YESTERDAY WAS VETERANS’ DAY AND MANY BUSINESSES HAVE THE DAY OFF TODAY IN OBSERVANCE. VETERANS’ DAY IS SET ASIDE AS A TIME TO HONOR THE SURVIVORS, AND TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TO DEFEND FREEDOM AND TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIED DEFENDING OUR FREEDOMS. THE HOLIDAY WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS ARMISTICE DAY AND WAS ESTABLISHED TO REMEMBER THE 1918 SIGNING OF THE ARMISTICE TREATY AND TO HONOR THE HEROES OF WORLD WAR I. IN 1921, CONGRESS RESOLVED TO BUILD A TOMB TO HONOR THE MEN WHO DIED OVERSEAS. WHEN THE NAVY SHIP OLYMPIA ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON ON NOVEMBER 9TH WITH THE BODY OF AN UNKNOWN FALLEN SOLDIER, THE CASKET WAS TAKEN TO THE U.S. CAPITAL WHERE THE SOLDIER WAS LAID IN STATE. PRESIDENT WARREN G. HARDING, GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS AND THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS PAID THEIR RESPECTS TO THIS FALLEN SOLDIER. ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 11TH, THE SOLDIER WAS GIVEN A MILITARY PROCESSION TO ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND BURIED AT WHAT IS KNOWN TODAY AS THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER. THIS TOMB HAS BEEN GUARDED AROUND THE CLOCK BY DEDICATED SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN SINCE 1948. RECENTLY, GUARDS REFUSED TO LEAVE THEIR POST DURING HURRICANE SANDY. THE HONOR PAID TO THIS UNKNOWN SOLDIER IS THE SAME RESPECT THAT ALL OF OUR VETERANS DESERVE. IN 1954, VETERANS DAY WAS OFFICIALLY RENAMED BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER TO HONOR AMERICAN VETERANS OF ALL WARS…THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM. MANY THANKS TO WALLBUILDERS.COM FOR THIS INFORMATION AND TIMELY REMINDER ABOUT VETERANS DAY.
ABOUT 200 VETERANS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS SURROUNDED THE VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK MONUMENT IN DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD YESTERDAY MORNING FOR A SOLEMN CEREMONY REMEMBERING THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND TO SHOW THANKS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND ARE NOW SERVING IN ALL U.S. MILITARY BRANCHES. GUEST SPEAKER WAS U.S. NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER TODD PATTON, A SPRINGFIELD NATIVE AND NORTHEASTERN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE. ALSO…FOR THE FIRST TIME, HOSPICE OF THE MIAMI VALLEY RECOGNIZED THE VETERANS IT SERVES DURING A RECEPTION AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUM OF ART WITH A PIN AND CERTIFICATE, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.
LAST WEEK U.S. REP. STEVE AUSTRIA HELD A FREE BENEFITS FORUM IN SPRINGFIELD AND ABOUT 120 VETERANS ATTENDED. SENATOR AUSTRIA SAID UNFORTUNATELY DELAYS IN PROCESSING CLAIMS ARE EXPECTED BECAUSE ONLY 250 PEOPLE WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLEVELAND REGIONAL OFFICE AND THEY ARE WORKING TO PROCESS 250,000 CLAIMS. NEW CARLISLE RESIDENT HOMER PORTER CAME TO THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 1031 JUST REQUESTING THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL HE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE ARMY IN 1964. THE SPRINGFIELD NEWS SUN, SAYS FROM 1961 TO 1964, PORTER WAS STATIONED IN WILMINGTON AT ONE OF FOUR NIKE MISSILE BATTERIES THAT SURROUNDED CINCINNATI. THE ARMY OPERATED 280 NIKE BATTERIES WITHIN THE U.S. NEAR MAJOR CITIES AND IMPORTANT BASES AS A LAST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST SOVIET BOMBERS. AMERICA WAS IN THE COLD WAR AND THE CINCINNATI-DAYTON DEFENSE AREA HAD NIKE-HERCULES MISSILES, EACH WITH A NUCLEAR WARHEAD AND A RANGE OF 87 MILES, READY TO DEFEND THE COUNTRY IF NEEDED. THE BASE WAS DECOMISSIONED IN 1971. PORTER SAYS MANY OF THE SOLDIERS HE SERVED WITH DIDN’T GET THEIR CONDUCT MEDALS EITHER. WITH REP. AUSTRIA’S OFFICE HELPING, HOPEFULLY MR. PORTER WILL RECEIVE HIS MEDAL SOON!
