:: Melissa's No-name Stories ::

:: Friday, April 04, 2003 ::

April 3
An anti-war protester from Essex was jailed Tuesday after assaulting two police officers near the entrance to the Navy housing complex in Saratoga Springs.
Police are uncertain why Michael Bedoian, 53, was protesting the war alone at an unrecognizable military housing complex. He was charged with two counts of assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Saratoga Springs Police officers Michael Rayburn and Linda Quattrini responded to a trespassing call when they saw Bedoian blocking traffic and handing out fliers. After multiple warnings, officials said the man fought with police, who subdued him.
Neither officer sought medical treatment and Navy officials will not take legal action.
*****
Bruce Olson visited Iraq over half a century ago, and remembers the people as "hardworking, religious people," who were happy. The Navy veteran served for 20 years and hopes the people of Iraq are patient during the war.
The Star-Gazette of Elmira asked local residents their opinions and questions about the Iraqi people.
"I wouldn't want to be there and have something happen to my child," said Stacy Ramsdell, mother of two.
Nine-year-old Sheyvon Sturgis had one question for someone her age over there. "Are you scared?"

:: Melissa 6:37 AM [+] ::
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April 2
The Happy Helping Hand knitting group regularly donates handmade goodies to hospitals, nursing homes, battered-women's shelters and chemotherapy clinics. Since August, however, they have added American soldiers to their list of clientele.
About a dozen people involved meet once a month to pick donated yarn and to decide where certain crafted items should be sent. Well over 100 wool socks and caps have been sent to the battle fields.
"It's sort of a ministry for us," said Andrea Whiteside. "We do it because we feel called to do it."
Whiteside said she often opens her front door to find donations of bags of yarn. The Sidney-based group also has received many letters of thanks from soldiers.
*****
A woman who traveled to Iraq in February shared stories and photos of her journey to the New Paltz community Wednesday. Lorna Tychostup, editor, photojournalist and poet, spent three weeks in the Middle East.
"Most Americans don't even know what an Iraqi person looks like," she said. With her photographs, Tychostup hopes Americans picture Iraqis as "individuals, men and women and children who are as deserving of life and liberty as we are."
"The War on Iraq _ Looking into the Eyes of the Enemy" presentation is part of her "Defining Patriotism" collection, which includes photographs documenting the peace movement since Sept. 11.
Parts of the collection have been on display at colleges, universities, libraries and cafes throughout the Hudson Valley, and can currently be found at the St. Lawrence University Gallery in Canton and the New Paltz Village Hall.
*****
The Sirko family of Leonardsville, 50 miles east of Syracuse, didn't know where their son Caleb was fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Then his photograph appeared in a national newspapers and on television.
Father Russell Sirko Jr. was in a store when he opened Monday's USA Today and saw his son's picture. He said he had to hold back tears when he say his boy.
"I was totally shocked and surprised," he told the Observer-Dispatch of Utica. "Out of the 250,000 men and women over there, they took his picture. I don't think it's a coincidence."
:: Melissa 10:59 AM [+] ::
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April 1
To express their opinion of the war, the University at Albany College Greens decided to hold a bake sale.
Under a banner reading, "It will be a great day when our schools get all the funding they need and the military has to hold a bake sale ..." spelled out in red, white and blue lettering, 15 students rotated selling sweets on Tuesday.
With cookies in the shapes of guns, tanks, bombs and the continental United States saturated in patriotic colors, freshman Robert Magee said students had been receptive to the protest, and the group had not received negative feedback.
"There are a lot of social problems that aren't being addressed because we spend so much money on the military," the political science major said. Money collected will go to a homeless action network.
*****
Among the nearly 1,000 paratroopers that jumped into northern Iraq last week to secure an airfield in Kurdish-held territory were two men who have been friends since just after high school.
St. Johnsville native Jason Harding, 23, and Saratoga Springs native Christopher Charo, 24, met on their way to Fort Benning, Ga., six years ago. They attended boot camp and jump school together. Then they both joined the 173 Airborne brigade.
Their mothers told the Daily Gazette of Schenectady that their fears have been eased knowing their sons were together in Iraq.
:: Melissa 10:58 AM [+] ::
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March 31
The American Red Cross of upstate New York has donated blood to the Department of Defense's Armed Services Blood Program Office to supplement the military's supply.
The New York-Penn Region released 75 units of type O Negative red blood cells from the regional headquarters in West Henrietta Monday.
"It's an honor to be called upon to help support the men and women serving in our military," regional executive officer Ann Saunders said.
Earlier this year the American Red Cross signed an agreement with the office for supplemental supply of blood. Because of a national inventory management system, the Red Cross can fill requests for casualties of war without straining civilian blood supplies.
*****
The University at Albany's Muslim Student Union began an Islam Awareness Week Monday. The group will host a variety of workshops and discussions on the campus through Saturday.
Workshops include "Jihad: Inner Struggle or Holy War?", "Islam Unveiled: What it means to be a Muslim Woman" and "Islamic Law and the Modern World."
Five American Muslims will also tell the stories of their conversion to Islam as part of a panel. The groups also invites the community to a prayer session on Friday, and a Muslim poetry slam.

:: Melissa 8:29 AM [+] ::
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