www.ghostsofohio.org Volume 8 Issue 6 From the Spooky Desk of James Willis: The “Ultimate” Bragging Rights? While Sheri is going I’m appalled at what this show is home to step forward and push you. No, to give us all her review proclaiming makes for a good these people just wanted answers and to of Zak Bagan’s newest investigation. Aside from the fact that talk to someone who wasn’t going to endeavor, the “investigation” is really only two treat them like they were crazy. There Challenge, later in this 2-hour sessions or that one of the criteria were no bragging rights involved. At the newsletter, I’ll go ahead the teams are graded on is called end of the day, if you could climb into and admit something “history” when really all they are asked bed with the knowledge that you helped right off the bat; I made to do is use their short-term memory to a family sleep a little easier, you were James sure to tune in for the remember what (unverified) history the content. first episode. There were two reasons for tour guide tells them, the vast majority Things are different now. It’s no that. First, Adventures’ new of investigators I have seen on the show longer about how professional you are, season had yet to start, so I was curious behave badly. They yell at fellow team but how much “evidence” you collect, as to what part of Mr. Bagans had grown members, misuse equipment, and try to no matter how suspect it is. And there more during the hiatus: his biceps or his outdo each other by continually will be those who will tell you that if head (the answer ended up being both). challenging the to “do you don’t have your own TV show yet, But more than that, I was curious as to something.” Perhaps these teams are you better get a pilot episode up and what exactly the “ultimate bragging simply parroting the antics of Mr. running if you ever want to be taken rights” were that the winners were going Bagans in an attempt to gain favor. But seriously. All in all, it’s clear to me that to have bestowed on them. Even though I’m getting more than a little sick and somewhere along the way, many got I’ve spent the last 26 years investigating tired of having myself and The Ghosts lost. I can only hope that one day, we ghosts, I’ve never felt that I had of Ohio lumped into the same category can all find our way back. Until then, I bragging rights to anything. So I was as these groups. won’t hold my breath awaiting approval dying to know exactly what one had to Back when I first got involved in this on my Crew be in order to acquire “ultimate” field, how good a team you were was membership application. bragging rights. determined by one thing and one thing Truth be told, even though I’ve only—how you treated your clients and Cheers, waded through several episodes of those who reached out to you for help. James A. Willis Paranormal Challenge, I’m still These people weren’t looking for you to Founder/Director scratching my head over what those get into a wrestling match with a ghost bragging rights are. But more than that, or dare whatever was inhabiting their Travis Walton: One Decision Can Change a Life “If I had to do it over I first learned of Travis Walton years again, I wouldn’t get out ago when I saw Fire in the Sky, the 1993 of the truck.” film loosely based on his book about his – Travis Walton abduction experience. The movie terrified me at the time. However, my When Travis Walton inquisitive mind always wants to know Samantha took the podium on July more, so I recently acquired a copy of 16th at this year’s MUFON of Ohio his book titled Fire in the Sky: The Summer Conference, the audience’s Walton Experience. It was incredibly anticipation was palpable. It isn’t often eye opening. It not only proved to me that the subject of the world’s most that he did, indeed, have a close thoroughly documented alien abduction encounter, but it also revealed that there case makes a public appearance; and are some things more frightening than based on what I had learned about him anything Hollywood can produce. And before the conference, I must admit that I’m not necessarily talking about aliens. I was excited, too. Continued on Page 3

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HOT or NOT: Checking the Temperature of the Paranormal Community HOT Mel Meter It’s an EMF! No, it’s a temperature gauge! Actually, it’s both…and a whole lot more. And since it does the work of several handhelds, it’s like getting a whole extra hand free.

EM Pump So if ghosts can affect the electromagnetic field, what would happen if you introduce even more electromagnetic charge into an area? Will ghosts use it to materialize or simply drain the energy? That’s what this device aims to prove, one way or another.

LUKEWARM Ovilus No one seems to care that there’s no real explanation as to how this device supposedly allows ghosts to speak through it or that the manufacturer willingly admits that the Ovilus is designed for “entertainment purposes only.” All that matters is that the darn thing speaks!

