Ron Hutchcraft's Blog

Hurricane Heroes

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT

As Hurricane Irene took aim on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I flashed back to an old white frame building there. And to the story I heard there that has followed me ever since.

Our family vacation took us to those beautiful Hatteras beaches - and to the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station. That's where I heard about - and saw demonstrated by re-enactors - the heroism of the United States Life-Saving Service.

A Hurricane Named Peace

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:49:35 GMT

I keep thinking they're talking about my grandmother storming up the East Coast. But it's a hurricane by the same name. Irene. And I know what that name means - it literally means peace. How ironic. A hurricane named peace.

Within My Reach

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:15:30 GMT

It wasn't just another day with the family at the beach. The lifeguards at Ocean City, N.J. made everyone get out of the water - fast! I was thinking "Jaws" - so I was very cooperative. Instead, it was all about two children who they had to plunge in and rescue.

Stopped at the Gate

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:52:14 GMT

Wow, talk about so near and yet so far. Poor Desmond Bishop. He missed what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - to go to the White House and meet the President of the United States!

Roller Coaster World

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:10:46 GMT

My children love roller coasters. They didn't get it from me. When my dad took me on the big "thrills and chills" coaster at our city amusement park, I needed counseling for years to come!

Of course, you don't have to buy a ticket these days to get a wild ride. Just invest in the stock market. Talk about ups and downs! And Wall Street's wild rides are only a mirror of a world that seems to be off-the-charts financially. Questions about America's credit rating aren't helping - especially when our future rating may depend on how well Washington budget negotiations go in the next few months. Hang on tight.

Stick of Dynamite

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:37:51 GMT

I thought I might have to live to 100 to see the widening of a major highway in our area ever finished. It took years to finally get it done, but now the trip north is a breeze.

I know why it took so long. Mountains. Yup, they were trying to put a road where there were hills and mountains. Those don't move easily - after all, they've been there for a long time. But they did move. Because even a mountain was no match for explosives like dynamite.

A Bus Full of Miracles

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:44:40 GMT

A very tired, but super-blessed, me is finally heading home. For the past month, I've been traveling with a bus full of miracles.

Oh, you might just look at these 60 Native American/First Nations young people from 35 different tribes and not see anything that miraculous. Until you hear their stories.

A Challenge in Your Summer Soda Can

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:36:29 GMT

This summer is looking more and more exciting all the time. Just think, you'll be able to drink your Coke out of a can with surfboards and flip-flops all over it. When your allergies attack your nose, you can get your Kleenex out of a box that looks like a waffle cone. (They're hoping you won't miss last summer's watermelon wedge box.) And when the Cookie Monster in you needs to be fed, your Chips Ahoy will have - fasten your seat belt - red, white and blue chips in them...and come from a package covered with picnic-ready checkered tablecloths.

Big Wings

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:00:11 GMT

I just can't get this little four-year-old girl out of my mind. Even as I'm writing this, her story hits my heart again.

She and her family only had moments to prepare before that F5 tornado hit Joplin, Missouri last month. Mom and Dad battled fierce winds as they shepherded everyone into the safest corner of the house. Well, not quite everyone. Somehow their little four-year-old got separated from them - and the rushing winds made looking for her impossible. They huddled together as the tornado made a direct hit on their house, leveling it almost instantly.

Facing the Flames

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:23:10 GMT

Because we have so many Native American friends in the Southwest, I've been watching that ravenous wildfire in eastern Arizona very carefully. When you evacuate, you never know if you'll have a home to come back to.