Sequester Cancels Mentor's 'Take Pride in America' Event

The impact of the national sequester will continue to be felt in Mentor this summer when the annual "Pride in America" event does not take place.

City Manager Ken Filipiak has announced that the event featuring the Marine Drum & Bugle Corps and Silent Drill Platoon has been cancelled. It was originally scheduled for Wednesday June 19. The event has been a hit at Jerome T. Osborne Stadium for nearly two decades with nearly 15,000 people attending each time.

"We were denied for the first time this year," Filipiak said. "We were told that all Armed Forces travel for community events has been curtailed. They're claiming it has to do with the sequestration.

"It is what it is."

Earlier this year, the James A. Garfield National Historic Site announced it would close on Sundays because of the sequester. Mentor Finance Director David Malinowski also said the city could lose significant federal funding because of the national cut of $85 million.

Filipiak said the city made several attempts to get elected officials to intervene on Mentor's behalf, but had no luck.

"Contributions from the city and sponsors paid for everything except their travel," he said. "It's disappointing to the public."