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McKenzie Remembers: Memorial Day Celebrated in Ceremony,
Placing of Flags |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
Chris Lewis and Pat Carroll, father of Dusty Carroll,
who was killed July 31, 2005 while deployed with
McKenzie's 230th Engineer Battalion. Lewis was injured
in the same roadside blast. Both Lewis and Pat Carroll
served in Iraq with the Tennessee National Guard.
MCKENZIE - Wars have taken from us some of
our finest citizens and the lifetimes they hoped to
live, said Col. William M. (Mike) Maloan as he addressed
a gathering of approximately 100 in the McKenzie
Downtown Veterans Memorial Park on Monday morning. The
event was the annual Memorial Day service sponsored by
the City of McKenzie and area volunteers.
Monday’s ceremony was the second event to honor the
memories of veterans. On Sunday, area veterans and
volunteers gathered in area cemeteries to adorn some 800
graves of veterans with small American flags. It a
challenging task to find the headstones of the veterans
of all the American wars and conflicts.
Area veterans and volunteers placed approximately 800
flags on the graves of veterans in McKenzie-area
cemeteries. Pictured is Eddie Lankford, William
Robertson, Roy Lee Simmons, Bailey Moore Wrinkle, Jim
Springer, and Tom Nolen at the grave of Dusty Carroll.
Monday, gathered under the tall shade trees and among
the freshly painted light fixtures and recently
renovated gazebo, the audience heard Bethany Ellis
perform patriotic songs, heard speakers, and saw the
laying of the wreath at the war monument.
The annual event is to remember those whose lives were
given in wars throughout America's history and to whom
Americans owe a debt of gratitude for their continued
freedom.
Mayor Walter Winchester said the war was brought home to
Carroll County when young Sgt. Dusty Carroll was killed
in Iraq in 2005.
Placing the wreath on the Carroll County War Memorial
this year were Chris Lewis and Pat Carroll, father of
Dusty Carroll, who was killed July 31, 2005 while
deployed with McKenzie's 230th Engineer Battalion. Lewis
was injured in the same roadside blast. Both Lewis and
Pat Carroll served in Iraq with the Tennessee National
Guard. Lewis is a Purple Heart recipient. Two weeks ago,
Pat received his son’s Purple Heart.
Kathy Winchester pins a carnation on veteran Tom Nolen
during the McKenzie Memorial Day Ceremony.
The speaker, Mike Maloan, is a native of Martin and is
command staff judge advocate, Joint Forces Headquarters,
Tennessee Army National Guard. He is the chief legal
advisor to the adjutant general. Prior to this
assignment to Joint Forces Headquarters, Colonel Maloan
was staff judge advocate for the 194th Engineer Brigade.
He has served as chancellor for the 27th Judicial
District (Weakley and Obion Counties) since 1990 and is
an instructor in the College of Business at the
University of Tennessee at Martin. Colonel Maloan and
his wife, Sharon, have four daughters and one
granddaughter.
Colonel Maloan enlisted in the Tennessee Air National
Guard in 1967 and was commissioned as an officer in the
Tennessee Army National Guard in 1988. He is a graduate
of the University of Tennessee at Martin, University of
Memphis Law School, United States Army Command and
General Staff College, and the United States Army War
College. Colonel Maloan will be promoted to brigadier
general on June 2 and will serve as deputy adjutant
general, Tennessee National Guard.
Maloan said a recent Gallup poll indicated only 28
percent of Americans know the true meaning of Memorial
Day. Many Americans confuse Memorial and Veterans Day.
Memorial Day is observed the last Monday in May to
commemorate U.S. men and women who made the ultimate
sacrifice and died in the military service of our
country. It began as Decoration Day to honor fallen
soldiers in the American Civil War by decorating graves,
parades, and memorial services.
In 1915, the poet Moina Michael conceived the idea to
wear red poppies on this day to honor those who died in
the service of our nation. In 1922, the Veterans of
Foreign Wars became the first veterans organization to
distribute poppies nationally. After WWII, this holiday
became known as Memorial Day. A 1967 federal law
officially changed the name.
“President Lincoln once said, ‘Any nation that does not
honor its heroes will not long endure.’ We are here to
commemorate the brave men and women who have sacrificed
their lives for our freedom. We remember their youth,
their optimism, their bravery. We mourn for them. We
mourn for the lives unlived and the potential
unrealized. We mourn for the families broken…
“Since the Revolutionary War and now the global war of
terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 1,200,000
Americans in uniform have given their lives for our
country. The title of “veteran” is a term of great
respect in America. All those who served, whether it was
for a few years or for many, have put their country
above their own personal needs…
“We should look at what they did and how they did it and
in doing so, honor them by imitating their courage,
their sacrifice and their excellence…
“Since 9-11, Tennessee has deployed over 11,700 of a
total force of 14,000 Tennessee Army and Air National
Guard men and women. Our reserve components have been
used more in the last five years than since WWII. Last
year, the Tennessee National Guard deployed to over 30
countries including Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Kosovo,
Germany, and Bosnia. We have lost 82 Tennesseans in the
War on Terror. Sixteen of those were Tennessee Army
National Guardsmen, including Sgt. Dusty Carroll and
Sgt. Dustin Laird of Martin…
“Today, and throughout the year, let us all remember how
fortunate we are to live in a nation where so many have
given so much,” concluded Maloan. |
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Carroll County Crop Loss Estimated at $1.5 Million;
Drought Conditions Concern Farmers |
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By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
Although most landscape plants and trees have leafed
back out after damage sustained in the late spring
freeze, 80 percent of the county’s wheat crop was lost
and 8,000 acres of corn required replanting throughout
the county, for a combined loss of approximately $1.5
million, according to Carroll County Extension Agent
Steve Burgess.
