Greater Orange News Service

Greater Orange to celebrate Veterans Day

Orange’s Depot Park will again host the local observance of Veteran’s Day on Tuesday November 11th from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Depot Park’s .44 acres is located adjacent to Orange’s historic Amtrak train station. The land for the park was originally acquired in 1887. Today Depot Park is the site of Orange’s Veteran’s Memorial at the Memorial Monument and Fountain. The local landmark was dedicated in the year 2000 along with the iconic Millennium Clock at the park and has become host to the annual local Veteran’s Day observance.

The Orange Public Library, Friends of the Orange Public Library, and the El Modena Community Historical Committee are hosting a celebration honoring military veterans’ outstanding service to our country from the El Modena Barrio. Part of the Orange Public Library local history project, “Shades of Orange-El Modena Barrio” will feature a digital photo display featuring El Modena area veterans. The Shades of Orange project is part of a federal Library Services and Technology Grant. The project’s goal is to preserve the local heritage of the El Modena Barrio area in stories and photographs. The project will part of the permanent collection of the Orange Public Main Library and History Center with the El Modena Branch housing the veteran’s display.

The free public event honoring the local veterans will take place at the El Modena Branch Library, 380 S. Hewes Ave., on Thurs., Nov. 13, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans. Many Americans confuse the Veterans Day holiday with Memorial Day. In addition to the confusion, some Americans don't know why we commemorate our veterans on November11. Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.

It is important to understand the history of Veterans Day to honor our former service members properly. Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, November 11th was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" . The new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress , at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

After much lobbying from veteran’s groups, on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on November 11.

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THE BIG ONE to hit Greater Orange
on November 13 in ShakeOut

Imagine a 7.8 earthquake occurring on the southern San Andreas Fault that is approximately 5,000 times stronger than the 5.4 earthquake we all felt in Southern California on July 29th. In a 7.8 quake, the shaking will last for over two minutes causing unprecedented damage in Southern California many times dwarfing the 1994 6.7 magnitude Northridge earthquake.

That’s the scenario for this week’s statewide earthquake drill known as The Great Southern California ShakeOut that state and local public agencies and Orange Unified schools in the Greater Orange Communities will be taking part in. This year’s exercise is codenamed “Golden Guardian ‘08”. The ShakeOut scenario estimates the simulated 7.8 quake on November 13th will cause 2,000 deaths, 50,000 injuries, $200 billion in damage and severe regional long-lasting disruptions.

ShakeOut exercises will be happening in conjunction with the three-day International Earthquake Conference in downtown Los Angeles on November 11-14. The conference has scientists, policymakers and emergency responders from around the world discussing quake-related policies and recommending measures to increase safety.

The goal of the ShakeOut, which is being spearheaded by the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the Caltech seismology department, is to develop disaster relief plans for the next big temblor, which many of the scientists involved say could measure as high as magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale.

Although imaginary, the Shakeout Scenario is based on scientists' best predictions of what would actually occur during and after a major earthquake on the San Andreas Fault.

The ShakeOut Scenario outlines a hypothetical earthquake on November 13th at 10 am in which:

• The strongest shaking and greatest damage is near the stretch of the San Andreas Fault that extends through the fastest growing areas of Southern California, including the Coachella Valley, Inland Empire and Antelope Valley.

• At least 10 million people will be exposed to heavy shaking. California's efforts at mitigation have concentrated on life safety and have been largely successful. Thus, in spite of the large numbers of people in highly shaken areas, deaths are estimated at only 1,800.

• Building types known to be vulnerable to damage and collapse, do indeed sustain major damage. All un-reinforced masonry buildings within 15 miles of the San Andreas Fault are completely destroyed. Those that are not retrofitted kill many occupants. Many other older building types without retrofitting contribute to over $33 billion in damage to buildings.

• The fault offsets all lifelines crossing into Southern California at Cajon Pass (Interstate 15), San Gorgonio Pass (Interstate 10) and along Route 14, including pipelines, power lines, roads, railways, telecommunications and aqueducts.

• Strong shaking continues in downtown Los Angeles for 55 seconds - nearly 8 times longer than in the Northridge Earthquake

• The prolonged, strong shaking heavily damages and sometimes collapses hundreds of old brick buildings, thousands of older commercial and industrial concrete buildings, many wood-frame buildings, and even a few, high-rise steel buildings. Over 600,000 buildings suffer at least some damage that causes tens of thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths, and leaves many thousands of people without homes or jobs.

• Fire doubles the fatalities and economic losses. Around Southern California, there will be 1,600 fires started large enough to warrant a 911 call, and some fires merge into conflagrations that burn hundreds of city blocks. Assuming no Santa Ana winds, the models still indicate a further $65 billion in direct losses and $22 billion in indirect losses from the fires.

• Nearly two thirds of the hospital beds are non-functional in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. At the same time, 50,000 people will seek treatment at emergency rooms.

• Thanks to a $6 billion investment in seismic safety, the State highway system fares well. However, although collapse is avoided, some bridges are non-functional so that much of the highway is not passable on the day of the event. The long duration of shaking takes a greater toll on bridges and overpasses under the jurisdiction of cities and counties where the retrofitting processes are not complete or have not begun.

• The largest long-term economic disruption comes from damage to the water distribution system. Damage to this system will be so extensive that some areas will have to replace the whole system, and some buildings will be without water for as long as 6 months. The direct and indirect business interruption costs attributed to the lack of water will be $50 billion.

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