Discussion with Harry Wright about the future of WCH

Interrupted by a Reds game!

Guard

Photo from Politico

A guest column by Mike Peters, Vietnam Veteran

Edited by William Boylan

Days on missions were spent searching for the enemy in what the army labeled, “Search and Destroy” missions; fairly basic terminology, really, and self-descriptive.  There was no mistaking what the army expected of us.  We were given an objective for the day and if in the process of reaching that objective we encountered the enemy, engaged them and got a body count, then it was a successful day.  If we didn’t reach the objective because of engaging the enemy and in the process lost some of our own men as well, then that’s just the way it went.

The days were long, arduous, and full of angst as peril was always just a step away.  Whether it was the rainy season or the dry season, the heat was oppressive and unrelenting in its design. We would sweat until it seemed like we could sweat no more.  Water was the key to our survival and we had to caution ourselves not to drink too much at any one time.  Although we were supposed to get re-supplied every two to three days, it didn’t always happen and we had to ration water until we did get re-supplied, adding additional stress to our already overly stressed bodies.  Our fatigues, once olive drab in color, would turn to rags and transform to a sandy tan color from the sweat and dirt of our daily toil.  Ultimately, they were destined for the fire pit on our return to the firebase.  At the end of each day, we would set up in an ambush perimeter, putting out trip flares and claymore mines around our position and wait for the enemy to come to us.  Each flank of the four sides of the perimeter had a guard on duty all night long and we would all share in the guard in two-hour increments throughout the night. If we were lucky, we might get 4 to 5 hours sleep per night.

Most nights on guard were uneventful and welcomed breaks from the discord of the day.  However, guard duty could be an intensely lonely time, as well, since almost everyone was asleep.  There was no one to talk to except for God and I must admit I talked to him many a night.  The only other being about was Death, lurking in the jungle, sprawling before us.  He was there; he was always there.

PTSD - The Beast

Image from Fireengineering.com

A guest column by Mike Peters, Vietnam Veteran

Edited by William Boylan

It’s August, 1974 and we’re walking through a large open field of deep grass that is being utilized as a parking lot for the Canfield Fair in Youngstown, Ohio.  There are quite a number of people heading toward the fairgrounds.  Not too far in front of us, some kids set off some firecrackers and the smell of gun powder permeates the air.  The grass is thick, long and somewhat moist from a thunder storm that had passed through the area in the early morning hours.

With each step, the grass rolls over my shoes and rustles beneath my feet; a hauntingly familiar sound that begins to trigger something in my psyche.  The odor emanating from the combination of wet earth, grass and gun powder further stir my senses and heighten the angst I am now feeling.

I have been here before, not here; not Youngstown, but on this walk and I desperately want to be away from it; to be as far away from this field and this smell as I can get!  But, I cannot leave, not without having my fiancé and my friends think I’m crazy.  So I continue on, and once inside the fairgrounds, the feeling subsides.  I realize what it is and try to shrug it off, telling myself that perhaps it was something I ate for breakfast and had a reaction to.

But deep down, I knew it wasn’t; “It” was back. That same feeling I experienced every day some five years prior, in the jungles of Vietnam.  It was supposed to stay there in those jungles, in that horrid war torn country.  Everything after that year of hell was supposed to be gravy.  That’s what the lieutenant said one day as we waited on the choppers to pick us up for what was to be a long and dangerous mission; “All gravy!”

Now it was back. The Beast was back.  In reflection, I now knew what it was that rousted my father from sleep those years I was growing up.  He was an infantryman with the 26^th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge, in World War II.

"Make Washington Court House Great Again"

By William Boylan - Guest Columnist

  Originally published in The Record Herald on Sept. 12.

---

From February of 2016 to January of 2017, the illnesses and subsequent passing of three family members, and the attendant matters that from which arose, it was necessary for me to spend more time in Washington Court House than I had in the previous 10 or 15 years, combined.

The more time spent here, the more it seemed as if I was being “called” back. After a 40 year absence, I returned in April of 2017.

I grew up in Washington CH in the 60’s and 70’s and remember when the community was thriving.
Downtown was a center of commerce; a bustle of activity. There were three jewelry stores; Boylan, Ross and Gossards. There were two pharmacies; Risches and Downtown Drug. Pittsburgh Paint and Glass, French’s Hardware, Boylan and Cannon Electronics, Steen’s, Craig’s Department Store and a Florsheim Shoe Store were there, along with a theater and several restaurants.

