Recommendations/Awards and Media
Seahorse, Getaguru Tarpon Springs 11.01
Thanks for sending the article and for all of your correspondence that has kept me completely up to date every step of the way. I apologize because I don't think I replied to your last note even though i fully intended to. I LOVE the things you wrote-you are indeed 'She of all things pithy' you are a wonderful
writer and thorough examiner.
You as well as your group have done an impressive job in your coverage of this story/ghost hunt. I haven't seen any on television presentations that are anymore professional that you all. You should do your own show. Have you ever thought about it?
All in all I have to say that this has been a really wonderful experience and I thank-you all for doing this.
The photos as well are excellent.
I now have your site bookmarked so that now I can keep up with all of your
investigations :-)
All the best,
eleni
The SPIRITS of St. Petersburg
www.spiritsofstpetersburg.com
tbspirits@netscape.net
The S.P.I.R.I.T.S. of St. Petersburg organization was established in 2000. This ghost investigation group is a voluntary organization that investigates local paranormal activity within west central Florida. There are no charges for our services.
A typical investigation takes approximately 3 hours to complete. A secondary 1-hour visit may be made to the premises to compare images and attempt to duplicate results. Visits are scheduled according to the property-owner’s schedule, as well as the date and time when the most SPIRITS members may attend.
The SPIRITS attempt scientific, psi-sensitive, and historical research on a location. We do not perform exorcisms, endorse occult techniques, nor are we demonologists. We approach investigations with respect for both the living and the potential entities on location.
SPIRITS outreach:
2001: October: Interviewed by a number of local media, including Channel 8, Tampa Educational Channel (channel 18), The Carrollwood News, WUSF 88.9, and Thunder 103.5. October 2001: The SPIRITS also hosted a successful “Ghost Hunting 101” seminar.
2002: (January) The SPIRITS web site won a “Haunted Places Report Website of the Month Award”. (September) the site won additional awards from www.sunflowerstar.com, the Spirit Searchers website and Dixieland X-Files site. (April) We received an award from "Winter Steel's" MISTS site in the category of informative paranormal sites.
(July) The team experienced its first out of state interview with the Simmons Media Group of Albuquerque, New Mexico. (August) We featured an education and artistic show entitled “Spiritual Encounters.” Images from paranormal investigations were presented. Some images contained anomalies, false positives, potential paranormal activity, or were aesthetic or unusual images taken through our investigative procedures. (October) We were the feature for Channel 13 news. We also served as feature articles for the Tampa Tribune “Baylife” section and Imago Magazine. Suncoast News did an article on one of our investigations in Tarpon Springs. The Weekly Planet included our public investigation into the entity at Tampa Theater in their ghostly articles. Channel 10 asked us to do a one-hour ghost investigation and report our findings live on air. The radio station 100.7 also called and interviewed the team about our Haslam’s investigation.
2003: (October) The SPIRITS were interviewed by "Entertainment and the Arts” on WTAN 1340 in Clearwater and WZHR 1400 in New Tampa, Florida. We were featured on channel 10 segments about the Tampa Theater, WB38, and WUSF radio (89.7 fm).
2004: The group was featured twice on “Entertainment and the Arts” on WTAN. Brandy Stark spoke on behalf of the SPIRITS to the Sunshine chapter of the Kiwanis group. She also was invited to speak to the Brandeis University Women’s Committee. (October) She was also an invited guest speaker (“History of Ghosts” and “Ghosts of Tampa Bay) to the 2004 Necronomicon Convention.
2005: (August) Brandy started to work with Downtown St. Petersburg Ghost Tours as a tour guide. (October) The SPIRITS starred as feature articles for “Tampa Bay Times” (*TBT) for Hallowe’en and the University of South Florida paper, The Crow’s Nest. She was also invited to speak about ghosts at the St. Petersburg History Museum and The St. Pete Beach Library. Brandy Stark was invited as a guest to represent the SPIRITS on “Magic Mind Radio”, and “Entertainment and the Arts.” (March) Brandy and the SPIRITS were the featured guests for “Coast to Coast.”
