Latest news with #JROTC
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
WWII Memorial honors 'heroes walking among us'
ASHLAND To mark the 81st anniversary of the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare, hundreds of attendees gathered to witness the unveiling of a monument honoring the thousands of Boyd Countians who served in WWII. Though the skies above were overcast, the rain held off for Friday's ceremony, painting a symbolic nod to D-Day's Operation Overlord where Allied forces began the eventual liberation of Western Europe upon the beaches of France, despite the loss of more than 4,000 allied soldiers. The anniversary of the Normandy invasion is often recognized as the 'beginning of the end,' of the atrocities committed overseas during WWII and invoke remembrance of those brave fathers, brothers and sons at least once a year. However, with the instillation of eight panels depicting the thousands of local names who witnessed the cost of the conflict firsthand, local organizers have ensured their sacrifices will be remembered in Boyd County beyond a calendar date. Members of Ashland Paul G. Blazer High School's JROTC marked the beginning of the ceremony by raising the flags of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. JROTC member Rilee Layman Bohanon was among them, raising a flag mere steps away from the panel that would reveal the name of his great grandfather. 'This stands not only as a tribute, but also as what a community can do together,' Stephen Harris, president elect of Ashland Rotary Club, said. Harris said when he attended a Rotary meeting welcoming its newest members 10 years ago, project spearhead Cheryl Spriggs was organizing the eventual construction of the memorial wall, even before securing a location, design or financial support. As Spriggs's plans continued throughout her term as Ashland City Commissioner, former Ashland Mayor Matt Perkins said the piece of property at the intersection of 17th Street and Carter Avenue was eventually secured. 'This piece of property represents grit and determination,' Perkins said, explaining a list of WWII veterans used to be displayed at the local post office but was eventually removed, sparking Spriggs and community members' commitment to restore a tribute to the greatest generation. Current Ashland Mayor Chuck Charles said the wall ensures recognition of 'the human cost of conflict ... serv(ing) as a tangible way to see the impact of war.' Charles said the wall allows the community to remember, reflect and respect. For Spriggs's determination, Charles presented the former commissioner with a key to the city. Spriggs said it has been 10 years since she brought the idea to her fellow Rotarians and she has spent the last 7 years working alongside numerous community members and organizations to gather every name deployed from Ashland or Boyd County for their spot on the wall, secure financial donations and collaborated with Kim Jenkins, Highlands Museum & Discovery Center director, and VisitAKY's Brandy Clark on the overall design of the panels and site layout. Spriggs said Clark was the brain child behind fitting more than 6,000 names on the four panels, both sides depicting iconic WWII imagery from a distance. 'Virtually everybody in this town was touched by WWII,' Spriggs said, sharing the story of Griffith Street — roughly the size of two blocks — from where 30 men were drafted. Spriggs also recognized the Henderson family, who sent all four sons overseas and would go years without knowing their location or if they were still alive. Spriggs said though D-Day was not the end of the war, eventually thousands of servicemen would return from the Pacific, Europe, Africa and beyond, back home to Boyd County. 'There were heroes walking among us everywhere,' Spriggs said, recognizing that some families were not so lucky, as hundreds of local men were killed in action, taken prisoner or are described only as missing in action, each of them now bare a golden star alongside their name on the wall. As the population of WWII Veterans continues to dwindle, community members on Friday hope the monument in the heart of Ashland will serve as a reminder of those that sacrificed for a future they would never see.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
ROTC instructor sues SJSD over firing
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A former ROTC instructor who was fired in 2024 has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the St. Joseph School District. Master Sergeant Jamaal Anderson served as an instructor for Benton High School's JROTC program. Anderson alleges he was placed on leave on April 29, 2024, was given a letter of suspension and told to not to go on school property. His contract was not renewed for the 24-25 school year. According to Anderson's lawsuit, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery in March of 2022. The lawsuit contends that Anderson informed the district that there would be times when he would need to leave class to use the restroom or miss work abruptly. The lawsuit states that Anderson was told that SJSD would not accommodate such breaks. Jamaal Anderson lawsuitDownload Anderson also alleges he was not permitted to take time off to attend doctor's appointments. The lawsuit also said Anderson's absences led to poor classroom and extracurricular event ratings by his district supervisors, which eventually led to his suspension. News-Press NOW did contact SJSD Superintendent Gabe Edgar, who stated, We are aware of this. However, because it's a personnel matter, we will not comment." The day after his suspension was announced, students and cadets spoke out against the move. "This makes all of us mad because he always stands up for what he believes is right and treats everyone with respect,' one student said. Anderson's lawsuit also referenced an incident at Lafayette that occurred in May 2023. Students allegedly "wrapped Anderson's car in paper and wrote racial slurs and drew offensive pictures on the paper. Anderson contends the school district should have filed charges against the students but failed to do so. Although no dollar amount was specified in the suit, Anderson does ask for actual and punitive damages.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New historical marker unveiled at 2025 Beckley Founder's Day
