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The American Flag

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Many local organizations will stage parades, services and other events to honor the fallen on Sunday or Monday of Memorial Day weekend. Below is a schedule of some of these commemorations in the seven-county region. You may want to bring lawn chairs or blankets to outdoor events.

Most public agencies will be closed on Monday, May 31, the legal holiday.

Sunday, May 30

Berea: A “Faith and Freedom Cantata” will be performed for free at 1 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Road.

Cleveland: A 10:30 a.m. ceremony will be held at the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial, east of Cleveland Browns Stadium. At 11 a.m., motorcyclists will stage an annual Firefighters Memorial Ride to Southeast Harley-Davidson in Bedford Heights. For more information, see firefightersmemorial

ride.com.

Mayfield: A ceremony with refreshments will begin at 1 p.m. at Whitehaven Cemetery, 615 SOM Center Road.

Painesville: St. John Baptist Church, 361 W. Jackson St., will host a reception at 2 p.m. and a service at 3 p.m., with a focus on the USS Arizona.

Parma: A parade, military displays, a free hot-dog buffet and a speech by retired Lt. Gen. Robert W. Wagner will highlight events starting at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Gardens on the western side of Cuyahoga Community College West, 11000 Pleasant Valley Road.

Streetsboro: A stretch of Ohio 43 will be renamed “Cpl. Jason J. Hernandez Memorial Highway” during events starting at 1 p.m. with a parade from City Park, 8980 Kirby Lane, off Ohio 303. A roadside bomb in Iraq killed Streetsboro’s Hernandez in 2007 on his 21st birthday.

Monday, May 31

Bedford: A parade will start at 10 a.m. at City Hall, 165 Center Road.

Berea: A parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. behind City Hall, 11 Berea Commons, off S. Rocky River Drive, south of Bridge Street.

Chagrin Falls: A 10 a.m. parade will begin and end downtown at Main and Franklin streets. The grand marshals will be the 135th Military Police Company of the Ohio Army National Guard, which has served twice in Iraq.

Cleveland: A commemoration will begin at 8:30 a.m. at St. Casimir Catholic Parish, 18022 Neff Road, the new home of St. George Post 613 of the Catholic War Veterans. A free breakfast will follow.

Cleveland: A 10 a.m. ceremony will be held at Woodland Cemetery, 6901 Woodland Ave. Speaking will be Thomas O’Grady, special forces veteran and former North Olmsted mayor.

Cleveland: A service will be held at 9 a.m. at Lutheran Cemetery, 4566 Pearl Road.

Cleveland Heights: A 10 a.m. ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial in Cumberland Park, Cumberland and Mayfield roads.

East Cleveland: A festival with vendors will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Euclid Avenue. A parade will begin at 11 a.m. at the East Cleveland Adult Training Center, 13231 Euclid Ave.

Euclid: Services will be held at 7:45 a.m. at Euclid Cemetery, East 204th Street and Euclid Avenue, and 8:15 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Cemetery, 1231 Chardon Road. A parade will begin at 10 a.m. at East 228th Street and Lake Shore Boulevard.

Fairview Park: Military parents with children will be highlighted in an 8 a.m. remembrance in the lobby of City Hall, 20777 Lorain Road.

Garfield Heights: A program will begin at 7:20 a.m. at the flagpole of St. Monica Catholic Church, 13263 Rockside Road. A parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Maple Leaf Drive and Turney Road.

Lake View Cemetery: A 10:30 a.m. ceremony will include a speech by Kenneth R. Callahan, past president of the Civil War Roundtable, at the Garfield Monument, near an entrance at Mayfield and Kenilworth roads in Cleveland Heights. At 12:30 p.m., the Elks will rededicate their restored Elks Rest plot from 1912 near an entrance at 12316 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. At 2:30 p.m., a service will be held at the Garfield Monument to honor everyone buried at Lake View in the past 12 months.

Maple Heights: A parade will step off at 10:15 a.m. from Stafford Park on Mayville Avenue.

Mayfield Heights: A municipal observance will begin at 10 a.m. in the eastern parking lot at Mayfield Heights City Hall, 6154 Mayfield Road.

Mayfield Heights: A 10 a.m. observance will be held at Acacia Masonic Memorial Park, 1880 SOM Center Road.

Medina: A 10 a.m. ceremony at the Medina County Courthouse on Public Square will be followed by a parade.

Parma: A tour will be held at 9:15 a.m. and a service at 10 a.m. at York Street Cemetery, W. Pleasant Valley Road east of York Road.

Parma: A 10 a.m. Mass will be held at the Polish National Cemetery, West 54th Street, south of Brookpark Road. In case of rain, the Mass will happen at St. Mary Polish National Catholic Church, 5375 Broadview Road.

Parma Heights: An annual commemoration since 1868 will take place at 9:30 a.m. outside Parma-South Presbyterian Church, 6155 Pearl Road.

Peninsula: A parade will step off at 11 a.m. from Boston Town Hall, Riverview Road and Ohio 303.

Shaker Heights: A 9 a.m. ceremony will be held outside City Hall, 3400 Lee Road, followed by a parade.

Strongsville: A parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 12700 Pearl Road. A ceremony will be held about noon at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3345, 17900 Strongsville Blvd. A free, light lunch will follow.

Twinsburg: A parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at Twinsburg High School, 10084 Ravenna Road.

University Heights: A 5-mile run/2-mile fun run starts at 8:45 a.m., followed by the city’s 44th annual parade at 11 a.m. The parade will be on Silsby Road, near Farland Road, and end at John Carroll University. Following the parade will be a family fun day at John Carroll.

Warrensville Heights: Activities start at 11 a.m. at the Warrensville Heights Civic Center, 4567 Green Road. Free refreshments will be offered.

Willoughby: A parade will start at 9:30 a.m. at Erie and Third streets downtown.

LORAIN COUNTY

AMHERST

* The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee will host its annual Memorial Vigil on Saturday beginning with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial of Lorain County, located on North Lake Street and a closing ceremony at midnight. Mayor David Taylor will speak. The Rev. Michael Plog, of Faith Baptist Church, will give the invocation. Joseph Koziura, Vietnam veteran, will be the keynote speaker. The Army JROTC of Southview High School, led by First Sgt. Sam A. Obechi, and the Navy JROTC of Admiral King, led by Commander Daniel Tuttle, will be the color guard. Dennis Munoz will be the vocalist and Ron Tennant will play “Amazing Grace” and “Taps.” All veterans and anyone interested in attending are welcome. For further information, call Don Attie at (440) 320-3781.

