).
"Investigators calculated that the rate of new HIV infections amongst gay and bisexual men is 44 times that seen in other men, and some 40 times greater than women.
"There is no single or simple solution for reducing HIV and syphilis rates among gay and bisexual men", said Fenton. "We need intensified prevention efforts that are as diverse as the gay community itself. Solutions for young gay and bisexual men are especially critical, so that HIV does not inadvertently become a rite of passage for each new generation of gay men.""
Read more in Aidsmap, March 11, 2010.
HIV Reservoir Found in Blood Progenitor Cells in Bone Marrow
"SUMMARY: HIV can hide in the bone marrow inside hematopoietic progenitor stem cells, even in people with long-term undetectable plasma viral load, according to study results reported in the March 7, 2010 online edition of Nature Medicine. When the cells are forced to differentiate into different types of blood cells, the viral genome becomes active and begins producing new viral particles. The ramifications of this finding are not yet clear, but will certainly have implications for the growing effort to accomplish HIV eradication."
AIDSmeds in San Francisco: Highlights from CROI 2010
"Though this year's Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) won't likely be remembered for HIV prevention or treatment breakthroughs—there weren't any—it certainly confirmed that research into the virus and its complications continues at a dizzying clip."
Read more in POZ, March 9, 2010.
HIVandHepatitis.com on Retroviruses conference, related information:
LEDGF Integrase Inhibitors and Capsid Assembly Inhibitors Offer New Approaches for Blocking HIV Replication
ACTG 5202 Shows Abacavir/lamivudine and Tenofovir/emtricitabine Provide Similar HIV Suppression at Low Viral Loads
ACTG 5202 Sub-study Finds Lipoatrophy Uncommon, Antiretroviral Drugs Have Varying Effects on Bone and Body Fat
Early Antiretroviral Therapy Reduces HIV Transmission in Discordant Heterosexual Couples
CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention Releases New Strategic Plan
Once-daily Boosted Darunavir (Prezista) Works as Well as Twice-daily for Treatment-experienced Patients
Quitting Smoking Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in People with HIV
HIV Raises Lung Cancer Risk, but Smoking Is a Much Stronger Predictor
Research Sheds New Light on HIV in the Gut
FDA Announces Preliminary Data Suggesting Heart Risk with Saquinavir (Invirase) plus Ritonavir (Norvir)
Investigational Drug TBR-652 Demonstrates Dual Activity against CCR5 and CCR2 Co-receptors
Poor CD4 Cell Recovery on Antiretroviral Therapy Is Linked to Late Treatment, Leads to Adverse Outcomes
Treatment Intensification with Maraviroc (Selzentry) Did Not Raise CD4 Cell Counts in Small Study
The U.S. HIV Research Agenda and the Future of PEPFAR
Gilead's "Quad" Pill Matches Atripla, New Booster Cobicistat (GS 9350) Looks Good with Atazanavir (Reyataz)
Vicriviroc Fails to Beat Stiff Competition, Merck Will Not File for Treatment-experienced Approval
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) Starts Tuesday in San Francisco
Inflammatory Markers and Cardiovascular Risk in Treated and Untreated People with HIV
Read more in HIVandHepatis.com, March 4, 2010.
Stopping Tenofovir Doesn't Always Reverse Kidney Damage
"In conclusion, Wever's group writes, 'improvements in renal function after tenofovir cessation is variable and incomplete, particularly in patients with more gradual decline in GFR who are not receiving a protease inhibitor.' They also suggest using a GFR below 90, as opposed to a CKD-defining GFR below 60, when determining whether to discontinue tenofovir treatment 'to avoid permanent renal dysfunction.'"
A highly efficient short hairpin RNA potently down-regulates CCR5 expression in systemic lymphoid organs in the hu-BLT mouse model
"Inhibiting the expression of the HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5 holds great promise for controlling HIV-1 infection in patients. Here we report stable knockdown of human CCR5 by a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in a humanized bone marrow/liver/thymus (BLT) mouse model."
Read more in PubMed.gov, February 25, 2010.
HIV drug that protects a fetus should be avoided for 1 year after childbirth, researchers say
"Women given the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention drug nevirapine to protect their fetus should not use an HIV-drug regimen that contains nevirapine for at least one year after childbirth, say researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
"A new UAB study found that while nevirapine works well to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, a single dose of nevirapine in infected pregnant women can trigger resistance to some forms of the AIDS-drug cocktail known as combination antiretroviral treatment (ART). This nevirapine-induced resistance fades after about 12 months and no longer hinders ART, says UAB Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Jeffrey S.A. Stringer, M.D., the study's lead author.
"The findings are published in PLoS Medicine, a journal of the nonprofit Public Library of Science. ...
"The UAB study included 878 infected women in Zambia, Cote d'Ivoire and Thailand. Some were given single-dose nevirapine and others were not; all participants were given ART immediately upon confirmed infection and monitored for one year.
