Reagan Photo Restoration

Last week, I posted about the bicentennial year of 1976. Included in that post was my remembering of attending the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. That was the convention where President Gerald Ford and former Governor Ronald Reagan went head-to-head. Ford eventually won the GOP nomination.

Included in the post was this photo that I took of Ronald and Nancy Reagan arriving at the Hilton Plaza Inn for a meeting during the convention:

As you can see, it is a bit faded from age.

J. D. Lees, who published G-FAN magazine, saw the post and did some restoration work on the photo and sent the final result. He did a great job on it. It looks as if I took the photo more recently rather than 50 years ago. 

Here's the photo after restoration:

Here's what he said he did:

Saw the pic of RR on your website and couldn't resist "improving" it (hope you agree). I'm far from an expert on photo editing, but I use a free software called GIMP that is available for download if you want it. (I switched years ago when Adobe started charging a monthly fee to use Photoshop.) My abilities are very limited, but if you copy a picture to your clipboard, then click on "File" in GIMP, there's an option "Create." Click on that and you can import the image from your clipboard as one of the options. That's how I captured the RR photo. Then you click on "Colors" and down a ways is "Auto." Click on that and choose "White balance." That's the only thing I did to your photo. The result is attached.

Yes, it came out great!

Remembering The 1976 Bicentennial Year

 

It is hard to believe that we are celebrating the 250 birthday of America. Officially, it is called the Semiquincentennial. 

It was only 50 years ago that we celebrated the Bicentennial (the above image was the official logo). I was at the "ripe old age" of 26 at the time.

My parents and I spent the 1976 July 4th weekend (July 4 fell on a Sunday) in Las Vegas, Nevada with my aunt, uncle and two cousins. On July 3, we went to the Stardust Hotel to see Lido de Paris.

According to Google's A.I. overview:

The Lido de Paris was a legendary French topless revue that ran for 32 years at the Stardust Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, debuting on the resort's opening day in 1958 and running until 1991. Produced by Donn Arden, it was a massive, high-tech production that helped cement the "showgirl" as an enduring icon of Las Vegas culture. 

It seemed a little odd (to me) at the time that I should be attending a topless show with my parents and relatives. But it was a good and entertaining show. 

On Sunday, July 4, we drove home from during the evening hours and we took in the fireworks displays of the desert towns and the suburbs of Los Angeles along the way during the drive. 

Above, Nancy and Ronald Reagan arrive at the Hilton Plaza Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following month, I was in Kansas City, Missouri for the 1976 Republican National Convention. I was a Ronald Reagan delegate for California. The convention was held at the Kemper Arena. This was the convention in which President Gerald Ford won the GOP nomination over Reagan. 

Above, Kemper Arena, the venue of the 1976 GOP National Convention in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The California Delegation were housed at the Hilton Plaza Hotel. One day during convention week, I managed to take a snapshot of the Reagans arriving at the hotel for a meeting (above photo). 

It is amazing that I still vividly remember things from 50 years ago.

Ronald Reagan's March 31, 1976 Televised Address

Above, Ronald and Nancy Reagan during the 1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the 1976 presidential primary campaign, former Governor Ronald Reagan challenged President Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination for president.

During the campaign, the Reagan campaign floundered as it had not won a single primary until the North Carolina primary in March.

Following that win, Citizens for Reagan purchased a half hour of airtime for Reagan to address the American people on March 31, 1976. The North Carolina primary win and the address of March 31 gave the Reagan campaign a much-needed shot-in-the-arm and he went on to win most of the state primaries thereafter.

At the 1976 Republican National Convention at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, I was a California Reagan delegate. During the balloting,  Ford won with 1187 votes to 1070 votes for Reagan. He later lost to Jimmy Carter during the general election. 

Above, Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I came upon Reagan's March 31 televised address on YouTube. This was the first time I watched it since 1976, even though I did make an audio recording during the broadcast.

The address by Reagan in many respects applies today with what we're going through with Biden and the Democrats, especially with current problems with Russia, energy and the economy.