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) – History enthusiasts were in for a treat at this year's edition Beckley Founder's Day. Planned PEIA rate increases elicit concern from lawmakers and policyholders Their Founder's Day is a celebration of Beckley's history, as well as its founder Alfred Beckley. They started off celebrations at the Wildwood House Museum by welcoming everyone in followed by Woodrow Wilson High School's JROTC group presenting a flag to their Alfred Beckley re-enactor. The JROTC led everyone across the street to the Wildwood Cemetery, where they placed a wreath next to Alfred Beckley's grave. '[Alfred Beckley] did so much for the town and people forget that. I mean, people forget this place was pretty much deserted. This was a wilderness when he moved here. To take it from Wildwood, literally – that is what the house is called – so, take it from that to the bustling city it is today. We have him to thank,' said Rebekah Graham, the president of the Raleigh County Historical Society. 'Oh, [portraying Alfred Beckley] is fantastic. I thoroughly enjoy it. We always have a great time here with the other re-enactors and the people that portray the daughter, the wives, and [Beckley]. It is just a lot of fun and enjoyment to remember the history of Beckley and remember what Alfred Beckley was to this town, to this county, and to the state of West Virginia,' said Mike Vaughan, Alfred Beckley's re-enactor. Beckley was a multi-talented person. He served as a Confederate general, as well as in the United States Army. He was the first postmaster in Raleigh County, plus a schoolteacher, school superintendent, and a West Virginia and Virginia delegate, to name a few of his accomplishments. Beckley founded Beckley, as well as the Wildwood House. Robotics team visits local elementary school to show off their skills This year's celebrations were extra special, as they unveiled the Wildwood House Museum's newest historical marker. This was made in partnership with the national Civil War Trails organization. It designates this museum as a site on its Civil War Trails network. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers, police make big difference at Spring Fest
May 29—MOSES LAKE — This year's Moses Lake Spring Fest came off better than usual, in large part because of lots of community involvement, organizers said. "We welcome everyone in our community to come and volunteer," Spring Fest Board Member Lori Valdez said. "But this year, we had a lot of people step up and volunteer that we've never had before, and that was very nice." Nearly 200 people came out to help with the various activities at the festival, according to Board President Sean Sallis. The Fun Run alone had 60 volunteers, he said. There were 30 volunteers helping with the beer garden, 45 for the 3-on-3 basketball tournament and 11 for the parade. "One little boy was helping us put tape on the basketball court," Sallis said. "He was like 4 years old, and he wanted to help lay tape. It's just a picture of our community." The 20 Moses Lake High School JROTC students were especially helpful, Valdez said. They helped set up before the festival and stuck around for teardown and cleanup, which is usually an ordeal in itself, she said. "By the time we get to Monday, to tear down, we are completely exhausted, 100% medically and physically," she said. "When you get out of bed, you can't even walk ... They helped clean the tables, they picked up garbage, they came back (Monday), until we were 100% all cleaned up at the park. They stayed until like five o'clock and helped us tear down." The JROTC students also carried the giant flag in the parade, Valdez said. Not all the assistance the festival organizers received was measurable in hours. Pro Rentals donated 18 big lights to illuminate the park and the carnival, Sallis said. "We had those all throughout the park and the carnival, (in) any spots that were dark," he said. "Every night, we were inspecting different spots that could have better lighting, and so we were working in concert with the police department and the sheriff's (office) to ... support them." The Moses Lake Police Department increased its presence at the festival as well, according to Capt. Jeff Sursely, contracting with the Grant County Sheriff's Office to provide some deputies as well. "We plussed up our manpower," Sursely said. "We averaged, between us and the Grant County Sheriff's Office, between 26 and 30 officers a day, (which included) two jail staff and a jail transport vehicle." In past years, the MLPD has only had six to eight officers a day at the festival, he added. Officers made 12 arrests. "Mostly juvenile issues, trespassing, nothing big," he said. "Mostly misdemeanor crime." The MLPD announced a zero-tolerance policy on crime during the festival, Sursely said, and the Grant County Commissioners authorized law enforcement to book juvenile offenders, which hadn't been allowed before. The additional lighting was a major factor as well, he said. The Spring Fest is Moses Lake's biggest community celebration of the year, and it takes a lot of coordination between departments and organizations. Because most of the event takes place at McCosh Park, the Parks & Recreation and Cultural Services Department bears much of the brunt of the work involved, Director Doug Coutts said, but the rest of the municipal government has a part to play as well. "Our fire department is here with paramedic services, roaming around and doing checks on people with heat-related issues," he said. "Our streets department has to close the street for the parade, move the street closures around as the event progresses. So, it is a full-on city team effort." Having so much volunteer help says a lot about Moses Lake, Valdez said. "We had people showing up at the park saying, 'What can I do to help?' she said. "It just tells you what type of community we live in, that 100% we have an amazing community."