THE CLARK COUNTY BOARD OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE TO MAKE CUTS AFTER ITS PROPERTY TAX NARROWLY FAILED ON ELECTION DAY. THE NEW 1.75-MILL, 8 YEAR LEVY WOULD HAVE GENERATED ABOUT $4 MILLION A YEAR, COSTING THE OWNER OF A $100,000 HOME $61.25 ANNUALLY. THE AGENCY IS PROJECTING A $4.7 MILLION SHORTFALL BY 2013 THAT COULD GROW TO $12.6 MILLION BY 2017. BOARD PRESIDENT LISA DUNN SAID THE AGENCY’S FINANCIAL SITUATION IS “DIRE” AND EXPECTS TO HAVE THE ISSUE BACK ON THE BALLOT IN 2013…LIKELY IN THE FALL OF 2013. THE AGENCY HAS PASSED EVERY LEVY IT HAS PLACED ON THE BALLOT SINCE THE AGENCY WAS CREATED IN 1967…UNTIL NOW. SINCE 2003, THE DISABLED POPULATION HAS GROWN FROM 850 TO 1,100 RESIDENTS IN CLARK COUNTY. DUNN SAID THE ORGANIZATION IS LOOKING BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO ATTEMPT TO SOLVE ITS FINANCIAL SITUATION.
A FIRE IN BEAVERCREEK CLAIMED THE LIVES OF TWO PEOPLE. BEAVERCREEK BATTALION CHIEF GREG CONNORS SAID THE FIRE ENGULFED THE HOUSE IN THE 2500 BLOCK OF WENDOVER DRIVE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. A NEIGHBOR SAW THE FIRE AND CALLED 911 JUST BEFORE 4AM. THERE WERE NO WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS IN THE HOME, AND CHIEF CONNORS SAID, “IT’S A CHEAP INVESTMENT THAT IS SO VALUABLE TO YOUR FAMILY AND YOURSELF.” CONNORS CONTINUES, “WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP, THAT THING DOESN’T GO TO SLEEP. IT’S WATCHING OVER YOU.” SMOKE DETECTORS ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT AND NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO CHECK THE BATTERIES IN THEM! THE BEAVERCREEK FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU AND THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE AND AN OFFICIAL CAUSE.
THE COMMUNITY PAID THEIR RESPECTS TO THREE BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS KILLED IN A CRASH ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4TH. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL FOR JULIANNA HAWK, SOPIE KERRIGAN AND SKYLAR KOOKEN. KEITH ST. PIERRE, BELLBROOK-SUGARCREEK SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT SAID, “THE COMMUNITY IS HERE TO SUPPORT THESE KIDS AND FAMILIES.” IN ADDITION TO THE THREE GIRLS KILLED, THREE OTHER TEENS WERE INJURED IN THAT CRASH. 17 YEAR OLD JESSE RYAN WHITAKER AND 18 YEAR OLD ZACHERY MORGAN HAVE NOW BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL. 17 YEAR OLD ALLISON MAGILL WAS LISTED IN GOOD CONDITION SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT KETTERING MEDICAL CENTER. SUGARCREEK TOWNSHIP POLICE ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH.
IT’S GETTING COLD AROUND THE MIAMI VALLEY AGAIN…AND OHIO LT. GOVERNOR AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE DIRECTOR MARY TAYLOR IS USING WINTER AWARENESS SAFETY WEEK…THIS WEEK…TO SPURN OHIOANS INTO ACTION. SHE SAYS A BIT OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE WINTERIZING YOUR HOME AND CAR COULD SAVE YOU A BIG HASSLE AND EVEN MONEY. WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT HER WINTER SAFETY TIPS THIS WEEK ON OUR WEEC NEWS AT 12:20 AND 5:28…BEGINNING TOMORROW!
WE’LL HAVE SUNNY SKIES THROUGH SUNDAY ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE! HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY WILL PEAK AT 43, THEN 48 ON THURSDAY. IT WILL BE COLD EACH NIGHT AS OVERNIGHT LOWS GO TO 25 TONIGHT, THEN 28 FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
