The Medl in News
APRIL 2020
scenery are broken up by moments of sheer excitement as rapids approach. I couldn’t think of a better way to take in an area like the Grand Canyon, getting my fill of intensity, relaxation, and sightseeing without ever having to leave my seat! I only wish I’d gotten into this particular hobby sooner. Having seen plenty of pictures and videos of white-water rafting, I always wanted to give it a shot. Sadly, we don’t exactly have many fast-flowing waterways here in the Lone Star State, so I didn’t get an opportunity until later in life when I took a trip down the middle fork of the Salmon River. Even getting to the launching area was an adventure, riding in a four-seater Cessna over the Sawtooths of central Idaho. It’s nerve- wracking enough to get into an aircraft where they weigh you along with your luggage, but landing on an airstrip that’s little more than a forest clearing certainly got my adrenaline flowing. And the excitement certainly didn’t stop there. Being among the wild, rugged mountain valleys of the Idaho wilderness paired with some extremely tough rapids was a remarkable experience. I’d recommend it to any thrill-seekers out there.
PEACE, QUIET, AND AWILD RIDE How I Enjoy Nature
We may not get a day off or a lavish meal with our loved ones, but I still think Earth Day more than deserves its spot on the calendar. While April 22 isn’t home to the big celebrations of Dec. 25 or even Feb. 14, its message is vitally important. Our world is filled with so many wonders to enjoy — a fact we’re easily distracted from by our busy lives. It’s good to have a yearly reminder to look around and appreciate what we have. I, for one, have never been content to just look at nature from a distance. Some of my favorite outdoor activities are those that put me right in the middle of some of the more extreme areas of our planet. From the peaks of Lake Tahoe to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, I’ve gotten to ski and raft through some amazing places. But it’s not just the thrill of danger that drives me on these adventures. In a very real way, I think these excursions help me appreciate what nature’s all about. It all goes back to when I was learning to ski as a teenager. I first started going down slopes at age 14, and frankly, I wish I’d started even sooner. To me, there’s nothing quite like the strange mix of peace and adrenaline that comes with this particular sport. I remember my first time up above the tree line with the world stretched out before me in perfect silence. The stillness of a mountain covered in snow paired with the rush of flying down its face makes for an odd balance of thrill and bliss.
Of course, we all have our own ways of getting out and experiencing nature. I’ve always been a thrill- seeker, but others may be more than content to stroll through a national park or take some time fishing on the gulf. No matter how you like
to enjoy nature, why not take Earth Day as a chance to plan an excursion for yourself? It’s a wild, beautiful world out there, and we have so many ways to appreciate it.
– Gary L. Medlin, Esq.
The only experience that comes close to skiing in my mind is rafting. The quiet sections of a river where you can take in the
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And Maintain Green Living Spaces for Everyone Have you ever walked through a park and seen a plastic bottle or wrapper lying on the ground? If so, did you pick it up and properly dispose of it? You might not have realized it, but in that moment, you took a small step toward keeping your community — and, by extension, America — beautiful! DO YOUR PART TO KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL affiliate or another community improvement program close to home. Do your part to clean up your parks and spread awareness today.
Start plogging. If you’re passionate about staying active and cleaning up your neighborhood, then this is the perfect activity for you! Plogging combines jogging and picking up litter, which takes care of your health and keeps your community clean. Anybody can do it: Just throw on your running shoes, grab a bag, head out the door, and pick up any stray bits of trash you see on your morning jog or evening walk. Improve recycling through education. An important goal during Keep America Beautiful Month is to spread awareness about recycling. There are various ways to educate those around you about recycling and encourage them to do their part. At work, for example, you can volunteer to lead a recycling initiative by printing off guides and fostering discussions on why recycling is so essential. At home, you can make a commitment with your family to fulfill the three R’s of recycling: reduce, reuse, recycle.
April is Keep America Beautiful Month, and folks who celebrate aim to help each community in every state stay clean and green. Created by the nonprofit organization Keep America Beautiful, this holiday offers a perfect opportunity to roll up your sleeves and work to better the place you live in. Here are three ways to show your appreciation for a green America this month. Volunteer for the Great American Cleanup. This event is one of America’s largest community improvement programs, with hundreds of thousands of people participating each year. In 2019, over 550,000 volunteers participated in the GAC to bring natural beauty back into their communities. 2020 marks this event’s 22nd year, and you can be a part of it this month! Volunteer your time with a local Keep America Beautiful
To discover more ways to participate in Keep America Beautiful month, visit their website at KAB.org today!
John Grisham’s ‘The Innocent Man’ FROM GARY’S BOOKSHELF
Hey, readers. Gary here again.
deeply relevant true story that reveals many of the flaws in our judicial system.
