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A New John Glenn Memorial Is Being Considered At The Ohio Statehouse

Fighter pilot John Glenn, in a photo taken before he joined the space program.
THE OHIO CHANNEL
Fighter pilot John Glenn, in a photo taken before he joined the space program.

You don’t have to look far in Ohio to find something named after John Glenn. The astronaut-turned U.S. senator and educator has his name on schools and even the main Columbus airport. There’s a move to add one more memorial.

The Statehouse is often called the “people’s house.” School children and adult visitors from all over the world visit the building daily. Democratic State Rep. Michael Sheehy says he wants John Glenn to be memorialized there.

“John Glenn is so important in American history, not just in Ohio history, that he needs to be recognized on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse.”

The money for the statue could be raised from private sources, like the Holocaust memorial was. Sheehy says he’ll introduce the idea to fellow lawmakers in the coming days.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.