Sunday, July 31, 2011

Obit for Pam McCarthy's mother


The obituary in the Beacon Journal for Charlotte McCarthy, mother of former BJ staffer and retired Hoover High teacher Pam McCarthy.

Charlotte Ruth McCarthy passed away July 28, 2011 peacefully after a long illness.

She was preceded in death by husbands, James J. Longstreth (1951); Edward J. McCarthy (2006); and son, Steven McCarthy (2008).

Born on May 15, 1929, in Akron, Ohio, she graduated in 1947 from West High School. She devoted her life to taking care of her family and home, first in Akron, during summers at Marblehead, and for 33 years, in Florida.

Charlotte returned to the Akron area in April 2009 to be near her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who were grateful for the two years and four months they shared with her.

``Cha-Cha' will be sadly missed by daughters, Pam McCarthy (Ken Pakenham) of North Canton, Karen Uber (Jim Sanzone) of Cuyahoga Falls, and Kathy McCarthy of Cuyahoga Falls; son, Jerry McCarthy of Bradenton, Fla.; grandchildren, Jennifer (Mike) Watson, Bethany (Andy) Stevens, Natalie (Matt) Everly, Rachel McCarthy, Michael Pakenham, Kate Pakenham, and Brittany McCarthy; and eight great-grandchildren, Julia and Nick Siegferth and Liam, Olivia and Amelia Watson; Jackson Stevens and Alexis and Mason Everly.

The family wishes to give a final ``woo-woo' to Emeritus at Stow for their loving care of Cha-Cha.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, at Hennessy Funeral Home, 552 N. Main St., Akron. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Blessed Trinity Church, 300 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron, and at Holy Cross Cemetery, 100 E. Waterloo Rd, Akron. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association , Akron Tri-County Chapter, 1815 W. Market St., Suite 301, Akron, OH 44313-7067.
Hennesy Funeral Home 330-376-3032
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Sunday, July 31, page B6, col. 2]

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Indianapolis sunk after delivering A-bomb

Sixty-Six years ago today (July 30, 1945) the USS Indianapols was sunk after delivering the atomic bombs to Guam that ended the war with Japan.

If it had been sunk a few days earlier the war would have continued and wouldn't have ended in August, 1945.



Congress Vindicates Capt. McVay
By Dina Badaluco
Washington, D.C., Oct. 31, 1960 -- Fifty-five years after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in the waning days of World War II, Congress and President Clinton have cleared the ship's captain, Charles Butler McVay III, of any wrongdoing in the Navy's worst wartime disaster.

In a "Sense of Congress" resolution attached to the massive annual Defense Department Authorization Bill, Congress stated that the Navy withheld critical information and assistance that could have saved the Indianapolis and its crew. It also explicitly said that McVay was not responsible for the ship's sinking or for the massive loss of life that followed.

President Clinton signed the measure on Monday, making it law.

"Captain McVay's military record should now reflect that he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis," said the resolution.

The Indianapolis was hit by two Japanese torpedoes in the early hours of July 30, 1945 while enroute to the Philippines. The initial blasts killed 300 men. Of the 900 men that went into the cold waters of the Pacific, only 317 survived the dehydration, hallucinations and shark attacks that lasted five days.

The suffering survivors were finally rescued by chance, when a plane on routine patrol found them. Many of McVay's supporters have long claimed that he was made a scapegoat after the U.S. military lost track of the ship and let the sailors suffer and die in the water for days without launching a rescue effort.

In congressional findings accompanying the resolution, Congress stated what many of McVay's supporters have claimed for years: that Navy officials denied McVay's request for a destroyer escort that might have saved his crew enroute from Guam to the Philippines; and that the Navy withheld intelligent reports from McVay that could have warned him about an enemy submarine in his path.

"Naval officials failed to provide Captain McVay with available support that was critical to the safety of the USS Indianapolis and her crew," Congress found.

McVay survived the ship's sinking but was court-martialed for "hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag," a tactical maneuver sometime used to avoid enemy detection. While the United States lost hundreds of ships during the war, McVay was the only captain court-martialed in connection with the sinking of his vessel.

But Congress found that "poor visibility on the night of the sinking justified Captain McVay's choice not to zigzag."

