By John Montesano – Jon Birkey is the May 2019 Veteran of the Month. He was born May 3, 1990 and lived in West Chicago. He was home-schooled through third grade. When he was put into the school system, he was put into the third grade because of a learning
The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America’s Roots in Blue will present a concert from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 at the Oswego Senior Center rear gym, 156 E. Washington Street, Oswego. Admission is free and open to the public for this family-friendly, all-ages event. Roots
The Fox Valley Marines’ potato run recently include delivery of 6,000 pounds of potatoes to Batavia Food Pantry, Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, and the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry. From left, Rich Marrello and Alan Scott. Dick Buss was part of the group. Submitted photo
By Carter Crane – The Veterans Serenity Park ground-breaking in Oswego Saturday, April 13 was both the process of a beginning and of a completion for the committee which has been working on the project for nearly a year. The Park projection completion date is November this year. The Park,
It is the season to be blessed with many activities: • A busy day in many communities will be Saturday, April 13, including Oswego, which will hold an Earth Day Kite Fly, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Prairie Pointe Park; Oswego East Food Truck Feast, and Veterans Serenity Park
By John Montesano – Tom Bulin was born December 10, 1947 and grew up on the Southwest Side of Chicago. He didn’t like living in the city, but preferred the country. Growing up he spent Summers at his grandmother’s cottage on the Fox River in Millbrook, eight miles southwest of
U.S. senator Dick Durbin, third from left, and acting principal deputy under secretary for health, Steven Lieberman, M.D., join Hines Veterans Hospital director, Steven Braverman, M.D. recently when Hines VA receive $5 Million donation to support geriatric research and patient-centered care. Hines VA Hospital received a ceremonial check for $5
I hope everyone has been following Chas Coddington’s column in The Voice. It alternates an appearance in this space every week with mine because, for me, it takes that long to get anything coherent out of my head and on to the page. The Chas has been writing about his
When last we saw The Chas, a new Army recruit, he had been ordered to take a train to San Antonio, Texas, and report to Fort Sam Houston, where he would learn to be an orderly in a mobile Army surgical hospital (MASH). Unfortunately, he had gotten on the wrong
To honor the service and contributions of women Veterans, State representative Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, asks area residents to submit the names of outstanding female veterans to be recognized on the House floor later this month. “Women veterans are trailblazers whose achievements deserve to be honored and recognized,” said Kifowit. “Upon
“Pity the nation oh pity the people who allow their rights to erode and their freedoms to be washed away…” —Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet War-spending is bankrupting America. Our Nation is being preyed upon by a military industrial complex that is propped up by war profiteers, corrupt politicians, and foreign governments.
The newly-elected U.S. House of Representatives has introduced a resolution condemning the American involvement in the civil conflict in Yemen and calling for a complete withdrawal of all U.S. support. This action follows president Donald Trump’s desire to withdraw American troops from Syria and Afghanistan, a campaign promise he made
By John Montesano – Due to a crisis in my personal life, the Veteran of the Month feature was temporarily put on hold, but it will be resumed in April. That personal situation was full of a great deal of grieving and reflection. How the passing of an individual affects
AVAC (Aurora Veterans Advisory Council), in coordination with the Quilt of Valor (QOV) Foundation, present Fred Vargas of Aurora with a quilt of valor February 10. He served from 1957 to 1960 as a Marine in Kodiak Alaska as an MP. Submitted photo
AVAC (Aurora Veterans Advisory Council) in partnership with the Quilt Of Valor (QOV) Foundation, presents a quilt of valor January 26 to Robert Guzman, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Korea from 1950 to 1952. Sgt. Guzman was the recipient of two Bronze Stars and went on Honor Flight
The American Legion Riders Post 181 from Sandwich coordinated “Bowl for Vets” Saturday, Jan. 26 at Sandwich Idle Hour Lanes. Focus: bowling, turkeys (bowling strikes), food, raffles, seeing friends, and making friends. Cash prizes were awarded to first place, Bobby Wilgus who bowled a 919 series; second place, Virgil Range,
By Jason Crane – The Village Board of Montgomery held a marathon meeting, Monday to start the new year with a standing- room-only crowd for an action-packed agenda. The nearly five hour meeting, which included a 15-minute break, was the longest in recent memory of many observers. Montgomery resident and
This year will be a third time for a Moving Wall in six years, a memorial and remembrance in the Aurora area. The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club, led by the organization’s president, Herschel Luckinbill, will bring the The Wall of Honor to the Fox Valley area which will include
The Aurora Navy League Council 247 will hold its monthly dinner meeting Tuesday, Jan. 15. The meeting will be held in the private dining room at Grandma’s Table Restaurant, 1700 Douglas Road, Montgomery, just north of U.S. Route 30. The after dinner speaker will be Joe Rosner, a recognized expert