K-II Meter Is it your dead grandmother who’s making all those lights on the K-II flash? Or is it merely a call from your living grandmother on your cell phone that’s responsible? The fact that this meter is susceptible to all sorts of interference is causing more and more investigators to think twice about using it.

NOT Rods In today’s “flashing lights and beeping noises” world of the paranormal researcher, dowsing rods look, well, kind of lame. Add to that the fact that the slightest breeze or involuntary twitch will send these things spinning and you’ll see while most dowsing rods are being re-bent and returned to their original shape as a clothes hangar.

Investigations and Consultations: Continued Scheduling for 2011 The Ghosts of Ohio is continuing to request. All investigations are offered with you to discuss your current schedule investigations for 2011 and free of charge, and confidentiality and situation and what help we may be able into 2012. If you or someone you know discretion are assured. to offer. is experiencing something unexplained Not sure if you want or need an For more information, please visit in a home or place of business, contact Investigation? The Ghosts of Ohio now http://ghostsofohio.org/services/ us at [email protected] or visit our offers consultations. Let us sit down investigations.html. website to fill out an investigation

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Volume 8 Issue 6 Travis Walton: One Decision Can Change a Life—Continued Continued from Page 1 Travis Walton’s extraordinary story with false sightings of Travis in various buttons and levers that another being began on November 5, 1975, in the locations. They received calls from arrived. This one, however, appeared to Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in conspiracy theorists and prank callers; be human, and Travis was at first Arizona. At the time he was a logger on so many, in fact, that his brother-in-law relieved. He asked question after a crew with six other men, clearing pine Grant didn’t believe it when Travis question, but the “human” never spoke trees in a remote area of forest. After a himself called on the fifth day after his to him. The being simply guided him to long day of grueling work, the men disappearance, shouting something like, an airlock, and then off of the craft into a loaded into their truck and began the “They brought me back!” and begging to large hangar, and then to a room where drive home to the small town of be picked up in the nearby town of two men and a woman were waiting for Snowflake, Arizona. However, their trip Heber. Luckily, Travis’ family decided him. Again, he asked question after was interrupted by the sight of a bright to go to Heber and look for him, just in question, but these human-like beings yellow light emanating from within the case the call was real. didn’t speak to him, either. Strangely, all forest about 30 yards from the road. The When Grant and his brother Duane of them looked similar, as though they sun had already set, so they began found him in a phone booth, Travis was could all be related. And again, Travis speculating about what it could be. shaky, hungry, and thirsty. He made noted their eyes. “Something was Hunters? Fire? Plane crash? As they got attempts to describe what had happened definitely odd about those eyes.” The closer, the source of the light finally to him, but was too horrified to get the beings led him to a long table, lifted him came into view, to everyone’s utter words out. He was an emotional wreck. onto it (despite his resistance), and disbelief. What they saw was a “strange, Knowing the circus that would await gently pushed him down. They then golden disc” hovering only 90 feet Travis if they took him back to placed an oxygen mask-like object over above the ground. The men were Snowflake, Duane decided to take him his mouth and nose, and, almost completely awestruck, and for someone to his home in Phoenix. There, Travis instantly, he blacked out. as curious as Travis, it was exciting. So could be seen anonymously by a doctor, When Travis awoke, he was face exciting, in fact, that as soon as the truck and he could be given the time and space down on a road just outside of Heber, stopped, Travis recklessly threw open he needed to recover from his ordeal. Arizona. He looked up in time to see the the passenger door and ran toward the And what an ordeal it was! After UFO rise into the night sky and object wanting a better look. Of course, being knocked unconscious by the UFO, disappear. the other men panicked, yelling at him to Travis awoke sometime later on a table The ordeal left Travis shaken. He come back. Unfortunately, Travis came in a small odd-shaped room. His head was tense and nervous every minute, to his senses too late. When he finally and chest hurt, and at first he assumed like a “caged wildcat,” and he suffered decided to turn back, he was hit with a that he had been taken to the hospital. with horrific nightmares. As if that powerful discharge from the craft that As his vision cleared, however, he found wasn’t enough, everyone who had heard knocked him unconscious, sending his himself face-to-face with three about his disappearance wanted a piece body flying backward about twenty feet. humanoid alien beings with translucent of him: law enforcement, UFO The crew’s panic went into overdrive, pale skin, oversized craniums, and large “experts,” the media, and more. His life thinking that the UFO had killed Travis. eyes whose intense stare would haunt had turned completely upside down. The men fled the scene as fast as they him to this day. As anyone might do in Fortunately, he somehow summoned the could, but didn’t get far before going such a situation, Travis panicked and strength to deal with all of it, and over back in case he was still alive. When lashed out at the creatures, knocking one time learned some very valuable lessons they got to the scene, there was no sign into the other. He then used what about human nature and about scientific of Travis or the UFO. strength he had to jump off of the table investigations. The following four days were chaos and grab a nearby object with which to The first lesson he learned was that in Snowflake. Law enforcement, defend himself. Amazingly, just as he no matter how much conclusive volunteers, and search and rescue dogs was about to attack them, the beings evidence there is, “people see what they and helicopters combed the forest for “turned and scurried from the room.” He want to see.” Travis and his coworkers any sign of Travis, to no avail. Although then sought a way out, so he went all shared the same story and passed there were many who suspected foul through the only door in the room—the multiple lie detector tests. The crew’s play and that Travis may have been one through which the creatures had hard hats registered abnormally on a murdered, the idea of a possible alien exited. There was a narrow corridor, and Geiger counter. A core sample of a tree abduction attracted news reporters and he proceeded in the opposite direction near where the UFO hovered showed UFO investigators and enthusiasts from from where the beings went. He soon obvious signs of accelerated growth all over the world. Travis’ family and discovered a room that appeared to be after the incident. Such hard evidence is friends found themselves being harassed some sort of control room, and it was difficult to refute, yet there are those at all hours by the media and by people while he was experimenting with who believe that Travis faked the whole Continued on Page 5