"The American people should now recognize Captain McVay's lack of culpability for the tragic loss of the USS Indianapolis and the lives of the men who died as a result of the sinking of that vessel," the resolution states.

Twenty-four years after the court-martial, McVay shot himself to death with a Navy-issue .38-caliber revolver.

As a group, the aging survivors have long sought to clear McVay's name.

Three years ago, they were joined by 12-year-old Hunter Scott of Pensacola, Fla., who became interested in the Indianapolis after seeing a reference to it in the movie, Jaws.

He began researching the story and interviewed survivors for a history fair project, then contacted Rep. Joe Scarborough, a Florida Republican, who initiated efforts in Congress.

Mochitsura Hashimoto, commander of the Japanese submarine that sank the Indianapolis, died last week at the age of 91. Hashimoto testified at McVay's court-martial that he would have spotted and torpedoed the ship even had it been zigzagging.

Over the past several years, Hashimoto supported the survivors' fight to clear McVay's name.

The bill does not technically overturn McVay's conviction; only the Navy can do that. And the resolution's final wording was not as critical of the Navy as some survivors had hoped. But McVay's supporters claimed a long-awaited victory.

"The organization is happy with it," said Paul Murphy, an Indianapolis veteran and chairman of the ship's official survivors organization. "We feel as though Congress white-washed things a little bit, but at least it has been recognized that Captain McVay was wrongfully accused."

"We understand that this will have to be satisfactory," said Murphy. "We're glad that it has been made clear that the Navy was wrong to court-martial our captain."

[Article provided by Calvin Deshong]

Friday, July 29, 2011

Harold McElroy may be moved closer to home


BJ business department retiree Harold McElroy may be moved from the Health South Rehabilitation Hospital of Charleston, South Carolina to the 167-bed Waccamaw Community Hospital in Murrells Inlet if he has a good weekend. That would put him only 15 minutes from Harold and Linda's Pawleys Island, South Carolina home.

The McElroys live a block from retired BJ printer Dick Latshaw and wife Pat and a mile from the Atlantic Ocean. Both families have been there for at least a decade.

Harold had surgery June 15 to remove his cancerous right lung. BJ Circulation Department retiree Janet Hall has been forwarding BJ Alums the emails from Sheryl Scott Sheinin, who herself recently became a BJ retiree.

Click on the headline to see earlier BJ Alums articles on Harold.

McClatchy revenue keeps falling

Bloomberg Business Week
The theme at newspaper publisher McClatchy Co. has been pretty much the same for the past five years: With revenue steadily falling quarter after quarter, McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt has been laying off workers and trimming other expenses to keep the business profitable and ensure the company has enough money to repay the debt it took on five years ago when it bought another newspaper publisher, Knight Ridder.

That has left people wondering how much more McClatchy can afford to cut and whether management sees any sign of hope on the horizon. An analyst sought insights from Pruitt during a Thursday conference call held to discuss a 32 percent decline in the company's second-quarter earnings.

QUESTION: You guys have done a Herculean job on costs here in the last five years. What inning do you guys think you are in right now in terms of cost cuts? And how much more do you really think is left to cut here and be able to still prudently run your operations?

ANSWER: It feels like the 19th inning, but we are not sure. We ... are not giving a revenue projection, or even an expense projection beyond the third quarter. I do think the business model will stabilize. I think digital (advertising) will continue to grow and, obviously, there is a structural change in the media landscape and share. Those are very turbulent times. But I do think that we are seeing more stability in the audience share and I think that will eventually translate into greater stability in the advertising share. So, I am hopeful we are much closer to the end than to the beginning. But I can't give you a read more than that.

Pam McCarthy's mom dies


Former BJ reporter Pam McCarthy's mom, Charlotte, died Thursday. She lived with Pam the final 2 years and 4 months of her life.

We'll post more details when the obituary is published.

Pam's daughter, Kate, just became a registered nurse.

Call her DOCTOR Strong now

Former Beacon Journal reporter Cathy Strong Robinson got her PhD degree.

Cathy wrote on her Facebook page:

"After 3 1/2 years of research and writing, it was all over within 70 minutes. I've finished my PhD."

"I passed my oral defence this morning so now have my doctorate. YEAH. I'm Dr Strong."

