Hebron Crossroads 2-29-04
“Hebron Has a Festival Coming!”
By Jeff Gill

Big news for the Hebron area! After around 15 years without a local carnival or festival, thanks to the intrepid Hebron Elementary PTO, we will begin a new tradition Memorial Day weekend. What else but a. . . Crossroads Festival!

In Canal Park, rides and games with Michael’s Amusements (a local firm, natch), and in the gazebo, music and storytelling; on Sunday afternoon a concert by the Lakewood Symphonic Band (see further down for a thanx from those fine folks, too) over at Evans Park on Refugee Road; then Monday the fitting finale with the long-standing community parade from the Legion Hall to Hebron Cemetery for a Memorial Day salute and remembrance.
More to come, but exciting news even in outline, isn’t it?
Congratulations to Erin Finkes, who is returning to village council after a “get your child off to college” break, so to speak; the council thanks Ken George, Jack Mayberry, and Jan Yocum for their applications and interest as well.

Election day coming right up March 2, and for the Dems, competition on the national scene (as predicted right here, Kerry or Edwards, but with Ohio finally playing a significant role), while the R’s have all the local fun in one commissioner race, with incumbent “D” Marcia Phelps deservedly heading into November solo in the other.

Respected Republicans Tim Bubb & Jim Crane are getting good marks for their positive campaigning in the Lakewood area, working for the contested seat to replace Albert Ashbrook (and get better soon, Al, tho’ I hear you have expert help working on your lambs this spring). There’s a third, but he hasn’t been seen or heard from around the Crossroads to date, so I’ll stick with saying we couldn’t lose in Licking County with either of these fine men working with Marcia and Jay Baird. I have to say that Tim gets high marks for clever e-mails and great sign placement, and those skills can come in awful handy on the county commissioners’ bench.

If there’s primary opposition to President Bush, I can’t say anything about ‘em, but can I say something about the Guard & Reserves? Considering the number of both R’s (Gingrich, Cheney, Buchanan) and D’s (Dean – remember him? or Clinton – ditto?) who managed to find a way to not sign up or get drafted a’tall, can we just give the man credit for volunteering in the first place? This continued attempt to make Bush look bad for being in the Air Guard runs the risk of defaming a proud branch of the service where there’s more risk than most seem aware of, or are willing to admit.

The point should be that Kerry’s service was exceptionally admirable, and let’s lift that up, rather than try to put down Bush’s time flying F-102’s. Did they both have myriad, even mixed motives for signing up? Well sure; ask me some time why I enlisted, but make sure you have half an hour or so. Few of us whistle “Yankee Doodle” down to the recruiters’ office and take the oath in a pure glow of patriotism.

And no, I don’t know for sure who I’m voting for in November. But it won’t be based on a 30 year old military record, no matter how proud.

Say, while I’m annoying the dickens out of some of y’all loyal readers (if I were making everyone happy, I couldn’t be doing my job that well, right?), can I just ask a question to discomfort everybody?

Back when Judge Roy Moore was defying a court order in keeping a personally placed Ten Commandments monument in his state office building in Alabama, I have to admit I was uncomfortable with his action in response to a duly constituted authority, and said so, to the unhappiness of some of my churchly friends. But now Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco, flouts state law and even a recent public referendum on same-sex marriage in his state, and is hailed far and wide as a principled civil servant -- ? So was I wrong to wish Moore had been more law abiding, or to see Newsom as the more egregious offender?

Same-sex marriage advocates would probably get more support from your average “live and let live” American citizen if they didn’t go right on to saying that society will be improved by a looser, freer, less monogamous approach to relationships that same-sex couples will bring to the marriage mix. Yep, that’s what the last thirty years have shown us, all right: less commitment and stability are great for kids and the elderly, the weakest elements of a society. What’s too often missed in this debate is that marriage isn’t an institution about relationships, it’s a social institution. And society has a huge vested interest in strong, stable, lasting families. No solution to the knotty conundrums of abortion, divorce, civil unions, or poor families will gain headway until the debaters acknowledge that the answers will always go far beyond matters of individual preference or relationships in isolation.

Can you tell we’ve entered that serious season of Lent? Well, let’s brighten up a bit before we go. . .

A little news flash thanks to Marsha Justice: Four Lakewood students participated in the God, Flag and Country essay contest sponsored by the Aerie #387 chaired by Linda and Joe Hannigan on February l4th. Elaine Hertler won the l4-l5 year old category and Kyle West won the12-13 year old category. They will move on to compete at the District level in Newark on March l3th at 10a.m. with students from Zanesville.

Any student in Licking County wishing to participate next year should contact your principal or English department. Congratulations also to Ashley Napier who finished 2nd and Jessica Graham who finished 3rd in the 14-15 year old category. Thanks so much to Mrs. Eckard and the Lakewood School System for their hard work, and we wish the two winners the best of luck as they move on in competition.


And a thank you came in over the transom: The Lakewood High School Band, directed by Scott Coffey, Lauren Houk, and Rob Caldwell, in cooperation with the Lakewood Band Boosters, held a successful fundraising dinner last month and would like to thank the many people and organizations that made the evening a success.

First and foremost is the Outback Steak House, which provided the delicious steak and chicken dinners. “These guys went out of their way to provide excellent food, at the perfect serving temperature, to hundreds of people in a short amount of time,” notes Coffey. “We really were impressed with their efforts all the way around.”

Other businesses which donated food, supplies, decorations, and other items include: The Hometown Deli, Hebron; McDonald’s, Hebron; Pepsi, Zanesville; Tri-County Chrysler; Pizza Cottage, Sweetman Music, Lancaster; and Meijer. In addition, individuals providing desserts, silent auction items, or volunteering their time for the event included members of the Lakewood High School Band, the Lakewood Band Boosters, Tim Bubb, and several Lakewood staff members.

According to Director Coffey, the event netted just under $10,000, and will be used to help fund the group’s 2004 trip to play at Disney World in March. “It is a real honor to be selected as one of the bands to play at Disney World in Orlando, marching in the Main Street parade. We are very proud to be among those selected, and we thank each and every person who has helped us along the way to raise enough money in order for us to participate this year.”