* The annual Memorial Day Parade and Program will kick off Monday at 10 a.m. The parade is hosted by the American Legion Post 118 and the Amherst Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1662. Line-up will begin at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Washington Street. The parade will proceed south on Forest Street and west on Park Avenue. Once veterans and the marching band enter the Five Points area, the parade will halt for a short service in front of City Hall. After the program, the parade will continue east on Cleveland Avenue and will disburse at the Amherst Steele High School parking lot. Individuals and groups interested in participating in the parade, should call Gerri Rice at (440) 714-1213.

AVON

* The Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7035, starts at 9 a.m. at the Senior Center, 36784 Detroit Road, and ends at the cemetery at SR 83 and Detroit Road, where a ceremony will follow. Afterward, the VFW color guard will perform at Resthaven Memory Gardens, 3700 Center Road, and St. Mary’s Cemetery, 2640 Stoney Ridge Road. VFW Post 7035 will host an open house from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at 36950 Mills Road.

AVON LAKE

* A ceremony will be Monday at 8:45 a.m. at the old fire station. The flag will be lowered to half-staff at the Civic Center, then proceed to Avon Lake Cemetery for lowering of cemetery flag to half-staff, placing of wreath by flagpole, a brief speech by the commander after which a list of deceased veterans will be read and the chaplain will offer a prayer. The color guard will march to the lake and fire shots as a wreath is thrown into water, followed by “Taps.”

* The Memorial Day Parade Monday is being sponsored by the American Legion Post 211 and the city of Avon Lake. The parade will commence in the north drive of Avon Lake High School. Parade members should assemble at the high school at 9:30 a.m. The parade will move out promptly at 10 a.m. as follows: North on Avon-Belden Road, left onto Electric Boulevard, left onto Glenview Drive and left onto Avon-Belden Road, going North to Veterans Park on Lake Road. Those participating in the parade should be dropped off in front of the high school. Parking will be in the south parking lot. Parade vehicles should enter the north parking lot from Electric Boulevard by the bus garage. At 11 a.m., A C-130 military cargo plane will fly over Veterans Memorial Park.

BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP

* The Memorial Day Ceremony will be Monday. All marching units are to meet at Brighton Center. The parade to the township cemetery will begin at 9 a.m.

BROWNHELM TOWNSHIP

* The Brownhelm Historical Association will help celebrate Memorial Day with its annual parade and service at Brownhelm Cemetery. This event will be Sunday with the service starting at 2 p.m. at the cemetery. Those groups or individuals who want to be in the parade should line up at South Claus and North Ridge Road at 1:30 p.m. At 1:45 p.m., the parade will march to the cemetery. Anyone with an old car, tractor, decorated bicycles or horseback riders are welcome to attend. At 3:45 p.m., the BHA will meet at the old Brown’s Lake Road Cemetery (next to Mackenzie Woods motel/apartment complex) 1863 Liberty Ave., Vermilion, for a short service to honor a Revolutionary War soldier, Bildad Belden. The Vermilion Veterans Council will conduct the service to pay homage to this veteran who was buried there on Aug. 4, 1824. Come to learn more about that early war and others buried here. Call Ed Brill at 988-4550 for additional information.

ELYRIA

* On Sunday, American Legion Post 12 will host the Sunday evening Memorial ceremony at 6 p.m. at Ely Square. The parade takes place on Memorial Day Monday. Participants meet on Second Street next to the First Congregational Church. The public is welcome.

* Elyria Council of Veterans will conduct a ceremony at Ely Square by the fountain beginning Monday at 8 a.m. After the conclusion of the Memorial Day Parade, members of the Elyria Council of Veterans will gather at their pavilion and grill hamburgers and hot dogs. All members invited.

* Main Street Elyria’s Sixth annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast, sponsored by Lorain National Bank, will be from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Church, 300 Third St. This tradition continues with the help of volunteers and local businesses. Volunteers from the Organization Committee of Main Street Elyria plan, prepare and serve the $5 breakfast that consists of pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice. As a salute, veterans in uniform receive special pricing of $4 and $3 for children ages 4 to 12. Children ages 3 and younger eat for free. For further information, contact Main Street Elyria at 322-5000, or visit www.mainstreetelyria.com. The Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 8 a.m. in Ely Square followed by the parade, which will begin at 10 a.m. from Court Street and travel down Broad Street to Washington Avenue. It turns onto Harrison Street and ends at Ridgelawn Cemetery.

GRAFTON

* On Memorial Day, the Grafton parade participants will line up at 11:30 a.m. at the Caboose on Railroad Street. The parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. The children’s matinee will run from 1 to 5 p.m. A LifeShare blood drive will be from 2 to 6 p.m. and bingo and other casino games will be played from 3 to 8 p.m.

LORAIN

* The Disabled American Veterans Lewis Paul Proy Chapter 20 will have Memorial Day services at Ridge Hill Memorial Park Monday at 7:30 a.m. Veterans need assistance placing flags on graves at Calvary Cemetery Friday at 10 a.m.

*Lorain Memorial Association hosts its annual Memorial Day Services Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Lorain Palace Theatre, 617 Broadway, honoring veterans and auxiliary members who died in the past year and those lost in America’s wars. This year’s theme is “Support Our Troops.” This public event is free.

* On Monday at 7:30 a.m., members of DAV Chapter 20 will visit Ridge Hill Memorial Park for early morning services.

* On Monday at 8:30 a.m., members of American Legion Post 30 will conduct services at Elmwood Cemetery.

* On Monday at 9 a.m., members of AMVETS 47 will host services at Calvary Cemetery.

* The 65th dedication ceremony at Salem Cemetery on North Ridge Road will be Monday at 11 a.m.

* On the beach at Lakeview Park on Monday at 6:15 a.m., a Sunrise Service will take place hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 451. A flyover and dropping of a wreath will take place at this time, weather permitting.

* The following is the lineup for the annual Memorial Day Parade at 11 a.m., starting at 20th Street and Broadway. Parade units are to be lined up no later than 10 a.m.:

Division 1 (forms on Broadway between West 17th and West 19th streets): Lorain police escort, Lorain police auxiliary escort, LifeCare EMS, Admiral King Navy JROTC color guard, Lorain 2010 Veteran of the Year, Sam Felton, past veterans of the year, Admiral King Navy JROTC marching formation, Mullen-Murray Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 451, Daughters of the American Revolution, Nathan Perry Chapter, Jewish War Veterans Chapter 222, Disabled American Veterans Louis Paul Proy Chapter 20, Italian-American Veterans Post 1 and American Legion Post 30.

