RememberSchiff

I think third party YPT certification courses will increasingly be the domain of the resident state, e.g. PA, TX.

Many John Doe's In 1995-2006, these two councils inflated (30-40 or more percent) their membership numbers to secure more United Way funds. They documented ghost scouts and ghost units and paid (if registration fee was not waived) the $20/unit and $10/scout registration to National from council funds. Later they recouped that and much more from the United Way. Council membership was audited. The FBI investigated this fraud. Some professionals resigned or were removed. United Way reviewed funding policies amid their ongoing concerns about BSA membership discrimination. Atlanta Area Council "Operation First Class" https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2005/06/01/atlanta-scouts-inflated-numbers/f60b5e91-0c8d-42da-a749-91a9155fcf08/ Greater Alabama Council: https://www.parentadvocates.org/nicecontent/dsp_printable.cfm?articleID=6970

Been awhile, here's an excellent example of latest Annual Report from the Scout Association (UK). The 79 pages describes their program, plan to reach their goals, past year financials, membership numbers, safeguarding (YP) governance (names of those in charge) AND a thank you to their financial supporters. https://yuf.org.uk/sites/yuf/files/2023-12/Scouts - Annual Report 2022 to 2023.pdf Oh and its public. Scout salute.

So is Bear Grylls available?

Yes. We already have a third party for background checks.

Update 09/5/2024: Dwayne Fields has succeeded Bear Grylls as UK Chief Scout.

9/5/2024: "Dwayne Fields been appointed as our 11th Chief Scout to lead our half a million young people and adult volunteers for his values, commitment to help young people, and outstanding leadership qualities. During his time as Chief Scout, Dwayne aims to inspire even more young people and adult volunteers to join from all backgrounds. " More details and photos at source: https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2024/september/dwayne-fields-becomes-new-uk-chief-scout/

Very prudent move. IMHO we should NOT be self-certifying ourselves as competent in skills where we are at risk for liability. We only make ourselves more liable, use third party certification! ACA for camps, YMCA for swimming, Red Cross or American Heart Association for CPR/First Aid, NRA or USA Shooting for firearm safety. My $0.02,

Good memory @yknot.

IMHO, this is unlikely, as even if a club had a rimfire-only range, semi-auto's like this BSA prohibited Ruger 10-22 would be in use by club members. Most outdoor rifle ranges around here are more inclusive: 22, 30-06, 5.56, 380, 270,... all on same firing line at the same time. BTW, when you shoot at a non-BSA range, read and understand that range's rules and procedures and obey the RSO instructions. Reserving the whole range for Scouts might be a possibility. During hunting season less so. My $0.02

Update 9/3/2024: The parents of 10 year camper Jack Gear who died in this jet ski accident are bringing a wrongful death lawsuit against Middle Tennessee Council and the BSA. They claim their son's death was the result of Middle Tennessee Council’s Boy Scouts of America’s “negligence and reckless conduct.” Sources: https://www.wsmv.com/2024/09/03/family-boy-killed-jet-ski-suing-middle-tennessee-boy-scouts-group/ https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2024/09/03/family-10-year-old-boy-killed-jet-ski-crash-suing-boy-scouts-america-10-million-lawsuit-says/ Their filed complaint below appears well researched regarding Tennessee law and BSA safety guidelines (page 5, Guide to Safe Scouting and Personal Watercraft Safety Course). https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2c/e2/06517d304288b8e197e6069629b0/gear-lawsuit.pdf

Above link has an aerial map of existing 1300 acre camp outlined in red and proposed 500 acre subsection proposed to be sold for commercial and residential development. Camp appears to be bounded by a highway and spreading real estate development.

"Some of the biggest needs for modernization (Camp Sand Hill) are new bathrooms and showers at campsites, Porter said. The current facilities are huts, some 50 years old, with little privacy for boys and girls. Outdoor showers have panels where passersby can peer in from above or below the user. Scout Executive Mike Butler said enclosed buildings with private toilets and showers will cost up to $600,000 each — eight are needed across three camp locations. The council is seeking to build a new dining hall at Camp Brorein in Hillsborough County, which will cost $7 million. Other projects at Sand Hill include a BB gun range for Cub Scouts, upgrades to the existing shooting facility and a new ropes course. If the 50-acre portion is developed by the electric cooperative, the council will have to build a new ranger home and maintenance barns that are currently on that site at an estimated cost of $800,000." Sand Hill operated this summer, so it presumably passed the NCAP Assessment Team inspection. Let's see the NCAP report. for their observations and recommendations. "The council has a $21.7 million endowment as of July 31, but $11.7 million of that is restricted and unable to be used for construction projects, records provided by Butler show. " Well now. Not a lawyer, but if Circuit Court Judge Donald Eugene Scaglione ruled DiePolder's donation restrictions are void perhaps he will rule that the Council endowment restrictions are void as well? Source: https://www.tampabay.com/news/hernando/2024/08/30/boy-scouts-explore-sale-500-acres-sand-hill-camp-brooksville/ My $0.01,

