Memorial Day

On Memorial Day weekends, Kim Yates and Albert Kullman measure success by speed. Yates steers her bright yellow tow truck toward trouble, with the goal of getting disabled vehicles out of the roadway or back in business before traffic has time to clog. From his toll booth at the Bay Bridge, Kullman can make change for a $10 or $20 in under 12 seconds. "We want you on your way," Yates said. "Safely. " The summer season kicks off this weekend when 718,200 Marylanders are expected to leave town for the beach or mountains, 1.2 percent fewer than a year ago, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

You may not recognize Debbie Kowalski Wilson's name, but if you've opened a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in the past six years, chances are you've seen her work. Wilson, who is from Edgewood and now lives in Hawaii, has had her Maui Girl swimsuits featured in the popular edition of the magazine 48 times - and more than 200 times in the online version. This year, Wilson's swimsuits were featured 14 times, including a centerfold with cover model Kate Upton in Antarctica. And with Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer here on the mainland, quickly approaching, Wilson is preparing for a busy season.

President Barack Obama paid tribute on Memorial Day to the men and women who have died defending America, singling out Vietnam veterans as an under-appreciated and sometimes maligned group of war heroes, vowing that "it will not happen again. " This is truly disgracefully pandering for votes among families of fallen American troops. This is no doubt a new low for Mr. Obama. Marking Memorial Day at both the Vietnam War Memorial and earlier at Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from the capital, President Obama noted that for the first time in nine years, "Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq," and the nation was winding down its role in the conflict in Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Capt. Sara M. Knutson-Cullen, a former Eldersburg resident who died in a helicopter crash in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on March 11, will be among the honorees at the May 27 Memorial Day service at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium. Knutson-Cullen, 27, was a 2003 graduate of Liberty High School and a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. She was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, and had previously served at Fort Wainwright in Alaska.

I liven in a relatively well off neighborhood. The majority of the people in the neighborhood stand for American family values and are not bashful about denouncing people who don't meet their standards. I am fairly liberal, retired military. Most of that service came about not because of any burning desire to fight the enemy but because I felt it was my duty. I was proud of the work I did. On Memorial Day I thought that it was right that I display my flag in respect for those who died serving their country.

Reading this weekend's Sunpapers, which featured the military loved ones we lost this year and those we have lost in this long war, for which no end is yet in sight, was so sad. Even more the thought that family and friends of those lost or severely injured may feel they are being forgotten in these difficult times in our country saddened me even more. Please do what you can in future articles to assure them that is not so. I joined hundreds of Marylanders Monday at the memorial service at Dulaney Memorial Gardens to honor and remember them and greet the many veterans of other wars who were also there.

Ask children what Memorial Day means to them and they'll frequently say: "That's the day that the pools open. " Yet no other observance in America is more somber: It is the day we remember our war dead, pay homage to their sacrifice and courage, and recall the selflessness that embodies military service. Memorial Day also honors the families of the fallen: the mother who hears her child's 21-gun salute; the husband or wife who receives a folded flag; the young son or daughter who knows mom or dad only from a photograph.

The Memorial Day weekend is a great time to pick up a book about the men and women who have helped preserve America's freedoms, and have fought for our country around the world. There are lots of great books on the topic, and some more personal readings such as diaries. For me, the one that resonates is a yellowed map and journal called "The Thunderbolt across Europe," which describes the route my dad's division, the 83rd Infantry, took in World War II. It led from the beaches of Normandy, across France, into Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge, and into Germany.

Although Memorial Day has become synonymous with barbeques and cookouts, the municipalities of Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, Perryville and Port Deposit are determined to promote the original meaning, with the help of their respective local veterans organizations. Each town is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 30, to honor members of the military who fought and died in various wars throughout American history. Aberdeen The ceremony for Aberdeen will start at 11 a.m. at Veterans Park, hosted by the local American Legion Post 128, VFW Post 10028 and a local branch of the Catholic War Veterans.

A pleasant Memorial Day weekend, dear readers! Memorial Day observances will be conducted May 27 at 9 a.m. at Angel Hill Cemetery and then proceed to Tydings Memorial Park by 11 a.m. Contact the American Legion Post 47, 410-939-0234. Memorial Day honors deceased veterans of all wars, though it was begun as a tribute to Civil War dead. Falling as it does with our country involved in a major military conflict in Afghanistan, let this be a patriotic inspiration to us all. As we honor our fallen heroes, some very recent, may we remember and cherish the freedoms and liberties for which they fought to defend.

