2007 gathering news articles here.

[hippiehillbilly]

so heres the first one i found..

it says there are already 2000 people on the land?? sounds like a high estimate to me..

http://www.4029tv.com/news/13548358/detail.html

[hippiestead]

Thanks for posting the link HHB.

yeah, 2000 sounds high...I read 300 in one e-mail, 1500 in another... I'm not even sure how these people do their guess-timations

[WanderingturnupII]

Not that I think this article's worthy, but isn't this the kind of thing that should be saved to the Group page? Maybe we can find some articles from previous Gatherings?

[short-man420]

"Police called the group "unconventional" and said they are preparing businesses and residents for any possible criminal element that might accompany such a large gathering. "

that whole part pissed me off

[hippiestead]

Yeah, I was trying to figure out how the article feature worked in the group but it was confusing...it listed articles from all over HipForums. & I'm still having a bug issue with the 'links' feature. Could someone else check the top welcomehome link & see if it goes to welcomehome? I put the bottom link in as a substitute until the bug gets worked out but maybe it's a bug in my browser or something.

Any volunteers to dig up last years articles? cuz building an article archive from what was posted last year (and other years) would be too cool.

[Rocky_Green]

Here's a link to a bunch of articles from last year:

http://www.hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169364

If anyone sees news articles about this year, then please post the article or at least a link.

[hippiehillbilly]

that group shit is useless, i said it when the discussion started about it.. but now yall got it,, a useless pain in the ass page linked to here..
have fun tryin to do what ya wanna do with it.. as for me,, ill keep postin my shit here..

love n light

[WanderingturnupII]

Maybe it is useless. But Hippies are like a pack of Monkeys. Throw a Strange Thing in among a pack of Monkeys, and they'll poke it with sticks, and throw feces at it, and yell at it, and if the Strange Thing refuses to go away, then one of them will pick it up and start to play with it, then another of them will try to steal it, and there will be a big ol' fight, and after much chaos and confusion, then they decide if it's useful, or dangerous, or worthless.

[hippiestead]

lol I mostly like the photo group gallery feature...it'll be cool if folks upload their pics to share, won't have to search down several galleries that way....but I still come to the forum page first to find out what's happening. The calender could be useful if someone can figure out how to work it; the link page too...

Hey anyone know if the waterin'hole is still up? It was nice finding their posts on agr cuz they have links to many articles once the media starts nawing on the Family

By the way, the Fort Smith news announced the Gathering last night.

[soaringeagle]

http://www.4029tv.com/video/13556070/index.html

[hippiehillbilly]

i love the "the members are scheduled to be in the woods till mid july" closing..

so what time do we all take a shit???

[soaringeagle]

420 sychronized shitting its gonna be an olympic event someday
biggest pile wins

[hippiestead]

i love the "the members are scheduled to be in the woods till mid july" closing..

so what time do we all take a shit???
Is that from Soaring Eagle's link?

[hippiehillbilly]

yep thats the one...

[hippiestead]

<sigh> the dial-up makes it too hard to watch video. HHB do y'all ever save the video stuff you've seen about Rainbow? (I've been having one of those weird one thing leads to another months & last week I was told that me'n'JuJu were 'heir' to some old Rainbow pics which a brother we were very close to took & this morning, another bro mentioned that he had some archival info from TX'88 & so do we...which led to the Rainbow archives in Sante Fe. Plus there was the wonderful scan of the '87 Howdy Folks that a sis posted in her gallery...just riding the universal wave, I guess :D )

[coffeedarling]

the rainbow tribe is an "environmental group"? that is what it says in the article. i was under the impression that it was for a more all encompasing world peace and harmony, which would include the environment, i suppose. am I wrong here (sorry, new) or are they?

p.s. am very sad i cannot go, but there is no way i can go to arkansas.:sniff1: i'll send good thoughts, though!

[WanderingturnupII]

Little sis, some folks think we're an environmental group, and some people think we're a protest group, and some folks think we're a spiritual group, and I don't think we're too sure ourselves, sometimes. Is a Swiss Army Knife a corkscrew or a pair of pliers?

[WanderingturnupII]

Harrison Daily Times

http://www.zwire.com/site/?brd=1815&pag=461&dept_id=516928&newsid=18507834&rfi=15

Rainbow Family gathers
By JAMES L. WHITE, Times Staff jamesw@commpub.com
06/22/2007


http://images.zwire.com/local/Z/Zwire1815/zwire/images/622-Rainbow3.jpg

Staff Photo/James L. White
Ed "Dogman" Slook of Taos, N.M., is a member of the Rainbow Family who had arrived at Fallsville earlier this week.


FALLSVILLE - If you have a bellybutton you could be a member of the Rainbow Family.
Members of the group are camped in the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville for their annual gathering and they say all people are welcome in the Family.
Although rumors abound in Newton County about habits of drug and alcohol use and abuse, civil disobedience and public nudity, an unofficial spokesman for the group said most members of the Family have only one goal: peace.
And almost no one will disagree with that
But not everyone agrees either.
'Warriors of the Rainbow'
The Rainbow Family has a Web site, www.welcomehome.org, but it's called "unofficial."
"It is longstanding Rainbow Family consensus that nobody has ever, or ever will represent the Rainbow Family," the site says.
The site continues by saying the Rainbow Family is the "largest non-organization of non-members in the world," and that members are "into intentional community building, non-violence, and alternative lifestyles."
Many of their traditions are based on Native American traditions and members have committed themselves to caring for the planet.
"We also believe that peace and love are a great thing, and there isn't enough of that in this world," the Web site proclaims.
The Family gathers annually in a national forest to pray for peace, the site says, but it also quotes a Native American prophecy that states:
"When the earth is ravaged and the animals are dying, a new tribe of people shall come unto the earth from many colors, classes, creeds, and who by their actions and deeds shall make the earth green again. They will be known as the warriors of the Rainbow."
'They're just doing routine stops'
Rainbow Family members began arriving in the Ozark National Forest within the last few days. Wednesday, a Daily Times reporter went to where they were camped.
Numerous law enforcement officials stood by on Highway 16/21 outside Fallsville and for miles in either direction to make sure everything was going well, officials said.
Denise Ottaviano, U.S. Forest Service information officer out of Albuquerque, N.M., spoke to the Daily Times from Fort Smith where she is stationed during the Rainbow gathering.
She said Rainbow events often attract as many as 10,000 to 25,000 members from all parts of the country.
Those members can have "a large impact" on the forest and surrounding communities, she said. So, the Forest Service developed the National Incident Management Team (NIMT) to "manage the impacts of Rainbow Family national gatherings," a press release said.
Ottaviano said officers come from all over the country to follow Rainbow Family gatherings.
Drivers in the area are stopped often, especially ones who drive on or off the Forest Service road that leads the two miles to the main camping area.
Drivers who ask why they were stopped are told that officers are making sure everything is all right and to make sure law enforcement officers aren't under surveillance themselves.
"They're just doing routine stops," Ottaviano said, adding that officers are making sure all attendees are safe and for general public safety.
Some officers have dogs trained to search for drugs, she said.
Wednesday, at the beginning of the road to the campsite, a young man sat on the side of the highway while a Forest Service officer talked to him and another videotaped the scene.
Just ahead, three other young people stood beside a vehicle with New Jersey license plates talking with two more officers and a third officer searched baggage apparently pulled from the car.
An officer on the scene Wednesday afternoon said one reason for such tight security is because the "Rainbows" hadn't secured a permit from the government to hold a large gathering of people on public land.
Ottaviano confirmed that, saying groups of 75 or more are required to secure a permit for a gathering of any kind so Forestry officials can help them find a proper campsite while not disturbing "archaeological sites."
But the Rainbows, "as is customary," haven't gotten such a permit, Ottaviano said, although Forestry officials are still trying to work with them on locations.
But it might be too late.
'It's a workshop'
Rain had been falling at Fallsville for a couple of days and more than a hundred Rainbows were already setting up camp this week struggling through mud and standing water.
Pitching tents and warming food over campfires, most of the Rainbows declined to be photographed due to the mud and muck. One man named Val said the pictures wouldn't translate well.
But Val was willing to talk about the Family.
For one thing, Val explained that the Family isn't just one large group. He said members of like-minded groups comprise what is collectively known as the Rainbow Family.
What they share in common is being outcasts in the cities, as well as a love of nature, acting as "stewards of the woods," he said.
They come from all walks of life. Some are addicts coming to get away from the temptations that might cause them to use. Some are seeking spirituality.
Val, who also studies sociology and is a woodworker, said, "I don't know why most of them come."
But he continued by explaining the main purpose is to pray for peace. The actual gathering is July 1-7, with the main day of prayer set for July 4. On that morning, he said, the entire camp will be silent as members pray.
The remainder of the time will be spent studying nature. They will have a chance to use woodland experts to explain what is growing in the woods can and can't be eaten. There will be other people studying spirituality and any other matters that surround such a topic.
"It's a lesson," Val said. "It's a workshop."
Some people have estimated as many as 25,000 Rainbows might attend. Val calls that unrealistic and puts the estimate closer to 7,000 at most, 5,000 at least.
Val said some people think the Family is gathering to relive the flower power days of the 1960s, but that's not the case.
He pointed out that many of those attending were young, born in the late '70s or early '80s, and were bringing their children with them.
Some of the men have long hair and beards, while others are clean shaven and have short hair. Dread locks are popular among both men and women. Many carry guitars, violins or musical instruments of other kinds.
But not all of them are young.
Ed "Dogman" Slook of Taos, N.M., had just arrived at the campsite Wednesday afternoon. He explained that he went on his first peace march in Washington, D.C., as the war in Vietnam raged.
He said the Family is almost exclusively peaceful. But even at that, there are some members, as in any large group, that come to the gathering for other reasons.
For instance, "Camp A" is largely segregated from the main group. Those people, he said, are the drinkers among the Family and they stay where they are.
But the rumors surrounding the gathering are a partial concern to Family members and law enforcement as well.
Isolated incidents
Some people have said Rainbows are known for raiding gardens and stealing and slaughtering cattle for food. But the Forest Service's Ottaviano says that's not accurate.
Ottaviano did say there are isolated incidents with certain Rainbows when they interact with local residents.
She said there is a vast cultural difference between many of the Rainbows and other people, so some confrontations can occur.
In addition, there have been some isolated incidents of loitering or trespassing, but they aren't that common.
Val said there is an alleged incident from a 1984 Rainbow gathering in which one of the Family members got into an altercation with people in a grocery store. The Rainbow was accused of urinating on the fresh produce in the store.
Val said he isn't even sure that happened, but it's one of the incidents authorities bring up to locals every time the Family gathers.
He said one high-ranking law enforcement official from Washington, D.C., visited a community where the Rainbows were set to gather and told the people there they should lock up their doors and hide their children.
Val said that was totally inaccurate, but it's the kind of thing that follows the Rainbows wherever they go.
Still, not everyone is scared to have the Rainbow Family around.
'They don't understand them'
Elizabeth Moak lives at Fallsville. She said the Family hasn't been any trouble for her.
"I'm enjoying watching them go by," Moak said. "Some of the buses are artwork."
Some of the Rainbows stop and ask for directions and have been easy to get along with.
"I haven't seen any of them who are rude or anything," Moak said.
What she fears is that there might be trouble with local people who might want to start trouble with the Rainbows.
She said a group of loggers came into the Fallsville store one day last week when it was raining and they couldn't work.
One of the loggers said something vulgar to a group of Rainbows sitting together. The Rainbows all stood together, although they made no threatening gestures and the logger took notice.
"And he left," Moak said.
Added law enforcement presence doesn't bother Moak either.
She said one woman was complaining that she didn't dare carry her customary cooler of beer in her pickup to drink while she was driving because she was afraid of getting stopped. And she could no longer let her 5-year-old daughter ride in the bed of the truck.
Moak also said the people who drive vehicles without license plate or those who have suspended driver's licenses are now getting rides from other people or allowing someone else to drive.
She also said she knows of one individual who has taken to walking everywhere by going through the woods, not on the highway.
Moak admits there are people around the area who don't welcome the Rainbows, but she has a couple of ideas on that subject.
For instance, many locals go to the forest where the Rainbows are camped to "drink and party," so there could be some animosity there.
In addition, "because they are hippies and a lot of people are scared of them," there is automatic suspicion, Moak said.
And some people could mistake the Rainbows for "tree huggers" or environmentalists that are coming to the area to disrupt the logging industry or disturb the local way of life.
"I think it's that they don't understand them and they're expecting trouble," Moak said. "But I am really enjoying them."
Shirley Sims is owner/proprietor of the store at Compton. She said some of the Rainbows had been passing through and had stopped.
"The one's that were here were nice," Sims said.
Emma Griffith was at the store last Wednesday. She said one young man was extremely polite when he came through.
"And he rode his bicycle all the way from Kansas to get here," Griffith said.
Sims said she expects no trouble out of the gathering.
"I feel like the Sheriff's Office is going to take care of us," she said.
'Taking all precautions'
Newton County Sheriff Keith Slape said his department is working with the Forest Service to patrol the area as much as possible.
And, given Fallsville's location near the border of both Johnson and Madison counties, those two departments are helping out as well.
He said they will soon set up a command post near the forest and man it 24 hours a day, adding that his officers probably will be able to work all the overtime they want.
Slape admits there hasn't been much trouble out of the Rainbows.
"Right now, there's been some isolated incidents, but we're trying to safeguard to keep anything from happening," Slape said. "We're just taking all precautions."
Slape said that although there are three individual camps that authorities keep an eye on, he thinks it should be fairluy peaceful.
"The majority of them are good people," Slape said.