Cathy is a communication and media sciences professor at Zayed University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Previously, she spent decades in New Zealand and got an international reputation for her work in journalism.

Click on the headline for previous BJ Alums stories on Cathy.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Storify wins $10,000 Knight-Batten Award

 
Published July 27, 2011 12:23 pm  
Storify , the social media publishing platform that lets users create stories by dragging and dropping elements from social networks, is this year’s $10,000 Grand Prize winner in the Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism. “Scarcely a year into its existence, Storify has become so essential the word storify has become a verb,” says Jan Schaffer, director of J-Lab, which administers the awards. Amy Webb, one of the contest judges, adds: “In Storify, we see a journalism tool that truly solves a newsroom problem and also inspires others to challenge the way they’ve been telling stories.”

Honored with Special Distinction Awards:

* West Africa Democracy Radio ($2,000)
* NPR’s Andy Carvin and his Twitter community ($2,000)
* Bloomberg Government ($1,000)
* The Texas Tribune ($1,000)

Cited as Honorable Mentions:

* Biblion: The New York Public Library’s iPad app
* NewHavenIndependent.org Community Engagement
* Guardian Data
* Bay Citizen Bike Tracker

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Check out Grumpy Abe on the media

We invite you to visit Grumpy Abe, the blog of retired BJ political columnist Abe Zaidan who is writing about

A media deal from hell - and then some



Go there now


Also see O'Shea


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Photo of Saturday Evening Post cover by Balogh


This news supplied by retired BJ artist Art Krummel:

This is a photo of a Saturday Evening Post cover that Dennis Balogh did recently.

The magazine commissioned him and he worked with their editors to come up with a concept for their theme.

He has made a nice transition to freelance illustrator since leaving the Beacon several years ago.

"I think it's nice to see what some of our talented artists are doing since leaving," Krummel said.

Chaney in nursing home after fall

Bill Chaney is at the Hickory Nursing home on Memorial Parkway... He fell and hit his head and is recovering, Paul Tople reports. Chaney's telephone number is 330-762-6486. He would love to hear from some of the "old gang". ..

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Brooks arrested in phone-hacking scandal

The consequences continue for News Corp., News International, and the executives involved, directly or indirectly, in phone-hacking committed by journalists employed by the company. Sunday in London, 43-year-old Rebekah Brooks was arrested on charges related to phone-hacking. Brooks resigned Friday as head of News International, the British newspaper company owned by Rupert Murdoch. A Brooks spokesperson told Sky News “Rebekah is assisting the police with their enquiries. She attended a London police station voluntarily.”

See story and photos



Friday, July 15, 2011

More surgery for Harold McElroy


While Paula and I were on a 3-day trip to Canada, BJ Alums received these emails about BJ business department retiree Harold McElroy, who lives with wife Linda in Pawleys Island, South Carolina:

UPDATE: (Wed. morning) just got off the phone with Mom. He had progressed enough to where they were gonna send him home tomorrow or Friday but he had a setback today and was transferred back to I.C.U. They think he may have a touch of pneumonia. He is on a breathing tube and antiboticsl. They feel that thay may be able to remove the breathing tube tomorrow.

UPDATE: (last night) more prayers are needed. I just spoke with Mom, and they have taken him back to surgery. They have found a small hole in the area of the removed lung that is filling up and causing infection. The Doctor felt that it was urgent that they fix this tonight. Which will put us back at square one in the recovery process. There is a small amount of pneumonia, but they feel this other issue is of main concern.

UPDATE: Mom left me a voicemail overnight. He pulled thru the surgery. My understanding is that the next day or two are extremely critical. I will touch base with her this afternoon and forward any update that I get.

UPDATE: (today) I was able to get in touch wit Mom this afternoon. He is holding his own, and is semi-coherent. There are a few risks involved in this procedure so basically it is a waiting game to see if it works. But they are sure that this was the problem. We just have to hope and pray that it works. He is looking at up to 2 weeks in I.C.U. at this time. Then more rehab, once he recovers enough to do so. So basically it will be touch and go for a few days to see if this works. So continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Our family definitely knows the power or prayer. I will continue to provide updates as I get them. But at this point my feeling is, if I am not getting constant updates, then things are going positive. He is aware that he has people all over the country pulling for him. And on his behalf, I will say that means the world to them.

