Odds and ends, 2/8/07

The Herald-Dispatch carried an AP story yesterday about the death of one of the two remaining World War I veterans in the United States. But from reading the story, the guy never went overseas.

Perhaps the AP should have called him a World War I era veteran.

It's a distinction we learned the hard way here a few years ago.

An obit said the deceased was a Korean War veteran when the guy had never set foot in the place. He had been in the service during the Korean Conflict, but he did not serve in Korea. That is why in modern conflicts we tended to differentiate between Vietnam War veteran or Vietnam era veteran. I dare say the last true World War I veteran passed long ago. At least among Americans.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Calling it a burden on citizens and businesses, Gov. Joe Manchin wants the state’s Public Service Commission to rethink its plan for instituting a new area code.

Last month, the commission voted to create a new area code based on geography, with counties in the north and the panhandles getting the new digits.

Manchin said Friday that an “overlay” plan in which the new area code would be spread throughout the state for new customers makes more sense.

Friday is the final day for formal requests to reconsider the plan.

I have to disagree. Two area codes for one geographic territory? Talk about confusing. Why should I have to dial a 10-digit number to talk to my new neighbor?

Southern Ohio (614 to 740) got through a change okay. So did Lexington, Ky. (606 to 859). Just change half the state and be done with it. Just don't make us take 666, or is that taken?

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The 10th Street entrance to Harris Riverfront Park was blocked off today because the Ohio River is up. I didn't get too close, but I didn't see the floodgates up to completely close off the park.

As best I can remember, the last time that happened was during the big flood of March 1997.

They probably won't need to put the gates up anyway. The last I heard, the river was supposed to crest at 47 to 48 feet. The base of the floodwall is 55 feet.