©Harrison Daily Times 2007

[hippiestead]

Wow How Cool!!!!! We did the '91 Peace Vigil in Austin with Dogman (bro in pic).

[WanderingturnupII]

He's another one I hadn't seen for a few years. I'd always thought of him as being more east coast than "from Taos". Maybe that's why I haven't seen him for a while? Perhaps he bought some land out on The Mesa next door to all them other grouchy old farts, and has been busy digging in?

[hippiestead]

That 'Digging in' comment is very true...& in the most literal sense :D He was thru the mkt in Austin some time in spring 2006 (I think) & I saw pics of his place. It's very nice.

[soaringeagle]

He's another one I hadn't seen for a few years. I'd always thought of him as being more east coast than "from Taos". Maybe that's why I haven't seen him for a while? Perhaps he bought some land out on The Mesa next door to all them other grouchy old farts, and has been busy digging in?hahaha do u mean robbie by that grouchy old farts comment? i never thought of robbie as grouchy but yea dogman is livin on the mesa with robbie & them
he looks lil more grey then last i remember tho..lol
and that wasnt that long ago i saw him

[WanderingturnupII]

"An officer on the scene Wednesday afternoon said one reason for such tight security is because the "Rainbows" hadn't secured a permit from the government to hold a large gathering of people on public land.
Ottaviano confirmed that, saying groups of 75 or more are required to secure a permit for a gathering of any kind so Forestry officials can help them find a proper campsite while not disturbing "archaeological sites."
But the Rainbows, "as is customary," haven't gotten such a permit, Ottaviano said, although Forestry officials are still trying to work with them on locations."

So I sent the reporter a copy the letter from Mark Rey.

[soaringeagle]

turnup what letter is that? was that posted here somewhere & i missed it?
if its not too much trouble could u post what u sent him? just curious :)
or a link to it if its already online somewhere

what i love about that statement
your required a permit so fs can help with site selection
we dont have a permit but theyre helping with site selection anyways
sooooooooooooooooooooo
we dont need no stinkin permits!!!!!!

[Bumble]

We have the right to peacefully gather. they just want money. I'm sure if we gave them money then they'd leave us alone. it's horrible that we have to pay for peace.

[WanderingturnupII]

Hippiestead posted it here in the thread "conference calls" a couple pages back.

[papabear]

what cost money, i thought the permits were free. every gathering i went too permited or not didnt cost any money, other than donations to magic hat or gas or somthing. I dont think i ever paid for peace, well i have paid to have my children gone for the weekend.

[hippiestead]

I think the permits are free. I also think the reason that Gatherers get hassled is because they are free...

[agrohippy62]

Maybe it is useless. But Hippies are like a pack of Monkeys. Throw a Strange Thing in among a pack of Monkeys, and they'll poke it with sticks, and throw feces at it, and yell at it, and if the Strange Thing refuses to go away, then one of them will pick it up and start to play with it, then another of them will try to steal it, and there will be a big ol' fight, and after much chaos and confusion, then they decide if it's useful, or dangerous, or worthless.
LMFAO Oh my God, that is sooooo funny. You have a sense of humor, my friend.

[WanderingturnupII]

Rainbow Family attendees begin to gather on Ozark National Forest

National event runs July 1-7
For The Courier
FORT SMITH — Rainbow Family National Gathering attendees have begun to arrive on the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas.
The event, which runs from July 1-7, draws thousands of people from all parts of the country and all walks of life. Some Rainbows describe themselves as hippies, hobos or even gypsies, according to a press release. This year’s National Gathering is expected to have a lower attendance than previous years and may only draw 5,000-10,000 people.
Gathering organizers could not agree on a location for this year’s event, so they are occupying two different areas of the Ozark National Forest. Several hundred people are camping on the Big Piney Ranger District of the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville (in Newton County, a few miles north of Johnson County on State Highway 21), and another group is reported to be camping on the Boston Mountain Ranger District north of Mulberry (Crawford County). [My Italics WT] Participants will continue to arrive for the next couple of weeks and then migrate back out for several weeks following the event which culminates on July 4.
Because of the magnitude for this event, the Forest Service utilizes an agency National Incident Management Team (NIMT) in coordination with local Forest Service personnel to manage the impacts of this event.
The Forest Service NIMT will be working in Arkansas throughout the duration of the event and is coordinating with various agencies to manage and minimize environmental, social and political impacts. Forest Service resource specialists are working on the ground with gathering participants to develop an operating plan that will mitigate resource damage and provide for the safety of gathering participants and the public.
Local businesses can expect to see large numbers of gathering participants visiting stores and buying food and supplies along routes to the gathering sites, according to the release. Roads leading up to the gathering sites are soon expected to get very congested, so the public should use extra caution while driving. Copyright 2007 Russellville Newspapers, Inc.
http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=15171


Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Northwest Arkansas edition:

file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/moz-screenshot.jpg

file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/moz-screenshot-1.jpg

Newton County : Rainbow group keeps deputies, foresters busy

BY TRACIE DUNGAN Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2007


The group known as the Rainbow Family is descending on U. S. Forest Service land in cash-strapped Newton County, the chosen site for this year’s annual pilgrimage to pray for world peace. “Group” might be too strong a word for the latter-day hippies, who on their “unofficial” Web site, www. welcomehome. org / rainbow / index. html, claim to have no members, “no leaders, and no organization.”

So far, the Newton County sheriff ’s office is having few problems managing the influx of people who are camping on the federal lands, said Chief Deputy Marshall Metzgar, other than an estimated 20 to 25 arrests since Thursday.

That wouldn’t be a big deal if the county had more resources.

“We’ve been keeping our little jail full every day,” Metzgar said, adding that most of its 15 beds have been taken by people attending the gathering arrested for drug possession, public intoxication or on warrants.

Metzgar figures any large gathering — and Newton County doesn’t attract many — might yield that many arrests. He’s mostly worried about a Forest Service estimate that the gathering could eventually attract 5, 000 to 10, 000 people, and its reputation for, at times, attracting upward of 25, 000.

“With 2, 500, we can probably handle it,” Metzgar said, adding that the Rainbow gathering had grown to that many Monday, from about 800 on Thursday.

“But if 25, 000 show up — then we’re in a bind.”

The county’s small crew of sheriff’s deputies is working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, as long as the Rainbows stay, and the Forest Service has offered to pay their overtime, he said.

Other counties have offered help, including Madison and Boone, which donated command posts.

“We’re just about bankrupt right now,” he said.

Two-thirds of Newton County’s land is owned by the Forest Service and the U. S. Park Service, Metzgar said. That and a sparse population leave little in the way of a tax base and other revenues for the county.

“We only have about 8, 800 people total in the whole county,” he said. “So pretty soon, there’s going to be more of them.”

Each year, the Forest Service sends a special team into the gathering spot chosen by the Rainbows.

This “National Incident Management Team” helps law enforcement and other agencies prepare for the visitors. It also tries to work with the Rainbows to select the best site, prepare the land for a large gathering and restore it to its original condition afterward.

Often with mixed results on the front end, said Denise Ottaviano, a spokesman for this team.

“It’s definitely something to be managed, because the sheer magnitude of the event presents some big challenges for the Forest Service,” Ottaviano said, adding that her agency tries to steer visitors clear of archaeological sites or endangered species habitat.

“The Forest Service does not infringe upon the right of the Rainbow Family to hold this gathering,” she said, adding that it is the natural-resource agency’s responsibility to work with them and uphold its mission of protecting the land.

The federal government does have its rules and regulations.

Ottaviano said the team is specifically trained to handle “non-commercial, group-use events on national forest land.”

The Rainbow Family is the only group that’s ever required its expertise.

A typical non-commercial group visiting the forest lands would be a family reunion or club outing. Even one of those would require a permit if was a large enough gathering.

“When there are 75 or more people gathered,” Ottaviano said, “they are required to get a free, special-use permit.” This allows the agency to communicate its restrictions on the exact location, length of time, and use of the land, as well as all Forest Service regulations.

Historically, the Rainbow Family rarely has furnished a person to sign the permit for one of its national gatherings since it began gathering on national forest lands in 1972.

“They refuse to,” said Ottaviano, who has worked on the 1998 and 2004-2006 Rainbow gatherings. “They claim they are all individuals, and they are not part of the group, and they have no leaders, and they are not organized, and no one person can speak for anyone else.”

This year, the Rainbows are working with the Forest Service on its alternative — an operating plan that requires no signature but accomplishes about the same thing as the permit, she said.

The Rainbows had a conflict between two sites in Northwest Arkansas this year, said Ottaviano, who follows their plans on Internet message boards and whose team has been meeting county, state and federal lawenforcement agencies and others, such as the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to prepare them for the visitors.

Some Rainbows preferred to camp on the Boston Mountain Ranger District north of Mulberry, and her agency has received reports of a group camping there. [My Italics WT]

But most are believed to be heading to the Newton County site, off Forest Service Road 1463, nearly two miles north of Fallsville.

“They’ve been trickling into the area for a couple weeks already,” Ottaviano said. The peak of the event runs from July 1 through July 7, with the migration and the exodus lasting for several weeks before and after that week.

The Fourth of July is the group’s “Circle for Peace,” according to the Rainbow Web site.

“Join us for a silent circling of people to pray for world peace,” the site says. It “starts at sunrise at main circle, and ends around Rainbow noon after a period of OHMing, and the Kiddie Village Parade !”

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/194059/

Hippiestead, could you get some of your contacts on the land to clear up the rumor about the camp north of Mulberry in Crawford County?

Oh, yeah, aparently there's a video clip here, http://www.4029tv.com/news/13567512/detail.html
but I have to shovel a lot of coal into the back of this venerable Dell to get it to play video. And there was also a paragraph in the Courier police blotter about a sister that rode a freight into the Gathering only to be picked up on a bench warrant out of NM. She'll spend the next 30 days in jail awating extradition.

[hippiehillbilly]

http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/ozark/news/documents/rainbow_begin_gather.pdf

Contact: Denise Ottaviano, National Incident Management Team-Information Officer 505-259-2290
Rainbow Family Begins to Gather on Ozark National Forest
Fort Smith, AR (June 23, 2007) –Rainbow Family National Gathering attendees have begun to arrive
on the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. The event, which runs from July 1 – July 7, draws thousands of
people from all parts of the country and all walks of life. Some Rainbows describe themselves as hippies,
hobos or even gypsies. This year’s National Gathering is expected to have a lower attendance than previous
years and may only draw 5,000-10,000 people.
Gathering organizers could not agree on a location for this year’s event so they are occupying two
different areas of the Ozark National Forest. Several hundred people are camping on the Big Piney Ranger
District of the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville and another group is reported to be camping on the
Boston Mountain Ranger District north of Mulberry. Participants will continue to arrive for the next couple
of weeks and then migrate back out for several weeks following the event which culminates on July 4th.
Because of the magnitude of this event, the Forest Service utilizes an agency National Incident
Management Team (NIMT) in coordination with local Forest Service personnel to manage the impacts of this
event. The Forest Service NIMT will be working in Arkansas throughout the duration of the event and is
coordinating with various agencies to manage and minimize environmental, social and political impacts.
Forest Service resource specialists are working on the ground with gathering participants to develop an
operating plan that will mitigate resource damage and provide for the safety of gathering participants and the
public.
Local businesses can expect to see large numbers of gathering participants visiting stores and buying
food and supplies along routes to the gathering sites. Roads leading up to the gathering sites are soon expected
to get very congested so the public should use extra caution while driving.
##
National Incident Management Team
U.S. Forest Service
Incident Command Post
700 Rogers Avenue
Fort Smith, AR 72901

[Okiefreak]

Not that I think this article's worthy, but isn't this the kind of thing that should be saved to the Group page? Maybe we can find some articles from previous Gatherings?I just fell off the turnip truck from Oklahoma. What is the group page?

