Professional Writing Class

Jan 17, 2012

$19,851.62

Wasted money

That is a huge chunk of money isn’t it? There is so much a person can do with almost $20,000 it makes my head spin.

Ready for the shocker? $19,852 is what it cost the tax payers to give John Allen Hughes a fair trial.

First let me tell you about Hughes.

I started a book about Beaver Hole in Warrington Township and here is a little piece of it. http://girlboxer1970.com/2011/03/07/wet-dirty-and-now-single/

I’ve learned since starting this book, that Hughes was man who murdered Sheila L. Deller of Dallastown with an ax and dumped her body along the creek at Beaver Hole on February 20, 1992.

The most costly expense was Hughes court appointed lawyer. That bill came to $9080.00. My jaw hit the floor when I read who his attorney was: Douglas France. France is also my husband’s lawyer, or at least one of them. He apparently needs two to get what he wants all the time. I am willing to bet my future ex hubby has spent more on divorcing me (or avoiding divorcing me) than York County spent on convicting John Allen Hughes. Hughes’ trial has been the most expensive in York County’s history.

In 1997, France managed to get this ax murderer a life sentence instead of the death sentence. What does Hughes do after his “win” but hang himself in the prison. France was very disappointed at his clients suicide. Seriously? Disappointed? I say Hughes saved York County a small fortune by offing himself. The last thing people want is tax money paying for this fucking ax murderer’s life long existence in prison. I’ve read Hughes past and childhood. I’ve talked to some of his friends. Yes, his life was fucked up as a child but that is not an excuse to bash someone’s head in with an ax.

My curiosity made me check online to see who is on death row in York County. (York Daily Record)

As of January 2011, there are 10 people on death row in York County cases, including a pair of brothers who were convicted three years apart for the same double murder.

There are more than 200 people on death row in Pennsylvania. Since 1985, Pennsylvania governors have signed more than 300 execution warrants. Three executions have been carried out — two in 1995 and one in 1999– since a 10-year national moratorium on the death penalty ended in 1977.

York County death row inmates:

Paul Gamboa-Taylorwas sentenced Jan. 23, 1992, after pleading guilty to the May 18, 1991, hammer slayings of four family members: his wife, Valeria L. Gamboa-Taylor; their two children, Paul, 4, and Jasmine, 2; and another child, Lance Barshinger, 2. He received a life sentence for killing his mother-in-law, Donna M. Barshinger. His case is on appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Hubert Lester Michael Jr.sentenced March 20, 1995, after pleading guilty to the July 12, 1993, abduction and shooting death of 16-year-old Trista Elizabeth Eng in the Dillsburg area. Michael unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw his guilty plea. Execution warrants were signed in 1996 by Gov. Tom Ridge and 2004 by Gov. Ed Rendell. His case is on appeal before the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mark Newton Spotz was sentenced April 24, 1996, for the Feb. 2, 1995, shooting death of Penny Gunnet, 41, of New Salem, his third victim in a four-day crime spree through central and eastern Pennsylvania. Spotz also received death sentences for the murders of June Rose Ohlinger of Schuylkill County, and Betty Amstutz, 71, of Cumberland County. An execution warrant for the York County conviction was signed by Ridge in 2001. He received a stay in the Gunnet murder in 2001 and that case is on appeal in York County court.
John Amos Smallwas sentenced June 19, 1996, after being convicted of murder and attempted rape of 17-year-old Cheryl Smith, whose body was found in West Manheim Township in 1981. Execution warrants were signed in 2001 by Ridge and in 2009 by Rendell.
Kevin Brian Dowlingwas sentenced Dec. 14, 1998, for the Oct. 20, 1997, shooting death of Jennifer Lynn Myers inside her art and frame shop just outside Spring Grove. An execution warrant was signed in 2007 by Rendell. His case is on appeal in York County.
Milton Montalvo was sentenced Feb. 14, 2000, and Noel Montalvo was sentenced April 14, 2003, for the April 19, 1998, stabbing deaths of Miriam Asencio-Cruz and Manuel Ramirez Santana inside the Cruz’s York apartment. Rendell signed an execution warrant for Noel Montalvo in July 2010 and signed one for Milton in January 2011. Noel’s case is on appeal to the U.S. Middle District Court of Pennsylvania.
Harve Lamar Johnson was sentenced Nov. 16, 2009, for the April 7, 2008, beating death of 2-year-old Darisabel Baez, his girlfriend’s daughter, in York. Johnson’s appeal is before the state Supreme Court.
Kevin Edward Mattison was sentenced Dec. 17, 2010, for the Dec. 9, 2008, robbery and shooting of Christian Agosto in York. Mattison had previously been convicted of third-degree murder and served prison time in Maryland.
Hector Morales was sentenced Jan. 21, 2011, for the 2009 shooting death of Ronald “Country” Simmons Jr. Police said Morales broke into Simmons’ York home and shot him six times because Simmons was set to testify in a drug case.

