25th Annual Candlelight Vigil Honors 321 Fallen Peace Officers At The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The names of 321 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty—including 120 who died in 2012—were formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Monday evening, during the 25^th annual Candlelight Vigil.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121001/DC84302LOGO-b)

An estimated 20,000 people attended the ceremony in person, including surviving family members, friends, law enforcement colleagues, and others. Thousands more participated via a live webcast of the ceremony provided by the Memorial Fund and Officer.com.

U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. delivered poignant keynote remarks and led the lighting of candles and reading of the fallen officers' names. "Although no words, and no ceremony, can erase the pain we feel at each tragic and untimely loss, my hope is that the families, friends, and colleagues of these fallen heroes can find peace in the certain knowledge that they died doing what they loved.  They helped to make this world a far better, and safer, place," he said. "And, despite the fact that these brave officers were taken from us far too suddenly – and far too soon – their legacies, and contributions, will always endure."

Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, and Madeline Neumann, National President of the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), also participated in the annual tribute to fallen officers, a special part of the National Police Week observance in the nation's capital.

The evening's program also included musical tributes and a special recognition of representatives of some of the Boston-area agencies that demonstrated an exceptionally high level of work as they captured the Boston Bombing suspect while protecting their communities. This included Director Robert Mueller of the FBI; Superintendent Timothy Alben of the Massachusetts State Police; Superintendent Willie Gross of the Boston Police Department; and Chief Ed Deveau of the Watertown Police Department.

In addition to the 120 officers who died in 2012, the names of 201 officers—whose deaths had been lost to history until this year—were added to the Memorial. The national monument now contains the names of 19,981 fallen law enforcement officers—from all 50 states; the District of Columbia; U.S. territories; federal, corrections, railroad, and military police agencies—who have died in the performance of duty throughout U.S. history, dating back to the first known officer death in 1791.

"Tonight, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in law enforcement service.  And we also pay tribute to the surviving family members who were left behind," said Craig W. Floyd, Chairman and CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the non-profit group that maintains the Memorial and serves as a principal organizer of National Police Week each May. "Behind every name on these walls are stories and memories that burn brightly … tonight and every night—stories that inspire us and memories that cannot be extinguished.  We will always remember these extraordinary American heroes," he said.

For more information, including the names of officers added this year to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, visit www.LawMemorial.org/2013RollCall. Photos from the Candlelight Vigil are available at www.LawMemorial.org/Photos.

About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers and to promoting officer safety. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 19,981 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming.  For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's National Police Week events and activities are supported, in part, by a generous contribution from Target®.

CONTACT: 
Steve Groeninger
(202) 737-7135
steve@nleomf.org

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

View the original article here

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Honors Three Awardees at Annual Chairman's Dinner during National Police Week

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Distinguished Service Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Excellence in Media Award for 2013. The awards were presented during the annual Chairman's Dinner on May 12, held at the Ronald Regan Building and International Trade Center Pavilion in Washington, DC.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121001/DC84302LOGO-b )

The Chairman's Dinner is a special event during National Police Week wherein the Memorial Fund takes the time to acknowledge and celebrate individuals and organizations that have assisted in its mission to generate increased public support for the law enforcement profession.

The Distinguished Service Award is the Memorial Fund's top award. It has been presented annually since 1996 to "an individual or organization that has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the law enforcement profession." This year's recipients are the National Park Service and the United States Park Police. Under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Interior, these agencies have partnered with the Memorial Fund to maintain the Memorial and the land on which it sits. Thanks to the National Park Service, the Memorial remains a safe place for visitors and stays as pristine as it was at its dedication 22 years ago.

The Memorial Fund's Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a deserving individual or organization that has taken a long-term leadership role in helping the NLEOMF in its work to honor the service and sacrifice of the law enforcement profession. This year's recipient is Dr. Marcella Fierro. By offering her medical expertise, Dr. Fierro has been invaluable in helping the Memorial Fund review hundreds of cases of fallen officers. She has provided the Memorial Fund medical counsel for nearly two decades and has assisted the Board of Director's Names Committee in navigating complex medical issues brought before them.

The Memorial Fund is pleased to introduce a new award this year, the Excellence in Media Award. This award is given to deserving individuals or organizations in the journalism, news, media and/or entertainment industries that have increased the visibility and understanding of the law enforcement community through their work. This year's awardee is Bill Erfurth and Modern City Entertainment, the creators of Heroes Behind the Badge, a film that honors the stories of law enforcement officers who were caught in the line of fire and survived, and of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

"Our Board of Directors selected the National Park Service and U.S. Park Police, Dr. Marcella Fierro, and Bill Erfurth and Modern City Entertainment as this year's award recipients, not for any one thing they have done for law enforcement, but for all of the things they do, day in and day out, to support our officers and the communities they serve," said Craig W. Floyd, Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO. "Whether they are protecting and maintaining the grounds of the Memorial, assisting the Board of Directors with complex medical-related cases, or creating moving documentaries to highlight the sacrifices of law enforcement officers all over the country, the 2013 award recipients have been instrumental in helping the Memorial Fund to ensure that our officers are appropriately commemorated," Mr. Floyd added.