2006: (July): Brandy of the SPIRITS was featured in a WUSF (University of South Florida) televised documentary on ghosts in the Tampa Bay area, which aired July 17. Brandy Stark represented the SPIRITS on the Lou Gentile show July 27. (October) Brandy spoke on local ghost stories on Arts and Entertainment Oct. 29. The SPIRITS of St. Petersburg also featured their spin-off website The Urban Legends Page, which was the featured article in the October 9 edition of Creative Loafing. The SPIRITS were also featured on Channel 10 for two segments, and on Hallowe’en day Brandy was invited to speak on the Channel 10 Morning Show at 10, the Cathy Fountain Show n Channel 13, and Magick Mind Radio Show. Sterling Powell’s CitiLife St. Petersburg featured a full-length article on local haunted activity written by Brandy Stark, also citing the SPIRITS site and the Downtown Ghost Tours. (December: organizational presentation; radio interview Dec. 27).
In addition, the team is featured on the Shadowlands web site (http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/)
(Our link: http://atwork.ghosthunting101.com/stpeters.htm)
One SPIRITS member, Brandy Stark, won Second Place in the Horrorfind.com ghost photo contest. Her entry was judged on paranormal probability, among other criteria. The winning entry is posted at: http://www.horrorfind.com/contest/ghostcontest.html
Articles featuring the SPIRITS ghosts hunts are also published in the following periodicals:
The Haunted Places Report, an internationally read this newsletter. The Report currently goes out weekly, via email, to over 1200 subscribers and multi media groups. It's related website "Haunted-Places.com" has over 500 visitors each day. (http://www.topica.com/lists/HauntedPlaces
And: http://www.tristateghosts.homestead.com/)
The SPIRITS web site which includes individual teammates’ reports, pictures, and published articles: http://centralflghosts.homestead.com/home.html
The E-Zine, Psychic-tymes.com (www.psychic-tymes.com), features articles about the SPIRITS’ hunts, as well as historical and academic essays about the evolving role of ghosts through ancient history written by Brandy Stark, with references spanning the Roman Empire to the Enlightenment.
Individual members host their own interest in the paranormal.
Brandy Stark hosts several of her own web sites, including the multi-award winning Paranormal Pugs Page, a site specializing in pug-oriented ghost stories.
http://starkimages.homestead.com/paranormalpugspage.html
The multi-award winning paranormal site, Ghostly Images, features Brandy Stark's own individual ghostly and unusual experiences. It can be located at: http://starkimages.homestead.com/ghostlyimages.html
Thank you for your time. If you have any questions, please contact us at:
tbspirits@netscape.net
12.11.06
Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 21:54:55 -0500
Subject: Re: Topics and Content for Presentations
Hi Brandy,
Attached is one of the original messages we exchanged in setting up the Meeting. This allows me a bit of nostalgiafrom humble beginnings great things come.
I was very pleased with the meeting. It proved to be exactly the kind of give and take and moments of discovery that make all the effort worth while. I am very pleased with what WE ALL ACCOMPLISHED.
A show and tell session which included camera and video images gleaned by The SPIRITS from their ghost hunts and pictures and stories brought by memebers of the audience developed into a stimulating group discussion and exchange of ideas about ghosts the novel light images presented.
Many thanks again for the time and effort you and your team put in on this project and I look forward to hearing about your future shoots.
Sincerely,
David M. Ring
Oct 6, 2005: Magic Mind Radio Interview with Brandy Stark, 5 - 6 p.m., Florida time! (Archived on site for future listeners -- so please check it out!)
3/2/04
From : <bmartin11@tampabay.rr.com>
Sent : Tuesday, March 2, 2004 1:16 PM
This week on "Entertainment and the Arts" we are starting with the wrap up of last week's remote show broadcast live from Clearwater's oldest building, the Royalty Theatre, which is believed to be inhabited by ghosts. If you joined us last week, you know we had some very interesting and unexplained experiences.
Visit the "S.P.I.R.I.T.S. of St. Petersburg" (Servicing Paranormal Investigators Reporting Information Through Study) website to see several of the photos, including one Ginny took with her digital camera. We were standing there still looking at the auditorium seats, NOT SEEING the image which was CLEARLY VISIBLE on the picture she had just taken!
December 21, 2006:
Hello. I am a cofounder of GSI: Ghost Scene Investigation in Aurora, IL. We are a new group starting out and we are very much in the process of deciding how our teams will conduct investigations. As I'm sure you know, there are as many philosophies on how things should be run as there are groups. In a nutshell, we attended a meeting of a local group after visiting their web site. The meeting went well but we differed on some of our beliefs such as orbs and psychics. The group said during the meeting that they needed assistance in several areas like converting EVPs and video to be placed on the web. I offered my assistance then and Emailed them later with instructions on how to do both. It has now been over 2 months and we have not had a reply. Their web site has not been updated in close to a year and we get a strong feeling that they are more interested in running ghost tours (for money) than conducting actual investigations. We decided to take all of the energy we were prepared to put into their group and invest it into our own. This is where you come in. :-)
As I was looking at other sites on the web today I came across your site and in particular your
page on what to expect from an investigation. I really liked what I read. I am writing to ask permission to use a modified version of it. I have made some changes to reflect our group but overall it is yours. I didn't want to plagarize it without your permission. Below is my revised version. Also, if there are any changes that you like you are more than welcome to use them.
