In Memory of WA/DL Capt. Peter ‘Pete’ Bonofiglio Jr.

~ IN MEMORY ~
WA/DL Capt. Peter ‘Pete’ Bonofiglio Jr.
August 1, 1934, ~ January 23, 2021

From friends and from an ancestry family tree posting we have learned that
retired Western/Delta pilot Capt. Peter Bonofiglio Jr., aged 86, has passed.
Born in New York state, and married in 1963, Captain Bonofiglio joined Western
Airlines 08-29-1966.  He retired from Delta Air Lines in August 1994, based
030/SLC at the time of his retirement.  Pete was widowed in October 2015
with the passing of his wife Martha Miller Bonofiglio.  

(If anyone has additional information please send it for us to append to this posting)

CALIFORNIA FLYING BIG BEAR’S JET…..November 5, 1999

Pete Bonofiglio, with his Czech-built Aero L-29 Delfin jet trainer, is a pilot for whom blue sky is an ever-present beacon. With some 30,000 hours in his logbooks, the retired Delta captain is always ready to roll.
 
The only jet based at California’s Big Bear City Airport, the Delfin — christened the Pasta Burnerrrrr, a name influenced by Bonofiglio’s Italian roots — is a fixture in the airspace over the high mountain community. “I should have named it the Lira Burnerrrrr,” he quips of the jet, which burns 150 gallons of fuel an hour. The Pasta Burnerrrrr also has been featured at a number of airshows, garnering First Place Jet at the 1997 Camarillo Air Show and First Place Warbird at the 1998 Big Bear Air Show.
 
The Delfin, Bonofiglio says, is a counterpart to the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer. In 1961, the Delfin became the standard advanced trainer of the Warsaw Pact countries. Bonofiglio’s warbird was built in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1968. It redlines at 368 knots, cruises at 270 kt indicated, has a maximum speed of Mach 0.7, and is certified to fly up to 39,000 feet. “It’ll pull eight Gs positive, six negative,” Bonofiglio says.
 
A member of the Classic Jet Aircraft Association, Bonofiglio is one of a growing number of people who roar through the skies in jet airplanes that have come out of retirement. Depending on the day and the destination, he has invited others to go along — making flights of fantasy a reality for dozens of passengers.
 
Though skies above Big Bear are frequently wind-swept, the solidly built Delfin barely appears to notice, moving as if there was not even a ripple in the air. “It’s built like a Sherman tank,” Bonofiglio says, rapping the jet with his knuckles. “The wing skin is thicker than your car bumper.”
 
When Bonofiglio flies with passengers, he has a typical routine that leaves them astounded, nearly breathless, and happy for whatever it took to make the trip to Big Bear City Airport. “I like to do maneuvers abeam the airport, at a safe altitude,” he says, “so their families and friends can get videos. It’s a lot of fun.”
 
Bonofiglio adds that passengers, who must be at least 18 years old for insurance purposes, are equally split between men and women, but he observes that women “are more aggressive than men” when it comes to aerobatics. Sensitive to his passengers’ beginner status in the cockpit, he is careful with limits. “Most people like to do the rolls and high Gs,” he says. “Those are fine, but I won’t do violent maneuvers. They’re not trained for that.”
 
Passengers, sitting where the radar officer would be on a standard training flight, are told how to release the webbing of straps that fasten them tightly to the rear seat, how to open and close the canopy, and how to release their parachute in the event that a quick exit from the jet is needed. “I don’t want the plane going down with you in it,” he says, explaining the timing and succession of events that must be followed in the event of an emergency. He adds that the Delfin, which does not have ejection seats, would be inverted just before pilot and passenger push away from the airplane and fall to earth.
 
The briefing also heightens the sense of excitement that goes along with the ride. It’s a tiny taste of the real thing — what it’s like to prepare for a mission.
 
There’s a panel of instruments in the rear that allows passengers to monitor such parameters as airspeed, vertical speed, and G forces. There’s also an intercom so that passengers, never out of touch, can hear radio calls and communicate with the pilot.
 
On takeoff, the ground falls away like a caterpillar’s cocoon, and with a climb rate of 1,500 feet per minute, it soon seems a world apart. The Delfin is in its element, and the aerial ballet begins. When Bonofiglio lifts the nose and pulls the stick to the left, the jet leans into a precision 360-degree roll. The scene through the canopy is like a view through the looking glass. In a heartbeat, the ground and sky change places. As the jet glides through loops and rolls, clouds blend with earth in a kaleidoscopic panorama.
 
