Risk & Associates County Civil - August 2021

Risk & Associates County Civil - August 2021

COUNTYCIVIL.COM

AUGUST 2021

Happy National Sisters Day!

One of my favorite Renee stories is when we were kids, we’d often slam the screen door and it’d stop working right. One day, Renee slammed it very hard, and our dad yelled at her, punishing her by forcing her to open and shut the door quietly over 50 times. So, she does that 50 times — then, suddenly, we hear a LOUD slam. We kids fell over in stitches watching Renee run down the street as fast as she could. Clearly, the mouth didn’t have to use her words to get the last word. After I reunited with my sisters at Robin’s funeral, it was another moment where I realized a simple fact: My sisters and I have moved through life’s phases pretty much at the same time. I’m proud of my sisters and their amazing, loving families. I can tell they all inherited the very best of Mom, patience and love. As grandparents today, we’ve come a long way from being brats, but we know that chapter of life may come to a close too. That’s not so depressing for me, because at least we’ve done it all together. Thank you, dear sisters, for always being there for me — thick or thin, as brats or as parents. I love you very much! -Rick Risk A TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD’S BEST SISTERS

A s a bratty brother, there are fewer joys than bothering and annoying my sisters — I definitely had the attitude of “I can call my sisters brats, but you can never call my sisters brats.” No matter what kind of trouble we “inner city brats” got into, we always had each other’s back. With National Sisters Day being on Aug. 1, I thought I’d share my own tribute to my three amazing sisters. Each of us were barely a year or two apart from the next sibling — my oldest sister was two years older, my younger sister is one year younger, and my youngest sister is two years younger. It was a busy household! But even with all the chaos, we made great memories. We were always close enough in age to be in the same schools with related friend circles. (Many other families were as big as ours in those days.) There’s a lot I admired about my oldest sister, Robin, although I always referred to her as “the wild child.” Even though we’re close in age, she was definitely more into ‘60s culture while I was into the ‘70s. She spent many years in Lansing, Michigan, and became a great mom with a wonderful son and daughter there. She was always quite hardworking; she had a factory job for many decades. Loving, kind, and beloved by her family, Robin tragically passed on Nov. 1 after

her son didn’t hear from her in a couple days. I miss her classic humor and wisdom very much. Now my younger sister, Rhonda, has perhaps the biggest heart of us all. And if not that, then she definitely has the best sewing skills! Rhonda and her family live out in the St. John’s area, about 50 minutes away. Like us, they spend a lot of time with their grandchildren and are semi-retired with a familiar tireless work ethic. When the lockdowns began, Rhonda offered to make everyone in my office homemade cloth masks. And I mean everyone. This was during the time that masks became very difficult to procure. Yet, she was so considerate that she kept asking me whether I wanted elastic for the ear loops or other comfortable options — I had to insist a few times that we’ll take anything she gives us. Not long after, we were very happy to drive over and pick up masks for the whole office. That brings us to my youngest sister, Renee — and putting her personality to words is a very tough thing to do! We’ve always called her “the mouth.” Renee always gets the last word, no matter what you do. She has an incredibly fiery spirit that’s brought us no end of joy and, as you can guess, frustration at times. But the fact that you can’t shush Renee for nothing is also the best thing about her.

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HAVE CELEBRITY DIVORCES ALWAYS BEEN CRAZY?

What is it about celebrity marriages — and their subsequent endings — that fascinates society? Depending on how you measure, telling the stories of makeups and breakups is a multibillion-dollar industry for media organizations online, in print, and on TV. Are we really that hungry for nasty headlines? Or is something deeper going on in the human psyche? In the last 12 months, we’ve seen some of the worst marriage breakups in Hollywood history, but Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s libel suit took center stage. As usual, “Whom do you believe?” was the question of the day, but it became obvious that both parties needed a therapist to work though serious emotional problems but tried unsuccessfully to do it on their own, instead. Perhaps the most disturbing element in the Heard/Depp trial was the violence that seemed to pervade their daily lives. But that’s nothing new; in fact, the violent behavior of both partners is likely what drew so much attention in the first place. That was certainly

the case with O.J. Simpson’s breakup with his wife, which didn’t get half the headlines her murder would (and the “trial of the century” that followed) two years later. You could argue, though, that we’re getting better. When we look at the roots of the “celebrity divorce” phenomenon, it goes back in time to the realm of myth. The gods of Greece and Rome were always leaving each other and getting back together, a clear indication of the drama that interested our ancestors. But the most famous celebrity divorce of the pre-19th century (and perhaps of all time) was Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. It had all the hallmarks of modern public breakups: People took one side or the other, with other parties still “shipping” Henry and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Henry and Catherine’s divorce led to the trauma of war across England and Europe. Like today’s celebrity cases, it didn’t last long. Anne was executed a few short years later when someone new caught the king’s eye. Henry VIII was the archetype of the modern

Hollywood actor with the wandering gaze, and Catherine and Anne typified the women willing to give him “one more chance.” Seeing how that ended, perhaps we should be grateful that things today are aired out in the media — instead of on the battlefield!

5 Delicious Ways to Eat Watermelon This Summer

HAPPY NATIONAL WATERMELON DAY!

There’s nothing like watermelon on a hot summer day, especially when you serve it in unique, memorable ways! There’s hardly much kitchen expertise needed for these easy, fun, no-recipe dishes. Here’s a few ideas to get you started! WATERMELON WITH SALT Really, that’s the whole recipe. Not a lot of people know that a dash of salt on your watermelon elevates its sweet crunch to an even more satisfying, savory-sweet crunch. Next time you’re out with friends and you grab a watermelon, don’t forget the salt — it’s a crowd-pleasing trick to remember! WATERMELON CAPRESE You’d be surprised how similar watermelon and tomatoes look in this recipe! With a sharp, reliable knife, carve out slices of watermelon, then place on a platter with alternating slices of fresh mozzarella. Serve with a fresh basil garnish, flaky salt, and drizzles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar! WATERMELON MOJITO BITES Remember those tricks on YouTube where you’d cut a hole in a watermelon, then pour a bottle of vodka on top? The results are often too strong and not really delicious.