[hippiestead]

HipForums has group pages now...if you scroll down, you should see the groups on the left side. It has places for links, a group photo gallery, calender.

On this Crawford County rumor, I'll try but my sources are already on-site...

Update-Jay Rainbowwolf (local Fam) say that he'll check but last he knew, no one was there.

2nd Update from rainbowwolf:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello everyone here. This is Jay, the rainbowwolf. If you don't know
me, I am a local focalizer from Arkansas who has been posting to the
google group and AGR and various Arkansas web pages and ORB websites,
welcomehere.org, etc. I was chosen as the messenger for the Arkansas/
Oklahoma family that I know. I was invited to come here to talk
earlier tonight, but I first had to once again drive to Shores Lake,
and the Salt Fork to look for a second site gathering that people
still claim is there.
I can tell you for a fact, there is no body, no vehicles, no camp
fires, no stacks of rock, no cops, no USFS, or even normal out of
state campers anywhere in 20 sq. miles of Shores Lake. I followed the
directions both times I have been out there. This time I followed the
only roads that circle the lake. I crossed the Salt Fork on the only
bridge on the creek. I checked all the roads leading away. I even
drove down Hurricane creek to make sure the hippies weren't confused
about where they were supposed to be.


There is no second gathering happening anywhere near Shores Lake or
the Salt Fork creek.

[earthling2]

I Miss The Family, Say Hello To Dog Man, From Linda From Baltimore, And Everyone! Peace & Blessings!
Love Yas All!

[WanderingturnupII]

The article tried to copy as an image file and wouldn't post, but here's the link:
http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=6719985

[WanderingturnupII]

I've met a Linda from Baltimore. I doubt if she remembers me. Judy Appleseed still keeping us all up to date on the Space Aliens?

[yo-yo]

i cant friggen wait to get up there im only bout an 1-1 1/2 hrs. aways but i gotta work for tha man til saturday... bummer.... 2 more days :dance: woo-hoo

[hippiestead]

Here's that kfsm story:

FALLSVILLE, AR--From California to New York thousands are flocking to the Rainbow Family's gathering just 30 miles north of Clarksville.* They are from all walks of life and every age from old to young.* Some live nomadic lifestyles, traveling from one gathering to the next, while others only come once a year to the annual gathering wherever that may be.

Car after car after car line*the dirt*road*deep in*the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville in Newton County.* 5NEWS counted license plates from at least 27 different states.* This year's gathering is expected to be several thousand but far less than in years past.*

A man we met who simply goes by the name Simple says it's about coming together.

"People hang out in the woods," Simple said.* "The kitchens, the ovens; making pizzas, helping people haul stuff in.* Getting water for them."

Anyone with an RV or van parks at the Bus Village.* Their kitchen feeds about 20 people per day, but about 20 other kitchens feed anywhere from three to 500 people.* Camps are spread throughout the national forest.* Alcohol is typically confined to the "A" Camp, while children are able to play at what's called the Kiddie Village. **

Daniel Robertson says he plays a fatherly role to many of the younger family members.

"They run away and they come here because they're taken care of people love them people feed them try to give them counsel," Robertson explained.* "Help them out in the life."

There is no real organization there.* In fact, this year they were almost unable to reach an agreement on where they would meet.* Majority rules and at council meetings everybody gets a say before a consensus is reached.* Every morning there is a kitchen council where cooks figure out the supplies they need, while problems and issues are addressed at the afternoon council.

Those who arrive first set up the seed camp for the gathering which doesn't begin until the first and then runs through the seventh.* We're told a clean-up crew will actually stay well beyond that time.

Some Rainbow Family members tell 5NEWS the location is not ideal.* Usually they camp in a large clearing or meadow.* At this year's site, the camps are much more spread out and there's not enough parking along the narrow dirt road.

Thousands are passing through the tiny Newton County community of Fallsville on their way to the rainbow family gathering.* It's something the quiet little village has never before seen.* But it means business is booming at the Fallsville Store.

"I'm gonna say it's doubled, probably tripled," clerk Susie Shannon told 5NEWS.

Hundreds pass by the store every day on their way to the gathering.* Susie says the community sees a lot of tourists during the summer months but nothing like this.* This is only*her second day on the job.* The store owner wasn't prepared for the huge influx of people, so she hired Susie.*

The Fallsville Store is also where we met a man hoping to sell produce to people at the gathering.

"We brought cantaloupe, watermelon, onions, tomatoes, etc. We got a little bit of everything.* I have a lot of jellies," Sam Mitchell described.

One family member told us they usually pick one or two places to patronize during a gathering.* Most of the time, it's an organic foods store, like a truck we saw delivering supplies to the main camp.* Rainbowers say food is an important part of the fellowship.

There's a massive law enforcement presence with members of the U.S. Forestry, Newton County Sheriff's Department, and others here to keep the peace.* But what do the locals think about the Rainbow Family?

"Most of them don't have a problem with it," Shannon shrugged.* "They're a peace loving bunch.* They don't hurt anybody.* And for the most part everything's going really well."

Many of the Rainbow Family members were friendly, waving and welcoming us [5NEWS].* But there were some who were not happy we were there.* At the Fallsville Store, we witnessed an argument between one Rainbow Family member who seemed to be trying to provoke a forest ranger.

[WanderingturnupII]

At the Fallsville Store, we witnessed an argument between one Rainbow Family member who seemed to be trying to provoke a forest ranger.So this poor schizohippie looses his way, wanders out of the woods and into the streets of Fallsville where he proceeds to have an arguement with himself. How could this provoke a highly paid Federal Law Enforcement Officer, who, I anm sure, has recieved the best training in the world in how to deal with one person having an arguement?

I've been wanting to say that all day. How come the article copied for you, but with lots of little stars?

[hippiestead]

don't know...I just used the highlight, pickup, drag & drop method...when I copied one Howdy Folks that was circulating around MySpace, the original had hearts & my copy had question marks where the hearts were. Don't know enough about these machines to understand why they do much of anything

[alongyourpath]

In Ark., Forest Service trying new approach with Rainbow Family

Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:50 PM CDT

FALLSVILLE, Ark. - The U.S. Forest Service has waived its permit requirement and is trying a new approach this year to protect the woods as thousands meet for an annual Rainbow Family gathering in the Ozark National Forest of north Arkansas.



The gathering, with roots in the hippie era, draws thousands from around the country to a national forest site each year to pray for peace and celebrate love. The group traditionally does not comply with the permit requirement and, in years past, has been at loggerheads with the federal agency.

Denise Ottaviano, information officer with an agency team created in 1998 to deal with the gatherings, said Thursday that, rather than require a permit, team members developed a plan to address how to best protect the forest and ensure safety at this year's July 1-7 gathering.

Ottaviano said some Rainbow Family members worked with the agency to come up with the plan, and it has been in place on a trial basis this week as many arrive to set up campsites and outdoor kitchens for the event.

"This is the first time we've tried this approach," she said. "There is no other group that ever tries to use the national forest land that doesn't want to get a permit. Other groups work with us. This is the only group that challenges us to make them get a permit."

The plan includes such detail as distances between campsites and water sources, and sensitive areas to avoid. The Forest Service also has workers who monitor the wildlife for any damage from overexposure to people.

"The Rainbow Family is making an effort to comply with our Forest Service regulations and trying not to make an impact on the land," she said. "For the most part, they are complying and there's not too much confrontation."

About 3,000 people had arrived for the gathering as of Thursday, Newton County Sheriff Keith Slape said. About 50 federal or state wildlife officers and county deputies were patrolling the event. Slape said nearly 30 arrests had been made on various charges, including drugs, alcohol, outstanding warrants, and disorderly conduct.

With a seven-officer force to cover a county of 8,800 residents, the sheriff said his deputies will do what they can to assist federal and state officers at the peak of the gathering around July 4, when he expects about 7,000 people will be camping in the forest.

"Basically we've got a small town there. It's functioning like a small town," the sheriff said.

The sheriff said he had about eight inmates more than his 100-year-old jail could hold Thursday and neighboring Johnson County told him it couldn't help out because the jail there was full, too.

"Our resources (are) diminished," he said. "We didn't have much to start with."

Ottaviano said one concern was the congested traffic on the forest roads. She said the vehicles make it difficult to get in and out of the forest and she urged the public to avoid the site during the gathering.

"It's real muddy. People are getting stuck," she said.

The closest community is Fallsville, about two miles away.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)

[alongyourpath]

This is posted on a local bloggers site at http://jeremiasx.wordpress.com/

Rainbow Gathering 2007: Further Commentary
June 28th, 2007 at 4:18 pm

So what do you get when you gather a couple thousand people in the forest for the promotion of world peace? A pretty good time so far, that’s the word from the “regs” attending the “national” gathering of the Rainbow Family of Love and Light.

Other than the usual delays in getting set up for the event which have largely come in the form of undue police harassment and inclement weather, things seem to be going pretty good down there. In my time at the gathering I didn’t witness anything negative happening at all, as a matter of fact. I would have liked to have seen more tarps up by the time a torrential downpour sent my family scrambling for cover to “Kiddie Village.” We DID find shelter and fire and plenty of friendly folks, though. Nice people, indeed.

I suppose it vexes the imaginations of those who sit in a nine-to-five routine to try to comprehend the lifestyle that most of these people lead. Many of them have no permanent residence, they don’t participate in the credit culture (system), and they don’t aspire to be the world’s next millionaire. Some might label that as giving up but sometimes I wonder if it’s not good plain sense. We certainly seem to live in a world gone mad. Why not just drop it all and head for the hills? LOL

Rainbow Family members come from all walks of life and various socio-economic backgrounds, but the one thing I’ve found that they all have is a consensus that peace, not war, is the way to human evolution (seems to make sense, we can’t very well evolve if we’re all dead) and that there is another way of living this time we’ve been given on Earth which I have found to be quite fascinating.

The regs don’t really deal with money that much. They mainly barter, just like in the “good ole days.” But like any person who actually had to haul cartons of eggs down to the general store to get dry goods will tell you, it’s really not all it’s cracked up to be if your main concern is CONVENIENCE. I feel that most folks in this country are obsessed by the concept of convenience, so bartering doesn’t work for most people. It’s just easier all the way around to throw out stuff you bought and don’t like in a yard sale and take the old credit card up to the Wal-Mart and buy new schtuff. Fabulous.

Have there been reports of malfeasance on the part of individuals who have come to the gathering? Sure…about 198 of them (violations), according to the last figures I saw. Are these offenses “serious” or not? I suppose if you think it’s worth the taxpayers money to house hundreds of extra law enforcement officers at a Best Western (roughly 40 miles from the gathering, at the SUV rate of fuel consumption that works out to about twenty bucks a day per vehicle, just for SHUTTLING the LEO’s out there…) to issue a couple hundred tickets for minor drug charges, unlawful parking, on a forest road, and using park services without a permit…do you see what I’m getting at here?

Do we really need to have the Forest Service spending what will certainly be tens of thousands of dollars to prevent these terrible “crimes?” Is that reasonable, or logical in any way? Need I remind you that while they were busy covering this Rainbow event that a campground host at the Buffalo National Forest DIED AND WAS NOT FOUND (IN HIS RV, AT THE CAMPSITE) FOR A WEEK by park officials who were too busy checking if people had “all four wheels fully off the forest service road when they parked.” I haven’t seen this story in the MSM yet. Maybe someone will talk about it.

There have been limited (extremely limited) reports of theft from local businesses, but I’m going to wager they will make their money back and more from the money being pumped in from all sides of this issue. The LEO’s need gas and supplies. So do the Rainbows. Money is being made here in the county…bottom line. Keep in mind, that besides the tourism and forestry industry there is virtually no other “industry” here at all. I’m surprised we didn’t put up a welcome sign at the front gates for these folks. We need their money to boost our economy, undoubtedly.