Thank you for your time.
Joe Willson
CoFounder GSI:
5/3/02To: Brandy Stark
Hi!
Congratulations! you are the Second Place winner in the HORRORFIND Ghost
Photo contest.
The prize you have won is "$25.00 and an AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF GHOSTS
AMONG US by Mollie Stewart".
We are shipping the prize to you today.
Thanks for entering and tell your fiends about us, new contests every
month.
Thanks,
Zombiechick
2/24/03
Wow- I'm so glad that you got such good pictures. If you ever want to go back again and take more pics, just let me know- I'll give you the keys. Personally, I think there is a heck of a lot of activity in the green bedroom.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!! to all of you for coming out and spending your time to do this. You've certainly given me quite a lot to think about. As well, you've answered SO many questions that I had. A lot of the strange things that were going on with me a couple of years ago.
All I know, is that since I've gotten away from that house in August- my life has improved all the way around. It's really a very oppressive atmosphere in there- and I finally feel like I can breathe again. I have no intentions of ever going back there. Perhaps I should just sell the place and be done with it.
Well, Good luck to all of you- You guys are awesome!! I can't wait to see the report.
"Phoebe" 7th Ave. N.
(below) The original SPIRITS image by Zubrova
SPIRITS members Susan (left) and Brandy (right) met Ernie Hudson, Winston, of the Ghost Busters at Dragoncon 2004. How exciting!
From: Haunted Hunters, Re: Interview -- Ghosts in Religion
Date: 11 Oct 2008, 02:20 AM
11 Oct 2008, 02:20 AMSubject: You so missed it...
You so missed it...Body: The show was awesome tonight, if you were unable to catch it live you can listen to the archived show at http://www. blogtalkradio. com/Haunted-Hunters/2008/10/11/Religion-and-the-Paranormal
The show was awesome tonight, if you were unable to catch it live you can listen to the archived show at http://www. blogtalkradio. com/Haunted-Hunters/2008/10/11/Religion-and-the-Paranormal 
PRESS RELEASE
DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS
EVER SEE ONE?
EVER HEAR ONE?
We have and we have the pictures and their voices to show you.
We are proud to announce a new DVD “Ghosts, Coast to Coast,” filled with our ghost pictures, stories, and voices collected by the country's best ghost investigators from coast to coast.
Your local ghost investigation groups has been selected as one of the best in the country and the evidence they collected during their ghost investigations are presented as part of this collection. They are the
Spirits of St. Petersburg, and they will be happy to show you their pictures and the ghost voices they have captured.
Ghosts are not only for Halloween! If you are interested in an interview, they will be happy to share them and talk with you about their “ghost experiences,”
SPIRITS of St. Petersburg's Brandy Stark in "Creative Loafing": (Oct. 24, 2008)
This will be in hard copy next week, I think.
Please don't attack me for my political views. I'm not asking you to agree or disagree. They asked me, personally, what my opinion was and this is it. I have really agonized over this election because, quite frankly, I'm not impressed with much of anything going on. But, I have to make a choice and these are the ones I have made.
These views do NOT represent the SPIRITS of St. Petersburg but my personal opinions. I am an educator and tend to lean towards what might be viewed as a liberal interpretation. I take elections SERIOUSLY and acknowledge that, as an American citizen, it is my right, duty, and privilege to vote. However, this is the first time I've been asked my political views for publication, and have been listed as a paranormal investigator to boot!
Dr. Heller phoned me, personally, and left a delightful message. He has posted the quote on his webpage:
www.voteheller.com- under the "News" section.
I am truly honored and thrilled. Incidentially, Dr. Heller is, again, a Florida state representative.
Thank you to Creative Loafing for this opportunity!
Tampa Tribune Article (2002): http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/opinion/comments/do_you_have_a_haunted_bay_area_tale/
SPIRITS Commercials, produced by Charles, 2008
The Adventures of Betty and Marge
Adventures of Betty and Marge 2
Fab Five
HELP
The SPIRITS send a special THANK YOU to the following for featuring our team:
2007:
The St. Petersburg Times (Heritage Inn, August).