When I found this article, I was surprised to recognize another name on the list of very bad people. I recently found on Facebook a friend of my parents from the 80’s. I see her daughter Trista’s killer is one of the people on death row. It is terrible that he is guilty, admits he is guilty yet hasn’t received the death penalty yet. Hubert Lester Michael does not deserve every breath he takes. There are actually groups online trying to get his sentence changed to life in prison. Screw that….Trista’s life was taken at 16 by a stranger who saw her walking to work at the nearby Hardee’s. Michael abducted Trista, shot her three times and left her body in the Ski Roundtop area. He deserves death but instead is living and breathing right here in our county.

The last execution in PA was in 1999. Gary Heidnik had imprisoned 6 women in his dungeon-like basement at 3520 North Marshall Street in Philadelphia and murdered 2 of them. He tortured the women he kidnapped and tried to get them pregnant. This psychopath only lived a few street from my mother’s family. I’ve been to the shopping center where Heidnik was kidnapping women from. Scary!

It’s time to get on with these convicted killers.

Electric, gas or needle?

~P.

Filed Under: Beaver Hole Bridge, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: beaver hole, death sentences in PA, Douglas France, Gary Heidnik, Hubert Lester Michael, jailhouse suicides, John A Hughes, murders in PA, PA death row, Ski Roundtop, York County Death Row

Dec 24, 2011

A different kind of letter

By Pattie Crider · Leave a Comment

It’s Christmas Eve day and I had two pieces of mail. A very delayed letter from the Dept of Welfare and a copy of my lawyer’s letter to John’s lawyer.

The letter to Doug France is my lawyers attempt to get things moving along. At this point, France may have put more time into John’s stupid filing for divorce than he did in defending the ax murder who killed the woman from Red Lion and dumped her body at Beaver Hole. France was disappointed when the murder hung himself in jail. Apparently France managed to get the murderer a life sentence. More about that in my Beaver Hole blog.

So the letter requests more time for Tesla and I together, her going to art therapy and to proceed with the divorce (house appraisal, business records, debts, etc.) The divorce information has been requested several times now. My accountant has been hanging onto records for years now!!

Can’t wait for Christmas!

~P.

Filed Under: Beaver Hole Bridge, Divorce, John · Tagged: Doug France, letter from a lawyer, long divorce proceedings

Dec 22, 2011

Over ride rejoice

By Pattie Crider · 1 Comment

You know there are days you get out of bed and with in minutes you know it’s going to be a sucky day.

This wasn’t one of those days. I slide out of bed (tall bed) and was surprised at how chilly it felt. Grabbing my warm-up pants and Spartan T-shirt I instantly felt warmer. Padding across the wooden floor I opened my sock drawer and found it empty. Glancing at the two baskets of clothes waiting to be put away, I padded back to my bed and began rooting through the mismatched socks box. The lights weren’t even on in the bedroom yet but I didn’t care if my socks matched or not. I grabbed a white one and reached back in for any other sock that was similar in shape. Presto! The sock I grabbed was a match. Then I knew it was going to be a good day.