The Rainbow Family still thrives after nearly 40 years of protest, and hearkens back to the anti-war and counterculture movement of the 60s, of which it is the natural progression…many of you remember those glory days. I don’t. My mother was a hippie, though, and she spoke consistently throughout her life on behalf of the ideals of world peace and brotherly love throughout her life. I say that she was a Rainbow at heart. Perhaps I am as well?

[Okiefreak]

Dumb question: Who is Mark Rey?

[WanderingturnupII]

Along, what's the source, please? AP wire?

[WanderingturnupII]

Undersesretary of Agriculture, probably one of several Undersecretaries of Agriculture. Perhaps you should google all over him, and let us know if he has a more complete job title?

[hippiehillbilly]

http://www.fs.fed.us/oonf/ozark/news/documents/news_release_062607.pdf


Contact: Denise Ottaviano, National Incident Management Team-Information Officer 505-259-2290
Attendance Reaches 2,000 at Rainbow Gathering Near Fallsville
Fort Smith, AR (June 26, 2007) – There are now approximately 2,000 people camping on the Big
Piney Ranger District of the Ozark National Forest just north of Fallsville for the Rainbow Family’s National
Gathering. Individuals from all over the country and all walks of life attend the annual event on a different
national forest every year. Their gathering culminates on July 4th with a large prayer circle for peace.
A Forest Service National Incident Management Team (NIMT), in coordination with local Forest
Service personnel, have developed an operating plan for the gathering site that addresses resource impacts,
health and safety issues, and site rehabilitation. Gathering participants are working with the Forest Service to
comply with the terms of the plan and Forest Service resource specialists are monitoring the site daily. A
group of gathering participants usually stays behind to work with the Forest Service on site rehabilitation.
During past gatherings, natural resource violations have occurred as well as numerous criminal acts.
So far this year, 198 violation notices have been issued to Rainbow Gathering participants, mostly for drug
and alcohol related offenses and traffic and vehicle violations. In addition, 22 arrests have been made for
various offenses including drugs, interference with law enforcement officers and outstanding warrants.
Officers from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas State
Police and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are providing valuable assistance to the Forest Service in
patrolling the area in and around the Rainbow Gathering. The Forest Service is committed to providing for
the safety of gathering participants and the public.
#
National Incident Management Team
U.S. Forest Service
Incident Command Post
700 Rogers Avenue
Fort Smith, AR 72901

[alongyourpath]

Court set for Family
By JEFF DEZORT, Newton County Times - jeffd@commpub.com
06/29/2007

DEER - James Marcschewski, a federal magistrate from Fort Smith, will set up court in the Deer Work Center later this week to hear criminal cases involving law breakers attending the National Rainbow Family Gathering in the Ozark National Forest east of nearby Fallsville.

DEER - James Marcschewski, a federal magistrate from Fort Smith, will set up court in the Deer Work Center later this week to hear criminal cases involving law breakers attending the National Rainbow Family Gathering in the Ozark National Forest east of nearby Fallsville.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning during a Unified Command Meeting with local law enforcement and community leaders conducted by officials with the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. The meeting was held from 10 - noon in the cafeteria of the Deer public school.
Forest Service personnel with its National Incident Management Team (NIMT) arrived in the county last week as Rainbow Family members started gathering for the Wednesday, July 4, congregation.
Don Palmer, NIMT planning section chief from the Monongahela National Forest in Elkins, W.Va., commented that this is expected to be one of the smallest gatherings in the group's history.
Many of the NIMT members said this is the fourth gathering they have policed. They said their main focus is public safety.
A number of federal and local arrests have already been made as the number of Rainbow Family members arriving in the area continues to climb.
U.S. marshals and attorneys called into the county to assist the NIMT have made arrangements to use the Forest Service's maintenance compound at Deer as a temporary courthouse. The property is fenced to provide security and the office will be converted into a courtroom to be presided over by Magistrate Judge Marcschewski beginning at 1 p.m. Friday. Other sessions already scheduled are for 1 p.m. on Monday, July 2; Tuesday, July 3; and Thursday, July 5. Marshals said federal prisoners are being housed in Fort Smith.
So far, marshals estimate 60 defendants will be processed Friday on all charges. This is being done as a convenience to them as most live in other states.
Newton County Sheriff Keith Slape said his department had made 22 arrests as of Wednesday morning. He said his deputies have seized illegal drugs including LSD and marijuana. Some felony charges have been filed, but most are misdemeanors such as public intoxication. There have been complaints of trespassing and some incidents involving the store at Fallsville. Newton County District Judge Tommy Martin has already held two sessions of district court this week to process the flood of defendants.
Denise Ottaviano, NIMT communications director, said there have been about 230 "violation notices" issued to Rainbow Family members. She said violation notices are citations that don't require incarceration, but do require court appearance.
She also said this morning that there have been about 30 arrests which did require incarceration of some kind.
Slape said defendants can post bond and be released, but many are without money and are being sentenced to perform community service. He said many of the inmates have been at work cleaning around community buildings, cemeteries, Bradley Park in Jasper and along highways.
Lt. Kevin Thomas, chief enforcement officer in Newton County for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said the agency has sent more personnel into the area to help with enforcement and to help with security during the 10th annual Buffalo National River Elk Festival on Friday and Saturday in downtown Jasper. He noted 26 officers are scheduled to work three 12-hour shifts.
Arkansas State Police Troop I Commander G.B. Harp of Harrison said his troopers are also on alert. He noted, however, that he doesn't have vehicles that can operate in the forest terrain and that they are limited to operating on highways surrounding the area. Troopers will also be assigned to the elk festival.
A Unified Command Incident Summary will be available to communities following the gathering, which will begin to disperse after the July 4 community prayer service.
So far reports have been received of one person suffering from a broken hand, one person was taken to North Arkansas Regional Medical Center for treatment of a copperhead snake bite, one person was treated for a brown recluse spider bite and many more people have complained of ticks, chiggers and poison ivy, officials said.
The Rainbow Gathering reportedly provides its own first aid clinic, but they reportedly are inadequately staffed with trained personnel.
A clearing has been made nearby for a helicopter landing area.
The Forest Service's other concern is the impact so many people will leave on the forest in the way of trash and scarring.
Harrison Daily Times 2007

[alongyourpath]

Big Rainbow influx ahead
By JAMES L. WHITE, Times Staff jamesw@commpub.com
06/29/2007

FALLSVILLE - Officials report about 3,000 members of the Rainbow Family of Light had by this morning arrived for the annual gathering, held this year in the Ozark National Forest.

FALLSVILLE - Officials report about 3,000 members of the Rainbow Family of Light had by this morning arrived for the annual gathering, held this year in the Ozark National Forest.
But the gathering isn't really set to begin until Sunday, July 1, so there may be a lot more people coming through the area over the next few days.
U.S. Forest Service information officer Denise Ottaviano said Rainbow Family Gatherings often attract from 10,000 to 25,000 people, but a Family member told the Daily Times that he doesn't expect more than 7,000 for this year's event.
Ottaviano said location for the yearly gathering varies from national parks in the east and west part of the country and attendance is lowest in the east. Arkansas is considered east.
The official gathering is set for July 1-7, with the biggest prayer circle for peace on July 4. That day will see the largest number of people in the forest, but Ottaviano said to expect to see quite a bit of activity in the days leading up to Sunday.
"There's going to be a lot of people coming in this weekend, then on Monday and Tuesday," Ottaviano said.
Following the main prayer circle, Ottaviano said there will most likely be people leaving "in mass quantities" on July 5, which could cause road congestion.
She said some stores could be impacted as well with the mass exodus of individuals who could loiter and panhandle as well.
Some of the Family will remain behind to help with clean up and restoration of the forest, she added.
Rumors of varied illegal Rainbow Family activity have been flying, but Ottaviano said many of those are simply rumors.
It was said that Rainbows went into the store at Fallsville and helped themselves to merchandise without paying.
"That is not true," store owner/operator Toni Lippe told the Daily Times.
Ottaviano said she had visited with store owners along Highway 21 and none of them have reported problems.
Still, Ottaviano said there could be some confrontations with local residents who don't understand the Rainbows.
"It's a very diverse group," Ottaviano said.

Harrison Daily Times 2007

[alongyourpath]

I'm out of here - my rides coming and were heading Home. Peace, Love, Namaste to all!!!!

Mark
alongyourpath

[salmon4me]

Harrison Daily Times

http://www.zwire.com/site/?brd=1815&pag=461&dept_id=516928&newsid=18507834&rfi=15

Rainbow Family gathers
By JAMES L. WHITE, Times Staff jamesw@commpub.com
06/22/2007


http://images.zwire.com/local/Z/Zwire1815/zwire/images/622-Rainbow3.jpg

Staff Photo/James L. White
Ed "Dogman" Slook of Taos, N.M., is a member of the Rainbow Family who had arrived at Fallsville earlier this week.


