Category Archives: Current Affairs

Frequently Asked Questions and An Anonymous Interview

Current Affairs, Inteviews, Uncategorized, , ,

An incarcerated person asked these questions for Wayne T. Dowdy. Because of privacy concerns, the name of the incarcerated person will remain anonymous.  Straightfromthepen.com gives special thanks and will provide a complimentary copy of Essays and More Straight From the Pen.

Q: Since you have started using this blog, has the sales increased on your books?
A: I haven’t noticed much of an increase in sales since I began writing the blogs. But since my release from prison, I have increased the number of views on the blogs, and the circulation of eBooks on Smashwords.com by making certain eBooks free.

Q: Since you began using this blog, have you talked about your books?
A: Yes, during the first two years I did (I paid to get a website and blog created in 2015), but I haven’t written promotional content in several months.

I got involved with the prison reform movement in 2016, and then later began writing blogs relating to prison reform, but also to help fight my way out of prison. I became an outspoken critic of the former BOP Director (Mark S. Inch), who changed halfway house policies (reducing available placement period from up to one-year to “up to four months”).

On prison reform, I wanted to do my part in creating positive change, so I put my personal writing and sales promotions on the side until I could get out of prison and put things in action. Now I am back. Look out!

Q: How many books have you written?
A: I’ve written four books but only have two I’m marketing. I had a special purpose for UNDER PRESSURE-MOTIVATIONAL VERSION by Mr. D (I added sections to the original UNDER PRESSURE to inspire the aspiring writers). To make it a better value for my readers, I combined the original novel with the sequel and produced UNKNOWN INNOCENCE by Wayne T. Dowdy ($9.99 plus S&H), with the help of Midnight Express Books.

The other book is technically a personal magazine because it combines genres. ESSAYS & MORE STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN has 11-essays, 1-short story, and 3-poems, which I’ve discounted the price of at $8.95.

My case manager read it and commented, “Parts of it make you want to laugh, others make you want to cry. There’s a lot of wisdom in it.”

Q: Have you written any novels?
A: UNKNOWN INNOCENCE and UNDER PRESSURE are fiction.

Q: When did you start writing?
A: I wrote for decades in personal journals. At the age of twenty-five, while serving a state sentence, I wrote drafts for a series of pornographic literature. I gave my collection to a married woman I was having an affair with and asked her to keep them for me until I got out.

She was jealous. Everything I wrote did not include her. When I got out and wanted my writings, she said they got lost or her husband threw them away, either way, my perverted writings conveniently disappeared.

Maybe I’ll return to that genre if sales don’t improve on what I’m writing now. 🙂 With the success of Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, there’s  a large market for that type of writing.

Q: Did you go to college to learn to write?
A: Yes, and No. In 1981 I did take Creative Writing in college. In 2006-2008, I took a professional writing course through the Long Ridge Writers Group to learn how to write essays and short stories for magazine publication.

Q: Were you published in any magazines?
A: Yes, but I was published before taking the course. In 2003 I was first published in the A.A. Grapevine under a pseudonym. I’ve been published several times since then; however, none of the publications satisfy my ego, which always wants more.

These are my magazine writing credits:
The Sun (Chapel Hill, NC);
The Iconoclast;
Confrontation magazine, the literary journal of Long Island University;
Savage Kick magazine;
and many others under a pseudonym related to recovery from drugs and alcohol.

Q: How has writing changed your life?
A: Writing, in general, has not changed my life except on an interpersonal level. But writing does help me to formulate ideas and allows me to express myself without interruption. That means a lot to me when I feel the issue is important and needs addressed, whether it’s what people want to hear or not.

One day I hope to answer that question by saying my writing changed the quality of life by making me rich and famous, but in the meantime, I must say it keeps me constructively occupied and that I take pride in knowing my writing impacts the lives of others, as many have said to me throughout the years.

Q: Are you writing another book now?
A: No, but I do have ideas for one coming soon and I am plotting on writing query letters and articles I want to see in print, something my ego loves (seeing my name in print).

Purchase writings by Wayne T. Dowdy from your favorite eStore or bookseller.  Get the best value on eBooks at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/WayneMrDowdy

Inside Info

Current Affairs, My Life as a Free Man, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

COVID-19 entered the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons without chains or restraints in early 2020. Since then the United States Attorney General ordered the BOP to place more inmates on home confinement to reduce the risk of exposure to vulnerable inmates but judges ordered the release of more of the incarcerated than the BOP.

As is normal for the Backwards On Purpose agency, very few inmates at risk were placed on home confinement, many who have now died because of the incompetence of their keepers.

Several of my incarcerated subscribers expressed concerns over the lack of response by BOP officials to protect them from contracting the virus. I sent in copies of memorandums and reported claims presented to the public about all that the BOP was doing to comply with CDC guidelines to prevent/control the spread of COVID-19.

Numerous subscribers responded and stated that the information was all lies, that staff wasn’t wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves, even while feeding the meals, some openly coughing while serving food. Various media sources reported staff complaints about not having PPE and feeling at risk because of the lack of PPE and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic inside the confines of the BOP.

BOP officials basically ignored Attorney General Barr’s instruction to release more inmates on home confinement. That is the same behavior as BOP officials had displayed when eligible prisoners were dying inside the system, rather than being released, when Congress urged the BOP to expand their Compassionate Release program, long before COVID-19 kicked in the doors and began taking the lives of the captives.

The BOP changed the controlling policy but did not change their practices. The latest revision of the Compassionate Release program statement is as follows:

Policy Statement NUMBER 5050.50
DATE January 17, 2019,
Compassionate Release/Reduction in Sentence: Procedures for Implementation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 3582 and 4205(g)

That is the same BS mentality of the BOP officials, who did modify the Compassionate Release/Reduction in Sentence program statement but did not follow its guidance, which has now lead to the deaths of over 105 of their captives and the infection of several thousand.

Court officials have often stepped in and ordered the release of ill prisoners the BOP had refused to release, since Congress also passed into la the First Step Act that gave the federal courts jurisdiction (the power to act) to intervene when petitioners filed claims to challenge the denial of their request for compassionate release.

Prior to about 2016, the courts were powerless because the governing statutes gave the final say to BOP officials, the same ones who take an oath to keep men and women inside prisons for the duration of the given sentences, until death do they part.

