jimblr.com

A springtime nor’easter storm dumped several inches of rain and blew rivers and creeks over low-lying areas, leaving some areas of St. Mary’s under water Sunday night into Monday and knocking out electricity to thousands.
It was around 11 p.m. Sunday when Francis Jack Russell, president of the county commissioners, saw the water rising at St. George Island at the end of Piney Point Road. ‘‘I saw the water was halfway up the hubcaps” on the cars, he said. The east-southeast winds blew the waters up four feet above high tide. During Hurricane Isabel in September 2003, the tide was pushed up by six feet.
Russell and his wife, Viki Volk, moved their vehicles to higher ground. ‘‘We waded out like a pair of ducks,” he said.
The highest points on St. George Island are six and eight feet and are isolated spots. Much of the island is lower.
Trees toppled throughout the county thanks to the soaked ground and high winds. Schools were delayed two hours Monday.
About 3.5 inches of rain fell in 24 hours from Sunday to Monday evening. Patuxent River Naval Air Station recorded a gust of 49 mph just before 11 p.m. Sunday and more gusts of 40 mph Monday afternoon.
‘‘I was sitting in my dining room and doing some homework and all of a sudden I heard some noise and a crash” outside at about 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Loretta Dove said. ‘‘I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ and got all in a dither.”
Dove called her family and they came to check on the safety of the Dameron house.
Early the next morning her son-in-law, Steve Hawkins, and family friend, Carlton Dyson, were up on the roof cutting away a fallen tree and debris. Several holes were punched through the roof and the men patched them temporarily with a tarp.

somdnews.com

Today is Easter Monday, some people are enjoying the day off while others return to the grind.
Canada Post has the day off, however city offices will be open today.
City Transit will be running on its regular schedule, garbage collection will also be unaffected.
Unless you plan on doing your banking in Nunavut, most banks will be open today.
Check out the 660News Photo Gallery.
Just click here to view.
Check out some of the pictures of the flooding, fires and lightning in the Photo Gallery.
Just click here to view.

660news.com

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) — Hundreds gathered at Orlando’s Lake Eola Park to celebrate Easter Sunday. A huge public service was held at the Disney Amphitheater which included music, games and food for those in need.
"Even people that don’t normal attend church recognize that that’s a very special day," said David Fox, who attended the service.
Activities also included a traditional Easter Egg hunt complete with a bag of goodies for the children.
"There are a lot of people that won’t step foot into a church, but they’ll come to an Easter event like this in Lake Eola, because it’s a non-threatening environment where we challenge them to take their next step toward Christ, said Pastor Mike Adkins of Grace Fellowship Church.
Organizers say the celebration is as much about helping one another as it is a religious service marking the Easter holiday. Grace Fellowship partnered with the non-profit Destiny Foundation to motivate attendees to assist the poor.
"There are over 300,000 people who have incomes that fall between $18 and $21,000 dollars a year," said Adkins.
Nearly one thousand people attended the outdoor service.
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myfoxorlando.com

• Carmel Middle School Student Art Exhibit.Carmel Middle School, under the direction of art instructor Vickie Hickman, will exhibit a variety of student artwork in the foyer of South County Regional Library through March 31. Free. South County Regional Branch Library, 5801 Rea Road. 704-416-6600; www.plcmc.org.
• 9th annual Family Night. 7 p.m. Featuring Chris McDaniel and his One Man Wild West Show, which includes trick roping, gun twirling, bull whip artistry and singing. $3 per person, or $8 for the whole family. Clover School District Auditorium, 1625 S.C. 55 E., Clover, SC. 803-222-8018; www.clover2.k12.sc.us/. • Just B Boutique seminar. 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Free seminar on ways to complete your outfit with accessories. Ballantyne Resort, 10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway. 704-248-4000; www.ballantyneresort.com.
• Sipping Savvy. 6 p.m. Free wine class on the wines of Rhone Valley in France. Earth Fare-SouthPark, 721 Governor Morrison St. 704-749-5042.
• Creating Video in Teen Second Life. 4 p.m. Visit the library’s virtual island on Teen Second Life. Learn the basics of using video capture tools to record a scene from this 3-D environment. Upload to YouTube, MySpace, or your favorite site to share with your friends. Free. South County Regional Branch Library, 5801 Rea Road. 704-416-6600; www.plcmc.org.
• Dessert Wine Tasting. 6 p.m. Taste of five wines. $15 per person. Table Restaurant & Bar, 14835 John J. Delaney Drive, Suite 150. 704-369-5170; www.tablecharlotte.com.
• Healthy Happy Hour - Healthy Aging: Mind, Body & Spirit. 5 p.m. Gather for healthy refreshments followed by information from the practitioners at Carolina Natural Health Center on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. March’s topic will be Healthy Aging: Mind, Body & Spirit, presented by Darren Holman, licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. Free. Earth Fare-Ballantyne, 12235 N. Community House Road. 704-926-1201.
• Chess Club for Homeschoolers. 1 p.m. Homeschool students ages 8-18 will be taught how to play chess and compete with other participants. The club will meet 1-3 p.m. the first and third Friday of each month through May 16. Students who already know how to play chess are welcome. Free. Mint Hill Branch Library, 6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Road. 704-573-4054; www.plcmc.org.