Based on an average yield of 60 bushels of wheat per
acre at $5.00 per bushel, farmers sustained a loss of
$1.25 million to their wheat crops. Wheat is planted in
the fall and harvested in June, so plants were at a
critical stage when the freeze occurred.
The cost of replanting corn at $29 per acre, totaled
$230,000 in seed costs alone, said Burgess.
“If we don’t start getting some rain, we are going to
start losing some yield on corn,” he said.
The extension agent noted it is impossible to estimate
the loss of fruit crops sustained by individuals
throughout the county.
“I think everyone lost their peach and apple crops in
this area this year,” he said. Grape vines and nut trees
are also not expected to produce a crop this year.
Concerning landscape plants and trees, Burgess noted
that it should be acceptable now to begin to prune out
any dead tissue from plants and start to fertilize with
nutrients such as Miracle Gro.
He reminds everyone of the need to continue watering
frequently, especially since it is so dry.
He added that plants that have not leafed back out and
experienced any new growth by now are probably dead and
need to be removed from landscapes. He noted, however,
that now is not the best time to replace lost plants,
especially with the current dry conditions. He stated it
would be best to wait until late fall. For those who
don’t want to wait, he noted they should be prepared to
water a lot.
Burgess said he and area farmers are becoming concerned
about the shortage of rainfall.
“We are over 10 inches short of normal rainfall for this
time of year,” Burgess said late last week.
He noted that corn that did not have to be replanted is
at a growth stage now where moisture is beginning to
become important.
“Farmers have finished planting cotton,” he said, noting
that cotton can handle dry conditions better than corn
and soybeans. Farmers are normally in the process of
planting soybeans at this time of year, however, many
are waiting, said Burgess.
“If it is dry over two inches down in the soil, there’s
no need to plant soybeans because they will just sit
there and not come up,” he said.
Although trees seem to have recovered nicely, Burgess
said they may not yet be out of danger. He stated it
took so much of their reserve energy to leaf back out
after the freeze that if we have a hot, dry summer they
are not going to be able to restore enough food reserves
to get them through the winter and leaf back again next
spring.
“So, we may be seeing the effects of this winter’s
spring freeze next spring in the form of dead trees,” he
said.
Persons who have questions concerning their plants are
encouraged to call Mr. Burgess at 986-1986.
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Carroll North Relay for Life Event This Weekend |
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Carroll North Relay for Life event to increase awareness of
cancer in the community and raise much needed funds for the
American Cancer Society is scheduled for Friday evening and
Saturday morning, June 1-2 at McKenzie Recreational Park.
The annual event offers entertainment, concessions, and
activities for all ages.
In the event of inclement weather, activities will be moved
to the McKenzie National Guard Armory, located at 110
Highway 140 in McKenzie.
Relay activities begin at 5 p.m., followed by survivor
check-in and reception from 6 – 7 p.m. Opening ceremonies
will be from 6:45 – 7:45 p.m. and will include a welcome by
Mayor Walter Winchester and survivors and caregivers lap
around the course. A parade of teams will be presented at
7:45 p.m. and a luminary ceremony begins at 9:05, following
by a memorial of lost loved ones. There is much more
entertainment and activities throughout the evening and
early morning hours. For a complete list of activities,
sponsors, committee members and teams, see the special Relay
for Life directory in this edition.
Kay Wood is chairman of the 2007 Carroll North Relay for
Life event. Vibrant, outgoing and focused, Kay embodies the
spirit of a natural leader. Serving as chairman for the past
two years, Wood has utilized her dynamic energy to nearly
double the size of collections received and elevated the
teams’ fund-raising to national championship status.
“We welcome the community to the 11th Relay For Life event,”
said Wood. “The community has been very supportive over the
past 10 years and we hope this year will be no exception. We
hope this will be another successful year in fund raising
for the fight against cancer. We look forward to seeing
everyone there.”
Cancer survivors Lynda Lankford and Cheryl Oglesby are this
year’s honorary co-chairmen. (See features on these two
outstanding women in special section in this edition)
This year’s Relay event features 18 fund-raising teams and
38 sponsors. Team members will man delightful booths which
will reflect their team’s individual theme. Individual
booths situated conveniently around the Relay campsite will
offer a large variety of food to insure that guests do not
go away hungry. |
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Carroll News
Leader
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