Veterans Day

On Tuesday, we honor and celebrate veterans here in California and throughout the United States who have bravely served our country. Our nation’s more than 23 million veterans deserve our commendation and respect for upholding the traditions and values that embody what it means to be an American. We also must not forget those who valiantly served and sacrificed their lives for our freedom. The recent passage of the Senate Republican sponsored Gold Star Family License Plate law -which allows families to honor U.S. Armed Service active duty members who died while serving their nation - reminds us that Veterans Day is also about the sacrifices made by families and loved ones.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the great powers signed the treaty to end the war “that would end all wars.” We have dedicated this date, Nov. 11, in memory of those brave men and women who died in World War I and in every American war. As American troops continue to risk their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, and return home to join the ranks of almost 24 million veterans, the Veterans Day holiday has had...

The city of Huntington Beach will commemorate Veteran’s Day with a special ceremony Wednesday. The American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133 and the city will acknowledge veterans for their service to the country. The tribute will be presided over by retired Lt. Col. Jim Ghormley as master of ceremonies. Mayor Keith Bohr and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher are expected to attend. The Interfaith Council will hold a prayer, Huntington Beach High School’s band will perform and the Legion’s Honor Guard will give a Three Volley Rifle Salute.

As we wake up this morning, on Veterans Day, our first thoughts should be obvious ones. American soldiers are fighting in the streets of a city far from their homes, in conditions and under stress the large majority of us will never know. They are fighting, in a profound sense, to ensure that we will never know such scenes. Our first thoughts and our deepest prayers should be with them and with their families. There are, of course, many who do know and who do understand what our soldiers are living through today.

Tariq Malik HUNTINGTON BEACH -- For the first time in the city's history, the American flag will fly at the Huntington Beach Pier this weekend. In honor of Veterans Day on Saturday, 54 flags sponsored by veterans or in their memory will line the pier during a special ceremony. "I think a majority of people want to say thanks to veterans for what they've done for our country, but they don't always have the chance," said Vi Cowden, 84, who has spent almost a year organizing the event.

-- Compiled by Angelique Flores SEPTEMBER 4 Labor Day6 First day of school 21 Back-to-school night for middle schools OCTOBER 5 Back-to-school night for elementary schools 25 Fall parent conference day, no classes 26-27 Fall parent conference days, minimum days NOVEMBER 10 Veterans Day holiday 23-24 Thanksgiving recess DECEMBER 1 End of first trimester 25-29 Winter recess ...

Michele Marr Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans 13:1 If you love your freedom, clap your hands. Clap your hands and applaud a veteran, especially this Sunday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day. I came of age during the Vietnam War era. It was tough for me to accept the biblical and civil, idea that we, as citizens, are supposed to be subject to our governing authorities -- even when doing so means going to war -- regardless of what you think of the war. It was even tougher for me to grasp how God could appoint authorities like Hitler and Stalin, authorities that were much worse than our own. That is still tough for me to grasp.

Jenny Marder A Blackhawk helicopter pilot who was fatally shot down in Iraq on Friday was honored at a Veterans Day ceremony in Huntington Beach, adding a sobering element to an already solemn event. The helicopter that Sgt. Paul Neff commanded was shot down over Tikrit, and it burned along the eastern bank of the Tigris River. Neff, who was from Fort Mill, S.C., and had family in Huntington Beach, died with five other soldiers. About 100 veterans, soldiers and Surf City residents gathered at Huntington Beach Pier Plaza at 11 a.m. Tuesday to honor those fighting overseas, to remember those, like Neff, who lost their lives in battle, and to reflect on pasts spent in combat.

Military victories throughout our history have shaped the world in which we live and are the keystone of every American freedom. Largely due to our military might, the citizens of the United States have been given the opportunity to create the greatest model of democracy in world history. It is imperative that we as a country dedicate time to remember and celebrate those who have selflessly served our country. Without fail, these men and women in uniform have answered America's call so that the rest of us could remain unscathed and free to pursue other interests.

Yoki Shop recently relocated to a new store in Newport Beach on the Coast Highway. The shop is the brainchild of its owner and founder, Jeff Yokoyama, a longtime surf industry veteran who designs Generic Youth, Yoki's Garden and Pidgin Orange clothing lines. They're based on three tenets he strongly believes in: design, make and sell different. Purchasing a Yoki Shop apparel item is like taking home a piece of history, whether it be an iconic USC football jersey repurposed into a skirt for Yoki's Garden; a beach towel that once traveled to a tropical beach and is now a pair of hip shorts or a hoodie; or an interior designer bolt of fabric that's been made into a cool Generic Youth jacket.

A Huntington Beach man was found guilty Tuesday of murdering a World War II veteran during a robbery on Veterans Day in 2003, according to the Orange County district attorney's office. Curtis James Hill, 29, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. His sentencing is scheduled Dec. 16. Hill and his co-defendant, John Kirk McKinney, 29, also a Huntington Beach resident, beat up 77-year-old Cecil Warren on Nov. 11, 2003, after he noticed them inside his parked van, according to prosecutors.

"That's the most beautiful thing — that flag," Helen Harris whispered to me in her thick, Greek accent, as the Boy Scouts hoisted Old Glory last week, on a warm, blustery Veterans Day. During World War II, Harris had been the official translator for the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Greece. She smiled into the sun, as the wind caught the flag. Nearby, a woman in a wheelchair spontaneously started singing "You're a Grand Old Flag," bringing cheers and smiles from the assembled veterans and onlookers at Sunrise Senior Living in Huntington Beach, an assisted-living and memory care community on Yorktown Avenue near City Hall.

John Von Holle and Darryl Nance want everyone to get rich off the Surf City Beach Cruise this weekend. Everyone but themselves, that is. Von Holle, the retired president of the city's Municipal Employees Assn., and Nance, the owner of D&P Classic Chevy in Huntington Beach, have spent more than a year planning a classic car show on the beach. The Saturday event will bring together hundreds of vintage models along with food, music and vendor booths and, organizers hope, plenty of business for Surf City hotels and restaurants.

G reg Gilboe and his students don't have to attend school Monday. But they're not taking it as a day off. Gilboe, the band director at Huntington Beach High School, plans to bring his 75-member ensemble to the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Pier Plaza. Every year, the band performs in the city's Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies, which the conductor sees as valuable chances for students to get acquainted with a part of history. "I usually encourage them to go and say thanks to one of the veterans, just go up and shake their hand and say, 'Thank you,'" Gilboe said.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the great powers signed the treaty to end the war “that would end all wars.” We have dedicated this date, Nov. 11, in memory of those brave men and women who died in World War I and in every American war. As American troops continue to risk their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, and return home to join the ranks of almost 24 million veterans, the Veterans Day holiday has had...

The city of Huntington Beach will commemorate Veteran’s Day with a special ceremony Wednesday. The American Legion Huntington Beach Post 133 and the city will acknowledge veterans for their service to the country. The tribute will be presided over by retired Lt. Col. Jim Ghormley as master of ceremonies. Mayor Keith Bohr and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher are expected to attend. The Interfaith Council will hold a prayer, Huntington Beach High School’s band will perform and the Legion’s Honor Guard will give a Three Volley Rifle Salute.

Two club teams out of a 10-team field emerged with division championships Saturday at the 25th annual Huntington Beach Veteran?s Day Rugby Tournament at Fulton Middle School in Fountain Valley. The day long event served as the unofficial start to the rugby season in Southern California. In addition, the Southern California Rugby Referees Society used the tournament as a major training and recruitment tool for new and up-and-coming referees. The 25th anniversary of the event made the tournament the longest-running annual tournament in Southern California rugby history.