charlotte.com

THOUSANDS of Christians rose early and flocked to the traditional Easter Sunday services at Sydney’s cathedrals yesterday, as many churches and denominations around the nation reported high turn-outs.
At St Mary’s Cathedral about 1000 Catholics packed the church for a solemn morning mass and the singing of hymns, before a more celebratory tone took over, tinged with excitement at the visit of the Pope in 113 days’ time.
In his Easter address, Cardinal George Pell said the resurrection ensured “the ultimate triumph of good over evil and asserting the existence of a coherent rational pattern under the wonders, muddle and disasters of human life”.
A few streets away in St Andrews Cathedral, the Anglican Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen, asserted the timelessness of the Easter message of rebirth. “Being born again is not an idea created by the American televangelist, owned by American politicians, being born again is the phrase that Jesus used to summarise the hope and promise of the Old Testament,” Reverend Jensen told about 1000 worshippers at a 10.30am service.
Earlier, his brother the archbishop, Peter Jensen, had used his Easter message to warn people against dabbling in the occult. He welcomed the focus on reconciliation between black and white Australians, calling it “a very powerful and very Christian idea”.
At the Vatican, the Pope last night held a blessing that was broadcast to 57 countries. On Saturday night, he had baptised a former Muslim, the prominent Italian journalist Magdi Allam, among seven converts to Catholicism during an Easter vigil mass at St Peter’s Basilica.
“People who are baptised and believers are never strangers to each other,” the Pope said in his homily. “Continents, cultures, social structures and historical distances cannot separate us. But we meet each other, we know each other by the same Lord, the same faith, the same hope, and the same love that shapes us.”

smh.com.au

After the ham has been devoured and the Easter eggs rounded up, there’s still the matter of dessert. What’s a holiday without a sweet ending?
Toward that end, here are three recipes to consider.
2 baked, 9-inch round cake layers, cooled
One 8-ounce tub whipped topping (strawberry flavored, optional)
One 7-ounce package of coconut, divided
Decorations, such as gumdrops, jellybeans, etc.
Leave one cake whole. Cut bunny “ears” and bowtie out of remaining layer. Arrange on a serving tray, using a small amount of the whipped topping to hold the pieces together. Frost cake with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle coconut over the bunny’s head and ears. Decorate with candies for eyes, nose, mouth, etc. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
For step-by-step instructions on how to cut the second layer, see the diagram at right.
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided uses)
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (divided uses)
1/2 pint whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar (divided uses)
1 angel food cake, torn into bite-size pieces
2 quarts fresh strawberries, cleaned, stemmed and thinly sliced
In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract. Set aside.
In a small, deep bowl, whip the whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Fold in cake pieces and set aside.
Combine strawberries, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons almond extract.
In a large glass serving bowl, layer ingredients in this order: 1/3 of the strawberries, 1/2 of the cake mixture, another third of the berries, remaining cake mixture, remaining strawberries. Cover and chill well before serving.

citizen-times.com

Although Easter is characteristic of spring, renewal and fresh flavors, it is still a definitive holiday for traditional family comfort foods.
These recipes may not be heavy, rich, or warming, but their once-a-year appearances on the dinner table and their deep family roots still make them true contenders for comfort food.
In my family, traditional Easter dishes always revolve around the dessert table.
A fluffy white lamb cake, made using the same recipe for two generations, lies down in a field of green coconut, a candied smile plastered across its face.
The champion at the table, however, is the fruit cocktail pie — a staple for the Easter holiday that is so very evocative of the spring season.
Its color, a bright buttery yellow splotched with the bold pastels from the fruit cocktail, reflects the hues of the season very well.
And its taste seems to mimic that of the scrumptious Easter goodies that arrive on Sunday morning.
Canned fruit cocktail serves as the main ingredient in this pie.
The tiny pieces of fruit dot a vanilla pudding filling, sweetened with the juice of the fruit cocktail, in a heterogeneous mixture.
The filling is not overly chunky, but relatively smooth, and the tropical flavor of the mixed fruit plays well against the strong vanilla taste of the pudding.
The shell of the pie is just a plain butter crust, but that’s all that is needed in this recipe.
A basic pie shell allows the sweetness and varied flavor of the filling to shine through.
In a floral swirl of pinks, greens, and lemon yellow, and piled high with a billowing puff of whipped cream, this pie makes quite a pretty picture at the Easter table.
Fruit cocktail pie seems awfully light and fresh for a comfort food, but the comfort factor in this tasty dessert still remains.

