www.fcpotawatomi.com • [email protected] • 715-478-7437 • FREE POTAWATOMI TRAVELING TIMES VOLUME 19, ISSUE 18 NME BNE GISES STURGEON MONTH MARCH 15, 2014 First Native American in Space In this Issue: Pinewood Derby & Carnival pg. 7 Commander John B. Herrington talking about his experience in space. by Val Niehaus John B. Herrington may not sound being like a special name to anyone but after sus- From learning about his life and career as a Herrington working on the ISS in space. Laona Youth Wrestling pended as there, he Naval Aviator, a career that culminated in would have nor- began to think pg. 12 his becoming a NASA astronaut, his life mally occurred for a about even greater may seem a lot more interesting to most freshman with this grade point opportunities and thought, “Hey, of us. average. He knew he was intelligent I’m at this school, the Naval Air Station PTT had the incredible opportunity to enough but wasn’t sure what he should do Pensacola, Florida, and I see these meet Commander Herrington face-to-face with his life after this unfortunate occur- plaques of all the naval aviators who went and was able to have a normal but very rence. on to become astronauts. Why can’t I do humbling conversation with him about his Herrington explained that he knew he that?” Subsequently, he twice submitted life adventures. Of course, the main focus loved the outdoors and being outside, so applications to NASA. On the second of this dialog was discussion of the most taking into consideration his love of rock application process, NASA invited him exhilarating adventure of his life - his climbing and all that entailed, he was able down for an interview. He actually never time in space. to find a job as a surveyor to help build thought he would be selected, but low and Herrington was born in Wetumka, highways throughout Colorado. He was behold, in 1996 he was chosen for the Okla., and is a member of the Chickasaw fortunate in that his boss recognized his program and began training. tribe. He recollected hearing his great abilities. He sat him down one day and Six years later, he was able to walk Calendar ..........pg. 10 granny, who was full-blood Chickasaw talked with him about what he planned to in space. In November 2002, Commander Native American, speaking the Chickasaw do with the rest of his life. This boss Herrington participated in the sixteenth Notices ............pg. 10 language and commented that she in fact ended up convincing him to go back to shuttle mission to the International Space Personals ..........pg. 11 never knew another language. After start- school. He encouraged him to become an Station (ISS), aboard the STS-113 ing his childhood years in Oklahoma, engineer so that Herrington could actually Endeavour. He was a member of a four- Pow-wows ........pg. 11 Herrington moved to many different cities help design the highways he was building man crew instead of the usual seven, but including Colorado Springs, Colo. rather than construct them. Following this his crew ended up bringing three people Riverton, Wyo., and Plano, Texas. His discussion, Herrington reapplied to back with them from the space station so father was a pilot, and Herrington school. Fortunately, they gave him a sec- could only start with the four. described memories of flying his first Herrington described wearing space- PAID PAID ond chance and he was able to get read- plane at the age of 10. PRSRT STD PRSRT mitted. This time, he knew what he want- suits that weighed 300 pounds each, US POSTAGE WAUPACA, WI WAUPACA, PERMIT NO 47 PERMIT He graduated from high school in ed to do and was motivated to do it. That though in space, where things are weight- 1976 and knew he had to go to college made all the difference. less, they essentially weighed nothing. because his parents expected that of him. As a senior in college, he worked as These suits cost an incredible 12 million He said, “If you want to improve your a tutor for the math department. Through dollars each. Such high tech suits were chances of success, you have to go to col- this work he had the opportunity to meet essential in an environment where the cli- lege.” During his first year, Herrington a 65-year-old retired Navy pilot who sub- mate is 200 degrees in the sun yet minus was side tracked by his passion for rock sequently convinced Herrington to join 200 degrees in the shade - something that climbing and found that instead of study- the Navy. Rather than building highways, is incredibly difficult to comprehend. ing in his room, he was outside rock Herrington spent 22 years in the Navy as Herrington went on describe the climbing. As a result of his lack of focus a United States