In memory of Joseph

Our family is saddened by the passing of Joseph, father of Kathy, father-in-law of Kevin and grandfather of Shanna and Kevin. Joseph passed away on March 31st after a brief illness. He was 77.

"Skip," as he was fondly referred to by friends and family, served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, and was commended for saving the life of a pilot during a blinding snowstorm in Rome, N.Y.

Skip retired from the Yonkers Police Department as a sergeant after 25 years of service. He was instrumental in developing the Yonkers Emergency Services Unit, where he served until his retirement in 1986.

He will be sincerely missed by all who knew and loved him.

Obituary at funeral home web site

Christine chooses RIT, for art and science

Christine has decided to attend Rochester Institute of Technology starting this fall. She will pursue a BFA in Medical Illustration through RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.

The program appeals to Christine's interests in both art and science, and combines creativity with a career focus. It's one of only a few undergraduate medical illustration programs in the country.

Christine will graduate this spring from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. She'll be sharing the RIT campus with her cousin Rebecca, who will be entering her junior year.

Self-portrait of Christine.

Andy plays as guest drummer at nearby school

Andy was one of several outside musicians who joined students at Mount St. Mary Academy in Watchung, N.J., for its spring concert on Sunday. The small school brings in additional musicians, adults and students, to supplement its own student players. Andy and a few other Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School band members were recruited for the academy's Christmas concert in December and were invited back for Sunday's performance.

Familiar face in SPFHS production of 'Hairspray'

Christine's boyfriend Matt played the featured role of TV host Corny Collins in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Repertory Theater production of the musical "Hairspray."

The company put on six performances, all sell-outs. The students did a fabulous job - the acting, singing, dancing and music by a 16-piece orchestra were all top notch.

Former SPFHS student Marc Shaiman wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics for the show, which ran on Broadway from 2002-2009.

Happy spring! (Brrr!)

Webmaster Dan writes: These crocuses bloomed in our yard last week. The calendar says Spring arrived on Sunday. Yay!

So why, on Monday morning, are they dusted with snow? Boo!

Has spring arrived in your neighborhood? Please share your early signs of warmth and growth.

Stephanie & her Girl Scout troop hit the TV News

UPDATE: Video link fixed!
Click here to see the video of the Girl Scouts on Channel 6.

(You may see a brief commercial first.)

Cathy writes: Stephanie’s Girl Scout troop recently had the opportunity to visit a local television station.

They were the guests of the chief meteorologist, Jerry Martz.

The girls were allowed to be in the studio during the live 6 o’clock news broadcast.

They participated in a special segment when they appeared live with Jerry. He asked them about cookie sales and what other events the troop is doing in the community.



It was very exciting being in the studio watching the news broadcast, even though we had to stay quiet.

We were able to witness the camera operators at work and follow along on the teleprompter.

After the news broadcast, the girls got a full tour of the weather station.

Jerry explained to them all of the various computers that he uses to forecast the weather.

Each girl got a chance to stand in front of the ‘green screen’ used to display maps and other graphics.

They all enjoyed the fact that with their green badge sashes on, parts of their bodies appeared invisible on the camera. This was, by far, their favorite part of the visit!

The girls will all earn a weather badge as a result of their visit, and certainly become new fans of Channel 6 News.

Stephanie is in her sixth year of Girl Scouts, and a member of Troop 348 in the Ohio's Heartland council. On May 12, the Girl Scouts of the USA marked the 99th anniversary of their founding.

Previously on the Birch Street Web: In May 2007, Christine and her Girl Scout troop joined the outdoor audience at the CBS Early Show.

Shanna moves up from K to 4

Shanna has finished Kindergarten and is moving up to 4th Grade.

The first phase of her student-teaching assignment at P.S. 21 in Yonkers concluded Friday. Shanna has been working with a kindergarten teacher there since January. For the next two months she'll work beside a teacher in a 4th grade classroom.

This semester of student-teaching is the final requirement for the master’s degree Shanna is earning from Mercy College. She'll receive the degree at commencement ceremonies May 18.

Brennan now training in Pensacola

Brennan is now stationed at Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 in Pensacola, Fla., where he will be training with Aviation Maintenance Squadron 2. He is expected to be in Pensacola for an extended period, and his bride, Shauna-Rae, has begun scoping out apartments nearby.

Previous articles:
Brennan and Shauna-Rae are married
More photos from the wedding

MATSG-21 is located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, on the Gulf Coast in Florida's panhandle. NAS Pensacola is the primary training base for all Navy, Marine and Coast Guard aviators and, among other things, home of the Blue Angels and of the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Statesman Andy Goes to Washington

The Washington Monument as seen from the World War II memorial. Andy took this photo during an evening tour of Washington D.C. monuments.