Division 1-A (forms on East 18th Street facing Broadway): Admiral King High School Marching Band, Mayor Tony Krasienko, city of Lorain officials and council members, Lorain Police Department, Lorain Fire Department, Congresswoman Betty Sutton, Lorain County Commissioners, Lorain County elected officials, Lorain County engineer and elected state officials, Sheffield Township Fire Department, Lorain County Sheriff’s Auxiliary, Dan Ramos, candidate for state representative, Jack Killroy, candidate for Domestic Relations Court judge.

Division 2 (forms on Broadway between 19th and 20th streets): Southview High School Army JROTC color guard and marching formation, Canadian Legion drill team, Magic Touch Twirlers drill team, Community Health Partners Foundation, Mexican Mutual Cinco De Mayo Festival Court; Pretty Girls Swagg, 2009 Lorain International Festival Queen and Court, Harrison High Steppers, Lorain International Festival Spotlight Nationality Committee: Hungarians, American Demolition.

Division 3 (forms on East 19th Street facing Broadway): Southview High School Band, Lorain County Public Employees Retirees (PERI), Lorain County Seniors, Lorain Sailing and Yacht Club, U.S. Census Group, Lorain, Broadway Assembly Church, Church of the New Harvest, Girl Scouts and Brownies, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, Samuel Felton Athletic Club.

Division 4 (forms on East 20th Street facing Broadway): Large Bond Bail Co., Lorain Public Library Bookmobile, First Student bus, American Red Cross and LifeCare EMS.

NORTH RIDGEVILLE

* The Memorial Day parade starts at 10 a.m. and extends from Center Ridge Road from Marc’s to the middle school. Immediately following the parade is the Memorial Day Ceremony at Ranger Stadium. The South Central Park Splash Pad will be open Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will also be a Memorial Day Party In The Park at South Central Park from 1 to 3 p.m.

ROCHESTER VILLAGE

* The Memorial Day parade is on Monday starting at 2 p.m. after a flag-raising ceremony at Village Hall.

SHEFFIELD LAKE

* The city is not having any Memorial Day events.

WELLINGTON

* Parade participants will assemble in front of the village hall at 10:30 a.m. The parade will march to Greenwood Cemetery then will proceed back to the village hall for closing ceremonies.

HURON COUNTY

MONROEVILLE

* The annual Memorial Day parade will start at 10 a.m. Monday at Monroeville High School and end at Commons Park. There will be a speaker, the high school band play “Taps” and the honor guard of the American Legion will have a salute. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes.

NEW LONDON

* The annual parade will start at 10 a.m. Monday at the American Legion Post 292 and will go through town to the veterans’ memorial next to the library. There will be veterans in the parade and New London high school and middle school bands to play “Taps.”

NORWALK

* The annual Memorial Day Parade and Program will be at 9 a.m. Monday. The parade will follow Woodlawn Avenue from north south of Water Street to Woodlawn Cemetery. A memorial program will be at the cemetery following the parade.

WAKEMAN

* Community Memorial Day events for Monday: Parade participants will assemble at 6:45 a.m. near Wakeman Congregational Church. At 7 a.m., all will march to the front of the old school on River Street. There will be a presentation and flag raising by Boy Scouts of Troop 242 and Cub Scouts of packs 238 and 246, along with Girl Scouts and Brownies under the direction of Mark Flashing, Scoutmaster. The scouts will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Sister Carol from St. Mary Church will give the invocation. The Western Reserve High School Band under the direction of Glenda Jacob will perform. The placing of the memorial wreath in memory of Charter Memorial of Post 689 John Grady will be presented by his son, Patrick and sister, Peggy Heydinger. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address will be delivered by Christen Dillon. The Memorial Day address will be given by Ross Baird. “In Flanders Field” will be presented by Beverly Stober. Pastor Matthew Reed will give Benediction. Members of Wakeman American Legion Post 689 will perform a rifle salute. A pancake and sausage breakfast will take place afterward from 8 to 9:15 a.m. at the Legion Hall. The public is invited.

ERIE COUNTY

CASTALIA

* The Thomas Neill Woman’s Relief Corps 275, The Boys and Girl Scouts and The United Communities of the Margaretta school system are celebrating Memorial Day with a parade on Monday. Decorated bicycles and vehicles are invited to participate. The parade lines up at 9:15 a.m. at the fire station on South Street and will make stops at the Veteran’s Memorial and the duck pond to lay wreaths and have a prayer. Services will be take place at Castalia Cemetery at 10 a.m. Parade units should call (419) 684-9276.

HURON

* Memorial Day ceremonies, organized by Huron AMVETS Memorial Post 49 and the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Troop and Pack 31, begin Monday at 9 a.m. at the McCormick School Veterans Memorial on Ohio Street with flag raising and laying of a memorial wreath and salute. At 9:30 a.m., at Scott Cemetery Veterans Memorial, Huron-Avery Road, there will be a flag raising, laying of a memorial wreath and salute. The minister will be Tom Holzaepfel and speaker will be World War II veteran Floren James. At 10:30 a.m., at Huron City Building Veterans Memorial, there will be a flag raising, laying of a memorial wreath and salute, with Floren James speaking and Minister Tom Holzaepfel offering reflection and prayer.

MILAN

* The Memorial Day parade will gather at the village square on Edison Drive at approximately 10 a.m. and proceed down Center Street To Milan Cemetery for a ceremony and speakers. The group will then return to the village square.

PERKINS TOWNSHIP

* The Sandusky Memorial Day Association, in conjunction with the Ohio Veterans Home, will celebrate Memorial Day beginning at 9 a.m. Monday with a ceremony in front of the I.F. Mack Building at the Ohio Veterans Home. Immediately following the ceremony, the annual parade will start heading north on US 250 and end at Oakland Cemetery. This year’s grand marshals are Carl Abele and Stuart Heaberlin, both World War II veterans and prisoners of war. A ceremony at Oakland Cemetery will commence about 11 a.m. after the parade has concluded. The public is invited to attend all events.

* The township trustees will host the annual Memorial Day ceremony at noon Monday at the Perkins Cemetery off US 250. Master of ceremonies will be township Highway Superintendent Eric Dodrill. Also participating will be the Rev. Wally Gilbert from North Point Baptist Church, the color guard from the American Legion Post 83 and the honor guard from the Ohio Veterans Home, the Perkins High School Marching Band under the direction John Kustec and Boy Scout Troop 83, led by Mark Kusser.

SANDUSKY

* Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade begins at 9 a.m. at the Ohio Veterans Home. Parade participants march to Oakland Cemetery for memorial services which will end at noon. The Erie County Veterans Memorial Park Committee will have its Memorial Day service at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, 265 Jackson St. Following the church service, the assembly will move to the nearby Veterans Park for the salute to veterans.

