While the Representative was enjoying a day fishing on the lake with his girlfriend and cousin, they observed a man and woman being thrown from their power-boat. As the group watched in horror, the boat ran over the man and also injured the woman. Immediately, Representative Olson and his boat mates raced to the scene and threw them both flotation devices while 911 was called.
DWC continues the story in the Honorable Representative Olson's own words:
The boat was stuck half throttle, going in circles with a lab on the front bow. I pulled the man into the boat and he looked shark-bit on his back from the prop. We towed the woman to shore and two women helped them onto the dock. 911 had been alerted and the Conservation Officer called my cell. I had him meet me in front of the Grandview.
He rode with me to the boat that was still circling in the middle of the lake and after a couple of rotations, we came along side it and he jumped in and safely returned the boat to the dock with the two injured boaters and the cabin owners.
They were taken to the hospital and treated.. I don’t know their condition. They were 15 minutes into their first date! I drove the man’s boat over to Mars Beach loaded it on his trailer and delivered it to a friend of his, while he was being treated.
Evidently the local media all missed this one: neither KJAM nor MDL online or print versions carry any mention of this newsworthy rescue.
I can't help feeling a little disappointed that the good representative handed the scoop (I assume personal communication, PP?) to the out-of-town media before giving his own local media market/constituents a chance to revel in the story. But Mrs. Madville Times and I can take pleasure in knowing that the unfortunate boating couple has survived this frightening accident (and the algae) to enjoy a second date. "Ten bucks says they'll get married," opines the ever-romantic Mrs. Madville Times about the first-daters.
Crazy that other outlets missed that heroic tale. Regardless of what local celebrity was involved, I would think a blip of some sort on the boating accident would be a wise reminder on boating safety at the height of the summer season (and, as Mrs. Madville Times suggests, perhaps a cute story on the beginning of a beautiful romance?). Surely the regular journalistic check of the 911 responses this weekend would have yielded that info.
ReplyDeleteI guess on state representative boating rescues, that's blogosphere 1, mainstream media 0.
p.s. -- "While the Madville times writes about algae on Lake Herman, there’s a bit more that went on in his neck of the woods yesterday ..." -- is that a dig at MT, or am I unfairly detecting malice in SDWC?
Good perspective, twu, on what an easy story this should be for the mainstream media (with which you are indeed well acquainted!). I ran for the paper expecting exactly what you outlined, but nada!
ReplyDeletep.s.: "a dig at MT"?! Perish the thought! SDWC wouldn't hurt a fly... especially not a gadfly that has invited him over for the 4th of July.