(Because it is not relevant to this blog and is information easily found by those reading this online, I won’t list articles or sources of information on the above content.)

INFORMATION FOR THE INCARCERATED

I am concluding this blog with some of the actual information I sent in to my subscribers on August 1, 2020 (I send in a variety of information but COVID-19 reports are now regular based upon popular demand).

Because of limits in Corrlinks (see Corrlinks Process on this website), I have to modify the information I collect from the BOP website and other sources to make content Corrlinks’ friendly. With this post, I sent the content inside in two parts because it wouldn’t fit into one email.

The information-starved, incarcerated individuals, often express gratitude for the content I send in free of charge to keep them informed about what is going on outside of their restricted environments. I am happy to be of service to those I sympathize with because of my history on the Inside.

08/03/2020: If viewing the following on a cellphone, the landscape view corrects data shown in what may be distorted rows and columns. I apologize for the inconvenience.

August 1, 2020, COVID-19 Update

Confirmed active cases at 106 BOP facilities and 43 Residential Reentry Centers (No RRCs included in this report)

https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/

08/01/2020 – The BOP has 128,595 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 13,806 in community-based facilities. The BOP staff complement is approximately 36,000. There are 2,308 federal inmates and 503 BOP staff who have confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 8,253 inmates and 708 staff have recovered. There have been 105 federal inmate deaths and 1 BOP staff member death attributed to COVID-19 disease. Of the inmate deaths, 4 occurred while on home confinement.

[To read numbers: the left column under the facility is Inmate confirmed cases (I), next is Staff (S), the third from left is Inmate Deaths (ID), the fourth column is Staff Deaths (SD); the fifth column is Inmates Recovered (IR) and the last Staff Recovered (SR).

Facility   I.P.      S.P.     I.D.     S.D.    I.R.      S.R.       City       State

Butner Low FCI  77         2          16         1          575       14         Butner   NC

Seagoville FCI    549       12         3          0          769       14         Seagoville         TX

Carswell FMC     244       2          3          0          296       1          Fort Worth        TX

Coleman Low FCI           174       19         0          0          4          2          Sumterville        FL

Coleman Medium FCI     129       29         1          0          11         0          Sumterville        FL

Miami FCI          95         23         0          0          3          0          Miami   FL

Miami FDC        86         15         1          0          1          20         Miami   FL

Victorville Medium I FCI  78         7          0          0          71         0          Victorville          CA

Butner Low FCI  75         1          16         1          575       15         Butner   NC

Marion USP       71         1          0          0          4          2          Marion  IL

Edgefield FCI     65         20         0          0          0          1          Edgefield          SC

Elkton FCI          63         2          9          0          938       51         Lisbon   OH

Victorville Medium II FCI 48         8          0          0          2          2          Victorville          CA

Victorville USP   46         12         0          0          46         1          Victorville          CA

Forrest City Low FCI       38         3          0          0          641       4          Forrest City        AR

Beaumont Low FCI         35         1          0          0          469       0          Beaumont          TX

Lewisburg USP   35         0          0          0          0          1          Lewisburg         PA

Coleman I USP   28         23         0          0          0          2          Sumterville        FL

Loretto FCI        19         6          0          0          8          1          Loretto  PA

Yazoo City USP  18         7          1          0          56         12         Yazoo City         MS

Oklahoma City FTC        16         5          1          0          85         0          Oklahoma City   OK

Beaumont Medium FCI   15         6          0          0          45         0          Beaumont          TX

Guaynabo MDC 15         0          0          0          0          0          Guaynabo         PR

Tucson FCI         15         6          0          0          0          1          Tucson  AZ

Manchester FCI  14         9          0          0          33         0          Manchester       KY

Three Rivers FCI 11         0          0          0          79         0          Three Rivers      TX

Forrest City Medium FCI 9          10         0          0          3          5          Forrest City        AR

San Diego MCC 9          1          0          0          2          0          San Diego         CA

Fairton FCI         8          0          0          0          95         7          Fairton  NJ

Fort Worth FMC 8          8          12         0          579       6          Fort Worth        TX

Lompoc USP      7          0          2          0          164       24         Lompoc CA

New York MCC  7          5          0          0          16         41         New York          NY

Tallahassee FCI  7          8          0          0          0          1          Tallahassee       FL

Atlanta USP       6          8          0          0          14         8          Atlanta  GA

Butner FMC       6          2          0          0          5          13         Butner   NC

Talladega FCI     6          6          0          0          2          7          Talladega          AL

Englewood FCI   5          0          0          0          4          1          Littleton             CO

Houston FDC     5          5          0          0          7          0          Houston            TX

Aliceville FCI      4          8          0          0          10         9          Aliceville            AL

Bastrop FCI        4          5          0          0          0          2          Bastrop TX

Jesup FCI           4          16         1          0          252       3          Jesup    GA

Oakdale I FCI     4          8          7          0          206       20         Oakdale            LA

Atwater USP      3          6          0          0          0          3          Atwater CA

Memphis FCI     3          2          0          0          6          12         Memphis           TN

Pollock FCI        3          2          0          0          0          1          Pollock  LA

Pollock USP       3          9          0          0          0          2          Pollock  LA

Springfield MCFP           3          1          0          0          1          0          Springfield        MO

Terminal Island FCI         3          5          10         0          645       17         San Pedro         CA

Beaumont USP  2          3          0          0          0          1          Beaumont          TX

Bennettsville FCI            2          7          0          0          7          5          Bennettsville      SC

Butner Medium I FCI      2          2          9          0          202       30         Butner   NC

Florence FCI      2          1          0          0          0          3          Florence            CO

Fort Dix FCI       2          0          0          0          37         5          Joint Base Mdl   NJ

Los Angeles MDC          2          3          0          0          2          2          Los Angeles       CA

Milan FCI           2          1          3          0          98         55         Milan    MI

Sheridan FCI      2          0          0          0          0          0          Sheridan           OR

Waseca FCI        2          2          0          0          2          0          Waseca MN

Allenwood Low FCI        1          0          0          0          0          0          Allenwood         PA

Berlin FCI           1          0          0          0          0          0          Berlin    NH

Chicago MCC    1          5          0          0          138       26         Chicago IL