102.5 (interview, September).
Centro Tampa (Centro Asturiano, above, October)
Channel 13 (Heritage Inn, Oct. 30, 31) (And the Heritage Inn for hosting our media events). To see video click here.
Arts and Entertainment (WTAN), Oct. 28, April 23
Boston radio channel, WTNN 94.5 FM (Oct. 31)
WUSF radio (Oct. 31).
Baynews 9 (Spanish): Oct. 31 (film on MySpace page)
2008:
Kari Stone Show: Jan. 5
Univision: Jan. 31
May 9
Mothership Connection, May 11, AM 1050 WLIP in Kenosha, WI. www.wlip.com (internet streaming)
June 6: Parahub Radio, Florida Ghost Gathering
July 13: Mothership Connection
Oct. 10: Haunted Hunters
Oct. 26: Entertainment and the Arts
Oct. 29: Creative Loafing: Political Whore
Oct. 28 - 29: Eckerd elderhostel program, Eckerd College
Oct. 31: Channel 10 (Studio 10)
Nov. 6: Extraordinary Paranormal Women
Brandy Featured in "Who's Who" in the March 22, 2009 edition of "Haunted Places Report"
The Edition:
The Haunted-Places Report
"Some things exist whether you believe in them or not!"
Founded by: Dennis William Hauck
Edited by: Ronald E. Beach
Email: Editor
Website: Haunted-Places
March 22, 2009
Letters to the Editor
We ran this letter last week but I promised Barry that it would appear in several issues to ensure a good response...
Since the success of our earlier A&E (Biography Channel) broadcast of "My Ghost Story" last fall, we are now doing a 1-hour sequel to air later this spring or early summer. We're looking to license actual paranormal footage or dramatic photos that illustrate ghostly activity. If selected, the owners of such materials would in all likelihood be flown to Los Angeles to tell their stories on film.
Best Regards
Barry Conrad
All inquiries should be addressed to:
Website: World of the Unknown
or
Email at: Barry Conrad
************
A bit of news: I am the new host of Paranormal Pets Radio podcast via Pet Life Radio. Dusty Rainbolt will do a once-a-month show and I'll be doing the others. If anyone has a good paranormal animal story -- anything BUT animal communicators and astrology -- please let me know! Also, please keep stories "clean" -- no animal abuse stories. I have already done interviews on the Florida Big Foot (crypto) and ghost pets. I have an interview lined up for pet reincarnation stories, and a few other stories in mind, but am always on the lookout. To review the show, please go to the SPIRITS website and scroll down. A widget to the archives is on the SPIRITS page to the bottom right hand side. Clicking on it should bring listeners to the archives. I am one of the interviewees and my topic is on Paranormal Pugs (regarding my website: Paranormal Pugs Page .
Thank you for your time!
Brandy Stark
Website: Spirits of St. Petersburg
Email: tbspirits
Announcements
Looking for a way to promote your ghost related product or your paranormal investigation group? How about using The Haunted-Places Report?
The Haunted-Report reaches over 2,000 people worldwide each week. For the low cost of $10 your product or group will be featured in each issue for a month. This rate includes any photo that you might want included with your ad.
For more information contact Ron at: Editor
Book Review
Be sure to check next week for a review of "Dayton Ghosts" written by my good friend Karen Laven and published by Schiffer Books .
Featured Article
RichardA Few Words from Rich...
to all Paranormal Professionals
by: Richard L. Smith
Author, Paranormal Investigator, EVP Specialist,Webmaster for: ParaTexas
There is a growing trend towards presentation of psychic and ghost hunting type programs on television lately. Many of my associates, as well as myself, have been contacted and asked to interview for participation in these types of enterprises with the prized goal usually being a successful TV pilot for a series of shows. On a much more regular basis, we are being pummeled for personal interviews on radio and internet-based broadcasts, and personal speaking and TV appearances.
Results of this push towards TV productions and public exposure have in some cases been less than stellar. Many professionals in our field are reporting poorly planned and inadequately funded attempts by inexperienced production staff, resulting in a wave of wasted effort, time and resources. Furthermore, and potentially even worse, many have found that once into a filming sequence, producers can begin to mold and change the initial concept of programming until it conforms to an outdated "cookie cutter" re-hash of the same old "screaming-scary-ghost-story" mentality that has always been the reliable staple of Hollywood's portrayal of this subject matter. Of course, artistic license may be used in the performance of dramatic story telling, but the professional should be on guard that documentary material does not wind up being treated as fantasy.