Do You Believe? Page 3 Volume 8 Issue 6 Paranormal Challenge: “Suit Up” for Adventure, Acronyms, and EVPs "This isn't a stuffed animal factory full of puppy dogs and ice Jeff cream," explains host Zak Bagans. That is definitely true. But it is an abandoned, dilapidated building full Sheri of fraidy cats, angst-filled investigators, aspiring celebrities, and giant biceps. As if Zak Bagans hadn't penetrated deep enough into ghost territory on the Travel Channel, the "highly respected" lead investigator of "Ghost Adventures" has a new reality show called Paranormal Challenge. Instead of spending time cuddling puppies and eating ice cream, the show purports to conviction on the subject every time? purposely). But, as far as relying on the measure contestants' knowledge of That's ballsy. It's almost as if watching a host, judges, or crews to show expertise history, technology, and teamwork while ghost-hunting challenge show, being in a in the field, I believe the show should conducting a paranormal investigation ghost group with an acronymed name, come with the disclaimer: “This show is and competing against another team. and writing for a ghost newsletter gives for entertainment purposes only. The prize? The highly coveted “ultimate you credibility to become a television Activities on this show should not be in bragging rights” (whatever that show critic! Go figure! attempted at home.” consists of) to bring back to your I'm bothered that the Paranormal Bottom line: If you can survive the acronymically named, black t-shirt Challenge show concludes each episode cheesy lines (i.e., "I love the smell of wearing ghost posse. with the review of two visual and two EVPs in the morning" or "Suit up"), and Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that audio pieces of evidence from each questionable evidence, it's worth I'm bothered by the contestants' group. The majority of the time, the watching when nothing else is on TV. matching t-shirts, acronymed name, or groups are splitting hairs to make a dust natural ability to utilize a $5,000+ piece particle seem like a ghost orb or a Support The Ghosts of Ohio… of technical equipment without any camera pixilation seem like a shadow And Look Good Doing It! training. I'm bothered by the continuous figure. Occasionally, a group presents a Have you visited The Ghosts of barrage of clichéd ghost hunter piece of evidence that makes you say, Ohio web store yet? If not, what are you characters that appear in different shapes "Hmm..." But, where is our system of waiting for? Our store has all your and forms on every paranormal reality check and balances? Can we believe back-to-school needs, from baseball show on television. It's all the same. these "experts for a day" that it is legit? caps and t-shirts to water bottles and There's always the naive, inexperienced I'm not bothered by Zak Bagans, mousepads. What’s more, everything investigator, the overly cocky, however. I've come to enjoy his we make from the sale of our hot-tempered investigator, the seductive, character. I enjoy his overdramatic, merchandise goes directly to support trying-too-hard-to-be-sexy female utterly convincing naïveté. And, his The Ghosts of Ohio organization. In investigator, and the clumsy, inept biceps...well, those have only grown other words, you get to show off all investigator. Take this recipe of since last season of Ghost Adventures. your sweet Ghosts of Ohio attire while personalities and have them examined And, the audience, and some knowing that you helped us keep fresh under a microscope of self-proclaimed investigators, are okay with that. batteries in our flashlights! ghost experts and you have the formula While Zak's antics and persona So have a look around the store. You for Paranormal Challenge. (over-gelled hair, enthusiasm for a giant never know what you might find on our I'm also bothered that having a radio siren, and ability to only appear in shelves! show, writing a teen novel, and speaking overdramatic lighting) entertain, the http://www.cafepress.com/ghostsofohio at conventions is enough credence to show is to be taken with a grain of salt. allow you to be called an evidence Yes, you get to see many cool buildings "expert" in a field where there is no (each one more "haunted" than the last), certainty about anything. Yet, to have and yes, sometimes the show brings you the pluck to speak with utmost to laugh out loud (but maybe not