post-trib.com

Making candy is fun and fulfilling, but it does require attention to detail. Set aside a block of time when you won’t be distracted and have all your supplies ready to go. The Easter Bunny will hop with pleasure at these homemade treats.
Blue oil-based food color
* Place semisweet chocolate chips in a medium-size bowl.
* Bring cream to a simmer and immediately pour over chocolate chips; let sit 2 minutes.
* Stir together chocolate chips and cream until mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.
* Place raspberry jelly in a small bowl and melt in the microwave for 20 seconds or until just beginning to melt. Stir to finish melting.
* Let raspberry jelly cool slightly, then stir into chocolate mixture.
* Stir in raspberry liqueur if desired.
* Chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2 to 3 hours or overnight, uncovered.
* Form the firm, chilled chocolate mixture into small egg shapes using about 1 heaping teaspoonful for each. Place on a parchment- covered baking sheet and return to refrigerator or freezer to firm slightly.
* Temper white chocolate (see below).
* Gently stir in a few drops of blue oil-based food color. (Do not use water-based food color.)
* One at a time, quickly dip chocolate centers in melted white chocolate. Lift out with a fork or dipping tool and allow excess chocolate to drain off.
* Invert egg onto parchment- covered baking sheet. Store truffle eggs in refrigerator. Serve at cool room temperature.
* To temper chocolate without a machine: Finely chop the chocolate. Heat the chocolate, using an instant-read thermometer, to 90 degrees. Let it cool to 78 degrees (do not put in refrigerator). Stir the chocolate and return to the double boiler. Warm white chocolate to 83 degrees. Dip the truffle centers as quickly as possible.

rockymountainnews.com

Holy Week for most Christians began last Sunday with Palm Sunday and will continue and culminate this weekend with Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Many observe other holy days during this special week and have announced their services and events occurring through Easter Sunday.
The traditional Community Good Friday service in Peachtree City this year is being hosted by Holy Trinity Catholic Church at noon on March 21. Worshipers may come and go as their work schedules permit. Holy Trinity is on the corner of Walt Banks Road and Ga. Hwy. 54.
Other area churches which have given notice of their Easter activities are listed below in alphabetical order.
All Saints Anglican Church on Kelly Drive in Peachtree City will have a Maundy Thursday Service on March 20, with Holy Communion at 7 p.m.
On Good Friday, March 21, a service will be held at 7 p.m.
On Holy Saturday, March 22, the church will host an 8 a.m. Morning Prayer Service and an 8 p.m. Easter Vigil.
On Easter Sunday, Holy Communion Services will be held at 8 and 10:30 a.m.
All Saints is at 303 Kelly Drive, Suites 10 and 11. For information, call 770-486-5374, or email allsaintsan10510@bellsouth.net. The church Website is at www.anglican-church-ptc.org.
Atlanta City Church will celebrate Easter on two campuses, one in Fairburn and another in Peachtree City. The Fairburn Campus, at 3355 Old Jonesboro Rd., Fairburn, will have Easter worship at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 23. The Peachtree City Campus, at 320 Dividend Dr., will have Easter worship Saturday, March 22 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 23 at 11 a.m. For information, call 770-964-2138.
Bethany United Methodist Church will have a Good Friday Service March 21 at 7 p.m. An Easter Sunrise Service will be held at 7 a.m. Sunday and an Easter Sunday worship service at 11 a.m. at the church. Bethany is on the corner of Rivers/Milam Road and Lee’s Lake Road in north Fayette County.

thecitizen.com

* Laying eggs is hard work! It takes 24-26 hours to complete the process, according to research from the University of Illinois-Urbana.
* Even the best brood hens cannot lay more than one egg a day.
* Teal is poised to take on last year’s favorite color, purple, as 2008’s most fashionable Easter egg, according to PAAS Egg Decorating Kits.
* The average American who plans to decorate or dye eggs this year will be trimming more than a dozen.
* The tradition of decorating eggs began more than 5,000 years ago. Persians began using colored eggs to celebrate spring in 3,000 B.C. On the first day of spring, they would give each other an egg dyed red.
* Several thousand years later, 13th-century Macedonians became the first Christians known to use colored eggs in their Easter celebrations.
* Crusaders returning from the Middle East spread the custom of coloring eggs, and Europeans then began to use colored eggs to celebrate Easter and other holidays.
* William Townley, a drug store owner from Newark, N.J., invented the original PAAS Easter egg dye. In the late 1800s, he developed a recipe for dye tablets.
* Each year, Americans purchase more than 10 million PAAS kits during the Easter season. That’s as many as 180 million eggs decorated each spring.

pressconnects.com