Survivors of cruise ship disaster back in Ashland

ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky couple honeymooning aboard the ill-fated Costa Concordia debated whether to stay put when the cruise ship rammed into a reef off the coast of an Italian island.

The Costa Concordia capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio on Jan. 13 after the ship made a detour from its programmed route and slammed into a reef. At least 11 people were killed and 21 are missing.

Andrew Ardire told The Daily Independent in Ashland that he and his wife, Meghan, were watching a magic show when they realized something was wrong. They heard a sound, the room shook and the lights went out, and they realized it was more than an electrical outage.

They decided to race to their cabin, grab life jackets and return to the main deck to try to escape. After a long wait, they made it to land and are now home in Ashland.

Meghan Ardire said she stayed silent, held her husband’s hand and prayed for others’ safety during the ordeal.

“Other than just staying together, we didn’t know what to do,” she said.

Andrew Ardire said ship staff members such as waiters, cooks, housekeepers and dancers haven’t been given the credit they deserve.

“There were over 1,000 people on that ship who went above and beyond the call of duty, but they weren’t officers,” he said.

Even after making it to their designated muster station, the couple said they still had a long and anxious wait as the ship’s constant shifting and tilting prevented release of the lifeboats. They said they did their best to hold on to each other and avoid panic.

“There was more panic as more people arrived as the muster station and the tilt increased,” Andrew Ardire said. “There were definitely pockets of panic. There were crew members who definitely should not have been bearing the burden they were.”

 

Arrest made in car bombing in northeast Ky.

ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) -— A northeastern Kentucky man has been charged with attempted murder stemming from a car bombing that allegedly targeted his wife in an Ashland parking garage.

Police arrested 51-year-old Thomas K. Biederman of Russell at the federal courthouse in Ashland. Biederman is also charged with using a weapon of mass destruction.

The warrant charges Thomas Biederman with intentionally trying to kill Janie Biederman by placing a pipe bomb in her Ford Mustang on July 28. The bomb detonated in a parking garage after Janie Biederman touched the vehicle’s brake pedal.

Officers say Janie Biederman suffered first- and second-degree burns to her arms and on the backs of her legs.

As he left the courthouse, Thomas Biederman denied having anything to do with the bombing, The Daily Independent reported Thursday.

 

Briggs Library announces travel chat itinerary

IRONTON — Steve Call, local educator, travel consultant and writer, will present a series of “Travel Professor Chats “at various Briggs Lawrence County Library locations in January and February.

The topics, dates and locations are:

• Plan your perfect destination wedding or honeymoon, main Ironton location Jan. 26

• Discover River Cruising, South Point branch Feb. 6

• Putting the FUN into FUNdraising, Proctorville branch Feb. 23

• Discover the Islands of Aloha, main Ironton Feb. 28

The chats are free, open to public with light snacks and travel prizes! RSVP by phoning 740.550.9540 or at thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Call is a certified cruise counselor (CCC), and certified travel consultant (CTC). Additional certifications include certified Sandals specialist (CSS), Super Clubs Super Agent (SA) Irish-Shamrock agent, Scots Agent, Brit agent, and Niche River Cruise specialist. He’s a certified Destination Specialist (DS) for North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Mexico & the Caribbean and Hawaii. Call has a PhD in Funology from Carnival Cruise Line College, is a graduate Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines University of WOW, Norwegian Cruise Line’s University and most recently achieved the rank of commodore with Princess Cruise Lines.

Contact the Travel Professor if your group or organization is interested in scheduling a travel talk.

 

OUS to host autism presentation

IRONTON — Ohio University Southern in Ironton invites the community to a presentation on autism at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27 in the Bowman Auditorium.

As part of the Diversity Lecture Series, Marc Ellison, associate director of training for the West Virginia Autism Training Center, will present “Supporting College Students with Autism”.

The W.V. ATC provides education, training and treatment programs for accommodating autism, pervasive developmental disorder (NOS) and Asperger’s disorder.

By raising awareness and educating professionals on the dynamics of the autism spectrum, Ellison’s presentation seeks to tear down the barriers that often prevent persons with autism from experiencing equitability and success at the college level.

Adam Fry, interim coordinator, disability and career services at Ohio University Southern agrees. “The goal is to address our own shortcomings in how we, as a diverse population, interact and support one another.

The autism spectrum presents a unique set of challenges, but ultimately it is about breaking down barriers and tapping into a shared potential.” Fry added. The event is open to the public at no cost. For additional information, contact Adam Fry at 740-533-4596 or frya@ohio.edu.