Here’s how you can have delicious boozy watermelon: In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, mint, lime zest, lime juice, and rum and season with salt, then add watermelon and toss until fully coated. It’s delicious! FLANK STEAK WITH WATERMELON SALAD We all know and love the flank steak salad that you’ll often find at a steakhouse or American restaurant. For a refreshing summer twist, prepare flank steak in your favorite way, then toss arugula with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, and walnuts. Serve on top of thin, lightly seasoned slices of watermelon. It looks absolutely beautiful on the plate! WATERMELON SALSA Create your next favorite dip by dicing watermelon and mango into small pieces, mix with red onion, jalapeno, limes, cilantro, and, of course, salt. Toss and serve! The proportions aren’t super important — add to your taste!

Thanks for reading, and we hope you have a refreshing summer!

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4 BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS It’s time to go back to school! Tons of families are excited for their kids to have the first uninterrupted in-person school year since the lockdowns began — but it’s best to still stay safe. Here are a few ideas to do just that. NO. 1: STAY AWARE WHILE DROPPING KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL!

Make sure your child knows the rules of the road and all of the appropriate hand signals. One of the best things you can do is encourage your child to ride with someone else. There’s definitely safety in numbers! NO. 4. MAKE SURE YOUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES ARE SAFE, TOO! To prevent injury, backpacks should have wide straps, padding in the back and shoulders, and shouldn’t weigh more than 10%–15% of a child’s body weight.

Kids might be extra energetic and carefree while arriving at school — if you’re driving your kids to drop them off, take every caution to ensure you’re driving safely. Don’t use your cellphone while driving in a school zone, and always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children. NO. 2: IF WALKING TO SCHOOL, CHOOSE A ROUTE WITH PUBLIC STREETS AT ALL TIMES. If your child likes walking to school, encourage them to use public sidewalks and streets and never take shortcuts. If it’s their first time walking to school, try practicing it with your kids before they do it on their own — that way, you can also educate them on how to obey traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings on the way. Also, make sure they know to report to you or a school staff member any stranger who approaches them. NO. 3: IS YOUR CHILD RIDING A BIKE TO SCHOOL? ENSURE A HELMET IS ALWAYS ON. Your child will get a traffic citation for not wearing a helmet. Plus, helmets reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85%.

Also, always put heavier items first or at the bottom of the backpack — it’ll cause less strain on the child’s back that way, which is crucial during these developing years. Lastly, when shopping, look for art supplies that are listed as child-safe and non-toxic. If they have “CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236” on the packaging, you know it’s safe.

We hope these tips help — the best way to enjoy hitting the books again is to stay

healthy and safe while doing so. Best of luck, friends and families!

BEACH FISHING FRIENDSHIP GARDEN HEAT OUTDOORS

POOL RAINY RHUBARB SARDONYX SCHOOLING VACATION

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2383 Tamarack St., Lake Odessa, MI 48849 616-374-7170 | COUNTYCIVIL.COM R isk & A ssociates

Rick Risk is Founder and President of Risk & Associates, a legal support service provider in Michigan, and has assisted hundreds of attorneys, municipalities, courts, Sheriff Offices, businesses, and others with their strategic process needs.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 2

A Tribute to the World’s Best Sisters

Have Celebrity Divorces Always Been Crazy?

Looking for New Ways to Enjoy Watermelon?

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4 Back-to-School Safety Tips

The Strange Battle of Castle Itter

The Strange Battle of Castle Itter

The battlefields of World War II were often fought by complex sets of alliances between countries and factions, the likes of which few wars before or since have ever seen. Few battles proved that more than the Battle of Castle Itter. In the grand scheme of WWII, Castle Itter was no Omaha Beach. During the Nazi occupation, the Third Reich converted this medieval Austrian castle into a prison for important French prisoners who could possibly be used as bargaining chips, and they ran this as a subunit of the Dachau Concentration Camp which sat about 90 miles away. All of that said, if allied forces captured this, it would not represent any sort of decisive victory. Instead, what made the happenings of May 5, 1945, so remarkable is that the Battle of Castle Itter is the only WWII battle where German and American soldiers fought on the same side. In the waning days of the war, the German guards of Castle Itter abandoned their posts, leaving control of the prison to the prisoners. However, they were still prevented from escaping by units of Waffen SS and Gestapo troops roaming the woods that surrounded the castle. So, the castle handyman and cook asked for help.

The cook encountered Major Josef Gangl, a Wehrmacht officer, who, after becoming disillusioned with Nazism, had decided to help the Austrian resistance instead. Gangl only had about 20 other Wehrmacht troops that were still loyal to him. So, in order to free Castle Itter from the SS, he hoisted a white flag when he made contact with Captain Jack C. Lee Jr., a U.S. tank commander. Together, they made their way to Castle Itter and prepared to withstand a siege and free the prisoners.

The battle was short and resulted in only one casualty — Josef Gangl was killed by a sniper. It ended when a small rescue group dispatched by Major John T. Kramers, with whom the castle handyman

had made contact, arrived with a column of tanks, and scattered the SS troops. The prisoners were freed, Lee was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and Josef Gangl, for his service to the Austrian resistance, has a street named after him in a nearby town that still remains to this day.

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