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Dayton
Business Journal...
Dayton officials
upset over shuttle news
by Joe Cogliano
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The party never got off the ground at the Air Force Museum.
More than an hour before NASA officials announced permanent homes for
the retired space shuttles, word was spread through the museum that
Dayton — and the entire Midwest — were left out.
The fact that U.S. Rep Mike Turner, R-Centerville, canceled an
appearance to speak to the crowd prior to the announcement was a pretty
good clue that bad news was coming. Also, few local dignitaries showed
up for the event and several of those who attended quietly left before
National Aeronautics and Space Administration leader Charles Bolden
made the news public.
Turner kept his composure in an interview with a group of reporters
prior to the announcement, but was visibly upset.
U.S. Rep Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, stood behind the crowd, arms
folded, watching by himself as the shuttles were given elsewhere.
Austria said Bolden broke the news to him by phone this morning in a
call that lasted more than 30 minutes.
“The only indication I was given is that we were fifth (in the race)
for the four shuttles,” Austria said.
Apparently Bolden felt Los Angeles and New York provided better
international access. Austria didn’t buy that argument.
“I think it’s a disservice that we don’t have a shuttle housed in the
Midwest, it’s a disservice to the Air Force,” he said. “But, we still
have a lot of momentum, a lot of positive things came out of this
process and we’ll keep moving forward.”
Read it, along with links and a companion story, at Dayton Business Journal
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