Also contributing to the economy were NCR, Armco Steel, Mac Tool and at least two lumber mills. The Record-Herald was printed here. Pennington Bakery, Alkier’s Bakery, Orthmeyer’s Pastry and Cudahay’s (sp) produced food products.

Today, all these things and more are gone and a good third or more of the buildings downtown are empty. Others have been torn down; rendered into vacant parking lots.

The common theme among those with whom I talk is; “There is nothing here”.

For decades, the best and brightest have been leaving Fayette County. There is little reason for our expatriates to return. There is little to keep others here, let alone attract new residents and businesses.
In spite of memories from the 60’s and 70’s, after a 40 year absence, I am an outsider and see things today through the eyes of an outsider. What I see is as unsettling as what I do not see; there has been little growth and a great deal of deterioration.

Were I just a passer-by without roots, here, I would take one look and just keep going. But, my roots are here; and when one is “called” to something, it is for a purpose.

Maybe my purpose here is to help affect change and “Make Washington Court House Great, Again”.
It is my hope that this series will stimulate discussion, encourage others to share their ideas and stir people to action.

Future articles will address issues that hold us back from growing good jobs, including some statistics; and offer some ideas for making our community a destination point for arts, entertainment and business; and for making it a more desirable place to live, work and raise a family. The natural resources are here, we just need to steel our resolve and determine to do it, with the realization that it is a long-term process.

William Boylan is a Washington Court House native.

Are Barking Dogs Driving You Crazy . . .

. . . don't bother calling the WCH Police Department.

This afternoon, around 2 PM, I called the police department to make a complaint about a barking dog at the residence of Tony Sword, 932 S. Main St..  This isn't the first time I've complained about Mr. Sword's dog; the history goes back for well over a year.

It is no wonder the dog barks; "it's a outdoor dawg", according to his wife, and it is kept outside, day and night while their "indoor dawgs" get to stay inside.  Dogs are social creatures and need to be a part of the pack.  This dog is neglected and is lonely for companionship.

A few minutes later, an officer drove slowly by the house, and dept on going, even though the dog was barking.  I called back and asked the dispatcher why the officer did not stop.  She told me that the dog was barking behind the neighbor's house, and not the one I had called about.

First of all, I've listened to that dog bark for over a year and know exactly which house it is coming from.  Second, there is an ordnance against barking dogs and the officer should have stopped, anyway.  When I tried telling this to the dispatcher, she put me on hold.

After a few minutes, Sgt. Shoopman gets on the phone and tells me a different story.  He said the dog was barking at the neighbor and her dogs, who were in the back yard, at the time.  Someone isn't being straight, here.  Apparently, I told him, his officer doesn't think a barking dog complaint is worth bothering with.

For one thing; where the barking dog is kept, it cannot see the neighbor's back yard.  For another, it doesn't matter for what reason the dog is barking.  And, how would the officer know how long the neighbor had been there with her dogs, if even that is what was causing the other dog to bark?

When I tried to explain this to Shoopman, he told me not to yell at him.  When I told him to stop making excuses for his officers, he hung up the phone!

Apparently, he has very thin skin and a contemptuous attitude toward the residents of the community, who's tax dollars pay his salary.

It seems some police officers in Washington Court House have an exceptionally high opinion of themselves; they are too important to be bothered by something as trivial as a barking dog complaint.  Perhaps they think of themselves as Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot, when Inspector Clouseau would be a more appropriate comparison.

Last year I made dozens of call complaining about Tony Sword's dog and others.  The police did nothing about it until one day, one of the dogs was left barking outside all day.  They then wrote a simple warning ticket.

One officer, Philips, told me he has dogs and they bark, too; so he wasn't going to write anyone a ticket for it.  I got that on video, which you can see, here: https://youtu.be/tmtXyMs9T10

One of my neighbors told me he had complained about this particular dog, but quit calling the police because they never did anything about it!  This is intolerable.  This is a quality of life issue; one supported by city ordinance.  Police need to understand they are engaged to serve the public in all capacities, not just to write speeding tickets and give out Narcan injections.  And whether or not they like a citizen's attitude, they should listen and not contemptuously hang up the phone.

