RememberSchiff

Apparently in March, Mr. Krone named Neisha Joseph as his Chief of Staff. She previously worked at the Greater New York Councils. Is Chief of Staff a new National office position?

I prefer this version of Norman Rockwell's Freedom of Speech. Others may disagree, let them. Moderator awareness... IMMO*, some informative, robust yet scoutlike discussion here. Thank you. RS * In My Moderator Opinion

04/09/2024: NOAC 2024 Program Registration Guide released. "This guide provides all NOAC attendees with a comprehensive list of program offerings at NOAC 2024. Activity preferences will become available on April 22 and extend to May 17..." More at source: https://oa-bsa.org/article/noac-program-registration-guide-here

A Sea Scout on his way home from a doctor, stepped into action when he noticed his school bus broken down on the side of the road. Great story , there is some train 'em and trust 'em in story. Read the rest at sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/boston/news/student-school-bus-repair-danvers-essex-tech-gavin-natti/ https://www.facebook.com/seascoutshipno.5/

Boy Scout Troop 47's Mighty Duck Patrol all earn LIfe rank. Scout Salute! More at source: https://www.times-herald.com/arts_and_community/mighty-duck-patrol-simultaneously-reaches-rank-of-life-scout/image_1c3ab2d8-f2b8-11ee-893f-8f204c1509a5.html

Horseshoe Curve, Altoona, PA "Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 9 of Clearfield recently rode Amtrak’s The Pennsylvanian from Altoona to Johnstown. Scouts also studied the history of the Horseshoe Curve and the South Fork Dam in Johnstown. The rail trip was part of a requirement for the Railroading merit badge." Sources: https://www.railroadcity.org/horseshoecurve https://gantnews.com/2024/04/07/scouts-complete-railroading-merit-badge-requirement/

4/5/2024 Related: ...creating a safer environment for kids

IMHO every issue should be reviewed to confirm that. I do not think we should take comfort by saying, to paraphrase, "We have the best YP...". I would rather hear We are constantly reviewing our YP procedures policies and procedures by examining incident reports with YP experts. Here is a link to our YP Committee reports on actions for those incidents, including legal actions, and legislation lobbying. My $0.02,

National Executive Board - photo page https://www.scouting.org/about/governance/national-executive-board/ I have not found a National Executive Council photo page. Some members serve on both.

‘Scouting is back,’ going strong teaching life skills to youths in Archdiocese of Baltimore ...Archdiocesan Scouting officials hope to glimpse the future of the programs at an April 19-21 retreat at Walkersville Watershed in Frederick. It’s the first since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Father Jim Bors, appointed last year as chaplain of the Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting Leadership, hopes it will show “that Scouting is back.” In addition to camping and outdoor activities, there will be talks on the rosary as well as eucharistic adoration and the sacrament of reconciliation. To draw as many Scouts as possible, there’s a Saturday-only option, and it’s also open to all Catholic youths in Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts, Exploring, Cub Scouts, Troops of St. George, Trail Life, American Heritage Girls, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire. For Father Bors, a Naval Academy graduate who is associate pastor of Our Lady of the Chesapeake in Lake Shore and St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Riviera Beach, the retreat will be an opportunity to assess Scouting as an extension of youth ministry.... More at source: https://catholicreview.org/scouting-is-back-going-strong-teaching-life-skills-to-youths-in-archdiocese-of-baltimore/

04/03/2024 Online registration still appears to be active.

4/2/2024 Update and more: "Killingworth Deer Lake is now free of debt and protected from development pressure thanks to a nonprofit and leagues of donors focused on its preservation." "In 2022, the Pathfinders bought the property for $4.75 million from the Connecticut Yankee Council, which is the local chapter of the Boy Scouts. Pathfinder's purchase was largely due to Connecticut Attorney General Tong conferring with the CYC to extend their March 31 deadline set for the property’s sale to May 1. AG Tong intervened immediately after the CYC rejected a Pathfinders’ offer of $4.3 million on March 30, thus allowing Pathfinders another month to raise $475,000. Ted Langevin, the president of Pathfinders, said it took more than $3 million in donations (from over 1,300 people spanning 87 Connecticut towns and 34 states, as well as donors from foreign countries) and $1.8 million in loans. Now, those loans are paid off thanks to an Eagle Scout who would later fight to make the Scouts more inclusive. “At the age of 67 he was kicked out because he was gay,” Senator Blumenthal said. In his will, David Knapp left the Pathfinders $750,000, which is what they needed to pay off the last of the loans. “This is just a great way for him to be an activist once more,” Langevin said." “We welcome the public, to come and use our hiking trails, walk on the property,” Pathfinders President and Chairman Ted Langevin said. He added the space will be inclusive and welcoming to all. It will also offer rentable space for weddings, corporate events and ceremonies. There are plans for future programing and camps to ensure the property has a long life protected from development, and close to nature. “To welcome people onto our land and get them interested in coming more often, enjoy nature and all the things we have to offer,” Langevin said of goals for the site. Sources: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/killingworths-deer-lake-is-debt-free-as-leaders-look-toward-its-future/ar-BB1kXYbJ https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/middlesex/killingworths-deer-lake-saved-from-developers/ https://hk-now.com/a-day-of-thank-yous-at-deer-lake/ P.S. Real estate developer Margaret Streicker is still listed on the Executive Board of Connecticut Yankee Council