Here is the video of that address:

Remains Found: May Be Kara Kopetsky

Above, Jessica Runions (left) and Kara Kopetsky.

Nearly ten years ago, I began to follow the kidnapping and murder case of Kelsey Smith in Kansas after seeing reports about her kidnapping on Greta Van Susteren on Fox News.

At about the same time, another high school girl, Kara Kopetsky, went missing. Her case turned out to be unrelated to Kelsey Smith's case. Smith's killer is now sitting in prison. Since then, I have been following the Kopetsky case. Now there may be a big break in the case.

On Monday, two skulls had been found near a quarry. One, it turns out, is from another missing girl, Jessica Runions. Both women had been involved with the same man, although nine years apart.

Fox 4 in Kansas City reported yesterday:

CASS COUNTY, Mo. —  Two mothers, each facing the fear and grief of a daughter gone missing, now await answers from the FBI and Cass County investigators after two human skulls were found near each other in a wooded area near E. 233rd and State Route Y, south of Belton. 

The first human skull was found Monday evening by a mushroom hunter. As investigators brought in their teams and tools and searched a five-acre area, they found another human skull on Tuesday. After that, they contacted the families of Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions, two young women missing from the Kansas City area. Kara has been missing since 2007; Jessica since Sept. 2016. Kara was 17-years-old at the time of her disappearance; Jessica was 21 when she disappeared.

Although Jessica and Kara likely never knew each other, and although Jessica is about five years younger than Kara, there is something else they have in common; a man named Kylr Yust, 28. Jessica was acquainted with Yust, who was Kara's former boyfriend. Yust was questioned about their disappearances and while never charged in the disappearance of Kara Kopetsky, he was charged with 'knowingly burning' Jessica Runions' car, which was found set on fire near Bannister and Blue River Road. He pleaded not guilty and is currently in custody at the Jackson County Detention Center. His case has been sealed but his trial for the Class D 'knowingly burning' felony is scheduled for October 16, 2017.

Just a few hours ago, Fox 4 reported that one of the sets of remains found was identified as Jessica Runions.

CASS COUNTY, Mo. -- Investigators say that one of two sets of human remains found in Cass County are missing woman Jessica Runions, who hasn't been seen since September. The Jackson County Medical Examiner made the identification, and her family has been notified. 

Police were previously investigating her case as a disappearance, and it's now been classified as a homicide. 

Two human skulls were found near each other in a wooded area around E. 233rd and State Route Y, south of Belton, earlier this week. The second set of remains hasn't been identified, though investigators think they may be Kara Kopetsky's, who has been missing since May of 2007.

Considering the similarities of the two cases and their ties to Kylr Yust, I would be very surprised if the second set of remains aren't Kara Kopetsky's. If enough teeth and other bones are found and how intact they are, positive identification could come relatively soon or up to a year.

Kemper Arena Now

Above, Kemper Arena today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In 1976, I was a California Delegate for former Governor Ronald Reagan at the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The contenders for the Republican presidential nomination were President Gerald R. Ford and Reagan.

Above, the Reagans arrive at the Hilton Plaza Inn during the
1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The convention was held at Kemper Arena. This was the first GOP national convention I attended as a member of the California Delegation. I later attended the 1980 and 1984 GOP national conventions as a member of the California Delegation.

Ultimately, President Ford won the nomination against Reagan, but went on to lose the general election against Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.

During my return trip from Metropolis, Illinois this month, the route I took had me in Kansas City, Missouri. While there, I decided to stop and take a look at Kemper Arena. This was my first visit to Kansas City, Missouri since 1976.

1979, the arena's roof collapsed due to a design flaw and structural failure. The arena was repaired and reopened within a year. Fortunately, nobody was killed. Recently, it was proposed to tear down the underused arena, but those plans have been withdrawn.

The arena still looks the same to me, 40 years later and after the 1979 roof collapse.

An Inconvenience

Above, The Beast at Deer Creek Valley RV Park in Topeka, Kansas. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A little mishap occurred yesterday in St. Louis.