(an hour ago) as of 5:00 they took him off the breathing tube so things are going in the right direction.


Harold had surgery June 15 to remove his cancerous right lung. BJ Circulation Department retiree Janet Hall has been forwarding the emails from Sheryl Scott Sheinin.

Click on the headline for earlier reports on Harold's situation.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

5 familiar faces at BJ retirees lunch


We have no report on anything special from the Beacon Journal retirees lunch on Wednesday, but Tom Moore sent us these photos. From left are Carl Nelson, Calvin Deshong, Tom Moore, Gene McClellan and Al Hunsicker.

Retirees meet the second Wednesday of each month at 1 p,.m. at Papa Joe's Restauant, 1561 Akron-Peninsula Road, at Portage Trail. Anyone is welcome.

Monday, July 11, 2011

News of World says Goodbye

LONDON — Britain's tabloid News of the World signed off with a simple front page message: THANK YOU & GOODBYE.

Reporters, editors and production staff walked out of the newspaper's headquarters in east London en masse late Saturday. Editor Colin Myler showed the front and back pages of the final edition. He paid tribute to "this wonderful team of people here."


"This is not where we wanted to be or where we deserve to be," he said, before concluding with "and now in the best traditions of Fleet Street, we're going to the pub."

News of the World journalists wrote their own obituary before sending their final edition to the printing presses as Britain's media establishment reels from the expanding phone-hacking scandal that brought down the muckraking tabloid after 168 years.

Buying the News of the World in 1969 gave Australian-born Rupert Murdoch his first foothold in Britain's media. He went on to snap up several other titles, gaining almost unparalleled influence in British politics through the far-reaching power of his papers' headlines.

Now he is facing a maelstrom of criticism and outrage over the sequence of events set off by allegations the paper's journalists paid police for information and hacked into the voicemails of young murder victims and the grieving families of dead soldiers.

The recent revelations culminated in the decision to close the paper and put 200 journalists out of work — but the move failed to stem broader questions about corruption at the newspaper and press regulation in the U.K.

The sordid affair has played out at breakneck pace in the media and prompted soul-searching at the highest levels of officialdom. Prime Minister David Cameron has called for a new press regulation system and pledged a public inquiry into what went wrong; the head of Murdoch's U.K. newspaper operations has alluded that more revelations are yet to come.

Jolene Limbacher seeks information

Jolene Limbacher sends us this request for information:

I have been on long-term disability from the BJ since 1996, and have been having problems this year with Metlife. the year I left the BJ, Knight Ridder and Metlife had entered into a summary plan description for long-term disability benefits. even after K-R was dismantled, i was and continue to be under Metlife's plan because of the effective date (1996) of the policy.

Metlife now wants my bj pension. in other words, Metlife wants to deduct/keep the $174 i receive monthly in pension from the Beacon from my monthly disability Metlife benefits. i was a newspaper reporter for 31 years, and I'm pretty unhappy about the prospect of losing my pension.

I have asked Metlife - by fax, certified letter, telephone conversations, and several other letters - to show me a copy of the summary plan description that was in effect in 1996 between K-R and Metlife. nothing. I have tried the BJ's human resources dept. nothing .My repeated phone calls and correspondence with Metlife continues as they refuse to prove that they are entitled to my pension by providing me with a copy of the summary plan description. i'm putting yet another letter in the mail today to Metlife - responding to their repeated attempts for me to sign away my pension, and to request from them the summary plan description.

Does anyone have a 1996 beacon journal employee handbook? I am looking for the section of the handbook that pertains to long-term disability benefits. as I recall, Knight Ridder had said that employees who qualify for long-term disability benefits are/would be entitled to 60 percent of their pay. This has not been the case with Metlife since day 1, because it has routinely deducted/kept mySS disability benefits since 1996. Now, they are after my pension.
HumanResources does not have a 1996 BJ employee handbook, either. any assistance would be appreciated. - Jolene Limbacher

Friday, July 08, 2011

You can't have an Italian festival without . . .

Joe Catalano (left); his sister (red top) and her friend; John Olesky (right)
Joe Catalano, who has been retired from the BJ Composing room for 22 years. Joe was at the Italian-American Festival on Main Street in downtown Akron. The Catalanos once had a stand at Italian-American Festivals in Cuyahoga Falls. But they dropped out when it was switched to the Summit County Fairgrounds. The big boys swallowed up the mom and pops.