"Nevirapine continues to be the backbone of anti-HIV therapy in the developing world, and its usefulness in preventing mother-to-child transmission is confirmed in the new study, Stringer says."
Read more in EurekAlert!, February 25, 2010.
Anti-tetherin activities in Vpu-expressing primate lentiviruses
"Primate lentiviruses show a high degree of flexibility in their use of anti-tetherin factors, indicating a strong selective pressure to counteract tetherin restriction. The identification of an activity against human tetherin in SIVgsn Vpu suggests that the presence of Vpu in the ancestral SIVmus/mon/gsn virus believed to have contributed the 3' half of the HIV-1 genome may have played a role in the evolution of viruses that could counteract human tetherin and infect humans."
Read more in Retrovirology, February 18, 2010.
HIV Poses a Community Risk for Blacks
"HIV prevalence among US blacks is so significant that focusing on high-risk groups within the community leaves the majority unaware of their risk, warned a report presented at the recent 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. African Americans account for 12 percent of the population but half of US HIV cases. 'Part of our challenge is that a lot of the black community has not perceived itself to be at risk based upon the evolution of how we understood risk of HIV in the United States,' said Dr. Kimberly Smith of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center. 'If we start to focus on this as a community challenge rather than focusing on individual risks, then that may move us in the right direction.'"
Read more in CDCNPIN, February 19, 2010.
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The Oregon Trail
Home→A Thursday Wine Article, Oregon, Willamette Valley→The Oregon Trail
History buffs know that the Oregon Trail stretched from what is now the State of Kansas to Oregon's Willamette Valley. Pioneers departed with spring's snow melt, hoping to arrive in Oregon before winter set in.
Similarly, from May through early July, I blazed a wine trail tasting a selection of Willamette Valley's pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris, rose' and sparkling wines. Like the pioneers who wrote about their passage, I am sending my report on Willamette Valley's pinot noir. The white wines will follow at a later date.
Oregon is a state built by adventurers, and Joe and Pat Campbell were no exceptions, making their pilgrimage to Willamette Valley in 1974. They bought an abandoned prune and hazelnut tree orchard, parked their trailer on the property, and introduced their six-year old daughter to their new home. That winter, a herd of elk bedded down in the bowl-shaped clearing near their trailer, giving the Campbell's their yet-to-be-winery its name: Elk Cove. At the time, there were fewer than 10 wineries in Oregon.
Fitting into that era's zeitgeist of connecting with the land Joe Campbell and his wife, with the assistance of friends, planted a five-acre vineyard. With his background in science (a degree from Stanford University School of Medicine), Campbell taught himself how to make wine. The property's barn was converted into the winery, and they built their home from reclaimed wood.
Today Elk Cove is one of 500 Oregon wineries, and their son Adam is the winemaker.
The 2014 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley was born under ideal conditions, as from spring to harvest, dry, warm weather brought ripe, healthy grapes. Quality and quantity are the unique hallmarks of the 2014 vintage in Willamette Valley—a region with a reputation for cool, rain-plagued seasons.
For the 2014 Elk Cove Vineyards pinot noir, Adam Campbell used grapes from the family's five vineyards, along with a small amount of purchased pinot noir from longtime-growers. The grapes of each vineyard are fermented and aged separately; after 10 months in French oak barrels (20 percent new), the wines are tasted and blended.
Elk Cove' 2014 pinot noir is a perfect example of why I believe most pinot noir must be aerated. When tasted immediately after poured, the wine lacks definition as the tannins and acidity are buried in the voluptuous black-cherry-flavored fruit. It is flabby.
But after 30 minutes of exposure, the air reveals cranberry and tart cherry flavors with a flow of acidity. What was once boring changes into a delightful aromatic- and-flavorful wine. Its medium-body, full mouthfeel, and fruit with integrated tannins and acidity were perfect with a roasted chicken breast stuffed with Dijon mustard. 92 points. Excellent value at $23 to a reasonable $33.
David and Ginny Adelsheim returned from a European trip in 1971 smitten with the idea of making wine. The following year, they purchased 19-acres in northern Willamette Valley and began planting their vineyard. In 1978, David produced the first Adelsheim Vineyard pinot noir. During the ensuing decades, as he expanded his estate Adelsheim became a leader in developing Oregon's wine industry, as well.
David Adelsheim first commercial vintage 1978. Photo courtesy of Adelsheim.
In 2001, Adelsheim hired winemaker David Page, who, along with associate winemaker Gina Hennen, produced the savory 2014 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Willamette Valley.
The wine's mix of 58 percent Adelsheim Vineyards' grapes and 32 percent purchased from growers, releases an intense black-cherry, clove and vanilla perfume. A substantial body is built with delicious black fruit and vanilla flavors, and velvet-y tannins. While I am not a fan of oak barrel's vanilla influence, the savory, delectable appeal of the wine is undeniable. 92 points. Excellent value at $19 to pushing the boundary at $36; shop accordingly.