Danbury FCI      1          2          1          0          89         61         Danbury            CT

Devens FMC      1          1          2          0          50         6          Ayer      MA

Dublin FCI         1          3          0          0          0          3          Dublin   CA

Greenville FCI    1          4          0          0          1          0          Greenville          IL

Herlong FCI       1          0          0          0          0          3          Herlong CA

Honolulu FDC    1          0          0          0          0          0          Honolulu           HI

La Tuna FCI        1          5          0          0          0          7          Anthony            TX

Leavenworth USP           1          1          0          0          0          5          Leavenworth      KS

Marianna FCI     1          7          0          0          0          1          Marianna          FL

McCreary USP   1          3          0          0          1          2          Pine Knot          KY

Montgomery FPC           1          1          0          0          0          2          Montgomery     AL

Otisville FCI       1          1          0          0          26         14         Otisville NY

Pekin FCI           1          0          0          0          0          0          Pekin    IL

Philadelphia FDC            1          2          0          0          3          3          Philadelphia       PA

Phoenix FCI       1          5          0          0          19         9          Phoenix AZ

Sandstone FCI    1          0          0          0          0          0          Sandstone         MN

Schuylkill FCI     1          0          0          0          0          0          Minersville         PA

SeaTac FDC       1          1          0          0          0          0          Seattle  WA

Williamsburg FCI            1          4          0          0          0          0          Salters  SC

Yazoo City Medium FCI  1          5          0          0          7          10         Yazoo City         MS

Allenwood Medium FCI  0          0          0          0          0          1          White Deer        PA

Allenwood USP  0          1          0          0          0          1          Allenwood         PA

Ashland FCI       0          0          0          0          0          1          Ashland KY

Beckley FCI        0          0          0          0          0          1          Beaver  WV

Big Sandy USP   0          2          0          0          0          0          Inez      KY

Big Spring FCI    0          6          0          0          0          0          Big Spring         TX

Brooklyn MDC   0          1          0          0          12         41         Brooklyn           NY

Bryan FPC          0          2          0          0          1          0          Bryan    TX

Butner Medium II FCI     0          1          0          0          3          1          Butner   NC

Canaan USP       0          0          0          0          0          4          Waymart           PA

Coleman II USP  0          14         0          0          2          2          Sumterville        FL

Cumberland FCI 0          0          0          0          6          5          Cumberland     

08/01/2020 Part II

Duluth FPC        0          0          0          0          1          0          Duluth   MN

El Reno FCI        0          6          0          0          1          1          El Reno OK

Estill FCI            0          10         0          0          0          0          Estill      SC

Gilmer FCI         0          0          0          0          5          0          Glenville            WV

Hazelton FCI      0          3          0          0          0          2          Bruceton Mills   WV

Hazelton USP    0          5          0          0          0          5          Bruceton Mills   WV

Lee USP 0          1          0          0          0          1          Pennington Gap VA

Lexington FMC  0          0          8          0          227       11         Lexington          KY

Lompoc FCI       0          1          2          0          809       16         Lompoc CA

McDowell FCI    0          0          0          0          0          2          Welch   WV

Mendota FCI      0          6          0          0          1          3          Mendota           CA

Morgantown FCI            0          0          0          0          0          1          Morgantown     WV

Oakdale II FCI    0          8          1          0          7          6          Oakdale            LA

Oxford FCI         0          3          0          0          1          1          Oxford  WI

Pensacola FPC   0          2          0          0          0          1          Pensacola          FL

Petersburg Low FCI        0          0          0          0          0          2          Hopewell           VA

Ray Brook FCI    0          0          0          0          12         10         Ray Brook         NY

Rochester FMC  0          1          0          0          0          1          Rochester          MN

Safford FCI        0          2          0          0          0          0          Safford AZ

Terre Haute FCI  0          0          0          0          1          2          Terre Haute       IN

Terre Haute USP            0          0          1          0          8          0          Terre Haute       IN

Texarkana FCI    0          3          0          0          0          2          Texarkana         TX

Thomson USP    0          0          0          0          3          1          Thomson           IL

Tucson USP       0          4          0          0          0          2          Tucson  AZ

Yazoo City Low FCI         0          4          2          0          96         9          Yazoo City         MS

Private Facilities

Privately-managed prisons are secure institutions operated by private companies under contract and oversight of the BOP. The majority of federal inmates in private prisons are sentenced criminal aliens who will be deported upon completion of their sentence. Unlike federal inmates housed in BOP facilities, the contractor is responsible for the medical care and the costs associated with providing those services.

The BOP has 14,610 inmates in Privately-Managed Facilities. There are 101 inmates who have open lab-confirmed positive cases. 310 inmates have recovered. Full breakdown and additional details are below:

Facility                IP          ID         IR         City       State

D. Ray James CI 73         0          12         Folkston            GA

Great Plains CI   12         1          85         Hinton   OK

Giles W. Dalby CI           10         1          72         Post      TX

Rivers CI            4          0          20         Winton  NC

McRae CI          2          1          14         Mcrae Helena    GA

North Lake CI    0          2          107       Baldwin MI

All inmates are being appropriately treated and isolated per CDC guidelines.

Protests Gone Viral by Wayne T. Dowdy

Current Affairs, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Photo by Vital1na on Pexels.com

Racism lives and continues to thrive in America and around the world. Police brutality in Minneapolis, Minnesota that resulted in the death of an African-American man named, George Floyd, on May 25, 2020, sparked riots across the United States and caused disruptions around the world.

US cities assess protest damage, await another day of unrest by By TIM SULLIVAN and MATT SEDENSKY

Reading or watching news isn’t my favorite past time and it took all of the chaos going on in my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia to draw my attention to what is going on in many American cities.

In researching for this blog, I read what one source stated that I know most people will not see the seriousness of one word used in the following statement “terrorist“:

“Officials moved to restore order. Governors called in the National Guard, mayors extended curfews for a third night in some cities and President Trump said he would designate Antifa as a terrorist organization.”  

The Wall Street Journal, Officials Look to Restore Order After Riots

Though I am not an attorney and do not intend this to be legal advice by any standard, I am of the opinion that under American law, terrorism and domestic terrorism carry strict penalties, and when coupled with conspiracy laws, the use of that one word, when tied into legal terminology few can comprehend, many people who are protesting and are in the group of those tied to the violent offenses, may be charged accomplices.