Do You Believe? Page 4 Volume 8 Issue 6 Travis Walton: One Decision Can Change a Life—Continued Continued from Page 3 thing. The media, of course, is notorious Travis and Duane kicked them to the account of an alien abduction. I was also for putting spins on stories. curb. In Travis’ words, “...it was in impressed when, at the conference, he Unfortunately, it is the so-called dealing with GSW that I first had revealed that he’s currently having soil “investigators” that are the biggest contact with pseudoscientific nonsense samples tested, and he’s going to be disappointment, publishing negative and flaky people with bogus checking the current radiation levels of articles based only on hearsay and credentials.” On the flip side, a group the area. He’s planning on publishing a opinion, with no interviews or fact called the Aerial Phenomena Research third (and final) edition of his book checking. Travis calls these people Organization (APRO) turned out to be sometime in the near future. He has “armchair investigators,” and in my comprised of true professionals. It become a true investigator, which is why opinion, they have no right to call arranged for Travis to have a complete, his case is known as the “best themselves investigators at all. Getting confidential medical exam, including documented case of alien abduction ever at the truth means getting off your butt! blood and urine testing, EKG, EEG, recorded.” The second lesson Travis learned was X-rays, and more. Also, the group’s I find it amazing how one decision the difference between professionals and director, Jim Lorenzen, and certified can change a life forever. For Travis frauds. Shortly after his return, his hypnotist Dr. James Harder helped Walton, that decision was getting out of brother Duane contacted an Travis calm down and relax enough to the truck. Not only was his experience “investigator” named William Spaulding tell his story. APRO was supportive and with the alien beings terrifying and from a group called Ground Saucer knowledgeable, which was exactly what difficult for him to cope with, but the Watch (GSW). Spaulding had contacted Travis needed at the time. chaos after his return reminds me of Duane while Travis was missing and The final and most important sharks ripping apart a piece of meat, offered advice in the event Travis was lesson Travis learned was how to be his with Travis as the meat. He never returned. At first he was helpful, own investigator. He’s spent years wanted to be in the spotlight, and he still instructing Duane to save Travis’ clothes conducting his own research and testing, doesn’t. His awkwardness as he spoke to and urine for scientific analysis. compiling as much information about a room full of people at the conference However, when he arranged for Travis the incident as he can. Interviews, proved that. One of the reasons he wrote to see a “colleague” of his for a medical documentation, and test results can be his book was to “avoid being eternally examination, it turned out that the found in his book; and, he analyzes his interviewed.” Unfortunately, he’ll “colleague” worked in a seedy part of story from multiple points of view, always be the subject of discussion and town, wasn’t informed about Travis, including those of his detractors. He people will always have questions, even wasn’t licensed to practice medicine in even attempts to answer people’s if his book has already provided the Arizona, and also seemed to have questions about the bigger implications answers. forgotten that he was even associated of his abduction experience. I honestly with GSW! It didn’t take long before never expected to read such a thorough Ghostly Fiction: The Winter Ghosts Book Review The Winter Ghosts glittering and yet dull at the same time.” been dressed by bestselling author After a grueling walk, he ended up in in costumes Kate Mosse is not a book Nulle, a little village with a “kind of after all, but for those who demand an cloud” of sadness hanging over it. The in what was action-packed beginning, landlady of his lodging invited him to right for their but it is a worthwhile “la Fete de Saint-Etonne” to be held that time, 600 read. night. He attended the jolly costume years before It is a story in a frame, party and drank a heady red liquor. He Freddie’s life. Janine beginning with a met a girl, Fabrissa. The history confident man, Freddie, searching out a Fabrissa was different than everyone lesson comes bookseller in 1933 Toulouse, France. else he had met in the years since the off a bit After he finds the bookseller, he relates war. She listened to him. This was heavily, but his tale. Five years earlier, Freddie had healing. Before she could tell her own the good that Freddie and Fabrissa do been nearly suicidal over the loss of his story, soldiers broke into to the festival for each other lifts this story and makes older brother in World War 1. He took a and Freddie and Fabrissa had to escape. it luminous. Meeting the ghostly drive through the Pyrenees, got caught By the time we have heard what Fabrissa has made Freddie the more in a storm, and crashed his Austin. This Fabrissa had to say, both the reader and confident man who speaks to the catastrophe is described in exquisite Freddie have had a history lesson, and present-day bookseller. detail, “I saw the snow and glass and know that Freddie has met a room full of blood mixed together in my lap, ghosts. The folks at the party had not Rating:

