Citizen Centennial 4/12/13
Centennial
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 21
April 12, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcentennialnews.com
tower closure delayed Centennial Airport graveyard shift still ‘moving target’ By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com
Centennial resident Ann Stong flips through the well-worn pages of a family Bible dating to 1864 that she never knew existed. Hundreds of miles away, a total stranger had spotted it on the auction block and tracked her down. Stong and her family drove to Arizona to bid on the piece that would eventually reconnect her with multiple generations of her family history. Photos by Deborah Grigsby
19th-century Bible back with family Stranger felt compelled to find Centennial resident By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com
Tower continues on Page 8
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hen Ann Stong received an email from Mary Marsh last September, she almost deleted it. “I usually don’t open emails from strangers, but this one was different,” she said. “I had to open it.” More than 1,500 miles away, Arizona resident Mary Marsh had stopped by a local antique mall in hopes of finding a barrister’s case for her husband. “I saw this Bible and thought, `Wow, what a find for someone,’” said Marsh from her home near Scottsdale, Ariz. Printed in Philadelphia in 1864, the Bible’s worn calf leather cover and ornate brass lock held the key to many missing pieces in someone’s life, thought Marsh. “That afternoon, I just couldn’t get that book out of my head — in fact, I dreamed about it that night,” she said. “I didn’t dream about all the bookcases I had seen, I dreamed about the Bible.” Compelled to find the owner, Marsh spent hours entering some of the names she had seen in the Bible into several online search engines. “It was like there were angels on my shoulder telling me I had to do this,” she said. Marsh eventually connected some of the names with Stong, a Centennial resident. “So, I sent her an email with a link to the item and to the auction information,” she said.
Centennial resident Ann Stong found several historic photos of her ancestors in an 1864 Bible that was saved from auction by Arizona resident Mary Marsh. Tintypes were very popular in the United States, particularly during the Civil War, and were made by creating the image on a sheet of iron coated with emulsion.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced it will delay the closures of all 149 federal contract air-traffic control towers until June 15, and Centennial Airport Executive Director Robert Olislagers says he kind of expected it. According to an April 5 FAA statement, the additional time will give the agency an opportunity to resolve mounting legal challenges to the closure decisions that stem from the agency’s attempt to trim $637 million from the budget as part of federal sequestration. “I am not surprised by the date change, as the FAA has made several changes to dates and I can only speculate as to the reasons why.” Olislagers said. The agency noted that as part of the tower closure process, it will consult with airports and operators to review appropriate risk mitigations and give the FAA, as well as airports, more time to make changes to the
tax credit gets support Bill aims to boost employment at aircraft companies in state Nearly 150 years old, a Bible from Ann Stong’s family was rescued from an Arizona auction block through the actions of a stranger. Even with its weathered leather cover, the book’s pages are still in good condition, containing legible hand-written entries and historic tintype photos of Stong’s ancestors. Stong, an avid amateur genealogist whose family often teases her abut spending more time with her dead relatives than she does with those still living, was delighted. “I emailed her right back,” said Stong. “When I saw her photos of the Bible and inscriptions, I immediately recognized the names and the handwriting from documents I have in my own collection.” The two exchanged several emails and Stong decided she would make the 1,500mile trip to Avondale, Ariz. to attend the auction. Marsh was stunned. “I thought, `Oh my, gosh, I better be right,” she said. The morning of the auction came. Bidding for the Bible began at $30. Another bidder offered $40. “My heart just stopped,” said Stong. “I had no idea what I’d do if I couldn’t have that Bible.” Stong’s daughter countered with $50. The auctioneer stopped the auction, pointed to Stong and exclaimed, “Sold!” Before a stunned audience, the auctioneer offered an explanation, telling Stong’s story. But there was one more twist. The auction house offered to pay the consignment and give Stong the Bible as a gift. The crowd erupted in joy and Stong was overcome with emotion. “I cried,” said Stong. “I was just dis-
solved in tears.” Stong returned to Colorado with the book. “The binding was in pretty bad If you go shape and I had WhAt: “One Family’s Bible to ask people to Story”: Ann Stong will give a stop handling it.” presentation on genealWith the help ogy, her family Bible and of a local bookmementos that came with it binder, the Bible’s saddle stitching When: April 15, 1:30-2:30 has now been rep.m. placed and new Where: Holly Creek Retirepages added for ment Community future entries. 5500 E. Peakview Ave., Marsh said Centennial the experience of connecting Stong For more information, call with her Bible 720-266-5611 has inspired her. “Including Ann’s, I’ve now reconnected five families with Bibles set for auction,” she said. “I hope to encourage others to do the same when they see these kinds of items at sales or antique malls — it would be a shame to see so much family history wind up as decoupage on someone’s wall.” Stong said although her newfound heirloom has answered many of her questions, she still plans to keep digging into the lives of her ancestors. “I’m not through being nosy, just yet …” she said.
By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com A bill that would expand tax incentives for the purpose of new hires in the state’s aviation field is flying through the Legislature with bipartisan support. House Bill 1080 modifies the 2005 Aircraft Manufacturer New Employee Tax Credit, which provides a one-time Report $1,200 tax credit for a new employee that is hired by an aircraft manufacturer. The bill expands the available tax incentives to manufacturers that provide aircraft maintenance, repair and modification services, which were not included in the bill from eight years ago. Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker, a bill sponsor, said it’s important to extend the existing earned tax credits in an effort to attract high-paying jobs in a growing field, rather than having planes fly to other states just for the purposes of having repairs done. “We have to recognize that big carriers like United or Frontier, when they need to maintain an airplane, very often they’ll fly it
Capitol
Tax continues on Page 8
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