Steve Gilliard, 1964-2007

It is with tremendous sadness that we must convey the news that Steve Gilliard, editor and publisher of The News Blog, passed away June 2, 2007. He was 42.

To those who have come to trust The News Blog and its insightful, brash and unapologetic editorial tone, we have Steve to thank from the bottom of our hearts. Steve helped lead many discussions that mattered to all of us, and he tackled subjects and interest categories where others feared to tread.

Please keep Steve's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.

Steve meant so much to us.

We will miss him terribly.

Sorry, but we need your mom

Army specialist Katie Lavely is certainly no anti war activist. She has proudly served several months in Iraq.

She's due to return to active service soon, but she doesn’t want to go. It has nothing to do with politics, but everything to do with her little boy, two year old Devic.

Devic just lost his father, also a soldier serving in Iraq. Lavely does not want to risk her son losing BOTH his parents.

Her ex-husband was Sergeant Victor Langarica. He died Saturday when insurgents shot down his helicopter near Baghdad.

Lavely knows when she signed up; she made a commitment, but tell that to a two year old boy.

Lavely says, “I'm expecting them to understand and leave me here with my son, but the military is the military. So, whatever they say goes.”

Labels: casualities, Iraq, widows