A Fowl Rumor Lays An Egg

By Ken DeLaat

Ahh... Rumors
Nothing stokes the pages of local social media groups like a good juicy rumor.
This week’s favorite? There was a recent ad in the Hi Lites attempting to rally the citizenry in an all out battle to stop the possible proliferation of chickens in the city limits of Fremont.
Yes, chickens.

That’s trouble. With a capital T. and that  rhymes with C and that stands for Chickens! (apologies to Meredith Wilson).
The ad was in reference to a recent consideration by the Fremont City Council to allow backyard fowl for feather loving egg seekers.  The ad outlined the near catastrophic effect this would have on residents what with the noise and odor and such.
Think about it. It’s a huge issue and the leadership in the city was taking a big step in contemplating such a controversial change to the very fabric of the Fremont lifestyle.

The ad encouraged folks to talk to their council members and express their displeasure. 
We like that. We want people involved.
Except the rumor was totally and unequivocally false.
Not a shred of chat about chickens had occurred at any council meetings
None.

Council Member Lola Harmon Ramsey pointed out that the anonymous person who bought an ad  in the Hi-Lites to alert the town of this upcoming travesty was mistaken.
I’m thinking , perhaps Mayor Rynberg once referenced a chicken salad sandwich he had enjoyed at the Moon Dance Cafe but beyond that there seems to be no evidence of chicken talk at Council meetings.

Which reminds me…
Years ago I was interviewing Dan Gerber who was in town for a poetry reading. We spoke of his younger years in Fremont and he said with a smile,“My Dad used to say ‘Not much happens in a small town but it sure doesn’t keep people from talking about it’.”

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