Andy recently joined his school's chapter of the Junior State of America, an organization that promotes civics education and leadership programs for high school students. He traveled with the group to a JSA Winter Congress in Washington D.C. on Feb. 25-27.

He and his friends joined hundreds of other students from several states who convened in nine parallel Congresses to debate and vote on legislation. Representative Andy introduced his bill - to require women as well as men to register with Selective Service on turning 18 - in the House. But as it had already been soundly defeated in the Senate, it was not put to a House vote. (As it happened, the Senate that took up his bill defeated nearly every measure it considered. A tough group!)

The events took place Saturday and Sunday at the Doubletree Crystal City hotel in Arlington. After the bus ride down on Friday, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School group visited the Museum of Natural History. And on Saturday night Andy and his girlfriend, Senator Shannon, joined a group that took a bus tour of the city's monuments, including the Lincoln, Jefferson and World War II memorials.

A portion of the National World War II Memorial at night.

Rock on, dude!

Marie writes: "This is how you rock it in footie pajamas." Go Xander!

You call that a snowstorm?

In San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, slight traces of snow fell Friday - astonishing local residents unfamiliar with crystalline precipitation.

So unusual was the event that people took photographs of mere handfuls of flakes, such as this one posted on the San Jose Mercury-News website by a resident of Gilroy.

It was all very amusing to someone who's been through winters in Westchester, Ithaca and Boston.

"It's so silly," Genevieve tells us. "The news coverage of this has been hysterical."

The forecast that measurable snow might fall within San Francisco prompted heavy TV coverage as well as tongue-in-cheek responses: One blogger posted a "ski map" designating various hilly streets as beginner, intermediate and expert slopes.

The city last saw snow on the ground in 1976, when an inch fell.

But in the end, only the merest dusting of snow landed in hilly areas before it changed to rain. The storm system did dump more than 2 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Meanwhile, in Ithaca--

Ithaca Journal photo

A storm dropped 8-12 inches on Tompkins County on Friday, on top of 3-6 inches earlier in the week. Hardly a surprising event to, say, a current Cornell student.

"I talked to Vivien yesterday but she didn't mention it," Genevieve said. "I guess that's par for the course."

Gallery extends exhibition of "Friends," adds "Water Lillies"

At the conclusion of the Cape Cod Art Association's "Love and Romance" exhibit, Tish's painting titled "Friends" was named the winner of the People's Choice Award. As a result it will remain on exhibit at the association's gallery in Barnstable, Mass., through March 21.

Meanwhile, "Water Lillies," an 18x24 acrylic on canvas, has been accepted to the association's new open juried exhibit, "Breath of Spring." The show opens with a reception Friday, Feb. 25, and runs through March 21.

See Tish's work, and updates on her exhibits, on her web site.

Brennan and Shauna-Rae's wedding: More photos

Pat sent us these additional photos from the Jan. 29 wedding of her grandson Brennan and bride Shauna-Rae, including shots from the church.

See the previous story and more photos.

Lorraine enjoying her new home

Lorraine is enjoying the atmosphere and amenities at her new home, Sunrise at Crestwood. The senior living facility is in Yonkers, close to her daughter Kathy and not far from sons Brien and Kevin. Here, Brien and son Dan, who's about an hour away in New Jersey, visit with Lorraine in her apartment on Feb. 20.

Below, Sunrise under the moon, as seen in December days after Lorraine moved in.

Now it's even more official

Gerrit and Angela's engagement announcement appeared in the Cape Cod Times on Sunday. (Valentine's eve, how nice!)

But remember: You read it here first!

Andy performs with percussion ensemble

Andy performed Saturday with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Percussion Ensemble during school's annual "Day of Percussion."

Outfitted in formal shirt and bow tie, he played snare on "The Entertainer" and, in video below, timpani on "Tijuana Samba."

Andy will be on the school stage again Tuesday night with his Jazz Lab class. On the side he's taking a weekly class at School of Rock, preparing for a hard rock show in May, and just started piano lessons as well.

Job change: Doug moves from Jacobs to Parsons

Doug has left Jacobs Engineering and joined Parsons Brinckerhoff as design-build manager in its Baltimore office.

The move comes after Doug wrapped up about a year-and-a-half's work on a highway design-build project in Nevada.

The new job will have him splitting his time between Maryland and North Carolina for a while as the company seeks a project there.

A good day on a mountain

Christine, above, and Andy, below, skiing Sunday at Jack Frost Mountain in Blakeslee, Pa., on an annual day trip for members, family and friends of Boy Scout Troop 33. Julie has been the volunteer organizer for the trip the past few years. Dan skis a little but can't keep up with Christine and Andy, who spent more than four hours on the slopes.