Our featured presentation this month will be given by Dry Dredgers Vice President Rich Fuchs. His program will focus on the widespread scolecodont fossils from this area and is titled, Scolecodont Apparatuses. Scolecodonts are the tiny black aggressive tooth-like structures we find and should not be confused with conodonts (even smaller amber colored tooth-like fossils). Usually, we find isolated scolecodonts but, in the living animal, they would have been arranged in groups termed an “apparatus.” Rich will clarify all of this in his talk.
Rich is a native Cincinnatian who grew up on the West Side. He is a graduate of Roger Bacon High School and earned both a BS and MS in chemistry from Xavier University. Rich taught high school science and math for forty-two years, first at Roger Bacon and then at La Salle. This involved mainly chemistry; but it also included physics, astronomy, and earth science at times. He even taught math, from basic algebra to college level calculus.
Rich collected rocks from an early age, becoming interested in fossils in the late 1970’s. Shortly thereafter he joined the Dry Dredgers as a result of a suggestion from Dr. Richard Davis and a visit to the Gem and Mineral Show. A forty-one year member, Rich is currently the vice-president and program chairman
Rich is a 22 year volunteer at the museum center in paleontology with the past 20 years being spent a the Geier Collections and Research Center. He was doing work for Nigel Hughes and Colin Sumrall even before becoming an official volunteer.
While Rich has been known to pick up a crinoid or trilobite, his passions are scolecodonts, graptolites, and trace fossils.
DATE: Friday, September 22, 2023
PLACE:
Room 201 Braunstein Hall
University of Cincinnati Clifton Campus
SIMULCAST: via Zoom - Link sent no
later than September 20th
We held our annual elections at our May meeting. All current officers were re-elected: Jack Kallmeyer, President; Rich Fuchs, Vice President; Jessica Kastigar, Treasurer; and Endia Crabtree, Secretary. All committee chairs have retained their positions.
We managed to simulcast the May meeting on Zoom despite equipment failure in our meeting room. When we tried to start our main program with Michael Sandy we found the AV system in our room would not work. We had to move the entire meeting upstairs to the Beginner’s Class room to complete the meeting.
If you thought the situation at UC couldn’t possibly get worse for the Dry Dredgers, wait until 2026. Hot off the news wire are UC’s plans to tear down Crosley Tower (the big ugly cement tower across from where we meet. Not only that, but they plan to demolish the Clifton Court garage where we park. This won’t start until 2026 so we are good for now.
We lost a loyal member since we last met. Mary Kolstedt passed away after our last meeting. Zoom attendees will remember Mary as the lady using a view of local strata as a virtual background.
We are still asking that members attending in person wear a mask. Most people have complied but we still see people ignoring our request. Remember that masks are primarily to protect others from you, not you from others. Even if you think you are immune for whatever reason, we still strongly suggest that you wear a mask to protect others. Some of our members who attend these meetings are in high risk groups (including me) so please be courteous and sensitive to their situation. Vaccination is also highly recommended. If you forgot your mask we have a limited number of free ones at the front of the room.
The Beginners Class will be conducted from 7:15 PM to 8:00 PM on September 22nd. It will be held before the general meeting in room 300 in Braunstein Hall on UC campus. That's one floor up from the main meeting. This month's class will be presented by Greg Courtney. Greg will be showing a slide show Facebook album on how to fossil hunt along with an introduction to Ordovician sea life. The class will be in-person only, no remote Zoom.
On Saturday, September 23rd, we will meet with our friends from the Kentucky Paleontological Society for some good food – followed by fossil collecting. This will be the first time in several years we have been able to get together, and the Dry Dredgers will be hosting this event.
We will meet at 10 am for a picnic at a park in Ohio.
Directions to the park and spot where we are meeting can be found in the full E-Bulletin that was emailed to dues-paying members. It is also found in the members-only area of the website. Not a member? Here's how to join - http://drydredgers.org/register.htm
This location is known for cephalopods, large brachiopods, and – downstream from
the blue shale – trilobites. This is a “rain or shine” outing, so plan
accordingly. Hiking boots recommended for the area along and in the creek. Mark
your calendar now – and we will see you there!
More interesting and informative information, along with color illustrations is available in the full E-Bulletin that was emailed to dues-paying members. It is also found in the members-only area of the website. Not a member? Here's how to join - http://drydredgers.org/register.htm
The Dry Dredgers and individual contributors reserve the
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reproduce in any fashion, must be requested in writing to admin@drydredgers.org
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www.drydredgers.org is designed and maintained by Bill Heimbrock.