If you don’t believe me about the severe criminal penalties for terrorist-related crimes, read what the law states in 18 U.S. Code CHAPTER 113B—TERRORISM

Two of my former blogs also relate to conspiracy laws and how easy men and women may end up spending the rest of their lives in prison. The men I wrote about got lucky when former President Obama commuted their life sentences: https://straightfromthepen.com/2016/01/05/freedom-for-a-friend/ and https://straightfromthepen.com/2016/08/09/freedom-for-another-friend/

My hope is that the protests do result in needed changes to eliminate racism and police brutality in America and abroad. The reality is that the stereotyping will continue for decades more to follow, because there will always be those who refuse to move away from the past and see each person as they are, rather than by some external element beyond control.

The sad part for me is in knowing that innocent people always get caught in the crosshairs of anger and hate and suffer dire consequences for what others have done. In this case, that will include the innocent protesters who get labeled as terrorists and go to prison for the rest of their lives for only doing what they felt they must do to take a stand against injustice.

Happy Memorial Day 2020

Current Affairs, Special Days, Uncategorized, , , , ,
Heritage Park, McDonough, Georgia

Memorial Day in America probably means something different to most Americans than it does to those who hate US for whatever reasons. And should one wonder if the capital “US” is a mistake, no, it is meant to be inclusive, for I am an American and am proud to call myself one, even if not proud of everything that has been done by Americans.

For me, though, Memorial Day is not just about America, even though it is an American holiday. I remain conscious of all who have died from the effect of war or who have died fighting for the lives of others; whether Americans or not, whether for the “right” or “wrong” reasons, human lives are lost, mostly innocent lives lost in the crosshairs of another’s agenda.

Search “Memorial Day” on this site to see other blogs I’ve written on the topic, including some controversial ones where I speak out against the twisting of historical facts and attempts to erase America’s not-so-favorable history.

https://straightfromthepen.com/2017/05/11/mothers-memorial-days-by-wayne-t-dowdy/

https://straightfromthepen.com/2019/05/27/give-me-liberty-or-give-me-death/

In the end, though, everything worked out the way it should for whatever reason. I am not in control, and nor I am responsible for what others have done in the name of God or America, but I am proud to be an American and honor those who have died protecting our shores.

Today, I honor those on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, here in American and all across the world. WE are all in this together, like it or not!

Lee Greenwood says it best in his tribute to America, God Bless the USA

Bank Robber Stories by Jeffrey P. Frye

Book Reviews, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,
by Jeffrey P. Frye

Purchase today Click Here

Jeffrey P. Frye never fails to deliver well-written and entertaining stories from his life. His unique background in the legal and illegal professions gives him writing credibility that keeps readers wanting to see what he produces next.

Bank Robber Stories contains humor and a variety of mixed-emotional avenues for readers to experience. A great read for the curious minded about life on the inside of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons and what might lead a person to change professions from the legal to illegal.

Mr. Frye is now in the process of returning to his natural state before his fall from grace. He will confess to “Not Thinking” if asked, “What was you thinking?” Reading this book proves it!

~ Wayne T. Dowdy, author of UNKNOWN INNOCENCE, and ESSAYS AND MORE STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN.

Click here to buy now

INTRODUCTION by Jeffrey P. Frye

It takes a special kind of person to turn their adversities into success; their sadness into joy that’s used to entertain others.

And it takes a person with tenacity and depth to continue to seek the sunshine when all you’ve ever known is the rain. And it takes a person with natural talent to be able to write a story under these conditions that’s captivating and that you don’t want to put down.

Wayne T. Dowdy is such a person, and UNKNOWN INNOCENCE is such a story.

In UNKNOWN INNOCENCE, Dowdy takes the reader into the lives of his protagonists, Bobby and Nicole, and tells the story of how it all went terribly wrong. How the forces of bad luck, helped along by a crooked FBI agent and attorney, conspired to take Bobby behind the walls of the United States Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Using a pen along with a vivid and epic imagination, Dowdy draws upon his life in the free world, as well as his nearly three decades of walking the line in some of the roughest federal pens in America.

Moving along at a steady pace, UNKNOWN INNOCENCE tells the story of Bobby’s wrongful conviction. Sent up the river for life without parole, Big Bobby never gives up hope though. The one thing that has eluded him for most of his life is the very thing that turns out to be his salvation. Love. UNKNOWN INNOCENCE is a riveting tale that transcends genres. It’s a mystery and a thriller, with a love story woven through its fabric.

Wayne T. Dowdy is a writer for the masses whose voice has purpose. It tells the World, “No matter what happens to me, I will not give up.” This voice takes the broken pieces of a life and combines it with raw talent to bring forth a beautiful mosaic. It’s a voice that says, no matter how guilty I may be, there is still unknown innocence in each and every one of us.

Jeffrey P. Frye

September 9, 2015

Edgefield, South Carolina

B.O.P. Censorship

Current Affairs, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,
Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

A 39-year old young lady who worked for the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), died due to contracting the Coronavirus; however, to date, the BOP still does not acknowledge her death as an employee, as is shown in the following quotation taken from the BOP website on April 23, 2020:

COVID-19 Cases

The BOP has 143,136 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 10,331 in community-based facilities. The BOP staff complement is approximately 36,000. As of 04/23/2020, there are 620 federal inmates and 357 BOP staff who have confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 302 inmates and 53 staff have recovered. There have been 24 federal inmate deaths and 0 BOP staff member deaths attributed to COVID-19 disease.

https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp

Those numbers are updated each day; however, since Ms. Robin Grubbs died earlier this month, who was a case manager at the United States Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, died from COVID-19, the BOP website continues to not report her death on their website.

WONDERFULTHINGSDONE

Clients of WonderfulThingsDone and StraightFromthePen.com include incarcerated individuals who receive periodic updates to help them understand why the BOP elected to keep them locked down or otherwise managed under tighter security protocols than normal.

The message posted below was rejected by at least one institution; however, several other institutions do have competent staff who are capable of comprehending legal requirements and have complied with the law and chose not to violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that guarantees the Freedom of the Press.