VERMILION

* On Saturday at 9 a.m., AMVETS will place flags at Maple Grove and Rugby cemeteries. (The Veterans of Foreign Wars will remove flags after Flag Day.) On Sunday at 2 p.m., rifle squad and color guard as well as the Auxiliary will meet at Volunteer Bay. At 3:30 p.m., memorial services will take place at the Inn at Chapel Creek. At 4:30 p.m., services will take place at Lake Road Cemetery (McKenzie Woods). At 5 p.m., services will take place at the Vermilion High School Memorial.

* On Monday at 7 a.m., veterans will meet at the American Legion for coffee and doughnuts. At 8 a.m., veterans will form at Exchange Park to lower the flag to half-staff and place wreath. At 9 a.m., veterans will meet at Maple Grove Cemetery to lower flag to half staff and place wreath. At 10 a.m., veterans will form at Ferry Street for parade. At 11 a.m., there will be a memorial service at Victory Park. Guest speaker will be Lt. Col. Joel Hagy, who served with the U.S. Army for 28 years, All flags will be raised at noon on Memorial Day.

DELAWARE COUNTY

Delaware: parade, 3 p.m. Sunday, from Branch Rickey Arena parking lots at Ohio Wesleyan University through downtown to county fairgrounds

Galena: service, 1 p.m., Village Square; marker placement on veterans’ graves afterward, Galena Cemetery

Powell: parade, 10 a.m., downtown; ceremony afterward in Village Green Park

Sunbury: service, 10 a.m., J.R. Smith Park; decoration of veterans’ graves afterward, Sunbury Memorial Park

FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Lancaster: parade, 10:30a.m., from Mulberry and Columbus streets to Forest Rose Cemetery

Lithopolis: parade, 10 a.m., from American Legion Hall, 11410 Smith Rd., to Lithopolis Cemetery

Millersport: parade, 10 a.m., from Millersport Elementary School, 11850 Lancaster St., to Millersport Cemetery

Pickerington: ceremony, 9a.m., Violet Cemetery; color-guard march to Victory Park for ceremony, 9:30; graveside ceremony, 10:30, Glen Rest Memorial Estate in Reynoldsburg for Pickerington High School graduates and Marines David A. Johnston (who died in Vietnam) and Dustin A. Derga (Iraq); ceremony, 1p.m., American Legion Post 283, 7725 Refugee Rd.

Pleasantville: parade, 10a.m., from American Legion Hall, 109 W. Columbus St., to Fairfield Union Junior High School, 225 Lincoln Ave., for ceremony; then to Hampson Cemetery for ceremony 

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Bexley: ceremony, 11 a.m., Drexel Circle

Canal Winchester: ceremony, 10 a.m., Union Grove Cemetery, 400 Winchester Cemetery Rd.

Columbus: ceremony, 10:30a.m. Saturday, Green Lawn Cemetery; ceremony, 1 p.m. Saturday, 3535 Westerville Rd.; ceremony, 9 a.m. Monday, Salem Cemetery, 4241 Alkire Rd.; ceremony, 11a.m. Monday, Agudas Achim Cemetery, 2511 Performance Parkway; ceremony, 1p.m. Monday, 3675 Sullivant Ave.

Dublin: ceremony, 11 a.m., Wesley Chapel Cemetery, 3225 Dublin Rd.

Gahanna: ceremony, 11:30a.m., bridge near Granville and Mill streets; ceremony, noon, Mifflin Cemetery, 218 Agler Rd.; memorial brick dedication, 1p.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 75 W. Johnstown Rd.

Galloway: ceremony, 9:30a.m., Galloway Cemetery, 6725 Alkire Rd.; ceremony, 10a.m., Sunset Cemetery, 6959 W. Broad St.

Grove City: parade, 11 a.m., from 3752 Broadway to memorial service at 3605 Grove City Rd.

Groveport: parade, 1:15 p.m., from Town Hall, 648 Main St., to College Street; then to Groveport Cemetery for ceremony at 1:30

Hilliard: memorial service, 11a.m., Wesley Chapel Cemetery, 3225 Dublin Rd.

Mifflin Township: ceremony, 9a.m., Riverside Cemetery, 3840 Sunbury Rd.

New Albany: ceremony, 9:45a.m., Maplewood Cemetery, 4585 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd.

Reynoldsburg: ceremony, 11a.m., City Hall, 7232 E. Main St.; ceremony, 3 p.m., Methodist Hill Cemetery, Waggoner Road

Westerville: Field of Heroes with 2,000 flags, opening at 10a.m. Saturday across from Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave., with half-size replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial; parade, 9:45a.m. Monday, from S. State Street and College Avenue to ceremony at 10:15 at Otterbein Cemetery, 175 S. Knox St.

Worthington: parade, 10 a.m.; ceremony, 11 a.m., 9571 N. High St.

LICKING COUNTY

Alexandria: service, 9 a.m. Friday, Maple Grove Cemetery

Buckeye Lake: parade, 11a.m. Saturday, from Buckeye Lake State Park, North Shore

Hartford: service, 10 a.m., Croton Cemetery

Heath: service, 5 p.m., Indian Mound Mall, 771 S. 30th St.

Hebron: parade, 9:30 a.m., from American Legion Post 285, 108 N. Water St., to Hebron Cemetery for memorial service

Granville: parade, 10:30 a.m., from Broadway and Main Street to Maple Grove Cemetery for memorial service

Johnstown: service, 11:15a.m., Green Hill Cemetery

Newark: service for Vietnam War veterans, 9 a.m., south lawn, Licking County Courthouse; parade, 10:15, from Everett Park to Cedar Hill Cemetery for service at 11

Pataskala: service, 10 a.m., Pataskala Cemetery; service, 10:30, Veterans’ Memorial, downtown

MADISON COUNTY

London: service, 1 p.m. Sunday, Paint Township Cemetery; service, 2:15 Sunday, Deercreek-Lafayette Cemetery; service, 3p.m. Sunday, Summerford Cemetery; ceremony, 10:15 a.m. Monday, Oak Hill Cemetery; program, 11 a.m. Monday, Madison County Courthouse, with service afterward at Kirkwood Cemetery, then open house for veterans and families, American Legion Post 105, 51 E. 1st St.

Plain City: parade, 9 a.m., Plain City Elementary School, 340 W. Main St., through town

PICKAWAY COUNTY

Circleville: ceremony, 8 a.m., High Street Cemetery; parade, 9, from cemetery through downtown to Forest Cemetery for ceremony; remembrance, Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery

UNION COUNTY

Marysville: wreath-laying ceremony to honor those lost at sea, 9 a.m., N. Main Street bridge; parade, 9:30, through downtown to Oakdale Cemetery for service at 10

Friday

Hear the 10-member Second Wind, a band that plays the oldies with the help of a five-piece horn section, 6-10 p.m., Newport on the Levee. 859-291-0550.