After I had gotten off the freeway downtown, I had to swerve a to the left. In my way was a traffic island. Normally, curbs are rounded, but this one had a sharp corner.

Well, that sharp corner sliced my driver's side front tire and rear driver's side outside tire. Both were torn up beyond repair. I had to get new tires.

I contacted Auto Club for a tow, but my premium RV coverage covers tows on a reimbursement basis. Plus, I would have had to pay an additional $130/hour (for 3 hours they said) for a shop-to-shop tow.

Luckily, I found a local tire dealer who does remote tire repair/replacement for RVs. The tires and all cost me almost $500. That put a major crimp in my pocket money and checking account. That left me with a bit over $350. Well, it could have been worse. As it was, it was just tires.

So, I contacted my bank and asked for an emergency money transfer from my investment account to my checking account. At first, they said the earliest I would have the money is Tuesday. Then "maybe" Monday. Then, I was contacted by the main customer service department and arrangments are being made for a transfer to be completed, hopefully, today. Until it does, I don't have enough money on hand for fuel to get home. So, I am sitting tight in Kansas.

Luckily, I have enough food provisions to last me a week. I went shopping in Springfield, Illinois and stocked up on food. I spent last night in a rest area to save some cash. But, I still need to be able to fill up my water tank other things. I found a nice RV park in Topeka, Kansas, the Deer Creek Valley RV Park. With my AAA or Good Sam discount, the night's stay is only $39.60. If necessary, I can stay here to Monday.

Soon after I registered, I made use of their hot showers.

This is just an inconvenience and the net effect is that my vacation will just be extended a few more days before I can begin heading into Colorado and, later, Arizona and have fun again.

Above, Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missiouri. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before heading to Topeka, I took a drive to Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, the site of the 1976 Republican National Convention, the first convention I attended. That was the contest between President Gerald Ford and Gov. Ronald Reagan. I was a California Reagan Delegate. The place looked pretty much the same.


UPDATE: I heard from the bank and the earliest I can get the transfer completed is on Monday. It is because today is the Veteran's Day holiday. That's okay, I am comfortable where I'm at.

Suspect May Have Connection To Kopetsky Disappearance

Above, Kara Kopetsky has been missing since 2007.

The arrest of a man in connection with a missing Kansas City area woman may possibly shed new light on the nine-year disappearance of Kara Kopetsky.

The Kopetsky case came to my attention at the time of the kidnapping and murder of Kelsey Smith. Kopetsky disappeared just a few weeks prior to the Kelsey Smith kidnapping.

According to The News & Observer:

Investigators looking into the Missouri disappearances of a woman and a teenager nine years apart have taken bullets and other items from the home of a man considered a person of interest in at least one of the cases, court records show. 

Kylr Yust was returned to Kansas City on Wednesday to face a charge that he knowingly burned 21-year-old Jessica Runions' vehicle. The woman from the Kansas City suburb of Raymore was last seen leaving a party Thursday night. 

Yust, who turned 28 on Wednesday, had been jailed in Benton County, southeast of Kansas City, since his arrest Sunday.

It will be interesting see if evidence is found connecting Yust with the Kopetsky disappearance. Could this be the break the police have been looking for?

Read more here.

More Trip Planning

Above, the KOA Kampground Directory. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I spent about 2 1/2 hours in The Beast going through my route for my trip to Metropolis, Illinois and seeing what campground and RV parks are available along the way. Thank goodness the temperatures were only in the 70s yesterday, so I was comfortable.

For the most part, I will be taking the Interstates to and from Metropolis. I did notice one error I made. I took Springfield, Missouri for Springfield, Illinois when I was going plotting the route. (I guess I need new reading glasses.) The border lines weren't clearly shown on the map I was using.

But it is no problem. I will head to Springfield, Illinois from Memphis, Tennessee after I leave Metropolis. In the scheme of things, Springfield isn't that far from Memphis. I can reach Springfield from Memphis in a day. Memphis is only about 3 hours from Metropolis.

