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Many here know George and Kitty (Bachtel) Dallas who left Meigs County about 30 years ago for a new life and a new career in California.

George was band director at Middleport High School for several years in his early days of teaching before taking on the superintendent’s job in the western section of the county which included Rutland High School. As I recall when the family went west, George went into the real estate business.

Anyways, right now they are in the process of moving back across the country, not to Ohio (they think it’s too cold here) but to Florida. In fact they left California yesterday. The furniture was shipped, and they are traveling by car. Their new address is 3326 Kindle Ave., The Villages, Fla. 32163-2480.

While living in California all those years, they always returned to Meigs County a couple times a year to visit family and old friends and never missed their high school alumni reunion events.

And George was always, well almost always, at the Legion Post’s Memorial Day observance on the Pomeroy parking lot which was held the same week as the alumni banquets. I can remember only a couple times when he wasn’t there and up until the past couple of years accompanied by his late father, Bill Matlack, a veteran.

It was the only time I had occasion to visit with genial George, get updates on the family and reminisce about the good old days. We talked about everything and everybody and we laughed a lot.

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Unpleasant encounters occur all the time. But usually not with a deer.

Let’s say that Susan Clark Dingess was startled by the noise of the deer hitting the front glass plate window of Clark’s Jewelry Store hard enough to cause the building to shake. No, it didn’t break the glass. It just left behind quantities of hair and dirt.

Seems the deer lost its way when it either swam across the river or came down off the hill. It traveled right through town and up Court Street dodging cars and pedestrians while moving along.

When the deer hit the window the noise was enough to not only startle Susan but people on the street who watched as the apparently unhurt deer picked itself up and headed for the hills behind the sheriff’s office.

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This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the Ohio State Fair youth choir and the more than 8,000 former members are being asked to return and participate in performances of an alumni choir during fair week.

Over the years, many of Meigs County 4-Hers were in the choir and one of them, Keith Ashley, is hoping that some from here who took part will join in the alumni singing group. The choir is being organized for performances to be done in memory of the founder, Glenville Thomas, who was director until his death in 1991.

There have already been 700 alumni sign up but Girrard Stewart who is doing the organizing has a goal of at least a thousand.

So if you still have a voice and would like to be a part of this 50th anniversary celebration, just e-mail voicesofohio@columbus.rr.com.

A reunion will be held on Aug. 2 and 3 at the fair at which time a rehearsal will be held along with a cookout one day and a formal dinner the next..

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Good News! After a long wait a kidney match for Dottie Musser was found and the transplant took place Monday at a hospital in Indianapolis, Ind.

The word is that she is getting along just fine and that her hospital stay will be short. However, she and John will remain in Indianapolis for a few weeks while her recuperation continues.

Cards can be sent to her at Candlewood Suites, 8111 Bash St., Suite 1356, Indianapolis, Ind. 46250.