MUFON of Ohio Newsletter - 2009 01

Magazine Overview

Title: MUFON of Ohio Newsletter
Issue Date: January, 2009
Publisher: MUFON of Ohio
Country: USA
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the MUFON of Ohio Newsletter focuses on the Seventh Annual Mothman Festival held in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, from September 20th to 21st, 2008, and also features articles on UFO incidents, including a recent event involving a wind turbine in the UK and a revisit of historical UFO cases from 1975.

Seventh Annual Mothman Festival, Point Pleasant, WV

The lead article, by Scott Santa of MUFON of Ohio, details his personal experience attending the Mothman Festival. He recounts arriving at the historic Lowe Hotel on September 19, 2008, the day before the festival officially began. The hotel, described as having a 'creepiness' and 'ambience', offered comfortable accommodations. Upon settling into his room, he and his family discovered humorous notes left by a previous occupant, adding a touch of levity.

The festival activities commenced on Saturday. Scott Santa met Jeff Wamsley, curator of the Mothman Museum and author of "Mothman The Facts Behind the Legend." He also had a psychic reading done by Georgia Rudolf, whom he found to be highly accurate. The Mothman Museum is described as a place filled with memorabilia from the Mothman Prophecies movie and original documents from key figures like Mary Hyre and John Keel.

Frank Feschino presented on the Flatwoods Monster at the festival. Scott Santa had a conversation with Feschino about his books, including "The Braxton County Monster" and his new work, "SHOOT THEM DOWN; The Flying Saucer Air Wars of 1952." Scott Santa, a retired military communicator, offered his expertise to Feschino regarding declassified military message traffic found in his documentation.

The festival included various vendors, a karaoke station, and performers dressed as Men in Black (MIBs). A prominent stainless steel statue of the Mothman served as a popular photo opportunity. The author and his family participated in a nighttime hayride to the TNT area, the site of the original Mothman sighting, which featured special effects and a performer in a Mothman suit.

On Sunday, the author and his family visited the "Mothman Diner" (Harris Steakhouse) and took a daytime bus tour of the TNT area. This tour included visits to igloos and the site of the demolished power plant. During the tour, they experienced what they believe to be Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) captured on a digital recorder.

UFO Hits Wind Turbine

This article, reprinted from "THE Sun" dated January 8, 2009, reports on an incident where a wind turbine in Conisholme, Lincolnshire, UK, was struck and severely damaged, with one of its 65ft blades torn off. Locals reported hearing a loud smash at 4 am after witnessing strange lights streaking towards the 290ft-tall generator. A woman motorist, Dorothy Willows, described seeing a UFO zoom towards the wind farm. The incident is being investigated by the wind farm company and authorities, with no explanation for the damage found, ruling out aircraft collisions or strong gales. UFO expert Russ Kellett expressed excitement about the event, noting numerous reports of mystery objects in the area. The object was dubbed the "Octopus UFO" due to witness descriptions of lights with tentacles. Nick Pope, a UFO expert, commented that this could be a significant UFO incident and urged the Ministry of Defence and Civil Aviation Authority to investigate.

1975 Re-Visited

This section analyzes historical UFO events from 1975. It begins with an account of the Travis Walton abduction case. On November 5, 1975, Walton and six co-workers encountered a hovering UFO in Arizona. Walton approached the object and disappeared, reappearing five days later. He described being taken aboard a spaceship and encountering "creatures." The six witnesses underwent polygraph tests, with the sheriff concluding they had seen a UFO.

The article then details the "1975 Fly-over Flap," a series of UFO encounters that occurred over or near sensitive US military sites, including Loring Air Force Base in Maine and Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan. These incidents involved low-altitude, flashing objects tracked by radar and pursued by helicopters and fighter jets. The UFOs demonstrated evasive maneuvers and appeared to show interest in nuclear weapons storage areas. The article notes that these events were later revealed through FOIA requests and led to the publication of books like "Clear Intent: The Government Cover-up of the UFO Experience" and "UFOs and Nukes: Extraordinary Encounters at Nuclear Weapons Sites."

Messages to MUFON of Ohio

This section includes a message from a friend to the MUFON of Ohio editor, Bill, regarding the passing of Gordon (Flash) Myers, an 83-year-old retired government Research and Development man. Gordon Myers was involved in electronics design for the Navy, trained pilots including astronauts, and was an avid genealogist. He also played a role in liberating a Nazi death camp and kept artifacts from that experience.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The MUFON of Ohio Newsletter consistently covers UFO sightings, festivals related to UFO lore (like the Mothman Festival), and historical UFO cases. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unexplained phenomena, presenting eyewitness accounts and expert opinions. There is a clear interest in documenting and analyzing UFO events, from local festivals to significant historical incidents involving military installations and alleged alien abductions. The newsletter encourages further research and provides resources for readers interested in the subject.

Title: MUFON of Ohio Newsletter
Issue: Spring 2008
Publisher: MUFON of Ohio
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the MUFON of Ohio Newsletter, dated Spring 2008, focuses on the state of the organization, the challenges faced by its members, and several detailed witness accounts of UFO sightings within Ohio.