FALLSVILLE - If you have a bellybutton you could be a member of the Rainbow Family.
Members of the group are camped in the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville for their annual gathering and they say all people are welcome in the Family.
Although rumors abound in Newton County about habits of drug and alcohol use and abuse, civil disobedience and public nudity, an unofficial spokesman for the group said most members of the Family have only one goal: peace.
And almost no one will disagree with that
But not everyone agrees either.
'Warriors of the Rainbow'
The Rainbow Family has a Web site, www.welcomehome.org (http://www.welcomehome.org/), but it's called "unofficial."
"It is longstanding Rainbow Family consensus that nobody has ever, or ever will represent the Rainbow Family," the site says.
The site continues by saying the Rainbow Family is the "largest non-organization of non-members in the world," and that members are "into intentional community building, non-violence, and alternative lifestyles."
Many of their traditions are based on Native American traditions and members have committed themselves to caring for the planet.
"We also believe that peace and love are a great thing, and there isn't enough of that in this world," the Web site proclaims.
The Family gathers annually in a national forest to pray for peace, the site says, but it also quotes a Native American prophecy that states:
"When the earth is ravaged and the animals are dying, a new tribe of people shall come unto the earth from many colors, classes, creeds, and who by their actions and deeds shall make the earth green again. They will be known as the warriors of the Rainbow."
'They're just doing routine stops'
Rainbow Family members began arriving in the Ozark National Forest within the last few days. Wednesday, a Daily Times reporter went to where they were camped.
Numerous law enforcement officials stood by on Highway 16/21 outside Fallsville and for miles in either direction to make sure everything was going well, officials said.
Denise Ottaviano, U.S. Forest Service information officer out of Albuquerque, N.M., spoke to the Daily Times from Fort Smith where she is stationed during the Rainbow gathering.
She said Rainbow events often attract as many as 10,000 to 25,000 members from all parts of the country.
Those members can have "a large impact" on the forest and surrounding communities, she said. So, the Forest Service developed the National Incident Management Team (NIMT) to "manage the impacts of Rainbow Family national gatherings," a press release said.
Ottaviano said officers come from all over the country to follow Rainbow Family gatherings.
Drivers in the area are stopped often, especially ones who drive on or off the Forest Service road that leads the two miles to the main camping area.
Drivers who ask why they were stopped are told that officers are making sure everything is all right and to make sure law enforcement officers aren't under surveillance themselves.
"They're just doing routine stops," Ottaviano said, adding that officers are making sure all attendees are safe and for general public safety.
Some officers have dogs trained to search for drugs, she said.
Wednesday, at the beginning of the road to the campsite, a young man sat on the side of the highway while a Forest Service officer talked to him and another videotaped the scene.
Just ahead, three other young people stood beside a vehicle with New Jersey license plates talking with two more officers and a third officer searched baggage apparently pulled from the car.
An officer on the scene Wednesday afternoon said one reason for such tight security is because the "Rainbows" hadn't secured a permit from the government to hold a large gathering of people on public land.
Ottaviano confirmed that, saying groups of 75 or more are required to secure a permit for a gathering of any kind so Forestry officials can help them find a proper campsite while not disturbing "archaeological sites."
But the Rainbows, "as is customary," haven't gotten such a permit, Ottaviano said, although Forestry officials are still trying to work with them on locations.
But it might be too late.
'It's a workshop'
Rain had been falling at Fallsville for a couple of days and more than a hundred Rainbows were already setting up camp this week struggling through mud and standing water.
Pitching tents and warming food over campfires, most of the Rainbows declined to be photographed due to the mud and muck. One man named Val said the pictures wouldn't translate well.
But Val was willing to talk about the Family.
For one thing, Val explained that the Family isn't just one large group. He said members of like-minded groups comprise what is collectively known as the Rainbow Family.
What they share in common is being outcasts in the cities, as well as a love of nature, acting as "stewards of the woods," he said.
They come from all walks of life. Some are addicts coming to get away from the temptations that might cause them to use. Some are seeking spirituality.
Val, who also studies sociology and is a woodworker, said, "I don't know why most of them come."
But he continued by explaining the main purpose is to pray for peace. The actual gathering is July 1-7, with the main day of prayer set for July 4. On that morning, he said, the entire camp will be silent as members pray.
The remainder of the time will be spent studying nature. They will have a chance to use woodland experts to explain what is growing in the woods can and can't be eaten. There will be other people studying spirituality and any other matters that surround such a topic.
"It's a lesson," Val said. "It's a workshop."
Some people have estimated as many as 25,000 Rainbows might attend. Val calls that unrealistic and puts the estimate closer to 7,000 at most, 5,000 at least.
Val said some people think the Family is gathering to relive the flower power days of the 1960s, but that's not the case.
He pointed out that many of those attending were young, born in the late '70s or early '80s, and were bringing their children with them.
Some of the men have long hair and beards, while others are clean shaven and have short hair. Dread locks are popular among both men and women. Many carry guitars, violins or musical instruments of other kinds.
But not all of them are young.
Ed "Dogman" Slook of Taos, N.M., had just arrived at the campsite Wednesday afternoon. He explained that he went on his first peace march in Washington, D.C., as the war in Vietnam raged.
He said the Family is almost exclusively peaceful. But even at that, there are some members, as in any large group, that come to the gathering for other reasons.
For instance, "Camp A" is largely segregated from the main group. Those people, he said, are the drinkers among the Family and they stay where they are.
But the rumors surrounding the gathering are a partial concern to Family members and law enforcement as well.
Isolated incidents
Some people have said Rainbows are known for raiding gardens and stealing and slaughtering cattle for food. But the Forest Service's Ottaviano says that's not accurate.
Ottaviano did say there are isolated incidents with certain Rainbows when they interact with local residents.
She said there is a vast cultural difference between many of the Rainbows and other people, so some confrontations can occur.
In addition, there have been some isolated incidents of loitering or trespassing, but they aren't that common.
Val said there is an alleged incident from a 1984 Rainbow gathering in which one of the Family members got into an altercation with people in a grocery store. The Rainbow was accused of urinating on the fresh produce in the store.
Val said he isn't even sure that happened, but it's one of the incidents authorities bring up to locals every time the Family gathers.
He said one high-ranking law enforcement official from Washington, D.C., visited a community where the Rainbows were set to gather and told the people there they should lock up their doors and hide their children.
Val said that was totally inaccurate, but it's the kind of thing that follows the Rainbows wherever they go.
Still, not everyone is scared to have the Rainbow Family around.
'They don't understand them'
Elizabeth Moak lives at Fallsville. She said the Family hasn't been any trouble for her.
"I'm enjoying watching them go by," Moak said. "Some of the buses are artwork."
Some of the Rainbows stop and ask for directions and have been easy to get along with.
"I haven't seen any of them who are rude or anything," Moak said.
What she fears is that there might be trouble with local people who might want to start trouble with the Rainbows.
She said a group of loggers came into the Fallsville store one day last week when it was raining and they couldn't work.
One of the loggers said something vulgar to a group of Rainbows sitting together. The Rainbows all stood together, although they made no threatening gestures and the logger took notice.
"And he left," Moak said.
Added law enforcement presence doesn't bother Moak either.
She said one woman was complaining that she didn't dare carry her customary cooler of beer in her pickup to drink while she was driving because she was afraid of getting stopped. And she could no longer let her 5-year-old daughter ride in the bed of the truck.
Moak also said the people who drive vehicles without license plate or those who have suspended driver's licenses are now getting rides from other people or allowing someone else to drive.
She also said she knows of one individual who has taken to walking everywhere by going through the woods, not on the highway.
Moak admits there are people around the area who don't welcome the Rainbows, but she has a couple of ideas on that subject.
For instance, many locals go to the forest where the Rainbows are camped to "drink and party," so there could be some animosity there.
In addition, "because they are hippies and a lot of people are scared of them," there is automatic suspicion, Moak said.
And some people could mistake the Rainbows for "tree huggers" or environmentalists that are coming to the area to disrupt the logging industry or disturb the local way of life.
"I think it's that they don't understand them and they're expecting trouble," Moak said. "But I am really enjoying them."
Shirley Sims is owner/proprietor of the store at Compton. She said some of the Rainbows had been passing through and had stopped.
"The one's that were here were nice," Sims said.
Emma Griffith was at the store last Wednesday. She said one young man was extremely polite when he came through.
"And he rode his bicycle all the way from Kansas to get here," Griffith said.
Sims said she expects no trouble out of the gathering.
"I feel like the Sheriff's Office is going to take care of us," she said.
'Taking all precautions'
Newton County Sheriff Keith Slape said his department is working with the Forest Service to patrol the area as much as possible.
And, given Fallsville's location near the border of both Johnson and Madison counties, those two departments are helping out as well.
He said they will soon set up a command post near the forest and man it 24 hours a day, adding that his officers probably will be able to work all the overtime they want.
Slape admits there hasn't been much trouble out of the Rainbows.
"Right now, there's been some isolated incidents, but we're trying to safeguard to keep anything from happening," Slape said. "We're just taking all precautions."
Slape said that although there are three individual camps that authorities keep an eye on, he thinks it should be fairluy peaceful.
"The majority of them are good people," Slape said.


©Harrison Daily Times 2007
Best line:
"She said one woman was complaining that she didn't dare carry her customary cooler of beer in her pickup to drink while she was driving because she was afraid of getting stopped. And she could no longer let her 5-year-old daughter ride in the bed of the truck."

Sounds like we are already making a positive impact on the area. Jesus f'ing Christ!

[hippiestead]

check out this local bloggers site at http://jeremiasx.wordpress.com/ Alongyourpath posted one of this local bro's blogs up in post #42 but there is another blog that has his own comments set into this article...quite an entertaining read :D (and I didn't post it cuz I figure the bro will appreciate the extra hits on his blog site)

[hippiestead]

New article from The Harrison Daily Times:


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3,500 at Rainbow gathering
By JAMES L. WHITE, Times Staff jamesw@commpub.com
07/02/2007



FALLSVILLE - U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers have set up a roadblock about a mile and a half from Highway 21 on the forest road leading to the main Rainbow Family Gathering due to heavy rain and vehicle traffic, officials said.

And Denise Ottaviano, Forest Service spokesman, said cars are parked all along the three-mile road leading to the Buffal River headwaters back to Highway 21.
As of Sunday, Ottaviano said, an estimated 3,500 peole had arrived at the gathering, but she said this morning she is sure there are more people there now.
"It's nothing but a big mass of vehicles and people on that road," Ottaviano siad.
The roadblock, she said, was necessary to keep emergency traffic lanes open. They have issued passes for vehicles to bring in supplies or to shuttle people to the site to ease congestion.
Heavy weekend rains also have caused problems, most notably muddy conditions. She said a tow truck called in to pull out another stuck vehicle got stuck, too.
"It's just a mess," she said.
She also said there have been "more than one" report of Rainbow Family members getting gas at Clarksville and driving off without paying for it.
The Gathering is scheduled to culminate in a prayer circle for peace on July 4. They also expect a large exodus of people leaving on either July 5 or 6.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

and this one from courier news

http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=15237 (http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=15237)
Monday, July 2, 2007
Member: Rainbow Family more than 'hippies'

Group strives for peace, love, harmony, common sharing, member says, as ‘family’ gathers this week north of Clarksville; Remote magistrate court set up for gathering visitors By Laura Eppes (government@couriernews.com)
Reporter
Contrary to popular belief from area communities, the Rainbow Family of Living Light Gathering is not a big drug party, for hedonism and play. It is a time to reflect on life, spirituality and to pray for peace.
The group is gathering from today to Saturday near Fallsville in Newton County north of Clarksville, with the event culminating Wednesday.
“The Rainbows believe in responsibility for what happens on this earth,” said Rainbow member Summer Breeze. “It is not for everyone. You must be very conscious to what you’re going to in primal areas [such as Fallsville].”
Breeze has been attending Rainbow gatherings for 10 years and now brings along her grandchildren. She said she is somewhat of an outsider because of her beliefs in Jesus Christ, although all religions are represented at gatherings. She said during a council meeting they as a whole figured out there were Jews, Christians, Mormons and American Indians present.
The event brings together all types of people, professionals to hipsters, she said.
Johnson County Sheriff Jimmy Dorney said he spoke with an electrical engineer who would be acting as an EMT during the event. He also said no one should be worried about violence, although there have been some instances of panhandling.
To put rumors to rest, two Clarksville grocery stores confirmed no Rainbow members had been putting their heads under sprinklers in the produce department to contaminate the food and get it out of the trash after the store threw it away. So far, that has not happened.
Dorney said Johnson County is working with Newton County Sheriff’s Department, stepping up patrols in the northern parts of Johnson County and in Newton County, especially on State Highway 21.
“We want the public to know who might be coming into the area,” he said. “We’re just trying to keep the peace in our neck of the woods.”
Denise Ottaviano with the U.S. Forest Service National Incident Management Team said her job is dealing specifically with noncommercial group events and working closely with the communities in which they are held. Her job is to help manage the impact of these types of events whether it be social or environmental. She said sometimes the population at gatherings can be more than the population of the entire county it is held in.
She said she has worked with the Rainbows for four years and while they do practice techniques that are “light on the land” there can still be devastating damage done, from compacted to eroded soil, impact on water, road degradation from heavy use and sanitation issues.
“There are Rainbows who stay behind each year and help rehabilitate the land,” she said. “For the most part, they are very good people.”
One year after a gathering in Colorado, she said there were trails everywhere with bare soil and that a beautiful meadow had been compacted down to bare soil. Before the Rainbows gathered there, it was a beautiful large green grassy meadow and after, it was a mess, she said, and not because of trash left behind. At minimum, she said it could take a few years to rehabilitate the land and in some cases many years.
Ottaviano said this year is “a very odd location” because there is no large meadow. Usually a location is chosen with a large meadow for the giant “ohhhmmmmm” prayer Wednesday. She added the group could not agree on where to hold the event.
One thing about the group that is changing is the age demographics of those who attend. Ottavioano said there are a lot more young people coming out who don’t really understand the purpose of the gathering. She said the older members are very peaceful and respectful.
“[The] young crowd comes out thinking it is a big party. They don’t understand what it is about,” she said. “There is a term the Rainbows created to describe those who don’t contribute to the Rainbow community. Drainbows — [they] drain everyone’s food [and] participate but don’t help.”
Breeze said the Rainbows are all about sharing all things in common. She said there are no written rules, no formal leader or organization. In general, the group stands up for its rights and beliefs. Members are very tribal and search for peace, love, acceptedness and unity.
Asked about drug abuse, Breeze said “yes,” some do smoke marijuana, but it is not something the group condones or promotes. The group actually discourages drug use, she said.
“There are some people who use marijuana as a sacrament,” she said. “ I’ve seen people change drastically, and seen people give up alcohol. Some come not to use but to stop using. I’m about as straight as you can be.”
She said the group helped an alcoholic man detox at a gathering a few years ago, and he has been sober for seven years now.
The gathering has so many different groups of people, there are villages set up for all kinds of various similar interests and causes. Kiddie Village, organized by an American Indian, Philipe, she said, is for all children. She said he is dedicated to keeping the children safe during the event.
There is also A-Camp for those who choose to bring alcohol to the event, but they are usually away from the others because they are drinking.
There is also C.A.L.M. camp or Center for Alternative Living Medicine, Breeze said, where there are registered nurses, emergency medical technicians, firefighters and first responders.
For the big “Ohhhhhhmmmmm” ceremony, Breeze said Wednesday there will be silence from dawn until about noon. Then, all participants at the gathering will hold hands and pray “Ohhhhmmmmmmm,” because it is a universal language, she said. Various adults and volunteers will then gather the children who will parade into the middle of the circle dressed in costumes, each expressing themselves in any way they choose. She said the prayer will get louder and softer, then a silence will come. She said the prayer could last five minutes or five hours, depending on the amount of energy the group is feeling. The children are the ones who break the silence, she said.
“[The children’s parade] signifies the promise for the future,” she said. “Our world needs healing and that’s what we’re about.”
Remote magistrate court set up
The U.S. Forest Service has issued 230 violations to Rainbow Gathering participants, mostly for traffic and vehicle violations and drug and alcohol offenses. In addition, 30 arrests have been made for various offenses including drugs, interference with law enforcement officers and outstanding warrants.
Ordinarily, the violators would have to wait months to have their day in court and many of them are from out-of-state. To give the violators the chance to process their tickets more rapidly, the Forest Service set up a remote U.S. Magistrate Court on June 29 at the Forest Service Center in Deer. U.S. Magistrate Judge James Marschewski for the Western District of Arkansas presided over court proceedings. The government did not seek jail time of the cases heard on June 29.
A total of 34 cases were heard. Most of the people in court chose to plead guilty or no contest and were assessed a fine. Fines ranged from $25 to $150 plus $35 in courts costs. Six trials were held, of which four resulted in a guilty verdict. The judge issued warrants for the 22 people who failed to show up in court.
Additional dates at the remote court site are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to process more people who received violation notices.

