NEWS FROM MANITOU-NEBO Faith Corbett, Manitou-Nebo Correspondent aroundtheloop02@yahoo.com

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Well I am now one of the thousands of families around the world who has someone in Iraq. My son called me this morning, to let us know that he was in Kuwait. They had stopped over in Ireland, and he said it was as pretty as the post cards showed. He hasn't got to see much of Kuwait, but he did say it was more sand than he ever though he would see. He will be leaving for Ramadi in the morning. They are approximately 12 hours ahead of us, so when it is dark here the sun is coming up over there. That will take some time getting used to.

I would really like to thank the ladies who have e-mailed me to show their support and the ones who are willing to extend emotional support that has been or are still going through having a family member over in Iraq. For all of you my son has told to watch my column for news of how he is or where he is, I will do my best to keep you informed. He has also asked that I place his address here as soon as he is over in Ramadi to share for anyone who would like to write and just keep him updated on the home front. He would appreciate any and all mail from home.

Notice of new arrival A new grandbaby her name is Stevie Lou Williams. Born Feb. 28 at 9:01 p.m., Stevie weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. Grandparents are Janice and Robert Mangum, Mary and Leonard Chapman, Steve and Sherry Williams. Congratulations all. There ain't nothing like a new baby to love, especially a grandbaby.

Happy birthday to Cody Donahoo who will be 17 on March 12., Jason Haley who will be 27 on March 14, Ray Lutz who will be 43 on March 19, Allen Adams who will be 19 on March 21, and Brittany Frasier who will be 16 on March 22. Happy birthday to you all and may you all have a very great day.

Man the rain and weather sure got rough tonight; I came home to limbs and debris all over the yard. I heard the sirens go off while at work, and I'm sure that just like everyone else a repeat of Nov. 15 came rushing back.

I don't think I will ever be able to hear those sirens in quite the same way ever again, and I'm sure that all of you who were in the path of that terrible destruction will feel that same way. I and many others who live out in the rural area wonder how in the world we would ever be notified. We can't even hear the sirens from the MTEC building and we don't live that far, what about the ones that live even further out? Is there no way to get everyone notified if bad weather blows up? I would like to see, along with everyone else, a better way to let the people in rural areas know at nighttime, when we are in bed and the siren doesn't reach us, a way to get us out of harm's way. In the daytime it's different, but at night we need that warning.

Until next week may God richly bless each and every one of you, and please remember to say a prayer for our men and women fighting in Iraq.

To share your news about the Manitou-Nebo area, call Faith Corbett at 249-0056 or e-mail her at faithandmonty@bellsouth.net