Editorial: A Tough Year for MUFON of Ohio

The editorial, written by William E. Jones, reflects on the difficulties faced by MUFON of Ohio in 2008, which was even tougher than the previous year. The editor notes the loss of several long-term members, some leaving MUFON entirely, others leaving MUFON of Ohio specifically. A detailed list of individuals who have retired or resigned from their roles as State Section Directors (SSDs) is provided:

• Delbert Anderson (Ross, Pike, Hocking counties) retired due to "burn out."
• Phyllis Budinger (Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula counties) is focusing on laboratory analysis rather than CMS investigations.
• Angie Hamilton (Wayne, Holmes counties) resigned due to heavy professional commitments.
• Pete Hartinger (Pickaway County) retired as an SSD to focus on his local group, the Roundtown UFO Society, but will remain in MUFON.
• Richard Lee (Summit, Portage counties) retired due to "burn out."
• Forrest Rupp (Trumbull County) resigned without stating a reason, possibly due to difficulties finding witnesses for his investigations.
• Scott Santa (Medina County) resigned due to serious concerns with MUFON's direction.
• Roger Sugden (Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert counties) reportedly had a falling out with Indiana MUFON and dropped out.
• Doug Williams, Assistant State Director, resigned due to serious concerns with MUFON's direction and lack of response to his suggestions, though he will continue his MUFON of Ohio membership.
• Alan Zerla (Carroll, Jefferson, Harrison counties) is on indefinite leave.

The editor expresses gratitude for their contributions and notes that these departures leave many SSD positions open. The reduction in personnel raises concerns about the ability to thoroughly cover CMS cases across Ohio.

The editorial also includes a brief mention of Matt Graeber's tribute to Gordon Myers, a UFO investigator and "Ambassador of Good Will," who befriended German families during WWII. Graeber's piece highlights Myers's dedication and impact beyond his UFO work.

New UFO Reporting Website

An announcement is made regarding the creation of a new website, the Truckers UFO Reporting Center (www.tuforc.com), by David W Andrew. This initiative aims to collect UFO sighting reports from semi-truck drivers, leveraging their constant observation of surroundings across America. All personal information will be kept confidential.

An Unusual Encounter Over Loveland, Ohio

Connie McNichols, a MUFON Field Investigator (FI), reports on a sighting that occurred on February 17, 2008, near Loveland, Ohio. The witness's car lost power, and while investigating, he saw a "massive dull light" rising from a corn field. The object was described as "faded black," approximately 10'-15' across and 10' high, with smaller round lights. It hovered, then moved directly overhead, emitting a soft humming sound. The underside was described as having "neon tubes like fiber optics cable" glowing from white to yellow to orange, with a deep blue shimmering outer surface. The object performed complex maneuvers, including darting, zing-zag patterns, and loop-de-loops, before disappearing eastward. The witness, who has a 13-year military background (though this could not be confirmed), was described as believable and sincere. The FI's comments suggest the object's effects on the car, its maneuvers, and speed indicate it was not man-made or a natural phenomenon. The witness's accompanying friend was reportedly very frightened.

1979 Northern Ohio Reports

Rick Hilberg contributes a section detailing several UFO reports from 1979:

• July 4th, 10:30 PM: Four people in Cleveland observed a star-like object moving swiftly northeast. It was described as delta-shaped, metallic gold with a red beacon, so bright it hurt their eyes.
• July 24th, 9:00 PM: Four people in South Euclid saw a large round object, flat on the bottom with a dome on top, dull silver, spinning or wobbling, and slowly gaining altitude.
• October 30th, 1:05 AM: A police officer in Willoughby observed a large unlighted hemispherical object, dull gray, moving at an estimated 60 mph. The object was illuminated by headlights and street lights and appeared solid.

A Shaken Witness and a Cigar-Shaped Object

Another witness account from December 9th describes a family driving home near Cleveland who observed an unusual object. The object was cigar-shaped with stubby "wings" and "window lights" on its side, lacking conventional aircraft running lights or a tail assembly. It was illuminated by ground lights and moved at a low altitude with no sound. The witness was shaken by the experience, which he described as spectacular and beyond his understanding. He now carries a camcorder and camera at all times. The witness has a BS in Chemistry and was born in 1971. This report is from MUFON Case 10852.

Triangle Sighted Over Columbus

On September 17, 2008, a witness in Columbus reported seeing a triangular-shaped object from his balcony traveling southwest. It had approximately 20 white lights on the bottom and edges that did not blink. No colored lights or sound were heard. The object was briefly viewed through binoculars. The witness contacted the Columbus Police Department and Port Columbus International Airport, neither of whom had received similar reports.

The Four Corners Conference

Sam Maranto, MUFON's State Director for Illinois, announced a UFO conference to be held at the Majestic Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena, IL, from May 29-31, 2009. The event will include speakers such as Dr. Mark Rodeghier, Don Schmitt, Stanton Friedman, and Richard Dolan. The conference will also feature a golf tournament and fishing tournament. The reservation price for non-Illinois members is $30.00.

Middletown, OH Sighting

An account from the National UFO Reporting Center details a sighting on January 10, 2009, at 2:05 AM in Middletown, Ohio. The witness's daughter and her friend observed a large dark triangular shape moving over their home. It dipped downward and was visible below the cloud/fog level, approximately 30 feet off the ground. It had three lights on the back flashing blue, red, and green in varying patterns and emitted a low, pulsing hum. The object appeared to be the width of two houses. At 2:08 AM, two similar objects "winked on" and moved around each other. At 2:10 AM, a much larger, louder object, similar in shape, appeared and hovered for 3-5 minutes. This larger object was double the size of the first. The three objects then disappeared, with the smaller ones streaking away and the large one lifting straight up. The girls were transfixed and debated waking the adults but feared they wouldn't be believed.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the challenges and attrition within MUFON Ohio, the importance of witness testimony, and the reporting of diverse UFO sightings across Ohio. The editorial stance, as expressed by William E. Jones, emphasizes the human aspect of ufology, the dedication of its investigators, and the need to acknowledge the contributions of individuals like Gordon Myers, even if they are not widely recognized in mainstream history. There's a clear concern about the organization's capacity to continue its investigative work due to member departures. The inclusion of the "Truckers UFO Reporting Center" suggests an effort to broaden the base of UFO reporting and data collection.