On the Fouth of July, remember: "To be an American, whether by birth or choice, is a high privilege. The ideals of July 4th, 1776, still speak to all humanity. And the revolution declared that day goes on. Millions across the world are free today because of the unselfish courage of American veterans. And today we honor our veterans."

George W. Bush, July 4th, 2003 in Warren County, Ohio

Welcome to Warren County, named for Dr. Joseph Warren, the man who sent Paul Revere on his ride and who ultimately died at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

It was in nearby Dayton, on Huffman Prairie Flying Field, that in 1904 and 1905 Wilbur and Orville Wright flew their first turn, circle, and figure eight, and solved the secrets of aerodynamics in order to develop the first truly practical airplane in the world.

Among the students of the Wright Brothers' flying school were H. Roy Brown, the Canadian ace credited with shooting down the Red Baron in World War I, and Henry "Hap" Arnold, who led the US Air Forces in World War II.

Huffman Prairie Flying Field is now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: birthplace, home and future of aerospace, with a long and admirable history of flight-testing that spans the remarkable period from the Wright Brothers' first flight to the most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles and the Space Age.

Happy Independence Day, America!

If you love beautiful things, then Lebanon, Ohio is the place for you to be this weekend (June 26-27).

On Saturday June 26, visit the Warren County Arts Festival downtown on Mulberry Street as early as 10:00am to find a plethora of artists working in a variety of mediums and selling their creations. Its FREE and its fun and a great place to get a start on your Christmas shopping!

Saturday and Sunday, June 26 and 27, is the Lebanon Council of Garden Clubs annual Garden Tour. Buy your ticket for just $8.00 at the Lebanon Station on the corner of Broadway and South Street. Then tour 6 beautiful gardens throughout the area. Tours begin at 11:00 am and end at 5:00 pm.

When its time for lunch check out the new Garden Café inside the Lebanon Conference and Banquet Center (formerly the old post office). Doors open at 11:00 am. The Garden Café offers homemade salads, sandwiches and wraps plus cold drinks and dessert all for one low price. The proceeds benefit the Warren County History Center located next door. Your lunch purchase also gets you a "buy one get one free" coupon for tickets to the Historical Society's museum and Glendower historic mansion.

For more information about any of these events contact the Warren County Historical Society at 513-932-1817, Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm or visit www.wchsmuseum.org.

Warren County offers a wealth of activities to ensure you and your family have a red, white and booming Independence Day celebration in Ohio's Largest Playground!

A holiday weekend calls for major celebration...and there's no better way to celebrate than with a Ride and Roar family vacation package. For only $319, your family can experience 3 days and 2 nights of fun at Kings Island and the Cincinnati Zoo.

Spend July 4th at Kings Island riding wild roller coasters such as Diamondback, Firehawk and The Beast, dancing and singing along with one of the park's live shows or cooling down with more than 50 rides and attractions in Boomerang Bay waterpark resort. When night falls prepare yourself for an awesome fireworks display that will reach heights of more than 800 feet high! This year's show will be 2x larger than last year. Fireworks start at 10pm and the park is open to midnight.

On day two, you can visit the Cincinnati Zoo and see their brand new Komodo Dragon exhibit or check out Africa Savannah featuring expanded areas for giraffes, flamingos and cheetahs.

Hometown celebrations bring communities together and provide hours of entertainment for people of all ages.

On July 3, the city of Mason offers inflatable rides, food, live musical entertainment plus a dazzling fireworks display during its Red, Rhythm & Boom celebration. July 3 also marks the city of Lebanon's Independence Day Celebration, complete with a parade, live music, inflatable activities plus games and fireworks. If you are looking to do some antique and specialty shopping over the weekend, visit Waynesville, the Antiques Capital of the Midwest.

Complete your July 4th extravaganza by catching a major league value at minor league prices when the Dayton Dragons battle it out against the Great Lakes Loons (July 1-3).