Local veterans celebrated with Honor Flight

Posted on May 8, 2018
Central Illinois veterans are being treated to a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy Flickr/ Alex Martinez)

By Alyssa Paldo/WMBD-TV

PEORIA – It’s a special day for some war veterans from Central Illinois aboard the Greater Peoria Honor Flight.

The heroes will get a day full of sightseeing and honor in Washington, D.C. For one veteran, this day was all made possible by a traffic stop.

Arlan Kohtz, 91, got pulled over by a Woodford County Sheriff’s Deputy about a year and a half ago. Turns out the department was looking to sponsor a veteran on the flight.

Kohtz, a veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, was just the guy they were looking for.

“I was so glad when he says ‘you want to go to that honor?’ You bet I did! So, to me, I was very fortunate, very fortunate,” said Kohtz.

About 15 Woodford County Sheriff’s Deputies plan to attend tonight’s homecoming ceremony at the Peoria International Airport. They hope to sponsor more veterans in the future.

Subway restaurants in Illinois and Wisconsin donated $54,000 to help pay for the honor flights.

Alyssa Paldo can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…