At least two inmates were denied their right to read publicly available information about the world in which they live, which I conclude because I received two of the notifications shown below that will conclude this blog post.

From: admin@inmatemessage.com
Date: 4/21/2020 7:51:14 AM
Subject: Return To Sender: BOP Silenced Death of BOP Employee

Message:
This message informs you that your below electronic message to the above-named Federal prisoner is REJECTED and will not be delivered for the following reason(s): * The content of your message jeopardizes the safety, security, or orderly operation of the correctional facility, or the protection of the public.The prisoner to whom you sent this message is NOT being informed of this rejection.You may appeal this rejection within 15 days of the date of this message by submitting a written request to the warden of the prison where the prisoner is located. You should include a copy of this rejection, an explanation of your appeal request, and any additional documents or information you wish to be considered. See Below for Spanish/Ver abajo para leer en espa?ol

Este mensaje le informa que su mensaje electr?nico al preso federal susodicho FUE RECHAZADO y no ser? entregado por la siguiente raz?n(es):* El contenido de su mensaje compromete la seguridad, o la operaci?n ordenada de la facilidad correccional, o de la protecci?n del p?blico.El preso a quien usted envi? este mensaje NO ser? informado de este mensaje rechazado.Usted puede apelar este rechazo dentro del plazo de 15 d?as de la fecha de este mensaje enviando una petici?n por escrito al guardia de la prisi?n donde se localiza el preso. Usted debe incluir una copia de este rechazo, una explicaci?n de su apelacion, y de documentos o informaci?n adicionales que usted desee ser considerada.

——–Original Message——–

Date: 4/20/2020 9:17:35 PM
From: info@straightfromthepen.com
To: 98612004@inmatemessage.com
Subject: BOP Silenced Death of BOP Employee

The United States Federal Bureau of Prisons does not report the death of this beautiful young lady who died working for them. Robin Grubbs was a case manager but the following BOP Report and all of those issued since Ms. Grubbs death from Coronavirus, do not mention or list her as a staff member who died from the Coronavirus.

“The BOP has 143,705 federal inmates in BOP-managed institutions and 10,225 in community-based facilities. The BOP staff complement is approximately 36,000. As of 04/20/2020, there are 497 federal inmates and 319 BOP staff who have confirmed positive test results for COVID-19 nationwide. Currently, 205 inmates and 33 staff have recovered. There have been 22 federal inmate deaths and 0 BOP staff member deaths attributed to COVID-19 disease.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-death-robin-grubbs-atlanta-federal-penitentiary-workers-criticize-covid-19-response/

“She was promoted a month before her death. Coworkers say she was never moved into her new role, away from sick inmates

“By Cassidy McDonald
April 20, 2020 / 6:17 PM / CBS News

“After a 39-year-old federal prison employee died and later tested positive for the new coronavirus, employees are speaking up about what they said are unsafe conditions at the facility where she worked.

“The Bureau of Prisons on Friday confirmed its first staff death potentially due to COVID-19. Robin Grubbs, a caseworker at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta, was found dead in her home Tuesday and posthumously tested positive for the virus,
a BOP spokesperson said.

“CBS News spoke with four correctional officers at USP Atlanta who complained of insufficient access to protective equipment and inconsistent communication about how many staff and inmates were infected at any given time.

“‘Already, it’s a stressful job. Already, you don’t ever know what you’re walking into, but to add this on, this pandemic, where it could jump on you and just take your life away like that, it’s mind-boggling. It’s terrifying,” said one correctional officer who was a close friend of Grubbs.

“Grubbs’s office, employees said, was located in the “Baker 3” unit, a previously empty area where the facility had begun to house inmates who were sick or exposed to the coronavirus. One friend said Grubbs had talked about not being provided with equipment to stay safe and that she was trying to get out of the unit.

“Grubbs was most recently a case manager and employees remembered her as a hard worker who just last month had scored a promotion to a job helping released inmates transition back into society. The position would have landed her an office in a different building. As the illness spread, she told friends she repeatedly asked to assume her new position and move to her new office but was never able to start her new job.

“Taneka Miller, Grubbs’s colleague and executive secretary of the union representing USP Atlanta employees, said she spoke to Grubbs last week. “She was like, ‘Girl. Oh my God, they won’t let me go for whatever reason. I’m so ready to go. I’m so ready to go,” Miller said.

“Jacquetta Rosemond, union treasurer and paint worker supervisor at USP Atlanta, was surprised that Grubbs hadn’t moved to a different floor. As a case manager for the Baker unit, Grubbs would have been assigned to work with inmates on the first two floors of the building, but not with the sick and isolated inmates in Baker 3, Rosemond said.

“‘She didn’t even get to go to her new job,” Rosemond said. “There was really no reason for her to stay on that unit Those particular inmates in that unit were not on her caseload.”

“‘Everything was on backorder”

“A former colleague said that when the illness first hit the federal prison system, Grubbs tried to purchase her own mask. “All she kept telling me was that she didn’t want to catch the COVID-19. So she personally bought some masks, but, you know, everything was on backorder,” the colleague said.

“Miller said even surgical masks weren’t readily available until last week when the prison began providing them weekly to each staff member. Three employees who ran into Grubbs in other units in the facility the week before she died said they saw her wearing either no mask or a surgical mask, and none said they had seen her with an N-95 mask.

“Employees said that each USP Atlanta staff member would have had access to at least one N-95 mask starting around the end of March, but they needed to be fit-tested first. But Rosemond and Miller said that some officers weren’t tested until April, while others were unwilling to reuse their single N-95 mask day after day..

“When asked about the availability of masks, claims of inconsistent communication and when Grubbs was scheduled to assume her new role, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson on Sunday sent the following statement: “We can acknowledge the death of an employee at USP Atlanta, however, there is no information or evidence relating to a cause of death.” The agency declined to comment on the specific concerns raised by staff.

“Rosemond and Miller told CBS News in March that Atlanta employees many of whom are charged with patting down hundreds of inmates per day could not reliably access gloves. Some staff members would purchase and wear their own gloves, Miller said, but many didn’t own their own gloves and would use bare hands to pat-search inmates.

“Rosemond and Miller said management distributed more PPE this month, but access remains inconsistent and many staff wished it had come sooner.
“Word of mouth”

“For weeks, Atlanta employees have told CBS News they wished management would notify them more frequently about the number of staff and inmate cases at the facility.