About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers and to promoting officer safety. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 19,981 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.

NEWS from the
NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL FUND
www.LawMemorial.org

CONTACT:
Steve Groeninger
(202) 737-7135
steve@nleomf.org

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

View the original article here

AJC Participates in Major Event at Mauthausen Memorial

MAUTHAUSEN, Austria, May 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 5th, the anniversary date of the liberation by U.S. forces of the Nazi concentration camp Mauthausen, a major event was organized by the Austrian government to mark the date and the opening of permanent new exhibits.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/AJCLOGO )

An invited audience of close to 1,000 attended the program on the grounds of Mauthausen and then toured the new exhibits.

The program featured six keynote addresses. The speakers were Austrian President Heinz Fischer; Hungarian President Janos Ader; Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski; Chairman of the Russian Duma Sergei Naryshkin, Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni; and AJC Executive Director David Harris.  

The program was opened by Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner, under whose auspices the Mauthausen Memorial is maintained.

Many other dignitaries were in the audience, including several Austrian Cabinet members, the Speaker of the Austrian Parliament, the Serbian Prime Minister, the Czech Minister of the Interior, the U.S. Ambassador to Austria, and officials representing several other countries.

An estimated 200,000 people were deported to Mauthausen between its opening in 1938 and liberation in 1945. Approximately 90,000 were murdered there.

In his remarks, Harris said he draws three contemporary lessons from what occurred at Mauthausen and the other components of the Nazi reign of terror and genocide:

"First, we are obligated to take anti-Semitism seriously. It is a slippery slope from words to deeds, from demonization to destruction. Today, anti-Semitism is on the rise in Europe. A recent Tel Aviv University study made the point. Polls show it. Statistics prove it. And it is shameful that today there are at least three openly anti-Semitic political parties sitting in European parliaments.

"Second, the Holocaust is a sobering reminder of the centrality of Israel to the Jewish people and to Jewish security. To be sure, the vision of Israel dates back thousands of years. And, yes, modern Zionism began well over a century ago, long before the Holocaust, thanks in large measure to a far-sighted Viennese journalist, Theodor Herzl. He saw no future for Jews in Europe once he grasped the depth of anti-Semitism even after an era of Jewish emancipation. But how many Jews could have been saved from the Holocaust had Israel been established even ten years earlier, when Jews could still leave Europe but too often found no country that would permit them entry?

"And third, the words 'Never again' must not be just for repetition at commemorative events. They must become ingrained in governments, civil society, religious institutions, and individuals -- and practiced on a daily basis. The only way we can prove we have learned from the Mauthausens and Majdaneks is to strive for societies built on the bedrock principles of democracy, equal protection under the law, and mutual respect -- and to stand up with absolute moral clarity and courage against any manifestation of racism and anti-Semitism. Only then will be able to say that on our watch we have truly lived the words 'Never again.'"

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

View the original article here

Giffords Staffer Memorial Shadowed by Gun Debate, Boston Attack

Gabe Zimmerman

WASHINGTON - Amid a national debate on gun control, a meeting room in the Capitol was dedicated today to a congressional aide killed in the 2011 mass shooting in Tucson, Ariz.

Gabe Zimmerman was killed when a gunman opened fire at a constituent meet-and-greet event hosted outside a Tucson supermarket by then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, killing six and shooting the congresswoman in the head. Giffords, her former staff members, and husband Mark Kelly were among those in attendance at the ceremony for her lost colleague.

"He was called the constituent whisperer," Kelly said. "Because if there was ever a grumpy or agitated constituent at the office or at an event, Gabe was the only person that could figure out how to console them. He had a gift with people."

The afternoon event was not intentionally timed with the national debate on gun rights, but Kelly, an astronaut who has taken an ardent role as a gun control activist with his wife since the tragedy, remarked on the coincidence.

"Some people say that a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun," he continued. "I always remind people that there was a good guy with a gun at the Safeway that morning. But in the chaotic 15 seconds that unfolded where 33 rounds were shot, he didn't have any time to react."

Kelly said it was "no surprise" to him to learn that Zimmerman reportedly ran towards the gunfire unarmed during the shooting.

