Here's some cool stuff people have been up to

• My boyfriend, Republic native Paul Buckel, had his second short story published. Enjoy.
• My best friend (a Geibel grad, seniors '07!) has finally listened to what everyone keeps telling her and is now selling handmade jewelry on Etsy. If you've ever crept on my Instagram and admired any jewelry that was made of hemp or beads, she made it.
• Rob Hensley has launched his own makeup collection through TNT Cosmetics. His collection of plays, Death, Life, and a Creme-Filled Center, has also been released in book form. You can also help out his radio show, Face Value, with some funds.

Now treat yourself to some makeup, jewelry, and literature.

Police seek person of interest in home invasion

From HeraldStandard.com:

Masontown police said they have identified a “person of interest” as one of four suspects who fled from a residence on Jan. 14 after assaulting people inside the home and then forcing one of the residents from the house to an ATM in an attempt to steal cash. 

Police Chief Joe Ryan said officers are looking for a Fayette County man in his early 20s who is known to frequent the Uniontown and Brownsville areas in connection with the incident at 613 N. Water St. 

Ryan said the incident occurred around 4 a.m. when four black men, all wearing masks and armed with handguns, forced their way into the home.

If you have any information, please contact police. We've got to watch out for each other!

Hopwood native in MLB

How about some good, cool news? One of our own was drafted by the Minnesota Twins.

I'd discuss, but the only sport I understand is hockey, so I'll just share the news and the link and let you make sense of all those baseball words.

Our economy sucks, but it's getting better!

Some of our problems were discussed at a conference yesterday. The highlights?

• Our economy is expanding. I don't want to say this was obvious, but at the same time, we have an Olive Garden now. Come on.
• We have a high drop-out rate. Stay in school, kids! Seriously. It'll help you tremendously in the long run, but I understand it's not always as simple as wanting to stay in school.
• Because of a combination of that and a decline in baby boomers in the workforce, we'll have a hard time finding qualified people to fill jobs by the end of the decade, though anecdotal evidence I've heard suggests this is already a problem. I'm often told by people who would certainly know that most people can't pass drug tests. Now, I'm a fan of addressing the drug problem with actual rehab, but that's another discussion entirely. I also think most people who are qualified move away. In fact, my boyfriend and I may be off to New York. Cross your fingers!
• Businesses will be moving in to a business park in Dunbar and along 119.
• We have good stuff, too, like airports and railroads.
• Buy local!

Fayette County makes Kiss Morning Freak Show for first time in 2014

Seriously, guys? It took us 21 days? Slackers.

A man was found walking around half naked and claimed his clothes were stolen. To be fair, that's just as likely as the man lying about it...which he was. Turns out he was getting down to some sexytimes with a lady, another dude showed up, and he bolted and blamed a thief when the cops found him.

Valiant effort, sir, and thanks for the radio play!

The Nam on Twitter: Orange Julius

File this under "signs of our former glory"?

Cried when that left the #UT Mall RT @CharnyPalmer: Makin Orange Julius in half 2. H2P RT (cont) http://t.co/9Zq2euDUG0
— Vincent M. Tiberi (@VincentMTiberi) January 18, 2014

My mom and I were just reminiscing about the long-gone yet short-lived food court at the mall. If anyone ever ate at Café B in the early '90s and encountered an adorable blonde toddler repeating order numbers, that was me.

The Nam on Facebook: JPaul's

People really do love JPaul's.

Summit Inn "Treehouse Masters" videos

If you missed the Summit on "Treehouse Masters" last night, unfortunately, I don't have full video for you. But I do have clips!

The Nam on Twitter: Bigfoot

Word is there was another Bigfoot sighting in #Fayettenam. We need the "Finding Bigfoot" team out here.
— Janelle Sheetz (@LittleJanelleS) January 16, 2014

I have it on good authority that we had another Bigfoot sighting, this time one so legit that a group from Pittsburgh is coming down to investigate. Watch this space.

I'm still willing to offer a prize for anyone who can provide me with the sketch of Bigfoot the Herald-Standard ran a few years ago.

Music from Fayettenam: Leisenring Family Band

It might not seem like it, but we've got some talented musicians in our ranks. He's a nice jam from Leisenring Family Band as proof.



Uno Mas from Leisenring Family Band on Myspace.

Speaking of musicians, Backwards Production Studio will be sponsoring a battle of the bands in the Porter Theatre in the Connellsville Community Center on Saturday, February 22. First prize wins 40 hours recording time, 20 hours for second place, and third gets 10. You can enter later this week at the theater office. Sounds like a good opportunity to take advantage of, musicians!

Keep on rockin' in the free world.

Summit Inn to be Featured on "Treehouse Masters"

If you've ever watched "Treehouse Masters" on Animal Planet and thought, "Hot damn, I'd like one of those!" then we have that in common and we can save money and fantasize together. But in the meantime, we can make reservations for the Summit Inn's new treehouse and watch how it was built.

The Summit and the "Treehouse Masters" team will be featured on an upcoming episode of the show airing this Friday night, January 17, at 10 p.m.

Look, from this point on I'll give you relevant information and cool facts because that's what I do, but just know all I care about is how can I live there without anyone finding me? 

Using 20,000 pounds of material, including oak trees and recycled materials from the Summit Inn, Nelson and his crew spent about six weeks building the treehouse in Wharton Township.

Why? Because it's cool and will draw attention to hiking trails and bears. Get me in that treehouse!

The treehouse will open in May. The Summit closes for the winter because really who's gonna drive up that mountain in the winter?

Until the episode airs, enjoy this clip of the build team at Laurel Caverns.

Ice Skating in Connellsville?

And no, I don't mean Divito Park. Er, I mean, the Ice Mine. City officials are trying to bring in an ice rink. Apparently, the city used to have one years ago.

Seems that the only problem is location--they need to find a good place that they can freeze. Solve this problem, dudes, because I would like to ice skate outside.

Some parts of the Nam have had no trouble freezing, though--like the falls at Fallingwater and Ohiopyle.

Stay warm, Fayette County!

The Nam on Facebook: Lil Bow Wow

Man, it's so bizarre that I, too, was at Geibel in 2004 and never once saw nor heard Lil Bow Wow.

This reminds me of the time in high school some friends and I, back when we'd all stay in touch via AIM chat rooms we'd create, went on an editing spree on the Geibel Wikipedia page, where we inserted random facts that were mostly innocent inside jokes and references to Mr. Bell's baldness. And then the class of 2008 caught on and went the straight-up rude rumor route and said some teachers used to be drug dealers. In fact, the class of 2008 is why we can't have nice things.

So, kids, this is why your teachers/professors don't want you to use Wikipedia as a source.

PS: I got your mail asking for money, Geibel. Don't worry. You'll get some.

Ghosts and Lore

Because what better thing to do on this coldest of cold nights than read up on county folklore and ghost stories?

It might be fun to try to find out if these stories are true and/or how accurate they are, but for now, enjoy!

The Nam on Twitter: Olive Garden

After 20+ years of waiting, I'm finally eating in an Olive Garden in Uniontown. #nowIcandieinpeace #surreal
— HGB The Steel Trap (@The_Steel_Trap) December 29, 2013

Seriously, I told you guys Olive Garden is a big deal.