Luzerne County restaurant inspections: May 18-22

Letter to the Editor: United Way grateful for local support of its community projects and focus on kids

At 3 p.m. today, take a moment.Put down the hamburger flipper. Climb out of the pool. Turn off the TV. Park the jet ski. Pause from whatever sport, activity or obligation otherwise would have your attention at this hour during the Memorial Day holiday. Encourage others to do the same.Then, for one minute spent in silence, reflect on the meaning of this day.During the National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress in 2000, Americans acting alone or collectively are urged to suspend what they are doing and simply think about the men and women who died to foster freedom around the globe.Remember the bravery of the Revolutionary-era soldier and the fortitude of the fighters deployed today in the war on terror.Each loss, through Normandy and &#8216;Nam and Operation Enduring Freedom, dealt loved ones a pain that cannot be dulled. Ever.Respect that sacrifice.Intended to become a tradition, the National Moment of Remembrance initially involved participating organizations (such as NASCAR and the National Grocers Association) as well as places (including New York City&#8217;s Empire State Building and Philadelphia&#8217;s National Constitution Center). NASA also took part. Ditto for Major League Baseball.Then-President Bill Clinton made the observance official, saying, &#8220;This act recognizes in law a commemoration begun on Memorial Day in May 1997, when &#8216;Taps&#8217; was played at 3 p.m. on many radio and television stations across the nation as Americans paused to remember the men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country.&#8221;Granted, not everyone joins in the national observance, or even knows about it. The gesture is not meant to replace traditional Memorial Day events like cemetery ceremonies and parades. It&#8217;s merely another tribute, a way to acknowledge the loss of so many lives and to remind children that there&#8217;s more to this holiday marking the &#8220;unofficial start to summer&#8221; than picnics and pool time.Isn&#8217;t that worth a moment?

Our Opinion: Honor the fallen during National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day