Long Lost Postcard

Deland, Fla. Talk about getting lost in the mail. A postcard sent from a Florida home to a man in Riverside, California, was returned this week with a “return to sender” stamp — and its 1956 postmark.

Mack McCormick didn’t send the postcard, but he lives in the home where the postcard originated. It was delivered to his mailbox Monday. McCormick tracked down the author of the note, 64-year-old George Hitz, who now lives in Massachusetts. Hitz, a former ham radio operator, included his age on the postcard and information about a radio contact he made in 1956 with someone he called “Chief Operator Dave.” Postal officials say no street address was included for Dave, which may explain why the postcard wasn’t delivered. They guess the card made it to California and was rediscovered recently by someone who dropped it back in the mail.

A Disorderly House:

If you’re thinking about throwing a party, make sure you can keep it under control. Otherwise, you might find yourself behind bars, for “maintaining a disorderly house.” This is the case of a 21-year-old Nebraska man, at least, is now serving a 30-day jail sentence because of a wild party.

According to a story in the Lincoln Journal Star, Mike Herchenbach wasn’t even there when the party was raided by local police, but that didn’t stop Lancaster County Court Judge Gale Pokorny from slapping him with both a fine and some time at the Lancaster Correctional Facility. The house party happened while he was out of town visiting his parents, and his two housemates were entertaining the 170 or so beer-guzzlers, with the tunes cranked up to 11 p.m. But since Herchenbach is the one whose name is on the rental lease, he was held responsible for all activities.

Now he is apparently serving his sentence, watching drunk drivers, and other social menaces pass through in less than half the time serving their sentences. “I think Pokorny wanted to make an example of someone,” he is quoted as saying, “and I just happened to be in the courtroom on the wrong day I think.” The two housemates who were actually at the party both got off with fines.