What's in a name and a memorial?
A lot when the name is Lance Cpl. Abram Howard, a real hero from Williamsport who died in an ambush while on patrol in Afghanistan in July 2010.
The memorial relates to the DuBoistown Bridge, the new version of the former Arch Street bridge that is slated to open this month.
Beyond the obvious transportation improvement that the new bridge represents, it is heartening to memorialize Lance Cpl. Howard.
And it's nice when honor and heroism transcend typical political divisions that dominate Harrisburg and Washington way too much these days.
The resolution renaming the bridge was introduced in the state House by Rep. Rick Mirabito, a Williamsport Democrat, and pushed as an amendment in the Senate by state Sen. E. Eugene Yaw, a Loyalsock Township Republican.
That's as it should be.
Honoring our military heroes is not a matter for political partisanship.
Lance Cpl. Howard and the thousands of military personnel who came before him shed blood and gave up their lives to protect the political system that so is abused with juvenile behavior and snarky political sniping.
People like Lance Cpl. Howard are what set our country apart.
A new DuBoistown Bridge is long overdue.
But with Lance Cpl. Howard's name attached, it will look even better.
