Terry and Kim Kovel
King Features Syndicate
St. Patrickâs Day is celebrated each year on March 17 in the United States, but collectors found few postcards, greeting cards or objects to collect before 1900. The first St. Patrickâs Day parade is said to have taken place in 1601 in St. Augustine, Florida. But a major event is the New York City parade, which started in 1762.
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Roman Britain and kidnapped in the late fourth century, when he was 14 years old. He was taken to Ireland as a slave, but he escaped in 431 A.D. and converted the Irish to Christianity. Parties, dances, drinking and celebrations started about 1600, and the observance has grown into an important celebration not only in Ireland but also in the U.S.
In the spirit of St. Patrickâs Day, 100 lucky leprechauns have taken over downtown Valdese.
From March 10-17, 100 leprechauns will be hidden along Main Street in Valdese, between Italy and Praley streets. These leprechauns will be approximately 8 inches tall, and dressed in green.
Those lucky enough to find a leprechaun can exchange it at the Old Rock School for a special pot of gold. Prizes can be collected during regular office hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by calling 828-879-2129.
The Town of Valdese asks that leprechaun hunters be ages 3-15 and limit one prize per child so that many hunters will have a chance to find a leprechaun. Leprechauns will not be hidden inside, only outside in public areas of downtown. Clues for finding those sneaky visitors in green will be provided on the Town of Valdese Facebook Page (facebook.com/valdesenc).
Advertisement
American Gods has
wandered away somewhat from the “Coming To America” stories since the first season, but this week, the series returns to the concept, though not entirely from the usual angle. This week’s god, Tu’er Shen (Daniel Jun), known as the rabbit god and the deity of same-sex love in China, has already been in America for 100 years when we meet him in 1951. He’s on the run and given shelter at the Grand Peacock Inn by its transgender proprietor, Toni (Dana Aliya Levinson), who recognizes one of the cops chasing him as a closet case from her past life. As a thank you, Tu’er Shen blesses the inn as his new temple, declaring it will run for decades to come. And lo, it still stands today, as Laura and Salim pull up in their hearse.
Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 6 (ANI): Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the new research building 'Desikan Bhawan' equipped with a new COVID-19 diagnostic facility at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s National Jalma Institue for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases (NJIL-OMD) in Agra.