European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Almanac promotes earlier thanksgiving almanac editor Ray Geiger suggests moving Turkey Day to october. Lewiston Maine apr not one to tamper lightly with tradition the Farmers almanac suggests nonetheless that the Date designated for thanksgiving is a Turkey. In its 1991 edition just off the presses the venerable publication says americans should consider celebrating the Holiday the fourth thursday in november earlier in the fall. An earlier Date would rid thanksgiving of pre Christmas overtones allow for More favourable travel weather and line it up More closely with the Harvest whose Bounty it is meant to celebrate the almanac says. The almanac says the second monday in october the Date on which Canada celebrates thanksgiving might be an appropriate alternative. Almanac editor Ray Geiger invites readers to offer their own ideas. A a we re Only suggesting that we examine this thing. We re not bold enough to say a do it a a a Geiger said in an interview. Thanksgiving commemorating the feast held by members of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in december 1621 to celebrate that years Harvest has been observed at various dates Over the years. It has remained at its current Date since 1863, except for a Brief period when president Franklin d. Roosevelt reset it for the third thursday in november. A thanksgiving is a sacred Holiday. What makes it sacrosanct is not that it is observed on a certain Date each year but rather what it Means a the almanac says. A when one ponders the real reason for thanksgiving the Date of Celebration seems Geiger said the principal reason for change would be to separate thanksgiving from the overlapping demands posed by the Start of the Christmas season. A a you be got football you be got Christmas pressing and you done to know whether you re celebrating thanksgiving or Christmas a he said. An earlier Holiday would reduce the chances that travellers would encounter ice or Snow while heading to family gatherings Geiger said. And it would shift the Holiday to a time closer to the end of the Harvest when the Woods still Are ablaze with colourful foliage he said. By contrast Fields and Orchards Are Bare in late november and Trees have lost their leaves. A when we celebrate thanksgiving under these conditions we seem to have lost our sense of timing a the almanac said. The Date change could Mark the Start of a new crusade by the 174-year-old almanac which in years past has prodded the government to restore City names to postmarks and eliminate the nine digit zip code. Geiger a almanac is not to be confused with the old Farmers almanac the 198-year-old new Hampshire based publication. Geiger claims a circulation of about 5 million for the 48-Page publication sold to Banks insurance companies and other businesses that distribute it to customers As a promotional tool. Last years Campaign promoting the introduction of a Coin it Calls the Columbus Dollar As a replacement for the $ 1 Bill is making Progress Geiger said and Bills introduced in the House and Senate Are enjoying increased support. That proposal along with the shuffling of thanksgiving does not mean that the almanac is abandoning its longstanding profession of traditional values. A tradition is a must for us but we re not blinded by it a Geiger said. Almanac traditions include Calendar data puzzles household hints inspirational messages one line jokes and a a favorite another tradition is weather data. This years edition predicts a harsh Winter a chilling news to households concerned about rising Energy prices brought on by the crisis in the persian Gulf. A a it a going to be a rough Winter rougher than last year with More Snow and More cold weather in january and february a Geiger said. A but its not going to be a prolonged Winter. Its going to ease off Early in March a Geiger said. The almanac forecasts a mild Spring and summer that wont be too hot. The forecasts Are prepared by Caleb Weatherbee who calculates them in accordance with a secret formula based on sunspots the position of the planets and the tidal action of the Moon Geiger said. A this track record has been excellent getting better every least 5 dead As rain winds Pound 5 states by the associated press thunderstorms battered Michigan Ohio and Pennsylvania with High winds and driving Rains of up to 5 inches or More forcing hundreds of people out of their Homes and killing at least five people. Heavy Rains also hit Northern Indiana and West Virginia overnight. Flood warnings continued Friday for parts of Southern Michigan and northeastern Ohio. A Sailboat caught in the storm on Lake Erie crashed into a breakwater near Cleveland Harbor