Cinci's going national

Cincinnati has had some national news exposure over the past couple of days... and not necessarily in a good way. Important to know about, but not necessarily good news.

First....
The headline read "Brother beaten to death by baseball-bat wielding sibling". Oh joy.... Hyde Park is the neighborhood that "everyone" wants to live in around here. A few days ago, two brothers got in a fight, and one ended up dead. This kid was just a couple of weeks away from graduating from high school, and his brother beat him to a pulp with a baseball bat instead. Their house is near Hyde Park Square, a trendy little shopping strip and park. There's a great fountain in the middle of the park, and a very cool fire station. The brother that delivered the killing blows walked from their house to the Square, washed off some of the blood in the fountain, and then walked over to the fire house to tell them that "someone" had killed his brother with a baseball bat. How incredibly sad... And considering this family's social status... it just goes to show you that ALL kids, no matter what their socio-economic background is, are at risk for violent behavior and serious control issues.

Second...

We lost another local soldier, Lance Corporal Nicholas Erdy. His funeral was yesterday, and the streets were lined with people who didn't know this young man or his family, but wanted to show their respect. This is the second one in a week around here- the first, Taylor Prazynski, was eventually buried at Arlington, and Matt at Blackfive has a really nice post about him. They will be sorely missed by their family, friends, and our local communities.

I hope you all are planning a Memorial Day tribute to our soldiers- and not just a drunken BBQ. Remember what Memorial Day is all about, ok? God bless America, and God bless our military. Rest in peace, Nick and Taylor. God be with you all.