Here’s an unexpected concert at the library — The Tillers, an old-timey three-piece band that was included Tom Brokaw’s 2009 “American Character Along Highway 50″ documentary, play 7 p.m., Boone County Main Library, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. . 859-342-2665; www.bcpl.org.

See a local film about a crystal meth addict bent on self-destruction at the “Meth” film premier, 8-9 p.m., Cincinnati State Advanced Technology Learning Center auditorium, 3520 Central Parkway, Clifton. ATLC Auditorium. Starring Cincinnati actors Stephanie Brait, Robert Pavlovich and Dan Davidson. Written and directed by Michael Maney. Ages 18 and up. www.meththemovie.com.

The UC College-Conservatory of Music puts on a free production of Johann Strauss’s classic opera “Die Fledermaus” three times: 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Cohen Family Studio Theater, University of Cincinnati. While it doesn’t cost anything, you’ll need a ticket. Reservations available at 513-556-4183.

Saturday

Edgewood native author Don McNay discusses and signs “Son of a Son of a Gambler: Winners, Losers and What to Do When You Win the Lottery,” 1-3 p.m., Borders Books, Music and Cafe Crestview Hills, 2785 Dixie Highway, Crestview Hills. 859-333-0295.

Head to one of the “Lights! Camera! Read!” kick-off parties, 2-4 p.m., at all 41 branches of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The reading program for all ages lasts eight weeks, and participants can earn rewards ranging from books to a camcorder to a $100 gift certificate from Joseph-Beth Booksellers. 513-369-6900; www.CincinnatiLibrary.org/SummerRead/

Head to the suburbs for the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Memorial Day Concert, 6-8 p.m., Blue Ash Towne Square, Cooper and Hunt roads, Blue Ash. Hear Dix’s “Grand American Fantasy” and Richard Rodgers’ “Victory at Sea,” plus two movements from Brahms’ “Symphony No. 1 in C Minor.” Second half features Blue Ash Youth Symphony with director Dale Swisher. 513-232-0949; www.bamso.org.

Sunday

More than 60 voices will come together for a joint choir concert, 9:40 a.m., Armstrong Chapel United Methodist Church, 5125 Drake Road, Indian Hill. The Cincinnati Brass Band will join the Armstrong Chapel Chancel Choir and Cathedral Choir of the Hyde Park Community UMC in a Memorial Day Weekend service of remembrance and praise. 513-561-4220.

Touring the Taft Museum of Art doesn’t cost a thing on Free Admission Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 316 Pike St., Downtown. Enjoy the free viewing of museum displays, parking, docent tours and music programs. Through Dec. 26. 513-241-0343; www.taftmuseum.org.

Find something to love about these jumpy creatures at Fabulous Frogs and Toads, noon-4 p.m., Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve, 3455 Poole Road, Colerain Township. Ellenwood Nature Barn. Exhibits plus games and crafts for children for small fee. Vehicle permit required. 513-521-7275; www.greatparks.org.

Information gathered from The Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, The Morning Journal, Cleveland.com, Dispatch.com, and Cincinatti.com

¿Por qué me está contactando la Dirección del Censo? - ¡Ya envié mi formulario!

Un mensaje del Blog del Director

 Algunas consultas están llegando de personas que llenaron el formulario del censo y lo enviaron,  pero que han sido visitados por encuestadores del censo en, o están recibiendo llamadas de la Dirección del Censo.  Esta es una buena ocasión para revisar las diferentes razones por las cuales es posible que esto esté sucediendo.  (Todas las razones son variantes de nuestros esfuerzos por asegurarnos que hemos contado a las personas tan sólo una vez y en el lugar correcto; su residencia habitual el día 1 de abril del 2010.  Nosotros usamos dos formas para contactar a las personas - cara a cara y llamadas telefónicas.

A continuación, algunas de las razones por las cuales es posible que alguien venga a tocar a su puerta:

• 1. Recibimos su formulario demasiado tarde para marcarlo en la lista de direcciones que requieren visitas. (Debido a que algunos formularios se pierden de camino, entrenamos a los encuestadores para que hagan las preguntas en cada dirección que se les ha asignado, por favor tengan paciencia con este procedimiento.)
• 2. Hubo información conflictiva o faltante en el formulario que recibimos. (Queremos asegurarnos que la información que recopilamos para su hogar esté completa y correcta.)
• 3. No podemos corroborar la dirección que usted dio en el formulario de “Sea Contado” o por su nombre en inglés “Be Counted” o datos dados por teléfono con nuestro listado master. (Enviaremos al encuestador para asegurarnos que toda la información esté correcta de acuerdo a la localización de la vivienda.)

Si no estamos seguros sobre cualquier respuesta dada en su hogar para el censo, es posible que llamemos por teléfono para aclarar la situación y asegurarnos de tener un conteo exacto.

Aquí se detallan algunas razones por las cuales usted podría recibir una llamada de la Dirección del Censo:

• 1. Si el número de personas reportadas que viven en la dirección el 1ero de abril no calza con el número de personas sobre los cuales se dio la información.
• 2. Si el formulario indica que habían otras personas quedándose en esa dirección, pero ellos no fueron incluidos en el conteo de esa casa.
• 3. Si sospechamos que hemos recibido información duplicada para esa casa o individuo, haremos el seguimiento para estar seguros que no se cuente las personas dos veces.,

Usted puede confirmar es realmente un representante del censo al revisar la siguiente lista  [this checklist.]

Les agradezco a todos los hogares que han respondido a los encuestadores que les han visitado en persona o les han llamado a nombre del Censo. Si no han recibido una llamada o visita - pero le vienen a ver en las próximas semanas - por favor, sea amable con los encuestadores y responda a sus preguntas.  Esto nos asegura que su hogar se parte del censo 2010.

ENGLISH

Why am I Being Contacted by The Census Bureau - I Returned my Form!

A message from The Director’s Blog

Some questions are coming in from folks who completed and mailed back their census forms, but are being visited by census workers in person, or receiving a phone call from the US Census Bureau. It might be a good time to go over the different reasons this might be happening. (All of the reasons are variants of attempts to make sure we’ve counted people once and only once and in the right place, their April 1, 2010, usual residence.) We use two ways of contacting people — face to face visits and telephone calls.

