Higdon: It’s important to honor our veterans as Independence Day nears
By JIMMY HIDGON
14th District State Senator
Thursday, June 20, 2019 — As we start the summer, I wanted to tell you about a great experience. Words can’t describe the awesome trip I recently took aboard Honor Flight Bluegrass – a nonprofit that flies veterans to Washington’s war memorials.
I was a guardian, similar to a chaperone, for veteran Donald Courtwright and my wife, Jane, was a guardian for veteran Harold McDonald, both from Marion County. Thank you, Don and Harold, for your service to our country and thanks for allowing us to be part of this special day. Thanks to all the folks at Honor Flight Bluegrass. And a very special thanks to all our veterans. Thank you for your service.
The sole mission of Honor Flight Bluegrass is to fly our heroes to Washington to visit their respective memorials and reflect upon their service, sacrifices and memories. The nonprofit takes extreme pride in providing this service to World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans. If you are a veteran or would like to volunteer as a guardian, contact your local American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars post. You can also email the group at info@honorflightbluegrass.org.
CONGRATS TO GRADUATES. As I mentioned in a prior column, many of our children are graduating this time of year from preschool, high school and college. As your state senator, I congratulate the class of 2019 and wish them well in the future. These graduating classes, like those before them, face challenges that I never encountered at their age. I am confident Kentucky teachers have prepared them for those challenges.
TIPS FOR A SAFE SUMMER. It’s a good time to remind these graduates, and all of us, of some summer safety tips. One of the tips is as basic and applying sunscreen and bug spray. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a sunscreen with at least
Keep the bugs off by applying bug spray and taking other preventive measures to deter pests. Zika, West Nile virus and Lyme disease are all transmitted by insects. According to the Lyme Disease Association, Lyme disease can manifest itself in children with symptoms like fatigue, nausea, decreased cognitive function, flu-like symptoms and a decreased ability to perform everyday tasks like schoolwork and playing. If diagnosed properly, the disease is treatable.
There are also numerous ways to prevent injuries. According to the CDC, emergency departments across the nation treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related accidents. Additionally, summer sports and water-related activities can cause injury, but there are many preventative measures you can take – some as simple as giving your children swimming lessons – to help prevent summer accidents.
SAFE FIREWORKS USE. And fireworks over the July Fourth holiday bring additional hazards. The state fire marshal encourages Kentuckians to attend community firework displays. Anyone who celebrates with fireworks at home is encouraged to follow these tips from the National Council on Fireworks Safety:
- Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.
- A responsible adult should supervise all fireworks activity. Never give fireworks to children.
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Save your alcohol for after the show.
- Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.
- Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away.
- Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from buildings and vehicles.
- Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Always have a bucket of water and water hose nearby.
- Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
- Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and placing them in a metal trash can away from buildings or combustible materials.
- Report any illegal explosives to the fire or police department.
SPECIAL SESSION. As you read this article, we may very well be in a special session – or preparing to start one in the second or third week of July. Time is running out to make changes to quasi-governmental agencies’ contribution rates to the Kentucky Retirement Systems (KERS). These agencies, like regional universities, local health departments and mental health boards, face a 70 percent increase in their required contributions to KERS.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, represents the 14th District that encompasses Casey, Marion, Nelson and Spencer counties as well a portion of Jefferson County including Fern Creek and Jeffersontown. He can be reached by calling his office in Frankfort at 502-564-8100, his home in Lebanon at 270-692-6945 or emailing him at senatorhigdon@gmail.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @SenatorJimmy.
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