At cruising speed, the Delfin is surprisingly quiet. During a high-speed pass, the air seems to scream past the canopy. A pullout and a roll at the end of the high-speed run measure gut levels of endurance and fortitude, as well as offering a quick check of how well head and neck are attached to shoulders. Passengers can call it quits at any time. Bonofiglio says that no one ever has.
 
Bonofiglio has always been a dauntless pilot. When he began flying in the early 1960s and worked as a pilot and A&P mechanic for Don Barber at Riverside Air Service, his career literally took off when the gutsy pilot/mechanic, wearing greasy overalls, managed a tarmac interview with the chief pilot from Zantop Airlines. Did Bonofiglio have a suit and tie, and could he be in Detroit in five days? Answering, “Yes, and yes,” Bonofiglio was hired on the spot. He went on to fly for Western Airlines, becoming a captain at age 41. Western was bought out by Delta in 1987, and Bonofiglio retired as a Delta captain in August 1994.
 
Flying long before metal detectors were imperative to airport security, Bonofiglio’s career spanned the evolution of commercial aviation. He holds the industry distinction of having received the most bomb threats — five in all. “Three times we had to return to the gate,” he says. “And we had two evacuations right on the runway. One of the evacuations was on a flight from Minneapolis to Hawaii. None of the passengers had overcoats; they were all wearing shorts. It was January and 20 degrees below. We were out there for an hour before anybody came for the passengers. We just kicked the chutes out and got people off the plane. Nobody thought about grabbing blankets.”
 
Another flight resulted in a four-hour onboard party in the wake of a near disaster. “We were flying the entire cast of Airport ’77 to Alaska,” Bonofiglio recalls. “And we blew out the tires on the runway. It was funny — that whole movie was about airport disaster, and here we were with Charlton Heston. I asked him if he was responsible for all this.”
 
While repairs were made to the airplane, Bonofiglio’s crew and Heston’s crew mingled aboard the Western jet. “They told us all about making the movie, how stunts were done on the set,” Bonofiglio says. “We had a really good time with them. When the movie premiered in Alaska, we all got invited.”
 
Looking back over his career, Bonofiglio misses the “old” days. “There was a lot more camaraderie in the early years,” he muses. “It’s different now. Crews worked as a team and played as a team. We’d all take three or four days off and go skiing or fishing together. It’s not the same anymore. Now every time you land, you’ve got different airplanes, different crews, different gates, different flight numbers. You don’t know who you’ve got back there.”
 
He believes that a positive change in the industry is in-creased safety. “As far as quality and de-pendability, planes are a lot safer now. This new generation of planes is a hundred percent better than before. Now you can fly for years and never have a problem.”
 
But Bonofiglio enjoys flying his current steed, even if it is a jet from an earlier generation. If you’re ever in the neighborhood, stop by Bonofiglio’s hangar at Big Bear City Airport. If he’s on his way out, you might get lucky and get to go for the ride of a lifetime.


In Memory of WA/DL Captain James Leroy Williams

~ IN MEMORY ~

Military veteran, WA/DL Capt. James Leroy Williams

MAY 25, 1943 – FEBRUARY 1, 2023

Notice of passing….retired Western/Delta pilot Captain James Leroy Williams, age 79.  Jim joined Western Airlines on 03-05-1973 and retired from Delta Air Lines, based in LAX.  He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, and by his three children and their families.

A retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander pilot and later Captain with Delta Airlines, he was a man of innumerable talents, a jack of all trades, and a true renaissance man. He was known for his generosity, his unflappable demeanor, and his dry sense of humor. He was a man of few words but when he did choose to speak, he would have you doubled over with his hilarity, charm, and wit. However, he would most like to be remembered as a man of faith who loved the Lord and his family with all of his heart.

Jim broke his femur while playing on a scooter. Surgery was successful to replace the broken bones and rehab was going extremely well until blood clots formed and he suffered a pulmonary embolism which led to cardiac arrest. He fought valiantly to the very end but could not overcome the numerous health challenges that plagued his recovery. He is survived by Elizabeth, his bride of 56 years, their 3 children: Troy, Keri, and Erik, and his wife, Leslie, with grandchildren Havilah and Elias, his brother, Jerry Williams, sister-in-law, Chris Williams, and stepfather, Jim Hurtado.