Hold the presses, not 50 acres! Tampa Bay Council is considering selling another 450 acres of Sand Hill Scout Reservation for "residential and commercial developement". With diminished membership and a need for millions of dollars worth of camp upgrades, the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America is exploring the sale of 500 acres of its 1,300-acre camp in Hernando County that has drawn Scouts from across Florida for decades. ... Now on Sept. 19, the council’s 70-member executive board will vote on whether to begin marketing another 450 wooded acres of Sand Hill on the northeast section for commercial and residential development, Scout executive Mike Butler confirmed. The board will also vote on the sale of the 50 acres to the electric cooperative if the purchase agreement is ready by then, Butler said. ... Butler said enclosed buildings with private toilets and showers will cost up to $600,000 each — eight are needed across three camp locations. (Military reserve units on training exercises might help here.) More details including photos and map at source: https://www.tampabay.com/news/hernando/2024/08/30/boy-scouts-explore-sale-500-acres-sand-hill-camp-brooksville/ Poor Larry DiePolder must be spinning in his grave.

Previously, as part of its bankruptcy plan of reorganization, BSA’s artwork was transferred to the BSA Settlement Trust. Hon. Barbara J. Houser (Ret.), the Trustee overseeing the administration and distribution of the funds to survivors, ordered the start of the liquidation process last week, picked Heritage Auctions to handle the sale, and remarked “These Survivors have waited decades to be heard and acknowledged, and the sale of these works will aid us in providing a measure of justice to them. Buyers should be proud that they will be contributing to rebuilding lives and helping to right past wrongs.” “Heritage is deeply grateful to have been entrusted with what is undoubtedly one of the most significant collections of Golden Age illustrations to emerge on the market in recent years,” said Aviva Lehmann, Heritage’s Senior Vice President of American Art. “We are honored to present this museum-caliber collection, which not only celebrates the artistry of Norman Rockwell and other luminaries of the Golden Age but also embodies the rich cultural heritage at the core of our mission as America’s largest auction house. Equally important to us is the privilege of supporting the Survivors, underscoring our commitment to both the arts and social responsibility.” ..."At confirmation of the plan, the Trust’s compensation fund was valued at approximately $2.5 billion. Other causes of action against third parties may increase the fund further. To date, the Trust has paid more than $25 million to over 6,800 Survivors." The art collection itself has been valued at $130 million. Reminder, the collection is on view at the Medici Museum of Art until this Sunday September 1. Sources 8/28-29/2024: https://www.tribtoday.com/news/local-news/2024/08/medici-scouting-for-a-new-collection/ https://www.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/heritage-to-auction-boy-scouts-of-america-masterpieces-to-compensate-survivors-of-childhood-sexual-abuse.s?releaseId=5034

Twenty five pieces of the BSA 321 piece art collection will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions in November. Heritage Auctions recently sold Babe Ruth's 1932 "Called Shot" jersey for north of $24M. Not sure if any of these 25 art pieces are Rockwell. Source (mostly behind a paywall): https://www.wsj.com/articles/boy-scouts-to-auction-norman-rockwell-paintings-other-art-to-fund-sex-abuse-settlement-b97441fd Interested in comic books? https://comics.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?dept=1938&mode=live&auction_name=7379&ic=hero-Comics-viewLots-7379-082124

Thanks. I'm a couple thousand miles from the western US and Canadian wildfires and am still affected by the smoke. The climate change effects: increased wildfires, heat waves, flooding, wind, high bacteria counts at beaches, ...are definitely negatively impacting scOUTING, my $0.02,

The annual late summer-fall HawkWatch (viewing and counting hawk migration) has begun. Combined with a hike , it is good scout activity, e.g., Pack Monadnock Raptor Observatiory . There are about 34 species of diurnal raptors in North America, some sites have more, some less. About 15 species migrate through Maine and only 3 were counted last year in Acadia, Source (good read about identification and Acadia Hawk Watch) https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/08/23/outdoors/outdoors-contributors/annual-hawk-watch-cadillac-mountain-acadia-joam40zk0w/ References: HawkWatch daily counts by location https://www.hawkcount.org/ Interactive US map to find hawkwatch sites and respective data https://www.hawkcount.org/sitesel.php https://www.nhaudubon.org/conservation/raptor-migration/

08/23/2024: NYSE News covered Troop 331 ringing the closing bell to kick off Scouting America's Fall Recruitment. [10:15-12:20] Director of Media Relation and Government Affairs Scott Armstrong explains name rebranding ( count me in his words "a little bit wrinkled") [15:00-16:30] there appears to be a new National ad. [22:26-25:15] Director of Media Relation and Government Affairs Scott Armstrong states Scouting is open to everybody. Did DRP go away? [28:00-30:00] Troop 331 SM Pete Asch speaks of his family Scouting experience and that his troop is in the pilot coed troop program. [30:15] Eagle Scout Harrison Gray rings Closing Bell as "stocks surge" on August 23rd, 2024 @ 3:56 PM - 4:00 PM Fed's Powell says 'time has come' to cut interest rates Small caps, regional banks surge Workday jumps after Q2 revenue beat, $1 bln share buyback plan Indexes up: Dow 1.14%, S&P 500 1.15%, Nasdaq 1.47% https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/futures-firm-powell-set-take-center-stage-jackson-hole-2024-08-23/

For both BSA and GSUSA, nicely done.