Joe still averages almost 180 in bowling leagues. And plays golf.

Joe's wife, Anna, 84, died July 19, 2010. They had been married 59 years.

Joe appears fairly often at the monthly BJ retirees lunch at Papa Joe's Restaurant on Akron-Peninsula Road at Portage Trail Extension (1 p.m. second Wednesday of each month). Click on the headline to see photos at Joe at Papa Joe's.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Derf near publishing another illustrated novel


Retired BJ chief artist Art Krummel provides an update on John Backderf.


derf (john) is still doing a weekly comic for the syndicate that distributes to underground npapers. cheryl still at pd.

derf is also getting another illustrated novel finished. big time ny publisher is gonna publish it. they're almost through the editing. once published he goes on a promotion tour. book's name is something like my friend dahmer.

you may want to contact him. just google him - he's been winning awards and recognition by the truckload.

take care

art


Click on the headline for the BJ Alums blog obituary on Derf's father, Richard, 84.

Jim Farrell, 86, BJ ad director in 1970s-80s, dies

James Kirby (Jim) Farrell, formerly of Akron, Ohio, died Friday July 1, 2011 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He was 86.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to James K. and Elsie J. (Kirby) Farrell on March 3, 1925. He attended and graduated from the Shaker School System. During World War II he spent three years in the Navy Amphibious Forces on the LST545 in Pacific and home waters.

Jim graduated from Ohio University in 1949. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and the business and advertising manager of the Ohio University Post. Throughout his career he worked in newspaper advertising, first as a newspaper advertising sales representative in Cleveland, then in various positions including national advertising manager and advertising director of the Akron Beacon Journal in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the former President of the Ohio Newspaper Advertising Executives.

His philanthropic and civic work included membership in the Akron Rotary, Board Member of the Better Business Bureau, member of the American Cancer Society and Akron Advertising Club.

After retiring from the Beacon Journal, Jim lived in Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedre, Florida for 15 years, where he was a member of the Quarterback Club. In 2005, he moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to be near family.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lois Ann (Erdman) Farrell; his three children and their spouses, Ann Midgley and her husband Pat Midgley of Carlisle, Pa., Kirby Farrell and his wife Laura Farrell of Charlottesville, Va., and Amy Farrell and her husband John Bloom of Carlisle, Pa.; eight grandchildren, Allison (Midgley) Thumma (and her husband Eric Thumma), Patrick Midgley, Jr. (and his wife Jennifer Midgley), Amy (Midgley) Maley (and her husband Matt Maley), Jake Farrell, Griffin Farrell, Anna Rose Farrell, Nick Bloom and Catherine Bloom; five great-grand-children, Alex, Anna and Samuel Thumma and Haily and Madeline Midgley; his brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Jackie Farrell of Bedford, N.Y.; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Margery and Robert Orth of Akron, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10, 2011 at Dickinson College, Stern Center, Carlisle, with Rev. William C. Forrey as celebrant. Hoffman-Roth Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., 219 North Hanover Street, Carlisle, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Carlisle Area Educational Association (CAEA) Scholarship and Welfare Fund in memory of James K. Farrell, c/o Stephanie Weimer, Wilson Middle School, 623 W. Penn St., Carlisle, PA 17013. Jim was a strong believer in the importance of public education. To sign the guest book visit www.hoffmanroth.com.

Published in Akron Beacon Journal on July 7, 2011

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

More details on Harold McElroy

BJ Alums got this email about Beacon Journal business department retiree Harold McElroy, who had surgery to remove his cancerous right lung, from BJ Circulation Department retiree Janet Hall, who forwarded it from Sheryl Scott Sheinin.

Just got off the phone with Mom.

As of last Friday, (Harold) has been moved to a rehab facility. The original plan was for 1 or 2 weeks. Waiting to hear an update and prognosis from Doctors.

He is improving, and regaining strength. May have to keep the feeding tube for a few months, as his throat muscles are not strong enough to swallow even water, without fear of it making it into his lung.



Click on the headline for earlier reports on Harold.