We are pleased with the sincere opportunities that seem to be coming our way, but at the same time it is urgent that all professional psychics and paranormal investigators construct their own codes of standards and protocols for dealing with the media. Strict adherence to truth and principal, as well as constant management of so-called "skeptical opinion" are critical to the success of any paranormal "documentary" presentation. For instance, in many cases, a so called "skeptic" may be invited on a show (without the paranormal professional's knowledge or consent) to present an opinion even though he will not have studied for decades on the subject as has the paranormal professional . Usually the skeptics' procedure is merely to just call the professional a liar or ignorant individual with an overactive imagination. This is typical of the "cookie cutter" format used by TV for years.
Also, many skeptical arguments are hidden beneath the term "science"...but of course we who have worked in the field for years know full well that science does not usually document until the groundwork has been laid. Scientists can organize and define the paranormal once it has been described and shown to operate under repetitive demonstrations of theory, and the discovery process is exactly where we come in as explorers and pioneers In fact, there are many scientists with extraordinary credentials who are working diligently to demonstrate paranormal phenomena by criteria acceptable to the scientific community, but these scientists are usually shunned not only by the media, but by their scientific peers as well.
The only way to deal with this is to present your platform at the beginning of discussions with media types, make them sign contracts and agreements, and then adhere to your principals. Learn to say no, and then stick to it ! We all want to bring our discoveries to television...but if we can not maintain respect for the subject matter to which our names and reputations are attached , then our exposure will be short lived.
We are living in an astounding age...I have been communicating with identified spirits beyond the veil through EVP (electronics voice phenomena) for years now. This is not just random words received on occassion, but question and answer conversations back and forth recorded for all to hear, with a history of thousands of recorded messages. And yet, I have turned down countless interviews because the media intended to follow my interview with a statement by a skeptical preacher, scientist, or "professional skeptic" who has never given personal study time to the subject of EVP, and further hasn't the slightest desire to do so. This is not a fair or balanced presentation...the media will edit your words to make any point they care to...IF YOU LET THEM.
My message is simple and brief...learn how to legally control the end result of your media efforts....or pay the price of your impending professional obscurity and the death of a " TV trend" in a very short time.
Items of Interest
Hi, all! My first podcast hosting Paranormal Pets is up! Its a crypto episode. Please take a listen at: Pet Life Radio (it's about 30 minutes long).
Thanks,
BrandyStark
Florida Big Foot
This episode features guest Laurie Champion, a long-time paranormal investigator and cryptologist from west central Florida. She discusses her work investigating the Florida Big Foot, a gentle creature with human-like qualities. Ms. Champion shares several stories illustrating the behavior of the Big Foot and discusses current theories and research involving this crypto. Please join us for this unique insight into this Florida phenomenon which parallels accounts reported from across the world.
***********
Thanks to the creative work of artist David Jane and the good website work of Gary Gabelhouse , I am pleased to announce that the official "Exploring Unexplained Phenomena" radio program t-shirt is now for sale!
Your choice of a Hanes Beefy T heavyweight t-shirt in all sizes, and/or a Gilden Soft Style women's fashion top in all sizes.
To view the official "EUP" radio program t-shirt click here.
The shirt is black and the design will be in white ink.
Here's how to order so you'll get your t-shirt.
1) Go to T shirt, pick your shirt(s), pick your size(s) and click on the "Add to Cart" button, which will send your order through PayPal to me (Scott Colborn). You may buy as many shirts as you wish - give one or more as gifts !
2) You should receive your shirts in about 2 - 4 weeks or so.
After 24+ years.....our first official t-shirt !
It can be your very own shirt for a little coin of the realm. This is a really good quality shirt for guys or gals and will equal anything on the market. Get one, two or more today (you'll have a week to place your order but again do it now to avoid procrastination....).
Just in time for Spring! Be the first in your social circle to proudly wear the first-ever "EUP" t-shirt - a sure conversation starter.
All the best.
Walk in Beauty, Peace. Scott
Scott H. Colborn
Host of the ";Exploring Unexplained Phenomena" radio program ("EUP").
Saturdays 10 - 11:30 am Central Time, on KZUM 89.3 FM, Lincoln, NE.
Archived for listening and Pod-casting on Mikes-PC.