Naval Aviator. Herrington many different ways that being in space on academics, he readily admitted to hav- received his commission from Aviation can affect your body and your mind. It ing earned two D’s in biology, a D in Officer Candidate School in March 1984 was interesting that he described the hard- Western Civilization, earning a 1.70 grade and was designated a Naval Aviator in est thing as having to deal with the way point average that first semester. Because March 1985. During his career, he logged that the absence of gravity affects the way he was not a full-time student, he was over 3,800 flight hours in over 30 differ- your mind wants to think. kicked out of the university rather than ent types of aircraft. continued on pg. 6... Page 2 POTAWATOMI TRAVELING TIMES • March 15, 2014 Community A Porte Hotel Construction Update Cochere is submitted by Kim Mitschke, PBC External Communications Specialist constructed 2.21.2014 2.28.2014 at the hotel • Safety continues to be the number • Safety continues to be the number entrance. one priority on the construction site. one priority on the construction site. Crews have been working 462 days Crews have been working 469 days without a lost-time incident. without a lost-time incident. • A temporary wall has enclosed the • The final nine foot tall band of existing Tribal Room and will remain in green-tinted glass was fitted into the top- place until the opening of the hotel. floor suite today, thus enclosing the • Exterior framing and sheeting is entire 18-story hotel tower in floor-to- ongoing at the main entrance of the ceiling glass. hotel. • Exterior framing and sheeting is • Nearly the entire tower has been ongoing at the main entrance of the Guest rooms are enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass, and hotel. primed and the final pane of glass is expected to be • Roofing work is ongoing. painted. fitted into place by the end of February. • Masonry work is underway on the • Roofing work is ongoing. south and east sides of the hotel tower. • Masonry work is underway on the • Drywall and taping is complete south and east sides of the hotel tower. through the 17th floor. • Drywall work is complete through • Ceiling drywall in the corridors is the 17th floor and taping is ongoing. complete through the 8th floor. • Ceiling drywall in the corridors is • Guest rooms have been primed complete through the 8th floor. and painted through the 10th floor, and • Guest rooms have been primed continues from floors 11 – 14. and painted through the 10th floor, and • Ceramic tile work has been com- continues from floors 11 – 14. pleted on floors 5 – 7 and continues on • Ceramic tile work has been com- floors 8 – 10. Work continues pleted on floors 5 – 7 and continues on • Vanity and bar tops, toilets, show- in the hotel floors 8 – 10. er fixtures and light fixtures are being lobby. • One elevator will be completely installed on the 5th and 6th floors. installed by Feb. 27, allowing the skip • One elevator has been installed hoist to be removed at that point. and the skip hoist will begin to be • The construction trailer will be removed over the weekend. removed from the worksite next week, • The construction trailer was thus relocating construction offices to removed from the worksite this week, the casino’s underground valet. relocating construction offices to the • The mock rooms were revealed to casino’s underground valet. local media on Feb. 10. YOUTH RECREATIONAL SPONSORSHIP LOGO CONTEST To encourage Ages 6 - 17 FCP youth to pursue his/her dreams, Open to all FCP youth membership the Forest County Potawatomi Deadline for artwork submission is Executive Council is promoting a Wednesday, March 26, 2014 Youth Recreational Sponsorship Turn artwork in to FCP Recreation by 8 p.m. that helps youth become Pick up registration form at FCP Rec, or download: FCPotawatomi.com respectful, responsible members of the community. Artwork judging will be done by youth participants on March 29, 2014, To promote this sponsorship at FCP Recreation Building, 1 p.m. program, FCP is sponsoring a logo contest. Any medium can be used to create logo (i.e., pencil, ink, paint, digital, etc.). Logo must include cultural imagery. Contact: The winning logo design will be used to represent the Richard Gougé, FCP Treasurer Youth Recreational Sponsorship. (715) 478-4847 [email protected] Sponsored by Sample of what logo with questions could look like Community POTAWATOMI TRAVELING TIMES • March 15, 2014 Page 3 Francisca E. “Chita” Alloway Francisca E. “Chita” Alloway, 54, of Wabeno, Wis., passed away on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014, at the Langlade Hospital in Antigo.