Memorial Service: Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

SOUTH SHORES CHURCH

32712 Crown Valley Parkway

Dana Point, CA 92629

Obituary information


Captain Bill Newall -WWII Aviator and POW

By T.M. Shultz
The Daily Courier

He wasn’t there long enough to name his plane.

It was March 29, 1944, and Prescott Valley retiree William “Bill” Newell was a skinny 19-year-old fighter pilot serving in Debden, England.  He had been there a month.  Already he had gone on 12 missions, either escorting waves of American bombers into Germany or just prowling the skies, looking for Germans to shoot down.

Most pilots painted names on their planes. If Newell had been there longer, he says, he would have named his P-51 Mustang “Miss Pat” after his wife, Patricia. Patricia was living with her parents in Dearborn, Mich., patiently waiting for her young husband to return.

They were high school sweethearts, married just weeks before Newell left for England. He loved her from the moment he first saw her.  He missed her terribly.

The day of his 13th mission dawned, but he did not think it was an omen. He did not believe in such things. Still, as he washed and shaved in the pre-dawn hours and then sat through the mission briefing, Newell felt uneasy. “For some unknown reason that morning, I was a little bit more nervous than I’d ever been before,” Newell recalled. He shrugged it off.

The mission was to meet up with bombers over Brunswick, Germany, and escort them back to England.

“As we were approaching Brunswick – we hadn’t gotten in contact with the bombers yet – this group of FW-190s came busting through the formation,” Newell recounted. Widely regarded as Germany’s best fighter, the Focke Wulf 190 bristled with 20 mm canons and machine guns.

“I got hit with a cannon shell,” Newell said. “All I could feel was this big thump. At first I thought I was on fire because the cockpit filled with what I thought was smoke. It was really coolant from the engine. All this coolant misted and came up into the cockpit and just kind of glazed everything inside the cockpit with a fine oil.”

He had to slide the side windows open to see. He wanted to bail out.

“I remember grabbing the emergency release handle,” Newell said. The canopy did not jettison. Instead, the handle broke off and he knew he could get out only if he forced the canopy open by hand. He decided to wait. 

“I started climbing the airplane back up, because by this time, I was down to about 8,000 feet.” If he could catch up to his fellow pilots, they would guide him back to England.

Fifteen minutes later two planes from his group swung in beside him.

One was piloted by Dominic Gentile. The other was flown by John Godfrey. Both were famous fighter aces, claiming several “kills” apiece. The trio flew together for 10 minutes until Newell’s engine overheated.This time his plane – billowing smoke – really was on fire.

He pried open the canopy and jumped.

“I don’t think I waited 10 seconds to pull the chute handle,” Newell said, laughing. “They always said, ‘Count to 10 before you pull the ripcord.’ I didn’t. I jumped and pulled.”

The descent seemed to take forever. He had time to pull his boots back on after the force of the opening parachute yanked them half off his feet. He was falling into a field complete with two gun-toting German farmers. He slammed into the ground, but miraculously was unhurt.

“German soldiers came up in a car and took me to the nearest town,” Newell said. After interrogation, the Germans transferred him to a prison camp near Barth, Germany. Newell remained at Stalag Luft 1 through his 20th and 21st birthdays until shortly after the Russian army liberated the camp on April 30, 1945.



Newell said the Germans never mistreated him, although food was scarce and wormy. The prisoners showered once a month, lost weight and grew ill. At the end, after the Russians came, Newell saw murdered women and children lying just outside the camp. But through it all, he never had any doubts he would survive. 

“I was only 19 years old,” Newell said. “I was just a kid. Thoughts like that never entered my head.”
What did worry him was his wife. For the first three months after Newell was shot down, officials told Patricia only that he was missing in action. The heart-wrenching news came unceremoniously by telegram. Later, she wrote long letters and sent packages to him, saving up her food ration stamps to buy her husband chocolate bars that the Germans ate.

What sustained Newell throughout his ordeal was pictures of his wife – especially one with a lock of her hair carefully tucked inside its plastic wrapping. He has faithfully carried that picture in his wallet ever since. 