thursday killing three women. Three men aboard were rescued. The victims were whipped so hard by 36-Mph winds and 6-foot Waves that their clothes were Tom off coast guard it. Vincent Weber said. In Eastern Ohio a 50-year-old woman was killed near Wilmot when she was hit by lightning while trying to run for shelter through a farm Field. Another woman do in a two car Accident at an intersection darkened by a Power outage in Warren. The storms resulted in Power outages in Southern Michigan that affected More than 150,000 customers. In Steubenville Ohio the North Ohio Valley air authority reported that 5.71 inches of rain fell in 24 hours from thursday morning until 7 . Friday. Some 300 people in Steubenville were evacuated. Similar rainfall totals were reported in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In Michigan the National weather service said 3.5 inches of rain fell in Plymouth. In West Virginia flood Waters up to 5 feet deep forced about 100 residents from Homes the Brooke county sheriffs department said. A it started somewhere after 1 . And it just continually got worse a said sheriff Michael Allman. A a it a still cars were submerged in Many parts of Follansbee w.va., some floating into others and coming to rest on top of each other. In Western Pennsylvania Plum Creek overflowed about 20 Miles Southwest of Pittsburgh flooding the business District in Houston with up to 10 feet of water. About 100 residents of Avella were evacuated said Washington county emergency services director Bracken bums. Tractor trailers holding about 20 elephants and other animals belonging to the Carson amp Barnes five ring circus were stranded in a flooded parking lot in Houston a. Tornadoes knocked Down Trees in Pennsylvania a Butler and Westmoreland counties the weather service said. Other unconfirmed Tornado sightings were reported in Michigan and Ohio. Winds knocked Over a Tarp at a softball Complex in Rochester Hills North of Detroit injuring seven people one critically. In Chesterfield township North of Detroit winds ripped the roof off a feed store. The third of three victims of the Lake Erie boat Accident was found Friday by a private boat about a mile offshore hours after the coast guard in Cleveland suspended a search. The Cuya hoga county coroners office confirmed that the body was that of the woman who had been missing since the Accident on thursday. The 26-foot boat had radioed the coast guard for an escort off Lake Erie into a Cleveland Marina. Coast guard spokesman Phillip Franklin said the Sailboat was having trouble because of High water and heavy winds. A by the time our boat arrived on the scene the Sailboat had broken in two and the Mast had collapsed a Franklin said. The men were pulled from the Lake and treated and released at a Hospital. Another weather system Friday caused problems to the West. Storms packing winds of up to 71 Mph rumbled through portions of Eastern and Southeastern North Dakota Early Friday knocking Down Trees and interrupting Power to Many areas. No injuries were getting Choo Choo for special run Chattanooga Tenn. Apr tourism officials Hope a train ride following the route of Glenn Millers a Chattanooga Choo Chook will boost recognition for the City that inspired the tune. The Chattanooga convention and visitors Bureau is planning a special rail excursion from new York to Chattanooga next september on what will be the songs 50th anniversary. Bureau officials plan to use the 18-car train to bring about 400 convention planners travel writers tour operators and business executives to Chattanooga. A a it a not just a train ride. It la have lasting Impact. Someone May Book a meeting three years Down the Road As a result of taking this trip a said Carl Little executive director of the Bureau. If All goes As planned the train will arrive in Chattanooga in time for the City a annual Choo Choo festival. Harry Warren and Mack Gordon wrote the song a Chattanooga Choo Choo a about a fictional new York to Chattanooga rail route. It made its debut in the 1941 movie a Sun Valley serenade Quot and won a Gold record for Miller. A a we re known worldwide for that song a said Little. A a in be travelled quite a few places and in most parts they done to even know that Chattanooga a in Tennessee. But they know the Chattanooga the tourism Bureau is still working out details with Amtrak but the train is expected to leave from new Yorkus Pennsylvania station just As in the song Little said. A i done to know that Well leave right at a Quarter of four because that a the time the Crescent leaves a Little said chuckling. A but we will make promotional stops in Philadelphia Baltimore Washington Lynchburg a. Charlottesville a. Charlotte . And