“‘The communication is horrible. It’s late, it’s last minute, and it’s not full information,” Miller said. “It’s like they’re sitting on the information.”

“Miller said 13 days after she was allegedly exposed to the virus on the job, a member of the medical staff contacted her and informed her that she’d been exposed. Because the incubation period was only 14 days and she hadn’t experienced any symptoms, the staff member told her that she should come back to work for her next shift.

“‘I was highly pissed off,” Miller said. “I come home to a 2-year-old every day who does not have the best immune system.”

“After the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner’s Office informed BOP that Grubbs had posthumously tested positive for COVID-19, Woods sent a memo Friday to notify staff.

“A BOP spokesperson said that Grubbs’s official cause of death has not yet been determined, as her autopsy is not yet complete.

“Prior to last week, three staff members told CBS News they were only officially informed of one inmate and two staff cases of COVID-19 at the Atlanta prison. On Thursday, Woods said in an email to staff that the facility had “six staff and 12 inmate positive cases for COVID-19.” On Friday, the BOP publicly reported three staff and eight inmate positive cases.

“Atlanta employees said they were confused by the discrepancy. Other than those two emails, Rosemond said, “everything else was word of mouth.”

“‘I don’t feel safe,” another correctional officer said. “We’re not being informed of how the numbers have changed.”

“When asked about the discrepancy, a BOP spokesperson said, “The positive test numbers are based on the most recently available confirmed lab results involving open cases from across the agency as reported by the BOP’s Office of Occupational Health and Safety. BOP field sites may report additional updates throughout the day. Data on the dashboard is subject to change based on additional reporting by field sites.”

“As of Sunday, the Bureau of Prison said 495 federal inmates and 309 staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 nationwide. A total of 155 inmates and 29 staff have recovered from the disease, while 21 inmates have died. Since Attorney General William Barr encouraged the use of home detention on March 21, a total of 1,280 inmates have been sent to home confinement.

“Rosemond said that as a case manager, Grubbs was at level 11 in the federal service pay scale, which would have put her annual salary somewhere between $67,437 and $87,667.

“Earlier this month, the union that represents prison staff, as well as 700,000 other federal employees, filed a class-action lawsuit against the BOP and other agencies for Hazard Pay, which would increase their hourly wage by up to 25%. The BOP declined to comment on the lawsuit.

“The lawsuit alleges a pattern of employee exposure to COVID-19 due to lax safety standards. The complaint highlights the case of one BOP employee at FCI Oakdale who was given only gloves to wear as personal protective equipment while escorting an inmate to a nearby hospital. The employee later learned the inmate was sick with COVID-19.

“Grubb’s final days
“Grubbs’s colleagues described her as someone who savored life. She was a passionate Atlanta Falcons fan and loved trying new restaurants, a work friend said, especially if seafood was involved. She traveled often and was constantly looking forward to her next trip, according to the friend, who said they’d recently fantasized about taking a trip to Belize this fall after the pandemic calmed down.

“Grubbs was an Army veteran and leaves behind her brother, parents, two grandmothers, and her beloved Yorkie named Louie.

“On April 10, she posted a video of her parents after they had dropped off a “Corona Care Package” filled with cough medicine, ginger ale and hand sanitizer. She wrote, “Airhugs because Corona is everywhere at this point… How did I get so lucky?'”

Coronavirus Updates and WTD4U for Prisoners

Current Affairs, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

COVID-19

WonderfulThingsDone, doing business as WTD4U, provides limited services to predominantly federal prisoners, those held within the walls, bars, and fences of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons. One service includes sending periodic blog posts to keep the incarcerated informed about events and activities or topics of concern to the inmate population, such as prison or criminal justice reform.

On April 2, 2020, I sent the following information to many prisoners through Corrlinks.com, a service federal prisoners pay to use for sending and receiving emails:

Coronavirus numbers on the inside and outside continue to grow.

“I hope that each of you is staying safe and sane in the ever-changing situation going on with the Coronavirus pandemic.  It’s tough being locked down and feeling helpless over so many aspects of life on the inside and life outside of the prison walls.  But we, as humans, will survive and get past this, one day at a time.

“Staff and inmates alike have a significant issue to deal with as the virus continues to spread inside the walls of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, as well as for those of us in the free society. And even though it may be tough to deal with the conditions of a lockdown, especially if having to eat sack lunches and having limited access to showers, cleaning supplies, telephones, Trulincs/Corrlinks, and recreational activities, I feel most will agree that the lockdown is necessary to minimize the damage caused by this virus ravaging the population of the world at large.

“Here are the numbers listed today (April 2, 2020) for the B.O.P.  The numbers increased from 57-inmates yesterday to 75 today, and from 37-staff yesterday to 39 today.  https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp

COVID-19 Tested Positive Cases

Inmates:  75

Staff:  39

“(Inmate) 4/02/2020 – USP Atlanta (5); FMC Butner (10); USP Canaan; FCI Danbury (15); FCI Elkton (2); FCC Forrest City (2); FCC Lompoc (12); MCC New York (4); FCC Oakdale (12); FCI Otisville; FCC Yazoo City (4); RRC Brooklyn, NY (4); RRC Janesville, WI; RRC Phoenix, AZ; FLM Guam

“(Staff) 4/02/2020 – Atlanta, GA (3); Brooklyn, NY (4); Butner, NC; Chicago, IL (3); Danbury, CT (4); Leavenworth, KS (no inmate contact); Lompoc, CA; Milan, MI; New York, NY (5); Oakdale, LA (4); Otisville, NY; Ray Brook, NY (2); Talladega, AL (2); Tucson, AZ; Yazoo, MS (3); Central Office, Washington, DC; Grand Prairie, TX; Southeast Regional Office, Atlanta, GA

“Here are some numbers that show the magnitude of the worldwide effect.  The April 2, 2020, updated report issued at 2:35 pm EST, on the spread of the Coronavirus is as follows:

“Total Confirmed Cases:  981,221

“Active cases:  726,386

“Fatal cases:  50,230

“Sample of Select Countries Affected:  United States:  235,787; Italy:  115,242; Spain:  110,238; Germany:  84,264; China (mainland):  81,589; France:  56,989; Iran:  50,468; United Kingdom:  33,718; Switzerland:  18,267; Turkey:  18,135; Belgium:  15,348; Netherlands:  14,697; Canada:  11,060; Austria:  10,967; South Korea:  9,976; Portugal:  9,034; Brazil:  7,011; Israel:  6,211; Sweden:  5,568; Australia:  5,136.