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Spend The Night: Waverly Sanatorium Sneak Peak On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, The Ghosts of Ohio spent the night locked inside Waverly Sanatorium in Louisville, KY, with a few lucky newsletter readers. We’ll have a full review of what happened in our October newsletter. Until then, here’s a few pictures to whet your appetite.

Spend The Night with The Ghosts of Ohio in 2012 Got Ghosts? Request Did you read that right? 2012? Yes, newsletter subscribers and giving them For More Information believe it or not, we are creeping toward the first shot at spending the night with the end of 2011. But don’t despair, us. All they need to do is pay the same From time to time, The Ghosts of because that means that The Ghosts of registration fee that the members of The Ohio learns about a haunted location Ohio is already looking into renting out Ghosts of Ohio have to pay in order to that, try as we might, we just can’t seem some of the most haunted buildings in rent out the building (dollar amount to dig up any additional information on. Ohio (and beyond) for an entire night in subject to change based on individual That’s when we turn to one of the largest 2012. Unlike traditional "ghost hunts," venue). groups of Ohio ghost experts out there— where you are often forced to share the In addition, we'll be drawing at least our newsletter readers! That’s right, location with total strangers, every one lucky Grand Prize winner who will we’re asking you to let us know if you building we rent out will be totally ours. get to come along for FREE! have any information (or better yet, have How do you get in on all this spooky That's all there is to it! Of course, we had a personal experience) at any of the fun? It's simple, really. All you need to might want to take a few pictures of you following locations. If you have, shoot do is sign up for The Ghosts of Ohio on the investigation and post them on us an email at [email protected]. newsletter—which is free…and which our site so you'll be the envy of all your And who knows? You just might get the most of you have already done!! friends. But hey, that's a small price to chance to investigate the location along For each investigation, we'll be pay for the chance to spend the night with The Ghosts of Ohio! picking several names from our list of with The Ghosts!