With National Library We e k l a n d i n g i n April, I want to give a recommendation for a page turner I finished recently. John Grisham’s “The Innocent Man” is a gripping true crime story of murder and corruption. Fans will know that Grisham is no stranger to these hard- hitting dramas, and his first venture into nonfiction doesn’t disappoint. For those unfamiliar, Grisham was a lawyer well before becoming an author, and he clearly draws on his experiences while crafting his stories on criminal justice. “The Innocent Man” takes his talent for writing and his eye for legal nuance and puts it toward a compelling,
As the name suggests, the story follows the conviction of an innocent man, one Ron Williamson of Ada, Oklahoma. Ron is accused, found guilty of a murder that happened five years prior to his arrest, and eventually put on death row. Without revealing too much, the book chronicles the spurious investigation of the murder and the subsequent flawed trail, highlighting how certain evidence was abused while other elements of the case were completely ignored. This true story really lands close to home for me. As someone who’s worked with the Innocence Project, an organization that plays a role in Grisham’s story, I’ve helped to exonerate those wrongly convicted of heinous crimes. Whether you’re a fan of true crime stories or just want an expert breakdown of how our justice system can be deeply flawed, I highly recommend checking out this book from your local library.
– Gary L. Medlin, Esq.
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PROTECT YOURSELF
When you’re hurt because of someone else’s mistake, it’s easy to believe people will see your side of the story. You know you’re an honest person. You experienced how slippery that floor was. You are sure you were paying attention and never saw a caution sign. While all of these things can be true, convincing an insurance company or a jury of these claims can be extremely difficult. The Blame Game In almost any instance of property liability, the opposition to your claim is going to make you out to be the bad guy. They’ll suggest that you were absent-minded, careless, or outright reckless in your behavior — essentially blaming you for your own injury. While it may seem like this is a typical case of your word versus the word of a business or their insurance company, the scales are actually weighted in their favor. The Burden of Proof In order to prove a property owner was liable for your injuries, you and your legal counsel need to show that the owner either created the conditions for your accident or knew about the hazard and failed to address it. This can be quite the high bar What to Do After Getting Hurt on Someone Else’s Property
to clear, especially because it relies on proving what an owner or their employees did or didn’t know. If there is any room for doubt, the courts will likely side with the opposition. The Good News You aren’t powerless in these situations, however. You have the ability to back up your claimwith hard evidence if you act quickly. After an incident, it’s best to take pictures of the hazard that harmed you and the surrounding conditions before they change. It’s also crucial to speak with any eyewitnesses and get their contact information if they are willing to testify. It’s far harder for the insurance company or business to cast doubt on your version of events when you have hard evidence supporting it. An expert personal injury attorney can help you defend your claim. But in those critical moments after an accident, you have the power to make a significant step toward protecting your future.
Easy Deviled Eggs
Brain Buster
Ingredients
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1/2 cup mayonnaise
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2 tbsp milk
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1 tsp dried parsley flakes
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1/2 tsp dill weed
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12 large eggs, hard-boiled
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1/2 tsp fresh chives, minced
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Fresh parsley, minced, and paprika for garnish
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1/2 tsp ground mustard
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Salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, milk, parsley flakes, dill, chives, mustard, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside. 2. Cut eggs lengthwise and remove yolks carefully to preserve egg whites. 3. In a small bowl, mash yolks. 4. Mix mashed yolks with mayonnaise mixture. 5. Spoon or pipe the mixture back into the egg whites. 6. Garnish with fresh parsley and paprika. Refrigerate before serving.
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1.
Celebrate Earth Day the FunWay
2. Keep America Beautiful
A Gripping Story of Murder and Innocence
3. Hurt By Someone? Gather Evidence Fast
Easy Deviled Eggs
4. Eco-Friendly and Kid-Friendly Activities for Earth Day
KEEP IT GREEN
The Best Eco-Friendly and Kid-Friendly Activities for Earth Day
It can be tough to figure out how to switch up family game nights. Kids can be very attached to their electronics, making it hard to get them invested in anything else. With Earth Day coming up this month, you have the perfect excuse to put down the phones and get outside to save the planet. If you’re looking for ways to spend time with your kids on Earth Day, try these eco-friendly family activities! Pick up trash and make art with it. You can teach your kids a lot about downcycling and upcycling through recycled art. Downcycling is when waste is recycled to become a new product, but there’s a loss of quality as a result. Upcycling is the opposite: Whatever you recycle becomes a product with a higher value. One way to upcycle is to create recycled art. Use old newspapers or magazines to create collages or papier-mâché bowl sculptures around balloons, jars, or your own custom shape with chicken wire. You can also use old plastic or glass bottles as beautiful hanging planters or create a memorable wind chime from jar lids, tin cans, plastic silverware, and old rubber bands.
Plant a garden. Gardening is one of the most rewarding ways to spend time outdoors. Your kids can learn about caring for another living thing and grow their own vegetables and fruits! A great way to start is to find out what’s in season in your area. If you don’t have an outdoor garden, you can pick out some indoor plants or create a hanging garden with recycled bottles! Build a compost system. If you have a garden, the next best thing you can do is start composting at home! Did you know that you can compost your cardboard products? Instead of waiting for the recycling truck every other week, you can use your spare green and brown waste to create incredibly nutritious soil for your garden! Green waste includes vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, nutshells, coffee grounds, etc. Brown waste includes cardboard, dead leaves, paper egg cartons, wine corks, and more. Get a bin and maintain a green-to-brown ratio of 1-to-2. Layer, water, and turn the compost to keep it healthy. It can take anywhere from two months to a year, depending on what you put in and how often you turn it.
We hope you and your family have fun with these planet-loving activities! Stay clean!
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