[Sunshine Al]

Newton County’s hills chock-full of Rainbows

Counterculture group soaking up the peace

By Tracie Dungan (Contact (http://www2.arkansasonline.com/staff/tracie-dungan/contact/))

• E-mail story (http://www2.arkansasonline.com/mailfriend/61/26617/f549b3f76e/)
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The aroma of whole-grain pancakes, infused with nutmeg and almonds, wafts through a Rainbow Family kitchen as campers in this culinary “clan” toil over an outdoor stove top hand-fashioned from mud and stone.

“We’ll need three servers,” calls out Rebecca Johnston De La Garza. “Some of you guys can help serve syrup.”

Web Extra

Audio slideshow from the gathering (http://www2.arkansasonline.com/photo/media/)


The Rainbows, as they’re sometimes called, are about to form a miniature version of their mammoth Fourth of July prayer circle. The blessing of their midday hotcake feast foreshadows the coming spiritual ceremony of their annual North American gathering.

[hippiehillbilly]

hey theres a great slide show in with that audio link al posted,,..

i love it...

[Popa Rabbit]

I see from the first video link that Grandpa Woodstock is in Arkansas... Rock on Grandpa !

[Steps to Freedom]

New article from The Harrison Daily Times:


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


One thing about the group that is changing is the age demographics of those who attend. Ottavioano said there are a lot more young people coming out who don’t really understand the purpose of the gathering. She said the older members are very peaceful and respectful.
“[The] young crowd comes out thinking it is a big party. They don’t understand what it is about,” she said. “There is a term the Rainbows created to describe those who don’t contribute to the Rainbow community. Drainbows — [they] drain everyone’s food [and] participate but don’t help.”
i found that quote very interesting, especially as it's coming from the Forest Service spokesperson.

[Steps to Freedom]

hey theres a great slide show in with that audio link al posted,,..

i love it...They had another slide show of midget wrestling. Interesting place.

[hippiehillbilly]

http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/2007/07/05/ap-state-ar/d8q6tm482.txt

Antibiotics given to 43 after woman hospitalized with meningitis


Friday, July 6, 2007 1:55 AM CDT

FALLSVILLE, Ark. - A case of bacterial meningitis among the several thousand Rainbow Family visitors gathered in the Ozark National Forest prompted health officials to provide preventive doses of antibiotics to 43 people who had been in close contact with the hospitalized woman, authorities said.

Three nurses from the Arkansas Health Department were delayed a day in providing the antibiotics when the area where they visited Tuesday also turned out to be the site of a drug bust, said Denise Ottaviano, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.

"There was an arrest that was being made, and there were some Rainbows that became disorderly and were interfering with that arrest and it was drawing attention to that area," Ottaviano said. "The nurses then were evacuated. If there is a potentially hostile situation or a dangerous situation, we don't want them to be there at all."

But the nurses returned on Wednesday to administer ciprofloxacin, known as "cipro."

"They were very nice to us the next day," said Dr. Joe Bates, the state agency's deputy health officer and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. "They seemed appreciative."

The hospitalized woman, not identified by authorities, was diagnosed with Neisseria meningitis, an infection of the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord, Bates said.

He said symptoms begin with fever, headache, body aches, weakness and malaise, and if the disease progresses to the brain, it can result in a stiff neck and confusion, and might progress into delirium or coma.

"It generally moves pretty rapidly," he said, with the onset of more serious symptoms coming within 24 hours of the first, milder signs of the illness.

According to Bates, the organism that can infect others is spread from a carrier's throat when that person coughs, speaks, shares utensils or cigarettes, kisses someone, or shares close quarters, such as traveling in the same car or staying in the same room or tent.

"Most people don't carry the bacteria, and of the few who have it, most don't become ill from it," Bates said. "A carrier might spread it or not and might become ill or not, or the person could carry it for weeks before falling ill. It's just the few of the few that get sick."

He said there was nothing in particular that would make a Rainbow gathering a more likely place for the disease to crop up than other human contact.

Forest Service officials estimate that about 5,000 people gathered in the Ozark National Forest this year for the annual Rainbow Family get-together. The gathering, with roots in the hippie era, draws people from around the country to a national forest site each year to pray for peace and celebrate love.

[WanderingturnupII]

They had another slide show of midget wrestling. Interesting place.Was it at Maine Snirkle afternoon of the 4th? I always miss all the good Gatherings.

[WanderingturnupII]

Please note, nothing in the suit claims that a Gathering is Constitutionaly protected Peaceable Assembly. I believe I've heard the below mentioned "lack of agency relationship" thing expounded upon by Rainbow lawyers before, and if anything, it is the opposite of the 1st Ammedment arguement, i.e. "Thomas Jefferson signed for me", as Greenfeather put it in his '96(?) case. If I understand this correctly, and I need to talk to some folks before I can be certain of this, "lack of agency relationship" means nobody can sign for me, due to the structure , or lack thereof, of RFOLL. IMO. this is more compelling than the 1st Ammendment arguement. I don't think our annual Bacchanalia it what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they said "peaceable assembly".

Sorry for the boldface. Not trying to shout. 'puter seems to think my comments here are part of the headline.


http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/194671/


Rainbow sues over permit

BY MICHELLE BRADFORD

Posted on Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Email this story (http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/194671/email/) | Printer-friendly version (http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/194671/print/)


(http://www.boozmanhof.com/)
A member of a counterculture group gathering by the thousands in the woods of Newton County has sued the U. S. Forest Service over a permit requirement the group has been bucking for years.

Tony Nenninger, 49, a longtime Rainbow Family member and a third-year law student at the University of Missouri at Columbia School of Law, sued the U. S. Forest Service on June 25 in U. S. District Court in Harrison.

His suit challenges a Forest Service requirement that a group of 75 or more who gather on Forest Service land for noncommercial use must sign for and obtain a free special use permit.

The suit also claims the Forest Service is conducting illegal traffic “check points” in Newton County and targeting Rainbow gatherers at a rural site near Fallsville.

Nenninger is one of thousands of Rainbows who are in Newton County for the 2007 North American Rainbow Gathering. They’ve been meeting every year around July 4 since 1972 to pray for world peace, discuss issues and demonstrate their views.

The gatherings, which are in a different state each year, are communal and usually last around a month. In Newton County, officials expect up to 10, 000 people.

Nenninger attended his first July 4 gathering in 1985 in the Mark Twain National Forest near his home in Crawford County, Mo., according to his suit.

He claims Rainbows have been harassed by law enforcement during gatherings over the years.

On Thursday, U. S. District Judge Jimm L. Hendren denied Nenninger’s request for an emergency restraining order against the Forest Service and for his request to be declared a pauper for the purpose of paying legal expenses.

Nenninger said in an affidavit that after paying court fees and for gas to drive to the Harrison courthouse to file the 60-page complaint, he has only $ 117 left in his bank account.

The suit asks for monetary damages. It claims Nenninger can’t comply with the permit requirement without abandoning a “central tenet of sincerely held religious beliefs.”

The requirement threatens the “lack of agency relationship” that Nenninger and the Rainbows view as a fundamental and necessary element of religious experience during their gatherings on national forest lands, the suit states.

Forest Service spokesman Denise Ottaviano said Monday she couldn’t comment on the suit. The Rainbows traditionally have refused to sign the permits, claiming they are not an organized group, according to the suit.

Over the years, Nenninger and other Rainbows have met with Forest Service officials to try to develop an alternative manner of regulation besides the permit rule. The suit states there’s been a continuing pattern of confrontation between law enforcement, the Forest Service and Rainbows ever since the Forest Service began enforcing the permit requirement in 1995.

Violating the requirement is punishable by up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $ 5, 000.

Rainbows have sued the Forest Service before over the permits and over traffic stops, according to The Associated Press and past newspaper articles.

A call Monday to Forest Service headquarters in Washington D. C. about the outcome and history of those suits wasn’t returned.

In his preliminary ruling Thursday in the case, Hendren wrote that federal appeals courts have rejected arguments similar to Nenninger’s regarding the Forest Service permits and over the traffic check points.

Nenninger claims the Forest Service is selectively targeting Rainbows by stopping their vehicles for prolonged periods along a steep, dangerous twomile gravel road.

The Forest Service said in a news release Monday that it has issued 230 violations to Rainbows, mostly related to traffic and vehicle and drug and alcohol-related offenses. The Forest Service set up a U. S. magistrate court at the Forest Service work center in Deer to handle the cases.

[hippiehillbilly]

i found this quote in this article about the suit,

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/457938,CST-NWS-relrain06.article

, an just had to go what the fuck???????????????/
http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/newsmilies/3/set12_b/gossip.gif

The Rainbow Family has long refused to sign the permits, saying they are not an organized group, the lawsuit said.

Nenninger is ''a practitioner of a sincerely held religious belief that autonomous intuition of what good samaritan deeds do enhances miraculous karmic archangel protection for practitioners of peaceful voluntary cooperation within this life, and for perpetual evolution of religious freedom from institutional and governmental control beyond our individual lifetimes,'' the lawsuit said.

yep hes a rainbow with a lawsuit.. have to see how this one plays out. .http://www.hipforums.com/images/newsmilies/new/popcorn.gif but ya know how it gos,,http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/newsmilies/5/various/23.gif who knows where these "karmic archangel's" will let this one wind up..

[WanderingturnupII]

Miraculous karmic archangel protection enhancement...Doesn't Smilin' Bob sell pills for that?

[WanderingturnupII]

I get the impression that the editors of the Daily Times are about as fed up with USFuSs as the rest of us are. Someday, They'll learn that if They really want the locals to hate us, They'll leave us alone.


(get) Over the Rainbow
An Editorial
07/08/2007


(javascript: openEmailWindow();)[/url]

Thirty-two years ago a relatively unknown group of largely left over hippies from the Vietnam war era gathered in Marion County near the Buffalo River for a little 'R&R'.


[url=""] (http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1815&dept_id=516931&newsid=18555102) You know, a time to get close to Nature, breath in the fresh Ozark Mountain air and just kick back for a few days.
Ah, life at a Rainbow Family Gathering.
We covered that gathering just like we did last week's annual event which happened in the Ozark National Forest south of Jasper. Back in 1975 the group was much smaller and best as we can recall, the newspaper headlines centered around a large group of young people who just preferred to go "au natural." They seemed to be more of a nuisance than a problem, and eventually faded into the forest.
Last week an estimated crowd of about 6,000 Rainbow Family members, with associated vehicles and dogs, slogged through the rain and mud along a desolate Forest Service road, all the while dodging a few hundred rangers, deputies and other law enforcement personnel.
During the (unofficial July 1-7) event, some even got an added bonus with a trip to Deer to talk with a federal magistrate for not being quite as nice as the rangers would expect. A little marijuana; not enough lights on the car; that outstanding warrant you forgot back in New Jersey. Not a problem. Nothing that a $50 fine and $35 court cost can't take care of. Pay the piper and it's back to the party.
A lot about nothing you say?
Don't tell that to the U.S. Forest Service Rangers who have been staging this Incident practice for weeks now from a downtown hotel in Ft. Smith. We know. We saw them there.
The way it's been explained, the Forest Service is trying not only to keep the peace in Newton County, but to use this group as a training exercise for officers. Should a real disaster on a large scale happen, those officers will have the experience necessary to deal with a big crowd of people - naked or otherwise.
And we doubt the good folks of Newton, Madison and Johnson counties will lose much sleep when the "Family" heads back to Walla Walla, Tucumcari and other points afar.
But no matter what, it has been something to talk about, hasn't it?
There have been numerous stories floating about concerning Rainbow activity. We've been trying to either confirm or dispel those rumors, too.
Just last week, it was said that either spinal meningitis or hepatitis were running rampant through the camp.
As it turned out, there had only been one person taken to a hospital to be treated for bacterial meningitis. And that word came from a United States Forest Service spokesman who wouldn't mind telling a tale of hundreds of cases were it true.
There were stories of stores along Highway 21 being looted or outright robbed, none of which were true. In the Madison County Record, editor Kyle Mooty wrote that a group of Family members were suspected of making a big mess in the bathrooms at Wal-Mart and a local restaurant. That's a disgrace.
Next year, the Family will choose another community and those people will have just as much to talk about. We wish them luck.