Here are some reasons why you might get a knock on the door:

• 4. We received your mailed-in form too late to scratch your unit off the list of addresses to visit. (Since some forms get lost in transit, we train our enumerators to ask the census questions at every door they’re assigned; please be patient with this request).
• 5. There was missing or conflicting information on the form we received. (We want to make sure the information we collect from your household is complete and correct.)
• 6. We can’t match the address you provided on a “Be Counted” form or over the phone to our master address list. (We send the enumerator to you to make sure all information in properly attached to the right housing unit).

If we are uncertain about any of the answers your household provided on the census, we may call to get a better understanding of the situation and ensure we get an accurate count.

Here are a few reasons why you may receive a telephone call from the US Census Bureau:

• 4. If the number given for how many people were living at the address on April 1 does not match the number of people for whom information was provided.
• 5. If the form indicates that additional people were staying at the address on April 1 but were not included in the household’s count.
• 6. If we suspect we have received duplicate information about a housing unit or individual, we will follow-up to make sure people are not counted twice.

You can confirm that the individual calling is really from the Census Bureau by running through this checklist.

I’d like to thank all of the households who have responded to the census takers who have already visited them in person or received a call from the Census Bureau. If you haven’t yet received a call or visit - but do so in the next few weeks - please be kind to our census enumerators and answer their questions. This assures your household is part of the 2010 Census.

MEDINA — After two years of giving Medina kids a chance to play, learn and stay safe after school, the Police Activities League disbanded this week after organizer Detective Scott Thomas stepped down.

Mayor Dennis Hanwell recommended to members of City Council’s Finance Committee this week that they remove the PAL positions from the department because ...Read More

Description

Cachaca - pronounced ka-sha-sa - is a kind of rum made from sugar cane. It is sold in the United States as Brazilian Rum.

Ingredients

• 11 tablespoons sugar
• 3 un-waxed limes
• 4 egg yolks*
• 1 pint double or heavy cream, lightly whipped
• 2 ounces Cachaca
• Tuille cookies, or thin butter cookies
• Mint sprigs
• Icing sugar

Preparation

1.  
   1. Line a one-pound terrine or loaf pan with non-PVC cling film.
   2. Zest two limes and juice them all.
   3. Pour sugar into small heavy-based saucepan and add one tablespoon water. Mix well with a wooden spoon, then heat until sugar has dissolved and mixture is at the soft ball stage. This is when sugar will drip continuously from a wooden spoon.
   4. Put the egg yolks into a food mixer and whisk until light and fluffy. Dribble sugar syrup down side of bowl very slowly to allow it to cool before it blends with yolks.
   5. Once it is all incorporated, fold in cream, rum, lime juice and zest.
   6. Pour mixture into pan; cover the top with more cling film and then freeze for at least six hours until set.
   7. To serve, remove pan from freezer and allow to stand for ten minutes. Cut into slices and serve with cookies and mint sprigs with a dusting of icing sugar.

Serves

Serves 8 to 10

Notes, Tips & Suggestions

Note: If you can’t find un-waxed limes, scrub limes thoroughly before zesting.

*With eggs and all other raw foods from animals, there is a small possibility of Salmonella food poisoning. The risk is greater for those who are pregnant, elderly or very young and those with medical problems which have impaired their immune systems. These individuals should avoid raw and undercooked animal foods.

Source
Brazilian Tourism

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A Taste of Brazil

Exchange Mexican Artist

SUE MERRELL,The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - English was a required subject when Rolando Mancera was growing up in Mexico.

“I used to skip class,” Mancera, 27, said over a glass of pink lemonade at Little Mexico Cafe in downtown Grand Rapids. “I didn’t think I would ever need English. I only remembered two or three phrases. I should have paid more attention.”

Twelve years after moving to Michigan, Mancera is a strong advocate of learning the local language.

“To really move ahead, you must speak the language and must relate with the culture,” he says in English with only a little accent. “I work with Anglos, I learn their music cultures. I wouldn’t be able to speak English as well if I didn’t speak it every day. You have to take in what’s around you to move forward.”

Around Mancera, on the walls of the restaurant, are beautiful murals he designed and painted. Art is another language Mancera uses to express his pride in his homeland and his faith in God.

The murals at Little Mexico depict the pre-Columbian period. On one wall, workers are harvesting corn. On another, Aztec leaders are lined up in all their finery to make an offering of grain to the Sun God. A sunburst sends rays of yellow and orange around the room, piercing the olive-drab background. In one corner is a painting of an Aztec pyramid or temple.

“I’m fascinated by the culture and history of Mexico, and I want to share that with the Anglo community,” Mancera says. “You can’t be a person without a past. It helps you go into the future.”

Over the past year, Mancera has painted similar murals at two Cinco de Mayo restaurants. The one in Rockford depicts Cinco de Mayo, a holiday commemorating Mexico’s victory over French troops at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The mural at the Cinco de Mayo restaurant on Monroe Mall in Grand Rapids depicts Mexican Independence Day, Sept. 16, 1810, when a priest in the small town of Dolores called for the people to revolt against Spain.

Hands are a recurrent theme in the murals.

“Hands are our biggest resource,” Mancera says. “It makes it possible to do what we do.”

But the artist goes beyond focusing on the hands of the workers and the hands of the worshipers.

The ears of corn are held to the stalk in green hands and enormous earth-colored arms encircle the base of the corn harvest scene symbolizing God’s hand in providing food.

The rays of the sun in the lobby of Little Mexico end with hands, and an eagle lands on a cactus with hand-like fingers. Hands from heaven hold the church bell in the Independence Day mural at the Grand Rapids Cinco de Mayo restaurant.

In the two-bedroom apartment in Comstock Park, where Mancera lives with his wife, Erika, sheet-metal hand sculptures hang from the ceiling, holding a lightbulb or a Coke can. During last year’s Tulipanes Latino Art and Film Festival in Holland, Mancera led a workshop for children ages 6-12. He gave each one a large, hand-shaped wood cutout.

“I told them their hands are the key to reaching their dreams; all they have to do is work for it.”

He suggested the children paint the hand with symbols of their dream - musical notes if they want to play a symphony or logos of their favorite team if they want to play sports.

“I wanted to give them something to hang up in their room to remind them of where they are headed. The key is to keep the goal in mind.”

Mancera, who has been called Roli since childhood, enjoyed drawing, as most children do, but never imagined it could become a career. He lived in Presa Blanca, a small village two hours northwest of Mexico City.

“It’s about like Bailey. You’re in and you’re out,” he says.

His father was a farm worker who cut alfalfa in the fields, processed it and resold it. His mother raised eight children, five girls and three boys. His parents owned a small grocery store where Mancera worked as a boy of 10 or 12. Eventually, the grocery store became a shoe shop, Mancera recalls.