Being a Girl in Boys scouts | Mable Bradshaw | TEDx

BSA President & CEO Roger Krone Shares a Message About Child Abuse Prevention Month | April 2024

Grand Rapids, MI: "What started as a group of less than 10 girls is, today, the second largest all-girls troop in the state with 43 in total.", Scoutmaster Kim Mast. Source: https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/grand-rapids-north/scoutmaster-leads-second-largest-all-girls-boy-scout-troop-in-state/69-997dd2c6-906a-4b6b-bf31-7a81665691e1

The effect of off-shore wind turbines on bird and bat flight paths "Dominion Energy agreed to install a wildlife-tracking system called Motus on both turbines at the end of the required monitoring period. Motus uses antennas to detect signals from birds and bats tagged with tiny radio transmitters. Since the Motus network launched in 2015, more than 30,000 birds, bats and butterflies(?) have been tagged, but the majority of the 1,500 antennas are on land. Meanwhile, many species migrate over the ocean. Extending the Motus network offshore can help managers identify migration paths as well as stopover habitat on land, where birds fuel up before long flights over open water. Conserving those areas is critical, as migration is the most perilous time in a bird’s life cycle, due to the physical demands. " And some results with photos (including flight paths) are at sources: https://www.fws.gov/story/2024-03/where-do-birds-go-offshore-answers-may-be-blowing-wind https://www.fws.gov/story/wind-farm-beneath-their-wings

Content? Hard to know. I have not attended one. From outside the closed doors, I sense it is more like a Blue and Gold - announcements , awards, food - more social than business. From my experience when a company annual meeting is more social than business, it means business continues as usual. I keep hoping for more transparency and open, thoughtful discussions - that online fireside chat with Mr. Krone with questions sent in from the field would be a good start. And we have questions. My $0.02,

I would like to know progress towards YP provisions of the settlement plan, which as I understand were specified as follows: also I like to know more about the meeting with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

March, 2024: Some news releases this week that X "has been named to serve on the newly reorganized National Executive Board for Boy Scouts of America." only 1. The newly reorganized National Executive Board was announced back in Oct 19, 2023 on scoutingnewsroom and reported here 2. These recent news releases are not about new people. I guess it is a new Executive Board in a sense it is smaller but new younger blood? "The new BSA National Executive Board has been reduced from 72 to 47 members, and includes a mix of experienced board members, newly elected members, as well as eight members nominated by local BSA Councils in order to bring a better balance of historical knowledge and new perspectives. The new National Executive Board also reflects BSA efforts toward diversification, and includes 13% women and 23% racially diverse members, with plans to expand those numbers in the future." Examples: Ellie Morrison: https://thekatynews.com/2024/03/28/morrison-named-to-boy-scouts-of-america-national-executive-board/ Daniel Van Horn: https://www.elizabethton.com/2024/03/27/van-horn-named-to-boy-scouts-of-america-national-executive-board/ Thear Suzuki: https://thekatynews.com/2024/03/28/suzuki-named-to-boy-scouts-of-america-national-executive-board/

National has had some Jambo used equipment sales, for example https://scoutingwire.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Jamboree-Equipment-Sales-Flyer.pdf

Maybe his attendance is one of "a few surprises" he mentioned. I hope Glen Pounder will also attend and speak of problems and progress with YP since he came on board a year ago.

3/28/2024: Tomorrow last day to register. No word of online videos for forthcoming meeting.

@H2Ocaveman welcome to scouter.com

"Lou Whittaker, a legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, and who taught generations of climbers during his more than 250 trips up Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington state, has died at age 95." Lou and his twin brother Jim Whittaker who was the first American to summit Mt. Everest began climbing in the !940's with the Boy Scouts (their Scoutmaster was a mountaineer ); both Eagle Scouts. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/lou-whittaker-legendary-mountaineer-of-mt-rainier-dead-at-95/ https://mynorthwest.com/3955899/lou-whittaker-among-most-famous-american-mountaineers-died-age-95/ https://www.seattlemet.com/travel-and-outdoors/2012/07/jim-and-lou-whittaker-august-2012 Scout Salute and Farewell,

@Newschoolscoutdad welcome to scouter.com