Giffords had difficulty speaking at the event due to head injuries she sustained in Tucson, and allowed her husband to speak on her behalf. The ceremony was also attended by Zimmerman's family, Vice President Joe Biden, House Speaker John Boehner, and representatives Nancy Pelosi, Jeff Flake, Steny Hoyer, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, and Ron Barber - the last a former staffer for Giffords and her successor in office.

Along with the remembrance of Zimmerman today came an added tone from the bombings Monday at the Boston Marathon.

"You probably more than anyone in this room today can understand how the people in Boston feel today," Biden told the assembled family. "Lots of times we're united in our victories, but more often we're united in our tragedies. It gives you a window into how difficult things are for other people."

Although he admitted words of encouragement in a time of tragedy could seem "hollow," he recollected a conversation with his own mother following the death of his first wife and daughter in a car accident.

"She said, 'Joey, if you look hard enough something good will come out of everything bad,'" he said, gesturing to Gabe Zimmerman's father, Ross Zimmerman. "We will come out of what's happened in Boston stronger, and believe it or not you will be stronger. He's in your bloodstream, pal. He's part of you. There's no way - there's no way it ever goes away."

Ross Zimmerman said the fact that the dedication of the room to his son would come a day after the attack on the Boston Marathon was "strange and surreal," as he and his son were avid marathon runners. But he asked for future lawmakers roaming the halls of congress to see the plaque hanging in the Zimmerman Meeting Room and remember the ideals of public service for which his son strove.

"An echo of Gabriel will persist, perhaps for centuries," Ross Zimmerman said. "That isn't worth the loss but the echo is good and true."

Also Read

View the original article here

Huntington Memorial Hospital Reaches Halfway Mark in Expansion of its Emergency and Trauma Center

PASADENA, Calif., March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Huntington Memorial Hospital announced today that it has reached the halfway mark in its ambitious expansion project which, when completed, will double the number of patients that can be seen in the Nan and Howard Schow Emergency & Trauma Center.

The two-phase project includes the construction of new facilities which add 20,000 square feet and a state-of-the-art design dedicated to emergency care.  That phase is complete and hospital staff is now seeing patients in the new space.  Work has recently begun on phase two which calls for a renovation of the existing Emergency & Trauma Center, the only such center in the entire San Gabriel Valley.  Upon completion, the two spaces will be joined together to create an integrated, 50-bed modern facility able to accommodate up to 90,000 visits per year.

"Our staff is committed to providing uninterrupted care for patients throughout the construction process," said Steven Ralph, hospital CEO.  "At the same time, we ask the community to be aware that while the new facility may look complete from outside, phase two is just now getting underway." 

The previous emergency and trauma center was designed to accommodate 30,000 patient visits per year.  But with the closure of many hospitals and trauma centers in Los Angeles County over the past decade, coupled with community growth, Huntington Hospital has been averaging 60,000 patient visits annually.  "As the last remaining emergency room in Pasadena and the only trauma center in the region, we felt it was critical to ensure our neighbors have ready access to emergency care, close to home," Ralph said.  "On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who turn to us for care, we are grateful to our community for recognizing the importance of this life saving project and joining us in ensuring the highest quality of emergency and trauma care are available as soon as possible."

The expansion of the Emergency & Trauma Center isn't the only way Huntington Hospital is looking to serve the community's ongoing healthcare needs and help alleviate the overcrowding of the emergency center.  In 2011 the hospital entered into a unique collaboration with the City of Pasadena, Huntington Medical Foundation and Community Health Alliance of Pasadena to open Pasadena Community Urgent Care (PCUC) at 3160 East Del Mar Blvd.  Staffed by physicians from Huntington Medical Foundation, PCUC provides immediate care for those times when people can't wait for a doctor's appointment, but the healthcare need isn't life threatening – a perfect place to go for broken bones, cold and flu symptoms, cuts, sprains, sports-related injuries, and high fever.  The Center also provides local employers with a full array of occupational medicine services.

Huntington Memorial Hospital is a 625-bed not-for-profit hospital that is home to the only Level II Trauma Center in the San Gabriel Valley. In addition to being granted Magnet® designation in 2011, Huntington Hospital has been ranked nationally by U.S. News and World Report in two specialties and was named the 8^th best hospital in California. Renowned for its programs in neurosciences, cardiovascular services and cancer care, Huntington Hospital is an active teaching hospital with graduate medical education programs in internal medicine and general surgery. Consistent with its mission the hospital provides millions of dollars annually in charity care, benefits for vulnerable populations, health research, education and training, and support programs that may otherwise be absent from the community. For more information, go to www.huntingtonhospital.com.

SOURCE Huntington Memorial Hospital

View the original article here

Lincoln Memorial stages one of the nation's largest Easter Sunrise services, with over 6000 in attendance each year

Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...

View the original article here