At age 15, he decided to leave school and head to the United States with a cousin. They stayed in Houston for about eight months and then moved to Grand Rapids, where they had heard jobs were plentiful.

Mancera got a job in a friend’s tool-and-die business, where he gained experience. He moved six years ago to Michigan Pattern Works, where he operates a computer and numerically controlled (CNC) machine.

“Why I stayed (in Grand Rapids) is a good question,” Mancera says with a laugh. “In Mexico, it is warm all year round. In the beginning, it was hard to be part of winter, but I learned to be part of each season.”

At first, he knew no English, but an Anglo friend and co-worker, Boyd Culver, got him interested in American music. Mancera would buy CDs and listen to them.

“My brother teased me because I would be listening to songs I didn’t understand,’ Mancera said, “but through music, I learned the English I speak now.”

He met his wife, Erika, also a Mexican immigrant, eight years ago at a dance. She was sitting with her aunt and cousin. When he asked her to dance, she refused.

“I didn’t pay any attention to him,” Erika says now.

His friends wanted to leave, but Mancera was patient. He waited about a half-hour and asked Erika to dance again. This time, she said yes, and they danced the rest of the evening.

“At first, the attraction was physical,” Mancera says. “Then I realized, I really like this girl.”

Mancera ticks off a long list of traits he admires about his wife of seven years - she’s a strong woman, a hard worker, smart and a tremendous talent in the kitchen.

“She not only cooks, she loves to cook. She does it because she loves it.”

Erika works for a toiletries manufacturer in Standale and is taking classes at Grand Rapids Community College to earn her general equivalency diploma. Her list of favorite traits about her husband is equally long.

“I like him because he’s handsome, he likes to dance, doesn’t give up easily and fights for what he believes in. He does what he does because he believes in it.”

The couple are active at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, where they sing in the choir. Mancera also has been involved in several dramatic productions, creating the scenery as well as acting in leading roles such as “The Prodigal Son.”

Although he never had any formal art training, Mancera set up an art studio in his apartment and expanded his childhood sketches to acrylics and oils. He also began experimenting with metal sculpture, using scraps left over at his job.

In 2006, he presented his first solo exhibit at his church. After several other exhibits at area galleries, he joined other Latino artists at St. Andrews in 2007 to form Artists Unidos.

“He’s very industrious and hard-working,” said the Rev. Joachim Lally, who’s in charge of Hispanic ministries at St. Andrews and is a member of Artists Unidos. “(Mancera) can pull something out of nothing. He’s always looking for opportunities. He’s a proactive kind of guy.”

While wine tasting at Fenn Valley Winery in Fennville, Mancera noticed a blank wall he thought could use a little sprucing up, so he sold the owner on his first public commission, an 8-by-10-foot metal wall sculpture of a giant bunch of grapes.

In 2009, Mancera was commissioned to create a Crucifix that hangs in the sacristy at St. Andrews. He took a wooden cross that had been hanging in the church, mounted it on shiny metal and added a body of Christ he carved out of metal. An X of nails behind the cross symbolizes St. Andrew, Lally said.

The walls of Mancera’s apartment are filled with his art, ranging from a pair of black-and-white oils of Mexican architecture over the couch to a flaming orange fall landscape across the room and an elaborate metal collage framing his wife’s portrait. The display includes works of artists he admires, such as two Paul Collins prints in the dining area along with other area artists, and an African mask and skinny wooden sculpture in the living room beside a lily etched in glass by Carmelo Lopez, an Artists Unidos friend from St. Andrews.

Mancera began studying the mural work of Diego Rivera about a year ago. He read books about Rivera’s methods. He and Lopez visited the Detroit Institute of Arts to study Rivera’s frescos.

“I was amazed,” said Lopez, who has done some small oil paintings but never imagined painting on walls. “I figured, if he can do it, why can’t we do it, too?”

Mancera received his first mural commission in September 2009 from Mariano Coronado at the Rockford Cinco de Mayo restaurant.

“He trusted me. How can I explain how thankful I am?” Mancera said.

The first project included painting on a two-story, 20-by-20-foot wall, during which Mancera and Lopez used a scissor lift to reach the high expanse. Mancera said he creates a rough sketch of the design on a graph of the area to be painted, but the details of the mural are painted on the wall. Borrowing from Diego Rivera, Mancera uses photographs of people in the community as models for the people in his mural.

“The models represent different countires: Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, El Salvador,” Mancera said. “The faces are something from the community that becomes part of the mural. They give life to the mural.”

It’s also fun for viewers who recognize the manager of the restaurant among the faces on the wall. Lopez, who is from Guatemala, posed for one of the Indians at Little Mexico, and said he overheard one of the patrons commenting about the similarity between his face and the one in the picture.

Creating murals for restaurants is high-pressure work, Mancera said, because the restaurant is often in a hurry to open.

“Sometimes, we worked 17 hours straight on a weekend,” Mancera said, adding Lopez never complained about the late-night hours, even though he had to get up early for his day job at Echo Etching.

Although Lopez, 55, has been a professional artist longer, Mancera was in charge of the murals, and Lopez followed his lead.

“Artists can get jealous of each other, but he was always a gentleman with me,” Lopez said. Many artists have ideas but never act on them, he said, but Mancera has made his dreams into reality.

“He thinks and then he does,” Lopez said.

Mancera said he sought advice from Lopez and other, more experienced artists. He asked Grand Valley State University professor and muralist Ed Wong-Ligda about the best type of paints to use (regular acrylic wall paint). And he discussed his unfulfilled desire to create large public works with the late Jose Norezo, a well-known artist in the community who died in 2008.

“He told me if you want to do public art, you must be very careful to put the time and effort into it so it will be the best quality,” Mancera said of Wong-Ligda. “Hundreds of people will see it and judge you by it.”

In the past year, Mancera has put all his spare time into his art, including a model of an Aztec pyramid for ArtPrize. But Mancera has decided not to take part in the international art competition this year.

He and his wife are expecting their first baby in August, and that is his top priority. They’ve already agreed the boy will be named Diego.

“Right now, the goal is to focus on family and Diegito (little Diego),” Mancera said. “We want him to be bilingual. We want to get him into both cultures, get him involved in art - visual, music, dance - something productive.”

Mancera said too many children of immigrants learn to speak English in school but lose the ability to speak Spanish. He and Erika want to be sure their son doesn’t lose his heritage.

The couple are hoping their parents in Mexico can visit West Michigan sometime over the next year to see the baby. They have family members in the area for support, and have a second family of support among the church members.

Their friends come from all over the community, including people from Austria, Spain and China, as well as assorted Anglos.

“The key is that you need to be an English speaker, then you can be involved with any group,” Mancera said. “When you can speak the language, you can fit into any conversation.”

