Beacon Sept 2022

Page 6A THE BEACON September 2022
By
Jeff Hermesch
Purdue
Extension
jhermesch@purdue.edu
The Dirt on
Testing Your Soil
Your list of things for fall
garden cleanup should include
a soil test. Conducting a soil
test is a quick, easy task that
provides valuable information
about the garden’s fertility
(nutrient levels and soil
pH) and allows you to correct
any deficiencies in your soil.
Testing your soil every three
to five years is highly recommended.
Soil tests can be performed
at any time of the year unless
the soil is too wet or frozen.
Testing in the fall during
garden cleanup allows time to
address any deficiencies before
spring.
To conduct a proper soil test,
make sure you are getting a
representative sample of the
entire garden. If you have a
garden that varies in soil characteristics,
you may need to
take separate samples for each
soil type. The steps to take a
Patient
Satisfaction
2021 Statistics
Healing
Rate
*Message and data rates may apply.
soil sample are fairly simple:
1. Remove any residue or
plant debris from the surface.
2. Depth depends on the type
of sample. Trees and shrubs
should be 12 inches deep, 6-8
inches deep for gardens and
flowerbeds, and 3-4 inches
deep for lawns.
3. Take at least ten random
samples from the area you are
sampling. While a soil probe is
ideal for taking soil samples,
you can use a sharp spade,
long knife, or garden trowel.
4. Combine all the samples
and break up any clumps. Drying
the soil sample is preferred
by testing labs. You will need
roughly one pint of soil.
5. Separate samples should
be taken for vegetable gardens,
lawns, flower beds, or problem
areas.
6. Send samples to a certified
soil testing lab. Contact
Purdue Extension-Dearborn
County for a list. Dearborn
County Soil & Water District
provides free soil testing for
Dearborn County landowners.
Turnaround for testing results
is about a week. If you have
questions about recommendations,
please reach out to me
at the Purdue Extension-Dearborn
County office to go over
specifics.
Feel free to email me at
jhermesch@purdue.edu. You
can also reach our office at
812-926-1189.
Two Locations to
Serve the Community
Dillsboro
12836 North St.
812-432-5684
Rising Sun
223 Main St.
812-438-3400
Median Days
to Heal
96% 95% 28
Healing Can’t Wait
Call the Dearborn Wound Care Center (812) 496-7730
devillepharmacies.com
S
ALUTE
TO THE MILITARY
By PG Gentrup
I remember Jonathan Tomes
from my high school days at
Lawrenceburg Consolidated
High School (LCHS). He was
in my sister Betty’s class of
1963. His sister, Sarah, was in
my class in 1965. Both were
very intelligent. They lived
down on Ridge Avenue in
Greendale not too far from the
Seagrams Distillery.
Jonathan was born on Oct.
24, 1945, to Paul Jonathan
Tomes and Mary Jane Wilson.
Jon was very close to
his grandparents, especially
Grandpa Samuel Earl Wilson.
They shared a love for hard
work and the Boston Celtics,
and Jon passed that on to his
children.
Jon graduated from the
University of Cincinnati with
a Commercial Arts degree.
He was awarded an ROTC
scholarship which led to a
commission in the Military
Intelligence Branch of the
United States Army. As a
Second Lieutenant, Jon served
as a U.S. Army Infantry
Platoon Leader in Vietnam
with friends Bill Hunt and
Bruce Perry. Jon served under
Walter “Joe” Marm, who was
a (Congressional) Medal of
Honor recipient and a hero
of the battle of the Ia Drang
Valley in 1965. Upon meeting
Joe Marm, I easily recognized
why Jon had so much respect
for him.
Jon was highly decorated
for his service, especially in
Vietnam. He was awarded the
Silver Star, our nation’s third
highest award for heroism.
He also received the Legion
of Merit, the Bronze Star for
Valor, the Meritorious Service
Medal with oak leaf cluster,
the Air Medal, Army Commendation
Medal, the Combat
Infantryman’s Badge (CIB),
Airborne Badge, National
Defense Service Medal, Vietnam
Service
Medal, Vietnam
Campaign
Medal,
Army Good
Conduct
Medal,
Vietnam
Gallantry
Cross with
Palm, and
several other
awards.
Jonathan
Tomes, 1965
After his tour of duty in
Vietnam, Jon and his friend
Bill Miller entered Military
Intelligence School, which
included infiltrating Baltimore
Harbor in a rubber raft. He
served as a military intelligence
officer in Germany
commanding a counterintelligence
unit and eventually,
he became the East German
Branch Chief responsible
for all Army undercover
espionage activities during
the Cold War. He received so
many other honors and was
“Airborne,” a great feat considering
his fear of heights.
After his tour of duty in
Germany, Captain Tomes
attended Oklahoma City
University Law School where
he graduated first in his class.
Each summer, Jon interned
at various Judge Advocate
Corps (JAGC) offices. After
graduation, he moved into the
JAGC, where he continued
to serve our country, first as
a military prosecutor, then as
defense counsel, and finally
as a military judge. He was a
fierce advocate for his clients,
one whom people respected
and quickly learned never to
underestimate. As a military
judge, he was stationed at Fort
Knox, KY, and rode the circuit
from base to base in the
Mid-West to places like Indiana,
Illinois, and Missouri.
After his tour of duty as a
military judge, the Army bestowed
the tremendous honor
403 Walnut St • Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
(812) 537-2020 • lawrenceburgeyecenter.com
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Lt. Colonel Jonathan Tomes
of sending Jon to school at
the U.S. Army Command
and General Staff College at
Fort Leavenworth, KS. Upon
completion of his education,
he became a member of the
faculty teaching military law.
Jon retired as a Lieutenant
Colonel after twenty years of
faithful and dedicated service
to our great nation.
After retirement, Jon joined
the faculty of Illinois Institute
of Technology Chicago-Kent
College of Law in Chicago,
where he was Dean of Students
and taught legal writing,
military law, health law, and
criminal procedure. He was
voted Professor of the Year
for two years in a row
Jon also served as a civilian
lawyer and defense counsel
from 1988-2019. He successfully
litigated many cases in
federal and state courts. He
also served as an expert witness
in complicated militaryand
healthcare-related cases.
Jon was a prolific writer,
authoring more than sixty
nonfiction books dealing with
medical record issues, HIPAA,
HITECH, military law, and
privacy matters. He published
many law review articles, one
of which was cited by the U.S.
Supreme Court.
Jon also wrote and published
many novels and short
stories. Eventually, he formed
a publishing company, called
Veterans Press Inc. as well as
a HIPAA consulting company,
called EMR Legal Inc.
Jon was a loving husband
and father to three children;
Carrie Ruth, Paul David, and
Aree Katharine Wipawee
Tomes. They all had a love
for Cincinnati Chili and White
Castles. They enjoyed coming
home and Cincinnati Reds
games too. Of course they
also visited Boston to see the
Celtics play.
Jon was an avid runner and
ran thirteen marathons. He
praised his first wife, Marilyn,
for her dedication and caring
for their daughter, Carrie, until
her death in 1997. Jon married
his second wife, Kendra,
in 1991; they were together
for thirty years.
Jon believed in God and
Country and loved his family
to the fullest. Greendale,
Indiana produced a True
American Hero and American
Patriot. Jon passed away on
January 20, 2021.