| Dream of Veterans Memorial getting closer to reality
The memorial is estimated to total about $350,000 according to the City of Norman's Web site at www.NormanOK.gov.Schulenberg has found heroes like Norman actor James Garner, who was the first draftee from Oklahoma into the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. While in Korea, Garner was wounded twice and awarded two purple hearts.Garner has supported the project with his own funds to help honor other veterans as well.Hundreds of others have contributed funds and even profits from the Moore Bingo facility have helped.And for all Schulenberg's contributor heroes who have written checks to move the project closer to reality, it's America's military heroes -- its veterans -- that he most wants to honor."We want the sacrifices the veterans have made to never be forgotten, and this memorial will honor their names for generations to come," Schulenberg said last year.The concept for the Cleveland County Veterans Memorial was created by Norman engineer Bob Goins and Marine veteran Clarence Powell and designed by the architectural team of Rick McKinney, Nathan Coffey, Toni Bragg and Bryan Rainbow of the McKinney Architects Partnership."We are just trying to provide a space and a palette where they can include all the men and women from as far back as they can go, as far back as they have records," McKinney said.The concept was to create a five-faceted granite and bronze sculpture."And they've settled on this wonderful eagle with an American flag and it's on an about 11-foot high pylon that's a five-sided pentagon.
Indefinite leave of absence a tricky situation
Q. We have a long-term employee who is suffering from chronic diabetes. He went out on disability in July 2006 to begin treatments. We expected him to be away for about two months.
More than a year later, he hasn't come back. Several months after he left, we received a disability claim from him. No money has been paid yet, nor has a hearing been scheduled.
In the meantime, the head of human resources has met with the employee to see what was going on and to determine if the guy could come back to work. Unfortunately, we've had no luck in persuading him to come back. So my first question is: Can we terminate him, or would the repercussions be too great?
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Annuity checks include return of principal
I'm still getting e-mails, more than 300 so far, about a September column on immediate-income annuities that increase payments each year to compensate for inflation.
Immediate-income annuities are policies issued by insurance companies that, in exchange for a lump-sum premium, can guarantee an income for life. Many financial advisers recommend retirees consider using a portion of their savings to buy a lifetime annuity to cover basic expenses, such as food and housing.
Dozens of you had never heard of income annuities, and several said your insurance agent couldn't find any that increase payments to counteract inflation. If so, find another agent.
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