Back by popular demand! Roots in Ripon: Push Back Against the Viciousness That Permeates Today’s Discourse

Roots in Ripon - Author Chuck Roots

          Many of you have contacted me over the past
three months to inquire about my weekly column, Roots in Ripon. In mid-April I decided to take a break from writing the articles since my brother, John, was coming out from Virginia for a visit and a lot of golf. This included a jaunt to Nampa, Idaho to connect with our cousin Jimmy. I wanted to enjoy the time with them without the ever-encroaching demand of another article.

          However, the primary reason for not writing my articles had to do with the newspaper that was carrying my column. For a not-yet-explained reason, despite my numerous inquiries, the paper made it plain to me that they wanted me gone. For 15 years I have written this column, first for the Ripon Record, which folded in 2015, and then with the Manteca Bulletin for two years. During those fifteen years I never once failed to submit an article. This included my two years being recalled for the Iraq War, flying over the Pacific, Atlantic and most major continents. I served at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (California); Camp Commando, Kuwait; I MEF Headquarters, Babylon, Iraq; and Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. 

          In the current environment of our nation, I’m led to believe that my conservative views politically, and my religious views as an Evangelical Christian, are no longer welcomed within the print media, or few other places for that matter. I am dismayed by this as it is clearly a sign of the times. Not so many years back, we could have healthy debates and dialogue, engaging in the give-and-take of differing points of view, yet coming away as friends despite our differences. Not so today! The attitude seems to be, “If you don’t agree with me, then you’re the enemy!” 

          Think about it! Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Press Secretary, was having a quiet dinner a few weeks ago with her husband and extended family in a local restaurant. Because she works directly with and for President Trump, Sarah was told she was not welcome in the restaurant, The Red Hen. She and her husband left, driving home. The rest of the family adjourned to another restaurant across the street. They were followed by staff of the Red Hen and harassed there as well!

Purple Heart Homes Remembers Freedom

At Purple Heart Homes, freedom is at the forefront of our thoughts as we assist our Service Connected Disabled Veterans with their housing needs.

When we were soldiers, we served to ensure that freedom will always overcome oppression. Today, as veterans, we serve to ensure that our fellow veterans do not feel oppressed by hazardous and uncomfortable living environments.

The programs that Purple Heart Homes offers allows our Service Connected Disabled Veterans to continue living in their homes with dignity, safety, and comfort. We see a restored sense of freedom in each of the veterans we have served through our mission. Without you, we would not be able to continue our mission of restoring freedom inside disabled veterans' homes.

You can make a difference for deserving veterans and their families who need the support of a grateful nation. 

Visit www.phhdonate.com to give freedom back to the ones who protected yours. 

www.purplehearthomesusa.org

Purple Heart Homes, 1551 Salisbury Road, Statesville, NC 28677

Merriam-Webster Word of the Day: Sophistry

WORD OF THE DAY July 6, 2018

sophistry    noun | SAH-fuh-stree     Definition   1 : subtly deceptive reasoning or argumentation   2 : an argument apparently correct in form but actually invalid; especially : such an argument used to deceive   Scroll down for more about sophistry

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The original Sophists were ancient Greek teachers of rhetoric and philosophy prominent in the 5th century B.C.E. In their heyday, these philosophers were

Your Voice Ohio: What would it take to make your community a more vibrant place to live?

Over the last several months, we've seen how a diverse group of people can come together on a difficult issue, recognize their differences, yet figure out where they agree on a course of action on addiction. We sat with hundreds of people who shared their views, and within two hours, in 11 different locations, arrived at similar solutions. Now we’re laying another issue on the table to help Ohioans and journalists do a better job defining what the state needs from its next governor, lawmakers, and local leadership.  
Here’s the plan: envision a more vibrant Ohio. What would it look like? And most importantly, how do we get there? We want you to share your stories and ask us questions, which we’ll investigate with our media partners in every corner of the state. As the midterm elections approach, this is a chance to make your voice heard on these key issues. We will share your experiences with candidates, and ask them your questions directly.
We invite you to learn more, tell us your thoughts, and when we launch community meetings to discuss vibrancy, please join us.

read the full story

WEEKLY ROUNDUP

Study Says Ohio's Public Universities Contributed $42 Billion To Economy WOSU

Senator Brown: A Better Farm Bill for All Ohioans

Photo from Politico

Editor's Note:  In this election year, Sen. Brown is going out of his way to present himself as a "moderate"; more than once, he states how he worked with Republicans on the farm bill and how it was a bi-partisan effort.  Make no mistake, Brown is no moderate; he's trying sway voters to assure his re-election.