From Springfield, I can head west, go though St. Louis and Kansas City.

The trip over to Metropolis from Los Angeles will be along Interstate 40 for the most part. The trip back to L.A. will be along Interstate 70 to Colorado. I hope the weather cooperates during this trip.

I am trying to confine my driving to Metropolis to around 400 miles/day. Selecting a campground or RV park is contingent upon whether or not they are still open. Most of the campgrounds along the way are KOA Kampgrounds (I can use my KOA Value Kard points that I've racked up). Some campgrounds, I have found are closed for the season, usually on October 31. So, I had to find ones that are open all year. I also used my Good Sam Campground Directory for finding campgrounds.

Unless I see something interesting to stop at, or need a break, the only attraction stop en route to Metropolis I will be making is Meteor Crater, Arizona. Meteor Crater always makes me think of the 1953 science-fiction classic movie, It Came From Outer Space. The only things missing at the stop would be Theremin music and glistening "snail trails". I'll have to remember to bring the DVD along!

Above, the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the way home from Metropolis, as I mentioned above, will be some "meandering" to Memphis and Springfield. The pace of the trip home will be more leisurely. Then, I will head west along I-70 with stops in Kansas City, the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, Montrose (Colorado), Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon National Park.

It should be an interesting trip. It will take roughly two weeks to complete. Since I am retired, I am in no hurry. I was surprised that finding campgrounds along the route took 2 1/2 hours. At least it kept me busy.

1976: When Reagan Almost Won

Above, Nancy and Ronald Reagan arrive for a meeting at the Hilton Plaza Hotel during the
1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you think this year's GOP presidential primary contest has been contentious, take a look back at the 1976 Republican National Convention. It is hard to believe that was 40 years ago.

It was my first national convention. I attended as a Ronald Reagan delegate from California at the ripe old age of 22. I also attended the next two Republican national conventions, but the 1976 one was the most exciting.

The Daily Signal has posted an article on the 1976 Republican National Convention.

They begin it with:

The magic number needed to capture the Republican presidential nomination in 1976 was 1,130 delegates, and Ronald Reagan was oh so close as the national convention prepared to convene. 

After losing six straight primaries to President Gerald Ford early in the year, Reagan had come roaring back, attacking Ford for his weak foreign policy and deficit spending and winning the crucial North Carolina primary with help from Sen. Jesse Helms. Reagan achieved a political resurrection and posed the most serious challenge to an incumbent Republican president since 1912 when Theodore Roosevelt had taken on William Howard Taft.

To read more, go here. 

GOP National Conventions

The Republican National Convention will be held next week (Monday-Thursday) in Tampa, Florida.

It appears that the tropical storm/hurricane will just skirt Tampa. So things should go well, one hopes.

Above, Ronald and Nancy Reagan arrive at the Hilton Plaza Inn during the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Each time the GOP National Convention is held, it reminds me of the times I was a California Delegate for Ronald Reagan.  Do I miss going?  You bet!

My first was in 1976 in Kansas City, Missouri when Reagan challenged President Gerald R. Ford for the nomination. Reagan barely lost, but it was a memorable convention (it was probably the last time a presidential nomination came down to the wire at a national convention).

My next national convention was in 1980 in Detroit, Michigan. Reagan won the nomination before the convention, so all there was to do is go through the formalities and nominate a vice-presidential candidate. Reagan decided on George Herbert Walker Bush.

Above, a welcome home rally after the 1980 GOP National Convention at LAX for the Reagans. Flanking them are Johnny Grant and Hugh O'Brien.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As we were just across the Detroit River from Windsor, Canada, we rented a car and drove under the river into Windsor. We toured Fort Malden while there.

We also toured the General Motors X-car assembly plant. What I saw there made me decide not to buy an American car. Two weeks later, I bought a Toyota pick-up truck.