“(Numbers from COVID-19 Tracker ( https://www.bing.com/covid ))

“Every day I watch the data grow on reported cases of the Coronavirus, especially in the State of Georgia and local counties therein.  The good thing is that most people who contract the coronavirus will survive and live to fight another day, but that doesn’t negate the seriousness of this social problem affecting almost everyone in some way.  Each one of us can only control our impact and contribution towards the resolution of the pandemic by doing what we can to minimize the spread of the virus, where possible.

“In the prison setting where needed supplies are limited or prohibited, and disinformation runs rampant about what’s being done to stop the spread of the Coronavirus, each person can only do what is within their control:

“1) Limit close contact with others where possible (impossible when locked in a cell with another person who may not have sanitary habits).

“2) If you cough, cough inside your elbow rather than your hand, since coughing in your hand and touching objects spreads germs.

“3) Take precautions by wash hands frequently, and especially before touching the eyes, nose, or mouth, after having touched a surface or other person.

“4) And what works for me, take additional vitamin C to help the immune system stay strong, and for throat irritation from a cold or allergy or other illness, use a Lemon Squeeze to add one teaspoon of lemon juice into one cup of water as warm as you can stand it to gargle with, two-three times per day.

“5) do regular deep-breathing exercises to increase the oxygen level inside the body (viruses and diseases thrive in low oxygenated environments, including our bodies).

“(If interested in breathing exercises that help reduce stress and improves our health, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, send email to info@wtd4u.com to request more info.)

“I hope some of the above information provides something you can use to stay safe and to help live with better health.  Let me know if you wish to be excluded from this type of email.”

COVID-19 CONTINUES ITS RAMPAGE ACROSS AMERICA

Within a matter of hours after posting the numbers from the COVID-19 TRACKER, by 2:25 am, Eastern Standard Time, the number of those infected topped one million, 245,175 cases in the United States.

Globally, a total of 53,069 known people have died from COVID-19 since health official began tracking the current rampage.

When the United States Bureau of Prisons updates their website at 3:00 pm today (April 3, 2020), I expect those numbers to have also grown.

Statistics cannot show all who have been infected with or died from the Coronavirus, because there is not a way for anyone to know about the devastating effects of a virus that may lay inside a person’s body, undiscovered, infecting those who come near enough to inhale droplets from a cough or sneeze, or who touch an item or surface where the germs cannot be seen with the naked eye.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to learn more about what may be done to protect yourself from contracting this deadly virus, follow the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which you may find at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Criminal Injustice and Pastor Eric Payne

Current Affairs, Uncategorized, , ,

[Update: Lady Payne now has a UTube Channel and discusses the situation with the re-incarceration of her husband. Follow her at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTGUfI0D7L0&feature=youtu.be In addition, another related blog post is “Fighting for Freedom” https://straightfromthepen.com/2019/08/10/fighting-to-be-free-by-wayne-t-dowdy/ ]

A friend wants attention drawn to the issue of Pastor Eric Payne being put back in prison, after he had been released, and then violated because of a clerical error. I do not know the specifics of this case and do not voice an opinion on the issue of the legalities and facts associated with his return to prison, because of that lack of knowledge.

[Update: July 11, 2019: In response to a comment posted by a reader, I wrote the reply in hope that others will contact the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to request a commutation of sentence for Pastor Eric Payne]:

State Board of Pardons and Paroles, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SE, Suite 458, Balcony Level, East Tower, Atlanta, Georgia 30334-4909 Telephone: (404) 656-4661 (parole status questions or webmaster@pap.ga.gov)

Media and for public information, call (404) 657 9450   Website: www.pap.georgia.gov

Since I haven’t read Pastor Eric Payne’s sentencing transcripts and do not know the facts of his release, transfer, etc., I cannot say if the State of Georgia released him in error, or if he was transferred from Georgia to Florida under the Interstate Agreement on Detainers Act for disposition of pending charges or for satisfaction of a sentence imposed by the State of Florida, and then Florida released him in error, rather than returning him to the sending state (Georgia).

If the latter is true (Florida released him instead of returning him to Georgia), then if the Georgia sentence imposed by the court had not been satisfied, legally speaking, in my unprofessional opinion, he would owe the remainder of that sentence to the State of Georgia.

However, if the state so chooses, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles has the power to commute his sentence to time served.

I do note that society seemed to be benefiting more by the man leading the congregation in his church and raising his children, instead of being cast back into prison. Clerical Error or not, is the interest of society best served by his return to prison? Is society safer because Pastor Eric Payne is back in prison? I think not!

I feel other alternatives existed and that if WE, as American citizens and abroad, want to reduce mass incarceration, the public needs to petition the legislatures to implement measures to retrain overzealous prosecutors and law enforcement agents, including probation officers and those associated with criminal justice, to focus more on helping returning citizens to successfully reintegrate into society, rather than sending those people back to prison, unless they pose a threat of injury to others.

Those men and women who are put in prison and then released, who may then fall short of the glory of the criminal justice system, need help in learning how to function as normal, law-abiding citizens. Putting someone back in prison for minor offenses and non-violent crimes, does not help society progress.

Mrs. Theresa Payne on the Reincarceration of Her Loving Husband

Eric Payne and Family

July 1, 2019

My name is Theresa Payne. My husband is Eric Payne. We have four amazing and energetic kids ages 13, 10, 9 and 6. We are ministers and leaders in our community at The Glades (located in Belle Glade, FL). I’d like to share with you the great accomplishments made by my husband from October 2018 until February 2019.