Information from: The Grand Rapids Press, http://www.mlive.com/grand-rapids

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

By Saif Khan

This Memorial Day, as we honor our military heroes, I’d like to ask you to take a moment to appreciate the lives sacrificed for our country by those who were not born within our borders.

Please remember the immigrant soldiers who were on the green at Lexington, on the sunken road at Shiloh, at Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima and Da Nang.

As an Iraq War veteran and an immigrant, I’d like you to think about the immigrant troops holding the line in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan. The second soldier to die in Iraq was an undocumented Guatemalan immigrant; he was awarded citizenship posthumously.

As of last year, about 29,000 people serving in our military did not have U.S. citizenship. Without immigrants, our military could not meet its recruitment goals and would lack the rich diversity it benefits from today. As America fights two wars, American soldiers from diverse backgrounds who speak critical languages like Arabic, Pashto or Urdu are vital for the success of our overall mission.

As an immigrant from India, I joined our armed forces to serve and protect this great country that was my new home.

I joined the Virginia Army National Guard in the year 2000, right after finishing high school, although I only had a green card. As I was being deployed to Iraq in 2004, I had still not been granted U.S. citizenship. I spoke with my commander, and he interceded for me so that my citizenship was expedited. I’m grateful to him for that.

But I worry about the families of soldiers who are not so fortunate.

When I see anti-immigrant state laws like Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which will lead to racial profiling, it might be easy to forget that those affected by this law could be the mother of a Marine killed in combat, or the son of an Army medic serving in Afghanistan. These families sacrifice so much already for the United States, yet they are not safe from being detained if they happen to not have their identification handy. We should be honoring and helping all military families, not targeting some of them because of their immigration status.

Today, more than ever, we must pay our respects to the immigrants fighting under the American flag. We can do this through comprehensive immigration reform that will protect our servicemen and women and their families.

By creating an accountable, fair and realistic path to citizenship, we could potentially add tens of thousands of new service members, thus providing relief to our men and women in uniform and allowing those who consider the United States their home the opportunity to defend its values abroad.

Our leaders have a solemn duty to honor this history of sacrifice by immigrant servicemen and women and their families.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Saif Khan is a veteran, having served as a combat engineer in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 20042005. He wrote this for Progressive Media Project, a source of liberal commentary on domestic and international issues; it is affiliated with The Progressive magazine. Readers may write to the author at: Progressive Media Project, 409 East Main Street, Madison, Wis. 53703; e-mail: pmproj@progressive.org; Web site: www.progressive.org. For information on PMP’s funding, please visit http://www.progressive.org/pmpabout.htmlanchorsupport.

This article was prepared for The Progressive Media Project and is available to MCT subscribers. McClatchy-Tribune did not subsidize the writing of this column; the opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of McClatchy-Tribune or its editors.

(c) 2010, Saif Khan

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A California woman shot and killed herself while driving in southern New Mexico after her 9-year-old daughter refused her mother’s request to kill her, authorities said.

The girl told investigators that her mother began to breathe heavily — possibly from an asthma or emphysema attack — and handed over a 9 mm handgun.

“She told her to shoot her. And she wouldn’t,” State police Lt. Roman Jimenez said. “The daughter said she has had these kinds of attacks before, but she’d never been suicidal.”

After the girl refused, the woman fired a shot into her own chest Thursday morning and the car rolled to a stop on the left shoulder of Interstate 10, about 25 miles west of Las Cruces. The girl was not injured.

The woman and her daughter, traveling with two dogs, were headed to Oklahoma City to see the girl’s father. The girl and the dogs were taken into protective custody by state police while authorities waited for the girl’s father to travel from Oklahoma.

Dustin Stober, a Navy petty officer, was driving behind the woman’s car and said it seemed as though the driver had hit the brakes to avoid an animal darting across the road. He said he pulled his vehicle in front of the woman’s car to block it, told his wife to call authorities, and then he tried to treat the wound.

“I knew what to do in this situation, and I couldn’t do anything,” Stober said.

“We’re thankful that there were passers-by who were willing and able to assist this small child out of the vehicle,” Jimenez said.

Neither alcohol nor drugs were believed to be a factor in the shooting. The woman’s body was transported to Albuquerque for an autopsy.

By Katie Powalski, OrlandoSentinel.com/momsatwork

I like social media. A lot. It’s helped me keep strong friendships and network in my career. I want my daughter to experience the fun and necessity of online interaction too when she is older. Like, a teenager, right?

The tween/teen years are too late, according to social networking creator Mandeep Singh Dhillon. He released Togetherville, a social networking site specifically designed for six to 10 year olds. The site provides complete parental oversight and other features like a drop-down menu of options when commenting on a friend’s page. Dhillon started working on the site after his four-year-old son wanted to post pictures online that he had taken.

“We teach kids from a very early age, never let your identity be online, never let anyone know who you are, but we’re teaching some bad things,” Dhillon said in an interview with the New York Times. “Kids don’t learn how to be accountable.”

He suggests, instead, that kids use safe sites like Togetherville as training wheels for the big, bad internet world later in life.

When he puts it that way, I can see the merit of this site.

Find more advice for moms at http://orlandosentinel.com/momsatwork.

Detroit Free Press

How do you get a toddler to stay in bed at night? Here’s what local moms had to say:

“We gated ours in their rooms. Yeah, we had some crying, but they ultimately went to sleep.” — Bethifoody

“We tried the gates, but she climbs over them. She even climbed over 2 gates stacked on top of each other. We close her door at night because she likes it closed. But she’s gotten to the point where she can turn the knob and open it. We tried the childproof door-knob covers, but she takes them apart.” — Leftyloo1

“When the climbing began, we would close their door … & secure it (we would tie it to the bathroom door, so he couldn’t open it.). As SOON as it was quiet for a 5 or so minute stretch (NO noises whatsoever), we would go open the door.” — Bethifoody

“When Spencer started doing this at about 2 ½ -3 it was a sign that the nap had lost its benefits, and once I let the nap slide he started sleeping again without any trouble. I did up his bedtime an hour though to make up with the fact he wasn’t napping.” — themirolands

“Is it possible that she has teeth coming in? Sometimes moving to a new house can jar things up a bit, maybe she just needs a little more time to get used to her new room.” — hyg1

“As with anything with kids, I think consistency is best. Pick a plan and then stick with it, at least for a week … btw I typically fail miserably at this, but when I follow thru I notice definite improvements.” — Tylersmommy

“I don’t know if I’d take away the nap completely, but maybe limit it to an hour. I had doorknob covers that couldn’t be taken apart.” — pgeds