See "July 4th Celebrations with American wines" for a report on the 2014 Adelsheim Chehalem Mountains Breaking Ground Pinot Noir.
Craig and Claudia Broadley arrived in Willamette Valley in 1980 from California's counter-culture epicenter Berkeley, and worked for Lawrence Fellinghetti at San Francisco's The City Lights Bookstore. In 1982, they purchased land in Monroe, a town in the southern section of Willamette Valley; the first Broadley Vineyards pinot noir was produced in 1986.
The 2014 Broadley Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley has a translucent cherry hue, and cherry, cranberry and white pepper aromas. Its medium body supports tasty strawberry and cherry flavors with a line of bright acidity running under the fruit, bringing the wine to a savory, balanced finish. If, like me, you enjoy red wine with grilled salmon or tuna, this one will be a good partner. 90 points. From a good value $20 to a reasonable $33.
I clearly remember the buzz, excitement, and sense of awe in 1987 when the news spread that Robert Drouhin, the head of the esteemed Burgundy wine company, Maison Joseph Drouhin, purchased land in Willamette Valley. It was a validation of Willamette Valley's quality.
Drouhin installed his daughter Veronique as the winemaker, and began the process of planting the new vineyard at Domaine Drouhin. With time, the vineyard matured, and Veronique gained a better understanding of the climate and soil, and how her Burgundy pinot noir clones adapted to their new home.
The 2014 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Willamette Valley is translucent cherry, releasing soft fragrances of red fruit, toasted oak and white pepper. Its medium body has refined red-plum and cherry flavors. There is the sensation of alcohol on the front of the palate, but it disappears as the ripe, flavorful fruit, with integrated tannins and acidity, glides to a pleasing finish. It brought to mind the wines of Aloxe-Corton in Burgundy's Cote de Beaune. 90 points. From a reasonable $33 to an excessive $55; shop accordingly.
Dick Erath left California for Oregon in 1967 with a passion to make pinot noir. He found his niche producing flavorful, easy drinking, good-value wines. Erath Winery became the largest producer in the state, prompting Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to purchase it in 2006.
The 2014 Erath Willakia Vineyard, Pinot Noir Ecola Amity Hills is produced from a 100-acre pinot noir plot of multiple soil types, elevations, root stock and pinot noir clones. From this diversity comes this translucent cherry-colored, profusely perfumed wine with aromas ranging from Chinese Five Spice to black-cherry to roses. It is equally lively on the palate with its cranberry, pomegranate and white pepper flavors tied with integrated tannins. 89 points. Retail is a pricy $45 to $60.
In 1999, Columbia Empire Farms, an Oregon agricultural company owned by Dr. Robert Pamplin, Jr. purchased Chateau Benoit, a winery in Willamette Valley that dated to 1979.
Pamplin rechristened the winery Anne Amie, named for his two daughters, and refocused the direction of the winery from middling white wines to high-quality pinot noir. To achieve the latter, he hired winemaker Thomas Houseman, who gave up his career as a professional dancer to earn a degree in enology and viticulture from the University of California Fresno. Before joining Anne Amie, Houseman worked for pinot noir specialists Husch Vineyards in Anderson Valley and Ponzi Vineyards in Willamette Valley.
The 2014 Anne Amie Vineyards Winemakers Selection Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is unfined and unfiltered. Its translucent cherry color, and cinnamon, all-spice, black-cherry and vanilla aromas are immediately pleasing. My pleasure of the Burgundian-style raspberry and cherry flavors was interrupted by a stream of vanilla flavor from the oak barrel aging (which I found surprising as only 11 percent of the French barrels are new and 21 percent are once-used). But the pleasure returned with the Chinese Five Spice aftertaste that I find enchanting in pinot noir. 88 points. Retailing at a reasonable $22 to $32.
In 1980, businessman Harry Peterson-Nedry founded Chehalem winery (che-HAY-lem) is the name of one of the bands of the Atfalati Native American tribe that once lived in Willamette Valley and the northern section of Oregon.)
Two years later, he planted Ridgecrest vineyard, and by the mid-1990s, Peterson-Nedry added two more vineyards, and businessman-turned-winery owner Bill Stoller as a partner in Chehalem. Its three vineyards are spread across three sub-appellations in Willamette Valley, making it one of the most diverse wineries in the valley.
The 2014 Chehalem Three Vineyard Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is from Chehalem's Ridgecrest, Corral Creek and Stoller vineyards. Its black-cherry color, and spicy, cherry aroma are instantly appealing. Its rich black-cherry and vanilla flavors are carried on soft, silky tannins that add to the appeal, while the mild acidity makes this tasty wine enjoyable from the first sip. 88 points. Retail is approximately $30.
In the end, my OregonTrail was a lot less arduous than what the pioneers experienced. But if you're not familiar with this worthy region worth expoloring, consider this your road, and hit the trail.