I checked my email at school and had a message waiting from me from Dr. Zerbe. He is higher up on the food chain at school if you know what I mean. I was in a difficult situation in needed a specific writing class that I had skipped. I went from writing intro to the 300 level classes. Dr. Zerbe checked with the professor, Nancy Eshelman about an over ride and she agreed to have an 18th person in her class. Woohoo! Christmas came early for me. Nancy is a great teacher and columnist for The Patriot Times in Harrisburg.

Now only a few more days left until Christmas is here. I can’t wait for Tesla to get back to PA. I haven’t heard from her much but her dad is sending pictures. Soon Tesla and I will have a week together!!

Celebrating early!

~P.

Filed Under: College, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: Nancy Eshelman, writing class, York College of PA

Dec 20, 2011

Filling up the Banana Boat

By Pattie Crider · 1 Comment

Years of notes…all gathered together.

How often do you need to recall what happened on a specific date? Probably not very often. Imagine if you needed to keep track of everyday for years. I have enough material to write two books.

Yes, I am serious. I think “I Used to Drive a Mercedes” will cover Sept 2004 to 2009. My other book, no title yet will be from 2009 until this divorce nightmare is over.

I guess now that I’ve taken the time to organize the random piles of journals I realize I have quite a bit of writing to do.

Here’s the intimidating pile of journal records. The banana box has room for more. I never know where I will find piles of journal pages.

Ready to write,
~P

Filed Under: Professional Writing Class · Tagged: keeping a journal, notes for a memoir, preparing for divorce court, writing an autobiography

Dec 8, 2011

Writing a Recommendations Report

By Pattie Crider · Leave a Comment

York College course Writing in Professional Cultures requires preparing and submitting a recommendation report. The first step was to choose a topic of concern that interested me. I chose The Spartan newspaper to determine why the campus newspaper is not circulating and every week there are copies remaining from the previous edition.

The most important part of research is to have an adequate sample of the people affected by chosen topic. My first attempt was disappointing. I emailed students with a questionnaire and had a dismal 17 responses. Because I did not have enough responses to be a sample of the students at York College, I failed. See how important a fellow students input is when it comes to creating a rec. report?

My second attempt to survey people was successful. I set up a table outside the student union building one day and another day I set up in the commuter parking lot. With candy as a reward for filling taking my survey and the possibility of winning a prize of Nestle cocoa, Folgers coffee or a giant margarita glass filled with snacks and a Spartapalooza t-shirt I had 360 responses. Conclusion: Bribery works!

Winner of the margarita glass/t-shirt was Sasha Vanegas.

Freshman Sasha Vanegas

Freshman Ryan Manger

Filed Under: College, Professional Writing Class, York College Spartan · Tagged: Liz Whelehan, recommendation reports, Ryan Manger, Sasha Vanegas, Surveying classes, The Spartan Newspaper, writing in professional cultures

Nov 21, 2011

A sudden chill

By Pattie Crider · 3 Comments

The room is cool with a breeze from the crack in the door.

My nipples tighten, standing erect underneath my tight tank top.

I slip my pencil to my harden nipple and rub.

The friction warms my nipple but it doesn’t soften.

I feel the warmth growing. New warm spots erupt.

More swelling and a noticeable moistness.

So much for focusing on studying.

~P.

Filed Under: Poems · Tagged: hardened nipples, sudden chills

Nov 14, 2011

Monkey Survey

By Pattie Crider · Leave a Comment

Monkey what?q123qq1qqeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese2eaaaeaaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee2qqqqqqqqqqqqq22www

Wow…sorry about that. My W had a piece of dried rice stuck underneath it.

I sent out my survey for The Spartan five days ago. I never heard of Monkey Survey.

I missed out on it being that easy. Damn!

I don’t even like monkeys.

Monkey Bash,

~P.

Filed Under: College, Professional Writing Class, York College Spartan · Tagged: Monkey Survey, Surveying classes, writing in professional cultures

Nov 6, 2011

Spartan Staff Questioned

By Pattie Crider · 1 Comment

The staff of The Spartan newspaper at York College of PA has been requested, by me, to answer some serious questions concerning the campus news. This is a writing assignment for my Writing in Professional Cultures class. I will eventually write a recommendation report to the college administration.