When Newell finally went home, all Patricia knew was that her husband was somewhere in the United States. She did not know he was heading straight for Dearborn.

“I just showed up in the middle of the night at the front door,” Newell recalled, smiling.

When Patricia answered his knock, she cried.

Not one for introspection, Newell has not thought much about how his war experiences have affected him. 

“Those things are hard to understand,” says Newell, now 83. 

What counted most in his life, he continues, was the 32-year stint after the war that he spent as a pilot with Western Airlines. 

And his four children. And the wife he loved for more than 63 years. He still remembers their first date, their first kiss. He’ll always remember. Patricia died three months ago.

“No, I really can’t point to anything that I would say has changed me in any way,” Newell says, pausing.

“Except, really, the loss of my wife.”

Was she proud of him? 

“Oh yes,” Newell replied. ” And I was proud of her.”


In Memory of Carolyn Harriet Smith, wife of WA/DL Capt. Gordon Smith

~In Memory of~

Carolyn Harriet Smith, wife of WA/DL Capt. Gordon Smith

July 22, 1936 ~ January 6, 2023

Notice of passing, Mrs. Carolyn Harriet Smith, age 86, wife of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain Gordon Kay Smith.  Carolyn is survived by her husband, and by their children and their grand- and great-grandchildren.  Captain Smith joined Western Airlines on 04-18-1966 and retired from Delta Air Lines. 

Condolences may be sent to:

MacKenzie Place, Apt. 417
1605 Elm Creek View
Colorado Springs, CO 80907-7187

A memorial service celebrating Carolyn’s life will be held on January 21st….please see the arrangements below.

Carolyn H. Smith, age 86, of Loveland, Colorado, passed away peacefully and entered into the full presence of the Lord on January 6, 2023. She was a devoted wife, homemaker, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Gordon K. Smith, sister, Winnelle (Jack) Newton, two children, Stan (Cindy) Smith and Angela (Tim) McKibben, five grandchildren (Tyler Smith, Hailey Brown, Alysha Cooper, Laura Trujillo, and Holly McKibben), and four great-grandchildren (Levi, Ruby, Nolan, and Ava). She is preceded in death by her parents, Garland Reed Harris and Florence Janelle Harris.

Carolyn was born on July 22, 1936, in Ryan, Oklahoma. Her family later moved to Belton, Missouri, where she met Gordon in 8th grade. Gordon and Carolyn graduated from Belton High School, and Carolyn went on to earn her teaching degree from Baker University. Following Gordon’s graduation from the University of Missouri, they married on June 14, 1959. Carolyn taught second grade in Belton and after their wedding, taught school in Pensacola, Florida, while Gordon was in Naval Air Basic Training. Gordon’s service in the Navy took them to Norfolk, Virginia, where they welcomed their first child, Stan. After Gordon’s military service, he began a career as a pilot, and they lived in Geneseo, Illinois, where they welcomed their second child, Angela. Eventually, Gordon became a pilot for Western Airlines, followed by Delta Airlines, and they made their home in Colorado. They lived many years in Littleton, Longmont, and most recently, Loveland, Colorado.

Carolyn’s joy throughout her life was caring for her husband, children, and their home. She loved attending church, cooking for her family, gardening, working on puzzles, and filling their home with treasured antiques (both family heirlooms and ones found “antiquing”). Carolyn also devoted many hours to creating beautiful, counted cross-stitch works of art.

A memorial service honoring Carolyn’s life will be held at First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs, at 2 pm on January 21st. Carolyn will be laid to rest at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army.


In Memory of WA/DL Captain Melvin ‘Mel’ Rozema

~ IN MEMORY ~

WA/DL Captain Melvin Rozema

September 23, 1939 ~ December 14, 2022

Mel was born in Chugwater, Wyoming on September 23, 1939, to parents Bessie Rozema (née Ferguson) and Harry Rozema. He was the third of four children. He grew up on the family farm, and in 1946 they moved from Wyoming to Utah.