A pleasant Memorial Day weekend, dear readers! Memorial Day observances will be conducted May 27 at 9 a.m. at Angel Hill Cemetery and then proceed to Tydings Memorial Park by 11 a.m. Contact the American Legion Post 47, 410-939-0234. Memorial Day honors deceased veterans of all wars, though it was begun as a tribute to Civil War dead. Falling as it does with our country involved in a major military conflict in Afghanistan, let this be a patriotic inspiration to us all. As we honor our fallen heroes, some very recent, may we remember and cherish the freedoms and liberties for which they fought to defend.

New Era has revealed the design for this year's special Memorial Day caps, which the Orioles will wear May 27 against the Nationals in Washington. Since 2008, Major League Baseball has honored the holiday by wearing special commemorative caps. Typically, the caps have featured red, white and blue regardless of the teams' usual colors. This year, the emphasis is on camouflage. The caps will be available at neweracap.com, MLB.com and at clubhouse stores with proceeds going to the Welcome Back Veterans Fund.

On Memorial Day weekends, Kim Yates and Albert Kullman measure success by speed. Yates steers her bright yellow tow truck toward trouble, with the goal of getting disabled vehicles out of the roadway or back in business before traffic has time to clog. From his toll booth at the Bay Bridge, Kullman can make change for a $10 or $20 in under 12 seconds. "We want you on your way," Yates said. "Safely. " The summer season kicks off this weekend when 718,200 Marylanders are expected to leave town for the beach or mountains, 1.2 percent fewer than a year ago, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

As Maryland takes part in National Safe Boating Week (May 18-25), Natural Resources Police spokesman Sgt. Brian Albert has a number of suggestions and warnings for those planning to be on the state's waterways this spring and summer. •Wear your life jacket and make sure it fits. While Friday was "Wear Your Life Jacket To Work Day," it really kicks in with the start of the boating season and its first big weekend leading up to Memorial Day. "We like to remind people that this might be their first time out this year on the water, and we want them to get their life jackets out," Albert said.

Now that Salisbury secured one of the few coveted at-large berths in the NCAA tournament, Jim Berkman feels secure enough to stand on a limb and proclaim that the team can win the national championship for the third consecutive year and the 11th time in the program's history. Sounds crazy? Maybe, but aside from SUNY-Cortland, the top seed in the North region, and Dickinson, the top seed in the South, no other team in the field has less than two losses. “The crazy thing about this is, I really believe that we can still win the whole tournament,” the Sea Gulls coach said Monday morning.

ESPN analyst Quint Kessenich provided commentary for No. 7 Syracuse's 13-12 upset of No. 5 Cornell on Wednesday night and No. 2 Duke's 19-16 victory over No. 16 Virginia on Friday night. The former Johns Hopkins All-American goalkeeper, who can be followed on Twitter via @QKessenich, will be on hand for Saturday's tilt between Navy and No. 15 Johns Hopkins. Kessenich offered his perspective on the No. 1 team in the country, the 10 programs that could advance to the Final Four at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Memorial Day weekend, and the issues plaguing No. 15 Virginia.

McKala Krauss, Miss Poppy 2012 of the American Legion Carroll Post 31, marked Memorial Day by attended the luncheon at the American Legion and formally presenting a poppy to Arnold "Skip" Amass, coordinator of the four-day program of events for the 145th Westminster observance of Memorial Day. Krauss, the daughter of Jennifer and Dale Krauss, rode in the Memorial Day parade, attended the luncheon, which honored Navy SEAL Matthew Shipley, this...

Students at West Towson Elementary School participated in a Memorial Day assembly on Friday, May 27. Part of the school's Patriot and Defender Program, the school's event celebrated American spirit with songs, readings and awards. All grades at the school spent six weeks learning about American history, geography and civics as part of the Patriot and Defender Program. Students who complete the program were recognized Friday by local delegates and dignitaries from the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well school officials.

I cannot believe retailers are now taking away another holiday by opening on Thanksgiving! It started years ago when they opened on Sundays and took away our family time. Then you took away New Years Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July , and Labor Day. Do they not make enough on Black Friday that they want to drag more people away from their families? Please stop opening on Thanksgiving and don't plan on ruining our Christmas and Easter. They should all be ashamed of themselves for taking family time away from their employees and those stupid shoppers.

President Barack Obama paid tribute on Memorial Day to the men and women who have died defending America, singling out Vietnam veterans as an under-appreciated and sometimes maligned group of war heroes, vowing that "it will not happen again. " This is truly disgracefully pandering for votes among families of fallen American troops. This is no doubt a new low for Mr. Obama. Marking Memorial Day at both the Vietnam War Memorial and earlier at Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from the capital, President Obama noted that for the first time in nine years, "Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq," and the nation was winding down its role in the conflict in Afghanistan.