Spartan Staff Questionnaire

Should The Spartan discontinue the entire print process and focus on The Spartan website http://www.spartan.ycp.edu? (Please state your reason for Yes or No.)

IF YOU CHOSE YES, SKIP TO QUESTION: 9.

IF YOU CHOSE NO, PLEASE ANSWER THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

Would having more newspaper racks on campus improve circulation?
If all the dining locations on campus had copies of the newspaper available, would this improve circulation?
Should newspaper be delivered to all teaching staff with mailboxes?
Should the Spartan subscribe to the Associated Press news releases?
Should cost of advertising in the Spartan be adjusted to increase ad sales?
Should local businesses receive a discount to
place ads?
How can we get more articles submitted?

ANSWER IF YOU KNOW or HAVE AN OPINION:

What does it cost YCP to print The Spartan?
Has anyone who wrote for The Spartan and
graduated become “famous” for their writing career?
Would you be more likely to read The Spartan online if the information was current? (Currently the website has stories from 2009 with upcoming articles for 2010. All pages appear to be from 2009 and ends there.)
Were you aware the website was last updated in 2009?
Would making The Spartan one hundred percent virtual in 2012 have benefits?
If so, what would they be?
What would the negatives be?
How would you feel participating in making 2012 the year York College of PA stopped printing the “hard copy” of The Spartan and focused on reaching out
to other online college papers, online advertising, and endless opportunities
that are now available since 2009?

PLEASE GIVE SERIOUS INPUT WHY YOU WOULD OR WOULD NOT WANT TO CONTINUE OR DISCONTINUE THE “HARD COPY’ ISSUE OF THE SPARTAN. MY RECOMMENDATION REPORT WILL BE VIEWED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND BE BASED ON WHAT THE STAFF OF THE SPARTAN DECIDES.

Thank you for answering my questionnaire.

Sincerely,

Pattie Crider

This is the questions The Spartan staff were emailed. I’ll keep you posted on what I find out. I think focusing on the website should be the priority of the campus paper, we will see what responses I get.

Feel free to comment your thoughts and ideas concerning this issue. I can’t use it in my report but I’m curious to hear your thoughts!

Paper vs web,

~P.

Filed Under: College, Professional Writing Class, York College Spartan · Tagged: questionnaire to staff, recommendation report to York College of PA, The Spartan Newspaper

Oct 20, 2011

What is going on in Fawn Grove?

By Pattie Crider · 2 Comments

Where were you at 1:30 AM? I was sleeping and so was the Cooper Family.

How about 8:20 this morning? I was headed to Spanish Class when traffic came to a complete stop. I could see all the fire engines racing to the scene. Within minutes the entire area in front of me was surrounded by fire engines, police officers and volunteer firefighters. EMS was on scene and people had begun to gather.

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I parked at the CVS on Route 74 and headed towards the center of the scene. The first person I ran into directed me to a police officer he had already spoken to. He walked with me, over to the police car #18 and said to the officer, “She’s with the press, I didn’t think you would mind telling her what’s going on around here.” He indicated more was going on than just what turned out to be a false alarm. ‘Smoke was detected. They called for help and we came.”

They came to help in time of a crisis. A personal crisis that threatened the safety of the people inside the house. And help came. York Township Fire Department, Dallastown Fire Department and more. The people we count on when we have a crisis.

The officer mentioned there had been a home invasion in Fawn Grove. A masked man entered 3 Park Dr with a gun and shot the home owner during a struggle. That is almost unimaginable. The Cooper family had the unimaginable happen. Mr. Cooper is in stable condition.

On another good note, no one was injured and no ones property went up in flames. Breathe a sigh of relief.

Also be thankful no exotic animals were released.

Bullets were cheaper, smarter and the appropriate weapon to use on roaming exotic animals.

Missed Spanish Class,

~P.