Chicago Tribune
27-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan Memorial Day Parade honors those who ‘gave all'
As Waukegan's Memorial Day Parade moved west on Washington Street toward Veterans Memorial Plaza, the drum cadence from members of the Waukegan High School JROTC was unmistakable. Not a rousing march, it was a serious and slower-moving sound. For the Rev. Richard Frontjes of Christ Episcopal Church, who offered the invocation and benediction for the ensuing ceremony, it meant the entrance to an important event. Clay Erickson, a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces who was at the city's Memorial Day events, said both taps — which came near the end of the ceremony — and the drum cadence have a similar meaning. 'All gave some,' Erickson said of members of the military. 'Some gave all,' he added, referring to those who lost their lives and are remembered on Memorial Day. Erickson and Frontjes were among more than 200 people who paid tribute to fallen members of the military with the city's annual Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony on Monday in downtown Waukegan. Mayor Sam Cunningham said the drum cadence during the parade is part of the mood-setting for the ceremony that follows. It pays tribute to the men and women of the military who fought wars risking and, sometimes, losing their lives to protect the freedom that citizens share. 'It helps us understand the sacrifice made for the liberties we have today in this country,' Cunningham said after the events. 'It helps us understand there are times when the armed forces are needed. You have the cadence to help us understand that.' Leading the parade were a group of veterans — many from American Legion Homer Dahringer Post 2981 — followed by a color guard composed of members of the Waukegan Fire Department, elected officials and the JROTC. Ron Painter, the commanding officer of the JROTC and a retired Army major, said Memorial Day is a time he thinks of people who died in action to protect Americans' freedom. Ana Martinez-Martinez is a JROTC member considering joining the military. Martinez-Martinez said she plans to join the Illinois Army National Guard when she graduates from Waukegan High School next spring. She is planning to start working on her application this summer. 'I want to do more than just go to a job,' Martinez-Martinez said, 'It will also help pay for my education.' After walking the three blocks on Washington, from Genesee Street to West Street, most of the marchers joined the crowd already assembled at Veterans Plaza. There, they paid tribute to those Erickson said 'gave all.' Sharing the story of Lt. Homer Dahringer, Cunningham said he was a graduate of Waukegan High, captained the basketball team at the University of Illinois and before the U.S. entered World War I, he completed officer training at Fort Sheridan. Flying planes behind enemy lines to gather information, Cunningham said, before he flew a mission on Sept. 16, 1918, Dahringer wrote a letter to his parents about a mission he was undertaking. He 'did not anticipate any trouble.' There was also foreshadowing. ''I am scheduled to fly an infantry liaison plane,'' Cunningham said, quoting the letter. ''It is the worst kind of work and everything rests with God. If I do not come back, you may know that I gave my all and my best to my country.' He never came back from that mission.' Lisa Madden, the board chair of Honor Flight Lake County, has spent most of her adult life involved with members of the military. Her husband is a U.S. Navy veteran and a police officer in Lake County. While people were enjoying time with friends and family, she said they need to pause. 'While it is not wrong to enjoy the freedom protected by those who served, we must remember there are many who are grieving their lost loved ones today,' Madden said. Taking the message of the day a step further, Cunningham suggested putting the memory of those killed in war into everyday life in, 'how we live, serve and care for one another as neighbors (and) citizens.' Some of Cunningham's words were not unlike the benediction offered by Frontjes. The pastor said it is important to remember those who were killed in action, but also to take a lesson from their lives. 'As we go forth from this place, may we carry in our hearts the memory of those who gave all,' Frontjes said. 'May their courage strengthen us. May their devotion to duty inspire us. And may their legacy of service guide us to live not only in comfort but in purpose.'