The best ideas don’t come out of Washington – they come out of conversations with Ohioans.

That was on display last week as Republicans and Democrats came together to support provisions I worked with Ohio farmers and small business owners to include in the 2018 Farm Bill. We passed the bill out of the Senate Agriculture Committee on a broad bipartisan vote, and it could come to the full Senate floor as early as next week.

This bill is a big win for Ohio. It will provide certainty for Ohio farmers, protect Lake Erie, spur economic development in rural Ohio, and feed hungry children and their families.

As we worked on the Farm Bill, I held roundtables and talked with farmers and community leaders all across our state, including talking with Ohio Dairy farmers in Wooster about how the current dairy program wasn’t working for them. We already worked to improve the program in the bipartisan budget deal this spring, and we built on that work by improving the Agriculture Risk Program for Ohio farmers, so that it can better target support for small and medium-sized producers.

We also secured important provisions from my bipartisan water quality improvement bill, the Give Our Resources the Opportunity to Work – or the GROW Act. I worked with Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley on this bill to improve water quality and better support Ohio farmers by refocusing federal investments, targeting sensitive land to prevent runoff into Lake Erie and protect water quality – all while expanding access to quality farmland. These provisions will help reduce harmful algal blooms, and improve soil health across Ohio.

Columbus Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking Local Law Enforcement Officer

COLUMBUS, Ohio – William E. Young, 54, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 55 months in prison for cyberstalking.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.

According to court documents, Young was arrested in October 1999 for menacing by stalking a female in Delaware County, Ohio. He has continuously harassed and stalked one of his arresting officers since the time of his arrest and conviction.

Young created webpages using the victim’s name in order to make derogatory statements about the victim and his official position.
He mailed letters on numerous occasions to the victim’s wife and family, neighbors, physician, barber, church, church pastor and pastor’s wife, as well as  to Ohio Wesleyan College, Delaware City Hall, the Delaware Chamber of Commerce, the Delaware City Mayor, Delaware City Council members, the Delaware Police Department, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the Delaware County Jail, the Arapahoe County Prosecutor’s Office and other local community businesses.

The White House - 1600 Daily: The Day Ahead

Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen

President Donald J. Trump participates in a

 Celebration of America | June 5, 2018

The Day Ahead

•	President Donald J. Trump will sign the VA MISSION Act of 2018, which will transform the VA healthcare system and provide more choices for America's veterans. Watch live at 12:15 p.m. ET.
•	First Lady Melania Trump will join the President for a hurricane preparedness briefing at the FEMA headquarters. Hurricane season officially began on June 1.

A celebration of America

Yesterday, President Trump addressed a crowd gathered on the White House South Lawn. "It is my great pleasure to welcome everyone to the White House for this patriotic celebration. A beautiful, beautiful day, and a beautiful celebration," the President said.
"We love our country. We respect our flag. And we always proudly stand for the National Anthem. We always will stand for the National Anthem," he continued. "So we stand together for freedom. We stand together for patriotism. And we proudly stand for our glorious Nation under God."
The ceremony included performances of the Star-Spangled Banner and God Bless America by the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus. With the full Philadelphia Eagles football team unable to come to the White House for a commemoration of their Super Bowl championship, President Trump welcomed Eagles fans and others for a different kind of celebration.
Watch President Trump lead a celebration of America at the White House.

500 days fighting the scourge of drugs

Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - Boondoggle

WORD OF THE DAY June 7, 2018       boondoggle    noun | BOON-dah-gul     Definition   1 : a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament   2 : a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft   Scroll down for more about boondoggle      TRENDING NOW: clemency suborn abhorrent embolization SEE ALL      PEOPLE ARE READING   10 Words from Pennsylvania German     The Strange Story of 'Lumber'     The Problems with 'Very'     8 Words for Really Big Things         WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE   Yearbook Superlatives Quiz   Is that your picture under "Largest Vocabulary"?     PLAY NOW     Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try!  TAKE ME THERE         Did You Know?   When boondoggle popped up in the early 1900s, lots of people tried to explain where the word came from. One theory traced it to an Ozarkian word for "gadget," while another related it to the Tagalog word that gave us boondocks.