Ofobike named to Leadership Akron class

Laura Ofobike, chief editorial writer of the Akron Beacon Journal, is among 34 chosen to participate in Leadership Akron Class of 2011-12. The program allows participants to spend one day each month focusing on specific needs of the region.

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Derf's father dies

Richard H. Backderf, 84, father of former Beacon Journal artist John "Derf" Backderf, died July 3. The 1945 South High and 1950 University of Akron graduate was a chemist at the B.F. Goodrich Research Lab in Brecksville for the 36 years till his 1992 retirement.

Richard and wife Mary Anne, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June, wintered in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Son John, a Richfield native and Ohio State grad, is married to Sheryl Harris, a former BJ reporter who became a business writer at the Plain Dealer. Derf is the cartoonist for "Derf City." In 2010 Derf received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Lit, Cleveland's literary society. Derf was a staff artist-cartoonist for the Plain Dealer from 1986-89 and for the Akron Beacon Journal from 1990-2000.

Services for Richard Backderf will be 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Billow Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd. Interment will be in Fairview Cemetery.

Click on the headline for the obituary in the BJ.

Monday, July 04, 2011

Ghost stories promote Books for Africa

Largely Literary Theater Company co-founders Sara Showman and Mark Dawidziak will present a spirited program of ghost stories at the Books for Africa Library Project’s annual fundraising dinner. The event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 16, in the St. Bernard Church Social Hall.

The church is located in downtown Akron, at Broadway and State Streets. Parking is available at the University of Akron lot opposite the church.

The Books for Africa Library Project is a non-profit organization that helps communities set up libraries in rural Africa. The project has established libraries in Ghana and Liberia.

The special two-part program prepared by the Largely Literary Theater Company will open with Showman telling a romantic ghost tale and a not-so-romantic ghost tale – two looks at relationships from a supernatural point of view. The company’s managing director, Showman performs several storytelling programs, including Animal Tales and Holiday Stories with Mrs. Santa Claus, at area schools and libraries.

Dawidziak, the company’s artistic director, then will shift the spooky mood a bit with stories about spirits connected to Akron-area locations.

The July 16 dinner and performance are free, but donations will be collected. This is the fourth consecutive year the Largely Literary Theater Company has appeared at the annual Books for Africa Library Project dinner at the landmark downtown Akron church.

The benefit will begin with dinner at 6 p.m. and traditional string music provided by Touch of Spring. That will be followed by an 18-minute video presented by Books for Africa’s Kirt and Hilda Bromley, who will describe their recent four-and-a-half month mission in Ghana, where they set up three new libraries in rural farming regions of Brong Ahafo and the upper west (an area historically neglected in terms of education and government services).

PD columnist Jane Scott dies

Jane Scott, the legendary journalist who covered four decades of rock 'n' roll for The Plain Dealer, died early Monday after a long illness, said Linda Scott, Jane Scott's niece. She was 92. Details of the funeral services, to be held in Ann Arbor, Mich., are pending. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Cleveland.

Her byline appeared in the newspaper thousands of times, above music features, concert reviews and her long-running "What's Happening" column in Friday! magazine.
Scott was on a first-name basis not only with music fans throughout Northeast Ohio, but with most of the luminaries in the rock 'n' roll universe.

For the rest of the PD obit, go www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2011/07/jane_scott_legendary_plain_dea.html"

Sunday, July 03, 2011

Harold McElroy transferred to rehab hospital


Linda McElroy of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, sent this email about her husband, BJ business department retiree Harold McElroy:


Hi Everyone;

Harold has been transferred to Health South Rehabilitation Hospital of Charleston, 9181 Medcom Street, Charleston, S.C. 29406 on Friday.

He is doing some better and will have therapy of all kinds for several hours a day. He is getting stronger. He is on a feeding tube for nourishment and is handling it very well. His voice is still weak, but improving. They think he will be there one to two weeks.

We were not able to go to a facility closer to home at this time.

I came home tonight to get clothes for him. Getting dressed is part of the therapy. I will go back in the morning and will stay at a hotel close by until we can come home to stay,

Thanks for all of your prayers and cards. They are greatly appreciated.

Take care.

Love, Linda and Harold



Click on the headline for earlier reports on Harold's battle with cancer and removal of his right lung.