  • Launched several ministries
  • President of Glades Family Services (Our Non-Profit, 501c3 Organization)
  • Regularly participated in community feedings with Lighthouse Café
  • Member of the Glades Ministerial Association
  • Member of the Chamber of Commerce
  • Spearheaded (created) 2 fundraisers to address the needs of the homeless and those in poverty in our community (Run to Belle Glade and Pray for The Glades Concert)
  • National presence for the homeless and those in poverty via YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Periscope and LinkedIn
  • Partnered with esteemed religious leaders and business owners in our community
  • Certified Personal Trainer and Business Owner of One-On-One Custom Fitness (providing individual training sessions as well as weekend bootcamps)

As a Parolee who successfully transferred his parole from Georgia to Florida, I would like to also point out that Eric possessed a valid Florida Driver’s License, abided by ALL laws and ALL conditions of his parole and exceeded every expectation of a parolee.

On February 27, 2019, Eric’s Parole Officer called his cell phone and advised him that his Parole Paperwork had arrived from Georgia and that he was needed in her office. What she left out was that he was about to be re-arrested for a clerical error. My husband was re-arrested due to a clerical error from a 2013 sentence; 3 years was served on a concurrent sentence involving his 2013 sentence but we were told was that he was “released by mistake” and must serve 10 more years. Instead of correcting their error, the State of Georgia decided that in order to cover their own tracks, they would take Eric away from his wife and children, his church, his businesses, and his community and take him back to Georgia to serve 10 more years. This is the definition of cruel and unusual punishment. What is the reason for taking him to another state for a clerical error? Why punish him for an error made by the state of Georgia? Why punish him by stripping him away from all he accomplished when he violated no part of his parole agreement?

We have contacted numerous well-known organizations, individuals, and two attorneys with no success. However, we will NOT give up because what has been done to my husband is WRONG! Because of this injustice, I am separated from my husband, our children do not have their father present, our business has stopped, the events planned for May 4th were cancelled, our church members are without a leader and guide, and our community has been impacted by the absence of Pastor Eric. We are devastated to say the least. What can be done? Who will see past this “clerical error” to see the fact that Eric Payne is needed greatly back home and in our community? Who will make it a point to release Eric immediately due to all of the character letters written by many including the Mayor of our city on his behalf to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, to the Clemency Department, to the Governor, to the Chief of Parole, to the Director of Public Affairs and to whomever else we can reach with our requests? My husband has been wronged and there is simply no reason as to why he must sit in prison when he has not only served his time but accomplished just so much. I need my husband. Our children need their father. Our church members need their Pastor. Our community needs Pastor Eric. His strength, wisdom, experience, teachings, compassion and love are needed here at home and in The Glades Community. Please help us get the word out by sharing our story with all who need to know. As well, please share ANY ideas of WHO we may contact and/or HOW I can get my husband released. (I have launched: #releasemypayne, #releasethepayne, and #releaseourpayne on Twitter.) We thank you greatly!

For more on this issue and a letter from Pastor Eric Payne, visit https://sfbayview.com/2019/04/pastor-eric-payne-paroled-then-snatched-from-his-church-wife-four-children-back-to-prison-for-clerical-error/

Books by Wayne T. Dowdy

Book Reviews, My Life as a Free Man, My Life Inside, Prison Living, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Unknown Innocence by Wayne T. Dowdy

Paperback On Sale Now $9.99

eBook $2.99

This Fiction Contains Lots of Truth About Life, Love and Law

Love opens the door to prove his innocence

Military Police finds Roger Johnson slumped over the steering wheel of his Mercedes Benz, a bullet hole in his head. State Senator Leroy Johnson wants swift justice for the murder of his son. The military turns the case over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Agent Ward promises Senator Johnson he will find the murderer.

Big Bobby Sanders drank too much the night of the murder. Lost in a blackout when the murder occurs and unable to prove his alibi, DNA evidence put him in jail for killing his friend.  An exotic dancer knows the truth. She gets forced out of town after telling her story to attorney Zachariah Zambroski. Under pressure by Agent Ward to close the case, Zambroski convinces Sanders to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty. In prison he befriends a man who ultimately introduces him to the lovely Nicole Anderson, a former dancer who fights to free him.

“UNKNOWN INNOCENCE is a riveting tale that transcends genres. It’s a mystery and a thriller, with a love story woven through its fabric.” Introduction to UNKNOWN INNOCENCE by Jeffrey P. Frye, author of “ONE CRAZY DAY,” Murder Slim Press (www.murderslimpress.com).

Guns, Drugs and Thugs: Drug Store Spree by Wayne T. Dowdy

Paperback $5.95

eBook $0.99

Though Categorized as Fiction Truth Dominates its Content

When I pulled in front of his rundown, Georgian Revival style house, with a hipped roof, panel door, and yellow gutters, I noticed curtains and drapes covering all windows. That made me feel uneasy, so I popped the hood and then got out to tinker with the breather for a moment, slammed the hood and walked to the trunk. That is where I kept lots of money and drugs that other dope fiends and thugs drooled at when seeing. Many of whom I knew would take it from me if given the opportunity. I stashed more money inside a secret hiding spot I made. Then I walked around the car, stopping to tap on each tire so I appeared to be checking their inflation. I hid the trunk key inside the fender well, on top of the rear tire, away from view of those inside. Then I eased toward the front door of the house. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd played on a sound system. I knocked. Leonard opened the door ….

Essays & More Straight from the Pen by Wayne T. Dowdy

On Sale Now $8.95

eBook $0.99

He Never Lost Hope. Hope Was All He Had

Essays and More Straight from the Pen shows the power of change, gives hope to readers wanting a different life.

The well-written essays take readers deep inside the life of the author who overcame circumstances and obstacles that kept him chained to a life of drugs and crime.

The stories inspire and motivate people to not give up or lose hope, and to fight for a new life.

Purchase these books today. You won’t be disappointed.

Life and Times of Wayne (Updated)

Current Affairs, Uncategorized, ,

These clips I made into a movie with the help of Gallery come from an exciting day. I ate well at a retirement event with one of my sisters, and then went for a walk this evening and saw a beaver and an alligator snapper.

June 14, 2019, Update: Upon further investigation and during the daylight hours, I conclude I erred in my Turtle Identification. The turtle kind enough to pose for the photo shoot was not an alligator snapper: it’s a common snapping turtle, more aggressive than the larger alligator snapper. Sorry.

This YouTube video tells the tail of the turtles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRrWiW1o19E

Good thing for the turtle it was me who found it. A lot of people I know would be cooking Turtle Stew.