©Harrison Daily Times 2007

[hippiestead]

I get the impression that the editors of the Daily Times are about as fed up with USFuSs as the rest of us are. Someday, They'll learn that if They really want the locals to hate us, They'll leave us alone.



ROTFLMAO!!

The funny thing about this lawsuit is that there was no permit signed this year.

[Sunshine Al]

State News

Makeshift courtroom processes Rainbow cases



Sunday, July 8, 2007 3:56 PM CDT

DEER, Ark. _ The judge presided from a folding table. In the parking lot, people played banjos and sang _ and defendents worked out plea deals with the prosecutor under a tree.



The Rainbow Family has been holding its annual peace gathering in Newton County, and the U.S. Forest Service set up a temporary U.S. magistrate court at its work center, in the woods about 15 miles from the main Rainbow camp near Fallsville.

The Rainbow gathering, with roots in the hippie era, draws thousands from around the country to a national forest site each year to pray for peace and celebrate love. The crowd peaked Wednesday at 6,000, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Magistrate Judge James Marschewski heard 65 cases over four days, most involving traffic, health, alcohol and marijuana violations. Most defendants pleaded guilty or no contest, but Danielle Ramirez decided to represent herself on a charge of having a broken brake light on her van.

Marschewski found Ramirez guilty, fining her $100 plus $35 court costs. She said she'd prefer jail time.

"Can I sit it out instead?" the blue-haired Ramirez asked.

"If you don't pay in 30 days, you'll sit it out, Miss Ramirez," the judge replied.

All the cases involved misdemeanors, and not many included possible jail time. Most defendents received fines similar to what Ramirez was given.

As of Thursday, the Forest Service had issued 361 Rainbow-related citations, spokesman Denise Ottaviano said. Also, she said 79 arrests were made for offenses including disorderly conduct, drugs, interference with law enforcement officers and outstanding warrants.

Ottaviano said the Forest Service has been holding remote courts near Rainbow gatherings for four or five years, so defendants _ many of whom are from out of state _ can have their court dates quicker than usual.

Don Wirtshafter, a Rainbow and an attorney from Ohio, gave free counsel to some Rainbows outside the work center. Defendants weren't entitled to a public defender because most of the cases weren't punishable by jail.

"Most of these cases are ridiculous and under other circumstances tickets would have never been issued," Wirtshafter said.

Wirtshafter said he represented dozens at last year's Rainbow gathering in Colorado. He said the court there was much was worse than this one.

"They had people sitting in the dirt," Wirtshafter said. "There was no water or facilities. This is the Taj Mahal compared to that."

Wirtshafter represented himself last week on a citation for marijuana possession. He asked for a trial, and Marschewski set trial for Monday in U.S. District Court in Harrison.

Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com

A service of the Associated Press(AP)

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[Sunshine Al]

End of the Rainbow
The Forest Service says the Rainbow Gathering is winding down, with about 1,000 of a crowd of 6,000 remaining on land near Fallsville in the Ozarks National Forest.

The news release gives the summary. About 1 in 15 participants got a ticket or was arrested. Selective enforcement against hippies? Sounds like it, and not just from the stats but from letters, blog comments and newspaper accounts.

Posted by Max Brantley on July 8, 2007 08:21 AM | Permalink

Comments
I completely agree. We live in the area and visited the gathering site 3 times. Each time, law enforcement, while being rude to us, let us on through after confirming that our insurance, registration, and dl info was in good order. One officer even made the comment that they didn't want to hassle the locals too much. Well, sorry, but I was hassled. I was disgusted by their obvious abuse of power and the fact that they were rude and condescending didn't help their cause. Was law enforcement needed in the area? Of course, any gathering that large needs to be policed, but a mandatory checkpoint going in and coming out that lasted through the entire gathering was wrong. We had a taillight out. We are locals, so we got a warning. If we had been hippies, we would have been cited, and our car would have been searched from top to bottom. I witnessed officers pouring out containers and bags of food while they searched one vehicle. The Rainbows were all very friendly and helpful. I did not meet one single rude hippie while I was down there. The area was also kept very clean. In fact the only thing I saw on the ground besides rocks were a few orange peels. The place was cleaner than the county road I live on! I think that says something about the peaceful people that gathered in Fallsville! I wish that there were more people like the Rainbows in this area!


Posted by: boogercounty | July 8, 2007 10:45 AM

The whole way the USFS and the local police (even for Newton County, albeit I suspect that most of the harassment occurred on AR-21 in Johnson County, where the police don't have much else to do) was abysmal. Sure there are attendees who want to go into the woods and take a few hits of LSD. Sure there are going to be random acts of stupidity, but does that mean that they need to stop and check every person driving thru the area?

I had a co-worker leaving the state whom wanted to go drive around and see the back roads of Arkansas on the 4th. Orignally I had recommended he drive up AR-7 to AR-16 to AR-23 and down to Mt. Magazine via Ozark and Paris, but then I remembered that he would be driving a Lexus with out of state tags right in the middle of that colossus of police-state-dom that seems to be the norm these days -- mandatory traffic stops, etc. I assumed (probably correctly) anyone driving in that area with California tags would be a target for police abuse, even if it was just on a sightseeing tour. It is one thing to ensure that the rules are followed at the site (ensuring that the forest is not harmed, etc), but to cause undue harm onto law-abiding parties is unacceptable in the aims of catching someone breaking a (in my opinion pointless) minor drug regulation in the attempt to pad the coffers. I wonder how many of my tax dollars went to ensure some hippies didn't have busted out tail lights or a joint? Just the gas between the 'National Incident Management Team' base of Fort Smith (why? Do they need Best Buy and Dillards that bad? - stay in Clarksville or Russellville) probably cost us the tax payer several thousand dollars so they could write a few hundred tickets, most of which were adjudicated for under two-hundred dollars, including court costs.

Posted by: anoncow | July 8, 2007 01:06 PM

If every american on vacation were placed under the same scrutiny the entire time... there would be far more than 1 in 15 alchohol related tickets or arrests alone, much more everything else from having ones papers and or taillights in order..

The road to fascism is paved with with additional security measures..

Posted by: Eureka Springs, AR | July 8, 2007 03:24 PM

What those counties need is a few lawsuits on top of what it cost them to create a temporary police state.

Posted by: Love Hillary, or Leave | July 8, 2007 05:16 PM

the police state sux....i view the shakedown situation being inflicted upon my rainbow friends to be a desecration of the bill of rights!!! therefore we are seeing the first amndment being trampled under foot

Posted by: aron pieman kay | July 8, 2007 08:36 PM

Goodbye Rainbow people. Sorry you found out there are a lot of assholes in Arkansas. We used to be a friendly place, accepting of others and all and that was back when we didn't much like black folks.

Police state is a good term for how we live these days. Every time I pump some gas that I must pay for in advance, a picture of a badass state trooper stares at me from the side of the pump and says something about murdering my kids if I drive off without paying for my gas.

Now, since I have to pay in advance.....it would be a real neat trick to figure out how to steal it. Guess I could take my fancy Buddy Epson printer and counterfeit me some money ahead of time.

My big old truck weighs 2 tons, but if I don't wear a seatbelt some cop will give me a ticket while a whole pack of dudes ride by on their motorcycles without helmets.....makes perfect sense to me.

No.....there ain't much natural about the Natural State if a pack of hippies go out in the woods and get harassed by the law every day. Good thing none of the Rainbow people were retarded or they would have been sure to be shot dead.

The term National Forest...sorta implies to me it's owned by all of us. But looking at the treatment the Rainbow people got...I have to think it really means National Forests are only for clean cut Christian Republicans.

Oh well....just another place to mark off my list. Just another showing that Arkansas ain't that far removed from 1957. We're looking bad again.

Posted by: Deathbyinches | July 8, 2007 10:41 PM

[luvione]

one reason we do this is to utilize our right to assemble,, thanks to the brothers & sisters who did come,,, and thanks to ya'll folks for kind words for our family. Love to the Warriors of Light, Pirates, Lovin Ovens!!!! Ya'll rocked! wish I knew how to keep in touch with Green Light! Dont wanna wait a whole other year!

Sweetness & Light,,,,

[WanderingturnupII]

my tears were strong this yr..... too bad so many people were afraid to attend cuz it was in the south,,, coulda used the #s,,,, afterall one reason we do this is to utilize our right to assemble,, I, along with what seems to be at least 4000-5000 other folks, was exercising my right not to go camping in a hot, humid, poison ivy infested mudhole that was overrun with cops, . If We the People continue to vote with our feet this way, perhaps the "National Family" will realize that there is a certain amount of nonsense up with which we will not put.

[luvione]

touch'e,, of course, one thing we all have is an opinion. I thought I was very tolerant, I learned more tolerance, but this is my path. I understand your and the other 5000 need not to deal with such hardship. Thing is, it was still beautiful. Happy Day Brother*

[WanderingturnupII]

Charleston (Arkansas?) Express

By Connie Las-Schneider
Tuesday, July 10, 2007 4:14 PM CDT



Expectations for trouble and drama ran high as the colorful Rainbow Family clan gathered last week in the woods north east of Franklin County last week. Rumors, too.

It's been a tough job separating facts from rumors about the "Rainbow Family" gathering in the Ozark National Forest near Fallsville last week, said National Forest Service Information Officer and "rumor control" specialist, Scott Roberts.

Despite the Rainbow Family of Living Light's new-age name and its claim as the "largest non-organization of non-members in the world," the group defies most stereotypes, said Roberts.

"It's been very surprising to see the cultural diversity of people attending the week long event. We've had doctors, lawyers, engineers, environ- mentalists and mainstream religious groups, as well as metaphysical new-agers, hippies and gypsies," said Roberts. Most seemed peaceful and respectful of the land, said Roberts. Many greeted each other and outsiders equally with warm smiles and peace signs, said a photographer from Hartman.

On the morning of July 4, most participants kept a silent prayer vigil until noon. The photographer said it was "really spooky" being surrounded by thousands of seemingly unorganized people without hearing any talking."

Despite rumors to the contrary, 'dumpster diving' and shoplifting have not been big problems, said Roberts, who made a tour of local businesses and communities impacted by the event. One area shopkeeper said she was happy to have the extra business, while others saw no impact. The only major complaints Roberts heard was the over-use of bathroom facilities and that some Rainbow family members seemed to need a hot, soapy shower.


One rumor, that certain "Rainbows" had washed their hair under produce water misters so the fruit and vegetables would be thrown out, is untrue. According to an office worker at Harvest Foods in Clarksville, where the hair washing incident allegedly took place, it "never happened."

Another food rumor, that Rainbows had eaten produce before it was purchased at that same Harvest Food

Store, "happened only once," said Gregory. "We did put up a sign warning shoppers not to eat food before paying for it, after one man ate a peach. Otherwise, there weren't any problems. Actually, Rainbows purchased quite a bit of groceries," he added.

A manager from WalMart in Clarksville, said there was "not a bit of problem" from the influx of Rainbow goers. At the Clarksville bus station and Shell gas station at I-40 exit 57, the manager said although hundreds of people from as far away as England and Germany landed at the bus stop enroute to the event, he had not encountered any problems.