In June of 1957, Mel borrowed $100 from his father for private flying lessons. He was determined to learn to fly, citing his fascination with birds and their effortless flight and a little yellow crop duster that landed at a neighboring farm when he was a child as motivating factors. Mel worked his way through school, became a flight instructor, and then began flying for the United States Postal Service, the Atomic Energy Commission, the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Fish and Game, as well as being a charter pilot. He later became an airline pilot, flying for Western and Delta Airlines, retiring after 33 years. He continued with his hobby plane, a Cessna 180. He enjoyed backcountry flying, often landing to fish, camp, and pan for gold in the wilderness. After retiring from flight because of his age – he channeled his energy into remote control airplanes until his eyesight declined.

He married Sharol ‘Sherry’ Garner in 1961 and they started a family. Ken, Lane, and Karen were raised in the home they built in Centerville, Utah. Together they instilled in their children a love of the great outdoors – camping, snowmobiling, gardening, and traveling.

He cherished his grandchildren, Alyssa and Colton. He held dear to his heart his time with his four great-grandchildren: Adalyn, Arden, Ellie, and Aven. Visits with his family brought him true joy and he was very proud of his children.

He served as the airport manager and fought tirelessly for SkyPark Airport in Woods Cross, Utah for many years. You could often find him mowing the grass or plowing the snow because he took pride in all of his work. Mel loved working in the wood shop at his hangar at the airport, carefully crafting intricate chess and domino sets, beautiful wooden clocks, and furniture. His talent and precision were remarkable.

He enjoyed mingling with his many beloved friends at the Down Under, Sunshine Cafe, Alice’s Cafe, and Ramblin Roads. He had countless lifelong friends and amazing neighbors that he shared many hunting and camping trips, barbecues, and shenanigans with.

In February 2013, he suffered a terrible loss when his loving and loyal wife, Sherry, passed away. After that he felt like a piece of him was missing and he never truly recovered. I can recall him often saying, “I’ve lost my mate and now I don’t know what to do.”

Mel was as stubborn as they come and rough around the edges, but his old age and humbling life experiences brought in a tenderness that we rejoiced in. He always gave wise advice, he was generous and forgiving. He loved cracking jokes, watching NASCAR and Jazz games with Sherry, canning tomatoes, working in the garden and he made one hell of a brisket.

In October of 2022, Mel was diagnosed with throat and lymphatic cancer and he came prepared to fight. Karen was by his side every single day, at every medical appointment, and cared for him selflessly during his battle. After beginning treatment, he and his body decided he could no longer carry on and he passed away at Lakeview Hospital in the company of his devoted daughter and faithful son-in-law, Jeff.

Mel is survived by Ken Rozema and Amy Stoker of Salt Lake City, UT; Lane Rozema of New York City, NY; Karen and Jeff Argyle of Centerville, UT; Alyssa, Adalyn, Arden and Aven Argyle of South Ogden, UT; Colton, Jordan and Ellie Argyle of Centerville, UT.

A celebration of life will be held in April of 2023 at SkyPark Airport. If you are interested in attending, please email celebratingmel2023@gmail.com


Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year

From the big, kindly, yellow-beaked bird with the Martini.

While we are supposed to be celebrating a time of peace and quiet joy, I seem to be doing snap rolls and flying in circles of ever-increasing diameter at Vne!

Therefore, I propose to have the first quarterly luncheon of the next year on Thursday, the 16th of February.

It would be at The Fairview Metropolitan near OAK.

I ask those in favor to email a “YES” to the Ugly Bird at:

pjbro@sbcglobal.net as soon as possible. 

If there is enough interest, I will then ask for an RSVP sent to the same address.

Meanwhile, bask in the meaning of this holy time of the year.

Blessings,

W. B.


In memory of Navy veteran, WAL/DL Capt. William “Bill” Fulgham

~ IN MEMORY ~

Navy veteran, WAL/DL Capt. William “Bill” Fulgham

December 29, 1934 ~ November 4, 2022

We have sad news to share this morning…..from family we have learned of the passing of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain William “Bill” Raleigh Fulgham, age 87.  Bill joined Western Airlines 02-27-1961 and was based LAX & SLC, then 030/PDX at the time of his retirement with Delta Air Lines.  Bill is survived by his wife WA/DL F/A MarySue Lewis Fulgham, and by his children and their families.   

As was Bill’s wishes, no services were held. 

Thank you,

~ Carol for the PCN  

Obituary :   William R. Bill Fulgham passed away November 4, 2022. Bill suffered a heart attack just as he completed his daily early morning walk. 

