Apopka at the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall

Dawn at the Wall

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 10, 2018

This morning I went out to Apopka at the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall. It was an overpowering experience just before dawn.

While I have been to many of these exhibits, it was the first time I walked around looking at the names, without crowds of people.

Most of the time I had to take a deep breath, unable to talk, no matter how many times I turned the video camera on.

No one can read the names and then forget how much that Wall means to all veterans. Sure, those are just the names of servicemembers who sacrificed their lives in Vietnam, but the Wall itself offers a message to all generations that they mattered too.

Veteran Day is the one day of the year when we are supposed to let them know they do matter. We just need to make sure that they matter the other 364 days a year, just as much.

Make sure to check PTSD Patrol tomorrow for the other video.

UPDATE
This is a video of the Wall going up from News 13

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Escort Apopka FL

Family Fun Festival
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall

Escort in Wednesday Nov 7th at 10am
Opening Ceremony Wednesday evening at 6 pm - AHS Band Tribute
Thursday and Friday - Opening a 9 am for school class visits
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be open to the public from Wednesday 11/7 at 6 pm through Sunday 11/11 at 8 pm. It will be open 24 hours per day.

Former Navy SEAL Puts Bible Verse on "The Crusader" Rifle

Apopka gunmaker catching heat over assault rifle featuring cross, bible verse
WFTV 9 News
September 3, 2015

"It's just a piece of the Christian bible and a Christian cross and it's my product and you don't have to buy it," Thomas said.

APOPKA, Fla. — An Apopka firearms manufacturer is catching heat over its new assault rifle, called The Crusader, which bears a Christian cross and a psalm from the bible.

Some members of the Islamic community have taken offense at what Spike's Tactical says is behind the religious features.

The company's spokesman said it has to do with discouraging extremist Muslims from using the rifles.

Former Navy SEAL Ben Thomas said guns he trained Iraqi police to use have ended up in Islamic extremists' hands.

He said he came up with the idea of putting the Christian cross and a prayer of war on an assault rifle, believing these guns would be rejected by the extremists.

Thomas that with the help of his pastor, he chose Psalm 144:1, about the Lord training hands for war and fingers for battle, for the weapon.
read more here

Umbrella-gate Marine's family thinks the whole thing is a hoot

Marine holding umbrella for Obama is from Apopka
Beth Kassab
Orlando Sentinel Columnist
May 20, 2013

It's true that Marines are not supposed to carry umbrellas in certain uniforms. But Nathan Previti is assigned to a special unit in the White House that handles all kinds of ceremonial duties.

Every now and then a photo of something relatively mundane takes on a life of its own.

Such is the case for the picture of a frowning President Obama looking up at a rainy sky (how's that for a metaphor about recent White House missteps?) while a young Marine stands by with an umbrella.

The kerfluffle has even taken on its own name. Or several. "Umbrella Marine." "Umbrella Scandal." Yes, even "Umbrella-gate."

Well, the Marine has a name too. He's Cpl. Nathan Previti from Apopka.

And while Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity are using the photo of Previti's white-gloved hand dutifully shielding Obama from rain as more "proof" that the president is aloof (can't hold his own umbrella) and disrespectful of the military (doesn't he know Marines aren't supposed to hold umbrellas?), the Previti family thinks the whole thing is a hoot.
read more here

DAV Orlando Dinner with combat wounded

Wednesday I had the privilege of having dinner at the Catfish Place in Apopka FL with a group of combat wounded Iraq and Afghanistan Marines and Sailors. These men came to Florida to do some fishing as they recover. The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 16 (my chapter) wanted to make them right at home and wow, with a dinner like we had, the sure succeeded.

Mystery surrounds New Destiny pastor death

Mystery surrounds New Destiny pastor death

By Mark Jenkins, Reporter
Last Updated: Monday, August 15, 2011 6:36 AM
ORLANDO --
Church members at New Destiny Christian Center are preparing to gather after receiving word of their pastor's death.

Pastor Dr. Zachery Tims, Jr., 42, was found unresponsive inside his room at the W Hotel, in New York's Times Square, Friday night.

An exact cause of death, has not been determined.

Tims, often referred to as "Pastor Zach" is well known in the Apopka community.
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NYPD: Pastor of Apopka church found dead

ORANGE COUNTY --
New York Police Dept. says the pastor of an Apopka mega-church has been found dead in a hotel in Times Square. Zachery Tims, Jr. is the pastor of New Destiny Christian Center.

NYPD says he was found unresponsive Friday at the W Hotel. The New York City Medical Examiner's office says they have the body of a man with that name in their facility, but he has not been identified yet.

Tims' Sunday worship service is broadcast on television and on radio. He has spoken at events across the country. New Destiny has a membership of at least 8,000 people.
read more here

Wildlife officials charge owner of Delilah, the 18-foot python

A python named Delilah was moved by Florida Wildlife officials to a temporary home when his cage near Lake Apopka, Fla., was deemed unsuitable on Friday, Sept., 11, 2009. Brother of the owner, Melvin Cheever, left, and snake man Sam Floyd, right, wrestle the snake out into a carrying cage. She had escaped in the past. The 16 year old snake was measured at 18' long and 30" around. She will be moved to a snake handler in Bushnell, Fla. (GEORGE SKENE, ORLANDO SENTINEL / September 11, 2009)

Anthony Colarossi

Sentinel Staff Writer

5:48 p.m. EDT, September 18, 2009
APOPKA - Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have criminally charged the owner of Delilah, the 18-foot-python removed from an Apopka area backyard enclosure last week.

Robert David Cheever, 39, has been charged with unsafe housing of a reptile of concern, a second degree misdemeanor, according to Joy Hill, an FWC spokeswoman. Within 30 days Cheever can either pay a mail-in fine of $316 to the Orange County Clerk of Courts or request a day in court, Hill said in a statement.

He was also issued a warning for failing to have a reptile of concern permit and no PIT Tag, the identifying microchips inserted into such snakes.
read more here
Wildlife officials charge owner of Delilah, the 18-foot python

400 pound Python "Biggest we've ever seen" caught in Apopka Florida

Officials capture snake in Apopka Friday.


Wildlife Officials: Biggest Python We've Ever Seen
Owner Apparently Does Not Have Permit
POSTED: 4:40 pm EDT September 11, 2009



APOPKA, Fla. -- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials were at a home in Apopka to remove "a very large Burmese python" on Friday afternoon,


Officials on the scene said it was the biggest snake they had seen in 15 years -- measuring more than 20 feet and weighing more than 400 pounds.

Its name is Delila.

The owner told a neighbor the snake was 34 inches around, said commission spokeswoman Joy Hill
read more here
http://www.wesh.com/news/20859357/detail.html

Gunfire at block party leaves 400-600 shocked and 2 dead

Two killed in gunfire at Apopka block party
Sara Clarke Sentinel Staff Writer
11:29 AM EDT, September 28, 2008
Two people were killed when gunfire erupted at a block part in Apopka on Saturday night, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
About 400 to 600 people were attending the block party in the area of South Hawthorne Avenue and West 15th Street in Apopka. Gunfire broke out at about 11 p.m, and five people were struck, authorities said.
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