Free Republic

Stones' keyboardist wins Bush environment award By John Helprin Associated Press October 5, 2005 WASHINGTON -- The Rolling Stones' keyboardist has carved out a new role as the Bush administration's idea of the model conservationist. Chuck Leavell took time from the Stones' "A Bigger Bang" world tour to meet Tuesday with Interior Secretary Gale Norton, a day after playing the MCI Center. He and his wife, Rose Lane, were named "Outstanding Citizen Stewards" for their tree farming near Macon, Ga. Advertisement For him, it's only forests, family and rock and roll. "Her family has been connected to the land for...

SALEM - Grant Wheeler wants to add a second shift to his Reedsport hardwood sawmill, his Westwood Lumber Co. remanufacturing plant in Junction City and his planing mill in Saginaw. But a shortage of the alder sawlogs that Wheeler converts into Fender guitar bodies, Purdy paintbrush blanks and parts for kitchen cabinets will keep employment at the three facilities hovering at 135 workers. At least in the short term. "If I had more logs, I would add more employees," Wheeler said. "The market is there." To get those logs, Wheeler and other independent sawmill operators are taking the unusual route...