Who's Who in the World of the Paranormal
BRANDY STARK
Brandy Whos Who
Pictured: Brandy and Odyssey. Odyssey is also a "part time" member and the unofficial mascot of the SPIRITS and the Paranormal Pugs Page. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was supposed to die, had a miraculous healing via a Buddhist healing ceremony, and just turned 13 on Friday, Feb. 13, 2009.
Brandy Stark has had an interest in the paranormal world of ghosts since childhood. During her college, graduate, and post-graduate studies she has compiled and presented multiple papers on the role of ghosts in western religions dating from the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh through to modern times. She continues to research the role of ghosts in popular culture as expressed through modern humanities. Currently, she is a PhD candidate working on her doctoral dissertation for Barry University.
Ms. Stark has researched haunted phenomena in the greater Tampa Bay area for the past 12 years. In 2000, she co-founded a group of other paranormal enthusiasts, the SPIRITS of St. Petersburg, who continue to research reports of haunted phenomena. Recently, the group has expanded its interest into studying, researching, and proving or disproving local ghostly urban legends, compiling historic data on Native American areas, and creating lists of cemeteries alleged to be haunted.
Ms. Stark has been interviewed by the media, and was the featured guest on the nationally broadcast Coast to Coast in 2005. She is a regular guest on "Entertainment and the Arts" on WTAN 1340. Her paranormal websites have also won multiple awards. Currently, she is also co-hosting the Paranormal Pets Radio podcast via petliferadio.com.
Brandy states that "I don't really see the dead but through my interaction on over 400 investigations in 12 years, I have had enough contact to believe that there is something else out there, about 20 - 25 cases stand out. One of my first non-investigation contacts was with my grandmother on the night she died,smell of flowers, sense of extreme serentity. I knew that she died, I knew she was OK. Four hours later I was told about her death".
In addition to her interest in the paranormal, Ms. Stark teaches classes in both religions and the humanities at several local colleges and universities. She is also an artist whose award winning hand-wrapped wire metal and found object statues have been shown internationally.
Paranormal Background: Religious Studies, Humanities, History, Classics (Degrees earned are to the post-graduate level; currently a PhD candidate). Research/paper emphasis on the role of ghosts in culture/religion/society; PhD and post-graduate training in Quantitative and Qualitative research (Dissertation is a qualitative study of the role of [the study of] world religions as producing social, educational, and economic capital).
Brandy's other websites:
Ghostly Images
Paranormal Pugs
Stark Images Art
Metalpug on deviantART
Seeking Info
This section is devoted to helping those looking for paranormal groups near their home or seeking information about various hauntings. If you can provide answers or help to any of these requests please feel free to email the senders.
Questions or comments for this section can be emailed to: Editor. Please be sure to include your email address so our readers can respond to your request.
Due to the vast number of subscribers, we at The Haunted Places Report can not be held responsible for the types or quality of answers and /or help you receive.
True Experiences
Submitted by Joe:
1338 G Street Southeast Washington, DC is just a few blocks from the United States Capitol but it is really another world away. The maze of allys at G Street run in a cockeyed and circular route which are not even visible to cars driving by the townhouses on Pennsylvania Ave.
Those who stop at the Potomac Avenue Metro do not know that the 1338 Rear G Street 9 theDistrict Government Traffic Signal Shop) was in days gone by a stable for trolley car horses. The alleys are surrounded by high storm fences, padlocked gates and round the clock security guards. Also in the alley is the warehouse for the little stainless steel food vendor carts. Few people venture into the alley, which would otherwise be a shortcut to a supermarket and the nice restaurants on Pennsylvania.
The ghosts of horses are heard at night and in the day clip clopping through the alleys. Fewer still enter the alleys since the day a grieving widow named Kathryn went to work in the government building.
She was ill and grieving and alone. her husband had died on Guam. She was poor and had no car. Some of the people in the alley were very cruel to her, but some befriended her.
One day people began to report that ghostly Marines were spotted riding on horses in the night. This is around the time the war in Afghanistan began. Soon people in the alley began to see a Marine in uniform, he was asking for Kathryn.
He told a woman he wanted to give Kathryn a message, he wanted her to get away from that place and to go on with her life. He said he was angry with the people who had treated her so terribly. Kathryn left her job and went on to a better future. Now that angry Marine rides aghost horse and follows the people who mugged Kathryn and verbally abused her throughout the city.
March 2009: SPIRITS site hit 100,000!