Got a Scary Story to Tell? Devil’s Backbone (Camden/Preble county) Have you had a ghostly encounter in going to appear in. That way, you can

Ohio? Want to see it featured in a future get all your friends to sign up for the Fudge Road issue of The Ghosts of Ohio Newsletter? newsletter so they can see how famous (Gratis/Preble county) Then here’s all you have to do: you are!

Just write down your story and send Airplane Hollow it to [email protected] with the (Nelsonville/Athens county) subject line “Newsletter .”

Be sure to also include your name as Hellmouth you’d like it to appear with the story. (Kenyon College/Knox county) We’ll take it from there and send you an email letting you know which issue it is

Do You Believe? Page 6 Volume 8 Issue 6

Ghostly Tour of Ohio University Campus On Monday, August 1st, The Ghosts of Ohio founder and director, James A. Willis visited the campus of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, to speak at the 2011 Ohio Library Support Staff Institute. That evening, Willis led over 50 attendees on a two-hour walking tour across campus, chronicling the university’s ghost stories and urban legends. From Laura, the Bob Marley-loving ghost at Crawford Hall to the demonic face in the door of Wilson Hall, no ghostly tale went untold and a great time was had by all! For more information on the OLSSI, please visit www.olssi.org.

Have Spirits, Will Travel: Come Out and See The Ghosts! While there still a month or so to go, local libraries and partnering with local soon. For the most up-to-date news before you know it, season ghost tours to give more of you the regarding where The Ghosts of Ohio will will be upon us! And that will mean that opportunity to come out and see us, be showing up, friend us on Facebook or The Ghosts of Ohio might just be here’s a peek at some of the places we follow us on Twitter to get breaking showing up in your town. While we’re can confirm so far. More details and news as it happens! still scheduling some appearances at additional dates are going to be added

OCTOBER Saturday, October 8th Bowling Green Ghost Tours

Saturday, October 15th Delaware (Ohio) Ghost Walk

Tuesday, October 18th Marion Public Library Presentation

Friday, October 21st Lima Lantern Tours

Saturday, October 22nd Lima Lantern Tours

Saturday, October 29th Brugeman Lodge (Hancock Park District)

NOVEMBER Thursday, November 3rd Southern State Community College

Check out The Ghosts of Ohio at an upcoming presentation near you!

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Photo by Sheri Harrington

Interact with The Ghosts of Ohio The Ghosts of Ohio Newsletter Staff Need a spooky friend? If you have a MySpace account, swing by and add The Ghosts of Ohio to your friends list: www.myspace.com/ghostsofohio. Editor-In-Chief: James A. Willis And for those of you who use Facebook and/or Twitter, you can find The Ghosts of Ohio on those sites, too: Copy Chief: Kathy Boiarski

Facebook Designer: Adam Harrington http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Columbus-OH/The-Ghosts-of- Photo Editor: Sheri Harrington Ohio/60704381381?ref=mf Contributing Authors Twitter Janine Bourdo Sheri Harrington http://twitter.com/ghostsofohio Sam Nicholson Administration

The Ghosts of Ohio Newsletter is a free, bimonthly email newsletter. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your email address, please visit http:// Coming Up—Next Issue: October mailman.ghostsofohio.org/mailman/listinfo/ghostsofohio. Please do not send vacation notices or other auto-responses to us, as we may unsubscribe you. • Spending the night inside The Ghosts of Ohio collects your name and email address for the purpose of Waverly Sanatorium sending this mailing. We will never share your name or email address with • The Ghosts of Ohio reveals their advertisers, vendors, or any third party, unless required by law. scariest Halloween memories The Ghosts of Ohio will never sell, trade, or rent your personal information. For • Borley Rectory: World’s Most more information, please visit us online at www.ghostsofohio.org. Haunted Building?

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