My last national convention (as a member of the California Delegation) was in Dallas, Texas in 1984. This was to re-nominate Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. While there, I attended a bar-b-que at the H. L. Hunt Estate (in 112 degree heat) and went over to Dealey Plaza, where President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

My daughter Amber and I did go to San Diego for the 1996 Republican National Convention. We didn't get any passes for the convention itself, but managed to get some souvenir campaign buttons.

Next week's GOP National Convention will be Florida's first since the 1972 Democratic and Republican National Conventions in Miami.

It will be fun to watch.

Reagan Bumperstickers

For something to do, I was going through some of my political collection and came upon a bunch of Ronald Reagan presidential campaign bumper stickers. (It is amazing what stuff one accumulates over the years!)

Back in 1976, when Reagan ran against President Gerald Ford for the GOP nomination at the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, I was an area chairman for the Citizens For Reagan campaign. Once the primary campaign was over, I served as a California Reagan delegate to the national convention.

Right, actor Michael Landon joins former Governor Reagan at a private reception on the night of the 1980 California Primary at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In 1980 and 1984, I also served as a Reagan campaign area chairman and attended the 1980 GOP National Convention in Detroit, Michigan as a California delegate. I also attended the 1984 GOP National Convention as a Reagan California alternate delegate in Dallas, Texas.

In those roles, I received shipments of campaign materials from the national campaign headquarters. These are some of the "leftovers." I am going by memory (which may be a little faulty) on what years and when they were used.

Repubican groups and individuals independent of the official Reagan campaigns would also produce bumperstickers.

1976

Above, the official Citizens For Reagan bumpersticker for the 1976 primary campaign.

1980

Above, several bumperstickers were issued during the 1980 primpary campaign. The bottom one may be from the 1984 general campaign (didn't I say I was going by memory?).

Above, more from the 1980 primary campaign.

Above, the top sticker is definitely from the 1980 general election campaign. The one in the middle was a metallic sticker produced by the Young Overseas Americans for Reagan and Friends, an "independent voluntary work group." They were based in New Mexico. The sticker was printed in Hong Kong.

Above, these are from the 1980 general election campaign.

1984

Above, this 1984 Reagan-Bush sticker is the the large one issued by the campaign. It is longer than the scanner bed so some of the image's edges were cut off.

Above, this 1984 Reagan-Bush sticker is the smaller of the two and was able to fit within the scanner bed.

Above, the top two stickers were produced in 1984 by an organization called Freedom's Ring. The bottom one was produced by the California Republican Party.

Remembering Lyn Nofziger

It is hard to believe it is almost five years (March 27, 2006) since Ronald Reagan aide Lyn Nofziger passed away.

Matt Lewis & The News posted a tribute to Nofziger today in commemoration.

In it, Lewis wrote:

Nofziger, the rumpled old reporter turned Reagan aide, was the man who addressed the press – and kept Americans calm – after the assassination attempt on President Reagan (Reagan’s press secretary, James Brady, was shot in the attempt).

I remember those times. I also sent Nofziger a letter thanking him for the job he did during those hectic hours following the shooting of President Reagan. Somewhere in my file cabinet, I have the reply letter from Nofziger (on White House stationery) thanking me for mine.

Lewis posted a collection (or, "greatest hits" as Lewis called them) of Nofziger's quotes in his article.

There is one Nofziger "greatest hit" that I witnessed and remember with fondness.

It happened during the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri when former Governor Reagan challenged President Gerald Ford for the GOP presidential nomination. Every morning during the convention, the California Delegation (I was a California Delegate at age 22) would hold a delegation meeting for strategy and information from the officials of the Citizens For Reagan campaign as we were the home delegation for Reagan.

Above, Ronald Reagan with the California Delegation at the 1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At one meeting, Nofziger was addressing the delegation and during the question and answer portion, he was asked, "What should our demeanor be towards the Ford people?"

Without missing a beat, Nofziger replied, "Da meaner, da better!" The whole delegation broke out in laughter.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/03/25/lyn-nofziger-a-reagan-aide-remembered/#ixzz1HeeIb7a7