THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER
www.bluebagmedia.com
SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015
Greenville detective talks about heroin needle hazards GREENVILLE - With heroin usage continuously on the rise, local law enCLINTON RANDALL forcement is Staff Writer bluebagmedia.com dealing with many drugrelated issues in Darke County. Detective Eric Roberts of the Greenville Police Department shared with The Early Bird how the evidence room at the station has undergone several safety storage changes in the past year with regards to syringes. After riffling through evidence, Roberts decided to create a separate way to store needles removed from crime scenes and traffic stops so officers would not have to worry
about sticking themselves. The needles are each secured with an orange safety cap and stored inside a manila envelope displaying a biohazard sticker. According to Roberts, the department takes in several syringes a week from local investigations and call-ins of found needles by the public. Any used “dirty” needles are secured as hazardous material and taken to Wayne HealthCare for proper disposal. The risk of contracting various diseases is very real when dealing with syringes. Needles can carry life-threatening viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis that can be spread if used by an infected person. Roberts recalled a local
woman that called in a report of her young son that had been scratching a needle on his arm after finding it in their backyard. “That was a huge concern when we learned about that,” Roberts said. “With the potential illnesses related to dirty needles, it is alarming!” According to Roberts, needles have been found around numerous places in Greenville, such as the library, school playgrounds and restrooms in fast food restaurants. The public is urged not to touch, but to report the discovery of any syringes or any drug-related activity to the Greenville Police Department at 548-1103 or the Darke County Sheriff’s Det. Eric Roberts disposes of a dirty needle inside a biohazard container to be taken for proper disposal Office at 548-3399. at Wayne HealthCare. (Clinton Randall photo)
Dickey display brings memories to fellow Marines
It’s not all about farming at Rural King. It is more about rural living, which includes lawn furniture, garden tractors, clothing, hunting and more.
Rural King prepares for Grand Opening GREENVILLE – Rural King opened March 8 to the surprise of many, including the company. Jeff Champ, store manager, explained Greenville’s newest retailer was scheduled to open March 9, but were ready to go on the 8th – so they opened. It didn’t take long to realize the Greenville community was craving something new. Within hours and without any fanfare or advertisement, the parking lot was full and new customers were discovering everything available at Rural King. Champ has been with Rural King for a year. When he learned the company was opening a store in Greenville he immediately requested an opportunity to run the store. His bid was accepted and he left his position as store manager in Van Wert to take the same position in Greenville. Why Greenville? The decision for Champ was easy – it’s closer to home. He is from Ridgeville, Ind. (Randolph County). Plus, he is familiar with the area
having worked for a retailer in Greenville shortly after retiring from the US Army in 1991. Champ isn’t the only employee excited to be closer to home. He pointed out all but four or five of the employees are from Darke County. What separates Rural King from other retailers? Champ was quick to point out it is one of the fastest growing family-owned, non-publicly traded retailers in business today. Greenville became the 77th store in the company’s chain to open. Stores can be found across the eastern half of the country – from Florida to Illinois. Their success can be attributed to the way they treat their employees. Not only is it a family-owned retailer, each store is like a family. The employees are empowered to make decisions and be a part of the success. If a department is out of an item, the employee can immediately call the company’s supplier to get more in or find a unique product the customer is searching for. The request does not have to go through several channels before it gets to the
supplier. The work ethic expected from the top down is also unique. Champ said if the owner of the company were to walk into the store and see a customer in need of help he would probably run over other employees to get to them. It is not unusual to see upper management loading vehicles or helping customers. Although the store is already open, Rural King will be holding its Grand Opening on April 2-4. They have several events planned and more are expected to shape in the coming days. Look for giveaways each day or support local 4-H and FFA programs. Rural King will provide the drinks and hot dogs and the clubs will be able to keep the profits. The store’s employees are also holding a chili cookoff with donations split between 4-H and FFA. Customers will also see demonstrations in several areas of the store, learn about plant and tree care, visit the DeWalt Tool Truck and more. Rural King is open daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Learn more about the company online at www.ruralking. com.
Police Beat .......................... pg. 2
Church/Social ..................... pg. 6
On Your Mind ...................... pg. 5
Obituaries ............................ pg. 8
Grumpy Side of 60 .............. pg. 5
Sports ................................. pg. 10
GREENVILLE – “Doug was a true hero… I see his face all the time; I BOB ROBINSON hope it never Associate Editor ends.” Two of bluebagmedia.com Pfc. Douglas Dickey’s platoon members were looking at the Medal of Honor display at Garst Museum for the first time… “When I look at this group of guys, I see a unity, a group of courageous Marines…” A pause, then “When I look at Doug… he was one of the greatest Marines I’ve ever known. A truly courageous guy… a true hero.” Jerry Igeziak, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Larry Alley, Tipton, Ind., weren’t able to come when the Medal of Honor display was unveiled in November. They, along with Jerry’s brother Jim, Army veteran, saw it for the first time on March 17. It brought back memories… memories of a man they knew to be a hero, a platoon they knew to be a tight-knit courageous group and a battle in which they lost so many of their own. “It was hell,” said Alley. He noted hand-to-hand combat… “They were right there with you… everywhere. We were outnumbered and had no ammunition left… we just kept right on fighting.” Igeziak commented he would go to a high school basketball game and “see these young kids.” That was the age they were… “How did we ever do that?” he asked. After a moment he said, “If my country needed me, I’d do it again.” Both veterans have attended some of the Platoon reunions, and both have visited Dickey’s family. “They are wonderful people,” Igeziak said. “She was a great lady… Douglas was a great man.” Igeziak said he felt like Darke County was his second home. “These are wonderful people,” he said.
Jerry Igeziak, left, points to his photo in the display as his fellow platoon member, Larry Alley, looks on. He noted he almost didn’t recognize himself. They were young men at the time. (Bob Robinson photo)
Igeziak and Jim Alley talk about their experiences with their platoon members and the battle they fought at Quang Tri. (Bob Robinson photo)
They recalled good times. “We were a platoon,” Igeziak said. “I’ve never seen a platoon as close as we were. We hung around together.” Liberty? “When we got liberty we’d go out and drink!” Alley recalled once when they were set to go back to Vietnam, they took their remaining money and tossed it to “the kids on the bridge… then we found out our liberty was extended 24 hours.” No money; they couldn’t go anywhere. They laughed about it. Other memories were less pleasant, like Quang Tri. Pfc. Douglas Dickey was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously when he jumped on a grenade during that battle, saving the lives of those in the vicinity. Alley was uninjured, but said Igeziak had been. “He was badly injured,” Alley said. “Before we could rescue him we had to take out
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a machine gun.” He recalled a young officer had jumped up to help… the machine gun had “cut him in half.” Alley recalled someone yelling “grenade,” he thought it landed between his legs… he thought it went off, but it didn’t touch him. He remembered wanting to help a wounded soldier and someone telling him, “Don’t bother. He’s dead.” “I wonder why I’m still here,” Alley said. “Why we were all allowed to live when a lot better men…” He looked at the photo of Dickey… “You look at that picture and you wonder.” He said Dickey had never mentioned he could actually sacrifice himself for the rest of them, like he had told his minister back in Ansonia when he was a kid. “I wonder if I could,” Alley said quietly. “I feel so honored. My greatest honor was knowing him.”