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The Indiana University band played a special wakeup call for NASA’s Discovery space shuttle last Tuesday – a posthumous salute to former state Sen. David C. Ford.
Kevin Ford, a NASA pilot since 2000 who embarked on his first space mission as pilot last week, asked that Mission Control in Houston play “Indiana, Our Indiana,” in honor of his late brother – an IU alumnus.
The astronauts were preparing for the first of three spacewalks planned for the mission, which will include the removal of a depleted ammonia tank for return, installation of the new tank assembly and retrieval of a materials processing experiment outside the European Space Agency’s Columbus module.
“Good morning, Houston,” Kevin Ford said from aboard Discovery after hearing the song. “Thank you for the wake-up music. That song reminds me of my wonderful home state of Indiana; ... also reminds me of my oldest brother, David, who was the first one to ever strap me in to the cockpit of an airplane.
“Thank you, David, and thank you, Houston.”
David Ford died in 2008 after battling pancreatic cancer. He was a four-term lawmaker.
Gov. Mitch Daniels and Mayor Tom Henry will be taking trips to Japan and China starting this week, but they won’t be traveling together.
Daniels was scheduled to leave Saturday and return Sept. 16 from a trip to China and Japan.
Henry is going to Japan and China on Wednesday and returns Sept. 19.
The governor is going for mainly economic development opportunities, while Henry is going to Takaoka, Japan, to celebrate its 400th anniversary. Takaoka is Fort Wayne’s sister city.
Henry is also making sure the logistics of the trip work with his day job. The mayor has only 10 days to sign bills into law, so Henry said he will be sure to get everything signed that needs it before leaving.
The City Council meets the night before Henry departs.
Henry is going to Asia with his wife, members of Fort Wayne Sister City and area business officials, including his brother Jerry Henry, a local developer. Takaoka is paying for the mayor’s trip to Japan, and other members of the delegation are financing their trips.
Former Mayor Win Moses, now a state representative, said he traveled to China in 1986 and encouraged Henry to have a productive trip.
It was initially believed Henry was the first city mayor to travel to China.
Sen. Marlin Stutzman, R-Howe, has spent the summer months traveling the state in a massive bus as part of his effort to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh next year.
Stutzman’s campaign is renting the 40-foot MCI from some family friends – the Schwartz Family Singers. Stutzman’s wife and two sons have been along for many of the trips this summer, and he continues to post about his travels on his Facebook page.
The 1988 motor coach includes a living area with a couch, comfortable chairs and a kitchen table area. It has a sink, cabinets, mini-fridge and small microwave. The middle of the bus has three bunks and a bathroom and shower. The back has a fold-out couch, closet and dressing area.
“Our family really enjoys having a home away from home, and not having to pack and unpack all the time,” Stutzman said. “So far, we’ve logged over 4,000 miles in the bus, and another 4,000 in other vehicles in this campaign.”
Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries and 78 of his closest friends and supporters on a cruise ship for seven nights. It’s no circus, but he’s pitching the cruise as a fun way to help the community.
The sheriff has teamed up with the local AAA office to provide another fundraiser for his proposed training center on Paulding Road.
He’s trying to fill 40 cabins on the Emerald Princess for the Caribbean cruise. And for each $669 ticket, the training center will receive $40 to $50.
Fries said he’s never been on a cruise before and hasn’t bought his tickets, but he and his wife and his parents plan to go.
The League of Women Voters is becoming active in Fort Wayne again after years of dormancy.
People interested in joining are invited to a meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Allen County Public Library. Men and women are welcome.
More information about the group can be found on the state league’s Web site, www.lwvin.org, by calling 260-494-8209 or e-mailing nmccammonhansen@verizon.net.
Amanda Iacone of The Journal Gazette contributed to this column.