Bill was born in Overton, Texas, December 29, 1934. When he was 6 months old, the family moved to Squaw Valley, CA, in the foothills outside of Fresno. His family relocated to Avenal, CA, and he graduated from Avenal High School in 1952. Bill joined the Navy after graduation. He later attended Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK, earning his A&P license. When Bill returned to California, he earned his private pilot license and, acquiring all the necessary training and flight hours, in 1961 he was hired as a pilot by Western Airlines. 

In 1959 he married Martha Joyce Wilkins and they had 2 sons. After mandatory retirement in 1994, Bill and Joyce spent a year cruising Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands until her death in early 1996. 

In 1998 Bill married MarySue Lewis and they moved to Ridgefield, WA. They continued cruising for a few years and travelled as far north as Skagway, Alaska, and as far south as Manzanillo, Mexico. 

Bill loved his career as an airline pilot. He flew the DC-6, Boeing 737, 727, 757 & 767, and MD-11. He survived the Western/Delta merger but Western Airlines was always first in his heart. Bill was happy to tell you that once he was hired by Western Airlines, he never again worked a day in his life. Going to the airport to fly, see the country and spend the day with great people certainly could not be considered work.

Bill is survived by his wife, MarySue, sons Andrew and Bryan Fulgham, Scott Compton, 2 amazing daughters-in-law Teresa Fulgham and Heather Compton, and 5 well loved grandchildren Samantha, Sydney and Kevin Fulgham and Jack and Luke Compton. He will be deeply missed by all that knew and loved him.


In Memory of WA/DL Captain Charles A. Sherman Jr.

~ IN MEMORY ~

Navy veteran, WA/DL Capt. Charles A. Sherman Jr.

July 24, 1942 ~ October 12, 2022

From friends and colleagues, we learn of the passing of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain Charlie Sherman, age 80.  Charlie covered a lot of ground and worked many jobs as he worked his way towards Captain….A/C mech USN, Alaska Railroad warehouse laborer, hired by NWA in 1963 R&E mech/lead cleaner, radioman for Flying Tigers in 1967 & Maint., worked for Prudhoe Bay Oil Dist., moved to California in 1971 and hired on with Western Airlines 04-21-1971 as a ramper at LAX, then mech 1972 and was a pilot for Western by 07-12-1976, flew B-737, 727, 757, 767, L-1011, and retired with Delta Air Lines July 2002. Whew!!  Charlie did it all!

Charlie passed away on Oct. 12, 2022, at the age of 80 in Surprise, Arizona.

He was born to Charles Sherman Sr. and Pauline Finn in Weymouth, Mass., on July 24, 1942.

Charlie was a Navy veteran, airplane mechanic, and captain for western and Delta Airlines. He retired from Delta in 2002 on the Boeing 767ER.

Charlie was honored by the FAA in his hangar in Lincoln, Montana, and received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award for holding a pilot certificate for 50 years.

Charlie was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 40 years. He had a unique gift to help other people get and stay sober.

He is survived by sister Karol and Eric Weatherby and sister-in-law Kathy Lewis, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Mike, and brother Kirk.

The Charlie Sherman Museum, Hangar 14, at the Lincoln Airport, is filled with his collection of pictures and airline memorabilia from his long flying career. The hanger is available to be shown by appointment with Bob and Karen Frank-Plumlee.

A service will be held at the old Lincoln cemetery in Lincoln, Montana at a later date.

Obituary information is available online at https://www.blackfootvalleydispatch.com/story/2022/10/31/obits/obituary-charles-a-sherman/3435.html


Wally Bird Site Updates

We have managed to get a WordPress expert to do some much-needed updates and improvements to the site. The biggest improvement is that visitors no longer need to log in just to view the routine posts like any other Blog site. The site can be bookmarked and visited by members and by anyone they may want to share a post with.

Site Updates Included:

  • Installed a plugin called “BackWPUp” and downloaded a backup of the website
  • Replaced the old login system with one that only protects the ‘Members’ and ‘Gone West’ pages.
  • Updated all the WordPress plugins.
  • Updated the menu to show the profile/logout or login options depending on the user’s login status.

If you have received this announcement by email, please respond “Yes” to Paul at pjbro@sbcglobal.net