Rumors often disguise reality, too. "Judging from everything we heard (about the Rainbow gathering), we expected our jail to be full," said County Sheriff, Jimmy Dorney. Instead, "everything has been very calm and less than 10 arrests have been made, mostly for loitering or panhandling," said Dorney on Thursday. He also said many Rainbow goers had shopped at local stores and this helped the local economy.

Another rumor, that some Rainbows had attempted to camp near the Mulberry River but were kicked out, is untrue.

According to the group's original "non-plan", a permit was issued to have part of the "family" camp near Shore Lake by the Mulberry River. Being "very democratic" the group decided not to use the facility, so the gathering did not materialize, said a National Forest Service employee in Ozark.

With 6,000 people gathered in a 70-acre area of the Ozark National Forest for up to a week or more, accidents and incidents were bound to occur.

To combat problems and keep the "love" flowing, the Forest Service and several county, state and national agencies supplied over 100 people, some with holiday pay. A National

Incident Management Team (NIMT) was assembled to command the operation. GPS tracking was done of the site to insure personnel could get to problem spots quickly, added Roberts.

Unfortunately, there were some medical emergencies, said Roberts. The most severe health problem was one confirmed case of infectious meningitis, said Larry Morse, Administrator of Johnson Regional Medical Center. Morse estimated three or four patients were seen in emergency every day, some suffering from snake bites and falls, said Morse.

Another rumor, that E-Coli food poisoning had occurred was unknown to the local health officials interviewed and not substantiated by AR Dept of Health, who monitored the event.

One woman did suffer from a serious allergic reaction to poison ivy, and many people, not used to the local insects here, were bothered by tick and chigger bites, said Roberts. No drug over-doses were reported, he added, although this may have been managed internally, as the Rainbow group had their own medical facility at the site, the Center for Alternative Living Medicine.

To handle unlawful behavior, a temporary remote court was set up at the Forest Service Work Center in Deer. As of July 7, 370 violation notices and 89 arrests were made.

Violations included public nudity, drug and alcohol violations, disorderly conduct, interference with law enforcement officers, outstanding warrants, and many traffic and vehicle violations. US Magistrate Judge Marchewski heard approximately 65 cases and issued 39 warrants for failure to appear.

Some rumors are proving true, however. These mainly impact the land.

Parking was a problem of nightmare proportions, said Roberts. Thousands of cars, from beat up hippy busses to luxury vehicles bearing license plates from all over the US were jammed into berms and ditches along the narrow 3 mile service road to the main encampment or parked along AR Hwy 21. Many vehicles became mired in the mud and muck from heavy rains and had to towed out, scaring the road sides with their struggles. Some vehicles will probably be abandoned.

"One of our primary environmental concerns is soil impaction. When the ground is heavily trampled, vegetation can take years to start growing back. Recent rains also caused some areas to become huge mud holes," said Roberts. Damage to live trees and other vegetation used for firewood and other purposes will also have to be accessed, said Roberts.

Another impact on the environment is water pollution. As the only permanent on-site water source available to Rainbow campers and participants, a tributary to the Buffalo River was used for bathing and boiled for consumption. Because of this, a Forest Service Hydrologist tested the water daily.

Most sanitation facilities were primitive latrines and ditches. Heavy rains probably washed some waste products and other refuse into the river, said Roberts. The impact on the aquatic eco-system of the near-pristine Buffalo River may be compromised, he added. Land based wildlife whose homes were disturbed by the gathering will also be affected, he said.

One televised rumor, that the group did up to one million dollars in environmental damage to the forestland may be overstated. According to Roberts, the NIMT team has a budget of $750,000, not including personnel cost to rehabilitate the site. Roberts said the teams budget is more than he expected, judging from the damage he saw at the site.

As the group camped in hilly forested terrain, rather than in an open meadow or field as they usually do, the damage is harder to access, said Roberts.

Getting rid of the garbage and rehabilitating the site will still be a major undertaking, although Rainbow organizers promised to provide a clean-up crew to lessen the gathering's environmental impact.

The Forest Service distributed a rehabilitation plan to assist Rainbow family members and Forest Service personnel with trash removal, obliteration of user-created trails, filling and covering silt trenches and latrines and dismantling man made structures. The rehabilitation plan is expected to be completed by August 8.

Roberts said along with garbage and deserted vehicles, a few of the many dogs at the gathering will probably be abandoned at the site. However, as a few hundred members are still camped there, it may take weeks to get an accurate count.

"This is public land paid for by tax dollars, so the land is open to anyone. We tried to respect their (Rainbows) right to do that," said Roberts. The Rainbows seemed to show respect for the land, too, he added. Some deer camps have suffered far more eco-damage than what he saw at the Rainbow gathering, Roberts said.





Copyright © 2007 Charleston Express
A Stephens Media Group (http://www.stephensmedia.com/) subsidiary

[luvione]

Heres a lil tid bit on dog man,,, he hooked up with one of the prettiest young ladys,, my lil bro's were like " hows that work Mamma?" Charm children, charm!
Lovin ya DM!

[Jesly]

This is an interesting thread.....



Jesly
http://effectsofpheromones.supersized.org/

[Sunshine Al]

U.S. Forest Service says clean-up near creek to continue another week;
rehabilitation of forest could take months
By Laura Eppes
Reporter
Rainbow Family members, for the most part, have all returned to their homes
from the annual Rainbow Gathering held in Fallsville, near Clarksville,
earlier this month. Some members remain in the area and are helping clean up
trash and other items left in the forest.
The nonorganized, nonmember, Rainbow Family of the Living Light began to
gather in the Ozark National Forest last month with the culmination of the
gathering July 4, during a prayer ceremony and morning of silence. The group
is prominately referred to as hippies, gypsies and hobos, according to its
unofficial Web site, welcomehere.org.
The first gathering was in 1972, a four-day event in Colorado, where 20,000
people gathered. The group has met every year since, according to the Web
site.
In the past, Rainbow Gatherings have left the forest in less than ideal
condition, despite their attempt to be "light on the land," said Denise
Ottaviano, information officer for the U.S. Forest Service National Incident
Management Team.
Tracy Farley, public relations director for the Russellville location of the
U.S. Forest Service, said Monday there were 100 Rainbow members left in the
forest, dismantling their earthen ovens and picking up trash.
"We try to help the area heal," Farley said. "Get it back to more of a
natural state."
So far, the U.S. Forest Service has cleaned up one side of the area along
the creek and moved to the other side, which should take another week,
Farley said. The forest service plans to revegetate the area by planting
grass seed and small herbaceous plants. There were many trails left from
participants walking around from camp to camp and a lot of compacted soil.
Farley said they will probably perform scarification - roughing and
loosening up the soil - on the compacted areas.
Newton County Sheriff Keith Flape said overall the event was a success,
based on the large number of people in attendance and the relatively small
number of arrests.
"It was neat," he said. "Most of the people were good. To have that amount
of people and that small of incidents is pretty successful. Our primary
purpose was to make sure local citizens were safe."
During the gathering, Flape said the sheriff's department made 89 arrests,
mostly for drugs, disorderly conduct and public intoxication. One particular
location the sheriff's deputies were monitoring was A-Camp, where those
Rainbows who chose to drink alcohol were camping.
Flape said drug use was higher at Camp-A, too. There was a variety of
illegal drugs available at the gathering; marijuana was prevalent, Flape
said. However, there were harder drugs available, including lysergic acid
diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin mushrooms, both hallucinogenic substances.
In two separate LSD busts, officers seized 293 hits from one individual and
1.3 milliliters from another. The county has not dealt with LSD in
"beaucoups of ages," Flape said. Most of the schedule 1 narcotics were
brought in from Texas and California.
Additionally, he said 99 percent of those arrested for drugs were "the
younger generation." He said the older Rainbows presented no problems.
"They were there for legitimate purposes," Flape said. "Their intent was
good."
As of Wednesday morning, he said they still have four males in jail in
Newton County. The rest have bonded out, and there are six to eight who are
waiting on hearings for felony drug charges. He said he was surprised at the
number of calls the department was receiving from people who will have to
return for court dates, questioning when they were scheduled to appear.
Flape said his correspondence with other sheriffs had him thinking most
would not come back for court.
He said he estimated there were about 10,000 people participating in the
gathering in a county with a population of about 8,800. The U.S. Forest
Service reported about 6,000 people at the gathering. The sheriff's
department counted 2,500 vehicles, taking into account the amount of bicycle
riders and hitchhikers. By July 10, most participants had left, however,
some people were coming into the forest specifically for clean up, Flape
said.
Ed Barham, spokesman with the Department of Health, said the department had
to get involved because there was a case of bacterial meningitis reported at
the gathering. A person from out-of-state complained of a stiff neck and
severe headaches, and was transported to a Little Rock hospital. DOH sent
representatives to the forest to make contact with individuals who may have
been exposed to the infection, Barham said. DOH wanted to make sure those
camping in the areas where the infected person had been were aware of the
diagnosis and the antibiotic treatments available. The infected person
probably contracted the bacteria before arriving at the gathering, Barham
said.
Bacterial meningitis is contagious and is treatable with a number of
antibiotics. Barham said the bacteria could spread by sharing a drink with
an infected person or by coughing or kissing.
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid around a person's spinal cord and
fluid surrounding a person's brain, according to the Center for Disease
Control.
In 2006, there were 11 cases of meningitis in Arkansas, 18 cases in 2005,
and 20 cases in 2004.
What did the Rainbows think of Arkansas?
"Some of them thought we had hidden treasure," Flape said. "Mainly those who
were incarcerated said they wouldn't be back."
Rainbows commented to the sheriff about the beauty of the mountains and the
rivers. Farley said some individuals camping in the area had never heard of
poison ivy.
"I got the impression they weren't pleased with Arkansas," she said.
Not many campers were aware of the insects in the area, such as chiggers,
ticks and mosquitoes, Farley said. It also rained a lot during the gathering
and Farley said there were complaints about how muddy it became.

[WanderingturnupII]

So far, the U.S. Forest Service has cleaned up one side of the area along
the creek and moved to the other side, which should take another week,
Farley said. The forest service plans to revegetate the area by planting
grass seed and small herbaceous plants. There were many trails left from
participants walking around from camp to camp and a lot of compacted soil.
Farley said they will probably perform scarification - roughing and
loosening up the soil - on the compacted areas.
The who did what, now? And who's this "they" Farley's talking about? Surely he can't mean the Tribe Who Wears the Funny Green Suits?

[hippiehillbilly]

dood clips a leos truck with his bus in this one..


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7560307006830408142&q=rainbow+family+gathering&total=168&start=10&num=10&so=1&type=search&plindex=1

[patfromlogan]

I, along with what seems to be at least 4000-5000 other folks, was exercising my right not to go camping in a hot, humid, poison ivy infested mudhole that was overrun with cops, . If We the People continue to vote with our feet this way, perhaps the "National Family" will realize that there is a certain amount of nonsense up with which we will not put.I'd wager that 40,000 of the fifty or so who were in the California Gathering didn't come either. Well, that's ok. Somehow us folks managed to endure that "poison ivy infested mudhole" and have a great time. It was a fun gathering partly because we met a lot of people who haven't made it out west for a national and partly because it was a tad, uh, may I claim, hardcore? But that's fine WanderingturnupII, I'll bring some bug spray, a soft bed, a big tent and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables for you in the coming Wyoming Gathering. Maybe a backrub, some patcholi oil? An azzuzzu at 2AM from In Your Way Cafe? Or amazing music from the Texans at Rainbow Zion?

I did get dismayed at one point. I was visiting Fairies and a hellacious rain started. I was sad. I was a long way from my tent and Instant Soup. Then a flash of skin running through the trees. YES!! It's the naked hugging hippies to the rescue!?!? They were a beautiful young couple of huggers, wearing some jewelry and fresh water. After that I figured that I would probably survive, somehow, someway.

Anyhow I'm sure that anyone who has any negative things to say is getting busy scouting and going to vision council and planning logistics and suppply, and digging latrines and chopping veggies and rolling, uh, logs.

[patfromlogan]

Additionally, he said 99 percent of those arrested for drugs were "the
younger generation." He said the older Rainbows presented no problems.
"They were there for legitimate purposes," Flape said. "Their intent was
good." "

Ha ha, missed that one. Me (old fart) drove a new Volvo wagon and the kids told me that it screamed lawyer connected and that we wouldn't be hassled until we were on foot.

[hippiehillbilly]

.