Last summer I wore my covid N95 mask while hiking in the Northeast which was often engulfed by Canadian wildfire smoke. I actually preferred hiking in air-cleansing rain. I haven't used a mask yet hiking this season but still pack one. Note story of Pacific Crest Trail hikers. Already this year, 26 wildfires have burned along the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which travels along the spine of California, Oregon and Washington and has long been considered one of America’s spectacular thru-hikes. The blazes have forced 16 parts of the trail to close, leaving hikers hastily arranging rides around them. ... a 2022 thru-hiker, was forced off the trail near Stehekin, Washington, after she developed a hacking cough, headache and sore throat from three days of hiking through smoke. “My lungs felt full of liquid,” she said. This year, she returned to complete her missing miles and ended up hiking 17 miles in an N95 respirator. Then, a new fire left her 30 miles short of completion and yearning for closure. The source below notes climate changes along PCT which travels through the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range. Source (research and writing 👍😞 Wildfires keep hitting the iconic Pacific Crest Trail, forcing closures and evacuations https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/wildfires-pacific-crest-trail-closures-evacuations-rcna167863 BSA Hiking - 10 Essentials: https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/hiking/

Update 8/23/2024: Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced former Omaha SM John Shores to 20 years in federal prison and after release, an additional 20 years of supervision. There is no parole in the federal prison system. He also has to pay $7,600 in special assessments. Shores' attorney argued for a lesser sentence as he had no previous criminal record and would not be a threat to society after his release due to his age. The prosecution argued Shores acted as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" who used his position in the community to gain trust while seeking out minors for sex. Judge Rossiter described Shores' actions as "unfathomable - “I don’t discount what you’ve done with the community in the light, but what you’ve done here was in the dark." Sources: https://www.ketv.com/article/ex-nebraska-boy-scout-leader-sentenced-prison-sexual-exploitation-child/61960300 https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/former-omaha-boy-scout-leader-sentenced-for-child-enticement/article_d8e5bce6-617d-11ef-9d2a-4b759016ece4.html

8/21/2024 "The Midnight Sun Boy Scout Council has launched a fundraiser to replace guns and ammunition stolen this past week from a storage room and gun safe at Lost Lake Boy Scout Camp." Source: https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/boys-scouts-launch-fundraiser-to-replace-stolen-guns-ammo/article_52c3e5b6-5f39-11ef-81be-eb01a6eee89c.html

Case in point: Greater Tampa Bay Area Council selling 50 acre parcel of Sand Hill Scout Reservation. When businessman Larry DiePolder died in 1978, he left about 1,300 natural acres in Hernando County (Sand Hill Scout Reservation) to the Boy Scouts with explicit instructions - the land must never be sold “in any way shape or form” or be used for any commercial purposes, according to his will. DiePolder stated the acreage should serve only for the Boy Scouts to “enjoy the great outdoors and the beauties and benefits of nature.” ... Despite the wishes outlined by its benefactor, the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America is currently in talks to sell a 50-acre portion of the Sand Hill reservation along SR 50 to the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative for it to build an administrative office, Scout executive Mike Butler confirmed on Tuesday. In January, after the Boy Scouts sought a court order to clarify the title on the land, a Hernando County Circuit Court judge ruled the council was not bound to the terms outlined by DiePolder. The ruling states that when his family conveyed the 1,300 acres to the Boy Scouts 45 years ago, the deeds did not include any of the usage restrictions cited in the will. Those deeds conveyed the Sand Hill property to the Boy Scouts without the restrictions DiePolder outlined in his will. After the Boy Scouts sought the court order clarifying the title, Circuit Court Judge Donald Eugene Scaglione ruled in January that the deeds issued by DiePolder’s son superseded the will and conveyed the land “free and clear of the use restrictions.” DiePolder wrote in his will that if the Boy Scouts ever failed to use the property as he wished, then the land should be given to Hernando County “to be used as a recreational area and park.” But Hernando County filed a motion consenting to the Boy Scouts clarifying the title. Scaglione ruled that any rights the county had to the land in the will are null and void. More at source: https://www.tampabay.com/news/hernando/2024/08/21/boy-scouts-talks-sell-50-acre-slice-brooksville-reservation/

This caught my attention as I am faced with TTHM and HAA5 in our drinking water here. I believe these are present due my town water dept using chloramine as a disinfectant, seemingly preferred over chlorine. https://www.mass.gov/doc/factsheet-haloacetic-acids-and-total-trihalomethane-in-drinking-water-information-for-consumers/download